Indulging in sweet splurges, ordering that appetizer, taking a snack break \u2013 these are actually dieting do\u2019s that can help you shed pounds fast. Read on for 5 surprising expert tips to long-lasting weight loss\u2026<\/p>\n
Ask anyone who has dropped pounds on a diet (or anyone who tried but couldn\u2019t!), and she will confirm that long-term weight loss is tricky. The major hurdle for most wannabe losers: getting over a \u201clast supper\u201d mentality, which starts with a binge and ends with buckling down.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany of my patients come in and say, \u2018I\u2019m ready to turn myself over to you,\u2019\u201d says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., L.D., a dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Wellness Institute and national media spokesperson in Chicago for the American Dietetic Association.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey look at weight loss as all-or-nothing, a last binge then hard times and deprivation ahead. That just doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n
What will work is moderation and small compromises. With slight changes to your daily routine, you\u2019re much more likely to get results \u2013 without having to resort to drastic diet schemes.<\/p>\n
Read on for experts\u2019 top 5 tips for a doable diet that really works.<\/p>\n
1. Replace a meal\u2026 with a replacement.
Substituting a protein bar, shake or low-fat frozen dinner for one meal each day is a convenient, inexpensive and often delicious way to lose weight. As long as you use them to replace a meal, not as a between-meal snack (as many women do).<\/p>\n
But remember, these replacements are only half the meal, Blatner stresses. You need fruits and veggies to make it more filling and nutritious.<\/p>\n
Aim for a total calorie count (for the replacement plus fruits or vegetables) between 250-400 calories, enough to keep you going for a few hours.<\/p>\n
Here are some of Blatner\u2019s favorite meal replacements. (Note: All have at least 10 grams of protein to keep hunger at bay.)<\/p>\n
Bars: Kashi GoLean Rolls (200 calories, 1.5 grams sat fat, 12 grams protein, 6 grams fiber) and Balance Bar Trail Mix Energy Bars (210 calories, 3 grams sat fat, 14 grams protein, 3 grams fiber)<\/p>\n
Shakes: Slim Fast Optima Shakes (190 calories, 2.5 grams sat fat, 10 g protein, 5g fiber)<\/p>\n
Frozen Entrees: Most offerings from Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones or Healthy Choice.<\/p>\n
Check out more options here.<\/p>\n
2. Schedule meals and snacks.
Hunger always trumps common sense. If you let yourself get famished, you\u2019re likely to reach for anything within reach, like donuts, chips or corn nuts.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving a daily routine for meals and snacks will prevent unhealthy bingeing,\u201d says Jennifer Ramos Galluzzi, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition and science at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, Conn.<\/p>\n
It also stops subconscious worrying about food, because you\u2019ll know when you\u2019re having your next meal.<\/p>\n
To avoid that afternoon cookie craving, plan to eat three well-balanced meals, with two 100-200 calorie snacks between them. Here\u2019s a sensible schedule with healthy snack suggestions:<\/p>\n
7:30 a.m.: Breakfast<\/p>\n
10:30 a.m.: 100-200 calorie snack: medium apple (72 calories) with a stick of string cheese (80 calories); or a nonfat flavored yogurt (125-150 calories) with half a pink grapefruit (37 calories)<\/p>\n
1 p.m.: Lunch<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m.: 100-200 calorie snack: 1\/2 cup shelled soybeans (120 calories); 4 cups lite microwave popcorn (120 calories); 1 cup 1% cottage cheese (163 calories) with 10 baby carrots (40 calories)<\/p>\n
7 p.m.: Dinner<\/p>\n
3. Say \u201cyes\u201d to an appetizer.
But only if it\u2019s a healthy soup or salad. Filling up with one of these as an appetizer will make you consume less in the meal.<\/p>\n
Soup is your best bet for controlling calorie intake.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou almost can\u2019t go wrong as long as it\u2019s not cream-based,\u201d Blatner says. \u201cResearch has shown that you\u2019ll eat at least 100 fewer calories at the main meal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Opt for chunky minestrone (1 cup: 127 calories), lentil (1 cup: 126 calories) or even split pea (1 cup: 180 calories).<\/p>\n
Salad is a good second choice, although it isn\u2019t as effective as a broth- or bean-based soup. Although it can pare a meal\u2019s calorie toll, a plain salad won\u2019t fill you up as much as soup will.<\/p>\n
Plus, \u201cdressing, croutons and dried fruit can really pack on calories,\u201d Blatner says.<\/p>\n
4. Eat more to weigh less.
To drop pounds, nutrition experts believe you need to pay more attention to the caloric density of what you\u2019re eating.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lower caloric density indicates that it has fewer calories per gram,\u201d Galluzzi says. \u201cFoods with a high fiber and water content usually have lower caloric density.\u201d<\/p>\n
In other words, the lower the caloric density of a food, the more of it you can eat and still lose or maintain weight.<\/p>\n
To determine caloric density, divide the number of calories in a serving by the number of grams in a serving (both can be found on nutrition labels).<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an example: A small, 280-calorie cheeseburger weighs 100 grams, so its caloric density would be 2.8. For the same 280 calories, you can enjoy a plateful of rice and roasted vegetables along with a bowl of miso soup.<\/p>\n
The weight of the second lunch is a hefty 500 grams, making the caloric density a much lower 0.6.<\/p>\n
If that math seems too daunting, here\u2019s an easier way to eat more foods with a lower caloric density: Add more water-based foods to your diet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI use what I call the \u2018wet-foods challenge\u2019 with my patients,\u201d Blatner says. \u201cI ask them to eat four small crackers as a snack one day and a large apple the next, both being about 100 calories. They always come back saying they believe in wet foods.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still having doubts? Here\u2019s another example of a low versus a high-caloric-density afternoon snack. Both have approximately the same number of calories. Which do you think would be more filling (not to mention nutritious)?<\/p>\n
* A Chicken and Vegetables with Vermicelli Lean Cuisine frozen entree with a caloric density of 0.8 (252 calories divided by 297 grams)<\/p>\n
OR<\/p>\n
* A 1.45 oz Hershey\u2019s Special Dark bar with a caloric density of 5.6 (230 calories divided by 41 grams)<\/p>\n
5. Satisfy your sweet tooth.
That\u2019s right, we\u2019re giving you permission to quench your cravings for something chocolatey, sugary or simply yummy.<\/p>\n
In fact, even the new USDA Dietary Guidelines allow for sweets and other discretionary calories. The key is portion control and smart choices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI call them \u2018sensible splurges,\u2019 \u201d Blatner says. \u201cBut it\u2019s vital to keep them under 150 calories.\u201d<\/p>\n
Try any of these low-cal yet soul-satisfying treats:<\/p>\n
* Skinny Cow Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Cone: 150 calories<\/p>\n
* CocoaVia Chocolate-Covered Almonds: 140 calories per pack<\/p>\n
* Healthy Choice Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwich: 140 calories<\/p>\n
* Skinny Cow Cookies \u2018n\u2019 Cream Ice Cream Bar: 120 calories<\/p>\n
* Nonfat pudding (chocolate, vanilla, banana): 100-130 calories<\/p>\n
* CocoaVia Original Chocolate Bar: 100 calories<\/p>\n
* See\u2019s Candies Gourmet Lollypops (butterscotch, chocolate, vanilla, caf\u00e9 latte): 80 calories<\/p>\n
* Fudgesicle: 65 calories<\/p>\n
* Big Stick Popsicle: 60 calories<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Indulging in sweet splurges, ordering that appetizer, taking a snack break \u2013 these are actually dieting do\u2019s that can help you shed pounds fast. Read on for 5 surprising expert tips to long-lasting weight loss\u2026 Ask anyone who has dropped pounds on a diet (or anyone who tried but couldn\u2019t!), and she will confirm that long-term weight loss is tricky. The major hurdle for most wannabe losers: getting over a \u201clast supper\u201d mentality, which starts with a binge and ends with buckling down. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-353044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
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