Lighten Up Onslow Weight-Loss Tips

Avoid high-fat meals
Keep an eye out for meals that use the following in their description because it usually means "high-fat" content:  Au gratin, Parmigiana, Tempura, Alfredo, creamy and Carbonara. 

Be mindful when you are eating
Pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth. Sit down and pay attention to the food you are eating. Really enjoy each bite.  If you're watching TV  or working while you eat, you won't be paying attention to what's going into your mouth and you might eat more and enjoy less!

Drink more water
Drink water instead of a high-fat snack. Drinking six too eight glasses a day will help fill you up and help your waistline.

Ask for a "doggie-bag before you eat
Ask your waiter for a take-home box and before you begin to eat your restaurant meal, put half of your ain course in a take-home box. Putting the food away before you start your meal will help you eat a more sensible portion and you'll have leftovers to take home.

Leave something on your plate
Challenge yourself to leave half your sandwich on your plate, remove the bun from your burger or eat only half your spaghetti and meatballs. You might find out that you are satisfied enough not to eat the rest of the meal.

And most of all; Exercise, Exercise, Exercise
If you’ve been following our tips, you know that in addition to eating the appropriate amount of calories, increasing your exercise activity can be the key to helping you lose weight.  In fact, a Duke University study suggests that you walk for 45 minutes a day. The study found that “while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (adding up to 45 minutes) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you’re eating.

Staying Motivated, Yes, You Can!

We know it is not easy to stay motivated day after day, but Lighten Up Onslow is here to help with tips and suggestions to help pull you through the days when you feel that you might not make it. Here’s what we suggest:

Buddy-up: One of the most effective ways to stay on track and slim down is to be on a weight-loss team or buddy-up with a partner. Studies have shown that women lose an average of 10 pounds, when they diet and exercise with a friend or co-worker. Sharing your experience with someone else makes it easier to stay committed and not lose motivation.

Post your goals: Proclaim your weight-loss goals on Onslow’s Facebook or Twitter pages. By posting your goals, you let friends, co-workers and family know that you are serious about losing weight and getting healthier. Once you announce to the world that you’ve made the commitment to lose weight, you are more apt to stick with it. You might even find that you’ll get more support and maybe even a few healthy recipes or an invitation to take a walk at lunch with your friends.

Rewards: Set goals along with the rewards you will receive when you achieve your goals. If you know there is a reward waiting for you when you accomplish your goals, you are more likely to stay engaged. If you’ve told yourself that you can buy that cute pair of jeans or that new shirt once you’ve reach a certain weight, you are more apt to make it.

Make better Choices: You don’t have to deprive yourself, in fact, if you do, you might be setting yourself up for failure. Studies have shown that if you eat too little for too long you’ll not only slow your metabolism, but when you do let yourself indulge, you might go overboard. Instead of potato chips, choose raw veggies dipped in Greek yogurt flavored with onion soup mix, or choose calorie-free flavored water instead of sugar sodas. Choosing a lower calorie alternative gives you a chance to enjoy a treat without going overboard later.

Staying motivated is a “state-of-mind” and some days may be harder than other to stay engaged; between all the time pressures, tempting food choices and lack of results, it seems that your efforts can quickly derail, but just keep this in mind: You Can Do It!
Grab your tennis shoes, put down the donut and smile, because you’re going to make it!

Have You Set Realistic Weight-Loss Goals?
If not, you might be setting yourself up to fail.

A good way to increase your chances of weight-loss success is to create realistic goals for yourself. When you meet the small goals you set, you will feel better about yourself and continue to increase your self-esteem and doing this can help you meet your ultimate weight-loss goals. Even meeting the smallest goal, such as exercising an extra 10 minutes each day, can renew your self-esteem. Defining and meeting your goals will be a huge boost to your self-image and insure a better chance at success.

Because we know that permanent weight-loss takes time, effort and a lifetime commitment, it is important to stay committed to your weight-loss goals. It’s not easy to change old habits overnight. Take small steps and find out what motivates you. Take a moment to list why it’s important to you to lose weight and become healthier.  Ask yourself; is it for your health and your family? Are you making a commitment to yourself that allows you to be more active and enjoy your life to the fullest?

Remember that there will be peaks and valleys in your weight-loss journey. Don’t give up after a setback; just keep going and make wiser choices tomorrow.

What Diet Will Work For You?

Now that you’ve made the commitment to lose weight and get healthier, you’re probably wondering what diet to follow? Mission Health nutritionists recommend choosing from following healthy and sensible diets:

Weight Watchers

A tried and true weight-loss program that has been around for many years. Many people find its “points” system easy to follow and this program teaches good portion-control habits that can help you maintain your weight-loss. Its meetings-based system harnesses the power of group support and keeping up with times has added an online version. Weight Watcher’s meal plans, sensible eating, weight-loss pace has earned it praise from many experts.

The EatingWell Diet

EatingWell's 7-Day Weight-Loss Diet Meal Plan is designed to provide an overall healthy-eating program at five different daily caloric levels: 1,200, 1,400, 1,600, 1,800 and 2,000. EatingWell's 7-Day Weight-Loss Diet Meal Plan is designed to provide an overall healthy-eating program at five different daily caloric levels: 1,200, 1,400, 1,600, 1,800 and 2,000. 

You: On a Diet

Dr Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen's site: RealAge.com offers menu plans and exercise recommendations. You can customize your own menu plan, print shopping lists and it’s all free. mscullin@marketimpactadv.com

The Sonoma Diet

This diet is based on delicious recipes using staples of Mediterranean eating: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and nuts. The diet starts with a strident 10-day phase called "Wave One," which is calorie-restrictive but is supposed to help you lose your craving for eating sugar and highly processed foods. The diet does contain creative recipes and menus.

SparkPeople.com
This site offers a free four-stage diet program which uses tools, content, and support to help users make lifestyle changes. Users are prompted to enter height, weight, and amount they intend to exercise, as well as a target date and weight. The site then gives recommendations for calorie, fat, and carbohydrate intake based on calculated BMR, as well as a personalized fitness plan.

Click here for this handy WebMd portion-size guide that you can take with you.
Click here for WebMd’s Printable Food Journal