Week 3 of Simple Lifestyle Changes

This is the start of week 3 of making some simple lifestyle changes that can have a big payoff.

• Use the Food Pyramid or the Mediterranean Food Pyramid (my preference) to guide your food choices by eating from each food group.
• Choose a variety of whole grains per day to increase fiber which will fill you up. (Most people eat about 10 g fiber a day and you need around 35g.) Choices include 100% whole wheat, brown rice, oats, whole wheat couscous, and quinoa. Check out Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley and Harvest Grains Blend both of which are great! Decrease white flour and white rice.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables of different types and colors daily. Try and follow the half plate rule. It may take a few weeks before you can really follow the half plate rule.
• Use olive oil when possible and decrease eating fried foods.
• Do not drink calories when possible, especially sugar laden ones. Limit sugar and if you must have it, eat it with a meal so it will not spike your blood sugar as much.
• Cut down on all processed foods. This will decrease the salt in your diet. Add in new spices like curry, cumin, cilantro and basil. Use an entire bunch of chopped cilantro and 2 to 3 T of spices not the 1 t like most of us use. Food should be really tasty not bland.
• Drink alcohol in moderation as it provides calories but not much nutritional value. Wine is used on the Med. diet chart.
• Keep preplating all of your food at the beginning of the meal and also snacks so you can see the quantity you are eating. Remember your brain is visual. Do not eat from the bag!
• Keep reading labels until you have a good grasp of the calorie counts of most of the foods that you eat. The more you know, the more you can eat!
• No foods are forbidden but knowing your calorie counts allows you to recognize lower calorie options for the foods that you can't live without.

Keep track of what is going on in your life when you want to eat, and also look for things that seem to trigger your eating. Is it emotional eating? Did you smell food? Did a situation like a movie bring on the candy craving? Did the Jack in the Box Advertised special lure you in? Pay attention to these triggers because there are strategies you can use to overcome them. Remember that most of us gain weight at the same times, places, days of the week with the same foods over and over. Figure these out and make a plan!