Nutrition Tips from the Center for Weight Loss

Regardless of the season, life has a way of making us stray from our healthful eating habits. Whether we are inundated with high-calorie foods during the holidays, indulge while on vacation, or choose convenient to-go meals during a busy work week, we can easily find ourselves abandoning a regular meal routine.

Here are some good tips for maintaining a healthy weight from the dietitians at The Emerson Health Center for Weight Loss.

Avoid meal skipping
Skipping meals does not necessarily reduce overall calorie intake. However, it can increase hunger, making it harder to make healthy choices later in the day and often leading to overeating. Avoid allowing more than four to six hours to elapse between meals.

Adjust cooking techniques
Braising or slow cooking can still give you the rich “comfort” food feeling we crave. Try to choose leaner cuts of meat, such as chicken, turkey, pork, or lean beef. Instead of using cornstarch or butter and flour to thicken a sauce, reduce the total volume by boiling. This will give the sauce better flavor and thickness without added calories. When baking, replace a portion of butter in the recipe with applesauce to maintain the same moisture with fewer calories.

Choose foods that satisfy
Lean proteins and high-fiber foods, such as vegetables and whole grains, take longer to digest and keep you full. By adjusting your portions, you can delay hunger between meals. Start by filling half of your plate with either raw or cooked vegetables. Fill a quarter of your plate with whole grains or starchy vegetables, including brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, butternut squash, potatoes, or corn. Fill the rest of your plate with lean proteins such as low-fat dairy, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, beans, lentils, or fish.

Mindfulness
Take your time with eating; enjoy the taste and texture of the food and the company of your friends and family. Choosing a smaller plate helps slow you down and makes portions appear larger. This will all help your brain and stomach catch up and better acknowledge fullness. Eat to satisfy physical hunger rather than “head” hunger. It is sometimes challenging to differentiate between the two. Physical hunger typically comes on gradually, is satisfied by different foods, and stops when you are full. Head hunger usually comes on suddenly, causes cravings for a specific food, can be paired with an upsetting emotion, involves absent-minded eating, and can result in guilt after eating.

Stay hydrated
Choose low-calorie, sugar-free beverages whenever possible, and avoid drinking your calories. Liquids are digested faster and do not satisfy hunger like solid foods. Also, feelings of thirst can be confused with hunger, so consider having a beverage before reaching for a snack.

Exercise
Find a workout buddy if you find it challenging to gear up for activity in cold or inclement weather. An exercise partner will help hold you accountable and keep you motivated. If going to a gym or structured class does not excite you, try doing exercise videos at home, walking around the mall, gardening or landscaping, or playing outside with your kids.

And remember to stay positive! Do not let one meal ruin a day or even a week. Incorporating some of these quick tips and strategies can help you take control of your health and achieve your goals.