Healthy for a Happy Life

It’s that time of year again when more people resolve to lose weight than any other time of year. As we take down the holiday decorations and determine our New Year’s resolutions, here are a few tips from some nutrition experts to help you succeed:

1. Establish a sense of purpose – understand why you want to lose weight.

As registered dietitian, Angela Lemond suggests, “Good reasons why you want to lose weight include having more energy and maximizing overall health. I have yet to have a person be successful in long-term weight loss for just a number on the scale. It must be a deeper, more meaningful reason."

2. Create realistic goals.

Willow Jarosh, registered dietitian and coauthor of the upcoming "Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook" states, "Before crafting your goals, look at where you are in terms of your eating habits. With your determined New Year’s resolutions, it can be tempting to create super lofty goals and just focus on the big picture, which can be daunting and wind up sapping motivation. Instead, build in challenging-yet-doable food goals from your starting point. Be sure to revisit and revise these goals as you move forward.” If you have smaller goals that push you out of your comfort zone little by little, they'll add up to major results later in the year and lasting results that you can be proud of this time next year.

3. Leave your fruit on the counter.

Caroline Kaufman, registered dietitian and blogger at www.CarolineKaufman.com, tells us to "Clear all the food off of your counters except for a fruit bowl. A study out of Cornell University found that people who keep fruit out weigh 13 pounds less than those without visible healthy snacks. Interestingly, those who left cereal on the counter weighed an average of 20 pounds more than those who stashed it in the cupboard. It's hard to rely solely on willpower, especially when you get home from work at the end of a long day, so make it easier on yourself by taking willpower out of the equation."

4. Get at least seven hours of sleep.

Pat Baird, registered dietitian, author, speaker and founder Confident Health, reminds us that "People who sleep less than seven hours per night tend to weigh more. The National Institutes of Health confirms that sleep deprivation leads to obesity and chronic disease. This takes some planning, but, in the end, it pays off with pounds off."

5. Keep track of what you eat and drink.

Ilyse Schapiro, registered dietitian and coauthor of "Should I Scoop Out My Bagel?: And 99 Other Answers to Your Everyday Diet and Nutrition Questions to Help You Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Live Healthy" says that a food log is key: "Don't underestimate the power of a food log – it can be tedious, but it really does help. Research shows that people who record their food intake lose twice as much weight as those who don't keep track of their food. Whether you're writing it down, sharing it with a friend, talking to a nutritionist or using a food journal app, tracking what you eat can help keep you in check. It will also make you more aware of your choices and will usually cause you to think twice before making an unhealthy decision. Most people will cut down their calories and be smarter about what they eat when they see it in writing. Dropping pounds will usually follow."  

6. 6. Fill up on veggies.

"My best weight-loss tip is to eat more vegetables. I know this sounds trite, but after looking at hundreds of food journals every year from my clients, the one food group that is missing is the vegetables one! As long as they are not fried or swimming in oil and fat, they are very low in calories, provide great phytonutrients (the colors of the plants are loaded with health benefits) and contain lots of fiber," states Felicia D. Stoler, registered dietitian and author of "Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great"

7. Spring clean your pantry.

Finally, registered dietitian and nutrition and culinary consultant for Hispanic Food Communications, Inc. Sylvia Klinger suggests, "Clean up your pantry and kitchen from top to bottom. Make sure you place highly nutritious foods in the front, less nutritious foods in the back and discard any unwanted temptations.”