Tips to shake off the holiday weight

Before you launch into a quick-fix diet to make up for all the eating sins you committed over the holidays, hold on a minute. There is a better way to get back into shape. There are food choices we make daily that can help cut our appetites -- and the number of calories we consume. Here are some tips to help you get your appetite back under control.

Most experts agree that the safest and most lasting weight loss is 1/2-2 pounds per week. "Slow weight loss does not mean no weight loss," says Sue Cummings, M.S., R.D., clinical program coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center in Boston. At the same time, you'll gradually build up a series of healthy habits that will serve you well while you're losing weight and equip you with tools you'll need to reach your weight-loss goal.

So if you're ready to get started--and you're prepared to give crash diets the boot--read on for the simple strategies that will get you on the road to lasting weight loss now.

THE POST-BINGE TIPS

1. Begin on a positive note, recognize that the past is past. You’ve made a decision to take better care of yourself. Now stop beating yourself up. "Let bygones be bygones,"

2. Keep track of how many calories you eat on a normal (non holiday) day. Don't begin on a rigorous diet. Just eat the way you did before the holidays rolled around, but keep a track of your calorie intake.

3. Restock your kitchen. Clear your cupboards and refrigerator of any seasonal treats, leftovers or other high-calorie foods lying in wait to sabotage your weight-loss efforts.

4. The kitchen cleaning will make room for a shopping trip featuring healthful foods that satisfy and fill you up. On your shopping list put fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish and chicken (plan ahead, too, by freezing some now for hectic days to come), and don't forget the low fat dairy (milk, yogurt and cheese).

5. To satisfy your used-to-variety holiday palate, branch out from your usual shopping list and buy a fruit and vegetable you haven't tried before. Or select a new type of grain.

6. Measure up. Use measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale to find out how much you're really eating. You need to "educate your eye," according to Judith S. Stern, Sc.D., R.D., vice president and co-founder of the American Obesity Association in Washington, D.C.

7. Put breakfast to work for you. The morning meal jump-starts your metabolism for the day: Research shows that people who eat breakfast burn 200-300 calories more per day. One energizing morning option that features a combination of protein, carbs and fat: 1 tablespoon of butter on two slices of whole-grain bread, an orange and coffee with low fat milk.

8. Distract yourself when cravings strike.

9. Cool off your appetite with hot soup! Have a bowl of broth- or vegetable-based soup (hot or cold) for a first course, and you'll probably end up eating fewer total calories at that meal. Creamy or high-fat soups need not apply for this job -- stick to the low-cal, high fiber choices like minestrone or vegetable-bean type soups.

10. An orange or grapefruit a day helps keep appetite away. Research suggests that low-calorie plant foods that are rich in soluble fiber -- like oranges and grapefruit -- help us feel fuller faster and keep blood sugars steady. This can translate into better appetite control. Of the 20 most popular fruits and vegetables, oranges and grapefruits are highest in fiber!

Follow these tips to tame those out-of-control appetites without resorting to popping appetite suppressants or smoking cigarettes.

Article Source: Medical Health Care Information