Weight Control

a to-do list…

Level 1 Losers

August 2010

Beth Danowsky, RD, CLC

“Tell me what you eat, and

I will tell you what you

are.”

Objectives

Overview a “to-do” list for successful

weight loss

Investigate tools that will assist in the

process of losing weight (and keeping it

off)

MOTIVATE YOU TO REACH YOUR

GOALS!

1. No More Dieting!

Resist using fad diets

to lose weight

Short-term success,

followed by long term

failure

Doesn’t create healthy

habits

2. Don’t Under Eat!

Forget about skipping meals

Can push you down the road to obesity

Disrupts blood sugar and slows down metabolic rate

Sets up your body for binges and sweet cravings

Never Cut Calories Too Much

Starvation mode will slow metabolism

Break down muscle tissue instead of fat

Raises your set-point weight

3. Eat to Lose

4-hour rule Fact: Eating raises metabolism!

Develop a habit of eating every 3-4 hrs

Sugar Stabilization Low-blood sugar caused by long-periods of not

eating throw body into compensation which exhausts glands, moves body into fat storage mode and leads to weight gain

Eat Before You’re Hungry Leads to overeating later on

Eat smaller portions more often

4. Get Adequate Protein

Eat Protein with Every Meal/Snack

Mobilizes fat from storage and converts it

into energy

Eat protein first to fill you up

Builds Lean Body Mass

More muscle = faster metabolism!

Without protein your body will tear down

existing muscle tissue

5. Get the Facts About Fat

Fat won’t necessarily make you fat! People are obsessed with avoiding fat and in turn,

consume too many sugars and carbs.

It’s not the culprit

Eat the good fat, restrict the bad Eat more: olive oil, avocado, flax, canola, coconut oil,

natural butter

Eat less: margarine, hydrogenated fats, trans fat (plastic fat), non-cold pressed vegetable oils

Fat slows digestion and the conversion of carbs into blood sugar – doesn’t affect the insulin response.

6. Exercise

Work up a sweat!

Do a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise to

bring oxygen into your body

Do something you enjoy

Check with doctor before starting a new routine

Lift some weight

Muscle burns fat and increases metabolism

Even a few minutes/day will make a difference!

7. Eat Local & Organic

Compared to conventional produce, organic contains far more nutrients leaving your body more energized and satisfied after eating

Local foods are transported short distances and therefore undergo less nutrient loss

Frozen foods are next best to fresh, throw the cans away

Support a CSA or plant a garden for the best fresh vegetables and fruit

8. Stay Focused

Pace Yourself

Don’t expect results overnight.

Be realistic and have reasonable goals

1-1½# per week is realistic for most people

Think Long Term

Eat for enhanced energy and a sense of well-being to be free of cravings

Your body will lose the weight naturally without force or feelings of deprivation

9. Write it

Down!

Keep a journal

Write down everything you eat, drink and

nibble on

Write down how you feel after eating (i.e.

“energized, lethargic, sad, happy”)

Make notes about the stressors in your life

(i.e. relationships, jobs, money, kids, etc.)

Sample Food Record

Date Time Food Item Amt Eaten Emotion Exercise

08/02/10 8:00am Whole Grain

Bagel

½ from

Einsteins

Tired

Cream

Cheese

2 T.

Coffee 16 oz

10:00am Crackers 5 pieces Still tired

Peanut

butter

1 T

11:30 Yoga at DH

1:00 Chicken 4 oz Relaxed

Spinach 3 cups raw

Strawberries 5 whole

10. Listen to Your Body

Eat slowly and listen to

when your body feels 80%

full then stop

Try chewing 20-30 times

or putting fork down between bites

Leave food behind Don’t eat it just because it’s being “wasteful”

not to. Let your body call the shots, not your upbringing!

11. Drink Water

Our bodies are made

up of ~60% water

Denver is a mile high and very dry

Dehydration can cause lethargy, dullness and actually cause us to overeat in compensation

Water helps get the nutrients where they need to be

12. Stay Positive

Positive self-talk

“I am” statements

Write down what you want and when you

want it

Instead of saying “I can’t eat that donut

because it’s not part of my diet plan”, try

saying “The apple will make me feel great!”

Other Quick Tips

Don’t use meal replacements

Avoid artificial sweeteners and diet pills

Consider food intolerances

Consider a whole foods based

supplement to make up for nutrients lost

in the soil and in turn, our diets

Cheat… a little.

Tools

Portion Distortion Exercise

http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

Free website for tracking food/exercise

www.sparkpeople.com

Nutrient Data Laboratory – USDA

http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.

htm?modecode=12-35-45-00

Resources

Books

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Intuitive Eating: A Recovery Book For The Chronic Dieter; Rediscover The Pleasures Of Eating And Rebuild Your Body Image by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD

Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink, Ph.D.

The Slight Edge by

In closing…

Decide now

Decide how

“We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we

are.”

~Adelle Davis

Questions?

References

The Metabolic Typing Diet by William

Wolcott