by Jeni Tackett, Registered Dietitian, Trinity Medical Center
The grass is green and the temperatures are rising which means swimsuit and shorts weather is on the way. Are you ready to squeeze into your summer attire or are you a little flabberghasted at the state of your post-winter thighs and waistline? Do not despair!
You can lose 5-10 pounds in the next 10 weeks with some simple modifications to your diet and increase in activity. You need to cut about 250 calories every day for the next 10 weeks along with increasing your activity by 250 calories daily. In our next issue, fitness blogger Jen Foley will give ways to increase your activity and burn an extra 250 calories each day.
Follow these five steps to improve your diet and make swimsuit and shorts shopping something to look forward to:
- Boost your Breakfast: First off, eat breakfast every day. Eating breakfast gets your metabolism going and increases weight loss. Make sure breakfast is high in fiber and contains protein. A high fiber breakfast with adequate protein will keep you satisfied. An example would be a whole wheat English muffin with egg and a cup of berries (just 250 calories, 5 g fat, 10 g protein, and 10 g fiber compared to the 500 calories in Fast Food breakfast sandwiches!)
- Cut your Beverages: You may be getting your extra calories from beverages. Do you guzzle a cup of orange juice in the morning? That’s 120 extra calories. Eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice for less calories and fiber. Skip the chai tea latte or mocha frappaccinos which add hundreds of extra calories to your diet. Drink water or beverages without calories such as tea, coffee, or crystal lite. Water is always your best bet.
- Pick Smart Snacks: Stick to the following simple rule: snack on fruits or vegetables only. You can save 200-300 calories snacking on an apple or baby carrots instead of a candy bar, bag of chips, or cookies. Keep fruits and veggies with you at all times so that you can grab a healthy snack when you are tempted to indulge.
- Lighten up Dinner: Load up on vegetables at dinner. Instead of eating 2 cups of rice or pasta, cut you rice or pasta down to 1 cup and eat twice as much salad or steamed vegetables. Fill half of your plate with vegetables. Skip the slice of bread with dinner and save 100-200 calories. You will still feel satisfied from the large volume of delicious vegetables at your meal.
- Write it Down: The best diet you can go on is the pencil and paper diet. Make a goal of cutting 250 calories a day and record everything you put in your mouth. You have to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, and you must eat less consistently. Keep a food journal in your purse or pocket and write down your meals and snacks. Set a realistic goal of cutting 250 calories on average and the weight will come off.
Make a commitment every day to reach your goal for a fit body this summer. Look in the mirror and repeat after me, “I will eat healthy and exercise today. I’m worth it!”
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Jeni Tackett is a registered dietitian at Trinity Medical Center and the Two Rivers YMCA. Jeni majored in Nutrition and Dietetics at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Caroline. She lives East Moline with her husband, Nathan and their two children, Noah and Lily and two dogs. Jack and Lola.
For a listing of all of Jeni’s blog posts on MVHNews, click here. |
