H

H.E.A.L.T.H.Y. Steps

(Healthy Eating And Lifestyle Techniques Help You!!)

Do you Know What it Takes to Lose Weight? You may have tried several diets in the past. If you have lost weight with these diets, chances are good that you have put it back on. And now you realize that DIETS DO NOT WORK! To succeed with weight loss or weight control, new habits need to be formed. Not just eating habits, but exercise and lifestyle habits should be changed too. For long-term weight control, you need to balance eating, activity, and behavior. New habits take time to form, so begin slowly. The following suggestions will help you look good and feel even better.

Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle:

• Reduce the amount of total fat in your diet.	• Limit Sweets.
• Restrict saturated fats.	• Limit Alcohol.
• Decrease dietary cholesterol intake.	• Eat a balanced diet.
• Achieve and maintain a body weight that is right for you.	• Exercise regularly.

General Guidelines:

• Limit eating to one place in the house.

• Do nothing else while eating (such as watching TV, reading a magazine, etc.).

• Serve yourself one portion at a time. If you are still hungry, try to wait five minutes

before taking second helpings.

• Slow down! Put your fork down between bites. It takes about 20 minutes for your

brain to get the message that you are full.

• Leave some food on your plate or start off with a smaller plate.

• Eat from plates, not food packages.

• Drink 8 – 10 eight-ounce glasses of water every day.

• Store high calorie foods out of sight.

• Park your car in the farthest spot. You’ll walk more and burn extra calories.

• Use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Food Preparation Tips:

• Bake, broil, roast, or stew foods rather than fry them.

• Trim all fat from meat and poultry before cooking.

• Instead of using added fat in your cooking pan, use a non-stick cooking pan.

• Coat the pan with a thin layer of oil, then wipe with a paper towel.

• Use a non-stick cooking spray.

• Refrigerate soups and stews. Remove the hardened fat before serving.

• Use lean ham or Canadian bacon in place of regular bacon or pepperoni.

• Sauté vegetables in liquids instead of oil. Broth, juice, wine, or water can be used.

• Steam, stir fry, simmer, or microwave vegetables without adding fat.

• Try substituting equal amounts of applesauce, mashed bananas or other pureed fruit for

at least half the oil or margarine in a recipe for most baked goods.

• Serve pasta with tomato based marinara sauce instead of cream based sauces.

• Try a few drops of seasoned vinegars and oils to add flavor to foods.

• Instead of croutons in a salad, try adding chopped celery to add crunch.

Shopping Tips:

• Resist temptation!

• Fill your shopping cart with choices from the bottom of the pyramid (breads, fruits, and

vegetables).

• Compare the labels of similar products. Choose the product with fewer grams of fat and

calories per serving.

• Look for whole grain breads and pasta that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

• Choose hot or cold cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber and/or 3 or less grams of fat per

serving. Limit sugarcoated cereals.

• Spend most of your time and money in the produce section. If you are going to

splurge, this is the place to do it.

• Buy orange, red or dark, green vegetables. They are usually higher in vitamins.

• Look for juice and juice blends that are 100% juice. Fresh fruits are a better source of

fiber and are preferred over fruit juice.

• Purchase low-fat or fat-free milk and dairy products, such as, cheese and yogurt.

• Select fish and skinless poultry more often, using lean meats less frequently.

• Buy frozen or canned fruit without added sugar.

• Buy whipped butter or margarine instead of stick.

Dining Out Tips:

Don’t be afraid to ask:

for milk with your coffee instead of cream or half-and-half.
for salad dressing on the side so you can use less.
for baked potato without butter or sour cream already on it.
for unbuttered toast, bagel, pancakes, or waffles.
how a menu item is prepared so you know what is in it.

• Don’t be afraid to leave food on your plate or take it home. Restaurant portions are

usually much bigger than what you eat at home.

• If there is no entrée that looks suitable, combine two appetizers or side orders for a

balanced meal. For example, shrimp cocktail and garden salad.

• Choose baked, broiled, or roasted foods that can be prepared without sauces as these are

usually high in fat and calories.

• Avoid fried foods and combination dishes with gravies and sauces as these are usually

high in fat and calories.

• For dessert try a fruit cup with sorbet or nonfat frozen yogurt.

• Buy small. Words such as “jumbo,” “giant,” “extra large,” or “deluxe” signal caution.

Choose single patty burgers instead of double at fast food restaurants.

Snacking Tips:

Smart Snack Ideas

• Fresh Fruit	• Canned unsweetened fruit
• Raw vegetables with nonfat dip	• Baked tortilla chips with salsa
• Rice cakes or popcorn cakes	• Pretzels
• 1 c. plain nonfat yogurt mixed with 1 Tbs. all fruit jam, ½ c. canned or fresh fruit • Celery with nonfat or low fat cream cheese. • 1 c, 1% or fat-free milk blended with 2 Tbs. chocolate syrup or frozen fruit. • Air popped popcorn with butter spray and seasoning. • Unsweetened cereal with low fat or fat-free milk.

Avoid any unnecessary snacking. Many social activities temp you to snack. For these times, here are some hints:

• Bring your own healthy snack or eat a snack before you go.

• Eat at regular meal times during the day. Do not skip meals.

• Keep high fat, high calorie foods out of your home, out of sight, out of mind.

Exercise:

Eating a healthy balanced diet is not the only way to reach or maintain your healthy weight. Regular physical activity is also important and has many benefits:

• You feel more alert.

• You have more energy.

• You feel better about yourself.

• As you exercise, you will increase muscle and that alone will burn more calories.

• Exercise helps to reduce stress level.

Some Tips on Getting Started:

• Check with your doctor before starting.

• Begin slowly. Always warm up and cool down.

• Exercising 20-30 minutes, three times a week is suggested.

• Set up a schedule.

• Keep an exercise record.

• Exercise with a friend.

• Make it fun!