- Don't skip meals, especially breakfast. This causes your metabolism to slow down. If you don't have time, at least get some yogurt and a piece of fruit; oatmeal with fruit; whole grain or bran cereal.
- Eat a high protein, low fat diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables-5 to 7 servings per day. (A glass of orange juice or V-8 juice counts as a serving. Other examples: a banana, a handful of grapes, a scoop of green beans, a medium sliced tomato, a scoop of cole slaw made without mayonnaise, a scoop of cabbage, several broccoli spears, a roasted bell pepper, several cauliflower florets, a scoop of corn). Lettuce doesn't count and neither do potatoes-potatoes are mostly starch which is carbohydrate.
- Aim for getting only 7% of your calories from fat, which for the average person is about 25 grams of fat per day. Fatty foods include hamburger and other ground meats (buffalo or lamb may be leaner), french fries and other fried foods, chips and other snack foods (except pretzels!), cheese, butter and margarine, salad dressings (yikes!) made with oil or mayonnaise, tartar sauce, ice cream, nuts and peanut butter, most cold cuts, sausage, bacon, whole eggs (but not egg whites or egg substitutes). Beef is OK in limited amounts if you use a lean cut (filet or tenderloin; top round; or round tip roast) and trim off the visible fat. Peel the skin off chicken before you cook it.
- Go easy on foods with high-carbohydrate starches such as potatoes, bread, rice, and pasta, which can add weight too. Your carbohydrates should be whole-grain and high fiber if possible: whole wheat pasta, brown rice instead of white rice, oatmeal, bran cereals, whole grain breads, and legumes (e.g., pinto beans, navy beans, black beans).
- Drink plenty of fluids especially water. Put a slice of lemon in it so it tastes better. This not only helps with hunger, but also the body actually burns calories eliminating the excess water. Watch out for sugary colas and tea.
- No late night meals! Besides adding weight, eating late also aggravates reflux.
- Start a walking program. Walk at a comfortable pace for 45 minutes a day. It's good for the spirit as well as the body and many people think it's almost as good as strenuous jogging.
- One or at the most two alcoholic beverages a day or every other day are good for the heart. No, you can't save it all up for the weekend. Alcohol is packed with calories. Your body burns it much the way it burns sugar.
- Eating out is OK. If your choices are limited, just try to make a "better" bad choice. Try grilled or broiled foods which have full flavor but are lower fat. Have them bring the sauces and the salad dressing on the side, that way you can decide just how much you want or omit it.
- The weight came on slowly, so take it off slowly too. Aim for ½ to 1 pound a week. The goal is not quick results: you're trying to change your eating habits and approach to food for the rest of your life.
- No one is perfect. Just be as consistent as you can, because that's what pays off in the long run.
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