Consumer_Reports_Eat_Healthy_and_Love_it_July_2017 (1)

15 Healthy Eating Tips for Weight Loss
How to eat right and shed pounds without going to extremes
PHOTOS, FROM LEFT: IAIN BAGWELL/GETTY IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES
Get Ready
1. Talk with an expert. Have
a conversation with your doctor
about your weight, nutrition,
and fitness goals, says Andrea
Spivack, R.D., with the Stunkard
Weight Management Program
at the University of Pennsylvania
in Philadelphia. And consider
making an appointment
with a registered dietitian
for a personalized assessment
of your nutrition needs
and habits.
2. Change your perspective.
Instead of thinking of yourself
as someone who is dieting,
consider yourself a “weight
manager,” Spivack advises.
A pedometer or activity tracker
and a calorie-counting app
to help you develop a daily
calorie budget and keep on
top of food intake can be
valuable tools.
3. Set reasonable goals.
Just as it takes time to put on
extra pounds, it takes time
to lose them. Gradual, steady
weight loss of 1 to 22 pounds
per week is associated with
more success at maintaining
that loss, according to the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention’s Division of
Nutrition, Physical Activity, and
Obesity. Your doctor and an
registered dietitian can help
you develop appropriate and
attainable weight-loss goals.
Start Deliberately
4. Make changes gradually.
“Changing habits is not easy,
so start slowly and have
realistic expectations,” says
Maxine Siegel, R.D., who
heads Consumer Reports’ food
testing. You might try adding
just a couple of healthier habits
to your life, such as resolving
to eat fruits and vegetables
at every meal or to swap
green tea for sugary drinks.
5. Understand how to put
together a healthy plate of
food. For a sufficient volume of
food to keep you satisfied, as
well as for a well-balanced
diet, try to make your plates
50 percent produce, 25 percent
whole-grains, such as brown
rice and whole-wheat pasta,
and 25 percent lean protein
such as grilled chicken or fish.
Add a serving of low-fat or
fat-free dairy, such as 8 ounces
of skim or 1 percent milk, or a
cup of Greek yogurt. For more
specifics on ideal portions for
you, go to choosemyplate.gov.
6. Plan ahead. Try tracking
your food intake before meals
(include drinks, dressings,
and condiments). “Like any
budget, you have to see what
fits into your calorie budget,
what is worth it, and what is
negotiable,” Spivack says.
7. Be ready for challenges.
Use a calendar to mark social
events for the month ahead.
This will give you perspective
on how many situations may
test your willpower. Strive
to stay on track the rest of the
time. Note on the calendar
when you plan to exercise.
Make Healthier Choices
8. Cook at home more often.
In fact, a study of almost
100,000 people, presented at
the American Heart Association’s
recent Scientific Sessions,
found that those who ate 11
or more homemade lunches
and dinners per week had
a 12 percent lower risk of
developing type 2 diabetes
than those who ate six or fewer
home-prepared meals per
week. (And being overweight
or obese increases your risk for
type 2 diabetes.) Home-cooked
meals may help because they’re
usually lower in calories, fat,
and sodium, and contain more
nutrient- and fiber-rich produce
than restaurant fare, fast food,
and takeout meals.
9. Avoid processed foods. “Cut
down on packaged foods with
lots of ingredients,” Siegel says.
“Eat whole foods, and think
variety and freshness.”
10. Anticipate cravings. For
example, if it’s pasta you want,
Spivack says, a spiralizer can
help you transform veggies
like zucchini into low-calorie
“spaghetti.” And if you must have
French fries or other crispy
foods, consider an air fryer. Keep
a bowl of fruit handy so when
hunger strikes, you can grab
a piece instead
of something less nutritious.
11. Be a sugar sleuth. Scan
ingredients lists for the names
of products you may not think
of as sugars, such as agave,
dextrose, fruit-juice concentrate,
fructose, and malt syrup.
Adopt These 4 Habits
12. Eat more slowly. Try putting
your fork down between each
bite. This gives your brain more
time to receive the message
that you’re full.
13. Shorten your eating
hours. At the Salk Institute in
California, when 156 people
snapped photos of all they ate
for three weeks, half grazed
for 15 hours or more most days.
But when eight overweight
study subjects cut that to
10 to 11 hours per day, they
lost an average of 7 pounds
in 16 weeks.
14. Weigh yourself daily. A
daily weigh-in can motivate you
to make changes in your diet
or level of physical activity. Try
weighing yourself at the same
time every morning, under the
same conditions.
15. Be kind to yourself.
You’re seeking improvement,
not perfection.
Get Expert Advice
A nutritionist can help
you develop a plan.
CR.ORG EAT HEALTHY 23