27 Realistic Things You Can Do This Year to Help You Lose Weight and Reach your Goals!

Top 27 Realistic Things You Can Do This Year to Meet Your Weight Loss Goals
 

1. Control your blood sugar.  What is Blood Sugar? Blood sugar or blood glucose is the level of glucose in our blood stream at any given time. High blood sugar causes a reactive storage response from our bodies. And what do we store this sugar as?... Fat. Fat isn’t the only thing we eat that is stored as body fat. Excess calories of any kind-from carbohydrate, protein or fat -get stored as body fat. Blood sugar rises after we digest carbohydrate and the product (glucose) enters our blood stream. Our bodies sense this rise and signal our cells (via the hormone insulin) to uptake glucose for energy and storage. Excess and constant high blood sugar, besides having potential to damage our cells and cause insulin resistance and type II diabetes, also interferes with fat burning by consistently signaling our body to convert glucose to fat for storage. What raises blood sugar? High carbohydrate foods include starch and sugar found in things like flour, breads, crackers, pasta, grains (even whole grains), sweets and sugar sweetened beverages. All carbohydrates aren’t bad, they fuel our body and are the preferred fuel for our brain. How to control Blood Sugar. The trick is to avoid simple carbohydrates and large carbohydrate loads in general. Processed, also known as simple or refined carbohydrates (like white rice, sugar, white flour, etc.) have the fiber and vitamins stripped away and digest quickly, resulting in sharp spikes and subsequent dips in blood glucose, sending us on a roller coaster of high and low energy. Whole grains, in contrast, have their natural nutrient-containing parts and fibrous shell, and thus, break down slower and result in a steady, prolonged release of energy. This is what we want. As blood sugar goes, so do our energy, hunger and metabolism. Whole grains are more nutritious than refined grains but it is advisable to still keep portions modest (to about 1 to 2.5 servings or 45 to 55 grams per meal or 130-145g per day), as too much of any kind of carbohydrate, even those from whole grain, results in a large insulin response and the aforementioned detrimental blood sugar-hunger cycle. Note: dairy, fruit, starchy vegetables, beans and other foods contribute carbohydrate to the diet also. A truly balanced diet factors these carbohydrate sources in to the total carbohydrate content of all meals. Choosing Whole Grains. When choosing grains, look for the word “whole” as the first word in the ingredients list. The words “12-grain”, “enriched” and “wheat” don’t count unless the words “100% WHOLE” accompanies the word grain. Manufacturers die their bread brown with molasses and other ingredients, and use the word wheat to pass their product off as healthy.
2. Reduce or Eliminate Liquid Calories. Liquid calories include soda, juices, sports drinks (like Gatorade and Poweraid), energy drinks, alcohol, sweetened teas, coffees and the like. Why? Liquid calories do not keep us full because they do not take up much room in our stomach and therefore have little effect on satiety. Just as important, they are absorbed quickly and spike our blood sugar.
3. Limit and avoid alcohol. Alcohol is metabolized first and gets priority over protein, carbohydrate and fat. What happens to the protein, carbohydrate and fat if not used for energy? You got it, they are converted and stored as fat. Furthermore, alcohol uses up valuable B vitamins and other nutrients normally used for carbohydrate and protein metabolism, while at the same time decreasing absorption of these nutrients from the digestive tract. Alcohol also provides nearly as many calories per gram as fat and can indirectly cause increased calorie intake by lowering inhibitions and increasing hunger (by lowering blood sugar, and acting on the brains reward centers).
4. Manage Stress. Stress can be brought on by environment (work, traffic, life, money); lifestyle (lack of sleep, too much exercise, poor nutrition); substances (smoking, alcohol, caffeine, drugs, medications); and the like. Cortisol is the main hormone involved in the stress response. It increases hunger, fat storage and if chronic, decreases insulin sensitivity. Healthful amounts of exercise, good nutrition, mental health and behavioral therapies are all effective methods to managing stress.
5. Sleep. Sleep is a vital, yet often overlooked aspect of weight control and overall health. Sleep deprivation can cause low energy, which can lead to decreased physical activity and increase cravings for more energy dense foods. As mentioned above, inadequate sleep can elevate stress hormones and also impede recovery from exercise.
6. Exercise/Physical Activity. Exercise is just plain good…when done safely. Exercise burns calories, makes our bodies more efficient overall and strengthens our heart, vasculature and lungs. While any activity is good, the right Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type (FITT) of exercise is crucial to optimizing progress toward your goal. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous exercise for health benefits and 250 minutes a week or more for weight loss. Depending on your desired body composition, your exercise program will vary. However, a mix of 2-3 days of strength training combined with 2-4 days of cardio is optimal for weight loss. The primary principles are to start slow, safe and progress safely performing exercises with proper form (including biomechanical range of motion, concentric and eccentric velocity, and using appropriate angles and grips). Strengthening all muscle groups equally can prevent imbalance and injury. Performing compound exercises, variation and adding different stimuli can maximize caloric expenditure and avoid plateaus. Consistency trumps intensity and working smart yields exponentially better results than does working unnecessarily hard. Find a way to integrate physical activity into your routine. Find something you enjoy and someone you can enjoy it with; throw fear and anxiety to the dogs, you’ll live better if you do! As crucial as exercise is, I will lead into the next point with this, “You can’t out-train poor nutrition”.
7. Nutrition: What we eat can promote health, aid recovery and foster well-being-or it can destroy it. It can provide nutrients, block disease processes and promote optimal function- or just the opposite. Certain foods expose us to toxins, promote inflammation, increase risk for preventable diseases, contribute to weight gain and disrupt normal body function. Because of rampant overfeeding and undernutrition (in addition to other lifestyle behaviors) obese and overweight are world-wide epidemics. Unhealthy body weight is associated with cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, renal disease and a host of other mental and physical conditions. The end result of poor nutrition is decreased health, quality of life and productivity. Food choices are determined by a number of factors; overweight is not only a matter of discipline or choice. Complex social, physiological, political and economic determinants all come into play. The most significant factors include: access, marketing and pricing of food, social and cultural norms, addiction, mental health, behavior, environmental factors, medications and substance abuse-to name a few. What is needed to achieve optimal nutrition? KNOWLEDGE is needed to be able to navigate food choices. SKILLS like cooking, label reading, meal planning, estimating portion sizes and shopping on a budget are all invaluable. STRATEGIES like setting up your ENVIRONMENT with healthy CHOICES and positive CUES and TRIGGERS is key as are BEHAVIORAL considerations like goal setting and MOTIVATION.
8. Eat Whole, Mainly Plant-Based Foods. Vary Your Vegetables and Fill Up on Fiber.  A healthy body in balance means metabolism is firing on all cylinders, the mind is optimistic and happy, and energy levels are high. Fish and seafood are some great sources of protein and healthy fat. Vegetables and plant-based foods including whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes provide many nutrients. Vegetables in particular are very low in calories and high in various nutrients the body requires for metabolism. Fiber keeps us full, slows absorption and digestion, promotes gastrointestinal health by easing transit of food and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, it also lowers cholesterol.
9. Balanced Plate. You can see the USDA’s MyPlate, or my preference, Harvard’s version for their nutrition recommendations. The key here is to get a balance of calories from protein, carbohydrate and fat- all from minimally processed, whole-food sources. If hunger or a sweet tooth is an issue, integrate a couple servings of fruit (whole, dried or canned) or dark chocolate into your day and chow down on vegetables. Nearly all vegetables are low calorie and good for blood sugar control, except for potatoes, limit portions here to half a potato or so.
10. Don’t avoid all fats. Fats have gotten a bad rap historically and indeed, trans fats should be avoided and saturated fat limited. But many fats (mono and poly unsaturated fats especially) are phenomenally good four our bodies. Besides having anti-inflammatory effects, fats also help build cells that carry out functions better (by allowing membrane permeability) and positively affect cholesterol. For weight control, fats have a high satiating effect and quench hunger. Just make sure most of your fat comes from healthy sources like avocado, fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils like olive and canola.
11. Hydrate. Water is a medium for all cell activity. Thirst can also be misinterpreted as hunger and both can be a sign of dehydration.
12. Be Aware of Condiments. Many condiments contain loads of sugar, fat and salt that often get overlooked but contribute significant calories. This is why #16 is a great tip!
13. Portion and Calorie Awareness. Even if you are eating whole foods, remember, all foods contain calories. Fat isn’t the only nutrient that gets stored as fat; excess energy that is not used by our bodies is stored as fat. Calories are simply the energy that food contains. We all need a set amount of calories to maintain our current weight. If we consume more than this number of calories, we will gain weight; if we consume less, we will lose weight.  Activity uses energy also and contributes to a negative energy balance needed to lose weight
14. Don’t Starve Yourself or Eat Too Little.  #10 is true, but do not try to consume drastically low amounts of calories. If you do this, you are likely to experience irritability, hunger, fatigue and other negative effects. Plus, your body compensates for a lack of energy by going into conservation mode, storing what it gets and hanging on to what it has. Rather, aim for a daily 300-600 calorie deficit (with good nutrition and increased exercise) to hit below your estimated Basal Energy Expenditure and drop weight safely, gradually and effectively.
15. Make Healthy Substitutions. Substituting healthy foods and healthy behaviors is an excellent strategy to improving your overall health. When it comes to managing weight, substituting lean protein for fattier options can cut down on saturated fat and calories. Drinking teas, 100% cocoa, lemon water and the occasional coffee instead of sugar-sweetened beverages has many health benefits. Choosing whole grains instead of refined grains offers blood sugar and nutrition benefits.  Dairy is a food group that offers room for many substitutions. You can save 20 calories with each serving of milk when you choose 2% over whole milk. Increase this savings to 50 calories if you chose skim over whole. Better yet, some milk substitutes like soy or almond contain less than half the calories of whole milk (∫150cals in 8oz of whole milk verses about 60 in the same amount in milk alternatives). A consideration to the benefits of lower fat dairy exists because increased sugar is added to some low-fat products to compensate for shelf stability and taste. Full-fat products can offer increased satiety (sensation of fullness) and less blood sugar fluctuation, but provide a bit more calories. Full-fat dairy can fit into your diet. Just consider total calorie intake (per meal and per day), how you feel after consuming the different varieties and whether you experience an increase or decrease in body weight over time.
16. Don’t just use the scale to track progress. While the scale is a good measure of energy balance and weight loss, there are a few important things it doesn’t take into account. A couple of important ones are hydration and increases in muscle mass. Improvements in body composition can be most accurately measured by different tools that utilize techniques such as impedance (electrical impulses), under water measurements and measuring oxygen consumption. The most convenient and cost effective methods are skin caliper measurements and body circumference measurements. Your doctor and most reputable personal trainers can perform these measurements.
17. Beware of labels. Just because something is “low fat”, “sugar free” or “gluten free” doesn’t mean it is healthy! If it comes in a box or bag, chances are, you should be weary. See #12.
18. Label Reading. The food label contains valuable information as to how much energy (calories), carbs, protein and fat is in each serving of the food you’re eating. It also lists information about salt, type of fat and the amount of specific ingredients the food contains. Just be sure you account for the proper serving size!!!
19. Cook more for yourself. If you cook at home, you have complete control as to what goes into your food. You dictate (and know) just how much fat, salt and sugar goes into your meal. You can increase vegetable content and determine portion size. When you eat out, you lose control and usually end up paying for cheap, refined fillers like white rice, potatoes and pasta. If you are lucky enough to get better food, you can be sure you will be paying a premium.
20. Set up your Environment. Environment dictates much of what we do. I am reminded of old data that showed Vietnam veterans who had been addicted to heroin, after they returned back to the US, showed distinctly higher than normal sobriety rates. It was theorized that their sobriety was related to the change in their drastic change in environment (and surely, routine). Our physical environment can dictate what, how much and how often we eat; social pressures can dictate this also. Keep healthy, portion-friendly choices around at home, at work and in the car. Use smaller plates, bowls and cups and avoid behaviors that promote over-serving and easy-overeating (like family-style serving) to help control portion sizes. Prepare before heading out to a party or social event where a lot of food will be available-consider filling up on fiber or bringing a healthful dish along.
21. Make Time to Savor your Food (intuitive eating). Try not to eat on the run, while watching T.V. or working. If we eat when distracted or eat too fast, we can miss some of the cues that tell us we’re  full. It takes about 20 minutes for our body to send us signals of satiety (fullness). Take time to savor the flavors,  sent and origin of your food. We can eat with more than just our mouth if we allow ourselves to. When we do, satisfaction and satiety increase as well. 
22. Move more, sit less.   When we are sedentary, our metabolisms slow drastically and we stop burning calories. Chronic sitting is horrible for us. It is associated with back problems, muscle imbalances, overweight and fatigue. Break up sitting and/or get your employer to accommodate you with a standing desk! You’re likely to lose weight, feel better and be more productive-at home and at work.
23. Herbs, teas, spices, vinegar, pre/pro-biotics. All of these items are functional foods, meaning they have components that serve beneficial roles in the body. Garlic has been shown to be good for the heart, cinnamon for blood sugar control and green tea and fermented foods for weight loss. Herbs, spices and vinegars provide phytonutrients and add flavor without increasing sodium or calories. Bottom line is, if your consuming a healthy diet consistently, you'll be getting more nutrients and health promoting substances than if you don't. And if you consume a majority of healthful foods, they are likely to take the place of unhealthier, higher calorie foods that can be detrimental to your health, waistline and well-being.
24. Be weird! I can't tell you how much crap I've gotten for ordering a veggie burger or salad when out with the guys. Don't get me wrong, I have pizza, wings or a burger occasionally, but occasionally is the key word, and I still usually ask for extra veggies! Healthy people do weird things. They throw away one side of the hamburger bun (or nix it all together), they eat hummus, kale and tofu; they put flax seed on their frozen yogurt instead of sprinkles on their ice cream. But let's face it, 70% of Americans are overweight or obese, diabetes is commonplace. Being "normal" is not always a good thing.
25. Avoid artificial sweeteners (AS). If you need to wean off of sugar, AS can be a stepping stone, just be careful with how frequent and how much you use. Touted as zero-calorie, sugar substitutes are usually many times sweeter than sugar itself. Some studies have shown that when our brains sense sweet and never get the usual accompanying calories, we may tend to overeat and have increased cravings. Other studies correlate diet soda (sweetened with AS) with weight gain. Furthermore, AS are highly acidic and can cause an increased workload on the body. Some professionals believe acid-forming foods can negatively affect our health -from osteoporosis, to cancer, to weight gain.
26. Seek support. Dietitians and personal trainers are underrated and underutilized. Just make sure you do your due diligence and research the professionals credentials, experience and education. If they're selling sessions, gimmicks or supplements, walk the other way and talk to your doctor for a referral first. Check to see if your employer or insurance will pay or partially reimburse you to see one of these professionals. The investment you make in yourself can pay huge dividends by immediately enhancing productivity, quality of life, health and forgoing hospital and medical costs in the future. I run my own practice helping people manage their weight and improve their health. You can find more information at startfreshfitness.com
27. Remember you are a unique individual. Every one of us has a different genetic make up and leads a drastically different lifestyle. There are so many factors that influence individual choices, preferences and outcomes. Weight is no exception. Experiment with safe changes in behavior and nutrition and do what works for you!