- Lifestyle change – Permanent weight loss is not something that a “quick-fix” diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change. You are making a commitment to your health for life. Various popular diets can help to jump-start your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work long term.
- Find a cheering section – Social support means a lot. Programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers use group support to impact weight loss and lifelong healthy eating. Seek out support, whether in the form of family, friends, or a support group, so that you can get the encouragement you need.
- Commit to a plan and stick to it – Experiment until you find a good, long-term plan that helps you lose the weight and maintain that loss in a way that works for you. If you cut out just 100 calories a day you could lose 10 pounds in a year. Remember, one 12 oz can of soda can contain 150 calories.
- Set Goals. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week to ensure healthy weight loss.
- Stay motivated and keep track – Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as goals like wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. Keep a food journal or weigh yourself regularly. Find and use tools that help keep you motivated. Stay focused: when frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.
Weight loss bottom line
Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. Gaining and losing weight (W) comes down to the simple calculation of calories consumed (CC), or in other words, what you eat, minus calories burned (CB) through metabolism and physical activity.W = CC – CB
If you eat more calories than you burn then you gain weight or if you eat fewer calories than you burn then you lose weight. In order to lose one pound of fat per week, you need to eat about 500 calories less than your typical diet. Since 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat, if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose approximately 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Remember, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound.
This does not mean that you need to eat less food. Instead, you need to consume fewer calories. With smart choices this is very doable. The key is to choose “low density” foods, which means foods that allow you to eat a larger portion sizes but that is lower in calories. These foods, including many fruits and vegetables, tend to contain more water and fiber. Try starting your meal with a low-density salad or soup (just watch the dressings and sodium) to help fill you up, so you eat less of your entrée. See below for some more easy calorie saving ideas.
| Item | Calories* | Substitute | Calories* | Calories* Saved |
| Starbucks grande café late (16 oz.) | 190 | 16 oz. coffee or tea | 5 | 185 |
| 12 oz. can of regular cola | 137 | club soda water with a squeeze of lemon or lime | 2 | 135 |
| 1 medium glazed doughnut | 239 | 1 apple | 72 | 167 |
| 4-inch cinnamon-raisin bagel | 243 | 2 pieces whole grain toast | 138 | 105 |
| 3 oz. bag corn chips | 441 | 2 large carrots with 2 tbsp. hummus | 106 | 318 |
| 1 cup chocolate ice cream | 285 | 1 cup strawberries | 53 | 323 |
| 3 oz. bag plain salted potato chips | 465 | 2 cups popcorn air-popped | 62 | 403 |
| Pancakes with butter & syrup | 520 | 1 cup cooked oats | 166 | 354 |
Sources: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2007 and www.starbucks.com. *Actual calories may vary by brand.
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