I have recently had numerous individuals reach out to me about weight loss leading in to the following year. This week, I will share bits of information found through reading several articles including meta analysis (study of studies).
The conversation of these articles are intended to discuss weight loss specifically and not necessarily other health associated affects as this information can typically have a lot of “and, if or buts”. If there are other additions to the conversation please reach out to me as I can public additional content in the future.
Eating habits that may promote overweight:
- Eating out compared to making meals at home:
- Opting for high-fat, calorie-dense foods, commonly emotionally eating.
- Opting for high-fat snack foods from strategically placed vending machines or snack shops combined with allowing insufficient time to prepare affordable, healthier alternatives.
- Consuming meals at sit-down restaurants that feature excessive portion sizes or “all-you-can-eat” buffets. (Binge eating)
Simple changes that can modify the eating environment:
- Prepare meals at home and carry bag lunches
- Learn to estimate or measure portion sizes in restaurants
- Learn to recognize fat content of menu items and dishes on buffet tables
- Eliminate smoking and reduce alcohol consumption
- Substitute high-calorie for low-calorie foods
- Modify the route to work to avoid temptation towards a favorite food shop
You cannot out work a poor diet with exercise. “Activity accounts for only about 15 to 30 percent of daily energy expenditure, but food intake accounts for 100 percent of energy intake.”
When portion size is concerned: “majority of consumers do not realize that a portion of bread is a single slice or that a portion of meat is only 3 oz.”
My default healthy conscious choices:
Breakfast: Oats with chopped apple, cinnamon, and peanut butter. Protein added to my coffee when I’m off to work.
Lunch: Spinach lettuce, raspberry vinaigrette, blueberries, almonds, goat cheese, and greek yogurt.
Dinner: (More variable) (1): Bonza pasta, chicken, pasta sauce, (2): Chicken, black bean, salsa in the crock pot then strained and turned into tacos.
Actionable tip:
Begin giving intentional though to the meals created. See food as an energy source for performance. When craving a snack, drink some water and give yourself a 10 minute grace period. If you still want that snack, enjoy enough to suffice the crave but limit as to no indulge or binge.
Reference:
Institute of Medicine (US) Subcommittee on Military Weight Management. (2004). Weight-loss and maintenance strategies. Pubmed. Retrieved January 1, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221839/
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