Weight Management Center: Lifestyle Changes
Healthy Eating
Permanent weight loss success often requires establishing new eating habits; avoiding overeating, making different and healthier food choices and limiting intake of our favorite, less healthy foods. Often a combination of small tactics can lead to success.
Before trying to lose weight, it is important to know exactly what, when, and why you eat. Regardless of the program route that is chosen, each patient of the UPMC Weight Management Center will be asked to keep a food and exercise log (PDF). This log is used to illustrate your food habits and to identify areas for change, highlighting where increased control over eating is needed and where new habits must be developed.
To jump-start your weight loss efforts, follow these 10 tips to more healthful eating:
- Eat regular meals.
Skipping meals will not help you lose weight.
- Eat smaller portions.
Downsize to a smaller plate.
- Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods.
Add more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet, while avoiding fat-rich foods.
- Eat slowly.
Put your fork down and take a sip of water between bites.
- Drink fewer calories.
Many calories are hidden in beer, soda pop, whole milk, and juice drinks.
- Know your diet pitfalls.
Knowledge is power. Be prepared for the temptations.
- Reduce but don’t eliminate certain foods you love.
If you try to eliminate these temptations completely, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
- Moderation is key.
Remember that no food is particularly bad, however for fats, oils, and sweets limiting intake and controlling portions is essential.
- Balance your food choices over time.
You might want to make a tradeoff, like having a few bites of dessert instead of an extra helping of meat.
- Know your fat.
Hidden fats in food, especially in fast foods, often make what you eat high in calories. Try cutting back on fat for a month and see if it makes a difference.
Portion Size
In an age of "super size" portions, our meals are loaded with many more calories than we need to feed our bodies, which leads to weight gain.
Experiment with portion control; limit portions you eat at every meal, leave something on your plate instead of going for seconds; take half of your restaurant meal home to be used as another light meal the next day; use smaller plates and serve smaller portions and be aware of real serving sizes.
Seven Ways to Size Up Your Servings
1. A serving of meat (about three ounces) is about the size of a deck of cards or an audio cassette.
2. A serving of fruit (a medium apple or pear, for instance) is about the size of a tennis ball.
3. An ounce of cheese is about the size of four stacked dice.
4. One-half cup of ice cream is about the size of a racquetball or tennis ball.
5. A serving of vegetables (about a cup) is about the size of your fist.
6. A teaspoon of butter or peanut butter is about the size of the tip of your thumb.
7. An ounce of nuts or small candies is about a handful.