Weight loss is a balancing act. Sustained, healthy weight loss boils down to making the right calorie connections.
1. Choose low-calorie breakfast items versus high-calorie ones: English muffins (140 calories) rather than biscuits (300 to 400 calories), skim milk (80 calories per cup) rather than whole milk (150 calories per cup).
2. Choose low-calorie snacks of 100 calories or fewer. Examples include low-fat Greek yogurt (1 cup = 100 calories), fresh strawberries (1 cup = 45 calories) or carrots with hummus (2 tablespoons = 50 calories).
3. Choose salads for lunch, but avoid high-fat dressings and cheeses. Want to add protein? Get grilled chicken instead of fried.
4. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. It's easy to mistake thirst for hunger. Eight cups per day is optimal.
5. Avoid snacking late in the evening — like that slice of peach pie — when you may be more likely to overeat.
6. Take a walk with a friend rather than meeting for a post-work beer or evening ice cream.
7. Always take the stairs, even if you can only tolerate taking them down at first. Eventually you can build up to taking them up several floors.
8. Park farther away at work and on errands. It may seem obvious, but those extra steps really do add up!
9. Make breaks count. While waiting for appointments, take a walk up and down the halls or around the building.
10. Take multiple trips while unloading groceries and putting laundry away. All of the extra activity adds up to more calories burned.
Apply these simple weight-loss tips and take the next step in your weight-loss journey by making an appointment with the Vanderbilt Center for Medical Weight Loss.