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How to Stick to your Healthy Eating
Resolution
Newswise, February 1, 2011 — It’s now been a
few weeks since we have made our New Year’s
resolutions to eat better and finally lose
those last five pounds or more. It’s time to
check in and see if you’ve set yourself up
for success this year. Brittany Glassett,
registered dietitian at Porter Adventist
Hospital has a few tips to keep in mind when
setting – and keeping – new goals.
· Make SMART goals: Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic, Timely. For example,
instead of resolving to “eat better,” make a
goal to eat fast food less than three times
per month.
· Write goals down and choose one or two to
focus on at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed;
once you’ve incorporated one or two changes
into your lifestyle, pick another goal to
tackle. Remember, it takes about three weeks
to establish a new habit.
· Break your goal down into mini-goals. If
you want to lose 50 pounds, that’s a pretty
big feat and can seem impossible at times.
Start with a mini-goal of losing 5 pounds in
the next month.
· Get support. Tell family and friends about
your goal to help keep you accountable when
temptation arises. Better yet, get them on
the fast track to being healthy also!
· Plan ahead. Plan all of your meals and go
to the grocery store on Sunday. That way you
won’t get home from work with nothing to eat
but delivery pizza. Also, schedule your
workouts just as you would any other
meeting.
Six Small Changes That Make a Big
Difference:
1. Choose more whole grains. All
carbohydrates are not created equal. Unlike
refined carbohydrates (white bread, sweets),
whole grains contain heart healthy fiber and
many vitamins and minerals. The fiber will
keep you full between meals to help with
weight management goals.
2. Add more color to your plate. Some of the
most colorful foods are antioxidant packed
fruits and vegetables. Try to have at least
three different colors on your plate (white,
cream and yellow don’t count!). Make a goal
to try a new fruit or vegetable every month.
3. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.
Eating small, regular meals (every three to
four hours) will keep hunger at bay and help
you to make better choices at meal times.
4. Don’t drink your calories. Soda, juice
and high calorie coffee drinks contain
“empty calories” – they provide excessive
amounts of calories without providing much,
if any, nutrition.
5. Replace vegetable oil with canola oil and
olive oil in your kitchen. Olive oil and
canola oil contain heart healthy
monounsaturated fats whereas vegetable oil
contains omega-6 fatty acids, a
polyunsaturated fat, which are eaten in
excess in the typical American diet. Omega-6
fatty acids promote inflammation in the
body, which is associated with many disease
states including heart disease.
6. Keep a food diary. Even if it’s for one
or two days a week, studies have shown that
those who have lost weight and maintained it
keep food journals. It really can be an
eye-opener!
About Porter Adventist Hospital
Porter Adventist Hospital is a full service,
Nursing Magnet® designated, 368-bed
acute-care referral center for complex
medicine and surgery patients.
In addition
to being ranked No. 1 for 2010 in overall
cardiac care in Colorado by a national
hospital reporting company, Porter
specializes in cancer care, joint
replacement, spinal care and organ
transplantation.
Porter is sponsored by
Adventist Health System and is part of Centura Health, Colorado’s largest hospital
and health care network delivering advanced
care to more than half a million people each
year, across 13 hospitals, seven senior
living communities, medical clinics,
affiliated partner hospitals, Flight for
Life® Colorado, and home care and hospice
services. Porter’s and Centura's strength
lies in the ability to offer a team of
connected networks and shared resources to
deliver accessible, reliable and
cost-effective health care across the state.
For more information about Porter Adventist
Hospital, visit www.porterhospital.org or
the Media Room athttp://porter.mediaroom.com.
