| How do you plan to lose weight?Losing weight, | | | | amounts - |
| gaining weight or maintaining a healthyweight can be | | | | 3 servings of milk and cheese, 3 servings of meat. |
| a difficult task. However, if you learn to eat healthy | | | | A middle aged woman who has a desk jobwill |
| andexercise regularly, and you train your body to | | | | probably need the lower servings suggested - |
| accept that - insteadof a daily task, it can become a | | | | 6 servings of the grain/bread group, 2 servings of |
| "way of life." | | | | meat. |
| Here is a simple 5 step plan that can help you learn | | | | 6 servings of grains may seem like a lot of food - |
| how to livea healthier life: | | | | but -you must be careful on the serving size. A pasta |
| 1. Get into a Healthy Eating Mindset: | | | | meal at a restaurantmay equal 6 servings of pasta. |
| If you are going to lose weight or gain weight you | | | | Watching the amount of foodis as important as the |
| must believe that youcan do it. If you are | | | | kinds of food. |
| discouraged, you will not beable to do it. You must | | | | Serving sizes follow: |
| think, I CAN LOSE WEIGHT. I WILL | | | | - milk group - - 1 cup 2%, 1 cup yogurt, 1 1/2 oz of |
| LOSE WEIGHT. I WILL GET HEALTHY STARTING | | | | cheese |
| RIGHT NOW! | | | | - meat group -- 2-3 oz. of meat, 1/2 cup cooked dry |
| This may seem a little over the top - but it's not. | | | | beans, |
| You need to get yourself into a healthy mindset. You | | | | - vegetable group -- 1/2 cup of cooked or raw cut |
| needto give yourself positive reinforcement and | | | | up, 1 cup raw leafy |
| pump yourself up. | | | | - fruit group -- medium sized piece of fruit or 1/2 cup |
| You may need some help to get into a healthy | | | | cut up, 3/4 cup of juice |
| mindset. | | | | - grain group -- a serving is 1/2 cup of cooked pasta |
| It is not a weakness to admit that you needhelp. In | | | | or rice, 1 slice of bread, 1 oz.dry cereal. |
| order to be a healthy person, you have to admitthat | | | | Do not assume that the serving sizes on packaged |
| sometimes you just can't do it by yourself. You | | | | productsare the same as the above. Use common |
| mayneed the help of a trained professional (a doctor, | | | | sense. Be honestwith yourself about serving sizes. |
| a dietician,a personal trainer) or simply a support | | | | Here is a cool visual chart that makes for great |
| network of friendlypeople. If you have tried to do it | | | | printing. Printit out and tack it up on your refrigerator! |
| on your own and have failed,then it is time to get | | | | Another great motivator is tacking up a picture |
| the help that you need - start with yourfamily | | | | ofyourself on the fridge - as you are now or as you |
| physician. | | | | would like to be. |
| Your support network can be composed of people | | | | |
| thatare available for you to talk to, they should be | | | | Plan to Exercise: |
| positive peopleand they should believe in YOU. | | | | You don't need to run a marathon every day in order |
| If you don't want to count on your friends and | | | | to get exercise. |
| family - you mayneed to go out and pay for a diet | | | | There are little ways that you can get the exercise |
| plan - Weight Watchers, | | | | you need everyday. |
| Jenny Craig, NutriSystem are a few of the programs | | | | Here are some suggestions - choose at least one of |
| that alsoprovide a support network of actual people | | | | these and do iteveryday or at least once a week. I |
| you can talkto and find encouragement from. | | | | guarantee that after acouple months - if you don't |
| 2. Find Motivation, Set Goals, and Reward Yourself: | | | | get your exercise, you will MISS it! |
| Motivation to lose weight or get healthier is going to | | | | |
| becompletely up to you! Whether you are just | | | | 1. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. |
| tryingto lose a few pounds to go to your high school | | | | 2. Park the farthest away spot from the store every |
| class reunionor you are trying to lose fifty pounds so | | | | time you go. |
| that you canbe a healthy person and play with your | | | | 3. Take a 30 minute walk everyday. (This is the one |
| children... You needto find a motivation. | | | | that I do - Ilove my walk, if I don't get my walk, I |
| Once you have a motivation, set attainable goals. | | | | really feel at a loss - and |
| Set goals that you know you can achieve. | | | | I am definitely NOT an exercise fanatic, but I never |
| In other words, don't try to lose five pounds in one | | | | miss my walkingeven on vacation - and I feel GREAT |
| week. | | | | because of it.) |
| One or two pounds per week is a small, attainable | | | | 4. Take an aerobics class or a dance class. (Do you |
| goal. | | | | have a partner? |
| Also, plan to reward yourself when you've reached | | | | Take ballroom dancing! Not only will you get some |
| your goal. | | | | exercise, you willalso learn a useful, fun skill.) |
| For instance, if your motivation is to shed ten pounds | | | | 5. Get off the subway or bus stop one stop before |
| togo to your class reunion, then reward yourself with | | | | where you normallyget off and walk the rest of the |
| a new outfitto wear to the reunion. Or, if your | | | | way home. |
| motivation is to lose | | | | 6. Decide to take up a sport like Tennis, Racquetball, |
| 50 pounds so that you will feel healthier, plan one fun | | | | or even joina Softball team. Check out your |
| day goingto an amusement park when you've | | | | community athletic center or the YMCAfor sports |
| reached your goal weight. | | | | that you think you might like to participate in. |
| Take little steps. Motivate yourself using rewards | | | | 7. Buy a work out video and commit to working out |
| every stepof the way. Set goals and rewards. For | | | | 20 minutes aday. |
| instance, | | | | 8. There are some awesome workout programs for |
| "When I lose 5 lbs, I will reward myself with a new | | | | free on theinternet. Here's one at Drop a Dress Size |
| pairof shoes." | | | | in Six Weeks. |
| Set your own rewards based on what you really, | | | | (I like the free ones you can do at home, because if |
| really want. | | | | you're like me,you're a clutz and are embarrassed to |
| Follow through - don't just say you will reward | | | | be seen doing any of thoseexercises in public!) |
| yourself andthen conveniently forget because there | | | | |
| are more important thingsto buy or do - GO | | | | The Right Tools: |
| THROUGH WITH YOUR REWARD PLAN. | | | | |
| | | | 1. Support Network - |
| 3. Plan to Eat Healthy Foods and Healthy Serving | | | | In the first part of the plan, we discussed a support |
| Sizes: | | | | network. Thisnetwork may be made up of health |
| The US government has provided us with a healthy | | | | professionals or simplya group of family or friends |
| "food pyramid." | | | | that you can talk to. They are positivepeople that will |
| This plan works! So don't be afraid to use it. | | | | help you over the rough spots. |
| It's simple, too. If you are an adult, each day you | | | | 2. Healthy Eating Guide - |
| should havethe following allotment: | | | | You need to know the right balance of foods to eat. |
| | | | Use this cool food pyramid. |
| 4. Fats, Oils and Sweets - use sparingly. | | | | This pyramid is taken from the US Government |
| 5. Milk, Yogurt, Cheese - 2 to 3 servings. | | | | Recommended Daily Allowances. |
| 6. Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Nuts, Eggs - 2 to 3 | | | | If you join any type of Diet plan, they all have their |
| servings. | | | | individualways of keeping track of your calories or |
| 7. Vegetables - 3 to 5 servings. | | | | nutritional intake,however, they are all similar to the |
| 8. Fruits - 2 to 3 servings. | | | | Food Pyramid. |
| 9. Grains, Bread, Cereal, Rice, Pasta - 6 to 11 servings. | | | | 3. Nutritional Counting Device - |
| 6 to 11 servings is a wide range. | | | | Make your healthy diet fun! The NutriCounter can |
| The amount of servings you need per day will be | | | | help you keeptrack of your daily eating habits, it's a |
| based on yourdaily activity and special needs: | | | | wonderful way to get intoa routine and stay healthy. |
| A breast-feeding mother will need the highest | | | | Learn more about The NutriCounter. |