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