Weight Management does not have to be overwhelming. Once you build habits into your daily routine, you’ll likely find that managing weight becomes much less stressful. Our team of experts are diving into some tips to help you along your journey.
1. Eat Real Food
Our resident dietitians, Erin Macdonald and Tiffani Bachus, answer your burning nutrition questions in their monthly column: Ask the Dietitians.
2. Plan for Success
It’s 5:00 p.m. and you have no idea what’s for dinner. Never fear! Here’s a collection of quick and easy “5-ingredient meals,” you can quickly run into the grocery store on your way home or rest assured that you already have the necessary ingredients for emergency meals stocked in your fridge and pantry.
3. Try “Veggie” Noodles
Ali Mafucci of recommends substituting spiralized veggies into your favorite pasta or noodle dish once a week. By the end of the week, you’ll have reduced the amount of processed foods you’ve eaten, while increasing your veggie intake. It’s a win-win.
4. Drink More Water Every Day
We recommend that you drink at least 2 liters of water every day for optimal health. One of the best ways to increase your H2O intake is to flavor your water with fruit.
5. Eat More Sustainably-Raised Fish
Nutritionist Kate Geagan recommends adding more omega-3-rich fish to your diet, like little-known barramundi. Also known as Asian Seabass, barramundi has roughly half the calories of salmon, is packed with protein (25 grams for 5 oz. portion) and is loaded with brain-boosting, anti-inflammatory omega-3s (about 600-800 mg per serving).
6. Improve Your Mood and Stress Levels with Meditation
Take time to breathe deep. Daily meditation has been proven to increase mood-stabilizing serotonin in the brain and can also boost feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins. Managing stress can help keep emotional eating in check.
7. Always Read Labels
Know what you are putting into your body. A good rule of thumb is that if the item you are purchasing has more than a handful of ingredients it’s better to just stay away.
8. Discover a New Cooking Hack
Farmer, Recipe Developer and busy mom of two, Mary Brower, loves good food but doesn’t always have the time to prepare it. Caramelizing onions usually takes copious amounts of butter and about an hour to prepare. This hack will get you to dinner in a fraction of the time. Simply, add a pinch of baking soda to the pan when sautéing onions. You’ll go from raw to delightfully browned in 15 minutes. Just be sure to use a non-reactive pan, such as stainless steel.
9. Plan Ahead
Ali Mafucci recommends packing at least two “emergency clean foods” into your briefcase, bag or backpack. It’s easy to fall off track when you’re not prepared. If your blood sugar drops, you might reach for candy or chips. Instead, pack a bag or almonds or roasted sweet potatoes—and, of course, a bottle of water.
10. Eat More Probiotics
Probiotics are hot right now, but nutritionist Kate Geagan believes that they live up to the hype. Fermented foods featuring probiotics are packed with a bevy of real nutrition benefits. These foods can be easier to digest; they are filled with beneficial bacteria that are good for your gut (where 70% of your immune system resides), and they can also be a source of B vitamins and healthy enzymes. In addition to yogurt, experiment with a dollop of kimchi or sauerkraut on a veggie burger, try using apple cider vinegar in salad dressings or drinks or enjoy homemade or high-quality store-bought kombucha.
11. Listen to Your Body
If you are feeling achey or tired or bloated try to counter that feeling by making a choice your body will thank you for.
12. Try Juicing
Juices pack a vitamin and nutrient punch, but store-bought versions are often filled with sugar and preservatives. Try making your own at home or indulge in a fresh pressed juice from a juice bar a few times a week.
13. Ban the Box. Eat Fresh.
Chef Heather Christo, recommends you challenge yourself to only eat from the outside aisles at the grocery store where the whole foods–meat, fish and vegetables–are located.
14. Keep Junk Food Out of Your House
It may sound obvious, but if you bring highly-processed junk into your home, you’re likely to eat it. Alexis Kornblum of LexisCleanKitchen.com suggests that you get rid of the temptation and don’t put your clean diet in danger.
15. Eat Mindfully
Studies have shown that you eat less when you pay attention to what put in your mouth.
16. Consider Going Meatless Once or Twice a Week
Jorge Cruise, bestselling author and celebrity fitness trainer, recommends eating a vegan breakfast every morning. Eating a plant-based diet a few times a week has a positive impact on both your waistline and the environment.
17. Visualize Clean Eating Success
Ali Mafucci has a tip for making your clean eating dreams a reality. She suggests that you look back on the previous day and identify something you could have done better for your health–was it one more rep of squats, drinking more water or cutting out that afternoon cookie? Take a moment each night to reflect on that day and wake up the next morning with resolve to make a simple change. By the end of the week, you’ll be a healthier version of yourself.
18. Eliminate all Soda. Even Diet Soda.
Diet soda may be calorie-free but it still feeds your sugar dragon. Drink water instead!
19. Cook Your Grains Ahead of Time
Preparation equals success. Take an hour on Sunday to cook your grains for the week and keep them stored in the fridge to cut down on dinner prep.
20. Avoid Excess Sugar. Make Your Own Sauces, Dressings and Condiments.
Chef and Clean Eating Contributor Candice Kumai believes that cooking more at home helps you control what you consume. So, this year, try making your own dressings, sauces and condiments. It’s not nearly as hard as you think!
Written by Clean Eating Authors for Clean Eating Magazine and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.
Featured image provided by Clean Eating Magazine
At Vitamin & Me, we work hard to bring experts to you that will give you the latest science-backed evidence and real suggestions that you can implement easily at home. If you want to learn more about weight management, listen as we chat with Dr. Lisa Davis, a Johns Hopkins trained, internationally recognized nutrition expert whose work on weight management has reached millions across the world, including high profile executives and celebrities.
And if you want to learn the secret to building and sustaining healthy habits, check out our podcast with Dr. Darya Rose.
