Help Yourself Over Diet Hurdles

Make Options Instead of Excuses

-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer

It's that time of year when those New Year’s Resolutions are getting more difficult to keep, and the winter weather isn’t making it any easier. You probably had a lot of enthusiasm for the first few weeks—you learned some healthy recipes, bought more fruits and veggies, probably even turned down your boss’s famous chocolate cake. But as the weeks go by, more obstacles start to creep in. Don’t be dismayed! The good news is that there are plenty of helpers to get you over those diet hurdles. 
 
Hurdle #1: "I don’t have time to cook." 

Helpers:

• In anticipation of busy times, prepare batches of food on the weekends and freeze them until needed.
• When preparing food, purposely make extra for leftovers.
• Plan your meals for the upcoming week and make one weekend trip to the grocery store.
• Buy foods that are pre-prepped: bags of chopped vegetables, pre-cut fruits from the produce section, canned beans instead of dried.
• Throw all your ingredients into a Crockpot and voila! A healthy, home cooked meal awaits your return from work.
• Buy healthy frozen entrees, and meals that take only a few minutes to cook. Examples include: stir fry (look for pre-cut veggies), soup, instant brown rice, oatmeal, and sandwiches on whole wheat bread.
• The night before, set-up your breakfast (dishes, utensils, etc), pack your lunch, and plan what you’ll do for dinner.
• For more time-saving tips, read "Fitting Healthy Habits into Your Hectic Life."
  
  Helpers:
  • In anticipation of busy times, prepare batches of food on the weekends and freeze them until needed.
  • When preparing food, purposely make extra for leftovers.
  • Plan your meals for the upcoming week and make one weekend trip to the grocery store.
  • Buy foods that are pre-prepped: bags of chopped vegetables, pre-cut fruits from the produce section, canned beans instead of dried.
  • Throw all your ingredients into a Crockpot and voila! A healthy, home cooked meal awaits your return from work.
  • Buy healthy frozen entrees, and meals that take only a few minutes to cook. Examples include: stir fry (look for pre-cut veggies), soup, instant brown rice, oatmeal, and sandwiches on whole wheat bread.
  • The night before, set-up your breakfast (dishes, utensils, etc), pack your lunch, and plan what you’ll do for dinner.
  • For more time-saving tips, read "Fitting Healthy Habits into Your Hectic Life."
  Hurdle #2: I’m suffering from a case of "Portion Distortion." 
    Helpers:
  • Order smaller-sized or lunch-sized portions when eating out.
  • Know serving sizes and be accurate in tracking food choices.
  • Ask the server to box up half of your entrée before it arrives.
  • If you are thinking about going for seconds, wait at least 20 minutes to decide if you are truly still hungry.
  • Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat dining options.
  • Educate yourself! When you learn what proper portions really look like, you won’t have trouble knowing when to stop. Check out The Portion Distortion Guide.
  Hurdle #3: I’m an emotional eater. 
  
  Helpers:
  • Plan ahead and keep busy during downtime to avoid eating out of boredom.
  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day. You might actually be thirsty instead of hungry.
  • Don’t keep sweets and junk food on hand at home.
  • Give yourself occasional food rewards, and build them into your plan. Decide ahead of time, and portion out how much you will have.
  • When you’re about to eat, ask yourself if you are actually hungry, or if you’re upset, sad, lonely, or bored. If your emotions are driving you to eat, find a healthy way to deal with them: write in your journal, allow yourself to cry, call up a friend, go on a short walk, or read a book.
  • To "Get a Handle on Emotional Eating," click here.
  Hurdle #4Helpers:
  • Share an entrée or dessert with someone.
  • Order dishes with lots of veggies.
  • Drink water while you are waiting for your meal.
  • Enjoy a healthy snack before you go out so that you aren’t too hungry
  • When eating out, decide what healthy option you are going to order before you look at the menu.
  • Don’t be afraid to make substitutions and special requests. Ask for dressing on the side, tell the waiter you'll pass on the bread basket, and ask for your veggies to be steamed instead of fried.
  • Don’t let the restaurants win—you’re in control of your diet. For more tips, read "Beating Restaurants at Their Own Game!"
  Hurdle #5: I don’t know what to do at family gatherings, holidays, or on vacation. 
  
  Helpers:
  • Eat on a regular schedule. Don’t skip a meal in order to "save room" for the next meal.
  • Plan ahead for exercise. Find out if the hotel has a fitness center or if there are any parks or recreation centers nearby. If not, bring your own travel-friendly equipment, like a jump rope or resistance band.
  • Enjoy the company and activities more than the food.
  • Plan physical fitness activities for the group.
  • Vacation can make sticking to your diet and exercise plans that much harder! But if you’re armed and ready, you can take on vacation and come out a winner. The Healthy Vacation Guide will help you return home in the same shape you left.
  Hurdle #6: I don’t eat breakfast. 
  
  Helpers:
  • Prepare a large batch of healthy options (fruit salad, whole grain pancake batter) at the beginning of the week and use it throughout the week.
  • If you aren’t hungry first thing in the morning, pack a healthy snack and eat it around 9 a.m.
  • Shop for quick, healthy foods once a week.
  • Eat a piece of fresh fruit every morning.
  • Click here for more "Healthy and Quick Breakfast Ideas."
     

Hey that's great...  I have heard of the C25K program, but haven't tried it yet. I have walked in two 5ks this year. I just did one on Aug 9th and shaved 17 minutes and 3 seconds off my first time that was 2 1/2 months prior. I am kinda of scared to really start running because of my knees. I like to jog on the treadmill now and then but hate to do it on the blacktop that you run on for these events. I want to be able to walk in my later years and not have severe knee issues.My husband is convinced I do the 5ks for the T-shirts. He may be right.

Good Luck in October..... who knows maybe you will do the Goofy race in Disney some day. That would be cool !

I needed to read this. What perfect timing. Right now I am overwhelmed and instead of doing a little at a time, I have put a halt to alot of things. I am soooo behind now because I just stopped . Thanks for the reminder.
Baby Steps....

This morning I sent out an article on Food Journaling. I wanted you to be aware that OH has one you can use as well. It has helped me tremendously.
Give it a try . I promise you will be amazed at what you are eating and how many calories , fats... etc you are eating .
Below is the link, it can also be found in the tools section on OH .
http://www.obesityhelp.com/myoh/healthtracker/#ht_main:nutrition


Have a great Day ! 

Tink

Keep a short list.

 

It's okay to have grand goals and a long list of things you'd like to eventually accomplish in your lifetime. Just make sure you don't use that master list as your day-to-day list. Reading such a long, daunting list may prove to be so discouraging you'll convince yourself you'll never accomplish anything.

 

Better to make a short list that includes only a few goals at a time. Then work on your short list of goals for the day. You'll have plenty of time to get to the others on the master list. Each day brings with it the chance to accomplish more. Do it in manageable chunks, and you'll soon be pleasantly surprised at how fast you're checking items off.

 

Action for the day: Review your "to-do" list to make sure it isn't overwhelming. Put your master list in a place where it won't be constantly visible, and vow to consult it only when you've completed your short list.

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