| When it comes to healthy weight management, a little | | | | plenty of high-fiber foods in your daily diet, as fiber has |
| common sense goes a long way. It doesn't take a | | | | been shown to support weight loss by absorbing |
| rocket scientist to tell us that eating fast food every | | | | calories from the foods you eat and leading those |
| day of the week is not conducive to our health, nor | | | | calories out of the body. |
| does it add up that a diet void of carbohydrates might | | | | Keeping track of your portion sizes is also extremely |
| possibly contain the essential nutrients that only | | | | important. According to the American Diabetes |
| fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables can | | | | Association, the guideline for a serving of meat, fish or |
| provide. And no matter how you look at it, fatty meats | | | | poultry is three ounces-about the size of a deck of |
| and full-fat dairy products are simply not the way to a | | | | cards. A 1-cup serving of milk, yogurt or fresh |
| slimmer figure. Quite simply, if you want to shed the | | | | vegetables is about the size of a baseball. A healthy |
| pounds, smart choices and a sensible eating plan are | | | | serving of rice or cooked pasta is one-third of a cup, |
| the only way to go. | | | | and three-quarters of a cup for dry cereal. An ounce |
| Because science has proven that the only clinically | | | | of cheese is about the size of your thumb. However, a |
| proven way to lose weight is by reducing the amount | | | | recent study at New York University found that |
| of calories you consume each day, begin by keeping a | | | | commonly available food portions-when compared |
| journal of exactly what you eat, when you eat. This | | | | with the standard serving sizes recommended by the |
| will help you be more aware of everything you put into | | | | U.S. Department of Agriculture-were considerably |
| your body. Purchase a book or consult an online | | | | higher. |
| resource to determine the amount of calories in your | | | | Finally, finding the time to exercise is essential. Because |
| food and beverage, and decide where throughout your | | | | aerobic exercise has been shown to significantly |
| day you can make small changes that will likely have | | | | increase your metabolic rate, a regular workout (30 |
| significant effects. For instance, instead of having that | | | | minutes a day, three times a week) can greatly |
| sugary soda with lunch, opt for unsweetened tea with | | | | accelerate your weight loss efforts-plus it provides |
| lemon. In place of heavy salad dressings, choose a | | | | significant benefits to your cardiovascular health. |
| low-fat or light option, and drizzle instead of drenching | | | | Building lean muscle mass is also important, since the |
| your greens. | | | | greater your ratio of lean muscle mass to fat, the |
| Try to plan ahead for your meals each week. This will | | | | faster you will metabolize your food. This is because |
| help you avoid impulse purchases at the grocery store | | | | muscle cells are roughly eight times more metabolically |
| that may not support your commitment to healthy | | | | demanding than fat cells. |
| eating. Well-balanced options that are low in fat and | | | | So the next time you consider jumping on the |
| calories include lean meats and chicken, fresh or | | | | bandwagon with the latest fad diet, think twice. |
| frozen fruits and veggies, healthy nuts for snacking, | | | | Commit instead to making sensible changes in your |
| low-fat dairy products and plenty of whole grains | | | | diet and lifestyle, and you will soon be reaping the |
| (whole wheat pasta, legumes, brown rice). Include | | | | rewards of your efforts. |