But, I don’t want to give up all the foods that I love!
How many times do I hear that when I try to help someone change their eating habits?
Too many times to count…
I’ve heard about all the fad diets people go on that may help them at first, but then after awhile, they find themselves going back to those food groups (their favorite food most likely) that they weren’t allowed and gaining it all back-plus more.
Well, my smart readers…
Deprivation always backfires.
Instead, make small changes each week to gradually make better habits for better long term results.
Repeat that to yourself.
Habits can be hard to break, but when you aren’t trying to go all cold turkey, you find that it’s a bit easier to handle. For example, that guy that wants to stop smoking and just stops, probably won’t last through the end of the day. Now, the guy that chooses to gradually stop with the help of other tools, has a better chance of staying smoke free.
So, what kind of small changes can one make to achieve a better long term weight loss success?
Make small changes.
Yep. That’s right.
Here are 5 small changes to make to help make you healthier (and skinnier) for the long run:
1. Create a Healthy Eating Schedule
I’m going to tell you something very important:
YOU CANNOT SKIP A MEAL!
Yes, that was all caps. I want you to not miss this import advice. I’m sure you are probably like I was in thinking that if you skip a meal, you are saving yourself from calories. Oh boy, how proud you are that you didn’t eat. Surely, you burned up so many calories!
Wrong!
And, what happens when you don’t eat all day? Yep. You end up scarfing down a huge dinner complete with bad carbs and probably dessert as well for a reward.
After all, you didn’t eat all day, right?
Another excuse a person might have is that they don’t have time for all their meals. You must make time for your meals! (should I capitalize this as well?) I’m not asking you to change any of your choice of food at this point.
So, let’s just make a simple eating schedule:
- Eat breakfast
- Eat lunch
- Eat every 3-5 hours
- Eat dinner
Extra tip: Get at least 7 hours sleep-this will keep you from eating a late night dessert.
Start with that simple little change.
2. Brighten Your Plate, Naturally
Now that you’ve got the hang of eating all your meals every day and getting plenty of sleep, let’s make another small change. Making your plate look pretty by making a tiny change each meal. This change involves changing just one food each meal with a whole food.
Try these small changes:
- Eat 1 serving fruit at breakfast
- Add veggies/fruit to lunch
- Start dinner with a salad
- Add a veggie to dinner
- Snack on 1 piece of fruit a day.
This isn’t so difficult, right?
Now, just to let you know, your veggies should fill half your plate!
3. Give Your Carbs a Makeover
Reduce Your Serving Size
Don’t worry about having to get rid of your carbs. Or, that carbs will make you fat. It’s just how you eat them. We just need to watch our portion control of carbs.
Increase Fiber at Breakfast
Another way to give your carbs a makeover is to increase your fiber at breakfast with something like whole grain bread, or oatmeal.
Redo your rice
Do something as simple as changing your white rice to brown rice. Or, try something different and change it up to quinoa.
Fix your pasta
Pasta can still be in your diet. Just change over your pasta to a healthier version such as whole wheat.
Slim your potatoes
4. Go Easy on the “Extras” and Make Savory Swaps for Old Standbys
This small change is probably the easiest to make!
Ask for dressing on the side
Getting your sauces and dressings on the side, you have more control over how much is on your food.
Slim your sauce
Make your own sauces and dressings, or cook with a better oil.
Use veggies as an extra
Change out your sandwich with more veggies then meat.
5. Skinny Your Meat
While protein is essential, making small changes with what kinds of meat you eat and how much. Try a couple of changes (or all) from these small change choices:
- Limit red meat to 2 servings/week
- Eat fish 2x a week
- Always remove skin from chicken
- Never fry your food
- Aim for one meatless meal a week
Making small (good) changes weekly will result in a slower weight loss, true. But, it results in better long term loss.
Do you want some more small changes?
These small changes and five more are explained in The Small Change Diet by dietitian Keri Gans (I use these methods with those who don’t like major changes).
Her simple steps to achieving healthy, continued weight loss by making small adjustments that lead to the biggest impacts.
Each chapter describes a step in the program and to overcome excuses used “not to succeed” and to make sure you are ready to move to the next step.
I have to tell you, this was a fun book to read and test out! You won’t feel like you are dieting, or the pressure behind dieting. The Small Change Diet turns “unhealthy” habits into healthy new habits that become second nature.
A great book for a person achieving permanent weight control, while learning to enjoy healthy foods!
Read more and decide for yourself! 🙂
What small changes would you be willing to do?
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