BROUGHT TO YOU BY Weight Management January 2017
Weight Management In This Issue: } Get off the Couch to Ward off Weight Creep } Behavior Changes That Can Help You Lose Weight } 30 Ways to Trim 100 Calories Get off the Couch to Ward off Weight Creep Weight gain from overeating can sometimes be avoided if you also exercise more. Here are some easy ways to avoid weight creep. It can happen during football season, in your first few weeks at college or during the holidays. Weight creep is the unwanted pounds that suddenly seem to show up on the scale. You may think that a couple of pounds here and there is no big deal. When it happens every holiday season, though, it can add up. If you are overweight, shedding as few as 5 pounds can make a difference in your health. Video Spotlight: Does Eating More Often Help You Lose Weight? Keep Off the Pounds by Keeping a Food Diary Watching what you eat and exercising may be the best way to keep a check on weight creep. How much exercise you need depends on the amount and type of the activity, and how much you eat. The more calories you consume, the longer or harder you have to work to burn them off. Burning off calories A medium-sized adult would have to walk more than 30 miles to burn 3,500 calories, or 1 pound of fat. Although that may seem like a lot, you don t have to walk the 30 miles all at once. Every step helps: Walk your kids to the bus stop instead of driving them. Take a walk during your lunch hour and spend more time moving than eating. 1 1
Weight Management Get off the Couch to Ward off Weight Creep (continued) W alk across campus from class to class instead of hitching a ride. Take a 10-minute walk after a meal. These are small steps. They don t require a big change in your life, but they can make a big difference. Always check with your doctor before you increase your activity level or start any new physical activity or exercise program. The goal for a healthy lifestyle should include an average of at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise most days of the week. Even if you walk for 10 minutes, 3 times a day, you ve reached your 30 minutes. To lose weight, you need to exercise more than that - for 60 to 90 minutes most days of the week. Do something you like Walking is a popular option for people looking to start getting fit. If this is your choice, start slowly. Gradually put some swing in your arms and increase your speed and distance. After a while, you may want to add 3- to 5-pound hand weights to burn more calories and to gain more definition in your upper body. Check with your doctor first to ensure the weights won t aggravate an existing problem, such as arthritis. Also make sure you pick an exercise that you enjoy. If you pick something you like, you re more likely to stick with it. Choose an activity that is right for your lifestyle, too. Finally, no pain, no gain is a fallacy. Exercise should tire you, but it should never be painful. SOURCES: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Physical activity and weight control. Accessed: 04/01/2011 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Be active your way: a guide for adults. Accessed: 04/01/2011 2 2
Weight Management Behavior Changes That Can Help You Lose Weight Successful weight loss goes beyond cutting calories and exercising more. Behavior change may be the crucial ingredient. Most people who try to lose weight know they should exercise and watch what they eat. But old habits often get us jammed up. You can achieve your goals by thinking about what s getting in your way. You can come up with a plan. And you can make lasting changes that fit with your life. It is important to have the plan tailored for what works for you. Here are some tips to help you as you begin to make changes: Set realistic goals Do you jump into diets determined to lose 10 pounds a week? Or start an exercise program that involves getting to the gym by 6 a.m. when you re a night owl? Lifestyle changes are ones that you can stick with. Start small and build over time. Write down your goals both long-term (six to 12 months) and short-term (week by week). Track your accomplishments. Then update your goals as you make progress. Take small steps If you try to change too much at once, you may feel overwhelmed. You may be tempted to give up. Instead, take it a little at a time. It s best to set small goals that are not too hard to reach. For instance, instead of giving up foods, start with adding a salad or a piece of fruit each day. Or switch to low-fat milk instead of whole milk on your cereal. Practice environmental control You won t need willpower if you keep your kitchen stocked with healthy foods and leave the cookies on the supermarket shelves. Shop smarter. Don t go to the store when you re hungry. Use a shopping list and stick to it. Keep the kitchen stocked with healthy basics so that you can be ready to make nutritious meals rather than ordering takeout. Keep an ample supply of healthier snacks like fat-free or low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, low-fat and low-sodium crackers, hummus, salsa, vegetables and fruits. Keep healthy snacks at your desk for when a colleague brings doughnuts. Use smaller plates, bowls and glasses to serve food. It will look like the portions are actually bigger than they are. 3 3
Weight Management Behavior Changes That Can Help You Lose Weight (continued) A void all-or-nothing thinking. Trading in old habits doesn t happen overnight. Having a bad day with your eating plan doesn t mean you re a failure or that you can never accomplish your goals. You re not perfect, and that s OK. Figure out your obstacles What is keeping you from reaching your goals? Where do you slip up? Take some time to pinpoint your hurdles and think about how you could overcome them. T oo rushed to cook healthy meals? Find a cookbook with quick, simple recipes. C hoose to think positively. Pay attention to your selftalk. Is it encouraging? If not, make a conscious effort to give yourself helpful messages. Reward yourself with non-food items such as a workout outfit, a book you ve wanted, a magazine you can read while working out, a warm bath or other motivating healthy rewards. C an t make it to the gym? Try three 10-minute walks instead of a half-hour workout. U nhappy about the thought of giving up sweets or high-fat foods? Take it slowly. You don t have to forever banish your favorite indulgences from your diet. But you may have to change how often you eat them. Finally, take care of yourself physically and mentally. Get a good night s sleep. Seek out ways to relax and spend time with loved ones. Th ink healthy means expensive? Buy store brands rather than name brands. P lan for meals so that you don t have to go out to eat at the last minute. Be accountable Tracking your progress and asking for support when you need it can help keep you motivated. K eep a journal. Note your weight changes regularly and list foods you eat. G et support. Tell your family and friends about your plan and why it s important to you. Ask family members to join you in eating healthy. Make planning and cooking healthy meals a fun activity with you family and friends. Ask for encouragement and respect for your new habits. A sk your family and friends to be active with you. It is safer and more fun. Restructure your thoughts B anish guilt. Don t be ashamed or mad at yourself if you eat a bag of potato chips or down a mocha. Think about what led you to make those choices. Then move on. SOURCES: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Tip sheet: Healthy eating starts with healthy food shopping. Accessed: 02/21/2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy weight. Improving your eating habits. Accessed: 02/21/2013 Weight-control Information Network. Changing habits. Accessed: 02/26/2013 D on t focus on the negative. If you dwell on your slipups, you won t recognize the good choices you made. 4 4
Weight Management 30 Ways to Trim 100 Calories You can lose up to 10 pounds a year by eating just 100 fewer calories a day. Here are a few simple changes you can make. It can be easier to tackle small steps instead of trying to make a lot of big changes at once and little changes add up and can make a big difference! For example, if you ate 100 fewer calories every day, you could lose up to 10 pounds in one year. Add in a little exercise to burn off an additional 100 calories each day and you could lose up to 20 pounds in a year. Try these ideas on how to cut back on what you re eating. Each of these ideas trims at least 100 calories from your diet. Even better they are simple changes to make! Tips 1-10 Use 2 tablespoons of light whipped butter instead of 2 tablespoons of regular butter. Substitute 2 tablespoons of chicken broth for 1 tablespoon of oil when sauteing or stir-frying. Choose a mini bagel instead of a regular one. Top waffles or pancakes with fresh fruit and a dollop of nonfat or low-fat yogurt instead of maple syrup. Use salsa, instead of a cheese dip, with chips. Better yet, try raw veggies instead of the chips! Use low-fat yogurt, nonfat sour cream or cottage cheese instead of regular sour cream or mayonnaise in dip recipes. Use low-fat yogurt instead of sour cream on a baked potato. Use mustard instead of mayo on a sandwich. Substitute Canadian bacon, turkey bacon or turkey sausage for regular bacon or sausage. Tips 11-20 Eat fresh fruit instead of dried fruit or fruit juice. Choose thin-crust instead of thick-crust pizza. Order coffee with nonfat or 1 percent milk instead of cream or regular milk. Choose sorbet over premium ice cream. Have low-fat microwave popcorn instead of an equal amount of boxed caramel popcorn. Order a sandwich on whole-wheat bread instead of on a bagel, croissant or large roll. Ask for oil and vinegar with your salad instead of regular dressing. Be generous with the vinegar, and just put on a drizzle of oil. Order a broth-based soup or a salad instead of a side of fries. Order a cup of minestrone or vegetable soup as an appetizer, and skip the garlic bread. Choose minestrone and other broth-based soups over cream-based soups. 5 5
Weight Management 30 Ways to Trim 100 Calories (continued) Tips 21-30 Choose a red sauce instead of cream-based sauces on pasta. When eating out, have a drink or dessert not both. Choose soft tacos instead of crispy tacos. Choose fresh spring rolls instead of fried egg rolls. And share with a friend. Choose 1/2 cup of steamed rice rather than 1 cup of fried rice. Replace 8 ounces of fruit juice or soda with water. Order dressing on the side, and dip your fork first into the dressing, then into your salad. If you choose to drink alcohol, pick a light beer or a wine spritzer instead of a frozen or fruit-based drink. Remember, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. Use cooking spray instead of butter when making a grilled cheese sandwich. Leave the cheese off of sandwiches and hamburgers. SOURCES: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Ways to shave calories. Accessed: 08/23/2012 United States Department of Agriculture. National nutrient database for standard reference. Accessed: 08/23/2012 National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Low-calorie, lower fat alternative foods. Accessed: 08/23/2012 American Diabetes Association. Tips to cut 100 calories. Accessed: 08/23/2012 Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and not intended to be nor should be construed as medical advice. You should consult your own doctor to determine what may be right for you. 2013 United HealthCare Services, Inc. UHCEW000000-000 5/13 6 6