My Health
Have you ever had noble goals for a weight-loss plan that started out full-speed-ahead but then fizzled out a few weeks later? Join the club, most of us have been there. This is more likely to happen when your plan isn’t designed for the realistic, long-term journey (6 months +). Instead of giving up, try revising with a few simple strategies.
The ingredients for success include creating 2 things: a higher protein diet and a comfortable routine that fits you.
To start off the right way, be sure you also know some of today’s most common dieting dilemmas so that you’re prepared when they come your way. We’ll start with those first.
Common Diet PITFALLS to Prepare for:
- A diet plan that is too rigid (i.e. only this food and none of that) will most likely be much harder to maintain long-term and will be too restrictive.
- COVID-19’s unique challenges to everyday life (i.e. working from home) often result in more idle time sitting, less exercise, and more snacking.
- Any unexpected curve-balls that life throws at us from time-to-time (i.e. work, medical, family or relationship issues). Stress and feeling burned-out may make you less likely to exercise and more likely to turn to comfort foods and emotional-based eating habits.
Can anyone relate to the above? When these things happen and the weight starts to go on, it may be tempting to just throw in the towel. Stop – don’t give up!
Dianne Errichetti, RN and Weight Loss Coordinator says, “I use the GPS analogy a lot (when guiding patients). If you go off track, you can REROUTE. You’ll still get to your final goal, though you may get there at a different rate.”
In other words, everyone is different. Create a routine that works for you, as an individual. If you don’t keep to it 100% of the time – that’s okay, keep going!
To help beat unhealthy snacking and meal options, keep yourself well stocked with a variety of healthy, back-up “Plan B” food items that are high in protein and fiber. Read more below.
Basic Back-up Suggestions to Avoid Dieting Pitfalls:
- stock up on diet-friendly snacks, meal & easy-prep meals (see suggestions further down)
- learn some basic indoor strength-training & cardio techniques: for example, try a monthly motivational app, a YouTube channel or upbeat music to get you moving!
- buy affordable, indoor work-out equipment: i.e. mat, weights, resistance band, cardio machine https://dieticu.com/workout-equipment/
- for a deeper dive with dieting, there are Meal Replacements – they work well when used properly.
Read below for details
Meal Replacements: A Super Strategy for Weight Loss:
Diets often need an extra boost at the beginning. Protein and Fiber-based Meal Replacement shakes and bars (MRs) have become an increasingly popular option. MRs can also be used through-out your on-going maintenance dieting routine. Below, I’ve included a brief Q & A and some useful tips taken from diet & nutritional experts. I have also provided a list of today’s Top Meal Replacement shakes, & bars.
Meal Replacements Basics – Q & A:
The 2 most obvious questions you have to ask are:
- Do they actually work (or is it all just a sales gimmick)?
- Is it healthy and safe to use them?
The answer to both Questions 1 and 2 are: YES – Meal Replacements can definitely be used successfully and safely to help with your diet plan. Just keep in mind a few general rules:
- Use a “moderate” plan – don’t use MRs excessively. They are not meant to be used 7 days/week or to completely replace regular meals.
- When choosing a MR product, do not just grab anything that looks tasty and claims to help you shed pounds quickly. Choose wisely…
You’ll find there are an overwhelming amount of options to choose from, and not all of them are reputable products. It pays to INFORM yourself before buying. If you don’t – you may be wasting your time, money and even possibly adding on a few extra, unnecessary calories. Read on…
Meal Replacements: 3 Super Tips for Success
Tip 1- Identify Key Ingredients for Quality:
A Meal Replacement’s main goal is to FILL you up and keep you satisfied (“satiety”) for a stable period of time – just like a meal would. By far, experts agree that the best ingredients for the job are: 1)PROTEIN (best) and 2)FIBER (2nd best) – both are nutritious and very filling. Always keep your eye out for high levels of one or both of these ingredients in your MRs – as well as in the rest of your weekly diet (more on this below).
The problem with a lot of Meal Replacements is that they often come loaded with SUGAR – sometimes as much as a small candy bar! The result? Storing excess sugar as fat and producing cravings for more sweets. Obviously, this is the exact opposite of your goal!
To avoid taking a trip to the candy store, look for LOWER SUGAR content in your Meal Replacements.
Amanda Cole, RDN, (registered dietician) in Los Angeles, CA also mentions that, “It’s important to take into consideration the nutritional content of shakes.” The same rule applies to Meal Replacement bars. Educate yourself the easy way by reading the Nutritional Facts on the back of most food and drink packages. They list a wealth of useful info (i.e. protein, fiber, sugar, calories) even suggested serving sizes. Below is a general guide to refer to specifically for Meal Replacements.
Best Nutritional Numbers to Look for in Your Meal Replacements:
- Protein: 15g+
- Fiber: 3g+
- Sugar: 10g-
- Fat: 5g-
- total calories: 300-400
Top 5 Sources of Proteins for Meal Replacements:
Currently, the TOP 5 sources of plant-based proteins for Meal Replacements are: 1)WHEY 2) SOY 3) PEA PROTEIN 4) WHOLE GRAINS and 5) NUTS & SEEDS. These are based on recommendations from various nutritionists and dieticians that all agree on the basics.
- Whey has a low lactose content (dairy-based) and often comes blended with Casein to help break it down for digestion.
- Soy and Pea Protein are lactose-free and non-dairy – this makes them safe for those who are allergic to dairy; it also makes them both popular for Vegans and Vegetarians.
- Pea Protein is a newer item on the scene and is perfect for those with any allergies to soy or dairy. Some say it has a bit of an “earthy” taste. I’ve tried it and would say it tastes similar to tofu.
- Whole grains include oats, quinoa and brown rice proteins – all now being used for MRs because of their natural ability to fill you up fast; all are plant-based and lactose-free.
- Nuts and seeds are often used in high protein MR bars https://dieticu.com/diet-bars/
Tip 2 – Try Creating a Diet Plan with Meal Replacements and Use Timing & Tracking:
Keeping tabs your basic dieting goals and drafting a general DIET PLAN to refer to, can be super helpful. What is working well? What isn’t? Was today a cardio day? Credit yourself for your successes. Try it! A notepad or even your calendar is all you need…
There is no right or wrong time to use a Meal Replacement – it’s an individual choice. Try these basic suggestions to get you started: TIMING & TRACKING – both can be very helpful, especially during the early days. Here’s how…
A) Timing: First, experiment and find out which mealtime you want to target.
A few examples:
- Breakfast: When I’ve used MRs, https://dieticu.com/diet-food/ breakfast worked perfectly (i.e. early riser, small appetite in AM, not much time). What works best for you and your schedule?
- Lunch: If you’re in a rush at lunchtime, skip the fast-food lunch when you’re on the go and have a MR bars https://dieticu.com/diet-bars/ instead. Just be sure to include a healthy, whole-food snack (i.e. fresh fruit, nuts, greek yogurt cup).
Tip 3: Always Choose Plant-based Meal Replacements for Weight Loss
Plant-based Meal Replacements are made with NATURAL forms of protein and fiber instead of processes versions, always healthier and more filling. It’s a win-win!
Below, I’ve listed 10 popular options. The choices are based on overall popularity & ratings; they all meet the high-protein/lower sugar criteria requirements for a superior nutritional value (updated periodically).
- ORGAIN All-in-one Organic Nutritional Shakes
- VEGA One All-in-one Nutritional Shake powder
- LABRADA Lean Body powder – comes in 8 different flavors
- OWYN Vegan Protein Shakes – allergy-free
- Garden of Life Raw Organic powder
- PROBAR Meal Bars
- RISE Whey Protein Bars (nut-free; no added sugar)
- RISE Pea Protein Bars (nut-free; no added sugar)
- SANS Meal Protein Bars (no added sugar)
- PERFECT Original Refrigerated Protein Bars
How do we handle mid-afternoon munchies the right way, without reversing weight-loss goals? Below you’ll find some well-chosen options. They are all nutritious, diet-conscious choices that will help to squash cravings while keeping you on-track with your diet. See these Super Snack suggestions below.
Super Snacks that Satisfy – A Cheat-sheet for Dieters:
Who needs some kind of snack during the day? Most of us – regardless of what kind of diet we eat! You are definitely more likely to succeed with your overall weight-loss strategy when you include healthy snacks with protein & fiber in them .
3 basic snacking tips to keep you on track:
1. ROTATE your snacks regularly, so you don’t get bored and binge on snacks loaded with empty calories (i.e. chips, salty crackers, sweets) that aren’t filling. The result of these binges? You eat the whole bag and still want more – yikes!
2. Become aware of SERVING SIZES. According to Harvard Health, a sample of standard whole-food snacks include: 1/2 cup of fruit; 1 cup for most veggie snacks; with leafy greens, you can double down (2 cups). Whole-wheat toast, 1 slice – covered w/ 2 tbsp. of a tasty protein (i.e. peanut butter, hummus or avocado slices); nuts: 1/4 cup.
3. Choose WHOLE FOOD snacks and try to avoid processed foods like chips and crackers (empty calories).
Below are examples of Super Snacks to reach for when you have the munchies. The Harvard Health website has many useful tips & tricks for healthy eating. see https://www.health.harvard.edu/
Tip: Combine one of the snack below with a Meal Replacement and you’ll have a great, low-calorie lunch or dinner!
nuts (i.e. walnuts, almonds, pumpkins seeds, peanuts)
- fresh fruit or chopped veggies (i.e. melon, banana, pear, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber)
- Greek yogurt cup (i.e. vanilla or low-sugar fruit) or low-fat cottage cheese
- whole-wheat toast with serving size of protein (i.e. hummus, low-fat peanut butter, sliced avocado, tuna in water)
- one hard-boiled egg
Now you’re well on your way to a successful eating routine that you can live with for the long haul. Cooking your main meal at HOME instead of eating out, has multiple benefits for a healthier diet and weight loss plan when done right. It can be low-maintenance and cost-effective.
Benefits of Eating your Main Meal at Home:
When trying to be diet-conscious, experts agree that now is a perfect time to explore more home-cooking options. The Mediterranean Diet follows healthy, simple, common-sense guidelines. It also has the advantage of offering plenty of variety and not being overly strict. The nationally acclaimed cookbook (or others that apply the same guidelines) is packed with easy to follow recipes and useful cooking tips.
3 Main Meal Suggestions:
- Now is a great time to be inventive with natural herbs, spices and other savory flavors. I like cooking with Indian spices (i.e. cumin, garam masala, curry). Fresh thyme also adds a unique flavor to many dishes. And of course, garlic and onions are priceless!
- Portion-controlled, low-fat TV dinners are a great option for an easy-prep meal sometimes.
- Investing in an “instant pot” can be a huge time-saver when cooking at home. Pressure-cookers are the best choice with the most options; rice-cookers are a less expensive choice and will also do the job in a pinch. These pots can help cook meals ranging from lentils to chili and veggies stews.
To get yourself in the groove with home-cooking, start simple with flavorful, veggie-packed recipes that are easy to prepare
Savory Salmon Stir-fry – easy 20-minute recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbs. sesame seed oil
1 small onion or bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables (thawed) or fresh broccoli heads
1 lb salmon, (baked in 350 oven for 15-20 mins first) with squirt of honey on top; then cut into 1-inch chunks
*can substitute chicken strips or tofu cubes if preferred – brown in pan with oil
2 tbs. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbs. honey
– season with preferred seasoning (i.e. garlic salt, pepper flakes)
1 package 90-second jasmine rice
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium to high heat. Add sliced onion or pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add stir-fry veggies; cover and cook for approx. 4 minutes or until lightly softened. Add salmon and honey/soy sauce; cook and stir occasionally for 3 minutes.
2. Make Jasmine rice.
3. Serve stir-fry over rice.
Nutritional Facts: (per serving) Calories 435; Fat 15g; Carbohydrates 35g; Fiber 2g; Protein 36g
No weight-loss plan would be complete without a regular exercise routine to merge with your healthy diet.
Core Exercises: The Perfect Add-on for Cardio
A calorie-burning cardio routine is essential when trying to lose weight (i.e. in-home cardio machine, biking, power walking, etc). However, keep in mind that strength-training exercises will speed up this goal. Want to tone up and burn calories faster? You don’t need a gym membership to do it. The key to strength training is working your CORE.
According to the Mayo Clinic definition, core muscles are “the muscles around your trunk and pelvis.” These muscles include your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen. Once you start to develop core muscle strength – slowly but surely, a new shape will begin to flow.
I’ve included a video below, showing a few basic core exercises that anyone can try (see: Core Exercises to Trim your Body).
Super Tip: Be sure to BREATHE the right way for a better workout. Focus on your EXHALE (blow out the candle) when doing cardio or strength training. The video below shows one form of this technique.
Are you ready? Let’s go!
4 Core Exercises to Trim your Body
courtesy of Warrior Made
References:
1.) Dianne Errichetti, RN (Winter ’21) “Keeping the Weight Off: What Really Works?” Healthy Together, RWJBJ.org 2.) Howard LeWine, MD, (Aug. ’20), “Proteins for Performance,” Star Ledger, orig. published in Tribune News Service; 3.) Amelia Bentos, (June ’20), “12 Best Meal Replacement Shakes & Bars for Weight Loss – According to a Nutritionist,” Women’s Health magazine 4.) Jillian Kubala MS, RD, (Sept. ’20), “Best Meal Replacement Bars in 2020,” Healthline.com; 5.) Lisa Valente (May ’20) “Top Sources of Proteins for Vegetarians, Star Ledger, orig. Tribune News Service; “Harvard Health, Healthbeat Magazine, (orig. Dec. ’18, updated Feb. ’21), “Six Simple Ways to Smarter, Healthier Eating;” 6.) Mayo Clinic Staff (Aug,’ 20), “Core Exercises: Why you Should Strengthen your Core Muscles,” Mayoclinic.org; 7.) Warrior Made, (Nov. ’18) “4 Best Core Exercises for Beginners,” YouTube.com
