Small Weight Loss Tips = Big Difference

When I decided to eat healthier, I started with small dietary adjustments: I switched to oatmeal from a bottomless bowl of cereal, soda to more water and said no thank you to the bread basket at restaurants. It would have been unrealistic for me to completely change what and how I ate overnight; it would have only resulted in getting myself frustrated and reaching for a Snickers.

Diets in general are short-term, it's about slowly incorporating healthy changes into your everyday routine that reap long-term benefits. Small changes set you up for success, these slight dietary tweaks turn into habits and, boom, you're a Healthy Helen without realizing it. Go you!

One pound of fat is 3,500 calories, so all you need to do is subtract a few calories from your caloric intake every day. There's so magic pill or fancy drink, just make small and healthy choices. And look below, never say  Ughhhh I only lost one pound, again! That my dear is one pound and a huge accomplishment!

I just read a great article in Shape Magazine that provides some simple tips and everyday food swaps to get you started, you can do this!:

Breakfast

Skip Bakery bagel with cream cheese

Swap Two pieces of whole-wheat toast with 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Savings per day 300 calories

Weight loss per year: 23 pounds

I used to eat a huge, vitamin-empty bowl of cereal every morning to only find myself starving by 10:30 am! Instead I mix a 1/2 cup of oats with either Greek yogurt or sliced almonds! or both! *Don't forget to eat breakfast!-- it revs your metabolism for the day!

Mid-Morning Snack

Skip Large glass of juice

Swap Piece of fruit

Savings per day 90 calories

Weight loss per year: 7 pounds

I carry an orange around almost any and everywhere! The time it takes to peel it equals the same time I'd be on my second glass of juice. A lot of juice is packed with sugar anyways so beware!

Lunch

Skip Cup of sweetened yogurt

Swap Plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt with 1/2 cup sliced fruit

Savings per day 100 calories

Weight loss per year: 8 pounds

I love Greek yogurt, too! It packs a punch of protein and tastes heavenly! I recommend Stonyfield OIKOS and Chobani!


Mid-Afternoon Snack

Skip Tall mocha

Swap Tall latte with 1 percent or skim milk

Savings per day 145 calories

Weight loss per year: 11 pounds

Black coffee has little to no calories. Can't do it black?, opt for skim milk or sweeten with cinnamon or mocha powder!

Dinner

Skip Large plate of pasta (2 1/2 cups) with 1/2 cup red sauce

Swap 4-ounce skinless chicken breast with 1 cup pasta and 1/2 cup red sauce

Savings per day 240 calories

Weight loss per year: 18 pounds

A good tip from Shape Magazine!: “If you're a carb queen who loves bagels, pretzels and pastas, you're probably lacking in the protein department. Lean meats such as chicken are satisfying and low-calorie, a good balance to carbohydrate intake.”

Dessert

Skip 2 cups fat-free ice cream

Swap Two miniature (0.7-ounce) candy bars

Savings per day 200 calories

Weight loss per year: 15 pounds

I'll reach for a few blocks of dark chocolate (70% or higher) to munch on! It’s just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth plus it’s high in antioxidants!

The Early Bird gets the StairMaster

I always say: the early bird gets the french fry (who wants a worm?), but I have adjusted my mantra this morning. Today I have done the unthinkable... a day I thought would never come: I was at the gym before 8 am. Crazy? Yes, but life forced me againsted my will. I've have gotten to the point in my hectic college schedule that if I don't exercise in the morning then I won't have time the rest of the day. I feel like like a woman who works 8-5, goes home to make dinner for her cooking-illiterate husband, and then takes care of her 5 crying and pooping children. Maybe not exactly, but this is what a lot of people call life. And life is messy in which we have to adjust.

My way to adjust is going to the gym at 7:45 BUT there are positives to an early workout:

1. I got the good StairMaster, the one that has the working television. Score.
2. I was able to do my NIKE training ab work-out in the aerobics room without receiving strange looks because my phone is talking to me. 
3. and finally, I was able to attend my 9:30 class and know I didn't have to go to the gym afterwards... though I was probably that one "smelly kid" in class (and I apologize to anyone in a 3 ft radius of me this morning).

But to get to the main concern of this post, let me give some background. This morning I was oddly hyper and needed to let it out via StairMaster... below is the result of my energy burst, but let me remind you this is not a commonality for me (though it'd be nice).

Now, this raised a question... how accurate are the calorie counters on cardio machines? Did I really just burn an exponential amount of calories or is Life Fitness lying to me? Well, I've done some research and this is what I found:

According to FitSugar (follow them on Twitter @fitsugar, they always have great fitness and health tips):

The calories burned readout on cardio machines are not known for their accuracy. Some machines are even known to bump up the calorie readout by almost 25% (apparently the feel good factor keeps us using their machines). Furthermore, machines do not always take into consideration all the factors in individual fitness levels and the specificity of the exercise and they're not often re-calibrated after hitting the gym floor, so things can get off set with time. Basically you can (and should) use the calorie readout only as a guideline but not as the end-all-be-all of how many calories you've burned.

Sigh. I feel I've just been told that there's no Santa Clause. Though depressing, this makes us rethink those feel good donuts for a job well done at the gym.

There are ways to help increase the accuracy of your cardio workout: Enter your weight.

Want even more accuracy? Use a heart-rate monitor which will give generate atop notch calorie reading.

But as the take away from this post, don't define your workout by a number. It's like your when you weigh yourself. Sure, it's a number that can fluctuate but it does not control how you feel about yourself. A number can't define a person's being; focus on being healthy and reaching your own personal goals.

Not all Calories are Created Equal

I follow Eat This, Not That (they have awesome healthy eating tips daily) on Twitter and this tweet caught my eye. It's from Men's Health Magazine but its health information can apply to men and women. After reading this article, I realized I was pretty calorie clueless and am now incorporating more protein into every meal. Enjoy and let me know what you think! The Truth About Calories

Click to Enlarge; I hope my body is a Corvette...Vrooom

The Scary Side of the College Cafeteria

Forget what you know about the happy-go-lucky tales of a Bob and Larry. This gruesome tale is about vicious vegtables on steroids and...with vampire fangs (sounds more like the Twilight Zone than Twilight, and you're right). So last week, I went to my school's dining hall for some laxative-infused grub. Thought it would be a positive experience, enjoyable even. No. Above is the sheer madness I encountered--- a picture of the nutritional value of a (*gasp*) vegetarian item....


Here are a few comments (not calories *cough-cough*) I would like to interject:

(1) 3,770 calories is more calories than Michael Phelps eats at dinner time (Yes, I looked it up), and not to burst anyones hopes and dreams, but I don't think we're all gold medalist swimmers.

(2) I now know why my school is in the middle of a rainy season....to negate all that sodium

(3) It makes you wonder how many calories are in the non-vegetarian dishes!...What are we? A pack of wolves? (oh, wait...)

(4) The real reason for the Freshman 15 500

(5) and finally my last plea...why, dining hall, why. As stressed out students, we already eat enough of our feelings. No need to encourage us, we got it under control.


I am all for eating healthy, but beware--not all vegetarian meals are people friendly (unless you're Michael Phelps). Remember: Not all Veggie Tales end happily