Excuse # 1
When I diet, I always gain the weight right back.

In the never-ending battle against weight gain, there is an important success formula that you need to know…weight loss = energy in - energy-out.

Long-term weight control is best achieved by learning to consume the same number of calories that your body is able to burn off or use for fuel. The amount of energy your body needs for fuel is largely dependent upon your activity levels as well as heredity and other factors. You will have the best success with weight loss by adjusting your food intake and activity levels until you have reached the right balance.

A calorie…is a calorie…is a calorie.

Whether the calories you consume come from a protein, a carbohydrate or a fat source, your body is taking in energy every time you eat. If that energy isn’t burned off, your body will store it as extra weight. We all have different requirements based on our individual lifestyle. So, to get the results you are looking for, stick with the formula… either increase your activity or eat less…OR BOTH. Find the right balance for your body.

Note: Starving is never a good way to cut calories. Follow the food guide pyramid and an exercise program to balance your caloric intake.

Excuse # 2
I don’t want to give up my favorite foods.
Popular diets recommend everything from eating any amount of your favorite foods to eliminating them completely. A healthy eating plan falls somewhere in between.

Believe it or not, all types of foods, including delicious chocolate treats, can fit into a healthy eating plan. The key to enjoying these treats is in keeping a balance and in eating what you like in moderation. Depriving yourself completely from the foods you like will only increase your desire for the foods you are trying to avoid.

The most important rule is to eat a sensible portion size.

One strategy for keeping your desire for your favorite foods under control is to eat three meals a day with nutrient rich snacks such as fresh vegetables, low-fat yogurt, or an apple every few hours throughout the day, to keep blood-sugar levels steady. When you do have an urge to splurge, eat a small snack to settle the craving (not to fill you up).

The following shows how moderation and balance can help control cravings and keep the cravings from controlling you.

Balance what you eat—by combining with…

• 1 slice of Pan Pizza — salad, low-fat dressing
• 3 Chips Ahoy cookies — a tall glass of skim milk
• Angel food cake (slice 1/12 of cake, or 1 oz.) — 1 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt
• 1 peanut butter cookie (3 inches in diameter) — 1 small apple or banana
• ½ cup ice cream — 2 graham crackers

Excuse # 3
I have tried every fad diet and they don’t work for me.

There has been a recent surge in fad diets that call for high-protein, low-carbohydrate meal plans. Some of these diets claim that limiting carbohydrates and eating plenty of protein-rich foods are the healthiest and most successful ways to lose weight; others call for eliminating carbohydrates altogether.

The truth is that a healthy diet is a well-balanced diet. Healthy eating follows the food guide pyramid, published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Every food group in the food guide pyramid has a purpose in the diet. Getting a variety of foods from a wide range of sources is a good way to make sure your body is not being cheated out of important vitamins and minerals.

Eating foods rich in carbohydrates provides the body and brain with energy

Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals and are loaded with important vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. We also need fat in our diets. Fat is an important source of essential vitamins A, D, E and K. It gives us energy and is key to every part in the body.

Protein is found in meat, dairy, beans and nuts. Amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, are responsible for the growth and repair of body tissues, cells and organs. Water, too, is an important source of nutrients. Water helps your body to digest food and transport nutrients.

The food guide pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day based on dietary guidelines for healthy Americans. Choose different foods within each group. If your eating plan is not consistent with the food pyramid, compare what you are eating with what the food pyramid recommends. Determine what changes you need to make and create a list. Use your list as a guide and make changes gradually until your diet is more balanced.

Click here to go to the Diatetic Association web site

Excuse # 4
I don’t have time to diet.

We always find time to do what is most important to us. For example, the average adult spends 22 hours sitting at a computer each week. Make your health a top priority. Creating a delicious pasta dish, flavored with vegetables, for dinner takes only a few minutes. Once you get into the habit of healthier food choices, it will take no time at all to whip up your favorite dishes.

Time saving strategies:

1. Devote a few hours one day a week for cooking and stock up the freezer with meals for the rest of the week.
2. Buy bagged, ready-made salads; add low-fat or no-fat salad dressing. Choose darker greens like romaine or spinach for more taste and nutrients.
3. Purchase ready-cut vegetables for stir-fries.
4. Cook dinner in a crockpot.

Eating at a fast food chain is sometimes unavoidable...so when you do need to eat fast, use these tips to help you eat healthy:

• Choose foods that are prepared without oils and fats. Chicken and fish can be good choices but if they are breaded and deep-fried, they have added calories that you don't need. Choose grilled or broiled meats over those that are fried.

• Choose single hamburger options over the double burgers.

• Skip the special sauces. Use light mayonnaise or ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions for flavoring.

• If you don’t want to leave out the mayonnaise or special sauce, leave out the cheese.

• Instead of french fries, order a plain baked potato. Top it with a small amount of low-fat butter, low-fat sour cream, or yogurt (but not all three). Load your potato with vegetables and salsa, or ketchup (and it’s ok to satisfy a french fry craving with a small order now and then).

• When eating Mexican fast food, choose chicken over beef. Avoid beans refried in high-fat grease. Add extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Go easy on the cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Avoid deep fried taco shells and choose the soft shells instead.

• Chinese food may seem healthy. Many dishes contain broccoli, cabbage and other vegetables, but these same dishes may be fried or high in fat and sodium. Go for the steamed rice over the fried rice or noodles.

• Pizza can be a healthy on-the-go meal. Order a thin crust and vegetable toppings. Skip the extra cheese and try to use low-fat meats such as chicken instead of pepperoni or sausage. If you must have bacon, make it Canadian bacon.

• Go for a salad, but watch out for high-fat toppings. Choose only one high-fat topping to put on your salad from this list: dressing, bacon bits, cheeses, croutons, and seeds. Even low-calorie dressing can add up if you use a lot of it.

• AVOID SUPER SIZING! For just pennies more you can get a larger portion, a deal almost too good to pass up, but pass—larger portions mean more calories, more fat, and more cholesterol. Not a good deal after all.

Excuse # 5
I don't have the money to buy special foods for a diet.

Eating healthy can have both short-term and long-term benefits to your pocketbook.
Open any newspaper, and somewhere it will tell you that the leading cause of death in America is heart disease, followed closely by some types of cancer, stroke, chronic lung disease and type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus). These conditions can go on for years, resulting in costly hospital bills and pricey medications. More important, many of these conditions can be avoided by making simple lifestyle changes. Start saving money today (put it toward a retirement cruise) by doing what you can to prevent these illnesses. Switch to healthy eating and exercise routines so that you can reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in the years to come.

Tips for keeping costs down.

Watching your portion size will stretch the dollar longer. Eat less and save the rest for later. By doing this, you instantly cut your costs in half (two meals instead of one).
Plan exactly how many times you will eat each week, what meal you will have, and what items you will need to purchase. Then make a list to avoid impulse buying (and never go shopping when you are hungry). Plan your menu around sale items and use coupons.

Limit the number of times you eat out. When you dine out, eat half of your meal (portion sizes in restaurants are typically very large) and then, save the rest for lunch the next day.

Prepare meals yourself rather eating out or buying the prepackaged foods. Preparing your own meals allows you to control fat and sodium intake.

Buy chicken breast and debone and skin it yourself (you pay more for the convenience of deboned meats).

When healthy foods you like are on sale, buy them in bulk and freeze. Freezing is also good for vegetables, fruit, bread and lunch meat (low salt varieties are best). Unopened bread and lunch meat can be frozen for up to two months. If you prefer the taste of fresh vegetables over frozen, buy vegetables that are in season.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but cereal can be expensive. Instead of higher cost namebrand cereals, try lower cost options like oatmeal (generic, 'regular' or unflavored varieties are less expensive). If you preferred flavored oatmeals, buy a box of the flavored along with the box of the slow cooking oats. Add a package of the flavored oats into the regular oats. This will help satisfy your taste and it’s healthier!

Excuse #6
I never feel satisfied when I eat and definitely not when I diet.

The brain is responsible for sending out messages of hunger and thirst, and these messages can get mixed up. Sometimes when we’re thirsty, our mixed-up messages tell us to eat rather than drink. The result is, that we eat to try to get rid of the thirst, and we’re not satisfied. Because our thirst has not been quenched, our brain sends out more signals that we are hungry (or thirsty) and the cycle continues.

Most people need at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. However, athletes, pregnant and breast-feeding women, and people who are ill may require additional fluids. Exposure to extreme temperatures, high-fiber diets, caffeine and diuretics also increases the amount of water your body needs. Food introduces a small amount of water into our diet, but it’s not enough. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water—by that time you are most likely dehydrated!

Most people are chronically dehydrated and should consume water more frequently than they think they need to. Water is fat free, contains zero calories, and is an essential nutrient. So, drink up!

But, once again, change occurs one step at a time.

If you’re not used to drinking water, 8 glasses may feel like you're consuming the entire Atlantic Ocean. Start your day off with a glass of water. Drink water with meals and snacks, and sip water throughout the day. Keep a bottle handy, such as storing one in your car, purse, backpack…and at your desk at work.

Avoid fluids with caffeine such as coffee, colas, and tea. In place of caffeinated beverages, drink more water, juices and milk. If you prefer bottled water to tap water, that’s fine. Make sure you check the label on bottled water; some varieties contain added sugars and sodium.

Excuse # 7
I am addicted to junk food; I can’t live on fruits and vegetables alone!

Vegetables and fruit are the most important sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Scientific research shows that there is no substitute for these foods. Adding one serving of fruits and vegetables to your diet can slightly reduce your risk of heart disease and help you to stay healthy.

If you can’t seem to get yourself to like vegetables without butter, try to limit the amount of butter, use a small amount of olive oil instead, or avoid these altogether by adding a small amount of chicken broth.

Another option is to eat soups and foods with vegetables in them.

The important thing is to include vegetables in your diet as much as possible.

Try these suggestions to add vegetables and fruit to your diet:

Vegetables

• Add vegetables to pastas and rice
• Add vegetables to soups, stews, sauces
• Mix grated vegetables into casseroles
• Add to your sandwich: tomato, sprouts, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, or spinach
• Experiment with seasonings: lemon juice with broccoli, cucumbers with dill and vinegar, basil with tomatoes
• Drink your vegetables; experiment by adding fruit juice, too
• Have vegetables ready to eat as snacks (wash, cut and store in the refrigerator). When you grab a handful of chips, grab a handful of carrot sticks as well.
• Top a baked potato with salsa and low/non-fat sour cream, or broccoli and cheese.
Be creative!

Fruits

• Mix fruit into salads
• Try a new salad dressing recipe such as raspberry yogurt
• Keep raisins and dried fruit at your desk or in your backpack
• Eat a piece of fruit—banana, apple, peach, pear—with a sandwich
• No matter what your favorite snack is, enjoy it with a fruit: ice cream with bananas and strawberries, for example
• Drink your fruit in the form of juice or smoothies; experiment by adding vegetables
• Experiment with seasonings: nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger enhance sweetness
• Honey with plain yogurt, strawberries, kiwi, or bananas makes a tasty dessert


Add fruits and vegetables to every meal

• Breakfast: vegetable omelet
• Lunch: vegetable soup and lettuce on the sandwich
• Dinner: extra vvegetable on the pizza Add to every meal

• Breakfast: banana in the cereal
• Lunch: apple after your soup and sandwich
• Dinner: slice of pineapple on the side

Excuse # 8
I can't live without salt!

Sodium is found in all foods, but canned and processed foods contain extremely high doses. Sodium in moderation can benefit the body in several ways. Sodium helps maintain fluid balance, and can aid in nerve and muscle activity. However, too much salt can increase blood pressure and hypertension. One teaspoon of salt meets four times the body’s daily intake requirement.

Learning to enjoy other seasonings requires slowly decreasing salt and adding herbs and spices. Some simple tips to lower the intake of sodium include: buying fresh foods over prepackaged or canned, and trying herbs and spices to season food instead of salt.

However, if you’re going to continue to buy canned and prepackaged or prepared meals, buy the reduced-sodium varieties. And if you’re going to use herbs, use the dried versions at the beginning of cooking so they can flavor the food the entire time you are cooking. When using fresh herbs, add them during the last few minutes of cooking.

Food we typically salt—herbs and spices to use instead:

Eggs—Use basil, dill, garlic, parsley, black pepper, onions, diced veggies
Fish—Basil, bay leaf, lemon, thyme, parsley, sage, ginger, poppy seeds
Poultry—Sage, marjoram, garlic, cumin red pepper, chili powder; stir fry with vegetables, sesame seeds
Tomato sauce—Basil, bay leaf, marjoram, oregano, parsley, cloves
Vegetables—Basil, parsley, dill, French tarragon, poppy seeds, sesame seeds
Italian food—Basil, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram, onions, black pepper
Mexican food—Chili powder, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon
All foods—To enhance sweetness, use ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon

Excuse # 9
It’s out of my control; I’m an emotional eater.

Are you truly hungry, or actually bored, lonely, tired, or anxious? We’ve all heard the term “comfort foods,” but foods associated with “comfort” are not typically the best for your diet. Eating comfort foods in small doses should not be harmful; however, if we aren’t careful, feeding our emotions may result in chronic overeating.

The best way to keep this in check is to keep a journal. Record how much you eat, when you eat, and how you feel before you eat. The journal will be a visual aid in helping to recognize emotions that trigger comfort eating. Once you can see the patterns that trigger this behavior, try to replace these patterns with more constructive ways to deal with your emotions.

If you are feeling down, a brisk walk will boost serotonin levels. If you are tired, don’t eat; take a nap instead. Take up a yoga class, to give you something to look forward to every week and to help you relax. If you are eating because you are lonely, call a friend, make plans to get together, go for a bike ride, or fly a kite in the park. Plan to keep yourself busy. Idle hands are feeding hands.

—Erika Johnson, BS, Dietitian