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Healthy Changes for Healthy Weight
| Meet the Blogger | More Posts by Chris Jensen Need help developing healthier habits? Good health—and healthy weight—are about smart decision-making. Listen in and learn about success tools for creating health through optimal nutrition in this encore presentation of our podcast interview with Dr. Joel Fuhrman, board-certified family physician, author, and co-founder and chief medical officer of Eat Right America.
Let us know what steps you are taking toward healthy changes this year for a chance to win an Eat Right America bundle featuring some of their best-selling books, DVDs and assorted other special gifts: a $97 value! Simply enter a comment below by January 31st and one lucky reader will be selected at random.
250 Comments
Comments
I'm trying to eat more lean protein, more fresh vegetables, and more fruit. I really appreciated getting the ANDI list at my last Whole Foods visit and plan to refer to it often.
01/12/2011 12:59:00 PM CST
I am going for walks 3 times a week for at least 1.5 miles each trip. I am eating 5-6 small meals a day with whole grains, lots of vegetables, no added hormones and organic. But as an added step I am going to go fair trade whenever possible. But the difficulty for me is sweets and snacks. My goal is to be fit, active and have an improved BMI number.
01/12/2011 1:31:49 PM CST
I'm trying to be more health conscious this year. I've cut out refined sugar and most processed foods. I'm learning more about whole foods, raw foods diet, juicing, whole grains, supplements. It's a LOT to learn, and sometimes I feel a little lost, but so far I'm loving the way I feel. I've already shed a few unwanted pounds and I have a lot more energy. Looking forward to continuing this journey!
01/12/2011 4:01:42 PM CST
I will be 62 this week & need knowledge and help to fill my pantry with real, whole food.
01/12/2011 5:44:24 PM CST
I've decided to take a healthier approach to my lifestyle by changing my eating habits to incorporate more grains, natural foods, organic fruits/vegetables, raw foods/juices, non-processed foods and plenty of healthy hydration(mostly water). I've also decided to exercise on a weekly regular basis, get plenty of sleep nightly and try to reduce my stress by 100%. When all of this is accomplished, I will be a Healthy and Happier person!
01/12/2011 5:47:23 PM CST
I'm focusing on packing my own lunch versus eating out. I find when I plan ahead I can make better choices.
01/12/2011 6:00:42 PM CST
Sparkpeople.com! It makes calorie counting sooooo much easier.
01/12/2011 6:20:11 PM CST
I went to a knowledgeable and helpful registered dietitian with lots of expertise. I started cooking my own meals rather than chronically eating at restaurants. This way I know exactly what is in my foods and meals. I have lost tons of weight and improved my health dramatically.
01/12/2011 6:27:18 PM CST
With the new year, I'm trying to maintain my gluten-free life that has worked so well for me since being diagnosed as a Celiac in 2007. In addition, I'm trying to eat more fiber (when I can find it without gluten), more veggies and more fruit. When possible, I'm trying to eat fresh, local produce.
01/12/2011 6:27:37 PM CST
I cook now! I try to avoid packaged prepared foods. (I do still rely on many of the healthy prepared foods from Whole Foods). I have a new appreciation for getting back to basics and eating as many whole foods as possible
01/12/2011 6:28:04 PM CST
I have loved exercising for quite some time starting out with the exercises in the sweet dreams body book in junior high, but until I reached grad school, I never had to worry about weight. Learning how to keep hunger in check and eating healthy snacks has always been abit of a challenge. So hearing how to stop food addictions and be healthy from the inside out is quite exciting!
01/12/2011 6:29:13 PM CST
I agree with the many points made above. Here are comments on just two tactics I use.
1. Keep gathering and integrating information about the nutritional content of food. I subscribe to one print and one online newsletter from U. California - Berkeley School of Public Health. They summarize the latest research findings on nutrition -- and we know those findings keep changing!
I also scrutinize product labels. I've just been comparing forms of oat grain intended for hot cereal (e.g., oat bran, rolled oats, Scottish oatmeal) to determine which is most convenient for me and will best help me to reduce my weight.
2. Keep developing new habits, based on the research findings. I'm exploring the tactic of increasing weight and volume per unit of calorie, to trigger satiety earlier on. (That's my understanding of one tactic currently recommended.) Fortunately, I love raw carrots! For the first time, I bought a 15-pound bag of juicing carrots (the BIG carrots) on sale for $10 at WFM, bringing down the price to about $.67 per pound. I eat them as carrot sticks, before the rest of the meal. Hopefully, I'm on the right track with this....
01/12/2011 6:32:15 PM CST
I've started to look at losing weight as eating more healthy as opposed to calling it dieting. Keeping a food journal and writing down what I eat at every meal is also helping me to eat right. Adding more fruits and vegetables at meals fills me up and has helped me cut down on my not so healthy snacking. Moving more will be my next step.
01/12/2011 6:35:25 PM CST
I am trying to eat only fresh and raw whole foods. Nothing in a package or processed. I have struggled with weight loss ever since I had chemotherapy and steroids. Wish me luck!!
01/12/2011 6:36:34 PM CST
I am working on the sugar addiction. My first step is to skip sweets in morning...no sugar in my coffee (now stevia), and sometimes even no coffee, picking green or ginger tea and no sweetner at all.
Also, protein first, so a poached egg instead of fruit and grains.
01/12/2011 6:37:35 PM CST
Trying to give up sugar and what I call "the whites" - moving to only whole grains - no white flour etc.... no processed foods .... and to lose about 40 pounds of unneeded weight! More Fiber!
01/12/2011 6:43:49 PM CST
This year I am making sure I get adequate amounts of essential fatty acids to boost my body's fat-burning power.
01/12/2011 6:46:51 PM CST
I'm eating clean and keeping my calorie intake reasonable. I have also really shook up my workout routine by increasing my cardio time and added lots of new exercises to my weight routine.
01/12/2011 6:47:01 PM CST
We're joining a gym and cooking at home more often. Hoping to shrink our waistlines and our budget!
01/12/2011 6:52:56 PM CST
I'm avoiding processed foods and cooking from scratch. Bought a grain mill and am milling wheat berries and other grains. Had a baking marathon last weekend and made multi-grain bread, buns, sourdough tortillas, crackers, muffins, and croutons - all whole grain. Also made beef stock. My freezer is full. Am also focusing on buying local.
01/12/2011 6:55:32 PM CST
After having two babies and still breastfeeding the second one, I remain about 15 pounds over, eeeeek! But I'm determined to have it off by summer. I'm walking more. After dinner, I try for no sweet desserts and instead of tea, adding pomegranate or orange juice to hot water. Happy New Year everybody!
01/12/2011 6:59:15 PM CST
I'm avoiding all fast food and trying to keep processed foods out of my diet. I've also increased my water intake, and it's been almost a month since I had a soda!
01/12/2011 7:06:17 PM CST
The biggest change that I am making is learning to balance my eating. I am a pretty healthy eater and stick to natural, whole foods but sometimes I cut too many things out and then end up binging on un-healthy things. This year, I am working on telling myself things like "it's ok to have some chocolate every now and then". By doing this I can stop gorging on cookies on days when I haven't had chocolate in awhile.
01/12/2011 7:08:48 PM CST
I am really concentrating on whole grains. I am doing pretty well, byt my husband loves white rice, so on many nights I only want to make one type of rice, and white is it. I am going to try with a white/browns rice blend.
01/12/2011 7:11:54 PM CST
I've stopped eating junk foods, like chips or soda. sooo bad for me. and i have started eating whole grains and fresh, local vegetables that are in season.
01/12/2011 7:14:41 PM CST