Learn how to make the scale your friend
During the busy holiday season, many of us dread stepping on the scale. While we indulge in cookies, cakes and candies of every kind, we figure what we don't know can't hurt us. But when it comes to managing our weight, knowledge is power.
Jackie Caul, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Presence St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin advises her clients to embrace the scale and make it their "F.R.I.E.N.D."
F = Fiber
Fiber affects a number of hormones tied to weight, including the hunger hormone ghrelin and leptin, the hormone that signals your body to stop eating. According to Caul, most of us eat only half the 25 to 30 grams of fiber we should be consuming on a daily basis. She recommends five to nine servings of vegetables a day, including beans and legumes, and good carbs, such as the whole grains barley, farro and quinoa.
R = Rest/Sleep
Lack of sleep, five hours or less per night, can also affect your ghrelin leptin levels. Recent studies have shown people who lack sleep consume about 300 extra calories a day, snacking more and engaging in less physical activity - overall, making poorer choices. Caul says the solution is to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
I = Inadequate Intake
Not eating enough can lead to feelings of irritability, stress and fatigue. In turn, this causes you to eat more - usually the wrong choices. Caul says it also slows your calorie-burning capacity by affecting the metabolic processes. Starving yourself is not the key to weight loss, she says.
E = Exercise
The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity. That's about 30 minutes of walking at least five times a week. Can't commit that much time? Then Caul recommends stepping it up with 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. That's about 25 minutes at least three days a week. Add strength training of moderate to high intensity at least two days a week, she says.
N = Nonnutritive sweeteners/sugar
Artificial sugars add virtually no calories to your diet; however, the foods in which they're used don't often offer the same benefits as whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. In fact, Caul says some studies have shown they are associated with increased weight. Moderation remains the key, she says.
D = Don't Distract/Mindfulness
Be in the moment when you eat, Caul says. Don't let the TV, your computer or other things distract you. Slow down and put the fork down between bites. This will help you get the full satisfaction from the food and ultimately eat less, she says.
"There are many parallels between a scale and a true friend," Caul says. "A friend is honest with us and challenges us to be our best. A friend helps us prioritize. A friend is something you can count on. Isn't it time to stop calling your scale the enemy?"