Volume 18, No. 1, Winter 2010
By Debra T.Gibbons, R.D.
The holidays have passed and the cold weather is here. Are you noticing your clothes getting tighter? Are you exercising less and eating more? Either way it’s time to take action. You don’t want to spend all summer trying to lose winter weight.
Let's review some very basic concepts. Calories are a form of energy and it is a matter of balancing them. If you eat the amount your body needs, you will maintain your weight; consume more than your body spends, you gain weight.
Another key fact: it takes 3,500 calories to gain or lose one pound. A weekly one to two-pound weight loss is recommended, which means cutting back 500-1,000 calories daily.
To stay healthy as you lose weight you need to eat a wide variety of foods. So you must become familiar with the calorie content of a lot of foods so you can identify what to limit or eliminate.
You may be surprised at the actual calorie level of some familiar foods. Did you know that one ounce of most hard cheese (about the size of a woman’s thumb) contains 100 calories? Or a small handful of nuts (1/4 cup) has 200 calories, while a handful of popcorn is only 10? Or that three ounces of turkey has only100 calories while three ounces of bologna comes to 300?
Right here you have valuable information to encourage you to swap a four-ounce bologna and cheese sandwich worth about 600 calories for a four-ounce sliced turkey on the same bread with mustard to save almost 300 calories. You can also use your new-found knowledge to add a lot of very low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods to your diet. For instance, one cup of sliced carrots has only 50 calories, one medium tomato 25 calories or three-fourths of a cup of blueberries only 60.
To determine accurately the calorie content of food, you need to read labels and adjust the amount you are eating accordingly if it differs from the listed serving size. There’s often a difference.
For instance, the food label on a package of bread states a serving size is one slice, but we frequently eat two slices at a time, so double the calories. You need to pull out your measuring cups to accurately determine your portion and then compare it to the food label serving. If you can’t find a food label, buy a calorie book at a local bookstore; or go online to find many free sites.
To put this all together, start a food diary. Writing down everything you eat and drink will provide valuable information on where to make the necessary changes. Recording information has proved invaluable in helping people to reach their goals.
A note on physical activity, since it is part of the energy balance equation. Finding a way to fit more activity in your day is essential in managing your weight.
(Ms. Gibbons is a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator for the VA Primary Care Clinic in Hyannis.