Eight Simple Tips for Weight Loss

The holidays are fast approaching, and if you are anything like me, you are already drafting your New Year's resolutions. As an experienced dietitian, this is also the time of year when I am most asked, "How can I shed the pounds I put on from Thanksgiving through the Christmas season?" Fortunately for you, my new readers and friends at Associated Content, you need not even ask. Here are my eight simple tips for weight loss.

1. Watch what you drink! We can potentially consume thousands of calories without even really feeling any satisfaction by choosing high calorie beverages. We think juice is better than soda, however a daily 8 ounce glass of juice can add up to over a 12 pound yearly weight gain, and most people can't stop at 8 ounces. Instead, choose calorie free drinks such as water, crystal light and diet soda.

2. Eat a salad before your meal. It is low in calories, packed with antioxidants, and high in fiber. A nice, big, healthy salad will help you fill up so you eat less of the main meal. Eating a salad before your meal is a simple way to achieve weight loss.

3. Load your plate with veggies! Here is a good formula to use: Divide your plate in half, then fill one half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean beef, poultry or fish, and one quarter with a healthy carbohydrate such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or roasted potatoes.

4. Use fat-free and low-fat versions of your favorite condiments and meal toppings, such as fat-free salad dressing and low-fat cheese. Your food will still be full of flavor without all the extra calories. Balsamic vinegar is a great way to add flavor to any salad or vegetable dish and has zero calories.

5. Keep low-calorie, healthy foods on hand, and make a conscious effort to choose those foods first. If you feel like a snack, choose foods such as baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, celery sticks and dill pickles. These are all calorie free and can help satisfy hunger without packing on the pounds. If you feel like something sweet, try eating fresh fruit. Try strawberries with sugar free cool whip. It's delicious and very low in calories, and will help satisfy that sweet tooth.

6. Are you hungry in between meals, or are you really just thirsty? Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger. If you have just eaten and are feeling hungry, reach for a tall glass of water. Then, wait thirty minutes. Chances are you won't be hungry anymore. If you are, reach for another tall glass of water.

7. Another simple tip for weight loss is to drink seltzer water. Drinking seltzer water will help control your hunger, because the bubbles make you feel full. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon to add flavor and liven your taste buds.

8. Keep moving. The more active you are, the more calories you burn. Find any excuse you can to keep moving. Take the stairs. Park as far from the entrance as possible. Take the long way home. Walk just one more time around the block! Adding exercise to your day can make the biggest difference and is usually the easiest.

Thank you for reading my eight simple tips for weight loss!