12 Steps for a Healthy Weight

Step 1: Keep a record. It's a lifestyle, NOT a diet.

Now that you've survived the holidays, it's dieting season again. Newspapers, magazines, and the airwaves are filled with weight loss ads – each one promising a miracle solution for the perfect body.

"The key to a healthy weight is definitely not another diet," says Debi Miller, registered dietitian (RD) with the Team Nutrition Program and chair of the Eat Right Montana coalition. "The real solution is to make healthful eating and physical activity a way of life. The key to a healthy weight is to ignore those misleading weight loss ads – and focus on taking permanent steps toward a healthy lifestyle."

During 2004, Eat Right Montana (ERM), a statewide coalition promoting healthful eating and active lifestyles, will offer Montana families a dozen ways to reach, and maintain, healthy weights forever. Each month, ERM's website (http://www.mtand.org/) will feature sensible advice, practical tips, and effective resources for taking simple steps toward a healthy weight.

According to Miller, the first step to a healthy weight is to keep a record. "Study after study has confirmed the benefits of keeping track of the food you eat and the activity you do. That's why every successful weight management program suggests that you keep a food diary and/or an activity log."

Your personal nutrition and fitness record can be simple, or detailed, whatever works for you. The simplest record is to keep track of one or two things on a regular calendar. For example, you could keep track of what you eat for breakfast and the number of minutes you walk. "Eating breakfast and 30 minutes of walking per day are habits that help adults and kids maintain healthy weights," notes Miller.

Some people like to keep more detailed food and activity records. Several different formats can be downloaded free from the Internet, like one from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Healthy Weight Program at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/diary.htm

"Keeping a record can help in several ways," explains Miller. "Sometimes just writing things down helps people eat better; they feel more accountable when they see things in black and white. It is also a great way to identify problems areas – and see which habits you need to starting working on first."

12 Ways to Create a Healthy Eating Style

Forget the fads: Diet fads come and go – without offering a permanent solution. When you hear about the latest diet, always ask yourself: Can I eat this way for the rest of my life?
Be realistic: Any eating plan needs to work for your family and your situation. It needs to fit with your schedule, your food budget, and your cooking skills.
Make a commitment: Write down some important reasons for changing your eating habits. Share a written or verbal promise to make healthy food choices with your friends or family.
Start slow: Making drastic changes can be a recipe for failure. Small changes can make a big difference, if they last. Pick one change, like eating breakfast, and make it a habit.
Be consistent: The human body responds well to consistency. If you decide to eat breakfast, make eating breakfast part of your daily routine – rather than an occasional thing.
Stick with it: Research suggests that it takes about 21 days for a behavior to become habit. If you want to start eating breakfast, make a plan with 21 breakfast menus you'd love to eat.
Be flexible: Life is full of surprises, and plans need to change. If an early meeting makes breakfast at home impossible, you need some alternatives, like desk-fast at work.
Be creative: Make a list of all the possibilities – like all the breakfast options that you enjoy: at home; in the car or on the bus; at work; or from a vending machine.
Stock up on options: Once you have a list of possibilities, stock up. Fill your cupboards, car, and desk drawers (anywhere you might eat breakfast) with healthy options.
Plan ahead: When situations pose problems, make a healthy plan. Have a meeting where giant cinnamon rolls are served? Plan to eat ½ a roll; bring cheese and fruit with you.
Forgive yourself: Healthy eating does not have to be perfect eating. If you make a mistake or miss a few days of healthy eating, no biggie. Just get back on track ASAP.
Congratulate yourself: Changing your eating habits can be tough. Just think how long you've had your current habits. Give yourself a pat on the back for any healthy changes.

12 Ways to Create an Active Lifestyle

Forget the fads: Like diets, exercise fads come and go (remember mini trampolines!). When you think about a new workout, ask yourself: Is this something I really enjoy doing?
Be realistic: Any activity has to fit into your schedule and situation. If you don't have time to get to the gym or if you hate running, it's time to look for some new activities.
Make a commitment: Write down some important reasons for being more active. Share a written or verbal promise to be more physically active with your friends or family.
Start slow: Making drastic changes can be a recipe for failure. Small changes can make a big difference, if they last. Pick one change, like walking more, and make it a habit.
Be consistent: The human body responds well to consistency. If you decide to walk more, make walking part of your daily routine – rather than an occasional activity.
Stick with it: Research suggests that it takes about 21 days for a beha vior to become habit. If you want to start walking more, make a plan to walk 30 minutes a day – for 21 days!
Be flexible: Life is full of surprises, and plans often need to change. If you can't get out in the morning, fit a 30-minute walk into a lunch break or go out before you have dinner.
Be creative: Make a list of all the possible ways to fit a 30-minute walk into your life – like walking a dog, walking with a friend, walking to the store, or walking around the mall.
Make a list of options: It's always good to have options, like indoor ideas when it's cold. Make a list of all the ways you like to move, so you'll always have a fun option.
Plan for activity. There is always too much to do in our busy lives. Make room for fitness in yours by putting activity on your schedule, like walking from 7:00 to 7:30. Forgive yourself: If you miss a day of activity, it's no big deal. Just put on your shoes and get your walk in today! The goal = at least 30 minutes of activity, at least 5 days a week. Congratulate yourself: Becoming more active can be tough. Just think how long you've been sitting around. Give yourself a big pat on the back for any increases in physical activity.

http://www.mtand.org/

Step 2: Develop a routine. Regular routines are important for families.

Humans are creatures of habit. We develop routine, standard ways of living our lives, and then we stick to them for many years. Establishing healthy routines is actually easier than you might think.

"Regular routines, for eating and activity, are especially important for young children," says Lori Rittel, registered dietitian (RD) with Montana's WIC Program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children). "Kids thrive on a healthy routine of meals, snacks, and active play. Establishing early, healthy patterns is a simple way to prevent eating and weight problems later in life."

Healthy routines can also help with parenting problems, like fighting over food at dinnertime. Small children do need to eat more frequently than adults. However, unstructured grazing on snack foods means that kids will not be hungry, or interested, when dinnertime rolls around. A healthy routine, like a nourishing mid-afternoon snack, helps kids come to the table with a healthy appetite and attitude.

According to Rittel, healthy routines help kids and their parents maintain a healthy weight. "The world is full of appealing, high-calorie foods – everywhere from the gas station to the mall. Without an alternative, it's easy to eat and drink things just because they are there. Making it routine to carry some healthy snacks, like string cheese or trail mix, helps you resist temptation – and it saves money too!"

Developing healthy routines isn't difficult. In fact, there are many simple steps that families can take to establish healthy habits. "Since we tend to eat or drink the first thing we find, making it routine to have cut-up fruit in the fridge makes it easy to snack smarter. Having milk and a pitcher of cold water on the top shelf makes it easy to choose a healthful beverage instead of a soft drink." says Rittel.

Eat Right Montana, a statewide coalition promoting healthful eating and active lifestyles, urges all Montanans to develop some new routines for health in 2004. Over the course of a year, one or two simple changes can make a big difference in your health and your weight.

"Making physical activity routine is important too," explains Rittel. "Children naturally love to move their bodies. Turn off the TV – and take a few minutes every day to play with your kids. If the weather is nice, take a walk outside. If it's cold or snowy, turn on the music and dance in the house."

12 Reasons to Develop a Regular Eating Routine

Food is everywhere: From the gas station to the mall, from the candy dish at work to the chips at home. Without a regular eating routine, it can be hard to resist temptation.
Grazing can lead to overeating: Without an eating routine, it's easy to graze on whatever food you find. Many people keep picking at food – without ever feeling satisfied.
Skipping meals can lead to overeating: Trying to eat less by skipping breakfast or lunch often backfires – and you end up eating more calories in snacks and dinner.
Getting over-hungry can lead to overeating: When you are really hungry, it is hard to make healthy choices. It's also hard to eat slowly and to stop when you are satisfied.
Mindless eating can lead to overeating: It's also hard to make healthy choices and to stop eating – when you are doing other things, like driving, reading, and watching TV.
Television can lead to overeating: TV advertisements and shows are full of food cues – specially designed to make you want to eat whether you are physically hungry or not.
Routines help maintain a healthy weight: Establishing regular times and places to eat helps to prevent overeating – and helps you balance your eating with your activity level.
Routines help build healthy habits: Develop a routine of cutting up fruit after dinner. You can enjoy some for a naturally sweet dessert and pack the rest for tomorrow's snacks.
Routines help with planning and shopping: When you have a regular pattern of meals and snacks, it is easier to plan healthy choices – and easier to make shopping lists.
Routines help save money: Buying food on impulse is usually more expensive. It's much cheaper to plan ahead – and to have healthy choices available when you want to eat.
Children do better with a regular eating routine: A regular pattern of meals and snacks helps children maintain the ability to eat when hungry and stop when satisfied.
Different patterns work better for different people: Some people feel better with three meals and a snack; others prefer five smaller meals. Choose the best pattern for you!

12 Ways to Make Physical Activity Routine

Choose the right activity for you: Different body types do better with different physical activities. Not every body is built for running, but every body can find a way to get fit.
Choose the right time: Some of us are naturally morning people; others prefer to be active at the end of the day. Listen to when your body likes to move and it will be more fun.
Choose the right goal: Goals can motivate us, if we choose the right one. Some people like the challenge of entering a race; others like to set a goal for a certain number of steps.
Choose the right speed: Some people like high-energy activities, like aerobics or jazz dancing. Others like something slower and calmer, like a yoga class or swimming.
Choose the right shoes: Comfort is essential for physical activity. When your feet hurt, it makes activity hard to do. Choose shoes that fit well and that are right for your activity level.
Choose the right equipment: Any activity is more fun when it feels good. Bicycles, rackets, and weights all come in different sizes and styles. Choose the right ones for your body.
Make it fun: When we enjoy an activity, we want to make it part of our day. The best physical activity is one that you enjoy, because you will be able to make it a regular routine.
Make it easy: Keep comfortable shoes by the door or in the car, so it's easy to take a walk. Set out comfy clothes the night before, so getting ready for activity is just routine.
Join a class: Scheduling a class creates its own routine. Once we get into a new routine, it easier to stick with it over time (and a new habit takes at least 21 days to establish).
Do it with friends: When we are accountable to someone else, it helps us get out and be active. You can join a class together – or just plan to meet for a neighborhood walk.
Keep a record: Research shows that self-monitoring is a key to a healthy weight. You can track your activity in different ways, like minutes per day or steps on a pedometer.
Reward yourself: Becoming more active is a gradual process. Just think how long you've been sitting around. Give yourself a big pat on the back for any increases in physical activity.