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Happy New Year! Have you been using this time as a motivator to drop the weight you have been struggling to lose all year round. You have the best of intentions to lose weight or exercise more as the New Year begins, but somehow, life happens and you often find yourself going back to your old ways.

Already this New Year I have recieved many phone calls from people from Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, Lafayette, Walnut Creek and other surrounding towns that are interested in weight loss.

Try a different approach for this New Year. Instead of going on a diet again, where you usually go off it a few weeks later, try beginning to make lifestyle changes that I know will guarantee success and finally keep the weight off. My clients enjoy using trackers such as My Fitness Pal or Lose It to get a sense of how many calories they have been eating. Then they put in how many calories they can consume in order to lose a pound a week after the first couple weeks when we tend to lose more because of pure overindulgence. I think this is a great beginning to get a sense of the amount of calories that you are eating. Where I come is in helping my clients set up a meal plan that fits their schedule which includes their favorite foods and certainly does not make them feel like they are on a diet.

We view websites together of the various restaurants they go to and I teach them how to arrange their meals and snacks around this meal out. The trackers do not teach you what are the best meals and snacks to keep you full and prevent cravings for sugar. When I work with my clients I hold their hand and educate them about nutrition because they usually lack this and help them keep them motivated by frequent (even daily) phone calls or e-mails.

Don’t look at this year’s resolution as a temporary change; look at it as a lifestyle change. Making too many changes at once can cause you to burn out before the end of January, causing you to break your commitment. Therefore, instead of changing your entire way of living all at once, try making these small nutrition and exercise changes everyday. Work your way SLOWLY to a healthier you.

1. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Every day have two servings of veggies such as adding veggies to your egg white omelet and having a soup with veggies at lunch or a salad. Have a fruit at lunch and dinner. Please add to your weekend routine going to the Farmer’s Market in Walnut Creek on Sundays and in Danville on Saturdays. You must try Sprouts in Walnut Creek. It is just like a farmer’s market everyday under a rooftop. Prices are reasonable for organic produce and they strive to have brands that are organic and made of whole foods.
2. Switch to 100% whole grain. If you’re still eating white bread and pasta switch to whole grains. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients and will keep you fuller for a longer period of time. Clients enjoy Trader Joe’s in Danville for 100% Whole Wheat pasta, quinoa, couscous, barley, and brown rice. Sprouts in Walnut Creek has a larger variety of brands of 100% whole wheat breads, cereals and grains. They are available in barrels where you can really see the quality that you are buying.
3. Portion control. Work your way to smaller portions and this will help control your calories. If you typically use a big dinner plate and fill the whole plate, try using a smaller size plate. You will always eat more when you have a pile of food on your plate. I often discuss with clients all the restaurants in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville and San Ramon that have small plates on the menu.
4. Limit the sweets. You do not have to avoid sweets. The key is moderation. If you enjoy dessert and sweets several times a day, make a goal for yourself to limit sweets to either once per day, or a few times a week. I teach my clients to have their sweets after a meal instead of randomly during the day which will prevent cravings for sweets. I always tell my client save the sweets for special times at social occasions when the quality will be great.
5. Swap out the soda and juice. These beverages are loaded with sugar and greatly contribute to your daily calories. And let’s be honest; most people don’t only drink a can a day. I show my clients many beverages that are popular and have no calories.
6. Begin a walking program. Commit to a daily walk, either first thing in the morning or after dinner. I teach my clients about interval training which shocks the metabolism and causes us to burn calories much faster.
7. Schedule your workouts. Just like you schedule a doctor’s appointment or a lunch date with a friend, schedule your workout on the calendar and make it a part of your routine 5 times a week. I teach my clients how to set up their meal plan based on their exercise schedule for the day.
8. Practice Mindful Eating. Since you have vowed not to diet this year, practice being mindful when you are eating. Listen for your hunger and fullness signals and respond appropriately. Don’t eat when you are not hungry, yet don’t let yourself get to the ravenous point either. When eating, stop midway and ask yourself if you are still hungry. If not, stop and save the rest for another time. I take a lot of time to practice this technique with my clients.

LindaRD can be available to come to your home in Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, Lafayette or Orinda and look at your cupboards and refrigerator and help you get off to a great start this New Year. LindaRD is also available to take you to Trader Joe’s in Danville or any supermarket of your choice and show you all the healthy convenience items to add to your life.

I am glad to inform you that insurance companies will cover nutritional counseling. Please visit http://LindaRD.com for the list of companies, past articles, and more information about nutritional concerns. Call Linda at (925) 855-0150 or e-mail her at lifeweight1@yahoo.com .