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Tips for successful weight loss

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nisha Encarnacion
  • Health Promotion Flight
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  If getting healthier and weight loss are among your goals for 2015, this article is for you! While it's tempting to go on fad diets that promise fast results, it can be dangerous. Healthy, slow weight loss is more likely to keep the weight off. Here are some tips to best set you up for success.

You can start with realistic goals to eat less and move more. One large goal is overwhelming, so start with small reasonable steps to wellness. It can be challenging to go to the gym every day for hours or drastically cutting countless numbers of calories, so try to make healthy changes that you can stick with in the long term, like taking a 30 minute walk during your lunch break or just adding more fruits and vegetables to each meal.

Remove all the temptations to snack. Go into your kitchen and remove the high calorie foods from your refrigerator and pantry. This includes all snack foods such as cakes, pies, cookies, chips and foods that can sabotage your weight loss goals. Fill your kitchen with healthy, nutrient dense foods such as lean meats, fresh fruit, and raw vegetables. Some great healthy snacks include non-fat cottage cheese, sugar free jello, nuts, and yogurt.

Build a support system and have a friendly competition. Tell your friends and family what you want to accomplish and how they can support you. You may find a weight loss buddy among your peers. Activity trackers such as Fitbits or online resources such as MyFitnessPal can be very helpful and can serve as accountability tools for competitions to keep you and your partners on track and motivated.

Also, the Health Promotion team can help you achieve your goals. Our registered dietitian and diet therapy technician can assist you with up-to-date food and nutrition information. We also offer nutrition classes, body composition testing, fitness improvement clinics, and incentive programs that can assist you on your journey.

Please feel free to call Health Promotion at 256-7139.