Today's guest post is from Amanda Sajczuk, one of our hard working Nutrition interns. She is a team captain for our Pound for Pound Challenge at Meredith College, and has a passion for sharing fitness tips and healthy recipes through her personal blog.
Thanks to everyone who has pledged to lose weight! (If you haven't pledged yet, visit http://www.pfpchallenge.com. For every pound of weight you pledge to lose, a pound of groceries will be given to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle!) I’m sure it’s been a great motivator for you to become healthier while helping us out with our cause to fight hunger. I hope you’ve had some luck losing the weight you pledged, and to make it even easier, here are some tips!
The smallest changes can sometimes be the biggest help, so in addition to getting enough daily physical activity, do simple things to help you lose weight.
- Always choose skim or 1% milk instead of whole milk - you get much more calcium for much less calories and you’re taking away lots of unnecessary fat!
- Make sure you get lots of dark green veggies and other bright colored fruits and veggies.
- Choose whole grain breads and pasta, and make sure when picking out your bread it says “100% Whole Grain”, and not something like “an excellent source of whole grain” because those don’t count as a whole grain.
- Make sure to get enough protein - it’ll keep you healthy, strong and fill you up! Choose lean protein like grilled or baked chicken breast or tuna fish (made without mayo!) instead of hamburgers and steaks.
- Eat beans! Black beans are also a great source of both protein and fiber.
All of the whole grains, vegetables, and fruits are high in fiber which is very helpful when losing weight. It keeps you full longer without adding extra fat and calories, as well as helping to get rid of some extra cholesterol in your body.
Here are some links to help you in your endeavor to lose weight: www.calorieking.com ; www.nutritionmd.com ; www.mypyramid.gov