The "New" Healthy American Diet

With the "new" American diet, the goal is a more natural and traditional diet, but with all the advantages of the many well-made and tasty packaged food products available to us. However, let's focus on returning to whole, unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains) and avoiding refined flour products, refined sugars, red meats, luncheon meats and sausages, high-fat and high-salt foods, and alcohol.

So, what do we need to do for this "new" diet? Here are my tips:

Eat breakfast every day!

Let's focus on a nutrient-dense breakfast — one that includes protein, whole grains, and fruit. Why are these important? Because your insulin level will remain steady all morning and you won't be very hunger later. Eating a healthy breakfast every morning will help you lose more weight and keep it off longer. Some good breakfast choices: an egg sandwich with strawberries, or whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and a banana.

Drink more water!

Here's an idea: Drink nothing except water and coffee for two weeks and just watch the pounds melt away! This is an absolute no-brainer. Everyone knows the benefits of drinking more water and we all don't drink enough of it. So, challenge accepted?

Eat more fruits and veggies!

It's not rocket science! Getting more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet will help you live longer! And weight loss is a bonus, even when you're not trying to lose weight!

Stock up on whole grains!

Here is another no-brainer: whole grains are a major source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whole grains like whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, and brown rice can cut your risk of heart disease, respiratory illness, and some cancers, including colon and breast cancers. BONUS: whole grains can help you lose weight!

Milk it up! Enjoy low-fat dairy!

Looking for rich sources of calcium and vitamin D? Make a full stop at dairy foods! Thirty percent of women over 50 are deficient in calcium. Get this: BONUS!!! Low-fat dairy products can help you lose weight! A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those with the highest daily low-fat dairy intake lost 38 percent more weight than those with the lowest.

Cook at home - don't eat out!

CHALLENGE: Cook at home for two weeks - don't be tempted to eat out. So many potential problems with eating out but the biggest one: you tend to eat larger portions than you should. Restaurant portions can be up to three times larger than what we would typically eat at home. But, you ask, what is a healthy portion? Make a fist. Fruits and vegetables should be roughly the size of your fist; meat should be no bigger than a deck of cards, and fish should be the size of a checkbook.

Watch those food labels!

Here's a super-secret tip: People who read food labels stay thinner! So says research from the U.S. National Health Interview Study. All you have to do is read the label for the calorie content and values of other nutrients. Beware of sugar content! Sugar and salt are the trickiest. There are some brands of yogurt that have as much sugar as a candy bar!

SURPRISE! Snack often!

Who knew the "new" American Diet would be fun? Want to know the secret? "Smart Snacking". If you snack at least twice a day, for example on nuts, carrots, hummus, or fruit, you will lose more weight than if you only eat three large meals. BUT... don't eat after 7:00 pm. Give your body the time it needs to process everything you fed it during the day and to fast overnight.

And there you have it! All the secrets you need to lose weight - and KEEP IT OFF - using the "new" American diet! Give it a try and let me know how it works out for you. I PROMISE you'll be pleased!