Top 5 Tips for sound Nutrition and Weight Loss

1. Eat regular meals and eat a variety.
   "That's an important part of dieting and good nutrition," said Eva Stobbe, RD at Joliet's St. Joseph Medical Center. "Variety is important to make sure you're getting vitamins and minerals for good health, and eating regular meals is important to make sure you're giving your body fuel to function." Stobbe said when it comes to weight control, studies have shown that people tend to lose weight faster and easier when they keep blood sugar levels even by eating several smaller meals throughout the day versus one or two meals.
2. Do more.
   "Regular exercise is extremely important in weight loss, and most people don't do enough," said Pam Milan, RD at St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin. A realistic goal is about 250 calories worth of exercise a day, Milan said, "and you don't have to do it all at once. If you're using exercise to control your weight, three ten minute walks is just as good as one thirty minute walk."
3. Stock up on low fat foods.
   "It starts at the grocery store," said Kathy Burt, RD at Dryer Medical Clinic in Aurora. "Make an effort to get a variety of low fat treats for yourself-different flavored bagels, gourmet pastas and some different low fat sauces, different grains such as brown rice, barley, oats...don't get stuck on one thing."
4. Chart your course with a diary.
   Record what you eat, when you eat and how you're feeling, advised Nancy Hillquist, community wellness dietitian at Elgin's Sherman Hospital. Besides making you stop and think, "You're trying to look for patterns," she said, "are you bored, lonely, sad...are you reaching for Ho Hos at a certain time of day? You may need to plan for a low fat snack if you're body's running on a low tank."
5. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
   "Most Americans eat a low nutrient dense diet that's high in fat and calories," said Richard Wolff, RD and director of the Center for Nutrition at Elgin Nautilus. "The one behavioral thing you can do to turn all that around is...eat no less than five cups of fruits and vegetables a day." Fresh, frozen or canned, "It is the single most effective way to get a grip on nutrition and health," he said.
   Wolff noted that because these foods tend to displace the less nutrient dense and higher fat foods, people who eat more fruits and vegetable will naturally eat less dietary fat, calories, sodium and cholesterol while increasing their intake of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and beta carotene. "Everything you want to have happen happens when you eat more of these foods," he said. "It's really simple, but so true."

© Copyright 1994 Paula Lauer