HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Weight Control

Good Cheer For Holiday Dieting 2

Weight Control

Big holiday coming up? Don’t panic. With a good game plan and strategic planning you and your diet can not only survive holidays but you can actually thrive on them. Holidays do not have to be a time of feast or famine-you can strike a happy balance between gorging and self-sacrifice.

* Review your eating habits from the previous year’s celebration. Does food take center stage at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Fourth of July, and other big holidays? Do you genuinely enjoy foods like fruitcake, for example, or do you just eat them out of custom and tradition?

* Decide which customary holiday food habits you could easily change. (If you like to cook out for the Fourth of July, for example, consider barbecued chicken without skin instead of hot dogs.)

* Before digging in at a big holiday feast, imagine how you will feel after eating it. Visualize the bloated, uncomfortable, and guilty feelings you’ve experienced on past occasions.

* Forget about being “perfect” on holidays. Stringent dieting may be unrealistic and you could sabotage your efforts by setting standards that are too high. Don’t set yourself up for failure by only thinking of what you can’t have. Concentrate instead on what is available on your diet plan.

* Learn to be festive without depending on alcohol. A drink here, a toast there-the calories of alcohol can add up. Substitute club soda or mineral water for alcohol.

* If you’re invited to someone’s home for dinner, ask if you can contribute a dish, then make it low-calorie. (And be sure to make plenty. Low-calorie foods are usually very popular.)

* Remember that the major purpose of the holidays is to enjoy family and friends. Food and alcohol are secondary factors.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Rethink Your Drink

Weight Control

Avoid liquids that fill you up and out.

That grande (16 oz.) peppermint chocolate mocha you grabbed before work might have perked you up, but it added 400 calories to your diet. With another 250 calories from the 20 oz. cola you drank with lunch, and the 300 calories from the two 12 oz. beers that helped you unwind after work, it’s no wonder you’re having trouble maintaining or losing weight. Your drinks alone account for about 1,000 calories of what should be a 1,500 (women) or 2,000 (men) calorie daily diet.

Sweet tea guzzlers, don’t smirk. One 32 oz. drink from McDonald’s contains 280 calories. And a Long Island iced tea packs a whopping 532 calories in one 16 oz. bottle.

Did You Know?

Having two 12-ounce regular sodas a day could add 30 pounds of weight in a year. Having water instead of these sodas can help you shed 30 pounds a year!

Healthy Drinking Tips

* Drink coffee black with a small amount of nonfat milk or unsweetened soy milk.

* Give your water some flavor with a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange. Or, add a fresh strawberry or slice of cucumber or melon. Herbs such as ginger, cinnamon, or mint can also add flavor.

* Opt for caffeine-free herbal teas.

* Get the added benefit of antioxidants with fresh or low-sodium canned vegetable juices.

* Make homemade smoothies using fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, protein powder, and soy or rice milk.

* Mix one part fruit juice to three parts water or sparkling water.

* Drink wine in moderation. It has about 125 calories per 4-5 ounces.

* If beer is your alcohol of choice, try “lite” beer, but check out the calories per serving. Some light beers have almost as many calories as regular beer. Limit beer to one or two per day.

* Nix the cocktails with high-calorie mixers, such as soda, juice, and cream.

* Save the sports drinks for high intensity workouts as they have about 100 calories per 8 oz. serving. Lower the calories by mixing 4 oz. of water with 4 oz. of the sports drink.

Do diet drinks make a difference?

Ideally, diet soft drinks help keep calories down, but research shows that people who drink diet sodas tend to be heavier than those who pass on carbonated drinks altogether. Why? Diet drinkers give themselves permission to eat more food.

Action Step

Every day, drink plenty of water and other refreshing low-calorie beverages, such as unsweetened iced tea with lemon.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Be Assertive 3

SleepWell® Program

Week 5

Passive

* You lack expression for yourself.

* You do not stand up for your rights and needs.

Result: You usually do not achieve your goal.

Aggressive

* You stand up for your rights and needs, but at the expense of someone else.

Result: You usually put down or hurt someone else. You gain no respect.

Assertive

* You stand up for your rights and needs without putting down or hurting someone else.

* You increase the chance of achieving your goals.

* You express your feelings without becoming victim to them.

Result: You build self-respect and feel good about yourself.

What Assertive Looks Like

Body Posture: Be relaxed and natural. Avoid slouching, putting your hands in your pockets, and facing away from the person you are speaking with.

Eye Contact: Good eye contact is vital to convey self-confidence and interest. Don’t stare at the other person; this comes across as a challenge.

Voice, Tone, and Quality: Use a strong, varied tone. Speak clearly and firmly. Don’t shout or speak too softly. Don’t whine.

Distance from the Person: Don’t position yourself too far or too close.

Facial Expression: Let your face convey the same message as what you are saying.

Content: Use short sentences. Be specific, clear, and firm.

Benefits of Being Assertive

* You can feel comfortable saying “no.”

* You have more confidence to ask others for help.

* You gain more respect from others.

* You feel less angry with yourself and with others.

* You feel justified to say what you want to say.

* You feel comfortable to request clarification.

* You accept compliments graciously.

* You can change your mind without feeling guilty.

Practice First

Plan or write down what you want to say. Have responses ready ahead of time to deal with questions and comments. Reinforce your remarks by saying what positive outcomes will occur for you and the other person. Practice in front of a mirror or with a friend.

Use the L.A.D.D.E.R. Technique

This is a step-by-step way to be more assertive.

*Look at your needs, wants, rights, and feelings about the situation.

*Arrange a meeting that is convenient for you and the other person to talk.

*Define the problem or issue clearly to the other person.

*Describe your feelings using “I messages.” I messages let you take charge of your feelings.

*Express your needs and desires in an assertive manner using a few clear sentences. Be aware of your eye contact, hand gestures, posture, voice and facial expression.

*Reinforce your remarks by saying what positive outcomes will occur for you and the other person.

Example:

L – I wish my partner would help with household chores so I don’t stay up so late at night finishing what needs to get done.

A – I’ll plan to talk with him or her after dinner tomorrow.

D – Tell your partner, “When I stay up late doing household chores, I do not get enough sleep at night. I don’t have enough energy to be alert and productive at work the next day.”

D – “I feel I could get more sleep with your help.”

E – “I would like to divvy up household to-dos between us. I know we are each better at different tasks.

R – “This change would help me get more sleep at night and I will have more energy when we spend time together.”

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Banish Black & White Thoughts

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 4

Consider a thought that you tend to see as black and white. Consider some alternative thoughts or ideas you could have instead. Or, when one comes to mind, return to this page and complete the following chart to practice banishing black and white thinking.

Black & White Thought

Example: I can’t go to restaurants because I always overeat and ignore my healthy goals.

Alternative Thoughts

I can choose restaurants that have healthy choices that I find tasty. I can have a healthy snack before I go out to eat to help prevent overeating at the restaurant.

As you make changes to your way of thinking, be self-kind, not self-critical. Thinking rationally is like putting on a new, clear pair of glasses. What looked blurry or confusing before may seem more clear. New solutions to a challenge may appear once you look at it differently.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Dairy 2

Healthylife® Weigh

Menus & Recipes

The dairy group includes milk and foods made from milk, including yogurt, cheese, ricotta cheese, and cottage cheese. Milk alternatives (e.g., soy milk) are included if they are fortified with calcium, one of the key nutrients found in dairy.

If you don’t tolerate dairy or choose not to consume it:

* Try smaller servings of dairy or non-milk sources of dairy, such as yogurt.

* Take lactose enzyme tablets or drops to help digest the lactose in milk.

* Choose non-dairy foods for calcium, such as calcium-fortified juices, tofu and other fortified soy products, or leafy greens.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Fruits & Vegetables

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 2

Fruits & vegetables make up the biggest part of MyPlate.

Why should I eat fruits & vegetables?

1. Fruits & vegetables are packed with nutrients. They provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and a variety of phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that may play a role in preventing certain diseases.

2. Fruits & vegetables contain water that helps you stay hydrated.

3. Fruits & vegetables are high in fiber, which improves digestion and helps you feel full. Fiber also helps you use the energy from your food for a longer period of time, reducing feelings of hunger.

4. Fruits & vegetables are tasty and can be prepared in many ways. They can add color, crunch, and flavor to your meals and snacks!

Aim for variety

Fruit: Choose a variety of whole fruits. The skin contains many unique nutrients and a lot of heart-healthy fiber. Choose fresh, frozen, canned (in juice to avoid added sugars), or dried fruits. ½ cup of fruit counts as:

* ½ cup raw or cooked fruit

* 1 small banana, peach, or orange

* 1 large plum or 16 seedless grapes

* ½ cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit

* 4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup of raisins, prunes or dates

* ½ cup 100% fruit juice

Vegetables: Include a variety of choices during your day. Choices can be fresh, frozen, or canned (choose low-sodium options). 1 cup of vegetables counts as:

* 2 cups raw leafy vegetables

* 1 cup of other vegetables; cooked or chopped raw

* 1 cup 100% vegetable juice (choose juices less often)

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Improve A Packaged Meal 2

Healthylife® Weigh

Menus & Recipes

There are many ways to start with a pre-made, packaged food and make a healthy meal from it. Use this chart for ideas on adding nutrients to packaged meals. Add your own ideas in the spaces provided to have on hand.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Map Your Meal Plan

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 3

Print this page or download the “Print on Demand” to map your meal plan.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Review And Prepare 2

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 2

This section covered a lot of nutrition information. Don’t worry if you aren’t ready to use all of it right away. The next section will help you form a plan and put this information into action. For now, choose one or two simple steps.

Strategy

* I will eat the vegetables on my plate first.

* I will have a glass of water before each meal or snack.

* I will put 25% less food on my plate than I usually do.

* If I am full, I will stop eating, even if there is more food on my plate.

* I will eat something within two hours of waking up.

* I will choose low-fat dairy over full-fat options.

* I will drink one less sugar-sweetened beverage a day.

* I will not consume any sugar-sweetened beverages.

* I will choose to eat half my grains from whole grains every day.

* I will choose to fill half my plate with fruits and vegetables.

Make a small change. Stick with it. It becomes routine. Add another small change. Stick with it. It becomes routine. You’ll get there.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Plan Your Week 2

Healthylife® Weigh

Menus & Recipes

Make meal planning part of your weekly routine. Planning meals helps you stick to your MyPlate plan and can save time and money. Plan about a half hour for writing your weekly meal plan and grocery list the first time. The more you plan, the easier it will become and the less time it will take.

1. Check what you have at home. See what needs to be used up in your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer.

2. Write down ideas, rather than specific recipes. (For example, “chicken and vegetables” or “broccoli soup.”) Then, find the recipes to use.

3. Use grocery coupons for meal ideas.

4. Plan for meals to have leftovers that can be used for another meal. For example, make a double batch of quinoa or brown rice to use in a casserole one day and a soup two days later.

* Some meals, like breakfast, may be easier to keep the same every day.

* Have dinner leftovers at lunch the next day to further save on time.

* Freeze extra dinner servings in individual-serving freezer bags. Thaw and cook or microwave for a quick meal.

Everything you eat or drink does not have to be nutrient dense. One meal won’t make or break your health. The trends in your diet are more important.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026