Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Sorry, there is no magic secret here. You will find many weight loss plans and remedies which will work, so long as you stick with a disciplined strategy of eating less food and getting more physical activity. Most weight loss programs (low carb, low fat, whatever) will help you lose weight quickly, and most people feel much better even after losing just a few pounds. A sensible plan is to find a way to make changes in your habits which are sustainable in the long term. Making healthy dietary choices as often as possible can help you maintain healthy weight, prevent disease and just plain feel better. I always recommend learning proper portions sizes through temporarily counting calories. There are several websites or phone apps that can help a lot. My favorite is MyfitnessPal. You can read more at www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource and we can discuss specifics during a routine preventive visit, but my basic dietary rules for adults, especially if you are overweight, are below:

1. Reduce total calories.

2. Increase your level of physical activity.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables in abundance.

4. Reduce sugars and starchy carbohydrates (white bread, enriched rice, potatoes, pasta) wherever possible. Alcohol counts too.

5. Find lean sources of protein (lean meats, nonfat dairy, nuts).

6. Limit saturated fat (fatty cuts of meat, dairy fat, butter, many processed foods).

7. Remember rule #1