Well, folks, it’s February – one month into our New Year’s Resolutions.  If weight loss was one of your resolutions – how is that working out?

I set a small weight loss goal for myself this year, but more importantly, I want to incorporate more healthy foods into my diet.  Over the past 3 years, I’ve lost a total of 40 pounds on a doctor supervised weight loss program.  When I hit my goal weight last June, I was ecstatic.  Since then, however, I have gained back 8 pounds, so I hope to lose that again and keep it off this time. 

I’m a big fan of Dr. Oz.  I loved him on Oprah, but I’m really glad he has his own show now.  He has a great website also, and this post today was adapted from an article on his site.  I’ve combined some of his tips with my own that have helped me the most with my weight loss journey.  I hope to use these tips to lower my weight, and also add some foods into my diet that I know would be good for me, as well as make my meals a little less boring.

Rule #1: Try to eat Seven Colorful Fruits and Vegetables a Day – Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, fruits and vegetables maintain your health and keep you young. Stock your diet with blueberries, spinach, broccoli, raspberries, strawberries, melon, carrots, cabbage, sweet potatoes and peppers.

NOTE from Jeannine:  This one is interesting, but I will give it a try.  Seven fruits and veggies a day seems like a LOT of food to me!

Rule #2: Use Food Substitutes – Learn to swap out your unhealthy staples with healthier sister foods. If you’re a pasta-lovin’ family, try creating your favorite dish with spaghetti squash instead.  Or try making spaghetti squash with ground turkey and tomato sauce when you’re craving pasta and marinara.

Note from Jeannine:  Rather than substitute, I sneak!  I slip pureed veggies into many of our meals so that my picky husband and son get their veggies in each day.  Spinach puree in your brownie recipe?  Yes, please!  I highly recommend the book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.  It changed the way I cook for my family.

Rule #3: Snack Smart – A huge part of eating right is planning your meals and snacks in advance.  This means having single-serving nutritious snacks on hand at all times to prevent a diet slip. Try substituting your favorite snack foods with healthier alternatives like wasabi peas, soy nuts, frozen grapes, blueberries and almonds.

Note from Jeannine:  This has been a real life saver for me.  I keep a bag of cashews and almonds in my purse and in my car for anytime I have gone too far past lunch or if I’ve been to a meeting or party where the food was not diet friendly.  Just a little healthy snack helps keep me from blowing it on drive thru food!

Rule #4: Be Prepared with Pre-Made Foods – Again, being prepared is the best way to ensure dieting success.  Try cooking healthy recipes in bulk so that eating a healthy meal can be as easy as pulling Tupperware out of the refrigerator. Homemade soups and grilled chicken with brown rice and broccoli are easy to prepare and can last you the week!

Note from Jeannine:  Amen to this!  If I am starving and it is going to take me more than 10 minutes to put something together, you will find me standing in my pantry eating peanut butter right out of the jar by the spoonful, and chasing it with my son’s school snacks.  My favorite healthy and quick meal is Birdseye Steam fresh Veggies.  Each bag contains multiple servings, but I will eat a whole bag for lunch with just a bit of Smart Balance Trans Fat Free Spread and a little salt and pepper.  I get a bowl full of steamed veggies that fills me up for lunch-all for around 100 calories.  Birdseye Steamers also has a brown rice steamer that I mix with their Asian Medley Veggies and a little low sodium soy sauce when I want a Chinese food fix.  I can get two lunches out of the combination of these two items!

Rule #5: If you’re feeling hungry, but you know you shouldn’t be, drink 12 ounces of water and wait 10 minutes. 

Note from Jeannine:  Hunger and thirst have very similar symptoms.  You may think you feel hungry, but you really could have been thirsty instead.  This one is a not brainer – you probably need the water anyway, and even if you still feel hungry you’ll eat less after drinking the water than if you hadn’t.

Rule #6:  Don’t ignore your sweet tooth, just make wiser choices.  Enjoy an apple or banana instead of cake or cookies – you’ll feel just as satisfied with the healthier choice, and a lot less guilty.

Note from Jeannine:  Yoplait Yogurts have been a life saver for me.  Yoplait makes a Light Thick & Creamy Key Lime Pie flavor that is 100 calories and is amazing! 

Rule #7:  Choose in advance whether you want to eat or drink your calories.  Whether it is cocktail time at your home or you are headed to an evening event where alcohol and desserts will be served, choose one or the other, but do not drink and dessert!  One cosmopolitan contains anywhere from 200-300 calories, while a margarita contains about 450 calories.  Wine contains anywhere from 83 – 190 calories per glass, depending on your choice.  Truthfully, you’re probably better off choosing the dessert option (in moderation), as alcohol lowers your resolve.  If you choose to drink instead of dessert, you’ll be more likely to blow it on both the alcohol and the sweets!

What are you doing in 2010 to lose weight or to maintain weight loss?  We’d love to hear your tips for success!