Your 5 Eat-Right Rules

I was looking through an older issue of Prevention Magazine, and I came across these five guidelines. They really go along with the methods that I am using to lose weight, so I thought I would post them.

Your 5 Eat-Right Rules (Prevention Magazine, May 2008)

Rule 1-Stick To 1,500 Calories A Day
If you weigh more than 200 pounds, increase your daily intake to 1,700 calories by ading a single 200 calorie snack or two 100-calorie snacks, or by increasing your protein serving at lunch and dinner to 4 ounces (see rule 3).

Rule 2-Eat Every 4 Hours
Going longer can send your blood sugar and energy levels plummeting and leave you more vulnerable to making poor eating choices. Each day you'll have a 400 calorie breakfast, 300 calorie lunch, and 500 calorie dinner, plus a 100- and 200-calorie snack.

Rule 3-Have 3 Ounces of Protein for Lunch and Dinner
Eat up to 4 ounces if you're on a 1,700-calorie plan.

Rule 4-Watch Snacks
Instead of grabbing a bagel or pastry midmorning or hitting the vending machines around 3 pm, schedule healthy snacks for these high-hunger times. You can eat them between any meals or after dinner.

Rule 5-Drink Often
Many people mistake thirst for hunger, and staying hydrated helps keep your metabolism in high gear. Choose naturally calorie-free beverages such as water, sparkling water, herbal or black tea, and coffee; limit caffeinated drinks-no more than two a day.

I'm going to really work at applying these five rules this week and see if it can help me stay focused, especially on the weekends. I can usually do well during the week, but weekends are hard for me. My sparkpeople account will be really helpful with keeping the meal calorie guidelines in rule #2.

I'm also going to step up my workouts this week. I love the Wii Fit, but I don't think that I burn enough calories on it. My plan is for 3 days a week to do about 10 minutes of yoga on the Wii Fit, 20 minutes on the treadmill (using C25K program), and some strength training on Wii Fit. On other days, I will just do Wii Fit aerobic and balance activities, along with the yoga and strength training. Unfortunately, I may have hindered my workout regime this morning when I took a little spill down the steps at church. For more info on this embarrassing moment in my life, read here. I didn't really hurt myself, but I am awfully sore. I hope that I can get out of bed in the morning to work out!

I have a great lowfat soup recipe that I'm going to share later in the week. Very yummy and filling!