8 secrets to losing weight

Every New Year's, many of us make a resolution to lose weight. If that’s your goal, chin up. I’m about to introduce two people who committed to slimming down—and succeeded. Let them be your guides on how to lose weight, lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, and have more energy.

First up—Nicholas Cimato. At age 38, Nick had a minor heart attack. By 42, he was pushing 400 pounds and at risk for type 2 diabetes. That year his doctor said, “I don’t know what else to tell you, Nick. Change or die.”

Well, Nick changed. He lost more than 100 pounds and plans to compete in a triathlon in 2010. Here’s how he did it.

1) START DINNER WITH A FIRST COURSE. One of Nick’s secrets for losing weight was how he started dinner. Instead of launching into his entrée, he began with either a big salad or a bowl of vegetable soup. Foods like this are low in calories but fill you up because they contain so much water. Research from Penn State University has shown that this technique can cut your total calories at mealtime by 20%.

2) ENJOY UNLIMITED SNACKS. “Unlimited” foods are nonstarchy vegetables like peppers, carrots, celery, and cucumbers, all of which have a high water content and a low calorie count. In addition to carrying around baby carrots, Nick kept hunger at bay by chugging water throughout the day and before meals.

3) WALK OFF CRAVINGS. Like many of us, Nick sometimes got intense chocolate cravings—especially when stressed. When I told him about a recent British study that found chocolate-lovers had reduced cravings after taking a brisk 15-minute walk, he said he’d give it a try. It not only helped fight the urge to munch but also helped burn calories.

4) AVOID TRIGGER FOODS. Nick began to recognize his personal trigger foods—things he just couldn’t stop eating once he’d begun. He realized that pizza, bagels, and candy bars were dangerous for him, so he did everything he could to steer clear of them. He stopped keeping them in his house, crossed the street to avoid the sight and smell of a pizza parlor, and averted his eyes whenever he caught a glimpse of a candy machine. Identify your personal trigger foods and avoid them at all costs.

Suzanne Seiden is a 45-year-old mother and volunteer at her children’s schools. When she came to my office last April, Suzanne said she felt unhappy and self-conscious about her body. With hard work, Suzanne has lost more than 60 pounds and now feels empowered and energized. Some of her tricks:

5) GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME. Suzanne’s first “secret” for losing weight was to commit completely. All of the successful dieters I’ve worked with say that they had to know in their hearts that they would succeed this time. Success starts in the head, moves to the heart, and lastly involves the mouth and stomach.

6) DOUBLE UP ON THE GOOD STUFF. One of the most important dietary commitments Suzanne made was to ditch starchy carbohydrates at dinner and replace them with loads of vegetables. By eliminating 1 cup of starch every night and doubling up on nonstarchy veggies, you could save more than 80,000 calories and drop almost 23 pounds in one year!

7) ELIMINATE EXTRAS. When I first met Suzanne, she fessed up to being a major nibbler. I explained to her that picking at tiny amounts of food throughout the day may not seem like such a big deal, but it’s amazing how quickly those calories compound. Lesson learned: Every bite counts.

8) CUT BACK ON SWEETS—REAL AND ARTIFICIAL. Everyone knows you can save calories by cutting back on cookies and other sugary foods. But some studies suggest that even diet soda and artificially sweetened foods can lead to weight gain. One plausible explanation: Fake sugars keep sweetness on our taste buds and minds. That’s why I asked Suzanne to cut out sweets entirely for the first week of the diet and to minimize them going forward. Ta-da! It worked!

Easy food swaps for weight loss
http://www.parade.com/healthystyle/2008/09/easy-swaps-weight-loss

6 simple diet tricks: What she can learn from him (and vice versa)

http://www.parade.com/healthystyle/2008/11/6-easy-diet-tricks

7 diet do’s and don’t’s
http://www.parade.com/health/0809/diet-dos-and-donts