A Dietitian's tips for Healthy Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance,

Susan Moore is a registered dietitian and certified Leap Therapist, and sees clients on Tuesday evenings at Body By Geoff in Reston. Please call for an appointment and go to our website under Healthy Weight Loss to learn more about Susan.

1. Get a good night’s sleep. It is now well established that there is a connection between sleep and the regulation of appetite and satiety. Adequate sleep, seven – eight hours a night for most of us, lowers the production of leptin, along with increasing levels of grehlin. Leptin is a blood protein that suppresses appetite, while grehlin is a substance that affects satiety and higher levels makes people want to eat more. If you are not getting enough sleep (and this is especially true for children) it is a set-up for wanting to eat more, but not feeling full. Tough combination. Lack of sleep also interferes with insulin production and increases the inflammatory process of other diseases. One of the best diet related changes to help with sleep includes getting enough magnesium in your diet. Green leafy vegetables, whole grains and nuts are among the best sources. Magnesium citrate is the supplement of choice, starting with 250 mg. Do not go above 2000 mg without checking with your physician.

2. Out of sight, out of mind. The sight of food is the Number 2 reason people. This is a classic behavior modification technique that we have all heard about for years, but it works and is worth re-visiting. Get tempting foods off the counter, out of the kitchen if necessary or into containers that you can’t see through. Don’t be deceived by the simplicity. Think about the number of times you have reached for something because it was there. Usually, we won’t go to another room to find snacks if we are eating on impulse. BTW- the Number 1 reason we eat is hunger, hence the recommendations for breakfast/morning meal and small snacks during the day.

3. Pump the fiber and phytochemicals and antioxidants and…. Aim for 5 – 9 servings of vegetables and fruits per day along with whole grains. Along with increasing satiety, they will help with blood pressure, cholesterol and decreasing the risk of cancer.

4. Do the math dance. Gaining and losing weight doesn’t happen on a 24 hour clock. It is more like a bank balance. Some days are high, some are low, and it is the average over time that determines your weight. Use this to your advantage. Find ways to use more calories than you need on days when it is easy and give yourself a safety net for the days that seem hopelessly high in calories. Remember it takes an extra 3500 calories to make a pound of body fat and the same is true in reverse. If you think about this averaged over time it can have a nice impact on your weight loss or overall health goals. A 100 calorie per day negative balance would equal a pound a month weight loss or 10-12 pounds a year. 200 calories per day negative balance would equal a two pound weight loss or a 20 – 24 pound weight loss per year.

5. Give your body a good foundation. Consider a well-formulated multi-vitamin and multi-mineral if your eating is less than stellar.