Are You Ready to Lose Weight? (Quiz)

It’s not uncommon for people to want to lose weight.  But just because someone wants to lose weight doesn’t necessarily mean that they are ready to lose weight. What’s the difference?  Being ready to lose weight means that you understand the changes that you’ll have to undergo and the benefits that you can gain from going through the weight loss process.

Weight Loss Readiness Quiz

Before you go on a diet or embark on any big changes to your diet or exercise regime, ask yourself these questions.  You should know the answers to each question before you begin your weight loss journey.  The answers will help you stay on track when challenges arise.

• Does my weight affect my health?  Your healthy care provider may have talked to you about the importance of losing weight.  But you might also want to discuss specifics with your doctor.  Ask specific questions to find out what medical conditions are affected by your weight.  You can also use this downloadable Wellness Questionnaire to help you decide if now is the right time to lose weight.
• What changes am I willing to make to lose weight?  You’ll need to make some lifestyle changes in order to make a real difference in the way your body looks and feels.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that the changes are bad!  A registered dietitian can tailor a program to meet your needs.  But you need to be open to changing portions sizes of foods that you eat, meal choices and your activity level if you really want to be successful in the long run.
• What will I gain from losing weight? The answers to this question may fall into a few different categories.  Your doctor can explain how losing weight may improve your medical health.  Weight loss may also make it easier to spend active time with your children or with friends.  And you may want to think about how weight loss can affect your own feelings about yourself.  A behavioral specialist can help you explore these issues in greater detail as you work through your weight loss journey.
• Do I have support for my weight loss journey?  Before you start a weight loss program, think about who can help you out when the going gets tough.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help!  Your spouse may be open to suggestions about how he or she can make the process easier.  Do you have coworkers who are also trying to slim down?  Connect with others who are going through the same process.  And connect with North Memorial as well!  Our Facebook page, blog and Twitter feed offer daily tips and motivation.

Once you know the answers to these questions, starting a weight loss program will make more sense. You’ll set yourself up for success by answering the questions now and equipping yourself with sound reasons for improving your health.

Make Your Child a Healthy-Eating Champ

It’s hard to encourage your children to eat well when they are bombarded with television commercials and online ads for foods that are unhealthy.   Cartoon-covered packages are more likely to grab your child’s attention at the grocery store than a bag of apples or carrots.  With so many forces working against you, what’s a parent to do?

The MyPlate program has developed a few online resources to help you out.  MyPlate and ChooseMyPlate are programs developed by the The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  They provide an online MyPlate Champion program to encourage children to eat well and exercise everyday.

How to Make Your Child a Champ

Visit the MyPlate Kids Place online to get started.  The site provides games, playful videos, activity sheets and other resources that will teach both you and your child how to make healthy choices at home and when dining out.  Download the MyPlate Champion Pledge and encourage everyone in the family to sign one.  Post the pledge sheets in an area where they serve as a reminder for healthy habits.

Looking for healthy kid-friendly recipes and lunch ideas?  Use these resources to get started:

• Eating Habits That Help Kids Do Better in School
• Kid-Friendly Healthy Recipe Websites
• Foods to Increase, Foods to Decrease

Do you have another idea or tip to share about healthy eating in the home?  Go to the North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss Facebook page and share it so other parents can benefit!  We love to hear from our readers.

Grocery Shopping Mistakes That Could Cause Weight Gain

Are you buying the best food for weight loss?

What influences your choices when you go grocery shopping? If you’re like many shoppers, you look for foods that are healthy and satisfying. But if you’re trying to lose weight, that can be a confusing process.  New research out of Cornell University suggests that some of us are making grocery shopping mistakes that could cause weight gain.

Organic Food: Better For Your Diet?
One study conducted by the Cornell University Food and Brand lab found that when foods are labelled “organic” people tend to think the food has fewer calories. In addition, shoppers were willing to pay more for organic foods simply based on the assumption that those foods were better for their diets.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you should look for food that has fewer calories. But whether a food is organic does not affect it’s calorie content. For example,if you scan the calorie counts for both organic and non-organic oatmeal cookies you’ll find that calorie counts on most brands – organic and non-organic – are about the same.

What Color Is Your Food?
Another study conducted by Cornell evaluated shoppers’ responses to the color of the Nutrition Facts Label. When the label was colored green, shoppers tended to think that the food was healthier, even though the actual facts on the label were no different than the facts on a black and white labelled product.

How to Avoid Grocery Shopping Mistakes
If you’re trying to lose weight, the best way to purchase cheaper, lower calorie food is to get the facts – the nutrition facts. Read the Nutrition Facts Label and ignore other advertising cues. These cues might include words like “healthy” “organic” “wheat” or “diet.” Food manufacturers may also try to lure you in with green colors, natural looking images and wholesome packaging. None of it matters unless the claims are backed up on the official Nutrition Facts label.

Learn more about the Nutrition Facts label and about foods to eat and foods to avoid at North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss.