How to Create a Weight-Loss and Diet Plan for 2024
One of the most common New Year's resolutions is to eat healthier and be more active. Are you looking to get your health on track so you can do more in 2024? Finding the right place to start can be challenging, and staying on track can be just as tough.
Three of our East Alabama Health experts, board-certified gastroenterologist Dr. Gilad Shapira, and Diabetes and Nutrition Center clinicians Lauren Thigpen and Megan Kelley—both registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN)—offer some tips and guidance on how to create a diet and weight loss plan to help you reach your New Year's resolution goals.
Dr. Gilad Shapira
Gastroenterology Center of EAMC
Board-certified Gastroenterologist
How can dietary changes improve overall well-being and potentially help weight loss?
Dietary changes have a major impact on our well-being and health. Though losing weight is easier now with many novel medications and interventional procedures, to maintain healthy prolonged weight loss, there is no better alternative than the hard-earned, old-fashioned way – diet and exercise. There are hundreds of diets advocating for different foods to eat and not to eat, but there are a few items of which we should be mindful.
First and foremost, calories. There is no magic formula to dieting - to lose weight you ultimately must utilize more calories than you consume. This is not easy, but here are some tips to make this process easier. First – fiber. Over the counter psyllium is a great supplement that not only promotes a healthy microbiome and prevents constipation, but also gives the sensation of satiety (fullness). Psyllium also has secondary benefits such as lowering cholesterol and lowering blood glucose levels, as well as having anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, some studies suggest decreased levels of colorectal cancer in patients taking psyllium. A natural high-fiber and personal favorite of mine that has many such associated health benefits is consuming two green kiwis daily. Regarding diet, the best diet is one that avoids processed foods, avoids fried foods, and promotes fresh and natural fruits, vegetables, and meats. Eating a healthy diet takes time and is certainly more costly, but when coupled with proper exercise, provides a great formula for not only weight loss but also promoting better overall health.
Ultimately, prevention is the best medicine, and though staying active and exercising may be difficult especially for some patients in relation to others, we should all find our individual ways to always stay moving. I wish everyone a great 2024 with health and personal growth.
Dr. Shapira practices at the Gastroenterology Center of EAMC with Dr. J. Randall Newman. Patients interested in a consultation with Dr. Shapira may request an appointment online.
Lauren Thigpen, MS, RDN, LDN
Diabetes and Nutrition Center
Diabetes Clinician
What advice would you give to someone looking to lose weight in 2024 as a New Year’s resolution?
Keep in mind that the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and around the New Year they will be capitalizing on the many people looking to lose weight. Don’t fall victim to fad diets and crazy claims for supplements/pills. Strive for sustainable lifestyle changes that will positively impact your overall health and not just bring the scale down. Remember that health is more than just a number. Focus on the actual behaviors you are doing to support your health goals.
How can someone prepare healthy and satisfying meals while managing a busy schedule?
Meal planning is key! Sitting down and making a plan for your week ends up saving you time in the long run. Be strategic about having staple ingredients that are quick and easy to put together for a meal such as leafy greens/frozen veggies, canned chicken/fish and whole grain bread/wraps. Remember, eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated. Simplify it by striving for a balance of starch, protein, fruits and vegetables on your plate.
Are there any common pitfalls people face when attempting to lose weight? How can one avoid those?
Our human nature is to shoot for the stars when we set goals, but oftentimes this causes us to give up completely if we don’t reach those goals immediately. I advise people to focus on specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and time-based goals. That way you can continue to be motivated when you see your ability to achieve these smaller goals.
Megan Kelley, RDN, LDN
Diabetes and Nutrition Center
Diabetes Clinician
People tend to overload themselves with goals when it comes to New Year’s resolutions and often get discouraged. What are some realistic and achievable weight-loss goals that people can set in 2024?
First, start with looking at your current schedule and activity/eating habits. Are there small changes we can tweak? Some great places to start are by drinking more water and less sugar-sweetened beverages and adding in activity, even if it is just 10 minutes each day. Another realistic goal could be to add in a nourishing morning or afternoon snack that might prevent you from overeating at mealtime, or replacing fried food with grilled.
Is it better for individuals to focus on achieving long-term goals when attempting to lose weight, or should they instead focus on reaching smaller milestones?
This would definitely be a combination of both. The long-term goals are important to strive for, but we can’t get there without our short-term goals! It would be hard to make an action plan if our only goal was to lose 25 pounds by July with no details. How are we going to get there? Is this realistic for my lifestyle and current schedule? Can we create short-term goals from this such as losing 1-2 pounds every other week? Can we make this even more specific by writing out how? It is empowering to be able to check off a box on the calendar every day by conquering the mini victories such as drinking enough water, getting enough steps in and eating the meals for which we planned. The small goals are what feed into our larger long-term goal!
How important is it to incorporate exercise into a weight-loss plan? Could you focus solely on dietary changes when attempting to lose weight?
Exercise is not only important for weight loss, but for our mental health, stress levels, sleep, heart health, strength and the prevention of chronic diseases. Starting out with dietary changes is not a bad decision, however, adding in exercise is vital to long-term health and strength. It is recommended by the CDC that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two days of strength exercises per week. This could look like 30 minute walks, five days a week with two days of stretching, yoga, bodyweight exercises or weightlifting.