During the winter you may feel less motivated to stay on track with weight loss. The thought of hitting the gym or going for a walk can be less tempting when it’s snowing or extremely cold outside. And, if you’ve been consuming more calories you may have noticed those extra pounds start creeping up. Here are some tips to help get you back on track:

Get Enough Protein

Protein helps you feel full and satisfied for longer. Incorporating sufficient protein intake daily is an excellent tool to help you manage your overall calorie intake The recommended daily amount of protein is 60-80g/day for women and 80-100g/day for men. Aim to eat a high protein food item at every meal such as chicken, eggs, edamame, fish, tofu or a protein shake.

Eat & Drink Mindfully 

Practice mindful eating with 3 meals and 1 high protein snack per day. Choose nutrient dense foods that have a lot of nutrients but relatively few calories. Lean poultry/meats, fish, eggs, beans, low fat or fat free dairy products, vegetables, healthy fats such as ¼ cup of nuts are some examples. Chew your food slowly and thoroughly and avoid distractions during meals such as watching TV, browsing social media and the internet. This will allow complete focus on feelings of fullness and satisfaction. 

Make sure to keep up with adequate hydration throughout the day. Aim for 64oz.

Be sure to journal your food to monitor your eating habits. Apps such as myfitnesspal or Loseit can help.

Cook more meals at home

Although ordering out can be convenient and faster it can be more tempting to order high calorie foods. It also makes it difficult to control portion sizes and ingredients in meals. By cooking your own healthy meals at home there is more control of what you are eating. You can swap ingredients in recipes to fit your nutritional and caloric needs. Check out our bariatric-friendly, healthy recipes here.

Movement throughout the day is key 

Staying active is important for overall health and wellbeing. Aim for 30 minutes of daily physical activity. If you have less time then start with 10 minutes per day and increase as you go along. Create an exercise regimen for yourself to do at home, write it down and track your progress  (i.e. “10 chair squats, 30 second arm circles forward and 30 seconds backward, going up and down the stairs 3 times if you are physically able to do so.) SweatDeck is one of the workout apps you can download on your phone to make exercising at home easier.

Find Support 

Who better to connect with than people with similar health goals, and healthcare professionals to help keep you motivated? One way to find support is through our Tuesday Talks support group meetings which are held every 4th Tuesday of the month via zoom. For pre-op patients NJBC offers free virtual exercise classes and post-op yoga classes once per month. If you are interested in participating, email info@njbcenter.com for more information.

Get enough sleep. 7-9 hours per night      

When you don't get enough sleep, your body is prone to gain weight. Lack of sleep could increase two hormones called cortisol and ghrelin. Cortisol is a stress hormone that tells your body to hold on to excess weight. Ghrelin increases hunger, primarily for high sugar and/or high carbohydrate foods. When these hormones become elevated due to an insufficient amount of sleep, it can make it difficult for you to reach your weight loss goal. Going to bed early would also save you from mindless eating and late night snacking. A reasonable amount of sleep (7-9hrs per night) could help you get the rest your body needs to feel more energized and to make better food choices.

At New Jersey Bariatric Center our team of surgeons, physician assistants, registered dietitians and support staff are here to help you stay on track. For more information, call us at 908-481-1270.