When you suffer from arthritis, you need to maintain a normal weight. This keeps extra weight off of your joints, keeping you as pain-free as possible.
I can certainly say that it is not easy to lose weight when you’re trying to deal with the responsibilities of work and home. Who wants to fix an extra meal for your picky eaters who don’t share your enthusiasm for dieting?
When I think about diets, I think of deprivation. Kick fried foods to the curb, don’t buy a delicious treat from the bakery, and nix the cheese sauce for broccoli. Pass up the bread basket or chips at your favorite restaurant, and don’t you dare order a milkshake.
My new favorite perspective is balancing. I have often heard of this being called the 80/20 diet. You eat healthy foods 80% of the time, and you can balance some treats into the other 20%.
Just reading that list of no-no’s makes me uneasy, and you really don’t have to go off the deep end. Small changes can yield big results. Add in some exercise and you’re good to go.
Here are five small steps to balance your diet:
Bring Coffee from Home
I pass by the coffee line at Starbucks and there can be as many as 10 cars in line at the same time. Why so many? To order one of those delicious lattes before work. They are delicious but adding that sugary syrup can really make the calories add up.
Bring a thermos of coffee to work and you’ll be able to have two or three cups. If you like it black, great, but if you like a little more flavor, you can try adding a small amount of creamer or sugar.
Drink Lemon Water
You should be drinking water throughout the day, and each time you fill your glass, squeeze some lemon in. Citrus acts as a diuretic, and going to the bathroom more often, means you’re not as bloated. As an added bonus, you may experience a brief spike in your metabolic rate.
Eat Slower
When you have a busy day, it’s tempting to just gulp down your food as quickly as possible, but your brain needs time to process that full feeling, and you end up overeating. Chew each bite 25 times, and note how your food tastes. Another good trick is to put your fork down between bites.
Make Exercise a Priority
When your arthritic joints feel like they are on fire, the last thing you may feel like doing is exercising. You need to push yourself because exercise increases strength and flexibility. You won’t feel as tired and your joints will feel better.
How many times have you wanted to hit the gym after work, but forgot your gym clothes? So instead of getting in that good workout, you go home and beach on the couch eating chips.
Stash sneakers and leggings in the trunk before work, so you’re all set at the end of the work day.
Grocery Shop after a Meal
When I go down the store aisles, I feel like I can inhale 1000 calories just perusing the bakery aisle. I end up buying a treat more times than I care to count. Eat your meal or snack first and then shop. One other tip is to make an exact list and stick to it. Resist the urge to buy the 2-for-1 cookies or chips.
I remember a time that I was in my local Sam’s Club doing my shopping, and they had more samples than usual. Believe it or not, I often pass these up, but on this particular day, they had all my favorite foods. By the time I got to the last sample, I was so full my stomach hurt.
Pass up free samples or limit yourself to no more than two.
Summary
Don’t try to make big changes all at once. Start out small and keep making healthy choices.
