What are the first steps to post-holiday dieting?
First, make an eating plan. Write the menu plan for the first few days, and that will get you on your way. I would keep the environment clear of trigger foods that could tempt you away from your goal. Stock up the kitchen with healthy foods, and keep junk foods out of the house. Some basic rules of thumb for good diet are to bake and broil foods rather than fry them, try to fill up on a lot of vegetables, and eat fruit for snacks. And don't forget to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Your body is made up of about sixty percent water. Drinking water hydrates your body, and can also help you feel more full so you will eat less.
Any tips for sticking to a new eating/exercise program?
You need to start making small changes in your behaviors. If you try to make too many changes at once, they will never become permanent. Once you feel comfortable with them, add another change or two. The problem with most people is that they try to make too many changes at once. And therefore end up failing.
We've all heard about high protein/low carb diets. Do they work?
Yes, you will lose weight quicker eating mainly lean protein and vegetables.
However, I am not a proponent of omitting all carbohydrates from your diet. There is no one diet for every person. Some people do better eating less carbohydrates but I wouldn't go lower than three servings of starch a day, and two servings of fruit a day. Some of the low carbohydrate diets out there recommend levels of carbs that are too low.
Remember too, any calories, whether they be from protein, fat or carbohydrates, can lead to weight gain.
