Tools and Tips to Take It Off

Body mass index (BMI) is a tool used to determine if your weight is healthy for your height. It determines if a person is underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. However, BMI is not always accurate for those with a large percentage of muscle mass or for those with a small or large frame. While it may not be perfect, BMI is a great place to start in determining your healthy weight.

According to Dr. Judith Beck, author of The Complete Beck Diet for Life, you can determine a healthy daily calorie level to slowly and steadily lose weight while still maintaining a balanced diet. Click here to find your daily calorie needs for weight loss based on Dr. Beck's best selling book.

In the final analysis, nutritional differences between men and women turn out to be subtle ones. Most of the variance is really a size thing; women are smaller and less muscular so require fewer calories. Yes, women may need a little more calcium, a little more iron, and a little less alcohol, but general consensus is that both sexes benefit from the same healthy diet strategies—plenty of whole grains, healthy fats, lots of fruits and vegetables, and lean sources of dairy and protein.

Writing down everything you eat and drink may seem labor intensive but studies show that it makes big difference in helping people stick to their weight loss goals. When keeping a food journal, try to track what eat and how much you consumed. If you are an emotional eater or trying to change your eating habits, consider jotting down how you felt when you ate, where you ate, and what time. If you plan your meals and calorie count for the day ahead, jot down your planned food and then add any unplanned food after you eat. Click here for an example from The Beck Diet Solution: Weight Loss Workbook.

Here are 10 easy ways to burn 100 calories without even trying. If you do just one task each day, you will have burned 700 calories by the end of the week (3,000 calories by the end of the month).

-Tend the garden for 20 minutes
-Dance for 20 minutes
-Grocery shop for 40 minutes
-Give a 20 minute massage
-Play the piano for 33 minutes
-Wash and wax the car for 18 minutes
-Push the lawn mower for 14 minutes
-Take the dog on a 23 minute walk
-Ride your bike leisurely for 21 minutes
-Iron clothes for 25 minutes
(Based on a 150-pound woman.)

Indulge with one of these luscious entrées featuring less than 300 calories each.