6 Habits People with Healthy Weights Have in Common

When you're trying to lose some weight, it can be tempting to jump on a juice cleanse, try a trendy diet, or work out like a Victoria's Secret model in November, but sticking to a few basic rules might actually get you better results.

In a recent study, researchers from the Cornell Food and Brand Lab analyzed the lifestyles of 147 people who maintained healthy weights through most of their lives—and it turns out they had several habits in common.

The study authors found that, overall, people with healthy weights focused on their body's hunger cues instead of seriously restricting themselves, which is a strategy that can help you keep weight off for the long haul.

Here, six other simple and seriously effective tips you can steal.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Don’t skip breakfast
We’ve all heard this one a thousand times, but the healthiest among us have taken it to heart. According to the study, a whopping 96 percent of those who maintain a healthy weight eat breakfast every day. Also worth noting: Fruits, veggies, and eggs were mainstays in their first meal of the day. So bust out those kale smoothie and egg white omelet recipes.

Once-a-week weigh-ins
We've got a little bit of a love/hate relationship with the scale (it's not a totally accurate way to measure your progress), but according to the survey, it’s a fixture in the lives of those who stay slim. Half reported weighing themselves at least once a week.

No diets! Just watch what you eat
The healthiest participants weren’t fans of dieting and almost 75 percent said they never followed a specific diet trend. But that doesn’t mean they'll eat everything and anything: Ninety-two percent said they paid close attention to the foods they ate. Need help with knowing what to eat? Reach out to our resident PT Director, Melissa Goldring for nutrition and ways to get a quick-start on healthy eating! mgoldring@ahp-health.com or call 203-847-4477.

MOVE!
Not to be all Captain Obvious here, but exercise was a routine fixture for the healthy adults surveyed. Forty-two percent reported exercising at least five times a week. If you can't dedicate that much time to your sweat sessions, you can make the most of your workouts by tweaking them to burn more calories. Need quick, easy workouts you can do in a snap – yup, call us and we can get you moving today!

Cook for yourself! You can do it!
Those who stay fit and healthy are more likely to cook at home. A majority of those surveyed eat their veggies with dinner every night and opt for lean meats like chicken. Interestingly, only seven percent were vegetarian. Again, reach out to Melissa for delicious recipe suggestions or to join her bi-monthly her Clean-Eating program!

Listen to your body and eat!!
These healthy humans also made a habit out of paying attention to what their bodies were telling them. Forty-four percent copped to non-restrictive strategies like listening to their hunger cues and only eating high-quality, non-processed foods. If you don’t eat when you’re hungry, you risk binge eating on poor choices later! Plan your day to include several small meals or even a smoothie or shake! Yes, we said shake! How? Again call Melissa and she’ll hook you up!

At the end of the day, little changes make a big difference and our team at AHP wants to be your support-system and coaches to get you to your optimal health. When you’re ready – we’re here!

[Excerpts by MACAELA MACKENZIE February 23, 2016]

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Our goal at AHP is to bring you information you find interesting, relevant and thought-provoking. Our motto is the way we live...it’s “Feel Well. Live Well. Age Well.” And that’s what we want for you! This article focused on nutrition and our office in Norwalk offers nutritional counseling in addition to Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture, Managed Weight-Loss and Massage. If you have a question about this article or want to learn more about us please visit www.AHP-Health.com and reach out to us! And look for more from AHP in the near future as we post more on The Patch. If you liked this article, please give us a ”like” and share it with your friends!

About AHP
Since 1990, Advanced Health Professionals [AHP] has helped thousands of patients recover from pain and injury. AHP is Norwalk and Fairfield County’s leading provider of Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Massage services. We specialize in sports injuries, auto accident injuries, worker’s compensation, work injury, sport injury, auto accident injury, massage therapy, post-surgical, pre-surgical, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, joint pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain, rehab, neck pain, whiplash injury, rehabilitation - please call us for an immediate appointment. Our office is based in Norwalk and serves the surrounding areas of Fairfield County, Westchester County and other suburbs of New York City.