WEIGHT LOSS: 25 tips for dropping 10 pounds in the new year

In the end, it’s all about numbers

By Amy Bertrand

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Sometimes simple changes can bring about big results.

When it comes to losing weight, more often than not, it’s all about numbers.

It takes 3,500 calories to build a pound. If you have a deficit of 100 calories every day for a year - either by eating less or exercising more - you can lose 10 pounds in a year.

But going on a diet where you give up everything you love is not going to work forever. Katie Duggan, a dietitian at St. Louis University School of Public Health, said teaching people to make small changes often is the only way to bring about results.

She says she often tells her clients to write down everything they eat and drink; then they start looking at small changes they can make in that pattern.

“Over the course of a year, a small change easily can add up to 5, 10, even 15 pounds,” she says.

So, with the help of wire services, health experts and our own experiences, we’ve come up with a list of 25 ways you can lose 10 pounds in 2006.

• 1. Switch from whole-milk products to skim-milk products. If you consume three servings a day, you can save up to 200 calories a day. That’s 20 pounds you can lose next year.

• 2. When you go to a restaurant, ask for half of your portion to be put in a doggie bag right away. Even if you only go out twice a week, you’ll easily save enough calories to lose 10 pounds a year.

• 3. Reduce the use of butter and margarine. Use applesauce in recipes instead of oil. Try fat-free, butter-flavored spreads or sprinkles (unless you’re watching your salt). Just eliminating a pat of butter on your morning toast will let you drop 10 pounds.

• 4. Chill soups, gravies and stews, then skim off the fat that floats. Doing this can save you up to 100 calories a serving.

• 5. Use extra-lean ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey. Instead of bacon, use Canadian bacon or prosciutto, a lean Italian ham. Buy beef labeled “select” instead of “choice” or “prime” (select meats have less fat). Trim all fat from meat cuts.

• 6. Is a tall glass of juice your morning ritual? Swap that 20-ounce OJ for a real orange and you not only save more than 100 calories, you also get some fiber while you’re at it.

• 7. Meatless products, such as imitation hot dogs, bacon, burgers and sausage are available at many grocery stores. They often have half the calories of their meat counterparts.

• 8. Eliminate that daily coffeehouse run. Switching from a 16-ounce cappuccino to regular coffee with artificial sweetener can save you well over 10 pounds a year.

• 9. Switch from fried potato chips to the baked ones. Doing so saves 90 calories. If you do this every day, that’s your 10 pounds.

• 10. Learn how to add 10 minutes of exercise a day. The goal is 30 minutes a day. If you walk for just 30 minutes - even just three 10-minute walks a day - you will lose 13 pounds this year.

• 11. Cut back on egg yolks. It’s the yolk that contains virtually all of the fat and cholesterol. Try using egg substitutes. Or, in most recipes, you can use two egg whites instead of one whole egg.

• 12. If you love microwave popcorn, you don’t have to give it up. Just switch to the light kind and save tons of fat and calories, enough to lose 10 pounds if you eat it every night.

• 13. Use sugar substitute instead of sugar in all your baking. If you use a couple of teaspoons in your iced tea and a couple on your morning cereal, you easily could lose 10 pounds by switching to a substitute.

• 14. Switch your afternoon soda to a diet soda to save 150 calories (per 12-ounce can) a day.

• 15. If you can’t take diet soda, just downsize your soda portions. If you usually pick up a 44-ounce soda in the morning, switch to a 24-ounce size and save about 200 calories a day. That’s about 20 pounds this year.

• 16. Switch from 100-plus calorie sandwich bread to the light whole-wheat bread. You save 100 calories per sandwich, and you get the benefit of good-for-you whole grains.

• 17. Swap out your cheese. Replace the 1½ ounces of cheddar or American cheese on your sandwich with one ounce of nonfat mozzarella and lose 11 pounds next year.

• 18. Switch from two tablespoons of regular mayonnaise to two tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise on that sandwich.

• 19. Portion control is essential when it comes to eating meat. A portion of meat is 3 ounces - about the size of a deck of cards. Most people eat two to three times this. Try putting just a portion on your plate at meals.

• 20. Replace your regular beer with light beer and save about 50 calories per bottle.

• 21. Forgo regular bottled salad dressing (2 tablespoons, about 150 calories) for an equal portion of fat-free dressing (about 40 calories) for a net savings of at least 100 calories.

• 22. Take the stairs every day at work. If you go up and down often enough (say up and down five flights three or four times a day) you’ve got your 100 calories.

• 23. Don’t supersize anything. Switching from the 6-ounce fries at McDonald’s to the 2-ounce size saves you about 300 calories. So doing that just twice a week can lead to a big weight loss.

• 24. Remove the skin from a chicken breast after cooking and save 100 calories each time.

• 25. Instead of topping ice cream with crumbled cookies, crushed chocolate candy or hot fudge, top it with 2 tablespoons of fresh berries and save about 100 calories.

 I am very pleased that a great deal on this list I have changed over to. Some don’t pertain to me, others I will adapt. The point is I am a work in progress. My latest tip was given to me by Toni. It is an I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray that has 0 calories. That is a big saver and it was worth buying on sale. The portion control is definitely my biggest obstacle yet to conquer. How about you? Anything useful on this list? Anything you might try? Any tips you can add?