The Difference a Few Months Can Make

My favorite professional team wasn't playing in the Super Bowl, but what kind of football fan would I be if I didn't enjoy the biggest game of the year? My husband and I went to my parents' house to watch it. I was mildly worried about what types of foods might be served, as the phrase "Super Bowl snacks" conjures up ideas of chips, dips and chicken wings.

We did have chips, but they were baked. We also had dips, but I picked salsa. And we had an assortment of vegetables and fruit for the various dips. Best of all? My mother baked the wings knowing that I am not eating fried foods! It was wonderful! I ate more fruit than anything, but it was so nice to be able to enjoy the game with healthier snacks and still feel like I enjoyed some of my favorite football game treats without feeling deprived.

Even though my weight is coming off slowly, I realized this week what a difference a few months can make. I was fortunate to have a follow-up phone consultation with nutritionist Keri Glassman.

Back in November when I first spoke with Glassman, I was embarrassed to tell her my eating habits. At that time, my diet still consisted of brownies by the plateful, potato chips daily and a vast assortment of other calorie bombs that made losing weight practically impossible.

Fast-forward to February and I was really excited for the opportunity to share my progress with Glassman. I am so thrilled with the changes I've made. While I still have quite a bit of work to do, I was confident that Glassman would notice the vast improvements that I have made thus far.

When Glassman asked me about my meals, I proudly gave her examples of various foods in a given day: natural peanut butter, honey and banana on a 100-calorie sandwich thin; nuts, yogurt or fruit as morning and afternoon snacks; open-faced sandwiches with mustard not mayonnaise; frozen meals for lunch; and an assortment of dinners ranging from shrimp and vegetable stir-fry to roasted chicken and vegetables. I told her that I'm cooking more and dining out less. I also let her know that instead of two or so times a week of giving into indulgence meals, I have cut that back to two or three times a month.

Glassman seemed genuinely pleased with my progress; however, she did offer some great feedback. She said that my breakfasts were good but perhaps I should pick either honey or banana to limit my sugar intake so early in the morning. She also mentioned that I might want to cut back on my frozen meals, so I will be exploring other dishes to add to my lunches.

While the frozen meals are convenient, I will look for other ways to make my lunches filling and portable without relying so heavily on grab-and-go options from the freezer section. Glassman also suggested a veggie burger on a whole-wheat bun as an alternative.

When I told Glassman I was still having problems feeling full, which often leads to my overeating, especially later in the day, she told me that I need more substantial snacks. It was very refreshing to hear her say that I actually needed to eat more.

"Nutrient dense" is a term Glassman used frequently in our conversation. While my yogurt, fruit, nuts and vegetables are great snack options, I need to be pairing them together to make snacks that have higher fiber counts, which will lead to me feeling fuller longer.

I also mentioned to Glassman that while I'm happy with the dinners I've been making, I need some more variety. She suggested I try some different meal ideas, such as turkey tacos over a bed of greens or chicken sausage with vegetables over rice.

All of Glassman's meal suggestions sound like they will taste great and be easy to make, which makes it seem manageable. I am really excited to implement Glassman's tips, which will hopefully lead to more weight loss.

After decades of dieting only to gain it back, two That's Fit readers have decided to finally rethink their relationship with food and exercise over the next year to move toward a lifetime of fulfilling, healthy living. Come by every week as Ashley and Lee share their successes and challenges as they tip the scale.