Dr. James Anderson was in The Motherhood today to discuss his new book The Simple Diet: A Doctor’s Science-Based Plan, which outlines a budget-friendly diet for losing weight.
Some ‘food for thought’ from the conversation:
Getting Started
Dr. Anderson said, “To be successful, many people need to develop a deep commitment to the importance of losing weight and improving health and mobility for their family and loved ones. One needs to have a HEART for weight loss.”
We’ve all fallen off a dieting wagon at some point. “‘Simple’ is such a critical thing for me,” said Becki. “I don’t want to have to whip out a little booklet or an app on my phone every time I want to eat.”
Said Jenn of SuperJenn, “Making this a family commitment is a big part of success, as well. When one person is going it alone it is more difficult.”
When You’re on a Strict Budget…
“One of the central features of the Simple Diet is the use of three shakes per day. We estimate that moderately obese people can save $75/week on the Simple Diet,” said Dr. Anderson.
According to Nicole of SAHM Reviews, “When we changed our eating habits, we realized that we spent less because we were eating less. Think about the cost of a steak … we used to cook two when we ate steak, but now we cook one. That savings offset what we spent on produce. Coupon savvy moms need to remember that they can just transfer their savings from one product to another!”
“For a budget-minded dieter, I recommend purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables in season and preparing them with Splenda or non-caloric additives to be tasty,” said Dr. Anderson. “Canned fruits and vegetables also are good choices – rinse them to get rid of sugar and salt.”
The frozen entrees allowed in The Simple Diet help with portion size but still can be “more expensive than the cost of making my own foods,” said Rachael of Empowering Mommy.
But, as Christy of Quirky Fusion pointed out, “I think about how much my time is worth, especially during the day. I’d rather spend a bit more on a frozen meal during the day than carve out precious work time to cook. But I also like working more than cooking.”
When You Can’t Cook at Home…
According to Brett of This Mama Loves Her Bargains, when eating salad, “Dip your fork in the dressing, then put food on the fork – then your tastebuds get the flavor and not a ton of extra calories in each bite!”
“When I order at a restaurant I ask them to bring a box at the same time and before I even begin, place half of the meal in the box to take home for another time,” added Jenn of SuperJenn. She also advised, “I’ve found that all of the cheese found on restaurant food can really hide the flavor of the meal as well… asking for ‘lite cheese’ can cut calories and increase the flavor of the dish.”
As a guest in another person’s home, politely maintaining your diet can be trickier. Rachael of Empowering Mommy said, “My husband has learned to respectfully say, ‘I’m just watching my calories as I try to lose weight.’ He still tries everything, but small portions of the things that are high in calories.”
When You Don’t Have Enough Time…
The Simple Diet allows for low-cal frozen food options, which are a time-saver, but as Dr. Anderson says, “The sodium content of many frozen food entrees can be high. You can shop the hundreds of entrees available and find lower sodium ones.”
Double your favorite recipes when you’re cooking, so you can freeze the extra. “I love making soups. Tons of veggies and plenty of leftovers to freeze for another night,” said Emily.
When You Just Want MORE…
“The Simple Diet relies on VOLUME,” said Dr. Anderson. “We recommend 64 oz of noncaloric fluid daily. Fruits and vegetables provide volume with only 15-30 cal/oz. Shakes provide volume with 10-20 cal/oz … People report initially that they cannot eat all the food.”
“Hydration can make such a difference in so many aspects of your health!!” agreed Jenn of SuperJenn. “Sometimes when we feel hungry, our bodies are actually thirsty, right?”
“On the Simple Diet we recommend eating fruit but not using fruit juices. The fruits, often with the apple, peach or pear skins, have more fiber and take longer to eat. Research shows that this is an important aid to weight loss,” said Dr. Anderson.
Here’s to a healthy New Year! You can read the whole transcript of the Talk with Dr. Anderson here.
Thanks to Dr. Anderson and our fantastic co-hosts for leading an inspiring and informative Live Talk:
Brett, This Mama Loves Her Bargains
Christy, Quirky Fusion
Jenn, SuperJenn
Nicole, SAHM Reviews
Rachael, Empowering Mommy
Take a Comment. Leave a Comment.