Dear Amy,

My weight just doesn’t seem to go anywhere over time.  I do well during the week, but have trouble sticking to my food plan on the weekends.  Because of this I seem to gain back anything that I managed to lose during the week.  Do you have any suggestions?

Sandy J.

Dear Sandy,

I run across this problem all the time.  The structure of many people’s weekdays makes it simpler to stick with a plan.  Then the weekend comes and all bets are off.  When this happens and no progress is made it becomes very difficult to stay motivated.  Here is an idea that usually works:  tell yourself you will stick to your food plan diligently for one month.  Just one.  This is a small enough time frame for most people to feel comfortable committing to.  Generally, at the end of the month you will see enough progress to keep you motivated to go another month.

Amy

Dear Amy,

I travel a lot for my job.  Do you have any ideas on how to eat right when I have to eat out a lot of the time?

Julie P.

Dear Julie,

Yes, this can be a tough one, but it can be done.  First, watch your portion sizes.  Remember a serving size of meat is about 3 oz.  This is about the size of a deck of cards.  Eat all your salad (dressing on the side!), all your veggies and half of your main course and starch.  Skip dessert or order fruit.  Be sure to order grilled, broiled or boiled, never fried or “crispy”!  Always start with a good breakfast to give you a strong start.  I like to have oatmeal when I’m traveling because it keeps me full for a long time.  I take a small shaker of cinnamon and use that with Equal and sometimes a little skim milk.  Order a side of fruit with it and that should keep you satisfied for quite awhile.  Pack some healthy snacks that you can stick in your purse, briefcase or wherever.  You might choose some protein bars that you like or some of the 100 calorie snack packs that are widely available.  Also, never be afraid to ask how something is prepared in a restaurant.  Servers are generally quite knowledgeable abut this and I find them typically more than helpful in getting my food prepared in a healthy manner.

Amy