Starting a 2022 Weight Loss Journey? Read This.
This will probably come as no surprise, but the number one New Year’s resolution for 2022 is – you guessed it – lose weight.
Consider this: 70 percent of the U.S. population is either overweight or obese.
During COVID, the average weight gain was a whopping 29 pounds.
So, in my effort to help you help yourself this January... I turned to my longtime registered dietician, Danielle Schupp.
For years, when the scale has climbed higher than normal for me, I’ve turned to Danielle for help.
I even blurbed her book.
So, whether you’re trying to lose COVID weight, holiday weight... or you’re just trying to drop those pesky “last five pounds” ... here are some easy-to-follow tips that’ll get you on the right track.
REDUCE YOUR CALORIES BY 20 PERCENT
ALINA CHO: So, give it to me straight.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: The realistic goal for weight loss is a half-pound to two pounds a week. It's the rate that we know people can keep off once they lose it.
ALINA CHO: So, you should be reducing calories by what percent?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: 20 percent.
ALINA CHO: But, how?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, somebody [who is] reading [this], you know, doing it themselves, they don't know how to calculate out their calories that they need to eat. So, the idea would be they would start reducing portion sizes. And a good goal you could say is reduce by 20 percent. And then you start to look to see what the scale does.
ALINA CHO: Right.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: And if, all of a sudden, you [lose] eight pounds the first week, you might want to say to yourself, “I might be being a little too extreme.”
ALINA CHO: For sure.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: The problem is, people want to see the scale move eight pounds in a week, right? That's awesome. [But] it's almost physiologically impossible to lose more than two pounds of fat [in a week]. And you want to lose fat. You don't want to lose muscle, right?
ALINA CHO: Right.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, in order to lose real weight, not just water and muscle, that's why you set that goal at a half-pound to two pounds a week. Now, the other thing to remember, if you're exercising, you may be putting on muscle and losing fat. So, the scale doesn't change, but your clothing is looser. So, maybe take measurements with that flimsy little tape measure. Because the more you exercise, [the more] that scale will be stuck. It moves slower.
ALINA CHO: Because you're building muscle while you're losing fat. And muscle is heavier.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: And people get confused. Because they're like, "I look in the mirror and my jeans are looser." And I always say, “Listen, if your clothes are looser, you are smaller. Period, end of report.”
EXERCISE 150 MINUTES A WEEK
ALINA CHO: So, how much exercise do you recommend for your clients?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, the recommended amount of cardio that you want somebody to do when they're trying to lose weight is 150 minutes a week.
ALINA CHO: 30 minutes over five days.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: For other people, it's four 40-minute workouts a week.
ALINA CHO: And 150 minutes a week does what?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: It burns enough calories, along with a diet, to produce the half-pound to two pounds a week of weight loss.
ALINA CHO: Got it.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, a 3,500 calorie deficit correlates to a pound of weight loss.
ALINA CHO: Yes.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, you can tell somebody, cut 500 calories a day for seven days. But 500's a pretty big number. That's a whole meal for some people, right?
ALINA CHO: Right.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, what you try to say is, “Well, let's create that calorie deficit by cutting some calories. And then on the opposite side, increase your calorie burn [through exercise], so we create that deficit.”
ALINA CHO: Got it.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: And then research shows, when you exercise, you tend to make better food choices. It's just easier to stick to your diet.
WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU EAT... EVERY SINGLE THING
ALINA CHO: Because I worked with you for so many years, I know how important it is for you to log, meaning write down, every morsel of food that you eat during the day. And I'm assuming you still tell your clients to do that.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: Yes, of course. The reason you keep a food log, as old of a recommendation as it is, it is one of the best tools we have. For two reasons. If you keep a food log yourself, it's a wake-up call. Many people don't realize what they're eating. You know, it's when you really start to see the price tag of something and what it costs you, you go, “Whoa.” And everybody underestimates what they eat.
ALINA CHO: Absolutely. And it’s easy now. Basically, there are any number of apps that you can download that will help you count your calories.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: Exactly. A lot of my clients use MyFitnessPal, and they use Lose It! — and I would suggest maybe splurging for the premium version of these apps. What they do now is they'll check in on you, you know?
ALINA CHO: Yeah, I know.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, it's kind-of like having a little bit of a real-time person. So, it gives you a little more guidance if you go the premium route.
BOTTOM LINE: DIET TIPS EVERYONE SHOULD FOLLOW
ALINA CHO: So, give me some tips and hacks, things the average person can incorporate into their life to be not just healthier, but maybe lose a few pounds as well.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, number one, calories are the name of the game. It’s not that protein and fat don’t play a role, but ultimately you have to eat the right number of calories to produce weight-slash-fat loss. Now, the next thing I tell somebody is breakfast is non-negotiable. You need to eat breakfast within two hours of getting up.
ALINA CHO: Because…
DANIELLE SCHUPP: When you eat breakfast, you eat less at night. You eat less at night, you lose weight. Number two, breakfast eaters have better appetite control throughout the whole day. And lastly, the latest research that just came out is breakfast eaters have a lower risk for heart disease.
ALINA CHO: Interesting.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, it starts with breakfast, but from breakfast, then you take your calorie budget and you're spacing it out every three to four hours. Eat small meals every three to four hours.
ALINA CHO: Right.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, for most people, you know, it's their breakfast, it's their lunch. Where they mess up is, they forget to have an afternoon snack. And that afternoon snack, that's your key for not overeating at dinner.
And I'll tell clients all the time. Eat during the day, diet at dinner.
ALINA CHO: I remember.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: You cannot diet at dinner if you don't eat during the day.
ALINA CHO: So, that all-important afternoon snack, that's 100 to 200 calories, correct?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: 200 calories. That’s an ounce of nuts, a scoop of peanut butter and a piece of fruit, or a protein bar.
ALINA CHO: Right.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: You don't want to be too good during the day. Because if you're an A-plus student during the day, you're going to be an F student at night.
ALINA CHO: Got it.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: Then, when you’re putting a meal together, you have to have enough protein and fat. Otherwise, you're going to digest the food so quickly because it's going to be mostly carbohydrates. And then you're twiddling your thumbs an hour later and you're like, “I’m hungry.”
TOP THREE WEIGHT LOSS MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE
ALINA CHO: Finally, what are the top three mistakes that people make?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: So, drinking caloric beverages contributes to weight gain.
ALINA CHO: You always told me to eat your calories, don't drink them.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: Another big thing is ordering dressings and sauces on the side. It adds up. You know, the average Sweetgreen salad is 600, 700 calories. That's a cheeseburger.
ALINA CHO: And is there a third?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: Yeah. Sushi. People think sushi is low calorie, but you know, they're eating 15 pieces. Sushi is healthy, but it's not necessarily low in calories.
ALINA CHO: So, how many calories per piece?
DANIELLE SCHUPP: Depends on what's inside, but on average, 50 to 60 calories a piece.
ALINA CHO: That's a lot.
DANIELLE SCHUPP: My clients say, “Well, I had sushi.” And I’m like, “That’s an 800-calorie dinner!”