Experts suggest baby steps for dieting in the new year

The diet starts today! For millions of people across the country, losing weight is their top priority in 2007.

But the best way to lose weight isn’t through fasting or fad diets, according to weight loss experts. Instead the best way to shed those holiday pounds is by taking baby steps, according to Deb Millsap, a registered dietitian at the Collier County Health Department.

“People need to focus on their health, not the weight,” she says. “If you take it slow, you’re likely to meet your goal in a more healthy manner.”

The same goes for exercise, says Rick Lademann, site manager for the NCH Wellness Center North on Immokalee Road.

“I tell people, first and foremost, to take baby steps,” he says. “They need to make attainable goals. I like to make a game plan with them.”

And while a game plan makes losing weight easier, following it too strictly could lead to a disorder.

“You need to be careful,” says Millsap. “Some people can take dieting to the extreme. If you make your (game plan) too rigid, you either follow it for a little while then give up, or you follow, follow, follow it until it starts to negatively affect your life.”

Millsap said the best way to avoid over dieting is to make a structured plan that doesn’t deprive a person of their favorite foods.

“If you can’t enjoy the things you’re eating, then the diet becomes something else,” she says. “Instead your goal should be to do a little better today, instead of yesterday. It’s better to have a little bit of chocolate than none at all.”

Portion control is key to managing weight loss, says Millsap. Meat portions should only be size and thickness of the palm of a person’s hand, while carbohydrates should be limited. Millsap says she encourages people to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, since those are heartier carbohydrates that fill people up quicker.

But managing calorie intake isn’t the only thing dieters need to do to shed pounds, exercise also plays a key role, says Millsap.

Lademann says his facility will see a slight increase in people joining this week, and many of them will sign up for a personal trainer to get them on the right track.

A membership to the Wellness Center includes two sessions with a personal trainer. Lademann says he encourages new clients to take advantage of the sessions, even if it’s just to get some advice about how to proceed.

“I have many clients that I’ll meet with once a month just to make sure their programs don’t get stale,” he says.

Stale programs often mean people lose interest in working out, derailing their goals for the new year. Lademann said he encourages people to “switch it up” and try a new program, like weights or a class.

“I want them to do anything you can see that they are getting excited about, something that they’re not looking at their watch to see if they’re done,” he says.

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