These five helped her thrive.
Wisconsin weight loss coach Amber Clemens is revealing the five “realistic sacrifices” she made to drop 160 pounds from 2018 to 2020 — and keep it off.
In a TikTok this week, Clemens credited her success to preparing meals at home, switching to zero-sugar beverages, relying on pre-portioned snacks, counting desserts in her daily caloric allotment and setting a realistic step goal — and sticking to it.
Prepare meals at home
Clemens said she limits herself to two meals, presumably a week, that she doesn’t prepare at home.
Restaurant food tends to have more fat, sodium and calories and less fiber and nutrients than home-cooked meals.
One study found that 92% of fare from large-chain restaurants and local eateries exceeds typical calorie recommendations, with one of the researchers explaining that the “portion sizes are obscene.”
Time is often a barrier to cooking more at home. But a journalist who only ate home-cooked meals for 31 days reported feeling healthier, wealthier and more confident in the kitchen even as she fought food fatigue and the temptation to join her pals at restaurants.
Switch to zero-sugar beverages
Clemens said she swapped full-sugar drinks for zero-sugar alternatives.
Health experts agree that soda is bad for you because of its caloric content and added sugar — but diet sodas may not be much better. They have little to no calories but also little to no nutritional value.
“Diet sodas are not health foods. They should be treated no differently than regular, full-sugar soda,” Toronto-based registered dietitian Abbey Sharp said in April. “They don’t really add anything to the diet except for maybe some pleasure and a little energy kick. Diet, zero, regular, whatever, if you’re gonna drink soda, choose the one you like the most and enjoy in moderation.”
Better alternatives include water, unsweetened iced tea, kombucha, coconut water, low-sodium vegetable juice and certain milks.
Grab pre-portioned snacks
Eating from the snack bag is a recipe for overindulgence, Clemens said. You may also want to skip the dip.
A recent study found that consuming chips with dip results in a 77% greater caloric intake and a faster eating rate than enjoying chips alone.
Count desserts in daily caloric allotment
A caloric deficit, consuming fewer calories than your body expends, is a key factor for weight loss.
Clemens said she factored desserts into her calorie count every day to stop herself from binging on sweets.
A Nebraska-based dietitian recommends desserts that contain fruits and calcium-rich foods and little to no added sugars.
Set a realistic step goal
Walking is an easy, low-impact way to shed pounds. Though 10,000 steps has long been considered the gold-standard daily goal, experts say you can reap health benefits walking far fewer steps.
Here are some ways to level up your ramble routine.
