just a little weight loss needed ...

Question
Hi -
 I put on 10 pounds over this long winter here in NY and was already 10 pounds overweight.  I'm 5' 10" and weight 195 now.  I feel great when I'm 175.  I read Atkins, Southbeach, the Ab diet, fit for life ... I understand portion control with weight watchers and such.  I have a stressful job and travel allot.  I have picked up some good tips such as drinking more purified water, more protein, eating less later in the day, ...  I do exercise pretty regularly.  
  Are there any good tips you can recommend to assist me?  I don't have that much to lose.  I have a good amout of muscle mass (not too bulky). I appreciate any recommendations.  Why is losing 20 pounds so difficult?  By the way I do have a bit of a sweet tooth contributing to the problem.  
Kind Regards,
Glenn

Answer
Glenn,
The best advice is to just really watch what and how much you are eating!  Exercise is the second part and you seem to have a handle on that.  You need to make sure you are eating from ALL of the food groups and balancing your diet.  You do NOT need to eat more protein!  What you need is a balance.  Choose leaner meats (white meat chicken/turkey, lean beef, fish, lean pork (tenderloin), etc...  Meat can be very high in fat and calories if you are not sticking to lean cuts!  Choose at least half of your starches from a whole grain sources such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain cereals, etc...  Include fruits and vegetables daily, at least 5 servings total a day.  And also include low fat or fat free dairy products.  You need to watch portion sizes, eat throughout the day (don't skip meals!) and think realisitically.  Weight loss is NOT a temporary situation just to get off the 20 pounds.  Weight loss needs to be about lifestyle changes that you keep for life or you will continue to take off and put on the weight.  
More water is definitely a must!  Watch your fat intake!  Especially if you travel a lot and eat out alot.  There can be a lot of hidden fats in foods.  If you eat out alot while travelling, portion sizes can alse be an issue.  AS for your sweet tooth you need to learn to control it.  A very small portion to curb your craving is fine but if you over-indulge and do it often you will have a hard time losing the weight!
You may want to start with a food diary, which can help you keep track of food groups and pinpoint problems along the way.
I DO offer online weight management services such as menu development, nutritional intake analysis, etc... If you are interested check out my web site at: www.Nutrifocus.net.
Kim Tessmer, RD LD
www.Nutrifocus.net

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