Recapping a year’s worth of diet and fitness advice

Those who refuse to learn from their fitness past are doomed to get fat.

The new year is fast approaching. Congratulations on surviving 2018 and tolerating yet another 12 months of me bloviating about proper eating, exercise dos and don’ts, weight loss myths, healthy aging and body image. I never shut up, I know.

So what better way to send off this year than with a recap of my 2018 dietary sermons?

Here goes:

Don’t repeat past failures. This is the most common blunder I witness. Repeatedly, I hear from new clients that they can’t lose weight despite their best efforts. That’s because they put themselves on the same diet over and over again, even though it does not work for them. They also engage in ineffective workouts, or choose an exercise format they despise, which is a shoe-in for quitting.

Have a specific method of attack. Planning to lose weight simply by eating less and exercising more doesn’t cut it. Like any other goal-setting project, you need a detailed plan of action.

Set objectives, not hazy goals. A mission of losing one big chunk of weight is overwhelming and far too easy to lose sight of. The final goal has to be broken down into smaller objectives.

Keep your objectives realistic. Embarking on a low-calorie diet with a goal of losing 5 pounds per week will never get you to your destination. Nor will frantically working out four hours a day in an attempt to burn calories.

Don’t omit whole food groups or all of your favorites from your diet. Permanently eliminating your favorite food — say, bread — inevitably leads to cramming an entire loaf down your craw in one sitting.

Prep snacks and meals in advance. I spend an hour or so each Sunday afternoon prepping food. I slice veggies and fruit, make salads and sandwiches, boil eggs and blend breakfast smoothies. But don’t stop there: Once everything is prepared, portion it all into serving-size Tupperware containers and place them front and center in the fridge, including salad dressings and dips. Each day, just grab and go. This saves an inordinate amount of time throughout the week and ensures you will eat healthy most of the time.

Get yourself a portable cooler. Buy it and use it. Pack it full of healthy snacks: nuts, yogurt (low sugar, please), cottage cheese, instant oatmeal (again, low sugar), fruit, raw veggies with dip, a protein bar. If you don’t have wholesome food with you, you are far more likely to eat junk or fast food.

You can eat healthy when dining out. Focus on lean protein and veggies. Skip fried foods, high-calorie salad dressings and sauces and mayonnaise. Request a salad, veggies, fruit or cottage cheese in exchange for more caloric options like french fries, coleslaw or potato chips.

For crying out loud, EAT. If you are regularly going hungry in an attempt to lose weight, your body will rebel and you will without a doubt pack on the pounds you lost, and then some. For a holiday feast and special occasions, indulge in whatever you wish with the promise that you will stop eating when you are comfortably full.

Get over your mistakes. If you do end up gorging on an entire platter of Nachos Grande, move on and get right back to your healthy eating program. Getting emotionally attached to the deviation is what messes us up.

Be patient. Lasting weight loss takes time; there are no quick fixes.

We’ll pick up again in January, when I will give a recap of my 2018 exercise and fitness tirades. Until then, have a wonderful holiday season: Laugh, love, eat, exercise — and shake me up a gin martini, would ya?

Catherine Bongiorno is a personal trainer, nutritional therapist and owner of Lift To Lose Fitness & Nutrition. Email her at info@lifttolose.com or visit www.lifttolose.com for more information.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

Rodney Ho / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Tribune News Service
The Barenaked Ladies play Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Friday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.