How can you lose weight in the fall when it is so busy?

September is a very busy time for all. School is back in session for students and teachers and youth sports programs will kick into high gear. Most of us have been stressed at this time of year trying to balance work, kids and after school and sports activities. After a full day of work, many patients are running their children around to music/dance lessons, sports practice or games in the evening along with monitoring homework progress. How can you eat well and still lose weight when you can’t eat dinner til 8:00 or 9:00 PM? The key is to be consistent with meals, snacks and water. Be prepared when you leave the house.

• Be sure you have some snacks with you whether it is a bag of carrots, celery, radishes or cucumbers or a yogurt, string cheese or cottage cheese.
• Bring a bottle of water so you remain hydrated.
• If you are waiting for your child to finish practice or a game, walk until they are finished. Walk up and down the street or walk around a field. Bring a light weight that you can lift as you walk. The goal is to burn calories. So if you find yourself waiting in the car, at least multitask and do something for yourself.
• If dinner is at 8:00 or 9:00 PM, do not eat a large meal. Make it more like a snack consisting of 3-4 oz. of protein, 1 ½ cups of vegetables and/or salad. Do not eat carbs that late unless you can do additional activity to work them off before you go to sleep. On the days that you know you will be eating late, have a larger lunch and make up the protein difference. That way you will more time to burn off those calories.

Just remember any activity you can do is better than nothing, even if it is only for 10 minutes at a time. You will be burning more calories and will lose more weight.