Expert Weight Loss Tips

The question David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., hears most often is, "What's the best diet for weight loss?" His answer: The diet you can stick with.

"You can't strong-arm your way through meals you hate in the long term," says Dr. Katz, the director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and author of Disease-Proof. "You need to find healthy stuff you enjoy." He suggests filling half your plate with produce, a quarter with whole grains or legumes, and a quarter with protein.

Of course, dropping pounds also requires an exercise plan you can sustain, ideally for 30 minutes every day. "You'll be lean and net a huge reduction in your risk of diabetes and heart disease," he says. Here are four more smart weight-loss tips from Katz that anybody looking to trim up can utilize.

Fill Up Smarter
"Your satiety threshold—the amount of food you need in order to feel satisfied—is higher for sugary foods than it is for other foods. That's why it's so easy to munch your way through a box of cookies or polish off a pint of ice cream in one sitting. To fill up on fewer calories, try snacking on protein-rich options, such as lean meats, eggs, seeds, and nuts."

Master a Meal
"A variety of research confirms that people who cook at home more often are leaner and live longer. Take the time to master a healthy go-to meal. Mine is roasted salmon, quinoa, and a green salad, with 60 percent dark chocolate for dessert. My favorite recipes come from my wife (many are in Disease-Proof) and the Moosewood cookbooks."

Stoke Motivation
"The next time you need motivation to exercise or watch your diet, try this mental exercise: Think of a loved one who has had a heart attack, stroke, cancer, or diabetes. Visualize the person's face, say his or her name, and recall how you felt when you heard the news. It will remind you that exercising and eating well can help you avoid that fate."

Test Yourself
"To gauge whether I've put on a few pounds, I do chinups. Because I'm lifting my own body weight, I know that whenever my standard set of 25 feels more challenging than usual, it's the result of either decreased strength or increased weight. So I ramp up my efforts accordingly. If you find that chinups are too difficult, start with 10 pushups instead."

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