Making a healthy lifestyle change

Excess weight has been implicated as a risk for developing a variety of chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. A more recent report indicates that obesity is now the second leading cause of cancer, surpassed only by tobacco use. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, excess body fat – even just a modest weight gain – increases your risk for developing cancers of the colon, kidney, and pancreas; adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and endometrium; and breast cancer. Researchers predicted that, over the next decade, obesity would become the number one risk factor for cancer.

Clearly, the goal of losing those love handles will benefit more than just how you look. However, changing to a healthy lifestyle takes a lot of hard work. Here are nine easy tips that can help you stick to your healthy lifestyle goals and change the future of your health:

1) Take control of the calories you eat.
Learn true portion sizes. Read nutritional labels. Limit your consumption of energy-dense foods, and avoid sugary beverages. Know your resting metabolic rate -- it's an easy, 10-minute test that will tell you exactly how many calories you should be eating in order to lose weight, or to maintain your current weight.

2) Forget breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Instead, change your eating patterns to include five or six smaller meals, spread throughout the day. You’ll boost your metabolism and also find yourself less apt to overeating at the dinner table. Even if you're in a rush, try your best not to skip your first morning meal -- blend up a healthy shake with some crushed ice and sip it on your way to work.

3) Focus on foods of plant origin, in a variety of colors.
There’s absolutely no reason why you have to go completely vegetarian if you love meat. Just make sure that your dinner plate does always includes servings of vegetables, fruit, and grain, since those tend to include less fat, cholesterol, and calories.

4) Stay well hydrated.
The Institute of Medicine advises that you drink 9 to 13 cups of water every day. Water not only helps optimize your body’s metabolic processes, but it also helps to keep your tummy feeling full. If you don’t like water, try sparkling water with a handful of Goji berries or a slice of lime for flavor, or sip iced green tea to quench your thirst.

6) Make exercise an integral part of your everyday life.
If you're not yet an avid exerciser, aim to be just a little more physically active in everything you do: Make several trips to the fax machine; take the longer route to the next department when delivering a report to a co-worker; choose the farthest (but still safe) parking spot at work; take a brisk 15-minute walk at lunch. If you're new to exercise, you may want to get a personalized fitness program that has enough variety to keep things fun as you progress toward your weight goals. A real exercise newbie may want to consider signing up for one or two personal training sessions; you can learn proper form and the right techniques to make sure your program is safe, even when doing it on your own.

7) Get support from your closest allies.
Studies have demonstrated that those who make lifestyle changes are more successful when they have a buddy system in place, as opposed to those trying to do it alone. Talk to your best friend and see if you can make the lifestyle changes together. Find a certified health coach -- this gives you a “buddy system” that’s kicked up a notch, because you’ll have a buddy who also happens to be a wellness expert. Make sure your spouse or partner is on board with your decision, and fully supports your desire to change; sometimes, a spouse or partner who doesn't understand (or perhaps fears the changes you're making) may unintentionally sabotage your efforts.

8) See your doctor.
Be sure to get clearance from your personal physician prior to making any lifestyle changes. It may be a good time to get basic blood tests (cholesterol, glucose, thyroid) etc. so you know the areas you need to work on. Look for a physician who's willing to sit down and talk to you about nutrition, fitness, and supplements -- not just someone who wants to give you a prescription.

9) Cheat.
Believe it or not, it's really ok to cheat on your lifestyle changes every once in a while! There's no need to feel guilty about that at all. In my opinion, if you've been making good nutritional choices for the most part, then one occasional day of indulgence won't harm the overall progress you've made.