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Carly Roop RD, CSO, is a registered dietitian at the Joan Karnell Cancer Center (JKCC). She provides nutrition education and support to patients while addressing nutrition-related side effects from chemotherapy and radiation. Dietitians at JKCC provide educational nutrition programs that are open to patients as well as the community.

My 2013 New Year’s Resolution: Make New Friends

Although weight loss and saving money are the among the highest ranking new year’s resolutions, my new year’s resolution, to make new friends may help you achieve your new year’s resolutions too.

The friend that I am referring to is MyFitnessPal.com.

This is a free web site and mobile app that allows its members to achieve their weight-loss goals by logging their food intake and physical activities. MyFitnessPal’s searchable food database has over 2,352,000 items and their mobile app has the ability to scan bar codes, which makes it easy to log your snacks, even if you are on the go.

In a recent Consumer Reports survey, MyFitnessPal ranked first in satisfaction among 9 do-it-yourself weight loss plans.

Even if weight loss isn’t your goal, perhaps you have resolved to eat healthier or maybe you wonder how your diet stacks up to the recommended Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), MyFitnessPal can help you do that as well.

If you feel like abandoning your salad spinner and sneakers 3 months into 2013, try calling on MyfitnessPal to help you over the post holiday slump.

Maintaining a healthy weight (a weight that falls within a BMI of 18.5-24.5) ranks at the top of the American Institute of Cancer Research’s recommendations for cancer prevention.

The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) has been collecting data for more than a decade from people who have lost weight and have been able to maintain their weight loss.

They are sharing with us the top six trends that have come out of their surveillance. Nearly 90 percent of the members surveyed by NWCR reportedthey combined diet and exercise  to lose weight. So dig out your sneakers and get ready to move!

• Exercise. More than 50 percent of NWCR members reported expending 2000 calories a week. Check out AICR’s website for some suggestions of how you burn those calories too.
• Limit TV. Nearly two-thirds of NWCR members reported watching less than 10 hours of TV a week.
• Eat a low-calorie, low-fat diet. NWCR members maintain a similar diet 365 days a year Try filling half your plate with non-starchy fruits and vegetables that pack cancer fighting properties like spinach, broccoli, cucumbers, berries, grapes or melon.
• Eat breakfast. People surveyed said eating breakfast helped curb hunger and grouchiness as well as curb overeating later in the day
• Eat when hungry. Successful dieters from the NWCR maintained their weight loss by eating when they are hungry, not because the cake looked good or because they didn’t want to offend someone by not eating their dish. They also avoid the vending machine because when they are bored or stressed.
• Self monitor. And while you are looking for your sneakers, keep your eye out for your scale and smartphone. More than half of these successful dieters continue to weigh themselves weekly and keep a food journal. There are plenty of free websites and phone apps where you can log the calories you consumed and calories you burned each day.

Have you lost weight and kept it off? What are some of your tips?

Carly Roop RD, CSO, provides nutrition education and support to patients and their families at Joan Karnell Cancer Center. She addresses nutrition-related side effects from chemotherapy and radiation as well as nutrition for survivorship, and provides educational nutrition programs, which are open to patients as well as the community.