Heart-Healthy Weight Loss: A Dietitian’s Top 3 Tips

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If you’re a heart patient, your doctor or other healthcare provider may have talked to you about the benefits of achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. You may have heard them tell you that if you lose some weight, your heart could work better. You feel ready to start working toward achieving a healthy weight for you, but there are so many diet plans out there—which one do you choose?

The answer depends. There are some good science-backed eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, that are the subject of many how-to books and articles. You may find these to be exactly what you’re looking for; and they may work for you.

But following a specific diet plan or eating pattern may seem a little (or a lot) overwhelming to you. If so, that’s okay. There are plenty of effective ways you can lose weight in a heart-healthy way while still eating foods you like. The tips that follow can help you as you work toward your heart-healthy weight loss goals.

As a quick side note, a healthy weight for you may be different from that of a friend, family member, or peer in your cardiac rehab class. Definitely talk to your doctor, dietitian, and other healthcare providers about a weight loss goal that is right for you.

Quick disclaimer—although I am a registered dietitian nutritionist, your reading of this or any articles on this website does not constitute medical nutrition therapy advice nor create a practitioner-client relationship. The information I provide here on this website is for educational and informational purposes only. Please see my full disclaimer for more information.

Now, without further ado, let’s discuss some heart-healthy weight loss tips.

Focus on Heart-Healthy Fats

When you search for diet plans and weight loss information, the topic of fat in foods often comes up. Many people are under the impression that you have to give up nearly all fat and follow a low-fat diet. In reality, that’s not usually the best idea for most people, especially heart patients.

Dietary fat is still important for our bodies and our hearts—choosing the right kind is what makes the heart-healthy difference. This doesn’t mean, however, that just because a fat source is a healthier kind that there are no limits as to how much you can eat. As with anything, balance is important.

So what does that mean for weight loss and for heart health? And how do you apply this in real life?

Keep Fried Foods to a Minimum

First, you’ll want to keep fried foods to a minimum. Fried foods tend to contain a lot of fat and calories. Oftentimes the oil that a food is fried in can start producing unhealthy compounds from the high heat (1). Unhealthy compounds plus extra calories equals an option that isn’t really great for your weight or your heart.

If fried foods are still important to you, you may want to set goals for yourself as to how often you’ll eat them. If you currently eat them several times a week, try to cut down to once a week if possible. If you eat them once a week, consider aiming for only once per month. Also, try smaller portions if you can.

Ideally, the less often you eat fried foods, the better. But since every person is different, it makes sense to take note of where you’re at and start adjusting down from there. Change, especially sustainable lifestyle changes, can take time to become comfortable with. Adjusting will come with time.

Decrease Saturated Fat Intake

A second important point when dealing with dietary fats is decreasing your intake of saturated fat. Based on the research we have on the subject, current recommendations are to cut back on saturated fat in your diet wherever you can. It doesn’t mean zero saturated fat intake, just a lesser amount than you may be used to. 

The American Heart Association recommends that only 5-6% of calories consumed come from saturated fat sources (2). They suggest that someone who consumes around 2000 calories per day may need only 13 grams of saturated fat per day (2). Your number may look a little higher or lower depending on how many calories you eat in a day.

If you want to calculate this number, take the total number of calories you may eat during the day and multiply that number by .05 or .06—this is how you find that 5-6% of your total calories. Then take that result and divide it by 9 to get grams of fat, since there are about 9 calories in every gram of fat.

So now that we understand the recommended amount of saturated fat, what are some of its sources?

Meat and Poultry

Saturated fats are mainly found in animal protein sources and tropical oils, like coconut and palm oil. As a general rule, the leaner (less fat) an animal product is, the less saturated fat it should have. For example, ground beef that is 90% lean should contain less saturated fat than ground beef that is 80% lean (this information can be found on the label).

When you’re choosing animal protein sources (which are still perfectly fine to include in a heart-healthy eating pattern), try to aim for the leanest you can get as often as you can. If you’re cooking chicken and need to leave the skin on during the cooking process, just take the skin off before eating it. If you’re choosing pork chops that still have some fat around the edge, cut it off before eating.

Do watch portion sizes as well. A general recommendation is to aim for a serving about the size of the palm of your hand (not including the thumb and fingers).

Another tip on saturated fat—try to avoid more processed types of meats, like bologna, salami, sausages, and similar items. Many of these contain more saturated fat than would be desirable. Once in awhile it’s okay to have them as a treat, but try to keep it as little as possible.

Fish and Eggs

A note on fish and eggs—these items themselves are generally reasonable in how much saturated fat they contain. Oftentimes how these items are prepared is what can cause an increased saturated fat content (such as adding butter during cooking or serving them with creamy sauces). 

When consuming fish and eggs, keep portions moderate (a few ounces of fish, 1-2 eggs at a time). These items (prepared without extra saturated fats) can reasonably be eaten a few times a week.

Dairy Products

Dairy products are also worth mentioning under the topic of saturated fat. While it is possible that dairy may have more of a neutral effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease than other animal protein sources (3), choosing low-fat dairy products can help with decreasing the amount of calories you’re consuming. This may help promote healthy weight loss. 

Keep Portions of Heart-Healthy Fats Moderate

A third consideration on the topic of fat sources is portion sizes of the heart-healthy fats. Nuts, seeds, avocados, and plant oils can be wonderful sources of various nutrients. However, it is important to keep in mind that they do contain more calories by nature than carbohydrates (such as whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans, fruit, dairy) and proteins (beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, etc.).

When adding or substituting heart-healthy fats into your diet, first check portion sizes on the food label. For example, a balanced portion of nuts would be 1/4 cup. A portion of olive oil is often listed as 1 tablespoon.

Second, try to aim for one healthy fat source per meal or snack to help keep calories in check. For example, you might have a serving of peanut butter with a piece of fruit, or a tablespoon of olive oil drizzled on a large salad. With a little trial and error, you may find some new favorite food combinations.

In summary, by decreasing fried food and saturated fat intake, and by choosing heart-healthy fats in moderation, you can progress on your journey toward a healthier weight for you.

Aim for Consistent Intake of Lean Protein Sources

The second major tip that can be of benefit to you as you work toward losing weight healthfully is to be consistent in the timing and amount of lean protein you eat every day. Consistent protein intake has been shown helpful in controlling hunger cravings and in rebuilding your muscles (4-5). Muscle strength is especially important as you age, and if you’re exercising in cardiac rehab or at home.

Protein sources include dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, lean meat, legumes (like beans and soy products), and nuts and seeds to some degree. If at all possible, try to aim for at least 20 grams of protein at each meal to give your body a good amount to use in rebuilding muscles and cells. This can also help you feel a little fuller for longer, as a meal with protein takes longer to digest and empty from the stomach than a meal without it.

Several meal/snack examples might be: a few boiled or scrambled eggs at breakfast (with toast or fruit); Greek yogurt with fruit and/or nuts; a chicken sandwich (with 3-4 ounces of chicken); and beans with rice. Take a look at what you usually eat and see how your favorites stack up—do you need to add some protein into the mix?

Give consistent protein intake a try (make sure to watch portions), and you may see some encouraging changes on the scale.

Add in Fiber

The third major suggestion for moving toward a more heart-healthy weight is adding in fiber. Fiber is most often found naturally in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts and seeds. The more of these foods you can choose during the day, the more fiber you’ll get.

A quick caution with fiber, as you may have heard before—it is wise to increase fiber intake gradually. If you don’t, you may feel a little more gastrointestinal discomfort than you would like (bloating, gas, etc.).

Take a look at the sources of fiber you’re already eating and see if you can add in one more source or serving per week to start. Once you feel comfortable with that amount, add in another serving per week. A recommended goal fiber intake is 21-25 grams per day for women and 30-38 grams per day for men (6). People who are a little older can aim for the lower numbers of the range.

Make sure to drink enough water and other low- or no-calorie beverages as well (a quick guide could be taking your body weight in pounds, dividing it by 2, and using that number as the number of fluid/liquid ounces of water and other liquids to drink during the day). Enough liquid during the day will help the fiber do its work more effectively.

As with heart-healthy fats and consistent lean protein intake, making sure to get enough fiber during the day can also help as you work toward your weight loss goals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we’ve covered 3 main dietitian-approved tips for heart-healthy weight loss. Take a look at your daily and weekly eating patterns to see how you’re doing in these areas. As a challenge, try to find one strategy from this article that you can try out today or this week.

And remember, gradual weight loss that comes due to sustainable new habits is what you’re looking for. Fad diets that promise quick weight loss can often cause harm in some way. Be persistent with healthier habits, and in time you will hopefully begin to see results.

P.S., If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out other articles on the blog for more tips and inspiration! Thanks for reading!

Sources

1. Liu Y, Jinwei L, Cheng Y, et al. Effect of frying oils’ fatty acid profile on quality, free radical and volatiles over deep-frying process: a comparative study using chemometrics. WLT. 2019;101:331-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2018.11.033.
2. American Heart Association Editorial Staff. Saturated Fat. American Heart Association website. Updated November 1, 2021. Accessed October 23, 2023. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/saturated-fats. 
3. Dairy and Your Heart Health. The Heart Foundation website. Accessed October 23, 2023. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/healthy-living-and-eating/dairy-and-heart-health#:~:text=Overall+milk%2C+yoghurt+and+cheese,which+can+increase+LDL+cholesterol.
4. Leidy HJ, Armstrong CLH, Tang M, et al. The influence of higher protein intake and greater eating frequency on appetite control in overweight and obese men. Obesity. 2010;18(9):1725-32. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.45.
5. Weigle DS, Breen PA, Matthys CC, et al. A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(1):41-8. doi: 10.1093/ajcn.82.1.41.
6. Mayo Clinic Staff. Chart of High Fiber Foods. Mayo Clinic website. Updated January 5, 2021. Accessed October, 23, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948#:~:text=Women+should+try+to+eat,It+can+vary+among+brands.

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