There are a lot of reasons people have gained weight over the
years. Some of them are medical and need a doctor's diagnosis
and treatment. But for the rest of us changing our habits can
help quite a bit!
First, there is absolutely no substitute for exercise. Even if
you don't want to lose weight, regular exercise has a dramatic
impact on the quality of life as well as preventing a lot of conditions
that cause pain and suffering. By exercising regularly, you reduce
your risk of all sorts of health factors from alzheimer's to cancer
as well as obesity and basic aches and pains.
What's the reason for this? The body is meant to be used. We are
designed to move everyday. Our body is our greatest tool, capable
of many many feats and adaptations. Before cars and animal domestication,
it was our transportation, it was our forklift, it was our shopping
cart. We didn't have the same tools we have today, but our bodies
are still the same. Designed to move. There is a huge health impact
if we don't.
Some of the biggest changes that have occurred in our
life include:
Development of transportation.
We no longer move ourselves from place to place. This has had
a dramatic impact on our activity levels during the day and we
need less "fuel".
Revolution of food.
Food is now processed for convenience and enjoyment. It's easy
to get a hold of and we prefer something that's tasty. Unfortunately,
a lot of processed food is stripped of it's nutrients and preservatives
are added and neither situation is very ideal. Often these convenient
foods are packed with lots of calories; calories we don't need.
Since we no longer have to hunt for food, or do actual work to
gather it, our activity levels have dropped again.
The work we do is sedentary. Our activity
level drops even farther. And yet, we still keep eating larger
portions of calorie dense food.
So, let's get to some tips and the reasons why they might
help.
Try to stay away from processed
foods, and typically anything that uses an artificial sweetener.
Artificial sweeteners are many, many times more sweet than naturally
occurring foods. Sweetness causes a pleasurable sensation that
causes cravings. For most foods, even when there is a sweetness
there is also the accompanying fullness that goes with a full
belly. Artificial sweeteners may not have any calories, but it
makes you crave more sweet and you will tend to eat more. Diet
sodas are an example of a beverage that has absolutely no nutritional
value and is artificially sweetened. How much money would you
save over the year if you stopped drinking soda?
Eat!
Don't skip meals!
Skipping meals will slow your metabolism and make you hungry.
Next time you sit down to eat, you'll binge, eating more calories
than you need. Any extra calories you eat will be stored as fat.
Start with breakfast.
Follow it a couple hours later with a healthy little snack, no
more than a couple hundred calories.
Don't skip lunch!
You want to keep the fires burning, especially to get enough energy
to get through the afternoon.
2-3 o' clock snack.
Typically people start to lag after lunch, around two or three.
Fight back with a little snack that will keep you going until
it's time to head for home.
Don't overdo dinner!
Many times people come to dinner after skimping on calories/food
during the day and they come HUNGRY! This is a formula for over
eating. Having a salad to start you off will help prevent overeating.
Evening snack?
Go for it. Just make sure it's not calorie-dense desserts that
have more calories than the dinner you just had.
Avoid!
Artificial sweeteners.
Even without calories they cause cravings which may lead to overeating.
They also lack any nutritional content. Save your money, avoid
the junk!
Large plates!
This will lead you to believe you are not eating very much because
of the amount of empty space on the plate from normal serving
sizes. If you fill a large plate you are almost certainly putting
too many calories into your body! Smaller plates will help you
feel like you are having a full meal instead of missing something
on an empty plate.
Buffet at the table!
Leave the main foods in the kitchen so you aren't as tempted to
grab more food. People have grown up believing you have to eat
everything on the plate and table.
Mindless Nibbling.
Don't grab the bag of potato chips during your favorite hour long
show on monday nights. You won't eve realize how much you have
eaten. If you must snack, set aside a serving and have a glass
of water with it.
Bingeing on Alcohol.
Multiple alcoholic drinks pack quite the calorie punch as well
as flush water from you system. Moderate alcohol consumption can
help the heart, but avoid the extra calories and avoid the impairment
related to drinking multiple alcoholic drinks over the course
of a few hours.
Fast food.
Almost all fast food is processed and has a lower nutritional
value than what you would get at a home cooked meal. Fast food
is very calorie dense and it doesn't take much to put you over
the limit on calories.
Diets.
All diet seek calorie restriction, usually at the sacrifice of
essential nutrients. Carbohydrates, fat and protein are not the
enemy, they are your allies. Just remember to load your plate
with about two-thirds full of vegetables and grains and split
the remaining third with healthy fats and protein. 60% Carbs,
25% Fats, 15% Protein is the ideal breakdown.
Casseroles are great for adding a lot of vegetables and still
getting a desirable flavor. Also try soups, which have a low caloric
density. Any time you get natural foods that have a lot of moisture,
you're more than likely getting something low calorie with a higher
fiber content. Often it's going to be more fill you up without
giving you an abundance of calories.
Exercise!
Get out and move!
Walk after lunch if you have time, walk after dinner with your
family, friends or pet. Get the heart moving, get those muscles
moving.
Develop a routine of regular
strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and flexibility.
Using your body is the best way to keep it working efficiently
and extend the number of years that it WILL work the way it is
supposed to.
The most important thing to consider if you want to lose weight
is to inform yourself about how and why the body works. Most weight
loss comes from water or muscle loss especially on a starvation
or calorie restriction diet. When cutting calories you must make
sure you get the nutrients the body needs to maintain itself,
otherwise you risk injury as well as losing the "wrong"
kind of weight. You want to keep the muscle and get rid of the
fat and the best way to do that is to eat what you need, and exercise
so that you start to dip into your "energy savings".
It's not a fast process, but neither was putting it on. Give yourself
some time to take it off. Make it a hobby and you won't even notice
it coming off.
Remember, exercise should not be suffering. If it's agony you
won't stick with it, so find activities that require a good deal
of movement that you are likely to enjoy. Enlist your family and
friends and you may find how much it feels good to move.
If
you need more information please contact me.
Let's talk about changing your life.
Understanding
and dedication are the keys to changing your lifestyle. Adding
exercise and activity under the supervision of a personal fitness
trainer can help you define and conquer your goals as well as
help you achieve healthy habits.
