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Posted by Sue (MN~Sue) on 1/31/2003, 12:20 am, in reply to "A site with helpful info on weight loss and fitness info" Emphasize lower glycemic carbs. [On the site, they list which foods fall into these catagories] They keep you burning fat, and they dramatically reduce feelings of hunger. There is no possible way I could say this too often. Don't be a bandit. This is often a problem for people who prepare food for others. If you closely study the intake of people with weight loss problems, you often see them eating a surprising number of uncounted calories during food preparation and while putting plates away. Your body counts that chunk of cheese, and the crust you cut off of Jimmy's peanut butter sandwich. You should too. Don't equate healthy ingredients with healthy food. Consider spinach dip. Oooh! Spinach. It's a vegetable, isn't it? Yeah, but it's the "dip" part that will kill you. You might as well spoon mayonnaise out of a jar and eat it plain. Ditto for Caesar salad, and other salads using oil-based dressings. Focus on the short-term. If you're tempted by something, don't think about the long-term benefits of avoiding it. Think about the short-term benefits. You'll be thinner tomorrow. You'll be proud of yourself 20 minutes from now. Remember to give yourself an occasional opportunity to choose treats. It's helpful to plan a limited treat or two in advance. Use them as motivation to stay on plan during the week. Have those treats, and then get back on plan. I don't really agree with the notion of a huge "binge day," because it encourages all-or-nothing thinking, and for people who tend to be binge eaters anyway, it can set up some bad patterns that are hard to eliminate. Again, if your fitness program isn't working for you yet, you've got to add the missing pieces to make it work. You will not find a better program than the combination of balanced nutrition, aerobics, wind sprints, cross-training, resistance training, simple record-keeping, and proper supplementation. The bottom line Aerobics Interval training ("wind sprints"). You should be winded, but never gasping. Weight training. Focus on contracting the muscle, not on lifting the weight. Slow on the eccentric. On your last rep, hold the weight in mid-air until you thoroughly exhaust the muscle. For every exercise, in every workout, make one set a new "personal best." Eat frequently, to maintain the nutrient stream and keep your metabolism up.
A few more specific tips if you're having trouble losing fat:
Never eat standing up. You're apt to forget or ignore the calories that you eat. If you're hungry and need to snack, go straight for a piece of fruit, sit down, and eat it along with a large glass of water. Don't worry, you'll have protein at your next scheduled meal. Just eat the fruit immediately so you don't go on a binge. Some people can't stand celery, but once a week I cut a bunch of sticks and store them in a ziplock bag just to munch on now and then.
Beware the big meal. My bet is that 5 meals out of 6, you're doing just great. But once a day, you have a meal (usually socially or with family) that is far over the appropriate portion size. Watch out.
Don't equate "protein" with "meat." Try to include sources other than meat (which is relatively high in fat). Fish, turkey, and grilled skinless chicken breast are great, but whey protein, egg protein (little or no yolk), soy protein, and casein protein such as low-fat cottage cheese are great alternatives. They also give you a good, complete amino acid profile.
Learn to jump rope. The cross-training benefits are outrageous. It has less impact than running. To start, form a nice U shape with the rope. The movement is all in the wrists. Be sure to use good shoes. Warm up by doing some jumping jacks, stretch your calves well after about 2 minutes of jumping, and also stretch afterward. Like many cardio exercises, the first two minutes are very anaerobic and will trick you into thinking you just can't go on. But if you get over that hump, you can go much longer than you think.
Be aware of your emotions. The motivation for cheating is often stress, anxiety, loneliness, or feelings of low self-worth. Don't use food to solve these. In Zen, the practice is to breathe deeply several times, recognizing those feelings - "Hello my little sadness. I know you. Breathing in, I know that I feel sad. Breathing out, I know that my sadness needs my attention, not food." Don't fight with your emotions or temptation. This will only make them stronger. Instead, recognize them. Your emotions are part of you, but you are more than your emotions. "Breathing in, I am a mountain. Breathing out, I feel solid." Just continue to breathe deeply, go sit down (if possible), and give your emotions your attention as you would a crying baby. Look deeply to see why your baby is crying, breathing calmly. Looking deeply, breathing calmly, being your better self, you will see clearly what you really need. It is probably not food. That practice alone will take away much of your negative energy. But it does take practice. Give those emotions your time and attention. Don't just take a couple of deep breaths and then move on to the cupcakes. And remember, staying on track will reduce your problems better than giving in ever will.
It's all about blood sugar. Remember that the point of the frequent meals is to keep your blood sugar stable, not to make you a fanatical clock-watcher. Just eat so that you are generally neither hungry nor full. Half of a protein bar, with a piece of fruit and a big glass of water (about 250 calories total) is a great mid-afternoon meal at the office.
Plan. Write out your menu for the week and then go shopping to make sure that the elements of your nutrition plan are actually available at home, work, on the road, wherever you go. You'll minimize cheating that way.
Notice that reducing calories has more to do with smaller portions, simple record-keeping, and better choices than it does with depriving yourself. Have half. Skip that handful. Lay off the high-fat meats and choose fish, skinless chicken breast (no skin or wing), and great tasting veggie alternatives like Boca Burgers. Lay off the prepared carbs (muffins, breads, white rice, pastas) and choose fruits and vegetables more frequently!
Here are all the components of an effective fitness program that works with your body.
Cross-training. Use a variety of exercises so you keep your body "surprised."
Every day, and before every workout, ask yourself "What is my goal here?"
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