7 Healthy Tricks” of the Trade
If you
walk into a room full of nutritionists, dieticians and fitness professionals,
and yell something like ‘fat burning zone’ or ‘organic’, not only will everyone
stare at you (for yelling, of course) but you will probably have unwittingly
begun at least 27 separate debates
(that may or may not end in bloodshed).
You may have already realized that one of the most frustrating things
about fitness/nutrition is that everyone
seems to contradict each other! In an effort to clear away some of the
noise, Legally Fit has compiled seven of the most well- known, healthy, and consistently proven weight loss ‘tricks’ known to the
industry. All of these tips have been
proven time and time again in a variety of studies… some have been backed by
medical professionals… and most are simply common sense. Your challenge this week is to go through
this list, point by point. Give yourself
a great big hug for all of the suggestions that you already implement on a
daily basis… and put the rest of the list on your refrigerator as a goal! Pretty soon, these minor changes will become
part of your everyday routine… just like waking up, looking in the mirror and
saying, “I look pretty darn good!”. ☺
1)
Food
Journal
No
matter what dieting fad is in season, weight loss will always come down
to one simple equation… you must expend/burn (exercise) more calories than you
consume (eat)! Well, how the heck are
you going to know how many calories you are consuming each day (or burning for
that matter) if you don’t keep track of them!?
Lucky for us, calorie counting no longer has to involve tedious
calculations in a little notebook that you carry everywhere. Although the miracle of modern science has
not come up with a way to burn calories while sitting in a recliner eating
chips, it has devised a number of
ways in which to track your calories electronically
(most, with apps). Through ‘food
journaling’, you will quickly become more aware of portion size, healthy
substitutions, and the pure joy of ‘allowing’ yourself more calories in
exchange for more exercise.
2)
Drink.
Water.
Would
you bathe in a tub full of soda? Probably
not.
Why water (and Mr. Bubble)?
Because water is pure… it is natural… it is cheap (when it comes from a
faucet), and it is healthy. Drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water a day
has been shown to reduce aches and pains (unknowingly caused by dehydration),
improve skin elasticity/appearance, improve mood, increase energy, increase
metabolism by aiding digestion, lubricate joints and muscles, and, most importantly, to help you lose
weight! Often, our bodies mistake thirst
for hunger. Drinking water will help to
curb your ‘appetite’ while flushing toxins and bi-products out of your system. All of these benefits, with 0 calories! So… stop drinking all of those crazy,
fabricated products (i.e. soda, sport drinks, etc.) that are loaded with sugar
and calories. Like Sheryl Crow says, ‘…
the water’s still free’! Save money,
save calories, save your health… one glass at a time. ☺
3)
Exercise. Yes, Exercise.
You
would think that this point would go without saying, but many people sit at
their desk all day, faithfully consuming their Paleo diet requirements, and
wonder why the weight loss does not simply take care of itself. Yes, bodies are sculpted in the kitchen as
much as in the gym, however, one must have both
components to that equation. It is
recommended that each person complete at
least 30-40 minutes of cardio, 3-4 times per week, at least 2-3 sets (of 8-12 reps) of strength training per muscle
group, 3-4 times per week, and at least 2-3 instances of ‘flexibility training’
(aka ‘stretching’) per week (or after all of the above).
4)
Get
Your Beauty Sleep!
Believe
it or not, what could be holding you back from losing those last few pounds may
have absolutely nothing to do with
your diet or exercise! So… take a deep breath, relax, get a good night’s sleep…
and watch those pounds melt away! How is
it possible that allowing yourself to relax and get an adequate amount of sleep
has such a dramatic effect on weight loss?
Well, to be honest, the jury is still out on exactly why this phenomenon occurs… but a few possible explanations
include cortisol, ghrelin and growth hormone levels (discussions best left for
another day).
5)
Switch
to Whole Grains
Yes,
you need carbs. No, they will not
make you blow up like the Goodyear Blimp… if
you are smart about what kind of
carbs you are eating. I will make it as
easy as possible for you… basically, by making the simple switch from processed
flour/bread/rice (basically anything white) to whole grain (not white), you
will get lots and lots of the following: vitamins, minerals, that comfy ‘full’
feeling (so that you eat less), increased energy, and disease prevention (heart
disease, type II diabetes)! Yeah! Cheers to wheat toast!
6)
Eat
Breakfast
…
speaking of wheat toast… why not add that wholesome goodness to your breakfast
routine! Not only will you reap the
benefits described above, but you will join the ranks of breakfast eaters that
reduce their chances of becoming obese (and developing diabetes) by
35-50%! When you don’t eat breakfast… get ready for some scariness. First, in sensing a lack of available
calories, the body's metabolism lowers in order to conserve expenditure of
energy, which means you will automatically burn fewer calories during the
morning hours. Secondly, in response to this perceived deprivation the body
increases production of cortisol, the stress hormone that leads to fat storage, particularly around the midsection. Moreover, with glucose
levels low and cortisol levels high you are poised to become ravenous as the
day goes on and it becomes nearly impossible for you not to overeat later. Do you need more? Well… eating breakfast within an hour or so
of waking leads to clearer thinking, less stress, and more energy. Plus, your metabolism has been kick started
for the day… so you can burn more fat and calories as you take a seat at your
desk! Now… let’s try that again with a
little more enthusiasm… cheers to wheat toast!
☺
7)
Brush
Your Teeth
Wanna
burn calories, cut your cravings and maintain a stellar smile? Brush your teeth! It’s not just for mornings and bed time
anymore! Brushing serves as a physical
and psychological cue to stop eating… and you already know that nothing tastes good with ‘toothpaste
mouth’. ☺ Guess what else… brushing your teeth for 2 minutes, 3 times a day (as
recommended) burns approximately 5,500 calories a year… and that, my friends,
is more than one pound of fat. Now are
you smiling? ☺
