alphabitesnyc: January 2008 Archives

If you're like me, you like to gather with your friends for good food and hopefully a great football game. Did you know that Superbowl Sunday is second to Thanksgiving for the highest amount of calorie consumption? BUT....Superbowl Sunday doesn't have to mean

I've heard them and probably tried them all before...easy ways you think will help you lose weight, fast. Chances are in the short term they will, but are they healthy and do they really work in the long term?

1. Skipping Meals
For most of you, this probably means skipping breakfast. This is a big NO in my book. Regardless of which meal you skip you are messing with your metabolism. I like to use the analogy that feeding your body is like fueling your car, without the gas it won't run! Studies have shown that eating breakfast is essential for weight loss. Usually those who eat a healthy breakfast are more apt to exercise and eat better throughout the day while keeping your blood sugar level.

2. Cutting out entire food groups
"I'm off carbs!" "I don't eat fat"...etc. Essentially what you are doing is cutting your caloric intake. That said you are also cutting essential vitamins and minerals form your diet. Instead, trade the "bad" for the "good" like healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains and monounsaturated fats like olive oil.

3. Diet Alone
Thou shall not lose weight by diet alone! Exercise is imperative for burning fat, building lean muscle, and bone strength. You don't have to be a gym rat, it only takes 30 minutes a day of movement to help you in your long-term goal of a healthy lifestyle.

4. Fasts/Cleanses
I hear of people talking about fasting or trying the Master Cleanse to help them flush their system or lose weight, but I'm not a big proponent. Most of the time they are dangerously low calorie or depleted of so many nutrients they are not healthy for long periods of time. What I do recommend is talking to your doctor before you start to make sure its ok for you. My rule of thumb is moderation NOT deprivation.

5.  Weighing yourself everyday
There is alot of debate about this one. I am a firm believer that you are probably doing more harm than good because you get too focused on the number. I suggest weighing yourself once a week - same scale, same time of day for consistency. So many factors can contribute to weight fluctuation that any change may make you crazy or discouraged. Use the scale as your guide - but don't be chained to it!

No one said this is going to be fun or easy. Everyone is different so don't expect the same results as your friend. Set your own individual goal and choose a program that works for specifically for you. A plan that aims for 1-2 pounds a week is optimal. You might achieve a significant loss in the beginning, but that may be due to water weight. Give your body time to adjust, and always keep in mind that slow and steady wins the weight loss race!

I was just reading a statistic about New Years resolutions. Did you know about one half of all Americans make them, but only one quarter sticks to them for more than a week or two and then back they go to the same old habits. By May, well, you might as well say, "Did I make a new years resolution?" First let me say I don't make them. I don't know about you, but I cannot recall a time, when I ever made a resolution that actually stuck for more than a few weeks. 

Why don't resolutions work? Well for starters it is my belief that most resolutions are made in the abstract. I would bet any amount of money the majority of you said you want to lose weight, start exercising, stop smoking just to name a few. But what does this really mean? Of course we all want to be healthier but we don't specify how we are to achieve these lofty goals, therefore making it virtually impossible for us to stick to them.

Now the goal has to be realistic. Obviously by saying it, won't make it happen. You have to have a plan. How do we do that, well the first thing to do is to find out what your doing wrong before you can make any changes to make it better.

Here is a list of Do's and Don'ts I propose instead of the typical New Years resolutions:

• DON'T say "diet". I hate that word. It has such a bad connotation, usually associated with deprivation. DO make this a true lifestyle change. Set a realistic, tangible goal with a reasonable timeline.
• DON'T tackle all your issues at once. DO choose one goal at a time. For example: if you have a habit of eating late at night make a rule that you will not eat past 8pm.
• DON'T deprive yourself! I am a firm believer in this one. I have found out  that the more we deprive ourselves. We want what we can't have. DO allow yourself to indulge once in a while. Treat yourself to your favorite food once in a while, but remember portion control.
• DON'T have a one size fits all mentality. Just because that "diet" worked for someone else, doesn't mean its right for you. DO choose one that fits into your lifestyle comfortably. 
• DON'T say I will go to the gym everyday. Let's face it, most of us live a hectic lifestyle...work, kids, etc. DO aim for a total of 30 minutes 5 days a week. That may not mean 30 minutes all at once, but 10 minutes, 3 times throughout the day. (I'll have tips on ways to work exercise into your busy day soon). 
• This one is just a DO. Clean out your kitchen cupboards and refrigerator. You clean your closets at least once a year...why are your cupboards any different. Get rid of the old Chinese food containers, the mustard you've had since you moved in or the oil sitting in you cabinet since the last time you cooked (probably longer than you can remember). I bet you didn't know that long-term storage of oils could be problematic. In fact they can turn rancid rather quickly. 
• DON'T get discouraged if you have a bad day and "fall off the wagon". DO jump right back on the horse as soon as possible. Remember you're human and cut yourself some slack. One bad day is not going to kill you - it's continuing that behavior day after day that causes more harm.
• DON'T go through this alone. Losing weight can be daunting task. DO hire a nutritionist or personal trainer if possible. If that's not in your budget there are plenty of online resources that you can reference. Or rely on your your family and friends as your support system. There is strength in numbers.

And finally just DO it....The point is why put off till tomorrow what you can start today. Make every day New Years Day. To Happy and Healthy New Year.