At some point in time, it seems all my conversations with people tend to somehow lead to health - mainly weight loss - especially amongst my lady friends. It seems somewhere along the line we messed up, or was it we become hormonally incorrect?
Well I've come to find out, that its not necessarily the hormonal connection, although there certainly are times that it is the problem, along with thyroid issues. Most of the time however, and I say this tenderly, it's what we did to ourselves for many years, that caused that muffin top, or pouch. Oh, and guys, this is for you too!!!
So what was it that lead up to this battle of the bulge issue anyway? Well I'm happy to say, it's not just one particular thing. I have found, for myself, it was lack of exercise, and eating at night. Now, I don't eat a ton of snacks at night, but no matter what it was, I had to realize that my metabolism slowed to the point of not burning off those extra calories at all. And considering I didn't do much of anything to boost my energy levels during the day, then my system was pretty much depleted at night, and it just held on to the food I put into my stomach like glue!
Here's 5 little tips that I found to be extremely helpful...and trust me, they work!
1. Eat your smallest meal in the evening, and don't snack.Ewwww, did I make you shivver? Easier said than done? Well, not exactly. It's really a matter of changing habits. I rarely ate much for dinner - soups and crackers, salads, fruit. But the problem was the after dinner 'treats'. So, instead of eating the jagunda meal at night, eat light, and only drink water for the rest of the night, ending an hr before bed.
2. Make Breakfast the biggest meal of the day (lunch would be my second choice). Studies have shown that people who eat a good breakfast do better in the weight loss area.Now that I have readjusted, i love eating breakfast and dinner, well, I'm not really hungry for much.
3. Get some exercise. I'm not kidding here! I know I spend a majority of my day sitting at work. I found that early morning exercise pumps me up for the day. If I cant get it in the morning, then mid afternoon picks me up from my mid day slump! Walking, treadmill, trampoline, exercise DVD programs...whatever. Get the body moving! Its the only way to get the metabolism fired up to burn calories. AND when I'm just sitting here, I may get my BIG Pilates ball, and sit and bounce while typing....you may see my letters a little wavy!
4. Make water your beverage of choice. Soda, Coffee, Crystal Light, juices, all add calories, plus other problematic health issues. Dont like water. Suck it up and drink it anyway! The more you drink it, the easier it will be.Try to abstain from tap water becasue of the chemicals, floride, and chlorine. Also, dont think you have to drink a whole gallon a day. Your body can only process 6-8 ounces at a time. Fill up your 8 oz container and then just drink 6 to 8 of those a day...or as much as you can. If you want an added boost, squeeze a 1/2 lemon in one of those glasses...cleanses the liver, adds vitamin C, antioxidants and bioflavonoids. Key is, start slowly, build up...but DO build up!
5. Diet it DIE with a T! Skip the fad diets. They may work for a little time, but chances are you are going to gain the weight back. Eating a balanced, low fat, plant based diet - consisting mostly of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes - you will never have to worry about counting calories again! I've been a vegetarian for about 20 years now (and I'm not saying you have to turn vegetarian although it does add years to your life, reverses disease, and makes you healthier), but at least cut back on the sugar, fat, snacks, and junk. The bigger the snacks, the larger the slacks folks! Learn how to create some non-meat dishes, and again, make the most of your food intake for during the day. Oh, and here's a side note. Eat meals, then don't eat again for 4-5 hrs. Digestion works in 4-5 hr intervals, and if you eat a snack 2 hrs later, you just turned off the digestion and what you have now is fermenting food that is trapped inside your stomach. That in itself will cause heartburn, reflux and a host of other digestive issues. Chances are if you are hungry 2 hrs after you ate, you are really thirsty. So drink the water BUT don't drink with your meals! Dilutes the digestive juices. Drink up to 1/2 hr before and start again 1/2 hr after meals.
Got questions? Bring it on...that's why I'm here! Email me at coachrobin@befitandwellnow.com.
Your health is wealth!
Robin
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