June 23, 2009 at 4:13 pm / Filed under Fitness
Ever wonder why all of your wonderful dieting attempts always end the same way? Have you been dieting and finally hit a plateau and don’t know how to get the scale moving again? The answer is quite simple: lift weights! Many people seem to be confused by that simple piece of advice, but it truly works. Dieting alone results in you losing precious lean muscle from your body - which you never want to do! By adding weight training to your routine, along with your diet, you preserve that muscle and actually gain some along the way, which results in a leaner, firmer, healthier body. Not only will lifting weights help speed up your metabolism, but for every pound of muscle you gain - you burn an extra 50 calories a day! Add 2 pounds of muscle and you are looking at an extra 100 calories a day (if it doesn’t sound like a lot to you, just think that eating an extra 100 calories a day will result in 10 pounds of fat every year). So just by adding weight training to your exercise routine, and a healthy diet of course, you will lose up to 10 lbs. in 1 year, and that’s without changing your diet. And don’t worry about the muscle making you look any bigger, because it’s actually much denser (hence, smaller) and takes up much less space in your body - resulting in you being smaller (assuming you are overweight) and much firmer (who doesn’t like that!).
Want to give it a go? Don’t forget that not only do you need to maintain proper form at all times but you also need to lift weights that are heavy enough (you should be able to perform each exercise around 15 times and be very close to fatiguing the muscle). Be sure to include all of your major muscles. Perform your weight lifting routine around 3 times a week. Consult a personal trainer if you are unsure of what to do. And remember, consistency is key, so make this a part of your routine and stick with it to get the best results.
June 4, 2009 at 10:10 pm / Filed under Nutrition
I remember when the 100 calorie snack packs first hit the grocery stores. I thought - what a great idea. I must admit, I too thought they were a great tool to help manage my weight. Honestly, who could resist the convenience of your favorite fattening snacks, in a small, portion-controlled little baggy that you could take with you anywhere. But that was a long time ago…before I realized the importance of eating REAL food (and not something that can be stored in your pantry forever without going bad!). So although they do look tempting, I’ve learned to totally stay away from that aisle altogether - although, I occasionally splurge with a box of trisquits (not too bad for your waistline).
Although I always wondered how bad these cute little treats could actually be, I now have an answer. It turns out that they may actually cause you to gain weight! Yes, they actually do the complete opposite of what they are marketed for. How sneaky of them! A new study reported in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people actually ate more when eating the snack packs than those who were given regular-sized bags of chips. Okay, so I guess they were given access to the entire box but anyways, they claim that people feel they have a “license to overeat.”
So, clearly, these processed foods should not be part of your regular diet. Not only will you end up eating more, calorie-wise, but you’ll also be eating junk. These snacks have zero nutritional quality, which is probably another reason people overeat them. Without quality ingredients like fiber and protein, you’re bound to get hungry quickly (probably before you’ve finished your first little snack pack!). Want my advice? Switch to Mother Nature’s snack packs - apple, banana, orange, etc. Not only are they loaded with vital nutrients and fiber, but they come in the handiest little packages - good to go anytime - no wrappers required!
