All right, we’re done. We have completed the annual tradition of eating ourselves into an insulin-induced coma in front of the football game. We have woken up with a rumbling in our stomach wondering why we ate the four pounds of ham, one pound of sweet potato casserole, and half a pound of cranberry sauce that you sip out of a can. This is the time when we make an annual resolution to lose weight and look good for swimwear season. But I have a different challenge for you. Don’t lose weight just to look good. Focus on changing the habits that led you to this situation in the first place. Here, I’ll explain four habits you can change to achieve your weight loss goal and to make you feel healthier than you have in years.
Trade in your bottle of coke for a bottle of water. An average can of soda contains about 140 calories, most of which come from the sugar in the soda. USA Today reported in 2007 that people who drink soda are more likely to gain weight because they do not offset their extra calories in drinks with lower calorie foods. Energy drinks and sports drinks are not much better, as they contain the same or even more sugar than sodas. Sugarstacks.com offers a good visual aid to explain the amount of sugar in the most common beverages we consume. Fix this by replacing your daily dose of soda with a glass of water. This gives your body the water it needs without the sugar crash that occurs later in the day.
Aerobic exercise is good for you. Too many people see exercise as a chore that involves anguish, suffering, and generally bad feelings. I always tell my patients that the best form of exercise they can do is one that they like. The Center for Disease Control recommends 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity a week to maintain a healthy weight and good blood chemistry. If you’re not sure which exercise to do, try them all. Walking, running, stair climbing, swimming, rowing, elliptical, biking, zumba, kickboxing, tae-bo, step, salsa dancing, and yes, even pole dance, all with aerobic exercise features that can help you reach your fitness goals. weightloss. Do the exercise that you enjoy and that you will continue to do.
Smart snack. One of the most common excuses I hear about why someone gains weight is that they eat between meals too often. If that’s your case, that’s fine. Many quality diets are based on a 5- or 6-meal meal plan rather than 3 full meals a day. The key to eating smart throughout the day is smart preparation. Choose low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods (my favorite is veggies) as a snack for your day. Every time you go shopping, set aside 15 minutes when you get home to wash and cut vegetables and place individual servings in plastic bags. Having a healthy snack on hand at all times will cut down on your trips to the vending machine or pantry to buy whatever calorie-packed food is available.
Turn off the TV. Some might regard this last suggestion as sacrilege. A growing concern in our society is inactivity. With the many TV shows, we often flop into the recliner after coming home from a hard day at work and don’t get out of the chair until we go to bed. Try to pick one or two shows to watch in the evening. When the show turns off, turn off the television. Get up and do something. Go for a walk. Clean the kitchen. Play with a pet or child. Read a book. Either of these will keep your mind or body more active than just sitting in front of the TV.
Changing just a few of the common habits we have can make a big difference in how you feel. Inheriting in you is the knowledge to be a healthier person. You know you shouldn’t eat a whole bag of potato chips in one sitting. You do it because you place the whole bag in front of you while you watch TV with a soda on the coffee table. Change the little things you do and you will see big changes in your life.
References: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-03-25-soda-drinkers_N.htm, http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html