Remember how, during your teens and 20s, you could eat practically anything and not gain a pound? Now that you're hovering around middle age, you've probably found that's just not the case anymore. Part of the problem is that your metabolism decreases as a result of other age-related factors, like decrease in muscle mass. However, there's no need to give in to a bigger pant size just yet! Read on for eight ways to rev up your metabolism and keep those unwanted pounds from your waistline.
Do Intervals
Mixing in fast-paced intervals raises your metabolic rate higher than doing a steady cardio workout, and will continue to do so up to an hour after you’re done, says Kristin McGee, a trainer and Pilates instructor whose client list includes Tina Fey and Bethenny Frankel. An Australian study also found that women who did intervals while they were biking lost three times as much fat as those who worked out at a steady pace. If you’re a walker, simply walk at your normal pace for 1 to 2 minutes, then speed-walk for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat the sequence 10 to 15 times.
Opt for Caffeine
It’s time to hit Starbucks. A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior shows that coffee drinkers have a 16 percent higher metabolic rate than those who abstain or drink decaf joe, because caffeine increases your heart rate and stimulates your central nervous system. Spread out the cups over your entire day to keep your metabolism running at a boosted rate—just be sure to have your last cup by early afternoon so you can hit the pillow with no problems later on.
Add Some Ice
Though the increase is modest, there is some evidence that drinking cold water can cause a slight surge in metabolic rate. Since your body maintains a core temperature around 98.6°F, cold water will be brought to that temperature after being consumed and calories are burned during the warming process. Discovery Health deduced that you can burn up to 70 extra calories a day if you follow the common rule of drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of cold water per day. Need another reason to up your water intake? Researchers at the University of Utah found that participants who drank half of the recommended amount of water per day (four 8-ounce glasses), not only showed signs of dehydration, they also experienced a 2% decrease in calories burned per day.
Eat a Big Breakfast
It’s time to nix the oatmeal with skim milk. Instead, start your day with a fatty breakfast, including eggs and even a piece of bacon, suggests Molly Bray, PhD, lead author of a recent study showing that a fat-filled morning meal will jumpstart your metabolism for the day faster than a lowfat, low-calorie breakfast. Another study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who eat 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gain 1.7 pounds over four years. That’s not bad considering those who eat 0 to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gain nearly 3 pounds.
Drink Green Tea
Not only does green tea contain enough antioxidants to keep colds and the flu at bay, but it also does wonders for your metabolism, according to a study published in the journal Phytomedicine. Researchers found that people who drank the equivalent of three to five cups daily for three months shaved 5 percent off their body weight. Green tea contains ECGC, a plant compound that stimulates your metabolism, says Rania Batayneh, MPH, a nutritionist in private practice in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, and founder of Essential Nutrition consulting.
Don't Skimp on Dairy
Calcium-rich foods and drinks, including milk, yogurt and cheese, increase the rate at which fat turns into waste, says a study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen published in the The Journal of Nutrition. It doesn’t matter what form of dairy product you’re consuming as long as the serving size is adequate (keep it lowfat!)—either a full glass of lowfat milk or 6 ounces of yogurt is perfect. Also, the study noted that you have to actually ingest the calcium in its natural form; supplements don’t work due to differences in the chemical makeup.
Build More Muscle
Gaining lean muscle mass boosts your metabolism and makes losing weight much easier, McGee says. If you add just 5 pounds of muscle to your body, you’ll burn up to 150 more calories per day without even working out those muscles. And, you can burn an average of 600 calories per hour during your cardio workout thanks to that extra muscle mass. “Muscle burns more calories than fat does, even at rest, so any strength-training activities to build lean muscle are excellent,” McGee says. The key is to challenge all your muscles and do a full-body strength-training workout, hitting your core, arms, legs, back and chest.
Pick Up Heavier Weights
By using heavy weights at a very slow rate—twice as slow as would feel natural—you break down your muscles (you’ll know the weights are heavy enough and the workout slow enough if you start to shake after just a few lifts or squats). Researchers at Wayne State University found that when your body repairs those overworked muscles, it causes your metabolism to increase for up to three days after the workout.
Original article appeared on WomansDay.com.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
5 Reason's Your Always Starving
A foolproof plan to keep hunger from gnawing away at your weight-loss goals.
You’re driving along on your way to work, to the gym, or to pick up the kids and—bam—it hits you—that overwhelming gnawing hunger. The next thing you know, you’re pulling into a drive through and ordering up a storm.
Isn’t it fascinating (and frustrating) how the “I have to eat now!” feeling can hit even if you’ve been making good nutrition a top priority? Experts are discovering that when you eat, what your food tastes like, and even how much you drink can have a major impact on how often hunger pangs strike.
We asked leading nutritionists to share with us the five most common reasons you’re frequently famished, as well as their top tips for maximizing satisfaction and keeping hunger at bay.
1. You eat the right foods at the wrong times.
Eating at different times every day can make it difficult for you to tune in to your body’s hunger signals, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of Nutrition Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Haphazard eating can hurt your metabolism as well. When British researchers asked women to eat meals at either the same time or at different times each day, those who followed a predictable pattern ate less and burned more calories than those who ate at a different time every day.
The Fix: Plan ahead.
If you’ve been journaling, review your food diary to zero in on when you’re most likely to fall prey to eating at erratic times. (If you haven’t been keeping a food diary, try doing so for a few days.) Then, says Moore, write out a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat.
2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.
Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.
The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .
3. Your diet is flawless but flavorless.
If ho-hum, diet-conscious standbys like grilled chicken and steamed veggies are staples on your dinner plate, you could be headed for trouble. “You’re going to get bored and eventually have difficulty sticking with your weight-loss plan,” says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The Fix: Spice it up.
Getting creative in the kitchen will give your stand-by recipes new life—and keep you more satisfied in the long run. “Experiment with fresh, flavorful herbs, like basil, gingerroot, oregano, and mint,” suggests Moore. Also, adding acidity (a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar) and sweetness (a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar) can make your staple dishes more complex in taste—and more satisfying. Texture is also key: Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. Try tossing chopped nuts on your greens or mixing granola into your yogurt.
4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.
The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.
5. You drink your meals.
With the ever-increasing popularity of lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away. But drinking too many caloric beverages can ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied. When researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, gave study participants 450 extra calories daily in the form of either fluid or solid food, those who ate the extra solids ate less later in the day whereas those who drank the extra fluids did not. The reasoning: Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is digested more slowly than liquids.
The Fix: Rethink convenience.
Slurping down a meal might seem fast and easy, but in the time it takes to drive to the coffee shop, stand on line, and pay for that latte, you could have had something just as quick—and far more satisfying. “Try a slice of toast with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with some fruit,” says Lona Sandon. If it’s the comfort of a hot drink you crave, go ahead and have that latte—just order it with fat-free milk. And instead of sipping it solo, enjoy it with a few whole-grain crackers or a banana. In other words, focus on food combinations that will get you through to your next meal—no starving required.
Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D., Weight Watchers
You’re driving along on your way to work, to the gym, or to pick up the kids and—bam—it hits you—that overwhelming gnawing hunger. The next thing you know, you’re pulling into a drive through and ordering up a storm.
Isn’t it fascinating (and frustrating) how the “I have to eat now!” feeling can hit even if you’ve been making good nutrition a top priority? Experts are discovering that when you eat, what your food tastes like, and even how much you drink can have a major impact on how often hunger pangs strike.
We asked leading nutritionists to share with us the five most common reasons you’re frequently famished, as well as their top tips for maximizing satisfaction and keeping hunger at bay.
1. You eat the right foods at the wrong times.
Eating at different times every day can make it difficult for you to tune in to your body’s hunger signals, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of Nutrition Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Haphazard eating can hurt your metabolism as well. When British researchers asked women to eat meals at either the same time or at different times each day, those who followed a predictable pattern ate less and burned more calories than those who ate at a different time every day.
The Fix: Plan ahead.
If you’ve been journaling, review your food diary to zero in on when you’re most likely to fall prey to eating at erratic times. (If you haven’t been keeping a food diary, try doing so for a few days.) Then, says Moore, write out a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat.
2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.
Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.
The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .
3. Your diet is flawless but flavorless.
If ho-hum, diet-conscious standbys like grilled chicken and steamed veggies are staples on your dinner plate, you could be headed for trouble. “You’re going to get bored and eventually have difficulty sticking with your weight-loss plan,” says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The Fix: Spice it up.
Getting creative in the kitchen will give your stand-by recipes new life—and keep you more satisfied in the long run. “Experiment with fresh, flavorful herbs, like basil, gingerroot, oregano, and mint,” suggests Moore. Also, adding acidity (a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar) and sweetness (a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar) can make your staple dishes more complex in taste—and more satisfying. Texture is also key: Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. Try tossing chopped nuts on your greens or mixing granola into your yogurt.
4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.
The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.
5. You drink your meals.
With the ever-increasing popularity of lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away. But drinking too many caloric beverages can ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied. When researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, gave study participants 450 extra calories daily in the form of either fluid or solid food, those who ate the extra solids ate less later in the day whereas those who drank the extra fluids did not. The reasoning: Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is digested more slowly than liquids.
The Fix: Rethink convenience.
Slurping down a meal might seem fast and easy, but in the time it takes to drive to the coffee shop, stand on line, and pay for that latte, you could have had something just as quick—and far more satisfying. “Try a slice of toast with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with some fruit,” says Lona Sandon. If it’s the comfort of a hot drink you crave, go ahead and have that latte—just order it with fat-free milk. And instead of sipping it solo, enjoy it with a few whole-grain crackers or a banana. In other words, focus on food combinations that will get you through to your next meal—no starving required.
Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D., Weight Watchers
Friday, January 7, 2011
6 Reasons Why We Don't Lose Weight...
By John Messmer, MD
Doctors hear this complaint often: “I’m dieting all the time, but I can’t lose any weight.” For many people, losing weight is a frustrating endeavor. No matter how hard they seem to be trying, nothing changes. What is going on? Identifying the problem is only part of the solution.
6 common reasons why we don’t lose weight
1. Many of our social interactions include food.
2. Restaurants portions have increased (particularly fast food).
3. We are less active than in the past.
4. We find it unacceptable to be hungry.
5. We misunderstand how weight is maintained.
6. We forget the extra food we eat everyday, or we think we ate less than we did.
It’s also important to remember that when we consume fewer calories, we have a tendency to be less active, which probably stems from our biological programming to preserve body weight for survival.
Simple truths about weight loss
Many people think weight loss is like emptying a bucket with a ladle. A scoop out of the bucket today, tomorrow, next week will eventually empty the bucket. Not so with our bodies. When we decrease our food intake, our bodies try to absorb and store more calories the next time we eat in excess of what our body needs. So, even though we are cutting down most of the time, we will not lose weight if we get extra calories part of the time.
The simple rule of weight loss is that you must consistently burn off more calories than you take in. Any type of weight loss diet can work as long as calorie intake is consistently reduced, every day. A diet that is balanced with small quantities of vegetables, fruit, grains and lean meat or fish is the healthiest. Exercise helps, but unless you are an athlete, you will have to cut calories, too. And remember, it’s OK to be hungry when losing weight. Once a goal is achieved, every day is for maintaining. If you go back to eating more and exercising less, the weight will go right back on.
Factoring exercise into your weight loss plan
You can exercise more to lose weight, but beware of this idea. Most people don’t realize how much exercise is needed to lose weight without cutting calories. Plus, exercise increases appetites. If a dieter can avoid eating any more than was consumed before the diet and can burn off an additional 500 calories every day, that person can lose a pound a week. One mile, walked or run, or five miles on a bike, burns 100 calories. If you can do five miles a day—every day—and not eat any more no matter where you are or what you are doing, you can lose a pound a week. Or, you can cut 250 calories per day and do two and a half miles to accomplish the same thing.
Everyone can lose weight. Not everyone can or should be skinny, but everyone can reach a normal, healthy weight. It requires an acceptance that we cannot eat all we want, whenever we want. We can enjoy food and the occasions in which food is served, but our food intake must be balanced with our activity to achieve and maintain a normal weight.
Doctors hear this complaint often: “I’m dieting all the time, but I can’t lose any weight.” For many people, losing weight is a frustrating endeavor. No matter how hard they seem to be trying, nothing changes. What is going on? Identifying the problem is only part of the solution.
6 common reasons why we don’t lose weight
1. Many of our social interactions include food.
2. Restaurants portions have increased (particularly fast food).
3. We are less active than in the past.
4. We find it unacceptable to be hungry.
5. We misunderstand how weight is maintained.
6. We forget the extra food we eat everyday, or we think we ate less than we did.
It’s also important to remember that when we consume fewer calories, we have a tendency to be less active, which probably stems from our biological programming to preserve body weight for survival.
Simple truths about weight loss
Many people think weight loss is like emptying a bucket with a ladle. A scoop out of the bucket today, tomorrow, next week will eventually empty the bucket. Not so with our bodies. When we decrease our food intake, our bodies try to absorb and store more calories the next time we eat in excess of what our body needs. So, even though we are cutting down most of the time, we will not lose weight if we get extra calories part of the time.
The simple rule of weight loss is that you must consistently burn off more calories than you take in. Any type of weight loss diet can work as long as calorie intake is consistently reduced, every day. A diet that is balanced with small quantities of vegetables, fruit, grains and lean meat or fish is the healthiest. Exercise helps, but unless you are an athlete, you will have to cut calories, too. And remember, it’s OK to be hungry when losing weight. Once a goal is achieved, every day is for maintaining. If you go back to eating more and exercising less, the weight will go right back on.
Factoring exercise into your weight loss plan
You can exercise more to lose weight, but beware of this idea. Most people don’t realize how much exercise is needed to lose weight without cutting calories. Plus, exercise increases appetites. If a dieter can avoid eating any more than was consumed before the diet and can burn off an additional 500 calories every day, that person can lose a pound a week. One mile, walked or run, or five miles on a bike, burns 100 calories. If you can do five miles a day—every day—and not eat any more no matter where you are or what you are doing, you can lose a pound a week. Or, you can cut 250 calories per day and do two and a half miles to accomplish the same thing.
Everyone can lose weight. Not everyone can or should be skinny, but everyone can reach a normal, healthy weight. It requires an acceptance that we cannot eat all we want, whenever we want. We can enjoy food and the occasions in which food is served, but our food intake must be balanced with our activity to achieve and maintain a normal weight.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
5-Minute Power Boosters for the Office
Keep Your Body Fit and Your Mind Alert
Office life. If you let it, it can suck the energy right out of you. Or, you can take advantage of your workspace to put pep in your step and become more productive than ever.
Your office—where you spend 30% to 50% of your waking hours—can work for you or against you, depending on how you use it.
"The workplace is the forgotten arena of the self-improvement battle," explains SparkPeople Coach, Joe Downie. "But it’s the place where people need help the most! Stress is a huge factor in how well you perform at work. It clouds your thinking and wears you down," continues Coach Joe. "Without that energy, you lose creativity, concentration and motivation." In return, he says, all you gain is irritability and tension.
Of course, the most effective way to fight low energy is with a heavy dose of thorough stretching, proper breathing, and good posture. "There are plenty of power boosters all around you. You don’t have to drop everything and run to the gym." In fact, there are dozens of ways you can reduce stress and increase energy—within 50 feet of the office. (No special equipment required.)
For starters, he suggests five minutes of mental or physical activity for every hour you spend at the computer. People who sit at desks and computers for hours on end are most prone to dwindling production from low energy.
Get Physical
* Go to the office staircase and step up and down the bottom step (like step aerobics).
* Massage your own head and shoulders. Find trigger points of tension in the shoulders, jaw, and base of the skull. Hold pressure for 6-10 seconds.
* Take two steps back from your desk and lean forward until you’re in an angled pushup position against the edge of your desk. (This will also work against a wall.) Do a couple quick sets of incline push-ups.
* Lift 1-3 packs of printer paper in each hand. Curl them like weights or lift them over your head.
* Close your door and shadow box for a few minutes. Try to imagine a stressor while you’re punching.
* Start a pick up game of trashcan basketball! Create trick shots, or play against a coworker. A little friendly competition can go a long way.
* Jumping jacks are a simple, quick way to pump you up. Try to increase your intensity (speed) and duration (minutes) to keep it challenging.
* Go for a short walk around the office or outside around the block.
* Stand up and stretch your muscles. Don’t forget your neck and wrists.
* Lastly, Joe’s favorite office exercise—using a stress ball. Squeezing a stress ball relieves stress while strengthening the forearms and wrists for typing.
Go Mental
* Do word puzzles. Crosswords, word finds—even a jigsaw puzzle.
* Fill out a Mad Lib with your co-workers. A little laughter can improve your mood and decrease stress instantly.
* Rearrange your office.
* Switch hands with whatever you’re doing.
* Draw something. Let your mind create.
* Stand perfectly still for two minutes. Just Regroup.
* Do some deep breathing exercises or quiet meditation.
* Make an inkblot with a folded piece of paper and liquid ink. Have fun with what you see in the blot.
Staying energized and stress-free at work isn’t difficult. The key is finding reasons to stay out of your chair:
* In the morning, take as long as possible before sitting down.
* Forget the boardroom. Hold walking meetings.
* Hand-deliver mail, memos and faxes.
* Chat face-to-face instead of by email or phone.
* Use a bathroom on the other side of the building or on another floor.
* Have a lot of phone time? Buy a cordless phone and move around while talking.
* Replace your chair with a stability ball. This helps you maintain good posture, and by balancing, you’re working your core muscles all day.
Taking care of yourself at the office is just one way fitness can help you in other parts of your life. All it takes is a few minutes at a time.
-- By Mike Kramer, SparkPeople Contributor
Office life. If you let it, it can suck the energy right out of you. Or, you can take advantage of your workspace to put pep in your step and become more productive than ever.
Your office—where you spend 30% to 50% of your waking hours—can work for you or against you, depending on how you use it.
"The workplace is the forgotten arena of the self-improvement battle," explains SparkPeople Coach, Joe Downie. "But it’s the place where people need help the most! Stress is a huge factor in how well you perform at work. It clouds your thinking and wears you down," continues Coach Joe. "Without that energy, you lose creativity, concentration and motivation." In return, he says, all you gain is irritability and tension.
Of course, the most effective way to fight low energy is with a heavy dose of thorough stretching, proper breathing, and good posture. "There are plenty of power boosters all around you. You don’t have to drop everything and run to the gym." In fact, there are dozens of ways you can reduce stress and increase energy—within 50 feet of the office. (No special equipment required.)
For starters, he suggests five minutes of mental or physical activity for every hour you spend at the computer. People who sit at desks and computers for hours on end are most prone to dwindling production from low energy.
Get Physical
* Go to the office staircase and step up and down the bottom step (like step aerobics).
* Massage your own head and shoulders. Find trigger points of tension in the shoulders, jaw, and base of the skull. Hold pressure for 6-10 seconds.
* Take two steps back from your desk and lean forward until you’re in an angled pushup position against the edge of your desk. (This will also work against a wall.) Do a couple quick sets of incline push-ups.
* Lift 1-3 packs of printer paper in each hand. Curl them like weights or lift them over your head.
* Close your door and shadow box for a few minutes. Try to imagine a stressor while you’re punching.
* Start a pick up game of trashcan basketball! Create trick shots, or play against a coworker. A little friendly competition can go a long way.
* Jumping jacks are a simple, quick way to pump you up. Try to increase your intensity (speed) and duration (minutes) to keep it challenging.
* Go for a short walk around the office or outside around the block.
* Stand up and stretch your muscles. Don’t forget your neck and wrists.
* Lastly, Joe’s favorite office exercise—using a stress ball. Squeezing a stress ball relieves stress while strengthening the forearms and wrists for typing.
Go Mental
* Do word puzzles. Crosswords, word finds—even a jigsaw puzzle.
* Fill out a Mad Lib with your co-workers. A little laughter can improve your mood and decrease stress instantly.
* Rearrange your office.
* Switch hands with whatever you’re doing.
* Draw something. Let your mind create.
* Stand perfectly still for two minutes. Just Regroup.
* Do some deep breathing exercises or quiet meditation.
* Make an inkblot with a folded piece of paper and liquid ink. Have fun with what you see in the blot.
Staying energized and stress-free at work isn’t difficult. The key is finding reasons to stay out of your chair:
* In the morning, take as long as possible before sitting down.
* Forget the boardroom. Hold walking meetings.
* Hand-deliver mail, memos and faxes.
* Chat face-to-face instead of by email or phone.
* Use a bathroom on the other side of the building or on another floor.
* Have a lot of phone time? Buy a cordless phone and move around while talking.
* Replace your chair with a stability ball. This helps you maintain good posture, and by balancing, you’re working your core muscles all day.
Taking care of yourself at the office is just one way fitness can help you in other parts of your life. All it takes is a few minutes at a time.
-- By Mike Kramer, SparkPeople Contributor
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
10 Worst Foods of 2010
If 2009 was the year of cutting back, 2010 was the year of adding on, at least when it came to food. The year's top catch phrase: More cheese, please!
On menus from Taco Bell to the Cheesecake Factory, cheese was piled on, in several varieties. Melted, fried, sandwiched, stuffed and slathered on anything and everything, it's safe to say that, if you're eating these foods, you're meeting your dairy quota.
We've rounded up the worst new foods of the year and compiled some fun fitness facts to help put these caloric monstrosities in perspective!
McDonald's McRib
500 calories
26 g fat
10 g saturated fat
980 mg sodium
They say: "Join the club. The club who loves the flavorful pork and tangy barbeque sauce of our favorite sandwich. We’re a discriminating group who don’t mind getting sticky." We say: It's baaaacccckkk (or at least it was)! After a 16-year hiatus, the much-loved pork patty made its grand return to menu. Thank goodness it was only for a brief time. Our bellies are cheering its departure! The damage: To undo one McRib, you* would have to spend 148 minutes McJumping around, professing your love for this processed pork sandwich!
KFC Double Down
540 calories
32 g fat 10 g saturated fat
1,380 mg sodium
They say: "The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!" We say: "The Double Down comes in two versions – Original Recipe or Grilled and the nutrition information is below." We call this the double don't. The low-carb trend is passé, so why ditch the bun for two chicken breasts? This seems like something that a child might create if left alone in the kitchen. We double dare you not to try it! The damage: 90 minutes of the Chicken Dance to undo one Double Down.
Taco Bell's XXL Chalupa
650 calories
39 g fat
9 g saturated fat
1,300 mg sodium
They say: "An XXL-sized crispy Chalupa shell packed with seasoned ground beef, crispy lettuce, fiesta salsa, a blend of three cheeses–cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella–and nacho cheese sauce, red strips and topped with reduced-fat sour cream." We say: After reading the description of this oversized, deep-fried taco creation, we laughed. It's topped with "reduced-fat sour cream." Does anyone else find that last-ditch effort to save calories and fat humorous? The damage: a run from Nestor in San Diego to the actual border (about 6.5 miles at a 10-minute mile pace)!
Cheesecake Factory Cheese Crunch Burger
1,000+ estimated calories
They say: "American and Cheddar Cheese, Crunchy Potato Crisps, Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Onions, Pickles and Secret Sauce." We say: The Cheesecake Factory's menu is thicker than many novels, and the restaurant does not disclose nutrition info. Portions are massive. Burgers are called "glamburgers" there, but the menu doesn't offer much info--and the sauce is a secret. Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. The damage: 220 minutes of belly dancing to keep this off your gut!
IHOP Cinna-Stack Pancakes
1,010 calories
51 g fat
15 g saturated fat
1,920 mg sodium
35 g sugar
They say: "A stack of four fluffy buttermilk pancakes layered with a luscious cinnamon roll filling, drizzled with rich cream cheese icing and topped with whipped topping." We say: The emphasis on "cake" with these pancakes--they're sweet enough to make Willy Wonka cringe! (There's about 2 1/2 tablespoons!) Plus, there's more than a tablespoon of salt! That's without any added breakfast meat, which can add on up to 180 calories, 16 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, and 290 mg sodium. This meal will leave your head spinning from the sugar high! The damage: burn off your sugar high by IHOP-ping for 85 minutes
Olive Garden Lasagna Fritta
1,030 calories
63 g fat
21 g saturated fat
1,590 mg sodium
They say: "Parmesan-breaded lasagna pieces, fried and served over alfredo sauce, topped with parmesan cheese and marinara sauce." We say: Fritta means fried. Lasagna is an already decadent dish, with layers of cheese, noodles and sauce. Now it's coated in more cheese, fried and smothered in Alfredo sauce. How much more can we do to this lasagna? (This is an appetizer, by the way!) The damage: 333 minutes of tending to your own garden!
Denny's Fried Cheese Melt Sandwich
1,260 calories
63 g fat
21 g saturated fat
3,010 mg sodium
They say: "Grilled cheese with a twist. Four fried mozzarella sticks and melted American cheese grilled between two slices of sourdough bread. Served with wavy-cut French fries and a side of marinara sauce." We say: "The Fried Cheese Melt Sandwich is on the $4 value menu, but we don't see much nutritional value in it. There's not a vegetable in sight aside from French fries and a side of marinara sauce, and it has more sodium and saturated fat than we should eat in a day." The damage: Get comfortable on the treadmill. You could be there for 6 1/2 hours! (Bet you wish you'd skipped the French fries now!)
Burger King Ultimate Breakfast Platter
1,310 calories
72 g fat
26 g saturated fat
2,490 mg sodium
They say: "The BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter lives up to its name with scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, sizzling sausage, a warm, flaky biscuit, and three fluffy pancakes with syrup. Anything less, and it wouldn't deserve to be called the 'ultimate.' " We say: Good rule of thumb: Platters are for serving food to many people, not for one person to use as a plate. While this meal has all your breakfast cravings covered: sweet, salty, meaty, crispy, and fluffy, it also has enough calories to sustain someone for a day. It also has more than a day's worth of salt and saturated fat. The damage: You'll need to work an entire 8-hour shift at a busy restaurant serving up breakfast platters to burn this off!
Friendly's Grilled Cheese Burger Melt
1,500 calories
79 g fat
38g saturated fat
2,090 mg sodium
They say: "A Big Beef burger between two hot grilled cheese sandwiches, with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Tasting is believing." We say: A real triple threat… to your arteries! Essentially this is three sandwiches in one. And it's served with fries, which add 330 calories, 14 g fat, 160 mg sodium. The damage: Get friendly with the elliptical. You'll spend almost three hours on it!
Applebee’s Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccine
1,580 calories
98 g fat
46 g saturated fat
3,940 mg sodium
They say: Nothing. The name and photo says it all for this grand prize "winner." We say: This dish is on the 2 for $20 menu, which gets you one appetizer and two entrees for $20. All of the appetizers have at least one fried component, so you can add on another couple hundred calories to this meal. There's nothing green on the plate, but you'll get two days' worth of saturated fat, plus a day and a half's worth of salt. Some value! The damage: You and your dining companion should hit the courts after dinner if you can move. You'll be playing tennis for four hours! When you're away from home, it's not impossible to make healthy choices and still indulge yourself.
On menus from Taco Bell to the Cheesecake Factory, cheese was piled on, in several varieties. Melted, fried, sandwiched, stuffed and slathered on anything and everything, it's safe to say that, if you're eating these foods, you're meeting your dairy quota.
We've rounded up the worst new foods of the year and compiled some fun fitness facts to help put these caloric monstrosities in perspective!
McDonald's McRib
500 calories
26 g fat
10 g saturated fat
980 mg sodium
They say: "Join the club. The club who loves the flavorful pork and tangy barbeque sauce of our favorite sandwich. We’re a discriminating group who don’t mind getting sticky." We say: It's baaaacccckkk (or at least it was)! After a 16-year hiatus, the much-loved pork patty made its grand return to menu. Thank goodness it was only for a brief time. Our bellies are cheering its departure! The damage: To undo one McRib, you* would have to spend 148 minutes McJumping around, professing your love for this processed pork sandwich!
KFC Double Down
540 calories
32 g fat 10 g saturated fat
1,380 mg sodium
They say: "The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!" We say: "The Double Down comes in two versions – Original Recipe or Grilled and the nutrition information is below." We call this the double don't. The low-carb trend is passé, so why ditch the bun for two chicken breasts? This seems like something that a child might create if left alone in the kitchen. We double dare you not to try it! The damage: 90 minutes of the Chicken Dance to undo one Double Down.
Taco Bell's XXL Chalupa
650 calories
39 g fat
9 g saturated fat
1,300 mg sodium
They say: "An XXL-sized crispy Chalupa shell packed with seasoned ground beef, crispy lettuce, fiesta salsa, a blend of three cheeses–cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella–and nacho cheese sauce, red strips and topped with reduced-fat sour cream." We say: After reading the description of this oversized, deep-fried taco creation, we laughed. It's topped with "reduced-fat sour cream." Does anyone else find that last-ditch effort to save calories and fat humorous? The damage: a run from Nestor in San Diego to the actual border (about 6.5 miles at a 10-minute mile pace)!
Cheesecake Factory Cheese Crunch Burger
1,000+ estimated calories
They say: "American and Cheddar Cheese, Crunchy Potato Crisps, Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Onions, Pickles and Secret Sauce." We say: The Cheesecake Factory's menu is thicker than many novels, and the restaurant does not disclose nutrition info. Portions are massive. Burgers are called "glamburgers" there, but the menu doesn't offer much info--and the sauce is a secret. Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. The damage: 220 minutes of belly dancing to keep this off your gut!
IHOP Cinna-Stack Pancakes
1,010 calories
51 g fat
15 g saturated fat
1,920 mg sodium
35 g sugar
They say: "A stack of four fluffy buttermilk pancakes layered with a luscious cinnamon roll filling, drizzled with rich cream cheese icing and topped with whipped topping." We say: The emphasis on "cake" with these pancakes--they're sweet enough to make Willy Wonka cringe! (There's about 2 1/2 tablespoons!) Plus, there's more than a tablespoon of salt! That's without any added breakfast meat, which can add on up to 180 calories, 16 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, and 290 mg sodium. This meal will leave your head spinning from the sugar high! The damage: burn off your sugar high by IHOP-ping for 85 minutes
Olive Garden Lasagna Fritta
1,030 calories
63 g fat
21 g saturated fat
1,590 mg sodium
They say: "Parmesan-breaded lasagna pieces, fried and served over alfredo sauce, topped with parmesan cheese and marinara sauce." We say: Fritta means fried. Lasagna is an already decadent dish, with layers of cheese, noodles and sauce. Now it's coated in more cheese, fried and smothered in Alfredo sauce. How much more can we do to this lasagna? (This is an appetizer, by the way!) The damage: 333 minutes of tending to your own garden!
Denny's Fried Cheese Melt Sandwich
1,260 calories
63 g fat
21 g saturated fat
3,010 mg sodium
They say: "Grilled cheese with a twist. Four fried mozzarella sticks and melted American cheese grilled between two slices of sourdough bread. Served with wavy-cut French fries and a side of marinara sauce." We say: "The Fried Cheese Melt Sandwich is on the $4 value menu, but we don't see much nutritional value in it. There's not a vegetable in sight aside from French fries and a side of marinara sauce, and it has more sodium and saturated fat than we should eat in a day." The damage: Get comfortable on the treadmill. You could be there for 6 1/2 hours! (Bet you wish you'd skipped the French fries now!)
Burger King Ultimate Breakfast Platter
1,310 calories
72 g fat
26 g saturated fat
2,490 mg sodium
They say: "The BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter lives up to its name with scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, sizzling sausage, a warm, flaky biscuit, and three fluffy pancakes with syrup. Anything less, and it wouldn't deserve to be called the 'ultimate.' " We say: Good rule of thumb: Platters are for serving food to many people, not for one person to use as a plate. While this meal has all your breakfast cravings covered: sweet, salty, meaty, crispy, and fluffy, it also has enough calories to sustain someone for a day. It also has more than a day's worth of salt and saturated fat. The damage: You'll need to work an entire 8-hour shift at a busy restaurant serving up breakfast platters to burn this off!
Friendly's Grilled Cheese Burger Melt
1,500 calories
79 g fat
38g saturated fat
2,090 mg sodium
They say: "A Big Beef burger between two hot grilled cheese sandwiches, with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Tasting is believing." We say: A real triple threat… to your arteries! Essentially this is three sandwiches in one. And it's served with fries, which add 330 calories, 14 g fat, 160 mg sodium. The damage: Get friendly with the elliptical. You'll spend almost three hours on it!
Applebee’s Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccine
1,580 calories
98 g fat
46 g saturated fat
3,940 mg sodium
They say: Nothing. The name and photo says it all for this grand prize "winner." We say: This dish is on the 2 for $20 menu, which gets you one appetizer and two entrees for $20. All of the appetizers have at least one fried component, so you can add on another couple hundred calories to this meal. There's nothing green on the plate, but you'll get two days' worth of saturated fat, plus a day and a half's worth of salt. Some value! The damage: You and your dining companion should hit the courts after dinner if you can move. You'll be playing tennis for four hours! When you're away from home, it's not impossible to make healthy choices and still indulge yourself.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Kick-Start Your Diet: 8-Step Plan
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare. It is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” –Seneca
Most of the time, my biggest struggle with people is getting them to be consistent. It’s not possible to lose fat at a steady pace if you’re constantly going on and off your diet or fitness plan. I’m not suggesting perfection, but there must be a level of consistency.
This is very frustrating for individuals trying to shed fat. Although they want to succeed, they struggle with self-discipline. The end result is guilt and shame — two bad boys on the emotion list.
There’s an even more frustrating situation then this, however. What about the person who’s been on a specific diet and workout plan for a period of time but finds that nothing is happening? What then?
Breathe a sigh of relief because I’m here to tell you that there is a solution. Here is my eight-step plan for breaking through the dreaded weight-loss plateau:
1. First, there must be a plan for food intake — aka your diet. If you eat haphazardly throughout the day, then I honestly can’t help you. However, then you can easily determine the amount of calories you take in per day, as well as the ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
This is vital because you need to know what you’re consuming in order to manipulate your program; you can’t make wild guesses.
2. You must have a workout plan that includes weight training, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility. The number of workouts need not exceed five days of cardio (no more than an hour) and three to four days of weight training, unless you’re a competitive athlete.
3. Make sure you know and record your scale weight and measurements. Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing wrong with weighing yourself once per week. Even if you get a body composition test (also called body fat tests), you’ll still have to step on a scale.
4. Remain on the program for three weeks and don’t make any changes at all. If you start reducing food or increasing activity before the three-week point, you might sabotage your efforts. It’s important to have a clear starting point.
Some people stay on a specific program for months and never make a change — that’s insanity. After three weeks, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t have some degree of fat loss.
If you’re losing up to 1 to 2 pounds per week, you’re on the right track. Even a bit less is fine.
If you haven’t lost weight, it’s time to make a change.
5. At this point, I do not recommend adding more activity and manipulating calories. Do one or the other — not both. It’s vital to have an understanding of what’s working. The change in parameters needs to be tightly controlled. Reduce your daily caloric intake by 150 (assuming it does not fall below 1,200 calories).
Here comes the tricky part. In some cases, you might not be eating enough, so calories would need to actually increase. You can’t work out six days per week for 90 minutes and take in 1,200 calories per day. You most likely won’t lose fat — the body will rebel. We need that information to increase or decrease calories.
I realize you may be confused as to the lowering or increasing of calories, but that’s why we’re here.
6. If you haven’t lost weight in two weeks, I would then increase activity –but do not decrease or increase food intake. Again, exercise tight control — you want to know the formula that works for you.
7. Allow 10 days to pass. Most people are losing fat by now and have the formula for their personal success. It may sound like a hassle, but it’s actually not that many weeks when you consider your entire lifetime.
8. If you’re still at a plateau, it may be time to shift the ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats. It’s possible that the food plan you’re using isn’t working efficiently with your biochemistry.
It may take 6-8 weeks to break the plateau (for some), but there is a solution. Yes, it takes some work and effort. However, once you have the formula, you’re home free. Always check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.
By Raphael Calzadilla, eDiets Chief Fitness Pro
Most of the time, my biggest struggle with people is getting them to be consistent. It’s not possible to lose fat at a steady pace if you’re constantly going on and off your diet or fitness plan. I’m not suggesting perfection, but there must be a level of consistency.
This is very frustrating for individuals trying to shed fat. Although they want to succeed, they struggle with self-discipline. The end result is guilt and shame — two bad boys on the emotion list.
There’s an even more frustrating situation then this, however. What about the person who’s been on a specific diet and workout plan for a period of time but finds that nothing is happening? What then?
Breathe a sigh of relief because I’m here to tell you that there is a solution. Here is my eight-step plan for breaking through the dreaded weight-loss plateau:
1. First, there must be a plan for food intake — aka your diet. If you eat haphazardly throughout the day, then I honestly can’t help you. However, then you can easily determine the amount of calories you take in per day, as well as the ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
This is vital because you need to know what you’re consuming in order to manipulate your program; you can’t make wild guesses.
2. You must have a workout plan that includes weight training, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility. The number of workouts need not exceed five days of cardio (no more than an hour) and three to four days of weight training, unless you’re a competitive athlete.
3. Make sure you know and record your scale weight and measurements. Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing wrong with weighing yourself once per week. Even if you get a body composition test (also called body fat tests), you’ll still have to step on a scale.
4. Remain on the program for three weeks and don’t make any changes at all. If you start reducing food or increasing activity before the three-week point, you might sabotage your efforts. It’s important to have a clear starting point.
Some people stay on a specific program for months and never make a change — that’s insanity. After three weeks, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t have some degree of fat loss.
If you’re losing up to 1 to 2 pounds per week, you’re on the right track. Even a bit less is fine.
If you haven’t lost weight, it’s time to make a change.
5. At this point, I do not recommend adding more activity and manipulating calories. Do one or the other — not both. It’s vital to have an understanding of what’s working. The change in parameters needs to be tightly controlled. Reduce your daily caloric intake by 150 (assuming it does not fall below 1,200 calories).
Here comes the tricky part. In some cases, you might not be eating enough, so calories would need to actually increase. You can’t work out six days per week for 90 minutes and take in 1,200 calories per day. You most likely won’t lose fat — the body will rebel. We need that information to increase or decrease calories.
I realize you may be confused as to the lowering or increasing of calories, but that’s why we’re here.
6. If you haven’t lost weight in two weeks, I would then increase activity –but do not decrease or increase food intake. Again, exercise tight control — you want to know the formula that works for you.
7. Allow 10 days to pass. Most people are losing fat by now and have the formula for their personal success. It may sound like a hassle, but it’s actually not that many weeks when you consider your entire lifetime.
8. If you’re still at a plateau, it may be time to shift the ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats. It’s possible that the food plan you’re using isn’t working efficiently with your biochemistry.
It may take 6-8 weeks to break the plateau (for some), but there is a solution. Yes, it takes some work and effort. However, once you have the formula, you’re home free. Always check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.
By Raphael Calzadilla, eDiets Chief Fitness Pro
Monday, January 3, 2011
Stop Dieting and Start Living!
Have You Made the Change?
You’ve heard it so many times that you probably say it in your sleep. "Diets don’t work; if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to make a lifestyle change."
But what does a lifestyle change look or feel like, and how do you know when you’ve made one? The way some people talk about it, you’d think there’s some sort of mystical wisdom you get when you “make the change” that tells you when and what to eat, and how to stop worrying about the number on the scale. Does this mean you’ll finally stop craving chocolate and start liking tofu?
The basic difference between a diet mentality and a lifestyle mentality is simply a matter of perspective. Having the right perspective may not make tofu taste better than chocolate, but it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to achieving your goals, avoiding unnecessary suffering along the way, and hanging onto your achievements over the long haul.
Trust me on this. I’ve lost well over 350 pounds in my life—I know how to do that. But I also put 200 of those back on again, getting bigger each time. The 150 pounds I lost a few years ago is staying off, because I’ve changed my perspective.
Here are the main ways a diet differs from a lifestyle:
1. A diet is all about numbers—the number on the scale and the number of calories you eat and burn. Success is defined in terms of how well you stick to your numbers. A lifestyle change is all about you. It’s about lining up your eating and physical activity with your real goals and desires. Success is defined in terms of how these changes make you feel about yourself.
2. The diet mentality assumes that reaching a certain weight is the key to finding happiness and solving other problems. That’s why messing up the numbers on any given day can be so upsetting—it means you’ve messed up on just about everything that really matters. The lifestyle approach assumes that being overweight is usually the result of other problems, not the cause. Addressing these problems directly is the best way to solve both the problems themselves and your weight issues. This means focusing on many things, not just the numbers on the scale or the Nutrition Tracker. Numbers only tell a small part of the story, and “bad” numbers often provide good clues into areas that need attention.
3. Going on a diet involves an external and temporary change in eating technique. You start counting and measuring, and you stop eating some foods and substitute others, based on the rules of whatever diet plan you are using. Maybe you throw in some exercise to burn a few extra calories. You assume that it’s the technique that produces the results, not you. The results of a diet are external; if you’re lucky, you may change on the outside—but not on the inside. Once you reach your goal weight, you don’t need the technique anymore, and things gradually go back to “normal.” So does your weight—and then some. And, of course, all the problems you hoped the weight loss would solve are still there.
Making a lifestyle change involves an internal and permanent change in your relationship with food, eating, and physical activity. You recognize that the primary problem isn’t what you eat, or even how much you eat, but how and why you eat. Eating mindlessly and impulsively (without intention or awareness) and/or using food to manage your emotions and distract yourself from unpleasant thoughts—this is what really needs to change. Learning to take good care of yourself emotionally, physically, and spiritually—so that you don’t want to use eating to solve problems it really can’t—is a lifelong learning process that is constantly changing as your needs and circumstances change.
This doesn't mean the surface level things don't matter. Clearly, controlling how much and what you eat is vital, and caring how you look is a great motivator. The real issue here is where you fit into the picture. The key to both permanent weight loss and feeling satisfied and happy with yourself and your life is to take personal responsibility for what you can control, and let go of everything else.
Many factors that are out of your control—your genes, age, medical status and previous weight history— will affect your weight and appearance. These factors may determine how much weight you can lose, how quickly you’ll lose it, and how you’ll look and feel when you’ve gone as far as you can go. When you focus too narrowly on the numbers on the scale or what you see in the mirror, you are staking your happiness and satisfaction on things you really can’t control. That pretty much guarantees that you’ll be chronically worried, stressed, and uncomfortable—and more likely than ever to have problems with emotional eating.
And when you rely too much on external (diet) tools, techniques, and rules to determine your behavior, you are turning over your personal responsibility to the tools and techniques. If you find yourself frequently losing motivation or feeling powerless to control your own behavior, it’s probably because you’re counting on the tools to do your part of the work for you. You’re the only one who can decide what’s right for you; only you can change your attitude and perspective to match your personal reality.
There are many articles in the Resource Center and countless conversations on the Message Boards that offer good information and practical ideas for putting yourself in charge of your own lifestyle makeover. In fact, one of the best ways you can start the transition from a diet to a lifestyle is by taking on the responsibility to identify the problems you need to work on and gather the info you need. Whether it’s coming to terms with emotional eating, improving your body image, or finding a vision of the life you want to live—you’ll find that you aren’t alone and that plenty of support and help is available.
You just need to take that first step away from the diet mentality and closer to a new and improved life(style).
By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert, Sparkpeople
You’ve heard it so many times that you probably say it in your sleep. "Diets don’t work; if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to make a lifestyle change."
But what does a lifestyle change look or feel like, and how do you know when you’ve made one? The way some people talk about it, you’d think there’s some sort of mystical wisdom you get when you “make the change” that tells you when and what to eat, and how to stop worrying about the number on the scale. Does this mean you’ll finally stop craving chocolate and start liking tofu?
The basic difference between a diet mentality and a lifestyle mentality is simply a matter of perspective. Having the right perspective may not make tofu taste better than chocolate, but it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to achieving your goals, avoiding unnecessary suffering along the way, and hanging onto your achievements over the long haul.
Trust me on this. I’ve lost well over 350 pounds in my life—I know how to do that. But I also put 200 of those back on again, getting bigger each time. The 150 pounds I lost a few years ago is staying off, because I’ve changed my perspective.
Here are the main ways a diet differs from a lifestyle:
1. A diet is all about numbers—the number on the scale and the number of calories you eat and burn. Success is defined in terms of how well you stick to your numbers. A lifestyle change is all about you. It’s about lining up your eating and physical activity with your real goals and desires. Success is defined in terms of how these changes make you feel about yourself.
2. The diet mentality assumes that reaching a certain weight is the key to finding happiness and solving other problems. That’s why messing up the numbers on any given day can be so upsetting—it means you’ve messed up on just about everything that really matters. The lifestyle approach assumes that being overweight is usually the result of other problems, not the cause. Addressing these problems directly is the best way to solve both the problems themselves and your weight issues. This means focusing on many things, not just the numbers on the scale or the Nutrition Tracker. Numbers only tell a small part of the story, and “bad” numbers often provide good clues into areas that need attention.
3. Going on a diet involves an external and temporary change in eating technique. You start counting and measuring, and you stop eating some foods and substitute others, based on the rules of whatever diet plan you are using. Maybe you throw in some exercise to burn a few extra calories. You assume that it’s the technique that produces the results, not you. The results of a diet are external; if you’re lucky, you may change on the outside—but not on the inside. Once you reach your goal weight, you don’t need the technique anymore, and things gradually go back to “normal.” So does your weight—and then some. And, of course, all the problems you hoped the weight loss would solve are still there.
Making a lifestyle change involves an internal and permanent change in your relationship with food, eating, and physical activity. You recognize that the primary problem isn’t what you eat, or even how much you eat, but how and why you eat. Eating mindlessly and impulsively (without intention or awareness) and/or using food to manage your emotions and distract yourself from unpleasant thoughts—this is what really needs to change. Learning to take good care of yourself emotionally, physically, and spiritually—so that you don’t want to use eating to solve problems it really can’t—is a lifelong learning process that is constantly changing as your needs and circumstances change.
This doesn't mean the surface level things don't matter. Clearly, controlling how much and what you eat is vital, and caring how you look is a great motivator. The real issue here is where you fit into the picture. The key to both permanent weight loss and feeling satisfied and happy with yourself and your life is to take personal responsibility for what you can control, and let go of everything else.
Many factors that are out of your control—your genes, age, medical status and previous weight history— will affect your weight and appearance. These factors may determine how much weight you can lose, how quickly you’ll lose it, and how you’ll look and feel when you’ve gone as far as you can go. When you focus too narrowly on the numbers on the scale or what you see in the mirror, you are staking your happiness and satisfaction on things you really can’t control. That pretty much guarantees that you’ll be chronically worried, stressed, and uncomfortable—and more likely than ever to have problems with emotional eating.
And when you rely too much on external (diet) tools, techniques, and rules to determine your behavior, you are turning over your personal responsibility to the tools and techniques. If you find yourself frequently losing motivation or feeling powerless to control your own behavior, it’s probably because you’re counting on the tools to do your part of the work for you. You’re the only one who can decide what’s right for you; only you can change your attitude and perspective to match your personal reality.
There are many articles in the Resource Center and countless conversations on the Message Boards that offer good information and practical ideas for putting yourself in charge of your own lifestyle makeover. In fact, one of the best ways you can start the transition from a diet to a lifestyle is by taking on the responsibility to identify the problems you need to work on and gather the info you need. Whether it’s coming to terms with emotional eating, improving your body image, or finding a vision of the life you want to live—you’ll find that you aren’t alone and that plenty of support and help is available.
You just need to take that first step away from the diet mentality and closer to a new and improved life(style).
By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert, Sparkpeople
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