Weight management is one of those age-old issues that we never
seem to completely resolve. One might think that after all of the years
of discussion about the best ways to achieve and maintain a healthy
weight there would be a quick, easy formula.
The truth is there are more
programs, diets, and books than ever on this topic that continues to
capture the attention of so many of us, and often confuse us.
Our
genetic make-up, psychological and emotional programming, and
environmental upbringing have all contributed to who we are and how we
operate at all levels including our tendencies in weight, size, and
fitness.
Not one of us is just alike. Just as you cannot compare a rose
to a daisy, or a hydrangea to a tulip, each one of us is unique in
nature. Our objective then, for a great weight/fitness strategy, is not
to create one perfect mold for everyone but to provide a way for any
person of any genetic make-up who came from any background to benefit
from a program which forms the most supportive, yet simple philosophy
and habits to maintain a fit, slim, healthy body FOREVER.
The end goal
is not for all of us to aspire to one certain body size or shape, but to
reach a size and shape that allows us to live healthy, fit, active
lives and to look and feel good at the same time.
The following
are ten no-nonsense, super-effective strategies that will benefit
ANYBODY in helping achieve THE BEST healthy, fit, slim body possible.
Strategy #1 - Cut the Mental Crap!
Seriously,
as long as you believe you have fat genes that make you fat or you keep
your identity wrapped up in the fear of being overweight - your own
psychological programming will keep setting you up to fulfill those
beliefs. Psychological programming is powerful.
It controls your
beliefs, your actions, and even the behaviors of each little cell
through chemical messengers that come from...yes, your brain via your
thoughts. How do you instantly begin to change your self-sabotaging
programming?
Wear a rubber band around your wrist EVERY day. When
those old fat lies pop up - snap yourself and say "That's a bunch of
RUBBISH! I'm not buying it ANYMORE!" Then look at yourself in the mirror
if you're near one and say "I'm fit, I'm slim, and nothing can stop me
from looking and being my best!"
Repeat this exercise at least ten times
a day. If you REALLY stick with it, it will have a huge impact on your
success. YOU have the power to change your beliefs.
Strategy #2 - Move It!
Why
do you think you were made with all of those joints and muscles? That's
right...not to hold still. Getting that body moving the way it was
meant to will create massive changes in your fitness picture. The
benefits are multi-fold.
First of all, engaging in some kind of
aerobic activity at LEAST four times a week will raise your metabolism
not only when you are doing it, but for hours afterward you have
metabolic benefits. Secondly, doing some kind of weight bearing exercise
will create more lean muscle in your body, which burns far more
calories ounce-per-ounce than that useless fat that's been hanging
around.
Thirdly, the psychological benefits of exercise will make you
feel like a million bucks. You'll have more energy throughout the day,
which will motivate you to move even more! Oh, and don't give yourself
any excuses like "I can't afford a gym membership." Because, you know
what... I can, and I don't use it.
Instead, I tie on my running
shoes and head out for a jog or up a mountain (or even some hilly
streets) for a hike. Jogging and walking are free. You don't have to pay
a thing and you get to enjoy nature and fresh air, which can be like a
whole meditative experience in itself. Then, when I return, I drop down
for some push-ups, then some sit-ups, then some leg lifts and squats
against the wall.
You'd be amazed at how many weight bearing exercises
you can do just bearing the weight of your own body. I also add in some
inexpensive hand or ankle weights. I've even been known to grab some
cans of chili for strengthening the forearms. All of this takes me no
more than 45 minutes to an hour.
It's really efficient when you don't
have to drive yourself to a gym and back. No time wasted socializing
either. Oh, and don't forget to stretch a little at the end. It will
keep you flexible for tomorrow's fun!
Strategy #3 - If It's White and Refined Don't Eat It!
White
flours and white sugars are refined which basically means they are
stripped of much of their nutrition. What is taken out in the refining
process is the fiber and some essential nutrients. Hello...there is
probably a reason God put the fiber there in the first place.
It
is the fiber part that regulates the processing and digestion of the
food. Fiber slows the absorption of the bad sugars, which is what white
flour and obviously white sugar become in the body. Without fiber, the
body goes into a glycemic overload which quickly causes the pancreas to
work extra hard trying to create the insulin needed for your body to
DEAL with the overload.
As your insulin spikes, it shoots your body into
a metabolic stratosphere...way past your target metabolic zone. Then,
this white product (which is basically devoid of any quality nutrition)
makes its way down through the intestines as they work to eliminate the
waste.
Because it is missing the fiber, it begins to coat the intestinal
walls, creating a toxic build-up and slowing metabolism down even more.
The whole thing sounds rather disgusting, doesn't it?
Avoid the
white breads, white rice, bagels, cookies, pastries and such. Stick with
100% whole wheat or whole grain breads.
Choose brown rice over white
(the fiber is still there). Discover fun new whole grains and use them
for side dishes, baking, and as hot cereals. Grains like kamut, barley,
millet, amaranth, spelt, steel cut oats, wild rice, couscous and
buckwheat are just some of the many that are full of delicious taste,
texture, and nutrition, which makes eating so much more interesting.
Most of us have been eating wheat and rice like they are the only game
in town. Choose breakfast cereals that have at least 6 to 10 grams of
fiber per serving; there are lots of them.
Notice in the new
recommended food pyramids white products are way up at the top in the
tiniest section...right next to red meats and butter, basically telling
you to eat very little of them.
I would recommend skipping them
altogether. There are SO many other great things to eat that will keep
you healthy and slim.
Strategy # 4 - Protein at EVERY Meal is a Must!
THIS
is one of the easiest lean body strategies you can employ. A true
"no-brainer." Multiple studies show that eating adequate amounts of
protein with each meal will keep you leaner and healthier. How? The
amino acids found in high quality protein do three things.
Number
one, they help maintain and build muscle mass and strength, and remember
- lean muscles burns more calories pound per pound than fat.
Number two, eating at least four ounces of protein with each meal
can raise your metabolism as much as thirty percent. You might think of
protein as propane added to your metabolic fire...it causes it to burn
faster and hotter.
The third thing adding more protein does, is to keep glycemic levels
(that would be your blood sugar) level. Spiking glycemic levels causes a
big decrease in metabolism. Eating protein with each meal prevents this
from happening and causes the opposite response in the body;
stabilizing blood sugars and putting you at your highest metabolic
target rate.
The other positive effect from consistent protein
consumption is better health. Research shows that stable glycemic levels
also prevent the onset of Type II Diabetes and osteoporosis. Good
protein sources include 4-6 ounces of chicken, turkey breast, lean cuts
of beef, fish, non-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, lentils, beans, skim
milk, tofu, and eggs.
If you want to be your leanest self you
can't skip the protein. When you consistently include protein in each
meal, you will feel satisfied for much longer because your blood sugar
isn't swinging wildly about, making you think you need to keep eating.
Go ahead and start to imagine how great you're going to look with
leaner, protein-fed muscles, because that's exactly what you'll be
looking at when you use this strategy!
Strategy # 5 - Change your 5-a-Day to 9-a-day to Eat More & Weigh Less
When
you include enough vegetables and fruits in your daily diet, not only
will you become more lean and fit, your health will improve
dramatically.
Vegetables and fruits contain micronutrients which bring
energy to our cells and increase metabolism. Adding lots of veggies and
fruits makes eating right and staying slim SO much easier.
Fruits
and vegetables contain lots of water and fiber (there's that fiber we
need again).
Because of this they are low in calories. Adding more of
them to our meals allows us to eat more but consume fewer calories. What
a great deal! The bulk and fiber that veggies and fruits have make us
feel full and satisfied after a meal, so we aren't as tempted to order
the banana-cream pie when we're finished. As if you needed any more
reasons to veggie up your day, these nutritional superstars help reduce
the risk of cancer and other chronic disease.
A good rule of thumb
for produce is fresher is better. Vitamins and micronutrients begin to
dissipate with extended storage or over-cooking. Drop by your local
farmers markets and roadside fruit stands to get the most vitamin-packed
freshness possible. Smaller grocery stores often carry more local
produce than others. The many different colors of produce have unique
nutritional properties, so select a good variety to eat from the rainbow
of colors available.
Here are some great ways to enjoy lots more of them:
-Add spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, or onions to your eggs.
-Throw a handful of mixed berries and a half of banana on top of your grainy cereal.
-Put a smear of peanut butter on your whole-grain toast and put chopped nectarines, bananas, and strawberries on top.
-Pile your sandwich with leafy green lettuce or spinach, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, or onions.
-Substitute a few cups of chopped veggies for part of the rice or pasta in recipes...you won't even miss them.
-Let veggies be the biggest serving on your plate - and add a side
salad with low-fat dressing or olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
The more veggies and fruit you eat, the less you will crave the
other stuff that makes you fat and is devoid of quality nutrition.
Here's to 9-a-day!
Strategy # 6 - Keep the Fire Burning
There
is a reason crash or fad diets never work in the long run. They
actually create a slower metabolism...something you DON'T want. Food
causes something called thermogenisis within the body. This is
essentially the body's metabolic response to food when it is eaten.
Eating revs up metabolism because the body is working to digest the
food.
If you don't provide enough food for your metabolic fire, say less
than 1000 calories a day, the fire will slow way down, making
metabolism rather sluggish. If you consistently over-eat, the metabolic
fire will be over-loaded, and the extra calories will convert to fat and
get stored.
Ideally you want to keep your thermic effect
happening consistently throughout the day, starting with breakfast.
Studies show that breakfast eaters maintain a more consistent weight
than non-breakfast eaters. Eating smaller meals and snacks regularly,
throughout the day will keep your body's thermic effect to kick in.
Revving up metabolism more frequently will raise your overall metabolism
to help create the leanest version of you. Never go more than 4-5 hours
without eating. You don't want those metabolic fires to get
sluggish...you want them burning mightily to help keep you lean and
light.
Strategy # 7 - Eat Your Fats to Get Thin?
Strange,
but true. When we went through the carb-diet craze, fats got a really
bad rap. As Americans started eating plates of pasta and boxes of
bagels, and avoiding such things as avocados, almonds and salmon, we
started getting fatter and fatter.
We somehow got stuck on the idea that
any fat is bad. NOT TRUE. These good fats found in such foods are so
crucial to our health and metabolism that we simply cannot be completely
healthy without them.
In this good fat group there are three
types of essential fatty acids or EFA's, and they are our most potent
blood sugar stabilizers.
Omega 3's found in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax
seeds and flaxseed oil, and fatty fish; the good omega 6's that are
found in borage and evening primrose oils; and omega 9's that can be
found in such things as olive oil, avocados, and peanuts.
In addition to
stabilizing blood sugar, EFAs actually boost your body's ability to
specifically BURN FATS rather than store them. Many overweight or obese
people have an EFA deficiency. EFAs also provide a great nutritional
support to your heart, brain, skin, and reproductive system.
Now that's a
food you want on your side! If you find that it is difficult to get the
full amount of EFAs you need in a day, the supplements are very safe
and effective. They are basically the actual food source in a gel cap or
liquid oil.
Just to eliminate any confusion, make sure you stay
away from the bad fats which include hydrogenated, oxidized, or heat
processed fats found in things like margarine, fried foods, and
shortening. Those "bad" fats are linked to premature aging and diseases
like cancer and heart disease.
Get ready to put those good fats to work sculpting your body and making it healthy at the same time.
Strategy #8 - Green Tea
If
you aren't already drinking it, now is the time to start. Here's why.
There is a special antioxidant found in green tea called
Epigallocatechin-3 or EGCG.
It is the new beauty-child of the
antioxidant world--because it is 100 times more powerful than Vitamin C
and 25 times more powerful than vitamin E in its ability to overcome
those nasty free radicals that circulate through our bodies and cause
cellular destruction. Antioxidants safely terminate the chain reaction
of destruction of molecules before they are damaged.
Researchers
have also discovered that the other important response EGCG causes in
the body is to increase the thermic effect, resulting in that higher
metabolic burn we talked about. They found by drinking 5 cups of green
tea per day you will burn 80 extra calories.
Doesn't sound like a lot
but....green tea also seems to curb the appetite. If you have a cup of
green tea BEFORE you eat a meal, you are less likely to overeat; AND you
get the enhanced metabolic effect. You can feel good about this
strategy, knowing the EGCG is doing its job in your body to shut down
the free radical destroyers and to help keep you at your best
metabolism. Healthy and slim...now that's a no-brainer!
Strategy # 9 -Conscious Eating
Many
people who have weight issues have portion blindness. They do a lot of
mindless eating and snacking without really consciously registering what
they are doing. Then they tell their friends how they really don't eat
that much and can't figure out how they have gotten heavy.
This
strategy says never eat ANYTHING without consciously thinking about the
ratio of calories to nutrition. For instance...if I eat a simple glazed
donut, I've consumed about 200 calories and 12 grams of fat, spiked my
blood sugar, lowered my metabolism, and gotten VERY little nutrition.
Empty calories, in other words, which will leave me feeling hungry again
in a very short time. If I eat a piece of whole grain toast with a
tablespoon of peanut butter on it, I've consumed about the same 200
calories but... I've eaten a nutrition-packed snack or mini-meal,
stabilized my blood sugar, raised my metabolism and I'll go a lot longer
without feeling hungry again.
Don't mindlessly throw food into
your mouth without awareness. That's just not smart and even simple
strategies require you to use some sense. Don't punish your body anymore
by filling it with junk. Be consciously aware of WHAT you're eating and
make it your goal to give your precious body ONLY the finest, highest
quality foods. You're worth it.
Strategy #10 - Laugh yourself thin!
I
saved the best for last. This new wave of tackling weight issues is my
favorite yet. It has been referred to as purposeful laughing, laughter
therapy, and even laughtercising. Its purpose is to get you out of a
depressive, anxious funk that might cause you to turn to food for
comfort.
Many people struggle with weight because they do emotional
eating. Laughter therapy says the minute you feel like turning to food
for comfort, instead, laugh like a lunatic as in big, loud guffaws!
Depression
and anxiety are emotional and mental states.
What is better than
laughter to change your state of mind? This strategy has been used
successfully by emotional eaters and here's why. After a good hard laugh
don't we all feel more energetic, positive, and less burdened?
Deliberate laughing can give you all of those same benefits and get you
moving in a different direction.
Researchers say laughter engages the
muscles, oxygenates the blood, and both flexes and relaxes the body.
There is also research that shows gleeful laughter to have similar
benefits to moderate exercise.
The next time you start to feel
emotionally out-of-control and want to head for the pantry, stand up and
laugh yourself silly for 1-5 minutes.
When you're finished take those
good feelings and think of something positive to do. Call a friend, go
for a walk, or read a great book. Even if you're a skeptic you MUST try
this. If nothing else, life is a lot more fun when you're laughing!
Crystal Dwyer, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, EFT/NLP - Scottsdale, AZ Get your FREE download of my 10 minute Joy Makeover at
http://www.crystaldwyer.com
See our "Transformational Products" for special offers.
Crystal
Dwyer, author, speaker and highly skilled practitioner of
Transformational Life Coaching, Emotional Freedom Technique and NLP
(Neuro-linguistic Programing.) She co-authored a book with self-help
experts Jack Canfield and Bob Proctor.
Her own book, Pure Thought for
Pure Results: How Messy Thinking Can Make or Break Your Life will be
available in January.
Her personal challenges and intuitive
experiences led her to pursue this path of healing for herself. She
feels that those experiences and resulting wisdom have been a gift from
God, which others are benefiting from by moving out of confusion and
pain into a joyful life.
CrystalDwyer.com
