Sunday, August 2, 2009
You do not have to starve yourself to loose weight; in fact, you should. not Check out this article for some tips on how to diet, control your metabolism, and lose the right amount of weight in a short period of time, the healthy way.
Instead of the traditional 3 meals a day, eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day. Avoid chocolate, cake, brownies, potato chips, ice cream, or any junk food. Never starve yourself. It shuts down your metabolism, makes you feel woozy, tired, and makes you hungrier. It also can affect your teeth, causing them to be sticky and full of plaque. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially if you feel like snacking or for dessert. Aim to eat 'good carbs' (which have a low glycemic index) such as brown rice, oats, wholewheat bread and wholewheat pasta. Try not to have carbs after 5pm as any unused carbs will likely be stored as fat overnight, negating your morning bike session.
Do not forget about exercising! When trying to loose weight, some people can get so wrapped up in cutting calories and portion sizes that they forget about the importance of exercise. If it's hard to start an exercise routine, use Monday as the day to recommit. Take part in a Monday Mile, enroll in a fitness class, or make a schedule to exercise for the week. Healthy Monday is a national non-profit public health campaign that encourages people to use Monday as the day for all things healthy. Consider using "High Intensity Interval Training". Maintain a steady intake of protein - aim for a minimum of 'your body weight in pounds' (in grams) of protein - if you would like to build a bit of muscle, double that, and begin some weight training - this will supercharges your metabolism and greatly increase your body's fat-burning ability. Go on the exercise bike for 20 minutes and on the treadmill for a half hour daily. Morning is the best time, because it burns your calories, but do it after breakfast.
Alternately, go on the bike immediately after waking up, as you have had no food in your system all night, and therefore the first place your body will gets energy from is the fat stores (not the muscles because you are using them) - bare in mind that after the bike, wait about 20 Min's and eat a solid breakfast so your body knows you are not starving (this will be detrimental to the cause). Wake up at a normal hour likes 7:00, or 8:00 or 9:00 if you are pushing it. Go to bed before midnight--your body needs at least eight hours of sleep to function the right way. Eat breakfast each morning. Eating something in the morning gets your metabolism going and prevents you from binge eating later in the day. Drink plenty of water, and cut down on carbonated beverages, particularly those with a lot of sugar. Try not to drink any soda.
Try not to eat at fast food restaurants, as their food is full of fat and calories. Subway does have some healthy options. However, if you do choose fast food, stick to the healthier end of the menu (Most places are adding a variety of salad and fruit options to their menus!) If you think you are going to have a hard time staying on your diet, ask a friend to go on it with you for support. Get your whole family involved, because if the family doesn't change their eating, you will have difficult times avoiding those sweets etc. You burn calories before you burn fat. So it is better to have a higher calorie snack then a high fat snack. A lot of junk food comes in reduced fat by whatever percent, or low fat, low calorie, or smaller portions. Try to only eat 2 items of "healthier" junk food a week such as crispy Minnie's and low fat cookies. Remember that 1 pound of fat is 3500 calories. However, one ice cream cone and 2 tbsp of peanut butter is 500 calories.
Keep the veggies near the front of the fridge. That way, when you open the fridge, you see the veggies first. Do not drink any beverage that has the plenty of sugar in it. Always drink water, it's good for you. Try not to eat after 8:00. If you get hungry, snack on fruits or vegetables. Remember not to eat anything right before bed because whatever food you eat stores in your body as fat. If you change everything immediately, you are going to crave things and over eat. Do this in a slow process. Do not try to drop weight quickly. Your body resists quick weight loss and tries to retain its stored fat. Trick your body into losing the weight by doing it gradually. To read articles about Exercise Benefits Weight Loss and Beyond, please visit http://www.web-articles.info/e/a/title/Exercise-Benefits-Weight-Loss-and-Beyond/.