A "lighter" look at weight loss.

Eat More FAT!

      I know what you are thinking - "She's crazy; I'm on a diet!" Well it turns out not all fats are bad for you. In fact, your body actually needs some fats to function properly and well...keep you alive. Just like with carbohydrates you will need to learn which fats to embrace and which ones to avoid.

 We can break fats up into two groups:  saturated and unsaturated. The saturated group contains the "bad" fats. These are the ones that we get through eating animal products and highly processed foods. Saturated fats separate out into saturated and trans fatty acids (or Trans Fat). Consuming large amounts of food that contain these lead to high cholesterol, clogged arteries, and increase your chances of getting both heart disease and cancer.

      The unsaturated group are the ones that get termed as "good" fats. Made up of mono- and polyunsaturated fats (including Omega-3 fatty acids), this group can actually help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease. They also play key rolls in maintain proper body cell functions. You can find these fats in a variety of fish and plants.

    The FDA has strict requirements about food labeling so when in doubt look to the label. Many foods will contain both types of fats so you can't avoid the "bad" ones completely - nor should you try. The trick is to make sure that the majority of your fat is of the unsaturated variety. This will make it much easier to lose the fat your body has already stored.

 

For more infowww.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats

 

Posted by: MzWit on 4/24/2008 at 10:24 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Presto Chango!

      Regardless of what late-night infomercials tell us, there is no magic pill for losing weight. Crazy as it sounds you actually have to act healthier to look healthier. The hardest part about dieting is giving up the high-calorie foods that we love. Lets face it most diets fail because we "fall off the wagon" and go back to our fat loving ways.

   That is why giving up those foods isn't a real solution to the problem. When you avoid a certain food or group of foods, you are creating a potential disaster for you and your diet. For this reason, it is much better to find healthier versions of your favorites that you can incorporate into your new healthier lifestyle.

      I'll give you some examples of what I mean:

    If you can't find a healthier substitute for you desired dish then resolve to eat less of it. A good way help yourself do this is to simply make lessthen it won't be there for you to eat. Or, if you can buy it in smaller, single serving packages that will help you maintain portion control. Remember that the goal of your diet is not to torture your body into submission, but to make it a healthier and better functioning machine. You only get one so make it the best that it can possibly be!

 

HELPFUL HINTS:

 

Posted by: MzWit on 4/8/2008 at 2:12 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink

Move to the music!

     You've heard of performance enhancing drugs, but how about performance enhancing music? Sound far fetched? Not so. The New York Times reported that studies have shown that listening to music while you exercise can help you maintain higher levels of intensity and motivation for longer periods of time. Thus, increasing the effectiveness of your workout!
     The key is to pick the right music for the exercise you are doing. You want to match the tempo or beats per minute (BPM) of your songs to the intensity level you want to maintain. For instance, a bad match would be listening to monster ballads while youre trying to do aerobics or run. An example of a good match would be up-tempo pop for a couple miles of power walking.

Here are some general guidelines:
Easy walking (about 3 mph)  choose music that is between 115-118 BPM. This includes songs with solid, steady rhythms that match the natural pace of your stride.
Power walking (about 4.5 mph)  choose music that is between 137-139 BPM. The songs here need a continuous beat that is a least two steps above the natural pace of your stride.
Running (mph varies) choose music that is between 147-160 BPM. The same concept as power walking applies here  choose quicker tempos that challenge you to pick up the pace.

     You can mix your own play lists or find one of the compilations our there already mixed for specific activities like walking, cardio, etc. You can find them at any music store or online.
     Remember above all to pick music that you like  you arent going to workout for long if you dont like whats blasting through your headphones!

HELPFUL HINTS:
1.Pick songs that have a positive message
2.Make multiple play lists so that even if your routine isnt changing your music holds off boredom
3.Share ideas for good workout songs with your friends
4.Use music as a tool not a crutchdont skip workouts for lack of it

For more info here's one of the articles I found as a resource -
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/fashion/10fitness.html

Posted by: MzWit on 4/3/2008 at 9:38 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Get into the ZONE...or not

  Since the diet industry exploded in the last couple of years, we've all seen or heard fitness professionals talk about the fabulous "fat-burning zone." That wonderful place you go when you are exercising and burning the highest percentage of fat. Well it turns out that the zone isn't all its cracked up to be.

   Let's take a step back and outline what this zone actually is. You enter it when you are doing low to medium intensity workouts at a target heart rate (which you can find with various formulas depending on the trainer or website you get your info from).

   Here are the facts: 1) When you are in this zone you really are burning the highest percentage of fat calories. 2)When you start upping your intensity level a higher percentage of your calories starts coming from carbohydrates. Still, even the facts can be misleading. It's the word percentage that gums up the works. For this reason a lot of people think the zone is where they should stay; the problem here is that your overall number of calories burned is still lower than if you were exercising at a higher intensity level.

   Confused? I was too. Think of it this way - would you rather have 90% of $100 or 10% of $1,000,000? Youd take the 10% and get $100,000 any time over the measly $90 any day!! The same holds true with exerciseat higher intensity youll burn more total calories and thus more fat. 

   So if you really want to burn more calories to lose weight, you need to exercise as hard as you can for as long as you can.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Find a workout buddy to keep you motivated

 Change up your routine often to avoid getting bored

 Don't be afraid to break a sweat - its good for you

 If you can't do a lot - start with a little and just do SOMETHING...ANYTHING!!!!!!!!

 

Posted by: MzWit on 3/28/2008 at 8:33 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Forward Progress

 Being on a diet is like running on a treadmill - you feel like you are putting in a lot work without really getting anywhere. Everyone loses weight in their own way and at their own pace. If you aren't seeing the results that you want as quickly as you would like then your motivation to keep going may start to lag. I've been in this spot before and probably will be again. The important thing is to work through it and  keep moving forward towards your goal.

There are some things that you can do to help yourself get revved up again: 

 I've found a pretty great web community if you are looking for outside motivation and support. Visit www.sparkpeople.com its easy and its free.

Posted by: MzWit on 3/21/2008 at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink