25th February, 2015
By Sharon Jane Akinyemi
In Nigeria our craving mechanism are out of order. Sometimes we feel like we just want “something” and we don’t know what it is. We forage around in the kitchen. When what we really need is a drink of clean pure and refreshing water. When you get a craving, try drinking a big glass of water first. Wait a few minutes and see if your hunger calm down because it was really thirst that was calling. Experts say that any craving will go away if you wait fifteen minutes before indulging it. Go indulge in a distraction instead!
Some diet advice and counsel do look good and acceptable on the surface, but when you draw closer and dig deeper they are full of deception and tricks
TRICKS YOU MUST NOT FALL FOR
Those of us pursuing health and fitness for body and soul have chosen the road less traveled. We came to a point in life, especially physically when we are sick or too chubby to zip our pants. The world encourages us, “Eat, drink, and be merry. Tomorrow you are going to die anyway, so indulge in your passions. Don’t deny yourself. Live it up. There really aren’t any consequences.”
On the Body Confidence Balance diet, if you blow it one day (or in an evening out to dinner), just cut back the next. Weight loss results from the total calories taken in and used up throughout the week (input and output). If you blow it too many days in a row, you’ll show a weight gain, naturally (ask us, we know!)
Sometimes we just need a little help from a friend. The following are some sly strategies that will almost make you forget you are dieting. They work for me!
A DIETER’S TRICKS
USE A SMALLER PLATE– our dinner plates these days are quite large, some of the plates have grown from ten inches to fourteen an is still growing. Your low calorie food will look lost in a large platter. Instead , choose a soup plate and fill it with just the right amount of food ( up to 2 cups-1/2 cup protein, 1/2 cup starch, and 1 cup veggies) to stay fit!
DRINK WATER BEFORE MEAL– A cup of hot green tea even works better to fill your stomach with something before the food hits. Research has shown that soup eaters who begin their meal with a hot bowl of pepper soup lose the most weight. Continue to drink clean water throughout the day, you need 8-10 cups to rehydrated. Don’t trust your thirst mechanism. Train yourself to drink the water your body needs.
DON’T TEMPT YOURSELF– Plan meals based on the same healthy foods while using variety of fruits and vegetables to add excitement to your diet. A recent study proved that a variety of food in any category except fruits and vegetables caused subject to overeat and become obese. Increasing the variety of fruits had no effect on the body weight. But increasing the variety of vegetables caused even greater weight loss! More praise for green things!
FEED ON DEMAND– That’s a breast feeding term. Lots of mothers swear by it. It can work for dieters too. Eat when you are hungry and not when the clock (or someone else) tells you to. Wait until you hear that familiar growl. Or maybe it’s not too familiar to you. Reacquaint yourself with true hunger (but not a famished feeling). Feel that rumble in your stomach. Then eat. You’ll enjoy your food more-and eat less. Snacking plies up the calories.
KNOW WHEN TO STOP-There’s the catch. It’s not too hard for us to be sure when we are hungry. It’s much more difficult to tell when we are satisfied. Most of us lost our appetite control mechanism after childhood. Watch children. Pile foods on their plates. It doesn’t matter how sumptuous it is, when kids are finished, they are finished. They can’t be talked into another bite. “No, am full,” comes a firm answer. If they are ever coerced into overeating, they shove their plates back, make a face, rub their tummies, and groan, “Ugh! I’m full. My stomach hurts.”
EAT MORE TO BURN MORE– This trick sounds like it contradicts the the last one. But every time you eat something, your metabolism kicks in to burn the calories. So don’t stuff yourself once, twice, three times a day. Research shows that people who eat most of their calories at one sitting gain the most weight (like those who skip breakfast and lunch and indulge themselves at dinner. Keep that light feeling in mind. Spread your food allotment throughout the day. Since you are eating mostly fruits and vegetable you won’t be loading up on fats and high-carbs. But you will be revving up your calorie-burning metabolism .
REWARD YOURSELF– Many dieters punish themselves when they fall off the low-cal wagon. Don’t! Commit yourself to a lifetime of healthful eating and climb back on! (after all, don’t you want to look and feel good for the rest of your long life). Once you are at normal weight,eat healthily all week and then present yourself with a reward meal on the weekend (perhaps at your favourite restaurant.
CRASH DIETS– crash dieting damages the body, disrupting DNA and lowering metabolism . Aim for health. Don’t go for the fads. You may lose a lot of weight fast but end up in bed, unable to show off your new figure.
TRY A TASTE– sometimes what you really need is a tiny taste of something delicious. You don’t really need to eat the whole thing! Instead of a bottle of soft drink, cut some oranges or your favourite fruit and savour that. Go gently with sweets after meal. Some dentists say not to chew gum, as it stresses the jaw joint. But I chew peppermint gum sometimes. It’s the minty taste I’m craving, so I’ll pop in a piece after a meal. It keeps my mouth busy and out of trouble ! (plus I’m not crazy about bad breath.) Or try brushing your teeth with fresh-smelling toothpaste. It leaves a sweet clean taste in your mouth that you will learn to love.
SEEK SUPPORT – studies reveal that dieters who feel supported by family and friends loose the most weight and keep it off. Join a weight watchers group of some sort or create one. Recruit a friend
EXCHANGE CARDIO FOR CARBS– Dopamine and serotonin are two chemicals in the brain that are pleasure producing. They are released when we overeat. A binge on carbohydrates sweets, biscuit, cake, chocolate, potato chips, fries-flood our brains and bodies with feeling of satisfaction, calm comfort and pleasure. That’s why food has such a soothing effect. No wonder we eat those things- that’s a lot of bang for our buck! Aerobic exercise does the same thing, releasing the “feel good hormones” with no weight gain, when down in the dumps, talk yourself into a five minute walk. Once you are out there, the fresh air and physical movement will lift your spirits, encouraging you to continue on.
STICK BY YOUR STANDARD– another way I take charge of my health is to hold to a standard. I have a maximum weight that I allow myself to climb to, but I won’t go over that. I tell my husband, “I’m right at the line again. If I go over, I start to look fat.” He always reassures me, “You don’t look fat….” That gives me at least another week to overeat before I’m forced to face reality. I like this little game. But when I hit the max, I cut back on calories. I watch my food intake throughout the week. If we splurge on the weekends,then reduce my meals on Monday, Tuesday,and Wednesday (or whatever it takes). If I eat breakfast out and overdo, then I don’t eat the rest of the day and have soup for supper. We all know it’s easier to lose three kilograms than thirty. Maintenance is easier than overhaul. On a final note, eat moderately and simply stay active.
ADD PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Diet or exercise: Does one matter more?
Both are important. However, while diet has a stronger effect on weight loss than physical activity does, physical activity, including exercise, has a stronger effect in preventing weight regain after weight loss.
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:
Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. However, to effectively lose or maintain weight, some people may need up to 300 minutes a week of moderate physical activity. You can do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week, and sessions of activity should be at least 10 minutes long.
Strength training. Do strength training exercises at least twice a week. No specific amount of time for each strength training session is included in the guidelines.
Moderate aerobic exercise includes such activities as brisk walking, swimming and mowing the lawn. Vigorous aerobic exercise includes such activities as running and aerobic dancing. Strength training can include use of weight machines, or activities such as carrying groceries or heavy gardening.
As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of overall physical activity every day.
Try on-line support groups like ours( www.facebook.com/BodyConfidenceFitnessClub. Am sure you will gain more from our page.