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Eating Well to Lose Weight:  Exercise and Sleep

3/26/2014

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You’ve worked on cleaning up your diet by eating more unprocessed foods and drinking more water.  What else can you do to encourage further weight loss?  Exercise and sleep are two important lifestyle factors that can directly affect one’s weight.  Keep in mind that every 3500 calories is equal to one pound.  If you cut calories and exercise, you will be able to achieve your weight loss goals sooner while improving your fitness level and overall health. 

Any type of physical activity will help with weight loss, as the body will need to use calories instead of storing them as fat.  However, the research studies show that exercise with calorie reduction results in more overall calories lost.  Exercise benefits us by improving our metabolic rate meaning that the body burns energy (calories) more efficiently.  You may even notice that regular exercise reduces your cravings.  In addition, regular physical activity supports the heart, improves insulin sensitivity (to prevent diabetes) and strengthens the bones.  To lose one pound/week, you need to burn an extra 500 calories/day by cutting calories, exercising or a combination.  To achieve a 500-calorie daily reduction, a 150-pound male would need to run 45 minutes at a 10minutes/mile pace.  In addition, eating foods that help with energy and recovery are important.  For a recap on exercise nutrition, click here.

Exercise comes in many different forms: aerobics (cardio),  strength and interval training and stretching.  Keep in mind that if you are new to exercise, start slowly.  If you may have a medical condition, consult your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.  When deciding on the form of exercise, choose something that you enjoy; otherwise you will be unlikely to continue it for the long term.  For maximum benefit, work out for at least 45 minutes.  New studies show that the time may be broken down into shorter segments if needed.  Here is a breakdown of some types of exercise programs and their benefits.

·      Aerobics:  Biking, swimming, kickboxing and running are all forms that require extra oxygen.  As you work hard, your muscles need added oxygen, provide by the heart and lungs.  This is one of the best ways to lose weight because you burn lots of calories.

·      Strength training:  Lifting weight helps shape and build muscle, which supports your bones.  With increased muscle mass, you can more efficiently burn calories resulting in a higher metabolic rate even while at rest.  In addition, strength training burns fat and tones the body.  For our women readers, don’t worry about muscles becoming too big and bulky.  Our body composition results in toned, not beefy muscles.

·      Interval training:  These workouts alternate between high intensity spurts followed by periods of low intensity.  This workout can be done with any type of aerobic activity such as running, biking, swimming or calisthenics.  Because the body has to constantly adjust its activity level and speed, you will work harder and burn more calories.  Another added benefit is increased metabolism.

·      Stretching:  While stretching doesn’t directly affect your weight, it improves flexibility and range of motion of the muscles and joints especially before heavy-duty workouts, resulting in fewer injuries.  And no one wants to be sidelined from injury!  In addition, it can improve blood circulation and help with stress relief.

A combination of strength and aerobic exercise is recommended for optimal weight loss.  Add in healthy eating and you have a great recipe for inches and pounds lost.  For further information on fitness, click here. 

Finally, sleep is vital to weight loss and is often overlooked.  Without adequate sleep, our metabolism will not function optimally.  It is best to get between 7 ½-8 hours of sleep/night.  Having a regular sleep schedule aids in weight loss.  A study from the American Journal of Health reported that those who kept a constant sleep routine had a lower percentage of body fat than those who slept at irregular times.   In addition, exercise improves sleep quality.

So how does this restful activity have such a large impact?  It is due to two very important hormones—leptin and ghrelin.  When we get inadequate sleep, our ghrelin levels raise signaling the stomach that we are hungry and need to eat.  At the same time, leptin, responsible for suppressing hunger, decreases resulting in over-eating.  When we get enough sleep, our appetites are curbed and our metabolism improves.  At the same time, our bodies get to rest and recover from the day’s activities. 

To get enough sleep, consider these tips to improve your shut-eye.  

·      Avoid caffeine after 2 pm especially if you are sensitive to it. 

·      Exercise is great but not right before going to bed.

·      Avoid heavy, rich meals before bedtime.

·      Relax before hitting the sack.  Try taking a bath, drinking hot tea, listening to calming music or reading a book.

·      Create a sleep-inducing environment.  Stop using screens for 30 minutes-1 hour before sleep.  Get your bedroom as dark as possible to signal the body that is time for rest.

Employ the various eating and lifestyle improvements in this weight loss series to achieve your goals and feel better that you have taken steps in the right direction.  If you need further assistance, click here to contact me.
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Eating Well to Lose Weight:  The Wonders of Water

3/12/2014

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Eau. Agua.  Ma’yim.  Nero.  Water.  It is essential to our existence.  When you visualize your body, water is probably not foremost in your thoughts.  However, we are about 70% water.  Water comprises over 80% of our blood, over 75% of our brains and about 95% of our liver.  Water is probably the single most important compound in our bodies. We are constantly using water for many metabolic reactions.  In fact, a person functioning at a normal activity level must constantly replenish about 2 1/2 quarts or 12 cups of water per day.  When bodily water levels decrease, the result can be diminished mental capacity and energy levels.  Even a 5% drop in water levels may result in a 25-30% loss of energy.

While water is fundamental to transporting nutrients in and out of cells, keeping our skin looking more youthful, enhancing our cognitive function and maintaining normal kidney and bowel regulation, let's focus on water’s role in weight loss.  Drinking plenty of water helps to control calories.  Think of water as your "weight loss friend".  Drinking a large glass of this no-calorie liquid before a meal is a simple way to reduce the calories consumed during your meal.  The reason is simple; water partially fills the stomach, thereby signaling your brain sooner that you are satiated.  For more about water and the brain, click here.

Drinking enough water also prevents fluid retention.  If you don't imbibe enough water, then your body will retain water so that it can be utilized where most needed.  The result while counterintuitive may manifest itself as bloating and puffiness of the skin.  If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  You can become just as dehydrated in the winter as in the summer.  One manifestation from dehydration is the blood becoming thicker and your heart having to work harder, resulting in increased systemic stress.  Water also assists the body in burning stored fats.  If you are dehydrated, the liver will have to aid the kidneys instead of metabolizing fats into energy sources.  Water also prevents constipation, allowing toxins to be more readily excreted. 

So what's the difference between water and other fluids?  Fruit juices and sodas are laden with sugar that doesn't promote health or weight loss.  Remember that juices and sodas contribute calories even if you are drinking them and not chewing them.  Click here for ways to reduce sugar.  Even the no-calorie artificially sweetened drinks should be avoided.  It is hypothesized that these sweeteners signal the body that sugar is present stimulating insulin production resulting in storage of fat.  Caffeinated beverages such as coffee and certain soft drinks stimulate the adrenal glands as well as act as diuretics causing water loss.

Alcohol is another drink that contains many added calories.  Consider that a glass of red wine is 125 calories, a 12oz. beer is 153 calories and 1.5 oz. of liquor like gin, rum or vodka is 97 calories.  If you add in the mixers, you are raising your caloric intake further.  Before you partake in your nightly drink, think if you really want those calories as part of your daily total.  The liver breaks down alcohol very quickly.  If you drink significantly or if you suffer from liver disease, the liver may be unable to perform its primary fat breakdown function effectively, resulting in added fat storage--exactly the opposite of your goal.

Here are some easy ways to obtain more water during the day.

•   Try carbonated water as an occasional alternative to tap water. 

•   If you don't like the taste of plain water, try squeezing some lemon or lime juice into your water.  The pectin in lemons has the added benefit of reducing food cravings.  You can also try mint leaves or even cucumber slices for different flavors.  Iced vs. tepid has no consequential difference.  Drink whatever temperature water you prefer in large quantities.

•   Drink water before you eat.  Drinking water before meals results in an average caloric reduction of about 75 calories per meal.  During the day, that equates to a 225 calorie reduction.

•   Carry a water bottle with you and refill it during the course of the day.  If you see the water, you will be more likely to reach for it.  Another trick is to set a timer every hour to remind you to drink a glass of water.

•   Reduce your consumption of calorie-laden liquids and your coffee intake (especially if having 3 or more cups per day).

•   Start with a goal of 64 oz. water per day if you aren't excessively exercising.  For athletes, your water consumption will need to increase depending on the intensity of your workout.  Please note that water consumption levels are dependent on weight, activity level and size.

•   Try consuming water-rich foods to increase your water intake.  These water-rich foods, comprised of fruits and vegetables are also low in calories.  They include cucumbers, watermelons, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes.  For some delicious water-rich recipes, click here.

•   Eat water or broth-based soups for added liquid intake.   

•   Drinking water is easier on the pocketbook than other types of drinks. 

So drink up and obtain the multitude of benefits from one of our most precious resources!
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