The Dish on Weight Loss/Programs

Anybody else craving summer? Warm temps?  85 degree tank top/flip flop weather? 
I sooo am!! 

Anyways onto this blog post:

I have been really reading and studying nutrition/weight loss in my not-so-much 'spare' time.  I ran across this article which I thought was really good, and I wanted to share it with you all!  Here goes: (btw-I'll put my opinion in after each post if I think it relates to what I'm facing in my weight loss goals)

Let me be clear.....I am... totally not a dietitian or doctor, I just found this information on the web, and I couldn't agree with it anymore.....  


Today I want to talk about why so many weight loss programs and "diets" fail. I'm going to explain it for you right now.

It is important to understand that becoming lean or tone is achieved through fat-loss and lean muscle gain, not weight loss. This is important because:

• Muscle tissue burns calories. One pound of lean mass/muscle burns around 15 to 50 calories a day. On the other hand, one pound of fat only burns 6 calories a day. Plus fat is stored energy, storing nearly 3500 calories per pound.

*This week I have started some major strength training exercises.  I think eating whole/clean foods aids so much in weight loss, (they always say 'abs' are made in the kitchen) but lifting any kind of weights, I have found in the past, can totally change a person's body.  I use simple 5 to 10 pound free weights 10 to 30 reps once or twice a day.  Usually in my basement, when I am already heading down to throw a load of laundry in, anyways.  I just have been working out 15 to 25 min at a time.  Nothing too intense & modifying or I think I will get pretty frustrated and burn out ! 

 

Rapid weight loss or under eating can cause muscle tissue to be used as energy, thus slowing down metabolism and making “rebound dieting” more likely.

Hmmm...I think this is why I'd always quit any new "Monday- Start Diet" after just a few days, because I wasn't eating enough to fuel my body.  I'd be so weak and tired...I wouldn't even think clearly!   I would shove anything in my mouth, even if it was junk food, (esp that entire fist full of that large bag of M&Ms on the counter, because I was soooo dang hungry!  Then my diet that I had just started, just a few days earlier, would be a thing of the past!  Anyone else tried this? 

 

• Muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle is more dense than fat, meaning it takes up less space which means fewer “inches”.

Ha!  Maybe that new scale of mine is still my friend after all?  :)  

Food Intake: healthy foods that make you feel full and give you essential nutrients.

*I have come to realize even tho you may despise or hate some sort of food....FORCE yourself to eat or at least try it, because you know that it is sooo good for you!  Mine would have to be lettuce, the past few weeks I've come to realize that it isn't as bad as I thought.  I am now eating small salads.  I'm not talking about loading it up with ranch or any kinds of dressings ( that is where you can run into problems with LOADS of calories, possibly even higher cal count than a McDs Big Mac !)  Light dressings are still okay to use in moderation.   Try a new veggie/fruit each week, you may come to find out you were really missing out !


Cardio Training: burns fat, uses calories for energy, benefits health.

*This is where my loads of miles come into play........it may be biking, walking the dog, or just even getting out and playing basketball with your kids!  You don't have to have an expensive gym membership to workout ! Lacing up my tennies is completely free!  I run because....#1.  I can   #2.  My brain needs it.  #3.  Bart knows I'm a WAYYY better (nicer)  wife/mom if I get some daily miles in! 

Resistance Training: builds lean muscle mass (the calorie burning machine) and strength and is vital to long term health.  Here is where circuit training/free weights come into play.  You can build some muscle and be a like a burning machine even sitting on your butt...and even when you sleep!

Personal Assistance: Most people have more success if they have someone to be accountable to, someone to help them, and usually a professional to help them get through slumps or plateaus.    If this is your cup of tea....do it !  If it takes someone to be accountable to....sign up!  I just don't have the extra dollars to do this, since I have seven kiddos who depend on each and every cent we have ! 

Supplements: Let's be honest. Even when we're eating super healthy we're not always getting all of the necessary nutrients. So take at least a multi vitamin to help aid in keeping yourself/body healthy.  * I need to start doing this, I'm horrible about remembering ! :)

Mmmkay, so does everyone take the oath to generally eat healthy foods, do cardio and resistance training, oh, and drink at least 64 oz of water per day? 

*I have just ditched my Diet Soda addiction just a month ago, so I'm forcing myself to crave more H2O!  I try....and I said TRY to drink about 100 oz a day, but I really have trouble doing this since I have to pee every 20 min from drinking so much.  This is hard to take time out to do in my case!  We have enough peeing issues in our house having four boys.... I swear they all close their eyes and do circles :)  Sorry, thought that this was a good one !  Couldn't resist!  You can also get them water ounces in by drinking Crystal Lite or Sugar Free Koolaid. I would say I'm more of a tea drinker than I ever thought I could be !  Good old Grandma Pat rubbing off on me !  She would be proud of this!

Little changes can really produce huge results !   Thanks for reading.  

                                                         


                                                                 I really loved this....