The 6 keys to getting fit and losing weight August 22, 2014 at 3:38 PM fitness Being overweight or obese is an important public health issue and can lead to high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels and type 2 diabetes, increasing your risk of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. But a recent survey of nearly 2,000 Canadians found that while 62% tried to lose weight over the past five years, 70% of those who were overweight put the pounds back on – and then some. What are we doing wrong? Legendary comedian Henny Youngman used to joke about visiting his doctor: “Doc, it hurts when I do this.” The doctor’s reply: “Well, stop doing this.” The reality is we shouldn’t need to spend billions of dollars every year on weight-loss programs and products. We know why we’re overweight – we eat too much and don’t exercise enough. So isn’t it time we stopped doing this? Easier said than done, of course, but far from impossible and actually much simpler than many of us realize. Every successful fitness and weight loss program boils down to two key ingredients: eating well – not dieting! and staying active – not exercising! Plus maintaining how we eat and stay active depends on consistency, intensity, moderation and support. Let’s unpack these important elements one by one: Eating well: Our ancestors didn’t diet much. They didn’t rigidly consume X% of carbs and Y% or protein or check food labels for grams of fat or calories from sugar or sugar substitutes. In fact, most of the time, finding enough to eat was the more immediate challenge. When they did, they tried to eat a reasonable balance of grain, meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables. What’s more, they obviously didn’t eat processed foods. They stuck to simple foods that come out of the ground or oceans, or are raised on land. Eating a lot of processed foods, often made with a lot of artificial ingredients, is not usually eating well. Staying active: Our forbears didn’t have treadmills or barbells or stationary bicycles to stay active. They were too busy toiling fields, hunting wild game or raising livestock. While most of us don’t perform that sort of labour anymore, it doesn’t mean sitting at a computer, behind the wheel or curled up on a couch for hours every day is okay. Our bodies evolved to be active and we need to find ways to do so. Running or weight-training isn’t for everyone. But it’s still important to find an activity or sport you enjoy doing a few hours each week that can get your heart rate up and help you break a sweat. How much activity you need to lose weight depends on how much weight you want to lose and how much you’re eating. But think of it this way: each kilometer you walk burns around 100 calories – so walk 5 kilometers a day and you could burn an extra 300 calories that would otherwise turn to fat in your body. In a month, that’s about 9,000 calories, which amounts to about 2.6 pounds, or 30 pounds in a year – 30 pounds by simply walking 5 KM every day. Consistency: As you can see, you can realistically lose 2 or 3 pounds in a month from brisk walking. If you’re 50 or 100 pounds overweight, that might sound discouraging but it shouldn’t be. Rome, as they say, wasn’t built in a day. Imagine if you were building a new home but only devoted an hour to it every week, or stopped for months or years. It would never get built. Achieving a big goal requires that you be consistent. If you can’t work out every day, that’s okay. Then work out longer three days a week, every week, all year, until it becomes second nature. And make it a priority to find the time. We all lead busy lives but most of us still miraculously find time to watch TV or surf the internet for hours every week. If you have time for Facebook, Candy Crush or NCIS, you have an hour a day to make yourself healthier and lose weight. Intensity: Some people go to the gym and halfheartedly peddle on a stationary bike as they text or surf on their smartphone, or socialize with their friends. (Maybe that’s even you.) Whatever activity you choose to stay active and lose weight, focus on it. Research suggests that paying attention while you’re working out can increase the exercise’s effectiveness by 30 or 40% -- in other words, when you get in the zone, you get more out of what you’re doing. Moderation: Diets that forbid you to eat sweets, fat or processed foods have their hearts in the right place but they’re not realistic. We’re all going to give in to temptation sooner or later. As long as you stay active and eat a balanced diet, you can give yourself permission to eat a burger and fries or ice cream once or twice a week. And when you do, don’t binge but moderate. Don’t sit in front of the TV with a bag or chips or container of ice cream. Grab a small bowl, dole out a satisfying portion, and enjoy. We rarely eat the foods that tempt us because we’re starving. We eat them because we have a craving. So satisfy your craving – in moderation. Support: It can be tough going it alone. Some of us are good at it but most of us aren’t. So get some backup. Are both you and your girlfriend or buddy trying to lose weight? Do it together. Make it competitive. Root each other on. Sometimes it’s really hard to lose weight or get fit without motivation. So team up with someone you love and trust and motivate each other. What are your weight loss and fitness success stories? Please share them with the Shop Talk Blog community and let’s all motivate each other! Diet Did you know? Your mom was right about chewing your food. It turns out you tend to eat more if you don’t have to chew a lot. It’s why restaurant chains tenderize their meat and make it dissolve in our mouths more easily. When we eat foods that take longer to chew and swallow, we tend to eat less. (Source: Psychology Today) 4 53 Tags: Fitness Diet Fitness and diet tips Category: Health You can add comments in this area Posted by Gail Lamoureux on Sep 10th, 2014 I have tried every diet on earth, Reading this article makes sense to me. I do love to walk but have had a lot of stress in the last year, so I have done very little, I have about 50 lbs to lose. I am going to start tomorrow to make changes. Posted by Jennifer Bruce on Sep 10th, 2014 I am trying to lose 5 pounds and a few inches. I dont mind admitting it has been a struggle for me. I am 55 and find if I lose 2 pounds, I gain them back. I am Gluten and Lactose Intolerant. I try to walk between bus stops and recently walked more than two miles/1.5 km. along the Path of Hadrians Wall in Newcastle on Tyne. I am willing to eat less carbs and have already started, If there is any advice you can give me, I would appreciate it. I dont have money to spend on books or magazines though. Thank you for letting me talk on. Posted by Pat on Sep 10th, 2014 I can agree on this article above once you get to a certain age I find I have gained weigh and it is hard to loss it. So what I have been going for walks, cutting down my portions, eating right, I do snacks during day but not in evening. Try not getting stress out by it cause then you will eat more. Watch out for fats and sugars. Posted by J. Roger Trudel on Sep 10th, 2014 Simple - Eat Less Posted by Margaret Barsi on Sep 10th, 2014 An excellent read. My husband and I make it a point to take a brisk walk together for 45 minutes to an hour every evening during week nights and in the mornings on weekends before breakfast. When we cant or dont get our walk in which happens occasionally we go a bit further on our next walk. We both still work although I am 67 (work full time 5 days of the week w/an hour drive to/from work) and my husband is 81 (he runs his own business from home, visiting clients, etc). We eat healthy but at the same time allow within reason sweets (pie, ice cream) and junk food (chips, burger). And amazingly this still allows us time to watch our favorite shows on TV or NetFlex. Not to mention we have a big house that we share w/our two dogs and a granddaughter in University. Posted by Jeanette on Sep 10th, 2014 I knew I was gaining weight rather than losing so I bought a Fitbit One and have used it faithfully since. I walk a minimum of 85000 steps per week and track the food I eat. I also drink plenty of water during the day and eat whole fruits rather than drinking juice. Fitbit has an option to choose how much you wish to lose in a week and it reduces your allowable intake by your choice - in my case 750 calories less than normal intake and I have lost over 25 pounds since the end of May - 25 lbs in just over 3 mths so it is possible. Simply tracking what you are eating is essential - I was ignorant of the actual calorie, fat & sodium content of many foods and since then I steer clear of those with high sodium content as you can consume a daily total in one sitting if you are unaware. Eat less than you burn, make sure you exercise and dont cut out all the things you like - just have them in moderation. Posted by Zeba donders on Sep 10th, 2014 I love your theory, know your theory but cannot practice it even trying so many times. I am very active person of 70years of age. Had a hip replacement thus thus putting me in 3rd gear. I work out everyday 45-1 hr cardio, some weights, floor exercise thou having problem getting up. I am discipline when I am home but I love travelling and therefore break my routine, eat more, play more and get fat more.... I eat healthy food. I think it is the quantity and not the quality. I had joined weight watchers , lost 26 lbs, went on vacation for 3 months, put on 11 lbs. what a battle. Posted by Daniel J.A. Harrison on Sep 10th, 2014 I am finding that i am losing the weight, slowly and steadily, but just cant lose the bit of belly fat! I was told by a very good friend, who happens to also be a famous excercise guru, that doing sit ups and pushups to lose belly fat, does not work....it only works to help shape and define your abs......well i cant find mine....i was always a 30waist, and am now 34 and just cant seem to get it to go down....or at least dissapear! LMAO....Any ideas people......? Good luck to all that are also in the health & happiness fight........ Posted by Diana on Sep 10th, 2014 The article is so helpful. And everything is right. Thank you for this information. Posted by Sheila Fletcher on Sep 10th, 2014 I have lost 83 pounds in just a year and still lose weight on an average of 1lb per week. I go to water aerobics each morning during the week ( 45 minutes) and do laps 3 days per week ( 1/2 hr ). I am on the weight watchers diet and find it very easy to maintain -- you just have to balance out your points during the day -- I can have whatever I want as long as I watch my count and eat healthy. Posted by H=Margaret Cromarty on Sep 10th, 2014 We were always told to chew our food probably Posted by Denis on Sep 10th, 2014 I recently started walking with Nordix walking poles, and have less pain, more energy, and feel much better. The pain I had in my wrist from walking with a cane is gone, and only returns when I need to use the cane. I have much better stability to walk safely rather than having many falls while walking with the single cane. My chiropractor finds that I need less adjustment when I consistently use the poles, compared to when I used to use the cane. With proper technique, you are using up to 90% of the bodys muscles, and if you are like me and like to talk while walking, you use more. :) There are Pole walking groups all over, and anyone can do it. Groups usually have people with different walking abilities/speeds so that you are not stuck straining to keep up walking with fast walkers if you dont have that ability to keep up. There is a group of women in a city that are of middle eastern decent who are not willing to wear the skimpy exercise outfits seen at the gym. This exercise allows them to wear their normal clothing and walk their way to fitness without compromising their standards of dress. I have arthritis, and use my poles regularly. So really ANYONE can use these Nordix poles for fitness! At under $100 for a pair of great poles, it is an inexpensive way to get fitter, see new parts of your city, trails and beaches. As there are straps that attach to my poles, I NEVER have a death grip on the poles, and more often than not am not even holding onto the handles! So people with wrist and arm problems can usually manage to use the poles safely. Find a group and try it for yourself! Posted by Angele Langan on Sep 10th, 2014 Ive lost 25lbls. and have 20 more pounds to go. Ive been working out 2 to 3 times a day. Ive been eating good food but have been treating myself once or twice a week. You have to put time aside at least once a day to do exercise. Its not hard to dedicate at least one hour a day to do some brisk walking. Its amazing what walking will do to you. Posted by Aino Canavan on Sep 10th, 2014 Thanks, but I am in my ideal weight, have been quite a while. I probably could add a lot of nutrition knowledge to the text above. Posted by Bob McGaraughty on Sep 10th, 2014 another factor in eating is the size of the portions when serving meals. progressively reduce the portion until you reach a point where you are satisfied with less food. another choice is to eat several times a day, but each much be a small portion of good food. Posted by Monique Avon on Sep 10th, 2014 Thank you for reminding me, I did walk before and it did help lose the weight , I am starting today ,thank you Posted by Charline V einotte on Sep 10th, 2014 Ineed about 50 lbs off Sorry Im on my way for a walk Posted by Barry Cooper on Sep 10th, 2014 For me, the most effective strategy to the weight control component of fitness has been attention--to what one is eating, how fast one is eating and how much one is eating. Dont distract yourself from the process of eating. Think about what youre ingesting. Be completely aware while youre at the table or thinking about reaching into the snack bowl. Leave a Rep - See more at: shoppersvoice.ca/shop-talk-blog/the-6-keys-to-getting-fit-and-losing-weight/#sthash.5YqlW9SR.dpuf
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 22:58:50 +0000
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