Fitness Advantage Tip of the Day 8/25/09

Now that summer's winding down, many folks are looking to get rid of the ice cream-beer-barbecue pounds that crept on over the past couple of months. Here are some tips to help:

1. Eat Healthier Fats -the latest research shows that it’s not so much fat itself that is the problem when it comes to health and weight loss, but the kind of fat. In general, avoid trans fats, which are found in many junk foods, margarine, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and commercial sweets such as cakes, cookies and donuts (you can find healthier, organic versions of these products).

Saturated fats, which are found in animal products are fine to eat in small quantities, especially if they are natural or organic.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are now called “healthy fats” contain essential fatty acids, especially Omega-3. These are found in almonds and other nuts, avocados, coconut and olive oils and flaxseed oil.

2. Exercise Intelligently - Find a routine that works for you and be consistent. Beachbody products are great for recognizing that everyone has different needs and desires when it comes to exercise. Send me an email and I'd love to help you figure out what will work best for you.

3. Pay Attention to What You Drink -beverage consumption can be at least as important as food when it comes to your weight. The best thing to drink is pure water. After that, stick to green tea, which has antioxidants that may help with weight loss, herbal teas and pure juices in moderation (many juices like apple are healthy, but contain lots of sugar; even natural sugar can be fattening in large quantities).

Avoid soda as much as possible, even diet sodas –most artificial sweeteners have potential health risks. One glass of wine or beer every day is fine for most people and may actually have health benefits. Beyond this, however, alcohol can be fattening, can contribute to other health problems and can also weaken our resolve to avoid fattening foods (ever have a couple of glasses of wine and then find yourself completely going overboard on appetizers or dessert? You know what I mean).

4. Get Some Sleep! -while we all know that you need exercise to lose weight, oddly enough, sleep can also help. Recent research has shown a correlation between sleep deprivation and obesity. Apparently lack of sleep causes an imbalance in the body which inhibits the burning of fat. So if you have sleeping problems, you should address this. Regular exercise can help with this. Avoid caffeine or stimulants beyond the mid-afternoon. Certain herbal teas, such as chamomile and skullcap can also help with sleep.

5. Reduce Stress -stress also makes it difficult to lose weight. This is probably related to the issue of sleep deprivation contributing to obesity. While we tend to think of sleep and relaxation as the opposite of what we need to lose weight, the fact is we need b oth activity and rest to be at our best and for our body to burn fat. So we don’t only need to get enough sleep, but we also need to be able to deal with stress throughout the day. If you have a problem with stress, try yoga or meditation. These also teach proper breathing, which is crucial for overall health, stress reduction and losing weight.

6. Try tracking your food intake - even for a couple of days. Write down everything you eat and drink including little bites and tastes. You might be surprised at the number of calories you're taking in. If you don't want to write everything down, there are a number of free on-line trackers that will automatically calculate the nutrients in your foods. Fitday and Sparkpeople are two good options.