llorenzo posted on January 19, 2009 18:45
Create a Calorie Deficit: Create a calorie deficit everyday through a combination of exercise, an active lifestyle and eating right. It is this constant calorie deficit over a period of time that helps us to maintain or lose weight. On average you will lose one lb per 3500 extra calories burned or eliminated from your diet.
Plan, Portion, Pack: Get into the habit of planning your meals and snacks in advance. Your portion sizes can be controlled via small Tupperware containers, snack size zip bags and paying attention to labels. Only pack your portion size and nothing more; this will ensure you do not over eat.
Get on a Schedule: Feed your body at the same times everyday so it gets used to the routine of your food intake. You body craves routine and if you feed it consistently, it will burn calories consistently.
Increase Your Muscle Mass: Muscle mass burns more calories than fat cells. The higher your muscle to fat ratio is the more calories you will burn and the more efficiently your body will be able to exercise, which in turn will build more muscle and burn more calories.
Get Naked: Choose raw foods like fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Our bodies get a high nutrition value from raw foods and they are easy to digest because they are in their most natural state. They are also not packed with preservatives or added sugars that our body does not need and has trouble digesting.
Try New Things: If we eat the same foods all the time, we get the same results. Changing just one thing in your daily routine once per week can make a big difference. By taking your morning Extra Large Triple Mocha and replacing it with a coffee with soy milk you could easily cut out 200 calories per day. The same principle goes for exercise. If you run three miles a day, your body gets really good at running 3 miles and never changes. Try new workouts, classes and/or just add an additional day of exercise each week. We plateau because we never change our habits!
Be Disciplined: Remember the cause: YOUR HEALTH. There is not a better cause on which to focus your energy besides your own body. Set small goals, like learning to cook healthier meals, packing your lunch a few days per week, walking or jogging after work, or at least on the weekends, and try to enlist the support of a friend or co-worker. It is always more fun to embark on new journeys with other people.
Educate Yourself: Be aware of how many calories your body needs to fuel your activity level and feed it appropriately. Be aware of how many times you eat per day and how much you eat in one sitting. Do you eat 100 calories for breakfast or 500 calories and how does that relate to the rest of the day's caloric intake? Be inquisitive and learn how many calories foods have and figure out what an average meal for you should contain. The more you educate yourself the better the choices you will make regarding food.
Good-Better-Best: Get out of the mindset that some foods are always good and some foods are always bad; instead think comparatively about the items you eat based on the nutrition you hope to get from them. Learn what some good choices are, what some better food choices and what the best food choices are for you and your situation. If you're at a restaurant or on the go you might not be able to choose the best food but you can choose one that is good or better considering your options. Where is the fat, protein and sugar coming from in your diet? Unsaturated fat is best, lean protein is better than fatty protein, and quality low fat dairy is good compared to a processed sugar. Always try to apply a good, better, best to the foods you eat!
About the Author: Lauren Lorenzo is an owner and Director of Training and Operations at Operation Boot Camp of North America. She is a graduate of James Madison University, an AFAA certified group fitness instructor, ACE certified personal trainer, certified Power Pilates instructors, and certified turbo kick instructor with over than 11 years of experience. Lauren has taught classes at Atlanta Kick, The White House Athletic Center, The Greenbrier Athletic Center, Baltimore Athletic Center and Athletic Club Northeast. She is currently pursuing her masters in nutrition.
Edited by Sarah Mansfield.
Operation Boot Camp is a 30 day fitness program with the mission to help people get fit through positive changes in nutrition, exercise and attitude. For more information on Operation Boot Camp, please visit www.operationbootcamp.com.