A Moment on the Lips, a Lifetime on the Hips!

Oh, we’ve all heard that one before. Don’t you just wish it weren’t true?! The few of us who are lucky enough to not have to worry about weight gain are very fortunate, to say the least. But a good diet plays a much more important role than just keeping you trim alone. I remember once I was at the supermarket and being my usual “goody two shoes” self while grocery shopping. In my little basket: green leafy vegetables, oatmeal, tuna fish, chicken …. you get the point. I remember feeling a bit frumpy at the time as I was overworked, stressed and going through what I call one of my chubby phases. (We’ve all been there, right?!) There was a young stick figure of a girl shopping next to me that had in her little basket Doritos, soda, and all kinds of other “crap” foods that I wouldn’t even dream of eating, especially at a time where my weight was a concern. I remember thinking, “What a lucky $%&*#!” But is she, really?! Nahhh … I know better than that.

Sometimes weight gain from bad foods is a good thing – a good indicator of what’s really going on inside. When I worked in Philadelphia, there was a friend and coworker of mine who would go to South Philly every day for lunch for a good ol’ Philly cheesesteak. I used to be so jealous! He was so skinny. How did he do it, and where did he put it all?! I left the job eventually and tried to keep in touch a bit, but you know how that goes. Then one day I ran into him on the street near the hospital near my house. He was going in for a checkup because he had recently had … wait for it … a massive heart attack! You see, sometimes you need little “reminders” to help keep you on the right track. Don’t shun healthy eating habits even if you are one of the lucky ones. Keep those skinny jeans around to test yourself every now and again. When I fit into my designer jeans that I’ve managed to keep for eight years, I feel great! When they’re a bit tight … time to step up the cardio and eat better!!! Aiming for a diet rich in fibers like fruits and vegetables, and eating lots of lean proteins is a really, really good idea. But don’t skip the carbs, and don’t be afraid to supplement, if necessary. (I’ve already touched a bit on this subject in my article “It’s What’s on the Inside that Counts”.)  http://www.cougarcandystore.com/2009/04/its-whats-on-the-inside-that-counts/

Certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist Debra Pritchett advises clients to be aware that weight loss success comes from at least 80% diet. “Unless you change your eating habits, you won’t be very successful,” she says. Keep in mind that it’s all about the math. 1 pound = 3500 calories. So then, a deficit of 3500 calories/week, for example, will yield 1 pound of weight loss. How you achieve this deficit is up to you – either through exercise or diet, or both. I would advise you to do both (for all the obvious reasons). Double your pleasure. Diet alone is simply not enough for most people, and exercise is just, well, good for you!

A twinkie may not sound too detrimental to your diet at only 150 calories. But with a total of 27g of carbs, you’re better off with a banana which is also high in dietary fiber. Plus, who wants to go on living knowing that God knows what is still sitting in your digestive track for God knows how long? It’s true! Don’t believe me? See this video to form your own conclusion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCwVAkrHLq4. So, put that twinkie down! It’s not worth it!!!

Debra also mentions that most people are not aware that they drink a lot of their calories. She recommends making modifications like switching daily lattes and even wine and juice and opting instead for water. I know, I know … not fun! But your skinny jeans will thank you later for taking them out for a night out on the town. A Grande Vanilla Frappuccino from Starbucks, for instance, has 490 calories and 15 g of fat! Yikes! Delete this bad boy from your daily routine, and voilà! There’s your minus one pound, baby! Completely confused or need to fine tune your diet to prepare for an upcoming fitness show? Debra can help. Contact her at debra@squeezefitnyc.com or learn more at www.squeezefitnyc.com.

My clients and I often talk about diet. I’ve even been approached many times about cooking healthy, balanced meals for my clients to supplement their training routine. Word got out that I’m a pretty good cook. To be honest, I only really haven’t pursued this because the cost of preparing quality meals would probably exceed my profits, and I’m pretty busy these days. But it’s something I am still considering because when I hear what some people live on daily it almost frightens me! You may consider ordering foods from companies like Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig and Lindora if you seriously don’t excel in the culinary arts. Keeping a food journal is also a great way to stay on track. Websites like FitDay (www.fitday.com) allow you to keep tabs virtually.

My freshman year of college I actually lost 15 pounds, and I was already thin. I called it the Reverse Freshman 15. I was lucky enough to have a roommate my first semester who was into working out, so we’d sometimes go work out and run together at one of our campus gyms which also had an indoor track – a welcome bonus if you attend a University where winter lasts six months. I was pretty active all through my college years – running, cycling on the Penn State Cycling Team, swimming and strength training. I even got a job at the Natatorium so that I could swim whenever I wanted to for free since there was a membership fee to use the cardio equipment and the pool. Pretty smart, eh? I was a pretty skinny kid, so I never really knew until later in life that I’m not actually naturally skinny. Boo! I know, right?! I always thought I took after my father, who is on the thin side, but as it turns out I didn’t. Those few times I lapsed in diet and/or exercise I realized that I was actually curvy like my mom. Who knew?! Man, that’s not a fun thing to learn about yourself. I just wanted to stay healthy and feel and look good, but really I’m sure all my hard work in college had more to do with wanting to be a cute co-ed. I fought like crazy against my genetics and the dining hall food to stay lean. I was eating whatever I wanted until the school imposed a requirement to share dietary details – including calories – on all food served on campus. Yikes! I noticed a huge change in my selections after reading about the number of calories and fat in some of the items. Needless to say, I never ate my favorite – the chicken-à-la-king – again. The fat content and total number of calories per item on the menu nearly put me into cardiac arrest. Good Lord!

I am too busy these days to worry and work out as much as I used to. But I do take the time to be mindful of what I eat and try to maintain some kind of balance. And when I need my clothes to fit better I try to avoid certain foods and do my best to exercise a bit more. There’s no easy way around it, I’m sorry to say; if you’re looking for weight loss, you will have to make some adjustments to your current dietary habits to see change. It doesn’t have to be difficult and the foods you eat can definitely be tasty. There’s really no need to “diet”. Bodybuilders are known for being muscle-making machines, and they get that way by training hard and eating very “clean”. You don’t have to be a bodybuilder, however, to want to opt for better foods that will help you achieve your weight loss and muscle-building, or “toning” goals. Try adding more of these foods to your daily diet and see how much better you’ll feel: Lean beef, turkey, chicken (breasts), salmon, tuna, egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, baked potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, English muffins, whole-wheat bread, almonds, peanut butter, tomatoes, broccoli, green beans, apples, bananas, strawberries and avocados. For drinks you may opt for orange juice, pomegranate juice or water flavored with Crystal Light. Try Stevia in your coffee if you take it sweet but want to avoid excess sugar. Stevia is a natural sweetener that has less calories than the 15 calories per teaspoon of sugar. I use it a lot and I can’t say that it makes a huge difference in the taste of my coffee, although I will say that it’s a bit too sweet for me at times. This New York Times article talks a bit more about Stevia and how it compares to some of its competitors: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/dining/15sweet.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1/

If you are looking to improve your diet in order to lose weight, check out Chris Aceto’s “Everything You Need to Know About Fat Loss …” Chris is a nutritional consultant to many top athletes and also runs a fitness camp in Florida and Maine with his wife Laura, a professional bodybuilder and chef. Remember, you don’t need to want to be a bodybuilder or look like one to follow some, if not most, of their diet tips. An increase in protein in your diet – especially if you are exercising – is not a bad idea. Eating a clean diet is good for all of us. Remember to be realistic about your goals and your dedication to your progress. Too busy to count calories? No worries. Simply start small by making slight modifications to your daily eating habits, and I guarantee you’ll notice a difference. Oh, and … P.S. Say hi to your skinny jeans for me!

Elizabeth Hawk

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