Well, let’s get one thing clear — when we are talking
about weight
loss, we really mean FAT loss. Changing body composition requires
some time and discipline in terms of eating healthy and exercise
but it is the only long-term way to maintain a healthy body
weight.
Most “diets” will cause you to lose weight, but
be very careful —
they cause you to lose muscle and water — two things that you
need
more of. And, to make matters worse, when you go off
of your calorie restrictive ridiculous diet your metabolism is
diminished because of the muscle loss (remember muscle equals
metabolism), and you will gain even more weight (read FAT).
One more thing — these “secrets” are not secrets
at all but stuff
most everyone knows. The REAL secret is # 10, but it takes same
practice. I have seen how well it works with clients and
athletes and it could work for you too!
You are not getting enough WATER!
You are mostly water — even your bones are a quarter water!
The fact is that most people are chronically dehydrated and
our bodies actually hold water.
Drinking more water might be a pain for a few days (going to
the washroom a lot) but do take heed — your body is flushing
itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those
years of "survival mode".
When you
drink enough water our bodies do something really neat — it
gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles
and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly.
Strength Train
Strength training is absolutely critical in weight management
— as noted above, some diets will actually ask you not to
work out because the calories you are taking in are so few
that you would not have the energy and it could be dangerous.
Does that sound right? You need athletically-trained muscles
to increase metabolism and burn fat. In fact — fat is burned
in the muscles so you want more, not less. As well, following
a calorie-reduced diet may make you smaller but a smaller
version of whatever shape you are
now. If you have a pear-shaped physique — you will be a smaller
version of that. And, strength training will help tone and
shape all your muscles — like the Equalizer pull-ups to tone
the back and arm muscles. Plus you will be able to do those
stairs with ease — not like someone who is weaker from a
restrictive diet.
Sleep… zzzzzzzzz
Studies published in the Journal of the
American Medical Association show that
sleep loss disrupts a series of complex metabolic and hormonal
processes which can make weight loss far more difficult than
it needs to be. Sleep-deprived and tired individuals tend
to eat more during the day and make poorer food choices. Besides,
you need good sleep to repair those lean athletic Equalizer
muscles!
Meditation
Who would have thought that sitting quietly can have such a
profound effect on the body and mind? Not me — not at first
anyways! I have
been meditating daily for a few years now and let me tell you,
it has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I recover
faster from workouts, sleep better, feel less anxious/stressed
and have an overall better relationship with myself and others.
Why do it for “weight” loss? Meditation increases
self-awareness,
so you're less likely to succumb to emotional eating when you're
practicing meditation. As well, studies have shown that plasma
cortisol (the “stress” hormone) decreases during
Transcendental
Meditation, whereas it did not change significantly in control
subjects during ordinary relaxation. When the stress hormones
are high, from everyday living and prolonged habitual stress
(which
most of us are accustomed to — unfortunately for our health),
our bodies burn very little fat — instead getting energy from
sugars and causing craving for carbohydrates. We choose pick
me up foods during mid-day that are loaded with sugar and
caffeine when a much better option would be to close the eyes
and do 15 minutes of meditation. It recharges the battery and
makes you feel great.
Like the book says — “Eat More, Weigh
Less”!
The physiology of it has been known for years — when we starve
ourselves, we get fatter. You have heard this before but it
bears repeating; Small meals throughout the day is the best
choice to
keep your metabolism going, get the nutrients you need and
burn fat. Never go more than three hours without some small
nutritious snack coming in.
Portions are out of control!
Look at the average size of a bagel today — add some creme
cheese
and you have enough calories to feed a big hockey player after
a game! Ok, maybe not that many but you get the point. And
the same goes for almost all restaurants, fast foods and other
meals. You should use a plate that is salad sized, well-balanced
with protein, whole grain/less refined carbs (calories derived
from carbohydrates are necessary for energy and can be very
healthy if they come from whole grains) and veggies.
Eat fat! Ok, eat the right kinds of fat. The fact is that some fats
will harm you and some are very good for you. Omega-3 must
be obtained from your diet but most of us DO NOT get enough.
We need them from a cellular level and without them, our
health becomes compromised. Omega-3 is most abundant in cold
water fish, mainly salmon, mackerel and sardines, from Flaxseed
(linseed) oil and you can buy Omega-3 oil to supplement your
diet.
Do your cardio early.
Doing cardiovascular exercise first thing in the morning will
give your metabolism a kick-start on the day. It gets revved
early
and therefore burns more calories over the duration you are
awake. A little trick is to have a black coffee (no milk
or sugar) and do your cardio which will burn slightly more
calories from fat.
LAUGH! Hey, most of us just don’t do it enough anyway. So without
going
into the science, it’s pretty obvious that a good BELLY
laugh
just feels great and is good for us!
Changing internal pictures.
Why is this one the most important? Because without it, you
very likely will not stick with 1 thru 9. The fact is that
ALL our behaviours are motivated by internal pictures or
images (hence the word self-image) and no amount of willpower
will override this programming long-term without first doing
the groundwork. So what to do? Stay tuned for the next article
and learn how changing
internal pictures drives your behaviors and of course, YOUR
RESULTS.
•
About the Author
Marc Lebert is a Certified Personal Trainer and fitness club owner. He is an NLP practitioner, a Black Belt in Taekwondo, and inventor. Marc also teaches boxing, sports conditioning and Equalizer classes. He has been seen on TV, is a published writer and conducts seminars. His new fitness product, The Equalizer can be seen at www.lebertequalizer.com.