My last blog discussed a way to increase your strength without any special equipment. Those of you that started your climbing/descending staircase are already on you way to a stronger, healthier body. I recommended starting slow and gradually building the strength in your legs. The legs are really where most of the calories get burned when you are moving. Stronger legs give you a bigger engine to burn more fuel (calories). Anything you can do to make your legs stronger will make weight loss easier. Let’s look at a couple of other quick suggestions that may help with your overall health program.
CALORIES IN
If I drink diet soda, I will satisfy my hunger without consuming any calories. Right? Wrong, very wrong. All pops (sodas) have no positive nutritional value. Recent studies suggest that diet sodas have even worse consequences than the sugar (corn syrup) regular drinks. Studies in both humans and animals have demonstrated that diet drinks seem to stimulate appetite and cause more weight gain than sugar drinks. I have to admit that all three of my children stopped drinking pop before I did. I was slow to catch on to this one, but I am a believer now.
The next time you are in a convenience store, watch the size of the people that walk out the door with a “Diet Cola”. Better yet, don’t go to a convenience store at all. Very few people walk out the door with the fresh fruit that is beginning to show up on the counter. More likely you will end up with a sandwich that will be over 600 calories that comes primarily in the form of fat. If you are stuck at a weight and cannot figure out why you are not losing weight, start looking at the nutritional information on the package. If there is no nutritional information, beware. Educate yourself about where you consume the bulk of your calories. It takes a little time up front, but after a while it become easier to avoid common pitfalls. Most of the people I know that consistently maintain a healthy body composition know the calories of the food they eat.
CALORIES OUT
I have several clients who have no exercise program, but maintain a very healthy level of body fat. What do they all have in common? Obviously, since I am a personal trainer, they do weights at least once a week. Probably more important, they keep moving. Studies have shown that obese individuals sit over 120 minutes a day more than thin people. I believe that cardio exercise is helpful for weight control and general health. However, cardio workouts are oversold as a way to lose body fat. If the average person walks briskly for 40 minutes daily, they will burn around 250 calories. If you just sit for the same time, you will burn around 90 calories. You only get 160 calorie difference for your 40 minute session. If you allow yourself a little extra treat, because you had worked out, you could easily wipe out the caloric benefit of you training. There are many reasons to train aerobically. Stress relief, blood flow to the brain and vital organs to name a couple. In terms of caloric benefit, there is a small benefit that will not cause fat to melt off your body. In the long run, having sufficient muscle mass and moving more during waking hours will probably do more to help with body fat control than a moderate exercise routine. After you have had your eight hours of sleep, get up and get moving. Many obese people lay in bed long after they wake up. Get up and get moving as quickly as you can. Our bodies are made to move, keep moving through the day and you will find you will spend less time thinking about your next meal and will get a little more living out of each day.
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