Lose Weight
Lose Weight – Learn research based strategies to lose weight and keep it off – permanently!
Weight Loss – Can you snack and still lose weight?
There is a general perception that snacking is bad and you need to cut out snacking if you want to lose weight. Well, the opposite is actually true.
It is important to eat regularly, every 3-4 hours to maintain your metabolic rate, promote stable blood sugar levels, and prevent insulin spikes. By maintaining a high metabolism you boost the calories you burn throughout the day, which helps you lose weight. By maintaining stable blood sugar levels and preventing insulin spikes you will prevent drops in energy.
Now, this doesn’t mean just any food will work. You need to select heart healthy snacks. This means eating snacks that balance carbohydrates with protein and/or heart healthy fats. Fat and protein slow the breakdown of carbohydrates, preventing the rapid rise in blood sugar and the corresponding increased insulin release.
Here are healthy snacks that are high in carbohydrates:
- Whole grain crackers
- Dried Fruit
- Pretzels
- Fig bars
- Fresh fruit
You can make these snacks heart healthy by combining with a protein. These protein sources that are easy to include with snacks:
- Glass of skim milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Peanut Butter
Here’s an example of how you can apply this to your daily snacks.
Mid-morning snack: Yogurt with granola
Mid-afternoon snack: Nuts mixed with dried fruit
Evening snack: Light frozen yogurt topped with strawberries
Balancing the carbohydrates and protein in your snacks is just one of many factors that affect weight loss. To drastically increase your success with losing weight and keeping it off you must wade through all the weight loss information available and sort out what works from what doesn’t. Many methods used to lose weight are ineffective and some may even sabotage your weight loss efforts. Sign up for the FREE teleclass The 5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed to learn which weight loss strategies really work. Visit https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/call.html to learn more today.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed
How Many Calories Per Day – Is less really best?
Have you ever been frustrated by not losing weight even when you feel like you’ve done everything possible to cut down on calories?
So is less really best when it comes to how many calories per day we eat? One might think that reducing calories is the most direct way to manage weight. However, this can backfire, especially with eating less than 1200 calories per day (or higher in some individuals). When one cuts their calories down too low the body’s metabolism (the rate at which we burn calories) can become compromised and slow down. This happens as the body senses starvation and switches into conservation mode, burning fewer calories so that the available calories go to vital body organs. As a result of a slower metabolism the body can’t burn calories as efficiently which can slow down and/or prevent weight loss. Does this sound familiar? Many diets actually result in deprivation gone-too-far and slow the metabolism.
The solution in this case is to eat more (and ditch the diet)! By gradually increasing your calorie level with healthful food choices and eating at regular intervals you will be optimizing your metabolism.
Of course, there are times when reducing calories is appropriate by replacing high fat or high sugar foods with healthier options. However, ask yourself it’s possible that you’ve cut out too many calories. You might be wondering how you would know this. Here are some possible signs of calorie intake being too low…
- Extreme hunger
- Fatigue
- Cravings
- Weight plateaus (i.e. not losing any more weight)
- Headaches
- Difficulty making decisions
- Irritability
- Shakiness, lightheadedness, dizziness
Adequately determining how many calories per day is just one of many factors that affect weight loss. To drastically increase your success with losing weight and keeping it off you must wade through all the weight loss information available and sort out what works from what doesn’t. Many methods used to lose weight are ineffective and some may even sabotage your weight loss efforts. Sign up for the FREE teleclass The 5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed to learn which weight loss strategies really work. Visit https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/call.html to learn more today.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed
Heart Health – How hard do you need to workout?
To achieve health benefits, it is recommended that we include 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity 5 days each week. Well, what exactly is considered moderate intensity?
San Diego State University recently studied the effect of different exercise intensity levels to determine how fast someone needs to walk to be exercising at a moderate intensity level. Researchers monitored cardiac exertion of walking at different rates in 97 healthy adults on a treadmill. It was determined that a moderate intensity level is equal to 3 METs, which is a measurement of the bodies oxygen needs. This converted to 92-102 steps per minute for men and 91-115 steps per minute for women.
By grabbing a pedometer and watch on your next walk, you can check to see if you are hitting the goal of ~100 steps per minute to reap the health benefits. And if not, you’ll know you need to increase your speed!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Heart Health – Increase Your Metabolism to Be Heart Healthy
Being overweight is linked to a 45% increased risk of developing heart disease. Shedding extra pounds is not easy, but by boosting your metabolism you increase the calories your burn throughout each day. This will lead to the heart healthy weight loss you desire.
You’ve probably heard the term “metabolism”, but do you really understand what it is and how to use it in your quest for heart health? Let me give you some pointers.
First, the definition of metabolism:
Metabolism is the minimum energy the body needs for basic bodily functions when resting and just awakened. Metabolism is more commonly referred to as the rate at which your body burns calories.
Why should you be concerned about metabolism?
If you boost your metabolism the more calories you burn when at rest and throughout your basic daily activities. This means fewer calories stored as fat and promotion of weight loss. The opposite is true also. If your metabolism drops, the calories you burn drops, and the result is weight gain.
Your muscle mass has the greatest impact on your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. The less muscle equals the fewer calories. To add another wrench in your weight and heart health struggle, metabolism decreases as you age. The rate of decrease is about 2% every 10 years beginning at age 30. You can counteract this decline by being active and maintaining your muscle mass.
Building an extra 5 pounds of muscle will boost your metabolism by ~100 calories each day.
So, how do you build muscle?
The best way is to start strength training. If this is an area you are unfamiliar with it’s best to work with a trainer for one or two sessions until you feel comfortable. Remember to always consult your MD before started an exercise program.
You may be thinking, but what about my time on the treadmill? Yes, cardiovascular exercise does build muscle through repetition, but the main purpose of cardiovascular activities is to increase your heart rate to burn calories, not building muscle. Cardiovascular exercise temporarily boosts the rate you burn calories during the activity, but this rate decreases back to your normal level after the activity is complete and your heart rate returns to normal. It does not affect your metabolic rate throughout your day like strength training.
Okay, you’ve decided you need to build some muscle and you’re gung ho to start. Great! But wait one second.
A mistake I frequently see people make is trying to make too many changes at once. If you’re not currently active, suddenly jumping into lifting weights and jogging 5 days a week is not realistic and you set yourself up for failure. You need to take it one step at a time.
Establishing a realistic plan is critical to your success when you strive to boost your metabolism, lose weight, and achieve heart health.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
In part 2 you will learn about the “Metabolic Window” and how to maximize your muscle gains through what and when you eat pre/post workout.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Worksite Wellness Programs – Does your employer influence your choices?
Right now there are a number of federal rules that limit what employers and insurers can do to encourage and reward healthy behavior, such as being physically active, losing weight, and smoking cessation.
President Obama has outlined 8 principles for health legislation that will make it easier for employers to provide worksite wellness and prevention programs, such as tax credits and other subsidies. The goals of worksite wellness programs would be to promote heart health, decrease obesity, manage diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.
Some proposals provide periodic screenings for health problems and others include counseling focused on healthier lifestyles. By becoming healthier, employees will reduce health care costs and productivity increases. Rewards for achieving a healthier lifestyle may include financial incentives, such as gift certificates and cash rewards. Some insurers already reward employees with lower health insurance premiums.
Of course, there’s always going to be the “other side of the coin” as some criticize the plan, saying employers will be prying too much into employee’s personal lives.
What do you think? Would a good worksite wellness program influence you to take action to live a healthier life?
One option to achieve a healthy worksite is by incorporating the Worksite Wellness Programs available to you.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Weight Loss – 4 Tips to Prevent Stress Related Weight Gain
Stress is linked to weight gain in that it stimulates the release of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that breaks down muscle to provide the body with needed glucose for energy needs. Cortisol also relocates fat cell deposits into the visceral cavities of the abdomen. Increased abdominal fat increases your heart disease risk.
Here are three tips to decrease stress related weight gain.
1. Push-ups
Effective, instant stress reliever that tricks the body into thinking your escaping stress. Push-ups cause your blood to circulate quickly, transporting cortisol to your kidney’s and removing it from your system.
2. Eat slowly
Stress typically leads to consuming meals very quickly, which equals bigger portions to fill full, and adds to your belly fat. Being mindful and eating slowly, savoring every flavor/texture, may actually lower cortisol, decrease your calorie intake, and move fat away from the abdominal area.
3. Avoid strict calorie restricted diets.
If you’re always “on a diet”, cortisol levels may rise as much as 18 percent. The rise in cortisol causes a blood sugar spike followed by a drop. This roll coaster ride makes your brain feel deprived of sugar (it’s main source for energy) and your ability to stick with a strict diet plan falters.
I’ll be sharing four more tips in a few days.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
The Best Way to Lose Weight
