Monday, January 11, 2010
Dieting, if you can even call it that!
Happy Monday! Or at least try to have be happy!
Today is a good day... I'm feeling so energtic. My hopes of changing my lifestyle are definitely showing some positive results. Lately, I've been sticking with my New Year's Resolution of eating healtier and exercising more. I'm not really even on a "diet"... at least not one of those extreme diets. I've just learned to control the fatty foods, limit my portions and drink the least possible amount of soda possible, which is just about 1 coke per week. Not bad, huh? I've always been a fan of fruits and vegetables... a healthy eater, so it's not too hard! But, since I've graduated high school, I really started eating fatty foods and it's weighed me down both physically and emotionally. It's not a good feeling!
Here's my diet and exercise routine to feel more energtic and rejuvenated...
1. I don't eat or drink, except for water, 3 hours before bedtime. (Bedtime= 11:30, stop eating at 8:30)
2. I go to bed early, so I can get enough sleep. Don't quote me, but I don't believe you reach a rested point until about 4 hours or so into your sleep... so make sure you get enough, every minute counts! Keep a cool room, or listen to a relaxation sound machine. We use our iPhones and hook it up to speakers. We love the sound of rain or classical music. There are some really great apps out there with relaxation sounds!
3. Wake up early. I usually get between 6-7 hours of sleep.
4. Eat a healthy breakfast. It's how you start your day off, so make it count! Or you can eat dinner for breakfast, so you have the entire day to burn off those calories! I usually eat berries and yogurt. Sometimes I'll have pasta salad or egg salad sandwich. Yum :-)
5. Snack healthy throughout the day. Chop up bags of carrots, celery, broccoli, apples, etc. Bring them with you and eat them throughout your day. No fatty ranch dressings! Squeeze some lemon into some olive oil and salt to taste... dip your veggies in this for a heart-healthy dip! Instead of chips and dip, take some part skim milk ricotta cheese and mix with 1 pressed garlic clove, a pinch of salt, pepper and herb de'povence and spread over toasted naan bread. It's a healthy alternative to chips and dip and it tastes great!
6. Drink water all day long. Drink unsweetened or lightly sweetened tea, not coffee or sodas.
7. I exercise for 1 to 2 hours per day. Before I was only exercising for 15-30 minutes every other day, and I just stayed at my current weight. Remember, to lose weight you have to burn off whatever calories you eat, maybe more! I alternate yoga, pilates, and weights every three days. I get up in the morning and do a 15-minute meditation session to prepare myself for a positive day. It really does wonders for your mood and attitude! All you need to do is sit in a quiet space and focus on positive thoughts. Think about the ocean or something you find peaceful. I have a little sound machine and I just listen to one of the sounds and relax! Each afternoon I do 30 minutes to 1 hour of cadio on the elliptical or I go for a jog, about 1-2 miles. The elliptical is better on my knees... but I really like being outdoors, so I alternate. Remember, keep your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes. Afterwards, I cool down with my yoga, pilates, or weights. When I "lift weights", they are 5-pound weights. It's just to tone my muscles, I don't want to be bulky!
8. I love Campbell's Select Harvest for lunches. But, I also eat lots of salads and sandwiches! Just keep the fat down.
9. Remember carbs turn into fat if they are not used. Yes, white things, breads, rice, potatoes etc, have very little or no fat... but those starchy carbs turn into sugar and sugar turns into fat... or something like that! You get my drift :-)
10. Remember to eat enough for your body... if you eat too less your metabolism will slow down and you'll gain weight. No good! I find it helpful to track my daily food consumptions against my suggested caloric intake. Myfitnesspal.com is a great way to count calories and WebMd.com has a great BMI calculator. Pay more attention to your health and you'll see wonderful results! Just remember that not all nutrution labels are 100% accurate, so if you're unsure, just skip a few more calories or work out a little more each day.
Happy Monday :-)
Today is a good day... I'm feeling so energtic. My hopes of changing my lifestyle are definitely showing some positive results. Lately, I've been sticking with my New Year's Resolution of eating healtier and exercising more. I'm not really even on a "diet"... at least not one of those extreme diets. I've just learned to control the fatty foods, limit my portions and drink the least possible amount of soda possible, which is just about 1 coke per week. Not bad, huh? I've always been a fan of fruits and vegetables... a healthy eater, so it's not too hard! But, since I've graduated high school, I really started eating fatty foods and it's weighed me down both physically and emotionally. It's not a good feeling!
Here's my diet and exercise routine to feel more energtic and rejuvenated...
1. I don't eat or drink, except for water, 3 hours before bedtime. (Bedtime= 11:30, stop eating at 8:30)
2. I go to bed early, so I can get enough sleep. Don't quote me, but I don't believe you reach a rested point until about 4 hours or so into your sleep... so make sure you get enough, every minute counts! Keep a cool room, or listen to a relaxation sound machine. We use our iPhones and hook it up to speakers. We love the sound of rain or classical music. There are some really great apps out there with relaxation sounds!
3. Wake up early. I usually get between 6-7 hours of sleep.
4. Eat a healthy breakfast. It's how you start your day off, so make it count! Or you can eat dinner for breakfast, so you have the entire day to burn off those calories! I usually eat berries and yogurt. Sometimes I'll have pasta salad or egg salad sandwich. Yum :-)
5. Snack healthy throughout the day. Chop up bags of carrots, celery, broccoli, apples, etc. Bring them with you and eat them throughout your day. No fatty ranch dressings! Squeeze some lemon into some olive oil and salt to taste... dip your veggies in this for a heart-healthy dip! Instead of chips and dip, take some part skim milk ricotta cheese and mix with 1 pressed garlic clove, a pinch of salt, pepper and herb de'povence and spread over toasted naan bread. It's a healthy alternative to chips and dip and it tastes great!
6. Drink water all day long. Drink unsweetened or lightly sweetened tea, not coffee or sodas.
7. I exercise for 1 to 2 hours per day. Before I was only exercising for 15-30 minutes every other day, and I just stayed at my current weight. Remember, to lose weight you have to burn off whatever calories you eat, maybe more! I alternate yoga, pilates, and weights every three days. I get up in the morning and do a 15-minute meditation session to prepare myself for a positive day. It really does wonders for your mood and attitude! All you need to do is sit in a quiet space and focus on positive thoughts. Think about the ocean or something you find peaceful. I have a little sound machine and I just listen to one of the sounds and relax! Each afternoon I do 30 minutes to 1 hour of cadio on the elliptical or I go for a jog, about 1-2 miles. The elliptical is better on my knees... but I really like being outdoors, so I alternate. Remember, keep your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes. Afterwards, I cool down with my yoga, pilates, or weights. When I "lift weights", they are 5-pound weights. It's just to tone my muscles, I don't want to be bulky!
8. I love Campbell's Select Harvest for lunches. But, I also eat lots of salads and sandwiches! Just keep the fat down.
9. Remember carbs turn into fat if they are not used. Yes, white things, breads, rice, potatoes etc, have very little or no fat... but those starchy carbs turn into sugar and sugar turns into fat... or something like that! You get my drift :-)
10. Remember to eat enough for your body... if you eat too less your metabolism will slow down and you'll gain weight. No good! I find it helpful to track my daily food consumptions against my suggested caloric intake. Myfitnesspal.com is a great way to count calories and WebMd.com has a great BMI calculator. Pay more attention to your health and you'll see wonderful results! Just remember that not all nutrution labels are 100% accurate, so if you're unsure, just skip a few more calories or work out a little more each day.
Happy Monday :-)
Labels: BMI, dieting, eating healthy, exercise, myfitnesspal.com, webmd.com, weight loss
¶ Monday, January 11, 2010
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