Get Physique-a-licious

Archive for October, 2009

Been trying to figure out what to write.  It is a little rough these days since I do so much anymore to try and make a living.  Still coming up short but that is ok.

So, the question is Are you food FIT?  With the holidays around the corner you definitely need to be sure that you are eating right.  The holidays can really put a hammer down on the eating clean aspect.  So, here are some things to think about.

1.  Don’t think about skipping any meals because you are going out to dinner or going to a holiday get together.  Eating regular meals and snacks will boost your metabolism and increase your concentration.  Why not try a protein muffin?  Skipping meals sends signals to your brain telling your body that it is starving.  Since your body thinks it is going to starve to death it then holds on to all that you eat if you skip.  You end losing more muscle tone then you do fat.

2.  Eat slowly as your mind catches up with your stomach.  Feeling satisfied means you have had enough to eat.  Feeling full means you have eaten too much.  It generally takes your body 20 minutes to tell your brain your full.

3.  Drink your water.  Do not put anything extra in your drinks.  Try not to drink the Diet drinks, they are loaded with other stuff that is not good for you.

4.  Choose grilled, baked, broiled, or steamed items.  Stay away from the deep fried, pan fried, or battered food items.  If you have to have fried, use vegetable or canola oil.

5.  Remove any visible fat or skin from meat.  Choose fish, poultry, or cuts of lean beef.  Remember no legs, 2 legs and then 4 legs for the protein.

6.  Fill half of your dinner plate with non-starchy vegetables.  Green-leafy lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and carrots are great choices.  Think of potatoes, rice, and pasta as starch like foods.

7.  Go High Fiber to increase fullness.  Choose whole grain breads, cereals, rice, pasta, crackers, as well as light popcorn.  Boost fruit and vegetables intake with meals and snacks.

8.  Choose low-fat or fat free and even SOY milk, yogurt, cheese, salad dressings, mayo, sour cream, and cream cheese.  I would have to say very minimum to not at all.  Especially around the holidays, goodies are loaded with all these.  Becareful and dodge these items are just eat one for the taste.

9.  Cut restaurant portions in half.  Here is the big one.  OMG, restaurants load up the plate.  I have lost 14 pounds since I just quit going out to lunch.  I was watching what I was eating, but I kept eating the amount they gave me.  Be careful here as you go out to lunch during these holiday times.

This is way tooooo much.

10.  Pre-portion snacks.  Finally you will eat less if you divide things up instead having the bag or box by your side.  So true.

Okay, so with all that “Are you Food FIT?

I guess the finally thing should be, get out and do something active.  Go to an exercise class, do some dancing.  Set the example for your kids.  Do something with them.  Go throw a freesbee or take a walk in the park, it is a good time to talk.