5 holiday secrets for weight loss
You’ll hear me say it a dozen times between now and New Years. Maintain, Don’t Gain. Some of these tips I’m sure you’ve heard before. My hope is that if I explain why they work, you may be more tempted to follow through.
1.) Drink LOTS of water.
Water is extra healthy for a number of reasons. Drinking a lot of water helps the healing process of injured tissues, it helps regulate blood pressure better, helps to mobilize fat, etc. But most important to this discussion is it helps keep the weight off. Most Americans are chronically dehydrated. We simply don’t drink enough water. The first negative effect is that dehydration tricks your body into thinking you are malnourished. As a result, your body will store more fat. Drinking water literally shred pounds.
And of course the more obvious answer: water has zero calories. Soda, fruit juice, and sweet tea have loads of sugar. Approximately 42 grams of sugar in each can. A balanced diet is at MOST 130 grams of sugar per day. So just one can is a third of your total daily sugar intake. Individuals with metabolic syndrome (overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol), a large amount of the American population falls into this category, should be having a lot less than 130 grams a day anyways. And don’t trick yourself into thinking a diet drink is good for you. Studies have linked diet drinks to higher rates of diabetes than sugary alternatives.
2.) Weigh yourself every morning.
What’s a better reminder to eat healthy than to see the cold hard truth every morning? Studies have shown that individuals who weigh themselves every morning as soon as the wake up have less fluctuations in weight on a week to week basis.
3.) Have a snack 30 minutes before dinner.
It takes about 30 minutes before your belly sends the message to your brain that you are full. That’s why you can eat so much at dinner and not feel the effects till afterwards. Ghrelin is the name of the hormone that gets released from your stomach to tell your mind to stop eating. Eat a small snack, I vote a piece of fruit or a fiber rich vegetable, 30 minutes before dinner and you will start the process. By dinner you will already start to feel full and you’ll end up with a lot less calories.
4.) A 30 minute walk goes a LONG way.
The American Heart Association recommends a total of 150 minutes of exercise weekly. This is what it means for you. I want you to take a 30 minute walk right after dinner every weekday. Take the whole family and leave the dishes for later. As Americans we are used to consuming a large portion of your daily calories and not doing any kind of physical activity until the next morning. So eat your dinner and then kick-start your metabolism with a good walk!
5.) My favorite.
Eat that piece of food you want so badly while standing naked in front of the mirror. Not my particular favorite…but hey if it works for you try it! I’d never be able to do it because I’d never be able to look myself in the eyes ever again. I’d probably never be able to eat ice cream ever again either, but I suppose that’s what she’s going for.
Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts and questions we can address in our blog! We have tons of other tips and ideas for weightless so make sure to pick our brains the next time you are in the office.
Dr. Andy, your Burlington NC chiropractor, specializes in providing evidence-based, conservative care for our Alamance County desk workers, teachers, and Crossfit athletes. Schedule an appointment with him today via our website or call us at 336-270-3050.
