Category: Health

Exercise Alone Makes It Hard To Lose Weight

Have you been exercising regularly without seeing much weight loss?  If so, you may need to make some simple adjustments to your eating plan.

Five hours a week for 12 weeks and only 1.5 lbs lost!


A recent study at the University of Texas has shown that exercise alone without adjustments to diet produces minimal weight loss.  The University studied two sedentary control groups.  One group of 50 people made no changes to their diet or activity levels at all and were monitored for 12 weeks.

The second group of 50 people exercised with a personal trainer up to five hours per week for a total of 12 weeks and made no changes to their weekly diet.  This group lost a mere 1.5 lbs in 12 weeks.  I know what you’re thinking, not that impressive.

Please understand, this DOES NOT mean you should quit exercising.  Quite the opposite!  The study reveals that exercise alone makes it hard to lose weight.  The trick to losing weight permanently is a combination of a healthy eating plan AND regular exercise.

Five Simple Diet Changes to Boost Weight Loss

 

1)  Plan your meals.  Meal planning helps you plan out your caloric intake for the day.  For tips on how to meal plan,  see Meal Planning Helps You Lose Weight.

2)  Snack wisely. A small serving of chips is about 150 calories on average. But, did you know you can eat four cups of popcorn for only 60 calories? Popcorn is way more filling, and will keep you satisfied longer. Not crazy about popcorn? Eat a piece of fruit.

3)  Limit the fast food! I realize this may be obvious to some. However, with 25% of our nation eating fast food daily, I do not like to ignore this one. Most of us picture a drive through window when we think of fast food. However fast food can be healthy take out as well. When you let someone else cook the meal, you have zero control over the calories.

Find out how many calories are in your favorite take out and decide if it meets your weight loss goals.  If not, look for lower calorie take out options. Or, have some healthy frozen food on hand and combine it with a fresh salad for a last minute dinner option.

4)  Watch the sweets! There are 196 calories in a large chocolate chip cookie. Switch to a piece of dark chocolate (60 calories), a small cookie (49 calories), or a small serving of sorbet (110 calories).

5)  Eat Breakfast! This important meal jump starts your metabolism. Once you are awake the body has already been fasting for an average of 10-12 hours depending on eating and sleeping patterns.

Skipping breakfast increases the fast to approximately 15-20 hours. This keeps the body from producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight. When you skip breakfast, you risk sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

Not hungry in the morning?  Start with something simple like a piece of a fruit, and have the rest of your breakfast as a mid-morning snack.

A low calorie, high volume eating plan is critical for weight loss. When you combine exercise with the right nutrition, it will be easy to lose weight and keep it off for good.

Any questions?  Please ask me in the comment section below.  I’m happy to help!

Blessings!

Jennifer

 

How To Beat The Obstacles That Keep You From Exercising

Whether you have been exercising for a long time or you’re just getting started, obstacles (aka life’s circumstances) can cause you to fall off track from your exercise routine. This is normal and it doesn’t have to sabotage your efforts.

When life throws you a curve ball don’t beat yourself up. Guilt can cause you to become depressed which will make it harder to start back up again. Instead, take a look at the circumstances and identify the reason you haven’t been exercising.

Common obstacles that sabotage exercise and how you can overcome them:

1)  It’s painful.  It’s really difficult to stay motivated to exercise if you are experiencing pain.  Make an appointment to see a doctor to address the issue. Once diagnosed, you can take the necessary steps to eliminate the pain and start exercising again.

2) You’re burning the candle at both ends. Today’s fast paced lifestyle can contribute to a very full calendar. This pace can result in leaving you little, and at times no time to exercise. If that’s you, read I Agree You Are Too Busy To Exercise for tips on how to overcome this challenge.

3) You don’t like it. Is the only thing on your mind, “I can’t wait for this to be over”? If so, you probably don’t like the exercise you’ve chosen. Make a list of the physical activities you enjoy and decide which ones you want to pursue.

For example, you may not like hiking but you really like line dancing. Go for the one that you know you can stick to, not what the current exercise fads are telling you is best for you.

4) You’re exercising to please others. This is a biggie! Often times well meaning family and friends will convince you to engage in an exercise program because they care about your health or want your company.

If you are only doing it to please others, you risk resenting the exercise — and it could potentially strain your relationship. Make sure the exercise routine you choose is the right one for you. Here are tips on how to pick exercise YOU like.

5)  It’s a new season in your life or a schedule change. We all have seasons in our life that can affect our routine. Things like a new job, business, baby, move, or injury can require you to readjust your current exercise plan.

When you are going through a new season in your life that affects your schedule, it is necessary to look at your exercise plan and determine what adjustments will need to be made to maintain your fitness levels while you adapt to your new schedule.

Goals of advancement in fitness may need to be put temporarily on hold to avoid frustration and disappointment. The most important thing is that you maintain what you have already achieved!

I’ve been a personal trainer for over 22 years and I’ve listed the most common obstacles and the solutions for you. If you are experiencing an obstacle that I haven’t covered please feel free to ask me about it by leaving a comment below. If you have a tip you’d like to share on how you have overcome an obstacle that was holding you back from exercise, please share. I’d love to hear what you did!

To your health!

Jennifer

 

 

 

 

Can Sitting Too Much Kill You?

Concerned about how much time you spend sitting down? Good! Research is showing us that too much sitting is hazardous to your health.

A recent report in the Archives of Internal Medicine adds to a series of studies proving the negative effects of sitting for too long.

Researchers found that individuals who sit for more than 11 hours a day are 40 percent more likely to die in the next three years than those who are more active. Experts also said sitting between eight and 11 hours daily raises the early death risk by 15 percent.

“The evidence on the detrimental health effects of prolonged sitting has been building over the last few years,” said study author Hidde van der Ploeg, a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney.

And to top it off, extended periods of sitting are not just limited to the workplace. Researchers found that the average adult spends about 90 percent of leisure time sitting down as well.

Most of that time was spent watching television or using a computer.

The good news is this doesn’t have to be you! Now that science is telling us the dangers of sitting too much, you have even more incentive to stay active.

Five Ways to Avoid Sitting Too Much

1)  Get up every hour.  If you have a job that requires you to sit a lot, make it a goal to stand up and move around every hour.  Set a timer if you need a reminder.  Use the short break to hydrate and stretch.

2)  Stand while you work. Try a standing station and alternate between sitting and standing while working. Another option is to stand during conference calls. This is a great time to pace if it won’t distract you on your call.

3)  Take short walks. Walk whenever possible. Incorporate walking into your every day activities. Whether it’s taking the stairs, walking to lunch, or parking at the back of the lot, look for ways to incorporate movement into your daily activities. Use as many opportunities as you can to get exercise. It may take a few extra minutes, but the results could be priceless!

4)  Cook! Cooking means standing and moving around the kitchen. You don’t have to become a gourmet chef. Try some easy 20 minute recipes. Turn on some music and dance around the kitchen!

5)  Turn off the screen. Trade TV and computer time for exercise. Pick a form of exercise you are likely to stick to and avoid sitting in front of electronic devices. If there is something you really want to watch or some work you need to do, set a timer and limit yourself to an hour. Then go do something that requires standing or moving, like a hobby. It’s also a good way to get that to do list checked off!

Plan recreation for the weekend that is not in front of a screen. Walking your dog, going to the park, playing outside as a family, hiking, biking, and water sports are all great examples of things you can do on the weekend to avoid sitting for too long.

In today’s age of modern convenience and technology, you have to be intentional about moving. It is so easy to sit for hours and not even realize it. The need to exercise “on purpose” is pretty recent and doesn’t necessarily come naturally to us. Leave yourself reminders and notes until it becomes second nature to move more and sit less.

Do you have a clever way to fit exercise into your day? Please leave a comment below! I would love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer