Category: Weight Loss and Exercise

Drinking Water Can Help You Lose Weight

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Everyone tells you to drink more water– and it can be life threatening if you don’t get enough.

However, not only is it important to stay hydrated for health reasons, being properly hydrated also helps you lose weight.

Let me explain.

Being properly hydrated helps you stay energized during physical activity and throughout your day.  The more active you are, the more calories you burn.

A hydrated body looks leaner. Why? Because when you’re dehydrated, you retain water.  Yikes!

I bet the magazine rack has at least one headline screaming “Rev up your metabolism with this one trick!” Well, here’s a good one.  If you drink enough water you help your body to metabolize properly. When you’re dehydrated, your metabolism can slow down.  We all know what that means for weight loss.

So how much water should you be drinking?

It depends. The suggested guidelines for water consumption used to be sixty-four ounces per day. While it is still a good amount of water for some, others may need more. Here are some guidelines to help you decide:

Drink more fluids when you are in situations where your body loses water:

in warmer climates,
during more intense exercise,
at high altitudes.

Try to be more aware of your water intake:

if you’re the type of person who usually doesn’t notice thirst; or
when you are very busy and likely to forget to drink.
If you talk for a living. Water is lost though saliva.

Here’s five tips to increase your fluid intake:

1) Try naturally flavored waters. Flavored water and various other “hydrating” drinks usually have some type of sugar in them, pay attention to the calories on the label.

An alternative to buying flavored waters would be making your own. The possibilities are endless. Cucumber, mint, ginger, lemon, lime, strawberries, and raspberries are all examples of natural foods and herbs you can flavor your water with.  Allow the fruits, vegetables, or herbs to soak in the water for a few hours for the flavors to release.

2) Eat foods that are mostly water each day.  Include foods high in water like oranges, watermelon, yoghurt, grapefruit, pineapples, and broth-based soups when choosing your meals and snacks.

(3) Replace still water with sparkling water. If you discover sparkling water works for you, consider getting an in home soda machine. They take up very little counter space. You also save money and there are less bottles to recycle. This helped my husband Matthew go from not liking water to drinking plenty of it!

4) Add a glass of coconut water to your day.  Coconut water is a great way to hydrate and get potassium.  It’s used as a natural alternative to sports drinks, but you don’t have to be a professional athlete to reap the benefits of this popular beverage.

5) Have a hydrating beverage with every meal. Tacking a new goal on to an established habit is usually less daunting than trying to develop a new habit on it’s own. For example setting a goal of drinking a glass of sparkling water at dinner seems more manageable than a goal to drink 64 oz. of water every day.

How do you know when you’re getting enough water?

The best way to tell if you are hydrated is the color of your urine. Clear to pale yellow is ideal. Yellow to dark yellow means you need water, and if it looks like tea or beer you are dehydrated! Supplements can also cause urine to be dark yellow. So keep that in consideration.

Avoid allowing yourself to get “thirsty”. If you are getting a thirst signal then the body is already too low on water!

At first it may seem like you have to go to the bathroom a lot. This is normal when you up your water consumption. It is not uncommon to have to use the restroom every hour.

If you sit at a desk, this will encourage you to get up and move every hour. It also allows you to monitor your progress!

Have a question or a comment? Leave a note for me below. I love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer Ledford

How to Lose Weight After 40

The Myths About Losing Weight After 40

Want to lose weight after 40? There are some important things you need to know. First off, mindset is the most important thing. I’m 44 years old and quite honestly I forget my age from time to time. I refuse to buy into the fact that just because I’m over 40 I’m destined to gain weight. ANYONE can gain weight when they are eating too much and exercising too little!

A slower metabolism is the reason that is typically used for over 40 weight gain. While that is partially true, the research is pointing to lifestyle as the major culprit. The majority of people over 40 have increased responsibilities and more money to spend. The increase in responsibilities allows less time for physical activity or scheduled exercise. The increase in income allows them to afford to outsource many of their physical activities as well as eat out more often.

Good news!  You do not have to accept this as your destiny!

Lose weight easily after 40 by following these simple steps!

 

1)  Get a check up!  See your doctor and get a physical. Have a full blood panel to screen things like your thyroid and hormone levels. If your doctor sees any imbalances that could affect your weight loss efforts, he or she may decide to prescribe medication. This will help you avoid a whole lot of unnecessary frustration! Do not skip this step or put it off. It’s that important!

2)  Exercise Regularly!  Research shows that 20 minutes of high intensity exercise can boost hormone levels in the body, resulting in a boost in metabolism. So, even though the metabolism can slow after 40, regular exercise can counter that.

Strength training helps build muscle, which burns more calories than fat. It’s recommended that people over 40 add strength training to their routine 2-3 times per week.

3)  Reduce calories!  To maintain your weight after 40 without lifestyle changes, reduce your caloric intake by 100 calories per day. If you want to lose or maintain your weight, it’s important to know how many calories you are eating daily. Keep a journal or subscribe to a free on line calorie counter like loseit. This will help you determine if you are creating enough of a deficit for weight loss and/or weight management.

It is possible to lose weight even if life’s current circumstances prevent you from increasing your activity level. But you REALLY want to pay close attention  to your caloric intake. Opt for “eating in” more often and choose high volume meals that are lower in calories. My favorite light recipes come from Cooking Light magazine.

Please note it’s always easier to lose weight with a combination of regular exercise and a healthy eating plan. It can be very challenging to lose weight by reducing calories alone. Not impossible, but it’s more restrictive and fewer people have success with this plan.

4)  It’s okay to enjoy happy hour! Mixed cocktails can pack a lot of calories. Beer and wine are usually the lowest. Factor liquid calories into your daily allowance. If you like to have a drink or two, then you may find you need to skip some other extras or increase exercise time while you are in weight loss mode.

The most important thing is to stop telling yourself it’s hard to lose weight after 40. Losing weight takes effort no matter what age you are. Tell yourself you CAN lose weight after 4o, follow these steps, and you will succeed!

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you have a “fit after 40” secret you’d like to share.  I love to hear from you!

Here’s to being fit after 40!

Jennifer

 

Balance is the Key To Long Term Weight Loss

 

If you’re alive and breathing it’s pretty difficult to get through one single day without media bombardment of the latest and greatest fad diet or workout.  While these various diets, potions, and exercise routines all boast phenomenal results, the reality is that most of these are unrealistic and next to impossible to sustain. In the worst case scenarios they can even be dangerous for your body.

Lost Weight Loss Wisdom?

 

The key to long term weight loss has been and always will  be a healthy, balanced approach. There’s nothing complicated about it and it does not require deprivation, pain, fancy shakes, eliminating whole food groups, or any other fad that’s out in the media.

However, it does require a little bit of knowledge, consistency, and planning.

Six Things to Remember to Find Balance

 

1)  Calories count.  In order to lose a pound of fat per week, a reduction of 500 calories per day is required.  A combination of exercise and adjustments to caloric intake is the most balanced approach to creating a caloric deficit. Free apps like loseit make it easy to track your daily caloric intake based on your weight loss goals.

While counting calories may seem restrictive, it’s actually empowering. If you treat calories like a bank account, knowing how much you can spend each day gives you flexibility. A great tip from celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels is to follow the 80/20 rule. Allow yourself 20% “fun calories” each day. Use the 20% for things like a glass of wine, small dessert, or any other special treat you enjoy.

2)  Meal planning. Have you heard the old saying “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail?” Planning what you will eat for the week takes the guesswork out of whether or not you are staying on track with your calorie cutting and weight loss goals. Use “light” or “low cal recipes” to keep the food choices interesting so you won’t feel deprived.

You don’t have to give up planning when eating out. Check out the menu online before you get to the restaurant. Use apps like loseit or healthy dining finder to help you evaluate menus. Choose your lower calorie meal before you arrive at the restaurant to avoid being tempted by the higher calorie choices.

Allow yourself to go for it once in awhile and forget about the calories. Have fun and don’t allow yourself to feel guilty. Simply get back on your plan the following day.

If you’re on vacation, make it your goal to not gain any weight. Use your loseit app to find out how many calories you can spend.

3)  Regular Exercise. Regular daily exercise combined with a healthy eating plan is the best recipe there is for weight loss and weight management. Shoot for 20 minutes per day of regular activity like walking, hiking, biking,swimming, etc.

5)  Leisure Time Activity. Use leisure time to relax AND burn calories. Try things like a walk on the beach, kayaking, horseback riding, walking your dog, or playing with your kids. You’ll not only feel rejuvenated, but you’ll contribute to your daily weight loss goals.

6)  Make sure your goals are realistic. You may not have the time nor the desire to do what it takes to look like a model on the cover of a health magazine. If you can’t go out to dinner once a week without “blowing” your plan, your weight loss goal will be very hard to maintain. Set a goal to reach a desired weight that allows you to look good, feel good, and enjoy yourself. Then stick to it.

Avoid letting the media or anyone else pressure you into thinking your goal isn’t good enough or that you should be comparing yourself to others. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. What’s most important is that you are comfortable, happy, and satisfied with your own personal results.

Now, that my friend is balance!

To your health and fitness!

Jennifer

Questions or comments?  Please leave me a note below.  I love to hear from you!