Six Ways To Lose Weight And Still Have A Blast This Summer!

June 27, 2016May 9, 2017

Summer has arrived! This means vacations and lots of outdoor festivities!

For many people, summer can be one of the easiest times of year to lose weight. An abundance of daylight, outdoor activities, and fresh fruits and vegetables all contribute to easy weight loss. However, long vacations and an abundance of picnics and parties can potentially hinder weight loss goals if we’re not paying attention. Fortunately, a little awareness and some planning can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals and still have a blast this summer.

Six Ways To Lose Weight And Still Have A Blast This Summer

1) Pay attention to snacking. With summer barbecues come lots of chips, dips, and appetizers. A serving of chips is usually between 9 and 16 chips; and a serving of dip is usually two tablespoons. Go ahead and taste, but step away from the table to have a conversation. Sitting in front of these yummy temptations can lead to mindless snacking.

If you’re really hungry stick to more of the lighter fare like fresh fruit, a portion of cheese, nuts, cold cuts, hummus, and yogurt dips. Make sure to combine protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you from being hungry again in ten minutes.

2) Have a plan when you eat at buffets. Cruises and hotels offer wonderful buffets. However, when I have a choice between ordering from the menu or the buffet I will usually pick the menu. This helps me avoid overeating.

If the buffet is all you have to choose from, or you really want to try the food, then keep portion sizes in mind when filling up your plate. Give yourself twenty minutes before going back for a second helping to make sure you are actually hungry. Finish off your buffet with fruit for dessert which is a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

3) Consider having your own kitchen when you travel for longer than a weekend. My husband and I like to rent timeshares or vacation homes with kitchens. Over the years we’ve learned that eating every meal out in a restaurant when you are traveling can be a bit much. If you are traveling for longer than a weekend, I recommend sticking as close to the way you would eat at home eighty percent of the time and enjoy treats for twenty percent of the trip. Having your own kitchen makes it a lot easier to do this. In the end, you’ll end up feeling less bloated and the chances of overeating are seriously reduced.

If you don’t have your own kitchen, try going to a deli or market and creating your own picnic lunch. You’ll have fun shopping like a local and more control over portion sizes.

4) Watch for hidden calories in blended drinks. Summer is the time for blended drinks with lots of fresh fruit. These “smoothies” can be loaded with calories. Treat blended drinks like dessert if you’re not sure about the ingredients.

The same goes for the whipped drinks at the coffee shop. A Starbucks Frappucino can be anywhere from 290-490 calories so best to keep these to a minimum.

5) Make sure to hydrate! Watch your water intake even if you are spending the day by the pool. Water wipes the perspiration off of your body, yet your body continues to perspire in the pool. When you are dehydrated, it can hinder your liver’s ability to metabolize fat. Fortunately, keeping water close by is a nice easy fix.

6) Play a little more and sit a little less. Recent research found that as little as a twenty minute reduction in sedentary time on weekends was tied to a loss of more than two pounds per year. That may not sound like a lot but losing two pounds is always better than gaining two pounds!

Come up with some outdoor activities that you and/or your family enjoy or would like to try. Then, incorporate physical activity into your summer plans.

For example, I love to sit on the beach all day long! It’s so peaceful and I leave totally restored. However, if I’m not careful too much sitting can pack on a few extra pounds. To counter the sitting, my husband and I like to go for a long walk and play in the surf with our dogs.

There are so many ways to burn calories while having fun outdoors. Some examples are Frisbee, Flag Football, swimming, boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, water jogging, and body surfing. It doesn’t have to be formal. If it seems like a chore, pick something else. It’s supposed to be leisure time.

This summer, make sure you take time to rest, play, laugh, and relax. Reducing stress is one of the best things you can do for your waistline and overall health and fitness. It really is about balance in every area of your life.

Here’s to a happy and healthy summer!

With Love,
Jennifer

Five Ways To Exercise Without Ever Going To The Gym

January 11, 2016May 9, 2017

Fourteen years ago I was training private clients in gyms. My job was to help them develop a regular exercise program. I would put together carefully crafted easy-to-follow exercise programs and even remind them to pack their gym bag the night before. Despite all of this planning and their motivation to participate, many of my clients would struggle with making it to the gym regularly. The main reason was TIME. Notice I said reason and not excuse. That’s because they would come to me frustrated and I would look at their schedule with them and once I took a look at their calendar I would look them in the eye and say “you’re right, you don’t have time to go to the gym.” I realized that by the time my clients got dressed, drove across town to the gym and then back home, they could have already finished a solid workout routine. The gym was not a good fit for them. So, I started developing in-home programs. One thing led to another and my private in-home training business was born.

Gyms are a great concept and I have nothing against them but there are many reasons (the time issue being one of them) that only twenty percent of the members will use a gym two to three times per week. You’ll rarely ever hear a gym tell you they have a waiting list or they are all sold out. For many people, their gym membership ends up being a monthly charitable contribution that they don’t want to cancel because that will mean they have given up or failed.

If you’re someone that wants to exercise regularly but have a hard time making it to the gym, you are totally normal. You may be struggling with finding the time to go to the gym or it might make you feel uncomfortable. Or, maybe it’s because after a long day at work under fluorescent lighting, the last thing you want to do at the end of the day is exercise indoors or be away from your family and/or pets. Whatever the reason, I give you full permission to cancel your gym membership if you know that you will never use it.

Here Are Five Ways You Can Exercise Without Ever Setting Foot In The Gym

1) Exercise outdoors. Exercising outdoors has proven to offer even more health benefits than exercising indoors. A recent study revealed that exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, as well as decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.

One of my favorite ways to exercise is to walk our four dogs. I log in several miles per day spending quality time with them. From time to time I need to motivate myself to get up and go (even personal trainers need a prod now and then) but ninety nine percent of the time I look forward to being outdoors and close to nature with our animals.

2) Buy some cardio equipment. Consider your own indoor exercise equipment if you have the space for it. Treadmills, elliptical trainers, and exercise bikes are the most popular and versatile. Machines are a nice backup for the outdoor exerciser as well. When it gets a bit snarly outside, I recommend clients hop on their “rainy day” equipment and do a good old-fashioned machine workout. You can try an interval workout to mix things up a bit.

You can buy used equipment with warranties from companies like Play It Again Sports if you’d rather not pay the price for brand new equipment.

3) Jump. Indoor trampolines are a really great way to burn calories. You will feel like you are playing! This also works your core and leg muscles. Rumor has it that continual use of the trampoline can help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Experiment with five minutes of jumping, then alternate to five minutes of high knees rapid marching or stair stepping. Turn on your favorite tunes and do this three times for a total of 30 minutes.

Trampolines are budget-friendly and make great “rainy day” tools as well.

4) Use exercise videos. Exercise videos are a great way to schedule your workout on demand. Make sure the routine you choose is appropriate for your level of fitness and don’t do anything that causes pain or you are unsure about. For access to some of my favorite simple exercises you can do at home, click on this link.

5) Create a home gym. Whenever I help a private client set up a home gym, there are some basic pieces of equipment that I consider staples. My criteria is simple. The equipment should have multiple functions and be able to be easily stored, especially if the client does not have one room dedicated to exercise equipment. This helps cut down on clutter and cost.

One of the most versatile strength training and endurance tools on the market is the TRX Suspension Training System. You can use it to stretch, build strength, increase endurance, improve stability, and develop a great looking physique. The TRX is suitable for beginner to advanced levels of fitness and can be used anywhere. The list price is $199.95 but since I’m a certified TRX trainer the company allows me to share a direct link with you that offers a discount. Click here for the discounted link.

TRX HOME Suspension Trainer

You may be someone that likes the gym but realistically can only make it there a few days per week, or you’d like to combine your gym workouts with some in-home or outdoor exercise. This makes you more of a hybrid. I recommend using the gym for the things you can’t do at home, like your favorite spin class or the swimming pool. Then, supplement with your in-home or outdoor routine.

Finding the right exercise routine is personal. So make sure it fits your lifestyle and it’s something you can sustain stress-free.

To your health!
Jennifer

Just Say No To The Diet Trap!

January 4, 2016May 9, 2017

Today’s article comes from deep within my heart.

It’s a brand new year and for many people a new year means fresh new goals and/or resolutions. If your goal is to lose weight, it can be really tempting to try the latest fad diet that the fitness or diet industry is promoting. It’s a normal human response to be intrigued by all the marketing that these industries roll out in January… especially if you’ve gained a few pounds over the holidays.

Before you jump on board and commit to a new diet, it’s important you know that temporary, restrictive diets have a 95% failure rate and can do more harm than good.

Have you ever suffered through the physical and emotional torment of the latest fad diet simply to find yourself unsuccessful and frustrated?

Or, maybe you lost a bunch of weight only to gain it back again. Even worse, you gained back more than you lost.

You are not alone. As a personal trainer I have seen and even personally experienced so much physical and psychological damage from dieting, it makes me want to scream!

Some of the reasons diets fail you are:

They slow down your metabolism
They cause you to store fat, not burn it
They’re unsustainable for most people’s lifestyle
When you stop starving yourself and go back to a normal calorie-consumption, you WILL gain weight
Lack of energy due to being hungry
Some diets ask you to eliminate entire food groups and key nutrients
They can cause binge eating
They can cause stress which is known to cause belly fat due to hormonal changes in the body

Look, I get it. You want to get thinner and you want it now. Most of us do not want to wait the amount of time it takes to lose weight that statistically stays off for life. The diet industry is counting on that and the marketing is very convincing!

Losing weight and keeping it off for good without dieting starts with a change in mindset. The mindset that you are going to switch to healthy eating. Eating for health and dieting to lose weight do not always look the same. Things like portion control, cutting back the foods and or liquids that you know are excessive, avoiding overly processed foods, and meal planning are all considered healthy eating, not starvation diets or skipping meals entirely.

HERE ARE SIX TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT DIETING

1) You need to eat. It absolutely amazes me that there are still diets out on the market today that recommend dangerously low calorie meal plans when the science says otherwise. Your body will get really good at storing what it doesn’t get enough of. For example, if you eliminate fat from your diet, your body will not want to burn fat. It will want to store fat. Sound nutritional research tells us that you need to eat fat in order to burn fat. I am a firm believer that the low fat and low carb craze has contributed heavily to the obesity crisis in the United States.

Instead of restricting what you eat, you’ll find more success when you focus on a balanced diet that is centered around whole foods. A balanced diet includes carbohydrates, proteins, fruits & vegetables, healthy fats, and water. Any diet that cuts one of these important nutrients out should be avoided.

2) Exercise almost every day. Do your best to exercise six days per week. Try an interval workout 2-3 times per week and alternate with more moderate activity on the rest of the days.

Choose a fun activity on your off day like a moderate hike, cross country skiing, swimming, or taking your kids or your dog to the park.

If exercising six days per week seems overwhelming, start with 20 minutes per day 2-3 days per week . You’ll still get better results than doing nothing at all.

3) Eat in. This is the biggest tip I can give you. Cook at home for the next 30 days and bring your lunch. Use light recipes from sources like EatingWell, Cooking Light, and Health magazine.

4) Cut back on liquid calories. Try substituting alcohol, sodas, and other higher calorie drinks with water. Try adding lemon or cucumber for some variation.

If cutting out liquid calories sounds extreme, take a more moderate approach and cut down to half or even a quarter of what you usually drink. You can always go back to your normal consumption if you want to. This is about figuring out what works for you personally.

5) Cut back on dessert. Desserts are usually loaded with calories. If you have a sweet tooth, try substituting with fruit or one piece of dark chocolate.

6) Be authentically you. It’s really important that you pay close attention to what’s most important to you. Not everyone wants to be or was designed to look like the models on the cover of fitness magazines. If challenging yourself to reach an elite athlete status is fun for you and you can achieve it in a healthy way, then by all means go for it! However, if you know in your heart of hearts you’d just like to live a long healthy life, fit in your jeans, and have the stamina to do the activities you enjoy without a whole lot of restrictions in your life, then general health and fitness is for you so please don’t beat yourself up because you’re not “doing whatever it takes” to look like a fitness model.

I recommend you try my suggestions above for the next 30 days and stay consistent. However, If this all seems a bit overwhelming, pick as many things from above that you can realistically implement right away and stay consistent. Diet and exercise are very personal which is why a canned approach rarely works. We all have different lives, different goals, and different needs. 🙂

To your long term health and fitness!
Jennifer

Jennifer Ledford | Fitness & Healthy Lifestyle Coaching

Personal Training | Healthy Lifestyle Coaching | Lose Weight Without Dieting

Category: Outdoor Exercise