Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

Diet is DIE with a T on the end of it… How many times have you heard that one? As the temperature rises, we start to think a little bit more about those extra few pounds that have snuck on around our middles and we start throwing around that D word. The last thing any of us want to do is go on a diet, right? Luckily there are ways to ban that bulge without taking drastic measures. The trick: Eat just a little bit less every day at every meal.

In fact, by cutting out just 100 calories each day, you'll lose more than 10 pounds a year. Up that to 250 calories and you're down 26 pounds! Need it gone sooner? Cut 500 calories daily and you'll drop those 26 pounds in half the time. Keep reading for some easy ways to give up a little to lose a lot.

At Breakfast:

• Use skim milk in place of cream in your coffee.
• Eat a bowl of high-fiber cereal and you'll consume fewer calories all day.
• Order bacon, not sausage, with your eggs.
• Order your toast dry and put on your own butter- just one serving

At Lunch:

• Use 1 tablespoon of mayo and 1 tablespoon of low-fat cottage cheese to make tuna salad.
• Put barbecue sauce, not honey mustard, on your chicken sandwich at your favorite fast food joint.
• Top your burger with onions, lettuce, and tomato and skip the cheese.
• Ask for the 12-ounce small soda instead of the 21-ounce medium at the drive-through.
• Slim down your sandwich by using Arnold Select 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins instead of whole wheat bread.
• Toss your salad with 1 tablespoon of dressing until every lettuce leaf is coated. You'll get away with using half the usual serving size. Try this trick at dinner too.
• Choose thin crust pizza with veggies on top instead of regular with meat toppings

At Dinner:

• Choose EITHER butter OR sour cream for your potato
• Skip the bread before the meal OR if the bread is your favorite part, skip the potato that comes with your entrée
• Ask for sauces on the side and when you prepare food at home, go easy on the oil, cream and butter in your sauce- use stock instead
• Have a big salad before you start your entrée
• Drink water with dinner instead of something caloric
• Stop eating after your first helping and wait at least 15 minutes before helping yourself to seconds. If you are eating out, eat half of what’s on your plate and do the same thing.

Any of your own tricks to share?

... By Karli Taylor

Believe it or not, many people fail to lose weight because their diet is too strict! If you vow not to eat chocolate or snack after 7 p.m, it may be time for you to lighten up.  We tend to set rules that are too hard to stick to, and in doing so we set ourselves up for failure.  When we look at our food choices as “good” or “bad”, we tend forget any gray area in the middle.  Let’s look at a few common diet rules that you’d be better off breaking.

Rule to break #1: Don’t eat after dinner.   Contrary to popular belief, your body does not automatically store any late night calories as fat.  If you work out at night or are awake for more than 3 hours after you eat dinner, you are actually doing yourself a disservice by not eating. The reason that late night snacking often adds up to extra pounds is because we tend to make poor choices at that time of day. If you eat a healthy snack because you are hungry, you are keeping your metabolism running efficiently and you will be less likely to binge eat in the morning.

Rule to break #2: Don’t give into cravings.  Go ahead and indulge yourself—in moderation.  If you try to substitute “healthy foods” for that brownie that you are craving, you’ll probably end up consuming more calories than if you had simply enjoyed a small brownie.  Chances are, you will have 5 other “healthy” snacks, still be left unsatisfied, and then eat the brownie anyway. If you put it off for days and the craving still lingers, you will probably eat a whole tray of brownies before you feel better.  Because we are tempted by things that we label as “bad”, the longer we avoid that craving, the worse it is going to be when we actually give in.

Rule to break #3:  Drink light beer at happy hour.  Be careful with this one.  The term light isn't regulated and can be misleading. It means only that the item has fewer calories than the company's regular brand. At 110 calories, a 12-ounce bottle of Bud Light has a mere 35 fewer calories than a 12-ounce bottle of regular Bud.  Because these light beers are less filling, you are more likely to drink one or two more than you would of the regular variety.  Chances are, you'll be more satisfied with just one beer that you truly enjoy rather than two or more of the watered-down version.

Rule to break #4: Eat fat free to be fat free.  Your body needs fat to break down and absorb nutrients like vitamins A, E and K. It helps lubricate your joints and keep your skin, hair and nails from getting dry and brittle.  Instead of avoiding fats,  you should focus on healthy fats -- the unsaturated mono, poly, and omega-3s in fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.  Fat also helps satisfy your hunger. If you choose only fat free foods, you are more likely to overdo the calories from carbohydrates in order to feel full.