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

We are eating out more than ever, and our waistlines are growing rapidly as a result. Though it is easy to overeat while dining out, you do not have to completely throw your healthy eating habits out the window. I’m not suggesting that you order a water and a salad- no one wants to be that friend that often gets excluded from eating events because the make things awkward. Below are some tips to help you enjoy your dining experience without having to unzip your pants!

• No matter where you’re eating, practice eating small portions. Take half the entrée home, split the meal with a friend or order an appetizer as a main course instead.
• Ask to substitute high fat items like french fries for a baked potato or side salad instead.
• Request items be made without butter or oil- order items that are steamed or lightly sautéed rather than fried
• Eat a little less at lunch to save for a special dinner later, but don’t skip meals. This can lead to eating too much.
• Eat something small 30 minutes before your meal to help be in better control of your choices.
• Start your meal with a large glass of ice water with lemon to help you feel full before the bread basket arrives.
• Take your time eating- chew your food well and stop eating to concentrate on the conversation.
• When possible, avoid buffets, and all-you-can-eat specials. Why set yourself up for that much temptation?
• For sauces, stick to wine or thinned, stock-based sauces. Avoid thick butter sauces, béarnaise, mornay or sauces that sounds creamy. If you’re unsure, ask the waitstaff.
• Choose salads made with rich dark greens like spinach and romaine rather than pale iceberg lettuce.
• Drink a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink you consume.
• If you are going to have dessert, split it with your friend.

... by Karli Taylor

Yes, I know- we were all taught to eat 3 squares every single day. The more we have have learned about the body and the way it metabolizes food however, the more we learn that there may be a better way.

What I want you to do is hold out both of your hands in front of you with your palms facing up and your little fingers just touching- like you are forming a bowl. This is the amount of food that your body can efficiently digest at one time. yup- that's it! It doesn't matter if its lettuce or m&m's- that is all you should eat at one sitting.

I'm sure you are thinking that if that was breakfast, by lunchtime you'd be eating your arm. Well- the good news is that you need to eat the same amount of food between breakfast and lunch- and again between lunch and dinner. The terms may get confusing-breakfast, brunch, lunch 1 & 2, pre-dinner? Who knows, maybe we as a group can coin the term linner.

Semantics aside, this way of eating will keep that internal fire called your metabolism burning steadily all day long. The food becomes the log added to the fire every 2-3 hours making the flame never fully extinguish.

So this week, try to visualize that portion size every time you sit down to eat- and try to eat AT LEAST 5 times a day. After eating this way for 2 whole weeks, you will find that you will be full after a smaller amount of food, and will truly be hungry every 2 hours.

... By Karli Taylor

I hope you are sitting down for this one: After the age of 20, if you do not add activity to your day or cut calories, you will gain approximately one pound each year.

Now that I’ve gotten your attention, what if I told you that you don’t have to do anything drastic to keep that weight from creeping up on you? Feel better? Keep reading.

If you walked an average of 150 extra steps every single day, you will avoid that weight gain. That is the equivalent of walking for 3 minutes that you would normally be sitting. You can accomplish this simply by pacing your office or home while on the phone or parking a little bit further away from the front door or your office or grocery store.

Can’t find extra time during your average day to sneak in a few steps? You can accomplish the same thing by going to the gym for 30 minutes 10 times a year- yes- a year!

Now, let’s say you don’t just want to maintain your weight, but you’d like to lose a pound every year as you age. All you have to do is double those numbers and enjoy the benefits of virtually reversing the aging process!

The bottom line is simple: weight gain happens slowly over time. SO slowly, that sometimes we don’t see it until it’s too late and we have gained 20-30 pounds. Start being conscious of the amount of activity you do each day, and this sneaky weight gain will never impact your lifestyle!