Motivation to keep up the general New Year’s resolution to lose weight is never as highly prioritized as when Seventeen magazine’s prom features or Victoria Secret’s catalog end up in your mailbox marking the upcoming prom and bathing suit season. The pressure of upcoming events plus the summer sun’s influence on the lack of clothes worn in high degree weather put body image into a new perspective; the extra helpings packed on during the winter seasons are not as easily concealed in a tank top as they were in a bulky sweater. So with the desire to look awesome at prom, graduation, the beach, whatever, teens find themselves putting their bodies at extreme and unhealthy risks in attempts to budge the scale. And boys, don’t think that this is only applicable to females. Let’s be honest, you too have a goal (whether it’s secret or expressed) to finally make that dormant six-pack that has recently been too shy to come out, visible and ready to mingle. We all have insecurities about our bodies and nothing like the steady approach of summer sets our health standards higher.
Naturally we are more inclined to munch on light meals like a crisp lettuce salad or sink our teeth into a juicy piece of watermelon during the summer months as opposed to snacking on holiday leftovers or gorging on carbohydrate-rich soups and stews during the chilly winter season. Our bodies want to pack on a few pounds in case of food shortages similar to those our ancestors possibly experienced during extended periods of dead and snowy winters.
Ever wonder why certain foods like potatoes, bread, and pasta have been characterized as comfort foods? Biologically, the consumption of carbohydrates releases flows of serotonin – our body’s natural “happy hormone” – in the brain. From an evolutionary perspective this was so that our ancestors would consume what they could in preparation for possible famine. Another natural motivation to consume calories is our fat cells constant cry to be replenished. We maintain the same number of fat cells throughout life (it is possible that they increase in number though in cases of obesity) meaning that we never can get rid of craving; only control it.
The lack of daylight hours, plus the freezing temperatures make us less active in the winter months; contrastingly, the rise in temperatures, the abundance of fruits and vegetables in season, and the extended hours of sunlight in the summer drive us towards leaner, healthier, and more active days. Yet when it comes to activity, dieting, and body image, all goals need to remain realistic. Not every girl has the potential to mimic Taylor Swift’s towering 5’11” height paired with such a skinny frame, nor can every guy can pull off Channing Tatum’s muscle to fat ratio complete with washboard abs. Ideally you want to create a goal that is realistic to what nature gave you. Stop comparing yourself to what the media deems “perfect,” “ideal,” and “skinny.” The majority of models and celebrities out there are suffering from malnourishment, eating disorders, absorption of illegal and harmful substances, and/or mental illnesses related to their body weight. Celebrate your body and come to terms that not everyone’s perfect, yet through confidence in yourself and by accentuating your best and favorite features, in reality, you are beautiful.
Obviously though it is acceptable to have weight loss goals and everyone should strive for a healthier and fitter lifestyle. There’s the whole cliché that “Diet’s don’t work” and it’s not that they don’t work necessarily; it’s just that you will stop seeing results once you stop. It’s like practicing (insert whatever hobby you participate in, for our sake we’ll say piano) – the piano. If you practice daily, you’ll get better and better and you’ll continue to progress; however, the moment you stop you soon start to forget that song you so diligently learned to memorize. Diets work, but they aren’t necessarily easy to maintain. Instead of a short term diet, you should really focus on changing your lifestyle by altering daily things that are doable and easy to live comfortably by. Make a vow to exercise at least three times a week, or stop snacking before dinner, or get a solid amount of sleep – some of the littlest things can improve your lifestyle. Here are some tips to a healthier, slimmer you:
1. When setting your goals, be realistic – I know we just went over the fact that everyone’s body shape is different, but there is also the importance of time. You can’t expect to lose five pounds in one week. You may have that one friend who did it, but what happened after that week? Mostly likely, your friend gained it all back not to mention was miserable that week he/she was living off lettuce and water. In reality, losing more than two pounds a week is detrimental to your health and is not sustainable. You have to take your body frame, weight, and lifestyle into perspective. Obviously if you have a smaller built, average weight, and are moderately sedentary during the day, you don’t need to consume as many calories as say a 6’2” swimmer who is burning thousands of calories daily in the pool.
2. Don’t eat when you are not hungry – it seems logical, but how often do you look in the fridge out of pure boredom? Stop sticking your hands in a chip bag just because it tastes good. Your body instinctively alerts you when you are and are not hungry and it’s up to you to listen to those signals. It’s just as important to eat when you are hungry as it is to stop eating when you aren’t hungry. If you ignore hunger pangs your body goes into a starvation mode where your metabolism starts to slow and instead of burning fat, your body actually preserves it. Your body thinks it is undergoing a famine so it is using precaution and doing all it can to use up as little energy as possible. Bottom line: don’t fight nature, it knows best.
3. Don’t drink all your calories – you have a set limit on the amount of calories you should consume a day if you want to gain, maintain, or lose weight, so don’t waste it on high calorie drinks! It’s true when dieticians, teachers, parents, and pretty much everyone say that soda is bad for you. It’s empty calories with no nutritional value. Soda, mocha lattes, sugary fruit juice – it can all be replaced by water. Water is the closest thing we have to that “magic” food that doesn’t make you gain weight. It’s nature’s own formation that can make you feel full and that can replenish and hydrate your body. All the while it is a whopping zero calories! A recommended eight cups a day should be consumed, but also a glass before a meal, or when you are feeling hungry could curve an appetite or even stop you from over eating.
4. Smaller portions – Ever been to the Hardrock Café? It’s the epitome of oversized American portions. Just because the platter is bigger than a baby (and ultimately your stomach) does not mean you need to eat it all. What is sufficient for four is not meant to be eaten by one, especially in one sitting. Overall it is better to eat less, realize you are still hungry, and end up eating a snack two hours later, than to stuff your face, obtain a stomach ache, and end up spending the next two hours in a food coma. Portion control is nonexistent in America these days. Just to put it in perspective, France’s McDonald’s regular fry is equivalent to our kid’s fry…. Put your portion perception to the test: let’s take a pork chop for example. Now think to yourself the size of meat you would usually put on your plate. Is it comparable to the size of a deck of cards? One serving of lean meat, such as a pork chop, is 3oz meaning the amount on your plate should be almost the same size as a deck of cards. If you seem to have trouble with proportions, try using a smaller plate. When you cut down the amount of space on your plate you inevitably cut down the amount of food needed to fill it up.
5. Eat slower – Allot time for your meals and actually sit down to eat. I know it’s hard especially with demanding schedules but it takes a while for your stomach to notify your brain that you are actually full and if you are shoveling down your spaghetti faster than it can register by the time you realize you are full it’ll be too late; your stomach will have had already exceeded its capacity. Here’s the curse of the stomach though: it’ll continue to grow in order to accommodate food. If you keep filling it it’ll eventually alter in size and shape. The good news: it also can shrink. If you train your stomach and learn to stop when you are full, it won’t change in size and that feeling of an empty stomach even after eating dinner will vanish. Ideally you want to feel satisfied after a meal. Not full, not hungry, just satisfied.
6. Stick to the food groups – make sure you eat balanced meals and no potato chips don’t count as vegetables and neither does pizza. And for curving hunger purposes, adding protein and fiber to your meal can help demolish any hunger craves. Plus by limiting your sweets you’ll actually be less likely to crave them in the end. Seems crazy, but it’s true because what you eat on a daily basis becomes your body’s associated pallet. The more accustomed you are to topping dinner off with an ice cream sundae complete with a brownie, chocolate syrup, and a cherry, the more your body will expect it.
7. Stay motivated – some days are harder than others, but stick to your goals and stay strong. Ok, so maybe it’s your friend’s birthday – yes, it’s ok to have a piece of cake, but just keep portion sizes in sight, and continue to listen to your body. You decide to meet up with friends at Chipotle, yet swore off meals that exceed 500 calories? That’s where to go boxes come in. You find yourself at a party and a plate of brownies are calling your name? Fight the urge, and go hang out somewhere other than the kitchen. One of the best ways not to break your diet habits is to avoid unhealthy temptations. If you don’t want to end up eating cookie dough, don’t make cookies. That simple. (Side note: those who abolish all carbs, fats, and sugar from their diet are miserable. But, if you are really determined to budge the scale go for it, just know that at some point your body will want one of the three if not all three. Limiting all three is nearly suicide for a gastronomic, however, limiting the average intake or one of the three from your diet will result in weight loss.)
8. Be active! – Movement as simple as going out for a walk will not only burn calories but also boost your mood. Especially with the nice weather, get outside and get active. No gym membership is needed, just a little energy. The more you exert, the more calories burned. However (and this goes for all exercise junkies) don’t take it too far. Make sure you allot enough time for your body to rest, repair, and replenish after a workout especially if you are doing muscle training otherwise instead of building up muscle you’ll actually deteriorate any growth or injure yourself. Your body knows when it is exhausted.
9. Eat breakfast – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This meal starts your metabolism, so get your metabolism going as early as possible! In ancient Greek culture, breakfast was the biggest meal of the day, followed by a fair-sized lunch, and a super light dinner that basically was just to hold you over until the next morning. This ideology is correct for all those trying to loose or maintain weight as it follows our metabolic schedule. Another thing too is not to skip meals. This usually results in overeating at the next one, and ideally you want to go to bed feeling satisfied but not full. Don’t eat within the two hours before going to bed, and remember that during the day snacks are good (as long as it is not within the hour of your next meal.) Snacks hold you over until the next meal, and they keep your metabolism up and running. Just make sure your snacks don’t exceed 200 calories, however, otherwise your snack with transform into the equivalent of an actual meal.
What food groups should be included on your plate: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/myplate-food-groups-and-portions
To figure out your body mass index (BMI) and where you fall weight wise: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm