Summer has arrived and together begins the season of hearty suppers, high-calorie desserts, parties that last until late at night, and everything else that we are entitled to during this time of get-togethers. So what can you do to keep your body healthy and in shape during the summer, and especially throughout the year?
With these TOP 10 weight loss tips you will spend the holidays with your body and your conscience and start the year healthy and in balance!
1 – DRINK WATER
Hunger is commonly confused with dehydration. The next time you feel like you need to eat something even though you've been eating a few minutes ago, have a glass of water. Even mild dehydration can alter your body's metabolism, so drink 8 glasses of water a day and limit your soda, caffeine and alcohol. It is also proven that drinking water before meals can help with weight loss. Studies show that people who drink two glasses of water before meals feel more satisfied and eat less.
2- EAT CARBOHYDRATES – REALLY
Replace refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, breakfast cereals with complex carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber which slows down digestion and promotes stable sugar levels. They are also rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body. Whole grain carbohydrates should always be chosen over refined ones. Think of eating them as you would find them in their natural state – bread made from ground wheat, brown rice taken straight from the plant – complete with fiber and phytonutrients in the way Mother Nature would want them to be eaten!
3 – CHOOSE HEALTHY FATS
A very common mistake is that fats must be completely eliminated. In reality, we wouldn't survive without fat. The body utilizes dietary fat for energy, hair, nail and skin health, vitamin absorption and normal daily bodily functions. Healthy fats provide numerous health benefits such as protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, depression, as well as lowering blood pressure and lowering cholesterol. Choose sources such as walnuts and chestnuts, hazelnuts, seeds, fish, avocados and extra virgin olive oil.
4 – EMPHASIZE LEAN PROTEINS
Our bodies require proteins to continually renew and replenish cells, stabilize blood sugar and provide us with energy. The human body is literally made up of dietary amino acids that form proteins. Many foods contain protein, but the richest sources include animal products such as meat, eggs and meat products, fish and plant sources such as beans, nuts and seeds, quinoa.
5 – TAKE BREAKFAST
Eating a healthy breakfast will give your metabolism a boost and be in better control of your needs. When we lose the first fuel of the day, at mid-morning we feel hungry and easily indulge in sweets, and larger amounts of food to satiate the calories that were “saved” for breakfast. Studies repeatedly show that daily breakfast consumption is associated with a healthy weight. However, if you're not ready to eat early, listen to your body and eat when it's best for you.
6 – EAT MORE FREQUENTLY
It's important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help keep your blood sugar stable and lessen the chance of overeating or eating junk food when you're hungry. Keep track of your food choices and balance your caloric intake. Feeding your body regularly lets you know it has food available and it's okay for it to burn energy rather than accumulating as fat.
7 – EXERCISE YOUR BODY AND YOUR MIND
Exercise has huge benefits for your body and mind with research showing weight loss, smaller waist circumference, lower resting heart rate as well as blood pressure, and improved mood. Try to be active for at least 30 minutes daily to help keep your body strong and lean. It doesn't have to be anything expensive – any move is better than none. Try these tips to get moving:
- Get off one stop earlier on the bus or park your car further away
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator
- Take morning or evening walks or take your dog for a walk
Even playing with kids in the park or gardening will keep your body active. It's just as important as keeping your mind active too. Boost your brain power by taking time to think positively, do meditation, or do activities that require deep concentration like reading.
8 – SLEEP WELL
Research shows that those who sleep 5 hours or less weigh 2.5kg more than those who sleep at least 7 hours a night. Over time, weight gain can become faster in those who sleep 5 hours compared to those who spend 7 hours with their eyes closed. Lack of sleep impairs the circadian rhythm and can lead to ineffective bodily regulation of energy balance, metabolism and appetite. Abnormal ghrelin and leptin levels – hormones that tell your body “I'm full, stop eating” – can decrease with little sleep. To put it simply – who sleeps more, eats and weighs less! Aim to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep a night.
9 – LEARN TO COOK
Cooking meals at home allows you to control portion sizes and quality of ingredients, and lower your sodium, fat and calorie intake. Avoid fried foods by learning to bake or cook, and eat more raw foods to increase flavor and decrease calories. Use herbs and spices to lower your salt intake.
10 – KEEP CONTROL OVER WHAT YOU EAT
Be a food detective and investigate what you choose to put into your body. Check labels, and avoid ingredients like sugar, trans fats, corn syrup and other ingredients with “long chemical” names that are difficult to pronounce. The healthiest foods are those found as nature has provided us – natural and unprocessed. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a broccoli or an apple?
Which one will you start first?
Leidy HJ, Carnell NS, Mattes RD, Campbell WW. Higher protein intake preserves lean mass and satiety with weight loss in pre-obese and obese women.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Feb;15(2):421-9.
Leidy HJ1, Ortinau LC, Douglas SM, Hoertel HA., Beneficial effects of a higher-protein breakfast on the appetizing, hormonal, and neural signals energy intake regulation in overweight/obese, “breakfast-skipping,” late-adolescent girls. , Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;97(4):677-88. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.053116. Epub 2013 Feb 27.
Karina Fischera, , Paolo C. Colombania, Wolfgang Langhansb, Caspar Wenka., Carbohydrate to protein ratio in food and cognitive performance in the morning., Physiology & Behavior 75 (2002) 411 – 4,
Arlet V Nedelcheva, Jennifer M Kilkus, Imperial Jacqueline, Kristen Kasza, Dale To Schoeller, and Plamen D Penev. Sleep curtailment is accompanied by increased intake of calories from snacks.,Am J Clin Nutr January 2009 vol. 89 at the. 1 126-133
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11 – Follow Ma's tips! Hehehe
Top this post mazinha, my resolution for 2015 will be to follow your tips and get thin and beautiful hahahah
kiss