JANUARY 2003
IN THIS ISSUE:
RESEARCH UPDATE
RECIPE MAKEOVER
FOOD OF THE MONTH
RECIPES OF THE MONTH
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t's time to start your New Year's weight loss plan and you want to do things right
to ensure your success. That means boosting your metabolism and making changes
you can stick with for the rest of your life. Who wouldn't want to be able to eat more
and be thinner? This isn't a promotion for some pill that burns fat while you sleep;
it's an actual tried and true method for losing fat by raising your metabolism.
Here's a little Metabolism 101: Your metabolism is basically your muscle-to-fat ratio.
The more muscle and less fat you have, the higher your metabolism and the more
calories you burn at rest, at work, and at play. As you age, your body naturally loses
muscle, causing your metabolism to slow down. If you diet and lose weight without
exercising or lose weight too quickly, you also lose muscle. Additionally, you gain fat
and lower your metabolism if you gain back the weight you lost. It'll take fewer
calories to maintain your weight than it did before you lost it and regained it.
If you've been unsuccessful at losing weight in past years, why would you take the
same approach again? It's time to try something new. Exercising and eating right
are the core components of any good weight loss plan, but your mental approach to
them could make all the difference in your success.
Let's talk about exercise first. Do you enjoy it or is it more like torture? You need to
find at least one activity that you enjoy-something that's fun and motivational and
makes you feel like a kid again. Think somersaults and trampolines. Aside from fun,
focus on building muscle and burning calories. You don't need to lift big heavy weights
or become a body builder, but you do need to spend about 30 minutes 3 times a week
concentrating on using your muscles. That can be separate from or in combination
with an activity that gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat for about an hour
everyday. Good examples of fun activities that combine strength training and
cardiovascular work are power yoga, kickboxing, and bike riding. Two added bonuses:
- Exercise is an appetite suppressant.
- Your metabolism is in high gear for
up to 12 hours after a workout!
Let's talk turkey now. It's time to focus on eating to boost your metabolism. Don't stress over protein or carbs, or contemplate choosing between a pound of bacon and a cup of fruit salad. You know what foods are healthy, and I'm willing to bet that there's some extra junk food and processed foods in your diet that can be eliminated or traded for some fruits,
vegetables, or whole grains. This can help you cut calories without
starving yourself or going on a diet. The best way to lose fat is to do it slowly, not drastically. Start by making small, healthy changes in your diet, rather than huge, sweeping changes. Losing
1-2 pounds a week is optimal, anything more than that will be muscle, and increase your likelihood of regaining it. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner regularly and including snacks helps stoke your metabolism and keeps your blood sugar at a more even level, both of which prevent fat storage. Skipping meals and going hungry will lower your metabolism. Finally, don't cut calories too much-your body will think you're starving it. Aim to cut about 500 calories a day so you lose 1-2 pounds a week. Fiber will be your new best friend since it's filling, has no calories, and is packaged in super-nutritious, low-calorie foods like vegetables, beans, and grains.
When you sit down to eat or get ready to exercise, picture in your mind's eye your muscles building, causing you to burn more calories, and your fat melting away, giving way to a leaner body and a higher metabolism. Yes, it can happen-all it takes is a commitment and a healthy vision.
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Going Nuts
New results from a Harvard study of 84,000 nurses offer more evidence
that the type of fat you eat is just as important as the amount. Women
who ate an ounce of nuts at least 5 times a week had a 27% lower risk
of developing type 2 diabetes than women who ate no or very few nuts.
Women who ate peanut butter frequently also reduced their risk by about
20% compared to non-peanut butter eaters. Eating 1 to 4 ounces of nuts
and-or peanut butter a week lowered the participant's risk by 16%.
Researchers believe these positive benefits are applicable to men, too.
Nuts have long been considered taboo since they contain so much fat,
and therefore calories. What we know now is that most of the fat in nuts
like peanuts, walnuts, almonds, and pecans are mono- and polyunsaturated
fats, which help lower total and LDL (bad) blood cholesterol and improve
insulin sensitivity. Nuts are high in phytonutrients, minerals, other
antioxidants, and fiber, which also promote blood sugar control and
heart health.
Raw or dry-roasted, unsalted nuts and unsweetened peanut butters
can be beneficial additions to your diet. Make sure to eat them in
place of a less healthful food to avoid adding extra calories to your diet.
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The nutrition recommendations found in our newsletters are general in nature
and are not tailored to specific health problems. Talk to your physician or
other qualified health care practitioner concerning particular health issues
or before beginning any nutritional program.
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