Fitness Tips

Fitness Tip Get Fit in 2006!
by Hillarie Zoe Scannelli

Your trainer & friend who wants you to succeed!!!

Go to your local bookstore and pick up a little “calorie & fat counter” booklet. They are really inexpensive, and keeping track of your daily calories and fat can be the difference between success and failure. Of course, you want to make sure that each of your meals has a protein source (egg whites, chicken, tuna, turkey, ham & lean pork, lean red meat, low-fat cheese & yogurt, protein shakes and protein bars) -- then be sure to balance that protein with a healthy source of carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grain cereals, breads and pasta, fruits, etc.). There are so many confusing products on the market relating to “low-carb” diets. Don’t get caught up in it. Just be sure to measure your portions when eating carbohydrates – and try to stay at the lower range of the daily portion recommendations (per the food pyramid). They suggest 6-11 servings of carbohydrates. Do not eliminate carbs because your body needs them –try to have only 6 servings of carbohydrates (daily) – and if you had two slices of whole grain bread with a sandwich for lunch, then you’ve already had two servings. So as you see, they can add up quickly.

Keep a daily food log so that you can count the calories at each meal -- just jot it down (daily) in a small notebook. Try to eat 4-6 smaller meals throughout the day instead of 2 or 3 larger ones. This allows your body time to digest and burn off those calories, with little left over to be stored as bodyfat. Try to keep your daily caloric intake between 1200-1600 calories (with 25-35 grams of fat) if you are trying to lose weight. Never go on a low-calorie diet that is under 1000 calories – it is just not healthy, and you will gain the weight back quickly once your start eating a little more.

When starting a diet plan, most people do not measure their fats – they say “Oh, I only drizzled a little olive oil on my salad”. The problem is that drizzling can add up to 3 tablespoons – which is 42 grams of fat – more than you should be having all day! Therefore, measure all your fats with a tablespoon. Stick to one tablespoon -- The results are worth it!

Counting calories and fat is one of the oldest methods for losing weight, and it is still one of the best. Remember your body only needs a certain amount of calories each day to function, so if you keep your calories a little lower, then your body will begin to use stored bodyfat for fuel. If you need help with the nutritional aspect of your 2005 program, feel free to sign up for nutritional counseling here at TEST.

Input vs. Output. Your body will be forced to shed bodyfat if you are following a lower-calorie diet plan and adding exercise to the equation. Once you have cut back and are controlling your calories and your daily fat intake, start adding more physical exercise (even if you just bundle up and go for a ½ hour walk – take a friend if it is dark at night – and make sure the walk ways are not icy!). If you are not interested in walking outside . . . come to the gym and use the cardio equipment (30 minutes) or sign up for group training classes. By adding more cardio, you will be burning calories and stored body fat. By adding an extra day or two of resistance training with weights, you will help tighten and tone the muscles that lie underneath the bodyfat. By doing this, you will be sculpting and adding shape to your body, as you drop bodyfat. If you are not comfortable weight training alone, invest in yourself . . . sign up for a few training sessions with one of our trainers to help you get started.

All in all, it is very simple . . . eat healthy – smaller portions – balanced meals – control the calories and fat – and exercise more. You will really see a difference.

Here is just two samples of a low-calorie daily diet – with balanced meals: