Category Archives: Weight Loss

Diet vs. Exercise – You Can’t Out Train a Bad Diet

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Ronald McDonald

A lot of people believe that their exercise  will somehow make up for the way they eat. They use the excuse that they can eat whatever they want because their exercise offsets the excess calories taken in. This way of thinking is typically a set up to fail.  Most people do not end up with a six pack and really low percentage of body fat eating whatever they want whenever they want. The body just doesn’t work that way.  Often a person does not realize the amount of calories they consume and they also think they burn a lot more calories than they actually do. The majority of people have no clue how many are in the foods that they eat, but justify them with spending 30 minutes jogging or in the gym. The bottom line is that healthy eating and adequate exercise are the way to good health and a tone body.

In the same 3 minutes it takes to consume 800-1000 calories of food a person only burns approximately 40-45 calories in high impact cardio exercise.  It takes a lot more effort to burn 800 calories than it does to eat 800 calories. Yes, we all know that it takes less time to eat then exercise but the comparison helps us realize that one donut can defeat the results of an hour of aerobics.  Is it worth it? The excess calories rarely get burned off. In diet vs. exercise you can never out train a bad diet. The bad diet will win every time.  For someone who desires to be lean it takes eating the right amount of proper foods and an effective exercise routine. Receiving the maximum results from exercise will not happen without eating the right foods.  They go hand in hand.  Most of us are not Olympic Athletes who train up to 10 hours per day. They are an exception.

bad diet   Diet Recipes for Success

  • Eat 4-6 small meals per day
  • Snack on bananas, non fat yogurt, nuts and seeds 
  • Cut down on portion size – a fist full is enough
  • Choose lean proteins – tuna, salmon, egg whites, lean beef, turkey breast, ground turkey
  • Increase water drinking and stick to non caffeinated beverages – an average person adds an extra 500-800 calories per day drinking soda
  • Choose healthy fats – extra virgin olive oil
  • Eat high fiber carbs – corn tortillas, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread
  • Cut back on alcohol intake
  • Don’t think you have to clean your plate 
  • Track daily calories – it surprises a lot of people how many calories they actually consume.

The general population that is serious about exercising spends approximately 6-8 hours working out per week. This most likely will not cover the amount of calories taken in for a person who eats whatever they want whenever they want.  A great exercise workout program works if it does not have to go against an unhealthy diet. This is why you can’t out-train a bad diet.  It is so important to know what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat. A lifestyle of eating healthy is the way to utilize working out to the fullest. When a person says they can eat what they want because they exercise the body has news for them. The exercise will not offset their excess of calories. Running on a treadmill is great but it will not burn the excess calories of eating half a pizza. In general, people underestimate the actual amount of calories they eat and drink and over estimate the amount of calories they burn during a workout. Unless a person lives a healthy eating lifestyle combined with a regular exercise routine the body will not be able to burn the excess.  It takes both.

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Tips for Weight Loss Success

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Here are some tips that I use while conducting my nutritional counseling here at work : Please note that even though I work in the realm of health and nutrition, I am not a doctor or dietitian, just a regular person like you.  These tips are mostly learned through my own personal experience.
 
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#1 – Eat enough food!  Your body can’t function without it’s fuel!  You need a MINIMUM of 1200 calories a day for woman, but I personally recommend at least 1500, but you should consult your doctor for a better amount.  Just remember if you don’t eat enough, your body goes into starvation mode and will store everything as fat.  Also if you eat to much, you’ll gain!   Remember 1lbs is 3500 calories!   Your body burns calories when we do nothing so dont’ think you’ll gain 3500 calories if you eat that in a week.  Here’s more information about that.  It’s to hard for me to explain.  http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_BMR.php
 
#2 – Count your calories, at least for the first week or two.  You’d be amazed in what you think is healthy and is not.  I was drinking a skinny vanilla latte and a reduced fat cinnamon swirl coffee cake for breakfast every day, and that was over 500 calories.  Not smart, not to mention I was hungry a short while after breakfast, which brings me to #3.
 
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#3 – Eat breakfast!  As Mom always said it’s the most important meal of the day and it is.  Your body needs fuel to speed up your metabolism and to get you going.  I like to eat yogurt with fruit and granola, or oatmeal with Greek Yogurt, and sometimes eggs and pancakes.  I like to eat about 300 calories for breakfast.  Having full hearty meals, with protein, a pinch of fat and carbs will keep me filled for 3 or 4 hours.
 
#4 – Snacks!  Snacks are important to keep the metabolism flowing.  I eat a mid morning snack such as hummus and veggies, or a piece of fruit, hard boiled egg, granola or even yogurt. Just stay away from bad foods, like chocolate, fried stuff and nothing higher then 100 – 150 calories.
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#5 – Read Labels!  If you choose processed foods to eat, read your labels, not everything is bad for you, but some stuff is.  I look at the calories, serving size, carbs, protein, fiber and sugar.  If it’s low on protein and fiber, I don’t get it.  If it’s high in fat and sodium I put it right back onto the shelf.  Be a smart consumer and read those labels.  If you can’t pronounce and ingredient, it’s probably not good for you.  Don’t buy something because the package says low fat or no sugar added, that  doesn’t mean crap!  Sugar Alcohol is still sugar!!!   Not to mention if it’s low in fat, it’s high somewhere else, they need to add something to perserve and add flavor.
 
#6 – Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.  If you do this, you can’t go wrong! 
 
#7 – Drink lots of water.  I have at least 8 glasses of water a day and if I workout, I drink more because I need to replenish my body because I sweat it out and sweating is good for you!!
 
#8 – Exercise!  I try to Cardio at least 30 minutes a day, if not more!  I do 30 minutes of cardio 6-7 days a week, even if it is a short walk.  I feel better when I do, and it gets me off my butt!  But try for at least 5 days a week if you can’t make 6 or 7.  But start off slow if your just beginning.
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Strength Training is very important part of your workouts.  Try for 15 – 30 minutes of strength training.  Don’t be afraid of strength training.  You burn more calories all together.  You’ll tone your muscles and you get stronger.  I like that my arms are strong, that way I can carry more bags at the mall.  :)  I like to do circuit training which is full body workouts. I only do them 3 times a week, every other day.  Never do strength training on back to back days, unless you work one muscle group at a time. Such as Monday Upper Body, Tuesday Lower Body, Wednesday Core, Thursday Upper Body, Friday Lower Body, you get the picture.
 
#9 – Make your own meals from scratch and plan ahead.  If you make your own meals, you know what your eating, you know what goes into a meal and you can control the sugar, fat and sodium.  This is a big one for me. I enjoy cooking, it’s like an art to me!  Plus I like to share my creations with my friends, family and you!
 
#10 – Don’t deprive yourself.  You don’t have to give up the foods you love, just have them in moderation, like once a week or everyday if you fit it into your weight loss program.  If you deprive yourself, you will most likely fail.
 
#11 – Most importantly, set a goal and try to achieve it!  Don’t give up, even if you mess up for a day or two.  Just get back on that horse and keep going.  Along that note, you need to reward yourself!  If you reach a mini goal, then treat yourself to a pair of jeans, or something you desire.  I bought clothes at every 5lbs loss.  A little crazy, but it worked and I felt great!!
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Making Your Own Prepackaged Foods

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Clean-eating-food

Clean eating is more than choosing natural, healthy foods – it’s about cooking and freezing food ahead so that it’s just as convenient as store-bought prepackaged and fast food. In other words, making your own prepackaged food!

Even with the best intentions, if healthy food isn’t convenient we’re more likely to head for the drive-through or grab prepackaged food laden with fat, sugar, and salt. Even prepackaged food sold at natural health food stores contains unknown and undesirable ingredients.

You don’t need to prepare a month’s worth of food in advance, either. Some foods I prepare ahead last a week and others several weeks. Nonetheless, eating junky food for those rushed mornings, on-the-go lunches, and pooped-out evenings can be entirely avoided by:

  1. Cooking healthy food ahead in bulk
  2. Freezing individual- or family-sized portions
  3. Thawing as needed

What about the quality of frozen food?

Freezing may worry you because the quality can degrade if not stored properly. You may also wonder how long food can be stored in the freezer. Rest assured that when stored at the right temperature and in the right container, food can last in a good-quality state for a long time. Keep reading for the how-to.

Cooking ahead in batches

I’ve talked a lot about the kinds of food you can cook ahead in my posts.The only things you shouldn’t freeze are food in cans and shell eggs (really, who would do that?). You should cook and freeze what you want to eat – period. You may want to buy precut frozen veggies for convenience, but be sure they aren’t in a sauce or with added salt. I’ve provided some creative food ideas at the recipes at the bottom of this post.

Of course, any time you cook something it’s wise to make extras for storing. But on one or two weekends a month make a habit of grilling big packages of chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, or salmon steaks; baking turkey or bison meatballs or burgers; making your own veggie or black bean burgers, boiling a large package of whole-wheat pasta or brown rice; whipping up a casserole, stir-fry, or sauce; baking or boiling sweet potatoes; cooking waffles or pancakes; preparing fresh beans, and so on.

The following applies to all precooked foods, including vegetables, meat, grains, and casseroles.

Freezing

  • Be sure the freezer temperature is 0° F or below.
  • Let food cool completely before freezing.
  • Overwrap meat and other packages that might let air penetrate.
  • To freeze in individual- or family-sized portions, here are a few ideas:
    • Divide portions into separate quart-sized freezer bags that you can wash and reuse again.
    • Place meat pieces in a large gallon-sized bag and separate with waxed paper. I cut chicken breasts in half before freezing because I rarely eat a whole one for lunch.
    • Divide pasta, casserole, sauce, or potato portions into muffin cups or ice cube trays and place in a large plastic bag. Muffin tins work too but obviously can’t be defrosted in the microwave.
  • Write the date on wrapping.
  • Spread out packages in freezer to allow for the quickest freezing. Slow freezing can cause ice crystals.
  • Check out this food storage timetable to see how long you can freeze foods.
  • Consider the Food Saver for vacuum-sealing foods. Food doesn’t stick to the plastic!

Thawing

  • Thaw in the refrigerator, cold water, or the microwave. Never thaw in the garage or basement (I’m sure you already know this).
    • Fridge: Before you leave for work, take dinner out of the freezer and put it in the fridge. For lunches and breakfast, take it out the night before or earlier. Large items will take longer but you are only thawing individual or family-sized portions!
    • Cold water: To thaw food faster than the fridge, put it in a leak-proof plastic bag and immerse it in cold water. (If water enters the bag it’s not good – bacteria could be introduced or the food could be ruined.) Check the water frequently to ensure it stays cold and change it every 30 minutes.
    • Microwave: Defrost at 50% power to prevent the middle from cooking and eat immediately.
  • If frozen food is stuck to the bag, run cold water over the bag to loosen it.
  • After thawing foods, either keep in the fridge for 2-3 days or reheat immediately.
  • Do not freeze food in a can; foods taken out of a can are fine. Do not use shell eggs that have broken in the freezer.

Reheating

  • It’s recommended that you reheat food to an internal temperature of 165° F to kill all bacteria; stews and soups should be brought to a boil. I’m not super anal about this step; I usually just heat until it’s hot all the way through. But it’s especially important if you’re reheating food that’s been cooked and frozen a few times (see Refreezing).
  • Once thawed, either reheat individual items separately or together in the over or microwave. I typically heat veggies, meat, and pasta separately before combining in a salad or other meal.
  • Microwave pasta or dip it briefly in boiling water.
  • Cooking meat, poultry, or casseroles without thawing first will take about one and half times as long to cook. Discard original wrapping before reheating.

Refreezing

  • You can freeze food again when it was:
    • Frozen –> thawed –> cooked/reheated
    • Uncooked –> frozen –> thawed
    • Cooked –> frozen –> thawed
  • Do not refreeze foods that were left outside the fridge longer than 2 hours or 1 hour in temperatures above 90° F.

Creative Food Ideas

While you can certainly eat chicken breasts, brown rice, and broccoli all the time, it’s more fun to get a little creative:

  • Crockpot recipes. I was impressed when I found this post that includes 9 healthy recipes with instructions for freezing. In fact, check out this Pinterest board for lots of crockpot and batch cooking ideas.
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My Weight Loss Progress

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I thought I would give a quick update on my weight loss progress. I had stalled on a plateau for a little while, but have lost another 3-4 lbs in the last 3 months or so for a total of 14 pounds lost. (If you want to see my “before” pictures you can read this previous post).

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Current Pic taken at the Weigh and Win kiosk

It has definitely been a slow weight loss but it also seems to be staying off, so I am very happy with it. I would like to lose at least another 8 lbs to be officially in the healthy BMI range, but if I can handle it, I would go for about 15 more which would put me about where I was when I first met Britton. I am still doing Weigh and Win and if I just lose 3 more pounds I will make $30 this quarter! Britton and I have already each won $15 for our first 5% body weight reductions!

Whenever I talk with people for nutritional counseling about weight loss, I want them to try and achieve a weight that they have actually been in their adult lives. Sometimes they want to weigh on the lower side of a healthy BMI, but that is just not what their body was made to do. Think of a time in your life when you felt healthy and happy with your weight (or it was a non-issue). This is probably what your goal weight should be, more or less.

For me, I haven’t needed to record every morsel of my food as I did in the early stages of this weight loss because I now am more careful with what is heavier (and makes you heavier) and what is lighter (and so therefore makes you lighter). I know my triggers and my weaknesses. For instance, I have to be careful around chocolate and going out to eat is an exercise in moderate or shared meals. I have eaten a lot more soups and vegetables and much less refined foods and starches. I have to work every day to get in some movement, especially in the winter. And I have to be extra careful around these holidays with all the delicious food. I still have a ways to go, but I am happy with the progress and thought I would let you all know!

 

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