Q: What do you do to stay thin?
I have to begin by saying that I don’t consider myself “thin” but I do think I’m pretty healthy. Most of that has to do with my build and my genetics. I have what’s considered a larger frame or bone structure for a woman and I’m pretty muscular and curvy. Even if I starved myself I will never be a size zero. But I’ve learned over the years to be thankful for what I’ve got. Believe it or not I have thin friends who actually envy my muscles and spend time at the gym trying to “bulk up”. We always want what we can't have, right?
That being said here are the five most important things I do to feel good and maintain a healthy weight. Keep in mind I’m not always perfect, but it’s what you do the majority of the time that counts.
Avoid processed foods, energy drinks and soda (even diet) – Processed foods are high in sodium and low in nutritional quality. I eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats and healthy fats. I especially focus on the veggies! They are super low in calories and packed with fiber to help keep me full. I do drink a few cups of coffee in the morning but besides that it’s water with a splash of cranberry or lemon juice and tea. I cut out processed foods and stopped drinking diet energy drinks and diet soda a few years ago and noticed a big difference in my overall water retention including puffiness in my face, arms and midsection.
Get my Zzz’s – How long you sleep can affect hormones that regulate appetite and body weight. Our bodies need plenty of ‘shut-eye’ for the internal maintenance that keeps your metabolism in good working order. I notice a HUGE difference in my appetite if I’m running low on sleep. I also tend to make poor food choices and skip my workouts which both work against maintaining a healthy body weight.
Eat small frequent meals throughout the day and don’t skip meals – Skipping meals can slow down your metabolism and deprive you of needed energy. I always eat breakfast in the morning to wake up my metabolism and try to nibble on something every couple of hours instead of eating three big meals a day. I also make sure I’m eating the right amount of calories for the amount of exercise I’m doing. Starving yourself and yo-yo dieting messes with your metabolism big time and usually leads to binge eating. On the flip side, eating whatever you want because you are exercising also works against you (most people overestimate calorie burn and underestimate calorie intake).
Drink plenty of water – Water is necessary to keep our bodies functioning properly. Staying hydrated helps with digestion, helps control appetite and flushes out waste products and toxins. As a general rule you should be drinking about half your body weight in ounces. So a person who weighs 150 pounds should be drinking about 75 ounces or roughly 9 cups of water a day (1 cup = 8 ounces). If you’re doing a lot of physical activity that number will increase.
Change up my workouts frequently – The body adjusts quickly to physical activity. If you do the exact same workout all the time you will probably stop seeing results. You can increase the time, the intensity or both or try something different like Pilates, cross training or interval training. I like to mix things up by using different workout videos, taking new classes and varying my location. Just this week I started running down on the beach in the morning and let me tell you the sand definitely challenged me.
I’ve also noticed that bringing my lunch to work and eating dinner at home most nights make a big difference in my budget and my weight. And I can’t forget yoga! Yoga has become a regular part of my daily routine. It helps keep my mind and my body flexible, helps me manage stress and makes me strong from the inside out. Hope this helps!
- Lauren
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Labels: Ask The Experts, Lauren
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I love all these tips on staying slim and fit for life. Especially the sleep one - that's my favorite!