ARTICLE
Eat More, Weigh Less, Look your Best!
Leslie A. Grosshauser, November 5, 2009
Let me share with you what a typical day was for me before I “saw the light”. I would wake up at 6:30 am and stumble to the kitchen to get my morning coffee, and let me tell you, my eyes would not open without it! Of course, because I had at least 2-3 cups of coffee I was not hungry so I would go to the gym and work out on an empty stomach (which is the worse thing you could do). I would get through my workouts thinking that I had to do cardio for at least an hour to burn the most fat and calories, in fact sometimes I would be praying the entire time for that hour to be over, because I had no energy that day. Then of course after my hour to an hour and a half of cardio I was so tired that I would drag myself home to shower, stopping at Starbucks on the way home in hopes of perking up again. Well, that would work for a little while, then I would shower and get dressed and begin my work day. By about 12:00 pm or so it would happen……I finally woke up and now I was STARVING !!! So I would say to myself, “well I have not eaten all day yet so I can eat anything I want, and as much as I want”. My typical lunch would be a salad because of course I thought it was low in calories, but by the time I added the eggs, cheese, meats, croutons and of course the fattening salad dressing, I should of just had a Big Mac because it was the same amount of calories. Well, after lunch I felt really full and by about 90 minutes after I ate I became tired again, so guess what I would go for…. another coffee…or two, so that would be my afternoon snack. By 5:00 pm I would begin to get really hungry again , not being able to eat until I got home around 6:00pm I would have to deal with hunger pains for that last hour at work. Now, being a Mother of two children I would get home and have to make dinner, this was difficult because I wanted to eat right away. As I prepared the family meal I would nibble on the bread, the sauces, the meats anything that I was preparing. When it actually came time to sit down and eat the meal I prepared I was not hungry because I had filled up on all of the little things here and there. Then of course by 9:00pm I was hungry again because I did not actually take the time to sit and eat the meal I prepared, so I would have a late night snack, maybe some ice cream, popcorn, or crackers…..of course all carbs. Heading to bed right after that and then waking up the next morning and starting the routine all over again. Does this sound familiar to any of you? If the answer is yes, then you must listen to the advice I am about to give you!
Eating 6 small meals a day is the ideal way to keep your stove burning all day long. Providing your body with small amounts of fuel all day will further enhance your performance in every day activities as well as keep you fulfilled and never experiencing that “starving” feeling. Now, when I say six meals I do not mean six huge meals , I mean 6 small meals consisting of a small amount of protein, carbs and yes even fats. A portion size of lets say a protein is the size of the palm of your hand, go for proteins like tuna, chicken, egg whites or fish. If you choose red meats , make them lean and no more than once a week. Your carbs should consist of low-fat or clean carbs - not processed. Oatmeal, vegetables, sweet potatoes, brown rice etc. And your fats need to be small amounts – if using salad dressing no more than a tablespoon, a great substitute for salad dressing is Salsa, this is considered a “freebee” it is made up of all vegetables and it is very tasty. Now you may be asking how do I fit 6 meals in a day? Well check it out…here is a sample of your new and improved eating schedule.
6:30 am – Rise and shine – Meal # 1
Breakfast items: De-caf coffee, Oatmeal, Egg Whites, Grapefruit, Skim Milk
9:30 am – Time to Snack - Meal # 2
Easy to Grab Items: Protein Bar, Low-Fat Yogurt
12:30pm – Lunch Time – Meal #3
Lunch Items: Salad w/ vegetables, Chicken Breast or Tuna on Salad, Low-Fat dressing or salsa, 5 low-fat wheat crackers, Iced Tea – caffeine free
3:30pm – Time to Snack - Meal # 4
Easy to Grab Items: Handful of almonds, Piece of fruit, ¼ cup cottage cheese
6:30pm – Dinner Time – Meal # 5
Dinner Items: Chicken Breast, Potato or Brown Rice, Vegetables, Small salad, Drink of choice – diet drink or low fat milk
8:30-9:30 – Last Snack – Meal #6
Fun Snack: ¼ cup sorbet or Frozen Fruit Bar
So there you have it, you didn’t think you could fit 6 meals in? Well, I just proved you wrong! Now it is important to focus on portion control, if you eat in moderation, things will work out for you , however if you abuse the portion sizes then you will not be successful. Eating is just half of the battle , we need to address your workout program. You must walk at least 10,000 steps a day to just maintain your current fitness level, so if you are trying to lose weight you need to go over the 10,000 steps a day. Invest in a simple pedometer, this will help you stay on track and keep you moving. If you do hit the gym, know that making your workout time more efficient will be the key to your success. As a cardio junky in my previous life I can tell you that nowadays I do no more than 30 minutes of pure cardio at one time. The cardio I do though is higher in intensity and includes complete rest and recovery periods. Incorporating weight training with your workouts is also key in building muscle, which burns more fat more efficiently during the course of the day, even when your body is at rest you will still be burning fat if you have a good amount of muscle on your body.
My last tip is to invest in a Heart Rate Monitor, if you can monitor your workouts, gauge your calories going in versus your calories burned, you will be successful at reaching your ideal weight and feeling great! Remember drink a lot of water and limit your alcohol consumption…(did you know that one beer is like eating a serving of mashed potatoes)?
OK……so no more “Diets”, change your eating habits for good and work out smarter, you will see huge changes in your body and your mind!
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contributed by
Leslie A. Grosshauser is the National Director of Group Exercise for XSport Fitness, the Director of the XSport Fitness Performance Team, Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer for 22 years, and the 1999 National Aerobic Champion. Leslie serves on the board for the Mayor Daleys Fitness Council and has appeared on Fox 32 News, presented Nationally and Internationally for Free Motion Fitness, been featured in Athletic Business and Fitness Management Magazine. Leslie is also a motivational speaker and very active in her community inspiring others to stay fit and healthy!
