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By Monica Pantin |
May, 2003: Many people gain weight during the winter.Why? The main reason is the excuse of the cold weather.When the
weather is cold {and we have had some cold days in New York} people come up with excuses for not working out.Because of less physical activity, many people gain weight.
With Spring coming soon, it's time to make the decision to lose the winter weight gain. Last week while clothes shopping I overheard two women talking about losing the weight they gained. One said that she is determined to use the Gym membership she received as a Christmas gift. The other woman said that she was thinking of trying "diet pills".I f you are thinking of using diet pills to lose weight, please don't. Using diet pills maybe harmful to your health. We have all seen and heard the advertisements for quick weight loss with diet pills. We are bombarded with these ads everyday. "Lose weight without exercise" or "Lose 10 lbs in two days. " These ads may be misleading and potentially harmful to your body. Taking short cuts to weight loss will not work. The fact is that "dieting" alone and long-term weight loss is almost impossible without regular exercise.
Exercise together with sound nutrition helps you lose weight and helps you maintain the weight loss. Dieting alone will result in short-term weight loss{mainly water and lean body mass.} A lot of people are always on a diet.Every year they attempt to lose the extra 5, 10, 15, or 20 pounds they gain during winter. This repeated loss and gain of weight is known as "weight cycling", and can be harmful to the body. If you are one of these people, make the decision that this will be the last year you put your self and your body through this "weight cycle". Use the suggestions below to get you started. As always consult your physician.
1.Write down your goals. Decide how many days per week you will exercise and stick with it.
2.Utilize the "Buddy" system. Workout with your spouse or a friend.Choose someone who has similar goals. This will keep both of you motivated.
3.Start slowly. The weight you gained over the winter did not happen in one day. This happened over a period of weeks, so do not expect to lose the weight in one day. Losing 1 to 2 lbs a week is the safe, effective way to go.
4.What exercise activity would you engage in? Choose activities you enjoy. Do a variety of exercises. Remember you must have "fun" with your
workouts.
5.Watch what and how much you eat. Eat a variety of foods.Choose healthy foods that you enjoy.Salads,b aked, broiled,r oasted lean meats, a
variety of vegetables. Do not deny yourself. Enjoy the cookies, cake, ice cream etc. Instead of eating the whole bag of cookies, have 3 or 4. Have a smaller slice of cake. Don't eat the whole pint of icecream, have a couple of scoops.
6.Keep your body hydrated.Make sure you drink enough water.
7.Remember to balance your exercise routine. Do resistance, cardio and flexibility workouts.
8.Follow a set schedule. This will help make exercise a part of your daily routine. Use a calendar to plan the days you will workout.Be consistent, this is very important.
9.Always wear comfortable clothing and invest in a pair of cross training shoes. Your feet and body will thank you.
10.Maintain a "good attitude" about your exercise workouts. Do not think of exercising as a "chore". Feeling good about exercising will enable you to "enjoy" your workouts. This will help you to look forward to your workouts and before you know it you will lose the "winter weight gain", and look and feel great.