22 Oct The Seven Deadly Habits That Will Make You Fat
7 great habit changing tips in the battle of the bulge
Packing on extra weight is not an overnight process. It usually takes years of unhealthy habits which can be hard to overcome. Here are seven common bad habits that can contribute to weight gain and what you can do to avoid them:
Not Exercising On A Regular Basis
It is recommended that you partake in two to three cardio sessions per week of 20 to 45 minutes and two to three resistance training sessions per week of 30 to 45 minutes. Resistance training or weight lifting will build muscle that helps burn fat.
Eating Most of Your Meals Out
Restaurant portions are generally large and most of us were brought to clean our plates. Mexican and Chinese restaurants probably have the highest calorie meals, but if you must eat out: “Thai and Vietnamese foods are better. Pho soups and won-ton soups are great choices.” [Pho, pronounced “fa,” is a Vietnamese soup that’s usually made with beef.]
Asking For Seconds
It takes 20 minutes for your brain to catch up with your stomach. But most people consume high amounts of food in 20 minutes. It is suggested that you put less food on your plate and skipping seconds. Portion control is key.
Avoiding Activity
There are a ton of exercises you can integrate into you daily activities. Instead of looking for the closest parking place, park in the back and walk it off. There are even stability balls made to sit behind a desk instead of a chair. These cause you to sit up straight, hold your back up and burn more calories. In fact I am sitting on one now. It really works!
Never Saying No To Sweets
You don’t need to cut out sweets completely, just cut down on them and savor it with a small portion. Take sugar out of your diet and replace with all natural Fructevia, Steviva Blend or Steviva Brand Stevia Powder.
Eating When You Are Not Hungry
Eating is a physiologically and psychologically satisfying, mood-altering experience. Most people eat, not because they are hungry, but for other reasons. Learn what triggers you to eat and healthier ways to reward yourself or brighten your mood. Also, keep in mind that most people are unable to distinguish the difference between thirst and hunger. Most of us are severely dehydrated so, drink a glass of water 5 minutes prior to dining and you will eat less.
Not Skipping Meals
Intermittent fasting has been very popular for many years and several different methods have been used.
All of them involve splitting the day or week into “eating periods” and “fasting periods.” During the fasting periods, you eat either very little or nothing at all.
These are the most popular methods:
The 16/8 Method: Also called the Leangains protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, for example from 1 pm to 9 pm. Then you “fast” for 16 hours in between.
Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
The 5:2 Diet: On two non-consecutive days of the week, only eat 500-600 calories. Eat normally the other 5 days.
The benefits of intermittent fasting for metabolic health are already pretty well established. In non-human animal models as well as in humans, intermittent fasting leads to weight loss and reduced body fat; lowers blood pressure and resting heart rate; and improves risk markers for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.