No More Hiding..The Coats And Sweaters Come Off

We are getting our first taste of Summer here in Dallas this week.  Time to toss away the sweats and pull out the bathing suits and t-shirts.

And, for many people, the first wave of warm weather brings the realization that pool and beach time is fast approaching.  And that maybe it’s time they pop into the gym.  The one they joined back on January 2 in a rush of New Years resolution fervor.  The one they haven’t set foot in since January 3.

So, if you’re one of those who are trying to bounce back from a Winter hibernation, here are some tips to help you squeeze into that bathing suit.

Drink More Water

Keeping your body hydrated will actually improve weight loss.

When your body does not get plenty of water, the kidneys tend to go into “lazy” mode.  In response, the liver is forced to handle the waste excreting duties that are the kidney’s primary responsibility.  The liver is also responsible for helping the body convert stored fat into energy.  When it’s also having to do work the kidneys should be handling, its fat burning capacity is reduced.

So drink water throughout the day to keep your kidney’s awake

Start Cutting Way Back On Refined Carbohydrates

Time to get rid of the chips, cookies, white bread, and soda.  Foods with processed sugars are loaded with empty calories (by the way, when you hear the term”empty calories”, it means calories that come with substances that have no nutritional value).  They also interfere with blood insulin levels and inhibit the body’s ability to manage energy stores, thus promoting increases in body fat.

Oh, and alcohol is chock full of empty calories.

Trade Those Pasta Dishes For Fruits And Vegetables

The body is required to burn calories to break down nutritionally dense fruits and vegetables - especially when they’re raw.  They are low in calories, make great snacks, and come with a ton of other nutritional benefits.  I’m usually in a hurry in the mornings, so I’ve started downing one of those mini-cans of V-8 as I’m rushing out the door.  They have about 75 calories, fill me up (at least for a couple of hours), and let me get in one of those eight recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.

More Equals Less

A knee jerk reaction of many people trying to lose weight is to skip meals.  Don’t.  Your body tends to slow metabolism down to compensate.  Very counter-productive to losing weight.  Plus it just makes you hungrier when you finally do decide to eat.

The best approach is to actually eat 5-6 mini meals throughout the day, starting at breakfast.  Maybe 2-3 meals of a meat or dairy protein with a veggie side and 2-3 in-between “snacks” of nuts, fruit, or some other low calories, nutritionally dense food.

Exercise

This is a subject for another post, but get out and work out.  Exercising is the single most effective change you can make to lose weight.

See you poolside.

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