(when we all just can’t wait to be a “grown up”) that “time goes by faster the older you get.” I didn’t believe them for a long period of time, but I do now! Sometimes we need to remember to relish in the moment.
Making the Most of New Year’s Resolutions H
By Dr. Jim Hendricks
appy New Year to you and your families! With the dawning of this new year, all I can say is “where the heck did 2014 go!” I remember being told by my parents as a teenager
pounds per month. Another important point to consider is that over time as you continue to exercise, your body will improve/transform but you may not be losing weight. It does not mean you are failing, as you lose fat you will also be building lean muscle too!
During this time of year, I hear all the resolutions from my patients. Inevitably, I usually hear the same three year in and year out: “I want to lose some weight,” “I want to start exercising,” or “I plan to quit smoking.” I could go on and on about the benefits of quitting smoking and inarguably it is the best thing that you can do for your health, but in this article I will talk about weight loss and exercise because inevitably the two go hand in hand. The weight loss and exercise world is full of big promises, promoting extreme results in just a matter of weeks, but more often than not you never achieve what is advertised. These companies prey on people’s wants or needs for a quick fix to their problem and make it sound easy. Well, I hate to break it to you, but it is all about hard work and putting your time in. As Vince Lombardi once said “the only place where success comes before work is in the diction- ary.”
Goal Setting Long term goal setting is important when it comes to weight
loss and exercise. I recommend that before starting out, to write down exactly how you would like to look in a year or how much weight you would like to lose. Keep a weekly journal of your prog- ress. It is important to remember that progress in both losing weight and increasing fitness/strength does not happen overnight and you may not see linear progress from week to week. For weight loss, experts suggest that 1-2 pounds per weight (but maybe not every week) is the health norm and for gains in lean muscle mass it is 1-3
18 Essential Living Maine ~ January/February 2015
Diet and Nutrition If you are still eating your 3 “squares” a day and using the old
school 4 food groups, it is time to revamp your eating habits. The new trend in food grouping is to split foods into the following cat- egories: 1) proteins, 2) fats, 3) fruits and vegetables and 4) starches. As far as meals, I recommend becoming a “grazer” rather than a “gorger.” Eat 4-6 smaller meals per day, with smaller serving sizes, never eating until you are completely “stuffed,” just satisfied. This helps keep your metabolism revving all day long. I am not
a stickler for calories, like I said above I am more into serving sizes and eating the “right” foods and truly the calories will sort them- selves out. A good measurement for a serving size is your closed fist. Take a look at your dinner plate tonight and see how you match up. Marcos dos Remedios, who is an expert in nutrition, exercise and an author as well, suggests the following 6 pillars of nutrition, which I agree with:
1. Eat 4-6 times per day 2. Limit your consumption of sugars, processed foods and fats. 3. Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day. 4. Drink more water and cut out calorie containing beverages beer, soda, sports drinks, juices, etc.
5. Focus on consuming lean proteins throughout the day. 6. Save starch-containing foods until after your workout or for breakfast.
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