FITNESS NEWS

Joy DuMay & Liz Parrish, Co-Directors

LOSE FAT AND KEEP IT OFF! BY

JOY DUMAY

If you have been gaining body fat as you get older, ask yourself “why?”. Have you been active all of your life and are now mostly sedentary? Have you always been able to eat whatever you wanted without gaining weight but are not doing so now? Is your life making you anxious and you’ve been exchanging exercise for stress eating or a little more wine than normal?

Unless there is an underlying health issue, your keys to losing body fat are fivefold:

1. Eat Less

2. Strength Train

3. Cardio Intervals

4. Sleep Well

5. Healthy Relaxation

Read on for some simple tips for each of these.

1. Eat Less: Try to eat only when you are hungry. If you have dinner-out plans, eat sparingly throughout the day. Try some “intermittent fasting” whereby you stop eating at a certain time each day, (like 7 pm) and do not eat again for 12-14 hours (9 am).

2. Strength Train: Lifting weights will increase your muscle mass, which helps you burn calories even at rest. Such workouts also increase protein turnover in your muscles. Higher rates of breakdown and buildup add to the caloric burn.

3. Cardio Intervals: Instead of doing a simple walk or slow bike ride, do some intense intervals throughout your workout. By adding elevation, resistance or speed, you will burn more calories in less time. Hard workouts also elevate your heart rate for several hours afterward, burning more calories as your body recovers.

4. Sleep Well: It is super important that you have deep sleep every night. Your body cycles through different phases all night long, with REM (the deep, dreaming phase) the most vital for brain and body health. Good “sleep hygiene” helps: avoid eating or drinking alcohol several hours before bed, make sure that your screens are off, keep the room cool and plan on 7-8 hours of good quality sleep every night.

5. Healthy Relaxation: The psychological benefits of nutritious eating and vigorous exercising habits, plus getting quality sleep each night, are cumulative and positive for your attitude and ability to thrive through stress. You may also need to be more proactive in planning your relaxation time.

Two to three glasses of wine every night may not be the best choice for calming down, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Meditation (there are apps for that), a walk in your neighborhood, at the beach or in the mountains can all give you a sense of connection with your body and the world around you for a more restful mind. Get a massage, a facial or something that is a treat for you that doesn’t involve food.

The goal here is self-care, nurturing and honoring yourself and involving gratitude for all you have. This is your body, your life. Make it a positive and healthy journey!