Abbotsford News Thursday, September 20, 2012
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ABBOTSFORD
It is possible to achieve a healthy weight without the need for a rigorous exercise program by regulating the body’s food intake.
Slow and steady wins the race
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hen it comes to winning the war against weight loss, the most effective technique is taking it slow and steady. While many have the right intentions when beginning their weight loss journey, there are certain bad habits that can drastically trump results.
Petra Niemeyer has been involved with the fitness industry for more than a decade, and often sees the same easily avoidable mistakes, especially among her female clients. “People often cut calories by skipping breakfast and lunch, which ultimately puts the body into starvation mode,” explained Niemeyer. “Your body will then fight back by trying to hold onto your fat even more tightly.” A lack of variety in a workout routine can also derail weight loss attempts. Niemeyer said that while cardiovascular training is a great way to get blood pumping and increase energy levels, spending hours on a treadmill can actually delay results. “Incorporating weight training exercises will help to build muscle and strength,” said Niemeyer, “and the more muscle your body has, the more calories it
burns per day.”
Pamela St. Amour has her Bachelor of Kinesiology, and has been working with the City of Abbotsford for almost two years. During her 14 previous years of training in the field of fitness, she has also seen the same common mistakes, as well as people who “eat too little and exercise too hard.” Amour believes that seeking expert advice is important for all ages to ensure that proper techniques are used when weight training, and to make sure that each individual is starting at the right level of activity based on their current fitness level. Maintaining a healthy weight has many positive effects on both the body and the mind, including “increased confidence and self-esteem, increased energy, strength and agility, and the reduced risk of disease,” said Amour. “If you do not maintain a healthy lifestyle, you may see a reversal of benefits that can lead to depression, loss of social enjoyment, and reduced fitness levels.” Some tips that Niemeyer suggests are: eating four to six small meals a day, enforcing portion control, drinking plenty of water, and incorporating fats that
are rich in Omega- 3 and Omega-6, such as salmon, almonds, walnuts, olives and canola oil. Another factor in long term weight management is choosing the correct complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetable, beans and nuts, while avoiding highly processed carbohydrates like pasta, bagels, crackers, chips, soda and candy.
While healthy weight loss requires dedication, Niemeyer and Amour both suggest a certain amount of down time. Niemeyer believes that after six days of eating “clean,” everyone deserves a cheat day. “Make a chocolate dessert or have some extra pasta with dinner, whatever it is your body can completely handle it, but just make sure that when the next day comes around, you get back in the saddle again.” While Amour says that it is important to remember that our bodies also “need time to adapt to the demands that we put on them,” and encourages an ample amount of rest and recovery. While trying to achieve a healthy weight may seem demanding, try not to become discouraged if it takes time, because when the results begin to show, the benefits are long-term. Written by Nicolle Hodges
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