Health and Beauty

Story by Kera Kester, NASM Certified Personal Trainer/Contributing Writer

If we took a poll for how many people want to lose some unwanted fat, a high percentage would probably answer yes. However, when the words “fat loss” come up, it can trigger imaginations of countless grueling hours in the gym along with day after day of a boring or unfulfilling diet. BUT, you do not have to torture yourself into your body goals! A few changes can create a healthy, progressive and enjoyable lifestyle that doesn’t feel daunting. Here are six that will help you on your way!

1. More veggies and protein! Add them into each meal. If you find this difficult, start by daily incorporating both into one meal. When you can consistently do that, then shoot for two meals and keep working your way up. Additionally, eating more fruit and/or nuts ensures variety as well as increases nutrient and vitamin consumption that help the body thrive!

2. More fiber! To lose fat, it’s a good idea to put a caloric deficit into effect. This means that you take in less calories (energy) than you expend. Should you feel hungry, having a diet rich in fiber will help satiety levels. Foods like oatmeal, broccoli and beans will help keep you full longer. Keep in mind, the calories in oils and condiments can add up quickly, so be mindful of this during a calorie deficit.

3. More sleep! Lack of sleep relates to insulin resistance, circadian rhythm disruption, inhibited mental clarity for good decision-making and increased appetite. Being overtired causes the reward centers in your brain to fire up in hopes to make you feel better. This could look like succumbing to the temptation of skipping a workout or feigning for a sugar-filled coffee drink to help you get going. Poor sleep triggers a stress hormone called cortisol. It tells your body to conserve energy for the day ahead, which means holding onto your energy reserve (fat storage). Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night! Cool fact – during 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., we produce the highest amount of HGH secretion which burns fat, improves bone density, repairs cells and body tissue and improves immunity.

4. More walking! Cardio isn’t just amazing for your heart and respiratory system. It partners beautifully with strength training for fat loss. The National Institute of Health recommends 30-45-minute sessions of moderate intensity 3-5 days per week. This could be jogging, biking or swimming, to name a few. For busy schedules, HIIT sessions are a great fat burner, especially for stubborn areas. Even walking helps! You may think something like incline walking won’t do much. However, those burned calories can add up quickly over a month’s time!

5. More strength training! When done efficiently, lifting weights builds muscle and that lean muscle burns fat. Don’t freak out should the scale number go up. It doesn’t tell the full picture. Muscle weighs more than fat so seeing overall weight come up isn’t necessarily bad! The truth is weight loss and gain are both needed when it comes to safe and sustainable body recomposition. If you’re getting leaner and more sculpted (or “toned”), then keep going! That is progress and with much patience you will see greater and greater changes. A great strategy is implementing progressive overload while training positions and movements, such as squat, hinge, push, pull, carry and core.

6. More hydration! Water is a metabolism booster, appetite suppressant, digestion aid, waste remover, and helps muscles, joints and connective tissues move correctly for better form or range of motion. Optimal functioning of organs like the lungs and heart require water. It’s also a major role in proper metabolization of stored fat or carbs and necessary for the process of lipolysis. Lipolysis is the breaking down of fat cells which reduces fatty tissue volume. The daily intake standard depends on variables specific to each individual. The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends about 2.7L for women and 3.7L for men.

If progress stalls, don’t immediately cut calories or add excess gym hours. Biofeedback variables like sleep, food quality, exercise consistency, stress and recovery usually hold the answer. Biofeedback is as important as the actual exercise we do. Both depend on each other.

Each tip above has an important word – more. It’s helpful to avoid thinking of fitness as removing a bunch of things. Instead, think of it as adding variables in. Instead of anxiously focusing on outcome goals, focus on healthy behavior goals. The desired results are merely byproducts of good habits we consistently enforce. How your body looks is subpar to the real beauty of your journey! Listening to and taking care of your body as you nourish and exercise it is the higher purpose and treasure of fitness. Keep moving forward and stay beautiful inside and out!

Recipe and Photos by Paul Muehlberg/Contributing Writer Ingredients: • 2 thin slices of Pancetta • 2 slices of White French Country Loaf Bread • Cultured butter for toasting bread • 1 ripe avocado, sliced • Cherry tomatoes, halved (as many as desired) • Baby Arugula • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 2 large eggs • Flakey sea salt • Crushed red pepper flakes • Makes: 1 open-faced sandwich

1. Fill a large sauce pan with water and set over medium heat; heat the water to a very gentle simmer. Note: don’t boil the water.

2. Add the pancetta to a cold skillet and set over medium low heat. Cook until brown and crispy.

Set onto a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Next, butter the bread and season lightly with salt and pepper and toast under the boiler until brown and toasty. Next, fan the sliced avocado on the toast and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Next place the pancetta on the avocado and top with a few arugula leaves.

3. Crack each egg into a small ramekin. Gently drop each egg into the water and cook until the white is set and the yolk is still runny, 3-4 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and immediately place on the toast. Sprinkle the eggs with the flakey sea salt and sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.