Abbi’s Blog

WLP~May8

WLP~May 8th, 2009

I didn’t get a chance to write about my weight loss program last week.  I didn’t gain, I didn’t lose last week and I was thankful because I was not as dedicated to eating my protein as I was the week prior and I only ran twice that week!  This week however, I lost 1 pound!!

For the past week I have forced myself to get outside every day and walk and/or run.  Now it’s finally starting to feel like a priority for me again which is exactly what we talked about this week in class!

First, I’ll make some quick points about READING LABELS! (which was last weeks topic)

1. A meal should consist of 300-400 calories (20-25g protein for breakfast & lunch, 40g protein for dinner)

2. Remember your protein to carb ratio!  (1g protein to 2g carbs)

3. There should be no more than 4.5g of fat per serving

4. A snack should consist of 100-150 calories (10g of protein)

Here are some Label examples for you….

                      Lean Cuisine                             Go Lean Kashi Cereal  

protein      17g                                            9g                                         

carb          30g                                           36g (very bad ratio)    

fat            4g                                         4.5                                        

calor.         220                                          200                                       

                * good                                 *no-good                             

                                                                                                     

         Greek Yogurt (plain)            Slim fast meal-bar

protein      5g                               8g

carb         6g (add fruit)                         34g

fat           0                                         5

calor.        220                                      220

                *good~but add fruit             *no-good~not enough protein

                  for more carbs                    for a meal (won’t make you full)

It is always best to have high protein for a meal because that is what’s going to make  you full and protein is what feeds our muscles!  If there aren’t enough carbs or protein then, no big deal…just find a way to add some to the meal to balance out your protein/carb ratio!  Not having enough protein to cover your carbs will make you hungry within a matter of an hour instead of 3-4 hours!

~~!! EXERCISE !!~~

The meaning of exercise is to move at a rate which will raise your heart rate!

Our daily routines, for example, walking around a large building at work or taking a walk during your lunch break does not qualify as “exercise”!  Why?  Because you’re heart rate is not higher than normal.  If you’re taking a brisk walk during lunch, that’s great but after time, our bodies become accustom to it and will stop working off as many calories !  It is important to change up your routine to trick your body into doing the work it needs to shed  pounds and work off those calories!

….Principles of Exercise….

F.I.T.T.

F = Frequency (how ofter we exercise)

I = Intensity (how hard we exercise)

T = Time (how long we exercise)

T = Type (the type of exercise we do)

You HAVE TO change one to two of these principles every 4 – 6 weeks to improve your progress!!  (very important)  My body will become accustom to my daily running, therefore, after time I’m going to throw off my body and replace a couple days with either bike riding or a kick-boxing video!  Tricky~Tricky~Tricky!!!!

….Benefits of Exercise….

*Lose weight *Reduce stress *Relieves depression *Reduces risk of heart disease & certain types of cancer *Boosts your mood *More energy *We sleep better *Increases bone density *Strengthens heart & muscle

….Motivating Yourself….

*Constantly remind yourself of your goal *Remind yourself of how good you’re going to feel when you’re done *Consider how much energy you’re going to have *Exercise is a good source of “me time” *Think of the diseases and illnesses your workouts will prevent you from getting!

….Good Exercise Tips….

* When you fail to plan ~ plan to fail!  make sure you’re workout is a priority on your to-do-list (if you don’t have a to-do-list then create one)

* Mind on your muscle!  While working out be sure to stay focused on what you’re doing rather than what you need at the grocery store otherwise you’re true effort is non-existent

*Take advantage of weekends to get in your 3-5 days of exercise per week so that you can do less during your work-week

*Warm up to start!  A warm up consists of walking or light weight lifting and warm-ups are NOT considered part of your “time” because a warm up is strictly important for warming up the muscles…not for hiring your heart rate!

*End with a good stretch!  Never stretch before your workout.  WHY?  Think of your muscle as a rubber band.  A dry rubber band, when stretched will crack and/or break!  In moist/warm temperatures a rubber band will easily stretch and return to it’s natural position!

OKAY!  NOW GET TO WORK!  See ya next week!

May 9, 2009 | Health & Fitness