Content provided in partnership with
How to get fit now: small changes can make a big difference
Ebony, July, 2005 by Lynette R. Holloway
SUMMER'S here. If you need to get fit before taking off on that long-planned vacation to the sandy shores of the Bahamas, St. Tropez or simply down South to visit relatives, here are some tips to help you whip your body into shape and lose those extra pounds.
Your goal should be to cut calories and work out three to five times a week. You can also shed pounds while performing routine household chores and by walking more, perhaps to work. (Hopefully you have weeks, not days, to accomplish your mission.)
LEAN PLATE CLUB
- Most Popular Articles in News
- The Ten Best Laptop bags
- Tata plans cheapest-ever car for Indian market
- GLOBALIZATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF THE THIRD WORLD
- Corn is good for you; Corn is not only a tasty treat, but also a cereal that ...
- THE 50 BEST STYLISH HANDBAGS TO CARRY
- More »
"Leave food on the plate," says Rovenia M. Brock, Ph.D., author of Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy, "and become a member of the lean plate club rather than the clean plate club." By taking that simple step, Dr. Ro says people cut their caloric intake in half, sometimes up to 500 calories a day.
EAT MORE, BUT LIGHTER
Doctors and nutritionists also recommend that people eat up to six small meals of 250 to 300 calories a day, instead of large, heavy meals.
"Pack two-thirds of your meals with colorful fresh vegetables and fruit," Dr. Ro says. "Your plate should be rounded out by one-third of lean protein [small portions] and whole-grain products, such as brown rice and whole-wheat pasta."
DRINK WATER
If you become hungry between meals, Jay Robb, author of The Fat Burning Diet: Assessing Unlimited Energy for a Lifetime, recommends drinking 12 to 16 ounces of water.
"Hunger can actually be your body's way of telling you it is thirsty," he says. "Drink water and watch your hunger dissipate."
HIT THE PAVEMENT
Go for a brisk walk, a minimum of 30 minutes, three to five days a week. Add strength-training, such as crunches, to tighten the abdomen, and lunges and squats to firm up the hips and thighs, two to three days a week. Other tried-and-true measures include walking during your lunch break and taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work.
JOIN A GYM, OR START USING YOUR MEMBERSHIP!
Don't just use the treadmill or ride the bike. Most trainers recommend that people do up to 30 minutes of cardio during each workout and add strength-training up to three times a week. Don't forget to stretch before each workout and cool down afterwards.
Or just take a class. It doesn't matter whether it's yoga, Pilates, salsa lessons, or a session on hip-hop dancing. Classes are a great way to have fun and exercise at the same time. Swimming also can be fun.
If you're stretched thin for time and can't make it to the gym or can't go for a walk, you can burn calories simply by doing chores around the house. According to Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy, many household activities help burn calories, including planting and weeding (150 calories), and mowing the lawn with a push mower (200 calories). You can also burn calories While playing with your children--throwing a Frisbee (105 calories); jumping rope (280 calories); roller-skating (245 calories); flying a kite (105 calories) and pushing the stroller (88 calories). The figures are based on a half hour of moderate movement for a woman who weighs 150 pounds. If you're a woman who weighs more, or a man, you'll burn more calories. If you weigh less, you'll burn fewer calories.
"Rome wasn't built in a day," Dr. Ro says. "Take it at a slow and steady pace. Incorporate several of these tips into your life every day and eventually it will become part of your lifestyle."
COPYRIGHT 2005 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group
