Best Bodyweight Exercises For Each Muscle Group
Many people who try to lose weight by themselves fall prey to one or more of the dozens of diet books on the market. Although some books contain useful advice and motivational tips, most make empty promises. Accept books that advocate a balanced approach to diet plus exercise and sound nutritional advice but reject any book that
• Advocates an unbalanced way of eating, such as a high-carbohydrate-only diet or a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, or that promotes a single food, such as cabbage or grapefruit.
• Claims to be based on a “scientific breakthrough” or to have the “secret to success.”
• Uses gimmicks, such as matching eating to blood type, hyping insulin resistance as the cause of obesity, or combining foods in special ways to achieve weight loss.
• Promises quick weight loss or limits the selection of foods.
Lifestyle Strategies for Successful
Food Choices
• Focus on making good choices from each food group.
• Favor foods with a low energy (calorie) density and a high nutrient density.
• Check labels for serving sizes, calories, and nutrients.
Best Bodyweight Exercises For Each Muscle Group Photo Gallery
• Watch for hidden calories. Reduced-fat foods often have as many calories as their full-fat versions.
• Drink fewer calories in the form of soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, alcohol, and specialty coffees and teas.
Planning and Serving
• Keep a log of what you eat, as described earlier in the text.
• Eat four to five meals/snacks daily, including breakfast, to distribute calories throughout your day.
• Fix more meals yourself and eat out less often.
• Keep low-calorie snacks on hand to combat the “munch-ies.” Fresh fruits and vegetables are good choices.
• When shopping, make a list and stick to it. Don’t shop when you’re hungry. Avoid aisles that contain problem foods.
• Consume the majority of your daily calories during the day, not in the evening.
• Pay attention to portion sizes. Use measuring cups and spoons and a food scale to become familiar with portion sizes.
• Serve meals on small plates and in small bowls to help you eat smaller portions without feeling deprived.
• Eat only in specifically designated spots. Remove food from other areas of your home.
• When you eat, just eat. Don’t do anything else.
• Avoid late-night eating, a behavior specifically associated with weight gain among college students.
• Eat slowly. It takes time for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full. Take small bites and chew food thoroughly. Pay attention to every bite, and enjoy your food.
Special Occasions
• When you eat out, choose a restaurant where you can make healthy food choices. Ask the server not to put bread and butter on the table before the meal, and request that sauces and salad dressings be served on the side. If portion sizes are large, take half your food home for a meal later in the week. Don’t choose supersized meals.
• If you’re eating at a friend’s home, eat a little and leave the rest. Don’t eat to be polite.
Physical Activity and Stress Management
• Increase your level of daily physical activity as slowly as necessary based on your current fitness level.
• Begin an exercise program that includes cardiorespiratory endurance exercise, strength training, and stretching.
• Develop techniques for handling stress. See Chapter 10 for more on stress management.
• Develop strategies for coping with nonhunger cues to eat, such as boredom, sleepiness, or anxiety. Try calling a friend, taking a shower, or reading a magazine.
• Tell family members and friends that you’re changing your eating and exercise habits. Ask them to be supportive.
Many diets cause weight loss if maintained. The real difficulty is finding a safe and healthy pattern of food choices and physical activity that results in long-term maintenance of a healthy body weight and reduced risk of chronic disease (see the box “High-Tech Weight Management”).
