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It's Summer - Why Am I Gaining Weight?
Helene Haber
If you are like most of us, your philosophy goes something like this "Oh I
don't need to worry about the pounds I've put on during those long, cold
sessions with my winter refrigerator. I'll lose the weight during the summer
when my appetite wanes and I'm really active."
Well it's summer and not only have you not taken off that extra weight, you
have horrors of horrors managed to gain weight during the summer.
How is this even possible?
Although summer is the season of more outdoor activities, it is also the
season of social activities such as barbeques, picnics, weddings and company
outings.
Without even realizing it, we manage to increase our calorie intake by
sipping pina coladas and frozen margarita's. We also increase our
consumption of summer time foods that are notorious for their high calories
and low nutrients. We're eating more chips, hot dogs, macaroni and potato
salads and of course, ice cream by the bowl to cool us down.
Even when we eat a light summer salad, we our fooled by the "fallacy of a
salad" which often contains crotons, fried Chinese noodles, full-fat cheese
and salad dressings that can add hundreds of calories to the once virtuous
salad.
OK so what can you do to make your summer a more healthful one? The first
thing I'd tell you is to be nice to yourself. I realize you were expecting
some dietary wisdom, but truly the best thing you can do is not to make
yourself feel worse because you had expectations of summer weight loss that
did not come to pass.
You enjoyed the summer and now you will continue to celebrate the summer with
a different approach and here are five strategies to try:
Map out your meals. If you know you're going to a barbeque, plan for it.
Increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein you eat
during the day so you don't arrive famished. If you love garlic bread on the
grill and that strawberry-rhubarb pie, have a slice and enjoy. The important
thing is to enjoy what you love and not to waste calories on food because
it's in front of you.
Do not eat directly from the party bowl. Just as it is not a good strategy
to eat from a bag of tortilla chips or pretzels at home, the same is true
when you are at a party, eating from a big bowl and chatting. You simply
have no idea how much you have eaten. Place a handful of nosh into your
napkin if small plates are not around and then grab water, unsweetened iced
tea or a diet soda.
Drink more water throughout the day. I know this is not news to you, but you
must do what works best for you to increase your water consumption: whether
this means having a 64-ounce bottle at your desk or eight 8-ounce bottles in
the refrigerator. Experiment and see what works for you. We often eat when we
need to drink. We often drink calorie dense drinks such as sodas, fruit
drinks and shakes when we really need water.
More sweating does not mean more calories burned. When it's hot and humid,
we think the pounds are rolling off of us because we're dripping. We are
sweating because it's hot and humid. We tend to overestimate the amount of
calories we've burned.
Go for an evening walk. The summer is so special, because it gives us all
those extra hours of light. Take advantage of the smells and the sounds of
summer by walking after dinner, not as a power walk, but as a walk of
gratitude for the good life of summer. You get the added benefit of staying
out of the kitchen and increasing the digestion of what was eaten before your
walk.
Be kind to yourself and use these next weeks as a way for you to be summer
healthy and fit. Enjoy the sunshine and savor theses summer days!!
About the Author:
Helene Haber is a respected expert and coach in the weight loss field. She
can be reached via email for more information or a free consultation at
TopCatHelene@....
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