What Can We Do About Winter Weight Gain?

By Michael Tuccelli

A common complaint among many this winter will be….”what to do with the winter weight I gained”? Undoubtedly this winter many of use will gain a few pounds and as summer gets closer we will freak out about losing them. It never fails…a few of those pounds we gained stick around no matter how much we diet or exercise.

So what can we do about those stubborn last few pounds that won’t go away? There are factors that can contribute to this problem. First, it could likely be that some of us have a genetic disposition to store more fat as winter approaches. Some of us could be genetically built to store more fat then that skinny person who can eat everything. We know from studies and history that our ancestors added on poundage going into winter for survival purposes. Those extra layers of fat on their  bodies not only protected them against the cold, but were also  used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would be low.

Of course in today’s times we don’t have to worry to much about food stock levels being low, not with all the 24/7 markets and fast food places that are available to us. Still many of us have a tendency to eat more in the fall, maybe because a full belly does trigger an increase in body heat. Ever notice on a cold fall or winter day you reach for a bowl of chili or hot soup and a grilled cheese sandwich?  We also unconsciously choose foods higher in fat content during the colder months.

Hormonal changes can influence our winter weight gain. The use of certain medications along with our hormones can drastically change our appetite and cravings. Neurotransmitters can also influence our eating habits. Interestingly people that are overweight can often times have low levels of these neurotransmitters. This could result in excessive appetite, sleep disorders or depression. During late fall and into winter the days get shorter and the lack of sunlight can often times bring on seasonally affected disorder or winter depression.

What many of us do when our energy levels or emotions are low is reach for foods high in carbohydrates. This includes sugar treats, chips, ice cream and cereals that give us that quick but short lived energy boost. People that feel emotionally low usually end up in a vicious circle by eating the wrong foods that lead to weight gain which leads to more depression and more over eating.

Certainly we can agree that there are many reasons why we eat more high carbohydrate foods like cookies, pies, cakes and chocolate during the winter which also contain high levels of fat. So how do we handle this in a way that gives our body what it craves and the energy it needs without all the fat and sugar? We substitute those high fat foods with foods that are low in fat content and high in fiber. Foods like potatoes, wholegrain bread and pastas as well as wholegrain rice, cereals and fresh whole fruits.

Another important and often over looked activity that helps with fighting the winter weight gain is exercise. When it is cold outside it is natural to want to stay inside at home nice and warm by the fire munching on cookies and drinking hot chocolate. We aren’t in the dark ages anymore. We have heated homes and not caves and we have plenty of markets loaded with food. So instead of parking it on the couch during the winter months join a gym or purchase an stationary bike or treadmill for the den or spare room.

With some exercise and watching what you eat there should be no fear of the dreaded winter weight gain

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Basic Exercise And Training Variables

By Michael Tuccelli

For any training or exercise  program to be effective you must follow certain principles that will enable it to help you keep fit. It may be known in various terms and is achieved through different means, but the basic principles behind exercise and fitness is always there. Knowing them and applying them in your own fitness program can help make it more effective in showing you the results that you need.

Exercise Variables:

Certain factors in your exercise routine will determine how effective it is. Determining how fast you can lose weight, improve stamina or increase athletic performance will depend on variables in your exercise or fitness program . Below are  four exercise variables that you will need to consider when developing your own fitness program or workout session.

Exercise Frequency: This refers to how often you exercise. The frequency at which you exercise will help allow you to develop an exercise regimen that you can go into for a certain period of time, for instance on a weekly basis. If the plan you developed is set for you to workout for two days a week, you can speed up your results by adding another day of exercise for the week.

Exercise Intensity: This refers to the level of physical activity in your exercise program. The effectiveness of your exercise program is determined on how hard you push yourself during each session. An example of that would be like jogging or running or walking where each one would give you different results. Lets stay with the same example, by doing more running compared to jogging and more jogging then lite walking would produce different results.

Types of Exercise: This refers to the type of exercise you have included in your program. There are many different types of exercises to choose from with each targeting certain parts of your body. Knowing what each of these exercises can do will help you to develope a certain program that helps you improve those parts of your body you want to improve.

Exercise Duration: This refers to the amount of time you dedicate during your exercises. How fast or slow your results are depends on how long you spend exercising during your workout along with the other exercise variables in order to either avoid injury or improve your results.

One last thing to remember when exercising is that sooner or later you will reach a point where your body will seem like it isn’t responding to your workouts. You may see slow gains or they may stop. This is when changing any of the vaiables in your program will signal the body that there is something new going on. Usually your body will respond with the change up and you will start seeing results again. Also as with any exercise program it is a good idea to consult your doctor before starting.

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Achieving Health and Fitness With A Healthy Diet

By Michael Tuccelli

There are many illnesses and chronic diseases that occur among people throughout the years, that more and more individuals are starting to pay attention to their health and fitness needs. Those persons that are overweight or suffer from minor and major health risks usually don’t have a healthy diet.

Effective Formula For A Healthy Diet

A healthy diet includes eating a balanced amount of food from all the major food groups. Also needed is exercise or regular physical activity. This combination can lessen a persons inclination to health problems. Doctors say that even though a healthy diet is simple to implement and follow, there are many people who are still having a hard time sticking to it. The major reason behind this includes a busy lifestyle. Daily levels of high stress is not conducive to having a healthy diet.

Despite those hectic schedules and busy lifestyles, people can start and maintain a healthy diet if they really want to. Experts say that putting together an effictive diet plan to achieve a healthier mind and body is not impossible.

To begin with mix up food choices from each food group. Eating a large variety of foods and veggies can also serve as a warm up in avoiding the foods that contribute to drastic weight gain. Having a balanced intake of calcium-rich foods, whole grains, and protein-rich products will also keep you on track. To be able to maintain eating a healthy diet, you must also know your restrictions of fats, salt and sugars level intakes. Lastly, you must monitor your body weight regularly for you to determine if your body is absorbing all the nutrients that it needs.

Knowing If Your Diet Is Healthy?

Being free from any medical condition or illness is the determining factor that a person is healthy. For those who are having a hard time identifying what is healthy in their diet here are some helpful tips for you.

Experts say that a diet is healthy if it is:

1. Based on whole grain foods such as bread, cereals, rice and pasta because they are a good source of energy, not to mention being the main source of a range of nutrients of a person’s diet like fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin B. many of these foods help with energey while doing exercise

2. Fruits and vegetables such as orange, apples, celery, broccoli, carrots, beans and peas because eating at least 5 portions of any variety can provide the vitamins the body needs and it also satisfies hunger without having to worry about fats and excess carbohydrates

3. Fish that have high amounts of fish oil (Omega3) like Salmon, Trout, Tilapia, Sardine and Flounder to name a few. They are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals that are not available in other food groups Certain fish can have high levels of mercury so for you ladies that are pregnant, nursing or plan on getting pregnant please consult with your doctor first!

4. Low in saturated fats and excess sugars such as meat pies, sausages, hard cheese, butter and lard, pastry, cake, biscuits, cream and the others because they are high in complex calories stored in the muscles and sugars that can cause tooth decay and add to stored fat levels.

5. Less in salt content because experts believe that foods that are high in salt or meals that uses too much salt can raise a person’s blood pressure which can lead to more complicated diseases especially those related to coronary illnesses;

6. High in water content because experts believe that for a person to achieve optimum health and fitness, take in lots of water and foods that are high in fluid content to keep the body well-hydrated. Most symptoms like headaches, joint pain, muscle fatigue can be caused from not enough water in your system.

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