FEAST OR FAMINE
by Allen Tabe

Two of the most important principles of any weight loss program that many dieters tend to forget about are: the principles of “moderation” and “regular exercise”. Once these two principles are effectively applied to a healthy weight loss program, starving oneself, or completely avoiding certain “favorite” foods doesn’t have to take place. Instead, you can balance your favorite high-calorie foods with moderate portion sizes and by engaging in daily activity to burn extra calories.

It’s amazing how much calories and fat you can save yourself by simply dividing a food into two servings instead of one. When you eat out, remove half of the food from your plate and ask to have it boxed up for you right away. This gets the food “out of sight, out of mind” and you might be surprised at how full you feel after eating only half of what you normally would have eaten. You can use this principle at home too by serving yourself smaller portions, eating slower to allow the food to trigger feelings of fullness, and then helping yourself to a second, even smaller portion, if you are still hungry. This is a weight loss principle that you can take with you anywhere.

The second principle is an important piece of the weight-loss puzzle. You may be thinking that you don’t have 30 or 60 minutes of your day that you can spare for exercise, but you’re forgetting that small bits of fitness add up. In other words, you can incorporate exercise into your day, throughout the day, by simply making better choices. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator at work ; park farther away from the entrance and walk the extra distance; or even utilize your lunch break to your advantage by taking a walk or doing some light weights in the fitness center. Your body needs daily exercise, and it will reward you with a healthy heart, lungs, and circulatory system that nourishes your body and keeps you feeling, and looking young, while functioning better!

For comments, questions or suggestions . . . please email Allen