The Weekly Burn

Week 5 Assignment: Get Hydrated!

 » Read more about: 6 Week Summer Fat Loss Challenge – Week 5  »

Week 4: Work on Portion Control

We live in a time when the assumption is that bigger is better. Restaurants pride themselves on offering huge plates of food. Beverages come in sizes like “Big Gulp.” It’s enough to throw our idea of how much is too much totally out of whack. That’s why so many struggle with portion distortion. This week’s assignment is to work on eating proper portions.

Here are some tips to keep yourself in check:

• Use a smaller plate – When you’re home, eat off smaller plates. Your plate will look full, but you’ll be eating less.

• Make veggies the biggest part of your meal – Fill half of your plate with vegetables and the other half with lean protein and healthy starches such as roasted potatoes or quinoa.

• Make breakfast your biggest meal of the day – Start each day with a healthy breakfast that combines protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat.

• Use measuring cups/spoons – Don’t eyeball it. Use measuring cups and spoons for things like cereal, pasta, rice, peanut butter, oil and dressings.

• Learn to read food labels –

Week 3: Cut Back on Alcohol and Sugar Consumption

Here we go for week 3 of the 6 Week Summer Fat Loss Challenge! This week’s assignment is to replace two alcoholic drinks or sugary items (such as dessert or soda) with a healthy food or drink.

• So, if you typically reach for a soda to get your afternoon kick of caffeine, try green tea instead.

• If you like to follow dinner up with something sweet, have some fruit instead of ice cream or cookies.

• Also, make it a goal to wait until the end of the week to have an alcoholic drink.

• Instead of a mixed drink, sangria or beer – all high in calories and carbs – opt for a lower calorie drink like wine or a shot of vodka with soda water.

When you’re trying to lean out and burn fat, it’s best to minimize drinking alcohol. With few exceptions, drinking alcohol is basically putting empty calories into your body. Soda, beer, liquor, candy and desserts are all made up of simple sugars that are high in calories and extremely low in nutrients.

Most people know that if you want to lose weight, you need to put your body into a calorie deficit. At the most basic level this means you need to burn more calories than you take in. With this in mind, many people make the HUGE mistake of cutting way back on calories so much that it actually lowers their metabolism. I’ve heard of people bringing their calorie intake down to 800 calories a day which frankly is absurd.

While cutting down on calories will work in the short term, in the long term you’re doing more damage than you know. When you deprive your body of the calories and nutrients it needs to function, your brain will eventually kick in to survival mode. It will lower your metabolism in an effort to prevent you from starving to death. The scientific term for this is adaptive thermogenesis which basically means your body adapts to burn fewer calories based on what you’re taking in. And here’s the kicker, once your metabolism slows down, it may not ever be restored to its normal function. A study published in The International Journal of Obesity found that low-calorie diets led to a 15% slow down in metabolism long term.

Did you know that 92 percent of people who set goals fail to achieve them? I was floored when I saw that statistic. How could so many people who start out with the best intentions fall short of their goals or flat out fail?  So I did a little reading about the 8 percent who do succeed and what sets them apart. I learned that the people who do succeed always know their why.  They always know the reason why they have the goals they do.

You might be thinking – that’s simple. I know why I want to lose weight. Or I know why I want to get in shape. It’s because I want to look good in a swimsuit. Or it’s because my doctor said I should.  Or it’s because my best friend is getting married and I’m in the wedding. Those reasons are all well and good. But the why I’m talking about is a deeper and more meaningful thing that will compel you to keep trying even when things get challenging.

Do you know your why? Here’s a simple exercise to help you zero in on a crystal clear health and fitness why.