Tricks of the Trade

Time for a true confession -

So about two months ago, I was turned on to an app called MyFitnessPal. It allows you to set a daily caloric intake goal, log the foods that you eat and their caloric values, and track your exercise and fitness activities. At first, it was love at first touch (to my iphone screen, that is). I was hooked. I faithfully logged everything I ate and every exercise session I completed. However, after about 3 weeks, my propensity for logging turned into slight obsession. I found myself thinking too much about what I was eating, when I was eating next, and how my numbers would be effected with my next Zumba session. Seeing mental patterns emerging that could very well lead me down the road I once traveled, I deleted the app.

Now, that is not to say that any and every fitness application or tool will invariably lead one down a path of eating disorders and OCD behaviors. Rather, they can prove quite helpful. Many thrive off that type of accountability. I, however, with my past ever lurking, only benefited so much. And, for the most part, I already make good choices daily; I don't need an app to encourage me to do so or keep me on the straight and narrow, so to speak.

This whole episode got me thinking about the "tricks of the trade" that I carry with me on a daily basis to accomplish my fitness and healthy living goals. I think they're pretty good, so I wanted to share them.

Plan ahead & be prepared.
No matter what I am doing, but especially when it comes to my work day, I always plan ahead and bring food with me. I think about what I would like to eat that day and load up my lunch sack with that and more. I generally have uneaten food in my bag when I arrive home at the end of the day, but I would rather have options and more than what I can consume then be left with nothing. Doing this keeps me from reaching for less healthy, yet readily accessible food options, such as fast food or highly processed items you often find in a convenient store. I enjoy having control over what I put into my body, and I am the one who packs the food so I never have anything I don't like. It takes a little bit of extra thought and work the night before/morning of, but that little bit goes a long way.

Size control = portion control.
For the longest time, I have utilized this methodology when it comes to food. Everyone knows that the printed serving sizes on food items often leave one wanting. Comedian, Brian Regan, tends to agree. Check this out! 





Nevertheless, when the saturated fat content or caloric value is high in relation to a single serving, one would be wise to heed the suggestion. The way I combat this is by using small containers for potentially hazardous food items. For ice cream, I use a small bowl. I can fill it up and make it appear as if I'm having a whole dish's worth, which I am. But, my waistline is much happier that my small bowl is only about 1 cup as opposed to a cereal bowl which can hold between 2-2.5 cups. Same thing for dinner. If it's really late, and I don't want to overeat, I use a 7 inch plate as opposed to a 9 or 11 inch one. My plate looks full, but I'm not consuming as much. Such a simple trick that works wonders.

Along these lines, I have discovered a product to help anyone trying to get their portions & nutritional balance right. Developed by Slimware, these plates are designed beautifully with a hidden portion control device. The design pictured here is the Jubilee design, and the large flower is for vegetables, the 2nd largest flower is for protein, and the smallest one is for starchy carbs. Using this, all of the measuring and head scratching disappears. Portion control couldn't be easier.

Drink lots of water.
Water is important for hydration and makes up almost 3/4's of our body's weight. It keeps your system running efficiently. I know there are some great vitamin infused waters, etc., but you can't beat good ol' H20. So try to steer away from water with additives. Take a multi-vitamin daily and then add a dash of lemon, lime, or even a cucumber slice to your water throughout the day. It will jazz up the otherwise monotonous beverage naturally and effectively.

Also, keep in mind that what may feel like hunger is actually your body telling you that you are dehydrated. If you feel hungry when you know you probably shouldn't, drink a glass of water, wait 20 minutes, and re-visit the idea of a snack. If the hunger pangs persisted, you probably could use one, but if they vanished you know what your body actually needed. So have another glass!


Exercise.
DUH! But everyone thinks to incorporate exercise into their life, they have to be willing to commit to hour long sessions at the gym 5 days a week. WRONG! In this case, less is more. Even if you log only 20 minutes 3-4x per week, you will do your body good. Any exercise is good exercise, and it can take on various forms: walking, running, bicycling, rollerblading, kick boxing, dancing, vacuuming, stair climbing, stretching, yoga, and the list goes on and on. It doesn't so much matter what you do, just so long as you DO something.

And for people who feel really time crunched, do two 10 minutes sessions at different points during your day. It will give you an energy boost and get the job done without breaking your time bank. Lots of trainers include shortened sessions as a bonus to their DVD's. Upload them to your smart phone, write them down, or run a quick search online. They're out there! Do a little hunting, or make up your own! Again, anything is better than nothing.

Eat frequently.
I eat with great frequency, but in small portions. On average, I eat something every 3-4 hours. It keeps my metabolism buzzing, prevents/rectifies mid-afternoon slumps, and keeps my energy up. Not to mention, it's delicious! I try to vary the types of foods I eat throughout the day (fruits, veggies, carbs), and incorporate healthy fats and proteins at key intervals when my energy would otherwise like to peter out. It can get tricky at night. If I eat very late, no dessert for me! But if not, I'll leave room for a special treat an hour or so afterward. I try not to eat anything within 2.5-3 hours of bedtime. You don't need calories just sitting there overnight and aligning themselves ever so nicely to your hips. No, thank you!

Everything in moderation.

Just the other day, a friend of mine could not have stated it better, "It's not about what you eat, but how much." So true! I like so many different kinds of foods. My favorites tend to fall in the sweet and salty departments, so believe me, I take time to enjoy French fries. But! I try not to overdo it. It's about portion control, yes, but it's also about taking a holistic perspective. If you happen to have a heavily fried or high fat item one day, don't sweat it too much. Just make sure you leave that out of your diet over the next day or so. If you have a piece of birthday cake at a friend's party (or your own for that matter), don't freak out! Savor it, and opt for fruit as dessert tomorrow. One "bad" food item will not knock your whole diet off track. So feel free to indulge once in a while. Food is there for nutrition and enjoyment, not for creating guilt and anxiety. Let yourself eat everything, just do so in moderation.

I hope you found these tips helpful. Like I said, I live by them, and I feel pretty good about my overall health and fitness. Adopting one or even a few could be just the thing you need to get yourself on track. Now, I am not a doctor or a licensed nutritionist, so don't take these suggestions as gold. But they work for me. Perhaps they will work for you too!