I want to start with a little known fact; eating fewer calories could increase your longevity by 25 percent. “How?” you ask. Great question and I’m glad you asked! Eating a little less each day activates your sirtuin gene, which increases the efficiency of your cells and improves your body’s ability to repair itself.
Last week I spoke to you about the results of being 50 plus years of age and not being able to walk a quarter of a mile in 5 minutes – it could increase the risk of death by 25% in the next six years. Well, starting an exercise program can help eliminate that risk. However, some may say “I don’t feel good enough to exercise” and that may be because you are uncomfortable carrying the extra weight and because your body is not repairing from day to day. One way to feel better, improve longevity and quality of life so you are more likely to exercise, may come when you begin to eat less calories, start losing a little weight and begin feeling much more energetic. You then may off set the increased risk of death from being unfit by eating less calories and INCREASE your longevity by 25%.
Today’s media and advertising has become very successful in convincing us that we need to have those big perfect looking meals with three large courses PLUS desert – you know, like momma used to make. Whether it is on a billboard, in TV ads, a magazine, or just looking at some of the menus in a restaurant, they all show us the big meals with enough food to feed two or three people. We all buy into it from time to time. It usually happens when we have had a very busy day with little time to eat correctly. We get to our favorite eatery and see all of these great pictures on the menu and think we have to order what they are selling instead of having them bring what we know we need. And, they will almost always bring what you want. You don’t have to order the way it is on the menu.
With that said, let’s take a look at some things we can do to change our eating habits in a very painless way. I want to give you some ideas in categories of breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner.
When you finish your last meal or healthy snack at night you start a fast (no more eating) until morning. When you wake up in the morning you break your fast. (What a clever name). Try one of these ideas for each meal per day and mix them up so you don’t get bored. I will give you three possible choices per mealtime. Chose one per meal and spread these meals out every 2 1/2 hrs. to 3 hrs.
Breakfast:
- Oatmeal (the real old fashion kind) uncooked with vanilla protein powder and mix it up in water. Add a piece of your favorite fruit. How about an apple? Eat it like cold cereal or put it in the blender!
- Egg-white omelet or egg-white sandwich. Look back a few months into my blogs and you will find the recipe with all of the nutritional facts as well. Use Whole Wheat toast with no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
- Non-fat milk with high fiber cereal, add a banana.
Snack # 1:
- Three tablespoons of almonds and an apple
- ½ cup of whole-grain cereal mixed with ¼ cup of almonds (dry)
- Slice strawberries with a non-fat yogurt
Lunch:
- Grilled chicken breast salad and maybe a small whole-grain roll
- Veggie burgers on whole-wheat bun with lettuce, tomatoes, and mustard or eat with a salad (on salads, do not pour your dressings on top. Put on the side and lightly dip)
- Tuna fish with a tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar and olive oil dressing and low sodium whole wheat crackers
Snack # 2:
- All Natural Peanut Butter with a sliced apple
- Low-fat cottage cheese with 1 cup of grapes
- Non-fat yogurt and walnuts
Dinner:
- 5 ounce salmon; 1 cup steamed broccoli; ½ cup of brown rice
- Grilled chicken breast with fresh green beans and toasted almonds and onions
- Ground low-fat turkey meat with taco seasoning and make a taco salad
Snack # 3:
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 small apple
- 1 small clementine
Hunger is driven in part by the hormone ghrelin. By eating regularly throughout the day, your levels of ghrelin stay under control, so you are never tempted to over eat. You will want to keep each one of these meals and snack at around 300 calories or less. Also a good tip for keeping your calories under control is to never drink your calories. Like sodas, high calorie energy drinks, liquor and beer, sweet tea and other sweet drinks.
Remember, the best sports drink is still crystal clear and refreshing water. If you are not going to be out in the heat for long periods at a time you don’t even need things like Gator Aid and other high calorie and sodium drinks.
That’s all I have for you this week. I hope this has helped you and will continue to bring you closer to your fitness goals.
Thanks for stopping by, please add your comments and let me know how this is working for you.
WW
