Get Fit
A Get Healthy
and Fit Plan
by Mary
Howard, RN
Recently
people have asked me if I could recommend a dietary plan
that works. I have been working on a diet plan and would
like to share it with you. Before you try any new exercise
or diet plan, please see your own health care professional,
especially if you have special diet needs.
Try these
three things to get your body in shape:
1. Start the
day with a high protein, low or no carbohydrate meal. For
instance, an omelet with cheese and lunch meat (no toast on
the side), or a soft boiled egg. (Not necessarily a big
breakfast just a protein breakfast.)
Start the day
with a protein meal because when you eat Carbohydrates your
body is in a glucose (Insulin) dominant phase, causing fat
storage. When you are in a natural fasting state (like in
the morning) or when you eat Proteins and fats, without
carbohydrates, it keeps your body in the Glycogen dominant
phase. During a glycogen dominant phase your body burns fat.
If you eat a carbohydrate too early in the morning after
fasting during the night it throws you into a Glucose
dominant phase. Your body will say, "hey, my host is
starving me, I better store some fat."
2. Either
before breakfast or within an hour of breakfast engage in an
exercise routine that raises your heart rate. It could be as
simple as running around the house, sit-ups, or jumping
jacks - anything to get your metabolism going.
Exercising in
the morning, while in the Glycogen dominant phase, causes
your body to burn fat instead of muscle.
3. No eating
at least three (3) hours before bed. If you feel the need to
snack at bedtime make it a protein snack like lunch meat or
nuts.
Eating
Carbohydrates before bedtime causes your body to have
decreased production of the hormone that rebuilds your
muscles during sleep.
Two or three
hours after breakfast resume eating balanced meals and
snacks. Some healthy examples of balanced food are as
follows:
-
Try to eat lots of green and raw vegetables and fruit. Fiber is a big helper to the digestive system and to burning carbohydrate calories.
-
Try to eat whole grain breads and cereals.
-
Avoid refined sugar as much as possible.
Generally eat
anything you want, just try to make healthy choices. For
some of you, that means avoiding fat. For others it means
watching carbohydrate intake. Eat generous portions of high
protein foods, especially if you are trying build muscle and
lose weight.
On a Low
Carbohydrate diet try to keep carbohydrate grams around 60
grams a day. Remember to subtract your fiber grams from your
total carbohydrate count; because fiber assists in the
digestion of carbohydrates.
On a low fat
diet try to keep Fat grams to 30% of total calorie intake.
The best trick
with either diet plan is not to mix your carbohydrates and
Fats/Protein foods. Wait 3 hours to change from one food
group to another.
Try out the
above exercise and diet plan and let me know how it works
for you. My email:
mary@hcsdesigns.com
(Update 10/12/03: My self and other have reported feeling kind of draggy eating a protein only breakfast. Eating a whole grain cerial and some fate free yogurt have been reported to do quite well in the energy and protein department and little or no fat mixed in the meal)
Some other
dietary/exercise concepts I would like to share with you:
-
Water is important to cleanse your system and nourish your cells. Often hunger is actually mistaken for thirst. Water before a meal is a good filler to help take the edge of your hunger.
-
A Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement is a good way to start your day off on the right foot. If your diet is lacking in nutrients one day or another it will help pick up the slack. Often diets high in Protein can deplete Potassium stores. Keeping your vitamins and minerals in balance will give you energy and help you build muscle better.
-
Exercising Large muscle groups is the key to help build muscle and burning fat. The best type of exercise is resistance exercises. Those involve pushing against a machine, elastic straps or lifting weights. Doing what you can with what you have at least for starters is better than not exercising. For example, sit-ups and push-ups are resistance exercises because you are using your own body weight.
Once your body
adjusts to decreased carbohydrate intake the old calorie
counting rules don't apply. You simply won't feel like
eating as much. Avoid refined foods, like sugar and white
flour, as much as possible. It all comes back to the basics.
By using moderation in type and amounts of foods and by
eating foods in their natural state, the way they were made
from the earth you will feel better, work harder with less
effort and look better in the process.
The
NutriCounter
NutriCounter
looks like it would be a great tool for keeping track of and
counting grams of Protein and carbohydrates eaten each day.
