During the cold months and especially over the holidays, many of us fall into a pattern of eating rich foods and being less active. The calories and lack of exercise tend to add up to a few extra pounds around the middle. When March hits we are suddenly very aware the swimsuit season is coming! Here are some popular ways to shed those extra winter pounds.
Calories In/Calories Out is a tried and true diet for losing weight that has never been a “fad diet” or supported by iffy science. The idea here is simple… Download a calorie counting app and start keeping track of the food you eat each day. Honesty is key here! If you cheat, you won’t get the results you like.
It’s also important to eat healthier foods that fill you up longer. You’ll be starving if you try to eat junk food and desserts because you’ll fill your calorie quota long before the day is over. We suggest sticking with fruits, nuts and vegetables for snacking and then using good old portion control for meals.
Most apps will give you a calorie goal per day based on your age/weight/gender and your level of physical activity. Keep your calories around that level and you’ll lose weight… It’s that simple! Many also feature ways to code in exercise, which can increase the total number of calories you consume that day.
The Keto diet has been growing in popularity over the last few years, but there haven’t been studies on the long term effects yet. While Keto may be appropriate to shed 10-15 pounds before summer rolls around, we hesitate to encourage anyone to stick with it long term.
Keto is a high fat, low carb diet that essentially changes your body chemistry to burn fat instead of sugar for energy (called ketosis). This means you’ll be consuming a lot of fatty foods while cutting sugars almost completely out. Some people do great on Keto and lose weight quickly. Others experience complications like the “Keto flu” or break out in hives.
While Keto has been said to help those with diabetes control their blood sugar levels, we can’t help but worry about the higher sodium and cholesterol intake. Our advice is to stick with CICO unless your doctor or nutrionalist says otherwise.
That’s right folks, the dreaded physical activity everyone reminds themselves to be better about but often falls through on. Exercise is a key ingredient to getting a fantastic swimsuit body. There’s an old saying, “Diet to look good in clothes, exercise to look good naked.”
Don’t feel like you need to jump in with both feet. Start slow. Take walks, do some biking, play tennis or basketball… anything to get your heart rate up and burn calories.
In the end, if you are looking to get more fit before summer weather lands, we highly suggest a combination of CICO and exercise to meet your goals. It’s a healthier lifestyle that will pay dividends for the rest of your life.
