The one question I keep getting from people is how to lose weight. Once and for all, let this be your guide to exercise and diet.
The key to fat burning is to become a “grazer.” This means eating six to eight small meals a day. Doing this helps you burn 200 to 300 more calories a day. When you only eat one or two meals, your body shuts down and goes into hibernation mode. It tries to conserve and store fat, which is why you store the extra calories. Here are some simple rules to follow that will keep your calorie count low: Eat breakfast everyday. It will tell your body that you are not fasting and begin your metabolism accordingly. Avoid white flour because your body reads it like a sugar and wants to store it as fat. Your plate should be half fats and proteins and half grains, rices, fruit, vegetables, pastas and potatoes. Water is also key. Try to get in 64 ounces. It is important to recognize that eating less in size but more frequently is hard to do. Still, try hard to spread out your meals, and make sure they are balanced. You’ll still be getting the same number of calories as you would if you ate two or three meals, but if you spread them out, the calories will burn faster and more efficiently.
Exercise is the other half of the equation. Long after your workout, your metabolism is elevated and therefore burns extra calories even when you are out of the gym. A one percent increase in body temperature can equal anywhere from a six to 13 percent increase in metabolism. For you muscle buffs, strength training can be a huge plus. For every pound of muscle you gain, you increase your fat burning capacity by 50 calories because you are adding to your lean body mass, which uses energy all the time. For those who prefer aerobic workouts, get as much cardio exercise as possible. For example, park your car one mile away from work and get a nice walk. Also, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Daily activities such as these can increase your capacity for burning fat. Another point that comes into play this time of year is staying warm. When the temperature outside drops, your body tends to freeze up and store additional fat. If you stay warm, your body won’t conserve the extra calories. The final aspect to staying trim is stress, something that most kids here at Georgetown face every day. Stress is known to increase your appetite and sends a message to the body to store fat. So try to manage your stress. Watch what you eat, exercise properly and you should be able to keep off your unwanted weight.
William Buckingham is a senior in the college and a personal trainer. He can be contaced at thevoice@georgetown.edu
