Don’t Wait for Weight Loss This Summer

By Barbara Brownell-Grogan

As we age, we lose the 21-year-old panache, it’s true. But that’s no excuse for growing careless, especially in those decades beyond 40. Everyone can stay trim and fit for life.
Make it your goal for the rest of the summer to make your body the best it can be for your age and body type. Looking good is not the only goal. By trimming your weight you’ll lower your risk for:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Arthersclerosis
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Gallstones
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Certain cancers
• Obstructive sleep apnea caused by fat in the throat
• Back pain and arthritis

Look around and you’ll see examples of these sobering facts:

• Only one third of Americans actually boast a “normal weight” for their height.
• More than a third of Americans are obese.
• Over the past three decades, the percentage of obese adults has shot up from 15 percent to nearly 36 percent.
• The number of overweight children has tripled: more than 30 percent are overweight or obese.

As an adult and parent, it’s our duty to set examples for our kids, and healthy weight is one of them. By establishing a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your household, you’re giving your kids a leg up on both physical and mental health.
While this may seem daunting if you’re 30 or 50 pounds too heavy, remember:

• You’ve made major changes before: changing jobs, getting married, having children. This is just another one.
• By doing a little at a time you’ll be amazed at how 5 pounds become 10, then 20.
• Believe it or not, your “diet” will soon become your lifestyle as  you start to crave good food and good motion in your life.
• Stick to the guidelines below, and you’ll get there.

DON’T:

• Use weight loss supplements: they’re often too good to be true; in fact, they’re often downright dangerous.

DO:

• Cut the word “diet” from your vocabulary, as in “going on a diet.” The word derives from the Latin diaeta, which means “daily routine.” What you want is a pattern of eat­ing that makes you look and feel good. If you embark on a restrictive “diet,” you will probably feel deprived.
• Move! Studies show that regular exercise can overturn genetic predispositions to be overweight. Experts recommend 60 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise to prevent weight gain and 90 minutes to lose weight. It’s perfectly fine to exercise in 10-minute chunks.
• Push away from the table sooner. It takes your stomach 20 minutes to register the fact that it’s full. Don’t wait for that delayed response. If you’ve ceased to be hungry, take a break.
• Use smaller plates. Repeated experiments show that Americans eat what’s put before them—even if it’s not particularly good. While watching a movie, most people mind­lessly gobble an entire bag of popcorn. Willpower is a finite resourc­e.
• Eat only when you’re hungry and, even then, eat only real food: fruits, vegeta­bles, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and seeds. Avoid processed food.
• Shop the periphery of the grocery store—the produce section. Ban food in bags and boxes from your kitchen. If they’re not in the house, you’ll be less tempted.
• Crowd it out: Drink 8 glasses of water a day, and drink a glass before you eat. By filling up on water, you’ll want to eat less.
• Ditch those summer villains—potato chips and French fries smothered in ketchup—and try this taste-bud teasing recipe instead from our 500 Time-Tested Home Remedies and the Science Behind Them. Studies show that people who simply substitute fruits, vegetables and whole grains for chips and white bread lose weight—even when they hadn’t planned on it.

Scrumptious Sweet Potato Chips
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Thoroughly scrub 2 medium-size sweet potatoes.
Thinly slice the potatoes.
Spread the slices on a baking sheet and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over slices; toss.
Lightly sprinkle slices with sea salt; toss again.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the centers are soft and the rims crispy.
Serve warm with Greek yogurt and a lime wedge.
Enjoy a divine, pound-friendly batch at your weekend parties throughout the summer!

Make this your body-positive summer!
The Remedy Chicks