As the seasons change, and bathing suit season is staring us right in the face (or other, more sensitive body image spots), many of us are focusing on what we can do to make some positive and permanent dietary and lifestyle changes. Yesterday, I mentioned several successful strategies used by folks who have kept off over 60 pounds for many years. In my practice, the two most important strategies include eating breakfast each morning and exercising daily. Let me expand on these two points for a moment.
First of all, breakfast. Yes, your mom probably taught you that you must "put fuel in the tank" and that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Guess what? She was RIGHT! When you get up in the morning and charge into your day without true nutrition (coffee does NOT count as breakfast), your body assumes there must be a food shortage and goes into conservation mode. To maximize your metabolism, you simply need to eat. Does it need to be a hot, four course meal? Nope! How about a cup of yogurt, or a banana with some peanut butter, or cereal with berries? In a hurry? Grab a granola bar (and a banana or other piece of fruit, in a perfect world.) It never ceases to amaze me that I have at LEAST one patient per month come in with impressive weight loss since their last office visit, and they tell me that the ONLY change they made was to start eating breakfast!
Okay, how about that daily exercise? Really, EVERY DAY? Yes, again. I prefer to think about it like brushing your teeth. Do you wake up each day and struggle with the decision of whether or not to brush your teeth? Do you really enjoy brushing your teeth? I'm guessing the answer to both of those questions is "no". Exercise should be the same deal. Again, it doesn't have to be fancy, just consistent. Pull on your sneakers & head out the door for a brisk walk, or flip on your tv and join in on an exercise program. If you start each day with a quick 30 minutes of some type of aerobic activity, I'd bet you'll find not only a much higher rate of consistency, but extra energy and a better attitude.
BOTTOM LINE: Commit to EATING BREAKFAST and DAILY EXERCISE to keep those extra pounds off for good!
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