Protein needs vary from person to person. The more athletic you are, or intending to build lean muscle, the more protein you will need. On average, the recommended daily amount is 0.4g/pound of bodyweight (0.8g/kg).

There are two components that make up your body's energy expenditure: basal metabolic rate and energy expended during physical activity. To lose weight you have to expend more calories than those ingested. A quick way to calculate:

Lifestyle Formula Calories body needs Sedentary Your weight x 14 Result Moderately Active Your weight x 17 Result Active Your weight x 20 Result

 

Basically, eating clean and avoiding junk!

Increase your fiber intake: by increasing your fiber intake you will feel fuller by eating calories that do not really exist because you do not digest them.

For example, adding an extra 14g of fiber to your daily intake results in a 10% reduction in daily calorie intake. This can lead to a weight loss of approximately 4 lbs in 12 weeks.

If glycogen stores are full from your daily food intake, chances are the carbohydrates you eat will store as fat.

Don't stop meals! If you do, you are more likely to binge on the next meal. Eating a big meal allows the body to store excess calories turning them into fat. Eat 6-8 small meals.

Low fat doesn't mean there aren't any calories in the food you ingest. Check your calories at the end of the day.

Foods with low glycemic index rather than refined sugar foods that the liver will absorb before the body.

Firstly it helps slow down metabolic aging that causes diseases! Protein also heals metabolism; helps to prevent fat production and storage. It also helps keep lean muscle mass, keeping your metabolism high.

Keep a balance of carbohydrate intake and keep protein intake high because it helps excess carbohydrate from turning into cholesterol. Protein helps in non-disruption of hormone levels. Protein also gives enough tryptophan, an essential amino acid for your brain to produce enough serotonin (essential for good emotional and physical health).

Excess carbohydrate consumption encourages fat production and storage. It also causes heartburn, gastrointestinal problems, and encourages abnormal cholesterol profile.

Try not to ingest carbohydrates with fats, which encourages more fat storage.

Because it is very bad for your digestive system thus encouraging more health problems.

Metabolism is the amount of energy your body burns to maintain itself. It is affected by your body composition (amount of muscles versus fat!). The higher the metabolism, the better your body burns energy (calories) resulting in weight loss.

Another key to weight loss is your nutrition which must be carefully planned to provide an energy balance and a nutrient balance.

Extremely important! You can only survive three days without water.

Water supplies small amounts of many minerals vital for life like sodium, potassium, calcium, copper and magnesium. If you are dehydrated, important body functions will suffer. For example, water is important for enzymes that are essential to digestion.

Every metabolic reaction involves water, e.g. Aerobic capacity will decrease with dehydration (inability to use oxygen in energy production). Water is very beneficial for the skin and the body’s organs.

Dehydration causes many side effects, such as fatigue, loss of coordination, headaches, flushed face, strong-smelling urine, dizziness, weakness, low energy level, sunken eyes.

Severe dehydration can cause low blood pressure, fainting, convulsions, bloated stomach, loss of skin’s firmness, fast/weak pulse, heart failure, and eventually death.

Water acts as a cooling system. You should drink at least 8 to 10 cups of water per day. Drink small amounts throughout the day; carry a water bottle with you.

If you exercise, drink 1 to 2 cups 30 minutes prior to your workout, ½ cup every 15 minutes during, and 1 ½ to 3 cups over a 1 to 2 hour period after your workout. Note: As intensity of exercise increases, so should water, e.g. Running 8mph in 36-degree weather! Be careful!

Everyone’s body is approximately 50-70% water. Men generally have less body fat than women, having a larger percentage of water. Interesting to note that the more body fat we have, the less water we carry in our bodies.

Different concentration of minerals determines whether water is hard or soft. Hard water has a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium while soft water has a higher concentration of sodium.

Got another question for which you did not see an answer here? Email it to me at annaduncan@bellnet.ca

3 sessions of 20 minutes is a great start for a beginner; gradually, increase the intensity. Do interval training to maximize fat loss.

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to improve flexibility. You will increase your flexibility by 27%.

You should wait between 45 minutes and 1 hour before eating because your body is still burning fat.

Yes, muscle growth can be stimulated with a small amount of calories. Ideally, one will lose body fat as they begin to gain muscle.

Lunges improve leg strength, muscle tone, balance and flexibility. They can be challenging for every fitness level because there are so many variations: Walking, Stationary, Reverse, Step-ups. They all help keep glutes firm.

Cardio and Weights are equally important! Cardio is key for long-term heart health as well as weight control while weight training is necessary for building and maintaining muscle mass and bone strength. Weight training also promotes fat loss.

Got another question for which you did not see an answer here? Email it to me at annaduncan@bellnet.ca