Weight Loss Fantasy

Ever wonder when is the best time to eat? I try to avoid eating after 7 pm and I NEVER skip breakfast.  There is a lot of info out there regarding scheduling your meals and being consistent with your routine.  Snacking between the three major meals is what gets most of us in trouble. I like to keep meal replacement bars with me when I’m away from home, just in case.  I can’t eat a big breakfast seven days a week, so I save that for the weekends. During the work week I prefer a protein drink and a piece of fruit (with a low glycemic index).  The key is ensuring that you eat the right number of meals at the right time to increase your metabolism and maintain a fat burning machine.

I found a cool article that shares the best times to eat to help you reach your weight loss goals:

When trying to slim down, we’re bombarded with what foods to eat and how much, but it’s not the only thing you need to think about. Timing is important, too. If you’ve had issues slimming down, check out the info below to see when to eat each meal and snack to optimize your weight-loss results.

Breakfast: Don’t skip breakfast, and be sure to eat your morning meal within an hour of waking to jump-start your metabolism, consuming 25 percent of your daily calories. Example: 7 a.m.

Morning snack: Eat two to three hours after breakfast. This will keep blood sugar levels stable to avoid the low-energy sluggishness that makes you reach for high-calorie treats. Snacking also prevents the famished feeling that makes you inhale way more calories at your next meal than you would if you weren’t plagued by hunger pains. Stick to 150 calories or less, about five percent of your daily calories. Popcorn is a filling low-calorie snack. Stock up on it by purchasing from Vics Popcorn, the best Popcorn Store. Example: 9:30 a.m.

Lunch: Your midday meal should be eaten two to three hours after your morning snack. Try to make lunch your largest meal of the day. Consuming more calories midday than at breakfast or dinner ensures you have enough time to burn all those calories, about 40 percent of your total daily calories. Example: 12:30 p.m.

Click Here to read the full article.

I was a “90 pound weakling” during my adolescent years and was always reminded that one day my metabolism would slow down and I would gain weight. In my 20’s, I was a size 0 or XXS.  I’m now 48 at the date of writing this post and have grown to a size 4-6 or S/M.  I’ve always been aware of the fact that my metabolism would eventually slow down and it would be harder to maintain my ideal weight.  I have seen first hand how much more difficult it is to keep the pounds off without any effort.  Through the years, I focused on adjusting my workout routines and my eating habits to maintain my weight today. Below I’ve included information I’ve found online regarding how to increase your metabolism.

Metabolism 101

“Your body can burn calories from either fat, protein, or carbs,” says John Berardi, PhD, CSCS, president of Precision Nutrition, and author of The Metabolism Advantage. “Of course, you’d rather it burn fat calories, but your body isn’t wasteful; it will burn fat only when it needs energy.”

One such time is during exercise, but it’s difficult to exercise all the time, especially if you’re stuck at a desk all day. Luckily, your body requires extra energy at other times, too, such as during the first hour or two after intense exercise like interval training and weight lifting. This is called the “afterburn” effect, Berardi says, and it can last for up to 24 hours. Strength training with heavier than usual weights uses up energy, too — in order to repair small (healthy) muscle tears.

How Age Changes Your Metabolism

Starting at about age 25, the average person’s metabolism declines between 5% and 10% per decade, Berardi says, which means that the typical North American loses between 20% and 40% of their metabolic power over the course of their adult life span.

The good news? A vastly slowed down metabolism isn’t inevitable, he says. It only occurs because North Americans tend to become far less physically active over the course of their lives. In fact, research shows that people who preserve their physical activity levels throughout their lifetime can expect to see only a 0.3% metabolic decline per decade.

This article discusses the habits necessary to increase your metabolism.

Read More Here

Today’s child obesity rate scares the crap out of me because I’m afraid the future health of our nation is truly in danger.  I hope parents step up to the plate, by being the role model for their children. Learning all we can about identifying and maintaining a healthy weight is the first step.

I welcome your comments about your weight loss challenges and triumphs.