A monthly column on diet, exercise and my weight loss journey.
Is summer your favorite season? That answer could depend on how old you are. One report I read says that 20-30 year olds list summer as their favorite season, while the over 50 crowd says it’s their least favorite. For me, the challenge of summer is the heat and how that is something I easily use as an excuse to exercise less. So if that’s you too, here’s three things that can help in your weight loss journey that don’t involve sweating.
Seeing The Same Food Picture Repeatedly Can Make You Feel Full
New research from Aarhus University, shows that seeing the same image of food repeatedly can make you feel more satiated, and you may choose a smaller portion when you subsequently eat. The study revealed that participants felt more satiated after seeing the same food picture 30 times. The participants who saw the picture many times chose a smaller portion than those who had only seen the picture three times. It’s possible the research could be applied as a method to control appetite and could be used as a weight loss strategy.
Eating 2 Burgers Could Be Healthier Than Adding a Side of Fries
Emily Field, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, came up with an idea for fans of the very American burger-and-fries lunch or dinner: instead of adding fries to that order, you might want to consider a second burger. While conventional wisdom might tell you that eating a second anything is a bad choice from a nutritional perspective, there’s something more important to consider: balance. Think about three components of a food — fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. Protein fuels your muscles and keeps you feeling full, carbohydrates provide energy, and fat helps us absorb vitamins and minerals while keeping cells healthy. Think about a typical fast-food burger: two small pieces of bread (the bun) plus a slab of meat. Without cheese or sauce, most burgers like this have about 300 to 400 calories. Those calories come from carbs in the bread (roughly 40 grams), protein in the meat (around 17 grams) and fat (around 10 grams). An order of fries, on the other hand, is just a tray of fried potato. It has a lot of fat and carbs — which give it about the same number of calories as a burger — but very little protein. By swapping the fries for a second burger, you’re nearly doubling your protein intake while reducing the amount of fat and carbs you’re eating.
Spicy Mustard to Burn More Calories?
To burn more calories without moving a muscle, spread hot mustard on your next sandwich. Studies show hot condiments such as cayenne pepper sauce and mustard temporarily pump up your metabolism, so fat melts away 25 percent faster for up to three hours.
Of course, another big help in weight loss is accountability and NOT going it alone! I attribute my weight loss success to Dr Lodge and the staff at Cool Springs MD. From nutrition counseling to personal trainers and more, you won’t have to go it alone with Cool Springs MD
Dr Lodge and his team are ready to help you with their stated goal for everyone to be “Happy, Healthy and Whole”
What has helped you lose weight? Any tips you would like to share? I welcome your feedback, thoughts and ideas and look forward to sharing them in a future article. You can email me at [email protected] or feel free to call me during my live radio show – weekdays between 3 pm – 7 pm on 94 FM The Fish. (800) 826-3637
