(from TeamBeachbody.com)
1.
DON’T RELY ON EXERCISE ALONE
You’ve likely heard the old fitness chestnut “you can’t out exercise a
bad diet.” Now start heeding it. “Exercise is not the only thing you
should do to lose weight,” says Kelliann Davis, PhD, an assistant
professor at the University of Pittsburgh Physical Activity and Weight
Management Research Center. “It has to be in combination with diet.” In a
study
from St. Louis University, people lost weight whether they exercised,
cut calories, or both. But those who did both, cutting their daily
calories by 10 percent while embarking on an exercise plan, doubled
their insulin sensitivity — a metabolic indicator of long-term
weight-loss success. People who begin diet and exercise plans at the
same time are also more likely to be following both a year later,
according a
study in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
2.
EXERCISE INTENSELY
In a
study published in the
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,
people who did high intensity interval training (HIIT), alternating 20
seconds of maximum effort followed by 40 seconds of rest for 30 minutes,
burned three to four more calories per minute than those who performed
steady-state exercise, such as running, cycling, or resistance training.
And it only gets better from there: “There is evidence that your body
starts to burn fat preferentially as a fuel as you become fitter,” says
Davis. Those benefits extend post-workout, according to a
study in the
Journal of Applied Physiology.
The researchers found that people with a high aerobic capacity
(developed through intense cardio workouts) continued to burn fat at a
higher rate post-workout than people with a low aerobic capacity. That’s
reason enough to ramp up your HIIT training, which is a cornerstone of
many Beachbody programs. Find the one that’s best for you at
Beachbody On Demand.
3.
TRACK YOUR WORKOUT PROGRESS
“People typically overestimate how much and how hard they exercise,” says Davis. Science agrees: In a recent
study in
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,
people misjudged their calorie burn during vigorous exercise by up to
72 percent. Your move: Invest in a fitness tracker — preferably one that
can monitor your heart rate (the most accurate way to gauge exercise
intensity). “Keep track of your workout duration [i.e., the amount of
time you spend exercising, not chatting], exercise intensity, and
caloric burn to see if you’re hitting your goals,” Davis says. If you
are, that knowledge will inspire you to keep at it. If you aren’t,
you’ll know where you need to dial it up.
4.
KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL
Devote the same attention to your diet by keeping a food log. In a
study
from the University of Illinois at Chicago, people who recorded
everything they ate each week for a year lost 3.7 percent more weight
than those who didn’t. Then weigh yourself regularly to make sure you’re
meeting your goals. In a
study in the
Journal of Obesity, people who weighed themselves daily lost 4.6 more pounds after 12 months than those who rarely stepped on the scale.
5.
EAT MORE PROTEIN
A salad might be the classic weight-loss food, providing plenty of
hunger satiating fiber, but unless that salad is topped with protein
(think: meat or soy), it won’t fuel weight-loss success. Not only is
protein inherently anabolic (simply eating it triggers protein
synthesis, the cornerstone of muscle growth), but like fiber, it’s also
slow to digest, curbing hunger for hours after eating it. Which proteins
are best for weight loss? That’s like asking a mother to pick her
favorite child. But in a
study in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
the following protein-rich foods performed particularly well: Yogurt,
peanut butter, nuts (other than peanuts), skinless chicken, low-fat
cheese, and seafood. Shoot for .7 g to 1 g of protein per pound of
bodyweight per day, consuming at least .25 g of protein per pound of
bodyweight per meal.
6.
DRINK MORE WATER
Thirst and hunger are both registered by the hypothalamus, which often
gets its signals crossed — sometimes when you feel hungry, you’re really
thirsty. Similarly, filling your belly with water can help you tamp
down feelings of hunger, according to British researchers reporting in
the journal
Obesity. In the
study,
participants who drank 12 ounces of H₂O before a meal lost
significantly more weight after three months than those who didn’t. Need
another reason to stay hydrated? You burn two percent fewer calories
per day when you aren’t, according to a
study at the University of Utah.
7.
CATCH MORE ZZZs
People who sleep less than 5 hours a night are about 40 percent more
likely to develop obesity than those who log 7 to 8 hours, according to a
study in
The American Journal of Epidemiology.
The researchers noted that sleep deprivation may reduce the motivation
to exercise and trigger counterproductive eating habits. “A lot of
people overeat during the day [in an attempt to keep their energy levels
up] to compensate for not getting enough quality sleep at night,” says
Robin Berzin, MD, a functional medicine doctor and founder or Parsley
Health in New York City. Turn off your phone, computer, tablet, and TV
at least 30 minutes before bedtime, suggests Dr. Berzin. The blue light
from these screens can reduce your production of the sleep hormone
melatonin, giving you less deep REM sleep and leading to grogginess the
next morning, according to a
study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
8.
RELAX
Fewer worries can lead to less weight, according to a
study
by Greek researchers. They found that people who completed a stress
management program lost an average of 6.7 more pounds than those who did
not. Many people live in “permanent emergency mode,” waking each
morning feeling rushed, and staying in high gear until bedtime, says Dr.
Berzin. This frenetic pace can spike levels of cortisol (a stress
hormone) and insulin, starting a cascade of metabolic effects that can
result in weight gain. Her advice: Learn a stress management technique,
such as
meditation, and practice it regularly.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS, SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP
If you’re exercising regularly, eating healthfully, drinking
plentifully, sleeping peacefully, tracking your fitness consistently,
and
still not losing weight, you might be hamstrung by a larger
problem that’s not entirely under your control. “A lot of people have
underlying medical issues — hormone imbalances, autoimmune diseases,
metabolic disorders — that are cutting them off at the knees,” says Dr.
Berzin. For example, about 20 million Americans have thyroid disease,
according to the American Thyroid Association, and about 23.5 million
have autoimmune disorders, according to the National Institutes of
Health. Both conditions can make sustained weight loss more difficult.
In many cases, a doctor can make a diagnosis with a simple blood test,
and prescribe a course of action that can unshackle you from the
condition that’s preventing you from achieving your ideal weight.
