The warmer weather in all its glory brings outdoor activities, crisp vegetables, salads and delicious fruity drinks. The change in season can also bring about the motivation and determination to take back control of your health, lose weight and feel great. Whether you have 5 pounds or 50 pounds to lose this summer, start implementing the five S’s to a successful summer slim-down and watch the pounds melt away!
1. Shop wisely: The quality and quantity of the food you put into your body is one of the most influential components to the state of your health. While optimal nutritional choices can lead to energy, vitality, optimal weight and a sharper mind, poor nutrition can lead to symptoms such as inflammation, fatigue, bloating and even disease processes such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. As Jim Rohn, one of the greatest motivational speakers and authors of our time has stated, “You can’t do good if you don’t feel good!”
Start shopping wisely by filling your grocery cart and kitchen cupboards with smart food choices such as:
Lean proteins: Chicken, turkey, cold-water fish, lowfat dairy products, soy, omega-3 eggs and egg whites and lean beef
Low glycemic index carbohydrates: Vegetables, most fruits, beans, legumes, slow cooking oatmeal and whole grain breads, spelt and kamut pasta and flax bread. Click here for a complete list of food items.
Essential fats: Fats such as omega-3 fats are called essential because the body cannot make them and requires them to come from the diet. Unfortunately, most of us are deficient in this precious fat. Add more omega-3 fat into your diet by including nuts, seeds and cold-water fish and by supplementing with fish oil. Other fats to include are monounsaturated fats, such as extra-virgin olive oil, which has also been shown to have heart healthy effects.
2. Select the perfect program for you: There are literally hundreds of weight loss books, tapes, programs and fads on the market today, making it very difficult to discriminate the good from the gimmick. At Truestar, it is our fundamental belief that every body differs when it comes to weight loss. This is why we encourage you to complete our initial profile page to help us to determine the diet, supplements, exercise, attitude and sleep programs that would best fit your lifestyle, dietary likes and dislikes, age, sex and current activity level.
To learn more about the programs we offer, visit the Truestar Metabolic Booster Plan (Phase 1) or the Truestar Continuum Weight Loss Plan (Phase 2). You will find hundreds of delicious meals and snacks to keep you sufficiently sufficed and slim!
3. Savor your food: One of the biggest culprits to weight gain is over-consuming food before our body has time to register a “full’ signal in our brain. In fact, researchers estimate that it takes the stomach stretch receptors a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes to send a message to the brain that you are full. Start consciously slowing down your meal by putting your utensils down between bites and focusing on relaxing and enjoying the conversation and company in addition to your meal. Although we were taught as children to clean our plates, the best approach is to eat until you are comfortable, not stuffed.
4. Sweat it out: There are two approaches to weight loss that have survived the trends and fads over time: 1) eat more nutrient-dense, calorie-light foods, and 2) work out to increase caloric expenditure. In addition to weight loss, the benefits associated with a workout regime are enormous, including improved mood, heart health, prevention against osteoporosis and other arthritic conditions and improved digestion.
Michael Carrera, Truestar’s vice-president of exercise planning and development has taken the mystery out of beginning or changing your current exercise program by designing a multitude of programs for home, gym and even at the office! For more information, visit the exercise section.
5. Supplement to boost metabolic function: Often, metabolism becomes sluggish due to age, yo-yo dieting or consuming the wrong foods. When this occurs, weight loss often occurs at a slower rate than desired. After the age of 20, metabolism begins to slow, requiring fewer calories per day. If we continue to eat in our 30s, 40s or 50s as we did when we were younger, we will likely suffer a “middle-age spread”. It is important to remember that even a weight gain of 11 pounds or more has been shown to have negative effects on health.
In addition to eating well and working out, a natural supplement can be used to boost metabolic function. Under the direction of Dr. Natasha Turner, vice-president of natural health at Truestar health, TrueLEAN was developed—a top quality, safe and effective weight loss supplement that provides your metabolism with that extra boost you need to lose weight and feel great.
By combining all of the S’s above, you can reach your goal weight safely and quickly.
