Get Back on Track after Olympic Excess
Now that the 2010 Winter Games are over, many people are confronting the effects of Olympic celebrations on both their waistlines and energy levels.
If you’re one of the many planning to put yourself on a program of healthy eating and exercise to shed extra party pounds and restore energy levels, keep the following dieting pitfalls in mind.
Not getting enough sleep
Sleep is an important part of your healthy lifestyle or weight-loss program (aim for seven to eight hours per night). Sleep is when your body repairs and rejuvenates itself, so if you deprive it of sleep, you’ll be more likely to be sluggish and unmotivated in your daily activities. Lack of sleep can also lower your metabolism, which means your body will burn fewer calories and therefore slow the weight-loss process.
Drinking alcohol
Alcohol can prevent weight loss for two reasons. One is the excess calories you’re taking in — having two or three drinks can easily add hundreds of extra calories to your daily total. These calories are “empty,” providing no beneficial nutrients. As well, alcohol reduces the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, K, folate, B1 and B2. It can also slow the process by which your body burns fat.
Setting unrealistic goals
A common mistake many people make is trying to do everything all at once. You didn’t gain the weight overnight, so it’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll lose it right away. Set realistic goals and change your bad habits one or two at a time. If you take the all or nothing approach, you’ll get frustrated that the weight isn’t just melting off and your motivation will drop.
Dehydration
Water aids in digestion (better emptying of the stomach and intestines, less gas, bloating, constipation) and helps your body function efficiently. Dehydration can slow your metabolism, so be sure to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water per day.
Nighttime snacking
This habit undermines weight loss success because the foods eaten after dinner are often consumed in front of the TV or during other activities, which increases the risk of mindless over-eating.
Also, going to bed with a full stomach can affect your quality of sleep because your body is busy trying to digest the food. Stick to healthy, low-calorie snacks in the evening and remember to factor them into your total calories per day calculation.
Banning foods
Making your favourite foods off limits can result in rebound overeating of these same foods. Most of us indulge once in a while; it’s just a matter of learning how to do it in a healthy way — which is in moderation.
For example, if you love chocolate, don’t deny yourself completely, but just eat a small piece (preferably the dark, high quality kind) to satisfy your craving. However, this isn’t to say that you can eat unhealthy foods every day, even in small portions — that will still add up to overall weight gain.
Tip: Never buy your treat foods in bulk or large quantities — you’ll be much more likely to overeat them than if you them in snack-size or small packages.
