Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
from the editors of Prevention magazine
© 2004 by Rodale Inc.
L
Lose it Fast,Make it Last
p
JOB
NU
MB
ER
200
3005
01 T
itle
code
00G
A
TR
IM S
IZE
5 x
7.2
5
DE
SC
RIP
TIO
N
Lose
it F
ast,
Mak
e it
Last
C
OLO
RS
Bla
ck
PA
GE
S 3
2
GR
AP
HIC
DE
SIG
NE
R J
udy
Ros
s
D
ATE
6/1
4/04
www.prevention.com �
Three Keys for Keeping Weight Off
Experts have long known that the key to successful—
and long-term—weight loss is to burn off more calories
than you take in. Sounds easy enough. Why, then, do
most people continue to ride the weight loss roller
coaster, losing weight and gaining it back time and time
again? It could be that eating well and exercising just
aren’t enough.
That’s why, in addition to providing you with a
healthy, great tasting diet and specific exercises to help
you lose inches as you shed pounds, Lose It Fast, Make It
Last includes an essential third component: Inspiration!
In these pages, you’ll find lots of inspiration from people
just like you who have lost weight and kept it off—for
good.
We think you’ll find Lose It Fast, Make It Last the per-
fect companion on your weight loss journey. Here’s to
staying a healthy, slimmer you!
The information here is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, please seek competent medical care. Before you undertake a new health program or fitness regimen, we encourage you to discuss your plans with your health-care professional, especially if you have not exercised for several years, are over 35, or are overweight.
Project editors: Diane Gilroy and Linda RaoCopy editor: Joanne LeGar
Designer: Judy Ross
contents 3 Three Keys for Keeping Weight Off
Eat Well and Outsmart Fat 4 The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan 12 Overcome Your Most Troublesome Diet Pitfalls
Walk (and Pump) Your Way to Weight Loss 16 Walk It Off: Blast Fat, Get Fit,
And Have Energy to Burn 22 Why Weight? Finally, A Routine that
Simplifies Your Life
Win the Fat War! 26 Lose Up to 100 Pounds, One Habit at a Time 28 Invest in Fitness 30 Go Online to Take Pounds Off
The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan
Lose weight, detoxify your body, and prevent everything from PMS to heart disease
Every day you hear about the “new” eating plan you need: There’s one for weight loss, another for heart disease. Want to beat can-cer? There’s a diet for that too. Need to eliminate toxins and rid your diet of sugars, preservatives, and unnecessary chemicals?
Step right up and try this new way of feeding yourself. With so many plans for so many conditions, there’s no way you could do it all. But what if there was one simple plan that cov-ered everything: losing weight, fighting off disease, detoxifying your body. What if you could adopt the one perfect plan that you could live with forever? Well, look no further. The 10-step Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan is here! Our exclusive plan combines the best of the best—it’s a sensible eating system that allows you to lose or
keep off weight, and it brings you every top nutrition strategy known to promote good health. The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan will help make los-ing weight easy and healthy. This isn’t a crazy, fad diet: The plan relies on fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and maximizes wholesome, pure foods instead of overly processed foods. It delivers 1,500 calories a day, a gradual weight loss diet for most women. The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan also asks you to eat six minimeals a day of about 250 calories each. Eating more, smaller minimeals throughout the day helps prevent dips in energy and allows you to burn more calo-ries as you grow older. For women over 50, this diet could prevent a weight gain of up to 6 lb a year. (If you need more than 1,500 calories a day, double the portions for one or more minimeals.) What makes this diet even bet-ter is that studies show that it also should lower your risk of heart attack, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer, stroke, diabetes, cataracts, diverticulosis, obesity, depression, and even PMS. So not only will you lose weight, you’ll also enjoy better health. This eating plan is everything you need: It’s easy, it helps you lose weight, it’s all-protective, and—best of all—it works!
STEP ONE: Eat Nine Servings of Vegetables and Fruits Every DayVeggies and fruits are the founda-tion of The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan. Eat nine 1⁄2-cup servings of a variety of fruits and veggies every day.
� lose it fast, make it last
What’s a Serving?vegetables and fruits 1 serving = 1 med piece of fruit1⁄2 c chopped fruit1⁄2 c cooked or raw veggie1 c raw green leaves3⁄4 c vegetable or fruit juice
whole Grains 1 serving = 1 slice whole wheat bread1⁄2 c brown rice or bulgur1⁄2 c whole wheat pasta
High-calcium foods1 serving = 1 c fat-free or 1% milk1 c fat-free or low-fat yogurt1 c calcium-fortified orange juice1 oz reduced-fat cheese
Beans1 serving = 1⁄2 c cooked dried beans/lentils
nuts1 serving = 2 Tbsp chopped
fish1 serving = 3 oz cooked
Eat WellandOutsmart Fat
Nutrition NuggetUse time-sav-ing frozen and canned veggies and fruits, which provide as much nutrition as fresh produce.
www.prevention.com eat well and outsmart fat �
Whole grains also mean extra fiber, the closest thing to a weight loss magic bullet. Not only does it fill you up quickly with fewer calories, but it also eliminates some of the calories you eat! Fiber whisks calories
through your system so quickly that some never have a chance to end up on your hips.
To maximize fiber’s slimming powers, aim for 25 to 35 grams (g) a day. By eating 30 g a day, your body will absorb almost 120 fewer calories daily. That adds up to a 13-lb loss in 1 year!
STEP THREE: Eat Two or Three Calcium-Rich Foods Every DayNot only does getting adequate calcium support strong bones and help prevent osteoporosis, but clin-ical studies suggest that it helps prevent colon cancer,
high blood pressure, and PMS. Obvious high-calcium food choices include 1% and fat-free milk,
low-fat and fat-free yogurt, and reduced-fat and fat-free cheese. Other good ideas are orange and grapefruit juices and soy milk that have been fortified with calcium; to equal the calcium found in milk, look for at least 30% of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium per serving. And there’s even more good news: Calcium may lower your body fat. A group of women who ate at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day, along with a diet of no more than 1,900 calories daily, lost more weight—as much as 6 lb more during a 2-year study—than women who ate less calcium. It could be that calcium suppresses certain hor-mones, which results in decreased fat production and increased fat breakdown, says lead researcher Dorothy Teegarden, PhD, assistant professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. If you’re 50 or older or have low bone density, you should get 1,500 mg of calcium daily. If you’re younger than 50, aim for 1,000 mg.
STEP FOUR: Eat Beans at Least Five Times a WeekBeans are the highest-fiber foods you can find, with the single exception of breakfast cereals made with wheat bran. Diets high in fiber are linked to less
� lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
Nutrition NuggetIf you’re lactose intolerant, try lactose-free dairy products. If you’re not wild about milk, try calcium-fortified fruit juices.
Nutrition NuggetTo reduce sodium in canned beans by about one-third, rinse off the canning liquid before using. Or look for canned beans with no added sodium.
Sound like veggie overkill? In reality, it could spell extra life. Study after study links diets highest in fruits and vegetables with less cancer, heart disease, diabetes, even osteoporosis. The important DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet study found that nine servings a day lowered blood pressure as much as some prescription drugs. More experts are saying that five servings a day should be the minimum, and that five vegetables and four fruits are the optimum. Yet most Ameri-cans get only four servings of either a day. In The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan , you’ll need to make every meal and snack a fruit or veggie opportunity.
STEP TWO: Eat Three to Six Whole Grain Foods Every DayDiets high in whole grains are linked to less heart disease, stroke, diabe-tes, and cancer. If you’ve been eating a high-carbohydrate diet with lots of refined grains—typically breads, rolls, bagels, pretzels, and crackers made from white flour—it may be a challenge at first to find whole grain substitutes. But the payoff is worth it. To your body, refined white flour is the same as sugar, making a diet high in white-flour foods the same as a high-sugar diet.
Nutrition NuggetTo make sure you’re getting true whole grain products, look for the word “whole” on the ingredients list.
at a Glance
daily servingsVegetables 9 servings and Fruits (5 veggie/4 fruit)Whole Grains 3–6 servingsHigh-Calcium 2–3 servings Foods8 Glasses Water and 1+ cup tea
weekly servingsBeans 5+ servings Nuts 5 servings Fish 2+ servings
daily supplementsMultivitamin/ 100% DV for mineral most nutrientsVitamin E 100–400 IUVitamin C 100–500 mgCalcium Under 50 years
old: 500 mg Over 50 years
old: 1,000 mg
The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan
www.prevention.com eat well and outsmart fat �
� lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
prevent the development of a dangerously irregular heartbeat. Humans evolved on diets that supplied much more omega-3s than we get today, and some experts suspect that rising rates of depression in the last 100 years have been caused by a lack of these omega-3 fats in brain cell membranes. The protein in fish is also a great hunger-stopper—and it helps build healthy muscles that burn tons of calories. “Fish is an excellent source of protein because it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your heart while low in cholesterol and saturated fat,” says Michael Hamilton, MD, MPH, associate professor of research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. “And protein is important for pro-moting satiety—the feeling of fullness you look for from a meal.” Choose low-mercury fish such as sardines, herring, and wild salmon, which are all high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If you are a veg-etarian or dislike fish, you can get a plant version of omega-3 fat by using
canola oil for cooking and flaxseed oil for salad dress-ings. You can also eat omega-3-enriched eggs.
STEP SEVEN: Drink Eight Glasses of Water Every Day, Plus a Cup or More of TeaEvery cell in your body needs water to function. And big water drinkers appear to get less colon and bladder cancer. Drinking lots of water helps you feel full too.
In addition, every cup of tea provides a strong infu-sion of antioxidants that help keep blood from clot-
ting too easily (which may thwart heart attacks) and that may help lower your risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
STEP EIGHT: Keep Your Fat BudgetTo stay within a healthy fat budget—25% of calories from fat—you must first find the maximum fat allowance for your calorie level: Once you know your fat budget, see whether you’re staying within the bounds by adding up the grams of fat for all the food that you eat in a day. Almost all food labels will tell you the
Nutrition NuggetBoth green and black tea con-tain powerful antioxidants. So drink whichever one you prefer.
Maximum Fat Allowance
Calories Grams of Fat1,250 351,500 421,750 492,000 562,250 63
cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and even ulcers. Beans are espe-cially high in soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels, and folate, which lowers levels of yet another risk factor for heart disease: homocys-teine.
STEP FIVE: Nosh on Nuts Five Times a WeekStudies show that people who eat nuts regularly have less heart disease and other illness than people who avoid them. Even among the healthiest eat-ers, the ones who also eat nuts have the best health records. Exactly why isn’t known yet, but one pos-sible reason could be compounds in nuts called tocotrienols.
The key to eating nuts is to not eat too many; they’re so high in calories that you could easily gain weight. To avoid temptation, we suggest keeping a jar of chopped nuts in your fridge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons a day on cereal, yogurt, veggies, sal-ads, or wherever the crunch and rich flavor appeal to you.
STEP SIX: Feast on Fish Twice a WeekStudies show that people who eat fish twice a week or more have fewer fatal heart attacks. Scientists credit omega-3 fats, which have the ability to
Boost Your Metabolism by Going Vegetarian Exercise is one way to raise your metabolism and burn more calories. Another is a vegetarian diet.
In a small study conducted at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, the calorie-burning power of vegetarians at rest was 11% higher than that of meat eaters.
The vegetarians also had higher blood levels of a hormone called norepinephrine. It may be that increased norepinephrine accelerated the metab-olism, says study coauthor Eric T. Poehlman, PhD, now professor of medicine in the depart-ment of medicine at the University of Vermont in Burlington. But what caused the vegetarians’ greater norepinephrine levels in the first place? Most likely their high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet, he says.
Nutrition NuggetBe sure to store nuts in the refrigerator to keep them from oxidizing and turning rancid.
www.prevention.com eat well and outsmart fat �
www.prevention.com eat well and outsmart fat 1110 lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
STEP TEN: Consider Your Options CarefullyThe following choices are up to you with The Ulti-mate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan:n Meat and poultry. If you want, you can choose up
to 3 cooked oz (the size of a deck of cards) a day. You’ll get enough protein on The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan without adding meat, and studies consistently link vegetarian diets to better health, perhaps partly because diets low in meat are naturally lower in saturated fat.
n Eggs. If you have diabetes or high cholesterol, or are overweight, you can eat up to four eggs a week; otherwise, up to seven eggs a week are okay.
n Alcohol. Women should limit alcohol to one drink a day. Men should limit their alcohol intake to two drinks a day. Studies show that mod-erate alcohol consumption, especially of red wine, lowers the risk of heart disease. But it also slightly raises the risk of breast cancer.
Put the Eating Plan into PracticeNow that you know how the eating plan works, here are a couple of sam-ple menus to get you started.
Nutrition NuggetTake calcium carbonate with meals; you can take calcium citrate on an empty stomach. For best absorp-tion, don’t take more than 500 mg at one time.
Breakfast¾ cup hot whole wheat cereal½ cup frozen blueberries, thawed1 cup fat-free milkmidmorning snack1 slice toasted raisin bread1 tablespoon natural peanut butterlunch1 small bean burrito8 grape tomatoes, halved and
tossed with 2 oz crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
midafternoon snack1 serving Papaya Power Shake:
In blender, whirl the following together until smooth: 1 cup papaya (peeled, seeded, and cut up), 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt, ½-banana, ½ cup pineapple chunks, ½ tsp. dried mint, and 4-slightly crushed ice cubes. (You can also replace the papaya with jarred mango spears.)
dinner2 oz roast chicken breast1 cup mashed butternut squash1 cup brussels sprouts½ cup corn kernels mixed with
SAMPLE MENU 1
grams of total fat in a serving. The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan is designed to have approximately 42 g of fat, the healthy limit for a 1,500-calorie-per-day diet.
Try to get most of your fat from olive and canola oils (or salad dressings made from them), trans-fat-free margarine, nuts, and fish. And spread your fat throughout the day: A little fat with each meal helps you absorb fat-soluble nutrients from vegetables and fruits.
STEP NINE: Take Some Sensible Nutrition InsuranceBesides your fabulous diet, take a multivitamin/mineral supplement, plus 100 to 400 IU of vitamin E and 100 to 500 mg of vitamin C daily. Also take 500 mg of calcium if you’re under 50; take 1,000 mg of calcium (divided into two separate doses of 500 mg each) if you’re 50 or older. Always use vitamins by the expiration date, or they lose potency.
Nutrition NuggetTo avoid trans fats, which raise cholesterol, avoid products with the words “partially hydro-genated” on the ingredients list.
Prevention’s Basic Supplement Plan Increase your odds for better health in seconds a day with these four supplements:1. multiple vitamin and mineral formula. No diet is perfect. Look for a multi with 100% of the Daily Value (DV) of most nutrients. One potential benefit: Recently, a study found that nurses who took multis for 15 years had 75% less colon cancer. Multis may boost immunity too. Take with meals for best absorption.2. vitamin e: 100 to 400 iu. This is the only way to get the amount of E that may protect you from heart attacks, colds and flu, pros-tate and colon cancers, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. If you take blood-thinning medication
or aspirin, consult your doctor before taking E.3. vitamin c: 100 to 500 mg. You can get this from foods, but will you? Studies suggest that C supplements taken for 10 years reduce cataracts by more than 75%. To maintain levels of C all day, take half in the morning and half at night. 4. calcium: 500 mg if you’re 50 or under; 1,000 mg if you’re over 50. Along with dietary calcium, this should bring you up to rec-ommended levels to fight osteo-porosis. If you’re over age 50, look for a formula with vitamin D—you may need more D than your multi supplies.
www.prevention.com eat well and outsmart fat 1�12 lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
Overcome Your Most Troublesome Diet Pitfalls
Even the best eaters stumble upon some surprising obstacles
You’re doing everything right—eating plenty of fruits and veggies, choos-ing low-fat, low-calorie dairy products, watching portions, and getting in some exercise—but the scale keeps inching up. What’s going on? Just as little changes—switching to fat-free milk, snacking on fruit instead of a candy bar, or holding the mayo—can help you take off pounds, lots of hidden roadblocks can pack them on. Here are some
Pitfall: You Love to Nibble
When life is busy, sometimes it’s easier to eat standing up or as you head out the door, than it is to sit down at the table and take your time. What’s worse, many of us are always racing somewhere and find ourselves surrounded on all sides by fattening, sweet kid food. (With all that to face, it’s easy to just have a cup of coffee and consider that your breakfast before you head out the door!) As the rest of your day gets progressively busier, it’s often hard to find time to grab anything else to eat until the kids get home from school in the midafternoon and you’re preparing dinner. First thing you know, you’re snacking with the kids and eating handfuls of whatever you’re prepar-ing for their dinner. Then, after all that nibbling, you sit down to a sep-arate late dinner with your spouse. Sound familiar? We thought so. And this also may sound like your version of healthy eating, since you’re avoiding big meals. Not so. Under closer scrutiny, you’ll see that you’re eating pretty much non-stop from midafternoon until after your late dinner. Nutritionist Joy Bauer, author of The 90-10 Weight Loss Plan (St.
Martin’s Press, 2001), says that if you let yourself go hungry for too long, once you start eating, it will be harder to stop. Try taking along some high-fiber cereal to munch on midmorning when you start to get hungry. And if you’re out all day, eat a carton of yogurt, a turkey sandwich on a pita with mustard, or a cup of vegetable soup. Those healthy snacks will help stave off hunger pangs so you aren’t raven-ous when dinnertime rolls around. And have a salad while your kids eat, and save your protein and veg-etables to eat with your spouse.
¼-cup cooked barley2 teaspoons canola oilevening snack1 extra large baked apple with 2
teaspoons honey or brown sugar
Day’s total = Calories: 1,529Fat: 45 g
Saturated fat: 15 gFiber: 30 g
Sodium: 2,609 mg
SAMPLE MENU 2
Breakfast½ whole wheat English muffin1 teaspoon trans-fat-free margarine1 poached or hard-cooked egg1 pearmidmorning snack½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt½ cup low-fat granolalunch2 slices whole wheat bread with
2-oz reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1 roasted bell pepper (packed in water)
basil leavesmidafternoon snack¼ cup hummus
½ cup cucumber slicesdinner3 oz poached salmon1 cup brown rice½ cup no-salt-added stewed
tomatoes1 cup steamed kaleevening snack½ cup calcium-fortified orange
juice1 banana
Day’s total = Calories: 1,506Fat: 38 g
Saturated fat: 10 g Fiber: 21 g
Sodium: 1,337 mg
common snags even the best eaters hit and how you can triumph over them.
a healthy midday snack will stave off hunger
www.prevention.com eat well and outsmart fat 1�1� lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
Pitfall: You Eat Out Often
Dining out with friends or order-ing in nearly every night wreaks havoc on your figure. Worse yet, because you know you’ll be eating out, you may cut back on food all day long in anticipation of a larger dinner. Nutritionist Joy Bauer suggests that you eat baby carrots before you leave home or on the way to the restaurant. And instead of eat-ing the dinner rolls, ask the waiter to bring celery and carrot sticks for you to munch on while you’re waiting for your appetizer or salad to arrive. Also, ask the waiter how the foods are prepared and avoid dishes cooked in oil or butter. Poached, grilled, or broiled fish or chicken are healthy low-fat choices, as is a salad with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice as an appe-tizer. Since restaurant portions are often large, eat only half of your entrée and ask the waiter for a car-ryout container. For dessert, treat yourself to a leisurely cup of tea and fresh fruit.
Pitfall: You Love Eating Salads
Doesn’t sound like much of a pit-fall, does it? What’s more, those salads are just part of your overall healthy diet: You don’t eat beef or fried foods, and buy only healthy
snacks such as low-calorie popcorn and baked chips. Why, then, are you putting on weight? Nutritionist Roneice Weaver, RD, coauthor of Slim Down Sister (Dutton/Plume, 2001), suggests you look at what you’re putting on your salads. If you’re loading them up with sunflower seeds, cheese, raisins, and dressing, you’re piling on the fat and calories. Switch to salads that are primar-ily vegetables and start dipping your fork into low-fat dressing, rather than pouring the dressing all over the top of your salad. The tiny bit of dressing will give you a little taste without adding a lot of fat and calories. In addition, try drinking more water and putting your meals on smaller plates to create the illu-sion of a full plate of food.
Pitfall: You Believe Everything You Read
If you’ve recently shed lots of weight by walking every day, lift-ing weights regularly, and count-ing calories and fat grams, you’re doing well! But if you have noticed that your pants are getting tighter despite your good habits, you may want to take a look at the labels of the foods you’re eating. For example, even though some spray margarines claim to be “calorie-free,” if you use enough of them, they can still add sneaky calories to your foods. And because these margarines taste so good, it’s easy to use way too much of them on popcorn, steamed vegetables, and lots of other foods. Products with fewer than 5 calories per serving can claim to have zero calories, even though an entire bottle of spray margarine contains 900 calories and 90 g of fat. So use them (and other “calo-rie-free” products) more sparingly. You may also want to switch to calorie-free and low-calorie alterna-tives such as cheese powder, basil, and pepper.
Pitfall: You Work Out Only on Weekends
Despite your healthy diet and weekends spent hiking and biking,
you’ve been steadily gaining weight for the past few years. Trouble is, you may not be getting as much exercise as you think you are. To keep track of your steps, invest in a digital pedometer. Once you start using the pedometer to count your steps, you may be surprised to learn that your weekend activity just isn’t enough to compensate for your relatively inactive weekdays. (For most people, intermittent exercise isn’t enough to keep the weight off.) Gradually bump up the number of steps to at least 10,000 a day (and not just on weekends!) and you should start seeing the pounds disappear.
choose the stairs for weekday exercise
watch for hidden fat and calories in salads
plan, and, over 4 weeks, revs up to a fat-blasting 16,000 steps a day that burn an extra 600 calories. Based on studies that say short bouts of activity throughout the day burn as much fat and improve fitness as effectively as longer periods of exercise, this plan provides little bursts of walking that fit neatly into your day and keep you burning calories from morning to night. Stick with it, and you could shed two sizes in just a couple of months. For even faster results, pair this walking workout with The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan on page 6.
Week OneBreakfast Wake-up walk Get your blood flowing with 3 min-
utes of walking outside for a burst of fresh air (300-steps) and 2 minutes going up and down your stairs. No stairs? Step on and off a curb or single step. (200 steps) Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes
Morning Snack Organization stroll Walk around the house or your office building, mentally creating your to-do list for the day or brainstorming ideas for an upcoming project. Jot down your thoughts as soon as you’re finished. Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes
Lunch High noon cruise Rev your metabolism with a pre-lunch jaunt. Warm up for 5 minutes (500 steps). Pick up the pace like you’re late for a bus for 10 minutes (1,350 steps), then bring it home for 5 min-utes at an easy pace (500 steps). Total: 2,350 steps in 20-minutes
Afternoon Snack Errand run Walk laps around the grocery store or the mall before you start shopping. Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes
Dinner Leg stretch After dinner (and before second help-ings), get up and take a walk through the neighbor-hood. Walk just above a strolling pace, as if you have somewhere to be. Total: 1,200 steps in 10 minutes
Evening Snack Sitcom slimming Pop up during commercial breaks in your evening shows, and straighten up a room,
www.prevention.com walk (and pump) your way to weiGHt loss 1�1� lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
Walk It Off: Blast Fat, Get Fit, And Have Energy to Burn
This simple 4-week plan will show you how
Put on your walking shoes, and leave the unwanted baggage on your butt, hips, and thighs behind. A University of South Carolina study shows there’s a connection between the number of steps you take and the amount of fat you store (or don’t). When researchers studied 109 people, they found that those who walked at least 9,000 steps a day—the equiva-lent of about 41 ⁄2 miles—were more likely to have a healthy, slender body, while those who took fewer than 5,000 steps per day (less than 21 ⁄2 miles) were more frequently overweight. That’s why we created this Walking Fit Diet, an easy program to help you get the RDS—Recommended Daily Steps—you need to firm up and get fit. With online shopping, drive-thrus, and remote controls, we’re off our feet so much that some scientists have calculated that we’re burning 300-to 700 fewer calories every day than just 25 years ago, and that can add up to an extra pound a week! “Just as vitamins and minerals are put back in white breads and refined cereals, we need to put back the activity we’ve lost,” says Catrine Tudor-Locke, PhD, author of Manpokei: The Art and Science of Step Counting. The Walking Fit Diet does just that. It begins with a 10,000-steps-a-day
WalkYour Way
to
(and Pump)
Weight Loss
Open your eyes, and walk indoors or out at a casual pace, focusing on your breath and posture for about 4 minutes. When you’re done, stop, and take three more deep breaths. Total: 400 steps in 5 minutes (including breathing time)
Dinner Table talk After dinner, grab the family, and go for a 20-minute trek. (Little kids can ride bikes or be pulled in a wagon.) Talk about what you did today. Total: 2,000 steps in 20 minutes
Evening Snack Reality TV trek Get up during the commercial breaks in your favorite show, and do 1 minute of stairs, jumping jacks, or marching in place for a total of 7 minutes throughout the show. Total: 700 steps in 7 minutes
Total time: 75 minutesTotal steps: 12,000 (including existing activity)
Week ThreeBreakfast Java jazz Get up a little earlier than usual. Head
outside for a brisk trek with your partner, and rev up for the day. Bad weather? Pop in an exercise tape such as Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds. It’s a simple cardio workout based on walking moves such as marching. By the end, you will have walked a full mile right in your living room. And you don’t have to worry about going out with “bedhead!” Total: 2,000 steps in 15 minutes
Morning Snack On-the-go meeting Gather a coworker or two (or three) for a moving pow-wow. Share ideas, and discuss upcoming projects. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes
Lunch Noon tunes Strap on your headset (provided you have a safe walking environment; otherwise, put a tune in your head). Get moving to upbeat dance music: “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow, “Die
www.prevention.com walk (and pump) your way to weiGHt loss 1�
take out the trash, or sort laundry for a total of about 10 minutes. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes
(This plan assumes that your daily diet already includes 4,000 general activity steps, such as walking around the house, office, etc.)
Total time: 55 minutesTotal steps: 10,050 (including existing activity)
Week TwoBreakfast Caffeine-free jolt Pump up your circulation: Turn
on the radio, and step in place, dropping your chin toward your chest, then lifting it with each step for 1-minute (100 steps); lift your knees high as if marching for 1 minute (100 steps); do 1 minute of jumping jacks (100 steps); and walk the stairs for 2-minutes (200 steps). Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes
Morning Snack Phone walk Grab your cell phone and cruise around the block at a lively pace, walking and talk-ing for 10 minutes. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes
Lunch Power punch Warm up at a lively, casual pace for 5-minutes (500 steps); pick it up like you’re late for work for 10 minutes (1,350 steps), then walk as fast as your feet will carry you for 3 minutes (450 steps). Bring it back down to a purposeful walk for 5 minutes (600 steps). Then take it easy for the final 5 minutes (500 steps) as you head back. Total: 3,400 steps in 28 minutes
Afternoon Snack Meditation stroll Stand tall with feet together. Close your eyes, and take three slow, deep breaths.
1� lose it fast, make it last
Timing TipNot sure how fast you’re walking? Time yourself. Walk for 20 seconds, counting your steps. Forty steps in 20 sec-onds is 120 steps per minute, or about 3 mph; 45 steps is 135 steps per minute, which equals about 3.5 to 4 mph, and 50 steps is 150 steps per minute, which equals about 4.5 mph.
Week FourBreakfast Espresso express Jump-start your day: 1 minute
of jumping jacks, 1 minute of stairs, 1 minute of jumping jacks, and 1 minute of stairs (400 steps). Arrive at work 5 minutes early, and walk around the building (outside or inside), organizing your thoughts for the day (500 steps). Total: 900 steps in 9 minutes
Morning Snack Walk and talk Grab a coworker or an at-home mom, and catch up on gossip. Walk around the block at a casual, lively pace. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes
Lunch Midday fat burner Step outside, and walk at an easy pace to warm up for 5 minutes (500 steps). Pick up the pace like you’re running late for 10 minutes (1,350 steps). Turn it up as fast as you can go for 5-minutes (750 steps). Bring it back down to the running-late pace for 5 minutes (675 steps), then back up as fast as you can for 5 minutes (750 steps). Cool down for 10 minutes (1,000 steps). Total: 5,025 steps in 40 minutes
Afternoon Snack Slump buster Walk up and down a flight of stairs for 2 minutes. Take another 2 minutes to walk around the building. Repeat. Total: 800 steps in 8 minutes
Dinner Cleanup act After dinner, take a 3-minute break to sweep through the house, straightening up every room along the way. Total: 300 steps in 3 minutes
Evening Snack Must-move TV Grab 30 minutes, and head outside for a 2-mile walk at a purposeful-to-brisk pace (15 minutes out; 15 back); or click on the TV, and follow Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds 2-mile tape (available at www.walkerswarehouse.com). Total: 4,000 steps in 30 minutes
Total time: 100 minutesTotal steps: 16,025 (including existing activity)
www.prevention.com walk (and pump) your way to weiGHt loss 21
Another Day” by Madonna, classics such as Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” or Bruce Springs-teen’s “Born in the USA,” or your Motown favorites, all of which crank at about 130 beats per minute. Warm up for 5 minutes (500 steps). Then step along to the beat for 20 minutes (2,600 steps). And wind it down for 5 minutes (500 steps). Total: 3,600 steps in 30 minutes
Afternoon Snack Walk, don’t wait When picking up the kids from soccer practice or dance class, arrive 5 minutes early, and walk around the field or the block. Total: 500-steps in 5 minutes
Dinner Dessert hike Clear the dinner table, and head out for 20 minutes at a purposeful pace. Total: 2,400 steps in 20 minutes
Evening Snack Homework helper Take two 3-minute breaks from helping with the kids’ homework (or from doing your own) to trek around the house, straightening up every room along the way. Total: 600 steps in 6-minutes
Total time: 86 minutesTotal steps: 14,100 (including existing activity)
20 lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
Spice It UpHere are a few items we’ve tested and recommend to keep your walking menu varied. (All are available at www.walkerswarehouse.com.) n powerBelt This upper-body training tool provides resistance as you
swing your arms to tone your torso and increase your calorie burn.n walking poles Another great way to work your upper body. They
also help you keep your balance and take pressure off your knees when hiking.
n Prevention pedometer Clip it on for a more accurate step count. n wellnessGear mini stepper Here’s a low-cost alternative to expen-
sive stairclimbers for bad weather days. Tracks workout time and number of steps.
www.prevention.com walk (and pump) your way to weiGHt loss 2�22 lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
For a Firmer Butt, Sleeker Hips, and Trimmer ThighsElevated Split Squat Stand about 2 feet in front of a sturdy chair with your back to it. Bend your left knee, placing the top of your left foot on the chair behind you. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend your right knee and lower your-self toward the floor. Do not allow your right knee to jut past your toes. Hold for a second and then, pressing into your right foot, stand back up. Complete one set, then switch legs.
Side Drop and Reach Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides. (a) Take a giant step to your left side. As you plant your left foot, bend your left knee and lower your butt toward the floor. Do not allow your left knee to jut past your toes. (b) Bend forward and touch your left ankle with both hands. Then push back up to the starting position. Repeat on the other side to complete one repetition.
Why Weight? Finally, a Routine that Simplifies Your Life
Our no-equipment, no-hassle program
Most women know that strength training is an unbeatable way to firm up, slim down, build bones, and boost metabolism. Yet fewer than 4% of women pump iron the recommended 2 or more days a week, accord-ing to an annual National Sporting Goods Association survey. Turned off by bulky weights and expensive machines and gym memberships, women seem to look forward to weight lifting about as much as they do to flossing—another good-for-you habit that is just too easy to break. So we asked exercise physiologist Liz Neporent, of Plus One Fitness in New York City, to design this dumbbell- and machine-free toning workout that you can do at home or on the road without spending a penny. To get the most out of this workout, perform two sets of 8 to 15 repetitions of each exercise, pausing for 30 to 60 seconds between sets. Do the whole 30-minute routine 2 or 3 days a week, allowing a rest day between sessions.
Walking FactsExperts recommend at least 10,000 steps a day for health—and more for fitness and weight loss. If you don’t have a pedometer, here’s how to calculate the num-ber you take, according to walking expert Mark Fenton, author of Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness.
steps per minute
Basic activityTaking out trash, cleaning house 100
walking casually, but lively (like around the mall) 100
walking with purpose (about 3 mph) 120
walking briskly, as if you’re late for a bus (about 3.5 to 4 mph) 135
power walkingIf you went any faster you’d be running (about 4.5 mph) 150
each mile walked = about 2,000 steps
For Flatter Abs and a Stronger BackTorso Lift Lie facedown on a mat with your hands under your chin, palms down, elbows pointing out to the sides. Keeping your hips pressed to the floor, lift your head, chest, and arms about 5 inches off the floor. Pause, then lower.
Bicycle Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands behind your head. Contracting your abs, lift your head, shoulders, and upper back off the floor. At the same time, extend your right leg off the floor, bring your left knee in toward your chest, and twist your torso to the left, bringing your right elbow toward your left knee. Hold for 1 second, then simultaneously switch legs and twist to the right to complete one rep.
www.prevention.com walk (and pump) your way to weiGHt loss 2�
For Shapelier Arms and ShouldersDip Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your hands grasping the seat on either side of your butt and your feet flat on the floor. Slide your butt off the chair seat and walk your feet forward slightly, so your knees are directly over your ankles, forming 90-degree angles with your legs. Keeping your shoulders down, slowly bend your elbows back, lowering your butt
toward the floor until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 second, then press back up.
Chest Press-Up Starting on your hands and knees, walk your hands forward and extend your hips until your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees. Cross your ankles for stability. Bending your elbows out to the sides, slowly lower your torso toward the floor until your shoulders are in line with your elbows and your upper arms are about parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 second, then press back up.
2� lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
2� lose it fast, make it last
weight down to 230. Inspired, I turned to my unhealthy eating habits next.
Out with the FatIn my early 20s, I’d lost nearly 100 pounds thanks to a positive attitude and Weight Watchers meals. That success taught me that I could lose weight by eating the right foods in modest quantities. Unfortunately, I had long since for-gotten that important lesson. Motivated by my current weight loss, I began eating breakfast daily: cereal, a small banana, and fat-free milk. An apple before lunch took the edge off my noontime hunger. Then I’d eat a green salad tossed with a small chunk of cheese, and I’d be satisfied. For dinner, I replaced red meat with half a chicken breast; instead of filling my baked potato with butter and sour cream, I used salsa. When I ate out, I’d order baked haddock rather than a steak, and I’d skip the beer and appetizers.
Up from the SofaThe more weight I lost, the more energy I had, and the more I was able to do. Rather than spending hours snacking in front of the TV, I tackled household chores. I painted every room in the house! After 6 months, I’d gone
from a 44-inch waist to a com-fortable 38. After a year, I’d lost 100 pounds and was down to 145, a healthy weight for my 5'5" frame. But I looked like a deflated balloon. It was time for me to tone up. Five sit-ups, five push-ups, and a handful of exercises with light weights were all I could manage at first. I added one sit-up or a few reps with the weights every other day. In 3 months, I was up to a
Alcohol Calories Add UpEven if you’re not overindulg-ing, alcoholic beverages can contribute a lot of empty calo-ries to your daily intake: n 12 oz of beer is 150 caloriesn 5 oz of wine is 100 caloriesn 1.5 oz of liquor is 100 caloriesAnd the foods you eat while you’re drinking are often high in calories—a double whammy. So simply cutting back on alcohol can do wonders for your waist-line like it did for Bob.
Vital Statisticsname: Bob Beliveage: 50weight lost: 100 lbsuccessful strategies: No more alcohol, a low-fat diet emphasizing portion con-trol, strength training, tack-ling one problem at a time
Lose Up to 100 Pounds, One Habit at a Time
Bob Belive beat alcohol, cigarettes, fat—and inertia
I was sitting on the couch, Scotch in hand, watching Larry King interview celebrities about their alcohol addiction. “I’d come home every night and pour myself a drink whether I wanted it or not,” said one. I looked at the glass in my hand and thought, “That’s exactly what I do.” That program shook me up. I knew I smoked too much, ate too much, and drank too much, but for the first time I found myself wondering, “Am I an alcoholic?” Panicked, I quit drinking cold turkey. I was so scared and determined that it was surprisingly easy. After just 3 weeks, I felt more energetic than I had in years, and I lost 15 pounds, bringing my
WintheFatWar!
www.prevention.com win tHe fat war 2�
www.prevention.com win tHe fat war 2�2� lose it fast, make it last
Eyes on the PrizeWhen my 19-year-old daughter, Laura, came home from college in 1999, she and I joined our local gym that summer. I started with the low-impact aerobics class, which was harder than I’d expected. I struggled to keep up and would start crying when I saw myself in the gym mirrors. But I needed to keep going to be a posi-tive role model for Laura. So I went 2 or 3 days a week and fixed my eyes on the instructor as a way to focus on my goal. Within a few weeks, I felt health-ier and began to have more energy. My neck pain even stopped flaring up. After 9 months, however, I had lost only 3 pounds. It was very discouraging. But my husband pointed out that if I was typically gaining almost 5 pounds annu-ally and now had dropped 3, I had really lost 8 pounds. His sunny out-look kept me motivated. With renewed determination, I searched for other changes I could
make. I’d heard about the benefits of strength train-ing, so once or twice a week I’d leave the safe confines of the aerobics area and use the resistance machines. I stopped eating second help-ings and was careful not to eat too much fat or sugar. I switched from baking every
week to making cakes or cookies only when we entertained—and the leftovers went home with the guests. During the next several weeks, I lost 2 more pounds and began to think weight loss might not be impossible. Then I hit a plateau again. Laura was getting married in 2 months, and I really wanted to lose more weight before the wedding.
The Final PushDesperate for results, I spoke with the gym manager. He suggested I work out with a personal trainer. I thought, How frivolous! We had one child in college and another one almost there, and we had to pay for a wedding. My husband is a minister; we’re supposed to be frugal. But since the first two sessions were free, I decided to try it. It was one of the best choices I ever made. I worked with Eddie, my trainer, twice a week (my family bought
Vital Statisticsname: Rebecca Yount age: 47weight lost: 40 lbsuccessful strategies: Strength training, aerobic activity, portion control, family support, a personal trainer
Invest in Fitness
40 pounds lighter, Rebecca Yount is thrilled with her new figure
30-minute regimen that included 55-sit-ups, 65 push-ups, various stretches, and a number of weight exercises such as biceps curls and triceps lifts. I really firmed up, and I could see definition in my muscles.
Off the ButtsA heart attack and triple bypass in 2001, 3 years after I had stopped drinking, showed me that there’s always room for improvement. Age, stress, and years of smoking had taken their toll on my body. I immediately quit smoking and,
on the advice of my cardiologist, started walking. I began with half an hour a day. A month later, I was doing 3½ miles in an hour every morning. I’ve kept that up every day since. Today, I’m more active than I’ve ever been. I still watch what I eat, but I can allow myself slightly larger portions and occasional treats (ice cream, cookies, even a drink), thanks to my increased activity. Breaking one bad habit at a time and replacing it with a healthy one made it easier.
I always found excuses for my poor diet and nonex-istent exercise habits. With two children and a busy life, I was tired. Money was tight. I liked to cook and entertain—and I had an old neck injury from a car accident. By my mid-40s, a decade of sloth and second helpings had piled on an extra 40 pounds. My weight problem made me increasingly unhappy: I avoided mirrors, I felt listless, and every night, as I pulled up the sheets, I felt sad and disgusted and resolved to do better the next morning. But I didn’t do better. After several unsuccessful diets, I gave up and blamed my ballooning shape and waning energy on age. Instead of changing myself, I bought clothes that hid my flaws.
�0 lose it fast, make it last www.prevention.com
me more sessions as birthday and Christmas gifts). He wasn’t at all judgmental or intimidating, as I’d feared. He just helped me find a program that worked. We focused on upper body, abs, and cardio one day and lower body, abs, and cardio the next, doing four sets of 16 reps of each strength-train-ing exercise. Being accountable to Eddie made me more dedicated to getting to the gym regularly, and he pushed me harder—though not too hard—than I ever would have pushed myself. By the time the wedding rolled around, I had lost another 10 pounds. It felt great to hear people tell me how beauti-ful I looked and that they couldn’t believe I was the mother of the bride. I kept working out 4 or 5 days a week and losing weight. At the 2-year mark from when I’d started, I had lost 40 pounds, gone from 38 to 25% body fat, and dropped from a size 16 to an 8. I’m proof that perseverance pays off.
Student Becomes TeacherDuring the next year and a half, I decided to help other women who were struggling as I had. A few of the instructors at the gym sug-gested I get certified to teach aero-bics. So I made that my next goal. Today I teach at my gym. Making exercise a daily dis-cipline has brought balance to my life and given my daughter a healthy example to follow. And that’s the greatest reward of all.
Do It BetterGet faster results with a little help. To find a personal trainer, go to the American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org), the National Strength and Condition-ing Association (www.nsca-lift.org), and the American Council on Exercise (www.acefitness.org).
CHANGE YOUR BODY AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE.Prevention makes it EASY!
Click here and see how to…n Eat chocolate everyday—and boost your health! n Flatten your belly in just 3 weeksn Reduce cellulite in 20 minutes a dayn 25 trade secrets of top OB/GYNsn 7 nutrients you’re probably missing (and how to get them)n 8 ways to clobber a big headachen Try our real woman’s stress survival guiden and more!
Find out more at Prevention.com
Lose weight and feeL great doing it!see why more than 1 million americans
have chosen The Sugar SolutionThe Sugar Solution Online is the newest weight loss revolution brought to you by Prevention magazine, the trusted name behind the groundbreaking book, The Sugar Solution. Click here to see why The Sugar Solution Online is just what the doctor ordered. in a month’s time you’ll lose weight, overcome fatigue, steady mood swings, boost your energy and alertness, and cut your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
our customized online tool kit features…
n Personalized meal plansn east-to-follow shopping listsn Convenient at-home workouts n easy ways to monitor your progress and stay motivatedn a supportive community of nutritionists, health experts,
and fellow dieters like you
Click here for a FREE tour:
