Let's face it, running for weight loss is one of the main reasons to begin running. Running is one of the simplest, most basic aerobic exercises there is. It takes minimal equipment (good running shoes and comfortable clothes), a little bit of determination to run consistently (3 to 4 times a week), and some open space. How simple could it be? Not so fast, running by itself will help you to "control" your weight, but true weight loss will take more planning.
Don't panic! It is not as bad as it sounds. One of the biggest mistakes made by those that are running to lose weight (or any exercise for that matter) is the idea "I'm exercising so I can eat whatever I want". While it is true that because of the higher activity level your body will require more fuel (food) to maintain the new, higher level of activity, you can't eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Here are 8 tips that will help you not only control your food intake, but also feed your body what it needs to keep running, and best of all, not feel hungry all of the time. This will take some time, about 12 weeks, and self-discipline, but you've already committed to running regularly so this next step won't be a big burden.
Tip 1: Keep a really good food log. Write down what you eat and when you eat it every day for at least a week. Make it detailed, include where, when, how much and what you were feeling at that time. This gives you a picture of your eating habits. From this you can start making healthier choices of food and see when you are "grazing" or "binge eating". Once you recognize the problem you can start to fix it. Repeat this on the fourth, eighth and twelfth weeks of your training and look at the difference!
Tip 2: Measure what you eat. Fill a bowl with cereal, the amount you would normally eat, then use a measuring cup and actually measure out a "serving", the serving size on the box. Do you see the difference? We tend to measure with our eyes and we're terrible at judging portions. A study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that people would serve themselves up to 53% more ice cream if they were given a bigger bowl and a bigger scoop. This may seem like a pain but it is important to re-train our eyes to see proper serving sizes. Do this awhile, and after a few weeks this will be a new habit.
Tip 3: Eat more protein. This is essential in keeping your muscles strong and preserving lean muscle mass. Protein takes more effort to digest and keeps the hunger pangs away. A runner needs 0.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. That means that a 150 pound person needs 75 grams of good quality protein every day. Make sure that this is eaten throughout the day. Don't just pound down a steak at night and then go to sleep!
Tip 4: Make your meals colorful. Meals are not supposed to be just brown and white. Pack your meals with fruits and vegetables. They are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. All of these are key to helping you slim down and still feel full.
Tip 5: Stop grazing! This used to be "in vogue" but a study in the journal Obesity found that people felt fuller and more satisfied eating three meals a day instead of six smaller ones. They also found that when you are grazing you tend to eat the junk foods that aren't beneficial to weight loss. "Cows graze, people don't!"
Tip 6: Plan your meals for the week. You don't have to have a rigid menu for each day, but this helps you to look forward to your meals, makes shopping much more efficient and it gives you control over the foods you are eating. Eating out, eating fast food or getting take out food, causes you to lose that control. Making a plan will take very little time, less than an hour each weekend. To help with the process there are websites that will give you recipe suggestions, use these to help you plan your menu for the week, then they will produce the shopping list for you! What could be easier?
Tip 7: Take your time eating. A 2008 study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat quickly and eat until they are full are three times more likely to overeat than those that eat slowly. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for the signal in your stomach to tell your brain, "I'm full!" So slow down and enjoy your meal, you've earned it because of that great run you've just had!
Tip 8: Don't rush the weight loss. This is critical! If you deprive yourself and cut your calories way back you'll lose weight but you will get into the "yo-yo cycle" of weight loss, and you will gain it right back when you eat normally again. There are no quick fixes, no miracle cures. You are changing your lifestyle forever. Keep in mind that since you put the weight on slowly, it has to come off slowly, there is no need to rush, you've got a lifetime of health in front of you!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_J_Kellogg
Don't panic! It is not as bad as it sounds. One of the biggest mistakes made by those that are running to lose weight (or any exercise for that matter) is the idea "I'm exercising so I can eat whatever I want". While it is true that because of the higher activity level your body will require more fuel (food) to maintain the new, higher level of activity, you can't eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Here are 8 tips that will help you not only control your food intake, but also feed your body what it needs to keep running, and best of all, not feel hungry all of the time. This will take some time, about 12 weeks, and self-discipline, but you've already committed to running regularly so this next step won't be a big burden.
Tip 1: Keep a really good food log. Write down what you eat and when you eat it every day for at least a week. Make it detailed, include where, when, how much and what you were feeling at that time. This gives you a picture of your eating habits. From this you can start making healthier choices of food and see when you are "grazing" or "binge eating". Once you recognize the problem you can start to fix it. Repeat this on the fourth, eighth and twelfth weeks of your training and look at the difference!
Tip 2: Measure what you eat. Fill a bowl with cereal, the amount you would normally eat, then use a measuring cup and actually measure out a "serving", the serving size on the box. Do you see the difference? We tend to measure with our eyes and we're terrible at judging portions. A study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that people would serve themselves up to 53% more ice cream if they were given a bigger bowl and a bigger scoop. This may seem like a pain but it is important to re-train our eyes to see proper serving sizes. Do this awhile, and after a few weeks this will be a new habit.
Tip 3: Eat more protein. This is essential in keeping your muscles strong and preserving lean muscle mass. Protein takes more effort to digest and keeps the hunger pangs away. A runner needs 0.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. That means that a 150 pound person needs 75 grams of good quality protein every day. Make sure that this is eaten throughout the day. Don't just pound down a steak at night and then go to sleep!
Tip 4: Make your meals colorful. Meals are not supposed to be just brown and white. Pack your meals with fruits and vegetables. They are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. All of these are key to helping you slim down and still feel full.
Tip 5: Stop grazing! This used to be "in vogue" but a study in the journal Obesity found that people felt fuller and more satisfied eating three meals a day instead of six smaller ones. They also found that when you are grazing you tend to eat the junk foods that aren't beneficial to weight loss. "Cows graze, people don't!"
Tip 6: Plan your meals for the week. You don't have to have a rigid menu for each day, but this helps you to look forward to your meals, makes shopping much more efficient and it gives you control over the foods you are eating. Eating out, eating fast food or getting take out food, causes you to lose that control. Making a plan will take very little time, less than an hour each weekend. To help with the process there are websites that will give you recipe suggestions, use these to help you plan your menu for the week, then they will produce the shopping list for you! What could be easier?
Tip 7: Take your time eating. A 2008 study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat quickly and eat until they are full are three times more likely to overeat than those that eat slowly. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for the signal in your stomach to tell your brain, "I'm full!" So slow down and enjoy your meal, you've earned it because of that great run you've just had!
Tip 8: Don't rush the weight loss. This is critical! If you deprive yourself and cut your calories way back you'll lose weight but you will get into the "yo-yo cycle" of weight loss, and you will gain it right back when you eat normally again. There are no quick fixes, no miracle cures. You are changing your lifestyle forever. Keep in mind that since you put the weight on slowly, it has to come off slowly, there is no need to rush, you've got a lifetime of health in front of you!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_J_Kellogg
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