iDoGifts Blog

Credit: http://www.weddingdietsite.com

With all the conflicting information out there, researching how to get in shape can be an overwhelming task. Perhaps this can become even more overwhelming when you’re trying to look hot in your wedding dress.  Well, put aside what you think you know and get ready to learn the truth about getting fit and looking your best for your wedding.  Because let’s face it, that’s what we all really want.


If exercise is 50% of getting fit, then diet is the other half.  This means that although you might be working out like crazy, you might not see the results. Why?  Your eating habits are not conducive to losing weight and being toned.  Skipping meals is prohibited from this point on.  


Here is the secret to optimal fitness:  Metabolism.  Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. Many women think they just have a “slow metabolism.”  And while part of metabolism is a result of genetics, it is only a small part of this. Erase the thought that tells you that you need to eat less to lose weight.  Forget “NO CARBS.”  Most women are guilty of not eating enough calories.  And if you deprive your body of food you are not only slowing down your metabolism, you are decreasing your energy available to fuel workouts.  Don’t forget that you will still have to sweat to get Sexy in Sixty.  So get your calendars out and let the countdown begin!


This is not a trendy “diet” with nothing but shakes for the next two months, or confusing phases of eating only certain foods.  This is a new lifestyle that will serve you for years to come.   So why not start 60 days before the best day of your life  The good news: We can speed up our metabolism. The Bad news: You can slowdown your metabolism.


These are the top ten rules I tell all of my clients and you will need to know to get Sexy in Sixty

1)  Eat every 3 hours.  It’s true!  5-6 small meals a day is the way to go.  In order to qualify as a meal it must be between 350 and 400 calories and is comprised of 40% lean protein, 40% “good carbs,” and 20% “good fats.” You should eat half as much healthy fat, because fat has twice as many calories of protein and carbs, not because fat is not good for you.  Clients often ask me how big a serving size it.  For guidance refer to the serving size on the package for most whole grains like brown rice (2/3 c), quinoa (1/4 c.), and steal cut oatmeal (1/2 c cooked).  For lean proteins, the serving size is about the size of a deck of cards.  You will be amazed at how hungry you will feel first thing in the morning and every three hours following our first meal.  This is proof that your metabolism is speeding up.  Just remember that you have to stick to one serving in order to be hungry again three hours later. 
 

2) Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up.  While you sleep, your body goes into starvation mode.  The result is a body that stores the food you take in the form of fat.  Years of not eating often enough causes the body to conserve calories instead of readily giving them up to be burned.  In order to keep your engine running on all 8 cylinders, eating breakfast right after you wake up is mandatory.  You may feel nauseous if you are not used to eating breakfast.
Just try to get something down and this will pass.  Some suggestions are an apple, ½ of berries, handful of almonds, ½ cup of oatmeal with small amount of peanut butter, greek yogurt low in sugar (less than 5 grams, but as little as possible), and cottage cheese.  If you do this consistently for 2 weeks you will notice that you are hungry in the morning.  Congrats! This is the 1st sign that your metabolism is speeding up.   


3) Eat “good carbs.”  Wondering what that really means?  It means eat complex carbs as opposed to simple carbs.  For sustained energy and in the spirit of “Mission Speed-up Metabolism” eat carbs that require your body to work harder to break them down.  A great example of this is a comparison of white rice, a simple or bad carb and brown rice, a complex or good carb.  White rice is processed further than brown rice: originally brown rice its hull is removed.  The hull contains all the nutrients and fiber.  Without the hull, the white rice is simple for your body to digest.  The presence of a hull is the difference between a good carb and a bad carb.  So save the white rice for the wedding day as you leave the church.

Examples of “good carbs” are:  steel cut oatmeal (not quick oats), yams (think sweet potato french fries), quinoa, brown rice, apples, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and most other veggies (note that regular potatoes are not a complex carb).