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Home Tag: "nutrition"

Tag: nutrition

avoid holiday weight gain in LA
24Dec

15 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Looking to avoid holiday weight gain? You’re not alone. The average American gains five pounds during the holiday season. This may seem inevitable with all those family gatherings, workplace events and other food- and drink-laden social engagements.  However, with a little planning, adding those extra pounds can be avoided

Set realistic Weight Loss goals

Come holiday season, it’s easy to set lofty goals about weight loss.  Write down your goals—keep them specific and attainable—and post them somewhere highly visible. If your goal is “stick to two cookies at every holiday party” seeing it periodically may help you commit.

  • Don’t starve yourself before a holiday meal or party.
    • You’ll only show up hungry and eat too much.  Keep your hunger in check with a few small meals throughout the day. Also, be sure to eat a small snack about 1 hr. before the holiday dinner.
  • Take snacks wherever you go

snacks to work los angeles | holiday weight loss

Without snacks comes hunger that lead you right over to the hors d’oeuvre table, which is usually hunks of cheese and other high-fat, calorie-dense fare.  Bring healthy snacks with you — in your glove compartment, purse, gym bag, and brief case.  Whenever hunger hits, you’re ready. If you’re hungry at the party, reach for the vegetables, fruit or rye crackers.

  • Select low calorie density foods first

A huge green salad, a plate of fresh fruit, and a side of roasted vegetables add up to a lot of food, but not a lot of calories.

  • Don’t stand by the food at the party

You will be less likely to partake in unconscious snacking all night if you instead move, mingle and socialize with friends. The closer you are to the food, the more you will eat.
Face away from the dessert spread and listen to cues from your gut rather than your eyes.

MORE WEIGHT LOSS TIPS!

  1. Eat and chew slowly

los angeles holiday weight loss

It pays off to pace yourself.   It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to register a “full” sensation and signal the brain that it’s had enough.  In addition, the quicker you eat, the less time the body has to register fullness.  Thus, slow down and take a second to savor each bite of food.
It’s best to go for a walk or chat with friends before dishing up seconds.

  • Stick to a regular routine with sleep and exercise.

Many times, feeling tired or stressed is mistaken for hunger.

  • De-stress

The holiday season is full of cheer, but it can also be stressful keeping up with family get-togethers.   Stress can trigger increased eating and cravings, especially for sugary carbohydrates.  Thus, if the holidays have you feeling overwhelmed, try out one of these ways to reduce stress. Meditation—using techniques like muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and mindfulness may work wonders when attempting to avoid holiday weight gain.

  • Stay consistent with exercise routine

how to lose weight during the holidays in los angeles

Exercise is especially critical during this time of larger-than-usual meals. In addition to your regular exercise schedule, plan activities like walks, hikes, bicycle rides, and dances with family and friends.  Seek out a professional to help you with your program if you need motivation.

  • Watch alcohol intake

Alcoholic beverages contain empty calories, offering little to no nutritional value and contributing to excess weight gain. Try having a seltzer with a lime twist or a glass of water between alcoholic drinks to help cut calories and remain well hydrated.  In addition, drinking too much alcohol  can cause us to lose inhibitions around food and start eating irresponsibly.

OUR FINAL 5 WEIGHT LOSS TIPS =)

  • Use tall, thin glasses for drinks

People pour less liquid into tall glasses than into shorter glasses.  With a taller glass, you’re likely to down less in one sitting (which is especially helpful when drinking booze).

  • Use smaller plates

Plate sizes have expanded significantly over the years.  Whenever possible, choose the smaller salad plate instead of a large dinner one. Using smaller plates can make it seem like you are eating more than you are.

  • Dealing with Cravings

dealing with cravings los angeles

It’s smart to acknowledge a few cravings instead of pushing them away completely. Forbidding a specific food or food group during the holiday season may only make it more attractive. Still want more of that apple pie after a couple of bites?

  • Wait before grabbing seconds.

Try thinking of a favorite holiday activity, like opening presents, watching Christmas movies, or playing in the snow. Daydreaming about pleasant activities or distracting yourself with just about any activity can reduce the intensity of food cravings. Try small tastes of the desserts you’re truly craving.

  • Drink water

Water helps people feel full, and therefore consume fewer calories.  Rather than guzzling calorie- and sugar-laden sodas and juices (which are associated with increased body fat and blood pressure) treat yourself to a glass of wine with dinner and keep your allegiance to water for the rest of the day.

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Caffeine and Metabolism Los Angeles
22Mar

Does caffeine speed up the metabolism and help with weight loss?

There are few topics that get more attention, with wildly varying opinions, than the benefits of weight loss and the detrimental effects of caffeine. Obviously, there is no argument about the importance of reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight, but is it possible that caffeine is not as bad as we have been led to believe?
It has been suggested by some studies that caffeine boosts energy and is depleted during physical exertion, possibly the reason for increased calorie burning by those who have consumed caffeine. With the addition of catchins, a type of phenolic compound that is found in green tea, the process of fat oxidation is significantly increased.

This all sounds promising, but, as is often the case, there is a flip side to caffeine, which is currently our most popular drug here in the U.S., as well as the least regulated one. Caffeine is a natural component of 60 different species of plants, the most familiar being coffee, tea and cocoa. While caffeine has been added to soft drinks for a very long time, first the natural kind and now the synthetic, it has only been a little over 20 years since energy drinks and supplements, loaded with high levels of caffeine started flooding the market.

Caffeine has been credited with an increased sense of well-being, energy, happiness and alertness. It can enhance feelings of sociability. We rely on it to help us stay awake when driving at night. It wakes us up in the morning and helps us face the challenges of our work day. There are those who believe caffeine may reduce the risk of developing conditions like gall stones and even Parkinson’s disease. The military has explored the benefits of using caffeine as a supplement for service members in locations and situations where they may not get sufficient sleep but still need to be as alert as possible.

On that flip side, however, caffeine may be an FDA approved pharmacological substance, but it is also a highly addictive drug. Anyone who uses it regularly is familiar with the withdrawal effects; severe headache, extreme fatigue, mental fuzziness and drowsiness. What most people are not aware of, though, is that it only takes about a week of daily consumption of caffeine to be at this level of addiction. It may help some stay awake when needed, but for many others it actually interferes with a normal, healthy sleep cycle. Caffeine can also contribute to the worsening of urinary incontinence.

Caffeine and Metabolism: Effective Partners or Not?

caffeine metabolism and weight loss los angeles

As with many things, the verdict on caffeine is not a unanimous one. Used in moderation and with a little common sense, it probably isn’t as harmful as many like to say. The fact that it is so easily addictive does make the moderation part problematic. There is some evidence of the weight loss benefits of appetite suppression and the increased calorie-burning potential of thermogenesis, which is the process your body uses to extract heat and energy from food digestion. That said, while caffeine may supply a slight boost to weight loss, there is presently no evidence that it is more than temporary.

The Southern California Center for Anti-Aging focuses on the practice of advanced, preventive and regenerative medicine. We strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition, along with improving fitness and balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, can help with creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life. We use a wide range of advanced testing and analysis, including food allergy testing, to ensure the best results for our clients.

To learn more about our weight loss programs or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

Holistic Health Services in Los Angeles With Dr. Judi Goldstone