Has the thrill of the New Year disappeared yet?
You know what I'm talking about—that feeling of excitement in your gut as the
New Year greeted you with the promise that you can turn things around...that
you can shake off past mistakes...that you can become better. As the first
quarter of the year is almost over, is the thrill gone?
The New Year renews hope for your dreams. And if
you are like most people then your dream for the New Year has something to do
with losing weight. By now unfortunately, over 80% of us have abandoned our New
Year’s resolutions and have fallen back into our old habits. One of which is
over eating. Let’s get your resolution back on track by talking about food.
To help get you refocused I'd like to share with
you some food for thought:
Why do you eat?
Now I know at first glance the answer to that
question seems painfully obvious—but I want you to dig deeper. You're probably
thinking that you eat when your body is hungry to get the energy you need to
sustain life. And you're partially right. But that's not the only reason that
you eat.
The truth is that you (along with almost everyone
you know) eat too much. Your body simply doesn't need all of the calories that
you consume, and it shows in a physique that is less than svelte. If we only
ate to fuel our bodies then we'd all have washboard abs. And that's clearly not
the case, right?
So what drives you to eat when you shouldn't?
Here are the four basic reasons that you eat:
1. Because you're hungry. This
one is obvious. You eat when your body tells you that it's hungry and in need
of fuel. Just like your car lets you know when it's time to head over to the
gas station for a fill up, your body is great at letting you know that energy
stores are low.
Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you
are full is a healthy thing. Too bad this isn't the only reason that you eat...
2. Because you're emotional.
...but the truth is that you also eat when you are emotional. Think back—can
you remember a time when you turned to food after a stressful confrontation? Or
how about when you've soothed the blues away by treating your sweet tooth? And
it's not just negative emotions that lead to emotional eating—most of us reward
happiness with unnecessary calories as well.
Emotional eating adds an untold number of
calories to your diet—all calories that are unnecessary and turn into fatty
deposits on your body.
3. Because you're social. Come
on, don't just sit there, have a slice of pizza with us. No one likes to
eat alone, and so you feel obligated to eat with others. How many times have
you filled up a plate just because everyone else was eating?
When eating becomes a social activity with no
thought to the calories that are being consumed, only one thing will result:
weight gain.
4. Because you're habitual. At
the end of each day you relax in front of the television with a snack, and I'm
willing to bet that it isn't because you're hungry. You simply associate
sitting down to watch television with eating something. Or maybe you always
visit the vending machine on your break whether you're hungry or not—it's just
become a habit.
As humans we love to form habits, and when your
habits involve eating extra calories then your waistline suffers for it.
Here is my challenge to you: Take the time to examine why
you are eating, and choose to only eat when you're truly hungry.
This small action has the potential to
dramatically improve your physique in the coming months.
Remember that improving your diet is only half of
the equation when it comes to reshaping your body. The quickest and most
permanent results are achieved when good eating habits are accompanied by
challenging exercise.
At Pumps Fitness we can help you transform your
body- simply call or email today and we will get started!
Reduce Your Stress
It's well known that stress contributes to fat
storage. You don't need that. It's important to take a break from the daily
grind to enjoy meditation and relaxation. Schedule a Reiki session or come to
our Stretch and Meditation class to help ease tension and release tight
muscles. Want to know another great way to relieve stress? You guessed it: Exercise.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Here's a simple, delicious dinner that your whole
family will love. Simply throw the chicken ingredients into the slow cooker in
the morning, and come home to a healthy, flavorful meal. Servings: 8
Here's what you need...
•
2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
•
3 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
•
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
•
1 (4oz) can green chiles, chopped (I use mild!)
•
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
•
1 (16oz) jar green salsa
•
4 cloves garlic, minced
•
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
•
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
•
1 Tablespoon chili powder
•
1 Tablespoon fajita seasoning
•
2 teaspoon sea salt
•
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•
Large lettuce leaves
•
Avocado, sliced
1
Combine all of the ingredients, except the
lettuce leaves and avocado, in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5
hours.
2
Remove the chicken thighs, shred with a fork, and
mix back in. Serve, using a slotted spoon, on the lettuce leaves. Garnish with
sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of fajita seasoning. Enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis: One
serving equals: 202 calories, 6g fat, 589mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 5g fiber,
and 20g protein.
Call today for a consultation and fitness assessment
Phone: (219) 548-3480
Website: pumpsfitnessinc.com
No comments:
Post a Comment