Back again! #1-5
Readers – I realize so many of you have continued to check on this blog despite the fact that it hasn’t been updated in about a year. I apologize, but I am back again and will begin posting new information. The next several posts will be from an article entitled “50 no-sweat ways to burn calories,” written by Brooke Le Poer Trench, which first appeared in allure magazine and then on msnbc. The original article will be posted here with 5 tips at a time. Additionally, I will post notes and more information about each of the ideas. While this article was originally written for women, most of these can also be applied to men. Not all, but most.
Women with great bodies have a dirty little secret. Sure, they work out and eat well — but they also sneakily burn hundreds more calories than everyone else. From the outside, they don’t seem to be doing anything particularly strenuous. “You wouldn’t believe how many straightforward ways there are to burn calories,” says Lauren Slayton, director of foodtrainers.net. “But it’s easy to miss the opportunities if you’re not looking for them.”
Research has shown that swapping sedentary habits, such as watching television, for pretty much anything that doesn’t involve sitting down can make a world of difference. “Most people don’t realize that a little extra effort can yield great results,” says Steven Wheelock, a trainer at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts.
The experts we consulted explain how to take every opportunity to flex your muscles, boost your heart rate, and eat foods that yield maximum fullness for minimal calories. Just don’t tell anyone.
1. Take vitamin D
Women who were deficient in it lost weight more slowly in a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. Stephen Gullo, a weight-loss expert in New York City and author of “The Thin Commandments” (Rodale), recommends 2,000 milligrams daily.
Vitamin D can be obtained from food, exposure to sunlight, and supplements. 600 IU is the daily recommended amount for all individuals between 1-70 years of age. Individuals over 70 years of age should try to get 800 IU per day. The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements has a wonderful chart about the various foods that contain Vitamin D and how much is contained in each, and its percentage of the daily value. Sunlight is also a good method of getting Vitamin D and research shows that just 10 minutes per day can be beneficial – this needs to be sunlight that is obtained outdoors though as the rays needed for Vitamin D cannot travel through glass.
2. Drink coffee
Studies have found that caffeine increases the rate at which you burn calories, according to Susan B. Roberts, author of “The ‘I’ Diet” (Workman) and a professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University in Boston.
While caffeine can have positive effects, it is important to only use it in moderation about 200-300mg per day. This is an excellent article from the Mayo Clinic about caffeine.
3. Sleep more
Getting fewer than four hours of sleep over an extended period of time slows the metabolism. Experts recommend aiming for between seven and nine.
Wash your dishes, vacuum, or cook dinner. “We consider it a luxury to have tasks done for us, but doing some of these for yourself takes considerable energy,” says Slayton.
5. Wear a basic pedometer
“Every week, aim to take a few more steps than you did the last week,” says Wheelock.
While any amount of physical activity is better than none, you can use a pedometer to help set goals for yourself. Research conducted by Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center suggests the following breakdown: Sedentary Lifestyle = under 5,000 steps per day; Low-active Lifestyle = 5,000-7,499 steps per day; Somewhat-active = 7,500-9,999 steps per day; Active = 10,000 or more steps per day; and Highly-active = 12,500 or more steps per day.
