Tips for trimming the fat

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/08/2013 (4455 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

• The Childhood Obesity Foundation stresses the 5-2-1-0 Rule: five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day (high fibre and water content, low calories, intrinsically healthy chemicals), no more than two hours of screen time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sodas. Said Dr. Tom Warshawski: “Humans were never meant to drink liquid sugar. We’re not hummingbirds.” Meanwhile, Warshawski calls exercise paramount. “If this was a drug, it would be the world’s bestselling drug,” he said. “It improves every aspect of human functioning.”

•  Exercise physiologist Dean Kriellaars has a saying: “Work out like a dog, eat like a pig.” Don’t focus on denying calories, burn them instead. His best advice? Find your “Miss Vickie” and part ways. That’s the brand of popular potato chips Kriellaars craves. “She’s a lovely woman,” he noted. “She never says no to me. She smells great. But I had to kick her out. I broke up with her. Everybody’s got a Miss Vickie.” One of Kriellaars’ clients lost 88 pounds after he identified her Miss Vickie — four skinny lattes (about 1,200 calories) per day.

And to those who say “life is too short” to exercise or lay off the fats, Kriellaars shrugs and replies: “Well, yeah. Life is too short. You’re going to have a shorter life. And you’re going to have a lower quality life, too. Almost no doubt about that.”

• Personal trainer Jordan Cieciwa’s advice? Have fun. “If you make fitness a game and work it into life, it’s not a stress or chore but the start of a healthy lifestyle. Start small and look at health as a lifelong journey. Don’t change everything at once. Include friends. Share recipes. You’ll get your life on track faster with support rather than on your own. Don’t get caught in fads. No quick fixes.”

• Personal trainer Blake Wood suggests seeking help from qualified professionals. “Surround yourself with family, friends and individuals who can hold you accountable and be a source of support. Stop thinking of food as the enemy. See it as a source of nutrients that can power you through any workout. Learn which foods help energy levels and which one hinder them.”

 

— Randy Turner