Hi Ladies!
I hope that your 2012 has been lovely so far. I also hope that your 2012 resolutions, whatever they may be, are proving to be a success. If not, or if you’re feeling discouraged, check out my last blog post Taking 2012 resolutions “down a notch”. And THEN give yourself a hug and a pat on the back for a) setting a goal or resolution and b) being willing to stick with it and adjust it so that it’s more realistic! Yay you!
Today, I’m going to be talking about a common New Years resolution (weight loss) and, more specifically, why many people fail to achieve and maintain it. I see this time and time again with new clients (new Moms included). They want more than anything to lose a few pounds (or more) but can’t seem to figure out why their weight stays the same or continues to increase.
As I take my first glance at my client’s 3 day food diary, I know immediately why they have been struggling (or at least one of the BIG reasons why). It’s clear as day to me, but often the least obvious (and most confusing) to them. They are trying their darndest to cut back and eat less, but in fact, they are eating like a Sumo Wrestler. Oops!
Sumo wrestlers wake at 5am and have their first meal at about 11am. And needless to say, they chow down big time. They then wait until 6pm to have their next and last meal (again chowing down of course). Most Sumo Wrestlers consume about 8000 calories per day. That’s 4000 per meal. Sumo Wrestlers are doing this on purpose. They WANT to store as much fat as possible. By leaving huge gaps in between meals, they successfully store whatever calories they do get.
I’m going to take a wild guess and say that this is NOT what you want to do.
For some reason, women often skimp on food during the day to be “good”, only to over-eat later. Whats more, is their metabolisms slow down resulting in fewer calories burned during the day, not to mention that most calories consumed are stored- likely as fat. They are in “Sumo Mode”.
Here’s how to eat opposite to a Sumo Wrestler:
Eat a balanced breakfast (and don’t skimp!) within 30-60 minutes of waking up. This is ALWAYS the first and most important suggestion that I give clients. This will kick your metabolism into high gear and prevent overeating later. Skipping breakie or waiting 2,3 or 4 hours after you wake up to eat, will kick you into…Sumo Mode.
Eat every 3 hours (4 hours at most). Give your body permission to burn calories readily all day and not dip into storage or “Sumo” mode. By eating balanced meals and snacks at appropriate intervals throughout the day, your body will learn to burn and not store.
If you have been eating like a Sumo Wrestler for a while, it may take you a few weeks to “retrain” your metabolism so that it can burn calories at a faster rate again. Be patient. If you start to feel hungry when you wake up, that’s a sure sign that your metabolism has revved up. Keep at it. This should be a lifestyle change, not a diet. It is also a sure way to lose weight at a healthy and steady pace and keep it off.
Sarah xo
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