Why fast food makes you get fat

Children have not yet developed any of the learned dietary restraint that needs to be exerted by anyone wishing to remain slim in the modern environment.

Fast food companies could play a major part in halting the rise in obesity if they adopted a more positive attitude to healthy eating such as providing meals of lower energy density, appropriately marketed and with point-of-sale nutrition labelling.

Fast food 'as addictive as heroin'

Hamburgers and French fries could be as addictive as heroin, scientists have claimed.

Researchers in the United States have found evidence to suggest people can become overly dependent on the sugar and fat in fast food.

11. Look through these articles and make a list of arguments for and against being a vegetarian. What do you think of the problem?

Being veggie is ‘in’

More and more people nowadays become vege­tarians.

A diet free from meat, researches say, has all the vitamins, minerals and protein you need.

And you could live longer as a veggie!

A vegetarian diet is not only healthier, but it is also kinder.

Animals grown for meat production are now kept in special factory farms. Pigs, calves and chickens are locked in boxes and cannot even turn around! Calves are kept thirsty — the lack of liquid keeps the meat white!

If you really care about animals — and most of us do — stop eating them!

TO BE OR NOT TO BE… A VEGGIE

Leonardo Da Vinci was a veggie, Leo Tolstoy was a veggie, Albert Einstein was a veggie, Mahatma Gandhi was a veggie, George Bernard Shaw was a veggie. Sir Paul McCartney is a veggie…

FOR

• Some people still believe that you can’t live without meat. But modern scientific research shows that all the nutrients we need for a healthy life can be found in plants. / Peter, 15
• My family and I are vegetarians – we don’t eat meat. We eat lots of vegetables, fruit and nuts. Sometimes we eat a few eggs or a little cheese but we never eat any meat. I think that being a veggie is good for health./Ann, 13
• The thought of eating a dead animal actually makes me sick./ Kate, 16
• I don’t think it’s necessary to kill to eat. It’s cruel to let animals suffer so much./Mary, 16
• Why is killing an animal different from killing a human? /Simon, 18
• If you went to the slaughterhouse to see how animals are killed, you wouldn’t eat meat. /Christopher, 21
• Animals don’t wish to be killed and would like to enjoy life to the full, just as any human would. Killing animals is a crime. /Natasha, 13

AGAINST

• I’ll never become a vegetarian. I love fast food so I eat lots of hot dogs and hamburgers. /John, 12
• Vegetarianism is silly. You can’t live for ever on cucumbers and apples, can you?/ Andrew, 18
• Organic foods are full of pesticides. What’s the use of becoming a veggie? /Paul, 16
• I don’t really care if I eat meat or not, but my parents say I must. Maybe when I’m older./Lena, 13
• Our grandparents and great grandparents and great great grandparents ate meat and were happy. So why should I become a veggie?/Ivan, 14
• It’s stupid to say everybody must be a vegetarian. In some places, it’s very difficult to get enough to eat. People have to eat what they can get./Olga, 17
• You never see a tiger or a lion feeling sorry for its victim, do you? /Stephen, 16
• People should eat both meat and plants. This is how it has always been, and will be in the future for all living things. /Michael, 19

12. Do you agree with the advice given in this article? What would you advise if someone wants to lose weight?

How not to be overweight

Take action

• Have something to aim for. Set yourself a goal that's healthy and achievable. If you've got a lot to lose, break it down into chunks, so that it doesn't feel so daunting.
• Forget fad diets. They don't work - they just make you lose weight quickly because you're eating too little. Most people who follow these diets regain all their lost weight and then some more! The only 'diets' that work teach you healthy habits that you can maintain forever.
• Learn about food. The more knowledge you have, the better choices you'll be able to make when you're shopping, in the canteen or going for a meal.
• Shake your booty. Did you realise that you can reach your healthy weight at a faster pace by being active? Walk instead of driving. Use the stairs, not the lift. Blast the radio and dance like a nutter. And once you've started - keep at it.

Be patient. No matter how much you want it, you won't be at your goal weight by next week. Doctors recommend a weight loss of one to two pounds a week.

13. Discuss the following mini-test:

Are you ready to lose weight?

Answer true or false:-

• I have thought carefully about why I want to lose weight
• I want to lose weight for myself, not for other people
• I am prepared to put time and effort into changing my food and activity each week
• I appreciate that I need to make attitude and lifestyle changes for long term success

For every 'false', have a rethink. It is a sign that you may not be ready to lose weight in a way that will lead to long term success.

Do you have the right attitude?

When you have clear non-appearance related reasons for losing weight, you are saying that you are worth making changes for and the benefits are more than skin deep. Start with a very positive attitude - making changes to your diet and activity levels are good, even enjoyable things to do.

14. Read and sum up the following articles. What are the ideas you agree or disagree with?

A.

Losing weight healthily

Losing weight healthily is not all deprivation and hard work as is so often the case with strict 'diets'. Focus on the positive outcomes, not how overweight you are now. Define yourself as someone who can make changes, not someone who always fails.

Better Body: Food

Don't waste time and energy moaning about your body - do something positive! Follow our Better Body plan and spend the rest of your life feeling happy, healthy and confident.

Eat Well

If you want to glow with good health, you need to eat a balanced diet:

• Eat five portions of fruit and veg every day. They're packed with vitamins and minerals and low in calories.
• Make starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, noodles and potatoes the basis of every meal you eat. They're high in fibre and they're your body's main source of energy.
• Be aware of how much fatty foods and sugary foods you eat. They're high in calories and sugary foods have been linked with tooth decay.
• Eat a variety of different foods. There's no single superfood that contains every nutrient you need. Eating a varied diet ensures that you get everything you need to stay healthy.
• Don't feel guilty about eating chocolate. Okay, so it's high in fat and you shouldn't eat it all day, every day, but it does taste great and it's got some pretty cool ingredients. For a start, it triggers your brain to release happy, smiley endorphins. Plus it contains tryptophan, which gives you a feeling of inner calm and, finally, it's packed with phenylethylamine - otherwise known as the 'love chemical'. Worth a once-in-a-while treat, surely?

B.

Weight loss

There are so many diets being promoted that you may be feeling confused about whether to opt for the sex, cigarette and black-coffee regime (which sounds nutritionally diabolical, if fun), the banana diet, or the latest dietary fad.

The first thing to do is to decide on one plan and then to stick with it for a few weeks before dismissing it as useless. Everyone's body is unique, so that what works for one person may not for someone else. Try to lose a kilo a week, but be warned that you'll probably lose a little more at first before hitting a plateau, after which the weight should start dropping off again.

Don't make the mistake of believing that if you starve yourself during the day you'll be bound to shed the kilos because you won't (but you will feel ratty and so hungry that you'll eat yourself out of house and home when you do allow yourself some food). Instead, have three small, healthy meals a day, and you'll succeed in the long run.

Good weight-loss strategies include drinking at least 2.5 litres of water or herbal tea a day and boosting your intake of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins (fish, chicken, eggs, lean, red meat, pulses, tofu and other vegetable proteins). Reducing your consumption of starchy foods, such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and cereals, and fatty foods, notably butter, cream, cheese, fatty meats, pâtés, pies, biscuits, cakes and chocolate, is a good idea, too. I also believe that the most effective way of losing weight (and keeping it off) is to steer clear of low-fat, reduced-sugar, slim-line products. They don't taste that great and you won't feel satisfied after you've virtuously eaten them, making you far more likely to go on the scavenge a few hours later. But you'll feel both full and satiated if you have a little full-fat cheese with a high-fibre food like an oat biscuit, a crisp apple, a stick of celery or some dried apricots. The same applies to salads: believe me, a light drizzle of olive oil will liven up a salad or grilled vegetables no end, without compromising your weight-loss goal.

Talking of vegetables, I often hear stories about the allegedly miraculous, fat-melting properties of particular vegetables or fruits (grapefruits, for example) through their supposed ability to raise your metabolic rate. Yet there's only one way of raising your metabolic rate safely: exercising. And as for thyroxine or amphetamine-type drugs, which, admittedly, do raise your metabolic rate, not only do they pose a significant risk to your health (unless you have an underactive thyroid gland and your doctor's prescribed thyroxine), but the moment you stop taking them the weight will pile back on. All in all, the secret of staying slim and healthy is to eat well and exercise.

My other tips are to have small, delicious meals and to savour them slowly so that your brain can keep tabs on how much you've eaten and tell you when you've had enough. Focusing on the taste and texture of your food and taking the time to sit down and really appreciate what you're eating, rather than grabbing a snack as you fly past the fridge, will further increase the satisfaction that you derive from food, encouraging you to continue down the weight-loss path. You may find that it helps to keep a diary of everything that you eat and drink, as well as why you're eating it (are you really hungry or just bored?). This will tell you whether you're still on the right nutritional track or whether you're using food to relieve your boredom or frustration, in which case maybe you should consider the sex-seven-times-a-day diet, as long as you forget about the black coffee and cigarettes!

C.

Simple choices can boost nutrition in 2004

From Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN
January 2, 2004

Instead of making a New Year's resolution for a diet overhaul, how about making some simple eating choices that improve health in the long run?

Here are some picks that can be easily worked into diets. Most people probably haven't even thought about these foods as being super healthy.

Whole wheat products

Many try to cut down on the intake of carbohydrates, staying away from pasta and refined sugars. But the next time you're at the supermarket, eliminate pasta from that guilty-pleasure list by choosing whole wheat pasta, which is high in fiber.

Choosing whole wheat pasta contributes to a lowered risk of heart disease, reduced complications linked to diabetes, a lower likelihood of having cancer and better gastrointestinal health because of more fiber.

For snacking, pick out a whole wheat pretzel or whole wheat tortillas instead of white. Other good choices? Having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or trying whole grain crackers such as Triscuits instead of regular saltier, buttery choices.

Salmon and beans

Another favorite food of 2004 has to be salmon. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart attacks and help lower blood cholesterol. Its vitamin A and carotenoids may also prevent cancer. And there's much less saturated fat in salmon than in equal amounts of just about any meat or poultry protein source.

Beans and other legumes such as lentils and peas are inexpensive to buy, but they are rich in protein, iron and folic acid and fiber. Unlike other vegetables, they can step in for meat, poultry, eggs or other protein foods, cutting down on the risk for heart disease and cancers that some of those meats might have.

Another winning choice is a cup of chili, containing only about two grams of saturated fat. Choosing bean dip or hummus over cheese or cream-based dips can also be a healthy alternative. Or how about throwing some garbanzo beans into a salad?

Sweet potatoes

The sweet potato has been ranked continuously as the most nutritious vegetable source around. They're loaded with four times the recommended daily allowance of beta carotene, which is critical for healthy vision, bone growth, tooth development and good skin and hair.

And for Atkins dieters who are cutting down on sugars and carbs, sweet potatoes are on the safe list as a great substitute for other starches such as rice, potatoes and corn.

So instead of vaguely resolving to eat healthy, take some simple, but specific steps such as learning to recognize good fat over bad fat and good carbs over bad carbs. Pay attention to the calories but also know which foods stand out for their high nutritional content.

15. Read the article and answer the question: How can a good diet leave you with more energy and vitality?

Dieting is a struggle, it involves us trying to beat our biological desires, but it can lead to yo-yo dieting.

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help you feel better and live longer.
Feed your brain
If you're about to take exams, now's the time to think about whether you're eating the right foods to help your brain function properly. Yes - it's true - what you eat can make a difference to your performance in an exam. The right foods can help your levels of concentration, ensure you sleep more soundly and lower your anxiety levels. So get eating!

So, what sorts of food will help?
All foods. The brain is powered by energy and this comes from food when it's broken down. The main source of energy for the brain is glucose which comes from carbohydrate-rich foods like cereals, breads and pasta. The brain's energy stores are also very small, so in order to keep it functioning at its best, it needs constant glucose replacement. That's why it's important not to diet during revision and to try and eat healthily.

Snack attack
Avoid sugar, chocolates, sweets, biscuits and other foods that are high in sugar. You might think they'll give you an energy boost, but it's short-lived and can leave you feeling more tired than before.
Limit crisps - although they don't contain sugar, their fat content can make them hard for a nervous stomach to digest.
When you feel as though you need a snack, make sure you leave the room and take a proper break to rest and feed your brain. Try:

• fresh or dried fruits	• unsalted nuts
• a sandwich	• yoghurt
• a bowl of soup	• a fresh-fruit smoothie
• a piece of cheese

Drinks to help
Keep yourself hydrated. Studies have shown that kids who drink plenty of water have an easier time concentrating, taking in information and doing mental arithmetic, also suffering from fewer headaches. Keep a glass and jug of tap or bottled water on your desk while studying, and if you can't stand ordinary water, the second-best option is flavour it with a little pure-fruit squash.
• Sugary drinks are better avoided as they can cause your energy levels to drop soon after drinking them.
• Try and drink plenty of water on the morning of an exam, but allow enough time for it to work its way through your system before going in to your exam, so you don't need the loo all the way through!
• Don't get in the habit of relying on caffeine (in tea, coffee and cola) to keep you awake while cramming late into the night, you're more likely to feel tired and panicky the following day.

Stressbusters
Make sure you take time out for meals, don't try to work when you're eating dinner or snacking - you'll feel much fresher when you go back to revising.
Don't resort to caffeine tablets - they can increase your anxiety levels and stop you from sleeping.
Remember that exercise and socialising in moderation are good stress relievers.

Good luck!

Read this article. Make up dialogues based on its ideas.

DIETING? ARE YOU MAD?

Ten sound reasons to give dieting a wide berth.

1. A little bit of what you fancy does you good… Why deny yourself that slice of strawberry cheesecake? You know it’ll make you feel good, and when you feel good you smile more easily – so you automatically look better. Besides, all that “Oh-no-I-can’t-have-another-slice-of-cake” stuff is sooo boring!
2. Good food makes you look great… so eat what you need. For example, fruit is the key to great-looking skin. Fruits contain acids that help to replenish dead skin cells. This is especially true of yellow fruits such as mangoes and lemons, which contain anti-ageing nutrients. To keep your hair in shiny tip-top condition, eat bananas, avocados and grapes. These are rich in hair-friendly vitamins A and B and minerals calcium, iron and zinc.
3. Dieting makes you unhappy… Research by the University of Wisconsin into the daily habits of 80 female students found that those who were always on diets were most likely to have iron deficiency and anaemia; and what’s more, they had a terrible self-image. So the less you’re preoccupied about your body, the more you’ll love it! And let’s face it, the tired and miserable look has never caught on.
4. Dieting makes you dumb… Women on diets perform worse in memory and reaction-time tests than women who aren’t watching their every bite. Psychologists reckon that dieters are so preoccupied with counting their calories they’re unable to work out anything else!
5. Dieting gives you the hump… Unless you want to be a real monster in the morning, skipping breakfast is a real no-no! Breakfast foods such as cereal and bread contain complex carbohydrates that help to boost serotonin, the brain chemical responsible for regulating sleep and mood. So if you eat properly, you’ll be more pleasant as well as pretty from a good night’s sleep.
6. Diets don’t work… Crash dieting – a real favourite with many young women – is a waste of time. It may result in sudden weight loss, but it will just as suddenly result in weight gain. Once you return to your old eating habits, your weight will shoot back up, so you’ll feel a real failure. You’re likely to put on more weight than before, too, as crash diets lower the body’s metabolic rate (the rate it burns energy), as the body tries to stop itself from starving!
7. … If you thought all the glamour pusses de jour deprive themselves of food, get real! Madonna’s personal trainer constantly feeds her energy bars to keep up her strength and motivation in the gym. And curvy actresses like super-hip Drew Barrymore prove that natural curves are preferable to the skeletal look.
8. Size 14 model Sophie Dahl… She steals some of the best jobs from her skinny pals: Need we say more?
9. It’s cool not to diet… Take inspiration from writer Mary Evans Young, who founded International No Diet Day to fight weight obsession. Women in America slipped bookmarks into diet books in stores and libraries that read. “Life is a banquet – why starve yourself?”
10. …so be proud of your body shape. Imagine how boring the world would be if it were full of stick-thin clones. And by the way, who are you losing the weight for? A boy? Well he should love you whatever your shape. So get over it, girl!

17. It’s interesting to know…

What is a Snack?

If you asked the average person to define the word 'snack,' they'd probably say it meant a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar. Certainly, since their invention in the 19th century, crisps have grown to be the world's favourite savoury snack. Meanwhile, as a nation, we spend millions of pounds on chocolate every year.

Though snacking is often associated with eating fatty and sugary foods, a snack is basically something light to eat, instead of or in between breakfast, lunch or dinner. What's your favourite snack?

Nuts, tortilla chips, pretzels, crisps, popcorn
Sweets, chocolate bars, biscuits
Pizza slice, crisp bread and cheese, just-add-water noodles, toast
Yogurt, ice cream, milkshake
Celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, dried fruit, fresh fruit...

Sensible Snacking

If eating between meals keeps you going during the day, but you're worried about the effect on your health, read on:

• Snacking between meals will only make you gain weight if you're already getting the right amount of calories from your main meals. If this happens, eat a little less at breakfast, lunch or dinner, or do some extra activity to balance things out.
• Keep fatty and sugary snacks to a minimum - make them a once-a-week treat.
• Snacks can be a wonderful source of nutrients. For example, foods like yogurt, fromage frais, cheese slices and enriched cereal bars are good extra sources of calcium - important for bone health.
• Liquid snacks, such as fruit and vegetable juices or low fat milk shakes, are full of goodness too. Plus hot chocolate has beneficial nutrients, such as iron.
• Some people choose to have 6 or 7 snacks a day, rather than main meals. A few studies have shown that this is a great way of beating hunger and keeping your body's energy levels on an even keel.
• Vary the snacks you eat as much as you can to ensure that you get a good variety of nutrients. However, don't snack for the sake of it. If you're not hungry, there's no point.

Indulgent treat

Next weekend, do as the French do - make lunch a relaxed, leisurely affair.

Aperitif: A small glass of Kir (white wine with blackcurrant) or Vermouth is thought to kick your tastebuds into action.

Entrée: Usually a small dish and often charcuterie (meats), such as pate, ham or sausage, or a simple bowl of soup.

Plat: A meat or fish dish served with sauce and usually potatoes or french fries. Often served with salade verte (green salad) and occasionally cheese.

Dessert: Fruit tarts or mousses are popular, but fruit on its own is also common.

Coffee and Digestif: A little bit of alcohol is thought to help everything go down - cognac is a favourite.

Eating Out Guide

1. Don't go hungry all day because you're having a big meal in the evening. Eat a light breakfast and lunch, and snack on fruit throughout the day - or you might end up eating your meal so quickly, you don't enjoy it.

2. If you're trying to lose weight, you can cut down on calories by either opting for just two courses when you dine out or choosing two light starters, instead of a starter and a main course.

3. Pay attention to how food is cooked. Fried, roasted and sauteed food is cooked in oil and probably higher in fat than food that is steamed, stir-fried or baked.

4. Very often sauces and dressings are high in fat or oil. If you're trying to cut down on the fatty foods in your diet, ask your waiter to serve the sauce on the side rather than over the food.

5. Simple, plain foods are often the healthiest - you know where you stand with steamed vegetables, boiled rice and grilled chicken! However, in restaurants, fancy food names can disguise simple, healthy dishes (or complicated, fatty ones). Ask your waiting staff for more information before ordering. They should be able to tell you how a dish is cooked and its ingredients as part of the service.

6. Some restaurants serve mountains of food. Remember, just because it's on your plate, you don't have to eat it.

7. It takes roughly 20 minutes for your brain to register that your belly is full, so leave a little time before ordering your dessert course - you might not be able to fit it in.

8. Dessert doesn't have to mean double chocolate fudge sundae! Sorbet, some yogurts, and fresh fruit salad are all great low fat choices that should satisfy a sweet tooth.

18. Successful weight loss goes hand in hand with regular exercise. Do you think that taking regular exercise is the way to stay healthy? How active are you? Sum up these articles. Comment on the ideas.

A.

Better Body: Exercise

Work Up A Sweat.

There's no getting away from the fact that taking regular exercise is the way to stay healthy. It reduces your risk of getting illness or disease, it can help you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, and it does loads for your energy and confidence levels. Plus it can be a great laugh, especially if you're with your mates. If you're not doing any, now's the time to get started

• Experts recommend that you get active at least five days a week for 30 minutes each time. If you haven't exercised for a while, start off gently and build up. Don't feel you have to do something extreme - it's better to do something than nothing at all.
• If life's too hectic to consider an exercise routine, making small changes can make a difference, too. Try getting off the bus a couple of stops earlier, walk instead of driving and climb the stairs instead of taking the lift.
• Make sure you're wearing the right trainers. They should fit comfortably, support your arch and ankles, and suit the sport you'll be doing. A good sports shop will be able to advise you.
• Always warm up before you work out - it heats up your muscles and prepares your heart, lungs and mind for what's about to happen, which means you stand less chance of injuries.
• Once you've warmed up, stretch your muscles out. This increases your flexibility and gives you a wider range of movement.
• A good cool down is essential and it's the opposite of a warm up. Start with large movements and ease down gradually. Sudden stopping can leads to aches and strains.
• Throwing different kinds of exercise into the mix means your body gets an overall workout. Experiment with cardiovascular fitness, such as football and running, which work your heart and lungs; weight-bearing exercise, which strengthens your muscles and bones; and stretch and tone exercises, such as yoga and swimming, which give your muscles flexibility.

How active are you?

B.

Your Weight - Being Active

Successful weight loss goes hand in hand with regular exercise. Being active doesn't have to mean a daily trip to the gym or running a marathon - everyday activities like gardening, walking to the shops and even having sex all count as a form of exercise.

How many minutes' activity do you do each day? Think back to what you did yesterday. It doesn't have to be sport. You can count a brisk walk to the shops, heavy gardening, vigorous housework, dancing... anything that made you breathe more heavily than usual.

Remember - anything is better than nothing!

Some ideas

Here are some ideas that could work for you.

• When you walk, walk faster.
• If you're very inactive, start with a 5 minute walk each day, increasing by 5 more minutes each week.
• Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator.
• If you use the escalator, walk up instead of standing still.
• For short journeys, walk or cycle instead of going by bus or car.
• Get off the bus or train one stop early and walk the rest of the way.
• Take the dog for a walk. Or offer to take someone else's dog out!

You don't have to be an athlete to take part in sports. Your local leisure centre will have details of how to book courts or fitness sessions.

The key is to stick to it, so exercise in your daily routine becomes as second nature as having a cup of tea or brushing your teeth.

Stay Active
Being more active in daily life helps to lift mood and self-esteem, regulate (not increase) appetite, maintain muscle, and make long-term success more likely. Quick-fix diets are usually short-term with a rigid set of rules. While you may lose weight, the diets are too rigid to sustain for long. They're also likely to be nutritionally inadequate and could lead to problems such as iron-deficiency or poor bone health. They also don't help you to address your real obstacles to losing weight and keeping it off. And, as I have found with so many people, they can make you lose confidence in your ability to slim successfully.

Be realistic

Be realistic about how quickly, and how much you can lose. Expecting more than is really feasible simply sets you up for failure. Developing skills to achieve the lifestyle changes needed to reach your realistic goals is the safe and sensible approach.

C.

Fitness Do's and Fitness Don'ts.

Fitness Do's
Get psyched. "Imagine yourself without those extra pounds — and with a tighter tummy and more muscle tone in all the places you want it most," says Austin. Post positive reminders (phrases such as "You can do it!" or "You deserve to feel good!") on your refrigerator, your calendar and your desk at work. Remember that every minute you exercise brings you that much closer to your goal.

Get the go-ahead from your doc. If you're starting a new workout regimen, check with your doctor to see if you need to take any precautions, especially if you're trying to take off post-baby pounds. Women who have had vaginal deliveries should wait two to four weeks before exercising; those who've had a C-section need to wait six weeks before building up to full-fledged physical activity — anything other than walking, Austin explains.

Make a workout date — and keep it. Exercising at the same time each day makes it easier to get into a routine. If you can manage it, plan to work up a sweat first thing in the morning. Says Austin, "The sooner we all get it over with, the less chance there is that we'll find an excuse not to do it!"

Start gradually. Listen to your body and build on your regimen slowly. If you start off at too tough a level, you risk injury — the most common reason why novices stop exercising. "Beginners should start with 20 minutes of activity three times a week, and build up to 30 minutes by the third week," according to Austin.

Tailor your workout to your tastes. Do exercise you want to do (as opposed to what you think you should do) and you'll be likelier to stick with it, rain or shine. Shaking up your routine once in a while will also make it less likely that you'll fall off the workout wagon. Take advantage of your local video store's selection of workout tapes or, even easier, tune in to Denise Austin's programs, "Fit & Lite" and "Daily Workout," each weekday morning on Lifetime between 7 and 8 am et/pt.

Warm up. Before you exercise, you need to warm up your muscles so that you don't shock your system and end up pulling something. Walk or march in place for two to three minutes before you get down to business, then cool off the same way for three to five minutes.

Fitness Don'ts
Don't do the same thing, day in and day out. Repetition gets boring fast. So shake up your routine by varying your activities, which is known as cross-training. You'll not only prevent burnout; you'll get the added benefit of working different muscle groups for a toned-all-over look. Austin likes to vary her four weekly aerobic workouts with a half-hour walk with her pals. "It's a perfect way to spend time with my friends and burn fat!" On weekends, she plays tennis with her husband, cycles or pushes her kids in a stroller to get a good aerobic walk.

Don't forget to pump. Worried that lifting weights will add bulk to your frame? In fact, pumping iron regularly has the opposite effect. "When you add muscle through weight training, your body burns calories at a faster rate," explains Austin. For best results, aim to weight-train twice a week, starting with light weights and a low number of repetitions; then gradually increase them as you get stronger.

Don't expect exercise to do it all. Exercise may help you burn calories, but if you eat a ton of greasy, fatty foods, you're just working against yourself. If you really want to lose weight, you need to move your body and eat healthfully. That means increasing your intake of vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates and decreasing your consumption of red meat, fat, junk food and sugar.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-28