Your Best Body Ever

(This one is a bit long but trust me there is some juicy info and links in there!)

I had a sudden wakeup call recently when I looked down at my belly and noticed that, well, it was bigger than usual. Turns out that by the time you reach the age of 30, your metabolism begins to slow down. They call it the Dirty 30. I did not know this as no one had sent me a memo. In fact if I cupped my hands around my little gut I could protrude something that resembles a bagel and in my case, because I’m darker skinned, a pumpernickel bagel. My friends got a good laugh every time I would show them my new found discovery.

But for me, it was indeed a wakeup call, because for the most part of my life I’ve been eating whatever I liked. Being a skinny guy, my metabolism was fast enough for me to never gain any weight. Well things have definitely changed. And by no means am I saying I’m overweight. I’m still pretty much that slim good looking, handsome, sexy guy that everyone knows me as, but when I went to see my chiropractor the other day, I jumped on the scale and saw that I was 10lbs more than I’ve ever been. Not to mention, I have always had rather poor eating habits. Living the bachelor life style contributed to this. Me being lazy and not planning also contributed to this. I mean my fridge was pretty much empty except for every possible condiment you can think of. I also have to admit that I am the type of person who goes through phases, but aren’t we all, so my journey into eating better and excising more could be just another phase, but if it’s for the better then why not.

So over the last little while I began to research food and exercise for the first time in a while. And I have to admit that the amount of information out there is overwhelming. I also have to say that anyone who is battling their weight, well all the more power to you, because in my opinion it is probably one of the hardest things to do.

So by no means am I an expert in this field, and to be honest I’m still learning and experimenting. In fact I haven’t even lost any weight yet, but here are a couple of things that I’m doing, with explanations behind them, that you might find helpful yourself. It’s essentially a list of all the information I’ve compiled over my phase. And I’m not a doctor, so if you do any of this stuff use your discretion.

Start with the stats –
I figured I need to know what my daily consumption levels are to see if I’m consuming way too many calories. To be honest I didn’t even know much about calories, fat, protein, etc. until I started paying attention to labels. So read the labels! When you go to restaurants, check the nutritional information. And then start tracking. I use an amazing tool called The Daily Plate. It’s a free tool that is backed by Lance Armstrong, and it is essentially a database of every single food you can think of. It tracks all the nutritional information and is easy to use. And it’s FREE. There is even an iPhone app ($2.99) that makes my life even easier. This tool is amazing!

Get a fitness assessment –
You need to know if you really are overweight. Depending on your size and frame, your scale weight might be just fine. Your fat percentage on the other hand is a real stat that you need to know. This might mean you have to schedule an appointment with a trainer or dietician or get a special scale. Luckily for me, my friend is a trainer and I visited him to find out my critical health stats. Turns out I’m around 21.8% body fat which is moderate for my height and age, but I could be 14-18% which is optimal. I also learned an important number called my body age. Body age represents how old your body is with respect to your health. So if your body age is a lot higher than your chronological age, then it means you need to seriously work on your health.

Change your eating habits –
For me, it doesn’t make sense to go on a diet. I need to ensure I’m getting the proper amount of calories for healthy living. So instead of a diet, what I am doing is changing my eating habits. What are some things I’m doing?
· Eating breakfast: I always wondered why everyone says this is so important until I finally heard an editor from Men’s Health state that by missing breakfast your metabolism decreases (slows down) by 10% for the day! I’m eating my breakfast now.
· Increasing proteins, decreasing fats, and choosing good carbs: I eat more leaner meats including turkey, tuna, chicken and some beef. I cut out bad carbs like white rice, white bread, pastries, deserts, croissants, etc. and include more good carbs, like whole grain breads, vegetables and fruit. I do not eliminate carbs all together. And I pay attention to fats in food. I try to avoid food with high fat (sounds obvious enough). But I don't eliminate fat either.
· Eating more often: This one sounds contradictory to losing weight but I eat more frequently now during the day. And I find I’m actually feeling full more often. Putting healthy snacks in between your meals help. Like having a yogurt and an apple. Having a lighter lunch also feels good too because you don’t feel tired/lethargic after it. 5-6 smaller meals is ideal.
· Kill the pop: this one is the toughest but by eliminating pop from your diet, and I mean all pop, you can lose about a pound a month! Or according to an American Journal study, 15 pounds in a year! Drinking juice that is high in sugar doesn’t help either. Your best bet is quality H2O or water;) 8 glasses if you didn’t already know.
· Eating out properly – look if eating out is my vice then I better try my best to choose menu items that aren’t as lethal. Men’s health has an excellent read on the 14 Best Fast Food Meals under 500 calories
· Add some power foods to your diet. Men’s Health uses the acronym ABS DIET POWER that stands for including the following in your diet: almonds (and other nuts), Beans (and other legumes), Spinach (and other green vegetables), Dairy, Instant Oatmeal, Eggs, Turkey (and lean meats), Peanut Butter, Olive Oil, Whole grain breads/cereal, Extra Protein powder, Berries. Add those to your diet and your body will thank you for it.
· Have a Big Mac once in a while. Maybe I’m kidding myself, but if I don’t have a Big Mac every now and then I’d probably end it all. My point is, cheat once in a while, don’t go overboard and don’t cheat for a whole day, maybe a meal or two. It will keep you sane and on track.

Exercise-
It goes without saying that you need to include exercise if you want to lose any weight. Not to mention exercising actually does provide you with more energy and makes you feel so much better.

I’m a huge fan of running and I’ll probably write a post on it and it’s a great way to start getting into a shape. Even if you run for 1km it’s a damn good start. Try to take advantage of any opportunity where there is physical activity. In the summer time, I play Volleyball with my co-workers and softball too. I work out at home using Tony Horton’s 10 Minute trainer plus I go to the gym with a real trainer once a week. And of course I run about 3 times a week which in itself should help you lose weight.

So there you have it. Some of the things I’m trying to incorporate to become healthier and hopefully shed a pound or two. Again, I’m by no means an expert physician so use your discretion and common sense with regards to the above advice. And of course if you find something conflicting then leave a comment, but be polite about it;)

If there is a tip you have to help someone handle their health and weight then please share it!