Not a one time event
HOLISTIC HEALTH NOTEBOOK
carolSIMONTACCHI csimontacchi@earthlink.net
Getting into good physical condition is like cleaning your house. You dust, mop, and tidy on Saturday… then do it again on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you keep up with it, the task is not quite so large but the house needs attention on a regular basis.
Same with your body. You sweat, grunt, and pummel your body into shape…then do it again and again and again. Fortunately, if you perform regular maintenance, staying in shape is not as difficult as getting into shape.
What else do you need to keep your body toned? Adequate amounts of protein, eaten at regular intervals throughout the day. Muscles and visceral tissues are constructed of protein. When working with overweight clients, I often find that unless they are consuming enough protein for their metabolic needs, muscles erode rapidly, even if they are punishing their bodies at the gym. How much protein? The average man needs about 75 to 85 grams of protein per day (more if he is working hard or are under stress). The average woman requires about 45 to 65 grams per day (ditto the added conditions, with an additional protein requirement if she is pregnant or lactating.)
Eating protein throughout the day stabilizes blood sugar which helps keep energy levels high and reduces adrenaline surges that can sabotage lean tissue and build a spare tire around the waist.
Fat is needed, too. The right kinds of fats. The right amounts of fat. But eat fat to lose fat? Fat is critically important to health and I often find that people do not eat enough of the good fats. Depending on metabolic rate and activity levels, I recommend from 4 to 8 servings of fat each day (serving size: 1 teaspoon). Sprinkle olive oil on your generous salad. Use fish oil and flax seed oil each day. Prepare your soups with a little butter and olive oil.
Last, eat vegetables. Can I say it stronger? EAT VEGETABLES! I know of no other health habit that confers as many benefits to the body as 8 to 12 servings of fresh vegetables each day. Of course, 8 servings of vegetables is not 4 cups of mashed potatoes…
- Carol Simontacchi is the owner of
the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel.
She can be reached at 472-4499 or
on the Web at www.islandnutritioncenter.
meta-ehealth.com.
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