Stop Dieting...What's Your Hot Body Weight

It's the beginning of the New Year and we have made our New Year's resolutions.On the average 70% of women's resolutions will be going on a diet and exercise to get a hot body. Why do we need a reason to have a healthy lifestyle? Why can't we make it a habit? My reason is my annual spring business conference, but as soon as it's over WHAM the weight goes back on and just in time for summer.:( ....I would be happy just to be at a consistent weight and not have to worry about counting calories, going to the gym or dreading the scale. Do you know your hot body weight? First thing we have to do is Stop Dieting!

I know you have heard of this before in countless diet books and magazines, stop dieting for good and live healthy. If you drastically cut back on calories your metabolic rate lowers so your body ends up burning fewer calories. Then when you start eating normal again you gain the weight back easily due to your lower metabolic rate. Also this quick fix you might lose a few pounds but its mostly water weight and not fat. Burning fat requires a high metabolism and getting physical.

I know when I work out, even if it's 20 minutes on the treadmill, I feel better about myself. Be sure to figure out your maximum heart rate/heart rate zone to burn fat. If you decide to add weight training to your workout remember that muscle weighs more than fat so your weight will fluctuate. It might be a good idea to skip the scale for at least a month. Sounds good to me!

So what do we have to know about ourselves before we start living a healthy lifestyle? How do we determine our hot body weight?
We need to know our body type. Here are some tips:

• Apple Shape: Apples are generally bigger on the top half of their bodies than on the bottom half. They commonly have slim hips and a large chest and stomach. Apples tend to gain weight above the waist or along the backside.
• Pear Shape: Pear-shaped women tend to have larger lower bodies and smaller upper bodies. If you are a pear, you will find that your hips are slightly wider than your shoulders and that you tend to gain weight below your waist. Pears usually have small chests and flat stomachs.
• Ruler Shape: Women with a ruler shape tend to be waif-like and slim. Rulers have no large differences between the size of their hips, waists and shoulders. Rulers tend to put on weight in their stomach and backside, while maintaining slender arms and legs.
• Hourglass Shape: Women with an hourglass shape are often envied by all of their friends. This is because hourglasses have well-proportioned upper and lower bodies, with a distinctively narrow waist. However, if you are an hourglass, you may find that you tend to gain weight all over your body, particularly in your hips and chest area.

In addition you need to know height/bone structure is in proportion to your weight range. Use the calculator to your right to determine the range. Now you have some idea where your hot body weight should be.Frame Size (Wrist) Calculator

Second we need to look at the foods we are eating and see if there is a healthier alternative.You’ll want most of your diet to consist of foods that are wholesome and nutritious (usually all those foods you might consider ‘good’), and lower cholesterol. These include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Lean protein
• Whole grains

You should try to include fewer refined foods in your diet. While you don’t have to avoid them altogether, keep in mind they pack the least nutritional punch. Examples of refined foods or foods processed from refined products include:

• White or bleached flour
• White bread products
• White rice
• Cornbread
• Macaroni or pasta products

Make slow, gradual changes over a long period of time. Drastic dietary changes not only don't work, they set us up for failure because they are unrealistic and can't be followed over a long period of time. The best approach is to commit to small, gradual dietary changes over a long period of time. The following is a short list of strategies that can be part of any long-term effort:

• Water or unsweetened tea instead of regular soda pop.
• Substitute 1% milk for whole milk.
• Eat pretzels instead of potato chips.
• Eat a smaller hamburger instead of a larger hamburger whenever possible.
• Add skim milk to your coffee instead of cream.
• Eat a bagel instead of doughnuts.
• Eat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.
• Eat part-skim mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar (or other high-fat cheeses).
• When eating out, eat only until you are full and take the rest home for a later lunch or to mix with leftovers.

Thirdly we need to cut back on our portions and add healthy snacks twice a day to keep your metabolism running. Try low-fat cheese sticks, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts (all unsalted), oranges, apples, banana, raw veggies (carrots, celery).

Lastly is an exercise routine or physical activity for your body type. When you reach your goal you will know what healthy alternatives are needed to maintain your hot body weight.