Pushing It Over The Plateau
It's annoying when you work, work, work and suddenly your body decides to hang out at a certain weight for a while. You know you're not skipping work outs and you're eating right but you just can't seem to edge the scale down. What to do?
A news report I saw recently held up data from a study about sleep deprivation. The study showed that adults who regularly received 5 hours or less sleep a night were more likely to suffer from obesity. And for kids the study found that if they had less than 10 hours a night they were more prone to being overweight as well. Apparently being chronically tired also makes you feel hungrier, leading to overeating.
The same report also emphasized the need for adequate fiber and water each day. Eating oatmeal, whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies will supply the fiber that lowers cholesterol and helps to control eating by making us feel full and satisfied. Of course, you all know about the need for water...anyone who exercises outdoors in Texas is way into hydration!
If you're holding steady on the scale instead of continuing to drop, try tweaking your sleep habits a bit. Only get 6 hours on average per night? Bump it up to 7.5 or 8 if you can. A well rested body will respond much better to your exercise regime.
And evaluate your eating habits. Are you sneaking in junky food that tastes good but doesn't help you meet your goals? Swap that morning bagel for some fresh fruit. Austin's Farmer's Market has some delicious peaches, figs and other fruits right now. They also have organically grown salmonella free avocados, jalapeños and serrano peppers. Jazz up your eating with summer fruits and vegetables and see if you can push past your plateau.
A news report I saw recently held up data from a study about sleep deprivation. The study showed that adults who regularly received 5 hours or less sleep a night were more likely to suffer from obesity. And for kids the study found that if they had less than 10 hours a night they were more prone to being overweight as well. Apparently being chronically tired also makes you feel hungrier, leading to overeating.
The same report also emphasized the need for adequate fiber and water each day. Eating oatmeal, whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies will supply the fiber that lowers cholesterol and helps to control eating by making us feel full and satisfied. Of course, you all know about the need for water...anyone who exercises outdoors in Texas is way into hydration!
If you're holding steady on the scale instead of continuing to drop, try tweaking your sleep habits a bit. Only get 6 hours on average per night? Bump it up to 7.5 or 8 if you can. A well rested body will respond much better to your exercise regime.
And evaluate your eating habits. Are you sneaking in junky food that tastes good but doesn't help you meet your goals? Swap that morning bagel for some fresh fruit. Austin's Farmer's Market has some delicious peaches, figs and other fruits right now. They also have organically grown salmonella free avocados, jalapeños and serrano peppers. Jazz up your eating with summer fruits and vegetables and see if you can push past your plateau.
"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
~William Faulkner~
posted by Kay at 7:31 AM
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