It's not a Diet - It's a Way of Life

This is not a "diet," because you will not be hungry and you can do it anywhere.

This is a positive, lifelong change. It's compiled from my own years of fitness instructing and personal experience.

With exercise, you will look as good as any vegetarian or marathon runner, without going to extremes.

• Control portion sizes. Eat half of what you normally would, and check to see if you can put off eating the rest for another hour or so.
  
  
• Spread out meals. Eat up to 6 meals a day--small, healthy ones. Eat enough to get something in your stomach, but never stuff yourself. Once you adjust to this strategy, you won't crave bad foods, because you never let yourself get really hungry. At the very first hint of hunger, grab something healthy from the fridge or from my grocery list below.
  
  
• If you are out, you don't have to avoid restaurants, but when you get there identify the three healthiest small-portion items on the menu and choose one. You'll be surprised how good it tastes, how full you feel, and you'll be guilt-free.
  
  
• Get 5-7 servings of fruits or veggies each day. This diet change will be the single biggest change you can make, and it will do wonders for your body.
  
  
• Milk your diet. Get 3 servings of calcium per day. Yogurt is great for digestion. Milk can be a snack that stops you from getting that tank on empty an making a bad food choice.
  
  
• Do not cut out carbs, but buy whole wheat. Do not eat bread or pasta unless it is whole wheat or bran. Muffins are not health food; they are glorified cupcakes.
  
  
• Water. Drink a full glass each morning when you wake up. Carry a water bottle at all times, along with a healthy snack for emergencies.
  
  
• Never drink soda, it is not worth the calories. Even diet soda has chemicals, prevents you from drinking something healthy, and has no nutrition. Save your indulgences for the carrot cake you've been craving, but have just a little.
  
  
• Protein. Fish like salmon and tuna have omega 3s which are healty for your insides and your skin. Most other fish and chicken are great ways to fill up for a long time without fat. I love hard boiled eggs for snacks. Almonds and walnuts are great nuts that also keep you healthy inside and out.  If you fill up on brightly colored fruits and veggies, milk, lean protein and whole wheat carbs, you will be too full for junk food!
  
  
• Fiber. Cereals high in fiber (I like Fiber One) can be eaten in a bowl with non-fat milk and fruit, or sprinkled on yogurt and salads, as well as eaten as a snack by the handful.
  
  

Visit www.nikkifitness.com for suggested grocery lists, information on the 30 minute multi-tasking DVD (Military Wife Workout), a preview of the next DVD on YouTube, fitness columns and suggested music playlists for your workout. I also recommend reading magazines like Women's Health, Shape, Self and Fitness for news on what food can do for you, and simple, healthy recipes.

Remember, it's exercise (at least 30 minutes a day, alternating days of muscle toning with cardio, one day off per week) and healthy food choices every day that give you a great body and a long, healthy life.

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube
- Nikki on Facebook

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: susan allport]

Thought you would be interested in this short omega-3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIgNpsbvcVM

[#2 Posted by: James]

Hi Nikki,

I have a problem, I eat when I am bored and I have a very boring job. There is not a lot of opportunity for refrigeration at my office, can you suggest some health snack food?

[#3 Posted by: Nikki Fitness]

Hi James,
Work is the worst time, because it always seems like there are cookies and donuts and an excuse for a break from he computer to eat them.
Instead, i bring in an orange and an apple every day (orange = peeling for 3 minutes or so, a little break for the mind and fingers if you are at a computer). I also like to store oatmeal packets in my desk- just add hot water! Other good snacks are whole wheat PB &J sandwiches but with almond butter instead of peanut. If you do crave sweets, try lowfat hot chocolate in our coffee after lunch.
Hope this helps.
Fitness - fit it in!

[#4 Posted by: Delicious Monster]

eating less sugar worked for me

[#5 Posted by: Haley]

Hi Nikki, I am a sophomore in high school and am on the golf and basketball team. When not in basketball season, I am either in a league or in golf tournament in surrounding states. I think golf is underrated as far as exercise goes, considering we have to walk with 40 pounds on our back up and down hills for 5 hours. But my real question is, as a freshman I weighed about 130 and am about 5'6. However, during spring of '08 I started gaining weight, even while in basketball season and when golf started up. I now weigh, even after being in basketball for about 3 months, around 145. I am so mad because I eat pretty healthy, usually a salad or chicken for dinner, and granola bars throughout the day. But my problem is...this weight isn't going away! My basketball practices are extremely hard, and I have practice every day for 2 hours. Could you please explain to me what I need to do to lose this weight? (By the way, the weight is all being gained in my stomach area and the obliques) Thanks in advance for the help!

[#6 Posted by: Krissy]

Haley,

Are you doing weights or calisthenics/ strength training for your stomach/obliques? Stew Smith has free lower back plan that targets that area. www.stewsmithptclub.com/lowerbackplan.pdf
Change around your ab exercises. http://www.ab-core-and-stomach-exercises.com/stomach_exercises.html maybe try changing up your workouts, the exercises, do 5:00 of pyramid cardio a couple of times throughout the day. Rotate your diet. Try a Stew Smith Workout (but limit jumping).
Try losing the granola bars. Come on?!?! ;) JMO
-

I had the problem you wrote about but for me, it was a thyroid problem and allergies. I take armour thyroid 90 mg and have to have preservative-free allergy shots to everything or I can not get the fat off no matter what and I will gain weight from things I eat (even toothpaste, lip gloss, hair and body care products were problems that I was ignorant about.)
Finding a good thyroid specialist and the right med and dosage and a good allergy specialist who has preservative free shots is crucial.

For me, as soon as puberty hit or right around the time you are talking about, for me, I got fat and couldn't get it off. I was also on the wrong thyroid med(cytomel) which also had a side effect of weight gain.