Merritt Clubs Blog

A couple months of holiday weight gain can set back your metabolic weight loss for the rest of your life. That’s because most people never shed those extra pounds, and so they build up year after year. Eating mindfully will help you to have your cake and lose weight too. These are a few techniques to take with you to Grandma’s house or the office Christmas party.

Slow down: Sit down to eat. Put your fork down in between bites. Chew each mouthful. Give your brain time to let you know that you feel full.

Control portions: Forget about forbidden foods. Sample a little bit of all your favorites. People often underestimate how much they really eat. Learn to eyeball what an ounce of hard cheese looks like. It’s the size of about 4 dice or a 1 inch cube.

Enjoy the view: Did you ever feel like something looks too good to eat? There are no calories in feasting your eyes on a beautifully decorated cake. Focus on presentation whether you’re serving vegetables or cookies.

Plan ahead: Even soggy crackers are hard to resist on an empty stomach. Don’t get caught hungry. Bring along carrot sticks and yogurt drinks on shopping expeditions. Sip a bowl of soup a half hour before cocktail parties.

Tighten your belt: Form fitting clothes will make you more conscious of every bite. Trade in loose dresses and elastic waists for a sleeker look.

Don’t eat alone: Do you overindulge when you’re by yourself? Keep plenty of witnesses around.

Work on yourself talk: Drown out the sound of those chocolate truffles calling to you. Tell yourself how much you want to stay healthy or wear a smaller dress size.

Don’t wait for New Year’s to contact us. Fight holiday weight gain by visiting a gym now. Have fun taking a break from shopping and party planning. Exercising will help you to burn more calories and resist temptation.

Maybe you’re one of those people who works out alone most of the time, and that’s fine if it helps you reach your fitness goals. Many people need the focus and quiet that they experience when exercising by themselves. However, if you want to get fit and meet new people at the same time, the logical solution is to find a group fitness class that you like. Beneficial for introverts and extroverts alike, group fitness classes are widely available and suitable for anyone.

According to this article, many people mistakenly think of group fitness as a room full of women and men in sweatbands doing aerobics, circa 1986. The trend was started years ago by the likes of Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda. Times have changed, though, and today’s group fitness offerings include everything from kickboxing and cross training to gentler workouts like yoga and aqua aerobics.

Why has group fitness remained so popular? It has many advantages, but here are just three of the most cited reasons:

1) Accountability. This is particularly true if your class or training group is small. Your absence will be noticed, so you’re less likely to skip that morning class on those days that you’d rather stay in bed. Many people also find a workout buddy to accompany them and keep them accountable; this is especially helpful when you need encouragement to work toward your fitness goals.

2) Motivation. You’re all there for the same reason, and this sense of purpose can help you work harder when you feel your energy waning. Looking around and seeing how easily the rest of the class does those 50 push-ups can give you the confidence boost needed to do the same.

3) Availability of professional advice. When you work out on your own without a trainer or companion, you might be missing out on ways to improve your program. You also risk doing certain exercises incorrectly (while lifting weights, for example), whereas group fitness leaders can show you the correct techniques to keep you safe and maximize your efforts.

With so many options, you’re sure to find a class or group that will help you meet your fitness goals. Contact us today to get started.

“If you never had problems losing or maintaining your weight in your 20s or even in your early 30s, you may not be ready for what happens next,” warns Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Your metabolism slows by 5 percent each decade. Compared to age 25, you’ll burn about 100 fewer calories a day at 35 and 200 fewer at 45. Do nothing, and you could gain eight to 12 pounds a year.”

Read more: Boost Metabolism - Lose Weight - Middle-Age Weight Loss - Good Housekeeping

Is this where you find yourself? Running just to stay in place? It may not be your metabolism slowing down at all. It may be about body fat. The more body fat you have, the fewer calories you will burn. As we age, our bodies develop more fat than muscle unless we work at building muscle and keeping fit. Merritt Athletic Clubs are a great place to get help.

Ask for a body-fat reading at your health club or from your doctor. Then chart your progress approximately every three months. You can also check for a general idea of body fat. If you can pinch an inch or more of fat at your waist or upper arm, you are carrying more fat than you should.

Then it's time to set up workouts with an expert to gradually lose weight and build muscle. The key is to lose the weight slowly so it stays off and to develop the habit of a regular fitness routine. Many weight loss plans fail because healthy eating and healthy workouts never become a habit. Just as we can have a habit of snacking and late night pizzas, we can develop the habit of exercising and eating appropriately. It has to become a lifestyle change and not just a weight loss plan.

Exercise has so many side benefits beyond weight loss that it should be an easy habit for us to develop. We just plain feel better when we move more and sit less. Merritt Athletic Clubs can help you feel good and lose weight all at the same time.

For more information, http://www.merrittclubs.com/contact-us/index.html

or visit our website http://www.merrittclubs.com/

LYNELL TOBLER

The Beginning
As a young adult, I had always been proud of my figure, but as I grew older, my weight slowly grew too. At the age of 54, I had reached a weight of 190 pounds on my five foot, three inch frame. In 2008, I joined Owings Mills Merritt Athletic Club. I didn't go regularly and when I did go, I didn't push myself to exceed my comfort zone.

Portion Control
In the summer of 2010, I had extensive dental work done. I lost about four pounds from not being able to chew. The weight loss motivated me to ask a girlfriend about dieting. I had never been on a diet in my life -I wasn't particularly interested in following a bunch of rules about calories. After all, I consoled myself, I was actually a very healthy eater. My problem was portion control. I loved to cook and I loved to eat my own cooking! I ate to comfort myself. But, I did some research and found a diet I could live with. I started counting calories and tweaking my beloved gourmet recipes to lower the fat.

Group Fitness Camaraderie
I worked up the courage to try a yoga class with Charlie Beall at Merritt in hopes of easing the stress caused by my chronic dental pain. It changed my life. I loved Charlie's low-key attitude and relaxed style of instruction - no intimidation. I loved it when Charlie brought out his flute at the end of every session and played softly, elegantly, while we meditated. I was so out of shape that I could barely do any of the moves. But, I loved the camaraderie of the group. Seeing the friendly faces of the same people every week motivated me to keep coming. I stuck with my diet and maintained a steady weight loss.

The Lifestyle Change
I loved my yoga class so much that I added BodyStep, BodyPump, and BodyFlow classes to my weekly evening routine. My weight-loss accelerated. This June of 2011 I actually “broke the 120 pound barrier,” so I feel as if my goal is finally, completely achieved. I’ve never felt better in my entire life. Thank you all, so very much, for accompanying me and supporting me on this journey to fitness over the past eight months. If you had told me last summer that I would be greeting this summer with a slim, strong body, I would never have believed it. And as an added benefit, when I visited my doctor this week, my blood pressure was down to 100 over 70, so I may be able to go off my blood pressure medicine soon, one of my original goals for losing weight. Dreams do come true! I am living proof.

Lynell Tobler, Merritt Athletic Clubs member since 2008

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