As a trainer, coach and certified nutrition specialist, I get a little miffed at “ in the package diet programs.” My argument isn’t that they’re bad for you. Or you won’t lose some of those unwanted pounds. My argument is that they don’t give you the tools to manage your own diet.
You know, Jillian and Marie look great after shedding 40-50 unwanted pounds. And who can argue with how fantastic Valerie Bertinelli, Mike Golic and Dan Marino look. However,what the ads fail to mention is, that along with eating the great foods that come in the mail weekly and how the glycemic index has changed their lives; is the very important fact that all of these people have the time and financial resources to work out with a trainer a few hours everyday. The truth of the matter is folks, muscle tone does not come from just calorie reduction!
Sure it’s great, open the box pop it in the oven and the weight goes away. But does anyone living in the real world want to spend $400.00 monthly for the rest of their lives just to feed one person. What happens when you stop buying the packages? What have you learned about how to mange your diet? Unfortunately not much. So there is a pretty good chance when the boxes stop arriving at the door, the weight starts arriving at the midsection.
Taking charge of your own weight management program is as easy as making a few simple calculations to determine the amount of calories your body needs, the amount of calories your body burns a day and making healthy food choices to fit those needs. One great benefit is, you are learning about how your body functions. You begin to understand which foods energize you and which foods have an adverse effect on your system. The best part is you can do this without increasing your monthly food expenditure, and the whole family can benefit from your knowledge. In fact, I’m willing to bet it isn’t long before you begin to save on your food costs.
Then you throw in an exercise program that best fits your lifestyle, and presto you have the health and fitness level that you set out to achieve. Imagine controlling your diet, by eating the foods you enjoy, when you want too, and having an exercise program that fits into your daily routine. And all of this without having to break the bank or get a second job to finance it.
Over the next few days, I’m going to give you the basic information you need to take charge of your own weight management program so you can achieve your personal best health and fitness levels.
Be Healthy, Live Smart, have Fun
Jeff