If you’re monitoring your weight loss, don’t rely only on the scales. Instead, notice how your clothing fits. Weigh yourself a maximum of once every ten days or even every thirty days if you can stand it. Many of us attach too much meaning to the scales, but it is excess body fat that you want to lose not just body weight. If you try to lose weight too quickly by starving yourself, you may lose muscle mass and you’ll slow down your metabolism, which can lead to yo-yo dieting and a weight loss plateau. It isn’t advisable to lose more than 1 kilo of fat a week, so slow and steady is the healthy way to take it off and keep it off. Don’t drift into the habit of eating a little at meal times so that you can snack through the day. Put your health first and make healthy eating your priority. Eating properly is not about depriving yourself, but more about being disciplined in an eating plan. By eating nutritious foods you become stronger and more energetic, which means you’ll feel motivated and get quick results.

Exercise Hint

No Time Is No Excuse

Do you feel that you simply do not have time to dedicate to exercising? Well the good news is that shorter bouts of exercise may be just as beneficial as longer ones. In a study, 30 overweight female college students either exercised for three 10-minute periods, two 15-minute periods, or one 30-minute period. The surprise finding was that aerobic capacity increased while body fat and body mass index decreased in all of the exercise groups, regardless of time period. So, if you cannot commit to a long exercise period, at least find a few times throughout the day that you can dedicate to exercising! My Mini-Morning Workout takes just 20-minutes and you can get a free copy by emailing to [email protected]

Recipe of the Week

White Fish With Lemon

and Fresh Herbs

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

6 white fish fillets, about 4 to 6 ounces each

freshly ground black pepper

flour for dredging

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or fish stock

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 1/2 tsp. chopped, fresh chives

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet until hot. While the oil is heating, season the fish with salt and pepper and dredge it in flour. Sauté the flounder over high heat, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a warm platter and keep warm. Quickly add the chicken broth or fish stock to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to release any caramelized bits that may be stuck to the pan. Cook until the broth has reduced by half. Add the lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the flounder, sprinkle with parsley and chives and serve. NOTE: You may have to sauté the fish in two batches. If so, use a clean pan for each batch. Make the sauce in one of the pans.

Ask Alva

How long should I wait to exercise after eating? Also, does what I eat and when I eat affect my workouts? Ravi

Depending on how heavy a meal you have, you should wait 30 minutes to two hours before exercising. The bigger the meal the longer you will need to wait. If you just eat a light, high-carbohydrate snack like a few low-fat pretzels, you should be ready to exercise immediately. The best type of foods to eat before exercise depends on the time of day you work out. If you exercise first thing in the morning some fruit or a small amount of juice and water should suffice. People who work out later in the afternoon, from noon to 3 p.m., probably don’t have to eat anything before a workout provided they have eaten lunch and breakfast. However, if you exercise closer to dinner, a light snack, like a pot of yogurt, will provide a lot of energy. If you exercise after dinner, just make sure to wait an appropriate amount of time depending on the size of your meal. Do what works for you. Some days you feel great if you work out immediately after a meal, whereas other days you might get cramps and feel nauseous. It varies from person to person day to day. Alva