Thursday, May 23, 2013

Why are we overweight?

     No matter where we have the fat on our body, on the upper body or more on the hip area, that “storage of fat” exists due to over-eating, meaning that you introduced more food, which is measured in Kilocalories, than you strictly need for your survival. Woman in a “big general” can survive with around 1200-1500 Kcals, depending on your height, weight, age and activity level. Of course athletes need more, due to the fact, that by exercising so much, they move a lot, ergo, they also consume a lot, they need more energy, as a person who sits for example 10 hours at the office and after that sits on the couch watching TV. So, the athletes may need 2000-2500 or more Kcals a day for maintaining their weight and having enough energy. But let’s get back to us, normal people, who do go to the office, do want to sit down in the evening and watch a good movie. Is there any hope for us to stay in shape? Of course there is. But, it is a matter of a few things I am going to point out here:
      1.Pure mathematics
       You have to adjust your calorie intake to your activity level (age, weight…) or with other words, you have to adjust your food intake to yourself. It sounds easy. But … what is the problem than? Why do so many people have weight issues? You may be obese, a little overweight, or just have two ugly muffin tops on your side…Whatever you have it shows that you didn’t adjust the quantity of kcals to yourself. You eat more than you should. Try eating 1500 kcal a day, and you will observe that you will grow thinner. If you don’t then, try for example two more weeks eating 1300 a day. Because this is the correct way: start eating 1500 kcals, if after two weeks, nothing happen, cut 200 kcals. But never go beyond 1200 Kcals, because, if with 1200 kcals doesn’t happen anything, that means that the problem lies not in the quantity, but in the timing or the quality of food you are “introducing’ in yourself.
       2. Timing. 
           Timing means, when you eat a certain quantity and quality of food. The golden rule, I’ve read once in a book about body building is: "Eat your breakfast, share your lunch with a friend and give your dinner to your enemy". No matter, that it was a book about body building, this is available for anyone, who cares about his or her figure. But what does it mean? It means the following: you have to have three larger meals during a day, and two small snacks. In numbers, when we are talking about a 1500 kcal meal plan for one day it would look like this:
450 kcal for breakfast
225 kcal for the first snack
375 kcal for lunch
150 kcal for the second snack 
300 kcal for dinner 
or if you aim for a daily 1200 kcal intake, than:
breakfast: 360 kcal
snack 1: 180 kcal, 
lunch: 300 kcal,
snack 2: 120 kcal
dinner 240 kcal
      Of course, this can vary among meals, some people may want to reduce a little from the main course, and add it to the snack, that is up to each and every one how we prefer. It also means, that you have to have your dinner with around three hours earlier, you’ll go to bed. Usually you would end your meals at six a clock, and in no case later than seven a clock. Remember, that if you don’t go to bed, just lie and watch TV that also counts as “going to bed”. Actually, it would be more proper to say that you have to have your last meal three hours earlier you in any way lie down, no matter if you fall asleep or not. Anything that after that comes is good only for your enemies, meaning that you would want to embrace any kind of activity that involves food only if you would want to do yourself harm. If you eat beyond that point, when you will no longer get involved in any physical activity, than all that kcals you ate, will turn up again as fat, because you will not use it. Your body will think a little what to do with it, it will observe that you are laying and will decide, without asking you, to store that energy, hoping that one day you’ll use it… it is very optimistic, isn’t it? Or naïve? So, this saying assumes that you would want yourself to look good, and the only one, whom maybe you would wish not to look good and slim would be your enemies. 
       I never wish for somebody else to look bad, neither should anybody, but I am damn glad when I feel that I look better than many. It is not a question of wishing bad for anybody, oh no, it is a question of wanting something good for yourself. … Or are you your worst enemy? Think about this…
        3. Quality
       This means what kind of foods do you eat? It is also important when to eat what. Your meals should add up of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, although you might want to adjust them after the timing. For example: in the morning you’ll need more carbohydrates (this doesn’t mean, that you shouldn’t eat fats and proteins, because you should, but in the morning you need more energy to start with, so a slice of whole wheat bread with some scrambled eggs and some veggies would do the trick. On the other hand, for dinner you would want to avoid the whole wheat bread, it is much better if your last meal consists of veggies and lean meat (proteins). If you don’t like meat, also you can opt for veggies (salad) and some low-fat cheese. During the day you can consume fats (essential fats= this means that the body can’t produce them on its own, you will have to acquire them from comestibles, such essential fats you can find e.g. in walnuts. Carbs (e.g. veggies, fruits) and proteins (meat, dairy products-they also have a considerable fat content) you’ll also need to have enough energy. It is indicated to consume fruits (more in the morning, daytime and avoid them or consume in smaller quantities towards the evening). 
These are the main indicators after which you can guide yourself in your journey towards reaching your goals, getting the lean body you wish for.

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