Dinner

I know I didn't get to this earlier... but it is so hard to sit at a computer when the sun is shining. hee hee actually today went by so fast.

For this week keep up the cardio. and either continue the core workouts or work on another body part, like arms. I think everyone knows different exercises to do, so I want to focus on eating this week.

Dinner the second most important meal of the day. Why because this is where a lot of us blow it for the day. I want you to really think about your metabolism this week.. Our metabolism tends to slow down late afternoon into the evening. This is also the time when most of us tend to eat the most. Dinner our biggest meal and then we sit in front of the T.V.or computer screen for a few hours afterward. Which tells the body to store what we just ate as fat.

1. Have a late afternoon snack (pre dinner) that is low in fat and high in taste.
Studies have show that this type of snack stimulates the brain to be alert and sustain energy for up to 3 hours after your meal.
Suggestions:
half an apple with peanut butter/or almond butter
half an apple with a mozzarella cheese stick
fresh vegetables with low fat cottage cheese or hummus
a handful of almonds ( I like to soak my almond overnight in water)
a small protein shake with frozen fruit and fat free milk or water
Remember how you felt after eating a high fat high carbohydrate snack, example cookies. Still hungry and tired.

Now to keep our metabolism up during the evenings try to follow this list:

Eat dinner early
Make your meal light and tastier
Slow down
Start with eating a few bites of protein first
Eat dessert later in the evening
Move after dinner
Try to eat between 5:30 and 6:00. The later you eat the more likely that food will be turned to fat since your metabolism is slowing down and we are more sedentary. I used to think more about calories in and calories out or being burned and it didn't matter the time of day. But as I am getting older and know that my metabolism is slowing down..I still eat the same but the belly fat is now coming, sigh. I read that anytime after 6:00 for every hour after that your meal should decrease by 100 calories. Simply because your body doesn't burn as many calories in the evening. Try to eat your bigger meal at lunch keep your dinner at about 600 calories. Make sure those calories are satisfying, low in fat, complex carbs. and lean protein. Remember you did have a predinner snack and you get to have a light dessert later on.

As you eat, eat slowly. I've read (of course almost everything I am telling you I read somewhere, sometime, wait till I tell you about eating for your blood type.) anyway if you listen to soft slow music will help you slow down your eating. Of course it's a no brainer that rock and roll music then must speed up your eating so be careful to what you listen to. Remember it takes 15 to 20 mins. for your stomach to tell your brain that it is full. So wait that long before you consider seconds... but with 600 calories seconds are out anyway.

Start dinner with protein to help your food get burning and not stored as fat. Suggestions:

small serving of bean or lentil salad
low fat plain yogurt
cottage cheese with a few slices of fresh fruit
small glass of fat free milk
1 1/2 to 2 hrs. after dinner you could have a low fat high protein snack.

low fat or fat free cottage cheese with fresh fruit
low fat or fat free plain yogurt with fresh fruit
low fat cheese (lite Swiss, jarlsberg, mozzarella or reduced fat cheddar) with fresh fruit
dried blueberries, cranberries with a few nuts
****If you are a dessert lover, then once a week you can eat it, but the key is try to only have 2-3 bites of it. You should find that you are satisfied with a few bites.

Last but very important part of your dinner routine is the get up and move. What you do in the next 30 mins. after your dinner sends a signal to your metabolism. The last thing you want to do is sit in front of the t.v. this promotes fat storage not fat burning. Exercise after eating could increase calorie burning by 30 - 50 percent for up to 3 hrs. after a meal. Another study from a university. So aim for 5 to 10 mins. of cardio. activity.
walking the best choice
washing the dishes
taking out the trash
lift a few weights or do some leg lifts or neck rotations or at least a few stretches
Just try to move, not sit within the first 30 mins after your dinner.

I've have a couple of you mention that I should do a blog...I will look into that especially since I just added a few more names to my list.

Good luck this week and remember that this a life change not a diet so think of how your body works and how it will work better when we feed it with healthier food and we will have more energy and a more effective metabolism.

Love,

Roxane