NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!
by James Hawthorn ‘03
James Hawthorn '03 is a National Academy of Sports Medicine multi-certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist, with more than 15 years’ experience helping clients between the ages of 15 and 84 achieve a variety of goals. He is also an IRONMAN triathlete and 19-time marathon runner.
With the arrival of a new year, it’s common to resolve to lose weight or simply improve our diet. Though it’s only February, many of us may already have failed to keep these resolutions due to choosing an overly restrictive diet or one that is ineffective for our body type. I'd like to set the record straight and give you five simple rules that, if followed, will lead to fat loss and healthy weight management, regardless of your body type or activity level.
Many clients ask me about the latest diet trends, such as ketosis or intermittent fasting, but when I dig a little deeper, I find that they're putting the cart before the horse: They're not following the fundamental principles below, which are EASIER to follow than whatever current trend or fad they're hoping will provide a quick, dramatic fix. So let's cut the fads (and the fat) and focus on building foundational habits that will keep us healthy for a lifetime.
1) Carbs are not the enemy, but added sugar and white flour are. You may have heard that our bodies process carbs just like sugar, but that's not true if the carb contains a sufficient amount of fiber and protein. For every five grams of carbs per serving, aim for at least two grams of fiber and protein. Let's take bread: If one serving has 20 grams of carbs, it should have at least eight grams of fiber and protein. It doesn't particularly matter whether it's two grams of protein and six grams of fiber or vice versa, as long as the total is at least eight grams. Fiber and protein slow down the digestive process and, thus, the flow of sugar into the bloodstream. The bottom line is we function better when we include enough of the right carbs in our diet. While Keto is effective for short-term weight loss, many studies show that staying in ketosis is not so good for our health long term. So balance your carb intake with the appropriate amount of fiber and protein.
2) Never be starving and never be full. On a scale of 1 to 10, aim to stay between 3 and 7 on the hunger scale. After just 4.5 hours of not eating, your body starts to go into "starvation mode," meaning your metabolism slows down and whatever you eat next is more likely to be stored as fat. This is an evolutionary survival mechanism, and it’s why there's debate over whether intermittent fasting is actually good for your metabolism, or it's just harder to eat as many calories during an eight-hour window compared to 16 hours, thereby leading to weight loss. To stay between 3 and 7, think of eating four or five bread plate-size snack-meals per day, rather than three dinner-plate size meals per day. After a few weeks, your stomach will actually shrink and it will feel uncomfortable to eat as much as you used to, making this tip easy to stick to. Think of it this way: Your metabolism is like a coal-burning furnace: Put too much coal in at once, and you suffocate the fire; don't put enough coal in, and the fire goes out. By adopting the right eating pattern, you can keep your metabolism burning like a raging fire!
3) Eat more veggies. Now I know you're thinking '”well, duh,”' but people don't eat nearly as many veggies as they think they do, nor as many as they should. This is abundantly clear when I read my clients' food journals. In wealthy societies, vegetables are frequently shunned for more decadent options like fatty meats and other "rich" foods (pun fully intended). When eating out, I frequently see vegetables treated as a garnish to the main event. But to be truly healthy, we should ensure that vegetables comprise half of our diet. Think about serving your entrees on a bed of spinach or kale or a veggie medley that you like. Whenever you make eggs, throw some veggies into the scramble. While you want to eat a variety of colors, aim to include dark-green leafy vegetables in your diet every day. And yes, fruit’s good too. While fruit does contain sugar, it's a healthier dessert than chocolate, ice cream, cake, or cookies! Unlike the latter options, the fiber, vitamins, and antioxidant properties of certain fruits make them a great choice. Just stay away from fruit juice, which does not have some of these benefits. For those who really don't like veggies, cold-pressed juice can be a tasty option – just make sure it contains more vegetables than fruit!
4) Regular and sufficient sleep and hydration are key. You could do the above three things perfectly, but radical changes to your sleep schedule and a lack of sufficient sleep are metabolism killers that correlate with weight gain. The same goes for hydration. Your urine should be almost clear all of the time. Drinking enough water (sparkling water counts) boosts your metabolism, aids in effective digestion, increases brain function, and elevates mood. Also, did you know that your brain often confuses thirst for hunger? Drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes before eating; you'll probably eat less. As for sleep, double down on the positive effects of proper hydration by going to bed and getting up within an hour of the same time every day. If you feel the need for a nap or a massive caffeine hit each afternoon, you're probably not sleeping enough.
5) Use common sense and consciousness. You may have noticed I didn't mention things like don't eat fast food, fried food, or sweets, and don't have more than seven alcoholic drinks a week or more than two at a time. That's because we already know these things. However, we're not always good at keeping track of how often we break these common-sense rules. That's why I recommend keeping a four-day food log at least once per month. Do this Saturday through Tuesday or Thursday through Sunday because we often eat differently on the weekends than during the week. Write down everything you eat and drink besides water, how much of it, and what time of day. This can help you keep healthy eating top of mind. I've had many clients tell me that because they know they have to write it down and share it with me, they won't eat something bad. I keep the food logs to just four days because I want this to be a knowledge exercise, rather than a discipline one: My clients are urged to eat as well as they know how for a short period and then receive professional guidance on how to improve.
You don't have to be perfect in implementing these five principles. If you want to lose fat, be an A- student and get 90% of it right. To maintain a healthy weight, be a B- student and get 80% of it right. For example, if you're eating five small meals per day, make sure four of them follow the guidelines above. Or make sure that four out of five things on your plate are healthy. Another way to put it is to think “cheat item” or “cheat meal,” rather than “cheat day.” A cheat day can wreak havoc on your metabolism.
These simple guidelines can become sustainable life practices, replacing the need for extreme (and ultimately ineffective) short-term diets. If implementing all of these strategies seems overwhelming, remember that it takes about three weeks to form a habit. Try making a habit of these things one at a time. After four months, you'll be eating healthier and feeling better than ever before. Here's to your health in this new year and beyond!
For further guidance or questions, you can reach out to James or follow him on Instagram.