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The biting winds and falling flakes confirm it–winter is upon us.
Our natural instinct is to attempt hibernation, and in doing so, we succeed at adding several pounds of unwanted padding to our bodies. We know that Grandma’s gingerbread cookies have tons of calories, but we just can’t resist!
To stand a chance against the impulses of the holiday season, try these cool tips:
1. Drink Water: Water plays a key role, not only in our bodily processes, but also in weight loss. People often mistake thirst for hunger, so staying hydrated will keep you from craving extra calories. One should drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water every day!
2. Brown is Better: In making the bright-white bread and rice that we all reach for, food processing companies actually strip the grains of their nutrients, including their fiber-which is what’s going to fill you up. In their most healthy state, these grains are brown. So instead of having your toast on white bread, try a slice of whole wheat instead–your body will thank you throughout the day!
3. The Dreaded “E Word”: Yes, exercise! Exercise doesn’t have to be going to the gym for several hours every day. Choosing to walk to school (or even part of the way) is an example of aerobic exercise, and you’ll feel good after too! But if you’re more interested in a group workout close by, joining one of Hewitt’s many sports teams will definitely do the trick! In the spring, you can participate on the crew team, varsity badminton, varsity tennis, and varsity track and field. Romi Jin ’16 , a first-time participant of the Winter Conditioning team says, “It makes working out fun, especially with the addition of spinning. You should try it!”
4. Don’t Skip Meals: Skipping meals, although it may seem logical, does more harm than good for your body. Your body’s metabolism converts the food we eat into the energy we need for daily activities. When you don’t supply your body with enough food to convert, it conserves energy by using less of it. Therefore, you gain body fat because that food isn’t being burned off. Portion size is important–it’s better to eat less of something than to eat nothing at all!
5.You Need Sleep: It may be hard to sleep a full eight hours every night because of the English project or Latin translation due in the morning. However, people who sleep less than eight hours a day have a larger increase in body fat than those who sleep more. That said, use your weekend to rest up if your school week is just too packed.
Winter is usually a time where we get comfortable on our couches, watching holiday movies until the sun rises, eating junk food, and drinking hot cocoa. But this winter, you can stay healthy with these five simple tips. Pretty soon you’ll be mimicking LMFAO‘s “Ahh girl look at that body.”