Royal Purple

Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Lifestyle

Dear Abi [Click to enlarge]

Dear Abi,

My New Year's resolution was to lose weight this year. So, I hold back and only eat one meal a day. But by then I'm starving and usually eat a ton! What is the latest dieting trend or a realistic way for me to shed the extra pounds?

Concerned Cory



Dear Cory,

I'm happy to hear that you're sticking with your New Years resolution to stay healthy. But news flash: The diet you described is far from healthy! In spite of with the torture you are putting your body through you're heading nowhere fast, and the only thing you'll be losing is your sanity.

Don't fall for those crash-diet schemes or get-thin-quick trends. Contrary to popular belief, weight loss cannot be obtained by drinking a magic potion or by popping a pill. And pounds certainly are not going to fall off overnight. In fact, in any diet, it's healthiest to lose one to two pounds per week.

A major focal point in your new diet should be boosting your metabolism. Unfortunately, right now you are doing exactly the opposite. Start by eating a healthy breakfast. This will jumpstart your day and give your body the energy it's been craving all night. By waiting to eat until late morning or afternoon, your metabolism is actually running slower. Instead of eating one big meal, try consuming four to six smaller meals in two-to three-hour increments.

Incorporate energy foods such as whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits into your diet, and make healthy snacking a new habit. The key word in that statement is "healthy," thus inhaling a family-size bag of M&M's while exercising via video games doesn't count. Overlooking silly snacking like that is a huge mistake. There are, on average, 25 extra calories per mouthful. That may not seem like a lot, but look at it this way, six extra mouthfuls a day adds up to 15 extra pounds per year. Avoid this by portioning out food in advance, and eat while you are studying or between classes.

Finally, just like the dynamic duos of Batman and Robin, or cookies and milk, a diet isn't complete without exercise. So do your best to integrate some sort of aerobic activity in your schedule. Small changes like using the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to class instead of driving will make all the difference.

Best of luck,

Abi

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