Denise Sanger

How many times have you heard or seen the phrase “one size fits all.” And how many times have you found that phrase to be not true? I know I have personally proven that phrase wrong many times. Do we really think we can find a dress or a pair of pants that will fit ALL of us? Not going to happen. We are all uniquely designed including our bodies and that is a wonderful thing. Imagine how boring life would be if we all looked and thought alike. Variety after all is the spice of life!

Since we know one size does NOT fit all, why would we think that one nutrition program or one type of exercise would work for everyone. Do I have your attention yet? How many times have you watched a slender friend eat foods you will not eat for one reason or another and they never seem to gain weight? It seems that some people can eat all the junk food they can get their hands on and never seem to gain weight. Other folks, like myself, look at a doughnut and another roll appears on my waistline.

If weight loss is on your list of things you want to do for a healthier you, the best thing you can do is start slowly. As an example, I was eating five to six small meals daily and that originally did help me lose weight. Unfortunately, what later happened was that I stopped losing weight and actually GAINED weight while I was training for my marathon. How can I be running anywhere from six to 20 miles, three to four times per week, and gain 15 pounds. I call foul!

Somewhere along the line my metabolism changed — which it often does as we get older — plus the increase in complex carbs (think oatmeal, whole grains) meant the result for me was weight gain. What was working in the past was no longer working. What did I do? Started changing things up. While I knew something was wrong with my nutrition, I could not pinpoint what that thing was. Tracking what I was eating along with exercise is where I found the increase in carbs that I was using for energy to train.

Now this is where one size does not fit all. Other people who were also training for the marathon did not experience the increase in weight that I did. They were able to maintain and many lost weight during their training. Lucky them! What accounts for the difference? Many factors including age, sex, and metabolism. Yes, whether you’re a man or a woman may affect weight loss. In general, men will lose weight quicker than women.

What should you do if you want to lose weight and feel better? Trial and error. Myself as an example again, because I tracked what I was eating each day, I was able to spot the increase in carbs I was consuming. Today I follow a low carb, no sugar program. My focus is on not eating sugar in any form because I feel better. Is this the program for you? I cannot answer that question. You should try different nutritional programs until you find what works for your body. It may be as simple as drinking more water and eating more fruit to balance your diet or it may be more challenging as you walk away from processed foods.

Ready? Start by talking to your doctor or a nutritionist and make sure it’s okay for you to make changes to your nutrition. Your doctor wants you to be healthy as much as you do so will probably give you the go ahead to make changes to your diet. Start slowly, track what you are doing including what doesn’t work as well as what does work. Tweak your program until you find what works for you and adjust as necessary.

Attention Suwannee County Seniors. Check your insurance then come join me at Dog Pound Health & Fitness for Silver Sneakers Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. Classes are FREE depending on your health insurance. Call Dog Pound Health & Fitness, 362-4676, for more information.

To your health,

Denise

Denise Sanger is a certified fitness instructor, FXP Hoop instructor, licensed Zumba, STRONG by Zumba instructor, teaches morning classes and co-founder of Family Fitness Outreach Center with Becky Skipper. Their goal is a healthier Suwannee County. Denise may be reached at DeniseSanger.com, 386/292-6105 or denisesanger@gmail.com