Your fitness plan for a healthier, sexier body in 2013  

Say hello to the end of the year. So many things to do in such a short span of time when the New Year approaches: year-end reports, meetings, and beating deadlines. Not to mention Christmas parties with lots of singing, drinking, and eating.  

 

The result? Less sleep, hangover, stress, no exercise and weight gain. 

 

“We all aim to live a healthier life and wish to achieve a leaner body,” said Dr. Atenodoro Marciano R. Ruiz, Jr., the only Filipino who has contributed a chapter in "The Merck Manual of Medical Information".

“But that’s easier said than done. Our busy schedules and the pressures from work and our family greatly contribute to the deterioration of our eating habits, consumption of unhealthy foods, and lack of exercise.”

 

Dr. Ruiz was an affiliate of the St. Luke’s Medical Center  and now works as a gastroenterologist at the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Santa Clara, California. When he was still in the country, he also wrote for various publications.  

 

In an article he wrote for "Health and Lifestyle", Dr. Ruiz lists ten steps on how a person can achieve a healthier and leaner body. 

 

“Some steps are easy, while others require determination and the right attitude,” he pointed out. 

 

Here are the 10 steps: 

 

1) Eat a low-cholesterol diet in small portions: “Grazing food over three small meals and two to three small snacks per day can keep your appetite down the entire day and prevent bingeing,” he explained. “The usual distribution is 40 to 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 20 to 30 percent fat.”

 

There are people who skip some meals to lose weight. This isn't a good idea. “Skipping meals will not help you lose weight,” Dr. Ruiz said. “Ironically, this will lead to binge eating due to uncontrollable appetite surges.”

 

Recommended foods are: most breads, cereals and grains, crackers, fresh fruits, lean meats, chicken sans the skin, fish and skim milk. Among those that should be avoided are: “prime-grade” fatty cuts of meat, sausage, bacon, whole milk, saturated fat, butter, croissants, ice cream and chocolate. “This structured nutrition program can place you in a slight caloric deficit,” he warned.

 

2) Eat at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily: Fiber is material that resists digestion and can be found in vegetables, fruits, and cereals. Among the recommended are long-fibered vegetables (camote tops, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), whole grains (corn, brown rice, oats, bran, whole wheat bread), and raw fruits (apples, bananas, oranges).

 

“Adequate intake of dietary fiber,” Dr. Ruiz claimed, “helps regulate bowel movements and eliminate constipation, cleanses the colon and intestine of waste and toxins, reduces the risk of heart disease, helps remove cholesterol, absorbs fat, reduces weight, helps control blood sugar, and contributes to overall well-being.”

 

3) Eat between six to 11 servings of grain: “Grains should constitute the largest percentage of your calorie intake because they are important sources of energy,” he said. “The great thing about this food group is its ability to satisfy the appetite with fewer calories.”

 

Dr. Ruiz suggested: “Select whole grains that not processed thoroughly. Limit the intake of sweets, sweetened beverages and other sugar-rich foods. Bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and similar grains provide complex carbohydrates.”

 

By the way, one serving is equal to one slice of bread, one cup of cereals, or one-half cup of cooked rice.

 

4) Eat three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits: “Fruits and vegetables provide vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron and potassium, and are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, adding less to your daily calories,” Dr. Ruiz wrote. “Go for the fresh version whenever possible and fill half of your plate with veggies and fruits during your meals.”

 

One serving of vegetables is equal to one cup of raw leafy vegetables, one-half cup of raw or cooked beans or peas, or three-fourths cup of vegetable juice. One serving of fruits is equal to one medium banana, apple, or orange, one-half cup of cooked, chopped, canned fruit, or three-fourths cup of fruit juice.

 

5) Eat appropriate amount of protein depending on your activity: “Meat and fish provide this important building material, as well as iron, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin B12,” Dr. Ruiz said. 

 

The top seven sources of protein are egg whites, whole egg, beef, chicken breast, tuna, cottage cheese and salmon. “Protein requirements vary among individuals: sedentary individuals, 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight; recreational exerciser, 0.5-0.75 grams; athletes, 0.6-0.9 grams; serious muscle building, 1 to 1.25 grams,” Dr. Ruiz said.

 

Two to four servings of protein daily is recommended. One serving is equal to two to three ounces of cooked lean meat, fish or poultry, one-half cup of dried, cooked beans or tofu, or two tablespoons of peanut butter. 

 

6) Go for unsaturated fats: There are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Foods rich in saturated and trans-fats are fried and crispy snack foods and those with solid fats (butter and margarine). Also high in saturated fats are cheese, whole milk, cream, ice cream, and liver products.

 

Dr. Ruiz recommends eating healthy fats like those from salmon, tuna and mackerel as they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which make blood less likely to form clots. “Omega-3 helps protect the heart, prevent heart attack and balanced cholesterol,” writes Dr. Willie T. Ong in How to Live Longer.

 

For cooking oil, the best sources are canola and olive. “Both are exceptionally low in cholesterol-raising saturated fat and are high in omega-3 fat,” Dr. Ruiz said.

 

7) Drink at least two liters of water: Your brain contains 74% water, blood contains 83% water, lean muscle has 75% water and bone has 22% water. A lack of water affects everything from your digestive tact to your immune system. It also helps regulate your body temperature.

 

“The rule of thumb in water intake is the ‘8 x 8 rule’: drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters),” Dr. Ruiz said. “If you exercise, you should drink another eight-ounce of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink coffee or alcohol, drink at least an equal amount of water.”

 

8) Perform cardiovascular exercises: “Body sculpting requires both diet and exercise to work best,” Dr. Ruiz said. The American Institute of Medicine recommends 60 minutes of moderate physical activity to achieve successful weight loss.

 

“Losing weight and achieving the physique of your dreams by diet and exercise takes time to work,” Dr. Ruiz reminded. “Choose the exercise that you enjoy most. Working out with a friend or your partner may motivate you to go exercise regularly.”

 

9) Perform resistance exercises: This means you need to go to those health fitness clubs. “Weight training builds muscles that make the body’s fat-burning machinery more efficient,” Dr. Ruiz said. “Adding a pound of muscle will burn 50 to 90 extra calories daily.”

 

Experts generally recommend eight to 12 repetitions of a particular exercise at a weight that completely fatigues the target muscle by the last repetition. Three sets of a particular exercise are usually recommended. Strength training in two to three days a week should target al major muscle groups, with a least a day between workouts.

 

10) A personal trainer is a must: Most people who go to health fitness clubs don’t know what to do when they do get there, or how to use the exercise equipment.  

 

“This is where a personal trainer comes handy,” Dr. Ruiz said. “Performing training exercises the wrong way can be potentially dangerous.” Scheduling a tour of the facility and arranging for a private session or two with a personal trainer can help a person become familiar with the ropes. 

 

Speaking from personal experience, Dr. Ruiz said, “I lost weight faster and gained a better physique since I got a personal trainer.” – KDM, GMA News