Weight Loss Awareness Month
With January being weight loss awareness month and last week being sugar awareness week… it was the perfect time to introduce our first episode of Ask Jason’s Mom, of 2020 - within which, Debra responded to a parent who reached out regarding the potential effects of sugar - as it relates to her child’s hyperactivity.
While the episode shared some great tips on the three things that grossly effect our children’s health, as it relates to diet… We thought it would only be fare, to share a few tips with those parents, that work tirelessly to take care of their special needs children. And who, like most of the people that started a weight loss program just 3 weeks ago, are just about ready to call it quits.
Now it is true: healthy weight loss can be a time commitment, especially if you’re overweight thanks to a job that keeps you sedentary for much of the day or a schedule that lends itself to fast food and unhealthy snacking.
Don’t throw in the towel just yet, however. According to an article i recently read, You don’t need extra minutes in your day to eat less or to move more - the two basic pillars of weight loss. Here’s how to reevaluate the time you do have, and smart strategies to make dropping pounds easier, no matter how swamped you are.
Ditch the all-or-nothing mentality
Every small step you take toward a healthier lifestyle matters, Just because you skipped the gym doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch your calorie intake for the rest of the day, for example. (In fact, it means the exact opposite!)
Eat smaller portions
You don’t need to cook your own food or even eat different food to lose weight. You just need to eat less - which doesn’t take more time or cost more money. And, for a lot of people, eating appropriate portion sizes, skipping dessert, or not going back for seconds is one of the easiest ways to reduce their total calorie intake.
Don’t skip meals
Busy people especially may need to space out their calories more throughout the day, because going more than four or five hours without refueling can slow metabolism, affect hormones and insulin levels, and contribute to unhealthy food choices when you do finally sit down to eat.
Squeeze in more movement
Setting aside time for a 30-or 60-minute workout is ideal, but you can burn a lot of calories in not-so-ideal workout situations, too. If you can fit in 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes at night, and you can do that five days a week, you get there just the same.
Practice simple food swaps
Consider your food choices like leaving the cheese off a hamburger or switching from mayo to honey mustard, and you will find that there are so many little things you can do and so many little swaps you can make over the course of a day that can add up and save you calories without costing you any extra time.
Don’t sit when you can stand
Too much sedentary behavior is bad for your heart, your brain, and yes, your waistline. Turning some of that sitting time into standing time (or, better yet, fidgeting, walking, or working-out time) will help you burn more calories. It may not add up to much weight loss on its own, but it certainly comes into play if you’re looking to maintain any weight you’re already losing.
Make sure you’re sleeping enough
When it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day, it may be tempting to stay up late or wake up super early just to get everything done—especially if you’re trying to squeeze in regular exercise in addition to everything else you have to do. That strategy can backfire if you’re not getting enough quality shuteye for your body to function properly. If you’re trying to change your behavior and lose weight by eating less and moving more, you will be more likely to achieve that if you are getting the proper amount of sleep.
We hope you find these tips helpful, because at The Answer Inc, we know all too well, that taking care of a child with special needs can be very consuming.
We also know that making sure that someone has everything they need, leaves little to no time to take care of your own needs. As an Autism Awareness and Support Agency, we know that the little time that you do have is precious - and we are ever committed to making sure that we help you spend it well.
We do that by making sure that our monthly - Powerful Parents of Autism - support group meetings, are a safe space for you to release and relate… while also being a great space to take in valuable information.
We do that by maintaining a recreational calendar, that includes events that our special needs children can enjoy themselves and each other… while doubling as an opportunity for the parents to enjoy each other and take a load off.
Speaking of which, we hope you have saved the date for our Pre Valentines “Dance Fever” Dance on February 20TH. If you haven’t… here is a little promo video that we hope will bring you out to have a little fun with us.
