New Year’s Weight Loss Tips with Kai Hibbard

2009 was a yo-yo year for celebrities and average Joe’s alike.  Everyone from Jessica Simpson to Valerie Bertinelli – even that Subway guy Jared – has battled the bulge and the glaring eyes of the public as they take control of their cravings and waist lines. But for us mere mortals, who lack the convenience (and money) of a celebrity chef, pre-packaged meal plan and high-priced personal trainer, we need a little extra support to help jump start our fitness and nutrition plans in the New Year.
I recently sat down with Kai Hibbard from season three of NBC’s The Biggest Loser®.  After losing an amazing 118 pounds on the show, Kai – now an AFAA certified aerobics instructor and spokesperson for Livea, a doctor-developed, non-prescription patent-pending appetite control supplement – found it hard to keep the weight off after the show ended. Since then, Kai has discovered a new approach to weight loss, one she considers more balanced and healthy than her pre-show routine.  Kai’s S.M.A.R.T. plan is as follows:

• Snack: Have a snack before you head to a holiday party.  Try an apple with some cottage cheese or some whole wheat pita pieces and hummus. A snack that mixes healthy carbs and proteins (along with fiber!) will keep you feeling full, making you less likely to overindulge on sweets. Also, studies show that eating smaller meals, or healthy snacks, throughout the day helps speed up your metabolism.
• Make Time: There is no excuse for not working out, even if it’s a quick walk around the block.  Many people think that if they can’t make it to the gym for an official workout that this means they can avoid physical activity all together.  If you find yourself rushing from one activity to the next, fit your workouts into that day’s routine.  Try squats while you brush your teach, leg raises while you type at your desk or bicep curls while you carry your groceries inside the house.  Being creative means you’ll always have time to squeeze in a quick exercise or two.
• Avoid Overtraining: Whether you’re just starting out or you already know your way around the gym, overtraining is a serious issue, especially for the beginner.  Doing too much too soon is a sure fire recipe for fatigue, injury and feeling “burnt out.” This can leave many newbies with a sense of failure, which causes them to completely dismiss their New Year’s resolution to get into better shape.
• Rest: As mentioned before, it is important to give your body enough time to recover between workouts, not just to avoid fatigue, but also to give your muscles a chance to repair and grow.  For every pound of muscle, the average man or woman will burn 40-50 calories daily, as muscle helps increase your metabolism. And when you sleep, your body can burn several hundred calories.  If you lift weights on day one, try taking a brisk walk for 30-minutes on day two.  This will allow you to get in a great cardio workout without straining the muscles you worked the day prior.
• Think Ahead: One of the best ways to stay on track is by planning your workout and meals ahead of time.  If you know you’re going to be busy with a late meeting or chauffeuring around the kids, workout when you first wake up.  If you’re taking a road trip, pickup some healthier snack options at the grocery store the day before.  Nothing is worse than stopping for gas and filling up on sugar instead.  Mapping out your day will help maintain and reinforce all the healthy habits you’re working so hard to build.