By Rocio Yaffar

Limitations. We all have them. We know what we need to do, and we know when to stop. Sixty miles an hour is the max on the highway, $50 for new shoes, 30 minutes on the treadmill, 2 a.m. on a Saturday night. But what about the limitations we place on ourselves? Limitations that have to do with diet and exercise? We vow to go meatless one week and eat only broccoli the next, but the scale does not show a difference, and neither does the mirror. What’s wrong?
There are several contributing causes of fat and excess weight. As a country we tend to eat and run more often than not. Ours has not been dubbed the “fast food nation” for nothing. Know that the French, reportedly the thinnest people on the planet after the Japanese, take up to four hours a day to eat their meals. Compared to the typical American—which, by the way, I do not believe exists—who takes a total of 40 minutes to eat, for the entire day. Therefore we may conclude that how we eat is as important as what we eat. Not that hamburgers rank above spinach on the good-for-you totem pole, but it would help if we learned to chew before swallowing.
Then there’s the “e” word. As people age, the metabolism grows weary and begins to drag a bit. So it is harder to maintain the same weight, never mind lose it. While exercise may have been an entertaining choice during the first two decades of a person’s life, it is not optional past the third. Ergo, move. You have heard it a thousand times before and I’ll say it again: Exercise boosts metabolism, which in turn can help burn more calories.
But exercise is good at more than just burning fat—it has even greater significance. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that we make when we are, basically, happy. Exercise increases the levels of serotonin, and higher levels of serotonin help boost mood and bust stress. Since the French munch for lengthy periods of time and they are skinny, it becomes apparent that savoring life and chewing food slowly go hand in hand with a shapelier waistline. We may not be able to take four hours to eat our meals every day like the French do, but we can lift our spirits by exercising.
The point is, enjoy! If fish and veggies are the joy of your culinary life, eat them. A little cake? Cool. If it’s steak, indulge! Chocolates? Go for it. You’ll be more content and therefore, leaner, for it. So consider the path toward a leaner you: eat, chew, move. And be happy.

About Rocio Yaffar

Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa Editor in Chief, Rocio Yaffar has dedicated more than a decade and a half to the publishing industry in the capacity of editor. She has produced a host of publications in a wealth of industries, and has worked with locally- and internationally-based writers, photographers, graphic designers and illustrators, as well as printers, mail houses and multiple other publishing associates. Ms. Yaffar has been a contributing writer for local, national and international publications. E-mail her at rocio@lneonline.com.