Today's post is a continuation of the health and fitness series we started on Monday and the shape we'll be discussing in this post is the rectangular shape. Those who fall into this body shape category lack natural curves and often find it difficult to build and tone their muscles (throughout the entire body). Often times, they can find it challenging to put on weight, which can cause a boy like appearance, when it comes to their figure, due to the lack of curves; but this is not always the case! When they do gain weight, however, they tend to gain it all over. In summary, the metabolism is either extremely fast or extremely slow.
So WHY are you this shape? Well, just as the other shapes we've discussed have a hormone that plays a significant role in the development of the body shape, so does this one and in this case, it's the thyroid hormones. These hormones regulate the metabolic rate, heart and digestive functions, muscle control, brain development, and bone maintenance. A common occurrence with this body shape is that they tend to crave caffeine and refined carbs (bread, pasta, sweets, etc.) I also want to briery mention that if you are rectangular, that does not mean you have an automatic problem with your thyroid!
Now that I gave you a brief explanation of the hormone strongly affiliated with this shape, let's get into ways on maintaining a healthy and effective thyroid through nutrition:
1. Eat meat (if you do eat it) that's lean
a. The reason is that this shape tends to have difficulties with digesting meat with higher fat content
b. Stay clear of red meat, which is even more difficult for the stomach to digest and can often cause bloating, gas, and constipation as a result
c. Opt for chicken breast, turkey breast, and fish
2. Eat plenty of eggs
a. Eat both the yolk and egg whites, since the yolk contains much of the fat (which is different than animal meat fat), which helps to slow down digestion,
which is key if you're rectangular and tend to gaining weight rapidly (hypothyroidism)
b. Make sure that you're purchasing organic eggs with no treated antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides
i. These added or synthetic chemicals can have a negative effect on your body, since it can mimic or even alter the way your natural hormones
operate (If you live in the U.S & have a Stop & Shop supermarket near home, I suggest the Nature's Promise brand)
3. Eat plenty of vegetables (especially starchy veggies)
a. When it comes to greens, such as: kale, spinach, broccoli, and brussels sprouts, make sure to only eat them if you add iodine or sea kelp aka seaweed
i. These greens tend to deplete much of the iodine we ingest
ii. You should eat these no more than a couple of times a week
b. Sweet potatoes (a great alternative to regular french fries are sweet potato fries, which are extremely popular these days!)
i. DO NOT eat them with butter! Rather opt for a little honey and cinnamon (helps with weight loss!)
4. Don't consume too much fruit
a. I know this may be a shocker, but fruit contains sugar and it ends up stimulating the thyroid, which can make things worse, especially if your
thyroid is over active (hyperthyroidism), which causes rapid weight loss, often times when not trying!
b. Eat fruits low in sugar
i. Apples
ii. Plums
*Apricots, nectarines, and peaches (limit to once a week)
iii. Berries
*blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
iv. Melons
*Cantaloupe and watermelon
v. Citrus
*Pineapples, lemon, and grapefruit
vi. Papaya (EXCELLENT for aiding with digestion!)
vii. Guava
5. Eat foods high in fiber
a. They promote healthy digestion, allowing you to feel satisfied and fuller longer. Plus, they're high in good protein!
b. Beans
i. Including lentils
c. Whole grain cereals and breads
i. For oatmeal, I suggest the brand Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats, which should be available in your local supermarket chain
(stop & shop, Food Emporium, etc.) in the health food aisle
*Steel cut oats is not a glycemic carb. Glycemic carbs cause blood sugar and insulin levels to rapidly increase
ii. For bread, I suggest the brands, Food for Life and Ezekiel Bread. You MUST keep these breads frozen to maintain all of the natural benefits
from the whole grain ingredients.
*They also do NOT include refined carbs, which are comprised mainly of processed sugars
6. AVOID refined carbs
a. These foods include pasta, bread, rice, and sweets (which all spike sugar levels and cause issues with weight gain or interfere with losing weight)
i. Opt for high complex carbs
* Whole wheat pasta, bread, and oatmeal cookies as healthier alternatives
7. AVOID too much caffeine
a. Many who have a thyroid imbalance experience fatigue and as a result, turn to coffee, caffeinated teas, and soda to help them feel more awake
b. Caffeine can actually cause the thyroid to become under-active, in turn, stimulating hypothyroidism
* Causes weight gain and the prevention from losing it
c. Some may have hyperthyroidism, which is an overstimulated thyroid, which causes rapid weight loss and caffeine can further exasperate the
condition
d. Instead, opt for all natural juices in moderation, which can help detox the body and set everything into balance, including the thyroid, causing you
to feel more energetic!
8. Lastly, eat dairy that has not been treated with hormones. It will usually say no rBST and/or rBGH
a. Yogurt
i. I suggest the Liberté Yogurt perfection brand, which I know for sure is available at Mrs. Greens
ii. Chobani Greek Yogurt does NOT offer this!
b. Milk
i. Cow's milk (1-2% and whole- where the fat has not been removed)
ii. Almond (I HIGHLY SUGGEST THE SILK BRAND)
iii. Coconut (I HIGHLY SUGGEST THE SILK BRAND)
iv. DO NOT DRINK SOY MILK, EVER! Soy is a low grade protein and can cause tumors to develop and become cancerous!
SUPPLEMENTS & VITAMINS:
I always suggest consuming protein shakes to help optimize your workout results, especially if you're weight training! DO NOT CONSUME ANY PROTEIN
THAT HAS SOY AS AN INGREDIENT! Remember, it's pre-cancerous causing and is a low quality protein!
1. Protein powders
a. I HIGHLY suggest the Vega Sport performance protein in their recover option. They also offer pre-work out and work out drinks, if you enjoy those as
well.
i. They contain NO dairy, gluten, soy, or additional sugars!
b. Multivitamins
1. Look for vitamins high in iodine, selenium, zinc, vitamins B, D, E and C
2. Omega-3 is often suggested for those with thyroid conditions or prone to developing them
NOW FOR THE FITNESS:
1. Cardio
a. Cardio is essential, especially if you have an under-active thyroid or experience difficulty in losing weight
i. Walking, jogging, running, and swimming are great!
* I suggest doing the first 3 on an incline, if done on a treadmill, to help sculpt a nice toned booty
* If the first 3 are done outdoors, I suggest using ankle weights to help intensify the workout and help sculpt the lower body
2. Strength/weight training
a. Since you tend to lack curves, I highly suggest you focus on sculpting and defining your muscles, which will provide for a more curvaceous figure
b. Arm & Shoulder workouts:
1. Dumbbell curls
2. Triceps pushdown with a rope attachment
3. Decline EZ bar triceps extension
4. Chair dips
5. Shoulder cycles
6. Overhead tricep extensions
c. Ab workouts:
1. Prone plank
2. The climb up
3. Single leg stretch
4. Ab crunch machine
d. Leg Workouts (ALL DONE USING MY ANKLE WEIGHTS) 3 SETS of about 10-20 reps (depending on what you can do, yet with a challenge):
1. Squats (using free weights, "dumbbells" as well as the smith machine at the gym)
2. Walking lunges
3. In place lunges
4. Hip adductor and abductor machine
5. The glute machine
6. Russian deadlifts
7. One leg deadlifts
8. Leg press
9. Calf raise
The last thing I want to mention is that you must be drinking plenty of water to help flush out toxins and regulate your blood flow. I highly suggest you eliminate sugary drinks from your diet, since they have NO BENEFIT to your heath and in your case, they cause way more harm than good.
So how do you know how much water is enough? Well, simply multiply your current weight by 2/3 (or .67=67%) and the number you get is the amount of oz you should be drinking daily.
I hope you ladies found this post helpful! Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the conclusion of the series in which we'll be discussing the hourglass shape!
Disclaimer: Please consult your physician before making any significant changes to your diet and work out routine to know if it's best for your specific needs!
XO
