Saturday, January 31, 2009
A Week Off
I'm so sorry I have been absent from our website for the last week. I have been exercising and sticking to my goals though. My mom broke her wrist last Saturday and I have been helping her out, I'm painting and I have a million other things going this week. I just need some time off from blogging. As soon as I finish painting I'll be back to my regular schedule. I hope everyone is doing great!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Another week!
Well this week has been good and bad. I can report that I lost 1 more pound. while not alot It is still one less and keeps me going. It is really my fault this week was lainee's b-day and I splurged that day and on Friday me my mom and Sheena went out to dinner and boy did we splurge. I was so panicked that I was gonna gain all of it back so I am relieved that I can still report a one Pound loss bringing the total to 6pounds. I am still going and will reach my goal.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Weekly Update
Hi Everyone, I'm so sorry I have not been posting tips the last few days. I have been so busy! I had a party for Traykun and my mom. It's my mom's birthday today and she broke her wrist yesterday so I am driving to Castle Valley to help her this morning. I maintained my weight again, no loss and no gain. I'm going out of town until Wednesday and will be back to posting upon my return. I hope everyone is making progress and doing great!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Weight Loss Secrets
Weight Loss Secrets
1. Mix a juice spritzer. Combine your favorite juice (half of your usual amount) with plain or sparkling water. You can cut up to 85 calories per glass--and lose 5 pounds or more a year.
2. Pick up the cordless. Burn calories while you talk: Do the laundry (68 calories), set the table (85 calories), or water plants (102 calories). (Values based on a 150-pound person and half an hour of activity.)
3. Pop a piece of gum. Researchers recently discovered that chewing sugar-free gum all day increases your metabolic rate by about 20 percent. That could burn off more than 10 pounds a year.
4. Pay cash for treats. Anytime someone offers you goodies--and you accept--put $1.00 aside. Then give the money to your kids. When you literally pay for treats, you're more likely to say "No thanks."
5. Study the wrapper. At a quick glance, that candy bar appears to contain 220 calories. But a closer look may reveal that it (or a bottle of juice, bag of crackers, or bag of nuts) provides two or more servings--which more than doubles those calories.
6. Sip green tea before you walk. The caffeine frees fatty acids so that you burn fat more easily. And the polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) in green tea appear to work with caffeine to increase calorie burn. (If you have high blood pressure, skip this tip.)
7. Ditch diet shakes. The calorie savings are only temporary; you just eat more later.
8. Pack a lunch. Dining out more than five times a week may make you eat more--nearly 300 calories a day--than if you dine out less frequently.
9. Dip your bread. Use olive oil in place of butter. It's healthier and may also help you eat less. In a recent study, dippers ate a total of 52 fewer calories on average than those who used butter.
10. Sprinkle flax on your cereal. High-fiber, ground flaxseed can help curb your appetite and eliminate calories. Add it to yogurt or muffin and bread mixes. Available in health food stores.
11. Dress with this:
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp horseradish
Mix togetherIt makes for a tasty salad dressing with only 20 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.
12. Schedule a blood test. About 1 in every 12 women (most of whom don't know it) has an under active thyroid, which can slow down her metabolism.
13. Supersize your H2O. Buy the big bottle when it comes to good-for-you stuff such as water: You'll drink more.
14. Trick your tastebuds. Sucking on a menthol/eucalyptus cough drop can stop cravings instantly.
15. Spice up your meals. Adding hot chile pepper (or capsaicin) to food may help you stop eating sooner.
16. Pour a white cocktail. Like water, low-fat milk's volume fills your stomach, but it also contains carbohydrates--so you eat less.
17. Chunk your salad. Chop carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or other veggies instead of shredding or slicing. It takes more effort to munch bigger pieces; you'll do more chewing and eat less during the main course.
18. Call a friend. Fill loneliness with talk--not cookies.
19. Log your food. Writing down what you eat can help you stay in control because you're more accountable. No need to record it perfectly or review what you wrote: The benefit is in the writing itself.
20. Fidget. You can burn up to 700 calories a day!
21. Retire the remotes. You could easily burn 200 extra calories a day if you stop using the TV/VCR remote, garage door opener, electric can opener, riding mower, car, and other laborsaving devices.
22. Spray--don't drizzle. Use an olive oil sprayer such as MISTO to add flavor to salads, chicken, fish, or pasta--without all the calories. A 2-second spray evenly distributes about 1/2 teaspoon of oil, compared to the 2 or 3 teaspoons you might get when pouring. That'll save you up to 100 calories per use. Available in department stores.
23. Buy small. The bigger the package, the more you're likely to eat--up to 44 percent more, according to one study.
24. Break into a jog. If you already jog, speed up to a sprint. These brief intervals allow you to cover more distance and burn more calories--without lengthening your workout. The increased impact will also help make your bones stronger.
25. Measure before cooking. It's easy to overeat pasta, but not if you cook the right amount at the start. For a perfect portion, keep a quarter near your spaghetti. Its diameter is exactly the size of the 2-ounce stack (about 200 calories) that you should serve per person. Or buy a dry-pasta measurer sold in gourmet cooking stores.
26. Rent a spooky movie. You're less likely to eat when you're fearful--but more likely when you're angry or happy.
27. Reflect on your choices. Looking at yourself in a mirror while eating may help you consume 22 to 32 percent less.
28. Drop and do 10. Before you pry open that tub of ice cream, do 10 situps or pushups. Doing something physical can put you back in touch with your body--and your goals.
29. Take a whiff. When you really want those fresh-baked cookies, try this: Indulge in the smell for 30 seconds. Then place a small piece on the tip of your tongue for another 30 seconds. Savoring the smell and taste can help you stop at just one cookie.
30. Have chunky soup. People who ate soup containing large vegetable pieces reported feeling fuller and ate 20 percent less during lunch than those who had a pureed soup made of the same ingredients.
31. Blot the fat. You can dab off about a teaspoon of oil--or 40 calories and 4.5 grams of fat--from two slices of pizza.
32. Skip "light" foods. The weight of food--not just the fat and calories--is what fills you up. Eat less and still feel satisfied with low-calorie heavyweights such as oranges, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cooked spinach, collard greens, and broccoli.
33. Order fish. Varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids--tuna, mackerel, cod, and salmon--may help you drop pounds by improving fat metabolism. Overweight people who ate a reduced-calorie diet that included fish every day lost about 20 percent more weight than those on a fish-free diet.
34. Post inspiration. To keep yourself on track, place quotes in strategic spots where you might need some motivation: on the fridge, TV, dashboard, or computer. Some suggestions: "You've come too far to take orders from a cookie." "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels."
35. Drink, drink, drink. Dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent. At a weight of 150 pounds, that would be about 45 fewer calories burned a day--which could mean 5 extra pounds a year
1. Mix a juice spritzer. Combine your favorite juice (half of your usual amount) with plain or sparkling water. You can cut up to 85 calories per glass--and lose 5 pounds or more a year.
2. Pick up the cordless. Burn calories while you talk: Do the laundry (68 calories), set the table (85 calories), or water plants (102 calories). (Values based on a 150-pound person and half an hour of activity.)
3. Pop a piece of gum. Researchers recently discovered that chewing sugar-free gum all day increases your metabolic rate by about 20 percent. That could burn off more than 10 pounds a year.
4. Pay cash for treats. Anytime someone offers you goodies--and you accept--put $1.00 aside. Then give the money to your kids. When you literally pay for treats, you're more likely to say "No thanks."
5. Study the wrapper. At a quick glance, that candy bar appears to contain 220 calories. But a closer look may reveal that it (or a bottle of juice, bag of crackers, or bag of nuts) provides two or more servings--which more than doubles those calories.
6. Sip green tea before you walk. The caffeine frees fatty acids so that you burn fat more easily. And the polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) in green tea appear to work with caffeine to increase calorie burn. (If you have high blood pressure, skip this tip.)
7. Ditch diet shakes. The calorie savings are only temporary; you just eat more later.
8. Pack a lunch. Dining out more than five times a week may make you eat more--nearly 300 calories a day--than if you dine out less frequently.
9. Dip your bread. Use olive oil in place of butter. It's healthier and may also help you eat less. In a recent study, dippers ate a total of 52 fewer calories on average than those who used butter.
10. Sprinkle flax on your cereal. High-fiber, ground flaxseed can help curb your appetite and eliminate calories. Add it to yogurt or muffin and bread mixes. Available in health food stores.
11. Dress with this:
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp horseradish
Mix togetherIt makes for a tasty salad dressing with only 20 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.
12. Schedule a blood test. About 1 in every 12 women (most of whom don't know it) has an under active thyroid, which can slow down her metabolism.
13. Supersize your H2O. Buy the big bottle when it comes to good-for-you stuff such as water: You'll drink more.
14. Trick your tastebuds. Sucking on a menthol/eucalyptus cough drop can stop cravings instantly.
15. Spice up your meals. Adding hot chile pepper (or capsaicin) to food may help you stop eating sooner.
16. Pour a white cocktail. Like water, low-fat milk's volume fills your stomach, but it also contains carbohydrates--so you eat less.
17. Chunk your salad. Chop carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or other veggies instead of shredding or slicing. It takes more effort to munch bigger pieces; you'll do more chewing and eat less during the main course.
18. Call a friend. Fill loneliness with talk--not cookies.
19. Log your food. Writing down what you eat can help you stay in control because you're more accountable. No need to record it perfectly or review what you wrote: The benefit is in the writing itself.
20. Fidget. You can burn up to 700 calories a day!
21. Retire the remotes. You could easily burn 200 extra calories a day if you stop using the TV/VCR remote, garage door opener, electric can opener, riding mower, car, and other laborsaving devices.
22. Spray--don't drizzle. Use an olive oil sprayer such as MISTO to add flavor to salads, chicken, fish, or pasta--without all the calories. A 2-second spray evenly distributes about 1/2 teaspoon of oil, compared to the 2 or 3 teaspoons you might get when pouring. That'll save you up to 100 calories per use. Available in department stores.
23. Buy small. The bigger the package, the more you're likely to eat--up to 44 percent more, according to one study.
24. Break into a jog. If you already jog, speed up to a sprint. These brief intervals allow you to cover more distance and burn more calories--without lengthening your workout. The increased impact will also help make your bones stronger.
25. Measure before cooking. It's easy to overeat pasta, but not if you cook the right amount at the start. For a perfect portion, keep a quarter near your spaghetti. Its diameter is exactly the size of the 2-ounce stack (about 200 calories) that you should serve per person. Or buy a dry-pasta measurer sold in gourmet cooking stores.
26. Rent a spooky movie. You're less likely to eat when you're fearful--but more likely when you're angry or happy.
27. Reflect on your choices. Looking at yourself in a mirror while eating may help you consume 22 to 32 percent less.
28. Drop and do 10. Before you pry open that tub of ice cream, do 10 situps or pushups. Doing something physical can put you back in touch with your body--and your goals.
29. Take a whiff. When you really want those fresh-baked cookies, try this: Indulge in the smell for 30 seconds. Then place a small piece on the tip of your tongue for another 30 seconds. Savoring the smell and taste can help you stop at just one cookie.
30. Have chunky soup. People who ate soup containing large vegetable pieces reported feeling fuller and ate 20 percent less during lunch than those who had a pureed soup made of the same ingredients.
31. Blot the fat. You can dab off about a teaspoon of oil--or 40 calories and 4.5 grams of fat--from two slices of pizza.
32. Skip "light" foods. The weight of food--not just the fat and calories--is what fills you up. Eat less and still feel satisfied with low-calorie heavyweights such as oranges, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cooked spinach, collard greens, and broccoli.
33. Order fish. Varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids--tuna, mackerel, cod, and salmon--may help you drop pounds by improving fat metabolism. Overweight people who ate a reduced-calorie diet that included fish every day lost about 20 percent more weight than those on a fish-free diet.
34. Post inspiration. To keep yourself on track, place quotes in strategic spots where you might need some motivation: on the fridge, TV, dashboard, or computer. Some suggestions: "You've come too far to take orders from a cookie." "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels."
35. Drink, drink, drink. Dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent. At a weight of 150 pounds, that would be about 45 fewer calories burned a day--which could mean 5 extra pounds a year
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Walking or Jogging Backward on the Treadmill
I know it sounds crazy, but it really does work! I have tried this and I felt the different muscles working. I will post a detailed routine tomorrow for those of you who want to try it. I highly recommend starting out slow and wearing the treadmill safety string.
-------------------------------------------
Walking backward or jogging backward on the treadmill works muscles in an entirely different way than walking forward. This should be done with hands off the side rails. Effects of walking with hands on the side rails totally defeat the purpose of walking backward. When you let go, your postural muscles are forced to take serious action. So are your legs, hips and the muscles that control your ankles. That’s why walking backward at faster speeds, without holding on, will condition your feet for inline skating. It will also dramatically improve your balance, even if you must start out at 1 mph.
Start Slow When Walking Backward on the Treadmill
An able-bodied person -- and this includes older people, large people, and people who are new to exercise can walk backward without holding on. All you need do is start out super slow and get used to it. When you feel adjusted, increase the speed in 5/10 of a mile-per-hour increments. Many individuals, depending on their fitness or coordination level, will quickly be up to 4 mph without clinging on.
Variations of Backward Walking Backward Walking With Incline
Set the incline at 15% and 2 mph, assuming that you are adjusted to walking backward level without holding on. You will soon feel a nice burn in your thighs.
If you can go faster, do that for an intense thigh burn. Now, if you can’t last longer than a few minutes, that’s perfectly fine.
Do brief intervals at 15% and 2 to 3 mph, alternating with walking forward with a lower incline (or level) for a few minutes, back and forth, for 30 minutes.
Incline low-walk: As you walk, lower your center of gravity so that you’re in a one-quarter squat position. Keep back straight. Do not pitch forward. This will intensify the fire in your quadriceps muscles.
Running Backward on the Treadmill
You can sustain this at 4 mph, and go for briefer duration at faster speeds, whatever challenges you. Think outside the box. Do intervals of 6 to 8 mph backward-jogs for as long as you can, alternating with forward walking (or slower jogging) for a few minutes, for a total of 30 minutes.
Jogging and running backward upgrades athletic performance and adds spice to your routine. Never mind that it might attract attention from other gym members. This is your time, your body.
Article taken from about.com, for more information click here
-------------------------------------------
Walking backward or jogging backward on the treadmill works muscles in an entirely different way than walking forward. This should be done with hands off the side rails. Effects of walking with hands on the side rails totally defeat the purpose of walking backward. When you let go, your postural muscles are forced to take serious action. So are your legs, hips and the muscles that control your ankles. That’s why walking backward at faster speeds, without holding on, will condition your feet for inline skating. It will also dramatically improve your balance, even if you must start out at 1 mph.
Start Slow When Walking Backward on the Treadmill
An able-bodied person -- and this includes older people, large people, and people who are new to exercise can walk backward without holding on. All you need do is start out super slow and get used to it. When you feel adjusted, increase the speed in 5/10 of a mile-per-hour increments. Many individuals, depending on their fitness or coordination level, will quickly be up to 4 mph without clinging on.
Variations of Backward Walking Backward Walking With Incline
Set the incline at 15% and 2 mph, assuming that you are adjusted to walking backward level without holding on. You will soon feel a nice burn in your thighs.
If you can go faster, do that for an intense thigh burn. Now, if you can’t last longer than a few minutes, that’s perfectly fine.
Do brief intervals at 15% and 2 to 3 mph, alternating with walking forward with a lower incline (or level) for a few minutes, back and forth, for 30 minutes.
Incline low-walk: As you walk, lower your center of gravity so that you’re in a one-quarter squat position. Keep back straight. Do not pitch forward. This will intensify the fire in your quadriceps muscles.
Running Backward on the Treadmill
You can sustain this at 4 mph, and go for briefer duration at faster speeds, whatever challenges you. Think outside the box. Do intervals of 6 to 8 mph backward-jogs for as long as you can, alternating with forward walking (or slower jogging) for a few minutes, for a total of 30 minutes.
Jogging and running backward upgrades athletic performance and adds spice to your routine. Never mind that it might attract attention from other gym members. This is your time, your body.
Article taken from about.com, for more information click here
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Feeling Good
Emotional Triggers Behind Eating
You just got into a knockdown-dragout fight with your spouse. Or your kid. Or your mom. Or the guy behind you in the checkout line. Your reaction is to head for the kitchen to soothe yourself with something smooth, fattening, creamy, sugary, salty, or crunchy — pick your poison.
Sound familiar? If so, you're an emotional eater. But you've probably figured that out already. You've probably also figured out that unhealthy overeating leads not only to weight gain but to a destructive pattern of anxiety and self-loathing that's tough to break on your own. Want to break the cycle? I'm here to help.
You've got to start by facing the fact that there will never be a totally stress-free time in your life. There. That's as bad as it gets. Now on to the good news: You can stop emotional eating. The key is to identify the things that make you feel pressured, sad, angry, or anxious. Once you understand your triggers, you can break the cycle and start regaining control of when, why, and how you eat.
The best way to identify your emotional triggers is through self-examination. Face your issues. Bring them out of your subconscious and into your conscious reality. This is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself.
Information taken from Jillian Michaels daily email. For more information or to sign up for her daily email blast, click here
You just got into a knockdown-dragout fight with your spouse. Or your kid. Or your mom. Or the guy behind you in the checkout line. Your reaction is to head for the kitchen to soothe yourself with something smooth, fattening, creamy, sugary, salty, or crunchy — pick your poison.
Sound familiar? If so, you're an emotional eater. But you've probably figured that out already. You've probably also figured out that unhealthy overeating leads not only to weight gain but to a destructive pattern of anxiety and self-loathing that's tough to break on your own. Want to break the cycle? I'm here to help.
You've got to start by facing the fact that there will never be a totally stress-free time in your life. There. That's as bad as it gets. Now on to the good news: You can stop emotional eating. The key is to identify the things that make you feel pressured, sad, angry, or anxious. Once you understand your triggers, you can break the cycle and start regaining control of when, why, and how you eat.
The best way to identify your emotional triggers is through self-examination. Face your issues. Bring them out of your subconscious and into your conscious reality. This is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself.
Information taken from Jillian Michaels daily email. For more information or to sign up for her daily email blast, click here
Monday, January 19, 2009
A little progress
Well I did make a little progress this last week. After staying the same most of the week I was kind of disappointed but I weighed this morning and I had lost 3 more pounds so that brings the total to 8 for the two weeks. I want to shoot for 4 more pounds at least by the end of January so we will see what that brings.
Another Repeat
So, I had a repeat of last week - 2 itty bitty pounds. I know what I need to do to make this weight loss better and have it come off quicker - I just lack the motivation right now. I seriously need to hit the treadmill and workout videos. But, like Kyla, I too had my little monthly visitor and didn't feel like doing a darn thing. But, enough with the excuses - this week will be better! I decided that my goal for this week is 4 pounds!!!
A crappy week
Well this week was just as the title said a crappy week. I never seen much exercise this week either, was having my monthly, and cheated on my diet Saturday. So the result is a one pound wight loss and a one pound gain so I remain the same only 5 pounds down and 25 still to go. I feel good that I maintained that at least. I am not giving up I hit the treadmill again today and feel better so we will see what the next week brings?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Weekly Report
Sorry I have not posted any new workout's or tips for the past few days. I am out of town until tomorrow . . .
I just wanted to post my weekly update. I lost 1.4 pounds this week - yes, I count the .4 ;-) I weigh myself every Sunday morning right when I get out of bed. My scale saves 5 previous weights so I can keep track of 5 weeks in a row. I exercise very faithfully, but I eat like CRAP. If I ate right I think my body and weight would be just where I want it to be. I can help and give tips on exercise like crazy, but I need help from you all on the eating. Anyone have any ideas for me? How can I get my sugar tooth under control? I know all the right things to eat, how I should be eating, etc . . . I just cannot seem to make myself do it. I love fruits and veggies but I don't eat enough.
I should be back to my normal postings by Tuesday. In the meantime I look forward to all your feedback.
I hope you all had a great week and here is to another successful one for us all. So far everyone has been doing so good.
I just wanted to post my weekly update. I lost 1.4 pounds this week - yes, I count the .4 ;-) I weigh myself every Sunday morning right when I get out of bed. My scale saves 5 previous weights so I can keep track of 5 weeks in a row. I exercise very faithfully, but I eat like CRAP. If I ate right I think my body and weight would be just where I want it to be. I can help and give tips on exercise like crazy, but I need help from you all on the eating. Anyone have any ideas for me? How can I get my sugar tooth under control? I know all the right things to eat, how I should be eating, etc . . . I just cannot seem to make myself do it. I love fruits and veggies but I don't eat enough.
I should be back to my normal postings by Tuesday. In the meantime I look forward to all your feedback.
I hope you all had a great week and here is to another successful one for us all. So far everyone has been doing so good.
This is a Way long post Sorry Everyone. One of those long emails full of tips Read when ytou have time you might find some help in there somewhere.
Fad Diets: Separating Fact From Fiction
Every year Americans invest billions of dollars in weight loss diets and gimmicks, many of which yield few results. However, the lure of quick, easy weight loss is hard to resist. Despite ineffective tools, most hopeful consumers are willing to give the next weight loss fad a chance. If you're planning to start a new diet, it is important to remember the following information.
Food-specific diets: Have you ever tried the cabbage diet or the fruit-only diet? These are just a couple of examples of diets that promote one "specific" food that causes weight loss. No matter how much you think you'll enjoy ice cream at every meal, inevitably you will get bored with eating the same food repeatedly. As a result, you'll eat less food than needed to maintain your weight. This type of diet will not teach you healthier eating habits or provide a balance of nutrients, and consequently is not effective for long-term weight loss.
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets: One of the most recent trends in dieting, these diets are based on the concept that carbohydrates are "bad" and that everyone has some degree of insulin resistance, resulting in poor carbohydrate metabolism. Many proponents of these diets suggest that including carbohydrates in your diet will cause weight gain. The reality, though, is that eating more calories (whether as carbohydrate, fats, or protein) than you burn will cause weight gain.
High-fiber, low-calorie diets: As I've noted in many previous blog entries, fiber-rich foods play an important role in a healthy diet. They are a helpful ingredient of weight loss efforts because they provide bulk to the diet, which helps you feel fuller sooner. Be careful, though: if you plan to increase the fiber in your diet, be sure to increase your fluid intake at the same time or you may experience cramping, bloating, and constipation. High-fiber diets will help with weight loss only if you restrict calories in conjunction with addition of extra grains, fruits and vegetables.
Liquid diets: Consumers face a couple of different liquid diet options. Your local grocery store and pharmacy sell over-the-counter liquid meal replacements, which can be expensive and frequently add extra calories to daily consumption if not managed carefully. On the other hand are liquid diets that require medical supervision. These diets are usually very low in calories and may result in metabolic abnormalities if dieters are not carefully monitored. Neither type of liquid diet should be used for long‑term weight loss unless monitored by a health care professional. Radically changing your caloric intake in this way will not result in long-term behavior modification and healthy eating patterns.
Fasting: As a way to cleanse the body or jump-start a weight-loss program, fasting has been recommended for years. However, all that fasting really does is deprive your body of nutrients and decrease your energy, leaving you feeling weak and lightheaded. If the right nutrients are not available for your cells to use as energy, your liver will convert fat stores to ketones for use as energy (ketosis). Long-term ketosis can be harmful to your health.
No fad diet or gimmick will work magic for safe and effective weight loss. The following are some suggestions for ensuring a long-term healthy eating plan and getting your weight loss efforts off to an encouraging start:
Eat a variety of foods. Remember, a balanced diet will ensure that you get all necessary nutrients.
Get some physical activity every day. Calories in must be less than calories out to ensure successful weight loss. To keep "calories out" at a healthful level, make you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.
Include sources of fiber in your diet. They will add bulk and give you a feeling of fullness.
Choose a diet low in fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol. You do need to consume some fat for good health. Aim for no more than 30 percent of your total calories as fat calories, of which no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat calories.
Choose foods moderate in sugars. Foods that are high in simple sugars usually offer little nutritional value and will add unwanted calories.
Choose foods moderate in salt and sodium. Remember that salt has been added to many foods during preparation or processing, so it's not necessary to add extra salt at the table.
Weight-loss options: 5 popular diet approachesProvided by:
Last Updated: 06/23/2005
When it comes to weight loss, there's no shortage of advice. Check any magazine rack or bookstore and you're bound to come across that latest and greatest cure for being overweight. Some even work — for a while.
But what you need to look for is something that works for a lifetime — a weight-loss approach that can help you establish a healthy lifestyle to control weight. And the best weight-loss program for you is one that you'll commit to long term.
Here's a summary of five different types of weight-loss strategies in circulation today. Though these approaches may not be the ultimate weight solution to your weight-loss quandary, they may help you see the relationship between what you put in your mouth and its eventual effect on your body.
1. Low-fat diets
Eating foods low in fat is a logical strategy for losing weight. A gram of fat contains twice as many calories as a gram of carbohydrates or protein. So cutting down on high-fat foods can help you cut down on your daily calories and thus help you lose weight.
So why don't low-fat diets always work? The truth is that even a low-fat diet can lead to weight gain when people ignore the total amount of calories they're eating and regularly exceed their daily calorie goals. Too many calories from any source, low-fat foods included, can add pounds.
It's also not a good idea to cut most or all fat from your diet. This may deprive you of essential fatty acids — which are necessary for the health of your body — and possibly other nutrients sometimes found in foods that contain fat. In addition, your body needs some dietary fat to help absorb certain vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K.
Whatever percentage of your calories is from fat, choose fats that will promote your long-term health. Limit saturated fats — found in animal products, coconut, palm and palm kernel oils — and trans fats (hydrogenated oils). Instead, use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as those found in nuts and nut oils, avocados, and olive, canola and other plant oils.
2. Low-carb diets
Another popular strategy for losing weight is to limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat. The theory behind this weight-loss program is that carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels, which causes an increase in your body's insulin production. High insulin levels drive blood sugar into your cells, where it's converted to fat.
Proponents of low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, believe that a decrease in carbs will result in lower blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to weight loss. By reducing the amount of carbs you're taking in, your body turns to stored carbohydrates (glycogen) for energy. When these reserves are exhausted, your body turns to the next source of energy, fat tissue, leading to weight loss.
Some people do lose weight on low-carb diets, but the weight loss probably isn't related to blood sugar levels. More likely, it's related to these factors:
Loss of water weight. When you initially decrease your carbohydrate intake, your body burns glycogen. Glycogen contains large amounts of water, so burning glycogen leads to the release of water and increased urination, causing weight loss.
Decreased appetite. Burning fat without carbohydrates creates byproducts called ketones that build up in your bloodstream. When this happens, you may not feel as hungry.
Increased feeling of fullness. Low-carbohydrate diets are usually higher in fat. And fat takes longer to digest, which makes you feel fuller longer.
Reduced calories. Most low-carb diets reduce your overall calorie intake because they strictly limit the variety of foods you can eat. Carbohydrates — including bread, pasta, rice, cereals, milk, most fruit and any sweets — are to be limited or avoided, thus leading to a significant reduction in calorie intake.
3. Glycemic-index diets
The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effects on blood sugar. For example, eating highly processed foods, such as bread made with refined white flour, raises blood sugar higher and faster than does eating whole foods, such as coarse whole-grain bread or an apple. This earns white bread a high glycemic-index rating and whole-grain bread and apples a lower glycemic-index rating.
Similar to the theory behind low-carb diets, glycemic-index diets — such as the G.I. Diet or the Sugar Busters diet — are based on the premise that increased blood sugar levels lead to overproduction of insulin, leading to weight gain. Therefore, eating the right carbs — foods low on the glycemic index — can help you lose weight by lowering insulin production and regulating your appetite.
Using the glycemic index for meal planning is a fairly complicated process, however. Many factors affect the glycemic-index value of a specific food, such as how the food was prepared and what you eat with it. Also, the glycemic-index value for some foods isn't known. And people typically eat a combination of foods, which may affect blood sugar differently than does a single food.
4. Meal replacements
Meal replacements, such as Slim-Fast, provide fewer than 400 calories a meal and are nutritionally complete. You replace one or two meals a day, such as breakfast and lunch, with a low-calorie shake or meal bar. Then you eat a healthy third meal, between 600 and 700 calories, of your own choosing. You can eat healthy, low-calorie snacks, such as fruits and vegetables, throughout the day. Most of these programs encourage regular physical activity. Meal replacements can be as effective as a traditional calorie-controlled diet.
5. Commercial weight-loss programs
Commercial weight-loss programs, such as Weight Watchers, offer a reduced-calorie diet and individual or group counseling. These programs assist your weight-loss efforts by giving you eating plans, exercise recommendations and ongoing support. Some programs also offer ready-made meals delivered to your home.
The most popular commercial weight-loss programs — Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and LA Weight Loss — vary in the services and programs they offer.
Weight Watchers. As a member of Weight Watchers, you attend a weekly meeting for a private weigh-in, group information or activity session, and supportive conversation with fellow participants. The program involves a three-step approach encompassing the foods you eat, your activity level and the use of specific strategies that promote long-term healthy weight.
Jenny Craig. This program encourages long-term weight loss through exercise, stress reduction and individual support. Jenny Craig also offers ready-made frozen meals delivered to your home overnight. The meals contain the proportion of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and other necessary nutrients you need. The plan also offers telephone counseling and an at-home program for people who don't live close to a Jenny Craig center.
LA Weight Loss. This weight-loss program includes one-on-one counseling sessions and help in planning meals and snacks, which you prepare at home. The program encourages clients to make food choices from readily available foods.
Which weight-loss plan is right for you?
How can you determine if a weight-loss program is right for you? The American Dietetic Association suggests that you ask yourself these questions. Does the program:
Include various foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains (particularly whole grains), low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources (meat, poultry, fish), nuts, seeds, and beans and other legumes?
Include foods you find appealing and that you would enjoy eating for a lifetime — not just for several weeks or months?
Feature foods you can easily find in your local grocery store?
Allow you to eat your favorite foods, or better yet, all foods?
Fit your lifestyle and budget?
Include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you lose weight safely and effectively?
Encourage regular physical activity?
If you answer no to any of these questions, the weight-loss program isn't right for you, as you probably won't stick to it long term. Successful weight loss requires permanent changes to your eating and physical activity habits. This means you need to find a weight-loss program that you can commit to and follow for life.
How Do I Start Eating Healthier?
Step 1: Look at how you eat
To eat healthier, you first need to know what makes up a balanced diet. The food guide pyramid emphasizes whole grains and fruits and vegetables in your diet while limiting fat and sugar. Once you know what foods make up a balanced diet, you can determine what changes you need to make.
eep a food diary for a week or two and record everything you eat or drink. Make sure to track the number of servings you get from each food group.
You need:
6 to 11 servings of a variety of whole grains (rice, bread, pasta, cereal).
2 to 4 servings of a variety of fruits.
3 to 5 servings of a variety of vegetables.
2 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese.
2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, nuts, or eggs.
A small amount of fats, oils, and sweets.
After the first week, review your food diary. Ask yourself a few questions: Are you getting the minimum number of servings from each food group on the average? Do you get plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout the day? Are most of the foods you eat high in fat, sugar, and salt? Do you prepare meals at home, or do you eat more fast foods or convenience foods? Do you drink beverages that contain a lot of sugar? Do you drink plenty of water?
The number of calories you need each day depends on your age, gender, and activity level. In general:
Less active women and older adults need about 1,600 calories per day.
Active women and most less active men need about 2,200 calories per day.
Active men need about 2,800 calories per day.
Step 2: Start thinking about changes
Do you find that you eat out a lot? If so, you may be getting more fat, salt, and calories than you need, and your diet may not be balanced. Do you eat a lot of meat but not many vegetables? Your diet may be too high in saturated fats and low in fiber. Do you rely on packaged convenience foods for a lot of your meals? If so, you may be getting more salt and sugar than are healthy.
Start reading labels on convenience foods that you eat to see the amount of nutrients they contain. Fast-food and convenience-food meals often contain few or no fruits or vegetables, so making sure you have some fruits and vegetables on the side will make the meal more nutritious.
Step 3: Start small
Don't try to make dramatic changes to your diet all at once. You would likely feel overwhelmed and deprived of your favorite foods and, therefore, would be more likely to fail. Start slowly, and gradually change your habits. Try any of the following:
Use whole-wheat bread instead of white bread.
Eat brown rice instead of white rice.
Try whole-wheat pasta instead of pasta made with white flour. Or try a mixture of the two.
Use skim or 1% (low-fat) milk instead of whole milk or 2% milk.
Try low-fat cheeses and low-fat yogurt.
Add more fruits and vegetables to meals and have them for snacks.
Add lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion to sandwiches.
Add fruit to cereal.
Step 4: Know your ingredients
o make healthy choices, you need to know how certain foods affect your body.
Fat: Recognize the difference between fats. Saturated and hydrogenated (trans) fats can raise cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your risk of developing coronary artery disease. 3 Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, such as trout, tuna, and salmon, as well as in plant foods, such as flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts, wheat germ, and soy. They may also help lower blood pressure and triglycerides.
Carbohydrate: Learn the differences between types of carbohydrate. Choose whole-grain sources of carbohydrate found in unprocessed cereal grains, such as brown rice instead of white rice and whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Whole-grain sources of carbohydrate add fiber to your diet and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Sugar: Milk and fruits contain naturally occurring simple sugars, but they also contain many other vitamins and minerals. Added sugars, such as in granola bars and fruit drinks without 100% real fruit juice, have been refined so that all the other nutrients in the sugar are removed. Used sparingly, added sugars can enhance the taste of food. But too much sugar can fill you up and displace other more nutritious foods, contributing to excess calories and weight gain.
How do you make those permanent changes? Follow these six strategies.
1. Make a commitment
Permanent weight loss takes time and effort. It requires concentration and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make the necessary permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.
No one else can make you lose weight. In fact, external pressure — often from people closest to you — may make matters worse. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself.
As you're planning new weight-related lifestyle changes, try to resolve any other problems in your life. It takes considerable mental and physical energy to change your habits. So make sure you aren't distracted by other major life issues, such as marital or financial problems. Timing is key to success. Ask yourself if you're ready to take on the challenges of serious weight loss.
Keep in mind that no matter how prepared you may be, you'll occasionally overeat or eat foods that you should avoid. Rather than let a setback derail your efforts, accept that it happened and get back on track. Don't expect perfection — and never give up.
Motivate yourself by focusing on all of the benefits of losing weight, such as having more energy and improving your health. Then look at the negatives, such as finding the time to exercise, and come up with creative solutions.
2. Get emotional support
Ultimately, only you can help yourself lose weight by taking responsibility for your own behavior. But that doesn't mean that you have to do everything alone. Seek support from your partner, family and friends.
Pick people who you know want only the best for you and who will encourage you. They should be available to listen to your thoughts and feelings and encourage you, perhaps spend time exercising with you, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle. An ideal support person might be someone who also is participating in a weight-loss program.
Some people fare better with professional support, such as a dietitian or personal trainer. Others benefit from the group support they receive from organizations such as Weight Watchers or Overeaters Anonymous.
If you do join a group, keep in mind that what you get out of it will be in proportion to what you put into it. If you sit in a corner and just listen, you may hear some good suggestions. But if you actively participate, you're more likely to reap the potential rewards of the group, such as support, encouragement, feeling that you're not alone and helpful suggestions specific to your concerns.
3. Set a realistic goal
When you're considering what to expect from your new eating and exercise plan, be realistic. Healthy weight loss occurs slowly and steadily. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. To do this, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories a day through a low-calorie diet and regular exercise. Losing weight more rapidly means losing water weight or muscle tissue, rather than fat.
Set weekly or monthly goals, and then track your progress. Remember that you're in this for the long haul. Anything you undertake too intensely or too vigorously may quickly become too onerous, so you're more likely to give up.
In addition, make your goals "process goals," such as eating judiciously and exercising regularly, rather than "outcome goals," such as losing 50 pounds. Changing your process — your habits — is the key to weight loss. Make sure that your process goals are realistic, specific and measurable — you'll walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
Work out a strategy that gradually changes the habits and attitudes that may have undermined your past efforts to lose weight. Choose a definite start date. Consider where, how often and how long you'll exercise. Develop a realistic eating plan that factors in plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. Write everything down. Find the potential roadblocks, and make plans to deal with them.
Ask your doctor how much weight you can safely lose. Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian or someone else who specializes in weight loss.
4. Enjoy healthier foods
Liquid meals, diet pills and unusual combinations of foods aren't the key to long-term weight control and better health. Instead, learn how to eat a variety of healthy foods.
Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean decreasing taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation. One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without compromising taste or nutrition. Cutting back on calories is easier if you focus on limiting fat.
To lose weight, talk to your doctor about setting these daily calorie goals:
Your weight in pounds
Daily calorie goal
Women
Men
250 or less
1,200
1,400
251 to 300
1,400
1,600
301 or more
1,600
1,800
Over time, your caloric needs may change based on your health risks, the rate of weight loss desired or needed, and your personal goals and preferences. You can increase your calories if you're too hungry or if you've reached your target weight and want to stop losing.
Very low calorie diets aren't a healthy long-term strategy. Fewer than 1,200 calories a day for women and 1,400 calories for men aren't generally recommended. If your calories are too low, you run the risk of not getting all of the nutrients you need for good health.
It's usually best to talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting any weight-loss plan. A weight-loss specialist can help guide you in making the healthiest, most effective and safest food choices based on your individual needs.
5. Get active, stay active
Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 250 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about half a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. But add a 30-minute brisk walk four days a week, and you can double your rate of weight loss.
The goal of exercise for weight loss is to burn more calories, although exercise offers many other benefits as well. How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. For many people it's easier to keep a routine of longer duration, lower intensity aerobic exercises. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise — such as walking — for more than 30 minutes most days of the week.
Strength training exercises, such as weight training, also are important because they help counteract muscle loss associated with aging. And since muscle tissue burns more calories, muscle mass is a key factor in helping maintain a healthy weight. The more lean muscle mass you preserve, the bigger "engine" in which to burn more calories.
Exercise sensibly by starting out slowly and gradually increasing the duration and intensity. Walking is an ideal choice, as is swimming, bicycling, jogging or dancing. Decide, too, if you prefer to exercise alone or with others. Often, having a buddy helps you stick to your schedule.
Even though regularly scheduled aerobic exercise is best for losing fat, any extra movement helps burn calories. Lifestyle activities may be easier to incorporate into your day. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot. Stair climbing, walking, gardening, lawn mowing and even housework all help burn calories.
6. Change your lifestyle
It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even several months. You have to incorporate these behaviors into your life. To do that, you have to change the behaviors that helped make you overweight in the first place. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine.
To assess your eating behaviors, ask yourself if you tend to eat when you're bored, angry, tired, anxious, depressed or socially pressured. Look at your eating style and shopping and cooking techniques. Were you taught to clean your plate? Do you eat too fast? Do you eat while watching TV? See if any patterns emerge to identify possible triggers for overeating.
After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. Simply admitting your own challenges won't get you past them entirely. But it helps in planning how you'll deal with them and whether you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all.
You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once, but stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it
For my weigh in for the week I'm down another 3 pounds. So eight total so far. Not to bad I guess wish it were more! Cary lost 3 pounds last week also, he decided he wanted to loose 10 pounds or so. And ya know how he lost his? Doing basicaly NOTHING! He just quit drinking 3ish Pepsis a day and went to just one a day and BOOM he looses 3 pounds! So not Fair!
Fad Diets: Separating Fact From Fiction
Every year Americans invest billions of dollars in weight loss diets and gimmicks, many of which yield few results. However, the lure of quick, easy weight loss is hard to resist. Despite ineffective tools, most hopeful consumers are willing to give the next weight loss fad a chance. If you're planning to start a new diet, it is important to remember the following information.
Food-specific diets: Have you ever tried the cabbage diet or the fruit-only diet? These are just a couple of examples of diets that promote one "specific" food that causes weight loss. No matter how much you think you'll enjoy ice cream at every meal, inevitably you will get bored with eating the same food repeatedly. As a result, you'll eat less food than needed to maintain your weight. This type of diet will not teach you healthier eating habits or provide a balance of nutrients, and consequently is not effective for long-term weight loss.
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets: One of the most recent trends in dieting, these diets are based on the concept that carbohydrates are "bad" and that everyone has some degree of insulin resistance, resulting in poor carbohydrate metabolism. Many proponents of these diets suggest that including carbohydrates in your diet will cause weight gain. The reality, though, is that eating more calories (whether as carbohydrate, fats, or protein) than you burn will cause weight gain.
High-fiber, low-calorie diets: As I've noted in many previous blog entries, fiber-rich foods play an important role in a healthy diet. They are a helpful ingredient of weight loss efforts because they provide bulk to the diet, which helps you feel fuller sooner. Be careful, though: if you plan to increase the fiber in your diet, be sure to increase your fluid intake at the same time or you may experience cramping, bloating, and constipation. High-fiber diets will help with weight loss only if you restrict calories in conjunction with addition of extra grains, fruits and vegetables.
Liquid diets: Consumers face a couple of different liquid diet options. Your local grocery store and pharmacy sell over-the-counter liquid meal replacements, which can be expensive and frequently add extra calories to daily consumption if not managed carefully. On the other hand are liquid diets that require medical supervision. These diets are usually very low in calories and may result in metabolic abnormalities if dieters are not carefully monitored. Neither type of liquid diet should be used for long‑term weight loss unless monitored by a health care professional. Radically changing your caloric intake in this way will not result in long-term behavior modification and healthy eating patterns.
Fasting: As a way to cleanse the body or jump-start a weight-loss program, fasting has been recommended for years. However, all that fasting really does is deprive your body of nutrients and decrease your energy, leaving you feeling weak and lightheaded. If the right nutrients are not available for your cells to use as energy, your liver will convert fat stores to ketones for use as energy (ketosis). Long-term ketosis can be harmful to your health.
No fad diet or gimmick will work magic for safe and effective weight loss. The following are some suggestions for ensuring a long-term healthy eating plan and getting your weight loss efforts off to an encouraging start:
Eat a variety of foods. Remember, a balanced diet will ensure that you get all necessary nutrients.
Get some physical activity every day. Calories in must be less than calories out to ensure successful weight loss. To keep "calories out" at a healthful level, make you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.
Include sources of fiber in your diet. They will add bulk and give you a feeling of fullness.
Choose a diet low in fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol. You do need to consume some fat for good health. Aim for no more than 30 percent of your total calories as fat calories, of which no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat calories.
Choose foods moderate in sugars. Foods that are high in simple sugars usually offer little nutritional value and will add unwanted calories.
Choose foods moderate in salt and sodium. Remember that salt has been added to many foods during preparation or processing, so it's not necessary to add extra salt at the table.
Weight-loss options: 5 popular diet approachesProvided by:
Last Updated: 06/23/2005
When it comes to weight loss, there's no shortage of advice. Check any magazine rack or bookstore and you're bound to come across that latest and greatest cure for being overweight. Some even work — for a while.
But what you need to look for is something that works for a lifetime — a weight-loss approach that can help you establish a healthy lifestyle to control weight. And the best weight-loss program for you is one that you'll commit to long term.
Here's a summary of five different types of weight-loss strategies in circulation today. Though these approaches may not be the ultimate weight solution to your weight-loss quandary, they may help you see the relationship between what you put in your mouth and its eventual effect on your body.
1. Low-fat diets
Eating foods low in fat is a logical strategy for losing weight. A gram of fat contains twice as many calories as a gram of carbohydrates or protein. So cutting down on high-fat foods can help you cut down on your daily calories and thus help you lose weight.
So why don't low-fat diets always work? The truth is that even a low-fat diet can lead to weight gain when people ignore the total amount of calories they're eating and regularly exceed their daily calorie goals. Too many calories from any source, low-fat foods included, can add pounds.
It's also not a good idea to cut most or all fat from your diet. This may deprive you of essential fatty acids — which are necessary for the health of your body — and possibly other nutrients sometimes found in foods that contain fat. In addition, your body needs some dietary fat to help absorb certain vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K.
Whatever percentage of your calories is from fat, choose fats that will promote your long-term health. Limit saturated fats — found in animal products, coconut, palm and palm kernel oils — and trans fats (hydrogenated oils). Instead, use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as those found in nuts and nut oils, avocados, and olive, canola and other plant oils.
2. Low-carb diets
Another popular strategy for losing weight is to limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat. The theory behind this weight-loss program is that carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels, which causes an increase in your body's insulin production. High insulin levels drive blood sugar into your cells, where it's converted to fat.
Proponents of low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, believe that a decrease in carbs will result in lower blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to weight loss. By reducing the amount of carbs you're taking in, your body turns to stored carbohydrates (glycogen) for energy. When these reserves are exhausted, your body turns to the next source of energy, fat tissue, leading to weight loss.
Some people do lose weight on low-carb diets, but the weight loss probably isn't related to blood sugar levels. More likely, it's related to these factors:
Loss of water weight. When you initially decrease your carbohydrate intake, your body burns glycogen. Glycogen contains large amounts of water, so burning glycogen leads to the release of water and increased urination, causing weight loss.
Decreased appetite. Burning fat without carbohydrates creates byproducts called ketones that build up in your bloodstream. When this happens, you may not feel as hungry.
Increased feeling of fullness. Low-carbohydrate diets are usually higher in fat. And fat takes longer to digest, which makes you feel fuller longer.
Reduced calories. Most low-carb diets reduce your overall calorie intake because they strictly limit the variety of foods you can eat. Carbohydrates — including bread, pasta, rice, cereals, milk, most fruit and any sweets — are to be limited or avoided, thus leading to a significant reduction in calorie intake.
3. Glycemic-index diets
The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effects on blood sugar. For example, eating highly processed foods, such as bread made with refined white flour, raises blood sugar higher and faster than does eating whole foods, such as coarse whole-grain bread or an apple. This earns white bread a high glycemic-index rating and whole-grain bread and apples a lower glycemic-index rating.
Similar to the theory behind low-carb diets, glycemic-index diets — such as the G.I. Diet or the Sugar Busters diet — are based on the premise that increased blood sugar levels lead to overproduction of insulin, leading to weight gain. Therefore, eating the right carbs — foods low on the glycemic index — can help you lose weight by lowering insulin production and regulating your appetite.
Using the glycemic index for meal planning is a fairly complicated process, however. Many factors affect the glycemic-index value of a specific food, such as how the food was prepared and what you eat with it. Also, the glycemic-index value for some foods isn't known. And people typically eat a combination of foods, which may affect blood sugar differently than does a single food.
4. Meal replacements
Meal replacements, such as Slim-Fast, provide fewer than 400 calories a meal and are nutritionally complete. You replace one or two meals a day, such as breakfast and lunch, with a low-calorie shake or meal bar. Then you eat a healthy third meal, between 600 and 700 calories, of your own choosing. You can eat healthy, low-calorie snacks, such as fruits and vegetables, throughout the day. Most of these programs encourage regular physical activity. Meal replacements can be as effective as a traditional calorie-controlled diet.
5. Commercial weight-loss programs
Commercial weight-loss programs, such as Weight Watchers, offer a reduced-calorie diet and individual or group counseling. These programs assist your weight-loss efforts by giving you eating plans, exercise recommendations and ongoing support. Some programs also offer ready-made meals delivered to your home.
The most popular commercial weight-loss programs — Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and LA Weight Loss — vary in the services and programs they offer.
Weight Watchers. As a member of Weight Watchers, you attend a weekly meeting for a private weigh-in, group information or activity session, and supportive conversation with fellow participants. The program involves a three-step approach encompassing the foods you eat, your activity level and the use of specific strategies that promote long-term healthy weight.
Jenny Craig. This program encourages long-term weight loss through exercise, stress reduction and individual support. Jenny Craig also offers ready-made frozen meals delivered to your home overnight. The meals contain the proportion of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and other necessary nutrients you need. The plan also offers telephone counseling and an at-home program for people who don't live close to a Jenny Craig center.
LA Weight Loss. This weight-loss program includes one-on-one counseling sessions and help in planning meals and snacks, which you prepare at home. The program encourages clients to make food choices from readily available foods.
Which weight-loss plan is right for you?
How can you determine if a weight-loss program is right for you? The American Dietetic Association suggests that you ask yourself these questions. Does the program:
Include various foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains (particularly whole grains), low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources (meat, poultry, fish), nuts, seeds, and beans and other legumes?
Include foods you find appealing and that you would enjoy eating for a lifetime — not just for several weeks or months?
Feature foods you can easily find in your local grocery store?
Allow you to eat your favorite foods, or better yet, all foods?
Fit your lifestyle and budget?
Include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you lose weight safely and effectively?
Encourage regular physical activity?
If you answer no to any of these questions, the weight-loss program isn't right for you, as you probably won't stick to it long term. Successful weight loss requires permanent changes to your eating and physical activity habits. This means you need to find a weight-loss program that you can commit to and follow for life.
How Do I Start Eating Healthier?
Step 1: Look at how you eat
To eat healthier, you first need to know what makes up a balanced diet. The food guide pyramid emphasizes whole grains and fruits and vegetables in your diet while limiting fat and sugar. Once you know what foods make up a balanced diet, you can determine what changes you need to make.
eep a food diary for a week or two and record everything you eat or drink. Make sure to track the number of servings you get from each food group.
You need:
6 to 11 servings of a variety of whole grains (rice, bread, pasta, cereal).
2 to 4 servings of a variety of fruits.
3 to 5 servings of a variety of vegetables.
2 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese.
2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, nuts, or eggs.
A small amount of fats, oils, and sweets.
After the first week, review your food diary. Ask yourself a few questions: Are you getting the minimum number of servings from each food group on the average? Do you get plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout the day? Are most of the foods you eat high in fat, sugar, and salt? Do you prepare meals at home, or do you eat more fast foods or convenience foods? Do you drink beverages that contain a lot of sugar? Do you drink plenty of water?
The number of calories you need each day depends on your age, gender, and activity level. In general:
Less active women and older adults need about 1,600 calories per day.
Active women and most less active men need about 2,200 calories per day.
Active men need about 2,800 calories per day.
Step 2: Start thinking about changes
Do you find that you eat out a lot? If so, you may be getting more fat, salt, and calories than you need, and your diet may not be balanced. Do you eat a lot of meat but not many vegetables? Your diet may be too high in saturated fats and low in fiber. Do you rely on packaged convenience foods for a lot of your meals? If so, you may be getting more salt and sugar than are healthy.
Start reading labels on convenience foods that you eat to see the amount of nutrients they contain. Fast-food and convenience-food meals often contain few or no fruits or vegetables, so making sure you have some fruits and vegetables on the side will make the meal more nutritious.
Step 3: Start small
Don't try to make dramatic changes to your diet all at once. You would likely feel overwhelmed and deprived of your favorite foods and, therefore, would be more likely to fail. Start slowly, and gradually change your habits. Try any of the following:
Use whole-wheat bread instead of white bread.
Eat brown rice instead of white rice.
Try whole-wheat pasta instead of pasta made with white flour. Or try a mixture of the two.
Use skim or 1% (low-fat) milk instead of whole milk or 2% milk.
Try low-fat cheeses and low-fat yogurt.
Add more fruits and vegetables to meals and have them for snacks.
Add lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion to sandwiches.
Add fruit to cereal.
Step 4: Know your ingredients
o make healthy choices, you need to know how certain foods affect your body.
Fat: Recognize the difference between fats. Saturated and hydrogenated (trans) fats can raise cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your risk of developing coronary artery disease. 3 Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, such as trout, tuna, and salmon, as well as in plant foods, such as flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts, wheat germ, and soy. They may also help lower blood pressure and triglycerides.
Carbohydrate: Learn the differences between types of carbohydrate. Choose whole-grain sources of carbohydrate found in unprocessed cereal grains, such as brown rice instead of white rice and whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Whole-grain sources of carbohydrate add fiber to your diet and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Sugar: Milk and fruits contain naturally occurring simple sugars, but they also contain many other vitamins and minerals. Added sugars, such as in granola bars and fruit drinks without 100% real fruit juice, have been refined so that all the other nutrients in the sugar are removed. Used sparingly, added sugars can enhance the taste of food. But too much sugar can fill you up and displace other more nutritious foods, contributing to excess calories and weight gain.
How do you make those permanent changes? Follow these six strategies.
1. Make a commitment
Permanent weight loss takes time and effort. It requires concentration and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make the necessary permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.
No one else can make you lose weight. In fact, external pressure — often from people closest to you — may make matters worse. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself.
As you're planning new weight-related lifestyle changes, try to resolve any other problems in your life. It takes considerable mental and physical energy to change your habits. So make sure you aren't distracted by other major life issues, such as marital or financial problems. Timing is key to success. Ask yourself if you're ready to take on the challenges of serious weight loss.
Keep in mind that no matter how prepared you may be, you'll occasionally overeat or eat foods that you should avoid. Rather than let a setback derail your efforts, accept that it happened and get back on track. Don't expect perfection — and never give up.
Motivate yourself by focusing on all of the benefits of losing weight, such as having more energy and improving your health. Then look at the negatives, such as finding the time to exercise, and come up with creative solutions.
2. Get emotional support
Ultimately, only you can help yourself lose weight by taking responsibility for your own behavior. But that doesn't mean that you have to do everything alone. Seek support from your partner, family and friends.
Pick people who you know want only the best for you and who will encourage you. They should be available to listen to your thoughts and feelings and encourage you, perhaps spend time exercising with you, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle. An ideal support person might be someone who also is participating in a weight-loss program.
Some people fare better with professional support, such as a dietitian or personal trainer. Others benefit from the group support they receive from organizations such as Weight Watchers or Overeaters Anonymous.
If you do join a group, keep in mind that what you get out of it will be in proportion to what you put into it. If you sit in a corner and just listen, you may hear some good suggestions. But if you actively participate, you're more likely to reap the potential rewards of the group, such as support, encouragement, feeling that you're not alone and helpful suggestions specific to your concerns.
3. Set a realistic goal
When you're considering what to expect from your new eating and exercise plan, be realistic. Healthy weight loss occurs slowly and steadily. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. To do this, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories a day through a low-calorie diet and regular exercise. Losing weight more rapidly means losing water weight or muscle tissue, rather than fat.
Set weekly or monthly goals, and then track your progress. Remember that you're in this for the long haul. Anything you undertake too intensely or too vigorously may quickly become too onerous, so you're more likely to give up.
In addition, make your goals "process goals," such as eating judiciously and exercising regularly, rather than "outcome goals," such as losing 50 pounds. Changing your process — your habits — is the key to weight loss. Make sure that your process goals are realistic, specific and measurable — you'll walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
Work out a strategy that gradually changes the habits and attitudes that may have undermined your past efforts to lose weight. Choose a definite start date. Consider where, how often and how long you'll exercise. Develop a realistic eating plan that factors in plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. Write everything down. Find the potential roadblocks, and make plans to deal with them.
Ask your doctor how much weight you can safely lose. Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian or someone else who specializes in weight loss.
4. Enjoy healthier foods
Liquid meals, diet pills and unusual combinations of foods aren't the key to long-term weight control and better health. Instead, learn how to eat a variety of healthy foods.
Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean decreasing taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation. One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without compromising taste or nutrition. Cutting back on calories is easier if you focus on limiting fat.
To lose weight, talk to your doctor about setting these daily calorie goals:
Your weight in pounds
Daily calorie goal
Women
Men
250 or less
1,200
1,400
251 to 300
1,400
1,600
301 or more
1,600
1,800
Over time, your caloric needs may change based on your health risks, the rate of weight loss desired or needed, and your personal goals and preferences. You can increase your calories if you're too hungry or if you've reached your target weight and want to stop losing.
Very low calorie diets aren't a healthy long-term strategy. Fewer than 1,200 calories a day for women and 1,400 calories for men aren't generally recommended. If your calories are too low, you run the risk of not getting all of the nutrients you need for good health.
It's usually best to talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting any weight-loss plan. A weight-loss specialist can help guide you in making the healthiest, most effective and safest food choices based on your individual needs.
5. Get active, stay active
Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 250 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about half a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. But add a 30-minute brisk walk four days a week, and you can double your rate of weight loss.
The goal of exercise for weight loss is to burn more calories, although exercise offers many other benefits as well. How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. For many people it's easier to keep a routine of longer duration, lower intensity aerobic exercises. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise — such as walking — for more than 30 minutes most days of the week.
Strength training exercises, such as weight training, also are important because they help counteract muscle loss associated with aging. And since muscle tissue burns more calories, muscle mass is a key factor in helping maintain a healthy weight. The more lean muscle mass you preserve, the bigger "engine" in which to burn more calories.
Exercise sensibly by starting out slowly and gradually increasing the duration and intensity. Walking is an ideal choice, as is swimming, bicycling, jogging or dancing. Decide, too, if you prefer to exercise alone or with others. Often, having a buddy helps you stick to your schedule.
Even though regularly scheduled aerobic exercise is best for losing fat, any extra movement helps burn calories. Lifestyle activities may be easier to incorporate into your day. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot. Stair climbing, walking, gardening, lawn mowing and even housework all help burn calories.
6. Change your lifestyle
It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even several months. You have to incorporate these behaviors into your life. To do that, you have to change the behaviors that helped make you overweight in the first place. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine.
To assess your eating behaviors, ask yourself if you tend to eat when you're bored, angry, tired, anxious, depressed or socially pressured. Look at your eating style and shopping and cooking techniques. Were you taught to clean your plate? Do you eat too fast? Do you eat while watching TV? See if any patterns emerge to identify possible triggers for overeating.
After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. Simply admitting your own challenges won't get you past them entirely. But it helps in planning how you'll deal with them and whether you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all.
You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once, but stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Less Is More
Once in a while I'm going to post some some fun beauty tips.
--------------------------------------------------------
Taken from Fitness Magazine February 2009, Page 22
--------------------------------------------------------
You don't need as much product as you think. Look great -- and save money -- with our size-it-right guide.
EYE CREAM
One M&M mini per eye.
"Anything more can clog pores," says Miami dermatologist Kenneth Beer, M.D.
FOUNDATION
an altoid
"Use only where needed," says L.A. makeup artist Nalo Jones. 
FACE OR HAIR SERUM
a nickel
Too much can irritate skin. And "hair will look greasy," says New York stylist Valery Joseph. 
CONDITIONER
CONDITIONERone marble for short hair, two for long
"A palm full of conditioner flattens hair, particularly fine types," Joseph explains.
MOUSSE
a golf ball
"Mousse may feel light, but it's concentrated. Too much can stiffen strands," Joseph says.
Taken from Fitness Magazine February 2009, Page 22
Friday, January 16, 2009
Did You Know?
I figured it doesn't have to be 100% fitness all of the time. Here are a few fun facts.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Red is your best color.
A study at the University of Rochester discovered that red, more than any other shade, makes men view women as physically attractive and sexually desirable.
You can walk off chocolate cravings.
Chocoholics who took a brisk 15-minute stroll were less likely to want their favorite sweet even when given an unwrapped bar, report researchers at the University of Exeter.
Intense exercise lowers breast cancer risk.
A study of 32,269 women revealed that about an hour of daily vigorous activity, including housework, decreases breast cancer risk by 20 percent.
Turning off the TV will boost your mood.
People who are sad should drop the remote and see friends instead, say experts at the University of Maryland, who found a strong link between watching TV and being unhappy.
*Taken from Fitness Magazine February 2009
----------------------------------------------------------------
Red is your best color.
A study at the University of Rochester discovered that red, more than any other shade, makes men view women as physically attractive and sexually desirable.
You can walk off chocolate cravings.
Chocoholics who took a brisk 15-minute stroll were less likely to want their favorite sweet even when given an unwrapped bar, report researchers at the University of Exeter.
Intense exercise lowers breast cancer risk.
A study of 32,269 women revealed that about an hour of daily vigorous activity, including housework, decreases breast cancer risk by 20 percent.
Turning off the TV will boost your mood.
People who are sad should drop the remote and see friends instead, say experts at the University of Maryland, who found a strong link between watching TV and being unhappy.
*Taken from Fitness Magazine February 2009
More Tips
Hope you find this helpful!
If you eat late at night, the food turns straight into fat.
Not true.
If your overall calories are appropriate for weight loss, you certainly can eat something after dinner. Late night calories will ultimately get used the next day (and even while you sleep). However, for the sake of energy, it is always better to eat your calories during the day when your body needs the fuel. Plus, eating consistently throughout the day will stabilize blood sugar levels -- so you’ll feel energized and experience fewer cravings. If you are going to snack after dinner, I suggest choosing something 250 calories or less.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen.
Not necessarily.
Frozen can be a great produce option (just avoid varieties with added salt, sugar, and sauce). Frozen foods are picked in the peak of ripeness, then frozen. You can eat them as you need them -- and most of the nutrients are locked in. On the other hand, fresh fruit and vegetables are typically harvested before they ripen, and can have nutrient variability. Also, the longer fresh produce sits around in your fridge, the less nutrients it will contain. Bottom line: Buy both fresh and frozen and eat as much as you can.
Cravings are your body's way of telling you it needs something.
This has never been proven.
You normally crave what you like to eat (or smell or see someone else eating). Also, hormonal changes are sometimes responsible for food cravings. Ice cream and pickles anyone?
Any type of water is always better than soda.
No.
There are a few caloric waters with sexy marketing ploys. In fact, some brands have quite a bit of sugar. Always check labels.
Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup can burn fat and make you lose weight.
These are anecdotal stories that have no scientific back up.
It’s true these foods are low in calories, but they do NOT actually burn fat
9 Great ways to loose wieght!
1. Get a good Nights Rest-
The less you snooze, the less leptin (a powerful hormone) your body is likely to produce. Leptin helps promote weight loss in two ways- it discourages you from eating, and it rouses you to expend more energy. Also the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, is higher in people who don't get enough zzz's . So if you don't sleep soundly try and squeeze in a nap the hormones are affected by how much shut eye you get in a 24 hour period.
2. Turn off the Radio
When a restaurante wants its customers to finish their food and go, it plays fast music- as quick as 120 to 130 beats per minute (which is a quicker tempo) and for good reason. The speedier the tune, the faster (and the more) you'll eat. So before any meal either switch off the tunes or tune it to something nice and slow.
3. Never Skip A Meal
Ever! Ignoring breakfast, say isn't going to save big calories. Trust me. You'll become so ravenous, you'll likely gobble down whatever you can get your hands on at the following meal. The reason- Physically, you blood sugar plummets, making you feel famished. Emotionally- you may feel entitled to eat more. Plus, when you deprive yourdelf of food, your body thinks there isn't a source of nourishment available. And as a result you metabolism moves at a snails pace. And we all know the slower your metabolism the harder to loose weight.
4. Leave the Car Behind-
Your risk for obesity increases by 6% for every hour you spend in your car each day. While every mile you walk each day decreases you chance of obesity by 8%. How do get that exercise in? When you're on the phone ( expecially with that chatty person) pace back and forth. to really knock off some calories throw in some sqats or lunges. And while you're watching TV make sure you get up and move around during commercial breaks. Climb up and down stairs or speed walk. Going to the mall? Good shopping rule- no escalators, no elevators period.
5. Get some Sun-
Your body need sunlight to producea feel-good hormone called serotonin, which will lessen your cravings for sugars and carbs. so if you're longing for sweets, go outside even if the weather is cold. It's also a good idea to keep blinds and drapes open during the day.
6. Don't store cookies and other treats in glass jars-
If you keep fatty foods out of sight, it'll be much easier to keep them out of mind. It's been determined that women expecially eat more chocloate when in sight then store in a container or cubard out of sight.
7. Set your fork down after every bite-
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to realize it's full. So when your eating to quickly, your body doesn't have time to reconize that you've eaten to much. So you eat a lot more that you would normaly. So slow down, you'll see how eatring slowly will perk up your taste buds.
8. Flick On The lights-
The dimmer the room the more you'll eat. Why? Low lights make you feel relaxed and less self conscious. so the brighter the room the less likly you are to over eat. So keep it bright.
9. Loss the anger-
If you don't keep your emotion under control it can make you fat. How? Getting riled raise a stress hormone in your body, and that increase can make you gain weight- so the angerier you get- the more frequently you get angry- the more likely you are to put pounds on around your waste. so the next time someone pushes your buttons, step back and take a deep breath and think it it really worth it? Close your eyes and press your thumbs to your temples and message the stress away.
If you eat late at night, the food turns straight into fat.
Not true.
If your overall calories are appropriate for weight loss, you certainly can eat something after dinner. Late night calories will ultimately get used the next day (and even while you sleep). However, for the sake of energy, it is always better to eat your calories during the day when your body needs the fuel. Plus, eating consistently throughout the day will stabilize blood sugar levels -- so you’ll feel energized and experience fewer cravings. If you are going to snack after dinner, I suggest choosing something 250 calories or less.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen.
Not necessarily.
Frozen can be a great produce option (just avoid varieties with added salt, sugar, and sauce). Frozen foods are picked in the peak of ripeness, then frozen. You can eat them as you need them -- and most of the nutrients are locked in. On the other hand, fresh fruit and vegetables are typically harvested before they ripen, and can have nutrient variability. Also, the longer fresh produce sits around in your fridge, the less nutrients it will contain. Bottom line: Buy both fresh and frozen and eat as much as you can.
Cravings are your body's way of telling you it needs something.
This has never been proven.
You normally crave what you like to eat (or smell or see someone else eating). Also, hormonal changes are sometimes responsible for food cravings. Ice cream and pickles anyone?
Any type of water is always better than soda.
No.
There are a few caloric waters with sexy marketing ploys. In fact, some brands have quite a bit of sugar. Always check labels.
Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup can burn fat and make you lose weight.
These are anecdotal stories that have no scientific back up.
It’s true these foods are low in calories, but they do NOT actually burn fat
9 Great ways to loose wieght!
1. Get a good Nights Rest-
The less you snooze, the less leptin (a powerful hormone) your body is likely to produce. Leptin helps promote weight loss in two ways- it discourages you from eating, and it rouses you to expend more energy. Also the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, is higher in people who don't get enough zzz's . So if you don't sleep soundly try and squeeze in a nap the hormones are affected by how much shut eye you get in a 24 hour period.
2. Turn off the Radio
When a restaurante wants its customers to finish their food and go, it plays fast music- as quick as 120 to 130 beats per minute (which is a quicker tempo) and for good reason. The speedier the tune, the faster (and the more) you'll eat. So before any meal either switch off the tunes or tune it to something nice and slow.
3. Never Skip A Meal
Ever! Ignoring breakfast, say isn't going to save big calories. Trust me. You'll become so ravenous, you'll likely gobble down whatever you can get your hands on at the following meal. The reason- Physically, you blood sugar plummets, making you feel famished. Emotionally- you may feel entitled to eat more. Plus, when you deprive yourdelf of food, your body thinks there isn't a source of nourishment available. And as a result you metabolism moves at a snails pace. And we all know the slower your metabolism the harder to loose weight.
4. Leave the Car Behind-
Your risk for obesity increases by 6% for every hour you spend in your car each day. While every mile you walk each day decreases you chance of obesity by 8%. How do get that exercise in? When you're on the phone ( expecially with that chatty person) pace back and forth. to really knock off some calories throw in some sqats or lunges. And while you're watching TV make sure you get up and move around during commercial breaks. Climb up and down stairs or speed walk. Going to the mall? Good shopping rule- no escalators, no elevators period.
5. Get some Sun-
Your body need sunlight to producea feel-good hormone called serotonin, which will lessen your cravings for sugars and carbs. so if you're longing for sweets, go outside even if the weather is cold. It's also a good idea to keep blinds and drapes open during the day.
6. Don't store cookies and other treats in glass jars-
If you keep fatty foods out of sight, it'll be much easier to keep them out of mind. It's been determined that women expecially eat more chocloate when in sight then store in a container or cubard out of sight.
7. Set your fork down after every bite-
It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to realize it's full. So when your eating to quickly, your body doesn't have time to reconize that you've eaten to much. So you eat a lot more that you would normaly. So slow down, you'll see how eatring slowly will perk up your taste buds.
8. Flick On The lights-
The dimmer the room the more you'll eat. Why? Low lights make you feel relaxed and less self conscious. so the brighter the room the less likly you are to over eat. So keep it bright.
9. Loss the anger-
If you don't keep your emotion under control it can make you fat. How? Getting riled raise a stress hormone in your body, and that increase can make you gain weight- so the angerier you get- the more frequently you get angry- the more likely you are to put pounds on around your waste. so the next time someone pushes your buttons, step back and take a deep breath and think it it really worth it? Close your eyes and press your thumbs to your temples and message the stress away.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Top 10 Foods To Snack On
*Snacking has earned a bad reputation. Some people are convinced good nutrition demands you limit your food intake to just three meals a day. The truth is snacking can be good for you if you make good choices. Choosing snacks that are high in fiber and low in fat, sugar and salt can help you meet your daily health and nutrition goals.
Nutritionist Susan Burke says, "Snacking is always part of a healthy diet. In fact, I recommend eating about six or seven small meals a day, that way your metabolism keeps burning calories."
Snacking does not mean you ignore portion sizes. Portion control plays a vital role in keeping calories under control. The key is to plan snacks into your meal plan. Always pack a couple of snacks so you will have something healthy to satisfy your mid-morning and mid-afternoon cravings.
Healthy snacks don't have to be bland and boring. You never have to substitute taste when it comes to choosing nutritious munchies. There are countless ways to spice up your snacks and keep you satisfied. Burke recommends snacks that include protein, carbohydrates and a little fat.
"The combination snack is the best. The carbohydrates are good for some quick energy while the protein and fats provide you with a little more sustained energy."
Take a bite of these 10 super snacks that are sure to tackle your hunger pangs:
1. String cheese with strawberries
2. Ham on flatbread with peanuts
3. Cottage cheese with fruit
4. Melba Toast with peanut butter
5. Homemade bran muffin
6. Unsalted soy nuts
7. Seasonal fruits with a glass of skim milk
8. Lean turkey breast with rice crackers
9. Celery with ham and light cream cheese
10. Yogurt with fruit
*Article taken from ediets.com, for more information click here
Nutritionist Susan Burke says, "Snacking is always part of a healthy diet. In fact, I recommend eating about six or seven small meals a day, that way your metabolism keeps burning calories."
Snacking does not mean you ignore portion sizes. Portion control plays a vital role in keeping calories under control. The key is to plan snacks into your meal plan. Always pack a couple of snacks so you will have something healthy to satisfy your mid-morning and mid-afternoon cravings.
Healthy snacks don't have to be bland and boring. You never have to substitute taste when it comes to choosing nutritious munchies. There are countless ways to spice up your snacks and keep you satisfied. Burke recommends snacks that include protein, carbohydrates and a little fat.
"The combination snack is the best. The carbohydrates are good for some quick energy while the protein and fats provide you with a little more sustained energy."
Take a bite of these 10 super snacks that are sure to tackle your hunger pangs:
1. String cheese with strawberries
2. Ham on flatbread with peanuts
3. Cottage cheese with fruit
4. Melba Toast with peanut butter
5. Homemade bran muffin
6. Unsalted soy nuts
7. Seasonal fruits with a glass of skim milk
8. Lean turkey breast with rice crackers
9. Celery with ham and light cream cheese
10. Yogurt with fruit
*Article taken from ediets.com, for more information click here
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
P90X
I don't know if any of you have heard of it, but it's called P90X. It's a workout regimen that has been on TV for probably a year or so. About 6 months ago my dad bought it because it claims that it will "bulk you up". When they got it they opened the package and never did anything with it. Well, they have a new year's resolution like the rest of us, to loose weight. In this P90X program they have a one week diet system that they call the Fat Shredder Diet. My mom and dad started it a week ago today and my mom told me that she's lost 11 pounds and my dad lost 9. I'm seriously thinking I'm going to try this. They said that some of the meals plans are hard to buy the ingredients for but, I guess you can always improvise. I'm going to get it from them this weekend and we'll see what it's all about. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, have you guys heard of it?
25 Tips
So Far I am down 5 and 1/2 pounds! not to bad wish it was more, but I'm like you Steph I cheat here and there I just can't help getting in that chocolate! But I haven't had a Diet Coke for a week! Did good there! keep up the good work girls! We are doing it! Maybe between all of us we can loose 100 pounds or more!
25 tip to loose BIG!
The surest way to succeed is making small changes. Think in terms of manageable baby steps, like swapping the half-and-half in your morning coffee for fat-free or low-fat milk. There are lots of little changes you can make—in your food plan and daily routine—that will add up to a lot of weight loss over the long haul.
Take a look at our 25 tips below for eating healthfully, fitting exercise into your busy day and revamping your daily routine. Start by picking five changes that you're sure you can tackle and practice them this week. Then try another five next week
Not every idea is right for everyone, so experiment and see what works for you. Lots of little changes can yield big weight-loss results—and a healthier new you!
1. Good things come in small packages.Here's a trick for staying satisfied without consuming large portions: Chop high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces. It will seem like you're getting more than you actually are.
2. Get "water-wise."Make a habit of reaching for a glass of water instead of a high-fat snack. It will help your overall health as well as your waistline. So drink up! Add some zest to your six to eight glasses a day with a twist of lemon or lime.
3. Herb it up.Stock up your spice rack, and start growing a small herb garden in your kitchen window. Spices and herbs add fantastic flavor to foods without adding fat or calories.
4. Slim down your soup.Make a big batch of soup and refrigerate it before you eat it. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off the surface.
5. Doggie-bag that dinner.At restaurants that you know serve large portions, ask the waiter to put half of your main course in a take-home box before bringing it to your table. Putting the food away before you start your meal will help you practice portion control.
6. Listen to your cravings.If you're craving something sweet, eat something sweet—just opt for a healthier nosh (like fruit) instead of a high-calorie one like ice cream. The same goes for crunchy cravings—for example, try air-popped popcorn instead of high-fat chips. It's just smart substitution!
7. Ease your way into produce.If you're new to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, start slowly. Just add them to the foods you already enjoy. Pile salad veggies into your sandwiches, or add fruit to your cereal.
8. Look for high-fat hints.Want an easy way to identify high-calorie meals? Keep an eye out for these words: au gratin, parmigiana, tempura, alfredo, creamy and carbonara, and enjoy them in moderation.
9. Don't multi-task while you eat.If you're working, reading or watching TV while you eat, you won't be paying attention to what's going into your mouth—and you won't be enjoying every bite. Today, every time you have a meal, sit down. Chew slowly and pay attention to flavors and textures. You'll enjoy your food more and eat less.
10. Taste something new.Broaden your food repertoire—you may find you like more healthy foods than you knew. Try a new fruit or vegetable (ever had plantain, pak choi, starfruit or papaya?).
11. Leave something on your plate at every meal.One bite of bagel, half your sandwich, the bun from your burger. See if you still feel satisfied eating just a bit less.
12. Get to know your portion sizes.It's easy to underestimate how much you're eating. Today, don't just estimate things—make sure. Ask how much is in a serving, read the fine print on labels, measure your food. And learn portion equivalents: One serving of pasta, for instance, should be around the size of a tennis ball.
13. Don't give up dips.If you love creamy dips and sauces, don't cut them out of your food plan completely. Just use low-fat soft cheese and mayo instead of the full fat stuff.
14. Make a healthy substitution.Learn to swap healthier foods for their less-healthy counterparts. Today, find a substitution that works for you: Use skim or low-fat milk instead of whole milk; try whole-wheat bread instead of white.
15. Bring lunch to work tomorrow.Packing lunch will help you control your portion sizes. It also provides a good alternative to restaurants and takeaways, where making healthy choices every day can be challenging (not to mention expensive).
16. Have some dessert.You don't have to deny yourself all the time. Have a treat that brings you pleasure, but this time enjoy it guilt-free be—sure you're practicing portion control, and compensate for your indulgence by exercising a little more or by skipping your afternoon snack.
17. Ask for what you need.Tell your mother-in-law you don't want seconds. Ask your other half to stop bringing you chocolates. Speak up for the place with great salads when your co-workers are picking a restaurant for lunch. Whatever you need to do to succeed at weight loss, ask for it—make yourself a priority and assert yourself.
18. Improve your treadmill technique.When walking on a treadmill, don't grip the rails. It's fine to touch them for balance, but you shouldn't have to hold on. If you do, that might be a signal you should lower the intensity level.
19. Simon says... get fit.Here's an easy way to fit in exercise with your kids: Buy a set of 1 lb weights and play a round of Simon Says—you do it with the weights, they do it without. They'll love it!
20. Make the most of your walks.If your walking routine has become too easy, increase your effort by finding hills. Just be sure to tackle them at the beginning of your walk, when you have energy to spare.
21. Shop 'til you drop...pounds!Add a workout to your shopping sessions by walking around the mall before your start spending. And try walking up the escalator—getting to your destination faster will be an added bonus.
22. Walk an extra 100 steps at work.Adding even a little extra exercise to your daily routine can boost your weight loss. Today, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or stroll down the hall to talk to a co-worker instead of sending an email or calling.
23. Brush your teeth after every meal and snack. This will be a signal to your mouth—and your mind—that it's time to stop eating. Brushing will also give your mouth a nice fresh taste that you'll be disinclined to ruin with a random chip. At work, keep a toothbrush with a cover and toothpaste in your desk drawer.
24. Clean your closet.First, it's great exercise. Second, it's an important step in changing your attitude. Get rid of all the clothes that make you look or feel bad. Throw out anything that's too big—don't give yourself the option of ever fitting into those clothes again. Move the smaller clothes up to the front to help motivate you. Soon, you'll be fitting into those too-tight jeans you couldn't bear to part with.
25. Take your measurements.You might not like your stats now, but you'll be glad you wrote them down when you see how many inches you've lost. It's also another way to measure your success, instead of just looking at the scale. Sometimes even when the numbers on the scale aren't going down, the measurements on your body are
25 tip to loose BIG!
The surest way to succeed is making small changes. Think in terms of manageable baby steps, like swapping the half-and-half in your morning coffee for fat-free or low-fat milk. There are lots of little changes you can make—in your food plan and daily routine—that will add up to a lot of weight loss over the long haul.
Take a look at our 25 tips below for eating healthfully, fitting exercise into your busy day and revamping your daily routine. Start by picking five changes that you're sure you can tackle and practice them this week. Then try another five next week
Not every idea is right for everyone, so experiment and see what works for you. Lots of little changes can yield big weight-loss results—and a healthier new you!
1. Good things come in small packages.Here's a trick for staying satisfied without consuming large portions: Chop high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces. It will seem like you're getting more than you actually are.
2. Get "water-wise."Make a habit of reaching for a glass of water instead of a high-fat snack. It will help your overall health as well as your waistline. So drink up! Add some zest to your six to eight glasses a day with a twist of lemon or lime.
3. Herb it up.Stock up your spice rack, and start growing a small herb garden in your kitchen window. Spices and herbs add fantastic flavor to foods without adding fat or calories.
4. Slim down your soup.Make a big batch of soup and refrigerate it before you eat it. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off the surface.
5. Doggie-bag that dinner.At restaurants that you know serve large portions, ask the waiter to put half of your main course in a take-home box before bringing it to your table. Putting the food away before you start your meal will help you practice portion control.
6. Listen to your cravings.If you're craving something sweet, eat something sweet—just opt for a healthier nosh (like fruit) instead of a high-calorie one like ice cream. The same goes for crunchy cravings—for example, try air-popped popcorn instead of high-fat chips. It's just smart substitution!
7. Ease your way into produce.If you're new to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, start slowly. Just add them to the foods you already enjoy. Pile salad veggies into your sandwiches, or add fruit to your cereal.
8. Look for high-fat hints.Want an easy way to identify high-calorie meals? Keep an eye out for these words: au gratin, parmigiana, tempura, alfredo, creamy and carbonara, and enjoy them in moderation.
9. Don't multi-task while you eat.If you're working, reading or watching TV while you eat, you won't be paying attention to what's going into your mouth—and you won't be enjoying every bite. Today, every time you have a meal, sit down. Chew slowly and pay attention to flavors and textures. You'll enjoy your food more and eat less.
10. Taste something new.Broaden your food repertoire—you may find you like more healthy foods than you knew. Try a new fruit or vegetable (ever had plantain, pak choi, starfruit or papaya?).
11. Leave something on your plate at every meal.One bite of bagel, half your sandwich, the bun from your burger. See if you still feel satisfied eating just a bit less.
12. Get to know your portion sizes.It's easy to underestimate how much you're eating. Today, don't just estimate things—make sure. Ask how much is in a serving, read the fine print on labels, measure your food. And learn portion equivalents: One serving of pasta, for instance, should be around the size of a tennis ball.
13. Don't give up dips.If you love creamy dips and sauces, don't cut them out of your food plan completely. Just use low-fat soft cheese and mayo instead of the full fat stuff.
14. Make a healthy substitution.Learn to swap healthier foods for their less-healthy counterparts. Today, find a substitution that works for you: Use skim or low-fat milk instead of whole milk; try whole-wheat bread instead of white.
15. Bring lunch to work tomorrow.Packing lunch will help you control your portion sizes. It also provides a good alternative to restaurants and takeaways, where making healthy choices every day can be challenging (not to mention expensive).
16. Have some dessert.You don't have to deny yourself all the time. Have a treat that brings you pleasure, but this time enjoy it guilt-free be—sure you're practicing portion control, and compensate for your indulgence by exercising a little more or by skipping your afternoon snack.
17. Ask for what you need.Tell your mother-in-law you don't want seconds. Ask your other half to stop bringing you chocolates. Speak up for the place with great salads when your co-workers are picking a restaurant for lunch. Whatever you need to do to succeed at weight loss, ask for it—make yourself a priority and assert yourself.
18. Improve your treadmill technique.When walking on a treadmill, don't grip the rails. It's fine to touch them for balance, but you shouldn't have to hold on. If you do, that might be a signal you should lower the intensity level.
19. Simon says... get fit.Here's an easy way to fit in exercise with your kids: Buy a set of 1 lb weights and play a round of Simon Says—you do it with the weights, they do it without. They'll love it!
20. Make the most of your walks.If your walking routine has become too easy, increase your effort by finding hills. Just be sure to tackle them at the beginning of your walk, when you have energy to spare.
21. Shop 'til you drop...pounds!Add a workout to your shopping sessions by walking around the mall before your start spending. And try walking up the escalator—getting to your destination faster will be an added bonus.
22. Walk an extra 100 steps at work.Adding even a little extra exercise to your daily routine can boost your weight loss. Today, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or stroll down the hall to talk to a co-worker instead of sending an email or calling.
23. Brush your teeth after every meal and snack. This will be a signal to your mouth—and your mind—that it's time to stop eating. Brushing will also give your mouth a nice fresh taste that you'll be disinclined to ruin with a random chip. At work, keep a toothbrush with a cover and toothpaste in your desk drawer.
24. Clean your closet.First, it's great exercise. Second, it's an important step in changing your attitude. Get rid of all the clothes that make you look or feel bad. Throw out anything that's too big—don't give yourself the option of ever fitting into those clothes again. Move the smaller clothes up to the front to help motivate you. Soon, you'll be fitting into those too-tight jeans you couldn't bear to part with.
25. Take your measurements.You might not like your stats now, but you'll be glad you wrote them down when you see how many inches you've lost. It's also another way to measure your success, instead of just looking at the scale. Sometimes even when the numbers on the scale aren't going down, the measurements on your body are
12 tips for making exercise part of your everyday life.
*You know you should be exercising regularly, for your health and your body shape, but you just can't seem to find the time to do it. We understand -- between family, home, work, and, well, life in general, you barely have time to read the newspaper headlines in the morning.
1. Make exercise a priority. You're not going to find time to exercise until you make time to exercise. So commit to exercise like you've committed to your favorite TV show, or to eating three meals a day. Remember that exercising will help you sleep better at night. Exercise is a great outlet for releasing stress. Exercise gives you an excuse to splurge on junk food occasionally. Exercise keeps your heart healthy. Exercise is good for your mind, body, and spirit.
2. Create a workout plan that fits your lifestyle. If you're not exercising at all right now, then there's no need to commit to daily two-hour workouts! Start small, say with 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity three times a week, slowly increasing your time as you go along. This is better than no exercise at all. Once you're exercising, you might find it easier to do one more fitness activity, like a couple short sets of sit-ups or push-ups. The key here is that you need to force yourself to get at least 20 minutes of cardio three times each week. Then you can build on that as you wish.
3. Ask for help around the house. Your spouse and your kids are capable of doing things around the house. Maybe it's time to assign the kids a few more chores, like dusting the living room, doing their own laundry, emptying the dishwasher, ironing -- whatever it is that will give you the extra time you need to exercise. We're not saying they should be toiling away at home all the time, but chances are they won't miss the extra TV time, and they won't turn down a small raise in their allowance for their efforts.
4. Stop working insane hours. If long hours at work are a problem, then perhaps it's time to talk with your supervisor about how you could change this. Occasionally nine- or 10-hour days are a necessity, but they shouldn't be the norm. Your boss might be able to help you manage your time better during the day, or perhaps it's time to expand your department by hiring an intern or an assistant. Either way, it doesn't hurt to ask your boss for some help. Remember, it's the quality of your work, not the quantity of your hours, that really counts.
5. Exercise in the morning. This is not punishment for getting up -- it's actually quite practical for a few reasons. First, exercise produces serotonin in your brain, the chemical responsible for good moods, and it has long-lasting, energy-boosting effects that are even better than a large cup of coffee. So exercising first thing in the morning will have benefits all day long. Second, one challenge with exercising is the whole routine -- the warm-up, the cool-down, the shower -- it's all very involved. But if you exercise in the morning you can wash away your sleepiness and your sweat all in one morning shower. Third, imagine starting your day knowing you've already overcome your toughest challenge!
*Article taken from lhj.com, for more information click here
7 Quick Tips for Everyday Fitness
So we're going to help you tackle this problem. We've got some quick tips on how you can incorporate exercise into your everyday routine. And we've got bigger ideas for helping you make fitness a permanent part your life. Read on.
1. Buy arm weights for your home. Arm weights can be used while you're watching TV or talking on the phone. Start with 8-pound weights and do three sets of 15 bicep curls each day. After two months, graduate to 12- or 15-pound weights, and add another exercise to your repertoire.
2. Buy a fitness video. A 15-minute aerobic routine is an excellent, quick way to bring cardio into your life. Or if Pilates is more your style, invest in a Pilates video instead. Either way, whether your fitness style is high-impact aerobics or intense yoga, there are lots of great fitness videos that you can use in your own home.
3. Use your lunch hour wisely. A brisk 20-minute walk during your lunch hour is a great fitness solution, especially if you can do it three or four times each week.
4. Take 15 in the morning. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and do arm weights or a quick aerobic video routine.
5. Take 15 at night. Do 50 sit-ups and 50 push-ups before you go to bed each night.
6. Invest in a good pair of sneakers. Having the right equipment means you have one less excuse to avoid working out. Plus, once you glide into those comfy, bouncy new shoes, you'll want to run or walk practically everywhere.
7. Take a walk in the evening. This is an excellent fitness activity to do with a loved one or a close friend. Leave your cell phone behind and it can become a time for bonding and connecting with one another, too. Or try it solo and use it as quiet time to reflect.
1. Make exercise a priority. You're not going to find time to exercise until you make time to exercise. So commit to exercise like you've committed to your favorite TV show, or to eating three meals a day. Remember that exercising will help you sleep better at night. Exercise is a great outlet for releasing stress. Exercise gives you an excuse to splurge on junk food occasionally. Exercise keeps your heart healthy. Exercise is good for your mind, body, and spirit.
2. Create a workout plan that fits your lifestyle. If you're not exercising at all right now, then there's no need to commit to daily two-hour workouts! Start small, say with 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity three times a week, slowly increasing your time as you go along. This is better than no exercise at all. Once you're exercising, you might find it easier to do one more fitness activity, like a couple short sets of sit-ups or push-ups. The key here is that you need to force yourself to get at least 20 minutes of cardio three times each week. Then you can build on that as you wish.
3. Ask for help around the house. Your spouse and your kids are capable of doing things around the house. Maybe it's time to assign the kids a few more chores, like dusting the living room, doing their own laundry, emptying the dishwasher, ironing -- whatever it is that will give you the extra time you need to exercise. We're not saying they should be toiling away at home all the time, but chances are they won't miss the extra TV time, and they won't turn down a small raise in their allowance for their efforts.
4. Stop working insane hours. If long hours at work are a problem, then perhaps it's time to talk with your supervisor about how you could change this. Occasionally nine- or 10-hour days are a necessity, but they shouldn't be the norm. Your boss might be able to help you manage your time better during the day, or perhaps it's time to expand your department by hiring an intern or an assistant. Either way, it doesn't hurt to ask your boss for some help. Remember, it's the quality of your work, not the quantity of your hours, that really counts.
5. Exercise in the morning. This is not punishment for getting up -- it's actually quite practical for a few reasons. First, exercise produces serotonin in your brain, the chemical responsible for good moods, and it has long-lasting, energy-boosting effects that are even better than a large cup of coffee. So exercising first thing in the morning will have benefits all day long. Second, one challenge with exercising is the whole routine -- the warm-up, the cool-down, the shower -- it's all very involved. But if you exercise in the morning you can wash away your sleepiness and your sweat all in one morning shower. Third, imagine starting your day knowing you've already overcome your toughest challenge!
*Article taken from lhj.com, for more information click here
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Measurements Chart & Guidelines
I loved that Tina reminded us all how important measurements are. Here is a very simple guideline for everyone to follow.
-----------------------------------------
DATE:_____________ Weight:________
CHEST:_____________
(Measure directly across your nipple line, you can always find that exact spot)
UPPER ARMS: Right_________Left_________
(Measure 7 inches down from the tip of your shoulder, do not flex biceps or triceps)
WAIST:___________
(Measure at your belly button, you can always find that spot)
HIPS:___________
(Measure at the widest area of your hips, you may have to turn sideways to see where that is)
ABDUCTORS:___________
(Measure just under our butt, otherwise known as "saddlebags", feet tight together for this measurement)
THIGHS: Right________Left_________
(Measure 6 inches down from your inseam, have your legs apart and weight evenly distributed on both feet, don't stand on one foot while either thigh is being measured)
-----------------------------------------
DATE:_____________ Weight:________
CHEST:_____________
(Measure directly across your nipple line, you can always find that exact spot)
UPPER ARMS: Right_________Left_________
(Measure 7 inches down from the tip of your shoulder, do not flex biceps or triceps)
WAIST:___________
(Measure at your belly button, you can always find that spot)
HIPS:___________
(Measure at the widest area of your hips, you may have to turn sideways to see where that is)
ABDUCTORS:___________
(Measure just under our butt, otherwise known as "saddlebags", feet tight together for this measurement)
THIGHS: Right________Left_________
(Measure 6 inches down from your inseam, have your legs apart and weight evenly distributed on both feet, don't stand on one foot while either thigh is being measured)
Perceived Exertion Scale
A lot of treadmill workouts will use the Perceived Exertion Scale vs. speed and/or incline. I wanted to post a guideline so everyone knew what they were talking about. I will put all treadmill workouts, calculators and charts on the right side of the blog so you will have easy access at all times (thanks for the idea Cynthia)
--------------------------------------------------------------
When exercising, it's important to monitor your intensity to make sure you're working at a pace that is challenging enough to help you reach your goals, but not so hard that you blow a lung. One way to do that is to use a Perceived Exertion Scale. The standard is the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, which ranges from 0-20. Because I'm a math-idiot, I made up my own scale (see below) that's a little easier to remember. In general, for most workouts you want to be at around Level 5-6. If you're doing interval training, you want your recovery to be around a 4-5 and your intensity blasts to be at around 8-9. As you'll see below, working at a level 10 isn't recommended for most workouts. For longer, slower workouts, keep your PE at Level 5 or lower.
Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bon bons
Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig
Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
Level 9: I am probably going to die
Level 10: I am dead
--------------------------------------------------------------
When exercising, it's important to monitor your intensity to make sure you're working at a pace that is challenging enough to help you reach your goals, but not so hard that you blow a lung. One way to do that is to use a Perceived Exertion Scale. The standard is the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, which ranges from 0-20. Because I'm a math-idiot, I made up my own scale (see below) that's a little easier to remember. In general, for most workouts you want to be at around Level 5-6. If you're doing interval training, you want your recovery to be around a 4-5 and your intensity blasts to be at around 8-9. As you'll see below, working at a level 10 isn't recommended for most workouts. For longer, slower workouts, keep your PE at Level 5 or lower.
Level 1: I'm watching TV and eating bon bons
Level 2: I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
Level 4: I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
Level 5: I'm just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
Level 7: I can still talk, but I don't really want to. I'm sweating like a pig
Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
Level 9: I am probably going to die
Level 10: I am dead
30 Minute Treadmill Intervals Workout
This cardio workout will help you bust boredom and burn more calories by changing your speed, resistance and/or incline throughout the workout. You'll alternate intensity intervals where you'll work at a high intensity along with recovery intervals. Increase or decrease the speed and/or duration of each interval according to your fitness level and use the Perceived Exertion Scale to determine how hard you're working. The speeds and inclines listed are only suggestions...please modify as needed.
Time Intensity/Speed Incline Perceived Exertion
5 min. 3.0 mph - warm-up 1% Level 2-3
5 min. 3.5 - 4.5 - walk/slow jog 1% Level 4
1 min. 5.0 - 5.5 - speed walk/run 2% Level 6
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/slow jog 0% Level 4
1 min. 5.0 - 5.5 - speed walk/ run 2% Level 6-7
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/slow jog 0% Level 4
1 min. 5.3 - 5.7 - speed walk/run 1-2% Level 7
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/ slow jog 0% Level 4
1 min. Walk/run as fast as you can 1-2% Level 7-8
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/ slow jog 0% Level 4
5 min. 3.0 - 4.0 0% Level 3
Workout taken from exercise.about.com, for more information click here
Time Intensity/Speed Incline Perceived Exertion
5 min. 3.0 mph - warm-up 1% Level 2-3
5 min. 3.5 - 4.5 - walk/slow jog 1% Level 4
1 min. 5.0 - 5.5 - speed walk/run 2% Level 6
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/slow jog 0% Level 4
1 min. 5.0 - 5.5 - speed walk/ run 2% Level 6-7
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/slow jog 0% Level 4
1 min. 5.3 - 5.7 - speed walk/run 1-2% Level 7
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/ slow jog 0% Level 4
1 min. Walk/run as fast as you can 1-2% Level 7-8
2 min. 4.0 - 5.0 - walk/ slow jog 0% Level 4
5 min. 3.0 - 4.0 0% Level 3
Workout taken from exercise.about.com, for more information click here
Whats up?
Hey this is steph. I haven't had a chance to post yet, you know screaming baby that needs attention and all. I lost four pounds last week so I will keep plugging along, anyone that knows me knows I am a cheater on diets so yes I did cheat a little. whats wrong with that?:)
A Question?
OK so I have a question. Does anyone have the answer? I thought I could ask this because we are all women and most of us are on diet. How does that time of the month affect the scale. We all know we retain water right? so should we expect to see the scale maybe go up a pound or two during that time and know it will come back off or not? I need to know what to expect when I get there. "I tend to really beat myself up if the scale goes up any instead of down and I know it's normal to fluctuate a little even when dieting (drinking more water one day as opposed to the next. (have you watched the biggest looser that is where I seen that). So Just thought I would see if anyone knew the answer. thanks
Monday, January 12, 2009
Week One Weekness
I post that it was a weekness because I seriously didn't do well this week. I only exercised 2 1/2 times ( I say a 1/2 because I got interupted and never got to finish my workout on Saturday) and that probably says something for my weight loss. I only lost 2 pounds this week. But, on the brighter side, that brings my total weight loss since Thanksgiving to 22 pounds.
Another thing that all you girls need to do is take your measurements. On my fifth week of Weight Watchers I only lost 0.2 pounds. I was so bummed, but I went home and took my measurements. In that week alone, I lost a full inch off my waist and a total of 4 inches from my arms and legs. Take your measurements - they matter!
Good luck this coming week!
Another thing that all you girls need to do is take your measurements. On my fifth week of Weight Watchers I only lost 0.2 pounds. I was so bummed, but I went home and took my measurements. In that week alone, I lost a full inch off my waist and a total of 4 inches from my arms and legs. Take your measurements - they matter!
Good luck this coming week!
Weigh In
Okay, I weighed in this morning and I weighed the same, RATS -- it was that popcorn with extra butter at the movie yesterday!
But, I have been very good with my workouts, I have not missed one.
I'll keep plugging away at my 5 pound goal.
But, I have been very good with my workouts, I have not missed one.
I'll keep plugging away at my 5 pound goal.
20 Minute Treadmill Hill Workout
Burn fat and calories and build your lower body with this 300-calorie-burning treadmill routine from a fitness pro.
To get your best body in less time, try this 20-minute run-walk from Aundrea Hasselbach, founder of tread20.com. You'll blast fat and calories and tone your lower body.
Minutes MPH Incline*
0:00-3:00 3.0 1
3:00-3:30 3.5 2
3:30-4:00 3.5 4
4:00-4:30 3.5 6
4:30-5:00 3.5 7
5:00-6:00 5.0 1
6:00-7:00 4.0 1
7:00-7:30 4.5 2
7:30-8:00 4.5 4
8:00-8:30 4.5 6
8:30-9:00 4.5 7
9:00-10:00 3.5 1
10:00-11:00 6.0 1
11:00-12:00 3.5 1
12:00-12:30 5.0 2
12:30-13:00 5.0 4
13:00-13:30 5.0 6
13:30-14:00 5.0 7
14:00-16:00 3.5 1
16:00-17:00 6.0 1
17:00-20:00 3.0 1
*Workout taken from fitness.com, for more information click here
Monday weigh in
well..... the one first official week is done. the results are good but it's been hard.
Kyla has lost 5lbs....yeah
VerJean has lost 6lbs...yeah
I feel like it has been a successful first week it's only the beginning but were off to a great start. can't wait to see your results!!!
Kyla has lost 5lbs....yeah
VerJean has lost 6lbs...yeah
I feel like it has been a successful first week it's only the beginning but were off to a great start. can't wait to see your results!!!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Useless Diet Advise
Useless Advice
They say you should banish late-night meals, slave over old-fashioned oatmeal, and stop after one bite of dessert. Obviously, "they" don't live in the real world
Most of the time, nutritionists and dietitians are full of brilliant ideas that help you eat healthier, stay slimmer, and live longer. But every once in a while, food gurus forget that the rest of us have limited time, funds, and willpower. That's when they spit out wonky bits of wisdom like "Ask your waiter to wrap half your entrée before you start eating." Yeah, he'd be happy to--right after he sticks his thumb in your salade Niçoise. We collected seven of the hardest-to-swallow expert suggestions and replaced them with equally healthy tips that a normal person can actually use. Because unless your name is Jessica Seinfeld, you're not going to spend every second fretting about what goes on your plate
The advice: Chug eight glasses of water a day.
Why it's useless: Peeing every 20 minutes seriously interferes with life. The real deal: Believe it or not, the eight-glass quota isn't etched in stone. Yes, we need to be well-hydrated, but if your urine is clear or close to it, you're probably getting enough fluids. If your No. 1 is neon yellow, lighten things up by adding one or two glasses a day. Once your body adjusts to getting more fluid (and you don't have to run to the can every 10 minutes), add another, says Karen Benzinger, R.D., a dietary consultant in Chicago who specializes in health care. And don't forget that all liquids--including tea, juice, even the tonic in your vodka drink--help keep your body sufficiently saturated.
The advice; Don't drink juice--it's a sugar bomb.
Why it's useless: Juice is a breakfast staple, and it's essential for smoothies. The real deal: There's a big difference between 100 percent juice and a bottle of sugar water with a few cranberries squeezed into it. Yes, juice has a lot of the sweet stuff, but a six-ounce glass of 100 percent juice also counts as a full serving of fruit and delivers many of the same vitamins and antioxidants, making it worth the occasional sugar rush, says Jessica Ganzer, R.D., owner of Ganzer Wellness Consulting in Arlington, Virginia. And it can be the easiest way to get a superfood: Drinking 100 percent pomegranate juice is easy; picking apart a real pomegranate, not so much. As long as you drink 100 percent juice (from concentrate is fine) and limit yourself to one six-to-eight ounce glass a day, you're not breaking any rules of good nutrition. If you're seriously cutting back on calories or carbs, try Tropicana's Light 'n Healthy line; a serving has about half the sugar (10 grams) and calories (50) of normal juice.
The advice: Shut the kitchen down after 7 p.m. to prevent weight gain.
Why it's useless: After a long day at the office and a trip to the gym, you either eat dinner at 9:30 or starve. The real deal: The no-food-right-before-bed rule was meant for the nighttime nosher who mindlessly wolfs down a bag of Oreos while watching CSI: Miami. If you get home long after dark, a late dinner is perfectly fine. A calorie is a calorie, no matter what time you eat it, according to Katie Clark, R.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of family health care nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. But do keep your evening meal light--along the lines of a chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and brown rice. Too much chow will keep you up at night: To break down all that food, your gut has to churn like a cement truck.
The advice: Simmer steel-cut oatmeal instead of nuking the instant kind.
Why it's useless: The only way we have time for breakfast is if making breakfast doesn't take any time. The real deal: The pros push this tip because people usually eat flavored instant oatmeal, which comes with up to a whopping 13 grams of sugar per 43-gram packet--compared with one gram or less of sweetness in the steel-cut stuff. And steel-cut oats are less processed than the rolled oats used in the just-add-water variety, so they take longer to digest (this keeps your blood sugar nice and steady, helping you avoid mood swings and hunger pangs). That said, instant oatmeal still uses whole grain oats (they're just mashed a bit more), so it comes with most of the same health benefits. One of these is the cholesterol-lowering, hunger-satisfying soluble fiber beta-glucan: It turns gummy when it hits your GI tract, binds with cholesterol, and drags it out. "I'd rather my clients eat one-minute oatmeal than no oatmeal at all," Ganzer says. If you find unsweetened oatmeal about as appetizing as paste, combine half a packet of the flavored kind with half a packet of plain. Or consider Quaker Oatmeal's Weight Control flavored instants, which pack even more fiber than steel-cut oats (six grams per packet) and keep sugar down to one gram
The advice: Have just one bite of dessert.
Why it's useless: That's like telling an addict to have just a little crack. The real deal: Eating chocolate cake is like watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians: There's nothing right about it, so just revel in how deliciously wrong it is. A smarter strategy: Before you begin the debauchery, plan for the extra calories--skip the appetizer, the bread, or (ouch) the booze. "If the dessert is really that good, it's worth the sacrifice," Benzinger says.
The advice: If you must drink while you diet, order a white-wine spritzer.
Why it's useless: Despite the dainty name, it tastes just like what it is: watered-down wine. The real deal: There's no weight-loss magic in a spritzer, a cup of wine diluted with calorie-free carbonated water. It's just another portion-control trick that trims your total calorie intake, Clark says. If you balk at the idea of outdated cocktails or weak-tasting grape juice, slowly sipping a glass of water between rounds of pinot grigio accomplishes the same goal.
The advice: Put half your entrée in a to-go box before you start to eat.
Why it's useless: You know you have portion-control issues, but that doesn't mean you want everyone else at your table to know it too. The real deal: A better way to cut back on restaurant binging is to pretend the breadbasket is sprinkled with cyanide and to double up on veggie sides instead of ordering fries. Also effective: putting your fork down between bites, which gives your stomach and brain time to register that you're full (which takes about 20 minutes). Once your gauge hits "F," ask the waiter to box up the rest of your food right away so you won't keep nibbling, Benzinger says
They say you should banish late-night meals, slave over old-fashioned oatmeal, and stop after one bite of dessert. Obviously, "they" don't live in the real world
Most of the time, nutritionists and dietitians are full of brilliant ideas that help you eat healthier, stay slimmer, and live longer. But every once in a while, food gurus forget that the rest of us have limited time, funds, and willpower. That's when they spit out wonky bits of wisdom like "Ask your waiter to wrap half your entrée before you start eating." Yeah, he'd be happy to--right after he sticks his thumb in your salade Niçoise. We collected seven of the hardest-to-swallow expert suggestions and replaced them with equally healthy tips that a normal person can actually use. Because unless your name is Jessica Seinfeld, you're not going to spend every second fretting about what goes on your plate
The advice: Chug eight glasses of water a day.
Why it's useless: Peeing every 20 minutes seriously interferes with life. The real deal: Believe it or not, the eight-glass quota isn't etched in stone. Yes, we need to be well-hydrated, but if your urine is clear or close to it, you're probably getting enough fluids. If your No. 1 is neon yellow, lighten things up by adding one or two glasses a day. Once your body adjusts to getting more fluid (and you don't have to run to the can every 10 minutes), add another, says Karen Benzinger, R.D., a dietary consultant in Chicago who specializes in health care. And don't forget that all liquids--including tea, juice, even the tonic in your vodka drink--help keep your body sufficiently saturated.
The advice; Don't drink juice--it's a sugar bomb.
Why it's useless: Juice is a breakfast staple, and it's essential for smoothies. The real deal: There's a big difference between 100 percent juice and a bottle of sugar water with a few cranberries squeezed into it. Yes, juice has a lot of the sweet stuff, but a six-ounce glass of 100 percent juice also counts as a full serving of fruit and delivers many of the same vitamins and antioxidants, making it worth the occasional sugar rush, says Jessica Ganzer, R.D., owner of Ganzer Wellness Consulting in Arlington, Virginia. And it can be the easiest way to get a superfood: Drinking 100 percent pomegranate juice is easy; picking apart a real pomegranate, not so much. As long as you drink 100 percent juice (from concentrate is fine) and limit yourself to one six-to-eight ounce glass a day, you're not breaking any rules of good nutrition. If you're seriously cutting back on calories or carbs, try Tropicana's Light 'n Healthy line; a serving has about half the sugar (10 grams) and calories (50) of normal juice.
The advice: Shut the kitchen down after 7 p.m. to prevent weight gain.
Why it's useless: After a long day at the office and a trip to the gym, you either eat dinner at 9:30 or starve. The real deal: The no-food-right-before-bed rule was meant for the nighttime nosher who mindlessly wolfs down a bag of Oreos while watching CSI: Miami. If you get home long after dark, a late dinner is perfectly fine. A calorie is a calorie, no matter what time you eat it, according to Katie Clark, R.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of family health care nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. But do keep your evening meal light--along the lines of a chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and brown rice. Too much chow will keep you up at night: To break down all that food, your gut has to churn like a cement truck.
The advice: Simmer steel-cut oatmeal instead of nuking the instant kind.
Why it's useless: The only way we have time for breakfast is if making breakfast doesn't take any time. The real deal: The pros push this tip because people usually eat flavored instant oatmeal, which comes with up to a whopping 13 grams of sugar per 43-gram packet--compared with one gram or less of sweetness in the steel-cut stuff. And steel-cut oats are less processed than the rolled oats used in the just-add-water variety, so they take longer to digest (this keeps your blood sugar nice and steady, helping you avoid mood swings and hunger pangs). That said, instant oatmeal still uses whole grain oats (they're just mashed a bit more), so it comes with most of the same health benefits. One of these is the cholesterol-lowering, hunger-satisfying soluble fiber beta-glucan: It turns gummy when it hits your GI tract, binds with cholesterol, and drags it out. "I'd rather my clients eat one-minute oatmeal than no oatmeal at all," Ganzer says. If you find unsweetened oatmeal about as appetizing as paste, combine half a packet of the flavored kind with half a packet of plain. Or consider Quaker Oatmeal's Weight Control flavored instants, which pack even more fiber than steel-cut oats (six grams per packet) and keep sugar down to one gram
The advice: Have just one bite of dessert.
Why it's useless: That's like telling an addict to have just a little crack. The real deal: Eating chocolate cake is like watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians: There's nothing right about it, so just revel in how deliciously wrong it is. A smarter strategy: Before you begin the debauchery, plan for the extra calories--skip the appetizer, the bread, or (ouch) the booze. "If the dessert is really that good, it's worth the sacrifice," Benzinger says.
The advice: If you must drink while you diet, order a white-wine spritzer.
Why it's useless: Despite the dainty name, it tastes just like what it is: watered-down wine. The real deal: There's no weight-loss magic in a spritzer, a cup of wine diluted with calorie-free carbonated water. It's just another portion-control trick that trims your total calorie intake, Clark says. If you balk at the idea of outdated cocktails or weak-tasting grape juice, slowly sipping a glass of water between rounds of pinot grigio accomplishes the same goal.
The advice: Put half your entrée in a to-go box before you start to eat.
Why it's useless: You know you have portion-control issues, but that doesn't mean you want everyone else at your table to know it too. The real deal: A better way to cut back on restaurant binging is to pretend the breadbasket is sprinkled with cyanide and to double up on veggie sides instead of ordering fries. Also effective: putting your fork down between bites, which gives your stomach and brain time to register that you're full (which takes about 20 minutes). Once your gauge hits "F," ask the waiter to box up the rest of your food right away so you won't keep nibbling, Benzinger says
Diet Myths
So I am Changing my email address, that's a lot a work! I have so much saved on my old email I want to keep so I am having to clean out and forward a lot. But I have a file simply labels "Good stuff to keep" which has stuff from order recipts, those funny jokes I get (I keep the ones I really like) to Diet Tips I find online!
Of course the file is to big and a pain to sort through so do I read the diet tips? Of course not! Bu I plan to move them where they are easy to find and read them more often. But I thought I could share with you too! So as I find them I will post them for you!
Here are the first...
Top Diet Myths ExposedPosted Mon, Feb 25, 2008, 10:47 am PST
Myth 1: Potatoes and bread are fattening.
Actually: It's just the opposite. Starchy vegetables and bread (whole-grain bread, that is) are quality carbs needed to fuel every part of you, from your brain to your muscles. Where you can get into trouble is how you eat them: Smear butter on a slice of whole wheat bread or deep-fry potatoes and you can double, triple, or quadruple their calories.
Myth 2: Drinking a glass of water before a meal curbs appetite.
Actually: Yes and no. Water tames appetite if it's incorporated into food, such as soup or a thick drink (think V8 juice). Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower, explains Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. That's why in one study women found chicken-rice soup more satisfying than chicken-rice casserole and a glass of water--even though the soup had 27% fewer calories! One exception to this rule: Because it's easy to confuse hunger and thirst, if you find yourself craving something--but what?--drink a big glass of water and wait a few minutes. You may find that's what you really wanted.
Myth 3: Shellfish is high in cholesterol.
Actually: On one hand it's true, just three ounces of shrimp deliver more than a third of your daily cholesterol, but there's a surprising flip side to this story: Shrimp are low in saturated fat--the kind that becomes artery-clogging bad cholesterol--and they have a smidgeon of heart-healthy omega-3s. In fact, University of Southern California researchers discovered eating shellfish, such as shrimp, every week reduced heart attack risk by 59%!
Myth 4: The occasional burger and fries won't kill you.
Actually: If "occasional" means every Friday night, then no. But if it means every few months, and you're fit, and you've got good "numbers" (weight, waist size, cholesterol, blood pressure) AND you're chowing down on vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare most other days, hey, you'll live. But few of us are that perfect. If you do occasionally indulge? Offset the effects of a fat fiesta with a brisk, 90-minute walk afterward.
Myth 5: Women naturally gain weight after menopause.
Actually: While you can blame a lot of things on hormones (from acne to PMS), in this case slowing down physically is far more likely at fault. Study after study has found that older women who exercise regularly and vigorously maintain their girlish figures. What about those charts that say as you get older, you need to eat fewer calories to simply maintain your weight? Same story. The research doesn't show that age (instead of inactivity) accounts for the drop.
Myth 6: Diet soda is worse than the real thing.
Actually: Soft drinks now outrank coffee as America's favorite beverage, but we all would be better off switching to water, diluted juice, and green tea than drinking either diet or regular soda. Both increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel, inviting cavities.
Final fact (this one's no myth): Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.
Fat Chances
These four factors could be effecting with your figure
Your friends, your cold, your spending habits--science can blame just about everything for filling our jeans to overflowing. But how much extra poundage are these surprising factors really responsible for? We dug through the research to find out.The risk: Your Flabby Friends - 2 lbsPalling around with a tubby crowd could be worse than having Rosie O'Donnell as your diet coach.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at the social networks of 12,067 people over 32 years and found that for every 10 pounds a person gained, close friends of the same height gained an average of one to two pounds.Improve your odds Instead of making plans to go out for drinks and dinner, catch up with your buds as you sweat on side-by-side elliptical machines, play racquetball, or cruise town on your bikes. Don't take no for an answer!The risk: Credit Cards - 5 lbsYour plastic may be affecting more than just your credit score.
Visa conducted a study of 100,000 fast-food restaurant transactions and found that people who pay for their food with a credit card spend 30 percent more than those who pay with cash. Opt to swipe and you could end up with a double quarter-pounder with cheese and a large Coke instead of a quarter-pounder with cheese and medium drink.
For the average woman, who visits a fast-food restaurant once a week, that adds an extra 17,160 calories, or 4.9 pounds, per year. Improve your odds If you must hit the drive-thru, pay cash. You're likely to spend less. Better yet: Go home and make a sandwich. It'll be better for your body and your wallet.The risk: The Sniffles - 40 lbsForget feeding a cold--a 2007 review in Advances in Food and Nutrition Research found that in animal studies, critters infected with adenovirus-36--one of about 50 human viruses that cause upper-respiratory infections--gained up to four times as much weight as those without it.
Scientists speculate that the bug increases the number of fat cells in the body and that it could leave humans lugging around an extra 40 pounds. Improve your odds Believe it or not, a vaccine to fight the fat culprit is in the works. And adenovirus-36 has already been deactivated in lab studies (there are no human tests yet). Until then, wash your hands often, as adenoviruses typically are transmitted through direct contact.The risk: Your Meds - 45 lbsPopping pills for allergies, birth control, depression, or diabetes could be an Rx for a wider rear. According to a report in Pharmacist's Letter, side effects of drugs such as the antidepressant Nardil and the allergy medication Zyrtec can stimulate appetite; that can leave you eating more and gaining up to 45 pounds.
Improve your odds If you suspect a scrip is to blame for your suddenly bloated belly, talk to your M.D. about alternative options for the drug you're prescribed. Just make sure you don't stop your current meds without your doctor's say-so.A 2004 study in General Hospital Psychiatry revealed that 5 percent of patients surveyed would never take meds that caused weight gain--even if they had a life-threatening condition.
Of course the file is to big and a pain to sort through so do I read the diet tips? Of course not! Bu I plan to move them where they are easy to find and read them more often. But I thought I could share with you too! So as I find them I will post them for you!
Here are the first...
Top Diet Myths ExposedPosted Mon, Feb 25, 2008, 10:47 am PST
Myth 1: Potatoes and bread are fattening.
Actually: It's just the opposite. Starchy vegetables and bread (whole-grain bread, that is) are quality carbs needed to fuel every part of you, from your brain to your muscles. Where you can get into trouble is how you eat them: Smear butter on a slice of whole wheat bread or deep-fry potatoes and you can double, triple, or quadruple their calories.
Myth 2: Drinking a glass of water before a meal curbs appetite.
Actually: Yes and no. Water tames appetite if it's incorporated into food, such as soup or a thick drink (think V8 juice). Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower, explains Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. That's why in one study women found chicken-rice soup more satisfying than chicken-rice casserole and a glass of water--even though the soup had 27% fewer calories! One exception to this rule: Because it's easy to confuse hunger and thirst, if you find yourself craving something--but what?--drink a big glass of water and wait a few minutes. You may find that's what you really wanted.
Myth 3: Shellfish is high in cholesterol.
Actually: On one hand it's true, just three ounces of shrimp deliver more than a third of your daily cholesterol, but there's a surprising flip side to this story: Shrimp are low in saturated fat--the kind that becomes artery-clogging bad cholesterol--and they have a smidgeon of heart-healthy omega-3s. In fact, University of Southern California researchers discovered eating shellfish, such as shrimp, every week reduced heart attack risk by 59%!
Myth 4: The occasional burger and fries won't kill you.
Actually: If "occasional" means every Friday night, then no. But if it means every few months, and you're fit, and you've got good "numbers" (weight, waist size, cholesterol, blood pressure) AND you're chowing down on vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare most other days, hey, you'll live. But few of us are that perfect. If you do occasionally indulge? Offset the effects of a fat fiesta with a brisk, 90-minute walk afterward.
Myth 5: Women naturally gain weight after menopause.
Actually: While you can blame a lot of things on hormones (from acne to PMS), in this case slowing down physically is far more likely at fault. Study after study has found that older women who exercise regularly and vigorously maintain their girlish figures. What about those charts that say as you get older, you need to eat fewer calories to simply maintain your weight? Same story. The research doesn't show that age (instead of inactivity) accounts for the drop.
Myth 6: Diet soda is worse than the real thing.
Actually: Soft drinks now outrank coffee as America's favorite beverage, but we all would be better off switching to water, diluted juice, and green tea than drinking either diet or regular soda. Both increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel, inviting cavities.
Final fact (this one's no myth): Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.
Fat Chances
These four factors could be effecting with your figure
Your friends, your cold, your spending habits--science can blame just about everything for filling our jeans to overflowing. But how much extra poundage are these surprising factors really responsible for? We dug through the research to find out.The risk: Your Flabby Friends - 2 lbsPalling around with a tubby crowd could be worse than having Rosie O'Donnell as your diet coach.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at the social networks of 12,067 people over 32 years and found that for every 10 pounds a person gained, close friends of the same height gained an average of one to two pounds.Improve your odds Instead of making plans to go out for drinks and dinner, catch up with your buds as you sweat on side-by-side elliptical machines, play racquetball, or cruise town on your bikes. Don't take no for an answer!The risk: Credit Cards - 5 lbsYour plastic may be affecting more than just your credit score.
Visa conducted a study of 100,000 fast-food restaurant transactions and found that people who pay for their food with a credit card spend 30 percent more than those who pay with cash. Opt to swipe and you could end up with a double quarter-pounder with cheese and a large Coke instead of a quarter-pounder with cheese and medium drink.
For the average woman, who visits a fast-food restaurant once a week, that adds an extra 17,160 calories, or 4.9 pounds, per year. Improve your odds If you must hit the drive-thru, pay cash. You're likely to spend less. Better yet: Go home and make a sandwich. It'll be better for your body and your wallet.The risk: The Sniffles - 40 lbsForget feeding a cold--a 2007 review in Advances in Food and Nutrition Research found that in animal studies, critters infected with adenovirus-36--one of about 50 human viruses that cause upper-respiratory infections--gained up to four times as much weight as those without it.
Scientists speculate that the bug increases the number of fat cells in the body and that it could leave humans lugging around an extra 40 pounds. Improve your odds Believe it or not, a vaccine to fight the fat culprit is in the works. And adenovirus-36 has already been deactivated in lab studies (there are no human tests yet). Until then, wash your hands often, as adenoviruses typically are transmitted through direct contact.The risk: Your Meds - 45 lbsPopping pills for allergies, birth control, depression, or diabetes could be an Rx for a wider rear. According to a report in Pharmacist's Letter, side effects of drugs such as the antidepressant Nardil and the allergy medication Zyrtec can stimulate appetite; that can leave you eating more and gaining up to 45 pounds.
Improve your odds If you suspect a scrip is to blame for your suddenly bloated belly, talk to your M.D. about alternative options for the drug you're prescribed. Just make sure you don't stop your current meds without your doctor's say-so.A 2004 study in General Hospital Psychiatry revealed that 5 percent of patients surveyed would never take meds that caused weight gain--even if they had a life-threatening condition.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
