Alas….100 Calorie Packets Aren’t As Beneficial As You Would Think
Weight-conscious consumers who choose single portion snack packets are more likely to gain rather than loose weight. How could this be?! While you want to believe that these 100-calorie snacks can help control your calorie intake, given the contents, your efforts would be better placed elsewhere and your calories, too. Consider what’s in the most popular single packets contain: cookies, crackers, chips and so-called fruit snacks. The nutritional value of these snacks is 100 empty calories. These snacks are deemed empty because they contribute energy without any valuable or essential nutrients. These carbohydrate-driven foods provide no dietary fiber, no antioxidants, and no vitamins or minerals to speak of, just calories. Anyone who is truly trying to improve one’s eating habits, or achieve a healthier body weight is best off learning to make wise food choices rather than relying on these clever single snack servings.
And, you are not alone. People who choose these single pack snacks hope it will naturally limit how much they eat, but often the little bitty bag isn’t satisfying so folks find themselves having another packet. In the end, more calories are consumed than if there were a full size bag, according to recent studies published in the Journal of Consumer Research. In fact, twice as much is eaten when single packets are used, than if a portion is taken from a large bag. http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/589564
The researchers found that the planned purchase of boxes of single-serve snacks causes people to let down their guard. These indiviudal servings allow people to think the challenge of portion control has been taken care of, and no thought is given to eating a second bag because it’s portion controlled too. While the individual packets are viewed as healthier, the tendency is for people to overeat.
Put more simply, by replacing each 100-calorie packet you might have eaten with a fruit or vegetable, you would be consuming 1/3 to ¼ of the calories. By simple math, if you traded one 100-calorie packet a day for a fruit or a vegetable, you’d be saving about 60 calories. This would spare you a pound of unwanted weight gain every 1-2 months. (1 month when you eat 2 packets daily.)
It’s far better to plan a healthy meal that may include chips or cookies so an expected amount is enjoyed with no thought for second helpings. Or, opt for the fresh peach or a lovely salad to fill up on instead.
I simply cannot bear to talk to anyone about my fat, or about diets, or about my food issues. Even with people I am close to, I absolutely cannot bear it.
I have never let it be known, outside of my immediate family circle, that I have deliberately tried to lose weight. When I used to go to WW years ago, it was a secret from everyone but my Mum. Then last year when I was losing weight I would never have dreamed of letting anyone, except my boyfriend, know I was recording all my calories in a diary. My reticence on these issues is backed up by hypocrisy and even lies – if one of my friends had told me she was recording calories, I would probably have told her not to be so obsessive!
My disordered eating habits are more secret still. Not even my boyfriend knows about my occasional forays into bulimia-type behaviour.
A lot of women seem to love talking about their weight and food, which I’ll never understand. Last year when I lost so much weight, people at work were always saying “you have lost so much weight – you look amazing”, or asking for my “secret”. Of course, I would have no idea what to say but would deflect the comments with something disingenuous like “Do you think so?”, or “It must be because I quit my old job! “. It was pretty ridiculous, when I think about it, to suggest I could have lost 20 kg without really noticing, but that is what I did. But I guess it was easier than reacting with complete honesty, which would have involved saying something along the lines of “You’re right. By following a strict calorie-counting plan, and exercising 6 times a week, I have lost 18.9 kg and currently have a BMI of 22.8″.
I think what I hate about these compliments is having to acknowledge the the existence of my fat. Every time someone says “you’ve lost so much weight – you look amazing”, all I can hear is “you were gigantic, quite disgustingly huge”. And of course, since I have regained a good 12 kg this year, I can’t help wondering if the same people who complimented me last year are silently wondering how I have managed to turn myself into that gigantic, disgusting woman again.
Would it help me if I were more open? I think it might. I mean everyone must know I have weight issues, whether I talk about it or not – it’s right there on my hips. In the meantime, at least I have the internet.
PS – Weighed in today at about 76 kg (don’t have accurate scales so that is the best I can do). Trying to resist urge to buy accurate scales as it can only feed unhealthy numbers obsession. Urge may prove irresistible.
PPS – I forgot to have breakfast again today, due to fussing with lunch foods. Obviously there are only so many spots in my brain in the morning, and there’s room for breakfast or lunch but not both!
“The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.”
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War
photo:alsohbennett
You may have missed this comment in the Dynamic Warm-up post; as such, I’d like to share it here, as I think it’s so very important, and dare I say, inspirational. Now the very word inspirational has been so watered down — hackneyed even — that I’m loathe to use it. But really, in this case, I think that it’s justified. Check it out:
Keith,
As always, I love your writing and appreciate all you do to keep us motivated.
I wanted to write an update on my continued attempts to put theory to practice as I have just reached 101 pounds lost. Having gone from 356 lbs. to 255 lbs. has given me so much vitality and joy. I can now fit in size 36 jeans and XL shirts, coming from size 48’s and 4XL!
I am still pumped about eating well (paleo with minimal cheats) and exercising (beginning Crossfit). I have survived stressful times without binge eating, which was a major concern.
Also, and most importantly to me, I am showing my children that these things are possible. A side note to this point: I have begun having the occasional ice cream with my kids. I felt that it was important to show good eating habits but also the ability to show restraint with foods that kids like. (Thoughts?)
They have begun to see that junk food need not be “everything” and they don’t ask for candy anymore. Well…at least not from me.
In fact, last week my dad even asked me to go over my diet with him. He sees the results and knows I am not eating poorly to lose weight and wants in. Yeah!
Anyway, this is where I am.
Hope you and yours are well. Please keep up your great writing.
Thank you,
Jeremy Palmer
A fantastic testimonial for the efficacy of the Paleo lifestyle. And remember, this is nothing that I’ve created — this “lifestyle”, and the constituent building blocks thereof, have been around since the dawn of mankind. This is our collective legacy. I only endeavor to apply these ancient principles, best I can, within the challenges of a modern (and, let’s face it, nutritionally broken) society. This is the task, the challenge, that confronts each and every one of us — every hour of every day. Living this lifestyle requires intelligence, wisdom, a good dose of willpower (at least, initially) and a questioning — un-trusting even — attitude. I’ve met with and conversed with a wide array of Paleo adherents throughout my own Paleo journey, as well as with many would-be, failed practitioners — from just about every ethnicity and socio-economic background you can imagine — and what I’ve found is this: what separates the adherent from the would-be and failed are two things; intelligence and a highly-skeptical, question-authority mindset. At this point in the game — and until society as whole makes a drastic, nutritional U-turn (which I don’t see as happening in our lifetimes) — only those equipped with the tools and character to “break free of the Matrix” (red pill or blue pill, Neo?) — like our friend Jeremy, here — will succeed at the Paleo endeavor. This isn’t a pessimist speaking, but the thoughts of a rationalist. Think about how this manifests on your own lives. How many of your own friends, family and associates are willing to cast themselves, without a net, into an intellectual solo-flight, an on-going n=1 experiment? How many are willing to question heretofore “authoritative”, dietary, proclamations,cast aside what they once considered “truth”? Red pill or blue pill, Neo? Really, isn’t this what the Buddha asked as well? Don’t blindly follow me, he said in essence, but tease these things out for yourself, in the laboratory of your own mind and in your own body. Keep what works, discard what doesn’t. Above all, though, question; aggressively and ceaselessly question.
And to quickly add my own 2 cents on the question of raising kids within a Paleo framework:
(1) Living as an example is, in my opinion, the best thing you can do, coupled with an on-going discussion of why (at an age-appropriate level, of course) you’ve made this dietary and lifestyle choice. Do all you can to develop within them the notion of respectful questioning. Because, let’s face it, sooner or later you have to let them free in the big, woolly (and woefully mis-informed) world, a world governed by — you guessed it — experts. And being a mainstream “expert” only means that one has majority backing; that may, or may not, connote any modicum of truth.
(2) High dose fish oil, especially in children, will aide in blunting the effects of a less-than-perfect diet. They will eat crap, no doubt — and lot’s of it — because society at large encourages it, and at a certain point, the need to fit in (or at the very least, not “fit-out”) will override all else. More on fish oil in a later post.
(3) Personally, I’m not a believer in half-measures — but that’s just me. I certainly understand where you’re coming from though, Jeremy. Kids do need to be taught moderation so as to equip them for navigating the real, un-informed world. This is a touchy question, and I’m calling out to experienced TTP readers to weigh-in on this one. The way I approached this with my own was to say I choose not to partake because (insert age-appropriate reasoning). Ultimately, though, you have to make your own choices about how to treat your own body and your own health. Now, my kids were much older when I began this journey, and were familiar with this kind of talk, usually, though, centered around political ideals, or fitness/sports training topics, drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. Of course, if I had young children in my home now, they wouldn’t even have access to “bad” foodstuffs (I can see me being a very unpopular grandpa), and hopefully their very early-established “tastes” would help moderate them through the real-world minefield once it was (inevitably) unleashed upon them. My gut feeling is though, Jeremy, that you know what’s best for your kids at this particular juncture in their lives. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of guy, and I was an all-or-nothing kid as well. One thing the years have taught me is that the vast majority of people do not operate that way. My coaching style works well and is fit for an athletic/sporting environment; in the general public, well…not so much
I’ll end the day’s pontification there, as I’ve gone on long, long enough. The real point of this post is to acknowledge a gentleman who has fought the good fight well, and is flying the Paleo flag proudly. My hope is that Jeremy’s action and success can ignite a desire in others (especially his kids) to do the same.
Obesity is one of the biggest health challenges we face nowadays. Almost 1 in 4 adults in England are currently obese and the experts predict that if we do not do anything about it three-quarters of the population could suffer the ill effects of excess weight within the next 10 to 15 years.
The problem is growing rapidly and the costs are soaring. The NHS estimated cost to treat obese and overweight individuals is around £4.2 billion and is forecast to more than double by 2050.
Obesity is a medical condition when a person is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex to such a degree that it rapidly increases the risk of diseases leading to reduced life expectancy. Obesity causes about 30,000 deaths a year in England alone.
The standard expression of body size is the body mass index (BMI). It represents body weight (in kilograms) relative to body height (in metres squared).
By the official standard being obese is having a BMI over 30.
Our lifestyle has changed rapidly. We no longer walk to work or school or eat home-made food. We replaced it with cars and ready-made high-in-fat and high-in-sugar meals. We also eat ’super-sized’ portions at home or eat out in restaurants offering eat-as-much-as-you-can meals.
So, it is no wonder that we are getting fatter and developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis.
Tackle the problem may not be easy but with a bit of determination we should be on our way to a healthier Britain.
To achieve a healthy body we have to permanently change our eating and exercise habits. It is a long-term lifestyle change rather than a quick fix fad and it can provide sustained weight loss and minimize the risk of chronic diseases.
Incorporating exercise in your lifestyle such as brisk walking, cycling, dancing, swimming or Yoga at least three times a week for 20-30 minutes will be a great start to weight loss.
Adding to your daily meals fresh fruits and vegetables, wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice, nuts and seeds will bring gratification and will result in fewer cravings of fatty and sugary snacks.
Drinking plenty of still water will keep you hydrated and it will reduce your urge to eat when you are not hungry.
In no time you will feel better and see the difference. You will be on your way to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, a Celebrity Personal Yoga Trainer in London.
Subodh Gupta is the author of numerous books on yoga, weight loss and stress management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels and his views and articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers in India and the UK.
Subodh Gupta is based in London and conducts yoga, weight loss, nutrition and stress counselling sessions for a number of celebrities.
Obesity is one of the biggest health challenges we face nowadays. Almost 1 in 4 adults in England are currently obese and the experts predict that if we do not do anything about it three-quarters of the population could suffer the ill effects of excess weight within the next 10 to 15 years.
The problem is growing rapidly and the costs are soaring. The NHS estimated cost to treat obese and overweight individuals is around £4.2 billion and is forecast to more than double by 2050.
Obesity is a medical condition when a person is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex to such a degree that it rapidly increases the risk of diseases leading to reduced life expectancy. Obesity causes about 30,000 deaths a year in England alone.
The standard expression of body size is the body mass index (BMI). It represents body weight (in kilograms) relative to body height (in metres squared).
By the official standard being obese is having a BMI over 30.
Our lifestyle has changed rapidly. We no longer walk to work or school or eat home-made food. We replaced it with cars and ready-made high-in-fat and high-in-sugar meals. We also eat ’super-sized’ portions at home or eat out in restaurants offering eat-as-much-as-you-can meals.
So, it is no wonder that we are getting fatter and developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis.
Tackle the problem may not be easy but with a bit of determination we should be on our way to a healthier Britain.
To achieve a healthy body we have to permanently change our eating and exercise habits. It is a long-term lifestyle change rather than a quick fix fad and it can provide sustained weight loss and minimize the risk of chronic diseases.
Incorporating exercise in your lifestyle such as brisk walking, cycling, dancing, swimming or Yoga at least three times a week for 20-30 minutes will be a great start to weight loss.
Adding to your daily meals fresh fruits and vegetables, wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice, nuts and seeds will bring gratification and will result in fewer cravings of fatty and sugary snacks.
Drinking plenty of still water will keep you hydrated and it will reduce your urge to eat when you are not hungry.
In no time you will feel better and see the difference. You will be on your way to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, a Celebrity Personal Yoga Trainer in London.
Subodh Gupta is the author of numerous books on yoga, weight loss and stress management. He has been interviewed by various TV channels and his views and articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers in India and the UK.
Subodh Gupta is based in London and conducts yoga, weight loss, nutrition and stress counselling sessions for a number of celebrities.
I had my 2nd weigh in on Saturday morning (ok I got on the scales at home and weighed myself, but weigh in sounds better) and over the last two weeks I’ve lost…
I’m so pleased and surprised. Yes I’ve followed the plan to the letter but when I did Slimming World before the most I ever lost in one go was 2lbs and that was just a one off, my usual losses were 1/2 – 1 lb. I expected a good loss the first week, especially as I have so much to lose, but 3lbs the 2nd week is brilliant, lets hope it keeps going down, even if the numbers aren’t as high as long as it’s a loss I’ll be happy.
I’ve also just joined a new weight-loss forum, it’s really good. Everyone is so supportive and when I’m at home watching tv and have a desperate urge for ______ (insert snack food here) I can just post on there and people will talk to me and help me realise I don’t really want whatever it is.
I plan to use this blog to keep track of what I’m eating and the exercise I’m doing, as well as for general how I’m doing and stuff. If I’ve tried a good recipe or eaten out somewhere that was really slimming world friendly I’ll mention that too. I’ll post pictures of finished dishes, to show you the sort of things I’m eating, if you like what you see please leave me comments, or if there’s a question you have just ask me.
The breath is one of the most powerful training tools that we have. Gaining control over the respiratory system allows for a dramatic increase in physical performance. Breathing is the most vital process of the body. We start breathing when we are born, and when we stop breathing, we die. The air that we breathe travels through 1500 miles of airways before it animates and sustains the life of every cell in the body. Many people give great consideration to what they eat and drink, but think little about their breath. A person can live a month or more without food, a week or more without liquids, but deprived of breath – we die in minutes. In light of this, it is astonishing how little attention we normally pay to the importance of breathing correctly.
On average, human beings breathe 21,600 times per day. Yet most people have forgotten how to breathe correctly. Shallow breathing through the mouth uses only a small portion of the lung capacity and leaves the thoracic and diaphragmatic muscles tight and weak. Typically, this tendency only worsens as we age, and our breath becomes ever-more shallow. (Contrast the deep abdominal breathing of a toddler with the shallow breathing of a typical, untrained adult.) Shallow breathing deprives the body of the oxygen that is essential to good health. This results in a lack of vitality and a compromised immune system. Additionally, shallow breathing deprives our internal organs of the movement that is essential to proper functioning.
Fortunately, our breath can be dramatically improved with proper training. By consciously training, restoring and balancing our breath, we feel full of life. Ket Yoga employs the ground-breaking techniques of Mahaprana Yoga to teach the most effective and efficient ways to strengthen and smooth the flow of our breath. The Prana Sanchalan Kriya develop overall cardiovascular endurance and greatly increase our capacity to breathe through the nose. By forcefully pumping the lungs at a fast pace, these exercises simultaneously strengthen and cleanse the entire respiratory system.
Developing the capacity to take deep, relaxed breaths through the nose is extremely important. Breathing through the nose provides valuable breath-regulating mechanisms such as warming and filtering the air. From the yogic point of view breathing through the nose also maximizes the amount of prana that is absorbed, since prana passes through the olfactory organs at the back of the nose to reach the central nervous system and brain.
The quality of our breath is extremely important because it reflects our mental state. Yogic philosophy has long-recognized the breath to be the intermediary between the mind and body, and the link between the inner and outer body. When the movement of the breath becomes relaxed, the movement of the mind is calmed. This relaxed state allows us to realize our potential in athletic performance.
Western science tells us that although the human brain makes up only 2% of the body’s weight, it consumes 20% of the oxygen that the body uses. Proper breathing enables us to bring more oxygen to the blood and thus to the brain. By increasing the concentration of oxygen in the body, the brains ability to concentrate improves.
By training the breath with effective techniques, it can become stronger, more balanced and in tune with Nature. Learn to make use of these valuable techniques and get the most out of your training and your breath!
Definition of obesity is really transparent. Obesity is plainly defined as a condition of having too much weight. It signifies that excessive amounts of fat are compiled in your organism, which brings about the unnecessary body weight. A healthy person’s weight should be in proportion with his height.
Obesity badly effects the general wellness and lifestyle of an individual. People who are plump turn very static since they find it tricky to participate in many everyday activities. They can’t move easily, they are perpetually fatigued and they risk going sick with diverse forms of maladies.
It is known that most frequent reasons for obesity may be passive life style, higher consumption of calories and even genetic reasons. Passive life-style is the crucial cause for obesity. An individual finds it troublesome to exercise or take in some sport, which bit by bit has dreadful influence on his weight making him obese.
Furthermore, several mental problems can induce obesity. It implies that individuals usuallyovereat when they are melancholic, upset, aggravated, even bored with something which, as a result, causes obesity. Also, some diseases and conditions like Cushing’s syndrome, Hypothyroidism, Depression, and some neurologic problems affect eating too much which in turn causes the aggregation of superflous fat in the body.
That explanation sounds good in my head but doesn’t quite make sense on paper.
What I mean is, that now I see I do not have to “hate” food and drink. Quite the contrary. I can still love it all. The difference is, I DON’T HAVE TO EAT IT.
Wow! What a revelation.
Fried chicken, hamburgers, pastries, everything! I can still think it smells good, looks good, and I can still imagine how great it tastes but it can end there.
I first realized this when I was confident enough to once again join people for lunch.
On my diet I stayed by myself at lunchtime. All I was having was a Medifast meal which takes all of 5 minutes to eat. Spending an hour at a table with people indulging was something I did not want to deal with. Especially sitting there smelling the food that I was trying so hard to hate.
Slowly though I noticed that the sites and sounds of lunch really weren’t bothering me much anymore and I found me hanging around the lunch table more and more. As I did so, I found that I could be perfectly comfortable sitting there while others ate….but it was those who were eating that would often be the uncomfortable ones. I was often bombarded with pleas for me to eat what everyone else was eating.
I could now simply smile and say “No thanks. I already ate.”
That was often met with, “But it is soooooo gooooood.”, as they jammed more food in their mouth. I’d be chuckling to myself because if they thought that was somehow supposed to make that look good, they’d be wrong.
After a number of these episodes I found myself responding, “No one says it isn’t good.”
That’s when I started hearing the “w” word. Willpower.
“You have so much willpower”.
Do I? I don’t think I do.
And that’s what got me thinking about the definition of the term.
To my mind having willpower implies some type of internal struggle. You are forcibly overcoming your negative impulses with your sheer will.
Magically though, I wasn’t struggling with this. Yes that fried chicken and chili looks great, I just don’t want any. Really! No struggle here. I’ll pass.
That’s not to say I will never eat it. Maybe I’ll have some on my free day. Maybe I’ll have a lot of it on my free day. I just don’t want any now.
Is that willpower?
Doesn’t there need to be some sort of inner conflict going on to be considered “willpower”?
If I really don’t want something, am I simply using “willpower” to resist it?
Part of me wants to argue the point because I want people to know they can have a change of heart towards food. I’ve had a change of heart towards food!
The other part just wants to accept the compliment and call it a day.
We’re continuing to celebrate “Freedom from Obesity” this summer with a spectacular 50% discount off the retail price of Project: You, Type 2. This is the perfect diabetes-management solution—and the sale price of $59.85 (become a coach and get it for $44.89) is only available until August 31, so get yours now! PLUS – it’s the only DVD program endorsed by the American Diabetic Association. This nutrition and exercise program is specifically designed for people with Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. If you know anyone with a significant amount of weight to lose, this is the program for them. It includes walking workouts and basic coreography so anyone can get started with it right away. Check it out:
Order your copy via your Team Beachbody log in or at www.coachkristen.com
The Truth About the Food Pyramid and Healthy Eating(http://fatloss4idiots.com)
Most people have heard about “The Food Pyramid”. It’s a government created guideline for “healthy eating” each day, it’s sort of a general nutrition guide for the country.
In fact, the government (US Department of Agriculture) has recently upgraded it’s food pyramid — but the truth is that it’s still an unsatisfactory guideline for people who want to lose weight.
It’s important to remember that the Food Pyramid was not created for “weight loss”, it was created as a “general nutrition guide” to maintain average health.
It’s supposed to be a general nutrition guide for healthy eating, so you must remember that it’s not a tool meant to help you with fat loss and dieting.
In other words, it’s not the best choice to help overweight people who want to get slim in a hurry.
Secondly, the new Food Pyramid is based on vague nutritional guidelines which are nearly as bureaucratic and vague as possible. It advocates that people should eat specific “ounces” of food based on a person’s age, weight, gender, and other factors.
…But trying to calculate your daily food intake by using such vague guidelines is just not very fun or practical — not to mention it’s not very easy to do either.
In other words, it’s not a solution for weight loss — nor is it a practical solution for healthy eating each day. In fact, the Food Pyramid is just like most other government created “guidelines” — which means it’s the result of a bureaucratic effort which aims to give vague and general advice.
If you’re looking to lose weight then you certainly don’t want to use the new Food Pyramid as a tool to help you, since you likely won’t see fast dieting results by doing that.
If you’re looking to get skinny then we have created an Online Diet Generator which can allow you to lose weight fast, and more importantly our diet generator is easy to use (and it calculates all of your meals for you, so that you don’t have to do any work yourself).
We know that people need an easy to follow menu in order to begin losing weight, since people don’t want to read food labels and count calories (most people are too busy for that anyway).
We help thousands of overweight people lose fat each week, and we are one of the most popular fat burning sites on the Internet. So go ahead and try our Diet Generator and watch how quickly you’ll begin losing weight. Remember that there are no calorie limits when using our fat burning program, since counting calories doesn’t work. Our fat loss system is based on a new type of eating never seen before…
Now, this woman is gorgeous and for some reason a lot of people that have been commenting on the glamour site can’t see it. Firstly, this woman is thinner than the average American on Brit (Average is a size 16 I think…). However people are saying that it is putting across the wrong message to readers saying that promoting this type of body with make flabby people think they can be flabby. Well, in my case I don’t count that as flabby, I don’t believe she has a tummy when she stands. God, even some skinny models I’ve photographed have belly fat when they sit in a similar way.
Being stick thin with a completely flat stomach may be classed as healthy but those girls don’t work out, more often than not they are skinny because of genetics or a serious lack of food. I would never be able to get down to a size 6 it’s not in my blood to be that thin. Skinny models may be less at risk of heart disease but more at risk or things like malnutrition, obviously depending on how they eat. ( A GRAPE AND SIX CUPS OF COFFEE A DAY IS NOT ENOUGH.)
Skinny models could probably run up a flight of stairs and be more out of breath than a size twelve woman who maintains her weight by working out and eating normally. Healthy does not mean thin.
I am a great lover of thin models, I’m a photographer for god sake they pay me the money and they get places, brilliant. They look great in magazines, wear clothes well etc. However, I’d much rather photograph a woman with curves even a size ten woman with curves. Clothes hang better, good photos are easier to achieve and I don’t feel I’m photographing a freakishly tall ten year old boy.
I need to lose weight, most of the western population does. However, there is a point where it gets silly. My ideal weight is 160lbs, that will put me at 11stone 4 pounds. I reckon that’ll make me a size twelve. Fuck you all who don’t think that woman is beautiful. Well done to glamour we should start seeing more of a mix of skinny models and curvy ladies. Neither should be exclusives!
Scientists are reporting a breakthrough therapy to lower the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases by about 80 percent.
The therapy is called taking care of yourself: not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.
Obesity is costing the American healthcare system more than $100 million annually. Diabetes costs nearly $150 billion, cancer care costs more than $200 billion, and heart disease costs more than $300 billion annually.
The key to affordable healthcare is disease prevention, not treatment.
Sources:
Live Science August 11, 2009
Archives of Internal Medicine August 10/24 2009; 169(15):1355-1362 [Free Full-Text Article]
Dr. Mercola’s Comments:
It’s abundantly clear that the American health care system is crumbling. Priced at nearly $8,000 a year per American, and soon to be 20 percent of the GDP, it’s 40-60 percent more expensive than health care systems in any other industrial country, and totals nearly half the health care budget of the entire world.
I doubt few of us would vigorously object if this investment was producing important benefits, as health is one of the most precious gifts we could have. However, as you well know, this is not the case and this funding produces shockingly poor results.
What’s missing in all of the debates about health care reform for the United States is a holistic approach to health, as opposed to figuring out how to pay for all this disease.
Our focus needs to shift to figuring out how to give everyone more time to relax, exercise, have access to healthy, unprocessed foods, and sleep a sufficient amount of hours.
It makes such perfect sense that the most effective way to treat disease is by treating its foundational cause. Yet conventional medicine has spent decades fighting this notion and pushing pills to mask superficial symptoms instead.
Which is why it’s refreshing, to say the least, to see an article like this in conventional media.
The Cumulative Protective Effect of a Healthy Lifestyle is Greater Than Any Medicine
This European study, involving over 23,000 Germans, shows just how fantastic the results of a healthy lifestyle can be.
The cumulative effects of just four healthy factors: not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight, resulted in:
An average of 36 percent reduced risk of ALL cancers
A 93 percent reduced risk of diabetes
An 81 percent reduced risk of heart disease
These are three of the most common types of chronic diseases, and as you all know, chronic diseases are very expensive – you have to pay to treat it for the rest of your life.
Let’s look at one example: obesity.
Treating weight-related diseases costs the U.S. $147 billion a year; double what it was nearly a decade ago. The high price tag reflects the costs of treating diabetes, heart disease and other ailments that develop as a result of being overweight.
Obesity-related conditions now account for just over 9 percent of all medical spending, up from 6.5 percent in 1998.
Diabetes, in turn, costs the nation $190 billion a year to treat, and excess weight is the single biggest risk factor for developing diabetes.
So it all rolls downhill. We simply must shift away from the conventional mindset of treating these diseases as if they are “unavoidable,” and start paying for disease prevention. If the U.S. did that, hundreds of billions of dollars could soon be saved.
I’ve long stated that type 2 diabetes is nearly 100 percent avoidable, and the results of the massive European study above confirm my own assessment. We’re spending $190 billion dollars on a disease that would not exist were it not for poor lifestyle choices.
Ditto for heart disease, which costs more than $300 billion annually. It’s important to realize that these diseases are NOT unavoidable aspects of aging or genetics.
A vast majority of these cases would simply disappear if healthy choices were taught widely and implemented on an individual basis.
Unfortunately, both the pharmaceutical and food industries are hard at work to make sure finding out the truth about what’s healthy, and what’s not, is as confusing and difficult as possible. My previous articles, How Drug Companies Deceive You and How the Food Industry is Deceiving You are just a couple of examples of how you are misled about common sense health issues.
How to Reduce Your Health Care Costs for Life
You can be very confident that additional government involvement doesn’t hold the answer to the health care crisis. What is needed is more personal involvement — your personal involvement — in the form of a commitment to your own health.
So many people claim they can’t afford preventive care. But in reality, the question should be: Can you really afford NOT to?
If you carefully follow some basic health principles — simple things like exercising, eating whole foods, sleeping enough, getting sun exposure, and reducing stress in your life — you will drastically reduce your need for conventional medical care.
Remember, the drug industry spends about $15 billion a year manipulating and distorting your perceptions about the proper solutions for your health challenges. And, the food industry spends TWICE that much to brainwash you and your children to choose highly processed convenience foods that will accelerate your path toward death and disease — and your need to use drugs to control your symptoms.
For example, if you’ve fallen for any of these health myths, then you have bought into incorrect propaganda designed to benefit something other than your long-term health:
Sun exposure causes skin cancer
Milk does your body good
Whole grains are good for you
Fish is good for you
Saturated fat causes heart disease
It’s a vicious cycle of deceit, misinformation, and manipulation. Fortunately you can take control of your health and step out of this crazy loop.
To get you started, these 10 Steps to Optimal Health are BASIC tenets of health, based on simple truths that will never go out of style that are not dependent on the latest fads concocted by some special interest group:
Address your emotional traumas and manage your stress
Get optimal exposure to sunlight
Drink plenty of clean water
Limit your exposure to toxins
Consume healthy fat
Eat a healthy diet that’s right for your nutritional type (paying very careful attention to keeping your insulin levels down)
Eat plenty of raw food
Optimize your insulin and leptin levels
Exercise
Get plenty of good sleep
By adhering to these basic tenets of optimal health – the basics of a healthy lifestyle, not just a temporary fix for a particular ailment — you are building a healthy mind and body, and thereby safeguarding yourself against a multitude of health problems and serious diseases.
Dr. Herman’s Comments:
First I would like to acknowledge Dr. Mercola for his tremendous contribution to natural health & wellness education in this country.
The information in this article is profound. Albert Einstein said ,”We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
Another profound quote from a friend and former classmate of mine Dr Jason Deitch in his book Discover Wellness: How staying Healthy can Make You rich is “The Key to solving the Healthcare Crisis is MORE PEOPLE LESS SICK” Folks that will only happen by taken on a wellness lifestyle and changing your unhealthy habits to healthy habits as this article so beautifully states.
Now in the past I have found myself in line for critisism when I’ve gone off the trainer’s program and added a few extra moves ! Teaching myself flip and catch for fun for instance….
So this time round I have asked permission because I have had strict instructions about ‘extras’. And I’ve been granted a little freedom to go crazyfor the weekend. I think the “feel like a coiled spring” comment caused some alarm.
Couldn’t wait so managed to fit in a set of 12kg snatch ladders or 4 before I went out to dinner with friends yesterday. That felt very good, but am aching across the shoulders today because I have not snatched any weight since June.
Have been told to try moves which were difficult previously so I’m looking forward to a weekend of simple, unstructured playing with the kettlebells. Presses, snatches and double 24kg deadlifts – all contraband moves. Even a little flip and catch if the weather is nice lol
Sorry to post so late tonight I just didn’t have time during the day today.
It’s weird but I feel like whenever I feel very full, I must have eaten too much. I looked at the package and carefully messured out my food so that it falls under my catagories but I feel a full (as opposed to feeling mearly statisfied). I know I should eat more slowly so I can tell when I’m reaching my statisfied limit, but it’s difficult to start to eat slower because of the fact that I’m usually pretty hungry before I eat, so I just want to “eat already.” I like food, and trying different types and learning more about it, it’s just that for now I have to be careful until I’m a bit healthier.
Exercise went well today, I’m a little more sore the usually because I tried to “run” in the water as long as I could, just to see how far I could go.
So I’m normally a pretty friendly person- ask most of my friends how we met & they’ll tell you that I walked right up to them & said hello. I’ll introduce myself with a smile & a happy attitude & we’ll become friends. However, ask my college classmates & my fellow gym goers if I’m a friendly person & you’ll get mixed answers. Main reason for this change? When I’m out having fun, I’m having fun, but when I’m somewhere to work, I’m there to work. My entire demeanor changes, I’m not interested in making friends-I’m interested in taking my notes or getting my workout in.
Unfortunately, apparently my facial expression & my body language does not seem to be getting across to these people… well, men. I’m probably the youngest person who uses the pool at the times I regularly go. I’m also one of the few women who swim… so needless to say, the dating scene is slim pickin’- unfortunately that makes me one of the most eligible people there. The rest of the people are mainly older men- anywhere between 30-64 years of age. I know this because the 64 year old told me his age & still expected I’d be jumping at the chance to date him. Some people have too much self esteem.
When I work out, I work out for the full 35 minutes non-stop. Non stop means no breaks. No breaks as in I don’t sit at the edge of the pool. As in I don’t want to stop at the end of the pool & chat it up with anyone. I know so far it just sounds like I’m complaining, but it’s my blog… so I can complain if I want to… & now you’ll understand why I complain. Here are the different things that I have had people do to try to talk to me. I figure I’ll put them in list form. Bear in mind the reason why these are annoying is because they’re stopping me from my non stop work out since I have to stop, & be just polite enough to answer them. Also, I essentially touch the side of the pool only long enough to push off & keep swimming, so when they try to talk to me, I have to stop, come back to the pool wall, & respond to them. It’s actually kind of rude of them to even try to talk- it’s just poorly timed. & for me, if a man doesn’t show enough consideration to see I’m busy and keep from interrupting, they aren’t someone I’d be interested in dating because that tells me he doesn’t pay enough attention to care about my priorities. So here we go:
I swim up to the edge of the pool. As I do, men have done any of these things:
Trying to talk to be by saying:
“Excuse me, what time is it?” I’m in a pool… no watch! & there’s a clock up on the wall that you don’t need glasses to see!!! You saw me wearing glasses dummy!!! How can I see it if they’re off?
“So how long have you been swimming?” He was in the pool BEFORE I got in it, so he should know.
“You float really well.”
“Do you come here often?”
“Hi. I’m-” To which I reply a terse ‘hi’ before I keep going.
“Where did you learn to swim?”
“Are you dating anyone?”
“How many boyfriends do you have?”
“So what do you do for a living?”
“Do you ever stop?”
“Why don’t you take a break?”
“How you doin’ tonight?”
“Maybe I can take you out to dinner sometime.” I don’t know you! You could be a rapist for all I know! What woman goes out to dinner with someone they met 5 minutes ago- he didn’t even tell me his name!
So those are the things that I’ve been asked, so now here are the actions that they’ve done whenever I come to their side of the pool that they’re just sitting at, taking up space (that’s another annoyance of mine- it’s a 3 lane pool that’s been cut down the middle by a dividing buoy, so there are 2 regular sized lanes, & two smaller lanes from the third lane that was cut down the middle. Not much space in the pool- & they’re just sitting there taking up the entire lane to sit there & try to look cool!). Most of these aren’t so annoying as them trying to talk to me, but they’re annoying because they’re still taking up space that others are waiting for to work out in.
They try to make eye contact (not so bad, just stupid, since they’ve seen me with glasses on- so it’s not like I can see their eyes- duh)
They just sit there & flex- literally flex like a hee-man pose- every time I come over
They do flips- flips!- in the deeper end of the pool. Problem is they’re not very graceful & create lots of waves that actually make it harder for me to do my laps. They’re doing it for attention- & they’re gonna get said attention too- when I slap them!
They swim into my lane nearly running into me- over & over & over & over again! & they can swim in a straight line! I know they can because I saw them do it when I was waiting for a lane! Swimming next to a man, never once did they almost run into the man in the next lane.
They race me- without me racing back! They’ll sit there at the edge of the pool, wait for me to swim back, & then race to the other end, beating me there. Then they just stare at me & wait for me to come back to that side. The annoying this is that they splash so much when they try to beat me to the other side that I get thrown by their waves into the edge of the pool!
They splash around when I come over to the side they’re sitting at.
All I want to do is swim & loose weight- not get heckled & hassled at the gym! Now that I’ve vented, I feel better. Anyway, I think that’s enough.
Reducing the amount of calories eaten per day will begin your quest towards weight loss, however, many people don’t start off with the right foot, restricting their calories to very unsafe amounts. The most typical method is to reduce your caloric intake by 500. It is ideal to do a combination of reducing calories by 250 and burning an extra 250 calories.
3500 calories is approximately 1 pound. Therefore reducing to 500 calories per day will essentially drop 1 pound a week (500 per day x 7 days = 3500). While 500 is a generally safe number to go by, you must first find out how many calories your body needs to function properly each day.
Let’s imagine cutting our caloric intake to an unsafe number such as 1200 calories per day. You are putting your body at risk. The following are some risks of too low of a daily caloric intake:
Muscle loss
Mental and physical fatigue
Proneness to sickness
Deficiency of nutrients
Slow metabolism
The following site is a calorie calculator to find out how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight. Once you get an estimate, you can reduce from that number.
Mayo clinic calorie calculator
Always seek the advice of your health provider or a nutritionist before cutting back on calories so that you are doing what is safe for you.
The long-term results are what matters. A healthy weight loss goal is to lose .5 to 2 pounds per week. Losing more than 2 pounds per week will mean the weight is less likely to stay off permanently.
By working out your daily calorie needs, you can than work out approximately how much food you can comfortably eat without gaining weight. Its advisable to get yourself a diary so you can work out the calculations each day.
Weight loss is achieved when the number of calories burned exceeds the daily calorie intake. However, the best results are obtained when you increase the duration and intensity of physical activities, while decreasing the calorie intake of your diet.
You should also keep track of your weight in the aforementioned diaries. This way, you will be able to notice any progress. In contrast, if your weight is increasing or remains constant, you will know that some changes need to be made, either in your diet or in the lifestyle.
Losing weight by regulating the calorie intake and consumption is safe and easy, as long as you do not forget to use the diaries.
Finding myself back to some old ‘hot points’ while hearing myself label my food/exercise/nourishment choices with words such as “good” or “bad.” Things like, “I did really good today,” or “yesterday was a bad day” in terms of nourishing myself. What is this about? Since when is nourishing my mind/emotions/spirit by surrendering to a “craving” or habit a “bad” thing?” And why is it a bad thing? And why is it “good” when I have an easy day and my nutrition, etc, is right on track?
I do my best every day. I am, in each moment, an expression of all that has led me to where I am in THAT moment. I’d say it’s FANTASTIC that I’m alive and here to tell about it! Who says chocolate cake is “bad?” That’s ridiculous! I have had chocolate cake in celebration of weddings, birthdays, celebrations of life, baby showers, during conversations with girlfriends when a break-up has happened accompanied by tears and ending in closeness and laughter… chocolate cake is not bad. It’s fabulous!! So what is “bad,” then, when I choose foods that I don’t find nutritious? Is it me that I am labelling as bad? Certainly not! (see above, 2nd sentence, this paragraph:-)
How about “good?” Why, when I am able to honor the boundaries I have set for myself around food, is that a “good” day? Maybe I should say “it was an easy day.” That might be more impeccable, honestly. What about when a day is challenging and I am able to honor my structure around food, nourish myself with ease and delight? Is that good? Or is that just the way it is on that day? I think my point is, that it is what it is. Labelling behavior for me is not healthy. If it’s “good,” then my immature self wants a reward! If it’s “bad,” then that leads to punishment, self sabotage, etc, and probably falling farther off the wagon than I would have.
Let’s say a day is challenging, I do not honor the structure around what I eat, and I “give in” to cravings/impulses/etc..? Is that really all that “bad?” I think not. I think, when that happens, I am nourishing me on some level. Maybe mental, relieving the stress around whatever the issue is with an old friend: food. Maybe the stress of NOT eating whatever it is is more UNhealthy mentally and spiritually than eliminating the stress of the issue at hand, dealing with what needs my attention in the moment, and moving on.
My goal is to nourish myself, body, mind, and spirit. I am multi-dimensional. There are layers to me. I am doing my best. I want to honor that no matter what my choices look like on the outside. I don’t know about you, but beating myself up for anything has never served me well……
Well Friday I weighed in at 133.2. Which is awesome! And I was really proud. But combine the fair food we ate with me not being able to work out because of my knee…and I’m back up at 135. I can try my knee out tomorrow and I sincerely hope that I’m back to being able to work out! I really really want to hang out around 133! I feel especially bad b/c I’m going over my calories tonight by decent amount so…that’s sad too.
In other news, today was the first day back at school. Just staff meetings. I think the principal will be ok but…it’s really really hard to tell at this point. She definitely comes off as harsh. We’ll see. Tomorrow I have a full day of setting up my classroom (she’s not letting us leave early even if we finish) and then the kiddies come on Wednesday. We’ll see how it goes!
Weight-loss pursuit leads to motivational speaking
New Lenox resident creates a plan that works for her needs.
StoryDiscussion: Jane Ammeson – Times Correspondent | Posted: Sunday, August 23, 2009 12:00 am
Diagnosed with a brain tumor, Dawn Perucca was off her feet for two-and-a-half months. Add to that lack of activity, the steroids she was prescribed for swelling around her left eye made her ravenously hungry. After a biopsy showed that the tumor was noncancerous, Perucca still had to deal with weight gain and body aches. “I was desperate to learn how I could be lean and feel good again,” said Perucca, who grew up in Crown Point and now lives in New Lenox, Ill. “I didn’t want to ever feel helpless again and so I knew I needed to get into shape.”
Perucca had tried many weight loss strategies in the past but none had worked. Having majored in exercise physiology at Indiana State University, Perucca combined her education with an extensive amount of research including attending nutritional classes with her husband who is a Type 1 diabetic. “I found that every time your blood sugar goes way up and then down, you’re going to feel hungry so you have to eat things that make you feel full longer,” Perucca said. Using the information she gathered, Perucca created a meal plan she hoped would result in permanent weight loss. “I needed exercise that wasn’t too intense because intense exercising was giving me headaches,” she said.
Eating six small meals a day and alternating a hard work out one day with an easy one the next, she was able to start losing weight and keeping it off. Perucca also found that she could incorporate some of the foods she loved, particularly sweets, into her new lifestyle. “I crave chocolate all the time and I knew that I couldn’t do something that didn’t include chocolate,” she says. “I learned that you can eat a little sugar if you do it at the right time. If you eat it in the morning or before you work out, you’ll probably burn it off. If you eat at night, you probably won’t. I try not to eat anything two to three hours before I go to sleep.” Perucca liked her program so much that she now has a Web site, www.thesoccerlockersite.com, where people can order her e-books on weight loss as well as her audio CD. She also posts articles about weight loss on her site as well. Besides that she has a blog, www.dawnperucca.com “I like to hear from people about their weight loss goals and share my tips,” she said.
Do you have a weight loss story? If so, send an e-mail to janeammeson@gmail.com
Dawn Perucca Age: 46 Height: 5′4″
Weight: 135
Pounds Lost: 38
How long it took to lose it: 9 months
Clothes size: 14 to 9
The Workout: A hard workout one day and easy workout the next – so on easy days a stationary bike or riding a bike and hard days, tread mill and on a bike path jogging
The Diet: I just called Dawn Perucca’s Crash Course
Tip: I never realized how bad the processed foods are until I started talking to a dietician. Any time you eat a whole food, it stays in your system longer so you don’t get hungry as quickly and the process foods are low in nutrients and make your blood sugar spike.
This exercise is good for the Chest, Arms, Abs, Legs, & Lungs! Your hitting almost your whole body with this ONE exercise! It’ll tighten your tummy and burn LOTS of calories too! It’s also a great cardio workout and will get your heart pumping!
Clifta is a Personal Fitness Trainer in Reno, Nevada and also has a Bootcamp class 2 days a week in Lemmon Valley.
Go to my websites for more information…
www.Clifta.com
www.RenoFitnessTrainer.com
Thank you!
Clifta Coulter Perez
Reno Fitness Trainer
Bootcamp Instructor
Former IFBB Pro Bodybuilder
In the last few weeks, I’ve been watching the Fox show More to Love, a dating show similar to “The Bachelor”. More to Love features Luke, a large, handsome, successful and very secure guy who is searching for his dream girl, a beautiful woman with lots of curves. No size 4 models on this show. All of the ladies who are vying for the attention of Luke ARE beautiful women who are size 14 and up.
One of the things that I’ve noticed in the individual interviews with many of these ladies, is how many of them proclaim in tears that their weight has been the single factor in preventing them from finding love. I have to admit that I spent years of my life thinking the exact same thing. And it’s a very hopeless feeling. To feel ashamed and unlovable is not a pretty place to be in your life. I’ve spent many a Saturday night crying because I felt as if the entire single world was out dating, except for me.
And since we are bombarded by media images of beautiful, very thin models, we’ve come to believe the myth that all men are attracted only to women who look like what we see on TV, in the movies and on the pages of the magazines.
But it’s simply not true. Yes, there are a lot of men who want a size 2 beauty on their arm. But there are also a lot of guys who prefer larger women with lots of curves. Good, decent guys. I didn’t realize that until I was around 30. I thought that a guy couldn’t be attracted to me because I was a size 22. And for all of my “dating” life, I had never been below a size 16.
When I finally woke up from my misplaced perceptions, I realized that what was really keeping the guys away was my lack of confidence in who I was as a person. And I began working on my confidence issues. I had to learn that I was much more valuable then I ever believed and I truly learned how to love myself. I was just using my weight as an excuse to keep the guys away because as much as I wanted to be a part of the dating world, the fear of dating was even greater for me than the fear of being alone. I was terrified of being judged by a guy, because I was so horribly judging myself on a regular basis. I just knew that one day, a guy I was really attracted to was going to confirm my belief of what a disgusting monster I was. That thought was terrifying, so on an unconscious level, I was keeping the guys away. It kept the rejection at bay.
I also had to learn, that I could not expect a relationship or a man to validate who I am. Only I can do that by believing in myself. By accepting myself, flaws and all. Faulty perceptions about yourself can be very dangerous, because they put you in a position of desperation. And when you are desperate, you will settle for any guy that comes along, whether he’s truly compatible with you or not. You simply don’t believe that you can do any better, or that you deserve better. That’s how so many women (and men) end up in abusive relationships. You truly don’t believe that you can do any better.
I realize now, as I look back on my life, that there were a lot of guys who actually were interested in me. I just couldn’t see their interest through the fog of my faulty perceptions. Because I kept thinking “No one could possibly like me because of how I look”, I missed out on a lot of opportunities.
I am now happily married to a guy who absolutely LOVES my size 20 body. But even more importantly than that, he truly loves me for me. He loves my intelligence, he loves my creativity, he loves that I am confident in myself. I did not meet my husband until I was 36 years old. I did do quite a bit of dating in my 30th. I found that once I truly began believing in myself and the wonderful things I had to offer, a lot more guys began looking my way. Confidence is much more of a turn on than poor self esteem. I dated some good guys, and some guys that were definitely not right for me. And finally I found a guy that was right for me. I didn’t settle on the first guy that came along. I accepted the one who was right. And had I not found my Mr. Right? I would’ve been happy to live by myself, because I really learned to enjoy my own company. I didn’t need him to validate who I am as a person. He’s the icing on the cake.
Being a size 14 or a size 26 is not an automatic guarantee that you’ll remain single. The subconscious mind is an amazing thing. What you tell yourself will become part of your reality. If you continue telling yourself that you are unlovable or that you don’t deserve to be loved, that will ultimately be what keeps cupid from knocking on your door. Begin changing your internal dialogue. Get rid of the negative about yourself and begin to reinforce the positive things about you. As you do, your confidence will begin to grow. As your confidence grows, members of the opposite sex will begin to notice!
You deserve to be loved. But mostly, you deserve to love yourself.
My first experience with NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique) happened over 7 years ago. I was on a girls’ trip with my college friends in Santa Fe, NM. It was a bachelorette spa weekend (I was the bride). My friend Tracy is a wellness junkie as well and had been doing NAET treatments for awhile. So she thought she’d pass it along to us. Part of the allergy testing and treatment involved holding a vial of the substance you’re being tested/treated for. But for our impromptu/demonstration purposes, my friend proceeded to muscle test us in a Santa Fe bar by merely saying the words (”wheat”, “mold”, “dust”) to evaluate our wellness levels. I came away thinking this is too weird for me. Maybe I wasn’t a certified wellness junkie quite yet.
Fast forward 6 years – after dabbling in holistic therapies, acupuncture, nutritional changes, etc…a holistic wellness practitioner that I respected & admired suggested that I try NAET. The real experience of testing and treatment was far different and much more effective than our musings in Santa Fe. And yes, it’s a little strange. As you hold certain substances in your hand and hold out a strong arm, the NAET practitioner will try to press your arm down. All the will in the world won’t keep your arm lifted if it’s a substance that’s negatively affecting you. Strange. Then, once you have the list of things that you need to be “treated for”, each week you get treated for 1 or 2 things on the list. The treatment involves holding the said vials of items, deep breathing, holding the vials a little longer and then a little acupressure work. After you leave the office you have an avoidance period — a certain number of hours where you are to avoid those substances or components.
Each treatment period is different. Some don’t seem to affect me at all…others feel like they will never end. But…eventually they do. And when I ‘clear’ the thing I’m being treated for, it’s like a veil lifting.
For me, I don’t have true food allergies – but more food intolerances and environmental allergies. Yes, it might seem strange, but as my husband continues to say (I’ve been doing NAET almost a year), you can’t argue with the results. I’ve seen improvements in my ability to eat almost all foods in moderation (whereas before I had a lengthy list to avoid). I’ve seen improvements in my hormone balance, digestion, fewer to no headaches, less fatigue, more energy and I’ve lost about 10 lbs (this may have more to do with more energy & more exercise – but either way – I’m not complaining!)
NAET has definitely become part of my regular wellness routine…graduated up from just an occasional wellness junkie fix.
Resources:
For more info: www.naet.com You can learn more technical information about NAET, and who may benefit from treatment. You can also search for a practitioner near you.
In Kansas City, I go to Sandra Karr with offices in Mission & Lee’s Summit: pkarr@kc.rr.com 913 – 432-3602. She also does attunement, craniosacral therapy and lymphatic drainage.
I’ve been trying to pluck up the courage to go to the gym for the 1309808056577th time. At the risk of stating what is blatantly obvious, I am very very overweight. Being overweight makes me self-conscious, which makes it harder to go to the gym.
Okay, enough of the “obvious stating”. It’s much worse than that. I’m very private. Extremely private. Especially when it comes to my weight and related matters. I know I need the gym to help me lose weight, but I’m having an awful time trying to get over myself. The thought of sweating and huffing and puffing and revealing my vulnerabilities in front of people in public really freaks me out.
I hate being vulnerable, I don’t expose that part of myself willingly. Years ago, I used to be very good at pretending I was revealing myself – I even had myself convinced – I would “open up” to friends, but really, I was leaving quite a few onion layers unpeeled. I’d been like that my whole life, without realising it. It was a self-protection thing. Of course, sooner or later, something had to give because I’d left a horrendous childhood “un-dealt with” and it was only a matter of time before it all fell apart. So around the time when I turned 30 I had a complete breakdown. It was around that time that I met other half and it was only through opening up in a safe environment that I managed to work through the crap.
But as scary as that was, it was done behind closed doors with only one other person who I trusted implicitly, who I felt safe being vulnerable with. I know that bearing one’s soul and sweating it out in the gym are two very different things, but in my mind’s eye, there’s a similarity and it’s all about me exposing that vulnerable bit of me. It’s also feels like I’m broadcasting to the world I KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY WEIGHT AND I’M TRYING NOT TO BE A FATTY ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know I need to GET OVER MYSELF and some overweight people just get on with it and go to the gym without giving it a second thought, but hey, I’m me and fucking hell it’s hard being me sometimes.
Since the contest finished on Tuesday, my week has consisted of little exercise outside of work, fish and chips (not great), crispy aromatic peking duck (yummmmm), chocolate (disturbingly more-ish) and general all round piggery. And you know what? I’m gagging for a nice piece of fruit. I would like to have taken the opportunity to shop this weekend and start eating healthily and go back to exercising, but today is big BBQ day. I will make some healthier options, but can’t promise I won’t be swayed by the sticky BBQ ribs. Amazingly, so far this week, I have only gained half a pound – I think my body may be lagging a bit, not sure what’s hit it. I have no doubt that if I keep this up for much longer it isn’t going to be pretty.
So, I went to weigh in at my five o’clock meeting, and,no surprise, I put on some weight in this last week of beer and dogs and burgers and beer and beer. 2.8 pounds, to be precise, represented by this Nemo Nano Elite tent. That’s okay, I knew I’d be going up this week. I’m just glad I didn’t surpass last week’s loss.
Anyway, for lunch I had a ham sandwich (11 points), and I followed it up with some grapes (2 points) when I got back from my meeting. So, all told, that’s 18 points for today. I’ve got 16 more to spend at dinner.
(By the way, I’ve decided that the 4 points I spent yesterday are going into this weeks’ bonus points allotment. So I’ve got 31 more if need be. Considering I’ve got a party to go to tomorrow and D&D games on Sunday and Monday, the need will definitely be.)
I have to post early this morning because tonight I’m going to try to take my son out again for the car races. After eating a quick dinner at home we’re taking off with some friends and won’t be back home til late. Should be a good time.
Weigh in this morning was about what I expected. I have a one pound gain for the week. Big picture, not bad at all. This might happen more often as I get closer to my goal. Just need to keep chugging along, chipping away at that weight. I’ve lost 55lbs so far and that is quite the achievement. Some things I’m going to work on next week:
Bring back the yoga and circuit training. I have gotten shy about circuit training thinking that it’s going to build too much muscle. Need to get past that and realize that I need that muscle to burn more calories.
SLEEP. I have not been getting enough sleep. The effects have been that I’ve lost a little focus at home with exercise and at work. Also focus with my diet.
Time away from the computer. I’m watching a lot less tv but that time is getting replaced by the computer, looking at blogs and just silly things that are not gaining me anything.
Technically, how to lose weight quick is simple-just cut your day by day consumption of calories and workout more . When your organism finds it can’tremove the required power from the food you ingest, it’ll begin to burn the fat repositories in waistline and other parts of your body. So, the most natural way on how to lose weight fast is to keep to a diet, that cuts the energy your take in and do regular exercises to burn energy.
While this plan of attack to how to lose weight quick is most natural and healthy, it’s not straightforward. Small wonder that lots of so-called weight loss pills were developed, which make it simpler to lose weight. One of the most well liked categories of these pills are fat blockers and fat binders. They work by cutting the amount of fat that your body assimilates from foods. Fat blockers the most well-known example is Orlistat, sold as Xenical particularly stamp down the lipase enzyme in the intestines which breaks up fat making it prepared for digestion. As a consequence, the fat cannot be absorbed by the organism so it passes freely through the gut. Fat binders work by tying to the fat molecules, again making it unabsorbable by intestines. Fat blockers and binders have extremely evil side effects. Naturally you cannot await that removal of fats from your diet in such a fashion will be healthy. Follow the aforemention tips on how to lose weight quick
Funny thing happened today; I went out for a good hard 2 hour ride; ground myself into the usual pulp and then came home and decided to go for a run. Now I’m well aware that this has a name that triathletes like to call ‘brick’ training but as a pure road cyclist I’ve seen little value in doing anything other than riding my bike over the past few years. Maybe its fear of injury or fear of messing with efficiency on the bike however, maybe triathletes are onto something.
Granted, I’ve not been riding much this year and I’m as ‘fresh’ as a daisy so perhaps anything would improve strength, endurance and power: food for thought. As a ‘pure’ cyclist, one would most definitely frown upon any kind of cross-training during ‘in’ season. When you’re a cyclist you do one thing and you do it well; you ride a bike…fast.
Let’s suppose for a second that I take my ‘cyclist’ hat off and put on my ‘cross training’ hat, what would that feel like? Well, over the past 2 months I’ve been running here and there when time presents itself and I can actually say that I’ve enjoyed it. Mind you, it was more enjoyable when I had my running partner keeping me company but now its more about getting down to business. In getting down to business over past few weeks I’ve been able to build some serious strength, speed and do some decent interval training in the city (yes the city folks) while out for my little run to the lake and up Strachan to King. As a result of my little runs around the ‘loop’, I’ve experienced a faster bounce-back to some decent level of riding while on the bike. In the past, if I didn’t have time to do a 3 hour ride, I simply wouldn’t ride (part of that wonderful all or nothing attitude I have) and as a result my riding would suffer and the stress and guilt of not riding would build. One of the fantastic things about living downtown Toronto is this lovely thing known as rush hour and basically if you can’t get out of the core before 3 o’clock, you’re fighting it on your bike; not my idea of fun. Why not try a run instead of sucking fumes?
Now that I’ve introduced some cross-training into the mix I’ve discovered that running may actually help not only with performance but can also decrease the ‘guilt’ factor of not having time/energy to do a 3 plus hour ride. You can get a fairly decent workout running for an hour. I’m the first person to agree that there is no substitute (Porsche’s motto) for training ‘on’ the bike but perhaps when one can’t train because of time and other life commitments (and doesn’t feel like an hour on the rollers or indoor trainer), a good hard run might suffice.
Hopefully none of my cyclist friends are reading this blasphemy but for all other mere mortals out there, this is a small lesson that doing what you can on or off the bike, be it running or swimming or anything, can yield decent results and sometimes keep you feeling mentally fresh with your one main passion. I acknowledge that this is usually reserved for out-of-season training but why not change it up…just for fun.
Yes, I did just say ‘fun’.
After having been on and off the therapist’s couch for a number of years, I’m not sure I have an answer yet. Food to me, I guess, provides the same “thrill” or sense of satisfaction that alcohol does to an alcoholic or drugs to an addict.
The only difference I suppose is it doesn’t numb the pain, it just helps with the anxiety. People who know what I went through in childhood and other parts of my life are quite surprised that I’m an upstanding, law-abiding citizen and not some derelict drug abuser or criminal in jail. It certainly would have been much easier to go down this road, but the pride instilled in me by my parents would never have allowed me — and still doesn’t.
I’ve been dating my girlfriend/fiancee for 15 years now. We’ve had our moments — good and bad. The issue isn’t about fear of committment. In fact, the reasons have changed over the years. Suffice to say that currently, she lives with her parents and we have a rather casual dating relationship much like what we used to experience in the early years. We’ve gone full circle during this time and ended up back here.
We lack intimacy, and sometimes I think the relationship is nothing more than that of convenience on both of our parts. To be honest, she’s a two-time cancer survivor: ovarian and thyroid. Each time, I’ve been there by her side to help her in every way possible. I mention all of this to simply point out here’s one aspect of my life that causes a tremendous amount of anxiety, worry, depression and sadness.
Before her illness, we lived in a large metropolitan area where life was more to my liking. When she became ill, we moved back to her small city where life remains the same as it was 45 years ago. It’s like standing in a time warp. There’s nothing to do, I’m not stimulated intellectually or on any other level, I find nothing of interest here, don’t enjoy the climate … the list goes on. This causes additional issues in my chronic unhappiness and feelings of hopelessness.
Combine that with the stresses of a job where I don’t want to be working, supervising a large staff of mostly women who are constantly bickering, back stabbing and gossiping; two bosses who ask for the world, moon, stars and sun but give you no means by which to achieve it … well, you get the picture. It’s sheer horror.
There’s still the baggage from my childhood I continue to hold on to, and even though I’ve been and continue to be in therapy now, it’s still difficult to sort through all of this.
Plus, I’m in my early 40s, have had lots of jobs over the years and still no idea of what I want to be when I grow up. Talk about a lack of real direction and focus in your life. It’s horrendous. Is it any wonder I can even stand upright or get out of bed every day? Somehow, I manage to do so, pick myself up, dust myself off and just muddle through.
I started on a diet with Nutrisystem awhile back that I stayed on for several months. All I ate was their food, nothing else despite their directions to supplement with fruits, vegetables and plenty of water. YUK! Anyway, I managed to lose 40 pounds. My psychiatrist told me I needed to keep this weight under control because it was the only part of my life of over which I had control. When the second cancer diagnosis came, the pounds came with it, in a hurry too.
That leads me to where I am today. Getting older, balder and fatter. More and more health problems are creeping in: bad sleep, I can hear myself breathing, lower back problems, intestinal distress, plantar fasciitis on one of my feet, higher blood pressure (pre-hypertension), high cholesterol and I can’t regulate my temperature — I burn up all of the time. The good thing though: no sign of diabetes yet!
I’ve said for a long time now that changes need to be made, but I haven’t done anything about them. Push has come to shove, literally. I just can’t go on like this anymore. So a radical change is needed. It’s not going to be easy.
Last night’s post was written rather hastily. I thought I had more time, but my now-ex-boyfriend came home early. We’ve been spending a couple of days together now, trying to maintain a friendship. I feel like it’s working and that we’re communicating really well … But that’s all we do. I can make him understand how I feel, but not act accordingly. He’s still the most self-absorbed person I’ve ever met.
He’s young and all that, but I really don’t think that’s an excuse. He’s been pampered his entire life by an overprotective mother (I don’t know how I keep ending up in relationships with guys like that), but I would think he would be able to stop talking about himself just long enough for me to say, ‘I’m unhappy.’ Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it.
I’m giving him a chance because he means a lot to me. He is a wonderful and funny person, who has enriched my life the last couple of months. I just don’t know if I can maintain a friendship where there’s only room for one person; him.
It’s about noon and I’ve had a cup of coffee so far. The hunger pangs aren’t horrible yet, so I’m trying to wait with breakfast for as long as possible. When I do decide to eat, I’m going to fry some eggs leftover from yesterday’s dinner. Eggs are high in protein and they keep you full for a very long time. Starting the day off like that often means that I can make do with just one meal a day. I’d much rather have eggs for breakfast than some sugary cereal from hell. I’d like to know what you guys eat for breakfast, if anything, and why. Is it better to have fruits? I’m worried about the amount of sugar in them … And what about dairy? Is it a bad idea to have yoghurt?
Recently, we’ve been talking about creating the proper environment in your kitchen so that you can increase the odds of your success while working to reach a healthy weight…you know…get rid of the junk and replace it with healthy food options. I think that we can all agree that it is a wise thing to do. I mean, if there aren’t any potato chips in your pantry you’re more likely to grab a healthy snack…if you get in the car, though, and go buy the potato chips, well…maybe you should hide the car keys!!!
Seriously though, potato chips and healthy pantries aside, you have to reeeeally want to lose the weight. There are no magic bullets out there, no matter what anyone says…to succeed, you’ve gotta wanna do it!
When you do come to that point where you’re ready to go…ready to commit to improving your health by reaching a healthy weight…it’s like an avalanche!!! You become the avalanche and push all your hesitations and excuses down the mountain side and out of your way! You are filled with energy and excitement about the prospect of a slim new you! There is no stopping you!!!
Well, there are so many weight loss programs out there and they all promise the moon and back when it comes to results…you could easily become the “avalanche” for any number of diet plans that are out there right now. They all sound great and you can’t wait to start…but as you decide which plan is right for you, be careful what you consider.
So, in light of all this, when considering a weight management plan, there is More Than Weight Loss…much more…much more that one needs to consider before embarking on any regimen.
When considering a weight management plan, one needs to consider how they will maintain their weight loss…that is sooo critical. What does any given program have to offer you when it comes to making the transition to maintenance? You can’t just lose the weight and then return to your old eating habits, but that is what most people do…because they aren’t given any support or education regarding maintenance. Most programs just want you to lose weight, but aren’t interested in helping teach you how to keep it off. The weight loss is just the first step in a lifelong journey of healthy habits that one must adopt to remain at that healthy weight.
That’s where I come in…my next blog will outline how the program that I coach will change your life…forever.
Leave me a comment…love to hear from you! Take care.
It seems people my age are on track to becoming labeled as the “Google Generation,” because everything that is human can be found on the web. Including other people like you! Some of us connect virtually in order to promote understanding the importance of Omega-3’s, while others feel the need to be constantly online.
How much is too much time spent in the electronic world? A recent Seattle-Tacoma survey showed that video gamers are old, fat and sad! It claimed that the average U.S. gamer is 30+, depressed, and overweight.
Average U.S. Gamer
Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not all about the games. In fact, video games can be incredibly beneficial, including helping kids fight cancer. I love video games, and I’m especially glad that pilots master freak scenarios in flight simulators. This contributes to the safety of those who fly in the heavens, but…
The affect of games on the physical and mental health of our populations is an important issue. Gamers attain satisfaction by achieving goals, accomplishments, and improving status in online battle worlds. Moreover, they prefer socializing online as opposed to a real life setting. What we should be asking now is…
Does gaming cause fatness or does fatness cause gaming?
Or, does depression cause fatness, which causes gaming?
and…Can fitness cure depression?
We are left with many questions, but a wise man notes that in order for us to be in physical and emotional balance, we must find ways to fulfill our most inner needs. Positive, healthy relationships meet many needs, which can be especially improved through fitness.
Journey to Physical Fitness Satisfies Human Needs:
Feeling of accomplishment and advancement when goals are reached. Goals are set realistically, often at losing one pound per week. After two months, the difference is very noticable.
The notion of Vitality. Health no longer seems to be a limiting factor, you are confident from your accomplishments and learned many lessons about yourself as a person.
SENSE OF PURPOSE, allowing your soul to thrive in times of success, failure, and more success.
Fitness offers an optimistic journey through life.
People can connect with millions more people just by lifting a weight. Willing to beneficially challenge the human body is as admirable as challenging and strengthening the human mind.
Investing in yourself through healthy living is ALSO an investment in the people around you (and those who you wish would be!).
My passion in health and fitness has opened many doors for me. Functional muscles are no longer about vanity, but of quality of life — physical and mental resilience, to thrive with purpose.
Do not change who you are. Instead, GROW into who you want to be. The freedom is yours to choose, these people did…
Weighing nearly 400 pounds, man walks off half his weight
Man counted calories, watched the pounds go
Weight-Loss Success: Saying Hello to a Size 6 and Goodbye to 170 lbs
Success comes one step at a time
Check out the Health Center for information and inspiration.
Even though calories are important, I have a few ideas on helping out.
Burning Fat without EVEN thinking about Calories!
Consume a diet 33% protein, 33% carbs, and 33% fat.
Increase ratio of protein to carbs in as many meals as possible. Tip: Lean meat, fish, cottage cheese, yogurt, and protein shakes can be the foundation of protein in the diet.
Eat HIGH Protein ALL DAY LONG. However, consume more of your carbs in the morning, and more of your fats in the afternoon for optimal nutrient efficiency. For example, enjoy a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, and then have almonds as a snack in the afternoon.
Decrease overall carbohydrates consumption. EXCEPTION: High density carbohydrates are beneficial to body composition. You can eat as many vegetables, fruits, and greens as you want. In addition, beans and oatmeal are also especially healthy and give great energy for the days events.
MORE Fiber! Okay, there is such a thing as too much fiber, but don’t ask me about that, pal! Anyway, 25 grams fiber per day is a healthy amount, keeps you regular and relatively detoxified. More importantly, fiber also controls your blood sugar so you are no longer a slave to hunger!
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise! No brainer here. More energy expended on physical activity has a whole range of health benefits as well as promoting the BURNING of PURE fat!
Surround yourself with fit people. Yes, genetics plays a role, but lifestyle is key. Does your current support system encourage your weight loss or are their negative habits toxic? Communication helps, so lets make sure we’re all on the same page about each other’s health. Personally, I like when my family, friends, and girlfriends enjoys living healthy with me. I suppose our healthy habits rub off on each other. In fact, my father’s dedication to exercise and running accomplishments have inspired me for years.
My final points are simple and practical
Exercise and Nutrition reduce incidence of nearly every disease known to man.
Sick family is emotionally painful, while a sick healthcare system is expensive.
Fitness is a path to vitality that hundreds of millions are traveling, but each experience is unique as the person behind the subcutaneous fat.
Do it for you, not for anyone else.
Fitness can be highly satisfying, improve relationships, and SAVE YOU TONS OF MONEY!
I look toward the future, knowing we’re all on the same team.
Thousand of feet above ground, I look to the world for inspiration.
As we balloon with each passing year, thanks to our benevolent friends at Kill-you Fried Chicken, Burger Kill and Pizza Butt, more and more people are waking up and realizing they have been trapped in today’s greatest, most dangerous social and medical ill – FAT. I could take the high road and talk about the health risks that accompany our ever-increasing waistlines, but the bottom line is that being fat is seldom a good thing. Spare me the soliloquy about how unhappy your childhood might have been, or the cellulite-rich excuse that this is how “you really are” because of your genetic make up, or, worse still, you became fat when your parent or spouse passed on. Certainly, experts affirm that fat is not merely a question of will power as the “fat gene” has been isolated in the genetic analysis of rodents. But, do any of these explanations justify some of our fellow humans weighing more than many prize-winning livestock? I mean seriously: do you really expect us to believe that you didn’t notice feel yourself becoming trapped in your own body – straining to walk on your own too feet, barely managing to maintain proper hygiene because some parts have become virtually impossible to reach ? Well, lest I appear to be cruel, let us make one thing clear – minus being strapped down to a table and force fed like French geese to make foie gras with a funnel down your throat, there really is no excuse for becoming morbidly obese. If you are, then those around you (your partner, your family, your friends) failed to love you enough to keep you on a path of good health and positive self-perception. If you are fat and have always been fat, understand that under no circumstances is that the way you “naturally” are. There’s nothing natural about obesity. The human body is one of the most beautiful, most efficient working systems ever to evolve on this planet of ours. It is rightly considered by many to be a demonstration of the divine and should be respected and treated as such. EVERY TIME you STUFF your face with excess and self-pity, your deny yourself the chance to enjoy and share the beauty that your parents were kind enough give you. So, in short, stop making excuses for being fat and stop using noble declarations of self-acceptance to make you feel better about your massive size. There’s nothing pretty about it my fat friend. Instead, start turning your digestive energies to figuring out how to lose the luggage you’re currently dragging around.
BOTH ENDS OF THE SCALE
The good news is, the human body responds to positive life changes and will thank you for protecting it by giving you the results you have always wanted. The bad news is, contrary to popular belief, diets, pills, and all the great gimmicks we see on TV never work. Ask any poor soul who has become a casualty of yo yo diets and he or she will tell you: weight easily lost is just as easily regained…and then some! So, to begin your new journey to a slimmer, efficient, sexier you, the first crucial step is to consider the process you are about to undertake as a life change, not just a body change. What does this mean? It means that if you’re not seeing the big picture , you’ll never achieve your fitness goal. Everything you undertake should improve your health and your self-perception.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT
We all know there are a gazillion diets out there ranging from eating only certain foods, avoiding only certain foods to paying for some special “fat free” nutritional plan that supposedly allows you to lose weight while eating whatever you want…without exercise. Well, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Manage and reverse your weight gain by analyzing your life on two fronts: How much you take in (your nutrition) and how much you burn (your physical activity).
ESSENTIAL NUTRITIONAL QUESTIONS
1) Am I eating the right foods?
Certainly, nutritional requirements vary from person to person based on a complex equation of factors including gender, age, and environmental influences. However, you don’t need to be a surgeon-general to know that fatty, sugary foods (though yummy) are to be avoided as they’re calorically too rich and often nutritionally too poor to justify stuffing your face with them day after day after day. Your body will not run like a luxury sedan if you treat it like a busted lemon. Pamper your body with healthy, vitamin and mineral-rich foods. Ensure that every meal incorporates natural sources of fiber and protein, and drink lots of fluid (and by fluid I don’t mean happy hour!). Also, prioritize slow-burning or complex carbs instead of simple or fast burning carb sources. Red meat should be a minimal part of any long term dietary change. You can replace granny’s ribs or your mom’s lasagna with meats that are grilled or flame-broiled – NOT fried or drowning in gravy. These small adjustments will make a huge difference in the success of your weight loss plan.
2) Am I eating at the right times?
Some people might find this crazy, but numerous studies have shown that the reason why some cultures are predominantly svelte while others are more or less chubby or heavy (minus unhealthy appetite curtailing habits like smoking as well as circumstantial constraints like famine) is a matter of not just what you eat, but when! Your body is an engine and burns food to sustain your everyday activities. This means that, depending on the time you go to bed, and what you do throughout the day, you will need to sensibly adjust your portion size so that you allow your digestive system the time to process and burn the calories you take in. Picture it: if you put 5 gallons of gas in your car every day even though you only drive a gallon or two per day, eventually your tank will be overflowing and you’ll probably blow up if anybody has a match in spitting distance. The same principle goes for your insides. NEVER eat more than you have time and energy to burn. An easy adage to guide you is what a colleague of mine often says at work: Eat like a king in the morning; eat like a prince in the afternoon; eat like a pauper in the evening. So, in simple terms, your heaviest meal (if you have a weight gain problem) should be earlier in the day and your lightest meal should be the last one you have in the evening. Some people call this the “flipped” diet , as you don’t necessarily change what you eat that much. You simply adjust the portions so that breakfast is dinner-sized, lunch remains lunch (moderate mind you, not 6 pounds of beef screaming on a plate), and dinner is “breakfast”, meaning you have a light meal of cereal or some other fibre-rich, low calorie dish. As unbelievably simple as this might seem, most people in the western world never really think about the correlation between when they eat and how much of it stays on their thighs, abdomen and buttocks. Time adjustment just might make all the difference for you. Now, I know some people will say, “I can’t get through the night on just a bowl of cereal.” Well, yes you can if you want to stop carrying the fat equivalent of a 7 year-old on your butt all day long. It’s all about habit. Give yourself a chance to adopt new eating habits and you’ll be amazed how quickly your body makes the adjustment and starts to burn more efficiently. If all else fails and you feel you’re going to go insane or regress into the binges, eat a “healthy snack” – not a fancy nutritional bar or any of those deceptive friends (some of them can appear to be low-fat but are high in sugar or salt, both of which are no-nos). Instead, have a tasty vegetable like a carrot or a low-sugar fruit. Remember, just because fruits are natural doesn’t mean they can’t help to make you fat when had in excess. Fruits are generally sweet and sweet means they are high in sugar (albeit a healthy sugar – not something refined or synthetic). But in excess, even these sugars can stretch your waistline when unused.
3) Am I eating the right amounts?
If you’re ready to lose weight, then you must have the drive to retrain your palate. Post-baby boomers today are so accustomed to synthetic flavors, cheap sweeteners and heavy intake that they can hardly remember what its like to actually eat a real, normal, moderate slice of cake, or a serving of meat. EVERYTHING is so supersized that people feel very “empty” when they haven’t had their normal leviathan portions. To combat this “Mcculinary” brainwashing, start your transformation by reducing your portions by a third. If you generally eat three potatoes, have two instead. If you used to have 6 cookies, eat 4. Reduce your overall intake in terms of volume and prioritize quality foods like fresh veggies, fruits and grilled meat instead of frying your life away. Even without breaking your back doing crazy cardio, you WILL lose weight. All the jumping and dancing in the world won’t go very far without a significant, but healthy adjustment in your food intake. By the way, you should NEVER eat until your stuffed. That wonderful feeling of fullness that eventually results in you looking comatose (like a python after swallowing a small farmer) will eventually haunt you when you notice that your body is continuing to grow in every direction, except up! At the end of a meal you should feel satisfied, never so full that you can’t move. LETHARGY after a meal is not a sign of bliss. Rethink what it means to be full. While adjusting to your new portion sizes, drink a lot of water. Adequate amounts of water not only help you feel full, but also help in the weight-loss process. Water is your friend. Soda is your enemy.
TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE…
Physical exercise is what most overweight people dread the most. Who wants to go to the gym and risk looking silly while all those Malibu bodies flex and tone to the tune of Lady Gaga and house music? Who has the time to go to the gym when you have deadlines to meet at work and appointments with important clients? Well…ask yourself this instead: whoever said you needed to be in a gym to exercise? You can engage in meaningful physical activity without ever leaving your home (and no, I’m not talking about those ridiculous fat-burning gadgets and pills). Start by undertaking simple activities like walking. If it’s cold outside or you live in the projects and could end up being shot, walk around your house. Your fat cells won’t know the difference. But the more you move around (dance, play, walk, or jog…depending on what is comfortable), the more your body will burn and, consequently, the less fat you will store. In addition, increased physical activity can help to burn off the excess fat you already have. So, don’t look for excuses. Just step outside and commit, for starters, to a 30-minute walk every day. You’ll be impressed at the huge difference this will make in a modern, busy schedule. And remember, no matter how gorgeous your trainer is and no matter how much you spend on gym membership fees, if you’re not motivated and if the physical activity is not readily accessible to you and easy to do consistently (regardless of whether or not you’re traveling on business, for example), you’ll never really exercise anyway. Exercise, especially for beginners, should be fun, easy to do (no crazy positions or moves that might throw out your back) and “mobile”. Convenient exercise is a psychological necessity and your most lethal anti-fat weapon when battling the bulge.
ALSO REMEMBER…
NO MAN (OR WOMAN) IS AN ISLAND
These lifestyle changes are difficult to do alone. Not only can you easily feel discouraged at first, but also, if surrounded by people who continue to stuff their faces and sit on the couch while you’re sweating and eating small portions, you will be very frustrated. Make sure that those closest to you (friends and family) are aware of what your fitness goals are and will help you to achieve them.
NO TWO BODIES ARE ALIKE
Everyone loses weight differently and at different speeds. Don’t start getting jealous if your exercise partner starts to burn more than you. Stay focused on yourself and your goals. Nothing else matters. Fast losers are also fast gainers so take your time and do it right. When you’ve lost the weight and kept it off, you’ll be glad you didn’t rush things.
LOVE YOURSELF
While I may be pretty harsh when joking with my plumper friends, understand one thing – weight loss, in and of itself, will never make you more attractive. Why? Because real beauty has little to do with your waistline alone and everything to do with your aura – the way you move, the way you carry yourself and the way you interact with the world around you. Whether you’re a size 2 or a size 20, your essence and the beauty therein will depend first and foremost on how you connect with your world. More people may find you attractive in a basic sense since, by shedding excess pounds, the features that are glorified in modern western culture will show more easily (waist, bust, chest etc), but that doesn’t mean you weren’t attractive in the first place. Lose weight for your own physical and emotional well-being. You must love yourself at the start to want to do what is right for your body. Self-love precedes successful weight loss, not the other way around.
WITH THIS IN MIND…
If you’re wondering if you’re not just supposed to be chubby or obese, ask yourself this: Does my excess weight prevent me from getting the most out of life? If the answer is a resounding no, then I say stay as you are. BUT, if your fat prevents you from doing recreational activities, playing most sports or games, holding your head up in a boardroom, makes you dread going to your next high school reunion, makeS you lie about your physique on a networking site, predisposes you to developing a number of preventable medical conditions (diabetes, some cancers and hypertension to name a few) or leaves you unable to even attempt half of the best sexual and cuddle positions life has to offer, then I think we both know it’s time for you to shed the dead weight and reclaim your life! Fat is not how you are. Fat is how you became and how you can cease to be. Nothing can oblige you to remain fat. Find what works best for you at the pace that ensures healthy*, lasting fitness gains and remain consistent. It will not be easy, but modifying your worldview and adjusting a few habits just might change your life.
*Before making any changes to your diet or undertaking any form of physical activity, always speak with your physician, particularly if you are overweight or suffer from any health problems whatsoever.
