Exciting new research helps pinpoint why some people just can’t lose weight. They are puffy. Puffy eyes, puffy ankles, puffy hands and puffy bellies! Why do people get puffy? Allergies!
But I am not talking about pollen or dust allergies, nor am I talking about serious life threatening food allergies from peanuts or shellfish. I am referring to low-grade, delayed reactions to food, that until recently have been completely ignored by medicine.
A recent study broke incredible ground in our understanding of our obesity epidemic. Researchers examined two groups of children — obese and normal weight. They found the obese children had three problems (all related) that the thin children didn’t have.
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I don’t know about you, but after I turned 30 I felt like I had to step up my Workout. Now I am in my late 30’s and feeling even more pressure to continually challenge myself. As we move into each decade our metabolism slows a little. Is it true that aging and weight gain go hand in hand? Ask most women over the age of 40 and they will respond with a resounding “Yes!” From behavioral to biological factors, weight gain and aging go together like peanut butter and jelly. Why does this weight gain occur? Is there any way to stop the extra pounds in their tracks?
Physical factors
Starting as early as our late 30’s and into our 40’s, women go into perimenopause, in which estrogen levels begin to decline. Once in menopause, our estrogen levels drop sharply and even greater changes in our bodies begin to occur.
Appetites change: When we eat, our stomachs sort the contents into proteins, carbohydrates and fat, which the body uses for different purposes. Both enzymes and hormones help the food break down. If the body is off-balance hormonally (such as during menopause), its ability to proceed with digestion is interrupted. If digestion is not taking place as it should, feelings of fullness do not register in the brain. During menopause, the body begins tricking the mind into thinking it needs to eat more.
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In fact, you can eat much more food and lose weight. But here’s the catch. You have to eat real food. Just imagine what your great great grandmother had to eat. Everything came from a farmer’s field and nothing from a food chemist’s laboratory. Nothing was refined or processed. There was no need for nutrition labels because nothing had labels.
The bottom line is that quality is much more important than quantity. Eating only whole, fresh, real food completely eliminates the need for calorie counting, or measuring fat grams or counting carbs. This works for one simple reason — you eat not only calories but also information. Eat the wrong information and you give your genes instructions to make you fat. Eat the right information and you give your genes instructions to lose weight. This is based on a new understanding of how food talks to your genes called nutrigenomics.
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32-year-old, Estaban Neiva from Buenos Aires, competing in the New York City Triathlon died Sunday after being pulled unconscious from the Hudson River on a day when competitors battled heat, humidity and stinging jellyfish along the course.The death Sunday was the first in the eight-year history of the New York event. Burke said that at least four competitors were taken to local hospitals with heat-related illnesses, and that two others sustained broken bones. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner, said an autopsy would be performed Monday.
Bill Burke, the race director, said rescuers pulled Neiva from the river about three-quarters of the way through the 1,500-meter swim portion, which ended near the 79th Street Boat Basin. The swim is the first of the event’s three phases and is followed by a 40-kilometer bicycle ride and a 10K run that finishes in Central Park.
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I am currently approaching the end of eleven weeks in my Walking challenge. So far I have logged an amazing 569 miles which equals 110,243 in steps according to my pedometer. When I see the numbers it seems a little crazy. I guess I never did the quick math on what I do. Although I have to admit since wearing the pedometer I feel I am constantly trying to maintain my previous and strive for more miles the next week. I even find myself a little disappointed when we go out of town because it sometimes makes it more difficult to get my miles in. I get over it pretty quick though because I am always game to get out of town.
The great thing about Walking is you do not have to be an athlete to be successful. It is an Exercise at its purest and simplest form. Also consider participating in a walk for charity and include your friends. So put on your shoes and get out and enjoy the summer weather.
People who kept daily food diaries lost twice as much weight or more as those who didn’t keep track of their meals, finds a new study. In the struggle to lose weight, picking up a pen might be just as useful as putting down the fork.
It seems today there is a feeling that Weight Loss is almost impossible and very few are successful. This study proved that with a simple, straightforward approach nearly 70 percent of the participants were able to lose weight by eating a healthy diet and simply keeping a food diary. Overall, two-thirds of the study subjects lost nine pounds or more during the six month study. But those who kept a food diary every day of the week dropped up to 20 pounds, more than twice as much as those who didn’t record their every bite.
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Are you a weekend binger? I know I am and I’m constantly trying to find new ways to battle this problem.
I have a plan that I stick to during the week. I make healthy choices and work out. Right now it’s me and the kids and we have our routine. It all falls apart on the weekend. I know part of the problem is there is no schedule or routine. My husband is home on the weekend and we go places or do projects together. Sometimes it is the social gatherings and that is always hard to make healthy choices. But I even have trouble when we are just staying home. I’m not sure if in the back of my mind I feel like I deserve a break or that life is short I should be able to indulge if I want to.
One step I have taken to try and help this problem is to make my self accountable. Before when I had a bad weekend and would not be able to get back on the scale for a few days until I was fairly sure the number would be back down. Now I weigh on Monday to check the damage from the weekend. It has helped some. Then there are the times when I get on the scale and I don’t like the number which can sometimes make me spiral the rest of the day. It totally depends on my mood.
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When school’s out, it may be more important than ever for your kids to get regular physical activity and eat a nutritious diet.
Did you know that a recent survey shows that kids tend to gain three times as much weight during the summer months as they do during the school year? I know I personally thought kids were most active in the summer. One reason they gain weight during the summer is the tend to watch more tv and play video games. The other is that they can eat whenever they want, as opposed to school they eat only at set times. My kids do tend to ask me more often than I think they should about eating when they are home. I actually find myself asking them “Would you be eating right now if you were at school?” Television might also be to blame with commercials for high calorie snack foods, fast food, and fattening sweets.
As parents we need to limit the time that our kids spend in front of a screen whether it be a television or a computer. We need to encourage our kids that being active is important so they too can have a strong and healthy body. They should be out enjoying what summer has to offer. Find new ways to make playing outside fun…be creative!
Over the past 20 years, the Office of the Surgeon General says the number of overweight children has nearly tripled. This national epidemic is causing health problems that were once unimaginable for children. Now, children have to worry about high blood pressure, diabetes and strokes. With obese children turning into obese teens they are looking for adult solutions, but is gastric bypass the right way to go?
I have a problem thinking teens should undergo gastric bypass as a solution for being overweight. Are teens and their parents really ready for the risks involved with this surgery even death? I think teens have a naive mind-set. They are thinking that they want lose weight, be happy and date. Are they ready for the lifestyle change involved with procedure? Taking vitamins everyday and being very careful of what and how they eat. Plus trying to manage the horrific pain that comes with surgery. Not to mention some of the possible side effects and risks of infection.
I realize there is very stringent criteria for children being considered for this, and the bar is much higher than adults. In addition to being overweight, they have to have major problems like losing their sight, diabetes or sleep apnea.
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Americans are overeating. That’s no surprise to most of us. All you have to do is turn on the tv and the media reminds us that we live in an obese society. To the tune of 500 calories per day. That’s how many more calories we routinely eat today versus 30 years ago. No wonder we’re gaining weight!
Where do the extra calories come from? Fast foods are the first things that come to mind. But what about the expanding portion sizes contributing to our waistlines. I’m sure you have noticed the sweet treats that are often by the checkout to tempt you. Virtually every kind of food is now larger than it used to be: Muffins are 333 percent larger; pasta servings, 450 percent larger; and bagels, 200 percent bigger than they were 30 years ago.
Use these commonsense tips to take back control of the amount of food you eat. By getting back to realistic portions, you can enjoy your favorite foods without guilt and maintain a healthy weight!
1. Measure
If you want to know how much you’re eating, you simply have to break out the measuring cups. Pour a typical bowl of breakfast cereal, then measure the amount in your bowl. Compare that to the serving size listed on the label, and adjust the amount in your bowl accordingly. Do the same for everything you eat, and you’ll see exactly where you can make changes.
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