Providing Healthy Solutions to lose weight and gain better health
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Four Sneaky Ways To Power Up Your Nutrition
By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES
If you haven’t noticed yet, your local grocery store’s produce department is overflowing with nutrient-rich and healthy food options.
Forget about the apples, cherries, pears, and bananas, though.
The items you need to know about are some of the most-underutilized products on the market today.
Which is a definitely a shame! These foods are bursting with flavor, vitamins, and overall super ingredients that may do everything from lower your blood sugar to boost your fat burning.
These foods, sometimes termed superfoods, may not be on your radar of foods to eat, but they should be!
Superfoods are called that because in essence, they truly are super. They contain vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols that may do everything from lowering blood sugar to fighting some cancers.
Examples of superfoods commonly overlooked are: turnips, cauliflower, asparagus, flaxseeds, avocados, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, and fennel.
Some of these foods are bitter to taste, but they could pack a day’s worth of fat-fighting and cancer-fighting nutrition in a single serving.
So before you turn your head, here are some of the top ways to sneak superfoods into your day.
Four Sneaky Ways to Better Nutrition
Sometimes it is harder to get all the foods you need into one or many meals.
From rushing around in the morning to soccer games in the afternoon, many people find it very difficult to maintain healthy nutrition on the go.
You may intend to carry healthy snack options in your purse or glove compartment, but it is just easier to stop at the local drive-thru.
The problem with this is that you are missing out on a world of healthy and nutritious foods that add benefit to your overall health.
Some foods fight cancer, some foods may control blood sugar, therefore diabetes. Some may even reduce your cholesterol and blood
pressure, which may add years to your overall heart health.
Superfoods are commonly found in your grocery store’s produce section. However, they may be overlooked, due to preparation time and lack of a creative way to cook and serve them.
Avocados, onions, and berries are extremely easy to add to almost any plate. But take kale, fennel, turnips, and dandelion greens, and the choices may become limited.
However, these four Sneaky Ways may help you to enjoy nutrient-rich foods, with no fuss at all.
Top Four Sneaky Ways to Get More Superfoods
Prep Way #1: Got a Blender? Good!
If you have a blender, then you are one step ahead of making a healthy, nutritious, low-sugar smoothie.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, should be held back from a blender.
A protein and nutrient-packed smoothie can provide you a day’s worth of nutrition in a single serving.
Plus, you can add anything (kale, spinach, dandelion greens, etc.) to fat-burning yogurt, coconut milk, or almond milk to make a tasty shake packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients that may not only ward of colds and flus, but may be helpful at reducing your weight.
Throw in a few berries (raspberries especially) and you will increase the nutrition of your shake, plus improve on the taste and fat-burning potential.
Other options: add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil to include omega-3 fats (heart healthy fats) as well as some additional protein and fiber.
Prep Way #2: Switch out Your Faves
If you are a person who loves pasta, then this easy switch may be for you.
One type of squash, called spaghetti squash, is overflowing with vitamins and minerals that are needed by your body for optimal functioning.
Plus, this low-calorie alternative can easily resemble your favorite stringy pasta.
Top it with a tablespoon of olive oil (polyunsaturated fat source) and a homemade, low-sodium tomato sauce (full of the antioxidant lycopene), and you have the fixings for a healthy version of your favorite Italian plate.
You will get nutrients and antioxidants that may help fight off free radical damage (leads to inflammation) and improve your overall health.
Prep Way #3: Mash ‘em
If your favorite side happens to be mashed potatoes, then do we have an alternative for you.
Turnips, which are a root vegetable, have been shown to reduce cancer-causing substances found in your body.
Plus, turnips are filled with iron, calcium, and vitamin C, which are all nutrients that your body needs.
Instead of loading up on butter and salt, mash and keep this vegetable “naked,” and reap all the wonderful health-promoting benefits.
Not one for turnips? Try cauliflower instead. This flowery vegetable is packed full of nutrition, all without adding many calories to your overall plate. This could be the perfect alternative to starchy potatoes.
Prep Way #4: Need a New Topper?
There are many different and unique ways to spice up your food. You can add fiery hot sauce to eggs, yogurt to breads as the “new” mayo, or you simply can add a dash of cinnamon to anything to make it better.
Changing out your food toppers is one way that you can add more superfood power to your daily nutrition.
Top off your oatmeal, coffee, or tea with cinnamon, for a healthy alternative that may even control your blood sugar.
There are many studies that show that cinnamon may be effective at controlling blood sugar.
For a different approach to salads, sprinkle a few walnuts, almonds, or flaxseed onto your salad to up your intake of high-quality proteins, fiber, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
This is one easy way to spice up your salads.
Start Your Day off on the Right Foot
In order to get more superfoods into your diet, you should consider these four steps.
Not only are superfoods good for you, they provide your body with the essential nutrients it need in order to burn fat, ward off colds and flus, and prevent chronic disease development.
Never Use A Fat Burning Supplement Without Reading This First
If you haven’t noticed yet, your local grocery store’s produce department is overflowing with nutrient-rich and healthy food options.
Forget about the apples, cherries, pears, and bananas, though.
The items you need to know about are some of the most-underutilized products on the market today.
Which is a definitely a shame! These foods are bursting with flavor, vitamins, and overall super ingredients that may do everything from lower your blood sugar to boost your fat burning.
These foods, sometimes termed superfoods, may not be on your radar of foods to eat, but they should be!
Superfoods are called that because in essence, they truly are super. They contain vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols that may do everything from lowering blood sugar to fighting some cancers.
Examples of superfoods commonly overlooked are: turnips, cauliflower, asparagus, flaxseeds, avocados, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, and fennel.
Some of these foods are bitter to taste, but they could pack a day’s worth of fat-fighting and cancer-fighting nutrition in a single serving.
So before you turn your head, here are some of the top ways to sneak superfoods into your day.
Four Sneaky Ways to Better Nutrition
Sometimes it is harder to get all the foods you need into one or many meals.
From rushing around in the morning to soccer games in the afternoon, many people find it very difficult to maintain healthy nutrition on the go.
You may intend to carry healthy snack options in your purse or glove compartment, but it is just easier to stop at the local drive-thru.
The problem with this is that you are missing out on a world of healthy and nutritious foods that add benefit to your overall health.
Some foods fight cancer, some foods may control blood sugar, therefore diabetes. Some may even reduce your cholesterol and blood
pressure, which may add years to your overall heart health.
Superfoods are commonly found in your grocery store’s produce section. However, they may be overlooked, due to preparation time and lack of a creative way to cook and serve them.
Avocados, onions, and berries are extremely easy to add to almost any plate. But take kale, fennel, turnips, and dandelion greens, and the choices may become limited.
However, these four Sneaky Ways may help you to enjoy nutrient-rich foods, with no fuss at all.
Top Four Sneaky Ways to Get More Superfoods
Prep Way #1: Got a Blender? Good!
If you have a blender, then you are one step ahead of making a healthy, nutritious, low-sugar smoothie.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, should be held back from a blender.
A protein and nutrient-packed smoothie can provide you a day’s worth of nutrition in a single serving.
Plus, you can add anything (kale, spinach, dandelion greens, etc.) to fat-burning yogurt, coconut milk, or almond milk to make a tasty shake packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients that may not only ward of colds and flus, but may be helpful at reducing your weight.
Throw in a few berries (raspberries especially) and you will increase the nutrition of your shake, plus improve on the taste and fat-burning potential.
Other options: add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil to include omega-3 fats (heart healthy fats) as well as some additional protein and fiber.
Prep Way #2: Switch out Your Faves
If you are a person who loves pasta, then this easy switch may be for you.
One type of squash, called spaghetti squash, is overflowing with vitamins and minerals that are needed by your body for optimal functioning.
Plus, this low-calorie alternative can easily resemble your favorite stringy pasta.
Top it with a tablespoon of olive oil (polyunsaturated fat source) and a homemade, low-sodium tomato sauce (full of the antioxidant lycopene), and you have the fixings for a healthy version of your favorite Italian plate.
You will get nutrients and antioxidants that may help fight off free radical damage (leads to inflammation) and improve your overall health.
Prep Way #3: Mash ‘em
If your favorite side happens to be mashed potatoes, then do we have an alternative for you.
Turnips, which are a root vegetable, have been shown to reduce cancer-causing substances found in your body.
Plus, turnips are filled with iron, calcium, and vitamin C, which are all nutrients that your body needs.
Instead of loading up on butter and salt, mash and keep this vegetable “naked,” and reap all the wonderful health-promoting benefits.
Not one for turnips? Try cauliflower instead. This flowery vegetable is packed full of nutrition, all without adding many calories to your overall plate. This could be the perfect alternative to starchy potatoes.
Prep Way #4: Need a New Topper?
There are many different and unique ways to spice up your food. You can add fiery hot sauce to eggs, yogurt to breads as the “new” mayo, or you simply can add a dash of cinnamon to anything to make it better.
Changing out your food toppers is one way that you can add more superfood power to your daily nutrition.
Top off your oatmeal, coffee, or tea with cinnamon, for a healthy alternative that may even control your blood sugar.
There are many studies that show that cinnamon may be effective at controlling blood sugar.
For a different approach to salads, sprinkle a few walnuts, almonds, or flaxseed onto your salad to up your intake of high-quality proteins, fiber, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
This is one easy way to spice up your salads.
Start Your Day off on the Right Foot
In order to get more superfoods into your diet, you should consider these four steps.
Not only are superfoods good for you, they provide your body with the essential nutrients it need in order to burn fat, ward off colds and flus, and prevent chronic disease development.
Never Use A Fat Burning Supplement Without Reading This First
Sunday, September 16, 2012
The Fruit That Fights Off The Fat
By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES
There is a new ingredient in the weight loss world that is getting a boatload of attention.
This nutrient has been around since 1965, but until recently, was not researched extensively.
The nutrient is raspberry ketones (which has been made famous by Dr. Oz).
Raspberry ketones, otherwise known as rheosmin, has been shown in research to increase fat metabolism in your fat cells.
Research suggests that aromatic components in red raspberries work by increasing enzyme activity, increasing oxygen consumption, and increasing heat production in some fat cells in your body.
Put together, this may lead to lower levels of fatty acids being stored in your fat cells - resulting in more weight loss.
Plus, raspberry ketones has also been linked to an increase in the expression of adiponectin levels in your blood, which could stimulate increased energy expenditure.
According to one study published in Planta Medica, exposure of raspberry ketones in fat cells may be linked to increased fat oxidation and adiponectin levels.
Let me explain…
Raspberry Ketones, Adiponectin, and Fat Burning
Adiponectin, which is a protein secreted exclusively from your fat cells, has been linked to increased fatty-acid oxidation and fatty-acid breakdown.
It has been shown to be decreased in overweight or obese individuals, but losing weight has been shown to dramatically increase your levels.
Adiponectin has been shown to impair your immature fats cells (pre-adipocytes) from turning into mature, full-fledged fat cells. Plus, it may increase energy expenditure.
Raspberry ketones, according to some clinical studies, has been shown to raise adiponectin levels, which could partly explain the powerful effects of raspberry ketones.
The author of this study aimed to evaluate the effects of raspberry ketones on the expression and secretion of adiponectin, lipolysis, and fatty-acid oxidation in white fat cells.
White fat cells (different than brown, beige, or visceral fat) are cells that store extra fatty acids circulating in your blood for later use. They are also responsible for hormone and cytokine secretion, which makes fat cells an endocrine organ in your body.
The researchers administered raspberry ketones to white adipose fat cells.
They discovered that raspberry ketones increased lipolysis significantly in white fat cells; plus, it increased the expression and secretion of adiponectin in those same cells.
Also, he noted that raspberry ketones was able to increase fat oxidation and suppress fat accumulation in those very same fat cells.
From their work, they concluded that raspberry ketones showed promise as an herbal medicine due to their biological activities in promoting greater lipid metabolism in white fat cells.
Raspberry Ketones
Raspberry ketones, the aromatic polyphenol found in red raspberries, has received tremendous media exposure as of late due to their ability to improve weight loss results, and rightly so.
Raspberry ketones may increase fatty-acid oxidation, increase lipolysis, and increase the expression and secretion of adiponectin (powerful adipokine released by your fat cells).
In fact, the results of this study showed that raspberry ketones, when administered to white fat cells, could be responsible for the increase in adiponectin levels, fat burning, and prevention of fat being stored in the fat cells.
Raspberry ketones, along with a balanced diet and sound exercise program,may increase fat burning and reduce overall fat accumulation in your cells.
NEXT: Burn 8 X More Belly Fat >>
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Learn to Spot the Scam from the Genuine
Most people who get into a weight loss program start off by using weight loss products (e.g., diet pills and exercise equipment) to help them achieve their goal. If you are thinking of buying any of these weight loss products, however, it's best to exercise caution because there are plenty of scammers out there. Many fall victim because they fail to spot a scam right at the beginning.
It can be difficult to ascertain if a weight loss product you're buying is the real deal or if its maker is simply out to scam you out of your hard-earned money. The bad news is that it is hard to tell just by reading and looking at the ads on the newspaper and online, watching them on TV or simply looking at the product itself at the store. The most effective way to find out if the weight loss product you are about to buy is real is through serious research.
When you're doing research on weight loss products, there are a variety of ways you can find out if these products are worth purchasing at all. The simplest way is to check out retailer and/or manufacturer sites where customers and everyone else are allowed to evaluate and review the effectiveness of their products. A lot of consumers like informing others about products worth buying and products that are simply a waste of money and time. Weight loss product reviews are very helpful in finding out if weight loss product you are about to purchase is effective or not.
As you read the different weight loss product reviews, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect product. Even products that are highly rated will have a couple of bad reviews. But what you should stay away from are the weight loss products that have more bad reviews than good reviews. Take this as a sure sign that the weight loss product isn't worth the time or money.
You'll find numerous weight loss product reviews online. You can do a search on the weight loss product you're thinking of buyer or you can do a search on several. The results will bring up links to online forums and message boards where you can read discussions about how to lose weight and other health issues. These are the best places where you can get information on weight loss products since the participants in these online venues are those who have used the various weight loss products.
One more way to find out if the weight loss product you're thinking of buying is a scam is by doing your own investigation of the distributor and/or manufacturer of the product. It's not uncommon nowadays for companies to have a website so go to the site of the company that makes the weight loss product you're planning to buy and use. Read the information on the site, specifically information on the weight loss product. The company should provide as much information as possible. Be aware of weight loss products with sites that hardly have any information, and simply claim their products will help you lose weight and nothing else.
Still, perhaps the best way to find out if the weight loss product you're about to buy isn't a scam is by talking to your doctor. Most of the time, all it takes is a phone call. You don't even need to visit your doctor or set up an appointment just to ask a simple question. Doctors can usually tell if a weight loss product is worth buying. If your doctor doesn't have information about the weight loss product you're interested in, he can review the ingredients with you and he can tell from there.
If money is no object, you can start purchasing the weight loss products you think you will need to achieve your goal of shedding off those pounds. But it's important to keep in mind that weight loss products, particularly the ones you see on TV infomercials, are very expensive.
It can be difficult to ascertain if a weight loss product you're buying is the real deal or if its maker is simply out to scam you out of your hard-earned money. The bad news is that it is hard to tell just by reading and looking at the ads on the newspaper and online, watching them on TV or simply looking at the product itself at the store. The most effective way to find out if the weight loss product you are about to buy is real is through serious research.
When you're doing research on weight loss products, there are a variety of ways you can find out if these products are worth purchasing at all. The simplest way is to check out retailer and/or manufacturer sites where customers and everyone else are allowed to evaluate and review the effectiveness of their products. A lot of consumers like informing others about products worth buying and products that are simply a waste of money and time. Weight loss product reviews are very helpful in finding out if weight loss product you are about to purchase is effective or not.
As you read the different weight loss product reviews, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect product. Even products that are highly rated will have a couple of bad reviews. But what you should stay away from are the weight loss products that have more bad reviews than good reviews. Take this as a sure sign that the weight loss product isn't worth the time or money.
You'll find numerous weight loss product reviews online. You can do a search on the weight loss product you're thinking of buyer or you can do a search on several. The results will bring up links to online forums and message boards where you can read discussions about how to lose weight and other health issues. These are the best places where you can get information on weight loss products since the participants in these online venues are those who have used the various weight loss products.
One more way to find out if the weight loss product you're thinking of buying is a scam is by doing your own investigation of the distributor and/or manufacturer of the product. It's not uncommon nowadays for companies to have a website so go to the site of the company that makes the weight loss product you're planning to buy and use. Read the information on the site, specifically information on the weight loss product. The company should provide as much information as possible. Be aware of weight loss products with sites that hardly have any information, and simply claim their products will help you lose weight and nothing else.
Still, perhaps the best way to find out if the weight loss product you're about to buy isn't a scam is by talking to your doctor. Most of the time, all it takes is a phone call. You don't even need to visit your doctor or set up an appointment just to ask a simple question. Doctors can usually tell if a weight loss product is worth buying. If your doctor doesn't have information about the weight loss product you're interested in, he can review the ingredients with you and he can tell from there.
If money is no object, you can start purchasing the weight loss products you think you will need to achieve your goal of shedding off those pounds. But it's important to keep in mind that weight loss products, particularly the ones you see on TV infomercials, are very expensive.
How to Tell When you need to lose Some Pounds
Are you one of the many Americans who daily remind themselves that it is time for them to lose weight? But is time really of the essence when it comes to this matter of shedding those pounds? Should you not be worrying if you really need to shed some pounds?
Perhaps, the more important question that you need to be asking yourself is, "Do I really need to lose weight?"
Obesity is just one of the many obvious signs you need to be watching out for if you really intend to regulate your weight. Don't be like the many individuals who are not aware of the distinction between being overweight and being obese. To clarify this issue, professionals define obesity as being 30 to 40 pounds heavier than the normal. This is usually connected with several other health problems, or it may even lead to death. Obesity is not just a matter of being worried about one's physical appearance; it should be a cause of grave concern for one's health.
If someone, whether a healthcare professional, family member or friend, has told you to lose weight then it is probably best to take his suggestion into serious consideration instead of getting offended. It is best to take the suggestion to mean that the other person is concerned about your health and well-being. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you get hints about needing to lose weight. Just be reminded that they are not given to make you feel bad about your appearance; take those as constructive criticisms, suggestions that will help you improve your health.
Another indication that it's the right time for you to shed those pounds is when your clothes no longer fit. It is typical for a person to gain weight or lose weight, but if the change becomes significant, then it is probably best to engage yourself in a weight loss program. Aside from the fact that you need to be shopping for new clothes if you get bigger, there is also the possibility of harmful consequence to your well being. The drastic change in your body weight may signify a negative effect on your health. Thus it is proper to prevent these health problems as early as possible. And you can do so by losing weight.
Another sign worth keeping an eye on is when you begin to feel easily exhausted doing simple tasks. Losing your breath after exerting a simple task like going up a single flight of stairs or pulling the trash can to the gate - not just be a weight issue - it may be a sign of a deeper health problem. Come to think of it, if you lose weight, not only can you perform your activities well but you can add more things to do with your family and friends because you are stronger and in better shape to do those things.
The abovementioned are just some of the various possible signs that you may need to lose some weight. Be reminded that losing weight should be done in the healthiest possible manner. Resist the temptation to take the shortcut or easy way to weight loss like taking pills or going on crash diets or one fad diet after another. These don't work in the long run, and worse, they pose serious risks to your health. The best thing to do is to visit your doctor before you start on any kind of weight loss program; this will save you more money and at the same time guarantee that your plan is good for your health.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The See-Food, Reach-Food Diet
You’ve heard of the “See-Food” diet haven’t you? No, that’s not the diet where you load up on fish, lobster, crab and mussels. The See-Food Diet is the one that so many of us crack jokes about – it’s the diet where you eat everything in sight! But don’t laugh too hard. Scientists at Cornell University and other research institutions have proven that you actually WILL eat more food if you see food more. In fact, if you can see it and it’s within arm’s reach, you could eat yourself obese within a few years and not even know what hit you because the eating happens unconsciously.
It should be common sense that when you’re constantly surrounded by food, you tend to eat more.
But one thing that hasn’t been clear until recently was how seeing food (visibility) and having it within reach (proximity) could influence unconscious eating (and how it influences what I call “eating amnesia”).
Developmental psychologists tell us that the more effort or time you invest in a unique activity, the more likely you’ll be to remember it.
In other words, if you have to go out of your way to get food, you’ll remember eating it. If the food is right there within arms reach, you’ll munch away and more easily forget it.
For years, Dr. Brian Wansink of the Food and Brand Laboratory at Cornell University has been conducting fascinating experiments to find out what really makes you eat more food than you need.
Some of his previous studies revealed that taste, palatability, mood, stress, social context, role models (parental influence), visual cues, visibility and convenience can all influence how much you eat (Eating behavior is environmentally and psychologically influenced – appetite is not just biological).
To explore the influence of food proximity and visibility on eating behavior, Wansink set up an experiment using 40 female staff members from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champain. The subjects were not told it was a weight loss or calorie-related study. They were told that they would be given a free candy dish filled with chocolates (candy “kisses”) and they’d be contacted and surveyed about their candy preferences. They were also told not to share the candies, take them home or move the dish.
Participants were divided into four groups:
1) Proximate and visible (can see and reach)
2) Proximate and non-visible (can reach but not see)
3) Less proximate and visible (can see but can’t reach)
4) Less proximate and non visible (can’t see, and can’t reach)
During each day of the four week study, 30 chocolates were placed in 20 clear containers and 20 opaque containers and delivered to the 40 subjects. The containers were replenished every afternoon. They were kept in the same location for 4 straight business days and then rotated on the following week. Researchers kept a daily record of the number of chocolates eaten from each container and comparisons were made from the data collected.
At the end of each week, each subject was given a questionnaire which asked them how much they thought they had eaten over the entire week and asked them about their perceptions regarding the chocolates (such as “it was difficult to stop eating them,” “I thought of eating the chocolates often,” etc).
When the results were tabulated, here’s what Dr. Wansink and his research team discovered:
The visibility and proximity of the candy dish also influenced the subject’s perceptions. Regardless of whether participants could actually see the chocolates, if the candies were sitting on the desk (as opposed to being a mere 2 meters away), they were rated as more attention-attracting and difficult to resist. Candies in the clear containers were also rated as more difficult to resist and more attention attracting.
Most interesting of all, this study confirmed that when food is close by and visible, you’ll not only eat more, you’ll also be likely to forget that you ate them and therefore, underestimate how much you’ve eaten (I like to call that “eating amnesia.”)
Is a few extra candies a day really a big deal?
If it becomes habitual it sure is! Over a year, the difference between the candy dish placement would mean 125 calories per day which adds up to 12 extra pounds of body fat over a year.
When given the advice to keep junk food out of the house and office, I often hear complaints that it’s “impossible” to do because the rest of the family would have a fit, or simply not allow it. As for the office, one of the biggest excuses I’ve heard for diet failure is that the temptations are always there and it’s out of your control to change. Invariably someone else brings doughnuts or candy to the office.
Now you know what to do to reduce temptation and successfully stick with your program more effectively:
If you can’t keep it out of your office or house, keep it out of sight and out of arm’s reach. That alone is enough to reduce consumption.
At home, if your significant other or family is not willing to remove all offending foods from the premises, then get their agreement that their food is not to remain in plain sight - it goes in the back of a refrigerator drawer and not on the shelf at eye level, or if non-perishable, it goes inside a cupboard that is exclusively the domain of the other person.
At work, tell your office pals to keep the candy, doughnuts and other temptations off your desk, at a distance and out of sight. If they put any unhealthy snacks on your desk, promptly remove them!
Environmental cues can trigger you to eat impulsively. If you can see it and reach it, you’ll eat more of it, and you’ll forget how much you ate. So get the junk out of your home and office now and if you can’t, then get it out of your sight. If you can’t do that, get it out of arms reach.
Better yet, setup an "environment for success" with a lifestyle program like my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle system.
Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle
It should be common sense that when you’re constantly surrounded by food, you tend to eat more.
But one thing that hasn’t been clear until recently was how seeing food (visibility) and having it within reach (proximity) could influence unconscious eating (and how it influences what I call “eating amnesia”).
Developmental psychologists tell us that the more effort or time you invest in a unique activity, the more likely you’ll be to remember it.
In other words, if you have to go out of your way to get food, you’ll remember eating it. If the food is right there within arms reach, you’ll munch away and more easily forget it.
For years, Dr. Brian Wansink of the Food and Brand Laboratory at Cornell University has been conducting fascinating experiments to find out what really makes you eat more food than you need.
Some of his previous studies revealed that taste, palatability, mood, stress, social context, role models (parental influence), visual cues, visibility and convenience can all influence how much you eat (Eating behavior is environmentally and psychologically influenced – appetite is not just biological).
To explore the influence of food proximity and visibility on eating behavior, Wansink set up an experiment using 40 female staff members from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champain. The subjects were not told it was a weight loss or calorie-related study. They were told that they would be given a free candy dish filled with chocolates (candy “kisses”) and they’d be contacted and surveyed about their candy preferences. They were also told not to share the candies, take them home or move the dish.
Participants were divided into four groups:
1) Proximate and visible (can see and reach)
2) Proximate and non-visible (can reach but not see)
3) Less proximate and visible (can see but can’t reach)
4) Less proximate and non visible (can’t see, and can’t reach)
During each day of the four week study, 30 chocolates were placed in 20 clear containers and 20 opaque containers and delivered to the 40 subjects. The containers were replenished every afternoon. They were kept in the same location for 4 straight business days and then rotated on the following week. Researchers kept a daily record of the number of chocolates eaten from each container and comparisons were made from the data collected.
At the end of each week, each subject was given a questionnaire which asked them how much they thought they had eaten over the entire week and asked them about their perceptions regarding the chocolates (such as “it was difficult to stop eating them,” “I thought of eating the chocolates often,” etc).
When the results were tabulated, here’s what Dr. Wansink and his research team discovered:
The visibility and proximity of the candy dish also influenced the subject’s perceptions. Regardless of whether participants could actually see the chocolates, if the candies were sitting on the desk (as opposed to being a mere 2 meters away), they were rated as more attention-attracting and difficult to resist. Candies in the clear containers were also rated as more difficult to resist and more attention attracting.
Most interesting of all, this study confirmed that when food is close by and visible, you’ll not only eat more, you’ll also be likely to forget that you ate them and therefore, underestimate how much you’ve eaten (I like to call that “eating amnesia.”)
Is a few extra candies a day really a big deal?
If it becomes habitual it sure is! Over a year, the difference between the candy dish placement would mean 125 calories per day which adds up to 12 extra pounds of body fat over a year.
When given the advice to keep junk food out of the house and office, I often hear complaints that it’s “impossible” to do because the rest of the family would have a fit, or simply not allow it. As for the office, one of the biggest excuses I’ve heard for diet failure is that the temptations are always there and it’s out of your control to change. Invariably someone else brings doughnuts or candy to the office.
Now you know what to do to reduce temptation and successfully stick with your program more effectively:
If you can’t keep it out of your office or house, keep it out of sight and out of arm’s reach. That alone is enough to reduce consumption.
At home, if your significant other or family is not willing to remove all offending foods from the premises, then get their agreement that their food is not to remain in plain sight - it goes in the back of a refrigerator drawer and not on the shelf at eye level, or if non-perishable, it goes inside a cupboard that is exclusively the domain of the other person.
At work, tell your office pals to keep the candy, doughnuts and other temptations off your desk, at a distance and out of sight. If they put any unhealthy snacks on your desk, promptly remove them!
Environmental cues can trigger you to eat impulsively. If you can see it and reach it, you’ll eat more of it, and you’ll forget how much you ate. So get the junk out of your home and office now and if you can’t, then get it out of your sight. If you can’t do that, get it out of arms reach.
Better yet, setup an "environment for success" with a lifestyle program like my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle system.
Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle
Founder & CEO of
Burn The Fat Inner Circle
Burn The Fat Inner Circle
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is the author of the #1 best seller, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle: Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models. Tom is a lifetime natural bodybuilder and fat loss expert who achieved an astonishing 3.7% body fat level without drugs or supplements. Discover how to increase your metabolism and burn stubborn body fat, find out which foods burn fat and which foods turn to fat, plus get a free fat loss report and mini course by visiting Tom's site at: BurnTheFat
Monday, July 30, 2012
Does Walking Really Help You Lose Weight?
By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES
Weight loss includes a simple formula: calories in versus calories out. If you want to lose weight, you need to expend more calories than you eat. There are ways that help you to expend calories. They are:
-cut calories from your diet through calorie restriction
-exercise more, which will help expend extra calories
Now, both options are good to a certain degree. Cutting calories from the diet can put a person in a negative caloric balance, which should result in weight loss. However, cutting too many calories from the diet can lead to the body shifting in “starvation mode” and conserving fat stores, and reducing metabolic body mass (muscle). This can have potential problems, because you are now losing the exact tissue that helps you burn extra calories. Creating the right calorie deficit and sparing that tissue from being metabolized, will help promote weight loss.
Exercise, on the other hand, works in the same manner as caloric deficit, except you are not cutting calories. If you are inactive, increasing your physical activity will help you expend extra calories and help you get on the road to weight loss. Having a program of both cardiovascular and strength training has been shown to be an effective way to lose weight and increase muscle mass and tone.
Now, let us break it down even further to the best activities to do, and if walking is an effective exercise to losing weight and keeping it off.
Walking is one of the easiest and most fundamental exercises we can do to increase physical activity. In order for walking to be considered exercise and not just physical activity, you need to get your heart rate above certain levels, usually 75% of your maximum heart rate, in order for you to get moving expending those calories.
This can be done in short, 10 minute blocks three of four times per day, as long as your heart rate gets above that 75% level, to have a changing impact on weight loss. Now if you are a couch potato, listen closely. You can increase your calorie output by walking. Increasing your activity from sedentary to active, increases the calorie demand of the body. So because your body is not used to the activity, it needs to work harder and burn more in order to keep those muscles going.
There are many great benefits of walking. You see an increase in calorie demand, but also you are strengthening your circulatory system, altering your lipid composition by increasing your HDL, or good cholesterol, lowering your total cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure. However, there are some other benefits that should be considered when you start a walking program.
Research done by Ross et al. concluded that weight loss from increased physical activity, and not caloric restriction, resulted in reduced levels of obesity, especially abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in obese men. They also concluded that exercise without weight loss also reduced obesity levels, and prevented future weight gain from happening. The purpose of the study was to determine if walking had beneficial effects on obesity levels, particularly visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, and insulin resistance.
Not only is the type of exercise, in this case, walking, important, but the intensity of the exercise can also be important in losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. There is debate on how high the intensity needs to be for exercise, and if it is more beneficial for weight loss.
Jakicic et al. conducted research on sedentary woman looking at how intensity and duration affected the outcomes on weight loss. They concluded that all participants in the study demonstrated increased weight loss and cardiovascular fitness during the 12-week program, with both diet and exercise. They also concluded that intensity and duration had no significant effects on this group of sedentary woman.
Research done by Brill et al. also found similar results to the research done by Jakicic on intensity. His team concluded that there was no dose-response effect to walking over diet alone, factoring in moderate to vigorous intensity and duration of exercise. They also concluded that 30 minutes of walking, on most days of the week, showed the same results as doing 60 minutes and dieting. Not only did it result in weight loss, but it also had other health-related outcomes.
Walking is a great form of exercise that has been shown by research to help with weight loss, and changing potential risk factors in the body. Differing the intensity of the workout can help increase energy expenditure, but might not have as dramatic an effect as doing the exercise consistently over the course of the week. Making sure you are walking, or increasing your calorie expenditure, is the key to overall weight loss and maintaining the weight loss after dieting.
CONTINUE >>
Weight loss includes a simple formula: calories in versus calories out. If you want to lose weight, you need to expend more calories than you eat. There are ways that help you to expend calories. They are:
-cut calories from your diet through calorie restriction
-exercise more, which will help expend extra calories
Important News: Walking is good for your health!
Now, both options are good to a certain degree. Cutting calories from the diet can put a person in a negative caloric balance, which should result in weight loss. However, cutting too many calories from the diet can lead to the body shifting in “starvation mode” and conserving fat stores, and reducing metabolic body mass (muscle). This can have potential problems, because you are now losing the exact tissue that helps you burn extra calories. Creating the right calorie deficit and sparing that tissue from being metabolized, will help promote weight loss.
Exercise, on the other hand, works in the same manner as caloric deficit, except you are not cutting calories. If you are inactive, increasing your physical activity will help you expend extra calories and help you get on the road to weight loss. Having a program of both cardiovascular and strength training has been shown to be an effective way to lose weight and increase muscle mass and tone.
Now, let us break it down even further to the best activities to do, and if walking is an effective exercise to losing weight and keeping it off.
Walking is one of the easiest and most fundamental exercises we can do to increase physical activity. In order for walking to be considered exercise and not just physical activity, you need to get your heart rate above certain levels, usually 75% of your maximum heart rate, in order for you to get moving expending those calories.
This can be done in short, 10 minute blocks three of four times per day, as long as your heart rate gets above that 75% level, to have a changing impact on weight loss. Now if you are a couch potato, listen closely. You can increase your calorie output by walking. Increasing your activity from sedentary to active, increases the calorie demand of the body. So because your body is not used to the activity, it needs to work harder and burn more in order to keep those muscles going.
There are many great benefits of walking. You see an increase in calorie demand, but also you are strengthening your circulatory system, altering your lipid composition by increasing your HDL, or good cholesterol, lowering your total cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure. However, there are some other benefits that should be considered when you start a walking program.
Research done by Ross et al. concluded that weight loss from increased physical activity, and not caloric restriction, resulted in reduced levels of obesity, especially abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in obese men. They also concluded that exercise without weight loss also reduced obesity levels, and prevented future weight gain from happening. The purpose of the study was to determine if walking had beneficial effects on obesity levels, particularly visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, and insulin resistance.
Not only is the type of exercise, in this case, walking, important, but the intensity of the exercise can also be important in losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. There is debate on how high the intensity needs to be for exercise, and if it is more beneficial for weight loss.
Nordic walking can burn a lot of calories!
Jakicic et al. conducted research on sedentary woman looking at how intensity and duration affected the outcomes on weight loss. They concluded that all participants in the study demonstrated increased weight loss and cardiovascular fitness during the 12-week program, with both diet and exercise. They also concluded that intensity and duration had no significant effects on this group of sedentary woman.
Research done by Brill et al. also found similar results to the research done by Jakicic on intensity. His team concluded that there was no dose-response effect to walking over diet alone, factoring in moderate to vigorous intensity and duration of exercise. They also concluded that 30 minutes of walking, on most days of the week, showed the same results as doing 60 minutes and dieting. Not only did it result in weight loss, but it also had other health-related outcomes.
Walking is a great form of exercise that has been shown by research to help with weight loss, and changing potential risk factors in the body. Differing the intensity of the workout can help increase energy expenditure, but might not have as dramatic an effect as doing the exercise consistently over the course of the week. Making sure you are walking, or increasing your calorie expenditure, is the key to overall weight loss and maintaining the weight loss after dieting.
It is easy to start a walking program!
Overall, walking is a great form of exercise that should always be incorporated into your daily routine of exercise. If you are a beginner, start slowly and let your body adapt to the change in pace and activity, and then progress as you go. Starting slow will prevent injuries and allow your body time to adapt to the change in energy expenditure. Remember, walking is cheap and effective at helping you lose weight. There are umbrellas and raincoats when the weather is not ideal, so there is no excuse not to walk. It can be the first step in improving your health and reaching your weight loss goals.CONTINUE >>
Monday, July 16, 2012
All-Natural Way To Lower Cholesterol?
Blueberries, which could be classified as a superfruit, have been linked to many improvements in overall health.
In fact, blueberries have been shown to prevent risks associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders
However, their benefit does not stop there.
Research has shown that blueberries could improve symptoms associated with Metabolic Syndrome in overweight and obese individuals.
Plus, the consumption of blueberry juice has been shown to dramatically improve memory function in older adults.
Along with aging and obesity levels, there could be a rise in total and LDL cholesterol, which some studies link to an increase in cardiovascular disease risk.
However, the anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants) have been shown to reduce total and non-HDL cholesterol, therefore potentially improving your cardiovascular health.
According to a new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, researchers may have discovered how the anthocyanins found in blueberries could potentially lower cholesterol levels.
Let me explain…
Blueberries and Cholesterol
According to the authors of this study, blueberries have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, which could improve your overall heart health.
However, the process for this is not very well understood.
The researchers wanted to find out how blueberries could help to lower cholesterol in your body.
They used a group of hamsters and administered blueberry extract at different doses into their food.
Also, the researchers showed that hamsters that were given low and high doses of blueberry extract showed a decrease in total cholesterol by six to 12%.
Plus, they also saw that the hamsters given the blueberry extract with their food, showed lower levels of cells that break down and use cholesterol in your body.
From their work, they concluded that the cholesterol lowering effects of blueberry anthocyanins (extract) was most likely caused by increasing the excretion of different sterols and by decreasing the activity of key enzymes found in your intestines, which could be responsible for cholesterol absorption and breakdown.
Although this research shows promise, the study was conducted on hamsters and still needs to be verified by other research and a potential trial on human subjects to show if the results translate over. However, this study is exciting and could show that including blueberries in your daily routine (including any type of medication you take) could be a positive way to lower cholesterol.
Blueberries for Health
Blueberries have been shown to be effective at improving many different aspects of health and wellness.
Blueberries have been shown to reduce heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and even some neurological diseases.
Now, a specialized antioxidant found in blueberries (anthocyanins) may provide benefits at reducing plasma cholesterol levels.
By including blueberries into a heart-healthy nutrition plan, you could lower your cholesterol levels and may improve your overall heart-health risk.
Heart Health Continued >>
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Raspberry Ketone- Everyone is talking about it
Please don’t mistake raspberry ketone for anything you’d be able to get from a fruit stand or from your local grocery store. Raspberry ketone (Raz K®) is something totally different from that.
Raspberry ketone is a compound that has actually been extracted from the raspberry, using a very specialized organic process. Most companies won’t go through the extra time and expense necessary to provide you with this compound, but we do.
Here’s how it works…
Raspberry ketone is a compound that has actually been extracted from the raspberry, using a very specialized organic process. Most companies won’t go through the extra time and expense necessary to provide you with this compound, but we do.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Don’t Be Fooled By Misleading Label Claims
By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES
The big food manufacturers are at it again.
However, now they are becoming smarter and trickier at undermining your weight loss results.
There are things that as a consumer you can do to protect your family and yourself.
Let me explain…
The Labels
Food manufacturers have come up with clever ways to trick you into buying healthier foods.
From low-fat, trans-fat free, and other misleading labels, you may be getting more than you bargained for on your weekly trip to the grocery stores.
However, here are five of the Top Misleading Labels:
1. Light
This is a label that many companies use to their advantage.
Generally speaking, when you think of "light," you may think that it has less calories and fat.
However, some companies use the term "light" in reference to the flavor of the product, which means there are the same amount of calories in a “light” brand as you would find in the regular product.
In order for a brand to be considered “light” in terms of fat, the product needs to contain 50%, or less, fat and calories compared to the original brand.
This is one of the reasons why reading the food label is extremely important.
If you are looking for a lighter version of the original, you may not be getting it. You may just be getting a less flavorful product, with a large portion of fat and calories.
2. Organic
Just because a product says organic on it, does not mean that it is healthier for you.
Organic is a term that is used when 95% or more of the ingredients were grown without pesticides or synthetic forms of fertilizer.
However, remember that the term organic only refers to the above statement, which does not refer to calories, fat, and sugar.
In fact, there are many products labeled "organic" that contain high amounts of fat, sugar, and calories, which could make them an unhealthy food option.
3. Two percent milk
Normally, you would look at 2% milk and think - HEALTHY.
2% milk does contain less fat, but when find out the amount of fat in whole milk you may be surprised.
The fat content in whole milk falls between 3.25% and 4% fat.
In comparison, 2% milk contains just that - 2% fat.
Yes it may be lower in fat, but the best options to choose would be 1% or skim milk, due to their respective fat content.
4. Gluten Free
Gluten, which is a protein found in foods that are processed from wheat or other related grain products, has gained popularity over the years.
Considered one of the biggest buzz words in the nutrition industry, the demand for gluten-free products is increasing, with more and more products entering into the market.
Gluten-free products are great for people who suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease, but may not be so much for people without these sensitivities.
Why?
Gluten-free products are free of gluten, which could mean there is less fiber available for your health.
Also, some gluten-free products (not all), contain high amounts of fats, which could lead to weight gain, altered cholesterol levels, and other health issues.
5. Serving size
This could be the trickiest labeling of them all.
In order to monitor the fat, calories, sugars, and other nutrients, you need to put a serving size on the label.
This means that for each serving size you have, you get the listed amount of calories, fats, protein, carbohydrates, and sugars.
However, some food companies make the serving size so small, that it could be almost impossible to get the nutrition posted on the label.
For instance, if you look at the label for ice cream, you would see that the serving size could be half a cup to a cup for the serving.
Most people do not limit themselves to half a cup serving of ice cream, so in order to accurately judge your calorie intake, you may need to double, or triple the calories for your appropriate serving.
Don’t Be Fooled - Anymore!
As a smart consumer, you have the power to determine which products and foods you bring into the house.
By reading the labels and understanding what is in front of you, you will improve your weight loss results.
Plus, you will be bringing in healthier food options for you and your family to enjoy.
Continue >>
The big food manufacturers are at it again.
However, now they are becoming smarter and trickier at undermining your weight loss results.
There are things that as a consumer you can do to protect your family and yourself.
Let me explain…
The Labels
Food manufacturers have come up with clever ways to trick you into buying healthier foods.
From low-fat, trans-fat free, and other misleading labels, you may be getting more than you bargained for on your weekly trip to the grocery stores.
However, here are five of the Top Misleading Labels:
1. Light
This is a label that many companies use to their advantage.
Generally speaking, when you think of "light," you may think that it has less calories and fat.
However, some companies use the term "light" in reference to the flavor of the product, which means there are the same amount of calories in a “light” brand as you would find in the regular product.
In order for a brand to be considered “light” in terms of fat, the product needs to contain 50%, or less, fat and calories compared to the original brand.
This is one of the reasons why reading the food label is extremely important.
If you are looking for a lighter version of the original, you may not be getting it. You may just be getting a less flavorful product, with a large portion of fat and calories.
2. Organic
Just because a product says organic on it, does not mean that it is healthier for you.
Organic is a term that is used when 95% or more of the ingredients were grown without pesticides or synthetic forms of fertilizer.
However, remember that the term organic only refers to the above statement, which does not refer to calories, fat, and sugar.
In fact, there are many products labeled "organic" that contain high amounts of fat, sugar, and calories, which could make them an unhealthy food option.
3. Two percent milk
Normally, you would look at 2% milk and think - HEALTHY.
2% milk does contain less fat, but when find out the amount of fat in whole milk you may be surprised.
The fat content in whole milk falls between 3.25% and 4% fat.
In comparison, 2% milk contains just that - 2% fat.
Yes it may be lower in fat, but the best options to choose would be 1% or skim milk, due to their respective fat content.
4. Gluten Free
Gluten, which is a protein found in foods that are processed from wheat or other related grain products, has gained popularity over the years.
Considered one of the biggest buzz words in the nutrition industry, the demand for gluten-free products is increasing, with more and more products entering into the market.
Gluten-free products are great for people who suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease, but may not be so much for people without these sensitivities.
Why?
Gluten-free products are free of gluten, which could mean there is less fiber available for your health.
Also, some gluten-free products (not all), contain high amounts of fats, which could lead to weight gain, altered cholesterol levels, and other health issues.
5. Serving size
This could be the trickiest labeling of them all.
In order to monitor the fat, calories, sugars, and other nutrients, you need to put a serving size on the label.
This means that for each serving size you have, you get the listed amount of calories, fats, protein, carbohydrates, and sugars.
However, some food companies make the serving size so small, that it could be almost impossible to get the nutrition posted on the label.
For instance, if you look at the label for ice cream, you would see that the serving size could be half a cup to a cup for the serving.
Most people do not limit themselves to half a cup serving of ice cream, so in order to accurately judge your calorie intake, you may need to double, or triple the calories for your appropriate serving.
Don’t Be Fooled - Anymore!
As a smart consumer, you have the power to determine which products and foods you bring into the house.
By reading the labels and understanding what is in front of you, you will improve your weight loss results.
Plus, you will be bringing in healthier food options for you and your family to enjoy.
Continue >>
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