Today is a good day to stay indoors and try some Yoga.
Yoga will warm your body right up and burn a lot of calories as well.
Try these poses
Mountain 2 min
monkey 2 min
chair 2 min
monkey 2 min
downward dog 1 min
sun salutations 2 min
warrior 2 min each side
warrior 2 min each side
reverse warrior 2 min each side
triangle 2 min each side
followed by straddle stretch
prayer pose
and happy baby!
have fun!
Stay in Shape this summer! Join my 30 day workout today!
Get your booty moving, it's time to kick it up a notch!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Can Food Allergies Lead to Weight Gain?
By Lisa D. Ellis
Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board
Food Allergies and Weight
When it comes to food allergies and weight gain, there's been increasing attention in recent years to the fact that some people who're overweight may be able to trace the problem back to the way their bodies respond to certain foods they eat.
A 2007 study published in The Journal of the American Diabetes Association explains that when people eat foods that cause an immune system response, this can set off a chain reaction.
How It Works
First, the presence of this food triggers the immune system to respond by creating widespread inflammation. This can then lead to insulin resistance, which prompts the body to store fat. Furthermore, eating foods that are high in sugar and fat and taking certain medications can also exasperate the problem.
Eliminate Food Allergens
Researchers point out that rather than cutting calories to counteract these negative effects, you may need to limit the allergens that had prompted the initial reaction instead. The results of eliminating foods that prompt an allergic reaction may be so effective that you can even overcome obesity and also prevent some other related health risks in the process.
Eliminating allergens seems to work, according to the results of a study that appeared in the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine in April of 2009. In this effort, scientists further explored the effects of eliminating foods that produce immune system sensitivity among obese participants. A total of 27 people who are considered overweight took part and avoided foods that caused an immune system reaction, as measured by a blood test. In the three-month study, participants averaged a weight loss of 37 pounds and a 30 percent decrease in body fat. The researchers say that this is indeed significant, and the findings offer great hope for a variety of metabolic conditions.
What You Can Do
If you think that food allergies are affecting your weight, you may want to see an allergist to explore what things could be triggering the response. Eliminating potential allergens could help you lose those extra pounds.
In addition to rethinking your diet, experts recommend also eating a balanced meal plan. Get plenty of rest and exercise regularly for the best overall health effects.
Sources
Diabetes: Journal of the American Diabetes Association
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/56/12/2964
By Lisa D. Ellis
Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board
Food Allergies and Weight
When it comes to food allergies and weight gain, there's been increasing attention in recent years to the fact that some people who're overweight may be able to trace the problem back to the way their bodies respond to certain foods they eat.
A 2007 study published in The Journal of the American Diabetes Association explains that when people eat foods that cause an immune system response, this can set off a chain reaction.
How It Works
First, the presence of this food triggers the immune system to respond by creating widespread inflammation. This can then lead to insulin resistance, which prompts the body to store fat. Furthermore, eating foods that are high in sugar and fat and taking certain medications can also exasperate the problem.
Eliminate Food Allergens
Researchers point out that rather than cutting calories to counteract these negative effects, you may need to limit the allergens that had prompted the initial reaction instead. The results of eliminating foods that prompt an allergic reaction may be so effective that you can even overcome obesity and also prevent some other related health risks in the process.
Eliminating allergens seems to work, according to the results of a study that appeared in the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine in April of 2009. In this effort, scientists further explored the effects of eliminating foods that produce immune system sensitivity among obese participants. A total of 27 people who are considered overweight took part and avoided foods that caused an immune system reaction, as measured by a blood test. In the three-month study, participants averaged a weight loss of 37 pounds and a 30 percent decrease in body fat. The researchers say that this is indeed significant, and the findings offer great hope for a variety of metabolic conditions.
What You Can Do
If you think that food allergies are affecting your weight, you may want to see an allergist to explore what things could be triggering the response. Eliminating potential allergens could help you lose those extra pounds.
In addition to rethinking your diet, experts recommend also eating a balanced meal plan. Get plenty of rest and exercise regularly for the best overall health effects.
Sources
Diabetes: Journal of the American Diabetes Association
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/56/12/2964
Monday, December 7, 2009
Fitness programs: 10 tips for staying motivated
Are you having trouble sticking with your fitness program? Stay motivated with these 10 simple tips.
Have you ever started a fitness program and then quit? If you answered yes, you're not alone. Many people start fitness programs but stop when they get bored or results come too slowly. Here are 10 tips to help you stay motivated.
1.Set goals. Start with simple goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It's easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious. If you haven't exercised in a while, a short-term goal might be to walk five minutes once or twice a day. An intermediate goal might be to walk 20 minutes three or four times a week. A long-term goal might be to complete a 5K walk.
2.Start slowly. If you push yourself too hard at first, you may be forced to abandon your program because of pain or injury. It's better to start slowly and progress gradually.
3.Think variety. Vary your activities to keep boredom at bay. Alternate walking or biking with swimming or a low-impact aerobics class. When the weather cooperates, do your flexibility or stretching exercises outside. Play soccer with your kids. Join a health club or martial arts center to broaden your access to different forms of exercise.
4.Have fun. You're more likely to stick with an exercise program if you're having fun. If you're not enjoying your workouts, try something different. Join a volleyball or softball league. Take a ballroom dancing class. Trade your running shoes for a swimsuit. Remember, exercise doesn't have to be drudgery.
5.Make physical activity part of your daily routine. If it's hard to find time for exercise, don't fall back on excuses. Schedule workouts as you would any other important activity. You can also slip in physical activity throughout the day. Be creative! Take a walk during your child's music lesson. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Pedal a stationary bike or do strength training exercises with resistance tubing while you watch TV at night.
6.Put it on paper. Are you hoping to lose weight? Boost your energy? Sleep better? Manage a chronic condition? Write it down! Seeing the benefits of regular exercise on paper may help you stay motivated.
7.Seek support. You're not in this alone. Invite a friend or co-worker to join you when you exercise. Work out with your spouse or your kids. Take a class at a local fitness center.
8.Track your progress. It may help to keep an exercise diary. Record what you did during each exercise session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterward. Recording your efforts can help you work toward your goals — and remind you that you're making progress.
9.Reward yourself. After each exercise session, take a few minutes to sit down and relax. Reflect on what you've just accomplished. Savor the good feelings that exercise gives you. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise. External rewards can help, too. When you reach a longer range goal, treat yourself to a new pair of walking shoes or new tunes to enjoy while you exercise.
10.Be flexible. If you're too busy to work out or simply don't feel up to it, take a day or two off. Be gentle with yourself if you need a break. The important thing is to get back on track as soon as you can.
Now that you're enthusiastic again, get moving! Set your goals, make it fun and pat yourself on the back from time to time. Remember, physical activity is for life. Review these tips whenever you feel your motivation sliding.
Have you ever started a fitness program and then quit? If you answered yes, you're not alone. Many people start fitness programs but stop when they get bored or results come too slowly. Here are 10 tips to help you stay motivated.
1.Set goals. Start with simple goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It's easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious. If you haven't exercised in a while, a short-term goal might be to walk five minutes once or twice a day. An intermediate goal might be to walk 20 minutes three or four times a week. A long-term goal might be to complete a 5K walk.
2.Start slowly. If you push yourself too hard at first, you may be forced to abandon your program because of pain or injury. It's better to start slowly and progress gradually.
3.Think variety. Vary your activities to keep boredom at bay. Alternate walking or biking with swimming or a low-impact aerobics class. When the weather cooperates, do your flexibility or stretching exercises outside. Play soccer with your kids. Join a health club or martial arts center to broaden your access to different forms of exercise.
4.Have fun. You're more likely to stick with an exercise program if you're having fun. If you're not enjoying your workouts, try something different. Join a volleyball or softball league. Take a ballroom dancing class. Trade your running shoes for a swimsuit. Remember, exercise doesn't have to be drudgery.
5.Make physical activity part of your daily routine. If it's hard to find time for exercise, don't fall back on excuses. Schedule workouts as you would any other important activity. You can also slip in physical activity throughout the day. Be creative! Take a walk during your child's music lesson. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Pedal a stationary bike or do strength training exercises with resistance tubing while you watch TV at night.
6.Put it on paper. Are you hoping to lose weight? Boost your energy? Sleep better? Manage a chronic condition? Write it down! Seeing the benefits of regular exercise on paper may help you stay motivated.
7.Seek support. You're not in this alone. Invite a friend or co-worker to join you when you exercise. Work out with your spouse or your kids. Take a class at a local fitness center.
8.Track your progress. It may help to keep an exercise diary. Record what you did during each exercise session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterward. Recording your efforts can help you work toward your goals — and remind you that you're making progress.
9.Reward yourself. After each exercise session, take a few minutes to sit down and relax. Reflect on what you've just accomplished. Savor the good feelings that exercise gives you. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise. External rewards can help, too. When you reach a longer range goal, treat yourself to a new pair of walking shoes or new tunes to enjoy while you exercise.
10.Be flexible. If you're too busy to work out or simply don't feel up to it, take a day or two off. Be gentle with yourself if you need a break. The important thing is to get back on track as soon as you can.
Now that you're enthusiastic again, get moving! Set your goals, make it fun and pat yourself on the back from time to time. Remember, physical activity is for life. Review these tips whenever you feel your motivation sliding.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Fighting flab at 40!
Metabolism is really only a small part of why it's harder to lose weight after 40. Age and life tend to conspire against.
By Neil Osterweil
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson Mathis, MD
It ranks right up there with "the check is in the mail," "the dog ate my homework," and "I will never lie to the American people." Of course, we're talking about "It isn't me, it's my metabolism."
Well, if you're over age 40, the oldest cop-out in the book may have some truth to it after all. Yes Virginia, you really can blame it on your metabolism.
But only a little.
Even if you're sitting or lying down while reading this article, your body is still burning calories; the rate at which it does so is called your resting metabolic rate. As you age, your metabolism tends to decelerate by about 5% for every decade of life past age 40, so that if your resting metabolic rate is, say, 1,200 calories per day at age 40, it will be around 1,140 at age 50.
"At age 40 to maintain your weight, that is to not gain weight, you're going to have to eat 100 calories less a day, and that has nothing to do with anything other than the natural course of aging. That means your resting metabolic rate," Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center and associate director of the UPMC Nutrition Center in Pittsburgh, tells WebMD.
But metabolism is really only a small part of the story. Age and life tend to conspire against us in the battle to lose weight over 40, Fernstrom says.
"As we age, our lives become more complicated, whether it's with children, with work, with aging parents, and so we have less time really to be more physically active and pay attention to what we're eating. Food is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in large portions that are relatively economical and so food is always around, and we tend to have more mindless eating and cut down on activities," she says.
Mass Exodus
When it comes to pinning blame on changes in metabolism there are handful of prime suspects, says Pamela Peeke, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who specializes in nutrition and stress, particularly among adults on the far side of 40.
"Metabolism is based upon three different factors," Peeke tells WebMD. "The first factor is genetics. We're good, but we can't fudge with that yet -- give us time, however.
"Number two is thyroid function, and interestingly enough, here's where we get gender specificity. Women have much greater thyroid issues than men, by a at least 10 to 1, and it's quite gradual, so women may find that they're losing some of that metabolic edge during their 40s also because thyroid issues begin to spring up."
Mass Exodus continued...
The third factor affecting metabolism, Peeke says, is muscle mass. In the 40s and beyond, "lifestyle changes rather dramatically and it's sort of a keen grasp of the obvious that everyone's sitting on their butts. So what's happening is if you don't use it, you lose it, and in your 40s you don't just lose it, it melts."
Recent research suggests that women on average will lose muscle mass twice as fast as men the same age, and that can make a huge difference in their ability to lose or at least maintain weight, Peeke says. Muscle is far more "metabolically active" than fat, meaning that lean, more muscular people have an easier time burning calories at rest than to people with higher proportions of body fat.
"Let's say I've worked out at the gym and I have a new pound on board, or, for that matter, I take an old muscle mass on me that's untrained and now I train it and preserve that pound. That muscle mass may now burn between 35 to 50 calories extra a day, versus the same pound of fat, which would burn anywhere from 5-10 calories a day.
"So it's extremely important to know that muscle is very metabolically active and that you don't want to lose it. That being said, a typical can man can lose over the course of the age of 30 through the age of 50 anywhere between 5 and 10 pounds of muscle mass. A woman could definitely lose that -- that's a given because she, through repeated dieting and decreased physical activity, will lose that," Peeke says.
Old Wives' Tales?
Of course, if you wait long enough, say about 25 years, the weight gains that started to accelerate may begin to reverse themselves, says a researcher who studies metabolism in people in their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
"People tend to gain weight steadily, on average -- not everybody -- and get more fat and tend to lose lean mass up to about age 65, and then what happens is that there's a downward trend: Now people start to kind of slowly lose weight -- again, not everybody, but the trend is that as you get older -- the general population I see is in the 70s and 80s -- they tend to lose weight," says Michi Yukawa, MD, MPH, acting instructor in the department of medicine and the division of gerontology and geriatric medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.
"Why they lose that is the topic of my research. It may be various hormonal changes, metabolic changes, and the fact that they just don't eat as much as they used to. They lose their appetite, which can be due to a variety of factors, such as stress, loss of spouses and friends, money issues, or many other things."
Old Wives' Tales? continued...
But you don't have to wait for age to take its course, Fernstrom says.
"Even if we do have a small, let's say, biological sabotage built in, it does not mean everyone is destined to gain weight as they grow older. It's sort of an old wives' tale that you'll gain 30 or 40 pounds as you continue through middle age -- it can easily happen, but it's very easy to offset the change in metabolic rate," she tells WebMD.
"For most people that's going to be 100 calories a day approximately, and, you know, you look at 100 calories, if you are overconsuming just that 100 calories, you can gain 10 pounds in a year if you are out of sync 100 calories a day. So you don't have to have a lot of extra calories to have what I call weight creep."
Regular exercise is also key to getting metabolism back on your side, Peeke adds.
"The kind of physical activity that people are choosing to do in their 40s is nowhere near as intense as it's supposed to be. So to get over that metabolic speed bump we ask for an increase in intensity on the part of these happy campers. What does that mean? Instead of walking on the flat, throw in some hills. Ramp up the resistance on your resistance training, or for that matter the resistance on a cross-trainer. It's all the same."
By Neil Osterweil
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson Mathis, MD
It ranks right up there with "the check is in the mail," "the dog ate my homework," and "I will never lie to the American people." Of course, we're talking about "It isn't me, it's my metabolism."
Well, if you're over age 40, the oldest cop-out in the book may have some truth to it after all. Yes Virginia, you really can blame it on your metabolism.
But only a little.
Even if you're sitting or lying down while reading this article, your body is still burning calories; the rate at which it does so is called your resting metabolic rate. As you age, your metabolism tends to decelerate by about 5% for every decade of life past age 40, so that if your resting metabolic rate is, say, 1,200 calories per day at age 40, it will be around 1,140 at age 50.
"At age 40 to maintain your weight, that is to not gain weight, you're going to have to eat 100 calories less a day, and that has nothing to do with anything other than the natural course of aging. That means your resting metabolic rate," Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center and associate director of the UPMC Nutrition Center in Pittsburgh, tells WebMD.
But metabolism is really only a small part of the story. Age and life tend to conspire against us in the battle to lose weight over 40, Fernstrom says.
"As we age, our lives become more complicated, whether it's with children, with work, with aging parents, and so we have less time really to be more physically active and pay attention to what we're eating. Food is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in large portions that are relatively economical and so food is always around, and we tend to have more mindless eating and cut down on activities," she says.
Mass Exodus
When it comes to pinning blame on changes in metabolism there are handful of prime suspects, says Pamela Peeke, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who specializes in nutrition and stress, particularly among adults on the far side of 40.
"Metabolism is based upon three different factors," Peeke tells WebMD. "The first factor is genetics. We're good, but we can't fudge with that yet -- give us time, however.
"Number two is thyroid function, and interestingly enough, here's where we get gender specificity. Women have much greater thyroid issues than men, by a at least 10 to 1, and it's quite gradual, so women may find that they're losing some of that metabolic edge during their 40s also because thyroid issues begin to spring up."
Mass Exodus continued...
The third factor affecting metabolism, Peeke says, is muscle mass. In the 40s and beyond, "lifestyle changes rather dramatically and it's sort of a keen grasp of the obvious that everyone's sitting on their butts. So what's happening is if you don't use it, you lose it, and in your 40s you don't just lose it, it melts."
Recent research suggests that women on average will lose muscle mass twice as fast as men the same age, and that can make a huge difference in their ability to lose or at least maintain weight, Peeke says. Muscle is far more "metabolically active" than fat, meaning that lean, more muscular people have an easier time burning calories at rest than to people with higher proportions of body fat.
"Let's say I've worked out at the gym and I have a new pound on board, or, for that matter, I take an old muscle mass on me that's untrained and now I train it and preserve that pound. That muscle mass may now burn between 35 to 50 calories extra a day, versus the same pound of fat, which would burn anywhere from 5-10 calories a day.
"So it's extremely important to know that muscle is very metabolically active and that you don't want to lose it. That being said, a typical can man can lose over the course of the age of 30 through the age of 50 anywhere between 5 and 10 pounds of muscle mass. A woman could definitely lose that -- that's a given because she, through repeated dieting and decreased physical activity, will lose that," Peeke says.
Old Wives' Tales?
Of course, if you wait long enough, say about 25 years, the weight gains that started to accelerate may begin to reverse themselves, says a researcher who studies metabolism in people in their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
"People tend to gain weight steadily, on average -- not everybody -- and get more fat and tend to lose lean mass up to about age 65, and then what happens is that there's a downward trend: Now people start to kind of slowly lose weight -- again, not everybody, but the trend is that as you get older -- the general population I see is in the 70s and 80s -- they tend to lose weight," says Michi Yukawa, MD, MPH, acting instructor in the department of medicine and the division of gerontology and geriatric medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.
"Why they lose that is the topic of my research. It may be various hormonal changes, metabolic changes, and the fact that they just don't eat as much as they used to. They lose their appetite, which can be due to a variety of factors, such as stress, loss of spouses and friends, money issues, or many other things."
Old Wives' Tales? continued...
But you don't have to wait for age to take its course, Fernstrom says.
"Even if we do have a small, let's say, biological sabotage built in, it does not mean everyone is destined to gain weight as they grow older. It's sort of an old wives' tale that you'll gain 30 or 40 pounds as you continue through middle age -- it can easily happen, but it's very easy to offset the change in metabolic rate," she tells WebMD.
"For most people that's going to be 100 calories a day approximately, and, you know, you look at 100 calories, if you are overconsuming just that 100 calories, you can gain 10 pounds in a year if you are out of sync 100 calories a day. So you don't have to have a lot of extra calories to have what I call weight creep."
Regular exercise is also key to getting metabolism back on your side, Peeke adds.
"The kind of physical activity that people are choosing to do in their 40s is nowhere near as intense as it's supposed to be. So to get over that metabolic speed bump we ask for an increase in intensity on the part of these happy campers. What does that mean? Instead of walking on the flat, throw in some hills. Ramp up the resistance on your resistance training, or for that matter the resistance on a cross-trainer. It's all the same."
What do you do when your stressed?
What do you do when you are stressed during the holidays? Some people deal very well with stress, however most people do not. The body holds in stress and it can put some major wear and tear on the inside especially the muscles in your upper back, your heart and your digestive system!
What can you do?
Try these simple steps to de-stressing through the holidays!
Shop while the kids are in school (yours or others) to minimze the (busy) hours!
Eat something healthy before you leave the house, it will give you energy and you will not have to stop for the icky fast food!!
Do 20 minutes of yoga before and after shopping or holiday gatherings to calm the body and mind.
When your feeling a bit of tension, stop and think of why your stressing, is it really worth it? Then do some deep breathing in and out 5x!
Stay calm, exercise and eat healthy this holiday season!
What can you do?
Try these simple steps to de-stressing through the holidays!
Shop while the kids are in school (yours or others) to minimze the (busy) hours!
Eat something healthy before you leave the house, it will give you energy and you will not have to stop for the icky fast food!!
Do 20 minutes of yoga before and after shopping or holiday gatherings to calm the body and mind.
When your feeling a bit of tension, stop and think of why your stressing, is it really worth it? Then do some deep breathing in and out 5x!
Stay calm, exercise and eat healthy this holiday season!
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