School of Weight Loss

If you haven’t seen them in the snack isles take another look — there are about 175 different products that the manufacturers have created in 100 calorie snack packs. These are geared towards the individuals who want to control their portions and the manufacturers would like to help.

Now you can be happier with your snacking because they have taken care of it for you. From Nabisco Oreos to Hershey Dark Chocolate and Natural popcorn you can find something to snack on now that should not affect your dieting plans. Or does it?

Recently we looked into this phenomenon by asking some of our friends to see whether they had tried these snack packs. For some it was a great idea because it was just enough for them to eat. They didn’t have to worry about the portions anymore and they could still have a little of what they wanted.

For others it was a nightmare because they couldn’t stop at eating just one pack. There is something about the human psyche that tells you that you can just have one more because they are small.

What You Can Do
Some fitness experts suggest that if you do get a box of one of these treats that you can put it into your freezer. Each day you can take one out and let it thaw. This way you keep the snacking under control a little more. If you find that this still doesn’t work, you can always share the box with a friend or with the neighborhood kids.

Another good idea is to think about your hunger at the time. If you find that you are eating more than one package because you are hungry, add an apple or a few grapes to the snack. As an example, a few nuts, an apple and one of the snack packs can turn into a really good snack.

Beware Of The Non-Nutritional Value In These Snack Packs
Most of the time, this is just another ploy for the manufacturer to get your money. There is going to be a lot of sugar in some of these so you have to be careful and read the packaging. You may also find that it just isn’t worth if you are always attempting to decide how many of the packages to eat.

You might also find that sitting down with a little tuna fish or salmon, a few grapes and perhaps a small amount of noodles might be a much better and more nutritious snack than one of these small bags.

The point is that when you are making a point to eat more nutritionally, it is important to pick foods that support that choice. This stops you from getting into the old habit of snacking on foods that don’t work well for you and sticking to those that do.

Although they look cute and they seem appropriate for your use, they may be better for the kid’s lunch or for a treat after school.  Remember, it’s not all about the calories, it’s about eating healthy food sources.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Recently Star Jones and Oprah Winfrey made statements about their weight loss. Neither women really wanted to have to say anything in public, but they are in the public eye and people look to them to be role models.

In towns all over America there are fitness trainers who are not as openly in the public as Jones or Winfrey but they do feel the same obligation to the public to look the way they are expected to look. This puts a lot of pressure on someone and creates stress that isn’t necessary.

Take the case of Jenny who can be in any town anywhere. She is a fitness instructor who is going through a rough patch with her personal life. She has maintained her weight for many years and now she is beginning to gain again. Although she has only gained 20 pounds back she remembers when she started losing and had lost over 100 pounds.

Recently on the television show The Biggest Loser one of the contestants was taken off the show because she had gained weight. They then went back on the show weighing 145 that she had trimmed down to, on her own. She was to return to the show one more time, but now she was back up to 200 pounds.

These stories are here just to say that most people are not sure what happens when they start to gain again, but the truth is that struggle with weight can be a lifelong battle. One of the challenges is that the focus is always on how to lose weight but not necessarily on how to keep it off.

All of these women found that being in the public eye brought about more stress. They admit that they often set the bar too high, and then the pressure to keep the weight off became difficult.

Does that happen to the average person? You bet it does, and many people are finding their way back again to the size they enjoyed. One of the things that people are realizing is that they didn’t really deal with the issues that come up with weight loss.

Beyond your ideas of weight loss you also have to deal with the psychological issues that come up. As an example, Marsha was always told by everyone that she had such a pretty face when she was chubby as a youngster. When she got older and decided to do something about it she got those accolades again. She had a difficult time dealing with this because she felt she was the same person, fat or thin.

Losing weight is always difficult if people are watching you and waiting to see how you are doing. This puts pressure in the wrong places and generally will mean that the individual starts gaining again.

What’s the solution? Lose weight because you want to and not because you are trying to appease a public image. Live your life to the fullest and you won’t have to worry about what other people say at all.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Have you been the victim of starting a weight loss program with your spouse just to see it go sour? Many marriages can become shaky when one spouse loses weight faster than the other. In most cases it will be the male who actually loses weight fast.

Although most couples will think this is because guys are different in physical ways, research from Brookhaven National Laboratory found that it may have nothing to do with that; it may have to do with the way that the different sexes think about food.

The researchers in this study did a very elaborate process that started with having people fast for 17 hours. They then presented them with food, but would not allow them to eat it. They then instructed them to think about something other than the food. All of this was going on while they were being subjected to a CAT scan because they wanted to see what areas of the brain were affected by hunger.

What happens in the brain is that an individual is presented with a multiple of senses that create urgency in the brain to eat. Hunger and appetitive are actually processed in several different areas of the brain which is linked to emotional aspects of the brain. As an example, the brain records in the orbital frontal cortex our self-control. In the amygdale it records our strongest emotions.

They think that when we crave a certain food all of the areas of the brain that are affected start to scream for food. At this point the study participants were asked to think about something other than the food which they did but which they found difficult to do.  What they found that although both groups could lower the desire for food it was more difficult for women to stop thinking about it all together.

This meant that the women continued to have emotional cravings even after they had suppressed the need to eat. The doctor that conducted the study is not sure why there is such difference, but suspects that this is due to hormones. He also found through doing the PET scan that if the amygdala isn’t working correctly it can be extremely difficult to stop from feeling the cravings since it is the most primitive part of the brain.

The research implies that women have something wrong with the amygdala and it could be a response from hormones. Men on the other hand are able to turn off the amygdala with a lot of effort.

When men and women in a marriage start working out at the same time and are attempting to compete dieting they have already set themselves up for failure. Their brains work differently so when a man can stop worrying about food and move on, a woman may have to have the item in question before they can move on. At least this is what the study implies.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future.

Popularity: 49% [?]

Everyone that is into nutrition and weight loss will tell you that if you have to skip a meal let it be lunch or dinner because breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Some people wonder why this is so, and others just ignore it all together.

A new study from the University Of Minnesota School Of Public Health has found that children who eat breakfast in the morning are less prone to obesity than those who do not.

This was a study that connected with 2,200 adolescents and followed them over a five year period to see how their bodies changed. They found that those children who ate breakfast daily tended to have a more nutritional diet and be more physically active than those who skipped breakfast all together. In the five years that followed the breakfast eaters also had a lower BMI than the other children.

What they have taken from this information is that everyone really does need breakfast. We decided to take a look at this further. What we found is that this is a matter of common sense. When an individual goes to bed at night his body goes into a rest state.

In the rest state the body is really fasting so it doesn’t expect to take in food. If you do not get breakfast the body goes into crisis because it has gone too long without food. The body goes into hyper drive to store fat because it thinks it is starving to death. The best place to store fact is in the mid-section so that the body can send it out to any part of the body that might need it.

When you eat later at around noon, you have thrown off the rhythm of the body and the fat is already being stored. This belly fat as you know is the most difficult type of fat to get rid of in the average person.

Those people who eat breakfast are able to jumpstart their metabolism, and if you eat several small meals during the day, it can keep your metabolism working to burn fat for the entire day.

Eating a healthy breakfast can actually help you be less hungry throughout the day.

Tips For Eating A Healthy Breakfast
There is a wealth of information on the Internet about the types of foods that are great to eat and those that you should limit. Fruits and vegetables top the line of healthy foods and this is a great food group to experiment with during your day. Vegetables can be eaten at any meal and often they are tastier in the morning. Grains are also good in the morning. Try rice with mushrooms and add brussel sprouts with a cup of juice or a piece of fruit for a quick morning charger.

You can also have a fresh fruit salad and a slice of toast or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some milk.  Breakfast doesn’t have to be a long elaborate process, but it should be satisfying and yummy.

Popularity: 7% [?]

By now everyone has heard that the way to lose weight is through a nutritional diet and exercise. Kissing the fast foods and the carbonated beverages good-bye is part of the process. However, what happens when you haven’t exercised for years and you really want that piece of chocolate cake?

Step 1: What To Do First
When you decide to start a weight loss plan think of it as something that you are doing for your health. It is going to mean a lifestyle change so you need a baseline to work form. In order to do this you will need two pieces of information: Your BMI and how it compares to a healthy weight and knowledge about your intake of food.

Many people may find this disturbing because they already think they know what they eat but keeping a food diary can give you more information. According to the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition, James O. Hill, PhD, at the University of Colorado in Denver, eating is something that most people do without thinking about it. A food diary can help you focus on those things that you eat that are adding calories to your body.

The next step is to make a commitment to yourself to lose the amount of weight you want to lose. This is difficult for some people especially when they want something that isn’t on their menu. This is an important step because without it people usually go back to their old habits.

Step 2: Making Better Food Choices
If you are someone who is very busy it can be difficult to think about eating better. The truth is that today many restaurants have healthy food choices that can be better for you than what you are used to eating. You can choose vegetables and fruit over fried foods and desserts.

You can also start to snack on nutritional snacks like popcorn (without butter), fruits, nuts and seeds. These can make a great in-between meal snacks and many are very tasty. You can also include more vegetables, especially leafy vegetables into your food choices. All of these things will insure that your body is satisfied and also gets the vitamins and other nutrients it needs in a natural way.

Step 3: Exercise
It can be difficult to go to a gym and get exercise while some people find it difficult to walk. You can choose the type of exercise that fits your lifestyle. Activities like dance, swimming, bicycling and tennis may be alternatives to stationary bikes and treadmills. You can choose an activity that makes you feel the best or go back to something you once did as a child. You can also choose to get a few pieces of equipment like a fitness ball and some resistance bands to workout at home; you can always get videos from the library to help.

For guidelines on what to do with nutrition and exercise you might try going to the Healthy Body Revolution website for more information.

Popularity: 5% [?]

It turns out that obesity may not have anything to do with food at all, but it may have everything to do with a virus. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic are discovering that a virus could be the reason why many Americans are obese.

Although most people would agree that the way to keep obesity away is to eat healthy and exercise, this may only be part of the truth to getting in shape. There seem to be other factors that the Mayo Clinic is observing and this idea of a virus is one of them.

Richard Atkinson, M.D., at the Mayo Clinic has been studying research articles on obesity and he is finding there is a correlation between 3 human viruses and 5 animal viruses and obesity.

What They Found
The results of two of these viruses in studies were interesting and worth considering:

AD-36 — they found that by giving this human virus to animals it increased body fat and visceral fat also known as belly fat. They also found that this virus could be transmitted from an infected animal to a non-infected one. Atkinson did a study to look for this virus in 502 patients with varying weights. He found AD-36 antibodies in 30% of the obese patients and 11% of the lean ones; he also found large differences in their BMIs.

SMAM-1 — this was a virus that was found in chickens many years ago, in India. It was responsible for a large percentage of death in these chickens. A study that tested 52 obese people found that about 20% had been infected with this virus because they contained antibodies from it. The people who had been exposed were heavier and had a higher BMI than those who did not have the antibodies.

What They Can Do
At this time there is nothing to do except to continue to watch the virus. Atkinson thinks that there could be a virus vaccine developed to help, but this will take several years. We think this could be an interesting situation if people find out that they are severely obese because of a virus they carry.

This could be a medical breakthrough that is well worth waiting for because Americans are always looking for answers. If it were true that people who are severely obese could be victims of this virus running wild, a vaccine could be an alternative to surgery. It could also explain why an individual’s weight can seem so out of control.

This could answer the question of why some families are prone to weight gain and others are not. Perhaps this is something that happens in utero or it could be something that comes about because of the lack of whole foods that people eat; only time will tell.

Although there never is any substitute for good nutrition and exercise it could be something that if caught ahead of time, could change the course of a person’s life. We think this research should continue, to see what happens.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Many people struggle with their weight and eventually turn to gastric bypass as a solution. Usually this is someone who has a series of life threatening co-morbidities like sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease or asthma that have happened because of their obesity.

Researchers at John Hopkins University are testing out a way to suppress the hunger hormone that may be helpful in dealing with some obesity issues. According to their study, they have found that by suppressing the hunger hormone ghrelin they can effectively create a suppression of appetite in the individual.

This research has only been done in pigs for now, but if they can translate it to humans they think it could be a less invasive alternative to gastric bypass.  This new process called gastric artery chemical embolization or GACE actually chemically vaporizes a blood vessel that goes to the top of the stomach. By doing this it cannot create the hormone and the appetite suppresses. Since this is part of what gastric bypass does they are hopeful that this can be done in humans.

The research was conducted over a four week period with 10 healthy pigs. They have a similar anatomy to humans so they were chosen as the best alternative.

This does not seem to be a healthy alternative for gastric bypass patients when we look closer. Obesity is complicated and it is difficult for many people. Gastric bypass is a last resort alternative after an individual has tried many different forms of weight loss.

Being overweight in this case does not necessarily have to do with appetite. Instead, it is an imbalance in their body that the gastric bypass is used to change. There is also the psychological factor of weight loss — the mind tells the body when it is hungry, in a healthy individual; but does not necessarily tell an obese person when they are hungry or when they are full.

Generally, gastric bypass to help an individual change their metabolism to one where weight loss, is now possible. The John Hopkins research seems to imply that the individual who has an eating problem that can be helped by suppression appetite. If that were the only issue patients would have had some other form of weight loss work.

Although gastric bypass may suppress appetite at some point it is the not main focus for this surgery. It seems that the researchers at John Hopkins should study gastric bypass surgery more directly so they understand the ramifications of what they are researching. It did not seem that they were very knowledgeable about bypass surgery since they isolated it to only appetite suppress.

In some ways it seems like they are creating another hurdle for an obese person to have to jump over, and not getting specifically to the real problem.

In order for an individual to have healthy weight loss after bypass surgery, they have to retrain their brain in terms of the amount of food they eat and how often they eat. This is something that many people do not know going into the surgery.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Please note that I am not a fan of cutting calories for weight loss purposes, but this topic intrigued me for health reason so I decided to post it.  I think there are ways to get these same health benefits described below without cutting calories.

Just when you thought you had heard everything there is, a new study that tells us that cutting calories can actually help improve memory. This is particularly helpful for people over 50 who start to have challenges with remembering.

The study that appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal was done by researchers at the University of Munster. The study consisted of three groups of 50 elderly people with an average age of 60 years. They split the volunteers into three groups: Group 1 received a balanced diet with a normal number of calories, Group 2 received a balanced diet that added a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids and Group 3 received a calorie restricted diet.

This study carried out for awhile and after three months each group was given a memory test; the third group performed better than the other two on the test. This third group also showed physical signs of less inflammation and lower insulin levels which according to researchers, could explain why their memory was better.

The researchers feel that this information can help develop better strategies for adults as they age, to create better cognitive health. Eating a restricted calorie diet also needs to make sure that the individual receives the proper vitamins and minerals that are consistent with their needs. These were supplemented to the volunteers as necessary.

This information was not given so that people will rush out to create restricted calorie diets. This would be dangerous because the restriction would be different for each person, and they really need to be seen by a doctor. Instead, the research gives insight into what can happen for a variety of illnesses.

As an example, people suffering from Type2 Diabetes can improve their memories and drop their insulin levels by restricting their calories. Of course this too should be done under the direction of a doctor, but it is important to recognize this as a first step.

The reason researchers started this study was because they found that rats who received a diet fewer in calories by 30% seemed to improve their memory. We are not sure how that related to humans, but they decided that they should at least try to see if this also made sense.

Other physicians warn that this is only part of the picture and that there needs to be more study in the area to be certain that this works. They also caution that people who are at average weight or who are under weight should not use this type of diet.

Whether it improves memory or not it does seem that losing weight can help eliminate several health problems. There are studies that have been done to show that loss of even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure. This new study just adds to the fact that losing weight and getting into shape can assist in many ways that may not have been known prior to now. It will be interesting to see what they find out as they continue this research.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Weight loss is a craze in the United States rather than something important for most people. There are many who want to lose those 10 or 15 pounds of unsightly fat and others who want to lose more.

Most people spend a lot of time talking about it instead of changing their lifestyle, so they actually start losing. There are many ways that people sabotage their efforts over time.

Since so many people are focused on losing those extra pounds you may wonder why they aren’t successful. Here are a few reasons that sabotage people from their weight loss goals and what you can do:

Reason #1: They Go In With The Wrong Attitude
Many people want to lose weight, but they do not want to deal with the fact that it will require a change in attitude. They want to comfortably look like they are trying to shed extra pounds but in reality it doesn’t matter to them much. They would rather eat the unhealthy foods than to work for their goals.

What you can do: If you fall into this category take a look at your reasons for losing weight. Do you want to look your best? Is it for overall fitness? Or is it just to say that you are doing something? The way you feel about the whole weight loss agenda will determine whether you stick to a diet or not.

Reason #2: Failure to Adopt a Different Lifestyle
It is common knowledge that in order to lose weight you have to adopt a different lifestyle. If you continue eating the way you have been eating or ignoring exercise you will either maintain your weight or not lose anything. You will need to make some changes in order to move forward.

What you can do: Check out the FDA’s Food Pyramid and the Glycemic Index. Both have guidelines for the different types of foods to eat. Instead of eating fast food, replace it with snacks from these two guidelines. Learn to eat five or six small meals so that you do not get hungry during the day. Experiment with new foods, especially in vegetables and fruits to see what you like best. Consider the things that you would like to do once you get to your goal weight.

Reason#3: Failure to Exercise Properly
Exercise goes along with proper nutrition in order to get your body moving and help it burn fat. Unfortunately most people do not like exercise and it seems easier just to sit around and watch television. You don’t have to do anything fancy and many things can be done at home.

What you can do: Instead of worrying about it find an exercise that is fun for you to do. There are a variety of things you can try. Start at home by investing in a full program like the Turbulence Training Program that can get you started and moving well. This will work if you have just a little motivation to get started.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Most Americans know that obesity is something that plagues the United States. There is so much talk about it and so many news articles that you cannot help but see that this is a problem. Statistics show that at least 10-15% of overweight people are considered morbidly obese. When obesity continues, it creates other health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

For many Americans the idea of losing weight has failed. They have attempted several types of diet programs, they work out regularly, and they have changed their eating habits to accept more nutritious foods. For some reason, none of these things work to lose weight so they follow the final alternative which is Bariatric Surgery.

Although this has become a multi-billion industry for the surgeons who do the surgery, the individuals who elect the surgery still have to deal with learning how to lose weight after the surgery. Weight loss does not automatically happen afterwards, and they still have to watch what they eat.

The challenge for most is that after the surgery there are several psychological things that happen that no one really prepares them for, because the process is different for each person. If you are considering bariatric surgery, here are some things to consider before you do:

Ruen Y Gastric Bypass
Often people how have gastric bypass have challenges because this is a surgery that actually creates a pouch, so that you can only eat certain amounts of food. This cannot be reversed easily and it is something that most people have to live with for the rest of their lives. This can often be difficult when it enters into everyday life.

What Happens After Surgery
After surgery there are times when the individual may find they are grieving the loss of their old life. They can no longer eat as much as they used to and they cannot eat certain foods. The attitude must change in order to have a full life in this new lifestyle.

With Gastric Bypass they will have to limit the intake of food but it doesn’t mean they cannot eat some of the foods they once enjoyed.  Sometimes they will fell depressed when they go to a family gathering when they cannot eat like they once did. However, in the long run the surgery helps develop better eating habits.

After surgery it is also important to add exercise to increase weight loss. With the bypass surgery weight loss is very fast and it is very noticeable. Exercise will help stop flabby and loose skin as well as creating an opportunity to become fit. A good way to start is with an exercise ball and a DVD at home. Once exercise becomes routine walking or bicycling can also be added to create an overall fitness plan.

The bottom line is that when considering this surgery you also have to consider the fact that it is permanent and that you will have to change your lifestyle and your attitude in order to accommodate this new feature.

Popularity: 30% [?]