Processed Food Pitfalls

1. Palm Oil
When a regular fat like corn, soybean, or palm oil is blasted with hydrogen and turned into a solid, it becomes a trans fat. These evil anti-nutrients help packaged foods stay “fresh,” meaning that the food can sit on the supermarket shelf for years without ever getting stale or rotting. Eating junk food with trans fats raises your “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and lowers your “good” HDL. These fats also increase your risk of blood clots and heart attack. Avoid palm oil and other trans fats like the plague, and kiss fried foods goodbye too, since they’re usually fried in one of these freakish trans-fatty oils.

2. Shortening
Ditch any food that lists shortening or partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient, since these are also evil trans fats. In addition to clogging your arteries and causing obesity, they also increase your risk of metabolic syndrome. Choose healthier monounsaturated fats, such as olive, peanut and canola oils and foods that contain unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids instead.

3. White Flour, Rice, Pasta, and Bread
When a whole grain is refined, most of its nutrients are sucked out in an effort to extend its shelf life. Both the bran and germ are removed, and therefore all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Because these stripped down, refined grains are devoid of fiber and other nutrients, they’re also easy to digest — TOO EASY. They send your blood sugar and insulin skyrocketing, which can lead to all sorts of problems. Replace processed grains with whole grains, like brown or wild rice, whole-wheat breads and pastas, barley, and oatmeal.

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup
The evil king of all refined grains is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The amount of refined sugar we consume has declined over the past 40 years, but we’re consuming almost 20 times as much HFCS. According to researchers at Tufts University, Americans consume more calories from HFCS than any other source. It’s in practically EVERYTHING. It increases triglycerides, boosts fat-storing hormones, and drives people to overeat and gain weight. Adopt my zero-tolerance policy, and steer clear of this sweet “poison.”

5. Artificial Sweeteners
Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), saccharin (Sweet'N Low, SugarTwin), and sucralose (Splenda) may be even harder on our metabolic systems than plain old sugar. These supposedly diet-friendly sweeteners may actually be doing more harm than good! Studies suggest that artificial sweeteners trick the brain into forgetting that sweetness means extra calories, making people more likely to keep eating sweet treats without abandon. Nip it in the bud. Scan ingredient labels and ban all artificial sweeteners from entering your mouth.

6. Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Benzoate
These preservatives are sometimes added to soda to prevent mold from growing, but benzene is a known carcinogen that is also linked with serious thyroid damage. Dangerous levels of benzene can build up when plastic bottles of soda are exposed to heat or when the preservatives are combined with ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Don’t risk it, people

7. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
BHA is another potentially cancer-causing preservative, but it has been deemed safe by the FDA. Its job is to help prevent spoilage and food poisoning, but it’s a major endocrine disruptor and can seriously mess with your hormones. BHA is in HUNDREDS of foods. It’s also found in food packaging and cosmetics. BHA has many aliases. You can look them up. Or you can follow my advice and DITCH processed foods altogether.

8. Sodium Nitrates and Sodium Nitrites
No that’s not a typo. These two different preservatives are found in processed meats like bacon, lunch meat, and hot dogs. They’re some of the worst offenders, and they’re believed to cause colon cancer and metabolic syndrome, which can lead to diabetes. Protect your health by always choosing fresh, organic meats.

9. Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow
The artificial colors blue 1 and 2, green 3, red 3, and yellow 6 have been linked to thyroid, adrenal, bladder, kidney, and brain cancers. Always seek out foods with the fewest artificial chemicals, especially when shopping for your kids. Look for color-free medications and natural food products that don’t contain artificial colors like these.

10. MSG
Monosodium glutamate is a processed “flavor enhancer.” While glutamates are present in some natural foods, such as meat and cheese, the ones exploited by the processed-foods industry are separated from their host proteins through hydrolysis. The jury is still out on how harmful MSG may be, but high levels of free glutamates have been shown to seriously screw with brain chemistry. Don’t fall prey to chemical flavor enhancing. Just play it safe and flavor your food naturally.

Walk..Walk..Walk.. Walk Your Way to Fitness

Some of the many benefits of a regular walking workout include:
* Cardiovascular health. Fitness walking strengthens your heart, improves your circulation, and lowers your blood

* Bone health. As a weight-bearing exercise, walking can stop some of the bone loss of osteoporosis and may slow down arthritis.

* Weight loss. A regular walking workout burns calories. If you walk 4 miles four times a week, you can walk off about a half-pound of fat every month. Weight loss combined with a healthy diet can also decrease your risk of type 2

* Mental health. Studies show that fitness walking reduces stress and improves your overall sense of emotional well-being. A regular walking workout can help you enjoy deeper, more restful sleep, which may decrease your risk for anxiety and depression.

How to Start Your Walking Workout
* Work up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking a day.

* Warm up by walking at your normal pace for about 5 minutes and then pick up the pace for about 15 minutes.

* While you walk, swing your arms and maintain good posture.

* Take long strides, but don't strain

* Slow down at the end of your walk and do some gentle stretching.

How to Lose Those Last 10 Pounds

Ten pounds is a magic number for many people. If you have a lot to lose, 10 pounds motivates you to keep counting calories and forge ahead. And at the end of a diet, 10 pounds is the golden path to the finish line.

There’s no big secret to losing 10 pounds, say experts. Success depends ultimately on burning more calories than you eat. It is possible to lose weight just by cutting down on calories or just by exercising, but the most effective and healthy way to lose weight is to do both.

Here is a multi-step plan to help you reach your goal:

Step 1: Record what you eat. A detailed food journal is a great tool when you’re counting calories, but can be so much more. As you diet, look for patterns that show you ways to improve your plan. Review your journal for:

* Times when you crave food; make sure you have healthy, low-calorie snacks to reach for.
* Opportunities to replace fat — steam-cook food with water instead of in oil, try mustard on a sandwich instead of mayonnaise, and drizzle fat-free dressing on your salad.
* Serving sizes that are too large; scale back.
* High-calorie drinks, including soda, sweet tea, sweetened or flavored milks, sweetened coffees, alcohol, and juices; replace with water, low-fat milk, or sugar-free drinks.
* High-calorie additions to low-calorie foods — skip the cheese and nuts on salads and the butter on potatoes, for example.

Step 2: Pick a calorie-counting goal. “Definitely having a realistic weight goal makes good sense,” says dietitian Jenna Anding PhD, RD, department of nutrition and food science at the Texas A&M System at College Station. “Eliminating 500 calories a day can help promote a one-pound-per-week weight loss. Increasing physical activity can also help promote weight loss.”

Here’s what you need to know about counting calories:

* Aim to lose up to two pounds a week, or 1 percent of your total body weight if you are over 200 pounds.
* You can lose 10 pounds in less than 10 weeks if you cut out or burn more than 500 calories daily. The best way is to do both — cut down on calories and increase the amount you burn through exercise.
* Don’t eat less than 1,200 calories a day. Your body will detect a "starvation" state and will revert to storing calories instead of burning them.
* Use our online tool to help you count calories.

Step 3: Eat filling, low-calorie foods. Replacing high-calorie foods with lower-calorie, large-volume foods will keep you full longer:

* Increase the vegetables on your plate. “By changing your food so that you still like it but lowering the calorie density, you can trick yourself into feeling full on fewer calories,” explains Barbara Rolls, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Penn. Foods with a lot of water in them, such as vegetables, fruits, and soups, can help you lose weight (at least 2 pounds more per year than people who just follow a low-fat diet), says Rolls.
* Increase your use of veggies in mixed dishes like casseroles or stew.
* Start with soup. Starting your meal with a soup of less than 200 calories can reduce your calorie intake from the main course by 20 percent.
* Start with fruit. Eating a raw apple before a meal keeps you feeling full longer, and will cut down on your calorie consumption by about 15 percent.
* Get enough lean protein throughout the day.

Step 4: Exercise. The people most successful at losing weight and keeping it off find ways to exercise almost every day. You can burn 100 to 200 calories daily with 30 to 45 minutes of brisk walking, and you can break up that time into segments throughout the day if that’s easier for you.

You can lose 10 pounds at any time with dedicated effort, though it may feel easier at the beginning of a diet when you are more focused and energized. Your body also senses that you’ve lost weight and has a natural tendency to gain it back. By developing good nutritional and exercise habits early on, you’re more likely to lose those last 10 pounds and keep them off.

A low-carb diet may help clear your complexion

While a low-carb diet is credited with providing a slim waistline, it may also improve acne.

On August 8, WebMD News reported that low-carb eating can help clear up acne by controlling glucose levels, which can promote a healthier complexion.

People with acne may have what is called hyperinsulinemia, which is characterized by excess levels of insulin in the blood. "Foods that are low in the glycemic index (GI) may contribute to the hormonal control of acne," said Alan R. Shalita, MD, chairman of the department of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York in an interview with WebMD.

"I would encourage patients with acne to moderate the amount of carbs that they eat and not to overdo dairy," which can also cause acne, he added.

Selecting foods lower on the glycemic index means avoiding blood sugar spikes with white rice, sweets, and white flour breads and opting for fresh foods, such as vegetables, meat, and fruits.

Shalita also debunked the myth that chocolate triggers blemishes, noting that for people who do react to chocolate, it is more a result of the sugar and fat in the candy.

If you have mild to moderate acne, Shalita recommends applying an over-the-counter salicylic acid cleanser followed by a benzoyl peroxide leave-on product to help dry the skin.

"If you don't respond, see a dermatologist," he said.

Other treatments for more severe acne include some oral contraceptives and oral or topical antibiotics.

New Study: Weight Loss Is Harder If You're Overweight to Begin With

Here's some sobering news for people who want to bring down their weight. According to the UK's Medical Research Council (MRC), once a person starts gaining weight, she will spend a significant amount of time and effort to lose it.

This result was gleaned from two studies, one which involved 5,362 people who were born in 1946, and another which involved 20,000 more individuals who were born in 1958. According to a report on the findings that were published on MarieClaire.co.uk, Rebecca Hardy of the MRC said "both groups [of people] began increasing in weight in the 1980s and since then have been increasing in mass all through life." She adds, "For men it goes up steadily. For women it starts slowly and accelerates in [their] mid-thirties. Once people become overweight, they continue relentlessly upwards."

The MRC further states that instead of focusing on ways to diet and lose weight, they said health campaigners should focus on preventing people from becoming overweight to begin with. But despite the fact that diet may not have much to do with slimming down, the MRC continues to encourage people to increase their physical activity and eat healthier food.

Ways to Burn Fat

Take five
Do five minutes of exercise each morning. We all have a metabolic thermostat, called the metastat, that can be turned up or down, and morning is the best time to activate it. Each day, your metastat is waiting for signals to rev up, so the more signals you can send it, the better. Your best bet is a light, full-body activity like walking or push-ups.

Fuel up in the morning
Numerous studies have found that regular breakfast eaters are often leaner than breakfast skippers. "Your metabolism naturally slows at night, but you can jump-start it in the morning by eating breakfast," says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., C.D.N., co-author of Fire Up Your Metabolism. And because both your activity level and metabolism decrease later in the day, it's a good idea to make breakfast or lunch your largest meal.

Fill up on good grains
Whole grains such as brown rice, wheat germ, dark bread, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal and bran leave you feeling full because they take longer to digest than simple carbohydrates. In a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School evaluated the dietary intake of more than 74,000 women for 12 years. Overall, women who regularly ate the most whole-grain foods — about 1.5 servings a day — gained less weight than women who ate the least.

Pump yourself up
Muscle burns more calories than fat does, and decreased muscle mass can be one of the main reasons metabolism slows. Disuse can cause women to drop as much as 10 pounds of muscle between the ages of 30 and 50. Losing that much muscle means you'll burn 350 to 500 fewer calories a day. To build and maintain muscle mass, aim for two to three strength-training workouts a week. If you don't belong to a gym, try push-ups, squats, abdominal crunches and tricep dips off a chair.

Power on with protein
Add a little high-quality, lowfat protein, such as chicken, fish and egg whites, to your meals, and you'll help your body burn fat faster. "Because protein requires more energy to digest, it speeds up your metabolism, and protein is necessary to ensure against loss of muscle tissue," says Michael Thurmond, author of 6 Day Body Makeover.

Get your vitamin "I"
That's "I" for intensity. You love to walk, but if that usually means strolling along at a snail's pace, your waistline will pay little attention. Instead, put intensity, or "vitamin I," into your stride. Pick up your pace so you're walking at 4 mph, or one mile per 15 minutes. Once you build up your cardiovascular fitness level, you can even alternate between walking and jogging. The key is to get your heart rate up and keep your workouts challenging.

Say yes to yogurt
In a recent study from the International Journal of Obesity, women who ate three daily servings of lowfat yogurt lost 60 percent more fat than women who didn't. In another study, participants who ate three daily servings of dairy lost more than twice as much fat as those who ate less than that. "Calcium-rich diets reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase enzymes that break down fat," says Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D., lead author of both studies and director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Eat three servings of lowfat dairy a day, like milk, yogurt and hard cheeses (Gouda, Cheddar and Monterey Jack).

Get active after eating
Your body's metabolic rate increases 10 percent after eating, and just a few minutes of activity could double that boost for up to three hours. Within 15 to 30 minutes of eating a snack or meal, do five or 10 minutes of light activity. Take the dog for a walk, climb stairs in your house or do some basic strength exercises.

Sip green tea
You might love your lattes, but if you switch to green tea, not only will you get a healthy dose of disease-fighting compounds, you'll also cut body fat. In a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than people who drank black tea. Researchers at a health care lab in Tokyo believe disease-fighting antioxidants called catechins in green tea may help decrease body fat.


source: everydayhealth

8 Triggers That Change Your Metabolism

If you’ve ever had trouble losing weight, you’ve probably placed at least some of the blame on a slow metabolism. It’s true that your basal metabolic rate — the rate at which your body uses energy — can affect your ability to shed pounds. But there are also a few external, controllable factors that can slow down that metabolic rate, says Michael West, MD, an endocrinologist with Washington Endocrine Clinic in Washington, D.C.

Here are eight triggers that can slow metabolism, some (but not all) of which you can control, to make sure you aren’t sabotaging your weight-loss efforts.

1. Age.
As you get older, your ability to quickly use up energy diminishes and your metabolism can slow. “As cells age, they do metabolize less rapidly,” Dr. West says. Older people also tend to have less muscle mass than younger people, which translates to a reduced metabolic rate. While you can’t make yourself younger to speed up your metabolism, West suggests being diligent about getting enough exercise — many people tend to get out of the habit as they age.

2. Stress.
When your nerves are frazzled, your body releases cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal system that is linked to weight gain. “There are definitely established links between psychological stress and the adrenal system,” West says. To make sure that stress isn’t making it harder to take off pounds, try to calm yourself by reducing the controllable stressors in your life. For example, if heavy traffic makes you nervous, avoid the roadways during rush hour. Regular physical activity, deep breathing, and even professional help from a psychologist or counselor may also be helpful.

3. Poor sleep habits.
Getting too little shut-eye can significantly alter your body’s processes enough to predispose you to gain weight. “There was a recent study where healthy volunteers were subjected to poor sleep,” West says. “Even over one night, the lack of sleep was significant enough to disrupt their metabolic patterns and give them more insulin resistance, which is a risk factor for diabetes.” Insulin resistance has also been associated with obesity. To increase the chances of boosting metabolism, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

4. Lack of exercise.
Exercise not only helps you expend more calories while you’re physically active, but there’s also some evidence that it may increase your resting metabolic rate. To make sure you get enough exercise for boosting metabolism, set aside a dedicated period of time, rather than trying to accomplish it during the course of your everyday activities. Adults ages 18 to 64 need about two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, as well as strengthening exercises for all muscle groups twice a week.

5. Diet.
It may be tempting to severely restrict your calories or skip meals to lose weight, but that may be a self-defeating practice. Not eating enough can actually cause your metabolism to slow down in an attempt to conserve calories. “There’s something to be said for eating a small meal around breakfast time to get your metabolism moving for the day,” West says. “Eating small meals throughout the day can also be helpful.” What’s more, under-eating or meal-skipping can make you more likely to overeat at your next meal.

A few studies have also shown that caffeine-containing drinks like green tea and foods containing capsaicin (a chemical that gives spicy foods their heat) may cause temporary increases in metabolic rates. However, they only increase energy expenditure and fat-burning by a very small amount.

6. Medication.
Certain drugs can make it easy to put on pounds and hard to lose them. “Some antipsychotic drugs used for bipolar disorder and depression can make patients put on significant amounts of weight,” West says. One such medication, olanzapine (Zyprexa) has been shown to promote weight gain. Scientists aren’t sure why it happens, West says. If you feel your medications may be causing your body to hang on to extra weight, talk to your physician. He may be able to switch you to another drug that’s less likely to have those unwanted side effects.

7. Weather.
There is some evidence that exposure to colder temperatures causes an increase in metabolism, as the body attempts to stay warm. However, research in this area is scarce, West says. People living in cold climates may be more likely to gain weight, he adds, because the low temps have a negative effect on their moods. “When you have long winters, you can have depression, and depression can cause people to gain weight,” West says. If you live in a cold place, be extra vigilant for symptoms of depression, and talk to your doctor if the blues don’t go away.

8. Illnesses.
There are some medical conditions that can make losing weight more difficult. For example, thyroid problems like hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, can cause body functions to slow down and weight gain to result. In men, low testosterone levels can have the same effect. Medications are available to relieve most of these conditions or eliminate their symptoms. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for some time and have been unsuccessful, ask your doctor about screening tests for these conditions.

Increase the amount of exercise you do, get enough sleep, and talk to your doctor about medical conditions that can be affecting your metabolism — these steps may bring about the positive changes you’re looking for.

New Study: Having an Impulsive Personality Could Be Piling on Pounds

Your personality can influence your rate of weight gain and loss, says a study published by the American Psychological Association. The researchers, who came from the National Institute of Aging, examined associations between the personality traits and weight and body mass index of 1,988 people over an extended period of time. According to the results, "study participants who scored in the top 10 percent on impulsivity weighed an average of 22 lbs. more than those in the bottom 10 percent."

"Previous research has found that impulsive individuals are prone to binge eating and alcohol consumption," Dr. Angelina R. Sutin, one of the lead researchers, says. "These behavioral patterns may contribute to weight gain over time."

Among other study participants who tended to gain more weight were those who were "cynical, competitive, and aggressive." Meanwhile, those who were conscientious were generally slim.

"The pathway from personality traits to weight gain is complex and probably includes physiological mechanisms, in addition to behavioral ones," Dr. Sutin is quoted as saying. "We hope that by more clearly identifying the association between personality and obesity, more tailored treatments will be developed. For example, lifestyle and exercise interventions that are done in a group setting may be more effective for extroverts than for introverts."