Maybe your diet was going along swimmingly for days or even weeks. You were sticking to your meal plans, avoiding certain foods, and turning down chocolate, cake and chips.
Whatever it was, you cracked, and you ended up eating rather a lot of all the wrong sorts of things.
So how can you beat your cravings next time? Here are a few “do”s and “don’t”s to try…
Hold the bacon!
Think twice when you choose what to put on your plate. A new study by Renata Micha of the Harvard School of Public Health has found that eating processed meats can raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Meats like sausage, bacon, hot dogs, and most deli lunch meats fall into this category. Eating unprocessed beef, pork and lamb may be a healthier option to consider.
For years, researchers have been studying what makes some people eat more than others: What makes some people eat more calories than they need? What makes us feel full? In 1994 scientists discovered a hormone called leptin. This hormone is produced mostly in the fat cells (a small amount is also produced in the stomach) and sends a signal to the brain that says “We’re full now; we can stop eating”.
What a momentous discovery! The finding of a hormone which signals to the brain we are full . . . Think of the possibilities: If we can isolate this hormone and deliver it to overweight people everywhere, we can suppress their voracious appetites, make them eat less, and eliminate the suffering from the consequences of being overweight forever!
Do you often end up eating on the run, grabbing lunch at your desk, or scoffing down dinner in front of the television?
Many of us do – and it’s one of the key reasons why we end up overeating. If we’re distracted during a meal, we’re likely to miss our body’s cues that we’re getting full. We also won’t get so much enjoyment from the food.
Eating mindfully means that you concentrate on the meal or snack which you’re enjoying, rather than shoveling food into your mouth while your thoughts are on something else entirely. I’ve come across the idea several times, but I particularly like this explanation from Willie Hewes:
One of the best ways to diet is to share your calories with a friend! Think of all the foods that have a part you favor: maybe it’s the pizza you love, but not the crust; the icing but not the cake; the clams but not the chowder; the chocolate chips more than the cookie. I know some of you are saying, ‘I love ALL the parts’, but surely there are times you finish a portion you’re just not that into simply because it’s in front of you.
A new study has found that women who live in homes where safe, nutritious food is hard to come by have poorer pregnancy outcomes than women who have easy access to nutritious food throughout their pregnancy. It’s no surprise that past studies have shown that women who live in homes where there is a lack of money to buy nutritional food are at greater risk for malnutrition. It may come as more of a surprise to discover that these same women report more obesity and obesity related problems than women who don’t fear having access to good food. A woman who is overweight or obese before becoming pregnant is at risk for a number of poor pregnancy outcomes, larger birth weight babies and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where food and/or liquid in the stomach leaks backwards into the esophagus which causes the often unavoidable demon burn that can ruin sleep and social lives. Treatments include avoidance of foods known to exacerbate these symptoms, such as alcohol, caffeine, and dairy, but if these do not work, there are over-the-counter antacids and prescription drugs available. It is thought to be caused by a weakening in the sphincter muscles located in the esophagus that prevent stomach contents from seeping back. People who suffer from GERD are also at increased risk for hiatal hernia and scleroderma. Symptoms include heartburn, nausea, chest pains, and sometimes vomiting. A recent study done at Mayo Clinic reveals that even a small amount of weight gain dramatically worsens the debilitating symptoms that plague people who suffer from GERD.
When you’re on a diet, it’s the little things which make the difference between success and failure. Ditching a daily soda and a donut is enough to let you lose a pound every week … but similarly, an extra snack or a sneaky nibble here and there will stop you making progress (or even see you piling the weight back on).
When it comes to exercise, most of us neither want nor need to be marathon runners. A half-hour daily walk, and ten minute of stretches during the commercial breaks on TV, is enough to start getting fitter and healthier.
Julie Lumeng, M.D., a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor recently published a study in the journal Pediatrics finding obese children are more likely to be bullied than those that aren’t obese.
The study followed 800 children who were born in 1991 and who lived in 10 different cities across the US. The children, teachers and parents were surveyed by researchers during third, fifth and sixth grades. An interesting detail of the survey is the children’s social skills were addressed in addition to whether they were being bullied. Weight status was measured simply by obtaining body mass index.
photo credit: alanclarkdesign
There have been many studies conducted over the past few years to find out if the internet can be a useful tool to aid in dieting. And the results are in: The answer is a resounding, “yes”! There are many types of programs on the world wide web that assist dieters in reaching their goal. Here are a few examples:
I had a baby 8months ago and i want to do somethng about the extra 30kg am carrying about.Its making me weak and tired easily .What do you advise?
Thanks a lot, Ayo in the UK
Dear Ayo,
I am currently on the HCG protocol, and the premise of the book is that the body has 3 types of fat. The first is normal fat, second is structural fat, and the third is abnormal fat. The hormone is supposed to release the abnormal fat stores your body typically wont release on a normal diet. Are there really 3 different types of fat or am I just losing weight due to the 500 calorie a day diet? I did lose 31 lbs in 43 days, but I know 5 of that was water, because I immediately gained that back. I would appreciate your comments. Jeff B.
Remember when you were a kid your mother would always tell you to eat your dinner slowly and carefully chew your food? And, you would just laugh and think it was another one of her crazy rules.
It seems our moms did know best. Several studies have shown that people consume more calories when they eat fast. It is one of the main reasons why eating slowly is often advised when a person is trying to maintain or lose weight.
Eating Speed Affects Obesity Hormone Levels
Salt is a common staple in many household foods. In fact, many of the foods have excessive amounts of salt in them, and we might not even realize it.Lately an effort is being made to put pressure on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help reduce the amount of salt found in many processed foods. They are proposing that the salt in processed foods be reduced in steps, so as not to affect the flavor too much at one time.
Do you ever feel like your diet is taking over your life? Perhaps you started off aiming to lose a few pounds and to have a bit more energy … but now you find yourself more and more driven towards getting the perfect figure and eating the perfect diet.
Maybe you’re looking at celebrities who work out for hours every day. Perhaps you’re feeling intimidated by a guru extolling the virtues of raw food eating. You might just feel that you’re on a journey with no end, where your body will never look just how you want.
Most people have experienced a moment that induces laughter so robust that it bring tears, causes stomach muscle contractions and effects breathing. But could you really benefit from incorporating laughter into your diet plan? Dr. Michael Miller, the director at the Center of Preventative Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, discovered that laughing for 15 minutes causes blood vessels to dilate in the same way as engaging in aerobic activity. People are beginning to believe that laughter could be an alternative to physical exercise in maintaining overall health.
The latest studies show nuts may be good for you if you are watching your weight, despite the fact they are high in fat and calories. If you watch your serving size you could come out ahead by snacking on nuts. Researchers aren’t certain what it is about nuts that helps us feel more full when we eat them. You can get these feelings of satiety from other foods high in fiber, protein, and some fats, but nuts seem to be the one food that has it all.
A well-balanced immune system is essential to good health. It helps our bodies fight infections and protects us from germs and other invaders. However, if you are carrying excess body fat, particularly in your abdominal area, your own immune system could be turning against you. The scientific community has known for a while now that excess abdominal fat can trigger the production of “pro-inflammatory” immune cells. These cells, like their name suggests, promote inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can lead to numerous health problems, including coronary artery disease and cancer.
You probably know that you should be eating more wholegrains: it’s been official nutrition advice for a while. But what exactly are wholegrains? And why are they particularly important for dieters?
The clue to wholegrains is in the name! They contain the “whole grain” – whereas refined grains (like white flour) only use the endosperm, the energy-dense inside part of the grain. Wholegrain foods keep the germ (which provides important nutrients) and the bran layer of the grain (which provides dietary fiber).
Common wholegrains include:
The obesity problem in America costs consumers billions of dollars every year in weight related illnesses, effects children’s performances in school and in social settings and is crippling the US military.
Michelle Obama is leading a campaign to fight childhood obesity. The program includes training and help for parents to encourage proper eating habits and lifestyles in children. Youngsters not only learn to make proper food choices, but must have adequate amounts of physical activity to remain healthy. Typically, a child requires 60 minutes of exercise or active play daily. Many of today’s youth spend the majority of recreational time in front of a TV or video game. It is estimated that children spend up to 7 hours a day engaged in sedentary activities.
photo credit: iheartsharts
I was watching “Ruby” the other day–a show about a woman who weighed over 700 pounds and her journey to continue losing weight–and they introduced an exercise called “gentle eating” in her support group. Ruby has a gathering each week she calls “women’s fat night” where she and her overweight friends gather to talk about their problems with eating. Recently she’s enlisted a therapist to join their group and lead them through helpful activities to learn more about why they eat too much. And this week the focus was on gentle eating.
Technology has turned a corner with some very interesting new fitness equipment. There is a recent trend being used to generate awareness of alternative energy sources and energy conservation. Organizations are teaching people about the need to make wise decisions in energy usage and to look for new sources of energy to power a world increasingly dependent on electricity.
You’ve been carrying some extra weight for years. Perhaps you’ve always been a little dissatisfied with your size, or your fitness levels. You may have been on diets in the past, only to give up quickly. But you’ve decided that now, it’s time to do something about your extra weight – for good.
When we start off a journey towards a new goal (such as losing 50lbs), we might feel like nothing can stop us. We feel motivated and energized to do whatever it takes to get to our target weight. Harness that motivation at the start of your diet, and make sure you start getting good habits and routines in place, so that you’re helped along when your willpower fades.
A friend of mine sent me a post the other day of a blogger regaling us of her day on “The Baby Food Diet”. Apparently there aren’t really any guidelines for following this outrageous plan yet regarding how much to eat of which foods. The blogger chose to eat all fruit flavors! The purpose seems to be eating controlled portions of food, with the added benefit of no preservatives and very little salt or other additives that are not considered healthy. Most jars of baby food have fewer than 100 calories, so you could eat about 14 jars a day (depending on your selections) for under 1200 calories. Anyone can lose weight on this calorie level!
I am a 30 year old female. I weigh 166 lbs currently after losing 15 lbs so far. I am 5’6″ tall. My question is how many calories a day should I be consuming. I recently increased my workouts from 3 times a week to 5-6 times a week. I do two 45 minute session of circuit training with my personal trainer (weights etc) along with at least 10-15 minutes of straight cardio per week. Then I do 3-4 workouts of strictly cardio (30-60 minutes long) per week.
