It makes NO SENSE to begin a weight loss program, if you don't know your Body Fat percentage, folks. I can't stress enough how it's not weight you want to lose, it's body fat. And there is medical proof that, if you start a calorie-reduction program, you will lose the ONE thing you don't want to lose...Lean Muscle Mass. In fact, on a calorie-reduction diet you can even GAIN fat, while losing weight on the scale!
Monitoring your Body Fat percentage will enable you to see exactly WHAT you are losing, not just how much. Let me give you an example:
Laura is 45 and weighs 150 pounds. She wants to lose about 20 pounds. If she's like the average gal her age, about 35% of her weight is Body Fat, which is 52.5 pounds of Fat, and 97.5 pounds is Lean Muscle Mass. Laura goes on a diet, and starts eating low carbs, low fat, increasing her vegetables, and she doesn't take second-helpings at dinner. For a while, Laura loses weight. She steps on the scale about a month into her diet and discovers that her weight has dropped to 140 but her body fat is still at 35%. If she did the math, she would see that her total body fat is now only 49 pounds, down 3.5 pounds. But what about the other 6.5 pounds? You guessed it; she also lost 6.5 pounds of lean muscle mass.
How could that be? To quote Tom Venuto, from his book Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, "Body fat is like a reserve storage tank for energy. Thanks to tens of thousands of years of evolution, you've developed a body that is an incredibly efficient fat-storing machine. As paradoxical as it may seem, it is better to eat more and exercise more than it is to eat less without exercise. Slashing calories and not exercising slows the metabolism, decreases lean body mass and invokes the starvation response. Exercise allows you to burn fat while increasing your metabolism. Dieting without exercise is one of the major reasons for the the 95% failure rate of weight loss programs today."
So getting back to Laura, if her lifestyle is mostly inactive and she cuts her calories, her body will not go to her fat reserves for the fuel it needs, except as a last-ditch effort. Lean muscle mass is a much more available source of fuel so the body goes there before it goes to the fat.
I kept daily records for two 90-day periods, so that I could observe my body fat levels. I didn't cut calories, I cut out junk food, I stopped filling up on white breads, crackers, pastries, and pasta; I increased my lean meats and my veggies. I wasn't hungry; I ate more quality and more quantity!
When I was down 20 pounds, I could do the math and see that I'd lost almost 20 pounds of body fat...now that's worth getting excited about. If you want to know more about the program I designed for myself, send me an e-mail at herwisebody@hotmail.com. I'd be happy to answer your questions or design a program for you...I just know that you can Get Your Body Back!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Let's Talk about Strong Bones
Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that can be prevented and treated.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist.
Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip and spine. A hip fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can impair a person's ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged or permanent disability or even death. Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.
Millions of North Americans are at risk for osteoporosis. While women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease, men also suffer from osteoporosis.
About 28 million people are at risk for osteoporosis, which costs about $13 billion in health care annually.
Researcher Roberto Civitello, M.D. of Washington University in St. Louis says it’s possible that you may absorb more calcium by eating foods that are high-lysine, such as poultry, fish, dairy products, legumes, defatted soy flour and nuts. (Nutrition; November - December 1992). This is good for osteoporosis and many other diseases.
A diet rich in calcium should contain at least 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day. In the study they used 800 milligrams of lysine a day. One good reason to eat calcium-rich foods (supplements should be your second choice) is a much lower risk of creating kidney stones. Many stones are rich in oxalate. The calcium in foods, however, may bind the oxalate before it can be deposited as a stone.
Some foods rich in calcium are sardines, spinach, turnip, mustard and collard greens, chick peas, kidney beans and lentils. Eating high-calcium foods helps you maintain healthy, strong bones, supports proper functioning of your nerves and muscles, and helps your blood clot.
So what can you do to maintain strong bones?
Although the evidence is strong that dairy-product consumption doesn't prevent osteoporosis, simply eliminating dairy products does not ensure strong bones. It pays to put some thought into keeping your bones healthy.
Studies have shown that the following factors are helpful in building and maintaining strong bones:
• Getting plenty of exercise. Studies have concluded that physical exercise is the key to building strong bones (it's more important than any other factor). For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal that followed 1,400 men and women over a 15-year period found that exercise may be the best protection against hip fractures and that "reduced intake of dietary calcium does not seem to be a risk factor." And Penn State University researchers found that bone density is significantly affected by how much exercise girls get during their teen years, when 40 to 50 percent of their skeletal mass is formed.
• Getting enough vitamin D. If you don't spend any time in the sun (about 15 minutes on the face and arms each day is enough), be sure to take a supplement or eat fortified foods.
• Eliminating animal protein. For a variety of reasons, animal protein causes severe bone deterioration.
• Limiting salt intake. Sodium leaches calcium out of the bones.
• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamin C, which is essential for building collagen, the underlying bone matrix.
• Not smoking. Studies have shown that women who smoke one pack of cigarettes a day have 5 to 10 percent less bone density at menopause than nonsmokers.
So folks, let's not take our bones for granted. Starting to exercise and making good food choices are the keys to maintaining our health and strength long into our old age - and who wouldn't want a long and healthy life?
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist.
Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip and spine. A hip fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can impair a person's ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged or permanent disability or even death. Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.
Millions of North Americans are at risk for osteoporosis. While women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease, men also suffer from osteoporosis.
About 28 million people are at risk for osteoporosis, which costs about $13 billion in health care annually.
Researcher Roberto Civitello, M.D. of Washington University in St. Louis says it’s possible that you may absorb more calcium by eating foods that are high-lysine, such as poultry, fish, dairy products, legumes, defatted soy flour and nuts. (Nutrition; November - December 1992). This is good for osteoporosis and many other diseases.
A diet rich in calcium should contain at least 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day. In the study they used 800 milligrams of lysine a day. One good reason to eat calcium-rich foods (supplements should be your second choice) is a much lower risk of creating kidney stones. Many stones are rich in oxalate. The calcium in foods, however, may bind the oxalate before it can be deposited as a stone.
Some foods rich in calcium are sardines, spinach, turnip, mustard and collard greens, chick peas, kidney beans and lentils. Eating high-calcium foods helps you maintain healthy, strong bones, supports proper functioning of your nerves and muscles, and helps your blood clot.
So what can you do to maintain strong bones?
Although the evidence is strong that dairy-product consumption doesn't prevent osteoporosis, simply eliminating dairy products does not ensure strong bones. It pays to put some thought into keeping your bones healthy.
Studies have shown that the following factors are helpful in building and maintaining strong bones:
• Getting plenty of exercise. Studies have concluded that physical exercise is the key to building strong bones (it's more important than any other factor). For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal that followed 1,400 men and women over a 15-year period found that exercise may be the best protection against hip fractures and that "reduced intake of dietary calcium does not seem to be a risk factor." And Penn State University researchers found that bone density is significantly affected by how much exercise girls get during their teen years, when 40 to 50 percent of their skeletal mass is formed.
• Getting enough vitamin D. If you don't spend any time in the sun (about 15 minutes on the face and arms each day is enough), be sure to take a supplement or eat fortified foods.
• Eliminating animal protein. For a variety of reasons, animal protein causes severe bone deterioration.
• Limiting salt intake. Sodium leaches calcium out of the bones.
• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamin C, which is essential for building collagen, the underlying bone matrix.
• Not smoking. Studies have shown that women who smoke one pack of cigarettes a day have 5 to 10 percent less bone density at menopause than nonsmokers.
So folks, let's not take our bones for granted. Starting to exercise and making good food choices are the keys to maintaining our health and strength long into our old age - and who wouldn't want a long and healthy life?
Saturday, July 22, 2006
How Long Do You Plan To Last?
In the Bible, it says that Moses lived to be 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:7). Over the next 50 years, they're saying that centenarians will increase in number 15-fold!
So, what is healthy life extension? Put simply, it is utilizing science to increase the healthy life span and reduce the risk of suffering age-related conditions in later life. It is the use of the best present day methods, while supporting research to develop more effective methods for tomorrow.
Despite amazing advances in understanding and treating age-related conditions (such as cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, and many others), and despite the cries of the anti-aging marketplace, the only presently available method likely to even modestly extend the healthy human life span is calorie restriction. Sadly, no medical technology yet exists that can improve upon this diet and lifestyle choice: researchers are making progress, but this field of medicine is woefully underfunded and poorly understood by the public.
Calorie restriction (CR) is a strategy - a lifestyle choice when practiced by humans - proven to extend healthy and maximum life span in rodents and primates. Some animal studies conducted over the past 20 years have shown up to a 40% increase in maximum life span.
So, are you over-eating? I've talked about it before in this blog and you've thought about it. Do you eat to live or live to eat? Do you eat to nourish your body and soul, or do you eat for entertainment? This can be a tough question to answer honestly. Emotional eating, eating out of boredom, using food as a trusted friend, these are bad habits that only YOU can address. Simply put, if you are overweight at all, you are eating more than your body needs. You have been eating more than you have been burning off in a day.
It's time to start paying attention to the food that you put into your mouth, and to your satiety levels. How hungry are you? At what point are you actually no longer hungry? Are you eating until the plate is empty, regardless of feeling stuffed? Do you have seconds because the first plate tasted so good? Or do you overdo it on dessert?
Only YOU can tell the truth to yourself. If you're eating for the wrong reasons, there is a lot of help out there...much more than I can give. Read and study on overeating. Get a counsellor. Join an Overeaters Anonymous group in your area.
Living a long healthy life, for you and your loved ones, is worth it...I just know that you can Get Your Body Back...
So, what is healthy life extension? Put simply, it is utilizing science to increase the healthy life span and reduce the risk of suffering age-related conditions in later life. It is the use of the best present day methods, while supporting research to develop more effective methods for tomorrow.
Despite amazing advances in understanding and treating age-related conditions (such as cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, and many others), and despite the cries of the anti-aging marketplace, the only presently available method likely to even modestly extend the healthy human life span is calorie restriction. Sadly, no medical technology yet exists that can improve upon this diet and lifestyle choice: researchers are making progress, but this field of medicine is woefully underfunded and poorly understood by the public.
Calorie restriction (CR) is a strategy - a lifestyle choice when practiced by humans - proven to extend healthy and maximum life span in rodents and primates. Some animal studies conducted over the past 20 years have shown up to a 40% increase in maximum life span.
So, are you over-eating? I've talked about it before in this blog and you've thought about it. Do you eat to live or live to eat? Do you eat to nourish your body and soul, or do you eat for entertainment? This can be a tough question to answer honestly. Emotional eating, eating out of boredom, using food as a trusted friend, these are bad habits that only YOU can address. Simply put, if you are overweight at all, you are eating more than your body needs. You have been eating more than you have been burning off in a day.
It's time to start paying attention to the food that you put into your mouth, and to your satiety levels. How hungry are you? At what point are you actually no longer hungry? Are you eating until the plate is empty, regardless of feeling stuffed? Do you have seconds because the first plate tasted so good? Or do you overdo it on dessert?
Only YOU can tell the truth to yourself. If you're eating for the wrong reasons, there is a lot of help out there...much more than I can give. Read and study on overeating. Get a counsellor. Join an Overeaters Anonymous group in your area.
Living a long healthy life, for you and your loved ones, is worth it...I just know that you can Get Your Body Back...
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Life is all about the trade-off...
Well, the new classes are tough. I'm aching in all kinds of new places. It's so interesting when you think you're fit, and you find new muscles that you didn't realize you had! For the first week, my calves were killing me; the second week, it was the quads. Also, I found some new ab exercises on the web and now I avoid coughing or laughing, until my abs settle down! But slowly, the pounds are coming off.
But let's get back to my other favorite subject, food. If you're gaining weight, or if you are working out and can't seem to drop any weight, you're eating too much or you're eating the wrong foods. "But, I'm not eating any different than anyone else", you say? Never mind about that, you need to worry about you, not anyone else. Your metabolism can't handle what you're presently doing. It's simple math. What are you putting in, and what are you using up? Most of us eat too much and we eat the wrong foods. Believe me, there are WAY MORE wrong foods out there to choose from, than there are RIGHT FOODS.
Stay tuned for my next blog, where I talk more specifically about longevity and what to eat and what not to eat...I know you can get your body back...
But let's get back to my other favorite subject, food. If you're gaining weight, or if you are working out and can't seem to drop any weight, you're eating too much or you're eating the wrong foods. "But, I'm not eating any different than anyone else", you say? Never mind about that, you need to worry about you, not anyone else. Your metabolism can't handle what you're presently doing. It's simple math. What are you putting in, and what are you using up? Most of us eat too much and we eat the wrong foods. Believe me, there are WAY MORE wrong foods out there to choose from, than there are RIGHT FOODS.
Stay tuned for my next blog, where I talk more specifically about longevity and what to eat and what not to eat...I know you can get your body back...
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Dealing with Plateaus
It's so common to hear about people reaching plateaus...the frustration, the temptation to give up. You work so hard at the gym, you get up so early in the morning...for what, right? You seem to be stuck at that weight like glue.
Time to jangle things up a bit. Your body has adapted to its environment. Sorry, that's what it's designed to do.
One of my clients recently lost 23 pounds. Her program consisted of walking daily around a local park, and discontinuing second helpings at dinner. Sounds simple, right? Meanwhile, I run 3-5 miles at least 4 times a week and I get up at 4:30am to do so. And my weight stays the same!!! Aargh!
Like I said, time to jangle it up. Time to hit a new aerobics class, do a little kick-boxing, maybe try my hand at strip-aerobics...gotta do something different. My body has adapted nicely to a regimen that most people couldn't even muster up the strength and determination to try. And the scale doesn't budge!
So, current stats are weight 133.5, body fat at 28%. I'll keep you posted over the next two weeks, as I trick my body with the new routine. You try it too and let me know what happens!
I know you can Get Your Body Back...Billie
Time to jangle things up a bit. Your body has adapted to its environment. Sorry, that's what it's designed to do.
One of my clients recently lost 23 pounds. Her program consisted of walking daily around a local park, and discontinuing second helpings at dinner. Sounds simple, right? Meanwhile, I run 3-5 miles at least 4 times a week and I get up at 4:30am to do so. And my weight stays the same!!! Aargh!
Like I said, time to jangle it up. Time to hit a new aerobics class, do a little kick-boxing, maybe try my hand at strip-aerobics...gotta do something different. My body has adapted nicely to a regimen that most people couldn't even muster up the strength and determination to try. And the scale doesn't budge!
So, current stats are weight 133.5, body fat at 28%. I'll keep you posted over the next two weeks, as I trick my body with the new routine. You try it too and let me know what happens!
I know you can Get Your Body Back...Billie
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