Renee- Hope you have a very Happy Birthday!!! I guess we all know what to do, it is just that the motivation/will power is not there. Have to fix that somehow to make this successful.
Curvy Not Lumpy-sorry to hear that your Father passed away. What a great way to honor him by "getting on with it" I think that will be a good motivator for you.
Diana. Love2garden-I see you both have a good action plan to start for March. Keep at it to be successful.
Can't drop those extra pounds? These surprising explanations can help
you reach your goals.
You've spent the last 7 days putting in your best effort to lose a pound or
two. But your weekly check-in with the scale reveals (again) that you can't
get your weight loss mojo in motion. The problem probably isn't your
willpower. You may be making common eating mistakes that even
inveterate dieters fall prey to. These are 7 surprising reasons your weight
loss plan isn't working. Get the facts and get back on track.
1. You aren't eating enough.
You may need to bump up your calories to stoke metabolism. When you
dip below about 1,200 calories per day, not only are you not eating
enough to get all your nutrients, but your body slows your metabolism in
order to hold on to precious calories, says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD,
author of The Doctor's Detox Diet.
Also, if you skip meals to lose weight, your body could lose its ability to
feel full. Blame evolution, which has designed our bodies to resist famine
and not the buffet table. For example, if you skip breakfast, the body
assumes food is scarce. You need a morning meal to let your body know
it's okay to burn calories. "Within 1 hour of waking, you should consume a
350- to 500-calorie breakfast, with 10 to 15 grams of protein and fiber to
stoke the metabolic fire," says Gerbstadt. (Make your morning meal count
with these 12 healthy ideas.)
2. You reward exercise with food.
Burning 300 calories during a workout is cause for celebration...but
rewarding yourself after exercise with a high-calorie treat doesn't add up
to weight loss. You're likely to overestimate how much the workout burned
off and underestimate how much you ate. "Even if you're just working out
for well-being, you still have to keep calories in check," says Heidi Skolnik,
author of Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance.
3. You slurp diet drinks.
Research suggests that diet drinks may backfire: The taste of something
sweet without the calories can cause your body to hold on to calories as
fat. In one study, diet-soda drinkers had a 178% greater increase in waist
circumference over 10 years, compared with non-diet-soda drinkers.
"Artificial sweeteners can actually raise your insulin levels and lower your
blood sugar, which may stimulate hunger and move existing calories into
storage in your fat cells," says Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, one of the study's
coauthors. Plus, fake sweeteners may not quell a craving like real sugar
can, because sugar triggers a longer dopamine release. So even after
downing two Diet Cokes, you may still want the candy bar. (If that's not
enough to make you skip the soda, these weird side Effects of diet soda
surely will.)
4. Your friends are heavy.
Your chances of being overweight or obese increase half a percent with
every friend in your network who is obese, finds a recent study from
Harvard. That more than adds up: Your chances of obesity double for
every four obese friends you have, say researchers. Even if that friend
lives thousands of miles away, your chances of gaining weight still go up,
according to a New England Journal of Medicine study. That may be
because your perception of being overweight changes—living larger seems
acceptable since the heavy person is a friend. (Interestingly, having an
obese neighbor that you don't know does not raise your risk.) Experts also
think that a person's lifestyle and behaviors can subconsciously rub off on
those in the individual's inner circle.
But you don't have to ditch overweight friends to lose weight. In fact, if
you embark together on an exercise plan, you can increase your fun and
calorie burn: Research from Oxford finds that exercising with friends as a
team can actually make the agony of exertion less intense. The same
hormones that are released during social bonding, endorphins, also help
quell pain. And once a friend starts to lose weight, you have a greater
chance of losing as well (the mechanisms work both ways).
5. You've eliminated wine.
Research from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that women
who drank one to two glasses of wine daily gained less weight over 13
years, compared with those who did not drink alcohol—8 pounds versus
5.5 pounds, to be exact.
6. Your diet isn't digital.
You may already know that writing down what you eat helps you
automatically reduce your calorie intake, simply by making you aware of
each bite. But did you know that using a digitized program or application
with positive feedback can help you lose even more? A study from the
University of Pittsburgh finds that people who monitored their diet and
exercise with a digital device that provided daily feedback lost more weight
and stuck with their diet longer than those who used paper and pen. Not
only that, but the high-tech group increased their fruit and veggie intake
more than paper users. And you don't have to log in daily or even weekly
to benefit: One study found that dieters who recorded meals online just
once a month were 3 times more likely to keep off pounds over 2 years,
compared with those who did so less frequently. (Check out these 7 apps
doctors love.)
7. You've gone no-carb or fat-free.
Cutting back markedly on any one food group-say, carbs or fat, can leave
you short on the nutrients you need to stay energized: One study found
that dieters low in calcium and vitamin C had higher odds of putting on
belly fat. The trick is a varied diet that includes healthy fats and good
carbs such as fruits. After all, the biggest reason low-carb diets backfire is
that, for the vast majority of people, they aren't sustainable over the long
haul. It's a rare soul who can pass up birthday cake and pasta dinners for
a lifetime. And as with all diets, once you quit, you regain the weight you
lost and (often) more. These fluctuations can make it an even bigger
challenge to lose weight next time.
Curvey, Sorry to hear of your father passing. Sharp as a tack at 93, wow, that's marvelous. Sympathy to your siblings and family. Good to see you back on the thread.
1st Day of the new month, let's ROCK this month.
Last edited by workinglikeadog; 03-01-2015 at 01:49 PM.
Reason: edit
Curvey Sending blessings your way that you may remember only good things about your life with your father, and savor every one. So hard to loose him!
Diana It does feel good to have a new month and chance to start again toward our goals, leaving past negative actions and thoughts behind.
Corinna I can check off Alcohol because I don't drink it over twice a year, then small glass of wine makes me so tipsy that I'm afraid to stand until it wears off.
Actually finding that I'm doing better thinking less about food. Thank goodness I'm no longer the cook in the family since DH retired.
Hi there Love2garden! I have a question for you.....what makes you happy? Do you have a suggestion to add to the list shown in the attachment below? Think about it and let me know.
Have you ever found yourself elbow-deep in a carton of ice cream, a bag
of chips or a package of cookies and realized that you were having a binge
eating session? Even worse, maybe you didn’t even recall making the
decision to eat all that food; you just kind of “woke up” during the middle
of it?
Binge eating can be a sign of a serious eating disorder, but sometimes it’s
merely a knee-jerk response to emotional triggers. Below are 5 clues that
a binge could be imminent, along with tips to nip it in the bud before it can
blossom into dietary destruction.
1) You feel angry and don’t know what to do about it.
Anger is an emotion that many of us were not taught how to process in
healthy ways. More often than not we try to squelch down our anger and
ignore it, hoping it will just go away. Instead it continues to fester and
grow, until we blow up at someone who doesn’t deserve it, or we try to
stuff it down with mass quantities of food so we can’t feel it anymore.
Whenever you feel yourself starting to get angry - not just frustrated or
annoyed, but downright MAD - it’s vital to work through the anger and
then let go of it so it doesn’t continue to torment you. You can write it out
on a sheet of paper, or just mentally “shout” it out - then be sure to
deliberately let it go. “This isn’t worth getting angry over; I’m letting go of
this now; I release this now” - these affirmations are to remind yourself
that you are in control of your anger, not the other way around.
2) You feel pressured from all sides and want to escape.
Stress and pressure are uncomfortable sensations, and you may be
tempted to quiet that discomfort by eating comfort foods. The best way to
neutralize feelings of pressure is to practice daily stress management
techniques like meditation, deep breathing and stretching. Remember that
stress is cumulative. It keeps building until something has to give and
release some pressure. You can provide that outlet in healthy ways rather
than waiting for a blowout.
3) You just stepped on the scale and once again didn’t lose any weight.
A weight loss plateau that goes on for more than a few weeks is a sure
binge-trigger. You’ll start thinking, “What the **** am I bothering to diet
for? If I’m not going to lose weight I might as well eat what I want!” That
attitude is a red flag that you are slipping into binge territory. Remind
yourself how important your weight loss goals are. Tell yourself that you
can have a small treat if you want, but you’re not going to give up on your
goals now; you will continue on and overcome that plateau no matter what
it takes.
4) You feel lonely and bored and don’t know what to do with yourself.
Feelings of boredom and loneliness are usually precursors to a binge (or
even nibbling more than you intended, if not a full-blown binge). The cure
is simple in this case - find something to occupy your mind and body! Go
for a walk, take a nap, call a friend, go to a movie, visit a bookstore, take
a shower - do anything you can to take your mind off food.
5) You’re out having fun with friends and you start thinking about
“starting fresh” with your diet tomorrow.
Peer pressure can be a powerful influence, even for grown-ups. Your
friends might not intentionally try to sabotage your diet, but if they’re
eating and drinking things that make you feel left out, you may be
tempted to join them. Rather than trying to battle such a powerful
influence, compromise. Have that slice of cake, but eat only half of it and
give the rest to one of your friends. Try that sweet drink, but just take a
sip or two so you can taste it. You don’t have to expect perfection from
yourself, but you also don’t have to ditch the diet completely - strike a
healthy balance between those two extremes and you can avoid bingeing
but still feel satisfied.
Why Burpees Are The Exercise That Seriously Cranks Up Your Metabolism
http://yahoo.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201412/why-burpees-are-exercise-seriously-cranks-your-metabolism
Burpees make everything burn: Your muscles, your lungs, and most
importantly, a ton of calories. The exercise -- which entails going from
pushup position to a jump and back to a pushup position again -- is so
tough that performing about 10 fast-paced reps is just as effective at
revving your metabolism as a 30-second all-out sprint, according to a
recent study published by the American College of Sports Medicine.
In the study, researchers enlisted ROTC cadets for something called the
Wingate Anaerobic Power Test: A 30-second sprint with 4 minutes of rest
in between for 4 rounds. Some cadets performed 30 seconds of sprinting
on a stationary bike while the others did 30 seconds of burpees as quickly
as possible. The result: Both high-intensity exercises resulted in serious
metabolic and cardiovascular spikes.
But here's the difference: "Pedaling on a stationary bike is a relatively
simple motor pattern, whereas the burpee involves some degree of agility,
balance, coordination, and total body strength" thanks to the exercise’s
multiple steps, says lead researcher Nicholas H. Gist, Ph.D., deputy
director of the Department of Physical Education at the U.S. Military
Academy.
And since the burpee is a total-body exercise, you feel the muscle-building
benefits from head to toe, instead of just in your legs and lungs.
Often people become overweight because they use food as a way to relax,
celebrate, deal with sadness, enjoy happiness, and get through stressful
situations. But food is really innocent in all of this. It’s just there to
give you the energy you need to get through life. And while food should
taste good and be enjoyable, it shouldn’t be the answer to all of your
mental and emotional dilemmas. Instead, you need to find other outlets
for dealing with your emotions.
There are several things you can do instead of finding comfort in food.
For example:
• Take a hot bath
• Take a nap or just go to bed for the night
• Read
• Keep a diary
• Knit or crochet
• Learn a new hobby
• Call a friend
• Get a massage
• Drink a glass of water
• Have a good cry
• Hit a punching bag
• Take a walk
• Meditate
• Count to 10 – or 100 if necessary
When you learn some new activities to replace your dependence on food,
you may find that you lose weight without even trying. You can still enjoy
the food you eat, but you won’t be dependent on it for your every need.
We are often guilty of believing that we are a picture of fine health as we
have no real signs that anything untoward is going on inside our body.
However, this does not have to be true as there are actually a
number of indications that we tend to ignore that are actually telling us
that something is not right. Failure to pay attention to them will of course
tend to lead to things getting worse, so what follows are 7 signs you
are unhealthy in the hope that they may stop further problems from
occurring.
1. You find that your lips crack.
It may sound like something that just happens due to the weather, but
cracked lips, especially at the corners, can actually show that you have a
vitamin B12 deficiency. A lack of this vitamin in your system can lead
to health issues such as anaemia and it will affect your blood, so look at
either buying a supplement to boost the levels, eat foods that are high in
it, or consult your doctor to get a special injection that really will
make a difference to your health.
2. You are not as tall as you used to be.
This may sound strange, but as we get older there is a tendency for us to
shrink, but the rate at which this happens can indicate that there is some
kind of issue with our bones and in particular with us developing
osteoporosis. The problem with this bone disease is that it then means we
are more likely to fracture a bone when we fall or develop curvature of the
spine, so early diagnosis will allow you to make changes to your
diet that can stop it from progressively getting worse.
3. You pick up more than your fair share of colds.
If you seem to be more prone to picking up colds it may indicate that you
need to boost your immune system or there may be some kind of issue
with it. You may be lacking in Vitamin C or there could even be a
virus attacking it that you are unaware of, so get a blood test carried out
that can check if there is anything to be concerned about and try to
improve your general health to give it that natural boost.
4. Your urine is too yellow.
It is important that you pay attention to the color of your urine as this can
actually be a fantastic indicator about your general health. If you are
hydrated your urine should be almost clear, but if you are drinking
enough and it is still a dark yellow it may indicate that there is an issue
with your kidneys and the waste is not being processed correctly. Look at
upping your fluid intake and see if it helps, but only drink water, and
if it stays the same get your kidney function checked.
5. Your skin acts up continuously.
If you find that you develop acne, eczema, or any other skin disorder on a
regular basis then it can mean more than you are simply not taking care of
the skin or using the correct products. Instead, it could be the
result of an allergic reaction or it may be your body telling you that it is
stressed and needs you to slow down. Your skin is the biggest single organ
in your body, so listen to what it is telling you as your body often
uses it to put out a cry for help and it offers up signs that all is not well
and you are not as healthy as you thought you were.
6. You are not sleeping like normal.
If you find that your sleep pattern is disturbed and you are suffering from
some form of insomnia it does tend to point towards your body and mind
being too stressed. When we sleep, our body is supposed to
lower the amount of cortisol coursing through it, but when we are stressed
this does not happen and we are thrown out of sync. When this happens
our body struggles to repair itself and recharge its batteries
leading to us gradually being run down and when this happens we can pick
up all kinds of illnesses due to our immune system not operating at full
capacity.
7. You are tired, but sleep enough.
If you are getting more than enough sleep, but still find that you are tired
in the afternoon, then it may indicate that there is a problem with your
thyroid. The problem here is that your adrenal glands are being
exhausted leading to your body using up all of its energy early on without
it being replaced in the proper manner. This problem can then lead to your
body being run down as it is working so hard trying to protect
you from the different kinds of toxins that you can pick up during the day
from the environment as well as things you are doing. When this happens
it leaves you open to other potential health problems, so get your
thyroid checked.
Commitment - Great start this morning!
Attitude - CAN DO!
Diet - refocusing on good habits after a not so good day yesterday!
and Exercise - gonna log off and get my rear in gear
Today with sunshine and warmer weather to melt all the snow we received this week, DH and I got out, and I went to gym for some time on exercise bike.
Adding extra walking as I put bucket under leaking gutter right outside back door - snow melting but if I leave the water sit, it will be a solid sheet of ice tomorrow. Emptying the bucket hourly or more often has given me "spontaneous exercise" with the recognition that I'm doing two things at once. drip is slowing down now that the deeper cold is hitting. One more trip out to empty the bucket then I'll let it be with the bucket in place.
Tomorrow I'll weigh in for the week.
Diana, I just realized, you are a painter, right? DD and I were just talking about her ways of marketing her paintings and I suddenly realized that you mentioned it before but it didn't register in my head till now.
Boy, I've had such a good day, hope tomorrow is half as good. Just felt like a better me.
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7 Reasons Your Diet's Not Working
