Omega-3 Fats

You've heard about omega-3 fat in the news, but do you know why it should added to your diet and where to find it? Learn more here.

Why is Omega-3 Good?
Omega-3 is often referred to as one a healthy fat. Studies have shown that getting enough omega-3 may significantly impact our chances of developing certain health conditions. Recent research has indicated that the intake of sufficient levels of omega-3 may actually reduce the risk of developing heart disease and some types of cancer.

The American Heart Association suggests we eat fatty fish at least two times a week.

Size up Your Seafood
Here are the omega-3 values of some of the most commonly-consumed oil-rich fish (chart indicates grams of omega-3 per 100 grams):

• Tuna (fresh or frozen) 1.6
• Salmon 2.3
• Anchovy 1.4
• Sardines 2.2
• Crab 1.2
• Shrimp (boiled) 0.8

Salmon contains more omega-3 than any other type of fish or seafood, so it's a smart choice for a healthy diet. Don't like seafood? This type of healthy fat can also be found in flax, canola oil and walnuts. While supplements are available, the About.com Guide to nutrition explains that fish is probably the best source. But, she says people who do not like to eat fish on a regular basis can benefit from fish oil supplements.

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Benefits

Come on, you already know you need to exercise regularly, right? Just in case you need a half dozen more reasons to get moving, consider these health benefits of exercise:

• Physical activity burns calories, so the more you just get up and move, the more calories you will burn. You even burn calories doing things like running the vacuum cleaner or going up and down steps.
• Exercise may help you succeed at breaking your weight loss plateau. Many people hit a stopping point where their diet and amount of exercise simply seems to stop working. Increasing your physical activity may give your weight loss another "push" and you'll begin losing again. Strength training is especially effective in doing so because building muscle will help you burn even more calories.
• Exercise increases your metabolic rate and the rate stays elevated for some time, even once you've stopped the activity. Perhaps this is why active people can "Eat anything and not gain weight." and why other folks "Gain weight just by looking at food."!
• Exercise -- particularly in the morning -- may help you sleep better. Just be sure not to exercise too close to your bedtime if you exercise at night, because it may keep you awake. If you need to exercise within a few hours of going to bed, make sure it's only a brisk walk. Experts say you should allow yourself about three hours between exercise and going to bed. Save the high-impact aerobics for the a.m., mid-day or early afternoon.
• Exercise is good for body and soul. Exercising improves mood and due to the chemicals it releases in the brain called endorphins, it gives you an overall feeling of well-being. This is the same chemical that being in love or eating chocolate induces!
• Exercise reduces the risk for several diseases including heart disease, adult-onset diabetes, high blood pressure or hypertension, breast cancer, osteoporosis and colon cancer. Exercise may also help prevent, or be effective in treating, some mental illnesses, such as depression.

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Workout CDs

I am a huge fan of the Shape Fitness Music series. A lot of the CDs in the series feature dance and club hits as well oldies from the 80's and 60's. Each volume is unique and the songs are arranged for working out and cooling down.

1) Shape Fitness Music: Walk Plus 2: Hot Club Hits

This CD is great for walking outdoors or using a treadmill. The songs average about 136 to 138 beats per minutes. Many well known tracks are found on this title such as "Beautiful Life" and "Mr. Vain", both huge dance hits from the 90's.

2) Shape Fitness Music Walk 3: High Energy Hits

This title features a lot of club and dance hits from the 90's as well as some old school tracks like "New Attitude" from Patti Labelle, a Blondie remix, and "Rock Steady". This CD effectively increases the BPM so you can progress to walk-running and then decreases it for a cool down at the end. The songs are also appropriate for jogging.

3) Shape Fitness Music: Cardio 4 Global Dance Hits

This CD says "cardio" in the title rather than walking, but that doesn't mean it's not just right for walking or treadmill use. It's also great for jogging. The songs on here are quite a bit faster than the tunes on the "Walking" titles.

4) Shape Fitness Music Walk 1: '60s Hits

The songs on this one are a little shorter than the other discs (some of them are truncated). You get more than 20 songs on this one -- instead of the usual 10 to 12 -- with great oldies like “California Girls" and “Backfield in Motion”. The tempo of these songs is somewhat slower than the other titles.

5) Shape Fitness Music: 80’s Modern Rock

I'll bet a lot of your favorite songs from the 80’s are on this disc -- mine are! These songs are a bit faster than the 80’s/90’s mix CD; all are upbeat and catchy. Your workout will be a breeze listening to this one!

Important product disclaimer information about this About site.

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Alli Side Effects

What are the Side Effects of Alli?

If used properly, you will most likely not experience any unfavorable side effects when you take Alli.

But proper use doesn't begin and end with taking the pill. There's a lot more to it.

Depending on how you eat now, you may have to drastically change your diet. The literature provided in the Alli starter kits advises that you consume a reduced-calorie diet of meals that average 15 grams of fat each.

The makers of Alli refer to it as "a weight loss program that works with you, not for you." Your success (and avoiding side effects) on Alli depends on the changes you make to your diet. They call these potential problems "treatment effects" rather than side effects.

If you eat a meal that contains too much fat after taking Alli, you will experience some very unpleasant side effects, including: loose stools, too-frequent stools, uncontrollable bowel movements, or gas with an oily discharge.

How Do I Learn More?

The makers of Alli have published a book called The Alli Diet Plan that will help you learn to take Alli correctly and plan appropriate meals to eat in conjunction with its use.

<< All About Alli

Learn More:

• What is Alli?
• How Alli Works
• How Much Weight Will I Lose with Alli?
• Alli and Your Appetite
• An Introduction to Alli

Please note that this content is provided for informational purposes only and does not imply endorsement of this product.

Please consult your doctor before taking this -- or any other -- weight loss supplement.

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BMI Standards

Q: Who sets the BMI standards?

A: Medical professionals most often use BMI instead of height/weight charts when studying the effect of body weight on health. ⁷

In 1995, the World Health Organization recommended a classification for three "grades" of overweight using BMI cutoff points of 25, 30, and 40. The International Obesity Task Force suggested an additional cutoff point of 35 and slightly different terminology. ⁸

In 1998, two organizations within National Institutes of Health -- the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases -- put together an expert panel who released a report with definitions for overweight and obesity in agreement with those used by the World Health Organization.

The panel identified overweight as a BMI of 25, but less than 30, and obesity as a BMI of 30 or greater. The panel based these definitions on evidence that health risks increase steeply in individuals with a BMI of 25+. ⁵

Q: What are the long-term effects of my BMI being 25 or higher?
A: According to the NIH Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, adults who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability as a consequence of overweight and obesity. These health risks increase even more as the severity of an individual's obesity increases. ¹

Q: What if I want to know the BMI of a child?
A: Our pediatrics Guide has an excellent tool at his site, a BMI calculator. This tool will assist you in interpreting your child's BMI and help you assess whether or not your child is underweight.

References:
¹ Defining Overweight and Obesity: [http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm]

⁵ Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity: [http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm]

⁷ Body Mass Index for Adults: [http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/bmi-adult.htm]

⁸ Why is Obesity a Growing Problem in America?: [http://www.joslin.harvard.edu/news/obesity02.shtml]

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Mom was Right! Breakfast is the Most Important Meal

Mom was Right!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

You know how your mother used to say that breakfast is the most important meal? Well, guess what? She was right! Mom knows best when it comes to appreciating the fact that breakfast is the fuel that keeps us running throughout the day.

It Works for Weight Loss
First off, let's consider how breakfast relates to weight loss: You've just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours. Your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation. Skipping breakfast keeps your body in "starvation" mode, while eating a good meal will give your metabolism a boost. This is because being inactive (and not eating for this extended period of time) causes your metabolism to plummet. If you're trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is keep your metabolism at this lowered state. Partaking of a morning meal will rev up your fat burning ability.

Running on Empty
It's a great song, but not such a great habit. If you don't eat something in the morning, you are literally forcing yourself to "run on empty". Did you skip breakfast today? Let's estimate that the last time you ate anything was at 8 p.m. last night. If you didn't eat lunch until noon today, that's sixteen hours of no refueling! Maybe you've already had a wave of nausea? Felt a little light-headed when standing up too quickly? Your body is screaming out, "Hey, give me some help here!".

Breakfast Beats Binges
Eating a good breakfast will keep you from getting too hungry, which will help prevent you from over-eating. It is also helpful to those of us who tend to eat when we're not hungry. By keeping your appetite at an even keel, it may in turn help you control your impulse to eat when stress or emotions start to get the best of you. Studies have shown that people -- women in particular -- tend to eat less compulsively, less often when they have eaten breakfast.

One More Reason to Remember
Eating breakfast improves your thinking ability. It's not just children who need breakfast so they'll be at top mental performance; we need to refuel to get that edge, too. Want one more reason to eat in the a.m.? How about a memory boost? A study published in the November 2001 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* showed that eating breakfast improved participants' performance on memory tests.

Time to Refuel!
Still not convinced? Here's the bottom line: The fuel that keeps our motors running is glucose. Your brain and your nervous system need glucose to work: that means walking, speaking, stretching, typing -- any activity requires this fuel. If you don't supply it, your system resorts to finding stored carbohydrates or it tries to turn fat into glucose. Not good. So why put your body through all this? Instead, do what mom told you and eat that breakfast!

* American Journal of Clinical Nutrition November 2001; 75: 567-568

Before You Go!
Check out our Breakfast Excuse Busters

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10 Changes

If you're ready to start losing weight, but you don't want to follow a diet, I have good news. You can make a few "painless" changes to your everyday diet that will help you eat less, eat smarter, and lose weight!

1. Don't drink your calories. Beverages are bottomless these days -- you can't order a soft drink or iced tea at a restaurant without being provided quick, free refills, or having the freedom to get them yourself. To keep from drinking a day's worth of calories, choose herbal tea, unsweetened iced tea with Splenda (or another artificial, no-cal sweetener), diet flavored-water, bottled or tap water with a spritz of lemon or lime, or diet soda. If none of those better choices suits you, allow yourself one glass of the "real thing" and drink only water thereafter. (Tip: Ask for extra ice in that first glass of soda and you will drink less.) By stopping at one glass, you will save yourself hundreds -- or even thousands -- of calories.
2. Always eat breakfast. Taking the time to eat could prevent costly mistakes as the day progresses; skipping this important morning meal can lead to an out of control afternoon appetite, oversized portions, poor food choices, and overeating, even later on into the night. Plus, going too long without eating may cause your metabolism to slow down. If you can't eat first thing in the morning, a healthful, mid-morning snack is a good idea. If you are not hungry in the morning, it could be a sign that you are eating too close to bedtime. Set a cut-off time for evening eating (such as 7 p.m.) and you will probably feel more like eating in the a.m.
3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. You hear it all the time, but you really do need to work in those recommended six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Thirst can easily be mistaken for hunger, so you could be reaching for food when you are actually thirsty. Eating water-rich foods like fruit will help you stay well-hydrated, too. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink; try sipping water throughout the day and you may be surprised to find that your appetite seems much tamer.
4. Add at least one more serving of produce to as many meals as possible. Veggies and fruit are all nutrient-rich, low-cal and filling -- just be careful of creamy dips or dressings, butter, cheese sauce, and fried vegetables. Salsa, soups, and pasta sauce are easy ways to work in even more vegetable servings. Keep the skin on fresh produce, such as apples, whenever possible as it contains more fiber. Remember, fiber takes a while to digest so you feel fuller longer after eating it, which will help you eat less in the long run.
5. Make a salad your starter. Having a salad before your meal will almost certainly prevent you from overeating. Load up all the veggies you like, but just be careful about adding high-fat extras such as pasta salads, shredded cheese or cream-based dressings. (Tip: Spray dressings are excellent for cutting calories as most only have about 10 calories per spritz). Prepackaged, washed salads make it easy to add a salad to any meal without extra effort. Most fast food restaurants offer a reasonably-priced side salad, or some menus offer the option to substitute salad for another side item when purchasing a "combo" or "value" meal.
6. Be a better baker. Start baking immediately following a meal so you will be less likely to sample. Chew flavorful gum like peppermint or spearmint so your mouth will be otherwise occupied. Healthier baking ingredient substitutions help cut fat and calories.
7. Go for grains. Whole grains will help you feel full longer than refined carbohydrates. In the morning, fiber-rich cereal like Kellog's All-Bran, is a good choice, as is oatmeal. Brown rice, whole grain bread, and whole wheat crackers, are all good ways to include grains in your day: A slice of whole wheat bread goes well with a salad; microwavable, single-serving brown rice is easy to add to lunch at the office; keep wheat crackers stored in your desk drawer for when the afternoon munchies strike.
8. Always keep healthy frozen meals on hand. They will be a backup plan for nights when you don't have time to prepare and cook a healthy meal. Try to choose meals with around 300 to 350 calories. (Tip: Even some of the healthier frozen meal choices are skimpy on veggies, so be sure to add a packaged salad or a microwavable, single-serving frozen vegetable to your "instant meal" to better round it out.
9. Choose foods that will help you feel satisfied longer. While both protein and fat help you feel sated longer than simple carbohydrates, protein naturally contains fewer calories per ounce than fat. Eggs, lean meats, skinless poultry, and reduced-fat dairy products are ideal protein sources. A snack like yogurt, a boiled egg, string cheese or turkey slices will give you an energy boost and quell hunger pangs. Whole grains also contain protein, so you may find combining an animal or dairy protein with a complex carb such as whole wheat crackers or whole grain bread to be even more effective at keeping your energy up and hunger down. If you don't eat meat or dairy, there are also several other sources of protein, such as beans, legumes, and nuts.
10. Catch some "Zs." Did you know getting enough rest can have a direct impact on your ability to lose weight? Not getting enough sleep can cause you to eat more often or make poor choices (In an effort to compensate for feeling groggy, we tend to naturally reach for higher-calorie, high-fat foods.). Getting enough sleep also ensures that you feel energized enough to exercise and that you work out to your fullest capacity when you do. Even if you can't add additional sleeping hours, take some time to simply do nothing, practice deep breathing, read, or listen to some calming music every day. Making a point to relax more can keep emotional eating -- particularly stress-eating -- at bay.

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