Weight Loss Strategies

I saw an interesting article on Yahoo Health how a lady lost 30 pounds without all that counting of calories. I know some of you hate to count calories and/or all that logging of food drives you crazy.

Let me say first that I really do think that food logging is one of the best ways to get control because it makes you face what you are truly eating every day. BUT, if that log stuff is halting you right now, try what this lady did in the attached article & maybe you can work towards logging food eventually to increase your progress if need be....

This lady did things like trade sugary drinks for water or flavored water, eat better snacks but did NOT skip meals, use smaller plates etc. It may be the step you need to get motivated & started on your weight loss program. Read the article here:

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/4382/lose-weight-without-counting-calories/

Food Choices for Labor Day

With Labor Day upon us, here we go to those BBQ's and family/friend get togethers, picnics and beach parties. These times are always tough when it comes to food choices. Do you know how many days worth of calories you can eat in just one meal at a holiday gathering???!!!! It is scary! I am attaching 2 links from the Hungry Girl site which I describe below.

• The first link will outline the calories in many hamburgers out there. It does not state the fat content but we all know how high in fat a typical burger is .... BUT, just check out the calorie count!!!! If you are the host, you can always offer healthier choices of food like chicken, veggie burgers and/or use the lower fat hamburger meat that is available at your local market. Read about the burgers here: http://www.hungry-girl.com/news/newsdetails.php?isid=1529. Scroll down to the 3rd paragraph.

• The second link is a lower calorie, lower fat version of coleslaw. Coleslaw can be very high in fat when made with mayonnaise. Try out this recipe off the Hungry Girl site and/or modify to your liking with spices. See the recipe here: http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/chewdetails.php?isid=1514

For your own sake, if you are going to another person's gathering, offer to bring something healthy to eat so you have choices for yourself. I see nothing wrong with having a treat or picking a couple things you want to splurge on but keep in mind that if you eat everything in sight, you are not only going to have a lot of making up to do the next few days but you may end up feeling like "you know what" the next day. Your new & healthier tummy is not used to all that heavy and fattier stuff.

Make good choices for yourself but enjoy as well.

Weighing Yourself

Oh, I love this picture! This is from an article off Diet Blog about weight fluctuations in the course of a day & how often you should weigh yourself. It discusses what causes weight fluctuations like water retention (and not just that time of the month type), the food you eat and more.

For me, I have always been one of those people that has big weight fluctuations during the day. I can weigh 3-4 pounds heavier in the middle or end of day than I do at the beginning of the day. I am one to weigh myself first thing in the morning.

Just so you know you are not alone, I occasionally test this. I weigh myself first thing in the morn, when I get home from the gym (I sleep for a couple hours after getting home from the gym), middle of the day & night. I may weigh 1-1.5 pounds less after that nap, I can weigh up to 3-4 pounds more mid afternoon or later and I can gain a pound just by drinking 1 cup of coffee. I test this just out of curiosity because I can feel the change during the day & to also set my mind at ease knowing this is just how my body works. It may not be what we want but it is what it is.....

Also, the article talks about weighing yourself once per week if the weight fluctuations are going to discourage you from your program. I think you have to establish what is best for you & do that. Many studies also say that people that weigh themselves ONCE per day have better success rates at losing weight & keeping it off. The reasoning is that they know their bodies (like I have posted about endlessly) & will realize if they are getting past that 3-4 pounds too much that may lead to more. Now, I am not talking about the daily weight fluctuations but I am talking about when we know we are eating too much & it is time to get control. I am one to weigh daily & especially now that I am fighting perimenopause & that craziness!

Here is the article link: http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/28/weight_fluctuations_why_do_they_happen.php

I hope this helps & find out what best works for you & go with that. Please don't get into this weighing yourself multiple times in one day!!!!! Mine was just an experiment to see how my body works & I test every so often for knowledge sake.

Protein/Carbs/Good Fat All In One

Many of you may have not heard of this grain, quinoa. I have read more articles than I can count on fitness competitors, fitness experts, nutrition experts & more that offer up this grain as an excellent source of protein, carbs, fiber & low in fat & the fat is good fat! Check out a small portion of this article from Diet Detective explaining the benefits of quinoa:

“Quinoa is considered a complete protein, because it contains all eight essential amino acids. Most grains are lacking in at least one amino acid, thus categorizing them as incomplete proteins,” says VanBeber. This makes it a good protein source for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet."

The article also explains how to cook it along with the nutritional breakdown of this grain. Well, it is not exactly a grain but read more about that in the article.

There is also a recipe in this article that I will say honestly is not quite the make up I would want for me.... but as a meal for someone, it may work for your food program. Only you can decide that. Also, you can always substitute other ingredients or find a way to modify this recipe to meet your needs. In addition, check out the web for more recipes. Based on the nutritional make up, it looks like a great addition to any food program and especially if you are a vegetarian.

Read the article: http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/3379/3/

More On Weight Loss Success

Yesterday's post discussed 7 points to weight loss success. I made note that you have to find a program that works for you. We are all different and our bodies are different so we want to make sure we can live with our food program for life.

I discussed how carb lovers can still have carbs & lose weight. So many go on these low carb "diets" and then gain all of the weight back & more after they go "off the diet". I, for one, love bread, so I have found a way to keep that in my program. I have found very healthy whole grain breads that are low in fat, have good amounts of protein & fiber for bread and taste great! You just have to make the effort to find one or two you enjoy & substitute that bread for your other bread if you are now eating white bread or other non 100% whole grain breads. I love bagels also but make them a treat once a week now rather than all the time. I have also found good cereals like Kashi & others that have protein in them too. I measure them out so I know I don't overdo it. I eat the cereal as a mini treat during the day.

Listen, if you want it bad enough, you have to make choices to give up some things you eat all the time & love and make them treats versus every day staples. I eat healthy 85% of the time and some may say 95% but either way, I do find ways to fit in things I love & want to eat. I work out hard & I have made this choice so I can enjoy some fun things.

Now as I get older, I have really had to rein in some things even as hard as I work out & even as healthy as I eat but I have still found a way to fit in the things I really want to eat, even if it is just once a week.

If it is worth it to you, you can do it!!!!!

Weight Loss Success

The Diet Blog had an article on the 7 secrets of weight loss success that I thought was important to share with you. In fact, I have used all of their suggestions they outlined along the way when I was losing weight & then when I had to make changes due to my body changing. I think I have posted about many of them already like don't say you are going on a diet, you need to make lifestyles changes for life.

I have also posted about changing your thought process & also how all bodies are different so you need to evaluate what works for you. If you love carbs, going on a low card diet is setting yourself up for failure. There are ways to work carbs into a weekly plan. Now, saying that, you may not get all the carbs you want & you may have to substitute better carb choices for others, but just cutting them out is not the answer.

The article also talks about intuitive eating described as: "To become an intuitive eater, a person also needs to adopt two key behaviors. They must learn how not to eat for emotional, environmental or social reasons and they must listen to their body and eat only when hungry and stop when full. They must also learn how to interpret body signals, cravings, and hunger and respond in a healthy way. We should take internal cues, try to recognize what our body wants and then regulate how much we eat based on hunger and satiety." Be sure & click on the intuitive eating link in the article.

Read the full post here:

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/25/7_secrets_of_weight_loss_success.php

Healthy Recipe

I saw this great recipe for Chicken Soft Tacos on Diet Detective. There was an interview with Jillian Michaels, a trainer on The Biggest Loser. Check this recipe out.. sounds yummy!!!!

Chicken Soft Tacos with Sauteed Onions and Apples
Serves 4 (serving size is 2 tacos)

Cooking spray (olive oil preferred)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon Smart Start
2 cups thinly sliced onion2 cups peeled, thinly sliced Granny Smith apple (about 2 apples)2 garlic cloves, minced8 (6-inch) La Tortilla Factory low-carb tortillas

1. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with nutmeg and black pepper. Add chicken to the pan; saute 7 minutes or until golden. Remove the chicken from pan; keep warm.
2. Melt Smart Start in pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook for 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add apple; cook 6 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Return chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.
3. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Arrange 1⁄2 cup chicken mixture evenly over each tortilla.

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories 354, Protein, 32.9g, Sodium 305mg, Fiber 4.8g, Carbohydrates 31.5g, Fat 7.6g

Read the complete interview here: http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/2209/97/

Tuna-How Much is Safe?

Do you love eating tuna but are always worried about too much mercury in tuna? Do you forget how much you should or should not eat? Check out this Diet Detective article that references a tuna calculator that lets you know how much is fine to eat based on your weight & gender.

Read the article here: http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/3448/65/ and click on the link in the article to use the tuna calculator.

Shrink & Be Merry

I love the title of this book. I saw an article on Diet Blog about this book & although I have not had a chance to look at it, the premise & description of it sounds like it could be fun for all! Diet Blog says that certain sections contain "health tips, cooking tips, exercise tips, and just good old fashioned funny stuff. The book is extremely user friendly with nutritional information at the bottom of each recipe and a metric conversion chart in the back of the book for the rest of the world to enjoy making their recipes as well." Why not check it out at your local book store & see if it can help you.

The link to the Diet Blog article is:

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/21/healthy_cookbook_eat_shrink_be_merry.php

Negative Talk & Losing Weight

I know that many of us use that negative talk against & to ourselves. Hey, I admit it, I do it too even after all these years. You think by now that I would have gotten over that but there are times when it still comes back to bite me. Just like you, I look in the mirror & see those negative things that seep up from within. We all have our insecurities that we must deal with day by day.

Diet Blog had a good article on this negative self talk & how to turn it around to your advantage. For example, say I am CHOOSING not to eat that right now vs. I SHOULDN'T eat that. Or, I AM NOT having fries today vs. I am NOT ALLOWED to have fries.

I think we all know this but we don't apply it in our every day lives. Check out the full article at:
http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/20/how_do_you_talk_about_your_diet.php.

Start working on this area & you just may find yourself overcoming obstacles in every area of your life, not just fitness and weight loss!

Food Labels & Calories

The website Hungry Girl had a very interesting question posted on their site today. A reader wanted to know why when she added up all the information on the food label, the calories did not equal 100% all the time like you think they should do. Here is the question:

"Dear Hungry Girl, I am an avid label-reader, and I've noticed recently that the numbers don't always add up anymore. I used to be able to multiply the number of carbs by four, fat grams by nine, and protein by four -- then I'd add all of those numbers together and have the total calories. It used to add up correctly 100% of the time. Now I find that it rarely adds up -- especially in foods that contain high amounts of fiber. What gives? Label-Baffled"

Go to this link to read the answer:

http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/askhgdetails.php?isid=1522

For those of you that are real sticklers about food journaling, this will be a big help & just real interesting for the rest of us!!!!

Mind/Muscle Exercise Link

I have written a lot on the importance of a mind/muscle link whenever you exercise. I feel this is important for both cardio & weight training. If you think about it, how would elite athletes do so well without some sort of mind link to their sport. The same goes for your resistance training.

I absolutely follow the mind/muscle link motto whenever I work out & I attribute it to the gains I have made along the way. Every workout has this as the most important component because if I don't connect with what I am doing or if I don't listen to my body, I will not "hear" what my body is telling me. Even doing the same move, I may tweak the position of my body from workout to workout because I am paying attention to this mind/muscle link & some days it just feels better to do that same move a bit differently.

Check out this article from Oxygen Women's Fitness (and the pic is from that magazine too) that discusses the mind muscle link. Read it here: http://oxygenmag.com/mindmuscle

Olympics & Weight Loss Lessons

I just saw this great article on The Diet Detective about strategies you can use in your weight loss/fitness program. Olympic athletes use all kinds of things to spur them on like visualization, practice makes perfect, anticipating problems along the way and more. Check out this article that gives you specific scenarios or roadblocks that might interfere with your progress & then outlines how to deal with them. The article is at the link below:

http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/76/156/

Try one or two or all... what do you have to lose but maybe more of the weight you are trying to get off already!!! Go for it!

What Are We Eating

We all know that Americans are eating way more than they used to & portion sizes are way up at restaurants. You may like those bigger portion sizes but you are paying for that not only in dollars but in your health by continued weight gain. PLUS, your children are suffering too & some of you are helping them by not setting a good example by eating better & watching your portion sizes AND the types of food you eat.

Check out this great article from the Diet Blog on how our food consumption has increased & which foods we are eating more of now. Click on the links in the article to see full graphics and information. Don't stay fooled or hide from the facts!!!!!

Link: http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/06/americans_are_eating_more_but_which_foods.php

Wii Fit-Does It Work?

I know many of you out there are wondering how Wii Fit burns calories compared to doing the real thing. Diet Blog has a great article about just this & references the full study. Diet Blog concludes this:

"The Wii sports games are not as effective as real sports but certainly better than sitting on the couch.

Wii games are a good alternative for those who don't want to go outside for whatever reason.

The key to getting a decent workout with Wii is to try and mimic the sport as closely as possible.

Bowling is not a sufficient workout whether you are playing a video game or actually bowling (hopefully you don't find bowling very strenuous). "

Read the full article & sports calorie burn comparisons at: http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/15/wii_sports_vs_real_sports_which_burns_more_calories.php

Click on the "study" link in the actual article to see the full study.

A Beautiful Back

Who doesn't love a beautiful back especially in a bathing suit or backless shirt or dress... very sexy! This picture is from Oxygen Women's Fitness, one of my fav magazines!

I wanted to share a back exercise with you that I love & there are so many ways to do it. Many of you have heard of the straight arm pulldown for the back. Well, here is a different variation with the rope & I happened to find a video of how to do it on the Lance Armstrong website. How great to learn something new & read up on supporting cancer research too! Check out the video here:

http://www.livestrong.com/video/689-do-lat-pulldown-with-rope/

I also wanted to mention that if you do use the straight bar, I like to change the hand position from palms down to palms up or neutral. I also vary my grip from closer to wider on the straight bar. Another variation is to use the free motion cable machine & set the handles at the top position. I also vary my grip here as well & has a totally different feel holding the 2 handles versus a bar on a standard cable machine or even the straight bar from the lat pulldown machine.

Enjoy doing this move & now you have a variety of ways to do it!!!!!

How Fit Are You?

How fit do you think you are in terms of flexibility, strength, aerobic capacity etc.? There are a few easy things you can do right at home to test some of these variables & to assess your "fitness quotient". These are just basic things but why not give it a try, especially if you are just starting out or new to working out.

The following link from an article on the Diet Detective site explains exactly how the take these easy at home tests that include flexibility, push-ups, crunches and cardiovascular capacity. The article explains how to do each test & the importance of being able to do each one! Give it a try.

http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/1843/157/

Chest Exercise Variations

This picture is from myfit.ca. I wanted to show you different ways to work your chest. Now, with this move, if you have dumbbells, barbells, exercise bands & a swiss ball at home, you can do this there. You can also place yourself in a bridge position at the top point (like you are doing a butt move) and then do flat chest presses.

I also wanted to show you a couple moves I use at the gym with the free motion cable machine. Using either the swiss ball or the free bench that you find by the Smith Machine, you can use the free motion machine to do incline & flat bench or swiss ball chest presses. In addition, you can do chest flyes.

Check out the 2 links below that show the use of both the bench & the ball to work the chest. You can vary either by doing a flat or incline press or flye. Your body will like the change!!!! I love mixing it up with these moves from the standard dumbbell or barbell presses/flye!

Here are the links:

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/incline-chest-fly/1644463126

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/swiss-ball-incline-press/2108035939

Jogging/Walking Tips for Outside

Many of us like to walk or jog outside for some of our workouts just for the change, for the scenery and just to make it more fun and interesting. I was reading an article in Shape magazine about things to watch out for so I thought I would talk about my own experiences as well as their suggestions.

For me, when I jog outside, I am always aware of my surroundings whether it is early, midday or late. I NEVER listen to music. I know some of you are not going to like this but it sure is going to be hard to hear a person or car or bike coming at you if you have ear buds in your ears & the music cranked. I take this time to think thru things I want to accomplish in my workouts or life as well as just some peaceful thinking. Give that a try. I also like to enjoy the scenery.

Also, it is less hard on your joints to jog/walk on asphalt versus the concrete of a sidewalk. If you choose to do this, always jog towards oncoming traffic so you can see if a car is coming at you or losing control.

I only jog outside one day per week so I prefer to use the sidewalk to be safe. I like this because I can plan where I might want to go if I feel threatened by a person or animal. I am always on the lookout for that & possible places I can go. You can also try to get to a public place if that is possible. Now, saying that, I do keep an eye on the ground too... I alternate looking down & ahead to not only see what is in front/side of me but also down so I don't trip on cracks, stones or anything else on the sidewalk. If you don't want to jog on the street & the pavement is too tough on your joints, try jogging/walking on the grass... a good option!

Now, Shape also discussed if you confront a hostile dog. They say to freeze, yell "NO" and walk backwards slowly to show that you are not a threat. The article says never to turn & run.

Another suggestion from Shape is if you get injured. If you can move, get to a higher spot like a bench or hill if possible & try to flag someone down. If you can't move, stay stable & also try to flag down a person or car. I usually see similar people on my outside route so hopefully for you, that is the same & you can wait for a friendly face.

Hope this all helps & enjoy the jog or walk!

Play and Exercise!

I have written before about how just playing with your kids or even play with adults can be a great way to burn some calories, have fun & exercise all at the same time. I have posted on hula hooping in the recent past but today I am sharing another great article from Diet Detective on other games that you can play with your children OR just do on your own for fun & to get some exercise as well. This article talks about hopscotch, flying a kite, musical chairs and the seesaw.

For example, hopscotch can help with balance, working the legs, core & more. Flying a kite can work balance & flexibility. The article goes through each of the games & discusses how to "play" them, how they work your body and how many calories are burned doing each. Check out the article at this link:

http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/3363/3/.

Enjoy these games yourself or play with the kids & have fun plus burn calories at the same time!

Shape Those Legs

Squats for the legs are almost always mentioned as the king of leg exercises. Yes, I so squat with dumbbells and barbells but I often use the Smith Machine. I like the Smith Machine because even when I was younger, I was never the best "squatter" as much as I practiced and worked at it. Now as I get older, I like that the Smith Machine feels safer for my joints & gets me in the right position so I don't injure myself, especially on those days I want to go heavier. I still do dumbbell squats too so mix it up to whatever you feel comfortable with.

Now, saying all of the above, I wanted to mention a version of the squat that you may not have heard of, the front squat. I do this on the Smith Machine although you can use free weights or barbells. It definitely feels different than the standard squat & works your legs in a different angle. DO GO LIGHTER with this version. It is harder to do & harder to balance the weight.

I have attached a YouTube video to watch. This man is using a barbell, not the Smith Machine. Many of the videos out there show people squatting below parallel which is not good for your knees so this is why I chose this video. Again, go light at first as you learn the move. I also vary my feet placement from narrow to neutral to toes out just like I do with regular squats. As you learn, stick with a neutral stance & LIGHT weight. Oh, also, I criss cross my arms over my chest to hold the bar. You may want to play with both ways to see what feels best for you.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd_WsfebYOg

Back Exercises

I wanted to share a different way to work your back & lats, lat pulldowns with a stability ball. I have been doing this move for a long time but I have so many things to write about, I just don't always get to everything. Since back was part of my workout this morning, I remembered to write about this PLUS I was not distracted by another subject. Although, I really was but will put that off for another post!!

I like this move for the back because when I do it, I make it different from the day I use a standard lat pulldown machine when I use a bit heavier weight. I use a lighter weight on the cable machine & actually do a scapula squeeze before then pulling down in to the lat pulldown. Just as a point of information, you can also do close grip pulldowns, rows, straight arm pulldowns on this machine as well.

So, to do this move, use a free motion crossover machine if you have access to one or any cable crossover machine otherwise. With the free motion ones, you can adjust where you want to place the handles so that is why I like to do this on that machine. Place yourself between the 2 handles, grab them & sit down on the ball. Get in the position that feels right for you & do your standard pulldown. I like to use varying grips. This means that I use a overhand, underhand & neutral grip to change it up.

I am attaching a video I found on the web for you to look at. When I do my pulldowns, I don't come down quite as far as in this video but mine more resembles the form you do on a standard lat pulldown machine. Play around with it & see what feels right for you.

Here is the link & this site also shares other exercises you can do with the ball & cable machine. Enjoy!

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/swiss-ball-lat-pull-down/1665261021

After Dinner Snacking

So yesterday I provided a link to some snack choices for you. Today, I am following up with an article about the dreaded after dinner snacking or late night eating. We all fall prey to this at some point or another... eating too much after dinner, later at night, watching TV etc.

Some of us just don't eat enough during the day & it all hits at night. As you know, I am an advocate of eating small mini meals during the day if you can do that. It keeps the body fueled & you are less likely to be so hungry when you get home that you eat anything & everything in site. Some of us are just bored & eat mindlessly in front of the TV or computer. Again, I have posted about eating consciously & slower. Pay attention to what you are eating & slow down so the body can register that you are full.

As I discussed yesterday, I plan ahead for my night snacks & also count them out, put them on a plate & leave the rest in the kitchen. The other thing I do is brush my teeth immediately after eating my snack.

Here is the article from Diet Detective with more comments & suggestions:

http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/1136/156/

Snack Choices

I keep meaning to provide this link to Hungry Girl on her list of "better snacks". Of course, you have to decide what works best for your food plan based on your allotment of calories, fat etc. for the day and what you do & don't like. Maybe you are keeping your sugars or carbs lower. Maybe you prefer a "crunch snack" to a frozen treat snack. Maybe pudding is your thing. In any case, check out the link & at least have some "better snacks" on hand so you do not sabotage yourself either during the day or that dreaded after dinner time!

Here is the link: http://www.hungry-girl.com/girls/biteoutdetails.php?isid=1482

If you are curious about me, I am a crunch gal. I like rice cakes or I have also found some really good choices on low fat, low calorie organic "cookie bites". What I mean by that is they are small little bite size cookies. I count them out & put them on a plate whether it is the cookies or rice cakes & put the rest away. That is my allotment & then I brush my teeth after that!

Calories in Kids Meals

I happened upon an article today regarding the state of kids meals at our restaurants & fast food establishments. Not a good thing. I wanted to bring this to your attention not only because many of you have children BUT many adults now buy kids meals to save on money or supposedly calories & fat. Well, take a read at this article & you may change your mind or at least start making more informed decisions.

Part of the article states: "Chili's Bar and Grill has 700 possible kids' meal combinations, but 658, or 94 percent, of those are too high in calories. One Chili's meal comprised of country-fried chicken crispers, cinnamon apples and chocolate milk contained 1,020 calories, while another comprised of cheese pizza, homestyle fries, and lemonade contained 1,000 calories. Burger King has a "Big Kids" meal with a double cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate milk at 910 calories, and Sonic has a "Wacky Pack" with 830 calories worth of grilled cheese, fries, and a slushie." Also, "Subway's kids' meals came out the best among the chains examined in the report. Only 6 of 18 "Fresh Fit for Kids" meals - which include a mini-sub, juice box, and one of several healthful side items such as apple slices, raisins or yogurt - exceed the 430-calorie threshold. But Subway is the only chain that doesn't offer soft drinks with kids' meals, which helped lower the calorie count."

Read the full article at this link & start making better choices for yourself & your children.

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20080804/D92BEREG0.html

Fat vs. Carbohydrates

So, did this picture catch your interest... or maybe made you hungry! Well, this is a picture from an article on whether calories from fat or calories from carbohydrates are worse for you. It is a very interesting article & outlines how the different forms of fat are what you really should be concerned about. Specifically, it discusses trans fats and how bad they are versus the unsaturated fats and the benefits of them. One section of the article reads as such:

"We've now looked at over 250,000 men and women for up to 30 years, and we [also] haven't seen that the percentage of calories from fat or from carbohydrates in your diet makes any difference in relation to heart attacks, various cancers, or stroke. Having said that, the type of fat is very important, and so is the type of carbohydrate. So we find that trans fats, again, are particularly harmful with regard to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, unsaturated fats are actually beneficial in terms of reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It's the same with carbohydrates. The total amount is not important. But high intake of refined starch and sugar is related to a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, whereas high-fiber whole-grain carbohydrates are related to a lower risk. That's not too surprising, as we know that high intakes of sugar and refined starch have an adverse effect on blood glucose levels."

It is a very good article so I highly recommend you clicking on either one of these links:

Time.com
or
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20080715/hl_time/arefatcaloriesmorefatteningthancarbs

Both links are the same article and they discuss how the quality of the diet is very important, but just looking at fat versus carbohydrate does not tell all.

Again, I would like to point out that my personal view is that you have to have a food program that you can stick with for life but it does not hurt to work in this advice on limiting those trans fats. They are really BAD! Try to reduce them & also if you are not eating the healthy unsaturated fats, get those in there. I used to really limit all my fat intake & I am much better off now that I added some fat into my diet & the majority of it is the healthy fats.

Keeping Weight Loss Off

Today, I had intended to discuss some of my own day to day workouts & food thoughts but I read this article about maintaining weight loss on Diet Blog that caught my interest and I thought it would be of interest to my readers as well. See how easily I got sidetracked from my original plan!!! Good thing I don't do that with my own workouts but I sure do when reading fitness information!

Now, I want to preface this by saying that some of you will want to use this as an excuse just not to try to lose weight because the article talks about the fact that people "sustaining a loss of 10% or more of initial body weight at 24 months reported performing more physical activity (1835 kcal/wk or 275 min/wk) compared with those sustaining a weight loss of less than 10% of initial body weight." Meaning they had to work harder to keep it off.

Now, before I give you the link, let me put my 2 cents in. I lost weight in high school, put some back on & off & on over the college years & 20's. I finally got it down better in my 30's and older. Quite honestly, it was my 40's before I really had it down but I was doing OK before that. Anyway, I digress..... I was going to say that I have always had to work hard to keep the weight off & as my body got used to my workouts, I had to change it up. Also, as we get older, we are going to have to work harder at weight loss both in terms of exercise and food. This is a fact of life so you are going to have to accept it & live with it.

Listen, in a future post, I will outline what I have been doing just to fight the hormone changes due to my age & it is tough stuff!!!!

So, before you give up just because of this study, understand from a person who has been there & done that for over 25 years, you are always going to have to change things & work at keeping the weight off. Things change, the body changes, life changes. Accept it, move on and get healthy!!! It is worth it!

OK, the link to the article is and there is good advice in here:
http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/08/01/maintaining_weight_loss_how_much_exercise_is_required.php