Rev Up Our Engines

Well, once again I have been away from here for too long.  I have not only been sliding in doing my posts but I have been backsliding in my weight loss efforts too.  It was a long hard winter and for a number of reasons (that I do not need to get into here for fear of boring you) my head has not been in the game.  Does it show on the scales ... most definitely!

But what's done is done and can, thankfully, be undone.

So, I'm starting again TODAY.

We hear a lot of talk about metabolism and weight loss (in my case it’s usually “I must have a slow metabolism”), so I thought I’d check into it a little bit and see what metabolism is exactly, and is it true that we can rev up our metabolism in any way.

Let’s start with a short quiz …

What is metabolism?

1. Your ability to digest fatty foods
2. Your body’s ability to burn calories
3. Your brain telling you you’re hungry
4. Your ability to believe in the supernatural

Which of these is the best way to adjust your eating habits?

1. Eat small meals frequently
2. Eat as little as possible
3. Eat two large meals per day
4. Eat at Joe’s

Drinking water is an effective way to increase you metabolism if …

1. It’s room temperature
2. It’s ice cold
3. It’s lightly salted
4. It’s fluoridated

If you are overweight, you actually have a faster metabolism?

1. True
2. False

How does an increase in muscle affect your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate)

1. Your RMR will go up
2. Your RMR will go down
3. Your RMR will be unaffected
4. You’ll need some R and R

When doing aerobic exercise, you should ideally work out for 30 minutes with …

1. A raised heart rate
2. A good sweat
3. Ice water
4. A sweet play list

Your daily caloric intake should be …

1. Less than your RMR
2. Between your RMR and your maintenance intake
3. Your RMR and dessert

Which of these foods actually increase your rate of metabolism?

1. Grapefruit
2. Celery
3. Garlic
4. None of the above

As you lose weight, your body needs …

1. More calories
2. Fewer calories
3. Fewer carbohydrates
4. New clothes

Which of these is NOT a factor in determining your RMR?

1. Age
2. Weight
3. Gender
4. The amount of sleep you get

ANSWERS

1. Metabolism is the body’s ability to burn calories.  Increasing your metabolism means burning more calories and therefore burning more weight.
2. Having smaller, more frequent meals instead of larger ones will help limit unhealthy snacking and reduce overeating.  Bonus:  Eating healthy snacks will also help increase your metabolism.
3. Drinking plenty of water is good, but ice cold water is even better for increasing metabolism.  This is because your body expends extra calories warming the water to your body temperature.
4. Surprising as it is, overweight people actually have a faster metabolism than skinnier people.  However, if someone is overweight it means their metabolism isn’t fast enough to counteract their caloric intake, leading to weight gain.
5. An increase in muscle mass will increase your RMR.  This is because muscle burns more calories – even at rest – than fat.
6. When doing aerobic exercise, work out for 30 minutes with an increased heart rate.  It will temporarily boost your metabolism and burn calories.
7. Keep your caloric intake between your RMR and your maintenance intake.  It’s just as important to avoid under-eating as it is to avoid overeating.
8. The idea that certain foods will increase your metabolism is a myth.  However, eating small meals more frequently will definitely help.
9. As you lose weight, you’ll need fewer calories.  But we have good news!  As you lose weight, your appetite will shrink, so you won’t feel as hungry.  Losing weight is about moderation, not deprivation!
10. Sleep does not affect your resting metabolic rate.  RMR is the rate at which your body burns calories doing nothing, so it is only affected by your age, weight, height, and gender.

Now that we all see how much (or little) we understand about metabolism, let’s see what it is really all about.

Your body’s metabolism is the rate at which your cells produce energy and that translates into the rate at which your body burns calories.  It is the process of breaking down the 3 macronutrients – proteins, carbohydrates and fats – by your body in order for it to maintain itself.  AND – the number of calories you burn during eating and exercising every day influences metabolism and obviously the number of calories you consume.  That part is completely in your control.

The number of calories that are expended due to your genetic makeup also influences metabolism.  Forget about being able to influence your genes.  They are what they are!  Thank your parents for that.  Although they are a factor, the also account for very little of how many calories are spent each day. 

Age is a huge factor influencing your metabolism.  Unfortunately, from the age of around 25 the average person’s metabolism decreases by between 5% and 10% each decade.

Gender also influences your metabolism as men generally burn calories more quickly then women because they have more muscle tissue.

RMR was mentioned frequently in the quiz.  RMR stands for RESTING METABLIC RATE not to be confused the BMR which is your BASAL METABLIC RATE which can only be calculated in a controlled clinical or laboratory setting.  It’s easy to get a ballpark figure for your RMR by doing the following:

1. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning (to avoid weighing the food you ingest during the day
2. Convert your weight into kilograms (weight in lbs divided by 2.2)
3. For females use the following formula:  (10 x weight) + (6.25 x height) – (5 x age) – 161 = RMR.  For males use the following formula:  (10 x weight) + (6.25 x height) – (5 x age) + 5 = RMR.

Your RMR will tell you how many calories you need to maintain your body at rest.  Your daily consumption to maintain your current weight should be:  RMR x 1.15.  To lose weight safely, do not exceed your maintenance intake or have a caloric intake lower than your calculated RMR.

It seems to me that between age, genetics and all the math involved beating your metabolism into submission might be a thankless and nearly impossible task with regards to weight loss.  Alas, fear not – there are some things that you can do to work with your metabolism instead of against it.

Let’s start with the metabolism “killers”.  These are things that you CAN change and those changes will help “rev” up that metabolism.

Not getting enough sleep

I did a whole post on the importance of sleep to any weight loss effort and here it is again.  If you are not getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night, you might be killing your metabolism.  Studies show that not getting enough shut eye can lead to chemical reactions that increase fat storage and make you hungrier.

Eating before bed

If you snack right before bed, your body won’t deal with the excess calories – it’s busy recovering from the day.  Instead, it will slow down your metabolism and save the calories as fat.

Carbs

Who doesn’t love carbs?  They taste great, but they also cause your blood sugar to spike, which in turn increases your fat storage.  It’s a chemical thing.

Not enough protein

Protein is important for building lean muscle mass, which burns fat, but it’s also important for your digestive system.  If you’re not eating enough protein, chances are your body isn’t digesting food properly and instead is storing it as fat.

Sitting still

Sitting around all day – whether at the office or on the couch – puts your metabolism in a near vegetative state.  And, when that happens, your metabolism shuts down.  Get up and move!

Drinking alcohol

A cold beer might help you relax, but it stresses out your metabolism.  Alcohol is high in calories and sugar, both of which confuse your metabolism and make it shut down.

Too many processed foods

They’re cheap, tasty and guaranteed to make your metabolism scream “NO MORE”.

Yo-yo dieting

Starving yourself to lose a few pounds – and then binging.  Starving yourself to lose a few pounds – and then binging again.  If this is your eating cycle, your metabolism is wondering what in the world is going on – and your body will go into survival mode, which means it’s storing calories as fat instead of burning them.

Cycling (not the good kind)

Hitting the bike for 30 minutes a day is good for your metabolism  “Weight cycling” is not.  If your weight goes up and down and up and down, you’re messing with your metabolism.

So, what can you do to get your old metabolism back?  Some of the answers are as obvious as reversing the bad habits mentioned above …

Sleep

Make sure you get enough sleep.  The amount of calories that your body burns at rest is decreased if you’re not getting enough sleep.

Eat more protein

Your body burns twice as many calories trying to break down and digest high protein food, compared to high carb or high fat foods.  Try to include at least one protein at every meal.

Eat often

Every 2 – 3 hours is ideal even if just snacking.  This feeds

muscles and starves fat.  Your body is a clever little thing and it is reassured if food comes in on a regular basis.  If you typically skip breakfast (a cup of strong coffee DOES NOT constitute breakfast!), then grab a light sandwich for lunch and a big dinner in the evening it means that you are potentially fasting for 16 – 19 hours every day.  Not great!

Reverse the aging process

Don’t get excited now, I am not about to tell you about a new magic pill.  Simply, stay active and keep exercising – even as you get older.  Studies show that those that stay active see an average .3% drop in metabolism every decade (as opposed to the 5% - 10% drop mentioned above).

Have a plan to get more toned

Getting more toned is another way of saying adding lean tissue.  This means adding muscle (not bulking up) but adding more muscle.  Basically you burn more calories at rest the more muscle you have.

Do some interval training with heavier than average weight.

Whether this means 4 pounds instead of two or twenty pounds instead of fifteen … this will give your metabolism a boost for up to 24 hours as your body uses up energy in order to repair tiny (and healthy) muscle tears.

Omega 3 fish oils

EPA and DHA are the fatty acids found in fish oils.  Studies have shown that these can increase the amount of calories your metabolism burns by up to 400 calories per day!!  They increase levels of fat burning enzymes and decrease fat storage enzymes.

I’ll close this by answering the burning question that I’m sure is at the top of everyone’s mind … are there any foods that will increase your metabolism?  Sadly to say – No! Some foods and drinks like red peppers and green tea have been studied for the potential for increasing metabolism but the is no conclusive evidence that their effect is enough to result in actual weight loss.

So although there are no foods to “boost” you metabolism it is important to eat properly.  You need to eat breakfast.  The first meal in the morning can increase your resting metabolic rate by as much as 10%.  BUT – avoid fatty breakfast foods and opt for healthy alternative such as fruits, granola, yogurt and whole-wheat toast or cereal.  Try to include a protein.  Snacking is okay because a snack can be a good metabolism booster.  BUT – make sure to munch on snacks that have the appropriate amount of proteins and carbs, such as banana, peanut butter, carrots, and apples.  Don’t cut back too far on calories.  Most people think that the most effective way to lose weight is to cut down their caloric intake.  However, this only leads to a slower metabolic rate because the body undergoes a process known as “dietary induced thermogenesis”.  That’s a fancy way of saying it goes into “starvation mode”.  The body thinks it’s out of energy (food) so it alters the metabolism to preserve the fats and carbs.  Avoid taking lesser amounts of calories than recommended, or else the body will try to conserve its limited resources, and the result will be a slower metabolism and that will lead to weight gain instead. 

I hope this has helped to “de-myth” metabolism a little bit.  As usual I have combined what I think was the best of numerous and respectable sources to compile my information.

www.webmd.com/makethemostofyourmetabolism

www.glambistro.com/natural-metabolism-boosters

Food Renegade, Kristen Michaelis (editor)

www.fitterbodybootcap.com

www.beliteweight.com

Happy Hallowe'en

Wow, it seems like forever since I posted on here.  So much for consistent journaling – which was my original goal for this blog.  But, sometimes life just gets in the way.  I’ve been busy taking a six-week (simply for interest) course sponsored by my local library called “The Philosophy of Horror Fiction”.  Between the readings for that and my real job there hasn’t been a lot of time for anything else.  I have also written a few things for my “other blog”.  I like to focus this one on weight loss and healthy lifestyle choices.  This “other” is more of a personal blog with personal ramblings.  Sometimes an idea just rattles around inside my head screaming to be put on paper … and, that’s where it ends up.  If for any reason someone is interested in checking it out, it can be found at http://amusingmyself-atyourexpense.blogspot.ca  Sometimes there is a little crossover and I post things from here to there, but not usually the other way around.

We are also on the eve of the start of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).  In a nutshell; On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel.  One can make it all official and such by registering on their website www.nanowrimo.org hence submitting the fruit of their labors. I would just do it for interest sake and to keep the brain working.  I think about participating every year and then my determination begins to lag and I don’t get words down on paper (or into the computer as the case may be).  I’m going to give it shot this year, but don’t expect anything to be posted here or anywhere else.  Like the horror fiction course I am taking it would be purely for interest sake.

But back to this post!

My BFF “M” is also a member of my TOPS group and, bless her heart, to take some of the pressure off me she offered to lead the meeting this past Monday night.  In light of some other things that went on this week I was more than grateful for her help.  The following is her “Halloween Tips” meeting.

Q: How can I have a healthy Halloween with all of the treats around? Any tips? 

A: Halloween is one of the most exciting days of the year for kids and candy lovers alike. It’s so easy to overdo it with piles of candy in the house though, even before the big day arrives.

Understand the impact 
Those cute, snack size candy bars and bags of chips may seem harmless, but they pack monster amounts of calories, fat, sugar and salt.

It is estimated that the average child collects between 3,500 and 7,000 calories worth of Halloween candy in one trick-or-treat session. That’s the equivalent of one to two pounds of fat! For a 100-pound child to burn those calories, it would take 44 hours of walking or 14.5 hours of full court basketball.

Out of sight, out of mind 
To avoid eating all of your goodies before trick-or-treaters arrive, buy candy just before the 31st, or keep it somewhere inconvenient so you’re not tempted to dig in each time you pass the candy bowl. And buy treats you don’t like! If you’re a sweet tooth, buy salty treats. If you like chips, buy sweets. Once candy is in the house, put it out in smaller amounts or put it away so you and your child don’t have free access.

Moderation is key – set limits! 
You don’t need to lock your kids in the house on Halloween or confiscate their candy bags. Halloween can be an opportunity to teach moderation and  eating sweets as treats. When your kids get home from trick-or-treating, have them make two piles of their loot: a favourites pile and a pile they won’t eat. Encourage them to share or give away their unwanted pile. Explain that candy is a treat on Halloween for them to enjoy in moderation on regular days. Work out a reasonable treat allowance and explain that eating less per day will make their Halloween stash last longer. 1-3 pieces per day (100-300 calories) is a reasonable amount for most active children over a short period of time. Have them enjoy their candy alongside a healthy snack or a glass of water. Make sure you’re also eating candy in moderation to set a good example. 82% of parents set candy limits, so don’t let puppy-dog-eyes change your mind!

Healthy habits all year long 
Remember that Halloween is just one day of the year. Indulging on holidays can be completely acceptable if we do our best to eat healthy every day

Handy tip: Try refrigerating or freezing candy to reduce overindulging. When it’s not soft and chewy it isn’t as appealing and by the time it has thawed you or your child may lose interest. 

Okay … it’s me again.  Although my kids are grown and in charge of their own candy consumption these days there was a lot of great information to hear.  Those cute little packages are so deceptive too.  Don’t look anything like a full sized chocolate bar of bag of chips, but calorie wise they still pack a heck of punch.  Check it out …

One of things that I do miss about having little ones around on Halloween is carving the pumpkin and roasting the pumpkin seeds.  I guess I could still carve a pumpkin to set out on the front porch, but let’s face it, as much fun as we had carving those jack-o-lanterns they could never be called works of art.  Lopsided smiling/grimacing faces was the best we could come up with.  I’ve since taken the lazy way out and put a little battery operated tea light inside of a smiling ceramic pumpkin and call it good!

I do miss the pumpkin seeds though.  And who knew they could be so good for you?  From an article on www.hungryforchange.tv here are the 9 Top Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds.

1.  They contain heart healthy magnesium.  One-quarter cup of pumpkin seeds contains nearly half of the recommended daily amount of magnesium.  These help with important bodily functions such as the pumping of your heart, proper bone and tooth formation, relaxation of your blood vessels and proper bowel function.

2.  Zinc for immune support.  Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of zinc with one ounce containing more than 2 mg of this beneficial mineral.  Zinc is important to you body in many ways, including immunity, cell growth and division, sleep, mood, your senses of taste and smell, eye and skin health, insulin regulation and male sexual function.

3.  Plant base Omega-3 Fats.  Nuts and seeds, including pumpkin seeds are one of the best sources of plant-based omega-3s.

4.  Prostate health.  Pumpkin seeds have long been valued as an important natural food for men’s health.

5.  Benefits for post-menopausal women.  Pumpkin seed oil is rich in natural phytoestrogens and studies suggest it may lead to a significant increase in good HDL along with a decrease in blood pressure, hot flashes, headaches, joint pains and other menopausal symptoms.

6.  Anti-diabetic effects.  Animal studies suggest that pumpkin seeds may help improve insulin regulation and help prevent diabetic complications by decreasing oxidative stress.

7.  Heart and liver health.  Pumpkin seeds are a rich in healthy fats, antioxidants and fibers, which may provide benefits for heart and liver health, particularly when mixed with flax seeds.

8.  Restful sleep.  Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of tryptophan, an amino acid that your body converts into serotonin, which in turn is converted into melatonin, the “sleep hormone”.  Eating pumpkin seeds before bed, along with a carbohydrate like a small piece of fruit, may be especially beneficial for providing your body the trypotphan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production to help promote a restful nights sleep.

9.  Anti-inflammatory benefits.  Pumpkin seed oil has been found to exhibity anti-inflammatory effect.  One animal study even found it worked as well as the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in treating arthritic, but without the side effects.

And what’s the best way to eat these little powerhouse seeds?  In order to prevent the healthy fats present in the seeds, pumpkin seeds should be eaten raw.  If you choose to purchase seeds from a bulk bin, make sure they smell fresh – not musty, spoiled or stale, which could indicate rancidity or the presence of fungal mycotoxins.

If you prefer to eat the seeds roasted, do so yourself so you can control the roasting temperature and time.  Raw pumpkin seeds can be roasted on a low heat setting in your oven (no more than 170 degrees Fahrenheit or 75 degrees Celsius), sprinkled with natural salt, for about 15 to 20 minutes.  And make sure you eat the white outside part of the seed … that’s where the fiber and all the health benefits are.

HAPPY HALLOWE’EN !!

You Snooze - You Lose !

“The Dream Diet:  Losing Weight While You Sleep.”

“Burn Fat While You Sleep”

Sounds like lines from a late-night infomercial (yes I have on sleepless nights taken the last resort of watching the snake-oil sales-pitches on late night television) …

Oh, be still my pounding heart …

If only it were true.

Well, you know what?  Maybe it is!

Whenever I think of weight loss, dieting and a healthier lifestyle I think of food and exercise but there are so many other factors that play into being healthy and fit.  More and more often I am coming across articles indicating how important sleep is to being healthy AND to losing weight.

I don’t want to sound like I am latching on to every excuse I can find but lately my lack of sleep is definitely a deterrent to losing weight.  I have had trouble getting a good night’s sleep … due mainly to the dreaded menopause.  I find that I can fall asleep no problem but then I am up at 4:30 and cannot get back to sleep.  So … of course I have my breakfast and try to make those morning hours as productive as I can.  The unfortunate part of that whole scenario is that I AM NOT a morning person. 

Being tired and miserable and being productive DO NOT go hand in hand.  The other thing I find is that my brain/body clock measures time in it’s own way … so when I have my “breakfast” at 4:30 in the morning, by the time I get to the office my body is telling me that’s it’s time for lunch.  I mean it’s been five hours since I ate so it sort of makes sense.  But then when I eat something it amounts to an extra meal every day.  That’s certainly not a good thing when I am trying to lose weight!  I’ve had to rethink my meal planning and break breakfast into two installments.

But enough about me … on to the “Dream Diet”.  Can proper sleep really help you lose weight?

Apparently, say all the experts, it certainly can!  When you are sleep deprived, your body craves more food and you will have to eat more of it to feel full.  It is common for people who are tired to reach for food as a way of keeping themselves energized and alert.  If your goal is to lose weight, one of the ways to overcome cravings, reduce calories and have more control over your diet is simply to get enough sleep.  We all know that sleep and sleep disruption can do strange and remarkable things to one’s body and, now, that includes influencing weight.  Doctors have long known that many hormones are affected by sleep and recently appetite has entered that picture as well.  Two hormones that influence appetite are “leptin” and “ghrelin” and studies show that the production of both may be influenced by how much or how little we actually sleep.

Have you ever experiences a sleepless night followed by a day when no matter what you ate you never felt full or satisfied?  That is the leptin and ghrelin at work.  Ghrelin stimulates your appetite and leptin is the hormone produced in fat cells that signal to the brain when you are full.  When you don’t get enough sleep it causes your ghrelin levels to rise which means your appetite is constantly stimulated.  At the same time it drives your leptin levels down and that may mean you don’t feel satisfied even after you eat.  For me, that little piece of information was a definite eye opener!

I don’t want to dwell on the science too much but I thought how researchers came upon the correlation between sleep and weight was intriguing enough to share.  As it turns out they were studying people with sleep apnea, which closes off air passages during the night, causing disruption in sleep and a tendency to snore.  The end result is that although you are “sleeping” eight hours the breathing issues prevent you from getting a deep sleep.  Eight hours of disrupted sleep leaves you feeling like you had only four.  In screening overall health of patients with sleep apnea, researchers noticed that patients were more likely to be overweight.

Interestingly enough, obesity can cause sleep apnea.  So is this a case of which came first – the chicken or the egg?

Can getting the right amount of sleep simply means that you wake up with more energy and therefore you are just naturally more active?  It could just be a vicious circle, but most experts agree that if you are dieting, logging in a few extra hours of sleep a week is not a bad idea, particularly if you get six hours of sleep or less per night.  With the proper amount of sleep you may discover that you aren’t as hungry, or that you have lessened your craving for sugary, calorie-laden foods.

One researcher states “one thing I have seen is that once a person is not as tired, they don’t need to rely on sweet foods and high carbohydrate snacks to keep them awake – and that automatically translates into eating fewer calories”.  Simply put, when you do not sleep enough, you have more hours in the day when calories can be consumed and because you are tired and invariably those calories are the kind that give you a false sense of energy (the “sugar rush”).  They are also the calories that are metabolized the quickest leading to an even greater feeling of no energy (the “sugar crash”) which leads to another grab at a “quick fix”.

Now, what can you do to insure that you get a proper night’s sleep?

Some do’s …

* Establish a regular exercise routine of 3-4 times per week, and do it well before bedtime

* Try pre-bedtime rituals that relax you – warm baths, light reading, listening to calming music or recorded nature sounds

* Create a peaceful sleep environment.  Adjust the darkness to what works best for you.  Make sure the temperature of the room is set to your comfort level.

* Give yourself sleep hours instead of trying to squeeze more activity into one day.  Adequate sleeping hours will increase your productivity during waking hours.

Some don’ts …

* Don’t nap in the daytime if you have sleeping problems at night

* Don’t take in caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol from the late afternoon and beyond

* Don’t lie in bed agitated if you can’t sleep.  After half an hour, move to a different room and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again

* Don’t go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal right before bedtime.  Eating high protein food close to bedtime makes you body think it should be active and therefore keeps you awake.

Hmmmm … that last point is pretty interesting when you place it under the glaring light of DIETING.  For years and years one of the golden rules of dieting has been DO NOT EAT FOR FOUR TO SIX HOURS BEFORE GOING TO BED.  Yet, every article I read in regards to sleep and weight loss contradicted this advice and indicated that it was better to have a snack before bedtime.  They all agreed that if you struggle with insomnia, a little food in your stomach might help you sleep.  BUT don’t use this as an open invitation to pig out!  A heavy meal will tax your digestive system, making you uncomfortable and unable to get soothing ZZZ’s.  One article went as far as to say that avoiding food completely before sleeping can actually have to opposite effect, as people who wake up feeling hungry are far more likely to binge on food at breakfast.  It was suggested that eating something “light” that breaks down slowly in your system while you sleep will keep your metabolism active throughout the night, and you’ll wake up feeling energetic instead of starving.

As with any research, information, suggestions or the latest diet phenomenon you have to decide what is right for you and what works for you?  If you are going to try having something to eat before bed or if you are just naturally peckish before going to sleep, which foods should you eat and which foods should you definitely steer clear of for a good night’s sleep?

The following are suggestions from www.WebMD.com/sleep-disorders and comments in italics are mine.

Reach for Tryptophan-rich foods.  We’ve all heard of warm milk’s magical ability send us off to dreamland.  Do you know why it’s true?  Dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep-promoting substance.  Other foods that are high in tryptophan include nuts and seeds, bananas, honey and eggs.  There is no doubt in my mind about the tryptophan because it effectively explains why my son-in-law falls asleep on the couch after Thanksgiving dinner!

Indulge in your craving for carbs.  Carbohydrate-rich foods complement dairy foods by increasing the level of sleep-inducing tryptophan in the blood.  So a few perfect late night snacks to get you snoozing might include a bowl of cereal and milk, yogurt and crackers, or some flat bread or pita with cheese.  If you are going to indulge in a pre-bed snack you have to remember that it is not a free food … adjust your daily portions accordingly.

Put down the burger and fries!  As if you needed another reason to avoid high-fat foods, research shows that people who often eat high-fat food not only gain weight, they also experience a disruption of the sleep cycles.  A heavy meal activates digestion, which, which can lead to nighttime trips to the bathroom.

Beware of hidden caffeine.  It’s no surprise that an evening cup of coffee might disrupt your sleep.  Even moderate caffeine can cause sleep disturbances.  But don’t forget about less obvious caffeine sources like chocolate, cola, tea and decaffeinated coffee.  For better sleep, cut all caffeine from your diet four to six hours before bedtime.  And, remember medications may contain caffeine.  Some over-the-counter and prescription drugs contain caffeine, too, such as pain relievers, weight loss pills, diuretics and cold medicines.  These and other medications may have as much or even more caffeine that a cup of coffee.  Check the label of nonprescription drugs or the prescription drug information sheet to see if your medicine interferes with sleep or can cause insomnia.

Skip the nightcap.  Here’s the catch-22 with alcohol:  it may help you fall asleep faster, but you may experience frequent awakenings, less restful sleep, headaches, night sweats and nightmares.  Alcohol sounds a lot like menopause!  If you’re consuming alcohol in the evening, balance each drink with a glass of water to dilute the alcohol’s effects.  For a good night sleep, the better bet is to avoid alcohol for four to six hours before bedtime.

Beware of heavy, spicy foods.  Lying down with a full belly can make you uncomfortable, since the digestive system slows down when you sleep.  It can also lead to heartburn, as can spicy cuisine.  Make sure to finish a heavy meal at least four hours before bedtime.

Keep protein to a minimum at bedtime.  Sorry Atkins.  Protein, an essential part of our daytime fare, is a poor choice for a bedtime snack.  Protein-rich foods are harder to digest.  So skip the high-protein snack before bedtime and opt for a glass of warm milk or some sleep-friendly carbs, like crackers.

Cut the fluids by 8 p.m.  Yes, staying hydrated throughout the day is great for your body, but curtail your fluid intake before bed.  You’re sure to have interrupted sleep if you’re constantly getting up to go to the bathroom. 

Don’t be fooled by a relaxing smoke.  Nicotine is a stimulant, with effects similar to caffeine.  Avoid smoking before bedtime or if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Another point that this article missed entirely ... sometimes having pets can lead to the worst example of why you don't get enough sleep.  That could be the title of another blog post ... Is your dog/cat making you fat?  Sorry ... just a little humour and a personal observation and a case of "been there - done that".

Sounds easy enough, right?  Yeah, but there are two sides to every coin.

Another article on www.fitday.com suggested “Your diet and your sleep patterns are related.  When you do not sleep enough, your body’s physiology changes, which may lead to cravings and an over-consumption of calories.  Sleeping too much also has adverse effects on your weight”.

Now just wait a minute … I can’t seem to keep ahead of the game here?  Too little sleep is not good, yet too much is not good either?

Fitday agrees that “sleeping only a few hours each night significantly increases the chances for obesity.  Sleeping only five hours each night increases the chances of weight gain by 50%”.  They sight the same leptin/ghrelin levels research I’ve already discussed at the beginning of this post.

As with eating properly and exercising properly the key when it comes to sleep is balance.  Sleeping more than nine hours each night can also lead to weight gain.  The cause of this is not as clear, however it is possible that if you stay in bed too long, it is a result of not sleeping soundly.  You may be waking up numerous times throughout the night and not getting the deep sleep needed to be alert and healthy.

Okay – got it.  They are saying the same thing but coming at it from a different direction.

The bottom line on snoo-zzzz-ing and lo-zzzzz-ing?  When trying to control your diet, paying attention to your sleep patterns is a good strategy.  Be sure to sleep eight hours each night.  Going to bed at the same time each night makes it easier to fall asleep.  Minimize night-time distractions, wear ear plugs to block out unwanted noise and try some of the tips mentioned here.  Getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis will keep your body in balance, help to reduce cravings and keep your diet healthy and on track.

So, you think you know?

After I’ve been on a diet for a while I start to become complacent about certain things like calorie counts and portion controls.  The food scale begins to get dusty on top of the fridge and accurate portion sizes become “guesstimates”.  Then I have the nerve to wonder why that pesky little indicator on the scale starts to travel in the wrong direction again.

The same thing happens in my TOPS group.  We can always tell when members are getting complacent because our “overall gains” for the week start to outweigh (pun fully intended) our “overall loss”.

This week I decided to throw a couple of quizzes out to the group.  I find quizzes are a fun way to refresh some the information we need to make good choices.  Especially fun when there are prizes involved!!

Sorry, I can’t give out any prizes here but if you want to take the quizzes for your fun and enlightenment, let’s go …

All answers will be given following each quiz

QUIZ ONE:  CALORIES

(from www.3fatchicks.com)

1.  To start your morning off right, which breakfast has the least amount of calories?

1. Two scrambled eggs with cheese
2. A glazed donut
3. One cup of granola cereal

2.  Which of these delicious appetizers boasts the lower amount of calories per serving?

1. Shrimp cocktail
2. Chicken lettuce wraps
3. 12 chips with salsa

3.  Those four fun-size Snickers you just grabbed from the receptionists candy jar cost you how many calories?

1. 120 calories
2. 324 calories
3. 500 calories

4.  You ordered the chicken.  Now which side dish should you choose if you want to continue with your low calorie dinner theme?

1. One bowl of broccoli soup
2. Half a cup of rice pilaf
3. Two slices of garlic bread

5.  Which movie-theatre treat should you nosh on to avoid calorie-overload?

1. A medium-size buttered popcorn
2. One salted pretzel
3. A 5-ounce pack of red licorice

6.  Which alcoholic beverage packs the highest amount of calories at happy hour?

1. White Russian
2. Budweiser
3. Glass of red wine

7.  To avoid turning your snack into a mini-dinner calorie-wise, which should you choose?

1. Half a cup of cottage cheese
2. Two stalks of celery with peanut butter
3. A handful of tortilla chips

8.  Which Chinese food favorite will set you back the most calories?

1. Orange Chicken
2. Broccoli Beef
3. Vegetable Chow Mein

9.  While in a fast food drive thru, which item should you choose if you want to spare yourself some major calories?

1. McDonald’s Quarter Pounder™ with cheese
2. Taco Bell taco salad
3. McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets™

10.  To finish off your meal, which tasty dessert has the least amount of calories?

a.       A slice of apple pie

b.      One serving of chocolate pudding

c.       Two Rice Krispies™ treats

ANSWERS:

Question 1

Two scrambled eggs with cheese = 300 calories

A glazed donut = 380 calories

One cup of granola cereal = 400 calories (and don’t forget about the milk)

Question 2

Shrimp cocktail = 1 serving is 125 calories

Chicken lettuce wraps = 4 wraps equals 630 calories

12 chips with salsa = 270 calories

Question 3

Four fun-size Snickers = 324 calories (81 calories each)

Question 4

One bowl of Cream of broccoli soup = 570 calories

Half a cup of rice pilaf = 155 calories

Two slices of garlic bread = 300 calories

Question 5

A medium-size buttered popcorn – 1000 calories

A salted pretzel = 370 calories

A 5-ounce package of red licorice = 560 calories

Question 6

White Russian = 4.5 ounces is 404 calories

Budweiser = 12-ounces equals 145 calories

Glass of red wine = 6 ounces equals 170 calories

Question 7

Half a cup of cottage cheese = 100 calories

Two stalks of celery with peanut butter = 220 calories

A handful of tortilla chips = (12 chips) equals 260 calories

Question 8

Orange Chicken = 1 dish equals 480 calories

Broccoli Beef = 1 dish equals 150 calories

Vegetable Chow Mein = 1 dish equals 260 calories

Question 9

McDonalds Quarter Pounder™ with cheese = 510 calories

Taco Bell’s taco salad = 870 calories

McDonald’s six piece McNuggets™ = 260 calories (without the high calorie dipping sauces)

Question 10

A slice of apple pit = 450 calories or more

One serving of chocolate pudding = 160 calories

Two homemade Rice Krispies™ treats = 140 calories

QUIZ TWO:  GOOD TO KNOW INFO

(from www.aarp.org/health)

1.  Which typed of diet has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease?

1. Atkins Diet
2. South Beach Diet
3. Paleo Diet
4. Mediterranean Diet

2.  Which of these best describes the Mediterranean Diet?

1. Very low carbohydrates (no rice, pasta or bread), high protein and fat from meat, eggs and other sources
2. Plenty of fish, vegetables, fruit and dairy, whole grains, olive oil and other healthy fats, moderate wine consumption
3. Restricted carbohydrates, including fruits; encourages healthy fats, vegetable and low fat proteins
4. Includes meats, vegetable, fruits, roots and nuts, excludes grains, legumes, dairy products and potatoes

3.  What happens to the body when you eat doughnuts?

1. A rapid spike in blood sugar
2. A burst of energy, followed by a sluggish feeling
3. A release of insulin, which causes the blood sugar to plummet
4. All of the above

4.  Which of the following is considered a “healthy” fat by nutritionists?

1. Saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature and comes from animal sources
2. Trans fat, found in processed packaged foods
3. Monounstaurated fat, found in plant based foods and oils
4. Partially hydrogenated fat, chemically altered by adding a hydrogen atom to an unsaturated fat

5.  Why is fatty fish an important part of a healthy diet?

1. It has omega-3 fatty acids that are important for brain health
2. It lowers your risk of certain cancers
3. It is low in calories and high in protein
4. All of the above

6.  Which of these eating habits is not linked with losing weight and keeping it off?

1. Chewing gum
2. Snacking often
3. Eating out
4. Drinking water

7.  What drink may lower risk of an early death?

1. Diet sodas
2. Coffee
3. Prune Juice
4. Water

8.  Which of the following can be a diet buster?

1. Consuming low-fat dairy
2. Sleeping at least seven hours a night
3. Choosing food labeled “fat-free”
4. Meditating a few minutes each day

9.  Eat this not that.  Which of the following food switches make the most sense for health and weight loss?

1. Steel-cut oats instead of instant oats with sugar
2. Unbuttered popcorn instead of potato chips
3. A small piece of dark chocolate instead of a milk chocolate candy bar
4. All of the above

ANSWERS:

1. (d) The Mediterranean Diet
2. (b) Plenty of fish, vegetables, fruit and dairy, whole grains, olive oil and other healthy fats, moderate wine consumption
3. (d) All of the Above
4. (c) Monounsaturated fat, found in plant based foods and oils
5. (d) All of the above
6. (c) Eating Out
7. (b) Coffee  * This answer was a puzzler to me because I assumed it would be water.  The explanation given was “older adults who drink two or three cups of coffee per day (regular OR decaf) have a 10% lower risk of premature death then those who drink no coffee at all.
8. (c) Choosing food labeled “fat-free”
9. (d) All of the above             

Thursday's Random Thought (Good for the mind & the waistline)

There has been so much information around lately about activity helping brain function (previous post).  I found the following posted on Facebook and thought I’d share.

* My only comment was “It may improve brain power but obviously not spelling … bicyclling?

 Just a few examples of actual calories burned …

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER ALL !!

Who can resist chocolate bunnies at Easter?  I know I can't.  But we all know that even if the Easter Bunny hides a dark chocolate bunny for you, it can easily derail any attempt at dieting.

Hmmmm - so what if I just take a little nibble off the ears.  How bad could that be?

So finally here it is ... the official calorie count on Chocolate Bunny Ears

Thursday's Random Thought ... A scary way to lose weight

Let’s face it; we have all had one of THOSE days.  You know you should stop at the gym on the way home, go for a run or just do anything physical.  But it’s been a bad day at the office and all you want to do is sit in front of the television, plug in a movie and relax.

Well – good news – according to a study done at The University of Westminster as long as you plug in a horror movie, you’re good to go!  That’s right.  If you scare yourself for 90 minutes you can burn approximately the same number of calories as going for a half-hour walk.  The study was commissioned by LOVEFiLM, a DVD rental company in the UK, so admittedly the results may be a little skewed.  The researchers say; “Each of the ten films tested set pulses racing, sparking an increase in the heart rate of the case studies.  As the pulse quickens and blood pumps around the body faster, the body experiences a surge in adrenaline.  It is this release of fast acting adrenaline, produced during short bursts of intense stress (or in this case, brought on by fear), which is known to lower the appetite, increase the Basal Metabolic Rate and ultimately burn a higher lever of calories.”

The study concluded that calorie burning increased by a third when the movie watcher was horrified.

I am a big horror fan, but I prefer to take my dose of fright off the written page.  If anyone out there wants to do a study on calories burned while reading a horror novel – I’m your girl!  I imagine the results would have to be even better since you add in the cardio of actually turning the pages and the resistance of holding up the book.  Laugh if you must, but if you have ever read one of Stephen King’s 900+ page, 'door-stopper weight' books in hardcover, you KNOW what I’m talking about.

I always thought the scariest part about being on a diet was getting on the scale!

Of course, keeping in mind that watching a movie often goes hand in hand (or hand to mouth, as the case may be) with eating popcorn.  Even that is not as horrific as it sounds.  One cup of air-popped popcorn has approximately 55 calories, so if the following calculations for calories burned according to the movie watched are correct, you can pretty much snack on four cups of popcorn and call it a wash.

According to science, these are the best movies to watch if you want to scare the calories off yourself:

1.  The Shining:  184 calories

2.  Jaws:  161 calories

3.  The Exorcist:  158 calories

4.  Alien:  152 calories

5.  Saw:  133 calories

6.  A Nightmare on Elm Street:  118 calories

7.  Paranormal Activity:  111 calories

8.  The Blair Witch Project:  105 calories

9.  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre:  107 calories

10.  [Rec]:  101 calories

As Malene Arpe writing for www.thestar.com astutely points out,

it is interesting that Stephen King’s “Thinner” did not make the list.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly About Calories

When you are talking about weight loss talking about calories seems like a no brainer.  The information is a calorie is a calorie is a calorie and the equation is calories in versus calories out – simple, right?  It would seem so, but there are also a lot of variables in that equation.

Of course there are!

Nothing is ever that easy!

I think a good place to start would be to ask the question”what exactly is a calorie?”  Calorie has become a household word, but what a calorie does is still a mystery to most people.  If you ask 100 people “what is a calorie?” almost all of them would reply with some version of “the thing in food that make me fat”.  Calories have a bad reputation and are considered to be the enemy.  By definition a calorie has less to do with food than it has to do with energy.

There is a long, technical explanation of what a calorie is that I just do not have the science background to explain, but simply put, a calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.  The most important word in the definition is energy.  Translate that to food and calories are the energy that fuels our body.  Without sufficient calories nothing in your body would work … your heart, lungs, brain, vital organs; nothing would not work.  That is why anorexia is a condition that kills.  An adult body requires at least 1000 to 1400 calories to have enough energy to perform its necessary functions.  This number varies according to age, sex, weight and muscle mass.  To be active you need more energy and this extra requirement is usually 400 to 600 calories.  If you do the math you will see that the totals equal the most common recommendations for healthy caloric intake.  Each person has a different need for caloric intake.  Below is an easy guide to calculate what your optimum caloric intake would be to maintain your current weight.

Now, adjust accordingly. If your "calories in" are above your "calories out," you're going to gain weight. If that's what you WERE looking to do, keep doing it. If that's NOT what you want to do, then you have three choices...

1. You can make a small decrease to your daily calories in so that it ends up being below your daily calories out. For example, if you want to lose weight and are consuming 3000 calories per day and burning 2800 (just an example), try reducing your calorie intake to 2500 calories per day instead of 3000. Doing so would mean you were now consuming 2500 calories per day yet still burning 2800. And, you'd now be burning more than you consume, and this would make you lose weight.
2. If you only wanted to maintain weight, in this example you would just reduce your calorie intake to an equal 2800.
3. Instead of reducing your calorie intake, you can just as easily increase the number of calories you burn per day by exercising. Sticking with the same example, you'd continue consuming 3000 calories per day, but you can burn off an additional 500 each day through some form of exercise. Doing so would mean you were now burning more than you were consuming.

For best results, do a combination of both #1 and #2.

If you continually exceed the number of calories your body requires every day you will eventually gain weight.  It takes an excess of 3500 calories to gain 1 pound of fat, so if you exceed your calorie intake by 500 calories a day you will gain 1 pound a week (a large mocha swirl latte could easily add 500 calories).  One day of overindulging does not cause weight gain. 

To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume!  TOPS has a program right now called “Cut and Burn”.  Barb Cady, president of TOPS Club, Inc. describes it best when she writes, “Many of us have been in TOPS for several years and have achieved considerable success for a while. Then, for a variety of reasons, some of us began slipping back into old habits. Sometimes, we undermine our best efforts by overwhelming ourselves with too many changes or by selecting changes that are too large. Looking back with the clarity of hindsight, we realize that a small, sustainable loss each year would have been an amazing achievement. Defining, making, and continuing such changes are, together, our new challenge. It is never too late!  Join us by beginning to “Cut and Burn”, today. Spend a week journaling everything you eat and all the exercise you do. Do not make changes in your routine during this week just because you are journaling. Then, review your lists and select 100 calories to cut from your daily food plan. Also, decide how you will increase your activity to burn 100 calories more each day. These two small changes could result in a 20-pound loss if continued for one year.”

This program is not exclusive to TOPS … it’s everywhere … because it makes sense – its basic math!

BUT (ah … come on … you knew there would be a but, I warned you at the beginning nothing is ever that easy)

“A calorie is a calorie is a calorie” is a true statement when you look at the science.  A calorie is always the amount of energy it takes to heat that 1 gram of water to 1 degree Celsius.  When discussing food you MUST look at the quality of the calories that you are consuming.  If you ate a doughnut or any processed carbohydrate such as bread, cereal, crackers, pasta, etc. you are eating sugar that your body really does not need and you are consuming a lot of worthless calories.  Remember your body is an efficient system that wants to keep functioning, even in times of deprivation, so any worthless calories will be converted to sugar (the easiest system your body has for storing energy) and that just succeeds in plumping up your fat cells.
Eating a 400-calorie sandwich with 60 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fat and 17 grams of protein would lead you to believe those 400 calorie are available for energy or fat storage.  However the body needs to use energy to break down calories.  This is called the thermic effect of food.

BUT (yup another one) … this is the premise behind the popular myth that some foods are negative calorie foods because it takes the body more calories to burn them than they actually contain.  There are no such things as negative calorie foods.  The negative effect comes from how the body uses that food and how the food makes you feel long term.  Even in the example above, it is the sustaining feature of the protein that helps you feel full longer that is the significant element.

Fat is pretty easy to digest and absorb.  Two to three percent of calories coming from fat are burned in digestion.  For carbohydrates, the percentage is closer to 5 – 8 percent.  Protein requires the most work to digest and absorb.  Between 20 – 28 percent of the calories in protein are burned for digestion.  That’s why eating 400 calories of doughnut does not equal eating 400 calories more of protein and less of fat and carbohydrates.  The calorie count may not change, but the calories actually made available to the body for fat storage are reduced.

Focusing only on the numbers takes to focus off health and nutrition where it belongs.  Although it is technically correct, it gives people the wrong impression.

So, now that we have a firm grasp (I think) on what a calorie is and why it is important to consume the right calories let’s take a short look at how to get rid of some of those calories through activity.  You don’t have to run a marathon to lose weight, just increase you normal day to day activity.  Park a little further from the entrance to the office or the store and walk briskly to the door.

Walking is a highly underrated form of exercise.  Everyone is running (no pun intended) to a gym or investing in expensive equipment when walking is an excellent activity.  Walking calories do add up especially if you do it regularly and the good news is that walking to lose weight is just about one of the easiest activities you can incorporate into your lifestyle starting today.  A lot of people get confused about whether it is more beneficial to walk a longer distance or just to walk faster?  Both are important and obviously you will burn more calories if you combine both.  An average person will burn 100 calories per mile that you walk.  The heavier you are the more calories you will burn because your body provides its own resistance.  To calculate your own calorie burn rate for walking at an average speed of 3 miles per hour, the formula is:

0.53 x your body weight in pounds = your personal calorie burn per mile

Swimming is another good exercise for those beginning an activity routine because the buoyancy of the water takes pressure off the joints and makes it easier to move.  Many local pools offer aquatics classes and lessons and some have “free swim” times.  A simple aquabics class will burn approximately 240 calories per hour.  Mid level swimming will burn 390 calories per hour and competitive swimming will burn about 620 calories per hour.

Look at the chart below for some simple examples of exercises and their equivalent calorie burn count:

You are even burning calories at work:

Even common everyday activities (or chores – yuck) help with the calorie burn:

Just to put things into perspective, the following chart might help you decide whether that “treat” is necessary in comparison to the activity it will take to burn it off.

So lets tweak those two opening statements just a little bit …

“A healthy calorie is a nutritious calorie is a good calorie”

and

“Healthy calories in versus unused calories out”

TOPS

Monday Weigh-in ... I stayed the same.  I did however, manage to log 6 km of walking into my "Virtual Trip" and since my time has freed up a little I am determined to add another 15 km this week.  We'll see what the scale says next week.  Gotta be good 'cause Easter is just around the corner ... my arch nemesis chocolate bunnies everywhere already!  Aaaaargh!