Guess what?
I’ve been doing ALL of these lately. No wonder Im gaining weight.

A lot of us are out there watching what we eat and exercising, but still not making a dent in our bellies and body weight. There are a few things we are probably not doing, or doing too much of, that would mean major improvements in our health.

Get more sleep. After a very short period of time (about 6 nights), studies show that your glucose levels can rise if you get only 4 to 7 hours of sleep each night. New parents are excluded, but everyone else should try to hit the 8 hour mark as often as you can and get to bed BEFORE midnight. Every hour of rest before 12 a.m. is twice as valuable as the hours after midnight: Our cortisol levels are lowest before midnight therefore our recovery is the highest.

Eating fewer refined and processed foods. Avoid fast and fried food and try to consume as many real foods as you can. It’s also imperative to get enough fiber (helps with elimination); fruits and veggies are a great way to fill up.

Avoid sugary drinks and reach for more water. Water is great for so many things like digestion, eliminating toxins in the body, and transporting important nutrients to our cells which need energy to burn calories. Americans drink 20% of their calories, so be careful of that silent pitfall.

Read more… »

Im going strong with the Lifestyle Challenge so far (Drink Water). I think if I keep this up for eight weeks, I can definitely be able to give up soda. No craving at all, if ever I have one, Ill tell myself I can drink soda after I drank 500ml of water. By the time Im done drinking water, I dont have the craving anymore or Ill just take one sip of Coke and no more.

It still is a struggle not to start the day without sweets. Each time I wake up, the first thing I grab from the ref are either juice or soda, then Ill grab sweet pastries from our bin then turn on my lappy and work. All this while making sure Matthew eats breakfast and prepares for school.

So lately, instead of heading straight for the ref, I go to the toilet, pee and then make myself drink one tall glass of water. This fools my stomach into thinking I have eaten and then I check e-mails. After Matthew goes out to meet his school bus, that is when I allow myself what to eat. Usually, Id just eat bread with peanut butter. I drink another tall glass of water before eating.

Think of your body as one car with auto parts (your organs) ~ you need oil (water) to keep them going and in tip-top shape.

This satiates me until we eat lunch. Usually, I also eat breakfast when Martha gets up at 9AM (so now you know why I got so big, two breakfasts in a day!). I also keep a 1.5L of Coke Zero filled with water and a mug so I can drink water while infront of G all day.

The next hurdle for me is to exercise.

I have a soda addiction - make that Coke addiction.

Ever since I was diagnosed with PCOS, I switched to Coke Light. When Coke Zero came out, I fell in love. I can guzzle down up to four cans a day (if not more). It’s zero calories anyway, right?

Boy was I so wrong.

Recent studies have shown that diet sodas can make people gain more weight. Psychologically, people tend to eat more because they reason they are drinking diet soda and physically, when you drink down liquid that is not water, your stomach reacts by secreting more gastric acid, which in turn, makes you hungrier.

And dig this: Those who guzzle down diet sodas tend to gain more weight than those who drank regular.

Sodas are also bad for the teeth because of its phosphoric acid content. I have one sensitive tooth already because of it.

And here I was admiring Coke’s new plastic design bottles and thinking custom boxes for them would come in handy for the future.

Resources:
WebMD:Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight?
Can Diet Soda Make You Gain Weight?

Drink water like a fish.

Based on my weight, I should be drinking 94oz of water a day ~ that’s around 2.79L.

How Much Water Should I Drink
From the Mayo Clinic: Another View on Water Intake

Water is essential, though—especially for dieters, yes, but it is necessary for everyone. Every human needs to drink a certain amount every day. This figure is different for each person, though most people have heard that eight 8 ounce glasses is the ideal. That amount is not the ideal; rather, it is the average amount.

Though experts disagree on the optimal amount of water, we’ve found many feel this formula is a good guideline. Take the person’s weight and divide it in half. This figure represents how many ounces of water this person should ingest each day. Of course, about 20% of this amount is generally figured to be ingested through foods—many foods are composed of high amounts of water, such as soups and many fruits. So, take the figure and subtract 20% of it to come to the real amount.

Here’s an example:
Let’s say a person weighs 240 pounds. Half of that is 120, so that would be 120 ounces. 20% of 120 is 24 (this is the amount of water this person gets from his food), so subtract 24 from 120 (120 – 24 = 96). So, this person needs to drink 96 ounces per day, which translates to 12 8 ounce glasses.

Tips for Drinking All that Water
First thing in the morning, right after getting out of bed, drink a glass of water. Guzzle it down.
Drink another glass slowly while getting dressed and ready for the day.
Before eating anything, whether it is a snack or a meal, drink a full glass of water. Not only will this help you ingest the right amount of water, but it can help you to eat less because you will feel fuller.
Keep a large water bottle (at least 24 ounces) filled and next to you at all times. Sip on it throughout the day.
Add a low-calorie sweetener to your water bottle (e.g. Crystal Light)

Im going to be dead set serious in losing weight starting tomorrow (Monday).

Here are some helpful tools to get you started.
BMI Calculator

Calorie Counter

Having spent a week on a road trip, I learned one thing along the way: Fast food is unavoidable, given time and budget constraints. You can’t beat a drive-thru for convenience and speed of service, although a bellyache later can quickly remind you of the excess calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium you just put into your body.

While a super-sized value meal can give you a day’s worth of calories in one meal, you can exit the drive-thru with a healthier meal. Because sometimes there is nothing better than a hot French fries or a juicy burger, it’s important to learn how to make good choices.

Drinks
It might cost a few dimes more to guzzle down a large soda instead of a small one, but your waistline will be paying the real price. Soda, diet or regular, isn’t a healthy choice since it provides no nutrition at all. Soda is often filled with calories, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other ingredients that fill you up without giving your body any benefits. One way to make a fast food meal healthier is to opt for a drink other than soda. Of course water is a great choice, hydrating your body and aiding in digestion. Unsweetened tea is virtually calorie-free if you want something other than water. Juice (100% fruit juice, not “fruit drinks”) and low-fat milk are two alternatives that cut add nutrition to the calories you drink, making them healthier choices than soda and other sweet beverages.

Fruits and Vegetables
Like you would at any other meal, try to include at least one serving of fruits or vegetables with your order. And no, French fries do NOT count as a healthy vegetable! Load your burger with extra tomatoes, or enjoy a side of fresh fruit instead of fries or chips. If you are having a sandwich, load up on lettuce, peppers, even cucumbers. If they offer it, opt for a baked potato (nix the high-calorie fixin’s like cheese and sour cream) instead of fries.

Most fast food chains now offer delicious side and entrée salads. Including these with your meal is a great way to add lots of vitamins for few calories. Just make sure not to smother your greens with cheese, eggs, bacon, fat-filled dressing, or fried toppings, such as chicken and croutons.

Portion Control
One of the biggest problems people face when eating fast food is out-of-control portions. You don’t have to get the value meal with the big burger, bigger fries and even bigger drink. Instead, try a child-sized meal. You still get the burger, fries, and drink, but consume about half of the fat of the full-sized version. Ordering small is automatic portion control—you won’t be tempted to overeat.

If a kiddie-sized meal with a toy on the side isn’t for you, split an order of fries with a friend. You’ll still enjoy that salty crunch without consuming all of the calories of a full order.

Extras
The “extras” can add on the calories and fat. A tablespoon of mayo will add on an extra 57 calories. Make that another 106 calories for a single slice of cheese! Instead of smothering your burger with sauces, opt for mustard (about 10 calories). Forgo the sour cream and three kinds of cheese on your taco, and add flavor with low-calorie salsa. Go easy on the ranch dressing and salt shaker. These little substitutions can really add up! Your taste buds will be happy (and so will your waistline).

Don’t be fooled by healthier sounding meats, either. While breaded chicken or fish may seem healthier than a beefy burger, these sandwiches often have just as many, if not more, calories than your average burger since they’re fried. Try grilled versions of your favorite sandwiches instead, or opt for the low-cal veggie burger, which is becoming more widely available these days.

Breakfast
A healthy breakfast is the best way to start your day. But while hitting the drive-thru on the way to work may be convenient, it might put you at a calorie overload early in the day. Making healthy, nutritional choices comes into play again. Instead of a breakfast sandwich (English muffin with eggs, bacon, and cheese), order a bowl of fresh fruit, a fruit and yogurt parfait, oatmeal, or plain eggs. That way, you’ll be starting off the day with energy—not too many calories.

The word “diet” doesn’t always mean eating less to lose weight—although that’s what we commonly associate it with today. Someone “on a diet” is trying to eat less, or stop eating sweets to fit into a smaller pant size.

Diet has another meaning. It also describes the food that you normally consume—following a vegetarian diet, an American diet, or “My diet consists of meat and potatoes.” Improving your normal diet by making gradual, but permanent changes is a healthier way to lose weight than by just restricting calories.

Low calorie and fad diets can have serious health implications—insufficient vitamin and nutritional intake, lethargy, slowed metabolism, hormonal effects, and even dehydration. Dieters commonly experience intense feelings of hunger and deprivation, which can lead to “cheating” or bingeing over time.

Here are a few tips to help you decrease your caloric intake without “dieting” or feeling deprived.

Don’t eyeball it
Studies show that people tend to underestimate how much they really eat every day. In doing so, we consume too many calories without realizing it. Research shows that keeping a log by recording exercise and food intake is one of the best predictors of successful weight loss.

* A written record can point out your eating patterns (eating in front of the TV or in the car, eating the same breakfast every day), triggers (stress, sadness, boredom, time of day), and areas where nutritional changes can be made. You may find that you are eating less fruits than you thought or drinking too much soda, for example. Then you’ll know where you can implement healthy changes.
* Reading food labels is key to healthy portion sizes. At a quick glance, a bottle of juice (or bag of chips, candy bar, or frozen entrée) may appear to contain 100 calories, but a closer look will reveal that the package includes two or more servings, which doubles the caloric content.
* After familiarizing yourself with portion sizes, be sure to measure. Be exact if cooking at home, but when eating out, think about common objects. Two tablespoons of peanut butter, mayo, or dressing is about the size of a golf ball. A serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. A medium piece of fruit is similar to a baseball.
* Having trouble stopping at one serving of pretzels or chips? Buy single-serving packages of your favorite foods for built-in portion control, or measure out single servings into baggies or containers.
Read more… »

Did you know that your digestive tract contains more than 400 types of “friendly” bacteria? These little guys, commonly referred to as probiotics (which means “pro-life”), help reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and promote a healthy digestive system. That’s right! Probiotics are live bacteria with clinically-documented health benefits.

Health Benefits
It appears that when the digestive system is kept healthy, other body systems greatly benefit as well. Probiotics may:

* Protect against infection
* Enhance and boost the immune system
* Promote and improve digestive health
* Alleviate diarrhea caused by antibiotic treatments
* Promote urinary and genital health
* Assist in the management of inflammation
* Help alleviate symptoms of lactose intolerance
* Improve some types of eczema in infants and children
* Reduce cholesterol levels
* Decrease the risk of certain cancers

It is important to note that each type of friendly bacteria has a specific health benefit to the body. With over 400 different types of probiotics identified, researchers are just starting to uncover the health roles and benefits of each.

Food Sources
Currently, foods that contain probiotics are primarily dairy products and dairy beverages, including:

* Yogurt
* Drinkable and squeezable yogurts
* Fluid milk with added probiotics
* Fermented milk such as sweet acidophilus milk
* Kefir

Through fermentation, probiotics enhance the flavor and texture of these particular dairy products. Dairy foods actually buffer your stomach acid and bile, thereby protecting the probiotics from the stomach acid so that they can reach the intestines.

Ever been angry or upset one minute and then on your couch eating the next, unable to remember why you started eating or how long you had spent munching? If so, then you have entered the world of emotional eating. It’s something than can happen to anyone, and one of the most common dieting obstacles out there.

Emotional eating at its best passes after a few minutes. At its worst, it can take over your life and cause you to eat uncontrollably for extended periods of time. And according to nutritional experts, 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. So don’t worry, if you suffer from emotional eating, you are not alone.

People often eat to relieve stress or to get something off their minds. The kicker is that stress, and the insulin jump that goes with it, may actually cause you to crave high sugar, high carbohydrate foods – foods that go straight to your waistline and cause you even more stress.

Rather than munching, it’s better to develop new skills for dealing with boredom, self-esteem issues and stress. Try to pinpoint the major reasons for your stress or unpleasant emotions, and see how you can turn the tide. Here are a few suggestions to combat your emotions:

* Get your trigger foods out of the house, get your crutch foods out of arms’ reach
* Go for a walk or jog. Physical activity relieves stress.
* Do deep breathing and relaxation exercises
* Keep a reminder of your goal handy
* Talk to a friend
* Visit and post on the support message boards
* Surround yourself with positive reinforcers, like pictures and people
* Keep a journal that includes your best personal accomplishments
* Track your eating patterns, including when and why you pick up food.

If you still seem to come back to food when your emotions get the best of you, you can at least be prepared. Eating large amounts of snacks is not a good thing. But if you eat low calorie foods, it’s not so bad. So stock the fridge with healthy alternatives–foods that have good nutritious value and are smaller in size. Here are a few food suggestions to keep within arms’ reach:

* Apple or orange slices
* Carrot sticks
* Banana
* Broccoli
* Whole wheat toast
* Bran muffin
* Fruit smoothie
* Applesauce

Based on years of research that examined the relationship between nutrient intake and disease prevention, generally-accepted ranges have been established for carbohydrates, fat and protein intake. These healthy ranges also help to ensure that a person is getting a sufficient intake of other essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The recommendations are:

* 45% to 65% of calories eaten should come from carbohydrates.
* 20% to 35% of calories eaten should come from fat.
* 10% to 35% of calories eaten should come from protein*.
Monitor your diet in these ways:

* Eat a healthy, nutrient-packed diet.
* Watch your calories daily and try to keep them in your recommended range.
* Check your carbohydrate, fat and protein intake based on your SparkDiet recommendations. As long as they fall in the healthy range listed on this chart above, you will be meeting your nutrient needs.
* Choose whole grain carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta, oats, and avoid refined carbohydrates like white rice and white bread.
* Choose heart-healthy fats and avoid trans fats found in processed foods.
* Choose high-quality protein sources such as lean meats and plant-based proteins instead of fattier cuts of meat.

Make a promise to your skin today to keep it nourished and rejuvenated from the inside out! Having healthy skin year-round begins with the foods you eat and drink. To get skin that you will be confident to show off every season of the year, devote some time each day to getting the necessary nutrients to stay hydrated and fight the signs of aging.

*
Drink plenty of water. While the exact amount you should drink each day varies, no one can dispute the role of good hydration in keeping your skin looking healthy, young, and radiant. Experts agree that when the hydration comes from pure, clean water—NOT soda and fruit drinks—the skin cells rejoice! Aim for six to eight glasses every day.

*
Limit alcohol.

*
Sip green tea daily. This beverage contains polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory properties that protect and benefit the skin’s overall health. Enjoy one or two cups per day.

*
Avoid simple carbohydrates. Foods such as cookies, pies, cakes, candies, and pastries can increase acne breakouts due to insulin spikes.

*
Nourish your skin. Eating healthy foods can protect, repair, and slow the aging process. Check out the chart below for the top ten nutrients that provide beauty benefits.

The real secret to beauty is no secret at all. Eating these healthy foods will provide the nourishment your skin needs daily, from the inside out. It is the first step to soft, supple skin and a glowing, radiant you!

1. You shouldn’t go it alone. Do you think that the contestants would be as successful if they went at it alone? In season five, for example, the Blue Team was a serious force to be reckoned with. Roger, Mark, Jay, and Dan seemed to never lose a challenge or a weigh-in. Did you notice how they supported and encouraged each other to push harder, work out longer, and stick to their diets? The support and camaraderie they exhibited definitely helped them succeed as often as they did.

2. Your attitude matters. The wrong group can drain your motivation and energy. Did you notice the Black Team in season five? Granted, they were fighting an uphill battle and constantly facing the elimination room, but they were so down in the dumps that they often reminded me of a group of Eeyores. That negative energy could have contributed, on some level, to their constant struggles.

3. You won’t always see results. It happens every season — some of the participants actually GAIN weight instead of losing. Whenever they’d stand on that scale, only to see the numbers pop up as a “plus” instead of a “negative,” I wanted to cry with them! But just like ups and downs are part of the show, they’re a reality for the rest of us, too.

4. You have to train your brain. Bob and Jillian know that exercise and training will reshape the body. But they are great at training the contestants mentally too. Along the course of the show, they all learn to believe in themselves. Whether they make it to the end or get eliminated along the way, most of the “losers” say the same thing: What they had accomplished on the campus had previously been nothing more than a dream.
Read more… »

Ever been angry or upset one minute and then on your couch eating the next, unable to remember why you started eating or how long you had spent munching? If so, then you have entered the world of emotional eating. It’s something than can happen to anyone, and one of the most common dieting obstacles out there.

Emotional eating at its best passes after a few minutes. At its worst, it can take over your life and cause you to eat uncontrollably for extended periods of time. And according to nutritional experts, 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. So don’t worry, if you suffer from emotional eating, you are not alone.

People often eat to relieve stress or to get something off their minds. The kicker is that stress, and the insulin jump that goes with it, may actually cause you to crave high sugar, high carbohydrate foods – foods that go straight to your waistline and cause you even more stress.

Rather than munching, it’s better to develop new skills for dealing with boredom, self-esteem issues and stress. Try to pinpoint the major reasons for your stress or unpleasant emotions, and see how you can turn the tide. Here are a few suggestions to combat your emotions:

* Get your trigger foods out of the house, get your crutch foods out of arms’ reach
* Go for a walk or jog. Physical activity relieves stress.
* Do deep breathing and relaxation exercises
* Keep a reminder of your goal handy
* Talk to a friend
* Visit and post on the support message boards
* Surround yourself with positive reinforcers, like pictures and people
* Keep a journal that includes your best personal accomplishments
* Track your eating patterns, including when and why you pick up food.

If you still seem to come back to food when your emotions get the best of you, you can at least be prepared. Eating large amounts of snacks is not a good thing. But if you eat low calorie foods, it’s not so bad. So stock the fridge with healthy alternatives–foods that have good nutritious value and are smaller in size. Here are a few food suggestions to keep within arms’ reach:

* Apple or orange slices
* Carrot sticks
* Banana
* Broccoli
* Whole wheat toast
* Bran muffin
* Fruit smoothie
* Applesauce