Miss America Hopeful - A Former Heavyweight

I just read about Miss South Carolina who in the past few years has lost 110 lbs and is now on the road to a possible Miss America crown.  Inspirational?  Hell yes.  I also love that she lost her weight over a period of 3 years by simply eating well and exercising.  We aren't all 'The Biggest Loser' nor should we be.  With simple lifestyle changes and hard work and a forgiving attitude, you too could be the next Miss America!

Get Spark*D!

The folks over at SparkPeople have rolled out a new program just for diabetics called Spark*D.  I think this is a great addition to their already comprehensive site.  I myself use SparkPeople to track and gain support from other users.  Now maybe I can get my husband, who has diabetes, on the site as well.  If anyone has used this, let me know what you think of it!

The Complex System That Is Our Bodies

Another great article I found about how our bodies work and how to work with them in order to keep our weight and health in check.  I like that there are a few small changes you can take from the article that could potentially have a big impact on your weight.  I mostly want to show my husband the section about how the brain doesn't know the difference between walking in the mall while shopping or walking on a treadmill.  He laughed at me when I used to walk in place while watching TV.  I was still moving!

Yet Another Weight Loss Journey Show

Who here has seen the ads for ABC's new show Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition?  I'm pretty much a sucker for watching any weight loss show (though some are much better than others) so I will definitely be watching the first episode of this.  I enjoy the concept of each episode being a journey of 1 year with each participant.  I also like that this takes place during their normal lives (as normal as having a trainer move in with you is) so that we can see people losing weight while still having jobs and families.  Who else is going to watch this?

Jenny Craig For The Win!

It looks like Consumer Reports has ranked the most popular and doctor approved weight loss programs and Jenny Craig has come out on top.  It looks like the rankings are determined by nutrition, weight loss and the dropout rate.  An astounding 92% of participants stayed with Jenny Craig for 2 years.  Of course, as they warn and I do as well...that doesn't mean it's right for you.  If you like to cook, then eating prepackaged meals isn't going to be something you will stick with.  I, however, might give it a try.  I'm very good friends with my microwave.

In case you were wondering here were the top rankings overall:

1. Jenny Craig
2. Slim Fast
3. Weight Watchers
4. The Zone Diet
5. The Ornish Diet
6. The Atkins Diet

Two Myths Debunked

Eating low-fat foods will make you healthy
Verdict: False

A low-fat diet and a healthy diet are not, surprisingly, one and the same. As mentioned above, low-fat foods are often deceptive, containing marginally reduced levels of fat in exchange for a high dose of sugar. You’ll often see it in the office environment: People concerned with their weight will stick with microwaved low-fat meals and never lose an ounce. If you are trying to become healthier through your diet, the rules are simple: Eat fresh, unprocessed foods. Get enough fruit and vegetables in your diet. Remember to balance. An all-protein diet might be the diet of choice for a weight lifter but not for your average Joe. You need to reduce your calorie intake (and sugars contain fats alongside calories). Eating simple, unprocessed food that you have prepared yourself is the best way to take control of your health.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/04/19/6-health-myths/#ixzz1K5BVgxaW

The fatter you are, the unhealthier you are
Verdict: False
If we think about the opposite of this statement (the thinner you are, the healthier you are), we’d be a nation of anorexics. It’s pretty obvious that people who are morbidly obese are unhealthy -- but so are those at the other end of the scale, who suffer from malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies, among a host of other health problems. It’s worth pointing out that if you are eating "low-fat" products regularly, you should be checking the nutrition labels. These are usually packed with sugar, often more than regular products. Sports fans will have known this from day on. Those linebackers are just as fit as the rest of the players on the field and yet they’re about three times their size. There are, however, a number of illnesses associated with being overweight, so if you are piling on the pounds, get yourself to the gym and dismiss this health myth.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/04/19/6-health-myths/#ixzz1K5BZe7s0

Shame On You Doctor

Has anyone else heard about the weight loss doctor who has been charged with indecent assault on his patients?  He apparently told them that having an orgasm would burn calories and help them lose weight.  You can read the full article here.  This is completely shameful.  While I don't want to blame the women, because it is not their fault...it does go to show that you should always do your own research and be knowledgeable about your condition.  Although if just having an orgasm was enough to burn calories I can tell you that I would be bringing a tiny little friend with me wherever i went!

Mississippi Offers Its Workers A Weight Loss Challenge

I just saw this article about Mississippi's Paul Lacoste Sports Fit 4 Change Challenge.  Over 200 lawmakers, state workers and community members participated in an intensive 11 week program consisting of 5 am workouts 4 days a week.  At the end of the 11 week session, all the participants run a 5K together in the capitol.  This program is funded by sponsors so it's free to participate!  I think this is a fantastic idea.  It seems that next year they are going to start a version for school teachers and also try to share the plan with neighboring states.  I really hope this kind of idea spreads around the country.  I know yet another issue for people trying to lose weight is the cost of a gym or trainer.  Not to mention it is a lot more fun and motivating to do it with a group of people that you enjoy.  Would you partake if this was offered to you?

Late Night Carb Loading

I had a friend send me this article about a study that shows that people who load their carb intake towards the end of the day (on a reduced calorie diet)  had better results on their diet.

After six months the experimental group that ate more carbs at dinner saw more weight loss, body fat mass reduction and lower abdominal circumference than the control group. The experimental group also had higher satiety levels during the day than did the control group.

This might be something worth trying.  And I have to say, I enjoy seeing studies like this over any studies on pills that help aid in weight loss.  You always see ads or articles on these things and it ALWAYS says 'in conjunction with diet and exercise'.  So, you have to diet and exercise anyways...why open yourself up to other health risks?  None of these pills have been tested long enough to determine long term effects on it's users.  Some will even cause you to gain the weight back if you stop taking it.  I say, do it the right way, the natural way.  We have enough health worries looming around in the world to add anymore to ourselves.

The 17 Day Diet - Good or Bad?

I've been reading a lot about this new 17 day diet.  You can read about the program and even read the first chapter of the book here.  The very basic premise here is that you cut your calories to 1,200 a day eating natural, unprocessed foods.  They have cycles of 17 days so that your body doesn't get used to one diet and some cycles introduce new foods to spice things up.  When you get to your goal weight, the maintenance plan is to stay on the diet during the week and go buck wild on the weekends.  Although buck wild probably isn't really the right phrase.  You could ruin your progress if you binge.  According to the write up on WebMD it is actually a pretty good plan.  Of course they suggest adding more fruit and a multi-vitamin.  So all in all this seems like it could be a viable option for people.  But as always with any diet, read all the material and follow the plan accordingly.  

This Is Just Too Cute

Check it out - Biggest Loser Pets!  Hey, humans don't corner the market on being overweight you know!  This is a really awesome idea and it benefits both pet and owner.

I Don't Know About You, But This Is My New Grocery List

I just came across this awesome article on foodconsumer.org giving a giant list of super healthy foods.  Not only that but it explains why and gives some interesting information as well.  My new favorite fun fact...Eggs have 14% less cholesterol today than eggs did just 10 years ago.  How they managed that, I'm not sure, but I say welcome back to the incredible, edible egg!

MSG Is Not Our Friend

I just read this article on MSG, Obesity and Rats and I think everyone should have a read.  Although if you'd like the quick summary, then here it goes.  Basically, MSG has been shown to create 'fat rats' when injected into them at birth.  Meanwhile, you can find MSG in probably MOST foods on the market today.  Even in weight loss products themselves!  And to boot, they can be tricky to find since companies will list MSG out in the nutritional list as almost a dozen different names.  So take a peek, and if you have the patience read some labels!

Get More Sleep, Be Happy and Chill Out!

I've read a number of articles on some new studies going around about the effects of sleep, depression and stress on weight loss.  This one is by far the easiest to understand.  As you can imagine it basically finds a correlation between all three and your weight loss.  More sleep, more weight loss.  Less depression and stress?  Less weight.  But knowing that information and actually having the tools to effect those factors in your life are two completely separate things.  Changing your sleeping habits is pretty easy, even if you're just getting another 30 minutes a night.  I recently had to start going to bed at 9:30 at night so I could get enough sleep before waking up at 5:00 in the morning to start my day.  The week or two I didn't go to bed earlier I actually gained 5 lbs!  And that was without any changes to my diet or exercise routine.  So I can attest how much of an impact that can make.  Now lowering your stress levels and depression can be tricky.  You pretty much have to find your own source of relaxation.  What works for me might not work for you.  Mine happens to be television and reading.  What are some suggestions for calming yourself down?  Depression is probably the trickiest of them all.  I find it always helps to talk to a supportive group of people, or maybe one trusted friend.  You might also consider therapy.  It might be as small as making one good choice that could lead you down a better path!  Share other ideas and help us all out!

So When Do We Eat?

According to this article, studies are starting to show that eating multiple small meals through out the day might NOT be the way to go.  They're claiming that eating just 3 meals a day that are high in protein will help you feel full longer.  I particularly enjoyed this quote from the article.

Our findings turn that on its head," Campbell said. "There also seems to be a growing consensus that these other dietary habits may not be accurately reported because obese and overweight people tend to conceal how frequently and how much they eat.

Hide things?  Us?!  Never...

Except just last night I found myself hiding a second cup of Dole fruit crisps from my fiance.  He ended up catching me because I failed to rid my mouth of all the granola in time.  This happens way more than I'd like to admit.  Back to topic though, I myself have been eating several small meals during the day because well, that's what I was told to do.  I may try to go back to this 3 squares a day option.  I'll have to seriously rethink my food choices and purchases, but it's an intriguing idea.  What do you all think?

A Step In The Right Direction

Now this is the kind of thing I like to see.  A HMO offering a simple online program for their members to incorporate more walking into their lives.  I would guess that a lot of people tend to feel overwhelmed by all of the diet and exercise options available to us these days.  Hence, a lot shy away from trying anything at all.  But here comes an easy way to start yourself off that also adds some monetary incentive.  You know as well as I do that people will do just about anything to save a buck!  I am all for insurance companies adding healthy incentives to their clients.  I myself started getting yearly physicals just so I could get a discount on my health plan.  I say continue on with this positive reinforcement!  It's something we need as a group that has been continually hit with a lot of negative in our lives.