I couldn't help it! I'm fanatical about weighing! I finally got off 137!!
I skipped my workout yesterday because my body has just been so tired! And look see! I still lost weight!
Funny how I used to say I'd NEVER count calories..but I am and it really is an EYE OPENER! EVERYONE should do it!
I also said I'd NEVER MEASURE my food.. but I have. (ya have to to get the correct calorie count) And now that I have been measureing I can pretty much eye-ball my servings... so no big deal!
WOO HOO!!!!
I Thank Thee Heavenly Father for ALL of Thy Help! I Love You!
I just tried my size 10 CK Jeans... and they fit FABULOUSLY! So comfy too! SIGH!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Whey or Soy Protien?
Whey Protein vs. Soy Protein
Athletes and Bodybuilders swear by it, but researchers are concerned about the potential effects of animal protein on the body. As a result, many are turning toward soy protein and whey protein instead. But, what are the benefits, drawbacks, and differences between these different forms of protein? And, how much should you include in your diet in order to garner the benefits you are looking for? Protein has been garnering extra attention as the health conscious realize the benefits of including protein in their diets. Protein is needed to help rebuild the body’s tissue, which is particularly important to athletes and bodybuilders. In fact, the body is in need of a continual supply of protein in order to repair and to build its tissue. Protein is also essential for producing antibodies, hormones, new muscle tissue, and blood hemoglobin. All protein that is lost within the body must be replaced and protein must be present in order for new tissue to be constructed.
While athletes swear by the ability of animal protein to build muscles, researchers are concerned about the potential effects of animal protein on the liver and the kidneys, as well as the link between animal protein and osteoporosis. As a result, many are turning toward soy protein and whey protein instead. But, what are the benefits, drawbacks, and differences between these different forms of protein? And, how much should you include in your diet in order to garner the benefits you are looking for?
Soy Protein
Soybeans contain high quantities of protein (considered to be of equal quality as animal protein) and also contain substantial amounts of amino acids. In addition, soy has been observed to lower cholesterol. Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated 25 grams of soy protein per day can reduce the chances of developing heart disease.
Soy protein has also been found to reduce the symptoms of menopause, to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, and to help prevent a number of diseases related to hormonal issues. These include endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Soy protein has also been shown to speed up the metabolism of the thyroid, which can help with obtaining a leaner body. If you are intolerant to soy, however, its specific protein can actually have the opposite effect.
A number of soy protein products can be found at health food stores, including food bars, soy burgers, and even soy-based beverages. Those products containing soy protein isolate generally have the highest saturation. Other products containing soy protein include soy flour, whole soybeans, and tofu. Be sure to check the product label in order to determine the amount of soy protein the product contains.
Remember, however, soy isoflavones, which are sold as supplements in health food stores, are not the same substance as pure soy protein. Nonetheless, soy isoflavones possess a number of beneficial effects, such as improving kidney function and preventing bone loss.
If you are not allergic to soy, there are very few side effects to including soy in your diet. In some people, however, consuming soy on a routine basis can lead to an upset stomach and may even cause diarrhea or constipation.
Whey Protein
Like soy protein, whey protein has been shown to provide a number of benefits. For example, clinical studies have shown whey protein can:
Act as a natural antibacterial or anti-viral
Assist in maintaining the proper weight
Reduce the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Reduce liver damage
Improve the function of the immune system
Improve blood pressure
Improve athletic performance
Improve the function of the digestive system
Reduce gastric mucosal injury
Whey protein is very high in biological value (BV), which is highly sought by athletes. In short, BV is the amount of protein your body can replace with 100 grams of consumed diet. The only other foods containing high levels of BV are whole eggs and egg whites. Unlike eggs, however, whey protein does not contain high levels of fat.
While soy protein is derived from soybeans, whey protein is derived from milk as a diluted byproduct of the cheese-making process. Fresh liquid whey protein contains only about 1% protein because it is mostly comprised of lactose and water. For this reason, it takes about 229 liters of milk to produce just one kilogram of high quality whey protein isolate.
While in its original form, whey protein affects the digestive tract in much the same way as yogurt. Therefore, it is considered to be a natural remedy for many intestinal issues. In fact, it is often used in Sweden to help prevent bowel problems, gas, and constipation. Nonetheless, it can have the opposite effect and actually lead to constipation for some individuals.
The amount of whey protein recommended in a person’s diet depends on his or her weight, gender, age, level of activity, and overall health. Including both soy and whey protein in your diet can be very beneficial to your health; but, since both can lead to constipation, be sure to follow a high fiber diet to help keep your bowel movements regular. Try one or both of these all-natural health supplements and discover the results for yourself!
The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center is sponsored by Global Healing Center, Inc. The Resource Center's website features information on constipation, articles on colon cleansing, and research on the latest treatments. For more information, please visit The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center.
By C. Olon
Published: 3/21/2007
Athletes and Bodybuilders swear by it, but researchers are concerned about the potential effects of animal protein on the body. As a result, many are turning toward soy protein and whey protein instead. But, what are the benefits, drawbacks, and differences between these different forms of protein? And, how much should you include in your diet in order to garner the benefits you are looking for? Protein has been garnering extra attention as the health conscious realize the benefits of including protein in their diets. Protein is needed to help rebuild the body’s tissue, which is particularly important to athletes and bodybuilders. In fact, the body is in need of a continual supply of protein in order to repair and to build its tissue. Protein is also essential for producing antibodies, hormones, new muscle tissue, and blood hemoglobin. All protein that is lost within the body must be replaced and protein must be present in order for new tissue to be constructed.
While athletes swear by the ability of animal protein to build muscles, researchers are concerned about the potential effects of animal protein on the liver and the kidneys, as well as the link between animal protein and osteoporosis. As a result, many are turning toward soy protein and whey protein instead. But, what are the benefits, drawbacks, and differences between these different forms of protein? And, how much should you include in your diet in order to garner the benefits you are looking for?
Soy Protein
Soybeans contain high quantities of protein (considered to be of equal quality as animal protein) and also contain substantial amounts of amino acids. In addition, soy has been observed to lower cholesterol. Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated 25 grams of soy protein per day can reduce the chances of developing heart disease.
Soy protein has also been found to reduce the symptoms of menopause, to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, and to help prevent a number of diseases related to hormonal issues. These include endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Soy protein has also been shown to speed up the metabolism of the thyroid, which can help with obtaining a leaner body. If you are intolerant to soy, however, its specific protein can actually have the opposite effect.
A number of soy protein products can be found at health food stores, including food bars, soy burgers, and even soy-based beverages. Those products containing soy protein isolate generally have the highest saturation. Other products containing soy protein include soy flour, whole soybeans, and tofu. Be sure to check the product label in order to determine the amount of soy protein the product contains.
Remember, however, soy isoflavones, which are sold as supplements in health food stores, are not the same substance as pure soy protein. Nonetheless, soy isoflavones possess a number of beneficial effects, such as improving kidney function and preventing bone loss.
If you are not allergic to soy, there are very few side effects to including soy in your diet. In some people, however, consuming soy on a routine basis can lead to an upset stomach and may even cause diarrhea or constipation.
Whey Protein
Like soy protein, whey protein has been shown to provide a number of benefits. For example, clinical studies have shown whey protein can:
Act as a natural antibacterial or anti-viral
Assist in maintaining the proper weight
Reduce the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Reduce liver damage
Improve the function of the immune system
Improve blood pressure
Improve athletic performance
Improve the function of the digestive system
Reduce gastric mucosal injury
Whey protein is very high in biological value (BV), which is highly sought by athletes. In short, BV is the amount of protein your body can replace with 100 grams of consumed diet. The only other foods containing high levels of BV are whole eggs and egg whites. Unlike eggs, however, whey protein does not contain high levels of fat.
While soy protein is derived from soybeans, whey protein is derived from milk as a diluted byproduct of the cheese-making process. Fresh liquid whey protein contains only about 1% protein because it is mostly comprised of lactose and water. For this reason, it takes about 229 liters of milk to produce just one kilogram of high quality whey protein isolate.
While in its original form, whey protein affects the digestive tract in much the same way as yogurt. Therefore, it is considered to be a natural remedy for many intestinal issues. In fact, it is often used in Sweden to help prevent bowel problems, gas, and constipation. Nonetheless, it can have the opposite effect and actually lead to constipation for some individuals.
The amount of whey protein recommended in a person’s diet depends on his or her weight, gender, age, level of activity, and overall health. Including both soy and whey protein in your diet can be very beneficial to your health; but, since both can lead to constipation, be sure to follow a high fiber diet to help keep your bowel movements regular. Try one or both of these all-natural health supplements and discover the results for yourself!
The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center is sponsored by Global Healing Center, Inc. The Resource Center's website features information on constipation, articles on colon cleansing, and research on the latest treatments. For more information, please visit The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center.
By C. Olon
Published: 3/21/2007
Great Sites For Eating Well & Healthy!
www.eatingwell.com (main site for recipes, articles, and more)
- http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/quick_healthy_snack_recipes.html?utm_source=EWDNL (healthy snack ideas)
- http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/quick_healthy_dessert_recipes.html?utm_source=EWDNL (healthy dessert alternatives)
- http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/quick_healthy_snack_recipes.html?utm_source=EWDNL (healthy snack ideas)
- http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/quick_healthy_dessert_recipes.html?utm_source=EWDNL (healthy dessert alternatives)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Still at 137~But I'm wearing some smaller pants!
WooHoo! I am wearing some jeans I haven't been able to get over my butt for some time now!! So nice! And they aren't even tight!
Man! I am wanting something yummy to eat so bad! I ave been so good for 5 weeks now and I'm starting to get really ansty to eat something!
I think I need to go and get it out of my system and then get right back to the counting!
Besides.. that second week I went to a pizza joint and didn't over do it, but really enjoyed myself, and the scales were still good to me!
So yeah.. I'll be good!
Man! I am wanting something yummy to eat so bad! I ave been so good for 5 weeks now and I'm starting to get really ansty to eat something!
I think I need to go and get it out of my system and then get right back to the counting!
Besides.. that second week I went to a pizza joint and didn't over do it, but really enjoyed myself, and the scales were still good to me!
So yeah.. I'll be good!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
WooHoo 10 lbs Lost as of Today!
Sigh...
The next 12 are going to be hard. I really have been searching for information that I soon will share here. I found some great articles about when to eat and what to eat. Wait! Maybe I did share that! lol
Anyhoo.. I'm excited! Because I will NOT give up!
I have given myself until my Bday in May to do this..and if I keep at the pace I am going it will be off by April 19th (12 more weeks). That's a month early.
In the meantime, I need to figure out how to eat healthy and not depend on the SlimFast.
I have to say that I AM learning about stuff and have been really searching for answers on food and what types of excersise to get reid of the belly and thighs..among other places! lol
The next 12 are going to be hard. I really have been searching for information that I soon will share here. I found some great articles about when to eat and what to eat. Wait! Maybe I did share that! lol
Anyhoo.. I'm excited! Because I will NOT give up!
I have given myself until my Bday in May to do this..and if I keep at the pace I am going it will be off by April 19th (12 more weeks). That's a month early.
In the meantime, I need to figure out how to eat healthy and not depend on the SlimFast.
I have to say that I AM learning about stuff and have been really searching for answers on food and what types of excersise to get reid of the belly and thighs..among other places! lol
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Calories Burned Counter! Really Cool!
http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jumpsite/calculat.htm
Just type in your weight and how many minutes you want calculated! Gives TONS of diff senarios of excersise including house work!
Just type in your weight and how many minutes you want calculated! Gives TONS of diff senarios of excersise including house work!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Should You Eat Before or After Exercise?
Should You Eat Before or After Exercise?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness
Q: Is it better to eat before or after exercising?
A: Many misconceptions surround eating and exercise. Some people avoid food before a workout because they worry they’ll get nauseated or have cramps. Others don’t eat in the morning because they think they’ll burn more fat if they move on an empty stomach. Some athletes assume that hunger pangs before practice are a good thing, because they think that their body is diverting all its energy to the workout instead of digestion.
None of these beliefs are true.
The bottom line is this: When you expend energy by exercising, you need to consume extra energy to fuel the activity. How much you should eat and at what time of day depends on the type and duration of your workout, as well as when you last ate and what was on the menu.
Ideally, how much energy your body uses (how many calories you burn) and how much energy your body takes in (how many calories you eat) should be in balance all day. Keep in mind that your body burns around 100 calories an hour at rest and during sleep, so you don’t just need energy for exercise, you need food throughout the day to fuel being alive. If you are highly active, if you eat big meals, or if you go for long periods without eating, you can upset this balance and cause extreme energy highs (surpluses) or lows (deficits.)
When you first wake up, you are likely to be low on energy. It works like this: If, the night before, you ate dinner at 7 p.m. and then nothing else until breakfast at 7 a.m., you would have gone 12 hours without added fuel. Your body may have burned around 1,100 calories during this period. Most of the fuel used would have come from your stored fat and glycogen (carbs).
But you have a limited supply of carbs because they are stored only in small amounts in your liver and muscles. Even though the body has plenty of fat stored, for fat to be “burned”, or metabolized, carbs need to be present. Often, the liver’s carb stores are nearly depleted by the morning, so many people may wake up in the morning in a state of energy deficit, where there are not enough carbs to provide energy and to help utilize fat.. So they need breakfast to infuse more energy into their body.
If you skip breakfast and do a tough workout, you launch a depleted body into even greater depletion. Say you burn 500 calories during the workout. By the time you eat later that morning, you may have dipped into an energy deficit of 1,600 calories (that is, 1,100 calories burned while you sleep, plus 500 from the workout). Now your body is famished for fuel. However, you may not feel hungry in this state (known as “ketosis”) because your body has shifted to starvation mode to preserve its resources. Diminished hunger is one of the side effects. But a lack of stomach rumblings doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need fuel—it does. In fact, at some point it will demand more fuel—you’ll likely binge and go into a huge energy surplus to compensate. This ends up being a roller-coaster calorie ride for your body.
In another scenario, if you overeat and are inactive, you can find yourself in a state of energy surplus. So let’s say you eat a big lunch at 1 p.m. (cheeseburger, fries, shake) and take in around 1,200 calories. Then you sit at your desk and burn about 500 calories until it’s time for dinner at 6. In this case, you may enter the meal in a energy surplus of 700 calories (1,200 calories from lunch, minus the 500 you burned sitting at your desk). If for dinner, you ate another big meal of 1,000 calories (fettuccini alfredo, a soda and dessert ), you could end up with a larger surplus of around 1,700 calories. If you remain sedentary for the rest of the evening, not much of that will be burned off. Then the next morning if you wake up to a big breakfast, your body stays in positive energy balance. This is a recipe for weight gain.
Dramatic calorie highs and lows aren’t good for you. Researchers at the University of Georgia studied the eating patterns of athletes and found that that men and women had higher levels of body fat when their eating patterns fluctuated wildly throughout the day, even if they were in energy balance by the end of the day. In addition, they had worse muscle mass, lower energy levels and poor mental focus compared to athletes who ate consistently over the course of the day. Those athletes who ate regular, small meals, and more before, during and after intense workout sessions, showed the best performance in their sports and were the leanest.
The moral? For optimum performance, match your energy intake to your hourly energy needs. Of course, short of living in a laboratory, there's no sure-fire way to know your precise energy-balance status. Still, you can avoid drastic energy fluctuations by eating small-to-moderate sized meals every three or four hours. And if you are going to do intense or long exercise sessions, eat more before and during to compensate.
Pre-Workout Snacks
Don’t enter a workout hungry. If you start exercising in an energy deficit, your body is likely to preserve fat and perform poorly. If you tend to bonk out midway through a hard session, low energy may be the culprit. Quick absorbing carbs with a high glycemic index will give you fast fuel. So before a tough workout, have a sports drink, juice, fruit, bread or pasta to take in some calories. Depending on the intensity and type of activity you are doing, you may be less likely to have an upset stomach if you avoid high-fiber foods at this time. Or if you have them, wait an hour or two to digest before you start your workout. If you need to grab a snack minutes before a workout, chew thoroughly and go for a quick-digesting, high-carb food. But, if you are merely going on a moderate-paced walk for 45 minutes, you probably don’t need extra food unless you’re heading out first thing in the morning. But if you are going to do two spin classes, an 8-mile run or something equally vigorous, fuel up beforehand.
During a Workout
Again, what and how much you need depends upon what you are doing. If the workout is intense and lasts from 60 to 90 minutes or longer, you probably need extra fuel. A sports drink or energy gel is the easiest absorbing solution, although bread, juice, fruit or an energy bar work too.
The Post-Exercise Energy Window
If you went on an easy walk for an hour, you don’t need to eat extra. But if you had a high-intensity workout lasting 60 to 90 minutes or longer, then it’s crucial to eat afterwards. Within the first 45 minutes post-exercise, there is a “metabolic window.” This means that enzymes that replenish muscle carbs are at their highest levels. Plus, insulin, which rebuilds protein stores, is at peak levels. So eating a carb-and-protein mix (peanut butter sandwich, yogurt with fruit, bagel with cream cheese, or a handful of nuts) at this point will maintain muscle, replenish glycogen stores and reduce the amount of fat your body stores. Even a sport drink or a piece fruit are a good idea if you don’t have something more complex available. (These calories are needed to recover, so they are less likely to be stored as excess fat.)
The problem is, it may be an hour or more before you get a chance to eat, especially if you’re at the gym and need to grab a shower before a long journey home. Missing the metabolic window is bad news: If you delay refueling, you slow carb replenishment by 50 percent and protein repair by 80 percent, according to John Ivy, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas and the author of Nutrient Timing. And that means that you may be sluggish and fatigued during tomorrow’s workout.
Sometimes an immediate side effect of a tough workout is that you are not hungry. But, you still need some calories. So drink juice or a sports drink at the very least. If you experiment with different food options, you should be able to find something that sits well with your stomach and improves your performance.
Find all articles by Martica.
Do you have a fitness or weight-loss question for Martica?
Send e-mail to experts@microsoft.com. Please include Ask Martica in the subject line.
Each of our experts responds to one question each week and the responses are posted on Mondays on MSN Health. We regret that we cannot provide a personalized response to every submission.
Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-Training for Dummies.(Read her full bio.)
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness
Q: Is it better to eat before or after exercising?
A: Many misconceptions surround eating and exercise. Some people avoid food before a workout because they worry they’ll get nauseated or have cramps. Others don’t eat in the morning because they think they’ll burn more fat if they move on an empty stomach. Some athletes assume that hunger pangs before practice are a good thing, because they think that their body is diverting all its energy to the workout instead of digestion.
None of these beliefs are true.
The bottom line is this: When you expend energy by exercising, you need to consume extra energy to fuel the activity. How much you should eat and at what time of day depends on the type and duration of your workout, as well as when you last ate and what was on the menu.
Ideally, how much energy your body uses (how many calories you burn) and how much energy your body takes in (how many calories you eat) should be in balance all day. Keep in mind that your body burns around 100 calories an hour at rest and during sleep, so you don’t just need energy for exercise, you need food throughout the day to fuel being alive. If you are highly active, if you eat big meals, or if you go for long periods without eating, you can upset this balance and cause extreme energy highs (surpluses) or lows (deficits.)
When you first wake up, you are likely to be low on energy. It works like this: If, the night before, you ate dinner at 7 p.m. and then nothing else until breakfast at 7 a.m., you would have gone 12 hours without added fuel. Your body may have burned around 1,100 calories during this period. Most of the fuel used would have come from your stored fat and glycogen (carbs).
But you have a limited supply of carbs because they are stored only in small amounts in your liver and muscles. Even though the body has plenty of fat stored, for fat to be “burned”, or metabolized, carbs need to be present. Often, the liver’s carb stores are nearly depleted by the morning, so many people may wake up in the morning in a state of energy deficit, where there are not enough carbs to provide energy and to help utilize fat.. So they need breakfast to infuse more energy into their body.
If you skip breakfast and do a tough workout, you launch a depleted body into even greater depletion. Say you burn 500 calories during the workout. By the time you eat later that morning, you may have dipped into an energy deficit of 1,600 calories (that is, 1,100 calories burned while you sleep, plus 500 from the workout). Now your body is famished for fuel. However, you may not feel hungry in this state (known as “ketosis”) because your body has shifted to starvation mode to preserve its resources. Diminished hunger is one of the side effects. But a lack of stomach rumblings doesn’t mean your body doesn’t need fuel—it does. In fact, at some point it will demand more fuel—you’ll likely binge and go into a huge energy surplus to compensate. This ends up being a roller-coaster calorie ride for your body.
In another scenario, if you overeat and are inactive, you can find yourself in a state of energy surplus. So let’s say you eat a big lunch at 1 p.m. (cheeseburger, fries, shake) and take in around 1,200 calories. Then you sit at your desk and burn about 500 calories until it’s time for dinner at 6. In this case, you may enter the meal in a energy surplus of 700 calories (1,200 calories from lunch, minus the 500 you burned sitting at your desk). If for dinner, you ate another big meal of 1,000 calories (fettuccini alfredo, a soda and dessert ), you could end up with a larger surplus of around 1,700 calories. If you remain sedentary for the rest of the evening, not much of that will be burned off. Then the next morning if you wake up to a big breakfast, your body stays in positive energy balance. This is a recipe for weight gain.
Dramatic calorie highs and lows aren’t good for you. Researchers at the University of Georgia studied the eating patterns of athletes and found that that men and women had higher levels of body fat when their eating patterns fluctuated wildly throughout the day, even if they were in energy balance by the end of the day. In addition, they had worse muscle mass, lower energy levels and poor mental focus compared to athletes who ate consistently over the course of the day. Those athletes who ate regular, small meals, and more before, during and after intense workout sessions, showed the best performance in their sports and were the leanest.
The moral? For optimum performance, match your energy intake to your hourly energy needs. Of course, short of living in a laboratory, there's no sure-fire way to know your precise energy-balance status. Still, you can avoid drastic energy fluctuations by eating small-to-moderate sized meals every three or four hours. And if you are going to do intense or long exercise sessions, eat more before and during to compensate.
Pre-Workout Snacks
Don’t enter a workout hungry. If you start exercising in an energy deficit, your body is likely to preserve fat and perform poorly. If you tend to bonk out midway through a hard session, low energy may be the culprit. Quick absorbing carbs with a high glycemic index will give you fast fuel. So before a tough workout, have a sports drink, juice, fruit, bread or pasta to take in some calories. Depending on the intensity and type of activity you are doing, you may be less likely to have an upset stomach if you avoid high-fiber foods at this time. Or if you have them, wait an hour or two to digest before you start your workout. If you need to grab a snack minutes before a workout, chew thoroughly and go for a quick-digesting, high-carb food. But, if you are merely going on a moderate-paced walk for 45 minutes, you probably don’t need extra food unless you’re heading out first thing in the morning. But if you are going to do two spin classes, an 8-mile run or something equally vigorous, fuel up beforehand.
During a Workout
Again, what and how much you need depends upon what you are doing. If the workout is intense and lasts from 60 to 90 minutes or longer, you probably need extra fuel. A sports drink or energy gel is the easiest absorbing solution, although bread, juice, fruit or an energy bar work too.
The Post-Exercise Energy Window
If you went on an easy walk for an hour, you don’t need to eat extra. But if you had a high-intensity workout lasting 60 to 90 minutes or longer, then it’s crucial to eat afterwards. Within the first 45 minutes post-exercise, there is a “metabolic window.” This means that enzymes that replenish muscle carbs are at their highest levels. Plus, insulin, which rebuilds protein stores, is at peak levels. So eating a carb-and-protein mix (peanut butter sandwich, yogurt with fruit, bagel with cream cheese, or a handful of nuts) at this point will maintain muscle, replenish glycogen stores and reduce the amount of fat your body stores. Even a sport drink or a piece fruit are a good idea if you don’t have something more complex available. (These calories are needed to recover, so they are less likely to be stored as excess fat.)
The problem is, it may be an hour or more before you get a chance to eat, especially if you’re at the gym and need to grab a shower before a long journey home. Missing the metabolic window is bad news: If you delay refueling, you slow carb replenishment by 50 percent and protein repair by 80 percent, according to John Ivy, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas and the author of Nutrient Timing. And that means that you may be sluggish and fatigued during tomorrow’s workout.
Sometimes an immediate side effect of a tough workout is that you are not hungry. But, you still need some calories. So drink juice or a sports drink at the very least. If you experiment with different food options, you should be able to find something that sits well with your stomach and improves your performance.
Find all articles by Martica.
Do you have a fitness or weight-loss question for Martica?
Send e-mail to experts@microsoft.com. Please include Ask Martica in the subject line.
Each of our experts responds to one question each week and the responses are posted on Mondays on MSN Health. We regret that we cannot provide a personalized response to every submission.
Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-Training for Dummies.(Read her full bio.)
Exercise Expenditure Chart
Exercise Expenditure Chart
WEIGHT (in pounds) 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350
ACTIVITY Calories Burned During One Hour
Walking 4 mph 199 249 299 349 399 449 499 549 599 649 699
Jogging 5 mph 376 426 476 526 576 626 676 727 776 826 876
Swimming 199 249 299 349 399 449 499 549 599 649 699
Cycling 13 mph 560 610 660 710 760 810 860 910 960 1010 1060
Heavy Aerobic 444 494 544 594 644 694 744 794 844 894 944
Light Weights 172 222 272 322 372 422 472 522 572 622 672
Intense Weights 392 442 492 542 592 642 692 742 792 842 892
WEIGHT (in pounds) 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350
ACTIVITY Calories Burned During One Hour
Walking 4 mph 199 249 299 349 399 449 499 549 599 649 699
Jogging 5 mph 376 426 476 526 576 626 676 727 776 826 876
Swimming 199 249 299 349 399 449 499 549 599 649 699
Cycling 13 mph 560 610 660 710 760 810 860 910 960 1010 1060
Heavy Aerobic 444 494 544 594 644 694 744 794 844 894 944
Light Weights 172 222 272 322 372 422 472 522 572 622 672
Intense Weights 392 442 492 542 592 642 692 742 792 842 892
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Feeling a bit weak..
I have been so tired! I felt really good tuesday, but today I am back to feeling tired. I really am trying to eat more, and in doing so have noticed I have been feeling tugged to eat things I shouldn't. But I have remained On The Wagon! lol (ok.. I had a nibble of Blakes Cheetos yesterday.. but I was more than a good girl!)
I have continued to do my excersise in the morning! I have that going for me. But some days I don't push as hard as others, especially when I am tired.
I even woke up the last two days with Leslie Sansone's Fast 4 Miles Walk DVD music in my head! LOL Too Funny!
Well, I also have to say that I seem to still be losing. I know that if I'd push the workouts more, and even do a little one before bed, I might see faster results, but then I tell myself I gave myself until May to be back down to 125. I'll settle for 130! Right now I'm at 137-138, depending on what my scale feels like saying!
My scale is another issue! It's old and I can step on it 5 times and I'll get 5 diff readings! I need to go out and get a digital scale..but I don't want to put out the $20 bucks! I really need to for my SANITY! LOL
Back to maybe sticking in an extra workout. Ii did that last week, where I did my 30-40 mins of walking in the morning and then a Tae Bo 8 min work out at night..and I felt pretty good. So I need to do that more! Maybe 3 nights a week I should do this to start.
I also have been trying to figure out how to eat good without leaning of the slim fast. I think the SF is the reason I have had some bowel issues the past few days. So I had cherios and peaches for brekfast, and a grilled tuna sandwich for lunch. But those snack attacks are coming harder too! So I need to figure something out!
I know.. I NEED MORE PRAYER!
I have continued to do my excersise in the morning! I have that going for me. But some days I don't push as hard as others, especially when I am tired.
I even woke up the last two days with Leslie Sansone's Fast 4 Miles Walk DVD music in my head! LOL Too Funny!
Well, I also have to say that I seem to still be losing. I know that if I'd push the workouts more, and even do a little one before bed, I might see faster results, but then I tell myself I gave myself until May to be back down to 125. I'll settle for 130! Right now I'm at 137-138, depending on what my scale feels like saying!
My scale is another issue! It's old and I can step on it 5 times and I'll get 5 diff readings! I need to go out and get a digital scale..but I don't want to put out the $20 bucks! I really need to for my SANITY! LOL
Back to maybe sticking in an extra workout. Ii did that last week, where I did my 30-40 mins of walking in the morning and then a Tae Bo 8 min work out at night..and I felt pretty good. So I need to do that more! Maybe 3 nights a week I should do this to start.
I also have been trying to figure out how to eat good without leaning of the slim fast. I think the SF is the reason I have had some bowel issues the past few days. So I had cherios and peaches for brekfast, and a grilled tuna sandwich for lunch. But those snack attacks are coming harder too! So I need to figure something out!
I know.. I NEED MORE PRAYER!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Hey! It's Working!
My pants are getting looser! And last night I had to wear some khaki pants.. last time I wore them they were tightish. Last night they fit very comfortably!
I hope I can get back to wearing my wedding ring by next week! Maybe two weeks at the latest!
This is SOO GREAT!
I hope I can get back to wearing my wedding ring by next week! Maybe two weeks at the latest!
This is SOO GREAT!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
I started a Food Journal
It really helps! I figured out my BMR which is 1,121, and then I am figureing on eating just 1,100 to 1,200 calories a day, so I will burn more than I take in.
The BMR is the calories that I will burn in a day by just sitting and not doing anything all day. So if I only eat that amount of calories.. I should be burning off more than I eat easy!
I do at least one 50 min workout a day( My Fast 4 Miles which if you really ped'ed out the steps and how many times we actaully jog, it's probably more like 6 miles), and add extra throughout.. like dancing of jumping on my mini tramp, and doing some reps with my resistance band, so I should be dropping the weight a little better than I did the previous weeks.
We'll see.
Yesterday I only ate 900+ calories (oops) but today I forgot to count up after lunch to see what I had left for the day, and I ended up eating like 1,200. So really I should still be ok.
I noticed this morning that I am losing my muffin top. I wear the same pants for every workout.. and I noticed I am trimming a bit, so that was VERY encouraging!
WooHoo!
The BMR is the calories that I will burn in a day by just sitting and not doing anything all day. So if I only eat that amount of calories.. I should be burning off more than I eat easy!
I do at least one 50 min workout a day( My Fast 4 Miles which if you really ped'ed out the steps and how many times we actaully jog, it's probably more like 6 miles), and add extra throughout.. like dancing of jumping on my mini tramp, and doing some reps with my resistance band, so I should be dropping the weight a little better than I did the previous weeks.
We'll see.
Yesterday I only ate 900+ calories (oops) but today I forgot to count up after lunch to see what I had left for the day, and I ended up eating like 1,200. So really I should still be ok.
I noticed this morning that I am losing my muffin top. I wear the same pants for every workout.. and I noticed I am trimming a bit, so that was VERY encouraging!
WooHoo!
Weigh In..
March 1: 132.6
Feb 22:134.4 Was out of town for a week..ate too many cookies!
Feb 15:133.6
Feb 08:135Hard Week!
Feb 01:135!!
Jan 25:137
Jan 18:138
Jan 11: 140
Jan 04: 141
Dec. 28: 142
Dec. 21: 147
Feb 22:134.4 Was out of town for a week..ate too many cookies!
Feb 15:133.6
Feb 08:135Hard Week!
Feb 01:135!!
Jan 25:137
Jan 18:138
Jan 11: 140
Jan 04: 141
Dec. 28: 142
Dec. 21: 147
I LOVE Biggest Loser!
Last night was very touching! But through it all.. it was also a very interesting show!
There is this gal who just can't commit to pushing herself and Bob came UNGLUED! He was cussing a Blue Streak trying to make this gal run onthe treadmill without stopping at 20 seconds. YIKES!! And when she Finally did it you could see she wasn't even struggling! He was POSSESED by Jillian Micheals! (The other trainer that can be pretty datn mean!.. but she has a hear too)
So yeah.. while watching they did a a little stroy of Filipe.. the dark blue guy.. and it showed a shot of him standing with his wife in front of a picture of the Salt Lake Temple! So Cool!
And I have to say I am VERY impressed with the gal in the lite green! She has a Bog Heart I tell ya! On the Big Challenge of the day they had to canoe over an area and then park it at the shore and run/walk up a big hill to the top! She made it first!! WOO HOO!! And then at the VERY end..WAY behind even the next to the last guy, comes the Orange Guy (the 19 year old kid that is THE HEAVIEST EVER). Well.. everyone is at the top..and SHE goes down to help the kid! (not to brag but I would have done that too). So then a couple mins later everyone else came down to help and support the kid upthe hill! It was So Inspiring!!
I LOVE BIGGEST LOSER!!
It's airs Tues nights from 8-10 on NBC!!
There is this gal who just can't commit to pushing herself and Bob came UNGLUED! He was cussing a Blue Streak trying to make this gal run onthe treadmill without stopping at 20 seconds. YIKES!! And when she Finally did it you could see she wasn't even struggling! He was POSSESED by Jillian Micheals! (The other trainer that can be pretty datn mean!.. but she has a hear too)
So yeah.. while watching they did a a little stroy of Filipe.. the dark blue guy.. and it showed a shot of him standing with his wife in front of a picture of the Salt Lake Temple! So Cool!
And I have to say I am VERY impressed with the gal in the lite green! She has a Bog Heart I tell ya! On the Big Challenge of the day they had to canoe over an area and then park it at the shore and run/walk up a big hill to the top! She made it first!! WOO HOO!! And then at the VERY end..WAY behind even the next to the last guy, comes the Orange Guy (the 19 year old kid that is THE HEAVIEST EVER). Well.. everyone is at the top..and SHE goes down to help the kid! (not to brag but I would have done that too). So then a couple mins later everyone else came down to help and support the kid upthe hill! It was So Inspiring!!
I LOVE BIGGEST LOSER!!
It's airs Tues nights from 8-10 on NBC!!
Monday, January 12, 2009
WooHoo! I Love Leslie Sansone! 4 Fast Miles Walk!
You guys REALLY need to try this! This is the only excersise I have been doing and I am STILL losing weight! I don't really feel any difference in my pants yet, but I know I will soon!
Here is the link to Leslie Sansone's 4 Fast Miles.. http://www.lesliesansone.com/store/product14.html
Here is the link to her Home Page..
http://www.lesliesansone.com/walk/
Here are some tips!
When we do side steps... I always either swing my arms out to my sides or in front of me while doing the steps. I also will alternate and push my arms and hands behind me to get my tri-cepts!! Using small weights with this is good too!!
When she has us do front kicks.... I kick straight out all the way up even with my waist and punch out with my opposite arm.
When she does knee lifts... I lift my knee all the way up to my chest as far as I can that is natural, and I twist just a little and do a CRUNCH! And DO IT HARD BABY!
GO GET THIS DVD!!
Here is the link to Leslie Sansone's 4 Fast Miles.. http://www.lesliesansone.com/store/product14.html
Here is the link to her Home Page..
http://www.lesliesansone.com/walk/
Here are some tips!
When we do side steps... I always either swing my arms out to my sides or in front of me while doing the steps. I also will alternate and push my arms and hands behind me to get my tri-cepts!! Using small weights with this is good too!!
When she has us do front kicks.... I kick straight out all the way up even with my waist and punch out with my opposite arm.
When she does knee lifts... I lift my knee all the way up to my chest as far as I can that is natural, and I twist just a little and do a CRUNCH! And DO IT HARD BABY!
GO GET THIS DVD!!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Ok.. So I blew Saturday Dinner!
Can ya blame me???
Tony invited us to the new pizza/arcade in LG! Me, Roger, Blake and CJ went. It was really yummy.. and Fun! Poor Blake though.. he didn't eat much but he was so excited!
He had to go potty while we were there and this lady got to the restroom door just before us!! Blake grabbed his tummy and grimaced...I got really worried!! Fortuantley she let us go first! Whew! That was CLOSE!!
Ok so.... I had 4 small.. and I MEAN SMALL pieces of different pizzas, and 1 sliver (1 1/2 inch at the base) of a dessert pizza that was cookie dough. Good thing that was the last piece! YIKES that was GOOD! I also had some salad.. not to worry! With mostly fresh spinach! And a drizzle of dressing. I have always been a dressing drizzler though. ;0)
Blake had to wait for me to finish my salad before taking him to the arcade.. but we went on in and had a great time! It was like a Chuck E. Cheese only smaller! Really fun! He got 333 tickets to turn in and got a flashy squishy ball, a Sponge Bob Bubble Blower Necklace thingy, and 2 parachute guys!
Next time we go to LG I hope we have enough money to take the whole family there.. that was really a cool place! (Tony treated us.. so that's why we got to go*grins*)
Tony invited us to the new pizza/arcade in LG! Me, Roger, Blake and CJ went. It was really yummy.. and Fun! Poor Blake though.. he didn't eat much but he was so excited!
He had to go potty while we were there and this lady got to the restroom door just before us!! Blake grabbed his tummy and grimaced...I got really worried!! Fortuantley she let us go first! Whew! That was CLOSE!!
Ok so.... I had 4 small.. and I MEAN SMALL pieces of different pizzas, and 1 sliver (1 1/2 inch at the base) of a dessert pizza that was cookie dough. Good thing that was the last piece! YIKES that was GOOD! I also had some salad.. not to worry! With mostly fresh spinach! And a drizzle of dressing. I have always been a dressing drizzler though. ;0)
Blake had to wait for me to finish my salad before taking him to the arcade.. but we went on in and had a great time! It was like a Chuck E. Cheese only smaller! Really fun! He got 333 tickets to turn in and got a flashy squishy ball, a Sponge Bob Bubble Blower Necklace thingy, and 2 parachute guys!
Next time we go to LG I hope we have enough money to take the whole family there.. that was really a cool place! (Tony treated us.. so that's why we got to go*grins*)
Man! I am sick I think.. that will set me back!
Blake has been sick since wed. afternoon.. he actually didn't throw up or the D word until Thurs morning... but he has been sick every day, poor lil guy! I'm taking him to the Dr. tomorrow afternoon if he isn't really alot better.
But yeah, I was feeling a little questionable yesterday, and this morning, I really felt strange..and VERY tired. But I have been sleeping on a friends floor for 2 nights and not getting enough sleep.
Explaination of sleeping on a floor: We went to La Grande for my grand daughter's 1st Bday over the weekend! We always stay at my friend Tony's house. We pull out his hide-a-bed and put the mattress on the floor. Not very comfy,, but it's fun and we love to visit "Uncle Tony"...(Blake's adopted Uncle Tony...my long time friend).
So anyway.. I am feeling under the weather, and tomorrow I am to get up and start my week of Managment and Exercise! SIGH.. I hope I can do it! I better get to bed and get some sleep!
But yeah, I was feeling a little questionable yesterday, and this morning, I really felt strange..and VERY tired. But I have been sleeping on a friends floor for 2 nights and not getting enough sleep.
Explaination of sleeping on a floor: We went to La Grande for my grand daughter's 1st Bday over the weekend! We always stay at my friend Tony's house. We pull out his hide-a-bed and put the mattress on the floor. Not very comfy,, but it's fun and we love to visit "Uncle Tony"...(Blake's adopted Uncle Tony...my long time friend).
So anyway.. I am feeling under the weather, and tomorrow I am to get up and start my week of Managment and Exercise! SIGH.. I hope I can do it! I better get to bed and get some sleep!
Friday, January 9, 2009
What I'm Eating
I guess I should say what I have been doing..
In the morning after I work out, and sometimes not until 9am, I drink a Slimfast(actually the walmart one) Shake. If I have fruit here I also eat a peice of fruit, or have a yougurt.
Then about 2 hours later I have some sort of snack..like yesterday I had a big tablespoon of peanutbutter.
For lunch I have another Shake, and fruit. Yesterday though I saw on my actual SlimFast powder container, that I could also have a half a sandwich..so I had a half ham sandwich with no cheese, and just a teeny bit of mayo..and I mean teeny!
Then again for snack time I was hungry and am out of fruit..so I probably was bad.. but I had a peice of toast with a tiny amount of butter with a piece of cheese.
Dinner I had turkey breast with steamed carrots and madarine orange slices and one peice of whole wheat bread.... and then nothing else!
I am holding to my No Eating After 6pm and I have been fine!! And even though tis doesn's spound like a lot to eat..I haven't been starving. When I get a little hungry I wait until it's my snack time and I have been fine with that.. of if I can't wait I'll just have a little nibble of something.. like carrot sticks or a slice of apple.
I DO need to work out earlier, because I know I should be eating breakfast by 8 at the latest! That is something I DO need to fix!
And I WILL NOT starve myself..because we ALL know that doing that only makes our body store fat even more readily!! So even if I eat all day.. it will only be small amounts and it will be things that are good for me.
I have CUT OUT SUGAR! No deserts.. no cookies, cakes, candy... also no excesive amounts of bread (although alll of those things I LOVE)
In the morning after I work out, and sometimes not until 9am, I drink a Slimfast(actually the walmart one) Shake. If I have fruit here I also eat a peice of fruit, or have a yougurt.
Then about 2 hours later I have some sort of snack..like yesterday I had a big tablespoon of peanutbutter.
For lunch I have another Shake, and fruit. Yesterday though I saw on my actual SlimFast powder container, that I could also have a half a sandwich..so I had a half ham sandwich with no cheese, and just a teeny bit of mayo..and I mean teeny!
Then again for snack time I was hungry and am out of fruit..so I probably was bad.. but I had a peice of toast with a tiny amount of butter with a piece of cheese.
Dinner I had turkey breast with steamed carrots and madarine orange slices and one peice of whole wheat bread.... and then nothing else!
I am holding to my No Eating After 6pm and I have been fine!! And even though tis doesn's spound like a lot to eat..I haven't been starving. When I get a little hungry I wait until it's my snack time and I have been fine with that.. of if I can't wait I'll just have a little nibble of something.. like carrot sticks or a slice of apple.
I DO need to work out earlier, because I know I should be eating breakfast by 8 at the latest! That is something I DO need to fix!
And I WILL NOT starve myself..because we ALL know that doing that only makes our body store fat even more readily!! So even if I eat all day.. it will only be small amounts and it will be things that are good for me.
I have CUT OUT SUGAR! No deserts.. no cookies, cakes, candy... also no excesive amounts of bread (although alll of those things I LOVE)
WooHoo! The Scales are Turning!
I know..I'm not supposed to weigh evey day, but it's a habit.
It does get discouraging though..weighing every day and it either not doing somehitng or it seems to go up!
Well.... after 2 solid days of workouts and watching my intake... I stepped on the scale and it said 140! That is a mile stone for me!!
I LOVE it! Now that it is finally moving that REALLY gets me encouraged to keep on going!!
This morning I didn't really feel like working out..and almost didn't, but I just pushed myself a little extra and did it! I'm soooo glad I did!
My body is tired though, so even though I have had this breakthrough I need to take a break. But I WILL NOT take a break from my intake control!!
I AM SO STOKED!
It does get discouraging though..weighing every day and it either not doing somehitng or it seems to go up!
Well.... after 2 solid days of workouts and watching my intake... I stepped on the scale and it said 140! That is a mile stone for me!!
I LOVE it! Now that it is finally moving that REALLY gets me encouraged to keep on going!!
This morning I didn't really feel like working out..and almost didn't, but I just pushed myself a little extra and did it! I'm soooo glad I did!
My body is tired though, so even though I have had this breakthrough I need to take a break. But I WILL NOT take a break from my intake control!!
I AM SO STOKED!
My BMR is 1,121.3 What's Yours?
Burn, Baby, Burn How hot do you burn?
The number of calories you burn in a day is known as your total energy expenditure (TEE). Rates vary from person to person, so it's crucial that you take the time to learn yours. Once you know your TEE, you will be able to balance your caloric intake and expenditure in a totally efficient way as you work toward your weight loss goal.
Your TEE takes into account three factors, so be prepared to do three calculations to get your final number. Today we'll focus on the first one — your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns in a day when operating at absolute minimum capacity. Basically, imagine sitting on the couch all day. (Is this a little too easy for you to imagine? Don't worry — we'll fix that!) Your BMR, then, is the number of calories your body burns just to maintain your heartbeat, digestion, respiration, tissue repair and other organ functions. That's it.
BMR is influenced by a number of factors, including age, weight, height, gender, environmental temperature, and diet and exercise habits. Because of these varying factors, it's hard to pin down your BMR to the precise calorie, but we can get pretty close. Here are some formulas for figuring out your BMR. Get out your calculator and plug your numbers into whichever formula applies to you.
MALE: 66 + (6.3 × body weight in pounds) + (12.9 × height in inches) − (6.8 × age in years)
FEMALE: 655 + (4.3 × weight in pounds) + (4.7 × height in inches) − (4.7 × age in years)
Keep that calculator handy. Your basal metabolic rate accounts for only about 75 percent of your total daily caloric expenditure.
Mine is 1,121.3. This is cool! I can see what I really need to be doing to burn enough to make it count!
I got this from Jillian from Biggest Loser. She sends out daily emails! There are some good articles.
You can go here to subscribe to the emails.. I think.
http://secure.agoramedia.com/manage_subscriptions.asp
The number of calories you burn in a day is known as your total energy expenditure (TEE). Rates vary from person to person, so it's crucial that you take the time to learn yours. Once you know your TEE, you will be able to balance your caloric intake and expenditure in a totally efficient way as you work toward your weight loss goal.
Your TEE takes into account three factors, so be prepared to do three calculations to get your final number. Today we'll focus on the first one — your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns in a day when operating at absolute minimum capacity. Basically, imagine sitting on the couch all day. (Is this a little too easy for you to imagine? Don't worry — we'll fix that!) Your BMR, then, is the number of calories your body burns just to maintain your heartbeat, digestion, respiration, tissue repair and other organ functions. That's it.
BMR is influenced by a number of factors, including age, weight, height, gender, environmental temperature, and diet and exercise habits. Because of these varying factors, it's hard to pin down your BMR to the precise calorie, but we can get pretty close. Here are some formulas for figuring out your BMR. Get out your calculator and plug your numbers into whichever formula applies to you.
MALE: 66 + (6.3 × body weight in pounds) + (12.9 × height in inches) − (6.8 × age in years)
FEMALE: 655 + (4.3 × weight in pounds) + (4.7 × height in inches) − (4.7 × age in years)
Keep that calculator handy. Your basal metabolic rate accounts for only about 75 percent of your total daily caloric expenditure.
Mine is 1,121.3. This is cool! I can see what I really need to be doing to burn enough to make it count!
I got this from Jillian from Biggest Loser. She sends out daily emails! There are some good articles.
You can go here to subscribe to the emails.. I think.
http://secure.agoramedia.com/manage_subscriptions.asp
Thursday, January 8, 2009
How quickly can I lose 30 pounds?
How quickly can I lose 30 pounds?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness
Q: I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off for three months. I'm 5 feet 7 inches and now weigh 167 pounds, but my ideal weight is 135 pounds. Is it realistic to try to lose five pounds a month? And what exercise can help keep me from getting flabby?
A: Be careful of getting attached to a specific number when it comes to your "ideal" weight. So many individual factors play a role in determining what your optimal body weight is that's it's hard to say exactly what the best weight is for you. And keep in mind that for many women, their ideal weight from a health standpoint may be more than their ideal weight from an aesthetic standpoint. (Women often think skinnier is better, but just as overweight people have higher risks of disease, so do underweight people.)
Although 135 pounds for someone who's 5 feet 7 inches is not technically underweight, 135 may be too low for you if you are big-boned and muscular. It's better to shoot for a range, and remember that scale weight alone doesn't give you an indication of your body composition, or the amount of muscle mass versus body fat that you have. A person can be muscular and have low body fat, but weigh on the heavier end of an "ideal" range, but look great because he or she is lean and firm.
In any case, 30 pounds is a lot to lose, and while it can be done, it requires a commitment and long-term lifestyle changes. You're right to aim for a slow rate of weight loss, and one or two pounds a week is considered to be a healthy pace. To keep yourself motivated, rather than focusing on the 30 pounds, aim for something smaller, like four or five pounds. Once you've reached that first, more easily achieved goal, set a new goal until eventually you reach your target weight.
Keep in mind that a few things may impede your progress. First, the closer you get to your optimum weight, the harder it may be to lose. This is especially true if your body considers your "optimum" weight to be one that's five or 10 pounds more than the weight you desire.
Also, the fact that you've lost a considerable amount of weight already will affect your weight loss now and going forward. You've lost fat from fat cells, but the fat cells still remain in your body. These fat cells are programmed to be filled, since fat is the body's energy supply. So when weight is lost, energy-preservation mechanisms kick in to attempt to restore the lost body fat.
It's unclear how much weight loss triggers this phenomenon, but it appears that when weight loss starts to plateau, often after about six months of weight loss, some biological triggers try to reverse the loss. Biochemicals are released in your brain and body that may affect your tendency to regain weight in a variety of ways: You may feel less full after eating, you may crave snacks more often, you may crave more fattening foods, and/or you may get hungrier sooner.
This doesn't mean that you will definitely gain the weight back, but it does mean that you have to continue with the smart eating choices and regular exercise to counteract these influences. The National Weight Control Registry, an ongoing research investigation that monitors people who have lost weight and successfully kept it off, shows that it can be done. And there are some weight-management strategies that most of these successful losers use to stay on the healthy end of the scale. On average, 90 percent of these success stories exercise about one hour per day (mostly walking), 78 percent eat breakfast every day, and 62 percent watch less than 10 hours of TV a week (that clearly gives them more time to be active).
To kick-start your weight loss, evaluate your diet and exercise program. Find ways to eat more healthfully, consuming fewer calories, and find ways to increase the amount of daily activity that you get, aiming to ramp up the amount of vigorous exercise that you do too (try inserting jogging sprints into a walk, or intervals of higher-resistance climbing on a cardio machine). Also incorporate resistance exercises with weights, which will keep you from getting flabby. Look for specific moves that you can do at home on the MSN Fit Zone.
Find all articles by Martica.
Read more on MSN Health & Fitness:
10 Dietary Mistakes to Avoid
The Weight Loss Hormone
Walk Off More Belly Fat
More on MSN Shopping:Find great workout gear, books and more to help you keep those New Year's Resolutions in the A New Year, A New You store.
Do you have a fitness or weight-loss question for Martica? Send e-mail to experts@microsoft.com. Please include Ask Martica in the subject line.
Each of our experts responds to one question each week and the responses are posted on Mondays on MSN Health. We regret that we cannot provide a personalized response to every submission.
Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-Training for Dummies.(Read her full bio.)
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness
Q: I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off for three months. I'm 5 feet 7 inches and now weigh 167 pounds, but my ideal weight is 135 pounds. Is it realistic to try to lose five pounds a month? And what exercise can help keep me from getting flabby?
A: Be careful of getting attached to a specific number when it comes to your "ideal" weight. So many individual factors play a role in determining what your optimal body weight is that's it's hard to say exactly what the best weight is for you. And keep in mind that for many women, their ideal weight from a health standpoint may be more than their ideal weight from an aesthetic standpoint. (Women often think skinnier is better, but just as overweight people have higher risks of disease, so do underweight people.)
Although 135 pounds for someone who's 5 feet 7 inches is not technically underweight, 135 may be too low for you if you are big-boned and muscular. It's better to shoot for a range, and remember that scale weight alone doesn't give you an indication of your body composition, or the amount of muscle mass versus body fat that you have. A person can be muscular and have low body fat, but weigh on the heavier end of an "ideal" range, but look great because he or she is lean and firm.
In any case, 30 pounds is a lot to lose, and while it can be done, it requires a commitment and long-term lifestyle changes. You're right to aim for a slow rate of weight loss, and one or two pounds a week is considered to be a healthy pace. To keep yourself motivated, rather than focusing on the 30 pounds, aim for something smaller, like four or five pounds. Once you've reached that first, more easily achieved goal, set a new goal until eventually you reach your target weight.
Keep in mind that a few things may impede your progress. First, the closer you get to your optimum weight, the harder it may be to lose. This is especially true if your body considers your "optimum" weight to be one that's five or 10 pounds more than the weight you desire.
Also, the fact that you've lost a considerable amount of weight already will affect your weight loss now and going forward. You've lost fat from fat cells, but the fat cells still remain in your body. These fat cells are programmed to be filled, since fat is the body's energy supply. So when weight is lost, energy-preservation mechanisms kick in to attempt to restore the lost body fat.
It's unclear how much weight loss triggers this phenomenon, but it appears that when weight loss starts to plateau, often after about six months of weight loss, some biological triggers try to reverse the loss. Biochemicals are released in your brain and body that may affect your tendency to regain weight in a variety of ways: You may feel less full after eating, you may crave snacks more often, you may crave more fattening foods, and/or you may get hungrier sooner.
This doesn't mean that you will definitely gain the weight back, but it does mean that you have to continue with the smart eating choices and regular exercise to counteract these influences. The National Weight Control Registry, an ongoing research investigation that monitors people who have lost weight and successfully kept it off, shows that it can be done. And there are some weight-management strategies that most of these successful losers use to stay on the healthy end of the scale. On average, 90 percent of these success stories exercise about one hour per day (mostly walking), 78 percent eat breakfast every day, and 62 percent watch less than 10 hours of TV a week (that clearly gives them more time to be active).
To kick-start your weight loss, evaluate your diet and exercise program. Find ways to eat more healthfully, consuming fewer calories, and find ways to increase the amount of daily activity that you get, aiming to ramp up the amount of vigorous exercise that you do too (try inserting jogging sprints into a walk, or intervals of higher-resistance climbing on a cardio machine). Also incorporate resistance exercises with weights, which will keep you from getting flabby. Look for specific moves that you can do at home on the MSN Fit Zone.
Find all articles by Martica.
Read more on MSN Health & Fitness:
10 Dietary Mistakes to Avoid
The Weight Loss Hormone
Walk Off More Belly Fat
More on MSN Shopping:Find great workout gear, books and more to help you keep those New Year's Resolutions in the A New Year, A New You store.
Do you have a fitness or weight-loss question for Martica? Send e-mail to experts@microsoft.com. Please include Ask Martica in the subject line.
Each of our experts responds to one question each week and the responses are posted on Mondays on MSN Health. We regret that we cannot provide a personalized response to every submission.
Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-Training for Dummies.(Read her full bio.)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
What Have You Done Today To Make You Feel Proud?!
Well!
Today is a new day! Isn't that GREAT!
I started a "diet" the monday before Christmas.. I thought it was a perfect time to test my will! I really did GREAT! But after being on this diet.. (which wasn't a diet at all..it was mearly cutting out sweets and bad stuff).. after 2 weeks and only seeing a 5lb loss, I got discouraged.
Sunday was a binge on the left over kisses day! I got THAT out of my system! Whew!
Then last night was the start of the new Biggest Loser! That Always pumps me up!! So I am ready to start again!!!
This morning I did a 30+ Power Walk DVD.. it's called A Fast 4 Miles..I think. It really is great! My daughter Brittney gave me a copy of it and I recommend it to ANYONE.. especially the people out there that are not cordinated! It is SOOO Simple!! AND Man.. DID I WORK IT TODAY!! It's really hard to get me to sweat for some reason but today was a Super Sweaty Day! LOL
Also..last night I made a really neat poster to help keep me motivated! Along with the dates I'll be weighing in to track my progress! Looks like I have given myself until May. I should be feeling REALLY Good by then! And getting ready to get back into my Summer Clothes that I couldn't wear last year!
Say a little prayer for me!
Gail
Today is a new day! Isn't that GREAT!
I started a "diet" the monday before Christmas.. I thought it was a perfect time to test my will! I really did GREAT! But after being on this diet.. (which wasn't a diet at all..it was mearly cutting out sweets and bad stuff).. after 2 weeks and only seeing a 5lb loss, I got discouraged.
Sunday was a binge on the left over kisses day! I got THAT out of my system! Whew!
Then last night was the start of the new Biggest Loser! That Always pumps me up!! So I am ready to start again!!!
This morning I did a 30+ Power Walk DVD.. it's called A Fast 4 Miles..I think. It really is great! My daughter Brittney gave me a copy of it and I recommend it to ANYONE.. especially the people out there that are not cordinated! It is SOOO Simple!! AND Man.. DID I WORK IT TODAY!! It's really hard to get me to sweat for some reason but today was a Super Sweaty Day! LOL
Also..last night I made a really neat poster to help keep me motivated! Along with the dates I'll be weighing in to track my progress! Looks like I have given myself until May. I should be feeling REALLY Good by then! And getting ready to get back into my Summer Clothes that I couldn't wear last year!
Say a little prayer for me!
Gail
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