You Can Stop Being Influenced by Food Ads
There is much in the news today about obesity and you can be assured that the food industry fully intends to place the blame squarely on the individual, despite the fact they spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year in an effort to entice us to buy more and more of their products. Children are especially vulnerable to the advertising for cereals, snack bars, crackers, cookies, candy, and fast foods. Colorful packaging, and now even colorful foods to encourage the little shoppers to badger their parents into buying the “convenient” snack packs for them. “Mommy I want it” is exactly the result advertisers are paying to obtain. They know that many adults will give in to the child’s demands, just to “keep the peace.”
If you live in modern society, you can’t escape advertising. How many times have you been happily minding your own business when suddenly the TV screen flashes a big, juicy, something! Your stomach may start gurgling, your mouth starts watering, and the launch sequence for hunger has begun. Once the countdown starts, nothing can stop the launch into the kitchen, or for the seriously dedicated, out the door to go get something to eat. This can happen only an hour after a big dinner. The ads are designed to do this, and they work well as we prove with our food dollars every day.
Count the Food Ads
Next time you watch TV keep a note pad nearby and make a little hash mark every time you see a commercial that encourages you to eat. You’ll also notice there are certain ads that seem to trigger the hunger response more than others. What is it about those ads? Do you start to mentally taste the food? Does it remind you of happy occasions? It can even remind you of unhappy occasions which then drives you to want something to eat because you “deserve” it.
Notice whether it is the people in the ad, the message itself, the words they use, even the background music or scenery? See if you can pin-point what, exactly, it is about the ad that draws you in. Notice what you don’t like about ads that simply do not interest you. Play college student and do this as homework, and if you can get your kids to do it with you, all the better.
My son has come to me many times to tell me about something he’s seen on TV and now wants me to buy. He gets caught up in the half hour infomercials and becomes so convinced their product is the single best thing, that it’s difficult to change his mind.
Evenings are an especially rough time for dieters because of the over abundance of advertising for food. Seeing delicious things to eat can create the sensation of hunger until it becomes a patterned response. Turning on the TV then begins to make you hungry, even without the food cues.
7 Ways to Combat Evening Snacking Habit
1. Mute the commercials or switch to another channel (channel surfers already do this anyway). Not watching or hearing the ad can help enormously. Remember, out of sight, out of mind.
2. Use commercial break time to do housework. You’d be amazed at how much clutter you can clear in three or four minutes, and every hour you get at least four of these breaks.
3. Mute the ads and keep your hands busy until your show comes back on with a project like knitting, reading or finishing that book you’ve been writing.
4. Start a new business (then you’re probably not in front of the TV anyway).
5. Step outside and breath some fresh air for a few minutes.
6. Exercise during the ads. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, do this for a full minute. It’s a great leg exercise. Use a kitchen chair rather than the couch to be kinder on your knees.
7. Move to another seat in the room. Sometimes just getting up from your usual spot in the room (the coach, or your favorite chair) and moving to another location can help, so can getting a glass of water. Sometimes it’s thirst.
Be Willing to Experiment and You can Overcome the Allure of the Food Ads
The worst thing you can do is simply watch and then attempt to combat your growing desire to eat. Once the idea that you’re hungry is planted, it becomes much more difficult to change your mind. Instead stop the idea from occurring in the first place by finding something else to do instead of watching another Burger King commercial.
Advertising only works when we’re paying attention, either watching or listening. I’ve no quarrel with advertisers, I advertise my services too, but watching one hundred ads all featuring food after dinnertime is a bit much for anyone to endure. Food ads are designed for you to simply sit and be mesmerized by the flashing words, snappy slogans, colors and lights. Pay closer attention, or pay none at all, but either way you’ll gain a much greater understanding of how advertising influences you.
Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com
Get The Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.
March 6, 2009
Good Night, Sleep Tight!
One of the most important things you can do for fat loss, controlling weight gain and for overall health is often overlooked. MORE SLEEP! Yes, you actually need to sleep more to gain less!
A lack of sleep could be contributing to America’s obesity epidemic. A recent Columbia University study found that not getting enough sleep could put you at increased risk for weight gain.
The study, presented at the meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, analyzed data from 18,000 adults and found that those who slept less than the recommended seven hours a night had an increased risk of obesity. People who slept for less than four hours per night were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who slept for seven to nine hours. Getting five hours of sleep or less decreased that risk to 50 percent, and getting six hours or less decreased it even more to 23 percent.
While it’s still unclear exactly what causes this increased risk, scientists believe that lack of sleep lowers the amount of leptin your body produces. Leptin is a protein that suppresses appetite and is responsible for telling your brain when your stomach is full. In addition, when you are sleep-deprived, you are less able to make clear decisions and may eat more food than your body actually needs.
What’s the lesson? A good night’s sleep is not only critical for your mental health; it may also be a crucial part of your diet.
So, good night and sleep tight!
Be well & stay fit!
Aimee Deak
Aimee Deak is a certified personal trainer, nutrition analyst and author of the book, “Every Body Loses”, an easy-to follow,
step-by-step guide to fat loss.
You can find more information about fat loss and exercise on her
website http://www.aim4nutrition.com
A lack of sleep could be contributing to America’s obesity epidemic. A recent Columbia University study found that not getting enough sleep could put you at increased risk for weight gain.
The study, presented at the meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, analyzed data from 18,000 adults and found that those who slept less than the recommended seven hours a night had an increased risk of obesity. People who slept for less than four hours per night were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who slept for seven to nine hours. Getting five hours of sleep or less decreased that risk to 50 percent, and getting six hours or less decreased it even more to 23 percent.
While it’s still unclear exactly what causes this increased risk, scientists believe that lack of sleep lowers the amount of leptin your body produces. Leptin is a protein that suppresses appetite and is responsible for telling your brain when your stomach is full. In addition, when you are sleep-deprived, you are less able to make clear decisions and may eat more food than your body actually needs.
What’s the lesson? A good night’s sleep is not only critical for your mental health; it may also be a crucial part of your diet.
So, good night and sleep tight!
Be well & stay fit!
Aimee Deak
Aimee Deak is a certified personal trainer, nutrition analyst and author of the book, “Every Body Loses”, an easy-to follow,
step-by-step guide to fat loss.
You can find more information about fat loss and exercise on her
website http://www.aim4nutrition.com
How to Lose Weight While Gardening
Have you ever dreaded the idea of pulling weeds, planting a tree, or pushing a lawn mower around the yard?
Does just thinking about it make you sweat? I am sure the majority of are nodding your heads in agreement. What I am about to suggest only takes a slight change in your thinking and a bit of planning and you can learn how to lose weight and get in better shape while gardening this year.
For those of you that are already gardeners, you know that gardening is one of the best ways to get exercise because it involves all of the muscle groups in your body.
Like I mentioned earlier, we only need to change the way you think about outside chores. See I am falling into the trap too, I just called them chores. Instead, you should think of them as outdoor exercises that are designed to enhance the condition of your body and help you lose weight.
As with any exercise program, check with your doctor before starting. Make sure you are dressed properly and that you stretch before beginning.
If you aren?t used to exercising in the garden or have been relatively inactive all winter, start slowly. Start with weeding, watering, and planting seeds.
As you feel yourself getting stronger you can increase your gardening repertoire to include: pruning, heavy digging, hoeing, pushing a loaded wheelbarrow, or mowing the lawn. I think you get the idea because the list of outdoor gardening exercise ideas is endless!
Even carrying plants or a bag of potting soil to the car from the store and then out into the yard is exercise! You can potentially burn up to 300-600 calories per hour depending on your intensity and which gardening exercises you engage in.
You CAN lose weight by gardening ~ eat less and move more! The following list shows what a typical man weighing 180 pounds will burn in 30 minutes of activity. If you weigh more you can burn even more calories!
* Watering lawn/garden~ 61
* Raking~ 162
* Bagging leaves~ 162
* Planting seeds/seedlings~ 162
* Planting trees~ 182
* Weeding ~ 182
* Clearing Land ~ 202
* Digging, spading, tilling~ 202
* Laying Sod~202
* General gardening~ 202
* Chopping wood~ 243
* Gardening with heavy power tools~ 243
* Mowing the lawn with a push mower~ 243
* Shoveling snow~ 243
* Shoveling heavy snow~ 364 cals
Tips for your success:
1. Don?t over do it~ one or two hours of gardening is plenty, especially when you are beginning!
2. Don?t lift objects that are too heavy for you. If you injure yourself, chances are that you won?t be able to continue to garden for exercise and weight loss.
3. Stretch before, during and after gardening. Don?t stay down on your knees while weeding or planting for extended periods of time~ get up and move!
4. Get out in your garden and exercise at least 3-4 times a week.
5. Continue your outdoor exercise routine even after you last blooms have faded. Shoveling the snow, raking leaves, and splitting wood are great calorie burners that will lead to weight loss!
6. Don?t forget the added benefit of growing your own healthy fruits and vegetables and your yard will look beautiful from all of your hard work!
7. Have Fun and “Just do it”!
Once you get into the habit of viewing gardening as an excellent way to lose weight and stay in shape, you may never go back to the gym again!
? 2005, Candee Stark and GoingAllTheWeigh.com
This article is provided courtesy of Candee’s Weight Loss Success - You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.
Does just thinking about it make you sweat? I am sure the majority of are nodding your heads in agreement. What I am about to suggest only takes a slight change in your thinking and a bit of planning and you can learn how to lose weight and get in better shape while gardening this year.
For those of you that are already gardeners, you know that gardening is one of the best ways to get exercise because it involves all of the muscle groups in your body.
Like I mentioned earlier, we only need to change the way you think about outside chores. See I am falling into the trap too, I just called them chores. Instead, you should think of them as outdoor exercises that are designed to enhance the condition of your body and help you lose weight.
As with any exercise program, check with your doctor before starting. Make sure you are dressed properly and that you stretch before beginning.
If you aren?t used to exercising in the garden or have been relatively inactive all winter, start slowly. Start with weeding, watering, and planting seeds.
As you feel yourself getting stronger you can increase your gardening repertoire to include: pruning, heavy digging, hoeing, pushing a loaded wheelbarrow, or mowing the lawn. I think you get the idea because the list of outdoor gardening exercise ideas is endless!
Even carrying plants or a bag of potting soil to the car from the store and then out into the yard is exercise! You can potentially burn up to 300-600 calories per hour depending on your intensity and which gardening exercises you engage in.
You CAN lose weight by gardening ~ eat less and move more! The following list shows what a typical man weighing 180 pounds will burn in 30 minutes of activity. If you weigh more you can burn even more calories!
* Watering lawn/garden~ 61
* Raking~ 162
* Bagging leaves~ 162
* Planting seeds/seedlings~ 162
* Planting trees~ 182
* Weeding ~ 182
* Clearing Land ~ 202
* Digging, spading, tilling~ 202
* Laying Sod~202
* General gardening~ 202
* Chopping wood~ 243
* Gardening with heavy power tools~ 243
* Mowing the lawn with a push mower~ 243
* Shoveling snow~ 243
* Shoveling heavy snow~ 364 cals
Tips for your success:
1. Don?t over do it~ one or two hours of gardening is plenty, especially when you are beginning!
2. Don?t lift objects that are too heavy for you. If you injure yourself, chances are that you won?t be able to continue to garden for exercise and weight loss.
3. Stretch before, during and after gardening. Don?t stay down on your knees while weeding or planting for extended periods of time~ get up and move!
4. Get out in your garden and exercise at least 3-4 times a week.
5. Continue your outdoor exercise routine even after you last blooms have faded. Shoveling the snow, raking leaves, and splitting wood are great calorie burners that will lead to weight loss!
6. Don?t forget the added benefit of growing your own healthy fruits and vegetables and your yard will look beautiful from all of your hard work!
7. Have Fun and “Just do it”!
Once you get into the habit of viewing gardening as an excellent way to lose weight and stay in shape, you may never go back to the gym again!
? 2005, Candee Stark and GoingAllTheWeigh.com
This article is provided courtesy of Candee’s Weight Loss Success - You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.
Questioning Cardio for Weight Loss?
Q: I’ve heard you mention that you don’t need tons of cardio to burn
stubborn abdominal fat. Okay, I can live with that, but you’ve also said
that it isn’t absolutely necessary to perform direct ab work either. What
gives?
A: If you want to build a serious set of abdominals, routinely perform the
following exercises and their variations: squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, and
standing military presses. These multi-joint movements require a strong
contribution from the abdominals to stabilize the core, particularly when
heavy loads are used. It is not uncommon to hear clients complain of
abdominal soreness a day or two after performing multiple sets with a
decent weight of the chin-up or standing military press exercise - the ab
prestretch will tap into fibers you never thought existed! And remember,
your abdominals act as a natural girdle, or weight belt if you will, when
performing all exercises, particularly squats and deadlifts. These
muscles act as a bridge between your upper and lower body and are
heavily recruited as stabilizers.
Sure, isolation exercises like pullovers, curls, and even triceps
pressdowns also require a good degree of core stability; however, the
loads used are relatively low compared to the big 4 mentioned above. In
fact, according to Siff & Verkhoshansky, isolation becomes virtually
impossible if large loads are used, and in many cases, the tension
developed in the stabilizers will equal or even exceed that of the prime
movers!* So, you see, the abdominals can be trained quite effectively as
stabilizers - the physiques of top Olympic weightlifters will attest to that.
*Siff, MC, Verkhoshansky, YV. “Supertraining (4th Edition).” Denver, CO:
Supertraining International, 1999. (pg. 241)
Q: I am still very much confused regarding cardio intensity. One book
says keep it low intensity (i.e. 60% of MHR) and go for distance; another
keep it high intensity (80% or more) and go for as long and hard as you
can. The goal is to burn fat. Each book has great arguments for their
approach. Which is accurate?
A: The second approach is far more effective for burning fat. Without
getting into a huge discussion about this, here’s how things work in a
nutshell.
At a lower intensity, your body prefers fat for fuel. Yes, this is true, but
two things generally happen:
1. After awhile of doing this type of activity, your body adapts by actually
laying down fat (you heard me right) to become more efficient at the
given task and this usually occurs in the lower body, and
2. A higher relative amount of fat is burned during low intensity cardio
but a greater absolute amount is burned with higher intensity cardio and
in less time.
Other things to consider are: a) the EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen
consumption) is greater for a longer duration following higher intensity
work; in other words, you’re metabolism is much higher for a longer
period of time post-workout with high intensity cardio, and b) higher
lactate levels exist with high intensity cardio. So what you may ask? Well
there is a direct correlation with lactate and GH (Growth Hormone) and
GH is a potent fat-burner.
Bottom line: with regards to burning fat, do higher intensity work in the
form of interval training and you’ll get great results.
John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness
and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science
degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a
private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional
consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at
http://www.BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.
Check out John Paul’s new DVD, Warm-Up to Strength Training, for some powerful
techniques to increase strength and improve performance! Discover some unique,
cutting-edge methods like how to increase arm strength by up to 10% instantly! It
has been recommended by many experts including Drs. Eric Serrano, Mark Lindsay,
and Ken Kinakin as well as Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin. Visit
http://www.StrengthWarmup.com for more information.
stubborn abdominal fat. Okay, I can live with that, but you’ve also said
that it isn’t absolutely necessary to perform direct ab work either. What
gives?
A: If you want to build a serious set of abdominals, routinely perform the
following exercises and their variations: squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, and
standing military presses. These multi-joint movements require a strong
contribution from the abdominals to stabilize the core, particularly when
heavy loads are used. It is not uncommon to hear clients complain of
abdominal soreness a day or two after performing multiple sets with a
decent weight of the chin-up or standing military press exercise - the ab
prestretch will tap into fibers you never thought existed! And remember,
your abdominals act as a natural girdle, or weight belt if you will, when
performing all exercises, particularly squats and deadlifts. These
muscles act as a bridge between your upper and lower body and are
heavily recruited as stabilizers.
Sure, isolation exercises like pullovers, curls, and even triceps
pressdowns also require a good degree of core stability; however, the
loads used are relatively low compared to the big 4 mentioned above. In
fact, according to Siff & Verkhoshansky, isolation becomes virtually
impossible if large loads are used, and in many cases, the tension
developed in the stabilizers will equal or even exceed that of the prime
movers!* So, you see, the abdominals can be trained quite effectively as
stabilizers - the physiques of top Olympic weightlifters will attest to that.
*Siff, MC, Verkhoshansky, YV. “Supertraining (4th Edition).” Denver, CO:
Supertraining International, 1999. (pg. 241)
Q: I am still very much confused regarding cardio intensity. One book
says keep it low intensity (i.e. 60% of MHR) and go for distance; another
keep it high intensity (80% or more) and go for as long and hard as you
can. The goal is to burn fat. Each book has great arguments for their
approach. Which is accurate?
A: The second approach is far more effective for burning fat. Without
getting into a huge discussion about this, here’s how things work in a
nutshell.
At a lower intensity, your body prefers fat for fuel. Yes, this is true, but
two things generally happen:
1. After awhile of doing this type of activity, your body adapts by actually
laying down fat (you heard me right) to become more efficient at the
given task and this usually occurs in the lower body, and
2. A higher relative amount of fat is burned during low intensity cardio
but a greater absolute amount is burned with higher intensity cardio and
in less time.
Other things to consider are: a) the EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen
consumption) is greater for a longer duration following higher intensity
work; in other words, you’re metabolism is much higher for a longer
period of time post-workout with high intensity cardio, and b) higher
lactate levels exist with high intensity cardio. So what you may ask? Well
there is a direct correlation with lactate and GH (Growth Hormone) and
GH is a potent fat-burner.
Bottom line: with regards to burning fat, do higher intensity work in the
form of interval training and you’ll get great results.
John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness
and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science
degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a
private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional
consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at
http://www.BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.
Check out John Paul’s new DVD, Warm-Up to Strength Training, for some powerful
techniques to increase strength and improve performance! Discover some unique,
cutting-edge methods like how to increase arm strength by up to 10% instantly! It
has been recommended by many experts including Drs. Eric Serrano, Mark Lindsay,
and Ken Kinakin as well as Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin. Visit
http://www.StrengthWarmup.com for more information.
What Is Ashtanga Yoga? Understanding the Methods
Ashtanga yoga, also known as power yoga, is quickly gaining popularity among practitioners. So what is Ashtanga yoga? It is the form of yoga most used by athletes and those interested in quickly increasing strength and stamina. Because of that, Ashtanga yoga postures have a higher degree of difficulty than those in other styles. Additionally, they are done as part of series.
Usually, students doing Ashtanga yoga postures will move quickly from one to the other to maintain that focus on strength. That is in opposition to many other forms of yoga where the emphasis is on breathing, relaxation, and flexibility.
Who Should Practice Ashtanga Yoga?
Ashtanga yoga poses are for most anyone who is in decent shape. If you are new to exercise, this is probably not the form of yoga with which you should start. Even the very easiest of Ashtanga poses are very demanding on the body, especially since you will even start with a body warming routine that is designed to activate your muscles. Overall, Ashtanga yoga can provide you with a build up of strength, stamina, and even some flexibility which explains its popularity with those involved in athletics.
If you decide to give Ashtanga a try, you should expect things to progress quickly. You will likely start right off with a sequence of yoga poses. Those will be practiced until the teacher feels you have mastered it fairly well and have complete understanding of its fundamentals. Then, you will move on to another series and a higher level of difficulty. Overall, it is a very fast moving form of yoga.
Ashtanga Poses
As for the Ashtanga yoga poses, they range widely in terms of positioning. You will find yourself moving from standing, backbent, inverted, balancing, seated, and even twisting poses. In power yoga, the sun salutation sequence of poses is very popular as well, so you will often use standing forward bend, upward dog, downward dog, and many other poses sprinkled in as well.
Though much of the focus in Ashtanga yoga poses is on the development of stamina and strength, you will also, as with any yoga, be focusing. You will be asked to focus your eyes on a point as you move through the poses given out by your instructor. In order to get the full effect and benefit of Ashtanga, you should make sure that your muscles and perhaps even the rooms are very warm. This ensures maximum flexibility and minimal injury as you work through the demanding postures.
If you are into athletics, exercise, or just want a new physical challenge, perhaps you should consider giving Ashtanga yoga a try. The clear choice of athletes and an increasingly popular form in general, it is perfect for those that are in decent shape and want to increase their strength, stamina, and flexibility. Power yoga is a series of poses taken in a quick and free flowing sequence. Even the classes move quickly with teachers adding more difficult sequences every time one is fairly well mastered. So if you learn fast, like to work hard, and think you are up to the challenge of power yoga, then you may benefit greatly from Ashtanga yoga poses.
References: http://.yoga.org.nz/what-is-yoga/yoga_styles.htm
If you’d like to find out more about ashtanga yoga postures, see this article. Ashtanga yoga is great for losing weight, so if you’re interested in learning about the benefits of yoga breathing and weight loss, click here.
Usually, students doing Ashtanga yoga postures will move quickly from one to the other to maintain that focus on strength. That is in opposition to many other forms of yoga where the emphasis is on breathing, relaxation, and flexibility.
Who Should Practice Ashtanga Yoga?
Ashtanga yoga poses are for most anyone who is in decent shape. If you are new to exercise, this is probably not the form of yoga with which you should start. Even the very easiest of Ashtanga poses are very demanding on the body, especially since you will even start with a body warming routine that is designed to activate your muscles. Overall, Ashtanga yoga can provide you with a build up of strength, stamina, and even some flexibility which explains its popularity with those involved in athletics.
If you decide to give Ashtanga a try, you should expect things to progress quickly. You will likely start right off with a sequence of yoga poses. Those will be practiced until the teacher feels you have mastered it fairly well and have complete understanding of its fundamentals. Then, you will move on to another series and a higher level of difficulty. Overall, it is a very fast moving form of yoga.
Ashtanga Poses
As for the Ashtanga yoga poses, they range widely in terms of positioning. You will find yourself moving from standing, backbent, inverted, balancing, seated, and even twisting poses. In power yoga, the sun salutation sequence of poses is very popular as well, so you will often use standing forward bend, upward dog, downward dog, and many other poses sprinkled in as well.
Though much of the focus in Ashtanga yoga poses is on the development of stamina and strength, you will also, as with any yoga, be focusing. You will be asked to focus your eyes on a point as you move through the poses given out by your instructor. In order to get the full effect and benefit of Ashtanga, you should make sure that your muscles and perhaps even the rooms are very warm. This ensures maximum flexibility and minimal injury as you work through the demanding postures.
If you are into athletics, exercise, or just want a new physical challenge, perhaps you should consider giving Ashtanga yoga a try. The clear choice of athletes and an increasingly popular form in general, it is perfect for those that are in decent shape and want to increase their strength, stamina, and flexibility. Power yoga is a series of poses taken in a quick and free flowing sequence. Even the classes move quickly with teachers adding more difficult sequences every time one is fairly well mastered. So if you learn fast, like to work hard, and think you are up to the challenge of power yoga, then you may benefit greatly from Ashtanga yoga poses.
References: http://.yoga.org.nz/what-is-yoga/yoga_styles.htm
If you’d like to find out more about ashtanga yoga postures, see this article. Ashtanga yoga is great for losing weight, so if you’re interested in learning about the benefits of yoga breathing and weight loss, click here.
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