Jenn's Losing It

Om time may help you gain control of your cravings.  Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that people who regularly practiced yoga were more mindful of their eating habits.  While there is no guarantee that sun salutations will cure you of wanting seconds, doing a few moves can’t hurt. FITNESS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2011

Here are some secrets from the Biggest Loser Couples winner Olivia Ward and her sister-teammate Hannah Curlee … Secret #1 You deserve to be in great shape.  The first step in dropping the weight is realizing that you don’t like where are and know that you deserve to fix it. Secret #2 Stop being so hard on yourself. Believing that you can do something will make you actually do it! Secret #3 You don’t have to spend hours in the gym.  Try to find one favorite workout and squeeze that in daily (kickboxing class, spinning, yoga, Zumba) Secret #4 Eat more, not less.  Start each day with a proper breakfast.  Ditch the deprivation diet and never let yourself get to the point where you’re famished with no healthy food around.  Carry a healthy snack with you at all times for that just in case moment. Secret #5   Ask for what you want.  When eating out speak up for how you want your food prepared (hold the dressing, half the cheese) Secret #6 ...

Go ahead, embrace your sugar cravings.  People who reported eating  candy and chocolate tended to weigh less and have smaller waists and lower BMIs than those that said they didn’t eat sweet stuff, a new study in Nutrition Research finds.  It’s possible that the people who consume candy exercise more frequently, says Carol O’Neil, Ph.D, lead author of the study and professor of human nutrition and food at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge.  “But that doesn’t mean you can eat lots of candy and expect to drop pounds”, warns Molly Kimball, R.D., a sports dietitian in New Orleans.  “Moderation is key”.  She recommends sticking to a 100 calorie serving. Fitness Magazine September 2011

Here’s the latest word on what you must do to keep your heart in fighting form. If you’re a woman of a certain age, you need to start thinking about heart disease right now.  The American Heart Association suggests following the seven heart healthy guidelines below. Cholesterol: should be less than 200, one way to help you keep this in check is more fiber.  Pick whole fruits over juice Blood Pressure: should be 120/80, drive down blood pressure by lowering your daily sodium intake Sugar Level: should be less than 100, reduce your by sharing the occasional dessert and cutting back on sweets Smoking: don’t start or quit! If you’ve tried to quit before and failed, go to heart.org for resources Body Mass Index(BMI): should be less than 25, Unsure of what your BMI is?  Use this iPhone app (BMI calculator, free, APPS.USA.GOV) Exercise: should get at least 2/5 hours a week of activity, adopt a dog, the worlds cheapest personal trainer, to guarantee you walk daily. Health...

Be wary of what you eat on Saturday-your waist line could end up with a case of the Mondays in the weeks ahead, say the Washington University School of Medicine researchers.  Using food diaries, exercise monitors and a series of weigh ins, they tracked 48 adults (age 50 to 60) and found that participants consumed more calories on Saturday than any other day of the week.  Over a year, researchers say the extra noshing would add up to 9 pounds! Prevention Magazine-November 2008

Attention adults: Time to take a healthy eating lesson from the young ones in your life.  Fresh fruit has beat out cookies as the top snack food among children ages 2 to 12, according to a recent survey by market research firm NPD Group.  Adults prefer gum and chocolate; in 2005 only 28.7% of grown woman ate the recommend two or more servings of fruit per day.  Toss a portable piece like a kiwifruit, banana or pear into your purse so you have a healthy snack at the ready. Prevention Magazine 2008

Studies show that even small amounts of brisk walking can keep you healthy .  Here’s the amount you need daily to lower your risk of five diseases: 17 Minutes reduces DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS by 41% 17 Minutes reduces COLON CANCER by 31% 18 Minutes reduces CORONARY HEART DISEASE by 36% 21 Minutes reduces STROKE by 43% 30 Minutes reduces TYPE 2 DIABETES by 30%  Time to get walking!!! Prevention Magazine – November  2008

Think twice before having that second helping of pie.  New research in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reveals that people that gained as little as 9 pounds in 2 months experienced a drop in blood vessel function, which is a precursor for heart disease. If you notice your pants are feeling a little snug, take action.  The study's authors found that once people shed the pounds they gained, their blood flow returned to normal.  That's news worth taking to heart. Shape Magazine November 2010

When life dishes you insane work deadlines, long road trips or back to back appointments with the kids, fast food becomes a fact of life.  You can do major nutritional damage in the drive thru, so Family Circle Magazine scoured the menu at some popular fast food restaurants to make a list of the top picks. Healthiest picks from the menu: McDonalds : Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap and Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad (470 cal, 17g Fat)  Burger King:  Hamburger and Value Sized Unsalted French Fries (480 cal, 21g fat)  Hold BK to the motto "Have it your way", order a basic burger without mayo and extra lettuce and tomato to boost your veggies, ask for those fries without salt and you save 100 mg of sodium Wendys :  Large Chili with a side of Mandarin Oranges (420 cal, 10g fat, 9g fiber)  KFC : Honey BBQ sandwich and Large Corn on the Cob (460 cal, 4.5g fat, ) Panera : Cup of Vegetable Soup with Pesto and Half a Smoked Turkey Sandwich (...

In a five week study of college freshman eating at a dining hall, the portion sizes of French Fries were gradually decreased by 15% each week for three weeks.  The smaller portion sizes eventually resulted in significant decreases in intake of that food, despite the fact that it took place in an all you can eat dining hall. How you can use this news?  Start serving yourself smaller portions of foods little by little.  Buy a medium fry instead of a large, remove a tablespoon or two of pasta, rice or cereal, buy loaves if bread with smaller slices.  Serve your meals on smaller plates, you'll trick yourself into eating less. Weight Watchers Weekly; weightwatchers.com; Maria Kinirons, RD

Set a big resolution? Keep up your can do attitude for three weeks and you could see it thru!  Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that among former couch potatoes who consistently worked out three times per week, those who scored high on their scale of confidence in their capabilities on day 21 stuck to their new regimen for the rest of the year. So basically you've now developed a "habit" and your motivation is simply auto-pilot.  Now going to the gym seems like a cinch rather than a chore.  Here are three strategies to keep your motivation strong all year long! Keep Track : Log your healthy meals and daily workouts.  When you do this you are keeping yourself accountable and seeing how much progress you've made Take on a Challenge : Train for a triathlon, run your first or fastest race or join a bike competition. Try Something New : Switch up your workout with a boot camp, a dance class or kickboxing routine. Fitness Magazi...