Showing posts with label weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight. Show all posts
Reading Nutrition Labels to Assist Weight Loss
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
(Article first published as Reading Nutrition Labels Assists Weight Loss, Improves Health on Technorati.)
The information you need to avoid foods which will encourage weight gain or promote poor health is required reading on every nutrition label. The problem is many people are unable to decode the gibberish and misleading terms used to disguise the worst food ingredients. It seems as though there should be a special encyclopedia to help the consumer avoid the most dangerous health degrading components of their favorite processed food staples.
Food manufacturers use very subtle deception to make you think their food is lower in calories at a quick glance. They post unrealistic serving sizes to make the calories appear less, with the knowledge that most people will eat much more than the paltry serving size listed.
Many people with an interest in their health are avoiding added sugar and high fructose corn syrup when they read nutritional labels, understanding that these additives cause metabolic imbalance and lead to weight gain. Manufacturers know this and now want to be able to call high fructose corn syrup simply corn sugar on nutritional labels. This is yet another example of the deceitful marketing tactics which are permitted to continue, making it difficult to avoid dangerous chemicals in our food supply.
Finding the Proper Tools to Assist Weight Loss
Of course, the best rule of thumb would be to eat food in their natural form, easily avoiding all the deadly sugar and processed carbs and chemicals hiding in most foods. Foods which will help you drop weight and promote health don’t have an ingredient list or use names which are difficult to pronounce. The reality is that foods manufactured in a food laboratory are a part of our diet, and we need to become savvy about what is in the foods we eat to preserve health and lose weight.
The results of a study published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs, found that people who want to lose weight are much more likely to read nutrition labels, and note that this may have an even larger impact on weight loss than regular exercise. There is still much confusion about serving size, sugar and carbohydrate content and ingredient listing for many who try to decipher the typical nutrition label. Understanding the buzz words to watch for will help you to drop weight and naturally promote health.
Tip 1: Watch Calories per Serving
Look caully when purchasing at the store and be certain you understand that often the calories listed in bold are most likely half of what you will end up eating. Once you realize how quickly most processed foods add on the calories, you’ll want to substitute fruit, vegetables, or a reduced calorie option to hit your daily target.
Tip 2: Trans Fat, Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
The fat category creates much confusion for many consumers. We have been so conditioned by pharmaceutical ads to avoid cholesterol that we end up choosing high carb, low fat foods which ruin health. Saturated fats and cholesterol from foods are not the problem, and do not contribute to poor health or excess weight as long as they are eaten uncooked and accounted for as part of your daily caloric goal. Trans fats should be avoided entirely, and be sure to watch for hydrogenated fats on the label. There is no safe level of these deadly fats which increase your risk of heart disease by 25%.
Tip 3: Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Corn Sugar
Reading nutritional labels is becoming an important tool used my many weight and health conscious consumers. Look at every label before you purchase, with a watchful eye for serving size, trans fats and high fructose corn syrup and learn the variety of names these ingredients lurk behind. By eliminating poor food choices, you’ll be able to reach your weight loss target quicker and avoid the health pitfalls of eating a diet high in artificial chemicals.
Motivation Key to Weight Loss Success
Monday, May 19, 2014
(Article first published as Motivation Speeds Weight Loss Results, Keeps Weight Off on Technorati.)
Recent research released from The Journal of Medical Internet Research indicates that people who have lost weight were more than twice as likely to keep the weight off if they kept track of their progress using an online recording system.
This is consistent with studies demonstrating that people lose weight more consistently and faster when they keep a dairy to record all foods eaten each day. Aside from diet and exercise, there are several important steps to help motivate your mind and hit your ideal weight target.
Step 1: The Power of Motivation to Lose Weight
People are much more likely to achieve and maintain their weight loss goal when they’re motivated by others. Losing weight significantly reduces the risk of sudden death from a heart attack, diabetes, stroke, dementia and many cancers, yet many people never attain or maintain their weight goal. The motivation provided by a friend or family member is the missing key to weight loss success for many.
Before beginning your weight loss journey, find somebody who will be able to encourage you when you hit the inevitable low point or plateau in your quest. The encouragement they’ll provide is invaluable, providing the strength and psychological boost to continue toward success. Interestingly, researchers have found that people who are financially incentivized to lose weight achieve a 70% success rate, making money a powerful source of motivation.
Step 2: Eat It, Track It and Don’t Cheat
Since many tracking programs break down fat, carb and protein ratios, you’ll find that highly ined carbs are blocking your road to success, as they cause wild blood sugar surges which tip your metabolism toward fat storage. Be honest with yourself by measuring and weighing foods, and enter them to your log either before or immediately after eating.
Step 3: Set a Food Clock
While proper diet and sufficient exercise are an essential part of a successful weight loss plan, it’s also important to incorporate the resources of mind and motivation. Solicit the help of someone who can motivate you, providing encouragement when you stray off track, and use a menu diary and food clock. Get your mind in the game and you’ll find the added support you need to hit your ultimate weight loss goal, and keep it off for life.
Green Tea Boosts Weight Loss and Improves Cardiovascular Health
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Green tea (and its less ined cousin, white tea) has been a part of the ancient Chinese tradition for countless generations, in large part due to its rich endowment of bioactive catechins. Many studies over the past decade have shown that green tea is a powerful tool to improve metabolism in a way that is supportive of weight loss.
Scientists publishing in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistrydemonstrate that it activates genes associated with fat burning while also helping to reduce absorption of fat from the digestive tract. Further evidence on the gene-altering activity of green tea is reported in the International Journal of Cardiology, as polyphenols from the drink lower free radical damage to help maintain telomere length in heart cells. Drinking several cups of green tea each day may hold the key to effective weight management and cardiac health.
Green Tea Supplementation Assists Weight Loss by Reducing Abdominal Fat Stores
Researchers from the Departments of Chemical Biology and Pharmacology and Toxicology at Rutgers University in New Jersey examined the effect of green tea supplementation on obese mice, known to exhibit similar metabolic characteristics to humans. The animals were broken into two groups and both were fed a traditional high fat/Western style diet. One group received water supplemented with the green tea bioactive catechin EGCG, while the second group acted as a non-supplemented control.
The study determined that EGCG supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain associated with increased fecal lipids and decreased blood glucose levels compared to those of the control group. Scientists further found that fatty liver incidence, associated liver damage and liver triglyceride levels were also decreased by the EGCG treatment. Treated animals also experienced improved insulin response as well as lowered C-reactive protein (CRP) and interlukin-6 (IL-6) levels, both strong indicators of systemic inflammation and immune response.
EGCG is a Powerful Antioxidant Shown to Increase Heart Muscle Lifespan
The study authors concluded“Our results demonstrate that the high fat/Western diet produces more severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome and that the EGCG treatment can alleviate these symptoms and body fat accumulation. The beneficial effects of EGCG are associated with decreased lipid absorption and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines.” Green tea helps our cellular engines (mitochondria) to better metabolize calories more efficiently, providing a significant weight management tool.
Additionally, supporting research documents the effect of green tea catechins on extending the lifespan of heart muscle cells. Scientists found that EGCG supplementation exerted a potent antioxidant effect that lowered free radical damage to preserve telomere length and reduce heart cell death. Nutrition experts recommend two to four cups of fresh brewed green tea daily or an organically compounded and standardized EGCG supplement (300 to 500 mg daily) to assist weight management goals and improve cardiovascular health.
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