Weight loss q&a by Suzanne Schlosberg
It's difficult for me to concentrate on calorie cutting and my workout program at the same time. Which is more important for weight loss? ... and more of your questions answered here.
Q I find it hard to stick with a diet while I'm trying to maintain my exercise program. Which one should I focus on more for weight loss: exercise or diet?
A "Exercise is less important than diet for losing weight, but once the weight is off, exercise becomes almost essential for keeping it off," says Robert H. Eckel, M.D., chairman of the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Council and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado's Health Sciences Center in Denver.
Dietary changes tend to have more of an impact on weight loss because it's relatively easy to reduce calories through improvements to your diet, while it takes a lot of exercise to burn off an equal number of calories. For instance, you could cut 230 calories a day--enough to lose 2 pounds in a month--simply by skipping that afternoon candy bar; to burn 230 calories through exercise, you'd have to run or walk two miles, which could take up to 40 minutes. "That doesn't mean you can't lose a little weight by exercise alone," Eckel says. "But the caloric value of exercise is modest. You have to exercise a lot to make up for that malt over the weekend."
But don't use this as a reason to give up on exercise. Among people who lose weight without working out, the vast majority regain the pounds. However, research shows that 95 percent of those who succeed in keeping the weight off exercise almost daily. Rather than making drastic changes to both your eating and your exercise habits, make more modest improvements to both.
Q The more I promise myself I'm going to diet, the worse I eat. I find myself going to McDonald's for a McFlurry frozen dessert every day. How can I stick to my diet and stop thinking about junk food and ice cream all the time?
A "When foods are put on the forbidden list, you start to crave them," says Atlanta nutritionist Kathleen Zelman, R.D., a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Rather than deprive yourself of the foods that you love, Zelman suggests, "give in to your cravings, but in a controlled manner."
For instance, allow yourself to buy a McFlurry once a week and savor every bite. "Don't eat it standing up or in your car," Zelman says. "Sit down and really enjoy it instead of just wolfing it down." You may want to bring some home to put in the freezer and scoop out a small portion each night. Simply knowing the dessert is available to you might be enough to keep you from thinking about it all the time, Zelman suggests. The cravings and obsession will wane.
Another strategy is to satisfy your craving for sweet, cold, creamy foods with a lower-calorie alternative to a McFlurry (about 600 calories for 12 ounces). For instance, Haagen-Dazs chocolate sorbet contains 120 calories per 1/2 cup serving (which at 4 ounces is a more sensible serving size for a frozen treat).
Q My girlfriend is smart and beautiful, but her obsessive dieting is starting to worry me. She is 5-foot-5 and wants to weigh 110 pounds (currently she weighs 115). She never eats more than 1,000 calories a day and runs for at least 40 minutes. After her workouts, she says things like "I feel like I am going to faint," but still she won't eat anything. What can I do to help her?
A "Tell her gently but firmly that you're very concerned and that you believe her behavior is heading in the direction of an eating disorder," says William Davis, Ph.D., director of research for The Renfrew Center Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia that designs programs to advance the awareness of eating disorders. If she dismisses your concerns--a reaction that is likely, Davis says-remain supportive and let her know that you plan to bring up the issue again.
Urge her to see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. If she won't agree to that, try getting her to a registered dietitian. "To people with eating disorders, nutritionists tend to be less threatening than therapists," Davis says. A nutritionist can explain to her that drastically cutting calories will actually backfire; when you eat fewer calories than your body needs to maintain itself, your body thinks it's being starved and your metabolism slows down.
Although many people with disordered eating tend to ignore the health risks of anorexia and bulimia--everything from flaky skin to life-threatening organ damage--you still might tell her that you fear what may happen to her down the line. Perhaps a more effective strategy, Davis says, is to take pictures of your girlfriend from the neck down, in hopes that she will see that her body is not, in fact, fat. If she's looking at an image of her body without her face, Davis explains, she's more likely to see it realistically.
Getting through to people with disordered eating can be an uphill battle, Davis says, "but that doesn't mean it can't be done." Some people defiantly refuse to get help, while others are just waiting for someone to care enough to take an interest. If all else fails, "you may even want to arrange an intervention with people she trusts, like girlfriends who know about her obsession with weight," Davis adds. "You then can tell her, 'Look, it's time to do something about this.'
About Me
- Freedom of Expressions
- I am looking to excel in the ownership of retail businesses and real estate investments. Forever striving to become financially independent.I describe myself as a very straight forward person who like to take things in stride, when possible. Life is very exciting and has lots of opportunites and experiences to offer and I feel that I should always make the right use of it. I believe that I should always strive towards individual betterment in whichever form it may be.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Advice for Building Healthy and Exciting Love Relationships
A strong, healthy relationship can be one of the best supports in your life. Good relationships improve your life in all aspects, strengthening your health, your mind and your connections with others as well. However, it can also be one of the greatest drains if the relationship is not working. Relationships are an investment. The more you put in, the more you get back. Love and relationships take work, commitment, and a willingness to adapt and change through life as a team. Learn about ways to keep a healthy relationship strong, or work on repairing trust and love for a relationship on the rocks.
How to strengthen your relationship and make love last
Everyone’s relationship is unique, and people come together for many different reasons. But there are some things that good relationships have in common. Knowing the basic principles of healthy relationships helps keep them meaningful, fulfilling and exciting in both happy times and sad:
What makes a healthy love relationship?
•Staying involved with each other. Some relationships get stuck in peaceful coexistence, but without truly relating to each other and working together. While it may seem stable on the surface, lack of involvement and communication increases distance. When you need to talk about something important, the connection and understanding may no longer be there.
•Getting through conflict. Some couples talk things out quietly, while others may raise their voices and passionately disagree. The key in a strong relationship, through, is not to be fearful of conflict. You need to be safe to express things that bother you without fear of retaliation, and be able to resolve conflict without humiliation, degradation or insisting on being right.
•Keeping outside relationships and interests alive. No one person can meet all of our needs, and expecting too much from someone can put a lot of unhealthy pressure on a relationship. Having friends and outside interests not only strengthens your social network, but brings new insights and stimulation to the relationship, too.
•Communicating. Honest, direct communication is a key part of any relationship. When both people feel comfortable expressing their needs, fears and desires, trust and bonds are strengthened. Critical to communication are nonverbal cues—body language like eye contact, leaning forward or away, or touching someone’s arm.
Keep phsical intimacy alive
Be sensitive to what your partner likes. While touch is a key part of a healthy relationship, it’s important to take some time to find out what your partner really likes. Unwanted touching or inappropriate overtures can make the other person tense up and retreat—exactly what you don’t want.
Spend quality time together
Simple ways to connect as a couple and rekindle love
•Commit to spending quality time together on a regular basis. Even during very busy and stressful times, a few minutes of really sharing and connecting can help keep bonds strong.
•Find something that you enjoy doing together, whether it is a shared hobby, dance class, daily walk, or sitting over a cup of coffee in the morning.
•Try something new together. Doing new things together can be a fun way to connect and keep things interesting. It can be as simple as trying a new restaurant or going on a day trip to a place you’ve never been before.
Never stop communication
If you’ve known each other for a while, you may assume that your partner has a pretty good idea of what you are thinking and what you need. However, your partner is not a mind-reader. While your partner may have some idea, it is much healthier to express your needs directly to avoid any confusion. Your partner may sense something, but it might not be what you need. What’s more, people change, and what you needed and wanted five years ago, for example, may be very different now. Getting in the habit of expressing your needs helps you weather difficult times, which otherwise may lead to increasing resentment, misunderstanding and anger.
Healthy relationships are built on give and take
If you approach your partner with the attitude that things have to be your way or else, it will be difficult to reach a compromise. Sometimes this attitude comes from not having your needs met while younger, or it could be years of accumulated resentment in the relationship reaching a boiling point. It’s alright to have strong convictions about something, but your partner deserves to be heard as well. You are more likely to get your needs met if you respect what your partner needs, and compromise when you can.
Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, but to keep a relationship strong, both people need to feel they’ve been heard. The goal is not to win but to resolve the conflict with respect and love.
•Make sure you are fighting fair.
•Don’t attack someone directly but use “I” statements to communicate how you feel.
•Don’t drag old arguments into the mix.
•Keep the focus on the issue at hand, and respect the other person.
Expect ups and downs
It’s also important to recognize that there are ups and downs in every relationship. You won’t always be on the same page. Sometimes one partner may be struggling with an issue that stresses them, such as the death of a close family member. Other events, like job loss or severe health problems, can affect both partners and make it difficult to relate to each other. You might have different ideas of managing finances or raising children. Different people cope with stress differently, and misunderstanding can rapidly turn to frustration and anger.
•Don’t take out your problems on your partner. Life stresses can make us short tempered. If you are coping with a lot of stress, it might seem easier to vent with your partner, and even feel safer to snap at him or her. Fighting like this might initially feel like a release, but it slowly poisons your relationship. Find other ways to vent your anger and frustration.
•Some problems are bigger than both of you. Trying to force a solution can cause even more problems. Every person works through problems and issues in his or her own way. Remember that you’re a team. Continuing to move forward together can get you through the rough spots.
•Be open to change. Change is inevitable in life, and it will happen whether you go with it or fight it. Flexibility is essential to adapt to the change that is always taking place in any relationship, and it allows you to grow together through both the good times and the bad.
helpguide.org
How to strengthen your relationship and make love last
Everyone’s relationship is unique, and people come together for many different reasons. But there are some things that good relationships have in common. Knowing the basic principles of healthy relationships helps keep them meaningful, fulfilling and exciting in both happy times and sad:
What makes a healthy love relationship?
•Staying involved with each other. Some relationships get stuck in peaceful coexistence, but without truly relating to each other and working together. While it may seem stable on the surface, lack of involvement and communication increases distance. When you need to talk about something important, the connection and understanding may no longer be there.
•Getting through conflict. Some couples talk things out quietly, while others may raise their voices and passionately disagree. The key in a strong relationship, through, is not to be fearful of conflict. You need to be safe to express things that bother you without fear of retaliation, and be able to resolve conflict without humiliation, degradation or insisting on being right.
•Keeping outside relationships and interests alive. No one person can meet all of our needs, and expecting too much from someone can put a lot of unhealthy pressure on a relationship. Having friends and outside interests not only strengthens your social network, but brings new insights and stimulation to the relationship, too.
•Communicating. Honest, direct communication is a key part of any relationship. When both people feel comfortable expressing their needs, fears and desires, trust and bonds are strengthened. Critical to communication are nonverbal cues—body language like eye contact, leaning forward or away, or touching someone’s arm.
Keep phsical intimacy alive
Be sensitive to what your partner likes. While touch is a key part of a healthy relationship, it’s important to take some time to find out what your partner really likes. Unwanted touching or inappropriate overtures can make the other person tense up and retreat—exactly what you don’t want.
Spend quality time together
Simple ways to connect as a couple and rekindle love
•Commit to spending quality time together on a regular basis. Even during very busy and stressful times, a few minutes of really sharing and connecting can help keep bonds strong.
•Find something that you enjoy doing together, whether it is a shared hobby, dance class, daily walk, or sitting over a cup of coffee in the morning.
•Try something new together. Doing new things together can be a fun way to connect and keep things interesting. It can be as simple as trying a new restaurant or going on a day trip to a place you’ve never been before.
Never stop communication
If you’ve known each other for a while, you may assume that your partner has a pretty good idea of what you are thinking and what you need. However, your partner is not a mind-reader. While your partner may have some idea, it is much healthier to express your needs directly to avoid any confusion. Your partner may sense something, but it might not be what you need. What’s more, people change, and what you needed and wanted five years ago, for example, may be very different now. Getting in the habit of expressing your needs helps you weather difficult times, which otherwise may lead to increasing resentment, misunderstanding and anger.
Healthy relationships are built on give and take
If you approach your partner with the attitude that things have to be your way or else, it will be difficult to reach a compromise. Sometimes this attitude comes from not having your needs met while younger, or it could be years of accumulated resentment in the relationship reaching a boiling point. It’s alright to have strong convictions about something, but your partner deserves to be heard as well. You are more likely to get your needs met if you respect what your partner needs, and compromise when you can.
Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, but to keep a relationship strong, both people need to feel they’ve been heard. The goal is not to win but to resolve the conflict with respect and love.
•Make sure you are fighting fair.
•Don’t attack someone directly but use “I” statements to communicate how you feel.
•Don’t drag old arguments into the mix.
•Keep the focus on the issue at hand, and respect the other person.
Expect ups and downs
It’s also important to recognize that there are ups and downs in every relationship. You won’t always be on the same page. Sometimes one partner may be struggling with an issue that stresses them, such as the death of a close family member. Other events, like job loss or severe health problems, can affect both partners and make it difficult to relate to each other. You might have different ideas of managing finances or raising children. Different people cope with stress differently, and misunderstanding can rapidly turn to frustration and anger.
•Don’t take out your problems on your partner. Life stresses can make us short tempered. If you are coping with a lot of stress, it might seem easier to vent with your partner, and even feel safer to snap at him or her. Fighting like this might initially feel like a release, but it slowly poisons your relationship. Find other ways to vent your anger and frustration.
•Some problems are bigger than both of you. Trying to force a solution can cause even more problems. Every person works through problems and issues in his or her own way. Remember that you’re a team. Continuing to move forward together can get you through the rough spots.
•Be open to change. Change is inevitable in life, and it will happen whether you go with it or fight it. Flexibility is essential to adapt to the change that is always taking place in any relationship, and it allows you to grow together through both the good times and the bad.
helpguide.org
Friday, September 3, 2010
Quick Weight Loss Tips - Food Factors
When it comes to finding quick weight loss diet tips that work, selecting your foods for your diet can be a real balancing act. You have to lose some of what you’ve grown accustomed to and add some items that may be new to you. Here’s some quick weight loss tips that experts recommend to promote weight loss.
Quick Weight Loss Tips #1 – Reduce fat.
With regard to fat, the research is clear: Diets too high in fat promote overweight and obesity. You should strive to consume no more than 25 percent of your calories from fat – and that fat should the “non-saturated” type.
Quick Weight Loss Tips # 2 – Don’t be so sweet.
Numerous studies have linked table sugar to increased calorie consumption. While sugar doesn’t do as much dietary damage as fat, you’ll find that when you eat sweets, you simply want to eat more… of everything. Not only that, but sugar also makes your body excrete chromium, and chromium is a mineral that helps your body build calorie-burning lean tissue – so you want to keep your chromium levels up.
Quick Weight Loss Tips #3 – Drink up.
“If people want to keep their nutrients in balance, they need to drink plenty of plain, unflavored water every day,” says Judy Dodd, R.D., past president of the American Dietetic Association. Water not only acts as a solvent for many vitamins and minerals but also is responsible for carrying nutrients into and wastes out of cells, so the body functions properly. As a rule of thumb, you should drink a half-ounce of water for every pound of body weight daily, unless you’re very active, in which case you should increase your water intake to two-thirds of an ounce per pound of body weight daily. So if you weigh 100 pounds, you should drink 50 ounces of water a day as a minimum
Quick Weight Loss Tips #4 – Fill up on fiber.
You can curb your hunger by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, which is filling, so you feel full but eat less. For these diet tips, experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals.
Quick Weight Loss Tips #5 – Get treatment for food allergies.
Some researchers believe that being overweight is the result of people craving foods that they are allergic to. For these people, weight loss is extremely difficult until they figure out what those trigger foods are and eliminate them from their diets.
“There are specific food allergies that trigger uncontrollable craving and bingeing,” says Joseph D. Beasley, M.D., director of Comprehensive Medical Care in Amityville, New York. “It’s a common problem in overeaters.”
If you suspect that food allergies might be part of your problem, ask your doctor to help you identify the offending items. Your doctor may recommend that you see an allergy specialist.
Quick Weight Loss Tips#6 - Get fit
Last, but not least...but MOST IMPORTANT! Exercise, Exercise, Exercise. Start out slow and work your way up. Join a gym or buy weights or other equipment for your home. Bike riding and taking long walks are great. Get fit.
Quick Weight Loss Tips #1 – Reduce fat.
With regard to fat, the research is clear: Diets too high in fat promote overweight and obesity. You should strive to consume no more than 25 percent of your calories from fat – and that fat should the “non-saturated” type.
Quick Weight Loss Tips # 2 – Don’t be so sweet.
Numerous studies have linked table sugar to increased calorie consumption. While sugar doesn’t do as much dietary damage as fat, you’ll find that when you eat sweets, you simply want to eat more… of everything. Not only that, but sugar also makes your body excrete chromium, and chromium is a mineral that helps your body build calorie-burning lean tissue – so you want to keep your chromium levels up.
Quick Weight Loss Tips #3 – Drink up.
“If people want to keep their nutrients in balance, they need to drink plenty of plain, unflavored water every day,” says Judy Dodd, R.D., past president of the American Dietetic Association. Water not only acts as a solvent for many vitamins and minerals but also is responsible for carrying nutrients into and wastes out of cells, so the body functions properly. As a rule of thumb, you should drink a half-ounce of water for every pound of body weight daily, unless you’re very active, in which case you should increase your water intake to two-thirds of an ounce per pound of body weight daily. So if you weigh 100 pounds, you should drink 50 ounces of water a day as a minimum
Quick Weight Loss Tips #4 – Fill up on fiber.
You can curb your hunger by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, which is filling, so you feel full but eat less. For these diet tips, experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals.
Quick Weight Loss Tips #5 – Get treatment for food allergies.
Some researchers believe that being overweight is the result of people craving foods that they are allergic to. For these people, weight loss is extremely difficult until they figure out what those trigger foods are and eliminate them from their diets.
“There are specific food allergies that trigger uncontrollable craving and bingeing,” says Joseph D. Beasley, M.D., director of Comprehensive Medical Care in Amityville, New York. “It’s a common problem in overeaters.”
If you suspect that food allergies might be part of your problem, ask your doctor to help you identify the offending items. Your doctor may recommend that you see an allergy specialist.
Quick Weight Loss Tips#6 - Get fit
Last, but not least...but MOST IMPORTANT! Exercise, Exercise, Exercise. Start out slow and work your way up. Join a gym or buy weights or other equipment for your home. Bike riding and taking long walks are great. Get fit.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
How to blog effectively in 5 easy steps
A lot of us are interested in learning how to blog these days. It can be a great way to earn some extra cash on the side. Of course, if you do it well, you can actually make a lot of money. Theoretically, you can even get a fame yourself. Just look at Perez Hilton for an example. Of course, the key to blogging successfully is knowing how to be successfully. Fortunately the following steps can help you do that.
1. First and foremost, you need to make sure your blog is aesthetically pleasing. It needs to be not only easy to read but also easy to navigate. Otherwise, people are not going to read what you have to say, nor are they going to be able to read it!
2. Secondly, you cannot underestimate the importance of advertising. Fortunately, with a blog, it is easy to get your name and your posts out there. All you really need to do is submit your main blog itself and its individual posts to social networking and bookmarking sites. MySpace, Delicious, Digg, and places like that can really help you to promote your sign, with little to no effort from you.
3. Third, and perhaps most important of all, you have got to be interesting. Whenever possible, try to blog about things which have not been extensively covered already. If that is not possible then simply try to put an innovative spin on whatever you write.
4. The fourth step involves paying attention to your readers. As much as you possibly can, try to answer every email you receive. Make it a point to answer comments when you get them - even the negative ones.
5. Last but definitely not least, do not let yourself feel intimidated. It does not matter if you are not experienced. No one is experienced with their first blog. You simply have to jump in and get started.
If you have any tips or comments to add, please feel free to do so.
Written by Expert Trevor Johnson
1. First and foremost, you need to make sure your blog is aesthetically pleasing. It needs to be not only easy to read but also easy to navigate. Otherwise, people are not going to read what you have to say, nor are they going to be able to read it!
2. Secondly, you cannot underestimate the importance of advertising. Fortunately, with a blog, it is easy to get your name and your posts out there. All you really need to do is submit your main blog itself and its individual posts to social networking and bookmarking sites. MySpace, Delicious, Digg, and places like that can really help you to promote your sign, with little to no effort from you.
3. Third, and perhaps most important of all, you have got to be interesting. Whenever possible, try to blog about things which have not been extensively covered already. If that is not possible then simply try to put an innovative spin on whatever you write.
4. The fourth step involves paying attention to your readers. As much as you possibly can, try to answer every email you receive. Make it a point to answer comments when you get them - even the negative ones.
5. Last but definitely not least, do not let yourself feel intimidated. It does not matter if you are not experienced. No one is experienced with their first blog. You simply have to jump in and get started.
If you have any tips or comments to add, please feel free to do so.
Written by Expert Trevor Johnson
DOCTOR DIES IN CHIMNEY TRYING TO BREAK INTO LOVERS HOME
Dr Jacquelyn Kotarac suffocated after trying to slide down into house of estranged boyfriend, say California police
Dr. Jacquelyn Kotarac was in an 'on-off' relationship with William Moodie. Photograph: Felix Adamo/AP
A doctor whose decomposing body was found in a narrow chimney suffocated to death after trying to break into her boyfriend's home, California authorities said yesterday.
The body of Dr Jacquelyn Kotarac was discovered trapped in the chimney on Saturday – three days after she had apparently slid feet first down it into the house of her estranged lover, William Moodie.
According to police in Bakersfield, California, the 49-year-old doctor turned up at his house on the evening of Wednesday 25 August.
Moodie, however, did not want to see her. He left the house through the back door and spent the night elsewhere.
After apparently using a shovel to try to break in through the back door, police believe Kotarac climbed on to the roof with a ladder, removed the chimney cover and slid down the shaft.
Kotarac was reported missing on Thursday when she failed to show up for work, Sergeant Mary DeGeare of Bakersfield police said.
Her body was eventually discovered after a house-sitter noticed the smell coming from the fireplace.
Firefighters spent five hours demolishing the chimney so that they could extract the body, which was wedged about 2ft above the top of the interior fireplace opening.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the Kern County sheriff-coroner said an autopsy had established that Kotarac had suffocated to death.
"The pressure being placed on the chest wouldn't allow her lungs to expand and she suffocated," he said.
Moodie told the a local newspaper that he was still reeling from the shock of what had happened.
"I feel this incredible sense of loss," he told the Bakersfield Californian. "It's very hard to accept the fact that she's gone."
Moodie, 58, declined to comment on what his relationship with Kotarac was at the time of her death. However, he said he was fed up with people commenting on the manner of her death. "She made a horrendously bad decision and paid for it with her life," he said.
This was definitle a tragedy! It has been said by some that they believe there was foul play. What do you think?
Dr. Jacquelyn Kotarac was in an 'on-off' relationship with William Moodie. Photograph: Felix Adamo/AP
A doctor whose decomposing body was found in a narrow chimney suffocated to death after trying to break into her boyfriend's home, California authorities said yesterday.
The body of Dr Jacquelyn Kotarac was discovered trapped in the chimney on Saturday – three days after she had apparently slid feet first down it into the house of her estranged lover, William Moodie.
According to police in Bakersfield, California, the 49-year-old doctor turned up at his house on the evening of Wednesday 25 August.
Moodie, however, did not want to see her. He left the house through the back door and spent the night elsewhere.
After apparently using a shovel to try to break in through the back door, police believe Kotarac climbed on to the roof with a ladder, removed the chimney cover and slid down the shaft.
Kotarac was reported missing on Thursday when she failed to show up for work, Sergeant Mary DeGeare of Bakersfield police said.
Her body was eventually discovered after a house-sitter noticed the smell coming from the fireplace.
Firefighters spent five hours demolishing the chimney so that they could extract the body, which was wedged about 2ft above the top of the interior fireplace opening.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the Kern County sheriff-coroner said an autopsy had established that Kotarac had suffocated to death.
"The pressure being placed on the chest wouldn't allow her lungs to expand and she suffocated," he said.
Moodie told the a local newspaper that he was still reeling from the shock of what had happened.
"I feel this incredible sense of loss," he told the Bakersfield Californian. "It's very hard to accept the fact that she's gone."
Moodie, 58, declined to comment on what his relationship with Kotarac was at the time of her death. However, he said he was fed up with people commenting on the manner of her death. "She made a horrendously bad decision and paid for it with her life," he said.
This was definitle a tragedy! It has been said by some that they believe there was foul play. What do you think?
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