Do Negative Calorie Foods Really Exist?

Dieters are always searching for the perfect calorie-burning, fat-melting, do-it-in-two-weeks diet. A popular notion often comes up that there are certain foods that require more energy to chew, digest, and absorb than they actually contain (negative calories). Do these negative calorie foods really exist?

Question Everything

Health gurus seem to have come up with a million different concoctions of how to get thin quickly and easily. A popular notion is that consuming a diet high in supposedly "catabolic foods" - or foods that require more energy to chew, digest, and absorb than they actually contain (negative calories) makes for a good way to lose weight. I know you've heard about this: eat all the celery, lettuce, grapefruit, and apples you want and you'll watch the pounds melt away. While it is true that your metabolism is increased after eating - known as the thermic effect of food - this caloric expenditure is relatively small and no study has ever demonstrated, regardless of the dietary make up of food, that more calories are used to metabolize a food than the number of calories the food contains. Biologically the notion just doesn't add up. As you can tell by the obesity epidemic, the human body is well-suited to hold on to fat. We aren't made to eat food that inherently makes us lose weight. Combine that with an overabundance of food and low levels of physical activity and there are consequences to be paid. Still, a quick Google search will lead you to websites with lists of "catabolic foods" and on some you can even find claims of specific very high calorie amounts required to metabolize these foods. The truth is you'd need to have the metabolism of a seagull for these claims to be true and there is no scientific research in support of a catabolic diet or any "negative calorie" foods.

Don't Throw Out The Baby With The Bath Water

While you won't burn more calories eating a food than the number of calories the food contains, you can and should include low-calorie, whole filling foods in a healthy eating plan to help keep your weight loss efforts on track.

Here are 10 low-calorie but nutrient dense foods that will help you fill up and, as part of a balanced eating and exercise plan, help you take off the extra weight.

Blueberries - This low-calorie (50 berries = 40 calories) nutrient powerhouse contains high levels of antioxidants.

Artichokes - A medium artichoke contains only 60 calories and a whopping 6 grams of fiber. Artichokes are also an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including folic acid which is a hard one to come by.

Grapefruit - Low in calories (40 for a medium sized one), high in taste and nutrients this is a great addition to any diet.

Spinach - The epitome of health food, you can get a good dousing of many of the vitamins and minerals you need with a large spinach salad. (2 cups = 14 calories)

Lentils - Lentils are low in calories (1/2 cup = 100 calories) and are high in protein, iron, and fiber. This makes for a great addition to any salad, soup, or meal.

Watermelon - A cup of cut-up watermelon weighs in at less than 50 calories. Not only is watermelon a refreshing summer fruit loaded with vitamins it has been shown to help stave off heat stroke.

Egg White - Egg whites are a great way to get your protein (4 grams per white + 20 calories). If you can or want to throw in a yolk you're only up to 80 calories and 6 grams of protein with an addition of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

Canned Tuna - Eating a can of water-packed tuna is a low calorie way to get loads of lean protein, omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, selenium, and vitamin D with only 30 calories per can.

Bok Choy - This Chinese cabbage is very low in calories (1/2 cup = 10 calories) and a must have for any Asian-style meal. Not to mention it is nutrient-dense, a rich source of vitamin A, C and calcium.

There are no quick fixes or two-week diets, but there are a lot of great healthy choices out there to spice up your meal plans. Taste a few...

Excerpts from ACE Fitness, Natalie Digate Muth; registered dietian

Spring Into Summer Challenge - Week 4

Turning Up the Heat
Congratulations on sticking it out. The challenges we have set forth in the past three weeks have been intense. Hopefully you have tried new diet and exercise ideas and you have undoubtedly learned new things about yourself. As you complete your final four challenges this week it'll be time to reward yourself for a job well done!

Eating Smarter: This week we are turning up the heat on your by raising the intensity in all four challenge areas. With regard to your eating regime we are challenging you to track EVERYTHING! That means every single bite, taste, lick or sniff of food that you take you need to write down. Doing this simple act is a proven way to stay on track with a healthy weight and eating habit. Once you stop tracking your food intake your memory begins to fail and you forget the small bites taken here and there. You start to underestimate your portion sizes, you take "days off" from your program and your "guesstimating" of your food intake starts to meltdown. All of which results with you ending up back at square one....or worst yet..."two steps forward and three steps back." With the tools we have at our fingertips there are no excuses not to track everything all the time. Pick a strategy to use of a small notepad, a diary or journal, your blackberry - I'm sure there is an APP for that - or one of our on-line programs:

• Spark People
• Fit Day
• Tools 2 Live By
• Lifeline 4 Nutrition

Move More:
If you have stayed on track for the past three weeks of this challenge you have added exercise classes, resistance training and outdoor activities to your current exercise program. This week, keeping with the theme of turning up the heat, we challenge you to increase the intensity! Don't forget this challenge is NOT about comfort and ease. This challenge asks you to push your limits. How does this relate to what we have currently asked you to do?

• Walk/Run = Shave a minute off your time when you go the distance with your outdoor exercise
• Reach for a heavier sets of weights during your resistance classes
• Choose a new, more challenging exercise within our ACE exercise library link
• Pick up the pace (or your knees) during your cardiovascular training

Doing the little things helps you achieve big results.

Building Habits:
Intensity rules this weeks challenges. Now is the time to get serious about the time of day where we find ourselves the weakest. Each one of us has a curtain time during the day where we tend to get off track. Perhaps we snack when we are not hungry due to stress, boredom or habit. For some of us it is during the mid-afternoon energy slump, for others it might be late night when the television is on or the lights are low. Or perhaps its when your out having a drink. This week we are challenging you to examine the time of day or situation where you tend to continually fall off track. Then make that "heated" effort to remove the unnecessary snacking or the compromising situation and replace it with healthier habits. Get up and talk a walk around the block, call a friend, or simply order a tall glass of water "on the rocks." Initially it will feel intense and difficult, but eventually it will lead to the creation of better long-term habits. Is it getting hot in here?

Support:
Support comes in all shapes and sizes. Throughout this challenge we have repeatedly asked you to look to others for support. This week, and moving forward, we challenge you to look within yourself for support. Make a promise to push yourself to new levels of commitment on the road to health and fitness. In this final week we urge you to write yourself a motivation note or find a quote to support you through the hard times. Make that your mantra until you need another one, then repeat the process. Take a moment to outline "in writing" where you started three weeks ago and how far you've come. Just beneath the goals you've already attained outline a few immediate goals for the future. Learning to appreciate how far you've come and focusing on where you are going will always be important and hopefully even life altering, behaviors that you create. Take a moment and share your success story with others on our testimonial page. Who knows how many people your story of success will encourage or touch.

Like we mentioned earlier; Congratulations on sticking it out. Going forward, it is up to you to take the time to work these and other new and challenging behaviors into your life. Believe us when we say that for every pennies worth of effort you put in you will receive a pounds worth of success mentally, emotionally and physically.
Allow the more intense level that you have pushed for during this last phase of the challenge become your norm. Don't ever stop moving forward and you will continually see results.
Enough said....Time to reward yourself!

Spring Into Summer Challenge - Week 3

Go Green!We have entered our third week of this four week challenge. You should be well on your way to a new you. It's time to take an honest look at what you have done this far and ask yourself, "An I doing all that I can to reach my goals?" If by some chance you are not yet seeing results, tighten that belt buckle a little bit more and lets get to it! This week is all about going green - and what better time than spring to do that?

Eat Smarter: If we are going green what could that mean in the way of our eating? Green vegetables of course! All vegetables are considered complex carbohydrates (yes they are carbohydrates!) and are therefore very filling foods that will help you fight off hunger with fewer calories. Green vegetables, especially the dark green leafy kind, are very healthy. Most of us are familiar with broccoli and spinach, but this week we want you to step outside the box and incorporate as many other green veggies as you can into your diet. Try avocados, Brussels sprouts, kale or okra. If none of those sound appetizing to you get creative with your salads. Step away from iceberg lettuce, cucumber and tomato salads and try steaming or stir frying some zucchini, broccoli and red peppers then serve them warm over a bed of dark green mixed lettuces with a fat free balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Yum! No time to cook? Check out small packages of mixed veggies in the frozen food section that can be tossed in the microwave while your un-bagging your lettuce and your done! So there are no excuses!

Move more: We are in week three which means you've either started exercising or added a new class to your current workout program and have also added resistance training. This week in keeping with the theme, we challenge you to go green! What does that mean in the way of exercise? Time to add a walk / run into your weekly exercise program! That's right, get outside, notice how green the world around us has become in the last few weeks. We are privileged to have Beebe Woods, the Shining Sea Bike path, Goodwill Park and a dozen beautiful beaches to choose from. So focus on taking a lunchtime or after dinner walk. If you have a real busy week ahead block off some time during the weekend to enjoy the great outdoors.

Build healthy habits: This week is all about going green. Many of the modern conveniences that have popped up in the last few decades truly lead us to a sedentary lifestyle, while spending energy. This week we challenge you to swear off one thing that removes movement from your life. Get off the escalator and use the stairs. Skip the drive thru at the bank or coffee shop, park your car (and not right in front of the door) and walk in. Put the remote control on top of the television so you have to get off the couch to change the channel. Do e-mail a co-worker, get up and walk to her office to ask her that question. Are you driving somewhere when you could walk? Examine places in your life to replace activity that has been zapped by technology.

Finding Support: Over the last two weeks we have encouraged you to ask for help and to find support in others. This week we are challenging you to give your support to someone who needs it. Find somewhere you can volunteer your help this week to assist someone in need. We at 241 Fitness volunteered to teach 45 fifth grades choreographed dance moves to a song for their Spring Follies. It doesn't matter "what" you choose to do, giving of yourself can only lead to feelings of happiness and self worth. Get outside of yourself this week to give in a way that will lead you to feel great about your actions. When we feel good about ourselves we don't need to turn to food for comfort.

The four challenge set forth this week are very do-able so make them happen and you'll be one step closer to your goal. Stay on track this week and you can start planning your reward for your Memorial Day Weekend!

Spring Into Summer Challenge - Week 2

Summer is around the corner - are you ready?

Our 4 week challenge will make sure that you are. With just a few short weeks until Memorial Day we realize that the time for sundresses, Daisy Dukes, and that bathing suit is fast approaching. The Spring into Summer Challenge urges you to take on more than you think you are capable of in an effort to get you outside your comfort zone and seeing results.

The challenge urges you to set four goals each week: eating right, moving more, changing behavior and finding support. These are the cornerstones of any successful health and fitness lifestyle.

WEEK 2: DIG IN

Eating Smarter: This week is all about snacks. One of our greatest dangers for any person trying to eat smarter is the threat of unaddressed hunger. Do you often skip meals in an attempt to shed a few pounds only to find yourself the victim of an unrelenting hunger that catches you off guide and making bad food choices? The best way to help in the lifelong fight of healthy eating habits is to snack. Yes, you heard me right....have a snack....it is a proven fact that the thermal effect of food ignites the metabolism engines of the body and aides in burning calories. So no matter how strange it may sound to you, if you are on a quest to lose weight you need to eat at regular intervals throughout the day and that includes snacks! Now not just any snack will do, you need to be prepared. So this weeks challenge is for you to brainstorm and make sure you carry two or three great snacks with you each day. Regardless of how you spend your day, at home, at work or at play, you will need to be prepared. Take a moment to list 10 healthy, low calorie snacks. They should be snacks that are portable in the sense that they can withstand several hours without refrigeration if needed. Struggling to think of great snack ideas and how to implement them into your day?

Our examples: Boxed raisins, low fat granola fruit and nut bars, small bunch of grapes or fruit choices, whole wheat crackers and thinly sliced cheese, baby carrots, celery sticks, pre-packaged apple slices.

Check out: My Pyramid for more ideas about healthy snacking and your calorie intake needs.

We KNOW that you have already planned your smaller servings of a well rounded breakfast, lunch and dinner now you can shave those meals back ever so slightly to add 2-3 nutritious snacks into the course of your day. This practice keeps the metabolism running , the blood sugar level, and the hunger monster at bay.

Move More: This week we ask that you continue to follow last week's additional class prescription while adding resistance training into the mix. Sound difficult? Already feeling good about getting yourself started in the exercise department? Or perhaps your already feeling overloaded. Don't forget, this 4 week challenge isn't about comfort - it's about pushing your limits, getting results and then you can coast. This week add one of our resistance-type exercise classes into your workout week. If you are already attending a class, your challenge is to use a heavier resistance during that class. If you are currently using 3 pound weights, increase to using 5 pounds, 5 pounds to 8 pounds, 8 pounds to 10 pounds. If you can't make a resistance class commit to adding a daily "at home" 10 minute session into your schedule. That could be something as simple as doing push-ups or crunches. You will be amazed at how quickly 2 push-ups turn into 20 or 10 sit-ups turn into 100.

Tip: Take a minute to view some of the videos in the ACE exercise library to get new ideas to try at home or before a class.

Behavior Changes: This week is all about "digging in". Here we request that you dig into your old habits and pull them apart. Take some time to examine your behavior around and toward food. Make an effort to recognize one habit that consistently stands in the way of your success then brainstorm on ways to change it over time.

For example: Do you try to eat small portions only to end up going back for seconds? Or do you eat nothing all day in the effort to save your calories for a nice dinner which turns into a late-night food binge? Like we mentioned earlier you need to eat...grazing is more like it, to keep the metabolism racing. Therefore, if you find yourself hungry now that you have shaved some food off of the breakfast, lunch and dinner plate that is perfect. Add those healthy whole snacks we talked about. However, if you are currently still satisfied with the smaller portions you are going to need to cut that lunchtime sandwich in half and shave a little more off of the dinner plate to incorporate your daily snacks. Remember to never limit your total caloric intake to under 1200 calories (for women) and 1800 (for men) or you are putting your body into starvation mode. As for the late-night eating a great trick to slamming on the munchies breaks is to perform some oral hygiene. Yes, that's right, brush your teeth, floss, use a great mouth rinse and polish those pearly whites. Cleaning out the palate shuts down the mental receptors that are calling for more food. Then if your body hasn't gotten the message yet, go ahead and have a drink...of water that is! Quite often our hunger instincts are no more than a faulty thirst receptor. Who'd of know that this wonderful body had a default?

Find Support: This week we urge you to look for help in all the right places. To succeed, support is critical. Maybe you have a question about your goals, food choices, or exercise plan? Or perhaps you just need direction or someone to communicate with. Examine where you need help and then ask for it. This might sound easy, but it may be the hardest thing we have asked you to do this week.

Tip: Be informed! Get great information at our "Tools 2 Live By" link.

Chat: Stay connected with others. Talk to us about your trials and tribulations or speak with others to help you get ideas on how to stay aware, motivated and on track by becoming a fan on one of our Facebook sites: 241 Fitness or Ally-Wendy

The four challenges set for you this week are important tools to a lifelong commitment of health and fitness. It is up to you to take the time to work these new goals into your life. Last week we recommended that you decide on a treat that you have been wishing for as a reward for completing the challenge. As we move closer, take a moment to imagine yourself at your fitness or weight-loss goal. Constant focus on the destination ahead will help you to get there. Keep pushing ahead and we will see you next week, one step closer.

Spring Into Summer Challenge - Week 1

Summer is just around the corner, are you ready for it?
Follow this four week program and we will make sure you are.

With just a few short weeks until Memorial Day the season of reawakening is upon us. As we spring back to life we realize that the season of short sleeves and bathing suits is fast approaching. This year we challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, clean out the winter sludge from your veins and set some serious goals.
Four weeks may not sound like a long time, but with focus and determination, you can make a dramatic difference in both how you look and feel just in time for summer.
In the following four weeks our aim will be to help you focus your efforts on weight loss and physical rejuvenation. We will urge you to take on more than you think you are capable of in an effort to find out just what you can actually achieve in this precious window of time. We will be asking you to battle the inner voice saying that you can't make a change, thus defying the excuses that cripple your progress. Summertime, social events, outdoor living, sun dresses and an active life are just around the corner. This year we will make sure you are ready to face them head on!
For each of the next four weeks, the challenge will urge you to set four goals, representing the four cornerstones that lead to successful long term health and fitness:

1. eating right
2. moving more
3. changing behavior
4. finding support

We will provide guidance, but are asking that you push yourself. Don't just try, succeed. Set your goals just beyond where you think you might be able to reach. Then set aside time each week dedicated to meeting those goals.

Week 1: NO EXCUSES!

1. Eating smarter: Eating smarter requires some planning. Planning leads to better choices, learning about your hunger signals and controlling cravings. This week commit to making a commitment to stay on a healthy eating plan, NO EXCUSES! Plan your meals for the entire week and don't stray from it. Write down this meal plan and then journal what you are eating to match against it. This is the perfect time of year to consume more whole and filling foods such as fresh fruits and springtime vegetables, then go easy on the salad dressings. Another point to consider is that it's the little changes in your food intake that reap the big results. For example a typical 12 ounce sugared beverage is about 140 calories and water (even favored ones) are zero calories. Replacing just one sugar beverage a day with a water can trim 50,000 calories a year from your diet. That alone is 14 pounds a year!

2. Move more: The prescription for fitness is to complete a minimum of 30 minutes of activity a day. Research proves that 90% of people who have kept weight off over time have a regular schedule of activity in their lives. If you want lasting weight loss, you are going to have to find a way to make fitness a part of your everyday life, NO EXCUSES! So this week we challenge you to join us in a class that you don't normally attend. Go to our class schedule page at http://www.241fitness.vpweb.com/ClassSchedule.html - pick a class and then write that down as an appointment on your calendar. For those of you that have been exercising with us for awhile, it's time to turn it up a notch. The more fit a person becomes through a healthy lifestyle and exercise the more intense that exercise program needs to become to get results. So lace up those shoes and lets leave it all on the dance floor.

3. Changing behavior: Changing your behavior is all about building awareness. Awareness of the foods that keep you fuller longer, awareness of your hunger signals, awareness of how much better you fell when you are moving daily. This week we challenge you to be aware of every bite you take. If you are anything like me you eat most of your food over the kitchen sink and then have food amnesia, so you have to journal everything you put in your mouth or else you totally forget about it. Plan to eat your meals away from the kitchen sink and distractions such as the television or your computer. Yes, we are challenging you to actually step away from the kitchen sink, sit down and enjoy your meals or snacks, turning off all other distractions so that you can focus on your feelings of fullness and hunger. Furthermore, we challenge you to measure out a serving size and place it on a small plate as opposed to eating straight from the package or pot. NO EXCUSES!

4. Finding support: Reach out to a close friend, family member or someone in class who can become your ally in this "spring into summer" challenge. Ask them to join you in this process, have them help you set up your weekly goals or do so as a team and then hold each other accountable throughout this process. If you tell us your taking our challenge or coming to a class, we will hold you to it and call you on it! NO EXCUSES!

The four challenges set for you this week are fundamental basic principles to a lifetime of health and fitness. It is up to you to take the time to work these new goals into your life. Believe us when we say your time will be well spent. As a reward for completing the whole challenge we recommend that you decide upon a fabulous splurge that you have been wanting. Need a new cut and color? Pedicure for the start of summer? Dinner at that new restaurant? Take a minute and write down just how you plan to reward yourself at the end of this challenge on Memorial Day weekend, as we don't plan on being easy on you!
This challenge is all about pushing yourself into the next level and making real progress. Happy Spring!

National Weight Control Registry, Long Term Weight Loss Maintenance and Clinical Nutrition

I'm Not Here To Make Enemies ... but...

you might just need an attitude adjustment. To say that most of us are concerned with our weight is an understatement. Obsessed is more like it, and Americans spend an estimated $60 billion per year feeding that obsession.
And for what? To achieve the media's half baked idea of attaining an impossible body image of thinness and beauty, that's most likely been airbrushed anyway! Instead of thinking, "quick fix thin" you need to start thinking, "long term healthy". Because after 10 (and for some of us 20) years of dieting, one out of every three American adults is now considered overweight. Sounds to me like something isn't quite right with this fat free - sugar substitute picture!

Fortunately, knowledge is power and we are being given statistics and clinical studies from a whole new generation of researchers, physicians and health-promotion specialists who are working diligently to change our old way of viewing weight management.

Be Careful What You Assume ...
and not just because of that old adage, "When you assume you make an ......." But because diets rarely work. Those who have tried them - and failed - know this, and now finally physicians and weight management researchers are acknowledging it as well. For most of the twentieth century, people have simply assumed that thinness is essential for both good health and happiness. And those who are not thin are either not healthy or not happy. Hogwash! Twiggy had the genetic makeup of a ten year old boy and Kate Moss can't find a job! Real women have real curves. Having said that is not giving you an excuse to throw in the towel or go wild. I will re-iterate here that a "calorie in" vs a "calorie out" is still tried and true when it comes to successful weight management. However, I am so over being deprived from living in the real world!

It's All About Lifestyle
The new weight paradigm focuses on things other than mere weight loss: healthy eating, regular exercise, positive self-esteem and, perhaps most importantly, self-acceptance. Being healthy has less to do with seeing who can get the scale to move the most and more with one's ability to balance and nurture all aspects of our life; the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical. As women we are all pretty good at multi-tasking, so why do we seem to find this most important project beyond our comprehension or ability?
I'd say that it's time to adjust our attitude and stop rating ourselves against some "ideal" standard developed by the media and marketing gurus.

Here Are The Facts, Plain and Simple

1) The combination of regular exercise and healthy eating (yes actually eating something) is the most effective way to lose weight AND KEEP IT OFF. A program of aerobic exercise (as for me, I'm addicted to Zumba - what woman doesn't love to dance?) and resistance training (arguing with your significant other is not the type of resistance I'm talking about here) helps individuals burn calories and maintain lean muscle mass. Healthy, relaxed eating in response to hunger and satiety cues is KEY to developing a comfortable relationship with food and avoiding eating disorders.

2) People naturally have different body shapes. You are either an Ecto, Endo or Mesomorph when it comes to body shape and type, and you need to accept that from the onset. The key to making positive changes - which may or may not include weight loss - is to consider all the different faucets in your life that you are bringing to the table and setting realistic goals from them. Your body type cannot be changed, but can be altered through proper training stimuli.

3) Little changes make big differences. Drastic changes to your daily diet or a sudden burst of exercise could net you some "quick" benefits, but these are merely short-term fixes and the cost associated with the return of unwanted weight or injuries from such foolishness will offset any ground you may have gained once you return to your old ways....and if it's over-the-top you will backslide quicker than you want to admit!

• Find a few physical activities you enjoy and STICK WITH THEM
• Find an exercise partner
• Don't fall into the excuse trap
• Eat more fruits and veggies
• Eat less refined sugars
• Eat when your hungry - stop when your full (who'd of thought?)
• Use a smaller plate
• Log everything you eat* - for those of us with food amnesia
• Log everything you do physically* - for those who tend to over perceive exercise output
• Then be patient

Start your new lifestyle by making small changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. After you start eating, regularly and healthier along with becoming more physically active, you will feel more energized and less stressed. I guarantee you that if you don't make excuses and actually find activities and alternative food choices that you like, it won't be long before you start hearing the words, "You look great."

It's an attitude adjustment to success worth sharing.

* Easy to use - food and exercise logs are available for free on our 241 FUN page with FitDay & SparkPeople

Written by: W

Week 9: Commit 2 Be Fit / A Fitness Instructor

A FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

The next time you take a fitness class, don’t assume that the instructor has never struggled with her weight… or even that exercise has always been such a big part of her life. Take the instructors at 241 Fitness for example:

MY STORY......Ally

I’ve never really told my story before. I think very few people know it. I’ve often heard people say you must have been healthy and fit growing up. Especially when I’d introduce my parents at the gym or my Mom in a group fitness class. Well the truth is…YES and NO.

I was blessed with genetics that made me very strong and fast and I was pretty athletic taking dance, gymnastics, horseback riding lessons, swimming, running and cheerleading. I would even beat the fastest boys before they hit puberty. Growing up I lived on 4 ½ acres of what I’d call a Cape Cod farm. My Dad had a huge garden with everything you could think of in it. We had pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, a goat, a cat and my sister and I each had a dog and a horse. Yes, we ALL lived at home. My Grandmother lived next door and she had a beautiful in-ground pool. There was no shortage of fruits, veggies, eggs, meat and exercise. We all ate what (and as much as) we wanted. My Mom is a great cook and my parents prided in making and storing a lot of what they had.
I can remember, I’d eat four donuts at a time or seven pancakes at my friends house. Now that I think of it, it was not an issue until the summer before my junior year of high school when I wanted to slim down to wear a bikini. I just cut back on some snacks and presto “rocked” the bikini that summer. That worked a few more times. Then I graduated high school and went on to a business school where I majored in Travel & Tourism. The end of the summer I met my husband Bob. We hit it off right away and it was a whirlwind of dating, dining, drinking and more late night dining. I no longer had any exercise in my life but a lot of calories so you can guess I gained weight. Bob and I dated and it wasn’t long before we got engaged. We set the date for the wedding a year and a half out. It was then I started to think “perfect bride” I got on the scale and saw that I weighed much more than I had ever weighed. I remember thinking if I keep gaining weight at this rate at my young age of 20 at 5’4” I will have gained about 120 pounds by the time I was 30. Yes, this could be done and my lifestyle was heading in that direction. Well, if cutting out snacks worked before I’ll try that again and I’ll stop drinking too. Well, I did lose a little weight and people started to say they noticed. That was SO good to hear! But I soon hit a plateau and added exercise classes with my Mom. It worked - I started to lose more and more and more, as the complements rolled in. Then I hit yet another plateau. That is when I started to get obsessive with the diet and the exercise. I started to count calories and vowed to get rid of every single one I took in. I did everything I could to take out all the fat I could find and limited my calorie intake to some extremely unhealthy low levels. (Oh no! I know now that is BAD! ) Well, I did lose even more weigh and felt like I was in great control. However, instead of compliments now people started to say how skinny I looked. I thought GREAT that was my goal! I remember squeezing lemon or vinegar alone on my salad...yuck! The next thing I recall is waking up one morning starving. (hmmm imagine that!) There was some cheese Danish in the kitchen, my weakness. I though I would cut a small bite and only eat a little, just a taste. Then I thought wow that was great! I need a little more. Soon I had eaten all of the Danish in the box. I felt weak after being so strong. I realize now that I just had a binge, a food frenzy if you will. I set myself up for that. I felt so horrible I snuck into the bathroom and did the unthinkable. I was ashamed and out of control. I cried I knew this was insanity. They say everyone has a bottom. This was mine.

I recall looking at a picture of myself and thinking wow, I may look too skinny, a bit frail and gaunt. Bob referred holding me to the feeling of holding a 10 year old boy when explaining to me I need help. I could only imagine that might feel pretty creepy for him. It was a blessing that I realized I needed help.

Realizing I had a problem was key for me. The next step was allowing myself to pick and maintain a healthy weight for me. I started educating myself on the Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR) the actual amount of calories I needed to gain then eventually maintain weight. I also used the food pyramid guide to create a healthy meal plan each day. This says you need a certain amount of non-saturated fats, which I wasn’t allowing myself. I made a lifestyle change. I used my own strategies to help me. I never skip breakfast and eat about every 3 hours 4x per day. Dividing my breakfast and lunch. I don’t have seconds. Instead I might have a little treat after dinner. When I find myself board or stressed and wandering around searching for food I ask myself; do I feel hungry or am I just bored, stressed out or maybe even thirsty? If I’m not hungry I can distract myself by reading, exercising, or enjoying a cup of herbal tea. I keep my unhealthy binge foods out of the house. If it’s something that will haunt me until it’s gone I don’t even bother buying it to torture myself.

By the time my wedding day came I had gained some healthy weigh back. I looked and felt healthy. It was a beautiful day. I look back at pictures and Bob and I looked amazing. Two kids and 20 some odd years later I have maintained my current weight and I feel great. I have my 5 pound range. If I go below I increase healthy calories and if I gain I decrease calories and increase exercise. A balancing act that I will continue for the rest of my life. Along my journey I have been blessed to have met some wonderful and influential people. I have fallen in love with fitness. It has become my passion to continue to share my love for health and fitness with others.

MY STORY......Wendy

Even as a young child, Wendy constantly struggled with food and ultimately her weight. With roots stemming from a meat and potatoes father and his 12 siblings who were fondly referred to as "big boned" and an Italian mother with culinary talents fit for the Gods, the odds were already stacked against her. From the beginning food was the center of the universe, the symbol of love, friendship and family. During grade school clothes shopping began in the "chunky" department and by middle school, gravitated to the polyester stretch pants and smock tops of the "woman's" section that had to be severely hemmed. By high school, even though she was unhappy with her weight and how she felt about herself, Wendy continued to turn to food for reward, relief, and comfort. Rock bottom hit when she had been labeled as obese during a physical exam.

Obesity by definition is the state of being well above one's normal weight. A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight. That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and build. Obesity has been more precisely defined by the National Institutes of Health (the NIH) as a BMI of 30 and above. (A BMI of 30 is about 30 pounds overweight.)

That is when the decision was made to do something about her weight. But back in the day what we knew about diet and exercise pales to what research has uncovered today. Where to begin? The grapefruit diet, the soup diet, the no carbohydrate diet, the Atkins diet, the ice cream diet....or maybe the magic was in the diet chocolates, diet pills, anti-cellulite creams, plastic exercise suits, or latest infomercial. Not knowing where to begin and not seeing any results with any of the diets that her diabetic mother tried, the decision was made to just cut out all desserts from her diet, except for on Sunday (however, if the Sunday came and went and a dessert was missed, then she would wait until the next Sunday to indulge). Now that is a big nut to crack at any age! But the goal had been set, the vow had been taken and what did she have to loose if it didn't work out? But low and behold, the calorie deficit created by the lack of these simple carbohydrates equals about a pound a month! Knowing that she was onto something, a second goal was set to eat smaller portions. Back went the dinner plate and out came the luncheon plate at meal times. This was interlaced with the purchase of her very own 12 speed bike to get from Point A to Point B. Now an element of exercise was injected into the equation and we are talking more like a 3,500 calorie deficit or a pound every two weeks!

Brace yourself, here comes a pitfall: If a little is good, a lot has to be better. Right? WRONG. It had gotten to the point where if a couple of pounds needed to be shed, or a dress size dropped, skipping meals or even starvation worked wonders. After the initial pangs of hunger came and went you learned to ignore the feelings of deprivation, dizzy spells, headaches and heart palpitations. That is until the day came that she passed out and broke her nose while visiting a friend in the hospital from not eating. Intervention was imposed and adjustments in diet, exercise, self perception and the thought process were made. That is when Wendy found her first love in Group Fitness. It started at Gloria Stevens, when the leader came and grabbed you off of those damn torture machines designed to shake, rattle and roll the fat off of you and do exercises together in the middle of the room.

Even though I entered the fitness industry right after that hospital experience I was still riding the weight roller coaster throughout the years. It wasn't actually until I joined Weight Watchers with a friend that I found the final key to successful weight loss and weight management. I would punish myself in the exercise arena in hopes of shedding a pound or two only to immediately consume them again by making bad food choices. But with the exercise knowledge I obtained working in the fitness industry and the WW program I managed to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Is this to say that I have totally attained? Heck NO, not at all. I still suffer from food amnesia and have weight loss goals, like shedding those few pesky pounds that snuck up on my belly and thighs when I wasn't journaling my food and sticking to my exercise program. It might not seem like much, but past history reminds me that 5 pounds can turn into 25 or 50 much too quickly.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't have to think about what I am eating and why. Then there is the knowledge that exercise will always be an intricate part of my life, so I'd better find something I like doing or I'm not going to stick with it. Group fitness is my first love because there we are all on a level playing field, dealing with the exact same issues. A place where we are able to have fun while sweating and reaching our "health and fitness" goals together. There are no quick fixes or short term answers. This physical pursuit is a lifelong commitment of healthy eating habits and fitness practices.

Come take the journey with us.

Ally & Wendy

241Fitness

Week 8: Commit 2 Be Fit / Stop Stress

7 Ways to Stop Stress Now

Someone once said, "A diamond is just a lump of coal that has withstood a lot of pressure."

Sure, stress can motivate us to get things done — that's the upside. But the downside can be ugly. Is YOUR stress spiraling out of control? Four major sources of stress (especially during the holidays) are: fantasies, family, food and finances. Stress, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, can lead to physical problems such as ulcers, headaches, hair loss, high blood pressure, and can accelerate some effects of aging. We also know that stress may contribute to emotional upheaval — irritability, anger, binge eating and even depression. During these next few weeks the temptation is to want it all. We often get so caught up in the eating, drinking, partying, and shopping that there is no time left for spiritual reflection and quiet nurturing.

Here are 7 easy strategies — one for each day of the week — to help you meet stress head-on and conquer it:

1) Breathe: Yes! It's that simple. Breathe deeply, but don't hyperventilate. Inhale as though you were sniffing a delightful scent. Then stre-e-e-tch your arms high over your head as you slowly and completely exhale. Paced respiration (taking a deep breath in to the count of 4 or 5 and slowly exhaling) is a new behavior modification technique that can decrease the frequency of hot flashes by up to 80 percent! Breath work is promoted by the North American Menopause Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who emphasize that it is free and has no side effects.

2) Set boundaries: Just like the stressed-out mom who sat in the playpen to keep away from the children, you can erect some barriers. Decide WHAT you will do — and WHEN. Better still, decide what you won't do and dare to say "NO." Try to avoid anything and anyone, who you know can push your buttons. Sometimes easier said then done....especially this time of year with work obligations, parties and family gatherings. Try to keep your sense of humor and wits about you. Ho-ho-ho....

3) Clarify your goals: Decide exactly what needs to be done and plan a smart way of accomplishing each task. Then give yourself a pat on the back every time you achieve even one of your goals, no matter how small.

4) Put yourself first: That's right! If you aren't functioning at your peak, your work and your relationships will suffer. Find time for yourself, and try to do at least one relaxing thing each day: Take a bubble bath, or read a chapter of a favorite book, sit still for 5 minutes or put your feet up, call a friend for a short pep talk, take a lunchtime walk, schedule time for an exercise class, a massage, a movie.......the possibilities are endless.

5) Give yourself a break: It's okay to goof off, take a mental health day, do lunch, miss a deadline, pop the cork every now and then. In six months or 10 years, who will remember? Who have you every heard say, in the "golden" years of their lives, that they wished they had worked, worried or stressed more? NO ONE, so just give yourself permission to LIVE LIFE in the moment!

6) Get spiritual: Get in touch with your spiritual values, and align your plans and activities with them. For instance, read an inspiring book, then figure out how to incorporate what you learned into your day-to-day life. Sign-up for a daily e-mail inspirational message or invest in a tear-away daily calendar with inspiring quotations or a thought of the day. Music can play a spiritual part in de-stressing your life. Put on a soothing instrumental or nature inspired CD, close your eyes for just a moment and let the music take you away. Go outside and smell the air, the flowers and the trees. Feel the wind, sunshine or rain on your face. Listen for tiny sounds. Light a candle, or two, or three... and watch them flicker. Take a moment every day to marvel at the wonders all around you.

7) Take five: Right now, stop what you are doing to cherish the moment. The most constant element in our lives is change. What happened five minutes ago can't be re-lived and what will happen five minutes from now is promised to know one. We continually struggle to change, control and manipulate what has happened, what will happen, or other people and their emotions or actions. The only person you can change is yourself. The only thing that certain in our lives is what is happening in the here and now. Despite how cliche' that may sound....it's the indisputable truth leaving me with no more to say.


Silence is loud.

Research from : John Hopkins University Press - Menopause Matters by Julia Edelman, MD

Articles by: Sally Hammond and Estelle Sobel - Quote from psychotherapist: Mark Gorkin

Week 7: Commit 2 Be Fit / Measure Your Exercise Intensity

Measuring Your Exercise Intensity


In November of '99 the US Surgeon General Office released its very first report on Physical Activity and Health that stated: "Lack of physical exercise is detrimental to your health." The report went on to site that more than 60 percent of adults do not achieve the recommended amount of regular physical activity. In fact, 25 percent of all adults are not active at all. Statistics revealed that sedentary living is comparable to smoking 1 pack of cigarettes a day. According to the report 250,000 persons suffer death annually due to lack of physical activity (approximately the same number who die prematurely from smoking) and those numbers are nearly doubled a decade later. Further research has shown that poor diet and lack of physical activity has lead to 65 percent of the American adult population being obese. However, through a decrease in caloric intake and an increase in daily activity, most Americans can improve their health and quality of life.


What it takes to improve quality of life all depends on where your starting from. The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for aerobic exercise is a minimum of 20-60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity, 3-5 days per week at 55-85% of your heart rate reserve (based on resting heart rate). I know that you have heard this from me before, but the reason I am mentioning it here again is because there is a parallel relationship between cardiovascular fitness and your resting heart rate response. Periodically checking your resting heart rate, for one full minute prior to rising in the morning, will help to establish the strength and efficiency of your stroke volume as well as the efficiency of your exercise program.

Karvonen Heart Rate

To find your personal target heart rate subtract your age from 220 (maximum heart rate), subtract your resting heart rate, multiply by the desired range (55% - 85%), add in your resting heart rate, divide by 6 to obtain a ten (10) second count.

Age ___________ Resting Heart Rate (RHR) __________

1) 220 - ______ age = ________ Maximum Heart Rate
2) ______ MHR - ______ RHR = _______ Formula Heart Rate
3) ______ FHR x .55 = ________ Intensity / Low End
4) ______ I/Low + _____ RHR = _______ Target Heart Rate /Low
5) ______THR ÷ 6 = _________ 10 Second Count

Repeat steps #3, 4 and 5 for High End.

3) ______ FHR x .85 = ________ Intensity / High End
4) ______ I/High + _____ RHR = _______ Target Heart Rate/High
5) ______ THR ÷ 6 = _________ 10 Second Count


Your personal cardiovascular target heart rate zone is between
____________ to ____________ beats for a ten (10) second count.


Although use of the Karvonen formula is the most accurate way to determine your actual training heart rate, it may not always be practical. The following are two other forms, although less accurate, of determining whether or not you are training efficiently.

Rate of Perceived Exertion

How hard do you think your working out? In 1986, the American College of Sports Medicine released the revised BORG scale or RPE scale that follows a scale of 1-10 (much like a doctors pain scale).

RATING / DESCRIPTION
0 - nothing
1 - very light
2 - light (walking)
3 - moderate
4 - somewhat hard
5 - heavy (feel it but can continue)
6 - " " "
7 - very heavy(very strenuous)
8 - " " "
9 - very, very heavy (fatigued)
10- sub-maximal (can't continue)


If you still can't figure the above RPE scale out, here it is in layman terms:

RATING / DESCRIPTION
1 - I'm watching TV and eating bon bons
2 - I'm comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
3 - I'm still comfortable, but am breathing a bit harder
4 - I'm sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation effortlessly
5 - I'm just above comfortable, I'm moist around the edges, but can still talk easily
6 - I can talk, but am slightly breathless

7 - I can talk, but I don't want to. I'm sweating like a pig
8 - I can grunt in response to your questions
9 - I am probably going to die
10-Too late...I'm dead

Talk Test

This is a simple but effective adjunct to heart rate or RPE methods. You should be able to talk and breathe comfortably, deeply, and rhythmically during any and all portions of the aerobic activity.

Although these are fairly easy assessments of exercise intensity, most people generally OVER ESTIMATE how hard they are actually working out. Therefore, the tried and true method still involves your heart rate response. So take your pulse and do the math. Find out how hard you should be working and how hard you are actually working. Time is precious and when it comes to exercising there is no sense in just spinning your wheels!



Written by: W

Week 6: Commit 2 Be Fit / The Importance of Exercise

The Importance of Exercise

As I sit here before an empty computer screen to discuss the importance of exercise I ask myself, "Where do I begin?" I know basically what I would like to accomplish but how I get myself from point A to point B is quite another story. Perhaps my predicament is a fitting parallel to the one you might be experiencing when you think about starting an exercise program. I have some good news; the words that follow are designed to provide you with some straight forward information for developing a healthy lifestyle and personal exercise program.

The cornerstones of any sound exercise program are knowledge, safety, moderation and the concept of progression. use the following information as a foundation, it is based on guidelines established by the American College of Sports Medicine, who promote the importance of a regular exercise program as a means of improving your health and quality of life. The ACSM has set this framework as the "minimum" requirements for the average healthy adult, but they are by no means intended to serve as the finished product. You have to build on these general guidelines and continue to decorate your personal exercise program as you go. When establishing any program don't adhere to the old adage of "no pain - no gain" or the "more is better" philosophy. Start with the basics, listen to your body, and progress at a safe and comfortable pace. But continue to move forward: crawl, walk, run.....design, build, and then decorate.

What is exercise? When I hear people say to me, "I go up and down the stairs doing laundry" or "I stand at work all day long." I think,okay and we all wake up and breath in and out every day. What I am trying to say is that these are things the body is already accustom to doing and it is not enough stimulation to promote the pursuit of health or initiate any physical changes.

Webster's definition: ex·er·cise [ éksər siz ]
noun (plural ex·er·cis·es)

1. physical activity: physical activity and movement, especially when intended to keep a person or animal fit and healthy. Regular exercise is important.
2. physical movement: a physical movement or action, or a series of movements or actions, designed to make the body stronger and fitter or to show off gymnastic skill (often used in the plural) warm-up exercises.

Basically exercise in it's purest form is a chunk of time set aside with the sole intent of challenging the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems of the body beyond a state they are currently accustom to. This type of deliberate exercise is beneficial in increasing longevity as well as having a positive impact on your health. The list below highlights some of the physiological benefits of regular aerobic exercise.

• Decreased Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
• Reduced Hypertension (blood pressure)
• Improved Blood Lipids and Lipoproteins (reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, and increased HDL)
• Enhanced Cardiac Function (lower resting heart rate, increased stroke volume, higher oxygen uptake, increased metabolism)
• Strengthens the Skeletal System
• Healthier Lean to Fat Body Mass Ratios
• Decreased Stress

In short, a significant way to increase the overall quality of your life is through a balanced exercise program containing all five components of fitness.

1. Cardiovascular Endurance
2. Muscular Strength
3. Muscular Endurance
4. Flexibilty
5. Body Composition

Basic Training 101
Cardiovascular endurance or aerobic exercise is a basic component to overall health and fitness. The word aerobic means: "with or in the presence of oxygen". Oxygen is a necessary element needed for prolonged activities. Aerobic activities are best characterized as those activities that are rhythmical, continuous in movement, involving the major muscle groups and are able to be maintained for prolonged periods of time. Walking, jogging, bicycle riding, and dancing would all be considered aerobic exercise. Cross training is very important when it comes to cardiovascular fitness. You should alternate your physical activities to reduce boredom, decrease your chance of injury, and promote symmetry and muscular balance.

Frequency, Duration and Intensity of Aerobic Exercise (minimums)

Frequency: 3-5 days per week

Duration: 20-60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity

Intensity: 60%-90% of maximum heart rate or 55%-85% of heart rate reserve (based on resting heart rates)

Muscles: Use 'em or Lose 'em!

Every move we make involves our musculoskeletal system. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue with the ability to relax, contract, and produce force. Strength training is the process of exercising with progressively heavier resistances for the purpose of strengthening this system. Endurance training is the process of overloading the muscles so that their need for oxygen is increased. Simply put, exercising with lighter weight, working the muscles more frequently and using a higher number of repetitions as well as calisthenic exercise will increase muscular tone and endurance. The concept of progressive overload and the S.A.I.D. (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) principle suggests that muscle will adapt ONLY to the demands placed on it. By systematically challenging our muscles, we cause changes to occur starting at a cellular level. With the appropriate training stimuli muscle fibers become larger and stronger (hypertrophy), and without it they become smaller and weaker (atrophy). Such is the case of someone who has experienced a broken limb. Some of the beneficial effects of strength training include changes in connective tissue (ligaments and tendons), increased bone density, improved posture and basic overall improved fitness. During the first 30 years of life, strength and muscle mass increase steadily as we grow. Over the next 30 years, our lifestyle has a direct effect on the retention of the strength and endurance we have developed. Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to a steady deterioration of muscle mass at the predictable rate of 1/2 pound per year. So, even if our body weight remains the same you have to ask -what is happening to the lean / fat body composition ratio of someone who does not do weight training? Because muscle, unlike fat, is active tissue physiologists estimate that every pound of muscle increases the resting metabolism by almost 50 calories per day. The bottom line here is that the more muscle mass we have the more we can eat..... I mean the more calories we burn, even at rest! P.U.M.P. class anyone?

Frequency, Duration and Intensity of Strength Training

Frequency: at least 2 days per week

Duration: 1 set of 8-10 exercises involving the major muscle groups

Intensity: 8-12 repetitions

Now That Is Really Stretching It

Flexibility is a side of fitness that is often overlooked. Flexibility by quick definition is the range of motion around a joint. Stretching exercises are used to maintain or even increase this range of movement - along with aiding in the prevention of muscle soreness. Stretching in the warm-up, between sets, and as a cool down (final stretch) can be very beneficial for preparing the muscle for movement or development, aiding in contractile ability, and helping with injury prevention. The final portion of any workout should consist of 5-10 minutes of static stretching and relaxation exercises. Since your muscles are already warm, now is the time to do some deeper stretches using more tension and greater ranges of motion. The stretch positions should place the muscles being stretched into a position of elongation greater than their normal resting lengths. These positions should be held for at least 10-30 seconds, but preferably 60 seconds or longer. Note that these times are based on a nominal age of 2o years old. Studies have proven that for every decade of life after the age of 20 effective stretching times increase by much, much more. (i.e.: if your in your 20's/ hold each stretch for a minimum of 30-50 seconds, at ages 30-39 / 40-60 seconds, 40-49 / 50-70 seconds, and so on.... I could be here all day!) Remember throughout your stretching routine to breathe slowly and deeply. Try to relax and enjoy it. If your not sure about this, check out the Chi-lates classes we offer. They will give you a guided tour of a full body stretching routine.

The Bottom Line

Find a cardiovascular activity (or two, or three) that you enjoy doing and do it at least 3-5 times per week. Pick up a pair of weights and start to move your major muscle groups. But remember to give the muscle building workouts a day or two of rest in between to promote tissue repair. The boot camp and PUMP classes will cover all those bases for you. Then breathe, stretch, and relax - do Pilates, Yoga, or T'ai Chi. Create this time for yourself, schedule your workouts in your day planner as if they were a dinner date, massage or doctor appointment. If your at a crossroads and don't know where to turn try group fitness classes. A certified instructor will safely guide you through all 5 components of fitness in a neat little one hour package and you won't have to think about any of it or workout alone!

Written by: W

Week 5: Commit 2 Be Fit / Healthy Weight Loss

Healthy Weight Loss

In general, most people think that in order to lose or gain weight all they need to do is cut back or increase the quantity of food they eat. Managing weight in a healthy manner involves much more. It requires the incorporation of Behavior Modifications, Nutritional Education, and understanding of how the body needs to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and protein proportionally.

Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR

The minimum energy (calories) required to sustain life processes in the resting state. The BMR (which includes Resting Metabolic Rate, RMR) usually accounts for approximately 60-75% of your daily energy expenditure. Obviously, it "costs" a lot of energy to maintain cardiac function, neural function and repair the body's cells and structures, even in the absence of physical activity. The BMR rate is directly related to fat-free body mass: muscle is metabolically active tissue, the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn!

You might be surprised to learn that most adult women have a BMR of at least 1,2oo kcal/day and men 1,500. In many cases, the values for both genders are several hundred kcal/day higher. These values are the absolute minimum daily dietary intake requirements in weight-management attempts. There is no question that significantly reducing calorie intake will lead to an initial weight loss. However, it is proven that within a relatively short period (2-3 weeks) the body adjusts its BMR downward in response to the decreased calorie intake . As the BMR decreases, the effect of drastic dieting on creating a negative energy balance is attenuated, slowing or even halting further weight loss.

BMR Formula


Weight _________ Height (inches) ________ Age ________

Women:
1) ________ (weight) x 4.3 = ___________________

2) ________ (height/inches) x 4.3 = ____________

3) Add #1+2 together = ____________

4) Sum of #3 ________ + 655 = _______________

5) ________ (age) x 4.7 = ___________

6)Subtract #5 from 4 = ___________ (BMR)

Daily Caloric Intake Needs

5) _____________ (Basal Metabolic Rate)

X _____________ (Activity Levels: 1.8 pro; 1.4 typical; 1.2 sedentary)

6) _____________ Daily Intake


Weight Loss
To optimize body fat weight loss, you should exercise more and eat fewer calories. A reasonable weight loss goal is 1 - 2 pounds per week, however, improving body composition (i.e., gaining muscle and losing fat) may result in weight maintenance but a change in lean to fat ratios.
To achieve weight loss, decrease your food intake by 500 calories per day. (However, do not consume less than 1200 calories per day!)
_______Daily Intake - 500 = _____________ For Weight Loss


Weight Gain
To gain the right type of weight (lean muscle mass), you should engage in a weight training regime and eat an additional 350 calories per day. At a rate of 2,500 calories per pound of muscle mass, you must increase your food intake and add additional calories to cover the "cost" of weight training at a rate of 200 calories for each (1) hour of weight training.
________Daily Intake + 350 = _____________
200 x ______ (# of hours training) = _________
Add together ___________ For Weight Gain

*Include an extra 300 calories (pregnancy), 500 calories (breastfeeding).



The Calorie Breakdown

The formal definition of a calorie is the amount of energy expended in raising the temperature of one gram of water to one degree Celsius. So calories are merely a way of measuring the potential heat in foods we eat. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are 3 nutrients that provide calories the body needs to sustain life. Many people believe protein and carbohydrates are "good" calories and fat calories are "bad". In reality, they all serve a vital purpose in our diet but they are not all created equal.

• 1 gram protein = 4 calories
• 1 gram carbohydrate = 4 calories
• 1 gram fat = 9 calories
• 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories (alcohol is not considered a nutrient since it doesn't contribute to the growth and repair of body tissue)

Protein is the body's major building material. each protein molecule is made up of subunits called amino acids. 20 different amino acids are found in the body, 11 of which it is able to manufacture on its own. The remaining 9 are considered essential and must be consumed through our diet. Meat, fish, poultry and dairy products contain all the essential amino acids and are therefore considered complete proteins. Vegetables, grains and nuts do not provide all the essential amino acids by themselves; however, these incomplete protein foods can be combined to get all of the essential amino acids.

Carbohydrates are divided into 2 types: complex (grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables) and simple (sugar, cakes, cookies, candy). Complex carbohydrates are the body's best source of energy. Once consumed they are broken down into glucose - the only form of energy used by the brain and nervous system. Glucose can be stored in the liver and muscles where it is transformed into glycogen and used for fuel during exercise.

Fat is essential for carrying fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E & K) into the body. Polyunsaturated fat (vegetable oil, nuts, seeds, wheat germ) has linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid needed to ensure proper growth in children and to make hormones and cell membranes. Only a tablespoon a day is needed to meet the basic nutritional needs. However, fat promotes satiety and people trying to lose weight should not limit their fat intake to less than 20% of total calories.

The simple truth to losing weight still applies: To lose one pound of body fat, one must burn an extra 3,500 calories beyond what your consuming. This is best accomplished by eating less and exercising more.

Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of abnormalities related to obesity and high blood sugar that have grave consequences. In 1998, the World Health Organization proposed criteria for metabolic syndrome. the criteria include hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels in the blood), or high fasting glucose, or diabetes, as well as two of the following:

1)abdominal obesity with a waist-to-hip ratio of over 0.9; a body mass index (BMI) of >30; or a waist girth over 37 inches

2) dyslipidemia ( abnormal lipids, including cholesterol), with a serum triglyceride of 150 milligrams per deciliter or more; or a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) "good cholesterol" of less than 35 milligrams per deciliter

3) blood pressure of 140/90 millimeters or more; or taking medication for high blood pressure

Other risk factors include being postmenopausal, eating a high-carbohydrate diet and leading a sedentary lifestyle. Having syndrome X doubles the risk for heart disease and increases the risk of stroke by 75%. Weight reduction is the cornerstone of treatment for metabolic syndrome, as well as diabetes and heart disease for those who are overweight. Nutrition strategies that address this increasingly common threat to overall health include the Mediterranean Diet. The following link will direct you to some of the latest research and updates about the Traditional and Mediterranean Diet Pyramids: http://www.oldwayspt.org/med_pyramid.html

Tools for Success

View the Traditional Food Guide Pyramid, check out serving sizes and portion control at: http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Log your progress and get recipes or menu plans: http://www.realage.com/

Looking for free on line tracking sheets: http://www.sparkpeople.com/ or http://www.fitday.com/

If more help is needed visit: http://www.weightwatchers.com/plan/index.aspx to find a support group near you or recruit the help of a licensed nutritionist to create and monitor a food plan specifically for you.

Written by: W

Week 4: Commit 2 Be Fit / Understanding Your Risk Factors

Understanding Your Risk Factors

BMI & Waist to Hip Ratios

Is your weight ultimately affecting your health? Find out if your Body Mass Index and Waist to Hip Ratios are putting you at risk.
Both Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) can be useful measures of determining increased risk for various diseases. According to the National Institutes of Health, a high WC is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

WC can also be a useful tool for those people categorized as normal or overweight in terms of BMI. (For example, an athlete with increased muscle mass may have a BMI greater than 25 - making him or her overweight on the BMI scale - but a waist circumference measurement would most likely indicate that he or she is, in fact, not overweight). Changes in your waist circumference over time can indicated an increase or decrease in abdominal fat. Keep in mind that increased abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Waist Circumference

Are you an apple or a pear shape? The waist-to-hip ratio of having to carry excess weight closer to the heart, apple shape, has become increasingly recognized as a good indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. To calibrate your ratio take a waist measurement at the narrowest circumference, and a hip measurement at the greatest circumference with the feet together.
Now pull out your calculator and do the math of:


________ waist ÷________ hip = _______ Waist/Hip Ratio


Body Mass Index

Body Mass Index (BMI), or the relationship between height and weight, is one of the most accurate ways to determine when extra pounds translate into health risks. Along with body fat analysis and Waist to Hip Ratios, BMI is another measure which takes into account a person’s weight and height to gauge total body fat in adults.

BMI is calculated as follows: BMI = Wt ÷Ht 2 x 705


Weight (lb.) _________ Height (in) _________

_____ height in inches x _____ height in inches = _________ ht 2

______ weight ÷ _____ ht 2 =______ x 705 = ________ BMI

Someone with a BMI of 26 to 27 is about 20 percent overweight.

A BMI of 27-30 indicates 20-40 percent above a normal weight.

A BMI of 30-35 is 41-100 percent above a normal weight and considered obese.

A BMI of over 35 is seriously obese at more than 100 percent above their normal weight.

The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of developing additional health problems. Heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are all linked to being overweight. A BMI of 30 and over increases the risk of death from any cause by 50 to 150 percent.

According to health experts, people who are overweight but have no other health risk factors (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure) should eat healthier and exercise to keep from gaining additional weight. For people who are overweight and also have health risks, they recommend trying to actively lose weight. Be sure to consult your doctor or other health professional before beginning any exercise or weight-loss program.
In June, the federal government announced guidelines which create a new definition of a healthy weight -- a BMI of 24 or less. So now individuals who fall into the BMI range of 25 to 34.9, and have a waist size of over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women, are considered to be at especially high risk for health problems.

Since BMI uses total body weight (i.e., not estimates of fat and lean body mass separately) in the calculation, it does not discriminate between the over fat and the athletic, more muscular body type. Therefore, body composition assessments and waist to hip ratios should both be used in conjunction with BMI.

Having a baseline and knowing where you currently stand becomes the cornerstone of a successful weight-management program and healthy lifestyle. With this knowledge and understanding you can set realistic goals. If weight loss is a primary concern set a goal of reducing your body weight by 10 percent. After this primary goal has been met, it is easier to identify the next reasonable and achievable goal. Always take into consideration there are no quick fixes or short term answers. This physical pursuit is a lifelong commitment of healthy eating habits and fitness practices.

For easy BMI calculations follow this link:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/health/asm/calc_bmi.aspx

Written by: W

BMI RISK WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO







MEN WOMEN

• 22-24.99 --- very low --- < .85 --- < .80






• 25-29.99 --- low --- .85 to .89 --- .80 to .84






• 30-34.99 --- moderate --- .90 to .99 --- .85 to .95






• 35-39.99 --- high --- 1.00 to 1.10 --- .96 to 1.05






• >40 --- very high --- > 1.10 --- > 1.05

Adopted from Hoeger, W & hoeger, S. principles and labs for Physical Fitness and Wellness

Week 3: Commit 2 Be Fit / Overweight vs Over Fat

Ideal Body Fat Percentages

Overweight vs Over Fat

What is my correct or ideal weight? In the rush to shed pounds most people overlook the real question: What is my ideal body fat percentage?
The term overweight means that a person weighs more than the average for his or her weight, height, and frame size, as defined by the Metropolitan Height Weight Scale. Most people assume that a gain in weight means a gain in fat, and that a loss in weight equals a loss in fat. The scale, however cannot differentiate between fat pounds and muscle pounds.

Body composition is a key component of an individuals health and fitness status. To understand body composition, the body must be viewed as a two-component system: lean body mass (muscle, bone, connective tissue and internal organs) and essential body fat (organ insulation and metabolic fuel for the production of energy, ATP). One fairly accurate and practical way to measure body composition is with bio electrical impedance. A body fat percentage of 3% - 6% for men and 8% - 12% for women is essential. For men, 15% body fat is the upper limit for general health, and over 23% is considered obese. For women, the upper limit is 25%, and over 30% is considered obese.

Fat as a metabolic fuel is continuously being broken down and built back up. The result is a healthy balance between lean body weight and fat reserves. But when more calories are consumed each day than are expended the lean to fat ratio is tipped in favor of fat, eventually leading to weight gain.

Everyone has about 20 to 40 billion fat cells within their body. If empty and in one place, these cells would occupy a volume no larger than your fist. But with excess calories, a fat cell can increase its size a thousand times. If filled to capacity these same cells could stuff a small sofa and weight more than a quarter of a ton. Only a healthy eating regime and exercise program can keep these fat cells in check.
Even when fat cells are reduced in size you may find that you have registered no weight loss. This frustrating phenomenon is due to the fact that muscle (which is mostly water) is denser and heavier than fat. The good news here is that a pound of muscle occupies only one fifth the space a pound of fat occupies. Consequently, the non-differentiating scale does not register that a given volume of fat has been replaced by an equal volume of lean muscle tissue. However, you will have probably lost inches around your waist, hips and thighs where we tend to store fat.

It is a myth that exercise changes fat into muscle. Fat cells and muscle cells are made up of two totally different tissues and conversion is biologically impossible.
Work to lower your percentage of body fat as opposed to just losing weight and use our 10-2-10 tracker to log your weight and measurements. Keeping a food and exercise journal along with the scheduled re-evaluations will determine if your eating and exercise regimes are working for or against you. If you would like to add a body fat analysis to your tracking sheet contact us to have a bio-electrical impedance baseline or periodic re-evaluations done. It only takes a minute and can provide you with yet another valuable tool in your pursuit of optimal health and fitness.

Log onto the link below to view ideal height/weight ranges:
http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/met.htm

Written by: W

Week 2: Commit 2 Be Fit / Diet vs Exercise

Weight Loss: Diet vs. Exercise

The two major players in the weight-loss battle are diet and exercise. But can the battle be won using only one of these tools? Many people opt for the easier route, which they believe is dieting. But when you consider how poor the statistics are for long-term weight loss through diets, you need to consider a combination of both. Normally, only about 5% of dieters are successful in keeping weight off, and weight cycling is very common. Usually one-third of weight lost is regained within one year and almost all is regained within three to five years.

How Weight Loss Works
The mechanism of weight loss is simple. It is encompassed in a concept called energy balance. When you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. Therefore, to lose weight you need to burn more calories and/or consume fewer calories. The combination of both of these methods is the best way to lose weight and improve your health.
How the Pros Do It
Members of the National Weight Control Registry are people who have lost weight and kept it off successfully for a minimum of one year. Of these people, 89% use a combination of diet and exercise, although 10% have had success using diet alone and 1% used exercise alone. However, research shows that the combination of exercise and diet is more effective than diet alone. Furthermore, while diet alone helps you lose weight, it is exercise that improves your physical fitness.
Getting Started
Combining diet and exercise can be tricky when you’re trying to cut calories. It is important to make sure that you eat enough so that you have energy to get through your workout, but not so much that you tilt your energy balance back to the weight-gain side. While guidelines suggest 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss a week, you should set a goal that is both realistic and manageable for your lifestyle and fitness level. Overly aggressive goals often lead to attrition and failure.
Your diet should consist of low-fat food choices and a modest reduction in the total number of calories. Without overwhelming yourself with odd foods and food labels, try simply reduce your food portions by about 10 to 15%. Try to be consistent across the week, instead of dieting more strictly on certain days of the week.
With exercise and activity, people who successfully maintained weight loss exercised an average of an hour or more per day. Longer-duration exercise is usually needed to lose weight and prevent weight re-gain. However, this may be too much for you to begin with, so start small and gradually progress the duration of your activity by 10% each week
Staying Motivated
Changing your diet and exercise habits involves lifestyle modifications, but maintaining these lifestyle changes can be the real challenge. Many people can lose weight, but only a few can maintain that weight loss. Much of this is due to the fact that the lifestyle modifications made to lose weight need to be permanent. It is normal to regain a few pounds after your initial weight loss. The key is to not get discouraged and stay motivated. The smaller the amount of weight that you regain, the easier it is to lose again, permanently. So frequent monitoring of your weight is necessary to catch yourself when you start to regain weight. Keep in mind that the longer you keep weight off, the easier it becomes. For weight loss to be sustainable, it must be a slow process of 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week. Stay focused and goal-oriented and know that successful weight loss is possible!

Keeping a journal of your food intake and exercise habits is another great way to stay on track. A few extra calories here and a class or two missed there can sabotage all the progress you have made thus far. So stay on top of WHAT you are doing by writing it down. Follow this link to set up your own personalized food and exercise journal: http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/

Additional Resources
The National Weight Control Registry: http://www.nwcr.ws/

About.com: www.exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/shortcuts.htm

Excerpts from ACE articles.