Official Weight Loss Club Thread

[kewtee]

Pat have you ever considered writing a book about this? You practically have all the material here in this thread
The best councellor is after all someone who has been through it herself

[Muffie's Mom]

Make All Exercise Workouts a Fat Burning Workout

Physical training can be a fat burning workout every time you train.

A lot of people are interested in losing that stubborn, unwanted fat... and are in search of a good fat burning workout.

Burning fat is one of the major reasons people participate in a physical training program... They want to burn fat to look better.

What I am going to propose is that in order to get the most fat burning qualities out of your workout you have to make a shift in training mentality.

Instead of looking at a fat burning workout as a way to look better... View burning fat as a way to perform better.

Just forget about looks for a second... and view your physical training as strictly a way to improve performance.

Losing unwanted and unneeded fat will definitely improve physical performance.

This shift in workout mentality will guide you to choose strength, conditioning and fitness exercises and methods that will develop into excellent fat burning workouts.

I am not going to give you a fat burning workout... I am going to teach you how to make every time you train a fat burning workout.

First of all, let me tell you what I don't think is a fat burning workout...

You go to the gym, warm up, do sets or circuits of strength training, do 20 minutes of "cardio" in your "fat burning zone" and then cool down.

I also don't think this is a fat burning workout...

You go to the gym, warm up, do 20 minutes of "cardio" in your "fat burning zone", do sets or circuits of strength training and then cool down.

These two examples sound like the workout programs of 98% of the people reading this... Are you one of them?

If those two scenarios were the keys to burning fat... Why are you still looking for a good fat burning workout?

OK... so what is an effective fat burning workout?

For an effective fat burning workout you need to blur the lines between strength training and metabolic conditioning and add intensity.

Let me explain...

Most people don't think of strength training as a fat burning workout... mostly because they are doing body building isolated movement exercises at a pace that does not get the cardiorespiratory rates up and keep them up.

This is normally the same group of people that think the best "cardio" comes from extended, constant rate aerobic exercise in the fabled "fat burning zone".

But let me suggest this... If you combined lifting weights and cardio-respiratory exercise and performed them at an intensity and pace that got your cardiorespiratory rates up and kept them up you would have everything you need for an excellent fat burning workout.

What would this type of intense strength and conditioning fat burning workout accomplish...

1) Development of lean muscle that would burn more calories for maintenance in the future.

2) Improvement of cardiorespiratory endurance, allowing you to work out harder in the future and burn more calories.

3) Increase in metabolism so that you would continue to burn calories for hours after the workout.

4) Allow you to accomplish a strength, conditioning and fat burning workout in a fraction of the time of separating the workouts.

5) Teach your body to function as one complete unit and to use strength and cardiorespiratory endurance simultaneously.

If you are concerned with improving overall strength, conditioning and fitness performance... Then you need to drop that unwanted fat that is keeping you from reaching your potential.

Ironically, if you concentrate on performance improvement by adding intensity and variety to your workouts and blur the lines between strength training and conditioning training, you will see superior fat loss than programs claiming to target fat loss.

Start training for physical fitness improvement and every workout will become a fat burning workout.

Just think of what you can accomplish in sport, work and life activities when you develop a body that performs as good as it looks.

So, don't train for appearance.

Train for performance... and the appearance you want is sure to follow.

[Muffie's Mom]

Cardiovascular Exercise - Basics Of Aerobics For Fat Loss

Aerobic training such as walking or running on a stationary bike is a good way to accelerate the fat burning process, as long as it is not overdone and as long as it is used only in addition to a good weight training program.

It should never be used as a substitute for weight training since it does not permanently increases your metabolism and since it does not has the ability to re-shape your body. In order for aerobic exercise to be effective, it needs to be performed within the fat burning zone.

The fat burning zone is the zone at which you are doing enough work to burn fat. Your pulse (how fast your heart is beating per minute) determines this zone.

The fat burning zone formula is the following:

Fat burning zone=220-(Your Age) x (.75) This is your target heart rate!

The result of your formula will give you an approximate value of how fast your heart should be beating per minute.

For example, a 20-year-old would need to reach a pulse in the neighborhood of 150 beats per minute in order to be in the fat burning zone. It is important to remember that this is not an absolute figure, this is an approximation. So as long as you are plus or minus 10 beats from the number that the formula provides you with, then you can rest assured that you will be burning fat.

Another important point that needs to be raised is that in order for aerobic exercise to be an effective fat burner it needs to be performed at the appropriate times.

There are only two times that aerobic exercise is effective in burning fat. The first time is first thing in the morning on an empty stomach after drinking 16 to 24oz of water in order to prevent dehydration. When performed at this time you burn 300% more body fat that at any other time in the day because your body does not have any glycogen (stored carbohydrates-sugar) in the system to burn.

Therefore, it has to go directly into the fat stores in order to get the energy necessary to complete the activity.

The other time where aerobic exercise is effective is immediately after the weight training session. The reason for this is that when exercise is not performed first thing in the morning it takes your body approximately anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes to start burning fat. This is because that it how long it takes the body to deplete its glycogen stores and switch to a fat burning environment.

Therefore, it would not be efficient to perform aerobic exercise by itself at any other time during the day because you would need to perform it for 20-30 minutes just to get to the fat burning stage and for an additional 20 minutes just so that you burn fat. This would give a grand total of 50 minutes a day and in my opinion, I think that unless you are a competitive bodybuilder with a perfect diet and a superb supplementation program designed to protect muscle mass, aerobic exercise should not be performed for more than 6 sessions a week of 20-40 minutes a day for males and 30-45 minutes for females since this would put you at a risk of losing muscle mass.

[Muffie's Mom]

Target Heart Rates

AHA Recommendation

Health professionals know the importance of proper pacing during exercise. To receive the benefits of physical activity, it's important not to tire too quickly. Pacing yourself is especially important if you've been inactive.

Target heart rates let you measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. This approach requires measuring your pulse periodically as you exercise and staying within 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. This range is called your target heart rate.

What is an alternative to target heart rates?

Some people can't measure their pulse or don't want to take their pulse when exercising. If this is true for you, try using a "conversational pace" to monitor your efforts during moderate activities like walking. If you can talk and walk at the same time, you aren't working too hard. If you can sing and maintain your level of effort, you're probably not working hard enough. If you get out of breath quickly, you're probably working too hard -- especially if you have to stop and catch your breath.

When should I use the target heart rate?

If you participate in more-vigorous activities like brisk walking and jogging, the "conversational pace" approach may not work. Then try using the target heart rate. It works for many people, and it's a good way for health professionals to monitor your progress.

Your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age.

Note: A few high blood pressure medications lower the maximum heart rate and thus the target zone rate. If you're taking such medicine, call your physician to find out if you need to use a lower target heart rate.

How should I pace myself?

When starting an exercise program, aim at the lowest part of your target zone (50 percent) during the first few weeks. Gradually build up to the higher part of your target zone (75 percent). After six months or more of regular exercise, you may be able to exercise comfortably at up to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. However, you don't have to exercise that hard to stay in shape.

[Muffie's Mom]

[B]Breathing[/B]

It should be clear from what we have said above that correct breathing is essential for the optimal results. This is often ignored but it should not be. It is essential that you never stop breathing, hold your breath or get out of breath while exercising. When this happens, your body will go into oxygen debt and this means that you will reduce the amount of fat you will later burn when your program is complete.


Since breathing is essential, we recommend that you learn to breathe regularly and easily as you exercise and that you never exercise so hard that you run out of breath.

Generally, it is best to breathe in (INHALE) before exertion and breath out (EXHALE) with exertion. Often this is hard to do unless you have good couching to keep you on track. For this reason it is often valuable to exercise in a group or under supervision until you master your breathing. Learning it right the first time is always the best idea.


Benefits of Regular Exercise


Exercise builds muscle mass. Larger muscles burn more calories than smaller muscles. This means that more fat will be burned to maintain your muscles on our program. It also means that you can eat more without gaining weight.


Moderate exercise can decrease your appetite. Studies have shown us that light exercise increases appetite while heavy exercise decrease appetite initially but within a short time appetite will increase. Moderate activity, on the other hand, lowers appetite and decreases your desire to eat.


Exercise helps to reduce stress and depression both of which are common causes of overeating. While exercising, non-threatening and non-stressfully, endorphins are released which make you fell better. These natural chemicals diminish depression and relieve stress.


Exercise reduces your risk of heart disease. This is benefited when the individual eats a low fat, high complex carbohydrate diet high in magnesium.


It reduces blood pressure. This is benefited when the individual eats a low fat, high complex carbohydrate diet high in fiber and in magnesium.


It increases HDL-Cholesterol (the good cholesterol fraction) and diminishes LDL-Cholesterol (the bad cholesterol fraction). This is benefited when the individual eats a low fat, high complex carbohydrate diet high in magnesium.


Reduces the risk of diabetes by increasing the use of sugar in a healthy and productive way. It also helps because weight is lost and muscle mass is increased. Its benefits are most pronounced when associated with healthy eating and vitamin-mineral supplements.


Strengthen the heart muscle. As we exercise regularly, the heart muscle becomes stronger hence it pumps better and more blood is pumped with each beat of the heart muscle. This means the heart does not have to work so hard and hence becomes healthier.


Regular exercise will decrease your risk of osteoporosis in women. Exercise strengthens bones making them less likely to break.


Exercise can help you sleep better.


Regular exercise helps to keep the bowels operating on a regular basis.


It also helps to improve circulation and function of weight bearing joints.


It can help us to feel fit and it improves the function of the immune system. Therefore, regular exercise can help to decrease the risk of many different illnesses.


You not only feel better but look better hence stimulating self-image and self-esteem.

[Muffie's Mom]

Anaerobic Zone

Exercise at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate and you can feel the stress on your body. The number of calories you burn in a minute is high but that increased intensity has a price. It's discomfort and risk of injury.

This is the zone that gave us the phrase 'no pain, no gain'. It's here that most fit people go from being breathless but able to talk to a friend while exercising (aerobic exercise) to an intensity where they can't talk without gasping for breath (anaerobic exercise).

Most people don't enjoy exercising at this intensity. However, there are advantages to making short bouts or intervals or 'wind sprints' into this almost breathless place.

Wind sprints raise the threshold (called anaerobic threshold) at which your muscles go from burning fat to not burning fat for fuel. Add half a dozen twenty second intervals or wind sprints to your 30 minute workout and in it's attempt to recover your body will perform miracles.

Metabolism will change to tolerate the intensity by raising the anaerobic threshold.

You'll notice it because you won't get breathless at the heart rate you did previously.

If muscles burn fat in aerobic exercise, a higher anaerobic threshold means an increased ability to burn fat during exercise.

[Muffie's Mom]

7 Ways To Burn Fat Faster

1. TIME YOUR PRE-MEAL SNACK

Eating a low-carbohydrate protein bar 90 minutes before you work out will enable you to exercise longer and harder (and burn more calories) than you normally would, says Steve Zim, author of Hot Point Fitness. However, that 90-minute mark is crucial. Eat any closer to your workout, and blood will rush to your stomach, actually diminishing your performance.

2. BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE

Inhaling and exhaling through your nose, rather than your mouth, helps stabilize your heart rate and (like the pre-workout snack) increase your endurance. The result? You work out longer and burn more calories. But don't get discouraged if it feels unnatural at first -- it takes about six to eight workouts to perfect.

3. DO CARDIO LAST

Strength-train before doing any cardiovascular work, says Ken Fitzgerald, owner of Lift Gym in New York. Why? It takes the body about 15 minutes to warm up and start burning fat. So, a 30-minute bike ride is really only burning fat for the last 15 minutes of your workout. But, if you lift weights first, your body is warmed up by the time you hit the bike, and you'll burn fat throughout the entire ride.

4. VALUE VARIETY

Do the exact same workout every time you hit the gym, and your body will start to adapt to it -- and eventually stop burning as many calories, says Zim. So if you jog one day, try biking or swimming the next. Or, if you weight-train from the shoulders down one day, next time, begin with your legs and work up. The important thing, Zim says, is to keep your body guessing.

5. DON'T SLOUCH

Slumping over the handlebars on a stationary bike inhibits the amount of oxygen your body can take in -- and slows your fat-burning process, says Fitzgerald. The bars and handles are there to help you balance, not to support you. If you can't move without holding on, slow down.

6. TRAIN IN INTERVALS

The best way to burn fat is to work out as hard as you can for as long as you can. But, if you're just starting to exercise, interval training's your ticket. Two minutes on the treadmill at, say, 7 mph, followed by two minutes at 5 mph, then back to 7 mph (and so on) for 20 to 45 minutes will whittle away pounds and build your endurance. Eventually, you'll be able to extend the high-intensity periods (and decrease the low ones) until your whole workout is done at top speed.

7. ADD LIGHT WEIGHTS

It's a fact: The more muscle tone you have, the more calories you burn -- even when you're sitting still. So, if you can't seem to find time to weight-train and do your cardio, do bicep curls and overhead presses holding two- to three-pound weights while you're fast-walking or stair-climbing. This will build muscle tone, helping you shed more fat during your cardio workout than you would without the weights.

[Muffie's Mom]

Between Laughter and Loneliness (Part One)

Being alone does not mean you have to be lonely. The problem is that many consider the terms interchangeable. There is a difference. While aloneness denotes simply being by ones self, loneliness implies a longing for companionship wish not to be alone.

Loneliness is nondiscriminatory. It can attack anyone anywhere, for what may seem to for no apparent reason. The feeling of being alone with no end in sight, while partially, if not totally, immobilized by those beliefs, is what makes the lonely person a prisoner.

People are social by nature. It is important to have meaningful physical and emotional interactions with others. Depending upon whom one asks, loneliness is a feeling or a condition. It is hard to describe and intricate to defeat. What does loneliness mean to you?

Irrational, infeasible, interpretations of our current life situation greatly contribute to the lessening of our self confidence. The first step is to identify negative self-thoughts about ones life situation. Then look for contrary evidence to those irrational thoughts.

Some people are better at alleviating their emotional seclusion than are others. They can hide inner feelings of a monadic existence, while the rest of the world seems to cruise carefree. For the emotionally strong mental seclusion is a fleeting feeling. It comes and goes, visiting them once in a while at best. And when despair arrives they handle it as temporary.

For others who are less fortunate, loneliness absorbs their entire being; as does a constrictor snake suffocating its victims. The less willful see this as a curse. A shadow that follows them all the time. With each human contact they are reminded in compound fashion with an enhanced sense of their own isolation. People with low self-esteem often believe that others would not be interested in knowing them, and that their overall weakness justified.

Older adults are often at risk for friendlessness because of disruptions to their social networks over time. Their children may have moved away. Grandchildren, who were once so playful and cuddly, got older and became more involved in school and activities with friends closer to their own age and energy.

The older person's spouse and friends may become ill or died, leaving a grim retirement down the road. A dissolved workplace, physical disabilities, sensory loss or illness may prevent older citizens from participating in the activities with others that they used to enjoy. Some individuals are no longer able to stay in their own home or familiar surroundings. This results in the loss of connections with friends and neighbors.

Loneliness is a feeling of emptiness, hollowness, inside an individual. Resulting from smothered, festering, feelings of isolation that produced the belief of being separated, cut-off, from the rest of the living, happy, world.

There are varying degrees of isolation. One may experience it as a vague feeling that something is not quite right. This is nothing more than a minor emptiness. In highly effected sufferers aggravated versions of loneliness are ideas of intense social deprivation and rooted agony. Feelings of this type can easily turn to harmful acts, or thoughts to act negatively upon others.

Occasionally, everyone feels lonely. It is only when a person feels trapped in that solitude that it becomes a problem for themselves and others around them.

It is maintained when people do nothing to change sadness toward a positive, creative, direction. It is effortless to sit and hope for sadness to fly away. When waiting fails is when sorrow takes over. People experiencing it often engage in defensive behaviors that perpetuate intolerable feelings.

Others compensate for their feelings of loneliness by over activity. By working long hours, immersing themselves in insufficient activities to avoid the painful feelings.

Still others unintentionally sabotage their relationship by exhibiting overly possessive, clinging, depended behavior. Some attempt to anesthetize themselves with food and/or alcohol and other drugs. All of these behaviors are self-defeating.

Loneliness is a painful emotional feeling of being disconnected, cut off, or isolated from the rest of our world. It is a feeling that something is missing from our lives. Almost everyone experiences loneliness at some time in his or her life. There are many factors that contribute to feeling lonely.

When we are separated from familiar people and places, we often feel disconnected, like we don't belong. Usually, as we meet people and become familiar with places, the feeling subsides fairly quickly.

People experiencing loneliness often feel depressed, anxious, or angry. Some may experience physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach pain, and reduced energy. They are often overly self-critical and self-absorbed in their unhappiness.

Some people fell disconnected, disenfranchised, because they don't know how to approach or contact others socially. Many fear being rejected so they don't attempt to make friends or develop relationships. How can people interpret feeling alone? And what will be their commitment to extricate themselves from the mire?

[Muffie's Mom]

B]Solutions:[/B]

To stop feeling lonely, the person must recognize those depressed feelings then accept it. For most, admitting such is very difficult, but that should not be seen as a sign of their personal weakness to feel so.

Expressing ones feelings in a peaceful, respectful, way can only be a good thing. Do it and feel the tension ease.

Challenge the reality of your pessimistic or negative thought. Be a bit selfish. Do some things you want to do for yourself.

This is a good time to focus on you and learn more about yourself. Develop personal interests that you may not have had time for before.

Take an aggressive approach to your own loneliness problem. Sometimes loneliness can make you feel as though you don't want to do anything. This is the time when you should pull out all the stops.

A change of activity can turn your mind. Even if you have only a slight interest in something that is non-violently helpful, act on it.

Learning to deal with loneliness is an art. It may be one of the biggest challenges any of us faces in life. Have positive expectations.

Once your identify what it is that makes you feel lonely, you are in a better position to deal with it. Take note of your loneliness when you sense it and try to discover what prompted the feeling.

When you can pinpoint the cause of your loneliness, it will not be hard to find ways to handle it. Often the simplest act can alleviate the problem.

Manage it. Much of the distress and fear of loneliness will diminish when you can identify what causes the problem and then attempt to modify the causes and conditions that produce your lonely feelings.

When you feel lonely for companionship, invite a friend to dinner. Even the suggestion of dining out will brighten your spirits. The thrust is to become more active in many more aspects of life.

Get your cushiony rump moving and do something. Does the author suggest being active? We wouldn't want that.

Transform loneliness into something of value to you. Turn it to your advantage by learning to handle it on your own.

Know yourself better. Seize the opportunity for personal growth rather than succumb to frightful periods of suffering. The way you choose to look at something has a direct bearing upon how you will be affected by it.

The battle over loneliness is a battle you may not always win. You may feel crazy, desperate and afraid. However, you can learn to live with loneliness, to overcome it and survive.

Be aware that the loneliness problem is really only open to a personal and private solution. There is not anyone who can solve it for you. Other people can help, but they cannot do the detailed work involved in breaking through the loneliness barrier.

Another way might be to write in a diary about days past. There are countless eight hundred hotlines that invite those who are trouble to call in to discuss problems with people who have endured similar histories.

Drawing, painting a picture, making up a song, or doing anything else that lets us begin to express the feelings we have inside us are all initial steps one can take to get on the road to feeling better, improved on lifes outlook. We might be able to begin to see where these feelings are coming from and make constructive changes.

Parents, family, or friends, are useful outlets we so easily ignore. Telephone, write, e-mail or visit them. Talking to an understanding friend can often help change a persons emotional forecast. If we don't have an understanding friend, talking with a pastor, teacher or counselor might be a place to start.

A great way to spend time with people and feel good about your contribution to the world is by volunteering. If your anxiety disorder is keeping you from volunteering in a traditional way, use your imagination.

Going into an online chat room and talking to someone else who is lonely is a start in the aggressive direction. If you are ready to volunteer outside your home, look to places that will be anxiety-friendly are churches, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Getting involved in some sort of activity or club can take our minds off of feeling lonely as we get involved in some sort of enjoyable activity; something one can tolerate doing for a precious few minutes.

If you're not sure what your interests are, just start participating until you find what you love. What would it take for a little attitude adjustment?

It can provide some structure in our lives so that we have things to look forward to. It can remind us of how good we might have felt in the past doing similar things.

Get involved in something because we know we've enjoyed it in the past or because we think it might be fun. That way were more likely to find ourselves enjoying what were doing and being with people who genuinely enjoy the same things.

We may also find out that some people like us for the way we already are. An added bonus is that we might also begin to realize that we could choose to engage in some of those activities or interests entirely on our own without feeling afraid.

Everyone feels lonely from time to time. Using some of the suggestions above will most likely help cope better with those feelings. A certain amount of loneliness in a person's life is to be expected. Don't try to escape it by running away from it. Do not wallow in panic.

Exercise and physical activity will increase your energy and help you to feel better about yourself. Work on developing relationships with others; through improved listening and communication skills. Seek opinions. Maintain a good attitude.

Present a positive self-image. Let others know from your body language that you welcome their communication with you.

If you find that you are having difficulty dealing with overwhelming feelings on your own, seek out the help of a mental health professional in your community. Please.

[Muffie's Mom]

What Parents Need To Know

Like many teenagers… 17-year-olds Tyler Marquardt, Amy Schwartz and Laura Waide have their share of stress…

“During school with a-p honors teachers, and three tests in a day is a lot,” says Tyler.

“I did have a breakup about a week ago. Yeah it was tough, I really wasn’t like prepared for it,” says Amy.

“I don’t have any money because I have no job,” says Laura.

But whatever their worries… they still share plenty of laughs…

“Laughing definitely like heals you more I would say… than like dwelling on your sadness,” says Amy.

Laughter is good for your health and University of Maryland researchers now know why.

Laughing causes the lining of blood vessels and arteries to expand… increasing blood flow, and lowering blood pressure.

“Pretty amazing finding because it’s a direct link between the act of laughing, and a physiological response,” says Psychologist Rebecca Jones, Ph.D.

In fact, the researchers report that laughing offers the same kind of benefit to the heart as exercise.

“If you laugh a hundred times, it’s about the equivalent of doing something cardiovascular for ten to 15 minutes,” explains Dr. Jones.

“I actually do believe that,” says Laura, “Because I always get really like worked up and feel like my heart rate increasing when I’m having a really good time or like, laughing all the time.”

Experts say parents concerned about their teen’s health shouldn’t just focus on diet and exercise.

“When they’re scanning their teenagers behavior, they’re paying attention to the things they need to change… and we need to have an eye also for the things we need to encourage, and one those things is good humor,” says Dr. Jones.

Amy says her parents are good at that. “My family, we’re big and we’re loud. We’re always trying to entertain each other and pick each other up.”

[Muffie's Mom]

Laughter is good medicine for reducing stress, enhancing brain chemistry

How do you actually reduce the levels of chronic stress in your body and enhance your lifespan, boost immune system function, protect your nervous system and your sanity, and give your endocrine system a much-needed rest? Fortunately there are several easy ways to do this. Let's start with the easiest one: laughter.

Laughter is a healing activity. You may have seen the movie called "Patch Adams," which is a movie about a real life doctor who still practices today and uses laughter as healing. He's quite correct in using laughter as a healing therapy, because it is one of the most healing activities in which you can engage.

Laughter operates on at least three different levels. They are the biophysical, the biochemical, and the bioenergetic levels.

Laughter moves lymph and oxygenates your organs

At the biophysical level, laughter moves lymph fluid around your body simply by the convulsions you experience during the process of laughing; so it boosts immune system function and helps clear out old, dead waste products from organs and tissues. Remember that your lymph system doesn't have a separate pump; your body needs to move around to properly circulate lymph fluid so that your immune system can carry out its natural functions. Laughter is a great way to support that.

Secondly, laughter increases oxygenation of your body at both the cellular and organ level. By laughing, you intake vast amounts of oxygen in huge gulps, and you repeat this process in a sort of temporary hyperventilation session. This is the natural result of laughter, and if you watch someone laugh, you will notice these biophysical effects.

Laughing also boosts circulation, so at the same time that you're distributing oxygen around your body, you're boosting the circulation of your blood; you're exercising abdominal muscles; you're exercising the muscles of your face; and you're enhancing the flexibility of various joints throughout your body. So it's a bit of physical exercise and healthful body movement as well.

The harder you laugh, the greater this effect. If you can find a way to put yourself into a state of rolling, outrageous laughter, you're going to get a fantastic physical workout from it. In fact, the next day, you may even find your stomach muscles are sore. Have you ever laughed so hard that your stomach hurt and your facial muscles were exhausted? That's some serious exercise, and it's the kind of exercise in which we should all engage on a regular basis.

The chemistry of laughter

Now let's look at the biochemical impact of laughter. When you laugh, there's a lot more going on in your body than just the physical effect. You're also experiencing a biochemical benefit.

Your body manufactures chemicals based on certain needs and then distributes them throughout your body. When you laugh, you generate a wealth of healing biochemicals.

Some of these are brain-altering chemicals such as serotonin; others are immune-boosting chemicals such as interleukins. If you were to make a long list of all the chemicals created by engaging in healthy laughter, you would have quite a list of healthy body chemicals that would carry a hefty price tag if you purchased them retail. And yet, once again, you can create these chemicals for yourself at no cost by simply engaging in laughter.

In other words, laughter can help counteract the destructive, negative health consequences of chronic stress. And what I've described here just scratches the surface of the benefits that are available to those who engage in regular laughter.

What researchers have found in this field is that your state of mind has everything to do with the functioning of your immune system. By engaging in laughter, you can boost both your mind and your body.

But what if you can't find anything to laugh about? Rent some funny movies. Join a comedy improv class. Imagine all your older friends wearing no clothes. Buy some silly finger puppets and invent a funny skit. Learn from children: they still know how to play and laugh. Find a way to get laughter into your life, even if it means being a little weird.

[Muffie's Mom]

HEY EVERYBODY!!

I'm backkkkkkkkkk!!

Is there anything that you want to talk about or get information about?

Please speak up!

Keep posting as to what YOU are doing to stay on the road to healthy eating.

If you're succeeding at it, please do let others be aware of what you are doing. Spread the news and YOU can help others, too.

That's what this group is all about. Let's stick together and help one another!

God bless you all and good luck with your healthy eating and exercising.

[Muffie's Mom]

Originally Posted by kewtee

Pat have you ever considered writing a book about this? You practically have all the material here in this thread
The best councellor is after all someone who has been through it herself

I guess it's because I have been through so much with serious health problems and survived it all that I know how important it is too eat healthy and to exercise.

I want to stay alive and to help as many people that I can and to help them achieve a better life for themself and to be healthy.

[Muffie's Mom]

Control the Crazy Portions
Staring into the Bottomless Plate

Question: Is it possible to eat meals consisting entirely of healthy foods, such as carrots, fish, apples and whole wheat bread, and continue to gain weight?

Answer: Yes, because you can still eat too much, even if everything is good for you.

Portions have grown by leaps and bounds over the last couple of decades. Not surprisingly, our weight has followed right along with it. A huge part of the problem is that people tend to eat what’s in front of them, whether they’re hungry or not. To fight this problem, it’s important to find reasons to cut down on what you put on your plate in the first place.

Portion size is a major contributor to weight problems, whether you eat out or at home. Restaurants serve huge plates of food, consisting of several servings per person, making it easy to go way past the recommended amount per meal.

It does not stop when you eat at home. It’s been estimated that portion sizes in the past 20 years have increased in restaurants and at home by as much as 50%. Today, the average person eats 200 more calories each day than in the 1970s.

Many store bought cookies are now more than 7 times bigger than the recommended serving size. Did you know that a typical dinner plate holds three servings of spaghetti, not just one? When you fill up your entire plate with food, you’re likely eating more than you bargained for.

On the bright side, portion size is something you can change, without getting rid of your favorite foods. All it takes is a few simple habits to control how much you eat during a sitting. Here are a few tips you can use when

Dining in or out:

Order an appetizer as an entree (main dish). Remember to stay away from fried foods though.

Split an entree with another person.

Order from the lunch menu at dinnertime.

Leftovers are okay. Feel free to wrap up half your meal to go

Order smaller sizes such as a half-order of pasta or a "petite" cut of meat.

Even so, portions may still be hefty. It's not unusual for a "smaller" portion of meat to be an 8-ounce serving.

In fast-food restaurants avoid "extra value" or "super size" meals, unless you split it with a friend. A regular small hamburger is usually equivalent to one serving of meat and two servings of grain.

AT HOME

Set the table with smaller plates. Since you can’t fit as many servings on your plate, filling the whole plate is no big deal. Smaller dishes also make the food look bigger, which has a proven effect on your level of hunger.

Skip seconds and get out the Tupperware.

Divide up single serving portions ahead of time, in sealable bags or containers.

Read the packaging! Follow the recommended serving size and eat only one.

Eat foods that curb hunger: oranges, apples, oatmeal, fish, brown pasta.

[Muffie's Mom]

Focus on Power Foods

Power foods are a combination of low calories and high nutrients, or foods that keep you feeling satisfied. Quite simply, you can make your calories work for you. The more efficiently you eat, the more you can eat before reaching your calorie limit.

The great part about power foods is that you are likely eating some of them already! And if not, parts of your diet can be easily replaced by other power foods. Adding just a few more power foods can make a big difference in your calorie intake and appetite.

At the top of the Power Food list are foods that contain proteins, fibers and complex carbohydrates. These foods have tons of nutrients that give you long-lasting energy without a lot of calories, all while making you feel fuller faster. However, there are power foods in every food group and plenty of options to choose from.

Good Power Foods

Grains ·
whole wheat cereal ·
oatmeal ·
whole wheat bread, pita, bagel,
pasta ·
brown rice ·
deli rye ·
pure bran muffins ·
cream of wheat ·
raisin bread

Fruits/Veggies ·
oranges ·
berries (especially blueberries) ·
cantaloupe ·
watermelon ·
apples ·
avocado ·
chili peppers ·
spinach ·
sweet potatoes ·
tomatoes

Dairy/Protein ·
low fat or skim milk ·
low fat yogurt ·
salmon ·
tuna ·
chicken ·
almonds ·
peanuts ·
walnuts and hazelnuts ·
beans ·
eggs