A mammogram is a special breast exam which projects the image of the inner breast tissues onto a film or a digital image. This procedure, called mammography, helps to get a clear view of the structures inside the breast. Even the very small tumors or cysts can be seen with a mammogram.

The Need for a Mammogram

A mammogram not only shows tumors, cysts and calcifications but also cancer, which cannot be found on breast self-examination. Usually, cancer can be felt by self-examination or examination by your doctor once it becomes large enough. However, a mammogram can detect the smallest cancers at a very early and and often curable stage.

Kinds of Mammograms

Screening Mammogram

A screening mammogram is done to detect cancer in women that could not be identified on breast self-examination or examination by the doctor.

Diagnostic Mammogram

A diagnostic mammogram is done to help confirm a diagnosis of cancer where a lump has already been detected on self-examination or by a doctor’s exam.

How Often Should You Have a Mammogram

Most healthy women do not need a mammogram until age 40. However, certain women are more likely to have breast cancer and should have a mammogram on a regular basis along with the breast self-examination as well as doctor’s exam. The following shows recommendations on how often you need a mammogram.

• All women should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 to 40.
• After the age of 40, you should have a mammogram every year.
• Women with a family history of breast cancer or who have  been diagnosed with breast cancer, should have a mammogram earlier or more often than as mentioned above.

How to Prepare for a Mammogram

1. Cosmetics like powder, cream, oil, deodorant should not be used before the procedure as they might cause shadows and distort the image causing you to have the mammogram redone.
2. Wear two-piece clothing like pants or skirt and a shirt or that opens up the front to make undressing easier.
3. Make sure all of your previous mammogram results have been sent to the facility where you are having your current mammogram so the radiologist has them for comparison.
4. There are no diet restrictions for mammogram; products than contain caffeine should be avoided by women sensitive to caffeine as this might make the breast tender.
5. Don’t schedule a mammogram when your breasts are painful or tender. Breasts tend to be tender during the mentrual cycles (your period). Mammograms should also be avoided during the pre and post ovulatory period and premenstrual period. The best time for a mammogram is one or two weeks after your period.

The Mammogram Procedure

A mammogram is a simple, quick and easy procedure. You will be asked to remove all clothing or jewellery from your waist up. Then to stand in front of  special mammography machine. The breast is placed between two plastic “plates” and then plates then press together to flatten the breast. The flattening of the breast is done to get a clear image of the inner breast tissues. The compression of the panels on the breast can cause discomfort, but it is over quickly.

Usually two pictures are taken of each breast — craniocaudal view — where the picture is taken from above; and the mediolateral view where the picture is taken from the side. The radiologist may want more views taken if:
• your breasts are large.
• you have had breast augmentation or reduction.
• there is a breast implant.
• a previous mammogram showed an area of concern.

Risks of Having a Mammogram

Mammography is a very safe procedure. Any radiation used is a very small amount. However, it might have an effect on an unborn fetus. So,  women who are pregnant or are trying to conceive should tell their doctor and and the radiologist before having a mammogram.

Another possible risk is in women with implants. Due to the pressure of the plates pressing on the breast, the implant can be damaged. In such cases, surgery will be needed to remove the damaged implant.

Mammogram Results

• Normal — A normal mammogram means there are no malignant tissue changes seen in the breast and no breast cancer. In a normal result, mammograms are recommended every year. When a lump has been detected on self-examination, the radiologist may ask for an ultrasound to confirm the results.
• Abnormal — An abnormal mammogram shows a cyst, tumor or cancer. In an abnormal result, the radiologist may order for more tests to confirm the result. If cancer is suspected, a biopsy is recommended to confirm the cancer. After confirmation, the cancer can be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or hormone treatment depending on the kind and aggressive nature of breast cancer found.
• Inaccurate — Though a rare case, an inaccurate mammogram may be found in women with breast implants, where the liquid of the implant or the surrounding scar tissues distort the picture. There are two types of “bad” results – false-positive and false-negative results. A false-positive mammogram shows the presence of cancer when in fact cancer is not there. In these cases a followup ultrasound, fine-needle aspiration or biopsy can be done to confirm the presence of cancer. A false-negative mammogram gives a normal result even though cancer is present. False positives happen mostly in younger women because of the density of the breast tissue, which makes it hard to interpret the mammogram.

A mammogram is an easy and safe procedure to determine breast cancer; usually done without  complications. Breast cancer detected at an early stage can be often be treated saving many lives.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

Back in January 2012 I decided to get fit again. To that end, I started playing squash like there was no tomorrow. 5 days a week, sometimes as long as an 90 minutes at a time and, of course, as hard as I could go. One night I was practicing serves for an upcoming tournament when suddenly my elbow felt funny and I couldn’t lift my racquet. My elbow was killing me. I went to the club café and got a bag of ice. I iced it the next day and it seemed better. Over the next 10 days the pain was so bad I couldn’t sleep and it hurt to do anything that involved gripping. I made an appointment with a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports injuries and was told I had tennis elbow, or technically “lateral epicondylitis.” Doc gave me a shot of cortisone and sent me to physical therapy 3 times a week, and to come back in 3 weeks.

I did the physical therapy for two weeks without any change, good or bad. I quit the PT and went back to Doc after 3 weeks with my elbow still in pain. He gave me another cortisone shot and said if it wasn’t better in 2 weeks he would order an MRI. If the elbow was sore just due to inflammation, then the cortisone should have cured it. But if there was a mechanical problem—such as a tear—then the cortisone would not work and I would need surgery. After 2 weeks the cortisone had worn off and the elbow was no better; I had an MRI.

The MRI showed a large, high grade tear in the common extensor tendon—high grade tear means more than 70% of the tendon is torn. He told me to schedule surgery with his front office and in the meantime not to do lift anything heavy or do anything that made the elbow hurt. I was already doing that! Surgery would release the tendon (cut it the rest of the way—that is, a complete tear). If needed, he would cut out damaged tissue, pare down the bone if there were any bone spurs and then sew the tendon back to where it tore away from the bone. I would be in a fixed brace for a week, start physical therapy in week 2 and would be good as new in 3-4 weeks. I thought, no way.

After talking with a few people I find out how painful it is to come back from the surgery and if you don’t work your butt off in PT you will likely lose 10% range-of-motion in the elbow. I would still be able to comb my hair and wipe my butt, but my squash and golf games would likely suffer. If I didn’t have the surgery I could have permanent injury to my elbow, not to mention pain. I was torn. I didn’t want the surgery but wanted to play. Surgery is always dangerous, even the routine simple ones. You never know. My sister had surgery a few weeks ago and the man in the bed next to her in the recovery room died at 42 in recovery from a routine gallbladder removal. Bled to death because the surgeon nicked an artery punching his way through the guy’s belly with a laparoscope. Done all the time. Death extremely rare, but—it happens.

My sister had surgery on her back. She has stage IV breast cancer. The cancer came back 4 years ago in her spine and pelvic bone. So when she started having pain down her leg a few months ago, she had a CAT scan. The radiologist saw “something” and told her to go see her radiation oncologist for radiation. It was probably a tumor. The radiation oncologist didn’t think it was a tumor, “could be bone,” and sent her to the top neurologist in our city. THE man. He told her she needed to have what-ever-it-is removed and 6 vertebrae in her spine fused. Rods, pins, screws, pain, PT, out of work for months and possible permanent disability. She was devastated. The “tumor” was where they couldn’t biopsy it so they weren’t sure what it was. So she decided to wait and see if it grew. If it grows, it’s a cancer tumor, if it doesn’t grow it’s not. After 2 months the pain was so bad she had to do something but she just couldn’t accept she had to have half of of her back fused. So she asked her oncologist for a referral for a second opinion. The second neurologist said she didn’t have a tumor and he can go in with a 1 inch incision and cut the cyst off the nerve, she would be pain free in the recovery room and back to work in 2 weeks. She had the surgery and just as he said, it was a synovial cyst and she was back to work in 2 weeks. So I followed her lead.

I made an appointment with an orthopedist I have known long time to get a second opinion about elbow surgery. If I can heal without it, I don’t want surgery. He thinks I can heal by doing physical therapy so he sent me to physical therapy for 3 weeks and then we will see. It’s been a week with PT. It has been painful but I have done my exercises faithfully. The physical therapist also thinks I can heal it without surgery. I’m gonna give it my best effort. Here’s hoping!

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

In order to understand the benefits of creatine monohydrate, you need to understand what creatine monohydrate is and how it actually works. Being a sports supplement, creatine monohydrate is often considered to have a negative or even dangerous impact on health. In fact, contrary to what you may think, creatine is not causing any harm to the body. It is a substance that is produced by the liver naturally and it also is contained in foods and processed by the liver.

Sources of Creatine

The liver combines three amino acids, methionine, arginine, and glycine and produced creatine. Also, creatine can be processed from any foods that have a high content of protein in the same way. The big problem with supplementary creatine from food is that you would have to consume huge quantities in order to obtain the same amounts of creatine you would get from supplements. Instead of swallowing two pills, you would have to consume 18 stakes and that would not be practical or healthy.

How Does Creatine Monohydrate Increase Performance?

Creatine is produced from proteins and in turn is transformed into phosphocreatine that is a metabolite used to supplement the muscle energy source known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Therefore, creatine indirectly contributes to rejuvenating the energy required by the muscles to sustain longer workouts and build stronger muscles.

Thus, creatine stimulates the creation of lean muscle mass that is essential for body building and other high performance sports. Another important fact is that, in normal circumstances, the muscles would be completely drained of energy after such an intense workout. The time interval between workouts would be longer without creatine supplements such as creatine monohydrate. You should not forget that if you take creatine supplements like Maxiraw creatine monohydrate you also need to work out and consume the energy supplied by the excess creatine. In case you are not using it, the body will automatically eliminate it.

Recovery supplements

Maxifuel recovery supplements claim to speed up and repair the muscles after a workout.

This is why they are extremely popular with the likes of sportsmen, athletes and those that regularly complete an intense workout.

In order to jump-start recovery and speed up the recovery process, you really need to eat after a run. However, due to either other commitments or even simply not feeling like you want to eat, this isn’t always possible.

Many people will go straight from work to the gym and straight from the gym to meet up with their friends. Hectic working hours mean that the modern day individual must cram all of their socialising, working and working out into one session! This is why it is essential to look into energy and recovery supplements.

The refueling window to make sure your body is equipped to carry on with its regular life after exercise is a 60-minute one and if you miss it due to another commitment, you won’t have allowed your body and muscles to recover fully.

Energy and recovery supplements claim to have solved such a dilemma and come in the shape of a liquid drink that can be taken on the move. This way the athlete doesn’t have to worry about rushing home to sit down to a meal.

He or she can instead take both energy supplements and recovery supplements on the move. Pill forms of the energy and recovery supplements are also available as some may see this as an easy and hassle free method of taking the much-needed supplements.

The energy and recovery supplements boast to restore the energy burned as well as to repair the muscles used. This is an essential process and one that pro athletes should most definitely be concerned with, especially if they wish to exercise at their full potential and stay ahead in their career for the long-term.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

Awareness of what asbestos was used for and the health risks involved

Many buildings built in the past have materials used in their construction that are bad for your health including asbestos. Asbestos was a popular component in creating building materials. Today, many older building are being remodeled. Remodeling should be cautioned against if the building contains asbestos. Buildings that contain asbestos must be removed using certain protocols. Otherwise, there is a chance of contaminating the air with asbestos. Asbestos in the air is dangerous since inhaling asbestos particles can cause serious lung diseases like mesothelioma and other forms of cancer.

Asbestos is found in many types of building materials so there are many situations in which to be cautious for your health, too. Asbestos is often combined with concrete to create either flat or corrugated panels. These panels are often used in building roofs or even walls of outdoor sheds and garages. Roofing felt can contain asbestos. The asbestos usually is combined with bitumen to create the felt. Roofing felt is used for covering flat roofs. In some cases, asbestos was also used as an ingredient in making guttering.

Sound proofing sprays can contain asbestos. These sprays were applied under floors as well as in ceiling spaces to seal areas where sounds could escape. Asbestos can be made into cloth and paper due to its flexibility. The paper can be used to wrap electric cables and fuse boxes. By adding the asbestos, these protective materials made fireproof. Insulation is another building material that includes asbestos. Insulation was used to seal the wall and ceilings in older buildings to keep in the heat during winter and keep the heat out during summer.

Linings were made to put inside doors. These linings make the doors more resistant to fire. Asbestos was used in making these door linings. There are more products made from asbestos other than for housing such as the auto industry. Brake shoes as well as gaskets were made from asbestos fibers.

If you are getting ill due to exposure to asbestos where it could have been avoided, for example improper health and safety precautions at work, then you should seek medical care and then make a mesothelioma claim through a law firm specializing in this type of claim.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

Anatomy

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is a condition affecting the
shoulder, arm, and hand. Nerves and blood vessels supplying the
arm and hand start at the side of the neck. Exiting from the side
of the spine, they travel between two muscles (the scalenes),
over the top of the rib cage (thorax), under the collar bone
(clavicle), through the arm pit (axilla) and down the arm to the
hand. The area where the nerves and vessels leave the neck
between the two scalene muscles and over the first rib is know as
the tos/thorox.gif”>Thoracic
Outlet.

Causes

There are probably several causes of TOS. The common
underlying cause of the syndrome is compression of the nerves and
arteries of the arm in the Thoracic Outlet. Some people
have an tos/toscx1.gif”>extra
first rib or an old fracture of the clavicle, which limits
the space for the vessels. A tos/toscx3.gif”>violent
injury, such as a car wreck while wearing a shoulder harness,
may also tear the scalene muscles. In the healing phases of this
type injury, scar tissue may form in the healing muscle, leading
to tos/sqz2.flc”>compression
of the nerves and vessels. Compression can also occur with
repetitive activities that require the arms to be held overhead
or extended forward. The more likely cause is slouching forward
and tos/slouch.flc”>dropping
the shoulders; causing tension in the muscles at side of the
neck and constricting the arteries and nerves.

Symptoms

tos/numb.flc”>Symptoms
of TOS include pain, weakness, numbness and tingling, swelling,
fatigue or coldness in the arm and hand. This syndrome can be very
difficult to diagnose. The symptoms can mimic many other
conditions, such as a herniated disk in the neck, carpal tunnel
syndrome, and even bursitis of the shoulder.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of TOS can be difficult and frustrating. The history
and physical examination can be suggestive of TOS, but frequently
the symptoms are vague and difficult to track down. A chest xray
may show an extra cervical rib, and be helpful in the diagnosis.

tos/flash.flc”>Electrical
tests of the arm and special tests to check whether or not
the blood vessels that run with the nerve may be required to
confirm the diagnosis. Many times all of these test are negative
and the symptoms and examination must be relied on to make the
diagnosis.

Prevention/Treatments

Symptoms caused by variations in the bones and muscles may not
respond to physical therapies; however, good posture and overall
conditioning are very important in treating all causes of TOS.
Attention should be paid to the length of time the arms are used
in outstretched or overhead positions, and in heavy carrying and
lifting. Simple things like taking frequent breaks, changing
positions, stretching or using a hand truck or cart can bring
relief. More specific treatments and exercises may be prescribed
by a physician or physical therapist. Rehabilitation may begin
with a few exercises to loosen up tight muscles and joints around
the compressed nerves and blood vessels. To help restore normal
mobility, your therapist may prescribe stretching and massage for
the joints, muscles, and nerves.

Self Management

A home program of exercise is essential and must be performed
consistently to produce benefits. Postural exercises
Symptoms often respond to an exercise program addressing healthy
posture and muscle balance. Stretching and strengthening along
with awareness exercises can help achieve optimal posture.

Work management

Work hours can add up to problems. What changes can be
made to help avoid these problems?

Occupational ergonomics: A worksite specialist can
evaluate your workplace to determine safe alignment,
worksite postures, and work-related furniture.

Arm positions: Avoid holding your arms outward for
prolonged time periods.

Work heights: Avoid overhead activities,
especially if these positions bring on symptoms.

Helpful hints

Decrease tension on the shoulder straps of your seat
belt.

Use rest periods to decrease fatigue.

Women with large, pendulous breasts may benefit from a
strapless long-line bra.

Obese patients should seek advise for safe weight loss.

Symptom management

Shrug shoulders maximally and hold 30 to 60 seconds.

Lie on back with head tilted to the sore side.

Lie on back with shoulders partially shrugged.

Sleep modifications

If directed by your therapist, raise arms overhead for a
short period immediately before going to sleep.

Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

Pinning or strapping your arm to your side limits
sleeping with arms out or overhead.

Things to avoid

Heavy lifting, pulling, pushing.

Rapid breathing.

Stress.

Looking up, bending the neck back.

Elevating the arms for long periods.

Carrying bags with a strap on the sore-side shoulder.

Prevention and Long Term Management

Long term management of this problem will probably have
to rely on worksite alterations. Modifications may need
to be made in overhead activities and heavy lifting. The
primary aim, however, is to insure healthy work and
recreational postures.

Surgery

Surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is usually a last
resort. The tos/surg.flc”>surgery
is directed at removing the source of compression on the
nerves of the Brachial Plexus. If there is an extra rib
present, this is usually removed. Otherwise, surgery
consists of simply releasing the constricting elements
and scar tissue around the nerves.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

At the beginning of 2012 I decided to get back into shape after being on the sidelines from an Achilles tendon injury last year. Because I have arthritis in one hip, I’m not supposed to run or jump so it’s hard for me to get my heart rate up on a treadmill or elliptical. So I decided to look for ways to make my workouts more difficult and decided to wear extra weights. I started out using a 15 pound weight belt that I had, but it was only good for walking because the weights aren’t distributed well and you have to be really careful not to get off balance or move in a way that can cause injury. Then I started looking into buying a weighted vest. I shopped sports stores but could not find a vest that I felt confident I wouldn’t get injured. The weights were large and clumsy and when I bend over, the vest swings out from my body. The vest moves around freely as it basically just hangs from the shoulders. I was most concerned about injuries since the weights were not secured against my body, the weights didn’t feel evenly distributed, and the vest was awkward overall.

Then I found this Hyperwear weighted vest searching online for “best weighted vest.” I ordered the vest even though it is expensive—2 to 3 times as much as the ones I found in stores. But it is worth every penny! The vest is extremely flexible and the weights form-fit to your body. It is short, so you can bend and move freely at the waist. It is great for crunches. The weights are in the front and back. It laces on the sides that are very easy to adjust so that the vest fits really snug. The laces also make it very easy for both my husband and I to use this vest without the frustration of difficult resizing. You can move your arms freely without rubbing against the vest. What is so nice is how the weights are very small making the vest thin and flexible instead of the bulky soap-bar sized weights in other vests. The vest is also hand washable. I bought the vest using their sizing chart and the vest fits perfectly. I can even resize it as my core tightens up always keeping the weight close to my body to prevent injury.

In addition to the treadmill and elliptical, this would be great in step classes, on a stairmaster or other similar cardio classes.

The only downside for me is the weight against my breast. I don’t like that smushed-in feeling. If I wear a very good support sports bra it isn’t quite as noticeable.

I want more than 10 pounds of weight so I’m going to buy the Booster Box of additional weights and boost the weight up to 15 or 20 pounds. I think the 10 pound weighted vest would be fine for preventing osteoporosis and for most women. Men would probably like a little heavier weight. Once you get the vest on, the weight is so well distributed it feels light.

I highly recommend this vest! You won’t be disappointed. Here’s a
video showing you how to put the weight vest on and take it off and how well it fits.

Review Follow up – May 2012

I’ve been wearing this vest for several months now and still love it. The vest came with 10 pounds of weight and I ordered the extra weight and filled up the empty pockets which put the vest at 13 pounds. That is plenty of weight for me to really get my heart rate up while doing circuit training. The great part is my body fat has dropped 4%. I do lots of squats and lunges (front, side-to-side and walking) with the vest on and my legs are really toned. Hope this helps you get the right vest for you.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

Now that we know how to use metabolic rates to lose weight we can set a weight loss goal. Again, we will use my situation to set a weight loss goal. My daily metabolic rate is 1127 (resting) + 451 (daily activity level) = 1578 calories burned/calories out. To lose weight, calories in have to be lower than calories out but not less than 1200 calories in. (If I wanted to gain weight, calories in would have to be higher than calories out.)

If I kept my lifestyle (activity level) the same, my weight loss would be 1578 calories out – 1200 calories in = 378 calories a day. Since we have to burn 3500 calories to lose a pound it would take me almost 10 days to burn 3500 calories. To be exact it would take 3500 divided by 378 = 9.26 days. If I wanted to lose 10 pounds it would take me 9.26 days x 10 pounds = 92.6 days divided by 30 days (1 month) or just over 3 months.

But let’s assume I’m going to a class reunion in 2 months and I want to lose 10 pounds before then. 10 pounds = 3500 calories x 10 = 35000 calories I have to lose in 60 days (2 x 30 days). That’s 35000 calories divided by 60 days = 583 calories per day I have to burn. Since I can’t eat any less than the 1200 daily calories I’m eating, I to have to exercise to burn the difference between the 583 calories I need to burn daily and the 378 calories I can cut out with my diet. 583 – 378 = 205 calories I have to burn off with exercise. Now let’s see how much weight we would lose each week if we burn 583 calories each day. 7 days x 583 calories divided by 3500 calories (1 pound) = 1.17 pounds a week we would lose. Most nutritionists recommend a pound a week weight loss. Mainly because losing weight slowly helps you build healthy eating habits and you’re more likely to keep the weight off. If you’re otherwise healthy, you should be able to safely and healthfully lose about 1% of your body weight per week. More than 1% per week and you can damage your body, reduce your resistance to sickness like colds and flu and cut down on the amount of energy you have to get through the day. Our goal of 1.17 pounds per week is below the healthy weight loss of 1.5 pounds for someone weighing 150 pounds.

Now let’s assume our class reunion is in 30 days. Since we only have half the time, we would have to lose twice as much each week or 2.34 pounds. That is not a healthy rate for someone weighing 150. For me, it would also mean a 1200 calorie diet and 410 exercise calories per day. If we look at examples of calories burned while walking you can see how long you would have to exercise to burn 410 calories. And that’s doing it EVERY DAY!

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

From my post on metabolism testing I know my resting metabolic rate is 1127 calories. My lifestyle calories burned (based on a light lifestyle) is 451 calories. So the number of calories I can eat each day and maintain my weight at my current lifestyle is 1578 (1127+451). So the next step is to figure out how I can use my metabolic rates to lose weight. To do that we have to know a few more things.

First, one body pound is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose one pound of weight I have to eat 3500 fewer calories or do enough exercise to burn off 3500 calories or some combination of eating and exercise. Since it doesn’t make sense to try to lose weight on a daily basis, we will do calculations based on a weekly rate.

A good rule is to weigh yourself every day when you are trying to maintain your weight, and weigh only once a week when you are trying to lose weight. I weigh every Monday after I pee and before I eat breakfast. Monday weigh-ins keep me from pigging out on the weekend since I know I have to weigh first thing Monday.

Most nutritionist agree a health weight loss goal is 1 pound a week. That means you need to lose calories each day or 3500 calories divided by 7 days = 500 calories. So you can subtract 500 calories from the number of calories needed to maintain your weight. In my case, I need 1578 to maintain. By subtracting 500 I can only eat 1078 calories each day in order to lose 1 pound a week. But I also know my resting metabolic weight is 1127. So if I only eat 1078, I won’t lose weight because my body will think it is in trouble and will store the calories I eat as fat. Therefore, I can only cut my food calories to 1200. By subtracting 1078 from 1200 = 122 means I have to do enough exercise to burn 122 calories. So my daily weight loss equation looks like this:

Calories Out: 1127 (resting metabolic rate) – 451 Lifestyle – 122 exercise = 1700
Calories In: 1200 (food)

Calories Out – Calories In = 1700 – 1200 = -500

So I have lost 500 calories or 1/7th of a pound. By keeping up this formula I will lose 1 pound a week, that is 7 x 500 calories = 3500 calories which = 1 pound.

If I want to lose more than 1 pound a week it is clear that I can’t eat any less food, so I will have to exercise more.

How Much Exercise Do I Need to Lose Weight?

Figuring how much you have to exercise to lose weight is easy once you know how many calories you need to burn each day to lose the amount of weight you want to lose. In the example above, I need to do enough exercise to burn 122 calories every day in addition to keeping my calorie intake at 1200 calories in order to lose 1 pound a week. So I need to find an exercise that I like to do and will keep doing that will burn 122 calories.

One way to know when you have burned 122 calories is use a piece of exercise equipment that will tell you how many calories you have burned based on how long you use it and how hard you are exercising. For example, many treadmills will show you how many calories you have burned as you walk or run. It takes approximately 100 calories to move 150 pounds 1 mile. So most machines are based on a person weighing 150 pounds. To find your actual calories burned your would have to adjust the machines calorie count according to your weight. Suppose the machine shows you have burned 200 calories. That means, if you weighed 150 pounds you have burned 200 calories. But you actually weigh 175 pounds. To adjust for your actual weight you divide 200 cal/150 pounds then multiple by your weight of 175 pounds and find that you have burned 233 calories. If you weigh less than 150 it’s the same drill, you divide 200/150 x your weight to find how many calories you burned.

The next post will show you how to set a weight loss goal.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

After weeks of frustration trying to lose weight I decided to get a metabolic assessment at my club. The goal of the test is to find two points in my metabolism. One point is my base rate, which is the rate at which my body is the most efficient at burning fat. The second point is my threshold which is point where my body is most inefficient at burning fat. By knowing these two points, I can see how my body responds to exercise and I can loose fat more efficiently by making my workouts more efficient.

Metabolism Testing

To find my resting metabolic rate all I had to do was sit in a chair and breathe normally through my mouth while wearing a mask. The expelled air is a mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide which when analyzed tells your resting metabolic rate. The resting metabolic rate is how many calories you body needs to support your vital organs. So if all you did is sit and breathe all day, the number of calories your body burned in a day would be your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Once you know your resting metabolic rate you can add the number of calories you burn everyday based on your lifestyle. A “very light” lifestyle means you site all day, “light” lifestyle is equivalent to standing all day. Moderate lifestyle would be standing with some physical labor. A heavy lifestyle means heavy physical labor.

Why Do You Need to Know Your Metabolic Rate

Weight management (maintaining a healthy weight) is a very simple formula — Calories in must equal Calories out. Calories out is measured as your metabolic rate which is how many calories you burn in a day or for a given activity. Your daily calorie burn rate is equal to the calories you burn at rest (such as while you are sleeping or sitting) + calories you burn doing your daily activities (this includes what your do around the house as well as at work or school) + any calories you burn with exercise (this would be exercise that is not part of your normal day). Add these up and you can find out how many calories you burn that day. Once you know calories out then you can maintain your weight by counting the calories in — that is, the calories in the food you eat that day. Knowing your BMI is also important.

Knowing your resting metabolic weight is important, too. Remember, your resting metabolic rate is how much energy (calories) your body needs to support your vital organs. If you eat fewer calories than your body needs to support your vital organs your body may sense that it is in trouble and respond by getting rid of lean muscle instead of burning fat. In other words, your body will try to get rid of weight so it won’t have to work so hard. By going on a diet that is few calories than your resting metabolic rate can cause you not to lose weight because your body will store the food thinking it is in trouble.

The Results of My Metabolism Testing

After the resting test, I got on a treadmill to find out my exercise metabolic rate. By knowing these metabolic rates, I can figure out how many calories I can eat each day and lose weight. I also found out at what level of exercise my body quits burning fat efficiently.

My resting metabolic rate is 1127 calories. My lifestyle calories based on a light lifestyle is 451 calories. So the number of calories I can eat each day and maintain my weight at my current lifestyle is 1578. So the next trick is to figure out how I can use my metabolic rates to lose weight, how to lose fat instead of muscle and how to burn fat more efficiently.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use

I started a diet in Jan. 2012 to lose 20 pounds. I knew it would be tough going since I’m only 5’1″. But I had made up my mind to get in shape one last time and then try to keep it off with a lifestyle change of being more active. Since I have been forced into semi-retirement due to the economy, I feel I have the time to exercise as well as eat healthier. But after 3 weeks of a 1200 calorie diet and exercising my butt off, I had  lost only 1 pound. When I went for my yearly physical in February, I complained to my doctor about how hard it was for me to lose weight. He suggested that I try LipoVite injections to help with my weight loss.

I’m not a fan of weight loss gimmicks like diet pills, crash or fad diets. I’m old school — calories in must be less than calories out. So I decided to attack my weight loss with knowledge about my own metabolism and get a little help from the LipoVite which is a combination of lipotropics and vitamins. One of the nurses said she takes the shots along with  Adipex pills and she had lost quite a bit of weight. So I decided to take the shots per my doctors’s advice and see what happened.

Lipovite Injection Results

There are 20 shots in the series. My first shot was February 6, 2012. I get the shots first thing every Monday morning. When I go into the doctor’s office, they weigh be first, then record my weight and weight loss. Then I get the shot in my hip, which burns a little for about 2-3 minutes. After about 2-3 minutes, I can taste the shot hahaha, tastes like vitamins. I haven’t had any unwanted side-effects from the shots.

In addition to the shots, I have been on a 1300 calorie diet and at least an hour of aerobic exercise 6 days a week. Some days I exercise for 2 hours.

• Feb 6. – Shot 1
• Feb 13. – Shot 2, no weight loss
• Feb 20. – Shot 3, 2 pound weight loss since last week
• Feb 27. – Shot 4, 1 pound weight loss since last week, 3 pounds total
• Mar 5 – Shot 5, 0 weight loss, 3 pounds total
• Mar 12 – Shot 6, 1 pound weight loss, 4  pounds total

I’ve read that the results are cumulative, meaning the effects of the LipoVite build up the longer you take the shots.

Here is the info sheet I was given about Lipo-Vite:

Lipo-Vite Injection Information

Lipotropic means fat loving. Basically lipotropics are substances that  liquify or homogenize fats.

What are the main functions of lipotropics?

• They increase the production of lecithin by the liver. This helps to solubilize cholesterol, thereby lessening cholesterol deposits in blood vessels and decreasing the choice of gallstone formation. (Gallstones are made of cholesterol).
• They prevent the accumulation of fats in the liver. A fatty liver can cause sluggish liver function.
• They detoxify amines (by-products of protein metabolism) This is important for people on a high protein diet.
• They increase resistance to disease. They help the thymus gland carry out its anti-disease function by stimulating the production of autibodies. Stimulating the growth of phagocytes, which surround aud gobble up viruses aud microbes. They also recognize aud destroy foreign and abnormal tissue.

What are some of the important functions of the iodividual Lipotropics?

• Choline: Metabolizes fat.
  Deficiency of Choline can lead to cirrhosis and fatty degeneration of the liver aud hardening of the arteries (arterioscleroais). It is used today for ailments such as gall bladder trouble, diabetes, Muscular Dystrophy, Glaucoma, senility aud memory problems (forgetfulness). Choline detoxifies amines that are the by-product.
• Inositol: Deficiency of Inositol can lead to hair loss. It works with Vitamin E to facilitate its actions in treatment of Muscular Dystrophy. It is used in nerve aud muscle disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis aud Cerebral Palsy. Caffeine may cause depletion of Inositol.
• Methionine: It works with Choline to detoxify amines, which are the by-products of protein metabolism. It acts as a catalyst for Choline aud Inositol, opening up their functions. Along with Choline it aids in reducing liver fat aud protects the kidneys.

How are Lipotropics Supplied?

They are supplied in shot form. Doctors generally prescribe I cc per week injected intramuscularly. (Mobilizes the fat aud helps to break it down, it has Vitamin B6 to help you lose your water weight aud Vitamin B12 which boosts your energy level.

How much do Lipo-Vite Injections Cost?

Lipovite iojections are done in a twelve-week period and cost $200 for the twelve shots. Patients generally come in once a week to get injections and weigh.

HealthPages.org | Health Information You Can Use