Women's Personal Fitness Blog

Curious about Sensa?

2012-10-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

I have been curious about the weight loss product called Sensa and while looking it up on the internet, I found this great article/review on WebMD. FYI check it out! http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-sensa

Sedentary Disease

2012-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The financial cost of obesity related disease is $150 billion annually in the US and is expected to double in less than 9 years.

Until the 1970's Americans had no struggles with expanding waistlines. What has brought about this sudden change? On average, Americans consume only 100 calories more per day than during the 1960's, according to the National Institutes of Health. Alarmingly, American's burn 600 to 700 calories less per day than during the 1960's. Do the math, that is 1 pound of weight gain per work week.

The reasons for this decreasing daily calorie burn should be obvious to everyone: 2 hour sitting work commutes, sedentary sitting computer related desk jobs, 500 cable channel televisions: America is literally sitting itself to death!

While the healthcare reform experts and special interests groups point fingers in all directions, true leadership is not recognizing the obesity problem, educating the nation or enacting reforms designed to solve this problem. An emphasis on disease prevention versus treatment would be much more effective financially and clinically. While there is no doubt that many of the healthcare reforms currently contemplated are necessary, an approach instituting "movement" and "nutrition" back into the lives of Americans would have a much greater impact, drastically cutting the costs of healthcare.

More than 58 diseases are directly related to obesity in this country, including the top three killers, heart disease, cancer and stroke. Two out of every three American adults are overweight with 50% of this number clinically obese.

Innovative products have entered the market place, from the Trek Desk (http://www.trekdesk.com/), which is used in conjunction with a treadmill to Body Togs, (http://www.womenspersonalfitness.net/) wearable weighted sleeves worn on your arms and legs to increase calorie burn. Use your bike (check out: http://www.terratrike.com/ ) instead of your car whenever possible, or consider walking! Don't forget to walk your dog, go to http://www.puplife.com/.

Limit Trans Fat

2012-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Trans fat is so prevalent in our diets that it's almost impossible to avoid consuming a few grams. Trans fat may contribute to our cell's resistance to insulin, and this resistance may in turn lead to obesity. By changing the way our cells behave, trans fat also contributes to cancer and diabetes and heart disease. In a study conducted by Harvard University, researchers determined that healthier people ate no more than 2 or 3 grams of trans fat per day. Consider the following suggestions:

Read food Labels! If it has the word, "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredients, don't eat it.
Keep total fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in fish, nuts, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, avocados, and vegetable oils. These fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when used in place of saturated fat.
Use olive oil for cooking and salads. Nutritionists are also taking a fresh look at coconut and palm oils, which may have cancer-fighting benefits.
Avoid fried foods in restaurants. Some food chains are making the move away from using trans fat.
Reduce your intake of processed foods, and look for those made with healthy oils. When you buy a muffin premade at the grocery store, if it's not packaged, there's no way to read the ingredients. Just assume it contains trans fat, probably made with partially hydrogenated fat of some kind. Eat an apple instead.
Watch portions. If food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, the FDA will allow it to carry a trans-fat-free label, so check the ingredients label to see if "partially hydrogenated oil" is listed. Limit portions to limit trans-fat intake.

Overeating and The Brain

2012-07-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

The brain tells us when we are hungry. Specialists think of the stomach as our second brain because our intestinal track actually produces more neurotransmitters or chemicals that work on our brains than the brain does it’s self. So, the body is really one system. Think of your brain as the super computer that is running every thing and it is all inter-connected.

But does the brain tell us to overeat? Sometimes it does, if people have damage to certain parts of the brain, they can have faulty signals. The prefrontal cortex comprises 30% of the human brain and acts as the supervisor of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until age 25. When it is weak or damaged, it is like the supervisor in your head is taking a break. So when your inner child is having a tantrum, wanting that 3rd piece of cheesecake, there is less control over the situation. If your prefrontal cortex is not working right, nothing in your life is going to be right. So head injuries can affect overeating as well as low blood sugar. If you don’t eat breakfast and provide your brain with the proper nutrients it requires to operate well, you are going to make bad decisions about food the rest of the day. If you don’t sleep well, you will have lower blood flow to the brain, so sleep is equally important.

In the studies that have been done by specialists, including Dr. Daniel Annen, being healthy is critical to thinking right. In fact, as a body’s weight goes up the actual size of our brain goes down, so judgment changes and reasoning goes down. Also, if you’ve had a brain injury, overeating goes up. If you’ve been eating badly for a long time, you become addicted to the bad foods like fat, sugar and salt. When you put them in certain combinations, they actually work on the heroin or morphine receptors in the brain.

Dr. Julian Bales, Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at West Virginia University Health Science Center, is on the front line of an experimental approach for the treatment of obesity. The approach targets the brain and not the stomach.

Deep brain stimulation is the insertion of electrodes deep in the brain’s hypothalamus, the part that controls our appetites. Neurosurgeons have spearheaded a FDA approved study to see if this could possibly have a benefit for patients with morbid obesity, the most severe form. It works by placing electrodes on both sides of the brain into the hypothalamus, one into the part that is the satiety center which makes you feel full and the other side is the appetite center where the drive for eating is located.

These electrodes have contacts on them that go through these areas, with a pacemaker type generator inserted under the skin. From the pacemaker, they are able to change the settings, and affect the appetite drive those patients have.

In the first series they did, they have learned that the procedure can be done safely, with no side affects and they can affect the urge to eat! They believe it will be well tolerated. They do not have all the results yet, and are now trying to fine tune the settings to see if they can get the weight loss desired by the doctors and patients.

Make the Decision for Good Health

2012-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Suzy had trouble deciding what exercise she should do to start her weight loss program. She claimed she really didn’t like to exercise. She wavered at the grocery store when picking out the foods she would buy for herself and her family. “Will they complain and give me trouble if I don’t buy the usual junk foods?” she thought to herself.

Was Suzy feeling fear of the unknown or just plain indecision. The answer is, she was feeling both. Fear of experiencing backlash from her family, fear of failure (“Am I a joke trying to make these changes?”) and fear that the pain of perceived deprivation would be too great to endure.

Suzy had not yet made the “definitive decision” to change her and her family’s lifestyle for better health.

Make the Decision to:

Buy and eat only wholesome, healthy foods in modest quantities.
Find a way to get active, mixing what you like to do with what you can do and commit to doing it daily or as often as possible.
Learn as much as possible about the most healthy way to live your life. "Knowledge is Power!"

After you have "Made the Decision," everything else will fall into place.

Fanaticism for Health

2012-07-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

While in the kitchen with my husband, he stated he wasn’t very hungry and didn’t want to eat much. I announced with my finger in the air, “Eat less and live longer! That’s a great slogan,” I realized. “I’ll write that down and use it in my Blog and Website!” But my husband said, “You better watch out. You don’t want to scare people away with your fanaticism.”

That made me stop to take notice. I’m not talking about becoming anorexic. I’m talking about:

When you eat less you carry less excess body fat which is a contributor to disease.
When you eat less, studies have shown an increase in life expectancy.
Becoming a fanatic about such an important topic as nutrition and health is a good thing, not bad. The outcome is much better than with the opposite, apathy.

Weight Loss Begins in the Mind

2012-07-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Losing weight is more about how the dieter thinks about food than food itself. Lasting weight loss success involves planning and the right mindset.

Terminating a life long pattern of turning to food for feelings other than hunger is vital for any weight loss plan (lifestyle change) to work. Filling emotional needs with emotional solutions and using food for physical nourishment only, is key to any effective weight loss plan. Seeking comfort, security, love or solace in appropriate ways allows the dieter to manage their food intake intelligently and effectively.

Tips for Successful Weight Loss
The successful dieter plans for success well before starting a weight loss plan. Just as a star student prepares for finals, the dieter who prepares for success before beginning will reap a higher level of achievement. A mind that has been prepared for change is better able to work with that change. Choose a weight loss start date of less than 30 days (not to be confused with procrastination) to begin both physical and mental preparation.

Eliminate all foods from the household cupboards that are not on the healthy eating list. (A local homeless shelter will make good use of them.) Begin stocking only foods compatible with healthy eating.
Learn to read food labels and consider purchasing whole, unprocessed foods instead (found mostly on the outside isles of the grocery store.)
Since water is a staple for every effective weight loss program, plan for a way to have it nearby at all times. You will need to use this water as a replacement if you are a pop drinker.
Monitor thoughts for negativity or victim mentality. Such thoughts will sabotage success. Take note of the urges to "make yourself feel better by eating" and acknowledge what emotions you are feeling at that time.
Begin thinking of nurturing things that are not food related that you can do to "make yourself feel better." Some examples may be, walking, riding your bike, talking with a friend, reading, listening to music, etc. Make a list of these things and start implementing these alternatives.
Pamper the body, mind and spirit with personally meaningful non-food activities or things. Don't forget meditation or prayer. Affirmations also can help you to "change your mind."

You will undoubtedly experience discomfort during this process. Just remember that these steps you are taking will eventually become new habits and the discomfort will subside with practice and time. Just like the cigarette smoker who stops smoking. Eventually, the pain and discomfort subsides as life goes on, only leaner and healthier.

78 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

2012-07-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

78 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

Straight from the writings of Dr. Victor Frank, founder/creator of Total Body Modification, here are 78 reasons to avoid sugar.

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2. Sugar can upset the body's mineral balance.
3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.
4. Sugar can drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
5. Sugar can adversely affect children's school grades.
6. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
7. Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
8. Sugar can cause kidney damage.
9. Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol.
10. Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol.
11. Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency.
12. Sugar may cause copper deficiency.
13. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
14. Sugar may lead to cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, and rectum.
15. Sugar can cause colon cancer with an increased risk in women.
16. Sugar can be a risk factor in gall bladder cancer.
17. Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
18. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
19. Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which can narrow blood vessels.
20. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
21. Sugar can produce acidic stomach.
22. Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
23. Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
24. Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and gray hair.
25. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
26. Sugar can produce tooth decay.
27. Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
28. High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
29. Sugar can case a raw, inflamed intestinal tract in person with gastric or duodenal ulcers.
30. Sugar can cause arthritis.
31. Sugar can cause asthma.
32. Sugar can cause candidiasis (yeast infection).
33. Sugar can lead to the formation of gallstones.
34. Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
35. Sugar can cause ischemic heart disease.
36. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
37. Sugar can exacerbate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
38. Sugar can indirectly cause hemorrhoids.
39. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
40. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraception users.
41. Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
42. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
43. Sugar contributes to saliva acidity.
44. Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
45. Sugar leads to a decreased glucose tolerance.
46. Sugar can decrease growth hormone.
47. Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
48. Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
49. Sugar can change the structure of protein causing interference with protein absorption.
50. Sugar causes food allergies.
51. Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
52. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
53. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
54. Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
55. Sugar can impair the structure of DNA.
56. Sugar can cause cataracts.
57. Sugar can cause emphysema.
58. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
59. Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
60. Sugar lowers the enzymes' abilities to function.
61. Sugar can cause the loss of tissue elasticity and function.
62. Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
63. Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.
64. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
65. Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
66. Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
67. Sugar can cause constipation.
68. Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness).
69. Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
70. Sugar can cause hypertension.
71. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
72. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind's ability to think clearly.
73. Sugar can cause depression.
74. Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low-sugar diets.
75. Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.
76. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.
77. Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness, which increases risk of blood clots.
78. Sugar can increase the risk of Alzheimer's Disease.
Health is always moving on a continuum between sickness/disease and wellness. The only time health stands still is when the heart no longer beats. Which way are you moving?

eatingforfatloss.com
Chaim Alexander,
Holistic Wellness Coach

Time to Exercise

2012-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Daily we hear statements like, "Every 33 seconds an American dies of cardiovascular disease" or "more than 62% of Americans are considered obese." These statements may stir up urgency in many people, as they should, to try to avoid the pain, suffering and disease caused by obesity. Losing weight and getting fit can be the struggle of your lifetime. The need to change your lifestyle by eating healthier and exercising more can be difficult, but not impossible. Undeniably, it is true; the "Time to Exercise" is now.

This article covers 3 main points:

What TIME is the best TIME to exercise?

How much TIME should I exercise for?

I just don't have any TIME to exercise!

Read complete article at: http://womenspersonalfitness.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=page&id=26

Is drinking soda really that bad for you?

2012-06-21T05:32:00.000-07:00

Read the low down on drinking soda. Great report from CNN News! Personally, I prefer Water.

Editor's note: Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNN's diet and fitness expert, is a physician nutrition specialist and the author of "The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life."

(CNN) -- Q: I've heard so much about the dangers of drinking soda. Is it really all that bad for you? Or is it just empty calories?

You may have heard about a new study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Nutrition that found an increased risk of stroke in people who consumed more than one soda per day.

These findings are not surprising in light of the growing body of evidence linking intake of sugar sweetened beverages -- of which soda makes up the largest percentage -- and diseases such as......

read complete article here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/health/jampolis-dangers-drinking-soda/index.html

Diabetes Prevention

2012-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Diabetes is probably the easiest of the silent diseases for you to predict. A sedentary lifestyle paired with excess weight and the over consumption of high glycemic-index foods is a recipe for disaster that can lead to Type II diabetes. Careful monitoring of your weight and your food choices will help you prevent diabetes.

Focus on lean proteins at each meal, and restrict your sugar and starch intake. You also need to choose fiber-rich whole grains to release glucose in a steady stream to moderate blood sugar levels. Good food choices include:

Dietary fibers (Whole Grains)
Eggs
Flaxseed oil
Lamb
Lean Beef
Low-fat
cottage cheese
Nuts and seeds (raw): almonds, sesame seeds, hazelnuts,cashews
Poultry
Soy Products
Cold-water fish
Veal
Yogurt
Low glycemic vegetables

Calcium Pills Linked to Heart Risk

2012-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Weight Train for Weight Loss

2012-06-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

Including weight training in your exercise/weight loss plan will make the overall difference in the outcome of your new healthy lifestyle/diet change. Not only will you build more calorie burning muscle to aid with speedier fat burning, but your body strength and shape will transform. And muscle acts as an active furnace which increases your metabolism and burns fat all day, even while you sleep!

The library has an assortment of books to get you started at home lifting weights and/or exercising.
You don't need alot of hand weights. Plastic milk jugs filled with water at varied levels can work fine.
Use your own body weight with calisthenic type floor exercises (push ups, sit ups, etc). You will not only be strengthening your muscles but burning calories too.
Weight bearing exercise also increases bone density to avoid osteoporosis. Burn fat & build bone density at the same time!
There are very few legitimate excuses as to why you cannot do an exercise program at home.
Exercise videos and DVDs can transform your living room into your gym!
The chances of you building the huge muscles you see in the magazines is slim unless this is what you intentionally train for. Women cannot genetically build the huge muscles that men do. The testosterone is just not there.
Weight training strengthens muscles to not only be stronger but lessen possible injuries.
Weight training increases your self-esteem and self-confidence as well as improve your balance and coordination.
This type of exercise improves overall health by enhancing your immune system, decreases blood pressure and risk of many diseases such as diabetes.

So, if you are not doing the above already, get started today! Go to your local library or book store to get your guide! Take your health into your own hands. When you feel sore from your first workout, remember that it only lasts until your body gets accustomed to the changes and that the soreness is your muscles saying “Thank You!”

The Answer to Cancer – 5 Must have foods that can stop Cancer in it’s tracks.

2012-06-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

Dr. Oz says, “Every one of us has cancer growing in us right now.” It’s called, cancer without disease, and we have the power to prevent it from becoming deadly.

Did you know that a microscopic tumor can grow up to 16,000 times its original size in as little as 2 weeks?

Cancer cells are fed by new blood vessels that are formed by a process called: “Angiogenesis.” Angiogenesis is a highly delicate balancing act. Cancer cells throw this balancing act out of whack by releasing chemicals that cause too many new blood vessels to develop. These excess blood vessels not only feed our healthy cells, but also those ravenously hungry, rogue cancer cells. The more fuel they receive, the more these microscopic malignancies grow and divide. That’s how the smallest cancer cells that live in all of us can morph quietly into life threatening tumors.

William W. Li, MD President, The Angiogenesis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts states, “More than 70 major diseases affecting more than a billion people worldwide share abnormal angiogenesis as their common denominator. In particular, angiogenesis is a hallmark of every type of cancer. “It’s about you and what you choose to eat,” says Dr. Li. Over 100 foods contain inhibitors that prevent angiogenesis, but not all of these foods are created equal. Some are more potent than others.

5 Foods that can Prevent Cancer from growing inside you.

1. Bok Choy – This type of Chinese cabbage contains brassinin; a powerful cancer-fighter, also found in broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Bok Choy should be eaten 3 times a week, in 1/2 cup servings to obtain its full benefits.
2. Cooked Tomatoes – have more cancer-fighting properties than raw tomatoes. Both contain the molecule lycopene, (which is an anti-angiogenesis compound) but heating the tomato and adding olive oil changes its chemical structure and makes the benefits more readily available to your body. You should eat 2-3 (1/2 cup) servings of cooked tomatoes a week. In studies, men eating 2 to 3 servings of cooked tomatoes a week had a 50% reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer.
3. Flounder – This fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury. Three 6-ounce servings a week is ideal.
4. Strawberries – The antioxidants in this berry help fight cancers. You should eat 1 cup a day, including the juice.
5. Artichokes contain 3 different cancer-fighting molecules. Enjoy ¼ cup of hearts per day.
The important thing to understand is that these are foods in which there is evidence that they can reduce cancer. The servings and sizes are general guidelines. The more we eat of these foods, the better it is for us.

Other great cancer inhibiting foods are:Green tea – Dunk Your Teabag. Dunking a tea bag up and down releases more cancer-fighting molecules than letting the bag just sit in the cup.
Soybeans – Fermented soy, like the kind used in miso soup, contains four times more cancer fighters than regular soybeans.
ChocolateCinnamon
Chewing leafy greens helps to release enzymes that activate cancer-fighting molecules embedded deep in the leaves.
Broccoli sprouts can contain more cancer-fighting properties than regular broccoli.
Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples have twice as many cancer fighters as Fuji or Golden Delicious apples.
The San Marzano tomato contains more cancer fighters than any other variety.
Wine grapes grown in cooler climates have more cancer fighters than grapes grown in warmer climates.

We now know that all fruits and vegetables are not created equal – some are much more potent than others, based on their anti-angiogenesis profiles.

Dr. Oz says to choose one cancer fighting food for each meal. At 3 meals each day, that adds up to more than a thousand of cancer fighting food choices each year.

Trail Love

2012-06-08T06:31:00.000-07:00

Every time I speed walk my trail, I think about writing about the “Trail Love” I feel. So here it is.

We first encountered the trail years ago while living on the opposite side of town. We loved to inline skate the newly paved trail way that hugged the Portage Creek for a total of about 3 miles. In the beginning, there were not many visitors and it seemed like the trail was ours alone. For several years, we would drive across town as often as we could to “skate the trail.”

When the time came that we considered downsizing and moving, we knew we wanted to find a place close to the trail, so we could use it often. We found a place and fixed it up very near the trail. It’s a place where we could put our inline skates on in our living room, head out the door, down the street and onto the trail. We loved it!

In the earlier days, the trail/park has served us with play equipment for the grand kids, a great place to ride our bikes, skate and walk. We have even kayaked down the Portage Creek within the park! The added bonus of beautiful wild life is priceless. We have seen many deer, turkeys, red fox, rabbits, turtles, and heron over the years.

So, when I speed walk the trail, the first thing I notice are the other people. Some are regulars I see often and some not. There seems to be a bit of “trail camaraderie” present with people greeting each other with a “Good Morning” or “Hi” as we each are eager to do our own thing.

It doesn’t take long to smell the aromas of the air. Some musty, wet leaved smells are unlike anything else you’ve ever smelled. Sometimes there are floral smells from the wild flowers and sometimes I can smell the bakery waft from blocks away. It’s the deep breathing that encourages the smells to take note in my brain with love; I experience the love at that time. A bit of motivational reward for doing what I am doing. I also look forward to the change of seasons and conditions. This spring when the cottonwood trees had released their seed, I saw a magnificent “cottonwood seed tornado” as it blew and created the vortex right in front of me. The changing and dropping leaves are another joy. It just never ends.

I feel the same motivational reward looking and scanning the area for deer, their fawns or any other wild life I can see. I have been blessed so many times with close encounters with fawn and doe. I can see them so close in the wild. I think they are a little bit used to us trail users, but they will bolt away in a flash! Because I try to walk on a regular basis, I use this motivational reward as an incentive to get out and get my workout done! Instead of languishing in the mood of “I don’t feel like it,” I think about the incentive of “Trail Love,” and I find it easier to stay in the habit of speed walking the trail.

And in the meantime, I am getting my exercise in, getting my heart rate up, burning off whatever I shouldn’t have eaten the day before and hopefully staying healthy.

I’ve had this revelation happen to me over the years as I have struggled with my perpetual laziness. Even though I know I should get my workout in, there is a lazy Linda sitting on my left shoulder saying, “Let’s just sit on the couch and watch TV.”

So, the next time you are getting in your workout, don’t think about the hard work it will be, think instead about what you will like about your workout. Think about the benefits or love you may experience in your workout. If you don’t find you have any love in your workout, maybe you should re-evaluate what you’re doing and do an exercise that you enjoy or at least can find some enjoyable aspects of.

Sugared Drinks and Pancreatic Cancer Connection

2012-05-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Researchers tracked 60,524 subjects in Singapore over 14 years and found that those who drank two or more sodas a week had an 87% increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota said that the high amount of sugar in the soda may be to blame, boosting the body's insulin levels which spurs cancer cell growth. Other experts warned that the study may be based on too few cases and other risk factors such as smoking may have contributed to the results. The findings are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

I always knew there was a reason not to drink sugary soda pop!

Excessive Sitting Linked to Premature Death in Women

2012-05-28T05:20:00.001-07:00

Research released last fall found that women who sat for more than six hours a day had a 37 percent increased risk of premature death, compared to 18 percent for men. Those results stayed the same, even when factors such as an individual's diet, amount of physical activity and smoking were taken into account.

Dr. Alpa Patel, senior epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, is the lead author of that study, the largest on how sitting affects mortality. The study was based on information from surveys of 123,000 people who participated in the study between 1992 and 2006.

Females who sat the longest and exercised the least had twice the risk of death compared with women who recorded more activity and less sitting. Under similar circumstances for men, there was only a 50 percent greater chance of death.

Patel can't explain why sitting may be more hazardous to women's health. It's unclear whether the varying results are caused by gender, or if there's some other influence at work.

"We don't understand the biological reason why it might be more detrimental to women than men."

TrekDesk has made the solution affordable!

Designed to fit any existing treadmill, TrekDesk is an affordable, full sized workstation that allows individuals the opportunity to gain the necessary amount of exercise daily to maintain health, prevent disease, strengthen muscles, boost mood and productivity, without requiring additional time during the day or extra motivation.

TrekDesk is currently available at WomensPersonalFitness.net for $479.00 including free shipping.

Write it Down

2012-05-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

First you need to determine what will be your weight loss calorie allotment for each day, (go to:) Figure Calorie Intake to Lose Weight

http://www.womenspersonalfitness.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=page&id=3&chapter=3

Write down every morsel that passes your lips. It' too easy to underestimate how much you eat. After more than 30 years of watching my waist, I still record my food intake, exercise for the day and my current weight. I keep mine on the refrigerator door, very convenient.

The best little calorie counter book I have found is called, "The Doctor's Pocket Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter." It contains every count for every food, including the meals at your favorite restaurants! This book can be found in most book stores or visit:

http://www.calorieking.com/ You will love it!

"Knowledge is Power!"

Figure Your Basal Metabolic Rate

2012-05-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

I know I have stressed the importance of keeping track of what you eat and the amount of calories you consume, but do you know what your Basal Metabolic Rate is? That is the amount of calories you burn each day depending on your height, existing weight and sex while you are at rest and at different levels of activity! I have listed the Harris-Benedict Formula for Men & Women on my website and you can see it here. Check it out!

Change Your Thinking

2012-05-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

All successful people have one thing in common. Good Thinking! They realize that to change their lives, they must change their thinking.

"All that we are is a result of what we have thought"........Buddha

Very, very basic, but true. If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten. Also true, if we always think the way we have always thought, we will always get the same results.

In order to facilitate real, lasting change of our lifestyles toward better health and fitness, we not only need to change what we eat and how we move (exercise) but also, how we think.

I once read a cute blurb: "We only like things that are good and don't like things that are bad." When I read that, I thought, "That's right. It's all in the interpretation!"

How do you interpret "things, foods, thoughts, etc?" Are you still looking at, let's use the example, "homemade gooey cookies" as good? Or is your first impression, "they are bad, unwelcome, poor health contributors, bad for me? I know I may sound a bit extreme, but, if we don't change the way we think about certain things, will we ever really be able to make that change?

Try to identify certain thought patterns you may experience that may be a "stumbling block" in your healthy lifestyle journey.

Why Wear Weights?

2012-05-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

We all know that exercise increases the amount of exertion and calorie burn. Adding additional weight to the exercise increases exertion, work load and the amount of calories burned. Plus, the extra weight affects the muscles involved to work against the resistance (weights) which builds muscle tone/size, strength and fitness.

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TerraTrike Test Drive Review

2012-05-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

TerraTrike.com

Last weekend I attended an Open House for TerraTrike recumbent trike. I test drove a Rover on their warehouse track. It was awesome! It drove so comfortable and smooth. With two wheels in the front, it provides tighter turning. I could use a bike like this that's emission-free and laugh at high gas prices while tooling around my community. I can opt in for accessories that would allow me to pick up a few things at the store or pack a picnic lunch! I could trike to the local library, drug store, or just enjoy the afternoon with a trike ride down the trail. This is the type of activity that I wrote about in the article, "9 Lifestyle Changes for Better Health."

TerraTrike.com

The first feature you'll notice on the Rover is it's seat height. A full 4 inches higher than most tadpole trikes. It's the same height as a standard office chair. This makes getting in and out a breeze. It also puts the rider at eye level with most drivers for better visibility. The seat quickly adjusts through a wide range of sizes with the flip of a lever. The frame length is also adjustable providing even more sizing options. The Rover's ingenious design makes it easy to transport. The trike is comprised of 4 parts that quickly bolt together. This makes it very simple to break down and fit into any car. Price starts at $699. To find a dealer near you or get additional information, visit: TerraTrike.com

Is Sugar Toxic?

2012-04-02T06:04:00.001-07:00

Mindful Weight Loss Diet

2012-01-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

The first step towards attaining or maintaining an ideal weight is recognizing weight management is more about thought processes and lifestyle than food. Thousands of dieters start a fast diet regime every day, one that may indeed melt off a few excess pounds immediately, only to have an emotional issue or craving throw them back into making unhealthy choices. Understanding one’s relationship to food is crucial to reprogramming self-defeating patterns.

Secondly, creating a vast array of choices other than food for emotional needs and building a reserve base of alternatives for times when ‘chocolate calls’ or the smell of a favorite comfort food beckons gives the dieter an upper hand over old counter-productive patterns. A network of supportive friends to call or a planned activity to replace non-hunger related craving for food builds new neurological patterns that become healthy habits.

Excerpt from “The Right Weight Loss Diet Begins in the Mind” by Donna Hinton

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The Easiest Exercise

2012-01-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

Walking has been indicated as one of the most effective methods of improving fitness and aiding weight loss because:

It's so easy to do
Not alot of equipment needed
You've mastered it since you were a toddler
Low impact (won't hurt your joints)
Low cost (no gym membership required)

The National Weight Control Registry, a group of more than 5,000 individuals who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept the weight off for at least 1 year, reported almost 95% of the participants stated that: In addition to nutritional changes, they lost the weight and kept it off by increasing their physical activity, most frequently by walking.

Walking is the most popular activity in U.S. with 89.8 million participants.
"The Diabetes Prevention Program" found walking 150 minutes per week and losing 7 percent of your body weight (12 to 15 pounds) may reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by 58%.
Walking reduces your risk for depression 20% by walking just 20 minutes per week, according to a British study of more than 19,000 adults.
Walking reduces breast cancer risk by 18% when women walked briskly for 1 3/4 hours to 2 1/2 hours per week, compared to inactive women.
A landmark study of more than 70,000 nurses ages 40-65 found the more a woman walked, the lower her chances of having a coronary event. Those who walked 3 or more hours a week had a 35% less risk compared to those who walked infrequently. Plus, it's never too late to start: Sedentary women who became active when they reached middle age or later had a lower risk of coronary events than their couch-potato counterparts.

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Wear Body Togs for Legs to increase calorie burn, muscle & bone density. Available at: http://www.womenspersonalfitness.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=181