My Fat Be Gone Blog

A Little Riddle For You

2006-01-04T12:23:00.000-06:00

If richard pryor ate a tookie would he weigh as much as john lennon, jennifer aniston, debra lafave, ann coulter put together?if lillo brancato jr. starred on chronicles of narnia and brokeback mountain simultaneously would he get voted off of survivor?Could hermione do making the band 3 and syriana and still maintain a childlike innocense?Lastly, if luciana bozan marries matt damon would pearl harbor have to be rewritten?

What does this have to do with weight loss? Only enough to get you here.
Now click on this link and then post a comment.
http://myfatbegon.burnthefat.hop.clickbank.net/?

Lance

Make A Weight-Loss New Year's Resolution And Stick With It!

2006-01-03T23:20:00.000-06:00

Author: Troy Francis

Year after year promises are made and broken. Losing weight is
one of the most popular New Year's resolutions around. We always
begin with great intentions but after a few weeks, we drop back
into our usual bad habits and the weight we start to put back
on. Here are some basic guidelines you need to follow to make
sure you stick to your weight-loss resolution at the end of
December.

Determine why you are doing this resolution and write it down.

Try to think about the reason why you want to loose weight. Is
it to look better in a bathing suit or to feel young again.
Maybe it's to get the overall better. How about being able to
enjoy a more active lifestyle? Whatever, your goals are try to
be honest and specific as possible.

Setting those weight-loss goals and writing them down.

Ok! The next important guideline to follow is to stick to your
weight-loss goal. However, make sure that this is a sensible
goal to begin with. You shouldn't expect yourself to loose more
than 2-4 pounds per week. Keep in mind that the higher your body
mass, the more weight you can expect to lose in the long run. If
you are in the average range, but still feel that you should
lose more weight, you may not want to aim for more than 4
pounds. However, if you are obese, than losing 50 pounds this
year may be a reasonable goal this year.

Remember to alway consult with your physician before starting
any weight loss program. He or she can help you to determine a
sensible goal for weight loss.

Ok! Let's make a plan you can stick with all year long.

Most likely you've tried every weight loss diet fad out their.
So you already know what doesn't work. So, try to be realistic
and make small changes that will benefit you over the long run.
Eat healthier and consume fewer calories, and try to get more
activity.

Setting small goals.

Try to look at where you are now and what you would like to
achieve by the end of the year. Now break this down into smaller
weight loss goals. Breaking your weight loss journey into small
parts will make it seem more attainable. Move on to each goal
only after you finish the previous one. Record what you eat and
how active you are during the day. This means everything from
walking up those steps to working out and so on. Writing these
things down will help you see progress. This will help your mind
start to process your weight loss goals and believe in them. "If
I eat that hotdog, I'll have to write it down. Well, I better
skip it". Try to reward yourself for every small goal.

Remember those small goals you planed out? Make sure you enjoy
each goal you achieve. Reward yourself with small pants you
never thought you could fit into or that tropical vacation
you've been looking to take. Pick a reward you will truly enjoy.
This will build some positive reinforcement that will keep you
going until and achieve that weight loss goal you've been
looking for.

About the author:
Copyright Troy Francis. Troy is a writer and Personal Trainer
for Exercise-Diet.

http://www.Exercise-Diet.com/

Christmas Eve - Let The Splurge Begin!

2005-12-24T12:23:00.000-06:00

Well if you are like me today is a day for cooking, for family get togethers and eating. Many of our favorite foods during our Christmas feasts are rooted in our childhood. Usually these foods were anchored in our memories by our mothers who prepared the same foods, in the same way each year. And she probably makes her holiday choices by what is anchored in her childhood memories.

What does this have to do with weight (fat) loss. Well, if you don't binge eat or have a problem with your level of bodyfat, this has nothing to do with anything. Just eat what you want and enjoy.

But if you are a binge eater, or drinker, or whatever, and you have been working hard to eat right so you can fit into that special outfit, it means everything. One of the problems I have with binge eating is an all or nothing mentality. I'm either eating PERFECTLY, or it's "Katie - Bar the door!" There is nothing in my mentality that allows me to eat a smiggin here and a smiggin there. Lay's potato chips got it right with their slogan, "you can't eat just one!"

I know most of you reading this can relate to that feeling. Like buying a small container of ice cream because I know I'm going to eat the whole container no matter how big or small it is.

So how does this relate to our Christmas feasts. Well, how does a binge eater indulge without embarrassingly eating everything? That's the million dollar question! But it is one that is a constant battle. One of the ways I have learned to deal with this is by have a splurge day each week. A splurge day means eating anything I want in any quantity I want. When I first started practicing this it meant that splurge day was an all out glutton fest. Now it is more in control. So whenever I have a craving during the week, I write it down and know that it will be satisfied in a few days. Then the night before my splurge day I review the list. If it is long, it is reduced to 5 or fewer items (an item can also be a meal at a favorite restaurant). If the list is short I might indulge in everything. Almost every time I find that some of the foods I was craving the most are no longer craved. Hmmm. So relax, stop the guilt, and enjoy your holiday feast with family and friends.

One trick to success is to get right back on the bandwagon the next day. For bingers that can be very hard to do! The bottom line is this, for those of us with a binge personality we have to develop a stronger self-discipline. I wish it weren't so.

Please post your comments below and to contact me just email lance@myfatbegone.com.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Splurging!

Fat Doesn't Make You Fat!. . .The Right Fat That Is

2005-12-23T19:28:00.000-06:00

There is a lot of talk going around about essential fatty acids (EFA) and the importance those have in our diet. For the last 25+ years the American public has been told that fat makes you fat. Low fat dieting is the way to go. However, in the last 25 years Americans have become fatter than ever. Why?

Well, a couple of reasons. Dietary fat give us a feeling of fullness and adds flavor so when it is reduced or eliminated those sensations must be replaced with something. That something food manufacturers have used is carbohydrates. By now most of us know that diets high in carbs are causing havoc with our bodyfats levels.

So, what then? Is Atkins right? Eat lots of high fat animal proteins? Well in a word - NO!

What we must put back into our diets are EFA. These fatty acids are called "essential" because our bodies can only get those from our diet. One of the most needed EFA is omega-3. Many have heard of this through the popular media. Omega-3 has a complimentary cousin, omega-6. The problem with the omega-3/omega-6 ratio is that for most Americans the level of omega-6 is much higher than needed while the level of omega-3 is lower than needed. (See the link below)

The most abundant source of omega-3's is cold water fish, like salmon. Of the many vegan sources of omega-3, flax is the most available. Increasing these sources of omega-3's really make a difference in our health, but also in our fat loss.

However, for many people the easiest way to obtain the needed omega-3's is through supplementation. But before you rush down and buy the first "fish oil" capsule do your homework. Look very diligently for "pharmacutecal grade" fish oil. The purity level is what you want as well as the dose.

There is a best way(s) to take fish oil capsules, either on a full stomach are right at bedtime. I take about one-third of my daily intake at lunch and the remainder at bedtime. During sleep many rebuilding processes are going on and omega-3's contribute to those.

Please read the links below for more detail on the benefits of omega-3 supplementation, including weight loss.

I know of an source of excellent fish oil capsules, so please email me at lance@myfatbegone.com if you want that.

Omega-3's and weight loss:
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=57569-omega-s-to

Sources of omega-3's:
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/healthy_eating/omega3.htm

University piece:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/Omega3FattyAcidscs.html

Sugar Makes You Fat - Who Knew?

2005-12-15T20:17:00.000-06:00

Except this time it's fructose (sometimes called fruit sugar). In addition to fruit, fructose is found in honey and commercial corn syrups. According to the article in the link below, studies show that fructose can cause an increase in uric acid. And higher uric acid levels block insulin reaction. This condition is known as metabolic syndrome and can lead to Type II diabetes.

Ok, my opinion, does this mean you should avoid all fructose? No. I recommend fruit in limited quanities as part of a balanced diet. But to me that means the whole fruit, not just fruit juices. The difference is the fiber in the whole fruit. Fiber slows the absorbtion rate of the sugar significantly.

Also, limit your whole fruit consumption to the morning hours or within 30 minutes of a cardiovascular or resistance (weight) workout. The reason for eating whole fruit after your workout is that it helps then to replace glycogen, the carb that's stored in the muscle and liver. And that's important to avoid catabolism, i.e. the body breaking down muscle to use as fuel for other purposes. Losing muscle mass lowers metabolism. Lower metabolism burns fewer calories. Fewer calories. . .well you get the picture.

Ok, eat limited amounts of whole fruit, and avoid any type of simple carb (sugars, etc.) that comes without the fiber. Honey, fruit juices, corn syrups, maple syrups, etc.

The bulk of your carb intake should come from green vegetables (or other rainbow colors) eaten primarily raw.

If you have any questions please email me at lance@myfatbegone.com.

Here's the link:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20051216/hl_hsn/fruitsugarsmightspeedobesity

Now That's A Great Idea! Thanks Jack!

2005-12-15T13:16:00.000-06:00

My friend Jack gave me a great tip on using the scales to YOUR advantage. He and his wife, Terri, take their bathroom scales and skew the indicator to read something that is completely out of line with reality. e.g. Instead of an initial setting of zero you might choose 18.

How does this help? Well, when you look at the number. . .it's just a number and doesn't mean anything to you. Then record this number in a chart or spreadsheet and take the difference between this weigh-in and the last. Over time you can watch your "weight" trend up, down, or sideways.

Monitoring you "weight" this way removes the obsession with watching the scales. You then focus on progress. If you see the trend going up and you haven't been in the weight room building muscle, then you can arrest the fat gain before it's out of control.

On the flip side, if your "weight" is trending down and that's the direction you want to go, great! However, if you are in maintenance, or you are losing too fast, action can be taken immediately.

It is still better if you use a scale that measures bodyfat %, however, short of that this is a great tip. Don't overdo it on the weigh-ins however. Weighing more than once a week can be counterproductive.

Thanks again Jack!

Get Off Those Scales NOW! - This Means YOU!

2005-12-13T15:41:00.000-06:00

Ok, I'll stop shouting. However, one of the most frustrating comments I deal with is "I'm exercising, I'm eating right, and I'm not losing weight."

Allow me to first say that our obsession with the scale borders on fanatical. At the extreme some of you jump on the scales many times a day. This is a recipe for frustration, despair, disappointment, and failure. (Can you think of any other really bad things to add here?)

The reasons are, 1) your bathroom scale weight is ONLY a reflection of the force of gravity against you, meaning, it doesn't tell you the important stuff like how much of your weight is bodyfat and how much is lean tissue.
2) Your weight can fluctuate WILDLY during the course of the day, depending on, among other things, your hydration level. And you ladies have a really tough time with this during your monthly cycle.

A couple of the most accurate ways to tell you are progressing toward (or maintaining) your goal weight is to have periodic pictures taken of yourself, and, also, gauge how well your clothes fit. Pictures and clothes don't lie. Period. Even looking at yourself in the mirror is subjective, but picture and clothes tell the whole story.

If you must use a bathroom scale use one that also measures your bodyfat %. Several of these are available on the market at affordable prices. Links to some are below. If you exercise (and you do don't you? hmmm) please look for a model with an "athlete" mode.

Personally, I use a TANITA model, but that was the best model at the time I bought mine 3 or 4 years ago. Do your own research.

Let me know what you think by becoming a member of MyFatBeGone Blog. Email me at admin@MyFatBeGone.com to subscribe. I have a strict NO SPAM policy. Your email will NEVER be sold or given away to anyone.

TANITA:
http://www.tanita.com

Several scales featured by this merchant: http://saveonscales.com/digital_bathroom_body_fat_scales.html

Here is an interesting article that goes into more depth about bodyfat scales, particularly the TANITA:
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/bodyfatscales.html

Binge Eating in Children

2005-12-12T14:21:00.000-06:00

A very intereting article about binge eating disorder in children.

Looking back I had many of those behavior patterns in my childhood.

Here's the link:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/binge_eating.html

Binge Eating Disorder

2005-12-10T22:51:00.000-06:00

This is a very interesting article about "binge eating." I have recently "diagnosed" myself with binge personality. Some have described me as either 110% on or OFF. I can't mention how my sister describes me.

The same is true for food. I also noticed that certain foods trigger my binge eating. Fried foods, chips and dip, and ice cream are few of the foods that trigger it for me.

This article mentioned that behavior modification is a treatment. I had already observed in myself that this is working for me. Write me at lance@myfatbegone.com to learn more about the MyFatBeGone system of weight management.

Here is the article link:
http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/disorders/bingeeating.html

Vegan Weight Loss Study

2005-12-10T21:22:00.000-06:00

Be aware that the group who sponsored this study promotes vegetarian/vegan eating and is politically active. They do not necessarily represent the views of this blogs editor, me.

Having said that, whew, I do believe that when you and I include a higher percentage of raw colorful vegetables in our diet we are healthier and have a lower bodyfat percentage. By the way, there is protein in plant food and the amino acids in most vegetables are more bioavailable that in animal based foods.

Also, eat your veggies raw to preserve the natural enzymes present in the plant that assist your body in digesting your food. Cooking kills these enzymes.

http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/GM00Autumn/GM00Autumn7.html

Behavior Modification and Weight Loss

2005-12-10T20:35:00.000-06:00

Below is a link to the results of an interesting study about the effects of behavior modification and weight loss. It seems that modifying one's behavior has a very profound effect on total weight loss.

It has been both my personal experience and observation that changing one's overall eating habits works more wonders than just "going on a diet."

The whole diet idea is a temporary mental crutch that has a short term effect. Once the diet is over and you return to your normal eating the fat comes back and usually a little bit more.

I have acheived control over my life long struggle with fat by changing the way I think about food and the daily habits with food. Is my struggle over? No, I still have my daily challenges but I control food, not the other way around.

There is no magic potion, however, I make sensible food choices, use effective supplements to get all the nutrients my body needs and I use the highest quality meal replacement shakes (instead of the fast food window) when time is short.

Here is the study link:
http://www.swedish.org/17674.cfm

http://myfatbegone.com