Weight Loss myths

Overview

There are loads of diet tips available for people who want to lose weight, and it can be hard to know which ones are true and which are false. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) a number of common myths continue to circulate regarding the so-called rules of dieting. – Read more

Fad Diets Keep the Weight Off

It is not true that fad diets are a permanent solution to weight loss. While the pounds may come off in the beginning, very low calorie diets that severely narrow your food choices can be hard to stick with for a long period of time. In addition, fad diets may fail to provide a proper amount of nutrients. – Read more

No Calories in Fat-Free Foods

The fact is many low-fat or fat-free foods frequently contain a reduced number of calories. However, a lot of processed low-fat or fat-free foods don’t have any fewer calories that the regular full-fat versions of the same foods. In fact, some may actually have more calories because ingredients such as sugar or starch thickeners are added to enhance flavor and texture once fat is removed.

Passing on Breakfast to Lose Weight

In reality, people who skip the first meal of the day are apt to weigh more than people who eat a healthy breakfast. That’s because postponing your first meal until later in the day can make you hungrier and you wind up eating more than you should.

Dairy Products Lead to Weight Gain

Dairy products have many nutrients, including protein to strengthen muscles and calcium to improve bone strength. Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheeses and other dairy products have the same nutritional value has whole-milk dairy items.

Stay Away from Starches

A number of foods that are high in starch are low in fat and calories. Foods such as bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans and potatoes only become high in fat and calories when you top them with high-fat items like sour cream or butter and/or when your portion size is too large.
Don’t Eat at Night
A calorie is a calorie regardless of when it is consumed. While a big juicy hamburger eaten right before bedtime may cause an upset stomach, it won’t affect your diet any more than if it had been eaten several hours earlier.

No Desserts Allowed

It’s true you don’t want to overindulge on a diet, but you should not completely deprive yourself of an occasional treat that might include a small portion of dessert. – Read more

Fitness Misconceptions

The mythical “fat-burning zone” persists because of a kernel of scientific truth: Fat oxidation requires oxygen, which is available at lower intensities. However, when you’re working above 75 percent of your maximum heart rate, your body receives energy from stored carbohydrates, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Regardless of the source, burning energy creates a calorie deficit. The greater the deficit, the greater the fat stores used to replenish it.

Muscles will turn to fat when we stop exercising.

Not true; Since muscle cells are completely different from fat cells, it is impossible for muscle to turn to fat. After stopping any exercise program, people will lose muscle and gain fat. Since fat tissue and muscle tissue are different, it is scientifically impossible for one to turn into the other. Research shows you will lose muscle when we stop exercising. This is because the bodies muscle cells will get smaller, making room for more fat cells to show. In addition people usually consume the same amount of calories when they stop exercising which can also cause an increase in our fat tissue.

Researchers at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at King’s College London report that low GI meals increased the levels of GLP-1 gut hormone levels, leading to the suppression of appetite and the feeling of fullness in a paper presented at the annual society for endocrinology BES meeting in the UK in March 2009.

Dr Tony Leeds, and Reza Norouzy looked at the effects of a single low versus high GI meal on gut hormone levels in 12 healthy volunteers. Each participant ate an identical moderate GI meal for dinner, fasted overnight, and was given either a low GI (46) or high GI (66) meal for breakfast. Blood samples were then taken every 30 minutes for 150 minutes, and levels of the gut hormone GLP-1 and insulin measured. GLP-1 is a hormone produced by the gut that has been shown to cause a feeling of fullness and suppression of appetite. Volunteers who ate a low GI breakfast had 20% higher blood plasma levels of GLP-1 and 38% lower levels of insulin compared to those who had consumed a high GI breakfast.

Researcher Dr Reza Norouzy said: ‘Our results suggest that low GI meals lead to a feeling of fullness because of increased levels of GLP-1 in the bloodstream. We now need to expand the findings of this preliminary study and look at the effects of low versus high GI meals in a larger group of people.’
– Kings College London press release.

For a super online database of foods with a GI index rating, take a look here

Here is the scoop on the Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar.

Smooth, moist and chewy, you’ll swear you’re eating a cookie just out of the oven. Peanuts, one of the few food sources of Vitamin D, also contribute more than 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients, such as protein, Vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. Dates and salt impart a sweet, savory flavor, along with Vitamin E and 16 essential vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Each bar also provides 3 grams of heart-healthy Omega-6 fatty acids.

My connection with them – Food for the the hungry hiker!

So while researching and gathering my food supplies for my upcoming Thru-Hike of the JMT (John Muir Trail), I came across a reader who touted the wonders of the Larabar. I suddenly remembered trying them awhile back on a day hike with friends from Seattle, only to find that they were not available locally. Well that has all changed and now I am into them all over again.

Today I am looking to purchase a variety of my snacks, and these are on the top of my list. Once I complete my hike I will post reviews of my gear, food, and the overall trip. Stay tuned!

Have you ever been warned to avoid eating carbohydrates the hour before exercise? If so, you’re not alone. This is one of the most prevalent notions among athletes. But is it myth or is it fact?

It turns out the source of the finger pointing is research published almost 30 years ago. In the study, researchers had 8 students fast overnight. In the morning the students were given either water, 75 grams of glucose in water, or a liquid meal containing protein, fat, and carbs. Thirty minutes later they were asked to cycle to exhaustion at 80% of VO2 max. The students repeated the same regimen later while exercising at 100% of VO2 max.

The investigators found pre-exercise feeding produced no differences in the cycling times to exhaustion during the all-out sprint, but endurance time was reduced following carb feeding prior to the 80% of VO2 max regimen. The researchers also noted that after both the glucose and the liquid meal feedings, most of the students exhibited a temporary decrease in blood glucose at the onset of exercise. Glucose returned to normal and remained normal, even at the time of exhaustion. However, the investigators surmised that taking in carbs just prior to exercise must increase the rate at which carbs are used as fuel during exercise. They attributed the reduction in endurance to an accelerated use of muscle glycogen, even though muscle glycogen was never determined in the study.

At the time, this was big news. This study was one of the first published on the subject. In droves endurance athletes began avoiding carbs just before exercise.

The funny thing is, virtually every study published since has failed to confirm the findings of this original investigation. In fact, in a review of 11 studies on pre-exercise carbohydrate feedings, the original study was the only one to find a reduction in endurance following the ingestion of carbs in the hour before exercise. None of the subsequent studies found that endurance was hampered and some even showed a benefit. In those that showed improvement in endurance, the benefit ranged from 7 to 20%. That’s no small benefit!

Some thirty years later it is now clear that the temporary lowering of blood glucose that occurs after consuming carbs is a normal metabolic response. And while a few individuals may develop an exaggerated lowering of blood sugar in response to carbs in the hour before exercise, in the vast majority of athletes this decline in blood glucose is quickly self-corrected when exercise begins. Moreover, it has no detrimental effect on endurance performance.

So, for most athletes, carbs in the hour before exercise do not need to be avoided. In fact, carbs at this time may be helpful for the very same reasons they’re helpful during your pre-exercise meal, 2 to 4 hours before you train or compete – to replenish your muscle and liver glycogen stores. This is especially the case after an overnight fast when liver glycogen stores are likely to be depleted, if you’ve not fully recovered from a prior training session, or if a full meal isn’t a realistic option prior to exercise.

Finally, as you put carbs-in-the-hour-before-exercise back on the table for consideration, keep in mind that it is always a good idea to test your pre-exercise fueling regimen during training. Make sure whatever regimen you follow on the day of an event is well tested beforehand.

Stretch 1

Hamstring stretching exercises

As a final note, regardless of the diagnosis, most types of sciatica will benefit from a regular routine of hamstring exercise, especially hamstring stretching. The hamstrings are muscles located in the back of the thigh. They help bend the knee and extend the hip. Tightness in the hamstrings will place increased stress on the low back and often aggravate or even cause some of the conditions that result in sciatica.

When doing the hamstring stretches, patients should avoid bouncing, which can trigger a muscle spasm.

Hamstring stretch while lying on the back

Most patients with back pain will benefit from hamstring stretching exercises done while lying on the back. These are the least stressful types of hamstring stretch:

• Lie on the back, supporting the thigh behind the knee with the hand or with a towel, slowly straighten the knee until a stretch is felt in the back of the thigh, trying to get the bottom of the foot to face the ceiling, one leg at a time (Stretch 1). Hold the position initially for 10 seconds, and gradually work up to 20-30 seconds.
• Another low stress hamstring stretch is to lie back on the floor with the buttocks against a wall at a corner or by a door jamb. Keeping one leg on the floor, place the foot of the alternate leg against the wall and try to gently push the knee straight so raised leg and the leg on the floor make a 90 degree angle. Hold the position for 10 to 20 seconds.

Hamstring stretch while sitting

Although they are less gentle than lying on the back, hamstring stretches can also be done in a sitting position, where the degree of stretch can be varied based on the placement of the leg:

• While sitting at the edge of a chair, straighten one leg in front of the body with the heel on the floor. Then, sit up straight and try pushing the navel towards the thigh without leaning the trunk of the body forwards. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat 3 times for each leg.
• Many people – and especially women – tend to be more flexible and may need to elevate the foot on a stool or chair to get a deep enough stretch.

Certain hamstring stretches are more comfortable for some patients

The hamstring stretches done while lying on the back are gentler and place less stress on the back than those done while sitting. Depending on the patient’s specific medical condition and level of pain, the lying down position may be preferable and comfortable. In particular, patients with low back should choose whichever position is most tolerable for their back while still giving a gentle stretch.

Work with a health professional before exercising

Before doing sciatica exercises or beginning any other exercise program, patients should see a health professional to get a correct diagnosis for their pain and to rule out any more serious problems. The proper exercises differ based on the condition that is causing the sciatic pain, so patients should not try to self-treat their sciatica before consulting a professional.