Exercise and Weight Loss: You Need More Than You Might Think to Lose Weight
Advice, Happiness, Health, Fitness, Fit Family Guy
Last Sunday, a friend emailed me this article titled: "The workout: An exercise in futility?" The story quotes Eric Ravussin, director of the Nutrition Obesity Research Centre at the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre in Baton Rouge, La., who casts doubt on exercise as a weight loss tool. It's the not first time I've heard this argument.
The article reads:
"Eric Ravussin, who is recognized internationally for his work in obesity and diabetes, says the amount of exercise needed to cause significant weight loss is more than most free-living individuals are capable of undertaking. In general, he says, that holds for anyone who has stepped onto a treadmill hoping to lose weight. "But it is more true for the obese because they could never achieve the level of exercise which could make a dent in weight loss."
To start, I'll admit that I'm a big fan of Dr. Bouchard (the executive director of Ravussin's research centre) who is also quoted in the article and who disagreed with these assertions stating that exercise is far from useless. However, there are parts of the article that I agree with, such as most people over-estimating how many calories they burn during exercise and this generating a feeling that they then "deserve" to indulge in more calories. I also agree that many people don't like the idea of long, frequent and intense bouts of exercise. Nevertheless, I don't agree with the overall conclusions of Dr. Ravussin because they ignore the larger picture and mentality that people need to adopt in order to be successful at significant and sustained weight loss.
Exercise is not a panacea for weight loss. At least not exercise in the manner that most people view it. Most people think if they do 20 minutes, three times a week at a moderate intensity then they are going to lose lots of weight (think Bowflex commercial).
Green Treats, Healthy Carbs and More
Each morning, we dish out a few links we love. Would you rather have surgery than lose weight the hard way? Amazingly, 80 percent of women will answer that with a resounding yes.
Not all carbs are evil -- here's a list of some healthy and tasty carbs that you can totally enjoy on a regular basis.
Sure, they're not the sexiest food around but beans deserve some respect, if only for their amazing health properties.
How can you look slim without dieting? According to one style expert, looking thin is all about what you're wearing.
Going shopping this week? Give your grocery cart a makeover with these tips.
Chlorella: A Superfood Great for Detoxing and Healing
Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
The fact that St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner provides two great reasons to write about chlorella. 1. This superfood is the greenest of greens. 2. It's a great detoxifer and thus, if you are into green beer, you might benefit from a dose of it the morning after St. Patrick's Day.Chlorella is a single-celled, fresh water algae that is sold in dried form as a powder you can add to water or a smoothie, or put into capsules to be taken as a supplement. And let me tell you, this is one food deserving of the name superfood.
Interest in chlorella first appeared in the late 1930's when researchers were looking for a cheap, nutrient-dense whole food source to accommodate the expected massive population boom to follow in decades to come. Because of expected food shortages, chlorella looked like it could become a viable primary food source for the population since meat is costly and took up too much space. Why was chlorella such an attractive food in this context?
Warrior II: A Yoga Pose to Keep You Grounded and Give You Courage
Happiness, Health, Fitness, Fit Yoga
One of my very favourite poses to do when I'm on my yoga mat is Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II). The pose at first glance may look like a piece of cake, but just like many yoga poses, there's a lot more going on in the body than you might think. Warrior II strengthens the legs and ankles, the groin, chest, lungs and shoulders, and it stimulates the abdominal organs.
The definition of a warrior is one who is engaged in or experienced in battle, which makes one wonder how Warrior II end up being a name for a yoga pose when yoga is all about non-violence? But, upon further reflection, it's actually quite fitting as the pose teaches us to not only be warriors on our mats, but off our mats too. Let me explain.
The warrior series (Warrior I, II, III) reminds me of the Warrior Arjuna and the great teachings of the Bhagavad Gita; a sacred Hindu scripture that portrays the dialogue between Arjuna and the Lord Krishna on the battlefield. It is a beautiful story that offers life lessons of courage and finding our inner center.
A warrior is one who exemplifies courage. In the Bhagavad Gita, in order for Arjuna to win the battle, he first and foremost must have faith. We learn that in order to accomplish anything of significance in life, we must have faith in ourselves. The battle in the Bhagavad Gita represents our inner struggles, and as warriors, we must have the courage to persevere through any challenges we face. We must keep our hearts open, and our faith strong, as we can not reap the benefits of yoga if we are forcing or holding tension in a pose, as much as we can not truly be happy if we are submitting to our fears.
How Mantra Chanting in Yoga Class Can Improve Your Life
Teaching yoga to a new group of students, I'm always weary of chanting something as simple as 'OM' at the end of the class. There are always those students who won't do it, for fear you might actually hear their voice, or those who think that chanting is "too spiritual." If you've never chanted before, why not give it at least one try? Once you realize the great health benefits that come along with mantra chanting, you'll be chanting your heart out day and night!What Is a Mantra?
A mantra is simply a sound, syllable, word, or group of words repeated; it literally means to vibrate the mind. Mantras are of Sanskrit origin and have a powerful meaning behind them. It is for this reason, when we chant mantras, that they instill positive thoughts in our minds. We may not know what we are chanting, but that's OK -- it still has an effect on our overall well-being. Each mantra we chant has a different sound and vibration, which in turn has a different effect on a specific part of the body.
Why in the World Are You Still Not Exercising?!
Advice, Happiness, Health, Fitness
Mankind has been searching for the fountain of youth for centuries, but as it turns out it's been within our reach all along. And it needn't cost you a penny -- all it takes is a little hard work. As the New York Times reported recently, the secret to longevity is simple: Get moving. Exercise is the only proven way to slow down the aging process and keep you healthy well into your golden years. It seems the only question left to ask it this: Why aren't you doing it?
"Physical inactivity is one of the strongest predictors of unsuccessful aging for older adults and is perhaps the root cause of many unnecessary and premature admissions to long-term care," two prominent geriatricians wrote in a recent edition of the Archive of Internal Medicine. They went on to point out that exercise can help fight and prevent myriad diseases and conditions, including cancer, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia and more. Plus, it's the only thing that can help you trump the recently-discovered obesity gene.
Yes, You Can Have Your Chocolate, Red Wine and Coffee....in Moderation, of Course
Advice, Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.
The verdict is in; the latest research shows our favourite treats, in moderation, can be good for us!
Dark Chocolate: A one-inch square per day
A research team from the University of Helsinki, Finland, asked pregnant women to rate their stress levels and document their chocolate consumption. Guess what they found? Six months after birth, the mothers rated their infants' behaviour in various categories including fear, soothability, smiling and laughter. The babies born to women who had eaten chocolate daily during pregnancy smiled and laughed more and were more active. Even the babies of stressed women who had regularly consumed chocolate during pregnancy showed less fear of new situations than babies of stressed moms-to-be who abstained. Awesome news for new moms and chocoholics!
The Skinny on Tastebuds, Better Dead Than Fat and More
Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.Here's a scary statistic -- Apparently, 54 percent of women would rather be hit by a truck than be fat.
Are energy drinks the right way to fuel your workout? The National Post looks into the impact they can have on your exercise routine.
Can you taste the fat in your food? Research shows that people who are overweight have taste buds that are desensitized to fatty foods.
Got grand culinary ambitions? Here are must-have kitchen gadgets and staples to make your cooking space a chef's haven.
Don't be so quick to assume that it's healthy -- studies have shown that eating too much sugary fruit can actually pad your waistline.
What's Hiding Under That Bulky Sweater? 3 Ways to Shed Winter Weight
Advice, Fitness, Ask a Fitness Expert
Dear Sarah,As the weather slowly gets nicer, it's dawned on me that I can't hide my little bit of winter weight gain under my warm, cozy sweaters too much longer. I work out four to five times per week and this usually consists of three step aerobics classes and two weight sessions. Can you suggest some ways to boost my workouts and get my body ready for less bulky clothing?
Amanda
Dear Amanda,
It is great to hear that you have a regular workout schedule, but your body can become accustomed to a workout routine and thus it constantly requires a boost to keep your metabolic engine burning (rate at which you burn calories).
Here are three things you can easily incorporate into your existing routine to give you the boost you need to shed the winter weight.
Fish Oil Fights Childhood and Infant Cancer
Health, Healthy Eating, Eat This
A new study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal has found that a fatty acid found in fish oil has anti-cancer effects. The omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is present in fish was found to cause a certain type of cancer cell, called neuroblastoma, to die. Neuroblastoma, a tumor of the sympathetic nervous system is the most common form of cancer in infants and the most common solid cancer found outside the brain in children.
The researchers exposed the cancer cells to DHA and then observed the byproducts as it was metabolized into the cell and examined the growth of the cancer cell overall. What they found was that while the DHA killed the cell, metabolic derivatives of the DHA were even more effective in destroying the cancer.
The best part is that DHA is not harmful to healthy cells. While the cancer cells were unable to deactivate the DHA's building toxic derivatives, non-cancer cells have a natural protective system that neutralizes the toxic DHA byproducts as they are produced. Cancer cells become overwhelmed and die, while normal cells are unaffected.
