Friday, June 30, 2017
LIAM 360 – Now is All We Have
We get so caught up in the drama of our lives—the planning for the future, the worry, the thinking of the past—that we forget to notice the beauty of the moment. We absolutely should have wonderful plans for our future, but we only live our lives one moment, one breath, one heartbeat at a time. Very often, in the midst of chaos, confusion, and pain, we don’t notice that God has given us something wonderful, right in front of us, to notice, to taste, to enjoy, that may give us sustenance and hope to hold on just a little longer. Listen as I explain:
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Mentioned in this show:
- Attend “A Weekend to Break Free!”
- Get a FREE copy of The Science of Getting Rich
- Join Bruce’s Mastermind Group
- Worry No More! book
- Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living
- LIAM Team Life Coaching Community
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- Bruce Van Horn on Twitter
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The post LIAM 360 – Now is All We Have appeared first on Life Is A Marathon : Life Coaching | Spirituality | Personal Development | Positive Thinking | Personal Branding | Faith.
Self Esteem Feeds
Kristy lost 50 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Kristy lost 50 pounds. Before starting her weight release journey in January, she was pre-diabetic, taking three blood pressure medications and feeling miserable. She took steps to change her eating habits and exercise regularly, but learning to love herself was the most important part of her journey. What was your motivation? My health was a […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Kristy lost 50 pounds. Before starting her weight release journey in January, she was pre-diabetic, taking three blood pressure medications and feeling miserable. She took steps to change her eating habits and exercise regularly, but learning to love herself was the most important part of her journey. What was your motivation? My health was a […]
Weight Loss
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Lower Body Lift Update! (5 years post-op)
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I've been meaning to do this post for, oh, about three years now. Haha! Can you believe it's been five and a half years since my lower body lift?
So, I've been wanting to write a quick update and post some updated photos for anyone that's curious how my scars are looking after over five years. I don't think there is a huge difference in the one-year post-op photos and these new photos, but I guess that's a good thing? I am still absolutely thrilled with the results of my surgery, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
Read more »
Weight Loss
I've been meaning to do this post for, oh, about three years now. Haha! Can you believe it's been five and a half years since my lower body lift?
| A little loopy just before surgery in 2011 |
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Weight Loss
How Lydia Dziubanek Lost 80 Pounds
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Weight Loss
How Lydia Dziubanek Lost 80 Pounds
Weight Loss Win is a weekly series I do for Yahoo Beauty. Here is an excerpt from this week’s inspiring story:
Lydia Dziubanek Lost 80 Pounds: ‘I Felt Excited That I Had Accomplished Something That I Never Thought Was Possible.’
Lydia is 37, 5’2” tall, and currently weighs 170 pounds. In 2014, after an abusive relationship pushed her to the brink of suicide, she decided to take control of her life and health for the sake of her children. Click here to read the story of her weight-loss journey.
Weight Loss
Latoya lost 63 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Latoya lost 63 pounds. Despite many challenges, including the passing of her beloved mother and the end of a marriage, she found the strength to create a healthier lifestyle for herself and her children. Check out her story. What is you motivation? Being healthy motivates me. I have a family history of heart […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Latoya lost 63 pounds. Despite many challenges, including the passing of her beloved mother and the end of a marriage, she found the strength to create a healthier lifestyle for herself and her children. Check out her story. What is you motivation? Being healthy motivates me. I have a family history of heart […]
Weight Loss
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Q&A Wednesday: Am I Going To Be Calorie Counting Forever?
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Weight Loss
Q: Hey Erika!
I have a question, I hope you don’t mind me asking. I remember reading an article you wrote in this subject but I can’t find it.
So have lost 20lbs calorie counting. Thing is…I have a LONG way to go…(like 100lb if not more to go)
Thing is, I’ve been thinking about the reality of counting every single calorie forever. I never want to be this big again, but how realistic is this? Is it something I’ll just HAVE to do? I am already absolutely fine with having smaller portions but I am scared that if I stop calorie counting and just try to eye ball it, even if I weigh portions, my weight might creep back on.
The issue I have is calorie counting recipes. It’s just so time consuming to count it all and divide it into exact portions.
I just cannot see my weighing lettuce leaves, grapes and cereal for the rest of my life.
What are you thoughts on this?
I’ll link to the posts you’re referring to at the end of this post, but no, the goal isn’t to spend the rest of your life counting calories.
Honestly, several years after having written that series on calorie counting, the one thing that’s most clear to me is that it’s less about the actual math of calories and more about the lessons the counting should be teaching you.
Look at it like this. So much of processed food is manufactured in a way that removes the texture, forcing the food to form a nice, neat wad in your mouth, leaving no traces behind in your teeth to pick out with a pick or floss, and when it goes down your throat into your stomach, it forms this tightly-wound mass in your tummy that is extremely unfulfilling.
And then, you look back on how many calories that unfulfilling nonsense cost you, and realize it was way too many calories for you to still be starving so quickly after eating.
And then, you look at the serving size and realize you didn’t just eat one serving, you accidentally ate four because the brand reduced the portion sizes as low as they did in order to make the calories-per-serving amount on the label seem less scary… so you have to actually multiply those calories you added to your counter by four.
And then, you look at the nutrition facts below the calories per serving listing, and find that your chosen food had little to not protein in it at all for as many calories as it had, next to no fiber, and shockingly, even though you couldn’t taste it, more sugar than you anticipated. You soon notice that virtually all of the calories in the food came from carbs.
And then you look at the ingredients label, and spot that the overwhelming majority of the ingredients are just variants of flour and sugar, two of a handful of ingredients in this country that are insanely profitable for food manufacturers.
And then…. then… you say to yourself, “Wow, I can’t eat this like this any more.”
That is the real lesson to be learned in calorie counting. It’s not about an obsessive adherence to managing the calorie deficit necessary for weight loss—it’s about learning lessons about the food you eat, why it makes you feel the way it does, and whether or not it helps you achieve and maintain the goals you’ve set for yourself.
There’s a reason why vegetables are so important for weight loss—they are, for a very small calorie amount, hands down the most filling thing you can eat, on top of being incredibly nutritious. Inputting the 3 cups of kale with garlic and red pepper flakes that you sauteed in a little vinaigrette and realizing that you couldn’t even finish it all even though it was a good 600 calories less than your usual favorite fast food restaurant’s value meal is invaluable information.
It helps to give you a reason to say no to that food you love in favor of something that helps you get closer to your goal–how many times in life do we feel the need to say, “I know I love you, but you aren’t good for me, no matter how good you make me feel in the short term?”
I know that calorie counting, in the thick of it, is stressful and frustrating and eye opening and mortifying and, frankly for some people, can cause so much anxiety that it leads them down a path towards disordered eating behavior. However, I believe we look at it wrong.
Calorie counting, though it helps you stay in line, should be an exercise in exploration. For me, it was about realizing that the reason I felt like I could eat the entire pan of Betty Crocker scalloped potatoes—I talk about those stupid potatoes a lot, I know—because none of the ingredients were real. The fat, the real source of fullness, was all but eliminated. The protein, from the cheese and milk, almost entirely gone. For all the calories I was eating, for a dish that’s supposed to be potatoes and cheese and milk and spices (something I now know‚ I still felt like I could eat the whole pan. The first time I made scalloped potatoes from scratch, I could barely eat a quarter of the pan; the thought of eating the whole thing makes me sick as I type this.
As you’re inputting your details, ask yourself—was I full after eating this? Was it worth all these calories, when I could’ve had something more satisfying and, possibly, far more flavorful? Was this the right choice?
When you as yourself these questions, you are giving your brain new ways to value the food you put in your body. Did it fill you up? Did it hold you over until your next meal? Or did you go on a sugar high, crash, and then recover from the crash by eating something else sweet?
Calorie counting helps you maintain the deficit, but you also need to be using the information you get from reading those labels to help you understand the choices you’ll need to make to maintain your goal and to give you reason why you’re saying goodbye to the old—the old foods, the old portion sizes, the old everything.
Before long, these will be the choices you’ll make on your own, without reading labels or opening your phone. You’ll know you can’t order the pasta off the menu because you’ll know that white sauce is a smooth 500 calories on its own. You’ll know the bread is a bad idea because, combined with the fact that it’s made with dough conditioners that make it appear to have more heft than it does, it’s super-high in calories and very unfulfilling. (There’s a reason why it’s endless and unlimited at most places.) You’ll know that anything fried or sauced or breaded is a bad move—unless you really want it, in which case, dive in—and it’ll shape the choices you make. Why do you know? Because you’ve looked it up and learned your lesson.
So will you need to count forever? No. But you will sometimes find yourself needing to recalibrate, and that’s okay. Or sometimes, you’ll find yourself randomly gaining weight, and going back to plugging in your calories for a bit can help you figure out what’s slipped and where.
Use calorie counting as a tool to help you figure out your own personal path for maintaining your goal, and before too long you’ll find yourself naturally on cruise control, with your auto-pilot totally recalibrated to reflect your new understanding of how to eat. And, like I always say, your MyFitnessPal will thank you for it!
(Okay, that’s not what I always say, but it’s damned close. LOL!)
For more on Calorie Counting:
Weight Loss
Catch-up and Wednesday Weigh-in
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Yeesh! I meant to write more frequently last week, but I swear the days go by so fast. With the kids playing baseball every day, we've been busy. And we're going on vacation Friday, so we've been getting ready for that.
Anyway, it's hard to even begin a post because it's been so long since I've written, so I'll just write some bullets and keep it simple.
Read more »
Weight Loss
Yeesh! I meant to write more frequently last week, but I swear the days go by so fast. With the kids playing baseball every day, we've been busy. And we're going on vacation Friday, so we've been getting ready for that.
Anyway, it's hard to even begin a post because it's been so long since I've written, so I'll just write some bullets and keep it simple.
- Someone abandoned this tiny kitten at my younger brother's house, and Nathan asked me if I wanted him/her. While I would LOVE a kitten, there is no way that I can have another pet. I tried so hard to find a home, though, and finally managed to find a rescue that would take him/her (still don't know the sex). Just before I was going to take the kitten to the rescue, however, one of Nathan's friends ended up taking the poor kitty in.
Weight Loss
Double chin: Causes and how to get rid of one
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Weight Loss
Seeing a double chin in the mirror may be a sign of weight gain or obesity, but that is not always the case.
A double chin can be caused by a number of factors, including age, diet, and genetics.
In this exercise, try to get the lips as far from the face as possible.
This exercise should mirror a lion's yawn, with the tongue extending as far as possible.
There are many exercises that target the fat under the chin and neck. There are also other treatments that can be used to support these activities.
What causes a double chin?
A double chin can be caused by a number of factors, including age, diet, and genetics.A few different factors combine in the body to create a double chin. Understanding these factors may help with understanding ways to get rid of the double chin itself.
Age
The skin can start to lose its elasticity as the body ages, which can lead to the appearance of extra or saggy skin that may contribute to a double chin.
Diet and weight
While weight gain is not always the cause of a double chin, it can contribute to it. A diet high in
calories, processed foods, and unhealthful fats may influence weight gain and a double chin as well.
Genetics
Genes may play a role in people developing a double chin. Anyone with a family history of skin with little elasticity or double chins might be more likely to develop one themselves.
Posture
Poor posture can weaken the muscles of the neck and chin. This may contribute to a double chin over time, as the surrounding skin loses its elasticity when the muscles are not used.
Exercises that target a double chin
There are many simple exercises for a double chin.
While there is little scientific research on the effect of these exercises, they target the muscles of the neck and face. Working these muscles could help burn fat in these areas, and may be a crucial part of getting rid of a double chin.
Around the world (warm up)
As with any exercise routine, it is important to warm up the muscles to avoid injury. To warm up the neck, gently rotate the head forward and down and then back and up using a clockwise, circular motion. After a few rotations, reverse the direction.
The same circular motion is used to stretch the jaw. Gently extend the jaw left, then forward, then right, and then back, holding each position for a second or two. Now the muscles are warmed and ready for exercise.
Whistle at the ceiling
This exercise is great for strengthening the muscles and giving the neck a break during time spent at the desk. Sit with a straight back and relaxed shoulders.
Tilt the head back to look at the ceiling. From this position, close the lips into the position used while whistling. The lips should be relaxed but held tight enough to feel a contraction on both sides of the neck.
Hold this position for 10 to 20 seconds depending on the comfort level of the individual. Ten repetitions of this exercise are usually enough for one sitting.
Kiss the sky
In this exercise, try to get the lips as far from the face as possible.This exercise is similar to the previous one, with a few differences.
Stand straight and tall with the arms and shoulders loose and relaxed. Tilt the head back to look at the ceiling. Pucker the lips and try to kiss the sky, extending them as far away from the face as possible.
When done correctly, the muscles throughout the neck and chin should feel flexed but comfortable. Hold this position for 5 to 20 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 to 15 times per set.
The ball squeeze
Keeping an exercise tool on hand is an excellent way to help some people remember to do their exercises.
For neck exercises, it may help to keep a ball somewhere near the desk, bed, or in a place where a person will do the exercises. The size of the ball can range from 5 to 10 inches based on personal comfort and should be easy to squeeze.
The ball squeeze is done best from a seated position with a straight back and relaxed shoulders.
Place the ball under the chin. Use the chin to push down against the ball in a steady, firm motion. This can be repeated 10 to 30 times during each sitting.
The pouting stretch
Another effective way to target the muscles in the chin and neck is to do a pouting stretch.
Standing or seated, stick the bottom lip out as far as possible to form a pouting face. Hold the position for 3 seconds. With the lip still in full pout, use the muscles of the neck to tilt the chin towards the chest without moving the upper back.
Hold this position for 3 seconds. Relax the muscles and start again. Repeat 10 to 20 times or until the neck feels the workout.
Gum chewing
Chewing gum may not seem like much, but it may be useful for people looking to get rid of a double chin in multiple ways.
A study posted to the journal Appetite found that individuals who chew gum after a meal may feel more satisfied with what they have eaten. This makes them less likely to reach for additional snacks. Chewing gum can help people who are losing weight to reduce the number of calories in their diet.
This exercise should mirror a lion's yawn, with the tongue extending as far as possible.Chewing gum is a minor workout for the muscles of the face, especially the jaw. Regular gum chewing may contribute to an overall loss of fat in the chin though it probably will not do much by itself.
The lion's yawn
The point of this exercise is to open the mouth wide while sticking the tongue out as far as possible, much like a yawning lion. It can be a great exercise to strengthen many muscles in the chin, neck, and face.
Sit or stand with a relaxed posture. Open the mouth as wide as possible while extending the tongue out as far as it will go. When done correctly, the muscles of the neck, chin, and jaw should tighten.
Push the tongue out for 10 seconds and relax. Repeat this process 10 times and move on to another exercise.
Other treatments for a double chin
In addition to exercises, people often turn to additional treatments for their double chin as well.
Face masks
Many face masks are available that can help tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of a double chin.
Glycerin masks and coffee or green tea masks may help support the efforts of exercises. A daily mask of egg whites, honey, and lemon juice also provides a reduction in fat around the chin for some people.
Diet
A natural diet may help reduce the appearance of a double chin, especially if it is caused by weight gain. Reducing the number of calories consumed each day helps some people.
Drinking plenty of water removes more fat from the body. A study posted to the journal Obesity found that people who drank water before meals lost more weight than those who did not.
Water and water-rich foods, such as melons and cucumbers may also help remove more toxins from the body.
Surgery
Some people opt for invasive procedures to fix a double chin. There are three main procedures for treating a double chin:
- Mesotherapy: Mesotherapy involves injecting compounds into the chin that dissolve fat. The process can take up to 6 months and may require over 100 injections in some people. If done incorrectly, it may cause nerve damage.
- Liposculpting: Liposculpture treats a double chin by removing the fat through suction or with a laser. Liposcultping will not create more elasticity in the skin; it will only remove fat.
- Kybella: This drug is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A single treatment involves up to 50 injections of the drug into the fat tissue. A person may have up to six individual treatments, which they must have monthly.
These options may cause side effects such as swelling, bruising, or pain. The double chin may still come back if the lifestyle does not change to maintain it.
Weight Loss
21 Day Step and Squat Challenge
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This month we will work our thighs, butt and core with squats while we keep on stepping! Break out that pedometer, app or fitness tracker. The fun starts on July 1st. Work at your own pace. If you go from 1 squat a day to 20 over the course of 21 days, that is PROGRESS! […]
Weight Loss
This month we will work our thighs, butt and core with squats while we keep on stepping! Break out that pedometer, app or fitness tracker. The fun starts on July 1st. Work at your own pace. If you go from 1 squat a day to 20 over the course of 21 days, that is PROGRESS! […]
Related posts:
Weight Loss
B’Neika lost 130 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: B’Neika lost 130 pounds. When her world was falling down, exercise became a source of strength and comfort. This former food addict has learned so much about herself during this journey. I love that she says, “My emotions were meant to be shared, not eaten.” Check out how she did it. What was […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: B’Neika lost 130 pounds. When her world was falling down, exercise became a source of strength and comfort. This former food addict has learned so much about herself during this journey. I love that she says, “My emotions were meant to be shared, not eaten.” Check out how she did it. What was […]
Related posts:
Weight Loss
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
LIAM 359 – Limping with God
Jacob was the “grasper.” He was a deceiver, a liar who relied on his cleverness to get what he wanted or to get himself out of a jam. He was smart and resourceful. People praised him for he cleverness. The problem was that he was scared and operated from a scarcity mindset. He thought he had to fight for everything he wanted. He was actually on the run from God, not trusting in the promise God had made to protect him, provide for him, and prosper him. One night, after losing everything he ever valued, Jacob wrestled with God. He surrendered after God inflicted a permanent wound to his hip. In that surrender, however, Jacob found peace and true meaning in life. He began, from that moment on, to walk with God. However, because he wrestled with God, he walked with a limp. Listen as I explain:
Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here:
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Mentioned in this show:
- Attend “A Weekend to Break Free!”
- Get a FREE copy of The Science of Getting Rich
- Join Bruce’s Mastermind Group
- Worry No More! book
- Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living
- LIAM Team Life Coaching Community
Subscription/Social Links:
- Subscribe on iTunes!
- Subscribe on Stitcher Radio!
- Watch on YouTube!
- LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262
- LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon
- Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List
- www.BruceVanHorn.com
- Bruce Van Horn on Twitter
- Bruce Van Horn on Facebook
The post LIAM 359 – Limping with God appeared first on Life Is A Marathon : Life Coaching | Spirituality | Personal Development | Positive Thinking | Personal Branding | Faith.
Self Esteem Feeds
Janet lost 155 pounds
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Transformation of the Day: Janet lost 155 pounds. Weighing almost 500 pounds and faced with pre-diabetes and hypertension, she made the decision to have the gastric sleeve procedure. Although surgery proved to be a good tool, changing her eating habits is what really made the difference. Check out what she shared with us about her journey. I […]
Weight Loss
Transformation of the Day: Janet lost 155 pounds. Weighing almost 500 pounds and faced with pre-diabetes and hypertension, she made the decision to have the gastric sleeve procedure. Although surgery proved to be a good tool, changing her eating habits is what really made the difference. Check out what she shared with us about her journey. I […]
Related posts:
Weight Loss
Community-wide effort to fight childhood obesity shows promise
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Weight Loss
A large-scale effort to reduce childhood obesity in two low-income Massachusetts communities resulted in some modest improvements among schoolchildren over a relatively short period of time, suggesting that such a comprehensive approach holds promise for the future, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The study, along with two others evaluating Massachusetts' efforts to reduce childhood obesity, published in Obesity.
"While our results were modest, they were achieved over a relatively short period of time, which is important given the substantial challenges of implementing a large-scale community initiative to address obesity," said Rebecca Franckle, postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Chan School and lead author of the study.
Given obesity's persistence as a public health issue in the U.S., researchers have looked increasingly at multisectoral, multilevel approaches to address the problem. The new study evaluated the effectiveness of one such project - the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Project (MA-CORD) - through which elementary and middle school students in two low-income Massachusetts communities received interventions from 2012-2014 aimed at reducing obesity and encouraging healthy behaviors, including eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking less sugar-sweetened beverages, increasing physical activity and sleep duration, and decreasing screen time. The project's interventions were implemented across different sectors - including schools, after-school programs, and health centers - and ranged from the individual level, such as individual or family counseling, to the community level, such as providing physical activity equipment to schools.
The researchers compared the two communities that received the interventions with nine similar communities that didn't receive it. They looked at changes in the prevalence of obesity among 1st, 4th, and 7th graders, starting from four years before the interventions began and at several points during their progression.
The results showed a modest but significant reduction of 2%-3% in obesity prevalence among 7th graders in one community compared to the control groups. In both intervention communities, 4th and 7th graders drank less sugar-sweetened beverages and more water. And students in one of the communities spent less time in front of screens.
Other Harvard Chan co-authors of the study included Steven Gortmaker, Jessica Barrett, Catherine Giles, and Elsie Taveras and senior author Kirsten Davison.
Funding for the study came from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Award # U18DP003370), the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Article: Student Obesity Prevalence and Behavioral Outcomes for the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Project, Rebecca L. Franckle, Jennifer Falbe, Steven Gortmaker, Jessica L. Barrett, Catherine Giles, Claudia Ganter, Rachel E. Blaine, James Buszkiewicz, Elsie M. Taveras, Jo-Ann Kwass, Thomas Land, and Kirsten K. Davison, Obesity, doi: 10.1002/oby.21867, published 27 June 2017.
Weight Loss
Monday, June 26, 2017
Coconut Oil is Unhealthy? Not So Fast
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Weight Loss
Over the weekend, a flurry of news reports were released, discussing research from the American Heart Association that discusses whether or not we can consider coconut oil a “healthful” food.
From Huffington Post:
An AHA survey found that 72 percent of Americans considered coconut oil a health food. But coconut oil, it turns out, is shockingly high in saturated fats. And saturated fat ― even though some elements of its effects are up for debate ― isn’t good for you no matter how you slice it.
In fact, 82 percent of the fat found in coconut oil is saturated ― that’s significantly more than olive oil, which clocks in at 14 percent and canola oil, which contains a mere seven percent.
The AHA reviewed existing data on saturated fats and found that in seven out of eight studies, coconut oil actually increased LDL cholesterol ― the bad cholesterol ― which is a cause of cardiovascular disease. The findings were so clear that Frank Sacks, the report’s lead author, told USA Today, “You can put it on your body, but don’t put it in your body.” [source]
So, as I have witnessed a partial explosion of frustration and confusion and annoyance and, frankly, shade across social media with regard to this research, and it’s clear to me that we need to have a quick check in with the facts about saturated fats and the human body:
1) Saturated fats, when consumed, can and do become triglycerides in the blood stream.
2) Triglycerides, when consumed in abundance, do ultimately become the kind of “stuff” (also known as plaque) that sticks to the insides of your arteries, thereby forcing your heart to work harder to pump blood throughout your body. This is what heart disease is—an inability, on the part of your heart, to make sure your body gets the appropriate levels of oxygen, by pumping hard to deliver blood from your brain to your toes and all points in between. A heart that fails to do this can become enlarged; a heart that fails to make sure it’s delivering ample supplies or oxygen everywhere is a condition known as “heart failure;” a heart that has to work this hard to do its job can eventually experience a stroke.
So, yes, it’s right to sound the alarm, here. It’s not quite, as we are so used to hearing nowadays, “fake news.”
3) However—and this is where I think it’s important for people to pay close attention—saturated fats aren’t the only source of cholesterol or triglycerides, for that matter.
As I blogged a few years ago, in What Causes Heart Disease? Part 2, I quoted the following passage from a National Geographic Magazine article discussing—yep, you guessed it—sugar:
[…] fat makes up a smaller portion of the American diet than it did 20 years ago. Yet the portion of America that is obese has only grown larger. The primary reason, says Johnson, along with other experts, is sugar, and in particular fructose. Sucrose, or table sugar, is composed of equal amounts of glucose and fructose, the latter being the kind of sugar you find naturally in fruit. It’s also what gives table sugar its yummy sweetness. (High-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, is also a mix of fructose and glucose—about 55 percent and 45 percent in soft drinks. The impact on health of sucrose and HFCS appears to be similar.) Johnson explained to me that although glucose is metabolized by cells all through your body, fructose is processed primarily in the liver. If you eat too much in quickly digested forms like soft drinks and candy, your liver breaks down the fructose and produces fats called triglycerides.
Some of these fats stay in the liver, which over long exposure can turn fatty and dysfunctional. But a lot of the triglycerides are pushed out into the blood too. Over time, blood pressure goes up, and tissues become progressively more resistant to insulin. The pancreas responds by pouring out more insulin, trying to keep things in check. Eventually a condition known as metabolic syndrome kicks in, characterized by obesity, especially around the waist; high blood pressure; and other metabolic changes that, if not checked, can lead to type 2 diabetes, with a heightened danger of heart attack thrown in for good measure. [source]
Unfortunately, because of the way the American diet is currently set up, you are infinitely more likely to find yourself experiencing an increase in triglycerides in your blood due to…..your body processing the ton of carbs in your system. Think about it—the average American’s diet, because so much of our food system consists of carbs/protein stuffed with carbs as filler (think ground meat coated with ground up oatmeal to make it thicker and more filling)/wrapped in carbs, is easily 60-75% pure carbs. And, because it’s so unfulfilling, people are eating far more calories than they otherwise should, which is largely to blame for the vast amounts of triglycerides in the blood—so much so, that we do experience the swelling and hardening of the arteries that results in heart disease.
This matters, because there are endless cultures across the globe who have coconut flesh and oil as a part of their daily diet without the high instances of heart disease that we experience here. Why? Because there’s more contributing to it than merely oil.
What am I getting at?
a) For starters, it’s hard to say for sure that the research from which the AHA drew its conclusions isolated coconut oil in a reliable way. Certain kinds of studies—for example the kinds where research subjects report their own caloric intake—are notoriously inaccurate.
Not only that, but it’s worth pointing out that none of the studies had anything to do with coconut oil. Can’t help but wonder if coconut oil was used to promote this research because the organization knew it’d garner attention.
As pointed out in Salon, “The publication is a meta-analysis of four different studies. The authors gathered the data of all four different studies and then analyzed them together. None of the four studies have jack squat to do with coconut oil.”
Of the countless studies done to understand the impact of saturated fats, the organization chose four that… all drew the same conclusion… and then reported their findings like they uncovered something new… somehow managing to avoid all the other studies that either refuted or added nuance to understanding coconut oil?
Okay.
b) Secondly, it’s hard to say whether or not this kind of reporting—”fat is bad!”—is intended to be as similar to the decades of “fat is bad!” research we’ve gotten since the 80s, which resulted in us being on this crazy carb-heavy diet to begin with… but we’ve been here before. And it’s been debunked before:
One of the lead researchers in this field, Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said, “The country’s big low-fat message backfired. The overemphasis on reducing fat caused the consumption of carbohydrates and sugar in our diets to soar. That shift may be linked to the biggest health problems in America today.”
[…]
In 2001, Dr. Hu, writing in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, noted, “It is now increasingly recognized that the low-fat campaign has been based on little scientific evidence and may have caused unintended health problems.” Or, as Michael Pollan pithily puts it in his In Defense of Food, “The amount of saturated fat in the diet may have little if any bearing on the risk of heart disease, and the evidence that increasing polyunsaturated fats in the diet will reduce risk is slim to nil.”
[source]
In other words, we’re kind of focused on the wrong thing. And, when you look at the countless other cultures who make coconut oil/milk/flesh a part of their regular diet and the lack of disease they experience (if you use my link to check out that book—the current book of the month—then I get a few pennies from the purchase!), you have to ask yourself: maybe it’s something else that’s causing the problems we have here?
In contrast to the sugars and other carb-heavy foods we consume, there are actual benefits to consuming coconut oil, regardless of the fears of it doing what you could basically expect any fat to do.
c) It is the responsibility of the AHA, from my estimation, to find ways to help the public where it stands. And where the public stands right now, too many people are eating diets high in carbs and fat, low on protein and fiber, and it’s resulting in the increase in cholesterol and heart disease. Cutting out saturated fats is a great way to help reduce those instances, considering how 1) the average American is getting their saturated fats from processed foods they should also cut out and 2) the average American is also getting a relatively large dose of sugar with their saturated fats, a dose they would also do well to get rid of.
Should you still eat coconut oil? That depends on what you and you doctor think. For some people, the risk might be too high. For others, it’s going to be a delicious addition to your meals.
I still intend to use mine like I always did: always in my hair, always on my skin, occasionally in my food.
Weight Loss
Are current exercise guidelines too demanding?
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Completing the recommended amount of physical activity can be too demanding for a large portion of the population. However, participating in less is shown to still have health benefits.
It is well known that regular physical exercise has a plethora of associated health benefits and has been shown to prevent and improve symptoms across all types of diseases, but are the current guidelines too challenging for the average person? We investigate.
In our busy lives, work and home commitments may prevent us from meeting the recommended exercise guidelines.
Around 20 minutes of fast walking could help to suppress inflammation in the body.
Low-impact exercise may help to decrease pain and improve activity levels in older adults.
Participating in 25 minutes of activity 3 times every week may help to combat obesity in children.
Weight Loss
Completing the recommended amount of physical activity can be too demanding for a large portion of the population. However, participating in less is shown to still have health benefits.Exercise has been hailed as somewhat of a miracle cure. It is free, easy to do, works immediately, and has little to no side effects. Scientific evidence has shown that, whatever your age, being physically active makes you happier and healthier.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2008 Physical Guidelines for Americans report that for adults, the most substantial health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) each week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
Muscle strengthening (otherwise known as resistance training) physical activities that involve all the main muscle groups and that are moderate or high intensity should also be completed on 2 or more days every week.
The 2008 Physical Guidelines for Americans document that taking part in the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week lowers the risk of:
Stepping up physical activity from 150 minutes each week toward 300 minutes (5 hours) not only further lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes, but also reduces the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer, and prevents unhealthy weight gain.
Moreover, increasing physical activity to more than the equivalent of 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity further increases the benefits. For example, people who complete 420 minutes (7 hours) each week have an even lower risk of premature death, compared with individuals completing 150 to 300 minutes every week.
There are multiple ways to meet the recommended 150 minutes of exercise. In fact, research conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh showed that participating in a variety of activities - from walking and dancing, to gardening - improves brain volume and may reduce a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 50 percent.
Less than one quarter of adults meet physical activity guidelines
It sounds easy enough: by working out for 30 minutes on 5 days of the week, those recommendations can be met. You would expect that with all the potential health benefits, the whole population would be following the recommendations and taking to the streets to walk briskly.
In our busy lives, work and home commitments may prevent us from meeting the recommended exercise guidelines.However, a huge proportion of the population is falling short. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 49 percent of adults meet the aerobic physical activity guidelines, and only 20.9 percent of adults meet the physical activity guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
So what is going wrong? With our busy lives, 30 minutes of moderate physical activity can be a challenging task to fulfill and may even be regarded, by some, as impractical or unobtainable.
Many of us claim that we do not have the time, energy, or inclination to fit in exercise. So not only are the guidelines and long-term health benefits failing to engage the population, but they are also being dismissed and ignored, and they even appear to be discouraging individuals to participate in any physical activity at all.
The HHS guidelines were released nearly 10 years ago, and in that time there has been considerable research into physical activity duration, frequency, and intensity. Do we really need to accumulate 150 minutes of physical activity every week? We take a look at some of the most recent findings.
Health benefits from less than the recommended amount of exercise
The good news is that some health benefits can be gained with as little as 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, and some research has shown positive results with even less exercise.
Inflammation
One moderate exercise session of 20 minutes stimulates the immune system and sets off a cellular response that may help to suppress inflammation in the body, found a study published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
Around 20 minutes of fast walking could help to suppress inflammation in the body.These findings could help with treatment strategies for chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia and arthritis, as well as obesity.
"Our study shows a workout session doesn't actually have to be intense to have anti-inflammatory effects. Twenty minutes to half an hour of moderate exercise, including fast walking, appears to be sufficient," said Suzi Hong, Ph.D., in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
"Feeling like a workout needs to be at a peak exertion level for a long duration can intimidate those who suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases and could greatly benefit from physical activity."
Metabolic syndrome
Research involving more than 7,000 participants found that doing under 1 hour of resistance training per week was linked with a 29 percent lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This condition is a cluster of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
"Few studies have reported on the health effects of resistance exercise, and this is the first such study concerning metabolic syndrome," explained Esmée Bakker, from the Radboud University in Nijmegen, in the Netherlands.
"Our results indicate that a modest amount of resistance exercise, such as two 30-minute sessions per week, has the most beneficial effect. These findings should be included in the standard medical recommendations for preventing metabolic syndrome and future cardiovascular disease."
Another study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests that for children with large waist measurements and elevated blood insulin levels, 10 minutes each day of high-intensity physical activity could cut their risk of developing heart problems and metabolic disease.
Brain
A review exploring the effects of acute exercise found that a single bout of physical activity improved executive brain function, enhanced mood, and decreased stress levels. What is more, neurophysiological and neurochemical changes were observed that indicated the widespread activation of brain areas and brain systems.
"The studies presented in this review clearly demonstrate that acute exercise has profound effects on brain chemistry and physiology, which has important implications for cognitive enhancements in healthy populations and symptom remediation in clinical populations," commented Julia C. Basso, Ph.D., postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Neural Science at New York University in New York City.
Body image
The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Okanagan, Canada, investigated whether physical activity improves body image.
Women who were assigned to complete one 30-minute session of moderate-to-vigorous exercise significantly improved their body image perception compared with women who engaged in quiet reading.
"We all have those days when we don't feel great about our bodies," said Kathleen Martin Ginis, a professor in UBC Okanagan's School of Health and Exercise Sciences. "This study and our previous research shows one way to feel better, is to get going and exercise. The effects can be immediate."
Arthritis
Investigators at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, NY, found that low-impact exercise helped to decrease pain, improve mobility, and enhance the quality of life for older adults.
Low-impact exercise may help to decrease pain and improve activity levels in older adults."The study results are consistent with the experience of rheumatologists and with prior studies showing that exercise, even of mild degree, helps with pain," noted Dr. Theodore Fields, director of the Rheumatology Faculty Practice Plan at HSS. "Getting people up and moving does appear to help with mood, pain, and overall functioning."
"Joints will often stiffen if not used, and muscles will weaken if not exercised. Our bodies are meant to move, and inactivity leads to weakness and stiffness, and joints with arthritis often worsen with inactivity."
Sperm count
Just 6 months of participating in moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for 30 minutes on 3 to 4 days per week improves sperm quality significantly.
Research published in Reproduction revealed that compared with a control group that did no exercise, individuals in the MICT group had 8.3 percent more semen volume, 12.4 percent higher sperm motility, 17.1 percent improved sperm cell shape, 14.1 more concentrated sperm, and 21.8 more sperm cells on average.
"Our results show that doing exercise can be a simple, cheap, and effective strategy for improving sperm quality in sedentary men," explained Behzad Hajizadeh Maleki, lead author of the study. "However, it's important to acknowledge that the reason some men can't have children isn't just based on their sperm count. Male infertility problems can be complex, and changing lifestyles might not solve these cases easily."
Heart
A report released by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council suggested that moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity in amounts lower than the physical activity guidelines can still significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
But Dr. Michael Scott Emery, co-chair of the ACC Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council, and colleagues point out that more exercise results in an even greater reduction of risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
"The available evidence should prompt clinicians to recommend strongly low and moderate exercise training for the majority of our patients," Dr. Emery said. "Equally important are initiatives to promote population health at large through physical activity across the lifespan, as it modulates behavior from childhood into adult life."
Mood
Researchers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Mansfield have discovered that there is no need to spend hours at the gym to feel good about yourself. The team compared people who took part in light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity exercise with those who were inactive.
They found that individuals who participated in light-intensity physical activity reported higher levels of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression, whereas people who engaged in moderate-intensity physical activity reported higher psychological well-being levels and lower levels of pain.
"We hope this research helps people realize the important public health message that simply going from doing no physical activity to performing some physical activity can improve their subjective well-being," clarified Gregory Panza, a graduate student in UConn's Department of Kinesiology and the study's lead author.
"What is even more promising for the physically inactive person is that they do not need to exercise vigorously to see these improvements. Instead, our results indicate you will get the best 'bang for your buck' with light- or moderate-intensity physical activity."
Obesity
The physical activity guidelines suggest that children participate in 60 minutes or more per day of moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise.
Participating in 25 minutes of activity 3 times every week may help to combat obesity in children.However, research by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, found that if all children aged 8 to 11 years took part in just 25 minutes of exercise 3 times per week, then $62.3 billion in lost wages and medical costs could be avoided, not to mention the fact that 1.2 million fewer children would be overweight or obese.
"As the prevalence of childhood obesity grows, so will the value of increasing physical activity," said study leader Dr. Bruce Y. Lee, executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "We need to be adding physical education programs and not cutting them. We need to encourage kids to be active, to reduce screen time and get them running around again. It's important for their physical health - and the nation's financial health."
Death
Research presented at the EuroPrevent 2016 meeting by Dr. David Hupin - a physician in the Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology at the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne in France - found that just 15 minutes of physical activity each day is associated with a 22 percent decreased risk of death.
"We found that the low level of activity, which is half the recommended amount, was associated with a 22 percent reduced risk of death in older adults compared with those who were inactive," said Dr. Hupin. "This level of activity equates to a 15-minute brisk walk each day."
"We think that older adults should progressively increase physical activity in their daily lives rather than dramatically changing their habits to meet recommendations. Fifteen minutes a day could be a reasonable target for older adults. Small increases in physical activity may enable some older adults to incorporate more moderate activity and get closer to the recommended 150 minutes per week," Dr. Hupin concluded.
While recent research of lower physical activity levels is promising for those of us with little spare time, research that explores exercise at the recommended levels or higher is even more illuminating. However, that will have to wait for another day.
The bottom line is that any activity is better than no activity. While the recommended physical activity levels may be difficult for some people to achieve, doing any amount of exercise provides health benefits and is significantly better for health than being inactive.
Exercise does not have to be a grueling uphill struggle; it can take place in short bursts and be fun. Make a difference to your health by getting off the couch and moving!
Weight Loss
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