Diet & Life Style Info

This post is all about diet and avoiding eating more than you should. My wife is constantly trying to lose weight. However she has no willpower and cannot avoid eating sweets as well as munchies that are available in our house most of the time. In fact if there are deserts in the house, she will have a helping for breakfast instead of a regular breakfast.

Food in the Home

Yes if there are desserts in the house,  guaranteed it will be eaten before the morning arrives or sometime shortly after. She would rather have dessert for breakfast instead of having a proper nutritional breakfast. In fact she does not even like breakfast, but will have dessert if it is in the house for breakfast. The only way that she seems to be able to have any control over what she eats is to avoid having the food in the house. We find that if we buy peanuts or chips, we both start snacking.

Couch Potato

She will sit down and eat them while watching a TV show or just munch on them during the afternoon. There’s no way that you can let them sit there and  this is a terrible way to try to control your diet so we have found that the best way is to avoid buying all those kinds of things. If we’re having a party for some reason the people we have those kinds things in as the host of the party.

If you fall into this category and cannot avoid eating food that’s in the house the best approach is to have food that are low calorie can nature. Fruits and vegetables are a good example of the kinds of foods to have in the house. In fact weight watchers has recently changed their scoring system to include  most if not all fruits and vegetables to zero points meaning that you can eat as much of this kind of food as you want.

Get Out of the House, Go For a Walk

Another approach is to get out of the house even if it’s just for a walk or go to an exercise gym and participate in something that gets you moving to start to burn calories. Sitting in the house watching TV eating high calorie food is just a recipe to gain weight.

So this season to maintain your weight or to lose weight, avoid having all of these high carb and calorie foods in the house.  Avoid foods such as peanuts chips, pretzels and other foods about type. Instead have lots of fruits and vegetables in your home to munch on whenever you have the urge to eat something. Also avoid any kind of dips that go along with these things unless it is zero  calories and zero carbs. Also avoid food that has a lot of salt in them.

Read the labels on every food that you can eat to avoid high salt content and also to make sure that you’re eating low-carb  low calorie food if you’re on a diet and cannot avoid or do not have the willpower to avoid eating while you’re sitting watching TV reading a newspaper or just quietly reading.

Get up and move around if his housework or going for a walk or going to the gym or biking or anything that gets you away from the fridge away from getting any kinds of munchies. When you feel the urge to read something get out of the house and go for a walk.

Well if you read our last post which was a summary of the US Governments New Diet Guidelines, we are assuming you are confused and wondering if you can eat anything at all. You may be also wondering if you have to give up all of your favorite foods with pizza possible at the top of the list. Well this writer does not think so and it is not based on any kind of scientific study, nor is it based on lobby groups. Or opinion is based on experience and a little bit of common sense.

Common sense says that if you eat 5000 calories every day and sit on the couch you are going to get fat. Just think about if for a second. The Tour de France bikers participate in races that span 5 to 6 hours and cover up to 200 kilometers. During this time they will burn between 5000 and 7000 calories. If you are not burning calories you either have to limit your intake or increase your activity to avoid gaining more weight and also to lose weight.

But the new diet guidelines are more than just calories. They are also about making sure you get the right amount of vitamins, fibre and minerals to keep your system running well and staying healthy. This is also very important because if you are not well , then you are sick, become lethargic and likely will gain weight.

Study the Guidelines

Remember they are guidelines. They are not a bible that you have to follow religiously. Rather they are a set of instructions that you should follow most of the time if you want to avoid gaining weight and also stay healthy. Print out the list of things you can eat and those you cannot eat. Carry it with you and use it as a reference. After awhile you will know it by heart, but until you do it will be a handy reference for you to refer to each time you are deciding what to eat.

They Are Really a Guideline and not a Law

This is so important. While you want to follow these guidelines as much as possible, what is important to remember is that these new diet guidelines are just that. Follow them as best you can, at least 90% of the time , which means you may fall off the wagon once and a while, but that is ok as long as it amounts to only 10% of your food intake. They are a guideline so use them as guidelines !

Portion Control

Use small plates. It just makes so much common sense. We all love big plates so that we can pile all of our favorite foods on them. If you use a small plate you will reduce a few hundred, maybe even a thousand calories. Drink a glass of water with your meal as well to fill you up and you will be surprised at how much less food you eat. After awhile it becomes habit to eat less.

We love going to buffets and they all have these huge plates, You can pile so much food on them of all different types. We have learned to take the desert plates instead of the dinner plates when we are browsing the main course buffet lines. You cannot get that much food on them and you have to go back for seconds, but that is just fine since it limits our calory intake!

The following is a summary of the new US Government dietary guidelines. In our next post we are going to discuss these guidelines and how the average person may be able to apply them!

A new term has been coined by the US Government and they want you to  avoid extra calories from Solid Fats and Added Sugars (SoFAS). Also consumers  who eat a lot of SoFAS also tend to eat a lot of refined grains which should also be avoided. They want consumers to move away from our over reliance in the past on sugar and sodium and saturated fat.

If it tastes great, then you probably should avoid it and of course that means pizza, which is major source of food types Americans enjoy and  are advised to avoid.

We also need to cut back to 1,500 mg of sodium per day for people over age 51, African-Americans, and people with high blood pressure.  Everyone else are advised to cut back to less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. There is salt in just about everything, so start by putting the salt shaker away! Avoid processed foods were salt is very high. Read the labels and look for low sodium levels in foods. Also avoid fast food restaurants that do not have low salt menus and low calorie foods.

The new dietary guidelines from the US Government  focus on two major themes:

• watching calories to achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• tipping the balance of calorie intake: More calories from nutrition-rich foods, fewer calories from solid fats, sugars, and refined grains

The new American guidelines suggest:

• Eat more seafood — at least 8 ounces a week
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Substitute healthy oils for solid fats (such as margarine)
• Lower your sodium intake
• Avoid fast foods
• Exercise more
• Read food labels
• Substitute whole grains for refined grains
• Eat more beans and peas
• Get plenty of fiber, potassium, and vitamin D
• Eat/drink more nonfat or low-fat dairy products
• Replace high-fat meats with lean meats
• For some Americans, drink less alcohol
• Get off your SoFAS

The new guidelines point to specific sources of SoFAS and refined grains that we should not eat.

Dietary Guidelines: Worst Foods for Solid Fats

Solid fats make up almost a fifth of the total calories in American diets. They are a major factor behind the obesity epidemic.

The 10 foods that give us the most solid fats (and the percentage of solid fats from each food):

• Grain-based desserts (10.8%)
• Pizza (9.1%)
• Regular cheese (7.6%)
• Sausage, franks, bacon, and ribs (7.1%)
• French fries (4.8%)
• Dairy desserts (4.7%)
• Tortillas, burritos, and tacos (4.6%)
• Chicken and mixed chicken dishes (4.1%)
• Pasta and pasta dishes (3.9%)
• Whole milk (3.9%, just ahead of burgers at 3.8%)

Dietary Guidelines: Worst Foods for Saturated Fat

The body makes its own saturated fat — and we don’t need any more from our diet. High intake of saturated fat is linked to high cholesterol levels, which in turn are linked to heart disease.

The 10 foods from which Americans get most of their saturated fat

• Regular cheese (8.5%)
• Pizza (5.9%)
• Grain-based desserts (5.8%)
• Dairy desserts (5.6%)
• Chicken and chicken mixed dishes (5.5%)
• Sausage, franks, bacon, and ribs (4.9%)
• Burgers (4.4%)
• Tortillas, burritos, and tacos (4.1%)
• Beef and beef mixed dishes (4.1%)
• Reduced-fat milk (3.9%)

 Dietary Guidelines: Worst Foods for Added Sugars

Added sugars make up 16% of the total calories in American diets. Like solid fats, they’re a major factor in obesity. Far atop the list are sugary beverages.

The 10 foods from which Americans get most of their added sugars:

• Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks (35.7%)
• Grain-based desserts (12.9%)
• Fruit drinks (10.5%)
• Dairy desserts (6.5%)
• Candy (6.1%)
• Ready-to-eat cereals (3.8%)
• Sugars and honey (3.5%)
• Tea (3.5%)
• Yeast breads (2.1%)
• All other foods (15.4%)

The new dietary guidelines say we should get more fiber in our diets.

The guidelines’ top 10 selected sources of dietary fiber :

• Beans — navy, pinto, black, kidney, white, great northern, and lima (6.2 to 9.6 grams)
• 100% Bran ready-to-eat cereal (9.1 grams)
• Split peas, lentils, chickpeas, or cowpeas (5.6 to 8.1 grams)
• Artichokes (7.2 grams)
• Pears (5.5 grams)
• Soybeans (5.2 grams)
• Plain rye wafer crackers (5.0 grams)
• Bran ready-to-eat cereals — various types (2.6 to 5.0 grams)
• Asian pears (4.4 grams)
• Green peas (3.5 to 4.4 grams)

Dietary Guidelines: Best Foods for Potassium

The new dietary guidelines say we should get more potassium in our diets.

The guidelines’ top 10 selected sources of dietary potassium :

• Baked potatoes including the skin (738 mg)
• Prune juice, canned (707 mg)
• Carrot juice, canned (689 mg)
• Tomato paste (664 mg)
• Beet greens, cooked (654 mg)
• White beans, canned (595 mg)
• Tomato juice, canned (556 mg)
• Plain yogurt, nonfat or low fat (531 to 579 mg)
• Tomato puree (549 mg)
• Sweet potato, baked in skin (542 mg)

Dietary Guidelines: Best Foods for Calcium

The new dietary guidelines advise Americans to get more calcium in their diets.

The guidelines’ top 10 selected sources of dietary calcium:

• Fortified ready-to-eat cereals (250 mg to 1,000 mg)
• Orange juice fortified with calcium (500 mg)
• Plain yogurt, nonfat (452 mg)
• Romano cheese (452 mg)
• Pasteurized processed Swiss cheese (438 mg)
• Evaporated milk, nonfat (371 mg)
• Tofu, regular, preserved with calcium sulfate (434 mg)
• Plain yogurt, low fat (415 mg)
• Fruit yogurt, low fat (345 mg)
• Ricotta cheese, part skim (337 mg)

Dietary Guidelines: Best Foods for Vitamin D

The new dietary guidelines advise Americans to get more vitamin D in their diets.

The guidelines’ top 10 selected dietary sources of vitamin D :

• Salmon, sockeye, cooked (19.8 mcg)
• Salmon, smoked (14.5 mcg)
• Salmon, canned (11.6 mcg)
• Rockfish, cooked (6.5 mcg)
• Tuna, light, canned in oil, drained (5.7 mcg)
• Orange juice, vitamin D fortified (3.4 mcg)
• Sardines, canned in oil, drained (4.1 mcg)
• Tuna, light, canned in water, drained (3.8 mcg)
• Whole milk (3.2 mcg)
• Whole chocolate milk (3.2 mcg)

Recent studies by scientists are uncovering a phenomenon that points to the more exercise you do , the longer you are likely to live. Exercise appears to ensure that more blood gets to organs and tissues, they are cleaned of impurities and they receive more oxygen, which contributes to overall health and longer life. Of course like anything else you can overdue exercise and begin to have to much wear and tear on muscles, joints and ligaments. For most people it means exercising moderately 4 or 5 times a week with out enduring extreme wear and tear on your body.

The scientists are reporting that not only that signs of premature aging were halted — they were even reversed — in virtually every tissue and organ in the bodies of exercised mice.

So instead of taking a pill or eating some exotic food, all you need to do is follow an exercise regime and you will longer  than your peers who do not.

The particular studies that these findings are being based on consisted of allowing mice to receive regular exercise in one group while in another group, they were allowed to lead a sedentary lifestyle. The mice that exercised, were much more lively , had more energy and were much more alert than the sedentary mice. They also looked more healthy as well with sleek shiny coats of fur compared to the group.

Exercising 3 times a week for perhaps 45 to 60 minutes a week is sufficient to achieve these stupendous results. Anti-aging effects of endurance exercise on the brain, skin, hair, gonads (ovaries and testicles), kidneys, spleen and liver were significant.

Real Life Example

Recently a friend of mind was talking about his father who had experienced a slight stroke, was hospitalized and then caught a disease while in the hospital. The net result was that he was in bed on his back for 3 months with no exercise at all while he recovered. He was then shipped to a long term care facility.

He had lost a great deal of muscle mass, and strength. He was lethargic and very little energy. Fortunately for him, his daughter in law was a former critical care nurse and new that she needed to get him up and walking.

They started slow with a walker, to the door of his room and back. This is really how bad he was. Later he progressed out the door and to the end of the hall, all of the time rebuilding his strength and increasing his heart rate just a little bit.
Read the rest of this entry »

So what are the worst foods, anytime during the year and  the calorie-packed culprits that we should stay away from? The experts say  that there really are no “bad” foods. A few bites of even the most fattening food can fit into your diet. But there certainly are foods that are worse for us than others.

When you check out the nutritional numbers on these foods, keep in mind that most adults need fewer than 2,000 calories, 65 grams of total fat, and 20 grams of saturated fat each day. If you are not an active person, you may need to limit yourself to even less calories each day.

There are many foods that fall into the heavy calorie list, however the following will give you an idea of what to avoid or to limit the quantity of each that you eat. I am using a calorie counter at the moment and find that I sometimes have to really limit portion size in order to meet my calorie limit. I eat everything, just not a huge quantity!

Alcohol

Probably the number one calorie counter is alcohol. As with anything else if you limit your intake, you can limit the calories. A simple rum and coke is loaded with calories. Change to diet coke to limit your calories. Choose light beer and avoid the creamy liquors if you want to control the calories that you take in while enjoy a drink with dinner or a liquor over dinner.

Macaroni and cheese. It’s an all-time favorite comfort food for both kids and adults, but it can wreak havoc with your diet. A 12-ounce serving of Stouffer’s macaroni and cheese has 529 calories, 25.7 grams of fat, and 10.6 grams of saturated fat. Calories can climb higher when ingredients like high-fat meats or sausage are tossed in. Modify the recipe by using a low-fat cheese, low-fat milk, and stretch it with additional vegetables to improve the nutritional profile and still taste great.

Cream-based soups, bisques and chowders. “Warm soups and chowders feel so nutritious, but if they are loaded with cream, they are also loaded with calories. Soups also tend to be high in sodium, and if you crumble salty crackers into the bowl or top with cheese, the sodium level soars even higher. A one-cup serving of Harry’s Lobster Bisque (Costco) has 380 calories, 27 grams of fat, 16 grams saturated fat, and 1,240 milligrams of sodium. The New England clam chowder at Chili’s, meanwhile, has 940 calories, 65 grams fat, and 34 grams of saturated fat. Choose soups that are broth based, like vegetable or minestrone, and pair it with a salad or a whole-wheat roll.

Cream- and cheese-based casseroles, or those topped with cheese, bacon, fried onions, or buttered crackers. One serving has 568 calories, 40 grams of fat and 21 grams of saturated fat — and this is for a side dish! Creamed, scalloped, and au gratin dishes may start out with healthy ingredients like broccoli, green beans, or potatoes. But when you add cream, butter, and canned soups and top them with cheese, bacon, and/or fried breadcrumbs, you can easily quadruple the calories. Reduce calories by substituting low-calorie mix-ins such as fat-free sour cream, low-fat cheese, or reduced-fat soups.

Cheesecake treats. Cheesecakes are typically loaded with artery clogging fats. In just one slice of chocolate Oreo mudslide cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, you get 1,050 calories, 71 grams of fat, and 34 grams of saturated fat. And don’t think ordering a muffin will save you when you’re craving a cream-cheese treat. Starbuck’s pumpkin cream cheese muffin has 490 calories, 24 grams of fat, and 6 grams of saturated fat. Better to skip these rich desserts and satisfy your sweet tooth with a 150-calorie Skinny Cow ice cream cone — or suck on a peppermint for a mere 20 calories.

Chili and stews loaded with ground beef, sausage, and/or cheese. When you make them yourself, with small portions of lean meat, lots of vegetables and beans and a sprinkle of low-fat cheese, chili and stews can be nutritious and filling. At Chili’s, a bowl of chili with cheese will cost you 500 calories, 35 grams of fat, and 15 grams saturated fat. At Quizno’s, the bread bowl chili has 760 calories, 23 grams of fat, and 7 grams saturated fat. “Stews or chili have the potential to be very hearty, high in protein, and a great meal as long as you control the high-fat ingredients such as ground meat, sausage and cheese.

Pies topped with whipped cream or ice cream. These winter favorites often start with healthy ingredients, like heart-healthy nuts or antioxidant-rich fruits, but they also include high-calorie ingredients. “Rich, buttery pie crusts on the top and bottom, sweet fillings, and the customary whipped cream or ice cream topping make these pies decadent and full of calories. A slice of coconut cream pie at Denny’s, for example, will set you back 701 calories, 32 grams of fat, and 20 grams saturated fat. Shoney’s apple pie a la mode has 1,203 calories, 53 grams of fat, and 23.7 grams of saturated fat in one serving — equivalent to the total daily calories in some weight loss plans. “Skip the crust(s), add a dollop of light whipped topping, and serve yourself only a sliver” if you want to enjoy these desserts.

Cookies. Enjoying one small cookie is not a problem. Most small (about 1 -2 ounces) cookies are around 200-250 calories, which is not bad if you eat only one — but who can stop at one?. The CD-sized cookies you commonly find at bakeries and restaurants pack a real caloric punch. At Dunkin’ Donuts, the peanut butter cup cookie (4.5 ounces) has 590 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 13 grams saturated fat. At Panera, the shortbread cookie (2.5 ounces) has 350 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 12 grams saturated fat. So split it in half, or take along a 100-calorie pack of your favorite cookie.

Fried side dishes – chili cheese fries, onion rings, and plain old French fries. Sadly, the most popular vegetable in the U.S. is the French fry, which is loaded with fat, calories, and salt. Most people think nothing of adding a side of 6-ounce fries to their order at McDonald’s, even though it adds an additional 570 calories, 30 grams of fat, and 6 grams saturated fat. Sharing a Chili’s Awesome Blossom (1/2 portion) gives you 1,355 calories, 101 grams of fat, and 18 grams saturated fat – all before the entree. A serving of Del Taco’s chili cheese fries has 670 calories, 46 grams fat, and 15 grams saturated fat, while White Castle onion rings have 750 calories, 39 grams of fat, and 6 saturated fat. Have a side salad with your entrée and skip the high-calorie, deep-fat fried appetizer, and look for something that is not fried and has vegetables.

Creamy pot pies with pastry on the top and bottom. It looks innocent enough but when you have pastry on the bottom and top, you get a double dose of high-fat crust plus the filling. The individual Boston Market chicken pot pie has 780 calories, 47 grams of fat, and 17 grams of saturated fat. Forget the creamy pie and enjoy a roasted chicken breast and a whole-wheat roll for a fraction of the calories.

More Tips to Avoid  Weight Gain

Beyond limiting the most fattening foods, here are some more general expert tips for avoiding winter weight gain:

• Have plenty of low-sodium soups and stews that are broth- or tomato-based and contain lots of vegetables. Studies show that eating broth-based soup before a meal can fill you up and help you eat fewer calories during the meal.
• Heat up your food with spices and peppers to give it more pizzazz so you won’t miss the high-fat ingredients.
• Use only lean meats in casseroles and other dishes. Even then, remember to keep portions reasonable.
• Drink plenty of water with your meals
• Include plenty of lean protein in your diet to keep you feeling full and satisfied
• Replace cream in recipes with fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk
• Use 2 egg whites instead of each whole egg in recipes.
• Get plenty of natural sunlight, and stay fit to keep your metabolism perking.
• Keep your menus simple and reduce the number of choices to reduce the temptation to try everything, Tallmadge says.
• During the holiday season, “keep your routine as normal as possible, and if you do splurge, just get right back on track so Thanksgiving dinner does not extend all the way to New Year’s Day,” says Hurley.

Did you gain weight during the allergy season? If you are allergic to golden rod, dust and mold, it is not over yet. Most people equate allergy season to the spring when there is a lot of pollen in the air. It can be equally bad for people in the late summer and fall due to pollen from golden rod, and the mold that is in the air from decaying leaves and grasses.  If you gained weight in the spring or will gain weight in the fall, it is probably because you stayed inside more and avoid going out doors. Maybe you took the car every where instead of walking and going for a walk after supper was completely the wrong thing to do.

What all this translates into is less physical activity, maybe a bit of boredom which for many people means they eat more and they burn less calories. As a result the pounds go on and you gain weight. I know , this happens to me every year and I have to force myself to get out and exercise as well as work around the yard!

Take Precautions

There are many precautions that can be taken to help you during this period of time. It really depends on how bad your allergies are. Some people are much worse than others and will need to take more extreme precautions. They are not ranked in importance, since what works for one person will not work for another. Here is our list that keeps me going during allergy season and helps me avoid losing weight:

• Exercise makes me feel better, allergies do not bother me while exercising
• Take allergy drugs prescribed by a doctor
• Wear a mask if you are really susceptible to whatever makes you allergic
• Finish work outside, undress in the laundry room and immediately take a shower
• Finish exercising outside, undress in the laundry room and immediately take a shower
• Keep the windows closed and run the air conditioning
• Keep the filter on your furnace clean
• Use a central vacuum and exhaust it outside the house
• Monitor the air quality and stay inside on bad days
• Go to the gym and exercise
• Mold can be highest at night, stay inside at that time
• Exercise indoors in your basement
• Carry Kleenex with you everywhere
• Always watch your diet

That’s a long list of possible things you can do to help you deal with your allergies and also keep active. You may not lose weight, but perhaps you will at least maintain your present weight. Better than gaining weight during this difficult time frame.

We have assumed here that the main problem is dealing with your allergies so that you can keep active. If you are not active, you are going to gain weight because most people eat much more than they need to maintain their body weight. Develop an exercise program or plan that goes with some of the activities above that you use to control your allergy symptoms. You can never completely eliminate them, however if you can make your life more comfortable you are ahead of the game.

Comments on these ideas are welcome. If you have some to add, let us know.

You might think that this is an odd title for a diet web site, however there is a link to diet as anyone with allergies knows well.  Hotels have begun to figure this out as well and are trying to tap into this particular market.

Many people with allergies automatically ask the following questions when they are reserving a hotel room or checking into one.

• Non smoking rooms
• Rooms that are non smoking and have not been smoked in
• Hypo allergenic pillows
• Non feather pillows
• No deodorizers
• Rooms cleaned with non perfumed products
• Specific menus that cater to people who have food allergies

We all know that if you are on a diet and traveling it is hard enough to stay on diet and put up with rooms that are triggering an allergic response.

As a result many hotels are catering more and more to people with allergies and making sure that rooms are cleaned properly, that they do not smell of smoke and in fact are going for hypoallergenic rooms. This is a great trend, however some hotels are charging more for this new wellness program to ensure that customers have rooms that need their special needs.

As you travel and try to avoid situations that cause allergic reactions there is a tendency to stay in your room more, particularly if it is a clean non smelling room. As a result you order in and eat your meal in your room with no chance of exercise at all after eating your meal. Chances are you have also been traveling all day as well and did not get much exercise this way either. One night in a hotel like this is ok, however if you are staying for a week in hotels this lack of activity can be a recipe for gaining a great deal of weight.

Avoid Bad Rooms While Traveling

Having traveled a great deal ourselves we have yet to encounter one of these hotels that are offering allergy free rooms. Either they are not available in the hotels we use or they are not advertised very well. If you are interested in this type of service we encourage you to ask at the time of making a reservation.

We are finding that more and more hotels are going non-smoking all together or at the very least have non smoking floors. This is really fantastic for the customers, the people who work there and of course the hotel as well since they are able to reduce their costs by not having to clean up after a smoker has been in the room.

Still there are some people who will smoke in a room anyway and we encountered this on our last stay at a major hotel. The hotel was very good , providing us with a different room to stay in almost immediately. They were also going to place an ionizer in the room to clean out the smoke smell. I believe the previous guest is going to receive a hefty cleaning fee, which they should.

Plan Your Trip for Exercise, Diet and Allergy Issues

Most of us focus on planning a trip to focus on the best deal and a place close to our vacation plans or business meetings. More and more people are taking issues such as diet into account, the ability to exercise at the hotel and the availability of non allergic rooms that are cleared of any smoke smells and lack the smell of strong cleaners etc that are known to cause allergic reactions to many people.

Take the time to plan your trip with these requirements in mind to ensure that you have a much more successful trip regardless of whether it is for business or pleasure.

Well, it’s official, there is a study out now that concludes : Sitting all day is bad for you. This includes the people that sit in offices all day long, sit in the car or bus going to and home from work and sitting in front of the TV at night until bedtime! Why is this so?

• You burn less calories, so you get fat
• You do not use your muscles, so they get weak
• You do not exercise your heart, so it gets weak
• Your blood does not circulate as well, so all kinds of bad things happen

We did not really need a bunch of  “inactivity researchers” to figure this out, since it is pretty obvious when you compare active people to someone who sits much of the day, but now a study has been completed that proves it.

Why is This So?

Basically, energy into your body is either burned off in exercise or converted to fat. People who sit all day will convert more food to fat than those people who are active, even if it just means going for a walk.

If you eat the same amount as someone who is active, the person who is inactive will gain weight!

In the study, neither group exercised or participated in exercise programs. The active group just did not sit. They walked , they stood, they took stairs instead of the elevator etc, while the other group sat all of the time and avoided any chance of exerting themselves.

They both ate the same amount of food . The inactive people gained weight, while the active folks did not! Being inactive doesn’t just make you fat. It makes you sick, too.

What happens when you sit:

• Electrical activity in the muscles drops
• Leg muscles begin to atrophy
• Your calorie-burning rate immediately plunges
• Insulin effectiveness drops within a single day
• The risk of being obese increases
• Cholesterol increases, which could cause heart attacks

Over a lifetime, sitting really can kill you:

• Men who sit 6 hours a day are 20% more likely to die that men who sit 3 hours a day

• Women who sit 6 hours a day are 40% more likely to die

Another bummer: You can’t counter the harmful effects of sitting by exercising once in a while. You actually have to stop sitting.  Or at least start moving around more. Once muscles atrophy ( get weak and reduce in size), it takes a long time to rebuild them with exercise  and activity. The only way to avoid this occurring it to stay active!

So get off your ass!

Comments are welcome, our readers will appreciate any constructive comments you have about what sitting can do to you.

Vacation at all inclusive resorts, business meals, holiday parties, gourmet meals, and celebratory dinners can easily take you a long way off your diet plan and ramp up the calories, salt and fat that you intake. When you are busy going to these events your exercise plan tends to suffer as well and you are not burning off the calories either.  Everyone of us will blow his or her calorie budget every now and then.

Should we worry about this temporary situation? Is this diversion from your plan temporary or is it a symptom of a longer term trend? What should you do next and how do you get back on track with your plan to lose weight or to maintain the weight you want to be at?

Here are a few answers that we have picked up from around the internet on various web sites from experts and none experts. Decide what works for you and get back to your plan!

Relax (For a Moment)

Considering that you need to  eat 3,500 calories to gain one pound of body fat,  it’s unlikely that a single overindulgence will show up on the scale. This is the good news, one meal is not going to ruin you if you eat sensibly and exercise regularly the rest of the time and get back to your routine, experts say.

Also if this occurs once and awhile, and the rest of the time you adhere to your plans, you probably will be ok. If you are over indulging often, there is a great danger that you will start to gain weight unless you really turn up the exercise routine.

Even a week at an all inclusive resort can be managed if you get right back to your regular plan when you return. It may take a week or two before you will be back to your regular weight, but then this is within your expectations. Again get back to your routine as quickly as you can.

With the size of most restaurant meals most people cannot help but overeat somewhere between 500 and 1,500 calories every single day and if they do not work this off through exercise, they are going to gain weight for sure.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up, Get Right Back to Your Plan

If you do fall off of your plan for whatever reason, don’t get discouraged. Every one does this from time to time. The important thing is to recognize that you only fell off the plan for a day or a week while you were away, and you are going to get right back on your plan. Watch the portion size on everything and try to reduce your portions to the point that you are eating less calories than you need.

Plan Your Diet Over the Course of Several Days

Most people eat more sensibly during the week and take in more calories on the weekend. During the week it is easier to be more disciplined and you do not have the distractions  you may have on weekends when we tend to go out with friends or visit with family.

If you eat more calories than you should at a party on a weeknight, consider that one of your “weekend” days and compensate for it accordingly on the weekend. Plan your calorie intake over a week so that your average meets your goal. There is more flexibility this way and it is much easier to cope with every day life if you can average things over a week.

Resume Sensible Eating as Soon as Possible

If you over eat one day cut back the next day over several meals. If you skip meals you may find that you are hungrier and more likely to fall off your diet again. Eat smaller portions until you have compensated for the over indulgence.

If you have been on a vacation, it may take a while week to get back on plan after you return. Be patient and eat properly for the week following until you are back on target.

• Cut back throughout the day with a series of small meals packed with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables:
• Wait until you’re hungry. Then have a light breakfast such as a bowl of low-fat yogurt and berries.
• Mid-morning snack: A piece of fruit and an ounce of low-fat cheese
• Lunch: A big salad with lean protein such as fish or chicken, or a whole-wheat pita pocket with lettuce and tuna or turkey
• Afternoon snack: A cup of vegetable soup and an orange
• Dinner: A piece of fish and plenty of vegetables
• Skip the Scale

Most foods contain salt and some foods have salt artificially added to help preserve the food. This extra salt helps the body to retain fluid and can contribute to perceived weight gain.  It may take a few days for the body to rid itself of this excess salt and the corresponding fluid weight.

Pick a day once a week to weigh yourself. The worst day is probably Sunday evening after you have enjoyed the weekend festivities.  Friday morning may be a good day to do your once a week weigh in, when you are at your lowest weight for the week if you have been sticking to your plan.

Continue with Your Normal Exercise Routine

Over compensating for the extra calories by over-exercising will leave you burned out or worse, perhaps even dehydrated.

You could strain a muscle, you could hurt a joint and muscle soreness may set in. Injuries will just slow you down or cause you to stop exercising contributing to your frustration and possibly more over eating. Stick with the plan and exercise more minutes rather than going faster, lifting more weights or stressing your body more than normal.

Track What You Eat for Every Meal and Snack

Setting a caloric goal for the day and recording what you eat keeps you conscious of what you’re eating, in terms of calories as well as salt intake, and other essential minerals and vitamins.

Track your calorie intake carefully. Every time your hand heads towards your mouth, more calories are adding up. Still you need to make sure that you are also eating sufficient calories for your body type and activity levels. Track your calories and stick to your plan

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