I am so regretting the cereal, milk, and bread I bought today for my meals this week.
Erika Used Good Nutrition To Fight Thyroid Disease and Lose Weight
I have got to figure out how to convert to a no-carb/dairy (or very low) diet plan. It’s the only thing I keep hearing that works for people with thyroid issues. *sigh* I wish I’d thawed out that chicken I bought yesterday. I could make chicken salad for tonight.
*double sigh*
I’ve got to get it together. The pudge around my middle keeps growing. Maybe I’ll make another grocery stop tonight on my way home.
These chewy, tart berries have a hunger-curbing edge over other fruit: 18 amino acids, which make them a surprising source of protein, says chef Sarah Krieger, R.D., spokeswoman in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the American Dietetic Association. (They also have more beta-carotene than carrots.) Snack on them midafternoon to stay satisfied until dinner. The calorie cost? Only 35 per tablespoon.
Eat more Mix 1/4 cup of the dried berries (from health food stores) with 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup walnuts for a nourishing trail mix. Or for dessert, pour 1/4 cup boiling water into a bowl with 2 tbsp dried berries; let sit 10 minutes. Drain, then spoon over 1/2 cup lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt.
Wild salmon
Not only do fish fats keep your heart healthy, but they shrink your waist, too. “Omega-3 fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity—which helps build muscle and decrease belly fat,” Grotto explains. And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. Opt for wild salmon; it may contain fewer pollutants.
Eat more You don’t need to do much to enhance salmon’s taste, says Sidra Forman, a chef and writer in Washington, D.C. “Simple is best. Season a fillet with salt and pepper, then cook it in a hot pan with 2 tsp oil for 1 to 3 minutes on each side.”
Apples
An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay, finds a study from Penn State University at University Park. People who chomped an apple before a pasta meal ate fewer calories overall than those who had a different snack. “Apples are high in fiber—4 to 5 grams each—which makes them filling,” says Susan Kraus, R.D., a clinical dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Plus, the antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an “apple shape.”
Eat more Apples are the ideal on-the-go low-calorie snack. For a pielike treat, chop up a medium apple and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp allspice and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Pop in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
Buckwheat pasta
Swap plain noodles for this hearty variety; you’ll slip into your skinny jeans in no time. “Buckwheat is high in fiber and, unlike most carbs, contains protein,” Zuckerbrot says. “Those two nutrients make it very satiating, so it’s harder to overeat buckwheat pasta than the regular stuff.”
Eat more Cook this pasta as you do rice: Simmer it, covered, over low heat. For a light meal, toss cooked buckwheat pasta with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and onions. Or make buckwheat crepes using our tasty recipe.
Blueberries
All berries are good for you, but those with a blue hue are among the best of the bunch. They have the highest antioxidant level of all commonly consumed fruit, according to research from the USDA Agriculture Research Service in Little Rock, Arkansas. They also deliver 3.6 grams of fiber per cup. “Fiber may actually prevent some of the fat you eat from being absorbed because fiber pulls fat through the digestive tract,” Zuckerbrot says.
Eat more Instead of topping your cereal with fruit, fill your bowl with blueberries, then sprinkle cereal on top and add milk or yogurt, Iserloh recommends.
Almond butter
Adding this spread may lower bread’s glycemic index (a measure of a food’s effect on blood sugar). A study from the University of Toronto found that people who ate almonds with white bread didn’t experience the same blood sugar surges as those who ate only the slice. “The higher blood sugar levels rise, the lower they fall; that dip leads to hunger, causing people to overeat,” says study author Cyril Kendall, Ph.D. “Furthermore, blood sugar changes cause the body to make insulin, which can increase abdominal fat.”
Eat more Try it for a change from peanut butter in sandwiches, or make a veggie dip: Mix 1 tbsp almond butter with 2 tbsp fat-free plain yogurt, Iserloh suggests. Or add a dollop to oatmeal for flavor and protein.
Pomegranates
The juice gets all the hype for being healthy, but pomegranate seeds deserve their own spotlight. In addition to being loaded with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants, they’re low in calories and high in fiber, so they satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your diet, Krieger says.
Eat more Pop the raw seeds on their own (many grocery stores sell them preshucked) as a snack at your desk. “Use them in salads instead of nuts,” Iserloh says. “They’re especially delicious on raw baby spinach with lemon–poppy seed dressing.” For another take on the seeds, use our easy recipe for sweet and spicy pomegranate salsa.
Chiles
One reason to spice up your meals: You’ll crank up your metabolism. “A compound in chiles called capsaicin has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chiles,” Zuckerbrot explains. Plus, “you can’t gulp down spicy food,” she adds. “Eating slowly gives your brain time to register that your stomach is full, so you won’t overeat.”
Eat more Stuff chiles with cooked quinoa and marinara sauce, then roast them. To mellow a chile’s heat, grill it until it’s almost black, peel off charred skin and puree the flesh, Krieger says. Add the puree to pasta sauces for a one-alarm kick. Or stir red pepper flakes into any dish you enjoy.
Yogurt
Dietitians often refer to plain yogurt as the perfect food, and for good reason: With its trifecta of carbs, protein and fat, it can stave off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady. In a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, people on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 percent more fat overall and 81 percent more belly fat than those on a similar plan but without yogurt.
Eat more “Use lowfat plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise in chicken or potato salad, or top a baked potato with a bit of yogurt and a squeeze of lemon juice,” Krieger says. You’ll save 4.7 grams of fat per tablespoon. Look for Greek yogurt, which has more protein than other versions.
Quinoa
Curbing hunger is as easy as piling your plate with this whole grain. It packs both fiber (2.6 grams per 1/2 cup) and protein, a stellar nutrient combo that can keep you satisfied for hours, Krieger says.
Eat more Serve quinoa instead of rice with stir-fries, or try Krieger’s take on a scrumptious hot breakfast: Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup orange juice for 15 minutes. Top with 1 tbsp each of raisins and chopped walnuts.
Sardines
These tiny fish are the unsung stars of the sea. They are high in protein and loaded with omega-3s, which also help the body maintain muscle. And they’re low in mercury and high in calcium, making them a smart fish pick for pregnant women. If the flavor doesn’t appeal to you, “soak them in milk for an hour; it will remove any trace of fishiness,” Iserloh says.
Eat more “Use sardines in recipes you like that call for anchovies, including Caesar salad and stuffing,” Iserloh says. Or make a sardine melt: Toss whole sardines with chopped onions, fresh herbs and diced bell peppers. Put the mixture on top of a slice of pumpernickel or rye bread, cover with a slice of cheddar and broil.
Tarragon
You can use this herb, a staple in French cooking, in place of salt in marinades and salad dressings. Excess sodium causes your body to retain water, so using less salt can keep bloating at bay. Plus, tarragon lends a sweet, licoricelike flavor to bland foods. (Use the French version of the herb when possible; it’s sweeter than other varieties.)
Eat more Rub 2 tbsp dried tarragon on chicken before baking or grilling. Or make a tasty dip by mixing 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon into 4 oz lowfat plain yogurt and 1 tsp Dijon mustard, recommends Jacquelyn Buchanan, director of culinary development at Laura Chenel’s Chèvre, a fromagerie in Sonoma, California.
Parmesan
Drop that rubbery lowfat cheese and pick up the real stuff. Women who had one serving of whole milk or cheese daily were less likely to gain weight over time, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds. Lowfat-dairy fans didn’t experience the same benefit. Whole dairy may have more conjugated linoleic acid, which might help your body burn fat. “Parmesan is so flavorful, it’s easy to stick to one serving,” Buchanan says.
Eat more “Grate Parmesan over roasted vegetables,” Buchanan offers. Or snack on a 1-ounce portion with an apple or a pear.
Avocado
Don’t let the fat content of an avocado (29 grams) scare you—that’s what makes it a top weight loss food, Kraus says. “The heart-healthy monounsaturated fat it contains increases satiety,” she says. And it’s terrific summer party food.
Eat more Add avocado to your sandwich instead of mayo for a creamy texture and a shot of flavor. Avocados do contain a lot of calories, so it’s best to watch your portions. One easy way to do it: Try Wholly Guacamole’s 100-calorie fresh guacamole packs ($3; grocery stores or WhollyGuac.com). They’re easy to pack in your lunch and pair with chopped vegetables.
Olive oil
Like avocados, olive oil has healthy fat that increases satiety, taming your appetite. But that’s hardly its only slimming feature. “Research shows it has anti-inflammatory properties,” Kraus says. Chronic inflammation in the body is linked to metabolic syndrome.
Eat more Drizzle your salad with olive oil and you’ll increase the antioxidant power of your veggies, a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition notes. Or toss pasta with a few teaspoons of olive oil, fresh basil and sautéed garlic, Kraus suggests. Add this oil to your summer menus for a flatter tummy by fall.
This is a little bit of an odd tip, but it is a great tip. I love salads, I always have. My old dream salad would have been lettuce, croutons and some store bought italian dressing. Since I started eating the greek salads (after enjoying tomatoes and onions on pizza, etc), I now add tomatoes, cucumber, and onions whenever I can.
The more important change for me though has been going to low-fat and lower calorie dressings. My favorite is Renee’s. This change is important because an average italian dressing, like Kraft contains 55 calories per tablespoon. I am likely to put at least 3 tablespoons of dressing on my salad (probably more, I love huge salads). Renee’s dressings have between 20 and 30 calories per tablespoon. That is a substantial difference. Fat free dressings are 20 calories as well.
This isn’t just one of those food swaps that takes a terrible food item and just moves it to bad, but it is a move from a food that is borderline into a food that you can pretty much eat as much as you want (salad that is, don’t drink the dressing). Great tasting foods that you can eat as much as you want will be a key element in succeeding in keeping weight off. Feeling full is extremely important.
The problem with these dressings though is that they are quite low in sugar too. Who knew sugar was important in dressings, but it is. They don’t have a lot of sugar (about 0.7 grams per tablespoon), but that sugar (like all sugar) becomes an important habit. A hard one to kick. When I first moved to these dressing, I found them bitter and nearly impossible to eat. Now I enjoy them very much. I made the transition by adding grated carrot. Yes grated carrot (make sure you grate the carrot, that is the important step).
Make yourself a salad. Take a couple of carrots and grate them right on top, then put on your 20-30 calorie per tablespoon dressing. You will find that grated carrots are strangely sweet. You will love this salad and by doing this you will gain a huge ally in the weight loss battle.
Enjoy your salads and remember that when people are saying ridiculous things like, ’salads are as bad for you as a Big Mac’, know that you are eating them with low calorie dressings and this couldn’t be further from the truth (as well, know that the salads [with chicken], even at their worst with tons of creamy caesar dressing, bacon and cheese-three things to avoid-may have the same calories and fat as a big mac, but they are huge by comparison. Try going to McDonald’s and just eating a Big Mac and not being hungry. That isn’t going to happen).
A discussion of the importance of being well hydrated when trying to lose weight. To achieve healthy weight loss and function properly, the bodies must be well hydrated. In total, better than 70 per cent of the cells, tissues, and organs are made up of water. the most significant organ…
Free Weightloss Weight Loss EBook
Other therapies are weight loss, occupational therapy, immunoadsorption therapy, and taking sides tools to improve hard drills. Regular exercise is significant for maintaining joint mobility and making the joint muscles stronger. Popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, can induce beneficial long-term effects for rheumatoid arthritis. The resulting effectiveness of treating RA with acupuncture is inconclusive, and more rigorous research seems to be warranted according to one study. Some people have mild short-term symptoms, but in most the disease is liberal for life. Poor prognostic factors include over-eager synovitis, positive serum RF findings, positive serum anti-CCP autoantibodies, carriership of HLA-DR4 Shared Epitope alleles, poor functional status, elevated acute phase response, and increased clinical severity. Estimates of the life-shortening effect of RA vary; most sources cite a lifespan slackening of 5 to 10 years.
Bibliography
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
Daily Word for Weight Loss, Colleen Zuck, Elaine Meyer, Janie Wright, 2001
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
Related external Links Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Fatty Weight Loss BlogLoss Weight Loss Help
Tags: weight loss weight los rheumatoid arthritis occupational therapy lose weight healthy weight loss healthy weight
A bariatric weight loss program is used by many that suffer from obesity. It is a safe an effective means of reducing weight and return to health. This article explores some specifics about what this program entails.
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This curbs excess caloric consumption in the patient treated with acupuncture and is a great help in the patients weight loss program. Enhances Fertility TCM practitioner will carefully determine the state of the imbalances and prescribe an individualized program of herbs, acupuncture and diet to help humans create the correct environment for fertility and pregnancy. How To Heal the Life Quickly What maximum people do not realize is that emotions are real things. Acupuncture is one of the most widely recognized and successful methods of alternative treatment in the world. Its effectiveness in treating a wide variety of disorders has been clinically proven by many distinguished researchers. Grateful that the ailments have been alleviated without any side effects, have graciously written testimonials found throughout the website. The study investigates the efficacy of acupuncture for childhood asthma.
Indication of Source
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
Daily Word for Weight Loss, Colleen Zuck, Elaine Meyer, Janie Wright, 2001
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
Related external Links Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Fatty Weight Loss BlogLoss Weight Loss Help
Tags: weight loss program weight loss weight los side effects side effect childhood asthma alternative treatment
A multimodal approach to weight loss using a combination of three natural products, green tea, irvingia gabonensis and brown algae extract.
Free Weightloss Weight Loss EBook
Other therapies are weight loss, occupational therapy, immunoadsorption therapy, and taking sides tools to improve hard drills. Regular exercise is significant for maintaining joint mobility and making the joint muscles stronger. Popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, can induce beneficial long-term effects for rheumatoid arthritis. The resulting effectiveness of treating RA with acupuncture is inconclusive, and more rigorous research seems to be warranted according to one study. Some people have mild short-term symptoms, but in most the disease is liberal for life. Poor prognostic factors include over-eager synovitis, positive serum RF findings, positive serum anti-CCP autoantibodies, carriership of HLA-DR4 Shared Epitope alleles, poor functional status, elevated acute phase response, and increased clinical severity.
Indication of Source
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
Daily Word for Weight Loss, Colleen Zuck, Elaine Meyer, Janie Wright, 2001
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
Related external Links Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Fatty Weight Loss BlogLoss Weight Loss Help
Tags: weight loss weight los rheumatoid arthritis occupational therapy natural products green tea
According to Men’s Health Magazine, “The average person consumes an extra 600 calories a day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, which translates to an extra six pounds of belly fat heading into 2010.”
Not me!!!!! I’m telling you after reading this article, there’s no way I’m going to sabatage myself.
A discussion of the importance of being well hydrated when trying to lose weight. To achieve healthy weight loss and function properly, the bodies must be well hydrated. In total, better than 70 per cent of the cells, tissues, and organs are made up of water. the most significant organ…
Free Weightloss Weight Loss EBook
Health care professionals generally agree that people that have a BMI of 30 or greater can improve the health through weight loss. It is especially true for people with a BMI of 40 or greater, that are considered extremely obese. A weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of the initial body weight can do much to improve health by lowering blood pressure and other risk factors for obesity-related diseases. The method of treatment depends on the level of obesity, and readiness to lose weight. Weight dominate is a life-long effort, and having realistic expectations about weight loss is an central consideration. Individuals that were previously considered overweight and obese individuals are encouraged to capture 60 to 90 minutes of exercise a day to sustain weight loss. Choosing a secure and Successful Weight-loss Program. Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across the Lifespan. Better Health and You. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults.
Indication of Source
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
Daily Word for Weight Loss, Colleen Zuck, Elaine Meyer, Janie Wright, 2001
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
Related external Links Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Fatty Weight Loss BlogLoss Weight Loss Help
Tags: weight loss weight los risk factors lowering blood pressure lose weight healthy weight loss healthy weight healthy eating health care body weight
A bariatric weight loss program is used by many that suffer from obesity. It is a safe an effective means of reducing weight and return to health. This article explores some specifics about what this program entails.
Free Weightloss Weight Loss EBook
Other therapies are weight loss, occupational therapy, immunoadsorption therapy, and taking sides tools to improve hard drills. Regular exercise is significant for maintaining joint mobility and making the joint muscles stronger. Popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, can induce beneficial long-term effects for rheumatoid arthritis. The resulting effectiveness of treating RA with acupuncture is inconclusive, and more rigorous research seems to be warranted according to one study. Some people have mild short-term symptoms, but in most the disease is liberal for life. Poor prognostic factors include over-eager synovitis, positive serum RF findings, positive serum anti-CCP autoantibodies, carriership of HLA-DR4 Shared Epitope alleles, poor functional status, elevated acute phase response, and increased clinical severity. Estimates of the life-shortening effect of RA vary; most sources cite a lifespan slackening of 5 to 10 years. The mechanism by that RA causes this increased risk remains unknown; the presence of chronic inflammation has been proposed as a contributing factor.
Indication of Source
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
Daily Word for Weight Loss, Colleen Zuck, Elaine Meyer, Janie Wright, 2001
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
Related external Links Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Fatty Weight Loss BlogLoss Weight Loss Help
Tags: weight loss program weight loss weight los rheumatoid arthritis occupational therapy
I could write today about what I’ve been doing the last few days to get my body into better shape (arms on Wednesday, yoga and abs yesterday, and legs today), but yesterday someone else’s body issues made headlines, and I’d like to put in my 2 cents.
Yesterday, Kirstie Alley, the Fat Actress star who’s butt has been the butt of several jokes by late-nite funny man, Conan O’Brian, sounded off, stating via twitter, “I’ll tell you ONE BITCH I’m gonna knock out next time I see her is CONAN O’BITCH O’BRIAN..that guy acts like I bit his dick off.”
Former fattie Star Jones threw her hat into the ring by tweeting in response, “I know a few brothers in Brooklyn who owe me!” Conan then responded on his show by exclaiming, “My dick is not on the Weight Watcher’s diet.”
As much as I love Kirstie can’t-fit-through-an Alley, I think she’s a poor sport. If she doesn’t want people to talk about or joke about her weight, she shouldn’t open the door. For cheesecake sake, Kirstie Alley created, produced, and starred in a comedy series called Fat Actress in which she played herself! How can you do that plus do photo shoots for national magazines whenever your weight goes up or down and get upset when others make fun of your weight struggle?
Kirstie, laughing at yourself is very healthy. You know what else is healthy? Putting down the burger, fries, and shake and hopping on a treadmill instead of tweeting when someone makes fun of you.
There are two kinds of people in this world. There are people who take criticism and jokes personally and let it get to them, and there are people who take comments like that and use them as motivational tools to challenge and push them to fulfill their goals. Kirstie just showed which of the two she is. The best response would have been to say nothing, hire a trainer, and show up as a guest on Conan’s show 4 months from now and 40 lbs lighter.
And Star Jones, why is it that whenever a fat person is in the news, you have to comment? And I love that Star Jones was on The Insider to comment on the whole thing (I guess she’s the go-to representative of overweight people), and called out Conan by saying that she’d like to blast him for his mean-spirited remarks but wouldn’t because “It’s nice and cool on the high road. Come take a walk with me.”
Sorry Star, but people who take the high road don’t tweet insinuations that they know thugs in Brooklyn who can take Conan out.
So readers, what are your thoughts? Are Kirstie Alley and Star Jones overreacting, or did Conan O’Brian cross the line with his fat jokes? Leave a comment…
A 5000 year old practice provides the missing link to the weight loss plan. Celebrities and top athletes do it to succeed. Find out how it can work for you.
Free Weightloss Weight Loss EBook
Health care professionals generally agree that people that have a BMI of 30 or greater can improve the health through weight loss. It is especially true for people with a BMI of 40 or greater, that are considered extremely obese. A weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of the initial body weight can do much to improve health by lowering blood pressure and other risk factors for obesity-related diseases. The method of treatment depends on the level of obesity, and readiness to lose weight. Weight dominate is a life-long effort, and having realistic expectations about weight loss is an central consideration. Individuals that were previously considered overweight and obese individuals are encouraged to capture 60 to 90 minutes of exercise a day to sustain weight loss. Choosing a secure and Successful Weight-loss Program.
Bibliography
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
Daily Word for Weight Loss, Colleen Zuck, Elaine Meyer, Janie Wright, 2001
Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
Related external Links Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss Fatty Weight Loss BlogLoss Weight Loss Help
Tags: weight loss plan weight loss weight los risk factors lowering blood pressure lose weight health care body weight blood pressure
When it comes to losing weight it is known that the persons not motivated or disciplined enough to do it the natural way will appeal to weight loss supplements. This impatience makes people go straight to the pharmacist and ask for the pills. The over-the-counter weight loss supplements are a good solution as long as you read carefully the labels and instructions. Reading the labels will allow you to understand what is the best for your body.
The safer way it is considered to be the prescription fat loss supplements. Talk to you doctor about your decision to lose weight and he will provide help and advice to chose the best solution. It is important to listen to doctor’s advice and don’t use the fat loss supplements in other ways than prescribed. Because some of them manipulate your metabolism or access and modify some hormonal recipes, the risks in case of an overdose become very high. The dangers are bigger in the case of the pills which in bigger quantities can produce high blood pressure and racing heartbeat.
The best way is to follow professional advice and prescriptions and combine the weight loss supplements with a proper exercise schedule and a balanced diet.
Toss shrimp with Cajun spice seasoning and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet and and sauté peppers for six mintues over medium-high heat. Turn heat down and add minced garlic, stirring constantly so that garlic doesn’t burn. Remove peppers and garlic from pan, wipe pan out with paper towel.
Return the pan to medium-high heat, add heat to remaining tsp of oil. Add shrimp and cook approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine, lemon juice, peppers and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with hot sauce; serve each portion over ½ cup cooked brown rice.
Yesterday was our 2 month GFree (gluten free) anniversary. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, I thought I might share some of the benefits I’ve seen in my health. To truly see the benefits, I’ll have to explain some of the symptoms I had before going Gluten Free (GFree). I will try my hardest to be delicate in explanations, however, when dealing with health issues (especially those dealing with the GI tract), it’s not always easy. If you’re squeamish, you might want to skim.
Pre-GFree Life:
migraines up to 5 times a week; at least one a month was “debilitating” or I couldn’t move/function
lack of energy all the time
starving all the time
eat and 20 minutes later using the restroom; often with painful cramps for hours
Low/High insulin reaction type symptoms; eat and then feel dizzy or woozy. Once, I actually thought I was going to have to go to the ER.
Bowels that were water
For days I would just stay near the restroom because I was cramping/using it so often
Inability to live and enjoy a “normal” life because I needed to know where a restroom was AT ALL TIMES
Scared of food because I was only sick if I ate
Unable to lose weight even though I wasn’t eating much and working out a lot
Constantly nauseous
bloating after eating
easily confused/lack of concentration/lack of focus or desire to do things
inability to eat fruits/veggies without cramps/loose bowels
What made me explore living Gluten Free? I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) in the spring of this year. IBS, from what I understand, is a syndrome for which doctors cannot find a cause. Most people find that it is related to stress. Some experience IBS with bloating/cramping/diarrhea. Others experience IBS with constipation. Most experience IBS with a swing of the two.
The FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) that first diagnosed me with IBS started me on a couple of different prescriptions. They worked for the most part, but I was still getting sick often. Finally, we started going to a different doctor and she just issued the same scripts. She also wanted me to go see an OB/GYN to get some things checked out. That’s when I was diagnosed with PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome). PCOS is going to be the topic of an entire blog post later, so I’ll just simply explain it as a syndrome which affects the reproductive system.
At that time, I was active in an online community and one of my good friends in that community is a Celiac. My friends were concerned about how sick I was and asking for updates. So, I started a thread on my diagnoses and people were giving me information all over the board. However, about five people kept telling me to get tested for Celiac. I’d read about Celiac disease and felt that I didn’t have it. I would live on ginger ale and saltines for weeks at a time, so I must not be too intolerant of gluten or the crackers would make me sick. Finally, my good friend just recommended that I google PCOS, IBS and gluten free. I found a lot of anecdotal evidence of people seeing relief from their symptoms with a gluten free menu. So, I decided to cut out obvious gluten-containing foods for a day or two at a time. When I did, I found that I felt better. So then, I upped it to a week. Finally, I talked with both the OB/GYN and my GP and told them I’d like to do a 6 month gluten free trial.
So what results have we found in month 2 of going GFree???
Only one migraine in two months
I eat and feel full very quickly
I’m not starving all the time (except when on steroids for the bronchitis)
Bowels are normal and regularly scheduled
Lost 5lbs with little to no effort
Not afraid of food any longer
Eat without getting sick
No more odd “insulin-like” symptoms
Able to eat fruits and vegetables without being sick (I’ve eaten 6 salads in the past month…which is huge for me)
Energy levels (when not sick with bronchitis) are higher
Clearer thoughts/comprehension/focus
No more nausea
Basically, with the exception of being a little gluten paranoid, I live a NORMAL life. Since college, I haven’t been able to eat without getting sick. And I’ve never been able to eat vegetables…my entire life! I now find that I like to eat soup and salad. For a long time the joke in our family was, “Free Spirit do you like X food?” and my parents would answer, “Is it green? Then, no!” Now I like to eat cucumbers and spinach. Some of the veggies are still a little tough on my system, but I am quite sure that with time, patience, and re-training my taste buds, I’ll be able to eat lots of veggies.
I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be GFree for the rest of my life…and that’s ok. It’s worth the cost, effort, and limited selection of foods to be able to have a full and wonderful life. Not to mention, so many people care about me and keep giving me cookbooks or sending me recipes that are GFree that I’m not missing out on much!
Hmmm…now to find an excellent GFree brownie recipe. I’ve been craving them for months. I like mine all fudgy and chewy (which is hard to do without gluten).
I went to the gym this morning and it felt awesome to go. I spent the entire hour thinking. I’m struggling.
I’m either in control of the food part, or I’m in control of the exercise part. But both exercise and eating healthy combined, is my struggle. I’m not sure why.
I need to figure this out! I’m great in the morning and through out the day. My resolve is strong. I make healthy food choices, and most days have lots of energy to stay active.
Then night comes, and after I put my kids to bed, I fight with the internal dialogue to say screw it, and eat. It’s so frustrating because each morning I wake up wondering why I can’t just figure out my night-time eating struggles. It’s so easy when I wake up to a fresh new day. But, by the evening I don’t want to deal with anything. I just want to turn my mind off.
I feel like a fraud most of the time. I don’t have it all together. But the truth be told, this blog is just like a journal and it’s important to get it out there. To stay positive, and remind myself what my goals are.
I have been thinking about starting a facebook group, where anyone can join that needs support. We can share successes, and support one another during struggles. We can post weight or fat loss (you wouldn’t have to post your weight…just weight or percentage of weight lost), workout times, what we are eating, etc. Are you interested in joining? I think it’s so important to join together and support one another. A huge step in the right direction is to find a circle of support that will lift you up when you are down. Another important part of finding a support network is finding like-minded people to be accountable to.
A person’s body fat if more than the standard weight of more than 10 per cent belong to the micro-degrees of obesity. if more than 20 per cent of the mild obesity, in excess of 30 per cent of the moderate fat count, more than 50 per cent of a high degree of obesity, once beyond the standard body weight without weight loss, obesity will be covered with the beginning of pattern can be said to be very terrible, It should usually have to pay attention to the physical condition.
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Other therapies are weight loss, occupational therapy, immunoadsorption therapy, and taking sides tools to improve hard drills. Regular exercise is significant for maintaining joint mobility and making the joint muscles stronger. Popular in Germany and Eastern Europe, can induce beneficial long-term effects for rheumatoid arthritis. The resulting effectiveness of treating RA with acupuncture is inconclusive, and more rigorous research seems to be warranted according to one study. Some people have mild short-term symptoms, but in most the disease is liberal for life. Poor prognostic factors include over-eager synovitis, positive serum RF findings, positive serum anti-CCP autoantibodies, carriership of HLA-DR4 Shared Epitope alleles, poor functional status, elevated acute phase response, and increased clinical severity.
In Reference to
100 Days of Weight Loss, Linda Spangle, 2006
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Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss Shopper’s Guide, Howard M. Shapiro, 2001
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Went fairly well, until close to the end. I fell a part a bit. Coach Jen had me run 5 minutes/ walk 1….and repeat. I made it until the fifth 5 minute run, then just sort of fell apart. Legs got heavy and I was sucking wind. Ended up doing 3 min run/ 1 walk/ 2.5 min run/ 1 walk, 2 min run…and then walked 5 min to cool down.
On the bright side…I kept moving.
Looking at next week’s work outs, Runs on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sunday…gym day on Tuesday and a walk on Thursday. Sundays run is 50 minutes. I won’t lie, I’m a little intimidated by it…but I’ll do my best!
To define global diagnostic ECG market and its sub markets.
To analyze intensively market dynamics and factors that drives and inhibits market growth.
To identify and analyze trends, gaps and opportunities in each of the market segments.
To analyze and forecast revenues of market segments with respect to geographies (North America, Europe, Asia & Rest of the World).
To strategically profile and analyze market players and their core competencies in diagnostic ECG market.
In-depth analysis of competitive scenario and key strategies followed by market players in the diagnostic ECG market.
To track and analyse recent developments, alliances, joint ventures, mergers & acquisitions in the industry.
To keenly analyze the market from demand perspective pertaining to attributes and competitor benchmarking.
REPORT DESCRIPTION
It is estimated that in the U.S. almost 2400 deaths per day occur due to cardiovascular disease. This astonishing figure due to the proportion of aged baby boomers present in the U.S. Although the cardiologists have managed to reduce the cardiac related deaths by 25 percent during the past 10 years yet the need for this continues to grow by 62% percent in the next 16 years particularly for baby boomers. These trends are expected to boost the demand of the DECG systems as it is expected to play the major role in achieving the desired goal. The DECG systems are gaining a global acceptance among the healthcare providers as it enables them to monitor the cardiac patients more efficiently which is one of the pre requisite for the high risk cardiac patients thereby boosting the demand.
Each of the section will provide market data, market drivers, trends and opportunities, key players, and competitive outlook. This report will also provide more than 30 market tables for various geographic regions covering sub segments and micro markets. In addition the report also provides more than 40 profiles of key companies in the diagnostic ECG market segment.
STAKEHOLDERS
The intended audience includes
Medical imaging manufacturers, suppliers and dealers
Medical imaging software providers
Healthcare associations
Strategic consulting firms
Original Source: Diagnostic ECG Market
Buy Now: Diagnostic ECG Market
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. DIAGNOSTIC ECG MARKET OVERVIEW
1.1. Market definition and evolution
1.2. Supply side analysis and demand side analysis (methodology and process)
1.3. Present and emerging market analysis (Market growth and relative share matrix)
1.4. Market impact analysis: Impact of increased adoption of electronic health records among the healthcare institutes.
1.5. Key findings
1.5.1. Supply side analysis
1.5.2. Demand side analysis
1.6. Competitive scenario: GE and Philips remain dominant players in the market
1.7. Opportunity analysis:
- Extensive scope for product differentiation
- Significant opportunities for vendors providing integrated and end to end solution.
1.8. Emerging demands: Increasing need for remote and real time data access
1.9. Technology adoption analysis
1.10. Geographical trends
1.11. Pricing analysis: Price remains comparatively rigid as market players are capitalizing on product positioning and differentiation.
1.12. Strategic recommendations
SUPPLY SIDE ANALYSIS FOR DIAGNOSTIC ECG MARKET
2. DECG market segmentation by modality
2.1.1. Market overview
2.1.2. Market Estimates (2009 to 2014) (By Geography)
2.1.2.1. Unit shipment
2.1.2.2. Average price
2.1.2.3. Market revenues
2.1.3. Market Trends
2.1.3.1. Market drivers
2.1.3.2. Restraints
2.1.3.3. Opportunities
2.1.4. Gap analysis
2.1.5. Market share and competitive landscape
2.1.6. Strategic analysis
2.1.7. Product segmentation (All the above factors will be discussed for each of the products segmentation discussed below)
2.1.7.1. Electrocardiographs
2.1.7.2. Holter monitoring
2.1.7.3. Stress Testing and event monitoring
2.1.7.4. ECG data management systems
2.1.7.5. Defibrillators
2.1.7.6. Diagnostic ECG software
DEMAND SIDE ANALYSIS
(Hospitals, healthcare providers, clinics etc will be contacted to track the below aspects)
2.2. Buying criteria
2.2.1. Price
2.2.2. Quality (performance and imaging)
2.2.3. User friendliness
2.2.4. Attributes impacting top line revenues
2.2.5. Attributes impacting bottom line revenues
2.2.6. Level of discounts
2.2.7. Level of infrastructure available at healthcare provider’s facility
2.2.8. Durability
2.2.9. Post sale services
2.2.10. Budget allocation
2.2.11. Competition level among healthcare providers
2.2.12. Qualified resources
2.2.13. Others
2.3. Competitor benchmarking
2.3.1. Competitive Benchmarking – Strategic
2.3.1.1. Focus areas of the competitors in key segments
2.3.1.2. Expansion- M&A, geographic, investments, patents
2.3.1.3. Investing opportunities in new technologies
2.3.2. Competitive Benchmarking – Commercially
2.3.2.1. New Contracts signed for past two years
2.3.2.2. Pricing level and discounting policy
2.3.2.3. Business models between product/ service provides and hospitals/ clinics
2.3.2.4. Pricing policies (skimming price, competitive pricing etc)
2.3.3. Competitive Benchmarking – Operational strength
2.3.3.1. Distribution channel model and analysis
2.3.3.2. Number of Employees
2.3.3.3. Operating units
2.3.3.4. Volume production
2.3.3.5. Roadmap and expansion – commercial portfolio
2.3.4. Competitive Benchmarking – Technical
2.3.4.1. Quality of performance and image
2.3.4.2. User friendliness
2.3.4.3. Technology innovation cycle
2.3.4.4. Durability
2.3.4.5. Speedy performance
2.3.4.6. Application capabilities
2.3.4.7. Others
STRATEGIC CONCLUSIONS
2.4. Key findings
2.5. Gap Analysis
2.6. Competitive Analysis
2.7. Geographic Analysis
2.7.1. North America
2.7.2. Europe
2.7.3. Asia
2.7.4. Rest of the world
2.8. Patent Analysis
APPENDIX:
List of patents
Decision Support Data
Number of hospitals
Number of hospital beds
Population over 60
Number of skilled resources
Medical device budget allocation (average)
Volume procedures
Company profiles (Sample)
1. Philips
2. Siemens
3. GE
4. Del Mar Medical
5. Control-X Medical
6. Compumed, Inc.
7. Cardio Perfect, Inc.
8. Applied Cardiac Systems, Inc
9. Cambridge Heart, Inc.
10. Arrhytmia Research Technology, Inc.
11. Brentwood Medical Products, Inc.
12. Biomedical Systems Corp
13. Aerotel Medical Systems
14. Cardionics, Inc.
15. Advanced Biosensor
16. Cardioline USA, Inc
Original Source: Diagnostic ECG Market
Buy Now: Diagnostic ECG Market
Diagnostic ECG (DECG) System Market
The DECG system market is mainly driven by the benefits offered by the DECG systems in terms of effective diagnosis with respect to cardiovascular disorders. The integrated systems enable efficiency through streamlining work flow and eliminating the probability of data loss. Apart from serving as crucial diagnostic tool DECG also enables the end users to provide effective service to the patients in terms administration and business operations as well.
Key trends
Aging baby boomers are driving the DECG market as they are more prone to the cardiovascular diseases.
Major demand of the integrated and complete DECG system is from the large size health care providers.
ECG data management systems segment is expected to poise a high growth rate in the coming future.
Market participants are capitalizing on product differentiation through brand attributes and positioning.
Market is expected to witness a high demand for the Holter monitoring systems from the medium size health care providers and dedicated cardiac clinics.
Geography analysis:
Figure 1
GEOGRAPHICAL SHARE (%) PERCENTAGE FOR THE DECG SYSTEMS MARKET
Source: Markets and Markets
U.S., Europe and Japan accounts the major market share in Holter monitoring segment
Asia Pacific expected to poise a high growth rate in coming future
Compared to other regions, EU is expected to account major market share for DECG systems market.
Figure. 2
MARKET REVENUE FORECAST FOR THE ECG DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SEGMENT FOR THE YEAR (2009-2014)
Source: Markets and Markets
The total market for ECG data management system was estimated to be around $126 million and is expected to reach around $151 million by 2014. The demand for ECG data management systems is fuelled by the need to streamline work flow and maintain electronic records.
Original Source: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Market
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KEY TAKE AWAYS
To define and measure the MRI market and its various sub-segments with respect to technology, hybrid technology and applications.
To identify the major drivers and restraints of the market
To identify and analyze comprehensively the market structure with respect to the factors influencing the market growth and industry specific challenges.
To analyze the trends and forecasts of the MRI market and its segments
To identify the major stakeholders in the market and draw a competitive landscape for the market leaders
To analyze the opportunities in the market for the stakeholders
To strategically analyze micro markets with respect to their individual growth trends, future prospects and contribution to the total market
To understand the regulatory framework , patient safety and pricing issues of MRI market
To analyze and forecast the revenues of market segments with respect to geographies (North America, Europe, Asia and Rest of the World)
To identify the drug delivery technology and recent drug delivery techniques in MRI market
To provide comprehensive analysis of the top players in MRI market competitive scenario of the same market.
To identify and analyze the competitive scenario and importance of attributes of the MRI systems from the end users to provide comprehensive market understanding.
REPORT DESCRIPTION
The global MRI market is witnessing a rapid growth and is expected to maintain the same trend in the future due to its wide application of MRI in clinics and health care centres. Demand for effective diagnosis has given raise to the need for enhanced data image provided by MRI imaging system, especially in cardiovascular diseases, thereby increasing the market revenues.
Installation of the MRI imaging systems in the medical institutions promises increased ROI for the health care providers. As the major of the medical institutions are exploring new ways to cut down the expenditure due to the worldwide economic downturn, the healthcare providers are looking for speedy and advanced solution. This in turn increases the overall patients’ turnaround, thereby increasing revenues for healthcare providers. Functional MRI, therefore is preferred for improved and speedy diagnosis.
This report highlights the major MRI market by modality, component, technology and also the major application market of the MRI. The submarkets for the modality, technology, components and applications will also be analyzed in depth in the report. Our analysis would help the industry players to get acquainted with the upcoming trends, opportunities and hiccups in the market along with a detailed analysis of the sub-markets as well. The report will size all the sub markets and also give a detailed geographic split among the four major markets of North America, Europe, Asia and Rest of the World. We will provide market trends and forecasts supported by the drivers and inhibitors for each sub-segment. More than 50 market tables and top company profiles will provide a deeper insight into the market and the competitive landscape as well. We will categorize market tables into geographic regions, products, applications and technology.
In addition to the market size, data trends and forecasts, the report will also highlight key opportunity areas for the relevant stakeholders. We will analyze new product launches in the MRI market and sub markets. In addition, we will analyze and profile key market developments of the top companies in this market and its sub-segments while drawing a competitive landscape for major markets and their sub segments.
MARKETS COVERED
The key markets we cover are:
MRI market by modality (Closed MRI systems, Open MRI systems, High field MRI systems, Medium field MRI systems, Low field MRI systems)
MRI market by application (Whole body MRI, Interventional MRI, MRI for brain and neurological disorders, Breast MRI, Cardiac MRI, Others)
STAKEHOLDERS
MRI and medical imaging manufacturers
MRI and medical imaging suppliers and distributors
Associations
Research and strategic consulting firms
Original Source: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Market
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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. MRI MARKET OVERVIEW
(MRI total market is expected to cross $ 5.3 billion by 2010. Demand for interventional MRI, cardiac MRI and whole-body MRI are escalating the current market revenues, however, the functional imaging capabilities of MRI is expected to drive the future market.)
1.1. Market definition and evolution
1.2. Supply side analysis and demand side analysis (methodology and process)
1.3. Present and emerging market analysis (Market growth and relative share matrix)
1.4. Market impact analysis: Impact of market shift towards functional MRI.
1.5. Key findings
1.5.1. Supply side analysis
1.5.2. Demand side analysis
1.6. Competitive scenario: GE, Siemens, Philips, leading the market
1.7. Opportunity analysis:
- Opportunities in next generation diagnostic capability MRI
- Asian markets for MRI are growing at higher rate than the global market.
1.8. Emerging demands: Need for real time imaging process.
1.9. Technology adoption analysis
1.10. Geographical trends: U.S. leading the market, however Japan also holds significant
1.11. Pricing analysis
1.12. Strategic recommendations
SUPPLY SIDE ANALYSIS FOR PET MARKET 2. MRI market by modality
(The high field MRI systems market is to exceed above $ 1 billion by 2010. The need for sophisticated technologies and enhanced capabilities is driving the healthcare providers to upgrade and replace existing equipments.)
2.1. Market overview
2.2. Market Estimates (2009 to 2014) (By Product and By Geography)
2.2.1. Unit shipment
2.2.2. Average price
2.2.3. Market revenues
2.3. Market Trends
2.3.1. Market drivers
2.3.2. Restraints
2.3.3. Opportunities
2.4. Gap analysis
2.5. Market share and competitive landscape
2.6. Strategic analysis
2.7. Market segmentation by modality (All the above factors will be discussed for each of the market segment discussed below)
2.7.1. Closed MRI systems
2.7.2. Open MRI systems
2.7.3. High field MRI systems
2.7.4. Medium field MRI systems
2.7.5. Low field MRI systems
3. MRI market segmentation by component
3.1. Market overview
3.2. Market Estimates (2009 to 2014) (By Product and By Geography)
3.2.1. Average price
3.2.2. Market revenues
3.3. Market Trends
3.3.1. Market drivers
3.3.2. Restraints
3.3.3. Opportunities
3.4. Gap analysis
3.5. Competitive landscape
3.6. Strategic analysis
3.7. Market segmentation by MRI components (All the above factors will be discussed for each of the market segment discussed below)
3.7.1. MRI RF Systems
3.7.2. MRI Gradient Coils
3.7.3. MRI Scanner
3.7.4. MRI software market
3.7.5. Other components
4. MRI market segmentation by technology
(Functional MRI remains a significant market, due to increasing number of research to study the human brain across universities. Higher Tesla rates to drive the market for need of enhanced image quality.)
4.1. Market overview
4.2. Market Estimates (2009 to 2014) (By Geography)
4.2.1. Average price
4.2.2. Market revenues
4.3. Market Trends
4.3.1. Market drivers
4.3.2. Restraints
4.3.3. Opportunities
4.4. Gap analysis
4.5. Strategic analysis
4.6. Market segmentation by MRI technology (All the above factors will be discussed for each of the market segment discussed below)
4.6.1. MR angiogram
4.6.2. MR venogram
4.6.3. Functional MRI
4.6.4. NMR spectroscopy
4.6.5. Others (Perfusion MRI, Diffusion MRI, Voxel-based morphometry, MR spectroscopic imaging)
5. MRI market segmentation by application
(Current market illustrates demand for musculoskeletal and abdomen imaging, however, procedural volumes are expected to increase for breast and cardiac MRI in the future.)
5.1. Market overview
5.2. Market Revenue (2009 to 2014) (By Geography)
5.3. Market Trends
5.3.1. Market drivers
5.3.2. Restraints
5.3.3. Opportunities
5.4. Gap analysis
5.5. Strategic analysis
5.6. Market segmentation by application (All the above factors will be discussed for each of the market segment discussed below)
5.6.1. Whole body MRI
5.6.2. Interventional MRI
5.6.3. MRI for brain and neurological disorders
5.6.4. Breast MRI
5.6.5. Cardiac MRI
5.6.6. Others
DEMAND SIDE ANALYSIS
(Hospitals, healthcare providers, clinics etc will be contacted to track the below aspects)
5.7. Buying criteria
5.7.1. Price
5.7.2. Image quality
5.7.3. User friendliness
5.7.4. Application capabilities
5.7.5. Attributes impacting top line revenues
5.7.6. Attributes impacting bottom line revenues
5.7.7. Level of discounts
5.7.8. Level of infrastructure available at healthcare provider’s facility
5.7.9. Quality and durability
5.7.10. Post sale services
5.7.11. Budget allocation
5.7.12. Competition level among healthcare providers
5.7.13. Qualified resources
5.7.14. Others
5.8. Competitor benchmarking
5.8.1. Competitive Benchmarking – Strategic
5.8.1.1. Focus areas of the competitors in key segments
5.8.1.2. Expansion- M&A, geographic, investments, patents
5.8.1.3. Investing opportunities in new technologies
5.8.2. Competitive Benchmarking – Commercially
5.8.2.1. New Contracts signed for past two years
5.8.2.2. Pricing level and discounting policy
5.8.2.3. Business models between product/ service provides and hospitals/ clinics
5.8.2.4. Pricing policies (skimming price, competitive pricing etc)
5.8.3. Competitive Benchmarking – Operational strength
5.8.3.1. Distribution channel model and analysis
5.8.3.2. Number of Employees
5.8.3.3. Operating units
5.8.3.4. Volume production
5.8.3.5. Roadmap and expansion – commercial portfolio
5.8.4. Competitive Benchmarking – Technical
5.8.4.1. Image quality
5.8.4.2. User friendliness
5.8.4.3. Technology innovation cycle
5.8.4.4. Durability
5.8.4.5. Speedy performance
5.8.4.6. Application capabilities
5.8.4.7. Others
STRATEGIC CONCLUSIONS
5.9. Key findings
5.10. Gap Analysis
5.11. Competitive Analysis
5.12. Geographic Analysis
5.12.1. North America
5.12.2. Europe
5.12.3. Asia Pacific
5.12.4. Rest of the world
5.13. Patent Analysis
APPENDIX:
List of patents
Decision Support Data
Number of hospitals
Number of hospital beds
Population over 60
Number of skilled resources
Medical device budget allocation (average)
Volume procedures
Company profiles (Sample)
1. GE Healthcare
2. Siemens Medical Solutions
3. Philips Medical Systems
4. Toshiba Medical Systems Corp
5. Medtronic Surgical Navigation Technologies
6. Medinus
7. IMRIS
8. Hitachi Medical Corporation
9. Fonar Corp
10. Esaote SPA
Original Source: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Market
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MARKET
MRI system is one of the booming sectors in the medical imaging information system market. The combination of magnetic field and radio waves to provide enhanced images of the human anatomy is driving the installation of MRI systems among the end users (diagnostic centers, hospitals). MRI system market is expected to witness enormous growth due to innovations that are largely focused on enhancing image quality and escalating cost saving among the end users.
Key Trends
Significant demand can be expected from the dedicated MRI system due to the benefits offered in terms of image quality and cost effectiveness.
Continuous enhancement in Tesla strength of the MRIs is expected to provide a desired boost in the growth of the global MRI market.
Higher Tesla rates are preferred as they indicate high quality and enable quick inspection.
Geographic analysis
U.S: U.S. forms the largest market segment both in unit and dollars terms. More than 50% of the MRI sales are contributed by High field MRIs in the U.S.
Asia: Japan MRI market remains saturated with significant current market revenues. However, the MRI market is emerging in regions such as India, China, Singapore and it is expected to poise a higher growth rate thus providing a lucrative opportunity to the MRI manufacturers and vendors.
Europe: EU countries have dedicated healthcare budgets. However, the current volumes, especially in Eastern Europe are not very significant keeping in mind the market potential. This offers significant opportunities for players focusing European markets.
The replacement of existing MRI units forms the largest segment as the effective life of these systems is 7 years. This is resulting in significant sales from replacement buyers. However due to huge cost associated, budget conscious end users postpone replacement to about 12 years, thereby adding up to the maintenance cost.
Figure 1:
Buyer Demand (%) of MRI Systems for the year 2009
Source: Markets and Markets
The top three players in this segment are GE Healthcare, Siemens Medical Solutions, and Philips Medical. The other key market participants are Toshiba Medical Systems Corp, Medtronic Surgical Navigation Technologies, Hitachi Medical Corporation, etc.
Original Source: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Market
At 18 lbs down from my heaviest weight with another 60 lbs still to go, I find that my weight loss doesn’t seem to be noticeable to most people I see almost every day, like my co-workers. However, in the past few days there have been some little good signs that positive changes really are taking place.
Sunday as we finished up grocery shopping, my boyfriend commented that he could see a difference in how my clothes fit. And then this morning when he hugged me, he said he was starting to truly feel a difference in me. I am shrinking.
That, combined with the fact that one shirt which had become too tight for me now fits me perfectly again, is more than enough for me. Little good signs to cheer me, keep me motivated through the everyday grind, remind me that it’s working, it’s working.
The scale gives me numbers, but these little good signs put a face to the numbers, give them a tangible quality that makes all the difference. Have you experienced any little good signs recently?
Previously in this series, I posted on How I lost 70 Pounds and How You Can Too, Considerations of Weight Loss, and Metabolism and Weight Loss.
Today I want to write about how I came up with a diet and the strategies I used to stick to it and succeed.
How I Made Up My Mind To Lose Weight And Motivated Myself
I went to my doctor for my annual physical exam several years ago, in my late 60s. I weighed around 270 pounds, had a 44-plus inch waist, and my physical endurance was not too good. I had high blood pressure, and I was inching up into the diabetes danger zone. I have worked in the medical field for decades, and I saw myself becoming old. I looked terrible, and I did not have the same respect I had had when a lot younger, a lot more fit. My joints ached, I was always too cold or too hot, and it was difficult for me to tie my shoes, put on underwear, or put on pants. I could see where this was going.
I knew I wanted to be thinner, fitter, and I wanted to live. I did not want to leave my wife alone, as corny as that sounds, by dying before my time. I had tried to cut back and moderate my eating, but sweets, pastries, and high-calorie meats was always a temptation.
So when I decided I wanted to lose weight and get fit, I began by getting a book called The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person.
That’s not a diet book or a book on nutritional advice. That’s a book on motivating oneself to plan a diet and then stick to it. I did not do everything this book advocated, but I did a couple of things.
One is that I made two lists:
The first was a list of all the reasons I did not want to diet. I would have to give up foods, etc. I would have to say “No thank you” when dining with others. I would have to forego the frequent pleasures of chocolate, butter, etc. Actually, I don’t remember what was on that list, which I made 2 years ago.
But I still have the second list list of the reasons I wanted to lose weight. I typed it out on a 3 x 5 card, hung a copy in my office, hung another copy in my kitchen, put a copy in my wallet, and looked at it every time I wanted to eat something. I still look at it frequently, especially when I am tempted to eat something I should not eat. I was able to avoid feeling sorry for myself, feeling deprived, etc.
I’ll likely live longer and have better quality of life
More comfortable in my body
More energy for work, study, play.
I’ll feel better about myself and be pleased with myself.
I’ll look a lot better.
Physical fitness will be more doable
Better appearance, more credibility in professional and personal interactions
It will please Margaret (my wife) who worries about me.
More respect from others
Easier to get clothes and get into clothes.
Easier to tie my shoes.
I have felt much better, been much healthier, gained more respect, and in short, have benefitted and continue to benefit as I had hoped.
How I Came Up With A Diet And Planned Following It
When I decided to lose weight, I did not know where to turn for valid advice. There were lots of diets, low-carb, low-fat, etc. I looked at some of those books and they all promised shorter-term gains. But I wanted something based on science. So I asked my doctor to refer me to a hospital dietitian.
I also read a lot of the information that I cited in earlier postings in this series to get some background. The hospital dietitian had my medical history, had my weight and height, and we discussed what I liked to eat, including some of my ethnic preferences. Part of my family are from the southern part of the United States, and there is also a heavy Mexican influence. As a matter of fact, I also speak Spanish and have always liked Mexican food. I love Chinese food, and my wife, who was born and raised in the UK, cooks East Indian food. So taking all that into consideration, the dietitian came up with an eating plan.
Fortunately, I love vegetables, and I did not have to count calories on non-starchy vegetables. That meant I didn’t have to count greens like kale and bok choy. Likewise, my no-need-to-count-calories list included string beans, carrots, summer squash, Brussels sprouts, even tomatoes, etc. I had to count calories in starchy foods. Moreover, I had a limit on the amount of starchy carbohydrates I could eat, and I had to eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks.
And I had to keep track of everything I ate.
To do that, the dietitian suggested I keep an eating diary on a free weight loss and diet journal at the FitDay web site, which has a wealth of information. There are several similar ones about, but that’s the one she suggested to me. I didn’t want to put my personal information on line, but they also have a downloadable journal that is really great and costs only a few dollars. I purchased that. It has the same extensive databases of foods. For the last several years, I’ve kept track in it. I even keep track of my cafe latte that I have on the weekend. I enjoy my eating plan immensely and am quite pleased with the progress I’ve made.
Perhaps it is best not to think of going on a diet. Really, what’s wanted is a lifelong eating program, one that will enable you to lose weight if you need to, and one that will keep you healthy, and one that you will look forward to.
One thing’s for sure: If your eating plans are unpleasant, you won’t stick to them.
I hope I’ve given you some hints and inspiration and can find your own best healthy eating and living plan. I’ll be covering exercise and fitness in the next few postings.
If a senior citizen like me can do it, you likely can do it too. I went from close to 270 pounds to 195 pounds now, over the course of 2-1/2 years or so, and I’m still losing. I was able to do one very bad push-up from my knees, and now I do around 100 push-ups in good form. My blood sugars and cholesterol readings are super, and I walk with a spring in my step.
I just spent an hour reading a Danish girl’s memoirs of her battle with anorexia, bulimia, self injury and all other sorts of shit. Man, that hurt. I almost cried even. It’s very clear from almost the beginning of her book, that she develops an eating disorder because she doesn’t want to grow up – she makes several references to wanting to be taken care of, wanting to be a little girl again, being afraid of “the real world” outside the hospital …
I don’t want to be sick. I am truly grateful that I decided to sign myself into a psychiatric ward when I did, because I don’t believe I would have been here otherwise. I liked it there, because it gave me structure and rules and manageable amounts of responsibility. I didn’t like it because they took care of me or because I didn’t want to become an adult. But on the other hand, here I am on subsidy, doing nothing with my life, angsting for fucking hours because I’m afraid to eat a god damned sandwich. Something is definitely wrong. I wish I knew what it is.
I used to steal a lot. Mostly shoplifting, but I would occasionally swipe money from my mother’s purse as well, and from the grocery store where I worked. I haven’t stolen money in a very long time, and I don’t intend to begin again. Then again, I didn’t intend on beginning to shoplift either.
I stole a dress the other day. Long sleeves, holes on the shoulder, ties with a bow in the back. Really pretty. Just put in on under my regular clothes, paid for a pair of legwarmers at the register and strolled out. My heart raced like a motherfucking old school choo choo train. That was the first time in a long time I’ve stolen clothes. I could never completely stop nicking small things, like jewelry and socks, but I honestly didn’t think I would steal clothes again … Today I stole a broche and a pair of lace gloves from H&M. I don’t even know if I am going to wear the gloves at all. I would never have bought them. I just took them with me into the changing room, pulled off the tag, and put them in my hat. Winter is great for shoplifting. I’ve never seen or heard of a security guard checking hats or gloves for stolen items. There’s a tip for you right there.
I think I might be addicted to it. Not the adrenaline rush, because I really only get scared, not high or excited … but to getting new things. If I had the money (and was raised by a very different woman) I would probably have been a shopaholic fo sho.
I’m bored and lonely. Whenever I’m bored, I get hungry. It’s a son of a bitch. I know I haven’t overeaten today or anything, but I am still deathly afraid of putting food in my mouth this late at night (it’s almost ten pm).
Today’s intake:
Apple on the way home from therapy
Muesli bar
1 deciliter of pasta with 100 grams of chicken and some arugula
The stomach band is positioned around the upper part of the stomach so as to create an “hour-glass” effect. The smaller pouch lies above the band and has a capacity of 15-20ml. The remaining stomach lies below the band. The lap band, by squeezing the stomach, determines the opening or outlet from the small pouch and thus limits the amount of food that can pass out of the pouch. This device helps induce weight loss by 2 mechanisms:
restricts the amount of food that the stomach can hold at any time by inducing an early feeling of satiety
slows down the emptying from the pouch, thereby decreasing food intake
The size of the pouch outlet is adjusted by regulating the volume of fluid in the balloon. The volume in the balloon can be adjusted by injecting or removing fluid from the band at any time after the operation through the injection port. This is done according to changes in weight.More..
The adjustable gastric band (lapband) is 12mm wide, made of soft silicone and is equipped with an inflatable balloon. This device is inserted around the upper stomach, usually by keyhole (laparoscopic) access in the majority of patients. In a small number of patients, the laparoscopic access may not be suitable and hence an upper abdominal incision may be warranted. The lapband is made up of a pliable band to which is firmly attached an inflatable balloon. This balloon on the side of the band is connected by a tube to an injection port.
Lap Banding
Note that lap banding works by restricting the amount of food that is eaten and not the type of food. It is still very important to avoid foods of high caloric content and those foods that will easily pass through the restriction, such as ice cream, custards and chocolates.
Haha…well, only .4 lb. this week, but it is still a loss!!! This brings me to an even 168 lbs. Down a total of 9.8 lbs.
I’m finding it difficult these past few weeks to stay on plan. Haven’t pinpointed a reason why, but it is much easier to just eat whatever and not worry about it. Sadly though, that is what got me here. I’m trying, I’ve had some hiccups here and there, but I haven’t given it up! I just simply look at the next day as a new one to start fresh again. I think what I will try next week is to have one day where I have one meal and not worry about how many points I’m eating. I think I may be trying to limit myself too much and I am losing the battle. Maybe if I have one day to look forward to it will keep me from grazing too many times during the week. It’s all trial and error, I just have to find a happy medium for me that allows me some freedom and still allows me to lose weight.
I’ll be adding two more cardio sessions next week! I’m so excited! I absolutely love teaching Zumba®! I hope that most of my students enjoy it as much as I do! It is easy to learn, you get a kick-ass workout and the time flies by! You start out with a warm up and soon an hour has passed you by! You’ve sweated, you’ve laughed, you’ve smiled and you’ve kicked some calorie butt! I mean it when I say that you just can’t stand still when you listen to this music! IF YOU HAVEN’T – JUST TRY IT ONCE!
I just got the dates for the Zumba® Convention in 2010. They will be August 26-29th in Orlando! I made my reservation at the Marriott Orlando World Center already! Come hell or high water, I will be attending that convention this year (I planned on going September of this year, but just couldn’t afford it)! As I try to stay on plan with my weight loss, I need to be as committed to saving money for this great opportunity! I want to broaden out and get certified for Zumba® Gold, Aqua Zumba® and Zumba® Toning - all of which I can do at this convention! So If all works out, I’ll be a skinnier version of myself and will get to meet thousands of other Zumba® instructors!
Ok, enough about me! What are you up to? How are you doing with your lifestyle change? What are your struggles? Remember, hang in there! I’m here for you if you need to chat, vent or need some encouragement!
The days just seem to be all running together now. Tomorrow is my son’s 21st birthday and it is cooking night. In honor of his birthday I have chosen to prepare the food for everyone. We are having salmon from vital choice seafood in Alaska. This is where we have chosen to buy our salmon as it is wild caught and flash frozen so it is as close to fresh as it can be. When you order it they ship it two-day express so it is still frozen when it arrives. We are also having raw lasagna (it’s all veggies and yummy), a salad, and pumpkin tarts. The pumpkin tarts are raw as well and made with a secret ingredient (Shannon knows now). I had assistance from Shannon with the tarts, the cheese, and the pesto today which was nice. I hope that Shannon also enjoyed her day as much as I did. My hope is that it is all yummy. Because raw food is best served shortly after preparation I will be preparing it tomorrow at my lunch hour. Friday will be a filled day.
The start of my day began with a swim at the Kaliseum. It was amazingly busy at the pool today, I had to share a lane which was troublesome for both of us in the lane. Trying not to complain, but it allows you only to swim one stroke so that you don’t run in to the person sharing your lane. The swim was still good for me just not as hard as I would have liked. Then up to the treadmill for 10 minutes then to the elliptical for 1/2 hour. The hardest part about today was going to the gym with the group. Last night my chiropractor informed me that I needed to give my knee a rest, so I was restricted to low impact. Swimming, elliptical, walking on the treadmill, absolutely no jogging or running. So as the whole group was together working out I was on the elliptical by myself. I jokingly said that there was this conspiracy out there to get me to work out by myself, now I think the universe is in on it also. Mel had said on Monday that we needed to kick in the cardio, I will be kickin it in all right just not the way I would like. I have to admit though I sweated more last night than on Monday because I was unable to push myself on the cement running do to the pain I felt in my knees.
We talked about things that were holding us back too. Food, not exercising, other choices that we make. R said it was her husband jokingly (he use to be a chef) that he cooks way to good and it is difficult to say no. S said it was the stress at work, a lot of changes and more hours. Shannon and I were talking about food earlier and she said it is so easy to just do what you always did, that the mind has not come around 100% yet. She said we just don’t think we just do, and she use to beat herself up after she chose without thinking. Now she said she starts to head in a poor direction and says hey wait no I don’t want that. My thing today was a snickers bar I went into the store to pick something up for today’s prep and there it was and I was hungry so I grabbed it. That quick, that easy, without even blinking an eye or thinking about it. Opened it up in the car took a bite and said that doesn’t even taste good. Did I stop? No I bought it, I was hungry I ate. Did it fill me up? No. I hope I will think differently next time now that there is a little different awareness.
Starting Weight: 124 kgs BMI 40.9
Current Weight: 88 kgs BMI 29.7
At my heaviest, I weight 124 kgs and whatever diet I went on, nothing seemed to work. I did lose weight on some diets but quickly gained the weight back on and more.
I suffered from sleep apnoea most nights (I wake up gasping for air which was very frightening for me and my wife), high blood pressure (mainly due to a a stressful job), general fatigue and low self esteem.
I first heard about the gastric band procedure from my uncle who lives in Melbourne. He weighed 170 kgs. After having the gastric band procedure he reduced his weight to 100 kgs in approximately 12 months. When I heard about his, I decided to do some research.
I saw an ad in the Sunday Mail newspaper about a seminar and decided to attend to find out more information. I left the seminar feeling very excited and confident that this was going to work for me so I booked and appointment to see the nurse consultant straight away.
Okay so I’ve discovered (the hard way) that having a “cheat day” is something I am incapable of doing without falling down the slippery slope. I’ve realised (again, the hard way) that I need a cold turkey approach. In other words I’m staying completely away from “goodies”, alcohol and processed foods (Quorn being the exception).
I sat down and thought again about how I managed to give up smoking. I did it cold turkey and have often wished that the same thing was possible for food, but it’s hard because you have to eat to live. But when I read Tony P’s blog I realised what I need to do. Tony decided to only eat healthy food because he realised he was a food addict and no matter what it was he was going to eat a lot of it. I had a light bulb moment and realised this is what I need to do. The reason I’ve been slipping all these times is because I’ve been reintroducing the bad stuff on cheat days, getting a taste for it and haven’t been able to stay on the straight and narrow as a result. For me a strawberry or an apple won’t taste half as nice or sweet when you’ve had a bar of chocolate earlier in the day.
So far, it’s working well for me. I’m also being terrified into behaving to be honest. I weighed myself at the beginning of this “attempt” (which I hope is the last one) and realised I was the heaviest I’ve ever been and reached a weight (in stones) that I thought I never would. I looked back over weigh in records for the past year and realised that this time last year I had actually reached a milestone in the good sense (again in stones) and calculated, to my horror, that I’ve put up 2 stone since this time last year. All of this is against the backdrop of having had a gall bladder attack and bad back, all due to being overweight of course.
So I’m scared, really scared. And, just as I don’t smoke because I’m afraid I’ll lose my voice again; I won’t eat crap anymore because I’m afraid of dying young or at best spending the next few years ballooning into something I don’t recognise anymore (I think I’m already at that point actually).
Anyway, it’s all good really. I’m taking control, I’m feeling more in control and not going all crazy and over reacting – I’m just doing it.
Weigh in wise it’s a case of so far so good – I started mid week but in 3 days I’d lost 3.5lbs, which is pretty cool.
I am a 26 year old girl (I say girl, because I definitely don’t feel old enough to be a woman, and I am most definitely too much of a tomboy to be considered a lady) who enjoys any exercise, but I am pretty much obsessed with squash. I live and work in Cape Town, South Africa, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Squash has been a big part of my life, for as long as I can remember. Both of my parents played league squash, and my earliest memories of the squash courts, are running around on an empty court while my parents played. My dad took an old wooden racket, cut off the handle, and wrapped a grip around the shaft of the racket – this was my racket from about 3 years old – because my had was too small to hold a full-size grip! I used to push a foam tennis ball around the court (probably more like hockey). From then on, I was hooked! I have participated in most sports (tennis, hockey, netball, badminton, swimming, cross-country, track and field, gymnastics, ballet and modern dance) but have never found another sport I enjoy as much as I enjoy playing squash. I would love to be able to be involved in more sports, but I have to work full-time (I am a number-crunching statistician), and this means that my time available for hobbies and sports is very limited. Despite not being able to train as hard or as often as I would like to, I have been reasonably successful in my squash “career”. I represented my age-group at provincial level from u11 to u19, while at school, and since leaving school, I have represented my province (open category) at the National Inter-Provincial tournament for the past four years, and I play ladies’ first league every week from March to October.
What do I want?
I would consider myself a reasonably good squash player, but would like to improve my provincial and national ranking a little. Currently I am ranked between 10th and 15th in the province, and would like to be nearer to 5th (this would guarantee me a place in the provincial team next year). To assist me in achieving this goal, I have enlisted the help of a biokineticist to help me with a training program which is squash specific, and a dietician to help me lose weight without compromising my body’s ability to train hard and recover afterwards. This means that I need to lose fat, and not muscle, essentially improving my fat %. I also spend some time with a sports psychologist once a month, because I find that when I am at work, I end up thinking about squash, and when I’m on the squash court, I end up thinking about work. He has been helping me to focus on what is important at any given time, and also to help me be less stressed about matches. I would like to be able to play more consistently, and focus and relaxation will help with that. Because I am not able to play professionally, and have to work full time, I need to pay particular attention to the time I am spending training or working to ensure that I don’t over-train, I must still do my job at 100%, I also need time to spend with my boyfriend (who is exceptionally understanding of my training routine), and some recovery/relaxation time is also an essential part of any training program. A side-effect of getting myself into shape for squash, is that I am forced to eat healthily, and will remain fit.
How can I help you?
The intention of this blog, is to document what I am researching / learning, and the results I achieve using these methods. Also, I would like to be able to assist those of you who are also trying to stay fit, and healthy. It is so much easier to stick to a program when you are not the only one. If my attempt to lose weight, get fit, and keep a balance in my life can inspire just one of you, then it helps me stay motivated too! I would like to discuss what my training program entails, whether or not I feel that I am getting any benefit from it, and possibly delve into why it is working or not. Similarly, I would like to discuss healthy weight loss – I am not interested in losing weight using a “magic pill” or supplement, as this is not sustainable weight loss (and I am expected to conform to the IOC anti-doping rules, since I represent my province). Some posts may be more of a commentary on how the training and weight loss programs are going, as well as any matches I am playing, to document where I am improving, and what still needs to be worked on.
Where to from here?
Is there anything in particular that you would like me to discuss? Let me know, by posting me a comment.
Avoid these 6 surprising healthy eating mistakes.
1. You Hoard Calories
Yes, cutting total calories leads to weight loss. But bank most of those calories for the end of the day and your hunger hormones will go haywire, making you eat more. Middle-aged men and women who ate their daily number of calories in one supersize supper produced more ghrelin, a hormone that causes hunger, than when they ate the same number of calories in three square meals, found researchers at the National Institute on Aging.
Smarter move: Front-load your calories. Overeating at night keeps you from being hungry in the morning, setting off a vicious cycle in which you’re never interested in breakfast but always starving by dinner. The key is to rebalance your day so you don’t set yourself up for an evening binge. To get your appetite back in the morning, cut your evening meal in half. Then eat a breakfast of about 450 calories, such as a scrambled egg with low-fat cheese on a whole wheat English muffin with an 8-ounce glass of juice–an amount that should keep you satisfied until lunch, says George L. Blackburn, MD, PhD, associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School and author of Break Through Your Set Point. Once your appetite adjusts, don’t go more than 5 hours without another meal of roughly the same size.
2. You Eat Erratically
Trouble is, grazing may contribute to weight gain, according to a 2005 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study. When researchers asked women to eat at regular, fixed times or to break their usual amount of food into unscheduled meals throughout the day, they made a startling discovery: The women actually burned more calories in the 3 hours after eating the regular meals than they did after the unplanned meals. They produced less insulin, too, potentially lowering their odds of insulin resistance, which is linked to weight gain and obesity. What’s more, grazing instead of planning ahead can set you up to eat mindlessly, says Zied. In the end, we rarely realize how many calories all those little nibbles and noshes really add up to.
Smarter move: Figure out how many times a day you need to eat–everybody is different–and then stick to a schedule. “It’s not great to feel starved, but it is okay to feel slightly hungry,” says Zied. You can home in on your body’s internal cues with a food diary. It’s so effective that earlier this year, researchers at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research found that dieters who kept a food journal lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t record what they ate.
3. You Don’t Count Every Calorie
People consistently underestimate the calories in nutritious items such as yogurt, fish, and baked chicken, found researchers at Bowling Green State University who quizzed students on calorie counts. “Just because a food is healthy doesn’t mean you can eat big portions,” says D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, owner of One Source Nutrition in Stamford, CT. “A handful of nuts can be 200 calories or more. And if you add that without cutting back elsewhere, it could be the reason you’re not losing weight.”
Smarter move: Count all calories. Once you learn that 1/2 cup of cereal can have as much as 200 calories or that there are about 220 calories in that “single-serving” bottle of OJ, you’ll be more prudent about how much you use.
4. You Crash Diet
Slashing significant calories might sound like the fast track to weight loss, but it’s likely to backfire. In fact, nutrition experts recommend you don’t dip below 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day. “If you crash diet for more than 2 weeks or so, your metabolism will temporarily slow down,” says Blackburn. “So the same exact dieting effort results in less and less weight loss.” The reason: Your body is conserving energy to keep you from losing weight too quickly. And that’s not all. When you drastically cut calories, you lose muscle along with fat–especially if you haven’t been exercising. Because muscle is your body’s calorie-burning furnace, this can slow down your metabolism, even long after your crash diet is done.
Smarter move: Aim to shed about a pound a week–the slow, steady weight loss ensures you lose fat, not muscle. “If you want to drop 10 pounds, get started 10 weeks before your goal, not 4,” says Blackburn. “You’ll have a better chance of actually taking off the weight permanently.” To drop a pound a week, shave 250 calories from your diet and burn an extra 250 calories through exercise each day.
5. You Set Short-term Weight-loss Goals
The National Weight Control Registry estimates that only 20% of dieters successfully keep off lost weight for more than a year. That’s because after we reach our goal, we let old eating habits creep back in. But people who win at weight loss consistently eat the same way even after they’ve slimmed down. In fact, the NWCR found that dieters who maintain their healthy eating habits every single day are 1 1/2 times more likely to maintain their weight loss in the long run than those who relax their diets on the weekends.
Smarter move: Think of healthy eating as a work in progress, not as a “diet” with a beginning and an end. The key: making small changes you can maintain so they become long-term habits. Start by creating a list of problem areas in your diet, then tackle them one at a time. For example, if you snack on a heaping handful of Oreos every night before bed, set a goal of having two instead of six, and cut back by one a day. Once you’ve made that a habit, pat yourself on the back and move on to your next goal.
6. You Think “Low-Fat” means “Splurge”
Research suggests that when a food is described as a diet food, we’re subconsciously primed to eat more–even if it’s actually as caloric as regular food. When Cornell University researchers offered the same M&M’s candies labeled either regular or low-fat to visitors at a university open house, visitors ate 28% more of the “low-fat” snacks. While less fat does not mean fewer calories, people make the assumption that it does, setting them up to overeat, say scientists.
Smarter move: First, check food labels: So-called diet foods frequently don’t save you calories. Take low-fat chocolate chip cookies–because they’ve been infused with extra carbs to add flavor, you save only 3 calories per cookie. Once you have that reality check, follow the golden rule for any food: Keep close tabs on portions. Limit yourself to two small cookies, for example, or trade in a bowl of frozen yogurt for a kid’s-size scoop; measure out condiments such as low-fat sour cream or low-fat ranch dressing. And remember–if you prefer the flavor of full-fat foods, you’ll still lose weight if you watch your portion sizes.
(London Telegraph 10-28-09) A diet of burgers, chips, sausages and cake will programme your brain into craving even more foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat, according to new research. Over the years these junk foods can become a substitute for happiness and will lead bingers to become addicted… The researchers believe it is one of the first studies to suggest brains may react in the same way to junk food as they do to drugs… When researchers electronically stimulated the part of the brain that feels pleasure, they found that the rats on unlimited junk food needed more and more stimulation to register the same level of pleasure as the animals on healthier diets.
Happy’s Take: This is old news, and those of us in the natural health community have known this for years. The FDA will allow large corporations to put chemicals such as high-fructose corn syrup and MSG in these junk foods and fast foods, which have already been shown to promote these addictive behaviors leading to obesity and illness, yet they will prosecute natural health practioners for helping people overcome them. It reminds me of how cigarette companies knowingly put chemicals in their products to make them even more addictive! Than nicotine! How can we ever get healthy and get raging health costs under control when these addictive drugs are allowed to poison our bodies and minds?
MEANWHILE, THERE is at least one good thing to come out of the FDA – unfortunately, he no longer works there. The former head of the FDA, David Kessler, has authored an outstanding new expose of the American Food industry and its success at exploiting our addictions and avoiding all regulation called The End of Overeating. In this interview, he explains how our brains are hardwired for these addictive behaviors.
Let’s start with a sobering statistic: the average person gains 7 lbs. of fat during the holidays. (I’m not making this stuff up people!) Eating right during the holidays is possible, despite what you may think. Amidst thoughts of Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas parties, egg nog, Christmas parties, candy canes, and Christmas parties there is hope. Oh yeah, fruit cakes too. Allow me to explain.
Eating during the holidays should be no different than how you eat today. But it is different, right? What you can anticipate is a little more temptation than normal because those around you will give in to those tasty temptations. Those sneaky trips to the office lounge for a handful of Chex Mix or frosted pretzels add up!
Somehow during history we have stored good times in our brain with eating – and sometimes overeating (or even drinking!). Of course that does not have to be the answer. The solution to this precarious challenge lies with one simple word: PREPARATION.
PREPARATION
Let’s assume you’re already involved in a great exercise program like P90X or you work out at the gym, so let’s talk nutritional preparation here. Preparation allows you time to put together your strategy for a healthy lifestyle, a definite need for everyone, especially during the holidays. It allows you to formulate a plan. Or Plan B. Or Plan C. Preparation for the holidays starts quickly after Halloween. You know where this is going, don’t you? Yep, that candy left over – what will you do with it? Answer: throw it out onto your porch, take it out to the trash, but definitely get it OUT of your sight. Temptation is lessened by the removal of the offending object. I hope this post finds you in time before it’s too late? (Wipe that Snickers moustache off before someone sees you.)
As Thanksgiving approaches, football season kicks in. Football season is the “Great Deceiver” since many do not see it as part of their holiday plans until New Years and the various Bowl games. But it’s there.
If you are prone to snacking during such times, as well as enjoying a few brews, then know this: consuming alcohol not only adds calories to your “bottom line,” but it can cause you to over consume food at the same time. Traditional beers can have up to 200 calories or more. The more you drink the more calories you consume, not to mention the Off switch you forget to hit as your impaired judgment kicks in. Before you know it, those chicken fingers are gone followed by a Nacho chaser. Did you know some appetizers or finger foods you consume at sports bars can be as much as 2,500 calories – like chicken wings? Say it isn’t so. But it is.
There are healthy alternatives to snacking during a football game or other events during the holidays. Those snacks include salsa and baked chips, pistachio nuts, lite popcorn, or a meal replacement shake. The guys may look at you funny for eating healthier or passing up a six-pack, but the ladies will be looking at you later on as you sport a six-pack of the abdominal variety.
I can already hear the naysayers out there. Can you hear them? “C’mon dude, live a little! Loosen up and enjoy life for a change!” I don’t totally disagree – you should be allowed to enjoy life. Or eating foods you really want – but only once in a while. If the option of eating whatever we want is such a great idea, then why are healthcare costs at an all-time high along with the incidence of diabetes and heart disease? Allow the reward or luxury of an occasional splurge, but please wait UNTIL you have hit your goals and you have a better handle on what goes into your mouth. Then you will be a better judge of what is right for you.
As an Independent Team BeachBody Coach, I’m here to help, free of charge. Exercise and eating right are the first steps, but questions will arise – so please use me as a resource for those answers.
In the next post I will discuss more steps you can take now to fully prepare for the inevitable holiday eating season and avoid the holiday gut. Til then, what are some snacks you enjoy that keep the weight at bay?
Serves: 4