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Sleep more, weigh less

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

Want to lose weight? Perhaps you should get more sleep.

Researchers from Case Western University in Ohio monitored 70,000 women for over a 15-year period and determined that those getting five hours or less of sleep each night 30 percent more likely to gain weight than were those getting seven hours or more of sleep.

Light sleepers also have a significantly higher risk of becoming obese, according to the study supervised by Dr. S. Patel of the university.

What surprised the researchers was that sleeping patterns had a much greater influence on women’s long-term weight than eating habits or physical activity.

At the start of the study, the women who slept up to five hours a night weighed 5.4 pounds more than those who got 7 hours or more. They also put on 1.6 pounds more each year than the good sleepers. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: weight control Tagged With: Sleep, weight control

Gain muscle, not fat

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

From DrMirkin.com

If you think you’re too thin and want to gain weight, don’t just sit on the couch and stuff yourself with food. Weight gain should always be in the form of muscle, not fat.

To build muscle, start a weight-bearing exercise program. Go to a gym and learn how to do the weight training circuit. Build up those arms and legs! As you exercise, your appetite will respond to meet your needs. It only takes 15 extra grams of protein a day to build a pound of muscle a week — so you really won’t need to eat a lot more.

(Remember that muscle weighs more than fat and also burns calories while fat simply stores calories. Think of a car engine versus a car trunk — Lori)

It’s never too late to start a weight training program. Underweight older people look and feel frail because they have lost most of their muscles, not because of lack of fat.

If you are inactive, you lose muscle mass to the point where you are unable to carry out daily activities — climbing stairs, getting up out of a chair — because your muscles are not strong enough to move the weight of your own body. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Exercise, weight control Tagged With: Exercise, fat, Obesity, weight control

Skip ‘shortcut’ diets

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment


by Holly Robinson Peete, Shine staff

You’ve heard about them in email forwards and late-night infomercials, but these five “miracle diets” just plain don’t work. From straight-up starvation to a steady diet of boiled cabbage, here are diets to steer clear of:

#1 The Grapefruit Diet

The claim is that eating grapefruit with protein triggers a “magical” fat burning process. We’re always wary of the word “magic” in regards to a diet, and this one is no exception. While grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C and fiber and is a great way to start your morning, there’s no evidence to support its reputation as a “fat-burner.”

#2 Juice Diets

While a liquid diet has the potential to starve your body into shedding excess pounds, a super low-calorie diet like this one kicks your metabolism into survival mode. Unsure where the next meal is coming from, your body hangs on to the nutrients it has, slowing your metabolism, and burning fewer calories overall. The minute you switch back to solid foods, there’s a good chance those pounds will “magically” reappear. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Education, weight control Tagged With: Education, fat, Obesity, weight control

A compelling picture of obesity

May 11, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

A frightening presentation.

A compelling statement of mission.

A clear need for intercession.

Our collective encouragement and educating of others is mandatory in order to reduce the national consequences of overeating.

Click the photo at left to open a page with a gripping Powerpoint presentation and you’ll see why inaction is no longer a responsible choice.

Powerpoint presentation

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Filed Under: weight control Tagged With: Cancer, Cholesterol, depression, Diabetes, Exercise, fat, Heart health, Nutrition, Obesity, prevention, Shop/cook, Sugar, weight control
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