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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

Diabetes rate to double, cost to triple

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

 

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The number of Americans with diabetes will nearly double over the next 25 years, rising from 23.7 million in 2009 to 44.1 million in 2034, according to a study by the University of Chicago.

In the same period, medical costs associated with treating the disease will triple from 113 billion dollars to 336 billion dollars, even without a rise in the incidence of obesity, according to the study published in the December issue of Diabetes Care.

“If we don’t change our diet and exercise habits or find new, more effective and less expensive ways to prevent and treat diabetes, we will find ourselves in a lot of trouble as a population,” said lead author Elbert Huang.

The study said its projections, despite being significantly higher than other recent estimates, may be too conservative because they assume the rate of diabetes and obesity, a risk factor for the disease, will remain stable. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Medical conditions, Nutrition Tagged With: Clinical nutrition, Diabetes, Nutrition, Obesity, Shop/cook

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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