Tag Archives: lose weight fast

Ask and Answer

Am I healthy for my height and age? If not, what is a good diet plan for me to become a healthy weight?

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Ask:

I am 14 years old, 5’4″ and 125-130 lbs. I am interested in being healthier and I was wondering if I am unhealthy the way that I am. I eat healthy in general, and I take vitamins daily. I am also very active in sports. Since I am more developed, my mom told me that it is normal for me to weigh more that other girls my size. Any help would be great! Thanks!

Answers (2):

Answer 1:

You are healthy:) I am 5’3 and I weight 124, but I want to lose fat and build/tone muscle, too.

If you eat under a certain amount of calories a day (it depends on your body weight), your body will go into starvation mode and start to store EVERYTHING you eat as fat because your body thinks that you are going through a famine.
One of the best ways to lose weight is to eat 6 small meals per day. There is a formula that can calculate how many calories per day you need to eat to lose weight and how many calories each small meal should be.

FORMULA TO LOSE WEIGHT:
Current weight (lbs) / 2.2 (to convert lbs to kg) x 25 – 200 (calories) = ___ / 6 ( # of small meals)

EX: 124 lbs / 2.2 = 56 kg (about)
56 x 25 = 1400 cals
1400 cals – 200 cals = 1200 cals per day AT LEAST to LOSE WEIGHT
1200 / 6 = 200 cals (about) per small meal

If you want to MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT:
current weight (lbs) / 2.2 x 30 = ___ / 6

Eating small meals throughout the day boosts your metabolism and burns more calories. Also, drinking green tea can really boost your metabolism and help you lose weight in a few weeks.
Make sure to eat a lot of steamed vegetables as well; at least a plate a day

Use this website as well (www.bodyrock.tv). This website is NOT trying to sell anything. Every week day, Zuzana and Freddy (the creators) post a short but SUPER INTENSE workout that can burn fat and build muscle. I usually do them twice a day; one in the morning and one at night. There are HUNDREDS of different workouts, recipes, and tips for getting into shape.
Here is my workout schedule (I wouldn’t recommend following my diet EXACTLY because I eat a different number of calories from you)

MON-FRI:
– Yogurt, nutrigrain bar, green tea

-30 minute interval/cardio workout

-1 cup (an actual cup measurement, not a glass or coffee cup) of water, 2 pieces of toast w/ 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter each, 1 cup of water

-2 cups of steamed green beans, green tea

-1 cup of water, one large fuji apple, 1 cup of water

-1 FiberOne bar, piece of toast w/ 1 tbsp of peanut butter, green tea

-Whatever workout is posted from the BodyRock website

-1 cup of water, a ham sandwhich w/ 1 tbsp of mayo, 1 cup of water

Notice how I drink 3 coffee cups of green tea per day, and how I drink at least 6 actual cups of water per day? Drinking water is very important in weight loss. If you don’t drink enough water, your body will store that water (*cough* waterweight *cough*)to save it (like what happens when you don’t eat enough calories). Also notice how I eat before and after each workout. Your body needs energy (food) to burn calories and needs food to help replenish that energy. If you don’t eat before/after each workout, your body will start to eat away at your muscles first. That will make you even weaker and unable to do the workouts which equals unable to lose weight. Your fat stores are SUPER DUPER important to your body, so it will usually eat away at your muscles before your fat.

I eat about 1200 calories per day because I am also trying to lose weight (I weigh 124 and I want to weight 119 for my next goal). Like I said, I wouldn’t follow my diet exactly if I were you, but I would try to create a diet based off of something like that. I will not eat the same thing everyday, but I will always make sure that it fits inside my calorie budget. Also, if you can, try to stay away from processed foods. If it is in a package that has a whole bunch of ingredients that you can’t pronounce, then it’s processed.

It takes the body at least 6 weeks to start noticing physical results. You might start to see changes within 2-4 weeks, but you will notice the changes begin to become more noticeable within 6-8 weeks.

Answer 2:

your mom is right.
your at a very healthy weight for your height, and remember, each girl is built differently.

also since your more active, your going to ALWAYS weigh mroe because youve got nice toned muscles.

i bet you have a supe rbody and have nothing to worry about. keep your chin up girl, your gorgeous!

Health Care

harmful effects caused by fruits

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Fruits are good for everyone but eating too many fruits causes adverse effects on your health.

Do not eat too many plums

Plums contain a lot of acids which decompose calcium– phosphorus and protein in our body, if the amount of these substances decreases, diseases can arise. Too many acids are not good for digestion. In addition, acids make our stump spoiled, especially kid’s teeth.

Eating to many mandarin oranges causes harm for your stomach

According to the study of experts, we should not eat more than 3 mandarin oranges per day. Because we just need 3 mandarin oranges to have enough vitamine C. Eating too many mandarin oranges causes harm for our palate and teeth.

Especially, we should not eat mandarin oranges when getting hungry, because some substances in this kind of fruit will strongly stimulate our stomach, affecting its normal absorption.

Watermelons cause cold

Watermelons are used to be antypiretic. In hot days, eating some watermelon is good, but this kind of fruit cause cold, eating it usually is not healthy at all, especially for people having digestion problems, usually having a pee at night or having spermatorrhoea.

Bananas inhibit blood vessel

Bananas contain a large amount of Magie. If we eat many bananas when getting hungry, the amount of Mg in plasma will suddenly increase, unbalancing the Mg and Calcium ratio, inhibiting our blood vessel which is not good for health. Therefore, do not eat bananas when getting hungry.

Ask and Answer

How to lose weight fast without any type of exercise?

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Ask:

Is there anyway to lose weight fast without any type of exercise?Like im talking about like 20 pounds in about a month or so.I don’t have any time to do any form of exercise.

Answers (2)

Answer 1:

The Anshar Diet

As an American I’ve seen enough crazy fad diets in my day to fill several weeks full of infomercials and advertisements. As such I’m going to give you the benefit of many years of health and nutrition classes and do my good deed for the year.

I’m going to tell you how to not only lose weight but change the composition of your body, increase your health, and best of all.. keep it off.

First, let’s dispel some common myths.

Myth 1:
Eating less calories will make me lose weight.
Unfortunately this isn’t always true. A lot of different factors program your metabolism but one of the key things is how OFTEN you eat. If you fast all day long and then have a 500 calorie meal at the end of the day almost ALL of it will be stored by your body.

Myth 2:
I can have a diet with no carbs and be healthy.
This really is a testament to how much Americans want a quick fix. Diets like the Atkin’s Diet cause your body to start devouring itself, increase your cholesterol, and in certain cases can even kill you. One thing I WON’T argue, death will indeed cause you to lose weight, permanently.

Myth 3:
If I go on a diet I will lose weight.
99% of people who go on diets will end up putting on MORE weight than they lost from a diet. This is because diet is supposed to be a LIFESTYLE change, not something you do for 2 weeks. If you starve your body it will make fat cells and increase their size even faster.

Myth 4:
I need to go out and exercise to lose weight.
This isn’t actually true but it’s important to say that having daily activities WILL keep you healthy. If you burn almost no calories every day what else do you think your body is going to do with them? Balancing a healthy lifestyle with a good diet is what you want here, not killing yourself by running every afternoon.

Myth 5:
The scale in my bathroom gives me a good idea of how healthy I am.
The dreaded bathroom scale does NOT tell you how healthy you are. Let’s say I have 10 lbs of fat, don’t drink water, and have little muscle mass. Then I work out for 3 months and hydrate every day. I lose 5 lbs of fat but gain 7 lbs of muscle and 3 pounds of average water weight. What will happen when I look at the scale? Are you being fair to yourselves? Judge yourself by how you feel, not what a spinning number under your feet tells you.

With these common myths out of the way I’ll tell you the secret. It’s five simple steps.

~~The Anshar Diet~~
1. Only eat until you are no longer hungry.
This does NOT mean that you starve yourself. It means after you take a few bites of food ask yourself if you’re still hungry. If you’re not, into the fridge it goes. While we’re at it, CHEW YOUR FOOD. at least 10 times per bite (using common sense if you’re eating applesauce, this isn’t an excuse to be an idiot).

2. Eat at least 6 (more if your schedule allows) meals a day.
I know this seems counterintuitive, but hear me out. If you eat 6-8 meals a day the meals are very small (often around 100-200 calorie “snacks”), provided you are only eating until you are NOT HUNGRY. When your body is not hungry your metabolism will not try to store energy as fat. It really is that simple. Smaller meals aid in digestion, they increase the nutrition you get from your food, and they keep you from being lethargic. If you eat when you’re hungry your body stores MORE of it as fat (“Hmm. I’m hungry, I don’t know where my next meal will come from! I’d better hold onto this.”)

3. Eat BEFORE you get hungry.
Schedule your 6-10 meals throughout the day and stick to them. If you’re waiting until you get hungry to eat you’ve already screwed this up. Your body stores energy if you’re hungry, if your body sees food and just takes what it needs then you’re running at optimum efficiency. This is called programming your metabolism.

4. Eat breakfast. Always.
Your first meal of the day is also the meal you have no choice over being hungry for. Your body has been replenishing itself all night and needs fuel. Since now you KNOW that hunger means you store your food then that means you want to keep breakfast LIGHT. A cup of cereal and a banana. A granola bar and an apple. LIGHT does NOT mean you skip breakfast. If you skip breakfast you are telling your metabolism to turn ALL of the next meal you eat into stored fat.

5. Drink water.
(I’m a big hypocrite on this one, but I can’t stress it enough) Most people think that if they pick up a glass of orange juice instead of a soda they’re doing themselves a favor, and that’s not entirely true. A glass of orange juice can have just as many calories as some sodas. Try looking at the label sometime. If you’re thirsty, drink water. If you love your soda then have your soda (real soda, not diet, artificial sweetners have been argued to be one of the worst things to ever happen to western civilization). If you decide to have a drink to treat yourself, pour yourself a half glass, don’t take a can or bottle with you and for go

Answer 2:

Almost everyone knows that loosing weight is about changing your eating habits to a considerable extent. What many people don’t realize is that this cannot just be done overnight! If you try to make drastic changes in your diet too quickly, chances are that you will only be frustrated and disappointed with your loosing that belly fat.

Also, there is more to weight loss than just diet and exercise. In this article I will give two great Tips on How to Get Rid of Belly Fat.

1. Avoid self-sabotaging train of thoughts: Self-sabotaging thoughts will do you more harm than think. Just imagine, if you always think that you cannot do the things you need to do in order to lose weight, how can you ever loose that belly fat? If you think that you cannot do sit-ups and push-ups, you are probably jumping to conclusions and being too overly self-crital even before you have tried any exercises! If you think that doing thirty push-ups is too much for you, then start small. Start with 10-15 push-ups, and thank yourself once you have done it successfully! Then try to add one or two extra push-ups every day to your routine until you reach your target of thirty.

You see, when you start small, it becomes much easier to reach your goals! Instead of thinking too much about it, just take action and DO it! The amount of time you spend on thinking and criticizing yourself, you may as well as spend it on some exercise. While the former will do you no good, the latter will help you burn fat and loose that belly fat fast!

2. Get help & support: Proper support is important in order to keep you on point and motivated. Without support, you won’t be able to lose weight successfully. That is why it is essential that you enlist the support of your friends and family who understand you and support your goals. It is also essential that you choose a weight loss program which offers support to its members in the form of a support group or forum. In a forum, you will get support and tips from your peers and experts alike! Surround yourself with supportive people and stay away from the negative people who can only find faults with you!

If you follow these Tips on How to Get Rid of Belly Fat there is no reason why you won’t be able to lose that belly fat! Remember that you can achieve whatever you believe or think in your mind. If you believe you can loose belly fat fast, then you WILL! I know that this sounds very much like The Secret and The Law of Attraction but it is very true!

Weight loss diet for man and women

3 Keys To Overcoming Your Fitness Obstacles

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My kids have this story called Caps For Sale. In it, a peddler walks up and down the street trying to sell the different colored caps that he’s carrying on top of his head. The unfortunate peddler doesn’t sell a single cap that day. He’s thwarted by hunger, fatigue, and a group of monkeys that steal the caps right off of his head while he’s sleeping. As a result, he spends a major portion of that day stymied with frustration.

Sometimes, when it comes to fitness and nutrition, we all feel like that peddler. But it’s how we deal with the roadblocks on our path to fitness that ultimately determine how successful we are. We all get hungry when we’re trying to lose weight. We all get tired when we’re out for a run. Hopefully we don’t get mugged by a pack of monkeys. But hey, stranger things have happened, right?

The next time you find yourself struggling to make progress on the fitness goals (you do have concrete goals, right?) try one of these quick and easy solutions to help get you back on track.

FIND A COMMUNITY

One of the primary reasons that I’ve been able to go from an overweight couch potato to a fit, semi-athletic, marathon runner is because I’ve been able to create a community at my blog. I write about my goals, my successes, and my failures. Sometimes I write about current research on nutrition and fitness and I try and answer questions that my readers ask of me. I love the community at Get Fit Slowly. It’s what finally got me writing again and it really does an awesome job of keeping me accountable towards making progress on my goals.

But you don’t have to start a blog. There are lots of communities out there. Daily burn, Daily Mile, Garmin Connect, Map My Run, and Spark People are all great places for you to find people with similar goals and ideals. The people you meet there will be your biggest supporters, but they’ll also call you out when you’re not performing. If you hate to disappoint people as much as I do, that can be a powerful motivator.

COMPETE

Competition really gets some people motivated to perform. If you don’t like to lose, then set up a friendly fitness or weight loss competition with some friends and watch how successful you can be. I once lost 20 pounds in 2 months because I didn’t want to eat a chili dog in public while not wearing a shirt.

If those kinds of competitions aren’t your style, you can always sign up for a race. Shelling out the entry fees is enough to motivate me to do my best. I’m betting it would work for you too.

GIVE YOURSELF A CARROT

I’m not talking about the kind of carrot that grows in the ground, either. If you’re still struggling to get over one of those obstacles, then it’s time to bring out the big guns. Set a goal, and give yourself a reward for completing that goal. Want to lose 10 pounds? Then promise yourself an awesome night out with your partner when you reach that goal. Maybe go to Hawaii if you lose 100 pounds? Think big here, because the bigger the reward, the more likely you are to work for it.

One of my favorite things about this strategy is that you can use it to break big goals down into smaller, more manageable goals. Break a 50 pound weight loss down into 5 chunks and give yourself small rewards for each successful step towards accomplishing the big goal. There are lots of ways to do it. Pick one that works for you and get it done.

It’s that time of year when everyone is setting goals for themselves. Sooner or later, we’ll all run into some obstacles. By thinking about what you’re going to do, and by having a plan in place for dealing with them, you’ll be better equipped and spend less time being derailed by those obstacles.

That peddler didn’t have much of a plan to deal with his obstacles. And he wasn’t very successful on that day. But he did have one thing going for him—tenacity! He never gave up. He kept peddling his wares until the sun went down. If you take my advice and try one or more of the suggestions given above and if you refuse to ever give up, you’ll be selling your caps in no time.

Weight loss diet for man and women

Need Fitness Motivation? There’s an Avatar for That

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According to findings published in the Journal of Marketing Research, people tend to have a “now or whenever” mentality when it comes to results. We’d like our rewards now, thank you—but if we have to wait, it doesn’t matter so much when they arrive.

It’s why we’re willing to pay considerably more to have something shipped tomorrow, but not much more to have it shipped in seven days rather than 10. It’s probably also why, if we can’t have rock-hard abs tomorrow, it seems like it doesn’t matter whether we start that aerial yoga class today or next week. Or whenever.

Behavioral economists say we’re even more likely to discount future rewards if we can choose a more immediate alternative. No wonder skipping a workout to dine with friends always seems like a good idea.

Logically, we know that the sooner we start improving our diet and exercise habits, the better. But how can we get as excited about the health benefits we’ll enjoy in 10 years as we get about overnight shipping? Researchers have found one way to bypass our tendency to prefer pleasure in the present: show us pictures of ourselves.

Hey, That’s Me—But Fitter

In five studies, scientists at Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab set out to test whether virtual doppelgangers would influence their owners’ real-life health and fitness behavior. As it turned out, they did.

The researchers created personalized avatars using participants’ photographs. In one study, people who watched their avatars running on a treadmill were more likely to exercise following the study than those who watched their avatars lounging. Watching avatars of strangers exercising didn’t have the same motivating effect.

In another study, people who watched their avatar’s figure get slimmer during a workout—or conversely, gain weight in connection with inactivity—were even more likely to get moving afterward. Similar experiments in which avatars ate healthy or unhealthy food, and waistlines narrowed or expanded accordingly, also spurred healthier behavior.

We feel compelled to imitate what we see, the study authors said, especially when the outcomes of the actions become more tangible.

Seeing aged avatars can also help us overcome the tendency to short-change our future selves. Studies measuring financial behavior have shown that when someone views an older doppelganger, they become more future-oriented with regard to retirement savings. The same aging models could be applied to long-term health goals, researchers in Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab said.

Our Imagination Works, Too

If you don’t have access to a personalized avatar, visualization might be the next best thing. “Visualization is an easy way to see ourselves practicing a certain behavior,” says Jeff Brown, an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a Boston Marathon psychologist. Brown says Boston marathoners use visualization to boost motivation and performance: “They dedicate time to seeing themselves run well and run strongly,” he says.

Ample research has demonstrated that being able to see oneself from a bird’s eye view can alter self-perception and subsequent behavior. In a 2007 study, psychologists at The Ohio State University found that when people pictured themselves engaging in a potential future action (in this case, it was voting) from a third-person perspective, as opposed to first-person, they were more likely to view that action favorably and to actually do it.

Not only are we likely to identify with the exerciser in our mind’s eye, but visualization has additional rewards. According to Brown, it can help with skill-building and exercise anxieties. If you’re scared to hazard your first few kettlebell swings in front of an audience, you might spend 15 minutes mentally working through your strength training routine before you go to the gym. “It’s perfectly fine to visualize yourself messing up and correcting it,” Brown says. “You visualize yourself being resilient.”

Brown, who coauthored The Winner’s Brain, adds that once you’ve done a few trial runs in your head, you’ll be less susceptible to in-the-moment temptations. And don’t forget to visualize the rewards to come.

Realistic Imagery is Important

It seems the advice “fake it ’til you make it” might actually have some basis in psychological science. The trick to bringing your healthier simulations to life? Make them compelling.

For a computer simulation to be effective, it should look enough like you to trigger self-identification, the researchers at Stanford noted. For visualizations, Brown suggests incorporating as many senses as you can, as well as conjuring them in real-time: “Spend however long it will take you to actually do it—because you’re ultimately teaching your brain to do it,” he says.

Brown also recommends using visuals during the day, which creates a stronger imprint on your mind than when you’re relaxed at bedtime.

A cautionary note: Keep in mind that you aren’t burning any calories from watching your doppelganger work out—some people have a tendency, as observed by Cornell University professor Brian Wansink, to calorie-compensate for the exerciser onscreen.

Ask and Answer

Is it possible to lose weight without exercise?

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Ask:

Is it possible to lose weight without exercise? I have recently injured my legs and arms and im gaining weight and im wondering if I can go on a diet that would lower my weight. If so what should i eat/drink alot? Can someone plan out a diet for me?

Answer (1)

yes you always can. I’m not sure how many of us realize that intensive cardio exercise such as jogging and gym will NOT BURN FAT.

The Reason is Intense Aerobics and Exercise only burn mainly carbohydrates for energy,
not fat tissue.

If you over-exert yourself and your breathing and heart rate become too elevated
then your body will burn mainly carbohydrates.

However, your goal is NOT To burn Carbohydrate Calories, your goal is to burn stored
BodyFat and Lose 10lbs in A Week.

All you need now is to be on diet and to Lose 10 lbs is always possible.

You need to consume a balance diet plan foods which are made up of:

i. Lean proteins,
ii. Fruit and vegetables, and
iii. Sources of fat come from whole foods (such as cottage cheese or eggs).
iv. Starchy carbohydrates (such as oats and pasta).

Divide your meals into 4 and that should be eaten at a minimum of 2 1/2 hours apart.

There is no calorie or carb counting, no limit on portion size, so eat until you feel your stomach is OK.

You can lose 10 lbs within a week with this diet plans, which consists of 2 type:-

1. Online Diet Generator – If you want to lose weight MORE QUICKLY. It generates your menu in just seconds.

2. 10 Weight Loss Rules- If you would rather lose weight more “casually” (without having to follow a specific diet) then the second weight loss program which is a collection of which you can use to lose weight in a much more “casual” way.

To lose weight you need to manipulate which types of calories enter your body at each meal.

The first thing you must do is learn the 3 types of calories, and which calories are in each type of food that you eat.

Some of sample foods made of Protein and Carbs (Carbohydrates) are :-

PROTEIN FOODS

* Lean Roast Beef

* Cottage Cheese (low fat)

CARBS(Carbohydrates) FOODS

* Mixed Salad (only lettuce, tomatoes, and
veggies allowed)

* Dressing should be Low Cal dressing. Use sparingly,
you should not smother the salad with too much
dressing.
* Bread (should be “oat” or “bran” type bread
only)

All you need is just rotate this Protein and Carbohydrate meals for One week and you will lose 10 lbs within that.

You need to maintain your diet and eat for rest of your life the food you like. To maintain your new slim body you will have the list of some general “rules”. These rules are meant to be “general” and “simple” because you can easily maintain your new body by just using a the simple and general rules.

For example, the rule about breaking up your daily food intake into 4 meals may “seem” simple, but it can control how slim you stay in the future.

You will be also presented with rules about what to avoid when grocery shopping, how to order food at restaurants, and how to order at fast food establishments.

The late night eating habit and other non-healthy eating habits also been tackled.

These rules are “”simple sounding”” but they are enough to maintain your new body for the rest of your life.

See the sample rotation of the meals and get more info on the diet plans at http://www.squidoo.com/Lose-10lbs-AWeek

I hope this will help you to lose weight and the most important without any harmful diet pills.

Weight loss diet for man and women

Five Reasons Why New Year’s Resolutions to Diet and Exercise Might Be Unhealthy

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Year after year, one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to eat healthy and lose weight. But as resolutions and health regimens are about to be in full swing, many might find that instead of feeling good they are feeling worse. And the reason might be due to the one thing that should be helping: exercise.

“Not only can new workout routines be difficult for those with asthma, but several allergens can be found lurking in health clubs making this healthy activity bothersome for the more than 40 million Americans that suffer from allergies,” said allergist Richard Weber, MD, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “By understanding what triggers symptoms, those with allergies and asthma will be able to feel good and remain active.”

To help those with New Year’s resolutions succeed, ACAAI has identified the five most common allergy and asthma exercise ailments, with tips on how to overcome them.

• Over Stepping your Boundaries – If you’re experiencing shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and unusual fatigue you might have exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). The condition affects about 10 percent of Americans. Find relief by using your allergist prescribed inhaler before you begin your workout routine. Breathing through your nose, rather than your mouth, can also help.

• Think Before you Eat – Whether you’ve signed up for a dieting meal plan or are opting for foods with less calories, be sure to always read nutrition labels before you consume new items. Many products contain hidden food allergens, such as milk, wheat and egg. Energy bars can also be loaded with allergens, including soy and nuts, that affect certain people.

• Choose Equipment Wisely – While most exercise machines won’t cause you to sneeze or wheeze, rubber mats, medicine balls and some rubber coated free weights might. Latex can often be found in these items, causing those with latex allergies to develop a rash or hives. Also beware of disinfectant wipes and sprays used to clean gym equipment. They can contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can spur an asthma attack or cause skin irritation.

• Explore the Great Indoors – If you’re allergic to pollen, grass and other environmental factors, hit the ground running indoors. Not a fan of treadmills and indoor tracks? Take your allergy medication and avoid running outdoors during mid-day and afternoon hours when pollen counts may be highest. Be sure to change your clothes and shower immediately after finishing your workout to remove any particles that might have fallen onto your clothes and hair.

• Opt for Comfort over Fashion – If your workout leaves you itchy and you’ve ruled out other gym culprits, your clothing might be the setback. Synthetic materials used in everything from shirts to socks could be irritating your skin. ACAAI recommends checking clothing labels and opting for Lycra (spandex) which is higher quality and less likely to irritate your skin. Garments made of natural products can also help. If you have a latex allergy, be wary of athletic shoes and elastic waistbands.

Health Care

9 ways to keep it healthy when eating out

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Eating out can be such a pleasure: Someone else chops the veggies, cooks the entree and brings it steaming hot to your table, while you enjoy time with friends or family.

But when we eat out, we tend to overdo it. While an occasional splurge is OK, if we’re not smart about our menu choices, we may be hunting for a larger wardrobe.

On average, Americans eat out about five times a week, according to the National Restaurant Association. Because those meals are generally higher in calories and fat than what we make at home, they can create a recipe for weight gain.

Every meal away from home increases an adult’s average daily calorie count by about 135 calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If we eat out five times a week, we stand to gain up to 10 pounds a year.

Business traveler Tish Davis frequently meets with clients over meals, and she’s seen her weight climb by about 20 pounds in the past few years. Registered dietitian Marisa Moore gave Davis some advice on how to eat healthy while on the road.

Davis knows she has some weaknesses. “I love things that are fried, like bacon, a burger, chicken tenders. I like crunchy,” she says.

Moore offered Davis some tips — and gave her some homework to help with her eating habits.

Order first

Davis says she goes into the meal intending to eat healthy, but by the time she hears what others are ordering, she’s lost her resolve. Moore suggests that Davis order first.

“There is an interesting study that shows that women tend to mirror each other when we go out to eat,” Moore says. “If you order your meal first, before everybody else starts to order, then you might actually set the tone for the table to order healthier options.”

And, if possible, try to choose the restaurant where you’ll meet friends or business associates. Look for places that have healthy options on the menu so you’ll have better choices.

Red flags

When you sit down to order, scrutinize the menu for red flags that indicate foods are high in calories: descriptions of creamy, crispy, fried, breaded or smothered.

“Instead, you want to opt for foods that are grilled, steamed or broiled. That generally is going to be a healthier cooking method,” Moore says.

Tailor the meal

Don’t be afraid to ask the server to make changes to the menu. Replace unhealthy sides such as french fries for steamed vegetables. If you know a sauce is going to be loaded with calories, ask that it be brought on the side. You tend to eat less that way.

And always order your salad dressing on the side, Moore says. Though dressing can be healthy, restaurants tend to give us two to three times the amount we need, and those calories can add up.

If you’re ordering pizza, ask the chef to go light on the cheese.

Box it up

A restaurant serving can usually feed two, so at the beginning of the meal, ask the server for a to-go box. Put half of the meal away and take it home with you — if food is in front of us, we tend to eat it, even when we’re full.

Soup and salad

Another way to keep from overeating is to order a salad or broth-based soup as your first course, Moore says. “There is some evidence to show that people who eat a broth-based soup or a veggie salad before their meal tend to eat fewer calories for the entire meal.”

Portion control

On average, Americans need about 2,000 calories a day, and knowing how to judge a portion size can help us stick to that target. If you’re ordering pasta, a good rule of thumb is to eat a portion that looks to be about the size of your fist. With meat, try not to eat more than would fit in the palm of your hand.

To help Davis with portion control, Moore suggests she order an appetizer in place of an entree.

Slow down

We’ve heard it before, but when we eat too fast, we often eat too much.

“It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize that your body is full,” Moore says. So slow down. Enjoy the company of those you’re with, and try putting your fork down between bites. It might take a little practice, but it does make for a more leisurely meal.

Rethink the drink

It’s easy to forget about the calories from the drink we order, whether it’s an alcoholic beverage or a glass of tea. One serving of sweetened tea, for instance, can have 200 to 250 calories.

“A glass of wine is only about 150 calories, but some of your mixed drinks can be well over 300 or 350 calories,” Moore says.

She encourages Davis to drink water with her meals and with her occasional glass of wine. Water helps fill us up, so we tend to consume less alcohol.

One day at a time

“I’m actually going to try some things … when I’m on the road,” Davis says. “I’m going to just pay more attention to the menu and go for the broiled, not the fried, and start with a salad.”

But she knows she’s going to struggle with her biggest challenge. “My lack of willpower in peer settings — that’s my biggest downfall,” Davis says.

It’s all about choices, Moore says. “We have to be prepared to face those obstacles, those temptations and decide when you’re going to splurge and when you’re going to make sure that you stick to a healthy diet.”

Ask and Answer

What are some like really good healthy foods?

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Ask:

Mmmkay so yeahh we’re like going to be going to the market soon and i’m trying to loose some weight and i was trying to figure out what some good healthy foods would be other than like fruits and vegis.

Answers (2)

Answer 1:

NO MEAT OR DAIRY! Don’t listen when people say,” Oh, well chicken breast, eggs, and low-fat yogurt are great sources of lean protien and vitamin D that you can’t get from fruits, veggies and grains.” It is proven that you can get all of your essential minerals from non-meat and non-dairy products. I REPEAT-NO MEAT OR DAIRY, NOT EVEN LEAN!!! All have way too much cholesterol and are difficult for your body to digest, thus slowing your metabolism and making it more difficult to lose weight. Animal fats(even little bits) process in your body WAAAAY differently then vegetarian fats.

If you wanna loose weight, stick with grains, and fruits, veggies. Try to eat most of your vegs/fruits raw if possible, and limit ur sugar and salt intake. Your body will balance itself this way and you will lose weight fast AND BE HEALTHY! (This should be your real goal-not just to look thinner and more attractive, but to feel and look HEALTHIER inside and out.)

Some really yummy dishes you can make are…

Black bean and mango salsa w/baked tortilla chips

Avocado, bean sprout, tomatos, olive wrap(many types of wraps such as pesto,sundried tomatoe,etc.) and your choice of non-dairy lowfat dressing

Wheat pasta with olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, eggplant, bell-peppers etc.(Pasta rules because you can do anything with it!!!)

Walnut, pear and spinach salad with balsamic dressing

Mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy

Mexican brown rice with corn and pinto beans

Bread, garlic and herb stuffed mushrooms

Hummus and pita bread

There are so many healthy dishes out there that taste great! Just google for the recipes!!! It’s fun to cook with the people you love and know that you are taking care of our body, too!
Good luck!

Answer 2:

Just… when you go to the store, look at the ingredients (on prepared foods) and compare things like calories and fat on things like Yogurt. Like, I was looking at the same brand of yogurt, but one was “Original” one was “Low Fat” and one was “No Fat” so I initially grabbed the “No Fat” one, right? but I looked at the label and it was 170 calories per serving (and 0 fat) so it’s all sugar. Then I looked at the “Original” and it was 180 calories per serving, with 85 of it being fat, so, not many more than the no fat, And then I picked up the “Low Fat” to see what it might be, and it was only 125 calories per serving, with only 25 calories of fat, which is well within the recommended 25% rule (that’s where you make sure and only eat things that have 25% or less fat. Bring a calculator! lol…) and since it’s not all sugar, it’s not going to trigger that “OMG! Must eat voraciously!” thing that candy and other sugars trigger when you eat it.

Also, “Fish” is good, but White fish is actually a better thing to say (as opposed to Tuna or Salmon) And actually shrimp and lobster and crab are good options (as long as they’re not drenched in butter or fried)

Brown rice is good, if you can get the non-instant kind (instant grains pretty much kills any nutritional value you might get from it) all kinds of fantastic vegetables – I’m personally very fond of Leeks and other onions and peppers and strong-flavored veggies of that kind.

Pick up some spices while you’re there. I recommend Cumin and Paprika as well as cinnamon and peppers – basil and other “italian” seasonings tend to call for olive oil (which isn’t as bad as some things you could injest) and so you’ll want to use those sparingly…

But yes, just realize that you DO need fats and carbs to function as well as protein to go along with the veggies and the vitamins and minerals you get from eating them.

Losing weight actually starts getting fun when you start picking out lots of different random vegetables that you might not even know what they are, and throwing them in a pot with spices just to see how it might turn out!

Oh – beans. lots of beans, various beans. get them dry and learn to prepare them. (you ever see a fat cowboy?)

Heh…

Have fun!

Health Care

When to Retire a Running Shoe

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running shoe

Ryan Hall, one of the world’s best distance runners, used to pride himself on wearing his running shoes into nubs. No more. Now he assiduously replaces his shoes after running about 200 miles in them. He goes through two pairs a month.

Of course Mr. Hall, sponsored by Asics, does not have to pay for his shoes. Most of the rest of us do, and at around $100 a pair they aren’t cheap. Yet we are warned constantly to replace them often, because running in threadbare shoes may lead to injuries that can take months to heal.

So here’s a simple question: How do you know when your shoes are ready for those discard bins in gyms? And if you do get injured, is it fair to blame your shoes?

My friend Jen Davis runs more than 100 miles a week, like Mr. Hall, but has a different set of criteria for getting rid of shoes. One is that if they smell bad even after she washes them in her washing machine, it’s time for a new pair. She estimates she puts 500 miles on each pair of shoes.

Henry Klugh, a running coach and manager of The Inside Track, a running store in Harrisburg, Pa., says he goes as far as 2,000 miles in some shoes. He often runs on dirt roads, he said, which are easier on shoes than asphalt is and do not compress and beat up the midsole as much.

My coach, Tom Fleming, has his own method. Put one hand in your shoe, and press on the sole with your other hand. If you can feel your fingers pressing through, those shoes are worn out — the cushioning totally compressed or the outer sole worn thin.

As for me, my practice has been to keep track of the miles I run with each pair and replace them after 300 miles. Who is right? Maybe none of us. According to Rodger Kram, a biomechanics researcher at the University of Colorado, the theory is that you must change shoes before the ethylene vinyl acetate, or E.V.A., that lines most running shoe insoles breaks down.

“Think of a piece of Wonder Bread, kind of fluffy out of the bag,” he said. “But smoosh it down with the heel of your palm, and it is flat with no rebound.”

A moderate amount of cushioning improves running efficiency, he has found. But as to whether cushioning prevents injuries, he said, “I doubt that there are good data.”

Dr. Jacob Schelde of Odense University Hospital in Denmark, has looked for clinical trials that address the cushioning and injury question — and has found none. He’s applying for funds to do one himself, a 15-month study with 600 runners.

Dr. Schelde did find a study on injury rates among runners, published in 2003, that had some relevant data even though it was not a randomized clinical trial and shoe age was not its main focus. The study was large and regularly tested runners in a 13-week training program. The researchers failed to find any clear relationship between how long running shoes were worn and a runner’s risk of injury.

It also is difficult to find good data on how long E.V.A. insoles last. But one exhaustive study, led by Ewald Max Hennig of the biomechanics laboratory at University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, involved 18 years of shoe testing from 1991 to 2009. The researchers measured the performance of 156 shoe models worn by runners. Dr. Hennig and his colleagues wrote that the sort of mechanical testing that shoe manufacturers do to evaluate cushioning materials does not reflect what happens when people actually run.

Over the years, running shoe quality steadily improved, the researchers reported. The shoes also changed as running fads waxed and waned. Shock attenuation, for example, diminished starting around 2000, when there was talk of shoes providing too much cushioning.

Then, when cushioning became fashionable again, it returned. But so did minimalist shoes designed for the barefoot running fad, which have almost no cushioning.

In Europe, the researchers reported, people typically wear shoes for about 600 miles. But their studies indicated that shoes could last much longer.

Most shoemakers, of course, would prefer to see us trade in sooner. Kira Harrison, a spokeswoman for Brooks, said shoes should last for 400 to 500 miles. The very light models last about 300 miles, she said.

Biomechanical studies have shown that after those distances the shoes lose their bounce, she said: “Everyone in the industry knows that standard.”

Gavin Thomas, a Nike spokesman, said a shoe’s life span depended on the type of shoe — lightweight or more heavily cushioned — and on the runner’s weight and running style. Those who are light on their feet can wear shoes longer than those who pound the ground. Those who run on soft surfaces can keep their shoes longer.

After 300 or 400 miles, Mr. Thomas said, a typical shoe worn by a typical runner will not feel the way it used to, a sign it is worn out.

But Golden Harper, developer of Altra running shoes and founder of the company, said any advice on mileage was “a lot of malarkey.” Mr. Harper, a distance runner, said most runners could feel when their shoes need to be replaced. “You get a sense for it,” he said. “Nothing hurts, but it is going to soon.”

So when should you retire those faithful running shoes, and what happens if you don’t? Despite the doomsday warnings, no one really knows. And with so many variables — type of shoe, runner’s weight, running surfaces, running style — there may never be a simple answer.

But we can take comfort in Dr. Hennig’s work. Even people like Henry Klugh, who put in many more miles than most guidelines suggest may still be fine. Their shoes may still be performing.