We’ve search the internet to bring you the latest and greatest health and fitness news! Here’s a few interesting articles we found this time. Take a look and see if you learn anything new.
Willpower can help with losing – and keeping off – weight. Here’s how to strengthen yours.
Please leave a comment and let us know if these were helpful, or what you’d prefer to read. And share links to any interesting articles that you have found.
Energy bars can go by several names – protein bars, cereal bars or snack bars. And while they do provide a needed energy boost (from protein, carbs and fats) can they really replace a meal or snack and help with weight loss?
The positives of energy bars as an occasional substitute for a meal are:
Portion control to help you avoid overeating
Portable so you always have something to eat
Eating one is better than skipping a meal, and helps prevent binges later
As a snack, provide better nutrition than a candy bar
On the negative side:
They are no substitute for food, but it is better than eating nothing.
The quality of nutrition may be lower than in real food, and none are as nutritionally balanced as the meal they are replacing.
They provide plenty of calories for their size, but may be less satisfying than the larger volume of real food you could eat for the same calories.
They can contain large amounts of saturated fat, sugar and refined carbs – maybe even more than you would consume if you ate a meal.
Energy bars can replace meals, but you should only do so occasionally. When you do, choose one with higher calories, and add low fat yogurt or cheese and fresh fruit to make a complete meal. Make sure the bar has 10-15 grams of protein and 3 or more grams of fiber to help you feel satisfied and reduce hunger for a longer period of time. If using one for a snack, choose a low calorie version; otherwise, you could take in more calories than usual and end up with a weight gain.
Look for whole, natural ingredients and carefully watch the amount of saturated fat, sugar, refined carbs, and hydrogenated oils in the bar. As with calories, make sure you know what, and how much, you are taking in, and that it fits within your total daily allowance.
Energy bars can assist in weight loss efforts, as long as they are used occasionally as part of a healthy eating plan and provide good nutrition. Read the label and know what you are eating.
Frequent readers know that I usually go on a rant about nutritional supplements every year or so. You can read past articles on this subject in the July, August and September newsletter archives. This time I am going to narrow my focus to a particular type of supplement, vitamins. The source for much of this article comes from the August, 2011 issue of the Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Newsletter.
About 40% (and growing) of Americans take a multivitamin daily, which is the single most popular type of supplement. But many Americans take individual vitamins also. Why have they become so popular?
I think there are several reasons:
1. We all learned in grade school about how a lack of vitamins caused scurvy, rickets and beriberi. Those discoveries were played up big in science classes.
2. The government has mandated that certain foods be fortified with particular vitamins as a public health measure.
3. There is a growing belief that our food supply is not a good as it used to be.
4. We all know that people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables – which are vitamin-rich – have less risk for chronic diseases.
5. Our medical system tends to emphasize drugs over other forms of care, which plays into our own preference to take the easiest way out whenever possible.
6. The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act had the effect of separating supplements from food, and from regulation, giving marketers the advantage over scientists.
7. Finally, the media are very sloppy about their coverage of research findings, inadequately covering potential harms and benefits, as well as the quality of the findings. Think about this the next time you hear a news story about vitamin research: If you were in the study, would you be able to eat any strictly regimented diet prescribed to you, in the way they want you to eat it, with no additions or subtractions, for the entire length of the study? If you can, why can’t you stick to your weight loss diet?
The science is clear that the most important factor in health outcomes is not any individual vitamin or supplement, but rather it is the whole dietary pattern. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables provides a lot of vitamins, and a lot of health benefits, but taking those same vitamins as supplements does NOT seem to have the same health benefits. Yes, some people with certain conditions can benefit from taking a supplement of certain vitamins or minerals, and that should be a medical decision, not a whim after reading a magazine article about a Hollywood star.
So, for a summary of the research findings on vitamin supplements and chronic diseases, click on the link to see which are HOPE, HYPE, or HARM.
When considering which supplements to take, here’s the latest research on which provide benefits, which don’t, and which may be dangerous.
Hope
There is encouraging evidence that Vitamin D supplements can increase bone mineral density and decrease fractures, although specific advice is still a guess. Calcium is also required.
Vitamins C and E, along with beta-carotene and zinc, are strongly supported by the research to have a preventive effect among high risk people for age-related macular degeneration.
Hype
B 12 deficiency is common in older adults, including those with Alzheimer’s, but supplementation does not slow or prevent Alzheimer’s.
B vitamins such as folic acid supplements have not been shown to affect heart disease, cancer, or mortality by lowering homocysteine, but the jury is still out because the research that was done was poorly designed.
Vitamin D is thought to be a potential help for heart disease, cancer and diabetes, but definitive trials have not been completed.
Multivitamins have not been shown to have any effect on chronic disease, but have not been shown to cause any harm. The NIH says that the current evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against multivitamin usage. Personally, I used to take one daily but have discontinued that practice.
Harm
Vitamin E was thought to be cardio – protective by keeping LDL cholesterol from oxidating, but repeated large clinical trials using high-dose supplements found no benefit, and later research indicated that doses of Vitamin E above 400 IU actually increased mortality.
Beta-carotene in high doses was initially thought to reduce the risk of lung cancer, but clinical trials found that it actually increased risk for smokers.
Another holiday weekend is here. Labor Day unofficially marks the end of summer, but since kids in Memphis have been in school for nearly a month, and the temperatures are still hot, bit doesn’t seem like it. So let’s enjoy being outside as long as we can – and be healthy while doing it!
The hot temperatures make being in the water feel good. You can do some non-swimming pool exercises, or maybe try out the latest fitness trend – Stand-Up Paddling (SUP).
Want to get the family out on the water? Remember these boating safety tips for the entire family. Going to try and catch dinner while you are out? Make sure your fishing license is current whether you are in Tennessee, Arkansas, or Mississippi.
What would the holiday weekend be without cooking and eating outside? Whether you are grilling for family and friends, cooking over a campfire, or just taking food on a hike or boat ride, keep it safe!
I know, schools in Memphis and Shelby County started several weeks ago…but it is not too late to think about healthy habits for the school year. Here’s some links to articles that can help you get started -
Want your kids to get more physical activity? Here’s an article on the importance of exercise (which you already know, right?) and ways to help kids be more active.
Each child needs to find the right sport or activity to participate in. Here’s some ideas broken down by age group. Whatever you do, keep your kids moving!
A good day at school starts the night before with enough sleep. Here’s some tips to help your child get the rest they need.
Please leave a comment and let us know if these are helpful for you and your kids.
Who has given any of these video games a try? Who wants to? Might be a way to add some variety to your fitness routine – but don’t let it completely replace your regular workouts with us!
Iced tea is a southern staple, and has some health benefits. It is certainly better than soda as we discussed in a previous post! Here’s tips on making a delicious pitcher of it!
Smart phone apps can help you determine the nutritional value of the groceries you buy -
If external cues can lead you into bad eating habits, you can use the same cueing process to eat better, and less mindlessly. Stop relying on your all-too-exhaustible supply of will power or your intelligence and education, which has been demonstrated not to work. Think about financial planning. Companies with 401K plans used to make people sign up to contribute to the plans, and participation was low. But when they automatically enrolled people, with an option to opt out if they wanted to, participation went way up. Set your default to healthy rather than unhealthy.
Here’s how:
Use smaller bowls, plates, glasses, etc. Put the big ones away so you can’t get to them easily.
Leave salad and vegetables dishes on the dinner table, where they are easy to reach, but put the entree on the counter, where it is harder to get to.
Buy foods in smaller containers, or if you buy in bulk, repackage them into serving sizes.
Leave fruit out on the counter in bright serving bowls so it is attractive and people can take it easily.
Put carrots, celery, and other vegetables in water in clear containers in the front of refrigerator to attract the eye.
Put the ice cream, cheese, and other high fat foods in the back, out of site and out of mind.
Put leftovers in plastic containers to encourage or discourage their use: clear containers in the front for veggies & salads, opaque containers in the back for entrees.
If you must eat fast food, change your default order from burger & fries to grilled chicken & side salad. You may also have to change your default place to make this work.
Think about your own life and how you can use your intelligence and awareness to change your daily cues from overeating to healthy eating patterns.
You do deserve a break today – a break from self-destructive eating. Good luck!
Please post your own suggestions or examples of how you have used re-cueing to eat better.
All the research was done by Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell and the author of Mindless Eating – Why We Eat More Than We Think. You can learn even more at his website mindlesseating.org
A health halo effect is when a good thing’s goodness is overestimated. I used to work at a hospital, and I was convinced that nurses believed they were either immune to lifestyle diseases because they were nurses, or that the doctors they saw every day would just fix them if they did get one.
Places Have Halos
A study was done at a mall which had both a Subway and a McDonalds. The Subway eaters ate there because it was perceived as a healthy choice, but they underestimated their meal’s calorie intake by 27%. They didn’t count the extra meat or cheese or mayo they requested, and they thought that even the chips were healthier. McDonalds eaters also underestimated their calories, but only by 19%.
Another study gave people the same Italian sandwich, along with a menu from a fictitious restaurant, either Jim’s Hearty Sandwich Shop or Good Karma Healthy Foods. Good Karma sandwiches were estimated to be 24% lower in calories than those from Jims. And, those with the Good Karma sandwiches were more likely to order chips, sugary drinks and cookies as well.
Labels Have Halos
One study showed that people estimated that food labeled “organic” was 15-20% lower in calories than food with no label.
News Flash: Being organic has no effect on calorie levels.
Another study showed that foods labeled “low fat” have a halo. People were offered trail mix and M&Ms, both labeled either “low fat” or “regular”. Those who chose the “low fat” versions ate 21-46% more calories than those eating the “regular” versions, even if they rated the food as tasting worse. Why? One reason is that they believe low fat foods are 40% lower in calories, when they are actually only about 11% lower. Another is that people think they can reward themselves for being virtuous – which of course wipes out the virtue.
Exercise Halo
Exercise can bring about the same “rewarding” behavior. In one study, different groups were led on the exact same walk at the exact same pace by leaders who described the walks as either “exercise” or “scenic” walks. Those on the “exercise” walks ate more calories than those on the “scenic” walks, with most of the increase coming from dessert. The”exercisers” figured that they’d burned more calories so they could reward themselves.
Beware the halo. Remember that a virtuous decision is its own reward.
All the research was done by Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell and the author of Mindless Eating – Why We Eat More Than We Think. You can learn even more at his website mindlesseating.org.
Healthy Habits offers 1 to 1 personal training, partner and group fitness programs, BioMetrics nutrition and exercise plans, golf fitness and weight loss programs, post-rehab clinical exercise, and beginner and intermediate yoga classes in Memphis, TN.
