Posted by Healthy Habits on Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
The Weight Control Equation is:
Calories In (food) = Calories Out (movement) = Weight Maintenance.
To lose weight, Calories Out must be greater than Calories In. Calories Out is composed of the calories burned by Resting Metabolic Rate (@60%), exercise/activity (@30%), and digestion (@10%).
Obviously, raising one’s RMR is the most effective way to burn more calories. Resting Metabolic Rate is primarily increased by regular, long-term exercise (both aerobic and strength training) and physical activity. It also seems to be somewhat increased by eating frequently throughout the day and by green tea and caffeine. Note that the most beneficial dosage has not been determined, and that some people have side effects from these. RMR is decreased by reduced calorie intake, although starting aerobic & strength training can mitigate this drop.
Even more obviously, moving more throughout the day will result in more calories being burned at the time, which contributes to the 30% of Calories Out and over time to RMR also. Every little bit helps – even nervous fidgeting has been shown to burn a few extra calories. Long-term successful weight loss maintainers average at least 1 hour of exercise daily. Find as many ways as possible to add movement to your day – make that your prime objective, instead of saving time. For example, blowing leaves might be 10 minutes quicker than raking, but doesn’t burn as many calories.
Digestive calorie burn is increased by eating frequently throughout the day, as the body has to digest each meal/snack. The type of food eaten seems to make a difference also. Whole foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables seem to have about twice the post-meal energy expenditure as processed food. So, another reason for eating healthfully is to increase this 10% of Calories Out.
So, how can you tell what your RMR is? Here is one commonly used equation for estimating it (+-10%):
Men: RMR = 10 x (weight in pounds / 2.205) + 6.25 x (height in inches x 2.54) – 5 x (age in yrs) + 5
Women: RMR = 10 x (weight in pounds / 2.205) + 6.25 x (height in inches x 2.54) – 5 x (age in yrs) – 161
So, for me, using the men’s equation (in case you had any question):
My RMR = 10 x (178 lbs /2.205 = 80.73) + 6.25 x (73 in x 2.54 = 185.42) – (5 x 59 yrs = 295) + 5
My RMR = 807 + 1159 – 295 + 5 = 1676 (+-10%)
So, if 1676 is 60% of my total calories burned in a day, then half that is an estimate of my exercise/activity calories (838 or 30% of daily total) and 168 is my digestion total (10%). To maintain my present weight, I should eat 2682 calories a day. To lose a pound a week, I should have a deficit of 500 calories a day, which ideally comes from a combination of reducing Calories In and increasing Calories Out (500 x 7 days = 3500 calories = 1 pound of body fat). Likewise, if I just add an extra 100 Calories In per day, then 100 x 35 days = 1 pound heavier and fatter per month (approximately).
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, February 24th, 2012
The month of February is all about hearts. We celebrate the ones we love on Valentine’s Day. And the American Heart Association has deemed it American Heart Month. In recognition of this, here are some links to articles about how to take care of your heart.
Eating Your Way To Heart Healthgives a list of what foods you should be eating – and how much – every day. And, these are also recommendations that can help with weight loss.
Got some dark chocolate left over from Valentine’s Day? Research suggests that dark chocolate combats unhealthy cholesterol. So eat up – in moderation!
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, February 17th, 2012
Here’s something new to help older adults eat healthy - MyPlate. It is the federal government’s new food group symbol that also looks at the nutritional and activity needs associated with older adults. This is intended to be a guide for healthy, older adults who are living independently
Although metabolism and physical activity decrease with age, nutritional requirements remain the same or increase. MyPlate for Older Adults focuses on foods that are high in vitamins and minerals and are consistent with the federal government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The MyPlate drawings show vegetables and fruits that are convenient, affordable and readily available. There are also icons for regular physical activity and adequate fluid intake, both of particular concern for older adults.
The following foods, fluids and physical activities are represented on My Plate for Older Adults:
Bright-colored vegetables such as carrots and broccoli.
Deep-colored fruit such as berries and peaches.
Whole, enriched and fortified grains and cereals such as brown rice and 100% whole wheat bread.
Low- and non-fat dairy products such as yogurt and low-lactose milk.
Dry beans and nuts, fish, poultry, lean meat and eggs.
Liquid vegetable oils, soft spreads low in saturated and trans fat, and spices to replace salt.
Fluids such as water and fat-free milk.
Physical activity such as walking, resistance training and light cleaning.
MyPlate for Older Adults is available for print-out on the USDA HNRCA website. Please pass the link on to anyone you think would benefit from it.
Posted by Healthy Habits on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
Was your mother correct in saying that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”
The answer is “yes.” Actually, we have no definitive research that absolutely proves that breakfast is essential. But we have lots and lots of “circumstantial” evidence and observational studies that point to the benefits of eating a good breakfast, as well as to the dangers of skipping it. Virtually all health experts accept that eating breakfast is the best course of action. I would liken it to the theory of evolution – not proven without a doubt, but accepted as fact by the vast majority of scientists.
So, here are some points to consider about breakfast:
The word breakfast comes from breaking your (overnight) fast. If you think about it, it may be 10 or more hours between when you last eat at night and when you wake up in the morning. That is a long time without food – you probably couldn’t last that long while awake!
Estimates are that about 25% of us skip breakfast regularly; about 65% of us are overweight or obese.
Eating breakfast is listed as a key strategy for weight control by the members of the National Weight Control Registry, who have lost 30+ pounds and kept it off for at least a year.
Eating whole grains at breakfast is listed as one of the 6 healthy lifestyle habits that help prevent heart disease by the Physicians Health Study, a 24 year long study of 21, 410 male physicians.
You have to go beyond coffee and sugar for breakfast to be healthy. Whole grains, fruit, low fat dairy and other proteins are best. Eggs are good, bacon not so much.
Breakfast should account for about 25-30% of your total daily calories.
Skipping breakfast often leads to a pattern of overeating at other meals or snacks, which then causes surges of excess insulin, which leads to extra body fat.
Exercising before breakfast has not been proven to burn more body fat, but it does impair workout performance, can lead to binge eating later, and burns less fat 12 and 24 hours post-exercise.
Lack of hunger is not a reason to skip breakfast. Your body still needs the fuel even if it doesn’t seem to manifest that need. If you eat breakfast regularly, your body will adjust to that and become trained to be hungry upon waking – just as it can be trained not to display hunger even when it should.
So, kids, I think Mom was right. Eat a good breakfast and the whole day will seem better and be better – and so will you in the long run.
Posted by Healthy Habits on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
When trying to lose weight, most people begin by finding a plan they think they can live with. But there are a wide range of options out there – how do you know which one works best?
Here’s some information that might help. A recent study looked at two different options of cutting calories – either cutting 25% of calories everyday, or doing 2 weekly 500 calorie days with the rest of the week normal (equaling a 25% reduction for the week). What were the results? Both work equally well, and each resulted in a loss of 13 pounds after 6 months.
The study also found that blood levels of LDL, triglycerides and inflammation markers were similar, although insulin levels fell a little more in the twice-a-week group.
It also found that those who cut calories drastically 2 days a week did not overeat on the other days. The 500 calorie days consisted of 4 cups of low fat milk, 4 half cup servings of veggies, 1 serving fruit, a salty low cal drink and muti-vitamin and mineral supplement.
So which is the best option? Since the results are nearly equal, pick the one that works best for you!
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, January 27th, 2012
If you own a smart phone, you’ve probably downloaded apps to . A lot of them. And a visit to the app store lets you know there are thousands more out there that you will never have time to use.
Among the selections are nutrition apps to help with weight loss and maintenance, diabetes and gluten-free foods. Before you spend time looking at them, and possibly spending money on apps that won’t help you, we’ve got some recommendations for you. A group of registered dieticians reviewed and rated 30 of the most popular free iPhone nutrition apps – 10 each in the categories of weight management, diabetes and gluten free. They ranked each app with stars, from 1 (worst) to 5(best). The reviews can be read at the Eatright website.
To save you time, here are the top ranked apps in each category
If you’ve used any of these apps, please leave a comment and let us know how you’d rate it. And if you’ve used any other apps you like, share which ones.
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, January 20th, 2012
As winters in Memphis go, this one hasn’t been too bad…so far. Even if things take a turn for the colder, don’t let it deter you from your workouts, especially if you like to exercise outside. Here are some links to give you tips, and to keep you motivated.
This article gives you 14 tips to keep you safe and comfortable while exercising outdoors in winter.
And some more tips – these help you remain focused on your fitness and weight loss goals, even if getting to the gym to workout is a problem. In fact, these tips would be helpful in any season!
Want some different ideas for winter workouts – both inside and out? See which of these sound like they would work for you.
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, January 13th, 2012
It’s a new year, and you’ve resolved to lose weight and eat healthier. You head to the grocery store, and suddenly feel overwhelmed at what is out there.
No wonder. “The average supermarket contains more nutritional minefields than ever before,” says David Zinczenko, author of the Eat This, Not That! series. Resolving to eat better isn’t enough. You have to be vigilant about carefully reading nutritional labels on packages and taking into account serving sizes. Will you actually eat only the amount listed as a serving??
Luckily, the Eat This, Not That! authors have compiled a list of the top 10 supermarket foods to avoid. They evaluated calorie counts and other nutritional values such as fat, saturated fat, sodium and added sugar across specific categories so you don’t have to. The list is:
1. Worst Packaged Food – Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie (1,140 calories and 72 grams of fat). When the first 4 ingredients listed are chicken fat, oils, cream and cheese , you know you should stay very far away from this one.
10. Worst Packaged Side – Pasta Roni Fettucine Alfredo (450 calories)
There you have it – 10 supermarket foods to avoid to help keep your weight loss efforts on track. For more information on what to avoid – and what not to – visit the Eat This, Not That website.
Need some assistance working off your past bad choices? Let Healthy Habits Fitness design a program to fit your needs, including the BioMetrics Eating Plan. Give us a call at 901-684-1607 to get started.
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, January 6th, 2012
Happy New Year!!! We hope your holidays were wonderful….and it is a new year and time to refocus on your weight loss and fitness goals.
To help you get started, click here for the January 2012 version of The Healthy Habituator, our monthly newsletter. This month we focus on some training options to get you back in the workout groove, and we also introduce a new class designed for kids ages 7-11.
Want to get the newsletter in your inbox each month? Just scroll down and look on the left for the sign up box. Type in your email address and click Go.
Posted by Healthy Habits on Friday, December 30th, 2011
As one year ends and another begins, it is time to consider weight loss and fitness goals for 2012. While it is important to set goals toward a healthier lifestyle, and to challenge yourself a bit, it is also important to be realistic. Here are some links to help you choose your goals.
When trying to set your weight loss goals for 2012, you might want to start with things you should not resolve to do. Here’s a list to consider.
Here’s a look at the top fitness trends for 2012. Developed from a world-wide survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine, see which of these trends would help you in your fitness efforts next year.
Effective weight loss, and weight maintenance, requires knowing how many calories you are taking in. Here’s a link to a calorie counter to help you keep track. And don’t try to remember it in your head – get a pen and paper and write it down.
Need help with your weight loss efforts? Maybe the BioMetrics system would work for you. Want assistance with you fitness goals? One of our personal trainers would be happy to help you set a workable plan. Give us a call at 901-684-1607 and we’ll get you started.
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.
Was your mother correct in saying that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”
