9 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT DIETING

Laughter, spicing up your food, and tossing away the salt shaker are just three of the nine ways detailed in the article to help you lose weight.

9 GREAT BREAKFAST IDEAS FOR KIDS

I was raised on sugared cereals and yummy french toast, and look how I turned out. Sure, I have an occasional twitch and a crack-like addiction to sugar, but I have good hair at least right? Like a one-dimensional house on a movie set, my facade is mildly attractive, even if my insides are empty. But I digress, so here are the helpful tips provided by US News.

• Go for protein. Study after study has shown that eating breakfast makes for better cognitive performance through the day and less weight gain over time. To make that happen, a key ingredient is protein, which provides lasting energy. One good choice: peanut butter on a whole-grain English muffin.
• Fiber up. Consumer Reports considered fiber one of its key ranking criteria, right up there with the amount of sugar. Its winners among cereals marketed to children: Cheerios and Kix, both with 3 grams of fiber per serving, and Life and Honey Nut Cheerios, both with 2 grams. Step outside the realm of cereals marketed to kids, and there are lots of good choices, including Raisin Bran, with 5 grams of fiber per serving, Grape-Nuts, with 7 grams, or Kashi Go Lean Crunch, with 9 grams. Children need at least their age plus 5 in fiber; a 5-year-old should eat at least 10 grams of fiber a day. Adults need 25 to 35 grams, and cereal is a great way to get it.
• Sugar can help the fiber go down. Some cereals that have added sugar also have real health benefits: A serving of Frosted Mini-Wheats, for instance, has a whopping 6 grams of fiber, which dietitians say helps make up for the 12 grams of sugar per serving.
• Look for whole grains. Not only do whole grain cereals have more fiber, but they also have more natural vitamins and minerals. Finding good whole-grain cereal can take some detective work. For instance, oatmeal in the round box has more fiber than single-serving packaged oatmeal because the instant oatmeal is more highly processed. It almost always has added sugar, too. Better to microwave old-fashioned or quick oatmeal, and drizzle on honey or add dried cherries if you like it sweet.
• Be unconventional. Leftover pizza or pasta makes a great breakfast choice, according to Krieger. Add a piece of fruit and a glass of milk, and you're good for the morning.
• Keep an eye on sodium. Consumer Reports dinged Rice Krispies, but not because it has a lot of sugar—it's got only 4 grams per serving, which is next to nothing compared with Froot Loops, with 12 grams. Instead, Rice Krispies was faulted for being higher in sodium than is necessary, at 135 milligrams, and having almost no fiber (it's puffed white rice). Other cereals heavily promoted to children have up to 270 mg of sodium in a serving, which is a real concern at a time when increasing numbers of children are being diagnosed with high blood pressure.
• Use sweetened cereals like a condiment. Layer a little Cap'n Crunch, with 12 grams of sugar and 1 gram of fiber, on top of shredded wheat, with no sugar and 5 grams of fiber, and you've got a not-so-bad bowlful. Krieger likes her Cocoa Krispies atop plain shredded wheat or Cheerios.
• Beware of sneaky sugar substitutes. Some cereal companies are replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners so they can say their product has less sugar, according to Tara Gudis, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. You wouldn't know that unless you read the fine print in the ingredients. Eating supersweet food, even if artificially sweetened, is a bad idea, Gudis says, because once people are used to really sweet tastes, they're less likely to eat a varied, healthful diet.
• Eat breakfast every day. Consistently eating breakfast turns up in study after study as a key part of healthful living, particularly for kids. "I like cereal," says Gudis. "It's a good way to get people to eat breakfast, and if you pick a high-fiber one, you can get half your fiber knocked out for the day." Eat it with milk, and you're getting protein, calcium, and Vitamin D, too.

DON'T WALK, RUN TO THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

STANFORD, Calif. — Regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine that has tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. Elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found.

“The study has a very pro-exercise message,” said James Fries, MD, an emeritus professor of medicine at the medical school and the study’s senior author. “If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise.” The new findings appear in the Aug. 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Fries was surprised the gap between runners and nonrunners continues to widen even as his subjects entered their ninth decade of life. The effect was probably due to runners’ greater lean body mass and healthier habits in general, he said. “We don’t think this effect can go on forever,” Fries added. “We know that deaths come one to a customer. Eventually we will have a 100 percent mortality rate in both groups.”

But so far, the effect of running on delaying death has also been more dramatic than the scientists expected. Not surprisingly, running has slowed cardiovascular deaths. However, it has also been associated with fewer early deaths from cancer, neurological disease, infections and other causes.

Interesting article, read more here.

WA STATE IS IN THE TOP-10 HEALTHIEST STATES

Here's the best and the worst. For more information, go here.

BEST
1. Vermont
2. Connecticut
3. Minnesota
4. New Hampshire
5. Massachusetts
6. Utah
7. Hawaii
8. Iowa
9. Wisconsin
10. Washington

WORST
41. West Virginia
42. Tennessee
43. Nevada
44. Alabama
45. Kentucky
46. Oklahoma
47. South Carolina
48. Arkansas
49. Louisiana
50. Mississippi

Wii FIT HOME VIDS

I was able to get the Wii Fit last week and so far, we all love it. I haven't done the strength training yet, but I have explored many of the other games, primarily the yoga, balance exercises, and some cardio. Here I am doing the soccer game where you lean into the balls and try to avoid being hit with the shoes and the other ball-like animal thing. Of course, it's your Wii friends that are kicking them at you. Some friends huh? 

Below is the video of me doing the Hula Hoop, and it's actually kind of hard! You can do a more advanced version where you rotate your pelvis to the right and then to the left on the next round. Sorry about the motion sickness guys, I just wanted you to have a sense of what Wii Fit is like before you spend the dough. It's important to note, these are just two of the exercises on the game.  

*WARNING: I'M HEARING THAT THIS VIDEO MIGHT MAKE YOU SICK, SO IF YOU'RE A PUSSY, DON'T WATCH IT*

LOVE YOURSELF, YES - BUT BE HEALTHY

I just got home from a bike ride, and it was cold and windy - but pretty outside. I was thinking about an article I read while on the bus earlier. It basically said that although exercising for overweight women is helpful in reducing the chance of heart disease, it's still nowhere near as low as it is for women who are not overweight. 

Are you shocked? Probably not right? Well, I'm not so sure people know that because I've seen many shows where women say something to the effect of, "I just want to be healthy, I'm happy with my weight and curves." Check this fact: Compared with normal-weight  active women, the risk for developing heart disease was 54% higher in overweight active women and 87% higher in obese active women. By contrast, it was 88% higher in overweight inactive women and 2 1/2 times greater in obese inactive women. 

From this I gather that it's more about the being overweight than inactive and while you might think that active might mean you would be thinner, that is not always the case. 

Anyway, I'll let you read the rest but I have to say this: Yes, there are people out there who think being fat is unattractive, disgusting, etc. But for every one of those people out there (and I can't say I've never been a jerk about that subject), there are people who truly just love the hell out of someone so much that they want them around as long as they can be.

AND I RUN, I RUN SO FAR AWAY...

Have you ever wondered how far you're running but you don't have a podometer or any other device. Or more importantly, do you ever run out of ideas about where to run and could maybe use some help mapping your run? No, me neither - I don't even like to run to the bus even if it's the last one of the morning. Now, attach a giant pop-tart and a $100 to a string and you might see me run.

For those that do love to run, here's a site to do it! MAP YOUR RUN! (sounds like a game show huh?)

Wii FIT HAS A RELEASE DATE

Wii Fit is set to release May 21, 2008 - not long from now! Click here to pre-order.

Getting Started: Create a Profile

Before you jump into doing exercises and activities, you’ll start by creating a profile. This is done easily and intuitively by simply choosing a Mii, entering your height and age information, and doing a few quick tests that will serve as a baseline for your new Wii fitness regimen. These tests are:

BMI Check: BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that is the standard used by agencies such as the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health. To check your BMI, you’ll enter your height then stand on the Wii Balance Board and let it read your weight.

Wii Fit Age: After you’ve checked your BMI, you’ll do a basic balance test and find out your current Wii Fit Age. This basic balance test measures how well you can control your left and right balance. Based on the results, you’ll be assigned a Wii Fit Age.

Four Categories of Fun
Once you have created your profile it's time to have some fun. Wii Fit features four main categories of exercises to choose from: Strength Training, Aerobics, Yoga and Balance Games. Wii Fit will guide you through the first three with the help of your own virtual personal trainer, while the balance games offer variety and fun to help keep you engaged and excited about your fitness goals. In addition, as you spend time exercising, you’ll earn Fit Credits that unlock additional exercises and activities within your favorite categories that will allow you to continue to push yourself. See more detail on the four categories below:

1. Strength Training: Put your strength to the test with muscle-toning exercises like Single Leg Extension, Sideways Leg Lift, Arm and Leg Lift, Single-Arm Stand, Torso Twists, Rowing Squat, Single Leg Twist, Lunge, Push-Up and Side Plank, Jackknife, Plank and Tricep Extension. Challenges include Push-Up Challenge, Plank Challenge and Jackknife Challenge.
2. Aerobics: Get your heart pumping with fun, interactive Aerobic exercises like Hula Hoop, Basic Step, Basic Run, Super Hula Hoop, Advanced Step, 2-P Run, Rhythm Boxing, Free Step and Free Run.
3. Yoga: Work on your balance and flexibility with Yoga poses and activities like Deep Breathing, Half-Moon, Dance, Cobra, Bridge, Spinal Twist, Shoulder Stand, Warrior, Tree, Sun Salutation, Standing Knee, Palm Tree, Chair, Triangle and Downward-Facing Dog.
4. Balance Games: Get into the action with fun, balanced-based games like Soccer Heading, Ski Slalom, Ski Jump, Table Tilt, Tightrope Walk, Balance Bubble, Penguin Slide, Snowboard Slalom and Lotus Focus.

Keep Track of Your Progress
Because keeping fit is an ongoing process, Wii Fit also tracks the activities you do the most and puts them into your Favorites category. With this information players can note exercises and activities that they are strong in, as well as others that may need to improve at. Some of the ways players can use this information for are to:

• Keep tabs on your daily progress with easy-to-understand graphs and charts. Using your personal profile, you can set goals, view a graph of your BMI results over time, see how many Fit Credits you’ve earned, check your Wii Fit Age and even enter exercise time you’ve done outside of Wii Fit. It’s all about coming back and exercising a little every day, and the personal profile makes tracking your daily progress simple and easy.
• Quickly check your Wii Fit Age and BMI without even putting the game in the console by going directly to the Wii Fit Channel.
• Allow up to eight family members can create their own profiles in Wii Fit. On the profile-selection screen, everyone in the family can see each other’s recent BMI progress and Fit Credit total. This will allow families to have a friendly competition to exercise and get fit.

BodyBugg - A New Obsession? We'll See.

Awww yeah, I did it! I still need eed to activate it, which has to happen tomorrow because the place I bought it didn't really give me all of the information - an ominous sign? Hmmm...

But, it comes highly recommended and not just by someone who gets paid to recommend it if you know what I'm sayin'. A friend has one, and he's had great success with it. 

Stay tuned, we can try this thing together. In the meantime, check this link to learn more about it and how it works, the video is pretty informative - oh yeah, I also got the display that you can wear as a watch. I'm sure I'll be obsessing over it in no time. 

Food Journal

I thought I might post what I've eaten today but today was a shameful day. SHAME ON ME! I will say, however, that I do allow myself one cheat day so I guess today's that day. I'm posting it for others but I guess also for myself, because then I can't lie to myself! Here goes:

• Breakfast: Multi-Grain Cheerios
• Snack: Banana, water
• Lunch: A piece of Chicken Parm with a small scoop of pasta, water
• Snack: Pop Tarts (here's where i go down hill, each and every day!), water
• Dinner: Two pieces of leftover pizza, no crust

Alright, considering I worked out hard 4 days this week and will work with my trainer in the morning, it's not THAT BAD. But it's not good. For the rest of the night, I shall try to have 1-2 drinks (having people over for games) and minimum junk, mostly protein I'm hoping. 

How did I do? I can take it. 

Simple vs Complex Carbs

Many of us are always trying to lean down, cut out the fat, show the abs, etc.  Anyone who doesn't or isn't is probably not being truthful. But overall, the idea of how to get there is daunting.  Eat no carbs, eat low-carb, count calories, work out, should I use weights or do cardio, how much water should I drink, should I eat less meals or more meals, on and on and on. Let's start simple, or complex as it were. What is the difference between simple carbs and complex carbs? 

Simple carbs are things like candy, soda, juice, and the like.  The idea is that they can be used right away for energy, but they also spike your blood glucose levels, and that's when you experience the crash. You know the crash, the kind you have mid-afternoon where you want to curl up under your desk, George Constanza-style.  Simple carbs can be good before an intense cardio work out but they actually make you feel hungrier and more tired otherwise.  

Complex carbs take longer to digest, and you can typically find them in wheat breads (not enriched, whole grain is ideal), vegetables, and fruits.  They are more slowly broken down and usually don't get absorbed and converted to fat as quickly.  And they typically have more fiber, which is a good thing.  

• High-carb foods cause a rapid rise in blood sugar.
• This blood sugar causes the body to produce insulin, which carries nutrients to cells.
• Our cells use this sugar for energy.
• If you have too much of this sugar, it is stored as fat. 

Here are my recommendations to start with: get rid of white.  White pasta, bread, etc.  Try eating wheat (duram) pasta, bread (again, NOT enriched wheat), and lots of veggies.  And drink lots of water - I have heard theories ranging from half of your body weight in ounces, so if you're 200lbs, you drink 100 ounces of water.  Some people say the 8-8 ounce glasses theory, and others just go by the color of their pee, clear means you're hydrated or on the right path. I'm not a doctor so do your research.  Much of this information I have known for years, and I do try to follow it.  I did incorporate some information as I found elements of this from here.  

Share your tips, leave a comment.  

Obesity Risks - What increases and decreases it?

I have been reading The Abs Diet book for some time, but recently picked it up again when my eating habits started to decline in quality.  I guess for me, it's more that I started to lose my sense of direction and feeling like I was eating randomly, without thought and without a plan. I'm just a regular guy who exercises regularly, but eats very inconsistently.  Very good, very bad, not so much in between.  So, I pick up my trusted book and I came across this interesting set of information. This book cites a study that was done at the University of Massachusetts where they analyzed the eating habits of 500 men and women and found connections between the way people eat and the risk of  becoming overweight.  Here are some of their findings:

Habit/Changes your risk of obesity by (+ is bad, - is good) 

• Eating at least one midday snack -39%  (good)
• Eating dinner as your biggest meal of the day +6%  (not horrible)
• Waiting more than 3 hours after waking up to eat breakfast +43%  (kinda bad)
• Eating more than a third of your meals in restaurants +69%  (bad)
• Going to bed hungry (3 hours since your last meal or snack) +101%  (really bad)
• Eating breakfast away from home +137%  (really really bad)
• Not eating breakfast +450%  (Lawwwddd have mercy bad!)

As you can see, people that don't eat breakfast at all have a significantly higher risk of obesity. A sample eating schedule would be 8am (breakfast), 11am (snack), 1pm (lunch), 4pm (snack), 6pm (dinner), and 8pm (snack).  

I always say this:  think of your body as a wood-burning fire that you have to keep going all day long.  You would start it and want to keep adding wood to it.  If it starts to get low, try adding a log, not 10.  Add another log or two in a few hours, again in another few hours, and so on and so forth.  Makes for a more efficient burn, right?  

A broader analogy that I use, and I totally respond to analogies, is a bank account.  Let's say your balance reflects the difference between what your body burns and what your body takes in for calories.  What happens if you write too many checks?  You go into overdraft (gain weight). If you work out, and have a sensible day or week and eat a cheat meal or have a cheat day, you have enough "money" to cover it.  If you're trying to lose weight, try to end up with money in hand at the end of the day, and you will - it's simple math.  So tomorrow, try eating 6 small meals throughout the day and see how it feels.  It might take some getting used to, but you'll start to see results and less binge eating.  It is important WHAT you eat, and I'll pass on some of those ideas in future posts.