Weight Loss

usually i like to blog about what to do but this post will have some suggestions about what not to do -or think- when trying to lose weight.

1. you will not lose weight by exercise alone. your nutrition and calorie count needs to be correct.
2. crash diets don't work over the long term-they are a quick fix. no one can live on a crash diet forever and often, as soon as you go back to your regular habits the weight comes back.
3. even worse than above and for similar reasons are so called weight loss supplements. don't take them!
4. don't set a huge goal that is probably unrealistic and since you won't reach it you may get discouraged and give up. any weight loss-if you are over weight-is a benefit to your health. a loss of a pound per week, slow and steady is the way to go.
5. unless your eating habits are poor, small changes such as eating smaller portions and getting more exercise will create steady, long term weight loss.
6. don't make it overly complicated. there is so much information out there with new diet books coming out all the time it can make one crazy. you just need to find what works for you. some people like calorie counting especially now that there are so many apps that list all kinds of foods, some do well with paleo or the mediteranean plan and some like the community of weight watchers. 

you can do it! and when you go off course, as we all do, don't berate yourself just get right back into the healthier lifestyle  that you have chosen.

News Briefs

1. there is now a pacemaker like device that can control your appetite
2. if interested in losing weight eat within a 12 hour period
3. getting less than 7 hours of sleep? you are 3 times as likely to catch a cold
4. biotin most likely will not help with hair loss
5. rowing will be the new exercise craze in 2016
6. high stress is not just causing a belly but there are directs links with memory loss
7. trending-eating "clean", body weight exercise
8. paleo still going strong
9. there are workouts available based on your astrological sign

any health/fitness topics you would like more concise info on? just let me know

Commitments

     it's a new year-do you have a commitment to reaching any weight/fitness goals? we usually start out strong but many of us who- for instance- join gyms in january are no longer going by the end of february. more and more research is being done on why we do or more often don't meet our goals. how do we strengthen our commitment to a goal so that we reach it? do rewards work better than punishments? what if money is involved?
     there is a free website called stickk that wants to help us in reaching our goals. stick uses a commitment contract in which you name your goal, decide if you want a certain amount of money involved or to just have a "referee". they also offer tracking devices and ways to include friends and family . so how does the money part work?  for example-if your contract states that if you don't reach your goal of getting to the gym two times a week for 3 months you have to pay $10.00 (you choose the amount). the money doesn't go to stickk but to a charity or to what they call an anti-charity.
     stickk was created by a group of professors from yale university. check it out if you think it may help you to reach your goals or that you find it an interesting concept. there are quite a few people signed up already on their way, hopefully, to reaching their goals.
     www.stickk.com

Winter Walking

     winter is upon us, soon snow will blanket the ground and remain for several months.  i love to walk outside-the benefits range from those to the soul to those of weight control-it is after all what we are designed to do. but what happens now? of course gloves (mittens), hats, scarves etc. help but what about the shoes.....
     snowshoes! that's right.  modern snowshoes have many improvements over their distant cousins. they come in 3 basic types and their size is based on your weight. here's a quick rundown:

•  now considered one of the fastest growing winter sports
• easy to learn and relatively inexpensive to start
• types are: recreational, fitness/aerobic and hiking/backpacking
• women make up over 40% of those participating
• it burns over 600 calories per hour which is way more than walking at a similar speed
• want to try it out before buying-rentals are available

     sounds like fun and the calorie burn is fantastic. just remember that even though you are out in the cold  you still need to hydrate. and if any of you have already tried this growing winter sport please share some of your tips or experiences.