Seeing Red…or…How to Lose Weight.

This past winter has not been kind to me. The stress of a new job, the calorie burning exertion of “sitting behind a desk pushing papers” and a life long deficiency of control over those favorite delicacies from the deep recesses of fat fryers have finally taken their toll.  I added 15 lbs. of unwanted mass and and a desire to purchase clothing that didn’t cut off circulation. But being as I can be fanatically obsessive with my meager paycheck, new clothing was out of the picture.

In my quest for a lighter future, I did come across an interesting article that attempted to explain a correlation between food consumption and color.

 “Eating in red dishes might be a help to all those people who are dieting.”

The study was conducted with young people, who were offered tea in red and blue glasses. 44% people chose red cups, while blue were the favorites”. Regardless of whether they liked the taste or not, guys drank more of three different flavors of iced teas from a cup with a blue sticker on it. In the second stage of the study, 109 young people were offered a box of cookies in red, blue or white. Those with a red box, consumed far fewer cookies.

In another experiment, researchers placed 10 pretzels on a red, blue, or white plate. They asked 109 students to complete a psychology survey, and told them they could snack on the pretzels while doing it. People ate the most pretzels off a blue plate, the second most from a white one, and the least off a red plate. 

I hope you did observe that these experiments were conducted by researcher utilizing “young” people…. I won’t go there but after spending countless nights researching the best possible course of action, I decided I would invent something different. This may not work for everyone, but so far, I have dumped 11 lbs in the past several weeks and those “new” clothes can continue to hang on the racks of Goodwill….  

Breakfast…Tanka Bar and coffee (with artificial sweetener) 

Lunch…Tanka Bar and piece of fruit with coffee.

Dinner…whatever catches my eye, only in smaller portions.

And I began walking. No pain..no gain or my case; no pain.. no loss.

Oh, and I also painted the refrigerator a nice bright red.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

I keep trying to lose weight, but it keeps finding me.

Tanka Bars

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Belly Fat…spare tire syndrome…

If you are anything like me, winters can do a heavy number on one’s mental and physical health.  The accumulation of good eating and lack of exercise is very easy to attain when the winters are frigid and the access to easy fast food is readily available.  Unfortunately, many of us gain that “spare tire” during these cold months and carry this extra poundage around with us, hiding it under heavy winter clothing until the first  twinges of a warm spring day overtake us.  We strip down into lighter duds and suddenly realize that our warm weather clothing does not fit all that well anymore. Here is where the mental health (or lack there of) comes into play, but we will go there another time.  For now, take a deep breath and relax…

 

Excess accumulation of belly fat is more dangerous than excess fat around your hips and thighs.   Belly fat appears to be especially bad for the heart. Studies have linked belly fat to heart failure, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular problems. It also has been associated with osteoporosis, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and other health problems.

 
There is no single cause of belly fat. Genetics, diet, age, and lifestyle all play a role. Changing dietary habits can help you fight belly fat: Read labels, reduce saturated fats, increase the amount of fruits and veggies you eat, and control and reduce your portions. Researchers at Wake Forest University found that trans fats, which are created by partially hydrogenated oil, increase the amount of fat around the belly and redistribute fat tissue to the abdomen from other parts of the body. Trans fats may be found in such foods as margarine, pastries, cookies and crackers, and fried and convenience foods.

 

Green tea, in combination with exercise, could help you lose weight, according to the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers think substances in green tea known as catechins stimulate the body to burn calories and enhance loss of belly fat. Blueberries also show promise, albeit in rodents.

 
Many fast food options are typically high-fat, calorie-dense foods that are eaten in large portions — all of which contribute to over-consumption of calories, weight gain, and an increase in belly fat when eaten frequently.
According to the American Heart Association, “soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet.” Added sugars mean added calories – something you want to avoid to help with weight loss and cut down on belly fat.  To trim your waistline, add whole grains to your diet.  A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains can trim extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.  All else being equal, though, whole grains are better than refined grains because they tend to be high in fiber and take longer to digest. This satisfies your hunger better and helps lower blood glucose levels and reduce fat.

 

When you lose weight, you’re much more likely to lose it in your midsection. Losing weight on a well-balanced plan will melt body fat, including belly fat. The best way to decrease your waist size is through healthy eating and regular exercise. Doing sit-ups, crunches, or other abdominal exercises will strengthen your core muscles and help you lose fat, but they don’t specifically work on belly fat. In other words, spot exercise won’t decrease belly fat. The only way to lose belly fat (or any kind of fat) is through dieting and exercise. Aerobic exercises, such as running, swimming, cycling, and tennis, are some of the best to help reduce body fat.

 

Condensed from Web MD…Food  and Fitness Planner

Remember…No pain – No gain

An excellent snack to assist your workout…..

ryeder

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