Belly Fat (Apple Shape) vs. Bottom Fat (Pear Shape)

One common question that clients ask me is "Which type of fat is worse, belly fat or bottom fat?"  Well, it depends on what you mean by worse... If you mean harder to lose, then the answer is bottom fat, but if you mean a more negative impact on health, then the answer is belly fat by a considerable margin.  Big bellies are a sign of visceral fat - the kind of fat that surrounds and essentially "suffocates" your abdominal organs (liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc.), preventing them from functioning effectively.  Visceral fat also increases the body's resistance to the hormones leptin and insulin which control hunger and sugar metabolism, respectively. This creates a viscious cycle - belly fat causes hormone activity which tricks the body into thinking it is hungry, which leads to eating in excess, which creates more belly fat.  Furthermore, inadequate sleep can increase belly fat, and belly fat can in turn lead to sleep apnea or other disorders which disrupt normal sleep patterns needed for maintaining a healthy weight.  The good news is that belly fat responds pretty quickly to exercise.  Bottom fat takes more time to lose, but it poses much less of a health problem than belly fat.  It is belly fat which greatly increases the risk of heart disease/heart attack, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Belly Fat (apple) vs Bottom Fat (pear)

Here is more detailed info from outside sources on the difference between "Belly Fat vs. Butt Fat":

Skipping Meals to Lose Weight

In order to lose weight, we must cut calories from our diet. So does this mean that skipping meals and therefore cutting even more calories from our diet can help us lose weight even faster? While this theory has been in circulation for years, it is not necessarily the optimal way to lose weight. This article discusses the truth behind how weight loss and metabolism work, and answers the question of whether or not it is a good idea to skip meals in order to lose weight.

How Weight Loss Works
In order to lose one pound of weight, you must eliminate 3,500 calories. This can be done a variety of ways,

Every Minute of Physical Activity Really Does Count

A recent study suggests something encouraging for busy people: Every minute of movement counts toward the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity we’re all supposed to be getting each week. University of Utah researchers found that each minute spent engaging in some kind of moderate to vigorous physical activity was associated with lower BMI and lower weight.

OK, that seems kind of obvious. But according to the current physical activity national guidelines, "aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes," and the everyday stuff, like walking the dog or climbing a flight of stairs, "aren’t long enough to count toward meeting the Guidelines." This new paper, published today in the American Journal of Health Promotion, suggests that reaching those two and a half hours minute by minute is just fine.“The idea here is, you can do a minute at a time and that’s not a problem,” says Jessie Fan, lead author of the new paper and a family and consumer studies professor at the University of Utah.


For the women studied, each minute spent in higher-intensity, moderate to vigorous activity was associated with a .07 drop in body mass index, a measure of fat based on height and weight. For a 5'4" woman, that means a drop in weight of nearly half a pound. The effect in the guys was a little less substantial: a minute of exercise was associated with a .04 drop in BMI, translating to a .27-pound drop in weight for a 5'8" guy. That doesn’t sound like much, and it isn’t on its own – but that’s just one minute, points out Miriam Nelson, a nutrition science professor at Tufts University who was on the committee that put together the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Multiply that by 10, or 30, or 150, and you’ve got some real results – all achieved by teeny tiny bouts of high-intensity activity.

"High intensity," Fan says, essentially means moving with a little pep, enough to get your heart rate going: it's not sprinting or racewalking, for example, but it's not ambling down the sidewalk, either.

“I think it’s easier for people to process that message,” Fan says. “Otherwise, if they don’t have a block of time they might be discouraged, and they don’t do anything.”

Fan and colleagues gathered their data using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a research program that uses interviews and physical exams to track the health of a diverse selection of American adults and children. For this study, researchers gathered the BMI and weight of 4,511 adults ages 18 to 64, and compared that to their physical activity level, which was tracked by an accelerometer, a device that measures movement.

The results, experts say, lend some numerical evidence to the idea that “every minute counts.”

“Time is precious,” says Michael Mantell, Ph.D., a behavioral science expert with the American Council on Exercise. He says the “all or nothing” approach – as in, “If I can’t work out for an hour at the gym, why bother at all?” – is an excuse that too often keeps people from doing any sort of physical activity. “This study identifies why that belief is inaccurate.”

Mantell has, oh, about a thousand ideas to put this idea into practice: You could energetically clean the house while listening to peppy music, or go outside to wash and wax your car. In the kitchen, you could chop veggies, wash dishes or stir batter by hand instead of with an electric mixer. On your way to work or while doing errands, get off the bus or subway a stop earlier than normal, or park a little farther away from the store. At home, play with your kids or grandkids, push the baby in the stroller, or walk the dog.

“The major message," Mantell says, "is to take a minute for yourself."



Source: http://www.today.com/health/every-minute-physical-activity-really-does-count-new-study-shows-8C11042850

Healthy Fridge Makeover

Now that school will be starting back up, this is a good time to makeover your fridge to encourage healthy after school eating for the kids, as well as healthy eating for the whole family.  Move your bite sized, colorful fruits and veggies out of the produce drawer and put them in clear containers on the shelves at eye level.  Watch this video for more suggestions...

Video - Martha Stewart: Healthy Fridge Makeover


Here is a pic of my own fridge and a description of the layout:

Top shelf: has labeled containers of sliced, grilled meats and boiled eggs for everyone in my family to grab and make sandwiches, wraps, or just eat as is.  Get creative - I used Thai red curry paste on the grilled chicken, fajita seasonings on the grilled beef, and Korean bbq seasonings on the grilled pork.  We also keep leftovers on the top shelf, labeled with dates so we know when to discard or compost them.


Second shelf: has colorful, cut fruit and veggies which are great for snacking or adding as side items for the grilled meats.  This makes it easy to "eat the rainbow" when you're on the go like my family always is.  Plus, having sliced red bell pepper, cut broccoli, etc. on hand shortens prep time for dinner!  Be sure to label them especially if you have similar looking items like cantaloupe and butternut squash. 

"Meat" drawer: I store greens and herbs in the middle drawer, as well as other types of produce that we don't like to eat raw, such as eggplant.  Ask any health inspector, and they will tell you that raw meats should be stored as low as possible in your fridge anyway to reduce the risk of contaminating other foods.

Third shelf: is the perfect size for condiments and spreads.  

Bottom shelf: Since this shelf can hold the most weight, I keep pitchers of beverages here.  We make our own pitcher drinks like iced fruit teas sweetened with honey, decaf Southern iced tea sweetened with agave nectar, and water infused with fruits like fresh raspberries.  In the back is where I tuck away less frequently used condiments and jars that are too tall to fit on the shelf above.

Produce drawer: This is a great place to store grab-n-go drinks like single serve milks, protein shakes, sparkling fruit juices, etc.

Crisper drawer: This is generally one of the coldest spots in the fridge, so this is where I keep raw meats.  Plus having meats at the bottom is more sanitary!

Every fridge is laid out differently, so find what works for you.  But be sure to keep your fridge organized and clutter free so it becomes the place your family goes to for fresh snacks instead of the boxed and bagged stuff in the cabinets!
 

Weight Loss on a 99-Cent Store Budget

The following news story just proves you can lose weight and eat a healthy diet even on the tightest budget. The 99-cent stores in California offer a much wider selection of food items including fresh produce and even seafood, but here in Georgia all of these items can be purchased very inexpensively at local discount retailers and grocers.  It's just a matter of knowing what to buy and making the right choices...

 Man Loses 250 Pounds Eating at 99-Cent Store(See the video on ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/dollar-store-diet-man-shops-99-cent-store-19372275?tab=9482931&section=1206835&playlist=1363742)

With all the crazy diets out there, who in the world would ever conceive of one involving a 99-cent store? Allow us to introduce you to Papa Joe Aviance, the man who  lost 250 pounds shopping at a dollar store.

Aviance, described on his own website as a successful clothing designer, musician and CEO of LA-based production company, Papa Joe Networks, had his aha moment - or oh-no moment, as the case may be ­- upon seeing his 450-pound self in a 2009 music video.

"I said, you know what? You have to end this right now. I had a nervous breakdown. I threw everything in the trash can. Got rid of everything; cookies, candy, cakes, everything sugary. Everything," he told ABC News.

Next up, he started walking five miles every morning, and combined that with shopping healthfully at a 99-cent store. (As opposed to many of the 99-cent stores across the country, the ones in Los Angeles offer fresh produce and seafood along with the cheap kitchen wares and weird crackers.)

In 18 months, he went from 450 to 200 pounds, spending less than $20 per typical shopping trip. He calls his custom plan, "shopping at the HCWB: healthy choices within a budget."

And while Aviance's weight loss can't be ascribed to a 99-cent store alone, it's nonetheless a great lesson: expensive diet plans and special food are not a requirement for losing weight. All you need is a dollar and a dream.

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/man-loses-250-pounds-eating-99-cent-store-134100199.html

8-Fold Increase In Weight Gain Caused By Sleep Deprivation

A good night's rest could be just what you need to stay slim. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have uncovered direct evidence that sleep deprivation is tied to weight gain in the largest study to date of healthy individuals in a controlled laboratory setting.

It is becoming apparent that America's sleep is under siege. The number of 'short sleepers' — people who get the less than six hours per night — has steadily risen since 1975. A national health survey conducted between 2004 and 2007 found that one out of every three adults is a short sleeper. This pattern is suspected to negatively impact our energy levels and daily metabolism, potentially increasing our appetites throughout the day and leading to weight gain.

Unlike prior work that asked people to self-report their eating and sleeping habits, which is prone to bias, scientists at Penn recruited 225 adults to participate in a two-week sleep study at the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.  By monitoring these subjects in the lab, they could directly assess how sleep deprivation changed people's dietary habits.

A Late Date With The Refrigerator
People who were forced to stay up late consumed 30 percent more calories and gained about eight times the weight of individuals allowed 10-12 hours of sleep over the two-week study period.  "Although previous epidemiological studies have suggested an association between short sleep duration and weight gain/obesity, we were surprised to observe significant weight gain during an in-laboratory study," said lead author Andrea Spaeth, a doctoral candidate in the psychology department at the University of Pennsylvania.

All of the volunteers were provided three meals day at set times, which they picked from a broad collection of menus, but they were also allowed to snack as much as they wanted during the day and night. Subjects who stayed up late ate more snacks, especially on the initial days when bedtime was delayed. Most of this snacking was done during the twilight hours of 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and consisted of a higher percentage of fatty foods.

Participants were either Caucasian or African American, and interestingly, the latter put on more pounds when sleep deprived. "African Americans, who are at greater risk for obesity and more likely to be habitual short sleepers, may be more susceptible to weight gain in response to sleep restriction," continued Spaeth. "Future studies should focus on identifying the behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying this increased vulnerability."  Sleep-deprived males in both racial groups gained about twice the pounds as sleep-deprived women.

Last week, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease, which should reinvigorate efforts to curb the exorbitant levels of the disorder recorded in the U.S.

Rectifying sleep disorders may offer a simple option for reducing obesity. Sleep apnea, which leads to interruptions in breathing, has been tied to obesity, as the restless nights caused by the condition have been linked to having less energy for exercise and daily activities. In turn, extra pounds can bulk up the muscles and tissues in one's airways, possibly establishing a vicious cycle.

Source: http://health.yahoo.net/articles/sleep/sleeping-stay-slim-8-fold-increase-weight-gain-caused-sleep-deprivation

Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts

Sugar substitutes may offer sweet treats for calorie-conscious dieters, but a new study shows that they may also play tricks on the body and sabotage weight-loss efforts.  Researchers say artificial sweeteners may interfere with the body's natural ability to count calories based on a food's sweetness and make people prone to overindulging in other sweet foods and beverages.

For example, drinking a diet soft drink rather than a sugary one at lunch may reduce the calorie count of the meal, but it may trick the body into thinking that other sweet items don't have as many calories either. Researchers say the findings show that losing the ability to judge a food's calorie content based on its sweetness may be contributing to the dramatic rise in overweight and obesity rates in the U.S.  But don't ditch your diet drink yet.

"The message is not to give up your diet soda and go drink a regular soda," says researcher Susan Swithers, PhD, associate professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University. "But when you do drink beverages you probably need to pay a little more attention to whether they have calories or not and what the consequences of that fact will be on the rest of your diet."

Sweetness Provides Calorie-Counting Clues
Swithers says that in the past, a food's sweetness provided valuable clues about its caloric content, and something sweet was usually a good source of energy.  "Before things like artificial sweeteners, these relationships would be very reliable," says Swithers. "Animals needed to find good sources of calories and needed to know whether eating something provided them with lots of calories." "It's only been relatively recently that foods have been introduced that violate those kind of relationships, such as something very  sweet that has no calories," Swithers tells WebMD.

According to researchers, the number of Americans who consume sugar-free, artificially sweetened products has grown from less than 70 million in 1987 to more than 160 million in 2000.  At the same time that more people are drinking and eating foods sweetened with low-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharin, they're not getting any thinner. In contrast, more people are becoming overweight or obese.

That prompted researchers to test whether not being able to use sensory clues to predict the calorie content of foods might contribute to overeating and weight gain.


Artificial Sweeteners May Trick the Brain
In the study, published in the July issue of the International Journal of Obesity, two groups of rats were fed either a mix of high-calorie, sugar-sweetened, and low-calorie, artificially sweetened liquids; or sugar-sweetened liquids alone. This was fed to the rats in addition their regular diet. After 10 days, they were offered a high-calorie, chocolate-flavored snack.  The study showed that rats fed the mixed liquids ate more of their regular chow after the sweet snack than those who had been fed sugar-sweetened liquids alone.

Researchers say the results show that the experience of drinking artificially sweetened, low-calorie liquids had damaged the rats' natural ability to compensate for the calories in the snack.

Manipulating Food Can Derail Diets
Health psychologist Daniel C. Stettner, PhD, says damaging the body's natural ability to count calories based on food's sweetness is just one way in which food can be manipulated to change eating habits and contribute to obesity. "We do more to manipulate food than just add artificial sweeteners. The food industry plays with the sugar, the fat, and the salt," Stettner tells WebMD. "It's like a shell game."

Stettner says that when manufacturers lower the sugar content in foods, they typically increase the fat or the salt content to compensate for any change in how it tastes or feels in the mouth. For example, sugar-free ice
creams can be made higher in fat content.  "Sugar-free foods can still be calorie-dense, and that can mess
up weight," says Stettner, who specializes in weight issues at Northpointe Health Center in Berkley, Mich.

Stettner says the body's natural calorie counter and sense of balance is also affected by genetics, environment, marketing, and physical activity level, which were not taken into account by this study.  "So many factors contribute to obesity," says Stettner. Although artificial sweeteners may alter the eating behavior of rats, he says the same principle may not necessarily apply to humans.

Susan Swithers, PhD, adds that many types of learning processes translate from rats to humans, but she acknowledges that the loss of the ability to judge the calorie content of sweet foods is probably just one of the contributors to the rise in overweight and obesity.  However, she says humans also have a distinct advantage over rats when it comes to controlling how many calories they put into their body.

"Rats can't read the labels, but we can," says Swithers. "We have to take that extra step of reading the labels or asking how many calories are in there. That may be enough so that we can compensate for those sweet
calories."

Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20040630/artificial-sweeteners-damage-diet-efforts