Weight Loss Max

Obesity may be a global epidemic, but it’s Obeez City that is spreading out of control in a new DVD game.

The game, called Body Mechanics, teaches youngsters how to avoid being overweight by joining forces with a team of superheroes who battle villains with names like Col Estorol and Betes II.

The fighting takes place inside the body of Jack Decayd. If Obeez City is not contained, “Jack will die soon,” says Neuro, the Yoda-like wise one who narrates the game’s story line.

“I remember how it started. A few snacks here, a soft drink there,” Neuro speaking in an ominous tone says during the opening. “And before we knew it, the Evil Coalition of Harm and Disease was threatening us all. … Only you can change how this story ends.”

Body Mechanics is the latest in a string of video gaming products that promote more exercise and better eating habits, although this one doesn’t actually get kids up and active. It’s more of a teaching tool packaged with an animated movie and sold as a two-disc set.

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Children who live in densely populated urban areas may be less likely to be overweight if they have parks and lawns in their neighborhoods, a U.S. study suggests.

This is probably because children are more active if they have access to green spaces that make physical activity more enjoyable, said lead author Dr. Gilbert Liu, of the Children’s Health Services Research Program at Indiana University School of Medicine.

The study, in the March/April issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, included 7,334 children, ages 3 to 18, in Marion County, Ind. The researchers used body mass index to determine which children were overweight and also looked at the amount of green space and the number of food outlets (fast food restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores) around each child’s home.

Children who lived in neighborhoods with fewer green spaces were more likely to be overweight, the study authors said.

One expert said it’s difficult to directly link green space and children’s weight.

“We may say that green spaces are associated with kids’ activity level, but we really don’t know for sure,” said Thomas Glass, of the department of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health in Baltimore.

“People who live in green spaces areas versus not might be different in a lot of ways that have nothing to do with the presence of green space. There are a lot of parks in Baltimore, for example, but you can point to a lot of factors, such as crime, to explain why you find these parks empty of kids playing,” Glass added.

February is American Heart Month. While Valentine’s Day had us focused on our hearts, we should take time to celebrate healthy hearts — our own and those of our loved ones.

The American Heart Association cites cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, as our nation’s No. 1 killer. Colorado ranks seventh nationwide in cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people, according to the just-released 2006 United Health Foundation America’s Health Rankings Report.

This is up from fourth in 2005 and first in 1990 (when the first Rankings were released). Given the increase of cardiovascular deaths in Colorado during the past 16 years, we must take steps together to improve these numbers.

The keys to a healthy heart include changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle. These changes aren’t difficult, but it does take some effort. Taking care of your heart can pay off in long-term good health as well as many more Valentines’.

Here are a few tips to help ensure your heart and those of your loved ones are strong and healthy for years to come:

Visit your doctor. Have regular checkups. Include blood pressure and cholesterol level readings, as appropriate. Talk with your doctor about any risk factors. Discuss any illnesses, ongoing health concerns and family medical history. If you have health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, carefully follow your doctor’s instructions and keep him or her informed of any symptoms or changes.

Quit smoking. Don’t put it off any longer. Smoking poses numerous health risks including heart disease and elevated blood pressure. Try a quit-smoking program or talk with your doctor about aids such as nicotine gum or patches. Counseling or a support group also might be helpful. Quitting smoking may not be easy, but your health — and life — depends on it.

Fuel up with good food. Eat foods that are low in trans- and saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium. Remember that low in fat doesn’t always mean low in calories, so read nutrition labels carefully. A diet high in fiber can lower cholesterol. Be sure to include foods such as oats and beans in your diet. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber as well, plus they have many heart-healthy vitamins and minerals. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

Keep your body moving. Exercise is important for a healthy heart. That doesn’t mean you need to run marathons. Aerobic exercise such as walking, bicycling or swimming is great for your heart. Choose an activity that is a good match to your fitness level, and be sure to start slowly. Gradually work up to five days a week, 30 minutes a day. Talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise or sports program.

Manage stress and anger. A life free of stress is nearly impossible; however, you can change the way you react to life’s daily challenges. Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, gentle stretching or meditation. Look at your daily and long-term priorities. Are your goals realistic? Do your best each day and let the rest go. Eating well and exercising also can help.

Make time for good health and good relationships. It will do your heart good.

Originally Posted on The Colorado Springs Business Journal

Reducing daily caloric intake is typically the first approach that dieters take to shed those unwanted pounds. However, a new study released in the journal Obesity found that including protein from lean sources of pork in your diet could help you retain more lean body mass, which includes muscle, while losing weight.

The new research, conducted by Dr. Wayne Campbell, lead researcher at Purdue University’s Laboratory for Integrative Research in Nutrition, Fitness and Aging, and his colleagues evaluated the weight loss of 46 overweight or obese women who followed one of two reduced-calorie diets. One group ate a diet that included about 18 percent of their calories from protein. The other group ate a higher protein diet - about 30 percent of total calories from protein, including 6 ounces of lean pork on average per day.

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It seems that every week a food that was once bad for you is now good for you, and vice versa. This week it is chocolate’s turn to be “good” for you. Take a look at this in-depth article for the whole deal.

West Virginia is taking drastic steps to shed its status as the third-heaviest state in the nation. More than 1,200 of the state’s heaviest public employees have lost 14,000 pounds under one program. And obese Medicaid recipients will soon get to join Weight Watchers for free.

Nearly a third of adult West Virginians are obese, according to a report issued last year by the Trust for America’s Health. That makes the state the third-heaviest behind Mississippi and Alabama.

West Virginia’s Public Employee Insurance Agency decided to target the estimated 60,000 heaviest government workers and teachers after the agency was faced with rising costs related to obesity-related health problems and increased demand for lifestyle programs.

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Ageing is inevitable, but ageing gracefully is an art that anyone can master with a little help from the right foods.

Banana Bananas are high in potassium, which keeps high blood pressure in check and reduces the risk of heart disease. And, in conjunction with sodium help maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance in body cells, thus maintaining healthy nerve and muscle function. They also contain tryptophan, which the body converts to serotonin to aid peaceful sleep.

Pineapple Pineapple’s main benefits come from bromelain, an effective anti-inflammatory, making it exceptionally good for joint problems. Rich in vitamin C, pineapple supports the immune system and defends against free radicals, which can cause premature ageing. An excellent source of manganese, important for antioxidant defences and energy production.

Strawberry An excellent source of vitamin C, which is essential for the manufacture of collagen - a protein that helps to maintain the structure of the skin. Vitamin C also plays an important role in healing wounds and can ward off gingivitis, the gum disease that affects three out of four adults. Also contain ellagic acid, a phytochemical with powerful anti-carcinogenic properties.

Rhubarb Full of fibre, rhubarb acts as a natural laxative, keeping the digestive system in good working order and helping to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Rhubarb is also high in calcium for the bones, and potassium to keep blood pressure in check and protect the heart. It is also extremely high in water, which helps to keep the body well hydrated.

See the complete list here

The dieting world is full of myths, hearsay and soundbites. We all have heard them a thousand times, but does that make them true? Is it really a good idea to ban sugar completely from your diet? Is it really a good idea not to touch fat and alcohol ever again? This seems to me like an invitation to failure. Too few people can swear off certain foods forever and stick to the oath. The rest of us need a little treat now and then. And there’s nothing wrong with getting a treat once in while, provided that treats don’t happen every day.

The basic idea of any diet is to eat food that contains fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. This way, the body is forced to use the accumulated fat in order to make up for the energy it doesn’t get from food. But a diet also has to be tasty and nutritionally sound. Simply banning certain types of foods and ingredients is not a solution because anybody following such a diet will have to acknowledge sooner or later that he or she wants those foods and ingredients badly and a relapse into the old eating habits becomes inevitable.

People should also learn not to put their faith into meal replacements, such as Mypoplex, Slimfast or Eat-Smart. These combinations of low-fat and high-protein substances cannot substitute a proper diet. They should never be used for more than 4 four weeks in a row. Calories are important to the body and nobody can go on for long without them. Cutting calories out of the long-term nutrition is a huge mistake because the internal organs and muscles need them to function. Using meal replacements for a week or two, as a shock treatment, is fine. Relying on them for two months is asking for trouble. And the same goes for single-food diets, such as the cabbage soup diet, because they are based on the same idea.

Another widespread myth is the idea that the best approach to weight loss is a low-carb, high-protein diet. This is one of the myths that emerged from the Hollywood slimming industry. Nearly all movie stars and singers are on some such diet. However, this approach is not exactly good for you because a diet low in carbohydrates and calories forces the body to use existing carbs located in the liver and the muscles. In time, this diet leads to weight loss mainly from water stored in the body, instead of fat, and also strains the internal organs.

And people should not be so afraid of potatoes, bread and pasta, the leading sources of carbohydrates. Carbs are actually good for you because they quell the feeling of hunger without bringing in too many calories. So you can safely eat moderate amounts of potatoes and bread as long as you don’t use butter or sauces, which are laden with fat. Naturally, you also have to pay attention to how these foods are prepared. French fries are not a low-fat food. Still, a high-carb, low-fat diet is far better than banning potatoes and bread from your daily meals and it’s also easier to stick to.

Drinking a certain quantity of water every day is a good idea because it keeps the body hydrated and fills the stomach. Water also keeps the intestines healthy by facilitating the movements of undigested food to the exit point. However, simply drinking water does not trigger weight loss. There is only one way to lose weight and that is to burn up the existing fat and water cannot do that. Nor should a diet be judged solely by how much weight is lost per week. Some people claim that a diet can be considered effective if the weekly loss of weight is above two pounds. Frankly, two pounds per week is a lot of weight to lose and you can be sure that not all of it is fat, but also the lean tissue that makes up the muscles.

Another myth claims that fat is absolutely bad for you. It’s not. Quite on the contrary, the body needs some fat in order to get the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K circulating through the cardiovascular system. Moreover, fat also brings into the body the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 that cannot be synthesized in the body. The word “essential” means that these fatty acids simply have to be present in your daily food since they play an important role in your health. The recommended dose of fat is 35 percent of your daily calories.

And last of all comes the idea that a diet or eating plan is enough in itself and does not have to be coupled with exercising. But exercising is the most effective way of burning up the extra calories stored as fat. Simply sitting at your desk all day long is not going to do the trick, regardless of what diet you’re on. Remember that a diet that has plenty of food (the right kind of food) and plenty of exercise is far better than sitting on the sofa and drinking cabbage soup every six hours. It works faster and is less stressful to your body.

Here is an interesting theory/idea originally published over at Life To Success:

One method of anti aging techniques that seems to be quite effective is that of reducing the number of calories that are consumed. This theory is one that is not fully understood, by any means, but it is something that should be carefully considered anyway. Why does calorie restriction help the body to lose weight? The evidence of it happening is clear, but why this happens most doctors are not too sure. Nevertheless, it is an excellent option for individuals looking for a way to defy aging signs throughout their body.

What Is Likely Happening:

Calorie restriction helps to delay disease as well as extended life. The thought behind this type of anti aging solution is that by reducing the number of calories you consume will also reduce the amount of insulin that your body makes. With this reduction in insulin, you will see the signs of aging lowering. That’s because insulin is also an accelerant of the aging process.

With reduced calories we see benefits because of the lower oxidative stresses from those calories as well. You’ve heard the benefits of antioxidants. By eating foods in a less way, there is less “bad” getting in with the potential of more good, antioxidants getting in. This too can help you to increase the wellness in your body.

For calorie restriction to work for you, though, you need to work with your dietician and learn what foods are must haves and which should be avoided. You aren’t necessarily going to cut out everything, but every calorie must count in this plan, instead of allowing empty calories into your diet. You also will need to avoid meal replacement solutions as these rarely offer the same benefits as good, wholesome nutrition. You can even find out which foods are considered super foods in that they provide high levels of nutrition with good levels of calories.

If you do choose a calorie restriction method of anti aging, go for it with the aid and advice of your doctor. You should look at what you are eating and not try to just cut back on how much you are eating. The goal here is not to starve yourself in any way. Instead, it is to replace the high calorie, bad foods in your diet, with foods that are considered highly healthy with lower calorie counts to them.