Should You Change Your Diet?

From an article titled "21 Signs You Should Change Your Diet" posted on Yahoo! Health. If you fall into any of the categories below, then a red flag should go up that you might not be able to keep your weight down in the long run.

Dieting is a lot like looking for love: Many of us turn a blind eye to reality, choosing only to see what we want to see. Why? Because, at the end of the day, people don’t mind dealing with the negative side effects of their diet, so long as they’re reaching their better body goals. But if long-term success is what you’re after (and it should be), then it’s time to snap out of it and take a discerning look at your approach to weight loss. Not sure if your diet is a winner? Vet yours against our list below to find out if yours may ultimately leave you with love handles and muffin tops.

1. It Makes You Pull a 180

If meat and eggs are cornerstones of your diet, turning to a vegetarian or vegan diet to lose weight will likely fail you in the long run. Typically eat on the run? Then a diet that requires extensive home cooking probably isn’t the best fit. If your plan isn’t compatible with your lifestyle, the odds are good you’ll fall off the bandwagon and regain the weight.

2. You’re Dreaming of the Drive-Thru

If you constantly find yourself dreaming of the drive thru and fantasizing about French fries it may be a sign that you’re not giving your body the nutrients it needs, says registered dietitian Cassie Bjork of Healthy Simple Life. “Many diets cut fat since it’s higher in calories than protein and carbs, but this tactic can backfire by increasing cravings. A simple way to keep cravings at bay is to add a couple of tablespoons of healthy fat like avocado, olive oil, nuts or seeds to all of your meal and snacks. These healthy fats will keep your blood sugar levels stable and ward off sugar cravings, which will ultimately aid weight loss!”

3. You Eat Everything In Moderation

Diets that allow you to eat everything in moderation may seem smart, but some experts say that they may backfire. “Though it can be scary to imagine completely cutting out the foods that you love, eating everything in moderation is actually near impossible—especially when it comes to foods with addictive properties, like sugar. More often than not you’ll find yourself going back for more and more which can slow your weight loss results,” explains Bjork. “That’s why it’s more beneficial to completely cut out the foods that increase your cravings and keep you wanting more.” For example, if you know that chocolate is your #1 trigger food it’s best to cut it out altogether rather than trying to stick to one small square.

4. You Cut Out Major Food Groups

On the other side of the equation, diets that forbid entire food groups like carbs or dairy aren’t sustainable either. Unless there’s a medical reason to scratch something from your diet—like lactose intolerance, for example—we advise against it. The reason: If cutting out a certain food helps you shed weight, you can sure it will cause the weight to pile back on as soon you start eating it again.

5. You’re Constantly Binge Eating

Constantly find yourself downing entire cartons of ice cream or sleeves of cookies? Despite what you may think, it’s not because you have a lack of willpower. In fact, it’s likely a sign you need to change up your diet. “Binging is your body’s way of responding to not getting the nutrients that you need—it’s a biochemical response and signal from your brain that you’re not giving it what it needs,” explains Bjork.

6. It’s Really Convenient

There’s no denying that prepackaged meals, shakes and bars make dieting and portion control a no-brainer, but let’s face it, you’re not going to stay on the program forever so gaining the weight back is practically inevitable. “After a while, people tire of the same menus, the same pre-packaged foods, bars, and shakes and want to eat what they enjoy. They want to go out to eat with their friends and invite their family over for meals. For most people, it is simply unrealistic to stay on these programs indefinitely.”

7. You’re Irritable and Hangry

No one knows the meaning of “hangry” quite like someone on a diet. When people first cut back on calories and carbs it can make them crabby—mostly because their blood sugar levels are low, explains registered dietitian Isabel Smith. To counteract your irritability, try adding more carbs to your plate. The nutrient is essential to the body’s production of serotonin, a feel-good chemical that’s produced in the brain.

8. You Plan Your Life Around Your Diet

There’s a fine line between being committing to a weight loss plan and being obsessed with it. If you plan your entire life around your diet, it may be hard to stick to in the long run. Parties, dinner with friends and eating at restaurants are a big part of life—and things you’ll want to partake in without fear of weight gain. A smart, sustainable diet is one that will allow you live a fun, fulfilling life—all while losing weight and getting healthier.

9. You Have Major Skin Issues

If you’ve recently started to break out or develop wrinkles, it may be a sign that your diet isn’t healthy. “Skin issues are frequently a result of inflammation, which can occur if someone is following a diet that’s low in fat and high in carbohydrates,” says Bjork. “Once in the body, all carbohydrates turn to sugar, a nutrient that causes inflammation.” Vitamin and mineral deficiencies and consuming too few fatty acids can also wreak havoc on your skin.

10. Everyday is a Bad Hair Day

“While the biggest predictor of lush, beautiful hair is heredity and age, diet plays a role, too,” says Palumbo. “A poorly planned diet that’s low in calories, protein, iron or fat can result in thinning, brittle or dull looking hair.” The goods news is that it’s totally possible to undo the damage. To boost your hair’s luster, Palumbo suggests enjoying plant oils and oily fish like tuna and wild salmon.

11. You Can’t Stop Shivering

Despite the fact that your thermostat reads 70°F, your teeth are chattering. Unless you have a fever, it’s likely a sign that something with your diet is off. “Low-carb dieters are at risk of developing a low thyroid function, which can make it difficult to regular internal body temperature,” says Bjork. Don’t just ignore your cold fingers and throw on a sweater—head to the kitchen and make yourself a delicious bowl of oatmeal. After you’ve added more carbs back into your diet, the constant chill and chattering teeth should subside.

12. You’re Down In the Dumps

When it comes to the connection between omega-3s and depression, study results have been mixed. Though some research shows no mental health effects of consuming—or not consuming—the nutrient, other reports say that eating too few omega-3 fatty acids (which are found in foods like olive oil, wild salmon and walnuts) can make people more susceptible to the blues. If your change of mood came around the same time as your change of diet, a lack of fatty acids might be to blame. Thankfully, if you up your intake of the nutrient you should feel like your old self in no time!

13. Your Memory Is Zapped

Lost your keys—yet again?! Your crappy diet may be to blame. According to recent reports, what’s bad for your heart is also bad for your brain and memory. In one Annals of Neurology study, women who ate the most saturated fats from things like butter and burgers performed worse on thinking and memory tests than women who ate the lowest amounts of these fats. To keep your memory sharp, cut back on those huge burgers from the McDonald’s Menu and add more fruit, vegetables, whole grains beans, nuts, seeds and lean proteins and low-fat dairy to your diet. “These foods provide the vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and antioxidants that keep our brain cells at peak performance,” says Palumbo.

14. You’re Tired All the Time

If carrying your little one down a flight of stairs feels like a challenge, your diet may be to blame. “Being tired or constantly fatigued is your body’s way of conserving energy when it’s not getting enough of what it needs. It’s a result of your metabolism slowing down—the opposite of what you want to happen for weight loss, ” says Bjork. Smith concurs. “When you don’t eat enough protein, for example, the body will start to break down stored proteins in the form of muscle and other tissues. This can shrink your muscle mass, making workouts and everyday physical activities more challenging.” Other possible culprits: Processed and sugary fare. When eaten in excess, these foods can mess with your blood sugar levels and leave you feeling drained.

15. You Have Digestive Issues

Digestive discomfort, constipation, and diarrhea can all be signs that your fiber intake is out of whack. If you’ve been eating a lot of processed foods or recently cut back on carbs (but didn’t up your intake of fibrous produce), you’re likely not eating the recommended 28 grams of daily fiber. On the other hand, if you’ve recently started eating whole grains, beans and produce, you may have increased your intake too quickly, which can also cause discomfort. To counteract your belly issues, wean yourself onto higher fiber foods, starting with small portions. Another trick: Sip a large glass of water with every high-fiber meal. Fluids help to move fiber through the digestive tract, preventing bloat and discomfort.

16. Your Cuts Don’t Heal

“Whether you’ve cut yourself while shaving or nicked your finger while chopping veggies, eating a healthful diet can optimize the amount of time needed to heal your wound,” says Palumbo. Protein and vitamin C both play vital roles in wound healing, so it’s important to consume sources of each nutrient daily. “Good sources of vitamin C include red bell pepper, papaya, green bell pepper, broccoli, strawberries, tomato juice, cantaloupe mango, cabbage and even potatoes,” says Palumbo.

17. You’re Workouts Are Dragging

“Carbs are the first line of use for energy for the body, so when muscle stores of carbohydrates are low, it can make some people feel lethargic and less able to sustain a high-intensity workout,” says Smith. Dial up your carb count before your workout to ensure you have enough energy to blast away belly fat. And afterward, do the same. This will ensure you’re replenishing lost energy stores so you can hit the gym again tomorrow.

18. You’re Always Sick

Sure, protein helps your abs and glutes look lean and ripped, but more importantly, the nutrient helps us remain healthy. “Protein is needed to keep our immune system running,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Elisa Zied. “If you don’t get enough protein from your diet, the proteins in your body that fight off invaders like bacteria and viruses will be broken down and used for fuel. This makes it more difficult for the body to fight infections so you might find that you experience more frequent colds and illnesses.”

19. You’re Secretive About your Diet

When you’re trying to clean up your diet or lose weight, there’s no need to post about it 24/7 on Instagram, but if you feel like you need to avoid the subject altogether because you’re afraid you’ll be judged for your super-strict regimen, you may be suffering from disordered eating. If you know deep down that your regimen isn’t good for you, and you can’t—or don’t want to—change things up, you should seek help. The National Eating Disorders Association’s website is a great initial resource.

20. Your Progress Has Stalled

At first you were losing weight faster than a contestant on “My Diet Is Better Than Yours” but lately, your progress has been stalled—and it might be because you’re not getting enough carbs. “A low-carb diet can stall weight loss because if you suddenly eat fewer carbs, the liver tries to make up for it by producing sugar,” says Bjork. “When blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas secretes insulin, your fat-storing hormone, so you store fat instead of shedding it.” The good news is that carbohydrate cycling can counteract this. “One day each week, add in more carbohydrates than you normally would,” says Bjork. Don’t down an entire loaf of bread, though. An extra sweet potato or piece of fruit should do the trick!

21. You Get Bad Headaches

While getting headaches from time to time is normal, having them every day after changing up your diet plan may be a sign you’ve taken things too far. “When you don’t eat enough carbs or food in general, blood sugar levels can dip and cause headaches,” says Smith. To keep the pounds coming off and head-pounding pain at bay, incorporate some carb-rich, produce like apples (one of the Best Fruits for Weight Loss), pears, and carrots into your daily diet.



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Metabolism - Are you Helping or Hurting Yours?

Good article from Eat This, Not That! titled "25 Things You Did Today That Ruined Your Metabolism" that gives your a checklist to ensure your are not disabling or degrading your metabolism which not only affects your immune system, but ability to control your weight. Twenty pounds or so that you don't need surely affects your joints, especially the knees, so take note!

Metabolism. It’s the set of life-sustaining chemical transformations within the cells of living organisms. It’s such a big concept that you might believe you’re at the mercy of it. Well, you are! It’s thermodynamics at work, after all. But there are a bunch of simple — even easy — things you can do to boost your metabolism and make your body run more efficiently. Make tomorrow a great day by learning from the common metabolism mistakes you probably made today.

1. You didn’t get a good night’s sleep If you're chronically sleep deprived, don’t be surprised if you gain a few pounds without eating a morsel of extra food. “A lack of sleep can cause several metabolic problems,” says nutritionist Seth Santoro. “It can cause you to burn fewer calories, lack appetite control and experience an increase in cortisol levels, which stores fat.” Lack of sufficient sleep — which experts say is 7 to 9 hours a night for most people — also leads to impaired glucose tolerance, a.k.a. your body's ability to utilize sugar for fuel. “We all have those less-than-adequate nights of sleep,” says nutritionist Lisa Jubilee. “But if it's a regular thing, you're better off lengthening your night's sleep than working out, if fat loss or weight maintenance is your goal.”

2. You started your day dehyrated For Jubilee, one of the best and cheapest ways to give your metabolism a jolt is to drink water (she suggests 20 to 32 ounces) shortly after waking. Why? During sleep, your body’s metabolic function slowed, and unless you woke up in the middle of the night to swig some water, it didn’t receive any fluids. Jubilee suggests completely rehydrating before stressing your body with any other food or drink. “My clients who have implemented this report less bloating, more energy and a smaller appetite,” she says. Her motto for getting your inner furnace stoked and ready for the day: “Rehydrate, then caffeinate!”

3. You drank too much caffeine Plenty of studies indicate that caffeine can boost your metabolism in the AM. But nutritionist Amy Shapiro says that guzzling coffee and other caffeinated drinks all day could actually work against you. Caffeine is a natural appetite suppressant. If you’re constantly consuming it, you may not eat much — or realize how hungry you really are — until you get home for dinner. “Not eating enough throughout the day can make your metabolism sluggish,” she says. “By the time you eat dinner, instead of immediately using that food for energy, your body is aggressively storing it as fat, just in case it will be deprived again.”

4. You sit too much Ideally, we sleep about eight hours for every 24. Most people spend another seven to ten hours sitting at their desk. That means most of us spend the overwhelming majority of our time sedentary. Our bodies weren't designed for this level of inactivity — most of humans’ evolutionary history involved being active, searching for food and fuel. Jubilee says that one way to burn more calories daily is to stand more and sit less. She cites a British study which found that standing at work burned 50 more calories per hour than sitting. If that doesn’t sound like a lot, consider this: If you stand for just three hours of your day, in one year you’d expend more than 30,000 extra calories — which amounts to about 8 lbs of fat! Another good office habit: Set a phone timer to remind you get up every hour and walk around, even for a few minutes, says Jubilee.

5. You didn’t eat organic “Hormones dictate how our body utilizes the energy we give it,” says Jubilee. “Between our reproductive, thyroid and growth hormones, appetite, insulin and hunger hormones — leptin and ghrelin — our bodies have to perform a tricky balancing act to keep us lean, energized and viable reproductive beings.” Those tasks have become much more difficult because of the hormone residues we consume via cage-raised foods. If you want to give your metabolism a leg up, Jubilee says, switch to organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, eggs and dairy products, thereby avoiding those nasty hormones at mealtime.

6. You ate too many calories too late in the day “Not eating enough calories in a day is an easy way to slow your metabolism,” says Santoro. “It’s a common mistake people make.” When you don’t consume enough calories, your body switches into starvation mode, and your brain tells your body to store fat. This can increase cortisol levels, leading to belly-fat storage, which comes with health risks. “Eating a large dinner, especially too close to bedtime, can be detrimental to your metabolism,” says Shapiro. “It’s likely to throw off your inner clock and make you not hungry in the morning, which can ultimately lead to weight gain.” It’s at this point in the day that people are more likely to have an alcoholic beverage, which can bedevil your metabolism even more. “When a person drinks, acetate is formed,” says Santoro. “The body spends time trying to detoxify itself rather than burn calories.” He adds that drinking alcohol can impair protein synthesis and anabolic (muscle-building) hormones. Shapiro suggests that you prepare for busy or unpredictable days by packing healthy snacks to keep you from overeating or making unhealthful food choices.

7. You sprinkle food with sea salt Sea salt has cachet, especially when paired with chocolate or caramel. What it doesn’t have is iodine, a key element that gives your thyroid gland what it needs to get the job done. The thyroid gland helps to regulate your metabolism. If you don’t have enough iodine, it’s unable to produce thyroid hormones, and your metabolism can grind to a screeching halt. Most table salt is iodized; just a half-teaspoon will provide 100% of your RDA for iodine. You can also eat seaweed, cod, shrimp, and eggs, all of which are great sources of iodine.

8. Your home or workplace is too warm If you’re reading this, you’re almost certainly a mammal. It follows that you’re also an endotherm. This means that you can set heat free from within your own body to regulate your body temperature, rather than relying solely on the ambient temperature. It’s not just a neat trick common to both mammals and birds — it also burns calories. So turn down your thermostat and let your body do the heavy lifting. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that participants who slept in bedrooms cooled to 66°F for a month doubled the amount of brown adipose tissue they burned. Brown adipose tissue is a type of fat that burns calories rather than stores them. "Brown fat becomes more active in cooler temperatures to help keep us warm," explains Aaron Cypess, MD, an endocrinologist at the NIH. The take-home? Turning down your heat, sleeping in cooler temps, and spending time outdoors is going to help to stoke your metabolism, so chill out to get lean.

9. You've nixed carbs completely Although it’s true that eating too many refined carbs can get in the way of your health and weight-loss goals, eating too few can have a similar effect. That’s because when we exercise, our muscles need carbohydrates’ stores of glycogen for energy; if they don’t get enough, they can’t grow. That’s bad because the more muscle you can get and keep, the more calories you’ll burn at rest. But that’s not all. With your muscles starved of energy, you won’t be able to exercise as intensely as you otherwise would. That means fewer calories burned while active. Have a serving (about the size of once cupped palm) of oatmeal, sweet potato or brown rice prior to working out.

10. Your entire focus is on lifting weights, not lowering them It feels great to work out in an efficient amount of time, but when it comes to cranking your metabolism, haste makes waste. That’s because there are big metabolism-boosting benefits that come from the eccentric (a.k.a. lowering) aspects of these movements. Eccentric movements damage muscles more than the act of lifting them. They require more effort from your body to repair and demand more caloric energy to do so. Greek researchers demonstrated that women who performed one weekly strength workout that focused on eccentric movement increased their resting energy expenditure and fat burning by 5 and 9%, respectively, over a period of eight weeks.

11. You don't snack like a nut A review of research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly those contained in walnuts, could enhance the activity of certain genes that control fat burning, meaning that a nutty snacker may burn more calories throughout the day than one who grabs another type of lower cal snack. One to 1.5 ounces amounts to a small handful of walnuts. Have a snack of this size once daily for better burning.

12. You're not being intense Researchers in Australia found that when women performed a 20-minute HIIT workout three times per week, they shed nearly 6 pounds more than those who exercised for 40 minutes three times a week at a steady pace. Why? Researchers explain that while high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is of shorter duration than a regular cardio workout, it results in greater post-exercise oxygen consumption, meaning that you continue burning calories for a period of time afterward.

13. You're working out at the wrong time Northwestern University scientists have suggested that getting out and about in the early morning sunlight could help to regulate your circadian rhythm. That controls the many functions your body performs, including how much and well you sleep, how much you eat, and how much energy you burn. Try stepping outside for a jog or walk first thing in the a.m. Studies have shown that people who are up-and-at-’em first thing have a lower BMI compared to those who take their sunshine later in the day.

14. You’re eating inconsistent amounts at irregular times Ready to do some simple math? Figure out how many calories you need to achieve your desired weight and evenly divide that number by the 3, 4 or 5 meals and snacks you eat per day. Aim for each of your meals to be roughly this size. Why? Research from John Moores University in Liverpool found that women who fluctuated between eating low- and high-calorie meals were less happy with their bodies than those whose plates contained a similar number of calories from meal to meal. But it's not just a fluctuating size that can derail your weight-loss goals. A Hebrew University study from 2012 found that mice that were fed high-fat foods sporadically gained more weight than mice that ate a similar diet on a regular schedule. Experts suspect that eating at the same times every day trains the body to burn more calories between meals.

15. You’re consuming too many pesticides A Canadian study has found that chemicals in pesticides called organochlorines can mess with your body's energy-burning process and make it more difficult to lose weight. The researchers found that dieters who ate the most toxins experienced a greater-than-normal dip in metabolism and had a harder time losing weight. Dr. Whitney S. Goldner of the University of Nebraska Medical Center has noted that there is growing evidence for a link between exposure to pesticides and thyroid problems. Your move is to buy organic fruits and veggies whenever possible.

16. You’re consuming dietary toxins in processed foods Studies have shown that mice that have had sustained exposure to chemical preservatives develop significant abdominal weight gain, early insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Limiting your exposure to dietary toxins, sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed foods will help keep your metabolism revved.

17. You’re Drinking Water Containing Fluoride and Chlorine If your thyroid is dragging, your metabolism will slow down and may even become dysfunctional. Drinking fluoridated and chlorinated water supplies have been linked to dysfunction in metabolic processes — both chemicals interfere with normal thyroid function. Drink filtered water whenever possible.

18. You’re taking unnecessary meds We’ve come to rely on various medications to deal with lifestyle diseases. For many people, these medications do for them what bold lifestyle changes have not. For others, drugs for diabetes, cholesterols and high blood pressure have been taken too soon and for too long. That’s bad because in they can interfere with critical metabolic processes, which dramatically reduce the expenditure of energy. It’s well worth talking to your doctor about what can be achieved with non-pharmaceutical interventions, such diet, exercise and meditation.

19. You’re eating too little This one sounds counterintuitive, but bear with us. When you don’t sufficiently fuel your body, it can switch into starvation mode. In effect, your metabolic rate slows and your body clings to the remaining fuel. That’s because in our evolutionary past — before the advent of agriculture — food was often scarce and the body adapted to conserve fuel. Even if you’re cutting calories and creating a calorie deficit, your best move is to eat often and in a way that enables you to be active without getting exhausted.

20. You’re not eating enough protein Protein is a one-stop metabolism shop. It fills you up, making you less likely to forage for less metabolism-boosting food. It can rev post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35%, according to research, and it helps you grow muscle, which is like a calorie-incinerating body cloak that’s hard at work blasting calories while you’re at rest. It ought to be a component in every meal. Eat protein-rich foods such as fish, egg whites, lean meat or nuts daily.

21. You're not catching enough D Vitamin D. Wild salmon has plenty of it. In fact, you can get 90% of your recommended daily value (400 IU) in a 3.5-ounce serving of this delicious fish. Don’t have a taste for salmon? That’s alright, alright, alright: Go all McConaughey and take your shirt off. Exposing your full torso to the sun for at least 30 minutes will produce approximately 10,000 IU.

22. You’re not getting enough calcium Calcium plays a key role in regulating the way your body metabolizes. Specifically, it determines whether you burn calories or sport them as a tire. According to research conducted at the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a diet that's high in calcium could help you burn more fat. Consume dairy, Greek yogurt and these calcium-rich foods.

23. You’re eating refined carbohydrates When a carb is complex, the body has to work a little harder to break it down. White bread, pasta and rice are broken down more easily because the complex carbohydrates have been taken out of them and their carb content has been refined. The result? A slower metabolism. Refined carbs don't offer much nutritional value in the first place, so you’re way better off choosing whole-wheat breads, pasta and brown rice.

24. You’re eating too many sweets Avoiding sugary foods is a great idea. Why? Sugar creates a spike in blood glucose levels and is very quickly absorbed into your system. Both of these mechanisms are putting the brakes on your metabolism. Replace candy, chocolate and ice cream with fresh fruit for weight loss. It will help to satisfy your sweet tooth without causing a spike in your glucose levels.

25. You're drinking too much alcohol Sad news, folks: When you have an alcoholic drink, you burn less fat. What fat you do burn, you burn more slowly than usual. That’s because the alcohol is used as fuel instead. Quaffing a couple of martinis can reduce your body's fat-burning ability by up to 73%! That’s a scientific finding that should leave you shaken and stirred.

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How I Healed Myself With Small Changes

Great article and lesson to all by Kimberly Petrosino, a health coach and author, posted on the Huffpost Healthy Living site.

"What is wrong with me?" I wondered. I thought I was making all the right decisions - I had started swapping white bread and pasta for whole grains, I cut meat out of my diet, I was drinking diet soda instead of regular soda and eating snacks marked "low fat," but I was still carrying about fifty pounds too much on my five-foot frame. Like many others, I thought 'health' meant simply the difference between calories in and calories out. What I didn't know was that I was hurting my body in ways I never even knew were affected by nutrition. I was stressed out, depressed, and my skin was prone to terrible breakouts. One night in January 2012 I decided to go out for a run, which completely uncharacteristic of me. That night was a turning point, although of course I didn't realize it at the time. When I couldn't run to the end of my block without the crushing feeling that my lungs might explode, I was devastated. That was my wake up call, and I vowed right then and there to take control of my health.

MyAchingKnees comment: "I vowed right then and there to take control of my health." Powerful words right there. You have to take responsbility and get in charge of your own health - there is no two ways about it. Question what you read and are told; question your physicians; don't give up, even if you fall off the heathy living wagaon, get right back on. Realize this - Nobody.....NOBODY,....... is going to be as concerned for your health than you are.

I took up running, thirty seconds on and thirty seconds off. When that was comfortable, I would select a point in the near distance, such as a stop sign, and run to that point. When I reached one goal, I set another. I invested in a blender and started drinking smoothies every morning because I couldn't stand the taste of vegetables. I drank more water, phasing out the diet soda. The more I learned about nutrition and what health really meant, the more able I was to tune in to what my body was asking me for. I stopped being concerned with losing weight and focused simply on becoming healthy. I realized how stress was affecting my well-being and learned to manage it, spending more time with myself doing things I loved. I eventually came to know this as "self love" -- and it is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle.

MyAchingKnees comment: "thirty seconds on and thirty seconds off"....that's exactly how it starts, bit by bit, small step by small step. You may just eliminate your daily donut, one day a week. Then next week, go two days without donuts....you get the idea. Change is uncomfortable. Big change is near imposible, but it you knock it of in small chunks it is doable!

There are two morals to this story. The first is that "health" is defined by far more than the food on your plate and the number of miles you run. Everything you do contributes to your health, from your sleeping habits to your self care ritual to your stress level to your relationships. The second is that the journey to a healthier lifestyle is just that -- a journey. It's not an "all-or-nothing" situation. Just because you can't run a marathon right now, doesn't mean you can't move your body at all. Walk around the block. Tomorrow, walk a little further. Get clear on your goal and break it down into small, attainable steps. It will take time but if it's something you truly desire, it will be worth it.

Today, three years after my failed attempt at running, I have one half marathon under my belt and am training for my second. Brussels sprouts are my favorite thing ever, and I make time for myself every single day. I am down to my goal weight and have been for a while now. I truly healed myself with small changes, and you can too! Take some time to really assess your lifestyle and your goals. Get crystal clear on what you really want. Then create small, actionable steps to get yourself there!

You Go Girl!



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The Truth About 8 Common Diet Strategies

This is a pretty decent article,...anything that causes you to think and explore is, but I have some issues with some of the things in this article.  1 - Weight Loss?  Two words - Diet and Exercise.  Of course you have to eat the right foods...think low glycemic and limit or eliminate any high glycemic foods.  2 - One reason diets fail is that you do not provide you body with the nutrients it needs to have a healthy immune system let alone function properly....yes, you can be starving yourself and at the same time losing weight, but who wants to be skinny AND sick? 

The Surprising Truth About 8 Common Diet Strategies, by Good Housekeeping on Healthy Living

Who has the time to keep up with weight-loss research? It's so technical...and confusing...and often contradictory! And yet if you don't know what's going on in the world of calorie counting, you may not be seeing the pounds drop off as fast as you think they should. In one European diet-and-exercise study, for example, participants who were given detailed explanations of the research itself were more likely to improve (exercise more or eat better or both) than a less clued-in group. Fortunately, we have dug into the latest research. And as we did, we noted that a surprising number of dieting tactics accepted as gospel have recently been shown to be dead wrong. Knowing which still hold up and which are big (fat) lies can mean the difference between winning and losing at weight loss. Here's the lowdown.

1. To lose a pound, you must cut 3,500 calories

FALSE: This much-quoted equation doesn't account for the slowdown that happens to your metabolism as you drop pounds, explain researchers at the National Institutes of Health. "As a result, it drastically overestimates how quickly people will lose weight," says senior investigator Kevin D. Hall, Ph.D. That's why his team has created a new, computerized model that accurately predicts just how long you'll have to say non to french fries. It takes into consideration not only the drop in calorie burn as you get slimmer, but also your current weight, your age, how much you're eating now, and other variables.

Let's say you're a 46-year-old woman who weighs 170 pounds. According to the traditional formula, if you cut 500 calories a day, you would drop a pound a week (500 ˜ 7 days = 3,500 calories, or 1 pound) - and lose 26 pounds in six months. But the new math shows that the weight loss is more likely to be 19.5 pounds.

Make this work for you: The weight-loss gods may be cruel, but knowing what to expect can keep you from getting discouraged - and from backsliding - when the scale seems stuck. To try the new Body Weight Simulator, go to bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov. Especially cool: You can vary predictions of how much you might lose and how long it will take by changing what you plug in for your calorie intake and exercise level.

2. Three squares a day works as well as a "many mini meals" plan

TRUE: Dieters who stick to breakfast, lunch, and dinner are often no hungrier than those who opt to have frequent small meals and snacks throughout the day, a new University of Missouri study found. Actually, if you're a dieter who doesn't want to have to be extra careful about portion control, eating three squares might be a better strategy. "Often people misinterpret the size of a 'mini meal' and end up taking in far more calories than they realize," says lead author Heather J. Leidy, Ph.D. "Also, more meals means more exposure to food, which creates more opportunities for overeating."

Make this work for you: Whether you want to be a traditionalist or a conscientious "mini meal" strategist, the most important thing is not to go too low: Dieters who dine only once or twice a day tend to get ravenous - and we all know where that leads.

3. A history of yo-yo dieting wrecks your chances of future weight-loss success

FALSE: This idea gained traction back in the 1980s, when studies on rats found that those forced to yo-yo with their diets actually became more efficient at gaining weight. Humans, however, are luckier: In new research from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, a history of losing, then gaining, then losing wasn't linked to any negative effects on metabolism. Even severe yo-yo dieters - women who reported losing 20 or more pounds on three or more occasions - were able to follow a new diet and exercise program just as successfully as non-swingers.

Make this work for you: Yo-yoers are often women who try one crash diet after another. So take encouragement from this study and look for a plan that focuses on healthy lifestyle changes that lead to slow and steady weight loss.

4. Exercise does not burn off pounds

TRUE: It's hard to believe, but in a study of 411 women, those who worked out for over one, two, or three hours a week for six months didn't lose significantly more weight than those who'd devoted themselves to Sudoku or other sedentary pursuits. You'd think this finding was a fluke, but a recent review of 15 studies came to the same conclusion: Moderate workouts don't lead to weight loss, possibly because they make us hungrier. But there's also a biological explanation: As with weight loss, one of the ways your body adapts to an increase in exercise is to lower your resting metabolic rate about 7%, so you actually end up burning fewer calories - anywhere from 50 to 75 fewer per day, the review found.

Make this work for you: While exercise doesn't burn off the bulge, "it does boost your PFF: Pants Fit Factor," says Diana M. Thomas, Ph.D., of Montclair State University in New Jersey. "It helps reduce your waist and gives you a firmer, leaner-looking shape overall." What's more, a dwindling waistline is a key indicator that you're losing belly fat - the dangerous fat type that's linked to health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

5. It's best to set challenging weight-loss goals

TRUE: Weight-loss experts have long counseled that if dieters set high - that is, unrealistic - targets, they'll quickly get discouraged and give up. Better, the pros have advised, to think small. But in a recent study of 447 overweight adults, Dutch researchers found that the more weight loss the participants strived for, the more effort they made - and the more weight they reported losing after two months. One theory as to why being ambitious might help you shed more pounds: It has a psychologically energizing effect, pumping up your commitment and drive.

Make this work for you: When mapping out a pounds-off plan, go for the gold - or strive to lose 14% of your current weight. That's the target (on average) that motivated the higher-reaching dieters in the Dutch study. For a 165-pound woman, that works out to about a 23-pound loss.

6. Milk drinkers lose more weight

FALSE: Wipe that mustache off your face: When Harvard researchers analyzed 29 studies on the topic, they found that while dairy may help dieters in the short term, ultimately it's not a winning (i.e, losing) strategy. In fact, in most of the studies that had lasted a year or longer and that didn't restrict calories, adults who chugged extra glasses of the white stuff (or ate more dairy) actually gained more weight than participants who didn't.

Make this work for you: To satisfy your dairy cravings, sub in yogurt: The Harvard team noted that a recent large study did find yogurt intake helped with weight in the long term.

7. Tracking carbs is the best way to keep pounds off

FALSE: A balanced plan topped the usual technique of counting carbohydrates or fat grams in a study of adults who had recently lost a significant amount of weight. The least successful of the plans was the one that counted fat grams: It caused the biggest slowdown in metabolism, leading dieters to burn an average of 423 fewer calories a day. The carb-counting plan was problematic because it caused an increase in cortisol and C-reactive protein levels - factors that may elevate your risk of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, the balanced plan caused a less extreme drop in metabolism (under 300 calories a day) and didn't trigger any heart-harming consequences.

Make this work for you: The study's balanced plan included lots of whole grains, fresh vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, healthy fats like olive oil, and lean fish and meats; it excluded heavily processed foods like white bread and instant rice. Known as "low-glycemic," this type of diet is based on regulating the body's blood sugar and hormone levels. It may also be the easiest diet to stick to in the long term because it doesn't restrict entire classes of food, notes lead study author Cara B. Ebbeling, Ph.D., of Boston Children's Hospital. For info, go to childrenshospital.org (search "low-glycemic diet" for shopping lists and other tips).

8. You have to watch what you eat - forever

TRUE: Previously, experts believed if you restrained eating for too long, it would backfire and lead to bingeing, notes weight-loss researcher Fiona Johnson, Ph.D., of University College London. "But the constant bombardment of food temptations has led to a situation where self-control is essential."

Make this work for you: Psychologists specializing in dieting issues don't advocate outlawing a long list of favorite foods. Instead, they suggest "flexible restraint" - passing on sundaes or fries on most days, but occasionally allowing yourself those treats. To monitor how well you're balancing restraint with indulgence, step on your scale at least once a week. Regular weigh-ins will alert you to the need to rein in before a big, hard-to-shake weight gain settles in.

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Nutrients For Faster Weight Loss

From the article Six Nutrients For Faster Weight Loss, by Alisa Bowman and The Editors Of Women's Health

Vitamin D For years scientists have searched for a magical ingredient that would help people shed fat. In 2008, Dr. Shalamar Sibley of the University of Minnesota put 38 obese people on an 11-week diet where they consumed 750 calories less than their estimated daily need. Study participants whose blood levels of D were higher at the study's start lost more weight than participants whose blood levels of D were lower. They actually lost a lot more--70 percent more, to be exact. Based on the results of this study, by fueling your body with the D-rich nutrients it needs to stay out of a fat-storage state and in a fat-burning state, you can speed weight loss by 70 percent! Thousands of studies on vitamin D have been completed over a span of 40 years, and it's become clear that vitamin D is pretty incredible and effective. Still, it's not the only player on this fat-melting team. Turn up your metabolism and melt body fat adding vitamin D and these five fat-melters from The Vitamin D Diet.  

MyAchingKnees comment: While I believe that we need to take much more Vitamin D that the RDA recommends,...I am currently taking between 3,900 and 5,900 mgs each day, it is hardly definitive that Vitamin D works to burn fat. It is widely thought, and believed by me anyway, that Vitamin D is an essential ingredient for bone health and especially proper immune system function. The question needs to be asked, "what other nutrient deficiencies did the obese people with Vitamin D deficiencies also have?"  

Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that works in tandem with D to help you shed fat. Calcium is stored in fat cells, and researchers think that the more calcium a fat cell has, the more fat that cell will release to be burned. Calcium also promotes weight loss by binding to fat in your GI tract, preventing some of it from getting absorbed into your bloodstream.  

Protein
In addition to keeping hunger in check, regular doses of protein help to keep body composition--the amount of fat relative to muscle--in better proportion. Along with calcium and D, protein helps you to preserve muscle mass as you drop pounds. A recent study out of the University of Illinois found that women who consumed protein twice daily lost 3.9 percent more weight than women who consumed less of it on a diet. They not only lost more weight, they also got stronger as they did so, with their thigh muscles alone ending up with 5.8 percent more protein at the end of the diet than before.  

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s enable weight loss by switching on enzymes that trigger fat-burning in cells. They also help to boost mood, which may help reduce emotional eating. And omega 3s might improve leptin signaling in the brain, causing the brain to turn up fat burning and turn down appetite. You almost can't consume D without consuming omega-3 fatty acids, and that's a good thing. Fatty fish like salmon (which are also high in D) are one of the richest sources of this fat. Other foods, such as some nuts and seeds, contain a type of fat that can be converted into omega-3s after ingestion.  

MyAchingKnees comment: I think that all the benefits of Omega 3's are relatively unknown to people. If people have experienced what I have experienced with a quality Omega 3 supplement, they would be breaking down the doors to take it.  

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs)
MUFAs are a type of fat found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, peanut butter, and chocolate, and they have just one chemical bond (which is why they are called "mono" unsaturated). One Danish study of 26 men and women found that a diet that included 20 percent of its calories from MUFAs improved 24-hour calorie burning by 0.1 percent and fat burning by 0.04 percent after 6 months. Other research shows that MUFAs zero in on belly fat. Specific foods that are high in MUFAs--especially peanuts, tree nuts, and olive oil--have been shown to keep blood sugar steady and reduce appetite, too.  

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
CLAs are potent fat burners that are found, along with D and calcium, in dairy products. They are fatty acids that are created when bacteria ferments the food in the first part of the stomach of cows, sheep, and other ruminant animals. The CLA that is created through fermentation then makes its way into the meat and milk of these animals. When we consume these foods, the CLA helps blood glucose enter body cells, so CLA can be burned for energy and not stored as fat. CLA also helps to promote fat burning, especially in muscles, where the bulk of our calorie burning takes place.  

The whole fat-melting picture Now before you start superdosing yourself with all of these fat melters and waiting for the fat to magically melt away, let's be clear: D and other fat melters facilitate weight loss, but they are not magic pills. If you just took a bunch of supplements, you might see some effect--for instance, by swapping some fat for muscle. But to see serious weight loss, you'll need to combine these fat melters with portion control.

MyAchingKnees comment: While I like all the efforts to bring sound nutritional research to people, the danger of articles listing single ingredients as some people will buy and consume these single ingredients while missing others.  I believe that we need a wide range of nutrients in scientifically determined ratios so they can work syngergistically with each other to provide our body's immune system with the complete package.    

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Hungry for Change - Change we can all use

Hungry for Change - The Movie, is a A Documentary Film About Creating Lasting Weight Loss, Abundant Energy and Vibrant Health. Featuring many nutrition experts such as Dr Alejandro Junger, Dr Christiane Northrup, David Wolfe, Daniel Vitalis and Dr Joseph Mercola.

More on this movie can be seen and many media product ordered at the Hungry For Change website.




From my perspective poor nutrition is a major cause of all sorts of degenerative disease including the joint and back pain that brought me into what is a now a life long quest to ensure I get the nutrients my body needs to fight off, as best I can, the on-set of these debilitating diseases. 

Watch this trailer and see if it doesn't get you to order the movie.





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Weight Loss Can Help Ease Joint Pain,....but Don't Trust That Weight Loss Pill, Jay!

MyAchingKnees.com received this question from a reader: ”I’d like your opinion on this product I am going to be trying. I am overweight, about 40 pounds accordingly to my Doctor who told me that I would reduce the pain in my knees if I lost some weight. So I have found this product called (name deleted) which is advertised to help me lose 21 pounds in a month without dietary restrictions, without gym needed exercise sessions and will increase my energy and testosterone up to 49%. Have you heard of this product and do you know anything about it? - Jay”

Here’s the deal Jay.......I have not heard of this particular product until your question popped into me. I am not using the name for three reasons,...1 – I don’t need a bunch of complaints when I write about this product; 2- I don't feel like advertising this product, because even a negative comment is advertising; and, 3 – there are thousands of products just like this. Manufacturers of these products rely on thousands of people basing a hope for a better, pain free life or quick weight loss and throwing their money at it.

Your Doctor is half right saying that weight loss, when you are overweight, can help reduce joint pain, or in your case knee pain simply because with less weight you are placing less stress on that joint(s). If you have a mechanical injury such as soft tissue or bone damage, then it probably won’t help. However, I highly suggest losing any excess weight simply for your health. Better health can decrease joint pain because better health (getting more quality nutrients and minimizing bad foods and toxins) will allow your body’s immune system to function better and start to abate the damage from free radicals which can manifest itself into many problems, including joint pain.

It is problematic to me that the supplement you are thinking of taking advertises a “49%” increase in energy. How do you measure that? I can see measuring testosterone through a blood test,....but energy? And weight loss without “dietary restrictions”? What if you took this pill but still ate 5 lbs of ice cream a day? Would you still lose weight? Plus the promise to lose weight without “gym needed” exercise? You need to read some of my articles on the Chair of Health where eating right, taking high quality supplements, getting some physical exercise and avoiding toxins are the “legs”, or the four areas you need to work in to achieve health.

Since you are wanting to lose weight to see if that relieves your knee pain, I am sending you information on our five day program to re-set your health with had a side effect of safe weight loss with an average of 5 lbs in 5 days. This is only effective if you start trying to be more healthy through proper eating, taking high quality nutritional supplements, getting some exercise and avoiding toxins. I’ll be in touch via e-mail.


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