Diet soda has been shown in several studies to increase your odds of being overweight. One study claims that for every can of diet soda you drink per day, you’re 41% more likely to be overweight. Holy crap. There are a couple predominate theories as to why this happens; our bodies get tricked into craving more sugar because it senses sweet but there are no calories, making us consume more calories in the long run. The other is that people eat more because they think they’re saving so many calories in their beverage, that they pay less attention to what they’re eating.
In one study, rats were fed yogurt with artificial sweeteners and real sugar. Guess what.. the rats who ate the yogurt with artificial sweeteners ate for longer and got fatter. What a dirty trick! All those poor souls who have been suffering through the taste of diet soda, only to find out that it really makes them fatter. Damn!
I was at the grocery store last week and saw a naturally sweetened diet soda called Zevia . It caught my attention because it was being marketed as the ”natural alternative” to diet soda. It’s sweetened with Stevia, an herb grown in South America that has been used for centuries, the Zevia website even claims that recent studies have found that it has antioxidant properties. Interesting…any reviews out there?
We could always stick to the tried and true drinks. Here’s some good alternatives to diet soda that have no calories and will not make you fatter for the drinking…….water, water, water, tea and coffee.
I know exercise is vital to living and now that I am over 45, it is even more important, especially since I’ve been suffering from an undiagnosed illness. For six years, my symptoms have included: dizziness, nausea, weakness, severe headaches, numbness and numerous oddities. I have been admitted to the ER twice, seen several doctors and specialists, had MRI’s and CT scans, EKGs and EEGs. Not one doctor has been able to give me a definite diagnosis, but a few were really eager to put me on antidepressants. One even said they would not treat me further until I saw a psychiatrist.
Feeling desperate for an answer, I went to see a psychiatrist and was told I was fine. I cannot say how frustrating and discouraged I have become in trying to find out what happened to me. One day I was fine and active and the next I was totally dependant on my family and friends to do almost everything for me. The sickness made me unable to drive for two years and it’s still difficult every time I get in a car.
I have done extensive research online and scared myself with all the diseases my symptoms describe. As a result, I’m now leaning toward alternative medicine. I went to a naturopath and she wants me to focus on diet and exercise at this point to even out my insulin and cortisol levels. These can really affect feelings of being light headed and anxiety.
Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms and have you found anything to help feel normal again? Do diet and exercise help?
Published by admin on January 29th, 2009 in Personal.
People say there is a fat epidemic out there. Why do you suppose we’re suffering a fat epidemic, of all things? We do less physical labor? We over-eat? Too much fast food? Too many sodas? Not enough exercise?
All of the above. But in my case what really got me fat was going on too many starvation diets. When I was in junior high and just barely chubby I started my career as a bad dieter. And continued on that path for more than 30 years. Sure I would lose fat but it wouldn’t stay off. What was even worse, I would gain back even more than I lost. Each and every time. Well, you can see where that was going.
Once I tried diet pills a doctor gave me. Boy! I didn’t eat hardly anything for months. I had to make myself eat. And I love food. I did get thin. At least as thin as I’ve ever been but the fatness came back with a vengeance and I was fatter than ever.
What I didn’t realize until later was starvation diets lower your metabolism so after a starvation diet you burn fewer calories. Now even less food makes you fatter. How unfair is that?
Bad diets like mine make you lose fat for sure but along with losing fat you also lose muscle.
I’ll bet that most fat people have been on tons of starvation diets and for all their suffering they were just making their butts and their problems bigger.
The solution to this never ending cycle is to watch what you eat and lift weights. You lose fat and you keep it off. Muscles raise your metabolism making you burn more calories. Put on just 10 lbs. of muscle and you’ll burn 500 calories. That’s every day at rest.
It’s worked real well for me. I cut out sodas. I don’t go to fast food restaurants (well maybe once or twice a year). Overall I have reduced my eating. A little less here and there. Instead of 2 rolls, just one. I’ve cut back on fried foods. I’m trying to eat more greens. And soups. A lot of soups are healthful, taste good, are filling and low in calories.
But most importantly I started a weight lifting routine. I have lost weight very slowly. This lost fat will stay off and I will continue to lose fat and gain muscle. I hope to be just barely chubby again soon :)
Published by marilyn on January 29th, 2009 in How to.
Crohn’s disease leaves children with weak bones and muscles even after the disease is brought under control. 165 children will be provided Whole Body Vibration platforms to stand on at home for ten minutes a day for 12 months. To date, no vibration therapy devices are approved by prescription in the U.S. Two WBV devices are now government approved in Canada, where big pharma doesn’t stifle non-drug competition. The U.S. Army, the NIH and NASA have already funded enough studies on WBV to know that mechanical vibration therapy increases bone and muscle strength so the outcome of this study seems a foregone conclusion.
I’ve been a helicopter pilot for decades. Some vibration frequencies and amplitudes can be extremely fatiguing, not a good thing when quick reactions are needed. Overexposure to some vibrations can cause physical injury. That’s why there are WBV exposure limits in the workplace. The Soloflex WBV products allow one to stay within those OSHA limits at maximum amplitude (g-load) up to thirty minutes a day.
How much attention should we be paying to what celebrities do? One of the reasons we obsess over celebrities is because most of them look fabulous….so we ask…… what are they doing!!? The answer… they work really hard! They spend hours at the gym with personal trainers who put them through grueling workouts and count every calorie. It’s not uncommon to read about an actor spending 3 hour a day working out to prepare for a role. Celebrities know as well as anyone… ‘No Pain, No Gain’!
It seems that a few of these Hollywood types have a new, secret tool that’s helping them look fabulous. But I ask, is it just the famous people who want to spend less time to look fabulous? NO way! So get vibrating!
Don’t take our word for it. There have been dozens of articles published about celebrities using whole body vibration platforms….Madonna, Jessica Alba, Claudia Schiffer, Jane Fonda, P.Diddy, George Clooney and Clint Eastwood….. just to name a few. If it’s good enough for them?
Dr. Oz is the chief medical consultant on Discovery Health, has produced more than 400 publications (including the best selling YOU series) and is vice-chair and professor at Columbia University.
Published by molly on January 28th, 2009 in How to.
Working out at home is definitely the way to go. It’s private. You can do it when you want. You can dress any way you want. I work out in my gown.
The exercises I do: squats, curls, deadlifts, overhead presses and bent over rows. My equipment: Soloflex dumbbells, Soloflex Rockit and Soloflex Whole Body Vibration (WBV) Platform and a Soloflex WBV Attachment on my Rockit.
Every other day I do squats on my Rockit. On the other days I do my upper-body exercises while standing on my WBV platform.
The good vibrations have upgraded my workout. Vibrating while weight training produces better gains than weight training alone.
I am convinced that weight lifting is the essential exercise. Nothing works as well at shaping your body and raising you metabolism (burning calories at rest).
My tips:
Begin weight training today.
Do compound exercises. I do 12 reps of overhead presses, curls, bentover rows and deadlifts, all in one set. I do 3 sets.
Don’t use heavy weights.
Make sure squats are included in your routine. Squats work more muscles than any other exercise. Do these until you’re breathing hard.
Start slow and light.. If you over-do you are more likely to quit.
This doesn’t have to take a lot of your time, about 15 minutes a day.
If you exercise at home I’d really like to see what equipment you use and how you use it.
Published by marilyn on January 28th, 2009 in How to.
I’ve never been very flexible. I can’t remember the last time I touched my toes. My neck and shoulders are tight enough to cause pain most of the time. My husband, tired of my whining, is always telling me to stretch. Stretch? How about a nice aromatherapy massage followed by a steam?
That was me until about three years ago. When my doctor told me to start stretching, I paid a little more attention. There was a Soloflex WBV in the office. I tried it a few times, following the stretching routine in the User Guide. Within three minutes, I was able to touch my toes and my neck and shoulders didn’t bother me quite as much. Hmmm, more work than a massage, but it seemed to help. I got a machine for myself and started stretching almost every day. I am a believer in stretching.
I’ve been using my Soloflex WBV for yoga for a while now and I’m about to step it up and add weightlifting. I want to keep stretching, but I’m not sure about the best time to stretch. I thought the answer would be either before or after, but it turns out it’s both. It’s bad to stretch cold muscles, so about 5 minutes of light activity is recommended to start. Then, some stretches. Loose muscles perform better and are up to 50% less prone to injury. Stretching after a workout prevents the build-up of waste products (lactic acid, for example, the cause of muscle soreness) and relaxes your muscles and tendons. Makes sense to me. Even without the benefits I’ve mentioned, I’d keep stretching just because it feels so good.
Published by carlie on January 27th, 2009 in How to.
A quote from Dr. Oz’s book ‘YOU Being Beautiful’... “Biomechanical stimulation is getting more and more attention for its effect of giving muscles more energy. You stand on a machine or plate, and the machine vibrates to stimulate muscle energy and strength. Early research shows that the technique provides the benefits of flexibility, energy and better coordination and balance. These machines are used in gyms, by professional sports teams, and by patients suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia.”
Dr. Oz knows what he’s talking about. He has been on several Discovery Health programs (Dr. Oz is the chief medical consultant on the show) and has written a series of best selling books, YOU on a diet, YOU Staying Young, YOU being Beautiful and many others (he’s produced over 400 publications). His latest gig… “health expert on Oprah”! Last month during the ‘Live Your Best Life’ week, he broke down the basics to good health. People love him because he knows what he’s talking about and his advice produces the desired results! Dr. Oz has a worldwide following. Besides the obvious message of ‘eat right and exercise’, he keeps an open mind about new and innovative tools we can use to achieve our best health. He is currently at the forefront of the health and fitness industry.
It’s explained in several of his books that weight lifting will; increase bone density, ramp up your metabolism, improve your immune system, keep you strong, injury free and give you the beautiful, shapely body you’ve always wanted. And biomechanical stimulation (WBV) can help you achieve those goals faster. He is strengthening the message that we’ve been broadcasting at Soloflex for over 30 years! Nice work Dr. Oz.
Published by molly on January 27th, 2009 in How to.
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