Tip from Me!!

I just found out about this incredibly awesome website. It's www.livestrong.com. Click on the daily plate option, then My Daily Plate.

You can enter your calories, exercise, goals and pretty much anything you want. It helps you calculate your calories and how much exercise and pretty much everything for you. I love it!!! Try it out and have a blast. It can be pretty addicting though!!

The 4th Week

The 4th week is such a crucial week. If you've started a workout program and have stuck to it, you should see your first big results after the 4th week. This is also when you should modify your workout program. Even if you are still seeing results or not, try something new in your routine this week. Change things up a bit. You will see faster and more dramatic results if you keep your workouts changing. Don't give yourself a chance to plateau.

If you run, try doing inclines. You can also change your speed throughout your run to simulate sprints and jogs. If you can put in biking or swimming or walking in your workouts. Remember to stretch each night. You don't need a yoga tape, just do some effective simple stretches. But do them each night.

You can also do different kinds of pushups and crunches. Google crunches and see what comes up. My friend just told me that he was able to purchase the P90X workout program on Ebay for $60. That's more than half price. This is a great workout program to do right from your own livingroom at your own pace.

Tip from Me!!

So here's a tip that has worked for me. It may help those of you that are unable to work out most days of the week to.

Stretching

If you are able to work out or not, try fitting in a 10 to 15 minute stretching session EVERY day. Stretching alone lengthens, strengthens and tones muscles. You may not lose weight, but you can lose inches and gain strength through stretching each day alone. Don't believe me? Ask any Yoga instructor. The whole fitness program is based on this little fact.

Tips:

-hold stretches for at least 20 to 30 seconds. As the stretches get easier to hold, push farther and hold longer.
-No bouncing. Bouncing makes tears in your muscles that will cause more harm than good. Move slowly then hold steady for the entire stretch.
-Hold your core tight throughout every stretch. Even if you are stretching your arms, legs, back or whatever. ALWAYS hold your abdominals tight.

Hope this helps. Especially those of you that can't make it to the gym everyday.

Love ya!!

Eating at night = weight gain? Fact or myth

I was going to ask about this, and then just decided to google it.  I found it interesting (and slightly comforting) and wondered if any of you had an opinion on this.  Thanks!  mj

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Alice, 

My friends and I disagree — can you settle the dispute? I feel a calorie is a calorie no matter what time of day that you eat it. They say that if you eat all of your calories early in the day, that it is less fattening, because you will be moving around burning off those calories. I say that if you eat 1800 calories a day, it doesn't matter if you eat them in 5 meals or 10 meals, it is still 1800 calories. I believe that the idea of not eating anything after 7 helps you to lose weight because you cut out the high calorie, high fat foods that are often eaten late in the evening. They say that by not eating after 7, you lose weight because you're not moving to burn off those calories. Please settle the dispute. Thanks.


Dear Reader,

You and your friends have picked up on a popular debate. One aspect of weight management that is vital to understand is that we gain and lose weight over periods of time — weeks, months, years — not hour by hour. This happens as we take in more calories than we expend. Another important fact of metabolism is that our bodies do not stop working, even when we are sleeping! Hearts are beating, blood is circulating, lungs are functioning, brains are even working. This all takes energy — meaning we are still burning calories.
There is no magic time after which the body stores fat. For instance, if you eat the same exact meal at 6 pm or at 8 pm, is one more caloric than the other? No, each meal has the same number of calories. What really matters is the total amount of food and drink you have over the course of a week, or a month or longer, and how much energy you expend during that timeframe. Excess calories will be stored as fat over time, regardless of whether they are taken in during the day or night.
When it comes to eating late at night and the potential for weight gain, there are several considerations:

• Portion sizes — waiting to eat could lead to consuming larger portion sizes
• Quality of food — after a long day of work or school, a few slices of pizza or a fast burger may seem easier than steamed vegetables and broiled fish
• "Mindless snacking" — evenings spent studying, out on the town, or watching TV may lead to excess calories from fast, sugary, on-the-go options
• Health concerns — consistent periods of going without food followed by a large meal can negatively impact the interaction between blood sugar and insulin and make you more vulnerable to Type 2 diabetes.

So, to settle the debate, you are correct that late-night calories won't change your metabolism or magically count more than calories eaten during the day. However, limiting late-night meals and snacks may be an effective weight management strategy for some because it helps them to control their overall calorie intake. Some people find that if they set a time that they can't eat past, it helps minimize or eliminate the possibility of munching on a lot of high calorie foods. Another useful tip may to be to eat 4 or 5 smaller meals and snacks spread evenly throughout the day so you don't become overly hungry at any point. Following these tips can keep your energy levels consistent for work and play and can provide some long-term benefits to help you reduce your chances for diabetes or other health issues.
Bon appétit!

...and another answer...

Dear Alice, Though your metabolism IS constantly at work, it does slow down later in the day, especially if you are just dieting and not exercising. When you exercise your heart rate and metabolism both increase. In addition it is better to eat more meals and take in the same amount of calories because in doing so you keep your metabolism working. On the other hand if you eat less or worse starve yourself for several hours your metabolism slows down and potentially puts your body into a "starvation mode" where more insulin is released causing the body to store more fat. This is the most simple answer to this question.