You know what? Not everyone is the same. There is no one way of doing things because everyone is different. But finding out what works best for you is a game of trial and error until you realise what’s best for you.

For example, I tried desperately to workout after work so that my days off could be completely free. But no matter how hard I tried, it wasn’t working for me because I was far too tired after a full days work to go to the gym and it felt like it cut my evenings really short. So, I tried working out in the mornings of my days off. That was a bit hectic because lots of the machines weren’t free and there was a ton of people in there! So I changed it to lunch time – perfect! Not only do I get to have a bit of a lay in, but the gym is quieter and I still have the rest of the day to do stuff!

With food, I don’t like saying I’m not allowed certain foods because it makes me want them more! I want to be able to have chocolate and cakes, curries and fried food. But I feel so guilty when I do and it really does put on the pounds! So, how am I getting over this? Portion control was A LOT of work for me, but when I cut down my portions little by little, I was soon content with a small portion of my favourite food on my plate accompanied by more fresh vegetables and less sauces. Letting myself have a little instead of a lot of it helps me live without it a lot more, but because I’m still allowed it, I don’t feel like I’m on a horrible diet!

What really helps me a LOT, is not making food and exercise a big deal. I think of it as just changing how I eat and live in a positive manner. I’m not denying myself anything, I’m just improving my diet to something better. When I started out, I was constantly checking food labels and deciding what I could and couldn’t have and making going to the gym a big deal, that I HAD to go not matter what or I will be fat! Now, for some people that works, but not for me. It just makes me feel more depressed and it feels more like a chore or I just feel pressured. So now, I don’t make a big deal out of any of it. I know that on my days off, it’s gym day and I’ll go when I’m ready. I know what foods are best for me to cut back on and I have. Not because I’m forcing myself to, I’ve just realised that there’s healthier things I could have instead and that they are things that I like too!

Finding out how your brain ticks and how to cut back on things or how to do more exercise is a purely personal thing and no one can tell you what the best way is for your habits and your lifestyle. Best thing to do is document how and what you eat and your exercise regime and tweak it to being healthier and fitter. That’s when you can look up techniques and routines that might be good for you.

So try out what you think is for you, give it good time to see if it works for you, and go for it! If something doesn’t work, don’t get upset. We all know healthy eating and exercise will get you to where you want to be, but it’s up to you how you apply it.

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An astonishing study reveals shocking discovery

Keeping a light on at night could affect your eating schedule and add a few inches to your waistline, a new research in mice shows.

This 2010 study, done in Ohio state university, was published in journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and showed very interesting results. According to the researchers, mice exposed to a dim light at night gained 50 percent more weight over an eight-week period than mice that spent their nights in total darkness.

In the study, mice subjected to 16 hours of daylight and eight hours of dimmed light gained 0.4 ounces (12 grams) of body mass, whereas mice subjected to 16 hours of daylight and eight hours of darkness gained 0.3 ounces (8 grams) of body mass. The researchers fed all mice the same amount of food, and observed no difference in how much they moved around their cages.

How night light causes weight gain?

In many ways, our society now functions on a 24-hour-a-day schedule. Researchers have identified prolonged computer use and television viewing as obesity risk factors, but have focused on how they are associated with a lack of physical activity. The results from the above study suggest that such a schedule may impact metabolic function, leading to weight gain. It has been suggested that hormones that aid in metabolism are affected in humans exposed to light at night.

Night light could have reduced those hormones in mice, and coupled with a disruption in the mice’s internal clocks, could have been responsible for their weight gain. Mice exposed to light at night also showed altered feeding behavior, eating more during the rest phase, which may be responsible for the increased weight gain.

However, it’s not just the obesity that is associated with the night light or schedule. According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, there is growing evidence to exposure to light at night may pose an increased breast cancer risk, especially for shift workers. Interestingly, another small study of ten people has shown that when their sleep/wake schedule was inverted, their blood samples quickly showed symptoms that — left untreated — could lead to diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

In short, in the light of the above evidence, it can be said that consistent and continuous exposure to light at night may lead to weight gain, even without changing physical activity or eating more food. Therefore, as has been always believed, it’s not just the way you eat and what you eat but also the way you sleep that shapes your body.

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Know by the size & shape of your body!

Did you know your body proportions and belly fat can actually tell whether you are at risk of developing various diseases?

How do you measure your belly fat is the first step in knowing whether you are at increased risk or not.  The simplest method is to stand naked in front of a mirror without sucking in your gut. If your belly sticks out from your chest (not counting your breasts, if you’re a woman), you have too much belly fat.

Another way is to measure your waist, but don’t use your belt size. Men tend to wear their belts below their waists, leading them to think they’re thinner than they really are. To accurately measure your waist, use a cloth tape measure. Place one end of the tape measure on top of your belly button, wrap it around your back, and match up the other end at your belly button. Don’t suck in your belly as you take this measurement. If you’re a man with a waist larger than forty inches or a woman with a waist larger than thirty-five inches, you have a high risk of developing prediabetes and diabetes, as well as heart disease.

What are apples & pears?

Previous studies have found that where we store fat in our bodies can affect our health.

Accordingly, there are two basic body shapes – “apples” and “pears” – each exhibiting a different distribution of body fat. Apple-shaped individuals carry most of their excess body fat around their middle (abdomen), while pear-shaped people carry most of their excess body fat on their hips, buttocks and thighs.

Apple-shaped body: More fat around the waist means being apple-shaped. It is linked with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Pear-shaped body: Having a fat bum and thighs i.e. being pear-shaped has been suggested in some research to offer some protection against diabetes and high blood pressure.

One way to know if you’re an “apple” or a “pear” is to test your waist-to-hip ratio by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. This means, bigger your waist, relative to your hips, the greater your risk of developing pre-diabetes, diabetes, and heart disease.

Follow the previous instructions to measure your waist. Next, measure your hip circumference toward the top of your buttocks.

Now use a calculator to divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For example, if your waist is fifty four inches and your hips are forty inches, your waist-hip ratio is 1.35.

Here is what the different ratios mean:

• If your ratio is 0.95 (men) or 0.80 (women) or less, you have a low risk of developing prediabetes and diabetes and are not overweight.
• If your ratio is 0.96 to 1.0 (men) or 0.81 to 0.85 (women), you have a moderate risk.
• If your ratio is 1.1 (men) or 0.86 (women) or higher, you have a high risk.

In short, you can easily know by your body size and shape that whether you are overweight, obese or just normal. Remember, being aware of the problem is the first step towards its ultimate solution.

Know today for the better control tomorrow!

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A major issue in minors…

The epidemic of childhood obesity and overweight is accelerating day by day even at a greater speed than in adults. At present, in Europe alone, it is estimated that 14 million children are overweight and the number of children affected by overweight and obesity is now rising at more than 400,000 a year and already affects almost one in four across the entire EU. It should be noted that on a worldwide level, one in 10 children is overweight.

What can lead to childhood obesity?

Following key factors have been identified by many as potential risks for the development of obesity in childhood:

• Increase in use of motorized transport, e.g. to school.
• Fall in opportunities for recreational physical activity
• Increased sedentary recreation (indoor games or “sitting-games”)
• Multiple TV channels around the clock
• Greater quantities and variety of energy dense foods available
• Rising levels of promotion and marketing of energy-dense foods
• More frequent and widespread food purchasing opportunities
• More use of restaurants and fast food stores
• Larger portions of food offering better ‘value’ for money
• Increased frequency of eating occasions
• Rising use of soft drinks to replace water, e.g. in schools

What childhood obesity can lead to?

As in adults, obesity in children comes with a variety of serious consequences and complications such as:

• Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes: It is strongly associated with obesity – women who are obese are 12 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women of a healthy weight. Of particular concern is the emergence of type 2 diabetes, previously considered to be a disease of adulthood, in obese schoolchildren.

• Social and psychological consequences: These include stigmatization, discrimination and prejudice. Research has linked obesity with low self-image, low self-confidence and depression in children and adults.

• Coronary heart disease: The most common cause of premature death among obese people.

• Cancers: The links between cancer and obesity are less clear cut. The evidence is strongest for colon cancer: obesity increases the risk of this type of cancer by nearly three times in both men and women.

• Osteoarthritis and back pain are often associated with obesity, most likely resulting from excess weight.

What to do to control & prevent childhood obesity?

Positive eating environments: To promote positive attitudes toward a variety of foods and the consumption of healthful food choices, school policies should assure every child access to a nutrient-dense lunch (as well as breakfast and snacks in some schools), provide a pleasant, positive eating environment, and allow enough time to eat—at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Check on food quality: This is, perhaps, the most important single measure both parents and school can adopt to minimize the risk of childhood obesity in their children. Junk / fast food, carbonated drinks, fatty meals & too many sweets and candies not only have a major role in the development of obesity but could also lead to other potential disorders such as diabetes. It is therefore, advisable to eat healthy, well-balanced, nutrient-rich meals whenever child feels hungry. More water drinking and consumption of raw fruits & vegetables should also be promoted.

Physical activity opportunities for all children: Physical education classes or recess on a daily basis as appropriate can greatly contribute to a child’s access to physical activity. These experiences should provide a variety of activities so that every child has the opportunity to discover activities that he or she can succeed in and will enjoy.

Sensitive practices related to assessment, referral, and re-entry: Weighing and measuring students in a school setting can potentially have lasting stigmatizing effects (especially for larger students, shorter boys, and taller girls).

Finally, to effectively combat childhood obesity, it is also desirable for schools to develop a process for dealing with eating problems .This process starts with early detection of eating disorder warning signs and includes p a rental involvement and appropriate referrals. When a problem is diagnosed, the school can be helpful in supporting treatment plans. This is especially critical in the case of students re-entering school after inpatient treatment.

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Difference between being overweight & obese!

The term “overweight” has come to mean anything from a couple of pounds over your ideal figure to bordering on serious weight-related health concerns. Being overweight is something that many people struggle with in today’s modern society and it can be difficult to overcome.

In essence, being overweight comes down to eating more calories than the body expends (or burns up). If this process is prolonged, and the weight continues to climb, this can result in obesity.

Not only does being overweight come with a number of health concerns, it also has a negative impact on self-esteem and emotional well-being. In addition to this, westernized societies tend to place huge emphasis on the “ideal” body weight and this has lead many people down a dangerous path of yo-yo diets and “quick-fix” methods of weight loss in pursuit of that illusive slender figure.

What complications of Being Overweight?

If you are overweight health risks you are at risk of developing include:

● Heart disease

● High blood pressure

● Type 2 diabetes

● Elevated cholesterol levels

● Certain cancers

● Asthma

● Snoring

● Obstructive sleep apnea

● Loss of libido

● Pregnancy and birth complications

● Depression

● Liver disease

● Reduced immune system function

● Swollen joints and fluid retention

● Muscular aches and pains

● Gout

Are you overweight?

The most common measurement used to determine whether you should be concerned about you weight is the BMI (body mass index) which calculates your body weight in relation to your height. This ratio measurement is compared to other categories clinically classified as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese, and will give you a fairly accurate idea of whether your body weight is in the normal or excessive range.

How Does the Body Mass Index Test Work?

Body mass index is determined by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared and multiplying by 100. It can also be calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiplying by 705.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements are classified as follows:

Underweight: BMI below 18.5

Healthy weight: BMI between 18.5-24.9

Overweight: BMI between 25-29.9

Obese: BMI 30 or higher

What causes you to become Overweight?

There are a number of reasons why people become overweight although most commonly it is the result of consuming more calories each day than the body can expend and convert into energy. Excess calories are then stored as fat and the result is weight gain.

Tips for Losing Weight and Eating Healthy

● Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and try beginning each meal with a glass of water

● Cut down on the sugar! We often consume much more sugar than we are aware of on a daily basis.

● Try to have your main meal at midday, so that you have a chance to digest it. You should try avoiding food for at least 4 hours before bedtime, as once you are in bed, you have no opportunity to burn off those calories.

● Eat according to an eating plan. By planning healthy meals in advance, you will be less likely to eat unhealthily on the spur of the moment.

● It is a good idea to keep a daily record of your meals – it helps you to commit yourself and to be able to identify where things go wrong.

● Avoid calorie-counting, food weighing and obsessive weight watching! These things tend to stress you out and tend to trigger emotional eating spurges.

● Become active and take up a physical activity that you enjoy! Learn to love exercise and see it as something you get to do for yourself, and not as a must do chore. Even 30min a day will help to increase your metabolism.

● Remember to love your body, and what ‘god gave you’. No one is perfect, but if you address your weight from a health point of view, success can be that much easier to achieve! Eat to live, don’t live to eat

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