Q. I've read a few articles, but I'm still really skeptical. I want to hear from someone who really knows before I try, instead of just reading testimonials.
I'm looking to lose these last stubborn 20-ish pounds that won't go away.
I'm looking to lose these last stubborn 20-ish pounds that won't go away.
A. No, they do not work. Weight loss is an overall process and there are no magic answers. Pay no attention to weight loss supplements and pills and all the latest fads. You need to think about many factors but most of them are related to issues we've known about for a very long time. There are many sensible things you can do that will make a tremendous difference over the long term if you need to lose weight. It can be done in a healthy way. This is what has worked for me.
Keeping a food journal really does help. It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.
Make a few additional small changes - walk everywhere, always use stairs instead of elevators, walk on escalators, get up and move around at least once an hour if your work or your life in general is sedentary, walk every day, use a pedometer. Walking 10,000 steps a day is a really good idea. Build up to a long brisk walk everyday, or most days. Be more active and watch less TV and spend less time on the computer. Buy one piece of exercise equipment to have at home and be strict with yourself about using it. Sometimes you can find mini-steppers or exercise bikes at second hand stores and thrift stores for just a few dollars.
Start a weight lifting routine. Join a gym. Possibly you can find one that has someone who specializes in weight lifting programs for beginners. Weight lifting will increase your metabolism as well as improve posture and appearance overall. Even if you can't get to the gym you can work out at home using things around the house. Invest in a good weight training book. The Dummies series actually has a good one.
In terms of diet, cut out or reduce things like junk food, pop, fat, fast food. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish. Particularly if you choose a vegetarian lifestyle include natural peanut butter, hummus, dried fruit and nuts. Pay close attention to getting the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.
Make your portion sizes smaller. Use a smaller plate - in our society we have become accustomed to thinking that we need a large plate of food at every meal, and we don't. About quarter of your plate of food should be protein and at least half of it should be veggies.
Learn to count calories. At your current weight and activity level, you may possibly need about 2000 calories or more to maintain your current weight. So you will lose weight at a reasonable and healthy rate if you cut back to about 1600 or 1700 calories a day.
Eat small amounts frequently, rather than three large meals. Never skip breakfast. Include some protein in your breakfast. It will help get you through the day.
Drink plenty of water, at least 8 big glasses of water a day, and more if it is very hot, if you sweat a lot, or if you are exercising intensely, and eliminate fruit juices. Fruit juices have too many calories, so get your vitamins from fresh fruit, not the juice. You will begin to see changes in your body.
Vary your routines. Don't eat the same number of calories every day (vary your calories from 1400 a day to 1900 or 2000 some days), eat a variety of foods, and do different kinds and amounts of exercise. You will lose weight much more efficiently if you mix things up from time to time so that your body doesn't adjust to any one routine.
An area that many people overlook is getting enough sleep. You are much more likely to overeat or to binge eat if you are tired and not well rested, so get enough sleep.
Check out websites about nutrition, exercise, weight training, etc. Here are a few helpful links.
http://www.nutrawatch.com/
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-the-Healthy-Way
http://weightloss.about.com/cs/fitness/a/aa011503a.htm
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/no-weight-workout?page=4
Keeping a food journal really does help. It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.
Make a few additional small changes - walk everywhere, always use stairs instead of elevators, walk on escalators, get up and move around at least once an hour if your work or your life in general is sedentary, walk every day, use a pedometer. Walking 10,000 steps a day is a really good idea. Build up to a long brisk walk everyday, or most days. Be more active and watch less TV and spend less time on the computer. Buy one piece of exercise equipment to have at home and be strict with yourself about using it. Sometimes you can find mini-steppers or exercise bikes at second hand stores and thrift stores for just a few dollars.
Start a weight lifting routine. Join a gym. Possibly you can find one that has someone who specializes in weight lifting programs for beginners. Weight lifting will increase your metabolism as well as improve posture and appearance overall. Even if you can't get to the gym you can work out at home using things around the house. Invest in a good weight training book. The Dummies series actually has a good one.
In terms of diet, cut out or reduce things like junk food, pop, fat, fast food. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish. Particularly if you choose a vegetarian lifestyle include natural peanut butter, hummus, dried fruit and nuts. Pay close attention to getting the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.
Make your portion sizes smaller. Use a smaller plate - in our society we have become accustomed to thinking that we need a large plate of food at every meal, and we don't. About quarter of your plate of food should be protein and at least half of it should be veggies.
Learn to count calories. At your current weight and activity level, you may possibly need about 2000 calories or more to maintain your current weight. So you will lose weight at a reasonable and healthy rate if you cut back to about 1600 or 1700 calories a day.
Eat small amounts frequently, rather than three large meals. Never skip breakfast. Include some protein in your breakfast. It will help get you through the day.
Drink plenty of water, at least 8 big glasses of water a day, and more if it is very hot, if you sweat a lot, or if you are exercising intensely, and eliminate fruit juices. Fruit juices have too many calories, so get your vitamins from fresh fruit, not the juice. You will begin to see changes in your body.
Vary your routines. Don't eat the same number of calories every day (vary your calories from 1400 a day to 1900 or 2000 some days), eat a variety of foods, and do different kinds and amounts of exercise. You will lose weight much more efficiently if you mix things up from time to time so that your body doesn't adjust to any one routine.
An area that many people overlook is getting enough sleep. You are much more likely to overeat or to binge eat if you are tired and not well rested, so get enough sleep.
Check out websites about nutrition, exercise, weight training, etc. Here are a few helpful links.
http://www.nutrawatch.com/
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-the-Healthy-Way
http://weightloss.about.com/cs/fitness/a/aa011503a.htm
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/no-weight-workout?page=4
im writing a paper on college students and gambling any ideas?
Q. i need ideas, about college students and how gambling is getting more popular among students and how it effects students there lives, good? bad? and any general ideas (brainstorming)
A. The author surveyed 1,350 undergraduate students at the 4 campuses of
Connecticut State University in 2000. 64 percent women and 36 percent
men responded to the survey. Most respondents were in the 18-20 year age
bracket and either lived with parents or spouse or in a residence hall.
Using the South Oaks Gambling Screen, they found that 18 percent of men
and 4 percent of women reported that gambling had led to at least 3 negative
life consequences, commonly defined as problem gambling. Students who
were identified as problem gamblers, compared with other students, were
significantly more likely to be heavy drinkers, report negative consequences
of alcohol consumption, and be regular tobacco and marijuana users.
Problem gambling was related to binge eating and greater use of weight control
efforts. University athletes were also found to have significantly
greater problem gambling rates than non-athletes.
NCAA 2004 National Study on Collegiate Sports Wagering and
Associated Health Risks, Executive Summary.
The goal of this study is to provide baseline information related to the level
of gambling behavior with the student-athlete population. A total of 20,739
surveys were received from Division I, II and III schools. 61 percent of
respondents were male and 37 percent were female. The study found that
males consistently reported engaging in gambling or sports wagering
4
activities in much higher proportions that their female counterparts. The
proportion of males reporting participating in any gambling behavior was
63.4 percent. Less than 5 percent of males at any division were categorized
as a problem or pathological gamblers. The gambling activities that student athletes
engaged in most frequently during the last 12 months include:
playing cards or board games for money, betting on games of personal skill,
lottery tickets, slot or electronic poker machines, sports cards, football polls
or parlays, or some other type of gambling.
LaBrie, R., Shaffer, H., LaPlante, D., and Wechslet, H. (2003).
Correlates of college student gambling in United States. Journal of
American College Health. 52 (2); 53-62.
The author reports findings from the first national survey of gambling
among college students. Information was collected from 10,765 students
attending 199 colleges. The study found that 42 percent of responding
students gambled in the last school year and 2.6 percent gambled weekly or
more frequently. The behaviors and characteristics of people who choose to
gamble matched those of people who binge drink. Gamblers compared with
nongamblers were more likely to binge on alcohol, use marijuana, smoke
cigarettes, use illicit drugs, and engage in unprotected sex after drinking.
The study found that the rate of college students that gambled within the last
year (42%) was lower than adults. Through the findings reported in this
article do not indicate a large national gambling problem among college
students, the promotion of gambling directed at college students and a
greater acceptance of Internet gambling could change the current situation.
The current rates are related to the number of available gambling venues.
Should those increase, as has been the case thus far, the rates may very well
increase.
Slutske, W., Jackson, K., & Sher, K. (2003). The natural history of
problem gambling from age 18 to 29.
More on the site listed below.
Connecticut State University in 2000. 64 percent women and 36 percent
men responded to the survey. Most respondents were in the 18-20 year age
bracket and either lived with parents or spouse or in a residence hall.
Using the South Oaks Gambling Screen, they found that 18 percent of men
and 4 percent of women reported that gambling had led to at least 3 negative
life consequences, commonly defined as problem gambling. Students who
were identified as problem gamblers, compared with other students, were
significantly more likely to be heavy drinkers, report negative consequences
of alcohol consumption, and be regular tobacco and marijuana users.
Problem gambling was related to binge eating and greater use of weight control
efforts. University athletes were also found to have significantly
greater problem gambling rates than non-athletes.
NCAA 2004 National Study on Collegiate Sports Wagering and
Associated Health Risks, Executive Summary.
The goal of this study is to provide baseline information related to the level
of gambling behavior with the student-athlete population. A total of 20,739
surveys were received from Division I, II and III schools. 61 percent of
respondents were male and 37 percent were female. The study found that
males consistently reported engaging in gambling or sports wagering
4
activities in much higher proportions that their female counterparts. The
proportion of males reporting participating in any gambling behavior was
63.4 percent. Less than 5 percent of males at any division were categorized
as a problem or pathological gamblers. The gambling activities that student athletes
engaged in most frequently during the last 12 months include:
playing cards or board games for money, betting on games of personal skill,
lottery tickets, slot or electronic poker machines, sports cards, football polls
or parlays, or some other type of gambling.
LaBrie, R., Shaffer, H., LaPlante, D., and Wechslet, H. (2003).
Correlates of college student gambling in United States. Journal of
American College Health. 52 (2); 53-62.
The author reports findings from the first national survey of gambling
among college students. Information was collected from 10,765 students
attending 199 colleges. The study found that 42 percent of responding
students gambled in the last school year and 2.6 percent gambled weekly or
more frequently. The behaviors and characteristics of people who choose to
gamble matched those of people who binge drink. Gamblers compared with
nongamblers were more likely to binge on alcohol, use marijuana, smoke
cigarettes, use illicit drugs, and engage in unprotected sex after drinking.
The study found that the rate of college students that gambled within the last
year (42%) was lower than adults. Through the findings reported in this
article do not indicate a large national gambling problem among college
students, the promotion of gambling directed at college students and a
greater acceptance of Internet gambling could change the current situation.
The current rates are related to the number of available gambling venues.
Should those increase, as has been the case thus far, the rates may very well
increase.
Slutske, W., Jackson, K., & Sher, K. (2003). The natural history of
problem gambling from age 18 to 29.
More on the site listed below.
What are some good Brain foods?
Q. I wanna know some good food that makes you concentrate better like in school. Stuff that really gives alot of juice to your brain.
A. Increase your mental agility and improve your memory by choosing the right foods:
Opt for wholegrain food :
Walk into a room and forget why you're there? Forget already what this article's about? Make sure you're eating a diet rich in a mix of wholegrain foods such as cereals, wheatbran, wheatgerm and wholewheat pasta. One study found that women who increased their folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 intake showed an improvement in recalling information compared to women who were not taking a supplement.
Enjoy oily fish :
The essential omega-3 fatty acids - found in oily fish, as well as fish oil, walnut oil and flaxseeds (linseeds) - are high in DHA, fatty acid crucial to the health of our nervous system. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. Fish also contains iodine, which is known to improve mental clarity.
Binge on blueberries:
Research from Tufts University in the United States and published in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that blueberry extract can improve short term memory loss. Widely available, so there's no excuse!
Eat more tomatoes:
There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's
Add vitality with vitamins :
Folic acid and vitamin B12 help prevent homocysteine from building up in the body - levels of which have been found to be higher in people who have Alzheimer's.
Fortified cereals are a great source of B12 and also contain complex carbohydrates which release energy over a long period and will keep you more mentally alert throughout the day.
Get a blackcurrant boost :
Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin is blackcurrants.
Pick up pumpkin seeds :
Just a handful a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.
Bet on broccoli:
A great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.
Sprinkle on sage :
Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet, too.
Go nuts :
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent poor memory. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, seeds, eggs, brown rice and wholegrains.
Brainpower supplements :
Two supplements are causing excitement within the medical world. The first Eye Q, a blend of high grade marine fish oil and evening primrose oil, is thought to boost brainpower in children. A study by Durham County Council and Mansfield College, Oxford, concluded that 40 per cent of the children sampled improved both their reading skills and attention spans when taking the supplements.
The second is called Ethos Endymion, which contains L-Carnosine, a strong antioxidant which appears to have dramatic results for a number of conditions: cataracts, improving skin tone, speeding up wound healing, and protecting the brain from plaque formation that may lead to senility and Alzheimer's. L-Carnosine is found in chicken and lean red meat so this powder supplement could be especially useful for veggies.
Also do maths, puzzles, quizes and crosswords .
Opt for wholegrain food :
Walk into a room and forget why you're there? Forget already what this article's about? Make sure you're eating a diet rich in a mix of wholegrain foods such as cereals, wheatbran, wheatgerm and wholewheat pasta. One study found that women who increased their folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 intake showed an improvement in recalling information compared to women who were not taking a supplement.
Enjoy oily fish :
The essential omega-3 fatty acids - found in oily fish, as well as fish oil, walnut oil and flaxseeds (linseeds) - are high in DHA, fatty acid crucial to the health of our nervous system. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. Fish also contains iodine, which is known to improve mental clarity.
Binge on blueberries:
Research from Tufts University in the United States and published in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that blueberry extract can improve short term memory loss. Widely available, so there's no excuse!
Eat more tomatoes:
There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's
Add vitality with vitamins :
Folic acid and vitamin B12 help prevent homocysteine from building up in the body - levels of which have been found to be higher in people who have Alzheimer's.
Fortified cereals are a great source of B12 and also contain complex carbohydrates which release energy over a long period and will keep you more mentally alert throughout the day.
Get a blackcurrant boost :
Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin is blackcurrants.
Pick up pumpkin seeds :
Just a handful a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.
Bet on broccoli:
A great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.
Sprinkle on sage :
Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet, too.
Go nuts :
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent poor memory. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, seeds, eggs, brown rice and wholegrains.
Brainpower supplements :
Two supplements are causing excitement within the medical world. The first Eye Q, a blend of high grade marine fish oil and evening primrose oil, is thought to boost brainpower in children. A study by Durham County Council and Mansfield College, Oxford, concluded that 40 per cent of the children sampled improved both their reading skills and attention spans when taking the supplements.
The second is called Ethos Endymion, which contains L-Carnosine, a strong antioxidant which appears to have dramatic results for a number of conditions: cataracts, improving skin tone, speeding up wound healing, and protecting the brain from plaque formation that may lead to senility and Alzheimer's. L-Carnosine is found in chicken and lean red meat so this powder supplement could be especially useful for veggies.
Also do maths, puzzles, quizes and crosswords .
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