Fat vs. Fat, which is better?

I’m sure you know by now that saturated fats and trans fats are bad and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are good fats. But which one is better and why? Polyunsaturated fats include alpha-linolic and linolic acid. Both fats aid in hormone production, pain control such as reducing inflammation, reduction in cholesterol and pro-immune system benefits. In better detail, alapha-linolic acid is considered a part of the omega-3 category that includes flax seeds, canola oil, sardines, leafy dark greens, walnuts and wheat germ. Higher doses of omega-3 are found in cold-water fish such as salmon. On the other hand, linolic acid is a part of the omega-6 family and is found in soybeans, peanuts, corn and sunflower seeds. Both fats help decrease total cholesterol levels. Researchers have found that polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 & 6) maybe responsible for lowering low-density lipids as well as high-density lipids (HDL). Research is still being done on this subject.

Your diet should include a variety of “good fats” and less saturated fats such as, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter etc… These fats do contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated but the amounts are minimal and you would benefit more from fats that contained higher amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats include, olive oil and canola oil, avocados, which help lower LDL and increase HDL. Monounsaturated fats also help to prevent cell and tissue damage due to the fats ability to resist oxidation.

If your still trying to figure out which fat is best, just stick to moderation and balance. In other words, don’t consume too many polyunsaturated fats: balance it out.

Diet Pills

There are so many diet pills on the market with claims to aid in fast weight loss, but do they really work and how safe are they? Just a few weeks ago Jillian Michaels had a lawsuit brought against her company due to claims that her diet supplements will guarantee weight loss. Long story short the lady claims that the product didn’t work and she is suing for 5 million. Losing weight does not require taking a pill, in fact it’s a mindset and requires physical work and includes dedication and determination. Here a few things to think about before you purchase weight loss in a bottle.

There is more than a $175 million dollar market for pills that claim to aid in weight loss. Many of these products contained ephedra (prior to 2004), caffeine, diuretics etc… Today, most diet pills contain herbs and high doses of caffeine and herbs to aid in weight loss. Most people think because you purchase a supplement over the counter, it must be safe but this is not the case. In fact, some of these supplements can have adverse affects on your health. Taking a diet supplement that contains a high dose of caffeine combined with a cold medication that contains psudoephedrine can cause synergism (multiplied effect). Being that both are stimulants, they can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Some diet pills claim to decrease appetite, however this effect is short lived once your body adjust. Studies show that less than 30% of people who use an appetite suppressant actually experience the appetite suppression and in 1-3 days the appetite suppression effects are gone. Resulting in previous eating habits and weight gain. Perhaps this could be what the lady in Lake Elsinore experienced. Diet pills that contain diuretics and have laxative affects increase the risk of constipation, dehydration and electrolyte loss. The loss of electrolytes can cause chemical imbalances that can increase the risk of an irregular heart beat and cause harm to other vital body functions. In addition, the weight loss effects are short lived because the weight that is lost is water weight. Once fluid intake is increased the weight is back.

When it comes to weight loss your best bet is to get moving and adjust your calorie intake based on your activity level. People who follow crash diets loose weight right away but the weight that is lost is water weight and muscle wasting. There is no magic pill and true weight loss will come from your desire and actions to make it happen based on a healthy diet combined with exercise.

Did you really burn that many calories?

Nothing better than getting off the elliptical after an hour knowing that you’ve burned around 800 calories when it’s all said and done. But did you really burn that many calories in an hour? How accurate are the readouts on exercise equipment? Exercise equipment that allows you to input metabolic information will be more accurate as well as equipment that requires you to bear your own weight.

When it comes to burning calories, exercise equipment that requires input will be more accurate. For instance, using the elliptical that requires you to input your age and weight etc… will be more accurate compared to a stationary bike that doesn’t require that information. Also, using the elliptical verses the stationary bike will require more muscle groups and weight bearing, thus more metabolically demanding. Some machines are programmed to use formulas that calculate calories burned per mile relevant to the individual’s weight. Equipment that has default information will calculate calories burned based on programmed information. For instance, a person who moves faster on the machine, it will calculate the individual as weighting more, resulting in more calories being burned. However, the formulas that have been programmed into the machines may still not be as accurate due to additional information that is lacking, such as the amount of energy muscle uses compared to fat. The amount of calories muscles uses can vary from 13-45 cal/lb depending on the person (Cannon 66). In addition, the types of machines and the manufactures programming can vary. A few studies have shown that machines can overestimate the amount of calories burned by as much as 20% (Cannon 66). Another factor that counts in accuracy is that male and females are anatomically different. Males have more muscle mass than women; therefore use more calories.

When deciding what machine to use, choose the one that requires you to input your weight. If this information is not required on the machine, most machines will use a default weight resulting in less accuracy. Also, choose a machine that requires weight bearing. For instance, if you choose the treadmill, try not to use the handrails. Allow your arms to be at work by moving them as you run or walk. This will also increase the amount of calories you use. And for best accuracy try exercising longer than you normally do. For example, lets say you normally run on the treadmill for 30 minutes and burn around 500 calories, if you extend the time for an additional 5-10minutes, it will bring you closer to the actual amount of calories burned (Cannon 66).

Exercise provides many benefits and knowing the you’ve burned 500 plus calories makes the workout seem more worthwhile. However, try not to get so caught up on the amount of calories burned but stay focused on the benefits obtained;).


Cannon, Joe “Calorie Readouts On Exercise Equipment” Today’s Dietitian Jan. 2010: 66 print.

Relapse

Are you at the stage in your fitness program where you’ve been doing pretty good and feeling like this health thing is a good thing, up until yesterdays slip up?
Most people start exercise and nutrition programs gung-ho up until they have a slip up or start to feel burned out. Here are something’s you can do to stay feeling gung-ho without the feelings of guilt when you fall. Also, looking to your past can help better prepare for future slips.

Most people start fitness programs feeling good about themselves because they are about to make a change for the better. A healthy diet combined with exercise makes the best formula for success. Now that you have been following your routine for sometime, have you experienced the relapse phase yet? In other words, you’ve slipped up with your diet and now your ready to throw in the towel? If so, here are something’s you might want to think about to help put yourself in check. Just about every person I’ve ever trained has gone through the motions of relapse or slip ups. Studies show that 4 out of 5 people experience relapses with exercise programs. If you’re experiencing a relapse phase, don’t give up! In fact, you should plan for relapse and don’t spend a lot of time beating yourself up. Start by forgiving yourself and move on. One cheat or slip up with your exercise and diet program doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. If you give up completely the effects can be damaging to your health. Pat yourself on the back for the good work you have done and allow that to motivate you and keep going! Learn from your slip-ups and allow that knowledge to guide you to help avoid reoccurring relapses. If you keep visiting the same rock in the road, try going back to when you first started your fitness program, what was your mindset and why did you start on the journey to better health. Also ask yourself why should I give up, do the pro’s out weight the khans? And be realistic about your fitness goals. Making a goal of 5lbs a week is unrealistic. Lastly, allow yourself to be your teacher. Learn from your relapse, what triggered it, and what should you have done. This will better prepare you for future slips.

Everyone at some point has come to a struggle in their fitness programs, but the real winners are those who don’t give up. Even if that means that you stop and reevaluate yourself but avoid beating yourself up. Learn from that relapse and better prepare in the future. Sometimes being a bit of a looser often makes for the best winners;-)