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As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, eating a small amount of dark chocolate can help to curb some cravings for sweets. However, in this candyland world that we live in, some of us are going to need a lot more help in fighting sugar cravings than just sucking on a piece of dark chocolate. So today I would like to suggest some ways to fight sugar cravings that are natural and healthy.
 There are a number of ways to fight sugar cravings, such as eating some fruit, which contains natural sugars to satisfy your sweet tooth. Is the downfall of your diet usually a bowl of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream or a cupcake with heaped frosting on top? Perhaps the morning donut of your past is what you miss the most and you end up caving it after a few weeks of going without. If so, you may have to do more to fight your sugar cravings. If you have enjoyed sugary items for most of your life, and it always makes you feel better to eat such things, fighting them off is going to be especially hard for you. If this is you, then try these natural ways to fight sugar cravings so you can stay on track with your diet.
One of the best ways to fight sugar cravings is to make it a point to do so. Sounds simple enough, but we all know it is not. When you first reduce the amount of sugar you eat you are going to find it difficult for about a week or two, and then it is going to be much easier. You may even have headaches, but if you can make it through those first weeks, things are going to go much smoother. Remember that losing weight is not only changing how you eat, but also how you think. Try to fight your next sugar craving with some meditation. Sit back in your chair, breath deeply and visualize yourself reaching your weight loss goal, be it 10 pounds or a 100 pounds. Let yourself feel happy and proud of your accomplishment and fill your mind with positive thoughts. Doing this technique helps you to overcome the emotional craving for sugar, which is often triggered by stress and negativity.
One of the best ways to fight sugar cravings with food is to substitute processed, sugary snacks with protein snacks. Snacks that contain protein will satisfy your hunger and help to keep you full longer. One of the things I commonly use when I feel desperate for something sweet is a small protein shake using chocolate protein powder mixed with milk. Not only is my chocolate protein shake high in protein, but it is also supplemented with fiber, vitamins and minerals that make my body feel like it has eaten something really good. I find that these shakes help to get rid of sugar cravings and food cravings right away.
Another way to fight sugar cravings is to use artificial sweeteners if you think that would help, but remember these sometimes make sugar cravings worse. Artificial sweeteners are particularly good because they do not cause a big spike in insulin when eaten. Avoiding an insulin spike is important because when you insulin levels crash back down your body will demand more sugar, thus forcing you to crave more (see the post “Foods that Stabilize Blood Sugar” for more information). By the way, I do not recommend eating any foods that contain aspartame as an artificial sweetener because it has caused some serious health reactions in some people (see my review of aspartame here, “Health Effects Caused by Aspartame“).
As for snack foods that help to fight sugar cravings, the best option is to keep a stock of protein snacks, such as cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, nuts and small amount of fruit on hand. Of course, just because these foods are high in protein does not mean you can eat as much of them as you want. Portion control is very important with everything you eat, even healthier snack foods.
Perhaps one of the best ways to fight sugar cravings goes hand in hand with the saying “out of sight, out of mind”. The sight and smell of sugary foods can trigger and insulin response in your body that is going to propell you towards getting a sugar fix (see this interesting post about “Insulin Response to Sight and Smell of Sweet Foods“). For this reason, you should remove the tempation by keeping sugary treats out of your grocery cart. Ask members of your family to eat these items away from home (and you), or in another room so that you are not being constantly tempted and tested. Instead look for sources of natural sugars to get your sweet fix. Things like fruits are a great choice, whether dried or fresh. Do your best to just walk away from all processed sugary foods, including high carb prepackaged foods, as they can mimic sugar in the body and up your cravings.
Another suggestion for ways to fight sugar cravings is to include more vitamin B3 in your diet. Vitamin B3, otherwise known as Niacin, is found naturally in foods high in protein, such as eggs, meat, dairy and peanuts and some other foods such as mushrooms and leafy greens. Thus, if you begin eating more protein in your diet, you will naturally raise the level of vitamin B3 you consume. Using Vitamin B3 to fight cravings is something the founder of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) swore worked for him with alcohol cravings, and it is said to work with sugar cravings as well. However, consuming a lot of vitamin B3 is not something you should do without talking with a doctor or pharmacist. Vitamins are needed by the body, but can be unhealthy and even dangerous if you take too much.
The next time you are struggling with a sugar craving take a few minutes to evaluate your options. While you are thinking of all the ways to fight sugar cravings and choosing the best one to try slowly drink a big glass of cold water. As you may know, drinking water is not only essential for keeping your metabolism going, but it may also help to fight cravings, be it for food or sugar.
As I was slowly dissolving my daily ration of dark chocolate on my tongue last night and savoring the rich taste, it occurred to me that I had not yet mentioned the many health and emotional benefits of eating chocolate, particularly if you’re trying to lose weight. If you are someone who loves chocolate and has had to give it up for your diet, then deprive yourself no further. Not only are some types of chocolate healthy, but they may also help to increase weight loss, which is a win-win for all of us dieting chocolate lovers.
 Eating dark chocolate in moderation can offer many health benefits, including an increase in weight loss. If someone were to tell you that you can have chocolate in your diet and lose weight, you would probably think they had gone mad. Chocolate is full of fat and sugar, which are two huge no-no’s when trying to lose weight. However, there is a time and place for chocolate in any diet if you know more about it. If you learn how much you can consume, you can have some. Not only are some types of chocolate good for you, but there is growing evidence that chocolate increases weight loss when eaten in moderation.
The key to enjoying chocolate on a diet is not only moderation, but the type of chocolate that you have. Your common milk chocolate bar is not okay, and will add empty calories to your diet. However, if you learn to use unprocessed dark chocolate, you have found the key to enjoying the taste of chocolate and all of the health benefits that come from it.
Dark chocolate has the same mood lifting benefits as milk chocolate, but it also delivers Serotonin, dopamine, and tryptophan (also see this article “L-Tryptophan – Tryptophan and Weight Loss“) in a more healthy way. Not only do these components of chocolate give you an emotional high, but they can lower your risk of becoming depressed (or lift existing depression), and help curb food cravings. Cocoa in dark chocolate can also help suppress appetite. Not bad for something you probably considered off limits.
Not only does eating chocolate increase weight loss by these means, but dark chocolate cocoa also includes fiber, which is always great for the body. It keeps the digestive system working and moving. Fiber will also leave you feeling fuller for longer periods of time, and some believe it can block some fat absorption (for more information, see the post “How Fiber Helps Weight Loss“). There are also vitamins and minerals in cocoa too that can help the body with muscle repair after exercise and may offer a small energy burst when you need it. If you feel good, and have energy, exercise is going to be much easier and welcome.
If all these wonderful health benefits weren’t enough, it is also thought that chocolate increases weight loss by means of the antioxidants it contains, called flavonoids. These antioxidants aid digestion and help to stabilize blood sugar levels, which keep your mood stable and your food cravings under control. As an added benefit, antioxidants also help to rid the body of free radicals that can cause cancer.
The trick to enjoying dark chocolate without blowing your diet is to eating it in moderation. You should find some great recipes that incorporate dark chocolate without too much extra sugar. There are great ways to make diet desserts that have chocolate and that can be enjoyed on any diet. You can sprinkle unsweetened dark chocolate over fruit. The natural sugars add the sweetness you desire.
Of course, for the true chocolate lovers, savoring a small piece of dark chocolate can be a soothing and delightful experience. I will often buy an organic dark chocolate bar and ration it over a week. One piece in the evening when I’m craving a treat is all it takes to make me feel better.
I was feeling much better about myself this morning when it was time for my weekly weigh in. Although I spent the majority of last week acting like I was still on vacation (not enough cardio and still eating too much), I now feel like I am back on track. This week is going to be a good diet week, I’ve promised myself that.
This morning’s weigh in result was…
211 lbs
I’ve lost three pounds over the past week. That’s pretty good considering. Hopefully next week’s weigh in will be even better.
I was taking the bus into work yesterday morning and I started making small talk with the woman sitting next to me. She was a mother of two, her youngest child now about three years old. As we were transported along she explained to me how she really, really wanted to lose weight. She had gained quite a bit of weight through both pregnancies and now she was desperate to shed those pounds. When I asked her what she was doing to try to lose weight she looked at me and said very sadly, “I can’t afford a gym membership so I can’t lose weight”. This comment took me completely by surprise. It occurred to me that there is probably a large percentage of people who use a lack of money as an excuse not to go on a diet or exercise. If you are one of these people who are using money as an excuse not to lose weight then keep reading because here’s what you need to know for weight loss done cheap.
 Don't let money stand in the way between you and your weight loss goals. There are many things you can do to lose weight cheaply. There are many reasons why dieting may seem like huge sticker shock for your wallet. Sadly, eating better and healthier foods can be more expensive (I have discussed this in my previous post “Will Rising Gas Prices Make Americans Fatter?“). Those foods you can pick up that are cheap and easy to make are often the last things that you should be eating. If you do not have a lot of money, but are determined to lose weight, there are things that you can do so that dieting is cheap and within your budget. You just have to use your imagination and find the best deals out there.
One of the biggest and best way to save money is in regards to exercise. Some feel that they have to join a gym and get a personal trainer to make the most of their workout. That is a great idea, but it is not the only effective way to exercise. There are hundreds of free ways that you can get a good workout. You can walk, job, ride a bike, or go skating – if you already have a bike or skates. You can join a local sports group or just spend time playing games in the yard with your children. If you think about it, there are great, free options out there and they are all good forms of exercise (for more suggestions see the posts “Fun Exercises that Help You Lose Weight“, “Exercises You Can Do While Sitting” and “Exercises You Can Do at Work“).
Buying healthy foods on a budget is a bit harder, but it can easily be done if you take your time. The key is to come up with healthy recipes that you can make from scratch. That means more time in the kitchen preparing your food, but that saves fat, calories, or carbs, depending on what diet you are going to do. Opening something and throwing it in the microwave saves time and money, but the food is no good for you. Even the preservatives are bad and can throw off your health.
Portion control is one way to save money. As a bonus, that is also a staple of a good diet program. If you are going to buy chicken breasts, find out a typical portion size and freeze what you are not using in individual baggies. That allows you to only eat what you need and save money by having more to go around. You can also buy other things in bulk that can be frozen or used in many different meals throughout the week. Again, this requires more cooking from scratch, but it saves money and keeps meals more healthy.
You can also avoid a lot of cost by making a grocery list and sticking with it. I am a big believer in sitting down on the weekend and planning out my meals for the next week. Not only does this mentally prepare me for the days to come, but it keeps me from buying foods (particularly snacks) that I do not need (you can read my post about meal planning here “Daily Meal Planning“). If you go to the grocery store with a shopping list then you will be much less likely to buy things on impulse, a habit that can kill any budget. Not only that, but food waste, which is also a big waste of money, should go way down because you are buying what you plan to eat and nothing more.
A few last shopping tips for weight loss done cheap are: buy in bulk, clip grocery coupons, buy fruits and vegetables from a local farmer’s market and limit how much you eat outside. Buying food in bulk is a no-brainer for saving money, but does take some time to portion it out and freeze it. Foods that suit this best are ones that can be frozen, such as meats, soups and some vegetables and fruits. Another no-brainer, which is often overlooked, is the benefit of taking a few minutes to look for grocery deals and coupons in the weekend paper. These little savings can really add up over time. Buying your fruits and vegetables from a local farmer’s market is much less expensive than buying these foods from a large chain grocery store, and they generally tend to be healthier for you. Finally, stick to your meal plans and pack yourself healthy lunches for work or school every day. Although eating out of the home saves some time, it does not save you money, especially when you have a refrigerator full of food at home.
As you can see, there are many easy things you can do to make losing weight an inexpensive part of your lifestyle. Making excuses to yourself, such as “I can’t lose weight right now because I can’t afford it” is just that – an excuse. Although you may want to join that weight loss program that has you spending hundreds of dollars on their products and “support”, or you may want to join the local fitness center with the steep monthly fees, these things are not critical to your weight loss success. Weight loss done cheap is as effective and successful as weight loss that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. If losing weight is something you really want to do, don’t let money stand in your way.
The best rule of thumb to keep in mind whenever you see some really persuasive advertising for weight loss products is this, “If it looks too good to be true, it is”. Not once have I ever come across a weight loss product that didn’t follow this rule. “Lose 15 pounds in one week”, “Eat anything you want and still lose weight”, “Lose weight easily with no exercise” – these are all catch phrases from fad weight loss products that sound amazing, but are all lies.
 Some advertising for Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) suggests this therapy promotes weight loss, however the FDA claims this is just false advertising. This past weekend I was reading up on the latest weight loss trends when I saw an advertisement for EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulation). I was curious about this product and did some reading up online about it. What seemed most fascinating was that it claimed it could do your exercising for you. Even me, a person who counts my calories and exercises every day, would buy a product immediately if it meant that I could strap it on and burn calories while I blog or watch TV. Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed once again as it turns out that electric muscle stimulation is a poor choice for weight loss.
While electric muscle stimulation (EMS) sounds like something you see only in movies, it is a real thing used in the world of sports and medicine. This technique for moving and stimulating muscles has been around for centuries, but as you can imagine, the early techniques were primitive. This is something that trainers use to work on specific muscles or muscle groups to work them without exercise. The main theory behind EMS is that it will reduce muscle fatigue and increase endurance. However, it may not be as useful as real exercise to the average athlete or dieter.
For the most part, EMS is used as a therapeutic or physical therapy tool, or can be used during athletic training. This therapy can stimulate a muscle that has been damaged or underused to get it moving again. This might be the best alternative for someone who can not exercise in the traditional way, but is in great need of muscle stimulation and repair. For athletes, this may help with problem areas that are not responding to normal exercise and training. Electric muscle therapy can target a single muscle, which can be hard to do through traditional exercises.
Some would think that this would be a great way to burn calories without having to go through the exertion of exercising each day. However, it is not as easy as hooking up to a machine to have it work your muscles or muscle groups for you. In theory, this is a great way to work on your abdominal muscles, for example, and there are a number of personal electric muscle stimulation products out there just for that reason. However, the truth with having fab abs is that the underlying muscles can not appear without getting rid of the fat layer lying over top, and that fat cannot disappear with muscle stimulation alone (See this great article if a six pack is your dream – “How to Get a Six Pack“).
The body can not burn off calories through muscle stimulation alone, which is why electric muscle stimulation is poor for weight loss. The entire body has to be engaged in physical activity in order for the full effect of weight loss can be found. This includes engaging the heart and lungs in exercise that increases heart rate and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. You can not get this with EMS, therefore is not a tool that can be used in place of getting up and getting your body moving.
The Keto Clinic is an international company that claims their dose of EMS is equivalent to six hours of exercise, and along with a high protein and low carb diet, will help someone lose weight. However, these claims have been widely disputed, and any EMS machines in the US are not to be advertised as weight loss tools as specified by the FDA. Also, as it happens the Keto Clinic is now in liquidation. There have been reports of heart attacks and burns from the machines. Weigh your options carefully before you decide to try something like this for weight loss. Sorry to say, but it’s back to the gym for us.
If you have been dieting for long enough, you may have tried each and every type of diet out there. Some are good, but most fail in one way or another. Perhaps one of the best ways to come up with an eating plan that does work for you specifically is to put together your own. Take the parts and pieces of other diets that have worked for you and blend them together. This is what I have done and for the first time I feel like I have a diet that works for me. Of course, when piecing together your diet, remember that you want it to be safe and balanced, but you also want it to work. One really important element you should consider for your diet is how much protein you are eating (check out this great post about “Daily Protein Requirements“) and how it can help to curb hunger.
 One of the easiest and healthiest ways to curb hunger during the day is to eat some protein with your breakfast and lunch meals. Protein comes in many forms with the most common and obvious being meat. However, there are other sources if you want to stay away from eating too much meat in your weekly diet. No matter where you get your protein, understand why you need it and what it can do for you. One of the best things about protein, other than it being essential for good health and rebuilding muscle tissue, is that protein curbs hunger. If you have ever been on the Atkins Diet or the South Beach Diet, you may already know this.
Protein is harder to digest and stays in the system longer (for example, red meat takes 1 to 3 days to digest, see “The Truth about Red Meat Digestion“). That means your stomach feels fuller for longer periods of time. When that happens, you may look at food that you would normally be craving only to decide you simply are not hungry. If you start out the day with a good source of protein and/or fiber, you may be well nourished until lunch without having to overeat because you are starving by the time the noon hour comes along.
High Protein Food that helps to Curb Hunger
There are a number of foods that are particularly high in protein. Try adding one of these foods to your breakfast and lunch meals to help curb your hunger during the day.
- eggs
- low-fat cheese
- low-fat cottage cheese
- skim milk
- low-fat yogurt
- tofu
- soy milk
- black, pinto, soy, kidney and lima beans
- lentils
- peanut butter
- peanuts
- almonds
- pumpkin seeds
- flax seeds
- fish
- chicken breast (skinless)
- steak
- low-fat ham
- pork chop
- oatmeal
- brown rice
Be aware that too much protein is just as bad as none at all. Strike a good balance by adding a bit more each week to see what works for you. In some cases, those on a higher protein diet find that they are not hungry to the point where they have to force themselves to eat. That may sound ideal if you are trying to lose weight, but if that happens you may not get enough calories. If you feel that way, back off on your amounts a bit until some small portion of your appetite reappears. It’s a great benefit how protein curbs hunger, but you should still only do this in moderation – don’t go overboard.
If you are looking for a few good ways to add protein into your diet, think about a few protein rich snacks. Since eggs are high in protein, a boiled egg is a great idea. Deviled eggs are good too, but remember to watch the fat content in them. Meat jerky is good, but you have to watch sodium and sugar. Cottage cheese, mozzarella sticks, yogurt or a small handful of peanuts are great for protein snacks, and you may also want to try prepackaged protein shakes or bars.
I mentioned a couple days ago that I have set up an account with FitDay.com and I’ve started tracking my food intake closely. To be honest, up until this point I thought I had a pretty good idea of how many calories I was eating every day, but when you keep track of everything it is always surprising to see how quickly calories add up. If you think you have your diet figured out, but are still struggling to lose weight, I strongly recommend that you track the calories of everything you eat for a week. You may be surprised about what your calorie consumption really is.
 Following the Raw Food Diet will improve overall health and can help form better eating habits necessary for weight loss and weight management. Calories aside, another great benefit of FitDay.com’s diet tracker is that it calculates other important nutritional information, such as the amount of carbohydrates, fats, saturated fats, sodium and protein you consume each day. It also gives a full breakdown of how much some vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, D, C, B and calcium you eat. Really interesting stuff for those of us fascinated by what’s in our food. Every day so far I have been dreadfully deficient in most vitamins and minerals, which was a huge eye opener for me. This is a result of not enough fruits and vegetables and too much processed foods.
Although I have only been tracking this information for a few days, it is brutally clear that my intake of processed foods is way too high. I can see negative effects of this in the amounts of sugars, saturated fats and sodium I am eating every day and I would like to work towards a more natural diet. Not only do processed foods not fill you or help to curb hunger, but they are nutritionally deficient and full of empty calories. If you are trying to lose weight and you eat a lot of processed foods, this may just be the thing that is sabotaging your diet.
Today I have decided to stop eating so many processed foods and just stick with fruits and vegetables for the most part. This will require changing my weekly meal plan, but my meals will be more nutritionally balanced. Although I still don’t intend to strictly follow any type of diet, I am hoping to work towards eating habits that are similar to the Raw Food Diet. I have done quite a bit of reading about this diet in the past and think that it may be just what my body needs, both for continuing weight loss and for becoming healthier.
When you hear about the Raw Food Diet, you may rightly assume the dieter eats raw foods. However, it is not quite as simple as that. There is a theory behind this diet that does make some sense in a scientific manner, and it is a diet that can help a person eat a healthier menu each day. The best part about the Raw Food Diet is that it is relatively simple and just about anyone could do it if they wish. If you like fresh fruits and vegetables, this is definitely a good diet plan for you.
Those that follow this diet are told to eat at least three quarters of their calories each day from raw foods. That means some cooked items are allowed and encouraged to keep the diet from becoming too boring. The foods recommended for the raw part of the diet include vegetables, fruits, sprouts, nuts, beans, all types of seeds, fresh juices, purified water, and even seaweed, just to name a few. These foods should be organic if possible, as that means less chemicals going into the body (see my post “Eating Organic Foods” for more information).
Those that swear by the Raw Food Diet believe that this style of eating can help with many aspects of human health. This includes, but is not limited to, having better skin, a better working digestive system, more energy throughout the day, lower risk of stroke and heart attack, and weight loss for those that have weight to lose. Also, by following this diet, the levels of bad fats (trans and saturated fats) are lowered to healthy levels, thus adding to the health benefits.
The belief is that cooking any foods over 116 degrees will kill or greatly diminish the essential enzymes that are naturally found in the recommended foods. There is some truth to this, as it is known that overcooking vegetables can also deplete the vitamins and minerals that are naturally included. Eating these raw, or cooked under that temperature of 116 degrees, preserves the natural health benefits that come with eating these foods.
The Raw Food Diet is easy to follow and is essentially healthy, but some people may not want to go on this diet without consulting with a doctor. Those that are pregnant or nursing should not follow this diet, and it is not appropriate for children. Those with anemia should ask a doctor first, as should those who have problems with calcium intake and absorption. Anyone on a diet can become deficient in some vitamins and minerals, so a daily vitamin supplement is encouraged.
Losing weight on a raw food diet is very likely as long as you control portion size and continue to watch calorie consumption. Although raw foods have nutritional benefits over processed foods, this does not mean that they are low in calories. Also, when losing weight on a raw food diet, make sure to incorporate proteins, such as poultry, dairy, and legumes, and whole grains. By following this type of diet you will consume more fiber and protein that both help to satiate appetite and curb hunger between meals and snacks.
I can’t tell you how many times a friend or acquaintance has said to me, “I’ve tried to lose weight, but I just can’t”. I know how they feel. When you think you have given a good effort to shed some weight, only to step up on the scale day in and day out and see the same number, or even be gaining instead of losing, it can be a very frustrating experience (see my post “Gaining Weight when Dieting“). For the most part, however, it has been my experience that a lack of weight loss is due to nothing more that poor dieting techniques, such as consuming too many calories, not exercising enough, not drinking enough water, and too much cheating.
 There are a number of factors that may cause a slow metabolism, which can make losing weight that more difficult. On a number of occasions I have met people who claim they cannot lose weight, not because of a lack of effort or poor dieting, but because they have a slow metabolism. Although the personal trainers and dietitians from ‘The Biggest Loser’ may not take this as a valid excuse for not losing weight, it is true that some people’s metabolism is slower than others. Does this mean that if you struggle to lose weight you can just chalk it up to a slow metabolism and be done with it? Of course not. What it does mean is that you will have to work even harder to lose weight, but you can still succeed.
If you are having problems losing weight, you may be tempted to blame it on your metabolism. This is not always a cop out, it can be a very real reason why some can’t lose weight, or take a long time to lose just a little bit. If you understand what causes a slow metabolism you can do more about taking care of these issues when you want to lose weight. That can make things a whole lot easier when dieting.
One of the most common causes of a slow metabolism is aging. This is something you really can not do much about, but that does not mean you have to let it beat you. As you age, your metabolism slows down. When you hit your thirties you may notice this for the first time. However, that drop in your metabolism is not as big as you may think. You can make up the difference with a few more minutes of exercise each time you work out. However, when you turn sixty, that difference will be more noticeable. Add menopause to that, it can be very hard to lose at an older age, but that does not mean you can not do it.
You may not be aware of your thyroid until it takes a turn on you and this can result in a slower metabolism. The thyroid is a gland in the neck that regulates how you burn calories and regulate hormones – to keep it in simple terms. If your thyroid begins to fail, you will get what is known as hypothyroidism. This means your body is going to pile on the pounds and you are going to feel sluggish and weak. If you develop hyperthyroidism, you are going to have the opposite problem. You will lose weight quickly (and probably at an unhealthy rate) and may feel high strung and out of sorts at times. Both are problems that must be taken care of by a doctor and often require medications for treatment.
There are other more serious conditions that can cause you to maintain and/or gain weight when you are doing all you can to lose it. I previously wrote a blog post about this topic – you can give it a read here “Health Conditions that cause Weight Gain”. If these are metabolic, the problems are probably going to be about more than weight loss. If for any reason you feel you metabolism is not what it should be, and if your body is responding to anything in a new and uncomfortable way, you should consult with your doctor. Beyond weight loss, fixing such problems can mean a long and healthy life. Without treatment, metabolism problems can mean more than hanging on to a few extra few pounds.
For more excellent information about metabolism, please refer to these articles: “Speed Up Your Metabolism” and “Foods that Boost Metabolism“.
Well, here I am back to normal in my job and life after a glorious three-week vacation in sunny Mexico. My tan is quickly fading already, but my relaxed mood will hopefully carry on for days to come. It was the best vacation yet.
As you all know, losing or maintaining your weight when you go on vacation is nearly impossible unless it is specifically a holiday for losing weight like the ones I wrote about in my post “Weight Loss Vacations“. I was absolutely dreading my weigh in this morning. When I left I swore to stick to my diet and I didn’t do too badly, not great though, but what really lacked over the past three weeks was exercise. I tried my best, but in the hot Mexico sun exercising is twice as hard. Unless it’s in the water, it’s almost unbearable.
Before I left for vacation I had just reached my goal of losing 30 pounds in three months. My weight at my last weigh in (now four weeks ago) was 206lbs. At this morning’s weigh in my weight was…
214 lbs
I’m devastated, but at the same time I was expecting at least an eight pound weight gain, maybe even more. OK, that’s enough of feeling bad about this, now it’s time to do something about it.
 Diet and fitness trackers are an excellent way to keep track of your weight loss progress. I’ve never used an online diet and fitness tracker before, but I have seen many people using them and was interested in giving one a try. This morning I signed myself up with FitDay.com, which is a free diet and fitness tracker online. I am really impressed by the number of things you can track here other than just your weight. For example, you can easily track not only calories but how much fat, carbohydrates and protein is in the foods you eat. It also tracks your physical activities and the amount of calories your burn, your moods, your body stats (e.g. waist size, bicep size, etc.) and more. Of course there is also a weight loss journal where you can keep track of your personal thoughts and feelings as you go along. All and all, fitday.com looks really fun and I am excited to give it a try as I work towards my new weight loss goal of weighing 170lbs by August 23rd, this means losing 44 pounds in four months (this was the goal I set for myself before I left on vacation – see the post “The Best Time to Start a Diet“). Now I really have my work cut out for myself, but I think that using this new diet tracker will prove to be much more beneficial than writing everything down on paper every day, or not keeping track at all.
If you have ever carried around a booklet to keep track of calories, or perhaps a notebook to write down each thing that you eat, you know that keeping track is a great way to stay on course with your healthy eating and fitness plan. You also know that this can be a pain and can mean a lot of complicated math. Today, whether keeping track of calories or miles walked, there are great online trackers that take most of the work out of the endeavor for you while keeping the most accurate count you can get. Take advantage of some of these useful and sometimes free trackers to make your life more simple.
Fitday.com: This site has over four million users. If you look for advice on trackers online, you will probably see this site mentioned more often than not. Not only is Fitday free, it has a paid version that you can get if you wish. However, the free version is very good and is usually all that someone will need. Not only can you track your calories and nutrition, you can track your exercise as well. Fitday also offers a free online journal.
Prevention.com: Prevention is a great health site that deals with all aspects of health and well-being. They have free health trackers that you can use if you sign up for an account. Not only can you track food and exercise, you can track measurements, mood, stress levels, caffeine intake, or just about anything else you think might help you in your fitness or weight loss goals. They have graphs and reports to help you understand how well you are doing and what you may need to improve upon. Prevention also has a monthly magazine that I am a subscriber to. It is one of the best health magazines out there for women and is a great read.
iGoogle: Most people are already familiar with Google, but they do not know that they offer a calorie counter. Though this is not as extensive as some of the other trackers you can find online, Google’s calorie tracker may be all that some dieters need. You enter your foods and find out how much you are eating in calories each day.
OnlineFitnessLog.com: This site is not free, but it may be worth the membership fee. You can get a free trial when you sign up to see if this site is right for you. They give you the tools that you need to keep track of your diet, exercise, and can even help determine your basal metabolic rate. You can customize your foods, exercises, and they help international users convert their units of measure. They also offer detailed reports to let you know how you are doing as you go.
What you may not know about prescription drugs may surprise you. Many drugs start out with one purpose but end up treating something else entirely. Viagra is a great example of this. This drug was initially tested as a drug to help with heart problems. However, one dramatic side effect was documented and this drug is now marketed for erectile dysfunction. This happens with other drugs as well, and Vigabatrin may be yet another in this class of drug.
 Vigabatrin is a drug that is showing promise as an effective prescription diet pill that can help control binge eating behaviors. Vigabatrin was produced as a drug that could help or even cure those with addiction problems and help with seizure disorders. Those using street drugs and other addictive substances may benefit from taking this. However, when trials run by the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, a surprising event occurred. The drug was given to obese and non-obese lab rats. All of these animals lost weight. Those getting the higher dose (300 mg) lost more weight than those given the lower doses ( 75 or 150 mg).
The drug was shown effective in treating behaviors that lead to drug abuse, and also can be seen as a possible solution for treating severely obese humans. The drug blocks the binge eating behaviors that leads (most of the time) to obesity. This lends credence to the thought that some people with addictive tendencies can become addicted to certain types of food as easily as they could become addicted to alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, or other addictive substances.
During the study, those animals that were bred to be obese lost 19 percent of their body weight while they were on a daily dose of the drug Vigabatrin. Those that were not obese when the study began lost 12 to 20 percent of their body weight. The study was conducted with some animals receiving saline injections instead of the drug as a study control. The results were that they did not lose what the animals on Vigabatrin lost, if they lost anything at all.
Vigabatrin may be the new prescription diet pill that severely obese patients can use to get a handle on their health and to control their weight, possibly for life. However, Vigabatrin use for weight loss is not appropriate for everyone and it should be considered very carefully when offered as a weight loss alternative. Whether Vigabatrin ends up being the newest prescription diet pill for effective weight control remains to be seen, but it is nice to know that advances are still being made.
As a thirty-something, I feel like in my youth I was witness to the evolution of video games. I still play with my old Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and find the games, such as Mario Brothers and Legend of Zelda completely entertaining. And it boggles my mind when I can then plug in my Xbox and play some of the best graphically-designed games out there (personal favorite is Gears of War). Yes, my pile of video game consoles on my living room floor next to the big screen is testament that I am a child of the video game generation.
 A new generation of video games, such as Wii Fit and EA Active, are designed to help you get in shape and lose weight and have fun doing it. My husband and I spent a number of afternoon and evenings standing in lineups trying to buy a Wii when they first came out. We eventually got one and, although the graphics are simple, we found the games really fun to play. For hours we would play bowling, golf and tennis and this was one of the first times that my husband and I actually exercised together, although neither one of us considered it exercise at the time. And then I realized that I can play Mario Cart Wii while I do the elliptical, which is located in one of the corners of the living room. I now pass an hour or more exercising away while I drive Mario through a maze of other crazy drivers, red shells, bullets and bombs and it is the most enjoyable hour ever, even if I am working my butt off.
So what does all this have to do with losing weight? For a very long time, group exercise came in two forms. You could go to the gym and get a workout with a class leader, or you could rent an exercise videotape or DVD (one of my personal favorites was “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” with Richard Simmons, more for laughter therapy than anything else). These worked well, but people did tend to get tired of using the same workout time and time again, and they would eventually quit working out all together. After that, pay per view or on-demand television made it easy to find new workouts. However, these can be limited as well. And now, as we become well-embedded into this new era of technological gadgetry it seems only suiting that there is a new generation of video games that are specifically designed to help you get more exercise and lose weight too.
Perhaps the first type of video game that showed gaming was not just for people who sat on the couch for hours on end was meant for pure fun. There can be activity with video gaming that can help people get in and stay in shape. Dance, Dance Revolution (as an example) was something that came out in homes and you could also find it in video game arcades around the country. There is no way you can play this game sitting down, and you can not sit still. You win by getting the most dance moves right, and some who loved the game said it was highly addictive.
Today, Wii Fit is everywhere. It is quite expensive, but it can be a great investment if you want a fun and ever changing way to work out. There are Wii games you can play that require you to mimic the activity of the game. Some examples are golf, tennis, or even running. Now, Wii Fit has all types of accessories that can help someone do cardio workouts, strength training, and yoga. Wii Fit also has an interactive channel that allows the user to track BMI and weight.
Ubisoft has created something called My Weight Loss Coach. This is something like a video game, but it helps a dieter or athlete to track nutrition and physical activity, and has a pedometer feature as well. This was developed with a personal trainer/fitness coach and nutritionist. This game, made for the portable Nintendo DS, should work with someone at their own skill level instead of thinking one size will fit all.
For some competition for Wii Fit, EA Sports has also come out with its own video game for the Wii called EA Active. EA Active appears to blow Wii Fit out of the water really. The workouts appear to be as intense as you like and it would be difficult not to break a sweat. It also comes equipped with your own Virtual Trainer to guide and motivate you and a 30-Day Challenge option that gives you a new workout every day and gradually increases the intensity of your workouts for you. I will definitely be buying this video game when it comes out in the next month and will give you an update post about how I find it.
What I like most about video games that help you lose weight is that they are bringing the “fun” back into exercising. Even if you aren’t a person who has enjoyed video games in the past, Wii Fit and EA Active are two games that will entertain almost everyone. Whether you use these video games just on rainy days when exercising outside is unpleasant, or you incorporate them into your daily routine, one thing is for sure… your body will become stronger and healthier, you will burn calories and you will have a good time doing it. As far as working out goes, that’s about as good as it get.
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