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For those of us who struggle with PMS every month, it is helpful to know that there is an underlying benefit of having our hormones go wild – weight loss. That’s right ladies, research has shown that pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), a nuisance for many, can actually help you to lose weight faster at that time of the month than at any other time.
Pre-menstrual symptoms have provided the material for many a comedy routine and joke, such as the woman’s bumper sticker that reads “Back off – I have PMS and a gun”. But they are far from funny ‘ha ha’ to the three out of four women who suffer from the symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) on a regular monthly basis nor is it for the people around them (just ask my husband :p). PMS symptoms increase in severity with age until the onset of menopause, and the common indicators are: abdominal cramps, bloating (including hands and feet), sore and tender breasts, irritability, fatigue, headache, back pain, depression, crying spells, and difficulty sleeping.
PMS is a 28 day pattern of recurring moods, behaviors and physical symptoms that occur between ovulation and the end of the menstrual period. PMS is the result of cycle changes in ovarian hormones. This was proven because PMS disappears during pregnancy and menopause.
So with all the unpleasantness of PMS, it is a welcome relief to learn that it can also help with weight loss. During PMS, hormones are released by our body’s cells and one of the ways they affect the body is by increasing metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which our bodies convert food into energy. Two weeks prior to commencing the menstrual period, womens production of estrogen and progesterone hormones step up to their highest levels, which speeds up metabolism and results in burning more fat. An Australian clinical trial showed that up to 30% more fat is burned off during this monthly period than the rest of the time. Just how much your metabolism rises or the amount of fat you burn off is entirely dependent on your body type, size, age, diet and exercise.
With an increase in your metabolism should also come with an increase in your energy levels. During this time, take advantage of the extra energy by working out and being active. You will burn more calories during PMS than other times of the month so take advantage of it and get moving.
By the way, don’t get discouraged by bloating near the end of PMS. This is just water weight and will be lost easily when menstruation is over. To ease PMS symptoms, avoid salt as it is very bloating, kiss off the caffeine, and take a multi-vitamin as well as calcium supplement daily. For moderate relief of pain try a non steroidal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and a water pill or diuretic will help reduce bloating. In more extreme cases antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft may be called for. There are also women who also take oral contraceptives (the Pill), not so much for birth control but solely to stabilize hormones and reduce the affects of PMS.
Here’s a nice little bedtime fable to tell the kids at night when you tuck them in. You can tell them that exercising first thing in the morning will burn more calories than the same workout done later in the day. Unfortunately there is about as much truth to this story as there is to the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.
No, Nyet, Nay, Nien, and Non – exercising in the morning does not burn any more calories than the same exercise regime done at another time of day. In fact there is no scientific evidence to support the myth that morning exercise increases metabolism and fat loss.
There is however some data available showing that working out in the morning is overall more effective for weight loss. This is simply because people who do their personal workout programs first thing in the day tend to do so much more consistently. There are just less distractions or excuses at that time the day than there are at the end of a long work day.
Any and every workout will increase your metabolic rate and keep it elevated for hours regardless of the time of day you exercise. The higher your metabolic rate, the faster you will burn off calories. One of the misconceptions that drive this myth is the thinking that by doing your workout in the evenings you will miss the “afterburn” period because sleeping effectively lowers your metabolic rate, but this has not been found to be true.
Competitive body builders use a form of aerobic training done first thing upon rising and before eating anything. The logic behind this idea is that without fresh fuel to burn the demands on the body from the workout will cause it to use up stored fat for energy. Fact or fiction? Once again there is no agreement in the scientific community on the effectiveness of this style of training. Most fitness professionals will insist it is imperative to eat something at least a half an hour before any workout.
Here are the straight goods on fat loss. Are you ready for the big secret to weight loss success?
The only natural way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume in each 24 hour period.
The time of day you schedule your exercise program won’t make any difference on your metabolism. All that matters is that you exercise regularly.
Now here’s a weight loss plan that sounds easy peasy; just have your jaw wired shut so that you can’t eat any solid foods. With the guarantee of dropping weight from an enforced liquid diet how can you possibly lose? Very easily apparently, as the success rate of Orthodontic Jaw Wiring (OJW) as a method of weight loss is very, very low.
Orthodontic jaw wiring is a non surgical, supposedly painless procedure done in a dentist’s chair in under an hour. It is only ever used as a weight loss tool for the obese and compulsive eater in order to lose about 60lbs over 6 months. The wires in the mouth make speech difficult and may be quite uncomfortable because of restricted jaw movement. Then once the target weight has been reached, the wires are removed and the patient returns to eating normally.
And therein lays the problem. Even in clinical trials where patients received diet and nutritional counseling, exercise workouts and psychotherapy, as soon as the wiring was removed most patients returned to their old unhealthy eating habits and all weight loss efforts were lost.
Although more popular back in the ‘70’s and 80’s, orthodontic jaw wiring has never been a mainstream approach to treating obesity, largely due to the low success rate. Nowadays it has been mostly replaced by the much more modern practice of gastric bypass surgeries. There are, however, still some orthodontists out there who will gladly wire your mouth shut and take your money. Do yourself a favor, avoid this weight loss pitfall.
Well actually, perhaps it should be weight loss with peanuts. I came across an interesting weight loss tip the other day that suggested that when hunger strikes a spoonful of peanut butter could make you feel full for hours. I’ve never heard of this weight loss tip before and was intrigued by it. Is there any truth to peanuts helping to curb hunger? So I set out to find the answer.
To my surprise there is some truth to this nutty weight loss tip. The International Journal of Obesity has published three clinical studies regarding the satiety effects of peanuts. What these studies found was that people who eat peanuts or peanut butter have their hunger curbed much faster than when eating other foods.
The theory behind why peanuts help to satiate hunger may lie with their high unsaturated fat content. These unsaturated fats, including mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, reportedly have stronger satiety values than saturated fats and may help to control appetite and curb hunger. In people tested, peanuts and peanut butter produced more eating satisfaction and feelings of fullness than high-carbohydrate snacks.
Before you start buying up peanut stock hoping it will be the next weight loss breakthrough you should know that it only takes a small handful of peanuts to satiate your hunger. When hunger pangs hit between meals it is recommended that you eat no more than 10 peanuts (dry-roasted, unsalted). Each peanut should be eaten slowly and accompanied with water or a warm beverage such as tea or coffee. After eating all of the peanuts, wait up to 10 minutes for your hunger to subside.
Wow, now this is a weight loss tip I’m going to try because I love peanuts. At 60 calories for 10 peanuts it won’t ruin my daily calorie budget either. Although peanut butter has also been found to satiate hunger it is much higher in calories than peanuts (approx. 200 calories for 2 tablespoons) so I’ll stick to the whole, dry-roasted variety. Sorry to all of you who have peanut allergies, I guess you’ll have to stick to eating sardines.
With the festive season quickly approaching it seems suiting to share with you the 10 best weight loss tips for Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a social holiday when many families come together to share good food, good drink and good times. But for those of us watching our weight, Thanksgiving is often a time of anxiety and stress. How much will the famous turkey dinner with all the fixings really cost me? 2 pounds, 5 pounds, a 10 pound setback?
 Thanksgiving humor I had to share - Happy Thanksgiving! Here is a list of the 10 Best Weight Loss Tips for Thanksgiving that will help to keep your diet on track.
- Eat plenty of turkey – Turkey is low-fat, high in protein and contains lots of Vitamin B. Choose meat from the breast and remove the skin for a low-fat, low-calorie Thanksgiving treat.
- Substitute Mashed Potatoes with Mashed Cauliflower – Mashed or creamed cauliflower is very tasty and is an excellent substitute for mashed potatoes. Mash the cauliflower, add a little skim milk and voila. Cauliflower contains almost 75 percent fewer calories than potatoes per pound and is an excellent source of fiber.
- Steam or Roast Vegetables – Steam and roast vegetables and avoid pan frying or baking in oils or fats, such as butter.
- Omit Butter and Cream – Although it may not always be possible to omit these flab forming ingredients, try to choose recipes that omit butter and cream. At the dinner table use light margarine as a spread instead of butter.
- Serve Vegetables as an Appetizer – Fresh vegetables served with fat-free sour cream and yogurt dressing is a healthy appetizer that will ease pre-dinner hunger.
- Use Packaged Gravy – Gravy made from pan drippings is very high in fat. Instead, use instant gravy that is much lower in calories and fat.
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie – Everyone loves pumpkin pie and most will agree that there is little need for a crust. Crustless pumpkin pie has all the yumminess of the real thing, but contains much less calories and fat.
- Don’t Oversalt Your Food – Salt causes your body to retain a lot of water. To avoid post-Thanksgiving bloating, stay away from salty foods and don’t oversalt your meal. Use minimal salt when cooking and provide salt at the dinner table to that your guests can salt their own meals.
- Eat Breakfast and a Healthy Snack – On Thanksgiving day remember to eat a healthy breakfast and afternoon snack. These meals will help to keep your appetite under control so that you are less likely to gorge at dinner.
- Drink Plenty of Water – Drink lots of water on Thanksgiving day to help curb hunger pangs.
By following these Thanksgiving Diet Tips you are sure to stay on track with your weight loss goals. For more great weight loss tips check out this link Diet Tips
This is my story about gaining 60 pounds, being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), developing insulin resistance and celebrating my weight loss four years later.
About four years ago I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which is the growth of small cysts in the ovaries. Because of these growths, my hormone levels were amuck with higher than normal levels of androgens (male hormones). This caused a number of unpleasant effects on my monthly cycle, my mood and how my body burned calories.
Prior to diagnosis I gained 60 pounds in one year without changing my diet. I had never been slim, but certainly not fat either. I ate well, for the most part. But because of PCOS my body began to store fat, particularly around my mid section. My unusual and rapid weight gain, combined with other health troubles prompted me to visit my doctor, who quickly diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
My doctor prescribed medication for treating the PCOS and my hormonal levels began to go back to normal, however my weight stayed high and I couldn’t lose. I would exercise and eat very little and my weight would just stay the same. I was very frustrated.
I went back to my doctor who ran a myriad of tests. As it turns out, due to my weight gain because of polycystic ovarian syndrome my insulin levels were always high and as a result I had developed Insulin Resistance.
Insulin resistance is a common condition, particularly in overweight and obese people. No matter how much you exercise or how little you eat you will not lose weight. In fact, someone with insulin resistance may have a lot of body fat, but be starving. Read this for more info about Insulin Resistance.
Once I was placed on medication for both PCOS and insulin resistance I finally started to lose weight. It took three years for me to lose the initial 60 to 70 pounds that I gained because of PCOS just with a healthy diet and low to moderate exercise.
Over the last year I have continued to work towards a healthy body weight. The good news is that my insulin levels are almost back to normal. Yes, you can reverse insulin resistance by losing weight ! I have been given the green light from my doctor to stop taking the medication for insulin resistance. I finally feel like I am taking control of my life again.
I think the most important lessons from my experience are these:
- If you experience a large and sudden amount of weight gain for no apparent reason go to your doctor. This can represent any number of health conditions.
- Trust your body. If you feel your doctor has missed something go back and ask to have more tests done.
- Insulin resistance is very common in overweight and obese people and can seriously interfere with weight loss efforts. If you are doing all the right things for weight loss and just can’t lose, visit your doctor and insist they check you for insulin resistance.
I hope that my story will help any others who are coping with polycystic ovarian syndrome or insulin resistance.
I wrote a post in the weight loss forum about taking phentramin-d and I realized afterwards that I hadn’t blogged about it yet, so here goes.
I have tried diet pills in the past. The one I had the best success with was Phentermine, but that was years ago. I would have bought it again, but you just can’t find it anywhere, so I decided to try Phentramin-d because it is supposed to be just like Phentermine.
I ordered a one month supply of Phentramin-d (I received my order in three days which was great) from Weight Loss Center. Here’s the link if you want to order some yourself Buy Phentramin-D.
I started taking the pills the next morning. I took the first one 20 minutes before breakfast. By lunch time the change was noticeable, I had more energy than usual and I wasn’t very hungry. I took the second pill about 20 mintues before my scheduled lunch break. I had a small lunch even though I wasn’t very hungry and then happily went to the gym after work for a good workout because my body was pulsing with energy. (Pulsing with energy is a funny way to describe it, but that’s exactly what it felt like. Not the jitters like what caffeine does to you.)
At dinner time my appetite was better than lunch time, but no where near how it usually is. I had a modest, healthy dinner and avoided post-dinner snacking with little effort. I slept very well, probably because of the great workout I got.
I thought the first day was a fluke, but all the days following have been the same. I’m really careful not to take Phentramin-d too late in the day (e.g. past 2pm) so that it doesn’t disrupt my sleep because it does give me a jolt of energy. Other than that, I have had no side-effects after two weeks and can’t see a reason to stop taking this pill. So far I’ve lost 13 pounds. For me, that is an impressive result.
The best superfoods for weight loss come from some surprising places…
We all know that eating less junk food and eating healthier foods, like fruits and vegetables, is what we need to do to lose weight. But there are some foods out there that help you lose weight more than others. Some of these foods are suprisingly common and would often be overlooked at the grocery store, until now. Check out these fat busting foods.
Sardines – Sardines are small fish, typically canned, that many people only eat at special occassions. Their fishy taste is pretty powerful, but so is their ability to help with weight loss. To begin with, Sardines contain high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat has been found not only to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure, but also to increase fat metabolism by reducing insulin levels, which results in weight loss. Sardines are also high in protein, which helps to stimulate metabolism and stabilize blood sugar levels. Finally, sardines are a good food to add to your diet because they are relatively cheap and contain much lower levels of mercury than other fish, such as tuna.
Bison Meat – Bison meat, also known as Buffalo meat, is very low in fat and calories compared to regular beef. The best cut of beef still contains almost 4 times as much fat than a cut of bison meat. In addition to being low fat, bison meat is also free of hormones, drugs and chemicals that are commonly found in beef. The reason for this is because Bison are very large animals and are difficult to handle so they spend their lives turned out to pasture. Bison meat is more expensive than regular beef, but is about equitable in price to finer cuts of beef and organic beef. Bison can also be purchased ground and can be substitute into any beef recipe. Bison meat tastes almost identical to beef, but is much better for you.
Pumpkin – Not many people realize that their favorite Thanksgiving and Halloween squash is a fat busting food. Canned pumpkin is a winner for weight loss because it contains a large amount of fiber and very few calories per serving. Pumpkin is also very easy to cook with. There are hundreds of healthy pumpkin recipes including my personal favorite, pumpkin soup (see recipe at the end of this article). It should be mentioned that although pumpkin helps reduce the plump, pumpkin pie, because of the sugar, eggs and pastry, is still rather high in calories and fat and should not be eaten as a diet food…sorry to disappoint you.
Grapefruit – There are many diets out there that encourage the eating of grapfruit for weight loss. This is because there has been research conducted that has shown that eating grapefruit before meals actually helps promote weight loss. Although the mechanisms behind grapefruits gut shrinking abilities are still not quite understood, it is a well known fact that this fruit is high in fiber and low in sugar. In fact, half a grapefruit contains 6 grams of fiber and only 39 calories. As with most fruits, roughly half of grapefruit’s fiber is insoluble (which helps prevent constipation and which may reduce the risk of colon cancer) and half is soluble (which helps lower cholesterol levels).
Green Tea – The weight loss world has been singing the praises of green tea for some time. Firstly, green tea contains antioxidants that promotes heart health, aids with digestion and regulates blood sugar. Secondly, green tea contains caffeine that increases energy, boosts metabolism and elevates fat oxidation, which results in weight loss. Another side benefit of drinking green tea is that you will consume less of other drinks that are potentially high in calories, such as sweetened coffees, juices, and sport drinks.
Recipe – Creamy Pumpkin Curry Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 cups sodium-reduced, low-fat chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) nonfat evaporated milk
Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry powder, coriander and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes to develop flavors. Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Transfer mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); cover. Blend until creamy. Serve warm or reheat to desired temperature. Garnish with dollop of fat-free yogurt and chives, if desired. Makes 4 servings, 163 calories per serving.
In the body, carbohydrates help to burn fats efficiently. During exercise, carbohydrates are broken down and one of the products of this is oxaloacetic acid. The importance of oxaloacetic acid is that it is used to breakdown stored fats into fuel, which is then used by the body for energy. In situations when you haven’t consumed enough carbohydrates, the level of oxaloacetic acid in the body is greatly reduced, making it more difficult for the body to use stored fat for energy.
Oxaloacetic acid isn’t the only method your body had for breaking down stored fat for energy, but it is the most efficient. People who consume diets low in carbohydrates will fatigue much faster and burn less fat during periods of exercise than people who consume some carbohydrates in their daily diet.
I was struggling for over two weeks to lose more weight. I was exercising regularly and was eating a healthy diet just like I was before, there were no differences in what I was doing but the pounds had become stubborn and the scale never moved. My frustration was at a height. I had come to that point that many dieters dread – a weight loss plateau .
I have experienced weight loss plateaus before during these many years of losing weight and have overcome them successfully by either mixing up my exercise program, lowering my daily calorie intake, or both (see this helpful link Overcoming a Weight Loss Plateau). But in this case, I had already done all these things and the weight was still hanging on for dear life. It was only by going against what I normally do that helped me to overcome this new plateau.
Although I do not subscribe to a set diet program, my diet is naturally low in carbs because I avoid carby foods, such as breads, pasta, potatoes, etc. But one day I had such an overwhelming urge for brown rice with vegetables that I made myself some. I savoured this dish but dreaded the scale in the morning. To my surprise, when I weighed myself the next day my weight was down . Also, because of the carbs, I had a huge amount of energy and was able to exercise harder than ever before that afternoon. I have started to include a few whole grains into my diet and the results have been incredible. I have started losing weight again and have so much more energy for exercise than I did before.
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