Tag: Energy

Secret Shopping Anyone?

Posted on December 6, 2013

top secretIt is our desire to be the BEST in the industry, therefore, Letslose, Advanced Weight Loss Clinics has 2 great programs that not only allow you to help others but also benefit from free weight loss services.

Lend A Hand Volunteer:  This opportunity is available to existing patients, there is one position at each clinic.  The duration is as long as the partnership remains beneficial for the volunteer, the patient and the company.

The goal of this program is to give unbiased support to our patients once per week for a couple of hours, during doctor time.  A benefit to the volunteer is that they get free services and products as long as they are actively volunteering.

Secret Shopper:  This opportunity is only available to new patients.  It is a structured program with a 4 week duration. During that time you will be established as a new patient and provide valuable information that will help us improve our services.

Due to the confidential nature of this program, the secret shopper will pay for the services at time of render, then submit an expense report along with other reporting to be reimbursed.

For more information about either of these programs, please email:agibson@letslose.com.

Exercise Is The Fountain of Youth

Posted on December 6, 2013

girl celebratingExercise can help people lose weight, increase energy and improve outlook. But, here’s added bonus: studies show that those who exercise also are physically younger. Who couldn’t appreciate that?

The fitness-age connection

Keeping fit can help your life expectancy in two ways, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It can decrease your chances of developing diseases and conditions as you age. It also can affect the aging process itself, as shown by the impact on an individual’s chromosomes.

During the study, researchers learned that chromosomes can give clues on the effects of aging. The chromosomes of the most active people were similar to those of inactive people 10 years younger – a strong reason to get moving.

Another study by the Buck Institute for Age Research found that exercise – and weight training in particular – actually can revive muscle tissue. Active older men and women took part in six months of twice-weekly strength training. Then, their tissue samples were compared to those of younger men and women. Exercise brought the samples from the older group back to levels similar to those in the younger group.

Boost your brain power

Exercise can slow the aging process not only physically, but mentally, too. In another recent study of Canadian women older than age 65, a link was found between physical exercise and the brain. Those who did regular aerobic exercise had better blood flow to the brain, which helps its ability to process information. In fact, the women who exercised scored 10 percent higher in brain function tests.

Keeping your brain fit with mental workouts also can help increase memory. So, challenge your brain by trying a new hobby or tackling a crossword puzzle, suggests the American Psychological Association. Learning a new language or playing a new musical instrument may help, too.

Get your weekly dose

In order to reap the benefits of exercise you have to hit the pavement, not the couch. You can follow these guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. They suggest that healthy adults need at least:

  • 30 minutes of moderate activity on five days each week – such as brisk walking, yoga or dancing or
  • 20 minutes of intense activity on three days each week – such as jogging, swimming or aerobic dance and
  • 20 minutes of strength training twice a week

Along with a healthful diet, regular exercise can help you make your health a top priority. But, talk with your doctor before significantly increasing your exercise levels.

-United Healthcare, Source4Women

Side Note:  Most of us have had a goal that didn’t happen as quickly as we wanted it to. Yes, you worked at it, but it seemed every possible obstacle got in the way, and finally you gave up. If that desire to be a happier, healthier person has been laying dormant inside you for awhile… DON’T GIVE UP!

Remember, a little FAITH can go a long way, even in dieting. No challenge is to small or to petty for us to pray for strength. The things you’ve waited for in your life, God will bring to fulfillment. Faith is Fail Proof… we can give you the tools, and the rest is up to you.  You’ve Got This!

Defying Disease & Aging

Posted on October 14, 2013

 

Defy Disease & Aging With this…

Or Treat Disease & Aging With This…

The Choice Is Yours… What’s In Your Basket?  Take a hard look at the food you have eaten in the past week.  Would you say there is good nutritional value in it?  If you are like the typical American family, then it is quite likely that there was little to none.

Processed food, fast food, sweet or salty snacks all have one thing in common, they are toxic to our systems, making us sick, fat and un-energetic.

When is the last time you ate fresh fruit and vegetables?  Here are some tips to help you incorporate better eating into your lifestyle.

  • Keep fresh fruits & veggies, washed, cut up & ready to eat, in a clear container in the fridge on an eye level shelf.
  •  When raw veggies are past prime to eat fresh, puree and freeze to later add to soups or smoothies.
  • Hide all kinds of vegetables as pureed in soup to ensure picky eaters or children get proper nutrition.
  • Eat by color!  Typically, the darker, deeper, richer colored vegetables pack the most nutrients.  Try to eat several different colors per day.
  • Try new Foods.
  • Buy organic when possible.
  • Pack your lunch for school/work; If you must eat out, try a veggie packed subway wrap or salad.
  • Be prepared and plan your meals.
  • Experiment with 1/2 Fruit, 1/2 Vegetable Smoothies.
  • Eat soup!  Soup is one dish that retains all the nutrition during cooking.

If you eat wrong, no doctor can fix you, but if you eat right, no doctor is needed.

ANDI Score – The Healthiest Foods

Posted on October 2, 2013

Now there is a way to calculate which fruits and veggies are the most nutrient dense.  ANDI stands for “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index.” An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content.  A value of 1000 being the most nutritious per calorie, and 1 being the least.  ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micro-nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.

Start looking for ANDI scores at participating grocers.

Muscle Vs. Fat

Posted on October 2, 2013

Muscle Vs. Fat – The Benefits of Building Lean Muscle

If you have recently started working out, and the scale isn’t budging, or even worse, it keeps going up, but your clothes are fitting better and you are feeling smaller, don’t be discouraged.

The scale is just one tool used to measure your weight loss progress.  A greater indicator is the way your body is changing and how your clothes are fitting. Before you toss the scale out the window there is a bit of critical information you must learn about Fat vs. Muscle.

Did you know that even though 5 lbs of muscle and 5 lbs of fat weigh the same, if you put them on the scale together fat takes up so much more mass then the same weight in muscle? This photo shows a clear picture of the difference in their mass.  Sometimes your weight may not adjust much but when you replace fat with muscle you will be so much smaller and tighter.

Another benefit of building lean muscle is the amount of resources (calories) it consumes to maintain.  Your body really does burn more calories maintaining muscle than it does maintaining fat.  Which means that building muscle increases your metabolism.

Let’s Be Friends ‘Cause Friends Get Free Stuff

Posted on October 2, 2013

Let’s be Friends ‘Cause Friends Get Free Stuff

Are you connected with us on Facebook?  You can find weekly contests for prizes, weight loss tips & helps, quick healthy recipes, encouragement and more on our Facebook page.  It is simple to join in our “what inspires you” contest; simply send us a picture of what inspires you. You may be our next lucky winner!  To connect with us on Facebook,  click the “like” us on Facebook icon above.

Corporate Wellness Program – Good For Employer and Employee Alike

Posted on September 25, 2013

Did you know that we have a corporate wellness program that provides discounted rates for weight loss products & services?

A company of healthy people is a healthy company!

Healthy employees are happy employees, and happy employees are some of the most valuable assets a business can have. Happy employees work harder, skip work less, and pass on their positivity to your customers and clients. Healthy employees will use fewer sick days and cause fewer insurance costs, and a group of healthy, happy people can create an environment where you, your co-workers, employees, and your customers can all look forward to seeing one another.

This is why LetsLose provides corporate wellness opportunities to businesses who want to invest in employee health! LetsLose partners with individual offices as well as whole companies that are ready to make a change for the better. We make team weight loss simple by providing successful programs and an encouraging, expert staff of specialists and physicians committed to seeing your workforce become active, vibrant, and happy. This is a great opportunity to build team spirit at your office while investing in a better, healthier lifestyle.

The following are a few of the companies that participate in our corporate wellness program:

  • Hyundai
  • Rheem
  • BF Goodrich
  • Plastipak
  • International Paper
  • GKN Aerospace
  • Public Officials
  • U.S. Military
  • State of Alabama
  • Educators

Don’t see your place of employement listed?  We want to partner with you!  Call Anita Fitch, Director of Corporate Wellness (334) 285-6050 or email at afitch@letslose.com

Trying to Lose Weight? The Importance of Portion Control

Posted on August 22, 2013

The IMPORTANCE of Portion Control

A simple change can create BIG results. Portion control can be a key part in your weight loss journey. Start by making a more conscience decision about the food you are putting on your plate. Avoid the misery of overstuffing and give your body the chance to tell you when it’s full.

The most important factor is creating new habits that will last a lifetime and support a HAPPY, HEALTHY YOU!!

8 Secret-Weapon Foods for Weight Loss

Posted on July 10, 2013

 

1. Mushrooms
Research reports that when people ate mushroom-based entrees, they felt just as satisfied as when they’d eaten those same dishes made with beef—though they’d taken in a fraction of the calories and fat.

2. Eggs
In one study, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast felt full for longer and lost more than twice as much weight as those who got the same amount of calories from a bagel for breakfast. Think beyond breakfast, too: eggs boost a salad’s staying power and make for a satisfying snack.

3. Apples
For a mere 95 calories, a medium apple contains 4 grams of fiber. And recent research, published in the Journal of Nutrition, suggests that boosting your fiber intake may help you to prevent weight gain—or even encourage weight loss.

4. Low Calorie Desserts
OK, so this isn’t exactly a “health food,” but we welcome the news that it may be easier to stick to your diet if it includes a little sweet treat. According to a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, banning sugary foods could lead to overeating. One reason may be that removing access to sweet foods stimulates the release of a molecule in your brain called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), produced when you’re afraid, anxious or stressed, says Pietro Cottone, Ph.D., lead study author. And increased stress levels may lower your motivation to eat more nutritious foods, making it more likely that you’ll binge on junk food.

5. Soup
Research published in the journal Appetite has shown that people who start a meal with vegetable soup eat 20 percent fewer calories over the course of their meal.

6. Oatmeal
Eating a breakfast made with “slow-release” carbohydrates, such as oatmeal or bran cereal, three hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat, suggests a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition. Here’s why: in the study, eating “slow-release” carbohydrates didn’t spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates, such as white toast. In turn, insulin levels didn’t spike as high and because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower levels may help you burn fat. Want options beyond oatmeal?

7. Hot Chile Peppers
In one study, consuming a little hot pepper (in tomato juice or in capsules) 30 minutes before a meal helped study participants feel less hungry and eat about 10 percent less.

8. Almonds
Chew more to curb hunger. That’s what researchers concluded in a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in which they asked participants to chew a 2-ounce serving of almonds 10, 25 or 40 times. Participants got maximum satisfaction—they felt fuller longer—from the nuts when they chewed 40 times. Chewing more may cause a greater release of fat from the almonds, which triggers hormones that curb hunger, speculates Rick Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University, study author and an EatingWell advisor.