Tag: help

The Importance of Breakfast when Dieting

Posted on June 13, 2016

 

 

sumo

Often times many people will try to lose weight using just their own common sense. Less soda, more water. Less fast food, more fresh foods. Less sugar and sweets, more vegetables. Less couch time, more activity. And quite often that’s all it takes (of course with an added dose of motivation).

However, there are many aspects to weight loss that may seem counter-intuitive–that is, they seem to go against normal and reasonable logic–and if you are unaware of some of these counter-intuitive “traps,” you could be hindering your own journey to a healthier you without even knowing it.

One of the most common counter-intuitive “traps” of weight loss that we at Letslose see people fall into all of the time is what we might call the “Sumo Wrestler Trap.” Did you know that a typical sumo wrestler eats a daily diet of 20,000 calories? That’s more than 10 times what a normal male should eat in a day! Now you may say, “What kind of a trap is that? Of course no one trying to lose weight will eat a 20,000 calorie per day diet.” But here’s the kicker: they eat all of those calories in only two meals. Let me say it another way: the normal day of training and exercise for a sumo wrestler (yes, they actually do exercise daily) begins by SKIPPING breakfast…and thatis the “Sumo Wrestler Trap.”

So why do sumo wrestlers skip breakfast, and why is this a weight loss trap? Simple. Skipping breakfast slows down the wrestler’s metabolism, which enables them to maintain their weight (which for the average sumo wrestler is anything from 400 to 600 pounds!). By fasting through the night and morning, sumo wrestlers turn their bodies into fat-storing machines. And that is why it is also a weight loss trap. Many dedicated and well-intentioned people trying to lose weight will skip breakfast thinking the obvious: “Less food means less calories, means less weight.” But actually that first meal is extremely important to kick-start your metabolism for the day. So don’t skip breakfast. At least have a small something to eat to get your body awake and running. Just make sure to keep it a healthy something. And as you do, far from becoming the next professional sumo wrestler, you will watch those pounds drop off one by one as your own body’s metabolism does what it does best–burn off those calories.

Here are a few other counter-intuitive weight loss tips:

  • Eat more often: Eating five smaller (and healthier) meals per day can be more effective when trying to lose weight than eating three (and especially two!) meals per day.
  • Eat when you are not hungry: If you are going to be eating five times a day, you will probably find that you are not hungry when your next scheduled meal comes around. That’s great! Eating when you are not hungry means you will eat less. And if you never allow your body to get hungry before you decide to eat, your body (which is incredibly smart) will keep your metabolism running full speed, trusting that you won’t starve it and force it into starvation mode (which means slower metabolism).
  • Enjoy your food: Slow down and savor the food you eat. Eating slower can help you not overeat.

In It For the Long Haul: Staying Encouraged as the Resolve Wanes

Posted on March 18, 2014

You know the routine. It happens every year. The new year comes around and everyone, ourselves included, get all hyped up about how this year is going to be different…how this year things will change. And no doubt we go into it with sincere zeal and truly good intentions. So in January we sign up for a new gym membership or weight loss program. We decide to eat more healthy and become more active. February comes along and we are going strong, trying to adjust to the new lifestyle. March, and we begin to settle in for the long haul. Or do we?

For many of us, March is less like settling in for the long haul, and more like our last stand at the Alamo. Maybe we decide leading a healthier life is not as important as it once seemed. Or maybe it’s just too difficult to attain – especially when March comes around and we are not where we thought we would be by this point. Then April comes and we begin to slack a little – an extra fast food meal and soda here, a missed gym day there. Then May…then June…and before you know it you’ve set aside all goals of a flourishing life until next year, complete with the certain conviction that it will be different then.

Don’t hear us wrong. We know it is hard and never want to minimize that. On the contrary, we want to help. And that’s why we want to offer a few helpful tips for staying encouraged in your health and weight loss goals as those New Year’s resolution begins to wane.

  • Make a plan: Do away with abstract notions that weight loss will just happen on its own, or by getting an injection or taking a pill. Weight loss requires a lifestyle change. So each week set concrete, attainable goals for yourself and stick to them. Write them somewhere so that you can see the goal. For example, write it on your bathroom mirror, “This week I will drink 64 oz. of water each day and will eat fast food only twice.” Remind yourself every day, and up the ante each week.
  • Use the buddy system: Like many things in life, weight loss and healthier living is easier when you don’t try it alone. Find a friend and commit to hold one another accountable so that you can attain your goals of a flourishing, healthy life together.
  • Celebrate every victory: Wars are won through battles, and each smaller victory is deserving of celebration. Celebrate more than just a pound lost. Every day that you reach your goal (maybe of drinking a certain amount of water, exercising for a certain amount of time, avoiding fast food, eating healthier choices) is one more step in the direction of a healthy life. So celebrate! Tell a friend of your accomplishment. Watch a movie. Do a little dance. Remember, oceans are made up of raindrops, and every little bit counts.
  • Forgive yourself, but don’t excuse yourself: Let’s be real. No one can follow a perfect weight loss plan. There will be times when we fail, when we let ourselves go, when we fall off the wagon. But it is those times where it is most crucial to remember why you are doing this (you do really want this, don’t you?). Keep the goal in mind and get back up. Don’t decide that you have ruined your chances of success and thus become your own defeater, kicking yourself while you are down. Forgive yourself, and start again with a renewed zeal to succeed. Every day is a new day, and with it comes another opportunity to begin again. But be careful never to allow this to become an excuse for failure.

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Blessings in your journey to health and a flourishing life.

Product Highlight: Nutribullet

Posted on January 8, 2014

NutriBullet: The Superfood Nutrition Extractor®. Turn ordinary food into superfood and add years to your life! Available at most major retailers.

Simply fill halfway with raw veggies and the other half raw fruits. Easy to use, makes delicious, nutritious smoothies.

In need of a brain-boosting breakfast to power your way through the day? For sustained energy and a nutritional boost, here are some superior choices in the breakfast bunch.
1. Blueberries
These bright blue beauties contain one of the highest antioxidant capacities of all fruits, making blueberries a no-brainer (…or shall I say a yes-brainer?) There is evidence that these superfruits can improve memory, as well as boost the immune system.  Blueberries, along with other members of the berry family are lower on the glycemic-index (GI). A low GI along with their high fiber content helps slowly release sugar into the bloodstream for sustained energy.
2. Walnuts
What do you think of when you see an unshelled walnut? Looks like a brain, right?  Well, that is no coincidence, my friend! Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids shown to boost brain health and reduce inflammation. The healthy fats found in walnuts will help absorb fat-soluble vitamins and the protein will “stick to the ribs” to keep you satiated until lunch.
3. Spinach
Vitamin C found in the strawberries of our Berry Brain Boost NutriBlast (below) helps absorb the iron contained in spinach. Iron enhances oxygen distribution throughout the body, waking up the immune system, boosting energy, and enhancing brain activity. Spinach is also an abundant source of vitamin K (almost 200% of the daily value in one cup raw), a nutrient required to help build strong bones.
4. Rolled Oats
We’ve all heard oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol, but do you know how? Its high soluble fiber is key. It not only helps keep your  heart healthy, it will also slow down the rate at which the sugars from fruits are released into the bloodstream.  This prevents any drastic energy highs or lows, the foundation to keeping you awake and alert. Choose gluten-free to prevent any inflammation caused by potential allergies or intolerance.
5. Almond Milk  (or other dairy alternative)
With milk intolerance and dairy allergies on the rise, it is best to choose a dairy alternative fortified with calcium to meet the needs of growing bones. Fortunately, there are several options available that contain even more calcium than a glass of cow’s milk. Almond, rice, organic soy, oat, flax, and hemp milks are a few options you can find in your local market. This will also lend a creamier consistency to your NutriBlasts that your whole family will love.

Incorporate these top 5 foods in a delicious, nutritious NutriBlast.  It’s the perfect start to the day!
Berry Brain Boost NutriBlast
25% spinach
½ banana
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup strawberries
¼ cup raw walnuts
3 Tbsp gluten-free rolled oats
Unsweetened almond milk to the MAX line
Blast for 45 seconds.

–Krista Haynes, R.D.
NutriBullet Nutrition Advisor

To Your Health!

The Buzz About Colon Cleansing

Posted on October 14, 2013

The Buzz About Colon Cleansing

The best way to a clean colon is with a diet rich in fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.

But just in case you are not quite giving your body the healthful, healing food it needs to promote colon health, we have Clynza Pure available for sale in our clinic locations as well as online at the LetsLose store: http://www.letslose.com/store-2/clynza-pure/

Benefits of a clean colon:

  • Jump starts weight loss & metabolism
  • Better concentration
  • Enables the body to better absorb vitamins & nutrients
  • May reduce the risk of colon cancer
  • Promotes regularity
  • Prevents constipation
  • Detox effect = better sleep, more energy
  • Improved overall health & feeling of well being
  • Helps digestive system work more effectively

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.

What to Eat and What to Avoid at the Salad Bar

Posted on June 14, 2013

Eat It:

Lettuce~
The standard salad-bar option of iceberg lettuce is very low in calories, only 8 per cup, but contains very few nutrients. Instead, opt for spinach, spring mix or romaine lettuce. They, too, are low in calories, but also contain folate, vitamin C and eye-healthy lutein and zeaxanthanin.

Vegetables~
Pile on the colorful veggies! Tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini and cabbage are all great toppings that deliver good-for-you antioxidants (thanks to their richly colored pigments) for very few calories. One vegetable to maybe put a cap on is corn: 1/2 cup has 88 calories (the same amount of broccoli has only 16). Don’t keep it off your salad plate altogether, though—this summertime favorite still has a substantial amount of fiber, folate and vitamin C.

Fruit~
Like vegetables, fruit tossed onto your salad will give you an added boost of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. Some tasty and super-healthy options include berries, peaches, melon, apples or grapefruit. The key to adding fruit to your salad is going fresh: you’ll avoid added sugars and save calories by skipping dried and canned fruit. For example, 2 tablespoons of raisins and 1 cup of grapes both have the same number of calories.

Protein (Chicken, Eggs, Ham, Beans & Tofu)~
Studies show that eating protein helps you feel full longer so you don’t get hungry. Add lean chicken or a hard-boiled egg to your salad. A bonus for eggs is that they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that help keep eyes healthy. Skip ham, which often contains a lot of sodium (three 1-ounce slices have more than 25 percent of the recommended daily limit).

Good vegetarian protein sources include tofu and beans. A 1/2 cup of black beans contains nearly 8 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. Chickpeas are a common salad-bar topping and while they can be a filling, fiber-rich option, they’re a bit more calorically dense (1/2 cup packs 145 calories).

Choose Carefully:

Salad Dressings~
Replacing creamy dressings, such as ranch (73 calories, nearly 8 grams of fat per tablespoon) and blue cheese (76 calories, about the same amount of fat), with a noncreamy Italian (43 calories and 4.2 grams of fat) or balsamic vinaigrette (45 calories per tablespoon and 4.5 grams of fat) practically cuts your calories and fat in half.

The best option, if available, is to drizzle on a little heart-healthy olive oil (1 teaspoon has only 40 calories and 5 grams of fat) and your favorite vinegar (cider vinegar, for example, has just 3 calories per tablespoon).

Cheese~
Cheese is another source of protein, which helps add staying power to salads. If possible, keep the calorie count down by topping your salad with low- or fat-free options.

If only full-fat cheeses are available, pick ones with strong flavors, such as feta, blue, Parmesan or aged Cheddar—and count on just a little bit going a long way to keep the calories and saturated fat in check. Of those more pungent cheeses, feta offers the fewest calories at 74 per ounce. Blue, Parmesan and Cheddar have 99, 116 and 113 calories per ounce, respectively.

Choose Carefully or Avoid:

Toppings~

Be choosy when it comes to salad toppers.

• Nuts and Seeds: Nuts offer healthy fats and some protein, but they’re high in calories, so pay close attention to how many you add. A small handful of almonds (22 to be exact) contains 169 calories and 14 walnut halves boasts 185 calories. You can be a bit more generous with the pistachios: one serving is 49 nuts, for 162 calories. For added crunch, try a sprinkle of sunflower seeds; while these also are relatively high in calories (47 per tablespoon), they contain healthy fats and are full of antioxidants too.

• Olives: Olives are a low-calorie choice at about 7 calories each. They do, however, deliver a fair amount of sodium: depending on the type of olive, 1/4 cup could deliver as much as 717 mg of sodium. Go for green—they’re the lowest in calories and have the least amount of sodium.

• Bacon bits: Two words: Skip these. Bacon bits—and similar add-ons, such as crunchy onions—look appetizing when you’re standing at a salad bar, but they can be high in sodium and “empty” calories.

• Croutons: Pass on these too. A 1/2 cup may contain almost 100 calories and 247 mg of sodium. If you must have croutons, choose ones that are whole-wheat or whole-grain.

Foods & Cancer

Posted on October 2, 2012

FOODS AND CANCER

by Jenny Flynn

As I write this article, it really touches my heart. I personally have lost three immediate family members to cancer, and after studying and research, I, and we at Letslose ,would like to share this informative information to allow you to incorporate it into your lives and daily eating habits.

We have all often wondered “what” cancer really is and how one obtains this sometimes fatal disease. Cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells producing a malignant tumor that eventually invades all the surrounding tissues and may entail “metastasis”, (other tumors of the same type appearing far from the original site). Statistics show that it’s natural evolution is known to lead to death.

Believe it or not, certain foods play a vital role in cancer prevention. However, even when cancer has been diagnosed, one’s diet continues to play a vital importance in healing and recovery and sometimes even survival.

There are many anti-carcinogenic foods known to assist in healing, (foods that help fight against the development of cancer), and there is experimental evidence documenting their effectiveness in slowing the development of malignant cells, and demonstrating that their use as a therapeutic tool is well founded to also be effective.

Therefore, we at Letslose, would like to make some suggestions proven to assist in making a difference in the prevention of cancer.

Fruit: Fruit is the most effective anti-carcinogenic food; certain rigorously conducted studies have shown abundant fruit consumption prevents most of the cancers that affect humans. All fresh fruits are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and phytochemicals, which are capable of neutralizing carcinogenic substances entering the body.
Olive Oil: When substituted for other dietary fats it is known to reduce breast cancer due to its richness in antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids.
Whole Grains: Fiber in whole grains accelerates movements through the bowel. It also retains and removes carcinogenic substances that may be in the digestive tract, and excreting them through the feces. Rye is the most effective grain that aids in the reduction of colon cancer.
Vegetables: All vegetables protect to a degree, their richness in Provitamin A, Vitamin C and Antioxidant Phytochemicals explain their anti-carcinogenic effect.
The most effective examples include: Red Beets, Carrots, Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers and Eggplant. Others that also have a variety of suffocated phytochemical effect are Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Radishes.
Yogurt: Yogurt contains active bacterial cultures and lactic acid that protect against this disease.
Legumes: These protect due to their richness in fiber.

With these suggestions, we at Letslose, would like to encourage you to make changes to your diet and also at the same try staying away from foods that can be known to promote cancer. These foods include, but are not limited to: Alcoholic Beverages, Refined Foods, Excess amounts of WHOLE Milk, increased amounts of meat consumption, Tobacco products, and increased amounts of Fat.

Work to improve your life!  Taking care of your happiness and well being will soon be a daily part of your everyday routine!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.