Weight Loss and Dieting – Page 2

The Benefits of Swimming—the Game-changer Activity

I grew up surrounded by water. Literally. On a Pacific Ocean island on the most remote land mass on Earth.

Hawaii.

I could see the ocean from our home, and see the condominium pool from our kitchen window and front door.

To say I’m still suffering bodies-of-water withdrawal since our move to the desert Southwest 22 years ago would be an understatement.

BUT, praises of thankfulness, I have a pool in my backyard that I can see from the family room, laundry room and back bedroom, which we’ve set up as an office. Sometimes the pool water reflects off the family room ceiling, making soothing undulating patterns above my head. I’m grateful for these simple pleasures.

I spend a lot of my summer in that pool, but not nearly enough. Although I no longer have the luxury of spending hours playing and lapping in the pool as I did during my summer breaks while a kid, I can—and should—dive in and paddle around in order to improve my fitness level.

And it’s my humble opinion that swimming should be a go-to exercise for nearly everyone.

Swimming studies results—

A 2017 study reported by the Health Commission British Journal of Sports Medicine about the United Kingdom’s SWIM ENGLAND program showed significant results.

Some of the results:

Swimming is uniquely placed to support people throughout their entire life.
Swimming lowers the risk of early death by 28 per cent.
Swimming and aquatic activity is a safe, cost effective and viable option for healthcare professionals to signpost (UK term for pointing the way, guiding or providing direction) patients.
47% had a lower risk of death due to heart disease or stroke.

Jane Nickerson, Swim England CEO, said,

“It’s evident from the report that swimming has enormous potential to support the health and wellbeing of the nation.”

With that kind of assessment, how long do you think it will be before the UK installs swimming as a mandatory activity for its school children? (While the United States is still cutting physical education and art due to budget concerns. Shortsighted, concerning the long-term health and financial benefits of lifelong exercise.)

Mike Farrar, Swim England Group Board Chairman and former CEO of the NHS Confederation, said,

“This report shows that activities like swimming really do have the potential to be a game-changer in supporting the health of this nation, especially at a time when cuts to services means less money for long-term care.”

According to the on-line blog article “The Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Swimming report was commissioned by the Swimming and Health Commission on behalf of Swim England to explore the impact of swimming on physical, mental and social wellbeing. It has been written by a range of eminent academics and is supported by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies.”

They investigated several parameters and age groups and found that swimming:

Helps those 3 months and over develop more quickly,
Helps adults 18 and over reduce stress and overall health; and
Helps those 65 and over live longer and stay mentally alert and physically agile.

More positive swimming research—

In a comparative study of middle distance runners’ lung function with that of swimmers, the researchers found that swimmers have better lung volume than the runners. The researchers hypothesized that the muscles active during breathing—like the diaphragm—are forced to work harder in swimming. The activity gave these trained swimmers more elasticity (stretchiness and ability to return to normal shape after being stretched) during breathing than did running.

My experience with swimming—

When I was eight years old, I had a brief stint with swim training at the YMCA. I loved being in the water and playing for hours in a pool, but when it came to practicing and swimming competitively, I couldn’t have been more bored, or probably out of my element.

While I quickly advanced from guppies to minnows, I hit a stalemate when they tried to advance me to shark (or barracuda, whatever it was). I couldn’t stand it. The swim instructor suggested to my mom that I might be happier in the gymnastics class.

Happy didn’t even begin to describe it!

My fast-twitch muscle fibers were born to perform explosive activities, and I quickly improved. While I could dash across a pool for short lengths and laps, long-distance, repetitive practices left me cold. No pun intended.

When I was in college, though, my best friend and I tore up the pool at the campus intercollegiate competition. Short distances, of course.

We were both former gymnasts. And I could do a mean flip turn and push off at the wall that got me out way ahead of the other competitors. (Sorry, I had to relive that victorious moment just once more!)

Benefits of swimming for all ages—

Now that I’ve hung up my leotards and really need a good, non-weight bearing activity to keep my muscles supple, my weight down, and my overloaded joints in shape, I’ve returned to the pool to add some crossover training variety to my life. There are great reasons for me to return to the pool—or for you to start getting into one if you haven’t already.

Swimming can improve coordination. Coordinating your limbs to kick and stroke properly (without pounding or slapping the water and wasting energy) while breathing and not sucking in water is a feat for the uninitiated. Once learned, you’ll find yourself skimming through the water pretty effortlessly. And that effortless swimming helps:
Lubricate your joints. In an era where too many people (I believe) undergo join replacements, or have to undergo the procedure, you swimming might just help you ward off that nasty surgery. When you’re exercising, the joint capsule fluid produces more joint-healing and cushioning fluid. And that benefits works in synergy with swimming’s ability to:
Keep your joints flexible and reduce the onset of the effects of osteoarthritis. A lot of things can contribute to osteoarthritis, including: carrying around too much weight, eating foods that increase inflammation in the body, lack of exercise, over-exercising, and genes. But swimming is a non-weight bearing activity (unless you’re running in the shallow end of the pool) that reduces the load on your joints and gives them more space. And that gives your joints more:
Flexibility! Always a good thing for older people that fall more frequently due to balance and flexibility issues.

Other swimming benefits include—

Increased lung volume that aids lung capacity—(It’s a great activity for asthmatics.) With bigger lungs you have an increased area to fill up with O2 (oxygen). That means you’ll have more of that life-giving gas available to load up on cells to be conveyed deep into your body’s tissues. Everything works (and breathes) better.
Some cross-training benefits—Intense swimming programs are found to equal intense sprint and explosive weight training programs.
Lowering your stress levels— Tension and stress shorten your muscles, which leads to tightness and loss of joint range of motion. When we float around in a big cement pond full of water, our bodies naturally relax. Our breathing slows. (Of course, all of this is true if you know how to swim and like it.)

No wonder I feel so relaxed, almost sleepy, after I emerge from my swimming or floating sessions.

It’s cathartic, like praying and meditating. A great way to start or end the day!

Some good tools for swimming exercise—

I like to use a kick-board, the kind that swim teams use to have their kids work on their leg kicks. You can hang onto it and paddle along. Try not to keep your head above water for too long, though. You’re likely to get neck cramps and pinched nerves. I regular swim noodle works for this too.

I also like to use the training hand paddles to add resistance to my strokes. Two rubber loops slip over your fingers to keep the paddles in place. Don’t get the rubber too tight or you’ll find your finger circulation getting cut off.

And a good noodle is worth its weight in gold. You can use that for kicking, or for underwater cycling, if you don’t tread water well, or feel secure “running” in the deep end.

But beware: with any activity you can overdue it and end up with injuries. Competitive swimmers are notorious for having shoulder and back injuries, and it can be hard on your knees if you don’t kick properly. And you can get dehydrated in a pool just as you can on dry land, so make sure you drink plenty of water after your exercise, or during, if you swim long distances.

So don’t jump into the pool thinking this is an injury-free exercise. As with any other activity, get some training books, start slowly, train wisely, and work your way up.

And what about swimming and weight loss?

As with anything, you’re more likely to lose weight if your energy output exceeds your energy input. In other words, you eat less than you burn off. Swimming is no different, but fair warning: Swimming consistently in cold water can cause you to store fat, just like a polar bear in the arctic. Your body does whatever it can to survive. And swimming burns a ton of calories and increases your appetite. So, if you swim a lot and always chow down an excess portion of food afterward to curb your hunger, your weight may end up creeping up instead of going down.

My future swimming goals—

While we removed the heater capabilities from our pool and usually don’t get in it during the winter months (yes, it can get cold and snowy here), I’ve decided to brave up, purchase a short-leg wet suit, and hit the pool throughout the winter. I find it gives me so many benefits that I want to keep swimming year round and know I need to. I can also drive around the block to our community pool, which is a Junior Olympic size and has marked lanes.

The gym where we work out just moved into a grand new facility with a lap pool, but it isn’t open yet, and I’m going to guess it’ll be so packed that the only time I could get in would be between midnight and 5:00 AM. So I’m going to use my own cement pond. Might as well. I pay property taxes on it!

Even though we’ve had a blistering summer with little rain, it’s nearing the time that we’d normally cover the pool and say adios until next summer. But I’m determined.

Maybe I’ll take a picture of myself in my wetsuit and put it in a blog post. Or, maybe not. If I swim enough, I might actually look decent enough in it to share with you.

Now that’s motivation!

Until next week, check out some local pools, if you don’t have one in your backyard or community. Or locate a swim coach or club. Set some target goals, get some training material, and jump in.

Your body and mind will be happy you did.

Blessings,

Andrea


Andrea Arthur Owan is an award-winning inspirational writer, fitness pro and chaplain. She writes and works to help people live their best lives—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

3 Potential Benefits of Working Standing Up

I recently splurged and treated myself to a pricey item, one that, supposedly, is going to help improve my health and reduce my risk of heart disease, help me lose weight and drop my cholesterol numbers, AND boost my productivity.

I bought myself a fancy work desk (more like a pretty sizable work counter) that raises and lowers at the tap of a finger. It also has USB cable ports. And it has a black glass surface, so, instead of using post-it notes, I can write notes on it with special wax pencils and then wipe then erase the notes.

Potential dangers of sitting down while working—

According to the insert shipped in the box with the desk, the Journal of Physical Activity and Health found that, on average, people spend 5.8 hours sitting at their desk at work.

I cringed when I read that, since I was putting in longer hours sitting at my desk a little over a year ago. And I paid for it. Am still paying for it, actually, with tighter muscles that scream in protest when I try to re-lengthen them; in stiff knees that are still giving me trouble; and in weight gain I’m still battling to shed.

And I always feel sorry for the receptionists at companies or doctors’ offices who seem to be glued to their chairs, parked before their computers as they check in patients and answer the persistent phone calls.

The insert also sited a Nielsen study that found we spend 58 minutes on a PC or Internet. I don’t know where they got that statistic, but most people I know, who are working, spend a lot more time than that on their computers.

In addition, we spend 1.39 hours on the Internet on our smart phones. And that’s probably spent in the sitting position.

I’ve returned to using my phone way too much for Internet perusing and have laid down some personal rules for myself: I shut down my computer and phone by 7:00 PM (or soon after), and I try to make myself leave the phone alone in the morning, before I’ve spent quality time with the Lord in Bible study, devotion time, and prayer.

Benefits of standing while working—

Productivity:

According to the insert, standing while working can boost your productivity by 46%.

(Daily Science covered the results of a standing-up productivity study published in IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors.)

I’m going to guess that’s one of the reasons it’s true is because most people hunch over their computers, pecking away at their computers with their necks lurching forward and down, their shoulders rounded over, and their eyeballs at the wrong level to really see the screen well. Sitting like that compromises your breathing, tending to make it shallow and unproductive. You don’t get as much oxygen into and through the system, and you tire faster and throw your body alignment out of whack.

Just perching a separate monitor from your laptop on your desk, one that sits up at eye level with you, helps immensely in correcting this.

But standing while working can help circulation. But standing all day to work also comes with vascular risks, so don’t overdo a good thing!

Weight Loss:

Another potential plus is that you can lose weight, up to 20 pounds per year by standing two hours a day, if the insert is correct. The research sited is found on the livestrong.com site.

Improve your cardiovascular system:

Spending less time sitting also helps lower your blood sugar (decrease your risk of acquiring diabetes) and cholesterol (reduce your risk of heart disease). This “fact” was taken from Harvard Health.

I’m already enjoying my desk, and it’s got a great support bar as part of the legs/support system that I can rest my feet on while sitting down, and prop one foot on while standing up. Raising your knees a little higher than your hips also helps circulation while you’re sitting down and working. It certainly makes the sitting position much for comfortable, and I’m less likely to scrunch my legs backward, entwine my feet, and jam my big toes into the ground!

I certainly don’t feel as stiff or pinched up when I rise to take a break, which you should do every forty minutes, at the minimum. Which returns me to the standing up article that says people started feeling physically better after one month of standing up while working. They complained less of physical issues or discomfort.

I’ll keep you posted on the effects. Can’t tell yet if I’m more productive, but I certainly enjoy my time spent at the computer more. And I’m trying to incorporate what I can to improve my health with the goal of making life more enjoyable and being able to perform my work as well as I possibly can.

And the desk looks really sleek in my newly painted study where I work. Now my husband wants one. And I’m considering buying a couple for my sons for Christmas presents.

Standup desk options—

If you can’t buy a fancy desk, consider purchasing a low-cost, hundred-dollar model to set on the dining room table or a card table. The one I got for Christmas a couple of years ago is rated as one of the top stand-up work desks. It’s large enough to spread some papers out on, and it has an easily adjusted height. Having a desk like that gives you the added benefit of changing work scenery, which can also increase productivity.

Do your homework, though. Mobile desks can get REALLY pricey; and some users complain that the electronics on them fizzles out pretty quickly.

But Buyer Beware!

Take note that there is no specific, science-backed research data on how long you should spend sitting versus how long you should spend standing while working. And don’t convince yourself that your standing at work replaces outdoor activity—like walking—or general exercise to raise your heart rate. It’s just one more piece of the health puzzle to consider.

Until next week, sit down less, stand up and move around more, and work healthy! To feel better physically.

Blessings,

Andrea


Andrea Arthur Owan is an award-winning inspirational writer, fitness pro and chaplain. She writes and works to help people live their best lives—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

How to Escape the Calorie Counting Drudgery

Ever been a food calorie counter? Frustrating, isn’t it, recording all of those eaten calories?

For years we were taught that a calorie was a calorie—that they were all the same. So if a relatively active, 30-year old, woman needed to eat 1,800 calories a day to sustain herself, then it didn’t matter what food source they came from.

And then 40 years ago, when preventing heart disease launched into full tilt, we were taught that we needed to avoid fat because fat was the culprit causing heart disease and making our middles balloon.

So what’s the story now?

Calorie counting and recent research—

Through research, scientists are starting to figure out that all calories are not alike, and that some fats are good for you and your heart. And it may not be the number of calories eaten but the type of foods.

What type of foods are the biggest culprits? You probably know.

Chips
Pastries
Cookies
Soda
Crackers
White rice
Pasta
Processed foods, especially heavily-processed types, like the kind you find in your pre-made meal section of your grocery store

All of these foods cause a chemical reaction in our bodies that raises the insulin levels and causes the body to store the calories as fat. Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Harvard Medical School, calls insulin the “Miracle-Gro for your fat cells.” Insulin causes the cells to snag the calories and immediately store them as fat cells.

And that quick process leaves you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. And if your body is subjected to this insulin-hiking cycle too often, your metabolism will change gears and start hanging onto the calories it’s stored. That’s not a scenario you want to encounter if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthful diet.

The bottom line? It’s the quality of the calories and not the quantity that matters.

Calorie counting solution?

To break or snap this fat-storing cycle, you’ll need to replace processed carbs (pastas, ice cream, cookies, chips, crackers and snacks) with healthful fats (olive oil, fish, nuts). Yes, fats! And why fats?

Because fats don’t raise insulin so they aid weight loss.

Studies show that people on low-fat diets tend to lose less weight than those on low-carb programs.

And eating good fats, like omega-3s (salmon) and monounsaturated fats (avocados) doesn’t appear to cause weight gain.

The healthful diet Gold Standard—

For years scientists have known that people who follow what is known as the Mediterranean diet—a diet rich in vegetables, good fat and some fish—lose more fat and maintain healthier hearts.

One study showed a 30% reduction of heart disease in the group that were low-carb dieters when compared to low-fat dieters.

What’s the goal?

Your overall goal should be to go for the healthful fat and proteins and slash your sugar.

When designing or planning your meals, aim for real, natural foods that contain fiber, protein and fat. These are satisfying foods that fill you up and curb your hunger. They also result in a slower insulin level rise in your body. Foods like:

Veggies or whole grains
Protein like fish and eggs
Healthy fats—going for the olive oil to sprinkle on your salad rather than a processed, creamy one. Also avocado and egg in this category.

Some of the top food choices would be:

Fish
Avocados
Artichokes
Broccoli
Eggs
Quinoa or Millet
Almonds and Walnuts
Lentils
Yogurt, especially Greek
Bananas
Apples
Oatmeal
Lentils and White Beans and Black-eyed Peas

But BEWARE the peanut butter and almond butter scoops! Portion control is important, and this is where keeping an eye on some calorie counts may be helpful for you.

Think well-rounded meals. And when selecting proteins, like fish or chicken, it’s best to aim for no more than 3 – 6 ounces, the amount that would fit in your hand. (The number varies depending upon your age, activity-level, and sex. Athletes need more protein for muscle development, protein aids in healing, and, surprisingly, recent research indicates older adults don’t get enough protein.)

Slow down when you eat!

Think chopsticks. That’s what a dietary specialist told me during an article interview I did with her. You’ll eat more slowly and focus more on your meal.
And eat like kids tend to eat, minus the cookie binges, of course. They tend to graze and stop eating when they’re full. Don’t force yourself to eat everything on your plate.
It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register satisfaction and fullness, so scarfing down your meal can override the benefits of this trigger. You’ll end up eating too much before you feel stuffed.
Converse when eating, not with your mouth full, of course.
Chew thoroughly so the enzymes released in your mouth can start breaking down the food for digestion. It’s easier on your digestive system.
Put your fork down between bites, instead of taking a bite and then promptly re-loading your fork. You’ll end up forking in what you’ve packed on it, rather than waiting until you’ve thoroughly chewed what you already have in your mouth. You’ll end up looking like a squirrel when you’re eating.

Learning to be a mindful eater—

Finally, be more conscious of how your body feels and what it’s telling you about eating.

Don’t just eat because the schedule indicates it’s time to eat. Eat when you’re really hungry, when your body is telling you that it needs nourishment. You’ll feel more satisfied and more in control, which is usually what everyone strives for anyway.

So discard your calorie counting cards!

One a side note: I want to give a Happy Birthday shout-out to my baby boy, who turns 24 today! What a miracle and blessing he is to me!

Beginning next Wednesday, Workout Wednesdays will be going on hiatus until April 3, when I’ll be back with healthful body tips, a way for you to sign up to receive my posts on a regular basis, and a freebie for your generosity in wanting to stay connected!

I’m undergoing knee surgery this Friday, March 1, (as long as I can rid myself of this nasty cold), and I will be spending March recuperating.

Please mark your calendars for April 3 to re-join me!

Until then, have fun trying new foods and meals with your rediscovered fats and proteins. I know you’ll be happy you did!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

The Potential Dangers of Intermittent Fasting and Rapid Weight Loss

As we covered in last Wednesday’s blog, Intermittent Fasting has its benefits, to be sure.

Reducing the number of carb calories ingested and forcing the brain and muscles to run on ketone bodies can reduce brain sluggishness and joint-stressing excess weight. Some medical professionals believe the protein foods eaten on a Keto diet can support thyroid health. And Intermittent Fasting is linked to keeping the body tone and supple when losing weight, rather than ending up with saggy excess skin.

But like anything, good things can be taken too far to end up being bad things. Intermittent fasting is no exception.

What happens when you decide to reduce your calorie consumption to 500 calories every day rather than follow the 5:2 plan?

Problems with excessive fasting—

Athletes can be prone to living in extremes—extreme workouts and extreme diets. For years this kind of problem has manifested itself in sports and activities like gymnastics, ice skating, and dance, where low weight is highly sought after. After all, it takes a lot to throw body weight around, and the lower the body weight the easier it is to move.

One huge problem is that low body fat often accompanies low body weight, and young girls and dancers who work to stay thin and in possession of a low body fat percentages often wreak havoc with their hormones. Amenorrhea, (cessation of menstruation; or not menstruating by the age of 15), is a condition that accompanies low body fat in girls or women. Long-distance runners can also suffer from this malady.

It takes a certain body fat percentage to become pregnant and support a pregnancy. And amenorrhea can lead to an early onset of osteoporosis, or a higher likelihood of having osteoporosis when you age.

Not having enough body fat to support hormone function messes up other body functions too.

And what about the risks of rapid weight loss?

It may seem wonderful that you’ve dropped double-digit poundage in one week rather than the recommended 1-2 pounds, but rapid weight loss can be harder on the heart than rapid weight gain.

Rapid weight loss has been shown to:

Slow your metabolism and lead to future weight gain later.
Weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to illness and disease.
Increase your dehydration risk.
Increase cardiac stress and heart palpitations.

When thin or athletic puts a mask on body fat reality—

I used to do a lot of body fat measuring as part of my work, both in the clinic and out in the field. I’d often take my skinfold caliper to sporting events, like recreational cycling races, to measure participants’ body fat after their race. I’d always offer foot massages too, which was a godsend for some peddlers.

What I often found was that many of these people weren’t as conditioned, or as toned, as they believed they were.

Thin people were appalled to learn that their body fast percentage parked them in the unhealthy, over-fat or obese category. Big, athletic people found the same discrepancy between their perceived fitness and their actual health. When my husband took the caliper to work one day to measure his friends, they all lined up for a pinch. The skinniest member of the group—a rail-thin administrative assistance—came in at a whopping obese level. She was depressed at the revelation, to say the least.

The point is: appearance does not always equal reality—in either a highly-competitive athlete that pushes the boundaries on her body’s capabilities or a thin, sedentary person who sits in a chair in front of a computer all day to work. Or a recreational athlete who believes he can ride his bike 50 miles on a Saturday and then eat as he pleases every day of the week, and even more after the ride.

You need to know your body, select carefully, and avoid the extremes. Be as consistent as possible; don’t starve yourself for days to make up for some over-indulgent ones.

You don’t want to run the risk of making an idol out of your diet or dieting. Too often food obsession morphs into disorders like anorexia, binging, bulimia (binging and then throwing up what you’ve eaten), and extreme obsession with healthful foods and “watching” what you eat.

Take it from someone who suffered for years with an eating disorder and all the mental and physical side effects that come with it.

Intermittent Fasting is just that—intermittent fasting. Not fasting every day.

Don’t get carried away. Have a plan and work it.

And enjoy the good food God has given us for our enjoyment and health!

Until next week, when we’ll address calorie counting, and maybe worry more about your actual body fat percentage than those scale numbers and that dress or pants size.

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien