Eggs - Cholesterol and Weight Loss

Eggs and diabetes 

I love eggs! Do you love eggs? A recent study conducted on egg consumption and individuals with Type 2 Diabetes may cause you to reconsider eggs for your breakfast. 

6 Herbs for Weight Loss

Most of us have an Achilles’ heel when it comes to losing weight. For some it’s cravings, for others it’s a sluggish metabolism. Whatever your particular obstacle, herbal formulas can help.

Boost your metabolism with . . . GREEN TEA EXTRACT 
HOW IT WORKS: Green tea contains compounds called catechins, a class of antioxidants which have been associated with an increased metabolism and the ability to stimulate fat burning. In a 2005 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a group of men who consumed 690 milligrams of green tea extract per day lost more weight in three months than a control group (an average of 5.3 pounds versus. 2.9 pounds). Previous studies have shown that green tea causes weight loss in women, too.
BEST BUY: Puritan’s Pride Green Tea Extract capsules or Herbal Authority Green Tea liquid (puritan.com)
DOSAGE: Two 400 mg capsules a day; 10 to 20 drops twice daily. Take capsules or add liquid extract to one cup of tea or combine it with food. “I like to put it in soups and spaghetti sauce,” says Letha Hadady, author of Feed Your Tiger: The Asian Diet Secret for Permanent Weight Loss and Vibrant Health (Rodale, 2007).
WATCH OUT: Green tea can alleviate water retention, but it also may cause diarrhea and nervousness.

Burn fat with . . . FISH OIL 
HOW IT WORKS: Fish oil’s omega- 3 fatty acids help change the way the body uses fat: Instead of storing it, the body burns fat as fuel. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007, Australian researchers found that both fish oil and exercise independently reduced body fat. But a combination of the two—the study subjects walked briskly three times a week for 45 minutes and consumed 1.9 grams of fish oil daily— was even more effective. “Fish oil also seems to stop some kinds of fat cravings,” says Julia Ross, director of Recovery Systems Clinic in Mill Valley, Calif.
BEST BUY: Nordic Naturals Omega or Ultimate Omega Fish Oil soft gels (nordicnaturals.com)
DOSAGE: 1000 to 2000 mg daily.
WATCH OUT: Start with a low dosage; higher dosage may disrupt sleep, says Ross.

Stop cravings with . . . L-GLUTAMINE 
HOW IT WORKS: When blood sugar levels drop, cravings tend to follow because your brain isn’t getting the fuel it needs. “L-glutamine, an amino acid, instantly fuels the brain, which stops the code red that makes you crave sweets and starchy foods,” says Ross. Evidence also suggests that L-glutamine might facilitate weight loss by affecting the conversion and storage of calories. In a 1996 study at Duke University Medical Center, researchers found that supplementation with L-glutamine caused weight loss in mice.
BEST BUY: NOW 500 mg L-glutamine capsules (nowfoods.com)
DOSAGE: Two 500-mg capsules three times a day between meals for one to two months. For the fastest effect, let the capsules dissolve under your tongue.

Weight loss: Feel full on fewer calories

Feel full on fewer calories? It might sound like another gimmick for weight loss, but it's not. The concept of energy density really can help with weight loss. In fact, well-planned weight-loss diets, such as the Mayo Clinic Diet, use the concept of energy density to help you lose weight and keep it off long term.

Weight loss with more food, fewer calories
Simply put, energy density is the number of calories (energy) in a specific amount of food. High energy density means that there are a lot of calories in a little food. Low energy density means there are few calories in a lot of food.

When you're striving for weight loss, the goal is to eat low-energy-dense foods. That is, you want to eat a greater volume of food that's lower in calories. This helps you feel fuller on fewer calories. Here's a quick example with raisins and grapes. Raisins have a high energy density — 1 cup of raisins has about 434 calories. Grapes have a low energy density — 1 cup of grapes has about 82 calories.

The keys to energy density and weight loss
Three main factors play a role in what makes food high or low in energy density:

• Water. Fruits and vegetables are generally high in water content, which provides volume and weight but not calories. That's why they're low-energy-dense foods. Grapefruit, for example, is about 90 percent water. Half a grapefruit has just 37 calories. Raw, fresh carrots are about 88 percent water. A medium carrot has only about 25 calories.
• Fiber. High-fiber foods not only provide volume, but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer on fewer calories. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains all contain fiber. Popcorn is a good example of a high-volume, low-calorie whole grain. One cup of air-popped popcorn has about 30 calories.
• Fat. Fat is high in energy density. One pat of butter, for example, contains almost the same number of calories as 2 cups of raw broccoli. Foods that contain fat naturally, such as dairy products and various meats, or foods with added fats are higher in calories than are their leaner or lower fat counterparts.

Energy density and the food pyramid

Changing lifestyle habits is never easy, and creating an eating plan using the energy-density concept is no exception. The first step is knowing which foods are better options when it comes to energy density. Here's a look at energy density by the categories in the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid.

Vegetables
Most vegetables are low in calories but high in volume or weight. Many vegetables contain water, which provides weight without calories. Examples include salad greens, asparagus, green beans, broccoli and zucchini. To add more vegetables to your diet, top your pasta with sauteed vegetables instead of meat or cheese sauce. Decrease the meat portion on your plate and increase the serving of vegetables. Add vegetables to your sandwiches. Snack on raw vegetables.

Fruits
Practically all types of fruit fit into a healthy diet. But some fruits are lower calorie choices than others are. Whole fresh, frozen and canned fruits without syrup are good options. In contrast, fruit juices and dried fruits are concentrated sources of natural sugar and therefore have a high energy density — more calories — and they don't fill you up as much. To fit more fruits into your diet, add blueberries to your cereal in the morning. Try mango or peach slices on whole-wheat toast with a little peanut butter and honey. Or toss some mandarin orange and peach slices into a salad.

Carbohydrates
Many carbohydrates are either grains or made from grains, such as cereal, rice, bread and pasta. Whole grains are the best option because they're higher in fiber and other important nutrients. Emphasize whole grains by simply choosing whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereal instead of refined grains. Because many carbohydrates are higher in energy density, keep an eye on portion sizes.

Protein and dairy
These include food from both plant and animal sources. The healthiest lower energy-dense choices are foods that are high in protein but low in fat and calories, such as legumes (beans, peas and lentils, which are also good sources of fiber), fish, skinless white-meat poultry, fat-free dairy products and egg whites.

Fats
While fats are high-energy-dense foods, some fats are healthier than others. Include small amounts of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet. Nuts, seeds, and oils, such as olive, flaxseed and safflower oils, contain healthy fats.

Sweets
Like fats, sweets are typically high in energy density. Good options for sweets include those that are low in added fat and contain healthy ingredients, such as fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Examples include fresh fruit topped with low-fat yogurt, a cookie made with whole-wheat flour or a scoop of low-fat ice cream. The keys to sweets are to keep the serving size small and the ingredients healthy. Even a small piece of dark chocolate can fit into a weight-loss plan.

Making energy density work for you

When you stick to the concept of energy density, you don't have to feel hungry or deprived. By including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains in your diet, you can feel full on fewer calories. You may even have room in your diet for a tasty sweet on occasion. By eating larger portions of low-energy-density foods, you squelch those hunger pains, take in fewer calories and feel better about your meal, which contributes to how satisfied you feel overall.

Staying Motivated: An Important Factor in Weight Loss

If you are attempting to fight fat, it is simply not enough to begin an exercise program.  You must also be able to stick with it.  This can be challenging, especially if you have spent most of your life as a couch potato.  You may find exercise to be boring or a chore.  And you may be wondering whether your exercise program is really worth the effort.

       It should be noted that the key to a successful exercise program is perseverance.  This means that you need to commit to it for the long haul—in fact, it is best if you commit to it for the rest of your life.  Certainly, it can be difficult at times.  But in the end, it is well worth the effort you exert.

       Staying motivated may begin with having a tangible goal.  For instance, if you are basically inactive when you start your program, you should aim to burn off 500 calories a week.  If you are fairly active when you start exercising, your goal should be 1,000 calories.  But you must also have a long-term goal.  This might be doubling the amount of calories you burn within six months of commencing your exercise program.

       You might consider starting an exercise log.  Here, you will record exactly what kind of aerobic, anaerobic, and stretching exercises you do each week.  Be sure to include the number of repetitions you’re performing with each exercise.  This way, you’ll have a concrete chart for your progress.   Seeing how well you’re doing can be truly inspiring and can keep you going when you find it difficult to go on.

      Another effective motivational strategy is to join a group that engages in some kind of exercise.  For instance, you might become a mall-walker or you might find a local square dance club to join.  Other possibilities include hiking groups, golfing groups, softball teams, or even ping-pong teams.  The fact that you are part of a social network will help to keep you motivated.

      You might try psyching yourself out by using a computer screensaver which says, “Get moving.”  Or you might post a “get moving” sign on your refrigerator.  In other words, you should be constantly reminded of the value of exercise.  You might also invest in home exercise equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer, or free weights.  The amount of money you spend could be a powerful incentive for making sure that you use the equipment on a regular basis.    You should also place the equipment in a prominent place so that you have to pass it often.  After a while, you’ll find no excuse not to exercise.

       You might also consider investing in exercise videos or DVDs.  These allow you the convenience of exercising in the privacy of your own home.  They can also give you an electronic “exercise buddy” who can help keep you inspired even on rainy days when you don’t feel like exercising at all.

       Another effective idea is to place your athletic shoes near the door so that you are reminded of the need to walk rather than drive.  You might also consider rewarding yourself for keeping with your exercise program.  Your reward could be as elaborate as a cruise or as small as a treat from the dollar store.  The idea is to make sure that your accomplishment is celebrated.

      While we’re on the topic of celebration, seriously consider throwing a party once you’ve reached an exercise milestone.  You can serve nutritious snacks and beverages and even encourage your guests to come in their athletic wear in order to build upon the party’s theme.  Sharing your joy can help to motivate you to continue your physical activities.

       It should be said that there is no right way to exercise.  But you do need to make sure that whatever you do is effective and that you’re sufficiently motivated to do it.  By following just a few simple tips, you can ensure that your exercise routine is not just a fad, that it will continue over the long term.   Remember that you may face setbacks from time to time, but that shouldn’t stop you from continuing to try to reach your exercise goals.

What’s the Best Workout for Weight Loss?

Strength training, cardio, Pilates, yoga…which one helps shed the pounds the quickest? The short answer–The one that burns up the most calories, most efficiently, says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery in Montgomery, Ala.

Cardio is king when it comes to calorie burning, Olson says, and you’ll see even better results if your workout has an ‘after burn’ effect.

Interval-style workouts (alternating between short bursts of high intensity effort followed by brief periods of active recovery) are one of the best ways to turn on this ‘after burn,’ which can raise your metabolic rate for up to four hours after a session, meaning you’ll burn more calories even after the workout is over, she explains.

“Any time you elevate your heart rate into the top end of your target zone, the extra fuel (aka calories) you burn up continues in order to bring your heart rate and muscle activity back to normal and to metabolize the lactic acid you have created.”

But before you jump into an all-interval, all-the-time cardio marathon, there are a few important things to note to maximize your exercise time for weight loss: First, too much high intensity cardio can burn out your body, leaving you tired, cranky, and too exhausted to stick with your routine.

To avoid this, alternate two or three days per week of higher intensity interval workouts with more endurance-focused sessions (exercising at an intensity where you can still talk without getting too winded).

Second, it’s important to build metabolically active lean muscle mass to help give your body shape and definition while you continue to slim down. For best weight loss results, Olson recommends doing cardio (45-60 minutes), five days a week, along with two to three non-consecutive days of resistance training.

Arguably, the best workout for anything (weight loss included) is going to be the one that you’ll do! So while calorie burn is important, find a way to make fitness fun too. Trade the treadmill for a high energy Zumba class or shift from weight machines to a TRX suspension trainer to prevent boredom while sticking to your workout schedule.

And, if you really want to maximize your time and the gym, consider workouts that have both a strength and cardio element to them such as kettlebell training (a recent study from the American Council on Exercise found that total body exercises performed with a kettlebell burned a whopping 20.2 calories per minute, or about the equivalent to running a 6-minute mile).

And does that mean you should skip out on the sometime less intense workouts like Pilates or yoga if you’re trying to lose weight? Definitely not, says Olson. “The body thrives on new and different movements such as Pilates and yoga, so incorporate them into your weight loss efforts.”

An active-style yoga class, for example, that keeps your heart rate elevated can count as a cardio session, and a Pilates class that incorporates added resistance from bands or dumbbells can count as strength training.

Finally, don’t forget that it’s really easy to eat back all the calories you burned off at the gym in just minutes, so for true weight loss success, couple your workouts with a healthy diet that creates a caloric deficit. To stay on track to lose a healthy and realistic 1.5 pounds per week, Olson suggests eating about 500 calories less per day and burning off an extra 300 calories through exercise.