Did you know that holiday stress can lead to weight gain in addition to the weight you could gain from party foods and meals on the run?

Just knowing that fact has me feeling more stressed already!

OK, here are the facts:  when you’re stressed out, your adrenal glands release cortisol into your bloodstream.  A little bit of cortisol is good for you because it helps regulate your blood pressure.

But too much can lead to a whole bunch of health problems such as increased belly fat, lower bone density, higher blood pressure, decreased muscle mass, and slower metabolism.  It can even increase your appetite, causing you to eat more.

But how do you avoid holiday stress?

Of course you can’t completely avoid it but there are some things you can do to cope and de-stress yourself to some degree.

• Breathing Have you ever taken a La Maze class during pregnancy?  When I start to feel overwhelmed, I use the techniques I learned in that class to help me calm down.  It can also be helpful to use this method a couple of times a day just to center yourself before becoming over stressed.
• Exercise A workout or even a short, brisk walk can do wonders for your mood.
• Take a power nap.    Just be sure not to sleep longer than 30 minutes.  If you go into a deep sleep, you will wake up feeling groggy rather than refreshed.
• Listen to soothing music. Put on your headphones and shut out the rest of the world.
• Cut yourself some slack! Eat that cookie.  Drink that champagne.  You might gain a little weight but, in the end, some moderate holiday indulgence will do less harm to your health (and your waistline)  than a lot of holiday stress!

Please share this article with all your stressed out Facebook friends and Twitter  followers!  Thanks!

Every now and then I come across an article or advertisement about leptin weight loss supplements so I decided to dig into the subject and find out more about it.

Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells in your body.  Its function is to signal your brain whether or not you have enough stored fat cells to be healthy.  If you have enough fat cells, the leptin signals your brain not to be hungry. In other words, it suppresses your appetite when there is no biological reason to eat.  Of course there are other signals, such as feeling physically too full, but leptin plays a part hormonally.

So why does anyone gain weight?

The more fat cells you have, the more leptin you produce, right?  It would seem that all that extra leptin would be sending extra appetite suppressing signals to your brain.

Well, the problem is that your brain becomes resistant to the signals.  Leptin is a relatively new discovery so more research needs to be done but, just as you learn to tune out the annoying whining of an obnoxious child or co-worker, your brain tunes out the constant reminders from the over abundance of leptin in your bloodstream.  Ironically, the more fat you carry on your body, the more you feel like eating!

So why would it make sense to add more leptin to the mix and expect to lose weight? Researchers have experimented with leptin supplementation  and had mixed results.  Some people lost weight and some gained.  As I said, leptin is a fairly recent discovery so perhaps different people’s fat produces different levels of leptin.  And there’s always the placebo effect on a certain percentage of participants in this type of study.

Another study concluded that people who severely restrict their calorie intake have decreased leptin levels in their blood.  This causes increased appetite and makes losing weight more difficult.

But what if your body doesn’t produce any leptin at all? You’d be hungry all the time and want to eat all day!  Actually, doctors have come across a few individuals with this condition, but only about 6 in the whole world.  If you are overweight, it’s highly unlikely to be caused by lack of leptin!

Although leptin hasn’t been proven to help with weight loss, there is research showing that, once you’ve lost the weight and gotten your leptin levels to where they should be, supplementation might be able to help you keep it off.

As you may have guessed by now, I do not recommend taking leptin supplements as a weight loss aid. One more reason not to waste your money on leptin pills:  leptin is a protein and so cannot be absorbed if taken orally.  The only way to get it into your bloodstream is to inject it.

Please share this information using the buttons below.  Thanks!

“Can I be on a diet and still lead a normal life?”

This question might sound kind of funny at first but it is a serious concern for the person who is devoted to their weight loss program and doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their chances of success.

Most people who ask this question are really asking if they can eat out while trying to lose weight.  And my answer is, of course you can, as long as you use some common sense!  Here are some things you can do to stay on course when eating at a restaurant or someone else’s house:

• Eat something filling and healthy, such as an apple, before going out to eat.
• Try everything but take small servings  of the high calorie dishes.
• Spend more time talking to the people you’re with than eating.
• Drink water between bites to make yourself feel fuller.
• Try to limit eating out to once per week.

Think of it this way:  you eat 21 meals a week.  If you over do it at one of those meals, you probably won’t sabotage yourself.  However, if you find yourself going out for a big burger or sub for lunch 5 days a week, you might not really be committed to your weight loss program.

If you truly want to succeed, hoping to lose weight but clinging to your old eating habits is not going to get you where you want to be – that’s what got you where you already are!

If you haven’t done so already, take a second right now to sign up for my FREE 40 Healthy Weight Loss Tips.

A weight loss journal is one of the best motivational tools there is.

Nothing can show you your progress and keep you on track like a weight loss journal.  Let’s take a look at how to set up this valuable tool.

Do I need a book made specifically to be used as a weight loss journal?

Absolutely not.  In fact, I would advise against using any book that pre-determines how you should use the pages.  A journal with blank pages allows you to put whatever you want on any page in any order.  This is your personal diary and needs to be designed by you.

Because your journal will be going with you wherever you go, it needs to be sturdy enough to stand up to lots of use and portable enough to fit in your purse.

What should I record in my weight loss journal?

The answer to that question is anything and everything that has to do with your weight loss journey!  Here are some ideas:

• Goals. I’m sure you have a long term goal in mind but you will also find it helpful to set weekly goals to reach along the way.
• Progress.    Write down your weight and measurements at regular intervals.  Maybe you could create a graph to better visualize your progress.  Paste in photos of yourself and see how your appearance is changing.
• Foods eaten.    What did you eat?  What size portion?  How many calories? (If you don’t know the calorie count, look it up – don’t guess.)  Be sure to write down everything that goes into your mouth!
• Exercise. Did you do an extra amount of walking today?  Did you go to the gym?  Did you spend Saturday on the couch?  Write it down!
• Thoughts and feelings. How did you feel after a particular meal or workout?  What time of day were you the most hungry?  Were you sore after a long walk?  Happy when you saw progress on the scale?
• Inspiration. Include inspirational quotes, clippings, cartoons, compliments you received.  You could even paste in the size tag from your new skinnier jeans!

How will my weight loss journal help me lose weight?

By re-reading your journal, you’ll learn things about yourself that you might not have realized before.  You’ll be able to see what situations tempt you to overeat or to skip exercising.  Once you see these patterns, you’ll be able to plan how to deal with them or even avoid them altogether.  You’ll also have a record of things you tried that didn’t work so you don’t end up trying them again!

Have fun with your weight loss journal!  Choose a book with a cover you love, use colorful pens, draw funny pictures, be creative! Who knows?  This could become a journey of self discovery as much as a weight loss journey!

Be sure to get my 40 Healthy Weight Loss Tips to help you along your way!

Summer's End

In honor of Labor Day I’m taking a day off from posting.  Actually, on this last official weekend of summer, everyone should be out enjoying themselves rather than inside reading blogs!

But if you are looking for some healthful reading, I invite you to check out my free publication, “40 Healthy Weight Loss Tips“.  It’s a collection of bits and pieces of advice that can help you along your weight loss journey.  I hope you enjoy it!

Have you been dieting for weeks but feel as if you’re making very little progress?

Maybe your weight loss program is just not realistic!  Here are some unrealistic ideas that may be blocking your success.

Unrealistic Goals

If you are following a realistic, healthy eating plan, you will lose, on average, a pound a week.  You may lose more some weeks and less some weeks, but, over time, the average will be a pound a week.  That means around 4 pounds per month.  If you are expecting to lose 30 pounds in a month, you are being unrealistic and are going to be disappointed.

Unrealistic Plan

If you are following an extreme, restrictive diet, you are doomed to fail.  Even if you lose tons of weight, it will all come back and then some when you return to your regular eating patterns.  Why would you want to put yourself through all that misery and deprivation just to weigh less for a few days?

A realistic food plan has to be seen as a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.  In order to lose and maintain your desired weight,  you need to commit to eating a normal, healthy, balanced diet of real foods that you can follow for the rest of your life.  And by “real foods” I do not mean shakes, bars, or pills!

Unrealistic Self-Expectations

Are you perfect?  Do you never make mistakes?  Of course not!  But many people look at a diet slip-up as a reason – or maybe an excuse –  to drop the whole thing.  If you happen to make a bad eating choice now and then, forgive yourself and move on!  You will occasionally have a bad day.  Just don’t let it turn into a bad week, then a bad month, etc.  Acknowledge that you momentarily got off course then get right back on!

By letting go of unrealistic goals, plans, and expectations, you will be much more likely to have long term success with your weight loss program!

For more weight loss help, sign up for my FREE eCourse, “40 Healthy Weight Loss Tips.”

The first time I ever saw a copy of Eat This Not That I was visiting my parent’s house.

There were two “Eat This Not That“  books on the coffee table: The Supermarket Survival Guide and The No Diet Weight-Loss Solution.

I picked up one of them, intending to just flip through and get a general idea of what it was all about, and I couldn’t put it down!  I kept reading parts aloud to other people who were in the house and saying, “Did you know this?” or “Can you believe that?”

As the weekend progressed I noticed that everyone who showed up had the same reaction.  They were completely hooked and had to keep reading just one more page….

The Eat This Not That books are written by David Zinczenko who is the editor-in-chief of “Men’s Health” and editorial director of “Women’s Health.”

The premise of this book series is that you don’t have to give up any particular food type in order to lose weight. The “secret” is in the choices you make.  The books are divided into chapters such as “Pantry Staples”, “The Freezer Section”, or “At Your Favorite Restaurants.”

The pages within the chapters are loaded with pictures of actual products and colorful graphics describing them in terms of calories, fat, sodium, and fiber per serving, plus other nutritional or just interesting information.  Each time you turn to the next page, the left hand page shows the “eat this” foods, the right hand page the “not that” foods.

For instance, Kellogg’s Smart Start cereal has 190 calories and 14 grams of sugars per 1 cup serving, compared to Cheerios with 100 calories and 1 gram of sugars per cup.

Or how about this – a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder contains 410 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 730 mg of sodium.  But their Premium Grilled Chicken Club has 570 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 1,720 mg of sodium!

Did you know that most restaurant wheat buns contain more fat and sodium than sourdough? Ok, I’ll stop!

Before I get distracted by any more food facts, let me just summarize by saying that the Eat This Not That books are over-the-top full of practical, useful information presented in an entertaining, easy to read format.  And their small size makes it easy to take them along to the store or restaurants.

I HIGHLY recommend that you buy Eat This, Not That. Once you get one, you’ll want the whole series!

Add these easy weight loss tips to your overall weight loss plan and reach your goal more quickly!

1. Weigh yourself every day. Keeping tabs on your progress helps keep you on track.  When you see the scale inching down, it motivates you to stick with your program.  Movement the other direction causes you to buckle down and work even harder.
2. Walk more. Park farther from your office or the store.  Walk around the block before you fix dinner.  These small amounts add up over the course of a day!
3. Eat hot soup before lunch or dinner. Hot soup cannot be eaten quickly so, by the time you finish the bowl, your brain has had time to signal you that you’re not so hungry any more.  Stay away from creamy soups!
4. Don’t drink high calorie beverages. Even though the calories may be the same, people seem to feel fuller after eating solid food.  If you have a high calorie drink before or with your meal, you’ll probably eat the same size meal as you would have without the drink.
5. Have a spicy appetizer. Eating a little something made with chili powder or peppers suppresses your appetite, resulting in you eating less during your meal.

Be sure to retweet these tips to your followers!

So you can’t lose weight even though you’ve been following your weight loss plan faithfully.

It’s so frustrating!  Let’s take a look at your weight loss plan and see where you can tweak it to get the results you want.

1. Are you dieting but not exercising?

Steady, permanent weight loss requires a combination of decreasing the number of calories you take in and increasing the number of calories you expend.  Exercise revs up your metabolism to keep your body burning calories efficiently.

2. Are you exercising but not dieting?

Exercise is great for your fitness but will not help you lose weight if you continue to overeat between workouts.  It takes a lot of exercise to burn just one pound of fat so, if you want to see results, you need to reduce the amount of fuel coming in so your exercise efforts can work on burning fat that is already in storage.

3. Is your diet too restrictive?

Your body requires a healthy balance of carbs (50% of your daily intake), protein (15%) and fats (35%) in order to keep working like it should.  If you give it the wrong fuel, it will become sluggish and unable to do it’s work of burning calories.  And if you limit yourself to too few calories, your body will go into starvation mode and cling to every single fat cell.  You will feel weak and miserable, plus your weight loss will stop.

4. Are you doing the wrong exercise?

For optimum weight loss, you have to include a combination of cardio and strength training in your exercise plan.  If you are using cardio alone, you are missing out on the calorie burning benefits that building muscle provides.

If your weight loss program hasn’t been as effective as you had hoped it would be, try one of these easy fixes!  And don’t forget to share these ideas with anyone else you know who might need them!

Myth or Fact?

Have you ever noticed that, if something is said often enough, people tend to accept it as true?  Let’s talk about 5 of these diet myths which need to be purged from your knowledge base – they are simply not true!  Some of them might even be sabotaging your health, fitness, or weight loss goals.

• Myth #1:  Carbs are bad for you. Fact:  This myth is only partially true.  It should be amended to say that “white carbs” are not good for you.  These include foods like white rice, white bread, and sugar.  Whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat products are a vital part of a healthy diet.  In fact, the Department of Health recommends that 50% of our daily calories (energy) should come from carbs.
• Myth #2:  Vegetarians can’t build muscle. Fact:  You can build muscle on a vegetarian diet as long as you include protein.  Animal protein is not the only kind of protein.  Good vegetarian sources of protein include beans, nuts, and dairy products.  Optimally, 15% of your daily calories should come from protein.
• Myth #3:  Low fat = low calorie. Fact:  Many products labeled low fat are very high in calories because of high sugar content.  Remember, fat does not make you fat; eating more calories than you burn causes you to gain weight.  Fat is actually a necessary part of a healthy diet.  It should make up 35% of your daily calorie intake.
• Myth #4:  Low fat milk has less calcium than whole milk. Fact:  Milk’s calcium is in the watery part of the milk.  It is not in the creamy part which is skimmed off to make skim or low fat milk.
• Myth #5:  Eating past 8:00 at night causes you to gain weight. Fact:  Once again, weight gain is directly related to the total number of calories you eat during the day, not the time of day you eat them.  Although some people may not be able to sleep well after eating a late meal or snack due to heartburn, etc., it will not cause them to gain weight as long as they have not exceeded their daily calorie needs.

What other diet myths can you think of? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.