Carole Carson

Eight Myths about Exercising

We’ve all done it: made excuses for not exercising. But do our excuses really hold water? An article by Anna Delany and Melissa McKenzie on the CalorieKing Web site exposes eight common exercise myths. Clearing up the misinformation can help keep us on track with our commitment to building a healthy lifestyle.

 

1. Myth: If you don’t exercise daily, it won’t do any good. Reality: More exercise is better, but even a little exercise is better than none at all.

 

2. Myth: Spot training will reduce key areas of fat.

Reality: Although spot training builds muscle, it doesn’t reduce fat. To reduce fat, nothing beats a cardio workout.

 

3. Myth: Muscle converts to fat when you stop exercising.

Reality: Muscles do shrink if exercise ends, but they don’t convert to fat.

 

4. Myth: Morning is the best time for a workout.

Reality: Some people like to work out in the morning, others during their lunch hour and others at night. Exercise at the time of day that feels best for you.

 

5. Myth: Gaining muscle mass means gaining weight.

Reality: Many women avoid weight training because they fear they’ll gain weight. However, women have much lower levels of testosterone (a main contributor to muscle-mass building). Consequently, weight training will produce tone, rather than bulk, in women.

 

6. Myth: No pain, no gain.

Reality: Slight discomfort means muscles are working; pain is your body’s way of telling you to stop! Push yourself a little but not too hard.

 

7. Myth: You shouldn’t exercise right after eating.

Reality: You won’t harm yourself if you do some light exercise after eating. Running a marathon isn’t recommended, but a walk is always good after dinner.

 

8. Myth: Burning more calories than you eat is a healthy way to lose weight.

Reality: Exercise is good for toning the body, but most of us don’t have enough hours in the day to burn off our excess fat. Also, if you reduce your calories too much, your body will think it’s starving and will burn muscle tissue instead of fat.

 

The ideas our mothers taught us still hold true: eat a healthy, nutritious diet and get regular exercise even if it is in small doses.

 

The French Paradox and Moi

I always learn a great deal about food and fitness when I visit my son Steve; his French wife, Sabrina; and their two sons in Montpellier, France.

Montpellier is located in the Languedoc region on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Like Provence, its next-door neighbor, the Languedoc region is filled with vineyards, castles, Roman ruins and antiquities.

Montpellier boasts numerous schools and universities. Consequently, the public squares, restaurants and coffeehouses are filled with high-spirited youth intermingled with occasional tourists and a few retirees. During this particular visit, the rugby world cup competition was nearing its finals, further adding to the high spirits of pedestrians on the crowded streets.

Surrounded by extraordinary hospitality, good food and wonderful wine, I indulged myself. Breakfast was the first treat of the day, usually beginning with strong coffee, a croissant embedded with bits of chocolate and a piece of fruit.

Lunches and dinners were more leisurely and complicated. A typical meal might begin with an aperitif followed by a substantial entrée. The next course, a green salad, would be followed by bread and an assortment of exceptional cheeses. A round of fruit and yogurt might come next. Finally, an irresistibly beautiful dessert accompanied by rich coffee would end the meal. Each course was, of course, accompanied by wine.

At home in California, I drink wine sparingly, my coffee is weak and lunch is a bowl of vegetable soup. But each day in France, I drank goblets of wonderful red or rose wine throughout the two-hour, multi-course lunches and dinners. Plus, after each meal, I sipped delightful cups of dark roasted coffee with the best of them.

How, I ask myself, can people eat like this and stay trim? That, of course, is the famous French paradox.

My daughter-in-law, for example, started her pregnancies weighing 99 pounds; four months after giving birth, she weighed 101. Six weeks later, she weighed one pound more than she did before her pregnancies. Predictably enough, she lost that pound very shortly.

I’ve decided the French paradox does not apply to tourists, or at least to me. Unlike my extended French family (including my son who has lost 30 pounds since moving to France), if I eat bread, cheese, wine, chocolates and six-course meals each day, I do not stay trim. Instead, after fourteen days in France, I came home two pounds heavier.

Without regretting the extravagances that resulted in the extra weight, I’m eager to resume my eating and exercise regimen. That may be the French paradox pour moi. Oui?

Shape Up or Pay Up!

We all know that medical costs are rising at an alarming rate. Many factors are causing this spike, but among the most identifiable is the increase in obesity. Two-thirds of us are overweight, and given the trend, this number is expected to reach 75 percent in the next few years.

As researchers have repeatedly documented, being overweight leads to a host of medical problems: gallbladder disease, stroke, coronary diseases, certain cancers, diabetes and others too numerous to list. And these medical conditions lead to a host of medical expenses.

Who will foot the bill?

Certainly families are aware of the worrisome increase in costs when they write checks for their medical expenses. Their awareness, however, is matched by the concern of their employers. While the cost of employee healthcare premiums rises, the pressure to provide coverage to the uninsured also rises—a double whammy.

So what’s an employer to do? Some benefit administrators are employing the “stick” motivational technique by deducting money from the paychecks of employees who don’t meet certain health requirements. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, one Indiana-based company will deduct $30 every two weeks from the paychecks off those who fail to meet weight, cholesterol and blood pressure guidelines.

Other companies are giving “carrots.” That is, the employer reduce the amount of the insurance deductible as an incentive to get and stay trim. Instead of paying the first $5,000 in medical expenses each year, for example, the employee who gets and stays trim may have the deductible reduced to $2,500.

The courts will ultimately decide whether such actions violate employment laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. But one thing is certain. For the first time, Americans recognize the need to address the issue of obesity. According to a Harris Poll, 83 percent of Americans say obesity is “very harmful,” compared to 79 percent who consider smoking “very harmful” (the second leading contender). Obesity is now the number one health issue.

What can you and I do? As employees or retirees—whatever our station in life—we must set an example.

Others will follow our lead if we step up and challenge ourselves to lose weight and get fit. To misquote President Roosevelt, we have nothing to lose but pounds themselves.

And what we have to gain is invaluable. We can regain the self-respect and financial viability that comes from living a disciplined, purposeful life. Is that too much to ask of ourselves? And can we afford to do anything less?

Do Friends Make You Fat?

A study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that our friends can make us fat, even when the friendship is a long-distance one. But wait! If I’m overweight, am I making my friend fat? Or is my overweight friend making me fat?

I can’t answer that question, but I can tell you that the research is right! Here’s what I mean.

My niece lost 80 pounds shortly after the birth of her second child. At the time, she had a 4 year-old and a full-time job as a data manager at a big corporation. Even as a child, she had been overweight. When I learned in amazement that she had become trim and fit, I realized I could do it as well.

Once I made changes in my lifestyle and lost 62 pounds, my family and friends started making changes as well. I don’t take credit for their decision or their resulting weight losses. I just marvel at the chain of events.

My brother has lost about 30 pounds, my son-in-law about 60. My stepson has lost about 45 pounds. My son in France has lost about 35. My mother, in her early 90s, has lost 20 pounds. My older sister, who just turned 70, has lost at least 30 pounds. My tennis partner won’t tell me how many pounds she has lost but judging from her appearance, I would guess at least 20. I could name more, but you get the idea.

The most accurate statement I can make is, perhaps my example became a catalyst for family and friends to examine and change their lifestyle, just as my niece’s example was for me.

The implications of the research are stunning. Each of us needs to understand the impact we have on each other, whether we are a parent, friend, grandparent, son, or daughter.

Each of us has a unique opportunity to be a role model for everyone around us. On the flip side, we can look to others to be positive role models for us, too.

When you think about it, this research isn’t so startling. We humans are, after all, social creatures. When my friend yawns, I yawn. When the grocery clerk smiles, I smile back.

One thing the research makes clear, though, is that we’re all in this together.

We have a choice. We can be negative role models. But as you can see from the weight loss among my family members and friends, when it comes to eating and fitness, we can just as easily be positive examples.

We must make our choices knowing that our decisions help shape not only our own bodies but those of our family and friends.

Ten Ways to Outsmart Food Cravings

Losing weight and keeping it off require effective management of food cravings that can easily undermine plans to eat healthfully. Use these 10 tips to manage yourself through the crazy maze of cravings:

1. Eat at regular intervals. To avoid becoming overly hungry, don’t go more than five hours without eating.

2. Include protein in each meal to control appetite. Skinless poultry, fish, eggs and low-calorie dairy products are good sources.

3. Stay hydrated with water, since thirst can mask as hunger. Avoid sugared, artificially sweetened and stimulant drinks that trigger cravings.

4. Distract yourself if the impulse to eat is triggered by emotions, especially if you are SAD: sad, angry or depressed. Instead of giving in to the craving, go for a walk. Besides getting you out of the kitchen, the exercise will burn calories.

5. Chew sugarless gum. Chewing satisfies mouth hunger without adding calories.

6. Brush and floss your teeth. Changing the taste in your mouth shifts your perspective, and the craving may simply disappear.

7. Replace refined foods (for example, white flour and sugar) that trigger cravings with whole grains. Whole grains produce a sense of satiety for a longer than refined foods do, and unlike refined foods, whole grains do not trigger cravings.

8. Just say no and then wait. Most cravings begin, crest and recede in minutes. While you’re waiting, review what you have eaten during the day and reassure yourself that your body is well nourished. Willpower is a muscle that strengthens with exercise.

9. Call for support. If you are in danger of polishing off a container of peanut butter ice cream, call your best friend and talk your way through the crisis.

10. Get outside and into sunlight daily, exercise regularly and get a good night’s rest. Sunlight and exercise lift your mood, and rest restores perspective.

Armed with these tips, you will have the tools to respond when cravings surprise you. Even so, to paraphrase President Lincoln, you may be able to fend off all of your cravings some of the time and fend off some cravings all of the time, but you probably won’t be able to fend off all of your cravings all of the time. If you do slip up now and then, forgive yourself and move on. Forget the past and move toward the future. You’ll no doubt have many more opportunities to practice these tips.

Photo courtesy of Julia Dumnova

 

Reduce (or Add) Fat with an Injection—Too Good to Be True?

An injection that makes fat disappear? This revolutionary weight-loss breakthrough reported in major U. S. publications, such as The Washington Post and also internationally, such as The Herald Sun, Australia’s biggest newspaper.

 

Sound like another scam? Consider the source: Dr. Zofia Zukowska.  Be assured, Dr. Zukowska is not a snake-oil promoter. Indeed, she is a highly educated and talented researcher at Georgetown University. The abstract of her research is available in the July 31, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

 

It’s not an easy read. Fortunately for laypersons like me, the remarkable results of her research are summarized in the opening paragraph of the abstract.

 

Briefly, what Dr. Zukowska has been able to do in experimental animals is manipulate a particular chemical (neuropeptide Y, referred to as NPY) so that fat is either increased or decreased. The result is that fat can be “remodeled.”

 

The implications of this research are stunning. Lips or breasts could be enlarged through a simple injection. More importantly for most of us, belly fat could disappear with a shot in the stomach. 

 

Human testing is about two years away, but Dr. Zukowska’s research could make dieting and surgical enhancements obsolete, assuming, of course, that any side effects are manageable.

 

Satisfying our desire to look better isn’t enough. We still need to exercise our bodies to build strength, maintain balance, strengthen the heart and remain flexible. Still, trimming down might encourage those of us who are discouraged by our excess weight to become more physically active. 

 

This is exciting research. I’m staying in touch with Dr. Zukowska’s staff because I want to be first in line for a tummy injection. I have a couple of pounds of stubborn fat on my belly that just won’t go away! I’ll keep you posted.

 

Have You Forgotten How Good You Can Feel? Turn Back Your Biological Clock

Do you feel tired? Experience joint pain or stiffness when you move? What about headaches and depression? Don’t make the mistake of attributing these effects to aging. Indeed, they may be nothing of the sort. Instead, like me, you may simply be suffering from surplus body fat and sustained inactivity.

 

In his book, Younger Next Year, co-author Dr. Harry Lodge asserts that we can turn back our biological clocks. If we are willing to exercise regularly and eat on the slim side—even though the clock is ticking away—we can perform both physically and mentally into our 90s. Impressed with the idea of reversing aging, his readers have begun following the advice. Their excited stories and results are posted on Dr. Lodge’s Web site.

 

You simply can’t read the stories without wanting to jump up and join them in their successful effort to reclaim their youthful vitality. When your spirit needs a lift, read a story or two. That’s what I do.

The Skinny on Fats

Have you noticed the proliferation of low-fat and nonfat products on the market? Yet despite the focus on eliminating or reducing fats from our diet, Americans are heavier than ever.

It turns out that not all fats are created equal. Some, like the “bad” trans fats found in processed foods, should be avoided. Others, like the saturated fat found in meat, dairy and eggs, may be safely consumed--but in moderation.

A third category, considered essential for heart and brain health, are “good” fats. These beneficial fats can be found in many foods, including nuts, avocados, salmon, olive oil and canola oil. Again, even though these fats are good for us, we need to be mindful of calories.

Instead of avoiding all fats, we can become more selective. Our goal should be to replace bad fats with the good fats that nourish our heart and brain.

Photo courtesy of Brybs

AARP's FAT-TO-FIT WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

AARP’S FAT-TO-FIT WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM
CHALLENGES AMERICANS TO LOSE 10,000 Pounds

“Fat-To-Fit” Program to Track Weight Loss and Lifestyle Changes over Three-Month Challenge

Today (June 21, 2010), we launched AARP’s second annual “Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge,” an online program challenging people to make positive, permanent lifestyle changes to improve their health. The Fat 2 Fit challenge will be hosted on AARP’s website (www.aarp.org/fat2fit). I will lead the Fat 2 Fit online community members through the summer-long program.

Studies show people are more likely to stick to exercise plans when they have support, and the Fat 2 Fit program will focus on personal interaction with both me and other participants through the Fat 2 Fit online community, which already boasts more than 4,600 members. Here participants will be able to access free diet and fitness tips, informational articles, videos, recipes and more.

Unlike diets and other weight-loss programs, the Fat-to-Fit Challenge is intended to help people make permanent, positive lifestyle changes–not just drop 10 pounds and then return to their old habits. Our hope is to help people break the diet-relapse cycle for good.

Beginning today, visitors to www.AARP.org will be invited to join the Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge. Participants record their weight and activity and strive to lose pounds. Every time a user updates his or her weight, the Fat 2 Fit site shows how much weight he or she has lost since joining and how many pounds the Fat 2 Fit community has lost collectively. Participation in the Fat 2 Fit online community is key to the contest. Participants are urged to post frequent updates and to exchange ideas, encouragement, recipes and moral support.

The challenge will run through September 6, 2010. Throughout the challenge, I will select weekly prize winners, and when the challenge ends, I will select the top five overall winners. Winners will be selected on three criteria: serving as a role model for the entire community, facing and overcoming challenges, and demonstrating the principles of the Fat 2 Fit program. The first-place winner will receive a one-year Gold’s Gym membership, with six months of personal training, and also receive a trip to Orlando, Florida, where the winner will participate in a health session with me at AARP’s Orlando@50+ National Event and Expo, September 30-October 2, 2010. Official rules and details are available at www.aarp.org/fat2fit.

Why Not Begin Today?

Now never seems like a good time to begin to make the changes we need to make in our lives. Yet today is all we have. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is a day away.

So what can you do TODAY?

T: Tell everyone you meet that you are going to lose weight and adopt a new, healthy lifestyle.

O: Organize a team of supporters. Enlist team members wherever you can find them. Consider your doctor, neighbors, colleagues, parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, cousins and friends.

D: Decide how much weight you need to lose, how many minutes each day you will exercise and how many calories you will consume each day. Write it down in a notebook and review it daily.

A: Act immediately. Begin today. Stick to your program no matter what. Make getting fit your first priority.

Y: Yield to your longing for a vital, trim, flexible and athletic body.

If you begin TODAY, you will quickly recover the zestful joy of living you knew as a child. A change of heart, nothing less and nothing more, will help you realize fitness beyond your wildest dreams. Begin TODAY!

Photo courtesy of Sanja Gjenero