Sunday, April 4, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
HCF - under new leadership
Friday, March 19, 2010
Lack of Sleep Leads to Fat Gain
The effects of sleep deprivation are slowly gaining attention amongst fitness and wellness professionals. Getting adequate sleep quantity and quality is not only essential to optimizing mental and physical recuperation, it may be essential to preventing obesity.
In a recent study published in the journal Sleep, researchers from Wake Forest University reported that getting less than 5 hours of sleep or more than 8 hours leads to increased intra-abdominal fat when compared to those who sleep for 6 or 7 hours.
More than 1,000 African- and Hispanic-Americans were interviewed to obtain information on sleep habits, nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle. They also participated in a CT scan, which was used to assess both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat. Baseline measurements were then compared to a re-assessment at 5 years.
Participants who slept less than 5 hours a night experienced a 32% increase in deep abdominal fat over 5 years, while those with averaged more than 8 hours of sleep increased by 22%. Subcutaneous abdominal fat increased similarly.
After factoring in lifestyle factors such as total calorie intake, education levels, physical activity and smoking, sleep duration persisted as an independent risk factor for increased abdominal adiposity, especially in participants under 40.
Researchers offer broad speculation to explain the cause and effect relationship of sleep to fat gain. The primary explanations involved increased daytime fatigue, which limits energy to participate in physical activity. In addition, some believe in the potential for sleep deprivation to inhibit appetite-suppressing hormones, thus leading to overeating.
Although this study replicates previous finding on sleep and abdominal fat, it is the first to assess this factor in minority populations.
Hairston, K.G., et al (2010) Sleep Duration and Five-Year Abdominal Fat Accumulation in a Minority Cohort: The IRAS Family Study. Sleep. 33(03): 289-295.
Amy Norton. (2010) Sleep habits linked to fat gain in younger adults. Reuters Health. March 1st.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Portion Control Made Easy
SERVING SIZES:
FATS, OILS, SWEETS:
1/2 cup ice cream/pudding = a tennis ball
2 Tablespoons butter, salad dressing, mayonnaise, peanut butter = a ping pong ball
1 teaspoon fat = 1 large die (from a pair of dice)
1 ounce (oz.) snack food like nuts, hard candy = LEVEL (small) handful
1 ounce (oz.) snack food like chips, pretzels = HEAPING (or large) handful
DAIRY:
1 ounce (oz.) cheese = 3 black dominos
MEAT:
3 oz. = deck of cards
1 oz. = a matchbox
VEGETABLES:
1 cup lettuce = 4 leaves
1 cup chopped vegetables = a fist
FRUIT:
1 "medium" fruit = a tennis ball
1 cup fruit =a baseball
1/2 cup chopped fruit = 15 marbles
1/4 cup raisins = 1 large egg
GRAINS (Cereal, Bread, Rice, Pasta):
a "medium" potato = a computer mouse
1/2 cup = a hockey puck
1 cup dried cereal = HEAPING (or large) handful
1 serving bread = 1 slice the size of an old school cassette tape
Saturday, February 20, 2010
KIVA -You CAN be a Part of Change
What is Kiva?
Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending.
Pendo Luisi, 27 years old, borrowed $175 to open a cafe in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
- People are by nature generous, and will help others if given the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way.
- The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity.
- By connecting people we can create relationships beyond financial transactions, and build a global community expressing support and encouragement of one another.
- Dignity: Kiva encourages partnership relationships as opposed to benefactor relationships. Partnership relationships are characterized by mutual dignity and respect.
- Accountability: Loans encourage more accountability than donations where repayment is not expected.
- Transparency: The Kiva website is an open platform where communication can flow freely around the world.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Health: It's more than #'s on a scale
The scale is a liar.
You've probably been using it for years to gauge a variety of things from your health to your self-image. While the scale may be a good way to keep yourself in check from time to time and monitor when you need to cut back it really doesn't give the complete picture of health. In fact, many people who would register as being in an acceptable weight range for their size may in fact be "skinny-fat". Skinny-Fat is a term that I use to describe people who are naturally trim without even trying. They are the ones who eat cheeseburgers at every meal, never exercise, and yet never seem to gain an ounce of weight. So, although they may be thin they are anything but healthy. It is quite possible to be very thin but have a very high percentage of body fat. It is also possible to be classified as overweight on the BMI scale but have a very low percentage of body fat.
Now I'm not suggesting that you throw out your scale but I am suggesting that you gauge your progress in other ways. Are you able to walk for longer periods of time without getting breathless? Are your jeans fitting more loosely? Do you find that you can carry your children around with ease? Are you lifting heavier weights today than you were 12-weeks ago? Are you exercising for at least 30 minutes 5 times or more per week? Are your eating habits improving? Are you sleeping 8 hours each night? These are all pieces of a healthy lifestyle.
Alright so maybe your numbers on your scale could stand to be a little lower, but just for today, instead of obsessing about numbers and getting down on yourself, go ahead and congratulate yourself for the others ways that you have made healthy progress. Health it's so much more than numbers on a scale.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Saying Goodbye to My 20s
This is it. I'm embarking on the last week of my 20s. My 30th birthday is saturday so I thought it might be a good time to reflect on the last decade, who I was, who I am, and a few things I might have learned along the way.