losing-weight-related stories
Calorie Cutting Pays Big Dividends
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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| Photo: catsper, Flickr |
So says a new study from the journal Science in which researchers followed more than 70 monkeys for 20 years. Half of the monkeys followed a calorie-restricted but nutrient-dense diet, eventually eating 30 percent less calories than they normally would. Meanwhile, the other half ate whatever they wanted.
In the end, 53 percent of the calorie-restricted were still living by the end of the study, compared to only 34 percent in the other group. Even more important, monkeys that ate fewer calories stayed healthier for longer periods of time. In fact, they were three times less likely to develop age-related diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Why You Can't Lose Weight + Tips for a Fix
Jonny's Take, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.
Web MD recently published a piece with the eye-catching title: "Why You Can't Lose Weight". And indeed, a number of the reasons listed were pretty interesting. In case you missed it, here's the executive summary:
All this is fine and dandy, but I fear that a lot of people reading the WebMD piece might be forgiven for throwing up their hands and saying, "See, there's not much I can do about it! Let's go to McDonald's!"
- You have a low resting metabolic rate, and high metabolic efficiency. What this basically means is that you "burn" fuel (calories) at a lower rate while resting, and are efficient at using calories while exercising (meaning it "costs" you fewer calories to run on a treadmill than your neighbor). According to Dr. Victoria Catenacci, a University of Colorado researcher, this can account for up to 22 pounds of weight gain!
- You are female. Because women have less muscle than men, they burn fewer calories (remember you burn calories in your muscle cells, not in your fat cells).
- You experience hunger, satisfaction and stress differently than others. We're just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding this one, but it's pretty obvious that some people struggle with appetite and stress a lot more than others.
- You don't like to exercise. This could be considered a big eye-rolling "duh," but some people seem to be genetically adapted to more activity than others. Mice that are bred for wheel running take to it like a surfer dude to the Malibu coastline. Others prefer the mouse equivalent of sunbathing.
- Your mother ate a high-calorie diet while pregnant. Emerging -- and disturbing -- research has been showing that what both your mother (and even your grandmother) ate may have an effect on you and your body weight.
- You weigh what you weigh because of your toddler diet. This is one reason why people like me are so adamant about teaching parents how important it is to shape tastes and habits early on while you still have some control over things.
All this is fine and dandy, but I fear that a lot of people reading the WebMD piece might be forgiven for throwing up their hands and saying, "See, there's not much I can do about it! Let's go to McDonald's!"
Losing Weight - Guys and Girls Do it Differently
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
- Guys don't eat mindlessly. Well, not as much as women do. Maybe it's because they are usually less involved in food preparation and don't have bowls of cookie dough at their fingertips. While you might not be able to get yourself banned from the kitchen, you can stick a piece of gum in your mouth to minimize snacking.
- Men have fewer cravings. Fewer hormonal fluctuations help in this department. Plus, when men satisfy their cravings, it's usually with protein-rich foods. Women: Stay away from the sweets and try lean meat, fish, skinless chicken, turkey and eggs when you feel the urge to eat.
- Men know their waist size. Guys know when their belts get too tight. Women don't wear as many belts and opt for stretchier materials, which can disguise weight gain. If belts aren't in your future, step on the scale occasionally or try on your favorite skinny jeans to monitor your growth.
OK, now women don't have it all wrong. Here's how they have a leg up on men.
