Intense Exercise

Intense Exercise and Your Growth Hormone


After you work out, do you have the feeling that you can do anything? Well, you're not alone. That "runner's high" (which is actually triggered by any form of exercise, not just running) comes about because exercise floods your body with endorphins. These helpful biochemicals lift your mood and stimulate the release of another important hormone that affects your metabolism: human growth hormone (sometimes called HGH). This hormone is something we all want, and lots of it. It builds muscle, burns fat, helps you resist heart disease, protects your bones, and increases your overall health. To be clear, I'm NOT talking about the HGH that you've probably heard about in the news, in reference to doped-up athletes — that's the injected kind and it's definitely something you do NOT want. I'm talking about the natural kind that your body produces with exercise.

The key to turning your body into a growth hormone factory is to exercise at a high intensity level. During intense exercise, growth hormone spurs the body to use fat as fuel instead of glucose. So you burn more fat as you exercise, and you're keeping your blood glucose levels stable, which gives you more energy to keep going. On the other hand, lack of exercise makes your muscles insulin-resistant and suppresses growth hormone. So make sure you are getting that high-quality, intense exercise to work up those growth hormone levels — it's the healthiest way to reverse aging and make yourself stronger.

Get Your Zs!


Of all the less-than-smart things we do to mess up our hormone balance, depriving ourselves of good-quality sleep is probably the dumbest. Growth hormone is released in adults in an average of five pulses throughout each day. The largest of these pulses happens during our deepest stage of sleep, stage 4. A University of Chicago study found that when people are deprived of this stage of sleep, their daily growth hormone levels fell 23 percent.

Fear Of Change

Fear of Change


Fear of change can keep you in a soul-crushing job, a bad relationship, or a physically destructive lifestyle. Ask yourself: Is the devil-you-know approach really good enough for you? Is your life making you happy? If you answered no to either of those questions, WHAT do you have to lose by embracing change?

The truth is, things should be changing — your body is changing, your habits are changing, your attitude is changing. This might be the point where, because of so much change, you're starting to freak out a little bit. You might be asking yourself, What will all this change mean — to my life's direction, my relationships, my identity?

I can't stress enough how important it is to resist any pressure you may be feeling from others to stop improving your habits or to remain a certain size. And don't worry if your spouse, family members, or friends aren't on board with your plans. You can't control them. They'll change if and when they want to change. Take care of yourself first.

Maybe you're afraid you won't know how to love yourself if you're not a certain size. Many people are buried in their weight, not knowing who they would be without it. This is especially a risk if you've never identified yourself as "skinny." Don't be afraid of what you'll be like when you're thinner. Feel the fear and do it anyway! And don't sabotage your efforts because you don't deem yourself worthy — you are SO deserving of achieving your weight-loss goal! Let's dig deep, get our hands dirty, and do this. What is there to be afraid of when you're healthy — besides living the life you're supposed to lead? When you're overweight and uncomfortable, there is so much less you can do, and you always live with the threat of having a stroke, developing type 2 diabetes, or getting cancer. Obviously, a lot more risks are involved if you give up and stay stuck instead of making changes.

The only thing that's holding you back from achieving your dreams is YOU. Believe in yourself, and stop letting your excuses keep you from living. Screw surviving — it's time to thrive!

Sticking With the Status Quo

Here's a really common manifestation of the fear of change, one I hear about all the time: You're afraid your partner won't love you if your size changes. And your partner is fearful that if you change, you might outgrow the relationship and leave. As a result, you or your partner — or you and your partner — might be trying to sabotage your weight loss so you can stick with the status quo. That's the wrong way to go, buddy. You are trying to change your life, but that doesn't mean your partner shouldn't or won't love you for doing just that.

Turning a Problem Into An Opportunity

How To Turn A Problem Into An Opportunity


Sure, it's tough to pinpoint the root of your problems. However, if you've been examining your emotional eating habits, you should be seeing some behavioral shifts. Are you checking to see if you're actually hungry versus just looking to feed your emotions? Do you have go-to non-food outlets to help you express your emotions? Whether it's grabbing your journal and getting your feelings out on paper or getting together with a friend for a hike or manicure and some feel-good bonding, you CAN make sure you get on (and stay on!) a healthy path.

There's one final aspect of emotional eating you need to address — what to do when you can't resolve an issue or a situation at the exact moment when it is triggering you to behave self-destructively. Certain obstacles can sometimes seem insurmountable, and the next time you encounter one, I want you to ask yourself the following question:

How can I turn this problem into an opportunity?

Instead of allowing this event or emotion to cause permanent damage to your self-esteem, try looking at it in a different light. If you've recently gone through a breakup, for example, realize that the end of one relationship simply means that you are free to find someone better for you. Allow yourself to feel sad, but try to stay positive and find meaning in the pain rather than numbing it with food and indulging in other destructive habits. You will grow from it in amazing ways, I promise.

Stick With It

Having the means to cope with emotional eating is a huge step toward ending this form of self-sabotage. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but you can use the insights and self-knowledge you've gained through these exercises to make real changes. You will be amazed at how simple it can be to break out of the negativity and self-doubt. The more you focus on understanding the situations and emotions that trigger this destructive habit, the easier it will be to eliminate emotional eating from your life.

Dining Out Tips

Dining Out Tips


Going out for dinner and want to stick to your healthy eating plan? It's not as hard as you think. If you want to stick to your diet when dining out, get comfortable with asking your server to help you meet your needs. There are several ways to modify dishes when eating out. Here are my top three dining-out tactics:

Educate yourself. Don't be afraid to ask your server lots of questions about the restaurant's food so that you can make healthy choices. Ask what's used in the preparation, how large the portion is, what comes on the side — these are all things you want to know now that you are eating right.

Make substitutions. I'm always ordering chicken fajitas, but instead of the Mexican rice and refried beans, I ask for a salad on the side. Ask for grilled vegetables instead of a baked potato or french fries, sliced tomatoes instead of hash browns. You get the idea — this stuff will take a little extra thought at first, but in no time it will become second nature.

Make modifications. If you have scoured the menu and there are no healthy options, you can usually create your own by requesting a few modifications to the preparation of your food. Ask if you can have your fish grilled instead of breaded; ask if you can have Dijon mustard sauce on the chicken instead of cream sauce; request salad dressing on the side; ask for the chef to use just a small amount of olive oil.

Bon appetite!
No Shame!

Don't be embarrassed or afraid to stick to your diet when eating out, even if it means bringing your own condiments along so that you are never stuck with what's available. Let go of the guilt you've been conditioned to feel if you leave food on your plate. Stop eating if you are full. And, since restaurant portions are often twice what they should be, ask the server to bring a to-go container along with your dish, so you can immediately remove half your entrée from the plate

Sleep

Are You Getting Too Much Sleep?


Are you one of those people who likes to brag that you get by on very little sleep? Or do you love to sleep the day away? I've told you before that too little sleep can mess up your weigh-loss efforts, but did you also know that sleeping too much can also negatively affect your metabolism as well?

If you sleep 10 hours a night, you might face some of the same hormonal risks as those who sleep too little. A recent Canadian study found that people who sleep fewer than seven hours or more than nine hours weigh an average of four more pounds (and had wider waists) than people who sleep eight hours every night. Researchers believe that having too much or too little sleep interferes with your ability to control your appetite, because it simultaneously increases the hunger hormone, ghrelin, while it decreases the satisfaction hormone, leptin.

Want to be sure you are getting all the benefits of a good night sleep? Get your rest! Shoot for a consistent eight hours of sleep and stick with the same bed time and wake-up time each day — even on the weekends!

Perhaps one of the biggest causes and symptoms of the hormonal shutdown from stress is when people start to cut into their hours of quality sleep. The percentage of young adults sleeping eight to nine hours per night has almost been cut in half in the past 50 years, from 40 percent in 1960 to 23 percent in 2002. During the same time period, the incidence of obesity has nearly doubled. Coincidence?

Emotional Eating

Nice Piece by Jilian Micheals

Q: I'm an emotional eater. I know I crave food when I'm feeling insecure or down, but I don't know how to say no to the cravings when I'm feeling that low. Do you have any strategies for beating emotional cravings?

A:

I get this question ALL the time. Okay, it doesn't take a genius to know you need to eat less and move more to lose weight, so why do so many of us continue to struggle with our weight year after year? It has everything to do with how we feel when we eat, and why we choose to eat what and when we do. It's important that we understand how our emotions and behaviors affect our weight and eating habits so we can then learn how to motivate ourselves toward positive change.
I dedicated pages and pages to this subject in my first book, and it would be hard to address all the how's and why's here. But there are many techniques for combating emotional eating. Let's go over a few of your options for beating an emotional craving when it strikes:

• Remove the temptation. You can't emotionally binge on food that isn't there. Clear your cupboards of all the things you reach for when you're feeling down. Have your hubby hide the kids' Oreos so you don't know where to find them. Throw out the leftover birthday cake in the fridge. Skip the chip aisle the next time you go grocery shopping. If it's not available, you can't eat it — simple as that.
• Build a support system. Positive support from friends or family is crucial. The next time you find yourself mindlessly staring into the fridge, call a friend or a workout buddy and have him or her talk you off that ledge. Join a weight-loss group. Go to an OA meeting — ANYTHING to keep you from slipping back into old, bad habits.
• Spend your time wisely. Find a way to relieve stress and boost your mood that is positive and life-affirming rather than self-destructive. Take a bubble bath. Create a new workout playlist for your MP3 player. Plan a summer vacation (maybe at the beach, so you'll have a little motivation to slim down for your two-piece!). Go for a bike ride, walk the dog, pop in a workout video, get a manicure, or splurge on a massage — anything that makes you feel beautiful and healthy. You'll be far less likely to turn to food when you're feeling good.
• Write it down. Start a journal — and not just to write down what you eat. Take an inventory of what you're feeling, and write it down. It'll help you see what's really bothering you, which allows you to work on a solution instead of trying to find a distraction. If work has you stressed, buckle down for an all-nighter to get that project off your desk. If it was a fight with a friend, take a few deep breaths and try communicating with her, or simply give each other time to cool down and have faith in the fact that this, too, shall pass.

Things sometimes suck. That's an unfortunate fact of life. We're sometimes thrown a sudden curveball, and when that happens it's important to attend to yourself in positive ways. Bingeing on food, smoking, drinking, or any other indulgent habit may be a temporary relief, but you will only feel worse in the long run. Focus on really changing those habits and you'll break the cycle.

Slow Metabolism?

The Truth About Your Slow Metabolism


You probably know someone who can eat everything in sight, but still struggles to keep weight on. I don't know about you, but I can't do that. My metabolism certainly doesn't allow it — and I am guessing yours doesn't either. So where does a slowpoke metabolism come from and how do you change it? You probably want to blame bad genes for your metabolism. Sure, blame your parents! That's the easy way out. Genes are only a piece of the picture — it's the choices you make every day that are to blame. Wise up and take the responsibility yourself!

When we starve ourselves on yo-yo diets, eat processed foods, surround ourselves with toxins, work beyond the point of exhaustion, all these choices influence the way our metabolism processes food, burns calories, and regulates weight. To learn how to manipulate our biochemistry to our benefit, we have to understand how our hormones have already been manipulated to our detriment. Here are some of the ways.

Too many lazy years: You've spent a lot of time on the couch. Don't blame your lagging metabolism just because you never exercised.

Too many yo-yo diets: Instead of maintaining a stable weight, you've developed a frustrating up-and-down weight-loss pattern. You know the drill: You've repeatedly gone on extreme diets and lost weight, then you've slipped back into your old ways of eating and regained that weight.

Too many of the same foods, all processed: You've consumed frankenfoods that your body doesn't recognize as real food — because they're not!

Too many pesticides in our food: Some farmers spray harmful pesticides on our food, and you've chosen those over organic foods.

Too many toxins in our environment: More than 100,000 synthetic chemicals have been registered for commercial use — with 2,000 more added each year — but very few of them have been tested adequately for toxicity. You've been exposed to many synthetic chemicals in products in and around your home.

Too many bad bugs — and not enough good ones: You've tried to rid yourselves of pests with an onslaught of antibacterial products, which is pointless and not beneficial for the healthy functioning of your immune system.

Too many hours at work — and not enough in bed: You've let yourself get stressed out. Stress is like kryptonite for your hormones — even just a bit of it can throw them entirely out of whack.

Too many pharmaceuticals — even in our water: You've taken prescriptions dashed off by your doctor and haven't always checked out how they might interact with certain herbs, vitamins, or other supplements or prescriptions. All these pharmaceuticals could have a serious impact on your hormonal health.

Too many cigarettes: You've ignored all the medical findings on the damage smoking can cause. Smoking negatively impacts endocrine glands, which produce hormones, in addition to pretty much every cell in your body.

Basically too much, period! Yes, there is no denying that we are struggling with an environment that conspires to make and keep us fat. But you have the power to do something about it! You need to realize that your metabolism and hormones can start working for you again — just clean up your act with a healthy home and healthy eating, and you'll be able to tip the balance toward staying naturally skinny.

Triggers

Let Go of the Trigger


Okay, go grab a notebook or use your online journal. It's time to start getting real about your emotional eating. Sure, it can be a vicious cycle if you allow it to progress, but I'm going to show you a quick little trick to help you understand your behaviors and break the destructive pattern. Let's go.

Below are two questions. For a week, before you eat anything, whether it's dinner or a small snack, I want you to answer these two questions in your journal. Sound easy? Well, you might be surprised. By doing this, you'll be able to quickly tell if you've got real hunger or if your emotions are what's causing you to reach for a bunch of junk you know you don't need — or even really want.

1. Are you hungry?

Are you experiencing any physiological conditions that are signaling to you that you are hungry? Is your stomach growling? Do you feel weak or tired? Has it been longer than three or four hours since you last ate? If you concentrate on answering these questions, it will be very easy to determine whether you are genuinely, physically hungry or whether you are eating for a different reason. If you've determined that you are hungry, then it's time to eat. If not, it's time for the next question.

2. Are you depressed or anxious?

Did you just get into a fight? Are you anxious about a work-related deadline? Whatever it might be, write down what you're feeling and why you think you're feeling it. Getting in touch with your emotions here is critical. If you can't, you're going to have an incredibly difficult time reaching your weight loss goals. Dig deep, and get it in writing.

No Explanation Necessary

Here's the problem with keeping a paper journal: In order for it to work, you need to carry it with you everywhere. Unless you're a reporter or a novelist, your friends might be wondering why you're scribbling away in a restaurant or at a birthday party. If you don't feel comfortable offering an explanation, don't. You are doing this for yourself and no one else. Do what you need to do to write, even if it means excusing yourself and going into a more private room, the hallway, your car, or even a bathroom.