With a special nod to the USA Women’s Soccer team, this week’s newsletter is dedicated to overcoming the impossible. On Sunday, I watched an amazing comeback that represented all that is right with fitness. Team USA’s victory against Brazil was inspiring and motivating, and not just because of the dramatic fashion of the victory. The women dug deep to overcome and seemingly impossible situation: Down a goal and a player, they never quit fighting and they were rewarded with a victory.
That same night, I found myself wondering if an entire country could channel the same relentless will to succeed. As I searched through some journals, I found an article that highlighted a disturbing trend. According to recent research, the obesity trend in the United States won’t plateau until the year 2050. At that point, it’s predicted that more than 40 percent of the nation will be obese.
As I re-read the shocking stat I wondered how this could happen.
As it currently stands, more than 30 percent of the nation is obese or overweight. In fact, only one state (Colorado) has an obesity rate under 20 percent. But the outlook indicates that the trend is going to become worse—in a big way—before it starts becoming better. And the resulting weight-related health problems will shake the foundation of our entire society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity was linked to medical costs of approximately $147 billion in 2008 and a $70 billion loss in work productivity. Even more disturbing, some experts predict that this generation of children will live significantly shorter than their parents, mostly as a result of health problems associated with being overweight.
So how has this happened? Unfortunately, there isn’t one answer. Some people
blame dieting, but that’s misguided considering that many people who consistently “diet” (you might call it lifestyle change) are healthier and don’t struggle with weight problems. Others will blame the government, but they aren’t forcing you to eat bad food. The reality: Blame gets you nowhere. Action is the only way to reverse the trend, and that starts with facing the truth about
three common fallacies that contribute to the country’s weight battle:
1) We exercise enough
If you step into any gym in the US, you get the feeling that we’re an active country. After all, 45 million Americans belong to some sort of health club, compared to only 23 million in 1993. But according to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 82 percent of American’s don’t meet the government’s exercise recommendations. That doesn’t mean you need to lift weights or run a marathon, but we do need to get up and move. Find a workout partner, run around with your kids, or join a group and log your fitness. Whatever you do, just be active and find something that you consider fun. Anything that keeps you active is a good thing.
2) We know how to eat
When I was younger, I thought I knew everything about food. I avoided fat when I was told it was bad, avoided all carbs when I learned they were evil, and watched my protein so it wouldn’t hurt my kidneys. After all, I was well-read, educated, and could take care of myself. As you can imagine, these drastic changes led to years of struggles. That is, until I really started learning about nutrition
But you know what? All of the scientific information wasn’t as helpful as learning how to eat. We’ve been trained to eat until we’re full, to eat fast, and enjoy. We need to slow down, learn how much we need to eat, and consumer fewer liquid calories. If you follow these three simple steps, regardless of your eating philosophy, you should lose weight and feel better. And then you can focus on learning on what foods are better for you. Which reminds me…
3) We know what to eat
Our country is notorious for eating high calorie, low nutrient foods. Some of the blame is on food manufacturers who produce these foods, and then sell them cheap. A little less marketing and a little more transparency would go a long way to improving the health of the country. But it’s still your responsibility to eat the right foods and maintain a healthy weight. And that starts with consuming more fruits and vegetables—something that our nation neglects. Seven of the states with the lowest consumption of fruits and vegetables are also in the 10 top most obese locations in the country. Coincidence? Probably not. That means it’s on you to eat more fruits and vegetables. (I’d recommend veggies at every meal) And while you’re at it, limit processed foods and unnecessary sugars.
While a hard look in the mirror is a step in the right direction, there’s no simple fix. The ability to make a massive significant change lives within each of us: Me, you, your neighbor, and every person in this country. We have to work harder to acknowledge our problem and take action. Not only on the individual level, but also on the community level to help others fight the battle of the bulge.
The truth is, most people exercise and eat healthy for themselves. They want to live longer, look better, or impress the opposite sex. And there’s nothing wrong with any of those goals, but you can do more with the gift of health. You can instill it in others. And if we are going to win the battle against obesity, our only chance might be banding together as a team, digging deep, and inspiring each other to achieve the impossible.
This week we celebrate
Shasta as our
Member of the Week. Shasta was extremely active in our
Fitness Challenge, and frequently inspired others to keep working hard. Here are her thoughts on being this week’s featured member.
“I am so happy to hear that you have chosen me amongst all those great women as your weekly winner. Thank you so much! I have been addicted to LIVESTRONG.COM since signing up a few weeks back. Before MyPlate I was keeping a daily nutrition log and having to add all the information myself. So you can imagine how stoked I was when I came across LIVESTRONG.COM and all the tools you have in place to help people like me.
I am 31 years old, a mother of a wonderful son, and a stay at home mom currently. I am a RN who decided to take a break from nursing a few months ago so that I could shift my focus to health and nutrition. I am trying to reach goals of living a healthier life, toning up, and being more self confident. So when I saw this group challenge to be more active, I felt like it was the best way to keep me motivated and also to help others stay motivated to changing our lives for the better. And it has done so much more than just motivate. It has inspired, lifted spirits, created friendships, given new ideas, opened eyes, and offered shoulders to cry on. When I see one of the members struggling with something in their life, I try to reply back to them to let them know that they are not alone. I want them to keep the faith in themselves and keep doing what they need to do to get past these speed bumps of life. It is just such an amazing feeling to know that you may have helped someone that you've never met and who may live a million miles away from you. I'm feeling completely amazed by what I've been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time, and I want to help others to feel this way too. So here's to the women of the group challenge for being strong, overcoming fears, and motivating each other to live healthy!"
Want a chance to be featured? Or face off against other recent Member's of The Week to be the Grand Champion of the Fitness Challenge? Then join the challenge today, log your fitness, and post your activity on the site. It's your chance to reach your potential and help others achieve theirs.
It’s become painfully clear that not everyone is a fan of
The Search for the Perfect Diet. And you know what? I don’t blame you. After all, most people have become so tired of “diet talk” that they do everything to avoid the topic altogether. Why believe yet another expert's take on a played-out topic? You shouldn’t. Instead, I’m suggesting that you approach this in a different fashion: Just listen and learn. Agree or disagree. But be open to the thoughts and opinions that will be shared.
I’m not offering anything other than information—and hopefully a little bit of entertainment. I’m not telling you to support the methods I try. And I’m not suggesting that you follow my eating plan. All I want to do is offer unbiased, research-backed, expert critiques of different food options and dietary approaches.
In
my search for the perfect diet, I’m not necessarily looking for one eating strategy that I will endorse as the answer to all eating problems. Instead, I want to assess styles and patterns and see if they work for me. In the process, I hope to uncover if what I find is supported by research. I want to analyze diets and know why they work (or don’t). Because in the end, the variability and unpredictable nature of your lifestyle is really what dictates how you eat and—at times—what you eat. And my day is just as chaotic as yours, which is why I’m embarking on this journey.
The truth is any diet can help you lose weight. In fact, a university professor
ate Twinkies and lost 27 pounds. (That sentence is not a typo. Twinkies = weight loss…but I wouldn’t recommend it)
If you want the simplest diet approach, here are what years of reading research, working in university labs, and interviewing nutritionists and researchers has taught me: Eat greens (veggies), drink water, consume fruit, limit your consumption of processed foods and try to eat protein at every meal. Oh yeah, and exercise and make sure you sleep well.
If you follow those guidelines, you’re probably going to live a healthy life.
But if you’re looking for something else, then stay along for the journey. Are you interested in going vegan or consuming more fat in your diet? Want to see if you can eat more carbs and still stay lean? (A good sandwich can be tough to give up) Or maybe you just want to see what happens when one guy tries to tackle everyone's least favorite four-letter health word.
So as I start the process, I’m doing the one thing that seems counterintuitive on an eating journey: I’m fasting.
(You still there?)
I’m trying a dieting strategy called intermittent fasting (IF). To me, it’s always come across as the most extreme of eating behaviors, but a recent review of literature has me believing that a staggered approach to eating might benefit my health more than it seems.
Here’s how I’ll approach intermittent fasting: I’m going to not eat for 16 hours a day (8 of which will ideally be spent sleeping), and then have an 8-hour feeding period. A similar technique has been popularized by
Martin Berkhan.
This means that I’ll break three of most common diet “rules:”
*No breakfast (gasp)
*No pre-workout meal
*And lots of carbs at night
You might be wondering why I would do such a thing to my body. It's primarily because I want to test out if 3 meals a day is any different that 5, 6, 7, or 8. After grazing on multiple meals for the past 10 years, I want to try something different. (Ignore the fact that I could just eat three square meals. This seems like more fun).
I’ll provide more details and research behind the madness in my next post, and let you know how I survived the first day of my new eating approach. Until then, feel free to discuss or post your questions. I’ll be listening.
When it comes to living your healthiest life, skinny doesn’t have to be the goal.
But—in the interest of “real deal” candor—staying within the ideal body weight for your age, gender and height is one way to ensure you’re being kind to your body. And—let’s face it—being toned and trim certainly feels great.
With that in mind, we’ve been looking closely at the habits of our healthiest members to extract some key tricks of the trade. What are the essential eating and fitness habits of our most toned and trim trackers? Here, some from the top of our list:
1.) Always Be Prepared
In one of our most recent surveys, we asked the members who identified themselves as exceptional eaters to share their best practices when it comes to mealtime. Not surprisingly, a vast majority pointed to the importance of pre-preparing meals. Some of our healthiest members plan their weekly meals in advance; heading to the grocery store or market to select unprocessed foods from which they can create delicious recipes to last through the week. And the best bet for getting a healthy start each day? You guessed it—a balanced breakfast. Our Nutrition Advisor, Alyse Levine, recommends setting aside time in the morning to create a well-balanced breakfast that includes unprocessed carbs, lean proteins and healthy fats. "Doing so will give you extra energy and jump start your metabolism," notes Levine.
2.) Snack When You’re Hungry
Denying yourself food when you’re hungry is rarely a reliable long-term strategy. It can lead to major overeating and, not to mention, drag you down throughout the day. Many of our members who’ve experienced weight loss success swear by snacking between meals. Of course, they opt for healthy, balanced snacks in small, sensible portions. Pre-preparing snacks to get you through your workday—avoid that office vending machine—is one strategy for success. Levine recommends always keeping a "snack survival kit" at your workplace or in your car. "Have an assortment of sweet, salty, smooth and crunchy foods for variety," says Levine. "Snacks will prevent you from going into your next meal starving which can lead to overeating."
3.) Be Calorie Conscious
In addition to snacking, our fittest users watch their calories. Of course, MyPlate makes being calorie cognizant easy—the tool will do all the work for you and MyPlate mobile offers tracking on-the-go. Knowing your calorie goal based on your weight loss or maintenance goal is essential. It allows you to make smart meal choices to get to where you want to be.
4.) Indulge & Then Get Back on Track
Staying slim doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself. In fact, a majority of successful eating plans include daily or weekly indulgences. So go ahead, treat yourself to something especially tasty when you’re feeling the urge—then do what our trimmest trackers do and get back on track. Healthy members across the board make a point to eat a healthier meal or meal(s) post-indulgence. Levine challenges you to rethink, in general, the "good food, bad food" mentality when you do indulge--noting the importance of mindfully enjoying foods that might be a deviation from your regular eating plan.
5.) Do Something Daily
Don’t overwhelm yourself with impractical fitness goals. Think simple. Or rather, think “doable” and “consistent.” Look to power members partaking in the latest LIVESTRONG.COM Fitness Challenge. They’ve committed to just 30 minutes of cardio a day but that act alone creates powerful habits that keep them feeling and looking their healthiest. Notes Levine, "Find an activity that actually brings you joy and you'll have a much greater chance of sticking to it."
6.) Stay the Course
One of the most common philosophical cornerstones we see in our success stories submissions? “Stay the course.” Reaching your healthiest, best-looking self is a work in progress and one that often comes with plateaus. Our most successful members acknowledge roadblocks and plateaus and then power through them with a reaffirmation of healthy habits.
For more healthy living tips from Alyse Levine, visit Nutritionbite.
Here are some of my favorite power foods to incorporate into your diet.
Let me know if you use any in your meals. I would love to highlight your recipe for all our members to utilize.
Asparagus: No other vegetable contains as much folacin per serving, 135 mg – half of the adult RDA. Folacin is necessary for blood formation and cell growth, and has been known to reduce neural tube defects. Asparagus is a high source for B6 and potassium and contains compounds that increase the strength of capillary walls. One serving of asparagus (5oz) has just 20 calories!
SUSY’S TIP: I usually roast or blanch the asparagus,
Tomatoes: Summer means great weather, vacation and tomatoes! Even though tomatoes can be found in your local grocery store year round, there is nothing like tomatoes in the peak of their ripeness: July-September. Tomatoes contain antioxidants, and lycopene a carotenoid, which is known for its anti-cancer properties. Loaded with vitamins C, K, A, B1, B6, tomatoes contain more than 20 vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. One cup of tomatoes is approximately 70 calories.
SUSY’S TIP: Slice them up on a sandwich, chop them for a salad, roast, grill, bake, or eat right off the vine.
Carrots: Carrots are the top veggie source of Vitamin A. Vitamin A has been shown to lower heart disease, lower the instance of certain types of cancer and can help protect your vision. They also are jam packed with Vitamins C, and K, potassium and dietary fiber. Choose firm carrots and peel them before eating. Eat them cooked or raw; 4oz of carrots has approx 45 calories.
SUSY’S TIP: Remove the green tops once you get them home to preserve their longevity.
Sweet Potato: Delicious any time! Sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamins A, C, B6, potassium and iron. Eat the skin as it contains the most Vitamin A, and don’t forget they are a great source of potassium which promotes a healthy nervous system and brain function. One serving of sweet potatoes (4oz) has approx 120 calories.
SUSY’S TIP: Bake or roast, sprinkle with a little salt and enjoy!
Soy Beans: Soy beans are packed with protein, fat and carbohydrates. Soy bean protein contains essential amino acids, omega 3 fatty acids, potassium and fiber. Soy beans contain more protein than other legumes and many other animal products. Don’t forget tempeh, seitan and soy sauce. One serving of soy beans / edamame 4oz (without the shell) is 90 calories.
Red Bell Peppers: Loaded with carotenoids (naturally occurring pigments which are synthesized by plants) which are converted into Vitamin A – a cup of red peppers has more than 100% of your daily recommend value of Vitamin A! When buying, choose dark red peppers that are firm to the touch. Sauté, roast, grill or chop them up raw and throw in your favorite salad. One cup of red peppers has approx 26 calories.
SUSY’S TIP: I roast the red peppers and make homemade hummus.
There is nothing wrong with the word “diet.”
Read that sentence again. Let it process and release your anger or disbelief. Now let me explain.
The term “diet” has been vilified, dragged through the mud, and essentially blamed as the reason for our long-standing eating battle. But you know what? The only problem with the word diet is the way we define it. You can look in the dictionary if you'd like, but I can promise that the meaning has been twisted.
Diet is food—it’s what you eat, drink, and enjoy. Everyone has a diet, even if you think you don’t. So it’s time to stop with the misdirected frustration. Your issue (and my issue) is gimmicks that don’t work and promise the world. They’re oftentimes something ridiculous like The Water Diet. (I like to call it “starvation,” but I was never much of a marketer) Sure it has diet attached to it, but it’s really not a way of eating. Or a way of life.
I know what you’re probably thinking: “Isn’t a lifestyle change a better approach?”
Sure, if that’s what makes you feel better about the situation. But a lifestyle change is still an alteration of your dietary habits. See, there’s the D-Word again. The truth is, how you eat (your diet) is what causes a lifestyle change.
Look, we’ve tried to bury the four letter word, but it’s omnipresent. So why not embrace it and change the meaning? Stop viewing “diet” as something restrictive and awful. Your diet is a personalized experience. We all want to find an eating strategy that works. And a good diet will create the life you want. A bad one will not. The more important point is figuring out what works for you. And what is actually healthy and sustainable. Those are the three main ingredients you need. Find them in one approach, and you’ll feel reinvigorated, look better, and fight off aging and disease.
That’s why I decided to start The Search for the Perfect Diet. I realize that “perfect”is an ambiguous term. Perfect for me is not perfect for you. So what’s the point?
Simple: My experience can help simplify the process of selecting a lifestyle….or diet…or strategic daily caloric consumption patterns (whatever you want to call it) that might work for you. There are approximately 8,832 diets (give or take a few), and it’s genuinely hard to decipher what’s good or know where to start.
That's my job: To help you and improve your health and fitness. I’ll try as many diets as possible. If I find that the diet is too difficult or causes health problems, then I’ll let you know and promptly quit (after giving it due diligence. After all, most diets have an adjustment period). If it’s working great, I’ll stick with it a while longer and analyze the results from all angles: medically, physically, emotionally and mentally. All the stuff you really care about.
Even if I experience success, I’ll eventually start in a new direction. Along the way, you’ll receive my honest feedback about how I react to the different strategies. I’ll have experts share their thoughts, so you know the benefits and flaws of each approach. By the end, you might not like what I’ve done, but you’ll be more informed than when you began. And as an educator, that’s the best thing I can provide.
So bring it on Paleo, Atkins, and intermittent fasting. Toss me your high protein, low carb or break-from-eating slant. I’m ready for this experiment one meal at a time.
All I ask in return is that you share your thoughts and spread the word to your friends. Be active. Recommend different approaches. Or tell your own story. This is as much about you, as it is me. So if you like what you see, I want to make you part of the experience.
My diet journey begins here.
MyPlate 101: Lesson 3 Data Export
Having a daily log of your food and fitness is the best way to be accountable, see change and hit your goals. Many of you are working with a doctor or a personal trainer who is assisting you along the way.
I have members ask me all the time how they can print out their MyPlate information in a format that is concise and easy to understand. Data Export.
You can find Data Export on your MyPlate page in the right hand rail. It usually sits toward the bottom of the page. I have my Data Export toward the top of the page. I use this tool weekly to export my totals and do not want to have to scroll down the entire page; MyPlate…my way.
Step One: Choose your date range.
Step Two: Select how you would like to view the data.
Summary: Comma Separated or Summary: Excel
Detailed: Excel
Detailed: Print
That's it. Super simple, you choose how you like to view your data.
Stay tuned for MyPlate 101 Lesson 4.
Enjoy!
I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with food.
I watch The Food Network, I sometimes dream of eggs (I eat A LOT of them), and I thoroughly enjoy Man vs. Food. In fact, I’ve often wished that I could take on Adam Richman in an eating contest. Call it the Battle of Adam.
As a fitness and nutrition editor my mindset seems wrong. How can someone who preaches a healthy lifestyle enjoy indulgence—or even worse, gluttony?
Maybe I should blame my chubby childhood, but there’s no need for me to make excuses. Food is
meant to be enjoyed. It's not the cause of obesity or the enemy. Our bad choices are. Food is an essential part of life, and treating it any other way is the reason our country has eating problems. The real issue: Why do so many people feel so strongly about food? The answer is complex, and the reason I’m starting a new personal journey. It’s one that might change your life.
We’re all voyeurs of nature, and our natural instinct is to judge and criticize what’s different from our own beliefs. This is especially true with dietary habits. Just look at last week’s post about the new government
My Plate guidelines. It was viral—and not necessarily in a good way. Contrary to many of the reader comments, I was happy the government made changes, but based on my conversations with many prominent nutritionists, it was apparent that more could be done. I wanted a bigger stand to help the nation eat better and become healthier. So I shared my thoughts on how we could take the process a step further, such as combining the government guidelines with a tool like
MyPlate.
Instead, it became a feeding frenzy of anger and insult. Food became the enemy, and I was the messenger. The verbal bullets were shot towards my editorial fortress, and I used food to deflect the criticism. After all, my words were just my opinion. Some people disagreed, which was fine. Every issue is not black and white, and my thoughts are not a criticism of everything else that falls in opposition. They are simply an informed perspective.
I’m life crusader, and my mission is health. If I think our nation should follow one set of guidelines, it doesn’t mean that another option won’t be just as effective—or possibly more effective. This point is lost in heated conversation because most people don’t argue to learn: They argue to prove others wrong. Because at the end of the day we want to point the finger at someone or something. And when it comes to our weight and health, our first impulse is to point the finger at food. (Or the government) When what we really need to do is take accountability and action. That process begins with education.
I’d like to put an end to the blame game. I want to help empower you to make the
food choices that work for your style of living. In the end, that’s what the term “diet” is all about. It’s a style of eating—one that works within the confines of your day and your schedule. There are hundreds of diets, and no matter how much you may disagree, many diets work. And many others don’t. So I’m going to try them all. One bite at a time.
Call it “The Search for the Perfect Diet.” Along the journey I’ll share my feedback and allow you to make your own opinions. You can take my lessons and tips, and adjust them to fit your own life. But no matter what, don’t blame the food. In every scenario, it’ll be the secret to unlocking the life—and the body—you want.
This week we celebrate Hannah as our
Member of the Week. Hannah was extremely active in our
Fitness Challenge, and frequently inspired others to keep working hard. Here is some of the feedback she provided.
This is what Hannah has to say about the experience:
Wow! Thank you! I feel so honored!
One of the main things this challenge has brought into perspective for me is the excitement that women of every age and motivation level can feel when put together with a group with a common goal in mind. I love how this group can connect through the blog, it allows us all to really seek out the accountability and encouragement that we need to continue. I believe that everyone deserves to be able to take pride in the work they put forward in everything, be it a 30 minute walk on a busy day or 5 hours of intense work-outs. I've been so excited to be a part of this group and to see the different women take time out of their hectic schedules and lives to work on being healthier. They are all amazing women, we are all amazing people, living our normal lives and doing the best we can... it's hard not to encourage and be excited with these incredible women as we all strive to reach our goals. And we're lucky, because this month we get to do it all together as a team.
I just feel lucky to have such an awesome website where I can work on reaching my goals, I come here every day -- even on the ones I'm not so proud of -- so that I can know where I've been and what I need to do to get to the healthy lifestyle I want to live for the rest of my life. I'm so thankful for you guys, and I'm loving this challenge. Thank you again so much, this is so fun!
Joy and Dark Chocolate
Hannah Ezell
Want your chance to be featured? Or face off against Hannah as the Grand Champion of the Fitness Challenge? Join today, log your fitness, and post your activity on the site. It's your chance to reach your potential, and help others achieve theirs.
Last week LIVESTRONG.COM launched Text-2-Eat - the mobile application that offers the secret to smarter eating in the palm of your hand.
Text-2-Eat serves your mobile device with nutritional information for any food item you query.
Fans from across the country have shared their feedback on the ease and simplicity of this simple, streamlined experience.
To try it yourself, text any food item (eg, "apple") to 352-42.
You'll receive the nutritional information for that food item and also gain instant access to our expansive food database.
Fans are storing the number in their address books for ease of use.
We're proud to offer another portable option for making smart food choices even easier and we look forward to hearing your feedback!
- The LIVESTRONG.COM team
