FAT HABITS

FAT HABIT #1: Eating "low-fat"
It sounds crazy, but I want you to stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.

FAT HABIT #2: Not seeking nutrition advice
Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge. Follow me on Twitter for the fat-melting weight loss tips I come across every day as the editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine—and lose your belly without ever dieting again.

FAT HABIT #3: Sleeping too little or too much
According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.
FAT HABIT #4: Eating free restaurant foods
Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.

DID YOU KNOW? You don't need to make big changes to your diet to lose 10, 20, or even 30 pounds. You just need to make the right small tweaks. Change how you look and feel—fast and forever—with this must-see report on the 25 Best Nutrition Secrets Ever!
FAT HABIT #5: Drinking soda—even diet!
The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.   
FAT HABIT #6: Skipping meals
In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.
FAT HABIT #7: Eating too quickly
If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose more than 20 pounds a year! 
FAT HABIT #8: Watching too much TV
A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.
SNACK YOURSELF THIN! It can be a challenge to find snacks low in sugar and high in protein and fiber. Our list of the 50 Best Snack Foods in America will help keep you lean and full all day long!
FAT HABIT #9: Ordering the combo meal
A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.
FAT HABIT #10: Facing the buffet
Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.
20 NEW TERRIBLE FOODS! Some restaurant foods have an entire day's worth of calories and several days' worth of fat and salt. Avoid these shocking diet disasters at all costs: The Worst Foods in America!
FAT HABIT #11: Eating off larger plates
One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds. 

FAT HABIT #12: Putting serving dishes on the table
Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

FAT HABIT #13: Choosing white bread
A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts. 

FAT HABIT #14: Taking big bites
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.
FAT HABIT #15: Not drinking enough water
Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!
BEVERAGE BONUS: Drinking water is always a smart idea, but there are some beverages that should be avoided at all costs. Protect yourself—and your waistline—from the 20 Worst Drinks in America.
FAT HABIT #16: Having overweight friends
Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split the cheesecake!”)
FAT HABIT #17: Eating too late
Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.
FAT HABIT #18: Not using a scale
Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown of by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.

FAT HABIT #19: Drinking fruity beverages
Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.
FAT HABIT #20: Eating when emotional
A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent yourself from overloading on calories.
YOUR NEW SHOPPING LIST! There are more than 45,000 options in the average supermarket. Some will wreck your waistline; some will shrink it. The easiest way to choose: Go ahead and put anything from our list of the 125 Best Supermarket Foods in your shopping cart—and watch the pounds drop away

busy as a bee

     We're quiet busy nowadays for the painting and arrangement of the house for our baby's arrival, and the preparation for the upcoming baby shower. I'm on my 8th month of pregnancy now so only feweeks from now and we'll see our little princess.
     For now, this is what I'll share. Been really excited lately that I can't focus my thoughts yet. Soon, I'll write longer blogs again.  

Ligament tear, ouch! :(

   


    Hubby was not able to go to work yesterday due to his wrist injury. It happened last Thursday when they have dismantled our double size bunk bed which was for sale to a friend. He said that he didn't feel anything that night, but the following day when he woke up, he compalined of wrist pain. He thought that I slept over his hand but I know that I did not. I just put pain reliever gel on the affected site and a tube bandage to minimize the movement of the area. Few days passed and he's still complaining about his wrist and that the pain wasn't subsiding at all. So finally came the day when the movement of his right wrist was decreased and a little bit of movement caused him pain. I've told him that we need to go to an orthopedic doctor to have his wrist checked.
   Yesterday, we went to Welcare Gusais Clinic for an appointment. An xray was done and his wrist was assessed and the diagnosis is, ligament tear sprain of the right wrist. Good thing his bones wasn't affected and it is just a little tear. The doctor said that it will heal on its own but in time. So he's prescribed with pain reliever tablets and gel. His hand is bandaged as well and he needs to keep it for 2 days. Atleast now, we know what happened and an intervention is given to him to alleviate the pain. It's hard feeling pain and going to work at the same time,especially if we use our hands at work most. So let's all love and care for our hands because it is hard having an injured one.

Modern Housewives ;)

   

 Thanks to advanced technology, wifi, YM via cellphone and BB services...my super friend Nellers and I are now virtually connected everyday.  We used to text each other on a daily basis when I was in the Philippines before, just talking about school stuff, boys, NCPs, duties and the toxicity of our college lives. We just love talking,chatting,texting about anything under the sun...happy moments, and especially the sad ones. It's like having a sister, confidant, super friend in one.
    When I moved abroad to work, our communication became weekly basis since we only rely then on roaming texts which is little expensive, and yahoo mails. But never came a point that we stopped communicating. We talked about adjustments to her motherhood and family life, while I struggle from being away to my hubs (still boyfriend then) and applying for work with multi-cultural set-up. Though we are busy with our own lives, we still manage to have time for each other even in the simplest way possible of being connected.
    Now, that we have FB, wifi and mobile phone chats, we're able to do the same thing again though we're miles apart. As she said, we're like the modern housewives chatting while doing household chores, minus the hair rollers and dusters.Hehehe! Though the topics now are about fam life, kids, our parents and dreams for them, finances,our diet and work..it is always fun having conversation with her.
     As always, thank you again for the friendship and for helping me be sane during my crazy moods..iloveu Nellygood and looking forward to our dream of being neighbors some day. ;)

7 Everyday Products Linked to Cancer

This article kind of bothered me when I read it today. There are a lot of stuff we use at home that we think are safe and harmless to us that might contribute to having illness like the big C.
    I am particularly concerned about the long term effect of talcum powder to women. It's like a tradition to most mothers to put powder on their babies' bum and genital areas before putting on diapers, not thinking that to prevent nappy rash could lead to an illness in their children's adult lives. Though this claim still needs a thorough medical and scientific study to be proven, I think it is safer to stop doing the said routine. I am going to be a mom very soon so I am glad to have read this warning. Let's just use the traditional soap and water/baby wipes to clean our lil ones and then pat dry their bums with clean cloth. It's better to be safe than to be sorry,right. It's one step to minimizing the risk factors of cancer.
    The other products mentioned should be used in moderation. As they say, everything in excess is bad for us. So drinking coffee, eating salted fish can still be enjoyed but in moderation. Making yourself tan can also be done naturally and with better health benefits too, if you go out to the beach/pool during the day at the time when the sun's UV rays are still healthy to the skin, 6 am - 9am. You'll have the tan that you want plus the vitamin D provided by our great sun, and no expensive charge for you. =)
    Here's the article by Lisa Cool that caught my attention today. Hope this will help others as well.

• Coffee: There’s hot debate brewing about the health effects of coffee, since it lifts risk for some cancers and cuts risk for others. A 1991 IARC report linked drinking coffee to increased risk for bladder cancer, while a study released in May found that men who consumed six or more cups daily were 60 percent less likely to develop fatal prostate cancer. Quaffing two or more cups a day raises lung cancer risk by 14 percent, according to a 2010 review. Classification: Probable carcinogen.
• Flame retardant baby products: In the 1970s, the flame retardant Tris was removed from kids’ sleepwear as a suspected carcinogen. In May, a study found chlorinated Tris in more than one-third of the polyurethane foam baby products tested, including nursing pillows, car seats, baby carriers and high chairs. A program within the EPA not only has identified the chemical as a cancer hazard, but also reports that animal studies link it to developmental defects, anemia, liver failure and reproductive problems.  Classification: Probable carcinogen.

• Talcum powder: Widely used to keep skin dry and prevent rashes, talcum powder may cause ovarian cancer if applied to the female genitals. Particles from sanitary napkins, diaphragms, condoms and talcum power applications could travel through the vagina, uterus and fallopian tubes to the ovaries. An analysis of data from 16 studies found a 30 percent rise in ovarian cancer risk among talcum users. A safe alternative is cornstarch powder, which is not linked to cancer. Classification: Possible carcinogen.

• Alcohol: Nearly 10 percent of cancers in men—and 3 percent in women—are sparked by drinking too much alcohol, German researchers reported in April. They calculate that in the eight European countries studied, about 54,500 cases of alcohol-related cancer, such as cancers of the upper digestive tract, colon, liver and breast (in women), would have been prevented in 2008 if women limited themselves to no more than one alcoholic drink a day and men to two drinks. Classification: Known carcinogen.

• Hormone replacement therapy: Used to relieve menopause symptoms and delivered as a pill, patch or vaginal ring, hormone replacement therapy may involve estrogen alone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone. The Women’s Health Initiative study reports that daily use raised women’s risk for breast cancer by five to six percent for each year HRT was taken. Estrogen-only HRT more quintuples risk for uterine cancer. Doctors advise women who use HRT to take it for the shortest possible time. Classification: Known carcinogen.

• Salted fish. Eating salted fish, a popular food in Asian countries, raises risk for cancers of the nose, stomach and colon. Studies also link consumption of highly salty foods, including fish, to increased threat of ovarian and prostate cancer. Also be wary of caviar: A 2010 study of 77,500 Japanese men and women found that those who ate salted fish roe the most frequently had the highest overall rate of cancer. Classification: Known carcinogen.

• Tanning beds: There’s no such thing as a “healthy tan.” Some tanning beds emit 10 to 15 times more UV radiation than the midday sun. A 2010 study found that young people who have ever used a tanning bed are 1.41 times more likely to get melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, and those who have used them 10 or more times have double the risk. Melanoma rates in young women have tripled over the past 30 years, largely due to use of tanning beds. Classification: Known carcinogen.

Siging up!

You can not beat a good euphonious...

Yuanne's happy feet

  


Everytime my baby kicks or punches, I feel relieved and happy to know that she's doing well inside me. Since I can't see her yet, it's her way of letting mimi and didi know that she's active and fine. It's her reponse to her dad's voice, to my greetings, to the song I love to hear, or a response to the loud sound system whenever where inside a movie house, or a way of letting me know she's hungry as well (usually kicks whenever I am hungry but still not getting up to get our food..like saying, mimi come on! Can't wait for the food!), or whenever didi touches or puts his cheek near my abdomen (they have a bond already), and whenever I'm lying down and doing nothing. It's like our own private time together. I so love when she does that and makes me keep on imagining what she looks like, or if she got my legs too. A very overwhelming feeling to realize that you have a growing life inside you. One of the greatest miracle and gift from above. =)

   So to all the moms-to-be out there, here's an article from e-How Health on fetal kick and movement. Read away!

One of the most anticipated and exciting moments of pregnancy is when a mom-to-be first feels the baby kick and move inside of her. In the weeks leading up to that moment, all any mom can think of is: When will it happen? The fetus begins kicking and moving around the seventh week of pregnancy, but it is so small that the mother cannot feel it. Most moms won't begin to feel the fetus moving until 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy, although some will feel it earlier and others later.

1. Early Fetal Movement (Weeks 7-12)

   • The fetus first begins to move around the seventh week of pregnancy, shortly after its heart begins to beat. While a mother cannot detect this movement---the fetus is technically still an embryo at this point, only measuring about a half-inch long---she will be able to see it waving its tiny arm buds and kicking its legs via ultrasound.

   Movement in Early Second Trimester (Weeks 13-20)

   • The first fetal movements the mother can feel are called "quickening." Many first-time mothers will not realize when quickening occurs, as early fetal movements often feel like the rumbling of gas. Different women describe the sensation of the baby's moving in different ways. According to Baby Center, some women say it feels like popcorn popping, fluttering butterfly wings or a goldfish swimming.

   Fetal Movement in Late Second Trimester (Weeks 21-27)

   • As the baby grows, its movement will becomes stronger and more definite. During the late second trimester, most women will feel kicks and punches, as well as squirming and rolling. The woman's partner may be able to feel some of this movement when touching the belly. In some cases, the movement may be so strong that it can be seen from the outside: The mom-to-be's belly will jump and roll as the baby does.

   Fetal Movement in the Early Third Trimester (Weeks 28-32)

   • By the start of the third trimester, most moms can feel their baby kicking regularly (although not necessarily frequently). At this time, a woman should begin to keep track of her baby's movements by counting the baby's kicks. This exercise can help the mother become aware of any unusual decrease in activity and identify a potential problem. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the mom should do "kick counts" at the same time every day, preferably at a time when the baby is typically active. The mother should count at least 10 kicks within two hours.

   Fetal Movement in Late Third Trimester (32-40 Weeks)

   • By around 32 weeks, the mother may start to feel fewer movements, because the baby has grown so much that it has less room to move in the uterus. She should continue doing her kick counts and report to her doctor any substantially decreased activity.

Read more: In What Stage of Pregnancy Does the Fetus Begin to Kick & Move? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5072485_stage-fetus-begin-kick-move.html#ixzz1ONlKoCSM