Junk Food Linked To Weight Gain In Schools? Apparently Not

Despite a tripling of obesity rates in US schools over the last forty years, and an increase in junk foods, candy and sugary drinks availability in schools, a new study claims to demonstrate that the two are not linked - put simply, the study researchers say that junk food at school does not appear to be associated with higher obesity and overweight rates. The study has been published in Sociology in Education, and was authored by Jennifer Van Hook, a Professor of Sociology and Demography, and doctoral student Claire Altman.



Prof. Hook said:

"We were really surprised by that result and, in fact, we held back from publishing our study for roughly two years because we kept looking for a connection that just wasn't there."

Prof. Hook and Claire E. Altman gathered data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999. The large study tracked the children all the way up to eighth grade. The researchers focused on a sample of 19,450 kids during the years 2003-2004 (fifth graders) and 2006-2007 (eighth graders).

Junk food was available in 86.3% of the eighth graders' schools and 59.2% of the fifth graders'.

Even though the percentage rise in junk food availability and accessibility from fifth to eighth grade was significant, the obesity/overweight rates in the two age groups remained pretty much the same. In fact, (obesity/overweight) rates dropped as the children got older - from 39.1% in fifth graders to 35.4% in eighth graders.

Van Hook said:

"There has been a great deal of focus in the media on how schools make a lot of money from the sale of junk food to students, and on how schools have the ability to help reduce childhood obesity. In that light, we expected to find a definitive connection between the sale of junk food in middle schools and weight gain among children between fifth and eighth grades.

But, our study suggests that - when it comes to weight issues - we need to be looking far beyond schools and, more specifically, junk food sales in schools, to make a difference."

The authors believe that authorities need to focus on the home and family environments, plus other broader non-school environments, if they want to tackle childhood obesity effectively.

Van Hook explained:

"Schools only represent a small portion of children's food environment. They can get food at home, they can get food in their neighborhoods, and they can go across the street from the school to buy food. Additionally, kids are actually very busy at school.

When they're not in class, they have to get from one class to another and they have certain fixed times when they can eat. So, there really isn't a lot of opportunity for children to eat while they're in school, or at least eat endlessly, compared to when they're at home. As a result, whether or not junk food is available to them at school may not have much bearing on how much junk food they eat."

According to the findings in this study, combating childhood obesity/overweight is most effective when younger children are targeted.

The authors wrote:

"There has been a lot of research showing that many children develop eating habits and tastes for certain types of foods when they are of preschool age, and that those habits and tastes may stay with them for their whole lives," Van Hook said. "So, their middle school environments might not matter a lot."

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com

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22 Cheap and Easy Ways to Eat Healthy

Proper nutrition is important every day, but now there’s even more reason to ditch the bag o’chips and go for the greens. Today, November 7, is National Eating Healthy Day, a holiday sponsored by the American Heart Association. And it just so happens we’ve found 22 ways to celebrate. So forget about the tempting smells from the pizza place down the block or how easy it is to pick up a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on the way to work. These tips make eating healthy not only easier, but often cheaper, too. 

At the Grocery Store

1. Make a grocery list (and stick to it). By heading to the store with a clear list of what’s necessary, it’s much easier to avoid last-minute purchases. (Some studies say shoppers may still make impulsive buys… but the list can’t hurt.) Feeling techy? Try one of the many apps that can help with shopping, like GroceryIQ or Shopper.

2. Don’t go shopping hungry. Even after you take the time to write a meticulous grocery list, if that stomach is grumbling so loudly the people in the next aisle can hear it, chances are something surprising’s going to jump into the shopping cart. Avoid succumbing to last-minute cravings (like, say, for lardwiches) by eating a healthy snack (or meal) before heading to the store.

3. Buy more greens. On that weekly trip to the grocery store, grab some extra green vegetables for health benefits like a stronger immune system. They’re super-healthy (kale and spinach are bona fide superfoods!) and easy to fit into any meal!

4. Choose fresh or frozen over canned. For veggies, soups, and beans, nixing the can cuts out unnecessary sodium. For fruit, it avoids excess sugar. Plus, the fresh stuff always tastes better. And, perhaps surprisingly, canned produce can actually end up costing more (or at least the same amount) as the fresh stuff!

5. If you can’t grow it or raise it (theoretically), don’t eat it. Monosodium glutamate doesn’t grow on trees. Neither does high fructose corn syrup or Yellow No. 5. But at least one of these ingredients is found in many (if not most) of the processed foods on grocery store shelves, from chips to fruit juice. And these ingredients have been linked to everything from obesity and diabetes to brain and liver damage. If whatever’s in that grocery basket couldn’t theoretically come from your own backyard, swap it for something closer to the original. Choose whole potatoes over a box of mashed; pick plain ol’ oats instead of pre-sweetened packets.

6. Choose whole grains. When grains are processed — like, say, to become white flour used in crackers, cookies, or white bread — two essential parts of the grain (the bran and germ) are removed. The problem is these parts hold the most health benefits and nutrients, including vitamin E, major B vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Look for the “Whole Grain Stamp” on packaging or just opt for ingredients like whole grain, brown rice, and oats.

7. Avoid sweetened drinks. Added sugar is a big no-no. Not only does it pack on calories, but eating foods with added sugar has also been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and weight gain. Replace sweetened beverages (even artificially sweetened diet drinks) with water, seltzer, and fresh fruit, or 100 percent fruit juices diluted with water.

8. Eat naturally sweet food (and don’t add extra sugar to it!). Some of us have a sweet tooth, but instead of indulging in sugar-packed processed foods, choose naturally sweet ones to cut down on sugar cravings later. Start in the fruit section and choose naturally sweet vegetables like beets, corn, and sweet potatoes (just to name a few!).

9. Buy in bulk and divide into portions. Yes, this strategy is mostly a way to cut down on cost. But buying in bulk — anything from vegetables, to meat, to grains — can also cut down on shopping time, so there’s more time left to prepare healthy meals.

10. Stick to the edges of the grocery store. The outer edges are typically home to fresh produce, meats, dairy, and breads. The inner aisles usually feature highly-processed items packed with extra sugar and artificial ingredients. There are always exceptions, of course, but try sticking to the 80:20 rule (80 percent of the grocery cart from outside the aisles, 20 percent from inside the aisles) for a healthier diet.

Food Storage and Prep

11. Make grocery day “Food Prep Extravaganza.” To cut down drastically on food prep throughout the week, do it all at once after returning home from the store. Unwrap, clean, and cut up meat to freeze or refrigerate in portions. Wash and prep all produce. Chop and freeze anything that may be used at a later date. Pre-portion snack foods (see below), and yogurt or rolled oats for easy breakfasts throughout the week! (Overnight Oats are a favorite in the Greatist office!)

12. Prepare your own food as often as possible. We’re not talking give up eating out entirely — it’s no fun skipping those special restaurant dinners! But by preparing as many meals as possible on your own, it’s much easier to know (and control) exactly what’s going into your body, without any sneaky ingredients. Going to be at work during the lunch hour? Pack something to eat there. No time to eat before heading out in the AM? Bring something to eat on the way or at the office.

13. Pre-package snacks. When eating out of a family-sized potato chip bag, it’s easy to keep reaching that hand in until all that’s left are the greasy crumbs. Instead of wasting away in a bottomless pit of chips, try pre-portioning snack foods into single-serving plastic baggies or reusable containers.

14. Grow your own herbs. Fresh herbs (or freshly dried ones) are a great way to season food without excess salt, butter, or cheese. Growing a personal herb garden isn’t only good for that belly — it’s also an easy way to pretty up any space! All that’s necessary for a DIY herb garden is a few small planters and an empty windowsill (even the Greatist office has one!).

15. Store the healthiest food in the front of the fridge. When the fridge door opens, make sure you see the healthiest items first. If the leftover chocolate cake is shoved in the back corner, chances are the eye will gravitate towards the shiny apple right up front first. Bonus points for storing healthy options in transparent containers and unhealthy stuff in opaque ones so you see the healthy stuff before the stomach really starts grumbling.

Cooking and Mealtime

16. Sneak veggies into everything. We even have a few ways to fit veggies into dessert. Yep, we went there.

17. Forget about counting calories. Checking every nutrition label before chowing down is annoying (to say the least). Instead focus on meals that include a variety of nutrients, colors, and fresh ingredients. It’s much easier to keep a healthy, balanced diet this way than by counting calories.

18. Eat a healthy breakfast! Starting the day off right is key to eating healthy all day long. So what makes the best breakfast? One study found consuming protein for breakfast can help prevent overeating later in the day, but another found that eating a big breakfast with dessert could help keep off excess pounds. Choose what works best for you.

19. Opt for smaller portions. When restaurants pile plates bigger than a human head, it’s easy to overeat. Limit those portions to less gargantuan sizes to easily eat a little healthier. Not sure where to start? Try these portion-size plates, or learn how to estimate serving sizes for certain foods. And here’s a great tip for eating out: To avoid eating more than planned, ask the server to wrap up half the dish beforehand and go home with a pre-made doggie bag.

20. Replace dessert with fruit. (…Or at least add fruit to dessert.) While some varieties can be high in sugar, fruit is a great way to satisfy that sweet tooth without breaking the sugar bank. Plus, it offers health benefits typical desserts can’t, like fiber and antioxidants. And opting for fruit can help avoid that dreaded sugar crash.

21. Pace your mealtime. When we eat quickly, our bodies don’t always have time to realize we’re full — so it’s easy to overeat. Enjoy what’s on the plate, and stop eating as soon as that stomach gives the first hint of being full. It’s always possible to eat more later.

22. Consider not buying unhealthy stuff in the first place. ‘Nuff said.

Article source: http://greatist.com/health/22-cheap-and-easy-ways-to-eat-healthy-041012

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Can Drinking Coffee Help You Lose Weight ?

The idea that drinking coffee helps you to lose weight has been around for ages, and we’re here to tell you, it doesn’t. For coffee drinkers out there hoping to hear that it does, we’re sorry to burst your bubble. Where does the coffee and weight loss myth come in? Caffeine and appetite suppression.

Coffee and Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant, and as such is thought to boost your metabolism so you can burn more fat. If it does in fact boost the metabolism, the amount of caffeine you’d have to consume to see real results would be potentially deadly. It can however be used to give you a little kick start just before a workout but drinking it all day long hoping for some permanent 24/7 fat loss is not going to happen.

Caffeine, though a stimulant is also a diuretic. Diuretics are chemicals that pull water from the body, which in turn will dehydrate you. Ever notice you have to run to the bathroom a lot when you’ve had a lot of caffeine? That’s why. If you’ve been drinking coffee on a regular basis and see weight loss on the scale, it is likely just water weight, which will rebound quickly. It will be hard to lose fat by relying on the caffeine in coffee. The caffeine in coffee can also cause your blood pressure to rise, as well as your heart rate, and you’ll find it harder to sleep at night. You’ll eventually crash and possibly crave sweets to pick yourself back up, feeling worse than you did before you needed the boost. Fat loss tends to be a lot of water weight at first, so this is a key reason why the myth is so easy to believe.

Coffee and Appetite Suppression

Sadly, drinking a cup of coffee in the morning will not suppress your appetite any more than a cup of another liquid. It’s going to work by filling your stomach, just the way a glass of water or milk will. The difference? Coffee, especially if you pack on the cream and sugar will be much higher in calories than water or skim milk. It will not last long, and you’ll be hungry again pretty quickly. Don’t rely on it to help you feel less hungry! If you really want appetite suppression, eat higher quality foods that are good for you and filling. A bowl of whole grain oatmeal topped with some berries will keep you feeling full and give you plenty of energy until your mid-morning snack time. Eating plenty of fiber is the healthiest way to suppress your appetite, which will help with your weight loss efforts far more than coffee ever could.

So what can you do if you’re addicted to coffee and you don’t want it to ruin your health and weight loss goals or you want to use it, as I do, for a pre workout kickstart?

• Drink it black with no sugar, and limit yourself to two  cups per day. Never replace a meal with coffee.
  
• Consider switching to decaf coffee if you are only drinking it for pleasure.
  
• Skip the cappuccino s and latte’s. If you can’t, make sure to use low fat milk.
  
• Consider switching to green tea, which has been shown to have many health benefits.

It’s up to you what to do. We’re not telling you to completely give up your coffee, but now that you know the truth about it, make sure you use it in a way that it will help you with your fat loss goals instead of workout against you!

Article source:http://www.sixpackfactory.com/coffee-lose-weight

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Boost Weight Training with Yoga

Brawny weight-lifting types may scoff at this zen workout, but yogis swear by it— and they’re not the only ones. Experts recommend yoga to improve flexibility, which may also reduce risk of injury during other types of exercise and alleviate soreness. Plus, yoga can help relieve stress and anxiety.

But that’s not all. Yoga poses can also serve as strength-training (ever notice how plank and chair poses feel a whole lot like push-ups and squats?). And while yoga can also improve all-around fitness, it can’t compete with more aerobically demanding workouts like high-intensity aerobic training. The reality is, no one workout has everything, so a varied regimen is typically the best way to go.

The Takeaway: Work yoga into your weekly routine to improve flexibility and relaxation while also adding light strength-training.

Balancing Act

Finding balance in your daily life is just as important as balance in your workout regimen. J.C. Deen dropped in with a blog post enlightening us on how busy entrepreneurs make eating right and working out priorities.

Fun Fact:

“Yoga” comes from the Hindi word meaning “yoking” or “union” (as in the union of mind and body). We can say “Om” to that!  

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How Many Calories Do You Need for Fat Loss

To maintain energy and a stable weight, the number of calories you eat must equal the number of calories you expend. The number of calories you expend depends on your Basal Metabolic Rate(BMR) and your activity level. Your BMR is affected by multiple factors such as: genetics, age, sex, and height (things you can’t change), and body composition (muscle and fat) and activity level (things you can change).

However if you wish to lose weight then you need to expend more calories than consumed.

The first step in designing a personal nutrition plan for yourself is to calculate how many calories you burn in a day; your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). TDEE is the total number of calories that your body expends in 24 hours, including all activities. TDEE is also known as your “maintenance level”. Knowing your maintenance level will give you a starting reference point from which to begin your diet.

There are many different formulas you can use to determine your caloric maintenance level by taking into account the factors of age, sex, height, weight, lean body mass, and activity level. Any formula that takes into account your lean body mass (LBM) will give you the most accurate determination of your energy expenditure, but even without LBM you can still get a reasonably close estimate. A fast and easy method to determine calorie needs is based on total bodyweight and activity level.

Quick Method
 

Body weight (in lb) X 11-13

Multiply by:

11 for Low Activity ( Training 2 to 3 Days Per Week )

12 for Moderate Activity ( Training 4 to 5 Days Per Week )

13 for High Activity ( Training 6 to 7 Day Per Week )

Example

184 lbs ( My Weight ) x 13 ( High Activity ) = 2392 cals per day

This will give you your calorie range.  This is a starting point and is a very easy way to estimate caloric needs, but there are obvious drawbacks to this method and you should only use this as a guide.

Once you have this value, structure your meals accordingly with regards to your proteins, carbohydrates and fats (Macronutrients) depending on your goals. Remember also to taper your calories as your day progresses as less energy is required later in the day.  Keep a very accurate food log for each day as well as this is what you will fall back on after a few weeks to make sure you continue to get results or if you are not getting the kind of results you have been looking for and need to make some adjustments.

Now after one to two weeks weigh yourself or take your fat % again.  You would like to be 1-2 ( 2 to 4 lbs. ) kilograms or percent lower than your first measurement.  If you have not changed at all decrease your calories by 200.  If after another week no change has occurred follow the same process again by reducing your calories by another 200.

If this still has not provided you with the kind of result you are looking for ( And be realistic about things )rather increase your activity in the form of cardio and weight training exercises.

Try not to ever go below 1200 calories per day.

A few final points. First of all, try not to decrease your calories and increase your exercise at the same time.  It will make it difficult to determine exactly which aspect of the modifications you made is working for you as well as making you feel drained and weak, not the kind of lifestyle you are looking for!

And then lastly. The reason we say to try the total calories you just calculated for a few weeks before you start to subtract 200 cals is because most people are already over eating. So by starting to eat the amount of calories from the calculation above, 90% of you will already be eating 300 to 600 calories less than what you are doing now. So first try that and if you are not losing weight then only do you start bringing your total calories down by another 200 for a few weeks and following the other rules mentioned above.

Article Source: http://www.sixpackfactory.com/how-many-calories-for-fat-loss

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Lose Weight This Year With The Diet Solution Program

Is one of your goals for the New Year to lose weight? Are you hoping to get in shape FAST-but in a healthy way? Weight loss is usually one of the Top 10 New Year's Resolutions people make... EVERY YEAR. Finally achieve your goals this year with a program designed to help you shed pounds without starving yourself or costing you lots of time and money.

Turn your weight loss "resolution" into a "solution" with The Diet Solution Program by Isabel De Los Rios.

Does that sound too good to be true?

Well, it IS too good to be true. The facts show that when people take on a weight loss or diet program:

- they DO starve by cutting out whole food groups, skipping breakfast, following the latest and greatest "lose weight fast" program.

- they DO spend A LOT of time trying to diet, writing things down, going to weight-loss meetings, heading to the gym, finding the newest exercise fad that promises "you'll lose inches in weeks".

- and they DO spend A LOT of money on joining a gym with monthly fees anywhere from $10.00 to $60.00 EACH month, even those weight loss meetings cost money. Diet pills are costly and most are unsafe and unnecessary.

Does even just one of the above sound like something you've done or tried before?

I'm here to tell you that it does NOT have to be this way. How do I know? I know because I decided to take a test drive of a program I found online called The Diet Solution Program. It almost should not use the word "diet" in its title, as it's really a solution, a healthy eating lifestyle program. All for the cost of a one month of gym membership-and my two feet to exercise with, I obtained a program that contains everything needed to lose weight. I found it is possible to begin losing weight fast by following a healthy regimen of the right foods and the right exercise. I was impressed with fact I was able to purchase the program online and download it immediately.

The key to success is having everything you need in one place at the time YOU need it. Most people find themselves with the best of intentions. "I'm gonna lose weight this year no matter what!" and go to the gym only to find they aren't quite sure of what exactly will work for them and what will not work for them. So for the first few weeks, they do what they THINK will work while never really knowing if it is enough or IF it work at all.

After the gym, they go food shopping and buy items that are listed as "diet" and "healthy" food, like frozen diet entrees. These foods are highly processed and really don't help you to fuel your body for energy and sustenance. As soon as you stop eating "diet" foods, the weight comes back. One of the foods many people are told they need to give up to lose weight is the whole food group of carbohydrates. People give up all bread and pasta, etc... THEN they find they are exhausted and cannot continue on their weight loss journey. Frustration sets in, and well, it doesn't get any better. But The Diet Solution Program shows you how you can still eat carbohydrates and lose weight.

The Diet Program Solution by Isabel De Los Rios, an exercise and nutrition specialist with 10+ years of experience as a certified nutrition and fitness professional. This is an online program that you can download (Yay! You can have it with you all the time!) and follow without going to meetings, or worse, feeling like you are on your own. The Diet Program Solution really IS a solution because the manual covers everything you need to lose weight and achieve your goals. You can adapt her teaching to YOUR daily life and activities and food likes.

Losing weight is not the easiest thing to do, but it does NOT have to be the hardest either. I couldn't review a program without trying it first. About a year ago, I tried a VERY strict eating plan (let's just say the food "cabbage" was in it), and I could barely manage to do the recommended 3-5 times a week of 30-45 minutes of cardio exercise. Needless to say, after about two weeks, I was done. My job and life at the time got incredible busy, so I was now also eating out more often. I watched infomercials at 3am (like I said, my life got busy and I had odd hours), and just did not trust ordering from the television.

I decided to search on the internet. When I found the Diet Solution Program, it interested me A LOT. I did NOT order right away. I read a review and checked out the site-just like you are doing now. I watched Isabel's videos. She is definitely knowledgeable on the subject of weight loss and did not seem to be making promises of the "seas parting" and losing 20 pounds in one month Frankly, the program seemed, well, MANAGEABLE. Throw in the 60-day guaranteed refund if I wasn't happy, and I figured it was a lot easier than other options I had tried and certainly worth looking into.

I started the program about 3 months ago and I have lost 16 pounds to date. Is it a ton of weight loss? No, but its better than the usual 1-2 pounds and the bigger point here is that I'M LOSING WEIGHT IN A HEALTHY WAY-FINALLY! I'm noticing a difference. The Diet Solution Program is manageable! YIPPEE! I walk 3 times a week and feel pretty good. I'd recommend adding some more exercise... but I'm off to a great start because her program really lets me eat (I LOVE FOOD!) A 15 pound weight loss can mean more of your wardrobe fitting. There are tons of testimonials on the website that really attest to the fact that YOU LOSE WEIGHT ON THE DIET SOLUTION PROGRAM. I haven't even used all of the teaching that the program provides yet. I'm still just as busy as I was-my schedule hasn't changed... but my lifestyle has changed and I have more energy to get through the day and YOU WILL TOO. I found myself mostly fascinated with how the author taught me that I have a metabolic type and need to eat according to my "type". There are three types - carbohydrate, protein and mixed.

The Diet Program Solution contains the following:

A fully detailed MANUAL that explains how to apply the knowledge she is going to educate you with. The manual is a comprehensive tool to be read and referred to over and over again. You'll learn HOW to eat the right foods (yes, even yummy foods) and lose weight. She takes the "diet" out of the plan and educates the reader on what to eat and how to combine foods for the healthiest way to actually see results on the scale!

The proper food lists and meal plans for each and every day to guide you. Fresh vegetables and fruits are an important component of the plan (I'd be wary of any plan that DOESN'T promote these food groups!)

Grocery store shopping lists - Go armed to the supermarket with these and it will be easy to bypass that frozen meal section! It's also a huge time-saver.

A full recipe program is included that pulls it all together for you so you won't be wondering what to eat. For example, I personally have a sweet tooth for cranberry sauce-especially around ahem, "certain" holidays (gobble, gobble anyone?). I always buy a couple of cans. Now I have learned through this program how easy it is to make sweet, fresh cranberry sauce by using little more than fresh cranberries and water! To me, this is an example of the biggest "take-away" from the program. You can still eat your favorite foods by learning from Isabel how to eat them properly(not from a can). I'm sure you will also find an "a-ha" moment for some of your favorites as well.

If you think carbohydrates are off-limits on this plan - you are wrong. The Diet Solution Program includes carbohydrates-the right ones. This program is a well-rounded eating plan that will leave you feeling like you are just changing your style of eating to a healthier one. This is not a deprivation diet, although it's important to follow what the author guides you to eat.

If you can handle the side effect of having more energy (a bonus I wasn't expecting!), you will find yourself getting creative and making new recipes from the foods the diet teaches you about because both the food and what Isabel teaches you about eating just really makes it all "click" and you'll actually ENJOY eating right. I really think if this is the year you want to lose weight while getting healthier, then you need to research this plan and find out if it's right for you.You'll be able to cross "lose weight" off of your New Year's Resolution To-Do list once and for all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6725472

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