Monday, November 8, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: Some Super Science
My Life's Biggest Project: Some Super Science: "Body Chemistry: Hormones in the Body that Make People Thin Today I'm going to throw a little science at you, which is funny because I'm not..."
Some Super Science
Body Chemistry: Hormones in the Body that Make People Thin
Today I'm going to throw a little science at you, which is funny because I'm not scientist, but when it comes to changing the body it is important to understand how the body works. So I've been doing a little research outside of my normal realm of study. Crazy I know, giving myself more homework, how silly right? Well it may be silly, but it's also important if I want to get the best results that last. I am one of those people who likes to understand why certain things happen so if you're like me then this entry is for you.
I am currently reading Jackie Warner's book "This is Why You're Fat (And How To Get Thin Forever)". It was on sale at Target and I thought wow, what a blunt title. I'm not very far into the book, only Chapter 1 as of right now, but what she has said so far makes sense to me. Maybe this blonde super toned personal trainer woman knows what she's talking about. Could this be why it is a New York Times Bestseller. Well I don't know how much credibility to give her yet, but I'll give you a brief synopsis of Chapter 1.
In this chapter Warner discusses our body chemistry and how fat control has a lot to do with hormones. She says that our body works off of seven specific hormones. There are three hormones that make us thin and four hormones that make us fat. She gives ways to balance these hormones after explaining what these hormones do, as well as giving advice for outsmarting cravings that our body wants and getting rid of cellulite (also known as the dreaded cottage cheese thighs).
Today we should talk about the three hormones that make us thin:
Human Growth Hormone (HGH): This hormone is the fat burner. It pulls energy from fat we have stored in our bodies. It even does this when we are asleep. HGH helps people get toned and muscular because it creates more muscle cells. It also gives us more energy, a higher sex drive and younger looking skin and even hair. Sounds like a miracle hormone huh? The older we get the less our bodies produce of this hormone, but lucky for us diet and exercise raise HGH levels in the body. Want to know how to raise it in your body? Warner lays it out pretty simple: Cut back on carbs at night- have protein and low-carb veggies for dinner, not breads or pasta. Get Plenty of Sleep- deep sleep is when the body produces HGH, so sleep is imperative. Also to ensure you get good sleep don't have caffeine after 3 p.m. and don't sleep with a TV on. Eat HGH Building Blocks- foods high in vitamin B and Eat Organic - It's sad, but people want to chunk up cows and chickens to get more meat out of them, but those chemicals are not good for us either. Meat's not the only thing, fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemicals and pesticides that are no bueno for our bodies
Testosterone: OK so if you're a girl you're probably thinking what? Well guess what we have it too! It's produced in our ovaries and adrenal glands. Testosterone builds muscle, burns fat, boosts energy, increases sex drive, makes our bones stronger, increases optimisim, thus decreasing depression. Drinking alchohol, smoking, high stress levels and bad health all decrease how much testosterone our bodies produce. Ways to produce more according to Warner is by: Eating Builders of Testosterone- foods high in beta-carotene, these are yellow and orange veggies and green leafy ones too. Also foods high in vitamin B, those that contain boron and amino acids. Watch How Much Fat You're Taking in- pretty self explanatory I think. Limit Cafeine and Alcohol- Use very little or none at all...Duh right?!
Progesterone: The more progesterone the body creates the more calories we burn. It is a natural diuretic according to Warner that reduces bloating, helps prevent uterine fibroids, cancer, improves libido and boosts mental clarity. Women every month, after one of your eggs is released the body secretes progesterone, if we don't get pregnant than the hormone level drops and slows down our metabolism. This is where the craving for sweets and sugars come in. Obviously this is no good so Warner suggests that we start to Include Progesterone-Building Foods into our diet and that these will help us sleep better and metabolize fat. Consume lots of Vitamin B and Magnesium.
Now that we know about the good hormones, tomorrow we will talk about the bad ones and how to overcome those. A little update on me in case you were curious, I had what I like to call "fake hot-dogs" for dinner last night. They were made of mainly water, soy and some veggies, absolutely no meat. They looked like hot dogs and didn't taste bad, but the consistency and flavor was very different it was like my food had an identity crisis. Not bad, but not what I expected either. If you're curious you can try them out for yourself. You can get them at Target or Wal-mart. Try them if you dare!
Today I'm going to throw a little science at you, which is funny because I'm not scientist, but when it comes to changing the body it is important to understand how the body works. So I've been doing a little research outside of my normal realm of study. Crazy I know, giving myself more homework, how silly right? Well it may be silly, but it's also important if I want to get the best results that last. I am one of those people who likes to understand why certain things happen so if you're like me then this entry is for you.
I am currently reading Jackie Warner's book "This is Why You're Fat (And How To Get Thin Forever)". It was on sale at Target and I thought wow, what a blunt title. I'm not very far into the book, only Chapter 1 as of right now, but what she has said so far makes sense to me. Maybe this blonde super toned personal trainer woman knows what she's talking about. Could this be why it is a New York Times Bestseller. Well I don't know how much credibility to give her yet, but I'll give you a brief synopsis of Chapter 1.
In this chapter Warner discusses our body chemistry and how fat control has a lot to do with hormones. She says that our body works off of seven specific hormones. There are three hormones that make us thin and four hormones that make us fat. She gives ways to balance these hormones after explaining what these hormones do, as well as giving advice for outsmarting cravings that our body wants and getting rid of cellulite (also known as the dreaded cottage cheese thighs).
Today we should talk about the three hormones that make us thin:
Human Growth Hormone (HGH): This hormone is the fat burner. It pulls energy from fat we have stored in our bodies. It even does this when we are asleep. HGH helps people get toned and muscular because it creates more muscle cells. It also gives us more energy, a higher sex drive and younger looking skin and even hair. Sounds like a miracle hormone huh? The older we get the less our bodies produce of this hormone, but lucky for us diet and exercise raise HGH levels in the body. Want to know how to raise it in your body? Warner lays it out pretty simple: Cut back on carbs at night- have protein and low-carb veggies for dinner, not breads or pasta. Get Plenty of Sleep- deep sleep is when the body produces HGH, so sleep is imperative. Also to ensure you get good sleep don't have caffeine after 3 p.m. and don't sleep with a TV on. Eat HGH Building Blocks- foods high in vitamin B and Eat Organic - It's sad, but people want to chunk up cows and chickens to get more meat out of them, but those chemicals are not good for us either. Meat's not the only thing, fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemicals and pesticides that are no bueno for our bodies
Testosterone: OK so if you're a girl you're probably thinking what? Well guess what we have it too! It's produced in our ovaries and adrenal glands. Testosterone builds muscle, burns fat, boosts energy, increases sex drive, makes our bones stronger, increases optimisim, thus decreasing depression. Drinking alchohol, smoking, high stress levels and bad health all decrease how much testosterone our bodies produce. Ways to produce more according to Warner is by: Eating Builders of Testosterone- foods high in beta-carotene, these are yellow and orange veggies and green leafy ones too. Also foods high in vitamin B, those that contain boron and amino acids. Watch How Much Fat You're Taking in- pretty self explanatory I think. Limit Cafeine and Alcohol- Use very little or none at all...Duh right?!
Progesterone: The more progesterone the body creates the more calories we burn. It is a natural diuretic according to Warner that reduces bloating, helps prevent uterine fibroids, cancer, improves libido and boosts mental clarity. Women every month, after one of your eggs is released the body secretes progesterone, if we don't get pregnant than the hormone level drops and slows down our metabolism. This is where the craving for sweets and sugars come in. Obviously this is no good so Warner suggests that we start to Include Progesterone-Building Foods into our diet and that these will help us sleep better and metabolize fat. Consume lots of Vitamin B and Magnesium.
Now that we know about the good hormones, tomorrow we will talk about the bad ones and how to overcome those. A little update on me in case you were curious, I had what I like to call "fake hot-dogs" for dinner last night. They were made of mainly water, soy and some veggies, absolutely no meat. They looked like hot dogs and didn't taste bad, but the consistency and flavor was very different it was like my food had an identity crisis. Not bad, but not what I expected either. If you're curious you can try them out for yourself. You can get them at Target or Wal-mart. Try them if you dare!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: Gotta Get in the Zone
My Life's Biggest Project: Gotta Get in the Zone: "One thing my sibling Ashley told me that is by far some of the best advice yet is that smiling and laughing are for sure a plus. Happy peopl..."
Gotta Get in the Zone
One thing my sibling Ashley told me that is by far some of the best advice yet is that smiling and laughing are for sure a plus. Happy people are healthy people. I saw a statistic today that said that 60% of people who are depressed are also obese or over weight. Smiling or having a good laugh can do so much for the body. To quote Legally Blonde, "exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy". Now that I've lost all of my credibility I am going to tell you one thing that made me smile today. I stepped on the scale and guess what...I have lost 5 pounds since Monday! How about that for something to smile about :)
One thing that I think works is tricking your body into thinking that you're having fun as opposed to working out. Working out can hurt sometimes (trust me), but if you're doing something that you enjoy like dancing to music that makes you happy then why not do it. Last night for example I popped in my Britney Spears CD, wondering which one...I'll tell you. Her third self titled album Britney with all sorts of songs to dance to and by the second song I had already worked up a sweat and was having a blast while doing it. I love Britney Spears and if she can assist in me getting my booty in shape, why not?
So far today has been a little rough. I had surgery in January on my back and it has been bothering me a lot lately so I am going to a specialist reffered to by my doctor on Wednesday to see what he suggests so as far as working out today I think I am going to keep it pretty minimal, but I'm sure that I will throw some dancing in because it's fun and it makes me happy. The best thing to do when you don't feel good is to try to concentrate on other things and remain in a good place. Hopefully in a week when I hop on that scale there will be another 5 pounds gone. How cool would that be? In the meantime I'm going to keep my energy and thoughts up.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: Read With Caution: What is the Root of Your Weight...
My Life's Biggest Project: Read With Caution: What is the Root of Your Weight...: "There are a couple of things I want to preface this post with before you go on and read it. First never was it my intention for this to be w..."
Read With Caution: What is the Root of Your Weight Gain?
There are a couple of things I want to preface this post with before you go on and read it. First never was it my intention for this to be where this blog went, however I do believe that it is extremely pertinent and something that needs to be discussed. I am currently taking a screenplay writing course and my teacher always says that we shouldn’t know exactly where our piece is going it will just end up there and this is what happened with today’s post. Second of all I also want it to be known that in no way am I looking for sympathy or anything of that nature. This may be a hard post for some of you to read and I understand that, but also know that it is an extremely hard one for me to write.
The last few days I have been reading books and studies on weight loss and one of the things that is constantly asked is to find the root of the problem. Where did your fixation with food come from? When did you become compelled to be inactive and really quit taking care of yourself? I’ve been soul searching and this isn’t the only thing that I found, but it certainly is a source. Once I came to this particular realization it was as if the signs were everywhere and after the second time it was more than a coincidence. I am about to open up to everyone who reads this in ways I didn’t even imagine, but I think it is the right thing to do.
Thursday night after watching Grey’s Anatomy there was a heart wrenching episode of Private Practice (which I don’t normally watch). The brief synopsis of the episode is that the chief at the hospital is raped and beat in her office, but she hides the rape from her colleagues and the police. On Oprah yesterday she had 200 men in her studio audience all of which were victims of molestation. For more on this check out this link: http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/A-Two-Day-Oprah-Show-Event-200-Men-Who-Were-Molested-Come-Forward_1. The statistics were alarming. One in every six males are victims of molestation and one in every four women are. The personal stories were heartbreaking from the victims. I then thought that now was time for me to tell my stories.
I will not get into the specifics of what happened to me because it doesn’t matter. The only thing that I will say is that it happened on different occasions with different people and that I was a victim. Now what you’re probably wondering is what does this have to do with weight. I’ll tell you…it’s simple really. I always considered myself a pretty girl when I was younger and one that got a lot of attention, but with attention came unwanted occurrences. To protect myself I thought one of the best things to do was to become unappealing to the opposite sex, thus weight gain. Food was also a comfort as well as having the power to throw it back up. The problem with this is that once you don’t get attention you start hating yourself, but you don’t want to revert back to horrors of what could happen. It is a vicous cycle.
The world we live in is a scary place and there is so much pressure to be pretty and be wanted, but being these things should not come with a toll that takes away from ones childhood. I have spoken with some people in the past and I know a guy who suffered with an eating disorder because he thought that if he were to become physically unappealing to his predator than the abuse would stop, lucky for him he and his family moved away, but then he wanted attention from women to prove to himself that he was not homosexual as a result of the abuse, so he became an anorexic. Victims of this kind of abuse do whatever they can to get away from it.
I wanted power back. Power over my body and one of the ways I knew to get that was through food. I don’t believe this is so now and lucky for me I am at a much better point in my life, but things like this cause situational depression and when your body is not producing endorphins it has negative effects on the body both mentally and physically. This results in weight gain among other things.
If anyone else feels compelled to share their stories please do so. I also understand that it is a very hard and very personal thing so if you would like to do so more privately please feel free to e-mail me at cassandra.d.brubaker-1@ou.edu . Again I would like to make it clear that I am not asking anyone to feel sorry for me, but I think that since this is the first time that I have been able to see this as one of the issues I am now at a point of overcoming this issue and getting the results in my life that I want. Don’t keep things bottled up and remember that whatever has happened to you is not your fault. Statistically every two minutes someone in America
Friday, November 5, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: Late Night Munchies and the Little Things
My Life's Biggest Project: Late Night Munchies and the Little Things: "OK I have to say this is why it is so important to have a schedule. I was exhausted all day and honestly I could have fallen asleep at like ..."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)