Saturday, November 20, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: 3 Day Diet
My Life's Biggest Project: 3 Day Diet: "There are all different kinds of fad diets out there that promise to give you the results that you want, but in reality they ar ruinging our..."
3 Day Diet
There are all different kinds of fad diets out there that promise to give you the results that you want, but in reality they ar ruinging our metabolisms and causing a much worse weight problem for us in the long run. One of the fad diets that promises not to ruin our metabolism and has been around since 1985 is the 3 Day Diet. I would like to go ahead and say that I will not be trying this, but I thought that I would tell you all about it.
The 3 Day Diet promises to make you lose 10 pounds in three days, but really you are probably losing water weight and not fat weight. There is a process that one must follow exactly for the three days. Once the three days are up the person is to go back to eating normal for four to five days before doing the diet again. The reason it is neccesary to go back to normal eating is so that the metabolism doesn't get screwed up. This "normal eating" is never defined.
The 3 Day Diet is a very specific food plan that must be followed to a T. Portions must be eaten exactly as stated and those partaking in the diet are told not to overeat, or they may not lose the 10 pounds promised. The dieter is also told not to under-eat, even if they are not hungry. No exercise is ever recommended in any of the literature about this particular diet. The diet goes as follows:
The 3 Day Diet meal plan:
Day 1
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
1/2 grapefruit or juice
1 piece toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Lunch
1/2 cup tuna
1 piece toast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
Dinner
3 ounces any lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup regular vanilla ice cream
Day 2
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
1 egg
1/2 banana
1 piece toast
Lunch
1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers
Dinner
2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream
Day 3
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
5 regular saltine crackers
1 ounce cheddar cheese
1 apple
Lunch
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
1 boiled egg
1 piece toast
Dinner
1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream
In addition to its strict daily food prescription, dieters drink 4 cups of water or noncaloric drinks daily. It is never explained how or why and their is no author or book or any kind of scientific explanation for how it is that this diet works, but the way it is said to work is simple. Supposeably the combination of the foods in the meal plan create some kind of crazy metabolic reaction that boosts fat burning to a high. It is said to burn fat, increase energy, cleanse the body and lower cholesterol. As said before though there is no documentation of this anywhere.
In all of the research that I have done on dieting and health lately never once have I read anything else that suggested eating most of the things on that list (i.e., peanut butter, saltine crackers, ice cream). It may sound like a crazy fad, but if it really has been along as long as people say there must be something to it. I find it interesting that it has been around as long as it has, because in most cases when people find out that something like this doesn't work the fad normally dies down. The fact is once some kind of miracle diet is invented it won't be a fad it will be a triumph and everyone will do it.
Until that day comes it is important to realize that you are an individual and something that works for somebody else may not neccessarily work for you. We are made up of different genetics and each of these things that make us different than our friends are the things that make weight loss different for everyone. The only one thing that has been proven to work for everyone in the world is a well balanced diet and exercise...crazy that there is no quick fix for this just a change in habits.
Today I'm going to clean my apartment and probably jam out to some Lady GaGa while I do. Singing and dancing while cleaning will make the task much more bearable and keep me in a better mood as well as keeping my heart rate going. What a wonderful plan for today. I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday and I'll have something new for tomorrow!
The 3 Day Diet promises to make you lose 10 pounds in three days, but really you are probably losing water weight and not fat weight. There is a process that one must follow exactly for the three days. Once the three days are up the person is to go back to eating normal for four to five days before doing the diet again. The reason it is neccesary to go back to normal eating is so that the metabolism doesn't get screwed up. This "normal eating" is never defined.
The 3 Day Diet is a very specific food plan that must be followed to a T. Portions must be eaten exactly as stated and those partaking in the diet are told not to overeat, or they may not lose the 10 pounds promised. The dieter is also told not to under-eat, even if they are not hungry. No exercise is ever recommended in any of the literature about this particular diet. The diet goes as follows:
The 3 Day Diet meal plan:
Day 1
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
1/2 grapefruit or juice
1 piece toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Lunch
1/2 cup tuna
1 piece toast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
Dinner
3 ounces any lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup regular vanilla ice cream
Day 2
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
1 egg
1/2 banana
1 piece toast
Lunch
1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers
Dinner
2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream
Day 3
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
5 regular saltine crackers
1 ounce cheddar cheese
1 apple
Lunch
Black coffee or tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low or Equal
1 boiled egg
1 piece toast
Dinner
1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream
In addition to its strict daily food prescription, dieters drink 4 cups of water or noncaloric drinks daily. It is never explained how or why and their is no author or book or any kind of scientific explanation for how it is that this diet works, but the way it is said to work is simple. Supposeably the combination of the foods in the meal plan create some kind of crazy metabolic reaction that boosts fat burning to a high. It is said to burn fat, increase energy, cleanse the body and lower cholesterol. As said before though there is no documentation of this anywhere.
In all of the research that I have done on dieting and health lately never once have I read anything else that suggested eating most of the things on that list (i.e., peanut butter, saltine crackers, ice cream). It may sound like a crazy fad, but if it really has been along as long as people say there must be something to it. I find it interesting that it has been around as long as it has, because in most cases when people find out that something like this doesn't work the fad normally dies down. The fact is once some kind of miracle diet is invented it won't be a fad it will be a triumph and everyone will do it.
Until that day comes it is important to realize that you are an individual and something that works for somebody else may not neccessarily work for you. We are made up of different genetics and each of these things that make us different than our friends are the things that make weight loss different for everyone. The only one thing that has been proven to work for everyone in the world is a well balanced diet and exercise...crazy that there is no quick fix for this just a change in habits.
Today I'm going to clean my apartment and probably jam out to some Lady GaGa while I do. Singing and dancing while cleaning will make the task much more bearable and keep me in a better mood as well as keeping my heart rate going. What a wonderful plan for today. I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday and I'll have something new for tomorrow!
Friday, November 19, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: Tips for Dining Out
My Life's Biggest Project: Tips for Dining Out: "OK so as most of us know instead of going out to eat being a treat like it use to be, we do it more than cooking these days (at least I do)...."
Tips for Dining Out
OK so as most of us know instead of going out to eat being a treat like it use to be, we do it more than cooking these days (at least I do). It's a hastle when you're trying to be health conscious, but it doesn't have to be. One of the good things about ordering the P90X is all of the little tidbits of information they send you via e-mail. One I got a while back gives 8 Tips When Dining Out so I figured I would pass this information your way so that it can help you as well :)
1.) Use the Internet (seriously you can find almost anything on it these days, so we might as well utilize it). Before going out look up the menu. This way you can decide what it is you are going to eat before you ever get there. This will keep your friend and the waiter from breathing down your neck while you try to decide what it is you want. Not only is it a time saver it is also beneficial to you and will weed out stress (which is unhealthy on the body too).
2.) Look up the nutrition fact. Once you've decided what you want to eat after looking up the menu online you can also look up the nutrition facts. Many resturants list these facts online and for those that do not you can look at each ingredient to figure out how much protein, fat and carbs are in each meal. Knowing this helps you figure out the best thing for you to eat as well as what not to!
3.) Eat your snacks and meals as you already have them scheduled. One of the biggest issues that people face when going out to eat is that we have to get our money's worth. With this kind of thought we feel it neccessary to completely clean our plate. This is why you should never go out to eat when you're starving (just like you shouldn't go grocery shopping when you're super hungry). The problem is most restaurants serve large portions of things and if we have it in our minds that we have to eat it all we are goign to be misserably full as well as packing on pounds. So eat like you normally do in a day and if you are still starving before you go to the restaurant eat an apple (just like Dr. Oz said, 15 minutes before you go). Keep in mind that you should stop eating when you are full and if you take half your meal home in a to go box not only are you getting your money's worth, but you have now paid for two seperate meals only once!
4.) Work out like normal. A lot of people think that if they have skipped a workout then they have already messed up for the day so why the heck does it matter. It matters. Everyday matters. You aren't neccesiarily going to ruin your workout by eating. In fact in a study done by researchers in Brazil they found that exercise increases the feeling of fullness in the brain.
5.) Write it down. You should be keeping track of your calorie intake in a food diary, but even if you're not know that by writing something down (once you've made your decision about what you are going to eat) you are more likely to keep with it and less likely to add things like an appetizer or dessert to your meal. If you know how many calories you are supposed to be intaking for the day you will also know how to adjust your intake if needed. Writing it down helps you keep a record of what you're doing. It's like the to-do list of food.
6.) Be honest and firm. If you stand your ground you are less likely to get peer pressured into things. Explain to your friends how hard you've been working toward your goals. Tell them about them so that they understand. Chances are much higher that they will be supportive if they understand and less likely to try to sway you to order that slice of cheesecake. The problem is once you make a bad food mistake you have opened the door to make much more. Not to mention how proud of yourself you will be for standing up for yourself.
7.) Have a conversation plan. This may sound silly, especially if you are meeting friends or family out, but if you are meeting a date or a co-worker chances are high that there will be some quite periods which is when most people keep eating breadsticks or whatever to fill in silence at the table. A lot of calories are wasted on nervous energy. If you have something to talk about chances are higher that there will be less of these moments and you will be so into your conversaton you will probably eat less anyway. It's also a plus if you are eating with someone you hardly know because they will feel like you are interested in what it is that they have to say which will probably lead to this situation ending on a much better note.
8.) Wear skinny jeans. By this I don't mean to make a fashion statement, but instead wear something more tight fitting, whether it be a shirt or pants. Once you feel your tummy pressing against your clothes that is a fairly clear sign that you should stop eating. Apparently there use to be an old diet trick for people who ate at home, they were told to do so in a swimsuit. Well obviously you don't want to go on a lunch date in swimwear.
In terms of dieting it has been said that the hardest part isn't watching what you eat, but instead watching what other people eat. This is true because while you're sitting there eating your grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables you can look around and see that other people are consuming their own body weight in fat grams. By having a game plan and sticking to it you can walk out of that restaurant with a full tummy and a clear mind. Just remind yourself that it is worth it and maybe just maybe you will have inspired someone else to do the same thing. With Friday night being date night, chances are high that some of you will go out to eat tonight and if you do I hope that you keep these tips in mind!
2.) Look up the nutrition fact. Once you've decided what you want to eat after looking up the menu online you can also look up the nutrition facts. Many resturants list these facts online and for those that do not you can look at each ingredient to figure out how much protein, fat and carbs are in each meal. Knowing this helps you figure out the best thing for you to eat as well as what not to!
3.) Eat your snacks and meals as you already have them scheduled. One of the biggest issues that people face when going out to eat is that we have to get our money's worth. With this kind of thought we feel it neccessary to completely clean our plate. This is why you should never go out to eat when you're starving (just like you shouldn't go grocery shopping when you're super hungry). The problem is most restaurants serve large portions of things and if we have it in our minds that we have to eat it all we are goign to be misserably full as well as packing on pounds. So eat like you normally do in a day and if you are still starving before you go to the restaurant eat an apple (just like Dr. Oz said, 15 minutes before you go). Keep in mind that you should stop eating when you are full and if you take half your meal home in a to go box not only are you getting your money's worth, but you have now paid for two seperate meals only once!
4.) Work out like normal. A lot of people think that if they have skipped a workout then they have already messed up for the day so why the heck does it matter. It matters. Everyday matters. You aren't neccesiarily going to ruin your workout by eating. In fact in a study done by researchers in Brazil they found that exercise increases the feeling of fullness in the brain.
5.) Write it down. You should be keeping track of your calorie intake in a food diary, but even if you're not know that by writing something down (once you've made your decision about what you are going to eat) you are more likely to keep with it and less likely to add things like an appetizer or dessert to your meal. If you know how many calories you are supposed to be intaking for the day you will also know how to adjust your intake if needed. Writing it down helps you keep a record of what you're doing. It's like the to-do list of food.
6.) Be honest and firm. If you stand your ground you are less likely to get peer pressured into things. Explain to your friends how hard you've been working toward your goals. Tell them about them so that they understand. Chances are much higher that they will be supportive if they understand and less likely to try to sway you to order that slice of cheesecake. The problem is once you make a bad food mistake you have opened the door to make much more. Not to mention how proud of yourself you will be for standing up for yourself.
7.) Have a conversation plan. This may sound silly, especially if you are meeting friends or family out, but if you are meeting a date or a co-worker chances are high that there will be some quite periods which is when most people keep eating breadsticks or whatever to fill in silence at the table. A lot of calories are wasted on nervous energy. If you have something to talk about chances are higher that there will be less of these moments and you will be so into your conversaton you will probably eat less anyway. It's also a plus if you are eating with someone you hardly know because they will feel like you are interested in what it is that they have to say which will probably lead to this situation ending on a much better note.
8.) Wear skinny jeans. By this I don't mean to make a fashion statement, but instead wear something more tight fitting, whether it be a shirt or pants. Once you feel your tummy pressing against your clothes that is a fairly clear sign that you should stop eating. Apparently there use to be an old diet trick for people who ate at home, they were told to do so in a swimsuit. Well obviously you don't want to go on a lunch date in swimwear.
In terms of dieting it has been said that the hardest part isn't watching what you eat, but instead watching what other people eat. This is true because while you're sitting there eating your grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables you can look around and see that other people are consuming their own body weight in fat grams. By having a game plan and sticking to it you can walk out of that restaurant with a full tummy and a clear mind. Just remind yourself that it is worth it and maybe just maybe you will have inspired someone else to do the same thing. With Friday night being date night, chances are high that some of you will go out to eat tonight and if you do I hope that you keep these tips in mind!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: The Friend Effect
My Life's Biggest Project: The Friend Effect: "Is it possible that our friends can effect our health? In most cases our friends are the people in our lives that make us happy and our supp..."
The Friend Effect
Is it possible that our friends can effect our health? In most cases our friends are the people in our lives that make us happy and our support system so could it be true that they could also be bad for us? In a story found on CNN written by Amanda Chan, MyHealthNewsDaily Staff Writer she describes what is referred to as the "friend effect" and I will share it with all of you.
There was a study done and while it showed that obesity rates have slowed down, but will continue to increase, just at a lower rate. The prediction is that 42 percent of Americans will be obese (currently it is 34 percent) how long it will be until these are the statistics is inconclusive in this particular study. However besides being completely uninformative there the study did find some other things.
The study showed that people can create a ripple effect among their peers who are not obese, according to Alison L. Hill, a graduate student at Harvard's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. This is because the more that a non-obese person comes into contact with someone that is considered obese, the greater a chance of them becoming that way too. The researchers data found that obesity rate is affected by three factors:
1.) person-to-person contact through social networks
2.) personal factors like diet and exercise
3.) the rate at which obese people lose weight
Even though it is impossible to say that obesity can infect people like a contagious disease, the research found that being in contact with other people who are obese does increase the likelihood of becoming that way yourself.
"After analyzing 40 years of data from 7,500 people in the Framingham Heart Study, researchers found the average person has a two percent chance of becoming obese in any given year...That chance increases by 0.5 percent for every obese family member, friend or coworker a person has regular contact with," said Hill.
It may be because we mimic the behavior or adopt similar lifestyles as those we hang out with. Hill also suggests that we may simply change what we think is a normal or acceptable weight for ourselves based on the weight we see on the people that are around us. Hill also assumes that social influence is an obvious factor.
Am I saying that you should stop being friends with someone because they are over weight, no not at all. However based on this study it is fair to say that we are who we hang with and if we want to influence the people in our lives to be healthy (not necessarily ripped with a six pack), but just more healthy then maybe it is our job as a friend or family member to try to get the other person to do something healthy with us.
I know for example my senior year of college I was working out with a friend of mine in the mornings (she was getting ready to get married and I was getting ready to go to Spring Break in Panama City Beach). My butt was in that gym every morning being hardcore. It was because I didn't want to let my friend down. This is what we call an accountability buddy! No I know that this post had absolutely nothing to do with the series FRIENDS, but I love the show and since it was about our friends and the other people in our lives I thought I would add some spice to the post today. It was also a scam to try to get you all to read it :)
Be happy and healthy and I'll update you all tomorrow! Some exciting Cassandra news however. I have lost 10 pounds to date since starting this project. It may not sound like a lot, but it was nice to see on the scale. For those of you doing the same thing trust me it is a wonderful feeling and good luck to you all.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
My Life's Biggest Project: 11 Random Things That Make You Gain
My Life's Biggest Project: 11 Random Things That Make You Gain: "Obviously being inactive and eating unhealthy is a cause of weight gain, but there are some other surprising things that make people gain we..."
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