Do Calories Really Count?

by JJ Virgin

It seems like there are two weight loss camps out there – one that holds strictly to calorie counting for weight loss and the other that focuses on limiting or excluding altogether specific food groups for weight loss. I think that the most confusing section in the bookstore is the weight loss/diet section!  So who is right?
Calories Count…well sort of
Calories count, but where they come from counts more.  The bottom line is too much healthy food is unhealthy.  But there is clearly a difference between consuming 1000 calories from clean lean protein, fruits, veggies and nuts versus Twinkies, chips and soda (the latest “convenience store diet fat”). And intuitively, we all know this but we are always searching for a program where we can lose weight and eat what we want and how much we want of it.
Our body isn’t a bank account
There is more to losing weight than merely creating a caloric deficit, especially when you focus on fat loss rather than overall weight loss.  Remember, if you lose weight but not fat, or lose fat from your arms and legs but not off your belly, you are not getting healthier and in fact you could actually be hurting yourself and damaging your metabolism even more.
Your body is both a chemistry lab AND a history book
Food is information.  It can tell your body to

• burn fat or store it
• build muscle or burn it
• balance blood sugar or send it spinning!

It does this through the hormones that are triggered. This happens due to meal composition, meal size and meal timing. If you overeat, you can trigger a bigger insulin response.  If you eat a higher carb diet, especially refined carbs you can trigger a bigger insulin response.  If you eat small higher carb meals and snacks every few hours you may cause insulin to rise and stay higher longer than it should.  Higher insulin basically locks the doors to the fat cells, causing you to hold onto fat and burn sugar. 
Conversely if you go too long without eating, you can raise the stress hormone cortisol which can cause you to break down muscle and store more fat around your waistline.  Eat right before bed and you will suppress ghrelin, the hormone produced in the stomach that helps trigger the release of growth hormone as you sleep. 
You can’t trade your turkey for the pumpkin pie
An interesting study by Bernard Wolfe showed that when people exchanged some of their carbohydrate calories for protein calories they lowered their LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. So don’t think you can eat what you want as long as you are managing your calories. Treats are treats and should be handled as such. I teach clients to use the “three polite bite rule”. If they are craving something they can have three polite bites of it. In order to avoid eating more of it, don’t bring it into the house and ideally share it with someone who has a really fast fork!
So how many calories of what should you be eating?
You should strive to be eating nutrient dense calories from clean lean protein, healthy fats, non starchy veggies in a rainbow of colors and low glycemic, high fiber starchy carbohydrates and fruit.
Overall caloric needs are determined by your age, sex, activity level, height and weight and will be impacted by your hormones, especially thyroid, insulin and cortisol. 
Where your calories should come from – ie how many from protein, fats and carbs is determined by your genotype.
Stanford University completed a study in March 2010 that found that when people ate per their genotype (lower carb or lower fat), they lost 2 ½ times the weight as compared to when they didn’t.
A simple spit test can tell you which genotype you are as well as help you identify any eating behavior traits that may impact your overall success including increased appetite, increased food desire, a sweet tooth and even a dislike of veggies!
If you want to learn more about this go to http://jjvirgin.com/fitgenetics

Why Should I Avoid Sugary Beverages?

The link between sugary beverage consumption and obesity in children is so strong, that researchers at Pennsylvania State University say just knowing a child drinks one or more of these beverages is enough to predict future weight gain. Those same beverages - whether they are soft drinks or bottled energy, coffee, sports, or tea drinks - raise blood pressure, while the fructose in these beverages plays a role in the development of obesity and diabetes, according to a study from the University of Colorado. These are just two additions to an ocean of studies prompting some nutrition and obesity experts to call for a tax on sugary beverages. (New England Journal of Medicine 2009;September 16th) Consumption of beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates, or sucrose is linked to escalating risks of obesity in a variety of studies, especially when the studies are not funded by the beverage industry. Those links are found in all age groups, genders, and ethnicities. One study that looked at middle-school students over the course of two years found the risk of becoming obese increased by 60% for every additional serving of sugary beverage consumed in a day. Women gain weight in direct proportion to how many soft drinks they consume and lose weight as they cut back. Even replacing sugary beverages with more nutritious beverages, such as milk, results in significant weight loss. Repeatedly, studies show that diabetes and heart disease risk increases with increasing intake of sugary beverages. In the Nurses’ Health Study, an ongoing study at Harvard, the risk for diabetes in women who consumed one or more servings of sugary beverages each day was nearly double the risk among women who consumed less than one serving a month (about half the excess was due to greater body weight). In the same study, heart disease risk increased by 23% for women consuming one and 35% for those consuming two soft drinks a day. While weight gain is the most obvious result of consuming these junk drinks, other mechanisms elevating disease risk also play a role. For example, sugar raises blood triglyceride levels and blood pressure, while lowering the good cholesterol - HDLs, thus raising heart disease risk. Some studies also show that sugar-sweetened beverages increase markers for insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes. Liquid calories do not register on the body’s satiation gauge, so they become calories added to rather than calories replacing other energy-containing foods, which leads to overconsumption and weight gain. Sugary beverages may alter taste preferences and food acceptance, are used to quench thirst or for social reasons other than nourishment, and replace more nutritious foods in the diet, such as vegetables, legumes, and fruits, which contributes to malnutrition in the face of overnutrition. Taxation is being proposed by a growing body of nutrition experts as a means of reducing the intake of these beverages and thus, lowering health care costs, much in the same way that legislation taxes tobacco. Revenues generated from this income could be allocated for use in health or obesity-prevention programs. Currently, 33 states have sales taxes on soft drinks (averaging about 5.2%), but the taxes are too small to affect consumption and the revenues are not earmarked for programs related to health. Experts are calling for a change, one that could have a profound influence on this nation’s outof-
control obesity epidemic.

-Elizabeth Somer, M.A.,R.D.

The Perfect Beverage

*This may be a longer article, but it contains useful information

"Water Rules"
Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD

Water is the perfect beverage. It is fat-free, sugar-free, and calorie-free, and it works with, rather than against, our bodies’ natural thirst and hunger systems. Replace the typical 19 ounces of soft drinks, energy drinks, vitamin waters, or bottled teas guzzled daily by each American with plain water and you will quench your thirst and cut almost 250 calories from your daily diet, the equivalent of a one-pound weight loss every two weeks, or 26 pounds in a year. Water always has been and always will be the most important nutrient in our diets. Second only to oxygen, it is hands-down, absolutely critical for life. Everything in the body - from reproduction to mood and memory - depends on water. Water helps ward off fatigue (the number one health complaint in the United States), keeps tissues hydrated, helps prevent headaches, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections. It even helps make us smarter, wards off memory loss, and improves attention. The body just won’t work right without enough water. It can’t rid itself of waste products, so toxins accumulate. The cells can’t function properly when water balance is disrupted. Even mild dehydration, such as losing 1 to 2 percent of body weight or 1 ½ pounds for a 150 pound person, results in a variety of problems, from headaches and fatigue to lightheadedness and reasoning ability. Our bodies can’t store excess water. That means daily intakes are essential, preferably spread evenly throughout the day. Your body processes water slowly. Drink a quarter cup of water every 15 minutes and it has time to make it into tissues. Drink a quart in five minutes and most of the water will be flushed out in the urine.

Follow the 8x8 rule: Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. That’s about how much fluid your body loses just staying alive. Of course, that’s just a guideline and some people will need more than the basic 8x8, including people who exercise, live or work in hot climates, or perspire heavily, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. How can you make this a habit?

• Fill a 64-ounce pitcher with water. Place it, along with a glass, somewhere handy, like on the kitchen counter if you work from home or on your desk at work. Or, fill eight glasses with water and line them up on the dining room table.
• Take eight big gulps of water every time you pass a water fountain (1 slurp = approximately 1 ounce).
• Bring a water bottle with you, if you commute to work or when picking up the kids from daycare or school.
• Need a little incentive to drink water? Try dressing it up with a twist of lemon, lime,
or orange. (no citrus when you add ThinStick to it)  Or, mix a little fruit juice with sparkling water and ice.

You’ll know if you are getting enough fluid when your urine is pale yellow to clear
and you urinate every two to four hours. (One exception to this rule isif you take large doses of B vitamins, which can color the urine a bright yellow.)

ADD THINSTICK TO YOUR WATER FOR A HYDRATED AND APPETITE CONTROLLED DAY!  

Java Junk

"Java Junk"
Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD

A cup of black coffee is almost calorie-free. However, gourmet coffee drinks can pack more calories than a platter of deep-fat-fried onion rings, according to a study from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. A survey of customers at 42 Starbucks and 73 Dunkin’ Donuts in New York City found that servings of coffee or tea averaged only about 63 calories, even with the addition of milk and sugar. However, blended drinks averaged 239 calories (approximately 90 more calories than found in a can of soda pop), a large ice-blended drink contained 750 calories, and large blended drinks topped out at up to 880 calories - which is more than two Quarter Pounders at McDonalds!

Huang C, Dumanvosky T, Silver L, et al: Calories from

beverages purchased at 2 major coffee chains in New
York City, 2007. Preventing Chronic Disease 2009;6(4),
on line.

Picture Found At: http://www.sipsearch.com/coffee/

Evening Snacking

If you are like me at all, you've heard that you shouldn't eat passed a certain time, say 8 p.m. or you will gain more weight. Then you've also heard it doesn't matter what time of day you eat, but what matters is the amount of calories you consume through out your entire day. What is the truth???

"When and What you Eat"
By: Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

We all know that our weights are a direct reflection of calories in versus calories out. However, researchers at Northwestern University’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology report that calories

consumed at night are more fattening than those eaten at other times of the day. In this study, mice fed high-fat diets during their normal sleeping time gained 48% more weight, while mice eating the same high-fat diet during their typical waking hours gained less than half as much, or 20% more weight. The researchers speculate that circadian rhythm has something to do with the weight gain. This internal clock regulates energy use, which implies that the timing of meals might make a difference when balancing calories in with calories out. In addition, the animals fed during their normal waking hours also moved more, thus burned off more

calories, compared to the ones fed closer to “bedtime.” The researchers emphasize that total calorie intake is still the most important determinant of body weight.

Arble D, Bass J, Laposky A, et al: Circadian timing of

food intake contributes to weight gain. Obesity 2009;September

3rd, on line.

Let ThinStick break your evening snacking habits and help control calorie intake!

Healthy Eating

*The word "diet" just means eating healthy and lower calorie meals.
By: Mayo Clinic Staff

"Your weight is a balancing act and calories are part of that equation. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off. But when it comes to weight loss, it's calories that count. Weight loss comes down to reducing extra calories from food and beverages and increasing calories burned through physical activity. (ThinStick helps to control your appetite so you can keep your calories under contol. ThinStick completly supports a healthy diet and also regular exercise)

Once you understand that equation, you're ready to set your weight-loss goals and make a plan for reaching them. Remember, you don't have to do it alone. Talk to your doctor, family and friends for support. Also, plan smart: Anticipate how you'll handle situations that challenge your resolve and the inevitable minor setbacks.
If you have serious health problems because of your weight, your doctor may suggest weight-loss surgery or medications for you. In this case, you and your doctor will need to thoroughly discuss the potential benefits and the possible risks.
But don't forget the bottom line: The key to successful weight loss is a commitment to making permanent changes in your diet and exercise habits."

When changing your diet for the better ask yourself if it...

• Includes foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, nuts and seeds
• Includes proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you maintain a healthy weight
• Includes foods you like and can easily find in your local grocery store
• Fits your lifestyle and budget

Walk it out on a Wednesday

Walking is healthy way to exercise and is great for those who don't enjoy running or are not in the condition to run. There are many benefits to walking such as, it helps maintain weight, keeps blood pressure level down, reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers stress levels. A person of any age can walk and the chance of injury is quite lower than running since it's not as intense. You can always speed up to burn more calories.


Pedometer: Clip it to your pants and it will count the number of steps you take. It detects the motion of hips.


Ways to increase your daily steps:
Take a walk with your spouse, child, friend, or family member
Walk the dog
Use the stairs instead of the elevator
Park farther from the store, better yet, walk to the store
Get up to change the channel
Walk to your co-workers desk
Walk over to visit a neighbor
Go outside to walk around the garden or do a little weeding
Go on a mild hike
Walk on the treadmill

ThinStick Facts!!

THINSTICK...
There are only 35 calories per stick!
Helps trigger GLP-1(the body's satiety mechanism)
Is made from natural vegetable extracts
Scientifically researched
Tasteless powder

THINSTICK SHAKE...

265 calories in an entire ThinStick Shake bottle
6 grams fat per serving
42% Protein (%DV)
NO cholesterol
NO trans fat
NO artificial flavors

Restricting Calories article by: WebMD

Healthy Aging Health Center
Restricting Calories Thwarts Disease, Aging
Study: Monkeys Fed Calorie-Restricted Diet Live Longer, Have Less Disease and Fewer Signs of Aging
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
July 9, 2009 -- Reducing calorie intake slows aging and significantly delays the onset of age-related problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and brain atrophy in monkeys, a new study says.
It’s likely that reducing caloric intake would have the same positive effects in people, researchers report in the journal Science.
During the 20-year study, 50% of the monkeys allowed to eat freely have survived, while 80% that ate the same foods but with 30% fewer calories remain alive, University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists say.

"This is the largest and most highly controlled study showing the beneficial effects of calorie restriction on disease and survival in a primate species," study author Ricki J. Colman, PhD, of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, tells WebMD. "We believe that what works in primates will work in humans because primates are so closely related to humans. This has allowed us to understand the mechanisms of the aging process."
The message for all human adults, and especially for younger people, is to reduce caloric intake permanently and you'll likely "experience the same benefits," Colman tells WebMD.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Increases Survival
The research started with 30 rhesus macaques in 1989 to chart the health effects of a calorie-restricted diet and expanded in 1994 with the addition of 46 more.
All of the animals were enrolled as adults, at ages from 7 to 14. The researchers write that of the original 76 animals in the study, 37% of the control monkeys died of age-related causes, compared to only 13% on a calorie-restricted diet.
Rhesus macaques have an average life span of 27 years in captivity, and the oldest one still in the study is 29.
Looking at overall animal health, the calorie-restricted diet leads to longer life span and improved quality of life in old age, Richard Weindruch, PhD, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and co-author of the study, says in a news release.
"There is a major effect of caloric restriction in increasing survival if you look at deaths due to the diseases of aging," he says.
According to the study, the incidence of cancerous tumors and cardiovascular disease in the monkeys on a restricted diet was half that seen in the animals that were allowed to eat freely.
Although diabetes or prediabetes was seen in 42% of the monkeys that could eat all they want, it has yet to be seen in any animal on the calorie-restricted diet, the researchers say, adding that they consider this result remarkable.
"So far, we've seen the complete prevention of diabetes," Weindruch says.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Preserves Brain
Sterling Johnson, a neuroscientist and one of the researchers, says the brain health of the monkeys on a calorie-restricted diet also is better.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Preserves Brain continued...
"It seems to preserve the volume of the brain in some regions," he says in the news release. "It's not a global effect, but the findings are helping us understand if this dietary treatment is having any effect on the loss of neurons" in aging.
The study shows that the regions of the brain responsible for short-term memory and problem solving are better preserved in monkeys that ate fewer calories.
"Both motor speed and mental speed slow down with aging," Johnson says. "Those are the areas which we found to be better preserved. We can't yet make the claim that a difference in diet is associated with functional change because those studies are still ongoing. What we know so far is that there are regional differences in brain mass that appear to be related to diet."
Similar results have been shown in studies on fish, mice, spiders, worms, and rodents, Weindruch notes.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Better Than Drugs?
Weindruch says the researchers have shown that caloric restriction can slow the aging process in a primate species.
"We observed that caloric restriction reduced the risk of developing an age-related disease by a factor of three and increased survival," Weindruch says.
Samuel Klein, MD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was asked by WebMD to review the study, described the study’s findings as "remarkably positive" and "very good news."
The study shows that "caloric restriction is more potentially beneficial than any pharmacologic benefit," Klein tells WebMD. "This may be better than any kinds of medications in the toolbox."
He says he’s "very impressed" that the study showed that caloric restriction reduced brain atrophy (brain shrinkage) in monkeys that were studied. Such studies can't be done in humans for ethical reasons, "so this is getting as close as you can get to that," Klein says.
Calorie-Restricted Diet in Humans
Lary Walker, PhD, a research scientist at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University, tells WebMD caloric-restriction studies have been done on small numbers of human volunteers, and fewer signs of cardiovascular aging were noted.
More research needs to be done, Walker says, especially to determine if the lack of brain shrinkage among monkeys fed calorie-restricted diets may shed light on dementia.
"The study is really nice, intriguing, and I would like to know more," Walker says

Portion Size Plate Article

Webmd is a great site for estimating how your food portions should appear. They take 5 food groups(Milk & Diary, grains, meat & beans, fruits,fats & oils, plus sweets and treats and mixed dishes) and compare them to objects such as baseballs, lightbulbs, ect. They also have a calorie counter and food/fitness planner!

Click here to check it out.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate?ecd=wnl_hlc_062509

9 Strategies for Healthy Eating

Eat enough calories but not too many. Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.

Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don't normally eat.

Keep portions moderate, especially high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, local produce

Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins. A majority of Americans go through life dehydrated.

Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products. Sugar is added to a vast array of foods. In a year, just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds. See suggestions below for limiting salt and substituting whole grains for refined grains.

Don’t be the food police. You can enjoy your favorite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those French fries aren’t!

Get moving. A healthy diet improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better.

One step at a time. Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and take action on one food group or food fact at a time I wanted to share this because they are great realistic tips! We promote health and are firm on the belief that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. For more info go to: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm