Princess Health and 5 Easy and Effective Ways to Eat Less. Princessiccia

Princess Health and 5 Easy and Effective Ways to Eat Less. Princessiccia

overweight

Gusty 13:52 Add Comment

Why do we overeat?  Why is it hard to lose fat once we've gained it?  Is there a way to comfortably and sustainably eat less and lose fat? 

 

I recently did an interview with Armi Legge of Evidence Magazine that gives an overview of my thinking on these topics-- based on a large and compelling body of research that rarely reaches popular media sources in useful form. 

 

At the end of the interview, Armi asks me to list my top five tips for reducing calorie intake.  Enjoy!

 

5 Easy and Effective Ways to Eat Less

 

 

Princess Health andAthlete Spotlight: Helen Broom.Princessiccia

Princess Health andAthlete Spotlight: Helen Broom.Princessiccia

Gusty 18:04 Add Comment

Here it is-the 3rd edition of our H+P Athlete Spotlight.  For this installment, we had the chance to sit down with longtime H+P runner, Helen Broom.  She has been with the club since day one, and has really shown an impressive level of improvement over the last few years.  To top if off, her hard work ethic, dedication to the team, and kind demeanor has earned her team MVP honours two years in a row!  Here is what she had to say:

H+P: When did you first start getting into running?

HB: I started running in the summer of 2007. A friend of mine had just run a half marathon and convinced me that running was a fun thing to do.  I joined a 10K group from The Running Room and ran my first race, The Oktoberfest Run, that fall.

H+P: You are, by far, one of the most consistent H+P runners. It doesn't matter how early, or how cold a practice may be, you always show up. Where does this drive to train come from?

HB: My drive is my love for all the H&P athletes!!!!! I think it�s also because I rely on running to ground myself.  My days are pretty hectic, but if I make time to get a good workout in I�m more able to tackle the stress of the next day.  I also feel there is a huge incentive to running with the group.  I am way more likely to push myself when there are people cheering me on.  I�ve seen a huge improvement in my speed these past 3 years and so that makes me more addicted to practice.

H+P: Since you started running, you have come a long way. What were your first runs like? How far were you able to go, what was the pace, and what did it feel like? 

HB: When I started training for my first race, I remember thinking 8K was a really long run.  The first run I did, I wore flat tennis shoes, thinking all �running shoes� were the same. I ended up losing a layer of skin of the bottom of my foot and wasn�t able to run again for two weeks.  But once I recovered and bought proper shoes I worked my way up to 12K over the course of a few months.  My first 10K time was a little over 54 minutes.  Since then I�ve worked myself down to running a 10K in about 48 minutes.

H+P: Since that time, you have had an number of amazing performances. Which one are you most proud of? 

HB: Probably most proud of my Oktoberfest Run (Fall 2013), it was a PB by almost 2 minutes.

H+P: You come across as a very polite, calm and soft spoken person..and yet you have this drive to keep pushing yourself and you never seem 100% satisfied with your performances! Are you secretly a super competitive person? Have you been able to make sense of this seemingly contradictory nature of yours?

HB: Well I�m definitely competitive with myself. I�m a bit addicted to improvement and can be pretty hard on myself at times.  This can sometimes be a good thing but is also something I struggle with too.

H+P: While it may surprise some (since you are so consistent with the club), you have faced a number of injuries and health issues over the last few years that really have kept you from performing at your best. Would you be willing to elaborate at all? What mistakes do you think you made, and what tips would you offer to other athletes?

HB: I think the biggest mistake I made was treating the running/cycling training as the most important and really only component of training.  Since childhood I�ve dealt with allergies that make my diet pretty restrictive at times, and I�ve never been a huge meat eater.  This was never a problem with I was just running casually, but once I started training more consistently I became anemic.  It took me a long time to discover that something was wrong, as I thought I was just tired from long days at school and the intensified exercise schedule.  For about a year I struggled with getting my red blood cell count back into a normal range. It was extremely frustrating to feel myself losing energy with each week and to see my pace slow, while at the same time putting in more hours running than I ever had.  I have now made it a priority to eat the right kinds of food so that my workouts can be more effective.  Although it may be so obvious to most, I have a much greater appreciation for the importance of eating right.  I figure that since I spend so much time running, I should also find time to make sure I�m getting the right balance of carbs/protein/fat, and in particular red meat so that I can maintain a normal red blood cell count.  I also continue to regularly get blood work done to insure I�m not slipping into anemia again.    

H+P: What do you like most about training with H+P?  
HB: I have met so many awesome people these past few years.  Everyone has different running experiences and is at different levels but at the end of the day we�re all there to cheer each other on.  It�s been amazing to see everyone get faster with each race!

H+P: What are your goals for your running in 2014?

HB: I�ve committed to running 30K Around the Bay, but my main goal is the Scotiabank Marathon this year.  This will be my 3^rd marathon and I�m hoping that it will be the one that convinces me that I like running 42K�we�ll see.  I�d also like to run the Sulphur Springs Trail Run and maybe a few others.

Princess Health and The Best Exercise For Losing Weight. Princessiccia

Princess Health and The Best Exercise For Losing Weight. Princessiccia

Gusty 11:56 Add Comment

As a fitness instructor, the first question I usually receive from a new customer is: "Is this the best for losing weight?". Or: "What's the best for toning up: Pilates, Yoga or Zumba?"

The truth is that these questions can not be answered in two sentences. If I only wanted to make money out of my fitness business, I would say that Zumba is the best for losing weight. But that would be a lie. On the other hand, if I say: "No, Zumba is not the best for losing weight." - that would sound as if I was my own enemy, sending customers away.

What I want to say is there is no 'one size fits all' type of 'best exercise'.

Unfortunately many fitness businesses, gyms, do not refrain from giving misleading information to people, only to create more profit. Few month ago I rang one of the gyms in Dublin, being so revolted by their flyer I received through the door saying: "Aerobics exercise will make you fat." - They said this only because their business was only focusing on weight training. It is a shame that businesses will not only focus on highlighting what they are good at, they rather choose to lie to people about other types of exercise they are unable to provide.

But wait, you are here now because you want to find out the big truth:

Which is the best exercise to lose weight?

The answer: All of them and any of them. As long as you enjoy it and can stick to it. At least for a while, and then you can feel free to try out something else. But if you start something and don't enjoy it, if you find it boring, you will simply stop doing it after a short while.

Exercise cannot be a burden. Ideally working out should be something you look forward to, the same way as spending your evening with family, or going out in the weekend with friends. Or at least something you don't hate and don't immediately cancel if the weather is not perfect, or you feel a bit down, or a friend wants to chat with you. Your exercise should give you a great feeling afterwards, and that feeling should make you looking forward to your next workout. It is also possible to find a form of exercise you enjoy while doing it, not just the feeling afterwards. And that's the main point when trying to find "the best" exercise.

I'll tell you another "secret": After finding only one type of exercise you enjoy, and you stick to it and work out regularly, you'll soon be enjoying other types of exercise too.

Losing weight is a recipe with many ingredients. The key is food, then the second important ingredient is regular exercise. Adequate sleep and water intake, as well as detoxifying your body are also important elements in the process of getting rid of unwanted pounds.

The worst thing what people do is that they think that whatever food they have eaten can be "worked off" in the gym. Our body is not a plain math though: you had a chocolate bar which had 300 calories, then your app shows that you worked 300 calories, so you think your job is done. Well, that's the worst you can do. With that 300 calories chocolate bar you did not give any nutrient to your body. No fuel. While 300 calories of plain nuts or seeds, or a healthy salad or smoothie will provide so many beneficial nutrients, that they will not only feed your body, but help your body get rid of unwanted fat.

Can I gain weight after starting a workout program?

Yes, you can. That does not mean the problem is with the workout program. There are two reasons this can happen.

One of them is that you allow yourself some extra food or extra treats, saying that you deserve it because you've worked hard at the gym, or you just ran for 30 minutes, or you just finished your Zumba class. It happened to me in the past. I basically ate more because I thought I could do that without any consequence. If you start to eat more (especially unhealthy, sugary snacks), you will put much more calories in, then the amount of calories used while working out.

The other reason: once you start working your muscles and creating some lean muscle, while also getting rid of the body fat, the scale might show higher number. Don't worry, scale should not be your main reference, because muscle is heavier than fat. So the best is if you look at yourself in the mirror, put on your tightest cloths, or bikinis, and that's where you should see the positive results.

Conclusion: Exercise is extremely important, mainly for your overall health, and also for losing weight as well as maintaining your weight. You should aim for exercising 5-6 times a week, half of these days being cardio/aerobic type of exercise, and half of them strength exercise. This way you will see results, achieve the best your body can, have fit and firm body, and most importantly feel good about yourself. Keep in mind though, that if you start now, it is okay to start with one day a week, then gradually increase it until you get to the 5-6 days a week. Don't rush, that will only put you off, and that's not the goal, am I right?

The best exercise is the one you enjoy and becomes your habit!

Princess Health and Mysteries of Energy Balance and Weight Loss. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Mysteries of Energy Balance and Weight Loss. Princessiccia

overweight

Gusty 16:09 Add Comment

How to Lose Weight Effortlessly

You've probably seen this claim many times: a pound of fat contains 3,500 kilocalories (kcal). A slice of toast is 80 kcal. All you have to do is forego one slice of toast per day-- just a few percent of your total calorie intake-- and you will lose 8.3 lbs of fat per year. Fat loss is so easy!

This reasoning is extremely common both in the popular media and among researchers. Here's an example from the otherwise excellent book Mindless Eating, by researcher Brian Wansink:

...the difference between 1,900 and 2,000 calories is one we cannot detect, nor can we detect the difference between 2,000 and 2,100 calories. But over the course of a year, this mindless margin would either cause us to lose ten pounds or to gain ten pounds. It takes 3,500 extra calories to equal one pound. It doesn't matter if we eat these extra 3,500 calories in one week or gradually over the entire year. They'll add up to one pound.

This is the danger of creeping calories. Just 10 extra calories a day-- one stick of Doublemint gum or three small Jelly Belly jelly beans-- will make you a pound more portly one year from today. Only three Jelly Bellys a day.

According to this reasoning, if I reduced my calorie intake by 80 kcal per day, I'd become skeletal in two years and vanish in a puff of smoke within 10 years*. All from a meager 3 percent reduction in calorie intake!

What's wrong here?

Read more �

Princess Health and Deirdre: "The First New Year�s Resolution I Kept". Princessiccia

Princess Health and Deirdre: "The First New Year�s Resolution I Kept". Princessiccia

Gusty 15:52 Add Comment

My sister and I first attended Lily�s Zumba class in Jan 2012 as our new year�s resolution, I was dubious about going to a dance class with my Irish rhythm but once we got in the class we discovered it doesn�t matter if you are doing the steps right or not but once you attempt to follow Lily you will sweat ALOT. We had a good work out and we were smiling throughout � 2 things that I have never said about circuits/spinning!  That was 18 months ago, I attend Lily�s classes each week because I continue to see the benefits including toned muscles � both arms & legs due to Lily�s creative dance moves � more energy, distressing and an effective workout.

Lily�s enthusiasm is very motivating which makes me push myself that bit more.  I recommend Lily�s Zumba to anyone that wants to get a good workout and enjoy both the class and the results you will notice both physically and mentally. Be warned you may re-enact the dance moves you learn in your bedroom/kitchen/nightclub when you hear �one of the Zumba songs� - this however is not a bad thing ;)

Dee Power

Princess Health and NutriScience Seminar in Lisbon with Lindeberg, Fontes, and Bastos. Princessiccia

Princess Health and NutriScience Seminar in Lisbon with Lindeberg, Fontes, and Bastos. Princessiccia

Gusty 10:52 Add Comment

My friend Pedro Bastos has asked me to spread the word about a seminar he's organizing in Lisbon titled "Evidence and Evolution-based Nutrition".  It will include Staffan Lindeberg, Maelan Fontes, and Pedro Bastos-- three quality researchers in the area of evolutionary health-- I'm sure it will be interesting.  Here's the flier:

 

 

Princess Health and Dealing With Pain Naturally. Princessiccia

Princess Health and Dealing With Pain Naturally. Princessiccia

Gusty 11:11 Add Comment

"Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the most commonly abused prescription drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Xanax, and Soma now cause more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined." (source: healthimpactnews.com)

First things first: when you have a pain, ache in your body, the most important thing is to find out the reason. The pain itself is "only" a sign, it is similar to a red light in your car's dashboard, or another example would be the cry of a baby. When you see a red light in your car, you won't start breaking it just because you don't want to know about it, right? When your baby cries, you won't put earplugs in your years - do you agree? In both cases, you want to know what the reason is: what's wrong with the car, what's your baby's problem, what bothers him or her?

Now when you take a painkiller for your head ache, back pain, period pain etc, it is the same: you don't want to know what the reason is behind, you only make yourself deaf and blind. Is that really what you want? If yes, then don't read the rest of this post.

But if you'd rather deal with the pain naturally, then continue reading. So as I said, first of all, do everything possible to look for the reasons and deal with the root of the problem. Of course pain, ache is something we want to deal with straight away, so here are four natural remedies, which don't have side effects, therefore won't cause you even more troubles, neither they will make you addicted:

1. Turmeric (curcuma)

Turmeric is more than a spice and it is used widely to relieve inflammation throughout the body. More than that, it aids joint health, it supports the immune system, balances the health of your digestive system. You can buy organic turmeric and ground yourself then use it when preparing food, or you can look for organic turmeric supplements, without the use of fillers, binders and too many additives.

2. Ginger

Due its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger can relieve joint pain. It improves the absorption of essential nutrients in the body. Ginger also helps with tummy-cramps. You can get rid of throat and nose congestion with the help of ginger tea.

3. Krill Oil

Fatty acids in general are known for their anti-inflammatory benefits. There are studies showing its benefits in reducing PMS and krill oil can also be successful when coping with painful menstrual periods. If you visit any health shop, you'll find good quality krill oil supplements.

4. Water

Sounds too simple? Yes, it is simple, yet very effective for example when struggling with head ache. Head ache can be one of the signs of dehydration, and oddly enough you'll experience head ache sooner than thirst itself. Without enough water in our body, our joints don't have lubricating material, so you'll experience pain sooner or later. Drink plenty of clean, still water.

The final word here is that pain is just is sign. Never focus on relieving your pain only. Always go forward and find out what's behind your pain or ache.