Reasons You Might Be Fat

It’s a common statement: We’re overweight because we eat too much and don’t exercise enough.

But is it really true?

According to an AP news article at MSNBC.com, a group of scientists believe that our obesity problem might be related to other factors.  Some of their reasons:

• Not enough sleep.  Studies have linked less sleep with extra weight gain.
• Modern climate control.  AC and heating means less shivering and sweating, both of which burn calories.
• Less smoking.  Nicotine suppresses the appetite, and some studies have suggested it increases metabolism, too.
• Mating habits.  Heavy people mate with heavy people, leading to heavy kids.

While it may be tempting to blame our extra pounds on external factors, it’s self-defeating to assume our weight is entirely outside of our control.

Gaining and losing weight is a simple energy equation: calories in versus calories out.  Are there other factors that affect our weight?  Of course!  Trans fat has been linked to extra belly flab (see Trim Your Tummy By Avoiding Trans Fat), and so has stress.

But plenty of people–of all shapes and sizes–have taken control of their lives and health.  They’ve dropped pounds and built muscle simply by eating better and moving more.  And they’ve boosted their energy levels, increased their lifespan and lowered their risk for many diseases, too.

You have the power to change your life, change your body and change your health.  Fight against those external factors that keep you sedentary.  Make smarter choices when you plan your meals.  And remember: no matter how many reasons there are to be fat, there’s one good reason to lose the weight–your health!

Fitness For Any Age

Think you’re too old or out-of-shape to start a fitness regiment?  Tell that to Mary Stroebe, an 88-year-old grandma who competes in triathlons–a combination of swimming, biking and running–when she’s not downhill skiing.

An AP article posted at MSNBC.com gave us a glimpse of this amazing woman, who has a titanium rod in her leg from a recent skiing accident.  Despite her doctor’s orders to stop competing in triathlons, Stroebe is currently training for the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis.  And this race will be her 12th since 1995.

If you’re just beginning your exercise program, it’s probably not a wise idea to sign up for a triathlon this year.  Trying to push your body too hard can lead to burnout or injury.  However, consider setting mini-goals that you can accomplish in six months or so.  A 5k walk or run, for example, would be reasonable.

To find a list of races and athletic events–including walks, runs, cycle races and swimming events–check out www.active.com.

And if you’re looking to just get started on the road to athleticism, consider the Couch-To-5k program at www.coolrunning.com.  Designed to take you from couch potato to running a 5k race, this program is great for the beginner that wants a simple, clear-cut program to follow.

Check out these resources for other beginner exercise programs:

• Walking:  TheWalkingSite.com
• Strength Training:  MuscleNet.com
• Triathlon:  BeginnerTriathlete.com or TriNewbies.com 

Lose Weight Every Minute Of The Day!

Think of "calorie burn," and you probably imagine huffing and puffing on the treadmill or elliptical machine.  But you can actually burn calories every minute of the day, whether you’re at work, in class, running errands or watching TV!

According to a recent program featured on ABC’s 20/20, you can give your metabolism a fat-burning boost by simply standing at your desk.  In fact, any type of movement throughout the day will raise your metabolism and burn calories, which leads to weight loss and a lower risk of obesity.

But few of us want to spend the day standing or walking on the treadmill.  Instead, try these tricks for small, calorie-burning activities that can add up to lots of weight loss:

• On the phone: Use the speakerphone and walk back and forth while chatting with co-workers or friends.
• Watching TV: Do crunches, push-ups or jumping jacks while watching commercials.
• Brushing teeth:  Squats, lunges and calf-raises can easily be performed while you get a gleaming smile.
• Cooking: Turn on some dance music and shake your booty as you stir, mix and bake.
• On the computer: Set an egg timer to remind you to stretch every hour.
• At the mall: Choose the restroom on the other side of the mall, and walk briskly to get there.
• In the car: Sitting at a stoplight?  Use that time to squeeze your buttocks to shape your rear view.
• At a party: No one else needs to know that you’re contracting your abs while you socialize with friends.
• Cleaning: Make it a workout session by doing everything the old-fashioned way, such as using brooms instead of vacuums, and rags with soap instead of spray cleaners.
• Shopping: Lift heavy bags with one arm for a bicep-building exercise.
• At the office: Walk to a co-workers cubicle instead of sending an email.

Health Tidbits

Man loses 200 pounds.  Link 

Books recommend organic foods for body and soul.  Link 

Coffee cuts risk of diabetes.  Link 

Red meat associated with pancreatic cancer.  Link 

Vegetables may lower blood cancer risk.  Link 

Soy may help lower cholesterol.  Link 

Make The Most Of Your Workout

Career.  Spouse.  Kids.  Parents.  Errands.  Hobbies.  Friends.  Church.

We’ve all got busy schedules, so it’s important to make sure we don’t waste a precious minute of our exercise time!  Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for folks to fall prey to exercise time-wasters, as outlined by WedMd.com, such as spending too much time socializing, lacking intensity or forgetting to plan.  Check out the article to see WebMD.com’s list of the Top 10 Fitness Time-Wasters.  Then try this plan to make the most of your workout schedule:

Write down your plan:  Buy a weekly/monthly daily planner, and devote it entirely to your exercise regiment.  Every Saturday (or Sunday), sit down and jot in your planned workouts for the week, such as:

• Monday: Upper Body Weights
• Tuesday: 30-minutes Treadmill
• Wednesday: Lower Body Weights
• Thursday: 30-minutes Elliptical
• Friday: Yoga Class

Imagine your workout first:  As you head to the gym, imagine your workout in your mind.  Do you want to do an interval walk on the treadmill?  Is it time to increase the weight you’re lifting?  Do you want to stretch for 15 minutes after your cardio session?  Have a clear-cut plan in your mind so you know exactly where you want to go and what you want to do the minute you step foot in the gym.

Focus on yourself:  Tune out the TV and your gym friends, and focus on your own body.  Are you using proper form?  Are the weights heavy enough?  Are you leaning on the elliptical armrests instead of moving your arms?  You’ll get the best workout if you really pay attention to your muscles and breathing.

Keep moving:  It’s easy to take a break at the gym.  You drink some water, nod "hello" to a friend, or check your appearance in the wall-to-wall mirror.  But every break you take is a break from getting fit and healthy.  Instead, concentrate on staying active and moving.  Got to wait for a machine?  Do some jumping jacks, light stretching or bodyweight exercises–like push-ups or crunches.  Fill any downtime with activity to keep your muscles warm and your heart pumping.

Write it down:  When you get back home, jot a quick note in your workout planner that describes any thoughts or emotions about that day’s activity.  Were you tired?  Is it time to increase your cardio intensity?  Were the weights too heavy or too light?  By keeping track of each workout, you’ll be better prepared to plan for your next one.

A Rainbow Of Fruits & Veggies Helps Health And Weight Loss

You’ve probably heard about "super foods" like berries, beans and salmon.  Experts say these disease-fighting foods are full of nutrients and antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, heart disease, dementia and other ailments.  But is popping a few blueberries a day all we need to keep the doctor away?

A recent MSNBC.com article suggests otherwise.  Although many foods–like strawberries, blueberries and red beans–have phytochemicals that "seem to help block cancer development," it’s important to remember that many different types of plant foods are full of vitamins and minerals that are important to the body.  According to the article, just adding an individual food to our diet isn’t enough to make a really significant change in our health.  Instead, we should try to incorporate a wide variety of fruits and veggies into our daily diet so we get a full range of nutrients.

There’s another perk to eating more produce: Odds are it’ll help you lose weight, too!  In fact, a recent study found that vegetarians (who eat no meat, poultry or fish) and vegans (who eat no animal products at all, including dairy and eggs) tend to weigh less than meat-eaters.  According to the study’s authors, there is evidence to suggest that plant-based foods are more readily used by the body for fuel, and therefore less likely to be stored as fat.

So how do you get more fruits and veggies in your diet?  Try the 5-A-Day way, which encourages folks to pile their plates with a "rainbow" of colors.  For example:

• Red: strawberries, kidney beans, tomatoes, watermelon, red grapefruit, cranberries, beets, red peppers
• Yellow: grapefruit, yellow peppers, lemons, pineapple, corn, yellow squash
• Orange: nectarines, peaches, oranges, carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, butternut squash
• Green: spinach, chard, peas, asparagus, broccoli, avocado, pears, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts
• Purple: blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, purple grapes, plums

So if you’re looking to help your health, try picking one fruit or vegetable of each color from the list for your daily menu.  You’ll also get a weight loss advantage, too!

A Rainbow Of Fruits & Veggies Helps Health And Weight Loss

You’ve probably heard about "super foods" like berries, beans and salmon.  Experts say these disease-fighting foods are full of nutrients and antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, heart disease, dementia and other ailments.  But is popping a few blueberries a day all we need to keep the doctor away?

A recent MSNBC.com article suggests otherwise.  Although many foods–like strawberries, blueberries and red beans–have phytochemicals that "seem to help block cancer development," it’s important to remember that many different types of plant foods are full of vitamins and minerals that are important to the body.  According to the article, just adding an individual food to our diet isn’t enough to make a really significant change in our health.  Instead, we should try to incorporate a wide variety of fruits and veggies into our daily diet so we get a full range of nutrients.

There’s another perk to eating more produce: Odds are it’ll help you lose weight, too!  In fact, a recent study found that vegetarians (who eat no meat, poultry or fish) and vegans (who eat no animal products at all, including dairy and eggs) tend to weigh less than meat-eaters.  According to the study’s authors, there is evidence to suggest that plant-based foods are more readily used by the body for fuel, and therefore less likely to be stored as fat.

So how do you get more fruits and veggies in your diet?  Try the 5-A-Day way, which encourages folks to pile their plates with a "rainbow" of colors.  For example:

• Red: strawberries, kidney beans, tomatoes, watermelon, red grapefruit, cranberries, beets, red peppers
• Yellow: grapefruit, yellow peppers, lemons, pineapple, corn, yellow squash
• Orange: nectarines, peaches, oranges, carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, butternut squash
• Green: spinach, chard, peas, asparagus, broccoli, avocado, pears, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts
• Purple: blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, purple grapes, plums

So if you’re looking to help your health, try picking one fruit or vegetable of each color from the list for your daily menu.  You’ll also get a weight loss advantage, too!

A Rainbow Of Fruits & Veggies Helps Health And Weight Loss

You’ve probably heard about "super foods" like berries, beans and salmon.  Experts say these disease-fighting foods are full of nutrients and antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, heart disease, dementia and other ailments.  But is popping a few blueberries a day all we need to keep the doctor away?

A recent MSNBC.com article suggests otherwise.  Although many foods–like strawberries, blueberries and red beans–have phytochemicals that "seem to help block cancer development," it’s important to remember that many different types of plant foods are full of vitamins and minerals that are important to the body.  According to the article, just adding an individual food to our diet isn’t enough to make a really significant change in our health.  Instead, we should try to incorporate a wide variety of fruits and veggies into our daily diet so we get a full range of nutrients.

There’s another perk to eating more produce: Odds are it’ll help you lose weight, too!  In fact, a recent study found that vegetarians (who eat no meat, poultry or fish) and vegans (who eat no animal products at all, including dairy and eggs) tend to weigh less than meat-eaters.  According to the study’s authors, there is evidence to suggest that plant-based foods are more readily used by the body for fuel, and therefore less likely to be stored as fat.

So how do you get more fruits and veggies in your diet?  Try the 5-A-Day way, which encourages folks to pile their plates with a "rainbow" of colors.  For example:

• Red: strawberries, kidney beans, tomatoes, watermelon, red grapefruit, cranberries, beets, red peppers
• Yellow: grapefruit, yellow peppers, lemons, pineapple, corn, yellow squash
• Orange: nectarines, peaches, oranges, carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, butternut squash
• Green: spinach, chard, peas, asparagus, broccoli, avocado, pears, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts
• Purple: blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, purple grapes, plums

So if you’re looking to help your health, try picking one fruit or vegetable of each color from the list for your daily menu.  You’ll also get a weight loss advantage, too!

The First Step Of A New Exercise Program

Here at RefrigeratorRaid.com, we like to emphasize safety first.  So as a reminder, check out the HealthDay News article "Starting Exercise Means A Medical ‘Tune-Up’ First."

Despite the health benefits of physical activity, beginning an exercise program can cause a lot of stress on the body–especially one that’s usually sitting on the couch.  By checking in with your doctor first, you can make sure you’re ready to start a new exercise regiment.

Let your doctor know about your goals, your current level of activity, any known health problems, and your family’s medical history.  He/She will use this information to assess your ability to begin a new physical fitness program.

Then, once you get the "ok" to start your active lifestyle, check back here at RefrigeratorRaid.com for advice, guidance and motivation!

Superfoods That Boost Your Brain And Keep Your Mind Sharp

We all want to eat healthy foods so our bodies stay young, firm and fit.  But the right foods can also increase your brain power, too!  Choosing brain-boosting foods will not only improve your memory and creativity, you’ll also lower your risk for dementia and other mind problems later in life.

A recent FoxNews.com and WebMD.com article listed 9 foods that can help keep your brain healthy.  Here’s the list, plus tips for finding ways to incorporate them into your diet:

Blueberries:  Blend them in smoothies, sprinkle them on your morning cereal, or choose foods that already contain blueberries, like blueberry yogurt (but mix in a few extra for additional nutrition).  They make a great out-of-the-package snack, too!

Wild salmon:  Explore more recipes, such as grilled salmon and salmon cakes.  Cold, cooked salmon can be tossed with a green salad.

Nuts and Seeds:  Toss on salads for a healthy crunch.  Mix into muffins and cookies.  Use nut spreads (like peanut butter) for lunch sandwiches.

Avocados:  Use in dips and spreads for an extra creamy texture.  Smash and use as mayo replacement on sandwiches.  Dice and serve in green salads.

Whole grains:  Serve brown rice in place of white when making stir-fries.  Choose whole wheat bread instead of white.  Opt for rolled oats instead of sugary cereal at breakfast.  For more about whole grains, see "More Nutrition With Whole Grains." 

Beans:  Toss in salads, mix with seasoning for tacos or burritos, or add to soups.  Try bean dips like hummus in place of traditional ranch dips.

Pomegranate Juice:  Serve in place of orange juice at breakfast.  Dilute with non-calorie seltzer and drink at lunch.

Tea:  Trade one cup of your morning coffee for a cup of tea.  Make iced green tea for summer lunches and picnics.

Dark chocolate:  Have a small piece after dinner as dessert.  Choose dark chocolate chips over milk chocolate when making cookies, cakes and brownies.