10 Simple Health Practices: Getting Sufficient Sunlight Exposure

You are surprised isn’t it? Yes, I am serious. Getting enough sunlight exposure is important to for good health. Sufficient sunlight exposure provides us with our Vitamin D needs. Have you wondered why the word ‘sunny’ means vibrancy and cheerfulness? Sunlight actually activates our mind and body giving us more energy.

That is why parents always draw the curtains open when they are trying to wake their children in the morning. Research has shown that exposing depressed people to more sunlight actually helps alleviate their depression. Of course, if you are an avid beach visitor, this may not be applicable to you. However as most average adult lifestyle tends to be hectic due to heavy work responsibilities, most of us actually spend more time facing the computer screen and not getting the necessary amount of sunlight.

Here are some ways on how we can get more sunlight exposure without being excessive:

1. Play More Outdoor Activities
An active person tends to be healthier than the less active one. Most outgoing active people who enjoy more outdoor activities which include sports and exercise are improving not only their health and fitness; they are also getting the necessary amount of sunlight exposure. Not to mention they also manage to get themselves a nice glowing tan, which makes them the envy of others.

2. Take A Walk Out During Breaks
During lunch breaks, some of us may have more time left after our lunches. Most of the time, you will prefer to sit down with your colleagues at the food court and chat till break time is over before heading back to work. How about encouraging your colleagues to take a short walk with you after lunch when there is still time instead of sitting down? By walking we are actually aiding our digestion, which actually makes us less sleepy after a meal. In this way, we are also getting the necessary amount of sunlight needed.

3. Waking Up Earlier During Weekends
Make a point to wake up 15 minutes earlier during weekends. With this extra time, you can actually take a nice stroll when the sun is rising. Feel the sunlight, basking and flowing into you while the sun is still young. The feeling is great and it will give you great energy for your weekend activities.

4. Convert Your Indoor Activities to Outdoor Activities
If you exercise regularly (which you should), there are many opportunities for you to get more sunlight exposure. For instance, instead of doing aerobics in your room or gym, go out to the park in the morning or in the late afternoon, and do your aerobics there instead. Not only will you sweat and workout more due to the heat (which optimizes your exercise’s effectiveness), you also get more sunlight exposure.

Getting a sufficient amount of sunlight actually helps not just in our Vitamin D intake; it also helps in regulating our mood and energy. Love the sun and have a sunny smile everyday!

Recipe - Muesli and Berry Bars

Here is a recipe for a healthy and delicious snack. It is a short and simple recipe, hope you like it.

Ingredients
3 cups unsweetened muesli (granola)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large bananas, mashed
1/3 cup light olive oil or canola oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150 g strawberries or blueberries (make sure they are small chunks)

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C, grease and line a 25 x 15cm slice pan (10" x 6").
2 Place muesli, brown sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
3 Mix together bananas, oil, honey and eggs. Mix the wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir through the berries.
4 Scrape the batter into prepared tin, Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden.
5 Cool completely in pan and cut into squares.

Quite simple, and delicious too!

10 Simple Health Practices: 7. Having Quality Sleep

Ever woke up in the morning to be frightened by that hideous dark-ringed image inside the mirror? Well, I bet most of us would have experienced that during some time or another given our hectic and stressful lifestyles. With Christmas round the corner, and all the parties and such, sleep is going to be scarce indeed.

Sleeping disorders and not having enough sleep is always a major cause of concern among city dwellers like us. So, want to have a good night’s sleep? Here’s how you can do it:

1. Start and stick to a bedtime routine
Sticking to a bedtime routine will help your body get into a sleep rhythm and you’ll find it easier to fall asleep and wake up in the morning. Try not to change your bedtime even if it’s the weekends. This is to avoid any disruption in your sleep rhythm and save you the effort of starting a new bedtime routine all over again.
2. Sleep in complete darkness

There should be as little light as possible when sleeping. This is so because having light in your bedroom when sleeping can disrupt your cardiac rhythm inhibit your pineal gland’s production of melatonin. Always switch off all lights and draw the curtains at night before going to sleep. Whenever possible, wear an eye mask or blindfold yourself when sleeping to block out the remaining light coming from the lamps outside your window.

3. Avoid having supper
It is best not to eat anything at night before you sleep. The reason is that sugary food raises your blood sugar, hence making it difficult for you to fall asleep. Also, another side-effect is that later in the night when your blood sugar drops too low, you might wake up and not be able to go back to sleep. Caffeine and alcohol should also be avoided.

4. Listen to relaxing music or sounds of nature
Try listening to soothing music or sounds of nature before going to sleep. It gives your mind a chance to unwind so that you can go to sleep easier, feeling calm and relaxed.

5. Keep your bed for sleeping purpose
Lastly, avoid doing your work, watching television or surfing the internet on your bed. You might be so used to doing those activities on your bed that you’ll find it difficult to relax and think of the bed as a place to sleep.

Having enough sleep is not sufficient to make up for a healthy mind and body. Quality of sleep also plays an integral part. It is only by keeping both quantity and quality in balance then can we confidently attribute a good night’s sleep to one-third of our lives.

10 Simple Health Practices: 6. Shampoo Your Hair Regularly

I suppose I missed this out on my previous post of “Bathing Properly”. Now here’s a make-up for it. As we all know, shampoo is simply the action of rubbing or massaging your head with your hands with the addition of liquid shampoo. Sounds simple right? Well, maybe this list below will give you some additional insights to shampooing your hair.

1. For oily hair, mix some lemon juice with water
If your hair is oily, try using some lemon juice for better results. Squeeze some lemon juice into a tub or pail of water and rinse this water on your hair at the end after you have shampooed your hair. Lemon juice helps to get rid of the oily sebum in your hair.

2. Do not rub your hair too hard
Always treat and massage your hair gently. Do not rub your hair too hard when shampooing or squeeze your hair dry after washing. Instead, use a towel to dry your hair. But then again, do not rub the towel onto your hair. Leave the towel wrapped onto your hair for a little while before removing it and letting your hair dry naturally. This is to prevent weakening the roots of your hair.

3. Use the correct shampoo
It is important to always use the correct shampoo that is suited to your hair type. It makes a lot of difference to your hair and addresses your hair problems effectively. For instance, go for the shampoo that is meant for oily hair and nothing else if your hair is oily.

4. Apply conditioner if your hair is dry or normal
It is good to apply conditioner to give your hair a shiny and smooth finish. However, if your hair is oily, try not to use conditioners. It may make your hair look even more oily. For better results, try using the conditioner which has the same brand as your shampoo.

5. Apply shampoo twice if your hair is oily
Speaking from experience, for oily hair, always apply shampoo twice to your hair to remove the oil in your hair completely. Applying once is usually not enough. Your hair will still look unclean and oily despite the first shampoo.

So, have you got all that down? I certainly hope you’ve gained some insights to shampooing like I did!

10 Simple Health Practices: 5. Change Your Clothes Daily

I’m sure since young as a kid, we have all been taught by our mothers to change our clothes every day. Just like brushing your teeth and bathing, it has become a habitual routine that all of us have been inculcated to do. However, ironically as we grow older, we tend to defy those habits and practices that our parents have instilled in us. I myself know of some people who wear the same clothes for the whole of a week and others maybe once every few days. Don’t ask me whether they stink or not, thankfully, I’ve never got a chance to get near them. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to either. Do you? Unless you’re also in that gaggle, which I hope not, then that’s another story.

Well, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve compiled my reasons for changing clothes every day:

1. Free yourself of germs and bacteria
Changing clothes on a daily basis keeps you free of germs and bacteria that may be lingering on your clothes as a result of exposure to the environment. This is especially so if you are working at a typical construction site where there are millions and billions of dust particles floating about in the surrounding atmosphere. Even for those of you working in air-conditioned rooms don’t ever think that you’re safe. No matter where we are, there is still bound to be dust in the air.

2. Free yourself of unpleasant body odour
The beads of sweat and perspiration accumulated and absorbed by your garments will give off a pungent smell over time. Therefore wearing the same piece of garment repeatedly for long periods of time is likely to cause body odour. You wouldn’t want people to shun and practise “ostracism” against you, would you?

3. Chance to showcase your wardrobe
On a personal note, changing clothes everyday is a good chance for me to showcase my wardrobe. It tells people about my fashion sense and personality. Moreover, wearing different set of clothes everyday increases my self-confidence as well. Calling out to the ladies out there, I’m sure you’d agree to this point, don’t you?

Losing Fats with Kickboxing

When we exercise, we always think of sweating it out and burning fats. No doubt burning fats is of our main concern, however it suddenly occurs to me that certain exercises not only allow us to lose weight, they also allow us to pick up a skill and improve our overall fitness.

When I started swimming regularly, I asked myself ‘How can I better exercise so that not only I can achieve my ideal weight but at the same time learn a skill?’ Another important exercise that I decided to incorporate into my exercise plan is kickboxing.

Here are 5 reasons why kickboxing stands out from a typical exercise:

1. Self-Defense

Unlike many exercises, kickboxing trains you to be equipped with defensive skills. You will be learning punch and kick techniques that can prove valuable in a dangerous situation. Such defensive skills are very important as you never know when you may be in a life-threatening situation. Fortunately I have not been in such a situation but I really believe in ample preparation for the worst. The defensive skills you learn from kickboxing might just make a difference.

2. Body- sculpting

Kickboxing works the entire body. From cardio, fitness, strength and flexibility, kickboxing trains the entire body. A friend of mine who is very dedicated to kickboxing, used to have flabby arms. Now flabby arms are a thing of a past to her. When we lose weight, we may still not be able to get rid of the stubborn fat that remains in our arms. Kickboxing will also give you a more defined body because of its intensity and the different types of muscles involved in it.

3. Fun and Excitement

Kickboxing is one of the most fun and exciting exercises that I ever come across. It is very different from other exercises. Unlike traditional exercises like jogging, kickboxing is very dynamic. There is a lot of different movements involved, from throwing punches, kicking and also footwork. You get to move your hands, legs and body in a totally different way than you can ever imagine. During a workout class, there will also be music played. Sometimes I also kickbox in my own gym while listening to my favourite songs from a player. It gives me an exhilarating feeling as well as a great adrenaline rush.

4. Convenient

For some people, like me for example, you can choose to do it at home or at your gym. You do not necessarily need to travel far for your kickboxing workout. You can workout using kickboxing instructional DVDs. All you need is a DVD player, a spacious room and some leisure time and you can get an energetic workout as and when you feel like it.

5. Effective Weight Loss

Kickboxing workouts burn 400 to 600 calories per hour. It also maintains your heart at an optimum 75%-85% rate which is the recommended heart rate during exercise and training. My friends who kickbox share with me that they have lost up to 10 kg since they started 5 months ago. And they seem pumped up about it, so much so that it makes me want to go for it as well.

The more I learn about kickboxing the more I want to try, see you folks at the gym!

10 Simple Health Practices: 4. Bathing Properly

Living in such a humid country as Singapore, it would be most refreshing to soak oneself in the bathtub after a hard day’s work. There is always the temptation, which I believe, for most of us to soak in the water for a couple more minutes before we eventually persuade ourselves out of it by reminding ourselves of that month end utility bill. So then, you may ask: Should we sacrifice our hygiene and cleanliness at the expense of our money? Well, of course not! It is not the amount of time that we spend in the bathroom that matters, but the necessary, proper procedures of bathing that is important. Below are some tips to ensure efficient and effective body cleaning:

1. Instead of soaking yourself in the bathtub, use the shower faucet
The tendency to spend longer time soaking in the bathtub is usually much greater given the luxury of sitting and lying in the bathtub. Moreover, isn’t it a hassle having to fill your bathtub with water first before you can bathe? Using the shower faucet is certainly the quicker and more convenient option.
2. Try not to bring in your rubber ducks with you when bathing
This is to avoid distracting yourself from your main objective of cleaning your body. Anyway, those rubber duckies are meant for kids, aren’t they? As far as I am concerned, those bathing toys are meant to cajole and distract the kids so that adults can have an easier time bathing them.

3. Bathe with soap or shower gel
I’m sure most of you would have known by now that rinsing yourself with only water is not adequate to have a clean body. After the initial rinse, it is always best to soap yourself thoroughly before rinsing yourself with water again. Well, the reason for using soap or shower gel is that when either of them is applied onto your body, a bubbly mixture will be formed and the dirt on your body will be stuck to that mixture. Upon rinsing your body, the dirt on your body will be carried away with the bubbly mixture, which then leaves your body with a fragrant scent. Note that some modern cleaning gels are “soap free”, but that is another issue.

4. Have a brush with you to scrub your body
For areas like your back where you have difficulty reaching, it is always good to have a brush with you to lend you a helping hand. Easily dirtied areas like your kneecaps and elbows can also be scrubbed clean with the brush. Scrubbing is best done after soaping of the body. It helps to remove the dirt on your body more effectively.

So, how about an economical and refreshing bath starting from today?

10 Simple Health Practices: 3. Keeping Hands Clean in the Absence of Water

Ever since the outbreak of SARS six years ago and the recent H1N1 epidemic, the practice of washing hands has been emphasised once again. In many restrooms, we see posters of hand washing procedures. For more details on proper hand washing procedures, you can go to here.

Washing our hands often is the best way to stop germs and bacteria from spreading. The medical purpose is to cleanse the hands of pathogens which can cause the next potential disease to break out. However, the question is, how often can we wash our hands? Don’t tell me you have the liberty of running to the restroom from your office every now and then to wash your hands? Well, here are three easy ways that you can reduce the risk of contracting hand-transmitted diseases in spite of the absence of water:

1. Carry waterless hand sanitizers
This is a good way to kill germs on your hands when the nearest restroom or water is beyond your reach. You can practically use it on the go whenever you want and wherever you are. It is just so convenient. Such waterless hand sanitizers are readily available from the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores.

2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
It is advisable not to touch these sensitive areas of your body especially after touching your computer keyboards, doorknobs or even stationery like pens and pencils. It is also best not to hold onto the railings and poles when taking public transport. These items and places are where germs and bacteria are frequently found. So touching your eyes after being in contact with such items exist a risk of catching an eye infection. Likewise for touching your nose and mouth, germs and bacteria can enter your body and upset your health especially if your immune system is exceptionally low on that particular day.

3. Wear gloves
I guess this is the last resort or option that you’ll want to take, especially for those working in offices. Wearing gloves might prove to be too extreme and paranoid for your bosses and clients. But then again, you can’t deny the fact that it is an effective way to prevent diseases from spreading, do you?

Well, I hope the above list helps. Making sure and keeping your hands clean at all times is certainly the first line of defence against contracting infections and diseases.

10 Simple Health Practices: 2. Caring for Your Teeth

Interesting fact: Did you know that the hardest part of our bodies is actually not our bones, but our teeth?

We have twenty of them when we are a kid before they eventually fall off one by one and are replaced by thirty two permanent teeth. They reside in our mouths and serve us well all our lives. Without them, we will not be able to chew our food. However, to be able to continue enjoying our meals at a ripe old age depends on how diligent and how much we love and cherish our teeth. Below is a list of oral care that I have collated to ensure healthy teeth:

1. Brush at least twice a day
Since young as a child we have been taught by our parents and teachers to brush our teeth two times a day; in the morning when we wake up and at night before we sleep. But how many of us actually abide by the advice? Not many I guess. Well, to be honest, I’m also guilty of that too when I was a kid. It is essential to brush your teeth at night especially as your mouth does not have the same salivary protection when you are sleeping as it does during the day. If time permits, try to brush after lunch too. Brushing your teeth after every meal reduces the damage caused by plague by-products and toxins.

2. Floss your teeth
In addition to regular teeth brushing, flossing is also essential in preventing gum disease. Flossing cleans the area in between the teeth which the typical toothbrush cannot perform. Again like before, it is best to give your teeth floss after every meal. After all, diligence never harms but pays off.

3. Rinse your mouth with fluoride mouthwash
If you are in a rush, this is what I would suggest to most people. Rinse your mouth with fluoride mouthwash after every meal. Rinsing your mouth with fluoride mouthwash not only washes away the remaining food particles residing amongst your teeth and gums, but also strengthens the overall tooth enamel. However, try not to swallow the solution when rinsing.

4. Scrape your tongue
This is one practise which I believe many people neglect. Scraping one’s tongue plays an important role in maintaining good oral hygiene. It not only helps to freshen up one’s breath, but also slows down the accumulation of plaque on one’s teeth. Try cleaning your tongue with your toothbrush first before using the tongue scraper for maximum results.

5. Reduce sugar intake
The reason for this is that sugar feeds the bacteria residing in your mouth which, in turn, excrete substances that break down your tooth enamel. This is why eating too much sweet and sugary foodstuff causes tooth decay.

6. Visit the dentist twice a year
Go for dental checkups every six months to be informed of your latest oral hygiene status, or if needs be, go for dental cleaning as well. No harm being assured of having a good oral hygiene, isn’t it?

If taken care of properly and diligently, it is likely that our teeth will last us a lifetime. They will be our means of enjoying our meals for the rest of our lives.

10 Simple Health Practices: 1. Sensible Eating

Well, I’m pretty sure that the phrase “you are what you eat” rings a bell to all, if not, most of you. What makes a body perfect or less than perfect is what we put into it. If taken care of properly, our bodies will serve us faithfully for more than a century. But on the other hand, if we were to shove all sorts of junk into it, it is with no doubt that our bodies will not function as well as it otherwise would.

So now, what is it exactly that we should put into our bodies to ensure sustained functionality of our organs and limbs? For those looking for an answer to that, you may want to read on.

1. Eat less fat
Various research and studies have shown that obese people are more susceptible to diabetes and heart related diseases. As high fat content in an obese body is likely to accumulate and clog up arteries and veins, it will actually trigger the next potential cardiovascular disease. Moreover, fat people are also generally perceived to be lazy and intellectually challenged, which diminishes their chances of landing good jobs. So, instead of spending tons of money on slimming products or therapy, why not start by preventing obesity in the first place?

2. Eat less sugar
Sugar – another major culprit of obesity and diabetes. For those who do not know, too much sugar intake can also cause cancer and impair the structure of our DNA. It also interferes with the absorption of protein. In any case, too much sugar is also bad for your teeth. You wouldn’t want to become a regular patron of that dental clinic down the street, do you?

3. Eat less salt
In addition to contributing to commonly known hypertension and cardiac failure, excessive salt intake also causes constipation and renal diseases. The drawing of water by salt interferes with the normal absorption of water during the digestion process leads to the accumulation of toxins in the intestinal tract. A natural antibiotic, salt also kills living bacteria including the good ones in the body.

4. Eat more fibre
Calling out to those of you who are in the midst of your weight loss programme, don’t forget to take more fibre. As fibrous foods occupy a large space in your stomach, thus it actually makes you feel full and preventing you from overeating. Fibre also helps in preventing constipation by keeping your bowel movements smooth. It lowers the blood pressure and regulates the blood sugar as well by removing bile acids that digest fats.

5. Eat more fruits and vegetables
This is certainly the umpteenth time you are seeing or hearing this I’m sure. But still, I find it hard to leave this out of the list, so, just bear with me for at least the next 10 seconds or so. Well, fruits and vegetables are especially important in preventing chronic diseases. They have the minerals, antioxidants and vitamins in the correct combination that help to build up the immune system. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colours gives your body a wide range of nutrients such as potassium and vitamins A and C. So the next time you visit that grocery store or supermarket, be sure to fill your shopping basket with rainbow colours!

Sensible eating is undoubtedly the first prerequisite for a strong and healthy body. It is not the wide variety of food available that you owe it to but your own self-discipline to eat carefully and to balance your own diet. Cultivating a sensible eating habit that is tailored-made to your lifestyle as early as possible is definitely one big step towards longevity. Don’t you think so?

Healthy recipes: Sprouted Lentil Cucumber Curry Salad

Sometimes, when we try to lose fats and eat healthy, we forget that this does not mean we need to forgo enjoying our food. Here is a very tasty recipe for you to try.

Based on this recipe from VeganChef:

2 cups sprouted lentils
2/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup whole soaked flaxseed
1 cucumber, chopped
1 stalk scallions, chopped
1 whole tomato, chopped
2 Tb cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
2 TB fresh squeeze lemon juice
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp red curry powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp mustard powder

Simply toss and serve. This is a tasty dish, and it is not very spicy. You can adjust the spicyness by adding more or less pepper flakes.

Losing Fats with Climbing Stairs

Since the time that technological advancements brought about the invention of elevators and lifts, it seems that stairs are only patronised during lift maintenances and emergencies. Just take a look around us and ask ourselves, how often do we take the stairs? Or do we even know where the nearest staircase to our office is located? Well, I leave the answer to you. I always make an effort to climb the stairs instead of taking the lift.

Here are 3 simple reasons why you should climb the stairs instead of taking the lift:

1. Tones muscles
Climbing stairs typically makes use of the leg muscles, particularly the quadriceps (front of the thighs) and the buttocks. It is a good form of training for the lower limbs as the entire body weight is put on the legs which increases the leg power and may be an important factor in reducing the risks of injuries from falls in the elderly. However, for those with pre-existing knee problems, please do take precautions with your knee joints when climbing stairs. Exerting too much pressure on your knee joints may aggravate or cause your old ailment to recur. As for normal persons, it is undoubtedly a cost-effective and safe form of workout.

2. Reduces body fats
Climbing stairs is time efficient as it reduces body fats and burns calories in a short period of time. Depending on the individual’s body weight and rate of climbing, it is generally estimated that fifteen minutes of stair climbing expends 75 calories, which works out to a total of 27,375 calories in a year. This is equivalent to 7.8 pounds of body weight! Therefore I always tell myself I must climb the stairs instead of taking the lift.

3. Enhances cardiovascular system
Another benefit of climbing stairs is that it enhances blood circulation and improves the lung and heart function as oxygen intake to the heart is increased. The risk of contracting high blood pressure and coronary heart problem is also reduced as a result of improved aerobic fitness.

So now, having known all the health benefits about stair climbing, how about climbing stairs to your office or homes?

Losing Fats with Jogging

In my opinion, when it comes to losing fats, jogging is the most cost-effective and spontaneous sport. All it requires is just a pair of running shoes and off you go to the nearest park and sweat it out. Whenever I pass by a park, it would always remind me of jogging.

Here are 5 reasons why jogging is recommended:

1. Jogging improves cardio-respiratory fitness
Regular jogging improves the ability of the heart to pump stronger and more efficiently. It also enables the muscles in the body to use oxygen more efficiently by increasing the activity of enzymes and hormones that stimulate the muscles. Over time, more blood and oxygen will be pumped with each heart beat which improves our cardio-respiratory fitness. Greater levels of stamina can also be built up.

2. Jogging reduces body weight
Like in all physical sports and exercises, a great deal of calories is being burnt when jogging. However, believe it or not, jogging or running doesn’t always burn more calories than walking. Surprised huh? Hope it’s useful information for you.

3. Jogging improves appetite
When you start to jog or run for longer periods or distances, your body will automatically call for more replenishment and nourishment. As a result, you will inevitably start to eat more than what you used to so as to repair your muscles and refuel them. This really works for me. I feel that I can control my diet better with jogging.

4. Jogging strengthens muscles and bone density
The continuous moving of the legs when jogging strengthens the muscles and bone density of the legs, hips as well as the back.

5. Jogging makes you sleep better
Not just jogging, this goes the same for all kinds of sports and exercises. If you exercise well, sleep comes so much easier and better. Having adequate rest is essential for improved health and fitness.

Well of course, this is not an exhaustive list. Apart from those benefits mentioned above, there are still many benefits that jogging can bring about. You are most welcome to add on to this list but before you do, make sure you start “running” for your life!

Losing Fats with Skipping

Since young I have always loved skipping. I don’t know what you guys out there think of it, but skipping is an intense exercise that is very demanding on the body. All around the world, you see children skipping rope. Somehow, we lose that simple joy when we grow up. Well, for your health’s sake, maybe it is time to start skipping again.

Here are 5 reasons why skipping is a great exercises workout:

1. Skipping helps to lose weight
Although not a great overall fat burner, skipping burns a great deal of calories, typically between 70 and 110 calories in a 10-minute session, depending on the intensity of one’s workout. It increases the metabolic rate of the body which results in a higher number of calories used later on even when the person is not exercising. However, for overweight and unfit persons, medical advice is recommended as skipping could cause injury if not done properly.

2. Skipping improves strength and endurance
Continuous jumping on the spot for the next 10 minutes or so builds up one’s stamina over time. Imagine the repetitive jumping that takes you nowhere but leaves you gasping for air after every skip. It is a test of one’s physical and mental strength, especially when skipping may become boring after a few workouts. Ideally, a person should do at least 20 to 30 jumps at a time and increase the number of jumps gradually. My cousin is amazing in skipping. He can skip 2000 times without a break and he hardly pants. I guess skipping has a lot to make him the ironman that he is.

3. Skipping improves body coordination
To complete a skip requires a well coordinated action and reaction from the upper and lower limbs respectively. The forearms and the wrists has to keep the rope turning as smoothly as possible for the feet to jump only as high to clear the rope and to land on the ground steadily. It takes practice to achieve this act and it improves one’s rhythm and agility at the end of the day.

4. Skipping improves cardiovascular fitness
Skipping is an excellent exercise for the heart and lungs and it improves the heart rate and blood pressure for cardiovascular gains. It develops a higher fitness level, which helps develop a much better energy system allowing the body to burn fat more effectively when performing other less intense activities.

5. Skipping helps in toning muscles
It mainly works on the arm, calf and thigh muscles as a result of constant swinging and jumping the ropes. It strengthens the chest and keeps the buttocks firm as well.

Well, I hope this list helps you to decide starting a skipping program.

Losing Fats with Table Tennis

If you are a hyperactive person who is constantly on the move, then table tennis may just be the sport for you. The continuous rapid movement around the table as well as the swiftness of the ping pong ball is likely to kill the sloth of boredom and keep you on your toes. Besides just being a sport of fast reactions, table tennis does have its health and wellness benefits as well.

Here are 5 reasons why you should play table tennis:

1. Table tennis improves reflexes and hand-eye coordination
Also known as “ping pong” at some time or another, table tennis is considered to be one of the fastest racket sports in the world, with the ping pong ball reaching speeds of over 160km/hour. As such, individuals who play the sport can expect and experience improved reflexes and hand-eye coordination over time. Agility can also be improved as the game forces you to constantly change directions around the table so as to make contact with the rapid on-coming ball. I now find myself to be sharper than ever after playing table tennis casually for 8 months.

2. Table tennis strengthens muscles
Apart from improved arm muscles as a result of frequent and rapid moving of the arms, the constant twisting of the midsection is also expected to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Stronger leg muscles are also being built through numerous starts and stops, and lunges during game play. The frequent bending at the waist while playing works on the lower back muscles as well.

3. Table tennis reduces body weight
Playing table tennis is also a good form of weight loss activity. About 300 calories are burnt for an hour of table tennis game. That's equal to a 27-minute power walk on a treadmill or 32 minutes of light gymnastics.

4. Table tennis improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness
Table tennis works on aerobic fitness by burning one’s fats and improving on one’s cardiovascular system. The rapid range of movements and fast game play keeps one’s heart rate up. It also improves on anaerobic fitness by offering short, intense bursts of activity during a certain point in time followed by rest which helps muscles use oxygen efficiently.

5. Table tennis keeps you mentally sharp
As table tennis requires is a lot of planning, anticipating and strategising during game play, it makes a perfect mind game for the retirees as well.

Let’s not forget about our women paddlers who brought us glory during last year’s Olympics!

Losing Fats with Badminton

Aright, I admit it; I’m a big fan of badminton. I have played badminton since I was a kid. I grew up playing badminton and I continue to live my sporting passion through badminton.

Here are 9 reasons why you should play badminton:

1. Badminton reduces bad cholesterol
Well, the main benefit of playing badminton is the reduction of the levels of bad cholesterols known as low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in our body. This takes place when several metabolic enzyme systems in the muscles and liver are stimulated from the physical activity to convert some of the cholesterol into favourable cholesterol known as high-density lipoproteins (HDL). These lipoproteins help to clear excess fat and cholesterol from the bloodstream in our body.

2. Badminton prevents heart diseases
Regular indulgence in badminton conditions the basal heart rate to drop a few beats a minute which reduces the blood pressure. It also strengthens the heart muscle and reduces hypertension in hypertensive individuals. However, hypertensive individuals or people with pre-existing heart diseases should play within their threshold levels as indicated by their doctors. Badminton, after all, is still a vigorous sport if played aggressively and intensively.

3. Badminton reduces body fat
Playing badminton helps to reduce body weight by burning the excess calories in our body. This prevents excess calories from accumulating as fats and increasing our mass eventually. Existing fat deposits are also being mobilised and broken down to produce energy while playing badminton

4. Badminton prevents osteoporosis
One major way to prevent contracting osteoporosis is to engage in regular physical activity and playing badminton falls into this category. Playing badminton strengthens the bones by promoting the activity of the bone forming cells and the assimilation of calcium in the bone matrix.

5. Badminton improves flexibility
For those of you who have played the sport, you’ll know that playing badminton involves the entire body. Playing badminton demands a large range of movements including leaps, lunges, twists, turns, stretches or even dives at critical times when one is desperately looking to save a match point. Due to the physical demands of the sport, it is expected that one will become more flexible and agile over time.

6. Badminton increases reflexes and hand-eye coordination
Another important benefit of playing badminton is the quick reflexes and good hand-eye coordination that one will build and improve over time. As the flight of the shuttlecock and the contact from the racket can be very unpredictable, reflexes as well as anticipation are crucial attributes of a player.

7. Badminton builds physical strength and stamina
Like all physical sports and games, playing badminton builds physical strength and stamina from wielding the racket and running across all parts of the court. It boosts physical strength mainly the arms and wrists from smashes and drop shots.

8. Badminton helps tone your muscles
The constant moving around and direction changes on court helps one to tone the muscles at the thighs, calves, buttocks, arms, back as well as the abdomen. The range of strokes stretches muscles from the shoulder and arms, through to the abdomen and down the legs.

9. Badminton builds mental strength
Playing badminton can keep one mentally strong and increases one’s level of concentration. The competitive nature of the point system requires the player to pay full attention to every motion of the shuttle. Every play of the shuttle is crucial to securing a point. Besides tenacity, skilful and intelligent play is also vital in a tactical game like badminton.

Well, seems like badminton is not just fun but is also extremely beneficial to our health. It is a sport that you can play throughout your life both competitively and for leisure. Even some of the sports celebrities like football legend Diego Maradonna and golfer Nick Faldo enjoy playing badminton. So what are you waiting for? Go pick up that racket and start hitting the shuttle down the court right now!

Losing Fats with Yoga

Yoga is amazing. It is one of the most unique exercises in losing fats without going through intense exercises. Unlike exercises like jogging and other sports, losing fats with Yoga is done through the stimulation of various organs in the body. I have been practicing Yoga for years and I must say that Yoga has a great deal of benefits.

Here are 3 main benefits that Yoga uniquely offers:

1. Stimulating the thyroid gland

The thyroid gland is a gland in our body that regulates our metabolism. A well-functioning thyroid gland better helps convert food into energy. When food is converted into energy efficiently, there is less accumulation of body fats. Yoga postures are also known to improve blood circulation which makes the person healthier and more energetic. This is very unique to Yoga as most exercises focus on intensity rather than stimulating specific organs. Yoga is very suitable for people who prefer to sweat less and yet burn more fats. I always tell myself that I must set aside 5 minutes daily for Yoga.

2. Mental Development

As Yoga has roots in mytical eastern religions, and has associations in meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, it actually helps bring us the inner peace that we require. As Singapore is a bustling city, the pace of life tends to be fast and stressful. Our daily course of work also adds to the stress. Yoga is actually very good in stress relieving through achieving relaxing yet disciplined states of mind with the different postures. Losing weight has something to do with managing emotions. Research has shown that negative emotions tends to make people put on weight. In addition, based on personal experience, when I am upset, I tend to eat more too. Yoga has given me this sense of relaxation and peace that is essential in managing my emotions. It also gives me a greater insight to life.

3. Pain Relieve

Yoga is one unique exercise that relieves pain. First, Yoga has great emphasis on stretching. Good flexibility reduces our risk of injuries especially for people who plays sports often. Second, the emphasis of good body posture in Yoga helps us to relieve pain. This is especially true for my back as I used to have back aches.

After practicing Yoga for 6 months, my back is totally free from pain. The reason why we have aches is because of wrong body posture. Due to wrong body posture, over time the body becomes displaced from its proper position. This leads to poor blood circulation and unnecessary tension at the pressure points of that particular body part.

Yoga is one exercise that not only helps you to lose fats; it also relieves body pain and develops ourselves spiritually. It is one exercise that you should enjoy!

Lose Fats by Swimming

Swimming is considered to be amongst the most perfect of exercises. When you want to lose fats and burn calories, there is nothing better.

Not only does it burn a lot of calories, it also has a low injury rate. Land-based exercises often require you to go against the force of your weight. That is why for obese people, exercise is a struggle. In addition, you also put pressure on your joints and bones. Sometimes while doing land exercises, I accidentally hurt my ankles and knees. Swimming is very safe and a good form of exercise especially for people who are injury-prone as the buoyancy of water takes away excess strain on the body. After swimming so many years, I have not suffered any injuries.

Here are 3 reasons why swimming has always been a must in any exercise plan:

1. A Potential Life-Saver

Swimming is an important skill. You never know when you or your loved ones need it. It can be a life-saver. 400 people drown every year in the UK. And most of them are teenagers. I used to ask my family to swim with me during the weekend. It is a vital skill that your loved ones must have. Besides, it can be a good bonding session especially as you see your children in playing happily in the water, splashing all over the place.

2. Great Health Benefits

Swimming has helped me to build more muscle, strength, flexibility, endurance and cardiovascular health. Since water has much more resistance than air, it actually strengthens muscles faster. It has helped me in developing my major muscles groups and because swimming movements are smooth, it stretches and lengthen muscles instead of making it huge and bulky. A study from the University of Carolina has shown that swimmers were 50 percent less likely to die during the exercise than walkers or runners. Swimming adds to longevity. I feel so much younger after each swim. That kind of feeling is indescribably fantastic.

3. Psychological Benefits

When I swim, I have to be very conscious of my breathing, if not I will be breathless very soon. I feel very relax during swimming as the water flows through and it feels like a massage for my muscles. It almost feels like meditation. Many of us are uncomfortable in water. We are just not used to being wet. Swimming actually helps us stretch our comfort zone. I now find myself more energetic and willing to challenge myself to achieve more. Swimming makes me feel that I can conquer a foreign territory and break through my limits.

Swimming is truly the perfect exercise that you must do for a lifetime.

Lose Fats by Dancing

Have you ever wondered why after many exercises and workouts, you may have lost weight and lost fats but you may not be enjoying it?

Dancing is a great way to lose weight, but more importantly, it is really a great way to have fun and let yourself loose. I have always idolized the late Michael Jackson. I must say each time I look at him dance; he seems to be having the time of his life. Through dancing on the stage, he is able to generate a lot of stage presence and charisma that can move audiences to dance and shed tears. I used to dislike dancing because I thought that I was not a good dancer. But after watching Michael Jackson’s passionate dances, I became inspired to dance and also found out that it was a great way to lose weight.

Here are 10 benefits why you should dance:

1. To de-stress and let loose
2. Lose weight fast
3. Strengthens bones
4. Improve muscle tone & coordination
5. Increase energy
6. Improves cardiovascular system
7. Lowers risk of heart disease
8. Reduce blood pressure & cholesterol levels
9. Improves blood circulation
10. Increase flexibility and balance

I have a friend who shared with me the importance of stretching before dancing. This friend of mine, who is a professional dancer, mentioned to me that dancing is all about tempo. In order to gain the tempo, your muscles must be loose and relaxed. Stretching makes a great difference to loosening the muscles. In fact, that is the main reason why dancing is a common exercise where people get injured; lack of stretching. When it comes to stretching, always start slow and steady. I try to slowly stretch more and more and hold on for 45-50 seconds each time I stretch a particular area.

Dancing also provides a great channel for self-expression. Sometimes when I feel creative, I would just dance wildly in my own room. Now, that may sound silly but it helps! It makes me feel happier and joyful. It also allows me to express how I feel. All of us will have our artistic moments. If you are not sure on how to express it, dancing will do it for you.

Finally, dancing is very personal. Some people prefer tango, some prefer ballroom dancing, some prefer hip hop. The styles are endless. It is not like jogging where you stick to putting one foot in front of the other. The, of course, dancing can also be used to build good relationships with your partner as well as friends.

The next time you want something fun and exciting, look no further than dancing.

Recipe - Hearrty Mushroom Ragout (another pasta variation)

This recipe serves 4 people. But you can experiment and adjust:

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb cremini mushroom, quartered (baby portobellas or you may use some button mushrooms too)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 fresh bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or marjoram)
black pepper
1 medium carrot, peeled, grated (or finely chopped)
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded, chopped (or try anaheim or even green bell pepper)
1 roasted red pepper, seeded, chopped (can use from a jar)
salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 cups vegetable stock (or mushroom stock)
2 (15 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 lb whole wheat penne (or pasta of choice)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, shredded (about 10 leaves)
1/3 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated (also, get some to pass at the table)

Directions
1 Boil a large pot of water for the pasta
2 While waiting, using a high sided skillet, heat oil over medium heat. When the oil ripples, add the mushrooms, allspice, bay leaf, oregano, and black pepper and cook until the mushrooms darken and become tender, 6-7 minutes.
3 Add carrots, celery, onions, garlic, cubanelle, bell peppers. Season with salt. Cook for 6-7 minutes more, stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add wine and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute to reduce the wine, then stir in the stock and tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Season with Worcestershire and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes more, then discard the bay leaf.
4 While the ragout is cooking, salt the boiling water and cook the penne to al dente. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the hot pot. Toss with half the sauce, the basil, and the 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Top bowlfuls of pasta with the remaining sauce and pass more grated cheese at the table.

Enjoy!

Lose Fats by Cycling

In our quest to lose fats and gain that slimmer body, we know we must exercise. We will be exploring several interesting activities that will help you burn the fats away without being too boring or painful.

In order to lose weight, we have to burn more calories than we consume. Thus one of my favourite exercises is cycling. Whenever I drop by East Coast Park, I make it a point to cycle for at least 2 hours. It is an efficient form of exercise as I can go on for 2 hours without feeling very tired and it burns a great deal of calories. Active cycling at a moderate speed burns around 600 calories per hour.

Our goal in cycling is not to win a race but simply to be able to cycle for a couple of hours at a time and a couple of times weekly. The key is consistency. I used to cycle only twice a week but now after keeping to this habit, I am now able to comfortably cycle much longer distances and for a longer time. Each week I try to extend my route a little longer and I actually managed to increase it up to 10 km within a month.

Here are 3 reasons why I love to cycle:

1. To De-Stress

As a fellow Singaporean, I understand that life can be really stressful due to the fast pace of life and sometimes we simply do not have the motivation or the drive to workout. However, cycling is actually a very good way to de-stress. Each time I cycle, I can feel the fresh breeze blowing at me while I zoom by at high speed. And the faster I go, the more enjoyable it becomes. It is very therapeutic and it keeps my body and mind rejuvenated. I can let loose my thoughts and worries and it makes me smile.

2. Non-Repetitive

Unlike other static exercises like sit-ups, you get to choose your own cycling route. Thus when I get on my bike, I always cycle around parks and other scenic routes. Sometimes to make it more enjoyable, I also encourage my friends to join me in cycling. It not only gives me a good workout, but it also gives me a good reason to ask my friends out and we can have an enjoyable time together. Cycling with friends simply makes your routine exercise more enjoyable.

3. Fast Results

The best part of cycling is that the results are pretty quick. I was very surprised to note that I lost 5 kg while cycling consistently for a month while maintaining my usual diet. I can also feel that my leg muscles are being worked on. Actually the best way to burn off fats is to gain more muscles. Most women are afraid of gaining muscles for obvious reasons. But strengthening your legs would only serve you better aesthetic-wise. I mean guys will always admire nice trim legs.

Hope that you can see the many benefits of cycling. When combined with natural supplements to help control your fat and sugar absorption, this is a fun way to lose fats.

Why some employers rather not hire fat people?

Recently, we have been talking about fat people being discriminated against, rather than just talking about losing fats.

I am not trying to be morbid or to stir up anything. But as I work with people trying to lose fats, a lot of these issues keep coming up and I feel we should talk about it rather than avoid it.

The latest topic is about employers who are biased against fat people. I recall one of the stories my friend, who is a Personal Trainer at a popular gym, told me. He was telling me that recently, he noticed quite a few “executive types” coming and signing up for packages at the gym. One of them signed him, and when asked, told my friend the reason he signed up.

Apparently, his boss told him to “shape up or ship out”. Not quite in those curt terms, but the message was clear. It seems that the boss felt his personal grooming carried a negative image for the company. He was to lose his tummy and get fit.

Really, I have nothing against getting fit. But the idea that it becomes an ultimatum for keeping your job? That is sad.

I wonder how many others have had similar experiences?

For myself, I practice brisk walking on a regular basis and take some fat blockers. I admit to not being a very physical person, and I would take all the help I can get.

Of course, we have to hear both sides of the story and I did ask a few employers and managers. Their response, as expected, was denial. But they do concede that they can empathize with those employers. Imagine if your sales people went out to see clients looking sloppy, what message would that convey to them? Now, if you were in some kind of health care, or one of those “look good-feel good” industry, and your sales or any of your staff looked clearly over-weight, what does that do for your corporate image? Even if they dressed well and presented themselves well, the message would be a direct opposite from the products/services that the company is trying to promote.

Now, I agree that in some cases, some level of discrimination is needed. Not necessarily approved, but being commercially driven, not much choices for the company.

We live with all kinds of social discrimination. Discriminating against fat people is not the worse, but it is prevalent. When you want to discriminate, then think about this – when YOU get pass forty years, and your metabolism starts to slow, and before you realize it enough to make adjustments to your lifestyle and diet, you stand a very high chance of being fat.

Next week onwards, I will start talking about some fun exercises that I have enjoyed over the years.

Does being fat affect mortality rates?

Every time when you hear talk about losing weight, losing fats and getting slim, you will almost always hear about the association to a “healthier” life.

So many studies seem to indicate that “being fat” has an impact on mortality. But is this really true and can it be scientifically proven?
There is an article written in the International Journal of Obesity that attempts to get to the bottom of this. “Does obesity shorten life? The importance of well-defined interventions to answer causal questions” is the title of the piece.

It is interesting because the article challenges some of the assumptions behind these conclusions. Comparing BMI levels and then coming to a conclusion that fat people have a higher mortality rate is not really an accurate and scientific way to do a study.

There are many other factors besides the BMI that determines a person’s mortality. More importantly, it might very well be that the fact that a person is trying to lower his BMI that causes his mortality.

Undeniably, being over-weight does have clear health consequences. But the paper was trying to illustrate that many of these studies do not meet the strict requirements to make such a statement.

The good news of course, is that being over-weight does not mean that you are guaranteed to die earlier. Basic principles of good health, exercise, healthy diet and so on play an important role in your life.

When you are going to do something about losing fats, make sure you have a sensible diet plan and it would also be good to include some exercise programs. Consult an expert if you are not sure what to do. Over exerting yourself is just as bad as not doing any exercise.

Lose Fats by Brisk Walking

Sometimes, when we try to lose fats, we think of the most challenging and painful ways to do so.

I guess it is because many people think that if it is too easy, it must not be very effective. That is so not true. Here, I would like to share with you one exercise that I do and have found to be not only effective, but gives be great joy and pleasure.

Every week, twice a week, I go to the nearby park and do Brisk Walking. Sometimes, I go down to the Botanic Gardens. Other times, I am at East Coast Park. Where ever it may be, without fail, I go for my weekly walks.

How is Brisk Walking different from normal walking?

You have heard that after meals, it is good to take a leisurely stroll to help digest the food, that is a good habit, but that is not Brisk Walking.

When you do Brisk Walking, you actually walk faster than normal. Hold your body upright, clench your fist, lift up your fore arms to your elbow level parallel to the floor. When you walk, make sure you heels land first and then roll rapidly forward.

Your steps are brisk and sure. Do not bounce, this is not jogging. There is no need to strain to go as fast as you can. Just walk quickly and with confidence. As a gauge, it will take you anywhere from 15 to 25 mins to finish 2.4km walk at a comfortable pace.

Make sure you have sensible walking shoes (jogging shoes are fine) and wear loose, comfortable clothing. Breathing is important, so tight and restrictive clothes are not ideal.

Hopefully, this simple suggestion will give you many hours and days of pleasure and a healthy lifestyle.

Fat Kids are stigmatized too

Last week, we talked about women being more discriminated against than men. I received several notes from readers, that there is another group that suffers a lot of discrimination – fat kids.

Children can sometimes be the most cruel. Simply because of their innocence, they usually say what is on their mind, no subtlety, no holds barred. And of course, what gets in their minds, is put there by what they hear, see and experience around them.

Sadly, the discrimination did not originate from children. Teachers and parents usually lead the charge when it comes to discrimination.

"The stigmatization directed at obese children by their peers, parents, educators and others is pervasive and often unrelenting," researchers with Yale University and the University of Hawaii at Manatoa wrote in the July 2007 issue of Psychological Bulletin

The lifestyle that we lead and the environment that we are in today is no longer the same as in the past. Where children used to have to walk or pedal their bikes to school, now, transportation is so convenient and affordable, no one does that any more. When bored, children in the 70’s and 80’s used to run around, kicking a ball, chasing each other or catching spiders. Today, TV and the Internet, not to mention console games, dominate a child’s life.

Compounding this already much more sedentary lifestyle is the fact that we eat much better today than before. Thanks to rising affluence, we stuff ourselves and our children with rich, delicious food.

It will be difficult to change eating habits over-night. For adults, taking fat blockers can help fight the fat build up. But for children, it is much more advisable to encourage them to lead a healthier, more active lifestyle. Controlling their snack in-take and regulating their diet is something that most parents can and should do.

Discrimination is not a nice thing. It hurts and leave psychological scars. Instead, let us move to help those in need to lose their fats and lead a happier, healthier life.

Is Liposuction a safe way to lose fats?

Sometimes, when we are trying our best to lose fats, we are prepared to try anything. Then you learn about this fantastic technique that simply sucks all the fats out of your body – liposuction.

Before we go on further, let us be very clear on one thing: liposuction is a form of minor operation. Yes, it is a medical procedure. In fact, the very flippant way liposuction has been introduced to the world has actually resulted in some horrifying stories.

The Singapore Government has a proposed legislation to control the use of liposuction (Proposed Liposuction Regime). This proposal has been widely debated by people in the industry and by observers.

But our point here is this, liposuction is a medical procedure, albeit a minor one. While it is not a major surgery, it does entail elements of medicinal health-care. Indiscriminate use of liposuction is not advisable.

Is liposuction safe?

The simple answer is yes, in the hands of a qualified practitioner. Is it a safe way to lose fats? Well, there are many other non-surgical, non-invasive way of losing fats. Unless you are very much over weight, there is really no need to step into such drastic measures.

Even for those whose BMI is beyond 35, liposuction is not the first option you should consider. With all the talk on losing fats using liposuction, many have disregarded the other side effects. Loose skin is one of the most common. With a proper diet and exercise program, you lose fat gradually and your skin remains toned and taunt. An artificial removal, suddenly losing inches, gives your skin no time to adjust.

There are cases where liposuction makes sense, and there are times when the alternatives are not only cheaper, but much more desirable. Think it through carefully.

Is it true that fat bias is worse for women?

Since we are on the topic of the social rejection of fat people, here is another hot discussion point – women get discriminated against far more than men.

Apparently, this report on weight discrimination released in a 2008 report by the International Journal of Obesity (Perceptions of weight discrimination: prevalence and comparison to race and gender discrimination in America) cited the discrimination to be almost three times as bad against women as against men.

The definition of being over weight was put at a weight level where the Body Mass Index (BMI is greater than 35. Interestingly, women even get discriminated at a BMI of between 30 – 35. They are discriminated against more than their male counter-parts in similar weight/height categories.

In society, many discriminations are found: weight, height, sex, age, race, religion and so on. Fortunately, for weight discrimination, there are ways to overcome them.

For women, dressing sensibly is a great start. By not accentuating the fat look, it will help keep some discrimination at bay. Having a bright, sunny disposition also helps. But the most effective way to end the discrimination is to lose fats.

Whether it is going on a diet, starting an exercise regime or using some natural fat reducing aids like herbs and fat blockers, it is a start.

For those who discriminate against fat people, understand that being over weight is just a state of the body at a point in time. It in no way reflects on who the person is. After all, just because you are skinny does not mean you are automatically regarded as a “nice person”, right?

Why skinny people don’t like fat people?

As we focus on losing weight and getting rid of the extra fats, we sometimes stop to wonder, why is there a bias against the fat person?

Being fat is unhealthy. That has been proven beyond any doubt. Interestingly, there was an article released in the HBES Journal (Human Bhaviour & Evolution Society) that talked about research in this area.

Apparently, our body’s immune system is programmed to avoid germs and other unhealthy things. For example, when you smell rotting food, you feel nausea and avoid it. In a similar way, the immune system reacts when it sees rashes and lesions.

That particular research seem to indicate that obesity seems to be lumped together with some of these perceived diseases. It might be that being fat is considered “socially contagious” and the body reacts to that by “rejecting” the image.

Much as you would not happily chew on rotting food (your body will reject that), your protective immune system attempts to draw you away from a perceived threat (obesity). They claim that this new evidence indicate that aversion to fat people could be an evolved response – a part of survival.

Whatever the truth may be, our daily experience tells us that there is a bias against fat people. It could be explained by any reason, but a bias is never good.

For fat people, the dangers are very real. Losing fats is an important consideration to live a healthy life. Either consider diet, exercise or some other form of therapy and get the fat level down to a more manageable level.

Recipe - Fresh Pineapple-Alfalfa Sprout Juice

I found this very nice recipe over at NurtureYourOwn.com and I thought it would be interesting for you to try it this month.

Incorporating raw sprouts into your diet has many health benefits. Also, pineapples are considered very good for colds and flu, so in this times of many health concerns, a pineapple recipe is definitely an interesting one.

Sweet & Healthy Pineapple-Alfalfa Juice

(serve 4 -6)

Ingredients
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cored
1/2 lb. fresh alfalfa sprouts
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 cups water
honey to taste
ice to taste

How to Prepare
Place all the ingredients into a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Strain and discard the pulp.
Add ice and honey.

Will taking diet soft drink be a better choice?

In recent times, diet soft drink has become popular, then unpopular in our quest to lose fats. So, the question is, does taking diet soft drink help or hinder our efforts to lose weight?

As we all know, carbonated soft drinks contain an average of 150 calories in each can. If you consider that most meals should be around 500 – 800 calories (depending on which meal and what diet you are on), then you should be alarmed that a can of carbonated soft drink can account for more than 20% of your calorie intake per meal.

Most diet soft drinks tout ZERO calorie as their selling point. Some of course are “low calorie” instead of zero. This is good, right?

If we stick strictly to the calorie counting aspects of our diet, yes, this is good. Considering that carbonated soft drink contain caffeine, which is addictive, what about the diet versions?

Most diet soft drinks are targeted at the “health conscious” consumer. Hence, they usually tout “caffeine-free” as one of their selling points.

How then do these diet soft drinks taste so sweet if they do not contain the 9 spoons of sugar that give carbonated soft drinks the high calorie count?

Diet soft drinks use artificial sweeteners. One of the most common is aspartame. Since its approval for use in 1974, this artificial sweetener has been the subject of many controversies. But recent tests have shown that at current consumption levels, aspartame is safe as there is a large enough margin between what is consumed and what is considered harmful.

The other artificial sweetener that has recently gained approval is sucralose. This is supposed to be 600 times as sweet as sugar. It has been found that this has very little side effects and it has been approved for use recently. It has its share of side effects including enlarge thymus and some believe it a trigger for migraine.

Overall, it is better to break the habit of carbonated soft drinks, as this will achieve the same results (reduced calorie intake) without the unpredictable side effects of artificial sweeteners.

Is Calorie Counting an accurate way to lose fats?

Here is a real surprise for those of us striving to lose fats and lose weight by counting calories – there might be something not quite right about the calories we are counting.

What is going on?

Most of the time, when we go shopping, we check the food packages for their calorie content. From there, we calculate how much we need and how much we ought to be taking. It seems that experts have recently began to question the accuracy of these numbers.

In fact, there have been concerns that the numbers might be as much as 25% off. This is quite serious. If our calorie intake for the day is 2,000 calories, 25% is equal to 500 calories. That is almost one full breakfast off.

How did this happen?

Modern calorie counting is based on the experiments of Wilbur Olin Atwater, a well known scientist in human nutrition. He invented a machine known as the respiration calorimeter which aided studies in food analysis, dietary evolution, work energy consumption, and digestible foods.

Using this, he quantified the metabolic release of energy by foods and hence, could create a measure of the intake and output of food. It is from here that the concept of food calories first originated.

Today, many people have been arguing that this 100-year-old method is no longer accurate given modern knowledge. By burning the food and measuring the amount of heat generated, the caloric unit of food was taken. However, many believe that this is an over-simplification of the metabolic process and is no longer accurate.

Because we chew food and then put it through the digestive system, the human body is much more efficient in extracting energy from food compared to the primitive method of simply burning it. This issue is still not resolved, but the reality is that calories might be actually under-stated, giving the possibility of taking in more calories than intended.

One way to avoid this is to eat healthy foods, plan your diet in terms of good food groups and exercise regularly. In this way, you will not need to be too concerned about counting individual calories.

Why soft drinks help you to gain weight very quickly?

There is a hidden enemy for those of us trying to lose fats and lose weight. It is a hidden enemy because it is so innocent. It does not even look like fats. In fact, even if you read the label, it will not mention fats as one of its contents.

Have you guessed what it is?

Soft drinks. Carbonated soft drinks, to be more precise.

The average can of carbonated soft drink contains 150 calories. They have no minerals and no vitamins. Of course, so-called “sports drinks” contain similar amounts of calories, but have added minerals. If you consider that most teenagers drink several cans a day, you will not be surprised that soft drinks account for 13% of their daily calorie intake. Adults are slightly better off, 9%.

Worse, many of these soft drinks contain caffeine, which has addictive properties. Can you see where this is headed?

Most of us take more than the required number of calories per meal. A full grown adult requires approximately 2,000 calories a day, give or take several hundred depending on your current weight and lifestyle. Just by simply drinking a can of carbonated drink at meal time adds almost 10% to your calorie intake. It is no wonder that those who love carbonated soft drinks find it so hard to lose fats.

All the extra calories taken in, are converted by the body into fats, stored for future use. This was part of our body’s survival system, when food was scarce. Today, it has become the mechanism by which most of use become obese.

So, simply by cutting your intake of carbonated soft drinks, you can cut your calorie intake by as much as 9% or more. How is that for quick results?

What are the effects of trans fats in our body?

One of the most important fact that has surfaced in recent times, is actually not so new. In our quest to lose fats, many people have studied the various effects of fats on our body.

Out of this quest, the very negative effects of Trans Fats became a matter of public speculation. In fact, Trans Fat is not a new discovery. As early as 1958, Dr Ancel Keys reported that such hydrogenated fats could be responsible for increased rates of heart disease.

In fact, the hydrogenating process was invented as early back as the 1902, where the first patent to create solid fat at room temperature was filed by the German chemist Wilhelm Normann. Then, Procter and Gamble bought the patent rights in 1909 and started marketing the first hydrogenated shortening, Crisco. Before this time, most fat consumed were from butterfat, beef tallow and lard. These, while sounding very fattening, are natural fats.

More recently, Dr Mary Enig proved in 1978 that the increased cancer rates could be associated with fat intake, but not if the fat taken was natural, animal fat.

It has taken a while, but in 2006, the FDA finally issued a ruling that all food labels had to show the levels of trans fats in addition to other fat content. This is a big step, as before then, trans fat was dismissed as being “inert” and therefore, harmless – which is quite far from the truth.

So, trans fats increase the bad cholesterol levels (LDL), increases risk of heart diseases and has been associated with increased rates of cancer.

The next time you pick up that junk food package, do take a look at the labels.

Lose Fats by Body Sculpting

What is the purpose of your attempt to lose fats? Are you trying to become healthier, or to look better, or both?

Most people would think of dieting, starvation, pill popping and several other strange ideas when they think of trying to lose weight. But here is a solution that can help you to lose those fats and at the same time, help you look better and feel better – body sculpting.

Well, actually, it is a rather fancy word for something that is really simple. You see, one of the safest, most long-lasting way for you to lose fats and maintain your weight, is the perfect combination of exercise and a sensible diet plan.

Please note, a diet plan is not a dieting plan. A diet plan tells you what to eat and how much of it to eat. A diet plan aims to provide you with nutrients, not deprive you of it. A dieting plan usually tells you what not to eat.

So, how can you expect to lose weight and lose fats if you eat?

A properly planned program can be both fun and beneficial. To give an example, if you take up kick-boxing, get a good trainer and follow the planned exercise regime and eating program, you will find the following results:

• You will first shed some weight, then gain some back as you build your muscles
• You will then start to lose unnecessary fats and lose weight as your body starts to adjust
• You will feel more alert as you exercise and eat properly
• You will be more able to enjoy life to the fullest instead of huffing and puffing your way through it

Body sculpting is nothing more than a set of exercises designed to help shape your body. More than that, it usually incorporates a diet plan that will help you to lose the fats. Different people have different preferences. If you love to have fun, try body sculpting instead of dieting.

How to count Calories for losing fats

One of the most common methods used in dieting, and especially if you are serious about losing fats, is calorie counting.

Many people attempt to control their weight and even to reduce it by counting calories. The question here is, why do so many people fail?

Failure has many reasons. In most cases, it is simply a matter of a lack of discipline to stick to the program. This really brings us back to the mindset. What was the original motivation for starting on the diet plan? If the motivation is not strong enough, or the mind is not convinced; failure is almost guaranteed.

Another reason counting calorie fails is a little funny. It is called denial. When we want something, our minds play tricks on us. When this happens, we make ourselves believe that we are taking less calories than what we are really getting. For example: the meal is 500 calories. Let’s say your plan is for 600 calories per meal. So, you have achieved. Then you take a diet soda, zero calories. Then a health snack, which is “insignificant”. And a cup of tea. Can you see how you can get misled when you miss out on the small items? Sometimes, we think we are taking a 500 calorie meal when it is actually more.

Then of course, one of the greatest failure of the calorie counting system – lack of knowledge. Sometimes, you simply do not know how many calories the stuff you are eating actually contain.

So, you need to create a very simple system that you design for yourself and which you can follow. Some people like gadgets and get sophisticated calorie counting software. But the same effect can be achieved by simply carrying a pocket guide on calories and a small notebook. Once you make it a habit, it will become a normal part of your life, and counting calories will never be a chore again.

24. Recipe of the Month – Chicken-Alfalfa Sprout Sandwich

When we are too concerned about losing weight and losing those fats, we sometimes forget to eat healthy. One of the most healthy foods we can eat that does not contain a lot of fats is the Chicken-Alfalfa Sprout Sandwich.

Sprouts are considered the miracle food, as they contain a lot of enzymes and vitamins and minerals. These are best when eaten raw, hence, in this simple recipe, the sprouts are not cooked.

This is an easy and quick recipe. Wash it down with honey or milk. Let me know how you like it. I found this recipe at NurtureYourOwn.com

The recipe is really simple and you can easily add more items to suit your taste buds.

Chicken-Alfalfa Sprouts Sandwich

2 tbsp alfalfa sprouts
2 tbsp carrots, shredded
1/2 cup chicken, skinned, boned, cooked and diced
1 tomatoes, diced
1/2 green peppers, diced
1/2 lettuce, shredded
1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise

Counting Calories do not Work for losing fats

How many people have failed to lose fats by counting calories? In fact, you yourself, have you ever tried to lose weight, lose inches or lower your fat index by counting calories?

I am a firm believer that humans are creatures of habit. We are not automatons who can dispassionately count calories every single day and be happy about it. When we go for lunch with colleagues, or worse, with potential business clients, the last thing on your mind is the number of calories on the menu.

Some people call this a lapse. But the reality is that life, in all its various permutations, make it really tough for us to count calories. If you are late, rushing for work or simply too tired to cook up a calorie specific meal, you break your calorie counting. Once too often, and it becomes a habit. You lose weight, you gain weight.

So, what do you do if you are not able to faithfully count calories?

I suggest a really simple solution. Now, not everyone will agree with this. Some may say it is too simple, while others simply doubt.

To cut your calorie intake, simple cut as much sugar as you can from your diet. You will be surprised, most of us take a juice, or some soft drink at every meal. Simply cutting this off, and drinking plain water or sparkling water (unsweetened), can do wonders for your calorie intake. You may not realize it, but 3 cans of Coke is almost a meal of its own in calories.

Then, find a good fat blocker. OK, here is where many of you will protest. You want it all natural. No drugs. For me, I say that it is simple, and it works. Pop the pills 30 minutes before a meal, and the all natural, mushroom extract simply coats each fat molecule and prevents it from being absorbed. This can reduce your fat intake by as much as 60%.

For the purists, I apologise, but I just go for what has worked for me.

Lose Fats without Counting Calories

When you want to lose fats, most people will tell you to start counting your calorie intake. In fact, calorie counting is one of the most widespread dieting tool used by most dieters everywhere.

Frankly, anyone who as ever used this method will tell you, counting calories is really hard work. Humans are emotional, social creatures. We are not robots. When you go out for dinner, you choose who you want to go with based on whose company you believe you will enjoy, right? If you chose your dinner companion based on a list of criteria and do a full background check each time, it is really doubtful that you will enjoy your dinner.

Yet, we do this to our food. By the time we start counting the calories, we begin to wonder whether we are eating because it has the “right” calorie, or are we ordering the food because we like it. Humans avoid pain and gravitate towards pleasure. If counting calories make it painful, it is no wonder that counting calories fail.

Instead, can we build a series of “good habits”?

Strategy 1 – Cut out the Bad Stuff

Start by cutting sugar. Sugar is nothing but empty calories. It is pure calorie. Other than tasting good and containing a huge calorie count, sugar does not help in anyway. Sugar is found naturally in fruits and many other foods. We do NOT need to take any more sugar.

If you are the snacking type, then stock your fridge and cabinets with healthy snacks. Fruits, vegetable tid-bits would work. Cut out the power bars, soft drinks and so on.

Strategy 2 – Start one day at a time

When you want to start building good habits, you need to learn that it is not so hard. If you do your calorie control one day in the week first, and enjoy the rest of the week, over time, you can increase it. This will allow you to slowly but surely build a good diet habit that will never change and you will never have to count calories again.

What are Unsaturated Fats?

While there are several different kinds of fats, unsaturated fats are generally considered to be “good” fats. Of course, if you are aiming to lose fats, then whether it is unsaturated fats or not, you will want to lose them!

Unsaturated fats come in two different flavours. The two types are polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. The way to tell the difference between the two, is quite simple. Polyunsaturated fats remain in a liquid state at room temperature and when refrigerated. Monounsaturated fats will become solid when refrigerated.

Unsaturated fats contribute to the overall fats in the body, and they do increase the triglyceride levels in the body, but the good thing is, they do not increase the cholesterol levels. Triglyerides are “fat storing” molecules and in most cases, people will have normal levels, even when over-weight.

The fact is, unsaturated fats, both the polyunsaturated and the monounsaturated fats, are much healthier for the body when compared to the saturated fats. One recent discovery was that the fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6 found in unsaturated fats are actually beneficial to, and essential for the proper functioning of our bodies.

Unsaturated fats can be found in most vegetable oils, fish, fruits and nuts. Omega-3 fatty acids are found mainly in fish like trout, sardine, pilchard, kipper, herring and mackerel.

It has been found that unsaturated fats help in stabilizing the electrical conduction system of the heart. Hence, omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil are now acknowledged to be very important to good health. Recently, it has been shown through medical studies that the risk of dying from heart disease is actually lowered by these kinds of fats (omega-3 fatty acids).

In case you do not like to eat fish, there is still hope. Most reputable pharmacies will carry fish oil or more specifically, omega-3 supplements. These are usually in the form of capsules for easy ingestion.

But do remember, too much of anything is still not good. While fish and vegetable oils are healthier choices, they are still fats and taking too much will still cause you to grow fat. Sometimes, people choose to take fat inhibitors, special diet supplements that help to neutralize fats in the digestive system to prevent them from being absorbed. This is one effective way to reduce your fat intake without counting calories. Make sure you get reputable products, though.

How to tell Good Fats and Bad Fats

When you think of fats, it is hard to think that there are such things as good fats. However, this is true. It is very important that we all learn as much as we can about fats before we start thinking about losing fats or losing weight.

Our bodies need fats to function. Without fats, many vital organs like our heart, lungs, eyes and brain cannot function properly, just to name a few. The problem is not fats, the real problem in most cases is too much fats exist in the body.

So, over-indulgence aside, we also need to understand the difference between Good and Bad fats. How do you tell them apart?

Generally, good fats contain essential fatty acids, does not increase our “bad cholesterol” (LDL) levels by much and can be considered the healthy choice.

Bad fats on the other hand, are fats that increase our overall cholesterol levels by much and more importantly, increase the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels by a disproportionately larger amount.

When your body has a good balance of good and bad cholesterol, all is well. But an imbalance, especially an accumulation of bad cholesterol can lead to several health problems.

Following s a very simplified list of some good and bad fats.

Good Fats

Unsaturated fats are generally considered to be good fats. They are divided in to two kinds – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats: these types of fats lower the total cholesterol and the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels while increasing the good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Examples include: Nuts like peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, avocado, canola and olive oil. Monounsaturated fats have also been found to help controlling body fat, and hence, aid weight loss.

Polyunsaturated fats: these types of fats also lower total cholesterol and the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. The most common source of these types of fats are salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils. The much touted Omega 3 fatty acids belong to this group of good fats.

Bad Fats

Saturated fats are generally considered to be bad fats. There is a modern derivative known as Trans Fats which has become the talk of the town simply because it is so harmful to human health. Trans fats are created by a process known as hydrogenation and was originally intended to help fats last longer in packaged foods. Unfortunately, it is now know that trans fats is one of the main culprits for increasing the LDL levels. Worse, because of its twisted form, trans fats are hardly suitable for our bodies to assimilate and use. While saturated fats are bad, trans fats are much worse. Many commercially packaged foods and fried foods contain trans fats.

7 Facts of Fats

So often, we hear bad things about fats. Every one who wants to lose weight think about fats from the start. You would see fats as “the enemy”.

Excess fats need to be eliminated before you can lose weight. But to lose weight effectively, it is not just about getting rid of the fats. You need to understand what, in the first place, are fats doing in your body. You need to understand what types of fats are healthy, how much fats you need.

Here are 7 facts of fats that you need to know:

#1 – Plant based fats are generally healthier fats

There are many benefits that have been found to be associated with plant-based fats. It is believed that most of them have cancer-fighting abilities. Examples include extra-virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, and fats from plant sources such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and coconuts

#2 – Fats are a necessary part of your diet

You should not eliminate fat completely from your diet. There are important functions in your body that rely on fatty-acids and fat tissues. What you do need to do is to control the intake and control the type of fats you take.

#3 – Saturated fats are generally unhealthy fats

Saturated fats increase the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol. Saturated fats are mostly found in red meats and whole milk diary products.

#4 – Nuts are healthy

Yes, nuts have very high fat content. However, these are the “healthy” fats and should be taken. Again, excessive intake is never good, no matter what foods you take. Nuts also have Vitamin E, zinc and are a good source of fibre.

#5 – Fish Fat is essential to your well being

Many people are not aware that the much touted “omega-3” is nothing more than the fatty acids found in fish. This is one of the very few food that have many benefits.

#6 – Low Fat diets are not essential for you to lose weight

It is quite ironic. But low fat diets are usually over loaded with sugars and other refined carbohydrates. They may actually lead to higher calorie in-take and defeat the purpose of dieting in the first place. Fat is filling and help to control your food intake.

#7 – Trans-fat is not inert

Of all the fats, trans fat is likely the most horrendous of them all. It is actually normal fats deformed and twisted by a process known as hydrogenation. If you do not have enough healthy fat intake, your body will resort to using the trans fat that it finds. That could lead to some really bad problems like cancer and heart disease.

What are unhealthy fat?

Many people think that all fats are unhealthy. You might believe that to be healthy, you need to lose fats. That is really not completely true. Fats are a category of food that we need for the proper functioning of our bodies.

The truth is, there are good, healthy fats and there are unhealthy fats. Please do not misunderstand, too much fat is not good for you. It does not matter what kind, whether it is healthy or unhealthy fat that you are taking – too much is just not good.

So, what are unhealthy fats?

It is generally believed that saturated fats are unhealthy fats. This is true to some extend, but taken in moderation, there is no harm. Saturated fats are found in red meat, whole milk diary products and some tropical vegetable oils, for example, coconut oil.

Saturated fats are considered unhealthy because they raise the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol. When your LDL cholesterol is increase, your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) will also increase. It is also believed that saturated fats lower the levels of HDL, which are the “good” cholesterol.

Up until recently, trans fats or hydrogenated fats, have been considered harmless. We now know differently. Where do trans fats come from? When you heat liquid vegetable oils and there is hydrogen present, a process called hydrogenation takes place and trans fat is created.

Why is trans fat considered unhealthy fat? It has been found that trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol and this increases your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

You will most likely find trans fat in vegetable shortenings, some brands of margarines, and other processed foods that are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. For example, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods contain trans fat.

You must be wondering why manufacturers use hydrogenated oils when they know it is unhealthy. The truth is, by partially hydrogenating the vegetable oils, it makes them last longer on the shelf before spoiling. This increases shelf life of the product, but it certainly does not improve your health.

The above are the two main types of unhealthy fats. A sensible diet, a good exercise regime (like brisk walking) and an awareness of harmful foods will go a long way towards creating a healthier lifestyle for you.

What are healthy fats?

For many years, people thought that CUTTING FATS intake was the way to go if you want to reduce weight and become more healthy.

Here is an interesting fact: Obesity increased, almost doubled in the last 20 years, in the USA. Coincidentally, this is also the time when “low fat” diets were introduced. For those of you who remember, low-fat butter, low-fat potato chips, low-fat this and low-fat that.

Today, knowledge has increased and we now know that the type of fats you take is probably more important than blindly cutting down. Another fact that has surfaced over the years, fats are filling. They make you feel less hungry and therefore, less likely to stuff yourself beyond your calorie needs.

The reason that the low-fat revolution failed was simple. People replaced their fat intake with easily digested carbohydrates and “fat free” products that incorporated more sugars and carbohydrates.

Healthy fats are necessary for us. In the past, before all the processed foods, natural fats contained healthy fats, mostly. Today, it is hard to find true natural fats. Your best bet would be to go for unsaturated fats, these are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These types of fats can lower your LDL Cholesterol levels and help to reduce overall fat levels in your body.

In fact, there is one type of fat that has been found to be actually beneficial for your heart. This type of polyunsaturated fat, known as omega-3 fatty acids, have been found to be especially beneficial to your heart. Apparently, Omega-3s seems to be able to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. If you are wondering why we cannot eliminate fat from our diet and be done with, here are some areas where fats play an important role:

• Brain –60% of the brain is made up of fats and it is essential to brain functions. Pregnant women need more fats, since they are vital for fetal brain development.
• Heart – 60% of the heart’s energy is from fats. Specific fats like Omega-3 also help keep the heart beating in a regular rhythm.
• Nerves – Fats compose the material that insulates and protects the nerves, isolating electrical impulses and speeding their transmission.
• Lungs – the lining of the lungs requires a high concentration of saturated fats and this enables the lungs to work and keep them from collapsing.
• Digestion – Without Fats to slow down the digestion process the body might not have enough time to absorb nutrients. Also, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) can only be absorbed if fat is present.
• Organs – Fats form a cushion and protect your internal organs.

There are many more uses of fats. You can read more about Fats in other sites:
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/115936.php

Is losing weight the same as losing fats?

This might seem to be a really strange question. However, it is an important question. Many times, the common answer would be “yes”, losing weight is the same as losing fats.

But then, there are other questions that need to be answered. For example, are you trying to lose weight to look good or to lose weight to become healthier?

Losing weight is good if your BMI is greater than 30. This is usually a good indicator that the fat content in your body is too high.

One of the most effective ways to lose fats is to exercise. However, many people have wrong expectations:

• they expect to lose weight fast
• they expect to lose weight consistently in a downward trend

When you exercise, you start to burn fat. You also start to build muscle. Here is an interesting fact: muscles are heavier than fats.

How about this other interesting fact – when you want to lose weight fast, you exercise more intensely, you lose fat fast and you also build muscles faster. You might even gain weight.

So, in a sense, losing weight is not quite the same as losing fats. But muscles don’t build up forever, but as you build muscles, they in turn burn more fats. In fact, even when you are just sitting there doing nothing, the more muscles you have, the more fats you burn. So, in the long run, your weight loss will become permanent, your fitness improves and you look much better than ever.

This is the reason many diet plans do not work over long periods. Failure to build muscles, failure to create a new, more active lifestyle, all leads to the fats coming back again the moment you stop the diet and your calorie intake once again out-paces your burn rate.

Control your fat intake, get a new healthy lifestyle. Join a walking club or something.

Heart diseases and Fats

A very high percentage of deaths each year can be attributed to obesity. So, are heart diseases and fats linked?

There have been enough studies to really prove that the link between heart diseases and fats is very real and very significant. You see, the problem is that fats is something that is not just a problem for those who are visibly flabby.

Many people have gone on for years with no signs of any problems. Then suddenly, they are hit with a massive heart attack. If you are fat and you know it, you will start to be more cautious, eat healthier and exercise. But for those who do not really look fat, and they are not very over-weight, they might not be aware of any potential dangers.

Fats can accumulate around the walls of arteries. They also accumulate around our internal organs. As we learn more and more about fats, we begin to realize that it is more than just about dealing with visibly fat looking people. Fats accumulate around our internal organs and can cause irritation and disruption. It has been shown that excessive fats around the liver can cause the liver to fail in detoxification of the blood. Same too, the accumulation of fats around the heart causes the secretion of chemicals that irritate the blood vessels. This in turn affects the blood circulation and even affect the properties of blood platelets which might cause them to become more sticky, leading to a higher risk of blood clots.

Do not imagine for a moment that just because you are “just a little bit out of shape” that you are free from the dangers of excess fats. One sure way is to find out your BMI. Your Body Mass Index is a good indicator of whether you are in the healthy range. If you are in excess of 30, do something.