Secret to reducing weight - cut TV viewing

The Dec 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reported that people who cut their TV time by half burned 119 more calories per day on an average.

This is definitely an interesting study. Reducing the time spent in front of the TV has the potential to improve a person's activity level, said Dr Jennifer Otten in the online edition of Stanford Medicine. She is the lead author of a study that determines how reduced TV viewing can affect calories consumed, energy used, body weight, time spent sleeping and the balance between calorie ingestion and activity in obese and overweight adults. This study was conducted at the University of Vermont.

Dr Otten also said that the more time one spent in front of the TV, the higher the chances they have to suffer from obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obviously one contributing factor is the sedentary lifestyle.

So, health tip for today - press the red button and go out for a walk.

Smoking create hormone imbalance

Sometimes, when you try to lose fats, you miss the most obvious things. Did you know that smoking creates an imbalance in women's hormone levels, which leads to changes in body shape?

There is a misconception that smokers are thinner than non-smokers. However, smoking actually affects the endocrinal system - the glands that secrete hormones - and changes your body shape, increasing the waist-to-hip ratio.

So, smokers can be pot-bellied with spindly legs. This is attributed to smoking upsetting the hormone levels. This, in turn, results in smokers storing fats in an abnormal way. So smokers tend to acquire an 'apple' shape.

When you stop smoking, your body can get back to normal and recover from the effects of smoking.You want to look young, you have to delay the process of aging. Smoking accelerates the process of aging.

Now you know, stay healthy. Stop smoking.

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!

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.

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.

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.