Is it possible to lose weight by just keeping a food diary? Sounds too good to be true, however according to a study done by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research, keeping a food diary can help you double your weight loss.

How you ask? By keeping a record of what you are eating, it helps you take responsibility and identify your food choices. You have a clear view of what, when and why you are eating. It allows you to learn about your eating habits and the amount of calories you are consuming.

According to the study, “Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories.” After six months of following a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat or non-fat dairy, moderately exercising and the encouragement of a support group, the average weight loss was approximately 13 pounds.

Now doesn’t that get you motivated to pick up a piece of paper and jot down what you ate? Remember not to omit any information and do it right after eating; don’t depend on your memory. Most importantly, stay POSITIVE!

You can find more information about this study in the following article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708080738.htm

Check out this link for ideas on how to keep a food journal:

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/food/general-nutrition/299.html

Treating the symptoms of obesity with blood pressure medications, cholesterol drugs, blood thinners and insulin will not be enough to protect many obese people from suffering a serious heart attack or stroke. The only way to treat the obesity epidemic according to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine is to prevent obesity and assist obese patients in achieving healthy weight loss once and for all.

The study which followed 6, 814 men and women ages 45- 84 showed an even greater prevalence of overweight and obese people than in similar studies conducted even 5 years earlier.

Dr. Gregory Burke author of the Wake Forest study notes that no more than a decade ago experts and physicians believed that treating the heart related risks of obesity such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and glucose intolerance would counterbalance the effects of obesity. This could not be further from the truth, treating symptoms rather than the root cause of cardiovascular disease may cause us to see an increase in the mortality rate due to heart disease after nearly 50 years of decline.

Ultimately, it is treating the cause of a patient’s heart disease, rather than the symptoms of an unhealthy heart that will help people prevent heart disease from occurring. Popping pills will not make everything OK, at risk individuals need to make healthy lifestyle changes including diet and regular exercise to achieve a healthy weight and prevent cardiovascular disease.Prevention is the key, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and healthy body weight will prevent most known risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

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Being named one of the World Health Organization ten most obese countries has got to bruise the national ego. What is more, of the 10 countries to gain this robust reputation only 2, Kuwait and the United States are non-Pacific Island nations. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention there has been a dramatic increase in the rate of obesity in the United States over the past 20 years. So much so that in 2006 only four states had an obesity prevalence of less than 20%. It seems that being obese is about as American as apple pie.

So, why are so many Americans obese? When we compare American statistics to Canadian statistics, Canadian obesity while also on the rise has not reached the epic proportions found in the United States. Canada is currently ranked 35th on WHO’s list. Pretty dismal considering most of Canada is covered in ice and snow for 6 months of the year! Is the cause genetic, social, environmental, socio-economic or cultural? WHO points to the shift in diet towards energy dense foods high in fat and sugars but low in micro nutrients, an overall decrease in physical activity due to sedentary forms of work, reliable transportation and urbanization as causes of obesity.

WHO estimates that there are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world, a number that is projected to increase by another 40% within 10 years. The population of the United States is 301,139,947 (estimated in July 2007) and 74.1% of American’s are overweight or obese. This means that approximately 223,144,701 people in America are facing very serious obesity related health consequences such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes and hypertension.

In general the classification of “overweight” and “obese” are based on individual Body Mass Index or BMI. Body Mass Index is the most widely used tool to determine healthy body weight. BMI measures your weight relative to your height and provides you with a numeric measurement. People are considered overweight if they have a BMI equal or greater than 25, while the term obese applies to people with a BMI of 30 or more.

Just in case you were curious here is a list of the 10 most obese countries and some links to other related articles.

There is nothing better than laughter to get you well on your way to weight loss. These wacky weight loss gimmicks are bound to have you rolling on the floor in stitches, have a peak.

The iGallop

Seriously, watch the commercial. At first I was unsure if this was a gag…I was astonished to discover that the iGallop is in fact a real weight loss “tool” invented by a man with a fetish for cowgirls no doubt!

Electronic Muscle Stimulation

EMS or Electronic Muscle Stimulation is purported to work by sending an electronic pulse through your muscle causing it to contract involuntarily. The ultimate lazy man’s workout, I am sad to say I have tried this one, but to no avail.

Dr. Lawton’s Guaranteed Fat Reducer

The ad states that you will see a fat reduction within 11 days or your money is refunded. HAH! Apparently the man in the picture (Dr. Lawton himself) reduced his weight from 211 pounds to 152 pounds. If this puppy actually works sign me up!

Fat Reducing Vibrating Message Belts

Common people, did you actually believe that standing around while your fat jiggles in public would help reduce your weight? And what’s with the hats? If you look closely, they are eating and drinking while they “work out”.

The Sauna Suit

Sweat yourself thin. This is the premise of the sauna suit. While it does reduce weight by DEHYDRATING you, the effects of the sauna suit are sure to be short lived. But hey, if silver jogging suits are your thing, this one is sure to draw some attention.

The Weight Loss Patch

Modern voodoo weight loss methods never cease to amaze me. The weight loss patch promises to unleash the triple threat of a simple appetite suppressant, provide a metabolic jolt… all the while using safe natural weight loss ingredients…

The Power Plate

Now this one is interesting. Apparently standing still on one of these supersonic vibrating machines can help promote circulation, improve muscle strength and flexibility, enhance your range of motion, improve your core strength and overall stability…. and cause possible brain damage if you vibrate too much.

Rebounding A.K.A Trampolining

Bounce your way to a better bod! Though this one is wacky, I think it might actually work. Studies have shown that jumping on a trampoline is not only great exercise it has great effects on mood. Just look how happy she is bouncing around!

The Personal Sauna

Operating under the same principle as the sauna suit, the personal sauna promises to help you shed unwanted weight again by sweating it off. Just set your temperature and timer then voila…a whole new you! Do you even think a 300-pound man can fit inside that contraption?

The Thighmaster

Ahhh…who could forget the thighmaster- Suzanne Somers 90’s sensation? Make sure you have a good grip on the sucker before you get going though, I have seen many an accident mostly involving small children who are enticed by this strange looking instrument.

Body Wrapping

You know what they say- there’s is a sucker born every minute. Did this poor lady actually believe that temporarily mummifying herself with tensor bandages would make her thin? I mean look at the poor woman!

Although it’s hard to admit, I happen to be one of those suckers, having tried some of these outlandish methods to “safely” lose weight.

What wacky weight loss gimmicks have you seen and tried?

Toronto, Ontario—March 27, 2008– There is yet another reason to lose a little from your middle. A new study conducted by the Journal of the American Academy of Neurology found that “Central obesity in midlife increased the risk of dementia” central obesity or visceral body fat is normally apparent in people with an apple shaped body, thick waist or pot belly. The study found that people with apple shaped bodies are three times more likely to suffer from dementia in later life.

The connection between obesity, dementia, heart disease and diabetes has long been understood. However, the most interesting information gained through this study was that visceral body fat (fat that resides in the mid-section and surrounds internal organs deep within the abdominal cavity) appears to be more dangerous to overall health.

OR

Lead author of the study Dr. Rachel Whitmer believes that “People need to know if they are apples or pears.” It is not yet understood for certain what it is that makes visceral fat so threatening. However, Dr. Whitmer speculates that since they know that fat is metabolically active, it is possible that it may release the same toxins that cause the plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease to build up inside the brain.

Anyone wishing to assess their health risks should understand which body type they have. Using a Waist to Hip Ratio calculator will give you an accurate understanding of your individual level of risk and help you to make healthy choices!

Struggling with obesity is a serious issue that affects not only your self-esteem but your overall health. We are all bombarded with information about fad yo-yo diets, fitness programs, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes all of which are equally terrifying when it comes to your personal health. After years of battling to shed unwanted pounds you begin to feel weight loss take its toll on your health and optimism.

Obesity is quickly becoming the number one cause of death for Canadians yet the Health Care system is not geared towards treatment of the disease, as doing so would likely bankrupt it. Instead Canada has chosen to focus on prevention, but how will this help those currently struggling with their weight?

There are a few options for Canadians who are looking to take charge of their obesity though surgical means. The most common surgical procedures are Gastric Bypass (Stomach Stapling) or Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lap Band). Gastric Bypass surgery is much more invasive than Laparoscopic Banding and is covered in Canada for patients who chronically suffer with obesity. Gastric bypass involves the physical removal of a large portion of your stomach, to bring it back to its natural size.

Laparoscopic Banding on the other hand is not nearly as invasive. It requires only a small incision in order to place an adjustable band at the bottom of your esophagus. Not only is the procedure less invasive it is also completely reversible unlike Bypass Surgery.

Recently a landmark study out of Australia found that patients who underwent Lap Band surgery were five times more likely to be cured of diabetes within two years of the surgery than patients undergoing standard treatment for diabetes. This is great news for obese diabetics, who could see their diabetes vanish by choosing to undergo Lap Band surgery.

Here are some resources to help make a choice that is right for your health:
• The Benefits of the Gastric Band
• TLBC the best Choice
• Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN) video clip on the Lap Band and Diabetes

The link between obesity and diabetes has long been established. People that are obese have a much higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes which actually has a mortality rate that is on par with HIV. But, are we genetically predisposed towards obesity? Can our body shape play a role in determining our overall health?

Everyone knows about the different shapes the human body can take. For example, there’s the apple, pear, triangle, and reverse triangle. The most dangerous for our health though is the apple shape. Excessive fat that is deposited around the abdominal area is a key indicator of increased health risks. While it’s important to know your BMI, (Body Mass Index), it’s becoming increasingly clear that measuring your Waist Circumference (WC) is crucial to determining your true fitness level. (For BMI’s 18.5 – 34.9, WC is seen as an additional indicator of risk. Interestingly, BMI’s that are 18.5 to 24.9 are considered to be a normal weight, which is why, if you don’t know your WC, you might be at risk for Type 2 Diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension.)

Obviously, the human body is a complex machine, and one part can not exist alone. Therefore, knowing your WC by itself won’t help you determine your abdominal obesity level. It’s important to take note of you Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR), which will give you a more accurate portrayal of what your Waist Circumference actually means.

When the Body Weight Classification System was first developed, it was done so through a study of predominately Caucasian populations in the USA and Europe. And, while finding out your BMI is important, it’s been discovered that various ethnic groups can carry differing levels of body fat at the same BMI level as a Caucasian. Carrying around excessive fat is extremely dangerous, so that’s why it’s critical to be below the WC Cut-Off point by getting an accurate Waist Circumference measurement for your ethnic background. (See chart)

While it is not a good idea for any ethnic group to be overweight, it appears that some ethnic groups have a greater propensity for obesity related diseases, and should therefore take extra precautions. People of Chinese or South Asian descent seem to be particularly at risk for abdominal obesity, and should be using a Waist Circumference measurement, figuring out their Waist to Hip ratio and determining their BMI to get a greater picture of their overall health.

In Canada, there has been a significant increase in the number of First Nations people developing and living with Type 2 diabetes. And, unlike Type 1 (sometimes called Juvenile diabetes); Type 2 diabetes is entirely preventable. It usually affects people that are obese and as more studies continue, it is believed that it will be shown that it has a direct correlation with those who carry extra abdominal fat. There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, and it can lead to lifelong problems for those diagnosed with it, including heart disease and stroke, skin and feet complications (from poor blood flow), nerve damage, kidney disease and death.

Ultimately, determining your waist circumference and your waist to hip ratio won’t just help you look good in your new pair of jeans. It can save your life.