How to Gain Weight For Women With A Weight Gain Diet

Most skinny girls agree that one of the hardest aspects of gaining weight is consuming loads of food. Faced with the task of eating frequently throughout the day can be a real challenge especially for those who are pressed for time. You may be asking how can one spend less time and effort into preparing meals for the day?

Write Up A Weight Gain Plan

This can be achieved by writing up a weight gain plan. This plan should include how many meals to consume per day, what foods to consume, what foods to avoid and what supplements to take if you do decide to take them. By creating a detailed plan we eliminate doubt, confusion and procrastination that many experience when gaining weight without a plan. You will also feel a lot more motivated and have a greater sense of responsibility with a plan.

Choosing The Right Foods

Choosing the right foods for gaining weight is also crucial. Let’s face it, you won’t have an easy time bulking up on soup and salad alone. This is why you must carefully choose the right foods for gaining weight. These foods have to be healthy and high in calories, protein, carbohydrates and moderate in healthy fats. This will help you greatly in gaining weight.

Foods you should be consuming include brown rice, wholegrain bread, wholegrain pasta, rolled oats, chicken, turkey, beef, salmon, full cream milk, cheese, whole eggs, cottage cheese, dried fruits, raisins, nuts, bananas, mangoes, corn, lentils, beans and avocados. These foods are examples of healthy, high calorie foods that you should be consuming on a regular basis. More information on healthy, high calorie foods can be found by doing a Google Search.

Choosing The Right Supplements

For those who are taking supplements one has to understand that supplements are there to aid your weight gain. They are not there to replace food simply because food is superior in quality and nutrient absorption. However in spite of what I mentioned, if you’re eating according to a weight gain eating plan and are not skipping meals it is then okay to take supplements to give that extra boost of nutrients to your muscles.

Supplements that have been tried and tested by many weightlifters and athletes that have been proven to be beneficial to the development to their physiques include whey protein and creatine monohydrate. These are the only supplements you should consider for gaining weight and lean muscle.

By following these above tips you’ll be well on your way to a sexier and curvier physique in a few short months.

How to Gain Weight For Women With A Weight Gain Diet

College Students! Learn How to Build Six Pack Abs

Most college students who use the gym desire to build the coveted six pack abs. There is no doubt about it. However obtaining this elusive goal not only takes dedication and hard work but also demonstrates your ability to clearly know what you’re doing in the gym. Learning how to build six pack abs is a worthwhile goal for many but it’s definitely not the easiest thing to do. This clear concise step-by-step guide will show you how to obtain chiseled six pack abs you can showoff.

Write Up A Plan

The first thing you must do is to write up a plan detailing how you will achieve your six pack abs. A plan is crucial in that it helps to motivate you in times of hardships. A well thought out plan has the power to destroy self-doubt, procrastination and complacency.

Within your plan you must include specific exercises for working out your abs, this not only include resistance exercises but also cardiovascular exercises, you should also include which foods to consume, how many meals you’ll have for the day and how much rest your getting. By targeting these goals you’ll be a lot more focused and determined to build six pack abs. So get going and write up a plan!

Focus On Your Diet

As the saying goes “Abs are built in the kitchen” hence the importance of diet in building six pack abs. A clean diet is crucial for building abs and regardless of how many crunches or sit-up variations you perform, if you’ve got a layer of fat covering your abs, your muscles are not going to be seen. Try and focus on consuming high protein and low carbohydrate foods to keep your appetite under control. It’s crucial that you are on a calorie deficit because regardless of what types of food you’re consuming you’ll never burn off that stubborn belly fat if you are consuming more calories than you burn off that day.

Perform A Variety Of Exercises

On your quest to build six pack abs, you need to change your exercises on a regular basis to prevent your muscles from adapting to the stimulus. While it’s okay to have your favourite exercises you’d like to stick with, try and alternate between at least a few from month to month. By doing this you will not only strengthen your abs you will also stimulate muscular hypertrophy to your abs.

Use HIIT Over Traditional Cardio

When it comes to building six pack abs in the quickest possible time you must choose the right cardiovascular exercises. Many swear to use High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) over traditional for fast and effective fat loss. Why? you may ask. Well HIIT elevates your metabolism for an entire 24 hour period after exercise. That means that you’ll be burning fat for a whole day after you exercise. Sounds good doesn’t it? HIIT works by alternating between high intensity exercises and moderate intensity exercises. An example of an HIIT workout is shown below:

1st set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
2nd set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
3rd set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
4th set – 2 minute walk, 30 second sprint
5th set – 2 minute walk, 60 second sprint
6th set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
7th set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
8th set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
9th set – 2 minute walk, 30 second sprint
10th set – 2 minute walk, 60 second sprint

Yes, this exercise is going to be much more intense than simply plodding along on a treadmill while watching TV, but trust me, you will get results much quicker than traditional cardio.

So next time you’re admiring your body in the mirror and still wishing for a sexy set of six pack abs, take these four tips into consideration and you’ll discover the best way to build six pack abs.

College Students! Learn How to Build Six Pack Abs

College Students! Learn How to Build Six Pack Abs

Most college students who use the gym desire to build the coveted six pack abs. There is no doubt about it. However obtaining this elusive goal not only takes dedication and hard work but also demonstrates your ability to clearly know what you’re doing in the gym. Learning how to build six pack abs is a worthwhile goal for many but it’s definitely not the easiest thing to do. This clear concise step-by-step guide will show you how to obtain chiseled six pack abs you can showoff.

Write Up A Plan

The first thing you must do is to write up a plan detailing how you will achieve your six pack abs. A plan is crucial in that it helps to motivate you in times of hardships. A well thought out plan has the power to destroy self-doubt, procrastination and complacency.

Within your plan you must include specific exercises for working out your abs, this not only include resistance exercises but also cardiovascular exercises, you should also include which foods to consume, how many meals you’ll have for the day and how much rest your getting. By targeting these goals you’ll be a lot more focused and determined to build six pack abs. So get going and write up a plan!

Focus On Your Diet

As the saying goes “Abs are built in the kitchen” hence the importance of diet in building six pack abs. A clean diet is crucial for building abs and regardless of how many crunches or sit-up variations you perform, if you’ve got a layer of fat covering your abs, your muscles are not going to be seen. Try and focus on consuming high protein and low carbohydrate foods to keep your appetite under control. It’s crucial that you are on a calorie deficit because regardless of what types of food you’re consuming you’ll never burn off that stubborn belly fat if you are consuming more calories than you burn off that day.

Perform A Variety Of Exercises

On your quest to build six pack abs, you need to change your exercises on a regular basis to prevent your muscles from adapting to the stimulus. While it’s okay to have your favourite exercises you’d like to stick with, try and alternate between at least a few from month to month. By doing this you will not only strengthen your abs you will also stimulate muscular hypertrophy to your abs.

Use HIIT Over Traditional Cardio

When it comes to building six pack abs in the quickest possible time you must choose the right cardiovascular exercises. Many swear to use High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) over traditional for fast and effective fat loss. Why? you may ask. Well HIIT elevates your metabolism for an entire 24 hour period after exercise. That means that you’ll be burning fat for a whole day after you exercise. Sounds good doesn’t it? HIIT works by alternating between high intensity exercises and moderate intensity exercises. An example of an HIIT workout is shown below:

1st set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
2nd set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
3rd set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
4th set – 2 minute walk, 30 second sprint
5th set – 2 minute walk, 60 second sprint
6th set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
7th set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
8th set – 60 second walk, 30 second sprint
9th set – 2 minute walk, 30 second sprint
10th set – 2 minute walk, 60 second sprint

Yes, this exercise is going to be much more intense than simply plodding along on a treadmill while watching TV, but trust me, you will get results much quicker than traditional cardio.

So next time you’re admiring your body in the mirror and still wishing for a sexy set of six pack abs, take these four tips into consideration and you’ll discover the best way to build six pack abs.

College Students! Learn How to Build Six Pack Abs

College Students! Learn How to Lose Weight This Summer With These 5 Killer Tips

As many head down to the beach this summer many are conscious about how they look. The reality is most people are uncomfortable about the way they look. This however doesn’t have to be the case for you. If you’re serious about losing weight and are willing to put in the hard work then stop what you’re doing right now as I’ll reveal to you the step-by-step guide to losing weight this Summer for college students.

Write Up A Weight Loss Plan

The first thing you must do before embarking on your weight loss journey is to write up a weight loss plan. A weight loss plan is crucial to your success in losing weight in that it is the key motivator that will help you when times get tough. As with all other aspects of our lives planning is crucial for the successful execution of actions. As the saying goes “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” and this is most evident in losing weight.

Things you should put into your weight loss plan include how much weight you would like to lose, the time frame to lose all that weight, which exercises you’ll utilize, which days you’ll exercise, deciding whether to work out at home or at the gym, which foods to eat and which foods to avoid. By having all these things figured out you’ll have a much higher rate of success in losing weight.

Eat Frequent Meals Throughout The Day

People who often go on diets tend to restrict how many meals they should be eating believing that the fewer the meals, the more beneficial it is for weight loss. What they don’t understand is that the body requires a minimum amount of calories to function properly. These calories are needed for your Basal Metabolic Rate or how many calories are sufficient for proper functioning of vital organs. Consuming fewer calories than your BMR will result in your body wasting away muscle tissue to be used as fuel for the body, this is not what we’re looking for. What we’re trying to do is to burn the fat not to starve the fat.

Now you might be asking “How many calories do I really need to lose weight?” While the recommended dietary intake of calories to maintain body weight is 2000 calories per day, this cannot be attributed to every individual on earth as everybody has different metabolic rates. Those who have more muscle mass need more calories while those who have less muscle mass needs fewer calories. The only way to determine how many calories you should be consuming to lose weight is to use a weight loss calculator which can be easily found using a Google Search.

Now when it comes to how many meals you should be consuming daily, you should be aiming at around 4 to 6 smaller meals or if that’s too much preparation, 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks in between shall suffice. Foods you should be consuming include wholegrain bread, brown rice, wholegrain pasta, lean meats such as chicken breast, turkey, salmon, beef, whole eggs, milk, cheese as well as fruits and vegetables.

Incorporate Resistance Training Into Your Workouts

When it comes to working out one needs to have a balanced exercise routine based on resistance training and cardiovascular training to accelerate your weight loss. Resistance training is crucial to build muscle resulting in an elevated metabolism meaning that it will make it easier to lose fat. The most effective exercises for building muscle involve multiple muscle groups moving in unison. This will elicit a greater release of muscle building hormones than if you only focused on one muscle group at a time.

The best muscle building exercises include push ups, pull ups, chin ups, dips, squats and if you have access to weights; deadlifts, bench press and barbell squats. Now for those who are afraid of bulking up don’t be to worried as you need to consume loads of food to build the type of body bodybuilders possess. In fact you’ll look smaller and leaner because muscle is more dense than fat which takes up less room. By utilizing these exercises I’ve mentioned above you’ll be on your way to a leaner and healthier you in only a few short months.

Choose HIIT Over Regular Cardio

For those looking for the most effective cardiovascular exercise to burn fat, I recommend you use HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) over regular cardiovascular exercise such as jogging. HIIT works by alternating between low and high intensity exercises such as walking and sprinting for a number of cycles. This results in a greater number of calories lost throughout the day than regular cardio.

Go to Bed Early

Going to bed early is often overlooked in weight loss as many people don’t know the value of sleeping in losing weight. If we were to determine how much sleep we should be getting for the entire week we would calculate it as:

8 hours per night x 7 days in a week = 56 hours of sleep for the entire week.

Many people don’t have enough time to get this much sleep. However if you’re serious about losing weight you’ll have to eliminate wasteful activities to get this amount of sleep. Many people don’t realize how much time they spend doing wasteful activities such as watching TV at night, reading and using the computer. Many people come back from university in the late afternoon feeling exhausted and the first thing they usually do is to switch on the TV.

For those who have a habit of watching News then I would suggest that you limit the time you watch it. News is often negative so the less of it you watch the more positive your life becomes. For those who spend endless hours online using Social Networks such as Facebook, it may be tempting to spend a few minutes on it but in the end you often lose track of how much time you’ve spent on it. Over the coming weeks gradually reduce the time you spend online and eventually you’ll have a healthier lifestyle.

These are some of the tips you have to take in mind if you’re willing to transform your body this Summer to a leaner and sexier body. Take action today and lose weight this Summer!

College Students! Learn How to Lose Weight This Summer With These 5 Killer Tips

College Students! Foods That Help You Lose Weight

There are many who try to lose weight by minimizing their food intake only to see their weight loss stall. This is as a result of eating too little which then forces your body’s metabolism to slow down. You can overcome this problem by consuming smaller meals frequently throughout the day instead of the three meal a day approach. If you still want to eat and lose weight here are a selection of foods that I suggest you to eat.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Tip 1 – High Fiber Cereals

I think you already know that foods high in fiber cleanse the body’s gastrointestinal tract. Because of that, they are also good in helping you to lose weight. So go on, take your high fiber cereal for your breakfast every day. You can add some fruits to your cereal to make it tastier. Avoid other cereals that contain loads of sugar such as children’s cereals.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Tip 2 – Fruit and Vegetable Salads

It’s also good for you to eat fruit and vegetable salads to help you lose weight. You can make a fruit salad with peaches, strawberries, grapes, bananas, lychees and pineapple for example. With a vegetable salad you can use tomatoes, cucumbers, spring onions, cabbage, lettuce, etc. If you think the salad is too light for your diet, then you can make a sandwich as well. Just add the salad as a filling to your sandwich to fill up your hunger.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Tip 3 – Oranges

It’s up to you if you want to munch on an orange or make an orange juice for yourself. Oranges are great for you since they contain loads of vitamin c and is also low in calories. So when you’re having a snack or lunch, you can order an orange juice to help you lose weight.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Tip 4 – Grapes

Another fruit to help you lose weight are grapes. Maybe while sitting down and waiting for someone, you can eat some grapes. While filling up the boredom, it aids in your weight loss as well. Just don’t eat too much since grapes are high in sugar. Grapes however are low calories.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Tip 5 – Potatoes

Are kidding me? No I’m not. Yeah potatoes are not good food for losing weight if they are fried because they are high in trans-fats, the type of fat you should be avoiding at all costs. The secret is to change the way you cook them. Try boiling them without adding any high calorie ingredients. I’m sure you’ve heard of mashed potatoes. These are good for you in small amounts. Potatoes are actually low GI foods meaning that you’ll have a steady release of energy throughout the day. You can add other tasty ingredients to make it more delicious so long as those ingredients are low in saturated fat.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Tip 6 – Sprouted Pulses

Sprouted pulses (especially if eaten raw) are good for losing weight. Pulses when sprouted provide vitamins, minerals and fiber that can surely help you with your dream to shed those pounds. Are you getting hungry from reading these tips mentioned? Great, you can eat these types of foods to help you lose weight. Just wait and see how sexy and hot you will be if you continue to consume these foods in your diet.

College Students! Foods That Help You Lose Weight

5 Quick Ways to Lose Weight In College

Tiresome classes, lengthy exams, hanging out with friends…These are just some of the activities that fill up your days at college, giving you hardly anytime to focus on fitness without you knowing it’s very easy to lose track of what you’re consuming resulting in the pounds creeping up on you if you’re not careful. However, this can be overcome by following these 5 quick ways to lose weight in college.

Quick Ways to Lose Weight Tip 1 – Join A Sports Club

I’m not sure if you like sports but if you like to quickly lose weight you should better join a physical activity that you’re interested in. It doesn’t have to be based on spectator sports such as basketball, swimming, baseball, soccer etc, it can be based on anything that gets your heart pumping such as jump rope (skipping), dancing, gardening, farm work, weight lifting, calisthenics etc. By doing a physical activity that you enjoy you would have a much higher chance of sticking with it resulting in weight loss.

Quick Ways to Lose Weight Tip 2 – Check Your Diet

Physical activity should form an integral part of your fitness regimen however if you end up consuming empty calorie foods then all your efforts would’ve been wasted. Opt for nutrient dense low-calorie foods to fuel your body after workouts. If you head down to the canteen, try and avoid ordering sugary, fatty. You have to discipline yourself from eating more than what you need. Just learn to avoid temptations and eat healthy, nutrient dense foods that will help you lose weight.

Quick Ways to Lose Weight Tip 3 – Avoid Eating While You’re Studying

It might have been your routine already to be munching on food while you’re busy studying however you’ll never realize how much you’ve eaten during those late night study sessions. My suggestion is to keep the snacks away from when you’re busy studying and writing up assignments easily you’ll also have more money in your wallet from spending less money on snacks.

Quick Ways to Lose Weight Tip 4 – Watch Out For Snacks

When break time arrives, I know what you’re thinking – to buy those sweet and savory snacks at the corner shop. This is a habitat of many people and it’s not bad at all so long as you’re paying attention to what you’re eating. Try to reduce your consumption of unhealthy snacks such as candy, chips, soda and other nutrient-less snacks.

Quick Ways to Lose Weight Tip 5 – Reduce Your Consumption Of Alcohol

You may love drinking beer while hanging out with your friends at house parties. This maybe fun however take note of what you’re drinking as it too has empty calories not to mention can wreck-havoc on your body if you’re addicted to drinking. Try to minimize or even stop your consumption of alcohol if you can. Your body will love you for it.

Learning how to lose weight in college needs discipline and a comprehensive step-by-step weight loss plan. Try your best to avoid temptation and seek motivation from friends and family. Remember what foods you’re consuming and get in a little bit of exercise everyday to get the ball rolling to working out on a consistent basis.

5 Quick Ways to Lose Weight In College

How to Calculate How Much House You Can Afford

Categories: Mortgages and Loans

Recent edits by: Peter, Veronica Belle, DucksFan

In other languages
Español: Como calcular el precio de la casa que puedes comprar

How to Calculate How Much House You Can Afford

How to Treat Bruised Ribs

Categories: Injury and Accidents

Recent edits by: K53_PDX, Steve, Oliver

In other languages
Español: Como tratar las costillas magulladas, Português: Como Tratar Costelas Machucadas, Deutsch: Wie man geprellte Rippen behandelt

How to Treat Bruised Ribs

how to loss weight after the holiday

Some tips to help you lose weight quickly, safely and efficiently

1. eating positively fruits

The type of cake or food high in protein, calories, there are a lot of holiday time. Instead of eating these foods, you look for something with a mostly fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts … contains very little sugar or fat.

2. Climbing stairs

One of the ways to lose weight and help your body balance is the most efficient climbing stairs instead of using elevators. If you work in the floor, about eight stories or more, just use the elevator halfway and walk half the remaining distance.

3. walking

Every day spend about 45 minutes walking speed of 4.8 km / h, you can consume calories quickly, so after a meal is about 2 – 3 hours, go in the back straight posture, strideQuick, decisive hand hit. This is a very effective exercise for the waist and thighs.

4. Using support weight loss products

If after the new year, you only see the body to gain weight easily but difficult to lose weight, the most effective advice for you is to use functional foods to support weight loss, a new trend that helps you lose weight after the New Year is very goodresults without much effort.

how to loss weight after the holiday

Susan1989 says:

By Elizabeth Renter, Natural Society

29 July 12

 

enetically modified foods have been shown to cause harm to humans, animals, and the environmental, and despite growing opposition, more and more foods continue to be genetically altered. It’s important to note that steering clear from these foods completely may be difficult, and you should merely try finding other sources than your big chain grocer. If produce is certified USDA-organic, it’s non-GMO (or supposed to be!) Also, seek out local farmers and booths at farmer’s markets where you can be ensured the crops aren’t GMO. Even better, if you are so inclined: Start organic gardening and grow them yourself. Until then, here are the top 10 worst GMO foods for your “do not eat” GMO foods list.

Top 10 Worst GMO Foods for Your GMO Foods List

1. Corn: This is a no-brainer. If you’ve watched any food documentary, you know corn is highly modified. “As many as half of all U.S. farms growing corn for Monsanto are using genetically modified corn,” and much of it is intended for human consumption. Monsanto’s GMO corn has been tied to numerous health issues, including weight gain and organ disruption.

2. Soy: Found in tofu, vegetarian products, soybean oil, soy flour, and numerous other products, soy is also modified to resist herbicides. As of now, biotech giant Monsanto still has a tight grasp on the soybean market, with approximately 90 percent of soy being genetically engineered to resist Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. In one single year, 2006, 96.7 million pounds of glyphosate was sprayed on soybeans alone

3. Sugar: According to NaturalNews, genetically-modified sugar beets were introduced to the U.S. market in 2009. Like others, they’ve been modified by Monsanto to resist herbicides. Monsanto has even had USDA and court-related issues with the planting of it’s sugarbeets, being ordered to remove seeds from the soil due to illegal approval.

4. Aspartame: Aspartame is a toxic additive used in numerous food products, and should be avoided for numerous reasons, including the fact that it is created with genetically modified bacteria.

5. Papayas: This one may come as a surprise to all of you tropical-fruit lovers. GMO papayas have been grown in Hawaii for consumption since 1999. Though they can’t be sold to countries in the European Union, they are welcome with open arms in the U.S. and Canada.

6. Canola: One of the most chemically altered foods in the U.S. diet, canola oil is obtained from rapeseed through a series of chemical actions.

7. Cotton: Found in cotton oil, cotton originating in India and China in particular has serious risks.

8. Dairy: Your dairy products contain growth hormones, with as many as one-fifth of all dairy cows in America are pumped with these hormones. In fact, Monasnto’s health-hazardous rBGH has been banned in 27 countries, but is still in most US cows. If you must drink milk, buy organic.

9. and 10. Zucchini and Yellow Squash: Closely related, these two squash varieties are modified to resist viruses.

The dangers of some of these foods are well-known. The Bt toxin being used in GMO corn, for example, was recently detected in the blood of pregnant women and their babies. But perhaps more frightening are the risks that are still unknown.

With little regulation and safety tests performed by the companies doing the genetic modifications themselves, we have no way of knowing for certain what risks these lab-created foods pose to us outside of what we already know.

The best advice: steer clear of them altogether.

Susan1989 says:

Bob P says:

By Elizabeth Renter, Natural Society

29 July 12

 

enetically modified foods have been shown to cause harm to humans, animals, and the environmental, and despite growing opposition, more and more foods continue to be genetically altered. It’s important to note that steering clear from these foods completely may be difficult, and you should merely try finding other sources than your big chain grocer. If produce is certified USDA-organic, it’s non-GMO (or supposed to be!) Also, seek out local farmers and booths at farmer’s markets where you can be ensured the crops aren’t GMO. Even better, if you are so inclined: Start organic gardening and grow them yourself. Until then, here are the top 10 worst GMO foods for your “do not eat” GMO foods list.

Top 10 Worst GMO Foods for Your GMO Foods List

1. Corn: This is a no-brainer. If you’ve watched any food documentary, you know corn is highly modified. “As many as half of all U.S. farms growing corn for Monsanto are using genetically modified corn,” and much of it is intended for human consumption. Monsanto’s GMO corn has been tied to numerous health issues, including weight gain and organ disruption.

2. Soy: Found in tofu, vegetarian products, soybean oil, soy flour, and numerous other products, soy is also modified to resist herbicides. As of now, biotech giant Monsanto still has a tight grasp on the soybean market, with approximately 90 percent of soy being genetically engineered to resist Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. In one single year, 2006, 96.7 million pounds of glyphosate was sprayed on soybeans alone

3. Sugar: According to NaturalNews, genetically-modified sugar beets were introduced to the U.S. market in 2009. Like others, they’ve been modified by Monsanto to resist herbicides. Monsanto has even had USDA and court-related issues with the planting of it’s sugarbeets, being ordered to remove seeds from the soil due to illegal approval.

4. Aspartame: Aspartame is a toxic additive used in numerous food products, and should be avoided for numerous reasons, including the fact that it is created with genetically modified bacteria.

5. Papayas: This one may come as a surprise to all of you tropical-fruit lovers. GMO papayas have been grown in Hawaii for consumption since 1999. Though they can’t be sold to countries in the European Union, they are welcome with open arms in the U.S. and Canada.

6. Canola: One of the most chemically altered foods in the U.S. diet, canola oil is obtained from rapeseed through a series of chemical actions.

7. Cotton: Found in cotton oil, cotton originating in India and China in particular has serious risks.

8. Dairy: Your dairy products contain growth hormones, with as many as one-fifth of all dairy cows in America are pumped with these hormones. In fact, Monasnto’s health-hazardous rBGH has been banned in 27 countries, but is still in most US cows. If you must drink milk, buy organic.

9. and 10. Zucchini and Yellow Squash: Closely related, these two squash varieties are modified to resist viruses.

The dangers of some of these foods are well-known. The Bt toxin being used in GMO corn, for example, was recently detected in the blood of pregnant women and their babies. But perhaps more frightening are the risks that are still unknown.

With little regulation and safety tests performed by the companies doing the genetic modifications themselves, we have no way of knowing for certain what risks these lab-created foods pose to us outside of what we already know.

The best advice: steer clear of them altogether.

Bob P says:

Weight Loss Medications

Not yet a member?

Stay up to date with
the latest health news

Are you a Health Professional?

Read more detailed and referenced information written by Australian health professionals, make sure you select health professional in the signup form!

Weight Loss Medications

Virtual Weight Loss Centre: Welcome

Not yet a member?

Stay up to date with
the latest health news

Are you a Health Professional?

Read more detailed and referenced information written by Australian health professionals, make sure you select health professional in the signup form!

Virtual Weight Loss Centre: Welcome

Comfort Eating

Comfort Eating

• Introduction to comfort eating
• Eating styles
• Types of comfort foods
• Brain food 
• Psychological issues
• Choosing healthy comfort foods

Comfort eating is a way in which people deal with stress, anxiety, boredom, loneliness or unhappiness. Comfort foods are foods that evoke a psychologically comfortable and pleasurable state when they are eaten.

neurotransmitters (dopamine, opioids and benzodiazepine). Dopamine affects how much you want to eat, whereas the opioids and benzodiazepine affect how much you like what you are eating. The opioid neurotransmitter system is also involved in how you respond to stress and agitation. This is especially apparent in babies: giving sweet and fatty foods (including milk) to infants will sooth their crying and other distress signs.

The soothing affect of sweet foods depends on the taste rather than the sugar content. Artificially sweetened foods will work just as well as high sugar foods. As you get older, your mood becomes less affected by sweet foods, although many people still prefer chocolate and other sugary comfort foods. However, the more you eat sugary and fatty foods for comfort, the less they comfort you. Repeatedly eating lots of these foods downregulates the neurotransmitter pathways (i.e. more effort is needed to achieve the same effect). For this reason, obese people get less enjoyment out of the same amount of comfort food as non-obese people. 

hormone cortisol than non-emotional eaters. These types of foods caused them to feel less healthy and more guilty.

Adolescence

Puberty, changing body shape, new sexual feelings and risk-taking urges can all affect an adolescent’s eating patterns. Exercise can decrease appetite and lighten mood; in general, girls in high school start doing less exercise, while boys start doing more. Social pressures, media images and competitive product marketing may distort an adolescent’s ideas of body image, particularly about beauty and weight. Social pressures and the portrayal of unrealistically thin bodies as ‘beautiful’ may give adolescents a skewed perspective on body image, particularly in regards to physical attractiveness and weight. Adolescents are at a greater risk of developing disordered patterns of eating and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating.

Comfort eating involves similar eating patterns to binge eating. Both are disordered patterns of eating that involve consumption of food when the individual is not hungry. As less serious forms of disordered eating are associated with the future development of serious eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (and these disorders are most common amongst adolescents), binge and comfort eating in adolescence may also be related to the social pressures adolescents face to attain unrealistic thinness.

Obesity

The way that you eat affects your body weight. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) is associated with restrictive/overeating, comfort eating, snacking, eating in the evening, and with an inability to maintain a healthy eating pattern. Obese women comfort eat more often than non-obese women. Obese people may comfort eat because they are feeling depressed, anxious or guilty, or have low self-esteem. These feelings are often caused by social stigmatisation, dissatisfaction with their bodies, and physical discomfort due to their obesity. Physical discomfort may discourage them from exercising. This combination of increased energy intake (from comfort foods) and reduced energy output (from lack of exercise) causes them to gain more weight. Some medications used to treat their psychological condition (eg psychotropic drugs) also tend to cause weight gain.

diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Making a conscious informed choice on the type of comfort food you eat will help you avoid future problems. Studies have shown that:

• People are either not aware of or do not use the nutritional content of foods when deciding how healthy they are;
• Beliefs about the healthiness of a food are not related to how often it is eaten; and
• Taste is more often important than healthiness value when choosing foods.

Considering the health benefits of a nutritious diet and the health risks of an unhealthy diet, the lack of attention most people pay to the nutritional content of food is disturbing. In relation to comfort eating, many people could benefit from making healthier comfort eating choices, with less emphasis on the taste of the food and more emphasis on its nutritional content.

Research suggests that the reward gained from comfort foods seems to be based on taste rather than nutritional content, and that individuals can obtain the same ‘comfort’ by eating a healthy nutritious snack as they do eating an unhealthy snack. If you are unable to stop comfort eating altogether, choosing healthy foods for your comfort snacks is a good option. For example, why not:

• Have a piece of fruit instead of a lolly;
• Make a healthy smoothie using a banana or strawberries and low fat milk;
• Eat small portions of nuts or dried fruit for a snack; or
• Munch on carrot or celery sticks when not hungry but in need of a snack. These foods give you a lift without filling you up.

In the long run, choosing nutritious comfort foods will be healthier and make you feel better.

More information

 
For more information on nutrition, including information on types and composition of food, nutrition and people, conditions related to nutrition, and diets and recipes, as well as some useful videos and tools, see Nutrition. 

For more information on obesity, health and social issues, and methods of weight loss, as well as some useful tools, see

Obesity and Weight Loss.

Reference

1. Gibson EL. Emotional influences on food choice: Sensory, physiological and psychological pathways. Physiol Behav. 2006;89(1):53-61. [Abstract]
2. Wansink B, Cheney MM, Chan N. Exploring comfort food preferences across age and gender. Physiol Behav. 2003;79(4-5):739-47. [Abstract] 
3. Bernstein IL. Development of taste preferences. In: Bolles RC (ed). The Hedonics of Taste. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1991: p 143-57. [Book]
4. Barthel D. Modernism and marketing: The chocolate box revisited. Theory Cult Soc. 1989;6(3):429-38. [Abstract]
5. Tuomisto T, Tuomisto MT, Hetherington M, Lappalainen R. Reasons for initiation and cessation of eating in obese men and women and the affective consequence of eating in everyday situations. Appetite. 1998;30(2):211-22. [Abstract]
6. Elfhag K, Tynelius P, Rasmussen F. Sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened soft drinks in association to restrained, external and emotional eating. Physiol Behav. 2007;91(2-3):191-5. [Abstract]
7. Vereecken CA, Inchley J, Subramanian SV, et al. The relative influence of individual and contextual socio-economic status on consumption of fruit and soft drinks among adolescents in Europe. Eur J Public Health. 2005;15(3):224-32. [Abstract | Full text]
8. Kvaavik E, Andersen LF, Klepp KI. The stability of soft drinks intake from adolescence to adult age and the association between long-term consumption of soft drinks and lifestyle factors and body weight. Public Health Nutr. 2005;8(2):149-57. [Abstract | Full text]
9. Keski-Rahkonen A, Bulik CM, Pietiläinen KH, et al. Eating styles, overweight and obesity in young adult twins. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61(7):822-9. [Abstract | Full text]
10. Polivy J, Herman CP, McFarlane T. Effects of anxiety on eating: Does palatability moderate distress-induced overeating in dieters? J Abnorm Psychol. 1994;103(3):505-10. [Abstract]
11. Swinburn B, Egger G. The runaway weight gain train: too many accelerators, not enough brakes. BMJ. 2004;329(7468):736-9. [Abstract | Full text]
12. Epel E, Lapidus R, McEwen B, Brownell K. Stress may add bite to appetite in women: A laboratory study of stress-induced cortisol and eating behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2001;26(1):37-49. [Abstract]
13. Wilhelm KA, Clarke SD. Eating disorders from a primary care perspective. Med J Aust. 19984;168(9):458-63. [Full text]
14. Byrne A, Byrne DG. The effect of exercise on depression, anxiety and other mood states: A review. J Psychosom Res. 1993;37(6):565-74. [Abstract]
15. Garner DM, Rosen LW. Eating disorders among athletes: Research and recommendations. J App Sports Sci. 1991;5(2):100-7. [Abstract]
16. Berridge KC, Robinson TE. What is the role of dopamine in reward: Hedonic impact, reward learning, or incentive salience? Brain Res Rev. 1998;28(3):309-69. [Abstract] 
17. Kelley AE, Will MJ, Steininger TL, et al. Restricted daily consumption of a highly palatable food (chocolate Ensure®) alters striatal enkephalin gene expression. Eur J Neurosci. 2003;18(9):2592-8. [Abstract]
18. Aikman SN, Min KE, Graham D. Food attitudes, eating behavior, and the information underlying food attitudes. Appetite. 2006;47(1):111-4. [Abstract]
19. The Australian guide to healthy eating [online]. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing; 2008 [cited 27 January 2011]. Available from: URL link
20. Mühlhäusler BS, Adam CL, McMillen IC. Maternal nutrition and the programming of obesity: The brain. Organogenesis. 2008;4(3):144-52. [Abstract | Full text]
21. Body image and disordered eating [online]. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health; July 2000 [cited 27 January 2011]. Available from: URL link

Related Diseases:

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Obesity

Related Diseases:

• Anorexia Nervosa (Self-Starvation, Malnutrition, Severe Weight Loss, Extreme Weight Loss)
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Obesity

Connect

Sign up for free newsletters

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Discuss on Forum

Article Dates:

Modified: 16/2/2011
Reviewed: 16/2/2011
Created: 27/10/2007

Comfort Eating

Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean Diet

• What is the Mediterranen diet?
• Where is the Mediterranean diet most commonly followed?
• What is eaten and how much can be eaten?
  • Fat
  • Meat, eggs and poultry
  • Seafood
  • Dairy
  • Nuts and legumes
  • Cereals
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Red wine

• Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet
• How does the Mediterranean diet work?
• Limitations of the Mediterranean diet
• Tips for changing to a Mediterranean diet

 

Mediterranean diet is a diet based on plant foods. It is high in N-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytochemicals.

Fat intake under the Mediterranean diet is moderate (up to 35% of total calories). It consists predominately of monounsaturated fats (e.g. olive oil) as opposed to polyunsaturated (e.g. canola oil) and saturated (e.g. animal) fats.

The diet is also low in cholesterol, salt and sugar. It has received a lot of attention in recent years because scientists have shown that following a Mediterranean diet is associated with a number of health benefits.

Watch a video on Metabolic Syndrome and Diet

Red meat is eaten on rare occasions, as are sweets and butter. Cheese, yoghurt, eggs and red wine are consumed most days, in moderation. Olive oil, which is a monounsaturated fat, is used in place of butter and oil containing saturated fats.

Two people following the Mediterranean diet can consume a different amount of energy (i.e. calories) and still be following the diet. The total number of calories eaten will depend on whether one is trying to lose or gain weight, or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For weight loss, a diet restricted to 1500 calories per day for women, and 1800 per day for men, is recommended. Many individuals will eat more than that; in general, it is recommended that one does not eat more than 2400 calories per day.

It should be noted that even people who eat in excess and become overweight or obese still receive benefits from following a Mediterranean diet. Compared to obese people who follow other diets, they are less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, which often leads to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The Mediterranean diet offers health benefits because of the combination of foods consumed and the relative quantities in which they are consumed. A typical Mediterranean diet should include the following.

dairy products are consumed daily, but in moderation and usually in the form of cheese or yoghurt and not butter or milk. It is typical to eat the equivalent of a small tub of yoghurt and a small piece of cheese every day.

coronary heart disease and other chronic conditions were low in Italy. Since then, the lower rates of chronic diseases have been linked to the dietary patterns of people living in the Mediterranean region (i.e. adhering to a Mediterranean diet). Studies have shown that following a Mediterranean diet can:

• Increase longevity: A European study showed that elderly people (older than 60 years) who followed a Mediterranean diet were less likely to die (i.e. they lived longer) than elderly people who did not follow a Mediterranean diet.
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular problems: Following a Mediterranean diet after having a heart attack can reduce the risk of both having and dying from a heart attack in the future.
• Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome: Individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Many individuals who already have the syndrome can reverse the metabolic alterations associated with it by following a Mediterranean diet.
• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: Following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of developing diabetes for healthy people and for people who are obese (and therefore have a high risk of developing diabetes).
• Reduced risk of cancer: A European study showed that following a Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of developing cancer.
• Increased weight loss: Obese individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet lose more weight than those following similar diets matched for total calorie and fat intake.

nutritional balance of a diet (i.e. the combination of fats, cereals, sugars, vitamins and other nutrients), and particularly the types of fats consumed, have different effects on the body. For example, monounsaturated fats are associated with less abdominal obesity (instead, fat is stored around the hips and buttocks) than saturated fats. In terms of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, evidence suggests that abdominal fat poses greater health risks than fat which is stored around the buttocks. Saturated fats are also associated with endothelial dysfunction, which increases the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Fish is a good source of long chain omega 3 fatty acids, which play an important role in fighting the metabolic imbalances that cause diabetes. Refined grains (which are largely excluded from traditional Mediterranean diets in favour of whole grains) are associated with increased glucose and triglyceride levels after eating, which increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and diabetes. Butter and full fat milk have a greater impact on cholesterol levels than other dairy foods like cheese and yoghurt, which are most common in Mediterranean diets.

exercise is necessary for good health. The Mediterranean diet is not a substitute for daily physical activity.

Nutrition. For more healthy and tasty recipes, including recipes for breakfast, snacks, parties, dinner and dessert, as well as recipes for kids, see Recipes.

Reference

1. Esposito K, Ceriello A, Giugliano D. Diet and the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. 2007; 5(4): 291–6.
2. Shai I, Schwarzfuchs D, Henkin Y. Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low fat diet. NEJM. 2008; 359(3): 229–41.
3. Trichopoulou A, Orfanos P, Norat T, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Ocke MC, Peeters PH, et al. Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2005; 330: 991.
4. Willet WC. The Mediterranean diet: Science and practice. Pub Health Nutr. 2006; 9(1a): 105–10.
5. de Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin JL, Monjaud I, Delaye J, Mamelle N. Mediterranean diet, traditional risk factors and the rate of cardiovascular complications following myocardial infarction: Final reports of the Lion Heart Study. Circ. 1999; 99: 779–85.
6. Esposito K, Marfella M, Ciotola M, Di Palo C, Giugliano F, Giugliano G, et al. Effect of a Mediterranean-style diet on endothelial dysfunction and markers of vascular inflammation in the metabolic syndrome: A randomised trial. JAMA. 2004; 292(12): 1440–6.
7. Blaha MJ, Bansal S, Rouf R, Golden SH, Blumenthal RS, Defelippis AP. A practical “ABCDE” approach to the metabolic syndrome. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008; 83(8): 932–43.
8. Martinez-Gonzalez MA, de la Fuente-Arrillaga C, Nunez-Cordoba JM, Basterra-Gortari FJ, Buenza JJ, Vazquez Z, et al. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of developing diabetes: Prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2008; 336: 1348–51.
9. Benetou V,. Trichopoulou A, Orfanos P, Naska A, Lagiou P, Bofetta P, et al. Conformity to traditional Mediterranean diet and cancer incidence: The Greek EPIC cohort. Brit J Cancer. 2008; 99(1): 191–5.
10. Larsson B, Svardsudd K, Welin L, Wilhelmsen L, Bjorntorp P, Tibblin G. Abdominal adipose tissue distribution, obesity and risk of cardiovascular disease: 13 year follow up of participants in a study of men born in 1913. BMJ. 1984; 288: 1401–04.
11. Jakulj F, Zernicke K, Bacon SL, van Wielingen LE, Key BL, West SG, et al. A high fat meal increases cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress in healthy young adults. J Nutr. 2007; 137(4): 935–9.
12. O’Keefe JH, Gheewala NM, O’Keefe J. Dietary strategies for improving post-prandial glucose, lipids, inflammation, and cardiovascular health. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008; 51(3): 249–55.
13. Carpentier YA, Portois L, Mallaise WJ. N-3 fatty acids and the metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006; 83(6 Suppl): 1499S–1504S.
14. Beulens JWJ, de Bruijne LM, Stolk RP, Peeters PHM, Bots ML, Grobbee DE, et al. High dietary glycemic load and glycemic index increase risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged women: A population-based follow-up study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007; 50: 14–21.
15. Biong AS, Muller H, Seljefot I, Veierod MB, Pedersen JI. A comparison of the effects of cheese and butter on serum lipids, haemostatic variables and homocysteine. Br J Nutr. 2004; 92(5): 791–7.

Related Diseases:

• Obesity
• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (non-insulin dependent, mature age onset)
• Metabolic Syndrome

Connect

Sign up for free newsletters

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Discuss on Forum

Article Dates:

Modified: 30/12/2010

Created: 1/10/2008

Mediterranean Diet

#1 Golden Question to Attract Your Dream

Last week I had an extraordinary conversation with Tanya Geisler on my radio show on Transformation Talk Radio, and I want to share a powerful insight.

 Her mom’s mantra was: “Don’t postpone your joy!”

To me it sounded like a golden question to ask ourselves. 

Do you postpone your joy?

 

I do… and mostly when I am not present in the moment. When my thoughts run ahead of me and go into ‘I should’, usually I lose my feel-good state.

We all know how important it is to stay in the feel-good vibration when it comes to manifesting our dreams. 

I’ve noticed that when I do what brings me joy, I move into the being state of abundance. I am connected to my Soul and serve my purpose.

Everything goes more easily, more in the flow, as if the Universe smiles at me while enjoying that I finally “get it.” This is how dreams are born into reality.

This principle applies to all areas of your life.

What you love and enjoy is directly linked to your Soul purpose. True joy comes from following the guidance from within.

Learn to listen and act on it. Ignore the chatter of ‘I should’. Turn it around into ‘If I really like [?] I would… (fill in the blank).

Apply this principle to your business, love life, health, or any other area.

Here’s another fun exercise.

What is your Joy Formula? What feeling needs to be fulfilled for you?

For example: acknowledgment, intimacy, success, accomplishment, love, or connection.

Name three qualities:

1.

2.

3.

Apply this to your business, love life, health, or any other area.

It’s all about joy! So en-joy!

 

.

Using her own life as living proof that extraordinary choices lead to an extraordinary life, Saskia Röell expertly helps others do the same. She’s a Soul Purpose Coach, radio host, bestselling author, and co-author with Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey and Deepak Chopra. As an international speaker, clairvoyant healer and mother of five, Saskia empowers you to move out of your comfort zone, break through your fears, and go after your heart’s desires. Get access to her free “Secret Soul Map to Your Dreams” Program here: http://www.YourSoulGuidance.com.  

 

 

 

 

#1 Golden Question to Attract Your Dream

Women: Rise to the Top

The media is pitching Sheryl Sandberg’s vs. Annie-Marie Slaughter.  One women describing in detail how “you can have it all” and another lamenting “women still can’t have it all”.    While the issue is not – and should not be – between two women (both are entitled to their views), the both published their views and therefore, it is all fair game.  The question is, who is right?

Ms. Sandberg is right.  Very right.

Not because she is wealthy, living in a 9,000 square foot house with an entourage of help.  Not because she is wildly successful – she EARNED that.  But because she is encourage women not to give up.  She is encouraging women to define their own careers.  To redefine what career means and what success means.

This definition is personal.  It is different for everyone.  The issue – despite the apparent complexities – is actually quite simple.

• Women need to define what career means to them.  And this definition can – and will – change throughout the course of their lives
• Women need to define success.  It is different for everyone
• Women and their partners/families need to work together
• We need to take responsibility for our own choices.

1. Define your own career.  And redefine it.

In Sandberg’s book Lean In – being released on March 11, she urges women to accept the fact that they are judged more harshly and paid less than men.  Her mantra includes resisting slowing down in mere anticipation of having children and sharing housework equally with partners/spouses.   She encourages women to create both short- and long-term career plans and join a “Lean In Circle,” a support group of like-minded women.

2. Define what success means to you.  And only you.

The main reason Sheryl’s viewpoint strikes a chord?  She does not blame society.  She encourages women to step up, take control, recognize how they are perceived and CHANGE the way society views female careerists.  Most important, she encourages women to CHANGE the way they view themselves.

As described in a NY Time article:  In her view, women are also sabotaging themselves. “We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in,” she writes, and the result is that “men still run the world.” 

3. Families need to work together.  Husbands and Wives.  Partners.  Equals.

The counterpoint – is that the government and companies need to provide better benefits and more comprehensive child care.  6 weeks paid leave for having a baby is not enough.  Fair point.  6 weeks is not enough.  But whose choice is it to have the child?  The company is not handing out brochures encouraging families to procreate.  If couples want children, they need to be responsible for them too.  We can choose companies that are more family-friendly, allow flexible work arrangements or tack on our vacation time to the end of maternity leave to stay home longer.  We don’t HAVE to work for Yahoo! if their culture isn’t family-friendly or if we all can’t have a nursery in our office.

If our child falls off the deep end, does drugs, flunks school, etc., is it the governments fault or poor parenting?  At what point do we take responsibility for our own choices and the impact of our choices?

4. We need to take responsibility for our own choices

Ms. Slaughter – Ms. Sandberg’s vocal opponent – believes society is holding women to unattainable personal and professional standards.  Did she consider that she is holding herself to unattainable standards?  Did she consider she (and her husband) should have redefined her career and her goals years ago rather than blame society?  Her children struggled.  Whose fault is that?  The government’s?  She regrets her professional choices and now that has become a substitute for why women can’t have it all.

Having it all does not exist.  Ms. Slaughter feels slighted in life, professionally and maybe personally.  I am sorry for her.  But perhaps that is because she needs to reframe how she looks at her life.

She accomplished more than most.  She served in the White House.  Teaches at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.  Lives in a very wealthy area.  If something was amiss, rather than looking externally, perhaps looking internally would have served her better?  No one was holding a gun to her head.  She and her husband could have made different choices at any time.

There is no such thing as having it all.  That is not the point.  What does having it all even mean?  As individuals or as families, we need to determine what “all we can have”.  And be HAPPY with that.

The Goal: Rise to the Top

After 14 years as an executive compensation consultant I learned one very important lesson – women are perceived differently than men because we allow ourselves to be perceived differently.  And how we are perceived impacts our compensation levels.  Women are THANKFUL for their pay.  Men question why they can’t have more.  Men are NOT TRYING to pay women less.  Companies are delivering what they believe is fair.  But what women are willing to accept as fair and what men are willing to accept as fair is remarkably different.  Men are willing to deliver to get more – they realize they have to earn it.  But then they want to be paid for their efforts.  Women should too.

Women – we women – need to change the way things are done.  We are our own worst enemies.  Quick to judge each other.  Quick to step over each other.  And quick to blame each other.

If more women rise to the top – why can’t they change these company policies?  Allow for more time at home to give birth and recover?  If we don’t like the policies, we should put ourselves in a position to change them.

Women: Rise to the Top

Women: Rise to the Top

The media is pitching Sheryl Sandberg’s vs. Annie-Marie Slaughter.  One women describing in detail how “you can have it all” and another lamenting “women still can’t have it all”.    While the issue is not – and should not be – between two women (both are entitled to their views), the both published their views and therefore, it is all fair game.  The question is, who is right?

Ms. Sandberg is right.  Very right.

Not because she is wealthy, living in a 9,000 square foot house with an entourage of help.  Not because she is wildly successful – she EARNED that.  But because she is encourage women not to give up.  She is encouraging women to define their own careers.  To redefine what career means and what success means.

This definition is personal.  It is different for everyone.  The issue – despite the apparent complexities – is actually quite simple.

• Women need to define what career means to them.  And this definition can – and will – change throughout the course of their lives
• Women need to define success.  It is different for everyone
• Women and their partners/families need to work together
• We need to take responsibility for our own choices.

1. Define your own career.  And redefine it.

In Sandberg’s book Lean In – being released on March 11, she urges women to accept the fact that they are judged more harshly and paid less than men.  Her mantra includes resisting slowing down in mere anticipation of having children and sharing housework equally with partners/spouses.   She encourages women to create both short- and long-term career plans and join a “Lean In Circle,” a support group of like-minded women.

2. Define what success means to you.  And only you.

The main reason Sheryl’s viewpoint strikes a chord?  She does not blame society.  She encourages women to step up, take control, recognize how they are perceived and CHANGE the way society views female careerists.  Most important, she encourages women to CHANGE the way they view themselves.

As described in a NY Time article:  In her view, women are also sabotaging themselves. “We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in,” she writes, and the result is that “men still run the world.” 

3. Families need to work together.  Husbands and Wives.  Partners.  Equals.

The counterpoint – is that the government and companies need to provide better benefits and more comprehensive child care.  6 weeks paid leave for having a baby is not enough.  Fair point.  6 weeks is not enough.  But whose choice is it to have the child?  The company is not handing out brochures encouraging families to procreate.  If couples want children, they need to be responsible for them too.  We can choose companies that are more family-friendly, allow flexible work arrangements or tack on our vacation time to the end of maternity leave to stay home longer.  We don’t HAVE to work for Yahoo! if their culture isn’t family-friendly or if we all can’t have a nursery in our office.

If our child falls off the deep end, does drugs, flunks school, etc., is it the governments fault or poor parenting?  At what point do we take responsibility for our own choices and the impact of our choices?

4. We need to take responsibility for our own choices

Ms. Slaughter – Ms. Sandberg’s vocal opponent – believes society is holding women to unattainable personal and professional standards.  Did she consider that she is holding herself to unattainable standards?  Did she consider she (and her husband) should have redefined her career and her goals years ago rather than blame society?  Her children struggled.  Whose fault is that?  The government’s?  She regrets her professional choices and now that has become a substitute for why women can’t have it all.

Having it all does not exist.  Ms. Slaughter feels slighted in life, professionally and maybe personally.  I am sorry for her.  But perhaps that is because she needs to reframe how she looks at her life.

She accomplished more than most.  She served in the White House.  Teaches at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.  Lives in a very wealthy area.  If something was amiss, rather than looking externally, perhaps looking internally would have served her better?  No one was holding a gun to her head.  She and her husband could have made different choices at any time.

There is no such thing as having it all.  That is not the point.  What does having it all even mean?  As individuals or as families, we need to determine what “all we can have”.  And be HAPPY with that.

The Goal: Rise to the Top

After 14 years as an executive compensation consultant I learned one very important lesson – women are perceived differently than men because we allow ourselves to be perceived differently.  And how we are perceived impacts our compensation levels.  Women are THANKFUL for their pay.  Men question why they can’t have more.  Men are NOT TRYING to pay women less.  Companies are delivering what they believe is fair.  But what women are willing to accept as fair and what men are willing to accept as fair is remarkably different.  Men are willing to deliver to get more – they realize they have to earn it.  But then they want to be paid for their efforts.  Women should too.

Women – we women – need to change the way things are done.  We are our own worst enemies.  Quick to judge each other.  Quick to step over each other.  And quick to blame each other.

If more women rise to the top – why can’t they change these company policies?  Allow for more time at home to give birth and recover?  If we don’t like the policies, we should put ourselves in a position to change them.

Women: Rise to the Top

The Bottom Line on Diet Soda

Diet soda is far from a health food, and if you never had another bubbly glass in your life, you wouldn’t be missing out on anything. But that doesn’t mean we should blame these zero-calorie drinks for our tighter-fitting clothing.

Some researchers have suggested that artificially sweetened beverages fuel your desire for sweets or possibly confuse hormones related to appetite and satiety, causing you to potentially overeat and thereby gain weight. A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, however, found that whether study participants drank water or diet soda, weight- loss results were similar.

Diet soda isn’t the worst thing you could ever drink…
– Like it or not, we live in a nation of soda-lovers. No-calorie colas fulfill that need for a bottle of pop without causing you to pop the buttons on your slacks.
– Diet beverages provide a feeling of fullness that could keep you from eating foods and beverages that would otherwise be much higher in calories.
– A diet soda may help keep you busy at the bar while others are imbibing calorie-laden mojitos and tropical drinks, and they can also keep your hands occupied at the table to keep you from eating the warm bread and butter that everyone else is picking on.
– Diet soda is still a better choice than the real deal soda, which supplies the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar in each 12-ounce can. For those who are watching their weight or those in need of controlling diabetes, an occasional diet soda may be welcomed and squelch that desire for something sweet.

RELATED: Zero-calorie drinks can also throw off your internal furance. Learn the six ways your diet is messing with your metabolism.

…but it’s far from healthy:
– Past research has shown that diet soda, and soda in general, may be responsible for leaching calcium out of your bones. This is not only bad news for obvious reasons of osteoporosis, but the bigger issue is that women are not getting enough calcium in their diets to begin with.
–For some, a no-calorie soft drink is like getting an invitation to also order higher-calorie foods. Lots of people I talk to feel less “guilty” about having that burger and fries if it came with a side of diet soda.
– The problem is not just about the diet soda you’re drinking, it’s also about what you’re not drinking instead. For example, compared to this beverage of little nutritional value, you’re better off with a skim latte, which at least provides the nine essential nutrients that are in milk, including calcium and potassium, two essential nutrients we lack.

RELATED: Diet soda isn’t the only questionable beverage. Say hello to the worst drinks for your body.

My take: If you drink diet soda, you might want to change things up a bit and try some water with a splash of fruit juice or a sprig of mint as an accompaniment to your meal. And if you believe the stories that connect diet soda with weight gain, don’t switch to regular, sugary soda. You won’t need a study to tell you where that could lead. Better yet, if you swap one sugared beverage a day for water for a year, you can save hundreds of calories. This simple exchange not only can help prevent weight gain, it also can give you greater sense of well-being.

 

Bonnie Taub-Dix, M.A., R.D., C.D.N., is owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, a motivational speaker, and author of Read It Before You Eat It. As a health and nutrition blogger for US News World Report and a media spokesperson, she has conducted thousands of interviews for television, radio, print, and web venues with a specialty in making sense of science while assuring that nutritious and delicious can coexist. She has been honored with the Academy’s 2012 Media Excellence Award and is a past recipient of their Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Follow her on twitter @eatsmartbd, on Facebook, and on Pinterest.

The Bottom Line on Diet Soda