KHFP Week Four: Eat an Apple

Kandie's Health and Fitness Project Week Four: An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Remember the old saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, well there is some truth to it.. Apples are a good source of antioxidants (skin on), plus apples have about 4.4 grams of fiber. Doctors say that women should get at least 25 grams of fiber a day on a 2,000 calorie diet. Eating an apple is a small step to a healthier you. Apples are convenient, easy to carry or pack and a good snack.

　
What makes apples so great for this Kandie's Health and Fitness Project?Apples are an easy and quick way to add beneficial health properties to your diet that will aid you in your weight loss and weight maintenance efforts. There are numerous health benefits associated with consuming apples, however, the benefits that are associated with weight are highlighted in this project. Eating apples is well known for its immune boosting and detoxifying properties which are essential for women as we get older.

Whole foods description of an apple:

Apples are a crisp, white-fleshed fruit with a red, yellow or green skin. The apple is actually a member of the Rose family, which may seem strange until we remember that roses make rose hips, which are fruits similar to the apple. Apples have a moderately sweet, refreshing flavor and a tartness that is present to greater or lesser degree depending on the variety. For example, Golden and Red Delicious apples are mild and sweet, while Pippins and Granny Smith apples are notably brisk and tart. Tart apples, which best retain their texture during cooking, are often preferred for cooked desserts like apple pie, while Delicious apples and other sweeter varieties like Braeburn and Fuji apples are usually eaten raw.

 5 Major Benefits of eating apples
1).  Nutrition:
Packing in quite a bit of soluble fiber (4 grams per medium apple) for a modest amount of calories (95) makes apples a filling, sweet snack. Plus, a medium apple counts as 1 cup of fruit, so after eating one you’re well on your way to meeting your daily fruit quota (around 2 cups for adults on a 2,000-calorie diet). They also are a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C (providing 14% of the Daily Value).

2).  Weight Loss
Apples satisfy hunger for few calories so it’s not surprising that they can be part of a healthy diet that promotes weight loss. And in a recent study, dried apples also helped participants lose some weight. Women who ate a cup of dried apples daily for a year lost some weight and lowered their cholesterol and heart disease markers. Florida State University researchers think apples’ antioxidants and pectin (a type of fiber) are responsible for the benefits—and think that fresh apples would be even more effective.

3).  Exercise Extender
Eating an apple before you work out may boost your exercise endurance. Apples deliver an antioxidant called quercetin, which aids endurance by making oxygen more available to the lungs. One study showed that quercetin—when taken in supplement form—helped people bike longer.

4).  Control your weight
Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fiber. Foods high in fiber will fill you up without costing you too many calories.

5).  Detoxify your liver
We’re constantly consuming toxins, whether it is from drinks or food, and your liver is responsible for clearing these toxins out of your body. Many doctors are skeptical of fad detox diets, saying they have the potential to do more harm than good. Luckily, one of the best—and easiest—things you can eat to help detoxify your liver is fruits—like apples.


Besides being beneficial to weight loss, apples have many major benefits for women over forty to help keep them healthy as they age and enter the change of life.  Here is a list of more health benefits of apples, please visit Whole Foods Website for more details and descriptions of the listed benefits, plus information on how to select and store apples, tips for preparing and cooking apples, individual concerns like pesticide residues and nutritional profile.
　
　

Health benefits of Apples:

• Apple's Amazing Polyphenols
• Antioxidant Benefits
• Cardiovascular Benefits
• Benefits for Blood Sugar Regulation
• Anti-Cancer Benefits
• Anti-Asthma Benefits

So, basically, this week you will begin to eat one apple a day.  Any type of apple will do, not apple juice because it has added sugar and plus you don’t get the fiber bulk. Apple sauce or apple pie don’t count as your one apple a day.  Just to keep things simple and to keep your calories low, keep to eating just a plain old apple, no other derivatives.  Instead of an apple you can have a pear, it gives you the same fill you up effect and it makes you chew more slowly giving your brain time to signal that you are satisfied.

This Week’s Checklist:
Drink eight glasses of water a day
Eat a Hearty Breakfast
Get movin’
Eat an Apple



Assignment:

This week’s assignment will consist of taking a brief inventory of your kitchen. Many people don’t realize how many or how few healthy foods they have in their cupboards or refridgerator. What you have to do is make a list of foods you have on hand that you consider as healthy. List all fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, snacks, meat, dairy etc. These items can be canned, frozen or fresh. Also, note whether they are certified organic. This exercise will give you an overall picture of how healthy you currently shop. Jot down the date the inventory was taken because after week 24 you will do this inventory again and compare to see how your shopping has improved.


References
Best Health Magazine:
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/15-health-benefits-of-eating-apples
Eating Well:
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/5_health_benefits_of_an_apple?page=2
Whole Foods:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=15&tname=foodspice　

KHFP Week Three: Get Movin'

Walking an hour a day, melts the fat away

 

Walking is one of the easiest and most effective forms of exercise for anyone at any age or fitness level whether male or female. Walking is especially beneficial for women over forty, it is low impact, requires no equipment or learning curve and it resets your metabolism to its ideal state. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day. This type of exercise has many health benefits associated with improving blood circulation which is vital for providing your body the oxygen it needs to nourish every cell.

After turning forty, most people do not engage in regular exercise resulting in a sluggish metabolism that encourages fat build up. So, for Kandie’s Health & Fitness Project for Women Over Forty it is vital that women get moving towards regular cardiovascular or aerobic exercise in order to reap all the benefits. In the Journal of The American Medical Association they found that brisk walking is very effective for reducing deep abdominal fat, the most dangerous kind of fat. Walking is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this, plus it is “women over forty” friendly. It is fairly easy for anyone to begin walking as a way to lose weight in conjunction with a proper diet.

Here is a list of some of the benefits for walking:

• Helps lower cholesterol
• Lowers high blood pressure
• Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Reduces deep abdominal fat
• Burns calories
• Increases bone strength
• Improves circulation
• Improves your mood

　
There are numerous ways for you to add moderate aerobic/cardio exercise to your day. However, walking is one of the best, easiest, cheapest and most effective ways to start. You don’t have to limit yourself to a boring treadmill routine either, add in some inclines and short speed intervals for added benefits and enjoyment. If walking outdoors, you can change your scenery, your distance, your terrain and level of workout just by changing your route. You can walk alone with your headphones on or with a group of people on a designated path or even join a mall walking group. However, getting moving doesn’t have to be limited to just walking. But, based on the fitness project’s goal to slowly introduce healthy habits, walking seems like a good place to start. Check out The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for information on Selecting and Effectively Using a Walking Program:



For this project, there are three levels that will help you determine how often and how long you will be walking each week.

The Beginners: start out walking 3days a week for 30 minutes each day, once you can do this comfortably increase your walk time by 5-10 minute increments until you can walk for an entire hour.

The Intermediates: will walk 4 days a week for 30-45 minutes each day, then increase your walk time to an entire hour in four to six weeks.

The Advancers: will walk five or more days a week for one hour duration.

No matter what fitness level you are, everyone should be walking hard enough to break a sweat, but still be able to carry on a conversation. The 30 minutes a day can be broken down into smaller increments if you find you can’t accomplish it all at once. You can do 3-ten minute intervals or 2-fifteen minute intervals as long as you get at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day. This way you can easily work up to 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a week as recommended by the experts. Remember, that walking is just a starting point. You can chose whatever aerobic type activity or exercise that will help you accomplish this new habit of getting moving. As Nike says, “Just Do It”

Examples of typical aerobic exercises are:

• Walking

• Running

• Stair climbing

• Cycling

• Rowing

• Cross country skiing

• Swimming

Even if you do other types of exercise, walking should be the foundation of your activity plan. National Weight Control Registry participants cited walking as their top weight-loss strategy; they walk off an average of 1,000 calories a week, says Liz Neporent a diet and fitness expert and author of 12 fitness bestsellers.

　　
So, realistically how much weight can you lose by walking. Fitday.com states that this is determined by how many calories you can burn by just walking. The number of calories per minute you can burn by walking is determined by your body weight and walking pace. If you walk at a pace of 4 miles per hour (a common pace) you can burn the following amount of calories per minute: 120 lb. person = 4.7 calories; 140 lb. person = 5.5 calories; 160 lb. person = 6.3 calories; 180 lb. person = 7.1 calories; 200 lb. person = 7.8 calories; and 220 lb. person = 8.6 calories. If you plan to lose 20 pounds by walking alone, try to burn at least 250 extra calories during your walk per day. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds you’d have to walk at least 40 minutes per day at a pace of 4 miles per hour to lose ½ pound per week. If you’re unsure of your pace, try walking on a treadmill to give you a better idea.

At a weight loss rate of ½ -1 pound per week, it will likely take you at least 20 weeks to lose 20 pounds. Losing weight at this pace is safe and will help you keep the weight off long term. To accomplish a weight loss of ½ - 1 pound per week, try to burn an extra 250–500 calories per day by walking. If you find you’re not burning this many calories by walking alone, simply reduce your calorie intake through diet in addition to walking.

The average person can realistically lose 2 pounds a week when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. If walking seems a little too easy for you, or the weather hinders outdoor walking, just pick an aerobic workout that you enjoy and do it 3 times a week. The goal is to get you moving and ease you into a sustainable exercise regime. I enjoy working out to either Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs or The Wave, three times a week. Being that winter is rolling around, walking at the high school track is out of the question until early spring.          

Walking is definitely good for its health benefits but it also has some extremely good psychological benefits that go beyond just weight loss. These types of benefits may persuade more women to engage in walking and stick to it. These benefits are instantly achievable as compared to the more well known physical benefits you can achieve in the distant future. Most people are unaware that aerobic exercise releases a drug like effect similar to morphine that lingers for hours. Therefore, walking not only helps you burn calories but it also puts you in a good mood.

　

The Value of Walking That Goes Beyond Weight Loss:

• Feel more energized
• Reduceses stress
• Feel more productive
• Become more engaged in activities
• Feel happier
• Spend more time with family (if walk with the kids)
• Boosts confidence
• Enhances daily well-being
• Promotes social networking

Other studies have shown that what gets people off their duffs and keeps them moving depends on age, gender, life circumstances and even ethnicity, says Dr. Segar.  For example, the elderly may get started because of health concerns. But often what keeps them exercising are the friendships, sense of community and camaraderie that may otherwise be missing from their lives. So, what ever it takes to keep you motivated to achieving actual sustainable weight loss whether physical or psychological, just get movin’.
　
For those of you that need a more structured or advanced walking plan, here are a few resources to help you get started incorporating a walking plan into your lifestyle:

Make a walk your workout:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/walking-for-exercise
Lose Weight Walking: Burn 1300 calories:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/cardio/walking/lose-weight-walking/
Starting a Walking Program:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/walking-for-exercise
Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ016123
Ways to Walk to Weight Loss:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/3-ways-to-walk-to-weight_b_669031.html
Visit the library, checkout walking for weight loss DVDs

So, as you can see, exercise is a very important part of obtaining a healthy body weight. Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 50 pounds, you can do it just by getting your body in motion. However, your exercise must be fun, flexible, inexpensive and easy to maintain as a daily part of your overall healthy lifestyle. Therefore, no more excuses as to why you can’t or don’t exercise. As always, please check with your doctor before starting any exercise.

This Week’s Checklist:
Drink your 8 glasses of water a day
Eat a hearty healthy breakfast
Get movin’

Assignment #1
Since this week is all about getting your butt up and getting you physically moving, this assignment is about finding an activity or two that you can use as an alternate cardiovascular exercise. This depends on your level of fitness as well as your commitment and reasons for wanting to shed those unwanted pounds. Losing weight has to be a priority in order for you to be successful, you make time for everything else, why not make this your personal priority. The reason you need to have an alternate cardiovascular exercise is to stave off boredom and to overcome any weight loss plateaus.

Assignment #2
Proper exercise clothing and footwear is mandatory. Even if you are just walking, you can injure yourself by not wearing the proper shoes. You don’t have to go out and by the latest workout gear or name brand footwear, just make sure when walking you have on loose fitting clothing and a decent pair of tennis shoes. So, your assignment is to set out your walking gear or pack it in your gym bag the night before so you will be ready. Remember, no more excuses.

　

　

References

Fit Day; “Understanding Weight Loss: How to Lose 20 Pounds by Walking”
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/understanding-weight-loss-how-to-lose-20-pounds-by-walking.html
Selecting and Effectively Using a Walking Program:
http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-a-walking-program.pdf
The American College of Sports Medicine; “Changing Our Tune on Exercise”
http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-a-walking-program.pdf
Why Is Walking So Good For Weight Loss? By Liz Neporent
http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/19/why-is-walking-so-good-for-weight-loss/　

　



KHFP Week Two: Eat a Hearty Healthy Breakfast

Week two is all about starting your day off in a healthful energized way. You will eat a power breakfast made up of complex carbohydrates, in other words, fiber. Fiber essentially adds volume in your stomach but without all the harmful fat and excess calories. You want to stick to whole grain complex carbs like oats, brown rice, whole wheat, millet, barley, etc. The goal is to stay away from white breads, boxed cereals or any processed or refined flours. Also, you want to reduce or eliminate the traditional bacon and eggs breakfast over the course of the next six months.

If you are like most people my age (over 40), who is not familiar with whole grains, then it might be difficult for you to know what a whole grain is, let alone what it looks like. I’m ashamed to admit that the only whole grains I’m familiar with is wheat and corn. But, after doing some checking around, there are many other whole grains that actually have way more flavor than regular white bread or wheat bread. “If your palate, like many, has been seduced by processing, you may need to be eased into the stronger taste and more robust texture of whole grains”. (Finlayson, pg. 9)

My initial research led me to The Whole Grains Council (WGC), WebMD and “The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook” by Judith Finayson to find out more about using whole grains for breakfast. But, don’t be misled, whole grains is not just for breakfast. During Kandie’s Health and Fitness Project more whole grain options will be introduced into lunch, dinner and even snacks.

“So, What are whole grains? Whole grains are the seeds of certain plants. The inedible outermost layer (husk) of the grain is removed, leaving the resulting “berry” or “grout”. They differ from grains that are not whole (refined) because they contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. During the milling process, the bran and the germ, which contain valuable nutrients, are removed, leaving just the endosperm.” (Finlayson, pg. 10)

The Whole Grains Council’s official definition of whole grains and a list and description of the most common whole grains can be found at: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/definition-of-whole-grains


The benefits associated with eating more whole grains are abundant. The main benefits of consuming whole grains as determined by WGC are as follows:

• stroke risk reduced 30-36%
• type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
• heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• better weight maintenance
• reduced risk of asthma
• healthier carotid arteries
• reduction of inflammatory disease risk
• lower risk of colorectal cancer
• healthier blood pressure levels
• less gum disease and tooth loss

The main benefits for choosing whole grains for breakfast for this project is that they create volume, you fill fuller longer, more nutrient dense, take longer to chew, sustained energy and weight maintenance. These whole grains create roughage, thereby pushing undigested food out your system naturally. In other words, whole grains make you go to the bathroom (#2) more regularly. This is important for helping you on the road to losing weight and being healthier.

The project is divided into three levels for food and exercise. In order to make your transition to eating whole grains a little easier and more beneficial, there are some guidelines you should follow. No matter what level you are on whether it is beginner, intermediate or advanced, pork is not an option. Not eating pork has nothing to do with religion per se, but because of the overwhelming evidence found that associates pork with many diseases and health problems. I encourage you to find out more about the dangers of eating pork and how it keeps you sick.

Guidelines for eating more whole grains for breakfast:

Beginner:  chose turkey bacon, turkey link/patties, limit eggs, chose whole grain pancakes/waffles, ease up on the syrup, chose low fat yogurts/cream cheese/muffins/milk
Intermediate: limit meat/eggs, use honey/maple syrup, chose whole grain pancakes/waffles/muffins, limit dairy intake, chose certified organic products, chose milk alternative(soy, rice, almond, goat)
Advanced: this is the no meat level(vegetarian/vegans), limit or eliminate dairy, chose certified organic/certified vegan or vegetarian, abide by vegan/vegetarian guidelines, chose milk alternative(soy, rice, almond, etc)

So, what can you eat for breakfast?

• Toast topped with nut butter and ground flax seeds, some fruit on the side
• Healthy oatmeal, brown rice, or quinoa packed with fruit/nuts
• Power Fruit Smoothies
• Super Green Juices
• Protein Shakes
• Beans, lentils, veggie sausage, tofu, tempeh, seitan
• Turkey bacon, links, sausages, patties
• Super fruit salads sprinkled with Chia Seeds, flaxseed, sesame seeds, nuts
• Whole Grain pancakes/waffles made with rice flour, buckwheat, millet flour etc.
• Mexican Egg English Muffin (half muffin topped with eggs, cheese, green onion)
• Whole grain bagels, English Muffins, bran muffins, whole grain fruit muffins etc..
• Whole grain cereals, homemade granola/energy bars
• What you can add to make your breakfast jam packed:
• Cinnamon Ground Flax seeds Flax seed oil
• Chia Seeds Blueberries Goji berries
• Protein Powder Sweet potatoes Honey/Agave Nectar
• Fruits Walnuts/almonds Sunflower/Sesame seeds

We will later discuss super foods and power foods to help fuel your day even more. These are just a few options to help get you started on the right track because the choices are unlimited. Hopefully, by making more healthier choices to help fill you up longer you won’t feel deprived but more energized.
You may be tempted to skip breakfast, but research has shown that skipping breakfast is counterproductive. This is what they say on WebMD about one of the biggest diet mistakes that most people make.


Skipping Breakfast
Skipping breakfast seems like a simple way to cut calories, but the result can be insatiable hunger the rest of the day. This may lead to unplanned snacking at the office and eating a super-size portion at lunch, making calorie counts soar. But breakfasts that are high in protein and fiber can reduce hunger throughout the day. In fact, studies show people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-mistakes

Here is a basic power breakfast:

• 2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
• Chop up some apples or dried fruit (apricots)
• Chop up some walnuts, almonds or pecans
• Sprinkle on some cinnamon
• Pour heated unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy/almond/rice) over rice and drizzle on honey/agave/maple syrup
• Mix and enjoy

Breakfast Rice Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vanilla flavored enriched rice milk
• 1 cup long or short grain brown rice, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup dried cherries, cranberries or blueberries
• Raw cane sugar, honey or maple syrup (optional)
• Chopped toasted nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In large saucepan over medium heat, bring rice milk to a boil
2. Gradually stir in rice and cherries and return to a boil
3. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 50 minutes
4. Stir well, and serve with favorite sweetener and toasted nuts

Other whole grain recipes:

Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie
Ginger-Pear Oat Smoothie 
Multigrain Energy Bars 
Coconut Almond Granola Bars
Popped Amaranth Crunch
Sesame Millet Crackers
Art’s High-Powered Snack Mix
Banana Bran Muffins
Crunchy Granola Wedges
Apricot-Walnut Cereal Bars
Almond-Honey Power Bar
Maple-Nut Granola

　
Assignment #1

In order for you to become more familiar to what constitutes a whole grain, you must explore The Whole Grains Council’s Whole Grain 101 section. It has some very good detailed information about whole grains from A-Z. From here you can better identify which whole grains you might like or want to try, plus information on its’ health benefits. So, for this week chose at least three different whole grains you are gonna incorporate into your breakfast.

Assignment #2

You need to be able to quickly identify whether a product contains whole grains or not by scanning the package itself as well as the ingredient list. You should look for the whole grain health claim on food product labels. The label reads: “Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers”. A food bearing this label must contain 51% or more whole grains by weight. ((Finlayson, pg. 12) You should visually be able to see on the product package the green whole grain logo. Your assignment this week is to actively search for this label or read the ingredients list. In the listed ingredients, the first item is the most ingredient used and whole grain should be listed first or in the top five. To find out more about labeling requirements pertaining to whole grains, please visit the Food and Drug Administration’s website.


Here is your checklist for this week:
Continue to drink your eight glasses of water
Start to eat a hearty healthy breakfast

References

“The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook” by Judith Finayson
The Whole Grains Council: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/recipeshttp://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/definition-of-whole-grainsWebMD: http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-mistakes
FDA: Food Labeling and Nutrition 
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm059088.htm

KHFP Week One: The 8X8 rule of drinking water

Kandie’s Health & Fitness Project 24 weeks of breaking into new food habits and choices

Week One: The 8X8 rule of drinking water
The rule simply states: Drink 8-eight ounce glasses of water a day

We all know that we should drink water because its good for us, but sometimes we forget why. There are so many benefits of drinking water and there are just as many myths as to how much. For this project we will keep it simple and expand on it later as I do more research. The main reason for starting with drinking water is because it gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Plus, water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

Drinking water is one of the easiest efforts you can incorporate into your weight loss or weight maintenance plan. Think about it: unlike saying no to eating that delicious pastry at work or going to kickboxing class once or twice a week, making sure you are drinking enough water requires little to no will power. There's no excuse for not drinking enough water, and if you're having trouble finding a way to fit your recommended 8 glasses a day into your schedule, it's an easy fix. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/how-drinking-water-helps-weight-loss.html　


But first, here are just a few benefits of drinking water:

 Helps You Lose Weight: There's a reason why most diets and fitness programs ask you to drink a lot of water. One of the benefits of drinking water is that it helps you lose weight. Water suppresses your appetite, so you don't eat as much. Drinking plenty of water also prevents fluid retention, because your body won't try to retain water if it's getting enough. Drinking water also helps your body burn stored fat. If you're not drinking enough water, your liver will be forced to help your kidneys detoxify your body. When you drink plenty of water, your kidneys don't need any extra help, so your liver will be able to metabolize stored fat more efficiently. Drinking water flushes toxins from your body and prevents constipation.
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-little-known-benefits-of-drinking-water.html
　

It Curbs Hunger: Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Insufficient fluid can lead to over eating. Your brain does not differentiate between hunger and thirst. If there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and one may eat when the body is actually craving for water. In other words, when you think you are hungry, your body may in fact be telling you that you are thirsty! As most food contains some water, if you don't drink enough water, you may be subconsciously driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply and as a result, you gain more calories and more weight!
http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/fat-loss-by-drinking-water.html
　

Help Control Calories. For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn't have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher calorie beverages can certainly help."What works with weight loss is if you choose water or a non-caloric beverage over a caloric beverage and/or eat a diet higher in water-rich foods that are healthier, more filling, and help you trim calorie intake," says Penn State researcher Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water



Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function. Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration -- and the result is constipation. "Adequate fluid and fiber is the perfect combination, because the fluid pumps up the fiber and acts like a broom to keep your bowel functioning properly," says Koelemay.http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water

 Believe it or not ladies, but this is very important when it comes to losing weight and being healthy. Because, if you are not properly eliminating that built up waist it causes all kinds of problems you may not be aware of.

Boosts Your Metabolism. The findings are reported in the December issue, 2003 of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The researchers Michael Boschmann, MD, and colleagues from Berlin's Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center tracked energy expenditures among seven men and seven women who were healthy and not overweight. The subjects, after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water, increases the rate of burning calories by 30% within the time frame of 30-40 minutes. If a person who increases his water consumption by 1.5 liters a day would burn an extra 17,400 calories, for a weight loss of approximately 5 pounds. Increase metabolism means increase the calorie burn and fat loss. This is how you can achieve fat loss by drinking water.
http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/fat-loss-by-drinking-water.html
　

Many health professionals as well as alternative practitioners suggest adding fresh lemon juice to your water. Lemons are known for its vitamin C content, antibacterial effects and alkaline effects, plus many more powerful benefits. (look forward to more discussion on lemons). It is said that the best drinking water is filtered water or alkaline water. Bottled water is practically equivalent to tap water nowadays, so do your own investigation regarding this revelation. You want to gulp your glass of water for the volume to help you fill full. So however you decide to accomplish this, just get to drinking more water. How can you realistically accomplish the task of drinking 64 ounces of water a day. This may not seem like a hard thing to do, but if you consume a lot of juices, soft drinks or other sugary drinks then this is gonna be a challenge for you. Because, the drink of choice should now be water, you are gonna have to make this a habit and chose to drink water if you want to really lose weight. This one simple tweak is a powerful step in this project and the best place to start.

 
How to break-in to drinking 8 glasses of water a day:

1).  When you wake up immediately drink 8 ounces of lukewarm water, gulp don’t sip
2).  20 minutes before breakfast drink another 8 ounces of water
3).  Around 2 hours later (about 10am) drink another 8 ounces
4).  10-20 minutes before lunch is your next 8 ounces of water
5).  Then about 2 hours later (around 3 or 4pm)
6).  10-20 minutes before dinner another glass of water
7).  A couple of hours after dinner around 9 or 10pm have another glass of water
8).  Right before going to bed drink your last 8 ounces lukewarm water

This basic schedule can be adopted to your schedule, this one is based on you waking up at 6 a.m. I however, never get up this early, but I do tend to set my alarm for 6 a.m. just to drink my lukewarm water that I already have next to my bed out of sheer habit. To clarify, I always fill a big 32 ounce cup with ice water every night and by morning it is still a little cold. I encourage you to designate a specific water container for your water consumption that has ounces on it to help you out. Or, if you plan on using bottled water, carry enough with you when you are away from home.



Assignment One:Since this project is for weight loss, it only makes since for you to take down a few body measurements. You need to know where you are now so you must do the following:
Before Photo: front, back and side views
Before Measurements: weight, waist, hips and thighs. Optional, chest and biceps
Jot down: any ailments, medical stats (like blood pressure, cholesterol etc.)
Check with your physician to make sure the added fluids or okay for you to ingest

Assignment Two:It is important for you to be aware of what you eat and drink daily. So, for this assignment you will start a daily food journal. This can be done in a planner, notebook, online or actual journal. You must be honest about what you actually eat because it will help tremendously later on when you have to add new food items.

Kandie’s Health & Fitness Project for Women Over Forty

Kandie’s Health & Fitness Project is intended to help women over forty lose weight in an easy to follow 24 week plan that focuses on the special needs, concerns and obstacles that hinder successful sustainable weight loss by systematically introducing a more nutritious healthier lifestyle.

The goal is to gradually ween (lean, break, ease) away from fatty, processed foods that wreak havoc on the body, have little nutritious value, and pack on unwanted calories to a more plant-based nutrition dense diet. Each week will introduce a new crowd out or break-in item to introduce into your diet. A crowd out or break-in item just means that you will slowly start to eliminate the bad stuff by consciously trading up to healthier stuff that nourishes the body. This simple technique will allow you to "not" feel deprived or restricted, which is the reason most diets fail. The good stuff will comprise of super foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Choosing to limit or eliminate the intake of animal products and opt for those that contain no antibiotics and are certified organic is by far the healthiest eating plan. But, we all know that a plant-based diet consisting of both organic and raw foods is the supreme choice.

I have adopted this plan from “The Lean A Revolutionary and Simple 30 Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss” by Kathy Freston. In her book, she takes you on a thirty day journey that leans you into eating a vegetarian diet. I liked how Kathy introduced a new tweak to your diet where each day builds on the previous day until you have thirty new healthy habits. My project is based on the same principle where as each week builds on the previous week as well. After the 24 weeks, you will have 24 new healthy habits that can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle. Each new habit will have a benefit that directly addresses some of the special issues and challenges that women over forty need in order to maintain a lean and healthy body.

This is what you can realistically expect each week during this health & fitness project:

At the beginning of each week, you will have a new habit or food item that you must integrate into your daily activity. For example, week three might state for you to eat an apple. Of course, you will be given the rules, so to speak, of how you are supposed to utilize this new habit as well as any important information for women over forty. Also, you may have weekly assignments or other tasks that will help you to succeed.

One of the healthiest eating plans is raw vegan, this is the ideal diet. But, I know that not everyone can fathom becoming a vegetarian so, this project/plan will be broken down into three levels: a beginner, intermediate and advanced/extreme level for both diet and exercise.

The beginner level still eats animal products, their plate will be 60% vegetable and the meat will be certified organic and/or lean cuts of meat (no pork). The exercise level will be a moderate cardio and strength training plan for those who rarely exercise.

The intermediate level will be considered semi-vegetarian. At this level, only fish, chicken or turkey is eaten (no shellfish/red meat/pork), their plate will be 80% vegetable. The exercise level will be for those who exercise 3-4 times a week.

The advanced/extreme level is for vegetarians, vegans and raw vegans. Basically, vegetarians still consume cheese and dairy products, but no meat. Vegans and Raw Vegans do not consume animal products of any kind or any animal by products. This exercise level is for those who exercise 5-6 times a week and chooses extreme workouts that can last for one or more hours at a time.

You will also be given from time to time, homework, recipes, menu plans, resources for women over forty, or interesting websites to visit to help educate and engage you in your own individual pursuit to be fit and healthy. This is the reason for calling this a health and fitness project. Most women are aware of what they should do to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but they don’t have the time, patience, commitment level, etc. to do what is necessary because of ignorance, marriage, children, or work. So, here is a plan that will not disrupt your lifestyle negatively, but can be easily introduced into it.

If you are a woman over forty and want to really lose weight in a healthy manner and you decide to follow along with this project, please make sure to check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or before starting any exercises in this 24 week journey. I will do my best to point out any foods or exercises that may be of real concern for certain health needs, but as always, you know your body best and please do your own due diligence when following any new plan. Since this is a project and not a guaranteed, doctor approved diet, I must simply state that you consult with your physician to insure that eating certain foods or performing any new exercises will not interfere with any medications or doctor approved health plans. I wish everyone good health!

　
　
　

Admit It, Diets Work But Just Not For You: You Are a Forty year Old Woman!

Now that I have your attention…. Does this sound like you? Have you tried losing weight but haven’t been successful, especially now that you are forty something. You’ve tried the latest fad diets with some success, but eventually the weight comes back and then some. As a woman over forty it is harder for you to lose weight and keep it off. Correct? So, because of this special challenge, you’ve declared that diets don’t work.

Most diets are tailored for short term results and should not be sustained for extended periods of time. Any diet that forces you to change your current eating habits and restrict your caloric intake, will cause a reduction in weight. Initially, this weight reduction may only be water weight depending on the structure of the diet. Because of the special dietary needs of a woman, especially those over forty, a diet should specifically address those needs. This is why most fad diets will not work efficiently for you. There is always an exception to the rule, but once a woman turns forty, her body is gearing up for “the change”. But don’t give up, it is not your fault, “Mother Nature” is to blame. Or is she?.

Mother nature is partially to blame because a women goes through some unique changes once she reaches that forty year mark. "Doctor’s say a woman is peri-menopausal at the age of forty, menopausal at fifty-one. And we all have heard the many stories of women going through “The Change”. They often experience hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, night sweats, decreased libido and more." (“Women at the change” by Madonna Sophia Compton, M.A)

For the most part, “Mother Nature“ is the reason you are struggling to lose weight. However, “the fact of the matter is, most women don’t “get fat” as they age because they have lost interest in their bodies or their men. At this time of life there is a redistribution of weight and the weight gain is often around the waist and thighs, resulting in the disappearing waistline syndrome. Unexplained weight gain may be a function of hypothyrodism, rather than aging; the weight gain and shift in body fat is due to metabolic changes. To undergo extreme dieting in an attempt to recover a lost waistline may not only be a useless exercise; it may not even be healthy.” (Madonna Sophia Compton, M.A)

So, what does this mean for women over forty? All this means is that you have to work with “Mother Nature” in order to overcome the obstacles that she has now put in front of you. If you want to lose weight, feel great and look fabulous at forty, you are gonna have to educate yourself about women’s health after forty. As a woman over forty, I have begun to educate myself about the challenges I will have to overcome if I want to be fit and healthy. I also know that my fitness concerns are going to be very different from when I was in my twenties and thirties. Each of us will have unique and individual challenges to overcome that will test our resolve to be lean, fit and healthy. What you have to do is take control of your health in a way that is unique to your fitness level, overall health, and food choices.

This is my reason for Kandie’s Health & Fitness Project.  It is a 24 week project that gently eases you into healthy weight loss and helps you to maintain a more plant based nutritious eating plan (diet) and lifestyle. This project will emphasize health and fitness for women forty and over, but it can be followed by anyone interested in achieving long-term sustainable weight loss in an easy and sensible way. This is not a diet. For most people, the word diet has a negative connotation and it is synonymous with deprivation and restrictions. This project is a way to cleverly trick you into changing bad unhealthy eating habits into healthy eating habits without feeling deprived.

The goal for this project is to provide a step by step action plan that can be easily followed by anyone who wants to lose weight the healthy way. This is not a quick results plan that guarantees you will lose weight fast. It will be designed as a plan that can be customized to an individual’s preferences and goals. The project is not only to educate you on just health and fitness challenges for women but as a systematic approach to a healthier lifestyle. Because, most people don’t know exactly where to start or how to start changing their unhealthy habits, this project will provide a starting point.

If you are a woman over forty like myself and have also been looking for an easy to follow weight loss system that addresses your special needs please feel free to follow along with Kandie’s Health & Fitness Project.  My next post will give the details on what the project will involve. I plan to start November 4, 2012 therefore, if you follow along with me, we will be looking awesome before summer.