10 signs that you may have a thyroid problem:

It's estimated that 59 million Americans have a thyroid problem, but the majority don't even know it yet. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, is the master gland of metabolism. When your thyroid doesn't function, it can affect every aspect of your health, and in particular, weight, depression and energy levels.
Since undiagnosed thyroid problems can dramatically increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, depression, anxiety, hair loss, sexual dysfunction, infertility and a host of other symptoms and health problems, it's important that you don't go undiagnosed.

You don't need to have all of these symptoms in order to have a thyroid problem, but here are some of the most common signs that you may have a thyroid condition:

1. Fatigue:

Feeling exhausted when you wake up, feeling as if 8 or 10 hours of sleep a night is insufficient or being unable to function all day without a nap can all be signs of thyroid problems. (With hyperthyroidism, you may also have nighttime insomnia that leaves you exhausted during the day.)


2. Weight Changes:

You may be on a low-fat, low-calorie diet with a rigorous exercise program, but are failing to lose or gain any weight. Or you may have joined a diet program or support group, such as Weight Watchers, and you are the only one who isn't losing any weight. Difficulty losing weight can be a sign of hypothyroidism. You may be losing weight while eating the same amount of food as usual — or even losing while eating more than normal. Unexplained weight changes and issues can be signs of both hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.


3. Depression and Anxiety:

Depression or anxiety — including sudden onset of panic disorder — can be symptoms of thyroid disease. Hypothyroidism is most typically associated with depression, while hyperthyroidism is more commonly associated with anxiety or panic attacks. Depression that does not respond to antidepressants may also be a sign of an undiagnosed thyroid disorder.


4. Cholesterol Issues:

High cholesterol, especially when it is not responsive to diet, exercise or cholesterol-lowering medication, can be a sign of undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Unusually low cholesterol levels may be a sign of hyperthyroidism.


5. Family History:
If you have a family history of thyroid problems, you are at a higher risk of having a thyroid condition yourself.


6. Menstrual Irregularities and Fertility Problems:

Heavier, more frequent and more painful periods are frequently associated with hypothyroidism, and shorter, lighter or infrequent menstruation can be associated with hyperthyroidism. Infertility can also be associated with undiagnosed thyroid conditions.


7. Bowel Problems:

Severe or long-term constipation is frequently associated with hypothyroidism, while diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with hyperthyroidism.


8. Hair/Skin Changes:

Hair and skin are particularly vulnerable to thyroid conditions, and in particular, hair loss is frequently associated with thyroid problems. With hypothyroidism, hair frequently becomes brittle, coarse and dry, while breaking off and falling out easily. Skin can become coarse, thick, dry,and scaly. In hypothyroidism, there is often an unusual loss of hair in the outer edge of the eyebrow. With hyperthyroidism, severe hair loss can also occur, and skin can become fragile and thin.


9. Neck Discomfort/Enlargement:

A feeling of swelling in the neck, discomfort with turtlenecks or neckties, a hoarse voice or a visibly enlarged thyroid can all be symptoms of thyroid disease.


10. Muscle and Joint Pains, Carpal Tunnel/Tendonitis Problems:

Aches and pains in your muscles and joints, weakness in the arms and a tendency to develop carpal tunnel in the arms/hands and tarsal tunnel in the legs, can all be symptoms of undiagnosed thyroid problems.

Get smart about takeoout:

Craving takeout? Make healthier choices when dining out!

Just because you're trying to lose weight, you don't have to swear off your favorite take-out meal or ethnic restaurants. With a little planning and some knowledge of menu terms and preparation methods, you can easily fit several choices from most cuisines into your diet plan. These handy quick guides can be printed so you can take them with you and make healthy choices at ethnic restaurants.

Chinese Restaurants:
Think you can't enjoy everyone's favorite takeout meal just because you're dieting? Think again. This will help you make healthier choices at your favorite Chinese restaurant.

This guide will help you make healthy choices at Chinese restaurants.

Choose:
hot and sour soup
wonton soup
steamed spring roll
teriyaki chicken skewer
dishes made with steamed or boiled chicken or shrimp
steamed vegetables
stir-fries (request less oil)
bok choy

Avoid:
battered or fried appetizers
egg rols
General Tso's chicken
Kung Pao chicken
duck
dishes laden with rich sauces (ex: Hoisin or sweet and sour)

Italian Restaurants:
While many Italian dishes aren't exactly diet-friendly, you'll have more choices than you might expect.

Choose:
tossed salad
shrimp cocktail
tomato or broth-based soup (such as minestrone)
grilled calamari
grilled chicken
chicken cacciatore
gnocchi
marinara/red sauce
vegetarian pizza
steamed, broiled or boiled seafood

Avoid:
antipasto
fried calamari
garlic bread
cheese bread
cheese sticks
lasagna
manicotti
chicken or veal marsala
ravioli
tortelini
Alfredo or other cream- or cheese-based sauces

By making wise and healthy choices when dining out, you are less likely to sabotage your diet!

10 common myths about fitness, workouts and exercise:

There are numerous myths about fitness, exercise and workouts. It is a strange fact that people, who are exercising for long, possess lots of knowledge about exercise but many of them are just misconceptions.

As an instance, many workout performers think, they would not be able to gain a firm body without painful exercise sessions, which has no relevance with reality.

Nevertheless, awareness towards a healthy and toned physique has faded numerous fitness myths but still there are hundreds. Here is a list of the 10 most common myths of fitness, exercise and workouts:

Myth 1: One needs a good exercise to get ‘lower abs’:

Nothing else exists like the lower abs. There is an only long muscle that is called rectos abdominal.

If you are looking forward for six pack abs, you must concentrate in the direction of working out for four muscles, which are respectively, the rectos abdominal, internal oblique, external oblique and transverse abdominal.

Many people do crunches to get six-pack abs and you too are thinking about it; prior to performing them make it sure that you will be melting your body-fat into lean muscles. This is going to assist you a lot in your endeavor of attaining a toned body.

Myth 2: If the body is not aching then the workout is not enough:

This is one among the funniest fitness myths. A painful workout session is not going to get you a firm physique; it leads you towards many muscle related ailments. When a workout is performed with right movements, it does not cause any soreness in body.

In accordance with a fact, 35-40 minutes long workout session a day is adequate for a healthy adult. An overdose of exercise causes tiny tears in muscles.

Myth 3: If a woman is looking for muscle-bound, she must lift weights:

This one is for fairer sex; the myth advocates weight-lifting, as it helps everybody in getting firm muscles but in accord with science, women do not have testosterone hormone, which is supposed to be the key element in building of muscle-bound.

Weight-lifting helps women in building muscles, which improves their femininity.

Myth 4: If you can’t workout harder, then better not do it:

You are always told about this but don’t worry, it is just a myth. You do not need to spend hours in gym.

Almost every fitness expert suggests to spend just 120-225 minutes for cardio exercises in an entire week, which can be divided in 4 to 5 sessions a week and almost 60 to 70 minutes for weight training, this can be divided into 2-3 sessions a week.

Myth 5: Vigorous exercises help in ‘padding out’:

Maximum people go for vigorous exercises, as they think this is most effective in gaining muscle or bulking up. These power exercises are not actually for muscle building instead they are important for a healthy and strong body.

Myth 6: More protein means bigger muscles:

It is a common misconception among people that the more they take in protein, the bigger muscle they will get.

However, this has no relevance with reality. The fact says that too much of protein consumption may cause a nutrient imbalance, which can lead to kidney strain and dehydration.

Another research done on protein consumption makes it clear that an overdose of much protein results in stored calories. Nonetheless, calories are essential for a healthy body but must be taken in the right amounts.

Myth 7: Machines are always better than Dumbbells and Barbells:

In the present scenario, almost everybody is opting for machine-based workout sessions instead of the usual way of barbells and dumbbells. Though machines are very advanced and lets you workout in a comfortable manner, free weights (barbells and dumbbells) are most important for strength training.

Free weight exercises bring lots of advantages for you, as it helps you in burning more calories in comparison of workout-machines and also allow you to perform exercises that train numerous large muscle groups at a time.

It means you are able to burn calories in every set of exercise, which regulates a fast and better result.

As an example, when you perform an exercise with the help of barbells and dumbbells, you can squat train your calves, abs, lower back and hamstring; but while practicing on treadmill, you would be able to perform only leg extension exercise that targets only the quadriceps.

Free weights (barbell and dumbbell) exercises also help in increasing your body balance and bone density. These exercises are supposed to be the best exercises, as they have a long term impact.

In accordance with studies, these exercises always maintain balance and make one stronger, which is important in older ages, as these exercises diminish the risk of old age falls and enhance bone density thus preventing elderly diseases such as osteoporosis [preventing osteoporosis].

Myth 8: One must lose weight by dieting before starting weight-lifting:

This is one of the most worked out myths. Many people believe that they must lose their weight before starting the practice of weight-lifting.

This myth generally exists among women. Often women possess a tendency to aim for quick results from weigh-lifting or diet programs and when they do not see any major difference on the scale, they immediately become discouraged.

Such exercises and diet sessions cut the body fat first and then assist in shaping the body but females try to diet more to get the perfect shape as soon as possible, which is not good for the health.

Studies suggest that a combination of aerobics, strength training and moderate dieting is best for a toned body. Compared to serious starvation that leads to death causing ailments such as anorexia nervosa, this approach is the healthier one.

Myth 9: One should avoid dinner after 8PM:

How can it work for those, who are active till late? For people who exert more energy, they require more nutrition. It is very important for them to eat accordingly.

They must follow a healthier diet plan for dinner, as this will help them in consuming the much needed nutrients. Nevertheless, dinner should be taken almost two hours before you are going to sleep, as it helps in healthy digestion.

Myth 10: You need to take a bunch of vitamins to help you lose weight:

If you have enough intake of the necessary nutrients like Omega-3 and proteins, then you don’t need to pour more supplements to your daily intake. The right balance of nutrients that is within the set daily recommended values is most appropriate.

By now, I believe you have become more informed about the most common fitness myths circulating around you. Continue to be wiser in your fitness strategy. Don’t just believe in what other people say. Know the theory behind the commonly used fitness regimen. Above all else, stay healthy!

How to eat for weight loss:

Many people who want to lose weight find it difficult to know which foods to choose for the best weight loss results. Losing weight by swapping and changing to different diets is not the best way, we need to find a way of reducing energy content from the normal foods we eat every day. We need to learn certain food rules to help form better eating habits.

We should learn to pick out the best foods from our normal daily diet and use them to form the basis for our new healthy eating habits. This gives familiarity to the new way of eating rather than the idea that the individual is "on a diet". Trying to lose weight on a specific diet relays the message that it will end some day. When a diet ends many people gain back most, if not all the weight lost.

Here are some suggestions on how to eat foods to help lose weight...

Try not to have too much variety of food for each meal:

Evidence has shown humans always consume more food and calories when there is more choice on offer. For example, have you ever been at a buffet style meal where its “eat all you can” no matter how much we eat there always seems to be room for one more item maybe that delicious looking dessert or ice cream!

Many diets in the past have been based on a similar principle, the cabbage soup diet, the vegetable diet, etc.

Health experts state always eat a balanced diet which may seem to contradict the above statement. However, it is possible to select a balanced diet and lower amount of choice for each meal by slowly eating regular small meals.

Be careful what you add to healthy foods:

Salads are one of the best foods for losing weight, they are very popular for many dieters trying to lose the weight fast. The problem is people often add sauces or creams to add taste to an otherwise bland food. Mayonnaise is a common addition to salads but it is very high in calories and fat and a salad with too much Mayonnaise can be just as high in calories than some of the worst weight loss foods.

Baked potatoes are also a great food to help lose weight when part of a small, low calorie meal but again, some people spoil this great example by adding tons of butter. Filling a baked potato with baked beans or cottage cheese is probably the best way to add taste and more nutrition to this low calorie food.

The idea is when choosing the best foods to help lose weight try not to neutralize the food's possible weight loss benefits, be careful with what you add!

Eat a little high quality protein food with each meal or snack:

One study in the UK for the atkins diet has shown that it wasn't the low carbs that were the reason the volunteers were losing weight, it also wasn't the ketosis which was causing the body to boost the metabolism. In fact it was believed to be the protein content. The protein in each meal was helping to dull the appetite causing volunteers to actually consume less calories than those on the low fat diet.

If Dr Atkins discovered protein's ability to suppress appetite then why don't we simply include some protein at each meal without the hassle or expense of completely changing our whole dietary foods in order to lose weight.

Adding protein food to each meal along with the idea of eating more meals in a day may be difficult to keep calories low enough to lose weight. This idea means adding another "choice", plus protein foods are often high in calories. To combat this problem some people combine protein foods, combining certain plant foods can help lose weight because they are usually low in calories, high in fiber and it limits the choice of foods within each meal as only two types of plant foods need to be combined.


Eat smarter today, for a healthier you tomorrow!

Metabolism and Aging...Are they related?

Are they related? Well, yes and no.

People think that because they age they automatically have a slower metabolism than when they were younger. Well yes, your metabolism does slow as you get older, but not for the reasons most believe. It does not just slow because you get older, but instead because you stop moving as much.

Your metabolism works off two main things: lean muscle mass and genetics. If your parents were lethargic/athletic, you will be more disposed to lead that kind of life based upon your genetics. Not all people are that way though. The main reason metabolism slows with age is based upon your lean body mass. When you're younger you move more, and as people get older they move less. Therefore the lean body mass of an individual will decrease unless they continue exercising or begin to exercise more. Also, if you have very little lean muscle mass then you will not burn as many calories in a day as someone who has lots of muscle mass.

In closing, if you want to make sure your metabolism doesn't slow as you begin to age then exercise and move to stay in shape, keeping that lean muscle mass in check.

10 tips to move beyond a weight loss plateau:

Hit a weight loss plateau? It's hard to fathom that for weeks your weight loss program was taking the pounds off. Then, suddenly, the scales won't budge another pound.

Take heart. A weight loss plateau is normal. No matter how diligent you are in following your workout, from time to time you'll fall off the wagon. The key to getting back on the program, experts say, is to acquire the skills and self-knowledge that will enable you to recover after a relapse.

1. Imagine You: Healthy and Vibrant:
Have a vision of success. The mind is a strong tool, so use it to achieve what you want. Use visualization techniques and then apply that vision every day to stay motivated. To stay compliant to your weight loss program,keep only healthy foods in the fridge, so you're less likely to stop and grab something unhealthy on the way home from work.

2. Understand Your Weight Loss Personality:
Personality plays a role in our attitude towards food. Know your tendencies and tailor your plan to conquer the unproductive inclinations.

Impulsive. If you have a tendency to be impulsive, you might see a pint of ice cream in the freezer and go for it. Clearly, you are a dieter who needs to remove those temptations.

Oblivious. If you tend to not pay attention when you eat, maybe you're a TV snacker? Avoid those situations if you want to control portions.

Uptight. If you are highly anxious, you will probably have more difficulty. People who are anxious, nervous, and depressed might eat to feel better.

Tenacious. Certain personalities don't find it that difficult losing weight. If you are highly motivated,patient, and have achieveable goals, you are going to have an easier time.

Sociable. If you tend to monitor your food intake better than others, you may be more sociable.

3. Record Every Bite of Food You Eat, Taste, or Lick:
Underestimating just how much food you've eaten is a common mistake, one that can lead to a weight loss plateau or weight gain. Yet keeping a diary of your daily food intake (every bite, taste, or lick) can help you see where you're going wrong.

4. Beware of the calories creeping up on you:
A key reason for a weight loss plateau is eating more than you think. It's easy for portion sizes to creep up, and before you know it, you end up eating more than your plan advises. That's why it's important to weigh and measure your food to understand proper portions. Try cutting your daily calorie intake by 100 or 200 to move beyond the weight loss plateau.

5. Watch Restaurant Overeating:
At restaurants, rich foods and supersized portions can sway even the most determined dieter. Especially if you eat out often, look at restaurant eating as a chance to practice good portion control.

6. Eat Low-Fat Protein to Manage Hunger Pangs:
New findings show that a high protein diet can help squash hunger. Protein foods work by suppressing ghrelin, a hormone secreted by the stomach that stimulates your appetite.

7. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables:
Fill up on produce. Eating lots of low-calorie, high-volume fruits and vegetables crowds out other foods that are higher in fat and calories. Move the meat off the center of your plate and pile on the vegetables. Or try starting meals with a vegetable salad or bowl of broth-based soup.

8. Push the Envelope Past That Plateau:
Hitting the treadmill every day for a 30-minute walk or doing the neighborhood loop with your buddies gets your body into a groove. After a while, your muscles get used to the routine and become very efficient at doing the task at hand.

To keep your muscles guessing, and performing the ultimate calorie burn ;vary your physical activity. And push the envelope to power past that plateau!

9. Wear a Pedometer:
Wearing a pedometer each day and having a daily step goal can boost your activity level and burn more calories. Wearing a pedometer may also help decrease blood pressure.

10. Try Yoga to Avoid Stress Eating:
Stress eating is binging on food: homemade chocolate chip cookies, salty chips, a handful of this, a fistful of that to soothe your inner emotional turmoil, not your real hunger. Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity: a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat.

Emotional eating:

Occasional emotional eating is normal. Everyone has celebrated with food before, that’s what birthday parties, Christmas lunch and BBQ’s on grand final day are all about. But emotional eating can become a serious problem when it leads to negative emotional and physical imbalances in our lives.

Frequent emotional eating can easily become a destructive cycle. Emotional eating becomes entrenched in the lives of its sufferers when they use food to regulate their mood, cope with stress or overcome feelings of anxiety or boredom.



This type of behaviour can easily lead emotional eaters to become overweight or obese because many of them feel hungry most of the time.

"Satisfying" this insatiable hunger with food, many emotional eaters consume far more calories than their body needs and they gain a lot of weight which becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible to lose.

Common signs of Emotional Eating

Here are some common signs of emotional eating:

*Eating when not physically hungry.
*Eating during times of strong emotions, like anger or depression.
*Eating when bored.
*Rapid eating.
*Eating immediately after arriving home from work.
*Eating alone out of embarrassment at the quantity or type of food being eaten.
*Eating until uncomfortably full.
*Feelings of disgust, depression, or guilt after overeating.
*Recognizing emotional hunger

Recognizing emotional hunger (as apposed to real physical hunger) is one of the keys to overcoming or staving off frequent emotional eating.

Some of the characteristics of emotional hunger include:

*Emotional hunger comes on suddenly.
*One minute you're not hungry at all and the next minute you're starving.
*Emotional hunger often craves specific food, like pizza, chocolate, or a cheeseburger.
*Emotional hunger begins in the mouth and the mind, not the stomach.
*Emotional hunger often accompanies an unpleasant emotion.
*Emotional hunger involves automatic or absent-minded eating.
*Emotional hunger isn’t satisfied when you’re full.
*Emotional hunger makes you feel guilty.

Are you an emotional eater?

To find out if you might be an emotional eater, rate yourself on the following statements about your current lifestyle (adapted from the book Fattitudes: Beat Self-Defeat and Win Your War with Weight, by Jeffrey R., Ph.D. Wilbert, Norean K. Wilbert, St Martin’s Press, NY, 2000.) using the scale:

0 = Never
1 = Rarely
2 = Sometimes
3 = Often
4 = Almost Always

1. I’ve try to lose weight, but always fail.

2. I don’t feel in control of my eating.

3. I often eat when I'm not hungry.

4. I eat food when I’m stressed or upset.

5. I eat food for pleasure or as a reward.

6. I think about food a lot.

7. I can't stay on track when dieting.

8. I binge eat.

9. I feel ashamed of myself and my eating habits.

10. Food helps me deal with feelings.

Add up your TOTAL SCORE

Interpretation:

0 – 10. It is very unlikely that you are an emotional eater.
11 – 20. You engage in some emotional eating but it’s unlikely that it is harmful.
21 – 30. You are a moderate emotional eater and should consider professional assistance.
31 - 40. You are a heavy emotional eater. Professional assistance is highly recommended.

What to do if emotional eating is a problem:

Here are some suggestions that may help you overcome problematic emotional eating:

*Become aware of your motivations for wanting to eat.
*When you feel like eating, ask yourself if you could possibly be upset instead of hungry.
*Keep believing in yourself. You are in control and have the power to make changes in your life.
*Develop new mood regulation strategies. For example, share your problems when anxious and exercise when you’re bored.
*Remember support is available. If you need to, find a weight loss class, hire a lifestyle coach or engage a licensed therapist.
*Focus on the things that matter. Like taking care of yourself, improving your emotional well-being, eating well and exercising.
*Be wary of using diets. Dieting can lead to more emotional eating and won’t help you to address the underlying reasons for being overweight.
*Love yourself for who you are and forget about trying to be perfect.
*Don’t swallow your emotions for the sake of sparing others from getting upset. If they’ve upset you, let them know about it and tell them that you won’t tolerate that kind of behaviour in the future.
*Make yourself - not a diet - responsible for what you eat.
*Focus on the cause and solution rather than the affect. Constantly focusing on the negative symptoms of the problem won’t help you solve them. Focus on what you’re going to do about your current circumstances rather than the circumstances themselves.
*Take responsibility for your life, stop thinking about food and LIVE!

Conclusion:

Remember, we're all emotional eaters to some extent. But when emotional eating interferes with your health and happiness you know it’s time to do something about it and the sooner the better.

We hope that the information provided above can help you determine the extent to which you are an emotional eater and assess how much this problem is contributing to your weight gain or inhibiting your attempts at weight loss. In addition, we hope that this article gives you some practical options to help combat destructive emotional eating habits, not least of which is seeking professional from a registered psychologists if necessary to become a happier, healthier you.