PORTION SIZE ... can you guess your calories ?

Portion Size, Calories, and Weight Loss

Perceptions of normal portion size have ballooned over the past 20 years -- increasing by 20 - 40% and adding substantial calories to our daily totals. And according to a recent study, the larger the size of a fast-food meal, the more likely that you will underestimate its calorie content.

Permanent alterations in your lifelong attitudes toward diet and exercise are the keys to successful weight management. You must be motivated enough to change habits not for a few weeks or months, but for a lifetime.

The first step is to determine how many calories you should eat each day. To do this, calculate the number of calories needed to maintain your current weight.

This is roughly 15 calories per pound of body weight for a moderately active person (someone who gets at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity every day). A completely sedentary person requires just 12 calories per pound to maintain weight.

So how many calories do you consume in a meal? In a recent study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Volume 145, page 326 ), researchers found that the larger the size of a fast-food meal, the more likely that you will underestimate its calorie content -- by as much as 500 calories.

The researchers conducted two experiments. One involved 105 people at fast-food restaurants, who were asked to estimate the calorie content of the meals they ordered and ate. The other, a laboratory study, enrolled 40 college students who were shown 15 different sizes of the same fast-food meal and asked to estimate the calorie content.

The results showed that the size of the meal was critical for getting the calorie count right: At the fast-food restaurant, those eating smaller meals estimated they were eating 419 calories when they consumed 514 calories. Those eating larger meals estimated 675 calories but actually ate 1,188 calories. In the laboratory study, students guessed large meals contained an average of 1,000 calories when they really had 1,382 calories and that small meals contained 631 calories when they had 655 calories. In the two experiments, both overweight and normal-weight participants underestimated the calories in larger meals.

The bottom line: The next time you eat a super-size meal, be aware that its calorie count is probably twice what you think it is

SKIN AND SUGAR !

I received this wonderful email from Sandy at Motion Medica - oh boy ! another reason to read your labels and to try and keep your sugar intake low .. Read on and if you need anymore info please visit Sandy at www.motionmedica.com - she will answer all your questions personally x

We at Fitness Botanical Skin care Co. makers of Motion Medica are constantly striving to keep our clients' skin at it's healthiest and radiant appearance. The following information will help you to continue to achieve these results!


New studies from the British Journel of Dermatology has put some aging blame on a process called "glycation".

Glycation occurs when sugars- not just refined sugars, turn to glucose when it hits your blood stream. As they search out and latch on to proteins and form a new molecule called advanced glycation. The more of these sugars you consume, such as corn syrup and white refined, the more glycation the body produces.

The result? These sugars wreak havoc with good proteins. The most vulnerable proteins are the ones we need to stay strong, are collagen and elastin. These componds are responsible for keeping our skin firm, elastic and able to withhold water. Without these good proteins the result is sagging, wrinkled and dull skin.

Two super foods for the skin are strawberries and cold water fish as salmon, tuna and cod.

Strawberries are high in antioxidants, B vitamins, potassium and fiber. This key fruit is known to support healthy collagen.

Cold water fish contain high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids which helps to boost skin's appearance by supporting blood flow to maintain elasticity and increase skin's radiance.

For a topical treat for your skin, consider these essential organic botanicals:

Willow Bark is known to destroy bacteria and clarify the skin (increases your skin's purity.)

Borage Leaf works as a natural emollient and moisterizer to counteract any natural essential oils which may be stripped from cleansing.

Chamomilla Flower extract, obtained by a cold process as opposed to synthetic, helps to calm the skin resulting in even skin tone with little or no redness.

Cucumber extract is used as a natural ingredient to refine pores by removing impurities that may be left behind on skin from make-up use.
Vitamin E anti-oxidant helps to protect skin from free radical damage caused by the environment such as UV radiation and pollutants in the air.

This unique combination of ingredients are found in Motion Medica's Borage Leaf Cleanser and are essential and best used after a sweaty workout or every day cleanser. The Borage Leaf Cleanser sells for $14.95 8 oz size.

During cleansing your skin, it is suggested to use luke warm water, never shock your skin with very cold or hot water. After cleansing, you should gently pat it dry with a cotton towel and follow with a moisterizer suited for your skin type.

Additional tips can be found at http://www.motionmedica.com We welcome your e-mails with any questions or suggestions for your specific skin care concern or goal.

How Sweetners can ruin your diet

I was talking to Colleen this week about Aspartame, Splenda and the like and given the array of products out there that contain artificial sweetners I thought I would include part of one of my E books in my blog this week

Before I get going on that, a few words about this week...
I was just introduced to www.meetup.com .. what a great site (thanks Laura for the intro) I placed my BootCamp on the site and just this week Bill and Noreen joined the class on Saturday .. welcome both .. you were both sweating and smiling which I take as a good sign :)

Personally I managed 3 bikram yoga classes this week and 'boy' do I feel better for them. Sadly due to time constraints it meant I didnt do my usual cardio - but considering how fast my heart was racing doing evening yoga I'm not too worried about it.

Big congrats to Laura (another laura) and her hubby Juan on the birth of their first child ... an absolute beauty ! a 7lb 6 oz baby girl, who didnt even wake up to say 'hi' to me. Always incredible to see a baby just a few hours old - a miracle indeed.

So onward to an article I wrote on artifical sweetners. It is part of my e-book on carbohydrates which can be found on my website www.joannelee.com
Feedback is always welcome joanne@joannelee.com

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

In a nutshell and so that I don’t leave my advise until last. Artificial sweeteners are not good for you and they may be bad for you. They can certainly help a person get away from their addiction to sugar and lose weight as they are calorie free and may not have the insulin response that sugar does but artificial sweeteners confuse the brain.

You consume the sweeteners and the sweetness you taste causes enzymes in your mouth to begin to flow. This tells your receptor cells to expect an insulin rush and the subsequent jolt of energy that is associated with sweetness - but this does not happen, there is no Insulin rush and there is no jolt of energy. Your brain feels cheated and wants the boost you promised it and before you know it you find yourself craving something else sweet to eat to appease the brain.

One study showed that those who ate artificial sweeteners ate 3 times more calories than the control group.

In my personal experience I have seen this over and over in the yogurt stores. I see people buying pint after pint of ‘sugar free’ yogurt. You would never see those same people ordering the same quantity of regular ice cream. For one it is a mental excuse to eat huge quantities ‘guilt free’ but in fact by doing this you become the victim of cravings just as you would if you were a sugar addict.

When your body doesn’t get that energy jolt it expects from eating something sweet it asks for more .. and more .. and more.
That is also why many of the diet sodas have caffeine in them. The caffeine gives you the jolt that your brain is expecting.

Again I think artificial sweeteners have their place and can
help a lot of people get off the sugar roller coaster to help them lose weight, but equally I have seen the people where everything they eat is ‘sugar free’ this and ‘sugar free’ that, literally from the coffee they drink with the creamer (and sweetener) in it, to their condiments and jams, their sodas and syrup. For some, artificial sweeteners are a main staple of their diet and it proves to be a habit equally difficult to kick.

It is said that by the end of 2006 11% of the food on the grocery shelves will be labeled ‘reduced sugar’.

Unwittingly many people in their attempt to stay clear of sugar are getting off one roller coaster and on to another one.


SO WHAT ARE THEY?

First there was Saccharin, some believe that in moderation Saccharin is the best choice of all the artificial sweeteners as it has been around the longest and seems to cause few problems. That being said those same people might agree that enough Saccharin is a carcinogen and in tests it did cause bladder cancer in rats.

SACCHARIN: a white crystalline compound synthetically produced.

ASPARTAME : combines two amino acids together(L-aspartic acid and methyl ester) and is 200 times sweeter than sugar

Saccharin was pretty much overtaken by Aspartame (Equal and NutraSweet). Aspartame tastes better than Saccharin but Aspartame is responsible for the more serious side affects linked to artificial sweeteners, this is because your body actually digests it. Other sweeteners can go unrecognized by the body as they have no calories and no nutritional value, but Aspartame can build up in the body because it is actually digested.

Studies have linked Aspartame to damage of the central nervous system and the immune system. Aspartame has more complaints made against it than any other food additive, it runs like this:

Linked to MS
Linked to Lupus
Linked to Fibromyalgia


Symptoms include:

Headaches
Skin rash
Nervousness
Depression
Panic attacks
Nausea
And possibly male infertility.

Aspartame is toxic to individuals who have the inherited disease phenylketonuria and critics claim that asthma sufferers have experienced serious respiratory side effects,
The FDA agrees that there are risks but tends to think that the dosages used are so small that the risk is limited, but no one can really tell us how much is too much.

And that is the thing. There are many studies on artificial sweeteners that suggest that they may be dangerous but all the studies have been done on animals. Many of the artificial sweeteners of today have not been out long enough for long term conclusions to be made. We are living the experiment and even then many people could be suffering the symptoms of their use but they do not put two and two together, that is, they do not associate their headaches or panic attacks or depression with the additive in their food.

And then came Splenda …

The claims are amazing, as sweet as sugar, but no insulin response and no side effects. They also tell you it is made from sugar and then that word ‘Natural’ gets thrown into the mix.

Let us first get one thing straight. If you a bicycle and take the pedals off and add a motor, what is it ? A bike or a motorbike ?

If we take sugar (sucrose, a disaccharide of glucose and fructose) but then we take some of the hydroxyl groups in the molecules out and replace them with chlorine atoms … is it still sugar?

The critics argue here that it more resembles a chlorocarbon than sugar and most pesticides are chlorocarbons.

Indeed Sucralose (Splenda) was discovered by accident by British scientists trying to formulate a new pesticide back in 1976..

I am not saying that by consuming Splenda you are consuming a pesticide, but the ‘Natural’ claims of Splenda being made from sugar are a little misleading. In the defense of the manufacturer using a relationship with a pesticide might not be the best marketing ploy.
Is Splenda safe ? We do not know yet. The manufacturer themselves did studies which showed that it caused problems in rats (enlarged liver and kidneys) but again, the studies were not on humans and it would all depend on the amount consumed and an individuals sensitivity to the additive.

Sucralose (Splenda) is pretty much not recognized by your body, not much of it is even absorbed (some studies say 15%) but if you are one of those people who is sensitive to sucralose in your system then even that might be too much. Much like someone with a peanut allergy doesn’t need to consume any amount of peanuts to have a reaction, the same holds true to any sensitivity, so again although not much is even absorbed – how much is too much? Only time will tell.

We have already seen some side effects of Splenda. Diarrhea, muscle aches, bladder problems, rashes and agitation. So some people certainly have a sensitivity to Splenda, for the rest of us there may be some side effects, we simply do not yet know yet.

My concern with the artificial sweeteners is that there is such a grey area regarding how safe they are and yet their use in our foods is increasing at a dramatic rate. Running the risk here of repeating myself, even if the artificial sweeteners turn out to be harmless or maybe they will invent one that is harmless, it still does not address the relationship we have with sweetness.

Artificial sweeteners are used in everything, we buy the packets and then we buy the products that scream ‘no sugar’ or ‘low sugar’. Well is we are all eating less sugar and if all these artificial sweeteners are calorie free then shouldn’t everyone be getting thinner ?

We do know that those that eat a lot of artificially sweetened food actually eat more food and end up heavier. On the flip side if the likes of Splenda can help someone lose weight by getting them off sugar then it can serve a purpose, but at some point it is wise to take control of your sweet tooth, cut back on the sweeteners and get rid of the cravings and off that roller coaster ride.

ALTERNATIVES

Sugar alcohols have been used for many years by diabetics who are then able to sweeten their food without triggering an insulin response.

SORBITOL: a polyalcohol present in plants, fruits and seaweeds. Absorbed from the intestine more slowly than fructose (fruit sugar) and is then rapidly oxidized to fructose.

ZYLITOL: sugar alcohol similar to fructose

MANITOL: derived from fructose

We see here the relationship with Fructose in all three. Fructose is found in fruits and honey it is a monosaccharide, a simple sugar and although it is one component of sugar (sugar = glucose + fructose) it is sweeter than sugar.

Fructose is absorbed slowly in the upper bowel and is largely unchanged. Fructose then permeates the liver without the aid on insulin. Although insulin is needed later in the metabolic process it is this reduced insulin response that makes fructose and its related sugar alcohols popular.

STEVIA

Stevia is an herb and has been used for over 400 years without ill effect (now that is a long term study!)
It is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, indeed it is known in South America as the “sweet herb”.

The sweetness of Stevia is a different sort of sweetness than one finds with our artificial sweeteners but its popularity is growing enormously. The irony here (given that it has been around for 400 years and that it is an herb, not a chemical), is that the FDA has not yet granted Stevia “additive” status. It is approved for use as a supplement but not as a food additive.

We see this a lot with natural substances. There is not as much money to be made on a product that cannot be patented or controlled. The business of sugar and the business that is artificial sweeteners surely must not like the growing popularity of Stevia and some might suspect that they have some pull with the FDA. I’ll leave it to you to read between the lines. Meanwhile Stevia is available at all health food stores and is well worth a try.


The verdict is then still out on our artificial sweeteners and really I don’t want you to beat yourself up over your use of sweeteners. The message here is for you to be informed and to be aware. Read your labels and know what you are consuming. By just being aware you will likely show more control and if you find yourself eating more and more and experiencing cravings at the very least you can know what is going on and take steps, even baby steps at first, to heal your body from the miserable cycle too many of us live everyday.

annelee.com

UNDERSTANDING STUBBORN FAT .. ITS NOT JUST CALORIES

I'm including in my blog today an email I received from a doctor friend of mine. It is a problem that I address ALL the time. You diet you exercise but there is just that 'problem' area which wont budge.

I can totally explain why this happens and how to address it and it is so much more than just counting calories and increasing your training. Imagine you wanted to fill a bucket with water but the more water you poured in the level just didnt change .... would you just keep pouring in water ? or would you check to see if there were holes in the bucket ?

My point being .. stubborn fat is only addressed with calories and exericse and people get frustrated .. but there are holes in the bucket ... meaning there is so much more going on on a hormonal and chemical level. Once you understand what is happening then you have more power to address the problem

so heres the letter:

Joanne, Can you look at this diet diary of this 40ish female triathlete? She would like to lose a little body fat and have consistent energy throughout the day. I think she needs more protein especially in the evening and maybe some more healthy fats with less carbs (again, particularly in the evening).What are your thoughts?
Darren F. X. Clair, MDVibrance Medical Group Beverly Hills Triangle Medical Plaza 462 North Linden Dr., Suite 440 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USAwww.VibranceMedicalGroup.com

and here is my reply .. its brief, but if you want to know more, please contact me joanne@joannelee.com and we can discuss your spercific concerns

www.vibrancemedicalgroup.com
I just briefly looked the ladies diet but I few thoughts before I retire
1. Although she is burning up a lot of calories i am guessing that she has 'problem' areas (either hips and thighs or abdominal and back)

2. The amount of carbohydrates that she is consuming (even after exercise) will cause an increased rate of insulin production

3. Insulin has been shown to stimulate more LPL formation (lipoprotein lipase) which transports (stores) triglycerides (fat) into the cell ..

4. Insulin also makes the Alpha receptors more sensitive. cells have alpha and beta receptors. Alpha receptors block the breakdown of fat, beta receptors increase the breakdown of fat (women usually have more alpha than beta in the lower body) By sensitizing the alpha receptors you are stopping the breakdown of fat. A natural alpha antagonist is Yohimbine .. but some people are sensitive and I'm not sure how good really works .. but in theory ? maybe

5. Insulin inhibits HSL (hormone stimulating lipase) needed for lipolysis (note insulin also blunts yohimbine .. i know I read that somewhere)

6. She could get the carbs she needs for all the activity from better sources or by adding more fiber .. she could test her blood sugar. Natural (unprocessed foods) will have a higher thermic affect and will regulate her blood sugar (and therefore her insulin)

7. Women actually burn up a greater % of fat (than men who use more stored glcogen) with exercise but most of it comes from Intra Muscular fat and not those floppy rolls :)

8. epinephrine is the primary hormone that stimulate lipolysis - with all the activity this lady is certainly producing epinephrine - however (again) epinephrine works on both the beta and alpha receptors and we need to stimulate the beta for fat breakdown (alpha inhibit fat loss) .. so again it could come down to minimizing the alpha sensitivity (through insulin)

In a nutshell .. I doubt it is down to calories as she does so much activity and only eats 3 times a day.
I think it is more down to the responses her body is making on a more hormonal level. Im going to look at it properly tomorrow, but I think maybe her food sources and as you say, the evening carbohydrates.
Also, does she take any estrogen products/meds ? We know that women with higher levels of estrogen have smaller waists and more stubborn fat on their thighs and butt. When they hit menopause and estrogen drops they get that middle aged spread which can often be minimized with hormone therapy.

I would have to discuss with her ...

Joanne www.joannelee.com
joanne@joannelee.com

Day in the life of a personl trainer

What a great day (with one big exception). I ran my bootcamp in Marina del Rey .. I had thought out the routine last night and it made me smile even as I typed in into my keyboard - but everyone did GREAT .. they always amaze me .. I did it all .. the ladder and the disc (do you know the 'disc' ??) I had jump ropes and pop presses, I had them running backwards with some yoga thrown in. The Boot Camp is turning out to be so much fun - a lot of work for me, but so rewarding.

Apart from the fight one of my girls got into with the dog training class close by ... the instructor is obviously better with animals than people ! Sadly for her, her behavior is such a bad reflection to her clients who were standing around.

Then all day I have worked on my website www.joannelee.com (after speaking with my family in England for an hour or so .. ma and pa are off to Egypt in search of the Sun)

The exception to my day is that I didnt get to train myself .. I am sure all PT's can appreciate this problem - you are meant to be the role model but you run out of time for yourself :)
No worries, I know me and I'll find the time tomorrow - I rarely miss 2 days in a row.
I had hoped to go to Bikram yoga and thats the part I wish I had gotten to. My hip still feels not so great and the Bikram class last week really helped

Ho Hum .. off to a birthday party tonight then home to miss an hours sleep as the clocks change and then off to work tomorrow. Its funny but my Dad still cannot get used to me working on a Sunday ! but in Los Angeles it is a bonus as the drive between appointments is a breeze on a Sunday !!