Weight Loss Research

Sleep deprivation can lead directly to obesity. Most people aren’t aware of this fact, but considering more than 1/3 of Americans and more than half in some areas are obese, it is a worsening epidemic. Through time and a number of different factors, many people have begun to sleep less in direct coincidence with the rise of obesity.

At this point, our average sleep time has decreased by at least a quarter as compared to our predecessors. Apparently in 1900, the average sleep time was 9 hours. In the past 10 years, the average sleep time has decreased to less than 7 hours. And in 2001, research showed that less than 6 hours sleep per night as well as staying up past midnight could significantly contribute to obesity. However, in 2002, a study of 1.1 million individuals showed that when individuals slept less than 7 or 8 hours, obesity rose significantly. The studies only continued, citing one in 2004 in Wisconsin, a 2005 study in Virginia, and various others, all showing the same thing, less sleep means more obesity.

Since 1992, there have been more than 13 different studies of more than 45,000 children and more studies on adults that have supported the relationship between sleep and obesity. Children also suffer a higher risk of obesity when they get less sleep. A 2005 study in the British Medical Journal suggested that sleep patterns at the age of just 30 months could predict the obesity rate at 7 years of age.

And why does this have such an impact? Apparently, with healthy amounts of sleep, the hypothalamus is stimulated in a positive way. Whereas, when you lack sleep, the hypothalamus is activated to increase appetite and decrease the natural expenditure of energy. A study by Spiegel in 1999 also suggested that restricting sleep reduced glucose tolerance and increased weight gain and hypertension by also decreasing metabolism. However, the effects could be reversed with a return to normal sleep patterns. So in short, to decrease your risk of obesity and gain a natural appetite suppressant and metabolic booster, just get 8 to 9 hours of sleep on a regular basis.

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8. Taheri S. et al. Short sleep duration is associated with reduce leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index(BMI). Sleep. 2004 27:146-147.
9. Vorona, R. et al. Overweight and Obese Patients in a Primary Care Population Report Less Sleep Than Patients with a Normal Body Mass Index. Archives of Internal Medicine. Jan 10, 2005. 165: 25-30

Lunchtime Lipo. I’ve heard of it before, and I found it to be a fascinating idea. Dissolving fat and losing inches in a few minutes and without the long recovery times. You probably won’t save any money, but the recovery time alone would allow you to work and try to recover the money you spent. According to practitioners and experts, you are injected with a liquid that supposedly dissolves fat, causing you to basically defecate it from the body. There are body wraps at many spas and salons that supposedly melt fat and allow you to excrete it. It’s no exact science, but some people say it works. So why wouldn’t this work as well?

According to some not so happy and not so perfectly skinny consumers, it is very different from what advertisements would portray. One patient reported a knot the size of a tennis ball sticking out of her stomach. But when she went back to the clinic, a nurse reacted in a way I wouldn’t have predicted. Instead of apologizing, she said, “oh my goodness that is so wonderful. All your fat cells have all congregated in one area. If all our patients were like this, we’d be out of business because you know that fat’s just going. You’re the perfect person for this.” Days later, that same mass became the size of a grapefruit, and a life threatening staph infection developed requiring emergency surgery to remove the dead tissue.

First, the fact that the nurse reacted quite like that would scare me. After all, what kind of qualified nurse would actually think that a lump in the stomach is a good thing? And second, the fact that it turned out to be dead tissue that could have killed her is terrifying to say the least. Hence, it would not surprise some to know that this lunchtime lipo injection has not actually been proven to dissolve or target fat at all. Moreover, some plastic surgeons warn profusely against the use of this injection, explaining that there is no standardized formula and it is not approved by the FDA. The potential side effects speak for themselves. And now we see why I prefer less invasive alternatives such as diet pills.

http://www.livelywomen.com/2008/04/14/lunchtime-lipo-investigated-by-2020/

It’s common sense not to eat a lot of hamburgers, pizza, fries, and other fast food items if you’re on a serious diet. Some take the route of eating none, and some take the route of only on certain days. But what about the foods you think are healthy? Some of them may not actually be as healthy and good for your diet plan as you think.

First is the Chicken Caesar salad or for that matter a salad you may find at McDonalds or another fast food chain. The average chicken Caesar salad has 900 calories, 60g of which come from fat. And the average fast food chain salad is low on nutrition and high in fat, especially when you add the dressing. Instead try grilled chicken(instead of fried chicken, etc)on a bed of a variety of greens such as cucumbers, romaine lettuce, etc. It will be packed with significantly more vitamins and nutrients and less fat.

Second is the bran muffin. You think it’s healthy, because it has bran, whole grain, etc. In reality, it has 420 calories, 20g of which come from fat. Instead, try ham, egg, and cheese on an English muffin. I realize it sounds counter-intuitive. But this sandwich has 300 calories and only 12g of fat. It may surprise you, but it is true.

Third is the chicken wrap. It seems like a lot of these are centered around chicken I realize. But it is the most commonly misconceptualized meat, because people think of chicken, no matter how it is prepared, as the healthy and low fat meat. Your average chicken wrap has 700 calories with 35g of fat. I am not saying stay away from chicken all together. In fact, instead of your chicken wrap, try a grilled chicken sandwich. Again, the grilling process has less fat, less excess calories, more basic chicken, while not sacrificing so much taste. A grilled chicken sandwich has 375 calories with only 15g of fat, less than half of what a chicken wrap has.

This one may really surprise you. Stay away from the turkey burger. Everybody thinks of this as a healthier alternative to their fast food burger. But in fact, it has 850 calories with 50g of fat.l Wow….and this may really surprise you. Instead, you should try a 7oz sirloin steak. Whoever thought steak would be the alternative. But a 7oz sirloin steak only has 350 calories with only 20g of fat. It will also keep you more full for a longer period of time, therefore helping you to eat less calories throughout the day.

Finally, the fruit smoothie. I like fruit smoothies, some TV stars like fruit smoothies, and some chains like Jamba juice actually advertise use of fruit smoothies as a way to lose weight. The average fruit smoothie actually has less fruit and more sugar than you would think. It often has 600 calories, 120g of which come strait from sugars(and I don’t mean sugars from fruits). So try a 100% fruit smoothie you make at home instead. You know what is going into that, and should you use only fruit, it will average 350 calories with only 75g of sugar, much healthier.

The food industry has introduced quite a few foods as “healthy.” But as we’ve learned time and time again, you can’t always trust the media. As you can see above, you definitely shouldn’t trust advertising when you choose what food to eat. Most people choose to eat fast food based on advertising. But those who are trying to be healthier can also be misled.

It seems like everybody is now trying to get a piece of the weight loss market pie. After all, it is a multi million dollar industry. And with the good obviously comes the bad. We found a few common weight loss myths that may actually hinder your short and long term goals.

1. If I eat very few calories, I will lose tons of weight!
This philosophy does not work, because when your body does not get enough calories, it goes into what’s called starvation mode. It believes that it is starving, so it holds onto every last calorie and bit of fat it possibly can, storing it and significantly slowing your metabolism. This often happens to those suffering from anorexia nervosa. In extreme cases, there have been reports of individuals eating one small candy bar all day and actually gaining 1-2 pounds.
2. If I use a super strict diet, I’m sure to have better results than Jane up the street
When you use too strict of a diet, your body actually gets used to it and expects only that many calories, that kind of intake, etc. Eventually, you reach a plateau, where you stop losing weight. It seems like you’re exercising more, eating less, and you have a harder time than ever. And eventually, you will quit, because for most, it is just too hard.
3. I should completely cut out all my favorite foods:
There is a reason why most popular diet programs include what’s called a “cheat day.” It allows you to eat whatever you want for one day a week. Your favorite foods are not always bad, and if you try to cut them out all together, you lose a lot of the motivation for staying on the diet. You are also more prone to binge on that one food you are depriving yourself of, doing far more damage than you would eating moderate amounts of that once a week.
4. I can’t eat after 5:00 at night!
Of course, it will help if you don’t eat a midnight snack every night. After all, how much time does your body then have to burn off those calories? But if your body is extremely hungry, it will keep you up at night, which can actually lead to obesity in itself. The difference between many overweight and healthy weight individuals is just one hour’s sleep.
5. There’s no such thing as snacks for me
Snacks are actually great. Many body builders and other athletes actually eat 6 small meals per day, which would probably be equal to a snack for most of us. It allows your body to stay satisfied all of the time, while constantly burning off excess calories. So in the end, you are less prone to overeat or binge.
6. No fat allowed
Yes, that big slab of fat on your steak is probably not the best thing to eat. But you cannot cut fat completely out of your diet. It is not reasonable, or for that matter possible, and your body actually needs what are called healthy fats to burn any fat at all. Examples of these healthy fats include omega 3, omega 6, and omega 9.
7. I should skip breakfast and other meals to lose more weight:
You’ve probably heard it before. But breakfast is the most important meal of your day. It gets your metabolism going, and meals throughout the day keep your blood sugar regulated. If you skip a meal, not only will it slow your metabolism. You will be prone to eat a significant amount more at the meal you do eat.
8. No milk allowed!
As the milk commercials suggest, a moderate amount of dairy is actually key to your body’s fat burning abilities. If you don’t drink too much, dairy can actually help you to lose more weight than diet and exercise alone.
9. It’s all personal choice, and it’s your own fault if you fail
I don’t want to take all the responsibility off the individual. There are a lot of things we can control. But there are other factors such as stress, culture, genetics, health issues such as a thyroid disorder, etc. that can negatively impact our efforts. However, certain prescriptions can be used as well as natural diet pills to aid us in our weaknesses.
10. If I drink tons of water, I am sure to lose weight
It’s true, water does work as a natural appetite suppressant, and the majority of our body mass is made up of water. And when you cut out sodas and high calorie juices in favor of water, you are likely to lose weight. But drinking water in itself will not automatically produce results.