Belly Fat & Your Health

Belly fat is the biggest risk to your health, your life and your bank account! Learn how to turn your fat belly into a flat belly!

Belly fat is the most dangerous type of fat. But I have good news: Belly fat is the easiest fat to lose!

 The key concepts  really are that you don't have to give up the foods that you love to have a lean belly, you don't have to go to the gym to be fit. I think that's an important point, because in the end, it's all about your health.

Complications of Belly Fat

• Heart disease

• Cancer

• Stroke

• Arthritis

• Type 2 diabetes

• Arousal dysfunction

Know Your Ratio

 While the inches around the waist are a vital number to know, your height is just as important. Know your ratio and ideal waist-to-height measurements. Measure your height, in inches & divide that # by 2. [example-height = 72”, divide by 2 = 36”] Your waist size needs to be less than that #. [in this example-36”] If it’s higher than that #, you need to lose belly fat for your health.

Benefits of a Lean Belly

• Shown to make you smarter

• Better sleep

• Healthier heart

• Better sex

• More money, because you won't be spending on medical bills associated with obesity

Burn Calories without the Sweat

Whether you're busy with a family or a new job, it's often difficult to find time to exercise. But, by using non-exercise activity thermogenesis, you can easily burn calories without hitting the gym.

• Walk to a co-worker rather than sending e-mail

• Stand up when taking phone calls

• Park further away from your destination

• Balance on one leg while brushing your teeth

• Stand up and wash dishes by hand, rather than in the dishwasher

Those calories, believe it or not, amazingly, add up over time. Just by incorporating these activities, you could burn an extra  400-700 calories/day.

I hate the word diet, I prefer lifestyle change, because that’s what it’s really all about. Using a ‘diet’ to lose weight & then returning to old eating habits is very harmful to your body. Lose-gain, lose-gain, it’s a vicious cycle & is detrimental to your health. Change your lifestyle, the way you eat & lose weight & keep it off. Remember; belly weight is the easiest to lose, so it will start melting first. Choose a good, balanced eating plan with fruits, veggies, lean meats & some of the good carbs.[see earlier posts for which carbs are good & which carbs are bad] There is an excellent plan available for you to follow, Click here for information. Hope this has been helpful to ya'll. Be sure to follow the healthy eating tips that follow.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

Healthy Eating Tips

Simple tips and tricks for your eating habits:

 • Drink Water: By drinking 8 cups per day, you will burn 500 extra calories a week. Keep a large water bottle at your desk to stay hydrated.
• Eat Nuts: In a study, one group of people ate 200 calories a day in candy, while another ate 200 calories per day in peanuts. After two weeks, the candy group gained weight and waist size, while the peanut group stayed lean and satisfied.
• Spice Things Up: Ground cinnamon has been shown to suppress blood sugar spikes and related weight gain. Sprinkle some cinnamon on your desserts or in your morning coffee.

Fatigue-Recharge Those Batteries

Re-energizing your dead batteries will help you put fatigue to rest for good.

A little effort and a positive attitude will perk you up in a flash. These simple energizing tips will give you new life.

1. Eat properly. Nutritious meals are number one in the battle against fatigue.

Make sure to eat high-protein foods, such as meat, cheese, eggs and whole-grain breads with each meal. Munch on fruit when you need a snack. Avoid too much caffeine.

You may want to try perking yourself up with a high potency vitamin B complex, Fifty mg. Of B15 with each meal is said to help.

Cayenne pepper is another natural stimulant. You can mix a teaspoon in hot water or take it in capsule form.

2. Get your proper rest. If you are not getting enough at night, take a break and nap during the day. Or perhaps before you head out at night if you’re a late night partygoer.

3. Keep in shape with exercise. A good daily walk will get those tired muscles moving.

4. Meditate. Any form of meditation can be a real, natural healer. Just sit quietly, breathe deeply, and let your mind forget your daily hassles. Think of pleasant things.

Above all, you can fight fatigue best by keeping a positive mental attitude. Try the tips mentioned, and pamper yourself; take a break when you need it. Hope this is helpful to ya'll. Sometimes the little things make the biggest difference.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

The Right Clothes For Fitness

After a hard workout, you'll feel exhausted, tired, sore, fantastic — and will probably be covered in sweat. Believe it or not, the clothes you wear for a workout can make a difference in how you feel after exercise. Several factors can affect how comfortable your workout clothes are, including the fabric they're made of and whether they're right for the type of exercise you will be doing.

Workout Clothes: Pick “Workhorse” Fabrics

Some fabrics are designed to pull sweat away from your skin during exercise and others absorb it. When it comes to workout clothes, some choices are better than others.

·         Think wicking. There are many breathable synthetic fabrics that “wick” the sweat away from your skin, which can help it to evaporate quickly and keep your body cool. Clothing made out of fabrics containing polypropylene or fabrics such as COOLMAX® and SUPPLEX® are a good choice for exercise and other activities in which you are likely to sweat a lot, as they allow the sweat to be evaporated from the skin but do not soak clothing and leave you feeling sweaty and uncomfortable.

·         Consider cotton. Cotton shirts and pants, on the other hand, absorb the sweat, and they don't pull it away from the skin or help it to evaporate quickly. That’s why cotton workout clothes can feel heavy and wet as you exercise.

·         Avoid fabrics that don’t breathe. Never wear clothing made out of rubber-based or plastic-based materials, which keep sweat from evaporating and keep your body temperature too high during a workout.

Workout Clothes: Get the Right Fit

To make sure that your workout clothes fit your body and the workout that you have planned, consider these tips:

·         You should wear clothes that are loose and comfortable. But if you are running or biking, avoid wide-leg or loose pants that could get tangled up in the pedals or your feet.

·         For activities such as yoga or Pilates, stretchy, fitted fabrics that wick away sweat are a good choice.

·         In general, keep in mind that you don't want any clothing that gets in the way of the activity.

Workout Clothes: Change With the Seasons

If you exercise outdoors or play seasonal sports, what you wear may have to change with the seasons. Keep these tips in mind when dressing for outdoor exercise:

·         Hot weather. During warm summer months, be sure to choose fabrics that allow your skin to breathe and wick sweat away. Dress in clothes that are cool and comfortable, and allow you to move freely.

·         Cold weather. When it's very cold outside, you'll need to dress warmly, but keep in mind that you'll be exercising and boosting your heart rate and your body temperature. Dress in layers that you can remove, and always dress for weather that's warmer than what the thermometer outside says. Keep sweat-wicking clothing on your inner layer, and put an insulating layer on top of that. Always cover your head, ears, and hands to protect them from the cold.

·         Wet or windy weather. Nothing can ruin an outdoor workout faster than getting soaked in the rain or caught in a strong wind. Wear an outer layer that protects your skin from the elements.

Just remember that no matter what the temperature, you're still likely to work up a sweat during a workout. Keep yourself as comfortable as possible with clothing designed for heavy exercise that wicks sweat away from the skin. And keep the weather in mind if you're exercising outdoors, and dress appropriately. Hope this has been helpful to ya'll. I'm trying to bring you the best info I can on Health, Fitness & Weight Loss.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

Measuring Your Fitness Level

Evaluating your fitness level is not a one-size-fits-all process. Differences in lifestyle, muscle tissue, genetic makeup, and overall health all help determine your personal fitness level.

It is an individual measurement that is not always dependent on how much physical exercise you do.

So how can you tell if your exercise and healthy diet habits are paying off? There are several ways to measure your fitness level.

The Five Components of Fitness

Measuring fitness is multi-dimensional, long-distance runners have excellent cardiovascular health, but if all you are is legs and lungs, you won't have a lot of strength or flexibility. By the same measure, someone who is overweight and aerobically fit is healthier than someone who is in the normal weight range but doesn't exercise.

Overall physical fitness is said to consist of five different elements:

1.    Aerobic or cardiovascular endurance

2.    Muscular strength

3.    Muscular endurance

4.    Flexibility

5.    Body composition

Thorough fitness evaluations include exercises and activities that specifically measure your ability to participate in aerobic, or cardiovascular, exercise as well as your muscular strength, endurance, and joint flexibility. Special tools are also used to determine your body composition or percentage of total body fat.

Working to optimize each of these five components of fitness is crucial to enhancing your overall fitness and general health.

Fitness: How to Develop an Action Plan

If you have specific health problems, check with your doctor before implementing a routine to boost fitness. Once your doctor gives you the go-ahead, you have no more excuses. To improve your fitness level, take these important steps:

·         Follow U.S. guidelines for the minimum amount of exercise. That means exercising at a moderate intensity level for at least 2.5 hours [ total ] spread over most days each week. At least twice a week, supplement aerobic exercise with weight-bearing activities that target all major muscles. Avoid inactivity; some exercise at any level of intensity is better than none while you’re building up your endurance.

·         Walking is the easiest way to get started. Get motivated by enlisting a friend to join you and adding variety to your routine. Walking is simple and manageable for anyone. Wear a pedometer from day one. Think of it in three parts: a five-minute warm-up of walking slowly, followed by a fast walk, then a five-minute cool-down of walking slowly.

·         Compete only against yourself. No matter what activity you choose for getting fit, never compare your progress to someone else's. Do set goals, and if you are out of shape and hate exercise, start low and go slow. Do not compare yourself with your best friend who weighs 50 pounds less and just finished her 10th triathlon. Even if the same group of women walked at the same pace every morning, they would not all show the same fitness measures.

·         Avoid overexertion. One preventive step I suggest is checking your resting heart rate before getting out of bed every morning and making a chart so you can see a consistent, but gradual, decrease over time. If your resting heart rate begins to increase, you may be overdoing it. Another indicator of overexertion is muscle soreness that doesn't go away after a couple days. People generally err on the side of not pushing themselves enough. But the worst offenders are those who think they can jump in where they left off — the bunch of 40-year-old guys who think they are still on the high school football team and start running laps, but end up red in the face.

As you work on improving your fitness, take it slow and steady to avoid injury or burnout. Above all, remember that consistency is key — if you keep at it, your hard work will pay off. Hope this has been helpful to ya’ll.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

Fitness-Pick The Right Shoes

While the clothes you choose for a workout are important, the sneakers you select can make a huge difference in how you perform your fitness activity, while the wrong athletic shoes can hurt your feet and even cause injury to other parts of your body.

Athletic Shoes Tailored to Your Activity

Before determining which athletic shoes will be best for your feet, consider what type of exercise you'll be doing. The exercise will help determine which athletic shoes offer the best features for your needs.

·         Running. If running is your main form of exercise, look for running shoes that provide plenty of cushioning, traction, and stability. They should also be lightweight and flexible.

·         Walking. Walking shoes should offer a comfortable cushion that absorbs shock, and a sole designed to support the natural walking movement of the foot.

·         Court shoes. If you play tennis, volleyball, basketball, racquetball, or other court sports, find a shoe with a sturdy, stable sole that can support your feet during constant back-and-forth movement.

·         Outdoor field sport shoes. If you're looking for footwear for baseball, soccer, golf, or football, you'll want shoes with cleats, spikes, or studs for better traction.

A quick tip to check a shoe's stability before you buy: Bend the shoe, holding it at both ends. It should bend naturally behind where the ball of the foot would be, since that's where your foot naturally bends. Also, make sure the heel counter is sturdy. The heel counter is a stiff cup that surrounds the heel part of the shoe. Squeeze the heel counter and make sure it doesn't cave in when you apply pressure.

Athletic Shoes: Fitting and Testing

Trying on shoes in the store can be different than wearing them during your workouts, but there are ways to make sure your shoes will fit well when you're in the middle of a hard workout:

·         Shop in the afternoon. If you try on athletic shoes toward the end of the day, when your feet are more swollen, you'll get a better idea of how they fit.

·         Shop in socks. When you look for athletic shoes, wear the socks that you use during a workout. You want to make sure the shoes fit properly with your athletic socks.

·         Go large in the toes. Make sure that your shoes have about half an inch of wiggle room between the end of the shoe and your longest toe. If your feet are different sizes, opt for the larger shoes for better comfort.

·         Snug fit in the heel. New athletic shoes shouldn't slip on your heels, but they shouldn't be too snug in the toes, either. Make sure that the ball of your foot fits easily in the widest part of the athletic shoe.

·         Try them out. Test out the shoes for at least 10 minutes in the store, or even outside if the store will allow it, before you decide to buy.

 If you have problem feet, talk to the sales representative at the store about what types of sneakers are best for you. If you have high arches, for example, you'll need a different style of shoe than someone with flat arches.

Remember, every athletic shoe is different, as is every foot, so don't rely on a style you find attractive or a shoe that you like on someone else. Be clear about your needs and any special foot problems you have, try on lots of different styles, and test them out in the store. Hope this is helpful to ya'll.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

Fitness-Diet For Exercise

The amount of food a person needs will varies with age, sex, weight, and activity level. The rate at which you burn calories depends not only on the type of exercise you do, but also on how vigorously you do it.

 It’s important to divide your calories between carbohydrates, protein, and fat:

·         Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates — sugars and starches — are broken down by the body into glucose, which muscles use for energy. Excess carbs are stored in the liver and tissues as glycogen and released as needed. It’s glycogen that provides the energy for high-intensity exercise and prolonged endurance. Some good sources of carbohydrates are whole grain breads and cereals, fruit, vegetables, pasta, and rice.

·         Protein. Protein should be part of each of your major meals because it will help slow absorption of carbohydrates. Fish, eggs, chicken, meat, and beans are excellent sources of protein, and 3 ounces per meal is enough.

·         Fat. You need some fat in your diet, too. Low-fat dairy products, like 1 percent milk, and lean cuts of meat will give you the fat your body needs.

Try to have a combination of items from all three of these food groups at each of your major meals. For a healthy breakfast, have a high-fiber cereal (either oatmeal or another whole-grain cereal), a low-fat dairy product, and fruit or a glass of juice. The easiest lunch might be a sandwich made with lean meat, poultry, or fish on whole-grain bread, with raw veggies and fruit served on the side. Protein and energy bars can be useful, but don't use them as a meal replacement. Look for bars with at least 10 grams of protein and some carbohydrates, rather than products with a high protein content and hardly any carbohydrates.

Timing Meals and Snacks

If you exercise in the morning and don’t have something to eat first, you can use up all of your stored energy. If you'd rather not have breakfast before you exercise, try eating a small piece of fruit.

If you’re planning a strenuous workout, eat a meal high in carbohydrates at least three to four hours beforehand. Choose foods that are easily digested. I suggest that you experiment with different foods to see what gives you the most energy.

 Factor in Fluids

It’s particularly important to drink fluids before, during, and after exercising. If you exercise strenuously, try to drink fluids even if you’re not thirsty.

Water is a good choice for most activities. If you exercise continuously for 90 minutes or more, you might benefit from a sports drink that contains electrolytes and carbohydrates. But sports drinks are designed for people who are doing endurance activities for prolonged periods. They probably aren’t necessary for the average person.

Caffeine is dehydrating. I suggest that you drink an equal volume of water if you drink coffee or another caffeinated beverage.

The bottom line on fueling for exercise? If you drink plenty of fluids and eat regular meals that include carbohydrates, protein, and fat, you should have all the energy you need for your workout plan. Happy health & fitness everyone! Hope this has been helpful to ya'll.

As always I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

P.S.- In case you haven't noticed, there is a button @ the bottom of each post, that allows you to e mail the post to anyone you would like to. So, take advantage of that feature, it's there for your convenience.

Eat Like a Man-Lose Weight

Dieting doesn't have to mean giving up beer and pizza forever, or eating boring, tasteless foods. You can enjoy your favorite foods with all their flavors and still slim down if you employ these strategies.

Always order your pizza with double tomato sauce and light cheese. Men who eat a lot of tomato products tend to have less prostate cancer—probably because tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene. Reducing the mozzarella by just one-third (you won't miss it) will save you 20 grams of fat per pie. That's as much as in a McDonald's Quarter Pounder.

If you love french fries, always order the steak fries. Large-cut fries don't absorb as much oil as shoestring or curly fries, which lowers the fat count. While you’re attacking all those oils, just remember—not all fats are inherently evil. Feel free to indulge—within reason.

With a can of frozen orange-juice concentrate, you have a great way to add flavor to stir-fried chicken (or beef) and vegetables without adding fat. Just a few spoonfuls will do. (It's even better if you add some garlic.)

Soften butter or margarine at room temperature or in a microwave. Chances are you'll spread your bread with one-quarter of the fat and calories you do when you put it on cold.

Refrigerate canned meats, soups, gravies, and other canned foods containing fat. The fat will rise to the top and collect, so you can scrape it off. While you’re at it, rethink your whole refrigeration strategy—how you organize could make you twice as likely to stay on your diet.

Fruit juice is sneaky fattening—a 16-ounce bottle of cranberry-grape blend, for instance, contains about 275 calories. Dump half and store it, then refill the bottle with water. You'll barely notice the difference, and you'll be cutting half the calories. Save yourself from another unwanted sugar rush.

To save calories and fat, put a splash of olive oil on your baked potato instead of the usual butter or sour cream. In fact, go ahead and buy the big bottle and  learn why olive oil makes a better substitute almost every time.

To prevent low-fat cheese from turning to rubber in the microwave, spritz your nachos with a quick blast of cooking spray, such as Pam, before nuking them. A similar trick involves spraying the inside of a grilled-cheese sandwich before you toss it in the frying pan. This adds just enough fat to make the cheese stay gooey and creamy as it slowly melts.

Just a few tips for you today, hope this was helpful.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

Water & Weight Loss

Sometimes, it's the simple things that have the biggest impact.

Water is important to your health & well being for a lot of reasons. If you don't drink enough water every day, it has an impact on your health, fitness & weight. Your body needs an adequate amount of water to function properly. Without it, your organs will not work properly. The kidneys & liver will not rid your body of harmful substances that need to be flushed out. Without water, your energy level will not be at it's best. Your digestive system will not function as it should, therefore you will not acheive proper elimination of the food that you consume, which can be toxic for your body. On top of being toxic, it will cause you to retain waste & become constipated.[ yes, I used the c word ] That causes you to weigh more than you should. Depending on your level of retention, you could be carrying around an extra 5-15 lbs. A good colon cleanse, using a gentle laxative, will get you cleaned out & on your way to being healthier. I don't know about the rest of you, but I hate water, I have to force myself to drink it. But, here is another fact that I have learned. Recent studies have shown that especially for people middle aged & up, drinking 1-2 glasses of water before meals, will cause you to lose more weight than someone that doesn't drink before meals. I personally think that there are 2 reasons for that. #1, you having water in your stomach before eating will cause you to eat less & #2, it will aid in the digestion process, which means the food will move out of your system quicker & easier.
So, bottom line is, drink your water if you want to be healthy, fit & lose weight. Hope this is helpful to ya'll.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks for visiting. Terry

The Importance of Excercise

Have you ever heard the expression "use it or lose it"? It's true! If you don't use your body, you will surely lose it. Your muscles will become flabby and weak. Your heart and lungs won't function efficiently. And your joints will be stiff and easily injured. Inactivity is as much of a health risk as smoking!
Helps Prevent Diseases
Our bodies were meant to move -- they actually crave exercise. Regular exercise is necessary for physical fitness and good health. It reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases. It can improve your appearance and delay the aging process.
Improves Stamina
When you exercise, your body uses energy to keep going. Aerobic exercise involves continuous and rhythmic physical motion, such as walking and bicycling. It improves your stamina by training your body to become more efficient and use less energy for the same amount of work. As your conditioning level improves, your heart rate and breathing rate return to resting levels much sooner from strenuous activity.
Strengthens and Tones
Exercising with weights and other forms of resistance training develops your muscles, bones and ligaments for increased strength and endurance. Your posture can be improved, and your muscles become more firm and toned. You not only feel better, but you look better, too!
Enhances Flexibility
Stretching exercises are also important for good posture. They keep your body limber so that you can bend, reach and twist. Improving your flexibility through exercise reduces the chance of injury and improves balance and coordination. If you have stiff, tense areas, such as the upper back or neck, performing specific stretches can help "loosen" those muscles, helping you feel more relaxed.
Controls Weight
Exercise is also a key to weight control because it burns calories. If you burn off more calories than you take in, you lose weight. It's as simple as that.
Improves Quality of Life
Once you begin to exercise regularly, you will discover many more reasons why exercise is so important to improving the quality of your life. Exercise reduces stress, lifts moods, and helps you sleep better. It can keep you looking and feeling younger throughout your entire life.

How Often Should I Exercise?

The benefits of any exercise program will diminish if it's disrupted too frequently. A "stop-start" routine is not only ineffective, but can cause injuries. Being consistent with exercise, therefore, is probably the most important factor in achieving desired results.
People often assume that more is better. Wrong! Doing too much too soon or performing intense exercises on a daily basis will have deleterious effects, such as muscle/tendon strains, loss of lean tissue, and fitness-level plateaus.
If you are a beginner, start off slower than you think you should. Three days per week is realistic, safe and effective. If you are experienced, do cardiovascular (aerobic) exercises such as walking, jogging and bicycling for no more than 200 minutes per week with no more than 60 minutes per session.
Weight training should be done no more than three times per week targeting the same muscle groups. Exercise the same muscle groups on non-consecutive days because muscles need adequate time to recover and cannot be effectively trained if they are tired or sore.
Many people forget to stretch or make the excuse that they don't have the time. Flexibility is important, so make the time! Stretching can be done every day, but stick to a minimum of three times per week in order to reap the benefits. When the body is warmed up, such as after a workout session, perform five to 10 stretches that target the major muscle groups. Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds.

I hope this information has been helpful to everyone. I will continue to post what I believe to be important to the majority of the masses. I am always open to comments & suggestions that will help me to target specific areas of health, fitness & weight loss topics. Thanks for visiting. Terry

Weight Loss & Carbs - Really?

Eating a diet packed with the right kind of carbs is the little-known secret to getting and staying slim for life. Weight loss depends on eating the 'right' carbs.

When we talk about the right kind of carbs, we mean Resistant Starch. Hundreds of studies conducted at respected universities and research centers have shown Resistant Starch helps you eat less, burn more calories, feel more energized and less stressed, and lower cholesterol.

Sound too good to be true? Here are eight evidence-based reasons you must get carbs back in your life if you are ever to achieve that coveted sleek, slim look.

A recent multicenter study found that the slimmest people also ate the most carbs, and the chubbiest ate the least. The researchers concluded that your odds of getting and staying slim are best when carbs make up to 64% of your total daily caloric intake, or 361 grams.

That's the equivalent of several stuffed baked potatoes (a food we bet you've been afraid to eat for decades).

Most low-carb diets limit you to fewer than 30% of total calories from carbs and sometimes contain as few as 30 grams of carbohydrates a day.

Many carb-filled foods act as powerful appetite suppressants. They're even more filling than protein or fat. These special carbs fill you up because they are digested more slowly than other types of foods, triggering a sensation of fullness in both your brain and your belly.

Research done at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom found that consuming Resistant Starch in one meal caused study participants to consume 10% fewer calories (roughly 150 to 200 calories for the average woman) during the next day, because they felt less hungry.

According to researchers, when dieters are taken off a low-carb diet and shifted them to an approach that includes generous amounts of fiber and Resistant Starch foods, something wonderful happens: Within two days, the dieters' cravings go away.

The fiber and Resistant Starch fills them up and satisfies them while allowing them to eat the foods they crave. These good-news carbs also raise levels of satiety hormones that tell the brain to flip a switch that stifles hunger and turns up metabolism.

The right mix of carbs is the best way to control blood sugar and keep diabetes at bay. In one study at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Center at the USDA, participants who consumed a diet rich in high Resistant Starch foods were able to lower their post-meal blood sugar and insulin response by up to 38%.

Eat the carbs you want, but you need to combine them so that they don't cause a spike in your blood sugar. Instead of eating white rice, switch to brown and combine it with beans, corn, or other high Resistant Starch foods that keep your blood sugar more balanced than low-carb diets.

Carbs high in Resistant Starch speed up your metabolism and your body's other natural fat burners. As Resistant Starch moves though your digestive system, it releases fatty acids that encourage fat burning, especially in your belly.

These fatty acids help preserve muscle mass—and that stokes your metabolism, helping you lose weight faster. Researchers set out to fatten up two groups of rats, feeding one group food that was low in Resistant Starch.

A second group was fed Resistant Starch-packed food. The rats fed the low Resistant Starch chow gained fat while losing muscle mass. Rats that ate the high Resistant Starch meals preserved their muscle mass, keeping their metabolism moving.                                                                                                                               

Carbs help you lose your belly fat faster than other foods, even when the same number of calories are consumed.

When scientists fed rats a diet rich in Resistant Starch, it increased the activity of fat-burning enzymes and decreased the activity of fat-storing enzymes. This means that the belly-fat cells were less likely to soak up and store calories as fat.

Carbs keep you satisfied longer than other foods. Here's why: Your brain acts like a computerized fuel gauge that directs you to fill up whenever it notices that its gas tank (stomach) is empty.

Foods high in Resistant Starch flip on every single fullness trigger in the body. They release fullness hormones in the intestine and make your cells more sensitive to insulin.

By increasing your consumption of filling foods and releasing satiety hormones, you'll minimize your hunger and cravings.

Dieters feel so empowered once they lose weight on carbs. For the first time, they are able to lose weight by eating in a balanced manner, without cutting out entire food groups," says Sari Greaves, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Resistant starches; bananas, oatmeal, white beans, lentils, potatoes, plantains, garbanzo beans, pearl barley, whole wheat pasta, brown rice. Hope this has been helpful.

As always, I look forward to your comments & suggestions. Thanks Terry

3 Tips for Excercise-Weight Loss

1. What you should know to design a safe and effective exercise program
A complete fitness program must include aerobic exercise, muscular strength and endurance conditioning, and flexibility exercise. Aerobic exercise does good things for your cardiovascular system and is an important part of weight management. Muscular conditioning can improve strength and posture, reduce the risk of lower back injury, and is also an important component of a weight management program. Flexibility exercise is needed to maintain joint range of motion and reduce the risk of injury and muscle soreness.

2. Aerobic exercise can be as simple as walking
Walking is a weight-bearing aerobic exercise. So are jogging, rope skipping and dance-exercise. Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion for sustained periods of time. There are also non-weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as bicycling, stationary cycling, swimming and rowing.

Keep the pace comfortable. A very important aspect of your exercise program is the intensity. You should exercise at a comfortable pace. You can measure your exercise heart rate to check the intensity of your exercising, or you can take the 'talk test.'

To measure your heart rate, take your pulse as soon as you stop exercising. Count your heartbeat for 10 seconds, then multiply that by six to convert it to a one-minute heart rate. If you keep your exercise heart rate within a range of 55 percent to 80 percent of an estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), you're doing well.

The talk test is easier to accomplish. Just exercise at a pace that allows you to carry on a conversation while you're exercising.

How often should you exercise?Three to four days of aerobic activity is fine for general health maintenance. If you're trying to lose weight, aim for four or more days a week, being sure you take off at least one day a week.

How long should you exercise?Work up to 20 or more minutes per session for general health maintenance. For weight loss, gradually work up to 45 minutes or longer at low to moderate intensities in a low- or no-impact activity.

3. Strength conditioning gives you a choice
Pick calisthenics, free weights or machines. Just be sure that your strength training includes exercises for every major muscle group, including the muscles of the arms, chest, back, stomach, hips and legs.

Start with a weight that's comfortable to handle and keep it up for eight repetitions. Gradually add more repetitions until you can complete 12 repetitions. For greater strength conditioning, add more weight and/or more repetitions, in sets of eight to 12, when the exercise becomes easy.

Stretch for flexibility
Proper stretching involves holding a mild stretch of 10 to 30 seconds while you breathe normally. Always warm up before you stretch. Like strength conditioning, flexibility exercises should include stretching for all the major muscle groups.

One last thing to remember . . . Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you're over 40, or have cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart disease.