Weekend dining hinders healthy weight management

With the 3-day holiday weekend upon us, I thought it would be interesting to explore the cause of weekend weight gain. Did you realize you weigh more on Sunday evening than you did on Friday morning? This is true even for those who are actively trying to lose weight.
Weekend indulgences can slow weight loss efforts and cause people to gain weight, say researchers from Washington University in St. Louis.
In the study, 48 healthy men and women tracked their diets for one year using food diaries. To determine the effects of their weekend eating habits on weight loss efforts, they were assigned to one of three groups.
The first group decreased their caloric intake by 20 percent; the second increased their physical activity by 20 percent; the third group made no changes their diet or exercise habits.
Prior to starting their assigned regimes, researchers noticed that people often gain weight on the weekend – and lose some, but not all, of it during the week. The accumulated effect of weekend weight gain translated into an increase of nine pounds per year.
While attempting weight loss, people would continue to overeat on the weekend.
Researchers found that those who were trying to lose weight by cutting calories would stop losing weight on weekends. On average, people who were exercising more in an attempt to slim down actually gained a small amount of weight (0.17 pounds) on the weekend.
People who were not trying to lose weight experienced no loss or gain after a weekend of indulgence.
These findings, published online in the July 24, 2008 issue of Obesity, may explain why many dieters may not experience their desired rate of weight loss.
So, what can you do? Nutrition experts advise dieters to remain conscious of portion control and healthy food choices on the weekend in order to keep small indulgences from turning into large setbacks.
When faced with a weekend full of celebrations, try eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables for breakfast, or as a mid-morning snack, to reduce the impulse to overeat at lavish meals later in the day.

Adrenal Exhaustion (Chronic Fatigue)

We've all been there. In times of stress, our bodies go on high alert and suddenly the simply things that create balance in our lives – like getting enough sleep – seem impossible. We “hit a wall” and crash into depression, or worse, because our bodies are spent and completely exhausted. This is called adrenal fatigue and is the results of our primal “fight or flight” stress response never letting down.

Our adrenal glands kick all systems into high gear when we're stressed. As their name implies, the adrenal glands secrete adrenaline among other potent hormones. Located just above the kidneys, it is the basic task of the adrenal glands to respond to stress by rushing your whole body into “fight or flight” mode.

This means our adrenal gland either signal our body to rage against whatever illness or irritant is causing the stress or to flee to a safe place where the stress can be avoided. For instance, to fight, our adrenal glands signal the heart to work harder, increasing the heart rate and elevating blood pressure. Energy use increases immediately as demands on the body's stores increase under the influence of the adrenal hormones. Then, when the crisis is abated, the adrenal glands restore themselves and replenish energy supplies for the next emergency.

If we are constantly over-worked, undernourished and chronically exposed to toxins with no sign of a break, then there's no let-up for the adrenal glands. Eventually, they will bottom out and plummet into adrenal exhaustion.  Adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands are not longer able to adapt to any amount of stress.

When this happens, the effects can be widespread and long-lasting, causing suppression of the immune system, hormonal imbalance, skin flare-ups, autoimmune diseases and mood disorders. Adrenal fatigue is, indeed, the underlying factor in many stress-related conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease, to colitis, chronic fatigue to Alzheimer's.

People with adrenal exhaustion or chronic fatigue can appear quite normal, but inside they live with a feeling of always having to push themselves too far. To keep themselves going, these exhausted people rely on stimulants such as caffeine or sugar.

Often, people with worn out adrenal glands seem lazy or unmotivated but quite the opposite is true – they tend to be high-achiever or workaholics. In their state of adrenal exhaustion, unfortunately, they have to push themselves harder to merely accomplish the basic tasks.

Does this sound like someone you know? If so, find out more about ways to heal adrenal exhaustion and restore relaxation and vitality.

References

The SuperStress Solution by Roberta Lee. Random House, New York, 2010.

Email list building gift tomorrow, March 13

I just wanted to let you know about the F.R.E.E. training webinar happening tomorrow. If you want to build your business you need to turn strangers into clients, browsers into buyers and subscribers into customers.

When people look to build their business, they either:

a) struggle with building their email list.

b) struggle with "closing the sale."

c) are confused by "scaling the whole system."

And I get it.

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Clickhere to register for the live webinar.

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Lori is going to talk about:

·The #1 secret to turning complete strangers into raving fans who automatically grow your business for you (and you’ll never have to canvas, cold call, or hassle gyms and chiropractic offices for referrals...)

·Why you need to define your dream client right down to his or her hair color and favorite magazine, how to find them, and how to use “Language-Pattern Marketing” to draw them onto your email list...

·The P.O.W. 11-step email follow-up sequence that will turn subscribers into paying clients without objection.

Lori is proud to share her client’s success: Sam ran her first group with 48 clients, Roseanne ran her first group with 17 clients and Melanie sells at 7-9 detox’s per month without even trying... they all use the P.O.W 11step email follow up sequence.

So if you are struggling to grow your email list and turn those subscribers into paying clients then you cannot afford (literally) to miss this LIVE webinar. A replay will be given only to action-takers who register below.

REGISTER:Build An Email List A Pro

PLUS: Rumor has it that there is going to be a $350 graphic design bonus announced for the people who show up to the webinar (you’ll have to show up to see if it’s true or not...)

If you forgot to sign up for the webinar, or needed a quick reminder of when it is, here’s all the info you need:

Date: Friday March 13 (tomorrow)

Time: 12:00pm – 1:30pm EST

Topic: Build An Email List Like A Pro

I’ll be on the webinar tomorrow. ‘See’ you then!

To your success,

Victoria

P.S. If you’ve already watched Lori’s first video in her training series, you are already registered for the webinar tomorrow. And if you’ve subscribed but haven’t watched The 5 Q’s To Clarity Formula go and watch it now before tomorrow’s webinar.

P.P.S. I highly recommend you make a point to watch

Lori’s webinars– either LIVE or catch the replays...even if you already have a thriving business or for some reason don’t think you need to learn how to strategically put together email marketing campaigns.

There is always something you can learn from everyone, even if it’s unrelated to what you are working on right now.

Adrenal Alarm Response (Sleeplessness & Irritability)

In today’s fast paced society, most people are under a siege of constant stressors ranging from long work hours to long commutes, buzzing cell phones and sleep deprivation. While the initial “fight or flight” stress response is key to survival, prolonged chronic stress increases risk of various physical and psychological health conditions. Chronic stress requires the adrenal glands to adapt and try to re-build themselves in order to continue coping with ongoing stress. This process is exhausting and leads to sleeplessness and irritability.

To say that stress can affect proper sleep patterns seems obvious, but new research has found that sleep disturbances are directly related to increased sensitivity to arousal-producing stress hormones such as cortisol. Researchers compared patients with insomnia to those without sleep disturbances and they found that insomniacs with the highest degrees of sleep disturbance secreted the highest amount of cortisol, particularly in the evening and nighttime hours.

Cortisol is excitatory; it arouses us, wakes us up and leaves us primed for action long after the trigger stressor has been subdued. However, when as a result of prolonged stress, cortisol levels get stuck at higher levels and never come down and give the  adrenal gland a chance to recharge for the next stress alarm response. Chronically high cortisol from overloaded adrenals is bad news for a good night's sleep.

What happens when you don't get a good night's sleep? Perhaps you'll be okay if it's just one night but many nights in a week quickly pile up and throw off our delicate Circadian rhythm that is intertwined with our cortisol, serotonin and melatonin levels. Serotonin and melatonin govern our appetite and our mood . If fluctuations in our sleep cycle cause us to overeat (which cortisol is known to do) or eat at erratic times, keeping a level head becomes difficult.

Our mood rises and falls with drastic dips in blood sugar, followed by sugar or fat binges. Poor eating habits, an additional stress on adrenal glands, perpetuate the adrenal alarm response encouraging cortisol levels to stay high. This, of course, gets us right back to that restless, keyed up feeling at bedtime. 

While it may feel like you're caught in a vicious cycle of stress, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition and mood swings, it is possible to break free of the cycle at any of its check points. For example, make a point to eat a nutritious breakfast every morning at the same time and include protein to prevent blood sugar dips later in the day.

If you have a habit of watching the news before bed, create a new routine and opt for a relaxing bath or series of yoga stretches to help your mind and body relax before you turn in. Stress is a fact of life, but it does not have to rule your life. 

Want more? Sign up for my newsletter by clicking here.

References

Julie Daniluk's Adrenal Connection Book.

Power Breakfast Thwarts Cravings In Times Of Stress

Study after study has linked eating breakfast to higher overall nutrient intake, fewer bouts of emotional eating and cravings later in the day, and sustained weight loss for longer periods of time; yet, 40 percent of people neglect the first meal of the day. You can have a simple bowl of cereal but imagine waking up to a 600-calorie hungry man’s feast that could actually be better for you!

That’s just what 94 obese, inactive women did for a recent study dubbed the Big Breakfast study. Venezuelan researchers put half the women on a very low carb Atkins-style diet (17 grams/day) and compared their weight loss to women of similar girth who tried the new Big Breakfast diet with balanced carb and protein distribution.

On the very low carb diet, the women had a small 290-calorie breakfast containing no more than seven grams of carbs from bread, fruit, cereal and milk. Their typical breakfast would be a cup of milk, one egg, three slices of bacon, and two teaspoons of butter. 

Big Breakfast dieters averaged 610 calories for breakfast and usually had a cup of milk, a turkey sandwich with cheese and mayonnaise, one ounce of chocolate candy (yes, chocolate for breakfast!), and a protein shake. This hefty meal could be eaten in stages so long as it was done by 9 a.m. Lunch and dinner were progressively lighter at 395 and 235 calories, respectively.

This inversed pyramid of energy intake with most of the calories at the start of the day seems to be the secret to sustained energy and weight loss. In a few months, both groups dropped similar amounts of weight but the low carb group gained most of it back. In contrast, the women who enjoyed their lean protein, carbs and candy for breakfast continued to lose weight to the tune of nearly 17 more pounds!

Hunger, which exacerbates stress and mid-day cravings for carbs, which are a sign of emotional stress, were not a problem because of breakfast. Eating a big breakfast also meant more nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals because more fruit and wholegrain carbs were allowed.

So, you don’t need any more reasons to eat breakfast but mornings are crazy busy and rushed. Try these quick tips for a grab-and-go big breakfast:

Pack up leftover dinner the night before. There’s nothing wrong with meatloaf in the morning.

Make a blender full of protein shake. You’re good to go for the week with protein power in your coffee cup every morning.

Stock up on pre-sliced meat, cheese and wholegrain bread. Always have these on hand for quick sandwich assembly.

Ever hear of the saying, "Eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a pauper for supper"? Well, follow that rule, and you could be well on your way to a healthy weight and feeling healthy.

A foolproof way to stop stressing and save money on food

The Food Marketing Institute has recently reported that 71% of us are cooking at home more often these days. That means more people are sitting in rush hour traffic rummaging through their cupboards and fridge in their minds, trying to figure out what's for dinner.

Naturally, home cooking has fewer calories and more nutritional value than restaurant meals but are you maximizing your savings or adding to your stress when you eat at home?

The average household wastes 14% of the food they buy due to poor planning and wastage. If you spend $100 a week on groceries, 14% is the equivalent of three homemade gourmet lunches.

By planning your meals you only shop for the fresh items you need for the week, thus reducing wastage and worry. Any extra portions can be labelled with the date and frozen right after you make them so they avoid becoming funky experiments in the back of the fridge.

When you plan meals, make sure to include enough foods from each food group, with special attention to fresh vegetables and fruits for every meal as well as snacks. Always keep an eye out for sales on grain products like rice, pasta and couscous and oats so you can stock up and have them as staples for every meal.

Frozen fish, frozen vegetables and even frozen fruit are also good to keep on hand for quick entrees, side dishes and smoothies when you haven't had a chance to buy fresh ingredients.

Meat is definitely the most costly mealtime staple but re-thinking how you use it can be better for your wallet and your waistline. With books like In Defence of Food by Micheal Pollan, it's becoming increasingly popular to think of meat as a condiment for vegetables as opposed to the meal's focal point.

Diversify your cooking skills and learn techniques to stretch your food dollar. For instance, braising or slow cooking cheaper cuts of meat is an easy way to save on meat. Or, better yet, swap out meat for lentils and other beans once or twice a week for even greater savings – and health benefits.  Soups, casseroles and salads are all great ways to pepper in a little meat instead of serving it in one big chunk.

The benefits of meal planning are numerous and getting started is surprisingly simple. All you need to do is jot down your meals before you go grocery shopping, know what you have on hand, and write out your shopping list so you buy only what you need. To expedite this process consider enlisting the help of professional menu planners (aka someone like me!) who can take the planning off your plate while teaching you the basics.

Are Richard Branson and Mark Cuban Wrong?

As entrepreneurs and hopeful entrepreneurs, the biggest mistake we can make is trying to reinvent the wheel.

What happens? We end up making mistake after mistake wasting valuable time and money.

So when Richard Branson and Mark Cuban teach us to take action and make sure we have a plan, I certainly listen.

That is why today, I want to share the second training video in MaryEllen Tribby's Living the Laptop Lifestyle: Discover How to Leave 9 to 5 Behind and Make More Money series.

https://tribby.isrefer.com/go/LL2/Vgravini

In part II of this dynamic training MaryEllen shows us:

* The biggest mistake most new and SEASONED entrepreneurs make and how you can recognize it and AVOID it

* Her priceless business triangle method and she even breaks it down into bite-sized understandable pieces

* How to turn the dreaded shinny penny syndrome into cash

* The value of SOP's

* Why every business regardless of its size needs to know their key metrics

https://tribby.isrefer.com/go/LL2/Vgravini

Here's the thing - MaryEllen has grown several multi-million dollar businesses. She was responsible for one of the most successful marketing campaigns in Agora's history and is the consultant behind some of today's hottest companies. All while living her own Laptop Lifestyle!

It would be plain ole' silly not to watch this video.

https://tribby.isrefer.com/go/LL2/Vgravini

Best,
Victoria

PS - If you are ready to finally start that business or grow the one you have into a business that doesn't own you - well watching this video could be one of the smartest decisions you make all year.

https://tribby.isrefer.com/go/LL2/Vgravini