DR. KAL'S WEIGHT LOSS BLOG

Be A Patriot And Lose Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:40:00 +0000

Photo by BL1961

Next week is Election Day and hopefully all of you have or will vote. Voting is important and it is your duty as an American and as a patriot. However as a true patriot, you should consider losing weight. You should lose weight because those extra pounds you are carrying may be affecting our nation economically.

Healthcare Cost

In the United States, 16% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was spent on healthcare. That is over 2.3 Trillion Dollars. That is simply ridiculous.

Most of this money is spent treating preventable diseases. Most of those preventable diseases are obesity-related. Our nation is getting sicker and spending more on healthcare because our waists are getting bigger.

Direct Payers

Who pays these astronomical healthcare cost?

Your Employer: If you are lucky enough to work for a company that provides health insurance, then your employer pays. However, these high healthcare premiums make it extremely difficult for U.S. companies to compete in a global marketplace. It’s difficult because their competitors around the world have thinner and healthier employees.

The Government: If your employer does not offer health insurance, then hopefully you qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the government to meet these healthcare obligations. It is becoming difficult because healthcare costs are increasing faster than inflation and the number of Americans who qualify for Medicare is growing rapidly.

You: If your employer or your spouse’s employer does not offer health insurance and you do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, then you are on your own. You have to pay for your own health insurance or, even worse, for your own health care. If you are not healthy, this can seem almost impossible.

Indirect Payers

Those are the direct payers, but who really ends up paying these healthcare costs? YOU!!!!

Your Employer: When your employer can no longer afford to pay your healthcare premiums, they will drop your coverage or move operations to another country where healthcare costs are cheaper. You pay.

The Government: When the government needs more money for Medicare and Medicaid, they will increase taxes. You pay.

Obesity

Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and this epidemic is adding to the financial collapse of the United States. The future does not look much better either, because we are passing this disease to our children.

Patriot

If you want to be a true patriot, vote on Tuesday and start losing some weight today. You will feel better and you will help our nation get out of this recession.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Fight Childhood Obesity On Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Photo by terren in Virginia

This Friday is Halloween. That means that on Friday evening there are going to be hundreds of children in costumes walking up to your door, ringing the door bell, and shouting “Trick or Treat!!!!!”

If you are a nice person, then you will give them a treat.
If you are a “meany” then you will not answer the door and they will probably “toilet paper” your house.
If you are a cheapskate then you will park your car inside of the garage, turn off all of the lights in your home, and act like you are not there.

Nice People

You nice people will probably give the kids some sort of sugary candy such as candy corn or jolly ranchers. However, with childhood obesity on the rise, sugary candies are not the best treats for American kids.

I am not saying that kids should not get any candy on Halloween. What would Halloween be without candy? Candy is okay in moderation. However, since everyone else in your neighborhood will be giving unhealthy treats, you should consider some healthier options.

Healthy Halloween Treats

Below I have a list of possible treats to toss in the bags of trick-or-treaters.

Nuts: Individual packages of nuts are an inexpensive and relatively healthy treat for children. They have a low glycemic-load and plenty of healthy fats.

Kashi Chewy Granola Bars: Kashi Granola Bars are the closest thing to a healthy granola bar that can be found in your average grocery store. I discuss them in more detail in this post: Kashi Granola Bar post.

South Beach Living Snacks: South Beach Living has a variety of low calorie and moderate glycemic-load snacks. Most of them are actually pretty tasty. They have snack bars, granola clusters, snack packs, and cookies. Learn more on the Kraft Foods website.

Oatmeal: We all know about the benefits of oatmeal. Individual instant packets are not as healthy as regular oatmeal. However, they are better for you than most breakfast cereals and Halloween candy.

Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs Wheat Thins Toasted Chips Minis, Multi-Grain: Tasty low calorie snack.

100 calorie mini popcorn bags: These little bags of popcorn give you popcorn taste with calorie-controlled portions.

Best Candy Options

Some of you are hard core Halloweeners and you cannot imagine not giving candy. You should consider these options:

Fun Size M&M’s: Peanut M&M’s are my favorite candy as I discussed in the post: Peanut M&M's post. They are not healthy but they are one of the least unhealthy candy bars. The peanuts and the candy shell decrease the glycemic-load of these sweets.

Sugar-free candies: These are candies made with low or no calorie sweeteners. They taste almost the same. The only problem is that the sugar alcohols in some of them could send a kid to the bathroom for 30 or 40 minutes.

One-third of American children are overweight. Do your part to curb childhood obesity by giving healthier options this Halloween.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight Being A Good Parent – Top Ten Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:18:00 +0000

Photo by Scott Ableman

I am always trying to help people find ways to lose weight by incorporating weight loss activities into there daily lives. I find that it easier to do it that way.

Yesterday, I was at the park watching a father play with his son and I thought about how they were exercising together without even realizing it. Many adults complain that they cannot lose weight because they are too busy taking care of and providing for their children. To help parents in that situation, I am going to give you my top ten ways to lose weight being a good parent:

1. Get rid of the junk

Take all of the unhealthy foods, drinks, and snacks out of your home. This will improve the health of your children and teach them about healthy eating at an early age. This will also help you lose weight because you will stop having access to “junk”.

2. Make their lunches

Most school lunches are far from healthy or calorie-controlled. You can control what your child eats by preparing their lunches. While you are making their lunches, make some lunch for you and your spouse, because the lunches you two eat at work are not that healthy either.

3. Watch the portion sizes

Your children learn their eating habits from you. If you pile food on to your plate, they will pile food on to their plate. Watch your and their portion sizes. They will learn lifelong lessons and you will lose some weight also.

4. Play with them

Take some time out of your busy schedule to play with your children. They will love it and you will burn some calories also.

5. Do outdoor activities with them

Get them away from the Internet and the video games, and show them how much fun they can have outdoors. Get them in the habit of moving now and they will do it for the rest of their lives. Consider rollerblading, kayaking, rock climbing, etc.

6. Exercise with them

Start exercising with your kids. It teaches them the importance of exercise and gives you and opportunity to bond with them while shedding a few pounds.

7. Go to sleep

Children need 8 to 10 hours of sleep. You need 7 to 9 hours. Lessons are best taught by example. Put them to bed and then go to sleep yourself. The extra sleep will help you lose some weight.

8. Decrease the stress

No matter how hard you try to hide it, your children will feel your stress and tension. So don’t hide it, get rid of it. Finding ways to eliminate your stress will make your life better, make your children happier, and help you lose weight.

9. Laugh with them

Children’s lives get more and more complicated every generation. However, your children should never forget that life is supposed to be fun. Remind then not to take themselves or life too seriously by laughing as much as possible and getting them to laugh as much as possible. Not only will your lives be better, but you’ll shed some pounds also.

10. Throw out their suitors

Inevitably your children will start dating and members of the opposite sex will start to appear in your home left and right. Picking up your child’s suitors and throwing them for distance can burn many calories and it can be a lot of fun.

If you are creative you can lose weight while becoming a better parent. You just have to want to.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight With Positive Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:29:00 +0000

Photo by Tom T

To lose and keep weight off, we quickly learn that a critical part of the success formula is the right mindset. In The 4 Ps of Permanent Weight Loss we have addressed the mental aspect of weight loss. We have discussed Planning, Patience and Perseverance, and today we address the final P – Positive Thinking.

Positive Thinking

If you believe you can lose weight, you will. If you believe you cannot lose weight, then you will not be successful. While this may sound simple, it is true. Negative thinking sets up a cycle of self-sabotage. Why would your body and actions cooperate when you have fixed your mind on failure?

“Slowly they climbed the steep hill. As they climbed, each little steam engine began to sing: "I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can!... And they did! Very soon they were over the hill and going down the other side.” --The Little Engine That Could, Watty Piper

Your Thoughts

Optimism is your secret ninja weapon in any battle. Permanent weight loss is impossible without it. Positive thinking affects you mentally and physically. Your thoughts have a tremendous impact on your physical body and your actions.

The mind-body connection is nothing new. Practitioners of integrative medicine have incorporated positive thinking into healing for many years. There has even been research that suggests positive thinking can reduce pain.

Your Mindset

When you approach your weight loss with the belief that you will succeed, your actions will match that belief. For example, if you believe you can walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes; chances are that even if you grow tired, you will push forward because you believe that you can. However, if you hop on and your mind is filled with negative beliefs – “I’m out of shape,” or “I probably won’t make it 20 minutes,” - well, at the first sign of fatigue you will hit the Stop button.

A positive mindset leads to positive outcomes. Your positive perspective helps you to make better decisions and stay on track. You become motivated by your belief of success. You don’t need a Ph.D. in Psychology to understand or employ this technique. Like the little engine, if you think you can, you will.

Believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight With Perseverance

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:17:00 +0000

Photo by Sister72

I recently wrote a post about the 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss:

Positive Thinking
Planning
Patience
Perseverance

So far I have written about Patience and Planning. Today I'll write about perseverance.

Perseverance

Weight loss is not magical or mysterious. Yet there is a certain magic when you realize that you are capable of far more than you believed. You are not perfect. Expect to have setbacks and failures. Your antidote to failure is perseverance.

Perseverance: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. (Merriam Webster)

Never Give Up

Perseverance is the weapon that will see you through the tough times. With perseverance, you will drop the pounds and keep them off. Grit, determination and good old-fashioned stick-to-itiveness will help you rebound from the failures.

There will be weeks where everything goes right and the scale does not move. You followed your plan and the results seem to mock you. You may feel like you have failed and ask yourself, “What’s the point?” Giving up does not erase the bad result or solve the problem going forward. Giving up will add to the problem, literally. People who abandon a weight loss plan regain the weight lost and add a few more pounds.

Plateaus

To lose and keep weight off you must accept that there will be challenges, setbacks and plateaus. You will not lose weight week after week effortlessly.

Plateaus are normal. While food is readily available today, our ancestors did not have it so easy. There was no drive through for buffalo burgers and fish sandwiches. If our ancestors did not find food, they did not eat. As you steadily lose weight, you may hit this plateau as your body slows weight loss to protect you from losing too much fat. It is a built in mechanism to protect you during the lean times.

Change

If you hit a plateau, try changing your exercise routine. If you walk, try biking or swimming. You can also shift the intensity. If you walk for 30 minutes, add 10 minutes or vary the pace during your walk to power up the calorie burn. Mixing things up will help your body to adapt to losing weight again. You will also want to make sure you eat breakfast to kick-start your metabolism at the start of the day.

Recovery

If you have a collision with a bag of Oreo’s or a platter of cheese fries, you can recover without permanent damage. Get over it and get back on track. Failure is part of the learning process. Evaluate what led you to get off track. What can you do to avoid having it happen again? Weight loss is a lifestyle change not a short-term solution. It is important to accept that there will always be obstacles and learn to manage them. Life around you will not change; you have to change how you respond to the triggers.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight With Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:53:00 +0000

Photo by Casey Serin

I recently wrote a post about the 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss:

Positive Thinking
Planning
Patience
Perseverance

So far I have written about Patience. Today I'll write about planning.

Planning

“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”—Tom Landry

You have decided that it is time to lose weight. You want to get healthy and protect yourself from obesity related illness. You have a desire and a goal; you are mentally primed and ready for success. While this is wonderful, without a plan you will fail.

Excess pounds will not magically disappear because you have a desire to lose weight. Weight loss is not an accident but the result of careful planning and action.

Your weight loss plan is your road map to success. A plan removes the guesswork and the stress that can accompany lifestyle changes. So, what are the elements of a good plan?

Plan your meals

Pre-planning your meals will keep you on track with your weight loss goals. Write a meal calendar for the week, including healthy snacks. This enables you to shop and prepare foods in advance. You will not have to think before every meal and will remove much of the temptation that comes with “on-the-go” decisions. You will also save money at the grocery store by buying only what you need for the week.

Plan for emergencies

Keep a stash of healthy snacks in your car or desk at work. Life happens and things do not always to according to plan. You may get stuck in a meeting and miss lunch, or work late and be delayed getting home to dinner. Planning will give you an alternative to the vending machine or drive through.

Plan for eating out

Losing and keeping weight off does not mean that you cannot eat out. Going to lunch or dinner with family and friends is a nice social activity. To stay on track you simply need to plan ahead. If possible, check out the menu in advance online and make a selection that keeps you on your plan. You can then skip looking at the menu and the temptation that comes with the multitude of choices. If you cannot review the menu in advance, opt for smaller portions and healthier choices (grilled, steamed versus fried).

Plan to move

Schedule exercise sessions on your calendar. Plan the time and activity that you will do. You do not have to train like an elite athlete to lose weight, but regular exercise is an important component of weight loss and good health. Leaving it to chance often means it just will not happen. Exercising in the morning is a good way to make sure it gets done before the distractions of the day take over.

Plan for obstacles

What are the things that keep you from exercising? What triggers cause you to grab that bag of cookies? Are there people or places that cause you to eat unhealthy? Make a list of your obstacles and then plan ways to overcome them.

Even with a good plan, you will have setbacks. Do not let that discourage you. Dust yourself off and go back to your plan. Learn from those failures and plan ways to avoid repeating the same mistake. Working your plan will lead to your desire becoming reality.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight With Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Photo by zoutedrop

Last week I blogged about the 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss:

Positive Thinking
Planning
Patience
Perseverance

Now we will start discussing each P (in no particular order because they are all of equal importance).

Patience

Dramatic and rapid weight loss is appealing. After all, who would not want an immediate payoff for their efforts? However, rapid results are an unrealistic goal particularly for long term, sustained success. So how do you stay motivated to change your habits when the results do not seem to match your effort?

Immediate Gratification

We live in a fast-paced world. We want results and we want them now. Daily, we are assaulted with messages that scream “instant,” “fast,” or “immediate.” It is no wonder that we have come to expect instant results from our weight loss efforts. Magazine covers depict pictures of celebrities who have a baby and are in bikini shape 4 weeks later, or male actors who go from chunk to hunk in a few weeks. Weight loss ads show before and after pictures of people who lost weight in record-breaking time. In this environment, it is understandable that we become discouraged when our results do not come as quickly.

The Marathon

Yet, lasting weight loss does not come overnight. While it is possible to make large changes that lead to fast weight loss, those changes will be temporary. You do not want to drop weight rapidly only to have it reappear when you cannot commit to those lifestyle changes long term. Patience is an essential element for long-term success. Although it may sound like a cliché, the journey is not a sprint but a marathon. It may seem as though the extra pounds appeared overnight, but they did not. Your weight gain was the result of sustained behavior not a single indulgence. Taking the pounds off requires a healthy dose of patience and effort as you and your body adapt to your new lifestyle.

Failure

When you make changes in your eating habits, it is natural to want to see the results of those changes…right away. You ditch the donuts and super size burgers for real food and healthy portions and wait for those pounds to melt off. However, you may not lose weight immediately or every week. In fact, some weeks you may gain a pound or two! Without patience, you might view this as a setback and give up believing you have failed.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

Your body may not respond in the same way or time as your spouse, friend, or weight loss buddy. Some people respond quickly to changes while for others it takes more time. You may even experience a plateau after you have lost weight continuously. Patience will allow you to remain calm and review your plan. You may simply need to make a few adjustments. The key is to stay focused on your long term goal of getting healthy for life. Your efforts may not be immediately noticeable in the size of your jeans but you are making an investment in your health that will pay off for years to come.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

The 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:48:00 +0000

Photo by debaird

Last week’s post The 4 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss is a good foundation for starting your weight loss journey. However the Keys post addresses the physical side of weight loss.

Weight loss occurs in the body, but it starts in the brain. Your body will not lose weight and keep it off if your mind is not ready to let it. That is the reason that billions of American dollars are spent on the physical side of weight loss every year, but two-thirds of our adults and one-third of our children remain overweight.

You can spend as much money as you like on diet and exercise, but you will not get anywhere until you address the mental blocks that are preventing your permanent weight loss.

Keys Vs. P's

While the The 4 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss address the physical side of weight loss, The 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss address the mental side.

The 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss are:

The 4 P's Of Permanent Weight Loss

Planning: Weight loss will not happen by accident. You will not stumble onto permanent weight loss. Every component of your weight loss needs to be pre-planned and executed to the best of your ability.

Patience: It took a long time for you to get to your current weight, so don’t expect to lose the weight overnight. Large lifestyle changes lead to fast temporary weight loss. Small lifestyle changes lead to slow permanent weight loss.

Perseverance: Surprise!! You are human. You are not perfect. You will stumble often and fall occasionally. Expect it and get over it. If you persevere through the tough times, you will drop the pounds and keep them off.

Positive Thinking: If you don’t believe you will lose the weight, then you will not. It is as simple as that. You must be optimistic to achieve permanent weight loss. Positive thinking affects you mentally and physically. Optimism affects your body physically and directs all of your actions. Believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything.

This post is intended to introduce you to the 4 P's. I’ll address each P in upcoming posts, so, stay tuned.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

The 4 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:50:00 +0000

Photo by Bohman

I decided to revise The 7 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss post. I wanted to focus on the bare essentials of weight loss.

The 4 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss

As a weight-loss expert, I am often asked: What are the keys to losing weight? or What are your best weight-loss strategies? Every time I am asked this question, I give a different answer because weight loss is so complex and multi-faceted. Well, today, I decided to flesh out the most important strategies. These keys provide a great foundation and an excellent start.

The Top 4 Weight-Loss Keys

Diet

Exercise

Sleep

Stress

Key #1 – Diet

Calories

Estimate your daily caloric intake by:

Taking your height in inches

Subtracting 60

Multiplying by 50

Adding 1300

Never eat fewer than 1200 calories a day. This prevents your metabolism from slowing down.

Spread your daily calories over 4 – 6 meals. This will boost your metabolism.

Never go more than 12 hours without eating, this includes time spent sleeping. This prevents your metabolism from slowing down.

Carbohydrates – Follow these strategies to stabilize your blood sugar.

Best Carbs - Non-starchy vegetables

Good Carbs - Beans and other legumes

Okay Carbs - Starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grains

Bad Carbs - White bread, white rice, white potatoes, white flour, white sugar, white pasta, high fructose corn syrup, other syrups, and other sugars.

Avoid Bad Carbs

Eat Good and Okay Carbs before noon

Eat Best Carbs after noon

Proteins – Eating protein boosts your metabolism and is essential for building muscle.

Estimate your daily protein intake in grams by:

Taking your estimated daily caloric intake

Dividing by 20

Fats – You need fats, but all fats were not created equal.

Avoid trans fats, they are not good for your body especially your heart.

Key #2 – Exercise

Strength train for 30 – 45 minutes, 2-3 times a week. Focus on exercises for your: glutes (butt), quads (front thigh), hamstrings (rear thigh), lats (back), pecs (chest), and delts (shoulders). These are your largest muscles in size and your biggest calorie burners.

Do an aerobic exercise, which involves the legs, for 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week

Get a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day

Key #3 – Sleep

Sleep at least 7 hours every night. This helps to maintain your proper hormonal balance, stabilize your blood sugar, and decrease hunger.

Key #4 – Stress

Don’t sweat the small stuff and eliminate as much stress as you can. This helps to maintain your proper hormonal balance, stabilize your blood sugar, and decrease hunger.

Laugh as much as humanly possible. Watch comedies, read funny books, and laugh at yourself. This helps to decrease stress.

For a great laugh check out the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Neglect

Each of these keys is essential to losing and keeping off the pounds. Do not neglect any of them.

Bonus Key

This is a good weight loss foundation. However for a comprehensive and inexpensive weight loss program, check out the ‘Don’t Go Broke’ Weight Loss Plan.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight Living Like Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:03:00 +0000

Photo by Sister72

This week was the Democratic National Convention, Senator Barack Obama became the official Presidential Candidate of the Democratic Party.

Looking at Senator Obama, he appears to be extremely fit. I couldn't help but hope that I look as good as he does when I am 47 years old. This got me thinking about what he does to stay so fit. Those thoughts led to this post.

How To Lose Weight Living Like Barack Obama

Stay busy: It is quite obvious that Obama leads a busy life. The busier you are, the less time you have to think about eating. The less time you have to think about eating, the less you will eat.
Walking: Obama does not have much time to sit down. He is always on his feet walking here and walking there. He spends much of his time "kissing hands and shaking babies". Walking is a great way to burn extra calories and lose fat.
Strength training: Obama lifts weights; he is much stronger than he looks. Strength training is the best method to boost your metabolism. Your metabolism burns calories 24 hours a day.
Cardio: Obama is known to exercise with treadmills, stationery bikes, and elliptical machines. Burn more calories, lose more fat.
Fun exercises: Obama loves to play basketball. If he becomes President he wants to put a Basketball Court in the White House. We should all find a calorie burning activity that we enjoy. The more you enjoy it, the more you will do it. The more you do it, the more fat you will burn.
Family: The Obamas appear to be a very close and happy family. A happy and supportive family will make losing weight and keeping it off much easier. Lean on supportive friends and family members as much as you need to. We all need help.
Love what you do: Obama appears to love serving the "people". Enjoying your work decreases stress. Stress reduction leads to belly reduction.
Vacation: Obama's Grandmother lives in Hawaii. She is unable to travel. This forces him and his family to have to visit her often. Poor Barack probably has to go to Hawaii 3 to 4 times a year. Vacations decrease stress.
Be happy: Obama always has a smile on his face. He appears genuinely happy. Smiles and laughs decrease stress. So smile even if you feel like "crap." It will decrease your stress and help you lose more weight.

How To Gain Weight Living Like Barack Obama

Have a stressful job: Obama may love being a Senator, but it is obviously a stress full job. Stress makes you gain weight and takes years off of your life. If your job is stressful, consider doing something else. The money is not worth your health.
Don't get much sleep: Obama doesn't have time to sleep much. He gets 4 to 5 hours a night. Sleep deprivation is similar to stress, it causes weight gain and decreases your lifespan. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep EVERY night.

I will refrain from telling you who I believe would be a better President, McCain or Obama. This is not a political blog, and I am not a political expert. However, I will tell you that Senator Obama seems much fitter than Senator McCain. We can all learn something about healthy living, emulating Barack Obama.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:48:00 +0000

Photo by Unhindered By Talent

Those of you who know me personally, know that I love to laugh, smile, tell jokes, and tell funny stories. Those of you who do not know me and have been reading my post at Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog, probably think I'm Bipolar.

Some of my posts are very serious and some are not. Some of my readers enjoy this format, while others of you do not. Many of my newer readers are simply confused as to the type of information I provide via Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog.

To satisfy my readers and eliminate confusion, I have decided to create a second blog. Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog will continue to provide weight loss, wellness, and disease prevention information, but it will be more "serious".

For those of you who enjoy my "humor", The Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog will be the place to get that. I firmly believe that laughter and optimism are essential to permanent weight loss and stress reduction. The Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog is a place to laugh and "poke fun at" weight loss, weight loss issues, health issues, wellness, exercise, dieting, and disease prevention.

Check it out and tell me what you think.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Bad Eating Habits Destroying America

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:28:00 +0000

Photo by Marshall Astor

The benefits of modern medicine are broad and profound. Advances in health care and health care delivery allow physicians to perform modern day miracles. We are now able to teat symptoms and cure diseases once thought to be untreatable and incurable. However, the most impressive benefit of modern day medicine is the increase in our lifespan.

The increase in our lifespan should be a blessing but our bad habits have turned it into a curse. Our overeating, under-exercising, consuming bad foods, smoking, overspending and under-saving; has prevented us from enjoying the fruits of medical technology. Let me show you how.

Overeating and Under-exercising

Americans eat and drink too much food. We underestimate how many calories we actually "inhale" on a daily basis. We are living to eat instead of eating to live. Americans are also extremely sedentary. We overestimate how many calories we burn on a daily basis. Technology has made our lives so simple that we only have to expend a minimal amount of energy to make it through the day.

The combination of overeating and under-exercising has produced a country filled with overweight and obese individuals. This increase in body weight has helped increase the number of Americans with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, asthma and many types of cancer. Our decreasing health has led to an equal decrease in quality of life and increase in the cost of health care.

Consuming Unhealthy Foods

Overeating is not the only food problem we have. We also consume the wrong foods. The typical American diet is too high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and processed carbohydrates. The American diet is also too low in unsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The highs and lows of our diet has also contributed to the increase in the number of Americans with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and many types of cancer.

Modern Day Medicine

Modern day medicine is allowing us to live longer lives. Unfortunately, these long lives are not healthy lives. Our bad habits, including overeating, under-exercising, and consuming unhealthy foods, have turned the gift of long life into a curse.

Dr. Kal Is Going Low Carb?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Photo by ping ping

I have spent years studying weight loss, weight gain, obesity, human biology, psychology, behavior change, medicine, and disease prevention. However, I have can admit to not approaching the subject of weight loss with a completely open mind. In all of my studies of weight loss, I ignored low carbohydrate eating.

Low Carbohydrate Diets

I ignored low carb diets because:

I thought they were not based on science
I thought they were hard to maintain
I thought that I couldn't maintain my muscle
I thought that I would always be tired
I thought they were too high in "bad" fats, and finally because
I like carbs

Now I can admit that as a physician and a scientist, I should have been more open minded. I should have done more research. All of my prior research was based on logic and dogma instead of pure evidence and data.

Good Calories, Bad Calories

I have been a proponent of low glycemic load eating since reading The Glucose Revolution: The Authoritative Guide to the Glycemic Index-The Groundbreaking Medical Discovery, and the studies that the book references. However, I did not research low carb eating the same way.

After reading Jimmy Moore's Livin' La Vida Low-Carb™ Blog and Muata Kamdibe's Mr. Low Body Fat Blog for a few months and talking to Jimmy personally, I have decided to thoroughly research low carbohydrate eating. I am going to start with a book Jimmy reccomended to me called Good Calories, Bad Calori es by Gary Taubes.

11 Critical Conclusions

According to Random House, The 11 Critical Conclusions of Good Calories, Bad Calories are:

1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, does not cause heart disease.
2. Carbohydrates do, because of their effect on the hormone insulin. The more easily-digestible and refined the carbohydrates and the more fructose they contain, the greater the effect on our health, weight, and well-being.
3. Sugars—sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup specifically—are particularly harmful. The glucose in these sugars raises insulin levels; the fructose they contain overloads the liver.
4. Refined carbohydrates, starches, and sugars are also the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the other common chronic diseases of modern times.
5. Obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating and not sedentary behavior.
6. Consuming excess calories does not cause us to grow fatter any more than it causes a child to grow taller.
7. Exercise does not make us lose excess fat; it makes us hungry.
8. We get fat because of an imbalance—a disequilibrium—in the hormonal regulation of fat tissue and fat metabolism. More fat is stored in the fat tissue than is mobilized and used for fuel. We become leaner when the hormonal regulation of the fat tissue reverses this imbalance.
9. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels are elevated, we stockpile calories as fat. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from our fat tissue and burn it for fuel.
10. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbohydrates make us fat and ultimately cause obesity. By driving fat accumulation, carbohydrates also increase hunger and decrease the amount of energy we expend in metabolism and physical activity.
11. The fewer carbohydrates we eat, the leaner we will be.

The Perfect Diet

There is no perfect diet or nutrition plan, but low carb eating may be a viable option for many, including myself. So, I will spend the next few weeks dissecting this book and its references. I'll let you all know what I find.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

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**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:21:00 +0000

Photo by greggoconnell

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight. Most of them want to lose weight. Some of them want to lose weight for superficial reasons. However, the ultimate goal is an improvement in your overall health. But how will this be gauged?

Long-term Goals

Women

If you are a woman, your first long-term goal is a waist circumference less than 35 inches. The second goal is a BMI less than 25, and the final goal is a body-fat percentage less than 25%.

Men

If you are a man, your first long-term goal is a waist circumference less than 40 inches. The second goal is a BMI less than 25, and the final goal is a body-fat percentage less than 20%.

Short-term Goals

As you attempt to reach your long-term goals, you should use short-term goals to challenge yourself.

Overweight

Your short-term goals, if you are overweight, will be half of a pound a week or 2 pounds a month.

Obese

If you are obese, your goal is one pound a week or 4 pounds a month. Do not laugh. I am sure you are thinking you could do this in your sleep. Good. Then do it. You may lose a lot more weight once you start but your weight loss will slow down as you get closer to your target weight. If you focus on these simple goals you will not be disappointed.

Weight Loss "To Do" List

Measure your waist circumference and calculate your current BMI.
Get a small notebook and use it to log everything you eat or drink.
Use measuring equipment including a food scale to aid in calorie counting.
Use calorie counting websites like www.calorieking.com to calculate calories in foods without nutrition labels.
Lose one pound a week if you're obese and one half of a pound a week if you're overweight.
Periodically check your weight, waist circumference and BMI to gauge your progress.
Forget the excuses.

The Perfect Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:03:00 +0000

Photo by miss_rogue

This is the article where I attack all the popular diets in the market. Where I tell you how none of them work and how I have the perfect plan for you. Well, the truth is that most popular diets work if you follow them.

Diets

A diet is simply the type and amount of food and drink you consume on a daily basis. A diet is not a four-letter word that means the elimination of all enjoyable food. The typical American diet is high calories, high saturated/trans fat and high processed carbohydrates. Now, the high fat and high processed carbs part leads to many other health problems but they are not the reason you are overweight. It's the high calorie part. Calorie count is the reason you lose or gain weight.

The Candy Bar Diet

The average candy bar is 275 calories. I could create a diet that consisted of 6 candy bars a day, for a total of 1650 calories a day, and the average American would lose weight. You would lose weight because most people burn more than 1650 calories on a daily basis. This diet may create other problems because it would be high in saturated fat and low in proteins and vitamins, but you would still lose weight. The Candy Bar Diet is similar to most popular diets in that it is low calorie.

Popular Diets

Most popular diets work. If you follow them, you will lose weight. They work because they get you to eat less. Each diet goes about it in a different way, some good and some bad, but the end result is you eating less. This decrease in calories is what fuels your weight loss.

I Hate All Diets Except The Don't Go Broke Diet

Am I against popular diets? Quite the contrary, I like quite a few of them. The only diets I do not like are plans that have phases, are short term or are too restrictive in food choices. These diets are usually confusing, difficult to follow or are attempts at quick fixes to a chronic problem. Quick fixes do not work. In order to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight for life, you must maintain good eating habits for life, not just a few weeks.

Calorie Controlled Diet

There is only one type of diet that will help you lose weight and that is a calorie controlled diet. A calorie controlled diet instructs you to eat fewer calories than you burn. A calorie controlled diet combined with proper food selection will help you lose weight and improve your overall health.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Lose Weight Saving Money On Gas

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:42:00 +0000

Photo by Will Gotshall-Maxon

Weight loss is a frequently discussed topic because two out of every three Americans is overweight or obese. The cost of fuel is another frequently discussed topic, as the price of gas and crude oil continues to sky rocket. Losing weight and saving money on gas are both daunting tasks. But what if you could combine them? In this article you will get the top 10 ways you can lose weight while saving money on gas.

#1: Walk

Walking is a great exercise and does not require gas. There are many places that are within walking distance of your home or your job; consider walking to those places instead.

#2: Ride a Bicycle

Bicycling is another great exercise. If it is too far too walk, consider riding your bicycle.

#3: Go Grocery Shopping Once A Week

Going to the grocery store once every week will keep your life organized. You will have no need waste gas driving for unhealthy foods. You will eat healthier and spend less time on the road.

#4: Carry Your Lunch to Work

If you have your lunch, you will not need to drive anywhere to pick up lunch. Just make sure the lunch is healthy.

#5: Join a Gym In Between Your Home and Your Job

Gyms are a great place to exercise. If your gym is in between your home and your job, you will not waste gas driving there and you will be more likely to go. You will lose more weight if you go to the gym instead of driving by it.

#6: Build a Home Gym

Having a home gym is even better than having a gym in between your home and your job.

#7: Get Netflix

Blockbuster Online and Netflix both have a wide assortment of DVDs, including workout DVDs. This is an inexpensive way to get a variety of aerobic classes in your own living room. You will also save money on gas because you will not have to drive to the movies or Blockbusters

#8: Park Far Away

After you enter a parking lot, park in the first empty spot you see. This will force you to walk farther and drive less. Looking for a parking spot is lazy and waste fuel.

#9: Park on the First Floor

After you enter a parking garage, park on the first floor. This will force you to climb stairs and drive less.

#10: Eat At Home

Cooking at home puts you in control of what you eat. You can prepare healthier and smaller meals. You will also save gas by not having to drive to a restaurant.

Bonus Tip: Get a Fred Flintstone Car

The man-powered cars in Bedrock do not require gas and are a great way to exercise.

Any of these techniques and strategies can help. However, if you use them all, you will really start to drop the pounds and save some money.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

KaBOOM! and CNN's Fit Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:21:00 +0000

Photo by foundphotoslj

CNN's Fit Nation and KaBOOM! teamed up with over 200 volunteers to build a playground for the children of Metairie, Louisiana. Metairie was one many cities destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Active Children

It is great what they did for the children of Metairie. It will help get these children more active and get them away from the video games, the television, and the Internet. Increased activity is one of the best strategies to prevent and cure childhood obesity.

The CNN Fit Nation team has inspired me. I am going to research KaBOOM! and try to get some playgrounds built in the Atlanta/Decatur area.

Watch the video about the playground building.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Becoming Thin Within: Interview with Dr. Kal

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:03:00 +0000

I was recently interviewed by Mrs. Deborah J. Wright on her online talk show: Becoming Thin Within. It was my first live interview and I think it went well. Check out the interview and tell me what you think.

We also discuss the Don't Go Broke Diet. She seemed to like my behavior change first approach.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Overweight Children Face Emotional Pains

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:21:00 +0000

I was reading this article on MSNBC about overweight children. The article discusses the:

Emotional torture,
Teasing,
Rejection,
Discrimination
Bullying, and
Abuse,

overweight children must deal with on a daily basis. The discrimination and abuse does not just come from their peers. Parents, teachers, and family members are also perpetrators.

Not Just Fun and Games

The emotional abuse can have many adverse effects. Many of these children develop:

Suicidal thoughts
Low self-esteem
Feelings of inadequacy
Eating disorders
Overall poor quality of life.

Many of these children's quality of life score were similar to people living with cancer.

Dr. Kal

I was an overweight child and an obese teen, so I experienced the stigma of childhood obesity first hand. Growing up was torture and led to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy issues that I still deal with today.

Parents

Parents, family-members, and educators should be proactive in helping children lose weight. They should also watch what they say and what they allowed to be said to all children, because words can hurt more than fists.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Diets In Review: Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:00:00 +0000

My Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan was recently reviewed by Diets In Review. The author of the review did an excellent job of summarizing the program. I should find out who it is and ask them to write my next sales letter.

Check out the review. Let me know what you think.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Watchers Vs. Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:18:00 +0000

I just read this article in the Science Daily about a recent study. The study compared the weight loss of :

People on Weight Watchers who did not exercise, to the weight loss of
People who exercised but did not "diet".

Results

The study found that the:

Weight Watchers group: Lost more weight, but that weight was both fat and lean tissue (muscle)
Exercise group: Lost less weight, but the weight they did lose was mostly intra-abdominal fat

Lessons learned

To lose weight you need to adopt a balanced, calorie-controlled nutrition plan. However, if you want that weight to be only fat and not muscle, then you must incorporate exercise.

Strength training is very important to permanent weight loss. Strength training allows you to maintain or build upon the muscle you already have. Muscles are important to maintaining your metabolism and burning fat. Especially the most dangerous fat, which is the visceral, intra-abdominal fat.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Double Your Weight Loss With A Food Diary

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:07:00 +0000

I just read this article from ABC News about a recent study. The study showed that dieters that kept food journals almost doubled the weight loss of dieters who did not keep a food journal. This goes along with everything I believe and teach.

Food Journals

People often underestimate how many calories they are consuming. That is one of the reasons that so many people have a hard time losing weight. People often tell me that they never eat or that they do not eat too much. However, when they take a log of it, they realize exactly how much they are eating and drinking.

Drinking

I typically have patients and clients start a food journal. They are often surprised at the amount of empty calories they consume on a daily basis. These empty calories include, but are not limited to:

Drinks: Sodas, juices, sports drinks, and alcoholic beverages are not satisfying, but they can be calorie-filled.
Sweets: Many people will eat a candy here and a candy there, not realizing how many calories are in those little bites of sweetness.
Condiments: Sauces and dressings can add many calories to a meal.

I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Food Journals

Keeping a weight loss journal is an excellent strategy to lose weight and keep it off. This is especially true early in your weight loss journey. Most people are bad at estimating how many calories they are consuming per meal and per day.

Plan

Get a food journal: It does not have to be expensive, any notebook you will do.
Get appropriate measuring equipment: Food scales, measuring cups, and measuring spoons are important because your eyes can deceive you.
Read labels: So that you know what a serving is and how many calories are in a serving.
Calorie databases: Use calorie databases such as www.calorieking.com when food labels are not available.
Log everything: Write down everything you put into your mouth. Everything!!! Don't worry. You will not have to do this forever, just until you are a better "food estimator".

Start journaling today and watch the pounds just fall off and stay off.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Excuses

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:32:00 +0000

Excuses are like belly buttons. Everyone has one, nobody needs one, and, all they do is collect belly-button lint. Well, excuses do not collect belly-button lint, but they serve a similarly annoying and useless function. Excuses keep you from losing weight.

Barriers

Excuses are barriers along your weight loss journey. These barriers can prevent you from achieving your weight loss goals, if you let them. If you believe in these excuses and believe that you cannot get pass them, then you will not be able to. The human mind will only allow the body to do what it believes is possible. However, if you believe that you can get around or even defeat your weight loss excuses, you will do just that.

Mission Impossible

Permanent weight loss is not easy but it is not impossible. Weight loss excuses are one of the reasons losing weight can be difficult. With the Weight Loss Excuses posts, I will bust the most common excuses and provide strategies to help you get pass them

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Strategies - Burn More Calories

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:08:00 +0000

In order to lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you burn or burn more calories than you eat. You could simply do this by eating fewer calories. However, in order to accelerate or maintain your weight loss, you should also burn more calories.

Your body burns calories with three mechanisms:

Moving your body,
Digesting your food, and
Staying alive

To burn more calories and lose weight, you should increase the calories burned in all three mechanisms.

Resting Metabolism

Your resting metabolism burns calories just keeping you alive. Your body must perform many processes to keep you functioning, including pumping blood, breathing air and producing waste.

Most of the calories you burn are burned performing your essential body processes. These calories are burned while you are sleeping, sitting, talking, or exercising. Your resting metabolism is working twenty-four hours a day. Your resting metabolism is determined primarily by your genetics and your muscle mass.

Digestion

After you eat or drink, your body has to digest and process the food. The calories you burn digesting and processing your food is called the thermic effect of food. Thermic simply means related to or associated with heat. The thermic effect of food is determined primarily by the amount and type of food you are eating.

Moving

At least eighty percent of the calories you burn daily are burned secondary to your resting metabolism and the thermic effect of food. The rest of your calories are burned moving your muscles and limbs.

Any time you move a muscle, you burn calories. The more often you move your muscles, the more calories you will burn. You can also burn more calories by using more muscles or using larger muscles.

The calories you burn moving have the greatest potential for increase, so you should focus your efforts there. You do this with by increasing your everyday activities and by exercising.

Exercise can be broken down into strength training exercises, core training exercises, and aerobic exercises. You should adopt an activity plan that incorporates all three.

You must create a calorie deficit to lose weight. A calorie deficit is created by eating fewer calories than you burn. To do this you should decrease the calories you eat and increasing the calories you burn. Your body has three different mechanisms for burning calories: staying alive, digesting food, and moving. A successful weight loss activity plan must address all three.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Strategies - Read Nutrition Labels

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Kal) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Ignorance may be bliss but it can sabotage a weight loss plan. To lose and keep off weight you will need to watch what you eat. This means learning to read nutrition labels.

Nutrition Labels.

Nutrition labels provide us with important information about serving sizes, calories, and ingredients. The top half of the label contains product specific information on the number of serving, calories and nutrient information.

Serving Size and Servings Per Container.

Always check the number of servings. This is a common oversight. You may grab a beverage glancing quickly at the calories. However you might be surprised to find out that the beverage is three servings and not one. Foods that appear low in calories may actually be much more than you want to consume.

Calories.

Depending on your daily calorie target and the number of meals or snacks you decide to eat, your meals should be between 200 and 400 calories and your snacks between 100 and 200 calories.

Total Fat.

Below the calories you will find information for Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. These nutrients are listed first because they are the ones that you should limit.

Fat Breakdown.

Fat information will be broken down into Saturated, Trans Fat and for some foods you will also have Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats. Saturated and Trans Fats are the artery clogging fats. The combined "bad" fats should be limited to 10% of total calories. Trans Fat is man made and is increasingly being eliminated from foods.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are "good fats" and should be consumed as part of a healthy well balanced diet.

Total Carbohydrate.

Carbohydrates will be broken down into total, fiber and sugar. You want to get enough healthy carbohydrates such as those from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans. Limit foods that have sugar listed in the first few ingredients, whether or not you are attempting to lose weight.

Protein.

Proteins are an important component of your healthy weight loss plan. I recommend that you eat meals that are at least 20% protein.

Ingredients List.

Finally, always look at the ingredients list. If you see any of the ingredients listed below in the first four ingredients, consider a better product.

Trans fats
Partially hydrogenated oils
High fructose corn syrup
Other syrups
Sugar
Fructose
Refined whole grains
Enriched whole grains

Becoming conscious of what you are putting into your body will put you on the road to a healthier lifestyle. Read labels before you buy and compare different brands. You can and will find distinct differences among brands.

Becoming a label detective requires just a little effort but the return on your time has a big payoff in better health and smaller clothing sizes.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**