A recent study of obese people in Australia looked at how they perceived themselves in the media and what they thought about the approaches to “cure” obesity.

They perceived the diet industry as “greedy,” “a scam.” or a “rip-off” but most said they would still turn to the same industry for help with weight loss because they didn’t know where else to go for support.

It’s pretty sad that the “best” information out there is only provided by people hoping to make some money off the guy who’s just trying to get healthy.

Here’s what I propose as possible solutions to encourage people to lose weight.  Some of it is stick and some of it is carrot.  But the stick is aimed at food manufacturers, not individuals.

Tax junk food to make it as expensive as “good” food.  This is directed more at the food manufacturers so they’ll start making nutritious, good-tasting products instead of the processed crap they’ve been putting out since the 1970s.

Make over the General Practitioner’s Office. Doctor’s should be pushed toward wellness maintenance models instead of “sick treatment” models.  I want to literally place nutritionists and highly certified personal trainers in doctors’ offices.  A medical referral will provide you food and workout advice that’s safe, effective, and reasonable.

Encourage businesses to 100% reimburse their employees for fitness and weight loss programs.  I’ve read studies over the years that support this as a huge ROI (return on investment).  Workers immediately become more productive, take less sick time, and have less significant medical issues which drops the health costs for the company overall.

Stock workplace cafeterias and vending machines with only healthy food. Doesn’t this just make sense?  Why let an employee inhale a Twinkie and then deal with his 3:00 pm sugar crash?  While you’re at it, offer cooking classes during off hours at the cafeteria to show employees how to cook healthfully.  And for any healthy dishes served at the company cafeteria hand out recipe cards so folks can cook the meal at home.

In urban areas, focus on developing safe outdoor spaces for people to play and workout.  I’m lucky that Boston has a wonderful park system, beautiful paths along the Charles River, and tons of pocket parks throughout the city. Encourage the development of more pocket parks.  Look at developing roof tops as areas people can access.  Another great example is the old elevated railway renovation in Chicago.  They took an eyesore and turned it into a beautiful park and walkway.

Make all restaurants post nutrition content directly on the menus. This works.  Would you order a 2,000+ calorie meal from the Cheesecake Factory if you knew exactly what you were putting in your mouth?  The food industry is very sophisticated, they hire chemists and marketers to feed you mounds and mounds of cheap food that appeals to your caveman palate.  By insisting on menu disclosure these same people will need to retool their dishes with fresh herbs, healthy fats, and diet-friendly starches.  It’ll still taste great.  We’ll just be giving them a strong push to go in the right direction.

What do you think?  What would you add or take away from this list?  I’d love your thoughts.

Lisa

Yup, there is no magic bullet people.  But you knew that already, I know you did.

Researchers in Germany tested nine different pills in one of the most rigorous studies conducted to date.  The pills make various claims from blocking carbs to burning fat to increasing metabolism.  They compared each of them to placebos.

The placebos were just as effective as all nine pills.

I know, it would be so easy if we could just swallow something and be skinny.  Trust me, I wish I could do it too.  But we are all, sadly, out of luck.

According to WebMD about $3 billion a year is spent on weight loss supplements in Europe and the US combined.  That’s a lot of money that could be spent on new sneakers and health club memberships.

Here are some ideas if you’d like to lose weight …

• How to Lose 5 Lbs.
• How Much Exercise Do You Need
• How to Get Out of Your Rut
• The 5 Phases of Getting Fit

Hope they help.  Have you tried diet supplements in the past?  Did you find them useful, harmful, or irrelevant?

Lisa

I’ve been a runner since college. Not a great one, mind you; I’ll run for a period, then switch to some other form of exercise, then come back to running again. I used to do seven-minute miles but those day are distant at the moment. I’ve been around running circles here and there during this time; I was even once a member (very briefly) of the Boston Athletic Association, the venerable institution that puts on the Boston Marathon.

I have never seen a running program gain traction like the Couch to 5K program.  Put out by Cool Running and ridiculously simple, the Couch to 5K program assumes that you are completely sedentary and have never run before.  It then presents a stepped program beginning with periods of alternating walking and running, and progressing over the weeks to more running and less walking.  After 10 weeks, you sign up for a 5K and go.  I have actually talked my husband and eight-year-old son into starting the program, and we’re planning our first family 5K in October.

There are lots of running plans that have alternated run/walk programs so this is nothing new.  But somehow doing the Couch to 5K seems “in.”  When we walked into our local running store to get fitted up with new sneakers, we told them our goal and all three staff members simultaneously said, “That’s cool!”

There are a few things to think about, though, before you lace up those sneakers…

Get good shoes! Newbie runners can be especially prone to injury.  Make sure you have a good pair of sneakers that keeps your feet stable and allow you to run with a natural gait.  This is not the time to be cheap; buy the best pair you can afford.  Also, skip the big box stores and go to a specialty store for runners.  Your feet and your podiatrist will thank you.

Get good socks.  A lot of blisters aren’t from the shoes, they’re from the crappy crew socks you’re wearing.  Most running socks have a band around the arch of the foot to help hold them in place and are made of a fabric designed to wick moisture and minimize chafing.  Good socks are your friend; invest in three to four pairs.

Know your route. I am a huge fan of MapMyRun.com.  You can literally plot a route from your front door and be as specific as which side of the street you run down.  You can even find local running routes saved by other users.  These other runners in your area know the “good routes,” things like how traffic patterns go and which trails are shadier.  You can also check a local book store or running store for books or flyers with running routes on them.

Think about what to carry. You’ll need a key or two, ID, maybe your wallet.  What do you need to take with you when you run and do you have a place to put it?  On our first outing, my husband grabbed a very thick water bottle and I had to juggle the thing through our whole run.

Have a watch with a second hand. We actually use the timer on our iPhone (yes, we’re geeks) but you’ll be timing yourself in 60-second increments so you’ll need a watch with a second hand.

Sunscreen and water. Drink a little water before you go and it’s not a bad idea to bring water with you too.  Even though it’s only a 20 to 30 minute run, it’s good to be able to take some sips.  We’ve been running in some nasty heat this week and we’ve been splashing my son with water to keep him cool.  As for sunscreen, you know what to do.

Pick your 5K race early to give you an incentive. We are debating between a Doug Flutie charity race and the Superhero 5K on Halloween because it looks like so much fun!  Heck, maybe we’ll do both.  But find a race that appeals to you and sign up for it!  It will make it less likely that you’ll back out.

That’s it.  Follow the program, make sure you’re prepared, and you’ll have a blast.  I’m hoping this turns into a whole fun activity for my family. We get to chat while we run and coach each other along. It’s great watching the big, proud smile on my son’s face when he accomplishes something that takes a little effort.

Tip for Bostonians: The Chestnut Hill Reservoir by Boston College is almost exactly a 5K if you jog around twice.  It also has a nice flat, soft surface to run on and great views.  Just look out for the goose poop.

What are your tips?

Lisa

Walk everywhere. Try to book a centrally located hotel that will let you walk around from place to place.  This works great in cities.  If you’re in a more country area, drive as needed but make sure you walk around a lot to the attractions you’re visiting.  You can easily sneak three to five miles of walking into a day without really knowing it.  That’s roughly equivalent to 300 to 500 calories.

Strategize your lunch. Don’t eat empty calories from a crappy lunch in an amusement park.  Choose a deli meat sandwich or a grilled chicken sandwich if you can’t get a salad.  Remember, you don’t have to eat all of it either.  Skip the chips and sugary drinks and opt for water.  If you’re hungry later, a small ice cream cone is okay.

Enjoy your dinner. Get the steak, eat the lobster, have the chocolate cake for dessert.  Relax and enjoy your meal and don’t feel even an eensy bit guilty!  I would suggest sharing the dessert, but really if you want the whole thing, go for it.  The idea is on vacation you get to eat amazing meals at amazing restaurants.  You should indulge yourself and your taste buds and enjoy it to the fullest.  The healthy breakfast and lunch and all that walking will help offset your high calorie meal.

Schedule one “athletic” activity every other day. There is so much to do on vacations; plan a hike, go cycling, run along a scenic route, play with your kids in the pool.  Incorporate a fun one to two hour activity every other day to get your cardio in and have fun with your family while doing it.

Do crunches in the morning before you leave for the day. I swear by this.  A few crunches on the floor, maybe some oblique twists too, and you’ll have your head on straight for the rest of the day.  The crunches themselves aren’t really doing that much, it’s more to set the attitude of healthiness for the day.  When you’re looking at that big wad of fried dough, you’ll remember the crunches and take a pass instead.

That’s it.  You’ll have fun, relax, and maybe even find an oh-so-cute outfit to buy while you’re on vacation.  What do you do to stay healthy when traveling for pleasure?

Lisa

LeBron James chooses his own path, let him be ...

Cleveland fans watched a dream slip away last night.  Actually, they watched it literally get up and walk out the door.  It hurt.  Instead of going philosophical some of them went on the war path.  Burning James jersey and promptly posting it on YouTube and even the owner of the Cavs got in the act with a scathing letter from Cav’s majority owner Dan Gilbert, calling James a coward and a desserter.

Wow.  Really?

I have to admit I was really pissed when Bill Parcells left New England.  He did it in a way that wasn’t kind.  He made parting shots and he wanted people to know that New England sucked.  I was happy to root against the Jets and I still have a lingering dislike of the team because Parcells used to coach there.

But when Damon left I didn’t get what the hub bub was about.  I was bummed to see him go, he was one of my favorite players, but it was a personal decision involving money, lifestyle and opportunity.  Isn’t that what the rest of us do all the time when we’re deciding where to live and what job to take?

Even when James was confronted with an image of his jersey being burned by a somewhat gleeful ESPN interviewer he kept his composure and said he made the decision for personal reasons.

Don’t bash the guy for doing that.  It’s his right.  Ya know the whole Independence Day we just celebrated a few days back?  The whole reason why we think we’re so cool, our right to choose how we live our lives.

The fact is Cleveland knew this was a real possibility and they had some time to get some players around James and they failed to do that.  The other thing is James didn’t play to his full potential during the playoffs.  I watched a couple of Celtics games where he pretty much just didn’t exist.  Yes, the Celts had good defense but he was off somehow.  All players have this happen to them.  A big game and they can’t quite get it together.  Kevin Garnett had some abysmal games during the playoffs.  We gave him a pat on the back and moved on.

So is Kobe better than LeBron?  Can a newer, fresher Miami Big 3 bring home a title with no bench to speak of?  How much does heart count when an athlete is going for the big prize?

I have nothing but respect for LeBron, he is going in the direction he thinks is best for him.  Just like the rest of us.

I am rooting for Cleveland to put their franchise back together and win a championship soon. If it miraculously happens before Miami then more power to them.  Living well is the best revenge.

What do you think?

Lisa

We all get to Witness LeBron James' Decision

When I first heard about LeBron James doing a one hour ESPN show entitled The Decision with all of the advertising revenue going to charity, I thought “cool” good for him.

The whole world is watching this guy and his decision and at least he’s capitalizing on it in a way that actually does some good.   The Boys and Girls Club will be the recipient of the revenue which could be in the neighborhood of $540,000, possibly more.

The Boys and Girls Club is trying hard too with a press release on their home page and a Facebook Fan page that includes a poll for voting on which team you’d like to see him play for.

So cheers to the Boys and Girls Club but is it jeers to LeBron?  I presume the format will be interview style with highlights from his career, discussion about this past season’s playoffs and what he hopes to find in his new home (or his usual home if he stays put).

How is this anything other than a huge ego stroke?  Is he the King of basketball or the King of his own personal branding?  It’s guaranteed he’ll be selling boatloads of Tshirts as soon as he announces his new team with his new jersey.

The Celtics did a pretty good job of keeping this guy bottled up during the playoffs this year.  (Total disclosure I’m a HUGE Celtics fan!) So he is not unstoppable albeit pretty darned hard to slow down.

And if he and the NBA really cared about charity they’d take the sale of jersey’s from the first week and donate that to the Boys and Girls Club too.

What do you think?

Researchers at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess and Children’s Hospitals have isolated a cluster of genes believed to regulate our longevity determining the likelihood that we’ll reach 90+ years of age.

By sampling DNA from 137 people who have lived to be 98 or more as well as one of their siblings, scientists believe wth 95% certainty that they’ve located 100 to 150 genes on Chromosone 4 responsible for seeing us into old age. 95% for a scientist is pretty darned certain!

There is so much more work that needs to be done here.  How do the genes interact with each other?  Which are responsible for certain aspects of aging?  The researchers were looking to explain the disease-resistance and survival rates of these long-lived souls.  In the process they also discovered “centenarians’ brothers and sisters have a four times greater chance of living to age 91 compared to siblings of a control group.”

I’ve been saying for years that I’m going to live to be 100 because longevity runs in my family; a bunch of my aunts and uncles have gotten up into the 90s.  I take care of myself and always have.  I never smoked, drank too much, and I’m, um, a bit of a fitness nut (hence the blog).  As long as I don’t get hit by a bus, I’m good. I’ve got the genes and I’m doing the right things.

The researchers caution that living a poor lifestyle can’t be overcome by your genes.  So if you keep dumping crap into your body you’re going to pay for that with increased disease risk and shorter life span.

What do you think?  If you knew you had good genes, would you take better care of yourself?

Very curious about your answers,

Lisa

Here are six quick tips to keep you on track and prevent a detour from turning into a full on backwards slide …

Give yourself a hug. You enjoyed a holiday, congrats!  You spent time with friends and family.  You relaxed, you indulged even.  Awesome.  Don’t beat yourself up over it, be happy that you did it.  We live in such a busy world, just taking time out to enjoy life a bit is a great way to recharge your batteries.  I hope you enjoyed yourself immensely.

Have a cleanse day. I don’t mean drink lemon water and honey and starve to death.  But go vegetarian for a day.  Keep the starches to a minimum and focus on the fruits and veggies.  Mentally this will help push the reset button and get you back into those healthy patterns again.

Don’t get on the scale! I know I say that you should weigh yourself regularly but don’t get on the scale for a day or two.  Your body is adjusting and you know the number is ugly so just don’t look at it.  By the third day get back on and assess the damage.  Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised and it will be the same as it was before the holiday started.

Goose your cardio. If you really feel bloated and can’t believe how much you ate goose your cardio the week after a holiday.  If you normally do 30 minutes, bump it up to 40 for a week (maybe two) and you’ll feel like you’re accomplishing so much more.

Up your resistance training. Add one extra weight training activity into your week.  Here are some options:  circuit training in a gym, yoga or Pilates class, a bootcamp class (this could also help assuage your guilty conscience by beating it out of you!), extra free weight work, a resistance training DVD or cable show.  Do what you normally do but add this one thing in the mix.  Again, you’ll be purging guilt and helping to hit the reset button.

Don’t use it as an excuse.  Many people can trace their diets falling off track to a holiday blowout.  Once the holiday is over they continue with bad habits and the pounds creep back on.  Don’t use one or two days as an excuse for the next six months.  Do the steps above, just for one week, and continue with your healthy lifestyle.

Hope this helps.  Feel free to share any tips you might have.  :-)

Lisa

• Improve self-esteem, hey if you’re a stud you have to strut a little right?
• Lower blood pressure
• Sleep better
• Burns calories, about 85 calories for 30 minutes, 42 sessions and you’ve lost a pound!
• Improve immunity
• Decrease aches and pains

How cool is that?  Next time you feel antsy or fat grab your partner and have at it.  Comments are always welcome but please keep ‘em clean!  Thanks to WebMD for a more detailed article on this.

Lisa

Betsy is doing our 90 Day Challenge!

I own Pilates studios in Eastern Massachusetts.  My fourth one recently opened and one of my favorite twitter people, Betsy MacKinnon, happens to live nearby.  We got to talking and one thing led to another and Betsy is doing a 90 day Challenge at the studio/fitness center and blogging about the whole thing.  It’s pretty cool, actually Betsy is pretty cool and we’re enjoying the experience as much as she is.  She’s lost 8″ in just 3 weeks!

Here’s her post for Week #3.  My apologies for not blogging about this myself sooner.  I was in the middle of moving and just couldn’t get here.  (Would love for my husband to set up wifi sometime soon!)

What Betsy found she’s struggling with this week is food.  Always a source a frustration!  Here’s a few quick tips to keep your food intake in check.

Journal it. You can write it down in a notebook, get an iPhone App, or join a weight loss community such as Weight Watchers.  However you do it, do it religiously and you’ll see the pounds drop right off.  It’s amazing how quickly you’ll start editing your food choices when you know you have to write it down.  You’ll also see times or day or certain situations that trigger eating.  Once you know what they are, they’re a lot easier to stop doing.

Frozen dinners. I swear by this.  I buy a whole bunch of ‘em and stick ‘em in the fridge.  I know the calorie count, nutritional content, etc.  Then when I’m stuck I can just nuke something and stay on my plan.

Granola/nut/protein bars.  This isn’t the best option, but if you’re out of your home and choosing between fast food and a protein bar you’ll be better off with the protein bar.  I like Kind bars, Luna bars, Clif bars and I like those mixed nut packets at Trader Joe’s.  I always have one floating around in my purse and I stash a couple at work too.

Calendar planning.  Sit down with your husband and figure out which nights you’re all home for dinner and which nights you’ll be flying solo or out on the town.  Then go to the grocery store and buy accordingly.  Yes, you can do the whole elaborate menu planning, but you’ll probably only do that for a week and then start ignoring it.  It’s better to go with a general plan and map out meals as you go because you’ll actually do it!  We do grocery runs twice a week.  When I’m at the store and there’s a special on pork chops or they just got in some sweet corn I can pick that up instead of the broccoli that I’ve written down.

Hope this helps Betsy, looking forward to the next installment!  Losing 8″ in 3 weeks is amazing!

Lisa