Once Upon a Thigh: November 2007

Table of Contents

Letter from the Editor

Congratulations to those of you losing weight. Most of you have forgotten to tell me. Kudos to the following women for losing weight: Tracy, Shauna and Kimberly. Just a reminder that this Wednesday, November 7th, we will be holding our last Insulin Resistance meeting of the year at 7 PM. Please bring your favorite healthy recipe with 20 copies to share with others. We would love it if you would make your recipe so we could all share.

We may have to change the date for January's meeting as my husband and I have been invited to be guides for the Temple in Rexburg each Wednesday in January. So, be sure and check the website or call the office for the date in January, 2008.

We are also experiencing success with repeating the Insulin Resistance Tests. One lady went from severe IR to Pre-insulin Resistance. Another woman went from Moderate IR to not IR at all. Way to go women. Even a 10% weight loss will give you great healthy benefits.

You can all do well over the holidays. Remember that you can eat anything you want. You just need to watch the amount and the frequency of some foods. YOU can DO IT. I will be your cheerleader if you want. Please let me know how I can help.

-- Carol

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Sleep

When you sleep less, your body produces less leptin, a hormone that helps you feel full, and more ghrelin, a hunger-inducing hormone. Those getting 8 hours a night compared with those getting less had a BMI 5.5 points lower on average. This is the equivalent of 33 pounds less for a five foot five inch woman. The body craves regularity. Just an extra 20 minutes a night is associated with a lower BMI.

Sleep Debt: Most of us have a little of it. That is the difference between your body's need for sleep and the actual amount of sleep you get.

Tips for better sleep include avoiding napping during the day, avoid alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and heavy meals; remember to exercise a few hours before bedtime. Be sure and develop sleep rituals that are relaxing and keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and a little on the cool side. Hopefully you all will enjoy the extra one hour of sleep this weekend.

Aging Well

I enjoyed reading in the Rexburg Standard Journal about the secret of living long. The question was asked of those turning 100 years. "Here are the secrets:
  • Sleeping for 7-8 hours a night to promote health, and maybe enhancing the body's immune system
  • Controlling weight to reduce the risk of numerous diseases exasperated by weight gain
  • Being physically active to ward off illness and promote brain health
  • Limiting alcohol intake to a maximum of one drink a day for women and two for men to avoid chronic health problems
  • Not smoking because it's the most preventable cause of illness and death
  • Eating breakfast because those who age well, eat it
  • Mentally exercising to stimulate your intellect and preserve mental capacity
  • Staying socially connected to help buffer stress and loss
  • Maintaining optimism and happiness to make living long more joyful"
National Weight Control Registry

A few years ago I wrote about the 5,000 people who were big losers at weight loss. These people lost 30 pounds and kept it off for one year. It has now been 13 years since the study began. Let's review some of their not too secret secrets.
  1. "Eat breakfast: Only 4% of the participants never ate breakfast. If you skip this important meal, you increase your risk of being overweight.
  2. Eat a low calorie diet: 25% of their calories came from fat. The more important factor was averaging a 1,400 calorie diet. We have a 1,400 calorie meal plan for two weeks at the office. Women will lose weight on anywhere from 1,250-1,450 calories a day and most men will lose on about 1,800 calories. Most of us underestimate the calories we eat daily.
  3. Use the scale: Recognize the scale as a useful thing-it will keep you honest. Remember that on a day to day basis you might gain 3 lbs. and that is ok. It is usually only water weight. When the scales increases 4 pounds, that is the time to put the breaks on.
  4. Exercise: The people in the study burned an average of 2,600 calories per week for women and men burned 3,400 calories. This translates into about an hour of exercise each day or less if you work out harder. That may sound like a lot, but it is actually only 6% of your waking hours. Do a cost-benefit analysis and you will find it's an awfully good way to help you lose weight. Almost 100% of the registry members said that weight loss led to improvements in their level of energy, physical mobility, general mood, self confidence, and physical health.
A whopping 89% of the participants use diet and exercise to lose weight and maintain the lower weight. Only 10% use diet alone; only 1% use exercise alone. It's also worth noting that only a little more than 1/2 of the participants lost weight through a formal program. The other half lost it on their own.

Many participants reported that a "triggering event" prompted their successful weight loss, often the trigger is medical, such as a serious warning from a doctor.

42% reported that keeping weight off was easier than losing it in the first place. And, not surprisingly, consistency was a great predictor of success. So, good luck."

Cancer and Weight

"A study in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that women who gained at least 55 pounds since the age of 18 had a 45% increase in their risk for breast cancer over those who maintained their weight. Women who gained at least 22 pounds since menopause increased their risk by 18%. Conversely, among women who had never used postmenopausal hormones, those who lost a minimum of 22 pounds since menopause and kept it off had a stunning 57% lower risk of breast cancer than those who simply maintained their weight. Two previous long-term studies had found that middle-aged men and women who had gained 11-22 pounds after age 20 were up to three times more likely to develop heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and gallstones than those who had gained five pounds or less."

Organization

I have been contemplating giving the garage a 'make-over'. In the process, I found some excellent information. See if any of these hints might be helpful.
  1. Set aside enough time to work on your project. Back to back days are recommended, like a weekend, so items that are being sorted do not have to sit out in piles for long (hopefully the weather will allow me to do this).
  2. Don't tackle it by yourself. Hire an expert, or get a team of people to work on the project, or it may turn into an overwhelming task that will be abandoned part way through. TIP: While friends and family may be willing to help, be sure you have a plan and guidance to direct the process from start to finish.
  3. Consider what categories of items you want to store in your garage. Does luggage really have to live there, or can it live in the attic, or an indoor closet? Should chemicals live in the garage, or can you relegate them to the garden shed? Some typical items that are housed in the garage are recycling, sports and recreational equipment, camping gear, automotive, seasonal décor, garden gear and tools. TIP: It is much easier to tackle a garage AFTER you have organized the rest of the house. The garage tends to be a dumping ground for all the 'unknowns' throughout the house. Once you determine the purpose of your interior storage, and items have a home inside, when you organize your garage many items can be re-located inside.
  4. Start the dirty work. Once you know what categories of items will live in your garage, begin pulling everything out of your garage, and grouping into these categories in the driveway or center of your garage. Obtain boxes of all sizes since items of all descriptions-from huge paint cans to nuts and bolts-will need to be contained. And be sure to label boxes with contents as you are grouping them.
  5. Reconsider, trash or donate items that do not fit the categories. Sometimes random parts or singular items are discovered in the garage. In this case, if you want to keep them, just store them with the most similar category or in a visible place so you remember you have them. The trash and donate items should be separated in heavy-duty garbage bags just outside the garage doors.
  6. Designate zones throughout the periphery of the garage for each categorized section, using as much wall space as possible. Shelving is vital for garage storage. Clear plastic bins work well also, but should be labeled clearly. A variety of sports organizers are widely available.
  7. Don't be afraid to liven up the garage with colorful paint. It can add personality to an otherwise boring space.
Physician's Challenge -- Curt Crittenden

Curt gave us an inspiring talk in September. He worked with Cardiac Rehab and is now pursuing other interests. I have talked with the new director who would like to continue the program. So I will let you know what they have to offer in January.

Have a happy holiday season. Don't worry about losing weight so much as maintaining.

-- Carol

Don't forget to tell a friend about Once Upon a Thigh!