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 LIFT WEIGHT TO LOSE WEIGHT
Have you hit a diet
plateau? Try adding strength training to your exercise routine.
Believe it or not, resistance work with weights beats cardiovascular
exercise in terms of overall calorie expenditure. Why? Because even
though weight training burns 8-10 calories versus cardio's 10-12,
you continue to burn an additional 25% of the previous
weight-lifting session's total well after you've tossed in the
towel.
Calorie burning bonus: For every three pounds of
muscle gained through weight training (a reasonable result for three
months of lifting) you raise your resting metabolic rate by 120
calories a day.
Even if weight loss is not your goal,
strength training is essential to maintaining bone strength and
muscle mass as we age. Think pumping iron is just for the guys?
Women who skip weight lifting entirely will lose five pounds of
muscle mass per decade -- even if they regularly do
cardio!
Don't want to grow old gracefully? Read how
weight lifting can help combat the effects of aging (click here).
Click here to read more about weight training's
particular health benefits for women.
Women worried that
weight lifting will "bulk them up"? Click here for more on debunking the bulking
myth.
COULD WATER BE WEIGHT LOSS ELIXIR?
Savvy dieters
know that thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger and keep their
water bottles at hand in order to keep appetite in line. Now,
researchers in Germany report that drinking water may elevate your
metabolic rate. Though findings are preliminary, they could have
far-reaching implications for those trying to lose
weight.
Moreover, dehydration can hamper fitness results by
reducing endurance. And most people tend to discount how dehydrated
they truly are, according to a study by the Gatorade Sports Science
Institute: Over half of the people in their study group who believed
they were well-hydrated actually were dehydrated.
Sparkling
or flat? Both have their passionate adherents, but if you suffer
from indigestion or constipation, a study by Italian
gastroenterologist Rosario Cuomo suggests that sparkling water
helped to aid digestion and improve regularity.
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 JANUARY: CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING MONTH
About
12,000 American women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year,
but thanks to effective screening, many of the women can be cured.
The good news is that overall cervical cancer rates are declining,
but there's bad news for women who are obese: They have double the
chance of developing cervical adenocarcinoma (a malignant cervical
cancer), according to a recent study published in the journal
Cancer. Moreover, a recent Gallup poll sponsored by the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) found
that nearly 80% of female ob-gyns rated obesity as the most serious
health problem facing women under 50.
Log on to http://rdr.sbml.cc/Click?q=2e-eMtGIiKN9wNRLptktQHw_eVZ
to learn more and assess your risk. Another helpful site is provided
by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center.
Most importantly, women should get screened by
their gynecologist on an annual basis, keep an eye on their weight
and make sure they eat their 5-to-9 servings of fruits and
vegetables a day. According to the National Cancer Institute,
"People whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables have a lower
risk of getting cancer."
Want to learn more about the ABC's
of cancer prevention through diet? Here's a comprehensive list of those foods that contain the
most disease-fighting phytochemicals and anti-oxidants.
For
preparation ideas, check our featured recipe, or click here to find out why roasting veggies can
help to enhance their taste and aroma.
SALT AT FAULT?
According to the American Dietetic
Association, the average adult needs only about 500 milligrams of
sodium a day, although most people consume well in excess of ten
times that amount on a daily basis. Excess salt intake has been
linked to high blood pressure -- although some people are more
sensitive to its effects than others. But a new Japanese study
points to a potential increased risk of stomach cancer for those who
consume too much salt. For more click here.
Other scientists urge caution,
saying that while a lifelong salt habit can stiffen the arteries
over time, more research is needed to determine salt's true risk (click here).
Most doctors and dietitians
agree that caution is well advised. Stop pouring it on and remember
that the majority of your salt intake most likely is coming from
prepared food rather than from the shaker -- as this article attests.
Learn to read labels,
opt for low-sodium or sodium-free seasonings like Mrs. Dash, cut
back on processed foods and watch out for hidden salt mines in
condiments like soy sauce or in canned soup.
REJUVENATING GRAPE JUICE
Could grape juice be the
elixir of youth? Preliminary research findings announced last month
demonstrated significantly improved short-term memory, coordination
and balance as a benefit of grape juice consumption. Like cranberry
juice and blueberries, grape juice has received attention for its
antioxidant content. A glass a day has been linked to lower blood
pressure and improved arterial function. For more click here.
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 by Jennifer Grossman
FAT FASHION SHOW NO
SHOW
I've always suspected that the loud protestations of
fat pride from large-bodied celebrities were more of a cover for
their own feelings of body-loathing rather than authentic
expressions of body love. How else are we to reconcile the former
fat defiance of Queen "I'm not losing a damn pound" Latifah with her
recent dramatic loss of 40 pounds? Looks like the lady called her
own bluff -- and boy, does she look great!
As obesity rates
continue to climb, the free market is catering to this growing
segment of the population with "size-friendly" vacation resorts like
Freedom Paradise in Mexico, and teen fashions from Torrid's line of
size 12-24 clothing. Even mainstream health clubs are featuring
fuller models with less body tone in their advertisements in hopes of attracting an
increasingly overweight public.
Is this a healthy trend? If
it gets more people off the couch and into the gym, absolutely! But
if it's a means to promote "acceptance" of a condition that is
largely preventable and has been linked to an array of
life-threatening diseases, then it does nothing more than to enable
the very same unhealthy behaviors that have created the problem in
the first place. In that sense there's nothing more fattening than
fat "pride" itself.
Increasingly, however, fewer and fewer
people are buying into the idea that excess weight is a cause for
self-esteem -- and happily, some of the first to abandon the
big-is-beautiful boat are those who, well, have the most to lose!
The latest evidence: Lane Bryant cancelled its annual fashion show
featuring overweight models in lingerie. The reason: "We had a hard
time finding celebrity spokesmodels," admitted Lane Bryant's
Catherine Lippincott. In other words, fewer oversize women are
willing to walk around near naked as a testimony of how wonderful
and sexy it feels to be fat.
Even better news: The usual
super-sized suspects like Anna Nicole Smith and Camryn Manheim (and
the newly lithe Latifah) all have lost weight. Way to go, girls! And
kudos to Lane Bryant for being gracious enough to congratulate the
women for their healthy weight loss. Now that's a real reason to be
proud.
(For truly inspiring real-life stories of regular
people who suffered with weight problems and then transformed their
lives through diet and exercise, click here.)
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Sauced 5-Spice Tofu with Sun Dried Tomatoes and
Cauliflower
by Marie Oser
6 Servings
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, NOT packed in oil, sliced
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 Tablespoon grated gingerroot
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 (6 ounce package). Five Spice Baked Tofu, sliced
1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
1/4 cup Mirin
6 large basil leaves, snipped
1 Tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoon water
Combine sun dried tomatoes with
boiling water in a medium bowl. Set aside. Heat oil and crushed
pepper over medium high heat in a four quart saucepan, for 2
minutes. Add garlic, onions, ginger, bell pepper and tofu. Cook for
5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cauliflower and cook mixture for
3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add tomatoes with soaking liquid.
Cook for 3 minutes, add mirin, basil, and aminos. Reduce heat and
simmer for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. In a small bowl, blend
cornstarch and water. Add to saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, or
until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
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