When it Comes to Weight Loss, Consider the Timing–Not Just the Content–of Your Diet

Posted on 29 January, 2013 by activeforever

So you’re doing everything right. You’ve done the impossible and stayed true to your New Year’s resolutions.

Watch the calories *and* the time.

You figured out ways to soldier on with regularly scheduled sweat sessions despite a recent weather pattern that screams at you to surrender to the security of your most comfortable blanket.

You stick to your diet and remain ever mindful of what you eat; but somehow the weight loss just isn’t going as planned.

According to a new study published today in the International Journal of Obesity, when it comes to losing weight, the time you eat can have as much of an effect as what you eat. (Original article appears here.)

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“We should start to consider meal timing in addition to calories and meal composition when thinking about weight loss.”

-Frank Scheer, senior author of the study, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate neuroscientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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It’s definitely food for thought, and a welcome bit of news as far as we’re concerned. Who wants to put off that long-awaited lunch break anyway? After all, doing so is bad for your health!

The Stamina 4-Way Mini-Trampoline is just $49.17. An hour on it will cause a 150 lbs. adult to burn around 250 calories!!

Diet right, to drop more weight in less time

Posted on 7 January, 2013 by activeforever

Yes. Following a healthy and consistent diet, (at least at the beginning,) can be very hard.

You are not eating foods that you are accustomed to and you might not even be sure that you are doing it right.

We feel you. As we speak, a few of us at ActiveForever are digging into new diets of their own. So we know first hand that if we are going to forego your favorite and most comforting guilty pleasures, it better be worth your while.

We’ve put together a little primer/reminder on how to get the most out of your new-found dietary discipline.

What is a “balanced” diet?

A balanced diet is one that includes the Recommended Dietary Allowances, also called RDAs, for all the essential nutrients. These include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. A balanced diet supports normal growth and development. It also contributes to good health and quality of life.

What can I eat?

All foods, when chosen wisely, can be part of a balanced diet. For example, some fat is needed in the diet to support life. But too much fat or the wrong type of fat can increase the risk of heart disease. A balanced diet provides an adequate amount of calories, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A balanced diet avoids an excess of calories, saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar.

Photo source: Alivebynature.com, (another great site/resource.)

Establish a healthy eating pattern.

Choose an overall balanced diet with foods from all major food groups, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choose 5 or more servings per day.
Consume a variety of grain products, including whole grains. Choose 6 or more servings per day.
Include fat-free and low-fat dairy products, fish, legumes, skinless poultry, and lean meats.
Eat at least 2 servings of fish per week.
Avoid excess intake of calories.
Limit foods that are high in calories or low in nutritional quality, including those with a high amount of added sugar.

(Don’t stop there!)

Maintain a level of physical activity that achieves fitness, and balances energy expenditure with calorie intake. For weight reduction, calories burned should exceed calories consumed.

and… Calorie cutting Tips:

Finally, to break it all down, we bring you this great little piece from a site that we love, everyday Health. Lose weight fast with these easy tips for cutting calories when cooking, choosing beverages, etc.,

Resolution and Weight/Weight Loss Revelations

Posted on 4 January, 2013 by activeforever

Let’s face it. These days, weight loss tops the list of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions. Of course many also hope to get a new job, better education, etc., However it seems that all but the conviction to shed a problematic fat suit is engulfed in the wake of the post-holiday surrender to reality.

Not that we are lazy or that we give up easily, it’s just that continuing on with the same job or level of education does not increase our risk of diabetes, heart attack, stroke, along with a whole host of serious health issues that are part of and parcel of being—and staying— overweight. (In other words, your physician will not peer at you from behind a furrowed brow of concern in response to your modest salary.)

Many of us view the debut of a new year as a solid, tangible break from the past that translates into a “break” from our old, unhealthy habits. It’s a whole new paradigm; another chance.

As we should. Depending on your disposition, you can either view the American obesity epidemic as discouraging or an opportunity for growth; *not* in the physical sense of course.

Percentages of Overweight Americans Ages 20+

More than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of adults are considered to be overweight or obese.
More than one-third (35.7 percent) of adults are considered to be obese.
More than 1 in 20 (6.3 percent) have extreme obesity.
Almost 3 in 4 men (74 percent) are considered to be overweight or obese.
The prevalence of obesity is similar for both men and women (about 36 percent).
About 8 percent of women are considered to have extreme obesity.

Source: Weight-control Information Network

Yesterday we wrote about some healthy weight findings that we found to be a little unorthodox: A recent study claims that those who carry a few extra pounds around have a lower risk of premature death than that of their healthy weight counterparts. The article does not address obesity however. A person is obese when their BMI (body mass index) is 30 percent or above.

This is a different story. An article in USA Today “weighs” in on the topic with the help of a few reputable physicians. The piece is a fitting follow-up to yesterday’s post. Plus it includes links to diet and exercise tips and information on how to lose weight by forming healthier habits.

Need help sticking to your resolutions? We do too!

Happy NYE everybody!! It’s Resolution Time!

Posted on 28 December, 2012 by activeforever

More than any other holiday, NYE is perhaps the most intensely and raucously celebrated night of the year. After all the fanfare, fiestas and fun that are over, the resolutions (sometimes begrudgingly,) begin!

It’s a brand new year. A time of great hope and optimism as we pocket all the old worries, fears and failures that plagued the last one.

At ActiveForever, we believe there’s no better way to mark the significance of such a blessed milestone than committing to some fresh New Year Resolutions. What are yours? Have you given it any thought? Now’s the time!

We all know the “usuals” and they invariably have to do with achieving a greater level of health. People everywhere want to begin anew by getting in shape, eating healthy, exercising. So we’ve put all of our best and most popular exercise equipment on sale! With free shipping too. All the details are in our Discovery Digest.

We researched a list of the most popular resolutions and posted them for you here. See any that strike your fancy?

Winning Winter Tips

Posted on 29 November, 2012 by activeforever

What comes to mind when you think of healthy foods?

Green tea, broccoli, bran flakes? of course. But hot cocoa?

According to CNN.com Health, the rich sweet goodness in a cup is right up there when it comes to a winning winter diet. That’s some welcome news! Looks like we’re doing things right after all. So drink up, but you might want to hold off on the marshmallows… At ActiveForever, we’re always thinking about your health and ours, so thought we’d bring you this informational little blurb to start your day off right.

While we’ve got you in a health-oriented state of mind, be sure to check out our luxurious skin care products in honor of National Healthy Skin Month. There’s nothing like showing the harsh winter weather who’s boss by pampering your largest and arguably most precious organ this time of year. Women especially need to take heed as they have a thinner, drier dermis than that of their male counterparts. Barrier creams reinforce the skin’s natural shield and prevent precious moisture from exiting the skin’s surface.

‘Tis the season, so all of our winter products are moving fast, especially where attire is concerned. Our collection of heated and insulated clothing is material proof that you really can be stylish and comfortable at the same time.

Also, be sure to pick up your copy of our Essential Gifts catalog while supplies last!

Give the gift of health this season!

So, grab some walnuts, but just a few, (they are rich in fat,) the good fat, but still… and shop healthy!

Comfort Food Conundrum

Posted on 15 November, 2012 by activeforever

Here at ActiveForever, we’ve put our best people on the case and you won’t believe what we’ve discovered. It turns out you are not the only one craving comfort foods this season. So feel free to shelve that guilt along with that sassy two-piece swimsuit.

After all, this is the time of year to be joyous. Your waistline should never stand in the way of that.

So what’s the origin of all this overeating?

According to the pros, a small percentage of the population suffers from SAD.

No kidding, right?

It’s actually a little more complicated than you might think, however. SAD stands for “Seasonal Affective Disorder,” which causes anxiety and depression. We all know full well that these feelings have a proven correlation with the frequency in which we reach for the cookie jar.

Then there’s the subject of genes. No, not the ones that look cute with your boots, I mean the other kind. Just like that sonorous snoring or that uni-brow, we can blame our heightened affinity for heavier foods on genetics. Our ancestors typically had a heck of a time staying fed during the cold season, so rich foods were like gold. That tendency is still, and perhaps always will be, encoded into our DNA.

Finally, there is the unavoidable fact that the thought of filling up on a cold salad as you are bulking up on insulated clothing just seems… well, wrong.

So what do you do?

Well…

You substitute. You may not want to eat a salad, but what about a hot plate of steamed veggies? I personally love steamed broccoli… like, love love. We’re getting serious. You can also cook veggies and throw them into a stew or soup as long as it’s not cream based.

Always bake instead of fry, and replace fatty staples like sour cream with Greek yogurt. Instead of a loaded baked potato, try a sweet potato. Go easy on the butter, or use a healthier butter substitute. Use whole wheat flour in baked goods and get creative with desserts.

Think baked apples with cinnamon and walnuts or sugar free pudding with light whipped cream. Yum.

We found a great recipe from skinnytaste.com

Also, keep moving. Exercise not only combats the blues but it burns calories and curbs hunger. Just a quick session of sit-ups or push-ups can do wonders for your self-esteem and your entire season.

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