Health/Fitness – Page 2 – Agenda Magazine Archives

Eating Disorders Among Women of Color

Warning: this article is going to be a bit more personal than I’ve been before. With that written, I’ll jump right in. Every time I relapse, I try to find something—or someone—to blame. Previous examples include the phrase “you’re not getting any smaller” and the occasional critical stare, which inevitably sent me into the kitchen––only to subsequently go into the bathroom. And so on, and so on ad infinitum. But the idea of a woman of color with an eating disorder always seemed an anathema to me. African American beauty always appeared to skirt the mainstream ideals when it came to weight. Hair quality and skin hue continue to fall victim, but weight was our “upper hand,” so to speak. And although we relax our hair to the point it falls out and occasionally avoid the sun to keep our skin lighter, we still enjoy our ribs and biscuits without remorse because we still appreciate the roundness of our rumps and the fullness of our thighs.

So how did we get here, to a time when there are numerous Web sites devoted to the understanding and prevention of eating disorders among women of color? It’s too easy to say that the prevailing standards finally caused the collapse of a culture that still celebrated the fuller figure. Perhaps it was the trade, or sacrifice, of ethnic women who, as they attained a more mainstream (read: Euro-centric) education and attitude, so attained a different sense of what is or isn’t beautiful. For, according to many eating disorder studies, women of color who suffer from EDs are less likely to live in impoverished neighborhoods and more likely to be college students/graduates. I picture the prolific stereotype of the large black woman, speaking Ebonics and clearly possessing enough self-confidence in her appearance that she feels comfortable wearing spandex shorts and skimpy T-shirts. For young women of color, that image is dichotomous: 1) she is sassy and secure; therefore, if they look and speak like her, she is an affirmation that they don’t have to strive to emulate the anorexic and bulimic models on billboards; but 2) she is also a subliminal reminder of how African American women are perceived, and to be like her is to admit that she is thehighest level of beauty and intelligence that we can ever reach. Sadly, the numbers are still too dubious to efficiently measure how many women of color suffer from EDs. Whether or not they are being counted, it’s possible to ascertain that the stigma within the black community still encourages resistance to European standards of beauty, and in turn assigns shame to the methods of attaining that standard. If we do it, we can’t talk about it, and therefore, the possibility of recognizing an ED as a problem never surfaces. If we don’t do it, we relegate ourselves to the inferior standard of the larger-than-life “Sheniqua.” So, in essence, we’re screwed.

Now, does this mean I’m arguing for the deliberate intellectual and financial stagnation (or regression) of African American women? Perhaps, perhaps not, if it can ensure the health of our young ladies who, in their effort to reach perfection according to accepted social standards, are interjecting their educational pursuit with sticking a finger in their throats. Ultimately, I’m advocating attention to how we in the community itself react to popular images when it comes to how the world sees us and how we see ourselves. What are we doing in our own community to offset the stereotypes we’re offered? Must we embrace one or the other, or can we somehow amalgamate the ideals to encompass the full-figured beauty we’ve always cherished while also encouraging academic aspirations minus physiological forfeiture? Hopefully you’re not holding out for a “here’s what we can do about it” paragraph, offering optimism to women who realize that in their pursuit of mainstream intellectual and social acceptance, they have suddenly found themselves “unintentionally” missing a meal or kneeling over a toilet bowl. Nor will I apologize for what may seem a self-aggrandizing attempt at altruism by inserting my own experiences into the editorial. Rather, I hope that for African Americans this column will at best offer insight into a problem that is not Caucasian-exclusive, and open their eyes to the sacrifices our sisters make in trying to distance themselves from the “Sheniqua” archetype. And for those women of color who do put themselves through such horrific self-torture, let this column allow you to separate the unwelcome habit that can sometimes come with striving for perfection in a Euro-centric society so that your compromise doesn’t kill you.

Top 10 Big Bank Fitness Gifts

1) Body Bugg

Have you ever wondered how many calories you’re burning throughout the day; how many calories you need to burn a day to hit goal? Hate keeping a food log in order to count your calories? Well, log no more, thanks to the Body Bugg, which does all the work for you. I just love how much time this saves by taking all the guessing out of the equation. Make sure to take a look at the details: http://www.bodybugg.com/ $349.90

2) Bowflex Home Gym

The Bowflex home gym is the ultimate boy toy for getting in shape as it dominates with over 95 strength-building exercises and a calorie-burning cardio rowing feature that gives you a complete full body workout. This is a lot of power in a small package but with a hefty price, so make sure he has been a good boy this year. $2,999.00 www.bowflex.com

3) iPod Touch / iPhone

There is no better gift than the gift of motivation and we all know how the right song can make all the difference in the world. The great thing about the iPhone is all the new possible fitness applications that can track your calories, steps, progress, and so much more. www.apple.com

4) Massage Package

Most men typically pass pampering in the form of a soothing light Swedish massage; but mention deep tissue, and he will be sure to jump for joy. Deep tissue massage is extremely beneficial for you heavy workout enthusiasts in order to get the beaten body back in fighting shape faster. Make sure to look into it athttp://www.burkewilliamsspa.com/ or your favorite spa. Price will range from about $100-$150 a session.

5) Boot Camp Gift Certificates

There is nothing like an over aggressive trainer screaming at you to push harder at 5 a.m. when all you want to do is go back to bed. Boot Camp is actually a great idea for a gift because it’s one of those gifts you want but you just won’t get yourself. By giving this to a friend you now obligate that friend.

6) AMPHIBX Armbands and SURGE Headphones

Take music under water along for your morning laps with AMPHIBX Armbands and SURGE Headphones. Get away from it all through music in the water. $130 atwww.h20audio.com.

7) Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver

Form meets function with Garmin’s next-generation, sleek and stylish personal trainer, the Forerunner 205. Designed for athletes of all levels, this running partner and personal trainer has one goal in mind-a better you. It continuously monitors your speed, distance, pace, and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. $142.95 – $267.84

8) Bow-Flex Select Tech Weights

Tired of all those weights taking up room in the house or not having the right weight when you need it? The solution is Bowflex® SelectTech® dumbbells. With just the turn of a dial, you can automatically change your resistance from 10 lbs all the way up to 90 lbs. These wonder weights replace 34 Dumbbells at $699 for a set. www.bowflexselecttech.com

9) Hummer Mountain Bike

A bike is a fun and inviting way to get your heart pumping with the bonus of taking a trip in the outdoors for a scenic workout. Top pick for mountain bikes goes to www.hummerbikes.com at $2,299.00 for performance, sturdiness, and portability.

10) Oakley Thumps

Why not combine looking fashionable, blocking the sun, and great music all in one? There is nothing better than good music in a portable package while you get your sweat on. These make a great gift and are most definitely noteworthy. Stop by www.oakley.com and see what styles catch your eye. $100-$250

Reviewed by Anthony Heredia

How the World Stays Healthy

How do those darn Europeans stay so healthy and lean? What are they doing and where can I get some? Who is the healthiest in the world? Obesity ravages the U.S. as now the number one most preventable form of death. How horrendous! Nationally and globally, heart disease is the number 1 killer. We need to find out what these Europeans are doing fast and take notes. Let us visit the top 5 healthiest countries in the world and further explore what they are doing so right in order to make our wrongs just a bit less wrong so to say.

France

The French stand first on our list for their fantastic low rates of heart disease. Their secret lies in their slow dining habits, their amounts of walking, and their daily glass of wine. A French diet is widely known for having high amounts of fat, which is acceptable when combined with their other habits. A combination of small portions, longer mealtimes and extra walking incorporated regularly is the French lifestyle. By extending mealtime out the body is able to best assess when it is truly full, thus avoiding the empty calories of overeating. Overeating is notorious in the US simply due to the constant rush and supersized meals we have grown accustomed to. To cap off a day, our French patrons of health partake in moderate amounts of wine which are helping keep heart disease at bay. They are able to do this because they save so many calories throughout the day with the aforementioned. Only 7 percent of the French population are obese while we Americans push 22 percent and beyond, seemingly due to their ability to slow down and enjoy their lives, saving countless calories.

According to the University of Pennsylvania and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris, size does matter. Researchers compared the size of portions at 11 eateries in Paris and Philadelphia and discovered the average size of a French meal was 277 grams, compared with an American portion of 346 grams?a meal larger by 25 percent. Supermarkets also sold larger items in Philadelphia. “Of the 17 items Rozin picked out, 14 products were larger stateside. For example, a carton of yogurt was 82 percent larger in Philadelphia. A soft drink was 52 percent bigger.”

All information published in the September 2007 issue ofPsychological Science.

Japan

The Japanese are renowned for the long life span of their citizens. On average their life expectancy is over 86 years old, along with Japanese women holding the honor of longest life expectancy in the world. This honor comes from their low-cholesterol diets and high amounts of exercise. The Japanese diet is rich in rice, fish, and seaweed, which have long been known to keep heart disease and cancer in check. Their government has taken a fervent interest in keeping the blue collared employees active with government-sponsored pre-work workouts. This has helped many generations of Japanese maintain good health although the intentions of the government aren’t all noble; you see, a healthy employee is a productive employee, so it’s a win – win here. Unfortunately, Western influence is making its way into their lives by raising rates of diabetes, thanks to our high-fat Western foods taking over their shores. Seven million Japanese currently suffer from diabetes with it spreading faster into Asia and many other regions in the world.

Iceland

Iceland is known for hold the lowest infant mortality rate in the world due to its top notch natal care with just 2 deaths before the age of 5 (compared with the United States’ 7) for every 1,000 live births. Iceland offers extensive pre- and post-birth medical care funded by the government, explaining much lower levels of stress, not to mention the three months of guaranteed professional leave for each parent at 80 percent of their salaries. Studies have shown that the less stress or more control you have over stress in your life is directly correlated with a healthier weight and over all disposition on life. This basically implies that since you feel happier over all, you are much more likely to continue to take good care of yourself and respect your body.

Sweden

Sweden falls on our list for its h igh cancer survival rates and nearly 100 percent child immunization. Once again we can thank their government who spends nearly 14 percent only for healthcare. The country’s 9 million citizens receive cutting-edge medical technologies treatment, paying only 15 percent of the bill, if any at all. The people of Sweden are smart because they believe in holistic social care. There attention and care range from happier professional lives to better street lights in order to encourage evening walks, resulting in healthier, happier citizens, and of course, ultimately lower medical bills.

Italy

Italians round off our list with their extremely well rounded lifestyles. Italians first and foremost take great honor in being connoisseurs of food, and so expectedly they dine leisurely, savoring each bite they partake. Focusing on the enjoyment of the meal allows for better nutrient absorption, fosters sound eating habits, and of course, ensures that you stop when you are truly full to conserve calories. Italians eat only at mealtimes; and if they were to snack, their choice would most likely be fruits or nuts. The Italian culture believes in full balance of quality and quantity while enjoying simple, fresh food. They don’t diet, which is a fantastic idea due to the fact that radical unbalanced dieting usually does more damage to your metabolism than not dieting in the first place. An Italian meal is known for its daily fresh dark green veggies, rich fruits, and highly healthy unsaturated fats, such as virgin olive oil, a fantastic anti-inflammatory. To top it all off of course are the high amounts of walking about the city. Italians don’t seem to be in as much a rush as we seem to be. Maybe we should slow down a bit. Slowing down seems to be a running theme with these healthy Europeans.

Table

http://www.johnpirelliosia.org/osia/Culture/how_italians_stay_slim.htm

www.cdc.gov

Written by Anthony Heredia

Why is He Losing Weight Faster? How Girls Can Catch Up

Why is He Losing Weight Faster?

How Girls Can Catch Up

Welcome to a new year full of prosperity coupled with wonderful new levels of health, dear ladies of Agenda. We address the age-old question of why we cursed men hold this unfair advantage in the battle of the bulge and further yet, how to help you reap said benefits. The truth of the matter is that men do have major weight-loss advantages over you lovely ladies, combined with disadvantages as a woman. Fret not though, as there is always a way. The first male advantage involves body composition, enabling men to burn calories at an accelerated rate in comparison to women. Specifically, I am referring to greater amounts of muscle mass, extremely efficient fat burning marvels. Every extra 1 lb of lean muscle devours an extra 50 calories a day by simply existing. Might not sound like much, but should you add an extra 5 lbs of lean muscle mass to your body (which visually is one toner leg), you would burn an extra 500 calories a day. In one week’s time you will have burned 3500 calories, 1 lb of fat, simply due to you having one gorgeously toned leg. (I recommend you tone both together though. Might look odd if you don’t.) This either means you can eat an extra sandwich with 2 pieces of fruit, staying exactly the same size or change no eating habits and naturally lose nearly 1 lb a week. Not bad.

Men have been genetically designed by nature to hold and build more muscle mass, testosterone being the key player in all this. Women on the other hand are predisposed to store and retain fat due to higher levels of estrogen, a hormone that works to keep the fat on a woman’s body so it’s easier for her to become pregnant. That means women have to work harder to lose weight at the same rate as men. Realistically, women do take longer to add on the same muscle a man undergoing the same approach would; yet she will reap the same benefits once packing that gorgeous muscle. Do take note to remember that the male body originated as an expendable yet efficient hunting, gathering, defending machine. Ladies, you were beautifully designed to survive and bring in new and wonderful life into our world. Aesthetics were unfortunately not part of the original grand scheme of things. Take up any complaints with the big architect on that one.

A second grand advantage revolves around men naturally designed for more active lives, combined with faster response to exercise. Women have a lower tolerance for exercise due to smaller lung capacity, leading women to feel as though they are working harder than men even if the women are working at the same level. This makes exercise feel extra difficult in heat and high humidity. Under strenuous, unbalanced conditions, a woman’s body will enter starvation mode easier than a male’s, slowing the metabolism to hang onto more fat in the hopes of self preservation. Research has found that on average the metabolism of a man is 5 to 10 percent higher than that of a woman of the same weight and height. The American Journal of Physiology found that women burn an average of 16 percent fewer daily calories than men. Researchers found that a woman’s resting metabolic rate was 6 percent lower than that of men, along with 37 percent fewer calories burned during physical activity. They inferred that women were simply not moving as much as the men, thus burning fewer calories.

A woman’s edge in weight management stems from her uncanny intuition. Women tend to be more attentive to what’s going on with their bodies and are better able to make the connection between food and emotions, a male weakness. Bottom Line: How to level the playing field.

Fat-Ravaging Muscle. Build that fat-burning body sculpting muscle mass so that you can eat more guilt-free and reach the highest tiers of your physical goals. I recommend finding a good class in your gym, a credentialed trainer, or a fun DVD program. Strength training can be tricky and one of those things you don’t want to learn by trial and error, as you can get very hurt. Be safe, but go hard. You won’t regret it.
Extend Your Cardio. New studies reveal that 60 minutes per day minimum for 5 days a week to reap the benefits you seek. Once you are happy with the body that is unfolding, you can pull back to maintenance workout time, which is 3 times a week at your 60 minutes. If you have trouble with that, increase your time incrementally, or dividing up the time in the same day is fine as well.
Realistic Goals. A realistic rate of loss is 10 percent of your body weight over a few months or 1/2 to 2 pounds a week. Pushing your body to lose too much too fast with unhealthy tricks is the reason people yo-yo. Treat your body right.

Make healthy living a routine. Women are much more disciplined and patient than most men, so make sure to capitalize on this fact. Keep a food diary to keep yourself accountable, make healthy choices a habit as brushing your teeth so that you no longer think about it. It becomes second nature. Choose water over empty calories and educate yourself on all your new changes. Don’t just listen to us health nuts. We read the books, but if your interest should spark, ask why and find your answer. By educating yourself you become that much more committed to yourself. Not a bad investment, I say.

Written by Anthony Heredia

Health 101 In-Depth Look at Sleep Deprivation

Sleep is a wonderful thing, wouldn’t you agree? Your body is a big fan of rest for a variety of very good reasons. We ask everything of our bodies as they endure our life’s daily beatings, and still we ask for more hours in the day as we cheat sleep. The best caffeine will allow us to. We de-prioritize the most important time of our day, the rest and repair phase that allows us to get up and come back for more. In this issue of “Fitness Couture” we took a look at the weight gain repercussions of sleep deprivation, but there are so many other consequences that you might not even be aware of.

· Adverse Effects of Sleep Deprivation

o Mood Swings

o Chronic Fatigue: Repairs occur in the REM or Delta phase of sleep, deepest levels of sleep. If these levels are not reached, your body cannot properly refresh you, leaving you to feel exhausted after a long night.

o Accelerated Aging: During the deep stages of REM sleep, the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. As you get older, you sleep more lightly and get less deep sleep. The less sleep you incorporate the less time your body has to keep you young, thus prematurely aging you.

o Clouded Mind, Foggy Thoughts

o Hindered Work Performance

o Affected Mental Health: Sleep deprivation has mental as well as physical complications. While those with depression are more likely to suffer from insomnia, insomniacs or those suffering from other sleep disorders are also more likely to develop depression, impaired memory and thought processes.

o Decreased Immune Response: As part of the immune system, cytokines play a key role in fighting disease and infection. As the body’s levels of cytokines drop, you become more susceptible to illness and infection.

o Increased Alcohol Sensitivity: Sleep deprivation also magnifies alcohol’s effects on the body, so a fatigued person who drinks will become much more impaired than someone who is well-rested.

o Increased Pain Perception

o Increased Cortisol Levels: Cortisol levels are increased in your body during stressful times, promoting fat storage as a form of self preservation.

o Unbalanced Hunger: An imbalance in the hormones Ghrelin increasing (Hunger Hormone) and Leptin decreasing (Satiety Hormone) causing the body to crave carbohydrates and sugar.

o Slower Reaction Time: After 24 hours of no sleep, you are as impaired as if you had enough alcohol to be legally drunk in most states.

o Restricted Nutrient Absorption: Sleep deprivation interferes with the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and causes high blood levels of glucose, which leads to higher insulin levels and greater body fat storage.

o Reduced Levels of Growth Hormone: GH is a protein that helps regulate the body’s proportions of fat and muscle. You will be more likely to store fat and use lean muscle tissue for energy.

o Insulin Resistance (possible): Since hormone levels are not allotted proper time to regulate themselves, an imbalance can contribute to increased risk of diabetes as the body is less receptive to insulin.

o Increased Blood Pressure (possible): When the body is not allotted the proper time to recuperate it is forced to work harder under these stressful circumstances. The hours you don’t sleep add up in debt that your system adapts to by pushing harder.

o Increased Risk of Heart Disease: Due to body systems working overtime with a non recuperated body and reduced immune system, heart disease is more likely.

Sleep Deprivation as Bad as Being Intoxicated

Working yourself to the edge of your limits on no sleep is no better than working intoxicated. After staying awake for 24 hours straight, a person will be as impaired as if he/she had had enough alcohol to be legally drunk in most states.

In one Australian study, researchers created a blood alcohol equivalent test with 40 volunteers for different levels of impairment from sleeplessness. Group one stayed awake for 28 hours while group two drank alcohol every half hour until reaching a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 percent, the drunken-driving standard in most American states. Every half hour the subjects took a computerized test of hand-eye coordination. “Results showed that after 24 hours of sleeplessness, participants were about as impaired as they were at the 0.10 percent level of blood alcohol. After 17 hours, they were about as impaired as they were with an alcohol level of 0.05 percent, which many Western countries define as legally drunk, the researchers said.” – National Sleep Foundation,

Weight Gain from No Sleep

Stanford University held a study in which 1000 volunteers were surveyed on their sleeping habits and then had their ghrelin (hunger hormone) and leptin (satiety hormone) levels measured. “After eight hours of no sleep all volunteers showed increased levels of ghrelin (weight gain hormone) and decresed levels of leptin (weight control hormone). Results conclusively proved that those who slept the fewest hours per night also weight the most, holding larger amounts of body fat.” The body is simply adapting to a stressful environment, it is doing what it knows best. This is one reason you are more likely to eat more when you are not feeling at your best. “One thing I have seen is that once a person is not as tired, they don’t need to rely on sweet foods and high carbohydrate snacks to keep them awake — and that automatically translates into eating fewer calories,” says Dr Micheal Breus of the Atlantic School of Sleep Medicine.

Solutions

Whether your sleep issues exist due to your work life, family life, medical reasons, or simply lifestyle in general, you must tend to this in order to keep yourself healthy. Treatment options depend on your particular circumstances, but here are some suggestions to help you begin your rejuvenation. The key is to create new habits and improved consistent sleep patterns. Normalize your amounts of sleep. Infants usually require about 16-18 hours of sleep per day, while teenagers need about 9 hours per day on average. Optimal sleep for health improvements are between seven and nine hours of sleep a night.

Ways to improve sleep include

Exercising regularly earlier in the day to help regulate energy levels
Consuming low levels of liquids before bed
Finding a non-habit forming sleep aid, for example, melatonin
Relaxing with a hot bath before bed
Avoiding alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine before bed
Avoiding treating heartburn at night
Creating an ideal sleep environment by removing media distractions and making the bedroom as dark as possible to fall asleep faster and remain asleep.

Find whatever works for you, and above all, make it consistent for your health’s sake. You will feel and look like a million bucks. Good night, Agenda readers. (Sources)

Written by Anthony Heredia

Fitness Book Review 101 Fat-Burning Workouts & Diet Strategies for Men and Women By Muscle Editors of Muscle & Fitness His & Hers

Workouts & Diet Strategies for Men and Women
By Muscle Editors of Muscle & Fitness His & Hers

Muscle & Fitness Magazine has been the leader in health and fitness for nearly 70 years and counting now; so when they speak, we should listen. They have proudly presented two very thorough one-stop-shop-kick-butt fitness books I highly recommend. We are taking a look at 101 Fat-Burning Workouts & Diet Strategies for Women by editors of Muscles & Fitness Hers magazine.

Burn fat and add sexy curves with this progressive eight-week body blast.

-Hers

We are also delving into its male counterpart, 101 Fat-Burning Workouts & Diet Strategies for Men by personal trainer Michael Berg and the editors of Muscle & Fitness magazine.

Ready for a nine-week program that will help you burn off that unwanted flab and get fitter, leaner and stronger than ever before?

-His

I am usually pensive about one-stop-shop books due to the all too often fact that they lean on a gimmick to grab your attention, such as “Hollywood Cookie Diet Plan.” But this is not the case here. First of all, these books are teaming with vivid motivational instructionalphotos of exactly what they are asking of you. Gorgeous fit bodies are cascaded amidst the pages to keep you motivated. Along with eye candy, you will find the vital mind candy that will make you eye candy: great realistic and truthful content. The best of information falls on deaf ears if the readers find themselves lost in translation. Clarity is critical to a good workout book. The contents of both publications are organized very effectively, each catering to the needs of its male or female audience. Our guides both include sections dedicated to proper resistance training, nutrition, fitness calendar, cardio, recipes, and very useful tips and tricks. The “Hers” edition is more focused on various cardio, leaning out techniques, and recipes, while the “His” edition is heavier on muscle gaining, performance techniques, and muscle maintenance.

Burn 300 calories in 20 minutes . . .

-Hers

These Muscle & Fitness strategy books have cutting-edge techniques for getting lean fast with real science. They are designed appropriately for those serious about reaching their goals, providing industrial-strength training and professional nutrition advice. “The 101 workouts and diet strategies include expert training advice, cardio programs that incinerate body fat, meal plans to help you look and feel your best, recipes that make eating healthy taste great, and so much more!” I recommend these two programs because of their effective, thorough content, clarity, beautiful layout, and all around intense approach to fitness. You have reading to do. Now get to work. (Sources)

Written By Anthony Heredia

Losing Weight Through Better Sleep

Welcome, Agenda readers, to another exciting look into your health and fitness goals. We are venturing into an absolutely critical aspect of your health this issue, your beauty sleep. Did you know that beauty sleep really does keep you thin, radiant, productive, youthful, and cheerful? Next time someone interrupts your beauty sleep, make sure to make it crystal clear that next time they wake you they will not be around for a second chance. Successful weight loss consists of exercise, nutrition, and self-maintenance. Along with hard hours exercising and proper nutrition, you need to heal and rest your body so that it can make the changes you are asking it to make. Sleep deprivation has been proven to significantly accelerate the aging process, increase fat storage, along with a plethora of other adverse effects. For this article we will focus on weight gain and how to reverse this tragedy. Visit my “Health 101” article for the full story on sleep deprivation and its other vast negative effects on our bodies. Simply to name a few, sleep deprivation results in

o Mood swings

o Accelerated inner and outer aging

o Hindered work performance

o Depression

o Impaired memory

o Magnified alcohol effects on the body

o Inaccurate hunger signals

o Interference with the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates

o Increased craving of carbohydrates and sugar

o Body’s reduced ability to balance fat and muscle

o Possible increased blood pressure

o Increased fat storage

o More in “Health 101” article . . .

Help me! What is going on inside me?

Deep sleep is repair time. Your body needs to catch up from the day’s toils. Should you deprive it, it has no choice but to defend itself, resulting in a destructive attack on your health and beauty. This is not personal, ladies; it is survival. Yes, I know that in today’s fast paced busy world sleep can be a very inefficient part of your schedule, but consider the price you are paying. “Sleeping is so overrated” seems to be the LA mantra. Sleep deprivation interferes with the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and causes high blood levels of glucose (sugar), which leads to higher insulin levels and greater body fat storage. The hormonal imbalance between leptin and ghrelin is actually the largest internal battle, transforming you into a carbohydrate/sugar craving, fat storing machine. You also begin to produce reduced amounts of growth hormone, which is what helps regulate the body’s proportions of fat to muscle. This is reducing the muscle that helps you burn that evil fat in the first place.

What is all this hormone imbalance talk about?

Leptin and ghrelin are our focus. They work in a kind of “yin and yang” system to balance the feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite, while its counterpart leptin is produced in fat cells and sends the signal to our brain that we are full and have no need to store fat. Leptin and this full feeling are triggered exclusively by good fats (Omega-3s, fish, nuts, oils, etc) and fiber. This all ties together as we introduce low amounts of sleep. Sleep deprivation drives leptin levels down, resulting in its taking longer to feel satisfied while eating, driving you to overeat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise as a self defense mechanism, increasing your appetite for high-fat foods to hit that satiety sweet spot. I am sure I do not need to clarify how stressful it can be not to be able to get much needed sleep. Stress itself increases your cortisol levels, a stress hormone that also puts our bodies in self defense mode by turning the fat storage dial up a few notches in bad times. I hope by now I have convinced you that sleep is not a luxury, it’s a necessity, ladies and gentlemen.

You win, I am listening. How do I fix this?

Sleep! More specifically you need deep recuperative sleep, also known as Delta sleep or NREM sleep. This is the stage in sleep where you dream. This is also the time all repairs take place. Deep sleep is your goal to reverse this process. “Infants can spend up to 50% of their sleep in the REM stage of sleep, whereas adults spend only about 20% in REM,” states the National Sleep Foundation. Please take the time at night to make an event of sleep. Turn off all ambient light and rude distractions in the room (including those you share your bed with) so that your body can reach this delta stage of sleep. If you need white noise (TV or sound) in the room to fall asleep, you will be fine as long as you set a timer for your appliances. You will need to consistently achieve a full night’s sleep for at least one solid week for your body to begin to regulate itself once more. When your body receives consistent rest, it will do the work for you. Combine good rest, proper nutrition, and some regular fun exercise, and I guarantee you a summer body to die for. Look forward to a future article on tips and tricks to getting in a full night’s sleep without sleeping the whole night.

So how much sleep do I need?

According to the National Institute of Health, infants usually require about 16-18 hours of sleep per day, while teenagers need about 9 hours per day on average. Most adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep per day. According to Dr Colette Bouchez of WebMD, “A presentation at the 2006 American Thoracic Society International Conference showed that women who slept 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain (an increase of 33 pounds or more) and 15% more likely to become obese over the course of the 16-year study, compared to those who slept 7 hours a night.” Reaching your 6-8 hours of sleep a night I know is easier said than done, but as you can see, it is critical to your health, beauty, and in this case, your waistline.

If you enjoyed the information here, make sure to take the in-depth tour in “Health 101” for more reasons to treat yourself to a good night’s sleep.

Sweet dreams, Agenda readers. (Sources)

Written by Anthony Heredia

An Interview with Toni Lee – A Fitness Model with a Healthy Affirming Message!

Toni Lee is a stunning result of good old hard work, sweat, knowledge, and determination. Today we delve into the world of our multifaceted in-demand fitness model Toni Lee. You can find this talented hard body in numerous spotlight articles and photo spreads for popular magazines, such as Muscle and Fitness, and LA Sports and Fitness, among many others. Do not be fooled by the pretty face and vicious set of six-pack abs, as she doesn’t stop there. Toni is also a passionate TV/film producer, a hilarious comedian, and an accomplished musician, mastering the piano, harp, and flute. You would never know how talented this rock-hard beauty is by simply looking at her—looks can be so deceiving. This wonder woman has taken her healthy affirming messages into television appearances on UPN Channel 13 News and KTLA’S morning shows. Toni Lee lives by the philosophy that success is created by action. She is the perfect example of her own positive thinking as a successful businesswoman who shows that working on yourself each day results in a healthier lifestyle.

So, Toni, we have learned that you are a global woman. What common health concerns have you found in your travels?

I began to see the world when I worked as flight attendant some years back. It let me see the world through new eyes. I grew greatly as a person, being able to appreciate the things in my life after seeing so much of the world. I sawcommunities that have very little and those that had a lot and realized how lucky I am. No matter where I was I loved experiencing and appreciating every culture I came across.

At what age did you first begin to take interest in the health world and why?

I have always been athletic; it goes back to my track days in high school. I focused on taking my fitness levels to new heights around 17 years old to gain more confidence. At age 20 I decided to break boundaries with my body by pushing the sculpting of my body. I am very competitive, and my brother was a big weight lifter. We would work out together and I would find myself competing with him. He motivated me to achieve bigger and bigger gains in sculpting my body.

How did you first begin to learn about fitness? Was it a book, a fitness magazine, another fitness buff you know . . . ?

My brother started the ball rolling, but like anyone else I picked up the “Muscle & Fitness” magazines and started reading. I started meeting more and more body builders being so fitness-conscious, and they became a huge expert source of information. I just started to ask a lot of questions from body builder friends who knew what they were doing.

What period in your life would you say has been the most difficult in obtaining your fitness goals?

Right about now actually, its getting hard. I am “plateauing” now because it is hard to keep up an aggressive workout plan when you have so many projects on your plate. I still keep up my fitness, but it’s not the same right now because I am so busy right now. To compensate I make sure to eat extra healthy, though.

High performance fitness takes so much inner and outer strength. Is there anyone that you look up to for strength, encouragement, or advice when you are in need?

My parents are great for encouragement when I am down. My boyfriend (Jace Hall) is a huge support system. He really motivates me. Jace is very fitness and health conscious, so it makes life so much easier being on the same page inthat aspect. We have a much healthier relationship, I think, because we both love to be healthy and fit. We cook 90 percent of the time to stay at our healthiest. I do the cooking, though. I just love to cook.

What advice do you have for the average fitness enthusiast who really wants to get a long, lean body like you but has no idea how?

Go to the source. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Make your way to the bookstore, grab a fitness magazine, or ask someone who already knows. Find professional advice from someone who has been there and done that to save yourself time and frustration. Personal trainers that know their stuff are a huge asset in achieving fitness goals. They save so much time. They are worth the money—they are saving you a lot of time and keeping you safe.

As a fitness model you are exposed to your share of ups and downs in the industry, I am sure. Do you have any advice for other aspiring fitness models?

Staying fit and beautiful is the basics. You need more. The key to achieving your goals in fitness modeling is in your personality. You need to radiate positive energy. If you don’t feel positive, it shows up on the film, and you lose work. People with great energy can pick up those that have bad energy real quick. (Smile.)

What is a typical day in the nutrition and fitness life of Toni Lee? I read that you enjoy jujitsu.

I eat very healthy. I am always cooking so I can control what goes into my body. I stay as organic as possible with a good balance of carbs, protein, and good fats. I don’t do the starvation methods. I believe in balance. I eat evenly throughout the day to keep my metabolism running, and [I] drink tons of water. Some consider me boring because I don’t drink alcohol—and I don’t smoke—but I call that being healthy and smart. I work out at least five times a week, mixing up my cardio and resistance training throughout the week. Yes, I do practice martial arts. I am disciplined in Japanese jujitsu and tae kwon do, so watch out.

The world’s health needs so much attention. In your opinion what would you say is hurting us in the U.S. as the world’s worst?

Fast food by far is a big problem; bad food choices. People need to educate themselves better on what goes into their bodies. We really need to learn how to eat to better our lives. You need to love yourself first.

So what is in store for Toni Lee? What projects are you working on currently?

Well, I have several Hollywood production projects right now. I first focused on creating and producing a screenplay based on a very unique yet true family. It is a hilarious comedy. I love comedy. Life is about being able to be happy and learning to laugh, not taking yourself too serious. You can find a lot of projects at www.myspace.com/tonitv. Take a look.

I am also taking my gaming to the next level. I am a huge video game fanatic, Street Fighter IV being my favorite game. I am working on becoming a “professional Gamer.” There is a lot more to that, but you will need to stay tuned for more juicy details. Keep track of my adventures at www.twitter.com/tonitv. It will be well worth your time.

Visit www.myspace.com/tonitv for more on Toni Lee.

Interviewed by Anthony Heredia

Written by Anthony Heredia

Hitting the Reset Button – How to Detox

Do I Need a Special Program?

There are countless detox diets out there requiring you to buy special herbal blends and spend gobs of your hard earned money for what promises to be the solution to all your ailments. Think twice. The Master Cleanse, Martha’s Vineyard Detox, Fruit Flush, Fast-Track One Day Detox, and the Joshi Program are all highly promoted detox programs on the current market; but buyer, beware. “These diets can give people a false sense of security, a feeling that they’ve been protective of their health,” Dawn Jackson-Blatner, a dietitian at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute and American Dietetic Association spokeswoman told WebMD. I, on the other hand, personally believe in taking the most natural and minimalistic approaches to your body (please, always consult with your physician, though), and a detox is no exception. The proper detox is not a diet but simply making a healthy shift in what you eat and what you expose yourself to for the long run. You take the time to filter out as many artificial substances as possible, and usher in a host of natural foods to give your body the time and resources it needs to repair itself. All you will need is fresh natural foods (organic preferably), common low cost natural supplements, lots of water, patience, determination, commitment, and finally, good advice (provided here of course).

Is Detoxing Safe?

By my definition of detoxing, yes, but always consult your physician before making dramatic changes to your diet. My definition of detoxing includes pulling away from artificial, over-processed foods, minimizing exposure to environmental toxins and increasing self-care to give your body the chance it needs to optimize. It is not a magic bullet, and you mostly lose water weight and possibly backed up fecal matter (stool) in your colon both of which drop big weight fast, but still this is vital. You do lose some body fat, but the idea of a proper detox is to create an ideal foundation for a lifelong positive health shift that will in turn rev your metabolism. At the risk of being hunted down by high-end spas and programs offering $5000 detox packages, don’t waste your money. If it sounds as if they are offering miracles, do your research. Would you rather take the expensive, questionable quick fix that offers you the world only to empty your pockets and add twice the weight back or a realistic permanent healthy change?

So How Do I Get Started?

Allergies:

If you are relatively new to taking care of yourself and not very familiar with your body, I would first recommend that you ask your doctor for an allergy path exam. There are a significant number of people today with food and/or environmental allergens who are none the wiser. You might not be aware of an allergy because some symptoms are as small as headaches, gas, irritation, or lethargy. Allergies become relevant because one symptom you might not be aware of is internal inflammation (which you obviously cannot see). Inflammation can severely affect nutrient absorption and a host of other systems. Make a trip to your doctor and let your doctor know you are interested in finding out whether you have any allergies and if you should worry about intestinal inflammation. (Doctors have a special test.)

What Should I Avoid?

(temporarily)

Sugar

Includes products containing sugar, and hidden forms of sugar, such as sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown sugar, and turbinado. Artificial sweeteners are usually not recommended. Stevia and erythritol are allowed natural sweeteners.

Dairy Products

Milk, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and other dairy products.

Wheat

Wheat and products containing wheat, such as pasta and bread.

Gluten

All gluten-containing grains: wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.

Coffee

One cup a day is ok if needed to reduce the occurrence of caffeine withdrawal headaches, but if you can, go without.

Stress

I can hear you snickering and laughing from here. Stress reduction is important. Stress reduction is scientifically proven to be critical to proper health, longevity, weight management, and a host of other subjects. Look forward to a full article on stress in an upcoming issue. Try as hard as you can to minimize your stress for this two-week approach of mine with massages, pampering, delegating your work to others temporarily, or just avoiding stressful scenarios temporarily. I know it’s easier said than done, but there is logic behind my madness. If after these two weeks your health and mood are significantly enhanced, then it is in your best interest to take the time to create a battle plan to combat stress for the long run, for the sake of your health.

Other Foods to Avoid

Yeast
Alcohol
Food Additives and Preservatives
Chocolate
High-Fat Foods

So What Should I Have?

Fruit

Fresh or frozen fruit.

Vegetables

All fresh, please. Particularly good veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussells sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables.

Rice

All forms of rice, brown rice preferred.

Other Grains

Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice. Found at a health food store or in some grocery stores.

Beans

Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easiest to digest and require the least soaking time. Other good options include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.

Nuts and Seeds

Good choices include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, and walnuts (usable as snacks or on a salad). Natural nut butters are ok. Peanuts and peanut butter are usually not recommended.

Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is a preferred oil.

Condiments

Vegetable salt, sea salt, vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, all herbs or spices.

Tea

Herbal teas, green tea.

Other Beverages

Water, lemon water, pure unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk

Detox Must Dos

Fiber – If you are cleaning bad stuff out, it needs to completely leave your system; and only fiber is truly going to take care of the bulk of that work.
Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, warm or room temperature preferred.
(Recommended) A good probiotic to aid in digestion.
(Recommended) A Good Multivitamin to ensure nutrient needs are met.

So Now How Do I Detox?

My basic prescription will take two weeks. You will want to eat five to six equal meals throughout the day. First meal should be within 30 minutes of waking up. I don’t recommend starvation, so eat the amount of calories your body requires. Should you want to put some emphasis on weight loss, find out how many calories you should eat and subtract 500 a day. This deficit will give you an approximate 1-2 lb of fat loss a week. Please note that those of you increasing that 500 calorie deficit should not cut your calories so much that you are starving because it will launch your body into weight storage mode. Stick to a 500 calorie deficit for now. To calculate how many calories, simply multiply your body weight times ten; and that will give you a solid general idea of the calories you use in a day. If you are very sedentary, subtract 300 calories from that number to be more accurate. If you want a more precise method of calculating weight loss calories, head back to my older article on weight loss “Fitness 101 – Weight Loss” in our archives.

Now that you have your allotted calories, split them up evenly over those 5-6 even meals. As for what you should eat, refer back to the included list of What Should I Have? and avoid the Avoids list. Have fun and make your own meals, or buy food if you are not a cook; but stick as close as you can to these two lists for two weeks. The idea is to minimize possible negative influences in your health and filter them out in this detox time. Stay committed and it will pay off big. After these two weeks, begin to reintroduce all the items from the Avoid list one at a time; try to separate the time between each. Notice how your body responds to each of them, and should you not like what happens (i.e., gas, bloating, headache, lethargy, restlessness, mood shift, etc.), then eliminate it completely. This is a great simple way to optimize your health and life.

There are definitely some items on the Avoid list that I highly recommend that you never bring back, though: high fructose corn syrup, white flour, heavy artificial preservatives, and large amounts of sugar. The closer you stay to natural forms of food the easier it is to keep weight down and health up. The body suffers when you mistreat it.

Look forward to a future exposé article on what is in our food that slows us down and how to combat all these hidden land mines. The food industry is going to hurt me; but if you live longer, healthier lives, then I am ok with that.

If you would like a more advanced detailed version of how to detox through my idea of more natural methods for long-term goals, stay close. I will be publishing a comprehensive handbook focused on the top 10 ways to supercharge your metabolism for life very soon. It will include all this in detail, along with sample menus and lots of great helpful surprises. Until we meet again, Agenda readers.

Resources

“The World’s Healthiest Foods – Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating,” GMF publishing, George Mateljan

“Anatomy & Physiology” 6th Edition, Mosby Elsevier Publishing, Thibodeau, Patterson

http://www.webmd.com, http://www.usprobiotics.org

Written by Anthony Heredia

The Skinny on Healthy Detoxing – Should I Detox?

Agenda is evolving and so shall its readers. This issue we are taking a look at how (how being addressed in “Fitness 101” article) and why to detoxify your body from years of environmental and nutritional abuse for a metabolic weight loss and life boost. Hitting the reset button on your body is a great way to get a fresh start on any type of journey towards reaching your health and fitness goals. A detox (short for detoxification) is basically removing as many potentially harmful environmental and dietary toxic substances from your body as possible so that your body may function properly and thrive. We are exposed to countless environmental pollutions (smog, fumes, emissions, pesticides, etc.) as well as nutritional toxins (artificial preservatives, animal hormones, Trans fats, large amounts of sugar, excess sodium, etc.) that over time can dramatically drag our bodies to a slow crawl. Consider detoxing as cleaning house. It’s spring cleaning time.

There are a handful of authorities out there that believe our bodies do not need extra help to detox. These individuals believe that the body has adapted enough over the years to fend for itself, but I strongly disagree. The various toxins we are exposed to are primarily stored in our fat cells (our primary form of storage) when they enter our system. This means the more body fat one accumulates the more potential storage for 21st century toxins. We need to be more proactive about our health and help our bodies attain new levels of health so we can live longer, happier, and more productive lives. The idea of detoxing is basically to give your body a break, a chance to heal itself and play catch up over a brief period of about two weeks. You do this through a balance of natural and modern methods (addressed in Fitness 101). Once your newly cleansed supercharged body is ready, you can restore your daily routine with new, healthier precautions taken to maintain this new-found vitality and youth you have gained.

Detoxifying Helps:

· Reduce Inches in Midsection

When your body is exposed to potential allergens (environmental & nutritional toxins), your body can become inflamed, swelling you from the inside and slowing down many processes inside your body. This can lead to the appearance of a larger stomach when in fact it’s inflammation that your body is fighting. When your body is under heavy inflammation, you are much more likely to gain body fat as well as create a vicious cycle of weight gain.

· Regulate True Appetite (Eliminate Fake Hunger & Cravings)

An abundance of artificial preservatives, excess sugar, nutrient imbalance, and toxic food triggers false chemical signals, making you crave foods you really don’t need.

· Regulate & Boost Sex Drive

A healthy sex drive is a result of healthy hormone secretion and proper blood flow combining in an internal orchestra bringing your lust to life. Should a problem arise on either the hormonal or circulatory level, your taste for amorous lovemaking might decrease significantly. There are numerous reasons why sex drive decreases, but many of those reasons can be significantly helped with some simple self-care.

· Regulate Mental Clarity

Mental clarity is a result of proper neural signals firing cohesively as a result of good blood chemistry. Thinking clearly requires body homeostasis (full body balance) through good oxygen uptake, nutrient balance, and proper circulation, all of which can easily be thrown off by a toxic malnourished system.

· Lessen or Eliminate Bad Breath and Body Odor

You are what you eat, they say. Well, they’re right. Bad breath comes from bad stomach chemistry and rotting food in your mouth. Bad body odor stems from toxins leaving through sweat glands. The more toxic the system the more potent the offending odor. Both these problems can be helped significantly through better diet.

· Lessen or Eliminate Allergies, Eczema, Acne, or Psoriasis

Many allergies and skin conditions are nowadays being recognized more as the result of food irritants. This can also be addressed by a medical allergy patch exam. You might be allergic to something you’re eating and not know it.

· Regulate & Boost Metabolism (Weight Loss)

You basically are able to burn (use) more calories with a cleaner engine (metabolism), thus aiding in your weight loss efforts. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but I am sure you get the idea.

· Regulate & Boost Energy Levels and Moods

Mood imbalance and lethargy are caused for various reasons, but I am referring here to neural chemical imbalances due to electrolyte, fluid, and nutrient imbalances. Not giving your body what it needs can drastically affect energy levels and cause mood swings. You should always consult your physician for serious scenarios, but a detox can make a world of change.

· Regulate Sleep Patterns

Falling asleep begins by your body releasing melatonin from your pituitary gland to render that drowsy feeling. This process can be impaired by a toxic system, making it much harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

· Regulate Bowel Movements

By increasing fiber. Having regular bowel movements is crucial to your health because if you aren’t regular, the toxins in your colon are given time to be reabsorbed into your healthy system.

· Improve Skin Health

By helping restore proper moisture and oils to skin.

· Slow Aging

By fighting deterioration of collagen (main cause of aging) and combating free radicals (the destroyers of healthy cells).

· Regulate & Boost Immune System

· Regulate or Eliminate Bloating, Puffiness, Gas, and/or Indigestion

By regulating good to bad bacteria and enzyme ratios in your body that keep you in balance.

There are countless effective ways to detoxify your body, all catering to your varied levels of likes, dislikes, lifestyles and budgets and whims, but whatever you do, make sure to do some research. Find something that has been proven to render results, that has a well established history, and that you will enjoy. Suffering is not the goal; the goal is to be kind to yourself, work with and heal your body from the inside out. Namaste (I bow to the divine in you), Agenda readers. (How to Detox in “Fitness 101”)

Written by Anthony Heredia