What is 'Metabolic Syndrome'?

You may have heard this term on the news or read it in a magazine, and just know that it's BAD. You may also fit the criteria defined by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association.

Diagnosis is based on having 3 or more of the following:

1. A waist circumference greater than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women.
2. A blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or higher, or drug treatment for hypertension.
3. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher, or drug treatment for elevated triglycerides.
4. A fasting blood glucose level of 100 mg/dL or higher, or drug treatment for elevated glucose.
5. A high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level less than 40 mg/dL for men or less than 50 mg/dL for women, or drug treatment for reduced HDL.

Those with 'Metabolic Syndrome' have a 5 fold relative risk of developing Diabetes if they don't already have it. Risks also include stroke and cardiovascular disease.

To reduce belly fat and improve lipid profiles and blood sugars: EXERCISE, eat healthier, lose weight, and to keep reading my blog :)

'Hoppy' Easter!

Have the Cadbury Mini-Eggs been staring at you in the CVS line TOO!? Easter is another holiday American companies eat up. You name it, it's shaped into an Easter egg or bunny and thrown on the shelves. Reese's peanut butter bunnies, malted eggs, marshmallows (the famous peep). Its another time of the year where sugary temptations face you everywhere you go....

To Peep or not to Peep?

Some candies are better than others this easter "season". Treat yourself on actual EASTER, but no need to splurge on chocolate bunnies all March and April!!

(maybe even take a visual cue from the Bunny and have a carrot or two :)

For a  2,000 calorie diet you don't want to consume more than 265 discretionary calories a day (calories from food your body doesn't necessary need-from sugar, fat, alcohol...)

Here's some candy breakdown you sugar-freaks!

1.5 ounce Cadbury Mini Eggs (my personal fave)= 210 calories  

1 cadbury creme egg= 150 calories ---->

12 Whopper's Robin Eggs: 190 calories

1 Reese's Peanut Butter Egg= 180 calories    

WORST OFFENDER:

7 oz. Jelly Belly Jelly beans= 700 Calories

BEST OFFENDER:

1 Peep= 28 calories...who eats one though? (3= 84 calories)

'Case of the Mondays'

We've all been there..I can't tell if it's better or worse after you've had an AWESOME weekend?
One thing is for sure this monday, I am starting it off with a healthy breakfast-I splurged a little bit too much this weekend on bar food, and may have on the alcoholic drinks as well....hehe
No need to worry though, you can still go out with your pals and not totally undue your healthy day. For starters, if you know you are going out, eat a meal beforehand. You will be less tempted to eat the bar food (should have taken my own advice on this one), and you will need some solids to avoid passing out after a few drinks. A good balance of carbohydrates and protein is good- think PB & Jelly, Veggie Burger, Chicken/Rice stir-fry. Hey, maybe even throw a few vegetables in there as well!
Now for the beer list- OOOOO its a long one at some places. I know that most people think  they aren't doing themselves much of a favor by switching from a heavy to a light brew, but if you are having more than 2 (the average man is recommended to limit himself to 2 drinks per day; the average women: 1 drink/day) you will be saving quite a bit of uneccesary beer belly calories by sticking with the light beers. In fact, here's a little breakdown:
(and ps. I dont know many guys (or girls) who stop after 2 beers?)



BUD HEAVY (budweiser): 145 calories
vs
BUD LIGHT: 110 calories
vs
BUD ICE: (seriously, they still sell this?): 123 calories
vs
BUD SELECT (have yet to try): 99 calories
vs
BUDWEISER SELECT 55: 55 Calories


4 bud heavy's vs. light: you save 140 calories (like an extra beer!)
vs Bud select: you save 184 calories
vs. Select 55: you save 360 calories


COOR's ("rocky mountain highh..): 149 calories
VS.
COOR's Light (..Coloradooo..."): 104 calories
save: 45 calories per 12 oz. beer
save: 180 per 4-12 oz. beers

CORONA:148 calories 

vs.

CORONA LIGHT:109 calories
save:39 calories per 12 oz.beer
save:156 per 4-12 oz. beers

MICHELOB: 155 calories
vs.
MICHELOB ULTRA: 95 calories
save: 60 calories per beer
save: 240 calories per 4-12 oz. beers

MILLER HIGH LIFE: 143 calories

vs.

MILLER LITE: 96 calories
save:47 calories per 12 ounce beer
save:188 calories per 4-12 oz. beers

SAM ADAMS: 160 calories
SAM ADAMS LIGHT: 124 calories
save: 36 calories per 12 oz.beer
save: 144 calories per 4-12 oz.beer

GUINNESS EXTRA STOUT: 153 calories

vs.

GUINNESS DRAUGHT: 126 calories
save:27 calories per 12 o beer
save: 108 calories per 4-12 oz. beers

MOLSON CANADIAN BEER: 155 calories
vs.
MOLSON LIGHT: 82 calories
save: 73 calories per 12 oz. beer, eh?
save: 292 calories per 4-12 oz. beers, eh?

The beers with the most calories I could find was:
Flying Dog Double Dog Pale Ale coming in at 292 calories per 12 ounces
 Sierra Nevada BIG FOOT at 330 calories...that's like a small meal right there!

Footnote: by no means am I promoting drinking heavily, especially for women as it is associated with Breast Cancer.
Side note of randomness: A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that coffee drinkers had better LFT's (labs measuring liver function)- heavy drinkers or not. Weiiird.

Also, if you can't remember all these brands, here's a GENERAL list of Alcohol's caloric breakdown (beer vs. wine vs. rum..) from the ADA.  (call it OCD- but I put them in caloric order- lowest to highest :)

1 ounce Sake: 39 calories

1.5 ounce Rum (80 proof): 96 calories

12 ounce Beer, Light Type (4.2%): 99 calories

5 ounces White Wine:100 calories 

5 ounces Red Wine:106 calories    
  
1 ounce Liquer, coffee flavor (53 proof):116 calories

12 ounce Beer, Regular   (4.9%):153 calories

5 ounce Wine, Sweet dessert:165 calories

Pop Quiz! Calories Answer

If you guessed A, well- you were wrong.        

sorry.

The answer is D:

it takes consuming 3,500 additional calories to gain a pound, and inversely- you have to cut out or burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound.

Sound like a lot?


To lose a pound a week you need a 500 calorie deficit all 7 days:

Cut out 250 calories from food every day

Burn off 250 calories/day from exercise
(can double up calorie burn so you don't necessarily need to work out every day)

  

In order to GAIN a pound a week: just slap on an extra 500 calories a day and don't exercise.

Wanna know some easy ways to gain a pound a week (not recommended!) ?

Drink 3.5 sodas a day

OR drink a 30 pack of Bud light by yourself....hangover much?

OR a 24 pack of Bud heavy (budweiser).. i know some dudes who have no problem throwing back 12 beers a night in a weekend.

OR get a fast food egg/cheese/sausage sandwich every morning during the work week (5 days)

YUMMMMAYYYYY

Belly Jelly vs Bootylicious

Which is better to have: fat around the belly or fat around the thighs and buttocks?

Studies show that pear-shaped  individuals actually have a decreased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases compared to apple-shaped individuals.

Pear shaped:

Fat stored in the hips and thighs is subcutaneous fat, and acts as an energy storage. Fat in these areas have been shown to store harmful fatty acids (away from the heart).

Apple shaped:

 The most dangerous fat is stored INSIDE the belly (\abdominal, or visceral fat) embedded between & around organs. It can even feel hard to the touch in the protruding belly.
Visceral fat releases hormones and inflammatory markers, all contributing to diseases such as insulin resistance (diabetes), cancer, high blood pressure, and stroke. The position of this fat makes it easy for the chemicals it releases to affect nearby organs (especially the liver, where the fat drains, gaaross!)  

Bottom line: it ain't good.

Excess abdominal fat is an INDEPENDENT risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Scary.

It gets worse. Big belly's even increase the risk of dementia (doubles the risk).

Craziness! I wasn't completely convinced so I searched for an actual study and found one: the subjects in this study who had higher abdominal diameters had a 3X increased risk of dementia.

Dementia, for those who are not familiar with it, is a very sad and sometimes debilitating condition that occurs generally in the older population. Basically, loss of brain function (and therefore life function) and memory occur. Having worked in many different nursing homes with many people with dementia, this one really breaks my heart. 


Differences in men & women:

Fortunately, for us ladies, we are more prone to have pear-shapes thanks to our eStRoGeN friends, and men are more likely to store fat in the bellies. HOWEVER, a woman's body generally shifts during menopause to cause more fat storage in the belly area. Bummmerrrrr..
This model doesn't fit every man and woman either.

What to do about a spare tire?
Crunches aren't the magic answer. They might strengthen the abdominal muscles, but they won't make the fat disappear. Take a guess what will?
Total body weight loss via a healthy diet (rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy/meat/poultry) and of course our dear friend exercise.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START taking care of yourself. 


Not sure if your belly is too big??
Follow this rule:
For women its healthier to have a waist LESS than 35"
For men: keep the beer belly LESS than 40"
* you will need a cloth or plastic measuring tape..don't have one? use a string or ribbon, mark where the top of the string meets around your midsection, and then measure the string with a ruler or yard stick.
** measure slightly above the belly button



This article in 'USA today' sparked this convo. To read the actual article in the International Journal of Obesity, you need to pay $$...boooo..

Inspired yet hungry?

Maybe have an apple or a pear to start?

Back to The Basics

Do you know your Ideal Body Weight?

Let me share a little math secret us RD's use in the clinical world...

MEN out there:

For every inch over 5 feet (60"), multiply by 6. Then add 106.

ex: 68" (5 feet 8") man: 8 x 6 + 106= 154 lbs.

Not everyone is the same though. For men, (you lucky ducks have more muscle mass then us chicks). I usually add about 10% (for small frames..you can subtract 10%).

ex:154 + 15.4= 169.4

Ranges are usually better too (no one person is gonna be the same)...So, for a 5'8" man an ideal weight is between 154-169.4 lbs.

LADIIIIIESSSS out there:

For every inch above 5 feet (60"), multiply by 5. Then add 100.

ex: 55" (5 feet 5") woman: 5 x 5 + 100 = 125 lbs

If you are toned and muscly, or have a natural large frame, add 10% (people love that). If your frame is tiny, you can subtract 10%. Again, ranges are used.

ex: 125 lbs + 12.5 = 137.5 lbs
Range for a lady 5 feet 5": 125-137.5 lbs

Hope this helps you understand roughly where your body weight should be for optimal health.

Don't FREAK out if you are not near your ideal weight, use it as motivation!!

Lots more info to come on this site to help you lose any unwanted lbs!!

Stay Positive!!