How Much Exercise Do I Need to Do to Lose Weight?

The amount of exercise you need to do depends on your weight loss goal. If your goal is:

1. Weight loss 150-250 minutes of moderate intensity* physical activity per week provides modest weight loss. People with a body mass index that classifies them as overweight or obese should aim for more than 250 minutes of exercise per week (e.g. 5 sessions of one hour per week) and perform resistance training to increase the amount of metabolically active muscle tissue in their bodies and reduce their health risks.

2. Weight maintenance More than 250 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity per week (e.g. 5 sessions of 50 minutes per week).

3. Preventing weight gain 150-250 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week (e.g. 5 sessions of 30 - 50 minutes per week).

*Moderate intensity physical activity is an increase in your breathing rate to a point where you are still able to talk comfortably but not sing. A more technical explanation is that it is exercising in a range of 65-75% of your maximum heart rate. Modes of exercise which are best suited to moderate intensity exercise are brisk walking, swimming, bike riding or cardio machines at the gym. Exercise should be continuous rather than in short bursts (these short bursts occur in sports such as tennis or touch football).

Remember that it's very difficult to lose weight through exercise alone. If you try to lose weight without reducing your calorie intake you'll need to exercise for at least 300 minutes a week! The best way to lose weight is to exercise AND consume fewer calories. Not only will you lose weight at a faster rate, but by engaging in regular aerobic exercise you'll keep the weight off for life.

Reference
Donnelly, J. et al., 2009, ' Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain for Adults', Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Vol. 41:459-471.

Exercise Can Lower Bowel Cancer Risk

Did you know that people who exercise are 24% less likely to develop bowel cancer than those who don't? The protective effect of exercise holds for all types of physical activity, including recreational exercise (such as walking, jogging, bike riding or swimming) and job-related physical activity (such as walking, lifting or digging).

In Australia, 1 in 10 males and 1 in 15 females have been diagnosed with bowel cancer by the age of 85, with the risk increasing sharply by age 45. Bowel cancer now accounts for 10% of all deaths from invasive cancers and is now the second most common cause of cancer-related death after lung cancer.


Are you at risk of developing bowel cancer? Take a risk rating quiz. To find out how much exercise you should be doing, see an article Exercise for Weight Loss and Maintenance. If you need some tips to get you started, see an article Find Your Motivation to Exercise. 


Reference:
Wolin et al. 2009, 'Physical activity and colon cancer prevention: a meta-analysis' British Journal of Cancer

Healthy Eating on a Budget

You don't have to compromise your health to reduce your food bill. Here are some tips to help you buy low fat and nutritious food without paying top dollar:

Shop from a list Make a meal plan at the start of each week and decide what you need to purchase to make your meals. If you can be organised at the beginning of the week you won't need to shop at smaller, more expensive food stores. And if you have a weekly menu plan and ingredients to hand, you will be less likely to eat out at restaurants or buy take away foods on the way home from work. 

Shop at fresh fruit and vegetable markets Fresh fruit and vegetables from specialty markets last longer (and taste better) than items purchased at large supermarket chains. Purchase fruit and vegetables that are in season.

Don't shop when you are hungry If you are hungry when you shop, you are more likely to buy items you don't 'need'.

Buy in bulk Buy non perishable items such as cereal and pasta in bulk at large supermarkets.

Shop online You'll be less likely to make impulse purchases if you shop online. And if you shop online from home you can check what is in your fridge and pantry to save doubling up! 

Prepare meals yourself Buy fresh ingredients and prepare meals yourself rather than buying takeaway foods or pre-prepared items. By preparing your own food you can save calories - and dollars. Take a look at the following items that become more expensive as the amount of processing increases:

Potatoes (150g)
Potatoes 25c
Frozen chips 50c
150g potato crisps $2.99

Oats (40g)
Rolled oats 10c
Corn Flakes25c
Breakfast bar 95c

Chicken (100g)

Frozen whole chicken 35c
Raw whole chicken 50c
BBQ chicken 70c
Pre-made chicken kebabs $1.80

Apple (100g)

Apple 40c
Packet of sultanas 90c
Fruit bar $3.20

There are lots of online resources for quick and healthy recipes, including the National Heart Foundation Recipe Guide.

So it's no more expensive to eat healthy food - it just takes a bit of preparation and planning.

Five Tips for Easier Weight Loss

When it comes to changing your lifestyle, it's human nature to look for the easiest option. So why not make the easiest option the healthiest option? Here are five tips to get you started:

1. Write a meal plan Create a weekly meal plan that accommodates your daily appointments, work commitments and children’s activities. On nights where time is precious, schedule in leftovers from the night before. Leftovers are a better option than takeaway meals as they are more nutritious and lower in calories - and they will save you money. No plan = no organisation, and no organisation = stress. And stress can make weight loss very difficult!

2. Include snacks in your meal plan To maintain your metabolism you need to eat every 2-3 hours (see our post about meal timing for weight loss). When choosing snack foods, plan nutritious foods from the five food groups, and make sure you serve yourself enough to leave you feeling satisfied for at least two hours. See our article on healthy snack ideas.

3. Write a shopping list – and stick to it! Compile a shopping list from your weekly meal plan. Shop once or twice a week to keep your pantry and fridge stocked with the ingredients you need. If you follow your list when shopping, you will be less likely to make impulse purchases.

4. Organise your pantry and fridge Keep commonly used foods in easily accessible spots in your fridge and pantry. And place calorie dense foods such as biscuits, chips and chocolate at the back of the top shelf of your pantry away from sight.

5. Plan your exercise When you are busy exercise can be the first thing to disappear from your 'to do' list. By scheduling exercise sessions on a weekly planner or diary, you are reserving this time to work on your health and fitness before you fill it with other duties. You make time for events such as medical appointments, work meetings, and coffee with friends – why not make an appointment with yourself (or with a friend or personal trainer) to exercise? It's just as important! Schedule slot for exercise and adjust your other commitments to accommodate it.

Fast Weight Loss: Why it Doesn't Work

Fasting diets generate fast but false results. Here's why:

You lose fluid, not fat And any fluid lost will return as soon as the fast is completed, in other words you'll re-gain any weight that you lost.

Lowered metabolism During fasting your metabolism slows by up to 40% to prepare for starvation, so when you eat normally again your body burns fewer calories and you gain weight.

Hunger and lethargy Fasting leads to hunger and cravings - not what you need when you are trying to lose weight! And when you drastically cut your calorie intake you will feel weak, making it even more difficult to maintain your resolve to lose weight.

Yo yo dieting Fasting often leads to cycles of weight loss and weight gain called 'yo yo' dieting. 95% of people who go on fast weight loss diets regain any weight lost - plus more - within two years (1).

Abstinence leads to binging When your food intake is restricted you experience physical and emotional deprivation. This compels you to eat, which commonly leads to overeating or binging. As a result, you are likely to feel sensations of guilt and failure. This often becomes a cycle which is difficult to break and has devastating effects on your self esteem (1).

Nutritional deficiencies Prolonged fasting may lead to nutritional deficiencies. For example, if you don't consume enough calcium you may be at risk of osteoporosis, or if you don't consume enough fibre you may experience constipation.

Poor Health Fast weight loss is bad for your health because it:
- Increases your risk of medical complications such as gallstones, gout and constipation (2)
- Lowers your immunity
- Leaves you deficient in important vitamins and minerals.

Impracticalities Fast weight loss involves restricting food intake to the point where you are constantly hungry and lack the nutrients you need to maintain physical health and energy levels. This situation can't be sustained in the long term. Plus fasting makes it difficult to carry out normal social interactions - people who are dieting often avoid social situations and family mealtimes, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Some people claim that fasting can help rid your body of 'toxins' (i.e. the food you eat). 'Toxins' occur naturally in your body, and your body has fantastic systems to cleanse itself (your kidneys and liver).

Healthy Weight Loss

A sensible weight loss goal is 0.5 - 1kg per week, and the best way to achieve this is to make healthy changes to your eating and exercise habits. These changes should always be sustainable - that way you will lose weight and keep it off. 

References:
1. Why Diets Don't Work, Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria
2. Rapid Weight Loss Linked to Gallstones, Flinders Medical Centre

Meal Timing for Weight Loss

If you are trying to lose weight (or maintain a healthy weight) you need to eat approximately every 3 hours and consume five small meals a day. If you consume less than five small meals a day your metabolism will slow making it difficult for you to lose weight. Recommend eating at the following times:

• Breakfast: 6.00am - 8.00am
• Morning Tea: 10.00am - 11.00am
• Lunch: 12.00pm - 2.00pm
• Afternoon Tea: 3.00pm - 5.00pm
• Dinner: 6.00pm - 8.00pm (try and finish your last meal before 8.00pm).

If you leave more than three hours between your meals you may feel hungry - and it's very difficult to maintain your resolve to lose weight when you feel hungry all the time! Plus when you know when your next meal is, you are less likely to turn to convenience foods. 

Healthy Meals

A healthy meal or snack is small in portion size but fills you up for at least 2-3 hours. So next time you are tempted to grab fast food on the run or reach for the biscuit jar at work, ask yourself, "Is there a better choice I could make to help me get through the day?". Then try the following:

- If your meal or snack won't fill you up for at least two hours, consider more healthy options. Low fat, low GI snacks with protein will help you feel full for longer: try low fat yoghurt, fruit, light cheese and wholegrain crackers.

- If it's less than three hours before your last meal, think about your real motivation for eating. Ask yourself questions such as, "Am I really hungry?" and "How will I feel afterwards?". You may find that you are engaging in non hungry eating.

- If you have a tendency to eat out of habit, i.e. you tend to snack at certain places or times of the day, think of ways to break these habits. For example, don't keep a stash of chocolate in your top drawer at work.

- Don't attach emotions to food. If you eat when you are stressed or bored; think about alternate, non food-related ways to improve your mood such as going for a brief walk.

- Before you eat, sit down and place your food on a plate: that way you are more likely to acknowledge the calories.

Eating the right foods at the right time can make a huge impact on your weight loss efforts. 

SLEEP More, WEIGH Less

Did you know that under-sleeping can lead to poor performance and impaired judgement and has also been linked to depression, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. A new study of 1,200 people showed that the average Australian adult gets less than seven hours sleep a night, below the seven to eight hours recommended by sleep experts.

A study by Columbia University, found people who slept four hours or less per night were 73% more likely to be overweight or obese. Also, people who habitually slept for five hours had 15% more ghrelin, a hormone which increases feelings of hunger, than those who slept for eight hours. Those who slept for less time were also found to have 15% less leptin, a hormone which suppresses appetite. "These differences are likely to increase appetite, and therefore contribute to obesity" Dr Taheri states. The subjects in the study also tended to eat more sweet and starchy foods when sleep was cut short.

While research continues, sleep still remains one of the body's most mysterious processes. We do know that sleep is absolutely necessary for survival and even occasional sleeping problems can make daily life feel more stressful or cause you to be less productive. Sleep loss also affects growth hormone secretion that is linked to obesity and impairs the body's ability to use insulin, which can lead to the onset of diabetes. It is paramount that we discover more about this activity where we spend a third of our lives - sleeping.

There are prescriptions and non-prescription drugs, herbs, remedies, technologies, etc that may help you get a good night's sleep. Some work for some and not for others.

Here are some tips you can try at home tonight. These tips are intended for the average adult, but not necessarily for children or persons experiencing medical problems:

• Imagining - Think of a hammock - you're up off the ground, wrapped in a cocoon of comfort, swaying gently in the open air. The sun is warm on your face and there's a cool breeze blowing you back and forth. This visualisation helps you "see" what the reward for sleeping will be, getting you more in the mood to sleep. Visualisation has proved helpful in developing the appropriate brain wave patterns for sleep.
• Magnesium - Has a calming effect on the nervous system. It is part of bones and cells, especially the smooth cells of arteries, and assists in the absorption of calcium and potassium. Over 300 enzymes in our body need magnesium to function properly. It is so important, that the brain stores a "safety supply" to have in the event of a drop in the magnesium reserves.
• Nutmeg - Grind fresh nutmeg and serve it with warm low fat milk and a touch of honey. Milk is naturally high in calcium and rich in tryptophan; together they can be a powerful tranquilizer (and very delicious).
• Hot foot baths - In the Eastern World, a hot foot bath is a traditional remedy; it draws blood from the brain to calm a racing mind. Try soaking your feet in a hot bath with a cupful of Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender essential oil, which will soothe you. Your feet absorb the magnesium from the Epsom salts and relax you further.
• Stomach rub - Soothes down the digestive system and helps bring about deeper relaxation. Lie on your back and place your hand on your belly button. Begin to make small circles in a clockwise direction as you gently glide your hand over your stomach. Let your circles gradually become bigger and bigger. When your circles reach the outside of your stomach, gradually reduce their size until you are back at your belly button again. Reverse the direction; repeat the whole series with your other hand and do this several times. Doing this with lavender oil can create an even more relaxing experience.
• Listening to an audio book - The brain works like a tape player - with one main auditory loop that processes words. If you fill that loop with an interesting book, there's no room for your own worrisome internal narrative. Especially helpful for those who have continuous thoughts running through their heads.
• Deep breathing - Take a deep breath in then slowly release out - focussing on your breathing causes your mind to get distracted from your worries and focussed on your breathing. Doing this for a few minutes can relax your mind and help you get a more peaceful sleep.
• Turn it off - Sleep experts suggest refraining from doing work, watching television, or being on the computer at least an hour before bed time. This allows your brain to start to 'wind down'.

Gangwisch. D, Malaspina. D, Boden-Albala. B, (2005) Inadequate Sleep as a Risk Factor for Obesity: Analyses of the NHANES I; COlumbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.

Taheri. S, Lin. L, Austin. D, Young. T, Mignot. E, (2004) Short Sleep Duration is Associated with Reduced Leptin, Elevated Ghrelin, and Increased Body Mass Index. PLos Med 1(3): e62. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0010062.

Tips for Improving Men’s Health

A man’s health can be likened to that of a car; however the difference is that we cannot trade it in once we have done a few too many kilometres! We are stuck with the same chassis for life so it is therefore beneficial to service it on a regular basis.

Most men typically do not like to talk about their health because they have the attitude 'If it isn’t broke, why fix it?' However like a car, some simple maintenance can prevent the problems occurring in the first place.

Strategies for men to keep trim and healthy:

• Don’t skip meals – Have 3 main meals (including breakfast everyday) plus 2-3 snacks.
• Eat more vegetables – 5 serves (2.5 cups per day)
• Watch the portion size of meat:  

           - The size of your palm is a good approximation in serving size

           - Trim all visible fat off the meat

           - Remove skin from chicken

           - Have fish at least 2 meals per week

• Exercise – Recommendations are for 30 minutes of activity most days of the week
• Alcohol – Moderate your intake; try starting with a couple of glasses of soda or sparkling mineral water before your first drink
• Coffee – Keep to a maximum of 3-4 coffee/teas per day and use trim milk over full cream

The benefits servicing your health:

• At work – Thinking clearer and faster because as we got older it helps us keep up with the younger people in the office.
• Easier home life – More energy for quality time instead of sitting in front of the TV. More energy means more things done around the house, with the kids and on those projects that never seem to get done!
• Live longer – Men who manage their healthy weight have lower incidences of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes than overweight or obese men.
• Better social life – Eating well leads to being slimmer which means clothes fit better making going out easier. It also leads to better skin and hair.
• Better performance – Men who are overweight or obese have more issues with sexual performance/desire than healthy weight men

But the good news is that men have an advantage over women in losing weight:

• Men are more muscular – This means their basal metabolism (the amount of calories the body burns everyday) is generally quicker/higher. This results in a man being able to eat more food and still lose good amounts of weight. It also means more calories are burnt when healthy eating is combined with exercise.
• Men often have less emotional attachments to food – Therefore men do not tend to overeat when they are feeling emotional.

Don't Be a Mug with Your Caffeine Consumption!

What happens to caffeine in the body?

• Caffeine is absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream
• Peak blood levels occur between 30 and 60 minutes after consuming any products containing caffeine
• It passes into all body fluids, including breast milk and all body tissues, including the foetus in pregnant women
• Nearly all (99%) of caffeine is broken down by the liver. The breakdown products are excreted in the urine
• How long the effect of caffeine lasts in the body depends on age, weight, sex, hormonal state and health. The half - life of caffeine in adults is usually 2.5 to 7.5 hours. It is longest in women taking oral contraceptives, pregnant women and in some diseases, particularly liver cirrhosis and pulmonary oedema
• Infants and children do not eliminate caffeine as efficiently as adults and the effects may last for 3 - 4 days.

What are the effects?

• Caffeine has many stimulating effects in the body.  It stimulates the central nervous system and also increases:

         - Adrenalin release
         - Heart rate and blood pressure
         - Depth and rate of breathing
         - Blood sugar levels
         - Blood cholesterol levels
         - Stomach acid secretion
         - Urination
         - Appetite suppression

• The extent and effects of caffeine on the central nervous system depend on the amount and frequency of caffeine consumption and an individual’s sensitivity or tolerance.
• A rough guide to the central nervous system effects of caffeine is given in the following table, but some people, including children, are adversely affected by caffeine at a level of less than 100 mg, whereas others may need considerably more than 300 mg before adverse effects are noted.
• It is also worth noting that caffeine (consumed as tea or coffee) is associated with premenstrual tension, particularly anxiety symptoms.  The greater sensitivity to caffeine pre - menstrual may be partly due to a slower clearance rate.

The effects of caffeine on the Central Nervous System (CNS)

The following table gives a guide of what can happen to your body when you consume low levels of caffeine, and when you consume a level more than your body can tolerate:

To be safe, limit caffeine intake to less than 200mg per day.  A good rule of thumb is to not exceed 4 caffeine drinks / serves per day. For example: 2 cups of instant coffee, 1 cup of tea and a can of diet cola. The caffeine in these 4 drinks is about 210mg.  Try having a glass of water for each caffeine drink throughout the day.

Because caffeine can suppress the appetite, it is vital that you do not replace morning tea or afternoon tea with a caffeine drink. Skipping these mid-meals promotes slowing of your metabolism and overeating at the next meal.

How much caffeine do you consume each day?

The caffeine content of drinks varies considerably with the strength of the drink and the type of brewing process.  There is also variation with the plant  variety, conditions of growth and harvesting, roasting and drying procedures. 

The information below enables you to estimate your daily total caffeine intake.

Break the habit in 3 easy steps

1. Decrease caffeine intake to below the recommended dosage by keeping track of what you drink
2. Use tea not coffee, or decaf coffee
3. Increase water intake