7 Reasons You're Gaining Weight

You’ve been trying so hard to shed pounds, but notice the scale tipping the other way. Before you toss your arms up in defeat, perhaps there are reasons why you’re gaining weight that you never thought of. My clients often tell me they’re sure they should be losing weight, but sometimes I point out the little things that really make a difference.

#1: Oil Overkill
Olive oil is a healthy fat—and so are some hyped-up expensive oils like grape seed and macadamia nut oil. Regardless of which type of oil you use, they all contain 120 calories per tablespoon. You need to be VERY careful about how much oil you’re cooking with or using in dressings and marinades.
Solve it: Aim for 1 to 2 teaspoons per person in one sitting to get your oil fix without going overboard.
#2: Unforgiving Take-Out
Do you pick up a bowl of oatmeal or favorite smoothie every morning before work? If you’re not checking the calories or the restaurant doesn’t supply the nutrition facts, you may be eating MANY more calories than you realize. The oatmeal may contain loads of butter and sugar while the smoothie may be a very large portion or made with high-fat dairy products.
Solve it: Know what you’re eating! Inquire about all the ingredients in a dish or dine at an establishment that provides calorie counts. You can also brown-bag your meals and snacks to be 100% certain of what you’re eating.

#3: FroYo Obsession
Frozen yogurt stands are becoming a country-wide snack time favorite. You may be choosing the nonfat, sugar free variety to save calories but may be serving yourself WAY more ounces (and calories) than you realize. And don’t forget the toppings—they count too!

Solve it: Make yogurt a special treat and pay close attention to how many ounces you serve yourself.

Check out our top picks from popular fro yo chains

#4: Mindless Picking
A few gummy bears here and a half a cookie there may not register in your daily food log, but it all counts. Some folks mindlessly pick from their kids’ plates or a co-workers basket of baked goodies. Calculations have determined that seemingly harmless picking can add up to over 1,000 extra calories per day!
Solve it: Be conscious of any food or beverage you take in. Keep a food diary for a week or two to really check where the extra calories are coming from.

#5: Not Enough Zzzz’s
Studies show that it’s tougher to achieve your weight loss goal if you’re not getting enough sleep. Moreover, when you’re exhausted you tend to be less physically active and reach for higher-calorie comfort foods.

Solve it: Aim for 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
#6: Your Meds
Certain medications like oral contraceptives, antidepressants, heartburn meds and those used to control high blood pressure and diabetes can cause weight gain. The amount of weight gained varies from person to person. Oftentimes, the weight gain happens slowly and you don’t notice it until it’s already happened.
Solve it: Before you start a new medication or aren’t sure if weight gain is a side-effect of a current medicine you’re on, speak with your doctor or registered dietitian. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a different type of medication, and if not, an RD can help you make sure you’re doing everything you can to minimize weight gain.
#7: Stress
Stress can trigger overeating. After a tough day of work all you want to do is be a coach potato and indulge in a pint of soothing ice cream.
Solve it: Choose 10 minutes a day for “me” time where you relax. This can be in the form of meditation, a bubble bath or walking your pooch.

Bad Habits = Weight Gain

Could too many of these lead to weight gain? You shouldn't be surprised that the answer is yes.

Most studies try to tell us what we should be eating or doing. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed top habits that rack up the pounds. See if the top “bad” habits are some of your own.

Understanding Bad HabitsThe obesity epidemic is costing us our health and money. More than one-third of adults and close to one-fifth of kids in the U.S. are obese. These folks are at a much higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, and certain forms of cancer. It’s estimated that it costs the U.S. nearly 10 percent of its medical spending to treat these diseases – that’s equivalent to $147 billion a year!
Top Bad HabitsThe study examined ways to prevent obesity before it starts. Researchers followed over 120,000 men and women for 20 years. These folks started at a healthy weight. Their habits (specifically foods, activity, and sleep) and weight were tracked every 4 years.  Here are the top habits that caused weight gain:

• Food: Eating potato chips, potatoes, sugary drinks, unprocessed red meat (like steak), and processed meat (like deli meats) every day caused the most weight gain.
• Activity: Watching an hour of TV per day racked up one-third of a pound over 4 years.
• Sleep: Folks who got less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours of sleep a night were more likely to gain weight.

Top Good HabitsThe study revealed the top habits that these habits help pounds from creeping up.

• Food: Eating minimally processed foods and more fruits, veggies, nuts, and whole grains resulted in either weight loss or maintenance of a healthy weight during the study.
• Activity: Increasing physical activity resulted in less weight gain.
• Sleep: Folks who slept between 6 to 8 hours of sleep were less likely to gain weight.

Turning Bad Habits AroundThe point of this study is not to banish potato chips and red meat from your diet. Overindulgence leads to trouble (like eating potato chips every day). Start making small changes in these bad habits. For example, eat red meat once a week instead of every day. Replace potato chips with fresh fruit salad, veggies and dip, or a trail mix. Or if you do get a craving for chips, make your own baked crisps rather than buying a bag from the store. Over time, these small changes make a world of a difference.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Toby’s full bio »

Why you should please ditch the margarine

Feel free to forward and share this email with your friends and family.

by Leanne Ely

A while back, I shared an article giving you the skinny on fats. I gave you an overview of good fats, information about how to use them and what fats and oils I don't recommend.

Once upon a time (in the 80s and 90s), we were told that butter was evil.

We were told that its saturated fats would clog our arteries and that we could be saved by using margarine which is made with "heart healthy oils."

We were also told that margarine would lower blood pressure and cholesterol. And, that it would help us to lose weight; it would make us healthy.

This is not true. None of it.  We certainly weren't told that vegetable oil-based margarine would actually increase our risk of developing cancer and heart disease.

Margarine is made from vegetable oils--oils that are chemically extracted from soybeans, rapeseeds (canola oil), sunflowers, corn, safflowers, etc.

Vegetable oils really didn't exist in the food chain until the 1900s when new technology allowed for chemical processes to extract these oils.

Think about this.

Chemical processing is required in order for these oils to exist. They come from factories where seeds from genetically modified crops (which have been treated with pesticides) are processed until they resemble oil.

In the production of canola oil, rapeseeds are heated and processed with petroleum solvents in order to extract the oil. Acid is then added  to get rid of wax and other unappealing solids that come from the first process, and then there's more heating. Chemicals are needed at this point in order to make the color a bit more appetizing. Because the smell after all this processing is quite nasty, chemical deodorants are also added.

Now, if this canola oil is to be transformed into margarine, it needs to be made solid, so it has to undergo more processing known as hydrogenation. See, unlike natural saturated fats like butter and coconut oil, which are solid at cold temperatures, vegetable oil is a liquid. So, through this hydrogenation process, transfats are born.

Let's compare all this to the process required to make butter:

You milk a cow, let the cream separate to the top, remove the cream and shake the cream. Ta da, butter.

So, if all this talk of chemicals and processing doesn't shy you away from putting margarine on your dinner table, let me see if I can change your mind by telling you what happens once it's in your body.

The human body is not made to process man-made fats.

The human body is made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats. We can not be afraid of fat. We need fat. We need fat to burn fat. We need fat to make hormones and to build cells. The body needs fats, but it can only work with the fats we give it to work with.

Ever put diesel in a gasoline burning car? Doesn't work so well, does it?

Well, when we feed our bodies vegetable oils, we're giving it polyunsaturated fats instead of the saturated and monounsaturated fats that the body recognizes. Even though our bodies don't know what to do with it, without a recognizable alternative, we have no choice but to use that processed oil to build and repair cells.

Polyunsaturated fats are very unstable. They easily oxidize inside the human body. When cells are made from polyunsaturated fats, they can become mutated (leading to an increased chance of cancer) and inflammation occurs. This inflammation can clog our arteries. Vegetable oils lead to an imbalance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 levels, which is strongly linked to cancer.

The body needs a nice equal balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats. Unfortunately, lots of folks eat more Omega-6 fats than Omega 3s. This is not good.

Vegetable oils are high in Omega-6 fatty acids. These fats are quite easily oxidized in the body when we're exposed to light or heat. When skin cells are fed these fats and oils and are directly exposed to the sun . . . well,  you have the perfect conditions for increased skin cancer risk.

I came across a study from the University of Sydney where mice who were fed saturated fats were totally protected from skin cancer after being irradiated. The mice in the group being fed polyunsaturated fats very quickly developed skin cancer. Later in the study, those mice who'd been fed saturated fats were given polyunsaturated fats and were again irradiated. They developed skin cancer.

Similar studies have been conducted to show a link between vegetable oil and heart disease. These studies show that there is a relationship  between increased margarine consumption and increased heart attacks. Conversely, a correlation was also shown between increased butter consumption and a decline in heart attacks.

I could go on all day about this, but I think this should be enough to open your eyes enough to start thinking about using real butter instead of man-made margarine and vegetable oils.

Just get rid of it. Refer to that article I referenced before and find some alternatives you can get good and comfortable with! And don't be afraid of butter! (Bonus points if you find grass-fed butter!)

Put Down That Slice of Bread!

Even “Healthy” Whole Wheat Is Linked to Heart Disease, Arthritis and Dementia

What could be more wholesome than whole-wheat bread? For decades, nutritionists and public health experts have almost begged Americans to eat more whole wheat and other grains.
It’s bad advice.
Most of us know that white bread is bad for us, but even whole-wheat bread is bad, too. In fact, on the Glycemic Index (GI), which compares the blood sugar effects of carbohydrates, both white bread and whole-wheat bread increase blood glucose more than pure sugar. Aside from some extra fiber, eating two slices of whole-wheat bread is little different from eating a sugary candy bar.
What’s particularly troubling is that a high-wheat diet has been linked to obesity, digestive diseases, arthritis, diabetes, dementia and heart disease.
Example: When researchers from the Mayo Clinic and University of Iowa put 215 patients on a wheat-free diet, the obese patients lost an average of nearly 30 pounds in just six months. The patients in the study had celiac disease (a form of wheat sensitivity), but I have seen similar results in nearly everyone who is obese and gives up wheat.

NEW DANGERS FROM A NEW GRAIN

How can a supposedly healthy grain be so bad for you? Because the whole wheat that we eat today has little in common with the truly natural grain. Decades of selective breeding and hybridization by the food industry to increase yield and confer certain baking and aesthetic characteristics on flour have created new proteins in wheat that the human body isn’t designed to handle.
The gluten protein in modern wheat is different in structure from the gluten in older forms of wheat. In fact, the structure of modern gluten is something that humans have never before experienced in their 10,000 years of consuming wheat.
Modern wheat also is high in amylopectin A, a carbohydrate that is converted to glucose faster than just about any other carbohydrate. I have found it to be a potent appetite stimulant because the rapid rise and fall in blood sugar causes nearly constant feelings of hunger. The gliadin in wheat, another protein, also stimulates the appetite. When people quit eating wheat and are no longer exposed to gliadin and amylopectin A, they typically consume about 400 fewer calories a day.

NOT JUST CELIAC DISEASE

Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue, is an intense form of wheat sensitivity that damages the small intestine and can lead to chronic diarrhea and cramping, along with impaired absorption of nutrients. But wheat has been linked to dozens of other chronic diseases, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. It also has been linked to…
Insulin resistance and diabetes. It’s not a coincidence that the diabetes epidemic (nearly 26 million Americans have it) parallels the increasing consumption of modern wheat (an average of 134 pounds per person per year) in the US. The surge in blood sugar and insulin that occurs when you eat any kind of wheat eventually causes an increase in visceral (internal) fat. This fat makes the body more resistant to insulin and increases the risk for diabetes.
Weaker bones. A wheat-rich diet shifts the body’s chemistry to an acidic (low-pH) state. This condition, known as acidosis, leaches calcium from the bones. Grains—and particularly wheat—account for 38% of the average American’s “acid load.” This probably is the reason that osteoporosis is virtually universal in older adults.
More heart disease. A diet high in carbohydrates causes an increase in small LDL particles, the type of cholesterol that is most likely to lead to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Studies at University of California, Berkeley, found that the concentration of these particles increases dramatically with a high-wheat diet. The increase in small-particle LDL, combined with diabetes and visceral fat, increases the risk for heart disease.

A WHEAT-FREE LIFE

People who crave wheat actually are experiencing an addiction. When the gluten in wheat is digested, it releases molecules known as exorphins, morphinelike compounds that produce mild euphoria. About one-third of people who give up wheat will experience some withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, moodiness and insomnia. My advice…
Go cold turkey. It’s the most effective way to break the addiction to wheat. The withdrawal symptoms rarely last more than one week. If you’re really suffering, you might want to taper off. Give up wheat at breakfast for a week, and then at breakfast and lunch for another week. Then give it up altogether.
Beware of gluten-free products. People who give up wheat often are tempted to satisfy their craving by buying gluten-free bread or pasta. Don’t do it. The manufacturers use substitutes such as brown rice, rice bran, rice starch, corn starch and tapioca starch, which also increase blood glucose and cause insulin surges. Even oatmeal can cause blood sugar to skyrocket.
Switch grains. Small supermarkets now stock quite a few nonwheat grains, such as millet, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth. They’re easy to cook, and they taste good—and they don’t have the gluten and other wheat proteins that trigger weight gain, inflammation and insulin resistance.
Helpful: If you aren’t willing to give up wheat altogether, you can substitute an older form of wheat, such as spelt or kamut. These grains haven’t undergone all of the genetic modifications, so they’re somewhat better for you than modern wheat. Any form of wheat can be a problem, however. You’ll want to limit yourself to small servings—say, a few ounces once or twice a week.
Get plenty of protein. Protein satisfies the appetite more effectively than carbohydrates. Eat eggs for breakfast and chicken salad for lunch. For dinner, you can have fish or even steak.
New finding: New research has shown that people who eat a reasonable amount of saturated fat in, say, red meat (about 10% or a little more of your total fat calories) have a reduction in small LDL particles, as well as an increase in protective HDL cholesterol.
Source: William Davis, MD, a preventive cardiologist and medical director of Track Your Plaque, an international heart disease prevention program. Based in Fox Point, Wisconsin, he is author of Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health (Rodale). www.WheatBellyBlog.com

Supplement Spotlight: Add Ginkgo-PS to Your Brain Game

Camille Fletcher December 18, 2012 at 7:45 AM Brain, Ginkgo-PS, Supplement Spotlight

Does this sound familiar to anyone? You get up, get yourself ready, drive yourself to your local shopping center, and then once you get to your destination, you stop… stand there… and think: “What did I need to get here?” Then you don’t remember until you get back home.
It happens to me all the time. Recently, while wandering a favorite store in some less-than-sensible shoes, I swear all the blood left my brain and went to the pain in my feet, because when I got home, I realized I made a dumb purchase and forgot the whole point of why I was in that store in the first place.
I worry for my future.
But not too much, because, fortunately, it is possible to keep our brains sharp as we age.

The Brain is Amazing

A couple years ago I came across a book that taught me how incredible our brains can be. The Brain that Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge is a fascinating read of what could be a super boring scientific subject. The book covers some mind-blowing (ha ha) examples of how people have overcome serious challenges thanks to the plasticity of our brains. It also provides insight into things we can do to make a real and lasting difference in our cognitive function well into old age.
Like a puzzle, many habits fit together to keep our brains fit. Here are a few tips:

• Meditate, relax, and make sure you get enough sleep. A calm brain learns better and stress can actually kill cells in the brain.
• Learn something. Doing something that requires real concentration — think learning how to dance or speak a new language — keeps the brain fit (including the part that makes dopamine, which is triggered when you experience something new).
• Socialize with friends and family. Consider playing a rousing game of Scrabble or Words with Friends while you’re at it!
• Consume lots of antioxidants and moderate amounts of caffeine. I recently read that caffeine boosts circulation in all parts of the body except the brain — where it actually constricts blood flow.
• Stay active. Exercise helps the brain build new neurons and increases both oxygen and blood supply to the brain.

You can supplement the benefits of an antioxidant rich diet and exercise by adding Ginkgo-PS™ to your supplement regimen every day, because it will help deliver similar benefits.

Why Ginkgo-PS is Groovy

The two main ingredients in Ginkgo-PS are Ginkgo biloba and phosphatidylserine. Both are sourced from suppliers with quality standards as rigorous as USANA’s—so you know the purity and efficacy are good.
The herb Ginkgo biloba has been around for zillions of years. It is well accepted as a natural way to support cognition and circulation. In fact, it primarily helps cognition because it promotes healthy circulation—better blood flow helps deliver blood and oxygen to the brain. Ginkgo biloba also acts as an antioxidant, defending cells against damaging oxidative stress.
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a fatty acid that plays a role in cell signaling and has been shown to support memory function and cognition. Some of the benefits of PS come from its favorable impact on brain glucose metabolism, acetylcholine levels, and maintaining normal capacity for norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine dependent neurotransmitter systems.
It turns out that while both ingredients are pretty cool on their own, they are more effective if combined, as they are in Ginkgo-PS. A study published in Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical & Experimental in 2007 showed that “administration of GBE [Ginkgo biloba extract] complexed with phosphatidylserine resulted both in improved secondary memory performance and significantly increased speed of memory task performance.” Results that were not seen when only Ginkgo biloba was used.
USANA’s Ginkgo-PS delivers the right amount of these key ingredients to provide real support for memory and cognition.
Watch this video to see USANA Senior Scientist Mark Levy, Ph.D., explain the benefits of Ginkgo-PS.

If you are unable to view this video, please visit the USANA YouTube channel.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Jen Groover: 7 Ways to Thrive Through the Holidays

Jen Groover December 11, 2012 at 7:45 AM Jen Groover

USANA Spokesperson Jen Groover

While it’s said to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” for many the holiday season can be the most challenging time of the year — more things to do, more places to go and an overwhelming sense of needing to be extremely jolly.
To overcome the pattern of stress and depression many endure during this time of year, her are some key tips:
1. Surround yourself with friends and family that inspire you; avoid the ones that bring you down.
2. Remain focused on being grateful for the things you have, not what is missing.
3. Be careful not to overindulge in alcohol and junk foods. Not only do these make you gain weight, which adds stress, but they can almost immediately cause effects of depression.
4. Keep up your exercise routine. No matter how much shopping needs to be done or how many holiday parties you need to attend, keep your workout routine at the top of the priority list.
5. Volunteer to help those who are less fortunate. There are so many organizations that need help, especially during the holidays, it will be easy to find places you can be of service.
6. Make sure you are eating healthy, which may include drinking USANA Nutrimeal shakes. Are your taking your USANA HealthPak™ filled with your essential vitamins and antioxidants on a daily basis?
7. Redecorate your house. Clear your space and start anew by clearing out clutter and rearranging the furniture to invigorate your living and work spaces.


*The mentioned celebrity is either a distributor or dedicated user who has received compensation for her partnership and/or complimentary USANA products.

Tis the season for overeating! The holidays are quickly approaching and there are tempting treats at every turn. Chocolates, baked goods, candy and sugary choices galore.

During the holidays, it's perfectly fine to savor one of your favorite desserts or to have an extra glass of egg nog or two, but you shouldn't use the whole month of December as an excuse to overindulge.

On the last day of this month, tens of thousands of Americans will resolve to lose weight and to get healthier in 2013. But my question is, why wait until January 1?

You may be hesitant to adopt a healthier lifestyle for fear that you'll have to change too much all at once, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming! Why not start now and be well on your way by the time the clock strikes 2013?

Here are five tips that you can use to help ease into a cleaner diet:

*    Cut back on take out. By shopping for fresh ingredients and making your own meals, you'll be doing yourself a huge favor! Fast food is chock full of unhealthy fats, sodium, sugar and calories. There are also preservatives and other chemicals that our bodies could do without.
*    Learn to read labels. Very little good comes out of boxes where food is concerned, but if you know how to read labels, you can start making better choices. If you have to spend more than a few seconds to decipher a food's label, then your body won't know what to do with those unpronounceable additives either! Skip anything with flavor enhancers, flavorings or fake colors.
*    Stop drinking calories. Sugary coffee drinks, sodas, juices . . . they're not good for us. They serve no nutritional purpose and they are nothing but empty calories. Reach for water to quench your thirst and you'll be doing yourself a big favor.
*    Eat more vegetables. Bulk up on veggies. Eat them with every meal and don't be stingy. I'm not talking about iceberg lettuce, either! Reach for dark leafy greens (organic, please!) like spinach and kale. Snack on carrot sticks and broccoli. Eat a rainbow each day and you'll be amazed with the results.
*    Stop buying crappy food. You know which foods are not serving your health, so stop buying them. You don't need those cookies and cakes. Those tubs of ice cream and bags of chips look good at the time, but if you bring them home, you'll only eat them- so leave them on the store shelves!