5 Reasons Your Workout Isn't Working

Have you been working out consistently for months (maybe even years) and yet the scale is creeping up? Here are five ways your workout could be keeping you from losing weight, and what our experts' recommend to start shedding pounds again:

1. Your workout routine is making you eat too much.

Is your workout causing you to use the "I burned it, I earned it," excuse when it comes to your diet? "Studies show that people tend to eat more calories when they take up exercise ," saysMichele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery, and creator of the Perfect Legs, Glutes & Abs DVD.

Think your 45-minute morning run was enough to burn off that slice of chocolate cake on the dessert menu? Consider this: the average, 140-pound woman burns about 476 calories (at a 10-minute mile pace) running for 45 minutes. The average restaurant dessert clocks in around 1,200 calories (or more), so even if you only eat half of a slice, you'd still easily eat away your run-and then some-in less than 10 minutes.

The solution: Make your workouts count by pairing them with a healthy diet that stays within the appropriate calorie range your body needs in order to lose or maintain your weight. Olsonrecommends writing down what you are eating to keep track of calories consumed, and then subtracting the calories you burned, for your true daily number.

2. Your workout completely wipes you out.

That 5:00am killer boot camp class seemed like a great way to get in shape, so why aren't the pounds dropping off? If your workout leaves you feeling completely drained, exhausted, sore, and just wanting to lie on the couch for the rest of the day, it could be doing more harm than good, says Alex Figueroa, a personal trainer and fitness instructor at the Sports Club/LA in Boston, MA. While your workouts should be challenging, pushing your body too hard can have the opposite affect on yourbody. Over training can cause everything from sugar cravings, a weakened immune system, and insomnia-all of which could contribute to weight gain.

The solution: Figueroa recommends following a workout plan that is appropriate for your current fitness level-one that will still challenge your body without completely draining it. Not sure what's best for you? Try scheduling a session with a personal trainer to review your goals and the best plan of action to reach them.

3. Your workout burns fewer calories than you think.

Feeling pretty righteous when the treadmill says you've torched 800 calories? Not so fast, cautionsOlson. An unusually high calorie burn reading is rare, Olson says, and most machines overestimate readings by as much as 30 percent.

"Many machines do not require you to put in your body weight and, therefore, the calorie output is often based on a 'reference weight' often used in science of 155 pounds," Olson says. "So, if you weigh 135 pounds, for example, you would not burn the same calories as someone who is at the reference weight."

And even those that use heart rate readings may not be accurate either. "Machines that incorporate arm activity (such as the stair stepper or elliptical) can cause a higher heart rate compared to a leg-only machine like a treadmill, but this is not usually because you are burning more calories," Olson says. "Research has shown that at the same level of calorie burning, the heart rate will be markedly higher when using the arms versus the legs, and you may even be burning fewer calories despite a higher heart rate."

The solution: Try using a 'distance covered' read-out to more accurately gauge how many calories burned, Olson says. "For instance, if you want to burn 300 calories, jogging 3 miles, walking 4 miles, or cycling about 10 miles on a bike are known to burn this amount."

4. Your workout's not balanced.

Sure, we love Zumba just as much as you do, but that doesn't mean it's all you should be doing to stay in shape. "Variety is not only the spice of life, but the key to getting a better, leaner, stronger body," Olson says. "There is not one single activity that can give you everything you need."

Doing only cardio workouts or the same strength workout over and over means you are sacrificing the opportunity to build lean muscle mass and challenge your body in new ways (translation: burn more calories doing something new), and you may plateau because of it.

The solution: Create a weekly program that rotates through different modalities of exercise (cardio, strength training, flexibility, core) in order to keep your mind, and body, engaged and changing. Olson recommends fitting in at least three strength sessions and three to five cardio sessions per week for best results.

5. Your workout is totally stale.

Have you been taking the same body-sculpting class using the same 3-pound weights week after week? Grab some heavier dumbbells to boost your calorie burn and build more fat-blasting muscle, recommends Sonrisa Medina, group fitness manager for Equinox Fitness Clubs in Coral Gables, Florida. And while you're at it, try a class you've never done (like yoga or Pilates) to stimulate your body in new ways.

Why is it so important to switch things up? Doing the same workout routine over and over means your body doesn't have to work as hard to perform it after a few weeks. "We 'learn' how to do any activity and movements," Olson says. "The more 'learned' we are, the easier the activity is to our bodies, which means you will actually burn fewer calories than you did when the activity or your routine was new to you."

The solution: Whether its trying heavier weights or adding more resistance during cycling class, changing up the intensity and style of your workout can help kick up your calorie burn to start losing weight again. Even adding workouts like yoga and Pilates that don't typically burn a large amount of calories, if they are new to your body, will create some nice changes in your physique simply from being a new challenge to your movement and workout patterns, Olson says.

Source: Shapes 

Home Flu-Proofing Myths, Busted

By Networx.com | At Home 

By Adam Verwymeren,Hometalk

Flu season is in full swing, which means many people will be desperately trying to flu-proof their homes to keep contagions at bay. While people will go to great lengths to keep from getting sick, many of the things we do to purge the home ofgerms are pure myth, and won't actually help. Here are some of the top flu-proofing myths debunked.

Myth 1: A cold, drafty home will cause you to catch cold or flu.

The truth is, there really isn't any correlation between cold and germs, and your body's immune system can handle winter's icy chill, the New York Times reported. Cold and flu season do peak during the winter months, but the correlation probably has more to do with the fact that people spend a lot more time indoors in the winter, making it easier for germs to jump from one person to another. While you can save a bunch of money on your energy bill by sealing up drafts and installing better insulation, unfortunately you won't be insulating yourself from the flu.

Myth 2: You can protect yourself with hand sanitizer.

By offering germophobes the option of purging than hands of pathogens even when a sink isn't handy, alcohol-based hand sanitizers like Purell have taken off in popularity. While these sanitizers will kill germs on contact, there is little indication that they actually decrease the rate of illness, according to several recent studies. The problem is that hand sanitizers clean your hands, but the flu is an airborne virus. The flu spreads when a sick person's cough or sneeze causes little particles of pathogens to take to the air, and you can't scrub those away with a few squirts of Purell.

Myth 3: You can sweat out a cold.

Crank up the thermostat, slip into a hot bath and you'll just sweat out the cold, some people think. While a hot bath might be soothing when you're ill, it won't actually make you better, says ABC News.

Myth 4: You can carpet bomb your house with antibacterial soap to rid it of disease.

Antibacterial soaps, which contain a range of active ingredients like triclosan and sodium benzoate, have long promised to purge our home of illness. The problem, however, is that both cold and flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria. These soaps might work against bacterial infections like staph and E.coli, but have no real effect on viral infections. If you really want to do a number on both bacteriaand viruses, just reach for ordinary bleach.

Myth 5: You can blast away germs with an ultraviolet light.

UV-C sanitizing wands have become a popular disinfectant in recent years. Rather than relying on harsh chemicals, these devices blast germs with a certain type of ultraviolet light that kills them on contact. While UV light systems certainly work on an industrial scale, and have been put to use killing germs in hospitals for more than a hundred years, the small handheld units have little effect, says the L.A. Times. Shining the light on every square inch and around every odd angle of a surface is really difficult, particularly since the commercially-available wands aren't that large. The devices also do little to stop airborne pathogens, which are the main cause of cold and flu.

Myth 6: You can prevent getting a second cold by changing your toothbrush.

There's no need to change your toothbrush after you get sick, says Slate.com. Like snowflakes, every strain of cold or flu is different. But once you're body defeats a particular strain, you're immune, so you can't give yourself the same cold you've already had.

Vitamin D: Who Should Take a Supplement

Vitamin D provides a wide range of health benefits. It is effective in preventing rickets and treating other bone diseases such as osteoporosis. According to the Mayo Clinic, getting enough vitamin D may prevent high blood pressure and protect against certain types of cancer. It may also promote weight loss for women. A growing body of research links heart health to sufficient vitamin D. Most recently, a large-scale study in theAmerican Journal of Cardiology discovered that boosting vitamin D levels in heart patients who were deficient cut their risk of death by 60%, among other significant findings.

Getting enough vitamin D

It's estimated that 30-50% of Americans suffer from vitamin D deficiency. The human body produces vitamin D, which is actually a hormone, when exposed to sunlight. However, during the winter, it is impossible to get enough exposure anywhere north of San Francisco or Philadelphia. People in southern states who slather on sun block or who stay indoors most of the time may not be getting enough either. The same goes for people who are housebound due to illness or whose work keeps them inside all day. In addition to lack of sunshine, other conditions may increase likelihood ofvitamin D deficiency:

Infants who are exclusively breastfed. Mother's milk may not provide sufficient levels. TheAmerican Academy of Pediatrics recommends a supplement of 400 IU per day.

Older adults. The elderly do not synthesize vitamin D as effectively as younger people and tend to spend more time indoors.

People with dark skin. The pigment melanin can reduce the body's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.

Obese people. Body fat alters the way vitamin D is released into the system.

Choosing a vitamin D supplement

If you are shopping for a supplement, research suggests that vitamin D3 is more effective than vitamin D2. Food sources rich in vitamin D include cod liver oil, fatty fish (such as mackerel), eggs, and fortified milk and orange juice.

There is some debate over how much vitamin D to take. The National Institutes of Healthrecommends 600 IU per day for adults but some experts say that taking a supplement that contains between 1000-2000 IU can be beneficial. Its important to stay within the appropriate range--there is a toxicity risk at over 10,000 IU. The best way to determine how much you might need is to have your physician administer a simple blood test and make a recommendation based on the current level in you system.

Source : Yahoo health

Winnipeg's spring-like weather breaks record

Although the official start to winter is just a few weeks away, temperatures in southern Manitoba were rather spring-like in the past two days, even breaking a 104-year-old weather record in Winnipeg.

The daytime temperature in the Manitoba capital hit 9.7 C on Thursday afternoon, shattering the previous Nov. 24 heat record of 7.2 C that was set in 1907.

The warm air started drifting through the province on Wednesday and set six new records.

The hot spot in the province was Emerson at 12.7 C, though it was not a new record.

Winnipeg came less than a single degree of breaking a 134-year-old record on Wednesday, reaching a high of 7.2 C. The record, set in 1877, is 7.8 C.

But CBC Manitoba meteorologist John Sauder warns that the unseasonably mild weather won't last long. Cooler temperatures are expected to return Friday, followed by some snow over the weekend.

However, it will still be warmer than normal. The extended forecast through to Monday calls for daytime highs between 0 C and –2 C.

The normal daytime high is –4 C.

Source : CBC

Lose Weight Fast: Post-Holiday Diet Plan

An extra serving of sweet potatoes, a sliver of pecan pie, a Campari cocktail or two. By itself, each of these festive splurges seems so innocent. But like holiday presents, dietary indulgences come at a cost. Most of us never lose the 1 to 2 pounds we gain between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve--and over the years, they add up. The damage is even worse when December's hearty eating patterns take hold and last well into spring, as they often do.

That is why we developed this 3-day quick weight loss plan--to get you out of party excess mode and put you on a healthy eating track for the new year. It's simple, fast, and effective. Stick with it and you will have those extra pounds gone before you take down a single decoration.

Goal #1: Break the Sugar Cycle

The Splurge: Those dreams of sugarplums dancing in your head may be more like a nightmare brought on by too many sweet treats. While experts used to dismiss the notion of sugar addiction, a growing body of research suggests that the sweet stuff can hijack the same brain circuitry that's affected by drugs and alcohol, leading to a vicious cycle of cravings and binges. And holiday desserts with high levels of both sugar and fat provide a double whammy. The sugar hooks you, while the fat piles on the pounds.

The Solution: Eliminate desserts that are rich in sugar and fat for at least 3 days--7 to 10 would be even better. This will help quell cravings while you start to reestablish a taste for naturally sweet foods, such as fruit and starchy vegetables.

Goal #2: Resize Your Stomach

The Splurge: As the "it's a holiday, I'll diet tomorrow" mentality sets in, one of your natural appetite control systems--the stomach's network of stretch receptors--starts losing its effectiveness. Normally, when your stomach is full, these receptors send messages to the brain that say "I'm satisfied." But prolonged periods of overeating make the receptors less sensitive. This helps explain why that feeling of "I'm so full, I'll never eat again" is followed the next day by the sense that you're even hungrier than usual.

The Solution: If you keep eating the same high-calorie foods but merely reduce the quantity, your stretch receptors will signal your brain that you're starving and need emergency rations--now. But you can short-circuit this by eating healthy-size servings of low-calorie, high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Their bulk will keep the receptors happy while avoiding excess calories.

Goal #3: Cut Down on Cocktails

The Splurge: So you had a few too many spiked eggnogs. The problem isn't just the sugar and fat. The alcohol itself packs in 7 calories per gram (compared with 4 for protein and carbs and 9 for fat). And the stomach and brain don't register liquid calories in the same way as solids, so it's easy to go right on eating and drinking--without compensating for the added calories.

The Solution: Satisfying, low-calorie beverages can boost metabolism and even temper your hunger. Tea (lose the cream and sugar) has zero calories and lifts metabolic rate. Or prepare a pitcher of flavored water. Add sliced oranges, lemons, and limes to a pitcher--or toss in berries or sprigs of mint or lemongrass. They're refreshing and give you healing antioxidants.

Source: Yahoo

7 Quick Fixes for Healthier Holidays

The holidays are upon us, which makes us think about minutes in a whole different way! Everything at this time of the year is done at a faster pace and in a bigger fashion. We tend to eat more, drink more, fit more parties and activities in, spend more money, sleep less and forget about weight loss. It's not unusual for most of us to feel time crunched wishing for just a few more minutes (or hours) each day to get things done. And then, as fast as we create the holidays, they disappear!

Oftentimes, we let the holidays leave us exasperated, exhausted and a few pounds heavier. Now, I know that weight loss over the holidays isn't usually in the cards, but certainly we can come out with an even score. Instead of feeling like you are starting over from rock bottom on Jan. 1, let's just not fall behind!


This year, I want you to make a choice. Don't eat and drink your way through the parties and don't ditch your exercise routine completely for shopping and baking. Just be creative with how you use your minutes. Here are a few tips to help you use your holiday minutes wisely. If you don't believe that a few minutes can make a weight loss difference, remember that in less that one minute you can consume 100 calories at a holiday party. And, keep in mind that in 10 minutes, you can work those 100 calories off! So if you manage your minutes wisely, you'll be able to start the new year feeling good.

Shop Online
Don't get me wrong, I'm a retail-lover, just not at the holidays. Nothing gets my stress levels flowing faster than long lines and crowds at the stores. Spending time waiting in stores not only leaves you frustrated and in a bad mood but also takes away time to do things like exercise and stock your house with healthy food. If you get started now on the computer, free gift wrapping and shipping are available from many online retailers. It'll come as no surprise to you that I send my family fresh fruit baskets for Christmas (they would expect nothing less from me)!

Stop, Drop and Roll
Instead of burning the candle into the wee hours every night, just STOP what you're doing; DROP into bed; and ROLL over! Nothing horrible will happen if you let some decorating wait until tomorrow. Instead, your body will thank you. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep can cause weight gain, and I believe that if you aren't getting enough sleep you're more likely to make poor choices when it comes to weight loss and fitness.


Get Moving!
Try finding exercise minutes each day to get your heart pumping. Remember, I said minutes, not hours. Ten minutes is better than nothing. In fact, 10 minutes can burn off a few hors d'oeuvres, a glass of wine or it can just simply be a healthy release of stress. Especially at this time of the year when you're ingesting more calories, a brisk walk on the treadmill or elliptical can keep your jeans from feeling tight. Remember, it's all about calories in vs. calories out. And I find that 10 minutes in the morning is often the best time for weight loss during the holidays since our days get busy with extra to-do's and social events throughout the day.

Don't Forget Strength Training
Maintain your muscle mass by doing a few minutes of strength training each day. Try a few tricep dips while watching a holiday TV special with your kids, do some walking lunges as you talk on the phone to your relatives, pump out a few pushups before you get in the shower. Better yet, try a few multi-joint movements to save time. Do lunges with overhead shoulder presses. Do squats with bicep curls. Throw in a few core body crunches.


Stick With the Five-a-Day Plan
Make sure to get your fruits and vegetables. In a bid to cut calories and save time, we often forgo the foods that would nourish us during the holidays. The excess sugar we often consume at the holidays gives us a high and then energy lows. So fill up on healthy food -- eat five fruits and vegetables a day before you allow yourself to snack on holiday treats. Those few extra minutes you take to plan some healthy snacks and meals will save you many minutes of burning off extra calories later!

Control the Risk for Temptation
Avoid constantly putting yourself in situations that tempt you. For example, walking through the break room at work 10 times a day when you know it's filled with holiday treats and candies isn't to your advantage. Spend a few minutes in the morning packing a healthy snack (like almonds, a piece of fruit or a yogurt) so you'll have a healthy, weight loss alternative. And don't place treats on your kitchen counter to stare you in the face or take four desserts off the buffet vowing to take only one bite of each.

Be Careful of Liquid Calories
Holidays are notorious for tempting us with drinks we wouldn't normally consume. Alcohol offers no nutrients -- just empty calories and we often forget to count them. Eggnog coffee drinks with whipped cream, hot toddies, spiced rum; these drinks can have as many calories as a personal pan pizza! Limit your consumption and instead order sparkling water with a splash of cranberry juice. It'll look festive and save calories.

So give yourself the gift of staying on the weight loss track this holiday season by spending some extra minutes to plan and stay healthy. Believe me, come January you'll agree that it was the best gift you received!

Dreaming 'eases painful memories'

Scientists have used scans to shed more light on how the brain deals with the memory of unpleasant or traumatic events during sleep.

The University of California, Berkeley team showed emotional images to volunteers, then scanned them several hours later as they saw them again.

Those allowed to sleep in between showed less activity in the areas of the brain linked to emotion.

Instead, the part of the brain linked to rational thought was more active.

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, said it showed the links between dreams and memory.

Most people have to deal with traumatic events at some point in their lives, and, for some, these can produce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leaving them emotionally disturbed long after the event itself.

Mapping blood flow

There is significant evidence that the 20% of sleep in which we dream, also called REM sleep, plays a role in the processing of recent memories, and researchers believe that better understanding of this could eventually help PTSD patients.

The researchers recruited 35 volunteers, splitting them into two groups.

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In cases of more severe trauma, it may be just too difficult for the patient to process it during sleep, especially if the event has had a significant impact on that person's day to day life”

Dr Roderick OrnerConsultant clinical psychologist

After showing them 150 images designed to provoke an emotional reaction, half were allowed a good night's sleep.

While inside an MRI scanner to map blood flow in the brain - a good way to work out which regions are most active - the volunteers were shown the images a second time.

Those who had slept properly had less activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with heightened emotions, and more activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region linked to more rational thinking.

The non-sleepers reported a far more emotional response to seeing the pictures again.

The scientists believe that chemical changes in the brain during REM sleep may help explain how the body makes this change.

Dr Matthew Walker, who led the study, said: "We know that during REM sleep there is a sharp decrease in norepinephrine, a brain chemical associated with stress.

"By reprocessing previous emotional experiences in this neurochemically safe environment of low norepinephrine during REM sleep, we wake up the next day, and those experiences have been softened in their emotional strength.

"We feel better about them, we feel we can cope."

Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Roderick Orner said that although sleep was believed by many to play a crucial role in the processing of traumatic memories, there were likely to be many other factors at work in PTSD patients.

He said: "In cases of more severe trauma, it may be just too difficult for the patient to process it during sleep, especially if the event has had a significant impact on that person's day to day life."

Source: BBC