Curious about Sensa?

I have been curious about the weight loss product called Sensa and while looking it up on the internet, I found this great article/review on WebMD. FYI check it out! http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-sensa

Overeating and The Brain

The brain tells us when we are hungry. Specialists think of the stomach as our second brain because our intestinal track actually produces more neurotransmitters or chemicals that work on our brains than the brain does it’s self. So, the body is really one system. Think of your brain as the super computer that is running every thing and it is all inter-connected.

But does the brain tell us to overeat? Sometimes it does, if people have damage to certain parts of the brain, they can have faulty signals. The prefrontal cortex comprises 30% of the human brain and acts as the supervisor of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is not fully developed until age 25. When it is weak or damaged, it is like the supervisor in your head is taking a break. So when your inner child is having a tantrum, wanting that 3rd piece of cheesecake, there is less control over the situation. If your prefrontal cortex is not working right, nothing in your life is going to be right. So head injuries can affect overeating as well as low blood sugar. If you don’t eat breakfast and provide your brain with the proper nutrients it requires to operate well, you are going to make bad decisions about food the rest of the day. If you don’t sleep well, you will have lower blood flow to the brain, so sleep is equally important.

In the studies that have been done by specialists, including Dr. Daniel Annen, being healthy is critical to thinking right. In fact, as a body’s weight goes up the actual size of our brain goes down, so judgment changes and reasoning goes down. Also, if you’ve had a brain injury, overeating goes up. If you’ve been eating badly for a long time, you become addicted to the bad foods like fat, sugar and salt. When you put them in certain combinations, they actually work on the heroin or morphine receptors in the brain.

Dr. Julian Bales, Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at West Virginia University Health Science Center, is on the front line of an experimental approach for the treatment of obesity. The approach targets the brain and not the stomach.

Deep brain stimulation is the insertion of electrodes deep in the brain’s hypothalamus, the part that controls our appetites. Neurosurgeons have spearheaded a FDA approved study to see if this could possibly have a benefit for patients with morbid obesity, the most severe form. It works by placing electrodes on both sides of the brain into the hypothalamus, one into the part that is the satiety center which makes you feel full and the other side is the appetite center where the drive for eating is located.

These electrodes have contacts on them that go through these areas, with a pacemaker type generator inserted under the skin. From the pacemaker, they are able to change the settings, and affect the appetite drive those patients have.

In the first series they did, they have learned that the procedure can be done safely, with no side affects and they can affect the urge to eat! They believe it will be well tolerated. They do not have all the results yet, and are now trying to fine tune the settings to see if they can get the weight loss desired by the doctors and patients.

Weight Loss Begins in the Mind

Losing weight is more about how the dieter thinks about food than food itself. Lasting weight loss success involves planning and the right mindset.

Terminating a life long pattern of turning to food for feelings other than hunger is vital for any weight loss plan (lifestyle change) to work. Filling emotional needs with emotional solutions and using food for physical nourishment only, is key to any effective weight loss plan. Seeking comfort, security, love or solace in appropriate ways allows the dieter to manage their food intake intelligently and effectively.

Tips for Successful Weight Loss
The successful dieter plans for success well before starting a weight loss plan. Just as a star student prepares for finals, the dieter who prepares for success before beginning will reap a higher level of achievement. A mind that has been prepared for change is better able to work with that change. Choose a weight loss start date of less than 30 days (not to be confused with procrastination) to begin both physical and mental preparation.

• Eliminate all foods from the household cupboards that are not on the healthy eating list. (A local homeless shelter will make good use of them.) Begin stocking only foods compatible with healthy eating.
• Learn to read food labels and consider purchasing whole, unprocessed foods instead (found mostly on the outside isles of the grocery store.)
• Since water is a staple for every effective weight loss program, plan for a way to have it nearby at all times. You will need to use this water as a replacement if you are a pop drinker.
• Monitor thoughts for negativity or victim mentality. Such thoughts will sabotage success. Take note of the urges to "make yourself feel better by eating" and acknowledge what emotions you are feeling at that time.
• Begin thinking of nurturing things that are not food related that you can do to "make yourself feel better." Some examples may be, walking, riding your bike, talking with a friend, reading, listening to music, etc. Make a list of these things and start implementing these alternatives.
• Pamper the body, mind and spirit with personally meaningful non-food activities or things. Don't forget meditation or prayer. Affirmations also can help you to "change your mind."

You will undoubtedly experience discomfort during this process. Just remember that these steps you are taking will eventually become new habits and the discomfort will subside with practice and time. Just like the cigarette smoker who stops smoking. Eventually, the pain and discomfort subsides as life goes on, only leaner and healthier. 

Write it Down

First you need to determine what will be your weight loss calorie allotment for each day, (go to:) Figure Calorie Intake to Lose Weight

http://www.womenspersonalfitness.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=page&id=3&chapter=3

Write down every morsel that passes your lips. It' too easy to underestimate how much you eat. After more than 30 years of watching my waist, I still record my food intake, exercise for the day and my current weight. I keep mine on the refrigerator door, very convenient.

The best little calorie counter book I have found is called, "The Doctor's Pocket Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter." It contains every count for every food, including the meals at your favorite restaurants! This book can be found in most book stores or visit:

http://www.calorieking.com/ You will love it!

"Knowledge is Power!"

The No Seconds Diet

We have started a new diet craze called "The No Seconds Diet!" Are you one of those people who just has to place another helping of a delicious food on your plate, when you have already had one serving? You are not alone. This could be a contributing factor in gaining and/or having trouble in losing that extra weight. More is not always better, expecially when it comes to food.

The optimal dinner plate should look as follows: 1/2 low glycemic vegetables (ie; broccoli, zucchini, green beans). The other half of the plate should be divided in half (2 - 1/4s of the plate), where the meat is in 1/4 and your complex carbohydrate (ie; sweet potato, brown rice, corn) covers the other 1/4 of your plate.

An easy way to estimate portion sizes goes as follows:

• Proteins (meat, chicken, fish) = should be the size of the palm of your hand and about as thick as a deck of cards.
• Lowfat Dairy Products (skim milk, yogart) = about the size of your fist.
• Cottage cheese, Ice Milk, Cold & Cooked Cereals, Pasta, Brown Rice, Starchy Vegetables, Fruits = size of a tennis ball.
• Hard Cheese & Nuts = size of thumb.
• Bread = 1 slice, Bagel = 1/2 small, Crackers = 2, English Muffin = 1/2
• Fats = 1 Tablespoon
• Salad Dressings = 1 Tablespoon (Regular) - 2 Tablespoons (reduced fat)

Many diet plans encourage eating an unlimited amount of low glycemic vegetables. Let that be the only exception to the above. If you still need more volume, eat more veggies.
The stomach in an individual used to eating larger portions on a regular basis, can stretch to hold 3 - 4 cups of food (and may not feel full until stretched that far). When you limit the amount of food mass (by cutting back), the stomach will eventually shrink to about a 2 cup capacity (and you will feel fuller on less volume).
A good book working on these principles is called the "Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan - Feel Full on Fewer Calories" by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., and Robert A. Barnett. Check it out at your local library or bookstore.

Wearing Body Togs for Legs

 

     

      Body Togs for Legs

When you wear Body Togs for Legs, you are increasing your energy expenditure and encouraging weight loss. Wearing these comfortable, anatomically designed weighted sleeves also encourages strong bone density. You will notice increased tone and strength in your muscles! Put them on in the morning and wear them all day under your pants. You will forget you even have them on, until you realize that you are feeling a bit tired, then you remember, "That's right, I have my Body Togs on!" Body Togs are hand washable, and adjustable with Velcro closures.

8% off Body Togs for Legs with Shipping Included - $54.95

Sleeping Habits Help Weight Loss

You may be trying your best to eat right and exercise but you are still not losing weight. Could it have something to do with your sleep?


A new study suggests that lack of sleep could throw off your weight loss goals. Researchers think that they have figured out why in a study of 10 people who were considered overweight or obese. They were put into a controlled environment for two weeks and given food and vitamins plus each participated in the same activities. Six of the dieters got to sleep 8 1/2 hours per night and four of the dieters slept 5 1/2 hours per night.


They found that the dieters who received more sleep actually lost 55% more body fat than the dieters who slept less. The researchers discovered that people who don't sleep enough may produce more of the hormone Ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. Ghrelin makes you hungry and causes fat retention as well.


What does this mean for you? If you want to lose weight, make sure you are getting enough sleep. This is one of the most important steps you can take to reach your weight loss goals.