:BodyFitnessInfo.com BLOG

This will come as no surprise to most of us, but a study was done that concluded that one in four obese men can lose more than 100 lbs if they engage in a 12 week intensive weight loss program. You mean to say that by actually sticking to a weight loss program for 12 weeks you can actually see some difference in your weight?

Ok, so I’m being a little sarcastic here. It’s good to see that they have scientific evidence to back it up, but unless you have the emotional motivation it doesn’t matter how many studies you read. Eventually you have to get up and do something.

If you have a hard time sticking to a 12 week program, try doing a 4 week program.  Or, even a 2 week!  Do whatever time frame works for you.  But the important thing is that if you want to change your weight you have to change your behavior.

Here’s a link to the news article about this study in case you’re interested: Behavior Change May Mean Big Weight Loss

15 Comments

I just came across a really interesting video/chart on MSN Health that shows the increase in obesity rates in the US over the last 20 years or so. Talk about an eye opener! We all know that obesity has been an increasing problem in the US, but it’s very interesting to watch how different states increased the rate quicker than others and also how this epidemic has really affected each state.

The beginning of the movie states that obesity is measured by having a BMI of 30 or more. Now we all know that there are problems with the whole BMI scale which may explain why the numbers seem to be higher than what they might really be. (If you want to read more about some of the problems with the BMI scale, see this post: The BMI Myth)

Even if there are problems with the BMI scale, obesity and being overweight in general is a growing concern that people should take more seriously. We only hope that some of the information on this site and the others that we refer to can help with the overall problem.

Here’s the link to the video/chart from MSN: Obesity in America

4 Comments

<!–adsense–>Being overweight can cause more than just health problems, you could also be at risk of discrimination at work. If you’ve been looking for another reason to really start to lose weight, this could be a very good reason - the security of your job!

Of course, we don’t support any type of discrimination, whether at work or anywhere else. But this is definitely something to consider if you find yourself in an interview or promotion situation. There have also been studies done that show that an athletic/fit looking candidate is often favored over a candidate who isn’t. Fair? Definitely not. But that isn’t the point. For your own well-being (health, employment, etc.) there are plenty of reasons to get in shape and be healthy.

read more | digg story

1 Comment

Depending on how you look at this article, you could think that this is another excuse that scientists are giving us to be fat. Which is just what a lot of people would love to hear. But let’s take a look at the following article in a little bit of a different light.

Basically, there was a study done that shows that obese and really overweight people have more of a certain family of bacteria that are apparently keeping them over weight. Does this mean that a person is overweight solely because of ‘bacteria’? I think not! Let’s look at it this way: the body is an amazing thing. It will adapt to what you give it. For example, you stress a muscle enough, the body will adapt and make it grow. If a person continues to over eat, the body will find a way to make better use of that food. So, if a person continually eats a really high calorie diet, wouldn’t it make sense that the body would then adapt the body itself to be able to somehow process what it is being given? If anything, this type of study could explain why it is even harder for people that are extremely overweight to get back to ‘normal’ levels. So please, don’t use bacteria as an excuse for excessive weight. If anything, look at it as just another thing you’re going to have to change within your body if you really want to reach your goals.

One very beneficial thing that could come from this study is that hopefully scientists will be able to come up with something that can help to reduce the adaptive bacteria to help people be able to get back to a healthy weight with less frustration.

read more | digg story

2 Comments

Honestly, this is a really sad commentary on the modern US Society. According to several studies, we are officially the fattest people on the planet. This is from an article that I read just this morning. Granted, the article doesn’t go into a lot of detail as to why or how this has happened, but in the end it’s not really that surprising. The question we have to ask ourselves is are we as individuals part of the problem? This is a problem that can be fixed, and honestly needs to be fixed for so many reasons that we won’t have time to go into here. But just look at the effect this is having on the health care system. Something needs to be done, and it needs to be done on an individual level if great changes are really going to happen. So, don’t be afraid of being called and ‘health nut’, because in the end its much much better than the alternative! Also, being a health nut is much better for our overall society than being fat ever will be!

Article:
There’s no polite way to say this: Americans are the fattest people on the planet. Americans are heavier than Mexicans, Australians, Greeks, New Zealanders and the British — from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Statistical Abstract Americans ate more than twice as much high-fructose corn syrup per person in 2004 as we did in 1980. (no wonder)

read more | digg story

3 Comments

Here’s another reason to keep exercising: it may reduce your chances for contracting some really nasty cancers! According to the article, colon and rectal cancer are most common in developed countries. That would apparently make sense since we sit around so much and they probably don’t! Anyway, it makes an interesting read and hopefully will give you some good motivation to get out there and start working out or to at least keep going!

Article:
Whether is it jogging around the park, pumping iron or swimming, an hour of vigorous exercise a day can lower the risk of bowel cancer, a study said on Monday. Even cleaning the house, or two hours of less strenuous activity can make a difference, according to the study of more than 413,000 people in 10 European countries.

read more | digg story

5 Comments

Looks like the law passed! In what we would consider a great step forward towards helping everyone be a little healthier. We can only hope that more and more states and restaurants will make moves such as this for the betterment of all.

News Article:
New York today became the first city in the United States to prohibit trans fats in restaurants, a shift that will affect eateries from the corner deli to the brasserie and ultimately may influence how food is prepared at restaurants around the nation.

read more | digg story

No Comments

We’ve posted another article about this, but it would appear that more and more the BMI scale is coming under scrutiny, and for good reason! Many very healthy people are considered overweight or obese according to this scale, even though they may have bodies that others envy. Something needs to be done to change this measurement. But at least we’re on the right track by noticing its enormous faults.

It’s long been accepted as the most accurate indication of good health, but now the efficiency of the body mass index is being questioned.

read more | digg story

No Comments

We’ve all heard that you need to get out and walk at least 10 minutes a day for a minimum amount of exercise. But is that really enough? Apparently not. But does this really come as a surprise? Most of us walk at least that much just going from the parking lot to the store, or to your job! And, with all that walking that people do on an average day, America still has an obesity problem. So, go figure that it has been found that more rigorous exercise is more effective for your well-being. Anyway, this is an interesting article. So have a read!

Article Intro:
If walking is your only form of exercise, you may want to pick up the pace a bit on some of those walks, experts suggest. That’s because a study shows that low-intensity walking alone is unlikely to generate significant health benefits compared with more moderately intense workouts.

read more | digg story

2 Comments

A little follow on what’s been happening in New York City with the proposed ban of trans fats in restaurants. Apparently there was huge backing for the proposal at a hearing yesterday. Again, this is a great step in the overall health and awareness of people everywhere. Hopefully more cities will start to adopt a similar plan. This could put the US in the right direction away from the trend of obesity that we’ve been in the last few decades.

Article Intro:
New York City’s proposal for a near ban on artificial trans fat in restaurant food received overwhelming support at a hearing on Monday, as fast-food chain KFC separately said it would stop using oil containing the artery-clogging fat.

read more | digg story

No Comments