Sleep and Weight Gain

July 26, 2014

Sleep and Weight Gain – What you should do

Sleep and Weight Gain. Studies have indicated that sleep deprivation is related to weight gain. Sleep well and keep fit.

Could lack of sleep be causing you to gain weight? Do you have any idea how this is happening? Confusing indeed but in a moment I will be telling you how sleep is associated with weight gain and from the information you are just a bout to get you will be able to tell whether your weight problem is related you your sleeping patterns on not and depending on your findings you will make very informed decision going forward. Now let me ask you as we start the discussion how often do you sleep or dose at your workplace? Ponder about that for a while and if your answer is yes then what are you doing about it?

In order to fight that sleep a way probably you may have reached out for a cup of coffee or more and some doughnuts for an immediate shot of energy and before you know it you have just forgot your day’s schedule of exercising and on your way home you pick some junk food home for dinner because time for home cooking is not there. When all these are finally done you are back in bed too wound up to sleep. This then becomes consistent and ultimately the consistency of inadequacy of sleep sabotages your waistline and your health. Wait a minute you’re facing the challenges of weight gain. My dear reader it normally starts in unnoticeable ways like that. With the problem of sleep deprivation and low energy, you will repeatedly go for a portion of potato chips or other comfort foods.

The ultimate result

Unwanted pounds due to poor food choices together with lack of exercise set the stage for obesity and further sleep loss. To illustrate this further the debt of sleep is the replica of credit card debt where all accruing credit card debt you will settle with high interest rates and if you don’t, your account will be shut down until you pay it all off. Therefore accruing too much sleep debt only leads your body crash. You must ensure that you do not brag about your strength of staying up all night because it is not in fact it is a weakness because you do pay a price for staying up late and getting up early.

Understanding the Sleep-Diet Connection

Hardly will you find sleep-diet connection being addressed by most diet authors and probably you have even heard about the sleep diet, which suggests you can lose weight while you catch your ZZZs. Have you? It’s worth noting that not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight however when you are sleep-deprived (i.e. meaning that you are not getting enough time of sleep or good quality sleep), your metabolism will not function properly. On average people need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night and if you are getting this already, a slight increase of say half hour will not help you lose 10 pounds, but on the other hand if you are used to sleeping for say five-hour and you increase this to seven hours a night, you will start shading off some weight.

How specifically will lack of sleep affects one’s ability to lose weight will have a lot to do with our nightly hormones. We have two hormones which are very instrumental in this process and they are ghrelin and leptin.

Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin.

Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin.

More ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain i.e. you are eating more, plus your metabolism is slower when you are sleep-deprived.

The Sleep-Weight Loss Solution

The big question here is, what can you do about sleep deprivation?

First, look at how much you sleep vs. how well you sleep – Some people such as new mothers may only get to sleep for a four-hour stretch. And there are some people who get 7.5 hours of sleep that is poor quality because of pain or an underlying sleep disorder, and this has the same effect as if they got less sleep.

Trouble-shoot both with improved sleep hygiene and for beginners avoid any caffeine in the afternoon because it will keep you in the lighter stages of sleep which are associated with poor sleep at night.

Exercise also helps improve sleep quality. How soon before bed should you exercise? It depends with the individuals because everyone is different. It’s more important that you exercise than it is when you exercise and to be safe avoid exercise right before going to bed even though some people exercise better before bed and it doesn’t affect their sleep.

Take interest on what you’re feeding on before bed time like for instance foods and drinks like pizza and beer before bedtime is not a good idea. It is also not recommended that you eat a big meal moments to bedtime instead eating a few healthy snacks and then having a light meal like a bowl of cereal if you’re running close to bedtime. Heavy, rich meals before bed can also increase risk of heartburn, which will certainly keep you up all night.

Finally I ask what if you are getting enough hours of sleep but wake up and feel sleepy the next day? Talk to your doctor about seeing a sleep specialist. After conducting a thorough evaluation and sleep study, in which you are monitored while sleeping, the sleep specialist can help identify any underlying problem. Together you can develop a treatment plan so that you get more high-quality sleep and maybe even slim down. But generally in all these doctor Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center will be there for you for any obesity and weight related problems you may have. Together with her team of experts they will focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Sleep and Weight Gain – What you should do

Easy way to losing weight

July 25, 2014

Easy way to losing weight – Make it Painless

Easy way to losing weight. It all begins with you being positive that you can make it weight problem will not be a problem.

It the concern of many obese people and those suffering from weight related complications of how best they can effectively deal with weight issues and in the most friendly way to all. This concern is a rising because weight loss has been associated with vigorous physical activities and healthy feeding habits which to many is an uphill task due to the nature of their work and schedule. Many obese people find it difficult preparing their healthy meals straight from the groceries and participating in physical activities due to unavailability of time. This is necessitated by tight work schedule where they leave for work very early and toile into late night and by the time they are done leaving for home they are tired and worn out. At this time what they can do is to walk in to the nearest fast food restaurant and have a quick bite of junk food for breakfast lunch and dinner. I believe you are aware of the consequences of this kind of feeding habit (weight gain, obesity and poor management of weight related problems).

As if this is not enough these people are having very minimal indulgence into physical activities further complicating their situations. The problem could be compounded if they are taking alcohol and smoking cigarettes substances which are addictive and has negative effects to human life. The insufficiency of physical activities is as a result of not being able to go the gym, walk and jog around the park and spending most of their working time in unhealthy office seats. Because of these fundamentals it will be very important that we look into ways of bridging the gap so that even those with such busy and tight schedules are also enjoying life without the scare of obesity. This therefore forms the basis and motivation of this article and so if you are that person then you may want to consider the following to help you bring your weight to manageable levels.

Addition and Subtraction

You may not need to follow diet denial instead add to your diet all those healthy food stuff you prefer like deep-red cherries, juicy grapes, or crunchy snow peas including those preferred fruits into your lunch and breakfast cereal menu and finally add the veggies into soups, stews, and sauces.

Adding in really works and taking away never does, while adding you must be careful keeping an eye on the overall calories. By the way don’t forget to add in something physical too, whether it’s doing a few dance moves before dinner or taking a quick stroll. Having appreciated how busy you are I will tell you how you can be physically active even in your situation of busyness.

Forget About Working Out

There are several things you can do that would help you replace working out like for instance you can be burning calories and stimulate muscles by doing things like washing your car instead of paying the car wash dealer to do it for you, riding your bike within your compound, chasing your dog around the back yard, delight in great sex these are very simple activities you can do without having to go to the gym or taking a work in your local park

Go Walking

In your busy schedule you can still get time to walk around for some few minutes and by the way few minutes can even be 5minutes. Walking in a nice weather condition is very healthy way of keeping fit and you may choose any of the following steps to help you be active the easiest way and without much sweating.

Engage and trade your power mower for a push version while clearing your compound.
When at your work station desire parking your car at the back of the lot to give you some little time walking to and from the office.
Instead of using your car when going to a meeting in the next street walk out of the office building and enjoy walking the meetings venue.
Sweep the drive or rake the leaves instead of using a leaf-blower.
Get off the bus a few stops earlier and walk the remaining distance.
Hike the mall, being sure to hit all the levels.
Take the stairs every chance you get and be consistent in doing so.
Sign up and participate in organized charity walks.
Turn on the music and get your heart rate up the next time you mop or vacuum.

These little movement put together go a long way in motivating your physical activities. If you walk twice a day for 10 minutes and try a few of these tips, you may find yourself with a low-impact, 30-minute workout easily tucked under your belt.

Sleep well

There are several possible ways that sleep deprivation could increase the chances of becoming obese. For instance:

Sleep-deprived people may be too tired to exercise, decreasing the “calories burned” side of the weight-change equation.
People who don’t get enough sleep may take in more calories than those who do, simply because they are awake longer and have more opportunities to eat;
Lack of sleep also disrupts the balance of key hormones that control appetite, so sleep-deprived people may be hungrier than those who get enough rest each night.

Finally by being unable to normally practice weight loss obligations for reason discussed it will be very important for you to seek the help of professionals who will guide you on matters of obesity and weight related problems. Dr. Dalal Akoury, who founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, is a medical professional offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to everyone globally and to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. Your situation will be very safe with doctor Akoury and progressively you will not only learn from and with the experts but get your life back to the fullest.

Easy way to losing weight – Make it Painless

Overweight and Obesity

July 16, 2014

Overweight and Obesity – Treatment Available

Obesity is a medical condition giving people sleepless nights. Good feeding habit can help you get your weight problem solved.

Overweight can be life threatening if measures are not taken timely to bring it to manageable levels. This can be done successfully in various ways which may include setting goals and making lifestyle changes, such as eating fewer calories and being physically active. Other treatment methods available are medicines and weight-loss surgery normally for people who may feel that lifestyle changes aren’t enough.

Overweight and Obesity – Set Realistic Goals

Setting realistic weight-loss goals is an important first step to losing weight. The choice of goals may not be standard with everybody like the one for adult may not be the same with that of the children and so let us segment them in that order of adults and children.

Overweight and Obesity – Goals for Adults

An adult should try losing between 5 to 10 percent of their current weight over 6 months. This will lower their risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and other conditions.
The best way to lose weight is gradual. A weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week is practical, safe, and will help you keep off the weight. It will also give you the time to make new, healthy lifestyle changes.
In the event that you’ve lost say 10 percent of your body weight and have consistently maintain it off for 6 months if after this progress you are still overweight or obese then you may want to consider further weight loss.

Overweight and Obesity – Goals for Children and Teens

Parent should take the lead role in this and keep monitoring the progress. Therefore if your child is overweight or has high risk of being overweight or obesity, then the goal is to maintain their current weight and to focus on eating healthy and being physically active. To help young ones the whole family should make effort to embrace positive lifestyle changes.
If your child is overweight or obese and has a health complication related to overweight or obesity, your doctor may refer you to a pediatric obesity treatment center for further examinations and treatment.

Overweight and Obesity – Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes can help you and your family achieves long-term weight-loss success. Example of lifestyle changes include:

Focusing on balancing energy received in the body (calories from food and drinks) with energy the body gives out (physical activity)
Following a healthy eating plan
Learning how to embrace healthy lifestyle habits

Over time, these changes will become a routine in your everyday life which is very good for weight loss.

Overweight and Obesity – Calories

By reducing the rate of calories intake (i.e. energy in) will be very helpful in weight loss. It is important to note that for an adult to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week they should reduce their calories intake by 500-1000 calories a day.

In general, having 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day will help most women lose weight safely while for men it will be 1200 to 1600 calories a day to be effective in proper weight loss. This calorie range for men is also suitable for women who weigh 165 pounds or more or who exercise routinely.

These calorie levels are a guide and may need to be adjusted. If you eat 1,600 calories a day but don’t lose weight, then you may want to cut back to 1,200 calories. If you’re hungry on either diet, then you may want to add 100 to 200 calories a day.

Low-calorie diets with less than 800 calories a day shouldn’t be used unless your doctor is monitoring your progress. However for overweight children and teens, it’s important to sluggish the rates of weight gain. Nonetheless reduced-calorie diets aren’t advised unless advised by a health care provider.

Overweight and Obesity – Healthy Eating Plan

A healthy eating plan supplies your body with the essential nutrients it needs every day ensuring enough calories for good health, but not so many that may cause weight gain.

A healthy eating plan is low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugar. Following a healthy eating plan will lower your risk for heart disease and other conditions.

Healthy foods include:

Fat-free and low-fat dairy products, such as low-fat yogurt, cheese, and milk.
Protein foods like lean meat, fish, and poultry without skin, beans, and peas.
Whole-grain foods, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice. Other grain foods include pasta, cereal, bagels, bread, tortillas, couscous, and crackers.
Fruits, which can be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried.
Vegetables, which can be fresh, canned (without salt), frozen, or dried.

Canola and olive oils, soft margarines made from these oils, are heart healthy. However they should be used in smaller units because they’re rich in calories.

You also consider adding unsalted nuts, like walnuts and almonds in your diet provided that you limit the amount you eat (nuts also are high in calories).

Overweight and Obesity – Foods to limit

Foods that are high in saturated and trans fats and cholesterol raises blood cholesterol levels and also may be rich in calories. Fats and cholesterol raise your risk for heart disease, so they should be limited, saturated fat is found mainly in:

Fatty cuts of meat, such as ground beef, sausage, and processed meats like bologna, hot dogs, and deli meats.
Poultry meat without the skin
High-fat dairy products like whole-milk cheeses, whole milk, cream, butter, and ice cream
Lard, coconut, and palm oils, which are found in many processed foods

Trans fat is found mainly in:

Foods with partly hydrogenated oils like many hard margarines and shortening
Baked products and snack foods like crackers, cookies, doughnuts, and breads
Foods fried in hydrogenated shortening like French fries and chicken

Cholesterol mainly is found in:

Egg yolks
Organ meats like the liver
Whole milk or whole-milk products like butter, cream, and cheese

Avoiding foods and drinks containing added sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup, is very necessary. Added sugars will give you extra calories without nutrients like vitamins and minerals. They (added sugars) are found in many desserts, canned fruit packed in syrup, fruit drinks, and no diet drinks.

Overweight and Obesity – Portion size

A portion is the quantity of food you choose to eat for a meal or snack. It’s different from a serving, which is a measured amount of food and is noted on the Nutrition Facts label on food packages.

Anyone who has eaten out lately is likely to notice how big the portions are. Reducing on the portion size is a good way to eat fewer calories and balance your energy IN.

Finally what you eat and how you eat can be the cause of your weight problem and this could be complicated if you don’t know that the food you eat is really the reasons for your problem and so doctor Akoury who is the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is committed to helping people globally in all matters of weight gain and obesity in the most natural way and putting emphasis on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Overweight and Obesity – Treatment Available

Pregnancy and obesity

July 15, 2014

Pregnancy and obesity-The risks involved

Don’t let obesity or weight gain ruin your joy of motherhood. Seek help from obesity expert when pregnant and enjoy motherhood.

Weight is a very significant component in human life because there is the recommended weight considered to be healthy. If ones weight is not within the break even line then such individual has a medical problem and should seek medical attention immediately. Our mothers when pregnant will always add some weight due to the unborn baby growing inside their wombs. This is what I will call necessary weight gain because there is a baby involve, in fact the additional weight should be that of the unborn baby but if this goes beyond the recommended higher limit then there is a problem. This is the problem we want to discuss to give some insight on how to cope and respond when you find yourself in similar situation as a woman. Dear reader I do not intend to address women only but it is equally important for men to be equipped with this information to give a helping hand in the family if faced with the problem of weight gain during pregnancy.

Therefore being over-weight or obese during pregnancy may have health complications to the mother and to the unborn baby’s development in the womb and even on delivery and after delivery. Because of the magnitude involved it is important that we get to know the health complications arising out of weight gain and how to positively respond to them during and after pregnancy. For a start it is important that you are aware of what may be considered to be obese

What’s considered obese?

First of all what is obesity? It is a condition where the body accumulates too much fat that the body does not need. This is normally determined by a formula based on ones height and weight also known as body mass index (BMI). Below is a guide on what is considered normal or a pointer to obese.

Body Mass Index Weight status

a) Below 18.5 Underweight

b) 18.5 – 24.9 Normal

c) 25 – 29.9 Overweight

d) 30 – 39.9 Obese

e) 40 and above Extreme obesity

Could obesity affect my ability to get pregnant?

This condition can harm a woman’s fertility by preventing normal ovulation thereby necessitating the use of vitro fertilization (IVF) to complete the process. IVF is a common practice in which the sperm fertilizes the egg outside the body and doctors implant it into the woman’s uterus in hopes of a successful pregnancy. Answering the question being obese can affect pregnancy and as a woman’s BMI rises, so does the risk of unsuccessful IVF.

Effects of obesity during pregnancy

It is only healthy that pregnant women watch out their weight closely as possible to avoid being obese because obesity increases pregnancy complications risk greatly. Some of these risks may include:

Gestational diabetes – obese women stand great chance of suffering from diabetes that develops in the course of pregnancy which is commonly known as gestational diabetes than those with normal weight.
Preeclampsia – obese women has increased risk of developing high blood pressure and protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy (preeclampsia).
Infection – obese women has increased risk of urinary tract infections. Obesity also increases the risk of postpartum infection, whether the baby is delivered normally or by C-section.
Thrombosis – obese women has increased risk of a serious condition in which a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel (thrombosis).
Overdue pregnancy – obesity increases the risk of prolonged pregnancy wand goes beyond the expected due date.
Labor problems – labor induction is more common with obese women. This may also inhibit the use of certain types of pain medication like an epidural block.
C-section – obesity during pregnancy increases the likelihood of elective and emergency C-sections. It also increases the risk of C-section complications like delayed healing and wound infections. Women who are obese are also less likely to have a successful vaginal delivery after a C-section (VBAC).
Pregnancy loss – obesity increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

Effects of obesity to the unborn child

There are various health complications to the unborn baby when the mother is suffering from obesity, these may include:

Macrosomia – obese women has high potential of bringing forth babies who are who are obese are at increased risk of delivering an infant who is considerably larger than average (Macrosomia) and has more body fat than normal. Studies have established that as birth weight increases, so does the risk of childhood obesity.
Chronic conditions – being obese during pregnancy might subject your baby to the danger of developing heart disease or diabetes as they grow up into being adult.

The recommended weight gain during pregnancy

This is not possible expressly as each individual would gain differently depending on their health BMI, pre-pregnancy weight, their health and that of their unborn children. It is therefore important that pregnant mothers consult regularly with their health care provider to give direction on what’s best in each case and also to consistently monitor their weight though out the pregnancy period. You may want to consider the following general guidelines for pregnancy weight gain and obesity:

Single pregnancy – if you’re obese and carrying one baby, the recommended weight gain should be about 11-20 pounds that is approximately 5 to 9 kilograms.
Multiple pregnancies – if you’re obese and carrying twins or multiples, the recommended weight gain should be about 25-42 pounds which is approximately 11-19 kilograms.

In conclusion obesity is a medical condition and being obese during pregnancy may increase the risk of health complications for both of you (the mother and the baby). To reduce your nervousness, you will need to work very closely with your health care provider who will help you avoid excessive weight gain, manage any medical conditions, and monitor your baby’s growth and development. Talking of health care provider it is necessary that you seek for the experts and not just anybody for that matter. It is your life and that of the unborn child we are talking about here and that is why doctor Dalal Akoury founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center to help you get the assurance of good health even when you are obese. Under the care of Doctor Akoury your condition will be turn around into great joy by administering treatment while focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) ensuring total reinstatement of normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Pregnancy and obesity-The risks involved

Obesity and Gender difference

April 10, 2014

Obesity and Gender difference-Do we have equality in this?

the issue of obesity cuts across all gender men and women suffer victims and must start healthy living

Many people think that there is a dramatic difference in how obesity affects men and women. The truth is, we have more in common than not, but some notable differences do exist.

The emotional and physical struggles are pervasive and attack a man’s self-esteem and social status in many of the same ways as women. It may be that the misconception about these differences applies to more overweight individuals.

It may well be that men are less sensitive to being overweight or on the leading edge of obesity as they are often considered to just be the “big guy,” and it is less socially acceptable for women to be even moderately overweight.

Men who are overweight are sometimes perceived as being stronger and the guy you ask over to help on moving day. There is however the point of no return where the “big guy” is just the “fat guy.” He is no longer seen as the helpful or strong guy but the one that can’t be physically active and would only hurt him on moving day.

Obesity and Gender difference-Eating Habits and Gender

It has been documented that there are gender differences in eating habits. Specifically, a study conducted by Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) found that men tend to eat more meat (particularly red meat) and poultry and women were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the sexes find comfort in food, but approach this aspect of food in very different ways.

Experts in a study conducted in 2005 Journal Physiology & Behavior (Vol. 86, No. 4) found that men were more likely to use food in celebration, and they will seek out higher protein foods such as steak. Whereas, women use comfort foods to cope with negative experiences and choose higher calorie sweet snack foods such as chocolate or ice cream.

The stereotype of the man going out for a big steak dinner to celebrate a promotion at work and the woman drowning her sorrows for the lost relationship in a half gallon of ice cream actually have scientific merit.

That is not to say that men do not also deal with negative emotions with food as women do, but that times of celebration are also times of risk for poor eating decisions. It is in these celebratory activities ware men seem to be more unique and choose to feed themselves in discriminatively to crown the event. In so doing they lose track of their diet and gain more pounds

The part where men get lost is that coping occurs not just with negative emotions, but with even the positive ones. We often think about our bad decisions and negative coping, but men are more apt to throw caution to the wind in the efforts of celebration.

Obesity and Gender difference-Weight Gain and Gender

These differences may well play into how men and women deal with weight gain. There has been a distinct appeal to low carbohydrate approaches to men as they get to keep some of their favorite celebratory foods and are not resigned to salads and raw vegetables. Whereas women may be more likely to struggle with such approaches; or the recommended “protein first” approach to the post-operative diet plans.

Men differ greatly in how they deal with their vanity. Don’t fool yourself – even the manliest of men can be vain. Whether it is coloring our gray or replacing our missing hairs, we want our youthful masculine appearance. Weight issues are no exception.

Men long for the six pack abs and gun show arms which will elude most of us. Some of us struggled with weight issues early in our childhood. The early experience left us scared of ridicule and social exclusion. Others mourn the loss of their physical abilities and looks with the addition of weight later in life.

Obesity and Gender difference-Male Weight Issues

I have been leading aftercare support groups as part of my work. When starting my work there, we developed a men’s-only group, as men were often the minority in the existing support groups. It appeared as though the men wanted such a venue as they felt that there were significant differences in their experiences from women who had undergone gastric weight-loss surgeries.

The reality was that their experiences were not as different, but the issues that they wanted to work through were often not appropriate for the coed setting. It seems the weight kept the men from feeling as sexual and that many had given up on themselves. Their comfort in being out of any relationship or taking their relationship for granted had caught up with them.

Yes, I am letting the secret out that men are often more motivated to stay healthy to attract the opposite sex, but irony rears its ugly head. With increased weight comes decreased sex drive, not to mention decreased attractiveness.

Reduced sex drive is a prominent theme of the men’s groups; with this comes isolation. Later with their weight-loss well underway they are equally surprised by the return of sex drive and the confusion now how to handle this. With fragile self-esteem damaged by weight and years of social isolation, this sex drive is often an unwelcome surprise.

Obesity and Gender difference-Conclusion

In conclusion, men struggle emotionally, socially and physically with obesity just as women do, but there may be subtle differences in how that weight evolves and how they deal with the need to reduce the weight. Celebration, isolation, sexuality and self-esteem all can be obstacles as well as incentives to men in their weight-loss efforts. A better insight into the individual’s reasons for eating and the consequences of their weight will lead to better weight-loss efforts and increased self-esteem. Looking at the struggle both gender go through, I want to offer a solution which will be long lasting. If you are struggling with weight gain or obesity no matter gender, a visit to AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s is all you need. At this facility you will be cared for. Doctor Dalal Akoury will focus only on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE and you will live your life to the fullest.

Obesity and Gender difference-Do we have equality in this?

Tag Archives: Overweight