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Wynonna Judd Uses Alli Diet Pills - Should You?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:30:00 -0800

Wynonna Judd has been struggling with her weight both in and out of the public eye. In 2003, she opened up to Oprah about how her cholesterol levels were putting her at risk for a heart attack, and three years later, she checked into a treatment center for food addiction. Wynonna will be turning 45 in May, and she recently opened up to People magazine about the changes she's making to become more healthy.

Wynonna is planning ahead for meals, cooking more at home, and taking walks with her children. She is also taking Alli over-the-counter diet pills to lose weight, and is even a spokesperson for the diet aid. These pills act as a fat blocker, preventing your body from absorbing a quarter of the fat you consume. To find out more about Alli and see if it's effective at losing weight, read more.

Let me begin with the cautions found directly on the Alli website. It says that Alli can cause:

gas with oily spotting
loose stools
more frequent stools that may be hard to control

It also says that "You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work." Yikes! The website also says that if by dieting alone, you lose 10 pounds, you could lose up to 15 pounds if you diet and take Alli. Is five more pounds really worth it if it puts you at risk for repeatedly soiling your pants? I'd say no on that one. Not only that, but what happens when people use Alli, lose weight, and then go off those pills? They probably gain all the weight back.

If you're trying to lose weight for good, I'd avoid the diet pills. Eat a healthy diet with appropriate portion sizes, and exercise regularly. Not only will you melt away pounds and strengthen your body, but you'll become healthier, reduce your risk for heart problems and cancer, and will no doubt improve your quality and length of life.

In case you were curious, here's a commercial for Alli featuring Wynonna.

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Want to Lose Weight? Know the Facts?

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:30:00 -0800

If 2009 is your year to lose weight, then you need to know a few facts in order to make that happen. Earlier this month we reviewed weight loss facts, but there are a few more things I want to make sure we all understand about dieting. Take this quiz to see if you know your weight loss facts.

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Lose Belly Fat With Intervals

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0800

While focusing on crunches will definitely strengthen your abs, it unfortunately won't dissolve the tire or muffin top around your waist. To get rid of ab flab, you've got to include gut-wrenching, calorie-burning cardio regularly in your routine. And not just any kind of cardio - you need interval training. Alternating between moderate and speedy bursts is the key. How do I know?

A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity revealed that "women who alternated cycling as fast as possible for 8 seconds with 12-second rest periods repeated for 20 minutes dropped 9.5 percent of their mushy middles, whereas those who cycled steadily for 40 minutes gained."

If you need some interval training ideas to beat the bulge read more.

You can do intervals with virtually any type of activity. Here are some ways to do it:

Use visual goals. Run or bike at a moderate pace, and then look ahead and sprint to the mailbox that's 50 feet away, or up the hill, or to the end of the street. Once you reach your goal, reduce back to your moderate speed. After your breathing returns to normal, choose another goal to race to.
Use time. Watch the clock and move moderately for five minutes and then zoom as fast as you can for one minute. Repeat this pattern for at least 30 minutes.
Use music. Make an interval playlist, alternating between fast-paced peppy tunes, and slower, chill tunes. Walk, run, or dance to the beat. Here are some of my playlists for intervals.
Use a FitSugar interval workout. I always find it is easier to follow a cardio routine and intervals are no exception. I have made many interval workouts, from treadmill to swimming, from stationary bike to elliptical.

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Dieter's Delight: Jean Insurance

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0700

So you're on a diet and exercise plan, with the goal of losing weight. As you begin to melt those pounds away, you realize that your clothes are feeling baggier. You know you could use some new outfits, but you don't want to buy a bunch of things that are just going to be too big again in a matter of time. That's where jean insurance comes in.

The company is called Lose and Win Free Jeans and here's how it works. You go out and buy a new pair of jeans. You send your receipt and 30 percent of the cost of your new denim to Bertie Ranger, the president of the company. After you spend some time eating right and exercising regularly, you're bound to need a smaller size. So you mail your jeans back to the pres., and she'll send you the full amount of what you originally paid for them. Then you can go out and buy a second pair of jeans. If you want, you can insure those, too.

It's a clever concept, huh? Now I bet you wish you thought of it first. Tell me, do you think you'd ever buy jean insurance?

Healthy Eating Tip: Pick a Time to Stop Eating

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:30:00 -0800

When you're home from work and you've finished dinner, it's easy to crave a late night snack, especially if you're watching TV or staying up late to get some work done. You can end up eating mindlessly and consume an extra 200 calories even though you weren't really hungry.

If you're trying to lose weight or maintain the weight you have, it's best to stop eating about two or three hours before you go to bed just to avoid those extra, unnecessary calories. Since bedtimes are often sporadic, I like to choose a "stop eating time." Mine is 8 p.m. That gives me enough time to exercise after work, make dinner and eat my meal. I have a satisfying meal so that by the time I go to bed, I don't feel hungry and I don't feel stuffed either. It also gives my body a chance to digest, so that I don't end up with indigestion from laying down right after eating. So what is your "stop eating time"? Tell me in the comments section below.

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Speak Up: Has a Doctor Ever Told You to Lose Weight?

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:00:00 -0800

This summer it was reported that 66 percent of US adults are overweight, but only 12 percent say that they've ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional that they are obese. I feel like this is a really touchy subject. I mean nobody wants to admit that they need to lose a few pounds, and it would be even worse to hear it from somebody else.

So I was wondering, has a doctor ever told you to lose weight? Do they have the right to tell you that because it's for your health, or do you think it's totally out of line and rude?

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Fittingly Mad: "You Lost Weight-You Look So Good."

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0700

I have a friend from high school who was always on the heavier side. She wasn't extremely overweight, but she wasn't a skinny-minny either. For the past year, she's been working really hard, eating healthier, and getting in shape, and she's lost a lot of weight.

Last weekend we went to a mutual high school friend's engagement party, and when we got there, all I could hear was, "Oh you lost weight-you look so good." Of course, it made her feel ecstatic to have all those compliments and attention, but it really pissed me off.

Want to know why? Then read more

I know my friends meant well, but what kind of message is that? Losing weight and being thin equals looking good? So does that mean if you gain weight or you're overweight, then you don't look good? Why does there have to be so much emphasis on how we look and on being thin?

We all know keeping your weight down and exercising makes us healthy, but for most of us, that's not the main reason we diet and work our butts off. As women, we are bombarded with magazines, movies, and what we see on TV that tells us "thin equals beautiful," and we are so brainwashed that we even send that message to our fellow female friends.

Women need to support each other, and recognize the beauty that comes from within. We need to make an effort to send out a more positive message. Instead of focusing on weight and appearance, we can say things like, "You lost weight-you look really strong," or "You lost weight-you must have so much energy now." I agree that it's important to acknowledge the hard work a woman has done to get fit, but we need to encourage that kind of healthy lifestyle for the right reasons, and not just because it makes us look good.

Teenage Girls Smoke to Lose Weight

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Every time I see a teen smoking, it alarms me. I always wonder if they have heard the news that smoking is not cool, is bad for your health, and can in fact kill you.

I was even more alarmed to read that new research has found that girls are starting to smoke in the hope of losing weight. The theory is that smoking distracts people from eating and helps curb appetites, and it's possible that the increase in teenage girls smoking is linked to high obesity rates so girls are turning to tobacco to lose weight.

Yet, another reason I despise those Camel No. 9 cigarettes, since they are marketed towards exactly those young girls and being advertised in magazines they read. It's sad that big tobacco still preys on the young ladies they already have a lot to deal with growing up as it is.

Since the media is clearly not going to help, we need to teach them ourselves. So if you have a teenage daughter yourself, talk to her about her weight issues. Let her know that smoking is not the way to lose a few extra pounds, and explain to her the importance of eating healthy and exercising.

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You Asked: How Can I Lose Weight Before My Wedding?

DearSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar--

I recently was given the opportunity to explore other career options and have had lots of free time to focus on my fitness and nutrition. I've gotten really into it and set a goal of losing 15 pounds before my wedding date in November. I am 5'4" and when I started my routine/eating change I was 136. I'm down to 131, I work out six days a week...hiking, spinning, running, weight lifting, Pilates and yoga. Plus I'm keeping track of what I am eating. I eat six times a day small meals, lots of fruit, protein and veggies.

I use the website www.sparkpeople.com to track my eating and my workouts. The site gives me a caloric breakdown. According to the BMR I burn 1380 calories without doing any physical activity, so I've been burning an additional 500-800 calories a day plus only eating between 800-1200 calories. Why am I not losing weight??? I'm starting to get frustrated especially since I feel like I'm working really hard. Any
suggestions?

--Frustrated Bride-To-Be

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Dear Frustrated Bride-To-Be--

This is a question I'm sure many women can relate to - how to lose weight in a healthy way. First of all let me say that you should be proud of yourself for starting this plan and sticking to it. You've lost 5 lbs already, and that's awesome.

I'm sorry to say that losing weight is hard work, and it's a long journey. Since you are at a pretty healthy weight already, losing those extra 10 lbs is going to be a slow process. In order to lose 1 lb a week (which is a healthy goal), you need to either burn or omit 500 calories from your diet per day. A good way to do that is to burn 250 calories through exercise, and ditch 250 calories from your diet. You don't want to shock your body and drop your caloric intake dramatically though, because your body won't burn fat, it'll hold onto it. You must consume at least 1200 calories a day so your body doesn't think there's a food famine.

Another great tip is to stop eating 2 hours before you go to bed. It'll give your body a chance to digest, and then when morning comes, you'll be hungry for breakfast. Don't skip this important meal since it can help jump start your metabolism.

I see that you are doing a wide range of exercise, but you may want to stick to focusing on heart-pumping cardio. Jog, ride a bike or do the elliptical at the gym for 20-30 every day, and you'll tone up and burn calories. Another thing you should remember is that if you are building muscle with exercising, you'll be losing inches and not necessarily losing weight. Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, but it is denser so it takes up less room. That means when you step on the scale, it may not reflect all your hard work. Look in the mirror though, I'm sure you're bound to notice a difference.

Getting married can be both an exciting and stressful time. Just keep taking good care of yourself, get enough sleep each night, continue eating healthy and exercising, and by November I'm sure you'll look toned and feel strong, confident, and beautiful on your special day.

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Skipping Meals Won't Help You Lose Weight

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:30:00 -0700

If you want to lose weight, it's simple math - to lose one pound a week, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. That's about 500 calories a day that you need to either cut out or burn with exercise. Let me say this out loud: Skipping meals doesn't count.

If you skip let's say Breakfast, or decrease your calories significantly (to less than 1000 calories a day), you're not helping your body lose weight. You're actually decreasing the rate of your metabolism. You go into "starvation mode" where the body tries to compensate for the low calories. Your metabolic rate can actually decrease as much as 10-15%, and your body will hold onto the fat and burn lean muscle instead.

Skipping a meal also makes you really hungry, so when you do go to eat your next meal, you'll probably end up overeating, which also won't help you lose weight. Try to reduce your daily caloric intake by 250 calories and burn the other 250 calories by working out. Try passing on that extra slice of pizza at lunchtime, and take a walk.

Fit's Tips: Don't let yourself go hungry. Eat throughout the day, making sure to eat 3 meals a day, and include small, healthy snacks in between.

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