Pistachio Principle

I've taken this health article by Margaret Furtado from Yahoo. I'm simply intrigued on what "Pistachio Principle." really is.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/weightloss/6373/the-quotpistachio-principlequot-of-weight-loss/

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James Painter, PhD, RD, has come up with a new, non-dieting approach to weight loss that he calls the "Pistachio Principle." He says his experiments have shown that people can consume fewer calories without consciously restricting themselves, and yet finish a meal feeling as satisfied and full as does the average American who consumes more calories.

Long-term failure of diets

As justification for the new direction he is taking, he cites the fact that all forms of dieting, including the Pritikin Principle®, the Atkins Diet®, and Weight Watchers®, have yielded poor long-term weight-loss results, and he points to rebound eating in response to feelings of deprivation as one probable reason for their failure.

To address weight issues from another direction, Painter, a professor and chair of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University, advocates a behavioral and environmental approach that he's developed.

How, you ask, can you have calorie reduction without a feeling of restriction or deprivation?

Why increase those feelings of deprivation?

According to Painter, Americans over the past decades haven't consciously set out to increase the amounts of fat, carbohydrates, or calories they eat--there's no grand plan afoot to gain lots of weight. And so, he questions why we would do an about-face and consciously restrict extra calories, thereby igniting feelings of deprivation.

In one of Painter's behavioral studies, subjects self-selected helpings of either shelled pistachios or those still in their shells. Since pistachios in shells take more effort and time to eat, the actual calories these subjects consumed were 50 percent less than those eaten by the shelled-nut group. And the upshot was, both groups felt equally satisfied with their portions, and equally full.

How you might put the Pistachio Principle to the test:

    * Instead of drinking juices, where calories are quickly consumed, eat fresh fruit instead--a whole orange or tangerine, for example, eaten slowly and section-by-section after peeling it, takes longer to consume and has fiber you don't find in the juice.
    * If you have a hankering for peanuts, go with shelled vs. unshelled.
    * Try cutting up fresh fruits and veggies into much smaller pieces than you normally would and see how slowly you can eat them.

The bottom line is that it takes your brain 20 minutes to get the signal that you're full. The Pistachio Principle may slow your eating down to the point where you can feel that the stomach is full before you tuck into that second helping.  

Food that Speed Up your Metabolism

What is Metabolism? It is the process were carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the food you eat breaks down to make the energy your body needs build-up and maintain itself. Eat the right food, and expect a speedy metabolism. To rate it, the food that you eat makes up 5 to 10 percent of your metabolic rate.

Foods that speed up your metabolism are vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, fish, healthy fats and whole grains. Look for these vegetables when shopping: spinach, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, cabbage, beet roots, assorted beans and dark, leafy vegetables. Any types of fresh fruit is good for you, but try eating blueberries, melons, apples, citrus fruits and tomatoes. Skinless poultry and eggs are excellent sources of protein. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish boost your metabolism by burning up to 400 calories a day. The enzymes in your body that burn fat increase while those that store fat decrease. If you are not a fish eater, take omega 3 capsules that contain a minimum of 300 milligrams total of EPA and DHA. Eat healthy fats like nuts and peanut butter. Whole grains found in brown rice, cereal, barley and oats speed up your metabolism as well. Consume foods with B vitamins, magnesium and fiber to increase your metabolism.

As always, eat the right foods to speed up your metabolism and supplement your diet by incorporating other good habits. Drink plenty of water during the day. Six to eight glasses is a good goal. Exercise at least three times a week. Use free weights to help stimulate your metabolism by building muscle tone.

To Think Faster, Eat Salmon

I have posted earlier about eating blueberries for a long-term memory, and this time, we will sharpen our minds to think faster by eating salmon or mackerel.

Salmon or mackerel has omega-3 fatty acids found in its fatty sides and are a primary building block of brain tissue, this means, they’ll amp up your thinking power. Salmon is also rich in niacin, which can help ward off Alzheimer’s disease and slow the rate of cognitive decline.

However, be very careful of saturated fats, which can clog blood vessels and prevent the flow of nutrients and blood to the brain. Just remember, not all fats are created equal. And you might think that ice cream is one of those brainy foods? You’re wrong, better think again – fast!

1,000 Calories in one Sitting, Ouch

When my boss treats us in the office of this nice spread of pastries, bagels, muffins and hot coffee, how can we refuse the bait? I mean, it’s a pretty nice treat considering he’ll be out of town in time of his birthday, so, he just downed us 1,000 calories.

You grab a large bagel and smear a few tablespoons of cream cheese onto each half. You snag one of the whipped-cream-topped mocha drinks to wash it down. And to keep it healthy and balanced, you spoon out a small cup of fruit salad.

Here's how it adds up...
 
Bagel = 360 calories
Cream Cheese = 202 calories
Mocha Coffee Drink w/ Whipped Cream = 363 calories
Fruit Salad = 75 calories

It's not even lunchtime!

Non Surgical Facelifts

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Undergoing a surgical facelift might sound scary to some, including me (I don’t want anybody to live a mark on my skin), not until I know of about a non-surgical facelift way back. Non surgical face lifts requires only one treatment, and the result improves greatly over time.

I learned more about non-surgical procedure at nonsurgicalfacelifts.com.au, an informative site about facelift treatments and the like. If you are considering a dramatic change to your body, know more about the techniques and treatments used on how nonsurgicalfacelifts.com.au can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and other effects of aging.