The Health and Fitness Thread

[IrbiS]

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[daring dude]

 

[Dubious]

Funny stuff related to fitness

Julie Crothers
A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist.

But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?


Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.
At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.
We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.

 

[ghazi52]

1. 6 badnaam foods which are actually good for you
   
   By Munnazzah Raza
   
   
   
   
   
   
   KARACHI: It’s hard to be left off the hook when khalajaangrabs your arm at herdaawat and forces rice on your plate saying ‘tum kitni sukh gai ho, yeh khao, meinay biryani ispeshal tumharay liye banai hai.’ (You’ve lost so much weight, eat this, I’ve made this rice dish especially for you.)
   But before you can tell khalajaan that you don’t eat carbs, read this: carbs (essentially called carbohydrates) include starch (bread, pasta, rice, etc), fruits, non-starchy vegetables, milk and sweets. So technically you’re saying no to almost everything. According to Food Network, Healthand Eating Well, carb intake curbs your hunger by filling you up, this is why you feel like your meal was incomplete without them. But besides the obvious, carbs are known to speed up metabolism and control blood sugar because some of them contain resistant starch (a unique kind of fiber) which is beneficial to your body in numerous ways.
   Here’s a list of six foods which should be removed from the Wall of Shame and for good reason:
   1. Potatoes (Sweet & White)
   
   
   
   
   
   Although sweet potatoes are known as the healthier option to their white counterpart, they are hugely neglected in our part of the world. Health Cleveland Clinic states, “sweet potatoes provide 400% of your daily requirement of vitamin A.” They also pack a good amount of vitamin D & C along with magnesium and iron. These nutrient-loaded potatoes are a little leaner in shape than white potatoes and come in a variety of colours.
   White potatoes, on the contrary, get a bad rep for no reason, “White potatoes are actually very good for you,” says Christian Henderson, RD, a New York City-based nutritionist. “They’re a great source of potassium and vitamin C, and they have almost 4 grams of fiber with the skin on—15% of your recommended daily allowance.” It also contains three times less the amount of sugar (2 grams) compared to sweet potatoes (7 grams) and more protein (3 grams) than the sweet alternative (2 grams). Having said that, there’s not need to gorge on a bucket of fries and think that you’re being generous to your body. Boiled/ baked potatoes in olive oil are you best option to work with these foods.
   2. Cheese
   
   
   
   
   
   Isn’t it surprising that three of the world’s biggest cheese-consuming countries – France, Italy and Greece – have some of the lowest rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease in the Western world? But let’s be real here, these countries consume real, natural cheese, not the processed and packaged cheese which comes wrapped in plastic, so don’t be mistaken.
   If you’re cutting down on meat, cheese is your best alternative because it contains the right amount of amino acids your body can absorb.
   And don’t be fettered by the high fat content, it’s natural and the recommended fat that your body requires. The lactose in the cheese is healthy sugar that should be included in your daily diet. According toWoman’s Day, Nourit Houminer, RD, a New York City–based nutrition consultant, suggests eating cheese with one meal a day, whether it’s sprinkled on a salad, sliced and layered on a sandwich or cut right from the block.
   3. Peanut Butter
   
   
   
   
   
   No, this does not warrant 2 jars of Jiff in your grocery bag. Although this food item is loaded with calories and fat, however it contains hunger-satisfying protein, one spoon of which should suffice for a craving and fat which is entirely healthy. Eating Well claims that, “peanut butter provides protein and folate, a B vitamin important for the healthy development of new cells.” However, keep in mind that this is not the processed peanut butter loaded with hydrogenated fats and stripped of all nutrients, we’re talking about the natural peanut butter made from raw peanuts.
   While you can use peanut butter as a dip with healthy fruits, you can also lather it on whole wheat bread and drizzle it with honey on top. You can make the extra effort and make your own peanut butter at home by using a blender and adding some salt, oil and a little bit of sweetener to the peanut blend.
   4. Bananas
   One of the natural sweeteners in food, bananas have been shunned for their high calories and sugar content. Little do you know that bananas aid digestion since they contain high amounts of fiber which assist in normalizing bowel mobility, furthermore, Food Matters states, “Eating bananas helps prevent kidney cancer, protects the eyes against macular degeneration and builds strong bones by increasing calcium absorption.” It is also a good source of vitamin B6, manganese, potassium, and fiber.
   Whenever you need to rush to work just grab two bananas and a glass of milk, the nutrients in the bananas are enough to power you till lunch, they are packed with energy for one whole meal.
   5. Popcorn
   
   
   
   
   
   YES! You can finally eat these suckers without the guilt trip. However, be warned, by popcorn we do not mean the popcorn at Neuplex or Atrium, steer clear of commercial popcorn which come in packets or are at cinemas. This is the healthy wholegrain popcorn made the old fashioned way: on a stovetop or with a popcorn maker, dry popped in hot air with no oils, fats or sugars added to it.
   A study conducted by Scranton University states, “A single portion of popcorn contains more antioxidants than all the fruit and veg most people eat in a day.” Whole grain kernels, not the microwaveable variety. Would you believe that popcorn contains more iron than eggs and spinach? Plus, it’s a light snack for all weight watchers, one cup of air popped popcorn contains only 31 calories. You can munch away while watching a movie with friends and load up on essential nutrients.
   According to Life Hack, “Popcorn also has a large amount of vitamins; folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamins B, A, E, and K, as well as being a source of iron, potassium, zinc, and polyphenols which contain the antioxidants to fight off cancers and cardiovascular health problems.” Do you really need more reasons to be convinced?
   6. Nuts
   
   
   
   
   
   They’re full of fats! But heart-healthy and good fats that are required by your body. Try not to go overboard though, when consumed in excess, these crunchy goods can lead you towards weight gain. However, nutritionists consider nuts to be a “superfood” because they reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and are packed with various vitamins like B, E, iron, zinc and selenium.
   Make a trail mix and take it to work or school, an easy way to incorporate healthy nutrients in the day. “Pistachios are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help keep eyes healthy.
   Almonds provide vitamin E and walnuts offer significant amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fats,” claims Eating Well.
   Always keep in mind that moderation is key, if you are eliminating white carbohydrates from your diet and only eating protein, it can also have an adverse effect on your body. “The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 gram per kilogram of bodyweight per day. That translates to roughly 0.4 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight for men and women ages 19—70,” as stated by Muscle and Fitness. So try and balance your food intake and always make portion sizes so that you do not overeat.

 

[Dubious]

Chocolate cake breakfast could help you lose weight

Eating chocolate cake as part of a full breakfast can help you lose weight, say scientists.

A meal in the morning provides energy for the day's tasks, aids in brain functioning and kick-starts the body's metabolism, making it crucial for weight loss and maintenance Photo: ALAMY


2:10PM GMT 08 Feb 2012


It sounds too good to be true but new research says having dessert - along with the traditional fry up - burns off the pounds.

Morning is the best time to consume sweets because that's when the body's metabolism is most active - and we have the rest of the day to work off the calories, a new study shows.

Eating cookies or chocolate as part of breakfast that includes proteins and carbs also helps stem the craving for sweets later.

Researchers split 193 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults into two groups who consumed either a low-carb diet that included a 300-calorie breakfast or a balanced 600-calorie breakfast that included a chocolate cake dessert.

Halfway through the 32-week study both groups had lost an average of 33 lbs per person. But in the second half of the study the low-carb group regained an average of 22 lbs per person - while the dessert gorgers lost another 15 lbs each.

At the end those who had consumed a 600 calorie breakfast had lost an average of 40 lbs more per person than their peers.

Although both groups consumed the same daily total calories - the men 1600 calories per day and the women 1400 - "the participants in the low-carbohydrate diet group had less satisfaction and felt that they were not full," said Professor Daniela Jakubowicz.

Their cravings for sugars and carbohydrates were more intense and eventually caused them to cheat on the diet plan.

This also suggests that the dessert group will be more successful at keeping the weight off, said the researchers whose findings are published in journal Steroids.

Prof Jakubowicz said: "But the group that consumed a bigger breakfast, including dessert, experienced few if any cravings for these foods later in the day."

Prof Jakubowicz, of Tel Aviv University, said attempting to avoid sweets entirely can create a psychological addiction to these same foods in the long-term.

A meal in the morning provides energy for the day's tasks, aids in brain functioning and kick-starts the body's metabolism, making it crucial for weight loss and maintenance.

And breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger, said Prof Jakubowicz.

While the level of ghrelin rises before every meal, it is suppressed most effectively at breakfast time.

Basing their study on this fact, the researchers hoped to determine whether meal time and composition impacted weight loss in the short and long term, said Prof Jakubowicz, or if it was a simple matter of calorie count.

She said one of the biggest challenges that people face is keeping weight off in the long-term. Ingesting a higher proportion of our daily calories at breakfast makes sense.

It's not only good for body function but it also alleviates cravings. Highly restrictive diets that forbid desserts and carbohydrates are initially effective but often cause dieters to stray from their food plans as a result of withdrawal-like symptoms. They wind up regaining much of the weight they lost during the diet proper.

Ultimately this shows a diet must be realistic to be adopted as part of a new lifestyle. Curbing cravings is better than deprivation for weight loss success, said Prof Jakubowicz.

@Armstrong @Manticore @Marshmallow @Horus

I knew I was missing something in my diet - Chocolate cake! No wonder prophet had dates in morning....And also why Sahri is encouraged

Chocolate cake breakfast could help you lose weight - Telegraph

 

[Aepsilons]

i would have thought 85 kg was a good place to turn that weight into lean muscle.

I just started taking whey protein , definitely need to up my protein intake daily. But man, hardest part to build is the arms. I don't know how guys like @MarkusS do it.

 

[ziaulislam]

I am doctor and have some general tips on diet and screening

1. first its simple the more calories you take the more you weigh
2. exercise is very important for health but its effect on weigh is unfortunately minimum, the very reason why some people are fat even if they jog around all day, other are thin with sedentary life. however, as said before exercise is very important, so you might see a thin guy having an MI(heart attack) with sedentary life vs a fat guy who excessive excercise not having it
3. you can eat anything if you are thin but you should avoid foods like thikas cooked on charcoal and too much aachar for fear of cancer, check your lipid profile once a year after age of 50 and do it atleast once when you are 30 to screen any lipid diseases
4. if you fat than you should cut some high calorie foods like, fruit juices, sugar, potataos, too much oil/ghee and sweats.
5. unlike common perception eggs are not good after age of 35, talking about the yellow portion actually because the amount of cholestrol is too much in it. however, if you have a good level of cholesterol you might take it on alternate days your diet should contain high fiber diet, in western countries the fiber quantity is very low and thus cancer screening is very important at age 50 (colonoscopy). there are no studies in Pakistan to determine an age but you should consider it at this age
6. pap smear is very simple 2 minute test not common in Pakistan the very reason we have one of the highest rates of cervical cancers in the world. its recommended every 2-3 years
7. smoking and sheesha are most common cause of bladder cancer and lung cancer in pakistan, surprisingly things like "naswaar" are less harmful than smoking. e cigrates are less harmful but there is chance to get addicted to real thing
8. breast cancer is relatively high probably due to the fact that breast screening is non existent in Pakistan. self examination has proven to be of no value in large scale studies so its recommended to have a mammogram every 2-3 years after age 40 but as relaxation its can be started at age 50.

there is also an unfortunate amount of importance given to vitamins when it is only important in malnourished people, young females, pregnant females, older feamles (ca/vit d) or people with abnormal diets like exclusive vegetarians or meat eaters

the self prescribed vitamins usually end up in toilets or may cause toxicity as it found in some patients taking vitamin a and D

 

[WAJsal]

I am doctor and have some general tips on diet and screening

Doc , i need your help . Do reply .

 

[ziaulislam]

Doc , i need your help . Do reply .

i am free these days .
an additonal tip for those have parents/grand parents above 65. It is very very important to get them immunized with pneumococcal vaccine. if possible with yearly influenza vaccine. as Pneumonia is the leading cause of death/hospitalization in pakistan after MI and stroke. Problem is that it presents with minimum symptoms until its too late

 

[WAJsal]

i am free these days .
an additonal tip for those have parents/grand parents above 65. It is very very important to get them immunized with pneumococcal vaccine. if possible with yearly influenza vaccine. as Pneumonia is the leading cause of death/hospitalization in pakistan after MI and stroke. Problem is that it presents with minimum symptoms until its too late

It's just that i am having troubles eating anything . See , my taste buds have become somewhat very sensitive to heat and hot things . Really bothering me . What to do ?

 

[ziaulislam]

It's just that i am having troubles eating anything . See , my taste buds have become somewhat very sensitive to heat and hot things . Really bothering me . What to do ?

unless i can get more details and do examination i cant say anything.This is fairly common but usually it goes ways itself as most of the time the cause is temp. I dont think its anything serious but it could be one of the following

1. a simple case of reflux especially if you have change in taste or saltish taste
2. a side effect of herbal or medication say for example flagyl and many other medications can do so
3. an allergic condition especially if you have skin related issue too
4. a benign plaque
5. a co symptom of dyspepsia, that is if you have any GI symptoms
6. if you have chronic disease (some autoimmune diseases) some of them can cause it
7. oral dentures or bad teeth irritation, chronic gum issues? and rarely a vitamin deficiency

it can be something else but 90% of time it will be one of the above . but i cant say anything unless i have more details. Better visit a GI specialist first followed by skin one but its very unlikely to be something dangerous or of concern

 

[WAJsal]

unless i can get more details and do examination i cant say anything.This is fairly common but usually it goes ways itself as most of the time the cause is temp. I dont think its anything serious but it could be one of the following

1. a simple case of reflux especially if you have change in taste or saltish taste
2. a side effect of herbal or medication say for example flagyl and many other medications can do so
3. an allergic condition especially if you have skin related issue too
4. a benign plaque
5. a co symptom of dyspepsia, that is if you have any GI symptoms
6. if you have chronic disease (some autoimmune diseases) some of them can cause it
7. oral dentures or bad teeth irritation, chronic gum issues? and rarely a vitamin deficiency

it can be something else but 90% of time it will be one of the above . but i cant say anything unless i have more details. Better visit a GI specialist first followed by skin one but its very unlikely to be something dangerous or of concern

I think it has to do something with the fact that i have started brushing more frequently than usual and the toothpaste is to be blamed for it . Is this possible ? i have decided only to use toothpaste once a day . Hope it works . Just the other day i witnessed my tongue bleeding when i was brushing , hope it's nothing serious . Yes tongue bleeding .

 

[ziaulislam]

I think it has to do something with the fact that i have started brushing more frequently than usual and the toothpaste is to be blamed for it . Is this possible ? i have decided only to use toothpaste once a day . Hope it works . Just the other day i witnessed my tongue bleeding when i was brushing , hope it's nothing serious . Yes tongue bleeding .

yup pretty common with dentures, change in type of tooth brush or even tooth paste if you are allergic to the base or if its poor quality

 

[MarkusS]

I just started taking whey protein , definitely need to up my protein intake daily. But man, hardest part to build is the arms. I don't know how guys like @MarkusS do it.

Legs are much harder bro.