With nearly two-thirds of adult women in the United States overweight or obese, University of South Carolina researchers believe a factor in this may be that they are spending less time on housework. After tracking the activities of stay-at-home moms dating back to 1965, they found that on average, the amount of time women spent on domestic household chores fell from 25.7 hours a week in 1965 to 13.3 hours a week in 2010.

Assuming these women did the same amount of housework each day, women used to burn approximately 857 calories each day in the 1960′s and now they are burning 200 calories less a day.

It isn’t an issue of spending the majority of their time scrubbing the floors and vacuuming. It’s a question of the importance of regular physical activity as a significant factor in overall health and weight control.

Again, TV is a factor.  So is a computer. Time spent in front of a screen increased from 8.3 hours a week in 1965 to 16.5 hours a week in 2010. It was noted that because women have become less active, their children are now being born with more fat cells, producing more weight issues.

Go for a walk, go run, play sports, have more fun.  Let your husband sweep!

Here’s more…

“When fed a diet that induces obesity these mice don’t get fat,” said Prof. James McManaman, Ph.D., lead author of the study and vice-chairman of research for Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “It may be possible to duplicate this in humans using existing technology that targets this specific gene.”

Good news if you sell Oreos.

Human trails may be years away.  In the mean time, it’s important to stay focused on a healthy weight. Remember that  6 meals per day and keeping you insulin levels, level, will help keep you healthy until we reach Oreo Heaven.

Here’s more…

1. Most Important: EAT!
   Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eat between those meals. Six to seven meals per day will help control insulin levels. Dips in those insulin levels lead to hunger. Most of us eat six to seven meals per day anyway if you include the snacks between regular meals. Decrease the size of the regular meal (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and increase the size of the snacks. You’ll find that if you balance out the snacks and meals, your insulin levels will even out and you won’t be hungry. You will consume less calories throughout the day. Skipping meals can make you feel uncontrollably hungry and lead to over eating.

2. Avoid the Unhealthy
   If you can, avoid purchasing any unhealthy snacks. I love Oreos. I can rip through half a package very easily, but the rollercoaster effect on your insulin levels is costly in weight gain and energy levels. There are so many "good-for-you" snacks on the market today, that there is really no reason why you should stockpile ring-a-lings and "cheese flavored anything" from a bag. Start learning to read the back of the packages of foods. Check fat content. Check sugar content. Try different healthy snacks to find some you like.

3. Drink. A lot.
   Often we confuse hunger with thirst. Drink more fluids. The good (read as "healthy") kind. Larger volumes of water can help with weight loss and defer that hunger. When hungry, drink a glass of water first. You will then eat less. Avoid the flavored waters and soda pop. Way too much sugar. Beer is also high in carbohydrates and acts as a diuretic depleting your system of needed water.

4. Stay Busy
   Boredom leads to entertainment eating even when you are not hungry. This is why TV encourages snacking – you’re sitting there, you are bored, so you go for a physical thrill: the snack. And most of the commercials are about food. Food always looks good on TV. For those shows you really love, read a book during commercials.

5. Break the Chain
   Most airplane accidents are the result of a chain of small issues or events, one after another, that lead to a failure of the aircraft or pilot. The key is to recognize that a chain has begun and break it before it is too late. Weight management is very similar. You see a TV commercial about food, you walk into the kitchen, you open the refrigerator with no idea of what you want. One slice of cheese can lead to a big sandwich in front of NCIS Tiny Town. The moment you open that fridge door, go for the ice water.

Nutrition Advisor Alyse Levine with Livestrong.com (think Lance Armstrong) recently reviewed new guidelines published by the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The goal of of the report is combating the growing obesity epidemic and arming Americans with the information they need to live healthier, longer lives.  Hopefully we will someday pound this into kids heads at the k-12 level (along with personal finance, but that’s another story). Personally, I would find it more useful than geometry!

Here are some of Levine’s take on the new guidelines and her suggestions for putting the new recommendations into practice:

“The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend shifts in food consumption patterns, encouraging people to eat more of some foods and nutrients and less of others. What we are encouraged to eat more of are: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese or fortified soy beverages, vegetable oils such as canola, corn, olive, peanut and soybean, and seafood.

It’s recommended that we eat less: added sugars, solid fats, including saturated and trans fats, refined grains, and sodium.

Thirty-five percent of all calories consumed by Americans are solid fats and added sugars. People should replace as many of these calories as possible with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese. Another recommendation is to reduce overall calorie intake and increase physical activity. The guidelines are not promoting any one type of diet, rather they encourage an eating pattern that is both nutrient dense and calorie balanced.

Lastly, one of the most significant changes to the new guidelines is a lowered sodium limit — from 2,300 mg per day to 1,500 for all adults who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to about half of the U.S. population, including some children, and the majority of adults.”

This may not be good news, especially if you love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! (some of us kids never grow up). I think most impact for weight loss is to convert the 35% of fats (peanut butter) and sugar (jelly) daily. With a focus in just this area, hunger can be managed and weight can be reduced. For some people, it can be that simple.

Maybe if I cut the peanut butter from 1 tablespoon to 1/2. Actually that would eliminate 90 calories and 1.6 grams of fat. My dogs love peanut butter, they can have the other half!

You can find the article at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/371236-new-u-s-diet-guidelines-what-you-need-to-know-now/#ixzz1J3AARCI3

Losing weight is a commitment to a life style change. Here are 8 must have “Super Foods” to add to your daily meal plan as suggested by fitbie.msn.com:

1. Eggs:  Start every day with protein.  Egg protein is better than  protein shakes.
2. Salmon:  High in Omega-3s.  May also stimulate muscle synthesis.
3. Spinach:  High in nutrients which include calcium, iron, Vitamin K and A, potassium and selenium.  Known muscle builders.
4. Almonds:  High in fiber.  Hunger fighter.
5. Sweet Potato:  Option for carbs.
6. Apples:  Eat 3 a day.  Keep apples around to avoid reaching for a muffin.
7. Broccoli:  Powerhouse produce.
8. Dark chocolate:  Helps to decrease blood pressure.

Allow yourself to indulge – for variety, supplement your meals with other produce, lean meats and grains.

Eat healthy everyday.