How to Lose 1 lb of Fat in a Week

How to Lose Weight

There are many ways to lose weight, however, many people have a hard time keeping it off.  If you weigh yourself every night before going to bed and then weigh yourself when you wake up, you’ll notice that you indeed did lose weight.  This is however just spent energy leaving the body in terms of heat, moisture, and metabolic processes, not fat.  As you eat your 3 meals for the day, you’ll gain the weight back.  If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, it’s easiest to understand the link between food intake and calories.

How many Calories are in 1 lb?

There are a whopping 3,500 calories* in a pound of fat!  Since the average human diet is based off of a 2,000 calorie intake, this makes it incredibly hard to lose weight consistently.  There are of course 2 ways to lose calories.  You can either burn it off through exercise, or you can simply not eat it.  If you break it down, if you can cut out or lose 500 extra calories everyday of the week, by the end of the week, your work would have summed up to 3,500 calories and you would have lost a pound.

If you are planning on eliminating calories from the diet, remember not to go overboard.  Eating under 1,200 calories per day is considered fasting and is not healthy, especially on a prolonged basis.  Eating too few calories can lead to binge eating similar to people who are bulemic, causing large fluctuations in weight and is also not good for the body.

Calories Burnt Through Exercise

Here are a list of activities you can do for an hour and the amount of calories burnt according to the Mayo Clinic based off of an article by Ainsworth BE et al.  Remember that the body doesn’t usually begin burning fat until after at least 30 minutes of working out.

Activity (1-hour duration)	Weight of person and calories burned
	160 pounds (73 kilograms)	200 pounds (91 kilograms)	240 pounds (109 kilograms)
Aerobics, high impact	511	637	763
Aerobics, low impact	365	455	545
Aerobics, water	292	364	436
Backpacking	511	637	763
Basketball game	584	728	872
Bicycling, < 10 mph, leisure	292	364	436
Bowling	219	273	327
Canoeing	256	319	382
Dancing, ballroom	219	273	327
Football, touch, flag, general	584	728	872
Golfing, carrying clubs	329	410	491
Hiking	438	546	654
Ice skating	511	637	763
Jogging, 5 mph	584	728	872
Racquetball, casual, general	511	637	763
Rollerblading	913	1,138	1,363
Rope jumping	730	910	1,090
Rowing, stationary	511	637	763
Running, 8 mph	986	1,229	1,472
Skiing, cross-country	511	637	763
Skiing, downhill	365	455	545
Skiing, water	438	546	654
Softball or baseball	365	455	545
Stair treadmill	657	819	981
Swimming, laps	511	637	763
Tae kwon do	730	910	1,090
Tai chi	292	364	436
Tennis, singles	584	728	872
Volleyball	292	364	436
Walking, 2 mph	183	228	273
Walking, 3.5 mph	277	346	414
Weightlifting, free weight, Nautilus or universal type	219	273	327

Calories Eliminated through Diet

If exercise is not your cup of tea, there are many foods that many people can cut out of their diet in an effort to take out at least 500 calories per day. 

• Starbucks Grande Caffe Mocha – 260 calories
• 21 oz Coke (Medium Extra Value Meal size) – 210 calories
• Medium McDonalds French Fries – 380 calories
• Glazed Dunkin Donuts Donut – 220 calories
• Creme Cheese on a Bagel – about 80 calories
• Bagel w/ Creme Cheese – 436 calories (keep in mind a bagel is the equivalent of 4 slices of bread!)

Notice you or someone you know may consume some of these very often, maybe even daily.  Most of these are probably not considered necessary and are the results of a hectic, busy life.  Cutting them out shouldn’t be too hard though if you can take the extra 15 minutes per day to make your own breakfast or snacks bought from the grocery store.  You never know, your wallet may also benefit from this act, not only your waist!

For more ideas on how to limit the amount of food you eat and lose weight, check out the 9 Inch Diet book!

*The type of “calories” referenced in this article are actually kcal or Calories

I am Finally in the Clinic!

Starting from this January 2010, I am finally in my school’s clinic doing both chiropractic and acupuncture needling!  If you wish to visit me, I will be there Tuesday 3-6 PM and Thursday 12-3 PM for chiropractic under Dr. Losack.  I will also be there on Friday from 1-5 PM for acupuncture.  Thanks for visiting my site and hope to see you in person!

Clinic Address:

Southern California University of Health Sciences
16200 E Amber Valley Dr.
Whittier, CA  90604

Top 10 Chiropractic Techniques

When people visit chiropractors, they pretty much always get adjusted.  What most people don’t realize however, is that there are many different types of techniques that chiropractors may use to diagnose and adjust their patients. 

Predominantly, the most common technique is called “diversified” as it is the technique that most chiropractic colleges teach.  Diversified technique is thus the “standard” form for chiropractors and in some ways is a hodge podge of many techniques put together (hence the diversification).  According to the 2005 NCBE (National Chiropractors Board of Examiners), over 95% of all chiropractors report using diversified technique in their practices.  There are at least 116 different chiropractic techniques reported being practiced and that number will grow with each generation of chiropractors.  According to the same NCBE survey, the top 10 chiropractic techniques after diversified, along with the % of DCs that practice it in their practices are:

• 

  BJ Palmer performing his Hole in One technique, not the most popular, but surely the most famous technique in the chiropractic profession

  Activator – 69.9%

• Thompson – 61.3%
• Gonstead – 57.2%
• Cox – 56.5%
• SOT – 49.9%
• Cranial - 38.0%
• AK – 37.6%
• Nimmo – 33.6%
• Logan Basic – 26.0%
• Palmer UC – 25.7%

There is no proof that one technique is better than another, and every technique has benefited some groups of people in the past.  It is important to not let a chiropractor’s specific technique scare you from chiropractic, but to find a technique that works for you!  Feel free to jot any comments you may have on any techniques you may have experienced.

Do you want to take the H1N1 Vaccine?

According to CNN, as of November 18, 2009, more than half of the American population does not want to take the H1N1 vaccine. 

H1N1 Vaccine Interest Poll Results:

• 55% don’t want and don’t plan on getting vaccinated
• 20% want to get vaccinated, but have not taken action for it
• 14% want a shot, but can’t get one
• 7% have been vaccinated

I am not sure what happened to the remaining 1%…

Reasons for Not Wanting the Vaccine:

• 28% are scared of the side effects
• 25% don’t think they are at high risk of getting H1N1
• 21% don’t go to the doctor’s office unless they get sick

Full poll results

What is the Meric Chart?

Chiropractors can therefore use the relationship of the vertebrae and organ to know which vertebrae they should be focusing on given somatic patient symptoms.  In addition, any discomfort in a specific segment could indicate current or future problems in the organ related to that vertebra.

This chart is one of the fundamental theories that chiropractic is based off of, but is very controversial in the medical world and even in the chiropractic industry.  There are many who report positive results when using this chart, and it does explain how chiropractic can help so many people that do not only have musculoskeletal issues.  Such examples include why adjusting C1 and the occiput has great results in lowering blood pressure and why many people have their T1 vertebrae subluxated, which is related to the heart.

Acupuncture and Western Diagnosis – My Thoughts

Chinese acupuncture and oriental medicine (CAOM) for those of you that don’t know, has a very different methodology when it comes to diagnosing their patients.  For example, if you go to a medical doctor and get diagnosed with the flu, an acupuncturist might say that you have external wind invading the lung. 

The process of coming to a CAOM diagnosis is simple to learn, but hard to master.  In some cases, it’s very common sense: If the patient is physically cold, there must be a cold pathogen in the body.  Sometimes it is very difficult, especially when the patient is seeing symptoms of several different disorders. 

When I was learning how to diagnose in CAOM class, I found it a little unnerving that some of my classmates would simply ignore or not even care about getting to a Western diagnosis since the Eastern diagnosis is very different, but what they can treat.  Is it possible that practitioners today hide behind this technicality and in essence give poor or completely wrong (Western) diagnosis to their patients?

I think acupuncture and oriental medicine is a great thing and hey, it’s been around for thousands of years.  I can understand that there shouldn’t be a problem of different methods of diagnosis, especially if it has been shown to effectively treat conditions commonly seen today.  I do have a problem however, if an obvious and deadly Western diagnosis, such as cancer or a heart attack, is missed due to an acupuncturist sticking plainly to their Eastern diagnosis, and then the patient has a misfortune.  It is also true though that Western doctors miss these key diagnosis too, which is another problem.  Moving forward, I feel that it is very important to ask your acupuncturist for a Western diagnosis to compliment the Eastern one that they are going by.  As a student of the Eastern arts, we are still required to maintain certain standards and we should still be able to answer that question.  If you haven’t, also try to ask the Eastern diagnosis as understanding the Eastern side can readily help you prevent future occurrences as well as speed up your recovery.

Product Review: Medi Herb’s Gymnema – How to Defeat a Sweet Tooth

What is Gymnema?

While not usually considered a stimulant, sugar is THE most addicting substance known to man.  Millions of Americans thus can’t keep their hands off of sweets, which is a major player in the obesity endemic this country is experiencing.  For those that have want to kick the habit however, there is hope!  Medi Herb has a product named Gymnema, created from the crushed leaves of the gymnema plant which works against your sense of taste to temporarily make you despise the taste of sugar!

The gymnema plant has been used for a very long time in traditional Ayurvedic medicine from the country of India.  The herb’s name comes from the Hindu word “gumar” which is translated into “sugar destroyer.”  It has been commonly used to help patients with diabetes since they should limit their amount of sugar intake.  I am not sure how it works exactly, but I have been told that it anesthetizes the taste buds in your mouth that are can sense sweetness.

Does it Really Numb Your Taste Buds?

Before taking this supplement, I was very interested to see what would happen if my sweet taste buds went “numb”.  I personally don’t have a sweet tooth problem, but I know many that do (my issue is more salt cravings).  Medi Herb offers two different versions of this product, one in pill form and one in liquid form.  To take the liquid form, all you need to do is swish it around in your mouth to get the desired results.  If taking pill form, sucking on the pill for a minute and maybe chewing it will do the trick.

Experience:  Let me be the first to say that gymnema is a nasty tasting herb!  When it was in my mouth, I had no problem understanding how sugar would taste bad.  In fact, I thought EVERYTHING would taste bad!  It was very difficult to suck on for a minute, but I managed.  Other of my classmates had very similar experiences with their pills.

Results:  I tested my sweet taste buds by eating an Andes chocolate mint.  A little to my surprise, it tasted like chalk; it was as if there was no flavor to what I was eating!  It was hard enough to wash the taste of the gymnema, which might have had an effect.  To test this, I ate arare snacks, a Japanese rice cracker covered in soy sauce (it’s very salty).  While it didn’t taste as good as normal due to the remnants of the gymnema, it still tasted good and salty.  I tried eating the Andes mint again, and it still tasted like chalk.

30 minutes later, I tried to eat another Andes mint to see what would happen (imagine if I lost the sense of sweetness for my entire life!).  Thankfully, I could taste some of the sweetness, but there was still a bad after taste.  Needless to say, I believe that taking gymnema would be a great supplement to take for one who wants to break the sugar habit.  If you are interested in trying your own gymnema for yourself, you can contact your local chiropractor or nutritionist or find your Medi Herb representative.

Do Fast Food Restaurants Serve Trans Fats?

National fast food fries should not have trans fats, but is this true for all of their food?

The history of trans fats in fast food chains

In 2002, McDonalds announced that they would be changing the oils they use to deep fry their foods in to reduce the amount of trans fats contained.  Several years later, probably due to public trends and pressure, they announced the plans to totally remove the trans fats from their deep frying business.  This switch sent a shockwave in the fast food industry in which almost every national chain followed suit for “the sake and health of the American people.”

The voluntary action of fast food chains however was not enough for some cities and states however and laws started banning trans fats being sold in restaurants, requiring the national chains to change their recipes if they hadn’t already.  Seattle and NYC were quick to initiate the ban and beginning in 2010, California restaurants will not be able to sell trans fat containing food anymore.  In an effort to phase out the trans fats, you’ll notice that almost all french fries do not contain trans fats anymore.  Does this mean that trans fats do not exist in fast food chains any more?

The resounding answer sadly is NO!

It’s not in the fries anymore…it’s in the beef!

Yes it’s true that most chains have cleaned up their oils, but if you look at the nutritional facts for any chain, you’ll see that the trans fats are in the beef!  For most people, that means they eat at least a gram of trans fat every time they pass through teh drive through, if not more.  While they aren’t deep frying their burgers, the fats are used for preservation and allows them to cook them quicker on the grill.  Here is just a sample of the trans fats dosage for some of your favorite burgers:

• Big Mac (McDonalds): 1.5 grams
• Quarter pounder w/ cheese (McDonalds): 1.5 grams
• Whopper (Burger King): 1.5 grams
• Beef Burrito Supreme (Taco Bell): 2 grams
• Footlong Meatball Marinara Sub (Subway): 2 grams
• The Baconator (Wendy’s): 2.5 grams

In addition to the burgers, here are some other items that may surprise you:

• Triple thick shakes (McDonalds): 2 grams
• Java Chip Frappachino w/ Whipped Creme (Starbucks): 0.5 grams

Finally, BEWARE companies that don’t disclose trans fats:

• Carl’s Jr – how many trans fats do you think is in the 6 Dollar Burger?
• Dell Taco – a potentially dated nutrition facts viewed in Oct 2009 showed that Dell Taco’s fries still contain trans fats – 9 grams per small serving!

Chiropractic Adjustments Lower Blood Pressure

ABC News has broadcast a segment based off of several studies of chiropractic lowering the blood pressure levels for hypertensive patients.

While this is incredible information for people battling high blood pressure and great press for the profession, I find it a little disturbing at the medical doctor’s response in this news segment.

How do adjustments lower blood pressure?

Cervical manipulations and adjustments can have a large impact on the physiology of the body.  If you just look at the location of the top cervical joints (Occiput-C1, C1-C2), you’ll notice how close it is in relation to the brain.  It is not known yet exactly how the adjustment lowers blood pressure, but one of the proposed mechanisms is that the Atlas (C1) can affect the arteries at the base of the skull.  If the Atlas is not aligned properly, it is proposed that signals in the brain are sent to constrict those arteries, increasing blood pressure.  By getting the atlas aligned, these signals are stopped, relieving the pressure in the arteries, and lowering blood pressure.

Do I need to see someone special?

In the news clip and first journal article, it is mentioned that you need to practice a specific technique in order to get these desired results.  It was even shown in the same article that manipulation produced the results while mobilization did not.  I do not believe that a specific technique is needed however if all that is needed to be done is to realign the Atlas with the spine.  Every chiropractic technique has the ability to do so and should be just as effective.  It is only a matter of whether the doctor is trained well enough to identify a misalignment, which from experience is very common.

More information to follow!

What is Anterior Head Carriage?

Anterior head carriage, also known as forward head carriage, is a postural fault or tendency that the body exhibits because of upper cross syndrome.  Simply put, it’s when the head is held in a much more forward position than it is supposed to be. 

How to Self Diagnose Anterior Head Carriage

The easiest way to tell if someone has anterior head carriage is to have them stand normally while you look at them from the side.  Draw an imaginary line from the top of their head down through the middle point of their ankles.  If it is easier, you can have a weighted string hang from the ceiling and have an actual line.  This is called a “plumb line.”  If the person has a proper standing posture, the line should go through the middle of their ear and the middle of their shoulder.  If their ear is in front of their shoulder, they have anterior head carriage.

Have some fun and go analyze people.  You’ll realize that especially given the normal American lifestyle sitting infront of computers, that many, if not most people have anterior head carriage!

Problems with Anterior Head Carriage

Because it is an abnormal body position, anterior head carriage can bring several mishaps to the individual including headaches, tight muscles or muscles aches, and decreased range of motion to say the least.  All of these symptoms also come with upper cross syndrome.  Aside from poor posture, anterior carriage can also caused by subluxations in the neck.  If subluxated, flexing the neck forward decreases pressure where the nerves leave the spine, which could be an unconscious attempt for the body to alleviate symptoms or pain.  The increased flexion only causes more work on the muscles in the back of the neck, increasing the symptoms associated with anterior head carriage and upper cross syndrome.  Of course it is not known if the subluxations are caused due to poor posture or if the poor posture is caused by subluxations.  They could also both cause each other, nevertheless, correcting poor posture definitely helps reducing and preventing  subluxations.

How to Correct Anterior Head Carriage

Correcting anterior head carriage is not going to be accomplished overnight.  It takes a long time for the body to adapt to a new posture and correcting your own posture is very difficult!  One of the first steps would be to see a chiropractor to relieve your neck from subluxations.  This will provide temporary relief in symptoms (if any) and will vary from person to person.  However this is only temporary because without a change in posture, the body will go right back to its previous position creating the problem again.

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