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Welcome to the second issue of A Slice of Orange, a newsletter specially designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health. This issue is a refresher course – or an eye-opener for some – on weight issues.
Fast Fat Facts and Falsehoods Common weight-loss perceptions cleared up There is no well-kept SECRET to losing weight. You’ve heard it before and we’ll say it again: the best way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake and
be more physically active. Seriously!
Before starving yourself needlessly to fit into your summer bikini, review your diet principles. You may be doing your body more harm than good in your plight to be fat free. Myth: A good way to lose weight is to avoid carbohydrates and increase protein. Truth: One of the problems with eating more protein – like meat, eggs and cheese – is you may be eating more fat and cholesterol along with it without knowing. Although you may experience short-term weight loss, cutting down on carbos and increasing protein aren’t wise options: you may be increasing your heart disease risk. Also, not eating enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains may lead to constipation because these foods lack fiber. Finally, insufficient intake of carbos can lead to a buildup of ketones (substances made when the body breaks down fat for energy), which can damage your liver and kidneys in the long term. Myth: It’s OK to skip meals if you want to lose weight. Truth: If you miss meals intentionally, you may feel hungrier later in the day and end up eating more than usual – which totally defeats your original purpose for skipping meals. Eating small, healthy meals throughout the day keeps your appetite in check, and makes you less likely to binge when the hunger starts to kick in. In this case, more meals equals better weight. This issue is brought to you in part by our healthcare partner
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Myth: Fat-burning foods exist.
Did you know that good posture is the quickest way to make you look slimmer? Standing up straight and tall makes your chest seem fuller and your waist, smaller.
Truth: There is no such thing as a fat-burning food. Some people believe that grapefruit, celery and cabbage soup can burn fat, but this is untrue. Some foods may speed up your metabolism temporarily or may contain very little calories that they are easily used up, but they do not directly cause weight loss.
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Myth: Eating after 6 p.m. will make you fat. Truth: The time you eat doesn’t matter as much as what and how much you take in. Food intake and physical activity during the day are the factors that
determine your weight. Your body will always, always store extra, unneeded calories as fat – no matter what time you chow down. Myth: Avoid red meat if you want to lose weight. Truth: You don’t have run away from red meat. The key is to have it in small amounts. Although red meat has cholesterol and saturated fat, they also contain important nutrients like protein, iron and zinc. Trim visible fat and choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat, such as tenderloin, flank steak and extra-lean ground beef.
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Myth: Lifting weights will make you bigger and heavier. Truth: Pumping iron a few times won’t automatically bulk you up. Only intense strength training can produce very large muscles. If you do
strengthening activities (eg, abdominal crunches, push-ups, lifting weights) every now and then, you’ll build enough muscle to burn more calories. If you have the right amount of muscle, you can burn calories (read: lose weight!) even if you’re not doing anything strenuous. Your ideal physical regimen should be at least 30 minutes of moderateintensity physical activity on most days of the week plus strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week.
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Some tips for healthy weight loss
Avoid snacking in front of the TV. It’s easier to eat nonstop when distracted by a riveting show.
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Truth: We usually overeat for reasons other than hunger alone. Overeating has more to do with emotions. For instance, stressed people
have a tendency to eat faster and choose unhealthy foods. In addition, many people
• Don’t crash diet. The weight will come back with a vengeance. • Try to lose no more than 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) a week. • Cut down on dietary fats (especially saturated fat, eg, butter, lard, dairy products) and refined (table) sugars. • Increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole- grain breads and cereals. • Consume less alcohol. • Introduce more movement into your day. Aim for 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. • Drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day.
use food as a security blanket, probably to make up for their life’s shortcomings. Overeaters should work out their personal non-food problems and evaluate the real reasons for eating more than enough.
A slice of trivia What is the three-word term that refers to an indirect measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adults, and is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems? Clue: It’s computed as body weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of height (in meters). Freshen up on your researching
skills, send us the answer at orange@activelink-consult.com and win a prize!
Ten people among those who
sent the correct answer will be randomly chosen to win a Fitness First guest pass valid until May 31, 2007.
We’ll include the answer in the next issue of A Slice of Orange.
Answer to last issue’s question: What do you call the snapping or thumping sounds that blood flow makes when the pressure from a blood-pressure cuff is released?
These sounds are called Korotkoff
sounds, which were named after Dr. Nikolai Korotkoff (18741920), a Russian military surgeon who served during the RussoJapanese War. In November 1905, he described these sounds for the first time during a conference of the Imperial Military Medical Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelink-consult.com. The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2007 ActiveLink Employee Benefits Made Better
ActiveLink Insurance Brokers, Inc. 104 VA Rufino Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, 1229 Philippines T: +632 817 4606 / 817 7900 www.activelink-consult.com
The Orang e wants to h ear from you!
Dying to ask us your health related questio ns? Itching to share your pe rsonal health tips? Want to sugg est topics for future issues? Feel fre e to contact us . You can e-mai l our team at orange@activ elink-consult.co m.