More tips about Comfortably Making Changes...

Hello, my dear Friends...

It is an accepted known truth that CHANGE and CHANGING can send chills down your spine, when challenged to do so.

I wanted to share with you a few simple hints today on how you can approach this seemingly threatening steel wall...harness, overcome and easily transcend it.

We are, of course, talking about How To Change your Attitude, Lifestyle, eating and related Habits in order to find firm support in your quest to shed those excess pounds of fat, flab, fluids and inches.

One amongst many ways to approach this topic of major concern to millions of "Large" and obese seekers is to acknowledge Why we like, love, crave VS. Don't like, etc. various foods or drinks.

A big influencing, habit forming issue involves smell, taste, after-taste, texture and, most importantly, associative imagery and memory of eating/drinking experiences.

As I have mentioned on several occasions throughout this Blog: during my S.L.I.M. For Life Trainings' Modulations (deep self-hypnotic sessions), you access your sub-conscious dimensions.

This is when and where your Guided Imagery exercises, your repetitiously picturing and feeling your "New You": your ultimate weight and sizes goal gradually and automatically trigger CHANGES in your eating and drinking Habits.

As well as in Which foods and drinks you truly crave and desire. Surprising;y enough, you find yourself being less and less interested in those that you used to pig out on...that caused you to gain all that excess weight and fat...you may also find yourself wondering "what was the attraction"?...

It's like waking up one morning, taking a hard look at your mate and asking yourself what you ever saw in him/her?

In THIS instance, however, it all happens slowly, gradually, step-by-step...without your even being conscious or aware of the Changes...as you thrill at them and rejoice at the Positiveness which your Physical Changes have produced to your Emotional, Self-Image, Self-Respect, Self-Acceptance, Self-Pride, Inner Security and Many More Inner Strengths.

And, if you are not quite "ready" to benefit from the tremendously effective results produced by our deep self-hypnosis trainings, you may even get started without.

If your Attitude, Strength of Character, Will Power, Stick-to-ti-ive-ness (Persistence), Firm Determination, Depth and Fervor of Desire, Deep Faith (*), and a few other Qualities are such that you wish to "go it alone", I sincerely send you my compliments and support and say "Go For It!".

(*) FAITH is Strongly Believing 'blindly'..."beyond Any Doubt" in something which 'common sense', logic, friends and family, even public opinion tells us is silly, foolhardy, or 'impossible'.

So, whatever approach you decide to take...taking the recommendations above into consideration, do it in small, 'bite-size' quantities...Easy, comfortable for you to ACCEPT and Believe You Can Do (SEE Yourself Doing It!)...Then, gradually, bit by bit, you can increase them by adding more small amounts at a time.

And please let me know how you are progressing and, best of all, the ideal end results you obtained!

Wishing You and Yours All the Best Always!

Your Friend,

Jacques

Ladies: Is Fat On Your Hips Better for Your Brain than Fat On Your Belly?

New research suggests that women with an hourglass figure may on average be brighter and have more clever children.

A study found that women with large hips and small waists tend to be more intelligent than those with either “apple-shaped” or linear bodies. Such women may also tend to give birth to more intelligent children. One possible reason is the greater percentage of omega 3 fats found on the hips.

The study examined 16,000 women and girls, and found that women with a greater difference between the waist and hips scored significantly higher on cognitive tests, as did their children. Those with a waist-to-hip ratio between 0.6 and 0.7 achieved the highest scores.

Fat around hips and thighs holds higher levels of omega 3 fats, which are essential for the growth of the brain during pregnancy. Fat around the waist may have higher levels of omega 6 fats acids, which are less well suited to brain growth. Waist fat is also more likely to be a contributory factor in diabetes and heart disease.

Sources:
Times Online November 11, 2007
Evolution and Human Behavior January 2008 Volume 29, Issue 1, Pages 26-34
(Courtesy Dr. Mercola.com)

Speed Up Your Fat Loss!

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE
Glee Contributor
Updated: Tuesday, January 22, 2008

"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action."-- Benjamin Disraeli

Have you been trying to lose body fat, but find it comes off at a snail's pace? Tired of losing a pound a month as you exercise and diet your brains out? If you're working out with efficiency and maintaining a slight caloric deficit, you can actually lose up to 1.5 pounds per week. Here's some metabolism-boosting tips that should help ignite some good, steady fat loss.

1. Increase your meal frequency. Eat more often, but don't increase your total calories. For example, if you eat three times per day, break those three meals into five to six smaller meals and eat every three hours. Food can actually help burn body fat when it's used strategically. If you break your meals into smaller feedings it helps to control blood sugar -- and puts you in a better position to lose fat.

2. Break up your workout. With family responsibilities, work, financial pressures, etc., the thought of exercise is an extra stress for many people. However, research has proven that two short bouts of exercise per day will actually stimulate the metabolism more than one longer bout. Go for a brisk 15-minute walk first thing in the morning before work and then another one at lunch time. Do this five days per week and I know you'll see progress at the end of 30 days.

3. Eat breakfast. I always stress to my clients to think of the body from the inside-out. The human body's main goal is survival. If it senses any type of emergency, it will do everything in its power to keep you alive. If you sleep through the night and then deprive the body of food in the morning, what do you think the body is sensing at this point? It senses a potential famine and then holds onto stored body fat to keep you alive. Remember, calories from food represent heat. Use the heat to rev your metabolism.

4. Cycle calories. This is a technique I've used on several clients with amazing success. For three days, consume your minimum calorie requirement based on your height, weight and goals. Then, on day number four, increase your calories by an additional 400 (nutritious foods only). For example, if you're losing fat by consuming 1,200 calories per day, simply raise your calories to 1,600 on day number four. This technique can actually get the metabolism racing and stimulate additional fat loss. Just remember that the additional calories come from good sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats -- not pizza.

5. Drinks lots of water. Muscles and other tissues are made up of approximately 80-percent water. If you limit your water intake, the body will retain water and make you feel like the "queen or king of bloat." It doesn't take much for this to happen -- the body only needs to be dehydrated by approximately 2 percent for this to take place. Drink 0.55 multiplied by your body weight in ounces of water per day. Staying hydrated will release some excess water trapped in the body and most likely reduce your weight by a few pounds.

6. Exercise in the morning. If you can fit it into your schedule, exercise in the morning. People who exercise consistently in the morning find that exercise at this time regulates their appetite all day long. They don't get as hungry and they start the day with a boost to the metabolism.

7. Perform cardio interval training. Cardio interval training is simply short bursts of high-intensity exercise combined with more moderate intensity within the same workout. Studies have shown that people who perform interval training twice a week (in addition to two other days of lower intensity cardio) lose twice as much weight as those who do just a moderate cardio workout. You can easily incorporate interval training into your workout by inserting a 45-second burst into your stationary bike workout every four to five minutes. Your body will be working harder and will be forced to burn more calories.

8. Boost your metabolism by reading instead of watching TV. Researchers at Memphis State University monitored 32 girls as they watched a half-hour television program. They found the metabolic rates dropped as much as 16-percent below resting metabolic rate. In other words, they burned fewer calories watching TV than they did just by reading!

9. Drink green tea. Green tea has numerous health benefits, including weight loss. It appears to increase the amount of calories the body burns -- not necessarily because of the small amounts of caffeine it contains, but due to a compound abbreviated as EGCG. When purchasing green tea make sure the label states that the green tea used is standardized for caffeine and EGCG.

10. Practice hydrotherapy. First thing in the morning, drink 32 ounces of very cold water on an empty stomach. Don't eat breakfast for at least 30 minutes. The cold water will force your body to raise its core temperature, thereby stimulating your metabolism and excreting any excess water. You may find that you lose two pounds the first month you try this. If you want to take it a step further, do the same thing at lunch.

Try several of these easy-to-use tips and start getting your fat burning metabolism revved.


A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.

Surprising Dangers of Salt

by Kathy D. McManus, MS, RD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Most people know that eating too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure (hypertension), but high sodium intake has been linked with other serious conditions as well. Even in someone who does not have hypertension, excessive sodium intake increases risk for congestive heart failure (inadequate pumping action of the heart)... kidney disease... arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)... and stroke.

It also has been linked to osteoporosis. High sodium intake may increase the excretion of calcium, which over time reduces calcium in the bones, leading to a deficiency that often results in osteoporosis.

New finding: A high-sodium diet could trigger an ulcer or even increase the risk of cancer. In a lab study reported at the May 2007 meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Toronto, researchers found that salt increased the virulence of the Helicobacter pylori bacterium. This bacterium causes the vast majority of ulcers and greatly increases a person's risk of gastric cancer and a certain form of lymphoma.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that adults consume no more than 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. That's the amount of sodium found in approximately one level teaspoon of salt. On average, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Americans consume about 4,000 mg of sodium daily.

As we get older, especially after we pass 45 years of age, our risk for high blood pressure rises, and so we should be even more vigilant about our salt intake. The USDA recommends that people middle-aged and older consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Others who should be extra careful of their salt intake are African Americans, who, as a group, are more prone to high blood pressure, as well as people with a genetic predisposition to the condition (usually indicated by having a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, who has high blood pressure).

CUTTING BACK

Avoid processed foods. More than 75% of the typical American's daily sodium comes from processed foods, to which salt is added as an inexpensive flavor enhancer and preservative.

Instead, opt for...

Fresh or frozen fish, vegetables and fruits, rather than canned. If you do use canned goods, such as beans, drain and rinse them to remove most of the salt.

Homemade soups. Eight ounces of canned tomato soup can have nearly 1,000 mg of sodium, almost a full day's allowance if you're middle-aged or older.

Fresh or dried herbs and spices for flavoring, such as oregano, rosemary, onion powder, curry powder and cumin. Or try a dash or two of a salt-free spice blend. Caution: Salt substitutes containing potassium chloride can be harmful for those with impaired kidney function or those who are taking certain medications, such as ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics. Check with your doctor.

Review your medications. Sodium is found in many over-the-counter medications, including antacids. Examples: Alka-Seltzer (567 mg per tablet) and Bromo Seltzer (959 mg per packet). Cough syrups and laxatives can be high in sodium, too.

Eat a potassium-rich diet. Potassium from food blunts the effect of salt on blood pressure. Vegetables (especially leafy greens and potatoes), bananas, citrus fruits and beans are particularly rich in potassium.

Be extra careful when dining out. Americans eat at least 30% of their meals outside their homes, and most restaurants use lots of salt.

If your food is being prepared to order, ask the server to ask the cook not to add salt.

Avoid entrées and side dishes with cream, cheese or seasoned sauces, which often are highly salted. Ask for the items plain or with the sauces on the side.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Kathy D. McManus, MS, RD, director of nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston. She also is a co-investigator for POUNDS Lost, a two-year-long study of obesity funded by the National Institutes of Health. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association and the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.

5 Best, 5 Worst Mexican Meals

By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
eDiets Contributor
Updated: January 16, 2008

What a shame that Mexican Americans have the fastest-growing rate of obesity. It’s certainly not because of their traditional cuisine, which is "famous for its avocados, beans, corn, squash, jicama, tomatoes, chocolate, papaya, guava, vanilla, a variety of spices, and of course, chili peppers," according to Spanishaboard.com.

The native Mexican diet is plant-based, with lots of beans (high in protein), some rice and seasonal vegetables. In the USA, Mexican food means cheese, refried beans, fried chips and deep fried stuff.

Americans from Mexico are eating way more red meat than before, more refined carbs and sugar, and they’re not as active as they were in their native cultures. This isn’t unique to Mexican immigrants, it’s common for all Americans, and the rate of obesity is soaring.

Mexican restaurant chains offer the worst of the worst in terms of grams of fat, cholesterol and just plain calories per serving. Some of the dishes are shockingly rich, serving more calories per entree than most people need for the entire day.

The 5 Worst Mexican Meals

Mexican chain restaurants tend to put cheese, greasy refried beans, sour cream and guacamole on everything. But Mexican restaurants don’t have to be diet-disasters, as long as you sick to your guns and order right.

Chips: When they put the basket on the table, do you dive in? How many do you eat? Five, 10, hey, can we have another basket? If the chips are a vehicle for guacamole, that adds more fat and calories to the meal. At Baja Fresh, an appetizer serving of chips and guacamole has 540 calories and 34 grams of fat, including 3 grams of saturated fat and 1 of trans fat. Add that to the hundreds of calories from anything else you eat, and you’re over your limit for the entire day.

Nachos: More chips, smothered with cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Get a free pass to the ER for blocked arteries. Baja’s single serving of Cheese Nachos has 1,890 calories and 108 grams of fat, 40 grams of saturated fat.

Quesadillas: Flour tortillas, grilled then stuffed with meat, chicken, cheese or fish, and covered with cheese, at Baja Fresh, it’s a daunting 1,330 calories and 80 grams of fat.

Refried beans with anything: That orange paste doesn’t resemble anything you’ll find in an authentic Mexican meal: opt for stewed black beans or pinto beans, instead.

Shredded cheese: Read any menu, from Chipotle Mexican Grill, from Baja Fresh, from El Torrito... They all say “and cheese” on all the hot, and even cold dishes. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas and even salads come with cheese. Tell the waiter to hold it, and order extra salsa instead.

5 Best Mexican Meals

Some Mexican mainstays help you stay within your calories, although since everything is loaded with salt -- if you’re watching your sodium -- it’s almost impossible to keep within a recommended 2,000 milligrams for the day.

Make the most of your Mexican restaurant experience by using your South-of–the-Border smarts: Sharing an entree is always a good tactic, especially at Mexican-American chains, where dishes tend to be muy grande. Don’t forget to say, "No queso, por favor”!

Tacos: The simplest is often the best. At Baja Fresh, the Original Baja Taco is simply your choice of charbroiled chicken, steak, shrimp or pork in a grilled corn tortilla with onions, cilantro and salsa. Only 220 calories; you can order "dos, por favor"!

Soups: Soup makes a good appetizer or even main course, and Mexican black bean soup or gazpacho (cold vegetable soup) fit the bill. Say "No" to the heavy condiments, like shredded cheese and sour cream.

Arroz dishes: A filling dish made with rice, but share "con carne" (grilled meat); “con pollo” (with chicken) or “con camarones” (with shrimp).

Fajitas: Presented on a sizzling hot platter, usually with lots of vegetables and side dishes. I skip the sides of refried beans and rice, and fill up on grilled shrimp, chicken or beef.

Burrito Bowl: At Chipotle Mexican Grill you can have it “your way.” Skip the 340-calorie flour tortilla and enjoy a bowl of chicken or steak, black or vegetarian beans, lettuce and salsa. Skip the guacamole and sour cream.

(Courtesy: eDiets' "Worst Foods" Ezine)

DRUGS that Kill...

Dear S.L.I.M. For Life Friends,

When, in my introductory literature, I strongly emphasize that my S.L.I.M. For Life system does NOT involve ANY * Drugs * Pills nor other Pharmaceuticals..."space" prevents me from explaining why this is so important.

In recents months, there have been several hair-raising articles and TV News Specials about "Drugs that Kill", and have done so in the "diet industry". Including "natural" herbal potions and heretofore "trusted", popular and highly recommended, as well as advertised, "weight loss" medicines shown to be lethal.

Upon reading the following article by Dr. Kent, I felt compelled to share it with you as an added precaution and in support for our 110% SAFE and drug-free, life-long lasting road to your ideal weight, shape and Health.

Please pay close attention to what Dr. Kent's well researched and documented article brings us today. THANK YOU, Dr. and Good Health to All!

Jacques

-----

Recreational Drugs FAR Less Likely to Kill You than Prescribed Drugs!
By Christopher Kent, D.C., J.D.

Recreational drugs, including cocaine and heroin, are responsible for an estimated 10,000-20,000 American deaths per year [1,2]. While this represents a serious public health problem, it is a "smokescreen" for America's real drug problem.

America's "war on drugs" is directed at the wrong enemy. It is obvious that interdiction, stiff mandatory sentences, and more vigorous enforcement of drug laws have failed.

The reason is simple. Cause and effect have been reversed.

The desire to solve problems by taking drugs is a product of our culture. When a child is taught by loving parents that the appropriate response to pain or discomfort is taking a pill, it is obvious that such a child, when faced with the challenges of adolescence, will seek comfort by taking drugs.

Drugs are Dangerous Whether Pushed or Prescribed

While approximately 10,000 per year die from the effects of illegal drugs, an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that an estimated 106,000 hospitalized patients die each year from drugs which, by medical standards, are properly prescribed and properly administered. More than two million suffer serious side effects. [3]

An article in Newsweek [4] put this into perspective. Adverse drug reactions, from "properly" prescribed drugs, are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. According to this article, only heart disease, cancer, and stroke kill more Americans than drugs prescribed by medical doctors. Reactions to prescription drugs kill more than twice as many Americans as HIV/AIDS or suicide. Fewer die from accidents or diabetes than adverse drug reactions. It is important to point out the limitations of this study. It did not include outpatients, cases of malpractice, or instances where the drugs were not taken as directed.

According to another AMA publication, drug related "problems" kill as many as 198,815people, put 8.8 million in hospitals, and account for up to 28% of hospital admissions. [5] If these figures are accurate, only cancer and heart disease kill more patients than drugs. Has the situation improved since the publication of this information? Hardly. Null [6] et al have published the most comprehensive and well-documented study I have seen of deaths associated with medical practice. In this report, their research revealed some shocking facts. The findings are summarized in the abstract:

"A definitive review and close reading of medical peer-review journals, and government health statistics shows that American medicine frequently causes more harm than good. The number of people having in-hospital, adverse drug reactions (ADR) to prescribed medicine is 2.2 million. Dr. Richard Besser, of the CDC, in 1995, said the number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed annually for viral infections was 20 million. Dr. Besser, in 2003, now refers to tens of millions of unnecessary antibiotics.

The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed annually is 7.5 million. The number of people exposed to unnecessary hospitalization annually is 8.9 million. The total number of iatrogenic deaths shown in the following table is 783,936. It is evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the United States. The 2001 heart disease annual death rate is 699,697; the annual cancer death rate, 553,251."

Drugs Number One Killer

The authors conclude: "When the number one killer in a society is the healthcare system, then, that system has no excuse except to address its own urgent shortcomings. It's a failed system in need of immediate attention. What we have outlined in this paper are insupportable aspects of our contemporary medical system that need to be changed -- beginning at its very foundations." (*)

A recent article in Archives of Internal Medicine [7] stated that in the seven year period from 1998 through 2005, reported serious adverse drug events increased 2.6-fold, and fatal adverse drug events increased 2.7-fold. The authors noted that reported serious events increased 4 times faster than the total number of outpatient prescriptions during the period. Another study concluded that the majority(86%) of the adverse drug reactions for which patients were admitted to a medical intensive care unit were preventable. [8]

One proposed solution to the illegal drug problem was encouraging potential users to ignore peer pressure and "just say no." Interestingly, this strategy is not being recommended for prescription drugs. Bruce Pomeranz, MD , one of the authors of the JAMA paper, said he is not warning people to stay away from drugs. "That would be a terrible message," he said. Lucian Leape, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health said, "When you realize how many drugs we use, maybe those numbers aren't so bad after all." [4]

Does that mean that the number of deaths due to illegal drugs, suicide, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, accidents, and drunk driving "aren't so bad" either? Does it mean that we shouldn't discourage drunk driving or unsafe sex?

The folly of such double standards should be obvious to all. It is time to address the real drug problem -- the cultural notion that the first solution to seek for relief of life's problems is a drug. That's the drug culture we need to address.

References

"Drug deaths." Globe & Mail (Canada). February 27, 1998.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC. 2007;56(05):93-96.

Lazarou J, Pomeranz BH, Corey PN: "Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients." JAMA 1998;279:1200.

Kalb C: "When drugs do harm." Newsweek. April 27, 1998. Page 61.

"Reaction." American Medical News. January 15, 1996. Page 11.

1. Null G, Dean C, Feldman, M, Rasio, D, Smith D: "Death by Medicine." Life Extension. March, 2004. www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/mar2004_awsi_death_01.htm

Moore TJ, Cohen MR, Furberg CD: Serious adverse drug events reported to the Food and Drug Administration, 1998-2005. Archives of Internal Medicine 2007;167:1752-1759.

8. Rivkin A: Admissions to a medical intensive care unit related to adverse drug reactions. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 2007;64(17):1840-1843.



Many thanks to Dr. Kent for his article. He is a good friend, and one of the leaders in the chiropractic profession. Dr. Kent was named the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) “Chiropractic Researcher of the Year” in 1991, and was the recipient of that honor from World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) in 1994. Dr. Kent was also selected “Chiropractor of the Year” in 1998 by the International Chiropractors Association, and is the Main Representative of the WCA to the Department of Public Information, the first chiropractor elected to that position.

Dr. Kent is co-founder of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance (CLA) along with another good friend of mine, Patrick Gentempo. An attorney as well as a chiropractor, Dr. Kent is an active member of the State Bar of California, and is admitted as an attorney of the United States District Court, Southern District of California. You can read more about Dr. Kent's work in a special issue of The American Chiropractor.

-----

(*)...Jacques' P.S.: I recently read and - at their request - presented a couple of my personal Physicians with "OVERDO$ED AMERICA" by John Abramson, M.D., which I purchased from Amazon on the internet...and am currently reading "OVER DOSE" by Jay. S. Cohen, M.D. ("Prescription Drugs, Side Effects, and Your Health...The Case Against the Drug Companies)...which I strongly recommend to all who are seriously concerned about this "real" ongoing problem.

Tibetan Detox Tip for Exercise Routines

Adapted from Tibetan Ayurveda by Robert Sachs (Healing Arts Press, 2001)/ Courtesy: Annie's "Care2" Spa.

This Tibetan detox tip, for any exercise that draws a sweat, is so deeply rooted in common sense you wonder why you hadn't thought of it yourself. You'll be way ahead of the game in trying to rid your body of all the pollution we live with just by adding these two simple steps to your normal workout.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: Rub sesame oil into the skin before exercise. Following exercise, before showering, rub your skin with a lentil or chickpea flour to pull out the toxins that get attracted into the oil from the exercise. Shower as normal.
----------

This brief, incisive, to the point tip should help balance some of our longer ones.
So, detox!

Your Friend,

Jacques

Why You Gain Weight

And, HAPPY NEW YEAR again!

The following article was so well written, researched and documented with specific, easy to comprehend scientific data, that I felt compelled to share it with you, my dear friends, to help get you off to a healthier start for 2008 and beyond.
So, Read and Reap! Best always,

Jacques


Learn how to curb an out-of-control appetite
By Beth Howard (published in REMEDY's Medzine)


It seems simple: You eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. But appetite, as opposed to hunger—and its effect on weight—turns out to be a good deal more complicated.

That’s because, unlike hunger, appetite is affected by much more than your body’s basic need for fuel. For starters, hormones, metabolism, factors in your stomach and intestines, nerve signals and the sight, smell and taste of appealing foods all play a role in reaching satiety. Then there’s the influence of non-physiological factors like emotions, habits and sheer boredom, says Kathleen Melanson, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Rhode Island. As most of us know, it’s all too easy to reach for a snack when you aren’t really hungry and don’t need the calories. Psychologists call this hedonic appetite: “It’s when you eat for pleasure or for medicating yourself when you’re stressed,” says Mary Boggiano, Ph.D., R.D., a psychologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Luckily, scientists have come up with a multitude of ways to curb an out-of-control appetite—and achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Try these tactics to keep hunger at bay:

Strive for calm.

“Stress can be a trigger for overeating or eating things you normally wouldn’t eat,” says Debra A. Zellner, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Montclair State University in Upper Montclair, NJ. When the women in one of her studies were presented with a tension-triggering task, they were more likely to chow down on fattening M&Ms, passing up healthier choices like grapes and nuts. To help you avoid such snacking, try yoga, meditation and other stress-management practices to keep your cool.

Favor foods that fill you up.

Foods that are high in water and low in fat (fruits, vegetables, lean meat and low-fat dairy) provide fewer calories per bite, and help to control your hunger—which may make it easier to control your appetite, too. “By adding water-rich foods like vegetables and beans to your favorite dishes, you get more satisfying portions,” says Barbara J. Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories.

In fact, Penn State researchers recently found that diets that focus on foods that are low in calorie density can promote weight loss while controlling hunger. Women who added water-rich foods to a low-fat diet lost more weight during the first six months of the study than those who followed a low-fat diet alone—on average, 19 pounds versus 14 pounds.

So look for ways to fill up without adding calories. One good method: eating high-fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and legumes.

Sip soup.

In another recent study, Penn State researchers showed that having a bowl of low-calorie soup before a meal slashed the amount of food and calories consumed at the meal by 20 percent. Pick a broth-based soup containing no more than 100 to 150 calories per serving.

Don’t starve yourself.

It’s why most diets typically don’t work. “When you restrict calories too severely, as in crash diets, the brain’s reward and satiety system changes,” says Boggiano. “Signaling of dopamine and endorphins—the same neurotransmitters involved in drug addiction—becomes more sensitized. Along with a decrease in serotonin (the neurotransmitter that makes you feel full and controls mood), this increases your appetite for yummy foods and may actually train your brain to crave high-calorie foods to feel better.”

Get sweaty.

Research has shown that moderately intense exercise (65 to 75 percent of maximum heart rate) temporarily curbs hunger. Next time you’re feeling hungry and it’s way before chow time, go for a brisk walk or a bike ride.

Eat slowly.

Research from the University of Rhode Island confirms the wisdom of this old advice. Investigators asked 30 women to eat two pasta meals, one quickly and one slowly. Both times they were told to eat until they were comfortably satiated. When eating quickly, they finished the meal in less than 10 minutes. To eat slowly, they were instructed to chew each bite 15 to 20 times and to put down their silverware between mouthfuls.

The result: “Women consumed fewer calories when eating the same meal slowly as compared to eating quickly,” says Melanson, the study’s lead investigator. And they rated themselves as less hungry and more satisfied after the slow-paced lunch. “One possible explanation is that it may take time for satiety signals to be communicated from the gastrointestinal system to the brain,” Melanson explains.

Get your Zzzs.

```Research from the University of Chicago shows that skimping on sleep sets off a cascade of hormonal changes that can boost your appetite, leading to extra weight and even diabetes. Sleep deprivation raises levels of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin and inhibits the release of the hormone leptin, which signals the brain when you’ve had enough to eat.

“A chronic sleep debt may make losing weight more difficult,” says study author Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. Aim for seven or eight hours of shut-eye each night.

Consider medication.

If a supersize appetite is sabotaging your efforts to slim down, talk to your doctor about suppressing it with medication. In general, you are a candidate for a weight-loss drug if you have either a BMI (body mass index) above 30 or one that’s greater than 27 along with health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Louis J. Aronne, M.D., clinical professor of medicine at the Weill Medical College at Cornell University in New York City, says there is a role for weight-loss drugs. But, he adds, “keep in mind that there is no one magic bullet for weight loss. In fact, it’s going to take several different drugs (as we have for treating cholesterol and hypertension), along with lifestyle changes, to tackle the obesity epidemic.”

All medications (both OTC and prescription) have side effects that must be carefully considered. Discuss the risks and potential benefits of all weight-loss medication with your doctor, and monitor your health carefully if you take them.

Interpreting Your Food Dreams...

Hope your Holiday celebrations and libations all went well...that you had fun and managed to stay safe...and are raring to tackle the New Year by the horns!

The following is a series of "meanings" of dreams about various foods...Enjoy it and, if you believe in palmistry, astrology, tarot and the like, these interpretations will be revealing to you and certainly entertaining party talk...

Happy New Year!

Jacques

---------

You dive into a delicious bowl of rich, creamy vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup, dolloped with whipped cream, showered with sprinkles and crowned with a bright red cherry. It's sinful. It's delicious. No spoon is big enough.

And then you wake up.

Bummer. It was all a dream. But before you jump out of bed and raid the fridge (You shouldn't be eating at 3:30 a.m. anyway!), remember that dreams often have hidden meanings. Maybe that decadent sundae was really trying to tell you something…

It's not uncommon for food to appear in dreams -- especially among dieters. So what exactly is behind that T-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch's grape? Read it and sleep, folks:

Dessert First

That ice cream you just drooled over at the beginning of this article? It suggests good luck and much success in your love life, so go ahead and eat the whole thing. Beware, though, if your sundae has nuts on it -- you're in for some craziness or confusion. They can also be translated as a pun on "testicles" and refer to your sex life. Bottom line: A few nuts on your ice cream means you're destined for a wild, passionate relationship.

Chocoholics can rest easy with their dreams -- any dream about chocolate denotes good health and happiness, as well as a fondness for a pampered lifestyle.
Obviously, you were meant to live it up in the lap of luxury. Indulge and buy something nice for yourself.

To see a cake or cookies shows friends will soon do something nice for you. If the sweets look ugly or burnt, however, you're in for a short spell of bad luck. You didn't think you were going to have your cake and eat it too, did you?

Dinner's Ready!

For starters, seeing a green, leafy salad is your body's way of telling you to take better care of yourself. Eat better from now on to avoid sickness and bad health.

Carb-cutters may think dreams of pasta are just signs of withdrawal, but macaroni is actually a warning to be frugal and save money. Noodles generally warn of a series of various small losses which, if not planned for, could really add up. ---

As for the main course, eating a roast is never a good sign (it shows betrayal at home); savoring a helping of any stew means a secret admirer will reveal him or herself to you; fish forces you to make a choice between what you really want and what's practical; and a sandwich suggests you're under a lot of pressure, but that you have the ability to juggle your stresses and come out ahead.

Snack Attack

Grab a handful of crackers during your shut-eye and you're probably too picky when it comes to male companionship. Lay off a little and see your love life shift into high gear.

Salty foods like potato chips or pretzels are a sign of complete chaos. Fights and quarrels could be in your near future, so try to stay cool around family and friends -- and keep future damage control to a minimum.

Breakfast Club

A hearty breakfast has much meaning. Any dream with meat in it (ham, sausage, bacon, etc.) suggests you've overindulged in materialism. Cut back your budget a little, unless, that is, there are eggs on your dream plate as well. Eggs signify excellent financial gains, so you should be back on your feet soon enough.

Like a little fruit or juice with your morning meal? Oranges mean investments will pay off, apples suggest you work too hard and too long for not enough recognition, and grapefruit denotes hidden talents yet to be discovered.

Drinking coffee is also extremely revealing. Drink alone and you need to put in some extra thought before making an important decision. Drink it with someone else, and you likely have stronger feelings for them than you acknowledge.

Who knew food could be so intuitive? So next time the Sandman serves you something to eat in your dreams, take note -- then close your eyes and go back for seconds. Dream on!


The above article, originally titled "I Dream Of Macaroni", was authored by Dorian Wagner, a Journalism graduate from the University of Florida who has written about everything from dating and style advice to Bigfoot and UFOs. When she's not perched in front of her computer, she's typically sprawled out by the ocean near her home in Deerfield Beach, Fla.