Dieting With A Partner Doesnt Work — One of You Will End Up Lighter The Other Upset

Dieting is a miserable practice that can easily leave anyone irritable, unhappy, and hungry, so it makes sense to think that dieting with a partner will make it easier and more enjoyable. Well, you might want to hold off on the buddy system for now; a new study found that dieting with a partner doesn’t work.

The study, published in Eating Behaviors, surveyed 50 overweight couples that had made New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. The survey asked questions about how much confidence the participants had in controlling their food portions when they were alone and when they were eating with company. Participants were asked if they agreed with statements like “When eating out with friends, they influence how much I eat” and “I feel confident that I can leave food on my plate if I think a serving size is too large.”

Overall, the study found that when couples diet together, only one person is successful. The main reason for this is because as one partner is accomplishing their goal, the other loses confidence in their own efforts. It seems counter-intuitive, because partners are supposed to be support systems for one another, but it turns out that being close to someone who is successful in a similar goal undermines the other’s confidence.  It also appears as if women have a disadvantage in couple’s dieting form the get-go; the women who participated in the study reported being less confident then men in their ability to control portions.

It’s easy to scoff at the outcomes of this study, especially for those who view dieting as an exercise in vanity. However, this information is useful for those who are dieting in order have a healthier lifestyle.  And it’s not easy! As author of the study Jennifer Jill Harman points out, portion sizes have increased 700 percent over the last 30 years, so understanding portion control and eating healthier is more important than ever. So for those of you who are serious about losing weight, do yourself a favor and don’t ask the significant other to join in your diet…you’ll be more successful on your own.

By Alanna Greco

Source: http://www.bustle.com/articles/54204-dieting-with-a-partner-doesnt-work-one-of-you-will-end-up-lighter-the-other

Squat or Sled Study Compares Muscle Activation During Squatting Sled Pushing One For Quads One For Hams!

Original image from the publication.

As Meaghan E. Maddigan, Duane C. Button and David G. Behm from the Memorial University of Newfoundland rightly point out, "the back squat is a traditional resistance training exercise." (Maddigan. 2014).

The use of resisted sled exercises, on the other hand, is a relatively new phenomenon of which we dont even know yet how it compares to the classics.

Accordingly, Maddigan et al. set out to compare the muscle activation between squatting and sled pushing on the activity of leg and trunk muscles in ten healthy resistance-trained men in the context of a randomized crossover design study.

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The study consisted of 2 preparation sessions and 2 testing sessions. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, lower erector spinae, and the transversus abdominis/ internal obliques (TrA/IO) were monitored during a 20-step maximum push with the weighted sled apparatus and a 10 repetition maximum with a bilateral back squat.

All ten subjects were healthy resistance-trained men (age 24.6 years, mass 84.5 kg, height 178.3cm) who had at least 2 years of resistance training and squat experience and were also familiar with performing the sled exercises (however, the volume of squat experiences exceeded sled training volumes or training durations).

Figure 1: Average root mean square (RMS) EMG recorded in exercise phase 1, 2, and 3 (EMG signal was calculated over a 1-second segment of the concentric contraction phase of each step or repetition) from (A) rectus femoris, (B) biceps Femoris, (C) gastrocnemius, and (D) erector spinae during the concentric portion of the sled and squat exercises. Open circles represent the sled condition, whereas the filled squares represent the squat condition (Maddigan. 2014).

As you can see in Figure 1 there were nonsignificant trends for the rectus femoris ( p = 0.092: 8.6– 16.7%) and biceps femoris ( p = 0.09: 10.5–32.8%) to demonstrate higher activity with the sled and squat exercises, respectively. A result based on which you could conclude that

• squatting is better for the quads, while
• sled pushing is th better hamstring exercise

Maddigan et al. also observed main effects for condition with 61.2% greater gastrocnemius EMG with the sled exercise ( p = 0.01) and 74.5% greater erector spinae EMG activity with the squat (p = 0.002). For the transversus abdominis/ internal obliques, however, there were no significant differences between the exercises for the.

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Bottom line: As the authors write in their conclusion, "the sled and squat exercises provided similar EMG activity for the quadriceps, hamstrings, and ransversus abdominis/ internal obliques." In that the squat may be more favorable for developing the quads, while the sled is the better hamstring activator and calf (gastrocnemius) builder.

As Maddigan et al. say, the decision which of the exercises is "best" for you will depend "on the movement-training specificity of the sport" you compete in. "[E]ither exercise may be used in a training program while acknowledging the differences in gastrocnemius and erector spinae activity." (Maddigan. 2014)

One question remains, though. Will the long-term adaptations reflect the different EMG-activation in the study at hand? To a certain extend this will probably be the case, whether and to which extent you would make better progress with one over the other exercise and if it makes sense to do both (maybe in an A-B workout style) will still have to be elucidated | Comment on Facebook!

References:

• Maddigan, Meaghan E., Duane C. Button, and David G. Behm. "Lower-Limb and Trunk Muscle Activation With Back Squats and Weighted Sled Apparatus." Journal of strength and conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association 28.12 (2014): 3346-3353.

ONE WEEK RAW AND GLUTEN FREE DAY 2 Learn How To Make The Best Raw Gluten Free Dessert Ever!

Raw Chia Seed pudding with Cinnamon

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 DAY 2 OF "ONE WEEK RAW AND GLUTEN FREE"

I hope you enjoyed yesterdays menu but in case you missed it, check out DAY 1 OF ONE WEEK RAW AND GLUTEN FREE.

Before we get to todays menu, I want to make sure:

* youve finished dehydrating  the raw granola you started yesterday

* youve rinsing the lentil sprouts you started, twice a day
* youre drinking 8 cups of water each day
* youre taking B12, vitamin D and DHA omega 3 supplements

And, were going to make tomorrows dessert which is my absolute FAVORITE raw dessert - the amazing chia pudding! Most of the time I get lazy and make chia pudding with Vanilla Living Harvest Hemp milk which starts with a ready-made hemp milk that is also wonderful but not nearly as creamy. When you make it with raw cashews and cinnamon, it tastes like a creamy rice pudding with the consistency of tapioca. What could be better than that?

In addition, we will be preparing todays menu:

Breakfast: Anti-aging smoothie with frozen grapes and matcha green tea 

Snack: Leftover Waldorf salad (from yesterdays dinner)

Lunch: Raw split pea soup with shredded carrot and a big piece of watermelon or bowl of cherries leftover from yesterday
Dinner: Hearty taco salad

Dessert: A bowl of fresh blueberries

Lets get started!

Raw Chia seed pudding with Cinnamon (Old Favorite, modified)

Raw Vegan, Gluten Free

[makes 4 servings]
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 to 6 hours and rinsed
3 pitted, jumbo Medjool dates soaked for 4 to 6 hours in 2 cups of water (reserve soak water)

1 teaspoon of vanilla 

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon plus extra for topping

1 packet of stevia (optional for added sweetness)

1/4 cup chia seeds

Place cashews, dates, date soak water, vanilla, cinnamon and stevia in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

In a 1 quart bowl, combine cashew mixture with the chia seeds and stir vigorously with a fork for several minutes. 

Let mixture sit for 15 minutes and stir vigorously again until the chia seeds are well blended and no longer clump together. 

Once the mixture is well combined and no longer separating, place in the refrigerator for one day. 

Dust with more cinnamon and serve.

Per serving: 173.5 calories, 9.1 g fat, 1.3 g saturated fat, 1.8 g omega 3 and 1.7 g omega 6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.1 g protein, 21.9 g carbohydrate and 5.8 g dietary fiber.

Chia seeds are a true longevity food.
They are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber and protein!

Now for Todays Menu!

Breakfast - Anti-Aging Smoothie (Previously posted favorite)
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 2 servings]
2 cups red or purple grapes, frozen (with or without seeds*)
2 teaspoons powdered matcha green tea
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1 large or 2 small bananas
2 cups cold, filtered water
*  A high-speed blender, like a VitaMix, is needed if seeded grapes are used.

The night before, wash grapes and put in the freezer.
In the morning, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.


 Per serving: 183 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0.8 g ALA omega 3 and 0.3 g omega 6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.0 g protein, 43.5 g carbohydrates, and 4.0 g dietary fiber.

Matcha green tea will give you a little morning caffeine jolt.
Green tea has many benefits such as inhibiting cancer cells, stabilizing blood sugar, improving cholesterol profile, helping prevent heart disease, preventing tooth decay. Its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties help fight colds and flu. Its catechin polyphenol EGCG is a powerful antioxidant.

For a snack, eat the leftover Waldorf salad from last nights dinner.

Lunch - Split pea soup with shredded carrot (Previously posted, modified) 
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 2 servings]
2 cups fresh or frozen petite peas (if frozen, thaw before using)
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 small cloves garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Place peas, celery, onion, garlic, oil, lemon juice, cumin, water and salt in a VitaMix or high speed blender and process until smooth. 
Place half of the shredded carrot in each of two bowls leaving a few tablespoons for garnish. 
Pour half of the blended soup in each bowl. With a spoon, mix the blended soup with the carrot. Top each bowl with the extra carrot and serve.


Per serving: 185.5 calories, 7.0 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 6.5 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates and 7.5 g dietary fiber. 

Raw soups are quick and easy to make!
Eat with a big piece of watermelon or a bowl of cherries 

Dinner - Hearty Taco Salad (Modified to make it gluten free)

Raw Vegan, Gluten Free

[makes 2 servings]

For the dressing

1 teaspoon chia seeds

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper
For the taco meat
2/3 cup raw walnuts
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons Bragg liquid aminos
For the salad
1 small head butter or red leaf lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite sized pieces
4 small tomatoes, cut into eighths

Kernels from 1 small ear of fresh corn

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 medium avocado, sliced

To make the dressing, combine chia seeds with water. Set aside until it forms a gel (about an hour). Once it gels, add cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the taco meat, put the walnuts, chili powder and liquid aminos in a food processor and briefly process until the mixture resembles taco meat. Do not over process. 

Prepare the salad by combining the lettuce, tomatoes, corn and green onion. Dress the salad with the lime chia seed dressing and place on two large plates. Top each salad with half of the avocado slices and half of the taco meat. 

Per serving: 474 calories, 39.2 g fat, 4.3 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 12.6 g protein, 29.2 g carbohydrates, 11.3 g fiber, 4.1 g omega 3 and 16.7 g omega 6 fatty acid.

Walnuts prepared in this way look and taste just like taco meat!

And for Dessert!

Tonight were going to have a big bowl of fresh blueberries for dessert. These little guys are packed with anthocyanidins which are powerful antioxidants. In fact, blueberries are one of the highest rated foods in their ability to destroy free radicals.

1 cup of blueberries has only 84 calories and provides a whopping 4 grams of dietary fiber. They are a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. They even contain omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids!

5 14 2012 One Life Ends Another Begins

Greetings Friends and Family,

Today I start another 30 Day Challenge on the 5 Bite Diet. I thought I would launch a new blog dedicated to the 5 Bite Diet as not to mix it up with Zero Carb. While The 5 Bite Diet can be done via Zero Carb it is not limited to it. On this challenge I plan to experiment with all foods.

So am I about to go into the "Danger Zone"? Maybe, maybe not. It will be interesting to see if nothing else. I have to find out for myself if I can do this. I have to know that for the rest of my life if I am going to have to stay Zero Carb.  I am able to venture out of that bubble and eat the form a variety of foods and still lose weight? Not only that will i be healthy.



That last sentence sums it all up. Will I be HEALTHY. That is what this is all about for ME. I am not locked into a "System". Especially if at the end of the day there is not need to be.

Everything I have done in the last few years has lead me to here. Does that mean that that this new venture is right? I dont know. It may be right for me and not others. It may not be right for me at all. I will find out  and that is for sure.

Another reasonable argument may be: isnt this the Way of Eating (WOE) that got you to the 280 lbs all time high. The food yes the Way of Eating NO. Absolutely Not. If I used portion control I believe I would never have been overweight.

Hey I have grown to really like eating meat and I can see myself mostly sticking to that, but not exclusively.

OK, so tomorrow I will offically start the diet. I know I said it would be today, but circumstances have made me put it off one more day. No worries. The post title will be titled "The 5 Bite Diet Day 1" hey this will be more than likely way longer that 30 days. So although I consider it a 30 day challenge, it may more than likely go on until...... who knows.

If I stumble, if I fall, if I go to uncontrollable carbs fests what will I do? What will I do indeed! I would have learned and expensive lesson and go back home. Home to Zero Carb. Will that be the end of my quest for Ultimate Better Health? No, not a chance. HA!!! Come on now..................

I will be tweaking the blog until I am happy with the setup. So expect see some changes until I am satisfied.

Have a Healthy Day my Friends and Family.

A Whole New World,

Cheers,

Dave