Cavemen Never Went on Diets

I know it's funny to even think of a caveman or cavewoman worrying about his or her figure. Back then it was survival - eat what you can find. Contrast that with today where most of us don't have to struggle to find food. It's as near as your 7-11 or gas station. And that's the rub. Accessibility has taken us far from our roots. Of course, social standards of size hasn't helped us either.

Back then cavemen didn't have to practice the skill of resistance. We do. Studies are showing that practicing a little resistance can end up with big rewards. In one study the authors found that in situations when self-control is repeatedly tested, a defense strategy that works for a first temptation can be used to tackle the next. Let's say that when you go to McDonald's you're tempted to have fries with your hamburger. You decide that you will resist the temptation and just have the hamburger. You finish your lunch and head back to work. You're proud of yourself for having resisted the fries. According to the study results, the next time you head to McDonald's you'll more easily be able to resist the fries because you were successful the last time.

This philosophy holds true, as well, for trying to decrease your intake of fat. Every time you eat something with a little less fat, it becomes that much easier to eat something else that has less fat. In fact, in time your taste buds and tongue won't even enjoy greasy foods. You will have lost some of the "need" for fat. The same holds true for sugar. Put a little less sugar in your coffee each day and you'll see that one day you may even be drinking your coffee without sugar.
Believe it or not, even though the saying goes "you can't teach an old dog new tricks", it isn't so. You can change as long as you want to change.

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Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets

N.E.A.T. activity

If we all did a little N.E.A.T. activity, we'd be pounds lighter by the end of the year. N.E.A.T. stands for "non-exercise activity thermogenesis". It's activity that isn't intentional exercising. Just walking up a flight of stairs or parking your car as far away from the mall as you can helps you burn NEAT calories.

I just recently got a mini exercise bike, one of those pedal machines that you put in front of your chair and pedal like a stationary exercsie bike. I put it under my desk so that as I work at the computer, I can keep my metabolism revved up and improve the circulation to my legs.

So many of us have sedentary jobs that we've got to make up for the lack of exercise some way. While I ride my bike outside when the weather is nice (which isn't often enough when you live in the Seattle area) or use the treadmill when the weather is inclement, it still is just an isolated piece of exercise. I do it for an hour and then go sit for 8 hours (with, of course, some breaks for lunch, etc.). This way with a mini exercise bike, I can get a lot more activity while sitting.

Finding the right type of mini exercise bike was a bit of a challenge. There are many types available, from the very inexpensive to the way-too-much-for-me variety. In doing research on the web, I found out that when you go too cheaply, the bike can overheat. But more importantly, the inexpensive ones have a jerky movement that can eventually affect your joints. I ended up getting a mini bike with magnetic resistance by MagneTrainer. It uses magnets to adjust the tension and because of that, gives a smoother pedaling.

When you get something like the mini exercise bike and put it in front of the sofa while you watch television, you can no longer be called a "couch potato". You'll find it actually increases your energy levels, far better than a candy bar will do. For some who haven't yet accepted that exercise is good for you, this is a nice way to start.

Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information.

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