Issue 5
March 4, 2009

In This Issue:

• Forget About Spot Reduction

• Get Some Sun and Lose Some Weight

• One More Reason to Avoid Trans Fats

• Fit Tips

Forget About Spot Reduction

Many people still think that spot reduction is possible, especially when it comes to getting a leaner midsection. Spot reduction is based on the notion that it's possible to "burn off" fat from a specific area of the body by selectively exercising that area. That's why some people do countless sets and reps of abdominal exercises. But they're just wasting their time.

Numerous studies have shown that spot reduction is not possible. When you lose fat, you're unable to choose the area in which the fat loss will occur. Your body determines which fat stores it will use and it uses fat stores over your entire body, not just one area. Exercising a specific area of the body will build and strengthen the underlying muscle, but it will have no direct effect on fat loss in that area.

Get Some Sun and Lose Some Weight

We all know that too much sun exposure increases the risk of developing skin cancer, but there is some good news for sun worshipers when it comes to fat loss. Sun exposure increases levels of a hormone called melanocortin 1 receptor. This hormone causes the skin to darken, otherwise know as getting a tan. But there is strong evidence that melanocortin 1 receptor also works with the hormone leptin to control appetite while helping to stimulate fat burning in the cells.

You won't drop 10 pounds just by lying outside in the sun, but a little sun exposure might just benefit your overall fat loss program.

One More Reason to Avoid Trans Fats

Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol, which increases your risk of coronary heart disease. Trans fats have also been linked to some types of cancers and Alzheimer's disease. Research has now determined that trans fats also increase your risk of gallstones. The higher your consumption of trans fats, the higher your risk. When the body's cholesterol balance is altered by trans fats, it changes the composition of bile produced by the gallbladder. This leads to the formation of gallstones.

Trans fats are found in many fast foods, packaged foods, frozen foods, baked goods, margarine and shortening. Avoid foods that have the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated on their labels. Keep your ingestion of trans fats to a minimum, or if possible, avoid them entirely.

Fit Tips

• Blueberries are nutritional powerhouses containing a good dose of vitamin C and fiber, and half a cup is only 41 calories. They are also one of the best sources of disease fighting, anti-aging antioxidants.

• A study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that people with a daily calcium intake of greater than 1,000 milligrams (about three 8 oz. glasses of milk) were about 21% less likely to develop colorectal cancer. Calcium appears to reduce cancerous cell growth in the colon.

• A study published in the journal Annals of Family Medicine showed that men who rated their risk of having a stroke or heart attack to be lower than average had a three times lower incidence of death from cardiovascular disease over the next 15 years of the study. The researchers believe that being optimistic about health can help the actual outcome of overall health.