The Culture of Overeating

Dear Valued member,

Can you believe it's already the start of the 'Holiday Season'? I get that warm feeling inside when I see pumpkins and harvest decorations... it makes me think of my mom's pumpkin pie!! I enjoy the home cooked goodies and treats that come my way during the next few months, especially raiding my kids candy bags after last weekend! But seriously, with all the good food and treats we consume this time of year, it brings an added responsibility for me to push it extra hard in my workouts and stay consistent.

One Smile

This week I'm beginning a five-part series on the benefits of exercise, starting with how it affects the brain by boosting your mood. Workout Joe or Joe Workout - those are names I hear daily from people who know me or know of me. Being referred to as "that workout guy" is music to my ears, as fitness totally defines me. Being physically fit gives me... Read the rest here and share your thoughts!

See you soon at the gym... or follow me on Twitterand let me know what you are doing this week for your workout routine!

"Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!" -Joe G.
joe

Enthusiastically,

Joe Gigantino Owner

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Lite for Life

Have you received your free consultation with Laurie yet? Lite For Life is a new Weight Loss Center and Lite Food Market within Los Gatos Health & Fitness!

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November Specials:

- Treat yourself to a holiday gift. Purchase any program package and receive $0 registration fee.

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- To lessen the sugar load, try one of our pies or cookies that are kind to the taste buds and the waistline!

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The Culture of Overeating: A Survival Guide

Certain foods are powerful.

They cast a spell over the most well-meaning dieter, and cause logical people to overeat until their sides hurt.

They occupy your thoughts to the point of obsession as you try to ignore a plate of cookies.

And when it's all said and done, they accumulate on your body in the most obtrusive way as a result of dozens of unused calories.

Why does food hold such power? And, most importantly, how can you control your eating?

The End of Overeating stop over-eating

David A. Kessler, MD set out to answer these pressing questions in his instant bestseller, The End of Overeating. Despite being a pediatrician, a former FDA commissioner, and former dean of the medical schools at Yale and the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Kessler struggles with his weight.

Observing the current obesity epedemic, he knew that he wasn't alone.

Dr. Kessler, with the insight of some of the brightest minds in medicine and science, discovered the following three reasons that most of us are compelled to overeat.

1. An Irresistible Combination Rewires Your Brain: Think of your favorite treat - most likely it can be broken down into the basic building blocks of sugar, fat and salt. This combination is known of as the 'three points of the compass', a combination that has been shown to literally alter the biological circuitry of your brain.

Sugar, fat and salt give food a high hedonic value which gives you pleasure. This pleasure reinforces you to return to your favorite foods time and time again.

2. The Food Industry Targets You: Everywhere you go you'll see the clever work of the food industry, tempting you with highly palatable creations. Food has become a science, and your taste preferences the guiding light.

The food industry has one goal - to get you hooked. By constructing food items that are high in sugar, fat and salt they know that you will come back time and time again.

3. Conditioned Hypereating Becomes a Way of Life: Humans are conditioned to seek more reward. When readily available, hyper palatable food become our reward a pattern of hypereating quickly emerges. Dr. Kessler describes the cycle:

"Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, and the cues that signal them, promote more of everything: more arousal...more thoughts of food...more urge to pursue food...more dopamine-stimulated approach behavior...more consumption...more opioid-driven reward...more overeating to feel better...more delay in feeling fulll...more loss of control...more preoccupation with food...more habit-driven behavior...and ultimately, more and more weight gain."

Breaking the Cycle

The good news is that you don't have to remain trapped in a cycle of overeating. The following three tips will put you back in control.

1. Set Your Rules: In order to resist overeating in today's tempting food environment, you must eat by a set of self-imposed rules. Predetermined rules take away the need to make food decisions in vulnerable moments.

Dr. Kessler thinks these rules should be, "simple enough to fit with your busy life, but specific enough to remove uncertainty from the food equation."

For suggestions as to what rules you should adopt, let's turn to another authority on eating, bestselling author of 'In Defense of Food', Michael Pollan:

Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
Pay more, eat less. Look for quality of food over quantity.
Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does. Gas stations are great for fueling your car, but the food they sell are not suited to fuel you.
Try not to eat alone. Eating can become mindless when alone, leading to overeating.
Eat slowly. Eat foods that have been prepared slowly - that means no fast food.

2. Make Negative Associations: When was the last time you peeled a lemon and ate it whole? Probably never. That's because your taste buds have a negative association with the sour taste.

Our taste buds have traditionally been our guide when it comes to food selection, but this must change for you to successfully avoid overeating. Since the food industry purposely crafts food items to please your taste buds (not waistline) what tastes good can no longer dictate what you eat.

It's up to you to create negative associations with unhealthy food - despite their pleasing taste. Here are some negatives to focus on:

Those extra calories will accumulate around your waist.
Your health will suffer.
You will become more dissapointed with your appearance.
You'll feel sluggish.

3. Give Yourself a Real Reward: The bottom line is that we eat unhealthy food as a reward, even though it causes more harm that good. It's time to give yourself a truly beneficial reward - exercise.

desert runner

Exercise is a healthy reward that will not only release endorphins into your system, but will also give you the benefit of weight loss and improved health.

I truly believe that you can overcome your pattern of overeating with healthy eating and regular exercise.

We are here to help - Call (408) 354-5808 or email Mary today to start your fitness program that will greatly improve your life.

For more inspiration and motivation like your read above, check out my Workout blog or follow me on Twitter!

Veggie Power Juice

Remember how Popeye would drain a can of spinach and half a second later his muscles would begin to bulge? Think of this recipe as your own can of spinach. While your muscles may not instantly grow to three times their size, your body will surely experience a nutritious surge.

Yield: 2 servings

Here's what you need...

1 cup packed fresh spinach
2 green apples
4 large carrots
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
Juicing machine

Wash the vegetables, cut the ends off the carrots and peel the ginger.
Run each item through the juicer. Mix until combined, pour into two glasses and enjoy.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 139 calories, 5g fat, 34g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, and 2g protein.

Spread the word. Motivate your friends, family and co-workers by forwarding this newsletter! They'll thank you for it.

Get a FREE consultation with LITE for LIFE!

Introducing Lite For Life, a new Weight Loss Center and Lite Food Market within Los Gatos Health & Fitness! This modern, successful, and research-driven program focuses on regulating blood sugar to control food cravings, improve mood, and shed unwanted pounds.

Lite For Life members have access to one-on-one counseling with a certified nutritionist and stay until you feel confident and can leave with a smile on your face. Los Gatos Health & Fitness now meets all your health and nutrition needs!

Contact Laurie today (408) 354-5808 for your FREE consultation!

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