Improving Metabolism

I ran across an article on Yahoo about foods that speed up metabolism. Probably nothing in there that is earth shattering but it is nice to have a reminder about stuff.

One of the best suggestions offered is to start reading the nutrition labels on the food to learn how many calories and how many servings are contained. For many snacks foods there are multiple servings per container. A label may say it contains 100 calories per serving but then there are 4 servings in the package. I've seen as many as 5 servings contained in a bag of chips that some might be considered an "individual" serving. Watch out!

As always, the best thing to do is drink plenty of water, eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains like oatmeal and get plenty of exercise. There is no magic wand for healthy living.

San Francisco Seminar

Our next scheduled seminar will be held in San Francisco on Saturday, July 25th from 8am to 6pm.

The seminar will be held at the Crown Plaza San Francisco International Airport.

Dr. Stephen Savoie, DC will present research published by Sense Technology demonstrating the benefits of multiple impulse therapy. He will offer hands-on training of basic PulStar protocols.

To learn more about this information packed seminar, please visit our web site.

Interesting health articles

Over the last week or so the "Well" blog from the New York Times has had a couple of interesting posts that I thought you would find interesting.

The first post is about some disagreement about the benefits of strengthening the deep abdominal muscles and whether or not it actually benefits the "core" to help prevent back pain. It gives a good example of how the "core" muscles affect the spine and how they can help prevent back pain. The post also gives suggestions on exercises that you can do to help give you a strong and balanced "core".

The second post I found both interesting and fun is about medical myths that we have all believed for so long. I felt better given that doctors believed them too. My kids will be relieved when I tell them that all the gum they swallowed won't actually stay in their stomachs for 7 years. Although they will probably be upset that the "5 second" rule is not a valid excuse to eat food off the floor.

I you hope you find these to be useful and entertaining.

San Diego Seminar Cancelled

Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances, we need to cancel our seminar scheduled for Saturday, June 27th in San Diego.  However, we do have several more seminars coming up the rest of the year (see below).  We hope this doesn't cause anyone too much inconvenience.  Please let us know if  you have any questions or need any information about the upcoming seminars.

Upcoming Seminar Dates

San Francisco, CA                                    July 25, 2009

Chicago, IL                                                August 22, 2009

PCA-CE Philadelphia, PA                        September 26, 2009

Orlando, FL                                                October 17, 2009

Phoenix, AZ                                                  November 14, 2009

Dr. David Wu in Diamond Bar, CA

I would like to introduce the newest member of the PulStar family, Dr. David Wu.  

Dr. Wu's practice, Well Fit Center, is located at 1401 S. Diamond Bar Blvd, in Diamond Bar, CA 91765.  The Well Fit Center has been serving the community for 4 years.

Dr. Wu graduated from the Southern California College of Chiropractic in 1991.  He has also practiced in Northern California in San Francisco and Millbrae.  He specializes in BioCranial Therapy, Nutrition Response Testing and Pulse Electromagnetic Field Therapy.

Dr. Wu was born and raised in Edison, New Jersey before moving to the "Golden State".  When he isn't giving PulStar treatments, he enjoys exercising, eating and traveling (I enjoy 2 out of those 3 also ).  

Dr. Wu chose the PulStar because it is "great for patients who prefer more 'gentle' adjustments and [I am] able to measure changes on the computer screen visit by visit".  Patients should visit him because he will get "quick and measurable results".

To learn more about Dr. Wu or to schedule a PulStar treatment you can call him at 909-396-9500, visit his website or email him at DoctorWu@wellfitcenter.com.  

Welcome to the family, Dr. Wu!

San Diego Seminar

We have made a change to our San Diego Seminar originally scheduled for June 6th.  It has been rescheduled to Saturday, June 27th.  All of the the other information remains the same. 

The seminar will be held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina from 8:00am - 6:00pm .

Dr. Jennifer Westcott, DC will present research published by Sense Technology demonstrating the benefits of multiple impulse therapy.  She will offer hands-on training of basic PulStar protocols.

To learn more about this information packed seminar, please visit our web site.  

PCA Continuing Education Courses - CANCELLED

We have been informed that the PCA Continuing Education Course scheduled for Saturday, May 9th in Pittsburgh has been cancelled.  The reasons for the cancellation are unclear but we hope that it can be rescheduled in a timely fashion.  

As far as we know, the Multiple Impulse Therapy Course scheduled for Saturday, September 26th in Philadelphia is still a go.  Please follow up with the PCA as their website currently lists both events on their "Upcoming Events" tab.

Our next seminar is scheduled for Saturday, June 6th in San Diego, CA.  Stay tuned for details!

Drs. Jason Bourne & Nancy Brooks-Bourne in Ontario, Canada

I'm taking this blog global, one continent at a time.

Dr. Jason Bourne has been using a PulStar system for about 4 1/2 years but recently he purchased a second system that his wife, Dr. Nancy Brooks-Bourne will use.  This dynamic duo has offices in London, Ontario (150 Kent St, N6A 1L3, P:519-433-7444, F: 519-433-1276) and Exeter, Ontario (374 Main Street S, N0M 1S6, P: 519-235-2225, F: 519-433-1276).

Jason was born and raised in Deux-Montagnes, Quebec (north of Montreal) while Nancy grew up in Grand-Falls, Newfoundland.  Both graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA, Jason in 2002 and Nancy in 1999.  Each has been practicing in Ontario since their graduation.  Aside from PulStar, they specialize in Neuromechanical, Diversified, Thompson, Gonstead and Torque Release Technique.

When not giving PulStar treatments, this PulStar power couple enjoys spending time with their children, Brooke and Evan, and their Redbone Coonhound, Penny.  Some of their favorite activities are skiing, cycling, hiking and going out on their Seadoo boat.

Dr. Jason Bourne says they chose the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy because they, "like the specificity of instrument adjusting.  We like that PulStar is visual and we can show our patients where their problems are.  It proves what we do and we know our patients like that".

As of right now, the First Couple of Canadian Chiropractic, has two of the 5 PulStars in the whole Province.  Dr. Jason Bourne was the first chiropractor in Ontario to use the PulStar and others have obviously taken notice of his success.     If you would like to make an appointment with the most experienced PulStar doctor in Ontario, you can call 519-433-7444.

PCA Continuing Education Courses

The Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association (PCA) will be offering two continuing education courses on multiple impulse therapy this year.  Both will feature our very own PulStar expert, Dr. Stephen Savoie.

Dr. Savoie will demonstrate why multiple impulse therapy provides the measurable benefits that patients want and need.  He will help attendees understand why the PulStar system represents the gold standard for multiple impulse therapy, patient record management and applied assessment/adjusting technique.  

Attendees will learn how results are immediately and graphically presented so patients can easily interpret them.  And they will see how multiple impulse therapy can enable them to quickly and accurately measure every outcome. 

The seminars will be held in Pittsburgh on Saturday, May 9th and in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 26th.  8 CEs have been applied for in PA for each program.  Those looking for more information can visit the PCA website.

Dr. Demetrios Athans in Tampa, FL

Dr. Demetrios Athans recently purchased a PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy for his practice located at 19651 Bruce B Downs Blvd in Tampa, FL 33647.   Dr. Athans has been practicing at this location for the last 4 years.

Dr. Athans grew up in Boston, MA, graduated from Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, GA and had a practice in Melbourne, FL before moving to Tampa.  When he is not helping patients with PulStar treatments he can be found on one of the area's many fine golf courses.

Dr. Athans specializes in both the diversified technique and now the PulStar also.  He chose the PulStar "to improve patient results" and to provide more treatment options for his patients.

Dr. Athans quipped that patients should come to see him because of his "Greek healing power".  So if you need an adjustment, golf tips or a smile you can make an appointment with Dr. Athans by calling 813-994-2266 or by visiting his web site.

Welcome to the PulStar family, Dr. Athans!

X-Rays and low back pain

Many chiropractors use x-rays to help them identify the source of pain their patients are feeling and to help them find the appropriate treatment.  I found an article about some research that was published recently that says there is no benefit to routine imaging for low back pain.

The research was done by an organization called the American Pain Society.  According to their mission statement, the Society "is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering".

The results of their research are that there is "no benefit to routine lumbar imaging for low back pain without indications of serious underlying conditions" and "that clinicians should refrain from routine use of imaging in these patients".  So unless a patient has a serious spinal issue, regular x-rays during routine visits are unnecessary.   There was no difference between treatment done with imaging and without either in the short term or the long term.

Despite recommendations since 1994 stating that clinicians should avoid using imaging in the first month of acute low back except when "red flags" were present, the use has increased.  And despite all the risks associated with imaging "including radiation exposure or turning up anatomic problems that are not the actual cause of the back pain, and raise both direct and indirect costs", the use of imaging has increased.

Dr. Dan Collins, who has helped develop and train the PulStar, told a group of chiropractors at our Pittsburgh seminar last month that he x-rays his new patients at their first visit to make sure he is aware of any serious spinal conditions and after that he trusts the PulStar analysis.  Even when the PulStar and the patient disagree on the source of the pain, he said, trusting the PulStar always results in relieving the patient's pain.

The PulStar is non-invasive, gentle, safe and most importantly, effective.  A chiropractor using the PulStar will be able to accurately analyze your spine without unnecessary imaging and then offer a gentle, effective treatment to help relieve your pain.  You can click this link in order to read the published research about PulStar's effectiveness or the link in the right hand column to find a PulStar doctor near you so you can see for yourself the many benefits of the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.

The New G3

                                                                                                                                                 I mentioned in a previous post that we unveiled our new generation of PulStar, the G3, at our Pittsburgh seminar last month. It's a little smaller, a little more portable than the G2 version. The other difference is that it can come with a new impulse head that is more ergonomic than the standard impulse head.

The new design gives the user a better "line of drive" meaning that it lines up directly with their forearm as they are using it. This give the user more balance and more comfort and helps them be more accurate.

The new impulse head also comes with three function buttons on it. Now users can control all of the necessary functions from analysis, to treatment, through post-analysis. A chiropractor doesn't need to leave the patient to push buttons on the computer or screen, she can do it all while administering to the patient.

I wanted to post a couple of pictures for everyone to see because I think it's a cool new development.

"Alternative Therapies"

I follow a number of blogs to keep up with what people are writing about back pain since that is what the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy does, relieve back pain.  

One of the bogs I follow is Lose the Back Pain.  This blog, like many of it's kind, doesn't have one method for curing back pain but many.  They sell different products and push their "alternative therapies".  I have no issues with trying something different before deciding on medicines and surgeries.

What I do take issue with is a recent post about healing being an art and not a science.  The author gives examples of going to a chiropractor and an acupuncturist and how each of those practitioners may give different remedies each time because they are artists.  The author goes on to explain that the "healer"recognizes:

"sleep deprivation is both caused by and is also a cause of anxiety; that weight gain is due to improper diet and emotional issues; that insomnia is a result of anxiety and poor food choices and lifestyle choices and jobs that lead to stress and organ-energy imbalances.  There is something in the body 'allowing' these diseases to thrive."

There's no art to any of that, it's science.  Psychology is a science in which we find out about the symptoms and causes and cures for anxiety.  And medicine isn't always the cure.  Any doctor or nutritionist will tell you all the scientific ways that a diet full of cheeseburgers is improper, a poor lifestyle choice and will cause emotional issues when you can't fit into your jeans any more.  We all know that sitting on our couch with a remote is much less healthy than walking with a friend.  It's not art, it's a science.

Back pain relief isn't about art, it's not about "holistic healing", it isn't magic.  It's about science.  There is a reason your back hurts, there is a cause.  The PulStar will scientifically find the cause and will help cure the back pain.  It's not drugs, it's not surgery, it is scientific pain relief.  And best of all, PulStar is gentle.  It doesn't hurt, there is no twisting, cracking or popping.

The one thing from the post that I agree with is that the patient must participate.  This isn't art either, it's also science.  There is no magic pill or wand or "holistic treatment" that will make it possible for you to eat fast food every day, not exercise and still be healthy.  You need to change the way you live. That's not an artist's subjective opinion, it's scientific fact.

Dr. Brian Sharp in Springfield, TN

Dr. Brian Sharp is another veteran PulStar user whose practice, Sharp Spine Center, PLLC, is located at 2012 - Memorial Blvd, Springfield, TN 37172.  Dr. Sharp has been using the PulStar exclusively here for two years.

Dr. Sharp grew up in Atlanta, GA, graduated from Life University in Marietta, GA in 2004 and practiced in Alpharetta, GA prior to moving to Springfield.  When he's not giving PulStar treatments Dr. Sharp enjoys spending time with his family, friends and his church.  He enjoys their midwife appointments since he and his wife are expecting their first child in September (congratulations!).  And he is a fanatic hockey and soccer fan as evidenced by the Man U jersey he wore to our Pittsburgh seminar.

Dr. Sharp chose the PulStar because he was using multiple impulse therapy for two years prior to opening his own office.  He said, "I knew I needed to use the best equipment out there as my #1 priority is to give the best to my patients.  With the PulStar, I'm doing that on each and every visit without any question."

Dr. Sharp went on to say that two things separate him from other chiropractors:  

"The first thing is the PulStar.  With this amazing technology there is no fear of the traditional chiropractic adjustment which many people do not like.  Second, I focus on only recommending what's best for each patient.  Therefore, everyone receives individualized care and specific care plans to address their unique situation."

To learn more about Dr. Sharp or to schedule an appointment you can call 615-382-1411, visit his web site or send him an email at sharpspine@gmail.com.  

We wish Dr. Sharp continued success using the PulStar and look forward to hearing about the newest addition to the Sharp family in September!

Pittsburgh Seminar Wrap Up

The seminar this weekend, from my perspective seemed like a success.  It was a good opportunity for me to finally meet the people whose faces I was familiar with from the pictures in our marketing materials and whose voices I was familiar with from so many phone calls. 

Christian started the conference with the announcement of our new generation of PulStars, the PulStar G3!  This new system is smaller and more portable than previous versions and consequently more affordable.  This new system is $1,000 less than the previous generation and will be equipped with a new impulse head that offers more of a "pistol grip" handle.  Along with being more balanced and lining up more properly with the forearm of the user, the new impulse head will have additional buttons that will allow a doctor to control all the functions of the PulStar so she never has to leave the patient.  

Speaking of the previous models, Christian also announced that we have an inventory of the G2 models which will be sold at a steep discount to make room for the new generation.  A couple of the doctors in attendance expressed interest in these systems so I imagine they will go quickly.  If your doctor has considered a PulStar (even if he hasn't), make sure he knows not to miss this opportunity.

Dr. Evans then took some time to outline the evolution of the PulStar from inception to the G3.  It is stunning how much has changed and improved since Dr. Evans decided to try and add technology to the field of chiropractic.  Dr. Jennifer Westcott, one of our trainers and contributors to PulStar's ongoing development, went through basic protocols.  She made it clear to everyone that these basic protocols are effective in relieving most issues patients have.  Finally, Dr. Dan Collins, our lead trainer and researcher, went through advanced protocols and adjusted everyone in the room.  Even veteran PulStar users learned something new from Dr. Collins' presentation.  Saturday was a long day and we covered a lot of information, don't let these 6 sentences fool you.

Sunday was a shorter day which started with Dr. Collins' lecture on extremities.  Dr. Stephen Savoie, our documentation and compliance expert, talked about the soft tissue work he does and some new attachments he is learning to use for this purpose.  The balance of the day was spent on advanced protocols and some hands on training of the attendees.

Judging by the involvement of and interaction among the attendees, I think they all enjoyed the seminar as well.  Hopefully I will be in touch with those that attendee and I'll get to hear first hand how much their patients benefitted from the lessons learned at the seminar.  Rest assured that I'll be sharing that info when I get it.

Interesting Diet Information

I try to follow the "Well" blog on the New York Times website which generally covers many interesting topics dealing with health and well being.  The author, Tara Parker-Pope, doesn't focus solely on food or exercise but rather every aspect of a person's life that might cause them not to be "well".  My opinion is that you'll find something there that will help or benefit you.

I wrote about about my experiences with diet and weight loss at the beginning of the year (hard to believe it is March already) and over the last week, Ms. Parker-Pope has written two interesting posts that I think are worth mentioning.

The first interesting post was the release of The New England Journal of Medicine's findings that it doesn't matter what type of diet you subscribe to, so long as you subscribe to something.  Apparently they took a group of people and assigned them one of four diet plans that had some similarities to popular plans out there like The Atkins Diet et al.  All of the groups lost similar amounts of weight and gained similar amounts of weight back during the two year study.  This means that no one diet plan is better than another.  As long as you watch what you eat in some manner, you can lose weight successfully.  The key to not gaining it back is to maintain that vigilance and not slip back into old habits (I learned that the hard way).

The second interesting post was about a colleague of hers that writes a food column at The Times.  His doctor suggested that he switch to a vegan diet to help with his health problems but given his profession and his enjoyment of food, he didn't feel like that was an option.  He decided to compromise and came up with the idea that he would be "vegan till 6".  His plans was to eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes all day and then have whatever he wants for his dinner.  He says he had dramatic results from this compromise and sticks with this plan today.

The point is that there is no magic pill, silver bullet or fad diet that will get you the results of simply choosing to eat healthier foods and fewer calories more often than eating bad food and lots of calories.  Simply looking at the amount of calories you take in can help.  Many people don't realize that a bag of chips, a bottle of soda or a packet of cookies is more than one serving but often times the label only tells you the calories in one serving.  You maybe consuming 2, 3 or 4 servings every time.  Many people probably don't realize that one fast food meal may contain 50-75% of their recommended calorie intake for an entire day!  Between burgers, fries, sodas, snacks and dessert, I was consuming 2 or 3 days worth of calories in just three meals and a snack without realizing it.

Changing your diet doesn't have to be as painful as we all make it out to be.  Change is always uncomfortable and you need to change your diet in order to lose weight but it doesn't need to be demoralizing.  The post about "vegan till 6" is a great example.  He made the sacrifice of eating differently during the day but maintains the comfort and familiarity of eating what he wants at night.  Change something and stick with it and you will get results, the first post showed that.  Getting the results will help you stick with the plan you choose, the second post showed that.

Go pick a plan and get those results!

Detroit Wrap-Up

By all accounts, the Dertoit Seminar was a success!

After introductions and announcements by Christian and Dr. Evans, the show was turned over to Dr. Dan Collins our head trainer a man who has been instrumental in developing and refining the PulStar.

Dr. Collins lectured on basic protocols, using the standing positional unit and advanced protocols with small group practicums after each session.

Feedback from attendees was positive with the only exception being the weather.  If I could have done something about the 20 degree weather and snow, I'd be making a lot more money.  

Looks like it'll be in the high 30's - low 40's for our Pittsburgh Seminar so leave the ear muffs at home!  There's still room available if you want to catch great information about the PulStar, some exciting announcements and some pre-Spring Pittsburgh weather!

Yoga

At the beginning of the year I mentioned that we would talk about more wellness related topics this year.  Yoga offers many benefits to those that practice it.

As stated in this article from the Mayo Clinic, "the ultimate goal of yoga is to reach complete peacefulness of body and mind, helping you relax and manage stress and anxiety".  Who couldn't benefit from a little more peacefulness of body and mind.

Not only does yoga offer the mental benefit of managing stress and anxiety, it also offers the physical benefit of improving strength, flexibility and balance.  Many professional athletes use yoga to help them maintain their high level of performance.

A good place to start looking for your yoga needs is the Gaiam website where you will find props like mats and other equipment you might need as well as videos and information about their instructors.

Yoga can be a huge benefit to achieving those New Year's resolutions you made that might be drifting off your radar right about now.

Pittsburgh Seminar

Our biggest seminar of the year is coming up March 7th and 8th!

We will be hosting a 2 day conference at the Doubletree Hotel in Pittsburgh where attendees will receive in depth training with the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.  Our national trainers will be there to teach basic and advanced protocols.  Attendees can also become certified at this seminar.  

If you can't make the Detroit seminar in February, this one is only a couple of hours away.   

To register call 800-628-9416.

 

Dr. Brian Seitz in Hillsboro, OR

I thought it might be a good idea to profile some of our veteran PulStar users along with those just getting started.  So...

Dr. Brian Seitz practices at Tuality Physicians, PC at 730-D SE Oak Street in Hillsboro, OR 97123.  Dr. Seitz has been practicing in Western Washington County (OR) for 21 years!  9 of those years have been spent as a DC in an MD/DO primary care practice group.

Dr. Seitz spent the first 12 years of his life in Southern California before moving north to Oregon where he has been since.  He graduated from the Western States Chiropractic College in June of 1988 before opening his own practice.  When he's not busy treating patients with the PulStar, he's busy playing basketball, mountain biking and playing an occasional round of golf.

Dr. Seitz is diversified in his treatment techniques.  In addition to the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy, he can offer manual adjustments as well as various modalities to support an injured patient and help relieve pain.  He also uses therapies for tendinopathies and for breaking down excessive fibrosis. Dr. Seitz also counsels patients on appropriate nutrition and exercise for general wellness and targeted problems.

Dr. Seitz chose the PulStar about 7 years ago because he wanted to be able "to provide a treatment option for patients fearful of traditional adjusting".  He also said that the PulStar offers him the additional benefit of  prolonging his useful career because the PulStar gives him an alternative to manual adjusting if he were to suffer an injury.  You heard it straight from the doctor's mouth, the PulStar is good for patients AND doctors. :-)

Dr. Seitz's patients are treated "as a unique individual, not part of a 'system approach'."  He will "listen to (his) patients and strive to empower each patient with knowledge of self-help and wellness".  Dr. Seitz says, "People get better with my care!"  With his years of experience and the PulStar at his side, we know he is right.

To get more information about Dr. Seitz or to schedule an appointment, you can call 503-640-3724 or you can visit his web site. 

Dr. Tami Andrews in Lake Elmo, MN

I am proud to post about a new member joining the PulStar family!

Dr. Tami Andrews is the newest user of the PulStar Multiple Impulse Therapy.  Dr. Andrews practices at the Lake Elmo Chiropractic Clinic at 3511 Lake Elmo Avenue N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042.  She has been practicing here for 13 years.

Dr. Andrews got her start at Hynan Chiropractic in St. Paul where she practiced for 4 years after graduating from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1992.  She specializes in adjustments, nutrition and non-surgical decompression.

Raised in Chisholm, MN, Dr. Andrews enjoys playing tennis, watching hockey and skating as would any true native of the North Star State. :)

Dr. Andrews says she chose the PulStar because of the technology, customer service and price.  Patients at Lake Elmo Chiropractic can expect personal service, a caring attitude and prompt attention.  And she says, "we have combined technology in our offices that other offices do not".

To schedule an appointment you can call 651-779-7858 or 651-777-2426 and you can find her on the web by clicking here.

Dr. Andrews, it's good to have you on board.  We look forward to hearing your successes with the PulStar.  Good luck!

Barack Obama's Inauguration

On this historic day we at Sense Technology would like to congratulate President Obama and wish him luck.  We certainly hope he can lead this country past the "challenges we face" like he said in his inaugural speech.

Transition has always been exciting for me personally.  I've always chosen to focus on the positives or the "upside" of a change.  Hopefully this transition will lead to a better economy and the country will see better times sooner rather than later.  Obviously we could use some good times.

So again, congratulations and good luck, President Obama, hopefully you are the right man to set things right again.

Detroit Seminar

We will be hosting a seminar on Saturday, February 21st at the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Hotel.

At this seminar attendees will get an opportunity to learn basic PulStar protocols and get a hands-on, "up close and personal" look at the PulStar.

This seminar is great for anyone thinking about buying a PulStar for their practice or for someone who has purchased a PulStar and would like some additional training.

For more information about the seminar, you can visit our web site.

Resolutions and Health Part II

Picking up where I left off on my previous post...

I have another friend that had success with the Abs Diet from Men's Health Magazine.  I bought the book according to her recommendation and I too had success.  The book is a quick read, especially if you skip the testimonials and it will give you a short, quick understanding of why some foods are good and some are bad without overwhelming you.  I didn't lose 25 pounds in 6 weeks following all of their recipes and plans like the claims in the testimonials but I did lose about 15 pounds.  I realized early on that eating all organic can be a little expensive and not everything they offered suited my tastes. The biggest things I took from there were:

A. Oatmeal - It's a great way to start your day, especially with a little brown sugar and cinnamon. With a solid foundation of oatmeal to start, I never felt like I was "starving".  I never ate oatmeal prior to reading this book and now I eat it almost everyday.

B. Eating every 2-3 hours - At first I had to make myself eat every couple of hours to get into the habit but small "meals" every couple of hours also guaranteed I was never "starving".  It didn't take long before I (or my body) found the schedule that worked for me.

C. Smoothies - These are great mid-day snacks between lunch and dinner. It's something fun and sweet to help finish the work day. The book has lots of recipes for every taste.  I make batches ahead of time and freeze them, then let them thaw at my desk until I'm ready to drink it.

D. Frozen Dinners - The right frozen dinner offers a healthy meal but especially, the right portion size for dinner.  I heard elsewhere that your meals should progress from large to small with dinner being your smallest meal of the day.  Using the frozen dinner to follow that rule had an impact on my weight loss as well as my pocket book (since they are cheap).

They mention it in the book but I do want to make it clear here that you shouldn't be looking for a "diet" as in, "I'm going on a diet until I lose 10 pounds".  You should be looking to change your "diet" as in, "my change to a diet of healthy foods has me feeling better than when my diet consisted of cheeseburgers."  Changing the way you eat will improve your life more than just being able to fit into clothes you wore last year.  There's a lot to be said about generally feeling good and having more energy.  Food is the fuel that runs your body.  Bad fuel causes your body to operate poorly.  Good fuel allows your body to function properly.  You will notice the difference.

Once you've changed the way you eat, you will also want to exercise.  Light weight lifting is valuable as you will see in the book.  Muscle burns fat all day long.  The more muscle you build, the more fat you will burn.  You don't need to lift like a linebacker to build the muscle you need to be successful.  I did push ups and used some dumbbells to help me achieve this.  You can get a pretty good workout in your own home this way.  The book has some good exercises.

Finally, what pushed me over the top was my change in cardio exercises.  I said before I walked until I could jog.  I used to jog around a track and I added a lap every few days.  I finally got to 4 miles on the track which was 16 laps of really boring running.  I have a friend who does triathalons and I asked him for some advice.  Basically he said I should have one long jog a week that could be as much as a 1/3 of the total distance I would jog that week.  So basically I did 4 days a week, I started doing jogs of distances like 2-3-4-2 and I added another 10% of the total distance each week so maybe I did 2.5-3-4-2.5 the second week.  

Also, he suggested alternating up and down on the long jog day.  The long jogs would go something like 4-5-4-5-6-5-6-7-6-7.  Doing interval or speed training during one of my shorter jogs and then alternating my long jog like this really seemed to put the fat burning process into overdrive.  This really supercharged my weight loss 6 months in to help me get to the 50 pound mark.  Varying your workout is also important in weights just like jogging.  Your body can get used to a routine and then not burn as many calories so make sure to change things every 6 weeks or so.

Commit, stick with it, remember that doing a little is better than doing nothing and you will be as successful as you want to be.  

I enjoyed talking health so I will probably incorporate some more posts on this topic moving forward.  Good Luck with those resolutions.

Resolutions and Health

I hope everyone had a happy holiday season and New Year.

Now that I'm back to work and catching up, I've seen many posts on many blogs talking about the "New Year's Resolution" and weight loss.  Of course, some of the blogs are selling something: a product, a system, a fantasy.  Given that back pain can be caused by excess weight being carried around, I thought I could use this blog to comment on my experiences in pain and weight loss.

I had always had a stomach but as I got into my 30's, I became more sedentary and my stomach got worse.  In addition to a sore back, my knees and feet were killing me.  I started exercising and eating better and lost about 50 pounds and became a whole new person.

A couple of undeniable truths that you need to understand are:

1. There is no "easy" way to lose weight and get into shape.  Every pill and product out there says you need to adjust your diet and include exercise to get the best results.  I didn't take pills, I didn't use instruments and I didn't join a gym.  I ate right, walked until I could jog and I bought some dumbbells for weight training.  It was a long, hard process that took 12 months and included setbacks in which I gained as much as 7 pounds back after a 2 week vacation.  Prepare your self.  Long term results will only happen with long term effort.

2. No reality exists in which you can go from eating french fries, pizza and Twinkies your entire life to a special diet for a month to look like a model and then go back to eating french fries, pizza and Twinkies and still look like a model.  Eating poorly and not exercising got you to where you are.  If you are fortunate enough to keep your resolution long enough to be successful and then go back to eating poorly and not exercising, you will gain all the weight back.  If you want to lose weight, don't look for a diet, look for a lifestyle change.

3. It didn't take you a week to put it on, it's going to take more than a week to take it off.  My friend recommended it to me and I've recommended it to everyone else when they start trying to lose weight:  Don't go near a scale for the first 6 weeks.  It can be very disheartening to have a couple of weeks worth of good workouts and healthy meals only to see that you gained a pound.  Give yourself and your body time to adjust and once you get past 6 weeks, you will start to see some results. The best way to tell if you are losing fat is they way your clothes fit.  Regardless of what the scale says, if your clothes are looser, you are being successful.

I'm going to stop here for now because I have more to say on the topic and I'll continue in another post.  I don't want to lose you in too much rambling.