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> Hints > Past Newsletter Editions > December 2010 - The art and science of slowing down

December 2010 - The art and science of slowing down

In this Issue

• Thanks for your questions and comments
• PROMOTION: Acceleration Pedometers at 2008 prices
• The art and science of slowing down

Dear Friend,

As the end-of-year rush goes into full swing, I'd like to tell you about new research as to why you'd do well to slow down, at least when you eat. With the festive follies upon us, this Issue of my newsletter will help you keep your weight in check over the holidays.

Also in this Issue I'd like to give you an update on my new book, and let you know about my December offer on Acceleration Pedometers.

Thanks for your questions and comments

I'd like to say a big Thank You for all of the questions and comments you've emailed me since I started this newsletter four years ago.

By highlighting the most common obstacles to permanent weight loss, your emails have enabled me to write my new book, Don't Go Hungry For Life, which will be published by Random House Australia in March 2011.

Drawing on recent scientific studies and real-life case studies, my new book will walk you through a series of 10 simple diagnostic tests to show you which of the 10 common mistakes may be keeping you from losing weight, and what to do about them.

While I'm no longer able to answer all of your weight loss questions individually, I'm delighted that - through my new book - I'll be able to help you achieve the weight you're biologically meant to be.

Please stay tuned for your invitation to my book launch in early 2011.

PROMOTION: Acceleration Pedometers at 2008 prices

Many people believe that unless they exercise until it hurts, losing weight or keeping it off is impossible. However, medical research shows that any kind of physical activity - even if it's the incidental activity you get as a by-product of living - can be effective for permanent weight loss.

People who used pedometers and increased the number of steps they walked by 2,100 or more steps per day lost significantly more weight than people who didn't. So every extra bit of physical activity you do counts.

To help motivate you to be active these holidays, I'm promoting the Omron HJ-113 Acceleration Pedometer.

This is my favorite pedometer because I can use it even when I'm wearing a dress. With its unique acceleration sensors, it accurately counts your steps, whether you carry it in your bag, in your pocket, or wear it around your neck.

I gave one to my husband, and now we compare our step counts before retiring for the night, further motivating me to stay active.

If you'd like to have an Omron HJ-113 Acceleration Pedometer (or order one for your exercise sparring partner), now is a good time to do so because in January 2011 I must unfortunately increase the price.

FREE POSTAGE

Any orders from my website this month with a product total over $85.00 will receive free postage to anywhere in Australia. So if you wish to order 2 Omron Acceleration Pedometers, your postage will be free. That's a saving of $6.95.

To order Omron Acceleration Pedometers at 2008 prices or take advantage of my December Free Postage Offer, click here.

The art and science of slowing down

You've no doubt heard the importance of eating slowly if you want to lose weight and keep it off. New research provides clues as to why this may be so.

When you have a really good feed, the food acts in your gut to trigger the release of 'satiety' or 'stop eating' hormones into your bloodstream.

These gut-derived hormones - such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) - then act in your brain to switch off the signals that push you to eat, and this is what helps you to naturally end your meal.

Intriguingly, compared to wolfing down a meal in five minutes, eating the same meal over half an hour stimulates a significantly stronger increase in the circulating concentrations of the satiety hormones GLP-1 and PYY.

This difference persists for up to three- and-a-half hours after the meal and may contribute to a feeling of greater satisfaction from the same number of kilojoules, and - if you're listening to your body and only eating as much as you need to feel satisfied - it may contribute to greater weight loss.

Three tips for slowing down when you eat

• Eat what you love. Ever noticed that when you eat your favorite foods, you tend to want to take your time and savor the moment? I notice this every time I eat a Swiss chocolate truffle, but the same is also true of other foods. When I eat a rudimentary salad that I've quickly thrown together, I tend to want to 'get it over and done with'. But when I add a To-Die-For salad dressing, I enjoy my salad immensely and it's easy to slow down and appreciate it. Make your food just the way you like it, and slowing down in the December madness will be much easier.

• Clear the clutter. Is your dining table covered with papers and gadgets, unfinished projects and general junk you don't know where else to put? Are the TV or radio constantly blaring, even when you eat? Clear the clutter and turn off distractions and you'll see how much more pleasure and enjoyment you'll get from your food. Yesterday my son and I cleared everything off our dining table, and it suddenly became so much easier to eat slowly and to hear my body talking to me.

• Put your fork down between mouthfuls. Maree, whose success story features in my new book, lost 12 kilos in 12 months and has maintained a healthy size 12 for over 8 months. Maree says that putting her fork down between mouthfuls was instrumental in breaking the habit of gobbling food and ending up feeling over satisfied. If you find it hard to stop eating before you've passed your comfort limit, it's worth a shot to see if this works for you, too.

Over to you

Here's something you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

Before you eat, take a moment to think about how you can make this experience as pleasant as possible.

When you derive maximum pleasure from your food, eating in a relaxed and mindful way will come more easily to you, and this will go a long way to helping you survive the festive season with your waistline intact.

Have a wonderful month, and I'll be back in January with my monthly newsletters for the launch of my new book.

If you'd like to take advantage of my December offers on Acceleration Pedometers at 2008 prices or free postage, click here.

Sincerely,

Amanda

Dr Amanda
Connect with your body
www.DrAmandaOnline.com

About Dr Amanda
Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis is an acclaimed weight-loss scientist who has personally lost 28 kilos and kept it off for over ten years. With a PhD from the University of Geneva, Dr Amanda leads a team at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research investigating how the brain controls body weight.

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Past newsletter editions
To read previous newsletters with motivational stories to help inspire you in your weight loss adventure, click here.

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Note to readers
This newsletter contains information about food, nutrition, and weight loss. It is intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed health-care professional before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Copyright Zuman International 2010