3 Worst Things To Do While Dieting

I have some sad news today.

Well, it's not really news, because you probably already know this:  Less than 5% of people who go on a diet actually succeed at losing weight (and keeping it off).

*Moment of silence.*

What a sad, yet very true statistic.
Fortunately, it's not really all that complicated when you know "what's up" (as the kids say).  You see, out of all the reasons people fail to see results from dieting, I've enumerate what I feel are the 3 BIGGEST culprits below…and if you STOP doing these 3 things, you'll be well on your way to losing a ton of weight…for good.

The 3 Worst Things to NEVER Do While Dieting

1.  Heavily restrict your calorie intake.  Sure, it may make logical sense that if you only eat a cup of salad a day, you'll be losing fat like gangbusters.  Unfortunately, it don't quite work like that.  The truth is, your body hates heavy calorie restriction and crash diets…they almost instantly send your body in to "starvation mode", decreasing metabolism and causing your body to hold on to your fat stores as a starvation protection mechanism.
Moderate, not severe, calorie restriction is the way to go for consistent, week-to-week fat loss…but even that can become problematic.  Bringing us to our next worst thing to NEVER do while dieting:

2.  Restrict calories for more than 1 week.  No matter how moderate your calorie restriction, it won't take the body long to figure out that you're eating fewer calories than it's used to getting on a daily basis.  The result?  Slowed fat loss and the dreaded fat loss plateau.  Not only do fat loss plateaus suck from a results standpoint, but they're incredibly disheartening psychologically and cause many people to give up on diets from the lack of progress.
I mean, who wants to sacrifice for no reward?  Not me.
Research has shown that it takes just under a week for important fat burning hormones to drop off due to calorie restriction, so it's best that calorie restriction be limited to 1 week at a time.  So what do you do to "reset" your metabolism after a week of dieting?  Well, that brings us to our next worst thing to NEVER do while dieting:

3.  Deprive yourself of your favorite foods.  Do you like ice cream? Yeah, me too.  How about pizza?  Love it.  Shame that these delectable favorites aren't on the "approved" foods list of very many "diets", and that brings up several problems:

A) You're GOING to cheat.  Yes, even you with the supersonic will power. And when you do, you're going to feel guilty and defeated…but you don't have to, and you shouldn't feel that way.


B) Depriving yourself of your favorite foods for weeks at a time will actually detract from your results due to the reasons shared in #2.

If you're feeling that you would like to see some positive results in your body then we can create a custom plan for you. Feel free to contact us if you want results.  And yes we do accept calls over the weekend.


Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center
386-492-4881

Chiropractic - The Knock Out Punch for Migraines & Dizziness

Two case studies reported in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine find chiropractic care to be effective in both alleviating migraine headaches and cervicogenic dizziness - dizziness originating from a mechanical disturbance of the neck. Since these are individual case studies, they each deal with just one individual's results with chiropractic care. However, the successful management of migraine headaches and dizziness in certain individuals has been known and reported within the chiropractic profession for more than 100 years. According to these specific case studies, a 52 year old female with a 40 year history of migraine headaches occurring approximately once a month was migraine-free at her 6 month follow up evaluation after receiving chiropractic care. Additionally, a 29 year old man with a 10 year history of progressive dizziness with symptoms including a sensation of excessive motion, imbalance, and spinning associated with neck pain and stiffness reported a reduction of pain and dizziness and an improved quality of life after chiropractic treatment. While not every migraine sufferer or individual with dizziness obtains these results, there are a great deal of those who do obtain full or partial relief. If you are suffering, don't continue to wait. Call your local chiropractor today for a professional no obligation consultation! Author: ChiroPlanet.com Source: Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. Vol 10, Issue 3, September 2011. Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2011

Those Painful Monthly Cramps

It’s that time of the month again and you’re in agony. What causes you to suffer from these dreadful cramps every month? Believe it or not, more than 90% of all women have menstrual cramps at some point in their lives and a little more than 50% experience menstrual cramps every month for one or two days either right before or at the onset of their period.
Although menstrual cramps occur more often during the teenage years, some women experience them well into their twenties and beyond. One in ten women experience pain so bad, they’re unable to go about their daily routine for several days each month.
What causes painful menstrual cramps and what can be done to alleviate the pain?
Cramps are caused by contractions of the uterus. Like all other muscles in the body, the uterus contracts on a regular basis and then relaxes. Right around the time of your period, these contractions become stronger and this is what produces the pain and discomfort.

The following natural remedies may help relieve the pain and discomfort of menstrual cramps:

• Regular exercise, such as walking
  
  
• Adding additional calcium and zinc to your diet
  
  
• The use of certain herbal remedies that have anti-spasmodic properties, including Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp. and Cimicifuga racemosa
  
  
• Soaking in a warm bath that has been prepared with aromatherapy oils (have you tried lavender?)
  
  
• Warm compresses or a heating pad, which can be applied to the lower abdomen to ease the pain
  
  
• Relaxing and putting your feet up to alleviate stress
  
  
• Good, old fashioned chiropractic adjustments

We’re aware that many women who suffer from menstrual cramps also experience frequent back pain. Is there a connection? Both may be related to vertebral subluxation in the lower spine that affects the nerves that serve the female anatomy. It’s been our experience that many women report a decrease in the frequency and severity of their menstrual cramps when they receive regular chiropractic adjustments.
Have you given it a try?

It’s that time of the month again and you’re in agony. What causes you to suffer from these dreadful cramps every month? Believe it or not, more than 90% of all women have menstrual cramps at some point in their lives and a little more than 50% experience menstrual cramps every month for one or two days either right before or at the onset of their period.
Although menstrual cramps occur more often during the teenage years, some women experience them well into their twenties and beyond. One in ten women experience pain so bad, they’re unable to go about their daily routine for several days each month.
What causes painful menstrual cramps and what can be done to alleviate the pain?
Cramps are caused by contractions of the uterus. Like all other muscles in the body, the uterus contracts on a regular basis and then relaxes. Right around the time of your period, these contractions become stronger and this is what produces the pain and discomfort.

The following natural remedies may help relieve the pain and discomfort of menstrual cramps:

• Regular exercise, such as walking
  
  
• Adding additional calcium and zinc to your diet
  
  
• The use of certain herbal remedies that have anti-spasmodic properties, including Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp. and Cimicifuga racemosa
  
  
• Soaking in a warm bath that has been prepared with aromatherapy oils (have you tried lavender?)
  
  
• Warm compresses or a heating pad, which can be applied to the lower abdomen to ease the pain
  
  
• Relaxing and putting your feet up to alleviate stress
  
  
• Good, old fashioned chiropractic adjustments

We’re aware that many women who suffer from menstrual cramps also experience frequent back pain. Is there a connection? Both may be related to vertebral subluxation in the lower spine that affects the nerves that serve the female anatomy. It’s been our experience that many women report a decrease in the frequency and severity of their menstrual cramps when they receive regular chiropractic adjustments.
Have you given it a try?

Packed Lunches Pose A Health Risk

If you're a parent of a child or teen, you or your spouse are likely the ones responsible packing your kid's lunches and placing them in a lunchbox or paper bag. New research from Texas indicates in a testing of more than 700 preschoolers' lunch packs, less than 2 percent of those temperature critical foods (meats, dairy and vegetables) were within a safe temperature zone. This, despite the fact that 45 percent of the packed lunches included an ice pack. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends perishable foods be kept cool and that any perishable foods that have reached 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 2 or more hours not be consumed. After all, the latest stats from the CDC indicate that one in six Americans get food poisoning each year. Experts recommend including several ice packs with packed lunches and having perishables placed into a fridge once kids arrive at school to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Author: ChiroPlanet.com Source: Pediatrics, online August 8, 2011. Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2011

Packed Lunches Pose A Health Risk

If you're a parent of a child or teen, you or your spouse are likely the ones responsible packing your kid's lunches and placing them in a lunchbox or paper bag. New research from Texas indicates in a testing of more than 700 preschoolers' lunch packs, less than 2 percent of those temperature critical foods (meats, dairy and vegetables) were within a safe temperature zone. This, despite the fact that 45 percent of the packed lunches included an ice pack. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends perishable foods be kept cool and that any perishable foods that have reached 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 2 or more hours not be consumed. After all, the latest stats from the CDC indicate that one in six Americans get food poisoning each year. Experts recommend including several ice packs with packed lunches and having perishables placed into a fridge once kids arrive at school to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Author: ChiroPlanet.com Source: Pediatrics, online August 8, 2011. Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2011

Putting a Price Tag on Health

It’s hard to put a price tag on something as important as health, but we all do by the choices we make and priorities we set.

We who work in health care place a high value on health. So when we find out someone has discontinued their chiropractic care because they can’t afford it, we’re concerned. Are our fees out of line?

Turns out, it’s usually a matter of priorities and finances are a convenient excuse. Each of us has the free will to value our health in the way we see fit. True, most of us take our health for granted until we lose it, but that may be just human nature.

If other issues in your life require more attention than your health, we understand. No need to make excuses or feel self-conscious. You won’t get a scolding, a sermon or even a raised eyebrow. After all, it’s your health.

You’re the boss. We strive to offer the finest chiropractic care possible. You decide how much of it you want. No guilt. No shame. No problem.