Today’s Re-Powering Information – I thought this was a great topic as we kick off the holiday weekend. I sometimes observe couples as I am out at a restaurant and it’s obvious whose on a date as they are holding hands and leaning in towards each other. The couples who have been married for several years are both on their iPhones or Blackberries and barely making conversation or eye contact. It’s so easy to get stuck in a run where there is no excitement and nothing to look forward to (or worse). What’s the most exciting thing you have planned for the weekend. What adventures will you have to tell of on Tuesday night? How can you add excitement into your weekend with your partner. It does not necessarily mean a trip to the jungle, but it can be an adventure in your own back yard.
Read on for new research on couples who have some adventure in their relationships. I was not surprised to find that happily married couples live longer.
Married Couples Who Play Together Stay Together
For married couples, finding moments to be together free of financial, family or other stresses is not an indulgence, according to new research from the University of Denver.
"The more you invest in fun and friendship and being there for your partner, the happier the relationship will get over time," says Howard Markman, a psychologist who co-directs the university's Center for Marital and Family Studies.
“The correlation between fun and marital happiness is high, and significant.”
Other studies, too, have found that having fun together -- especially while doing “new and exciting activities” -- is the secret to a happy marriage.
Having a joyful marriage is unfortunately the exception rather than the rule in the United States. This is tragic as your happiness and ability to be optimally productive in your life is severely limited when you are not in a happy relationship with your spouse.
Taking some free time to really engage yourselves in something fun (without the kids and without any worries) is something we all can do more of, but there are other ways to support your relationship as well.
Four Tips to a Happy Marriage
Research shows that happily married couples live longer and heal faster than those in unhappy relationships. With that in mind, here are some practical ways to increase the happiness in your relationship:
1. Fight fair. “The way you interact during marital arguments is as important a heart risk factor as whether you smoke or have high cholesterol,” says Timothy W. Smith, a psychology professor at the University of Utah. Verbal aggression, such as yelling at or insulting your partner, leads to decreased intimacy and “self-silencing” -- keeping quiet during a fight -- has been linked to depression, eating disorders and heart disease in women.
2. Keep positive feelings alive. Couples most likely to be married for the long-term are those who maintain their positive feelings for their spouse for at least the first two years. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can help you to clear any emotional blocks that may be sabotaging your relationship.
3. Read the book Fighting for Your Marriage. I generally give this book to all the couples I know who are planning to get married. It is a valuable source of information for positively handling disagreements between you and your spouse, which will increase the success of your relationship.
4. Support your partner’s goals and dreams. People feel happiest in relationships where they feel the other person helps them achieve their own personal goals.
Sources:
• ABC News July 26, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Food Diary for Weight Loss
Today’s RePowering Information – I have always been a big beliver in keeping a diary for weight loss success (as well as success in general). There is something so powerful to writing things down such as goals and food intake. Most times when you see a weight loss success story, it included recording food intake in one form or another. Knowing you are going to write it down and a coach is going to check it makes you think about making healthier choices. But don’t just take my work for it. Read the new story below.
Dear (Food) DiaryBy SANJAY GUPTA, M.D. Illustration by Corliss Elizabeth Williams for TIME
Article ToolsPrintEmailSphereAddThis RSSYahoo! Buzz Two nights ago, I had a handful of M&M's. In fact, I can tell you I ate seven of the peanut kind, which is my favorite. Under normal circumstances, I would've simply grabbed a bunch, mindlessly eaten them while talking to a colleague and forgotten them entirely.
Instead, I know the specific number I ate because I am keeping a food diary. I write down everything I consume, with great detail. I had a single packet of ketchup with my eggs the other morning and 4 oz. (113 g) of green-tea-flavored frozen yogurt with my daughter two days before that. I started the diary because I wanted to test the striking new results of a paper published in the August issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Scientists at several clinical-research centers in the U.S. found that dieters who kept a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn't.
The study tracked nearly 1,700 overweight or obese adults across the country who were at least 25 years old. Men and women were included, and 44% of the group was African American. All participants were encouraged to use such weight-loss maintenance strategies as calorie restriction, weekly group sessions and moderately intensive exercise as well as to keep a food journal. The senior investigator, Victor Stevens of Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore., told me that "hands down, the most successful weight-loss method was keeping a record of what you eat." In the six-month study, participants who kept a food journal six or seven days a week lost an average of 18 lb. (8 kg), compared with an average of 9 lb. (4 kg) lost by non-diary keepers.
Of course, as you might guess, "it's not just writing it down that counts," Stevens says. It is also about using that record to identify eating habits that need to be modified. While most people think they know what they eat, they really have only a general idea and tend to have selective memory, especially when it comes to the foods that aren't so good for us. With a detailed food diary, you can see where those extra calories are coming from.
As soon as I started writing down all the foods I was eating, I wondered exactly how many calories I was consuming. I found a terrific site called the Daily Plate at livestrong.com. It not only lets you accurately count calories but also helps you find people with eating habits similar to your own. A virtual cheerleading squad could help motivate you to stay away from that bag of M&M's, or whatever food weaknesses you may have.
While keeping a food diary works, it's best to do so in conjunction with regular exercise. Losing just 10 lb. (4.5 kg) can help control high blood pressure and reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Drop a few pounds, and you might get an immediate thank-you from your knees and other joints. It is also likely that your sleep will improve, as will your energy levels.
There is another part of the food-diary experiment that really seems to be working for me. In addition to being honest and diligent about the diary, I am showing everything in my diet diary—down to the last morsel—to my wife. Stevens says it's all about accountability. You may have been thinking about eating that extra cookie, he says, "but you didn't want it to show up on the diary at the end of the day." Tonight, we are eating 6 oz. (170 g) of grilled tilapia with steamed broccoli and a handful of steamed brown rice. I originally thought we were going to have steak tonight, but my wife got hold of my food diary. And, yes, she saw those M&M's.
— With reporting by Danielle N. Dellorto
Dear (Food) DiaryBy SANJAY GUPTA, M.D. Illustration by Corliss Elizabeth Williams for TIME
Article ToolsPrintEmailSphereAddThis RSSYahoo! Buzz Two nights ago, I had a handful of M&M's. In fact, I can tell you I ate seven of the peanut kind, which is my favorite. Under normal circumstances, I would've simply grabbed a bunch, mindlessly eaten them while talking to a colleague and forgotten them entirely.
Instead, I know the specific number I ate because I am keeping a food diary. I write down everything I consume, with great detail. I had a single packet of ketchup with my eggs the other morning and 4 oz. (113 g) of green-tea-flavored frozen yogurt with my daughter two days before that. I started the diary because I wanted to test the striking new results of a paper published in the August issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Scientists at several clinical-research centers in the U.S. found that dieters who kept a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn't.
The study tracked nearly 1,700 overweight or obese adults across the country who were at least 25 years old. Men and women were included, and 44% of the group was African American. All participants were encouraged to use such weight-loss maintenance strategies as calorie restriction, weekly group sessions and moderately intensive exercise as well as to keep a food journal. The senior investigator, Victor Stevens of Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore., told me that "hands down, the most successful weight-loss method was keeping a record of what you eat." In the six-month study, participants who kept a food journal six or seven days a week lost an average of 18 lb. (8 kg), compared with an average of 9 lb. (4 kg) lost by non-diary keepers.
Of course, as you might guess, "it's not just writing it down that counts," Stevens says. It is also about using that record to identify eating habits that need to be modified. While most people think they know what they eat, they really have only a general idea and tend to have selective memory, especially when it comes to the foods that aren't so good for us. With a detailed food diary, you can see where those extra calories are coming from.
As soon as I started writing down all the foods I was eating, I wondered exactly how many calories I was consuming. I found a terrific site called the Daily Plate at livestrong.com. It not only lets you accurately count calories but also helps you find people with eating habits similar to your own. A virtual cheerleading squad could help motivate you to stay away from that bag of M&M's, or whatever food weaknesses you may have.
While keeping a food diary works, it's best to do so in conjunction with regular exercise. Losing just 10 lb. (4.5 kg) can help control high blood pressure and reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Drop a few pounds, and you might get an immediate thank-you from your knees and other joints. It is also likely that your sleep will improve, as will your energy levels.
There is another part of the food-diary experiment that really seems to be working for me. In addition to being honest and diligent about the diary, I am showing everything in my diet diary—down to the last morsel—to my wife. Stevens says it's all about accountability. You may have been thinking about eating that extra cookie, he says, "but you didn't want it to show up on the diary at the end of the day." Tonight, we are eating 6 oz. (170 g) of grilled tilapia with steamed broccoli and a handful of steamed brown rice. I originally thought we were going to have steak tonight, but my wife got hold of my food diary. And, yes, she saw those M&M's.
— With reporting by Danielle N. Dellorto
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Caffeing Being Added to your foods.
Today’s Re-Powering Information –Does this sound frightening to anyone besides me? Read the news release below and tell me if this is anything you want to put in your body! What else can we add to foods? . . . Hmm – we already included monosodium glutamate, high fructose corn syrup, genetically modified enzymes, nitrates, gar gum, plastic, hormones and so on. Now we can add extremely high doses of caffeine to our children's cereal. Yes, caffeine is naturally grown, but when taken to excess or for those who are sensitive they can have adverse side effects such as: increased heart rate, anxiety, the jitters or insomnia. People who consume high levels of caffeine may experience effects such as abnormal heart rhythms, headaches, muscle tremors and gastrointestinal problems. Extraordinarily high caffeine intake can lead to serious health consequences, and can even be fatal. And with caffeine effecting the central nervous system and already being found in foods, medications, dietary supplements, soda, coffee, tea, chocolate, etc, I don’t think we need to be adding more. I agree that Americans need more energy, however they don’t have to get it artificially.
Caffeine should be consumed moderately. Abruptly quitting caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms. Avoid the withdrawal symptoms by slowly weaning from caffeine over a period of two to four weeks.
Read the article below to find new places you may be seeing caffeine.
Trend for energy infused food
By Sarah Hills
Latest news headlines
25-Aug-2008 -
Foods with added stimulants are stealing a march on energy drinks as companies are developing new ways to energize consumers seeking alternatives to sugary beverages, according to a global consumer trends analyst.
Manufacturers are looking to attract customers with foods that provide all the stimulation of energy drinks, therefore offering the potential to cut out high levels of sugar, unpleasant tastes and unnatural chemicals, the analyst CScout claimed.
The trend monitor and strategic consultancy gave the example of Engobi’s caffeine-infused Energy Go Bites, with 70 percent higher caffeine content compared to conventional energy drinks.
And Dakota Valley Products uses a patented process to manufacture natural, healthy seeds infused with caffeine, taurine, lysine, and ginseng. This is said to give twice the amount of energy as an energy drink without the added sugar.
A CScout spokesperson said: “This trend shows that consumers may be distinguishing between somewhat unhealthy stimulants, which they desire, and high sugar content in drinks, which they do not.
“Stimulants could be infused into many other foods – breakfast foods may be a particularly good candidate, including energy-giving cereals, breads and spreads.”
The potential is indicated by figures for the US market for energy beverages, which alone was valued at $5.5bn in 2006 by Packaged Facts. The market researcher predicts it will grow to $9.3bn by 2011.
Other products already on the market include the NRG Phoenix Fury Potato Chips from Golden Flake Snack Foods. These contain the same amount of caffeine as in three and a half cups of coffee, according to its manufacturer which said it was attracting the same customers who buy energy drinks.
Also in the US, global confectionery company Mars launched Snickers Charged this year, an alternative to the traditional Snickers brand in the US but with 60mg of caffeine, taurine and B-vitamins for an extra energy boost.
Caffeine content
Small amounts of caffeine have the potential to make people feel more alert, according to research, which makes it an appealing ingredient for the energy products sector.
Traditionally the main delivery format has been beverages such as coffee, which have a strong bitter taste that some consumers do not like. However, new technologies have been developed that make it applicable for different foodstuffs, presenting new opportunities to manufacturers.
Last year Maxx Performance announced the development of a proprietary way to encapsulate caffeine for foods using vegetable-derived lipids.
The company has worked in collaboration with bakery experts on prototypes to demonstrate its potential in bakery products and recently showcased brownies, donuts and cinnamon raison bread. The products are aimed at improving memory and performance but without impacting taste or flavor.
Also, in early 2007 a Colorado-based firm called Encaff Products also announced the development of caffeine-based donuts.
Founder Dr Robert Bohannon said at the time that early experiments yielded a bad-tasting product, but in collaboration with food industry experts he eventually came up with a patent-pending microencapsulation process that allows the inclusion of very small caffeine particles.
Encapsulation allows for a precise amount of caffeine to be included in a product.
Calls for regulation
However some products high in caffeine - such as Enviga, the beverage launched by Coca Cola and Nestle with calorie-burning claims and 100mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can - have been held up by pressure grounds as examples of why caffeine regulations require tightening.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has been requesting, as a starting point, mandatory caffeine labelling and more responsible marketing of such products.
The FDA has brought the caffeine issue to the discussion table but as yet no regulatory commitment has been made.
Caffeine should be consumed moderately. Abruptly quitting caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms. Avoid the withdrawal symptoms by slowly weaning from caffeine over a period of two to four weeks.
Read the article below to find new places you may be seeing caffeine.
Trend for energy infused food
By Sarah Hills
Latest news headlines
25-Aug-2008 -
Foods with added stimulants are stealing a march on energy drinks as companies are developing new ways to energize consumers seeking alternatives to sugary beverages, according to a global consumer trends analyst.
Manufacturers are looking to attract customers with foods that provide all the stimulation of energy drinks, therefore offering the potential to cut out high levels of sugar, unpleasant tastes and unnatural chemicals, the analyst CScout claimed.
The trend monitor and strategic consultancy gave the example of Engobi’s caffeine-infused Energy Go Bites, with 70 percent higher caffeine content compared to conventional energy drinks.
And Dakota Valley Products uses a patented process to manufacture natural, healthy seeds infused with caffeine, taurine, lysine, and ginseng. This is said to give twice the amount of energy as an energy drink without the added sugar.
A CScout spokesperson said: “This trend shows that consumers may be distinguishing between somewhat unhealthy stimulants, which they desire, and high sugar content in drinks, which they do not.
“Stimulants could be infused into many other foods – breakfast foods may be a particularly good candidate, including energy-giving cereals, breads and spreads.”
The potential is indicated by figures for the US market for energy beverages, which alone was valued at $5.5bn in 2006 by Packaged Facts. The market researcher predicts it will grow to $9.3bn by 2011.
Other products already on the market include the NRG Phoenix Fury Potato Chips from Golden Flake Snack Foods. These contain the same amount of caffeine as in three and a half cups of coffee, according to its manufacturer which said it was attracting the same customers who buy energy drinks.
Also in the US, global confectionery company Mars launched Snickers Charged this year, an alternative to the traditional Snickers brand in the US but with 60mg of caffeine, taurine and B-vitamins for an extra energy boost.
Caffeine content
Small amounts of caffeine have the potential to make people feel more alert, according to research, which makes it an appealing ingredient for the energy products sector.
Traditionally the main delivery format has been beverages such as coffee, which have a strong bitter taste that some consumers do not like. However, new technologies have been developed that make it applicable for different foodstuffs, presenting new opportunities to manufacturers.
Last year Maxx Performance announced the development of a proprietary way to encapsulate caffeine for foods using vegetable-derived lipids.
The company has worked in collaboration with bakery experts on prototypes to demonstrate its potential in bakery products and recently showcased brownies, donuts and cinnamon raison bread. The products are aimed at improving memory and performance but without impacting taste or flavor.
Also, in early 2007 a Colorado-based firm called Encaff Products also announced the development of caffeine-based donuts.
Founder Dr Robert Bohannon said at the time that early experiments yielded a bad-tasting product, but in collaboration with food industry experts he eventually came up with a patent-pending microencapsulation process that allows the inclusion of very small caffeine particles.
Encapsulation allows for a precise amount of caffeine to be included in a product.
Calls for regulation
However some products high in caffeine - such as Enviga, the beverage launched by Coca Cola and Nestle with calorie-burning claims and 100mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can - have been held up by pressure grounds as examples of why caffeine regulations require tightening.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has been requesting, as a starting point, mandatory caffeine labelling and more responsible marketing of such products.
The FDA has brought the caffeine issue to the discussion table but as yet no regulatory commitment has been made.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Avoid the Beauty Bullies - Building Women's Self Esteem
Today’s Re-Powering Information: - Wow I really learned a few things from today’s article. I was intrigued by this one since it’s the first day of school and for many young girls (and of course boys) the peer pressure begins again. I didn’t realize the pressure to be beautiful was starting as early as kindergarten and continuing into the corporate workplace. I’m not saying looks are not important, but I suppose for me that being healthy was always paramount. I think every woman should wake up and make an effort to look her best for her own self confidence and esteem, but not to please anyone in her peer group. I don’t believe extreme measures should be taken to look beautiful, but instead to look within and look for your natural features beyond what Vogue says is the ideal skin tone, eye shape or hair color.
Wearing the latest jeans or jewelry has never been important to me. I know women obsessed by it. I just don’t believe its healthy and it sets the tone for our young girls (and boys) about their bodies. We are their greatest teachers and if we don’t have a positive image about ourselves you can bet theirs will only be further diminished with today’s media and peer pressure.
I’m suggesting we stick together, support and lift each other up, eliminate the criticism, do our best to look our natural best so that we feel good about ourselves and give those around us a positive boost. Nothing good comes of criticizing anyone. My grandmother lived with us growing up and she was very critical. I could remember dreading going down stairs b/c I would wonder what thing she was not going to like. Would it be my socks or the way I had my hair? Thankfully I don’t think there are any long term scars, but I am sure we can all share similar stories of personal criticism that was unnecessary and unproductive.
Read on to see the details of particularly how women can be cruel to each other and how women go to great lengths to have just the right look to avoid being bullies by beauties!
Women Dying To Be Beautiful?
If researchers are right, it may be more than mere coincidence that beauty and pain are so frequently intertwined in pop culture.
Indeed, a new report released this week from the YWCA contends that American women are obsessed with the pursuit of perfection – and paying for it in painful ways we may not even realize.
“What’s really new here is the sheer extent to which women and girls are willing to go – literally causing physical harm – to be ‘beautiful’ according to the standards perpetuated by a youth-obsessed media culture with literally thousands of messages 24 hours a day,” said YWCA USA CEO Dr. Lorraine Cole.
Titled “The Beauty Report” the data is gleaned from studies conducted over the last several years by a variety of researchers. But Cole says the common thread that runs through them all is the clear evidence of womens obsession with the pursuit of beauty – as well as the pursuit of an idealized body image most of us will never obtain. And she says, doing so produces a life-long burden that eventually takes a physical and emotional toll on our mental and physical health.
Among the numbers in the report with the most impact:
80% of women say they are very unhappy with the way they look.
67% of women aged 25 to 45 are trying to lose weight – even though 53% of them were considered to be a “healthy” weight.
While 40% of newly diagnosed cases of eating disorders – like anorexia or bulimia – are found in girls between the ages of 15 and 19, symptoms of the disorder are now showing up as early as kindergarten.
American women spend almost $7 billion dollars a year on products used in the pursuit of beauty. Over a 5 year period that translates into 1 year of college tuition. Invest just half of that sum into a savings account for 10 years and end up with nearly $10,000.
But perhaps the most telling aspect of this report had less to do with our individual pursuit of beauty - or the dollars we spend pursuing it- and more to do with how that pursuit is so deeply intertwined with peer acceptance.
I’m talking about what I like to call the “beauty bullies “ – you know who they are, that clique of cute-girls who pick on less-cute-girls because of how they look. According to the report this behavior not only influences our relentless pursuit of beauty, it has seen an alarmingly steady rise since the 1990s.
What’s even more interesting – at least from the 40 something gals point of view - is that this behavior doesn’t seem to end at the Senior Prom. Often these “beauty bullies” carry their peer pressure tactics right onto the college campus, into the sorority house and eventually, down the hallowed halls of some of America’s biggest corporations.
How bad is it? According to the report “lookism” - a term coined to describe prejudice based on appearance - is an increasingly prevalent equal opportunity employment issue. In one analysis researchers found that those who were considered less attractive actually earned 9% less than those who were considered good looking.
Many believe it is the same “beauty bullies” we met in junior high school that are now driving the “lookism” movement against other women in the business world.
The Pursuit of Beauty: Can It Ever Be Healthy?
While the report served to raise some important issues, in my opinion it also overlooked a few.
Indeed, it failed to address the idea that at least part of the increased interest in beauty products and cosmetic treatments has to do with the fact that they are simply more available - both in terms of convenience and affordability.
While our mothers and grandmothers were hard pressed to find anything more than a jar of Ponds Cold Cream to soothe their furrowed brows, today, the selection of treatments – as well as what they can accomplish and their relative affordability - places the pursuit of self improvement in tantalizingly close reach.
In this respect the report may have been a little harsh on those who are able to simply take advantage of what the beauty and medical industry has to offer - - which can be done safely, and without obsession.
That said, the real issue that seems to be at stake here is not so much the fact that women are in hot pursuit of the perfect face or body, but rather the feeling that they have no choice in the matter.
Be it acceptance among their peers, in the workplace, or in the high stakes world of love and romance, once a woman is made to believe that being herself is no longer good enough, she is in marked danger of crossing that nearly invisible line that separates healthy self improvement from dangerous beauty obsession.
Left untended, those feelings of self doubt can cripple us with depression, anxiety, phobias - and at it’s worst lead us deep into addictions, domestic violence, and self hatred so strong it can eventually kill us.
So I guess the real importance in the Beauty Report is not so much to tell us that we shouldn’t yearn for that fabulous new red Dior lipstick or covet those wrinkle relieving Botox injections - or do what we can to get them. The key, it seems is not to feel any less about ourselves if those yearnings are never realized. We really are okay just the way we are.
One final point to consider: It’s not just a matter of being less hard on ourselves - as women, we also have an obligation to stop being so hard on each other.
Originally Posted by Colette Bouchez at Red Dress Diary http://www.reddressdiary.com/
End
Boy, we do cover all topics here don’t’ we ???
Have a great day and Pay if Forward!!!
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Wearing the latest jeans or jewelry has never been important to me. I know women obsessed by it. I just don’t believe its healthy and it sets the tone for our young girls (and boys) about their bodies. We are their greatest teachers and if we don’t have a positive image about ourselves you can bet theirs will only be further diminished with today’s media and peer pressure.
I’m suggesting we stick together, support and lift each other up, eliminate the criticism, do our best to look our natural best so that we feel good about ourselves and give those around us a positive boost. Nothing good comes of criticizing anyone. My grandmother lived with us growing up and she was very critical. I could remember dreading going down stairs b/c I would wonder what thing she was not going to like. Would it be my socks or the way I had my hair? Thankfully I don’t think there are any long term scars, but I am sure we can all share similar stories of personal criticism that was unnecessary and unproductive.
Read on to see the details of particularly how women can be cruel to each other and how women go to great lengths to have just the right look to avoid being bullies by beauties!
Women Dying To Be Beautiful?
If researchers are right, it may be more than mere coincidence that beauty and pain are so frequently intertwined in pop culture.
Indeed, a new report released this week from the YWCA contends that American women are obsessed with the pursuit of perfection – and paying for it in painful ways we may not even realize.
“What’s really new here is the sheer extent to which women and girls are willing to go – literally causing physical harm – to be ‘beautiful’ according to the standards perpetuated by a youth-obsessed media culture with literally thousands of messages 24 hours a day,” said YWCA USA CEO Dr. Lorraine Cole.
Titled “The Beauty Report” the data is gleaned from studies conducted over the last several years by a variety of researchers. But Cole says the common thread that runs through them all is the clear evidence of womens obsession with the pursuit of beauty – as well as the pursuit of an idealized body image most of us will never obtain. And she says, doing so produces a life-long burden that eventually takes a physical and emotional toll on our mental and physical health.
Among the numbers in the report with the most impact:
80% of women say they are very unhappy with the way they look.
67% of women aged 25 to 45 are trying to lose weight – even though 53% of them were considered to be a “healthy” weight.
While 40% of newly diagnosed cases of eating disorders – like anorexia or bulimia – are found in girls between the ages of 15 and 19, symptoms of the disorder are now showing up as early as kindergarten.
American women spend almost $7 billion dollars a year on products used in the pursuit of beauty. Over a 5 year period that translates into 1 year of college tuition. Invest just half of that sum into a savings account for 10 years and end up with nearly $10,000.
But perhaps the most telling aspect of this report had less to do with our individual pursuit of beauty - or the dollars we spend pursuing it- and more to do with how that pursuit is so deeply intertwined with peer acceptance.
I’m talking about what I like to call the “beauty bullies “ – you know who they are, that clique of cute-girls who pick on less-cute-girls because of how they look. According to the report this behavior not only influences our relentless pursuit of beauty, it has seen an alarmingly steady rise since the 1990s.
What’s even more interesting – at least from the 40 something gals point of view - is that this behavior doesn’t seem to end at the Senior Prom. Often these “beauty bullies” carry their peer pressure tactics right onto the college campus, into the sorority house and eventually, down the hallowed halls of some of America’s biggest corporations.
How bad is it? According to the report “lookism” - a term coined to describe prejudice based on appearance - is an increasingly prevalent equal opportunity employment issue. In one analysis researchers found that those who were considered less attractive actually earned 9% less than those who were considered good looking.
Many believe it is the same “beauty bullies” we met in junior high school that are now driving the “lookism” movement against other women in the business world.
The Pursuit of Beauty: Can It Ever Be Healthy?
While the report served to raise some important issues, in my opinion it also overlooked a few.
Indeed, it failed to address the idea that at least part of the increased interest in beauty products and cosmetic treatments has to do with the fact that they are simply more available - both in terms of convenience and affordability.
While our mothers and grandmothers were hard pressed to find anything more than a jar of Ponds Cold Cream to soothe their furrowed brows, today, the selection of treatments – as well as what they can accomplish and their relative affordability - places the pursuit of self improvement in tantalizingly close reach.
In this respect the report may have been a little harsh on those who are able to simply take advantage of what the beauty and medical industry has to offer - - which can be done safely, and without obsession.
That said, the real issue that seems to be at stake here is not so much the fact that women are in hot pursuit of the perfect face or body, but rather the feeling that they have no choice in the matter.
Be it acceptance among their peers, in the workplace, or in the high stakes world of love and romance, once a woman is made to believe that being herself is no longer good enough, she is in marked danger of crossing that nearly invisible line that separates healthy self improvement from dangerous beauty obsession.
Left untended, those feelings of self doubt can cripple us with depression, anxiety, phobias - and at it’s worst lead us deep into addictions, domestic violence, and self hatred so strong it can eventually kill us.
So I guess the real importance in the Beauty Report is not so much to tell us that we shouldn’t yearn for that fabulous new red Dior lipstick or covet those wrinkle relieving Botox injections - or do what we can to get them. The key, it seems is not to feel any less about ourselves if those yearnings are never realized. We really are okay just the way we are.
One final point to consider: It’s not just a matter of being less hard on ourselves - as women, we also have an obligation to stop being so hard on each other.
Originally Posted by Colette Bouchez at Red Dress Diary http://www.reddressdiary.com/
End
Boy, we do cover all topics here don’t’ we ???
Have a great day and Pay if Forward!!!
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Friday, August 22, 2008
Fitness Motivation for Men and Women Differ?
For the past 8 years I have primarily been focused on helping women get fit although I still coach male clients. What becomes obvious is that incentive to get is often driven from different motives.. As I get ready to launch a men's camp I have a heightened awareness about what motivates men to exercise. I know some of you have husbands who are exercise fanatics and others who are weekend warriors and some couch potatoes. There are lots of factors that go into deciding to exercise (and stick with it) such as your past experience with exercise, how uncomfortable you are with your present situation, something in the future that you aspire to, such as a child watching you in an event or a family reunion. There are both internal and external forces that motivate us. We are motivated to move away from pain 2.5 more times than we are to move towards pleasure. There was likely a moment in time where you decided to join boot camp. Some of you had not exercised in decades and others were looking for a new challenge. You may have thought about exercise / weight loss many times before actually committing, but there was some emotion that actually caused you to be motivated to exercise.
The article below shares some differences between men and women in motivation towards exercise. It may give you some insight into your spouse.
When it comes to fitness, men and women motives certainly not the same
Posted by Chris Bynum, Health and Fitness Writer, The Times-Picayune August 22, 2008 5:00AM
Categories: Living: Health and Fitness
Kenneth Harrison / The Times-Picayune
Health, appearance, athletic performance and social approval are the main reasons people work out. And while men and women may express their motivations differently, the differences between the sexes seem to be narrowing when it comes to fitness. A recent poll conducted by Fitness magazine asked readers to identify the thing that inspired them to join a health club. For 41 percent of the women respondents, the answer was: shopping for clothes.
But women aren't the only ones who experience their ah-ha (or uh-oh) moment in the dressing room. When it comes to finding the motivation to pursue fitness goals, it turns out that men aren't from Mars. They're with women on Venus. They just express it differently.
"It used to be that women took better care of themselves and were therefore more inclined to join a gym for health reasons. Men went to the gym to build muscle," says Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. "Now women go to the gym because they want to look better in their clothes. In recent years, men are more driven by health reasons than aesthetics to work out.
"I wouldn't say they are reversing roles. There's just a merging of the reasons men and women exercise."
Health, appearance, athletic performance and social approval are the main reasons people work out. And while men and women may express their motivations differently, the differences between the sexes seem to be narrowing when it comes to fitness.
While you might think that the motivation to work out comes down to the fact we all want to look good naked, local personal trainers say the Mars-Venus differences are more complex. Their observations reflect both subtle and significant contrasts.
"Men are more likely to say, 'My doctor says I should get fit' rather than 'I want to get fit,'¤" says local certified personal trainer Rusty Roussel, the co-owner of Salvation Studio, who says men are often motivated by health scares. "Women simply want to embrace what exercise can do for them -- having more energy, looking good, feeling good."
Jonas Deffes, a personal trainer who also conducts NOLA Boot Camp for women, says men work out to look good, and women work out to gain confidence.
But he has observed that once men start to look good as a result of their workouts, they also start to feel better as a result of their commitment to work out.
"And as women start to feel better about themselves, they also feel that they look better," Deffes says.
Local trainers say most women want to lose fat and most men want to build muscle -- the same fundamental goal of a more toned body conveyed in a completely different way.
"Women keep their skinny pants. If one day they try those on and can't get into them, they are motivated to work out," says Shawn Oddo, personal trainer to Simply Fit in Metairie. The "skinny jeans" factor is not one he has heard discussed among men.
"Men just want to be buff," says Oddo.
And because their instinct is always to nurture others before self, women also are more likely than men to require external pressure to work out, says performance expert Mackie Shilstone, director of The Fitness Principle at East Jefferson General Hospital.
"Women make 70 percent of the health care decisions in this country, but they don't make (enough) decisions for themselves," Shilstone says. "In many cases, a woman begins a health program to satisfy a mother, a friend, a spouse."
Important life events -- such as a class reunion, a vacation, a milestone birthday, a wedding -- also play strongly into the workout habits of women, says Joe Moore, president of International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).
Men, on the other hand, are often motivated by their jobs.
"I have two riverboat pilots whose jobs are demanding both physically and mentally, and they see fitness as part of the skill set for their jobs," says Roussel, the Salvation Studio trainer.
Life changes -- new romance, divorce, job promotion, empty nest -- are also fitness motivators for men and women alike, local trainer say.
A strong indicator that the sexes have more fitness goals in common than ever before is borne out by the fact that health clubs, once segregated by sex, are now almost exclusively co-ed. Even free weight rooms, once an all-boys' club, are now unisex environments.
"Men and women did not work out together. Clubs often alternated days between men and women, or they provided dual facilities to accommodate both sexes," Moore says. Now IHRSA's membership rolls show that women make up more than half of health-club memberships, which runs counter to research that shows women are still hesitant to work out alongside men.
And then there's Dara Torres, at 41 the oldest American Olympic swimmer ever, whose influence crosses both age and gender barriers. She swam the fastest times in her 24-year career while winning three silver medals for the United States in Beijing and inspired countless aging adults along the way.
"Men and women are signing up all over the country for swim classes," Moore says.
Both male and female clients, Roussel says, have come in to his studio to request some of the workout strategies Torres has shared with the world as cameras followed her quest.
Men and women may be different, says Comana, but when it comes to the pursuit of fitness, "They are not as diametrically opposed as they once were."
Health and fitness writer Chris Bynum can be reached at cbynum@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3458. Comment or read past stories at www.nola.com/health.
END
Have a wonderful weekend.
Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.DentonBootCamp.com
The article below shares some differences between men and women in motivation towards exercise. It may give you some insight into your spouse.
When it comes to fitness, men and women motives certainly not the same
Posted by Chris Bynum, Health and Fitness Writer, The Times-Picayune August 22, 2008 5:00AM
Categories: Living: Health and Fitness
Kenneth Harrison / The Times-Picayune
Health, appearance, athletic performance and social approval are the main reasons people work out. And while men and women may express their motivations differently, the differences between the sexes seem to be narrowing when it comes to fitness. A recent poll conducted by Fitness magazine asked readers to identify the thing that inspired them to join a health club. For 41 percent of the women respondents, the answer was: shopping for clothes.
But women aren't the only ones who experience their ah-ha (or uh-oh) moment in the dressing room. When it comes to finding the motivation to pursue fitness goals, it turns out that men aren't from Mars. They're with women on Venus. They just express it differently.
"It used to be that women took better care of themselves and were therefore more inclined to join a gym for health reasons. Men went to the gym to build muscle," says Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. "Now women go to the gym because they want to look better in their clothes. In recent years, men are more driven by health reasons than aesthetics to work out.
"I wouldn't say they are reversing roles. There's just a merging of the reasons men and women exercise."
Health, appearance, athletic performance and social approval are the main reasons people work out. And while men and women may express their motivations differently, the differences between the sexes seem to be narrowing when it comes to fitness.
While you might think that the motivation to work out comes down to the fact we all want to look good naked, local personal trainers say the Mars-Venus differences are more complex. Their observations reflect both subtle and significant contrasts.
"Men are more likely to say, 'My doctor says I should get fit' rather than 'I want to get fit,'¤" says local certified personal trainer Rusty Roussel, the co-owner of Salvation Studio, who says men are often motivated by health scares. "Women simply want to embrace what exercise can do for them -- having more energy, looking good, feeling good."
Jonas Deffes, a personal trainer who also conducts NOLA Boot Camp for women, says men work out to look good, and women work out to gain confidence.
But he has observed that once men start to look good as a result of their workouts, they also start to feel better as a result of their commitment to work out.
"And as women start to feel better about themselves, they also feel that they look better," Deffes says.
Local trainers say most women want to lose fat and most men want to build muscle -- the same fundamental goal of a more toned body conveyed in a completely different way.
"Women keep their skinny pants. If one day they try those on and can't get into them, they are motivated to work out," says Shawn Oddo, personal trainer to Simply Fit in Metairie. The "skinny jeans" factor is not one he has heard discussed among men.
"Men just want to be buff," says Oddo.
And because their instinct is always to nurture others before self, women also are more likely than men to require external pressure to work out, says performance expert Mackie Shilstone, director of The Fitness Principle at East Jefferson General Hospital.
"Women make 70 percent of the health care decisions in this country, but they don't make (enough) decisions for themselves," Shilstone says. "In many cases, a woman begins a health program to satisfy a mother, a friend, a spouse."
Important life events -- such as a class reunion, a vacation, a milestone birthday, a wedding -- also play strongly into the workout habits of women, says Joe Moore, president of International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).
Men, on the other hand, are often motivated by their jobs.
"I have two riverboat pilots whose jobs are demanding both physically and mentally, and they see fitness as part of the skill set for their jobs," says Roussel, the Salvation Studio trainer.
Life changes -- new romance, divorce, job promotion, empty nest -- are also fitness motivators for men and women alike, local trainer say.
A strong indicator that the sexes have more fitness goals in common than ever before is borne out by the fact that health clubs, once segregated by sex, are now almost exclusively co-ed. Even free weight rooms, once an all-boys' club, are now unisex environments.
"Men and women did not work out together. Clubs often alternated days between men and women, or they provided dual facilities to accommodate both sexes," Moore says. Now IHRSA's membership rolls show that women make up more than half of health-club memberships, which runs counter to research that shows women are still hesitant to work out alongside men.
And then there's Dara Torres, at 41 the oldest American Olympic swimmer ever, whose influence crosses both age and gender barriers. She swam the fastest times in her 24-year career while winning three silver medals for the United States in Beijing and inspired countless aging adults along the way.
"Men and women are signing up all over the country for swim classes," Moore says.
Both male and female clients, Roussel says, have come in to his studio to request some of the workout strategies Torres has shared with the world as cameras followed her quest.
Men and women may be different, says Comana, but when it comes to the pursuit of fitness, "They are not as diametrically opposed as they once were."
Health and fitness writer Chris Bynum can be reached at cbynum@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3458. Comment or read past stories at www.nola.com/health.
END
Have a wonderful weekend.
Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.DentonBootCamp.com
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Obesity reaches 30% in some US states.
Today’s Re-Powering Information: It’s no secret that obesity is on the rise across all demographics. Somehow Texas always gets listed amoung the fatest of cities – althought not this time. I think it has a lot to do with the abundance of fast food restaurants which give us a very low score. If you look at the number of Olympians and athletes from Texas, we clearly are doing something right too. Read the “Fat” report below to increase your awareness of the over fat issue we face and to drive your motivation even higher to be fit and help others get fit too.
THREE STATES REACH 30 PERCENT ADULT OBESITY RATE, STUDY SHOWS
WASHINGTON, DC -- The number of states that have an adult obesity rate of at least 30 percent has jumped from one to three. West Virginia and Alabama join Mississippi in that category, according to the fifth annual “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2008” report, which was released Tuesday.
Mississippi has a 31.7 percent adult obesity rate, followed by West Virginia (30.6 percent) and Alabama (30.1 percent). Colorado is the leanest state with an 18.4 percent adult obesity rate, although that rate did increase over the previous year from 17.6 percent.
In fact, adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the Trust for America’s Health report, which was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Rates rose for a second consecutive year in 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. No state had a decrease.
The “F as in Fat” report also finds that rates of type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, grew in 26 states last year. Four states now have diabetes rates that are above 10 percent, and all 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and hypertension are in the South. The report also found a relationship between poverty and obesity levels. Seven of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates are also in the top 10 for highest poverty rates.
Though many policies in health clubs and local and state governments have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around the obesity epidemic.
“America’s future depends on the health of our country,” says Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America’s Health. “The obesity epidemic is lowering our productivity and dramatically increasing our health care costs. Our analysis shows that we’re not treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency it deserves.”
Other findings from the “F as in Fat: 2008” report:
• Although all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws related to physical education and/or physical activity in schools, only 13 states include enforceability language. Of these states, only four have sanctions or penalties if the laws are not implemented.
• Although the Dietary Guidelines for Americans were updated in 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) school meal program has yet to adopt the recommendations.
• Eighteen states have enacted legislation requiring school meals to exceed USDA nutrition standards. However, only seven of these laws have specific enforcement provisions, and only two state laws include sanctions if the requirements are not met.
• Ten states do not include specific coverage for nutrition assessment and counseling for obese or overweight children in their Medicaid programs.
• Twenty states explicitly do not cover nutritional assessment and consultation for obese adults under Medicaid.
• Only Georgia and Vermont have specific guidelines for treating obese adults in their Medicaid programs. In Nebraska and South Carolina, the Medicaid programs specifically state that obesity is not an illness and is, therefore, not covered.
• Forty-five states allow using obesity or health status as a risk factor to deny coverage or raise premiums. Only five states do not allow using obesity or health status to deny coverage or raise premiums.
“The report shows the serious impact that the obesity crisis is having on our country’s health and economic well-being,” says former President Bill Clinton, who co-leads the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association. The group works to advance innovative approaches combating childhood obesity and helping children lead healthier lives.
The “F as in Fat” report concludes with several recommendations to help the country set a goal of reversing the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. Some of those recommendations include:
• Investing in effective community-based disease-prevention programs that promote increased physical activity and good nutrition.
• Improving the nutritional quality of foods available in schools and childcare programs.
• Increasing the amount and quality of physical education and activity in schools and childcare programs.
• Increasing access to safe, accessible places for physical activity in communities. Examples include creating and maintaining parks, sidewalks and bike lanes, and providing incentives for smart growth designs that make communities more livable and walkable.
• Improving access to affordable nutritious foods by providing incentives for grocery stores and farmers’ markets to locate in underserved communities.
• Encouraging limits on screen time for children through school-based curricula and media literacy resources.
• Eliminating the marketing of junk food to kids.
• Encouraging employers to provide workplace wellness programs.
• Requiring public and private insurers to provide preventive services, including nutrition counseling for children and adults.
• Providing people with the information they need about nutrition and activity to make educated decisions, including point-of-purchase information about the nutrition and calorie content of foods.
The full report can be found at http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008/Obesity2008Report.pdf.
States with the highest adult obesity ranking:
1. Mississippi (31.7 percent)
2. West Virginia (30.6 percent)
3. Alabama (30.1 percent)
4. Louisiana (29.5 percent)
5. South Carolina (29.2 percent)
6. Tennessee (29 percent)
7. Kentucky (28.4 percent)
8. (tie) Arkansas and Oklahoma (28.1 percent)
10. Michigan (27.7 percent)
End.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com
THREE STATES REACH 30 PERCENT ADULT OBESITY RATE, STUDY SHOWS
WASHINGTON, DC -- The number of states that have an adult obesity rate of at least 30 percent has jumped from one to three. West Virginia and Alabama join Mississippi in that category, according to the fifth annual “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2008” report, which was released Tuesday.
Mississippi has a 31.7 percent adult obesity rate, followed by West Virginia (30.6 percent) and Alabama (30.1 percent). Colorado is the leanest state with an 18.4 percent adult obesity rate, although that rate did increase over the previous year from 17.6 percent.
In fact, adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the Trust for America’s Health report, which was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Rates rose for a second consecutive year in 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. No state had a decrease.
The “F as in Fat” report also finds that rates of type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, grew in 26 states last year. Four states now have diabetes rates that are above 10 percent, and all 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and hypertension are in the South. The report also found a relationship between poverty and obesity levels. Seven of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates are also in the top 10 for highest poverty rates.
Though many policies in health clubs and local and state governments have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around the obesity epidemic.
“America’s future depends on the health of our country,” says Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America’s Health. “The obesity epidemic is lowering our productivity and dramatically increasing our health care costs. Our analysis shows that we’re not treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency it deserves.”
Other findings from the “F as in Fat: 2008” report:
• Although all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws related to physical education and/or physical activity in schools, only 13 states include enforceability language. Of these states, only four have sanctions or penalties if the laws are not implemented.
• Although the Dietary Guidelines for Americans were updated in 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) school meal program has yet to adopt the recommendations.
• Eighteen states have enacted legislation requiring school meals to exceed USDA nutrition standards. However, only seven of these laws have specific enforcement provisions, and only two state laws include sanctions if the requirements are not met.
• Ten states do not include specific coverage for nutrition assessment and counseling for obese or overweight children in their Medicaid programs.
• Twenty states explicitly do not cover nutritional assessment and consultation for obese adults under Medicaid.
• Only Georgia and Vermont have specific guidelines for treating obese adults in their Medicaid programs. In Nebraska and South Carolina, the Medicaid programs specifically state that obesity is not an illness and is, therefore, not covered.
• Forty-five states allow using obesity or health status as a risk factor to deny coverage or raise premiums. Only five states do not allow using obesity or health status to deny coverage or raise premiums.
“The report shows the serious impact that the obesity crisis is having on our country’s health and economic well-being,” says former President Bill Clinton, who co-leads the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association. The group works to advance innovative approaches combating childhood obesity and helping children lead healthier lives.
The “F as in Fat” report concludes with several recommendations to help the country set a goal of reversing the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. Some of those recommendations include:
• Investing in effective community-based disease-prevention programs that promote increased physical activity and good nutrition.
• Improving the nutritional quality of foods available in schools and childcare programs.
• Increasing the amount and quality of physical education and activity in schools and childcare programs.
• Increasing access to safe, accessible places for physical activity in communities. Examples include creating and maintaining parks, sidewalks and bike lanes, and providing incentives for smart growth designs that make communities more livable and walkable.
• Improving access to affordable nutritious foods by providing incentives for grocery stores and farmers’ markets to locate in underserved communities.
• Encouraging limits on screen time for children through school-based curricula and media literacy resources.
• Eliminating the marketing of junk food to kids.
• Encouraging employers to provide workplace wellness programs.
• Requiring public and private insurers to provide preventive services, including nutrition counseling for children and adults.
• Providing people with the information they need about nutrition and activity to make educated decisions, including point-of-purchase information about the nutrition and calorie content of foods.
The full report can be found at http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008/Obesity2008Report.pdf.
States with the highest adult obesity ranking:
1. Mississippi (31.7 percent)
2. West Virginia (30.6 percent)
3. Alabama (30.1 percent)
4. Louisiana (29.5 percent)
5. South Carolina (29.2 percent)
6. Tennessee (29 percent)
7. Kentucky (28.4 percent)
8. (tie) Arkansas and Oklahoma (28.1 percent)
10. Michigan (27.7 percent)
End.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Latest Cellulite Treatments
Today’s Re-Powering Information – I’ve told you before, but I’ll say it again. If there were a quick, easy magic way to melt off the fat for only 3 easy payments of 19.95 I would honestly tell you. Here’s one more cellulite product debunked! Don’t waste your time or money on these crazy “solutions”. Just keep coming to camp! Exercise and proper nutrition is the ONLY way to get rid of cellulite!
The Latest Cellulite Treatments
Sound Too Smooth to Be True
By RHONDA L. RUNDLE
August 19, 2008; Page D1
Beauty magazines and spas are touting a new generation of high-tech treatments for cellulite, a common affliction that gives parts of women's bodies a dimpled, uneven appearance. But there's little evidence that the new devices are effective, say some dermatologists who have scoured the medical literature and evaluated the products.
Devices that claim to reduce or eliminate the appearance of cellulite have long been available. Most use a mechanical massager that causes tissue to swell, eliminating the uneven skin surface. But dimpling can recur within hours or days. The latest products also use massagers, but add treatment from a laser or other "energy source." This is supposed to create a more lasting solution by inducing fat cells under the skin to release some of their contents, leading to a smoother surface appearance.
Mary Stoll/Elemé Medical Inc.
SmoothShapes targets the uneven appearance of cellulite.
Some dermatologists say they see little difference between the new products and older ones. "There's nothing that has been shown in any objective way to create improvement for cellulite," says Robert A. Weiss, president-elect of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
On RealSelf.com, a Web site where consumers exchange beauty information, cellulite treatments garner some of the most vociferous complaints. VelaShape, sold by Syneron Medical Ltd., "was a huge waste of time and money," gripes Kimberly Lamse, a 40-year-old jewelry designer in Burbank, Calif. In an interview, Ms. Lamse says she paid $1,500 to an orthopedic doctor for treatments she sought after reading about VelaShape in a fashion magazine. Syneron's chairman, Shimon Eckhouse, says most women get good results, and "no medical treatment is 100% effective." American Laser Centers, with more than 200 locations across the country, uses Syneron technology in its AmeriSmooth treatments.
The market for cellulite-fighting equipment is expected to grow to $200 million a year by 2012 from $80 million last year, forecasts Millennium Research Group Inc. Other technologies, including SmoothShapes from Elemé Medical Inc., have been promoted on television shows including NBC's "Today" and the syndicated "Rachael Ray Show."
The hurdle for Food and Drug Administration approval for such devices is low. The agency determines whether a device temporarily reduces the appearance of cellulite through the use of a mechanical massager, but doesn't evaluate the efficacy of any additional technology. "We do not have any data or information about how long the effect lasts," says Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the FDA, which has cleared more than a dozen devices for cellulite treatment.
Vic A. Narurkar, director of the Bay Area Laser Institute, a San Francisco cosmetic clinic, says company-sponsored cellulite studies are too small and poorly designed to persuade him to invest in a costly technology, or to charge patients for it. Dr. Weiss of the dermatologic society says such studies often rely on photographic comparisons that accentuate the contrast between "before" and "after" pictures.
Many studies also are performed by investigators with financial ties to a manufacturer. Elemé Medical, for instance, says its "pivotal" study of 74 people was conducted by Elliot Lach, a plastic surgeon. But Dr. Lach is also the device's inventor and holds an equity stake in Elemé.
Dr. Lach defends SmoothShapes, which has a list price of $79,900, but says he understands the skepticism. He says he has submitted his study to a medical journal, but it hasn't yet been accepted for publication. The study contains evidence of cellulite reduction that is documented with magnetic resonance imaging, a more authoritative measure of results than photographs, he says.
Elemé hopes to convince skeptics with a broader study of 200 or more subjects at multiple clinical sites. It says the photography is being carefully handled to maximize its credibility with independent reviewers.
Melinda Beck is on vacation.
• Email healthjournal@wsj.com.
End
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
The Latest Cellulite Treatments
Sound Too Smooth to Be True
By RHONDA L. RUNDLE
August 19, 2008; Page D1
Beauty magazines and spas are touting a new generation of high-tech treatments for cellulite, a common affliction that gives parts of women's bodies a dimpled, uneven appearance. But there's little evidence that the new devices are effective, say some dermatologists who have scoured the medical literature and evaluated the products.
Devices that claim to reduce or eliminate the appearance of cellulite have long been available. Most use a mechanical massager that causes tissue to swell, eliminating the uneven skin surface. But dimpling can recur within hours or days. The latest products also use massagers, but add treatment from a laser or other "energy source." This is supposed to create a more lasting solution by inducing fat cells under the skin to release some of their contents, leading to a smoother surface appearance.
Mary Stoll/Elemé Medical Inc.
SmoothShapes targets the uneven appearance of cellulite.
Some dermatologists say they see little difference between the new products and older ones. "There's nothing that has been shown in any objective way to create improvement for cellulite," says Robert A. Weiss, president-elect of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
On RealSelf.com, a Web site where consumers exchange beauty information, cellulite treatments garner some of the most vociferous complaints. VelaShape, sold by Syneron Medical Ltd., "was a huge waste of time and money," gripes Kimberly Lamse, a 40-year-old jewelry designer in Burbank, Calif. In an interview, Ms. Lamse says she paid $1,500 to an orthopedic doctor for treatments she sought after reading about VelaShape in a fashion magazine. Syneron's chairman, Shimon Eckhouse, says most women get good results, and "no medical treatment is 100% effective." American Laser Centers, with more than 200 locations across the country, uses Syneron technology in its AmeriSmooth treatments.
The market for cellulite-fighting equipment is expected to grow to $200 million a year by 2012 from $80 million last year, forecasts Millennium Research Group Inc. Other technologies, including SmoothShapes from Elemé Medical Inc., have been promoted on television shows including NBC's "Today" and the syndicated "Rachael Ray Show."
The hurdle for Food and Drug Administration approval for such devices is low. The agency determines whether a device temporarily reduces the appearance of cellulite through the use of a mechanical massager, but doesn't evaluate the efficacy of any additional technology. "We do not have any data or information about how long the effect lasts," says Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the FDA, which has cleared more than a dozen devices for cellulite treatment.
Vic A. Narurkar, director of the Bay Area Laser Institute, a San Francisco cosmetic clinic, says company-sponsored cellulite studies are too small and poorly designed to persuade him to invest in a costly technology, or to charge patients for it. Dr. Weiss of the dermatologic society says such studies often rely on photographic comparisons that accentuate the contrast between "before" and "after" pictures.
Many studies also are performed by investigators with financial ties to a manufacturer. Elemé Medical, for instance, says its "pivotal" study of 74 people was conducted by Elliot Lach, a plastic surgeon. But Dr. Lach is also the device's inventor and holds an equity stake in Elemé.
Dr. Lach defends SmoothShapes, which has a list price of $79,900, but says he understands the skepticism. He says he has submitted his study to a medical journal, but it hasn't yet been accepted for publication. The study contains evidence of cellulite reduction that is documented with magnetic resonance imaging, a more authoritative measure of results than photographs, he says.
Elemé hopes to convince skeptics with a broader study of 200 or more subjects at multiple clinical sites. It says the photography is being carefully handled to maximize its credibility with independent reviewers.
Melinda Beck is on vacation.
• Email healthjournal@wsj.com.
End
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
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