#33: 5 Things You Don't Know About Body Fat

Fat is the ultimate three-letter word

especially the kind that you spend so much time watching your diet 

and hitting the gym to keep at bay (or at least to keep off your butt)

But beyond making you look less-than-svelte

fat can have significant physical and emotional implications

1. Fat Comes In Different Colors

More specifically, there are different types of fat that have different hues and functions

white normal fat cells (left) vs brown long-term fat cells (right)

White

what most people think of as fat -- pale and useless

Useless in that it has a low metabolic rate 

so it doesn't help you burn any calories the way muscle does 

and it's the predominant type of fat in the human body

encompassing more than 90 percent of it

In other words, it's a storage unit for extra calories

Brown

Brown fat is darker in color due to a rich blood supply 

and can actually burn calories rather than storing them 

--but only if you're a rat (or other mammal)

certain critters can activate brown fat to burn calories 

and generate heat to keep them warm in winter

Humans, sadly, have so little brown fat that it won't help you burn calories or keep you warm

Beige
Between white and brown in terms of its calorie-burning ability which is actually very exciting.
Why? Because researchers are looking into ways to shift white fat cells
into more metabolically active beige ones via diet and exercise or supplements
In fact, there is preliminary evidence that certain hormones which are activated by exercise
may convert white fat cells into beige ones
as well as some evidence that certain foods such as brown seaweed, licorice root
and hot peppers may have the ability to do this as well
I love spicy food yay!!

2. The Fat On Your Butt Is Healthier Than The Fat On Your Belly

It's probably safe to say that no woman favors the fat on one body part over another

but it's actually safer health-wise to be more of a pear than an apple [body shape]
Belly fat, also known as visceral fat

is much more responsive to the stress hormone cortisol 

compared to the fat on your thighs or butt, so when stress hits hard 

(and you don't find a healthy way to handle it)

any extra calories consumed are more likely to end up around your middle

Belly fat is also much more inflammatory than fat located elsewhere in the body
and can create its own inflammatory chemicals (as a tumor would)
These chemicals travel to the brain and make you hungry and tired
so you're more likely to overeat or eat junk food and not exercise
thus creating a vicious cycle and perpetuating the storage of more belly fat

The good news is that anything that helps you reduce inflammation
helps reduce those signals to the brain!
Food recommended: fish oil (for the Omega 3's) and probiotics
which you can take in pill form or get by eating yogurt with active cultures

3. First You Burn Calories, Second You Burn Fat

The term "fat-burning" is thrown around willy-nilly in fitness circles
but as an expression of weight loss, it's indirect
Before you "burn" fat, you burn calories, whether those calories come from
stored carbohydrates (glycogen and blood sugar) or from stored body fat

The more calories you burn during each workout
the bigger deficit you will create and the more fat you will loseYou can also create a calorie deficit by eating less (:

4. Fat Affects Your Mood

Certainly there is no easier way to ruin your day 

--than seeing you've gone up a few numbers on the scale but having excess fat
-- especially around your belly --
activates that inflammation/cortisol cycle
which studies show may be a factor in serious mood disorders like bipolar disorder

If you're stuck in a stress/eat/gain/stress cycle,however,
you're likely to experience at least a perpetually low mood
even if you don't have an actual clinical condition

To help break the cycle, try eating a square of dark chocolate!
 there is just enough sugar to satisfy a stress-induced craving
but the healthy flavonoids help calm inflammation
Low-fat dairy products like yogurt can have a similar effect
-- the combination of calcium and magnesium can help calm the stress response

5. Even Skinny People Can Have Cellulite

The dreaded c-word is caused by fat trapped under the skin (known as subcutaneous fat)
The overlying skin "dimples" are created by connective tissues
that tie the skin to the underlying muscle, with fat trapped in between like a sandwich
You don't need a lot of fat to cause a dimpling effect, so you can be in great shape
and have low body fat but still have a little pocket of dimpled fat
for example, on your butt or the backs of your thighs.

Building muscle while losing fat (and the fat loss part is key -- you have to have it to lose) can help minimize the appearance of cellulite;
cellulite-specific creams and lotions can also help minimize the look of dimpled skin (though they can't do anything about the trapped fat beneath)

Personal note:

I'ma health freak (if you don't know already), read articles daily, majority on health. 

And just wanna share some stuff I learnt with you guys

Hope you all learnt something new too! :)

Take Care, Kylie.

#31: Foods for a Glowing Complexion!

I have many people asking me what I do/eat/apply to get such great complexion

if there is any secrets or miracle products etc.

my reply is NOOOO

because simply,

"Good Skin is All in What You Eat"

On a typical day, I only do simply cleansing at night when I get home

and apply a lil moisturizer after my morning shower before applying makeup

i think makeup applies much more smoothly this way :)

So how does our diet affect our complexion?

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While a slightly acidic pH level is best externally, the body's internal pH should be mildly alkaline 

Too much acid bombarding your innards can lead to skin sagging and gauntness

Unfortunately, most people eat a diet consisting of 80 percent acid-forming foods and just 20 percent alkaline The ultimate goal here is to aim for a 50-50 balance

FOODS TO EAT:

1. Dark-green leafy veggies like kale and spinach: Nothing neutralizes acid like minerals

2. Citrus fruit: Tasting acidic is very different from being acid-forming. 

Lemons and limes are alkaline producers

sometimes i eat the orange peels raw as well, I feel my skin tighten up the next morning

recommend navel oranges if you want to try eating some...as it's not to everyone's preference

if you're willing to try, please wash it well & eat together with the flesh! 

then it won't taste as bitter!  (:

3. Low glycemic fruit: Nutrient-rich berries and apples top the list

the glycemic index/GI measures how fast the sugar from foods are absorbed into the bloodstream lower the better!!

4. Nuts and seeds: Load up on almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds

Just make sure they're raw, since roasting depletes the healthy omega-3 fatty oils

5. Foods rich in beta-carotene [the thing that give foods that orange colour]

such as Papayas, carrots, pumpkins

ALL MY FAVORITES

I use to eat papayas and pumpkins every single day, no kidding

till i turn slightly yellowish so I reduced my intake :X

another tip: don't just throw away the papaya peels! and no I'm not suggesting you to eat them,

just rub the insides of the skin when you're done with eating the flesh!

the enzymes are good for exfoliation and tightening ^^

6. Essential Fatty Acids [“good fats”  that your body needs for healthy performance]

a must for healthy, youthful skin

controls acne and regulates cell functions i.e. retains water in your cells to keep it buoyant and prevent sagging

found in nuts, seeds [as above], fatty fish [SALMON!!], olive/canola oils

 

FOODS TO AVOID:

1. Soft drinks: A can of soda typically contains 44 to 62 milligrams of phosphoric acid, 

which puts us in acid overload. "Dark ones are the worst"

2. Sugar: These sweet granules feed harmful gut organisms (especially yeast) 

while crowding out good bacteria. They can even alter proteins in our cells, causing a loss of elasticity

3. Meat: Aim to get no more than 15 to 20 percent of your daily calories from animal proteins. 

Plant-based types (like lentils and beans) at least have some alkalizing components.

4. Processed grains: Seventy percent of the acidic foods in our diet are wheat.

Switch to alkalinizing wheat-free whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa and wild rice.

5. Coffee: Though caffeine is pH neutral, coffee can quickly become acidic if it's not fresh

good in limited amounts though :) 

so everyone! let's cheers to a healthier glowy complexion!

and try not to apply too many skincare products [chemicals chemicals D: ] 

onto your delicate skins please!

Love and Take Care!

KYLIE.

#30: How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy - The Crushing Truth

Good Sunday Morning!

waking up today realizing that I don't have to go to work on Monday morning (Y)

so just wanna give some tips on losing weight today
since that's what alot of people have been asking me about! :)
LET'S GO
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Losing weight isn't easy
It requires dedication and effort for a long period of time until you're satisfied with the results All you see on TV about miracle weight loss pills, liquid cleanses & pretty much anything on Dr. Oz, is all crap

When I tell you the secret to weight loss, you'll probably just get annoyed because you know I'm right

1) Don't Procrastinate With Excuses

               "I'll start it Monday."
                                "I'll do it right after my birthday."
                                                   "Well, we do have that wedding, so right at that."

This is all wroooong
If you turn down all of the special fancy food at the beginning, it should be a bit easier the next day when you're just looking through the fridge for breakfast If you turned down wedding cake and fried chicken covered with sauce, I'm positive you'll pass on the slice of cold pizza in the fridge

2) Quit Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol is detrimental to any weight-loss attempt
And depending on your tolerance to it, it's even more detrimental

Studies showed that alcohol consumption often comes hand in hand with junk food
Take the empty alcohol calories plus whatever crap food you find

and you can easily rack up an unhealthy balance

Before your body can go back to burning fat for energy, 

it has to start with all of that alcohol you drank before it can start again

I'm not saying quit altogether, and maybe you can have a glass of wine here or there,
but the more you go without it,
the more you realize your weight-loss progress is working and you're more full of energy,
getting better sleep, and waking up at the crack of dawn ready to start your day

3) High-Protein/Low-Carb

I'm a strong believer in this way of eatingI know there are the haters of this, and people on both sides that are for and against,
but it's hands down the best diet to help you lose weight
It's not just piles of bacon and cheese that you live on
That's insaneThink lean chicken, broccoli, turkey meat, shrimp, etc.
I would cut all of this up, boil/roast/stir-fry it, and it would be what I mostly ate for months
Eating will turn from something you feel bad about doing,
to something that is just a necessity of your day
It's just like putting gas in your car

To better stick on your new way of eating: Go Grocery Shopping!
I always follow my dad to the supermarket on weekends:) 

When shopping, here is some key advice:Don't go down the aisles at the grocery store For this way of eating, everything you need is on the outskirts of the grocery storeIt has the meats and veggies that you need
Maybe head down a spice aisle for stuff to add to so you don't get bored

What I really noticed after being on this type of diet is how it rewires your body's reaction
to the food you are more accustomed to (processed foods, chips, white breads, sugar)

If you go from this diet, and then cheat for a day and order pizza, or eat high-carb food,
your body will almost immediately react to it
Think of walking to a street corner in a brand-new suit or dress,
and then a car driving past and splashing mud and gutter water all over you

That is how you will feel 
Your heart will beat fast, your skin will feel grimy, and you'll feel depressed and tired

This change in your way of eating changes you
I told a friend of mine who went on this diet, not because she wanted to lose weight,
but wanted to compete in a pageant & when she had a cheat day after the pageant
She was shocked at how bad she felt after eating pasta
This diet instills in you the feeling to stay the course
If you mess up, it will further kick your butt back to stay on track

4) Water

Drink a LOT of it
It cleanses your system of toxins through your kidneys, liver, pancreas, lymph nodes, and so on Some people may be different from me, but when I wake up every morning or exercise,
nothing is better than a big glass of waterNothing compares to it, and I mean nothing

Think about being the thirstiest you have ever been
I mean, to the point that swallowing is painful
You slowly walk to a table with two pitchers on it
In one pitcher is ice-cold water with condensation dripping down the side,
and the other is ice-cold lemon sports drink. What do you choose? 

Your body and mind will choose the water. That is what it needs above all else
No drink is better than water, and none ever will be

5) Don't Check Your Scale Daily

Some people have the tendency to weigh themselves every single day of their diet
and end up being distracted by the numbers
You feel like you lost a pound but then you jump on and you gained one
These things happen

It all matters --
the time of the day you weigh yourself, and the fluctuations that your body goes through
Weigh yourself every other week or so, but also notice how you feel
After a few weeks you'll notice your clothes getting looser, you face getting thinner,
and the way your body is changing

This realization, this feeling, is better than any high you can experience
It's that feeling of accomplishment

6) Set Goals and Write a Food Journal

A beginning rock climber doesn't list Mt Everest as the 1st mountain he's going to start climbingIt has to come in steps
If you have to lose 20 pounds, make your first goal five pounds,
then the next goal five pounds, and so on

Writing a food journal helps you keep track of what you ate, and most importantly,
will let you diagnose changes that must be made to overcome the eventual weight-loss plateau
that will hit everyone at some point

Also, write down what your workout routine is
Try not to keep doing the same exercises. Change it up!
Cardio is important, but a variety of free weights and machine exercises are equally important
And the best part of working out is when you finish,
the last thing you want to do is stop by and get a cheeseburger from the local fast-food place

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It's hard to do all this, and failure and setbacks happen
One musn't let distractions get in the way because it becomes a domino effect
When you mess up, and a few months go by, you'll think,
"I would have been healthier and in better shape if I stuck with it."
Well, pretend you just went back in time to where you shouldn't have stopped, and start anew

Take it slow and don't be too harsh on yourself regardless
Kylie.

#27: Dear Readers...

Especially to the people who are putting in every effort to reach that healthy goal weight

as well as to those who still haven't quite found the motivation to start yet...

Hopefully this will be of some motivation to help start/continue your journey... 

Me in primary 6 (left) & Me in present (right) 

Found this photo at my grandparents' house and confiscated it

hahaha, hows nostalgic :)

every now and then I still wonder, 

what gave me the determination to actually kick start on my journey

the initial part is always the most difficult

finding the courage to take the first step...

doing your homework definitely helps.

Google had been an extremely helpful platform to solve my woes on losing weight

you'll be blown away by the number of forums, research, articles you can find on the web

and realise that there are tons of people out there who are stuck in the same situation as you! 

who are willing to provide information through personal experiences & support for one another

You are never alone. Do not be afraid. 

Healthy Living is a journey and we are in it together. 

Eat clean. Move more. = Improve mood. Boost confidence. Feel good.

By eating clean, 

I mean cutting down on refined, heavily processed man-made products

e.g. white bread/rice/flour, junk food, sugary drinks 

& foods that contain ingredients you can't pronounce

By moving more,

I mean putting in just a little more everyday to walk that extra distance

park further away from the life, take the longer route, stand up & take a stroll 

climb some stairs (escalators are meant to help us save time, not to be lazy!)

every little effort counts.

if a food lover like me can do it, so can you

haha eating clean doesn't mean giving up on good delicious food!

it just require some smart choice-making ;)

and moving more doesn't mean going to the gym to strain yourself every other day 

intensive exercise isn't for everyone, esp not to those who are dead tired after a long day of work

Chinese New Year is around the corner!

CNY goodies and snacks are everywhere

and no, I'm not banning them or gonna preach to you why you should NEVER eat them

but do practice some self-control and not eat mindlessly.

will eating 1 pineapple tart or 2 make a difference?

sometimes we just have to satisfy our craving for its taste & not actually to fill our hunger 

so do save some tummy space for the other foods :)

If it's possible, cook and eat at home or someone's else house

Homemade food are always healthier & more delicious! 

it's also a great bonding activity for friends and families ^^

HAPPY PROSPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR. 

new year. new beginnings.

Till next time.

♥, Kylie

#19: Superfood - Black Coffee

Happened to pop by The Star @ Buona Vista today

since I was in the area... 

[went to NUH for a post-surgery follow up]

and look what I found~

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A cafe opened by OWL!

Yeap, it's the same brand popular for its coffee and tea products sold in all the supermarkets

a large cup for $1.90 only

I always start my mornings with a nice big cup of black coffee

or Kopi-o-kosong, i.e. coffee without milk & sugar

it helps to kick start my sluggish digestive system after entire night of sleep

helpful for people suffering from constipation

and also most importantly, to boost metabolism ^^

here's a compilation of the benefits of drinking coffee that I found:

• Rich in anti-oxidants that aid in weight loss

• The caffeine content affects the metabolic rate of the body aiding in energy production with the burning of body fats

• Provides minimal no. of calories to the body. Black coffee is basically a calorie-free beverage, so you can enjoy it anytime even while dieting

• Makes you more alert and gives you extra energy to workout for long. Increase in workout burns more calories, thus reduces weight

• Temporarily decreases your desire to eat by suppressing your appetite. It has caffeine which stimulates the release of CCK, an appetite suppressant hormone. CCK delays the onset of hunger and promotes a feeling of fullness.

• Coffee has a diuretic effect, which causes a short-term weight loss because it lowers the overall body weight, but not fat  by decreasing the amount of fluid you are holding. This is beneficial for women who retain more water during menstruation.

• Caffeine also promotes lipolysis, a process of fonversion of fat into fatty acids.

• Black coffee helps to flush out your stool. Coffee is a coarse fiber food and acts as a mild cathartic agent which has a rapid effect. Only 4 minutes after drinking coffee, gastric peristalsis begins and this causes weight loss.

• It promotes the decomposition of hidden fat. The fatty acids and the muscle will be absorbed into the body releasing energy, and aid in losing weight.

• Black coffee can also promote cardiovascular circulation.

• The smell of coffee can provide emotional stability too as it improves the sensitivity of your organs. A cup of black coffee can improve work efficiency and this can lead to  weight loss, as you in a better mood to have more physical exercise.

Other than weight loss, black coffee also helps to prevent a number of other illnesses,

such as Parkinson's, Colon Cancer, Stroke etc.

So next time when you're out and about, grab a cup of black coffee instead of the normal sugary drinks

when at....

coffeeshop/foodcourt - kopi-o-kosong

cafe - americano/long black/espresso

it may taste extremely bitter at first, but you'll grow to love it 

this way, you can truly enjoy the delicate coffee aroma of diff coffee varieties

& become a true coffee lover ;)

this girl loves her big cups of joe

p.s. havent been blogging regularly lately. will do update soon on what i'd been munching on this past xmas weekend and the friday before that!! 

(because it was 冬至, and tradition is to eat chinese dumplings or tang yuan depending on where your ancestors are from) ^^

but seriously, been feasting far too much as of late. it is time to control my never-ending appetite. 

#10: Healthy Living - Assess where you stand now!

I've received a lot of emails regarding requests for me to post tips on losing weight

but was really tied up with school...

so sorry everyone!  here it goes!

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4 out of 10 overweight individuals actually don't realize that they are overweight

So first, you should assess where you currently stand now

Using a simple method! called the Body Mass Index ^^

I bet most of you would have knowledge about it already

but as we deviate from school

we gradually forget the importance of maintaining a healthy weight

that MOE had been trying so hard to educate us about since primary school

here's a good BMI calculator specially for Singaporeans!

http://www.shape.com.sg/bmi-calculator

an example of what I have for dinner at home! ^^ 

To kick start your healthy living journey,

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

You can also use this^ to calculate your daily calorie requirements!
the average man requires 2200 calories and 1800 calories for woman

If you need to lose weight (like really! not if you're already within the acceptable range please girls)

I would recommend subtracting 500 calories max. from your daily calorie requirements 

DO NOT go too extreme with dieting

believe me, I'd suffered the negative effects of it.

to lose 1 pound or roughly 0.45kg requires a deficit of 3500 calories

which can be achieved in a week! by subtracting 500cal everyday

this is the FASTEST weight loss you should go for

To know how many calories you are eating, keep a journal!

and use GOOGLE to search for calories in foods!

buy a mini weighing scale if you must to weigh the foods 

many of us tend to underestimate the calories we take in and overestimate the calories we burn

here are some example portion sizes for 200-calories

79.3g of Big Mac

39g of peanut M&Ms 

22ml of Irish Baileys

42.5g of Oreo cookies

8.1ml of Canola oil

27.9g of  unsalted butter

50.9g of blueberry muffin

120g of skinless chicken meat

476g of Asian Pears

the KIND OF FOOD you eat really does matter!
by changing your diet you can actually eat more & feel fuller on lesser calories
i will talk more about food calories next time! :)
more photos found here! http://www.caloriegallery.com/

another important point is to KEEP ACTIVE!
it does not mean that you have to specially put aside time for gym everyday
simple activities like taking the stairs, walking a longer route or even run some errands for the lazy people
will eventually add up to quite a substantial amount of calories burnt!

p.s. I also used to weigh myself every week and jolt them down on a piece of paper 

this was to motivate myself by seeing the rewards from the efforts I put in ^^