CHUMA SPIRIT Magazine

Bally's Fitness Tip: Trans Fats are Dangerous Enough to Earn Place on Food Labels

What is Trans Fat?

Major Food Sources of Trans Fat for American Adults (Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories) 40% cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc. 21% animal products 17% margarine 8% fried potatoes 5% potato chips, corn chips, popcorn 4% household shortening 3% salad dressing 1% breakfast cereal 1% candy Data based on FDA’s economic analysis for the final trans fatty acid labeling rule, "Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims" (July 11, 2003)

Trans fats (also known as trans fatty acids) have gotten a bad name - and deservedly so. Trans fats are comparable to saturated fats in terms of heart-disease risk; they increase blood cholesterol levels in a manner similar to that of saturated fats.

Government agencies say we have a right to know if we're consuming trans fats. So according to a new law, food manufacturers are required to list foods' trans fat grams by January 2006. (You may notice some labels that already itemize trans fats, but you can bet those foods contain little if any.

For the time being, then, you won't know the amount of trans fats in many foods. There is one trick, however, that can help you identify  trans fats: Read the ingredients list. If the terms "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" appear near the top of the list, the food is probably high in trans fats. 

Before beginning or engaging in any fitness or exercise program, consult with your physician and read the "Important Notice" on the subscription page at: Fitness Tip of the Day.

Bally's Fitness Tip: Two Best Kitchen Tools for Weight Loss

If you're serious about losing weight, here are two important tools you shouldn't do without: a food scale and measuring cups.

Why? One of the most common mistakes people make is eating portions that are much too large - while believing they're eating an appropriate amount of food. It's no wonder we have "portion distortion," given all of the super-sizing that's done in restaurants and food displays. But we can re-educate ourselves.

To get a true sense of portion sizes, use a food scale and measuring cups for two weeks whenever you're eating at home. After that, you'll be able to tell if a portion is too big just by looking at it.

Before beginning or engaging in any fitness or exercise program, consult with your physician and read the "Important Notice" on the subscription page at: Fitness Tip of the Day.

Bally's Fitness Tip: Two Ways to Strengthen Your Weaker Side

If you're like many people, one of your arms (or legs) is stronger than the other. To reduce the discrepancy, use dumbbells and choose exercises that allow you to work one limb at a time. This way, you can work your weaker side just a little harder than your predominant side. Here's how:

1. Do a few extra repetitions with the weaker side. With bicep curls, for example, you would use the same dumbbell for each arm, but you'd do 4 or 5 more repetitions with the weaker arm.

OR

2. Use a slightly heavier dumbbell with the weaker side. For example, you'd do the same number of lunges with each leg – but you'd hold different-weight dumbbells. Important: the second weight should be no more than 10 percent heavier.

Before beginning or engaging in any fitness or exercise program, consult with your physician and read the "Important Notice" on the subscription page at: Fitness Tip of the Day.