Live Healthy

How to Live A Healthy Lifestyle
Or: Get Off the Couch, and Go!

Health Issues Today
Obesity
Cancers REAL health issues that
seem to be defined…
Cardiovascular but different experts
Aging claim different solutions

Lets take a look at some of the facts...

2
© 2009 Star Power LLC, Please reference if distributed.

America is under attack!
America is under attack from obesity. While it is easy to blame the issue purely on
gluttony, sloth, and Guitar Hero, there are several social influencing factors:

Family history/genetics. If one of your parents is obese, you are 3 times as likely
to be obese as someone with parents of healthy weight.

Family’s/friends’ lifestyles. If your family or friends eat a lot of high-fat or snack
foods, eat at irregular times, and skip meals, you probably will too. And if they are
not physically active, you may not be either. If your friends are sitting on the
couch drinking beers, eating wings, and watching football, what are the odds you’ll
have celery sticks and do jumping jacks next to the couch? Not too high.

Y
o
u

Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/obesity-cause
Source: American Gastroenterological Association (2002). AGA technical review on obesity.
Gastroenterology, 123(3): 882–932.
3

Break the cycle
Some factors for obesity are internal - you can do something about them!

Low self-esteem. Being overweight or obese may lower your self-esteem and lead to even
more eating as a way to comfort yourself. Repeated failure at dieting also can affect your
self-esteem and make it even more difficult to lose weight.

Emotional concerns. Emotional stress, anxiety, or illnesses such as depression or chronic
pain can lead to overeating. Some people eat to calm themselves, to avoid dealing with
unpleasant tasks or situations, or to dampen negative emotions.

I eat because I
am sad

I am sad
because I eat


4

It’s not your fault…is it?

Some factors for obesity are caused by external events and substances around us

Trauma. Distressing events, marital or family problems, can contribute to overeating.

Alcohol is very high in calories, and may cause weight gain around your stomach.

Medicines or medical conditions. Some medical conditions and medications may also
cause weight gain. Examples include Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, taking
antidepressants, or taking corticosteroids.

+ + = You.


5

Did we grow up this way? Maybe…

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19 17

19% of children ages 6- 17% of children ages 12- 33% of adults are overweight
11 years are overweight 19 years are overweight 32% of adults are obese

By taking control early, we can stem a much larger issue.

Note: Adults over 19 and not institutionalized
Source: Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 2003-2004
Source: NHANES data on the Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Adults-United States, 2003-2004
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm
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Starting young and getting worse
The Journal of the American Medical Association studied the United States
population over two time periods:

Overall, in 2003-2006, for children 2-19:
11.3% were at or above the 97th percentile of the numbers reported in the 2000 BMI-for-
age growth charts
16.3% were at or above the 95th percentile
31.9% were at or above the 85th percentile

This is troubling, as it shows an accelerating distribution through society
32% of kids in 2003-2006 are in the top 15% overweight from 2000 (~2x)

Our kids are growing out instead of up!

Source: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/299/20/2401

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What does this mean for the country?

This rate of obesity raises concern because of its implications for the health of
Americans; obesity increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions. These
include:

Coronary heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
Stroke
Liver and Gallbladder disease
Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm

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So what has happened to us over
the past 24 yrs?

(move quickly through the slides for ‘animation’)

9

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS, 1985
(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)

Source: CDC Behavioral risk Factor Surveillance System Interviews

No Data <10% 10%–14%
10

BRFSS, 1986


No Data <10% 10%–14%
11

BRFSS, 1987


No Data <10% 10%–14%
12

BRFSS, 1988


No Data <10% 10%–14%
13

BRFSS, 1989


No Data <10% 10%–14%
14

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1990


No Data <10% 10%–14%
15

BRFSS, 1991


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%
16

BRFSS, 1992


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%
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BRFSS, 1993


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%
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BRFSS, 1994


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%
19



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%
20



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%
21

BRFSS, 1997


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%
22

BRFSS, 1998


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%
23

BRFSS, 1999


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%
24



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%
25



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%
26




No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%
27




No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%
28



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%
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BRFSS, 2005


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%
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BRFSS, 2006


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%
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BRFSS, 2007


No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%
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Pretty Scary, isn’t it?

(Red was bad!)

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So what can we do about this issue?

Healthy, sustainable lifestyle modification through the right nutrition and exercise
program can get us back on track.

The following exercise plans are evaluated using available resources as well as my own
personal experience with each of them. Ranking is based on long-term effectiveness towards
real fitness.

I’ve also included some reviews of various diet plans out there – Remember though: eating
is about nutrition. Don’t use ‘fad diets.’ They may work short term, but once you “go off”
that diet, you’ll regain all the weight you lost. It’s about adopting a life-long diet you can
enjoy, not going from fad diet to fad diet which you most certainly won’t.

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Popular Exercise Programs – Jogging

How it works: Wake up early, jog at a leisurely pace, have a nice stretch. Tell everyone about
your jogging lifestyle. Other light aerobic activity is included here as well – treadmill, bicycle,
walking, power walking, etc.

Equipment needed: Anyone can jog - you don’t even need a gym. If you do have a gym, you
don’t need to go outside, but you might want to spring for a towel to throw over the display
and avoid embarrassment when the hot girl next to you sees you jumping off all sweaty and out
of breath after only a half mile.

Pros – Easy. Pace and timing can fit your availability.
Cons – No intensity (don’t be offended, this is about muscular intensity), no mandated
structure.
– High impact, can cause knee injuries
Overall – Better than sitting around and watching TV….

Rating:
Source: p90x Website

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Popular Exercise Programs – “Working Out”
How it works: Gyms have weight machines and free weights. You go in, you work on groups of
muscles every other day. Weight training allows you to target specific muscle groups – from
arms, chest, stomach, legs and calves. But without a proper diet, your newfound muscles can
still be hidden under flab.

Equipment needed: Anyone can go to a gym, provided you can pay for membership.

Pros – Easy. There are no specific demands placed on you except those levered by your own
discipline.

Cons – You must work out three times a week to see benefit. Motivating yourself to go to the
gym more than once a week can be hard!

Overall – Better than sitting around watching TV.

Rating:

36

Popular Exercise Programs – DVDs
How it works: A slew of video workouts allow anyone with a TV and some simple equipment to get a
workout. For the purposes of this review, we will take P90x as the example, as it is one of the most popular
and intense.

Equipment needed: A TV and DVD player, some space, and a pull-up bar. The 12 routines are typically fast-
paced and intense, and can take over an hour each. P90X uses an advanced training technique called
quot;Muscle Confusion,quot; which accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines
so your body never plateaus. This is a revolutionary system designed to transform your body from “regular to
ripped” in just 90 days. Most people will be able to do all the movements, though there is a bit of a learning
curve to do them well.

Pros – Intense workouts that do not require a gym. Structured and time-bound – has every workout for 90
days.

Cons – You have to buy the package, which can be pricey.

Overall – A decent program if you can’t get to a gym.

Rating:
Source: p90x Website

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Popular Exercise Programs – Negatives
How it works: This theory of exercise, also called 'eccentric training' allows you to lift 30-50% more weight
than the traditional method. How? When picking up a weight, the strength of your muscle is required to exert
more force than the weight itself. When putting a weight down, your muscles only need to slow it down –
allowing you to get in those last few reps that you might have missed, or to work on a greater weight than
initially possible.

Equipment needed: Following the program takes some learning. Free weight usage requires a partner.
Machine negatives are also possible, and do not require a partner. Also works for leg press, chest press, and
any machine where both arms or legs do not move independently.

Pros – Intensity and scalability are possible but not mandated. Quick workouts possible. Excellent
documented results.

Cons –Requires access to a proper gym and a partner, and should be attempted only after being properly
acquainted with the right form and movement.

Overall – A good program as an upgrade from normal weightlifting.

Rating:
Source: Go Negative on bNet – This article has lots of good citations too
Source: The Colorado Experiment
Source: The 4 Hour Workweek
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Popular Exercise Programs – Cross Functional
How it works: There are a few workouts that eschew the routine and rigidity of the traditional ‘iron pumping’
in favor of more varied, cross muscular, natural movements. Take the CrossFit program, for example. CrossFit
bills itself as the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical
operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and
professional athletes worldwide.

Equipment needed: Following the program is simple – a new workout is posted on the website each
morning. Anyone can view them, and try to do them to the best of their ability. Actual equipment varies daily,
and with some workouts you may be able to get by, but to get the full benefits you’ll need gym access.

Pros – Intensity and scalability are valued over routine, and there is a lot of explanation behind the system
and the excursuses for those who wish to read it. There is also a great community around the nation to
discuss and share best practices.

Cons – A focus on Olympic style weightlifting requires access to a proper gym. This workout is not for
newbies.

Overall – A terrific program for those already in good enough shape to do the workouts at all.

Rating:
Source: www.crossfit.com

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Popular Eating Programs – Caloric Restriction
Can a technique that makes mice live twice as long do the same for people? As long as we get the nutrients
we need, do we truly need much more food?

How it works: Calorie restriction involves simply eating much less than normal <1200 calories per day. You
must take supplements to make sure you get essential nutrients. CR has been shown to lower cholesterol,
fasting glucose, and blood pressure.

Get good supplements for vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and any other nutrient that is important to your
personal development plan. Eat very little else.

Pros – Simple. Supplement and eat less. No complicated eating rules to remember. Less spending on food
saves money.

Cons – Eating less can lead to starvation and a host of other real life long term issues (catabolic damage,
where the body eats itself to survive)

Overall – If you need to lose weight, there are healthier ways to do it.

Rating:
Source: Qin W Calorie restriction attenuates Alzheimer's disease type brain amyloidosis in Squirrel monkeys
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie_restriction
Source: The Retardation of Aging and Disease by Dietary Restriction
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Popular Eating Programs – Very Low Carb
When the high-protein, low carbohydrate craze came to town, it was initially hailed as the solution to
America's national eating disorder. While there are several low-carb or zero carb programs out there, we will
look at Atkins as it was one of the first and biggest.

How it works: Atkins has changed recently to be more accommodating. It now has its own food pyramid,
and dieters are encouraged to maximize the proteins they eat, and then eat fruits and vegetables. You should
count the Net Carbs in your food, and keep it under 30g per day for the first few weeks, and then can start
earning more.

Support tools: One can follow the Atkins diet by joining the discussion community on the website, and then
monitoring their own food intake.

Pros – While controversial, it has been shown to be effective for some.

Cons – Eating very low carbs leads to fatigue, especially when combined with an intense workout. The
surgeon general recommended against this plan when introduced.

Overall – If you don’t mind giving up all your bread, low-carb may work for you.

Rating:
Source: Atkins Diet Website
Source: http://diets.ultimatefatburner.com/review-dr-atkins-diet/
Source: Shape Up America! news release 29 December 2003.
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Popular Eating Programs – “Lifestyle”
After the backlash that initial low-carb diets incurred from the media, a slew of softer, “lifestyle” themed
diets popped up to compete for consumer attention. The South Beach diet continues to be, one of the most
popular.

How it works: The South Beach diet bills itself as a food lover's diet. It's about living well and loving what you
eat. But it's also practical, flexible, easy, and effective. After an initial phase to stop the cravings, the bulk of
the dieting on SB involves eating “good carbs” like whole wheat, brown rice, and certain starchy vegetables
(eg. Sweet potato). You are also encouraged to eat as much lean protein as you need.

Support tools: One can join the South Beach diet by signing up on the website.

Pros – A bit more accommodating than extreme low-carb high protein diets, with the veneer of lifestyle and
fun. Emphasis on tasty food, and comes with a wealth of interesting recipes that are on the plan.

Cons – Still a high protein low-carb diet.

Overall – Users have termed it “a glossed-up Atkins diet that hat been watered down for beach-going soccer
moms.” Not that there is anything wrong with being a beach-going soccer mom…

Rating:
Source: South Beach Diet Website

42

Popular Eating Programs – Meal Systems
A few programs in the market claim to bring nutrition and simplicity to your life by providing you with all the
meals you need to eat, pre-made, delivered to you. We will look at Nutrisystem as an example/
.
How it works: Nutrisystem has a plan and a program for everyone: men, women, diabetics and vegetarians
each get tailored programs. They also have a program for every price point: flex programs at a low price
point, select premium programs that include gourmet food, etc. They bill themselves as a program that
balances lifestyle and know-how, and use trademarked terms like Glycemic Advantage and OmegaSol to
discuss good carbohydrates, and fish oil fatty acids.

Support tools: With the Auto delivery subscription option, this plan is very easy to follow. Food gets to your
door, and all you have to do is eat it. They also recommend groceries to supplement the premade meals.

Pros – Easy to follow. Subscription fees are also much of your food expense. Tailored plans make you feel
special. Stresses portion control.

Cons –Low flexibility – once the food is mailed to you, you must eat it.

Overall – Not a terrible program if you don’t want to think about what to eat. Expensive.

Rating:
Source: Nutrisystem Website

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Popular Eating Programs – Metabolism
Most recently, fad diets have begun to rebrand themselves as lifestyles, and focus more on metabolism and
ongoing action, along with key elements of earlier programs. My favorite of these is the Zone Diet.

How it works: The Zone Diet bills is designed to help your body achieve the hormonal and genetic balance
you need for long-term weight control, as well as optimal heart, brain and immune function, through optimal
proportioning of lean proteins, vegetables and essential monounsaturated fats.

Support tools: Make sure that each meal or snack follows the simple proportion of 1/3 lean protein, and 2/3
low-glycemic vegetables. Advanced Zone dieting involves counting blocks in a detailed point system for food.

Pros: Easy to transition to – keep your eating schedule and content, but fit the proportions. Borrows some
of the good from various diets – low in processed carbs, low in caloric intake, focus on proteins, emotional
state and balance in all things.

Cons: Lengthy block system is more than I am interested in devoting time to. I need my eating plan to be
simple.

Overall : The system is simple, the messaging is positive, and the focus on overall health is evident.

Rating:
Source: Zone Diet Website

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Summary − Food and Exercise: Obesity Cure
If you believe what I have told you so far – that being overweight is a problem, but
that there are a variety of tools and practices that can get you into shape, and if not
overweight, can get you into elite shape, what can you do?

Exercise on a schedule you can stick to, with a plan that requires equipment you
have access to. Work out with INTENSITY.

Eat a full vitamin, nutrition, amino acid profile. Make sure you don’t overeat
calories, while ensuring that your plan is sustainable and fulfilling.

Conclusion: Wanting to get into peak physical shape is a
feasible goal. You can do it.

Star Power can help!

Personal Note: In my experience, I have had the best results with the Zone Diet, and with CrossFit or Negative
Lifts. When I started my program, I lost 15 pounds my first month, and 1-2 pounds per week thereafter.

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Author Information:

Vik Venkatraman is an expert in health, nutrition and consumer products. He has been
advising businesses and individuals on branding, strategy and marketing for 5 years.

Email: vik.venkat@drinkstarpower.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/vikvenkat

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Appendix: Tools

How healthy are you?

Check out this Calorie Calculator

http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/calories-burned

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Appendix
Definitions:
Obesity: Having a very high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass, or Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher.

Body Mass Index (BMI): A measure of an adult’s weight in relation to his or her height, specifically the adult’s weight in
kilograms divided by the square of his or her height in meters.

In 1990, among states participating in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 10 states had a prevalence of
obesity less than 10% and no states had prevalence equal to or greater than 15%.

By 1998, no state had prevalence less than 10%, seven states had a prevalence of obesity between 20-24%, and no state
had prevalence equal to or greater than 25%.

In 2007, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty states had a prevalence equal to or
greater than 25%; three of these states (Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or
greater than 30%.

The data shown in these maps were collected through CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Each year, state health departments
use standard procedures to collect data through a series of monthly telephone interviews with U.S. adults.
Prevalence estimates generated for the maps may vary slightly from those generated for the states by BRFSS (http://aps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss) as slightly
different analytic methods are used.

BRFSS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System http: //www.cdc.gov/brfss/
Mokdad AH, et al. The spread of the obesity epidemic in the United States, 1991—1998 JAMA 1999; 282:16:1519–1522.
Mokdad AH, et al. The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States. JAMA. 2001; 286:10:1519–22.
Mokdad AH, et al. Prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and obesity-related health risk factors, 2001. JAMA 2003: 289:1: 76–79
CDC. State-Specific Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults — United States, 2005; MMWR 2006; 55(36);985–988

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