Fool’s Gold of Fat Loss: glycogen

It is no secret that being fat in America is a bad thing. Beyond health issues are cultural issues. If you are fat, you are a social leper, despite most Americans being fat or obese.

This reality makes Americans psychologically vulnerable to any bogus fad diet that comes along. Beyond costing us money bogus diets can cost us our health.

Nothing convinces people like results. If an American experiences a quick weight loss they will find religion and become a true believer.

There is a little known physiological fact I call “the fool’s gold of fat loss” that has sold more people on more bogus fad diets than anything else.

Aside from fat, a human body will store energy in a kind of carbohydrate called glycogen in muscle tissue. Muscular glycogen is used as a quickly deployed short term energy source. Human physiology being what it is this muscular glycogen is bound up with several pounds of water.

Any diet that causes any kind of caloric deficit will cause this glycogen to be used up in a few days and will cause the release of several pounds of water weight.

Instant weight loss! This must be our natural diet! This system works!

Yah, it works. Until the calorie deficit ends and you begin drinking water again.

Caveat Emptor!

Don’t be impressed by an initial fast weight loss….on any regime….even a good one.

Panda Express – Not Vegetarian

The below piece is from the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) email news letter
http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/index.htm

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PANDA EXPRESS – NOT VEGETARIAN
from: VRG-NEWS, The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Editors: Sonja Y. Helman & John L. Cunningham
December 2006

Most of you have probably eaten at or at least seen the popular
quick-service Chinese restaurant, Panda Express. It is common to find them at airports and food courts. You may not be aware that with the exception of the steamed rice, their food is not vegetarian. Their website unequivocally states “we do not offer vegetarian meals.” Their food is prepared with a chicken base. For more information, you can go to their nutrition page on the web

http://www.pandaexpress.com/menu/nutrition.aspx

They responded to our email saying, “Although some of our stores are transitioning to using a vegetable broth we still do not offer vegetarian entrees.” If you would like to offer positive comments to Panda Express regarding your desire that all their restaurants use vegetable broth, you can contact them through their website

http://www.pandaexpress.com

Don’t Get A Rabbit

Don’t get a rabbit as a pet…..that is unless you have read up on what is involved with properly taking care of a rabbit and you have no problem with doing those things.

Rabbits can live up to 14 years, but many domesticated rabbits only live about 1 – 2 years. Yes, you read that correctly. Many rabbits purchased as pets are also abandoned. Domesticated rabbits do not have the ability to fend for themselves the way a wild rabbit would. Why are these things happening?

These things are happening because many people think of rabbits as being low maintenance pets.

The exact opposite is true.

Rabbits have many needs. Care needs to be taken with their diets and with the materials they are exposed to. They need to be able to roam. They tend not to respond to people like a cat or a dog would. They can damage furniture. They leave “things” around the house.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from getting a rabbit as a pet. For their own benefit and of kindness to the animal they should be made aware of what owning a rabbit entails.