Time Is Up! Truth About Middle Aged Weight Gain

 

Answers are finally in! Sorry it took me a week to get them out. "Single-mom-ville" definitely keeps me preoccupied and on my feet. Now, I'm finally OFF my feet, sitting on the couch with my laptop and watching "Home Alone" with my 9 year old little dude. I have 15 minutes to spit this out, because soon I will be anxiously engaged in creating works of art with my kids and their friends: gingerbread houses. AND I'm going to need an extra dose of willpower to stave off the bags of candies and chocolates to decorate with. HELP!! I CAN DO IT!! haha!

OK, now back to the task at hand...giving you the answers to the middle aged weight gain quiz you've all been dying to get. If you haven't taken the quiz yet, click on the link above. 

Correct answers are in green.

1.      Hormonal changes of menopause mainly cause weight gain
          a.     on hips
          b.    waistline
          c.     arms

2.      Research suggests that a weight gain of even 4.4 pounds at age 50 can increase a woman's risk of                by 30 percent.
          a.     colon cancer
          b.     heart disease
          c.     breast cancer

3.     Your metabolism slows down by           percent each decade.
          a.     10 percent
          b.     5 percent
          c.     2 percent

4.      Compared to age 25, you'll burn about           fewer calories a day, at 35 and              fewer at 45.
          a.    50, 100
          b.    300, 600
          c.    100, 200

5.      Don't decrease calories and you'll gain about         pounds a year.
          a.    12
          b.    10
          c.     5

6.      One of the BIGGEST mistakes you can make when trying to lose middle age weight gain.
          a.     not exercise regularly
          b.     crash dieting
          c.     getting less than 8 hours a sleep a night

7.      A measurement of more than        inches for women and        inches for men increases risks for heart disease and diabetes.
          a.     28, 37
          b.     34, 45
          c.     32, 37

8.      If you did a strength training program for 2 months (60 minutes a week), you might gain 2.6 pounds of lean muscle, lose 4.6 pounds of body fat, and increase your metabolic rate by        percent. 
          a.    7 percent
          b.    5 percent
          c.    10 percent

How did you do?

Quiz: What Is Your Middle Age Weight Gain IQ?

1.      Hormonal changes of menopause mainly cause weight gain
          a.     on hips
          b.    waistline
          c.     arms

2.      Research suggests that a weight gain of even 4.4 pounds at age 50 can increase a woman's risk of                by 30 percent.
          a.     colon cancer
          b.     heart disease
          c.     breast cancer

3.     Your metabolism slows down by           percent each decade.
          a.     10 percent
          b.     5 percent
          c.     2 percent

4.      Compared to age 25, you'll burn about           fewer calories a day, at 35 and              fewer at 45.
          a.    50, 100
          b.    300, 600
          c.    100, 200

5.      Don't decrease calories and you'll gain about         pounds a year.
          a.    12
          b.    10
          c.     5

6.      One of the BIGGEST mistakes you can make when trying to lose middle age weight gain.
          a.     not exercise regularly
          b.     crash dieting
          c.     getting less than 8 hours a sleep a night

7.      A measurement of more than        inches for women and        inches for men increases risks for heart disease and diabetes.
          a.     28, 37
          b.     34, 45
          c.     32, 37

8.      If you did a strength training program for 2 months (60 minutes a week), you might gain 2.6 pounds of lean muscle, lose 4.6 pounds of body fat, and increase your metabolic rate by        percent. 
          a.    7 percent
          b.    5 percent
          c.    10 percent

Answers

Pop Quiz! Hydrogenated Oils?

Last week you took the sugar quiz. How did you do? Hopefully you learned something new and it empowered you to make healthier choices. With so much information and research out there it's easy to get confused when it comes to nutrition. Sometimes there's no conscious decision at all. Food consumption for most of us has become too convenient and automatic. For example do you know what's actually in a Dorito chip? Please don't say cheese. haha! What about margarine? Why is it that our pets eat healthier than we do and that we worry more about the type of fuel we put into our cars rather than the "fuel" we're putting into our bodies? Personally I think many of us are just unaware. We simply do not know what we're eating? That's scary don't you think?!

So that brings me to the topic of "hydrogenated oil." Ever heard of it? Before I discuss my thoughts, along with other research I found, I want to see what you know. So here's your pop quiz! I will post the answers sometime tomorrow.

Good luck!!

1.   Hydrogenated oil is only one molecule away from being
          a.      butter
          b.      plastic
          c.      gasoline oil
          d       high fructose corn syrup

2.   These foods often contain hydrogenated oil
          a.      ice cream
          b.      milk
          c.      Kellogg's fiber bars
          d.      bananas
          e.      a and c

3.    Processed foods contain this percentage of hydrogenated oil
          a.      90%
          b.     100%
          c.      50%

4.    Why do manufacturers use hydrogenated oil?
         a.      it's healthier 
         b.      aids in weight loss
         c.      acts as a preservative, increasing shelf life
         d.      is cheaper than other oils
         e.      c and d
         f.       a and d

5.    What are some effects of eating foods with hydrogenated oils?
        a.      raises HDL (good cholesterol)    
        b.      increases breast cancer in women
        c.      aids in fat loss
        d.      lowers LDL (bad cholesterol)

6.    Hydrogenated oil
        a.     is a form of olive oil
        b.     comes from soybean oil and slows down thyroid function
        c.     slows metabolism down
        d.     is contained in most cheeses
        e.     b and c

7.    It's better to eat foods that contain "partially hydrogentated oil" over "hydrogenated oil."
        a.     true
        b.     false


Don't forget I will be posting answers tomorrow!

Sugar: What Do Ya Really Know?

It might surprise you what you may not know about sugar. Take my quiz to see if you have the scoop on sugar! I will reveal the answers later today!

1.  How many teaspoons of sugar a day does the average Amercian consume?
          a.  10
          b.  6
          c.  22

2.  How much sugar does the average American consume each week?
          a.  1 lb
          b.  2 to 3 lbs
          c.  10 lbs

3.  What is considered a natural sugar?
          a.  sugar cane
          b.  honey
          c.  lactose
          d.  brown sugar
          e.  b and c

4.  What is considered a simple sugar?
          a.  fructose
          b.  honey
          c.  fruit juice sweetener
          d.  dextrose
          e.  c and d

5.  Why is high fructose corn syrup now in so many foods?
          a.  it's cheaper to make
          b.  it's healthier than sugar cane
          c.  a and b
          d.  it has fewer calories

6.   Are humans born with a sweet tooth?
          a.  yes
          b.  no

7.   The American Heart Association has issued a recommendation for daily sugar intake. What is it?
          a.  10 tsp for women, 12 tsp for men
          b.  none
          c.  6 tsp for women, 9 tsp for men
          d.  2 tsp for women, 6 tsp for men.