Labels: birthdays, messages

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1. You might be gaining weight because of lack of sleep. "When you don't get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently," says Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work.

When you're tired, you also don't handle stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more calories to their daily total.

Strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.

"Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime and see how you feel," suggests May. "Continue to experiment with additional 15-minute increments until you find the ... amount of sleep that is right for you."

So this is the reason why college students tend to gain weight rather than lose weight! I thought sleepless nights can make me lose weight ayun pala, it can really increase my weight! No wonder I became fatter when I entered college (FYI: 19.5 lb ang tinaba ko simula first year college).

2. You may be gaining weight because of stress. "Stress response, whether it is 'fight-or-flight,' juggling too many responsibilities, or coping with financial pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go into survival mode," explains May. "Our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out chemicals [cortisol, leptin, and other hormones] which are more likely to cause ... obesity in the abdominal region."

Many people reach for food to help ease the stress. But, of course, this doesn't work in the long run.

Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters tend to prefer high-carbohydrate foods because these foods trigger an increase in the brain chemical serotonin, which has a calming effect. "It is almost like self-medicating," she says. "Many people binge on starchy foods to make themselves feel better."

3. You may be gaining weight because of medications. Some prescription drugs used to treat depression, mood disorders, seizures, migraines, blood pressure, and diabetes can cause weight gain, from a modest amount to as much as 10 pounds per month.

In the case of antidepressants, weight gain may not even be related to the action of the drug -- feeling better can also result in a heartier appetite. Some drugs can cause fluid retention that shows up on the scale as weight gain, but is not fat, and is usually easily corrected.

4. You may be gaining weight because of a medical condition. The most common medical condition that causes weight gain is hypothyroidism. A deficiency of thyroid hormone can decrease metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.

The most common medical condition that causes weight gain is hypothyroidism. A deficiency of thyroid hormone can decrease metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.

5. You may be gaining weight because of menopause. Along with aging comes a natural slowing of metabolism. At the same time, hormonal changes can trigger hunger, depression, and poor sleep.

"It is multifactoral. When women go through menopause, they lose estrogen, causing their shapes to change -- usually a loss of hip and thigh weight. And they start to gain more in the middle," says Bowerman.

"Women need to understand how critically important weight lifting and strength training is to their health," says Bowerman. And don't worry, doing strength training won't make women muscle-bound, experts say.

Of course, the last reason is not applicable. Hahaha.

Source: WebMD - Better information. Better Health.

Note: I copied almost the whole article. But those in italicized sentences were my "side comments." Hahaha. =)

Labels: info, new, random

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Finally, I now have my internet connection here in Pampanga. =)

It's summer! But for the past 2 days, it's been raining here. Very hard. Because of that, Sun's signal went from bad to worst. I can send messages but I can't receive any! I'm really starting to panic because texting is my only communication now with my boyfriend. That's why I was so relieved when my dad told me that on Sunday, we will all go to Manila to visit my grandparents and to go to church. Yipee! I will see Eph! Kahit 2 hours lang at nasa church, ok lang. At least I get to see him (and I can get my shades na =)).

So far, isa pa lang ang talagang nagawa ko this summer break that I can be really proud of: get my student's permit/license. Yes! I can now drive; with an adult. Hahaha. At least pwede na everywhere. =) We thought that the license was valid for just 3 months but to my surprise, valid pala for one year yun.

I promise that I will start answering my Bio22 lab manual tomorrow (in advance). I already started studying Org Chem. =)

I just enjoy summer. I can just laze around without feeling guilty, thinking that I still have to do this or that. But, I still try to do something worthwhile: washing clothes, washing the dishes, cooking, etc.

Even if I love summer that much, I still can't wait 'til June, ang umpisa ng isa nanamang sem. God, I miss UPM. =)

Labels: break, summer

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Labels: emo, UP

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