You Could Stand to Lose Some Weight (and That’s N.E.A.T.)

by Dr. Don Rose, Writer, Life Alert

Men’s Health magazine (April 2008 issue) reported that “sitting shuts down your fat burners [according to] scientists at the University of Missouri.” Apparently, sitting “switches off an enzyme that prevents fat storage.” The author of the study noted that this “enzyme is mostly found in the muscles that keep you standing up, so if they aren’t active, the enzyme doesn’t function.”

To recap: standing helps fend off fat storage, thanks to a useful enzyme.
Sitting signals this enzyme to shut off, fat storage activates, and I need bigger pants.

So it seems this post’s title is literally correct.
You could stand as a way to help lose weight.
In other words, standing upright keeps your butt tight.

Therefore, one useful weight loss strategy could be to identify times when we normally are sitting and make ourselves stand instead. But many of us sit at work all day, required to do work on a computer, and then we spend some time on the PC or Mac at home, plus some TV viewing time on the couch.

What’s a weight-loss wannabe to do?
Here are some ideas:

• Stand during breaks at work (a refreshing change if you sit all day on the job.)

• Stand at bus/train stops rather than sitting on the bench, if you take mass transit

• Stand while watching TV at home (and while you’re up, why not jog in place or do some arm curls with weights, to help burn even more calories)

• Stand while texting or talking on your cell phone

• Stand outside and admire the sunset or gaze at the stars

• Go on dates that involve standing (e.g., art galleries, museums) rather than sitting

• Jog, bike or walk briskly to local destinations (for errands, etc.) instead of driving.

Yes, there are many activities during a typical day that provide us with a, well, “standing invitation” to stand and/or move instead of sit. Since I love to parallel process activities, curling weights or running in place while watching TV makes sense to me (and makes me feel less guilty about watching the boob tube, too). Bottom line: if the simple act of standing helps keep fat from accumulating in our bodies, why not take advantage of that?

The last bullet point shown above, about walking/jogging/biking, brings up another interesting fact, also presented in the aforementioned issue of Men’s Health magazine. Seems that we burn more calories per week doing “N.E.A.T.” activities (NonExercise Activity Thermogenesis) than we do while exercising! That is, all the things we do outside the gym add up to a greater weekly caloric expenditure than the calories we burn doing “regimented exercise.” Hence, we might as well take advantage of all this N.E.A.T. time and get the maximum burn; by detouring away from driving in favor of self-propulsion (that is, travelling under our own power – walking, jogging, biking), we can turn up the N.E.A.T. heat and burn more and more calories each week.

Now that’s hot.
I mean, NEAT!

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BEST OF TESTIMONIALS: PAWING LIFE ALERT PENDANT TRULY MAKES DOG MAN’S BEST FRIEND

Yes, we at Life Alert do get letters stating how pets, in some cases, know how to push the Life Alert pendant when they sense their owners are in trouble. Here is just one example:

My husband had a seizure and fell down in the house. Either he or our dog pushed the Life Alert help button. Since he did not respond to the return phone call, Life Alert contacted the emergency people, who came out to help. They also called me at school. I am so thankful for Life Alert. If my husband had been left at home all day, I’m not sure he would’ve survived. -Sandi K., Ocoee FL

Now we ask you: who is a better friend than one who saves your life, then licks your face afterwards? Truly this man’s best friend!

BEST OF TESTIMONIALS: MORE DOGGONE GOOD LIFE ALERT LETTERS

Here are a few more heartfelt testimonials involving dogs that we’ve received here at Life Alert:

I took my dog Sweetie out for her morning walk, forgetting about the beans I had put on the stove. As I turned the last corner I realized something was wrong. The fire department had arrived as I reached the house, and they took care of my smoke filled house. I also received a call from my doctor, who you had notified. I am very impressed with the promptness of your call. Being 87 years old, my memory is somewhat impaired. I thank you for your caring, and I know you are there for me if I need you. -Rita M., Phoenix AZ

It was around five o’clock when I put my dog’s leash on him and grabbed my cane and walked up our driveway to fetch the evening newspaper. Instead of walking back to our house on the driveway, I foolishly started back down via our upper, very wet lawn (from our own watering system being on that afternoon). On my first step I slipped and fell!! I scooted as far as the fence around our pool, then figured I could grab some boards and be able to stand and walk on to the house. Wrong! I’m too old to do the things that I used to do quite easily. Finally I used the Life Alert thing hanging around my neck, which brought the help I wanted. They came quickly and took me to our hospital for an exam. Now I tell my friends not to do the stupid thing I did. Doctors should also tell their patients that, too. That is my story, and I’ll be telling anyone who wants to know why I’m still turning my head quite slowly! -Margaret S., Okanogan WA

The response was excellent! I tripped over my dog and hit my head against the handle to the oven door, and bled profusely. I immediately punched the button on the Life Alert necklace I was wearing. First time I have used it. The quick response was great. A female voice came on the speaker box and asked simple, forthright questions and guided me accordingly – to turn on my porch light, unlock the front door, and sit down and wait for the medics. Thank you! A concussion and ten head-staples later, I am most appreciative of your service. Worth every penny! -Martha L., Modesto CA

I was in my backyard, getting ready to dump water from my dogs’ pool. I thought the water level had gone down enough that I could lift the pool and dump the water, however I lost my balance and was unable to stabilize myself. I had a stroke in 1994 which affected my right side; I have limited mobility in my right leg, and no use of my right arm. I fell in such a way that I couldn’t get up. I depressed my Life Alert button. I wasn’t sure if you received my signal because I was outside my home. It was very hot that day, over 90 degrees. I was very glad to see the ambulance when it arrived. The gentlemen were very nice. They helped me to my feet and checked to see if I was hurt in any way. I was only shaken. Had it not been for Life Alert, I could have laid there for hours and suffered much worse injuries due to the intense heat, or death. -Ralph G., Jackson TN

I was gone for the day, and the man who brings my firewood brought in several cardboard boxes full of 2x4 ends, which I use for starting fires. He set them on the hearth, a little close to the stove. The boxes caught fire and then the 2x4 ends began to smolder. The two people on my call list were both gone, so Life Alert called the local fire department. The patrolman who first responded was, coincidentally, the man who first installed your smoke alarm. When he arrived and looked through the front window, he said the whole house was full of smoke. He got in through the back door and threw the burning boxes of wood out into the front yard and aired out the house. He also rescued my little dog and took her out to his patrol car so she could get some fresh air. I am convinced that, in another five minutes or less, the whole house would have been on fire and probably no one would have known it until the flames started coming out the roof. Whatever I have spent on Life Alert was repaid a thousand times during this one incident. I have you (and the local fire department) to thank for saving my house and my little dog. I am very thankful that you took such prompt action. -Joyce M., Troy MT

medical alert

MEDICARE PART D: OPEN ENROLLMENT ENDS DEC. 31

by Dr. Don Rose, Writer, Life Alert

Seniors, take note! If you don’t already know, the open enrollment period for Medicare Part D is ending this Wednesday. A CVS ad stated this fact. It also says: “CVS/pharmacy and the National Council on Aging urge you to review your Medicare Part D Plan choices for 2009,” adding that “We accept all Medicare Part D Plans.” Selecting the right plan for you is important (CVS claims that “choosing the right plan can save up to $250,” according to one study they cite), so do your homework and act fast. Tomorrow is only a day away!