Your Losing-Weight Lexicon

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) - a US government institution, which is a branch of the United States Department of Agriculture and is responsible for the field-testing of agricultural biotechnology crops.


Prion - an abnormally structured protein that transmits disease from one cell to another and from one animal to another and appears to be the cause of specific diseases, such as Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease).


Oils - triglycerides that are liquid at room temperature. Oils are normally included in the overall category of `fat`, although, technically, fats are triglycerides that remain in solid form at room temperature.


Sprain - an injury to a ligament (or other joint-stabilizing structure) that occurs when the affected joint is carried through a range of motion greater than normal, but without dislocation (when extreme force on a ligament causes two bone ends to separate) or fracture (breakage of a bone).


Adequate Intake (AI) - the amount of nutrients that maintains adequate health indicators, for example growth rate, normal circulating nutrient values, or additional practical indicators of good health.


Low-Calorie / High-Volume Foods - foods that have relatively few calories, but have a lot of bulk (like lettuce, broccoli, carrots, and vegetable soups) so they take up most of the stomach`s capacity for food.


Ketoacidosis - uncontrolled blood glucose and ketone levels that cause dehydration, body fluids getting concentrated, acidosis (excessive blood acidity), and coma. (Also refer to `Diabetic Ketoacidosis`.)


Spinning - a form of physical workout that involves using a stationary bike to replicate an authentic work-out as one would achieve from riding a bicycle outdoors. Computers are not attached to this indoor bicycle, and the gadget has a single, fixed gear, pedals with toe clips, racing handlebars, and a seat which can be adjusted, up and down, fore and aft. In addition, the spinner has a lever to set the degree of resistance that the cyclist is able to adjust to set the intensity of a single exercise session.


Body Wrap - a health and beauty treatment which helps in taking off inches, changing body shape, size, and contour and also in tightening and toning the skin. It involves wrapping the body in a variety of bandages, which are saturated with special preparations. The treatment is applied to the specific areas of concern and it helps in slimming and diffusing the toxins which cause cellulite.


Saturated Fat - a fat that solidifies at room temperature. Fats found in dietary intakes are blended mixtures of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Saturated fat is found in high-fat dairy products (such as cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), fatty meats (both fresh and processed), the skin and fat of chicken and turkey, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil. Saturated fats contain the same number of calories as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (9 calories per gram), and could cause weight gain if not consumed in great moderation. In addition, a diet that is rich in saturated fat raises blood cholesterol and risk of cardiac disease. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that individuals who want to be or remain healthy need to ingest not more than 10% of calories from saturated fats daily.


Anaphylaxis - a not very common but potentially deadly condition when various parts of the body experience food-allergic reactions all at one time, with indications such as wheals, swelling of the throat, and difficult breathing. It is the most dangerous hypersensitive immune reaction to an allergen and requires instant attention by a health care practitioner when it does happen.


Intensity - the level of exertion demanded from the body in the course of an activity. Generally, the faster the heartbeat (that is, the higher the heart rate) the more intense the level of physical exertion.


Nutraceutical - a naturally occurring food (such as soya or garlic) or food supplement (such as cod liver oil or garlic capsules) considered to give the consumer medicinal or healthful attributes in addition to basic nutrition, including the prevention and treatment of disease. Studies show that the term `nutraceutical` (a combination of the words `nutritional` and `pharmaceutical`) may not attract consumers. (Also look at `functional foods`.)


Quadriceps - also called quads, the muscle group consisting of four muscles on the anterior portion of the thigh. Quads bend the legs at the hips and extend the knee. Toning and strengthening this muscle group could help safeguard against injuries to the knee.


Resistance or Weight Training - also called strength training, refers to exercises particularly formulated to build muscle mass and increase muscular strength. Weight training additionally helps to maintain the amount of bone mass in the body and can assist in maintaining weight.


Pesticide - generic term for a wide category of chemical agents that protect plants, divided into four main classes: insecticides, to kill insects or control insect infestation; herbicides, used to control weeds; rodenticides, to control or destroy rodents; and fungicides, used to control mildew, mold, and fungi.


Bias - takes place when flaws in clinical trials produce results that are unrelated to the variables being researched or analyzed. One such example is Selection Bias, which occurs when the individuals or groups who take part in a study are selected so as to deceptively cause measures of statistical significance to appear much stronger or much weaker than they really are. Selecting participants for the study and control groups, who differ in measured or unmeasured basic characteristics, or when the study participants are not representative of the population of all possible participants, could result in a selection bias.


Ideal Weight Chart - a chart that enables individuals to find their ideal weight range. The chart assumes knowledge of body frame size.


Laparoscopic Gastric Banding (LapBand Surgery) - also called adjustable lapband surgery, laparoscopic gastric banding, gastric banding, and adjustable gastric banding. A kind of obesity surgery where an adjustable ring is positioned around the upper stomach, creating a small sac with a narrow outlet leading into the remainder of the stomach. This restructuring curtails the intake of food (as only a small portion of the stomach can be used to hold food) and creates an earlier feeling of fullness. After the band is in place, it is pumped with a salt solution. The band is adjusted over time, by adding or removing saline, to alter the dimension of the passage. This band is designed for excessively obese people, those more than a 100 pounds overweight or those who are at least twice their ideal body weight, who have been unable to get rid off the extra kilos by the more conventional mechanisms, like a planned diet accompanied by physical exercise. The ring is designed to continue to be in place for life, but it can be taken off if required. People who get the band will need to watch their food intake and follow an exercise routine to maintain their weight loss. Adverse side effects could include abdominal pain.