Can’t Loose Weight? Get a Robot Coach

You say you’ve tried every diet fad but still can’t lose the flab. Maybe your will is as soft as your one-pack. Perhaps only the merciless resolve of an inhuman coach can whip you into shape.

Lucky for you, a Hong Kong-based start-up is preparing to release Autom, a robot diet mentor with a deceptively pleasant demeanor.

Users can talk with the 15-inch-tall Autom and, by using its LCD touch screen, indicate what they’ve had to eat and how long they’ve exercised on a given day. The machine, which is linked to the Internet, is designed to automatically keep track of calories and weight loss progress. It also tries to look cute by batting its eyelashes.

Cory Kidd, an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab and developer of Autom, said his company, Intuitive Automata, is preparing to launch Autom in the United States at the end of the year.

According to a report in The Standard, Autom’s price will start at $400, a lot more than that of the Wii Fit, and according to a Plastic Pals interview with Kidd, a monthly fee will also be part of the package.

Kidd said more than 80 million people are trying to diet in the States, according to the Standard report, but they stick to their latest diet for an average of only three weeks. A study by Kidd comparing 45 dieters in the Boston area, keeping track of their calories and exercise either by computer, on paper, or with Autom, found that the robot helped people stick to their regimen for nearly twice as long as the other tracking methods.

 

The bot’s ability to engage users, as well as its embodied form, makes all the difference, Kidd explained. Some people in the study tried to humanize the droid by dressing it up and giving it names (Intuitive uses female pronouns in reference to Autom). A key factor in its success or failure will be whether users will continue to interact with it after the novelty wears off.

Autom may well be a great coach, if it had the ability to give diet cheaters a nasty guilt trip. Or perhaps access to food in the fridge could be under Autom’s control. Better yet, incorporate Autom into the fridge itself! Now that would make you think twice about those midnight sandwiches.

Women Look Most Gorgeous At 31:Research

Women are at their attractive best when they are 31—that’s the precise age when, according to a survey, they are considered most beautiful.The poll of 2,000 men and women, commissioned by the shopping channel QVC to celebrate its Beauty Month, found that females in their early thirties are seen as more attractive than younger girls as they are more confident and stylish.

The research concluded that beauty is as much about personality as appearance.It was defined as being confident by 70 per cent, having good looks by 67 per cent and being stylish by 47 per cent.Almost two thirds of women surveyed – 63 per cent – agreed that “with age, comes beauty”.
The same number said that as they get older, they care less about what others think of the way they look.
And 51 per cent said as they age they shed their insecurities and feel prettier.The survey also found that men now spend more on their looks than women—their monthly bill including gym and hairdressers is 119 pounds, compared to girls’ 105 pounds.”This research shows what many have always suspected – real beauty is about more than just good looks, but a combination of confidence, style and personality too,” the Scotsman quoted Sue Leeson, marketing director of QVC, as saying.”We know that treating yourself to something that makes you feel good, experimenting with hairstyles, and knowing the make-up to wear that makes you look your best will enhance your confidence and make you feel at your peak,” she added.Women in their late 20s and early 30s are considered more attractive than fresh-faced eighteen and nineteen year olds, researchers found.

The findings, from a survey of the opinions of over 2,000 men and women, found that beauty was as much rooted in personality as appearance.Celebrities currently at the prime age of 31 include TV presenter Christine Bleakley, Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon and Danielle Lineker.The average British woman is already married with children by her thirties.When asked when women are at their most attractive, more people picked 31 than any other age.Beauty was defined as being confident by 70 per cent of respondents, having good looks by 67 per cent and being stylish by 47 per cent.

As they say in English, Its never too Old 

Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

You never know until it’s too late; you’ve gained plenty and now you want to lose it. Can’t figure out what to do? Here are some tips that should put you in the right track.

No 10. Before and After photos

Taking ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos to illustrate your progress is a great way of encouraging yourself. When you compare the two, you will definitely like the new slim trim you. And that should keep you going in the right direction.

No 8. Do not skip meals

Eating in small amounts frequently throughout the day helps to balance your body’s calorie level. It also keeps you blood sugar level in check. Skipping meals can negatively affect your overall health. Research has revealed that skipping 2 meals in favor of 1 big meal leads to potentially risky metabolic changes. Researchers found out that those who skip meals had elevated glucose levels and delayed insulin response. These conditions, if persist for long enough, could lead to diabetes.

No 7. Go for fresh food

Avoid packaged and processed food as much as possible. Infact, packaged food is partly blamed for obesity around the world. Processed food contains all kinds of chemicals you can think of and is extremely dangerous for your health and weight.

Processed foods carry none or very few nutrients, although, they are rich in calories. The body searches for nutrients and when finds none, it preserves the calories, body refuses to burn them and these calories eventually turn into fat.

No 6. Reason your overeating

Overeating is the mother of all weight problems, without a doubt. Whenever you overeat, try to find out the reason behind it. You cannot just be overeating out of fun. Overeating is often triggered by stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, depression and other emotions. Learning to deal with your emotions is a good way of abstaining from overeating. Overeating can be treated via your psychologist, who can help you in managing your emotions and tweaking your habits.

Check out the video below…

No 5. Don’t cut out everything you like

Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite food. Make it a habit to reward yourself with your favorite dish whenever you achieve your short-term goal. If you try to cut out everything from your food menu, the only thing that is going to happen is that you are going to fall out of your weight loss program back into your old diet. In short, eat everything, but take great care of the quantity and the frequency.

No 4. Change your lifestyle

Don’t change your diet, change your dietary lifestyle. Doing so, is a way of putting yourself in for a longer term. Changing your diet will only provide weight loss for a short time; you’ll lose weight only to gain it a few months later.

Learn to eat vegetables, fruits and whole grains. They reduce fat and calories in diet. In short, you have to get used to taking in fewer calories than you did before if you are to have any chance of remaining fit and healthy for a long time.

No 3. Food journal

Keeping a food journal will help you pan out your eating pattern and behavior. Write everything down on it. What you eat, how much you eat, when did you eat, you hunger levels, your feelings about eating, everything! Whenever you find a problem with your plan, you can come back to you journal and correct things up. You can identify what caused you to overeat and you can make healthy modifications to your lifestyle in the process.

No 2. Exercise

What can be more useful in burning extra calories and reducing fat than exercise?

30-60 minutes of physical exercise is recommended for a healthy living. Getting into the exercise habit might be difficult, but once you focus yourself and commit to it, you’ll find exercise rather enjoyable. Lifting weights in addition to any physical activity can greatly increase you fat burning capacity. Going to a walk, taking part in local sports or joining the gym, they are all equally good once you become a regular.

No 1. Don’t give up

The most important rule for weight loss; never ever give up. You are not going to lose weight overnight, so be ready for the good days as well as the bad days. Keep going on, learn from your mistakes and modify your plan according to your daily feedback. Try to relax and don’t be obsessed about losing weight. You are eventually going to lose it, provided you don’t lose your head in the process.