Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!

The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.

Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.


HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:

For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).

I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.

The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.

I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.

Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points!
Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!

MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:

1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods.
These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients.
Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.


2. Drink Lots of
Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.


3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast.
Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your
body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.


4. Reduce Your Stress Level.
So many of us live with too much
stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.


5. Move!
Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)


Liquid Diet

Are you considering going on a liquid diet to lose weight? Before you do, you need to know what is involved and the advantages and disadvantages. A typical liquid diet involves substituting a number of meals and snacks with a nutritionally balanced drink such as a juice or a shake. Typically, you replace two meals and one snack per day with the liquid replacement. Each replacement contains about 200 calories. Your third meal is a nutrient-rich meal of about 600 calories. Thus your total daily intake adds up to about 1000-1200 calories.

ADVANTAGES:

The diet is nutritionally balanced and very convenient.

The liquid diet benefits certain types of procedures, both pre- and post-op. In pre-operative cases, a clear liquid diet flushes the bowels while decreasing strain on the digestive system.

Liquid diets are also used following bariatric surgeries. Those who undergo bariatric surgery may be required to follow a fluid-only diet for up to ten days following the procedure.

Occasionally, extreme cases of obesity are treated with liquid diets, but only as a short-term option. It can be successful, but must be monitored by a physician for any negative side effects.

DISADVANTAGES:

Due to the low calorie content, too little fiber, and lack of important nutrition found in fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, liquid diets are unsafe and should only be used for short periods of time.

The biggest drawback concerns eating habits. Meal-replacement diets can help you to lose weight in the short term but they cannot help you acquire sensible eating habits that are essential for long-term weight loss. Studies have shown that weight loss achieved while following a low calorie liquid diet plan is rarely sustained.

In addition, liquid diets that are not medically supervised may not supply the body with enough nutrients to function properly and may cause fatigue, sensitivity to cold, dizziness, hair loss, brittle nails, diarrhea or constipation, and heart problems.

VERDICT:

This can be a reasonably good SHORT-TERM option for disciplined dieters who are under medical supervision. However, make sure your daily solid meal is healthy and your snacks include plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Any fad diet that uses short-term weight loss methods is not recommended for permanent weight control. Remember, permanent fat loss is achieved by following a sensible, nutritious eating plan that includes regular aerobic exercise and behavior modifications.

CHOOSE A HEALTHY WAY TO EAT:

Beware of Any Diet That...

*Provides fewer than 1000 calories per day.

*Boasts unusually fast weight loss.

*Uses the words "miracle" or "fat-burning" to describe itself!

*Has an unbalanced eating plan.

*Has unrestricted amounts of high fat food.

*Requires you to take expensive supplements.

*Fails to recommend long term changes in your eating habits.

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