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.)


Diabetes and Exercise

There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in older adults and occurs as the body stops producing enough insulin. Type 1, known as adolescent diabetes, differs from Type 2 in that the body stops producing insulin completely.

In both types of diabetes, your body loses its ability to adequately utilize sugar. The blood sugar levels increase due to the body's difficulty in transporting sugar into the cells and out of the blood stream. There are several ways to lower your blood sugar levels, including diet, exercise, and medication.

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

Exercise is a very important part of diabetic management for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you will find that regular exercise helps to maintain insulin sensitivity, helps prevent the accumulation of excess weight, and increases the use of glucose by muscles. Although there is really no way to prevent Type 1 diabetes, it is possible to reduce your risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Exercise not only helps with diabetic management by lowering blood sugar levels and maintaining insulin sensitivity, it also helps minimize several of the complications that can occur in diabetes. Research has shown that walking 30 minutes every day can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Most diabetics develop circulatory problems resulting in poor blood flow to the extremities. Exercise can help lower blood pressure and improve circulation throughout the body. Exercise can also help to prevent and minimize heart problems, a common diabetic complication.

RISKS OF EXERCISE

Even though there are risks associated with exercise, the benefits outweigh the risks. Since exercise lowers blood sugar levels, diabetics should measure their blood sugar both before and after they exercise. Since your body uses more sugar while you exercise and makes you more sensitive to insulin, there is a risk of blood sugar becoming too low and causing hypoglycemia.

It is a good idea to exercise with someone else or be sure you are around other people. That way someone will be around in case something goes wrong. That person should know that you are diabetic and know what to do in case of hypoglycemia. Always carry a candy bar or fruit juice with you to treat low blood sugar if it occurs.

During and after exercise, you should pay very close attention to how you feel. If you experience rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, shakiness, or hunger, this can signal that your blood sugar levels are getting too low.

If you are diabetic, consider adding exercise as part of your daily routine. Always exercise at a slow pace and never overdo it. Being diabetic does not have to hinder your lifestyle. Exercise can improve your health and get your life back on track.
The 7 Step Diabetes Fitness Plan: Living Well and Being Fit with Diabetes, No Matter Your Weight (Marlowe Diabetes Library)

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