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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.)

How to Make Exercise More Fun

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After a hard day at work, getting some exercise is something you don't really want to think about. All you want to do is go home, relax, and be with your family. Even if you have your own exercise equipment at home, you are usually just too tired to make the effort.

How can you stay motivated? After all, exercise can be tedious, boring, and unwelcome. No matter how good your intentions are, finding the motivation to exercise regularly is challenging. What can you do to make it easier and more fun?

*Exercise with a buddy. If you have someone with you, you can keep each other motivated. Plus, having someone to talk to takes away a lot of the boredom.

*Go to the park. Play on the playground with your kids (or by yourself). Climb on the monkey bars, swing as high as you can go. Use your imagination and have fun! Remember, whatever you do, you are working your muscles.

*Go to the skating rink. How long since you have roller skated? Roller skating (or in-line skating) is excellent exercise and great fun. Go on family night with your kids, take a friend, or go by yourself.

*Take a walk. Walking is the easiest exercise to do. You can walk around the block, walk around a track, or walk through the park or in the woods. Go by yourself or take a friend. Breathe in the air and enjoy the outdoor smells.



*Ride a bike. Biking is another excellent exercise that is a lot of fun, especially when the weather is nice. Bike on a hiking trail, bike through the city park, or use it to go to work. It saves gas and wear and tear on your car.

*Go swimming. Swimming is another wonderful aerobic exercise that works your muscles while you are enjoying yourself. If there is no public swimming pool, check out your local high school, college or country clubs.

*Play a sport. Join a local softball, volleyball, or tennis team. It’s a great way to meet people, have fun, and get some great exercise.

*Use your imagination. As you can see, there are plenty of ways you can make exercise more fun and interesting. You don't need to follow the same routine day after day, as you can do so many things to get in some exercise.

Have fun!

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