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.)

Stay Healthy

8:03 AM  , , , ,  No comments


 This time of year the incidence of colds, influenza, and respiratory illnesses increases dramatically. What can we do to help us stay healthy through the winter months? Perhaps a better question would be, what can we do to help us stay healthy all the time? After all, we should always be making the effort to live a healthy lifestyle.

There is overwhelming evidence that the leading causes of death in the United States such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and some lung diseases can often be prevented by improved personal health and lifestyle habits. Following a healthy eating plan, staying physically active, and not smoking are a few examples of good habits that can help you stay healthy.

HEALTHY EATING PLAN

Eating the right foods and the right amounts of foods can help you live a longer, healthier life. Research has proven that many illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, can be prevented or controlled by following a healthy eating plan.

Getting the nutrients you need and keeping your weight under control is also necessary. Try to balance the calories you get from food with the calories you use through physical activity. It is never too late to start eating right.

Healthy eating tips:

*The healthiest eating plan is to eat a variety of foods, especially brightly colored fruits and vegetables. The deeper the color, the more rich in anti-oxidants it is. Anti-oxidants clean out our body’s cells, preventing the risk for many illnesses and diseases.

*Drink plenty of water. Water flushes out the toxins in the body, hydrates organs, and makes you feel full, causing you to eat less.

*Eat lentils, nuts, and beans; garbanzos, navy beans, red beans, pinto beans and soybeans. Beans are a good source of protein.

*Eat whole grains; wheat, rice, oats, barley and corn. Always check food labels for ingredients when purchasing cereals, pastas, and breads. Look for the words “whole grains” or “whole wheat”.

*Eat foods low in fat and cholesterol like salmon, tuna, poultry and lean meat. Always broil, bake or roast meat, never fry.

STAYING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

 Research shows that physical activity can help prevent many diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and mental disorders, such as depression. Physical activity also will help you feel better and stay at a healthy weight.

Brisk walking can be just as good for you as jogging. Try to do a total of 30 minutes of constant physical activity, such as fast walking, swimming, biking or roller skating most days of the week.

Taking care of yourself every day will keep your immune system healthy reducing your risk for developing many diseases and illnesses. It will also make you feel better and help you to live longer.

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