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.)

Winter Skin Care

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If you are like most people, when cold weather moves in your skin becomes uncomfortably dry and starts to flake, crack, and become increasingly difficult to keep moisturized. It can also become painful and inflamed, sometimes resulting in eczema.

What causes this sudden change in your skin? When you turn on the heat indoors, the heat sucks the moisture out of the air. The skin immediately begins to dry out. What can you do to make your skin stay moist and healthy during the cold winter months?

*FIND THE RIGHT MOISTURIZER.  The moisturizer you use in the warm months will not work as well when the weather changes. Find a moisturizer that’s oil-based. The oil creates a protective layer on the skin that retains moisture. Make sure you use products with non-clogging oils like mineral oil, primrose oil, or avocado oil. Never use butter or shortening. It doesn’t moisturize but just sits on your skin and is incredibly greasy.

*AVOID PEELS, MASKS & ASTRINGENTS. If your skin is very dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents. They can strip essential oil from your skin. Instead, use a mild cleanser, a toner or astringent with no alcohol, and masks that are hydrating as a substitute for clay-based. Clay-based masks draw moisture out of the face. If you must use them, do so sparingly during the winter months.

*KEEP YOUR BODY HYDRATED. You always need to drink plenty of water to hydrate your body and move toxins through your system. During the winter months it is even more important that you “moisturize” the inside of your body. If your body is adequately hydrated, your skin is healthier and clearer because the toxins that can build up are excreted.

*USE A HUMIDIFIER. Heating systems of any kind, as well as portable heaters, blow hot dry air throughout our homes, schools and offices. A humidifier puts moisture in the air, helping to prevent your skin from drying out. If possible, place several small humidifiers throughout your home. If you work in an office, make sure you have one there, too. They help disperse the moisture more evenly.

*NEVER TAKE HOT BATHS.  The intense heat of a hot shower or bath can break down the lipid barriers in the skin, leading to a loss of moisture. Your best bet is to use lukewarm water and take shorter baths.  Adding baking soda or oatmeal to your bathwater can help relieve dry, itchy skin.

*KEEP YOUR HANDS MOISTURIZED. The skin on your hands has less oil glands and is thinner than most other parts of your body. This makes it more difficult to keep your hands moist, especially in cold, dry weather.  Dry hands can lead to itchiness and cracking. Always wear gloves when you go outside. Make sure you keep hand lotion with you at home and at work and use it every time you wash your hands.

*MOISTURIZE THOSE FEET. During the winter, your feet need lotions or creams that contain petroleum jelly or glycerine.  Regularly use exfoliants to take off the dead skin. By removing the dead skin, the moisturizer can be absorbed into your skin faster and deeper.  

If you use these techniques and do not see an improvement, go see a dermatologist. You may need a prescription cream or lotion to battle the dry skin. You may also have a condition like eczema or other skin condition that requires different treatment.


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