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.)

Eating Out? Be Careful!

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Americans love to eat out. As our lives become more and more busy, it’s much easier to have someone else do the cooking! However, portions served in restaurants are too large and most of the food offered has too much fat and calories. Try the following tips to improve your nutrition quotient the next time you dine out.

*AVOID BUFFETS! Never go to buffets. Going to an all-you-can-eat buffet is one of the worst things you can do for your health unless you only choose nutritional food. (Have you ever seen anyone gorge on salad at a buffet?) They are one of the most popular places for Americans to eat. Why? Because we are conditioned to think that paying a flat fee for an unlimited amount of food is a “great deal.”  After all, isn’t that what’s important?

If you are health-conscious, having a huge array of foods in front of you is not a problem because you will choose salads, lean meats, vegetables and low-fat foods. However, most folks are not thinking about what is nutritionally good for their bodies when they are presented with all that food. They are only interested in the foods that they love and how much they can eat.



*BEFORE YOU GO. Drink a glass of water or some fruit before you eat out. You will be fuller and less inclined to overeat.

*BREADS. Avoid quiches, pastries, biscuits and croissants. Choose hard rolls, whole-wheat bread & buns, and French bread (not brushed with butter) instead.

*EAT IN MODERATION. Restaurants nowadays are notorious for serving huge portions. Divide your meal in half. Eat one half and take the other half home for another meal, split it with a friend, or give it to another family member (a good way to save money). Or order an appetizer. They are usually filling enough on their own.

*FAST FOODS. Only go to restaurants that offer healthy, low-fat meals. Avoid fast-food restaurants. The fat content is very high in fast food and you don’t know how long that burger has been sitting in the warmer. To keep it fresh longer, most fast food has been laced with chemicals and additives that are toxic to your health.

*FRIED FOODS. Try to avoid breaded, batter-dripped or any fried foods. They are very heavy in fat. Instead order grilled, broiled, steamed, poached, roasted or baked in their own juices. This lowers the fat content significantly.

*PIZZA. If you are eating pizza, go easy on the meats and extra cheese. Opt for extra veggies instead. 

*SALAD BAR. Select dark, leafy greens, raw vegetables and fruits, and fat-free dressings. Go easy on pasta and potato salads.

*SAUCES. Avoid butter, creamy or mayonnaise sauces. Choose stock-based or wine sauces. Order extra lettuce, tomato and onions for sandwiches.

*SUBSTITUTE. Instead of eating high-fat items like French fries or pasta cooked in heavy sauces, substitute with a salad, vegetable or broth-based soup.

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