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.)

Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke

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One of the most preventable diseases is heart disease. You can reduce your risk for developing cardiovascular illnesses, including heart attacks and strokes, because they are caused by factors that you can control.

High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke and heart disease. Keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level greatly reduces your risk for developing any cardiovascular illnesses.

REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE:

*Quit smoking:  Smoking and high blood pressure are two serious factors for heart disease and stroke. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day gives you twice the normal risk of a heart attack and five times the risk of a stroke.

*Limit your alcohol intake. Too much alcohol contributes to high blood pressure.

*Avoid being overweight:   High blood pressure and stokes are twice as common in obese people. If you are overweight, go on a healthy diet and exercise plan and lose weight. This is one of the best things you can do for your health.

*Eat less salt:   Switch to low-sodium brands of salt. Don't add too much salt to food, especially processed food (processed food already contains high levels of salt). Spice your food with other ingredients.

*Become more active:   Long term regular physical activity can lower your blood pressure. Provided you take it slowly to begin with and gradually build up to about 20-30 minutes a day, exercise has enormous benefit. Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

*Learn to relax:   Stress is a major contributory factor to disease. Exactly how it affects blood pressure is not known, but anything that helps to ease your mind and reduce worry is GOOD. So go with the flow and start relaxing. Learn how to have fun!

*Eat more fruits and vegetables and whole grains:   Regular amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains help to maintain a normal blood pressure. They also help protect you against heart disease and cancer. Make lots of homemade soup (disguises the taste of green vegetables!) and eat lots of chopped fruit (chopped fruit is less frightening than whole pieces of fruit!)  

 

REDUCE CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

Lower your cholesterol level. High cholesterol indicates that your arteries are clogged with fat, a huge risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

*Choose foods that have low cholesterol levels like fish, poultry, and lean cuts of meat. Remove the fat and skin before eating.

*Broil, bake, roast, or poach foods rather than frying them.

*Eliminate high fat processed meats like sausage, bacon, and cold cuts such as salami and bologna.

*Limit organ meats such as liver, kidney, and brains.

*Use skimmed or low-fat milk and cheeses, and low or non-fat yogurt.

*Use all fats and oils sparingly. Avoid any foods that contain “partially hydrogenated” vegetable oils. When cooking with oils, you should use olive oil.

*Eat egg yolks only in moderation. Egg whites contain no fat or cholesterol and can be eaten often.

Make sure you go to your doctor regularly for wellness check-ups. As part of the routine check-up your blood pressure and cholesterol levels should be checked. If not, request that you receive those screenings.

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