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.)

Smart Snacks

5:02 AM  ,  No comments

Do you love to snack? Most of us do. Believe it or not, it is possible to enjoy snacking without feeling guilty. How can we do that? We can do that by learning what are healthy and smart snacks.

If you do not have the time to sit down for a meal three times a day due to a hectic schedule, it's important to eat healthy snacks that give you the fuel you need to keep going. 

Snacking on nutritious food keeps your energy level high and your mind alert without taking up much of your time. The key is to pay attention to what you are eating.

Stuffing your face with a large order of fries may give you a temporary boost, but a snack this high in fat and calories will only make you feel sluggish later on.  What do you eat to keep your energy level up and avoid weight gain?

Avoid foods with simple carbohydrates like candy bars or soda. Eat foods that contain complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads and cereals, and combine them with protein-rich snacks like peanut butter or cheese.

IS IT REALLY HEALTHY?


Be cautious when choosing snacks. Always read food labels. Remember, if something says it is “all natural” that does not mean it is nutritious. What should you be looking for on food labels?

*How many grams of sugar does it contain?

*How much fat does it contain? Does it contain trans fat (a very harmful type of fat)?

*Low fat does not necessarily mean low calories. How many calories does it have?

Do not go by what the manufacturer puts on the front of the package. ALWAYS read the food label to see the nutrition information and list of ingredients.

SMART SNACKING TIPS


Drink water. Dehydration can be mistaken for being hungry. Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you are tempted to grab something to eat, try drinking a glass of water instead.

Make it yourself. Do you love trail mix? Make your own. Add ingredients that you like to eat. Throw some granola, cranberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds and carob chips, etc. Be creative. Remember, make it how you like it!

Keep healthy food at home. Always have plenty of fresh fruit and veggies in the fridge. You can slice them up, put them in a bag and have your own little snack bag ready to eat whenever you need a snack.

If you crave it, eat it! If you simply cannot ignore a craving for a certain food, allow yourself to give in to it IN MODERATION. If you have a craving for chocolate, instead of reaching for a candy bar (which you shouldn’t have anyway), have 2 ozs. of a piece of dark chocolate or a small cup of hot cocoa. If you must have ice cream, try non-fat frozen yogurt instead.

Use common sense when choosing snacks. As you learn how to make healthier substitutions and change your snacking habits, it becomes easier to snack smart.


SMART SNACKS
Air-popped popcorn
Celery and peanut butter
Low fruit yogurt
Fruit and cheese
Rice cakes
Sliced bell peppers
Whole-grain crackers
Baby carrots
Hummus
Fresh fruit smoothies

Experiment with different combinations like whole-grain crackers with cheese or hummus with baby carrots. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over sliced bell peppers. There are an infinite number of combinations to make your healthy snacking more enjoyable. Use your imagination!

The key to everything is to eat in moderation. By eating regularly and indulging in healthy snacking, you will be far less likely to overeat and gain weight. NEVER go for long periods without eating and then gorge yourself.

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