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.)

Nurture You

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If you are a woman, chances are you are frazzled and stressed out trying to take care of your family and your job, while attending to dozens of responsibilities day in and day out. No wonder you are tired! When your life feels overloaded, it’s time to take a step back, take a deep breath and figure out how to nurture yourself. If your emotional health is suffering, your physical health will suffer, too.

When you are living a stressful life, you must learn ways to relax and care for yourself and not feel guilty about it.  Doing this is NOT selfish. However, too often women are conditioned to think that they are the caregivers and must sacrifice their own needs for the needs of others.  This only leads to frustration, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, depression and more stress. If you do not pay attention to yourself now, you will pay a heavy price later.

WAYS TO NURTURE YOU.

Do something nice for yourself every day. If this means taking an extra 15 minutes in the morning to soak in the bathtub or linger over a cup of coffee, do it.

Take a walk. Walking is an excellent way to feel better all over. It’s giving your body much-needed exercise and it releases endorphins that make you feel good. It is also a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. Enjoy all of the scents and sights.



Read a good book. Even if you can only devote 20 or 30 minutes, it will really help you to unwind and relax. There’s nothing better than curling up in your recliner or bed and reading a book by your favorite author.

Follow a healthy eating plan. What you put into your body affects not just your physical health but your mental health, as well. Avoid junk food and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. Don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol.

Get enough sleep. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get adequate rest every night. Proper rest can make an amazing difference in your energy level, your attitude and how you feel in general.

Watch a movie. If you don’t have the money to go to the theater, rent a movie from your local video store or find a good one on television. Comedies are terrific stress-relievers. Fix some popcorn and enjoy!

Do something nice for someone else. Volunteer at a local nursing home or hospital. Help an elderly neighbor take care of her bills. The pleasure of helping someone else makes you feel wonderful. Do it often!

Be creative. Work in your garden. Plant some flowers. Knit, crochet, play board games with family or friends. There are so many things you can do. Use your imagination.

The most important thing you can do for yourself is to allow yourself to enjoy life. We are all different. Find what works for you. Be thankful for what you have and enjoy it.

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