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.)

Sleeping and Aging

10:06 AM  ,  No comments

If you are past the age of fifty and finding it more and more difficult to get a good night's rest, you are not alone. Studies show that most people have trouble sleeping as they get older. The result is a feeling of fatigue that does not go away.

If you are not sleeping well, when you awake in the morning you still feel tired. As we age and our bodies change, we need more sleep; not just any sleep but good, restful sleep. We must make changes to accommodate that need.

Having a good night of sleep makes your mind think more clearly, boosts your energy level and makes your immune system stronger. This, in turn, will help your body be healthier. A lack of sleep weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. 

There are several things you can do to help you sleep better, but the best way is to participate in some sort of aerobic exercise every day. One of the easiest forms of aerobic exercise is walking.



JUST WALK.

Walking will help you loosen your muscles and reduce stress, depression and anxiety. Aerobic exercises, like walking, release endorphins that make you feel good all over. When you exercise, you get a good night’s sleep and wake up in the morning feeling happier and more rested.

Start a walking program in the morning to help wake you up, while boosting your energy. You will feel better since your joints will feel flexible enough to move freely. In addition, walking will help you burn fat and calories. You’ll notice a big change in how you feel the rest of the day.  

Start out walking at a slow steady pace for as far as you are comfortable.  Each day pick up the pace a bit and walk further. Just remember when walking that you want to work up to a steady brisk walk to make you sweat but not enough to get out of breath. 

Take a short walk before and after meals to calm your nerves and burn calories. It will give you energy and relieve stress from the long day. After walking be sure to cool down. Just walk slowly and relax until you’ve cooled down.

WHAT TO AVOID.

To get proper rest you must reduce your intake of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and harmful chemicals such as over-the-counter meds that keep you awake. Try to avoid drinking anything after 8 p.m. in the evening. Nicotine should be avoided completely if possible. If not, try to avoid smoking after 8 p.m. 

If you can’t go to sleep at night, instead of getting up and turning on the TV, try pacing around the house. Do some stretching and shake your arms and legs. Even walking around the house can relax you, especially when everyone else is in bed and you can relax.

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