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.)

What is the Best Diet?

11:23 AM  , , , , ,  No comments

Because there are so many different diet options available on the market today, it is extremely difficult to find a healthy diet plan right for you. Some plans force you to limit your carbohydrate intake, some force you to reduce fat, and some require you to severely limit your calorie intake. What is the best diet for you?

The best diet for you is the one that you feel most comfortable following for the long-term. To do that, you need to find a plan that contains foods you like to eat and fits your lifestyle. Such a plan can help you lose weight and help you keep those extra pounds off.

HOW TO CHOOSE AN EATING PLAN.

Simply cutting back on their usual dietary habits is not enough. You need to change the bad habits that put on your extra weight in the first place. You must not only limit your food but also change those negative behaviors.

Weight loss should never be about deprivation. Ultimately, this does not work for anyone over the long-term. If you feel like you are being too severely restricted, you will feel dissatisfied and more inclined to cheat. You must choose an eating plan that includes the foods you love to eat.

Never try to follow a diet that is very low in calories. Low-calories diets produce quick weight loss but the weight you lose is water and muscle, not fat. You are much more likely to gain the weight back very quickly. Additionally, low-calorie diets are VERY unhealthy for your body.

Avoid weight loss plans that are based on unrealistic expectations, like completely eliminating certain foods or eating only certain foods at certain times. If a diet plan sounds unhealthy, it probably is. Also, be very wary of plans that make fantastic promises. If it sounds unrealistic, it probably is.

CUSTOMIZE A DIET PLAN FOR YOU.

Choose an eating plan that fits YOU, not your friend, your spouse, or your boss. Remember, make your decision based on what you can stick with for life, not for a week or a month.

Find a plan that you can enjoy without feeling deprived or you will not be able to stay with it. Choose healthy foods, but also choose foods that you enjoy. Choose a balanced meal plan that includes a wide variety of foods, vitally important for a diet you can live with.

HEALTHY DIET INGREDIENTS

*high fiber foods, including most vegetables and some fruits.

*whole grains

*lean proteins

*low-fat dairy foods

*healthy oils (olive oil and fatty fish)

*lots of water

*Avoid white foods (high sugar and white flour foods).

EXERCISE EVERY DAY.

Exercise revs up your metabolism, increasing your rate of weight loss. It strengthens your heart by pumping more blood, lowers blood pressure and reduces your cholesterol levels.

Modify your diet as you reach your goal weight, adding variety in the form of foods that you love to eat. Add some regular aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, skating, etc.). Before you know it, you will feel better, look better, and be living a healthier lifestyle.

0 comments:

Post a Comment