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.)

Fats and Carbohydrates

7:52 AM  , , ,  No comments

Fats and carbohydrates are two building blocks of a healthy diet, but many people do not understand their role in proper nutrition.  While the daily intake of fats and oils should be limited, these elements are still a vital part of the diet.  The key is to make smart choices when it comes to fats and oils.  That means substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and using healthier, lighter oils in cooking.

What is the role that fats and oils play in the diet?  Fats are necessary for supplying energy to the body.  In addition, fats supply essential fatty acids and act as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and the carotenoids.  In addition, fats have an important role to play as building blocks for various tissues and membranes, and in regulating numerous bodily functions.

Dietary fat is available from a variety of plant and animal sources, and most diets do contain adequate amounts of fat.  Most nutrition experts recommend keeping the intake of fat to less than 20% of calories, but studies have shown that severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous.  Extreme low fat diets should only be undertaken with a doctor’s approval and oversight.

TYPES OF FATS

The type and amount of fat in the diet makes all the difference.  A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol has been associated with a variety of ills, including heart disease, some types of cancer, stroke and other conditions and diseases.  In addition, many long-term chronic problems, such as obesity, are associated with high levels of dietary fats.

The greatest risk of complications from excessive fat intake appears to lie with saturated fats and trans fats (fats that are solid at room temperature).  One of the best ways to keep levels of saturated fat low is to limit the amount of animal fats that are consumed.  These animal based fats include meats like bacon and sausage, as well as butter and ice cream.  Dietary cholesterol can be limited by watching the consumption of eggs, organ meats and other foods high in cholesterol.

Food labels do make the complicated process of choosing the right fats somewhat easier.  For instance, trans fats will be listed on the ingredient list of foods that contain them.  In general, trans fats are found mainly in processed foods and should be avoided as much as possible.

Some fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, are better choices for healthy eating.  Examples of these fats include canola oil and olive oil.  Cooking with these lighter oils can be a big step toward a healthier diet.  Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they have been found to have heart-protecting qualities.

Many types of fish have also been found to be sources of good fat.  Fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.  These omega-3’s have been found to promote good health and may lower cholesterol levels.



TYPES OF CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet as well and are necessary for providing energy and many essential nutrients.  Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables, grains, and milk and dairy products.  It is important to choose carbohydrates carefully, however, since not all are equally healthy. 

When choosing breads and cereal, for instance, try to select those made with whole grains, while avoiding the more highly refined varieties.  It is also important to limit the intake of sugars, such as soda, candy and highly processed baked goods.  Consuming large amounts of such high calorie, low nutrient foods, can make it very difficult to stay on a healthy diet without gaining weight.

Most Americans tend to have too much of certain elements in their diet.  Sugar is one such element and salt is the other.  While a basic level of sodium in the form of salt is important to proper nutrition, most people consume too much salt in their daily diet.  Excess salt consumption can lead to water retention, high blood pressure and other complications.  Choosing low sodium foods, and limiting the use of the saltshaker, can go a long way toward cutting levels of excess salt in the diet.

Including fats and carbohydrates in your diet is essential for a healthy, well-balanced eating plan. However, the key is to choose the right types that provide good healthy nutrition instead of the types that further contribute to poor health and disease.

0 comments:

Post a Comment