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.)


How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

If you are on a strict budget, you probably think that you can’t afford to eat healthy foods. A major issue for those who are trying to create a healthy lifestyle is the cost of healthy food. However, if you shop wisely, you can eat healthier than you ever have before and decrease your grocery bill at the same time. Nutritious eating doesn't need to be expensive.


SAVE ON MEAT:

Canned fish costs considerably less than fresh fish and still contains most of the nutrients. Canned tuna and salmon are cheap and are very low in fat and calories if you choose the varieties packed in water rather than oil. Chicken is much less expensive if you purchase a whole chicken and remove the skin yourself before cooking.

MORE VEGETABLES & BEANS, LESS MEAT:

Reducing the amount of meat you eat and replacing it with vegetables and/or beans is a great way to save money. Fresh vegetables are not nearly as expensive as meat or poultry and your body will thank you for it. Salad is another cheap, healthy food. The pre-packaged salads are more expensive than purchasing the lettuce and other vegetables separately and preparing the salad yourself. Beans are inexpensive, very nutritious, and can replace meat several times a week.  .

HOW TO BUY FRUIT:

Fruit can be somewhat expensive. If you buy fresh fruit, always buy what is in season. That will save you money. Apples and oranges are inexpensive compared to some other fruits and, of course, you can often find sales that will further reduce your expenses. If you buy canned fruit, buy the kind that is packed in water or less sugar. Never buy the kind that is packed in heavy syrup.
LESS JUNK FOOD, MORE SAVINGS:

By choosing healthy foods, you will automatically be spending less than before due to the absence of junk foods that you may normally purchase. Junk food like chips, donuts, cookies, cakes and soft drinks are expensive and can eat up a good portion of your grocery budget.

Healthy eating is not just eliminating certain foods from your diet; it is replacing them with healthy foods. Making these changes to your eating plan will not only help you save money, they will also do wonderful things for your body. You will lose weight, feel better and be healthier.

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