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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.)

Lower Cholesterol Naturally

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If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, don’t assume that you need to start taking cholesterol-lowering medications. Lifestyle and diet changes can help reduce your cholesterol levels. You can, of course, reduce cholesterol with medications, but try making some lifestyle changes first.

The following are tips to help you get started:

LOSE WEIGHT.  If you are 10 pounds overweight, you may think there is nothing to be worried about. After all, it’s only 10 pounds. However, carrying extra pounds on your body, even if it’s just a few, negatively affects your cholesterol level and your overall health.

If you are overweight, you must take steps to lose the excess weight. Carrying around those extra pounds not only makes you feel miserable and saps your energy levels, it is a serious health risk. Being overweight contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, fatty liver disease, breathing problems and arthritis.

Examine why you overeat. If it’s because you are frustrated or overly stressed, find ways to alleviate your stress levels. If it’s because you are bored, find interesting, fun, or creative things to do with your spare time.  Find a hobby. Take a walk. Walking is one of the healthiest things you can do for your health.

If you spend a lot of time sitting in front of the television, try munching on carrot sticks instead of potato chips. Look for ways to incorporate more activity into your daily routine, such as using the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Write down everything you eat in a day and how much physical activity you engaged in.

You will probably be very surprised by the amount of food that you actually eat. If you are not getting any exercise, then all the food you are eating is not being burned off. Take stock of what you currently eat and your physical activity level, and slowly work changes in.

EXERCISE. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. You can incorporate physical movement into your daily routine in many creative ways. Whether you're overweight or not, exercise can reduce cholesterol. Moderate physical activity can help raise HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). Try to work up to 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Adding physical activity, even in 10-minute intervals several times a day, can help you lose weight. Try taking a brisk walk during your lunch hour, riding your bike to work or school, swim laps, or play a sport with your kids. Any activity is helpful and can make a difference. 



EAT HEART HEALTHY FOODS.  Start following a low cholesterol diet.  Don’t ever think that it is too late to make changes to your diet and lifestyle. Making changes at any stage in your life can reduce cholesterol and improve your overall health.
  • Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. They are rich in dietary fiber that lowers cholesterol. Add veggies to soups, stews, and casseroles. Be creative. Snack on apples, oranges, and pears. Keep sliced veggies in the fridge for snacks.
  • Choose healthy fats. “Unhealthy” fats are saturated fats found in dairy products and red meat. Saturated fats raise your cholesterol levels. Healthy fats are found in low-fat dairy products, lean cuts of meat and oils like olive and canola oil.
  • Eliminate trans fats.  Trans fats are found in fried foods, processed foods, and commercially baked products like crackers, cakes and cookies. Always check the ingredients label. If you see the words “partially hydrogenated oil” it has trans fat.
  • Eat foods containing omega 3 fatty acids. They help lower your “bad” cholesterol. Rich sources are salmon, mackerel and herring. Other sources are almonds, walnuts and flaxseeds.
  • Eat whole grains. Whole grains have nutrients that promote heart health. Always check the ingredients label. Look for the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat.” Many types of bread that say they are wheat bread do not actually have whole grains in them. There is a difference!
Try incorporating small changes in your diet at first. As you improve your eating habits over time, you will begin to feel better, lose weight, have more energy and improve your health.

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