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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.)

Tips for Healthy Eating with Fruits & Vegetables

6:57 AM  , , ,  No comments


Everyone knows the importance of a diet rich in healthy fruits and vegetables.  Most people do not eat enough, but increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables is probably the single most effective thing you can do to improve your overall health. 

In addition, fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants, which are though to play an important role in maintaining good health.  Antioxidants have been studied for their effectiveness at preventing cancer, heart disease and even reversing the signs of aging.

In addition, fruits and vegetables are excellent source of trace elements and other micronutrients.  These important elements are not available in any vitamin pill; they must be obtained from the daily diet.

Tips for choosing the best fruits and vegetables:
  • When possible, choose fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients than frozen or dried varieties. 
  • Even though fresh is best, frozen and canned vegetables are good for out of season varieties.  Make sure when buying canned fruits to avoid those packed in syrup and opt for those packed in water or juice. 
  • Choose fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors. Tthe different colors indicate different types and amounts of nutrients.  For instance, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables are good sources of beta carotene, while dark green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin C and calcium. 
  • Be careful when cooking vegetables.  A quick steam in the microwave with minimal water added is the best way to prevent loss of nutrients when cooking. 
  • Keep your vegetables healthy by adding minimal butter, margarine and oil.  Most vegetables can be flavored using a stock, a low fat yogurt or fresh fruit pieces.

 
Understanding portion sizes:

We have heard the government recommendations that we eat 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.  This talk of servings and portions can sometimes be confusing, so let’s take a look at just what a serving consists of.

One serving of a fruit or vegetable can be:
  • A medium sized piece of fruit, such as an apple, banana or orange 
  • One large slice of a fruit like a cantaloupe, melon or pineapple 
  • Two pieces of small fruit, such as a kiwi fruit or plum 
  • One cup of strawberries, raspberries or grapes 
  • One half cup of fresh fruit salad 
  • One half cup of stewed or canned fruit 
  • One quarter cup of dried fruit 
  • One half cup of 100% pure fruit juice 
  • One half cup of cooked, canned or frozen vegetables 
  • One side salad
Unlike other types of foods, more is better when it comes to fruits and vegetables.  When you are planning and preparing meals, it is important to plan ahead and include as many servings of fruits and vegetables as possible.  Proper meal planning and shopping are the best ways to meet the five a day minimum recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption.

Some tips for healthier living:
  • Stock the fridge with healthy snacks like celery sticks and carrots 
  • Keep a bowl of fruit, stocked with healthy attractive fruits like oranges, apples and bananas, on the kitchen counter and dining room table 
  • Drink a glass of 100% pure apple, orange or grapefruit juice every morning 
  • Warm up a cold day with a steaming bowl of vegetable soup 
  • Eat at least one salad every day.  Experiment with different salad additions, like broccoli, sprouts, carrots and green peppers. 
  • Snack on fruits like apples and oranges.  Dried fruits like apricots and raisins also make handy and nutritious snacks 
  • Add sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes to sandwiches for extra variety 
  • Garnish meals with chopped or grated carrots 
  • Strive for at least two servings of vegetables at each evening meal 
  • Use your creativity to create exciting vegetable stir-frys for family and friends 
  • Spice up the grill with vegetable and fruit kebobs 
  • Use baked apples and pears as great low calorie desserts 
  • Add vegetables like carrots, cabbage, onions, lentils and peas to soups, stews and casseroles.

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