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.)

Ways to Be Healthy

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Enjoying good health is not something that happens by luck or chance. Living a healthy lifestyle is a conscious choice that we make, a choice that requires constant attention and willingness to make changes to the way we eat and live. Changes that will make the difference between enjoying good health or suffering from a host of diseases and other chronic conditions.

Use the tips listed below to help you learn ways to be healthy: 

EAT WELL - Eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of lean protein, and low in fat. Make sure you eat meals at regular intervals. Skipping meals or eliminating certain foods can lead to out-of-control hunger, resulting in overeating. Eat in moderation.

DRINK WATER - Drink lots of water. Most people do NOT drink enough water. Dehydration is very subtle. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Insufficient water consumption (dehydration) makes you tired, gives you headaches, and weakens your immune system. Water is the most important nutrient that our body needs in order to function properly. When the body becomes dehydrated, the organs become damaged, resulting in various types of degenerative diseases.

EXERCISE REGULARLY - Anyone can benefit from starting a basic aerobic exercise program. It does not have to be difficult. If you get little exercise, even walking 10 minutes a day can help your body immensely. Exercise controls blood sugar, helps you lose weight, and helps your body detoxify. Walking is the most easily accessible and beneficial exercise and anyone can do it.

REDUCE STRESS - Find ways to relieve stress. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine that can increase your anxiety level and avoid alcohol that can mask symptoms and make them worse. Try massage, meditation, spend quality time with your kids, play with your dog, or take up a hobby. Learn it is okay to say NO occasionally. Make time for yourself, your number one priority.




GET ENOUGH REST - Most Americans do not get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is vitally important for physical and emotional health. If you have difficulty sleeping, NEVER read, eat or watch television in bed.

DO NOT SMOKE - The nicotine and other poisonous chemicals in tobacco greatly increase the likelihood of developing certain cancers and heart disease. Every time you light up, you hurt your lungs and heart. The longer you smoke, the worse the damage becomes.

AVOID TOO MUCH SUN EXPOSURE - Skin damage from overexposure to the sun is cumulative over the years and is irreversible. Too much time in the sun can cause sunburn, especially for fair-skinned people, and other potential problems. These problems range from fatal skin cancers to allergic reactions.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT - If worn properly, seat belts absorb the force of a crash impact and hold you securely in place, greatly reducing your risk of injury.

SEE YOUR DOCTOR REGULARLY FOR PREVENTIVE CARE - Doctors do not only treat patients when they are ill. With regular checkups and preventive services, you can help prevent serious health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

Use the above guidelines to start you on your way to enjoy good health. You will feel better about yourself, have more energy, look better, and provide a good role model for your family.

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