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.)

Women - Learn How to Relax

7:19 AM  , , , , , ,  No comments

Unlike before, women are now accepted and expected to perform well outside the home.  More than just raising children and taking care of domestic chores, women are proving themselves as being capable of succeeding in endeavors that were traditionally reserved for men.


Today, many women are able to engage in various activities based on the career or lifestyle they choose. They are no longer “caged” in the house, consigned to wait for the husband's arrival from work and to taking care of every need and want of their children.  

Still, though quite unfair, women still do most of the work at home. Apart from their day job, they still face the challenge of trying to accommodate their family’s needs and are expected to do the laundry, clean the house, do the marketing, and all other errands in between.

Given their hectic work schedules and the ever-present demands at home, it is no surprise that many women are tired and stressed out. A typical working woman’s “juggling act” makes her health a very serious issue that cannot be neglected.

In dealing with a woman's health, it is essential to know what would be good and bad in terms of food consumption, exercise, and relaxation. Not all women have the time to go the spa and have a massage. For many busy women, taking time for relaxation is now a luxury they cannot afford to take.
 There are simple and inexpensive ways for women to get relaxation:

 *Follow a healthy eating plan. Eating the right foods will nourish your body with what it needs to reduce your risk for illness,feel good and have more energy. Take vitamin supplements if you do not get enough in your diet. Avoid foods heavy in sugar, white flour, and saturated fats. Drink lots of water to flush the toxins from your body.

*Take a long, hot bubble bath with soothing bath scents. Light some scented candles.

*Listen to some relaxing music. Play some soothing music while doing chores.

*Curl up in your favorite chair and read a good book.

*Take a 15-minute walk. You will feel energized and your body will thank you for the exercise.

*Do some simple meditation. Close your eyes and sit in a quiet place for 15 minutes. It works wonders.

*Get a massage. You will feel like a new person!

*Be grateful. Make a list of all the things you are thankful for in your life.

*Let go of past hurts and angers. The past is gone. Focus on the present.

However busy your schedule is, you must take a few minutes a day to care for your needs and wants. Your health is vitally important and no one else will nourish it but you.

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