walking will make you feel good

Walking is the best form of exercise you can have to obtain better health and a fitter you. One of the biggest advantages is it will cost you nothing. It is a form of exercise which can be taken up by anyone regardless of age or physical condition providing you start off sensibly, as with all forms of exercise you are not used to doing.

The first steps to getting healthier should be taken slowly and it is advisable that  if you do not exercise on a regular basis, start off with no more than a 10-minute walk every other day. This can then be gradually increased to walking 3 times a day for 10 minutes or twice a day for 15 minutes at a time.

There are many ways you can fit this into your daily routine without too much trouble; just consider when and where you could alter your routine to walk instead of taking the car or bus.

The benefits of walking are numerous to your health and well-being.

Simply by altering your routine and walking 30 minutes or more each and every day you can:

• See an increase in your overall fitness and the tone of your muscles

• Feel good and look better

• Find that your level of energy increases

• Feel a lot less stressed and find that you are slower to start feeling stressed

• Find that your pattern of sleep changes and you sleep better and feel more rested on waking

• Begin to reduce the risk of heart disease

• Reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer

• Find that depression starts lifting and you don’t feel down as easily as you once did

• Your outlook on life in general and the way you deal with things changes for the better

• You lose weight and look better

• You find that your muscles, joints and bones are stronger

• You reduce the risk of developing diabetes

You can start gaining all these and more benefits simply by increasing the amount of walking you do per day and being more active. In order to gain the best health and fitness from walking you should aim to walk at a moderate pace.

The definition of a moderate pace is that, while you shouldn’t be over-exerting yourself, you should be walking faster than just strolling along. This means that while you are walking, you should be able to hold a conversation without getting breathless. Your temperature should rise a little, but you shouldn’t be sweating to the extreme.

Not only will you feel better and look better once you have been on your new regimen for a while, you will feel many more benefits health wise and be well on the way to leading a more productive, happier and healthier way of life.

Foodborne illnesses are known to cause some 7 million documented cases every year. Some cases are violent and even result in death.  Of course this is commonly known as “food poisoning.”  The culprit is food that has dangerously high levels of bacteria due to improper cooking or handling.

Food safety is usually taken for granted by the buying public but everyone’s attention was recently directed to food poisoning involving some meat that was undercooked.  It was determined that the problem never would have happened if the meat had been cooked properly.  E.Coli 0157.H7 is a potent virus, but it can be completely destroyed when the meat is fully cooked.

It is important for consumers to take an all-around safety approach to purchasing, storing and preparing both traditional and new meat and poultry products.  Ultimately, consumers and food handlers bear the responsibility for keeping food safe once it leaves the store.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 85 percent of foodborne illness cases could be avoided each year if consumers would handle food properly.  The most common foodborne illnesses are caused by a combination of bacteria, naturally present in the environment, and food handling mistakes.  Ironically, these are also the easiest types of foodborne illnesses to prevent.  Proper cooking or processing of raw meat and poultry kills bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.

When you’re out, grocery shop last, take food straight home to the refrigerator.  And never leave food in a hot car!  Don’t buy anything you won’t use before the use-by date.  Don’t buy food in poor condition.  Make sure refrigerated food is cold to the touch.  Frozen food should be rock-solid.  Canned goods should be free of dents, cracks or bulging lids, which can indicate a serious food poisoning threat.

The performance and maintenance of your refrigerator is of the utmost importance.  Check the temperature of your refrigerator with an appliance thermometer.  To keep bacteria in check, the refrigerator should run at 40 degrees F; the freezer unit at 0 degrees F.  Generally, keep your refrigerator as cold as possible without freezing your milk or lettuce.

When you prepare food, keep everything clean and thaw out any frozen food you plan to prepare in your refrigerator.  Take it out of the freezer in advance and place it in the refrigerated section of your refrigerator.  Always wash your hands in hot soapy water before preparing and handling any food as well as after you use the bathroom, change diapers, handle pets, etc.  Remember, too, that bacteria can live in your kitchen towels, sponges and dishcloths.  Wash them often and replace the dishcloths and sponges you use regularly every few weeks.

Be absolutely sure that you keep all raw meats, poultry and fish and their juices away from other food.  For instance, wash your hands, your cutting board and knife in hot soapy water after cutting up the chicken and before dicing salad ingredients.  It is best to use plastic cutting boards rather than wooden ones where bacteria can hide in grooves.  Don’t take your food out of the freezer and leave it on the kitchen counter to thaw.  This is extremely dangerous since the bacteria can grow in the outer layers of the food before the inside thaws.  It is wise to do your marinating in the refrigerator too.

Hope this information helps keep you safe and healthy!

Darlene

If we think we are heavier than we want to be, we naturally are inclined to eat less food, thinking that if we skip a meal or eat less our body will burn off some of it’s fat.

This is not necessarily true. It actually makes it more difficult to lose weight when we reduce our food intake. Our bodies are designed to sustain us, even through starvation. We have a built-in mechanism to help us survive even when confronted with a lack of sustainable food.

Losing weight is not an overnight project. There is no “magic” pill that is going to make us lose weight and keep it off successfully. We must adopt a new mindset with common sense and certain guidlines. Healthy weight loss starts with a new attitude, one which allows us to think in terms of lifestyle eating changes and modifications.

Some of these modifications involve:

1. You guessed it…DRINKING WATER!

I assure you, you are not alone in your reluctance to drink the required amount of water every day (8 8 oz. glasses). I put a slice of lemon in mine to help it go down better.

2. Reduce or eliminate the consumption of Cola’s.

The taste may be enjoyable, but carbonated soda’s contain empty calories, adding pounds to our bodies.

3. Vegetables and Fruits are our friends!!
 
There cannot be enough said about the advantages of choosing healthy, natural meals consisting of veggies and fruits. Determine which ones you like, then be creative…put cheddar cheese on your apple, or some lemon pepper seasoning on broccoli. There are a lot of ways to spice up these natural foods.

4. Make your favorite recipes with leaner meats.

Chicken, turkey and fish are all lean meats which add less fat and cholesterol to your diet.

5. Make exercise a part of your daily routine.

Losing weight and getting fit does not have to mean a gym membership, buying a weight set or spending hours working out. Select a routine that YOU are comfortable with. Remember, walking is one of the easiest and best exercises for controlling your weight, toning your muscles and strengthening bone. It also helps release endorphins which just make you feel better.

6. Reduce carbohydrate consumption.

Carbs have gotten a bad rap lately, but they are needed for the proper daily requirements. Think quantity when you think about carbohydrates in your daily meal planning. Breads, pasta’s and potatoes all have a place in our diet’s, we just need to think on a smaller serving level.

I hope these ideas will help you in your goal to become healthier!

Darlene Schirmer
I use Strip That Fat to help me  plan healthy meals and manage my weight!

good nutrition involves fruit like the banana

After Reading this, you will NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, which is why a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.

No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

• Depression:
  According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.
• PMS:
  Forget the pills — eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
• Anemia:
  High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
• Blood Pressure:
  This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
• Brain Power:
  200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England ) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
• Constipation:
  High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
• Hangovers:
  One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
• Heartburn:
  Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
• Morning Sickness:
  Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness
• Mosquito bites:
  Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
• Nerves:
  Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
• Overweight and at work?
  Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
• Ulcers:
  The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
• Temperature control:
  Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
  Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
• Smoking:
  Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B-6 and B-12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
• Stress:
  Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
• Strokes:
  According to research in “The New England Journal of Medicine,” eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!

Footnote: If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches, it’s amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE! I’ve tried it, and I couldn’t believe it, no more aphids, as long as I save my banana skins for the rose bushes!

Impressed? Well then, PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS!

Unzip a BANANA today!

Darlene

Bananas are an integral part of my Strip That Fat routine for losing weight.

You will find a free list of negative calorie foods below, but first let’s consider what this means. There is no such thing as a negative calorie – a calorie is a unit of heat and it cannot be negative. So when people talk about negative calorie foods, this just means a food whose calorie level is low enough that it takes more energy to eat and digest it than the food contains.

For example, if you consider water to be a food, then cold water is certainly a negative calorie food. It contains no calories at all and the body has to expend energy to bring it up to blood temperature. So every time we drink a glass of cold water we burn up a couple of calories and lose a little weight. There are very few foods like this.

Most foods that are on the list do not really use more calories than they add, or if they do, the effect is negligible … until you remember that at the same time the body expends energy just to keep alive and breathing. Celery for example does not give us enough calories to cover both the energy that it takes to digest it, plus the energy that we expend even when we are doing nothing. So that is why people call it a negative calorie food.

Negative calorie foods are most attractive to anorexics, which is a very unhealthy eating disorder. A negative calorie diet would obviously result in starvation in the long term and nutritional deficiencies can occur surprisingly quickly. The calories burnt usually come from muscle mass, and the result is debilitating.

A more healthy way to use a negative calorie diet is as a form of fasting or detoxification. It is something you can do for one to three days right after the Christmas season or another time when you have been eating an over-rich diet. Provided you are otherwise healthy, it can be a great way to clean out the system. However it is still best to take medical advice before attempting this.

If you decide to use a negative calorie detoxification, keep the following points in mind:

1. It is never a good idea to eat huge quantities of one type of food, especially fruits. A lot of foods contain substances that can be damaging if consumed in excess. For example, the acid in grapefruit and pineapple can damage your stomach lining. Other foods put an excessive burden on the liver or may cause diarrhea. So try to use all the different foods in small quantities.

2. Do not spend all day eating. You will just become bloated and feel sick. If you are only doing this for a couple days, you should not feel too hungry. Plan four or five salad meals each day, and let your digestion rest at other times.

3. You will feel more satisfied if you eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. You will also use more calories that way. So if the foods can be eaten raw, that will be more effective than cooking them. Foods like carrots and beets will also be more satisfying if you eat them grated.

4. Schedule time when you do not have any important commitments. As with fasting or any kind of detoxification, you may suffer some uncomfortable symptoms including headaches, tiredness, depression and irritability. If these become severe, stop the diet and see a doctor.

5. When you end the detoxification, plan a gradual return to normal eating.

If all the above points are checked and passed, let’s move on to the list of foods.

    * Apples
    * Asparagus
    * Beets
    * Blueberries
    * Broccoli
    * Cantaloupes
    * Carrots
    * Cauliflower
    * Celery stalk
    * Celery root
    * Cranberries
    * Cucumbers
    * Eggplant
    * Endives
    * Garden cress
    * Garlic
    * Grapefruit
    * Green beans
    * Green cabbage
    * Lamb’s lettuce
    * Lemons
    * Lettuce
    * Onions
    * Papayas
    * Pineapples
    * Prunes
    * Radishes
    * Raspberries
    * Spinach
    * Strawberries
    * Tangerines
    * Tomatoes
    * Turnips
    * Zucchini

Please use this list of negative calorie foods wisely. 

Please make sure  that you take good care of  yourself by eating healthy, nutritious meals.

Darlene

If you want to lose 10 pounds in two weeks the healthy way, Strip That Fat  is the product you need.

I’m using it and the food plan and shopping list is wonderful!

add peppers for dieting magic

A popular view within the circle of weight-concious individuals is that dieting is some sort of punishment for not having a body thats perfect, or that enjoying food is a bad thing. Although eating with good health in mind can involve changing a lifetime of eating habits, it does not have to be unenjoyabe, torture or a punishment, it can simply mean adding new flavors and meals to your everyday intake. Think of it as adding some adventure to a vital, everyday occurance.

When you’ve made the decision to start eating healthier every day, simple things like adding spices or cooking in a different manner can make a huge difference in whether you are going to be able to maintain your healthy food goals. It is much easier to keep at it if you are able to sustain flavor and texture in the foods you love or in new foods altogether.

Speaking of spices, there are a multitude of great, natural flavorings that will enhance foods once considered bland because they are in the “healthy” or “diet” foods list. Blackening seasoning is one such spice, adding flavor and “zing” to your chicken, turkey or fish, without adding calories and consequently, weight. Lemon pepper, italian seasoning or even garlic and herb seasonings give the feeling of dining in an upscale eatery! Add some steamed vegetables with a bit of herbal seasoning for a fantastic healthy meal. Products such as Mrs. Dash introduce the taste buds to a whole new world of flavor. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, chop up jalepeno, habanero or serrano peppers for an even spicier meal, sauteing them with the fish or poulty to relase their wonderful flavors into the meat.

Trying to lose or maintain weight does not mean having to sacrifice your enjoyment of food. Let’s face it, if dieting means eating boring foods FOREVER, no one in their right mind would do it!

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Another great option for dieters is grilling! Marinate chicken or fish in italian dressing or a store bought marinade to add flavor, or sprinkle your own seasonings on during preperation, grill and enjoy! Summer is here and this is a great way to eat healthy and also keep your kitchen cool. Vegetables can be seasoned, sprinkled with some spices, rolled up in aluminum foil and cooked on the grill too. Personally, I eat this way during summer about 90% of the time, and have been able to maintain my weight right where I want it. We even grill in the winter months, but then I live in an area not known for harsh winters, which is an advantage.

You don’t have to lose out on dessert either. You can find all kinds of low sugar or low carb desserts on the market that you can enjoy sparingly. You can even find sugar free or low calorie candy in some cases though you should keep in mind that calories, particularly when it comes to candy you eat unconsciously add up quickly and you must pay close attention to those things you put into your mouth.

There are also low-fat dips and sauces out there which are flavorful, such as salsa. These dips and sauces can often make a great substitution when paired with vegetables, for chips and dips we love so much and often miss when dieting. Cucumbers, green, red, and yellow peppers, broccoli, and carrot sticks all have a nice little crunch to them that when combined with a good low fat dip can help cure the craving for greasy chips that often rears its head when dieting.

If you are someone who counts your calories carefully, you probably know about the snack treats that are prepackaged in 100 calorie packs. This means that you can indulge on occasion in those treats that you love most without sacrificing all your dieting efforts in the process. These snack packs have become one of the best dieting tools since the invention of diet colas. We all want the benefits of losing weight and will readily admit that if it were a simple process we’d all be thin. However, having something like these hundred calorie snack packs to carry you through the worst of your cravings can mean the difference between dieting success and failure. They are definitely the difference in the old way of dieting and the new way of dieting without sacrificing flavor.

So, there you have a few ideas for making mealtime a much more enjoyable experience while you’re dieting. Losing weight doesn’t have to be a miserable time of denying yourself flavor or enjoyment. Step outside your usual box and take advantage of the great flavors out there to add spice to your life.

 I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Darlene
Click here for the plan I’m using to get ready for summer!

addiction to pills is widespread

Addiction does not discriminate.

It can be found in the rich and the poor, healthy and not so healthy. It is not only the underpriviledged who may have easy access to drugs, but also the college educated business executive striving to stay on top of his game. Addictions are everywhere and they are holding people hostage to alcohol, cigarettes, hard drugs, painkillers, food, sex, gambling and other things.

The addict is not the only one affected…family, friends and co-workers are involved as well. It can  be a very difficult thing to watch someone you know and love slowly destroy themselves right before your eyes, but its happening all over the world…right now.

I don’t mean to be so sobering about this topic, but it hits very close to home. Not only have I seen the effects on loved ones, but I’ve seen what it can do to myself as well. There is a lot of information to cover so lets get started.

Signs of an Addict

• using alcohol or drugs to relax
• using alcohol or drugs to forget about problems
• loss of interest in those activities that were once important
• keeping secrets from friends and family
• withdrawing and wanting to spend more time alone
• missing school and unexplained absences
• falling grades
• different friendships that aren’t always healthy
• spending time finding ways to get drugs or alcohol
• stealing money
•  stealing items and selling them for cash
•  failed attempts at addiction recovery
• anxiety
• depression
• anger
• mood changes

The addiction didn’t start overnight…and it certainly won’t stop that way either. For the addict to ever get better, it will take a serious commitment as well as support from loved ones and family members. It won’t be easy either. It will be the hardest thing the addict has probably ever tried to do, with dire consequences if they should fail…and they more than likely will. It usually takes a few serious attempts for the  addict to be able to stay “clean” or steer clear of their “drug”.’

If you are seeing signs in someone you care about, don’t wait until it’s too late…don’t hang onto a sinking ship either, because you must save yourself in order to help the addict. There are wonderful programs out there for children and partners of addicts…Alanon and Alateen are just a few. They have chapters in every major city…and sometimes the smaller cities as well.

Help is out there, don’t be afraid to ask for it.

My next blog post will continue this conversation by delving deeper into the addict’s psyche.

Until next time, good health to you!

Darlene

take control of your life

Anyone who believes or knows they have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) might have a hard time thinking that it is possible to utilize the power of positive thinking. Even people without ADD may not be able to overcome negative thinking patterns. 

Frustrated by our feelings of being overwhelmed and faced with new challenges, many of us with ADD develop negative thinking patterns. This makes it even harder to overcome these challenges and move forward.

Focusing on our accomplishments and strengths through the power of positive thinking increases motivation and ultimately happiness, allowing us to make progress, helping us to not dwell on the bad things or feel stuck.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Here are 10 useful exercises that you can do to integrate more positive thinking patterns into your life:
1. Take Good Care of Yourself
It’s much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For
Stresses and challenges don’t seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions
A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member’s bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don’t waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
Have you ever told a partner “You’re ALWAYS late!” or complained to a friend “You NEVER call me!”? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like ‘always’ and ‘never’ makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts
Your thoughts can’t hold any power over you if you don’t judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don’t follow it.

6. Squash the “ANTs”
In his book “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” Dr. Daniel Amen talks about “ANTs” – Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like “Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me,” or “The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!” When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

7. Practice Lovin’, Touchin’ & Squeezin’ (Your Friends and Family)
You don’t have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn’t touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity
By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person
Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination
If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It’s never productive, because it’s not rational or solution-oriented, it’s just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment – go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

Try using these tips on a daily basis and you will certainly see some dramatic and remarkable changes in your outlook on life. Enjoy your life…don’t let negative thinking patterns ruin it for you.

You can pull your own strings.

Take charge of your life.

Find peace.

Darlene

Focusing on increasing the amount of exercise you get rather than decreasing your food intake is a perfect way to reduce your body fat.  A recent national study was done using two groups of sedentary men, one group in their 20’s and the other over age 65.  A lot was learned from this accumulated data and it is interesting to note that there was a significant relationship between lack of physical activity and fat.  Not surprisingly, the most sedentary men had the most body fat.

These studies have also indicated that the governments current recommended daily allowance for calories does not correlate with the body’s actual energy needs.  For example, although 2400 calories have been calculated for older men, they in fact burned an average of 2800 calories daily.

The leading experts now recommend that people who want to lose weight start increasing their physical activity.  Just being more active in general (such as climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, moving around instead of sitting still, sitting up instead of lying down as well as showing some excitement and enthusiasm instead of boredom), are things that more effectively burns calories and reduces body fat.  Everyone seems to have lost sight of the value of being active.  Consider this, a half-hour aerobic workout accounts for far less energy expenditure than our minute-to-minute movement in the office or at home.

Millions of Americans are trying to lose weight, spending approximately $30 billion a year on diet programs and products and often they do lose some weight.  But, if you check with the same people five years later, you will find that nearly all have regained whatever weight they lost.  A national panel recently researched data to determine if any commercial diet program could prove long-term success.  Not a single program could do so. Being seriously overweight and particularly obesity predisposes individuals to a number of diseases and serious health problems, and it’s now a known fact that when caloric intake is excessive, some of the excess  is more than likely saturated fat.

People who diet without exercising often gain more weight with time.  Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle.   When the weight returns, it comes back as fat.  To avoid this cycle, increase your metabolism by exercising regularly.

Walking is one of the best exercises for strengthening bones, controlling weight, toning the leg muscles, maintaining good posture and improving positive self-concept. To lose weight, it’s more important to walk for time than speed.  Walking at a moderate pace yields longer workouts with less soreness – leading t more miles and more fat worked off on a regular basis.  High intensity walks on alternate days help condition one’s system.  But in a walking, weight-loss program, you are not required to walk an hour every day as some people would have you believe.

When it comes to good health and weight loss, exercise and diet are inter-related.  Exercising without maintaining a balanced diet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining inactive.

Hope this information helps motivate you to get off the couch and enjoy the outdoors!

Darlene
This is what I’m using to eat better!

Trying to eat with good health and nutrition in mind can sometimes be a challenge. In this world of fast paced living, fast food and quick meals are the normal routine for many people. This article has some hints and guidelines to help you make good meal choices, choices that will help you reach your goal of healthy living.

Breakfast 

#1–Choose fruit more often. Just a few great choices in the fruit family are: cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, oranges, bananas, pears, and apples.

#2–Choose whole-grain cereals and products more often. Examples are whole wheat or bran breads, bagels, and cereal.

#3–Try making pancakes and waffles with whole wheat flour instead of white flour and one whole egg and one egg white rafter than two whole eggs. For a low-fat topping with fiber, try applesauce, apple butter and cinnamon, or fruit and low-fat plain yogurt.

#4–Fruit juice and skim milk are familiar breakfast drinks. For an extra boost in the morning, why not try a fruit smoothie made from juice, fruit and nonfat plain yogurt blended together. Other nonfat choices are seltzer water, coffee, and tea.

These are sound nutrition choices because they are not only low in fat and cholesterol but also provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Some foods that you should choose less often are sausage, bacon, butter, whole milk and cream (including commercial nondairy creamer). These foods are high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Lunch

#1–Try a fiber-rich bean, split pea, vegetable, or minestrone soup. Use commercially canned and frozen soups and cream soups less often—they can be high in sodium and fat. If you make your own soup, use broth or skim milk to keep the fat content low.

#2–Have a bean salad or mixed greens with plenty of vegetables. For fiber include some vegetables like—carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and kidney or garbanzo beans. For a low-fat dressing, try lemon juice or a reduced-calorie dressing. If you use regular dressing, use only a very small amount.

#3–Try sandwiches made with water-packed tuna, sliced chicken, turkey, lean meat, or low-fat cheese, and use whole-grain bread or pita bread. To decrease fat, use reduced-calorie mayonnaise, or just a small amount of regular mayonnaise, or use mustard. Mustard contains no fat.

#4–For dessert, have fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, or a frozen fruit bar.

#5–Fruit juice and skim milk are good beverage choices. Club soda with a twist of lemon or lime, hot or iced tea with lemon, or coffee without cream are refreshing drinks.

At lunch, try to eat these foods less often: processed luncheon meats, fried meat, chicken, or fish; creamy salads, french fries and chips, richer creamy desserts, high-fat baked goods, and high-fat cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar, American, and Brie.

Dinner

#1-Eat a variety of vegetables. To increase variety, try some that might be new to you, such as those from the cabbage family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage), dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach and kale), and yellow-orange vegetables (winter squash and sweet potatoes). For old favorites, like peas and green beans, skip the butter and sprinkle with lemon juice or herbs. Or, how about a baked potato, with the skin, and topped with low-fat yogurt and chives, tomato salsa, or a small amount of low-fat cheese?

#2-Try whole wheat pasta and casseroles made with brown rice, bulgur, and other grains. If you are careful with preparation, these dishes can be excellent sources of fiber and low in fat. For example, when milk and eggs are ingredients in a recipe, try using 1 percent or skim milk, reduce the number of egg yolks and replace with egg whites.

Here are some ideas for grain-based dishes:

–Whole wheat spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce;

–Whole wheat macaroni and chickpea stew in tomato sauce;

–Tuna noodle casserole, using water-packed tuna (or rinsed, oil-packed tuna), skim milk, and fresh mushrooms or sliced water chestnuts;

–Turkey, broccoli and brown rice casserole using skim milk and egg whites;

–Eggplant lasagna, made with broiled eggplant and part-skim mozzarella or ricotta cheese.

#3–Substitute whole-grain breads and rolls for white bread.

#4–Choose main dishes that call for fish, chicken, turkey or lean meat. Don’t forget to remove the skin and visible fat from poultry and trim the fat from meat.

Some good low-fat choices are:

–Red snapper stew

–Flounder or sole florentine (make the cream sauce with skim milk);

–Salmon loaf (use skim milk, rolled oats, and egg whites);

–Baked white fish with lemon and fennel;

–Chicken cacciatore Italian-style (decrease the oil in the recipe);

–Chicken curry served over steamed wild rice (choose a recipe that requires little or no fat; “saute” the onions in chicken broth instead of butter);

–Light beef stroganoff with well-trimmed beef round steak and buttermilk served over noodles;

–Oriental pork made with lean pork loin, green peppers and pineapple chunks served over rice.

#5-Choose desserts that give you fiber but little fat such as:

–Baked apples or bananas, sprinkled with cinnamon;

–Fresh fruit cup;

–Brown bread or rice pudding made with skim milk;

–Oatmeal cookies (made with margarine or vegetable oil; add raisins).

For many, the end of the workday represents a time to relax and dinner can be a light meal and an opportunity to decrease fat and cholesterol.

Snacks

#1-Try a raw vegetable platter made with a variety of vegetables. Include some good fiber choices: carrots, snow peas, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans.

#2-Make sauces and dips with nonfat plain yogurt as the base.

#3-Eat more fruit. Oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, apples, pears, bananas, strawberries and cantaloupe are all good fiber sources. Make a big fruit salad and keep it on hand for snacks.

#4-Plain, air-popped popcorn is a great low-fat snack with fiber. Watch out! Some prepackaged microwave popcorn has fat added. Remember to go easy on the salt or use other seasonings.

#5-Instead of chips, try one of these low-fat alternatives that provide fiber: toasted shredded wheat Squares sprinkled with a small amount of grated Parmesan cheese, whole-grain English muffins, or toasted plain corn tortillas.

#6-When you are thirsty, try water, skim milk, juice, or club soda with a twist of lime or lemon.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute are committed to promoting good health and reducing the loss of life from heart disease and cancer. You can help. By using the ideas in this booklet, trying recipes that have been modified to decrease fat and sodium and increase fiber, and planning menus that are high in fiber and low in fat, especially saturated fat, you may reduce the risk of these diseases for yourself and for those you love.

Here’s to a Newer Healthy You and Me!

Darlene

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