The purpose of this blog is to share what I have learned about nutrition and fitness in order to help you 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?
HOW I LOST WEIGHT, KEPT IT OFF & IMPROVED MY HEALTH:
During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of “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 if I want to feel better and lose weight successfully, it has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary attempt. 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. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level.
I knew I had to change the way I ate and exercise every day. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, it became easier and easier because my body stopped craving junk food and I feel better all over.
FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 70 points after just 7 weeks on my new healthy lifestyle! The list below is what I use as my guideline:
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. The next time you have the urge to slurp up a soft drink, have a cold glass of pure water instead.
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 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. 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! 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, rain or snow.)
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THE SKINNY ON FAT
The information I learned in the The Skinny on Fat has helped me by teaching me not just about food, calories and diets, but why I was storing calories instead of burning them. This is not just another diet book. It addresses many issues that we don’t think about when we are trying to lose weight.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Busting the fat myth
Warning about weight loss
Willpower and weight loss
The calorie game
The fat mind game
An Absolute “Must Know” about Weight Loss
Heredity and Weight Loss
A Hidden Cause of Fat
How do you do this? – About intestinal cleansers
-Final note
Water, Dehydration, and Weight Loss
Fluoridated water warning
Sleep and Weight Loss
Climate Control and Weight Loss
Alcohol and Weight Loss
Movement and Weight Loss
Toxins and Weight Loss
Urgent Note
Insulin Resistance
Thyroid and Weight Control
Chromium Myth and Reality
The Dreaded Reality – Exercise
Flexibility – Building muscle – Making it a habit
All About Food
Meals and weight loss – High glycemic index foods (recap) – Minus
calorie foods – Calcium – Low fat, No fat diets – Saturated fat -
Refined oils
Food additives, sugars, and weight loss
Calories
Lose weight slowly!
Concluding Remarks
Bibliography
If you would like a copy of The Skinny on Fat (in pdf format), plus 6 free bonuses (204 delicious smoothie recipes, 89 coffee recipes, 464 diabetic recipes, 470 crockpot recipes, healing foods, and 478 pages of famous restaurant insider’s secret recipes-all in pdf format) the cost is $9.99.
Thank you!
