7 Simple Tips To Help You Fast Lose Weight | ArticleCube.com

With all the advice on dieting out there today, it is not surprising if you feel somewhat confused. Whether you want to lose weight, maintain your weight, or help your family eat better. These six simple tips will help you to eat more healthily.

1 . You should always eat healthy. This should be taught from primary school - the basic food groups. Proteins and carbohydrates are essential for a healthy and balanced meal. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy and protein burns fat. Reduced to essentials, each meal should include protein and carbohydrates.

2 . Read the labels "fat free". In many "fat free" products are contained additional carbohydrates in the form of sugar or fructose to compensate for the lack of flavor and that will add to your weight, more so than the complete product.

3. Fresh products are better and healthier for you than prepared products. For example, a fresh potato baked in its skin is healthier than pre-packaged au-gratin potatoes. Make a habit of cooking with a wide variety of spices. You can get fabulous flavors and spices with no added fats and oils high in calories.

4. One of the worst things you can do to lose weight is to skip a meal. We see this often: very motivated to lose weight, a person decides to eat only 2 times a day. However , metabolism requires regular meals. If you do not follow the regular meal, at a given time, your body will assume that is hungry. Therefore , it will absorb everything and it will store the fat for use as energy. Keep control of your appetite with smaller meals and healthy snacks in between.

5. You should drink plenty of water. Most people do not drink enough water. Colas, teas and coffees do not count! Yes, you absolutely must drink 8 glasses of water a day - at least 1 . 5 liters of water - perhaps more, depending on your weight. Water is a natural appetite suppressant. If you drink a full glass of water just before eating, your stomach can not absorb a lot of food. This is the best natural weight loss tip.

6. Stay away from the inside aisles in a grocery store. Fill your cart in the aisles located in the outside parameters of the store. That's where the fruit, vegetables and fresh foods are kept. For adults, low fat dairy products are much healthier and contain nutrients without additional fat.

7. There is a simple formula to help you calculate the weight loss: absorb slightly less calories than you spend. For example , if you eat 2, 000 calories per day than you burn 2500 a day, you will lose weight.

You might say: "Why not drastically reduce calories, so I no longer need to burn as much to lose weight? " You would die of hunger and that is not at all a good idea. You'll find that you have low energy, are hungrier, and eat more later.

Your body needs food and calories for energy recovery. You should eat enough to not be hungry and to be able to burn those calories and more besides. On the other hand, if you burn the exact amount of calories you take, you will remain the same.

Finally, do some exercise. You'll never lose weight if you maintain a sedentary lifestyle. People who exercise live longer and feel good. By moving, you lose weight faster.

Research has shown that people tend to eat every day about the same amount of food, without taking into account the fat and calories these foods provide. The solution is to continue to take the same amount of food by reducing fat and the calories it contains.

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Eating Healthy And Physical Activity Are The Best Way To Lose Weight

When you plan for weight loss and want the best way to lose weight, you’ll no doubt come across a program that promises you a quick weight loss. Many weight loss programs will include a diet that consists of protein shakes for breakfast and lunch with a moderate meal at suppertime or diet pills that promise to control your appetite and burn off fat. The problem is you end up being hungry all day long and then you cheat. The best way to lose weight is by following a regimen of a healthy diet and increased physical activity. This will allow you to lose weight safely.

The fact is - following a healthy diet is the best way to lose weight. Your body needs a certain amount of calories each day in order to have enough energy. Food is your body’s fuel. If you think the best way to lose weight is to starve yourself or eat only cantaloupe, think again. The best way to lose weight is to provide your body with enough food from all of the food groups to allow your body to function properly and burn off stored body fat when you do any physical activity and it is how you lose weight safely.

When you exercise, it plays a key factor in your weight loss. When you are active, your body needs more fuel. Choosing an aerobic exercise to lose weight will increase your heart rate and burn off more body fat and is the best way to lose weight for many. There are approximately 3, 500 calories in a pound of fat. You simply have to make sure you eat a moderate amount of calories and burn off more fat than you’ve consumed. However , if you do an aerobic activity, you will burn off stored body fat and see why it is part of the best way to lose weight. An aerobic physical activity combined with a healthy diet is the best way to lose weight.

Many consider eating five to six small meals each day to be the best way to lose weight. The fact is this method has been proven to increase the body’s metabolism naturally. This means that your body will be burning more fat while you do your normal daily routine and it is part of the best way to lose weight. Many times you’ll see products that tell you they will speed up your body’s metabolism. However , many of these products don’t work and they often come along with side effects. However , if you add in a physical activity, a healthy diet, and consuming the five to six small meals each day, you’ve really discovered the best way to lose weight.

Wherever you go, you will run into advertisements for a new weight loss program, guaranteeing you weight loss and claiming to be the best way to lose weight. While these methods may work, they are short-term. So when you plan for weight loss, the best way is to follow a healthy diet, eating five or six small meals each day and combine this with an aerobic physical activity. It will not include taking diet pills and going on a fast. The best way to lose weight will help you take the weight off and keep it off.

Healthy Tips

Enjoying life to the fullest and aging gracefully without the burden of disease depends primarily on the healthy choices we make for our bodies TODAY.

Here are tips that will aid you lengthen your "good" years:

Eat Breakfast

Research suggests that eating breakfast early in the day may reduce the risk of weight gain and perhaps heart disease and diabetes.

Avoid fats and carbs from items like sugar, potatoes, and white bread. Choose foods that are heart-healthy and include fruits, whole-grain cereals, bread, reduced-fat cheese, and low fat or skim milk.

Beat the Sugar High

For those that have a sweet tooth, staying away from sugar is a constant struggle. On one hand it is just so much easier and faster to grab that doughnut on the way to the office! On the other hand, sugar becomes like an addiction that is very hard to break.

If you happen to like sugar a little more than you should and you need that sugar fix each day, an enormous way to get control and to curb the sugar craving is by using a natural substance called 5-HTP. You can find it in most any natural health food store. (5-hydroxytryptophan)

There are no magic pill for weight loss, but if appetite, and not willpower, is your downfall, then 5-HTP may do the trick.

5-HTP is a direct precursor to "serotonin". It causes feelings of fullness and eliminates cravings for carbohydrates and balances the serotonin levels in your brain. This safe, effective herbal compound can also lift your spirits, which makes it great for mood swings, anxiety and depression. The recommended dosage is 50-100 mgs per day.

Rotate Your Exercise Routine

Varying your exercise routine can help slow down the aging process. By changing routines you avoid boredom, and most importantly the danger of injury caused by overusing a particular muscle, bone, or joint.

Try rotating between aerobic exercises such as walking, dancing, jogging, swimming, cycling, and skating.

Add strength training exercises a couple of times a week and gently stretch your muscles at least two or three times a week to help prevent weakness, stiffness, bone loss, and falls.

Take Charge!

Taking charge of your own medical history and lifestyle is your right! You don't have to become Dr . Know-it-all, but researching specific areas of health that pertain to your own conditions is a smart move.

Researching the natural remedies in addition to what your doctor advises giving you more choices, as well as natural healing options. Getting a second opinion from additional health care professionals is important as well.

You have the right to all your medical records and eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions. You are entitled to all copies of lab results, immunization records, and imaging studies. Keep them filed at home in an organized manner. Keep a record of up-to-date medications and doses for your files as well as carrying this list with you at all times.

By feeding your body and mind the best foods and nutrients possible not only will you have more energy, your body will be stronger and your mind sharper. The tips in this report are the first steps on the route toward a healthier life.

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Learning to Eat Healthy

Many people have weight problems not because they don’t understand how to eat or prepare healthy food. There is some tendency to think that because a food is healthy, it must not be tasty. Avoiding these misconceptions is one of the first steps toward learning to eat and prepare healthy foods.

Choose Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Instead of buying canned fruits and vegetables, choose fresh ones when they are in season. Fruits fresh from the produce department of your market are better for you than canned fruits that have added sugar or are packaged in high calorie syrup. If you must buy canned fruit, choose those with no added sugar that are packed in natural fruit juices. Vegetables from the can tend to have extra salt and other ingredients that are not essential for the flavor.

Instead of cooking vegetables in butter or margarine, steam them and add spices or lemon juice for flavor. With so many different spices available for purchase at the market, there is no need to use excess butter or salt. You can even blend some of your spices to create a unique flavor of your own.

Choose Lean Meats and Restrict Red Meat

Instead of going for the high fat and high cholesterol red meats, try to stay with poultry and fish instead. In addition , do not fry your meats but bake, roast, or broil them. Avoid cooking in vegetable oil and choose olive oil instead for a healthier choice. For foods such as steak or hamburger, grill rather than fry them. The market is prime today for people trying to cut their fat content, and products such as the ever-popular George Foreman grill are invading more homes than in the past.

One way to enjoy ground beef without the fat and calories is to substitute ground chicken or ground turkey. With the proper seasoning the flavor is pleasing, and when used for cooking things such as meatballs or chilli, the additional ingredients make the flavor undetectable. When trying to lose weight or stay healthy, many of us are guilty of deciding we don’t like something before we try it. In that way we restrict foods that we may potentially like and complain that dieting has too many restrictions.

Choose Carbohydrates with a Low Glycemic Index

One of the biggest contributors to weight gain and failure to lose weight is too many simple carbohydrates. The old adage that only candy and other sweets make up the simple carbohydrates is false. Any starchy food has the potential to turn to sugar, so it’s essential to learn to eat healthier carbohydrates, namely those made of whole grains such as wheat bread, wheat flour, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and even whole grain cereals such as those made with oats, wheat, and barley. These whole grains do not turn to sugar when they are consumed and yet provide us the energy we need to attend to our daily activities.

Avoid Diets that Eliminate Food Groups

Most of us learned in school the importance of consuming food for each of the basic food groups daily. However , in today’s market many diets are geared toward eliminating or greatly reducing the amount of food we consume from some of the food groups. This may not be on a regular basis, but nonetheless these diets are not the healthiest nor will they help you achieve permanent weight loss. The key to permanent weight loss is changing your lifestyle such as the way you eat, adding exercise to your daily routine, and drinking eight to ten ounces of water every day. Eliminating entire food groups is not only unhealthy, but it also increases your feelings of deprivation.



Healthy Eating: Healthy Foods and Recipes

Healthy Dinner Recipes: Shopping Tips

We all know that when we’re doing some grocery shopping, it can be extremely hard to find the right food for your healthy dinner recipes. Here are some tips you can keep in mind the next time you find yourself in the grocery.

1 . Shop in the Natural Health Food section of the supermarket to find better food choices. Always select the organic products whenever they are available.

2 . Start in the fresh food section of the supermarket. In fact if you shop around the perimeter of the store you will end up making healthier food choices.

3. Because vegetables lose their vitamins and other nutrients very rapidly, buy only the freshest ones.

4. Quick frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than ‘fresh’ ones that have been on the store shelves for a few days.

5. Stay away from the canned goods whose contents are preserved in brine, oil or syrup. Go with those packed in water, but pay attention to the amount of salt or sodium in them.

6. Learn to read the product labels. Be on the lookout for terms like "hydrogenated" and "partially hydrogenated". The earlier it appears on the list the higher the amount or portion of trans fatty acids there are in the product.

7. Try to buy skinless chicken and turkey. If you do buy one with skin, make sure that you remove the skin prior to cooking. If you are buying beef, only buy the leaner cuts.

8. Since calcium is essential for your body, consume adequate amounts of dairy products or go with calcium-enriched beverages.

9. Keep the sugar content low when selecting products, being especially careful with dairy and drinks.

10. Avoid white flour based products like bread, bagels and spaghetti. Instead introduce in your diet the whole grain versions of these products.

11. Findinghealthy-review"> healthy snacks can be difficult. Watch out for the partially hydrogenated oils and sugar used in the coatings. There are protein bars and healthy varieties of snacks available in the health food section.

12. Fruits are high in vitamin C. Eat more melons such as cantaloupe if you are trying to lower your calories. Cantaloupe is not only high in vitamin C, but has plenty of beta-carotene that helps defend against diseases such as cancer.

13. For frozen dinners, buy the ones with low cholesterol, sodium and fat.

14. Don't go to the grocery store without a list, or if you are hungry. Being prepared with a list of food items will help guarantee that you’ll end up with more healthy choices than if you buy on the impulses of a growling stomach.

Keep these tips in mind whenever you are shopping for food. Grocery stores are full of healthy products for your dinner recipes; you just need to know which ones they are, and make a conscious effort to avoid the unhealthy ones.

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Snack Ideas for Losing Weight

Many people find their diets ruined when they gorge themselves on sugary or fatty snacks. Snacks are a good way to fight hunger cravings, but you have to make healthy choices when deciding what to snack on. When you' re on a diet, it' s a good idea to not have any unhealthy snacks in your home. If you have to drive to the store in order to fulfill a craving for chips or chocolate, you' re much less likely to do so compared to when you have some sitting around. Keeping only healthy snacks in your home is a great way to reduce the temptation to eat unhealthy food.

Fruits and vegetables are a great healthy snack option; however, the idea of eating raw vegetables isn't appealing to most people. Some vegetables lend themselves well to snacking, such as baby carrots; others, such as romaine lettuce, aren't as attractive. A good way to improve the taste of vegetables is to roast them; you can always do this in advance so you have roasted vegetables on hand. Roasting vegetables caramelizes some of the natural sugars in the vegetable, creating a more complex and rich flavor. You can even try roasting vegetables like onions which you wouldn't even consider eating raw.

You should consider always having a prepared salad on hand in the refrigerator to eat if you get hungry; lightly dress it with olive oil and vinegar after taking it out of the fridge. Be careful not to go too heavy on the dressing when eating salads as a snack; most processed salad dressings are full of fat and preservatives. A homemade dressing consisting of olive oil and vinegar is the healthiest choice; olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats, which help to balance your cholesterol levels and can reduce your risk of heart disease. However, you should still go light on the dressing since it' s still fat, and adds quite a bit of calories to your salad.

Fruits are a tasty and nutritious snack options; apples, pears, and oranges are all great to keep on hand to fight cravings for sweet snacks. In addition to tasting good, fruits also usually have a good amount of fiber in them, which helps you to feel fuller after snacking and will regulate your digestive system. A good way to increase the appeal of fruits is to slice them up and hit them with a touch of salt; it brings out the natural flavors of the fruit without adding calories or a significant amount of sodium.

Nuts are another great option for healthy snacking, but you should eat them in moderation. They contain high amounts of fat, and are thus higher in calories than other snacking options. It' s easy to end up overeating nuts and consume a lot of calories as a result. However , they' re still a better option than most processed snacks, as they are high in essential vitamins and minerals and have a more heart-healthy balance of fats than other snacks such as cookies made with mostly saturated fats like butter and shortening.

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Healthy Summer Snacks

10 Easy to follow Tips to help YOU Lose Weight

Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably all be thin. Since we are not, here are some tips that successful people use to lose weight so that others can benefit, too.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 1: DRINK 8-10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY

Okay, for many people this is a big problem. Water doesn’t taste all that great generally because water doesn’t really “taste” like anything. Drinking water 8 to 10 times each day gets easier the more you actually do it. It is simply a matter of conditioning your taste buds, and yourself, so that it becomes easier to do. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water.

To begin with, you should drink a glass of water in the morning first thing, before you eat. This is probably the easiest glass you will drink all day and it will help you remember to drink water all day long. Better yet, why not drink two glasses?

If you really cannot bear the taste of water, try using a water purifying pitcher or filter. You can also add a few drops of lemon or lime to your water – but no sugar or sweetener! Ice also helps.

Check out flavored waters on the market, too. Just keep an eye out for additives.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 2: EAT BREAKFAST

Do not skip breakfast. If you need to go to bed a little earlier so that you can get up 20 minutes earlier each morning – do it! Breakfast is so important to your good health and to weight control. According to Dr . Barbara Rolls a professor of nutrition at Penn State University, "Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn't rev back up until you eat again. "

Eating breakfast is not only good for overall weight loss, it will help you stay on track with your diet the rest of the day. You are more likely to binge on something sweet and in the “bread” group if you skip breakfast.

You can always keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge or some high-fiber, low starch fruit around. If you plan to eat fruit at all during the day, breakfast is the perfect time to do it.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 3: EAT AT LEAST 3 MEALS AND 2 SNACKS EACH DAY

This can be one of the hardest adjustments to make. After all, you are busy! You already have a “full-plate”. When do you have time to worry about filling your plate with more frequent meals?

Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating more often. This will also help you curb your bad-carb intake by making sure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout the day.

Really, it will just take a minimal investment of planning time at the grocery store and at home each morning before you head out for the day to make some healthy food choices and prepare a fewhealthy-review"> healthy snacks and meals. For suggestions, just see the handy list of snacks and appetizers listed later.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 4: AVOID WHITE FOODS

This is one easy way to remember what not to eat. If it is made from sugar, flour, potatoes, rice or corn - just say no . Remembering this rule of thumb will make it easier to recognize those rice cakes as an unhealthy high-carb snack.

Always look for colorful fruits and veggies to substitute for the white ones. Buy broccoli, lettuce, bell peppers, green beans and peas, brown rice in moderation, leafy greens like kale and spinach, apples, melons, oranges and grapes.

These foods are not only colorful they are also high in fiber, nutrients and important antioxidants. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables will give your diet variety as well as give you added health benefits.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 5: EAT YOUR VEGGIES

It is so easy to use a low-carb diet as an excuse for poor nutrition. Resist this temptation. If the only vegetable you have eaten in the last 5 years has been the potato, now is a good time to begin experimenting with other vegetables. This is important for your overall health and to avoid some nasty side effects of not getting enough fiber in your diet.

If you try hard enough, you will find vegetables that you enjoy eating. Experiment with grilling veggies and cooking with real butter to add flavor. You can also search for new recipes on the Internet or in cookbooks.

Remember, if you are only eating 40 grams of carb a day or less, two cups of plain salad greens contain only about 5 grams of carbohydrate. You have no excuse not to eat your veggies.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 6: PREPARE YOUR OWN FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

While more and more restaurants are offering low-carb friendly menu items, many of them are still not ideal low-carb fare. There are many recipes for quick and easy meals that you can prepare yourself at home. Try to do this as often as possible.

If you cook your own foods, you know exactly what the contents are and you will be able to better control for hidden sugar and otherwise processed foods.

Another benefit is the cost savings over the long run. Even if you must go to the grocery store more often, you will save a significant amount per meal as opposed to eating at restaurants and fast food establishments.

It will also be easier to maintain your diet with your own favorite fresh food selections on hand.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 7: INVEST IN A GOOD SET OF FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS

Having food storage containers of various sizes on hand will make it so much easier for you to plan your meals and snacks. When you buy nuts, fruits and vegetables in bulk you can simply prepare, separate and store them for easy use later.

For instance, you can pre-slice your apples and snack on them over several days. Simply cut them, rinse them in pineapple or lemon juice and store. This will make a quick and easy snack for later.

Fix your lunch and take it with you to work. Better yet, fix your lunch and 2 snacks for work.

SUCCESS TIP NO . 8: EAT SOME PROTIEN AT EACH MEAL

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10 Killer Tips For Rapid Weight Loss

In order to make the most of your weight loss program, finding the most effective ways to burn fat will maximize your results and minimize your waistline! Follow these 10 tips for fat burning if you want to lose weight and lead a healthier way of life.

1. ) Drink More Water

One of the best weight loss secrets is to ditch the sodas and stick to water! Experts say you should drink approximately eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and healthy. Instead of turning to calorie-laden or sugar-rich drinks, grab a refreshing glass of water. In addition to flushing toxins out of your system, drinking water encourages you to build muscle.

2. ) Eat More Meals

A traditional three-meals-a-day plan just will not cut it if you are in the market to burn fat. Your body is not able to metabolize large meals and will quickly turn any excess into fat. Many experts believe you should eat six small meals a day. Be sure you cut back on your food consumption at each meal, or else you will be doubling your intake—and doubling your fat storage!

3. ) Work Out with Weights

One great way to maximize the amount of fat you are burning is to add a weight program to your work out routine. Weight training will not only tone your physique, but will strengthen your body and improve your general health. Lifting weights will also burn calories and fat more quickly than traditional exercising, and it will also boost your metabolism.

4. ) Choose Protein

Choose protein-laden foods for boosting your metabolism and enabling your body to burn fat rapidly. In addition to burning fat, consuming a protein-enriched diet will help you rebuild muscle after work outs and maintain leanness of that muscle. Wisely choose proteins for your diet. Take great care to pick proteins low in fat so you do not consume extra calories.

5. ) Cut Calories Wisely

It may be tempting to drastically cut your calorie intake when starting a healthy lifestyle. Instead, use a step method when cutting your calorie intake to minimize risk. Reducing calories too quickly results in your body rapidly burning all available calories, which will lower your metabolism. Furthermore, you are more likely to maintain your healthy lifestyle through this step method.

6. ) Reward Yourself

When it comes to successfully dieting to burn the most fat, be sure to reward yourself. Everyone has temptations and favorite treats—so allow indulgence. You will be less likely to cheat on your new diet if you grant yourself small rewards. If you are a chocolate lover, treat yourself to a small square of chocolate or single chocolate kiss each evening.

7. ) Avoid Marathon Work Outs

The biggest mistake people make when looking to burn fat and lose weight is to have one long, extensive work out session. Instead, break up your work out plan into small chunks throughout the day. Take a brisk walk in the morning, enjoy a work out at lunch, and then exercise more in the evening. In addition to staying active all day long, breaking up your work out will better maintain your metabolism.

8. ) Mix It Up

Choosing to engage in a variety of quality exercises will keep your interest and best allow you to maintain your goal of burning fat. Instead of doing the same exercises each day—mix it up! Opt to swim laps one day, jog another, and bike the next. Rotating your activities will not only allow you to experience a variety of athletics, it will also allow you to better tone your body.

9. ) Skip Happy Hour

For those individuals who want to burn fat quickly, avoid alcohol. Rich in sugars and carbohydrates, alcohol is a calorie-rich substance. These empty calories can add up quickly and take away from necessary nutrients that should be included in your daily diet. Furthermore, alcohol acts as an inhibitor for burning fat, allowing your body to store it more quickly.

10. ) Try a Low GI Diet

A low GI diet is an excellent method of burning fat quickly. This diet encourages individuals to consume high amounts of foods with low rankings on the Glycemic Index. These foods are nutritious and will aid your body in burning fats and calories at a quicker pace. This diet includes many of your favorite fruits, vegetable, meats, dairy, and grain products.

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Healthy Weight Loss Diet Plans � What Are The Key Ingredients?

Healthy weight loss diet plans have a different focus than many of the commercial programs. Too many of the commercial programs compete to show who can have customers losing the most weight in the fastest time. healthy weight loss diet plans only aim to give participants a better quality of life.

These plans focus on turning you on to a healthy lifestyle. The goal is to teach you this new lifestyle beginning with the moment you start the diet. And you never really go off the diet; you will only adjust it to your new weight. You learn a new diet – or healthy way of eating – for life!

One example of a "new" way of eating is a weight pyramid. At the base of the pyramid are the foods that you can eat without restriction. These include all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There is such a variety of these foods that you should never want for a new choice.

Next up on the weight pyramid are the carbohydrates and grains. Healthy weight loss diet plans will not leave these foods out. In fact , some good plans will allow 4-8 servings per day. An important detail is that the majority of these food choices are whole grains. Oh, the exact number of servings depends on your current weight, height, and fitness level.

Healthy weight loss diet plans also include at least 3 and up to 7 servings of protein and dairy. These include lean meats, chicken, and fish. Cold water fish is the best because it is full of Omega-3 oils which are healthy fats for your body.

Even fats and sweets should be accounted for. You might have a diet that allows you 3-5 servings of fat and 75 calories of sweets. Why? Because your body needs a small amount of fats. You won't stay on your diet for life if you know you can never eat sweets again.

A good plan will also offer sample menus. These give you an idea of what is meant by the requirements of the plan. They make it clear how to put together a meal out of the many choices available.

You'll do better with healthy weight loss diet plans if you learn about correct portions. Check to make certain whatever plan you choose is clear on portion sizes. For example , a medium apple might be the size of a tennis ball. A 3-ounce piece of meat might be the size of a deck of cards.

What's more, some plans even give instructions on how to figure servings on food you buy pre-packaged. Do you go by what the package says is a serving? Or do you go by a certain number of calories or carbohydrate grams? Healthy diet plans will tell you.

There's no quick fix for losing weight. You can't simply sit on the sofa and drop the weight you’ve been carrying. It takes effort to change behaviors you’ve spent a lifetime cultivating. However , healthy weight loss diet plans give you the tools and they make being in shape a life-long habit.



Top 6 Foods For Healthy Living and Weightloss!

Healthy Breakfast Foods

It is always surrounded by silly excuse of lack of time. And still no one denies that fact that "breakfast" is the most important meal of the day.

Why such a hullabaloo about this early morning meal? Well, for starters, this meal comes after a break of 8 - 10 hours; hence your blood sugar level will be low. Since your body has gone with out food for such a long time, it needs nourishment to kick-start its day. Therefore "breakfast" is considered to be an important and essential meal of the day.

Breakfast benefits both, young and old. It is the key to jump start your muscles and your day. People who eat breakfast (healthy) daily are more likely to

- Consume more vitamins, minerals and less of fat and cholesterol.
- Increased strength and endurance.
- Better concentration and productivity all day long.
- Control over weight
- Low cholesterol = no risk or little risk of heart disease

Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination. They will be alert, creative, and less likely to miss days of school.

If you think skipping this meal, will help you lose weight, think again. By passing over this meal, your body will go in the starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets. Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain. So you motive of losing weight by skipping breakfast stays unachieved.

Try to choosehealthy-review"> healthy foods from at least two food groups each morning

- Fruits

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How to Get Rid of Unwanted Pregnancy Weight Fast

It is natural and almost impossible for a pregnant woman no matter the colour, shape, size or age not to gain some weight during conception or after having a baby. This happens because the growth of the baby and development depends on it. However, because many women are caught unaware of this development or didn’t prepare for it, they don’t always know how to make best use of the situation. There have been cases where husbands get irritated with the new look of their wives which often affects their sexual life and cause general apathy. The wife now looks overweight, not fascinating, not the honey or sugar as she used to be. What then can a woman do or how can a woman get rid of unwanted pregnancy weight fast?

It must be noted at the outset that it is not easy to get rid of pregnancy weight for the simple reason that after a woman gives birth, there will be a considerable reduction in the level of Progesterone-hormone responsible for the increase in metabolism and which allow you to burn calories. The first thing you have to do is to rest for nothing less than eight weeks before you start to get rid of that unwanted pregnancy weight.

One of the natural things to do to get rid of your unwanted pregnancy weight is to cultivate the habit of taking good diet. During this period, consuming low-fat milk and dairy products and choosing whole grain products like whole wheat bread and whole grain cereal can help you lose weight. Other foods you can count on include low-fat, high-fiber foods such as fruits like apples, oranges, etc and raw vegetables while not forgetting carrots and red pepper strips for healthy snacks. You must also look for low-fat products and you don’t need to drink whole milk in order to make good breast milk and instead of eating fried foods, choose broiled or baked ones. You may also to need to limit your intake of sweets, which have extra calories from sugar and fat.

Another way to curb excess weight during this period is to engage in short slow walks around the house. Walking around, not necessarily long distance is an ideal way for a woman to get rid of their pregnancy weight fast. To walk properly, maintain correct posture by walking tall with your stomach tight. Lift your chest, relax your shoulders and keep your head up. After sometime, you can increase your walking rate but seek expert advice on this before you do.

A way to engage in exercise is to also go swimming and do aerobics in the water. You also need to incorporate aerobic and strength training exercises after pregnancy to burn calories and keep your muscles and bones strong. This helps to reduce depression and helps in ensuring good sleep.

You have to understand that to shed baby weight might not be easy as it seems especially since a caring woman won’t be able to sleep very well and when you get too tired, your body releases stress hormones that promote weight instead of reducing it.

However, by and large, everything will be fine with the body when you make it a duty to take good care of you... eating healthy food, sleeping at the right time, doing exercises and don’t forget to ask for help from your doctor and dietician.

Healthy Snack Recipes with Kids: How to Make Homemade Fruit Roll Up for Children - Weelicious

How To Cook Your Way To Lower Cholesterol

Are you worried about your cholesterol levels or do you have a family history of high cholesterol? If so then you should already be paying close attention to your diet and lifestyle. One of the most simple ways that you can keep your cholesterol in check is by changing the way you cook your food. It is not hard to eat a low cholesterol diet, and modifying the way you cook your food can help keep your heart and body healthy and happy.

To start with you should strictly limit the foods you eat which are high in saturated fat in your kitchen (and house), and use alternatives instead. You'll find when cooking that techniques such as grilling, baking and broiling (and microwaving), will help you control the levels of saturated fat in the food you eat. You can use a light stir-fry or perhaps a sauté, as long as you monitor the amount of oil you use, or use the more expensive virgin olive oil, which can be beneficial in small quantities.

Another way you can reduce the amount of cholesterol in your diet is through the way you prepare your meat and poultry. You can easily lower the amount of saturated fat in the meat you eat by trimming or cutting off any fat you can see on the meat, or by buying better quality cuts of meat. Try to avoid frying food, instead roast, bake or broil the meat as mentioned earlier. If you decide to roast or bake the meat, you can use a rack to allow the fat to drain away, so you don't eat it with the meat. Alternatively purchase a George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine, which will allow you to drain the excess fat away with ease.

To keep your meat moist and tasty, use wine, vinegar, lemon juice or a low-fat oil as a marinade. If you like to cook soups or stews, which can be very healthy, tasty and filling when cooked properly, prepare them the day before and put in the fridge overnight. This will allow any fat in the stew or soup to rise to the top and harden, so you can remove it before re-heating and eating.

One of the key components of a diet low in cholesterol is to ensure that you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, and a wide variety of them. Try and find fresh fruits that you enjoy, so you can eat them ashealthy-review"> healthy snacks, of prepare and freeze to eat later. A lot of people ruin the benefit of the vegetables they eat, by covering them in excess salt (sodium chloride), which can raise your blood pressure. Instead use herbs and spices to flavour your veg. You can purchase ready made mixed herbal seasoning's from your local grocery shop. For example an Italian herb mix seasoning might contain herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary and more. Others such as chives and parsley also give your food interesting flavours.

When cooking your veg, try and only use a minimal amount of vegetable oil or spray, or even better use olive oil. Make sure you avoid butter or margarine, as both are sources of high saturated fats and sodium. Which is a doubly bad combination for your health, especially for people worried about cholesterol levels.

These article has identified just a sample of cooking ideas and tips for your diet to help you lower your cholesterol. It might take a little time for you to get used to cooking using different methods, but the benefits for you health and your palette will quickly out weight the little extra time it may take.

A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition

Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is it simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in? The answer, I suggest, is no! Overall body health improvement as well as weight gain or loss must be factored in to the equation or you could be heading for problems. Correct nutrition can help to reduce the risk of a miriad of health-related problems, the most frightening of which are surely heart disease and cancer. Proper nutrition, however , entails eating many different foods, monitoring your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps with weight control.

To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients:

Carbohydrates. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, however , is stored as fat. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates.

Proteins. Proteins help your body build and maintain muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat.

Animal and vegetable are the two major types of proteins. Too much animal protein can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

Fat. Strange as it may seem; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

Vitamins. These are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease.

For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot.

Minerals and trace elements. These are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in many different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure.

You should follow several guidelines to create a well balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume two and one half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. A good rough guide is to eat as many different colors as possible, this will help you to select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week.

You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part ofhealthy-review"> a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid.

Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.

Excellent nutrition is the basis ofhealthy-review"> a healthy diet.

Cooking Up Great Health with Dr. Fuhrman

Ways to make your skin healthy

The primary step to keeping your skin healthy is preventing damage. Pollutants, air, sun as well as by just natural aging can certainly mortify the form of your skin. Frequent grumbles incorporate dry along with itchy skin, sagging, wrinkles, color alterations, together with age spots. Luckily, there are various methods that you can readily apply in order to maintain a healthy skin, feeling and looking at its most excellent appearance.

Keeping yourself fit, having enough rest, as well as getting healthy diet can set the basis for fine-looking and vigorous complexion. Moreover, a proper diet is not only the excellent way in attaining good health in general but it as well assists you to guarantee that your skin will get all of the vitamins and minerals, along with the nutrients that it requires to preserve and fix itself.

Another way to keep your skin healthy is to apply the right skin care products to your skin. The best anti aging skincare products that can aid you to hydrate the skin are now available at your favorite skin care product store online. Having a clean skin by using the best skin cleanser is also a great way of preventing skin damages.

One of the most essential ways to protect your skin is to keep it away from the harmful rays of the sun. Ultraviolet radiation harms the skin as well as it can result to wrinkles, premature aging, age spots or even cancer as well. An individual should really get further preventative measures in order to be certain that his or her skin is not totally exposed under the harmful rays of the sun. Do not fail to remember that one should apply a natural sunscreen, or a moisturizer that includes sunscreen (with minimum of SPF 15) every day. Although, it does not mean that you should not go out at all during the day, as if you are like a nocturnal creature. Your skin also needs some sunlight every day. A 10 to 15 exposures at sunrise or sunset will be alright.

In addition to that, a variety of fine skin care products such as an all natural moisturizer is one of the essential components for a vigorous complexity. Keep on moisturizing all through the day to keep your sensitive skin vigorous. Your hands as well as your face is especially vulnerable to everyday dent, and might require it to be moisturized further.

Club Tour - Healthy Lifestyles/Cafe-Teaching Kitchen

Healthy Food For Kids

Our children are getting fat. In 1963, 5 % of American children were considered obese, in 2002 that number had increased to 15 % and now in 2006 a full 25 % of American children between the ages of 5 and 12 are considered obese. Another 35 % are considered overweight and 14 % have Type 2 diabetes, a condition normally found in adults.

What are the reasons of these high rates? First of all, less physical activity, because nowadays kids spend more and more time in front of TV or Playstation. Then they eat more industrial food and less fresh food.

But , actually, what should children eat that can be called healthy food? Let's have a look first on what is a good lunch for kids.

They should get a balance of food groups: a protein source, like meat, cheese, beans, or eggs to keep the blood-sugar level even for a few hours when eaten alone or when combined with complex carbohydrates like vegetables and some pastas. Good choices include freshly cooked and sliced meats (not packaged lunch meats which contain large amounts of sodium and preservatives), tuna, egg salad, tofu and any sort of natural cheese, including cottage cheese, aged hard and soft cheeses.

A second component is fat. Everyone these days believes that any food should be fat free, but what is not healthy is not enough good fat in the diet, especially for kids. Good fats include, again, most anything found in nature, including olive oil, nuts, avocado, and even animal fats. One serving of a snack that provides some non-hydrogenated fat will provide your child with another prophylactic against blood-sugar fluctuations. Mixed raw nuts and dried fruit is a good example of something easy to pack that they will like.

Finally, they also need carbohydrates. This provides the child with ready energy by creating a rise in blood sugar. The goal is to make sure that rise is gradual and not drastic by including complex carbohydrates in the form of vegetables, grains, pasta, and some breads. Some simple carbohydrates in the form of fruits are great palate pleasers.

Beware of food especially packaged for kids because studies validate the hypothesis that food dyes and additives are a factor in attention and behavior disorders and increase the incidence of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperacticity Disorder). In one of these studies, 73 % of children placed on a diet free of dyes, additives and artificial sweeteners showed a reduction in hyperactivity and an increase in attention span.

How to Cook Healthy Recipes for Toddlers

Create Healthy Living

Create healthy Living

Healthy Eating: Healthy Foods and Recipes

Superfoods - A Scientific Reality?

Fat busting, cholesterol beating and germ free are common claims staked by the UK’s leading supermarkets on their vast range of health foods, paying huge attention in many cases to scientific research, but are these products really worth the extra cash and are these ‘scientific claims’ genuine? Investigated last year by The Horizon documentary ‘Professor Regan’s Supermarket Secrets’, the truth behind the latest supermarket ploys to attract healthy eaters was revealed.

Greg Shaw, from ‘Creative Nature’, which offers Apricot Kernels, Goji berries and Pumpkin oil among other foods and supplements, said, “Although this documentary was flawed on many levels, especially as it involved a obstetrician, (mid wife/gynaecologist) making nutritional claims on the state of supposed ‘healthy foods’, it did, however , make many relevant and interesting points. One of the main points highlighted in the program included the fact that ‘superfoods’ are proven to have a high nutritional density and high levels of antioxidants, which is great news for those who were once skeptical about their properties. ”

A common misconception of ‘superfoods’ is that by eating just one of these foods, you will in fact adopt a much healthier lifestyle. Eating a combination of many nutritious foods is a much more practical and targeted approach to adopting a healthier lifestyle. Often eating foods in a range of colors is extremely beneficial, as different colored foods indicate different properties. Foods given the label ‘superfoods’ tend to be high in antioxidants such as vitamin C. Flavonoids which are responsible for the coloring of fruits such as blackberries, And chemicals such as beta-carotene, are also known for their antioxidant properties. Despite this, the real meaning of ‘superfood’ is often lost among supermarket gimmicks.

Mr. Shaw, from the online health food supplier, which distributes its products to several hundred retail outlets including Waitrose, Selfridges, Wholefoods and Planet Organic, added “The word ‘superfood’, should apply only to products with a high nutritional density and those that have sufficient levels of high phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins. These foods should also be sourced ethically or sustainably, taking into the account the environment and all living things and the food should be either organic or wild-crafted. Many programs such as the Horizon documentary class broccoli or salmon as ‘superfoods’ and this simply isn’t true. The types of foods, which, do fall under this bracket, include Maca and Goji Berries.

“Anyone serious about healthy eating should seek advice from a professional supplier. Our site has a comprehensive list of articles to advise anyone interested in incorporating ‘superfoods’ into their daily diet. ”

For more information on any of the products available at Creative Nature, please visit their site at http://www.creative-nature.co.uk.

Editor’s Note: Creative Nature is represented by the search engine optimisation (SEO) team at Top Position, the online advertising consultancy. Please direct all press queries to Tina Clough. Email: tina@topposition. co. uk or call: 01623 726233.

How to Curb Carbohydrate Cravings!

As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze me how people inadvertently set themselves up for a huge snack attack mid afternoon. For many, the set up is so complete that it is almost impossible to control! The result is that people think they are weak-willed and lacking in discipline. Often the answer has little to do with character or determination. More often the reason for the mid afternoon carbohydrate cravings is due to gaps in understanding how our body works and responds to different types of food. Read on to see what you can do to control those mid afternoon cravings.
Trigger foods
If you want to control those cravings there are a few principles you must be aware of. The first is concerning trigger foods. Nutritional research has documented, carbohydrates trigger the brain to crave more carbohydrates, leading to a cycle of carbohydrate eating that becomes hard to control. Trigger foods keep you fat. The goal is to have control over these foods rather than allowing them to have control over you.
What do trigger foods look like? Well, they vary from person to person, but typically look like soft drinks, potato chips, corn chips, peanuts, french fries, cheese, pizza, chocolate chip cookies, pretzel, apple pie, candy bar and so on. These are the foods that for many, "once we pop, we can't stop! ".
Isn't it amazing that all these types of foods are available from take-away places? They are so readily available and have crept into our daily routine without us even planning it to happen. We get hungry, we are busy, we are distracted, and one serve leads to another; and we don't realize just how much we are eating as the triggering effect takes place in our brains. By eating a small portion of any of the above you can easily consume anywhere from 350 to 1000 calories. Two serves could be 700 to 2000 calories! Most women on a weight loss program are aiming for between 1200-1400 calories a day, so you can see that one snack can seriously sabotage your plans. Does this sound like you? I can hear the deep sighs of regret and frustration! Don't worry, there are answers for you.
You can be empowered to take control when you know how to avoid the nutritional set up that will drive you towards trigger foods.
Here are a few simple principles that will deal a wounding blow to the late afternoon "snack monster".
Five steps to avoid carbohydrate cravings:
1. Incorporate protein in to your breakfast AND lunch. Protein is key to controlling carbohydrate cravings. The RDA of protein for women is 60 grams a day. For women wanting to lose weight, health professionals recommend approximately 100 grams of protein daily. Why? One of the principle advantages of protein is that it creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the body that makes overeating much less likely. Source your protein from ultra lean sources so you don't pick up unwanted calories and saturated fats.
Even better, than providing a sense of sustained fullness, protein can block the triggering effect that carbohydrates can have on the brain. If you eat protein with a carbohydrate it will reduce the cravings caused by eating the carbohydrate.
2. Never skip meals. Research has shown that people who skip meals are more prone to obesity than those who regularly eat 3 meals a day. In fact , people who space their daily food requirements by making appropriate use of healthy snacks do even better. Why is this? When you skip meals you are more likely to get hungry and fill up on easily obtained fast foods which are often trigger foods.
3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day. For some people sugar laden soft drinks are a trigger food. Make sure you don't get thirsty in the first place. Water creates a sense of fullness and has a host of other health benefits.
4. Plan the timing of your meals so that you don't get hungry. Despite having three healthy meals a day, sometimes your work schedule can mean the spacing of those meals still does not guard against the carbohydrate cravings. If you have a long gap between meals, make sure you carry healthy snacks to cover the distance, otherwise hunger will set in.
5. Plan your snacks. Plan out your weekly snack schedule with some delicious, healthy snacks. Purchase these with your weekly shopping so that you are fully prepared. If you need to, get up a few minutes earlier in the morning so you have time to prepare and take your snacks to work. Remember, healthy snacks don't live in a vending machine! You are less likely to get hungry when you have a ready supply of healthy snacks.
6. Carry emergency supplies of nutritional protein bars in your handbag or brief case. When you feel a carbohydrate craving, eat the protein bar instead and wait 30 minutes before acting on the craving. More often than not the craving will pass and you will be in control again. This truly works!
Incorporate these principles into your daily routine and you could be well underway to change your life and be able to take control over the mid afternoon 'snack attacks'.
(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore

100 Healthy Raw Snacks And Treats - Low Calorie Snacks That Taste Great. Natural - Sugar Free - No C

Fun, Healthy, Delicious Food � Can You Really Have it All?

Is there really such a thing as food that is fun, healthy, and delicious? So many people think grub that’s good for you automatically takes all the fun out of eating. After all, healthy food can’t possibly taste good, can it? Of course it can!

I have been busy gathering some ideas for fun, healthy, delicious foods to share with you. If you have kids, these are recipes I think they’ll like too. And here’s another bonus – they are all easy to make:

• Have you seen those “Flatout Mini” soft wraps? I love these! They are small-size wraps that are low in calories, convenient, and very versatile. Try this easy recipe – all you need are the wraps, cooking spray, Mrs. Dash, and Parmesan cheese. Cut each wrap into 16 wedges and place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little Mrs. Dash and a bit of Parmesan. Bake at 350-degrees for about ten minutes or until lightly brown and crisp.

• Fruit kabobs – This is a fun alternative to a plain old bowl of fruit. Just pick a few of your favorites – maybe apples, pineapple, bananas - and cut them into chunks. Slide the fruit onto a skewer. Next, roll the skewer in a plate of nonfat yogurt… then roll again in a plate of shredded coconut. Voila! A fun, healthy, delicious snack!

• Sandwich kabobs - Cut whole-grain bread, low-fat cheese, and your favorite deli meat into cubes. Slide them onto skewers along with some veggies like grape tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and olives. Dip into fat-free or low-fat Italian dressing.

• For a quick mini-pizza, top an English muffin (go for the whole grain ones) with spaghetti sauce and a little shredded low-fat mozzarella. Broil until the cheese melts.

• Pop a frozen waffle or pancake into the toaster and top it with warm applesauce and cinnamon. Too easy, huh?

• Freeze some grapes, bananas, cherries, or maybe peaches and blend with yogurt for a fruit smoothie.

• Yogurt pops – fill paper cups with your favorite non-fat or low-fat yogurt and put a popsicle stick in each cup. Freeze and enjoy!

• Creamy Coolwich (from Nabisco World) - put 2 tablespoons of sugar free Cool Whip in between graham cracker squares. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for three hours or until firm. Yum!

• Blueberry Cracker Bites (from Kraft Foods) – spread 1 teaspoon light cream cheese on a reduced-fat Ritz cracker and top with 5 frozen blueberries. Too fun!

So , you see – healthy foods can be fun and delicious.

Now, I am a firm believer that the key to a successful, healthy lifestyle is to choose fun good-for-you foods and exercises when you can. It’s a tough enough fight out there whether you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. But enjoying the journey is half the battle.



Healthy Cooking Lessons : Healthy Snacks Recipes

Getting in Shape: 10,000 Steps to Terrific Health

It has been one full year now since I first strapped on a pedometer and started getting my 10, 000 steps in a day. I’ll be honest, at times it has been tough, but the rewards have been remarkable.

I have no idea who first started the concept of getting in 10, 000 steps a day as a way to get fit, but sometime in 2003 the idea started to get considerable press. The University of Minnesota thought so much of the idea that this year (2004) they passed out free pedometers to every single staff member of the University. I first read about 10, 000 steps in a newspaper and then heard about it on the radio. I looked up pedometers on Ebay and bought two step counters for five bucks each. I gave one of them to my wife who loved it but within a month had lost it. I managed to hang onto mine and it worked perfectly for 11 months before it finally stopped working. These first step counters were mechanical and needed no batteries. You just clipped them on your belt, started walking, and they counted every step you took.

I was in New York last month, to give a talk on Long Island, when my first stepper quit on me. I was one day without it and withdrawal symptoms were quickly setting in. I went to a Sportsmart and for $14. 95 bought a digital replacement, the one that I’m wearing right now. It is a Sportsline 330 brand and it doesn’t count calories or miles, just steps. But that’s exactly what I want it to do.

As I write this I have exactly 3, 627 steps on my pedometer. This means that I have plenty of walking yet to do today, but I know that I’ll do it.

I am a writer; it’s what I do for a living. Last October I had just finished writing back-to-back books. I had no sooner finished writing Safe Sex in the Garden, for Ten Speed Press than I had to immediately dive into working on, What the Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growing the Perfect Lawn, for Time Warner Books. As a result of the almost constant work on those two books I spent close to a solid year glued to my computer. Now, computers are handy beasts, no doubt about that, but working at one is hardly what we’d call good exercise. I had gained weight, some 30 pounds of it, and I was 56 years old, fat, and out of shape.

I finished the last book, sent it off to the publisher and bought my first pedometer. That very first day it arrived I put it on and went out and walked until I had my 10, 000 steps. Quickly I found out that this took time, effort, and energy. That night my legs were a little sore but I felt really good about myself. I was doing something positive, something that might well get my big rear back in shape.

I discovered that pedometers work best if there are no clothes covering them. They have to be free to be able to register each step and need to “feel” the movement. Also, shorter people get a “better deal” with step counters. If a 6 footer and a 5 footer both walk five miles together, the shorter person may well get in all of his 10, 000 steps, while the taller one may well still be a few thousand short. I’m 6’ 2” tall myself, so I need to get in plenty of mileage to get my 10, 000. Shorter people claim though that they have to work harder and step faster to keep up with their long legged companions, so I suppose it all works out in the end.

Most of my life I have worked out and tried to stay in shape. I’ve boxed, jogged, lifted weights, done calisthenics, played tennis, hiked, done isometrics, you name it, and I did it. And all of these things worked too, to a point. But none of them worked half as well as putting on that pedometer and saying to myself, “Tom, you will get in at least 10, 000 steps every single day from now on. Rain or shine, feeling great or not, busy or not, you’re going to get in the 10, 000 steps every single day. ”

I am one of those people who love to plan things out, sometimes in excess no doubt. For many years I’ve kept a list (100 Things I’m Going to DO Before I Die) and I take my list seriously. If I put something on my list, I’m going to do it. If I tell people I’m going to do something, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got and try to do it. I like to think that bottom line, each of us is only as good as his or her word.

At any rate, for this past full year now I have gotten in a minimum of 10, 000 steps every single day. During that time I lost almost forty pounds and got into pretty decent shape too. My resting pulse is lower; my blood pressure (which had been high) is perfect, my pant’s waist size dropped from (I’m embarrassed to admit! ) size 44 to size 34. A few months ago I knocked off one of the things on my list of 100. I climbed Mt Whitney, at 14, 497. 7 feet in elevation, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. It was a 19-hour, extremely tough hike and without all the groundwork I’d done with that pedometer there’s no way I’d have ever made it. Since climbing Whitney, I’ve found that every time anything I’m doing seems at all hard, I suddenly think, “Hey, you climbed Mt. Whitney! ” and then whatever it is no longer seems all that hard at all.

Fast Weight Loss Tips