QUICKTIP.C
M
DIET
- EXERCISE - FITNESS For Life
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Are you really hungry? or are you simply eating out of habit? |
[ABDOMINAL CRUNCHES
] [AB LOUNGE]
[AMINO ACIDS]
[AEROBICS] [BALANCE EXERCISES]
[BALANCED DIET] [BANANAS]
[BENCH STEP-UP] [ROTEIN] [BMI]
[BICYCLE EXERCISES]
[ BIO-ENGINEERED FOOD] [BODY FAT] [BURNING CALORIES]
[CALORIE EXAMPLES]
[CHOCOLATE FACTS]
[CRAVINGS & SUBSTITUTES]
[CROSS TRAINING] [DETOXIFYING]
[DIET LOSS CALCULATOR]
[DIET PLANS]
[DIET RECIPES]
[DIET TIPS] [DINING OUT] [EATING AMNESIA] [EATING HEALTHY]
[ELBOW EXERCISES]
[EXERCISE
& FITNESS] [EXERCISE BALL]
[FAD DIETS] [FIBER & DIET] [FISH-MERCURY] [FITNESS
PROGRAM] [GASTRIC
BYPASS]
[GLYCEMIC INDEX] [HEALTHY FRUITS] [HEART RATE]
[INTERVAL TRAINING]
[HELPFUL LINKS]
[NUTRITIOUS
BREAKFAST]
[PROBIOTICS]
[PROTEIN] [RAW FOOD DIET]
[RESISTANCE
EXERCISING] [RUNNING] [SALADS]
[SLEEP] [SNACKS]
[STAIR CLIMBER]
[STRESS] [STRETCHING]
[SQUATS] [VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS] [WALKING]
[WATERS NECESSITY]
[WEIGHT LOSS CALCULATOR] [YOGURT]
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Diets don't work long
term. Lifestyle
changes & Diet do! We hope that this diet section will be helpful in presenting you with facts and options that will help you in your quest for permanent weight loss. |
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FAT
CHANCE
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You can get
the same results by doing sit-ups and pushups, the difference being, less
strain on your lower back. Interestingly, the stronger your stomach
muscles, the stronger your back. |
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Every day that you exercise & eat properly is likely adding another day to your life. |
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It is a type of exercise that overloads the heart and lungs
and causes them to work harder than at rest. The important idea behind
aerobic exercise today, is to get up and get moving!! There are more
activities than ever to choose from, whether it is a new activity or an old
one. Find something you enjoy doing that keeps your heart rate elevated for a
continuous time period and get moving to a healthier life.
Source: ACSM (American College of Sports
Medicine)
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QT: Busy
schedule? |
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BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR) |
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Basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body
needs to maintain normal function while at rest. If you can increase
your basal metabolic rate, you can increase your body's capability of burning
more calories while at rest, making it less likely that your body will store
fat. How do we do this? Let's start with your diet. Have you ever consumed a
large meal and felt very tired and sleepy afterward? Chances are the meal
contained a lot of fat and/or a lot of hard-to- digest foods which decreases
your basal metabolic rate. What happens is the body has to break down the
food you ate, and if it's a high fat meal and/or food that is hard to digest,
it will take a considerable amount of energy and time to break down those
fats and/or foods so that they can either be used by the body, or stored in
the adipose tissue. Look at your body as a machine. By feeding it a high-fat
meal and/or hard-to-digest foods, you just gave it a lot of work to do, therefore
leaving you with not too much energy. This type of meal lowers your
basal metabolic rate, increasing the chances of fat storage at rest. It is better
to eat whole-unprocessed nutritious foods your body can utilize without much
effort, meaning the less fat and/or hard-to-digest foods your diet contains
the better.
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You can either
bicycle outside or indoors. Outside bicycling is fun and good for you in many
ways. You not only get to work out your muscles but can get fresh air as
well. With a
stationary bicycle,
the tension on the bicycle wheel should be set so that the rider can pedal at
a cadence of 60 rotations per minute. As they progress, riders can gradually
increase the tension and the cadence up to 90 rotations per minute. A
recumbent stationary bicycle is both secure and comfortable. It has a
contoured chair that even a person who has had a stroke can sit in. Also, if
one leg is paralyzed, toe clips can hold both feet in place, so that the
person can pedal with one leg. A recumbent stationary bicycle is a
particularly good choice for older people, many of whom have weak upper leg
muscles. Having weak upper leg muscles makes rising from a squatting
position, getting up from a chair without using the hands, or walking up
stairs without holding on to the railing difficult. You can also use an exercise
bike and watch your favorite TV show while you exercise. These bikes are
simple to use and can be adjusted to whatever level you feel comfortable
with. Try to be careful when you first start not to do too much at a time or
you will be feeling sore and can suffer from exhaustion. You can go for long or short
bicycle rides. And can do as much or as little as you want. It is advisable
to start small and work up to avoid sore muscles. Always remember to drink
plenty of water to prevent dehydration and the buildup of lactic acid, which can
cause exhaustion and aching muscles. When you bicycle for exercise
you will be using most of your muscles and improving your blood circulation.
This makes it a very complete way of exercising. When you improve your blood
circulation, you will improve the health of your entire body and get rid of
toxins from your body. You can have fun and improve
your overall health as well when you bicycle. |
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When changing your diet, it can be stressful. So, try a positive focus and ease into your change. If you want to eat better, for example, concentrate on adding more nutritious foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, with every meal. It will not take long before some of your unhealthy choices will be replaced by new positive ones with habit. |
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Body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150 pounds and 10% fat, it means that your body consists of 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood and everything else). A certain amount of fat is
essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions
and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy
storage. The following table describes body fat ranges and their associated
categories: Body fat measurements and the measuring tape are
recognized as superior methods for measuring "weight loss".
When one declares that they want to "lose weight", what they often mean
is that they want to lose fat. So, now that you've had your body fat
percentage measured, what does the number really mean?
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QT:
Drinking too little water can hamper your weight loss efforts. That's because
dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent, or about 45 fewer calories
burned a day, which in a year could mean weighing 5 pounds more. The key to
water isn't how much you drink; it's how frequently you drink it. Small
amounts sipped often work better than 8 ounces gulped down at once. |
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QT: If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.
But when you're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be
challenging, but obtainable.. You can do it. |
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WEIGHT LOSS & HONEY: Daily in the morning one half hour before
breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, |
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FYI: Research
studies have concluded that factors in affecting successful weight loss and weight maintenance found
that success was not only affected by an individual’s social supports and
stress-coping strategies, but was also impacted by establishing a physically
active lifestyle and a regular eating habits, which included breakfast. Eating regularly
throughout the day when hungry and stopping when hunger ends; choosing
healthful foods that promote sustained energy most of the time, while
allowing an occasional treat to avoid feeling deprived; enjoying some kind of
physical activity for at least an hour each day. |
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Diet and
Exercise programs should not be followed without
first consulting a health care professional. If you have any special health
conditions requiring attention, you should consult with your health care
professional regularly regarding possible modification of this program. |
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Avocados are rich in potassium, fiber,
folate, and vitamin K, and they are cholesterol free. |
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Cross
training is an ideal way to develop a balanced fitness program and has
several benefits, whether you are a serious athlete or just someone
interested in becoming more fit and active.
Good training exercises:
With cross training, you can
do one form of exercise each day, or more than one in a day. If you do both
on the same day, you can change the order in which you do them. You can
easily tailor cross-training to your needs and interests; mix and match you
sports and change your routine on a regular basis. Exercise can strengthen the
cardiovascular system, bones, muscles and joints. |
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“Each illness has its cause, and the cause cannot be removed by
any medication”. |
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We eat and
drink them and impose them upon ourselves repeatedly and regularly. Most
drugs, food additives, and allergens can create toxic elements in the body.
In fact, any substance can have toxicity--water, sodium, and almost all
nutrients can be a problem in certain circumstances. A toxin is basically any
substance that creates irritating and/or harmful effects in the body,
undermining our health or stressing our biochemical or organ functions. This
may result from drugs which have side effects, or from patterns of physiology
that are different from our usual functioning. Recreational drugs also
usually have some harmful effects. The free radicals irritate, inflame, age,
and cause degeneration of body tissues. Negative "ethers," psychic
and spiritual influences, thought patterns, and negative emotions all can be
toxins as well--both as stressors and by changing the normal physiology of
the body and possibly producing specific symptoms. Detoxifying
the colon has
become one of the most popular therapies commonly recommended by natural
health practitioners. For good reason since more than 50 percent of the
immune system is located in or around the digestive system, especially the
large intestine. This means that until the colon is thoroughly cleansed and
the toxins removed, nutrients will not absorb properly, and digestion will be
hindered – leading to constipation, gas, bloating, IBS, headaches, bad
breath, allergy symptoms, PMS, fatigue, depression, irritability, frequent
infections and weight gain. Fortunately,
there are a number of colon detox programs available to help you scrub and
remove hardened fecal matter, toxic materials and parasites from the colon.
Knowing how important it is to cleanse the bowels as a first step to obtaining
and maintaining good health. SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS OF TOXICITY How do you know when it's
time to free your body of accumulated toxins, parasites and other waste
materials? If
you experience one or more of the following, then it's time to detoxify:
CLEANSING DIET -A few days or
weeks before beginning a cleansing diet, it is a good idea to eat only whole
grains, fresh fruits and vegetables to prepare the body. Eliminate all
processed foods, coffee, tea, sugar, alcohol, tobacco and red meat |
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QT. Nutritionists have found that food loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying so you won't eat as much, so, add spices or chilies to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel comfortable. |
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POPULAR DIET PLANS |
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High-protein diets: These high-protein diets are
some of the unhealthiest diets for many reasons; They're popular because they
target the emphasis on protein. But high-protein diets have been implicated in
heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity, and many other chronic disease conditions
found in the United States. Think before you jump.
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Quick Tips on Eating less, Exercise more, and making it a lifelong habit |
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Avocados are rich in potassium, fiber, folate, and vitamin K, and any
way you slice them, they are cholesterol-free. |
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DIET TIP You can do it. |
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Grapefruit Juice contains
many compounds that can reduce hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
and even the risk of cancer. |
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It's very easy to choose the diet friendly foods at home
where you have control over each dish. But you don't have to give up that
control at a restaurant.
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Weight-Loss tip: Use Cooking Spray instead of Butter or Oil. You can save hundreds of calories every time you cook for your family. |
| FISH-MERCURY |
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Limiting
the Mercury in your diet.
When
it comes to higher concentrations of mercury in your fish intake, be smart, as
large fatty fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel have higher
concentrations of mercury and other pollutants.
Canned
white tuna has three times more mercury than light tuna. Although, canned
albacore does have higher concentrations of mercury. Canned tuna is the most
common source of mercury in our diet. New tests of 42 samples from cans and
pouches of tuna bought primarily in the New York metropolitan area and online
confirm that white (albacore) tuna usually contains far more mercury than light
tuna.
If
you do consume some higher-mercury fish, be sure to have only lower mercury
types for a few weeks afterward.
Ref: (https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech/epa-fda-advice-about-eating-fish-and-shellfish) |
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Nutrition
experts from the Harvard School of Public Health created the Healthy Eating
Pyramid. It is based on the best available scientific evidence about the
links between diet and health. This new pyramid fixes fundamental flaws in
the USDA pyramid and offers sound information to help people make better
choices about what to eat.
Source:cnpp.usda.gov |
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QT: Food that
is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste
buds and be more satisfying so you won't eat as much. Also, eating slowly
will provide you with the chance to actually taste & savor your food. |
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Exercise balls make great tools for exercising -
particularly in developing core strength, functional training, strengthening
the back and the abdominal muscles, increasing your balance and stability,
improving and increasing the challenge in your workouts and preventing
injuries. Exercise balls can be used in three different main categories of
exercise or training: weight training, abdominal training and flexibility
exercises. When you use a exercise ball
to do crunches, for example, you're using more than just the abdomens rectus.
Many other muscles have to help out, acting as stabilizers, and this makes
the exercise much more powerful and effective than if you were on a mat doing
simple crunches. The same goes for an endless list of traditional exercises.
The exercise ball really is a great innovation to the fitness industry. Here are a few benefits you
can get from spending a half-hour a day working with an exercise ball:
Selecting
an Exercise Ball Exercise
balls come in several different sizes. When selecting an exercise ball, you
should sit on the ball first. Your feet should be flat on the floor with even
weight distribution. Knees should be level or slightly lower than the pelvis,
creating a 90-degree angle at the hips and knees with thighs parallel to the
ground. Exercise balls come in five diametrical sizes according to a person’s
height. When purchasing a ball, it will come with visual information and
diagrams for working out and specifying which activity benefits which part of
your body. Lying on the floor, have your
legs extended straight up with the ball between your feet. Arms should be
resting at your sides, head resting on the floor. Inhale and move legs down
towards the floor to form a 120-degree angle. Hold for 2 seconds. Exhale, and extend your legs back up and over your head.
Hold for 2 seconds, inhale, and return to start position for one rep. |
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Always consult your doctor for medical
advice and treatment before starting any program.
When you start out with a
workout program - whether the purpose is weight loss exercise or another -
you have started a training process that hopefully is going to last for a
while. It is important that you are aware of some factors that can decrease
your motivation for the exercising or even damage your health - while you are
executing your training program. Even a few minor mistakes in your workout
can easily accumulate to bad habits over time, kicking you off track, and
that is not the purpose with good exercise. Below I'll go through a few of
these. Experts say,
is to talk less and move more - and to decrease your rest periods between
exercises. If you don't give your body a
chance to recover between exercises, it must get in better condition in order
to repair itself for the next bout of activity -- so you're automatically
getting more out of each workout By decreasing rest periods,
you can also do more work in the same amount of time, he says, and that means
better (and faster) results. Even in a 30-minute workout,
reducing rest periods will also increase your challenge level - which, in
turn, will increase your body's ability to recover. So you end up in better
shape without increasing your workout time. The idea is not to increase
intensity, but to challenge your body by forcing it to recover more quickly,
the more you move in any given time period, the easier it becomes to keep
moving. - Impatience Impatience is probably most
people's worst enemy when it comes to staying on track with your workout
plan. It is so easy to get distracted, especially if you feel the recent
progress with your exercise has been slow. You must be aware that physical
training won't do miracles over-night. Only faithful and diligent exercising
and workout, day after day, week after week, month after month will prove
results. Looking back; maybe you're
one who hasn't trained or exercised for years, maybe not at all. How many
years did it take to put you in the physical shape and fitness condition you
were in before you started regular exercising? Do not expect results in one
week - take a look back and try to feel the difference after 3 to 6 months of
exercising. If you are that patient, you'll definitely see results of your
workout effort.
The measurement stick should always
be the fitness and shape you were in before you started the exercising, and
every improvement you do, are with references to this. If you do that, your
expectations to the results of your exercise and workouts will be realistic,
and you'll be amazed of how good you really can be. -Getting Exhausted Especially in the startup
phase of a training program, some people are exercising so hard that they
simply get exhausted or burned out. If you start your training program
exceeding your present capabilities and if you have not been exercising since
you were a kid - you probably won't be able to jog or workout for the next 14
days. Your muscles will hurt so
much and your legs will be so stiff after your mega exercise that you have to
lay down and wait until you are able to exercise again. This is not very
motivating. Start out the exercising very carefully and light - that is
especially important if you have not done much training before. -Doing exercises the wrong
way This can really be damaging,
especially with anaerobic exercises. If you are training at a fitness center
you should make sure you've got all the instructions you need from the
trainer before you do any workout. One little mistake in your exercise can
damage your back for a long time, and even permanently.
-One-Arm Row
Works:
Upper and middle back and shoulders · Stand to the left of a chair,
feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm
facing in. Pull your abdominals in and bend forward from the hips so your
back has a slight arch and you are roughly parallel to the floor, knees
slightly bent. Put your left hand on the chair's seat for balance. Tilt your
chin toward your chest so your neck is in line with the rest of your spine.
Your right hand will be in front of your right shin. · Pull your right arm up along
the side of your body until your elbow points to the ceiling and your hand
brushes against your waist. · Slowly lower the weight back
down. Complete the reps, and then switch sides. -Modified Push-Up
Works:
Chest, abdominals, shoulders, and arms · Lie on your stomach, knees bent
and ankles crossed. Place your palms on the floor a bit to the side and in
front of your shoulders. Tuck your chin a few inches into your chest so your
forehead faces the floor. · Straighten your arms and lift
your body so you are balanced on your palms and knees, abdominals tight. Be careful
not to lock your elbows. · Bend your elbows and lower your
entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor,
lower just until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up. -Bicep Curls
Works:
Biceps · Hold a dumbbell in each hand
and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Let your arms hang down at your
sides with your palms facing in. Pull your abdominals in, stand tall, and
keep your knees relaxed. · Curl your right arm up, fist
close to your shoulder, twisting your palm so that it faces the front of your
shoulder at the top of the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down,
then repeat with your left arm. Continue alternating until you've completed
the set. (One rep consists of a bicep curl with each arm.) -Kick-Backs
Works:
Triceps · Stand to the left of a chair.
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, feet hip-width apart. Lean forward at the
hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Place your
free hand on top of the chair for support. Bend your right elbow so that your
upper arm is parallel to the floor, your forearm perpendicular to it, and
your palm facing in. Keep your elbow close to your waist. Pull your
abdominals in and don't lock your knees. · Keeping your upper arm still,
straighten your arm behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing
down. Slowly bend your arm to lower the weight for one rep. When you've
completed the set, repeat with your left arm. -Shoulder Press
Works:
Shoulders, arms · Hold a dumbbell in each hand
and sit up tall on a chair that has firm back support. Place your feet on the
floor, hip-width apart. Pull your abdominals in so there is a slight gap
between the small of your back and the back of the chair. · With palms forward, bend the
elbows and raise the dumbbells up so they are level with your ears. Elbows
should be at or just below shoulder height. · Straighten arms up over your
head, without locking elbows, then slowly lower to start.
Be careful
not to pull your neck forward of the rest of your spine by sticking the chin
out; don't hold your breath, and keep elbows out of your line of vision to
keep chest and shoulders open. do
crunches with your feet off the floor and knees bent. This will keep your
feet on the floor, many people tend to arch the back and engage the hip
flexors. Crunches
can be excellent, "but if they're not done correctly, with the back
arching", they can actually weaken the abdominals.
· Hold a light- or medium-weight dumbbell in each hand
standing next to the bench lengthwise. · Step up with right foot onto the middle of the bench;
hold for 3 counts with left leg lifted to side. · Step down with left foot and tap down with the right. · Immediately step back up to the bench with right foot. · Do all reps on this leg, rest for 30 seconds, then switch
sides. The Bicycle exercise Bicycle/Cycling is an
excellent exercise, especially for people who are overweight, because it is
"low impact", meaning that you don't cause injury to the feet,
knees and hips like you do when you run. Remember to
work out to the point at which you begin to feel a little out of breath, but
not much beyond that. Just get your pulse and breathing rates up, but don't
go to the point where you're panting for breath. Maintain your exercise for a
half hour or more, 3 or 4 times a week, and you'll see an improvement. As you
get into shape you'll notice that you need to work harder to get to that
point of being a little out of breath, but that's the target zone, so just be
pleased with the progress and continue to push yourself. To do this exercise
correctly: 1. Lie face up on the floor
and lace your fingers behind your head. -Forward Lunges Targets both your quads
and your glutes We suggest
that you imagine sitting on your back foot. "The trailing leg is the one
you need to sit down on",
Tips:
Standing
Oblique Flexion · Stand with knees slightly bent, feet shoulder-width
apart, holding medium or heavy dumbbells in each hand with weights at sides,
elbows slightly bent, palms in and abs tight. · Slowly slide dumbbell down outside of right thigh as far
as you can, bending torso to right while keeping hips square. · Hold for 2 seconds, then slowly draw weight back up thigh
to start. · Repeat all reps to right; switch sides.
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There is no easy quick way to diet that will not have
detrimental effects in some way to your body. People
want to believe that in this age of scientific innovations and medical
knowledge, miraculous and effortless weight-loss methods exist. "Eat All
You Want and Still Lose Weight!" or "Melt Fat Away While You
Sleep!" These diets often promote quick weight loss through means that
merely result in losing body water, glycogen stores, and lean muscle mass. For the food groups that
these diets do permit, the proportions are either well above or well below
those recommended by major health organizations such as the American Heart
Association and the American Dietetic Association, as well as the Surgeon
General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Some common claims of these diets include blaming
particular hormones for weight gain, suggesting that food can change body
chemistry, or touting or banning a particular food. However, they all have
one thing in common: They offer only a temporary solution to what for many
people is a lifelong and chronic condition. Once the diet is stopped, the
lost weight is usually regained quickly, and when weight is lost rapidly,
chances are it is not fat that is lost but water weight and precious muscle
-- but when it is regained, it is usually all gained as fat |
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Dietary fiber, also known
as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't
digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates
— which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your
body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small
intestine and into your colon.
Fiber is often classified
into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and
those that do (soluble fiber).
The amount of each type of
fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health
benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods. Benefits of a high-fiber
diet
A high-fiber diet has many
benefits which aid in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more
chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer
hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to
make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater
amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy
dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of
food. How much fiber do you need
each day? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which
provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the
following daily recommendations for adults:
Your best fiber choices
If you aren't getting enough
fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Good choices include:
Refined or processed foods —
such as fruit juice, white bread and pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals — are
lower in fiber content. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat
(bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Similarly, removing
the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content. So what foods are your best
bets? This list shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.
*Fiber content
can vary between brands. Whole foods rather than fiber
supplements are generally better. Many Fiber supplements —do not provide
the vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods
do. However, some people may still need a fiber supplement if dietary changes
aren't sufficient, or if they have certain medical conditions, such as
irritable bowel syndrome. Check with your health care provider if you feel
you need to take fiber supplements. Of great importance when dieting and achieving your
specific weight loss goal. A gradual approach takes the stress out of dieting
and lets you progress at your own pace from a period of accelerated weight
loss to a lifetime of healthy weight maintenance, and it is essential that
you consume at least 35 grams of fiber every day. Fiber is
particularly important in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, the
second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. |
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There are absolutely benefits. The added weights will help
you add a little extra muscle and burn a few extra calories. They create more
tension so your muscles have to work harder to move, using more energy,
therefore working harder and burning calories, leading to burning fat.
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Gastric
bypass surgery is one type of procedure that can be used to cause significant
weight loss if you are very obese. The surgery reduces your body's intake of
calories. Calorie reduction is accomplished in two ways:
The surgery is only right for
you if you meet certain strict criteria described later in this article. Prior to any weight loss
operation, your doctor will give you a complete medical examination and
evaluate your overall health. A psychological evaluation
will be given to you. This will determine whether you are ready to adhere to
a healthier lifestyle. If you are not ready to make lifestyle changes (and
have not tried hard to do so already), you will not be considered eligible
for the procedure. Without changing your lifestyle, the surgery will not be a
success. You will also receive
extensive nutritional counseling before (and after) your surgery. The surgery is performed
under anesthesia. There are two basic steps:
This "y-connection"
allows food to mix with pancreatic fluid and bile, aiding the absorption of
important vitamins and minerals. You still may experience poor absorption of
certain nutrients. The risk of malabsorption is
of greater concern in gastric surgeries that skip over a larger portion of
the small intestines. These are performed much less commonly than the
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass as described. LAPAROSCOPY Gastric bypass can be
performed using a laparoscope. This less-invasive technique allows the
surgeon to make smaller incisions, which lowers the risk of large scars and
hernias after the procedure. First, small incisions are
made in your abdomen. The surgeon passes slender surgical instruments through
these narrow openings. The surgeon also passes a camera (laparoscope) through
one of these small openings and watches through a lens and video monitor to
do the surgery. TYPES OF WEIGHT LOSS
SURGERIES Weight loss surgery can be
divided into three types:
Gastric bypass surgeries are
combination procedures that use both restriction and malabsorption to achieve
weight loss. Because it is a combination
approach, it tends to be more successful for weight loss than purely
restrictive surgeries. However, your body may not absorb vitamins and
minerals properly. Restrictive-only procedures
are not as successful. It is easy to "cheat" and eat too much food,
over-stretching the newly created stomach pouch. A newer procedure, called the
Lap-Band, uses a band around the upper part of the stomach, creating a
small pouch to hold food. The band limits the amount of food you can eat, and
increases the time it takes the intestines to digest the
food. Your doctor can later adjust the band to allow food to pass more
slowly or quickly through your digestive system. Possible complications
include nausea, vomiting and gastroesophageal reflux. Gastric bypass surgery may be
an option if you are significantly obese and have tried unsuccessfully to
lose weight on diet and exercise programs and are unlikely to lose weight
successfully with non-surgical methods. Gastric bypass surgery is not
a "quick fix" for obesity. The surgery can take several hours and
has risks and possible complications. For example, vomiting following the
surgery is not uncommon because of eating more than the new, small stomach
can accommodate. Your commitment to diet and
exercise must be very strong because even after the surgery, you must adhere
to these lifestyle changes. Otherwise, complications from the surgery are
likely to develop. The procedure may be
considered for obese individuals who have:
LAPAROSCOPY Not everyone is a candidate
for the laparoscopic (minimally invasive) approach. You are probably NOT a
good candidate for laparoscopy if you weigh more than 350 pounds. Others who
have had past abdominal surgery may also not be candidates, due to scar
tissue. Your surgeon will determine the best and safest approach for you. The risks of gastric bypass
surgery include:
Follow up surgeries may be
less likely if gastric bypass is performed with a laparoscope. Another common complication
from gastric bypass is "dumping syndrome." The symptoms often
include:
You can lessen these symptoms
by following your dietitian's guidelines very carefully, especially during
the first two months after surgery. The weight loss results of
gastric bypass surgery are generally good. Most patients lose an average of
10 pounds per month and reach a stable weight between 18 and 24 months after
surgery. Often, the greatest rate of weight loss occurs in the very beginning
(that is, just following the surgery when you are still on a liquid diet). After the surgery, you will
need to follow up with your doctor fairly often during the first year. During
those visits, your physician will be evaluating your physical and mental
health status, including any change in weight and your nutritional needs. You
will likely see a dietitian during those visits as well. The surgery is not a solution
in and of itself. While it can train you to eat smaller quantities and feel
full more quickly, you still have to do much of the work. To achieve weight
loss and avoid complications from the procedure, you must exercise and eat
properly -- according to important, healthy guidelines that your doctor and nutritionist
will teach you. Most people typically stay in
the hospital for a few days or less after gastric bypass surgery. Some may
need to stay 4 - 5 days. Your doctor will approve your discharge to home once
you can do the following:
You will remain on liquid or
pureed food for several weeks after the surgery. Even after that time, you
will feel full very quickly, sometimes only being able to take a few bites of
solid food. This is because the new stomach pouch initially only holds a
tablespoonful of food. The pouch eventually expands. However, it will hold no
more than about one cup of thoroughly chewed food (a normal stomach can hold
up to one quart). Upon follow up, your doctor
will determine if you need replacement of iron, calcium, vitamin B12, or
other nutrients. Supplements, such as a multivitamin with minerals, will be
prescribed to provide any nutrients that you may not be getting from your
diet. This lack of nutrients can occur because you are eating less and
because the food moves through your digestive system more quickly. Once your diet begins to
consist of more solid food, remember to chew each bite very slowly and
thoroughly. You will be instructed on
eating small meals frequently throughout the day, rather than large meals
that your stomach cannot accommodate. Your new stomach probably
won’t be able to handle both solid food and fluids at the same time. So, you
should separate fluid and food intake by at least 30 minutes and only sip
what you are drinking. You won’t be able to tolerate
large amounts of fat, alcohol, or sugar. You should reduce your fat intake,
especially fast food meals, deep-fried foods, and high-fat foods, as well as
high-sugar foods like cakes, cookies, and candy. Exercise and the support of
others (for example, joining a support group with people who have undergone
weight loss surgery) are extremely important to help you lose weight and maintain
that loss following gastric bypass. You can generally resume exercise 6 weeks
after the operation. Even sooner than that, you will be able to take short
walks at a comfortable pace, with the approval and guidance of your doctor.
Exercise improves your metabolism, while both exercise and attending a group
support can boost your self-esteem and help you stay motivated. Source: AIH |
The GI values are a measure of 1 to 100
where pure glucose has a value of 100
Traditional complex
carbohydrates like rice and potatoes were absorbed slowly, and that simple
and refined carbohydrates, like candies and jams resulted in a sharp rise in
blood sugar. This is not always the case. There are more considerations
involved than just simple vs complex or refined vs. natural. GI and
Weight Loss Eating foods with a low GI
value tend to provide a feeling of fullness for longer and therefore assist
those trying to eat less or lose weight. Diabetics can now choose their foods
in a more controlled manner. The GI factor is not the key
to all weight loss, but it is another excellent another tool. A diet rich in
low GI foods is a good diet, provided that there is nutritional variety. |
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Interval
training, you alternate between bursts of higher-intensity exercise and
periods of less-intense exercise (or "active rest"). As you get more
fit, you decrease the "rest" time and increase the high-intensity
periods. You'll see big fitness gains if you train this way regularly.
According to
the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short,
high intensity exercise. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity
exercise such as intervals are better than long, slow endurance exercise, but
you may pay a price, there are dangers in intensity exercise, so read up,
before you begin this regime. If you now run for 30 minutes
at 6 mph, try jogging for five minutes to warm up. Then, increase your
speed to 6.0 mph for one to two minutes (don't push it, if you can't go that
long). Then, jog for a few minutes at your normal speed, then again at the
faster speed, and so on until you reach your time limit. Your ratio of work
to active rest would be 2:3 if you ran for two minutes at 6.0-6.5 mph, then
jogged for three minutes at 6 mph. You can also use your heart
rate to set intervals. For example, if your heart rate hits 70% of your
maximum when you jog at 6 mph, start at that speed. Then increase either your
speed or elevation (if you're on a treadmill) to get your heart rate to 85%
or 90% of maximum for one to three minutes. Then, go back to jogging at the
70% heart rate, and continue alternating. As your fitness improves,
your heart rate will be lower at the higher speeds, and then you can spend
more time at those speeds. A good starting ratio of work to active rest is
1:3; you can always vary the ratios if they turn out to be too hard or too
easy. Those who train for sports
fitness, recommend interval training just once a week to start, as it is more
intense than one is usually used to. Once you get the hang for it, you can do
it more often. |
HELPFUL
LINKS
(These website links are
listed as a convenience to our visitors. If you choose to use these links,
we take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties)
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Quicktip: Eating a diet rich in fiber helps keep your digestive system healthy and can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Women need at least 25 grams fiber every day and men need more than 35 grams. |
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Good Bacteria: Used for centuries as natural components in
health-promoting foods. Probiotics are the latest in the
category of good-for-you foods. Basically, they are "good" bacteria
added to foods or occurring naturally in certain yogurts, fermented dairy
drinks, and in supplement form. Probiotics have been used as a form of
treatment for a variety of gastrointestinal diseases including irritable
bowel, lactose intolerance, traveler's diarrhea, and antibiotic-induced
diarrhea. Science is not entirely sure,
but surmise that the good bacteria replace or crowd out the germs or bad
bacteria in the intestinal tract. Another theory is that the good bugs keep
the intestinal tract acidic where bad bugs can't survive. Our digestive
tracts are lined with more than 400 different kinds of good bacteria that
help fight off infection and keep us healthy. The largest group of good
bacteria is the one found in yogurt. By consuming foods with probiotics, you
can increase the number of healthy bacteria, boost your immunity, and promote
a healthy digestive system. Yogurt is a terrific snack or
part of a healthy meal and is a nutritional powerhouse, containing an
excellent source of calcium (450 milligrams per cup) and protein (13 grams
per cup). Choose yogurts with live and active cultures that are low-fat or
nonfat without lots of extra sugar. Do pay close attention to the expiration
date; live cultures do diminish in time. Probiotics are not an end-all to prevent or cure disease,
but they are considered safe since the good bacteria are already a part of
the digestive system. They offer a quick and easy first line of defense along
with a healthy diet. Managing
Lactose Intolerance As lactic acid bacteria (LAB)
actively convert lactose into lactic acid, ingestion of certain active
strains may help lactose intolerant individuals tolerate more lactose than
what they would have otherwise. In practice probiotics are not specifically
targeted for this purpose, as most are relatively low in lactase activity as
compared to the normal yogurt
bacteria. Prevention
of Colon Cancer In laboratory investigations,
some strains of LAB have demonstrated anti-mutagenic effects thought to be
due to their ability to bind with heterocyclic amines; carcinogenic
substances formed in cooked meat. Animal studies have demonstrated that some
LAB can protect against colon cancer in rodents, though human data is limited
and conflicting. Most human trials have found that the strains tested may
exert anti-carcinogenic
effects by decreasing the activity of an enzyme called β-glucuronidase
(which can generate carcinogens in the digestive system). Lower rates of
colon cancer among higher consumers of fermented dairy products have been
observed in some population studies. Cholesterol
Lowering Animal studies have
demonstrated the efficacy of a range of LAB to be able to lower serum
cholesterol levels, presumably by breaking down bile in the gut,
thus inhibiting its re-absorption (which enters the blood as cholesterol).
Some, but not all human trials have shown that dairy foods fermented with
specific LAB can produce modest reductions in total and LDL
cholesterol levels in those with normal levels to begin with, however trials
in hyperlipidemic subjects are needed. Lowering
Blood Pressure Several small clinical trials
have shown that consumption of milk fermented with various strains of LAB can
result in modest reductions in blood pressure. It is thought that this is due
to the ACE inhibitor-like peptides produced during fermentation. Improving
Immune Function and Preventing Infections Helicobacter
pylori LAB are thought to aid in the
treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections (which cause peptic ulcers)
in adults when used in combination with standard medical treatments. Antibiotic-associated
diarrhea A meta-analysis suggested
probiotics may reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea. A subsequent randomized
controlled trial also found benefit in elderly patients. Reducing
Inflammation LAB foods and supplements
have been found to modulate inflammatory and hypersensitivity
responses, an observation thought to be at least in part due to the
regulation of cytokine function. Clinical studies suggest that they can
prevent reoccurrences of inflammatory bowel disease in adults, as well as
improve milk allergies
and decrease the risk of atopic eczema in children. Improving
Mineral Absorption It is hypothesized that
probiotic lactobacilli may help correct malabsorption of trace minerals,
found particularly in those with diets high in phytate content from whole grains,
nuts, and legumes. Prevents
Harmful Bacterial Growth Under Stress In a study done to see the
effects of stress on intestinal flora, rats that were fed probiotics had
little occurrence of harmful bacteria latched onto their intestines compared
to rats that were fed sterile water. Irritable
Bowel Syndrome and Colitis Points to
Consider
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Agility:
Agility is
defined as the ability to quickly react to outside stimuli without losing
balance, stability or postural alignment. Jumping rope, playing catch, working
outside in your yard, or simply playing with a child. these are excellent
methods for developing agility. |
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The Institute of Health's
Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations allow for a wide range of
protein intake -- anywhere from 10% to 35% of total calories -- for normal,
healthy adults. For example, on an 1,800-calorie diet, you could safely
consume anywhere from 45 grams (that's 10% of calories) to 218 grams (35%) of
protein per day. A
nutritionally balanced
diet provides adequate protein. Protein supplements are rarely needed by
healthy people. The amount of recommended daily protein depends upon your age and health. Two to three servings of protein-rich food will meet the daily needs of most adults. The following are the
recommended serving sizes for protein:
Select lean meat, poultry
without skin, fish, and dried beans, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products
often. These are the protein choices that are the lowest in fat.
Amino
acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins.
When proteins are digested, amino acids are left. The human body requires a
number of amino acids to grow and breakdown food. Amino acids are classified
into two groups:
Source: NIH.gov A diet based on an increased
intake of foods high in protein have been shown in a number of studies to
give an added boost to dieters by helping them increase weight loss, increase
loss of body fat, and reduce the loss of muscle tissue. It's recommended that your
diet should contain 25 to 35 percent protein for weight loss and between 20
to 25 percent protein for weight maintenance. In either situation the protein
in the food should be high quality. Protein requires more energy
to digest than other foods helping you to use more calories and therefore may
help with weight loss. Also, protein helps to
preserve lean muscle tissue while you lose fat. If your body doesn't get
enough protein and the important essential amino acids on a daily basis it
will simple take the protein from existing muscle tissue. Protein foods also help to
slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn
reduces hunger by reducing insulin levels and making it easier for the body
to burn fat. Protein' regardless of the
types of foods high in protein it comes from, contains 4 calories per gram. Next to water, protein is the
most plentiful substance in the body. Muscles, skin, eyes, individual cells
and your immune system are just a few of your body parts comprised primarily
of protein. Protein is the main building
block of your body. It's essential that your entire body receives enough
protein from food to ensure proper growth and maintenance. Protein foods also
provide you with essential amino acids that your body cannot manufacture
itself. |
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These consist of food that has not been
cooked, pasteurized, processed, or heated above 115 degrees F. |
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Rubber
exercise tubing and bands are terrific alternatives to dumbbells and other
resistance exercise equipment. They are inexpensive, portable, pack well for
road trips, won't dent the floor or mash your toe if you drop them, and you
can perform every dumbbell exercise with them and more. The difference
between tubing and bands is that bands are flat sheets of thin elastic rubber,
usually six to eight inches wide, and come with or without a handle, while
tubing is round and almost always sold with handles. The tubing bungies are
easier to use because of the handles, and they tend to last longer than
bands. Tubes and bands come in
different colors to represent different resistance higher resistance is
accomplished by making the rubber thicker but since manufacturers use
different color coding systems and typically provide no information about the
level of resistance of each color, it's hard to know how they compare to
dumbbells and machines in terms of weight. In other words, are you lifting
five pounds with a yellow tube or 10 pounds with a green band? Follow the same principles
with elastic tubes that you would with dumbbells. Be sure to warm up and cool
down, do stretches in "sets", and let your mussels rest for at
least a day or two between workouts. One of the difficulties in
identifying the amount of resistance is that tension in rubber changes as you
stretch it. For instance, the tension in an exercise tube when you first
start to pull on it during a biceps curl is less than when you fully stretch
it. In fact, some research shows that tension is not constant in the tube
until it is stretched beyond 50% of its starting length, while other research
shows that tension may not be constant until the elastic is stretched more
than two and a half times its original length. The mechanical stretch
properties of elastic vary based on thickness, age of the rubber, how much it
is used, how quickly it is stretched, and other factors, and so it's
difficult to quantify with certainty the "weight" of each tube or
band that you stretch. However, in one well-executed
study, researchers were able to quantify the weight-equivalent of tubing and
bands using sophisticated strain gauges. They measured tubing and bands from
the Thera-Band Company (yellow, red, green, blue, black, and sliver tubing;
yellow, green, and black bands) and stretched them under many different
conditions. They found the following when the elastic was stretched to twice
(or 100% of) its starting length: Bands Yellow:
2.9 pounds Tubing Yellow:
0.5 pounds Stretching each tube and band
another 100% in this study yielded about one and a half times more tension,
so when the green tube was stretched to 200% of its original length, the
weight equivalent was approximately seven pounds. Keep in mind that not all
manufacturers use the same color or quality of rubber, so these values are
specific only to the tubes and bands used in the study. Also keep in mind
that rubber loses its elasticity after many uses. One study showed that
tension started to decrease slightly after just 50 full (100%) stretches,
while in another study it took 500 stretches to reduce the tension in the
bands and tubes by 12% and 6%, respectively. Whether you will notice the
difference is hard to say, and so you should pay attention to the resistance
over time. You can purchase new tubes or bands if you notice the elasticity
decreasing, or alternatively, increase the tension by wrapping them around
your hands a few times and shortening them. Shortening the elastic increases
the tension (another benefit of tubes and bands). Using Tubing and Bands Exercises |
Benefits
Cardiorespiratory fitness (aerobic
fitness or "cardio") is the ability of your heart to pump stronger
and more efficiently and your muscles to use oxygen more efficiently. As you
get more aerobically fit, your heart will pump more blood and oxygen with
each beat (this is called "stroke volume") and your muscles will
extract (or consume) more oxygen. Running improves your aerobic fitness
by increasing the activity of enzymes and hormones that stimulate the muscles
and the heart to work more efficiently. What is
important is that you maintain some type of exercise once you reach your goal
weight, because it's generally accepted that exercise is the single best
predictor of keeping your weight off. Whether you walk or run won't matter The following tips for correct
running form are adapted from "Runner's World Magazine"
and "Jeff Galloway". Head: You should look forward toward the horizon when you run.
To do that, keep your head on top of your spine and do not bend forward or
look down at your feet. Your head weighs at least 13 pounds, and you don't
want it dragging you down with forward-head posture! The emphasis is on
keeping your body erect, because you're fighting gravity when you lean
forward (it's okay if you look down at the ground at least 20 feet ahead of
you since you won't lean forward to do that). Keep your face and jaw relaxed,
too; it's okay if they shake and bounce as you run. Shoulders: Keep them relaxed and loose.
Shrugging, tightening, and creating tension in your shoulders and neck will
waste energy and deplete you quickly. Stay loose as a goose! Torso: As Jeff Galloway says, "Your
torso's only along for the ride." Track coaches describe the ideal
posture as running tall, which means that you stretch yourself up to full
height with no strain from the torso. This will allow you to breathe
maximally and put your body in the optimal biomechanical position for moving
forward. Hips: Your hips are close to your center of gravity and will
be in proper alignment if your torso and head are aligned. If you lean
forward, your hips will tilt forward too and that will strain your lower
back. Legs: Sprinters lift their knees very high when they run, but
for distance running, and even shorter distances, keep your knees low. It
takes a lot of energy to lift your knees, and even running a mile will be
tough if you do so. Instead, quicker ankle action will help you increase your
speed. Ankles: Your ankles are efficient levers that have the potential
for great power when you run. Feel your calf muscles and ankles work as you
push off on each step. Arms: Arms should remain close to the body and swing forward
and back and not across your body to minimize torso rotation (the exception
is Bill Rodgers who had memorably wide elbows when he ran). Your hands should
not cross the midline of your body (imagine a line drawn right down the
center of your chest). The swing should be held low, elbows bent at a 90-degree
angle and relaxed. You should do most of the work with your lower arms; the
upper arms should not move very much. Hands: Cup your hands by gently touching your thumb to the top
half of your index fingers. It's as if you are holding a small bird that you
don't want to fly away but you don't want to squeeze too tight either. Additional tips Breathing tips: Lift your chest up and out while running to breathe
deeply. Also exhale fully; this will increase your inhalation. Keep some
focus on your torso, neck, and shoulders, too. Tight muscles will constrict
breathing, so work on maintaining a relaxed posture when you run. Running uphill: Maintain your rhythm and the same
level of effort but shorten your stride and slow down as you climb. Running
downhill: Let gravity work so the hill pulls
you down, but stay in control. Your stride will lengthen, but don't let it
lengthen too much because the pounding will fatigue your legs. |
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QT: Protein helps preserve muscle mass and
encourages fat burning while keeping you feeling full. So be sure to include
healthy protein sources, like yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans, at meals and
snacks. |
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There are
different varieties of lettuce, such as iceberg, leaf, spinach, escarole,
romaine, or butter. The darker lettuces offer more vitamins than pale
iceberg, for example. Spinach has iron, and all varieties are low in
calories. One cup of shredded lettuce has about 5 to 10 calories. *Calories in Egg
Whites Egg whites are
very low in calories, have no fat, no cholesterol, and are loaded with
protein. The egg white is less likely than the yolk to harbor dangerous
salmonella, but due to the health risks that raw eggs present, consumption is
highly discouraged by medical experts. (The yolk is very high in
cholesterol, containing more than two-thirds of the recommended daily limit
of 300 mg! The good news is the yolk has many health strengths necessary for
immunity, healthy skin, nerves and vision. The yolk contains good amounts of
B Vitamins, Vitamin A, iron and riboflavin) Nuts Low Calorie Chicken or Tuna salad.
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You may feel guilty about
snacking, but snacks aren't necessarily bad. In fact, mini meals several
times a day can be beneficial. Here's how:
Power Snacks: (Protein rich)
Source: Department of Agriculture |
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SOUP DIETS |
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Many have had
success with soup diets, although they do take a little getting used to. They
are very popular among many, the diet is based on the fact that liquid
aliments, such as soups, which are low in calories, will make you feel full
and you will not feel the need to eat anything else. These soup diets are
also very healthy, especially the soy bean and cabbage soups. These
vegetables are very rich in protein and have low amounts of fats. In fact
medics have been recommending these types of soups for many tens of years
now, for these certain reasons. Many advertised diets, such as the South
Beach diet or Weight Watchers include assortments of soups, especially soy
bean and lentil. These foods are very efficient in weight loosing because
they are easy to digest and contain far fewer calories than any other
aliment. |
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A proper diet and exercise are the mainstays
for a healthy lifestyle, although many Americans turn to costly fad diets and
exercise programs that fail to provide weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.
Gradual weight loss and good health include developing healthy eating habits
and increasing daily physical activity. The
lack of sleep is known as insomnia and is termed as sleeplessness. Sleep is a
periodic state of rest for the body, which is very important for its
efficient functioning. It gives relief from tension and worries. The amount
of sleep varies from one person to another. Normally 7-8 hours of sleep every
night is normal. Insomnia deprives the person with mental rest and interferes
with the daily activities.
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Up Your Exercise Intensity to Reduce Stress, (within
reason), some common sense is applicable here. Exercise has
long been touted as a means of improving physical fitness. Recently, research
has made the mind-body connection and found it beneficial to mental health as
well. Exercise can help relieve stress and anxiety by: Some stress is a
normal part of living, and the same circumstances can produce different
levels of stress among different people. |
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Sugar cravings can really test your willpower. Luckily,
sweets can be savored without disrupting your diet. The next time an "I
must have sugar now" feeling strikes, satisfy your sweet tooth with one
of these diet-friendly delights. Crave: Candy
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QT: Take your lunch to work. - Eat mostly veggies or fruit for lunch, ideally 1/2 - Sit when you eat - |
Crave: Cookies
Sweet Substitute: Light Bites
Can't seem to keep your hand out of the cookie jar?
Satisfy your inner cookie monster with a handful of caramel rice cakes, two
graham crackers topped with light jelly, or a few vanilla wafers. Hankering
for your favorite campfire cookie? Try melting a marshmallow between two
chocolate graham crackers to create a more sensible smores.
Crave: Sugary Drinks
Sweet Substitute: Better-for-You Beverages
Some sugar cravings come in the liquid variety. But sweet
drinks can be just as detrimental to your diet as that bag of candy. Load
your fridge with flavored water, light lemonade, and low-calorie fruit juice.
Curl up with a cup of low-fat hot chocolate to curb a late-night sugar
craving. And stay away from soda even in its diet disguise. Research shows
diet sodas can increase hunger pangs, making it even harder to keep your diet
in check.
Crave: Chocolate
Sweet Substitute: Chocolate-Flavored Treats
Outsmart
your chocolate appetite by keeping the chocolate flavor, but ditching the
calories and fat. Many healthy foods are masked with a chocolate-flavored
finish. Low-fat pudding cups, frozen (or regular) yogurt, graham crackers,
granola bars, and rice cakes all offer chocolate-flavored varieties. Your
taste buds will never know the difference.
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QT: Juice has
as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass
of fruit juice a day. |
Crave: Cake and Ice Cream
Sweet Substitute: Sensible Sweets
Resist the
urge to indulge in these high-calorie sweets by opting for a more sensible
selection. Craving a piece of cake? Try a slice of angel food cake. When an
ice-cream urge hits, opt for low-fat frozen yogurt or a scoop of sorbet. A
simple sweet swap is all it takes to have your cake and eat it, too.
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Vitamins and minerals intake must be balanced. If not,
increasing dosages of one vitamin may decrease absorption of another.
Niacin is a B complex vitamin that your body needs for
protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. When taken in large amounts of more
than 1,000 milligrams a day, the vitamin also lowers elevated blood
cholesterol levels. There are two forms of this vitamin, niacin and
niacinamide, but only niacin has the cholesterol-lowering effect. Niacin also
has a side effect, however-an annoying feeling of warmth and skin flushing
that results from its function of promoting histamine release, which dilates
small blood vessels in the skin.
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Weight, age,
gender, size, metabolism and activity level all
influence the calories you need to maintain health and steady weight. In
general, men need more calories than women; bigger, younger or more active
people need more calories than smaller, older or the less active. |
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Always
consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any
program. A brisk walk for at least 30
minutes at least five days a week improves your overall health. Another way
to gauge your efforts is in steps. Research shows most people take about 2,000
to 4,000 steps a day. Aim for 10,000 steps a day to really improve your
health. It's not as hard as it might sound. A step counter, or pedometer Pedometers, also called step
counters, clip to a belt or waistband and count the steps the wearer takes
during the day. Calories burned per hour:
Try to add
two minutes to your sessions each week. Remember your walking time should
also include a few minutes to warm up, cool down and stretch. Don't worry if
you can only manage a 10-15 minute walk at first. Your pace and endurance
increases the more you walk. Legwork 1.
A common mistake for beginners when trying to walk fast is lengthening the
stride (over-striding). Over-striding is biomechanically inefficient and can
slow you down. It will burn more calories because it's inefficient (which
might be a good thing), but you may burn fewer calories overall because you
don't walk as far due to fatigue. Footwork 1.
Walk heel to toe and not flatfooted to increase speed. Hips 1.
Rotate your hips forward and backward as you walk. Torso 1.
Keep your torso upright. Leaning forward or back will slow you down. Arm work 1.
Keep your elbows at 90 degrees. Head, neck, and
shoulders 1.
Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. Head should be upright, eyes looking
forward. |
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Lack of water can lead to
dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your
body to carry on normal functions. Even mild dehydration - as little as a 1
percent to 2 percent loss of your body weight - can sap your energy and make
you tired. Dehydration poses a particular health risk for the very young and
the very old. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
How much water do you
need? This isn't an easy question
to answer. A healthy adult's daily fluid intake can vary widely. Most people
drink fluid to quench thirst, to supply perceived water needs and "out
of habit." At least three approaches estimate total fluid (water) needs
for healthy, sedentary adults living in a temperate climate.
You can
choose any of these fluid intake approaches to gauge your fluid needs. But
your current total fluid intake is probably OK if you drink enough water to
quench your thirst, produce a colorless or slightly yellow normal amount of
urine, and feel well.
Sources:
You don't need to sip from your water bottle all day to satisfy your fluid
needs. Your diet, including the beverages you drink, can provide a large
portion of what you need. In an average adult diet, food provides about 20
percent of total water intake. The remaining 80 percent comes from beverages
of all kinds. Fruits and
vegetables - besides being good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber -
contain lots of water. For example, oranges are 87 percent water, and
cucumbers are 95 percent water. Milk, juice and other beverages also have
large amounts of water. Conversely, dried fruits, nuts, grain products and
baked goods generally contain less water. If you're healthy and not in
any dehydrating conditions, you can generally use your thirst as an indicator
of when to drink water. But thirst isn't always an adequate gauge of your
body's need for fluid replenishment. The older you are, the less you're able
to sense that you're thirsty. And during vigorous exercise, an important
amount of your fluid reserves may be lost before you feel thirsty. So, make
sure that you're sufficiently hydrated before, during and after exercise. Increased thirst and
increased urination, both in volume and frequency, can be signs and symptoms
of diabetes. With diabetes, excess blood sugar (glucose) in your body draws
water from your tissues, making you feel dehydrated. To quench your thirst,
you drink a lot of water and other beverages and that leads to more frequent
urination. If you notice unexplained increases in your thirst and urination,
see your doctor. It may not necessarily mean you have diabetes. It could be
something else. And some people consume large amounts of water and experience
increased urine output not associated with any underlying disease. Diabetes - Staying safely
hydrated
If you drink water from a
bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often. Every time you drink,
bacteria from your mouth contaminate water in the bottle. If you use a bottle
repeatedly, make sure that the bottle is designed for reuse. To keep it
clean, wash your container in hot, soapy water or run it through a dishwasher
before refilling it. Though uncommon, it's
possible to drink too much water. Drinking excessive amounts can overwhelm
your kidneys' ability to get rid of the water. This can lead to hyponatremia,
a condition in which excess water intake dilutes the normal amount of sodium
in the blood. People who are older, who have certain medical conditions such
as congestive heart failure and cirrhosis, or who are taking certain
diuretics are at higher risk of hyponatremia.
Tips For a Healthier Life:
Eat more fruits. Fruits are a plethora of vitamins and minerals. Do you know that oranges offer more health benefits than Vitamin C pills? Taking in synthetic supplements are not the same as consuming the foods direct from nature. Fill your palate with these 10 most nutritious fruits: Watermelon, Apricots, Avocado, Apple, Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Guava, Papaya, Strawberries.
Pick bright colored foods. Fruits and vegetables with bright colors are usually
high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are good for health because they remove
free radicals in our body that damage our cells. So get your fill of fruits/vegetables
of different colors: White (Bananas, Mushroom), Yellow (Pineapples, Mango),
Orange (Orange, Papaya), Red (Apple, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon), Green
(Guava, Avocados, Cucumber, Lettuce, Celery), Purple/Blue (Blackberries,
Eggplant, Prunes).
The amount of water we need is dependent on various factors such as the
humidity, our physical activity, and your weight, but generally we need 2.7-3.7
litres of water intake! Since food intake contributes about 20% of our fluid
intake, that means we need to drink about 2.0-3.0 litres of water, or about
8-10 glasses (now you know how the 8 glasses recommendation came about!). One
way to tell if you’re hydrated – your urine should be colorless or slightly
yellow. If it’s not, you’re not getting enough water! Other signs include: Dry
lips, dry mouth and little urination.
The absolute best foods to eat
The way to eat healthy is simple. Eat only uncooked vegetables unless they
require cooking, e.g. lima beans. Cooking kills the nutrients and makes it a
lot harder to prepare. Get all your fruit juice by eating whole fruit, no fruit
juices, because they are processed and fructose corn syrup can be added as well
as other ingredients. The best way to get your vitamin C is grape fruits. They
contain almost sugar, unlike orange juice, apple juice and others. Eat nuts
such as walnuts, pecan and others. Choose the ones lower in fat. Eat sardines
as a snack. Do not consume any sodas. Drink only water. Have your water tested
and if need be you could add a water filtration system. Don't buy bottled water
unless necessary. Don't drink anything out of plastic jugs, because it is
poison. A good way to give the water some taste is to add some juice of whole
fruits that you squeezed yourself. Do not consume any dairy products. You
should only eat meats that come from the sea or wild game. Cod and Haddock are
good fish choices, because they are cheap and low in fat. You follow this diet
plan and the weight will fall of you over night. Don't even think about eating
fast food. Don't buy processed cane sugar, if sugar must be used, then use
honey. The only supplements you use is vitamin B6 and B12. Multi vitamins are a
joke. I followed this diet plan, because I was 5'10" and weight 219lbs.
Within 9 weeks I lost 38 lbs. without dieting and only moderate exercise.
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QT: Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag, rest assured, you will savor it. |
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