Sorry that I have not posted in a while. I have been trying for a few days but it would not let me into my blog. Not sure what the problem was. Anyways, heres some great ways to cheat on your diet once in a while so you dont fall off completely.
Who would have thought anyone would say them two things together. Healthy and sins just don’t go together. It’s not something you hear to often, but it’s something I am bringing together. Sometimes you just want to eat bad things. There is nothing wrong with that. The key is moderation. You just have to learn this and you will be okay.
Fast Food Cheeseburger- If you are anything like I was, you just love the taste of fast food burgers. I don’t know if it’s all the stuff they pile on, the grease dripping out, or what it is, but I just loved fast food. The convience didn’t even have anything to do with it. Since I have changed my lifestyle, I have of course given up fast food. That is just how it works. If you are craving that cheeseburger, then give in. Just give in once in a while. I have had one cheeseburger in 3 months. So make sure it’s once in a while. When you go to McDonalds or another favorite place, order a kids meal with a water, or do like I did and just order a cheeseburger and water. I didn’t touch the fries or pop.
Chocolate- What person doesn’t like chocolate? Unless you are like my youngest and allergic to it, you have nothing holding you back. So eat some. You can not give up everything you love and expect to be okay with it all. I found a great 60 calorie chocolate stick. It’s made by Hershey’s. If you are out and about and have to have a piece, choose dark chocolate. It’s better for you.
Pop- So you love your pop and cant give it all up? Choose a diet pop once a week. Or keep an open one in the fridge, but tell yourself that’s all you can have for the entire week. Just take a few sips here and there. That’s what I did before I started my lifestyle change. I slowly eliminated the pop. I have only had water for almost 3 months now, and I don’t even miss pop anymore. Not like I use to.
So there are some great tips for you all to enjoy
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Cholesterol Facts and Myths
Every wonder what’s true about your cholesterol and what’s not so true? Having high cholesterol can lead to blockages in your artery and become the root of many other problems.
To lower your cholesterol you just need to change the way you eat. This is true and it’s not true. While you do need to change your diet, that’s not all you need to change. Changing diet alone will not change your cholesterol levels.
If you eat healthy, exercise regularly then you are not at risk for high cholesterol. This is a myth. Genetics play a large role in your cholesterol level.
If you’re taking medication, you don’t need to change your lifestyle. This is a myth also. You’re never going to get better unless you make changes in your life.
These are just a few myths and facts to get you going. Have your cholesterol levels checked frequently, specially if it runs in your family.
Total Cholesterols levels should be
Ideal... 200 or lower
Borderline... 201-239
High... 240 and up
If you have read this, and think you have high Cholesterol, then make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can. A doctor is the only one who can correctly diagnose this problem.
To lower your cholesterol you just need to change the way you eat. This is true and it’s not true. While you do need to change your diet, that’s not all you need to change. Changing diet alone will not change your cholesterol levels.
If you eat healthy, exercise regularly then you are not at risk for high cholesterol. This is a myth. Genetics play a large role in your cholesterol level.
If you’re taking medication, you don’t need to change your lifestyle. This is a myth also. You’re never going to get better unless you make changes in your life.
These are just a few myths and facts to get you going. Have your cholesterol levels checked frequently, specially if it runs in your family.
Total Cholesterols levels should be
Ideal... 200 or lower
Borderline... 201-239
High... 240 and up
If you have read this, and think you have high Cholesterol, then make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can. A doctor is the only one who can correctly diagnose this problem.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Healthy Food Swaps
Hey guys, I haven’t updated in a while, sorry about that. I am back in the game now. I am still losing weight though. I have lost 33 pounds total now!! How about you all? Anyone following all the great advice I am giving and losing some weight? I thought we would talk about swapping. Here are some foods you can swap out to save calories.
Corn Flakes- While these are good, Bran flakes with raisins are much better for you. Bran is where your fiber comes from, and you need your fiber.
Raisin Bagel- We all know bagels are fast in the morning. So you don’t have to stop eating bagels on your way to work. Skip your raisin bagel and purchase mini bagels. You can eat two mini bagels per one regular bagel and save around 150 calories.
French Toast Sticks- Trade 4 of your sticks in for 2 whole wheat, or even whole grain waffles and you will save around 200 calories along with adding more fiber into your diet.
Corned Beef Sandwich- Try eating a ham or turkey sandwich instead. Corned beef is full of fat, and it’s not the good fat that your body needs.
Vegetable Soup- I know, you thought eating vegetable soup was good. It is good for you, but if you trade that in for split pea soup you will gain 10 more grams of protein.
Bread and Butter- How many of you love bread and butter with your dinner? My grandparents eat bread and butter every night with every dinner. If you are like them, why not swap it for baguette with vinegar and oil. If that’s not your style then switch to light wheat bread and use margarine instead of butter.
Hope these ideas have helped a few of you.
Corn Flakes- While these are good, Bran flakes with raisins are much better for you. Bran is where your fiber comes from, and you need your fiber.
Raisin Bagel- We all know bagels are fast in the morning. So you don’t have to stop eating bagels on your way to work. Skip your raisin bagel and purchase mini bagels. You can eat two mini bagels per one regular bagel and save around 150 calories.
French Toast Sticks- Trade 4 of your sticks in for 2 whole wheat, or even whole grain waffles and you will save around 200 calories along with adding more fiber into your diet.
Corned Beef Sandwich- Try eating a ham or turkey sandwich instead. Corned beef is full of fat, and it’s not the good fat that your body needs.
Vegetable Soup- I know, you thought eating vegetable soup was good. It is good for you, but if you trade that in for split pea soup you will gain 10 more grams of protein.
Bread and Butter- How many of you love bread and butter with your dinner? My grandparents eat bread and butter every night with every dinner. If you are like them, why not swap it for baguette with vinegar and oil. If that’s not your style then switch to light wheat bread and use margarine instead of butter.
Hope these ideas have helped a few of you.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Chocolate is Addicting
Just about everyone you know loves chocolate and they are probably close to being addicted to it, or they are flat out addicted to it. I know I love chocolate and so does everyone in my home. My youngest can not have chocolate though, he is allergic to it. Chocolate is a huge culprit to gaining weight. So if you stop most of your chocolate eating you’re going to lose weight in the long run. This does not mean you should give it up, because when you do that, you are just going to set yourself up to fail.
How many time have you herd someone say, don’t think about it and you wont want it. I hate when people say that. When you try not to think about things, what happens? You can’t get them thoughts out of your head no matter what you end up doing. Who can blame you, you’re only human. Research has shown that you will eat less when you think about it. Trying to avoid it only makes you consume twice as much when you get your hands on it. So instead of avoiding the thoughts, go ahead and think about it, just don’t give in as much.
A tip for you chocolate lovers out there. If you are going to eat chocolate then dark chocolate should be your choice. It’s better for you then milk chocolate. I found a great product at Walgreen’s the other day. Chocolate sticks. They are just think long bars of chocolate. They are near the 100 calorie packs. They contain 60 calories per stick. They have different flavors. I have the dark chocolate. Place this box of dark chocolate in the freezer. When you get a craving, have a stick. Since it’s frozen, it will last long and you will enjoy it better. I have found, eating one stick will cure my sweet tooth for a few days. And at 60 calories, I don’t feel guilty about it.
How many time have you herd someone say, don’t think about it and you wont want it. I hate when people say that. When you try not to think about things, what happens? You can’t get them thoughts out of your head no matter what you end up doing. Who can blame you, you’re only human. Research has shown that you will eat less when you think about it. Trying to avoid it only makes you consume twice as much when you get your hands on it. So instead of avoiding the thoughts, go ahead and think about it, just don’t give in as much.
A tip for you chocolate lovers out there. If you are going to eat chocolate then dark chocolate should be your choice. It’s better for you then milk chocolate. I found a great product at Walgreen’s the other day. Chocolate sticks. They are just think long bars of chocolate. They are near the 100 calorie packs. They contain 60 calories per stick. They have different flavors. I have the dark chocolate. Place this box of dark chocolate in the freezer. When you get a craving, have a stick. Since it’s frozen, it will last long and you will enjoy it better. I have found, eating one stick will cure my sweet tooth for a few days. And at 60 calories, I don’t feel guilty about it.
Friday, August 15, 2008
More Helpful Weight Loss Tips
So you liked the last round of tips and you’re itching for more? No problem there. I can help you out with that.
Support groups- Joining online support groups always seems to help. If you have people routing for your, and on your team, then its going to be a lot easier. I have found a wonderful forum, that really motivates me. We have challenges and team up, so it makes you want to really try, because I don’t want to lose my challenge. It also gives me people to talk to who are struggling just like me, and know how my daily challenges can be.
Tell people- You’re more likely to succeed if you tell people in your family or even friends what you are doing. Letting them know what you are doing and why you are doing it, makes you feel like you really have to see this thing through. I noticed the few other times, when I told just a select few, I fell off the wagon within a week. I have been going strong now for 5 weeks and I have lost 25 pounds. Now some of you may think there is no way I have lost that much. But I am a pretty big girl, and still have a very long road ahead of me, so it’s nothing but the truth. Telling people, has made me stick to it, because I can see how many people are proud of me, and I have a LOT of people telling me where they can tell I have lost weight. That just makes me feel so much better!
Pictures- I would never let anyone take my pictures. I got grossed out. I couldn’t believe I was so big. So I avoided the camera as much as possible. Well when I joined this forum 5 weeks ago, they all begged me. One of the challenges I wanted to join, it was a requirement. So I did it. I had my daughter take some pictures of me, and then I sat her on the computer and just cried as I stared at them. Four weeks later, I had my daughter take another set of pictures. I was in the same outfit, posing the same way. I could see small changes. My face, neck and my sides were a lot thinner. So every month I am going to keep taking pictures. On the days I feel like I just can’t do this anymore, I then come back and look at that first set of pics. It really motivates me.
Support groups- Joining online support groups always seems to help. If you have people routing for your, and on your team, then its going to be a lot easier. I have found a wonderful forum, that really motivates me. We have challenges and team up, so it makes you want to really try, because I don’t want to lose my challenge. It also gives me people to talk to who are struggling just like me, and know how my daily challenges can be.
Tell people- You’re more likely to succeed if you tell people in your family or even friends what you are doing. Letting them know what you are doing and why you are doing it, makes you feel like you really have to see this thing through. I noticed the few other times, when I told just a select few, I fell off the wagon within a week. I have been going strong now for 5 weeks and I have lost 25 pounds. Now some of you may think there is no way I have lost that much. But I am a pretty big girl, and still have a very long road ahead of me, so it’s nothing but the truth. Telling people, has made me stick to it, because I can see how many people are proud of me, and I have a LOT of people telling me where they can tell I have lost weight. That just makes me feel so much better!
Pictures- I would never let anyone take my pictures. I got grossed out. I couldn’t believe I was so big. So I avoided the camera as much as possible. Well when I joined this forum 5 weeks ago, they all begged me. One of the challenges I wanted to join, it was a requirement. So I did it. I had my daughter take some pictures of me, and then I sat her on the computer and just cried as I stared at them. Four weeks later, I had my daughter take another set of pictures. I was in the same outfit, posing the same way. I could see small changes. My face, neck and my sides were a lot thinner. So every month I am going to keep taking pictures. On the days I feel like I just can’t do this anymore, I then come back and look at that first set of pics. It really motivates me.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Atkins Diet- What is it?
The Atkins diet was created by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins. It didn't take long for the entire world to adapt to this new fad. But is it just a fad? Or could it be something that you might be able to benefit from?
I have tried the Atkins diet myself, and while I started losing weight on it, I don't think it was for me. Not that I couldn't do the whole low carb thing, but it just got a little to pricey for me. I do feel though, this diet can help you lose weight, while teaching you how to change your daily eating habits. Which is the key to losing weight and keeping it off.
The Atkins diet is basically a low carb diet with phases. During Phase one, you have a short list of food items that you can have. You basically eliminate every carb for two weeks here. It has been said now, that phase one is not a must, but an option now. However, I feel if your gonna do it, then do it right. So phase one you can not have any carbs. There is a list of items that you can have. Let me warn you now, that list is not all that large. I'm sure you can handle it for two weeks.
Once you have completed phase one, you will then move on to the next phase. Over a period of time, this diet slowly introduces carbs back into your daily eating habits. While doing this, it teaches you portion control. You can have carbs, just small amounts. This is also a good thing to learn. Remember, once you lose the weight, you have to know how to keep it off. So learning how to change your lifestyle of eating is key.
By eliminating the most of the carbs in your daily intake, your body will learn how to use other things, such as fat cells for energy. Thus, you start losing weight, because your body is using up everything that you have ate that day, and also some left over fat in your body.
For me, when I first started this diet, I was pretty tired. When you go from eating a lot of carbs daily, to eating none, it is gonna mess with you a little bit. So don't worry, if this happens to you, it will pass. In my personal opinion, I feel this diet is a really good diet, I just don't think its the one for me. It may or may not be the right one for you.
I have tried the Atkins diet myself, and while I started losing weight on it, I don't think it was for me. Not that I couldn't do the whole low carb thing, but it just got a little to pricey for me. I do feel though, this diet can help you lose weight, while teaching you how to change your daily eating habits. Which is the key to losing weight and keeping it off.
The Atkins diet is basically a low carb diet with phases. During Phase one, you have a short list of food items that you can have. You basically eliminate every carb for two weeks here. It has been said now, that phase one is not a must, but an option now. However, I feel if your gonna do it, then do it right. So phase one you can not have any carbs. There is a list of items that you can have. Let me warn you now, that list is not all that large. I'm sure you can handle it for two weeks.
Once you have completed phase one, you will then move on to the next phase. Over a period of time, this diet slowly introduces carbs back into your daily eating habits. While doing this, it teaches you portion control. You can have carbs, just small amounts. This is also a good thing to learn. Remember, once you lose the weight, you have to know how to keep it off. So learning how to change your lifestyle of eating is key.
By eliminating the most of the carbs in your daily intake, your body will learn how to use other things, such as fat cells for energy. Thus, you start losing weight, because your body is using up everything that you have ate that day, and also some left over fat in your body.
For me, when I first started this diet, I was pretty tired. When you go from eating a lot of carbs daily, to eating none, it is gonna mess with you a little bit. So don't worry, if this happens to you, it will pass. In my personal opinion, I feel this diet is a really good diet, I just don't think its the one for me. It may or may not be the right one for you.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Diet Pills- Do or Dont
This conversation can bring up many arguments on so many levels. So what should you do? How do you know if you should choose a diet pill, or if you shouldn't? And if you choose to take one, which one should you take?
First let me say this. There is no magic Diet pill out there. NONE. So now that you know that, we can actually think about this a little bit more. How do you know which pill to start taking? That answer is simple, you don't. You don't have a clue as to which one you should be trying, and lets not talk about how much money you will waste trying to figure it out. Try going to your doctor and asking for help. They might suggest something to you. I believe there are diet pills out there that are safe to use. There is just very few of them, so the bad outweighs the good, and people start to assume all diet pills are bad. You cant really assume this. Asking your doctor will help you.
Now ask yourself, why do you want a diet pill? Your probably over weight and would like to lose weight. This is fine, but do you know, your gonna be over weight for the rest of your life, unless you make changes. These changes need to be what you eat, portion control and exercises. Even if you find a pill that helps you lose the weight, you have to make these changes so you don't gain it all back. Otherwise you will be starting right back at the beginning.
I'm not trying to say that all diet pills are bad. I just think you should really look into it, and maybe find one that will help suppress your diet, more then fill you with all these promises to make you lose all this fat. Finding one under your doctors care that helps suppress your diet will be your best choice. Then , with the help of these pills you can learn how to change your eating habits and your daily activities.
First let me say this. There is no magic Diet pill out there. NONE. So now that you know that, we can actually think about this a little bit more. How do you know which pill to start taking? That answer is simple, you don't. You don't have a clue as to which one you should be trying, and lets not talk about how much money you will waste trying to figure it out. Try going to your doctor and asking for help. They might suggest something to you. I believe there are diet pills out there that are safe to use. There is just very few of them, so the bad outweighs the good, and people start to assume all diet pills are bad. You cant really assume this. Asking your doctor will help you.
Now ask yourself, why do you want a diet pill? Your probably over weight and would like to lose weight. This is fine, but do you know, your gonna be over weight for the rest of your life, unless you make changes. These changes need to be what you eat, portion control and exercises. Even if you find a pill that helps you lose the weight, you have to make these changes so you don't gain it all back. Otherwise you will be starting right back at the beginning.
I'm not trying to say that all diet pills are bad. I just think you should really look into it, and maybe find one that will help suppress your diet, more then fill you with all these promises to make you lose all this fat. Finding one under your doctors care that helps suppress your diet will be your best choice. Then , with the help of these pills you can learn how to change your eating habits and your daily activities.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Healthy Food that help Reduce Illness
Eat an apple a day, keep the doctor away. How many times have you herd this saying? I know my mother use to say this all the time. I was never sure if she meant it, or was just trying to scare me a little. There is some truth to this saying though. Along with that apple, there are a number of other foods that can really help you with certain things.
Does your skin look dull during the day? Even with lotion you cant seem to get it glowing the way you would like it to? Try eating berries that are rich with antioxidants. Berries such as blackberries or raspberries. These are both really good choices. Try switching your food to whole grain food. This will help keep your blood sugar normal. When your blood sugar spikes it can damage collagen. Hence, making your skin look not so young and pretty.
Do have a hard time falling asleep? A lot of people in the world suffer from Insomnia. I have one that lives here, my Husband. It’s a horrible thing to suffer from, and something that you never really get use to. Try eating a banana every day. Since bananas are filled with vitamin B6, your more likely to get on a schedule. You should eat one every day though. B6 helps your internal clock. Which is the thing that tells you when you should fall asleep and when you should wake up again.
Cure that headache, or try and prevent it from even coming around. Headaches are one of the worst things you can get. They can prevent you from doing so many things. When your head hurts, seems like everything hurts as well. Black beans are great for headaches. Black beans are high in proteins, fiber and magnesium. All which can help you with your headache. Tuna which is loaded with omega-3s can also help your headache. Eating tuna just once a week, can help prevent them headaches from even showing up.
Does your skin look dull during the day? Even with lotion you cant seem to get it glowing the way you would like it to? Try eating berries that are rich with antioxidants. Berries such as blackberries or raspberries. These are both really good choices. Try switching your food to whole grain food. This will help keep your blood sugar normal. When your blood sugar spikes it can damage collagen. Hence, making your skin look not so young and pretty.
Do have a hard time falling asleep? A lot of people in the world suffer from Insomnia. I have one that lives here, my Husband. It’s a horrible thing to suffer from, and something that you never really get use to. Try eating a banana every day. Since bananas are filled with vitamin B6, your more likely to get on a schedule. You should eat one every day though. B6 helps your internal clock. Which is the thing that tells you when you should fall asleep and when you should wake up again.
Cure that headache, or try and prevent it from even coming around. Headaches are one of the worst things you can get. They can prevent you from doing so many things. When your head hurts, seems like everything hurts as well. Black beans are great for headaches. Black beans are high in proteins, fiber and magnesium. All which can help you with your headache. Tuna which is loaded with omega-3s can also help your headache. Eating tuna just once a week, can help prevent them headaches from even showing up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
