March is National Nutrition Month
Here's the 3 keys to making healthy changes:
1 Choose a variety of foods. Try different fruits and vegetables for a wider variety of nutrients!
2. Think of food as fuel and don't put alot of sugar in your tank!
3. Shake the salt habit make sure its less than 2,300 milligrams per day!
A little history, I have Graves
disease and was radiated in 1995. I remember watching everything I ever put into my sons mouth
thinking this was healthy and that wasn't but never bothered with myself because
my metabolism was burning high enough to handle the trash I was feeding
it. Well when I lost my natural thyroid function, I wished I had paid
attention to everything I ever learned in health class and joined a gym.
Well who remembers Susan Powter???
You know the woman way back in the early 90's who shaved her head and screamed
"STOP THE INSANITY!!!" and told us all to get off our butts and to
"eat, breathe and move!" Well there was Atkins, south beach,
weightwachers, the cookie diet and we can go on and on. None of them
really work. Dr
Phil came out with his book "the Ultimate Weight Solution" and
challenged everyone to stay alive in 2005. On Jan 15th, the Discovery
Health Channel challenged Americans to lose weight as part of the National
Health Challenge. Even Oprah has started her own Boot camp!
They all have one thing in common LIFESTYLE CHANGE! This is not a over
night thing, for most of us it will take months. The tools are all here
for us but the thing we really have to do is "eat, breathe and
move!" I got my inspiration from my mom who decided to get
healthy for herself and to make a conscious choice to be active when her
grandchildren got older, and that is what this has to be about. You have to
want to be healthy for you. Here are a few things that mom taught me and a
few things that I've tried along the way that have worked. I hope they
work for you. Good luck and remember to "eat,
breathe and move!"
1st things 1st if you smoke QUIT!
You cant move if you cant breath. I smoked for over 20 years and quit so if I can do it, I know you can. You'll thank yourself. Don't use the... I need to lose weight first as an excuse. Your lungs wont be any good when your thin if you don't stop now! Now moving along...
DRINK WATER - drink at least Eight 8-ounce glasses and if you don't like the taste try a slice of lemon. If you keep your kidneys full, your liver can work properly to metabolize fat.
WALK IT OFF - Walking is something that everyone can do no matter what fitness level your at. If you don't think your ready to make the mad leap into joining a gym, get up off of the couch and walk out the front door and to the end of the block, then the next day around it. Pretty soon, you'll be up to the 10,000 steps a day and that's about 500 to 600 calories. If the weather is a factor try walking at your local mall. You can window shop for all the new clothes your gonna buy when your thin.
FORGET THE SCALE - It can give an inaccurate reading of the positive changes occurring in your body. A woman's weight can fluctuate by four or more pounds over the course of three weeks due to fluid retention and where she is in her menstrual cycle. So if you're relying on what the numbers say rather than on how you feel and what your body looks like, you may end up disappointed, even if you're actually making progress. A better way to chart your efforts: Before you begin your weight-loss plan, take your measurements around your upper arms, across your bustling, at your waist and the fullest point of your hips, and around each thigh. Every three weeks, measure yourself again. Use how your clothes fit as a guide to how much progress your making!
EAT SOY - If your trying to lose those extra pounds around your tummy the best things are protein, yogurt and milk. Boca is a great soy burger and nuggets. Also, try soy milk in your morning cereal. I also shop at Trader Joe's for all kinds of great Soy items. Soy is also great for your cholesterol and your skin.
POMEGRANATE JUICE - The newest antioxidant to help prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's and it reminds me of weekends at grandma's. It's better than green tea. I prefer it to orange juice.
EAT SIX SMALL MEALS - Eating 6 small, protein-rich meals and snacks - spaced 2 to 3 hours apart - has been proven to be the most effective way to keep your metabolism going strong and to ensure that your energy levels remain constant throughout the day. You'll have more energy, less hunger, less cravings, better control of your blood sugar levels, reduced fat storage, and maintain and increase lean muscle mass. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals. Make sure you read the labels on dressings. Some salad dressings are very low calorie (Kraft Roasted Red Pepper) and are not diet. It's all about choice.
SENSIBLE DINNER - You know your in this for the long haul and I've found that Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine are really decent dinner options. Dinner is the hardest to control. Its easy to control breakfast and even a salad for lunch, but when you have to cook for and sit and eat with your family, portion control can get dicey. One of these dinners an a salad is the trick trust me.
EXERCISE - The best way to kick up your metabolism is to build those muscles. You can purchase inexpensive dumbbells and do curls in your home. You can lay on the floor and do abdominal leg raises. Lunges are great for your butt. If you want that belly back by summer I'd suggest that you get a workout ball. You may even want to try Yoga and Pilates.
REWARD YOURSELF - No I don't mean have a bowl of ice-cream, unless of course you want to keep dragging around your behind LOL. Try Tofutti or Soy Dream that wont make you feel so bad the next day when you have to work it off. What I mean is as you start to slim down don't dig your heals in and say I'm not buying anything new until I reach size X. That's just bull and you'll hate the way you look. Buy some inexpensive things on sale that you like as a reward and here's an idea... Take the size that doesn't fit you anymore and sell them on ebay. If you are anything like me, you surely didn't want to look bad. Your close are valuable they just don't fit and you don't want to fit back into them so let them fund your new wardrobe!
Well that's all I can think of for now LOL. It's really not as hard as it sounds. There's no great mystery to it. We had a wild time putting it on. It's really gonna *@%* taking it off LMAO. Remember to watch everything that you put into your mouth. Your gonna have to account for it sometime. You will have to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 pound but you can do it! Mom did it, she looks amazing and I'm doing it. It's all about how bad you want it for yourself. Good Luck!
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A little bedtime prayer. . . |
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