 |
| Diet and Nutrition (Photo credit: fantasyhealthball) |
Every year millions of people make New Year resolutions to lose weight. However, by Spring about half have fallen of the wagon because of lack of motivation. Some give up because they do not see the intended results fast enough. For more tips, also see the FITNESS TIPS page.
• You reduce the risk of Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes, some Cancers, Arthritis & Osteoporosis.
• Increase flexibility & energy levels.
• Improve mood, create vitality & a sense of well-being.
To achieve maximum weight loss, you need to eat healthy, exercise regularly, & also do the following:
DINING OUT GUIDE & TIPS
• Before you leave the house;1. Choose the restaurant carefully. Avoid buffets, or all you can eat restaurants.
2. Go over the menu and find the healthiest choices for you. You can do this online for most restaurants.
3. Make your choice and stick to it.
4. Eat a small snack like fruit to carry you through.
• At the restaurant sit far away from the kitchen you don't need temptations. • Ask the waiter or chef how the food is prepared. • Avoid too much salt, cheese, butter & oil drenched fried foods. Better choices-Grilled, steamed, baked, roasted and broiled are great choices. • Order sauces, and dressing on the side. • Skip the bread, and rolls, they have too many carbs. • Eat slowly to avoid overeating, savor every bite, enjoy the food & conversation. • For appetizers, get a light soup or salad instead of chips, queso, wings, fries, egg rolls, nachos or just skip it altogether. • If you order a salad, avoid the croutons, and remember, dressing on the side. Use it sparingly. • If you order soup, avoid creamy versions and keep to the broth, vegetable ones. • Avoid too much alcohol. One drink is good enough. • Avoid soft drinks, drink water instead. • Get veggies with your entree instead of fries. Get sweet potatoes instead of mashed potatoes. • Split the dessert with someone, choose the lower calorie piece of cake, or get a fruit salad. • Chew a piece of gum, or have a mint to avoid any further temptations. • Ask for a doggy bag. You don't have to finish your entree, save some for your next meal.
HOLIDAY DIET TIPS
Holidays are fun times but for anyone on a diet, it can be quite stressful trying to figure out what not to eat. There is temptation everywhere, even at work. During these special holidays, excessive amounts of eating and drinking takes place. Like the fact that Stressed is Desserts Spelled Backwards, does that mean you can't make it through the holiday's on a diet? Absolutely not! You can so do it! You can indulge and still stick to your diet. Just follow the tips below.Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, Valentines Day, Independence Day, St. Patricks Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, Mothers Day, Fathers Day & Halloween which are the major food/drink indulging holiday's will be a breeze if you follow these rules below.
FOOD
• Always Remove the skin from the Turkey or chicken.
• Use a brush to sparingly apply healthy Olive oil, do not pour on.
• Pass up on the bread.
• Heap your plate with vegetables.
• Eat deserts & side dishes like Cakes, Pies, Sauces, Stuffing/Dressing, in moderation. Those calories add up.
• Go easy on the Chocolate. Remember the darker type is healthier.
• Avoid candy, gingerbread cookies and cakes .
• Bottom line, eat more Turkey and less desert.
DRINKS
• Go easy on the Egg Nog.
• Mix your alcohol spirits with diet soda instead of regular.
• Remember the higher the alcohol content, the more calories it contains.
• Choose light beer over heavier ones like lager's.
• Steer clear of liqueurs, they are creamy or fruity, they are high in sugar.
HOSTS - follow these tips;
• Avoid store bought. Make your own sauces, that way you control the calories.
• Chew sugarfree gum, while cooking, to avoid eating, only taste for spices.
• Use Whole Wheat, and Whole grain instead of regular.
• Use Olive oil to cook it's heart healthy.
• Use only No Trans Fat products .
• Use only Low Fat and Light products .
• Use artificial sweeteners, instead of sugar .
• Use lean meats instead of fatty ones.
VISITORS - follow these tips;
• Have a snack before you leave the house, so you do not pig out at the party.
• Bring a dish you can eat.
• Drink more water, and less juice, soda or alcohol.
• Avoid regular sodas, drink diet.
• Eat only what you want. Do not cave in if the host pressures you.
• Avoid or limit the carbohydrates.
• Eat grilled, roasted, boiled or poached instead of fried.
• Eat more veggies & fruit.
• Go easy on the cheese, dressings, sauces and toppings, those calories add up.
• Chew sugarfree gum, when you're done eating.
• Wear tight clothing. It'll help you eat less.
• Say No to second helpings. Stay away from the food tables to avoid temptation.
GENERAL TIPS
For more tips, see the FITNESS TIPS page• Set realistic goals and be patient. It took a long time to gain all that weight, and it will take a while to lose it all and then some.
• Get your family and friends to support you. It will make it easier to sick with it.
• Start by keeping a daily diary or log of all your food & exercise.
• Detox to cleanse your body off toxins. It is good to do this before you start any diet and up to 4 times a year.
• Plan your menu for the week, & stick to it to avoid temptations.
• Prepare your own meals, that way you count the calories. Avoid takeout.
• Prepare a Grocery list. Make healthy choices and stick to your list in the store.
• Calculate your Body Mass Index(BMI) go to the calculator, top right hand side of this page under 'Tools and Calculators.' Also see BMI Chart at the Bottom of this page.
• Read food labels. Check the nutrition facts, e.g.Calories per serving, Total Fat, etc.
• Stop the guess work by investing in a Calorie Counter book or nutritional database. See examples on the right hand side of this page under 'Tools and Calculators.'
• Count calories. Document all the calories you eat, and those you expel through exercise. Less Calories equals more weight loss. Reduce your food intake.
• Buy a weighing scale. Get on it once a week to track your weight loss. Weigh in daily as opposed to weekly, so you keep on track.
• Reduce your daily salt/sodium intake to 1,500mg per day.
• Choose products that say 'low in sodium' instead of 'less sodium'.
• Take a daily Multivitamin.
• Never skip breakfast. Eat a high fiber breakfast every morning, it improves blood sugar control & helps you feel less hungry throughout the day.
• Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. This speeds up your metabolism and regulates your blood sugar levels.
• Do not skip any meals. Doing so will trigger a starvation response and slow down your metabolism.
• Portion control is key. Measure all your food. Check out this link.Go to www.webmd.com/diet/printable/wallet-portion-control-size-guide.
• Enjoy your food by chewing and eating slowly you will control overeating.
• Eat foods that are low in fat and low in carbs.
• Use Extra Virgin oil it has antioxidants that help with fat burn.
• Eat white meat like fish and skinless chicken instead of red meat
• Choose Wild Seafood, e.g. Wild Salmon instead of farm raised which contain pesticides and are less nutritious.
• Eat foods that contain plenty of Dietary fiber, Calcium, Vitamin D & Potassium such as Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products like milk.
• Avoid processed foods.
• Say no to junk food.
• Avoid fried food.
• Eat egg whites(less calories) instead of a whole egg.
• Avoid refined sugars and foods like White flour. Eat Whole Grains like Whole Wheat instead of whites when it comes to bread and baked goods.
• Choose 100% Whole Grains not Multi-grain. Whole Grain means everything, so the bran and germ of the grain are included. However Multi-grain products are not necessarily refined, and may not be whole grain unless noted. Multi-grain may contain some or all of the following; wheat, oats, barley.
• Confuse your body to break through a plateau. Mix-up your eating habits, and change your exercise program to challenge your body.
• Drink Coffee and also Green Tea which has polyphenols that increase your metabolism.
• Limit your alcohol intake. Most drinks have a ton of calories. If you have to have a beer, drink a Light version, cocktails are very high in calories so stick to only one, add diet soda not regular to liqueur.
• Order Non Fat and Sugar Free Coffee's and Tea's.
• Go for Low fat, 1% or 2% milk instead instead of Whole milk. Same goes for Cheese and Ice-cream.
• Choose low fat yogurt instead of Ice-cream. Greek Yogurt is great.
• Eat salads with no or light dressings
• Grapefruit, Dark Chocolate, Celery, Kale, Cayenne Pepper can help you lose more weight.
• On cheat days, order thin-crust pizza, not regular. Saves 151 calories.
• 1 cup air-popped popcorn, not chips this will save you 123 calories.
• If you cannot avoid alcohol when on a diet, limit it to one a day.
• Drink more than the recommended 8 glasses/day. Drink Half your weight of Water daily. Calculate your ideal water intake by weight at the following site; Go to nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm.
• Choose plain Water instead of Vitamin Water which has extra calories.
• Prepare as much of your own food as possible, that way it's fresh, you avoid preservatives, & you know all the ingredients and measurements.
• Avoid all Trans Fat containing foods, oils and spreads.
• Choose Extra Virgin Olive Oil-best oil and good for the heart.
• Reduce intake of added sugars & refined grains.
• Increase intake of whole grains, low-fat milk, yogurt, fruits and vegetables.
• Eat a balanced diet. See MyPlate on the home page, and use it as a guide.
• Make sure there are no temptations in your home- fridge and pantry.
• Have protein at every meal, it will help you stay full.
• Chew Sugar Free Gum. Helps you eat less.
• Park your car far from your point of entrance and walk the distance.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Aim at walking a minimum of 10,000 steps a day.
• Downsize your meal. Examples-Order from the Kids meal or just buy one item instead of a meal deal.
• Don't be a couch potato. Exercise in front of the TV.
• Avoid eating at least 3 to 4 hours before bed.
• Brush your teeth. Helps you eat less.
• Sleep longer it helps burn fat.
BE CAUTIOUS OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS:
• Low Fat foods- These tend to have a lot of Sugar or Sodium added to substitute the lack of flavor.
• High Fat foods- these have Trans Fats & Saturated Fats which can lead to High Cholesterol, clogged arteries and heart.
• Fat Free foods- These tend to have a lot of Sugar or Sodium added.
• Salad- many fast food and Salad bars carry salads and dressings that are very high in Sodium.
• Frozen Entrees- Most of them have a lot of Sugar, Sodium, Trans fats & Saturated Fats.
• Juice Cocktails- They have a lot of Sugar.
• Marinades and Sauces- Many of them have high Sugar, Sodium, Trans Fats & Saturated Fat.
LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL
Lower your Cholesterol with these 10 Foods & Drinks
1. Olive Oil
2. Red Wine
3. Vegetable Greens like Spinach
4. Legumes- like beans
5. Salmon
6. Nuts- Almonds & Cashews
7. Oats 8. Teas- Black, Green
9. Chocolate
10. Avocado
TIPS TO LOSE 5 POUNDS QUICKLY
FOLLOW THIS LIST:1. Get your Thyroid levels checked by the doctor. The Thyroid gland could be producing less hormones causing you to gain weight, a condition called hypothyroidism. Get it checked.
2. Drink lots if water. Drink half your weight so if for example you weigh 190 pounds, drink 80 oz of water daily. The water weight will be forced out of your body, and 5+ pounds will be gone in no time.
3. Eliminate all carbs from your diet for the week. If you find this difficult to do, then eat no more than 20g of net carbs per day. How to calculate net carbs-Count the total grams of Carbohydrates minus the fiber= net carbs. Atkins diet uses this method during the 1st 2 weeks of the diet which is the Induction phase.
4. No fruits for two weeks. This is a a great way to lose weight quickly because you're eliminating all the sugars in fruit which are converted to carbohydrates. Less carbs in more weight loss.
5. Use this method to guide you - a pound of fat is 3,500 calories you have to creat a daily deficit of 2,500 calories. If you exercise and burn the 2500calories daily, and only eat 1000 calories or less, you will lose 5 pounds by the end of the week.
6. Go on a liquid diet, e.g. The Lemonade/Maple Syrup diet.
7. If all else fails, you can fast completely eliminating any foods and just drinking water for the week. This is a form if starvation. It is not healthy but desperate times may call for desperate measures. It's very Important to remember that overdoing the fast for long periods e.g. More than 2 weeks, may cause your body to shut down. When you're body shuts down, the organs stop to function.
8. Weigh in daily to ensure you're staying on track. See the Body Mass Index(BMI) Chart at the bottom of this page to ensure that your BMI is not higher than the required reading for your height.
EAT THE FOLLOWING:
• Low Fat or Fat Free Milk,Yogurt, and Cheese- they help build strong bones & teeth, help fight obesity and aid in weight lose. Contain Calcium, Potassium, Vitamins A, and D.
• Eggs- they help fight obesity & build muscle. Contain Protein, Vitamins A, and B12.
• Vegetables- especially Spinach & Kale- they help fight heart disease among others. Contain Iron, Folate, Fiber, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamins A, C, and K.
• Lean Poultry and Fish- e.g. Chicken & Turkey breast, Salmon- they help the immune system, fight heart disease & build muscle. Contain Protein, Vitamin E, Folate, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, fish contains Omega 3 fats.
• Beans- they help build muscle, regulate digestion, contain plenty of protein and help burn fat.
• Almonds-they help build muscle, fight food cravings, contain plenty of protein. Contain Protein, Vitamin E, Potassium, Calcium, Folate, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron and high in fiber.
• Peanut Butter- helps lower cholesterol & builds muscle. Contains Protein, Niacin, Vitamin E and Magnesium.
BODY MASS INDEX(BMI) CHART
TOP OF PAGE
Disclaimer: The statements within this site have not been evaluated by the FDA. Please be aware that the information given in every section of this website should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional advice. Always seek advice from a Doctor before starting any diet or exercise. We cannot be held responsible for any damages that result from the use of the information provided on this website. Any statements and opinions expressed within this site are those of the authors and should never be used in place of advice from a Doctor, Nutritionist, Dietitian, Physical Trainer, Physical Therapist or any other professional.
No comments:
Post a Comment