Friday, 9 September 2016
Thursday, 8 September 2016
How to Eat Healthy When You Cannot Cook Your Own Meals
Trying to stay healthy can prove to be a very difficult task especially if you have limited resources to work with. Take college students, they live in small dorm rooms with tiny refrigerators and they have no access to stoves or kitchen appliances.
If you are a business traveler, you rely on pre-made restaurant food that is often loaded down with salt, fat and other unhealthy preservatives. It is very hard to find a good wholesome meal with fresh fruits and vegetables without the necessary support. The good news is that there are ways that you can stay healthy and prevent weight gain even when you are not able to prepare your own meals.
The most obvious way to prevent weight gain is to engage in some form of regular physical exercise. You do not have to belong to a gym membership as that can be expensive or too far away from your home. Walking 30 minutes a day is a great way to exercise. It can include walking to work if you live close, going to and from your car in the parking lot, shopping in malls or taking a nice walk after work around the park or your town. If you live in an area where safety is an issue, exercise indoors by going up and down the stairs, doing sit-ups, walking or running in place or jumping rope.
Make sure that you do not make the choice to skip meals in order to try to lose weight because this is a myth. It may seem like a logical decision because the eating less means consuming fewer calories, but the truth is when you do this, your body's metabolism will slow down to conserve energy, thus storing fat. When you do decide to eat, the food will be broken down much more slowly then it normally is and it will also be stored as energy or fat which will not be burned during exercise.
Another problem with skipping meals is that your body will be so hungry that it will cause you to overeat once you do decide to eat a meal. A good rule of thumb is to eat every few hours somewhere around 5 or 6 small meals a day. You could have eggs for breakfast and have a small piece of fruit a few hours later. Have a sandwich for lunch and snack on crackers in the afternoon. Make sure that you include protein and carbohydrates in every meal. Healthy snacks include nuts, dried fruit and peanut butter.
Try to avoid as much stress in your life as you can because it can lead to weight gain. It can lead you to skip meals, eat more fast food, reduce exercise and get little to no sleep. One of the best ways to combat stress is to take frequent breaks at work or school. You can also talk with one of your coworkers or take a short walk during your lunch break. You may choose to do some deep breathing exercises or listen to some soft music to ease your worries. The most important thing for you is to be able to recognize the signs that your body is ready for a physical or mental break.
If you have a busy hectic schedule, it can cause you to eat out more often and that is not good as most of the food is packed with fat and salt which can lead to weight gain, but there are healthier options available that you need to look for. Salads are always good choices, but be careful when adding cheeses, dressings or croutons because they can add many grams of fat and calories to your meal. Order grilled or baked foods instead of fried because they will have less fat. Cut your meal in half as the majority of restaurant meals have twice as much food as you need in a single serving. Ask for a box and take the remaining food home with you and that way, you will not only save calories, you will have lunch for tomorrow.
Last of all, you should make sure that you drink plenty of water to keep yourself healthy and hydrated. Make sure to carry water with you while you are away from home. If you are trying to lose weight drink a glass of water before your meal and after your meal and it will help prevent you from overeating. Make sure to rehydrate your body if you lose a lot of sweat during exercise. If you get tired of drinking water, try some juice or tea for a variety, but remember that juice has calories and sugar, so drink it in moderation. Do not drink a lot of soda or coffee as it is not good for your body.
Stopping weight gain can be difficult, but by making a few small simple changes, you can be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
source
If you are a business traveler, you rely on pre-made restaurant food that is often loaded down with salt, fat and other unhealthy preservatives. It is very hard to find a good wholesome meal with fresh fruits and vegetables without the necessary support. The good news is that there are ways that you can stay healthy and prevent weight gain even when you are not able to prepare your own meals.Make sure that you do not make the choice to skip meals in order to try to lose weight because this is a myth. It may seem like a logical decision because the eating less means consuming fewer calories, but the truth is when you do this, your body's metabolism will slow down to conserve energy, thus storing fat. When you do decide to eat, the food will be broken down much more slowly then it normally is and it will also be stored as energy or fat which will not be burned during exercise.
Another problem with skipping meals is that your body will be so hungry that it will cause you to overeat once you do decide to eat a meal. A good rule of thumb is to eat every few hours somewhere around 5 or 6 small meals a day. You could have eggs for breakfast and have a small piece of fruit a few hours later. Have a sandwich for lunch and snack on crackers in the afternoon. Make sure that you include protein and carbohydrates in every meal. Healthy snacks include nuts, dried fruit and peanut butter.
Try to avoid as much stress in your life as you can because it can lead to weight gain. It can lead you to skip meals, eat more fast food, reduce exercise and get little to no sleep. One of the best ways to combat stress is to take frequent breaks at work or school. You can also talk with one of your coworkers or take a short walk during your lunch break. You may choose to do some deep breathing exercises or listen to some soft music to ease your worries. The most important thing for you is to be able to recognize the signs that your body is ready for a physical or mental break.
If you have a busy hectic schedule, it can cause you to eat out more often and that is not good as most of the food is packed with fat and salt which can lead to weight gain, but there are healthier options available that you need to look for. Salads are always good choices, but be careful when adding cheeses, dressings or croutons because they can add many grams of fat and calories to your meal. Order grilled or baked foods instead of fried because they will have less fat. Cut your meal in half as the majority of restaurant meals have twice as much food as you need in a single serving. Ask for a box and take the remaining food home with you and that way, you will not only save calories, you will have lunch for tomorrow.
Stopping weight gain can be difficult, but by making a few small simple changes, you can be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
source
Wednesday, 7 September 2016
How to Be Healthy and Happy
While I do believe that we need to provide our bodies with nourishing food, the quest to eat the healthiest diet can lead to stress and also imbalance in others areas of our lives. Such a quest can become an obsession that isolates us from friends and family. It can cause us to begin to talk about the benefit of our chosen diet with almost religious fervour. Those who become driven by this fixation with ideal diet have been referred to as orthorexics. It is important to be healthy, but it is just as important to be happy.
To be healthy we need to be conscious of what we eat and provide our bodies with the good fuel they need to function effectively. However, stress is as damaging to our bodies as chemical-laden, low-nutrient food. When a person becomes so controlling of what they allow themselves to eat that it begins to cause them ongoing stress then there is a problem. When we are gulping down various super-health food concoctions or forcing ourselves to eat things just because they are healthy then we are creating stress in our body and probably negating most of the benefit we are trying to gain from the food. Here are three ways in which stress can undo the benefits of eating nutrient-rich food:
1. When our body is stressed it shuts down our digestive system. Our digestive system only works well when we are relaxed. If our digestive system is not working well then we absorb and metabolise far less nutrients from our food. Poor digestion can also lead to poorly digested food travelling though our system causing gas, upset, damage and clogging. Long-term, low-grade emotional stress such as constantly worrying about what you are eating can decrease the level of hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Hydrochloric acid is necessary for proper digestion.
2. Chronic, ongoing stress lowers our immunity and causes damaging low-grade inflammation in our body. This can increase our susceptibility to infections or cause conditions such as eczema, acne, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. Persistent low-grade inflammation in your body is also a major factor in accelerated aging.
3. When our body is focusing on producing stress hormones it interferes with the balanced production of other hormones in our body. Two significant health issues that can arise from this are estrogen dominance and poor thyroid function, both of which can cause weight gain and severe tiredness.
If you can eat an ultimately healthy diet all of the time without it causing you any issues then that is great. However, bear in mind that stress can be insidious and we are not always aware of it. If your chosen diet is causing you undue headaches when it comes to food buying or preparation, or if you are more concerned with the nutritional value of your food than the pleasure of eating it, or if you avoid social situations where you would be eating food that didn't fit with your regime then may I suggest that your diet is causing you stress.
True health is a balance of many factors. Generally, they simplify down to being active, eating natural foods and connecting with ourselves and others. The three need to be in balance for us to experience full health and happiness. Many people get overly focused on one or other of the first two and neglect the latter. At times, an obsession with fitness or diet, because they are more easily controlled, is actually a way of avoiding dealing with the uncertainty of our relationships with ourselves and others.
If your diet is causing you stress think about what you really want to achieve. Also think about what beliefs are driving your eating habits. Is what you are doing really helping you to feel healthy and happy. The ultimate aim for all of us is to be happy. If you want to be healthy then why? Most of us want to be healthy so that we can feel good and enjoy life. Is your current path delivering that result?
The key to being healthy and happy is to balance consciousness with enjoyment. How you eat is as important as what you eat. Eat natural healthy foods, but only foods that you enjoy eating. Eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. When you eat, stop, sit down, breathe and relax. When we smell or even think about food we like the taste of it stimulates the production of enzyme-rich saliva in our mouth and hydrochloric acid in our stomach. Eating food you like is beneficial emotionally and physically.
Our bodies are actually quite resilient and what we think also has a powerful impact on our health. Unless you have a specific illness or well-being issue then if you have a foundation of feeding your body the nutrients it needs to function effectively you can relax a little about what else you eat. If everything else is in balance and you believe that having a piece of birthday cake at your Mother's party is OK then it will do you little harm. Conversely, if you believe that having one piece of cake will do irreparable damage to your body then that belief will manifest itself somehow.
There is no one perfect diet that will lead to ultimate health and eating is one of life's pleasures, so relax and enjoy it. You can be healthy and happy.
source
1. When our body is stressed it shuts down our digestive system. Our digestive system only works well when we are relaxed. If our digestive system is not working well then we absorb and metabolise far less nutrients from our food. Poor digestion can also lead to poorly digested food travelling though our system causing gas, upset, damage and clogging. Long-term, low-grade emotional stress such as constantly worrying about what you are eating can decrease the level of hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Hydrochloric acid is necessary for proper digestion.
2. Chronic, ongoing stress lowers our immunity and causes damaging low-grade inflammation in our body. This can increase our susceptibility to infections or cause conditions such as eczema, acne, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. Persistent low-grade inflammation in your body is also a major factor in accelerated aging.
3. When our body is focusing on producing stress hormones it interferes with the balanced production of other hormones in our body. Two significant health issues that can arise from this are estrogen dominance and poor thyroid function, both of which can cause weight gain and severe tiredness.
If you can eat an ultimately healthy diet all of the time without it causing you any issues then that is great. However, bear in mind that stress can be insidious and we are not always aware of it. If your chosen diet is causing you undue headaches when it comes to food buying or preparation, or if you are more concerned with the nutritional value of your food than the pleasure of eating it, or if you avoid social situations where you would be eating food that didn't fit with your regime then may I suggest that your diet is causing you stress.
True health is a balance of many factors. Generally, they simplify down to being active, eating natural foods and connecting with ourselves and others. The three need to be in balance for us to experience full health and happiness. Many people get overly focused on one or other of the first two and neglect the latter. At times, an obsession with fitness or diet, because they are more easily controlled, is actually a way of avoiding dealing with the uncertainty of our relationships with ourselves and others.
The key to being healthy and happy is to balance consciousness with enjoyment. How you eat is as important as what you eat. Eat natural healthy foods, but only foods that you enjoy eating. Eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. When you eat, stop, sit down, breathe and relax. When we smell or even think about food we like the taste of it stimulates the production of enzyme-rich saliva in our mouth and hydrochloric acid in our stomach. Eating food you like is beneficial emotionally and physically.
Our bodies are actually quite resilient and what we think also has a powerful impact on our health. Unless you have a specific illness or well-being issue then if you have a foundation of feeding your body the nutrients it needs to function effectively you can relax a little about what else you eat. If everything else is in balance and you believe that having a piece of birthday cake at your Mother's party is OK then it will do you little harm. Conversely, if you believe that having one piece of cake will do irreparable damage to your body then that belief will manifest itself somehow.
There is no one perfect diet that will lead to ultimate health and eating is one of life's pleasures, so relax and enjoy it. You can be healthy and happy.
source
Tuesday, 6 September 2016
Considering a Vegetarian Weight Loss Diet?
Tired of feeling unhealthy, heavy, and somewhat bulky? Do you feel like you should go for a healthier lifestyle than the one that you are leading today? Did you just consider a vegetarian weight loss diet? With all the diets out there that are up for grabs, creating hype on the market, the vegetarian way is often overlooked, and that is quite unfortunate since it is one of the healthiest, natural ways of wellness.
An Overview on Veganism
Basically, when one says "vegetarian", it means having a plant-based diet. However, there are 3 types of vegetarians, and these classifications are determined through what they eat. Lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy products and eggs to their plant-based diet; lacto-vegetarians only include dairy products to their plant-based diet; and vegans only consume a plant-based diet.
The Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet
This means not only the benefits of a vegetarian weight loss diet, but conceptually, a vegetarian way of living. Based on scientific studies, it has been discovered that individuals following a plant-based diet (aka veganism) have a significantly low tendency to become obese or overweight, even by having unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables to keep them from getting hungry.
It is also discovered that a plant-based diet, is an effective way for women to lose weight, thus improving insulin sensitivity. This is true for both total plant-based (vegan) and partial plant-based diets (lacto-ovo and lacto-vegetarian). However, for omnivorous diets, the effectivity isn't nearly as high. This was shown in a new study of The American Journal of Medicine (September 2009 issue). So not only does women end up looking good on the outside with a vegetarian weight loss diet, but they also end up becoming healthy on the inside as well.
However, do note that not all vegetarians and vegans are spared from being overweight or obese. There are a number who are too - but they are significantly lower than those who include meat regularly in their diets. It is also worth noting that worldwide, vegetarians have lower rates of heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Vegetarianism and Losing Weight
Everyone who has been overweight or obese that has used a vegetarian weight loss diet to become healthier and fit can tell you that it did let them lose a lot of weight while keeping them healthy and strong.
By eliminating meat from their diet they end up with less fat, less sodium, but more fiber because of their new plant-based diet. Hence, you can say that a plant-based diet, plus some exercise will shape a healthier, happier you.
Source
An Overview on Veganism
The Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet
This means not only the benefits of a vegetarian weight loss diet, but conceptually, a vegetarian way of living. Based on scientific studies, it has been discovered that individuals following a plant-based diet (aka veganism) have a significantly low tendency to become obese or overweight, even by having unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables to keep them from getting hungry.
It is also discovered that a plant-based diet, is an effective way for women to lose weight, thus improving insulin sensitivity. This is true for both total plant-based (vegan) and partial plant-based diets (lacto-ovo and lacto-vegetarian). However, for omnivorous diets, the effectivity isn't nearly as high. This was shown in a new study of The American Journal of Medicine (September 2009 issue). So not only does women end up looking good on the outside with a vegetarian weight loss diet, but they also end up becoming healthy on the inside as well.
However, do note that not all vegetarians and vegans are spared from being overweight or obese. There are a number who are too - but they are significantly lower than those who include meat regularly in their diets. It is also worth noting that worldwide, vegetarians have lower rates of heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Vegetarianism and Losing Weight
Everyone who has been overweight or obese that has used a vegetarian weight loss diet to become healthier and fit can tell you that it did let them lose a lot of weight while keeping them healthy and strong.
By eliminating meat from their diet they end up with less fat, less sodium, but more fiber because of their new plant-based diet. Hence, you can say that a plant-based diet, plus some exercise will shape a healthier, happier you.
Source
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