Heart disease and high cholesterol levels are an ever increasing problem in today's society. If we reduce the risk factors though this problem would be greatly reduced, and we might not need to take medication.
See the article below by Gary Stanton for some ideas:
===========
An ounce of Prevention is worth more than a Pound of Cure.
"Cardiovascular diseases kill some 950,000 Americans every
year, but as many as two-thirds of these deaths are
preventable. Over the past 50 years, research into the
causes of ischemic heart disease (which causes over half
the deaths from cardiovascular disease) has shown that many
people's risk of a heart attack can be reduced by making
lifestyle changes and taking medication. In addition,
treating high blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke and
congestive heart failure." 1
Heart disease is America's number 1 killer.
Do you know what your risk profile is?
There are numerous risk factors we should all be aware of:
• family history
• high blood pressure
• high blood cholesterol level
• cigarette smoking
• diabetes mellitus
• sedentary lifestyle
• obesity
• advancing age
• stressful lifestyle
• depression
Family History
You obviously can not exchange the parents you inherited
for maybe a set without a history of heart disease,
however, you can change many things within your control.
Heart disease is largely preventable.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure increases the hearts workload,
weakening it over time. It also increases the risk of
stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart
failure. Aim for a blood pressure of under 140 systolic
(top) and 90 diastolic (bottom), with 120/80 being optimal.
Have your blood pressure checked at least every two years,
you can easily have it checked at most any pharmacy.
High cholesterol and high triglycerides
Having total cholesterol over 200 indicates a higher
susceptibility to heart disease. The target should be to
have an LDL ("bad" cholesterol) lower than 130, HDL ("good"
cholesterol) over 45, and triglycerides at 150 or even
lower. Triglycerides are emerging as a significant risk
factor.
Do You Smoke?
One word: STOP!
Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause
of premature death in the country. If you smoke your risk
of developing heart disease increases dramatically.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious risk factor. Regardless of age,
diabetics have a much higher risk of heart disease than
non-diabetics. If you have diabetes, work at maintaining a
healthy weight, keep physically active, minimize dietary
fat and calories, and consult your doctor.
Do you lead a sedentary lifestyle?
Inadequate physical activity does not provide for adequate
blood fl ow through your arteries which can lead to
blockages. These blockages can lead to some form of
coronary event. The heart is a muscle and muscles need to
work to stay strong. If you want to maintain a strong and
healthy heart you need to exercise regularly.
Get some physical activity. Put down the remote and the
potato chips and go for a walk. This is a great stress
reliever and it will burn off those calories from dinner.
Do not snack while you are walking.
Obesity and overweight
The incidence of obesity is in a crisis mode. Being more
than 30 percent over your ideal body weight makes you more
likely to develop heart disease, even with no other risk
factors. New guidelines recommend your waist circumference
should be less than 35 inches.
Carrying around excess weight puts an extra burden on your
heart and can take years off your life. An improper diet
and inadequate exercise often lead to coronary artery
disease. Fatty foods can increase cholesterol levels.
Carbohydrates convert to triglycerides which when elevated
to unsafe levels can indicate type II diabetes and heart
disease.
Do you lead a stressful life?
Stress can lead to many physical ailments including heart
disease and stroke. Stress puts an unhealthy heavy burden
on your heart.
Stress can be deadly so try to minimize it in your daily
life. Detach from the outcome of events you are worried
about and don't force things to occurr the way you expect.
Let it go and watch with amazement how what you want does
happen without your interference.
Try meditation or just quieting your mind for a few minutes
to relax tension and stress levels.
Give problems the "10 year test" Will this problem really
matter 10 years from now? If the answer is no, it is not
worth worrying about today either. Exercise strengthens
your heart so it is more capable of handling stress.
Aerobic activities like bicycling, playing tennis, running,
swimming, and walking are excellent ways to strengthen your
heart muscle.
Why exercise is so important?
Regular physical activity and maintaining the proper weight
are essential to reducing your risk of heart disease and
improving quality of life. It is not news that exercise
improves your heart health. Consistent exercise may in fact
lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, raise HDL (good)
cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.
The aging process can be slowed from physical activity and
exercise. The capacity of muscles and other tissues to
utilize oxygen decreases naturally with age. Exercise and
other physical activity can reduce the rate of this
decrease. The calorie burn rate at rest also decreases as
you age. Regular exercise can offset this by helping your
body burn more calories. Calories continue to burn even
hours after exercise. Bones and muscles work better when
they're used than when they are not.
Natural Supplements can be very beneficial as a preventive
measure against heart disease
Omega 3 fish oils are a healthy way of helping prevent
heart disease
"Evidence shows that even after age 50 and even if heart
disease has already developed, healthy lifestyle changes -
stopping smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising
sensibly, and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure
levels with medication - may improve the odds for a longer,
more active life." 1
Footnotes:
1 - Preventing Heart Disease, March 12, 2002 American
College of Cardiology
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.lipidshield.com/LifestyleChanges.php .
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Eating - When Your Brain Won't Say STOP
To eat or not to eat-- what does your brain say?
The desire to eat comes from many factors monitored by, and
instructions put out by your brain - in essence your level
of Brain Fitness. One specific brain region involved in
monitoring nutrition signals is the hypothalamus. This part
of the brain houses a complex set of brain cells that talk
to each other and talk to your bloodstream and digestive
tract to decide whether you need to eat.
If the hypothalamus system senses a need for nutrition it
will send out hormone signals that make you hungry, if not,
it will try to keep you feeling full. However, there are
other players in the drive to eat that come from emotional
centers and decision-making centers in the brain. This is
what separates us from other animals. Our behaviors aren't
as 'hard-wired' so we our more likely to eat
inappropriately just because we want to, not because we
need to.
The STOP signs in our heads
A new study published in the September 2007 edition of the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at a specific
brain region involved in this whole process, which relates
back to the whole concept of brain fitness.
Researchers looked at the activity of a brain region called
(ready for the long name) the left dorsal lateral
prefrontal cortex, or left DLPFC. This part of the brain
plays a role in inhibiting inappropriate behavior. It stops
you from acting on the impulse to do stupid things in
public, like punch someone who makes you mad, or say
something that you know you'll regret. It also stops you
from impulsively grabbing that donut when you know you
don't need it, which relates to this study.
Higher activity in the left DLPFC is associated with
greater control over impulsive eating. The new research
found that obese women had lower activity in this brain
region compared to lean or previously obese women (that had
successfully lost weight and kept it off). This was a
follow up to a previous study showing the same thing in
men. It's not really surprising but the cool thing is that,
the human cortex, including the DLPFC, tends to be
'moldable'.
Practice makes more permanent
We know that repeatedly practicing things that use the
cortex can make those brain connections stronger. For
example, if you repeatedly do Sudoku, you will get better
at recognizing number patterns. If you repeatedly do
crossword puzzles, you will get better at recalling words.
The new study is exciting because it suggests that if you
repeatedly work on impulse control you may be able to
increase the strength of the DLPFC and gain control of that
impulsive eating.
It all comes back to brain fitness in the end and how fit
your brain circuits are that control your behaviors. Just
like running or lifting weights, you can strengthen these
brain muscles and give your brain the power to have more
control over behaviors that you want to change. Like
anything else, all it takes is a little practice.
Now, excessive eating is not the only thing that controls
weight gain. Other factors that control your metabolism
contribute to whether you will gain or lose weight. Some of
these have genetic influences that are stronger in some
people than in others. But many of these can improve with
good nutrition and exercise as well.
The point to this article is that by practicing to change
the behaviors that you don't like, your brain will get
better at controlling them and it will get easier. No one
accomplishes anything difficult without practice and
experience - but eventually what once seemed close to
impossible becomes automatic after the appropriate
training. Brain Fitness is no different. With effort, you
can regain control. Just keep trying and give yourself time
for your brain circuits to strengthen.
----------------------------------------------------
Master Brain Fitness techniques for you and your family.
Your Brain Fitness holds is the key to unlock your maximum
potential. Dr. Simon Evans puts together the right
ingredients in right amount to create the recipe for
success. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE
Brain Fitness resources.
The desire to eat comes from many factors monitored by, and
instructions put out by your brain - in essence your level
of Brain Fitness. One specific brain region involved in
monitoring nutrition signals is the hypothalamus. This part
of the brain houses a complex set of brain cells that talk
to each other and talk to your bloodstream and digestive
tract to decide whether you need to eat.
If the hypothalamus system senses a need for nutrition it
will send out hormone signals that make you hungry, if not,
it will try to keep you feeling full. However, there are
other players in the drive to eat that come from emotional
centers and decision-making centers in the brain. This is
what separates us from other animals. Our behaviors aren't
as 'hard-wired' so we our more likely to eat
inappropriately just because we want to, not because we
need to.
The STOP signs in our heads
A new study published in the September 2007 edition of the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at a specific
brain region involved in this whole process, which relates
back to the whole concept of brain fitness.
Researchers looked at the activity of a brain region called
(ready for the long name) the left dorsal lateral
prefrontal cortex, or left DLPFC. This part of the brain
plays a role in inhibiting inappropriate behavior. It stops
you from acting on the impulse to do stupid things in
public, like punch someone who makes you mad, or say
something that you know you'll regret. It also stops you
from impulsively grabbing that donut when you know you
don't need it, which relates to this study.
Higher activity in the left DLPFC is associated with
greater control over impulsive eating. The new research
found that obese women had lower activity in this brain
region compared to lean or previously obese women (that had
successfully lost weight and kept it off). This was a
follow up to a previous study showing the same thing in
men. It's not really surprising but the cool thing is that,
the human cortex, including the DLPFC, tends to be
'moldable'.
Practice makes more permanent
We know that repeatedly practicing things that use the
cortex can make those brain connections stronger. For
example, if you repeatedly do Sudoku, you will get better
at recognizing number patterns. If you repeatedly do
crossword puzzles, you will get better at recalling words.
The new study is exciting because it suggests that if you
repeatedly work on impulse control you may be able to
increase the strength of the DLPFC and gain control of that
impulsive eating.
It all comes back to brain fitness in the end and how fit
your brain circuits are that control your behaviors. Just
like running or lifting weights, you can strengthen these
brain muscles and give your brain the power to have more
control over behaviors that you want to change. Like
anything else, all it takes is a little practice.
Now, excessive eating is not the only thing that controls
weight gain. Other factors that control your metabolism
contribute to whether you will gain or lose weight. Some of
these have genetic influences that are stronger in some
people than in others. But many of these can improve with
good nutrition and exercise as well.
The point to this article is that by practicing to change
the behaviors that you don't like, your brain will get
better at controlling them and it will get easier. No one
accomplishes anything difficult without practice and
experience - but eventually what once seemed close to
impossible becomes automatic after the appropriate
training. Brain Fitness is no different. With effort, you
can regain control. Just keep trying and give yourself time
for your brain circuits to strengthen.
----------------------------------------------------
Master Brain Fitness techniques for you and your family.
Your Brain Fitness holds is the key to unlock your maximum
potential. Dr. Simon Evans puts together the right
ingredients in right amount to create the recipe for
success. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE
Brain Fitness resources.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Your Perfect Workout
I hope this article gives you some ideas in finding your perfect workout:
=====================
What does your perfect workout mean? Is it a stroll in the
park, taking a class, a rigorous hour of tennis, or using
the stairmaster during your favorite TV show? Maybe it
means focusing on your breath in a yoga class, stretching
your muscles with pilates or running to your favorite
songs. While any of these workouts benefit your body, mind
and soul, many moms don't exercise at all. In fact, the
only exercise their getting is when they exercise their
right...not to exercise.
If this sounds like you, it's time to find your perfect
workout. But what if you haven't worked out in weeks,
months, even years? What matters is that you find something
that you can enjoy. What also matters is that you begin at
a level that's only slightly more challenging than what you
feel you can do. This way, you don't scare yourself off
from beginning and sticking with a new routine. It's also a
great way to build confidence in yourself. By setting a
goal that's reasonable, then achieving that goal, you gain
the confidence to keep trying. It's an empowering feeling
to take back the reins and know that your fitness, health
and priorities are up to you.
Now like many moms, let's say you haven't exercised in an
embarrassingly long time. You're never ending to-do list
got the best of you and the only way you could get
everything done was by cutting your own self care right off
your list. So unfortunately, your exercise was one of the
first things to go. This may have worked for a while but at
some point, you began to feel sluggish, lethargic and
unfit. Maybe you noticed that your clothes weren't fitting
as well as they used to. You may have realized that while
you used to sprint up the steps, now you're huffing and
puffing as you near the top. Whatever caused you to see
that you need exercise in your life doesn't matter, as long
as you use that information to get going. So, where do you
begin?
You can always start with walking. You know how to do it,
you don't need to be exceptionally coordinated and all you
need is a properly fitting pair of walking shoes. Just by
getting outside, looking at the changing leaves or noticing
the beauty that surrounds you may be enough to keep you
motivated to walk. If that's not enough, you can bring an
ipod or MP3 player to listen to your favorite music. There
are also some great services which enable you to download
workouts according to your workout level and needs. You can
even download podcasts of programs you enjoy or just use
the time as an opportunity to clear your head.
Now it doesn't matter if you work outside the home, have a
newborn, whatever. You can justify or make excuses for
anything you don't want to do. The idea is to find a way to
get it done so you can feel good again. For example, if you
leave early in the morning and head off to work, you can
have a gym bag packed and head to the gym before you come
home. If you feel too guilty to try it maybe realizing that
the happier mom is, the better she is for everyone else is
enough to change your mind. You can also try exercising
during your lunch break, taking a short walking break every
hour or find an exercise buddy you can walk with and be
accountable to.
If you have young children, there are some other strategies
you may want to try. Get on that treadmill in your home,
use tapes, DVD's or just tune into your local exercise
channel. Just simply put your baby in an area safely
nearby. Your baby may even get a real kick out of watching
his or her mommy working out. If not, he or she can use
the time to sleep, snack or play. If your children are a
little older, give them a special activity that they only
get to do while mommy works out. They'll look forward to
the activity while you get your workout in.
If you want to workout outside, there are great exercise
joggers that allow you to walk, jog or run with your child
safely strapped in. You can also wear your baby in a Baby
Bjorn or baby backpack. This adds weighted resistance to
your workout while taking away any excuse you may have!
Your baby will also love the special time feeling close to
you while getting some fresh air. Another option is to join
a class for moms and their kids. If that doesn't work for
you, many health clubs offer babysitting for a small fee.
Lastly, you can hire a babysitter or find a friend that is
willing to take turns babysitting each others children so
you can both make the time for much needed self care.
It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do something.
The key is to find a way to incorporate exercise back into
your life. If you do nothing now and exercise for fifteen
minutes tomorrow, you're moving in the right direction.
What's most important is that you give your body, mind and
soul what it so rightfully deserves. And as you begin to
feel better about your body and your commitment to take
better care of yourself, your body will kindly respond by
slowly getting back to being the finely tuned machine it
had been long ago. Then at some point, you may see the
beauty in you that everyone else does.
----------------------------------------------------
Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC is a Registered Dietitian,
Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach and
President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. For nearly 20 years,
Debi has been inspiring and empowering moms to become
physically fit and emotionally strong through gradual,
lifestyle change. For more information on the Lifestyle
Fitness Program, please visit
http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com
====================
As you can see a perfect workout for one person may not be perfect for someone else. So, it depends on your level of fitness, and your exercise goals. There are many different things you can do to increase your fitness levels, and in doing so I'm sure you will find your perfect workout.
=====================
What does your perfect workout mean? Is it a stroll in the
park, taking a class, a rigorous hour of tennis, or using
the stairmaster during your favorite TV show? Maybe it
means focusing on your breath in a yoga class, stretching
your muscles with pilates or running to your favorite
songs. While any of these workouts benefit your body, mind
and soul, many moms don't exercise at all. In fact, the
only exercise their getting is when they exercise their
right...not to exercise.
If this sounds like you, it's time to find your perfect
workout. But what if you haven't worked out in weeks,
months, even years? What matters is that you find something
that you can enjoy. What also matters is that you begin at
a level that's only slightly more challenging than what you
feel you can do. This way, you don't scare yourself off
from beginning and sticking with a new routine. It's also a
great way to build confidence in yourself. By setting a
goal that's reasonable, then achieving that goal, you gain
the confidence to keep trying. It's an empowering feeling
to take back the reins and know that your fitness, health
and priorities are up to you.
Now like many moms, let's say you haven't exercised in an
embarrassingly long time. You're never ending to-do list
got the best of you and the only way you could get
everything done was by cutting your own self care right off
your list. So unfortunately, your exercise was one of the
first things to go. This may have worked for a while but at
some point, you began to feel sluggish, lethargic and
unfit. Maybe you noticed that your clothes weren't fitting
as well as they used to. You may have realized that while
you used to sprint up the steps, now you're huffing and
puffing as you near the top. Whatever caused you to see
that you need exercise in your life doesn't matter, as long
as you use that information to get going. So, where do you
begin?
You can always start with walking. You know how to do it,
you don't need to be exceptionally coordinated and all you
need is a properly fitting pair of walking shoes. Just by
getting outside, looking at the changing leaves or noticing
the beauty that surrounds you may be enough to keep you
motivated to walk. If that's not enough, you can bring an
ipod or MP3 player to listen to your favorite music. There
are also some great services which enable you to download
workouts according to your workout level and needs. You can
even download podcasts of programs you enjoy or just use
the time as an opportunity to clear your head.
Now it doesn't matter if you work outside the home, have a
newborn, whatever. You can justify or make excuses for
anything you don't want to do. The idea is to find a way to
get it done so you can feel good again. For example, if you
leave early in the morning and head off to work, you can
have a gym bag packed and head to the gym before you come
home. If you feel too guilty to try it maybe realizing that
the happier mom is, the better she is for everyone else is
enough to change your mind. You can also try exercising
during your lunch break, taking a short walking break every
hour or find an exercise buddy you can walk with and be
accountable to.
If you have young children, there are some other strategies
you may want to try. Get on that treadmill in your home,
use tapes, DVD's or just tune into your local exercise
channel. Just simply put your baby in an area safely
nearby. Your baby may even get a real kick out of watching
his or her mommy working out. If not, he or she can use
the time to sleep, snack or play. If your children are a
little older, give them a special activity that they only
get to do while mommy works out. They'll look forward to
the activity while you get your workout in.
If you want to workout outside, there are great exercise
joggers that allow you to walk, jog or run with your child
safely strapped in. You can also wear your baby in a Baby
Bjorn or baby backpack. This adds weighted resistance to
your workout while taking away any excuse you may have!
Your baby will also love the special time feeling close to
you while getting some fresh air. Another option is to join
a class for moms and their kids. If that doesn't work for
you, many health clubs offer babysitting for a small fee.
Lastly, you can hire a babysitter or find a friend that is
willing to take turns babysitting each others children so
you can both make the time for much needed self care.
It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do something.
The key is to find a way to incorporate exercise back into
your life. If you do nothing now and exercise for fifteen
minutes tomorrow, you're moving in the right direction.
What's most important is that you give your body, mind and
soul what it so rightfully deserves. And as you begin to
feel better about your body and your commitment to take
better care of yourself, your body will kindly respond by
slowly getting back to being the finely tuned machine it
had been long ago. Then at some point, you may see the
beauty in you that everyone else does.
----------------------------------------------------
Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC is a Registered Dietitian,
Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach and
President of Lifestyle Fitness, Inc. For nearly 20 years,
Debi has been inspiring and empowering moms to become
physically fit and emotionally strong through gradual,
lifestyle change. For more information on the Lifestyle
Fitness Program, please visit
http://www.lifestylefitnessinc.com
====================
As you can see a perfect workout for one person may not be perfect for someone else. So, it depends on your level of fitness, and your exercise goals. There are many different things you can do to increase your fitness levels, and in doing so I'm sure you will find your perfect workout.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Three Easy Ways to Lose Weight!
If you're looking for a easy way to lose weight Holly Rigsby's article below should help you:-
============
I know, as soon as you saw the words "easy" and "lose
weight" in the headline, you were ready to write this off
as another one of those gimmicks or programs sound too good
to be true and usually are. But bear with me and you'll
learn 3 strategies that I guarantee will help you in your
weight loss efforts.
You've probably been conditioned to believe that weight
loss had to be tied to countless hours at the gym, the
latest supplement breakthroughs or eating nothing but
celery stalks and tofu. Fortunately, dropping a couple
dress sizes doesn't take anything that drastic. What it
does take is making some small changes in the behaviors
that led to the addition of those unwanted pounds. Here
are 3 lifestyle changes that will immediately help you lose
that unwanted fat and get your body back.
1. Stop Eating Out. Think back to when you were growing up.
Do you remember what the dinner plates looked like? Now
compare that to what the "plates" look like at O'Charleys,
Applebees or any of the other chain restaurants. It's no
wonder we're gaining weight. There are dozens of studies
about eating out and they all lead to one conclusion: if
you eat out, you overeat! Not only is it almost impossible
to exercise effective portion control when you eat out, but
you're also compelled to get you money's worth so you eat
everything you're served rather than stopping when you
should.
The bottom line is that those who eat out consume more
calories than those that don't. Take a break from eating
out for the next six weeks and see how easily you can drop
a dress size or even two. And you can use the money you
saved eating at home to buy a couple of new outfits to
showcase your improved body.
2. Eat Smaller Portions. You don't have to avoid the foods
that you enjoy - you just can't eat big servings of them.
An easy way to do this is to use smaller plates for your
meals. This will help you fell like you're not depriving
yourself while still exercising good judgment. And don't
think that just because something is on your plate, you
have to eat it. As opposed to what your mother told you,
you don't have to clean your plate.' In fact - you
shouldn't. Eat slowly and stop when you aren't hungry any
more. You'll quickly find that you can enjoy your favorite
foods and your skinny jeans at the same time.
3. Make Better Choices. I know I just said that you can eat
the foods you enjoy and still lose weight, but that doesn't
mean overindulging on processed foods, candy, sodas and
chips. The key is moderation. So when you go to the
supermarket, do the bulk of your shopping around the
perimeter of the store and spend less time in the isles.
When you're at work, keep health snacks handy so you don't
have to rely on the company's vending machine for your
energy boost. But most importantly, make good choices with
the meals that don't really matter. Your quality of life
won't dramatically improve if you choose a cheeseburger
over a grilled chicken salad for lunch, so don't do it.
Save the times when you are going to choose foods that
might be considered unsupportive for the meals that you
really look forward to. Improving your choices will
accelerate your weight loss and help you save unnecessary
calories without really trying.
Obviously, there is nothing magic about any of these three
strategies other than the results that they produce. So
start applying these three simple ideas and prepare to get
your body back.
----------------------------------------------------
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women's fitness
coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of
the internationally popular e-book The Busy Mom's Fat
Loss Bible. Go to http://www.busymomsfatloss.com to get
your FREE copy and discover everything you need to know to
losing unwanted fat and how to keep it off for good.
============
I know, as soon as you saw the words "easy" and "lose
weight" in the headline, you were ready to write this off
as another one of those gimmicks or programs sound too good
to be true and usually are. But bear with me and you'll
learn 3 strategies that I guarantee will help you in your
weight loss efforts.
You've probably been conditioned to believe that weight
loss had to be tied to countless hours at the gym, the
latest supplement breakthroughs or eating nothing but
celery stalks and tofu. Fortunately, dropping a couple
dress sizes doesn't take anything that drastic. What it
does take is making some small changes in the behaviors
that led to the addition of those unwanted pounds. Here
are 3 lifestyle changes that will immediately help you lose
that unwanted fat and get your body back.
1. Stop Eating Out. Think back to when you were growing up.
Do you remember what the dinner plates looked like? Now
compare that to what the "plates" look like at O'Charleys,
Applebees or any of the other chain restaurants. It's no
wonder we're gaining weight. There are dozens of studies
about eating out and they all lead to one conclusion: if
you eat out, you overeat! Not only is it almost impossible
to exercise effective portion control when you eat out, but
you're also compelled to get you money's worth so you eat
everything you're served rather than stopping when you
should.
The bottom line is that those who eat out consume more
calories than those that don't. Take a break from eating
out for the next six weeks and see how easily you can drop
a dress size or even two. And you can use the money you
saved eating at home to buy a couple of new outfits to
showcase your improved body.
2. Eat Smaller Portions. You don't have to avoid the foods
that you enjoy - you just can't eat big servings of them.
An easy way to do this is to use smaller plates for your
meals. This will help you fell like you're not depriving
yourself while still exercising good judgment. And don't
think that just because something is on your plate, you
have to eat it. As opposed to what your mother told you,
you don't have to clean your plate.' In fact - you
shouldn't. Eat slowly and stop when you aren't hungry any
more. You'll quickly find that you can enjoy your favorite
foods and your skinny jeans at the same time.
3. Make Better Choices. I know I just said that you can eat
the foods you enjoy and still lose weight, but that doesn't
mean overindulging on processed foods, candy, sodas and
chips. The key is moderation. So when you go to the
supermarket, do the bulk of your shopping around the
perimeter of the store and spend less time in the isles.
When you're at work, keep health snacks handy so you don't
have to rely on the company's vending machine for your
energy boost. But most importantly, make good choices with
the meals that don't really matter. Your quality of life
won't dramatically improve if you choose a cheeseburger
over a grilled chicken salad for lunch, so don't do it.
Save the times when you are going to choose foods that
might be considered unsupportive for the meals that you
really look forward to. Improving your choices will
accelerate your weight loss and help you save unnecessary
calories without really trying.
Obviously, there is nothing magic about any of these three
strategies other than the results that they produce. So
start applying these three simple ideas and prepare to get
your body back.
----------------------------------------------------
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women's fitness
coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of
the internationally popular e-book The Busy Mom's Fat
Loss Bible. Go to http://www.busymomsfatloss.com to get
your FREE copy and discover everything you need to know to
losing unwanted fat and how to keep it off for good.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
East Retford Half Marathon
I ran the East Retford Half marathon today. This is a small race in Retford, Nottinghamshire. (In England -- just in case you were wondering.)
Anyway, I had a good time particularly because I wasn't straining to go too fast early on, and had the attitude that this was just a training run. I would run steady for the first half and speed up later on. I did not want to push myself too hard -- that is what my coach, Mad Dog, said to do as I am running a marathon in a few weeks, and should save my energy for that.
It was a good feeling speeding up towards the end and not having anyone pass me -- I think after 9 miles nobody passed me. Some had passed me earlier on, but I caught them up, and passed them again! Finishing time was 1 hour 43 minutes exactly.
Last year I wasn't in good enough shape to run this half marathon, and had to do the fun run instead, so it just shows how far I have come in a year.
Anyway, I had a good time particularly because I wasn't straining to go too fast early on, and had the attitude that this was just a training run. I would run steady for the first half and speed up later on. I did not want to push myself too hard -- that is what my coach, Mad Dog, said to do as I am running a marathon in a few weeks, and should save my energy for that.
It was a good feeling speeding up towards the end and not having anyone pass me -- I think after 9 miles nobody passed me. Some had passed me earlier on, but I caught them up, and passed them again! Finishing time was 1 hour 43 minutes exactly.
Last year I wasn't in good enough shape to run this half marathon, and had to do the fun run instead, so it just shows how far I have come in a year.
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