Healthy Living
Every journey begins with a single step. I suggest that you pick just one of the healthy living suggestions below and make a promise to yourself to incorporate the item into your week. Then the following week choice another one and before you know it you are on your way to the new healthier you.
Tackling the food pyramid
*Start your new plan by consulting your doctor and then begin your new program by incorporating the USDA’s food guidelines.
6 to 11 servings of grains. One serving equals one slice of bread, about 1 cup of cereal, or 1/2 cup of pasta, rice or cooked cereal.
3 to 5 servings of vegetables. One serving equals 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables of 1/2 cup of other veggies cooked or raw.
2 to 4 servings of fruits. One serving equals 1 medium banana, 1/2 cup of fruit or 3/4 cup of juice.
2 to 3 servings of dairy. One serving is 1 cup of mild or yogurt and 1 1/2 ounces of cheese.
2 to 3 servings of meat. One serving equals 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat.
Limit your use of oils and fats.
*The larger number of servings is for active men, Eat smaller number of servings if you are a woman, inactive or trying to lose weight.
*Incorporate whole grains into your diet, like whole wheat breads, pastas, oatmeal and brown rice. They provide a better source of fiber and are slower to digest.
*Chose colorful fruits and vegetables. They are better sources of nutrients.
*Eat fish twice a week, especially ones rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like wild salmon.
*Chose low-fat dairy products. 1 cup of whole milk is 150 calories, 1 cup of non-fat milk is 90 calories.
*Increase monounsaturated fats into your diet like olive and canola oil, nuts and avocados.
*Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening, and partly hydrogenated oils (trans fat products) from your diet.
Empower yourself and not the food
*Keep a food journal. Become aware of what, when and why you are eating.
*Pinpoint your weaknesses and start to overcome them, be it time of day, stress triggers or love of chocolate.
*Catch yourself when you are overeating. Acknowledge it and learn from it and then put the fork down.
*Realize the more you do the more you can do. Empower yourself.
*Stay focused on your goal.
*Don’t let a setback take you off track. Remember if you overindulge you have to find a way to work off the offending calories.
*Pat yourself on the back when you feel that you have done something right but use it as another rung on the ladder to where you are going. Keep reaching for new heights.
Incorporate healthier eating
*Clean out your food panty and refrigerator of items that you know are not part of healthy eating program. Out of sight and out
Good food in your pantry is a great start to a healthy eating plan.
of the house is the best place for those tempting items.
*Introduce omega-3 fatty acids into your diet like wild salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, walnuts and flax seeds. They have been proven reduce cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory disorders.
*Use garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric to spice things up. They have proven to have health benefits.
Water water and more water
A recent study showed that after drinking 17 ounces of water that your metabolism could jump 30 percent.
*Drink water. 8 8-ounce glasses a day. It makes you feel full and helps to flush out your body. Water is water, not coffee and not diet soda.
*If you are a coffee drinker try to limit your intake. Consider changing over to black or green tea. Two cups of tea has the same amount of antioxidants as seven glasses of orange juice.
Tried and true weight loss suggestions
*Eating at regular intervals will help normalize hunger, accelerate your metabolic rate and over time help stabilize your weight.
*Don’t skip breakfast. If you eat breakfast you are less likely to overeat later in the day and it will help you jump-start your metabolism.
*Prepare your plate before you eat. Make sure that the portions are correct and then start eating. Eating shouldn’t be a mindless act.
*Reduce your consumption of sugar. Sugar spikes your insulin level and once on a sugar high you are likely to try to get another fix as soon as you can.
*Your mother told you to slow down and chew your food properly. She was right.
*Redefine your convenience foods. Having an apple in your desk is just as convenient as the bag of chips from the vending machine.
*Experiment with different types of exercise. Find something that you love to do and use it as a substitute for your weak times of eating.
*Make sure your salads are just that. Cut back on the dressings. Don’t drown your greens. They have taste, discover them.
*Cut back on saturated fats, like red meat. Try to use the leanest of meats like skinless chicken breasts and fish.
*Cut back on processed carbohydrates such as cakes, cookies, white bread, white rice and pasta.
*Find a few low calorie treats that enjoy like sugar-free gum and Jell-o. They have few calories and can help you over the feeling that you need to eat.
Counting calories
The government recommends a daily calorie intake for women at 1,600 and 2,200 for men
*Learn to count calories. The good, the bad and the just plain shouldn’t have in your diet. When you realize how much you are eating it will help you realize what you will need to do to lose your extra pounds.
*Measure out your food. Cut up veggies in advance. Spend time on the weekend preparing foods and portioning them up for the
Portion control bowls are great thing to have in your kitchen.
week. It sets you up to eating better during the week.
*Use spray oils lightly. There are calories in them and they are measured in serving portions that are hard to achieve. Read the can and try to achieve a serving portion.
Knowledge is power
*Go to the library or bookstore; pick a diet or nutrition book. Your body is an engine that you alone are responsible for so take the time to learn how it works and what diet plan works best for you.
*Research what vitamins you might want to consider taking.
Reducing your salt intake
Government recommends limiting your daily salt consumption to less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day— that’s about 1 teaspoon.
*Resist the urge to pick up the saltshaker. Take it off the dinner table.
You don't need me to tell you to cut back on the salt just listen to your doctor.
*Cut the amount that use when cooking. Taste it first.
*Every time you eat out ask that that food be prepared without salt,
*Check the labels of your food and choice items with less sodium.
*Experiment with no sodium substitutes and herbs to add flavor to your food.
Just good tips
*Surround yourself with people who make good food choices.
*Find a diet buddy. They can help you through the tough times and cheer at your successes.
*Learn to portion control. Vegetables should be about half of your meal with protein and starches equally filling in the rest of your plate.
*Stop eating three hours before going to bed. One of Oprah’s diet rules is to not eat after 7:30 p.m.
*Make a grocery list and stick to it. Plan out your meals and snacks.
Nuts are a great thing to keep on hand for snacking.
*Read food labels. Take the time to realize what is in the food you are eating and make wise choices at the market.
*Buy organic produce and products.
*Prepare foods yourself. You can control what is in it.
*Learn to taste and enjoy your food. You are eating less but that doesn’t have to diminish the pleasure.
*Convert an old family high calorie recipe to one that has less guilt involved.
I still make my famous peach pecan cheesecake but I have learned to take smaller slices.
*Don’t let the rest of your family dictate your eating routine. Take a salad to a family gathering and make them adjust to a healthier eating program,
*Add flaxseeds to your diet. They are a good source of omega-3.
*Pack your lunch; it is less tempting to go off your plan.
*Find a few low calorie treats that enjoy like sugar-free gum and Jell-o. They have few calories and can help you over the feeling that you need to eat.
*We all need our treats. But start to purchase them one at a time. Buy the single candy bar or buy a single cookie and then savor your treat.
*Remove the skin from chicken and turkey to reduce the saturated fat and cut down on the calories.
*Introduce a new vegetable or fruit into your repertory. Since most of your diet should consist of these items mix it up.
Dining out
*Challenge yourself to eat healthy when you go out.
*Be assertive when making plans to go out. Choice a place that you know has healthy choices.
*Share a splurge item. A few bites of rich dessert can be just as satisfying.
*If you order something and it isn’t to your liking don’t finish it.
*Substitute high calorie side dishes. Get a salad or steamed vegetables.
This wonderful salad is a treat any time of year.
*Ask for salad dressings and sauce to be on the side. It is easier to control what you eat.
*Don’t be afraid to ask the server not to bring the breadbasket. Out of sight, out of mind.
*Try ordering from the appetizer, soup and salad sections of the menu. It is easier to control the portions of food you get from these areas. Some restaurants will allow you order half portions so try to be smart about your decisions.
Vacations
*If you are going to treat yourself do it early in the day. You’ll have a better chance to work off before you call it a day.
*When making reservations ask about workout facilities. Pack your sneakers and workout clothes.
*If you are planning on going out for a special dinner, don’t skip every meal of the day. Take a long walk before you go out and try to order wisely.
SOURCES: Prevention Magazine, “Living the G.I. diet” by Rick Gallop, www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/dietcenter,
www.drweil.com. , Associated Press, http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/better_health, www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines, “Runaway Eating” by Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D. and Nadine Taylor, M.S. R.D., “Total body makeover” by Bob Greene
Life in moderation
Doesn't this look better than a cheeseburger and fries? Yummy!
I am a Cancer, a homebody by nature, but it is time to go back out into the world with my new life and take it for a test drive.
Eating out has been a downfall for me. For some reason, I thought that the calories consumed at a restaurant didn’t count. Wrong Lisa. They count and what is worse the food preparation is out of my hands. Only the cooks know how much oil they use and not to mention the other goodies that they hide in their treats.
Being antisocial really isn’t in my nature so I have learned a few tricks to eating out that I thought I would share with you. I am far from perfect and I still over eat when I go out but life is short, so when I overeat I hit the gym harder the next day. Try these tricks when you go out to eat:
1. If I am going to an unfamiliar place for dinner I will Google the place and look over the menu and figure out what would be good choices for dinner in advance. My game plan is motion and it helps fight off the temptation to order things I know I shouldn’t.
2. I never order from the main entrée menu. The portions are just too large. I know that some people ask for a take out box to come with their dinner and then they put half of their meal in the box before they start to eat. Nice thought, but it never worked for me. The waiter forgets the box and the next thing you know my plate is empty.
3. I allow myself two items total. I look over the appetizer, soup and salad menu and then pick the two things that I want. The great thing about the appetizer menu is that portions are more inline with what they should be so, if I choose something strays from my healthy eating regime I don’t feel like I fall off the horse too badly because at least the smaller portions keep the calorie count in control.
4. If I know that the desserts at the eating establishment are great I will adjust more my ordering to account for the extra calories at the end of the meal. I ask my friends to share the dish and get extra forks with the treat. It is a great bonding tool and helps again keep the calorie count in line.
5. Moderation is key and enjoying yourself is always on the menu. Life is too short not to enjoy yourself.
Eating healthy on a budget
How isn’t watching their pennies these days? My job is to keep up on the news and to top it off I work as a designer for the business section of the newspaper. I call it the department of doom and gloom. The only good news in the business world is that it is so bad it that it should keep us in business for a while.
Sure it is quick, easy and cheap but not good nutrition. Good calories in and your body will reward the effort.
Eating right on a budget is tough but it can be done with some planning. Here are some of my tricks to keep my pennies in my pocket .
- I make a list and shop the sales.
- Limit how much you eat out. Not great for the restaurant business but I am not alone in this rule. When I do go out I try to go to family places so that they can stay in business. They have more pride in what they are serving and are they grateful for your patronage.
- Pack my lunch and dinner. I work a swing shift and this allows me to stay on my diet with little effort.
- Take advantage of the frozen veggies. There is no waste and are there for more economical.
- Search out the discount stores and compare prices. Target has great prices on staples.
Sure a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese is a cheap meal but it is far from a nutritional meal. Frankly, I think the box has more nutrients and fiber. When I am grocery shopping I look at other peoples carts and I wonder what they are thinking. God gave us one body and it is our duty to take care of it. Eat healthy, be wise with your money and enjoy the temple that you create.
