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Tips and Strategies for Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits in Your Family

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:38:00 +0000

Most of us have a pretty good idea of what healthy eating is: lots of fruits and vegetables and not too much fat and sugar. But when it comes to kids, knowing what is healthy is only the start. And even if you shop ‘healthy’ it does not mean that your kid will willingly eat it. There is hope. Kids need some extra encouragement and guidance along with a few of these strategies your kid is sure to eat healthy. Be a gatekeeper. It’s likely that the easiest way to get your kids to eat healthy is to remove the less-healthy options. Take control over what food and snack choices are in your home. If a kid is hungry they will eat it when there isn’t an alternative. Have you ever heard of a kid starving to death because his parents would not feed him potato chips? Keep healthy food in sight. As for those less-than-good-for-you foods, keep them in high cabinets and out of your kid’s reach. Arrange your refrigerator and cabinets so that healthy foods are the first foods that you see. If you choose to have some unhealthy options in the house keep them out of sight and you and your kids will be much less likely to choose them as an option. Make healthy food convenient. Wholesome foods, particularly fruits and vegetables require little preparation which is great for your ‘starving’ kid and you. Have a fruit basket at eye level on the counter at all times or have a container with carrots and celery sticks ready to go in the refrigerator. You might be surprised at how many more fruits and vegetables your kid will eat simply by having them visible and easy to grab. Make learning about food fun. Taking some of the mystery out of where foods come from can work wonders for some selective eaters. Prepare family meals together, have your kid mix the ingredients and serve the food to the rest of the family. Plant a vegetable garden as a family project and put your kid in charge of watering and picking the ripe vegetables. Kids that are involved are more likely to be a willing participant in the eating process. Keep an eye on Portion sizes. Parents often stress over how much their kids should be eating. Whether you are trying to get a selective eater to take a bite of anything green or limit the amount of dessert your sweet-toothed kid wants watching portions is necessary. Knowing the size of a healthy portion will give you some needed perspective. You can use the USDA’s Guidelines for Healthy Eating to learn about what a healthy portion is. Set a healthy example. Keep in mind that eating meals together isn’t just a great way to catch up on your family’s day it is also the perfect time to role-model healthy eating habits. Kids learn by watching their parents…That’s food for thought!

Get exercise and lose weight playing video games

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:56:00 +0000

I know what you’re probably saying right now. “Yea, right” or “what is this guy, some kind of a joker”. Well, ordinarily you would be right on the mark with those comments, but there is a video game out there that not only can be a ton of fun, but can also give you a pretty good workout and make you lose weight in the process. If you are a teenager or the parent of a teenager with a “Sony play station 2”, then you likely already know what game I’m talking about. If not, the video game in question is called “dance, dance revolution” or DDR for short. This is a game that started out in video arcades, but now there is the home version you can buy. Let’s look at how this video game can become part of a weight loss and fitness program. The game itself is played on a mat with four arrows pointing out in each direction, two out to the sides and one forward and one back. The corresponding arrows on your TV screen are your target arrows. When the moving arrows coming up from the bottom of your screen overlap the target arrows on the screen, you step on the appropriate arrows on the mat. All of this happens to your choice of upbeat music. The nice part of DDR is that there are skill levels ranging from beginner all the way to advanced levels. As you complete one song or segment, you get a score for it. You can then try again and again to continue to beat your scores. The fact that it is competitive in nature makes it a lot of fun, plus as you are playing this game, you are moving your body the same as you would doing dance aerobics. As with any aerobic exercise, it stands to reason that if you played DDR for 20 to 30 minutes per day, you would expend a lot of energy and burn fat. But as if logic alone wasn’t enough to confirm that this video game could give you a good workout and make you burn fat, there are people who use DDR making claims of losing anywhere from 5 to 95 pounds of fat! These claims are all coming from people who aren’t being paid to endorse DDR, but just people who are seeing these kinds of results from using it. Since you probably already have a TV set, all you would need to get started doing this is a “play station 2” and the game with the mat (the mat is the controller). If you already have a “play station 2”, you can get the game and mat for around $60.00. If you don’t have the “play station 2”, you can still get everything you need for under $300.00. If you enjoy music and dancing, and you are getting bored with jogging or riding the exercise bike, then DDR is a great way to get in some exercise each day, plus you’ll have a lot of fun doing it once you get the hang of it. If you are having fun while you are exercising, you will not only be more likely to stick with it, you will probably look forward to doing it, and if you don’t believe DDR can give you a challenging workout, just ask any teenager how they feel after 20 to 30 minutes of doing it.

Why Success May Be Killing You — And What To Do About It

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:20:00 +0000

You have probably worked long hours and many years to get where you are professionally. It took hard work and real dedication to achieve the success you enjoy now. Reaching professional goals is something to be proud of, but few stop to consider the physical tradeoffs this success often requires. Few people stop during their climb up the corporate ladder to consider what their daily lifestyle may be doing to their health. Often, achieving success means spending day after day at a desk or standing behind a counter. Americans don’t get nearly enough exercise, and with that comes health risks. Those risks include osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and a number of other related health problems. It is critically important to get proper exercise on a regular basis. Without it, you will almost certainly have pains and mobility problems down the road. But the right exercise regimen not only can decrease the risk of serious health issues, it can also help you achieve even greater goals, both personally and professionally. Many don’t realize that half-hearted trips to the gym several times a week simply won’t cut it when you’re trying to improve long-term health. A lot of people who work out regularly may not be getting the kind of exercise that prevents health problems and allows them to enjoy a full, active life. The problem with most workouts is they focus on strengthening specific muscles or areas of the body and are very time consuming. That’s great if you’re a bodybuilder, but that’s not how our bodies normally work. While this offers physical improvement in the form of tighter muscles and reduced fat, it fails to provide the bending, twisting and abrupt stops that are important to a truly effective exercise routine. These kinds of motions are common in everyday life, like bending over to pick up your keys. Failing to work them into an exercise routine means the body will never be trained for common movements, which naturally grow more difficult for us as our bodies age. So, while thousands of individuals make monthly payments on expensive exercise equipment and gym memberships that promises to make them look better, they are neglecting the type of movement that extends health benefits down the line. In the U.S., people 35 to 54 years old account for more than one million sports-related injuries each year. While that number sounds imposing, it is completely within our power to change the statistic. So how can we lessen our own risks? The solution is to combine exercise with common movements. Use exercises that approximate the kind of speed and movement you use in sports or other active tasks. Movements like lunges, squats and jumps all build muscle, improve balance and when performed quickly and repetitively, can provide an effective cardiovascular challenge. The best part about this effective workout is that it doesn’t require expensive equipment or a lot of time to pull it off. Getting back to basics with exercise balls, medicine balls and resistance bands is all you need to help prevent injury, as well as tone and shape your body into a stronger, healthier physique.

Tips For Losing Weight The Healthy Way

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:27:00 +0000

With obesity on the rise in the United States and other countries across the globe people are constantly on the lookout for diet pills or other quick ways to lose weight quickly with minimal effort. While some of these products may work over the long term they usually aren’t safe or effective at keeping the weight off. Managing your weight is really just a matter of eating a healthy balanced diet and getting enough exercise. Here are some tips to help you get in shape and lose weight. Eat Regularly. Starving yourself is not a safe or effective solution to losing weight. If you continue to skip meals your body makes an adjustment and slows down your base metabolic rate. So you’ll have less energy, do less work and exercise and lose weight at a much slower pace. Eat Frequently. By eating frequently you keep your body from reaching the starving stage. It takes the body 15 to 20 minutes to realize it’s full, so the hungrier you are to start the more likely you are to overeat. If you eat small frequent meals or snacks you are able to manage your hunger levels more effectively. Eat on Schedule. The majority of people eat when it’s convenient and fits into their schedule. As a result people often go six or more hours without eating a meal. Try to eat on a regular schedule every three to four hours. Your body will adjust to the schedule and you will keep from becoming abnormally hungry before a big meal. Portion Control. This is one of the single most important factors in weight control. You should eat small portions and stop eating when you are no longer hungry. Do not wait until you feel full to stop eating. The most common mistake most people make is eating portions that are too large. Nutritionists say that a good rule of thumb is to eat portions that are the size of your clenched fist. Drink lots of water. Many studies recommend 8 glasses of water a day. There really isn’t much scientific basis for that number. However drinking lots of fluids will help keep you hydrated, will keep your stomach feeling full, and you will prevent build up of ammonia or other toxins in your waste system. Getting up and going to the bathroom frequently will even give you a little bit of exercise. Exercise Regularly. You should find some form of exercise you can do regularly (three or four times a week). It doesn’t matter if you are going to the gym, playing tennis, riding a bike, roller blading or swimming. As long as you are exerting yourself and increasing your heart rate. If you can find an activity you enjoy it’s the best solution. Try not to do the same thing for more than 6 weeks, your body will adjust to the exercise pattern, so try to change the pattern frequently. Medical Approval. Before you begin any diet or weight loss program see a doctor and discuss your plans with him, give him as much information as possible about what you are doing and what your goals are. Once you have the proper medical clearance, you can get started getting in shape. © Copyright.Fitness-Infomercial.com, All Rights Reserved.

Why Do People Get Depressed?

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:38:00 +0000

Many people identify the feeling of being depressed as being blue, feeling sad for no reason, or having no motivation to do anything.It occures when human endure feeling sadness or melancholy for long periods of time, it can last for several weeks to several years if left untreated. Sometimes we feel tired from working hard, or discouraged when faced with serious problems. This too, is not depression. These feelings usually pass within a few days or weeks. But, if these feelings linger and begin to interfere with work, school or family responsibilities, it may be depression. There is no single cause for depression. Many factors play a role including genetics, environment, life events, and certain thinking patterns that affect a person’s reaction to events. Research has revealed that depression runs in families and suggests that some people inherit genes that make it more likely for them to get depressed. But not everyone who has the genetic makeup for depression actually gets depression. And many people who have no family history of depression have the condition. So, although genes are one factor, they aren’t the single cause of depression. Life events – for example, the death of a close family member or friend – can go beyond normal grief and can sometimes lead to depression. Family and social environment also play a role. For some teens, a negative, stressful, or unhappy family atmosphere can affect their life and lead to depression. Social conditions like poverty, homelessness, and community violence can make it more likely for people to become depressed. We have to say that People who are depressed shouldn’t wait and hope it will go away on its own, because depression can be effectively treated. Although depression is one of the most common emotional problems, the good news is that it’s also one of the most treatable conditions.

Is A Low-Carb, High Protein Diet really Effective for Weight Loss?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:34:00 +0000

You may have heard that to increase muscle and to lose weight you need to increase your protein intake. When I first heard that I thought…wait a minute the same thing that is going to make you bigger is supposed to make you ’smaller’…I asked the trainer this question and he looked at me dumbfounded but it left me to thinking…”besides sounding absurd, will this method actually be safe?” Although we all know we require a certain quantity of protein every day to be healthy and because of propaganda to this effect, a lot of people view the daily consumption of high-protein foods such as meat and dairy as highly beneficial. However, judging from the failure of most if not all the people I have personally known attempting to lose weight on a high-protein, low carb diet, it may be time to revise our ideas about protein. From what I have seen (upwards of six cases I have been able to observe among friends, family and co-workers) it will be safe to answer the question heading this article with a simple No! Not only is a diet high in protein NOT the best at all for weight loss, according to many naturopaths, such a diet may even be detrimental to ones overall health. Because of its complexity, excessive protein along with fatty foods are the most difficult foods to digest and tend to leave one tired all the time. Moreover the common putrefaction of protein while being digested creates many acids in the body and has been known to lay the foundation for cancer. This is not to say that proteins and fats must be avoided, quite the contrary, what should be the goal in consuming these foods should be taking in exactly what the body needs and no more. The Max Planck institute has proven that, considering that the body recycles most of its protein for its own needs, 25g of protein a day is more than enough. According to T.C. Fry, a well known Naturopath and pioneer in drugless healing, there are several cultures such as the Caribbeans, who subsist on a Manioc-based (root-vegetable) diet and get about 12 g of protein a day. Quite similarly, an aboriginal tribe living in the Mountains of Hagen was discovered to live on about 80-90% of their diet being Sweet Potatoes, the rest mostly leafy veggies, bananas and the like. While I lived in Nigeria for 17 plus years, most people hardly ever even consumed milk or cheese (they were too expensive) and families strictly rationed the consumption of animal flesh to about the size of medium size lemon per person every other day. All these groups of people, with their root vegetable diets are obviously in great health, accomplishing great physical work. Moreover, Mother’s milk, which for a time is a baby’s perfect food, has about 1-2 % protein content. (Only fruits and veggies resemble it in their composition) Any reasonable person will be able to deduce that a growing baby needs more protein than a full-grown adult, yet human babies, just like with our distant cousins: the Apes in the wild, do just fine on breast milk and on the subject of apes who share about 98% of our DNA, do you know the Gorilla, the strongest primate, has been known to bench press upwards of about 4000 pounds! What does this creature live on? According to Dr. George Schaller and Dian Fossey, two great primatologists, this powerful relative lives on mostly fruits and leaves. Now, considering all the factors above, when it comes to the right diet for weight loss, I would recommend a Mucus-less or Mucus-poor (raw and cooked fruits and veggies) over any other mere fad in the quest of attaining fitness and health. Of course, if the consumption of animal flesh must be continued, I would also advise that it be done at a minimal quantity and only one kind of animal flesh every so often. In my opinion, consumption of fresh home-made salads, mono-meals of fruits, snacks on dried fruits such as dates, a few nuts and maybe even a short juice fast, as a choice for a diet (along with some form of exercise) will be the best path to attaining safe and healthy weight loss.

Getting There: Setting Goals For Your Health and Fitness

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:42:00 +0000

In reality, a goal is simply a destination on a map. It is a place we want to be in the future. Imagine driving your car without a destination. You do not know where you might end up, right? It is the same with health and fitness, in that if you do not have a specific goal or destination, you could wind up anywhere on that map. As you draw your map and your future, observe the following rules for writing goals. Do not write goals in negative terms. Have you ever noticed the way we phrase things in terms of health and fitness goals? “I want to quit smoking.” “I want to lose weight.” These goals are written in negative terms. Written this way, even when you accomplish your goals, you are either a quitter or a loser! Write your goals with a positive spin. Goals should be attainable. Let’s face it – not all of us can be as fit as Lance Armstrong or have the physique of a supermodel. Make your goals realistic. If you remember a time when you felt pretty slim and healthy at a certain weight, make that your goal. And you may not be able to completely stop taking your medications for cholesterol, diabetes or blood pressure, but it is realistic to possibly reduce your need for them somewhat as you become more fit. (Never stop taking any medication unless directed to do so by a physician.) Goals need to be measurable. “I want to be thin” is not measurable. What does “thin” mean? Instead, think in terms of how much weight do you want to lose and by when? Or what size clothing you would like to be and when? Giving yourself a deadline or a finish line creates a sense of urgency and importance. Goals need specific motivation. This is the tangible reason for why you want to achieve this goal. We do not much care what the number on the scale says. It is just a number and there is not much emotion attached to it. Tying your goal to a meaningful event such as an upcoming reunion or vacation where you would like to look and feel your best gives your goal meaning and a sense of purpose. Here are some examples of goals written with the above rules in mind: 1. I will build up to exercising 5 days a week by July 31 of this year so that I need less insulin. 2. For the next 30 days I will get into the habit of eating at least three servings of vegetables a day so that I will live to see my children grow up. 3. I will be at my ideal weight by May 31 of next year so that I can fit into size 8 clothing. Get started by setting goals and mapping your future and you will be at your destination in no time at all! By Dr. Jennifer D. Wetmore (copyright 2006)

Why Walking is the New Running

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:47:00 +0000

There is a word that most overweight people dislike, it is a word that turns people off and makes their mind switch to another channel to avoid thinking about it. Unfortunately it is a key part to weight reduction and something that when done correctly can be the cause of your success. The word is…………….. Exercise! Now stay with me here, switch your mind back on to what I am saying stay, in this same frame. The reason most overweight people do not like the ‘E’ word is because they have set up in their mind that in equals pain and like most people they will do anything to avoid pain. There is a better way and you can find the better way when you begin to understand that there are different ‘types’ of exercise (hey, don’t disappear – stay with me now) At the lowest level there are 2 forms of exercise, these are; · Aerobic and · Anaerobic Aerobic exercise causes your heart and muscles to work very hard, pumping blood round your body at a high rate to get the oxygen to the muscles in order for them to keep working. A side effect of this is that it produces acid in your muscles, lactic acid to be precise. It is this lactic acid that causes you muscles to stiffen up after you have finished, causing you pain. Lactic acid also stays in your system for a long time as your body finds it hard to break it down. If your body cannot break the acid down it wraps it up and stores it as fat! The main type of aerobic exercise that people do on a regular basis is running, yes this helps build fitness but if you want to reduce your weight you can only concentrate on building fitness once you get down to a sufficient weight. What you should concentrate on to start with is reducing your weight and nothing else, fitness comes later. This is where anaerobic exercise comes in. Anaerobic exercise causes the heart to work harder than normal which still pushes the blood and oxygen around the body but does not work the muscles as hard and therefore does not create lactic acid. Further more anaerobic exercise helps in releasing stored fat and acid and helps it into the waste system so that the body can get rid of it. Remember you cannot ‘burn’ off your weight. The phrase ‘burning off calories’ is a myth! The weight you get rid of has to leave your body somehow and it is through your waste system that this happens. So, what is the best form of anaerobic exercise? I hear you ask Well, as the title of this article suggests it is walking. My suggestion to you is that you walk for 1 Ѕ hours at least 3 times per week and that should be broken down into the following; · 15 minutes warm up walking at a pace slightly faster than your normal walking pace · 60 minutes walking at a high pace that gets your heart pumping · 15 minutes warm down walking at your normal walking pace. If you cannot manage that to start with find your own level and start there and slowly build up to this level. Remember the warm up and warm down though as this is vital. Enjoy your walking. Yours truly, Graham Nicholls

Why Whey Protein?

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:54:00 +0000

With all of the recent negative press given to body supplements, it makes good sense to be cautions about using different nutritional supplements as a part of your body building efforts. Whey protein has been lauded as a safe, natural and simple supplement. It’s use has become popular for those genuinely interested in good health through physical fitness and body building. The importance of adequate protein levels in the body cannot be ignored. Since protein is used up when exercising, body builders must prevent muscle deterioration by maintaining protein levels. Naturally, building additional muscle mass will also require adequate levels. Whey protein is a substance that is drawn from milk. That’s right, plain old cow’s milk. Whey is known to be a byproduct of cheese and, until the recent discovery of its health qualities, was discarded. In fact, scientists now know that what was once considered junk is actually rich in the amino acids which help build muscles and promotes good health. As we know, protein is found in other basic foods such as meat, vegetables and grains. But, thanks to the research that has been done, we now know that whey protein is accepted by the body better. As a result body builders and other athletes can usually expect better results from whey protein than from other sources of protein. This high quality and natural product is also useful for other people who may be on special diets, whether they are for weight loss, food allergies, or even for diabetics. Remember, high quality protein is essential for optimum health…not just for body building. Use of whey protein can help others heal quicker and recover from illness quicker. As always, be sure to check with your health professional before implementing whey protein or making any other changes in your diet or routines. Like anything else, too much of a good thing can be harmful, so be sure to use it in moderation.

Stop Exercising And Start Playing

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Have you ever berated yourself because you didn’t exercise yet again today? Have you felt that creeping guilt in the back of your mind when you climb into bed knowing you didn’t follow through on your workout plan? Well, it’s possible that you are not at fault. You may just be acting like a normal human being. Take a moment to imagine how it feels to be… 1) In a hot, sweaty gym full of people who are grunting through their routines, sweating all over the equipment, and strutting their bodies around in front of the mirrors. OR 2) Rounding a curve in the trail with a light breeze gently caressing your skin in the soft evening air. How about the difference between… 1) Running around an oval track gasping for air and feeling your lungs burning. OR 2) Racing up and down a soccer field fully challenged by the game and having a blast with your friends. It’s not difficult to decide which choices would be more enjoyable to most people. Our culture has taught us to suffer as we exercise. “No pain, no gain” has been the mantra for years. The only problem is that for most people, “pain” is not a daily choice we’re willing to make. The natural human tendency is to do things that are fun, things that feel good. Forcing ourselves to do miserable exercise routines goes directly against our own nature. An easy way out of that trap is to play more. Find ways of moving the body that are wildly fun or rewarding to the soul. Dance around your house. Take a nature walk. Fly a kite. Go to the park with the kids and play some tetherball. Make the choice to move every day because it’s fun and feels great. Choose to move because it make you feel healthy and strong and vibrant. You’ll find you’re getting a lot more “exercise” without even thinking about it in that way. Life is meant to be an enjoyable journey not an endless round of suffering. Choose to have more joy and you’ll feel the difference in your body and in your spirit.