Perhaps you are in a state of general good health, and you are not overweight. If so, then you may be thinking that there is no need for you to go on a healthy eating plan. Hey, you feel great! Right? So it stands to reason that you should be able to eat whatever you want without having to worry about it. While it may seem that way, the truth is that healthy eating is a smart choice for everyone, regardless of their current state of health. On the other hand, you may be like a large portion of the population and already have some weight or health issues. Either way, here are some things for you to consider.

First, let’s talk about all of the confusion that’s out there. It seems as though there are new diets and news stories coming out every day that tell us about what foods are healthy and which ones aren’t. This would be great if they could agree on anything. Instead, it seems as though all if this information is contradictory. That wouldn’t be that big of a problem if people didn’t use it as an excuse to eat whatever they want. So, just because there is conflicting information, doesn’t give you free license to eat anything, any time.

A good example of this is the fat in our diets. There was a time, not all that long ago, that fat was food enemy #1. Food makers were quick to roll out low-fat versions of some of their more popular foods, and people gobbled them up (figuratively and literally). So, what happened to people’s waistlines? Well, they sure didn’t shrink. In fact, the population kept getting heavier. Clearly there was something else going on. What it comes down to is that we need fat to be healthy, but there are different types of fats. Trans fats and saturated fat should be avoided (though some saturated is acceptable, trans fats should be eliminated entirely), but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can be enjoyed in moderation and actually impart some health benefits.

The next thing to watch out for is refined foods. In other words, do your best to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. You can take this a step further by passing any foods which contain ingredients that sound like they are the result of a chemical experiment. White flour, sugar and other simple carbohydrates are some of the more common examples of refined foods that don’t belong in a healthy eating plan.

Finally, while all of the advice above is good, it’s okay to “slip” once in a while. If possible, try to find healthy alternatives for the junk foods you feel you must have. But other than that, the occasional cheeseburger or handful of chips won’t hurt you as long as you don’t make a habit of eating them, and eat are eating well otherwise. The key is to make changes that you can stick to and to take smaller steps so you can get used to a healthier lifestyle.

Tags: Confusion, Current Health, Current State, Diets, Different Types Of Fats, Eating Habits, Excuse, Food Makers, General Good Health, Health Issues, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating Plan, Large Portion, Losing Weight, Moderation, News Stories, Polyunsaturated Fats, Popular Foods, Population, Saturated Fat, Smart Choice, Trans Fats, Types Of Fats —

The Foods That Speed Up Metabolism – Lose Weight Naturally

The diet industry is a multi-million dollar industry and of course those companies that profit from this industry would like to continue making those profits. So if there was a list of foods that could actually speed up your metabolism and as a result help you to lose weight easily, the diet industry will not want you to find out about it. What if that list of foods contained the sort of foods that you love to eat – not possible, that would be going against diet rules wouldn’t it? After all, don’t all diets tell you to avoid those foods that you love the most? You should only eat low fat foods and avoid things like nuts and grains. You should stay away from healthy fruits and vegetables because they contain too much natural sugar – right?

Wrong!

If all these super fad diets were right – eat low-fat foods, eat low-carb foods, eat protein only, eat cabbage until it comes out your ears – if they were all right, then why are obesity numbers rising?

The diet experts out there don’t know all the answers or if they do know, they certainly aren’t telling you or if they do they will make you pay a hefty price for the information. People pay hundreds of dollars to find the right way to lose weight and will still usually fail, so instead of spending anymore money on the latest weight loss fad, use common sense. No matter what type of diet you are on, the bottom line is that you need to burn more calories than you eat. So common sense will tell you that if you keep your calorie intake within a healthy range and do some exercise you should lose weight. There are some other things that you can do though to make losing weight easier and maintain a healthy and nutritious diet and this includes eating foods that give your metabolism a boost which helps you burn calories faster.

Some foods high on the list of foods that speed up metabolism are tuna, salmon and sardines. These foods are great sources of Omega-3 fatty acids and heart healthy fat and they also help to lower your levels of leptin. When your leptin hormones stay in a low range it is much easier to lose weight. So eating more fish will help to lose weight faster. If you don’t like fish then you can always take some fish oil supplements instead. Olive oil is also another good source of Omega-3 and monounsaturated fats to boost metabolism.

Some other fat burning foods are the hot and spicy types, like cayenne, habanero and jalapeno peppers. These peppers contain capsaicin which is the substance that makes them hot, it is also the substance that gives your metabolism a big boost for up to three hours after you eat. To get the most benefit from these fat burning foods you can choose lower-fat, good carb spicy dishes.

Whole grains are also great for speeding up the metabolism because they have a slow digestion rate and they keep your blood sugar levels even. Cinnamon is another food that has blood sugar regulating properties and can keep your metabolism running at a high speed. Then there are the protein rich foods like eggs, nuts, lean meats and beans that give your body the much needed protein that it needs to keep it running smoothly.

Water, although a beverage and not a food, will also assist on keeping your metabolism on high speed. When you are trying to lose weight it is important to keep up the recommended daily intake of water to keep your body operating at peek performance.

Forget about all the new fad diets around, just change your diet slightly to include some of these super metabolism foods, add some exercise to your routine and drink lots of water and I bet you will start to notice a difference in your weight very quickly.

Tags: Atkins, Calorie Intake, Calories, Diet Experts, Diet Industry, Diet Rules, Dollar Industry, Eating Habits, Fad Diets, Foods That Speed Up Metabolism, Fruits And Vegetables, Healthy Diet, Healthy Fruits, Hefty Price, Losing Weight, Low Carb Foods, Low Fat Foods, Matter What Type, Metabolism Diet, Natural Sugar, Nutritious Diet, Obesity Diet, Sardines, Speed Up Metabolism —

Running for weight loss is recognized as being one of the very best methods to lose weight fast and get in great shape. The cardiovascular benefits alone of starting a running regime are huge.

The one downside of running for weight loss is that some people take it to the extreme, they run too much and too often and instead of losing weight they also reduce their overall muscle mass which can give them a gaunt, unhealthy appearance.

In order to keep your muscle tone while you burn fat some simple changes to your technique can help.

Stay away from long runs. Any run that is over 45 minutes long can be detrimental to maintaining muscle mass. The biggest reason is because on those long runs your body needs all the energy it can get and one of the easiest to access is burning muscle.

Think of marathon runners, many of whom supplement their workouts with some form of weight training, no matter what else they do for a workout they all tend to look mal-nourished and underfed. That is because their muscle mass is being diminished faster than it is being replenished.

One great way to combat this is to incorporate interval training into your running regime. This is simply a way of working out where your workout intensity goes up and down like a roller coaster.

You do very heavy cardio bursts for a short time, taking your body to it’s maximum limits, then you alternate that with a lower intensity session.

How many times you alternate between the high and low sessions as well as how long each session will be, needs to be determined by your current fitness level and overall fitness goals.

When you first start out with interval training it is a very good idea to enlist the help of a trainer who can help you develop a good program specifically for you based on your current fitness level and your overall fitness goals.

For most people the best combination will be to do running on one day and weight training on the next. Keep alternating that way to maximize your results.

If you can avoid it, do not combine both exercises in the same day. If you absolutely can not avoid it, at least do one exercise (say weight training) in the morning and allow yourself at least 8 hours before you do the running portion of your workout routine.

Doing it that way will allow your body the maximum amount of time to rejuvenate and replenish itself. You will get the benefits without having too much stress on your body.

Also it’s crucial that you provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to support your high energy workouts. Make sure you provide your body with a lot of lean high protein foods. This is essential to help maintain and build muscle mass.

And, of course, make sure to keep hydrated. If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated. Keep drinking throughout the day and your workouts to avoid feeling thirst in the first place.

All these tips will help you get the maximum benefit out of
running for weight loss.

Tags: Atkins, Calories, Cardiovascular Benefits, Downside, Fitness Goals, Great Shape, Interval Training, Losing Weight, Marathon Runners, Maximum Limits, Muscle Mass, Muscle Tone, Regime, Roller Coaster, Short Time, Simple Changes, Underfed, Weight Calories, Weight Loss, Weight Training, Workout Intensity, Workouts —