There are so many different diets out there that it’s nearly impossible to figure out which ones not only live up to their claims, but which ones would qualify as healthy eating plans. A big thing to look for is moderation. That’s because the more wild fad diets tell you to eat as much of one food as like (cabbage soup, anyone?), avoid whole groups of foods (stay away from those carbs!), or both. Therefore, a good rule of thumb for finding a good diet is to see how moderate it is; not only in the foods you can eat, but also the quantity of the food you eat.

While the idea of gorging yourself on cheeseburgers, pizza and bacon may sound like the perfect diet. Low-carb eating plans aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Sure, you may enjoy eating all of those foods, but the novelty will wear off sooner than you think. Not only that, but you will also crave carbohydrates like never before. Imagine not having ice cream, bread, certain vegetables or pasta. You might lose some weight at first, but once you can’t control your cravings, you will gain it all back (and probably more).

Even assuming you could lose weight, and keep it off by being on a diet high in protein and fat, you still need to question the long-term effects on your health. Researchers are still learning about how the food we eat impacts our health, but one thing most of them agree with is that too much saturated fat isn’t good or you. So it stands to reason that a diet that lets you eat all the saturated fat shouldn’t be counted along with other healthy eating plans.

If you stand back from it and look at it objectively, it should be easy to see that such a diet couldn’t possibly be healthy…even if you lose weight. But that’s why so many diets make amazing claims. It gets you excited about the possibilities and then your brain shuts off its ability to reason. This is not your fault! These people are professionals at convincing people to try new diets. But once you learn some of the basics and know what to really look for, you don’t have to worry about falling for the hype ever again.

As mentioned earlier, it’s all about moderation. You should, of course, eat healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and good fats. The closer foods are to their natural source, the better. But you can also enjoy the occasional treat. There is no need for you to give up your favorite foods, as long as you don’t overdo it. You can also find some very good recipes that will reduce the calories in your favorite foods. Either way, healthy eating plans don’t have to be complicated. Find a few you would like to try, then see how well they work for you.

Tags: Atkins, Bacon, Basi, Brain, Cabbage Soup, Calories, Carbs, Cravings, Diet Plans, Eating Habits, Fad Diets, Fruits And Vegetables, Health Researchers, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating, Losing Weight, Low Carb, Moderation, Pasta, Pizza, Possibilities, Protein, Rule Of Thumb, Stress, Vegetables —

Healthy eating and nutrition for the elderly is greatly impacted by several factors, one of them being a change in body composition. During the later years in life, the body will lose bone and muscle and gain fat because the hormones aren’t very active anymore.

There are many factors which hinder an elderly person’s health. The information below will help you to lead a healthy life – no matter how old you may be.

Water
Water in the body decreases with age, so many older folks will become dehydrated very easily. Sometimes they won’t feel thirsty, while other times it’s too much work to pour a glass a water. With this in mind, it’s recommended that they drink at least 1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight.

Protein
At this stage in life, protein is very important. Protein is needed to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of muscle. Since energy needs are less, older folks should eat high quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poulty, and fish.

Carbs and fiber
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the entire body. You can find carbs in bread, cereals, pasta, and other grain products. A diet that’s high in fiber and water will help to prevent constipation as well.

Fat
Fat intake for the elderly should be limited, not eliminated. You can limit fat by choosing lean meats, low fat dairy products, and food preperation methods that don’t include frying.

Iron
For the elderly, iron deficiency can be seen with those who aren’t eating much. Good sources for iron include lean red meats or breakfast cereals.

Zinc
Zinc intake is normally with the elderly, and to make matters worse, it’s not absorbed very well either. Meat, poultry, and fish should be a part of your diet to help you meet the requirements for zinc.

Calcium
Calcium is one ingredient that most elderly folks simply aren’t getting enough of. Most believe that milk upsets their stomach, and therefore they will avoid it. They should be getting around 1,500 mg of calcium a day, and nonfat powdered milk can be used in recipes as a substitute for milk. Other foods such as yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli can also help you meet the requirements for calcium.

Vitamin B12
In order to absorb the benefits of B12, the intrinsic facotr must be produced by the stomach. Most elderly people suffer from a deficiency in B12 because they have a condition known as atrophic gastritis. This condition causes inflammation of the stomach, bacterial overgrowth, and the intrinsic factor. Without the intrinsic factor, this vitamin can be absorbed.

Each one of the above nutrients are needed to keep an aged body in good health. Elderly individuals should try to stay active and strive for a well balanced diet. Even though the aged body isn’t the same as it used to be, proper care and the right nutrients can help the elderly enjoy a healthy and long life.

Tags: Atkins, Body Composition, Breakfast Cereals, Carbs, dairy products;, Eating Habits, Elderly Folks, Elderly Person, Food Preperation, grain products;, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating, Healthy Immune System, Iron Deficiency, Lean Meats, Losing Weight, Main Source, Meat Poultry, Poulty, Quality Protein, Several Factors, Source Of Energy, Stage In Life, Water Water —

Fastest Way To Lose Weight – Take Action Right Now

We all want something good to happen quickly, but the truth is that the fastest way to lose weight is to make simple daily changes to your lifestyle. Do not think of your weight loss as a diet and do not put it in terms of having to lose weight in a few weeks so you can be ready for your class reunion. Doing that will only set you up for failure.

The first thing you need to do is plan on spending all the time it will take. It’s just not healthy to plan on using fad diets or potentially dangerous supplements to lose weight. What you really want is a long term weight loss routine where you balance a healthy eating plan with a sensible workout plan.

Of course you should talk to your doctor before you start any weight loss plan. This is even more important if you have any health issues. Make sure you have your doctors ok before you start on any diet or exercise plan.

If you can find someone, like a dietician, to help you work out a sensible eating plan, than by all means, make your life easier and get some help.

If that just isn’t in your budget, don’t worry, you can figure it out on your own. You can get many quality cookbooks online or at your local library. Just pick ones that have recipes that you think you will enjoy making… and eating. Also make sure that you have a sensible eating plan. Don’t use recipes that don’t have a healthy balance of proteins, carbs and fats.

Then you go out and start to exercise. If you want to join a gym and / or get a personal trainer, than again, do it. If that isn’t in your budget, or your comfort zone, than you can do it on your own. All you really need to do is get moving. How much you move will depend on how much you have been doing up until now.

If you’ve been pretty active, you can just add some workouts but if you haven’t spent much time doing physical activities you will need to start more slowly.

I think the very best way to get in shape is to find one, or more, physical activities that you actually enjoy doing. Too many people get caught up in the rut of thinking they have to go to the gym and spend hours on the treadmill or some other boring exercise.

Instead of doing that, why not find a class that incorporates dance with a fitness workout, if you like to dance that is. How about martial arts, swimming, biking, hiking, ice skating, skiing, etc. Just find something that is fun for you and you will stay with it.

Hey, it’s not magic, there is no one size fits all approach, the truth is that the fastest way to lose weight is the path that you will be most likely to stay with for the rest of your life. Weight loss should be viewed as a lifestyle change not a quick fix. Quick fixes are only very temporary and you want your weight loss to be permanent.

Tags: Best Way To Get In Shape, Carbs, Class Reunion, Comfort Zone, Dietician, Eating Habits, Exercise Plan, Fad Diets, Fastest Way To Lose Weight, Fats, Health Issues, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating Plan, Local Library, Long Term Weight Loss, Losing Weight, Personal Trainer, Proteins, Quality Cookbooks, Weight Loss Plan, Weight Loss Routine, Workout Plan, Workouts —

Well, it’s not sexy, or easy, but if you really want to know what the best way to lose weight is, I’ll tell you. Maybe first I should tell you what it is not.

1. It’s not about taking a pill or two and calling it a day.

2. It’s not about buying that cool piece of exercise equipment that you saw on late night t.v.

3. It’s not about getting involved in a fad diet.

4. It’s not about doing a cleanse or fasting for a week.

The truth is, that on their own none of these things are bad. Many of them might actually help you in your weight loss efforts. The danger comes in when people think that one of these things is all they need to do.

For example, starting your weight loss efforts off by doing a cleanse is not a bad idea. It can flush a lot of excess water weight and toxins from your body. It can help you see an almost immediate weight loss which will, hopefully, spur you on and help you stay motivated.

But, it’s vitally important that you realize that this is just step one, not the do all end all of your diet plans.

You will ultimately need to find balance in your life if you want to see permanent weight loss. To do that you will need to incorporate not only a healthy, balanced eating plan but also a well thought out exercise plan.

That is where a lot of people lose their way. They get sold on the idea of a quick fix, a fast solution, and when it comes to weight loss there is no such thing. There are a few things that may jump start your weight loss, like the cleanse I talked about above, but real, permanent weight loss means you are ridding your body of excess fat, and not just water, and the cleanse I talked about above won’t do that.

So, you may be wondering, what is a healthy reasonable diet plan? Well, it’s about balance. It’s about having plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, small amounts of fats and carbs, and proper portion size.

It’s about eating enough, and often enough, so that your body stays fired up and burning hot all day long. It’s also about getting enough water so your body is hydrated and you keep it clear of toxin buildup.

It’s about finding the foods that will supply the nutrients your body needs as well as provide you with the taste and flavor you need. Otherwise you won’t want to stick with this eating plan for very long. Remember, this is all about achieving permanent weight loss through permanent lifestyle changes.

And, one more thing, it’s about keeping your body moving with physical activity. Find some sort of workout that you enjoy and do it. Make sure you lift weights as part of your workout because that one simple thing can do more than any other aspect of your exercise program to burn more fat and calories 24/7.

Hope this has helped, the best way to lose weight is to find a eating plan and a workout plan that are balanced and healthy and just stick with them. That’s it, not sexy I know, but effective.

Tags: Atkins, Bad Idea, Best Way To Lose Weight, Calories, Carbs, Diet Plan, Eating Habits, Excess Water, exercise equipment;, Exercise Plan, Fad Diet, Fats, Fruits And Vegetables, Healthy Diet, Incorporate, Late Night, Losing Weight, People, Portion Size, Proper Portion, Sexy, Toxins, Truth, Water Weight, Weight Loss Efforts —