Living a Healthy Life!
Nettie Mae

People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don’t believe me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising…you’re instantly bombarded with the latest diet schemes and “Hollywood” food fads.

Here in America, we have built a thriving industry trying to control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence. The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care treatments is staggering…Americans alone spend around $114 billion every year! And even with all this interest in losing weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before…

– A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese…up about eight percent from earlier estimates.

– Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine million are overweight…triple the rate in 1980!

– Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.

For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer calories to sustain our normal body weight.

Think about it for a moment…

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our favorite snack. Whether it’s television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal routine have disappeared…activities like climbing stairs, pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

And please do not misunderstand me…I appreciate comfortable living just as much as the next person. But, here is the problem…

With all of our modern day conveniences and “cushy” style of living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of the following examples comparing what we eat “today” vs the 1970’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

– We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970’s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.

– Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because French fries and potato chips are included as vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our “produce” choices.

– We’re drinking less milk, but we’ve more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.

– We’ve cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we’re eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970’s.

– We’re drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970’s, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.

– We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.

– Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies. In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person’s calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers!

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it’s “OK” to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It’s time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits… slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life. And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so be patient as you work toward your goal!
About the Author

Sick and tired of being Sick and Tired, Nettie Mae quit her 3rd shift factory job. To see what keeps her going, visit http://www.frutavida4u.com/nettiemae/.

Tags: America, Author, Automobiles, Caloric Expenditure, Caloric Intake, Consequences, Conveniences, Energy Expenditure, energy;, Fewer Calories, Food Fads, food;, foods, grain products;, Health Care Treatments, Indulgence, Lawn Mower, less energy, Losing Weight, Mae, Nettie Mae, Normal Body Weight, obesity;, Potato Chips, Potato products, Related Health, Remote Controls, Snack, Stairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, United States;, USD;, vegetable oil, Watching Tv —

DIET FOR LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE
Jerry Lee

DIET FOR LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our favorite snack. Whether it’s television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal routine have disappeared…activities like climbing stairs, pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

And please do not misunderstand me…I appreciate comfortable living just as much as the next person. But, here is the problem…

With all of our modern day conveniences and “cushy” style of living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of the following examples comparing what we eat “today” vs the 1970’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it’s “OK” to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It’s time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits… slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life. And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so be patient as you work toward your goal!

http://healthebooks.net

About the Author

Editor of http://healthebooks.net

Tags: Author, Bad Habits, Caloric Expenditure, Caloric Intake, Conveniences, Department Of Agriculture, Energy Expenditure, energy;, Exercise Habits, Family Dinners, Fewer Calories, food;, foods, Healthy Eating, Healthy Foods, Lawn Mower, Life Diet, Life Entertainment, Remote Controls, Rewarding Life, Serving Portions, U S Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Unhealthy Habits, Watching Tv —

6 Tips For A Healthy Dinner Out
George Williams

Ever wonder how you can possibly lose weight when the average
dinner out contains over 1,000 calories? Well, don’t fret!
Keeping yourself in shape when dining out is simply a matter of
ordering the right menu.

Below are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (while still
enjoying your meal like normal!):

– Watch Your Drinks – By not ordering an alcoholic beverage,
you’ve saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try
sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet
soft drink, or water with lemon. You’ll be glad you did when you
consider the calorie savings.

– Have A Salad – One of the best menus to have is salad. Not
only will it fill you up so you’ll consume fewer calories
overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants
which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold
the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric
load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based
dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the
option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

– Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary – Do you know that
some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course?
Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces
which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans
fats and calories. It’s not a healthy way to start your meal.

– Choose The Right Kind Of Foods – Go for broiled and grilled
rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat
grams, you’ll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in
fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of
vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the
7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal
health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you’ll be reducing your
caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based
sauces rather than cream based and you’ll enjoy a considerable
calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a
separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

– Don’t Overeat – Today, many restaurants are serving larger
quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put
aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to
take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you
start eating, you’ll be less tempted to overeat.

– Say “No” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts – Instead, go for a low fat
or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb
cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious
eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a
healthy dessert option isn’t available, try a cup of coffee with
skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in
mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to
slash out of your meal just by ordering the right menus! Happy
healthy eating!

About the author:

George Williams is a wine and food enthusiast. He owns Wine Online
Secrets, Wine Rack
Secrets and Free
Wine Storage Info, sites providing free wine information.

Tags: Alcoholic Beverage, Appetizer, Appetizers, Author, Calories And Fat Grams, Carbohydrate, Croutons, Dressings, Fewer Calories, food enthusiast, food;, Fried Foods, Fruits And Vegetables, George Williams, Hefty Dose, olive oil;, Online Secrets, Optimal Health, Saturated Fat, Sauces, Soft Drink, Starch, Sweetener, Trans Fats, Vinegar, Waitress —

Are you a bit of a risk taker when you want to lose weight? If you are the 500 calorie diet may be just what youre looking for. The truth about this diet is it is considered an extreme form of dieting; but is highly popular. Low calorie diets are common and 500 calories is at the lower end of the scale.

A diet is considered low calorie if it involves ingesting no more than 1200 calories per day. The idea of a low calorie diet is to lose weight quickly. If not administered correctly they can be dangerous and as such it is important to plan your 500 calorie diet with a professional dietician or nutritionist before starting. This article will help you to decide if the 500 calorie diet is right for you.

It is well known that the way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. However a very low calorie diet can actually do more harm than good. When your body is craving more calories (energy) it can affect your metabolic rate. This means your body actually starts to eat away at your muscle mass.

It is doing this for the purpose of converting the muscle mass to energy, since there are no food reserves to take from. Because gaining muscle is the path to losing fat, this can have a highly detrimental effect on your body.

500 calories per day may be sufficient for some people depending on their:
– Gender
– Activity level
– Height
– Body type
– Overall health and well being

For other people though, particularly overweight people, consuming only 500 calories a day is almost like starving yourself. Your body is more than likely used to taking in over 2000 calories per day and up to 5000 or more. If you all of a sudden drop to 500 calories or less your body moves into starvation mode. Your metabolism then slows down to conserve energy.

While you are on the 500 calorie diet your body will learn to live with fewer calories. That means if you go back to your old high calorie habits (as all too many people do) you will have a sudden gain in weight, which is more than what would have occurred, had you not gone on your low cal diet.

The only real way to determine your ideal daily calorie intake is by using a bmr/amr calculator. You will then know how many calories you need to be healthy and to support your lifestyle. If you take 500 calories away from this, then you have the ideal number of calories, to take in per day to help you get your weight down.

As men and women are obviously different their ideal calorie intake is also different. This of course means while the average woman may need only 1200 to 1300 calories a day to survive, her male counterpart may need from 1500 to 1600. Again this is why it is so important for you to consult with your physician before starting any diet.

In conclusion a 500 calorie diet can be dangerous. However, if proper precautions are taken, such as a physical, to determine your overall health fitness, you can lose weight quickly.

Tags: 500 Calorie Diet, Body Moves, Calories Per Day, Detrimental Effect, Dietician, energy;, Fewer Calories, Food Reserves, food;, Gaining Muscle, Low Calorie Diet, Low Calorie Diets, Many People, Metabolic Rate, Metabolism, Muscle Mass, Nutritionist, Overweight People, physician, Popular Diets, professional dietician, Risk Taker, Starvation Mode, starvation;, Truth About —