Hi there all,
With Christmas coming and knowing full well that we will be over eating, here area few healthy snacks that you might cinsider to asist with you losing weight !
Melons
Throughout the summer, stock up on an array of seedless watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew to cube and have on hand when you feel the urge to "pick." Their high moisture content dilutes the calories per serving and provides you with more water — a great way to hydrate and feel fuller sooner
Fat-Free Yogurt
Protein-rich dairy foods have been shown to aid in weight loss, so try starting your day with a yogurt parfait. Layer your favorite fat-free yogurt (try Fage 0%, which is thick and super-creamy) with berries and crushed nuts or granola. Bonus tip: This makes a great dessert, too
Summer Vegetables
You'll benefit from keeping vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash, and red, green, and orange peppers on hand to make meals more flavorful and filling, with fewer calories. Use them in wraps or to fill out pasta dishes, serve them as a side dish, or keep it simple and pile them high on a plate sprinkled with freshly grated cheese.
Low-Fat Dips, Dressings, and Spreads
Potentially dangerous food fatigue is brought on by eating boring food. A varied selection of low-fat dips and dressings in your fridge will keep your taste buds stimulated and make it easier to get those five servings a day of fruits and vegetables down. Try any of the Sabra Mediterranean dips, spicy salsas, or a yogurt-based dressing to get started!
Hint: Try a spicy wasabi dip for veggies, or a sweet yogurt and sugar-free jam dip for fruit!
Rotisserie-Cooked Turkey or Chicken Breast
Keep a Tupperware container filled with precooked chicken or turkey breast in easy reach. These are convenient sources of protein that keep your blood sugar from dipping and your appetite from rising. Eat them cold or reheated; sliced, diced, or cut into strips; alone or on salads and in fajitas
Mini Versions of Your Favorite Drinks
Just because you're cutting back on calories doesn't mean you have to cut out everything you love. Just look for smaller-sized versions of your favorite drinks. For soda lovers, Coca-Cola offers a new 90-calorie Coca-Cola Mini can as an option
Water, Water, Water
When you're trying to lose weight and exercising more, water should become your new best friend, but it's not always easy to drink the required eight glasses a day. Experiment with calorie-free flavored waters like Vitaminwater zero. They can satisfy your taste buds and keep you hydrated on your way to the beach!
Until da next Tyme !
Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts
30 November 2010
5 August 2010
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes - Controllable Risk Factors
Hey Peeps,
Last week we talked about Diabetes 2, as a sufferer, I discussed with you the uncontrollable risks. Today lets talk about the controllable risks
Factors that you can control are related to your lifestyle--the choices you make each day about what to eat and whether or not to exercise. These are areas of your life where you can take control to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes, and enhance your overall health.
Controllable Risk Factors
Your weight. More than 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. You can decrease your risk with each pound you lose, and dropping just 10% of your body weight can have major benefits. Follow the SparkDiet to reach your weight loss goal.
Your fat distribution. Carrying excess weight around your abdomen and waistline (known as the "apple" shape), greatly increases your risk of diabetes. Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio to find out how to improve it.
Your activity level. Physically inactive people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Read Exercising with Diabetes and work out at least three times per week.
Your medications. Several medications, including antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs, can dramatically increase your diabetes risk. Talk to your doctor about alternative medications that don't have this effect.
Your diet. A diet high in diabetes-promoting foods (calories, sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fat) and low in healthy foods (healthy fats, fiber, whole grains, fruits and veggies), can contribute to your diabetes risk. Use the Nutrition Resource Center as a guide to healthy eating.
Your drinking habits. Heavy alcohol use damages the pancreas and can result in type 2 diabetes. But moderate drinking (less than one drink daily for women or two drinks for men) has a protective effect against diabetes.
Your smoking habits. Smokers are 50% to 90% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers. Quit smoking to reduce your risk of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes.
When you have existing health conditions, your risk of developing diabetes and complications is greater. Add high risk factors into the picture (like family history, age, and race) and your risk is compounded even more. The good thing is that you can work on the risk factors that you can change. When you improve your life by achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and regularly engaging in physical activity, you can reduce you risk of type 2 diabetes by about 58 percent.
Last week we talked about Diabetes 2, as a sufferer, I discussed with you the uncontrollable risks. Today lets talk about the controllable risks
Factors that you can control are related to your lifestyle--the choices you make each day about what to eat and whether or not to exercise. These are areas of your life where you can take control to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes, and enhance your overall health.
Controllable Risk Factors
Your weight. More than 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. You can decrease your risk with each pound you lose, and dropping just 10% of your body weight can have major benefits. Follow the SparkDiet to reach your weight loss goal.
Your fat distribution. Carrying excess weight around your abdomen and waistline (known as the "apple" shape), greatly increases your risk of diabetes. Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio to find out how to improve it.
Your activity level. Physically inactive people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Read Exercising with Diabetes and work out at least three times per week.
Your medications. Several medications, including antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs, can dramatically increase your diabetes risk. Talk to your doctor about alternative medications that don't have this effect.
Your diet. A diet high in diabetes-promoting foods (calories, sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fat) and low in healthy foods (healthy fats, fiber, whole grains, fruits and veggies), can contribute to your diabetes risk. Use the Nutrition Resource Center as a guide to healthy eating.
Your drinking habits. Heavy alcohol use damages the pancreas and can result in type 2 diabetes. But moderate drinking (less than one drink daily for women or two drinks for men) has a protective effect against diabetes.
Your smoking habits. Smokers are 50% to 90% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers. Quit smoking to reduce your risk of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes.
When you have existing health conditions, your risk of developing diabetes and complications is greater. Add high risk factors into the picture (like family history, age, and race) and your risk is compounded even more. The good thing is that you can work on the risk factors that you can change. When you improve your life by achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and regularly engaging in physical activity, you can reduce you risk of type 2 diabetes by about 58 percent.
4 August 2010
Causes of high Blood Pressure Controllable Factors
Hey peeps,
Last week, I told you all about causes of High blood pressure and the uncontrollable factors that we are unable to help with.
This week , we are discussing the factors that we can control !
Factors that you can control are related to your lifestyle--the choices you make each day about what to eat and whether or not to exercise. These are areas of your life where you can take control to improve your blood pressure and enhance your overall health.
Controllable Risk Factors
Your diet. A diet high in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol, and low in fiber, whole foods, and minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium) can increase blood pressure. Eating a low-sodium, low-fat diet that is rich in whole foods and other nutrients can help.
Your activity level. Sedentary individuals have a higher risk for hypertension. Regular exercise can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Your weight. Being obese (a Body Mass Index over 30) increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. Dropping just 10% of your body weight can have positive effects on blood pressure.
Your stress levels. Studies show that chronic stress (and "Type A" personality traits) can elevate blood pressure. Exercise, meditation, and yoga can help reduce and manage stress and blood pressure.
Your drinking habits. Moderate to heavy drinking (more than 1-2 drinks daily) can dramatically increase blood pressure and other health risks. Health experts recommend no more than one drink a day for women, and no more than two drinks per day for men.
Your smoking habits. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of heart disease, due to its effects on your arteries, heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Quitting can stop (and potentially reverse) a lot of the existing damage to your body, and improve your blood pressure.
When you have other existing health conditions, you are compounding your risk of serious complications and disease if you don't lower your blood pressure. Add high risk factors into the picture (family history, age, and race) and your risk is compounded even more. The good thing is that you can break that chain of progressive disease at any point by changing the lifestyle choices above.
Until da next Tyme !
Last week, I told you all about causes of High blood pressure and the uncontrollable factors that we are unable to help with.
This week , we are discussing the factors that we can control !
Factors that you can control are related to your lifestyle--the choices you make each day about what to eat and whether or not to exercise. These are areas of your life where you can take control to improve your blood pressure and enhance your overall health.
Controllable Risk Factors
Your diet. A diet high in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol, and low in fiber, whole foods, and minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium) can increase blood pressure. Eating a low-sodium, low-fat diet that is rich in whole foods and other nutrients can help.
Your activity level. Sedentary individuals have a higher risk for hypertension. Regular exercise can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Your weight. Being obese (a Body Mass Index over 30) increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. Dropping just 10% of your body weight can have positive effects on blood pressure.
Your stress levels. Studies show that chronic stress (and "Type A" personality traits) can elevate blood pressure. Exercise, meditation, and yoga can help reduce and manage stress and blood pressure.
Your drinking habits. Moderate to heavy drinking (more than 1-2 drinks daily) can dramatically increase blood pressure and other health risks. Health experts recommend no more than one drink a day for women, and no more than two drinks per day for men.
Your smoking habits. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of heart disease, due to its effects on your arteries, heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Quitting can stop (and potentially reverse) a lot of the existing damage to your body, and improve your blood pressure.
When you have other existing health conditions, you are compounding your risk of serious complications and disease if you don't lower your blood pressure. Add high risk factors into the picture (family history, age, and race) and your risk is compounded even more. The good thing is that you can break that chain of progressive disease at any point by changing the lifestyle choices above.
Until da next Tyme !
3 August 2010
Diet Update
Hey there all,
Just touching base with you to give you an update on my progress!
So following my low carbs diet for 2 weeks, I lost a total of 10 lbs, which I was happy with, but I feel like I have put it back on :)
I have slowly started to integrate carbs back in my diet and increase my vegetable intake more.
Its amazing how much we rely on carbs to get us through the day.
So with one month to go before I head off to sunny Las Vegas, I will be heading to the gym and walking more to try and lose a further 10lbs in the next 4 weeks, so wish me luck :)
Until da next Tyme !
Just touching base with you to give you an update on my progress!
So following my low carbs diet for 2 weeks, I lost a total of 10 lbs, which I was happy with, but I feel like I have put it back on :)
I have slowly started to integrate carbs back in my diet and increase my vegetable intake more.
Its amazing how much we rely on carbs to get us through the day.
So with one month to go before I head off to sunny Las Vegas, I will be heading to the gym and walking more to try and lose a further 10lbs in the next 4 weeks, so wish me luck :)
Until da next Tyme !
30 July 2010
Causes of High Blood Presssure !
hey peeps,
So this is sharing and edcuating month..... so the lesssons continue. Yesterday my blog explained the causes of Diabetes type 2. Unfortunately High BP ( Blood Pressure ) is a very close relative of type 2 and the causes are almost similar
Lowering your blood pressure isn't always as simple as eating fewer high-sodium foods. The fact is that multiple factors combined affect your blood pressure. There are two main categories of risks that contribute to hypertension--those that you can't change, and those that you can.
Uncontrollable Risk Factors
These variables are out of your control. Although you can't do anything to change them, it's important to know whether you fall into any of these higher-risk categories.
• Your age. Your risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you age. Men over 45 and women over 55 are more likely to have high blood pressure.
• Your gender. Up to age 55, men are more prone to high blood pressure than women. After menopause, a woman's risk increases. By age 75, high blood pressure is more prevalent among women than men. Women who take oral contraceptives are also at a higher risk for hypertension.
• Your family history. Your risk doubles if one or both of your parents had high blood pressure.
• Your race. In the U.S., African Americans (especially women) are more likely to develop high blood pressure, along with other minorities (Hispanics, American Indians and Alaskan natives).
Until da next Tyme !
So this is sharing and edcuating month..... so the lesssons continue. Yesterday my blog explained the causes of Diabetes type 2. Unfortunately High BP ( Blood Pressure ) is a very close relative of type 2 and the causes are almost similar
Lowering your blood pressure isn't always as simple as eating fewer high-sodium foods. The fact is that multiple factors combined affect your blood pressure. There are two main categories of risks that contribute to hypertension--those that you can't change, and those that you can.
Uncontrollable Risk Factors
These variables are out of your control. Although you can't do anything to change them, it's important to know whether you fall into any of these higher-risk categories.
• Your age. Your risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you age. Men over 45 and women over 55 are more likely to have high blood pressure.
• Your gender. Up to age 55, men are more prone to high blood pressure than women. After menopause, a woman's risk increases. By age 75, high blood pressure is more prevalent among women than men. Women who take oral contraceptives are also at a higher risk for hypertension.
• Your family history. Your risk doubles if one or both of your parents had high blood pressure.
• Your race. In the U.S., African Americans (especially women) are more likely to develop high blood pressure, along with other minorities (Hispanics, American Indians and Alaskan natives).
Until da next Tyme !
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