Weight Reduction

I love to eat. Who doesn’t? As I’ve matured over the years, I’ve realized that if I want to feel good about myself I need to be mindful of what I eat. Eating healthy foods makes me feel good about myself. I am happier and have more energy when I know that I am taking care of my body. I don’t call this dieting. I just call it eating right. I think dieting is irrelevant. Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight will come when you eat good healthy foods. I didn’t begin a diet, I made some lifestyle changes. You can too. First you must know your body. Know what you need to eat in order to be healthy and happy. Develop a taste for healthy, fresh foods. Be careful of what you snack on.

Know Your Body
There are websites and resources out there that can help you figure what a healthy calorie intake would be for yourself. At mypyramid.gov , you can type in your height and weight and the site will tell you how many calories a day are ideal for your body. Fortunately or unfortunately it will also tell you if you are overweight. If you are overweight and wish to lose weight, the site will suggest a different calorie intake in order to lose weight at a healthy pace.

Knowing what foods to eat and how much of them to eat are also part of knowing your body. You may be familiar with the food pyramid, but if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle you need to know what foods within that pyramid are the healthiest for you.
• Grains- whole grain breads, cereals, rice, crackers, pasta
• Veggies- eat more dark green veggies like spinach and more orange veggies like sweet potatoes. Remember that the brighter the color, the healthier it is!
• Fruits- Eat a variety of fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits but go easy on the fruit juices. Juices tend to have more calories and sugar than fresh fruits.
• Milk- Drink low fat or fat free milk and milk products.
• Meat- Eat low fat and lean cuts of meat. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. Vary choices for protein by eating beans, fish, peas, and nuts.

Eat For Your Health
Developing a taste for natural foods as opposed to packaged foods is definitely a healthy choice. The following tips are great for making that healthy switch.
• Nutrient rich fresh foods- not prepackaged foods. Look for foods that do not have many artificial ingredients like avocados, beans, blueberries, oatmeal spinach, tomatoes, whole grains, and yogurt.
• Don’t Eat Fake. Eat less artificial ingredients/preservatives/additives by choosing fresh foods. When you shop, stick to the perimeter of the grocery store to avoid most of the prepackaged foods located in the middle.
• Real Fruit! Check the label to make sure that the product you think is loaded with great fruit actually contains fruit. The first three ingredients listed should include one of the following: fresh fruit, fruit concentrate, fruit puree, dried fruit, fruit juice or that it says “100% fruit juice.” There’s no fruit if the only ingredients Listed are fruit flavoring or fruit pigment, or the label says ‘fruit drink’ instead of ‘fruit juice.
• Less pop. Avoid sodas and sugary drinks. Save these drinks for special occasions.
• Low Fat Milk and Meats- Choose skim and low-fat milk and meats. Pesticides and pollutants tend to be concentrated in fat.

• Less Toxins/Lower exposure to toxins. Know which fish have higher levels of mercury. Eat light canned tuna not albacore.

Snacking
The right snack will go a long way. Here are some tips for some healthy snacks.
• Try to snack on more natural foods not prepackaged cookies/chips Keep heart healthy monounsaturated fatty foods on hand like: nuts, avocadoes, olive oil, fish, and flaxseed.
• Snack on veggies and dip. Invest in a serving tray you can cover. Cut veggies when you first buy them and place on the tray in the fridge for easy snacking all week.
• Snack on Fruit. Display fruit on the counter in an appealing way. You’ll be more likely to eat it. Eat dried fruit.

Eating healthy is a great way to feel happier with yourself. Pay attention to your body and know what nourishment it needs. Develop a taste for healthy fresh foods, and make sure to make healthy snack choices.

Photo by (c) jeltovski, www.morguefile.com

Trackback URI | Comments RSS