Dorathy’s Digest: Health & Nutrition Advice
By: Dorathy Stranski
If Your New Year’s Resolution is To Lose Weight, Read This:
So it’s a new year and there are those of you who would like to lose some weight- and you can! Starting a diet can be extremely challenging when you don’t know where or how to start. The help of a gentle hand guiding you along is a new start to a troublesome reality. There are a few things you should get straight first before you trudge ahead towards a healthier and happier you. First, don’t look at weight loss as something of just the surface- beauty is within as well as outward. Think of your body as a lampshade and the glow that emanates from you (the beauty) as the light bulb within. Sure, with the following tips and tricks, the fat will melt away, but that doesn’t give you the confidence and happiness that you visualize in your daydreams of a thinner you- Those things are gained when realizing that it’s not the weight loss that makes you happy or confident- it’s how being healthy makes you feel inside your mind and in your heart. And as far as the word “diet” is concerned, forget that word too. Don’t think of this New Year’s Resolution as being just another diet. Diets are temporary starvation periods where, you’ll lose weight by eating things you don’t like for a short period of time. However, your body will grow tired of this and will make up for it by binging. Binge eating is a period of uncontrollable eating. Once your body is resistant to the diet, it will consume everything in sight in large portions. When the body is craving, indulge but keep in mind, only eat a small helping. Instead of eating ten cookies as a snack, try only three or four. Eliminate the word diet from your life and replace it with healthy eating!
10 Ways to Start your New Healthy Lifestyle
1. Put a lid on the pop! You need WATER! Take your weight, divide it by two, and that is the amount of ounces of water you should consume each day. Start the day by drinking a 16 oz glass of cold water to shake the tired feeling away. This provides alertness and an active start to the day.
2. Eat Breakfast. If you get into the habit of eating a piece of fruit and a serving of whole grains (Ex: oatmeal is a super food that takes longer to digest) in the morning, you won’t be ravenous by lunchtime. You will most likely eat less as well. Keep your body fed to prevent over eating and fat to store.
3. Think Big, However, Eat Small! Consume smaller meals throughout the day instead of large ones. Your stomach can be trained to eat a lot at once but can also be trained to eat a smaller amount of food and be full. The trick is consistency. (Eat on smaller plates if you have to, to trick your eyes.)
4. Snack on Fruit. Fructose is the sugar that is found in fruit. Believe it or not, eating fructose helps deserts actually taste better when you need to saturate that brownie craving. Tell me it’s not worth it!
5. Get Rich off Fiber. Here are a few fiber-rich foods: green fruits and vegetables, berries, beans, and oats.
6. Don’t Eat 2 Hours Before Bed! If you must eat, eat reduced fat cottage cheese because it digests slowly and controls appetite.
7. Drink Tea with Honey! The sweetener sucrose and glucose inside honey is already separated for you by the bees. Your body doesn’t have to do that compared to table sugar where they are combined. Also, honey mixed with warm water (tea) helps heal your stomach and is great for digestion.
8. Let’s Move it Every day, Even 10 minutes helps! Exercise is known to burn fat but it actually does more for you mentally. When you exercise your brain lets off the pain relieving hormone endorphins as well as the well-known “happy” hormone serotonin! Exercising also helps rid frustrations and a boost of energy to battle the rest of the day.
9. Sleep 7-8 Hours Each Night. Sleep helps weight loss because it gives your body enough time to repair itself and also, enough sleep each night keeps your hunger in check.
10. Live a Little, Love Most but, Laugh a Lot! Be cheerful that each day takes you closer to your goal of great health and a more beautiful you.
Follow these tips and you will see results in as little as a day or two. You won’t feel as sluggish or tired but full of energy! Also, don’t worry, people will notice the change in you and you can then help them! Start today, don’t start tomorrow because tomorrow never comes.
