These days we need to do everything we can to help ourselves look and feel healthier. We have more work, more worries, more responsibilities — and all of this can take a real toll on how we look and feel. But there are simple things we can do to rejuvenate ourselves inside and out. Here are my top ten tips for looking and feeling healthier.
1. Drink enough water
This is a big one, because there is no way to be healthy and dehydrated, our bodies need water. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day, and remember that soda, coffee, and alcoholic beverages don’t count as hydration. Also See: Staying Healthy And Hydrated
Another benefit of drinking water. Drinking Water Before Meals To Lose Weight – A new study found that middle-aged and older adults who drank two cups of water before each meal consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who skipped drinking water.
2. Eat more healthy foods than unhealthy foods
You don’t have to be a health nut, but at least try to incorporate healthy foods into your diet whenever possible. Try this – For a week keep track of what foods you’re eating each day. At the end of the week examine your list and determine if you are eating more healthy foods than unhealthy ones. Then find ways you can replace some of the unhealthy stuff with healthy stuff. Also See: Getting Reacquainted With Health Food
Are you honest about your weight? Although I would prefer not to be asked, when I am asked, it never occurs to me to lie about it.
It used to be that women were thought to always lie about their age and weight, but a new CDC study finds that Americans are becoming more honest (at least about) their weight. To be honest, I didn’t even know that there were studies measuring the number of people who lie about their weight. It seems a little odd, but who am I to judge?
The new report also found that in nine states at least 30 percent of the adults were obese in 2009. The states were Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Mississippi, the highest at 34 percent. In 2007, only Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee topped 30 percent.
No states met a national goal for 2010 of limiting obesity to 15 percent. Only Colorado and the District of Columbia were lower than 20 percent, and just barely.
It did get me thinking a bit about why? Why are Americans becoming more honest about their weight, especially considering that obesity is on the rise?
Could it be that we are finally getting to the point of loving and accepting ourselves, even with our perceived imperfections? That wouldn’t be so bad, maybe those Dove ads (you know, the ones using average and plus size models) are having an impact on how we see ourselves. What ever the reason, if women are feeling better about themselves, I think that’s wonderful. Anyway, that’s my idealistic way of looking at this story, and I think it could be true.
However, it seems the researchers have their own opinion (go figure), and it does make sense. They believe that because of all the press coverage over the ever growing obesity epidemic (and the health problems associated with it), that Americans are becoming more aware of their weight and therefore more honest. The benefit to this observation would be that Americans are becoming concerned about the health risks of being overweight (rather than the stigma), and are keeping a closer eye on it. In the long run (idealistically), this change in behavior may actually prove to be the catalyst to American’s changing their eating habits from unhealthy to healthy, and that would be a good thing. Wouldn’t it be great to go from a society facing an obesity epidemic, to a society facing a healthy living epidemic?
Getting Reacquainted With Healthy Food- This is a post I originally did for BlogHer in 2008, but since it still applies now, I thought I would share it here on the Choose You Blog.
For the last few weeks I’ve been making an attempt at eating healthy. And usually this is where I would tell you that I’ve failed miserably. But, I’m happy to report that I have actually been doing pretty well. I think it is in part because, around the same time I decided that I couldn’t afford to gain another pound, I got an email from Elaine Magee. Funny how we get what we need, just when we need it.
Anyway, Elaine is the Healthy Recipe Doctor at WebMD, and she wanted to tell me about her newest book Food Synergy. Even better, she said if I wanted a copy she would send me one. The timing couldn’t have been better.
Evidence is mounting that certain components in the food we eat and drink (minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals, fiber, smart fats, etc.) interact to provide our bodies extra disease protection and a higher level of health. This advanced nutrition science is called food synergy.
Food synergy is like adding 1 plus 1 and getting 4 or 6 instead of 2; the total is greater than the sum of the individual parts (or nutrients).
Why is it that losing weight seems to be so much harder the older we get? I don’t really consider myself a dieter, but I do try to incorporate healthy eating into my lifestyle. In doing so I hoped to lose a little weight and get back to a healthy BMI. It’s just ten more pounds, but I’ve been finding it difficult to even lose one. Why is that? Does it have something to do with getting older? Is there a way to get past it? I decided to take a closer look at how age affects our weight.
I can’t help but think that my age has something to do with my inability to get rid of those last ten pounds. At 42, I’ve been observing some strange happenings to my body. Oddly, my weight has stayed relatively the same, but how the weight is distributed on my body has been changing dramatically (I seem to be plumping up around my waist and belly, while at the same time shrinking in areas I would prefer to keep).
Regardless of how committed we are to a particular diet or healthy eating program, we always have to leave room for occasional guilty pleasures. Try to focus on the “pleasure” part a guilty pleasures. If you’re going to over indulge, at least enjoy every moment and savor every bite of your indulgence.
Last week, we heard that Gwyneth Paltrow was diagnosed with osteopenia (a precursor to osteoporosis).
Osteopenia is the term used for bone density that falls somewhere between less than normal and osteoporosis. People with osteopenia have a greater chance of developing osteporosis, a bone disease which leads to an increased risk of fractures.
Paltrow was told by her doctors that her vitamin D levels were extremely low. Because vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium into our bones, a vitamin D deficiency is the likely cause of her early diagnosis of osteopenia. Many people are wondering if Paltrow’s strict dieting habits (she is an 11-year follower of the macrobiotic diet) could be partially responsible for her current condition. She has now been put on prescription strength vitamin D to hopefully aid in her calcium absorption and prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
What is even more important than sunscreen and eating healthy in the summer?
Answer: Staying hydrated.
Our bodies are made up of about 65% water, and in the summer we are constantly being depleted of it. On a hot summer day, it doesn’t take long for dehydration to set in, and that can quickly become dangerous (even deadly).
Ironically, the summer is also a time when people are less likely to realize they are becoming dehydrated. We find ourselves frolicking on the beach or enjoying a day at the amusement park, and we totally forget about stopping to hydrate.
The best way to prevent yourself and family from suffering the harmful effects of dehydration is to plan ahead, especially if you will be away from your home.
Here’s what I do when I’m planning a day at the beach with my kids…
You’ve probably seen flavored waters in your supermarket, and if you don’t like the taste of plain water these are a nice alternative. But even better, try making your own “infused” water. It’s easy, inexpensive, and looks beautiful.
Start by rinsing any fruits or herbs you plan on using thoroughly. Then cut the fruit into large slices or thin wedges. Any small berries or mint leaves can be left whole.
Place your chosen fruits into a pitcher of cold water. Cover and chill for at least two hours.
Here are a few ideas, but basically you can use any fruit you love in any combination.
Slices of lemon, limes, and oranges (alone or together).
Blueberries, raspberries, cherries, and sliced strawberries (alone or together).
Slices of apples, pears, and lemon.
Mint (alone or with other fruits).
Any type of melon (make into balls or slices).
In place of ice-cubes, try using frozen fruit.
My favorite is watermelon. I just put a cube of watermelon in a tall glass of ice water, and in less than an hour the water has taken on the flavor of the watermelon. It’s delicious.
Most of the time when we read about diet and weight-loss success stories, we hear how “easy” it was and how “anyone” can do it. But the reality is, for most of us, it’s far from easy. In fact sometimes it’s so not easy that we just give up. Believe me, I get it. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve worked hard at eating healthy or exercising with little to no results.
Of course, I’m still inspired when I hear success stories of women like Valerie Bertinelli and Marie Osmond. But what do we do when we are giving it all we got, and we are still not getting the results we’re looking for?
Should we throw in the towel? Consider ourselves a failure? Give up?
No, absolutely not.
Rather than looking at where we’ve gone wrong and just giving-up, it’s time to look at what we’ve done right. That’s what I’ve been trying to do. Instead of focusing on the fact that I haven’t lost any weight in the last six weeks (even though I’ve been eating healthy), I’m trying to focus on the positive…And you can do it too.
For me, it all started in May, when I decided to get serious about making healthy lifestyle changes. Not just because I want to lose weight, but also because I know it will make a difference in my overall health and wellness. I knew I wouldn’t be able to make all the changes I wanted to over night, but I did want to make the commitment to gradually eliminate the unhealthy foods from my diet, while incorporating more nutritious foods.
And now I find myself in the classic half-full or half-empty mark in my healthy eating plan. I can choose to see my plan as half-empty, because I haven’t even lost one pound yet. Or I can choose to see my plan as half-full, because I have had success in eating healthier foods and avoiding sugar. In other words, I can choose to feel good about myself, or choose to feel like a failure. It’s totally up to me. And I’ve decided to try something new, and “choose” to feel good about myself and take a closer look at all the ways I’ve been successful.
Are there summer foods and drinks that can help you stick to your diet and fitness plan? Yes.
The summer is a great time for eating healthy, you just need to remember two things.
One…Which foods are already healthy?
And two…What foods can you make healthier?
Here are some of my favorite healthy foods that might even help you lose some weight and stick to your diet this summer.
Let’s start with keeping cool and well hydrated.
Water.
It’s so important to always stay hydrated and drink enough water (especially in the summer). Here are five ways to make water more palatable and festive for hot summer days.
Peel cucumbers and slice them into a pitcher of cold water.
Add slices of lemon and lime to a glass of ice water.
Add strawberries, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, or cherries to a pitcher of ice water.
Add frozen fruit to a pitcher or glass of water instead of ice-cubes.
Add fresh mint to a glass of cold water.
When water just isn’t enough.
Fruit smoothies are delicious and you can easily make them with any of your favorite fruits. Here are some low-calorie smoothie recipes.
100% fruit juice with additional slices of fruit (instead of ice-cubes use frozen fruit).
Iced green tea with a slice of lemon or fresh mint leaves.
Here are some of my favorite healthy summer foods and how I like to prepare them.
Well, I’m here to admit that I was unsuccessful in my Choose You commitment. I don’t really consider it a failure though, because I did meet most of my goals. I’m very happy that I am finally at the point where I am not craving sweets and other junk foods.
I didn’t lose any weight, but I was successful in maintaining my healthier eating habits. I wasn’t even tempted when my daughter brought back a plate full of deserts when we went out last week.
I have no plans of giving up. My next Choose You commitment will be to continue my healthy eating while also integrating regular exercise (specifically swimming) into my plan. Although I hope to lose some weight in conjunction with all of this, I’m not going to hold myself to any number on a scale. If I lose five pounds that will be a great bonus, but I know the most important thing is that I am choosing a healthier lifestyle for myself.
I recently wrote a post about choosing to see the positive when we are working hard at weight-loss and fitness goals, but not seeing many results.
I find myself in the classic half-full or half-empty mark in my healthy eating plan. I can choose to see my plan as half empty, because I haven’t even lost one pound yet. Or I can choose to see my plan as half-full, because I have had success in eating healthier foods and avoiding sugar. In other words, I can choose to feel good about myself or choose to feel like a failure. It’s totally up to me. And I’ve decided to try something new, “choose” to feel good about myself and take a closer look at all the ways I’ve been successful.
Although I haven’t lost any weight yet, I have had the strength and willpower to maintain healthy eating habits (and give-up sugar) for over six weeks. In my book, that’s success.
Anyway, that’s my story. I’ll let you know more about my new diet and fitness commitment next week.
Did you know that getting enough sleep is as important to good health as nutrition and exercise? It’s true. And if you’re not getting enough sleep, you may be putting both your emotional and physical health at risk.
Could something you’re eating be causing you sleepless nights? Are there foods that can help you have a better night’s sleep? If you’re one of the millions of people who just can’t seem to get enough sleep, maybe it’s something you’re eating (or not eating).
When it comes to food, what you DON’T eat is much more important than what you do eat.
Here are Foods and Drinks to Avoid for Better Sleep…
Always avoid large or heavy meals too close to bedtime. Digestive disturbances can interfere with sleep.
If you are prone to heart-burn, avoid spicy foods for several hours before bed.
Avoid drinking too many beverages before bedtime. The added fluids can cause you to frequently wake up through the night to use the bathroom.
Everyone knows to avoid caffeine before bed because it’s a stimulant. But, did you know that you should avoid caffeine for at least six to eight hours before bed? It takes that long for the stimulant effects to be eliminated from the body.
You may think that alcohol will help you sleep because it initially makes you feel tired. However, alcohol prevents the body from entering deeper stages of sleep, and can cause you to not sleep through the night.
If certain foods should be avoided for better sleep, are there foods that can actually help you sleep? This is a little more complicated, but there were three foods that I came across over and over while searching this topic.
Easy Banana Cream Pie Recipe: Low Calorie, Low Fat, and Low Sugar.
Several weeks ago I made a commitment to go off sugar for the sake of better health and weight loss. Once you’re off sugar for a week or so it is much easier to continue to stay away from it. And you really do feel a lot better when sugar isn’t dragging you down. However, there are still times when you crave a sugary treat. For those times, it’s a good idea to have some go-to foods and recipes that can satisfy your cravings without jeopardizing your commitment.
So last week when I was out to dinner (a buffet no less), and was tempted by a particular “desert weakness” of mine…I decided to take matters into my own hands, and figure out a way to make a version of this desert that I wouldn’t feel guilty about eating.
My Low Sugar, Low Fat, Banana Cream Pie Recipe
The first thing you have to do is get your bananas ripe. And once they are ripe – peel, cut, and freeze them (I just cut them in half and put each half into a zip-lock freezer bag). This way, you can make your (single serving) banana cream pie whenever your heart desires.
Once your bananas are ready you will need…
One box of instant fat free, sugar free banana pudding (prepared with 2 cups of non-fat milk).
1 Tablespoon of gram cracker crumbs.
A dollop of whipped cream (if desired).
Then it’s as easy as one, two three…
1. Spread your tablespoon of gram cracker crumbs on the bottom of a small bowl.
2. Put one serving (1/2 cup) of prepared banana pudding over crumbs.
3. Slice one of your frozen banana halves into small “bite size” slices, and layer them on top of pudding.
Now you have a delicious treat to enjoy, that is low in calories, fat, and sugar. YUM.
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Do you have a favorite desert that can be made into a low calorie, low sugar version? If so, I would love it if you would share it in comments.
How important is willpower when it comes to our ability to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle? Is it possible to change poor eating habits to healthy ones if you don’t have a lot of willpower?
My answer: The more willpower you have the easier it will be, but perfection isn’t necessary.
No one wants to admit that they lack willpower or self-control, but the truth is, none of us has an unlimited supply. Some days we may have less self control than others, but that makes us normal, not imperfect.
When it comes to healthy living, a healthy dose of willpower is helpful. The good thing is, once you’ve had the willpower to resist certain unhealthy choices and adapt healthy ones, willpower is needed less and less because your new choices become habit.
If you have unhealthy habits, it is possible to change them into healthy habits. They say it takes about three weeks for something to become a habit (or to unlearn a habit), so those first three weeks are when willpower is most needed. And there are things we can do to help maintain are willpower during these critical times. Here are a few tips…
Thanks for all of your wonderful and supportive comments on last week’s post. As promised, all of your comments were entered into a drawing for a Choose You stainless water bottle and lapel pin. Here is how it went down…
I had told my daughter (and official Choose You referee) that she could pick the winner. But when it was time to pick, my mother (and Choose You supporter) wanted to have a debate over who was more deserving of that honor. Ultimately, I let my daughter pick. Then, in order to appease my mother’s sense of competition, I had them both compete to see who could draw the better picture of the winner’s name. Only catch was, they didn’t want me to choose whose picture was better, they wanted all of you to decide (see poll at the end of this post).
And the winner is…
Congratulations Michele. You are the winner of the Choose You water bottle…I’ll be contacting you soon.
So now that we’ve taken care of business, let me tell you how I’ve been doing with my Choose You commitment.
It’s good and bad. The good…I haven’t eaten any of the foods I committed not to eat (that would be sugar and high fat snacks). The bad…I’ve been over compensating by eating more low-fat snacks (mostly pretzels). Since part of my commitment also involves losing at least five pounds, my current pretzel consumption isn’t going to be acceptable. But not to worry. I have a plan.
This is something that has worked for me in the past, so I’m going to do it again. Since I tend to be a “grazer” when it comes to eating snacks, I’m going to use small zip-lock bags to divide my snacks into smaller servings. I’ll go ahead and do it now so I can show you what I mean…and so I actually do it.
So now the bag of pretzels is filled with a bunch of smaller bags. I’m going to do the same thing with low-fat Cheez-Its. I know you can buy snacks already in smaller bags, but I always think it’s more expensive that way.
In addition to trying to be more conscientious about my snack consumption, I’m also going to start using the online calorie counter/food journal again (it really helps keep me more mindful of what I’m putting in my mouth).
And although I tend to be more of a do as I say, not as I do kind of girl…I’m going to try to take my own advice about willpower…
The more willpower you have the easier it will be, but perfection isn’t necessary.
I’m happy to report that even with additional temptations this weekend [It was my mother's birthday and we got her an ice-cream cake, chocolate volcano cake, and cheese cake.] I was still successful in my goal to not eat sugar. It actually wasn’t hard at all to resist, I think because it’s been over two weeks, I’m just not craving the sugar the way I normally do. So that’s a plus!
Off topic: Do you want to see the Birthday Dance of my mother that I made with the American Cancer Society’s new dance application? Here’s the link – Frances Ellen Disco Dancing (Feel free to tease her about it in comments, she loves all the attention).
OK, back to my post.
Since I was so successful with my first (two week) commitment, I decided to make a longer and more difficult commitment next. For the next six weeks I will be continuing to avoid sugar, but I will also eliminate high fat/calorie snacks and junk food, and lose 5 pounds.
That’s a lot…But you think I can do it, right?
So that’s my new commitment. Now for the giveaway.
I’m happy to report that I have had a successful week avoiding sugar, but it hasn’t been easy. The first few days were the toughest, and filled with temptations. Usually when I start something like this, the first thing I do is clean out the kitchen of all temptations and stock it up with healthy alternatives. But this time is a lot different. You see, we’ve recently become a multi-generation household, and my mother is an out of control snack-a-holic. This poses a bit of a dilemma, and since purging the house of all my mother’s treats isn’t really an option, I am forced to live with the temptation.
For me, the biggest temptations are in our freezer. Snickers, TastyKakes, ice pops, fudgesicles, chocolate ice-cream, and more.
I’m honored to have been asked to be part of the “Choose You” Blog, and I’ll be posting there every Tuesday. My first “Choose You” commitment is to say “no” to sugar.
How many times in the course of a day do you put yourself first? Let’s face it, women have a lot of trouble doing that. Somewhere along the line we became convinced that putting ourselves first was taboo, and rather than see the benefits of taking time for ourselves, we instead chose to feel guilty about it. In the long-run this type of behavior can catch up with us in the form of poor health, chronic illness, and even cancer.
The American Cancer Society wants us to stop ignoring ourselves, and start caring about ourselves and our health. But that’s easier said than done. So to help, they’ve launched the Choose You campaign, and it’s all about helping us keep our individual commitments to healthy living.
So…What is the Choose You campaign all about?
Choose You is a movement created by the American Cancer Society that encourages women to put their own health first in the fight against cancer. The movement challenges women to make healthier choices, and supports them in their commitment to eat right, get active, quit smoking and get regular health checks.
The Choose You Movement shines a light on a hidden issue: that while one in three American women will get cancer in her lifetime, about 50% of cancer deaths could be prevented if more emphasis were placed on early detection and healthier lifestyles including maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise and avoiding tobacco.
Ellen Pompeo, star of Grey’s Anatomy, is the official ambassador of the Choose You campaign…
Would you like to know how you can get started? It’s easy and fun, here’s what you do…
Are you thinking you should lose a few pounds to look your best this swimsuit season? If so, now is the time to get started. Don’t worry, it’s not necessary to go on a crash diet. The best thing you can do is make healthy food choices that will contribute to weight loss.
So rather than starving yourself on fad diets, make positive changes in your eating habits to look and feel great. It’s not about trying to look like a swimsuit model, it’s about feeling good in your own skin…I’ll start by getting a bathing suit that flatters my curves, along with a nice sarong, and I’ll also try losing a few pounds.
If you’re like me, and you want to shed a few pounds before getting in your swimsuit this summer – Here are ten dieting tips that might help you…
1. Make fruits and vegetables a big part of your diet.
Try to eat at least two servings of fruits or vegetables with each meal.
If you’re not a big fan of vegetables, ease your way into them. Start with one serving a day, and work your way up from their. If you hate vegetables, try doctoring them up a bit with cheese, sauces, or dips.
For a quick healthy snack – Dip raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, or other vegetables into your favorite low calorie salad dressing. It helps if you keep a stash of fresh vegetables cleaned, cut, and ready to eat in your frig at all times. In a pinch, buy bags of ready-to-eat cut vegetables (they even make carrots that are cut to the size and shape of chips).
When possible, eat an all veggie lunch.
Always have several bags of frozen vegetables and frozen fruit on hand.
Are you an emotional eater? If it’s any consolation, you’re not alone. I have to confess…I am an emotional eater. When I’m upset I eat. When I’m stressed I eat. When I’m worried I eat. And let’s be clear, these are the times I have uncontrollable urges to eat junk (candy, cookies, ice cream), all the stuff I know is bad for me. I could be eating healthy for months, then something upsets me, and it’s all over.
The crazy thing about being an emotional eater is that you know that eating isn’t going to make what you’re upset about any better, but you do it anyway. In fact, you know that eating the junk that you’re craving is actually going to contribute to making you feel worse, but you do it anyway. You even know that once you start it’s going to become a vicious cycle of craving, eating, and then feeling guilty about it. Even so, you still do it. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result? Maybe so, but I still try not to be too hard on myself when this happens to me. I sometimes think it’s worse when I try to fight the urge to eat through my emotions, it just seems to make my cravings even stronger.
Emotional eating is something we do in an attempt to suppress negative feelings in our life. There are many triggers that accompany emotional eating, here are a few…
Relationship or marital problems.
Financial worries
Unemployment
Health problems of your own or family member.
Stress at work.
Bad weather
Fatigue or lack of sleep.
So what’s an emotional eater to do? This is what I try to do…
Are you tired and sluggish all the time? If so, it could be something you’re eating (or not eating). Knowing what foods can help keep your energy up might be just what you need to get through your busy day. Before we talk about what food are best, lets take a quick look at what you should try to avoid…
Stay away from “quick-fix” foods that contain a lot of sugar or caffeine (like candy bars, soda, and coffee). Although these may give you a quick spike in your energy level, that energy will rapidly bottom out leaving you feeling even more lethargic.
Energy drinks are particularly bad because of their high levels of caffeine and sugar. Energy drinks may also cause…
Nervousness
Irritability
Insomnia
Rapid Heart Rate
Increased Blood Pressure
Consuming high levels of salt may also contribute to a sluggish feeling.
I know many people don’t think our government has any business telling us what we can and can not eat. Until recently, I might have even agreed. But the problem of obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, and there’s no signs of it getting any better on it’s own. More and more evidence is pointing to the dangers associated with all the high fat, high sugar, and processed foods we are eating. And with such a limited amount of healthy food available to the consumer (at least compared to unhealthy foods), its virtually impossible to suggest that people have a “choice” when it comes to avoiding trans fats and processed foods.
These foods are not just making us fat, these foods are killing us. The CDC estimates that more than 300,000 Americans die each year from obesity-related complications…Doesn’t our government bare some responsibility in protecting the lives of its citizens?
It seems we are long past telling people to simply avoid these unhealthy foods, for so many people that is just not an option. To make matters worse, it’s now believed that junk food can be as addicting as cocaine.
What can be done?
I don’t think there is one way to fix this problem, but I do think that something needs to be done. Here is a graph showing preventable causes of death…
Obesity isn’t a problem that can be solved with a one-size-fits-all solution. But there are things our government could do that would help.
Although controversial, some say that taxing junk food is the answer. But during a recession it’s hard to justify increasing the cost of food (even if it is junk). I think taxing junk food could be a good idea, as long as it’s done in conjunction with making healthy foods more available and affordable. And what about taxing the manufacturers producing this junk too? It surely couldn’t hurt to make selling junk food less profitable.
I also think more regulations on processed and fast foods would be beneficial. Eliminating trans fats is a great start, but lowering the acceptable amounts of sodium and sugar being used by manufacturers is also very important. We have to stop allowing manufacturers to sell products that are essentially killing consumers.
Have you ever felt like you were addicted to junk food? A shocking new study finds that this can actually happen. Apparently foods high in fat and sugar can be as addictive as cocaine or nicotine. This addictive aspect of junk food can then lead to compulsive overeating and in-turn obesity.
I can certainly see how this could be true. I know I have a terrible time getting off sugar. It usually takes a solid five to seven days of no sugars before I feel like I’m not craving it. It’s hard, but once I get over that hump, I always feel great. But it only takes one bite of a cookie, or one brownie, or one piece of candy, and I am right back where I started…seemingly addicted to sugar. I may have been avoiding sweets for months without any problem, but that one “falling off the wagon” moment sucks me right back into the sugar craving.
a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful.
Thankfully, I’ve never been addicted to alcohol, drugs, or even cigarettes…But I do have symptoms of withdraw when I try to stop eating sugar, and when I am eating sugar I crave more and more of it (even when I know it is contributing to weight gain, and negative affects on my health). So I guess it does feel like an actual addiction.
Childhood obesity is taking a huge toll on the health our kids. Diseases that in the past have only been seen in adults are (for the first time) being seen in children. And these are serious medical conditions that can potentially reduce the life span of our children by up to 20 years.
It’s clear that something needs to be done to help children make healthier food choices and reduce their risk of life threatening illnesses. Even the First Lady is getting involved, Michelle Obama recently announced her Let’s Move initiative to help solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.
We also need to address the emotional and psychological toll that obesity is taking on our children. Living with obesity can dramatically effect a child’s self-esteem, and in many cases these children can also become severely depressed.
“Overweight kids are more likely to have depression and low self-esteem, to be teased or bullied, and to bully other children,” said Catherine Davis, associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia. “These can be serious problems for these children.”
That’s why it is so important to make sure that while helping our kids get to a healthy weight, we do everything in our power to protect their fragile psyches.
Are you eating the one thing that increases a woman’s risk of stroke?
A new study has found that a diet high in fat (specifically trans-fat) increases a woman’s risk of stroke. We already know that high fat diets increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers – just to name a few. But this new study looked specifically at women, and found that women who ate the most trans fat had a 30 percent greater risk for stroke.
This new research emphasizes the dangers of not just trans-fats, but the trans-fats in cookies, cakes, and pastries — Sad news for anyone (me) who may have been in San Francisco and found out how yummy a gourmet cupcake can be.
We know that the food we choose to put into our body can have a huge affect on our health and quality of life, but many of us still choose to eat unhealthy foods. Let’s face it, the unhealthy stuff tastes really good, and we don’t usually have cravings for healthy food. That’s exactly why obesity is such a large problem for both adults and children in our country…But is dieting the answer? I don’t think so. As we all know, dieting can often lead to a roller coaster of weight loss and weight gain, that leaves many weighing more in the long run.
So if dieting isn’t the answer…What is?
Well, I don’t think there is just one answer to this question. There are a million reasons why people become overweight, and once overweight, weight loss can be very difficult. That’s why focusing on a healthy eating lifestyle needs to be more important than actual dieting and weight loss.
The thing is – Your overall health is not determined simply by the numbers on a scale or where you fall on a BMI chart. It’s much more complicated than that. Obviously, these things are important guidelines, but they are certainly not the holy grail of good health.
For most of us food is more than just the nourishment needed for our survival, it’s also an emotional roller coaster (with many ups and downs). One slice of chocolate cake can take us from desire, to exhilaration, to satisfaction, and often land us right into guilt. Which is exactly why they call it a guilty pleasure. But should we really feel guilty for eating something simply for the pleasure of it? Of course not. So why do we?
I’ll be the first person to admit that sometimes it’s easy to get sucked into that (post indulging) guilt. But the truth is, the guilt can actually be the catalyst that spirals us into more emotional eating and even more guilt. The remedy is to not allow yourself to fall victim to overeating guilt from the start.
When you make a mistake, treat yourself with kindness.
As with everything in life, we need to embrace our imperfections. And regardless of how committed we are to a particular diet or healthy eating program, we always have to leave room for occasional guilty pleasures. Try to focus on the “pleasure” part a guilty pleasures. If you’re going to over indulge, at least enjoy every moment and savor every bite of your indulgence.
Here are some tips to help you avoid overeating and the guilt that often follows…
By now most of us have heard that there are many health benefits to red wine and dark chocolate. But what is it about these two (seemingly not so healthy) foods that make them good for us? And…Is it possible to get too much of a good thing?
In this post we’ll take a look at these two foods and their surprising health benefits.
Let’s start with my personal favorite – dark chocolate.
Today you can buy just about every type of chocolate candy (from M&Ms to Kit-Kats) in dark chocolate. But, it’s not just any chocolate that’s good for you…It must be dark chocolate with a high percentage (70%) of cocoa, to get more of the health-enhancing antioxidants.
Would you like a little dog food and ammonia with your burger? [cross-posted to BlogHer Health & Wellness]
Question. Would you eat dog food?
No?
What if it was mixed in with your hamburger meat? Would you eat it then?
What if I told you it wasn’t your choice? What if it was already in the burgers you are eating?
Don’t shoot the messenger. Anyway, it’s not like they are just putting dog food into your burger, they are adding ammonia first to kill off the E. coli. Well that’s a relief. And if the USDA says it’s safe, it shouldn’t matter whether you know about it or not. Right?
My name is Catherine Morgan...I'm a writer, nurse, and mother. I'm also a contributing editor for BlogHer Health & Wellness.
Welcome to my blog...I write a little bit of everything with an emphasis on healthy living, inspiration, nutrition, and health news. I hope you'll find topics that interest you here, and I would love to know what you think in comments. Thanks for stopping by.
Are you eating the one thing that increases a woman’s risk of stroke?
We know that the food we choose to put into our body can have a huge affect on our health and quality of life, but many of us still choose to eat unhealthy foods. Let’s face it, the unhealthy stuff tastes really good, and we don’t usually have cravings for healthy food. That’s exactly why obesity is such a large problem for both adults and children in our country…But is dieting the answer? I don’t think so. As we all know, dieting can often lead to a roller coaster of weight loss and weight gain, that leaves many weighing more in the long run.
