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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

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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?

*cross-posted to BlogHer Health & Wellness

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).

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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).

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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.

See my tips for avoiding overeating guilt at my Choose You blog post – How To Mix Weight-Loss with Guilty Pleasures

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.

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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…

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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.

*image from

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.

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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.

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