eatingbettertolooseweight2: February 2013

Thursday 28 February 2013

How to whiten your teeth with Banana peel

Sunday 24 February 2013

The Ultimate Weight Loss Cheat Sheet

If you’re ready to lose weight, but feel overwhelmed with all the info out there, I have you covered. Below is a weight loss cheat sheet you can refer to often whenever you are starting to feel confused. Whenever you need some reassurance that you’re doing everything right, pull this out and give it a read. It will keep you focused on what’s important so that you can continue on the path towards reaching your goals.

The Ultimate Weight Loss Cheat Sheet

Set calories to 10-12 times your body weight. Use the higher number if you have a lower body fat. Check out the BodyMedia FIT armband for a more accurate intake.
Eat .8-1g per pound of lean body mass in protein.
Make sure you are getting in your essential fatty acids (EFAs). Here are 33 surprising health benefits of EFAs and the foods that have them.
Healthy fats should make up at least 20-30% of your calories for optimal hormone production, vitamin assimilation, and other vital body functions.
Carbohydrate intakes will vary based on activity levels. 40% of calories is a good starting point. Read more about how many carbohydrates you should eat to lose weight.
Try to eat veggies at every meal.
Eat the number of meals a day that best fits into your lifestyle. If 3 suits you better – great. If 5 is sustainable, have at it.
Focus on changing the quality of your food before cutting calories. Until you have 80-90% of your nutrition coming from whole foods, it can be detrimental to cut calories to an already bad diet.
Pay attention to portion sizes.
If you are carb sensitive, try timing your carb intake to your first meal of the day and post workout. Read more about how to implement nutrient timing.
Plan to lose .5-1% body fat per week, with the lower number being more realistic.
Don’t stress if you gain weight at the beginning of an exercise program. Intracellular water retention can cause weight gain even if you are losing fat. Working out but gaining weight? Here’s why.
Don’t focus on weight loss. Buy some body fat calipers and measure your fat loss progress. Here’s a cheap pair of calipers for you to use.
Make cheat meals work for you – not against you. Eat what you want, but don’t wipe out a week’s worth of progress in a single day. Here are your cheat meal guidelines.
Water should make up 90% of your liquid intake.
Surround yourself with people that support your goals. Block out the negativity and ignore the criticism.
Remember that weight loss is a side effect of living a healthy lifestyle. Focus on being a healthier you.
Don’t compare yourself to others. This is a personal journey. Strive to be a better YOU each day.
Choose exercise you enjoy. Don’t fall into the trap of forcing yourself to do exercise you don’t like. Read the 6 biggest exercise mistakes you’re making.
Make small changes to your lifestyle. Pick 1-2 unhealthy habits to change at a time, and keep working at them until they are healthy habits. Then pick 1-2 more. In time, they add up.
Be patient. Your weight will not be a straight line down. It will be a zig-zag from point A to B, but given enough time, B will be lower.
Don’t be afraid to fail. It’s going to happen. Use these failures to learn and make yourself stronger. See why failure in fitness is necessary.
Work out with intensity. Force your body to make changes. Here are 9 reasons you should increase your workout intensity.
Find a way to add resistance to your exercise. Building muscle makes the weight loss process 10 times easier.
Discover your relationship with food. Find ways to cope with your emotions outside of eating.
Work at overcoming your processed food addiction. Restricting processed foods to 10% of your diet will net you 90% of your results. Read more about overcoming your food addiction.
Get in the habit of reading food labels – specifically the ingredients section. Here’s your guide to reading labels.
Forget about supplements. They aren’t needed. Put your money towards whole foods instead.
Use compound exercises whenever possible. They are the most efficient muscle builders and fat loss movements. Find out why compound exercises are the key to building muscle.
Don’t forget to rest and recover.
Don’t push too much too fast. Work your way up to more exercise. Let your body adapt to the new workloads.
Eat beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, tubers, fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Any of these 100 healthy foods are good to eat.
Your weight might not change for weeks. Take solace in the fact that you are still making great changes to your body from the inside out.
Try not to get so caught up in the day to day aspects of weight loss. Getting fit and healthy is a rest-of-your-life thing. Try to see the big picture.
Last but not least – smile. You can do this. The only thing that’s holding you back is your thoughts. Change your thoughts and you’ll change your world.

Saturday 23 February 2013

Foods to Help Fight Diabetes!

10 Ways to Manage Your Diabetes

Diabetes is a very common lifestyle disease. The effective way to manage the condition is correct nutrition along with walking and any form of exercise.

Create a healthy eating plan

Base your diet on low-GI; high-fibre breads and cereals; lean protein foods such as lean meat, tofu and legumes; low-fat dairy; two serves of fruit and five serves of vegies; and healthy fats such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and avocado.

Go for slow-release carbs

Eat regular meals and maintain an even spread of carbohydrate intake throughout the day to prevent spikes in your blood glucose levels. Look for the new GI symbol, which can be found on everyday foods such as bread, cereal, fruit, pasta and rice.

Shop smarter

Before heading to the supermarket, write a list. Don't shop when you're hungry and stick to the perimeter of the supermarket as this is where all the fresh food is. Shop early in the week or late at night, as these times are quieter and you can take your time and really think about what you're putting in your trolley.

Snack sensibly

Keep your snacks to 500 kilojoules or less. Good choices include fruit, reduced-fat yoghurt, nuts and fruit or wholegrain toast. Make a list of healthy snacks and pop it on the fridge so you won't be tempted to make poor choices when you're in a hurry.

Choose wisely when eating out

Having diabetes doesn't mean you can never eat out again, you just need to make healthy choices. Love fish and chips? Order grilled fish with a small serve of fries. A big fan of Italian food? Order entrée-sized serves and avoid creamy sauces. Share dessert with a friend or order a skim coffee.

Know your alcohol units

The current daily recommendations for people with diabetes are one standard drink for women and two standard drinks for men. You should also plan to have at least two alcohol-free days a week.

Get active

Add short periods of movement to your day by getting off public transport a stop early, walking around the house during ad breaks and standing up when talking on the phone. Aim to also do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times a week, such as walking, swimming, cycling, dancing or jogging. Visit your local government website for information on fitness groups and sports facilities.

Have your eyes tested

Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness, but regular check-ups can help you to retain good eyesight. Get your eyes examined at least once a year by an optometrist or ophthalmologist and never ignore any sudden changes in your vision.

Get plenty of sleep

Inadequate sleep can lead to weight gain and makes it harder to control blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels. Establish a regular sleep pattern of going to bed and waking at the same time every day, even on weekends. Avoid caffeine after 2pm and keep the TV and computer out of the bedroom. See your GP or a sleep specialist if you think you may be suffering from insomnia.

Keep your mind sharp

People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing dementia, so it's important to keep mentally active. Join a club or society and stay socially as well as mentally active. Find something challenging that you can enjoy every day, such as playing chess or doing crosswords or Sudoku puzzles.

Nutrition: Foods low in glycemic index are very good for managing high blood sugar.

High fiber foods: When we refine grains, they lose their fiber, minerals and vitamins and become harmful for diabetics. Such refined foods can suddenly raise blood sugar. Therefore, eating foods that are not refined is the number one need for diabetics. Examples of such foods are whole grains, brown rice, unpolished rice, and oats with natural fiber.

Barley: Consumed along with black chickpeas, it is an excellent food for controlling blood sugar.

Foods naturally low in glycemic index: These include all dals, all pulses and legumes. However, the legumes should be consumed with chilka (organic dry split beans) or whole and not refined to a powder form. Sprouts are a wonderful way to control blood sugar.

Fruits: Fruits that can be safely eaten by diabetics are papaya, guava, berries, cherries, pomegranate, pear, and pineapple. However, they should be eaten whole and not taken in the form of juice

Herbs and spices for diabetics

Cinnamon: is an excellent spice for diabetics; it can be taken as an extract by boiling a small powdered portion in water and drinking this on an empty stomach.

Ginger: Another excellent digestive and an anti-diabetic.

Turmeric: has been used in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic herbal medicine for thousands of years as a detoxification herb (as it appears to protect the liver) and as a potent anti-inflammatory. Turmeric improves the action of disrupted insulin-response pathways in diabetes.

Hot peppers such as habaneros, serranos, jalapenos and cayennes are primarily known for their culinary uses; however, they may also help manage the symptoms of diabetes. These peppers contain a chemical compound called capsaicin, which may lower blood sugar levels, helping to prevent dizziness and fatigue. Capsaicin may also lower "bad" cholesterol that can contribute to diabetes-related heart disease.

Bitter Melon: Upcoming could be identify of bitter melon that is an Asian vegetable and extensively utilized as herb for reducing the stage of blood glucose. Bitter melons also possess some antiviral along with antibacterial properties. It has the potential of treating HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C.

Ming Mu Di Huang: It is just a Chinese herbal system which is used for treating the vision problems experienced by diabetics.

Finally, eating small but frequent meals helps to regulate blood sugar effectively. Along with good nutrition, regular walking or exercise is also very essential as it helps the insulin to balance and also aids in improving insulin sensitivity.

Say goodbye to wrinkles with an easy-to-follow routine

BY VICKY DeROSA
Published in NewJerseyNewsroom.com
COMMENTARY
Allow me to share a secret with you. And this is for men and women alike. It is not what you put on your skin but the method by which you apply it.
Let me say that again, with all due respect to the cosmetic industry, it really does not matter much what you apply but how you apply it to your skin.
In the US $40 billion is spent annually on cosmetics. Around the world $1.5 billion is spent on botox. What do these numbers say to us?
Well, it demonstrates to me how desperate we are to rid ourselves of wrinkles. I know this is surprising to some but you need not spend enormous amounts of money. I’m going to give you a very simple trick that I personally use every day of my life without fail. Are you ready? Now, men I think you should follow this regimen as well as women. Why should you not greet the day with great supple skin as well?

Beautiful Face by Tommerton2010

Just follow these basic simple steps:
Immediately upon waking I rinse my face with cool water, I barely dab at it with a towel and then I immediately add moisturizer.
I always drink warm water with the juice of one lemon. I happen to think that lemons do great things for the skin (sometimes I use lemons as a tonic for my skin).
I jump into the shower (well, perhaps I step into it). In the shower I always use an exfoliate on my skin (now listen, it does not have to be an expensive exfoliate; most of the time mine are home made, a little honey and sugar works great).
Please pay careful attention here, this is the most important step I will share with you and this is where you bid adieu to wrinkles. When you are done with your shower, do not towel dry completely and that goes for your whole body; but most especially your face. While your face is still wet apply your moisturizer. Then of course apply lotion to your whole body. Wait a few moments, begin the process of getting dressed, come back and apply more moisturizer to your face. Continue to get dressed, come back and apply more moisturizer to your face. You will do this three or four, maybe even five times. You will apply so much moisturizer that you will than take a white face cloth and dab at your face. Then rub your face very softly to ensure that the moisturizer has set in.
Guys, at this point you should be ready to walk out the door; and gals, at this point you are ready to apply your makeup. But here’s another tip; if you follow this process you should really need very little makeup.
I know this seems like quite a lengthy process, but it isn’t! It takes me all of five or 10 minutes. But I guarantee it will take years off of your face. I am often asked about the products that I use on my skin so I thought it was important to share this little secret with you. Additionally I must tell you so many creams and moisturizers promise hydration. Hydration is not to be placed on your skin, it must come from within. That means hydrate your skin by drinking lots of H2O and eating the right beauty foods.
There you have it my friends, from 20 to 90 you can say good riddance to wrinkles and hello to a healthy glow!
Vicky DeRosa is Founder and CEO of Studio V Health Corp. For more information check out www.studiovhealth.com.

Friday 22 February 2013

rethink your drink

We are all set and excited to start this tomorrow I hope! Remember, if you don’t want to do this, it is okay, if you do want to, I am tickled pink to have you on board. Remember we are eliminating as much processed sugar and high fructose corn syrup as possible, we are not dwelling as much on those foods that naturally contain sugar, like fruit, added sugar that is extraneous, like juice for example, if you are going to drink juice make it 100% juice. No soda, no candy bars, you can do this! Okay on to the first set of tips:

Read your labels, corn syrup and sugar are added to breads, crackers, soups, ice cream, it is literally everywhere, read labels and look for those brands made without, I have found bagels and breads without extra sugar and corn syrup, Progresso soup is a good choice or make soup, no luck with graham crackers, if you find some let me know!
Eat less processed foods, especially fast food, you don’t really know what’s in there – when I look at the label if I can’t pronounce most of it or the ingredient list is 3 inches long it stays in the store
Go simple with coffee and tea, most of these are made with a high level of sugar also, make your own and control what goes in it, try stevia or honey if you need some sweet
Eat your fruit, don’t drink it… personally I prefer to eat my calories not drink them, if you must have juice make it 100% juice as simple as possible, for those of you who are juicers you are making it yourself, you know what’s in it, that’s fine
Make dessert an occasional treat, have fruit or one piece of decadent dark chocolate
When your sweet tooth gets out of control try a large serving of fruit, tea with honey, or even a jam like Pollaner All Fruit or Smuckers Simply Fruit on toast

Good luck to you, we are all in this together, at least one of our daily statuses will be a discussion thread so that we can connect on how it’s going and help each other with new tricks and love and support.

Thursday 21 February 2013

12 Best Foods For Your Abs

Losing belly fat is an inside job, yes you have to exercise, but first fuel your body with foods that give you energy and nutrients, while also helping you to lose belly fat. Any program that encourages eating works for me! I love my greens, legumes, olive oil, berries, and yogurt!
12 best foods for abs

How To Store Salad Greens

The vegetables of summer are amazing, making it so easy to eat healthy.
I love to buy baby lettuce and freshly harvested mesclun from local farmer's markets and vegetable stands. They taste amazing, and they're so crisp, but if you don't eat them within a couple of days, they can turn soggy and slimy.
Here's a great little trick I learned from a farmer friend on storing precious fresh salad greens:

Place greens in a plastic bag, close the top of the bag lightly with your fist, blow into the bag and fill it with air (carbon dioxide). Then seal the bag by twisting the top a few times before closing it firmly with a twisty-tie. Place it in the fridge and your greens are good to go.

Pretty simple, huh? The bag might take up a little bit more room in your fridge, but the loss of space is totally worth it. Your greens will stay bright, crisp and flavorful, so you can enjoy healthy salads all week long.

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Nutrient Timing – When to Eat Carbs for the Best Fat Loss

Written by Tony Schober · 10 Comments

Nutrient timing is a highly effective approach to losing fat. By only eating carbohydrates at certain times, you can maximize your fat loss.

Why Nutrient Timing Works

Nutrient timing is effective because it works in conjunction with your body’s natural hormones. At certain times during the day your muscles are more receptive at absorbing carbohydrates. During these time periods, your insulin sensitivity is at its highest. This means that it will take less insulin to store the glucose that is produced from carbohydrates. How does this help you lose fat?
When your insulin is elevated, your body is unable to mobilize fatty acids. Insulin is a very powerful storage hormone. It takes the glucose in your bloodstream and shuttles it to the cells that need it. If your muscles and liver are full of glycogen, they will not be able to store any additional glucose. During this scenario, insulin takes this glucose, converts it to fat, and stores it in various places on your body so that it can be used later.
If our goal is to keep insulin low throughout the day, we want to be very mindful of when we eat our carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have the biggest influence on your insulin levels, followed by protein, and then by fats – which have very little effect on insulin levels. It makes sense to focus on carbohydrate intake for nutrient timing.
Here are 10 ways you can improve your insulin sensitivity for better fat loss.

Carbohydrate Nutrient Timing

If you can limit your carbohydrates so that you are only eating them during the time periods when your insulin sensitivity is at its highest, you will make your goal of losing fat a whole lot easier. When are these time periods?

Your first meal of the day - After a night of not eating, your insulin sensitivity is higher than normal. This is because your body has been using the glucose in your blood and the glycogen stored in your liver to maintain body functions throughout the night. Upon waking, your body’s stores of glycogen are lower – resulting in a lower amount of insulin needed to store the carbohydrates you’re about to eat.
Your pre-workout meal - Most people don’t think of insulin sensitivity being high just before your workout. And really, it isn’t. However, during exercise, your insulin response is muted. Your pre-workout meal is a great time to get in some carbohydrates and some much needed energy for your workout. Find out if you should have a pre-workout meal, and see some good meal ideas.
Your post-workout meal - Your post-workout meal is the time when your insulin sensitivity is at its highest, and it’s a great time to implement nutrient timing principles. While you work out, your muscles use glycogen to fuel your exercise. So much so, that after your workout, your muscles just soak up the glucose in your blood. Your muscles are so starved for glucose that they are able to take the carbohydrates you eat and convert it into glycogen without any real need for insulin. Here is what your post-workout meal should look like.

Knowing that these 3 time periods are preferred for carbohydrate intake, we can then start to formulate a diet plan. Depending on your carbohydrate demand and your goals, I would prioritize my carbohydrate intake like this:

Carbs post-workout only
Carbs post-workout and first meal of the day
Carbs pre and post-workout, and the first meal of the day

Eat the majority of your carbohydrates post workout. This meal should consist of protein and carbohydrates and very little fat. The remaining carb-less meals should consist of protein, healthy fats, and veggies. Planning your meals this way enables you to get all the benefits from the 3 macronutrients (fat, carbs, and protein).
It also puts you in a prime metabolic state to mobilize fatty acids. Nutrient timing is your answer to successful fat loss. By eating your carbohydrates at specific times of the day, you enable your body to remain in a fat burning state for a longer period of time.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Apple Cider Vinegar

This is one of those items I have heard about off and on for years, I found this great poster with the many uses of it and thought I would share. Have any of you used it for these or other things? With or without success? I tried drinking it years ago trying to lose my post-hysterectomy weight, it tasted so horrible I couldn’t keep it up. I’m told to mix it with hot water to tone it down, or mix it with olive oil as a dressing, I will be trying it again! Too many great health benefits to miss out on!
apple cider vinegar

Good things about Cloves!

Cloves are a highly prized medicinal spice that have been used for centuries in treating digestive and respiratory ailments. Cloves contain good amounts of vitamins A, C, K, and B-complex as well as minerals such as manganese, iron, selenium, potassium, and magnesium. Cloves also contain powerful antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties making them tremendously useful in helping to heal a wide variety of illnesses and health conditions. Cloves are particularly beneficial for the digestive tract and are great for indigestion, gas, constipation, bloating, nausea, and countering the effects of heavy, rich food. Cloves are excellent for relieving muscle spasms, headaches, and nerve pain. They are also often used to disinfect gums, teeth, kidneys, liver, skin, and bronchi. Clove oil contains eugenol which is a powerful anesthetic and natural pain reliever and is commonly used to help relieve toothaches and to numb gums in dentistry. Clove oil is also beneficial for the circulatory system and is a potent platelet inhibitor which prevents blood clots. Clove oil is also excellent for athletes foot and for healing cuts, bruises, burns, rashes, and psoriasis. Essential oil of Clove is an effective decongestant and should be used in a vaporizer, humidifier, or aromatherapy machine to help disinfect the air and to help benefit respiratory conditions such as sinusitis, tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma, colds & coughs. Cloves are often combined with other herbs to create seasonings such as Curry Powder and Garam Masala in India, Chinese Five Spice in China, and Worcester Sauce in Great Britain. They are also the ideal addition to deserts, fruit salads, smoothies, and savory dishes alike. Clove tea is helpful for strengthening the immune system and detoxifying the body. Steep 2 tsp of whole cloves in two cups of hot water for at least 10 minutes, sweeten with honey if desired.

Metabolism Bumpers

Healthy foods that rev up your metabolism, helping to kick it into high gear. Combine this with 30 minutes of exercise 4 times a week and watch your body change! Proper fuel for better performance!