A healthy lifestyle may seem out of reach for most people who are too busy with job and family commitments, who lack initiative or who have simply too little time on their hands. It doesn’t have to be. Eating a more healthful diet, adding a little more exercise to your daily routine, quitting smoking, maintaining a normal weight and limiting alcohol consumption each are small steps that add up to major benefits for your body.

A healthy diet is important to all of us but when you need to lose weight choose one of the top 10 diets. Simply going from one diet to another will do you more harm than good. By choosing a low diet plan with a proven track record, you will find it easier to stick to because it works.

Exercise does not have to be a dirty word. If your lifestyle is sedentary, start slowly and increase your activity level as you reach small targets you set for yourself. It may be just using the stairs at work instead of using the elevator. Over time, you might decide to take a walk as part of your lunch hour. Eventually you may want to join a fitness center to increase your progress. Go at the pace you enjoy and are comfortable with.

If you are still a smoker you need to get on a cessation program. There are medications in patch, pill and gum form that can assist you in stopping. Talking to a counselor or adopting a quit-smoking buddy has been shown to help smokers quit smoking at higher rate than trying to go it alone. Side effects of smoking include rapid heartbeat, decreased circulation, and shortness of breath and more serious chronic diseases such as herat disease, emphysema and cancer can eventually develop.

Drinking alcohol in moderation has actually been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system. However, consuming more than a glass or two a day can cause liver damage. Your liver is a giant filter system for your body. When the filter gets clogged, your body will not function properly. Blood clotting difficulties, Jaundice, gallstones, organ failure and death can result when the liver is compromised.

By watching your diet and incorporating health fitness into your daily routine, you can more easily maintain a healthy weight for your body type. To calculate your body mass index (BMI), divide your body weight by the square of your height, or simply go online and use one of the many BMI calculators available.

You may have let yourself go. Your body feels sluggish and you have no energy. You may have health issues that run in your family. What should you do? Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Add healthier food choices to your diet gradually. Make health fitness part of your daily routine. Stop smoking and drink a glass of red wine with a meal. To maintain a normal weight, eat right and increase your activity levels. The lifestyle goals you set for yourself are that much closer when you make small changes over a period of time.

Posted: December 28th, 2008 under Weight Loss Tips.
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The glycemic index, or GI, can be helpful to those looking to lose weight. It ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on glucose levels in the blood.

Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion have a high GI rating. This is important because foods with a high GI rating raise blood sugar levels and throws your metabolism off kilter. The result is weight gain. Foods with a low GI rating keep a person’s blood sugar at an even level, making it easier to lose weight. Eating foods with a low GI can also lower your risk of developing diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
 
Studies have shown that rats that ate a diet full of foods with a high GI diet were 71% fatter and had 8% less lean body mass rats that ate foods with low GI numbers. (Pawlak, 2004)
 
So, how do you know which foods have a low GI without consulting a chart every time you eat? Use these easy tips for eating foods with a low GI:
·        First, avoid processed foods.
·        Eat breads that are high in fiber.
·        Choose muffins, bagels, and rolls that contain oats, whole wheat, seeds, and nuts.
·        Eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
·        Stay away from foods with empty calories like soda, candy, and chips.
·        Eat more legumes.
·        Avoid sugary cereals.
 
A good rule of thumb is to avoid all foods that have a high level of sugar. Reading food labels can help with this a lot and will take out most of the guesswork. Also, try to use sugar substitutes in your cooking. Here is an example of a low GI recipe to get you started.
 
Yogurt Blue Berry Muffins
 
Ingredients:
 
·        1/3 cups brown sugar substitute
·        1/3 cup flax seed
·        2 1/2 cups rolled oat
·        1 tsp baking soda
·        3 cups whole wheat flour
·        1/4 tsp salt
·        3 eggs
·        2 cups plain yogurt
·        3/4 cup canola oil
·        2 cups frozen blueberries (thawed)
 
Directions
 
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the wheat flour, oats, salt and baking soda and mix well.
In another, smaller, bowl, combine the sugar, yogurt, oil, and eggs. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and then add the blue berries.
Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Bake for around 20 minutes in a greased muffin tin.

Posted: December 27th, 2008 under Weight Loss Tips.
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