Friday, September 28, 2012

A Food Database Can Hold the Key to Weight Loss

Everyone who’s ever been overweight is familiar with the desire to find a quick fix for your weight problem. You may have tried diet pills that were advertised to help you burn fat without changing how you eat, or even tried a fad diet or two. The problem with all the hype and advertising is that there is no real quick fix to weight loss, but there is a guaranteed way to lose weight. A mobile calorie tracker can help people lose weight because it helps you to create the calorie deficit that is required in your body in order to burn fat.

The secret to weight loss really can be found in your mobile calorie counter. Your body needs to burn 3500 more calories than you ingest in order to lose 1 pound of fat. Over a week’s time that is 500 calories each day that your body needs to burn. Of course, that’s 500 more than you take in. so if your BMR is 1500 and you eat a 2000 calorie diet, even with 500 calories of exercise you are simply maintaining your weight. That’s why most people who want to lose weight have to go on a restricted calorie diet.

You can lose weight with your mobile food diary because it will tell you what your BMR is likely to be and allow you to track the calories that you eat and the calories that you burn. A BMR is the number of calories that your body burns every day just to function. So if your BMR is 1500 and you restrict your calorie intake to 1200 calories a day, you would still need to burn 200 more calories in exercise every day to lose 1 pound per week. Of course, if you eat an additional 200 calories that day because you’ve burned 200 thought exercise, you won’t be helping yourself to lose weight at all. 


Once you understand how your body loses weight, it becomes easy to use your mobile food journal to implement that weight loss plan. You can carefully track the calories that you take in every day, as well as the calories that you burn. Your diary will tell you if you have reached the required calorie deficit on any given day to reach your goals. With all the tools right at your fingertips, it’s no wonder that people who use a mobile journal lose twice as much weight as those who do not.


 Ryan Newhouse is a longtime health writer, avid cyclist and general outdoorsman. He has traveled extensively and appreciates sourcing local ingredients for healthy meals and drinks.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Stay Healthy By Tracking What You Eat

What you eat is what you are. You’ve heard that your whole life and you know that it is true. If you eat fast food, in the largest sizes, every day, you probably are not in the best of health (or you are very young and lucky). We will get this out of the way right now; do not go on a diet. Diets trick you into thinking that you will sacrifice the things you love for the next six month or a year or whatever amount of time you choose to get into good shape and then go back to living normally. This doesn’t work for anyone. You need to change the thought of dieting to a way of thinking that changes your eating habits.




Start off by tracking what you eat. Don’t make any major changes to your diet yet. Just use your iPhone as a little notepad and type in that you ate a quarter pounder with fries and a Coke at McDonald’s for lunch. Put that you skipped breakfast but had three cups of coffee. Then write whatever you have for dinner. Do this for a few days and then look at your eating patterns. Look up some of the calorie counts on what you have been eating. Look at what that caffeine spike does to you in the morning, look up everything. Just do some research and see what you are doing to your body.

Now that you are used to tracking what you eat and you have seen what you are doing to your body, it is time to start changing things out. The biggest mistake you could possibly make is changing everything at once. Instead, change your McDonald’s lunch to something you make at home and bring to work. Make a salad, or sandwich, or a stew that has that homemade custom touch that fast food places can’t compete with. Keep tracking what you eat and after a week or so, see what a difference this one change has done for you.

Starting to feel a little better about yourself and your health? Now add in a little extra time for breakfast and find something healthy. You don’t need anything huge to start your day, some toast, a bagel, a few hardboiled eggs or a parfait can all do the trick. Keep tracking your daily eating habits for a while and see what things look like in a couple of weeks.


Now for the final change (which your body has probably already forced you to make); start eating lighter dinners earlier in the evening. When you sleep your metabolism slows down. You will want some food in your gut as you lay down to drift off to slumber land, but you shouldn’t be full. Give yourself time to digest a good portion of the food in your system and then crash with less for your body to work through. Now, after a couple of weeks compare the list from when you started this adventure and the list from today. Words can’t express how much better you are going to feel about the changes in your eating habits.

Candy C. is a writer for HowDoIBe.com. If you are interested in a career in wellness, take a look at this site for more information.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

10 Real Life Health Concerns

We all know about diabetes, the importance of exercise, and healthy eating. This article isn’t to point of
the obvious but to point out things that we do every day that really does affect our health and overall
our lives. These are things we might over look and even think as harmless habits but in reality it’s really
bad for us.

1. Drinking Coffee- Although having coffee every now and again is not bad for you if you’re having a coffee craving you’re addicted. Coffee in moderation's is good but if you’re finding yourself needing a cup you’re addicted to the caffeine and it can have bad affects on your health. It can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Although coffee does have its benefits if you aren’t careful it can be the reverse.

2. Worry/Stress- Stress is a killer! It causes a lot of the “good”  things in your brain to decrease and allows the “bad” stuff to take the wheel. It can cause health issues such as anorexia, bulimia, organ damage, depression, suicide, etc. It also causes you to age much quicker. Try doing a sport you love and taking 30minutes to an hour of your busy day to De-stress.




3. Eating junk foods/artificial sweeteners – Nothing is good about replacing natural sugar with artificial sugar aka chemicals. How’s that healthy? If you eat junk food it gives you the extra calories no one needs and helps your insides become exactly what you eat...junk.

4. Not chewing your food- This is bad in several ways. Sometimes we are so hungry that we just scarf down our food without really chewing. You’re body prepares for digestion by first having your saliva breakdown your food and chewing also makes your stomach secrete bile. No chewing means you’re going to choke, have a tummy ache, and you might not see something beautiful come out next time you decide to visit “the throne”.

5. Constipation- Constant constipation means that you aren’t eating the right foods and that you might have digestive problems that can become quite serious in the future. If you suffer from constipation every now and again go to the doctor and keep track of the foods you eat. It may be an indication of something more serious.

6. Lack of sleep- Your body must recharge every night and if it doesn’t you’re headed for disaster. Your brain will begin to shut down and it can be very dangerous. You’re supposed to shut those eyes as soon as you hit your bed and feel drowsy.

7. Over counter the medicine dependency- In today’s world taking medication is the easy solution for a lot of things. It’s best to stay away from medication and try more natural remedies. If you have a headache try and eat some starchy foods, if you’re tired take a nap, etc. usually a headache means you are lacking something in your daily regime and your body is letting you know. Stress can also cause migraine and headaches. To avoid these pains De-stress everyday and be aware of what you do.


8. House work every day – Although a clean house is a good house cleaning everyday can be bad for you. It exposes you to chemicals everyday and also doesn’t keep your body up to date with the latest germs. You body fights illnesses and bacteria by recognition that’s why you get sick when you are around someone that’s sick. Their germs are different than yours and catch your body off guard. But after few days your body knows exactly what to do and is ready for a fight at anytime.




9. Cancelling plans for alone time- If you have too much alone time its actually bad for you. If you go out and socialize its actually very healthy and good for you. Research shows that having few friends and only going out from time to time is like smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Its bad for you and decreases your longevity. So go out and have fun!

10. Soft drinks and sugar – Drinking carbonated drinks erode tooth enamel and promotes kidney stones! Not only that but sugar is only good if you need quick spurt of energy but if you down candy all the time your body turns that into fat and can even become plaque stuck in your artery walls ew!


Priscilla covers health and wellness topics for the Term-Life Insurance blog because living a healthier lifestyle helps to keep life insurance premiums lower.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Four Tricks to Alleviate Neck Pain


According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), neck pain accounts for roughly 15 percent of chronic pain in American adults. Furthermore, neck pain is believed to affect a startling 45 percent of the workforce. Depending on the severity of the pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and prescription painkillers are the most common forms of treatment. Unfortunately, prolonged NSAID use has been shown to cause damage to the stomach, kidneys and liver and may increase the risk of certain cancers, and painkillers can lead to addiction over time. Rather than relying on these potentially hazardous drugs, it's better to seek natural forms of relief for neck pain.



1. Take Vitamin C

Because inflammation is the most common cause of pain, you may be able to benefit from taking large
doses of vitamin C. This vitamin is present in many foods, but usually not in sufficient quantities to
reduce inflammation. Therefore, supplementation is recommended at a dose of one to 1.5 grams (1,000
to 1,500 milligrams) daily.


2. See a Chiropractor

Many people believe a chiropractor to only be a doctor who works on back problems, but they are
actually proficient in treating all of the body's bones, joints and muscles. If you're suffering from neck
pain, it could be from a dislocation, herniated disc or poor spinal alignment, and all of these are things
that a chiropractor can help you with. He or she may also recommend some stretches, exercises or
posture aids that can prevent the problem from recurring. Kirkland chiropractor can help, or you can
find a chiropractor in your area.


3. Stretching
                                                                                                                                                                         
A lot of neck pain is caused by strained or pulled muscles, both of which happen easily if the muscles re tense or tight. In some cases, the muscles or ligaments may even become torn. This is especially common if you have a stressful job or if your work requires you to keep your head bent or turned for extended periods. Take a moment here and there to stretch the muscles of your neck. You may even wish to consider massaging them to loosen them up and improve blood flow.


4. Eat Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne isn't just a delicious way to spice up your food. It's also a great way to ease neck pain! The
constituent in cayenne that makes it hot, called capsaicin, rapidly fights inflammation and improves
blood flow to the affected area. By enhancing blood flow, oxygen and essential nutrients required for
healing and muscle relaxation are able to be delivered more efficiently.

Neck pain can be difficult to deal with on a daily basis. While these remedies can help, it is important
to remember to speak with your doctor if your neck pain is severe.

Do you have any tricks or tips on how to alleviate neck pain? Please add your comments below if
you have any home remedies or treatments that have worked for you. No right or wrong answers, if it
worked for you, it might work for someone else!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Unhealthy Eating Habits Causing You to Gain Weight

According to statistics from the National Institute of Health, about 50 percent of American women and 25 percent of American men are on a diet at any given time. However, estimates also show that the average dieter will regain two-thirds of any weight they do manage to lose within five years.

Why is the weight gain turnaround so great, and how to do many men and women manage to sabotage their own success?

The answer lies in diet and nutrition. It isn’t as simple as a fast food window and overly large portion sizes, however—some eating habits can damage your weight loss efforts no matter how healthy you eat.

Here’s a look at five of the most common unhealthy eating habits that prevent you from losing weight despite your best efforts.

1. Skipping Breakfast


As with most things in life, how you start your diet in the morning can set the tone for your eating habits the rest of the day.

Whether you skip your first meal of the day because of a time crunch, or simply because you’re not hungry, you’re doing your body—and your weight loss goals—a disservice.

Skipping breakfast usually leads to increased snacking later in the day, which can easily outweigh the calories you would have eaten during breakfast, explains Milton Stokes, chief dietitian with St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City.

“People skip breakfast thinking they’re cutting calories, but by mid-morning and lunch, that person is starved,” Stokes says. “Breakfast skippers replace calories during the day with mindless nibbling, bingeing at lunch and dinner. They set themselves up for failure.”

By contrast, a government-funded study published in the American Dietetic Association found that participants who ate cereal most mornings had a 13 percent lower risk of becoming overweight when compared to their peers who skipped the first meal of the day.

2. Eating Late at Night


Since we’ve already established that the time of day when you choose to skip meals can compromise your weight loss plan, it makes sense that the time you do choose to eat can be equally important.

One of the worst things you can do when trying to lose weight, for example, is to snack or eat dinner late at night. This is one of the most widespread bad behaviors out there, since the body tends to crave sweet things at night when you’re feeling stressed, lonely, or just bored.

However, the effects can be shocking.

“Just an added 300 calories in the evening after dinner while watching TV—when you’re not even hungry—will pack on 30 pounds in one year,” Katherine Tallmadge of the American Dietetic Association tells ABC News.

And because you’re eating at night—with less of a chance that you’ll work off these calories later in the day—these are calories that will undoubtedly add to your waistline.

3. Eating On The Go


Nearly 36 percent of young American adults report having little to no time to prepare meals. As a consequence, they tend to choose pre-packaged meals or restaurant outings to replace what they might have made at home.

Unfortunately, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who choose convenience meals often eat energy-dense snacks that leave them less satisfied. As a result, they eat more.

And when you’re on the run and opt for a drive-through instead of a homemade lunch, eating more is the last thing you want to do.

Furthermore, being in a hurry or being in the car takes your mind off of what you’re eating and you have less time to make beneficial choices. Once you do have your meal, you tend to eat too quickly and even overeat as you don’t have the time you need to properly pause between bites and evaluate your feelings of fullness.

If you do have problems combatting feelings of hunger, you may want to check out an appetite suppressant. You can find reviews of many popular options at WeightLossPills24.com.

4. Eating in Front of a Screen


After a long day in the office, settling down in front of the television with a bag of chips or popcorn can be an attractive option. However, when your attention is distracted, you can end up eating significantly more than you ever meant to.

“If you are going to watch TV and eat, prepare your meal fully and portion it out,” Nolan advises.



Another good idea is to portion your time—eat during one half-hour television show, instead of until you go to bed.

This is true for all forms of media. Don’t eat in front of your computer screen, e-reader, or even a traditional book. Even if you’re dining alone, a simple half-hour meal without distraction will allow you to focus on your calorie count and more easily control your portion size.

5. Using Food to Relieve Stress


Even if you’ve committed to a healthy eating plan, your emotions can get in the way. According to John Foreyt of the Baylor College of Behavioral Medicine Research Center, feeling weak, vulnerable, or overly stressed is all it takes to cause a person to slide back into their old ways.

“Everything can be going along just fine until you hit a rough patch and feelings of boredom, loneliness, depression…or any kind of stress,” Foreyt tells WebMD.

In these cases, you equate eating with comfort and before you know it, you’ve overdosed on your calorie count for the day.

Binge eating is especially dangerous to the diet because it throws the body into an irregular eating pattern, making it difficult for it to properly digest food.

Breaking These Habits


Instead of rushing to adopt new habits or to cut out bad habits from your lifestyle, try making both long- and short-term goals that are realistic and manageable. To get there, take small steps in the right direction so that you’re not overwhelmed by your new lifestyle.

“Try to gradually incorporate new habits over time, and before you know it, you will be eating more healthfully and losing weight,” advises Keri Gans of the American Dietetic Association.

Every new challenge can be daunting, but over time, you’ll see how great you feel eating in a more healthy way and you’ll want to continue making progress.