Leading a healthy and happy life

We often tend to become nostalgic when we talk about health and food habits. This is true whether we are talking about our personal lives or about the world in general. Everything that belonged to the past always seems to be better than what we have at present. The past was great, the present bad, and the future bleak – that is how most casual conversations of the so called modern generation go. At the same time, we all know what made the past good and what makes the present bad; then why cannot we simply adopt the good things from the past into the present. “Hey, time’s up. Got to go. Got a lot of work to do.” Exactly! This is how most such conversations end. Work, work, and more work have made our lives dull and unhealthy.

In this scenario, rather than simply being nostalgic, what we must do is take some active steps towards healthy living. Work, stress, and frustration are part and parcel of our modern day existence. We cannot shirk from work related activities. But we should know where to draw the line. We should not succumb to pressure after a point. Instead of waiting till everything explodes in our faces, we must think early and act positively. If it is overwork that is destroying our lives we must find room for entertainment activities to balance the stress. This is why companies provide ample opportunity for their employees to even simply fool around by way of fun activities. The work that we do might not be always interesting, or we might not have landed in the profession that we had dreamed of. There is no use blaming our profession or circumstances. The solution here is to bring in things that we enjoy doing into our work or create time for doing those things. In this light, good exercise and nutritious food are two things that must form part of our daily routine.

There are many people who bunk eating while they are at work. They sit at their computers or stay at their work site without even taking a coffee break. They are too dedicated to their work. This over-dedication easily leads to ulcers, body pains, and other physiological and psychological issues. Such workaholics must realize that the ultimate reason for them to work is to get enough money to buy something to eat. Therefore, whatever is the work that they have at hand, they should be able to allocate it in a time efficient manner and find enough space for food breaks. There is another problem with the breaks that people take while at work. This is the issue of junk food. In order to get back to work as fast as possible, people fill their tummies with the easily available fast food items. If such foods become a part of daily diet, that will again lead to further problems.


Therefore, finding a balance between our work and other daily activities and taking conscious care of our food habits are the means for a healthy and happy life.

Matthew Anton is a professional online marketer offering search engine optimization services through BackLinksVault

Food for Muscle

Whether your goal is to get a six pack, get strong for a sport, or get a body like Jay Cutler’s, the key to achieving your goals remains pretty much the same: pack on some lean muscle.

Even if you’re looking to lose weight and get “ripped”, you still need to pay attention to your lean muscle mass – lose too much weight too quickly, and you’ll end up looking small, skinny, and soft, which is not the look you’re going for!

Building lean muscle is simple. All you have to do is lift heavy weights, and eat the right foods in the right quantities. A lot of people manage the lifting bit, but end up burning out because they don’t see results after a few weeks. The lack of results is usually down to bad judgement in the kitchen, rather than in the weight room. Here’s a few tips to help you get things right in the kitchen.

Eat For the Body You Want, Not the Body You Have

Before you can figure out what you need to eat, you need to decide your goals. If you want to lose weight, you’ll have to eat differently to the way you’d eat if you wanted to pack on some lean muscle mass.

Photo by: pdstahl

The first thing you need to do is figure out your current BMR (Base Metabolic Rate), and your maintenance calories (which is based on your BMR, and your usual daily activity level). Once you’ve worked that out, you can figure out how much you need to eat to achieve your goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, start by eating around 500 calories fewer per day than your maintenance, this should lead to you losing about 1lb of weight per week, and most of that should be fat loss, rather than lean muscle loss.


If you have only a few pounds to lose, shoot for 250 calories fewer per day than your maintenance. This will lead to slower weight loss, but again, it should be mostly fat loss.

If you want to gain strength and “bulk up”, eat around 250-500 calories more than your maintenance each day, and try to eat a lot of protein.

Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fat

Photo by CleanseAndBlend

Proteins, carbohydrates and fat are the three “macro-nutrients” that make up your diet. The first thing you need to remember is that none of those macronutrients are the enemy. Fat doesn’t make you fat, and neither do carbs. The reason people think that carbs and fat are bad is because fat is so calorie dense, and carbohydrates are also calorie dense, and tend to not leave you feeling full for long. When you’re trying to lose weight, what matters is the number of calories you consume. Some foods are more satisfying, and therefore a better choice for someone on a calorie restricted diet, but no food is “evil”.


If you’re trying to gain strength and build muscle, then eating a lot of protein is a good idea. Chicken, turkey, tuna, and lean cuts of meat are all good choices. Snacking on nuts and cheese can also help with your protein intake. A good goal is 0.8g of protein per lb of lean body mass. If you’re struggling to reach that through food, try having a protein shake post-workout.

Don’t neglect vegetables, however. Green, leafy vegetables are a good source of nutrients, and very low in calories too. No matter what you’re training for, there’s a lot of value in a balanced diet.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Slimming.com who have great ideas to help you build lean muscle.

Lose Weight Without Dieting

When trying to lose weight there is no need for drastic measures or fad diets. You can be successful at weight loss by eliminating simple carbohydrates such as cookies, white bread, cakes and soda, while increasing your consumption of delicious, healthy foods which are naturally low in fat and calories. Maintaining a healthy weight is possible by maintaining a healthy diet. Here are some foods which should become a staple in your diet for weight loss and to maintain a healthy lifestyle after you reach your weight loss goals.


Eating lots of lean protein can help you to lose weight. Good sources of lean protein include chicken breast, turkey, and seafood. These foods give you just the right amount of good fats and the protein can help you to burn fat by increasing your metabolism. However, preparing these foods the right way will make a difference. Meats should be grilled or baked without any added fats for optimum benefit.

Fresh fruit is good for weight loss because it is naturally sweet without any added sugar. Certain fruits such as melons and citrus fruits contain lots of water. This can help you to feel fuller without taking in a lot of calories. Fruits are also good for you because they contain many vitamins and nutrients needed for good health. Fruits are a great way to receive a sweet treat while still being able to lose weight.

Fresh vegetables without any added fats are also a good choice when trying to lose weight. You can eat these in abundance because they are very low in calories and fat. They are also nutritious and will help you to maintain good health. For optimum benefit, raw vegetables are a better choice than cooked vegetables.

Certain types of carbohydrates are also good for a nutritious weight loss diet. Complex carbohydrates include food such as whole grain breads, oatmeal, and healthy cereal. These high fiber foods can help you to feel full while also giving you lots of energy.


In addition to the right foods, many natural supplements are also great for losing weight. Caralluma is a natural supplement that is known for its ability to assist with weight loss. A substance in this plant has been proven to suppress appetite. This plant is an edible cactus that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is also available in the form of a supplement capsule. Another supplement known for its weight loss properties is Green tea. In addition to its numerous health benefits, this tea has been proven to help burn fat and increase metabolism. Supplements such as these can be a helpful addition to a weight loss plan that works.

This has been a guest post from Australia's leading Caralluma website. You can find out more about this diet-assisting plant at the site if you're interested.

Follow weight loss tips to remain healthy and fit

Obesity is one of the most common problems from which many people suffer. There are various kinds of problems with obesity and it is better to get rid of it as soon as possible. Losing weight is one of the things that any obese person should be concerned with. But he/she must make sure that the various weight loss methods that he/she adopts should be safe and should not affect the body adversely. There is a scientific approach to weight loss and that must be followed in the weight loss regimen so that only the excess fat is shed off in the process. Many people plan to join the gym for losing weight effectively. However, there is no need for such things.

Here are some very useful and highly effective weight loss tips that can help in combating the problem of obesity in a great manner:


Tip 1

It is very important to maintain an exercise routine daily. In fact maintain a routine for daily life. This will not hamper your exercise routine in any way. If you devote 30 minutes daily to exercising at a particular time of the day, continue that. Do not compromise with the 30 minutes until and unless there is real urgency for something.

Tip 2

Usually when people talk of weight loss tips, the first thing that they say is stop eating, which is completely wrong. It is recommended to take in food so that your hunger is satiated. However, it is recommended to eat healthy foods that are rich in different kinds of nutrients that are required to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind.

Tip 3

One of the main components that lead to obesity particularly in teenagers and young people is the incessant intake of various kinds of junk food. If you are planning to lose weight effectively, reduce the amount of junk food that you take. You do not need to totally cut it off, but try to eat it in some limitations.

Tip 4

It might sound very strange, but drinking water in good quantities help in losing weight to quite a great amount. We usually tend to drink less amounts of water. That should be stopped immediately. Drink few sips of water from time to time to make the weight loss process smoother and easier.

Tip 5

Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables can help in losing weight quite effectively. In fact this is one of the most recommended weight loss tips for people suffering from obesity issues. It is suggested that you keep your kitchen well stocked with different kinds of fruits and vegetables and take them when you are hungry than munching on the fatty and oily snacks.

Tip 6

Did you know that unhealthy lifestyle, stress and tension also could lead to obesity in people? Various kinds of studies and researches have established the fact. One of the best weight loss tips is to combat tension and anxiety in life. Leading a healthy life style is also very important to lose weight effectively without adverse side effects.

Taking Care of Ageing Parent: Step by Step Guide

It’s the cycle of life that the human race has been going through over the years. People are born; they grow older, get married and have babies. They become responsible parents and care for their young ones. Soon their kids grow older and parents begin to age. However, not all children are lucky to have the opportunity to care for their ageing parents.

It is a wonderful opportunity because you get to share special moments with them. Older parents have a different importance in our lives. Therefore, look at the whole experience as a wonderful opportunity to show them love and affection. There are ways to make them feel cared for and loved, for example:

photo courtesy : csrf.org.uk

1. Make arrangements for them to move in with you. This means allocating a room to them, making sure it is comfortable and has all the necessities. It must have a cozy bed, soft and warm. If it can have an attached bath and convenience, that’s even better. Moreover, make sure it is free of insect infestations, dirt and is properly lighted.

2. Make the whole house safe. If your parents cannot walk on their own, they may need some form of support. You must make sure there is no obstruction anywhere in the house, so that they can move around without restrictions.

3. Avoid leaving unattended sharp edges. With age parents lose coordination and sense of direction. They also grow weak sighted and tend to bump into furniture and corners in the doorway. Avoid accidents by making sure the house is generally safe.

4. Temperature regulation is important. During winters, their bones need warmth because ageing parents grow frail and delicate. Arthritic pains in aged or ageing parents is very common, that’s why anyone taking care of ageing parents must read more about it.

photo courtesy : ombudsman.org.uk

5. Spend time with your parents. Just having them in the house is not enough. They need your attention. Listen to them and discuss things with them. Update them about your personal activities and let them know they matter. Putting up a smile on their faces is a gift, and an opportunity to make your old parents feel happy and proud of you. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

6. For aged parents who have disabilities and who need constant watch, make sure you or your family members (spouse or kids) play a major role. Help them wear their cloths; help with a bathe and help them with the lavatory too. Having an attendant is also an option, but don’t leave them entirely at the mercy of the attendant.

7. Lastly, make sure they have a healthy and proper diet. If they cannot digest solids, explore new recipes to entice them to eat soft tasty food.

Follow these steps and you will have a wonderful experience taking care of your ageing parents.

Andy has been working in the aged care industry for over 4 years distributing commode chairs and nursing homes supplies. Andy is also a regular blogger and forum contributor.

Food Help Us to Maintain Our Health

Everyone is familiar with food is and how it benefits us. Food is anything that we can consume for fulfilling our nutritional requirements. It helps us to grow and is our primary source of energy. But even though we get energy by consuming almost all kinds of food, not every consumable food is good for our body. Some foods are statistically more nutritious compared than others which are low in nutritive value. Some food are more beneficial for our body while some can make us ill. The spectrum of benefits and disadvantage of food is so wide that we are still unable to understand the advantages and disadvantages of all the available food items properly. Nevertheless we don’t give much thought while munching a handful of cashews, biting a piece of steak, or drinking a glass of milk.

A simple way to determine which food is better than the other is by determining its nutrients and calorific value. Food is made up of nutrients such as proteins, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, sodium, etc. Any food that is obtained from plants or animals contain a combination of the above mentioned nutrients but their proportions vary. Some food items are rich in vitamins while some are rich in fat; some has greater proportions of iron whereas some contains more calcium. The varying combination of these elements and compounds in each food item makes it difficult for us to realize which food item is more nutritious then the other.

Our body requires these elements in the right propitiation's for staying healthy and a majority of diseases and syndromes gets activated when there is either a deficit or excess of these components in our body. Deficiency or overdoes of minerals and nutrients can lead to mild or severe illness and syndromes. Diseases caused by deficiencies or overdose generally don’t occur abruptly and takes a longer time to develop without your notice. For instance if you consume food rich in fat and calories, there are pretty good chances of you suffering from obesity and cardiovascular diseases in the future. Hence determining the nutritive value of your food is important if you desire to stay healthy and look forward to gain most of the food you consume. Perhaps the best way by which you can save yourself from deficiency or overdose is by eating a wide range of food items in the right proportions. Food items that are rich in nutrients and minerals are often recommended by doctors for regular consumption so that we can replenish our body properly.

The Doctor’s Health Press publishes monthly newsletters and e-bulletins on a wide range of health topics and breakthroughs in health, focusing on natural and alternative medicines. It is the health publishing division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation.

Healthy Tricks to Make Comfort Food Less Sinful this Winter

As the weather starts to cool outside, we desire meaty, cheesy, soupy and creamy comfort foods. While pastas, meat loaf and casseroles may warm your soul, they take quite a toll on your diet. Typical comfort foods are filled with fat, grease, sodium, and simple carbohydrates, not so comforting after all.

The good news is you don't have to give up the foods you love. Making some simple changes in the way you cook can help you make comfort foods a little less unhealthy while remaining completely delicious.

Always Go for Whole Grain

Whether it's making a sandwich, a hearty pasta or rice for stir fry, you should always opt to use whole grain products. Whole grains have more of the fiber your body needs, fill you up faster, and help you stay full longer.

A whole grain switch will give you more energy, improve your digestive system, and could even help you lose weight. Plus, the wheaty taste of complex grains is much more interesting than plain white bread, pasta or rice.




Rethink Hamburger Meat

That typical 80/20 ground chuck is very popular for meatloaf, meat balls, lasagna and casseroles (yum!). What you may not know is ground turkey tastes the same with fewer calories, less fat, and less cholesterol. Test your family and friends by making your next meal with ground turkey and see if anyone notices the difference. You’ll be presently surprised, and the kids from your son's military friendly college will be over to eat all the time!

If turkey just isn't your style, you could still improve your dishes by using 93/7 meat instead of 80/20. With so much less fat, calories and cholesterol and the exact same flavor, there’s really no reason not to make this switch.

Kick the Cream

I know it sounds like a crime, but using cream just adds calories and fat. In just about every dish, you can substitute plain low-fat yogurt or evaporated skim milk for cream. If you're skeptical, try it out! Make your next stroganoff with yogurt and do a taste test.

You can also use yogurt in dips, salads (like tuna salad), mashed potatoes and any other dish you would usually use cream for.

Bake, Bake, Bake

For your fried chicken or any other fried goodies, try baking instead. Just coat your meat in bread crumbs and pop it in the oven! You’ll get the same flavor without all the added grease. Instead of French fries, cut up some sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, add some sea salt and bake. This makes a delicious
side dish that’s good for you, too.

There’s no reason to cut out your favorite foods when such small adjustments can make a huge difference. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself liking the healthier versions better than your old recipes! Healthy food tastes fresh, fills you up, and keeps you satisfied. It’s a win-win situation!

Carly is an aspiring writer who currently works for a military friendly college. In her spare time she loves writing about anything and everything. She loves that blogging allows her to share her writing with people all over the world.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Get Fit Fast

Life is busy.  Sometimes, it’s too busy to exercise.  However, getting in a short workout is better than no workout at all.  This 20-minute interval workout is an effective tool to lose weight and relieve stress. 

An interval workout is a timed workout that combines all out exertion with short rest periods.  Intervals are four minutes in length.  Within that time, you complete eight sets. Each set consists of working hard for 20-seconds then resting for 10 seconds. During each four-minute interval, your exercise of choice remains the same, whether it's jumping jacks, squats, jumping rope, sprints or something else. Repeat that exercise for each set. Once you have completed the four-minute interval, you choose a new exercise for the next interval.

Here's a sample workout.

Warm-up for 4 minutes (walk to easy jog)

Interval 1:
20 seconds: Jumping jacks
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

Interval 2:
20 seconds: Push-ups
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

Interval 3:
20 seconds: Burpees
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

Interval 4:
20 seconds: Squats
10 seconds: Rest
Repeat 8 times

In order to get the maximum effectiveness out of this, you must push yourself during the 20-second work interval each and every set trying to complete as many reps as possible for each set.  Both cardio and strength exercises can be used during the intervals.

This workout can be adjusted as your fitness and endurance increases.  This can be done a couple of different ways.  You can increase the exercise interval beyond 20 seconds.  Or, you can add more intervals and exercises.

It’s important to take time for yourself.  By taking as little as 20-minutes a day to exercise, you can lose weight, relieve stress, increase your muscular endurance as well as improve your heart health. It’s a small change you can make to improve your life.

Freelance writer Phyllis Edson provides a variety of writing services including blogs, social media posts, copy writing, ebooks and web content--- www.phyllisedson.com

Hidden Calories

credit: sigalonhealth.soup.io

Although losing weight is very rewarding and potentially life-changing, it can be a very
frustrating process. The most common reported frustration is when you feel that you are
doing all of the right things but the weight just won’t come off. This can leave you feeling
down and useless, and could potentially lead to the end of the diet. But why does it happen?

In some, rarer cases, it is a case of the body’s metabolism catching up with the dieter and
simply refusing to lose any more weight. Ironically, the main reason this happens is that the
dieter is taking in too few calories so the solution would be to add a few more calories into
the diet to kick-start your metabolism.

For most, this isn’t the issue. For most, it is the opposite; they are taking in too many
calories. The main culprit in this tale is hidden calories. Hidden calories are the enemy of the
dieter and are the root of all the frustration and anger that you are feeling. So where are these
calories and how do you bring them out into the open?

The main perpetrators of hidden calories are the foods and drinks that you think are healthier
choices. When we start our weight-loss plan the first thing that many of us do is to look for
healthy alternatives to the snacks and drinks that we thought were making us overweight.
However, shop bought fruit smoothies are often packed full of calories. They are nutritious
and full of vitamins but they can have just as many calories as a full-fat can of fizzy pop. The
reason? All of those fruit sugars that make the smoothie so tasty! The tropical fruits often
used in smoothies, such as mango, pineapple and banana, are full of natural sugars and are
also relatively high in calories. So, although you should make sure to eat plenty of fruit,
enjoy these varieties in moderation.

Salads can be full of hidden calories too. Lettuce, tomato and cucumber are super low in
calories but the added meat, dressing, croutons, cheese and avocado that can dramatically
raise the calorie content. In fact, a salad such as a traditional Caesar with chicken, bacon,
croutons, cheese, and a creamy dressing can potentially have more calories than a burger! So
be sensible – go for vinaigrette dressings and drop some of the fattier elements such as the
cheese and bacon.

As far as food goes, one of the worst things you can eat when on a diet is pasta. Pasta can be
a healthy choice as it is virtually fat free and relatively good for you but, unfortunately for
those trying to lose weight, it is packed full of calories. Even a small serving of pasta can
have as many calories as a bucketful of couscous, for example, so avoid it when you can.

Finally, you should look at your drink choices. You may have swapped out sugar for
sweetener but you need to also consider skimmed milk in your hot beverages rather than
semi-skimmed or whole. This will save you calories with every mouthful. Also, look out for
alcohol. Although it’s hard to cut out alcohol completely, there are no low calorie alcoholic
drinks and you would be shocked at how many calories there are just in a glass of wine.

So hidden calories are everywhere but they can be beaten. You just need a little knowledge,
and maybe the help of an online calorie counter, and you can understand what’s really in
your food.

Written by Kat Kraetzer, an experienced blogger working in the health-care industry.

Do Diets and Dates Really Go Together?

Admit it – sometimes, dieting can really ruin your date. Rather than enjoying that special night with your loved one, you end up worrying about packing unwanted calories or fitting into your dress. It’s okay to want to look great, diet, and work out to burn fat fast. But you don’t have to be such a fitness freak all the time, especially on such a special occasion. You need to loosen up a bit and know that there are ways for you to have a fun date night without the fear of fats and calories.

The most effective way to trick your mind and body into eating right on a date night without being a buzz-kill is by eating slowly. Yes, a date takes time. It’s supposed to be a night full of chats, giggles, whispers, and of course, food. So during dinner, eat slowly. You’re not in a hurry, so chew your food well. Digestion starts in your mouth as saliva (which contains an enzyme called amylase) helps break down and digest starch and carbs while you chew. Chewing also preempts the release of insulin, preparing your body for the intake of carbs as you eat. This then allows your body to release much less insulin later, eventually stabilizing your blood sugar. So don’t gorge on food. Savor every bite and chew well. Doing so will relax your tummy, trick your mind into feeling full, and burn fat fast.


Never starve yourself during the hours leading to the date. Yes, you want to fit in your new body-hugging dress, but starving yourself before your date is not healthy. In fact, you’re just psyching yourself to eat more come date time. You’re also stressing yourself out and you don’t want to be grumpy on your date. It’s a major turnoff and it can ruin what’s supposed to be a fun night. If you really want to fit in that dress, eat foods that are less-bloating and those that can burn fat fast like fresh veggie salad, apple, or oatmeal. Just don’t deprive yourself of food just for vanity’s sake.


Make your date night your “cheat night”. You probably have those cheat days when you can eat whatever you want, and your date night’s the perfect time for some “cheating”. Try not to think about food too much. Just enjoy your special time together with your special someone. And this means enjoying the food the two of you would be sharing. Remember, food can draw people together, so make it a celebration. It wouldn’t be a celebration if you’re always nagging yourself, and your lover, about your diet and food choice. Make it a fun night for both of you and be carefree once in a while. It’s healthy for you.

You think it’d be impossible to mix diet and date together, but it’s really just about having fun and NOT stressing about food and weight altogether. Life is not about numbers anyway, so kick your worries away. A fun and carefree you will make a fun and unforgettable date.

Deej Walit has been writing professionally for over 10 years now, having gained experience in the fields of publishing, advertising, marketing, and broadcasting. During the past year though, she has been doing freelance work – writing web content for various clients. Currently, she’s one of the full time writers for PinAgency, whose roster of clients include Sweet Sweat, L & S Carpet, and more.

Foods Help In Weight Reduction

Almonds and other nuts (with skins intact)
Build muscle, reduce cravings

Dairy products (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
Build strong bones, fire up weight loss

Eggs
Build muscle, burn fat

Turkey and other lean meats
Build muscle, strengthen immune system

Berries
Improve satiety, prevent cravings

Enova oil (soy and canola oil)
Promotes fullness, not easily stored as fat

Peanut butter
Boosts testosterone (a good thing even in women), builds muscle, burns fat

Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, mackerel)
Trigger fullness, fire up fat burning

Grapefruit
Lowers insulin, regulates blood sugar and metabolism; be sure to eat the fleshy white membranes

Green tea
Fires up fat burning

Chili peppers
Spikes metabolism

Spinach and green vegetables
Fight free radicals and improve recovery for better muscle building

Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, whole grain cereal)
Small doses of whole grains prevent body from storing fat

Beans and legumes
Build muscle, help burn fat, regulate digestion

Whey
Builds muscle, burns fat

How To Make Sure You Don’t Ditch The Diet On Holiday

If you’ve ever struggled to do up your plane seat belt after a particularly wonderful holiday, you will know the peculiar feeling of revulsion, worry and frustration that accompanies your fruitless yanking. Especially if you’ve dieted for months before to ensure you look your best...

However, it doesn’t have to be this way, ladies and gents. If you’ve got a dollop of self-control and an ounce of discipline, you can still have a great time on holiday without undoing all your hard work. Firstly, there are plenty of opportunities to take a holiday that allows you to get as active as possible. British holiday parks offer you the chance to roam around the UK’s beaches, explore pretty coastal beaches, get active with your family, and avoid sitting on your backside drinking sickly cocktails all day. Not only will you tone up after spending a day swimming, throwing a frisbee around, or hiking along some breathtaking coastal walks, but you’ll also tire yourself out enough to ensure you sleep well. Everyone’s a winner.

Secondly, if you are heading somewhere with warmer climes, why not take a look at what’s available at your hotel, or complex? Plenty of hotels have gyms, as well as swimming pools. Many also boast tennis courts. If you want to really enjoy your evening meal all night with no guilt, it’s worth burning off some calories during the day. Also, don’t snack! If you fancy something substantial at lunchtime, fine - but don’t binge on ice creams, chips, and other sweet snacks. A good rule of thumb is to have a big drink of water, then re-evaluate your hunger. Sometimes, the body confuses hunger with thirst, which can lead to overeating.

Everyone loves a drink. Well, nearly everyone. Either way, it’s a very popular activity. However, booze is effectively liquid fat, so try to limit your intake if you want to save your figure. If you must overindulge in the evening, avoid cocktails or anything with a high sugar content. Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you drink, and don’t do shots - you run the risk of becoming more inebriated that you want to (foreign drinks are normally much stronger than UK ones), plus, your waistline won’t thank you.

If you’re on a boozy girls’ or lads’ holiday, you’re probably worried about looking like a bit of a killjoy by refusing drinks or not having a dessert every night. The truth is, people are probably more concerned with making sure that they’re having as much fun as possible, so your lack of drunkenness probably won’t filter through to them. If anyone does pick up on your good behaviour, don’t be shamed into spoiling your resolutions by giving in to temptation! Remember, you want to walk off the plane in the UK feeling refreshed and ready to go, not bloated and sick.

If we’ve told you once, we’ve told you again - exercise! To shift stubborn pounds, make yourself take a 15 minute swim every hour that you’re by the pool for. It’ll also stop you getting burned and encourage you to reapply more sun tan lotion, which is never a bad thing.

Finally, late-night snacking, even after a relatively-sober night, can add more calories than you’d like. If your family/friends/other half drags you to a kebab shop, opt for a wholemeal pitta with heaps of salad and hummus. If you’re feeling particularly naughty, a bit of halloumi doesn’t go amiss, but steer clear of mayo, dressings, and any kind of meat that looks like it’s floundering in grease.

Benefits And Risks Of Meal Replacement Shakes

Meal replacement shakes are a great way to lose weight. These are usually liquid shakes that have extra protein and nutrients that are used in place of one or two meals. Many of these are pre-made, so you simply shake and drink. Others are in powder form and you mix with milk or water.

There are many great benefits to using meal replacement shakes, along with proper meals and exercise to help lose weight. These benefits include:

* Convenience

These are convenient to take with you on the go and are also quick to drink, so no matter what your day consists of, you can always find time to drink your meal.

* Control

You can easily control the amount of calories you intake by using meal replacement shakes in your daily routine. All the nutrient information is displayed on the can or box of powder, so you can easily plan your meals.

* Energy

These shakes are packed with nutrients and vitamins that you need to keep your energy up throughout the day. Different shakes have different nutrients, so you should look at different labels to find the best fit for your needs.

Along with the benefits, there are also some risks from using these shakes. These risks include:

* Obesity risk

If you do not use the shakes as described, you could gain weight. These are to be used instead of a meal. If you consume three or more meals and snacks per day, along with drinking these shakes, you could gain more weight.

* Stomach pains

These shakes contain whey, lactose, soy and other products. If you have an intolerance for any of these ingredients, you should not use these shakes, because you could have digestive problems.

* Long-term Safety

There could be some long-term problems from using these shakes. Long-term safety has not been tested and could also have a bad effect on the liver and kidneys.

For the most part, meal replacement shakes are a great way to help you lose weight. If you are concerned about risks, talk to your doctor. Make sure you read all information on the product and follow directions.

Mandi writes health-related topics dedicated for patients who have had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery to promote proper weight management and healthy lifestyle.

Keep Your Hair Healthy With A Better Diet

Hair loss is a common problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. There are natural food supplements that have been specifically designed to tackle this problem like Viviscal on the market.
But you can also eat your way to a healthy head of hair by improving your diet.

What is a Healthy Diet?
There are two key factors to eating a healthy diet: eating the right amount of food (depending on how active you are) and eating a large range of foods. The range of food in your diet should include: Fruit and Vegetables, Starchy foods such as bread, rice and pasta, some Milk and Dairy foods, some Meat, Fish, Eggs and Beans and a very small amount of foods high in fat and sugar.

How can I eat a Balanced Diet?
Eating a variety of foods is extremely important for healthy hair, and there are steps you can follow to make sure you are gaining all the nutrients and minerals you need. Try for 5 a day! Eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day can reduce the risk of hair loss dramatically by giving you the minerals and nutrients your body needs to repair and grow. Keep it colourful... Variety is the spice of life after all, and the bigger the variety of colours of fruits and vegetables on your plate, the better. Too much food as well as too little food can be bad for you, but everyone's plate will look slightly different depending on our size, shape and level of activity.

A Healthy diet for Healthy Hair
Your diet is a key factor for keeping your body healthy, and this includes your hair. Eating a healthy balanced diet, including a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can help promote healthy hair growth. Try eating the government recommended 5 different fruit and vegetables every day. Protein is the central component of your hair, so a protein-rich diet is extremely important for a healthy head of hair. Eggs and lean meat such as chicken, turkey and beef are all great sources of protein, and can easily be consumed as part of a healthy diet.

Iron deficency (anaemia) is one of the most common causes of unhealthy hair. So an iron rich diet will not only improve your overall health, but will keep your hair strong and shiny.
Great sources of iron include: liver, meat, beans, nuts and dried fruit.

Try adding some healthy hair foods to your diet and notice the benefits immediately!

About the Author: Emily is a writer for Peak Nutrition
who enjoys offering advice and guidance for Health and Well-being.