I would like to talk about investment today. And I assure you that this can be the investment of a lifetime, because it IS in fact, an investment for YOUR lifetime.

(Mostly) Everyone knows that exercise is ALWAYS (and always will be) beneficial to anyone’s state of health. But not many know that the seemingly harmless act of just slumping down on your couch at home watching the television can actually CUT back the number of years of your life.

It’s certainly more alarming if you look at it at a different light doesn’t it?

In a recent study (from the researchers of National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan and China Medical University Hospital), it has shown that a sedentary lifestyle can be more HARMFUL and DAMAGING than what was believed to be. How damaging you may ask?

Well, just one SINGLE hour of watching television can cut back your life expectancy by 22 minutes!

Of course the television set alone won’t be the one responsible for shortening life. It’s actually the act of watching television that’s the real killer. When you lead a such a sedentary lifestyle, chances are you will reach for unhealthy foods to accompany it.

I mean, who doesn’t like buttered-up popcorn or potato chips or cheesy crackers and a chance to wash it all down with sweet carbonated sodas while watching a great movie or TV show. And a separate study has shown that people tend to overeat while eating in front of the television. And that is another formula for weight gain right there.

All of these things will (eventually) result in weight gain and yet that is just the BEGINNING of your troubles. Diabetes has always been closely linked to obesity and even though modern medical advances has helped people to manage and live with diabetes…..did you know that a yearly diabetes treatment alone can equate to 7 gastric bypass procedures?

Not to mention enduring all the pain and hassle of administering medication on yourself. Take for example, taking insulin shots around 13 times a day. It’s not a pretty experience.

The Good News

But there is always good news.

The good news is that there is something that you can do about it. Researchers of the same study has come to the conclusion that exercise not only helps you to avoid the pit falls of weight loss, it can further INCREASE your life expectancy by the YEARS.

Getting 450 minutes worth of exercise in a single month and you’re well on your way to leading a healthier and much happier life. It’s a better alternative in anyone’s book.

450 minutes a month sounds like a lot?

Well, let me break it down for you.

All you have to do is to just get in 15 minutes of exercise daily. Yup, that’s just FIFTEEN minutes. And you don’t really have to set aside 15 minutes every day if you find yourself still too busy to do that. You can spread out your exercise regiment throughout the day. Like a minute up a flight of stairs. Or park further from your office or destination and have that 2 minute walk. A minute here and there and the next thing you know, you might have more worked out for more than 15 minutes already daily!

Of course the best exercise is the one where you can get your heart rate up (to make it count). But remember, exercise within your limits. Keep at it and you will eventually get stronger and thus raising your threshold limit. Not only will you feel great in the long run, you will LOOK great.

Exercise MORE and eat LESS (Not the other way around!)

If everyone could just spend 15 minutes a day exercising and watch their diet (in terms of WHAT they eat and HOW much), the number of people having weight-related diseases can be significantly reduced. Remember, weight-related diseases can strike anyone regardless of age and gender.

No one is safe.

So don’t be a statistic! Invest in 15 minutes worth of exercise or more if you can. Your body will reward you for it!

That is why when embarking on a diet, many people would have to first change and have that appropriate mindset to ensure that they do indeed meet their weight loss goals. There are many ways when it comes to weight loss, but the most important thing is for you to believe and practice the right ways.

You see, there are many foods that we can simply live without. If you eliminate all the unhealthy and sugar-ladened drinks like sodas, ice cream, chocolate cake, butter cookies, candies…..(etc, etc) you will still be able to survive.

The body doesn’t need those kinds of foods. But it just tastes so good that our mind is telling us that we simply can’t live without it. And if you believe it to be so, then just think about back in those days (way way back), where our ancestors do not have these kinds of processed foods in their diet and they still survived. (And they were probably in much better shape than the most of us are in now.)

Okay, back to current times. So, what interesting find have the researchers come up this time to help us fight a disease that has plagued modern-era humans? What can they do to help us find against the rapid rise of obesity?

What was their most interesting and latest find?

By using………bigger forks.

A study was carried out in a restaurant with 2 different groups. Both groups were served similar portioned meals. The only difference were the size of the utensils they were using to eat. One group used regular sized forks and the other group had to use forks which were significantly larger.

Surprisingly, the group that were using the bigger forks consumed less food overall from their plate.

Apparently, by using bigger forks, your mind thinks that you are feeding yourself a lot at a time. And that you are fast approaching that “full” threshold faster.

And when you use smaller forks, your mind tells you that it is still has a long way to go before those amounts can start having an actual impact your weight loss. Therefore your mind tells you that you got nothing to worry about so soon.

This is certainly an interesting find. So does this mean BIGGER BITES equates to LESS eating?

Or because the old golden rule still holds true?

That by chewing your food properly, you are giving your brain the time to tell you that its full. And by putting in a bigger portion of food in your mouth at a time, it naturally means you have to chew longer.

Nevertheless, I might try out this method for myself one day. And if I do, I will be sure to post my findings and verdict on this site.

In a recent study dedicated to finding the benefits of olive oil, it was revealed that for people who had always consumed plenty of olive oil in their lifetime, they are able to reduce their chances of having a stroke.

But what’s surprising is that it reduces the chance of stroke by 41% !
(This is compared with people who ingest little or no olive oil at all)

And the good news is that, the older generation are the ones that will greatly benefit from this miracle oil. Since stroke always seem to strike the older generation, olive oil is a great and inexpensive way for them to help avoid that.

And it the beauty of it all is that it doesn’t take an injection, pill, IV, or anything like that.
All you have to do is just include olive oil in your diet. Simple.

But what’s exactly in olive oil that helps prevent stroke is still a mystery. But theories have emerged that those who use olive oil in their food and cooking, do not need to use the normal saturated and trans fat found in hydrogenated oils. Which as we know, are very unhealthy for our human bodies.

Daily repeated consumption of these kinds of oils always brings nothing but health problems in the future.

Of course further observation and study needs to be carried out to determine if olive oil (or what is in it) is indeed the main contributing factor in helping us humans maintain a healthier life and thus prolonging it.

If the findings are indeed conclusive of olive oil and the health benefits that it brings, it should be a common household item in the future. This way, it can help save A LOT of lives as it can help avoid many unwanted health problems. So start storing olive oil in your kitchen or pantry if you haven’t done so already. Think of it as a small investment which is certainly worthwhile….which is YOUR health.

Either way, olive oil has long been associated as a healthy alternative to other oils more commonly used in our foods. To me, it’s not a question of what will they find in olive oil that proves to be so beneficial to us, …to me…it’s just a matter of when.

Father Fitness

It is indeed a sad day. This especially in the world of fitness and health as it has suffered a great loss. A loss so great because the individual was so extraordinary he may have very well single-handedly shaped the world of health and well-being.

Jack Lalanne the true Father-Of-Fitness (born on September 26 1914), passed away on 23^rd of January 2011.

He was 96 when he passed and yet he died not from age-related reasons. He died from complications which arose from his battle with pneumonia which he unfortunately lost.

I can’t help but to feel sad upon hearing the news of his passing. It was only a couple of months ago that I was viewing some of his exercise videos on YouTube.

At the same time, I feel inspired as I would want to be just as healthy and looking as great when I approach 90. Jack Lalanne was a main enjoying a very fulfilling life and because of his fitness he continued enjoying it for a long, long time.

The Early Years

Jack Lalanne has been spearheading and highlighting the importance of fitness and health and continue to stayed devoted to it for the vast majority of his life.

He started lifting weights and believed in proper nutrition way before it became a trend or well-understood by the masses.

In an era where athletes avoided bulking up and lifting weights were taboo for women, Jack continued pressing on in what he believed in. Even doctors during that time were against Mr.Lalanne as they strongly advised him against weight training.

They told him it will result in heart attacks or a severely diminished sex drive. (OH, how little doctors knew then, but Jack knew better and proved them wrong he did!)

Like many other success stories, Jack came a long to being the fitness guru he is today. When he was very young, he was a sickly, skinny and pimply young lad who was hopelessly addicted to junk food and sugar.

He turned it all away and vowed to change his physical state for the better after listening to a talk on nutrition and health.

Jack Lalanne was certainly a man who practiced what he preached and he continued staying fit and healthy well into his 90s.

In fact, Jack had a knack for showing off how fit he was as a means to prove how being fit and healthy can benefit anyone and everyone. He would perform amazing “feats of strength” or stunts during his birthdays.

Some of his feats of strength were :

• When he was 42 (in 1956) Jack set a record of performing 1,033 push-ups in the time of just 23 minutes!

• When he was 60 years old he swam from Alcatraz Island all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf. As it wasn’t enough he was towing a 1,000-pound boat (450kg That’s nearly HALF-A-TON!) all the time he was handcuffed and shackled. How was that for a FEAT!

• In the following year he swam the ENTIRE LENGTH of the Golden Gate Bridge UNDERWATER and again towed a 1,000-pound boat.

Jack Performing One Of His Amazing Feats

In between those time period he performed many more amazing feats but the ones listed here were what amazed me the most.

Here are some quotes which Jack Lalanne made which I find to be very interesting and thought that I might share with you. Even though he is now gone but his legacy and inspiration still lives on.

“The only way you can hurt the body is not use it. Inactivity is the killer and, remember, it’s never too late”

“It’s a lifestyle, it’s something you do the rest of your life,”

“I care more than you cannot believe how much I care! I want to help somebody!” “Jesus, when he was on Earth, he was out there helping people, right? Why did he perform those miracles? To call attention to his profession. Why do you think I do these incredible feats? To call attention to my profession!”

“Nobody could,” “No one even wanted to try.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger commenting on Lalanne’s challenge to see who could rival him in the numbers of chin-ups and push-ups on Muscle Beach in 1960

“‘Jack, you are a walking garbage can’ ” – Nutritionist Paul Bragg on asking what Jack Lalanne had for breakfast that morning when he was just 15 years old. That day marked the turning point of Jack’s life.

“Ten seconds on the lips and a lifetime on the hips”

“If man made it don’t eat it, and if it tastes good, spit it out.” – on his rules when it comes to nutrition

“Yes, I do it as a therapy. I do it as something to keep me alive. We all need a little discipline. Exercise is my discipline.” - Jack commenting on exercise in his later years

Man Of Many Muscles…And Endeavors

In addition to his appearing on his own show on television ( The Jack Lalannne Show was one the longest running syndicated exercise-oriented show on television), Jack did a variety of side businesses.

One of his most successful endeavors was his versions of the juicing machine. Namely “Juice Tiger” and the more popular Jack Lalanne’s Power Juicer. He has also written and published many books during his time.

His latest book was published in conjunction with the celebration of his 95th birthday which was appropriately titled “Live Young Forever”.

To Jack Lalanne – My salute goes out to the MAN who MADE the physically IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE.

You will be dearly missed.

Jack pictured together with his wife Elaine LaLanne (Credits : briansmith.com)

Influenza A (H1N1)

It was the time when the world was struck with a swine flu pandemic that cause worldwide-panic as the rate it spread was more than worrying.

It seemed like people were getting sick left and right and at that time there were no signs of it slowing down.

But fortunately it died down (literally) and since then we have learned many things from it. Many case studies and research were carried out and compiled and there from it a surprising discovery was uncovered.

Putting The FAT in FATAL

Overweight or obese patients who were showing H1N1 influenza symptoms were 3 TIMES more likely in ending up being FATAL. In other words, overweight and obese people has a very high chance of dying from this dreadful virus.

Looks like there’s another downside to add to the list of being obese. In addition to being prone to more illnesses compared to a guy with average weight, it looks like obese people are MORE susceptible to the H1N1 flu as well.

For the non-fatal cases, obese patients that required breathing aids (such as being on a medical ventilator) were shown to require to be on it for a longer periods of time. Plus, obese people also spend more time in intensive care.

As the study is still in its infancy, more time is needed to find the exact cause of WHY, to this problematic pattern.

But the point here is that its really happening more to obese people. However, there is a way that this can be avoided or decrease the chance of it from occurring….get your flu shots or vaccinated at least once a year.

(I bet you were expecting me to say “LOSE WEIGHT!” right?)

This Won’t Hurt….

Medical doctors deem the flu shot vaccination especially important for people who are obese. (Obese people (or people with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 and OVER) are especially encouraged to receive their yearly vaccination against influenza.)

There is another way that you can help boost your chances.

That is to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Because if you were to lead a healthier lifestyle, you won’t need to lose fat in the first place.

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle while stuffing yourselves with tons of junk-food and every other chemically produced/enhanced/added/mixed “food” you’re only making your body work harder to remove all the toxins in the body.

This only makes your body grow weaker in time and what happens when your immune system grows weak?

Yup, you will be open to attacks. Attacks and warfare on a microscopic level which may very well result in you losing. And like many wars, losing usually spells death.

Open Your Mind For A Change….Not Your Mouth

Being overweight just ain’t cute anymore. There’s no more “More Of Me To Love” or “Big Is Beautiful”. There are more serious consequences now in being overweight.

Unless your professional career is a sumo wrestler, there’s just no advantage to being overweight. The list of ailments that strike overweight and obese people seem to be growing every day. H1N1 just seems to be the latest on list.

So if you or anyone you know who is overweight, do something about it now before it’s too late.

Although the pandemic was declared officially passed in 2010 by WHO (World Health Organization), no one knows when and where such a pandemic or epidemic will strike again. A variant could come back be deadlier than ever before. Chances are that it will. Humans are constantly evolving, and so can micro-organisms.

The best that we can do is to prepare for it by leading a healthy lifestyle to have a higher chance to fight off this debilitating and infectious diseases or any other diseases for that matter.

The winner of Season 10′s The Biggest Loser!

Credits : www.nydailynews.com

To say he was the ‘Biggest Loser’ of them all is certainly an understatement. Half a year worth of effort through rigorous training, exercise, diet and mostly willpower has resulted in Patrick House losing a total of 181 lbs!

His original weight was around the 400 lbs mark. That means he nearly lost half his entire weight! (He is now half the man he used to be and it’s definitely the better half.) Certainly nothing short of amazing and in just a span of 6 months. And yet, he’s no Superman nor machine. He’s just an average Joe. But he is now seen as a living testament that anyone CAN lose weight if they are really determined to do so.

Patrick House certainly came a long way. Prior to the show, Patrick House was pre-diabetic and had numerous of other health problems plaguing him. This included sleep apnea (where you missed your breath when you sleep), a high cholesterol count and equally dangerous high blood pressure.

If he didn’t make a drastic change like he did, he was sure to develop more complications related to being overweight or obese. In short, if he didn’t turn his life around, he would have died young, leaving his wife and 2 children behind.

Another contestant who came in 2nd after Patrick was Alfredo Dinten – a former Unites States Marine. Alfredo lost 162 lbs from his original weight of 367 lbs. Which is also impressive by any standard. Alfredo was already 43 years of age when he joined the show. This also goes to show it’s never too late to start changing your life for the better when it comes to health and if you choose to.

There is always a choice and it is always YOURS to make.

But the oldest contestant ever to join the biggest loser was a Jerry Lisenby. He was 62 years of age and after joining the show he lost a remarkable 110 lbs from 297 lbs. He now looks as good as he feels and is living proof that weight loss can happen no matter the age. It’s nothing short of inspirational.

The oldest contestant to ever win the competition was a Helen Phillips a 48-year old mother of 2. She went from a 257 lbs, right down to 117 lbs. To put it in another perspective, she went down 20 dress sizes!

In reality, you don’t need to know to be on a show like this just to lose weight. The show was more of a ‘school’ or education system which educates the contestant on healthier lifestyle and healthier eating choices.

At the end of the way, it was their very own effort and willpower which made them to be what they are today. A healthier and fitter person. Many of them continue to practice and put to good use what they learned from the show. So it’s the same for the rest of us at home.

Weight loss can happen at any where (even from home), at any age, and at any time. Through proper discipline and determination, we can achieve the same success these people are not enjoying.

So 3 cheers for Patrick House and to all the other previous winners and contestant of the show.

Those people have won more than the competition itself. They have won back their health, and thus their life.

It’s about time WE did too.

There is a buzz around town and it’s all about a new miracle noodle.

Define miracle?

Well, it’s low in calories, carbohydrates, fat, soy nor and doesn’t contain any preservatives. It’s 97% water! Hence, that is why it is also known as “skinny noodles”

Shirataki Noodles

What have most of us been missing out all this while? I honestly have never heard of it before…until recently. But surprisingly, it has already been around for many years but it’s more commonly consumed in other parts of the world.

As you can already guess from the name, Shirataki Noodles (also called Konnyaku noodles) originated from Asia and they have already been long enjoying its health benefits for quite some time now.

It’s only recently that the West have been slowly recognizing and acknowledging the health benefits it provides and have grown a liking towards it.

Let me delve into more details on why this is indeed a remarkable kind of noodle.

Shirataki Noodles are perfect for those who want to control their blood sugar level such as diabetics. It’s also great for those who are trying to keep their cholesterol level in check, or simply for those who are watching their weight or want to lose weight. (Needless to say, this is going to be a major hit among the ladies.)

In addition, Shirataki Noodles are also gluten free which is perfect for those whose bodies are sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease. (Celiac disease is a disorder where the immune system attacks the intestines whenever the person consumes gluten.) This is definitely a must-have in their list of foods.

The noodles are made from root of a “Konjac” plant. Since it’s made mostly of water and yam fibers the noodle actually expands as it absorbs water so it gives you that more of a satisfied feeling after a meal which can help prevent you from overeating.

When we prevent ourselves from constant overeating it can save us a lot of trouble going down the (treadmill) road.

Yes, it is true that the noodle itself is tasteless per se. But it’s highly absorbent nature allows it to be as flavorful as can be when mixed with other ingredients such as sauce and spices. When left to simmer or soaked enough, it’ll be just as tasty and delicious as the ingredients used to soak it in.

So it’s a HEALTHY and TASTY meal. Can it get any better?

Oh and did I mention that it’s very affordable? It doesn’t come with a “oriental” or “exotic” price tag. So rest assured your wallet is not going to suffer every time you enjoy a bowl of Shirataki noodles. This healthy meal can also be relatively simple and effortless to prepare.

Here are some healthy Shirataki Noodle recipes that you can try out at home :

Shirataki Noodles with Tomato Pesto

Cold Spicy Konjac Shirataki Noodles With Shrimp

Stir-Fry Vegetable with Shirataki Tofu Noodles

Bon Appetit!

Anyway, the picture this time shows what you typically see in the kitchen during thanksgiving.

Source : http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/googleina.jpg

The “doodle” links to a page of 6 thanksgiving recipes ranging from TURKEY to TARTS. Prepared by the host of The Barefoot Contessa (on Food Network) which is none other than the amazing Ina Garten.

After looking at her mouth-watering recipes. I just can’t help but to think how am I going to keep my weight down this coming holiday season. After thanksgiving it’s gonna be Christmas in just a months’ time.

Are our whole-year long dieting efforts gonna be thrown out the window in just one dinner seating?

Well, the extra calories packed during the holiday season might be unavoidable for some. I mean, the holiday season is a time for enjoyment and fun. If that criteria involves eating a little more than usual for some people than what you can do is “damage control”. If you expect your weight to go up during this holiday season then the best you can do is control how much it goes up.

Here are some tips which you can employ to help with “damage control” :

Pack Your Bags…….And Lunch

If you are going to be traveling to a far destination, be it a relative’s house, in-law’s house or a friend’s house to celebrate the holiday season with then you’re gonna be starting to stress out long before you reach there.

The stress of traveling always catches us off guard of our eating habits. We tend to reach for the most convenient meal no matter how expensive AND UNHEALTHY it can be for us. We always have the mentality of “It doesn’t matter what I eat now, I just gotta have something inside my stomach long enough to reach where I need to go.”

If you are really looking for something convenient AND cost-effective at the same time, let me ask you this.

YOU SURE YOU PACKED EVERYTHING?

What I’m trying to say is instead of only packing your clothes, how about packing your lunch as well? Yes, bring along healthy home-made meals along with you. Not only are you in control of what you are eating, you’ll save plenty of money that way. Food always take a big chunk out of our wallets when traveling.

Eating and Drinking Out, Don’t Pig Out

So you finally reached your destination. It’s late and everyone’s tired. So everyone decides to out eat at a fancy restaurant. You can’t say really say no. It’ll be flat out rude to reject them. But if you came prepared then you will save yourself a lot of trouble (weight trouble that is).

Try to fill your stomach with something healthy like fresh fruits or vegetables. The idea here is to fill up your tummy so that you’re not famished. When you are not hungry, you are less likely to overeat and you’ll more aware of your options at the restaurant menu.

As far as wine and beer goes, people tend to fill up their glasses to the point that it’s nearly full. So if you fill up a small glass, then you’ll be simply drinking less. You can also choose to opt for low-calorie alcoholic drinks (Yes, there’s such a thing now). Which is kinder on your waistline in the long run.

List Your Needs

Before going grocery shopping take some time to sit down to think about and properly list down what you REALLY need. It’s easy to know what you need if you know what you’re going to be cooking in the first place.

The best thing to do is to look for healthy recipes either online or from cookbooks. Recipes list out everything you need to prepare them so there’s no excuse for you to go astray. If you can stick to your list when you go shopping you are less likely to fall prey to impulse buying.

If you happen to spot something that wasn’t included in your list, ask yourself “DO I REALLY NEED IT?” And yes, sugary snacks, junk food and ice-cream doesn’t count as a necessity.

What’s Cookin’ Chef?

If you happen to be the designated Thanksgiving chef this year (or every year) then all the better. Why? Because you have total control on what’s on the menu and the ingredients used.

On cooking day, you can start as early as breakfast by preparing a healthy breakfast consisting of assortment of fresh fruits, freshly squeezed juice and fat-free yoghurt. Presentation is important and presentation alone can make the dish deliciously enticing. So time to get artistic!

And also I don’t blame you for getting hungry when you’re cooking. Instead of reaching for cheesy chips opt for crunchy vegetables if you have the urge to much something. Berries and nuts are also a great way to go to last you until dinner time.

Count To Cook

The amount you cook should also be taken into consideration. The best way is why finding out exactly how many people will be at the dinner table. That way, you won’t cook too much food and won’t end up forcing yourself to eat all of it just for the sake of finishing it.

Lots of food end up in the garbage bin during the holiday season simple because people cook too much of it. It’s not only a waste of food that way, it’s also a waste of money.

So count heads, and you’ll have more money count and less calorie count.

The simple formula here is just moderation. It’s okay to have your favorite food and drink just don’t go overboard with it. If you filled yourself up earlier in the day with healthier snacks, you’ll binge less on unhealthy drinks and food.

Adhere to this and you’ll survive the battle of the bulge during the holiday seasons without much scarring (or stretch marks).

A nutrition professor himself – Mark Haub experimented on himself with this new-found diet. He is still on it but 10 weeks on it has already produced results. He lost nearly 30 pounds in just 2 months. That’s an average of nearly 15 pounds a month.

So what’s his secret?

Twinkies, Nutty Bars and Donuts, and even WHOLE MILK. Yes, not the low-fat one!

Twinkies - New Addition To List Of Diet Foods?

Unbelievable? Well, you better believe it.

It certainly sounds like a diet program made in heaven but at the end of the day, is it really so?

It sounds too good to be true…. and it might be after all.

So before you rush to the nearest junk-food isle at the grocery store, please read on.

What Professor Mark Haub experimented on himself was a means of proving a point. He was trying to prove that a human body CAN lose weight if it experience a deficit of calories. Meaning, if your body uses up more calories than it consumes, the weight WILL come down.

Mark Haub was consuming approximately 2,600 calories per day before embarking on this experimental diet of his. Now, he has managed to cut his calories down to just 1,800 per day.

His Body mass Index (BMI) dropped to 24.9 (normal weight) from a 28.8 (overweight).

He managed to decrease his body fat from a 33.4 % down to a 24.9%.

Even his “bad” cholesterol (LDL) went down by 20% and his “good” cholesterol (HDL) went up by 20%.

Of course one important thing was Mark Haub ate every 3 hours. And the relatively small-sized junk foods helped him kept the portion control in check. Which he deemed was one very important aspect to losing weight as well. He had just one of his snacks every 3 hours.

Here’s the bad news……

LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT A SURE INDICATION OF GOOD HEALTH.

He may be cutting calories, but he is also cutting the nutritional values from his diet.

Junk-food lacks the essential nutrients the body needs and in the end you and your body will suffer in more ways than one.

Long story short, anyone who embarks on this diet are at risk of being MALNOURISHED.

You might lose weight but all your other internal organs are suffering and working extra hard.

For example, with such a high-sugar diet, the pancreas needs to work extra hard to control the blood sugar levels. Many dieticians and nutritional experts out there agree that this is definitely not good permanent diet. Heck, it’s not even good to start out with.

Let us take another quick look at a check list on Professor Mark Haub’s diet:

Weight Loss? ……………………………..Check!

Higher Risk of Cancer?………………..Check!

Chance of Diabetes?…………………….Check!

Malnutrition?……………………………..Check!

So is it really worth it? ………NO!

Many people aim to lose weight for the sole purpose of being healthy and maintaining it. Thus, many people are looking for ways to achieve this. I can tell you now that Mark Haub’s Twinkie-diet is definitely not the way. The point that he was trying to prove was calorie deficiency will lead to weight loss. Nothing more, nothing less.

So don’t take in the wrong thing and assume that this is the new trendy diet to follow. Because it’s not.

It is possible to lose weight AND be healthy at the same time. The problem is, there is no shortcut in doing it. The answer has always been a healthy diet, portion control and exercise.

Portion Control - It CAN make a difference

IF you do it right from the very beginning, you won’t have to do it again.

1.    Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet. Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.

2.    Drink plenty of water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities. It is also advised for lactating women to increase water intake to keep the body hydrated.

3.    Take Vitamins and Supplements. Do not forget your Calcium supplement.  Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial for women of all ages. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and Pre-Menstrual Period (PMS) Symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system. Women who undergo menopausal period should take Vitamin E-400 as it stops night sweats and hot flashes. Also, Vitamin E is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.

4.    Quit smoking. If you are smoking, stop. It is also a big “NO” for pregnant women, as this will affect the health of the baby. Pregnant women who smoke may pass the harmful content of cigarettes to babies through the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers. Women who smoke have a high risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.

5.    Incorporate exercises in your daily routine. Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

6.    Avoid stress. Many women are prone to too much stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to parlors or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.

7.    Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Wear hats when under the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles to women.

8.    Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile. Always have it cleaned to prevent cavities and bad breath.

9.    Visit your Gynecologist. Women who are eighteen and above should have their Physical Examination annually especially for the Pap Smear test. Women who are forty and up should have their mammograms and the Breast self-exam is encouraged once puberty has been reached and should be a habit as they mature

10.     Safe sex is strongly recommended. Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

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