Archive for September, 2009

My healthy lifestyle is about to move to the next step. I had my baby last week which means I need to focus on losing the weight I gained during my pregnancy. It is time to lose the pregnancy weight. You can also get tips from the articles  Operation Diet Plan or Top Five Weight Loss Secrets.

If you step on the scale several days after you give birth, you will likely have one of two reactions. Disappointment or complete horror. The weight loss is either not as much as you had hoped, or in some cases, your weight might not have changed much.

Why didn’t I lose more weight?

If you were one of the unlucky ones who did not lose much weight after birth, check your face, hands and ankles. Are they swollen? It might be that the pregnancy weight of the baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, etc.. was replaced by several pounds of fluid retention. This is common especially if you had a lot of IV fluids during your labor. The good news is that you should lose that fluid weight in about 2-3 weeks by urinating and perspiring more frequently.

What about all of the other unwanted weight after baby?

Here are some techniques to help you lose post-pregnancy weight.

• Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water every day. Replace your high sugar beverages such as sodas and juices with some water and a squeeze of fresh lemon. You could also try flavored seltzer water which has no calories. You can cut out hundreds of calories a day this way.
• Keep healthy snacks handy such as raisins, popcorn, wheat crackers, and nuts. Refuse to buy store-bought baked goods or junk food.
• Eat lean meats such as boneless chicken and the leanest cuts of beef.
• Eat whole grains (breads, cereals, pastas) instead of the “white” versions
• Don’t be fooled by foods that are labeled as nonfat. Some are loaded with calories and can have hydrogenated vegetable oils and/or high fructose corn syrup, neither of which are healthy. Read your labels!
• Resist the urge to indulge in a fast food meal. Or if you do, order the salad and not the fat-filled burgers and fries.
• As soon as you feel ready, start light exercise. Weather-permitting, take a 10 minute walk with the baby every day and slowly increase your time to 20 minutes per day. Babies can be worn in a snugli or sling or you can use a baby jogger or stroller when they get too heavy. Even better, walk at a regular time with a friend.
• Find easy ways to increase your exercise like parking farther away or using stairs instead of elevators.
• Breastfeeding uses up your fat stores! Breastfeeding burns about 500 calories per day so the longer you breastfeed, the more calories you burn.
• Consider joining a gym and trade babysitting hours with a friend so when you each go to do your workout, the other can watch the babies. Some gyms may offer babysitting services as well.

Healthy Lifestyle

Just remember it took 9 months to gain the weight; give yourself at least that long to take it off. I am not a fan of completely avoiding or drastically reducing food groups such as the popular diets of limiting carbs or sugars. I believe the more you deprive yourself of an occasional treat, the more you will crave it.

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

To live a healthy lifestyle involves much more than just taking care of our bodies and watching our weight. Proper skin care is also just as important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

There are many ways that we can take care of our skin.

The first way is eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. If you aren’t eating healthfully, it will show in your skin’s condition. Avoid junk foods, caffeine and excess sugar. Instead, eat a diet rich in nutrients and try to consume fresh, natural foods whenever possible.

The Second way we can take care of our skin is to hydrate it. Water consumption is essential to healthy skin. Carry a water bottle around with you and sip it throughout your day. In addition to maintaining skin’s moisture balance, water consumption also helps to plump up fine lines and wrinkles, helping skin to look younger.

The third way we can practice good skin care is to participate in cardiovascular exercise for at least 20 minutes three times a week. Exercise increases circulation, meaning that blood and nutrients flow throughout your body with more ease. Your skin will receive these vital nutrients more readily, making it appear fresher.

The fourth way to practice good skin care is to remove makeup, excess oil and sweat from your skin by cleansing it each night. You should never sleep with makeup on your face as it can clog pores, leading to premature aging and breakouts. Choose a cleanser that is appropriate for your particular skin type.

The fifth way of practicing good skin care is to apply a moisturizer to your skin daily. If your skin’s moisture balance is off, you may experience a plethora of skin issues ranging from dry, flaky patches to acne. Moisturizers are available for every skin type so pick one that is right for you.

The sixth way of practicing good skin care is to use a night cream on your face every evening. Your skin can handle a richer moisturizing treatment at night than it can during the day so night creams tend to richer and more nourishing than standard moisturizers. Many night creams also possess anti-aging properties to keep skin looking vibrant and young.

Finally the seventh way to practice good skin care is making sun protection a priority. Apply sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays to your skin every day. The sun’s rays are responsible for wrinkles, skin damage and premature aging. Your skin will look fresher and healthier if you avoid sun exposure.

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

So many of us have lifestyles and schedules that do not allow us to exercise as much as we would like to. It is hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle if we are not getting the exercise we need. I work at a desk for eight hours a day. So I thought I would give some tips to simple exercises that can be done at your desk.

I saw this article on Associated Content by Melanie L. Marten

In today’s world, many people work long hours behind their desk at the office just to make ends meet. Stress, convenience foods, and a forced sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc on your health and your waistline. There are, however, ways of combating the office-worker bulge. With these five simple exercises, you will be able to retain more muscle tone.

Exercise One – Side Stretches

To help whittle your waist and keep your spine aligned and supple, side stretches are excellent exercises to do at your desk. With one arm raised over your head and the other on your hands on your his, lean gently over to each side as far as you can safely go. Please use caution if your chair is unstable or if it is on wheels. You can do this a few times on each side at several times throughout the day.

Exercise Two – Arm Raises

In order to help protect against carpal tunnel syndrome, poor circulation, and weight gain, you should do arm raises several times a day. There are different methods of doing these simple exercises: raising your arms straight over your head, raising them to the sides, or even behind you. Each method works a different set of muscles, and all will temporarily increase your heart rate, keeping your metabolism revving.

Exercise Three – Butt Squeezes

The easiest exercise that you can do at your desk is butt squeezes. You can even do them while you are on the phone or typing up a report. Simply squeeze and release your buttocks muscles several times. This is the number one exercise that will help prevent “office chair spread” of your hindquarters.

Exercise Four – Leg Lifts

Of course, these are not the type of leg lifts that have you lying down on the floor and swinging your legs around. At your desk, you can easily straighten your knees and lift your legs out in front of you. You can also march with your feet in place. This will exercise the large muscles in your legs. For easy calf exercises, you can raise your feet up on the toes and lower them. Be sure to use your muscles when you do these exercises for maximum effect.

Exercise Five – Stress Relievers

Many of the exercises already described here will really help to relieve stress of your desk job. However, there are some other great stress relief exercises you can do at your desk.

Gently stretching your neck, or rolling your head around, will reduce neck and upper back stress. Lifting your arms in front of you and bending your hands up and down at the wrist will help to relieve the stress of typing and help prevent carpal tunnel

As you spend year after year hunched over your desk for eight hours every day, you may find your muscles atrophying, and your hips and waist spreading. Not only can you help prevent that weight gain and loss of tone, but you can alleviate stress with these five quick exercises. Exercising at your desk only takes a few minutes, and will do your body and mind a world of good. A few tips to a healthy lifestyle.

Click Here For The The Diet Solution

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

If you have diabetes or are at risk of diabetes maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the recommended  blood glucose levels are very important.

Depending on where you look, recommended blood glucose levels can vary. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) numbers differ from the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) guidelines. The ACE recommendations are more strict than the ADA’s. How do you know which to follow? Ask your healthcare provider which goals are right for you. The table below compares the two sets of guidelines for blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.

How many times a day should you check your blood glucose levels?

Checking your blood glucose levels often through out the day will help you to figure out how to keep good control. First thing in the morning before breakfast, two hours after a meal and before bed are good times to test. Other recommended times include before, during and after an exercise session, especially if it is strenuous or if you are feeling like your blood sugar may be low or high.

What is the A1C?

It’s a blood test that helps you and your doctor monitor your overall glucose control.

It gives an average of the amount of glucose in your blood over a few months’ time. It is usually ordered 2 to 4 times a year. If you are newly diagnosed or having trouble maintaining good day-to-day control, it may be ordered more often.

Sources:

“Checking Your Blood Glucose.” American Diabetes Association. ADA. 15 Dec 2006

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology, “The AACE System of Intensive Diabetes Self-Management – 2002 Update.” The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Medical Guidelines for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus. Endocrine Practice Vol. 8. 2002.

For more information CLICK HERE

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

Now that I am about to have a baby any day now, the thought of making sure I have a healthy lifestyle seems even more important to me. I have not been getting much sleep already. Soon I will be chasing around to young ones and taking care of a small baby. So I need to make sure I live a healthy lifestyle so that I can lose my excess weight and have more energy to take care of my family. I have already mentioned my Operation Diet Plan, in a previous post, for after the baby is born. I am using this blog to be accountable to.

I have goals to start taking better care of myself mentally and physically. I want a healthy lifestyle for myself and my family and I can only lead by example and make healthy nutritious options available. We have been going out for walks daily, which we are trying to enjoy before the snow falls and we do not get to go out as much. TV is limited. If it is nice weather we are outside playing.

We are all getting excited for the new arrival and anxious to find out if it will be a baby sister or a baby brother. The kids I know will be a great big sister and a great big brother. Hopefully very soon.

A few recommendations for helping with weight loss and stretch marks see below.

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a way of living. Making changes that you know are good for you. Changes that can help achieve you Healthy Lifestyle goals.

Doctors recommend their dieters steer clear of the popular low carb diets for a healthy lifestyle – namely the Atkins and South Beach plans.

“Any weight loss benefits do not outweigh the health risks associated with low carb diets, and such radical manipulation of the body’s digestive system will eventually do more harm than good” – according to doctors at the American College of Preventive Medicine.

Doctors further noted that manipulating carbs and fats in a person’s diet this way results in a unhealthy energy imbalance within the body’s vital systems and that some form of risky unnatural compensation takes place.

Low carb high fat dieters do lose weight at first. However most of the initial weight loss is water prior to the burning of fat. This leads to the body’s metabolic process known as ketosis – which is the same condition found in very unhealthy, imbalanced people who have kidney and liver diseases.

Once the body sheds a large amount of water it begins to burn fat — which is good, but soon afterwards ketosis sets in – and since the body needs to burn protein it goes to work on tearing down the body’s muscle tissue, which is actually a very bad thing.

When the body’s protein is broken down this way dieters eventually experience severe kidney and liver damage, in addition to an increase risk of stroke and heart attack.

The apparent weight loss from these diets does not outweigh the dangerous health risks associated with these low carb diets. This does not benefit a healthy lifestyle.

Doctors Recommend Natural Fat Burners as Safe Alternatives

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There is wide agreement that the safest way of dieting incorporates some of the fat reduction methods of the past with safe but effective fat burner supplements – that result in rapid but safe burning of the body’s fat and ample weight loss.

Some of the top recommended fat burning dietary supplements are clinically proven to be the best way of ridding the body of undesired fat – with no harmful side effects.

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healthy lifestyle

Many women have trouble losing their pregnancy pounds. Some think that right after the baby is born the pregnancy pounds will all go away. For some women it works that way and they only gain the pregnancy pounds in their tummy and lose it right away to be right back to their skinny selves. But for a lot of us women we gained weight all over even if we are practicing a healthy lifestyle.

One thing to realize is losing the weight will not happen overnight. It took nine months to gain the weight so it will take some time to lose it.

Consider breast feeding. This burns several calories a day plus it produces a hormone called prolactin which helps to shrink your uterus back to normal size faster. I know when I breast fed my first two babies. I would get so thirsty and hungry. I knew my calories where burning. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and choose healthy snacks.

Take your baby for walks. This will be a great way to get outside and burn calories. You can also join or start a mommy / walking group. Where a group of new moms get together to walk the babies and get some excersise and adult interaction.

Choose your meals wisely. Make sure you eat healthy and watch your calories. If you eat more veggies, fruits and whole grains you will feel full quicker and longer. Start your morning out with a whole grain cereal and fruit. Keep veggies on hand for snacks. Do not skip meals. Just choose healthy options. Stop eating when you feel full.

Do not deprive yourself. I am a big fan of eating what you want. If you want to eat a cookie eat it. But do not eat to many. Watch your calories and portions. If you deprive yourself of your favorite foods, especially while dieting then you want to over indulge when you get a chance to eat it.

Drink plenty of water. Sometimes when we feel hungry we are actually thirsty. When you feel hungry drink some water first and see if you are still hungry. Water also helps to flush the toxins out of your body and help you stay hydrated.

Remember a healthy lifestyle is only a few steps away.

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