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This blog is incomplete, and I need your help to tell me what more information you need. Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
How many calories should you eat?
How many calories one should eat depends on a lot of factors. There is no base figure of calories an average person should eat, because there is no average person in this world. Everyone is different in their needs and their body types and they need different amounts of calories depending on that.
You shouldn't just think that you need 1500 calories a day since this is the number a lot of people use in their blogs and websites as a base figure. Howver these people are not nutritionists or diet specialists. These people are just trying to advertise diet programs to make some $cash. It is sad that people copy paste material from an un researched blog/website and paste it to their website and we get millions of webpages that supply the wrong information.
Well then how could you determine the calories you need? In general you can use an easy 5 second quick calculation which is to multiply your weight in kilograms by 25.
For example: (Your weight=100) x 25= 2500 calories. A 100kg person needs 2500 calories a day to maintain their weight. However 100kg is considered to be a lot of weight and as long as you are tall or muscular it is fine for you to eat 2500 calories a day if you weight 100kg. But if you carry a lot of fat with you and your bones don't weigh much and all the weight is your fat then you may not eat 2500 calories a day. Usually a person needs to eat 200 less calories than they are supposed to, for losing some weight. Which means to lose a pound/week you should eat 2300 calories a day only.
But the things get more complicated. There are calories from fat, and there are calories from proteins, vitamins, and other nutritious foods. Make sure most of your calories come from the nutritious foods and not from burgers, pizza, cheese, fries, etc. The calories from fat will result in fat in your body. Which means basically your body will store the food as fat, but if you eat healthy foods and get "healthy" calories then your body will use up that food to build muscle, make immune system stronger and make you full.
Concluding this article I suggest you use the calculation method I provided, and try to eat healthy foods and get the calories that are good for you. Many people consider all calories same but they are not. If you need 1500 calories but you eat 1600 calories but all from fast food then you are kind of eating 3200 calories a day since it is fat it is doubled.
You shouldn't just think that you need 1500 calories a day since this is the number a lot of people use in their blogs and websites as a base figure. Howver these people are not nutritionists or diet specialists. These people are just trying to advertise diet programs to make some $cash. It is sad that people copy paste material from an un researched blog/website and paste it to their website and we get millions of webpages that supply the wrong information.
Well then how could you determine the calories you need? In general you can use an easy 5 second quick calculation which is to multiply your weight in kilograms by 25.
For example: (Your weight=100) x 25= 2500 calories. A 100kg person needs 2500 calories a day to maintain their weight. However 100kg is considered to be a lot of weight and as long as you are tall or muscular it is fine for you to eat 2500 calories a day if you weight 100kg. But if you carry a lot of fat with you and your bones don't weigh much and all the weight is your fat then you may not eat 2500 calories a day. Usually a person needs to eat 200 less calories than they are supposed to, for losing some weight. Which means to lose a pound/week you should eat 2300 calories a day only.
But the things get more complicated. There are calories from fat, and there are calories from proteins, vitamins, and other nutritious foods. Make sure most of your calories come from the nutritious foods and not from burgers, pizza, cheese, fries, etc. The calories from fat will result in fat in your body. Which means basically your body will store the food as fat, but if you eat healthy foods and get "healthy" calories then your body will use up that food to build muscle, make immune system stronger and make you full.
Concluding this article I suggest you use the calculation method I provided, and try to eat healthy foods and get the calories that are good for you. Many people consider all calories same but they are not. If you need 1500 calories but you eat 1600 calories but all from fast food then you are kind of eating 3200 calories a day since it is fat it is doubled.
Fattest Countries in the World
Do you belong to the following countries? Are you contributing to the list of overweight people?
1. Nauru
2. Micronesia
4. Tonga
5. Niue
6. Samoa
7. Palau
8. Kuwait
9. United States
10. Kiribati
11. Dominica
13. Argentin.
14. Egypt
15. Malta
16. Greece
17. New Zealand
18. United Arab Emirates
19. Mexico
20. Trinidad and Tobago
21. Australia
22. Belarus
23. Chile
24. Venezuela
25. Seychelles
26. Bahrain
27. Andorra
28. United Kingdom
29. Saudi Arabia
30. Monaco
31. Bolivia
32. San Marino
33. Guatemala
34. Mongolia
35. Canada
36. Qatar
37. Uruguay
38. Jordan
1. Nauru
2. Micronesia
4. Tonga
5. Niue
6. Samoa
7. Palau
8. Kuwait
9. United States
10. Kiribati
11. Dominica
13. Argentin.
14. Egypt
15. Malta
16. Greece
17. New Zealand
18. United Arab Emirates
19. Mexico
20. Trinidad and Tobago
21. Australia
22. Belarus
23. Chile
24. Venezuela
25. Seychelles
26. Bahrain
27. Andorra
28. United Kingdom
29. Saudi Arabia
30. Monaco
31. Bolivia
32. San Marino
33. Guatemala
34. Mongolia
35. Canada
36. Qatar
37. Uruguay
38. Jordan
Obesity Facts and information
You have heard the term "Obesity" everywhere. Any blog, book or website you read about losing weight it contains the term obesity. But when do doctors consider someone to be obese?
Many teens think they are obese when they are not and this is because of media influence. The celebrities in television shows makes everyone think that they don't look as attractive as the celebrities. Most female celebrities are actually underweight, so if you are trying to figure out who is the unhealthy one, it is the fashion models in most cases.
* Men with 25-30% and women with 30-45% fat are considered obese. You can actually have a normal BMI and still be obese if you have higher body fat percentage.
* 74.1% of Americans are obese, from that 26 million are males and 30 million are females.
* United States is ranked 9th in terms of having the highest obesity rate with 74.1%, with Nauru topping the list with 94.1% obesity rate
* You need 3200 calories to gain a pound.
* North Americans spend $60 billion every year on weight loss products.
If you are one of the people included in the stats, then you have work to do. Read tips around the blog and start right now to drop those obesity pounds!
Many teens think they are obese when they are not and this is because of media influence. The celebrities in television shows makes everyone think that they don't look as attractive as the celebrities. Most female celebrities are actually underweight, so if you are trying to figure out who is the unhealthy one, it is the fashion models in most cases.
* Men with 25-30% and women with 30-45% fat are considered obese. You can actually have a normal BMI and still be obese if you have higher body fat percentage.
* 74.1% of Americans are obese, from that 26 million are males and 30 million are females.
* United States is ranked 9th in terms of having the highest obesity rate with 74.1%, with Nauru topping the list with 94.1% obesity rate
* You need 3200 calories to gain a pound.
* North Americans spend $60 billion every year on weight loss products.
If you are one of the people included in the stats, then you have work to do. Read tips around the blog and start right now to drop those obesity pounds!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
What is BMI?
BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and it is a way to compare your height vs weight. It is a controversial statistical tool because it does not take muscle mass, percentage of fat, mass of bones and physical built of a person into consideration.
But I would still say that BMI is accurate for most people who are not body builders or did strength training before. Accurate BMI can be determined using many online calculators. But you have to know how to analyze your BMI number.
Here is a guideline to determine the proper BMI
Underweight = Less than or equal to 18.5
Normal weight = Between 18.6-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Remember that your BMI is only accurate if you don't have a muscular built.
Here is the calculator that is simple to use:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
But I would still say that BMI is accurate for most people who are not body builders or did strength training before. Accurate BMI can be determined using many online calculators. But you have to know how to analyze your BMI number.
Here is a guideline to determine the proper BMI
Underweight = Less than or equal to 18.5
Normal weight = Between 18.6-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Remember that your BMI is only accurate if you don't have a muscular built.
Here is the calculator that is simple to use:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
10 quick "Did You know" facts
Tip#1: Eating carrots will use up more calories inside to digest the carrots. Other vegetables with similar property are cucumbers, lettuce and baby carrots.
Tip#2: Fat requires oxygen to burn, so when exercising, inhale a little deeper and exhale slightly faster. This will supply more oxygen to muscles for faster fat loss"
Tip#3: A realistic goal of losing weight is 2 pounds/week (Fact based on a 150 pound woman)
Tip#4: Did you know sleeping too long slows down your metabolism rate? Avoid sleeping for more than 12 hours on any day and avoid sleeping less than 8 hours a day.
Tip#5: According to our social norms we are suppose to eat 3 meals per day, but lot of research has shown that a person must eat small portions in about 6-7 meals per day. Which means divide all the food you eat in 3 meals and eat it in 6 meals at different times.
Tip#6: Get more whole grain foods in your list of foods. Since small portion of fiberous foods makes us feel full and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, it slows down our rate of digestion and and keeps us full.
Tip#7: 75% of your weight loss is determined by diet and nutrition, and 25% is determined by exercise. Don't kill yourself from hunger but reduce on ice cream, chips, cheese, etc.
Tip#8: Did you know going to buffets will result in an average decrease of metabolism. Eather control your portion in buffets or don't go to them because more than 90% of the time you eat more than you usually eat at that time on any other day resulting in decrease of metabolism.
Tip#9: Don't eat in front of the television. Studies show that people eat larger amounts and less-nutritious foods in front of the television and still not have a full stomach.
Tip#10: Eating some fattening snacks every couple of days when on a diet will not ruin your diet and will actually help you to keep control of
Tip#2: Fat requires oxygen to burn, so when exercising, inhale a little deeper and exhale slightly faster. This will supply more oxygen to muscles for faster fat loss"
Tip#3: A realistic goal of losing weight is 2 pounds/week (Fact based on a 150 pound woman)
Tip#4: Did you know sleeping too long slows down your metabolism rate? Avoid sleeping for more than 12 hours on any day and avoid sleeping less than 8 hours a day.
Tip#5: According to our social norms we are suppose to eat 3 meals per day, but lot of research has shown that a person must eat small portions in about 6-7 meals per day. Which means divide all the food you eat in 3 meals and eat it in 6 meals at different times.
Tip#6: Get more whole grain foods in your list of foods. Since small portion of fiberous foods makes us feel full and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, it slows down our rate of digestion and and keeps us full.
Tip#7: 75% of your weight loss is determined by diet and nutrition, and 25% is determined by exercise. Don't kill yourself from hunger but reduce on ice cream, chips, cheese, etc.
Tip#8: Did you know going to buffets will result in an average decrease of metabolism. Eather control your portion in buffets or don't go to them because more than 90% of the time you eat more than you usually eat at that time on any other day resulting in decrease of metabolism.
Tip#9: Don't eat in front of the television. Studies show that people eat larger amounts and less-nutritious foods in front of the television and still not have a full stomach.
Tip#10: Eating some fattening snacks every couple of days when on a diet will not ruin your diet and will actually help you to keep control of
Beginner yoga poses for kids
Most yoga poses are easy and made for everyone to do. Since many people doing yoga have some health problems, they need easy poses to cure thier back pain without getting it worse! These poses are also sufficient for kids.
Since many children will not feel comfortable with the hard poses, it is always a good idea to start them with easy to do poses, and once they get the hang of it, they can start doing the harder once as their confidence will also build up.
Here are some easy poses and their benefits...
Exercise 1.) Kapal Bharati: This yoga pose is the simplest and it also works to its fullest. It is made to relieve stress and take control of your breathing and mind.
Procedure:
1. Take short breaths through your nose.
2. Release air through your nose, and while doing that push your stomach in. The breathing and the stomach movement need to be at the same time.
3. So basically take in air, push your stomach in around 60 times. You can do it 20 time sto start with.
* Be careful not to push the stomach to hard, and remember not to breathe through your mouth...
Exercise 2.) Alom Vilom: Another breathing exercise, great for beginners.
Procedure.:
1. Put your right thumb on the right side of your nose and press it so you are no longer breathing in through the right side.
2. Inhale through the left nostril, but before exhaling hold your breath for 2 seconds and then cover the left nostril exhaling through the right one.
3. Do for about 10 minutes
* Don't hold your breath too long and make sure to inhale from the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.
Exercise 3.) Eye Exercise yoga: A yoga exercise that will help to reduce strain on eyes and improve overall health of the eyes.
Procedure:
1. Cover both your eyes with your hands.
2. While covering your eyes also cover your ears using your thumbs on both ears.
3. Inhale and exhale very slowly. Inhale should last 3-5 seconds and exhale should last 4-7 seconds.
* Remember cover your eyes and ears!
These three exercises will help relieve stress, will produce results in about a month, great for children who are growing, and children with weak eye sight.
These are also one of the easiest yoga poses for all ages with a lot of benefits. Remember that yoga isn't about doing hard poses, it is about doing it properly!
Once your kids start doing these three poses properly, then you can advance on to harder poses which will provide more health benefits. Some yoga is better than no yoga at all!
Since many children will not feel comfortable with the hard poses, it is always a good idea to start them with easy to do poses, and once they get the hang of it, they can start doing the harder once as their confidence will also build up.
Here are some easy poses and their benefits...
Exercise 1.) Kapal Bharati: This yoga pose is the simplest and it also works to its fullest. It is made to relieve stress and take control of your breathing and mind.
Procedure:
1. Take short breaths through your nose.
2. Release air through your nose, and while doing that push your stomach in. The breathing and the stomach movement need to be at the same time.
3. So basically take in air, push your stomach in around 60 times. You can do it 20 time sto start with.
* Be careful not to push the stomach to hard, and remember not to breathe through your mouth...
Exercise 2.) Alom Vilom: Another breathing exercise, great for beginners.
Procedure.:
1. Put your right thumb on the right side of your nose and press it so you are no longer breathing in through the right side.
2. Inhale through the left nostril, but before exhaling hold your breath for 2 seconds and then cover the left nostril exhaling through the right one.
3. Do for about 10 minutes
* Don't hold your breath too long and make sure to inhale from the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.
Exercise 3.) Eye Exercise yoga: A yoga exercise that will help to reduce strain on eyes and improve overall health of the eyes.
Procedure:
1. Cover both your eyes with your hands.
2. While covering your eyes also cover your ears using your thumbs on both ears.
3. Inhale and exhale very slowly. Inhale should last 3-5 seconds and exhale should last 4-7 seconds.
* Remember cover your eyes and ears!
These three exercises will help relieve stress, will produce results in about a month, great for children who are growing, and children with weak eye sight.
These are also one of the easiest yoga poses for all ages with a lot of benefits. Remember that yoga isn't about doing hard poses, it is about doing it properly!
Once your kids start doing these three poses properly, then you can advance on to harder poses which will provide more health benefits. Some yoga is better than no yoga at all!
Why sunlight is essential to health
When you think something like "What will happen if the Sun explodes or disappears because of a chemical balance without affecting the earth?" Most of us will think, well there won't be anymore daylight.
There is a lot more than Sun provides us with other than sun burns and skin cancer. Is sunlight essential for health? Absolutely! It has been scientifically proven and sunlight has shown to be good for health.
As you all might know that sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, the rays penetrate through your skin providing you with vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb calcium, help in growth of bones and make bones stronger.
How exactly does sunlight create vitamin D? The ultraviolet rays cause Vitamin D synthesis which is similar to protein synthesis. As proteins are synthesized so the body can use them, sunlight is synthesized to make Vitamin D. When you are taking high dose of calcium, more sunlight will help you absorb it since you will get Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is only one of the many health benefits that sunlight provides us with.
What about the feeling you get during winters that nothing in the world is right? When summer comes you feel fresh and life seems much better. This condition is known as Seasonal Disorder, and we all go through it at least once in our lifetime. But for some it is a matter of depression, stress and feeling of suicide. In extreme cases a person might have to move to a country with more sunlight.
Once again, sunlight has shown to make a person feel fresh because of the chemicals that react with each other in our body when sunlight reaches our body. The sun rays are very strong and they do get inside our body. Seasonal Disorder only has one cure, which is to get more sunlight or the change of seasons. Sunlight must be essential if it can cure a disorder and provide us with Vitamin D.
Some benefits of Sunlight have not been proven, but still believed to be true by majority of people. Sunlight can relax your muscles and make you feel lighter, making it easier for you to exercise, or sleep triggering daylight sleep. And we all know that peaceful sleep is very important for our health.
Sunlight also affects blood pressure. During many yoga exercises one of the elements curing many people is actually sunlight. Many yoga gurus recommend to do yoga outdoors, and the prime reason for that is the goodness of sunlight. Many people were cured by sunlight rather than doing yoga.
Although extreme exposure to sunlight can be harmful for your skin, minimal exposure can prove to be even worse! Imagine living with brittle bones, seasonal disorder and without Vitamin D! It is just not possible to live a healthy life without getting enough sunlight.
It is the best source for Vitamin D, helps in absorbing calcium, and provides many other benefits which are believed to be true. During winters getting outdoors during noon can help you get over seasonal disorder and also get your daily dose of Vitamin D. You can also open windows and let sunlight get inside your house to make everyone feel fresh.
There is a lot more than Sun provides us with other than sun burns and skin cancer. Is sunlight essential for health? Absolutely! It has been scientifically proven and sunlight has shown to be good for health.
As you all might know that sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, the rays penetrate through your skin providing you with vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb calcium, help in growth of bones and make bones stronger.
How exactly does sunlight create vitamin D? The ultraviolet rays cause Vitamin D synthesis which is similar to protein synthesis. As proteins are synthesized so the body can use them, sunlight is synthesized to make Vitamin D. When you are taking high dose of calcium, more sunlight will help you absorb it since you will get Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is only one of the many health benefits that sunlight provides us with.
What about the feeling you get during winters that nothing in the world is right? When summer comes you feel fresh and life seems much better. This condition is known as Seasonal Disorder, and we all go through it at least once in our lifetime. But for some it is a matter of depression, stress and feeling of suicide. In extreme cases a person might have to move to a country with more sunlight.
Once again, sunlight has shown to make a person feel fresh because of the chemicals that react with each other in our body when sunlight reaches our body. The sun rays are very strong and they do get inside our body. Seasonal Disorder only has one cure, which is to get more sunlight or the change of seasons. Sunlight must be essential if it can cure a disorder and provide us with Vitamin D.
Some benefits of Sunlight have not been proven, but still believed to be true by majority of people. Sunlight can relax your muscles and make you feel lighter, making it easier for you to exercise, or sleep triggering daylight sleep. And we all know that peaceful sleep is very important for our health.
Sunlight also affects blood pressure. During many yoga exercises one of the elements curing many people is actually sunlight. Many yoga gurus recommend to do yoga outdoors, and the prime reason for that is the goodness of sunlight. Many people were cured by sunlight rather than doing yoga.
Although extreme exposure to sunlight can be harmful for your skin, minimal exposure can prove to be even worse! Imagine living with brittle bones, seasonal disorder and without Vitamin D! It is just not possible to live a healthy life without getting enough sunlight.
It is the best source for Vitamin D, helps in absorbing calcium, and provides many other benefits which are believed to be true. During winters getting outdoors during noon can help you get over seasonal disorder and also get your daily dose of Vitamin D. You can also open windows and let sunlight get inside your house to make everyone feel fresh.
Good things to eat throughout a diet
Currently in North America, there is a health trend. People are becoming aware of their weight, a lot of studies are showing high obesity rates and their effects. Exercising regularly cannot be the only solution, because you need to watch what you eat on regular basis to keep your weight off forever.
Doing exercise alone is not enough to lose weight and keep it off. If you want to lose weight you need to control the amount of calories you intake and the nutrition that you get from them. A lot of healthy food items are available in the market which you can eat throughout the day whenever you feel hungry.
The best part is that these items are not that expensive and they fill your stomach. Here is a list of foods for anyone on diet which can be eaten throughout the day, just not right before a workout.
* Whole Wheat Bread: It is hard to find meals that are low in calories when you are on a diet, but whole wheat bread makes it possible to have heavy meals with lots of fibers, iron and vitamins. Whole wheat Bread can be eaten throughout the day because it is low in fat and high in nutrition.
* Because of the high percentage of fiber, it fills up your stomach quicker than most foods. Just two slices of toasted whole wheat bread are enough to fill the stomach most of the times and the best part is that it has a lot of nutrition value and packed with nutrition. For anyone on diet whole wheat bread with margarine serves as a perfect low-fat meal.
* Apples: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is not the only quote that signifies what an apple can do. Another quote "An apple a day will keep your calories away" is also applied to apple because of the low amount of calories it has compared to all the junk food. Apples have this great ability to strengthen your immune system and provide a lot of iron. Don't eat apples early in the morning because they have iron which a lot of people cannot digest with an empty stomach.
You can always eat an apple anytime of the day after you have eaten breakfast. Apples serve as healthy snacks and most of the apple is water which quickly fills your stomach and kills your hunger and keeps you well hydrated. Apples are almost a necessity for all the people on a diet. There are different types of apples available in the market today, and they don't cost nearly as much as other unhealthy snacks such as chocolate bars.
* Carrots: Carrots provide you with Vitamin D. Just a small serving of baby carrots in a bowl can provide 100% of your daily Vitamin D intake.
* Not just that; carrots are also considered to be a "negative calorie snack". What this means is that when you eat a carrot it takes calories to digest it. You end up burning the same amount of calories while digesting than the actually calorie value of the carrots. This means you might be losing some calories by eating carrots! Carrots are high in nutrition value and very low in calories which make them a perfect snack or serve in a recipe. They are available in all grocery stores and some stores also offer washed bags of carrots which require no cleaning or cutting and are ready to eat.
* Green Vegetables: All green vegetables have different types of vitamins and are high in fiber and they are good for making delicious recipes. Foods like broccoli, egg plant, lettuce, tomatoes, green pepper, and cucumbers are excellent for meals.
* Protein Bars: If you are on a diet to have a toned look, then protein bars are must and they will help you with your workout. One protein bar can provide 10-20 grams of protein and they also taste good. They come in a lot of different flavours including chocolate flavour. Protein bars can serve as a replacement snack for chocolate and help you build muscles faster.
* Egg sandwich: Eggs have protein in them and other vitamins and only have 60 calories. Egg salad with whole wheat bread serves as a meal full of protein and vitamins.
* Salads: Salads mostly consist of lettuce which has almost no calories. With some chicken, croutons and low-fat dressing salads can become a light snack and can be eaten throughout the day or before a meal.
These foods can be eaten everyday and any time of the day. Some of these foods serve as healthy meals and others such as fruits serve as healthy snacks. It is very important for you to eat them so that you don't miss out on important vitamins.
Doing exercise alone is not enough to lose weight and keep it off. If you want to lose weight you need to control the amount of calories you intake and the nutrition that you get from them. A lot of healthy food items are available in the market which you can eat throughout the day whenever you feel hungry.
The best part is that these items are not that expensive and they fill your stomach. Here is a list of foods for anyone on diet which can be eaten throughout the day, just not right before a workout.
* Whole Wheat Bread: It is hard to find meals that are low in calories when you are on a diet, but whole wheat bread makes it possible to have heavy meals with lots of fibers, iron and vitamins. Whole wheat Bread can be eaten throughout the day because it is low in fat and high in nutrition.
* Because of the high percentage of fiber, it fills up your stomach quicker than most foods. Just two slices of toasted whole wheat bread are enough to fill the stomach most of the times and the best part is that it has a lot of nutrition value and packed with nutrition. For anyone on diet whole wheat bread with margarine serves as a perfect low-fat meal.
* Apples: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is not the only quote that signifies what an apple can do. Another quote "An apple a day will keep your calories away" is also applied to apple because of the low amount of calories it has compared to all the junk food. Apples have this great ability to strengthen your immune system and provide a lot of iron. Don't eat apples early in the morning because they have iron which a lot of people cannot digest with an empty stomach.
You can always eat an apple anytime of the day after you have eaten breakfast. Apples serve as healthy snacks and most of the apple is water which quickly fills your stomach and kills your hunger and keeps you well hydrated. Apples are almost a necessity for all the people on a diet. There are different types of apples available in the market today, and they don't cost nearly as much as other unhealthy snacks such as chocolate bars.
* Carrots: Carrots provide you with Vitamin D. Just a small serving of baby carrots in a bowl can provide 100% of your daily Vitamin D intake.
* Not just that; carrots are also considered to be a "negative calorie snack". What this means is that when you eat a carrot it takes calories to digest it. You end up burning the same amount of calories while digesting than the actually calorie value of the carrots. This means you might be losing some calories by eating carrots! Carrots are high in nutrition value and very low in calories which make them a perfect snack or serve in a recipe. They are available in all grocery stores and some stores also offer washed bags of carrots which require no cleaning or cutting and are ready to eat.
* Green Vegetables: All green vegetables have different types of vitamins and are high in fiber and they are good for making delicious recipes. Foods like broccoli, egg plant, lettuce, tomatoes, green pepper, and cucumbers are excellent for meals.
* Protein Bars: If you are on a diet to have a toned look, then protein bars are must and they will help you with your workout. One protein bar can provide 10-20 grams of protein and they also taste good. They come in a lot of different flavours including chocolate flavour. Protein bars can serve as a replacement snack for chocolate and help you build muscles faster.
* Egg sandwich: Eggs have protein in them and other vitamins and only have 60 calories. Egg salad with whole wheat bread serves as a meal full of protein and vitamins.
* Salads: Salads mostly consist of lettuce which has almost no calories. With some chicken, croutons and low-fat dressing salads can become a light snack and can be eaten throughout the day or before a meal.
These foods can be eaten everyday and any time of the day. Some of these foods serve as healthy meals and others such as fruits serve as healthy snacks. It is very important for you to eat them so that you don't miss out on important vitamins.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Why Pizza is not healthy
I decided to join a debate at a writing website asking whether pizza was a healthy choice or not and I decided to vote No, and here is what I wrote about it.
When it comes to healthy food choices, you will never see pizza on the list. Pizza is not a healthy food choice. It is actually the opposite of healthy. Most pizzas are unhealthy and with so many other healthy food choices, it is unreasonable to pick pizza as a healthy choice.
Pizza is only eaten on special occasions or once or twice a month with friends or just enjoying the taste. This doesn't make pizza a healthy choice. If you eat something once a month just for the taste of it then that clearly proves that pizza is not a healthy choice or you would be eating it everyday.
A healthy food is the one that provides nutrition in the right amounts with a positive calorie ratio. This means that the nutrition vs. calories ratio is positive meaning that the food contains high nutrition value and low amount of calories from fat. Here are some facts and points that clearly prove that pizza is not healthy.
1.) No healthy heart check: Canada and U.S.A provide a health check for items which qualify through their health standards. These items are then given a health check which is posted right on the product and is visible to the customer. There are no pizzas out there which qualified through their standards meaning that pizza is not considered to be healthy for your heart. This is just one fact that proves pizza is not a healthy choice for the heart.
2.) Nutrition information: It is good to know the amount of calories, saturated fats, Tran's fats and cholesterol levels in foods before you eat them. Here is some nutrition value of an average sized pizza. Calories in your pizza can be higher or lower, but on average come to the same amount
350 calories/slice: You can usually eat 3 slices very easily, counting upto 1050 calories.
10 grams of saturated fat, 15 grams of fat, and 35 mg cholesterol. In addition to that a medium slice provides upto 22% of your daily sodium value.
* These are the nutrition values taken from a leading pizza selling restaurant. Note that they are only based on one slice. Most people can easily eat upto 4 slices of pizza with drinks which comes upto around 1500 calories. That is your whole day's worth of calories in one meal.
3.) Comparison with healthy foods: Before you decide to list pizza in your "healthy foods" list, consider a comparison with the "real" healthy foods.
8 carrots have 40 calories with 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0% sodium, 100% Vitamin A, 4% iron, 4% Vitamin C, and 60% of the carrot is water.
* Pizza is no where near the nutrition value and has 10 times more calories with grams of fats. When you compare pizza with healthy foods, one can easily see the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods.
4.) Making of a pizza: Making a pizza requires loads of cheese, beef, tomato sauce, pepperoni, chicken, and veggies. You might think that veggie pizza is healthy, but don't forget that it still contains loads of cheese with less veggies. I want to clear a misconception that even a vegetarian pizza has 300 calories/slice with slight more nutrition value, but still lots of fat.
* One of the key ingredients of a pizza is cheese, and you should know that cheese contains saturated fats.
Most of us enjoy eating pizza, but it still shouldn't be eaten on regular basis. It could be hard for someone to adjust to the facts stated above, but truth is always bitter. You can live in an imaginary world thinking that pizza is healthy, but look at it from a real world perspective and adjust to the facts! Pizza is not a healthy choice compared to other foods, fruits and vegetables. It contains a lot of calories with very less nutrition value and on top that it is not recognized from any health perspective
When it comes to healthy food choices, you will never see pizza on the list. Pizza is not a healthy food choice. It is actually the opposite of healthy. Most pizzas are unhealthy and with so many other healthy food choices, it is unreasonable to pick pizza as a healthy choice.
Pizza is only eaten on special occasions or once or twice a month with friends or just enjoying the taste. This doesn't make pizza a healthy choice. If you eat something once a month just for the taste of it then that clearly proves that pizza is not a healthy choice or you would be eating it everyday.
A healthy food is the one that provides nutrition in the right amounts with a positive calorie ratio. This means that the nutrition vs. calories ratio is positive meaning that the food contains high nutrition value and low amount of calories from fat. Here are some facts and points that clearly prove that pizza is not healthy.
1.) No healthy heart check: Canada and U.S.A provide a health check for items which qualify through their health standards. These items are then given a health check which is posted right on the product and is visible to the customer. There are no pizzas out there which qualified through their standards meaning that pizza is not considered to be healthy for your heart. This is just one fact that proves pizza is not a healthy choice for the heart.
2.) Nutrition information: It is good to know the amount of calories, saturated fats, Tran's fats and cholesterol levels in foods before you eat them. Here is some nutrition value of an average sized pizza. Calories in your pizza can be higher or lower, but on average come to the same amount
350 calories/slice: You can usually eat 3 slices very easily, counting upto 1050 calories.
10 grams of saturated fat, 15 grams of fat, and 35 mg cholesterol. In addition to that a medium slice provides upto 22% of your daily sodium value.
* These are the nutrition values taken from a leading pizza selling restaurant. Note that they are only based on one slice. Most people can easily eat upto 4 slices of pizza with drinks which comes upto around 1500 calories. That is your whole day's worth of calories in one meal.
3.) Comparison with healthy foods: Before you decide to list pizza in your "healthy foods" list, consider a comparison with the "real" healthy foods.
8 carrots have 40 calories with 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0% sodium, 100% Vitamin A, 4% iron, 4% Vitamin C, and 60% of the carrot is water.
* Pizza is no where near the nutrition value and has 10 times more calories with grams of fats. When you compare pizza with healthy foods, one can easily see the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods.
4.) Making of a pizza: Making a pizza requires loads of cheese, beef, tomato sauce, pepperoni, chicken, and veggies. You might think that veggie pizza is healthy, but don't forget that it still contains loads of cheese with less veggies. I want to clear a misconception that even a vegetarian pizza has 300 calories/slice with slight more nutrition value, but still lots of fat.
* One of the key ingredients of a pizza is cheese, and you should know that cheese contains saturated fats.
Most of us enjoy eating pizza, but it still shouldn't be eaten on regular basis. It could be hard for someone to adjust to the facts stated above, but truth is always bitter. You can live in an imaginary world thinking that pizza is healthy, but look at it from a real world perspective and adjust to the facts! Pizza is not a healthy choice compared to other foods, fruits and vegetables. It contains a lot of calories with very less nutrition value and on top that it is not recognized from any health perspective
Keep track of what you eat
When it comes to sticking to a diet, it is really tough for most people. This could be the reason you have reached here, in hopes of finding some motivation that will make you stick to your diet.
Firstly, let me state that sticking to diet is indeed a difficult task. If you think you will be able to change the habits that you have developed through many years, in just a couple of days then you may not be right.
It will take time before you develop all the healthy habits required to stick to a diet. There are some ways still to stick to a diet and get the motivation for it. Here are some of the ways to stick to diets:
1.) Choose the right diet: Not as simple as it sounds. With thousands of diets out there, it is tough to find the right diet for yourself. Many people find it hard to stick to a diet because they maybe in the wrong diet. Diets which make you weak and make you lose body muscles are not healthy and should be avoided at all costs. If you are experiencing pain in your body and feel really weak then quit your diet as soon as possible.
2.) Get Motivation: You need to be motivated for a certain diet. Where will your motivation come from? This is one of the first questions you need to ask yourself even before you start a diet. You should be getting motivated after you have read this:
- 70% of you weight loss is determined by your regular diet and 30% with exercise. This signifies the importance of having a proper diet, since 70% of your weight loss depends on it. In fact some people claim to have lost weight with just diets and no exercise. This isn't recommended but it is possible. This is one fact that you should consider before you quit a diet. It does help when you re consider this fact and find yourself on the right road.
- A good diet will not only help in weight loss but also make your immune system stronger. This means that you are less prone to diseases, viruses, infections, diabetes, cancer, and all types of other health problems. This is a good way to get motivated. You will be able to live longer if you stick to your diet and you will be able to enjoy your life more if you live longer.
These were the steps to get motivated to stick to a diet. Once you know all the benefits about the diets then you are ready to go on a diet. But sometimes you might feel down while doing the diet and motivation might not be enough.
2.) Make a diary with all the benefits: Everyday in your diary you should write one
positive thing about the diet that you felt that day. Someday you might feel lighter; other days you might have lost weight, etc. Answer questions such as:
- Why is diet so important?
- Why am I on this diet?
- What got me to start the diet and now what is stopping me from it?
- Are the reasons to leave the diet more than the reasons to stick to it?
After you have answered these questions you will most likely feel motivated again. When you compare the reasons for leaving the diet and sticking to it, you will almost always find more positive points to stick to the diet unless you are on the wrong diet.
The diary reminds you everyday and will motivate you everyday to stick to the diet. When it comes to sticking to diets, it is mostly about having the right set of mind. There are other things that you can do to stick to the diet such as:
3.) Modifying the diet: This means that you change the diet just a little to adjust to it. Ask your doctor or your dietician to modify your diet and add some foods that you always crave.
For example, a simple factor such as getting a craving for a chocolate bar can ruin your whole diet. In this case you should consult your dietician and they will most likely add a chocolate bar to your diet and remove some other sugars from it and modify your diet. It is better to add some high calorie foods than to completely abandon the whole diet and not get any results. If food is what is holding you back, consider this tip to be your top priority.
4.) Rewards: Before going on a diet promise yourself a reward if you are able to successfully follow the diet for over a month. At the end of the month reward yourself with your favorite treat or a materialistic item such as shoes, iPod, books, and clothes.
You should choose a materialistic reward because that is what makes most people happy. Whenever you feel down you can look back in your diary and see that you have a reward waiting for you and this should motivate you to stick to your diet.
These are the best ways you can stick to the diets. Remember that anytime you feel like quitting the diet, there are only two reasons for this; either you lack the motivation or you are on the wrong diet.
Print this article and post it on your refrigerator to always get motivated and know that you are doing the right thing. Sticking to a healthy diet is going to be one of the best decisions of your life!
"Don't be a quitter, be a winner"
Firstly, let me state that sticking to diet is indeed a difficult task. If you think you will be able to change the habits that you have developed through many years, in just a couple of days then you may not be right.
It will take time before you develop all the healthy habits required to stick to a diet. There are some ways still to stick to a diet and get the motivation for it. Here are some of the ways to stick to diets:
1.) Choose the right diet: Not as simple as it sounds. With thousands of diets out there, it is tough to find the right diet for yourself. Many people find it hard to stick to a diet because they maybe in the wrong diet. Diets which make you weak and make you lose body muscles are not healthy and should be avoided at all costs. If you are experiencing pain in your body and feel really weak then quit your diet as soon as possible.
2.) Get Motivation: You need to be motivated for a certain diet. Where will your motivation come from? This is one of the first questions you need to ask yourself even before you start a diet. You should be getting motivated after you have read this:
- 70% of you weight loss is determined by your regular diet and 30% with exercise. This signifies the importance of having a proper diet, since 70% of your weight loss depends on it. In fact some people claim to have lost weight with just diets and no exercise. This isn't recommended but it is possible. This is one fact that you should consider before you quit a diet. It does help when you re consider this fact and find yourself on the right road.
- A good diet will not only help in weight loss but also make your immune system stronger. This means that you are less prone to diseases, viruses, infections, diabetes, cancer, and all types of other health problems. This is a good way to get motivated. You will be able to live longer if you stick to your diet and you will be able to enjoy your life more if you live longer.
These were the steps to get motivated to stick to a diet. Once you know all the benefits about the diets then you are ready to go on a diet. But sometimes you might feel down while doing the diet and motivation might not be enough.
2.) Make a diary with all the benefits: Everyday in your diary you should write one
positive thing about the diet that you felt that day. Someday you might feel lighter; other days you might have lost weight, etc. Answer questions such as:
- Why is diet so important?
- Why am I on this diet?
- What got me to start the diet and now what is stopping me from it?
- Are the reasons to leave the diet more than the reasons to stick to it?
After you have answered these questions you will most likely feel motivated again. When you compare the reasons for leaving the diet and sticking to it, you will almost always find more positive points to stick to the diet unless you are on the wrong diet.
The diary reminds you everyday and will motivate you everyday to stick to the diet. When it comes to sticking to diets, it is mostly about having the right set of mind. There are other things that you can do to stick to the diet such as:
3.) Modifying the diet: This means that you change the diet just a little to adjust to it. Ask your doctor or your dietician to modify your diet and add some foods that you always crave.
For example, a simple factor such as getting a craving for a chocolate bar can ruin your whole diet. In this case you should consult your dietician and they will most likely add a chocolate bar to your diet and remove some other sugars from it and modify your diet. It is better to add some high calorie foods than to completely abandon the whole diet and not get any results. If food is what is holding you back, consider this tip to be your top priority.
4.) Rewards: Before going on a diet promise yourself a reward if you are able to successfully follow the diet for over a month. At the end of the month reward yourself with your favorite treat or a materialistic item such as shoes, iPod, books, and clothes.
You should choose a materialistic reward because that is what makes most people happy. Whenever you feel down you can look back in your diary and see that you have a reward waiting for you and this should motivate you to stick to your diet.
These are the best ways you can stick to the diets. Remember that anytime you feel like quitting the diet, there are only two reasons for this; either you lack the motivation or you are on the wrong diet.
Print this article and post it on your refrigerator to always get motivated and know that you are doing the right thing. Sticking to a healthy diet is going to be one of the best decisions of your life!
"Don't be a quitter, be a winner"
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Role of Psychology
In losing weight, whether it is a few kilograms or hundreds of pounds, a person must be psychologically ready and prepared to lose weight.
Some of the people will come here look at the tips and then go order a large pizza with extra cheese. Before you start thinking about losing weight you need to change the way your mind thinks.
First comes motivation : Why are you losing weight? Because you are overweight, you want to get healthier, you want to make your friends jealous, you want to take your shirt off in a water park, you want to fit in those mini skirts, you want to live longer, or are you just bored with your life and reading this blog to kill some time? You need to have a motivation for losing weight. Without a motivating factor you will not be able to stop yourselves from eating the bar of chocolate in the freezer or that ice cream in the nearby ice cream parlour.
2) Be prepared to change your routine: Again many people will say "Well I love to exercise but I just don't have time". Sure in today's world everyone's lives are busy with school work, hanging out with friends, spending time with kids, watching tv, homework. But exercise takes only 30 minutes of your day! You can miss half hour of tv or spend less time with your friends and exercise for 30minutes. No one is busy enough to not exercise. So change your routine and add exercise to it.
3) Controlling your food "addictions": To control your food make sure you do not buy high calorie food. Many times when people go to buy groceries will buy a chocolate or two to save it as a treat at the end of the week for all the hardwork and workout and what happens? You keep looking at that until you realize that only the wrapper is left and your trea is gone. Although giving yourself treats is a good idea, you should not buy it a week or a month before. When there is no fatty foods in the house where will you find them?
Now you have 3 pyschological factors that you need to get control of to get healthy!
Some of the people will come here look at the tips and then go order a large pizza with extra cheese. Before you start thinking about losing weight you need to change the way your mind thinks.
First comes motivation : Why are you losing weight? Because you are overweight, you want to get healthier, you want to make your friends jealous, you want to take your shirt off in a water park, you want to fit in those mini skirts, you want to live longer, or are you just bored with your life and reading this blog to kill some time? You need to have a motivation for losing weight. Without a motivating factor you will not be able to stop yourselves from eating the bar of chocolate in the freezer or that ice cream in the nearby ice cream parlour.
2) Be prepared to change your routine: Again many people will say "Well I love to exercise but I just don't have time". Sure in today's world everyone's lives are busy with school work, hanging out with friends, spending time with kids, watching tv, homework. But exercise takes only 30 minutes of your day! You can miss half hour of tv or spend less time with your friends and exercise for 30minutes. No one is busy enough to not exercise. So change your routine and add exercise to it.
3) Controlling your food "addictions": To control your food make sure you do not buy high calorie food. Many times when people go to buy groceries will buy a chocolate or two to save it as a treat at the end of the week for all the hardwork and workout and what happens? You keep looking at that until you realize that only the wrapper is left and your trea is gone. Although giving yourself treats is a good idea, you should not buy it a week or a month before. When there is no fatty foods in the house where will you find them?
Now you have 3 pyschological factors that you need to get control of to get healthy!
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