Weight Loss and Your Family

 

Many people are trying to lose weight, but have you ever considered losing weight as a family? Typically, when one member of the family is not eating healthy foods, the rest of the family is also participating in unhealthy behaviors. Working together as a family to lose weight can be the push you need to actually do it. After all, you want what is best for your family, right?

Start by planning healthy meals together. Working as a family, you can split up the responsibilities. For example, have your spouse go grocery shopping, while you cook and your children do the dishes. Whenever you cook a healthy meal, make extras and take that along to work the next day instead of relying on take-out and fast food. Cooking together also helps you bond and can teach both you and your children valuable life skills.

 

As a family, join a gym as well. Sometimes there is a family discount if three or more members of a household join the same gym, and often the facilities found here are better than any exercising machines you may have at home. As a family, you can also play tennis or racquetball together or motivate one another to work out. Some gyms even have fun family resources, like family softball leagues and indoor swimming pools.

When you want to lose weight, working together as a family to set goals can also work really well. Setting goals is important for any weight loss program, but as a family you can work together to push one another. Some husband and wife teams even like some friendly competition when losing weight. For example, challenge your spouse to prepare for a marathon, train together, and then compete during the actual race to see who finishes first or finishes the most of the race.

No matter how much weight you want to lose, it is always easier to do so when you have people to help you along the way. Your family is perfect for this because you live together and already know one another’s eating and work out habits. When you lose weight together, you have a great chance to bond as well, providing strong family ties and better relationships in general. Losing weight is never easy, but with a little help from your family members, all of your weight loss goals can definitely be achieved one by one.

Talking to Your Doctor about Weight Loss

Weight loss is very important, regardless of if you are doing it for cosmetic reasons or for health reasons. When you lose weight and remain at a healthy weight, you can be sure to stay happy and healthy more easily than if you had simply been at a larger weight. Losing weight can be difficult, but if you talk to your doctor about the situation, you have a better chance of reaching your weight loss goals.

Talking to a doctor about weight loss can be embarrassing for some people. No one likes to admit having a problem with this issue. However, if you identify it, your doctor can know that you want to change and make lots of suggestions for you. Believe me, whatever your medical condition, you doctor has dealt with it before and so there is not reason to feel embarrassed in any way about dealing with weight loss.

When you approach your doctor about your weight situation, it is best to do so at the beginning of your appointment, rather than at the end. If your appointment is running later, your doctor may feel rushed to talk to you about your wait at the end, since there are other patients waiting for see him or her. Therefore, ask your questions right from the start or schedule another appointment in order to fully be able to discuss weight loss.

If it helps you to remember, write down all of your questions before you go in for your appointment. Your doctor is a busy person, so having your questions ready will make sure that you have time to get answers to all of them. This will also ensure that you don’t forget any of the questions that you wish to ask, because it may be a few weeks before you can make another appointment to again speak with your doctor.

Some key questions that you should ask include those about your personal statistics, such as asking how high your cholesterol is or how much weight you need to lose to be at a personal normal body weight for your age and height. You should then ask your doctor to clarify anything you don’t understand regarding your weight, share with your tips for healthy eating, help you work out an exercise plan, and make recommendation for personal trainers or guides that can help you on your journey. Your doctor truly will be you best advice throughout your weight loss journey, and he or she can help you to realize all of your goals in a healthy and safe way.

Water or a Keg Stand? Weight Loss and College

One of the most difficult times of your life is undoubtedly your college years, and the least of your problems may be losing weight. However, maintaining a healthy weight during college is very important because your weight dictates how healthy you will be overall. During college, you are introducing into mass living communities, like dormitories, where illness spreads like wildfire, and maintaining a healthy weight will help prevent you from catching some of these diseases, as well as help prevent disease later in life. Learning how to lose weight in college is important.

The first step to weight loss in college is eating healthy foods. While you might be tempted to trade in your water for a beer or your salad for a slice of greasy pizza, doing this too often can really kill any weight loss plans you may have. When you first begin attending college, check out what kinds of healthy choices are available at the student cafeteria and what kinds of healthy choices are available from restaurants in the area. It is also a good idea to invest in a mini refrigerator so that you can keep low-fat snacks, like yogurt and carrots, on hand. This also allows you to prepare some small meals in your room instead of grabbing a snack from the vending machines.

Another step to losing weight in college is learning how and when you can work out. You may be so tired at the end of the day that you fell like you don’t even need a work out, but if you head to the gym, you’ll feel and look better. Most schools have a free gym available to students or, at the very least, offer gym membership discounts to area locations, so there really is no excuse to not go to the gym.

Weight loss in college requires planning, if nothing else. Make sure that you schedule time to eat and exercise every day, no matter how busy you may be. Plan out your weekend with fun activities that don’t include drinking massive amounts of alcohol. Keep an eye on special promotions from health groups at school, or even consider joining one.

Like with any weight loss program, friends can help you out as well. Seek friends with healthy eating habits and find buddies for working out together at the gym. Losing weight can college is not an easy thing to do, but if you put your mind to it, you can achieve your goals and stun you friends and family when you’re home for summer break.

Binge Eating: Practicing Control for Weight Loss

There are a number of very dangerous eating disorders that effect people of all ages, races, sexes, and economic statuses. While you may hear a lot in the news about anorexia and bulimia, one of the lesser-known weight loss disasters sweeping the nation is binge eating. Binge eating is very bad for your body and can cause heart disease, diabetes, and a number of other medical conditions, which actually could result in death. Therefore, it is important to learn about binge eating and to seek help immediately if you think this could be a problem for you.

Binge eating is basically a form of overeating at its worst. There are times when we all overindulge in good foods, such as at a holiday or when eating out at a restaurant. However, a binge eater faces overeating problems more than a few times a week. Binge eaters often find themselves overweight and unhappy, which can make the situation worse.

Binge eaters will overeat to the extent that they feel sick. In many cases, they will eat thousands of calories in one sitting, and many of the foods they are eating are not very nutritional and include comfort foods. Binge eaters may enjoy sweet or savory foods, and may also have a problem with alcohol. In one day, a binge eater may eat more than the normal person will eat in a week. Foods that a person will binge eat vary and can even change for a particular binge eater from day to day.

Unlike people who are suffering from bulimia, binge eaters will not induce vomiting in order to rid themselves of the food they’ve eaten. Therefore, binge eaters tend to be overweight. In some cases, a binge eater may eat non-stop for an entire day, but then spend the next three or four days starving him- or herself and exercising vigorously in order to stay at the same weight if possible.

Binge eating goes hand in hand with a number of other physical diseases, but it can also effect a personal mentally and emotionally. Man binge eaters star because they turn to food for comfort as a way to work out their problems, which is unhealthy. Binge eaters are also usually very emotionally charged about their body weight and may experience depression because of it, regardless of if they are overweight or not. Binge eating is not only dangerous for the binge eater, but can affect everyone in his or her life. If you or someone you know is suffering from this disease, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. This is not a good way to lose weight.

What Are The Advantages of Weight Loss?

It seems like everyone is trying to lose weight—but why? Actually, there are a number of reasons why a person may want to lose rate, and these reasons are justified. Losing weight does have great advantages. Of course, there are always going to be horror stories about people who fall into the traps of eating disorders, but for the most part, losing weight is greatly to your advantage.

The most obvious advantage to weight loss is, of course, the health benefits. When you are heavier than normal, you put our body at risk to develop a number of disease and conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and intestinal diseases. These can be prevents and more easily treated if you lose weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is something that you and your doctor should discuss in order to make the best decisions for your body’s health.

There are, however, other advantages as well. First and foremost, when you are of a normal weight, shopping for clothing is more fun and easier because you actually fit into clothing more readily. It can often be less expensive as well. The extra large sizes and beyond use more fabric to make, so many manufacturers raise the prices for these larger articles of clothing.

Losing weight also can teach you about healthy eating, which opens up a whole new world when it comes to food. Cooking with healthy, fresh ingredients can be really fun, and it can be an activity your do with a spouse or children so that the entire family is eating more healthy foods and focused on losing extra weight and maintain healthy weights.

Of course, one of the best advantages is how you will feel about yourself after you’ve lost the weight. Who doesn’t want to receive compliments from coworkers? Who doesn’t want to attend their high school reunions looking even prettier than when actually in high school? Who doesn’t want to smile at their appearance every day when looking in the mirror? Of course, for some people, this takes more than losing weight, but it’s a good start. Discuss your weight loss and potential happiness with a counselor to learn how feeling better about yourself can be possible.

There are a number of other advantages to losing weight as well—you’ll have more energy, be better able to play with your children, have a sense of achievement and much, much more. If you think that you’ve like to take advantage of these great things about weight loss, talk to your doctor today to find out how that can be possible.

The Right Snack Track

Snacking is the downfall of many otherwise healthy diets, but the good news is that your can learn to control this snacking quite easily. Also, even if still want to snack during the day, there are ways in which you can do so without killing your healthy diet. Staying on track with your diet when you like to snack might be hard, but it is worth that extra effort because it keeps your body healthy.

To prevent snacking, simply eat more meals. Instead of eating three large meals every try, try eating smaller meals every few hours. If you are snacking because you are hungry, chances are that you are using more energy than you are ingesting and you need the extra fuel. By eating 6 smaller but healthy meals every day, you will not be tempted to snack very often, but will keep your high energy levels.

You can also help to stop your snacking simply by removing temptation. Before you reach for a snack, ask yourself if you are honestly hungry or if you are just eating because you are bored, because the food tastes good, or because you feel compelled to eat when doing a certain activity (like watching a movie). If you are snacking because you are really hungry, than it is probably fine to have something to eat, but if you are snacking for another reason, you should try to remove the temptation. Simply rid your house of junk foods and do not buy these items again when you go to the grocery store.

Instead, purchase healthy snacks. Think about the snacks you are eating. Would they fit easily into a food group as fruit, vegetable, grain, dairy, or protein? If the answer is no, then the snack is probably not good for you. For example, carrot sticks (vegetables), yogurt (dairy), or whole wheat crackers (grains) work well as snacks, while candy, potato chips, and processed foods do not.

When you snack, remember to consider your beverages as well. Drinks like soda, fruit punch, iced tea, lemonade, and juice boxes can contain unnatural ingredients and lots of sugar. In short, they are high in calories but low in nutrients. Instead, opt for drinks that supplement your healthy diet. Choose water most of the like, or drinks that are made with natural fruits, like apple juice. Low-fat milk and sports drinks are also good choices. Above all, stay away from most kinds of alcohol. Red wine is an exception, since this can help your heart health, but any type of alcohol in high amounts is fairly bad for your body.

How To Shop For Healthy Foods?

Healthy eating starts with one key activity—healthy shopping. When you head to the grocery store, it is easy to pick up lots of foods that are bad for our bodies without even realizing it. Shopping for a healthy diet can be difficult if you do not know how to do so, but with these tips, you should find it easier to do so the next time you head to the grocery store.

First, have a plan before you ever leave your house. Use the sales fliers to check out the great products that are on sale and take an inventory of your pantry and refrigerator to see what foods you need to purchase. Make a list of all of the foods you’ll need and stick to that list. Allow yourself one or two compulsory buys, but otherwise stay to the ingredients you’ll need to cook healthy meals for yourself and your family for the rest of the week. Before you leave, review your list and take out any unnecessary junk food.

Another great shopping tip to go along with making a list is to shop for a week at a time, or even longer if you have a large freezer. When you have to run to the grocery store every day, you are more likely to pick up junk food items every time you make a trip, and before you know it, your snack supply will be overflowing. You can shop for a week or two in advance by taking a day to plan meals for the week and packaging fresh product to be frozen.

When you’re shopping, it is also important to read the label. Try to avoid purchasing brand name items simply because they are brand name or store brand items simply because they are less expensive. Actually look at the product’s nutritional value and try to get the most nutrients for your money. When you eat higher quality foods, you’ll feel more full and, in turn, eat less, so this really is the best way to bargain shop.

If you are just shopping for yourself, you should also consider picking up a basket at the door instead of getting a shopping cart. The biggest problem with health and grocery shopping is grabbing junk food items that you don’t really need. If you have a small basket, you simply won’t have room for chocolate brownies and ice cream with your load of other foods, so you’ll pass them by.

Lastly, don’t forget to consider drinks into your healthy shopping plan. Most people don’t realize it, but sodas, punches, and beers can have many empty calories and are generally bad drink choices. Instead, look at the labels and choose diet drinks, water and sports drinks, or natural fruit juices, like apple juice. With these tips, healthy eating—and shopping—should be much easier!

How To Have Quick and Healthy Eating Habits?

People use many excuses to give reason to why they are not eating healthy foods. One of the most common of these excuses is that they have no time to worry about choosing the best foods and cooking them for themselves and their families. These people usually grab fast food or take-out instead of healthier foods, and these quick dinner fixes are full of bad fats and cholesterol, sugar, and empty calories. However, no matter how little time you have to spend in the kitchen and at the supermarket, there are ways in which you can eat in a healthy way without much time. Learning how to quickly eating healthily can make all the difference in perfecting your diet.

Eating healthy foods begins with healthy ingredients, but if you are short on time, you may find that spending time in the grocery store does not fit into your schedule. To maximize your time, plan ahead for two weeks at a time. Instead of having to go to the store every time you need an ingredient, make a list and keep your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry stocked with good, healthy ingredients. You can make your shopping list during a meeting, while eating lunch, or while you are on the phone. A list will also help you cut back on compulsory buying, which is when we purchase a lot of the foods that are bad for us.

Along with planning your shopping list, plan your meals as well. If you find little time to cook during the week, you can instead try making a few healthy meals in advance on the weekend and than putting them in your freezer. Before you go to work in the morning, simply stick the frozen dinner in the refrigerator to thaw and then pop into the oven to cook when you get home from work. This will help you avoid having to pick up fast food.

When you do find yourself in the need of a quick meal and want to order out, look for healthy options. Instead of choosing a burger and fries, for example, look at the chicken breast options. Some fast food restaurants also have salads and fruit, but beware of dressing, which can be tons of fats and empty calories. Keep healthy drinks on hand at home instead of purchasing a soda as well. Better yet, stick the burger, pizza, and Mexican joints altogether and opt for a sandwich or sub shop instead, where you can choose a wheat bread and ask them to hold the mayonnaise.

Healthy eating on the run will never be easy. However, putting a tad bit more time into is worth that extra effort, because you’ll be living a healthier life in the end. Using these tips will help you to quickly eat as healthily as possible.

How to Get Picky Eaters to Eat Healthy Foods

When you have children, one of the biggest challenges is making sure that your child eats all of the food that he or she needs to grow in a healthy way. Healthy eating is important from birth! If your child does not get the right nutrients in his or her food, it is possible that his or her growth will be stunted or that he or she will become ill. However, if you have a child, than you also know that getting your young one to eat healthy foods is many times met with resistance. While it is easy to get a child to enjoy chocolate cake, broccoli is another issue! Here are some tricks and tips to helping your child get all the nutrients he or she needs.

A great way to teach your children new skills as well as get them to eat healthy food is to get them to help you in the kitchen. Children as young as three and four love to help with simply things like stirring and pouring, while older children can learn to crack eggs, measure ingredients, and teens can even help to cut vegetables and cook entire meals. When a child sees what is going into food, he or she will be more likely to eat it. Children also will be more likely to eat foods that they help to cook because they are proud of their accomplishments.

Another great way to get a child to eat healthy foods is to look for kid-friendly options. For example, if your child is not getting enough dairy foods, low-fat string cheese is a healthy snack option that is also very fun to eat! You can also find crackers that come in kid-friendly shapes and finger foods.

If you are extremely worried about your child getting enough of the proper nutrients he or she needs for daily life, you can also find vitamin supplements to help your child’s diet. A number of brands makes vitamins that come in fun shapes and sizes so that you can convince your child to take them. There are also powered drinks and other enriched foods you can give to your child in order to make sure they get all of the nutrients they need.

The bottom line is that you need to make sure that your child is staying safe and healthy, no matter how picky they may be. If you child refuses to eat a specific food, he or she probably simply does not like that food, and you should provide another choice. However, if he or she is refusing most foods, you must be firm about eating nutritious foods. Talk to your pediatrician in order to find out proportions and types of foods that your child should be eating.

Foodborne Illnesses: Prevention for Healthy Eating

Eating healthy foods will help you to boost your immune system, but what if it’s the foods themselves making you sick? Foodborn illness can cause food poisoning and a variety of other more dangerous diseases, so they are a real threat to our bodies. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to prevent foodborne illnesses. Following safety tips when handling, preparing, and storing food is very important.

First and foremost, you should be concerned with the temperature of your foods. When cooking meat, make sure to use a thermometer in order to make sure that you meat is reaching to proper temperatures inside. Some meats, like beef, can be served rare safely, but proper temperatures are crucial. This kills any bacteria that may be growing on the meat. In the case of burger and other loaf meats that have been ground and formed into patties, you should not eat rare meals. The bacteria then easily is found inside the meat as well as on the outside, and you are at risk if you do not cook these meats for a long period of time to kill any bacteria.

After your food is cooked, you should continue to monitor temperature. Simply put, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods should be kept at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while cold foods should be kept at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The range between that is where bacteria can grow. When letting food cool for refrigeration, place in the refrigerator after no more than two hours, and when thawing meals, do so in a bowl or pan in the refrigerator, rather than at room temperature.

Cross contamination is a huge culprit when you are concerned with preventing illness and your food. Cross contamination is basically the moving of bacteria from one dish to another. This happens when you use dirty cutting boards, don’t wish your dishes properly, and use the same utensil for all of your foods. If you use, for example, a knife to cut raw chicken and then use that same knife to cut your food after it has been cooked, some of the bacteria from the raw chicken has probably remained on the knife, which can make you very ill. Make sure that you are using a clean work space and clean tools whenever you cook.

Along with using a clean environment, you should make sure that you are washing you hands regularly. Every time you touch raw foods, you should use disinfecting hand soap and hot water to make sure that no bacteria remains on your hands. Making sure that your food is safe is one of the most important parts of healthy eating, so don’t overlook this step the next time you prepare a meal.