Tips for a Healthy Valentine's Day

From intimate meals to decadent desserts, couples across the globe will be celebrating romance this February 14th. Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day remains one of the biggest restaurant nights of the year - one that often involves heavy dinners. But with a few tips and some planning, you can get through the big night without adding inches to your waistline.

Step away from the bread basket. If you'd like a roll, grab one then move it outside of your reaching distance. The same goes for chips, should you be at a Mexican restaurant. Grab a small handful and then stay away from them the rest of the night.

Meal modifications are key. Feel free to make special requests. Ask the waiter if they can put the sauce on the side - or to substitute veggies for the french fries. Find out if your meal can be made without butter, oil or salt...anything that could help cut down on calories. And remember: in terms of calories, grilled is usually better than fried and baked is better than braised.

Start out healthy. Consider ordering a light salad or soup to kick things off. This will help to fill you up before you dive into the big meal. You also might want to split an entrée with your significant other.

Practice portion control. Remember that restaurant sizes are often larger than normal. Consider eating half of your meal and putting the rest in a doggie bag.

Avoid all the bells and whistles. Don't add a bunch of extras to your meal. When it comes to a salad, avoid topping it off with buttery croutons, grated cheese, bacon and dollops of high-fat dressing. The same goes with a burger, baked potato and other entrees.

Think red. Red bell peppers, radicchio, cherries, strawberries, red beans, red onions and tomatoes, for example, are all packed with vitamins, cancer-fighting antioxidants or cholesterol-busting fiber and protein. In addition, a daily glass of red wine is believed to help reduce the risk of blood clots and keep the cardiovascular system in shape. So forgo that cocktail, which can be loaded with sugar, and have a glass of red wine instead (and ask if they serve a light version).

Don't always give the gift of chocolate. If you and your significant other are trying to lose or maintain weight, consider purchasing a fruit basket instead of a box of chocolate, or baking a low-calorie dessert. It's also important to remember that a number of sugar-free candies and chocolate brands are available and can be found at your local grocery store or the candy section of an area pharmacy. A bouquet of flowers, healthy cookbook, personal training sessions or a day spa gift certificate could also prove worthy gift substitutes.

Do not completely deprive yourself. Valentine's Day is a time for laughter, fun and food. Having a small slice of cake or a couple truffles will not lead to weight gain. Moderation is key. And if you do pop the lid off that box of chocolates this Valentine's Day, don't feel guilty. Research indicates chocolate is chock-full of healthy compounds and may actually help prevent heart disease, enhance immune systems and give us a feeling of well-being.

Consider dining in this year. A great way to save calories, money and avoid crowds. Find an easy reduced calorie meal that you can cook with or for your significant other at home. Rent some romantic movies and make a healthy dessert, like strawberry shortcake sprinkled with your favorite low-calorie sweetener, and enjoy!

Written at http://www.caloriecontrol.org/articles-and-video/feature-articles/a-heart-healthy-valentines-day

17 Habits Of Thin People -–Habits That Can Help You Keep Your Weight Under Control

Imagine the freedom thin people have to eat anything at any time they wish to eat.

“Aren’t they worried about chances of some disease? How do they maintain to be slimmer always? Do they have any secret habits behind this? Are they thin by nature or have they adopted any peculiar workout to become thin always?”

Well, here you will find some interesting information about the habits of thin people.

These are not something very different from what normally people do. But skinny people might do things differently than a normal person does. Let’s take a look at those habits.

What do thin people do?

1. Completely avoid snacks

Eat three meals in a day. It can include lean protein, fresh and useful vegetables, a good amount of grains etc. Having a well balanced meal without any fatty snacks in between is what they usually do.

2. Water is the primary and most preferred beverage

Our body needs a plenty of water to keep our cells hydrated.

There is no such replacement for water. Drinking tea, soda etc are never good replacements for what water provides to our body.

Almost 80% of our body is in liquid form anddrinking pure water makes sure that our body temperature is kept balanced.

3. Never worry about their body weight

This is one of the main reasons that stop you from freely eating your choice of food. Instead ofworrying about your weight, start eating in an enjoyable manner which can make you healthy and active.

Always think positively by saying yourself that, ‘I am healthy, I have a fit body and I am at my right weight.’

4. Always eat Breakfast

Being the first meal of the day, it is never a good idea to skip breakfast.

Breakfasts jumpstart your day by ‘breaking the fast.‘ It is very significant to have this meal even at your workplace, at your home, the farm, at office, or in school.

Eating a healthy breakfast keeps you set for the rest of the day.

5. Do not skip meals

Naturally thin people never skip meals, especially breakfast.

Have you ever skipped your meal expecting to lose your weight?
If so, keep in mind that you are inviting some diseases your way! Skipping a meal and keeping your stomach empty is harmful for your stomach and its digestive system.

Moreover, the next time you eat after a skipped meal, you have all the chances to eat more food which in turn increase the calories.

6. Concentrate and enjoy the meal

If you notice you can see that skinny people do not do any other activity while they eat. This takes away the entire fun and enjoyment of your food [conscious eating].

7. Know when to eat

Thin people are usually softer. They do not allow any one to spoil their mood. They do not let anyone else down. And they stick to their 3 time meal schedule.

As in some cases, the feelings like disappointment, anger or sadness are misinterpreted as hunger and people tend to eat more [emotional eating].

8. Avoid typical foods

Most of the thin people do not like foods that have the possibility of expansion inside the stomach after we eat.

Bread is a typical example for that. Once you eat a few pieces of bread, it gives you a feeling of full stomach.

But in actuality, it gets expanded inside your stomach and gives you that feeling. Thin people try to avoid these types of foods.

9. Keep away from ice creams

Ice creams contain much fat and less taste except that it is sweet. Flavor is very less in ice creams.

It is always better for you to choose some flavored dish, even though it is just a spoon full.

This always has the advantage over the large amount of half-flavored dish you eat.

10. Eat later

Imagine you are hungry and about to leave your office. What would you do? Will you wait until you reach home and eat something?

Or you would stop by at some of your favorite restaurants on the way home? Normally, people who are overweight do not withstand hunger but thin people are always able to do so.

11. Tired to eat

Unimaginable, right? But there are some cases of thin people who find it a very heavy task to spend time to eat.

12. Sleep as in demand

One of the attracting habits of thin people is that they sleep like their body demands.

Just imagine if you are sleepy and hungry at the same time. What would you prefer to do then? Many of the thin people might give themselves a nap first and then eat and enjoy their food later.

13. Eat when they are hungry

Have you ever tried to find the difference between being hungry and waiting for the time to eat?Naturally thin people eat when they are really hungry.

In other words when it is their eating time, they really are hungry. As said earlier, they are hungry because they do not take in any snacks between their 3-meal schedules .

14. Never cheat the mind

“It is enough. I will eat this too even though it is my most favorite dish. Well, let me have this piece too since my friend is insisting.”

These are some typical instances where you might overeat sometimes. This does not happen with most naturally thin people. They stop eating when they think it is enough for them.

15. “I am hungry”

Desire to eat at a given point of time is not hunger. If you are an over weighted person and so much used to eat, it is definite that it would be very difficult to differ the real hunger even if the time is on.

How do thin people handle this situation? They take only a small portion of food. This would be something good to adopt to bring down your weight.

16. Hate when stomach is full

Some studies have shown that thin people do not like the feeling of a full stomach. They think that it greatly affects their following time at office and their work performance.

17. “I know how much to eat”

It is true that you eat only 3 times a day.

What if you get to eat your favorite dish all the time? Would you stop when you have to? This is very much important.

Most thin people are able to stop when they are done with their portion even if it is their favorite food. So the next time you see a thin person pass by your direction, you no longer have to be puzzled why they are thin and look leaner than most of the people around you.

They just happened to employ ordinary measures that all the other thin individuals do. Thin people just happened to approach life differently. In this regard, it is never too late to change yours.

If you want to become thin, you might as well consider what have been doing and try incorporating their healthy habits to your lifestyle. Who knows, after a month or two you will already achieve what you have been dreaming about.

Lastly, don’t be insecure with thin people because sometimes their bodies were just made that way.
Written by Neelima Reddy at http://www.weightlossdietwatch.com/features/17-habits-of-thin-people/

30 minutes of exercise better for weight loss than longer workouts

Contrary to what you might have thought, just 30 minutes of exercise a day could help you lose more weight than daily hour-long sessions, according to Danish researchers.

They split a group of 60 moderately overweight Danish men into two groups and instructed them to exercise vigorously for either 30 minutes or an hour a day for 13 weeks.

By the end of the study, those who did half an hour a day lost 3.6kg compared with 2.7kg for those who exercised for an hour.

The researchers believe it's because those who scheduled less time for formal exercise included more incidental activity throughout their day, whereas those who blocked out an hour a day were more likely to put their feet up.

"The subjects in the test group that exercised the least talk about increased energy levels and a higher motivation for exercising and pursuing a healthy everyday life," said Associate Professor Astrid Jespersen from the Unviersity of Copenhagen.

"They take the stairs, take the dog for an extra walk or cycle to work. In contrast, the men who exercised for one hour a day, after training, felt exhausted, demotivated and less open to making a healthy change."

Australian exercise guidelines suggest people aim for 150 minutes of exercise a week, which is roughly 30 minute sessions on five days.

Professor David Dunstan, head of physical activity at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, told ninemsn this study proves that we all need to increase our movement throughout the day.

"I'm encouraging people to consider movement from the time they wake up until they go to bed," he said.

"It's great to get 30 minutes of exercise in the morning, but to sit on our backsides for the remainder of the day is not beneficial. Try to think about reducing sitting time throughout the day. We need to think of movement as an opportunity not an inconvenience."

Dr Nathan Johnson, from the Sydney University faculty of health sciences, told ninemsn that you don't need to exercise in solid chunks.

"Do at least 10 minute blocks and accumulate it throughout the week. For most people a brisk walk is enough. It doesn't have to be structured," he said.

Dr Johnson also said that it's a better idea for people to focus on reducing abdominal fat, than worrying about purely what's on the scales.

"If you can lose fat from the abdomen, your risk of disease improves, even if you don't change on the scales," he said.

"Weight loss is a good goal, but waistline reduction shows you're losing fat from the right areas."

The study was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health.

For the video and article by Kimberly Gillian, look at http://health.ninemsn.com.au/fitness/8726562/30-minutes-of-exercise-better-for-weight-loss-than-longer-workouts or click on the video's picture.

Effects of Stress on Weight Loss

The effects of stress on weight loss can be quite dramatic! High stress, which raises cortisol levels in your body, stops your body from burning fat and losing weight through several mechanisms.

It seems that we experience some degree of stress almost every day of our life. Work, family, relationships, financial, and even travel can cause us varying levels of stress at certain times.

Since stress appears to be a constant in our lives, it is important to be aware of the effects of stress on our ability to lose weight and keep it off.

Even though the stresses that our ancestors experienced many years ago are vastly different to what we experience today, our bodies respond in exactly the same way. Plus, different types of stress (i.e. physical, psychological and emotional) all invoke the same response, which is an increase in the output of stress hormones, primarily cortisol.

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the outer portion of the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys. It has the effect of increasing the blood sugar level, suppressing the immune system and aiding in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It prepares the body for action; it's the 'fight or flight' hormone.

Unfortunately though, there is a strong correlation between cortisol and obesity and there are several mechanisms through which cortisol may cause you to put on weight as well as stop you from losing weight.

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Here are the Effects of Stress on Weight Loss

Increases blood sugar level

Cortisol blocks the absorption of glucose into cells and also promotes the production and release of glucose from the liver, which come from amino acids that have been liberated from muscle tissue.

Prolonged cortisol production leads to constantly elevated blood sugar levels, which in turn, causes insulin levels to rise. Since insulin stops the mobilisation and utilisation of fat as a fuel source as well as promoting fat storage, losing weight becomes difficult. Furthermore, prolonged insulin levels leads to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is strongly correlated with obesity.

Increases muscle loss

Cortisol is the most 'catabolic' hormone in the body, which means it promotes the breakdown of body tissues, including muscle. Since muscle is one of the most metabolically-active tissues in the body a loss of muscle results in a depression of the metabolic rate, which makes fat burning and weight loss more difficult.

Increases fluid retention

Cortisol has a similar (but weaker) effect to aldosterone on the kidneys. This means it causes the retention of sodium and water along with the release of potassium. The increased water retention in the body may lead to weight gain even though the additional weight is only water and is not due to fat accumulation.

Negatively affects sleep

Cortisol is often referred to as the 'anti-sleep hormone'. This is one of the major effects of stress. Under normal circumstances, cortisol peaks early in the morning just prior to waking; it gives us the necessary 'jolt' to wake us up and get us moving. Then, as the day progresses, it tends to taper off and reaches its lowest point in the evening just before and during the first part of the sleep cycle.

People with insomnia have been shown to have high levels of cortisol in the evening, which affects their ability to sleep. Stressful events during the day may also cause high levels of cortisol in the blood stream in the evening, which negatively affects sleep.

Poor sleeping habits, as one of the effects of stress, are strongly associated with weight gain for several reasons. During sleep the body goes through the processes of repair, recuperation, recovery and rebuilding of body tissues. If sleep is impaired then this process cannot occur as effectively as it should and therefore the body's ability to rebuild lean tissues, like muscle tissue, is negatively affected. This has a negative effect on the body's metabolism and fat-burning ability.

Also, since growth hormone, our body's most powerful lipolytic (fat burning) hormone, gets produced mostly at night during deep sleep, if our sleep habits are impaired due to high cortisol levels, the body's production of this hormone also gets impaired as does our ability to burn off body fat effectively.

Affects thyroid hormone production

Cortisol has the effect of increasing the conversion of T4 (thyroxine) into rT3 (reverse tri-iodothyronine) instead of T3 (tri-iodothyronine). T3 is the most active thyroid hormone and is responsible for controlling the metabolism of all body cells whilst rT3 is the 'brake' that blocks the T3 receptors on cell membranes. Having higher rT3 compared to T3 slows the metabolism down, causes thyroid problems and makes weight gain more likely.

Lowers anabolic hormones (i.e. testosterone)

The body's production of cortisol and testosterone relies on the same precursor hormone, pregnenolone. Therefore, if the level of one hormone in the body is high, the other is low. Since testosterone is a powerful anabolic hormone, which helps to maintain and build lean tissue, it can have a dramatic effect on a person's metabolism and therefore their ability to burn fat and lose weight.

By the same token, if cortisol is high, testosterone will be low and so will the ability to maintain and/ or build muscle. This will make fat storage and weight gain more likely.

Increases appetite

Appetite is primarily controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain. It responds to a variety of stimuli, particularly a group of steroid hormones known as 'glucocorticoids'. Cortisol is one of the most powerful glucocorticoids and therefore has a stimulatory effect on a person's appetite. An increase in appetite often results in an increase in food intake and resultant weight gain or inability to lose weight. Therefore lowering cortisol may help to lower appetite.

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How to Lower Cortisol (and Stress) Levels Effectively

Due to the various effects of stress mentioned here, high cortisol (stress) makes it very easy to put on weight (including fat) and very difficult to lose it. However, high cortisol (and stress) levels may be lowered effectively by relaxation techniques, meditation and breathing exercises. In today's society though, we are often too busy (and stressed!) to take the time to perform these exercises. It is sometimes easier to simply take a supplement!

BCN's Rhodiola Advanced is a powerful stress-relieving herb that has been shown to lower the effects of stress quickly and easily. It has been used in Russia and Scandinavia for decades! Also, Rhodiola Advanced has standardised levels of active ingredients to ensure you get maximum benefits from the product.

If you are suffering from high levels of stress in your life then BCN's Rhodiola Advancedmay be just what you need to reduce the effects of stress in your body and start losing weight!

Written on: http://www.quick-weight-loss-principles.com/effects-of-stress.html

Proven Methods to Avoid Overeating

If you have ever tried to lose weight, you know how difficult it is to stay clear of the foods that caused you to gain weight in the first place. Once you start a diet, how many times do you search for reasons to tell your self, it's ok, have a piece of cake or slice of pizza? If you're like me, fairly frequently. The problem is, once I have a "forbidden food", I tell myself I might as well go ahead and eat want I want the rest of the day and then start fresh tomorrow. Tomorrow comes then I tell myself, I will wait and get a fresh start on Monday. If you are a career dieter, you know exactly what I am talking about.
There are several situations that cause me to repeat this cycle over and over again.
I will share four of these situations and what I do to overcome the temptation.

Situation # 1 - Parties and Social Events

 Christmas parties, birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings, etc. What they all have in common is an abundance of food. When you pass on that piece of pie or cheese dip, other guest encourage you to try just a little. They tell you one piece won't hurt; besides it's a special occasion. Soon you have a nibble then another and so on. Before you know it, you are stuffed and feeling guilty.

How I avoid it:
Just before leaving, I will enjoy a large healthy meal so I am full for the next couple of hours. If I do get hungry, and I typically do, the first thing I will go for is the veggie tray. Often times, veggies may not be available so a little food knowledge will come in handy. Search the table for other healthy alternatives. If there are sandwiches on whole grain bread, you are in good shape. If not, toss the bread and enjoy a piece of ham or turkey. Just stay away from the chicken wings, chips and dips. If you are asked to bring a dish, make sure it is healthy choice so you are sure to have a healthy snack. Many times I will bring the veggie tray and/or flavored rice cakes. If you have no other choice, choose the healthiest food and eat a small portion.

Situation #2 - Spouse or Significant Other Sabotage

It's difficult to eat healthy if your spouse or significant other does not necessarily eat the same way. Not that they would try to sabotage your diet, it's just not food choices they currently want to make.

How I avoid it:
My wife does not always eat the same things I do, but that's ok. We normally make enough chicken or fish to last a couple of days. That way I always have a good choice for a lunch, snack or dinner. If my wife decides she wants pasta and garlic bread, I boil broccoli, heat a piece of chicken and we are both happy. If she insists on Chinese, I will make the healthiest choice off the menu and eat in moderation. I just make sure it is the exception and not the rule.

Situation # 3 - When Looking in the Mirror, you don't see yourself as Overweight

How I avoid it.
Many times I look in the mirror and say to myself, "self, you don't look that over weight". When I see a picture with me in it, my response changes, it's more like, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe how fat I look. So grab your worst fat picture and keep it with you. Next time you decide you want a piece of pizza, look at the picture.

Situation # 4 - All or Nothing Attitude

This situation is my worst enemy. A cold Friday night, my wife and I snuggle up and watch a movie. She decides she wants pizza so I think about situation # 2 and say ok, I will have just a piece or two. Well the pizza gets there and I have a piece or two. Next thing I know, I am telling myself, "well, you already blew it, might as well eat all you want and start fresh tomorrow.

How I avoid it.
This is the most difficult situation for me. I find often times I just can't avoid it so we compromise. Normally, we decide I am too weak. She understands and supports my efforts to be healthy. We will opt instead to make our own pizza. You would be surprised how good a whole grain tortilla, grilled chicken, fat free cheese, tomato sauce, onion and turkey bacon taste oven baked!. There are times she will order a pizza but she will either get a personal size or the next smallest. That way, if I do fall to temptation, there will not be too much to eat.

Written byMike Conley at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Proven-Methods-to-Avoid-Overeating&id=340641

Developing a Healthy Weight Loss Plan

This has been in for a long while now; a little flab here and an extra inch there are widely regarded as being bad news. Look around and you will see weight loss representatives eager to help you start off on programs for healthy weight loss. "Healthy" -- now that is a word to emphasize. Fad diets are all over the place these days. Most often, they are not ways of guaranteeing healthy weight loss. After all, what is the point of losing weight if you end up with metabolism-related problems? Obesity does lead to health problems, but so do fad diets. So how does one come across a healthy weight loss program?

Obesity eats your energy levels and affects your self-esteem. Your neighbors might suggest a crash diet program that worked wonders for her. However, this does not mean that the same diet would work for you. Yo-yo dieting is bad news for health more often than not. Cut down on your fatty indulgences and drink some protein shakes and you could be on your way to losing fat and building muscles. On the flip side, however, you could end up with kidney troubles. Similarly, reducing your calorie intake might help you shave off a few inches in the short term. However, the weight loss might not be a permanent one.

So how does one come up with a healthy weight loss plan? Popeye, the well-known cartoon character is always shown eating spinach, while his friend Wimpy is constantly chowing on hamburgers and fries. The results are there for all to see. While Wimpy is flabby, Popeye is muscular enough to take on any villain that comes his way. It is just another reminder that the key to healthy weight loss lies in eating right.

To begin with, one's weight loss targets need to be reasonable. You can't just wake up a week before Christmas and hope to lose twenty pounds before that Christmas Eve party. Not only is this an unreasonable target, but achieving it can only be done through unhealthy means. You need to develop a healthy weight loss plan. This would involve setting reasonable goals. Tell yourself that you will lose two pounds a week and work towards it. Start slow, be patient and be persistent -- that is the secret to healthy weight loss.

It is best to visit a doctor or a qualified dietitian to figure out what would be a healthy weight loss plan for you. Each person has a different kind of metabolism combined with different health issues. You will need to chart out a suitable diet plan that will give you your daily dose of carbohydrate, calories, proteins, fats, and vitamins. You would also have to start doing some regular exercise. You could set out for a jog every morning; or you could get together with some friends and join an aerobics class. If you are the sporty type, playing tennis more often could work wonders. Healthy weight loss need not be a faraway dream if you are focused on your goal.

"Lose 10 Pounds in 1 Month" (realistically)

Written by Ethan Quinn and available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Developing-a-Healthy-Weight-Loss-Plan&id=1330590