Archive for December, 2007

Don’t Drink From That Hotel Glass!

Posted on December 11th, 2007 in chemicals, exercise, raw foods, research, travel, video, virus, water | No Comments »

A recent undercover investigative report showed how national chain hotel housekeeping staff clean, or rather don't clean, the drinking glasses. You have to watch this video below and be prepared to cringe.

This practice isn't limited to just glasses Read the rest of this entry »


Children Exposed To Dangerous Chemicals Daily

Posted on December 10th, 2007 in allergies, cancer, chemicals, children, dangerous chemicals, disease, research | No Comments »

A new report from the Environmental Working Group has found that children are exposed to a variety of chemicals in the daily personal care routines.

The study noted that on average, children are exposed to 27 chemicals that have not been assessed for safety by the government or industry. More specifically Read the rest of this entry »


Obesity Double In United States Compared To Europe

Posted on December 9th, 2007 in disease, obesity, overeating, overweight, weight loss | No Comments »

Recent research now shows that twice as many adults in the United States are obese compared to adults in Europe. About 33 percent of Americans are obese, compared with 17 percent in ten European countries reviewed.

Obesity, as past research has shown, leads to a number of other diseases including cancer, diabetes and others. This also increases our health care costs dramatically and they are directly tied to the 'obesity factor'.

Our health care expenditures related to obesity range from $100-150 billion per year and the costs are only rising. Why does this continue? The research's author commented "It is possible that we spend more on health care because we are, indeed, less healthy."

That's true, and only there is only one solution: taking responsibility for our own health. Watching what we eat, getting active and keeping a positive outlook on our lives. This is sometimes a challenge in today's fast paced, every busier world, although it's a choice. A choice we all make by either doing something about it or just letting things happen and then ending up in the hospital, bankrupt, or possibly an early death.

Life is a wonderful gift, take care of yours.

To your best health!

Mark Idzik

Source: NewsMax

Do you know the main reason that prevents people from losing weight? Find out what it is (I bet you're experiencing this right now) and how you can break through it fast. Find out now!


Do You Know How Many Calories You Eat Daily?

Posted on December 6th, 2007 in calories, diet, exercise, food, health, holiday meal, holidays, nutrition software, nutritional value, recommended intake, weight loss, weight loss goals, weight loss software | 14 Comments »

I was curious about how many calories I ate the other day after I noticed an article that mentioned the average American often consumes between 5000-6000 calories during a holiday meal. 5000-6000 calories!? For the average person that's more than double their recommended intake for an entire day. And normally most folks don't exercise on those holiday days, so the impact is even more drastic.

Do you know the nutritional value of what you eat every day?

From my research and conversations I have regularly, most of us don't.

So I used my trusty Fitday calorie counter and nutrition software that calculates the nutritional information and in the foods you eat and gives you the breakdown of calories, proteins, fats and carbs you've eaten that day. It told me I had eaten 1879 calories that day, with 17% from fat, 10% from protein and 73% from carbohydrates, a little less than normal. Here's a snapshot of the summary:

fitday.gif

So what did I eat to reach almost 2000 calories this day? Here's a snapshot:

Nutrition Software

If the image isn't clear, here's what I had this day:

  • 2 mango and banana smoothies with dates and oranges
  • Large herb salad with parsley, cilantro, kale, spinach, green onions, avocado, raw honey & tomatoes
  • Large bowl of applesauce with dates, sea salt and a touch of raw coconut oil
  • all home made, fresh and organic

And that's it! Doesn't seem like about 2000 calories, does it?

The software also keeps track of your weight, activity, goals, metabolism, calendar and gives you nice reports that can help you stay on track, especially when you're on a weight loss plan. There is also a web-based version, and I use both, but find the FitDay software version faster, easier to use and has many more features and reports that I like.

Do I use this every day?

No, and I you don't have to either. (unless you'd like to of course)

Here's what I do, and recommend. Use it daily for a few weeks or more to find out the calorie and fat breakdowns in the foods you regularly eat. Play around with several variations of your daily diet to see how you can change it to reach your goals.

Calorie requirements vary from person to person, although on average they should run between 2000 and 2500 a day. You'll want to keep your fat percentage intake between 10-20% of your daily caloric intake and your proteins around 10%. The balance of between 70-80% would be your carbohydrates. Not processed, complex carbs like pasta, breads, pastries or muffins, but simple carbs like fresh fruits and vegetables. This has been found to be the optimal all around ratio for your best health and optimal weight. Of course, you'll find variations, but in my research and personal experience, it works very well.

After you get used to seeing the nutrition values of what you eat and what changes you'd like to make, you can go back regularly and run the statistics to see if you're on track. You may want to use it every day to keep a journal of your progress as well, it's a great way to keep yourself motivated and realistic.

It's amazing what happens when you see the values of what you eat, make changes and how you feel afterwards because you literally are what you eat. It's almost magical... you gain more energy, get clearer, happier and just feel better overall.

You can find the Fitday software here

To your best health!

Mark Idzik

Related:

> Calorie Counter

> How Many Meals To Good (or Bad) Health?

> 37 Free (Natural) Weight Loss Tips