As the New Year is upon us, it’s the time many make resolutions to lose weight. But what’s the best way?
This year Discovery Health wants to help with the National Body Challenge. What is it?
More on Can The National Body Challenge Help You?
dairy products discovery health lifestyle goals mehmet oz md national body challenge resolutions weight loss challengeA recent study has uncovered a link between obesity and ovulation, as well as infertility in women who ovulate regularly.
The study featured in Human Reproduction and reported on WebMD noted that severely obese women were 43% less likely More on Another Reason To Lose Weight, Obesity Linked To Infertility
animal foods drink lots of water effects of stress fresh fruits vegetables human reproduction infertility infertility in women losing weight nuts and seeds obese women obesity optimal weight overweight women ovulation sodasA 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 More on Don’t Drink From That Hotel Glass!
chain hotel drinking glasses effects of stress germs hotel rooms investigative report junk foods raw foods strong immune systemI 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:
So what did I eat to reach almost 2000 calories this day? Here’s a snapshot:
If the image isn’t clear, here’s what I had this day:
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:
> How Many Meals To Good (or Bad) Health?
> 37 Free (Natural) Weight Loss Tips
bmi calories diet holidays how many calories nutritional software nutritional valueWatch out, you may be asked to pay more for your company’s health insurance plan if you’re out of shape.
More and more companies are taking a controversial approach by ‘encouraging’ employees to get fit by lowering their deductibles if they pass a yearly physical fitness test. If they don’t, they pay a much larger deductible.
Would you get in better shape to save thousands every your on your health insurance?
I think this is a brilliant plan since it rewards those that are healthier and file fewer claims. Until now, everyone pays the same regardless of their physical health.
It’s simple economics… and it works. For example, in the video below, you’ll see how an Arkansas county saved over $1.5 million dollars in a year and half after implementing the new plan. When they started, they were in the red half a million dollars. It shows how an economic incentive can help make lifestyle changes and benefit everyone.
In times when health care costs are skyrocketing, this type of incentive is badly needed… and it’s a win-win situation. Overweight employees lose weight, feel better, have more energy and are more productive. They also add years to their life and most likely live better quality lives at home.
Initially many employees find this an intrusion and violation of their rights. After going through the program for some time, they seem to appreciate the benefits for themselves and their employer.
|
|
To your best health!
Mark
Get tips on how to save money on your health insurance at YourHealthInsurance.com
arkansas county deductibles health care costs health insurance health insurance plan lifestyle changes overweightI don’t always agree with Bill Maher but on his show recently he talked about the health crisis we have in the United States… and he made sense. Watch:
Bill is right on here. As I’ve been saying for years, the solution isn’t another pill, it’s what you put into your body, on your body and what you do with your body that will determine how healthy you’ll be.
There is no magic pill as the pharmaceutical industry or government would make you believe. And no, the government is not here to take care of you.
The only answer is to take responsibility for your own health by eliminating all processed foods, toxins, drugs and concentrating on as much fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and natural grains in their natural state, preferably organically grown as possible. Stay active and maintain a positive outlook.
We can encourage others to do this as well and ‘vote’ with your dollars by buying healthy foods and avoiding the junk. Share this with your schools, friends, co-workers, church members, family… anyone you can. If enough do this, the junk will go away because of simple economics, no one will buy it.
To your best health!
Mark
P.S. You can start by ‘voting’ with your own dollars and selecting healthy snacks and food for your family. Learn more.
In a recent study published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen (sounds toxic, doesn’t it?) was shown to actually increase the risk of uterine cancer and death in women.
This is only one of many studies that show Tamoxifen to increase instances and deaths from uterine cancer, although the drug is still on the market.
It’s also interesting to note that most all prescription cancer drugs have a steep price tag, but small (if any) benefit. Some cost as much as $100,000 but only extend the patient’s life a few months (according to their own research).
Why spend hundreds of thousands on chemicals when the best and most logical alternatives cost pennies in comparison?
Can you prevent cancer?
Yes you can, and here are the best ways to do it:
And that’s not just my opinion, even the American Cancer Society, most often tied to the medical establishment, has reported that upwards of 62% of all cancers can be avoided by making simple lifestyle changes.
Regain your health, save time and money and enjoy your life.
To your best health!
Mark
Prime Minister Gordon Brown took a step in the right direction Monday when he announced a new initiative where schools would increase the number of physical fitness programs weekly. This comes on the heels of a report that a full 50% of Britons will be obese in 25 years if current trends continue. I agree with the schools comments that this is a good idea, although more importantly is what parents do at home. Studies have confirmed that parents are the primary influence in children’s lives and the best thing to do is to be a good example and teach them proper eating and activity habits including eating a diet of primarily fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and natural grains.
|
|
