Healthy Living News & Tips

I recently ran across a study done by the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) released earlier this year that reported that just under 1 in 7 Americans eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily and are moderately active for at least 30 minutes five days a week.

In one way I found this surprising since billions are being spent each year on diet and weight loss products and apparently they're not working.

On the flip side, I'm not surprised since there is a growing amount of processed, fat laden, sweetened, modified and just plain bad food on the market. And it's not stopping, companies are continuing to roll out new products which entice first and then addict (with the addition of special ingredients) you to want more and more. There is a great video titled 'How To Get Fat (without even trying)' that shows exactly how our government policies actually encourage overeating and obesity and what you can do about it.

I'm puzzled since staying healthy and at a normal weight is simple.

Eat as much fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and natural grains, drink lots of water and stay active every day. Stay away from processed, fast and packaged foods, which means anything in packaging and most anything served when you eat out. Get plenty of rest and reduce the amount of stress in your life.

I did say simple, but maybe not easy as the statistics don't lie. In fact, since this study was self-reported, and research has show that when asked most people 'see' themselves doing more of something than they actually do, so these numbers are probably high. Also, in reality, the amounts of fruits and vegetables the government recommends are low so the number of Americans in the study is far lower than reported.

If you can't stick to this on your own, I would recommend a planned diet program. It gives you guidelines, step-by-step actions and makes you accountable.

You see, there is no second chance for better health. You either have it, or you suffer with poor health, a shorter life-span and a significantly diminished quality of life. Period. There are no shortcuts to good health.

It's amazing how much of what hurts folks today can easily be resolved with a change in diet and activity. I hope if you hurt, you decide to change your lifestyle today, if only a little. You'll soon see and more importantly feel the benefits that you'll never want to give up.

To your best health!

Mark

http://www.HealthyLivingTalk.com

[ An effective way to start making changes in your diet is to stick with plain old good healthy food. But in today's fast-paced, profit driven society it's harder to find it. Check out what you can get conveniently, and the amazing, life changing stories from those that made just one change in their diet. ]

The largest collection of data available on long term weight loss reports that "diet and exercise" are the key factors to both losing, and maintaining weight. Interesting that almost half of those in the study over 5 years noted that maintaining their weight was easier than losing it in the first place. Something to look forward to after getting to your ideal weight! This is also more evidence that there's no "magic pill" or diet that works for the long term. Sticking to the basics, concentrating on small lifestyle changes that include watching what you eat (and don't eat), regular activity or exercise, drinking lots of water and lowering/managing your stress works every time.

National Weight Control Registry

"Individuals were enrolled in the registry if they had lost at least 30 pounds and had maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds for 1 year or longer. Despite extensive histories of overweight and failed dieting attempts, registry members have lost an average of 66 lb and maintained the required minimum weight loss of 30 pounds for an average of 5 years. Nearly every participant used diet and exercise to initially lose weight, and nearly every subject is currently using diet and exercise to maintain his/her weight loss. Registry members report that weight loss has led to significant improvements in self-confidence, mood and physical health. Surprisingly, 42% of participants report that maintaining their weight loss is less difficult than initially losing the weight."