Take a Pass on to Unhealthy temptations and Stay Fit

We all try to lead a healthy lifestyle with our continuous efforts to stay away from the unhealthy food and near to the gym. But, it becomes very difficult because of the donuts and  munching kept in  the office  near coffee machine, pizza with the friends outside, munching at home and the dinners out. In the morning when we want to leave the bed to head towards the gym to burn the extra calories we have gained, the warm comforter doesn't allow us to do so. The beast known as temptation is always round the corner of our hearts which forces us to eat the unhealthy food. You have to fight with this monster sitting within your heart. You sly him once but he returns again. You again sly, but it will still come up and take you away from all the healthy habits. Fear not, here are some tactics that would help you to keep away from the  unhealthy temptations.

1. Take a deep breath  whenever you feel like eating something unhealthy. When ever you're stressed or anxious, instead of reaching for a bag of fatty munching like chips, focus on your

breath. A few slow, steady breaths through the nose can calm exhausted nerves. Add a mantra: Inhale peace, exhale tension.

2. Drink water. You might  take thirst for hunger by mistake. When you feel an   overwhelming urge to snack, drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. Your "hunger" pangs will likely fade away.

3. Have tea. Herbal and flavored teas pack plenty of flavor with few to no calories and antioxidant property. Choose  a sweet fruity variety to curb the afternoon munchies.

4. Give up the habit of takeout dinner. Instead of getting dinner on busy nights, stop by the supermarket to buy a premium frozen meal. It will cost less than takeout, cook in no time flat and still satisfy your palate.

5. Be a kid again. Order from kids menu. In this way you not only save calories but also the money!

6. Make it “bake”. Skip the fried potatoes, bake them. Make wedges of potato or the sweet potato. Brush some oil and add salt. Bake this in oven at 450F for 30 minutes, flipping half a way.

7. Visualize  the consequences of eating out of temptation. Think that it will take weeks to bounce back to whatever unhealthy you are going to eat now.

8. Track your calories. Keep a record of the calories you are eating. You can do so manually or online. There are certain websites which will help you calculate them. The number of calories required by your body every day is an important factor in how much you weigh. An adult man's body contains 10-20 percent more lean tissue (muscle) than a woman of similar size and age, therefore, a lower body fat percentage. This alone means that a man's average calorie needs are about 5-10 percent higher than a woman's calorie needs.

9. If you are a big chocolate and cream lover and can't take a pass onto cakes and other similar eatables, try this. Mix up some low fat milk with chocolate syrup, then slowly savor each rich and sweet sip.  In addition to the taste you'll get a boost of calcium. Your craving for creamy chocolate treats will go away.

10. Start your dinner or lunch with soup. Research has found that eating a broth based soup at the beginning of a meal can help prevent overeating. Soups are high-volume foods but often low in calories. Choose low-sodium varieties or make your own.

11. Find support from your friends, family members and relatives. Tell them about your goal and what you aim. Ask for help if you are an emotional eater. Whenever you feel disturbed or anxious, call someone or talk to someone you feel comfortable with. If you urge to eat a tub of cookies or ice-cream find the company until the urge passes. Whenever  you want to blow out the calorie bank phone a friend. Go to gym or for a walk/run.

12. Next time when you visit the super market, stick  yourself to the perimeter where you find fruits, vegetables, whole and healthful food.  If you are closer to the processed and unhealthful foods you'll find yourself tempting to buy that food. Whole, healthful foods are usually along the outside edges of the store.

13. Build a healthy, bigger and better burger for yourself. Drop the  the cheese slice to save 50 calories and 3 grams of fat or more. Swap beef for a veggie burger, use wheat buns not white and pile on the tasty, low-cal toppings: onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and mustard. You can easily make at home with light mayonnaise, if you wish.

14. Reduce your meatballs. Meatballs at a restaurant can weigh up to 8 ounces--more than twice a serving of meat. Make your own meat balls using  extra lean turkey or beef. Create   a  size of a dice. Six dice sized meatballs should equal a 3-ounce portion.

15. Learn to face your fear. When you feel strong enough to buy something to eat from outside, bring that temptation home. Know your strength. Tell yourself that you have the power to resist and  it can make you feel even more powerful. Tell yourself the that just because the cookies are in the pantry doesn't mean you have to eat them.

16.Make a journal. Write  down  that you are trying to lose weight and it is difficult for you to control the temptation.  Weigh the pros and cons of a decision of eating or not going for a workout. Make a list, then start counting: How many pros and how many cons? The answer

should be clear to you.

17. The next time you're out for cocktails, ask the bartender to cut your drink with seltzer or club soda. You'll save calories, and the bubbles add a festive touch.

18. If find that something is tempting you, just like some donuts in the  bakery near you, avoid the place. Out of sight, out of mind. You might trash the pantry of junk food, changing the channel to avoid fast food ads or taking an alternate route so you  don't walk past the bakery.

Source: http://www.citymasala.com/

The Pool of Toxins Around You

Every day we make choices those either bring beneficial elements into our lives or the toxic ones. The ebook- 'The Pool of Toxins Around You' is all about having non-toxic choices at each step and in every sphere of the life. The each small, incremental and quiet choice you make, you give your body just another step towards a healthier and disease free life. This book will bring your attention towards the fact that how the simple choices made in everyday life can reduce the impact of many of these toxins. You find that you have several 'green' choices those can replace the toxin containing products from your day to day life.
This e-book helps you to make greener and non-toxic choices without sacrificing convenience and budget.
Go ahead and get a copy of this ebook.

Yogic Diet to stay fit and young

Today everyone is talking about Yoga. Yoga, as thought to be just another way of workouts, is much more than just a physical activity. It focuses on mental, emotional and physical well being of an individual. Yoga inspires individuals to embark upon a journey that will bring a healthy, disease free, long, contented and spiritual life ahead. No matter what is the age, size, sex, health condition, religion or the mental state of a person is, yoga is for everyone. There are variations which meet the needs of everyone. If you are already practicing yoga postures only, you have a further chance to improve your life by switching to 'Yogic Diet' which will enhance your physical comfort and mental peace. You will be feel younger and fit than ever before.

A yogic diet will undoubtedly make the body light, fit, and bring about better control over emotions and stress. The diet will certainly give you a better clarity of the thoughts & concepts. This diet is easy to digest and helps in detoxification of the body naturally. In addition you will be blessed with enhanced memory and concentration after a few weeks of continuing with this kind of diet.

The yogic diet strongly recommends the vegetarian diet, believing the fact that human body is not intended to eat meat because our digestive system is different from the meat eating animals. Consider the fact that it takes 3 days for red meat to pass through the digestive system whereas vegetarian food is eliminated only in 24-28 hours. In addition to health benefits, yoga propagates non-violence, thus killing an animal for food is not acceptable.

The yogic diet constitute mainly the fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, legumes, pulses, seeds milk and its products, nuts and honey. The emphasis is laid that food should not be over cooked or undercooked as both the practices spoils nutrition present in it. Avoid having too cold and too hot food because it becomes difficult for the body to digest it in both extreme cases. The food which is too spicy, salty, sour, under ripe, over ripe and bitter should not be eaten. The use of tea, coffee, alcohol, chocolate, too much sugar, garlic and eggs is also omitted. The diet should have all essential nutrients in a balanced form.

You don't have to change your diet overnight but proceed gradually towards yogic diet. You will see the results soon. This diet will bring harmony in your life suppressing the stimulating factors that cause restlessness, diseases and other mental diversions.

Source:  Examiner.com

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Cut Down Extra Calories in this Holiday Season

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year are occasions when family and friends are gathered around, adds fun to our lives and brings moments of joy. These occasions may distract you from the everyday concerns and worries but, distraction from your diet-No way. On an average a person gains 7-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New year! Here are few steps to keep up yourself throughout the holidays and add joy.

Count the calories

The Caloric Control Council reveals the fact that an average American consumes around 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone. The fat amount equals to the fat that we should take in three days and twice as many calories which should be consumed in one day. Most of these calories come from snacking all day. So you better watch what you are snacking on and control the portion size.

The turkey itself is a lean meat containing low fat and moderate number of calories. If you are eating a 3 oz serving of white meat, you get 140 calories and 3 grams of fat. In contrast to this, dark meat consists of 160 calories and 7 grams of fat and twice as much iron as present in same amount of white meat.

You can remove skin which is going to cut back 18-20 calories per serving and 2-3 grams of fat. Further cut down calories by basting the bird with white wine or low sodium broth instead of using butter. Add lot of vegetables in the stuffing. The vegetables like carrots, onion, water chestnuts and celery are low in calories and add to taste.

Replacing just one cup of sugar with a sugar substitute like Splenda brand will save over 750 calories. So why not to use it in your pies and other baked goods.

You can further save approximately 77 calories per servings by replacing bleached flour with whole wheat flour. If you think your recipe really requires bleached flour, add half wheat and other half bleached flour.

Make your own chip dip. Replace half of the mayonnaise with low fat sour cream. You will get same creamy flavor, texture and feel and only 1300 less calories in a cup.

Commercially prepared canned Cranberry sauce contains 110 calories in one fourth cup and is loaded with sugar , corn syrup and other sweeteners. Home made cranberry sauce has 20 calories per one fourth cup!

Use low-sodium or reduced-fat varieties of cream of mushroom (or cream of celery) soup for green bean casserole. Choose low-sodium, and you’ll cut nearly 1,000 milligrams of sodium (per can) from your recipe.

Use water, skim milk or low-sodium chicken broth instead milk to dilute the soup.

Now you are ready and you can look forward to spend time with friends, family, and good food!

Benefits of the Family Meal

Approximately half of the pre-school children do not have breakfast with their parents on most mornings. Parents set the food on the table in a hurry to finish off the household chores in busy morning time. Dozens of scientific studies have demonstrated an impressive list of benefits associated with eating together as a family.

The nutritional benefits alone are dramatic. Each meal at home is healthier than a meal on go. The meals on go also lessen the enjoyment and fun time that kids can actually spend with their parents. As kids eat more at home with parents, they naturally begin to eat whole food grains, dairy products, fruits and vegetables than their peers do. They are more likely to achieve the nutritional benefits derived from the food. They eat less deep fried foods and drink fewer sugared and carbonated drinks.
Increasing the number of family dinners results in higher intake of several specific nutrients such as high fiber, calcium, folate, iron, vitamins B6, B12, C and E. The educational benefits are even greater when kids are involved in cleaning and preparation. They come to know how to plan for the meals and they may learn a few simple age-appropriate baking techniques, boosting their self confidence even more. Kids can do anything from setting or clearing the table, arranging table, chopping, cutting, pouring milk, water or juice in glasses. You can always make teams or assign the work to each individual, inculcating the sense of responsibility

Students eating more meals at home perform better in school. They spend more time in doing their homework, obtain better grades and read for pleasure. The probability of their involvement in alcohol intake, tobacco or illegal drugs is reduced considerably. They are less likely to engage in early sexual activity or develop eating disorders. The kids have high self esteem and lower chances of these kids experiencing depression.

But it is very important to understand that bringing takeout food home and eating it at home in front of television is different from eating together with family around the table. The more often children sit in front of television, the more likely they are to get additional calories from fatty meats, pizza, salty snacks and sodas. Try new things. Bring variety by including the dishes from various parts of the world and allow kids to choose whatever they like most.

Each family meal offer routine and consistency in the midst of change. These meals are an opportunity to learn together about communication, manners, nutrition and good health.

At dinner the table, the conversation between parents and kids makes kids feel more closer and bonded with parents. The communication becomes fruitful when everyone shares experiences, discuss the holiday plan, feelings, information and small kids especially come to learn many more things. The get a feel of love, bonding and security with parents.

Its a great way to model behavior as the parents expect their kids to be like. Parents can teach table manners, meal etiquette, and social skills without giving lectures or spanking children just by demonstrating their own self.

Even without conscious efforts family meals provide better nutrition, better health, behavior and happier parents, children and grandparents.

Moderating Alcohol Consumption for Health

Alcohol is both a tonic and a poison. More than half of all adults drink, but, not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. It is said that moderate alcohol consumption helps to protect against heart disease by raising HDL (good) cholesterol and reducing plaque accumulations in your arteries, and also has mild anti-coagulating effect, which helps keep platelets from clumping together to form clots.

The effect of alcohol depends upon the person’s size, weight, sex and age. Drinking more than three drinks a day has a direct toxic effect on the heart. The immediate effects of alcohol intake may cause talkativeness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, if taken in larger quantity. Heavy drinking over the time can damage the heart and lead to high blood pressure, enlarged and weakened heart, congestive heart failure and stroke. Health experts recommend that women should not take more than one standard drink a day, and men take no more than two standard drinks; standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. Women should have no more than 12 ounces of beer a day and men no more than 24 ounces —whether the beer is regular or light. By nature, a woman’s body metabolizes alcohol differently so that 1 alcoholic beverage in a woman is equal to 2 in a man. Alcohol remains in a woman’s body longer than in a man’s.

Alcohol may combine with many drugs, both prescription and non-prescription. Mixing alcohol with your medicine can lead to serious untoward effects. Long-term heavy use of alcohol not only destroys the cerebellum of the brain, causing irreversible brain damage but also results in slowed thinking, an unsteady walk and slurred speech

If you are weight conscious you would like to know that a regular beer 12-ounce serving, has about 140 to 150 calories, whereas light beers contain from 95 to 110 calories. Dark beers and ales can have from 150 to 170 calories, while nonalcoholic beers contain about 45 to 75 calories. Beer’s impact on your overall health, however, relates largely to the alcohol content, which is barely influenced by a lower-calorie content. The alcohol content of light beer is only slightly less than regular beers.

If you are want to cut back your alcohol intake try the following things:

•Order an nonalcoholic drink when you go out to drink.
•Discover new places, sports clubs and other things to do rather sitting in a bar and having drinks.
•Start with water to quench your thirst, not alcohol.
•Find support from friends and family.
•Find some thing which you can get involved in creatively
•Have ginger ale or juice with some healthy munchies while watching TV.
Source:http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Exercise Mistakes

You might be just a beginner or may be experienced in your exercise regimen, but there are many mistakes most of us make while workout. These mistakes become a part of our exercise routine like bad habits, and can lead to injury, joint pain and delayed or no results. In order to get maximum benefit out of the hard work you put in during exercise to remain fit, it is very important that you identify problem areas.

Avoiding the Warm Up

Warming up before beginning the strength training or other work out may sound so boring and like a waste of time, but the warm up is a very important part of the exercise regimen, with many benefits. It should be the base of any fitness plan. Warm ups prepare muscles and connective tissue to loosen up and bear with the stress during the exercise. Your muscles work better because of blood flow toward the muscles, giving better results. Joints are lubricated, which decreases the chances of joint pain. If you skip warming up consistently, you are at high risk of injury and delayed result gains.

Always warm up for 8-10 minutes and then jump into your workout. If your body is lightly sweated, you are good to go.

Skipping Cool Down and Stretches

Doing stretching exercises and cooling down is equally important. Stretching and cooling down helps the body change from one exercise to the other.

Cooling down specifically helps transition the body and mind to rest after you have worked. It gradually lowers your heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. The sudden transition of the body from exercising to rest may cause blood pressure to drop, which could cause dizziness or fainting. By properly cooling down you also prevent muscle stiffness or soreness. Cooling down should always be gradual and be done after any exercise or strength training for 10-15 minutes. Keep in mind that stretching is not same as cooling down.

Stretching helps decrease the tension in your body, improves posture and aids coordination. Stretching helps joints and body parts to move further, avoiding the risk of injury or any kind of discomfort. Furthermore, it establishes breathing patterns, delays the onset of muscle fatigue and increases energy levels. Stretching from head to toe when the body is warmed up and more flexible is desirable for maximum benefits. Stretches should be slow, controlled and gradual, avoiding any jerks or bouncy movements. You should have a feeling of a little discomfort while you stretch. If you feel pain, you have stretched too much. You can do stretching exercise 15-18 minutes everyday with each stretching 15-30 seconds

Source: http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/