Living Naturally Healthy
Be Great in 2008Archive for weight loss
Don’t Let Cold Weather Keep You From Exercising
by Susan Patterson
As fall and winter settle in, many new dieters have to move their exercise routines indoors to keep up with their weight loss success. Many people find this difficult, as they think they will finally have to face the reality of working out in a gym. People who are severely overweight may be extremely uncomfortable with this idea and give up entirely. But don’t despair; just because you exercise inside does not mean you have to go to a gym to do it. Follow these suggestions for moving your workouts indoors.
Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
by Susan Patterson
With the holidays around the corner, many who have their diets under control may be fearful about the wave of parties and events centered around food in the coming months. If this is your first holiday season following your healthy lifestyle, you may be apprehensive about how to handle social situations with endless buffet tables and overflowing dessert trays. While it is easy to get off track, there are a few strategies you can follow to stay on the beam.
Eat These Superfoods for a Longer Life
by Susan Patterson
If you’re looking for a more natural way to lower cholesterol and blood pressure while preventing heart disease, incorporating superfoods into your diet is an excellent choice. A superfood is anything that contains a high level of essential nutrients that are scientifically proven to have specific health benefits. Unlike prescription drugs, naturally incorporating nutrients in your diet through food is a great way to get the benefits without side effects. These are not meant to replace drugs if you have a serious condition, but could help them be more effective.
Can Internet Dieting Work For Me?
by Susan Patterson
The internet is a great tool for gathering information. In recent years it has become a powerful ally in weight loss due to the ability to connect with others from around the globe quickly and easily. Diet plans have sprung up all over the web, and many major programs like Weight Watchers are now completely available online. But how well do they really work? Should you spend the money? The answers to these and other questions depend on a number of factors.
Overcome Mental Barriers to Exercise
by Susan Patterson
Many people know what they should do to lose weight, but for obese women, there are several mental blocks that keep them from exercising. A study at Temple University of 278 women showed that women who were severely overweight had a hard time exercising because of several reasons. Among these were the feel that they were too fat to exercise, fear of injury or failure, thinking their health was too poor, having aches and pains and feeling self-conscious. Women were given follow-up questionnaires at three and twelve months, and these attitudes prevailed over the entire course of the study for those who were overweight. But you can overcome these attitudes and lose weight. Let’s look at them in more detail.
The Jerusalem Diet Takes a Different Approach
by Susan Patterson
Everyone has a goal weight in mind. Sometimes when we’re dieting we get so caught up on the desired end result that each day we forget to rejoice in the small miracles that happen on our journey. Don’t obsess over your goal weight. Set small short-term goals. The Jerusalem Diet can help shift the focus from that final number to the daily changes that occur along the way.
Ancient Diet Techniques for Modern Times
by Susan Patterson
Dieting is as old as mankind. Even though many prefer to stay on top of new diet trends and follow the diet of the day, many older dieting techniques can help you lose weight. The Mediterranean eating habits remain a favorite among health care professionals, but there is the Jerusalem Diet and the Hawaiian Diet. Fasting was practiced for health as well as religious reasons. All these lifestyle changes are as valid today as they were when initially practiced. Let’s explore them and find one that may work for you.
Manage Your Cravings and Lose Weight
by Susan Patterson
When on a diet, it’s especially common to want what we can’t have. Cravings are common, and sometimes feel so strong that there’s no way to resist temptation and we go off our diets. The guilt from giving in keeps us from continuing with our weight loss effort, and we give up, determined that we can never be successful. But those who do lose weight and keep it off are not immune to food cravings; they just know how to manage them better. Learning more about what cravings really are could be the first step in mastery over them.
Create a Longer, Leaner Body with Pilates
by Susan Patterson
Many women do not like weight training for fear of bulking up. Unlike men, most women want soft features and toned bodies without bulging muscles. For some of us, the high-energy gym atmosphere just isn’t our thing. Others prefer to engage their mind as well as their body. If you are looking to create a toned body through low-impact exercises in a more serene setting, Pilates may be for you. The gentleness of Pilates makes it popular for those who feel intimidated by a gym setting. But make no mistake, this doesn’t mean that it’s easy.
Three Ways to Add Variety to Your Walking Workout
by Susan Patterson
Walking is hands down the most popular form of exercise around. It’s easy to start and doesn’t require anything but a good pair of shoes. Many people who are too embarrassed to try other forms of exercise enjoy a nice walk. The great thing about walking is that when done properly it burns a higher percentage of fat than other activities. But if you’ve hit a plateau or become bored with your routine, there are things you can to add more variety and burn more calories during your workout.
