| Many of us struggle to lose weight. We work hard | | | | However, do not eat many grains in the day because |
| for a few months and then we put weight back on. | | | | those extra starches add up and keep extra weight |
| Herein lies our problem: we eat as if we are going to | | | | on. |
| lose weight for the interim and then go back to our | | | | · Avoid fruit juices, refined carbohydrates like white |
| old ways. Often we set ourselves up to fail by | | | | sugar, white rice and pasta, pop, fast foods and |
| following unwise diets, like the grapefruit diet, the | | | | anything deep fried. Limit your consumption of |
| soup diet and other quick fixes. While most of us | | | | potatoes as they are starchy and tend to pack on |
| should lose a few pounds, radical diets and crazy | | | | the pounds. |
| eating practices just set many of us up for failure. It | | | | · Eat low glycemic and low fat foods. For a list of |
| is no wonder we get desperate to lose quickly when | | | | low, refer to my book "Your Drug Free Guide to |
| we see super skinny women in fashion magazines. I | | | | Healthy Weight Loss" |
| enjoy seeing normal weight women who are fit like | | | | For those who need to count calories and keep track |
| Beyonce, Salma Hayek and so on. A little curve and a | | | | of your food intake, try out this ratio to lose weight: |
| strong body are much more appealing plus, most of | | | | 40% carbohydrates (carbs), 30% fat and 30% |
| all, obtainable. | | | | proteins. Here's how to calculate your daily intake of |
| Our fat gauging tools can certainly throw one for a | | | | calories and carb, fat and protein grams. If you desire |
| loop. The BMI, Body Mass Index, -- which is a | | | | to weigh 135 lbs, you would multiply your goal weight |
| measure of height to weight ratio that is a formula | | | | by 9, so your desired weight "135" x 9 = 1215 |
| that doctors use to calculate obesity -- is not always | | | | calories per day. This number of calories is for a |
| accurate. For example, my husband is 185 pounds and | | | | moderately active person. If you are very physical, |
| six feet tall. According to the BMI, he is in the | | | | you could increase it to a multiplier of 10 or even 11. |
| overweight category. However, he is super slim and | | | | If you are sedentary, you could decrease it to 8. |
| fit. This measuring device doesn't account for muscle. | | | | 40% of your calories should come from carbs. 1215 |
| Any woman who is muscular and weighs more will be | | | | x.40 = 486 calories. 486 divided by 4 (carbs have |
| deemed overweight as well. It is best to look at your | | | | four calories per gram) = 121.5 grams per day of |
| weight as a way to compare yourself before and | | | | carbohydrates. 30% of your calories will come from |
| after and to help you to set goals. | | | | proteins. 1215 x.30 = 364.5 calories. For protein, there |
| An even better indicator of health and body fat is | | | | are 4 calories per gram. 364.5 divided by 4 equals 91 |
| your hip to waist ratio. Waist-to-hip ratio is calculated | | | | grams per day of proteins per day. 30% of your |
| by dividing the circumference of the waist by the | | | | calories will come from fats. 1215 x.30 = 364.5 |
| circumference of the hips. More belly fat results in | | | | calories. Fats have 9 calories per gram. 364.5 divided |
| higher ratios. An eight-fold increased risk for stroke is | | | | by 9 = 40.5 grams of fats per day. To calculate your |
| seen in those with ratios that were greater than 0.97 | | | | grams daily, I recommend getting the book called |
| for men and 0.84 for women. | | | | "The Nutribase Guide to Food Counts" or one like it. |
| If the waist circumference is greater than 40.2 inches | | | | It is very handy and costs about $20.00. You can |
| for men or 34.6 inches for women, the risk of stroke | | | | buy it from your local bookstore. |
| increases more than four-fold compared to individuals | | | | Exercise every day. I have heard many excuses as |
| with a normal waist size, according to researchers. | | | | to why people don't exercise. There is no reason |
| Some diseases are more prevalent when there is | | | | someone cannot move. It can be as simple as |
| more fat around your midsection. These include: | | | | walking to work, riding your bike or using the stairs. |
| · Heart disease (hypertension, heart attack and | | | | You don't have to be a tri-athlete to get your rear in |
| stroke) | | | | gear. Go for a nice walk for half an hour a day. If |
| · High cholesterol (low good cholesterol HDL,which | | | | you have problems with walking, swimming is easy |
| helps to protect people from strokes, and high bad | | | | on the joints. There are many fun things we can do |
| cholesterol LDL) | | | | to keep active. You can join a dance class (salsa, |
| · Diabetes | | | | jazz, ballroom, contra, couples). Try a relaxing |
| · Cancer | | | | exercise class such as Tai Chi, Chi Gong or Yoga. Play |
| What Can You Do To Lose Weight? | | | | hide and seek, tag or badminton with your kids |
| · First of all, do not obsess about your excess | | | | outside. There are many fun ways to move your |
| weight. It will come off. Eating healthy should be your | | | | derriere. Even plan an outing at the zoo, an art gallery |
| lifestyle choice. Eating too little can stunt your | | | | or museum. There is a lot of walking done there, plus |
| metabolism. Make sure you eat three square meals | | | | it takes your mind off having to move. Studies have |
| per day with small snacks mid-morning and afternoon. | | | | shown that people who live to be older than 100 |
| Be sure the quality of the food is high and the | | | | were active everyday, doing physical chores. They |
| quantity is reasonable. | | | | cleaned their own house, worked in their garden or |
| · Eat about fifty percent or more of your daily food | | | | walked every day. |
| intake as vegetables or fruit. This keeps you healthy | | | | Enlist a friend to diet or exercise with. Having a |
| and wards off many diseases. Be sure to eat healthy | | | | support network is well worth it. Plus, in sharing, |
| meats such as lean turkey, chicken, fish and game | | | | people tend to fair better than those who go it |
| meats such as elk and bison which are very lean. Eat | | | | alone. Call a friend, family member or start a biggest |
| healthy vegetarian meals from time to time to | | | | loser contest at work. Our office has eight women |
| replace your meat meals. People who eat vegetarian | | | | competing for the title of biggest loser. We are |
| meals tend to have a longer lifespan than those who | | | | having fun ribbing each other and have the fire of |
| eat more animal meat. Eat whole grains such as | | | | competition in us. |
| brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, millet or whole wheat. | | | | |