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Archive for November, 2009

7 Ways To Go Green And Get Lean

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

When it comes to improving your health, making even just the smallest positive decision can lead to significant results. In the same way, everyday choices can make a big impact on the health of our planet. The interesting thing is that these two are interrelated. The changes you make towards going green will not only mean a healthier you, but a healthier planet Earth as well.

Although I wouldn’t consider myself one of those eco-crazies who always manage to make other less environmentally aware folks guilty for not being “green” enough, I have indeed made some changes as to how I do things in order to be less wasteful and a lot kinder to Mother Earth. Greening my life has enabled me to eat right and burn extra calories while saving some money. With the economic situation in such a bad shape as it is today, the latter is definitely a bonus.

You can do the same thing and reap the same rewards. Below is a list of environment-friendly tips. Following even just one of them is an important step in the right direction. You will see that the benefits you get in return are not only good for you, but for this world we live in as well.

1. Work on your garden. Your garden is the best place to get started in going green. Create a beautiful flower garden or grow your own herbs and vegetables. As you patter about working the earth, you also get to burn calories. Gardening is a relaxing and very rewarding way to stay active. There is also the quiet pleasure you get to experience as you see new things happening in your garden everyday. It will draw you closer to nature which, for some people, can be very spiritually uplifting.

2. Recycle your running shoes. Breathe new and meaningful life into your old pair of sneakers by donating them to people in need. If they are not fit to be given away, they can be recycled into new sports surfaces for playgrounds and basketball courts.

3. Shop locally. When you buy food from local farms or farmers’ markets, you not only help cut back on fossil fuels used to transport food, but you also get to support the small farmers in your region. Aside from all that, you are also more likely to get fresher fruits and vegetables at more affordable prices.

4. Get a reusable water bottle. If you’ve decided to drink more water, you’re on the right track. The next step is to get a reusable water bottle instead of expensive bottled water as the containers end up in our landfills. You can take your reusable water bottle to work and to the gym. There are those which are lightweight and made of stainless steel that do not get that disgusting smell of plastic. You may also want to install a filter on your kitchen sink so that you will always have clean bottle-free water from the tap.

5. Pack your lunch wisely. When you pack your lunch you not only save money, you also reduce waste. Get a reusable lunch bag and keep a set of metal utensils at work. Make sure to prepare yourself controlled-portion snacks that will help you lose weight if you need to, or just allow you to maintain your weight loss.

6. Walk, jog or bike. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, if every American did 30 minutes of walking or cycling instead of driving, the collective effort would cut down carbon emissions by 64 million tons and burn off 3 billion pounds of excess fat. These are staggering facts which should give you more than enough reason to start pedalling your bike around town.

7. Choose the good kind of fish. Fish are a major component of a healthy diet. Unfortunately, many kinds are being overfished and some of them are contaminated with pollutants. Good fish choices which are not overfished are Alaskan salmon, Pacific halibut and mahi-mahi.

About the Author

Charles Alonso Volcolatte is a health and weight loss researcher for www.readysetweightloss.com. He writes and researches actively on Healthy Weight Loss Tips and shares his knowledge at www.readysetweightloss.com where he works as a staff writer.

5 Tips to Keep Your Weight Loss Permanent

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

So you have finally reached your weight goal, great!
It certainly feels good to know that your determination and commitment have paid off. What you need to do now is to sustain your weight loss.

According to statistics, 92% of people who reach their target weight regain what they lost within a year. Do not allow yourself to be a part of that statistic. Outlined below are 5 tips to help you maintain your weight loss for good.

1. Find out the root cause of your weight gain. There are a lot of people who balloon to obesity because they seek comfort in food. If you are an emotional eater, discover what triggers you to turn to such behavior. If you think it is necessary, seek professional help. As long as the underlying problem is never identified and dealt with, you are most likely to eat uncontrollably once again.

2. Control your portions. You don’t have to be precise and carefully measure each morsel of food that goes into your mouth. What’s important is to be aware that half a cake is not beneficial but a sliver is fine. Pizza is okay as long as you don’t consume the entire thing. You can have a few slices with a large salad but you do need to go for a walk after dinner. Another way to limit the amount of fattening food you consume is by always eating salad with lunch or dinner and having something before going to a dinner party. If you keep a food journal, you will be able to see if you are eating too much and need to offset it with exercise and more salads.

3. Keep a food journal. A food journal is a very practical aid that enables you identify your eating behaviour, both good and bad. By jotting down everything you eat and when you eat, you will be able to find out what your weaknesses are as a dieter and make the necessary positive adjustments.

4. Find out how to prepare healthier versions of your favourite foods. There is a way to cut down the caloric content of your favourite dishes, you just need to be creative and resourceful. Check out cooking shows on TV and recipe books sold in stores as well as online which teaches dieters healthier substitutes for high calorie favourites.

5. Always keep the Golden Rule of Weight Loss in mind which is: you must burn off more than you consume. It is important to engage in some form of physical activity thirty minutes everyday. Walking is simple but very effective. You can upload music or any free podcast that interests you (a foreign language you can learn, sermons, motivational talks) and hit the pavement. Or perhaps a recreational sport may be more to your liking such as tennis, badminton or golf. You can also get the rest of the family involved to make it more fun and interesting.

In order to maintain your weight, you should be aware of your eating behaviour, specifically what you eat, why you are eating it (is it because you are hungry or is it just a substitute for something), and when you eat because you need to first digest your food before sleeping. It is not advisable to eat late at night as your body would no longer have the time to burn the calories. What it does is that it stores it as fat.

About the Author
Charles Volcolatte is a health and weight loss researcher for www.skinnyASAP.com. He writes and researches actively on Dieting Information and shares his knowledge at www.skinnyASAP.com where he works as a staff writer.

Spa Massage Melbourne – The Superlative Way To Rest

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

We all get bushed dealing with the daily bother of our lives. To revivify ourselves we need a weekend away. The paramount way to do that is stay at a spa. Whether you are taking a long trip or a short one for a day there are spas offering you services at your convenience expediency.These sitting room have both health retreats and spa. They are mostly to be found in the center of nature to give you a still atmosphere where your mind can relax.

These places also have capable people to suggest you on the kind of diet that would suit you and also give you information on ways to keep a healthy existence. All through your stay you will be served with food which is grown in nature in their gardens and cooked on wooden stoves for minimum use of oil. Only when you exhaust a day at the spa you will know what a paradise it is. It consists of day spa massages which will help you get rid of all the low energy and the dirt and soot of the city. For people who have special weakness they have day spa treatments which consider you in a very comforting way.

If you cannot take a long enough weekend away to move out of the city you have local day spa treatments available which create an ambience to make you feel that you are in the core of natural backdrop which will help you in feeling fresh and re energized.There are health and spa retreats with space to give you a whole feel of heaven on earth. Most of them have rooms which are freshen in such a manner so as to help bypass the fresh air through them. They also come with different discount offers and memberships which you can reward if you want to get more in less money. The massages done here also make you look good-looking and blaze with health. You can get many of the skin harms treated here. Take a break and let go at one of these spas. You are sure to be revitalized.

Vitamins Help in Healthy Living

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

A sensible diet is easier to follow than many people think and results in a number of benefits. Healthy eating can simply involve being aware of what food provides what vitamins and then adding those to your diet.

Vitamins have a positive impact on our energy, complexion, and immune systems.

Vitamin A generally assists in maintaining good eyesight and additionally helps to prevent infections from occurring.

Vitamin B was at one time believed to be a single vitamin but was later discovered to be a group (complex) of eight separate vitamins that assist the body in many different ways.

Vitamin C helps support our immune systems and contributes greatly to our overall health.

Vitamin A also called retinal, is necessary for normal vision and the prevention of night blindness. Vitamin A is used by your body in many different ways. Vitamin A promotes good eyesight, particularly night vision, by keeping the surface linings of the eyes healthy. The surface linings of the intestinal, respiratory, and urinary tracts are also kept healthy by vitamin A. Vitamin A’s wrinkle fighting properties make is a common ingredient of skin creams and it also can assist in getting rid of acne. Apricots, spinach, eggs, carrots and sweet potatoes are all good sources of vitamin A.

Leafy green vegetables, whole grains and meat all contain the vitamin B complex which is a group of 8 separate vitamins that are found together. The body uses B1 to produce energy from fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The body uses B2 to produce energy from the food we consume. B3 helps the body metabolize carbohydrates and is an anti-inflammatory that may help in adult acne treatment. B5 supports several metabolic functions we need in order to grow and be healthy. Vitamin B6 is used by the body to process foods such as protein, carbs and fats. Forming fats and using carbon dioxide is aided by vitamin B7. B9, also called folic acid, is needed for the formation of red blood cells and is given to expectant mothers to promote the healthy development of their babies. The final vitamin in the B complex is B12 which supports the development of red blood cells and is found in all cells in the body.

Unlike a number of animals we humans cannot produce our own vitamin C so we have to eat foods containing vitamin C. Oranges are probably the best known source of vitamin C but it is also found in strawberries, cauliflower and broccoli. Protecting the body from disease, vitamin C supports the body’s immune system. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps to offset the effects on the cells of aging. Vitamin C has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties commonly used in the best acne treatment programs because of its ability to penetrate the skin. The symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and heart disease can be reduced by the intake of vitamin C as well as other anti-inflammatory vitamins.

One of the most important points to consider in achieving healthy living is providing our bodies with the vitamins it needs. Vitamins help to increase your levels of energy, assist your immune system and are vital to your body processing the food you eat. Reaping the benefits that vitamins offer is as easy as eating foods that are vitamin-rich every day.