Eat More Fiber

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fruitsandvegetables2 A recent Tufts University study showed that women wo ate less than 13 grams of fiber per day were five times as likely to be overweight.

The American Heart Association states eating a diet high in fiber can reduce your risk of heart disease, reduces cholesterol, and your risk of other diseases including obesity.

High fiber foods are rich in nutrients. Fiber requires more chewing and boosts your satiety hormones. You stay fuller longer so are less likely to over eat. Higher fiber foods are usually low in calories.

According to the FDA:
Women under 50 years old need 25 grams of fiber per day, Men need 38
Women over 50 years of age need 21 grams of fiber per day, Men need 30

Most people average 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day. Don’t increase your fiber all at once as it may cause bloating and discomfort. Each week add additional fiber to 1 meal or snack per day. Within
5 – 6 weeks you’ll be eating the amount of fiber you need and you will weigh less.

Tips to increase your fiber intake:

For breakfast have cereal that is high in fiber. The best choices usually include bran or fiber in their name.
Add unprocessed wheat bran to your meal – such as casseroles, meatloaf etc.
Switch to whole-grains – Think whole grain bread, brown rice, barley, and whole wheat barley
Eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day
Eat fruit for your morning and afternoon snacks
Leave the skins on fruit and vegetables when appropriate
Add raisins, bananas, or berries to yogurt
Top off foods with wheat germ
Eat more beans. You can add them to soups, stews or salads. Or have rice and beans or a bean burrito. (Tip: To get rid of the gas put a teaspoon of baking powder into the beans while heating them up.)

Once you get into the habit of eating a high fiber diet, you’ll find your cravings for sweets are less. You’ll also feel full and satisfied which will help you stay on whatever weight loss diet program you choose.

To your success on your weight loss journey!

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The History of Thanksgiving in America

First Thanksgiving When Americans think of Thanksgiving, most recall the story of the Pilgrims and Indians at Plymouth Rock.

As the story goes, the Pilgrims arrived in America on December 11, 1620, completely unprepared for the winter they were about to face. Out of the 102 passengers that arrived on the Mayflower, 46 died during the first few months.

Despite the devastation, they had a good harvest, partly in thanks to the Indians who lived nearby.

They had a traditional British Harvest Feast in thanks to God for their survival, along with the provisions and blessings that would see them through the winter. They actually had more meat than vegetables, including venison, fish, and wild foul which may or may not have really been turkey, in contrast to our modern Thanksgiving menu.

Considering they did not have a lot of flour or sugar on hand, they probably didn’t have much in the way of desserts. They likely had boiled pumpkin, in lieu of pumpkin pie. The very first Thanksgiving feast lasted for three days.

For many years, Thanksgiving was not an annual event in the U.S. There was a drought in 1623, and instead of having a celebration the Pilgrims held a prayer service. When their prayers were answered the next day, they invited their Indian friends to join them in another Thanksgiving observance.

In Charlestown, Massachusetts June 20, 1676 was celebrated as a day of Thanksgiving. However, this was very different from the first Thanksgiving. This was to celebrate a victory over the Indians. In October of 1677, all thirteen colonies celebrated another victory, this time it was the victory over the British.

George Washington established the very first national Thanksgiving day in 1789 even though not everyone agreed it was good idea, including Thomas Jefferson.

What we know as our modern Thanksgiving didn’t come to life until 1863. Sarah Josepha Hale decided to promote Thanksgiving in her Boston Ladies’ Magazine and in Godey’s Lady’s Book. She also wrote letters to different presidents and governors.

Thanksgiving was finally established by Abraham Lincoln as the last Thursday in November. After being changed around a few times (to the third Thursday), Thanksgiving was established on its current date, the fourth Thursday of November, in 1941.

It has drifted away from it’s original focus of being thankful over the years. It has become a day to stay home from work, eat a lot of good food, and watch football. While none of those things are bad, we should all take the time to actually be thankful for our blessings, and let those that we are thankful for be aware of just how much they mean to us.

Truly be thankful this Thanksgiving for all that you DO have.

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Thanksgiving Does Not Mean You Have to Gain Weight

Family Dinner Everyone knows that Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to relax, and enjoy some time with our family and friends. Most of us also know it is a great way to pack on the pounds. While Thanksgiving has become associated with stuffing ourselves silly, there are ways to help curb your eating, and give yourself a positive, healthy start to the holiday season. Enjoy these tips to help cut back this turkey day.

Not eating too much on Thanksgiving actually starts on the previous day. The stresses of making travel arrangements, coordinating get-togethers, and buying supplies may cause you to start over-eating before the big day even arrives! Remember to take time to relax, de-stress, and take some time out for yourself during the month of November. This is actually a good philosophy to keep through-out the rest of the holiday season as well.

Making small meal changes and substitutions while cooking is one simple way to keep from gaining weight at Thanksgiving. This does NOT mean you have to prepare a tofurkey! Just substitute certain ingredients for healthier alternatives. Such as adding spices to your meals instead of butter or gravy. You can even substitute evaporated skim milk in desserts and chicken broth to gravy and mashed potatoes to add flavor without all the fat. You can try alternate cooking methods as well, like letting the fat drip off of the turkey or steaming the vegetables to make the meal healthier.

Even if your Thanksgiving dinner is early, do not skip lunch. If you’re starving when you go to eat, you will likely eat a lot more, even factoring in the extra lunch calories. Just remember to eat a sensible lunch, and don’t “pig out” before the big meal either. Try eating a healthy snack prior to the main course, such as a piece of fruit. You can also cut your portions of fatty foods by adding a healthy option at the beginning of the meal, such as a nice salad.

Instead of taking a little bit of everything, pick up the things you want to eat the most, and take only a sensible portion of each item. Many of us do pretty well when it comes to keeping our portions small at Thanksgiving, but depending on how many options you have at your meal, all of those small choices can add up to a lot of calories. By only taking the foods you want the most, you will consume fewer calories, but you’ll feel more satisfied because you got eat all of your favorites.

Besides limiting your caloric intake, try going for a walk with a loved one, or play football with the kids, or do some other phyical activity after the meal. This will help get your digestive system revved up to digest and burn off those extra calories faster. Another great option that the whole family can join in and bond at the same time is an active game like charades.

With just a little bit of effort and planning on your part, you can keep your waistline from expanding this Thanksgiving holiday!

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Five Tips to Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays

HolidayWeightGain It’s easy to fret about gaining back the weight you’ve spent significant time and effort losing with the holiday season fast approaching. Here are five tips to help you avoid putting on much weight, if any during your holiday celebrations.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#1 - Fill up on more sensible foods

Foods which are high in fiber or water will fill you up quicker and help you avoid overindulging on the “bad” foods. Try taking an extra spoonful of fruit or vegetables when you fix your plate, and by the time you finish there won’t be any room left for the other high calorie foods, which are more likely to cause you to gain weight.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#2 – Eat smaller portions

Of course everything on the table looks enticingly tasty, and it’s all you can do to keep from going back for seconds and thirds so you can sample everything. A very simple solution to keep this urge at bay is to take smaller portions of the dishes you are most interested in, especially those pound-packing desserts. Try to share a piece of pie or cake with your spouse, child, or another family member who may also be trying to watch their waistline.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#3 – Drink constantly- before, during and after meals

Drink plenty of water, or another unsweetened beverage, before each meal as well as during and in between meals. The liquid in your stomach will help trick your mind into not feeling as hungry, and that reduces the tendency to stuff yourself with potentially fattening foods.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#4 - Stay away from the snacks

If you choose to sit within an arm’s reach of the snack table, you will most likely have a tough time keeping yourself from unconsciously grabbing handfuls of party mix, chips, cookies, candies, and the like, and snacking on them all day. By positioning yourself on the other side of the room, getting the snacks involves a very conscious effort in getting up, and walking over to get the snacks, thereby reducing your tendency to mindlessly consume countless calories.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#5 – Take an exercise break

If the weather is nice enough, go outside for a quick walk around the house or around the block. If you’re in a colder climate, you’ll be more inspired to quicken your pace and burn a few extra calories in the process. If the weather is too bad, do 10-20 squats, stretches, or other brief exercise each time you use the restroom. You will want to do just enough to increase your heart rate, but not so much that you break into a sweat. That way, no one else will know what you are doing so you won’t feel self-conscious about trying to maintain your figure and prevent weight gain.

If you still manage to put on a few extra pounds, don’t sweat it. It is likely that any weight you do gain will come off shortly after the holidays are over if you have been following a sensible diet and exercise plan. So, don’t stress, and enjoy the time you get to spend with those you love.

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The Holidays and Unwanted Weight Gain

HolidaysUnwantedWeightGain Family and friends come together for celebrations of good cheer, and an abundance of wonderful food and drinks during the very special time of year we call the holiday season.

There are body-warming, hot beverages like hot chocolate and spiced cider, along with delicious desserts of warm pies and cookies, and of course the lavish meals of ham and turkey with all of the fixings.

We can’t forget all of the time we spend shopping for the perfect gift and preparing for house guests and parties. So, many of us tend to use the convenience of fast food for our meals on the go. With all of these wonderful things comes that unwanted holiday “curse”; that dreaded holiday weight gain.

We find ourselves having to make that New Year promise to eat healthy and diet to shed those extra pounds, even though we all know that this happens every year. There has to be a better way, right?

There has to be some way that we can enjoy the holidays, and not worry about having to pay the price for our enjoyment for several months in the New Year (just in time for bikini season). Of course there isn’t any magic pill that is fix this problem, but there are a few things you can do over the holidays to prevent unwanted excess pounds from packing on.

My first suggestion is to control your portions. Even though the food is so delicious that you just want to stuff yourself sometimes, try not to eat to excess. Spread out the pleasure by spreading out those tasty holiday dishes. There is plenty to go around, so enjoy your desserts, but don’t eat many of them!

Next, make sure you drink plenty of water. The suggested amount of water you should drink is at least 6 to 8 servings per day. You may find yourself needing to use the restroom more frequently, but you will also find yourself feeling more full causing you to eat less often because you won’t feel as hungry. The water will also help flush excess waste from some those fatty meals causing less clogging and bloating of those pipes (that would be the colon for those of you that may still be groggy from full tummy’s!).

Staying active is another great idea during this typically non-active time of the year. Take walks after your meals and you will be amazed at how much better you will feel. If it’s too cold outside, go to an indoor mall and walk around a few times. Not only will you be getting much needed exercise, but you’ll be able to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season.

Happy Holidays!

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Four Easy Desk Exercises

business and work

Many of us sit at desks all day typing away at our computers. Because of this development in history most of us don’t get enough physical activity. This is why it is extremely important to do desk exercises.

The human body was not designed to sit around. Obesity and muscle related health concerns have been related to physical inactivity.

Being trapped at your desk all day is not an excuse to be inactive. Here are four easy desk exercises you can do without leaving the comfort of your cubicle.

Desk Exercise #1 – Quick Cardio

You need to elevate your heart rate often in order to keep your heart healthy. while the best cardio workout is to get it up and keep it up for at least 20 minutes – Every little counts!

If you have a spare 5 minutes during the day – that will be enough to get your blood pumping!

Here’s a great way to get your blood moving without having to leave your chair …

Pump your arms up above your head and then down again for 30 seconds. Next, you’ll want to tap your feet rapidly back and forth – like you’re running in place. Alternate arms and feet for about five minutes.

Desk Exercise #2 -Arm Stretches

If you’re on the computer all day it is important to stretch your arms and wrists. stretching helps to relieve stress created by repetitive movements.

Here are some wrist and arm stretches that can be done quickly and easily.

Extend your arm straight out in front of you. Your wrist should be bent back so your palm is facing out (away from your body). Use the other arm to pull back your hand. You should be able to feel the stretch in your whole arm. Repeat with the other arm.

Next you’ll want to press your palms firmly together in front of you. Your elbows should be bent and lifted. Bend your wrists back and forth, pushing with your hands.

You should also raise your hands directly above you while interlacing your fingers. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Slowly lower your arms so that they are directly in front of you, then raise them high above your head again. You should do this 3 to 5 times.

Desk Exercise #3 – Leg lifts

You can damage your legs by sitting or standing in the same position all day. Lack of circulation in your legs can cause blood clots and other conditions as well as result in pain.

Improve the health of your legs by increasing the circulation with the following exercise.

Sit up straight in your chair. Extend one leg until it is straight in front of you. Hold it there for a moment and then return it back to the floor. Continue this exercise alternating legs for 3 to 5 minutes.

You can also lift one leg a few inches off the floor while keeping your knee bent. You’ll want to hold it there before returning it to the floor. Repeat for a few minutes while alternating legs.

Desk Exercise #4 -Back stretches

Sitting at a desk all day can also be murder on your back. You can actually relieve back pain at work without taking time out of your day. This will require a bit of concentration on your part.

You’ll need to be sure that you use proper posture throughout the day. By learning to sit up straight in your chair without slouching will cause long term relief of pain.

If you experience back pain throughout the day you can find temporary relief by pulling your stomach forward while arching your back and bending your shoulders back. Another great stretch for your back is to to sit up straight with your body facing forward in your chair while turning around with your upper body.

While these exercises aren’t going to give you a killer body, they will help you feel better and make you healthier.

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Fun Family Thanksgiving Ideas

happy family of four posing outdoors with squash Thanksgiving should always be a fun time of celebration, eating, and thankfulness with your family. Here are some ways to help make Thanksgiving even more fun and memorable for you and your family this year.

Thankful cards- Everyone should make a card for each family member (or friend) that will be your guest for Thanksgiving this year. (Don’t forget to include your loved ones that live with you!)

Be sure to tell that person what you love the most about them and why you are thankful for them on each card. These will be memorable years later when all of the food is long forgotten.

Recipe books- A few months before Thanksgiving, make a list of each family member and friend that shares in your celebration. Beside their name, make a note of their best dish. Call or write to each person and ask them for a copy of that recipe, along with one or two more of their personal favorites that they’d like to share.

When you have collected all of the recipes, compile them into a booklet and print them out. You can use your personal computer and printer, or seek professional services for a longer-lasting recipe book. After all of your guests arrive for Thanksgiving dinner, give everyone a copy of your very special recipe book.

Family scrapbooks- Gather as many family pictures as you can. If you don’t have many, you can get extra prints made at any local copier. Purchase mini scrapbooks at any scrapbook supply store, along with stickers, markers and various scrapbook supplies. Create miniature family scrapbooks, using one photograph per page.

Be sure to write what you are thankful for, in relation to each family member, on their designated page. On Thanksgiving day, give a copy of your mini family scrapbook to each family member as a memento after dinner. It will be one celebration no one will be likely to forget for years to come.

Be sure to leave us a comment with your own Fun Familiy Thanksgiving Ideas!

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12 Tips to Lose Weight Naturally

So you want to lose weight naturally?

The best way to lose weight naturally is to to make it a habit to Eat until you feel comfortable – not stuffed!
Begin eating healthier low fat foods 90% of the time and you should begin to lose weight. You’ll find that when you make healthier choices you can actually eat more food and still lose weight.

You may begin to shed weight just be eating less and exercising a little more. Or you may be the type that loses weight very slowly. Every pound you shed seems like a long uphill battle. Remember it’s a battle worth fighting. You are uniquely made. We each lose weight at a different pace. What works for you, may not work for me.

Try to think of the food you put into your mouth as your allies, not your enemy. By eating a healthier diet you’ll find you have more energy and stamina. This in turn will help you to stay on an exercise program. Be patient and you will reach your desired weight loss goal. Eat healthier low fat foods 90% of the time and you should begin to lose weight.

Over the last few decades we have become obsessed with “Fast Food”. And not just from the fast food restaurants. We want to open a can, heat it up and eat it. We buy pre-cooked everything from canned and frozen foods to prepackaged and frozen meals. If you truly want to lose weight and improve your health, it’s essential that you learn how to read food labels. You’ll be amazed at what you have been feeding your family and yourself.

12 Tips on How to lose Weight Naturally

Eat 3 or more servings of vegetables a day
Eat 2 or more fresh fruits daily
Eat foods from all food groups
Eat whole grains
Eat more fish and poultry
Reduce the amount of processed foods you eat
Reduce your sugar intake
Drink 8 or more glasses of water per day
Eat 5 – 6 small meals per day
Eat only when you are hungry
Do not eat foods you don’t like
Incorporate regular daily exercise into your life

We wish you much success in your quest to lose weight naturally.

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The History of Thanksgiving in Canada

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian Friends!

In Canada, Thanksgiving can be traced back to Martin Frobisher in 1578. He left England in search of a way to get to the Orient by traveling north. Although he never did find that passage, he did establish what later became Newfoundland and Labrador.

The first Thanksgiving in North America was his celebration of making it all the way from England to his new home. Frobisher was joined by more settlers, and as the settlements expanded, the people continued to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Samuel de Champlain led the French settlers to Canada, and they had their own Thanksgiving feasts. The French shared what they had with the local Indians that lived in the area, similar to the Pilgrims first Thanksgiving.

There were various special Thanksgiving celebrations over the years. One took place in 1763 at the end of the Seven Years’ War. Celebrations were held in Halifax as the British took possession of New France. Celebrations were not held yearly at this point.

In 1879 Thanksgiving finally became an annual celebration; however the date was not always the same. Each year, the people were encouraged to focus on different things for which to be thankful. These reasons varied from the usual abundant harvests to remembering significant dates in Canadian history.

Being thankful for God’s mercies, victory over enemies, the end of wars, cessation of cholera and other diseases, peace, blessings, and most often, abundant harvests were some of the common themes for different Thanksgiving celebrations.

Many American Colonists left to live in Canada after the Revolutionary War. They brought the traditions that had been passed down from the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims at Plymouths Rock with them. To add to the menu, they also brought many of their favorite foods with them.

Canadians celebrated Armistice Day and Thanksgiving on the Monday closest to November 11th for some time after WWI. Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day in 1931 and people began to celebrate them separately.

The Canadian Parliament finally established the second Monday in October to be the official Thanksgiving in 1957. It only makes sense that the Canadian Thanksgiving is held earlier in the fall than it is in the United States since Canada has an earlier harvest.

Canadians serve many of the same Thanksgiving foods, or very similar foods to that of the Americans. They also enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes, different vegetable dishes and pumpkin pie. Cornucopia was introduced to the celebrations as well by the Europeans.

Thanksgiving is still all about being thankful for all of the blessings of the past year and being with family in Canada, despite all of the changes in the date and why it was celebrated.

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How to Maintain Your Weight

Diet and healthy eating The question many people ask is how to maintain your weight. Many people will go on a diet lose weight and then gain it back. Their weight is like a wild roller coaster weight, never staying still, constantly going up or down.

News Flash! This “just in” hot off the presses…

Research comparing low-carbohydrate diets, low fat diets and reduced calories have shown that ALL participants started to regain weight after six months. By the twelfth month there was little difference between the groups. This shows that learning how to maintain your weight is imperative to your success.

Despite the popularity and apparent success of low carb diets like Atkins or the famous SouthBeach Diet there is no evidence to support that low carb diets help people to maintaint their weight.

Learning how to maintain your weight begins with your choice of the diet and weight loss program you follow. We are living in a world of dietary confusion. Many fad diets and diet pills and other so called “weight loss miracles” keep us in a confused state and distract us from the truth.

From the get-go you need to find a safe and healthy diet that makes sense to you. A plan that you can stay with for the rest of your life. Just because your friend lost weight and kept it off by following the SouthBeach Diet doesn’t mean that you will be able to. Maybe a simpler more convenient plan like one at eDiets will help you to lose pounds and maintain your weight.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, bagning your head against the wall and hoping this time will be different – My friend, if this is your experience with dieting you need to take a step back and choose a diet that you can follow for life. This is the only way you will ever be able to maintain your weight.

Some of the lies we’ve been led to believe are that we can never eat ice cream, cookies, cake or dine at our favorite places is part of the problem. The key is moderation. Any safe and healthy diet will allow an occasional indulgence. Some plans like Bill Phillips or Burn the Fat have cheat days built in.

You need to keep in mind that losing weight is easy! All you have to do is follow a plan. The tricky part is learning how to maintain your weight with out feeling like you are constanly on a diet.

The diet industry wants us to believe that we can not maintain our weight because of our “lack of commitment” or “our self esteem is low” or we have “failed to plan”. The TRUTH is it’s not us – It’s their plan!

95% of commerical diets fail because they are designed for the “quick fix”. They are not designed for a lifetime of normal every day eating. They rob us of our time – and deprive us of things we love.

In order to maintain your weight you need to establish every day eating habits that are in balance with the energy you expend.

Top 3 Tips to Maintain Your Weight according to those that have done it …

1. Find a diet that is practical, nutritious and in balance with your lifestyle

2. Establish an exercise routine that you follow. (Remember exercising allows you to eat more and still maintain your weight!)

3. Monitor your weight regularly. Have a set point (maye about 5 pounds over your goal weight) – if you reach it, reduce your caloric intake until your back down.

Do this, and you are guaranteed success!

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