Some people swear by carbs them. Others curse them, believing they’re downright diabolical.

The American Diabetes Association says there are three types of carbs: Fiber, starches, and sugar, which typically fall into one of two categories: simple or complex. 

What Carbs Do

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the digestive system turns carbs into sugar for energy to fuel the body. Eating a lot of carbs raises blood sugar levels.

Simple carbs spike energy and blood sugar levels because the digestive system breaks them down into sugar pretty fast, allowing them to enter the bloodstream quickly.

It takes the digestive system a little while to break down complex carbohydrates, causing glucose to enter the bloodstream slowly. Complex carbs are considered the good guys, at least in the world of carbohydrates.

You’ll often hear simple carbs called “bad” and complex called “good.”

To recap: The body turns carbs into glucose for energy. It digests simple carbs quickly, spiking blood sugar levels (which is bad). Unused energy is stored (which is really be bad when you have a lot of it to store).

Too many simple carbs can contribute to weight gain and raise the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Glycemic Index

Maybe you’ve heard of the Glycemic Index, a scale that assigns a value to foods based on “how quickly and how high those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels.”

Foods low on the glycemic index, “…tend to release glucose slowly and steadily. Foods high on the glycemic index release glucose rapidly. Low GI foods tend to foster weight loss, while foods high on the GI scale help with energy recovery after exercise, or to offset hypo- (or insufficient) glycemia.”

Everyone knows sugary drinks, candy, cakes, cookies, and desserts shouldn’t be a primary source of nutrition or a significant source of calories because they hardly have any nutritional value and pave the way for obesity and diabetes. 

But sugar doesn’t tell the whole story. We have to look at fiber too. Favorite foods like white bread, rice, and pasta have their fiber removed during the refining process. The digestive system breaks them down quickly, spiking sugar levels. 

Just remember that slow is better for your health, energy, and waistline when it comes to carbs.

Guilty Pleasure

However, it’s okay to enjoy simple carbs occasionally. The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, is famous for enjoying his epic cheat days weekly.

It’s okay to indulge but not all the time. 

Better Bad Choices

But even within the “bad choice” column of carbs, there are better “bad” choices than others. A cup of white rice has a glycemic index of 91, but a serving of white spaghetti has a rating of 64, which makes it a better “bad” choice. 

When eating carbs, most of the time, reach for less processed, complex carbohydrates low in sugar and high in fiber. 

Fiber: Your Secret Weapon

Fiber is your friend. Fiber is a kind of secret weapon in maintaining healthier blood sugar levels because it slows how fast sugar is absorbed into the blood stream.

Also, fiber helps you feel fuller longer and helps with avoiding energy spikes. Fiber is so potent that some studies suggest that you should start your meal with fiber and protein and save carbs for last.

Glycemic Load

Whereas the Glycemic Index measures how fast and high a particular food raises blood sugar, there’s another measurement called the Glycemic Load, which refers to the amount of carbohydrates in a specific food. 

The best carbs for successfully maintaining ideal weight and healthy blood sugar levels are those with a lower glycemic index and glycemic load because they have the least impact on blood sugar.

The role carbohydrates have in your diet is a personal choice, and whether they will be friend or foe.

Just remember that in the world of carbs, high fiber whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are the healthiest. 

Try to minimize simple carbohydrates because they spike blood sugar, contributing to obesity and chronic disease. Plus they’ll make you feel hungry sooner. You’ll consume more food because you’re eating more often, taking a toll on your energy levels and the scales.

It’s okay to indulge in your mouth-watering pancakes or kryptonite of choice sometimes, just make sure you earn it by exercising, and reaching for healthier swaps most of the time.

The post Why “Bad” Carbohydrates Are So Bad (But So Deliciously Good At The Same Time) appeared first on Lifestyle.

One pound. Not so bad, right? Our clothes still fit, kind of. But seven or eight years from now (and eight or nine accumulated pounds later), it would be easier breaking into Fort Knox than squeezing into our favorite jeans, no matter how much we suck in. 

Here are ten science-backed techniques that help avoid weight gain during the holidays to ensure that only Santa’s belly shakes like a bowl of jelly at Christmas. 

Let’s get started!

Get Real 

Look. You make the same promise every year. Okay… I’ll have just one Christmas cookie. When have you ever kept that promise? You know the holidays are all about fun parties and tempting treats. Maybe Jesus said “no” to temptation, but us? Not so much. 

Get real with yourself by acknowledging that you’re going to eat more than usual and that you need to set goals and boundaries to minimize the carnage. 

Some boundaries might include saving holiday treats for one day on the weekends or choosing to fill up on healthy food to keep you from over-indulging on holiday snacks. 

Consider setting one or two attainable goals like boosting your physical activity or going for a short 15-minute walk after eating sugary foods. Write them down and keep them on your mirror or fridge, so you see them every day. 

 Make Smart Choices

This killer tip might be the only one you need. Snack on high-fiber foods, veggies, and proteins about an hour before leaving for a party or event. You will feel full longer and eat less scale-flattening food. 

Next, force yourself to eat smaller portions by using smaller plates once you’re at the event. And limit yourself to one or two plates. 

Lastly, eat slowly. Savor every bite. You’ll enjoy your food and feel full quicker.

Send Food Home

If you’re the one hosting the party, don’t get stuck with piles of irresistible leftovers. Why not keep the holiday cheer going by sending the extra food home with your guests instead?

Invest in disposable food containers (make it even more special by picking special holiday-themed containers), fill them up and give them to your guests as they’re are leaving. 

Reconsider Alcohol

Consuming alcoholic beverages piles on the calories. For example, a regular beer has about 153 calories, while a glass of wine has about 133 calories. That’s a whole lot of surplus energy in liquid form. 

Not only that, but alcohol can make you act irresponsibly, especially around food. So, let’s say you’d typically eat just a couple of snacks here and there. After a drink or two, you’re more likely to throw caution to the wind and eat four or five cookies, rather than just a couple as you usually would.

In fact, why not consider making this an alcohol-free holiday season? You’ll have an easier time managing your weight and will be fully present for each special moment you spend with friends and loved ones. 

Limit Temptation By Freezing Leftovers

Instead of giving your delicious, irresistible leftovers to your guests, freeze them instead to avoid temptation. Keeping them in the fridge makes it too easy to indulge. Freezing them makes it less likely you’ll reach for second and third helpings. It makes meal prep easier, too, because you’ll have a ready-to-serve dinner whenever you need it later on.

Drink Water

Drinking water might seem a little boring because it isn’t flavorful or fizzy. But, drinking water regularly throughout the day will help you lose weight because you’ll feel full and not eat as much. Plus, water has so many health benefits it’s hard to know where to start.

Water isn’t filled with artificial ingredients and sugars that increase your caloric intake and lead to weight gain. 

Try to limit yourself to one glass of soda or juice each day through the holidays. Otherwise, stick to water. You’ll feel more alert and less edgy because water washes toxins from your body.

Chew Gum

The jury is still out whether chewing gum curbs appetite. But some people will chew gum after a meal to make it less likely to indulge in second and third helpings, which is so easy to do during the holidays.

TV And Eating

Eating while you’re watching TV has been linked to overeating and making poor food choices. You get caught up in your favorite show, and before you know it, your fingers are scraping the greasy bottom of that bag of chips. 

But it’s not just mindless TV watching that gets you. It’s the commercials for processed snacks and sugary drinks that trigger your cravings and influence what you put in your cart when grocery shopping.

Get Your Steps

Even if your schedule makes it impossible to get to the gym regularly during the holidays, decide to stay active. Use the stairs. Park farther away at the mall. Be intentional about getting more steps in the coming weeks to burn extra calories. As an added bonus, physical exercise eases stress and tension caused by all the holiday hustle and bustle.

Reduce Stress

The holiday season really is merry and bright. But it’s also full of stress and anxiety.

Stress can trigger cravings and overeating, especially with unrestricted access to so much comfort food. 

Studies reveal that there’s a direct link between stress-related eating and obesity. So be mindful of holiday stress and take time for self-care. It can be as simple as taking a walk, five minutes of meditation, listening to uplifting music, or reading your favorite book. You might even book a massage. 

The holiday season really is the most wonderful time of year for so many people. And there are so many ways to enjoy the traditions we’ve come to know and love that don’t set us back but set us up for the New Year ahead. Use one or more of these ten tips to support your health and fitness goals and avoid gaining weight during the holidays.

The post 10 Ways To Avoid Gaining Weight During The Holidays appeared first on Lifestyle.

The great thing about a WFPB diet, is that it’s about giving you MORE food choices, not fewer, unlike so many other diets.

There isn’t anything mysterious about WFPB diets. The name says it all. These are plant based and whole foods. Although science supports the disease-fighting benefits of plant-based foods, whole foods are the other part of the equation.

Although this might make our vegan and vegetarian friends uncomfortable, wild caught fish is a nutrient-rich, whole food.

So, instead of judging a WFPB diet because you assume it’s restrictive, try to have an open mind and discover what you’re “allowed” to eat, which is a lot, by the way.

Various Diets Explained

When done correctly, even diets like veganism, vegetarianism, pescatarianism, Mediterranean, and the Ketogenic diet, can all be WFPB diets.

What some people might not realize is that the eating patterns of vegans and vegetarians don’t always fall under the category of “whole foods.”  Although sugary drinks, fries,  and chocolates are technically “vegetarian”, they’re also highly processed.

A Misunderstanding

Remember, the WFPB isn’t about excluding foods or avoiding meat.

All you have to do is add more whole, nutrient-dense, plant-based foods to your existing diet.

Blackberries are a plant based, nutrient dense whole food. However, chicken, although not plant based, is a nutrient dense, whole food. Technically, although perhaps preferred, you’re not required to eat just foods that are both strictly whole foods AND plant based.

The goal of a WFPB is to eat more of healthy, nutritious foods. It’s great if a certain food item meets both criteria. But the goal is to eat healthier overall.

Some people shy away from a WFPB diet because it’s carb heavy. But that’s not really a problem because they’re complex carbs, which are healthy.

What you want to avoid is foods that are loaded with sugar and simple carbs, like soda, crackers, and candy, which spike blood sugar.

The body and brain require carbs to function optimally. Complex carbs are the preferred fuel.

The ketogenic diet has been popular for a while. It’s designed to burn ketones instead of glucose. But even it can include plenty of plant-based options for consuming dietary fat in the form of nuts, Avocados and olives.

Conclusion

A WFPB diet isn’t about excluding meat, technically. It’s about getting much more nutritious, whole, and plant based foods rather than eating mostly highly processed food. Besides being delicious if prepared right, WFPB give you loads of power and energy, and lays a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

The post You Don’t Have to Be a Vegan/Vegetarian to Enjoy a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Lifestyle.

Maybe we should stop dieting because clearly it isn’t effective. And maybe we should stop judging ourselves while we’re at it too. The last thing we need is more stress, guilt, anxiety or shame in our lives.

Hey – it’s your life. You have every right to take charge of your health by losing/maintaining weight in a way that supports your needs and preferences.

Here are four general guidelines to follow when creating your own weight maintenance plan.

1. Decrease high glycemic food consumption

Sweets and simple carbs are so yummy! And the good news is you can still enjoy them just not all the time. Even Dwayne Johnson is famous for his epic cheat days!

These foods are crammed full with sugar. And they really mess with your blood sugar levels because of how quickly they’re absorbed into the blood stream, which paves the way for insulin resistance, diabetes, and weight gain.

Must you give them up altogether? No. Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. So enjoy them occasionally in moderation if for no other reason than to keep yourself sane. Depriving yourself of your favorite foods will drive you crazy. Rewarding yourself with your favorite foods strengthens your will power and commitment to eat well most of the time.

Some people can eat just a bite or two of their favorite sweet or salty treat to get their “fix.” But if you know you’re not a one-Oreo-type of person, it’s probably best to avoid this strategy.

The point is, you don’t have to give up the foods you enjoy (unless you’re under doctor’s orders).

2. Don’t starve yourself – eat nutritious foods most of the time when hungry

People vigorously debate how/if fasting affects metabolism by slowing it down, which would burn fewer calories, leading to weight gain. You’ll have to decide for yourself if fasting is for you.

One of the reasons fasting works for many people is because it reduces how many calories they eat during the day. Fewer calories usually leads to looser pants because you’re burning more energy than taking in.

However, one thing you can do is to enjoy nutritious meals. Mind your portions and only eat until comfortably full to practice responsible calorie restriction.

3. Reach for healthy snacks

A donut or bag of chips once in a while won’t force you to send your favorite pants to Goodwill, as long as you’re reaching for healthy snacks most of the time.

A handful of Almonds and an apple make a great choice. You’ll feel better too.

4. Maintain muscle mass

Food is just one part of the equation. Exercise is the other. And although most people are familiar with treadmills, bikes and jogging, let’s not forget about lifting weights to maintain lean muscle.

Maintaining and adding muscle keeps the metabolism fired up. As we age, we lose muscle mass, slowing metabolism. So remember to add weight-bearing exercises to your fitness routine. It doesn’t have to be anything major either unless you’re training for a competition.

By keeping the above guidelines in mind, you can create a healthy lifestyle that matches your preferences and likes. All it takes is eating well most of the time and moving more, along with getting enough rest, and reducing stress.

Keep these tips in mind to create a healthy lifestyle you can live with:

• Drink plenty of water
• Eat only when you’re truly hungry and only until full
• Know what you’re eating and why
• Enjoy your meals! If you don’t like what you’re eating, you won’t stick with it.
• Reach for healthy snacks most of the time like nuts, fruit or crispy vegetables

Don’t be a slave to dieting. Create a lifestyle that serves you because we only get one shot at this thing called “life.” We should enjoy it, not dread it. So take care of your body by fueling your life with food and activities that bring you joy.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

The post Lose Weight YOUR Way (Well, Kind Of…) appeared first on Lifestyle.

If there were ever a time we needed to enhance and boost our brain’s ability to focus, it’s now. Regardless of what you do for a living or the hobbies and pastimes you enjoy, improving your ability to concentrate and focus gives you an edge.

As it turns out, surprisingly, your diet can give you an unfair advantage because of how certain foods are able to sharpen cognitive functions such as focus and concentration.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids help the brain function properly. Great sources of Omgea-3 fatty acids include cold water fatty fish, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, and plant oils like soybean and flaxseed oil.  Omega-3 improves the amount of oxygen available to the brain and boosts the ability to retain new information.

Vitamin D

Research shows that a Vitamin D deficiency is associated with cognitive impairment, especially in older individuals.

According to a recent study published in the journal, Trends in Neuroscience, healthy neurons in the brain are surrounded by what are known as perineuronal nets. These nets act as supportive structures that help maintain the connections between various neurons to facilitate the relay of information via synaptic pathways.

Researchers speculate that a vitamin D deficiency allows certain enzymes to degrade these nets, leading to cognitive deficiencies pertaining to focus and concentration.

Ginkgo Biloba

People have been using the ancient herb Ginkgo Biloba for thousands of years. Although research has yet to pinpoint exactly how this herb improves our ability to focus and concentrate, the working theory is that it helps to increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.

Green Tea

Caffeine is a hotly debated topic because it’s a stimulant than can have adverse side effects. In fact, consuming large amounts of caffeine can make some people feel like they’re on a jittery, out-of-control roller coaster ride with a mental crash at the end!

However, although green tea has caffeine, it contains a chemical called L-theanine which causes caffeine to be released more slowly into the bloodstream. This results in a sustained sense of focus and concentration without the unwanted “crash.”

We think it’s wise to consult with your health care provider before consuming green tea because of its potential harmful impact on the liver.

We live in a time when distractions and overwhelm are coming at us so fast that our brains can barely keep up. Why not give yourself an edge by consuming foods that will boost your focus and concentration?

Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay

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There are two types of diabetes, and in both types, your blood sugar level rises, which can damage your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and eyes.

Uncontrolled blood sugar can also lead to peripheral artery disease, sciatic nerve damage, and non-healing ulcers. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, or even coma and death.

Blood sugar must be controlled to prevent dangerous health complications. This article will discuss how a vegetarian diet can help control blood sugar levels, which effectively manages diabetes.

What is a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarians abstain from the consumption of meat, fish, poultry, and sometimes even eggs and dairy. A healthy vegetarian diet is low in sugar, processed foods, oils, and fats and is rich in fiber; it’s much healthier than the standard Western diet.

Today, more people are adopting a vegetarian diet, which, as a result, helps with controlling blood sugar and reduces the need for insulin.

Interestingly, research shows that the need to take medication for blood sugar control is much less for people who follow a vegetarian diet for 22 weeks. But this doesn’t mean you can stop all your medications by merely switching to a vegetarian diet. You should always follow up with your doctor while monitoring your blood sugar regularly.

The financial burden of diabetes

Today, diabetes has become a major health risk that affects 6.3% of the population in America. This means about 18.9 million Americans suffer from diabetes and its complications.

As we know, diabetes is not a cheap disease. In fact, according to diabetes.org, people diagnosed with diabetes pay on average $16,752 annually for treatment. In truth, its ongoing costs can cripple patients financially. Supplies and medications to control blood sugar and manage long term complications of diabetes can be a significant financial burden on patients and their families. Although insurance companies pay for supplies, the deductibles add up fast.

How a vegetarian diet helps reduce this burden

As we’ve said, a vegetarian diet is beneficial in controlling blood sugar, and aiding in its treatment and chronic complications.

Coronary artery disease is a well-known long-term complication of diabetes. Research shows that vegetarians have the lowest rate of coronary artery disease compared to any other group. The risk of vegetarians developing heart disease is 50% less than the general population.

Developing obesity is nine times less in those who follow a vegetarian diet. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes, and being overweight contributes to developing complications in diabetic patients.

Switching to a vegetarian diet combined with lifestyle alterations such as engaging in regular aerobic exercise has a significant impact on managing diabetes effectively. It’s a well-known fact that the risk of complications significantly declines with proper diabetes management. You will feel better, and your blood sugar will come down gradually, too, significantly reducing the need for oral medications and insulin injections. However, only your doctor should alter your prescriptions.

The progression of diabetes, whether it worsens or improves, largely has to do with the changes you’re willing to make in your lifestyle. You have the power to change the course of your illness. Just imagine living the rest of your life without many of the complications that come from diabetes? The adverse effects of diabetes have a significant impact on your health and daily life. This may be a bit overly dramatic, but surely, being bedridden by a stroke or losing a limb to a non-healing ulcer is something you’d most certainly like to avoid.

A vegetarian diet is a natural and holistic way to assist in controlling your blood sugar levels. And it has a positive impact on treating and managing diabetes as well as its complications.

We eat to live and not live to eat. So, modifying your diet and lifestyle to be healthy and boost life quality is a choice that only you can make.

Image by Tesa Robbins from Pixabay

The post Best Diet For Diabetics? appeared first on Lifestyle.

But, it’s more a lifestyle than a diet.

Basic Principles of a Whole-food, Plant-based Diet

• Focuses on plants and plant products – you eat mostly vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts, legumes, and whole grains.
• Limits or avoids animal products – red meat, chicken, fish, dairy, eggs.
• It minimizes processed foods.
• And avoids refined foods – white flour, refined sugars, processed oils.
• Food quality is prioritized to promote locally sourced organic foods.

The advantages of switching to a plant-based diet is that it tends to prevent illness by reducing the risk of certain diseases.

A diet high in animal-based products and processed foods leads to weight gain and metabolic issues; it also increases one’s risk of heart disease and cancer, to name a couple.

However, these lifestyle diseases can be prevented, reduced, or reversed by switching to a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Here are some proven benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet:

Promotes better nutrition: Plant-based foods are nutrient-rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, and they are delicious when prepared the right way.

Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels: According to research, blood pressure is significantly lowered in people who switch to a plant-based diet because of its unrefined sugars, fiber and healthy fats.

Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and its complications: A whole-food, plant-based diet is high in fiber, has unrefined carbohydrates, is a good source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats compared to saturated fats in the typical diet, making it easier to manage blood sugar. One of the reasons is because sugar enters your blood stream more slowly on a WFPG diet.

Prevents obesity: A significant challenge of the modern lifestyle is obesity, which is linked to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and many cancers. It’s easier to manage weight and maintain a healthy BMI on a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Heart disease prevention: Plant-based diets lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which benefits heart health, and significantly reduces cardiovascular disease risk.

Lowers the risk of cancer and slows its progression: The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the consumption of red meat as a “likely carcinogen” (Harvard Medical School, 2018).

A carcinogen has the potential to cause cancer. Increased consumption of red meat is linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancers. Plants contain antioxidants and disease-fighting phytochemicals that protect against cancer.

Improves Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms: Consuming plant-based foods reduces inflammation and related symptoms such as pain, swelling, and joint stiffness in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis.

Improves quality of life: The nutrients in a plant-based diet boost immunity while the antioxidants fight the effects of aging. Fiber helps with digestion and prevents constipation.

Increases longevity: A whole-food, plant-based diet increases longevity because it reduces premature death from many non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancers.

A whole-food, plant-based diet boosts health and longevity and increases the quality of life.

But even if you’re not ready to fully adopt a WFPB diet now, start adding whole-foods to your diet to begin enjoying at least some of its health benefits today.

Image by Mabel Amber from Pixabay

The post What’s So Healthy About A Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet Anyway? appeared first on Lifestyle.

Whole grains instead of refined foods 

Whole grains retain their bran and germ. Examples: oatmeal, wheat, barley, millet, whole rye.

They include many important nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Whole grains lower your risk of many diseases like diabetes.

Refined grains lose the bran and germ during processing, drastically decreasing their nutritional value.

Always look for 100% whole grain on the product label or the Whole Grain Stamp on the packaging.

Eat a variety of foods 

Many diets fail because they make you give up most of your favorite foods and restrict what you can eat.

With time you’ll start craving those “forbidden” foods. Eventually, your cravings take over and the diet goes off the rails.

However, if you eat a variety of foods in small portions, there really isn’t much that’s off limits.

Remember those foods you feel guilty eating? Well, even they can be eaten once-in-a-while if the portions are small and you stay within your daily calorie allowance.

Fruits and veggies can be your new friend 

Nature offers a banquet of low-calorie fruits and vegetables. Some fruits and veggies are “negative” foods, which means you use more calories eating and digesting them than they contain. Examples: celery, oranges, apples, lettuce, broccoli, and cabbage. These are great choices when trying to lose or maintain weight.

By the way, eating fresh fruit is much healthier than drinking fruit juice. Whole fruit contains fiber that’s filtered out during the juice-making process. Fiber slows down how fast sugar enters your system, and it makes you feel full longer, reducing your desire for unhealthy foods or snacking between meals.

Control your portion size

Is losing weight your goal? Then consider reducing your portion sizes.

To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. Here are some tricks to make portion control easier.

1. Get a smaller plate. Replace your 12- inch plate with a 9- inch one. Once you fill up your plate, your eyes will send signals to your brain that you’re eating a full plate. Smaller plates equal fewer calories.

2. Avoid supersizing when eating out. Eat a normal-sized portion because bigger portions pile on calories and pounds.

3. Consider using smaller serving spoons to help with reducing portion sizes. Less food on your plate helps you to stay within your daily calorie allowance.

Eat healthy fats 

Fats are divided into three main types; saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats. Of the three, unsaturated fats are healthy. Examples include Olive oil, Canola oil, Avocado oil

Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, herring, and mackerel contain healthy fatty acids like omega 3 and 6. Therefore, if you eat meat, include these in your diet as much as possible.

Reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat, like fatty cuts of beef, lamb, whole milk, and palm oil.

The unhealthiest fats are trans fats because the body stores them as body fat. You find them in baked goods like cakes, cookies, fried foods, French fries, doughnuts, and non-dairy creamers.

Always check the label to see how much of each fat the product contains.

Avoid added sugar

Refined sugar is a simple carbohydrate that’s associated with many diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Sugar is added to many foods like ice cream, cakes, biscuits, and sodas to satisfy our taste buds.

Companies hide added sugars under different names such as dextrose and maltose. Boost your health and trim your waistline by avoiding added sugars.

Reduce red meat

Red meats, especially if they’re fatty cuts, contain high amounts of saturated fat, which is bad for your heart.

If you really want to include red meat in your diet, choose grass-fed organic meats because these animals are fed naturally without drugs and hormones.

Avoid processed meats

Processed meats like sausages, bacon, hot dogs, and canned meats are consistently linked with harmful health effects; strive to avoid them, or limit consumption.

Incorporating these eight healthy eating habits into your lifestyle (which is pretty easy), will help you to manage your weight and reduce your risk of disease. Interested in doubling your health benefits? Add regular aerobic exercise a few times a week.

By practicing these eight healthy habits you’ll feel better, be happier, and live longer!

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

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Although this topic seems to resemble one of those outrageous infomercials you stumble across at 2 a.m. when you can’t sleep, it isn’t so.

In this article, you’ll find 5 cool and tricky ways of how to weigh less while eating more!

Most of us believe that to lose weight or maintain a certain body weight we need to eat less. Sure, eating more food works against you when it comes to weight management. But is this always true?

You get calories from the food you eat and the beverages you drink.

When the number of calories consumed exceeds the amount burned, where does the excess go? You guessed it. It’s stored as body fat.

However, there are some tried and true ways to consume more food without gaining weight. If you stick to this plan, you can have your cake and eat it too, technically.

• Different foods of the same portion size aren’t always equal in calories

The same portion size of two different food items doesn’t always contain the same number of calories.

For example, a serving size of lean meat has fewer calories than a serving of sugar-laden chocolate cake (wait…didn’t we just say you can have your cake and eat it too? Hold on…).

If you want to eat more food, choose foods with fewer calories such as lean meat, salad greens, mushrooms, strawberries, fruit, broth, vegetable soup, cod, eggs, 100% whole grains, low-fat cottage cheese, and vegetables.

You can eat much more food if you choose low-calorie, nutritious foods. Bonus points if they’re high in fiber.

The trick is to pick foods that are relatively low in calories in relation to their portion size and are high in fiber. Your tummy will be full, but you won’t gain weight because although you’re eating more, you’re consuming fewer calories.

Guess what this does? Since you’re eating fewer calories overall, you’ll have room for that piece of cake every now and then.

• Set up a ‘Window’ for food consumption

This trick is similar to intermittent fasting, but you don’t need a specific protocol.

Choose a time window within which you’ll eat your meals. For example, it could be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., noon to 6 p.m., or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.,

Consume all your daily calories within that window.

Let yourself off the leash and eat as much healthy food as you like during your “feeding window.” Just don’t crazy because this doesn’t mean you can eat all the cake, cookies, brownies or chips you want. We’re talking healthy eating here.

The idea is that you’ll feel full if you’re eating healthy foods, and because they’re healthy foods you’ll be eating fewer calories. However, refraining from eating outside of your feeding window takes self-control.

When using this “trick,” make sure you don’t exceed your daily calorie budget.

This trick can seem quite difficult at first because of the hours you won’t be eating…but this approach to eating works well for many people who are trying to lose weight and keep it off.

• Whole foods instead of processed foods

Whole foods are far more superior to processed foods when it comes to nutrition because they usually contain fewer calories compared to their processed counterparts. Plus, they’re far more nutritious.

Processed foods go through a refinement process that involves adding preservatives and high-calorie sweeteners.

Obviously, foods in their natural form don’t have any additives or preservatives.

When it comes to calories, you can eat a LOT more whole foods while getting fewer calories than eating the same serving size of processed foods.

Although whole foods aren’t always as enticing as that bowl of ice cream (depending on how you look at it), at least you get the benefit of eating more. Eating whole foods keeps your energy levels stable, too; you’ll feel better, stronger, and more alert.

• Avoid getting your calories from drinks

You can easily burn through your calorie budget by drinking sugary drinks like sodas, frozen beverages, and fruit juice.

You can consume half a day’s worth of recommended calories without even realizing it in just minutes!

Please don’t waste your daily calorie budget on sugary, unhealthy, calorie-packed beverages. You’ll suffer from energy spikes, weight gain, and won’t feel full.

Avoid sugary drinks because they pile on the calories and the pounds.

Drink water or low-calorie alternatives like coconut water, green tea, or iced tea.

This trick allows you to eat more food without piling on extra calories and pounds by consuming sugary drinks.

• Exercise

This trick is easy to understand when it comes eating more and weighing less.

Exercise burns the calories you consume as fuel.

So, the more you exercise, the more you can eat.

This approach is quite different than the other tricks we’ve discussed because instead of decreasing your calories, you can actually increase them.

If you burn 800 calories through exercise, you can afford to eat a few more calories, depending on your weight management goals.

Burning a significant number of calories requires the right kind of exercise like high-intensity interval training or resistance training. These forms of training burn calories for several hours after your exercise session has ended in a process called post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), also known as the “afterburn effect.”

But here’s what to remember, you can’t stuff yourself with sugary, fat-laden, high-calorie foods thinking that a stroll on the treadmill will work it off. It won’t.

This trick has to do with the intensity of the workout. One unhealthy meal can wipe out ALL your hard work and the awesome progress gained from a high-intensity interval workout. So don’t sabotage your efforts.

The number of calories your body stores can be efficiently reduced by engaging in regular cardio and resistance exercise. You’ll lose inches and pounds and have an easier time maintaining your goal weight, allowing you to eat MORE while weighing less!

Exercise combined with high nutrient and lower-calorie foods, setting an eating window, choosing whole foods instead of processed foods, and avoiding drinking your calories, are five great tricks for eating more but weighing less!

Photo by Jamie Brown on Unsplash

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Sadly, most takeout meals and frozen dinners aren’t designed with nutrition or health in mind. If they were, they probably wouldn’t be as popular!

Most of us worry that we’re not getting enough vitamins and minerals from our less-than-ideal diets, which is why nearly 80% of us take dietary supplements.

While most people probably only take a morning multivitamin and some omega -3, dietary supplements can be a slippery slope. Every new supplement seems like the missing piece on the journey to health and wellness, and before you know it, you have a cabinet full of pills and powders.

Can You Overdose on Supplements?

Most vitamins and minerals have a specific tolerable upper intake level, which is the maximum amount that anyone should take. It’s practically impossible to reach these limits when getting your nutrients from food. However, if you’re taking multiple supplements daily, an overdose can sneak up on you.

The most toxic vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E, and K because they’re fat-soluble. Unlike water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin B-complex and C, which are easily excreted from the body, excess fat-soluble vitamins are stored and can accumulate to dangerous levels quite fast.

Water-soluble vitamins aren’t harmless, though. Very high doses can still cause dangerous side effects like abdominal pain in the case of Vitamin C and liver damage in the case of Vitamin B3.

Where to Draw the Line

● Get tested for nutrient deficiencies

If you suspect you have vitamin and mineral deficiencies, don’t just start researching your symptoms on the internet and buying supplements to try because this is ineffective and expensive. Instead, take a micronutrient test to identify what you actually need; it’ll save you a lot of money in the long run.

● Get a prescription

Although you don’t need a prescription for buying over the counter (OTC) supplements, it could help you from going overboard. Ask your doctor or see a functional medicine practitioner for a prescription.

● Read the labels & track your intake

Whether you buy OTC supplements or get a prescription, read the labels. Pay attention to the dosage and the daily value percentage (%DV), which is the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day. Anything above 100% should be a red flag unless you have an actual deficiency. If you’re taking more than one supplement, remember to add the daily value percentages for each nutrient.

● Know the limits and watch out for warning signs

Do your research on the Recommended Dietary Allowance and upper intake levels for any nutrients you intend to supplement. The best resource for this is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website, as it has clear guidelines for most supplements.

Also, watch out for warning signs like abdominal pain, nausea, heartburn, sensitivity to light, and pretty much anything out of the ordinary. Stop taking supplements immediately if you experience any unexpected effects.

When used the right way, supplements can be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle, as long as you get a micronutrient test to figure out what and how much you really need. Once you know, it’s much easier to protect your health by getting the right supplements and tracking your intake.

Photo by Anshu A on Unsplash

The post When Is Taking Too Many Supplements Dangerous? appeared first on Lifestyle.