All experts agree that motivation is the single greatest factor to lose weight. If there is strong enough commitment, then the individual will find ways to lose fat, whether it is to join a group exercise for weight loss, or change diet to include nutrition for weight loss.

Understanding weight loss metabolism

To understand the weight loss metabolism, one must track the calorie intake and find out how the food is being used by the body, if it is stored as fat, or being burnt up. Further, if the food is being used up, how much is being used effectively. Increasing physical activity is a great way to boost the weight loss metabolism, as one gets to keep the muscular tissues instead of the fat deposits. Visiting the gym regularly, or joining a sports club, or even simple walking can tone the body and keep up the weight loss motivation. The main thing is to stay on the program, or every try out additional programs with the single aim of losing fat and sustaining the lost weight. Yo-yo dieters who lose weight and then put it back on equally fast are prone to health problems compared to those who stick to a weight loss exercise program like yoga or aerobics, or a weight loss nutrition plan like a vegan diet.

Unintentional weight loss

All these are ways to keep the weight in check, but sometimes, unintentional weight loss happens when one is not tying to lose weight voluntarily, and could be a medical condition. Unexplained, unintentional weight loss often heralds serious illness and should be reported to a healthcare professional. Illness, depression, alcoholism, or medication could also result in unintentional weight loss. The loss of weight and lack of nutrition associated with a chronic illness is referred to as cachexia.

Be yourself

Weight loss should be for the betterment of ones well being and health not because one wants to be like someone else. Non-achievement of goals can result in loss of self-esteem, so it is a good idea to set realistic goals with reasonable time limits. While having that hot beach body can be alluring, remember it takes much self-discipline to get the kind of physique and weight possessed by models. Maintaining the ideal body weight with weight loss nutrition, healthy eating, including weight loss exercises in the daily routine can go a long way in a long, vigorous and disease free life!!

A recent interesting report from the Alliance for Aging Research encourages all of us to keep our brains healthy.

It’s important as you age, but also important at any age.

At this time of the year, when people make all kind of resolutions, one of the most frequent is to improve our state of health in one way or another.

This can also include keeping our brain’s healthy.

Here is a list of actions you can take, and make part of your life to assure your brain stays in the best of shape.

Step 1 – Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet.

What is a brain-healthy diet?

It is one that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (commonly found in fish, specially fed chicken (via their eggs) some fruits and vegetables), essential amounts of proteins only, plentiful antioxidants (found in a host of natural foods) lots of fruits and vegetables, foods rich in vitamin B (such as lentils); minimum amounts or no trans fats; and fiber-rich non-processed carbohydrates.

Step 2 – Stay Mentally Active

Every year resolve to learn something new. Let it be a language, a skill, some dance, something new each year. Keep your mind active.

Stay away from TV as much as you can, and replace it with the computer.

Take classes in something, and read as much as you can. The brain needs this stimuli to maintain its cognitive levels.

Step 3 – Exercise Regularly

Nothing is as important for the body and brain as regular exercise.

Regular exercise always increases circulation, improves one coordination, and helps prevent conditions that increase the risk of dementia such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Step 4 – Remain Socially Active

Do not remain a recluse. Be with your friends, become a volunteer and work with people, take regular outings to new places, and new countries. Let your eyes see new sights, your ears new sounds, taste new foods.

Step 5 – Sleep Well

The healthy brain needs for your body to sleep and rest. When you are deprived of enough sleep, the brain suffers.

Step 6 – Stress Management

Simple stress is often healthful, but long protracted stress puts the brain (and body via the immune system) at increased risk.

There are wonderful ways to manage your stress, such as yoga, enjoyable hobbies, regular journeys to spas, healthful massage, and a host of other options. Use them, and let the stress pass away from you.

Step 7 – Safety

Don’t take chances.

The damage an injury to the head cannot be under-estimated, especially triggering the onset of dementia.

Step 8 – Watch Your General Health

Keep a healthy weight, control high-blood pressure, hypertension, and guard against diabetes.

Each of these can negatively affect your cognitive state.

Step 9 – Avoid Unhealthful Habits

If you smoke, stop now.

If you over drink stop, and limit yourself of moderate amounts of wine, and an occasional drink.

Illegal drugs of any kind will negatively affect your cognitive state, and surely hasten the onset of dementia.

Step 10 – Genetic Disposition

If there is any history of dementia, or other cognitive diseases in your family, you can take steps before it become too late.

The previous 9 steps are a good start, and consultation with your doctor can be the start of protecting your brain’s health

Committing to healthy eating habits can be a challenge. You have to pay particular attention to how you shop for groceries, which products and ingredients you buy and the exact recipes you prepare. But eating healthy at home is only half the battle. When you commit to a healthy eating lifestyle, restaurants, family gatherings and travel can seem like obstacles in your path to being well fed and nutritionally fit.

What are some good choices you can make when dining out? How can you turn a family feast from a decadent overindulgence to a guiltless delight? Whether it’s a family vacation or business travel, what can you do that will keep you on task with the commitment to eat healthy?

Let’s start by reviewing the basics. Jillian McMullen, a registered and licensed dietician in Northeast Florida, provides a brief overview of ideal daily caloric intake. “While individual needs may vary, for weight loss I generally recommend a daily intake of 1200 to 1500 calories,” McMullen says. “That daily amount should include 40 to 45 grams of fat, 130 to 180 grams of carbohydrates and 60 to 75 grams of protein.”

She goes on to say fat grams should account for 25 to 30 percent of daily calories, carbohydrates should be between 45 and 50 percent and protein should range from 20 to 25 percent. To meet those dietary guidelines, she suggests that people strive for three moderate-sized meals that are approximately 300 to 450 calories each and three small snacks around 100 to 150 calories each per day. Also, be sure to include a lean source of protein like lean meats and poultry, skim milk, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese or string cheese. These foods digest slower, keeping you satisfied longer.

With the basics in mind, let’s explore some strategies for dining out.

A)Make Smart Drive-Thru Choices
Fast food doesn’t have to be unhealthy. When you are too busy to slow down, fast-food chains are quick, easy and inexpensive. As a general rule, McMullen says breakfast sandwiches, wraps or English muffins tend to be better choices than biscuits or croissants, which are both high in fat. For lunch or dinner, order a single-patty cheeseburger or hamburger, or a grilled chicken sandwich without mayonnaise. You can also stop by Subway for a low-fat sub. When you have the choice, opt for a side salad or fruit instead of fries. Check out Apple’s fast food calorie counter download – it’s compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch and can help you make better choices at the drive-thru.

B)Be a Techno-Savvy Eater
When eating at a casual or fine-dining establishment, use technology to maximize your experience so you can eat healthy without compromising taste. Research the restaurant online ahead of time. Nearly all restaurants with a website list their menu options. Restaurants like Chili’s and Applebee’s have special menus for healthy eating, while places like P.F. Changs and Outback list nutritional information. P.F. Changs, for example, reveals calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate and fiber content; Outback provides nutritional information on the restaurant’s healthier items and includes an FAQ section that answers questions geared toward specific dietary needs. McMullen also recommends visiting www.calorieking.com where you can search nutrition facts on nearly 55,000 foods. You can also find calorie-counting booklets in many bookstores.

C)Know the Lingo
When it comes to dining in sit-down restaurants, have a clear understanding of the descriptive words written on the menu. Look for items that are baked, broiled or grilled as opposed to breaded, battered or fried. If you are having pasta, select a marinara sauce instead of an alfredo sauce. Ask for vinaigrette instead of a cream-based dressing. Words like “buttery,” “cheesy” and “creamy” usually mean “Yes, this is fattening.” You can also request that your meal be prepared with less oil or butter than is typically used.

D)Less is More
Be cognizant of portion sizes. “Restaurant menu items have grown to two to eight times the size of what is considered a healthy portion,” McMullen says. She also cautions against added fats typically found in condiments. “Condiments can add tons of hidden calories to meals that otherwise would have been good choices. Ask for dressings and sauces on the side and veggies without butter or oils. This way you control how much of them you eat, not the cook,” McMullen advises. Also, split the meal with a friend or ask for a box and put half of the meal in the box before you start eating. Either way you’ll get more for your dollar, by paying half the tab or making two meals out of one. You can also order an appetizer and side salad as your full meal.

E)Stay Hydrated
McMullen recommends drinking eight to ten glasses of water daily. “Dehydration leads to fatigue, sweet cravings and even hunger. If you are hungry, try drinking one to two cups of water. You may find that the hunger disappears after about 20 minutes. In fact, about 75% of American adults are chronically dehydrated. We are simply not drinking enough water.”

Be a Well-Fed Traveler

Restaurants are one thing. How do you turn down a favorite aunt’s dessert at a family gathering? McMullen says that it’s okay to partake as long as it’s not a regular occurrence. And while the occasional indulgence is fine, when your social calendar is full, take steps to cut down on calories.

If you’re at a family gathering, focus on the company instead of the food. And rather than slump onto the couch after dinner, go for a walk with a few family members. If you are headed to a gathering you suspect to be particularly gluttonous, offer to bring a big healthy salad for your host. Finally, when it’s time for dessert, keep your portions small or share with someone.

When you are on vacation, kick back and relax, but be aware of how much you are eating. If elaborate dinners out are included in your plans, be sure to eat sensibly at breakfast and lunch. Also, bring along snacks so you aren’t famished and making poor choices at mealtime.

Shift your focus, too. Instead of centering your vacation on dining experiences, explore the terrain and build memories around activities like golfing, hiking, skiing, snorkeling and diving. Or, visit a local farmer’s market. Not only will you stock up on fresh fruits and veggies, but you’ll have the opportunity to check out local culture and fare.

If you are out of town on business, make sure your hotel has a refrigerator and microwave and stock up on healthy snacks at a local grocery or natural food store. Anytime you are staying in a hotel, take advantage of the lighter fare at the continental breakfast.

On the Healthy Road Again

No matter where you are, commit to an eating plan…and follow it. When you incorporate healthy routines into your day – even when you’re away from home – you travel farther down the path to healthier living. By doing your homework and making smart choices while dining out, healthy eating becomes less of an obstacle and more of a way of life.

Enjoy…in Moderation

Gone are the days when dining out was reserved for special occasions. When you dined out a few times a year, a little indulgence was okay. According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurants will generate $558.3 billion in sales in 2008, up from $379 billion in 2000. 2008 Florida sales alone are projected at $26.9 billion. Since we are eating out more than ever, the simple fact that we are in a restaurant doesn’t merit indulging in a large fried entrée or a decadent four-layer dessert.

The National Restaurant Association provides the following tips when it comes to eating healthy at your favorite restaurant:
1)Select leaner cuts of meat
2)Enjoy seafood and fish flavored with spices and fresh herbs since they often have less fat and sodium.
3)Instead of depriving yourself of dessert when you are in the mood for something sweet, opt for fresh berries or yogurt.
4)If you’d like a particular entrée modified, speak up and ask; the restaurant industry is customer-centric and is happy to accommodate.

Just Say No: Healthy Eating and Peer Pressure

Are you living a healthy lifestyle, or would you like to? Either way you are well aware of peer pressure to eat foods that are not part of this healthy lifestyle. If you have been consistently worried about the foods you have been eating under peer pressure – then you have found your solution! All takes is a little know-how to get people off your back!

You will probably find parties and other social gatherings play a major role in the peer pressure effecting your healthy lifestyle, especially if alcohol is involved. You need to remember though that alcohol carries hundreds of empty calories in just one drink, but under the pressure of your friends and family to have just one drink and relax may be very difficult. One way to overcome this is to offer to drive them to a bar instead. Suggest “going out” and since you will be the designated driver, they will not want you to drink. And they will probably even buy you waters or juice at the bar and help pay for the gas – it’s a win-win situation!

Another situation where you may feel pressured to eat is at work in a meeting where the boss has ordered lunch for everyone, or even when you may go see a client where they have supplied lunch. The only solution to this is to politely decline. It may even be easier to inform your boss or client in advance that you will not be eating. You can even pack a healthy lunch for yourself and take it along.

Even if you are good at resisting temptation; Birthday parties, baby showers, weddings and other special occasions can be hard on your healthy lifestyle. What do you do when someone hands you a piece of cake and will not take no for an answer? Little white lies may be appropriate in these kinds of situations. You may for example explain to them that your stomach has been upset earlier and that you do not want to risk having a piece of cake, this will convince them to keep the food away from you! You may even go as far as to say that you have bit of a chocolate/nut/dairy allergy depending on the food been offered to you.

Remember that it is fine to say no to bad foods because of peer pressure, but you must take careful note of the foods that you refuse – You must continue eating healthy foods. If you start saying no to food in general then dangerous eating disorders can develop which will give all you friends, family AND doctor a good reason to worry!