How to lose weight naturally

 Eat right, keep moving.

You just have read all that you need to know about how to prevent being overweight. That simple set of instructions should be easy to follow, but not for 35% of Americans who are unable to prevent being overweight.

Of course, once we are overweight, we usually want to trim down for a whole lot of reasons, some related to health, others, for an aesthetic. 

However, it is never too late to lose weight. But the fact is, it is a whole lot easier to prevent putting on pounds than to try losing them later on. And if there is one thing we all know, it is that weight gain is likely to happen if we do not have a plan.

Health experts say that most people who are on a journey to lose weight usually stray. They tend to go back to their old eating habits even after they learn to eat well according to their goals. They tend to return to sedentary ways even though they enjoy exercising.

Despite the momentum toward weight gain, you can stop it from happening, experts say. And there are plenty of good reasons to avoid excess pounds, reasons that go beyond vanity or social acceptance. 

In fact, some health experts contend that the significance of excess weight is more than cosmetic. They say that it takes a huge toll on people’s physical health.

But first, you need a plan

The nuts and bolts of eating right and maintaining a healthy weight is not all that complicated. So, losing weight the natural way should not be a problem at all…when you have a plan.

Consequently, a reasonable approach for losing weight naturally is to stick to a diet that is high in complex carbohydrates, high in fiber, moderate in protein, and low in fat.

Most health experts say that dietary fat promotes weight gain because it is a very dense source of calories. Also, when you consume excess calories from dietary fat, you store those calories as body fat more efficiently than excess calories from other sources.

On the other hand, it can also help you lose weight naturally if you don’t fall into the “fat-free” trap. Manufacturers keep introducing low-fat or fat-free versions of their best-selling foods, but Americans still have trouble managing their weight.

One of the greatest delusions of the 1990s is that “no fat” means “non-fattening.” The truth is, you are often getting just as many calories from the no-fat version, even if the calories are not coming from fat, i.e. added sugar. If you start to believe that you can eat unlimited amounts of ‘fat-free’ foods, then you may fall into this fat-free trap. 

Experts say it would be better to try eating every three to four hours. As a CNC, I tend to agree.

If you’re feeling a little peckish, try replacing sweet or salty treats with some healthy snacks between meals. Keep in mind, if you practice eating meals that are rich in fiber and lean protein and healthy fats, the need to snack between meals will lessen over time.

Remember, if you want to lose weight naturally, get into the habit of keeping a journal to track your meals and activities. 

Losing weight naturally is a process and not a fad. Embrace it! It’s going to take a lot of determination, self-control, and discipline to achieve your ideal weight. 

For a plan that can put your goals in motion, start here!

Beware of the dangers of using laxatives for weight loss

One popular weight loss supplement available in the market today is slimming tea. Stores all over sell slimming tea, dieter's tea and others but all of them are actually the same. They may appear to be effective, but what is not seen may actually harm you.

One of the effects of drinking dieter's tea is frequent bowel movement. This gives people the feeling of body cleansing. These people may get toxins out of their body, but it isn't exactly the only thing that slimming tea actually does to the body. Slimming tea contains herbs which are natural laxatives. These include aloe, senna, rhubarb root, cascara, buckthorn and castor oil. These are products which are derived from plants and have been used since ancient times because of their potency in treating constipation and inducing bowel movement.

Cascara, castor oil and senna are substances which are recognized as laxatives available over the counter and are also regulated as drugs. Scientific studies show that diarrhea induced by laxatives does not absorb significant amounts of calories taken in the body. The reason for this is that laxatives do not act on the small intestines where most of the calories are absorbed. Instead, they work on the large intestines. If taken in large amounts for prolonged periods, it can affect fat absorption of the body. This may lead to greasy diarrhea and loss of weight. 

Abuse of laxatives is common practice among people who suffer from bulimia and anorexia nervosa. While weight loss can be guaranteed by overdosing on laxatives, it may also cause permanent damage to the gastrointestinal tract and the weakening and softening of the bones, a condition known as osteomalacia. Drinkers of slimming teas may actually patronize the product because they are less expensive, and taste better than other laxatives sold in the market. Other people, such as those with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa drink slimming tea because they work fast and produce watery stool and have loose consistency.

Women may even be more susceptible to the effects of slimming teas. Although they may not be known to interfere directly with the woman's menstrual cycle and fertility, they should proceed with caution if drinking them causes them to rapidly shed off weight. Pregnant women should never take laxatives of any kind. Wise and responsible herbalists also discourage the use of senna and other herbal products with laxative properties for pregnant women as well as women who are trying to conceive.  

The labeling of slimming teas in the market today can also be misleading. For instance, they commonly refer to the laxative qualities as, 'natural bowel cleansing properties' ' and not specifically use the word "laxative". Some even use the term "low-calorie" on their labeling. These products, in fact, contain essentially no calories or nutrients whatsoever, unless they are sweetened.

Adverse effects of misusing laxatives in the form of slimming tea generally occur when taken in more than or longer than recommended. These include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting, rectal bleeding, electrolyte disorder and dehydration as well as injury and worse, death. It was also reported that excess use of stimulant laxatives causes severe constipation and pain for long periods (as much as for decades) due to the colon losing its function. It eventually led to surgery removing the colon altogether.

For an eating plan that not only keeps you regular but also helps you lose weight in a safe and healthy way, click here.

3 tips to losing weight without losing your mind

Losing weight can be a long, ongoing process and it is too easy to "throw in the towel", so to speak.  This is primarily due to frustrations because of slow results or the seeming lack of results.  Keep your sanity in your weight loss goals - learn how to take the little strides to achieve your long term weight loss goals.

1. Make a plan

Do you have a plan?  People sometimes get confused by plans and goals. The end result goal in your case is weight loss, the plan is the means you are going to use to get there.  While you will undoubtedly have short term goals and a long term goal, they are not your plan.  A plan would consist of, for example, eating breakfast; walking a half hour per day; not eating after 8pm; eliminating soda from your daily routine; etc.  These are plans that can help you reach your goal of weight loss.  If you've tried certain things before and they didn't work because of your lack of commitment then try loosening the plan a little for something that you could easily achieve without pushing yourself too hard. If you have a plan of walking/running 1 hour a day but you think that you might give up too easily on that: shoot for 15 minutes a day & once you've made the 15 minutes try and push yourself for 15 minutes more.  You're much better off making a plan for 15 minutes of walking a day and doing it than making a plan of walking 1 hour a day and never leaving the couch.

2. Execute the plan

The greatest weight loss plan in the world will do no good if you don't use it.  That's where so many people fail is that they want to lose the weight but aren't willing to take any steps to actually meet their goals.  It's like someone saying "I want to make $5,000 this month" but doesn't have a job and never leaves the couch to look for one.  A job is no more going to show up at your door and give you $5,000 for sitting than you are going to lose weight if you continue to do nothing about it.  Again, if your plan is not something you think you can commit to: loosen up your plan to something that is feasible given your lifestyle and situation.

3. See the plan through

Keep on keeping on, stay focused on your weight loss goals, and don't give up.  It is not the easiest thing getting started, but it is a proven fact that it takes 21 days to form a habit.  Keep your plan up for a few weeks and you'll be well on your way to your weight loss goals.

By simply creating a plan, working a plan and staying with it, you'll soon begin to see results with your weight loss goals.  Sometimes it only takes us seeing the start of results to get us really motivated to take the weight off.

For a plan that you can stick to and execute at your own pace, click here!

Love can make you desire a healthier life

Most people make promises to get healthier but never seem to attain their goals. Perhaps it is because of lack of motivation. Well, one thing can help with increasing the enthusiasm for self-improvement through weight loss.  Love …it’s a beautiful thing.

One of the many reasons why several people let themselves go in the first place is by overeating and lack of exercise. This may be due to an intense loneliness and the need to compensate for this. “No one wants me anyway”, they’d say or think to themselves in self-pity “so it shouldn’t matter what I look like, so let me enjoy something at least!”

I get it. However, it is not the right approach to handling the situation. Instead of resorting to unhealthy binges as a resort to compensate for being alone, why not occupy your time making the effort to focus on you and exploring a wellness journey. In the meantime, that special someone may just be around the corner.

It is a known fact that the first thing people judge others on is their appearance. If you don’t look as appealing or at least come off as being concerned about your appearance to some degree, this could be an instant turn-off to most people. People aren’t perfect so it is what is, right?

So, instead of giving up on yourself, work on yourself. Eat like you love yourself. Move like you love yourself. When you make the effort to be healthier and fitter, you automatically create the foundation for increased self-confidence, happiness and a positive outlook on life…and that’s attractive!

How about being in love with you?

That’s a start. When you love yourself (not being vain or overly superficial now), you will make the effort to always look and BE your best naturally. As a result, that motivation could and should serve as the spur to action to start a journey to live a healthier life.

Now, if you are in a relationship already, this should serve as a motivation to want to look and be your best for you AND your partner. To simply let things get out of hand with your health and appearance can make you appear less attractive to your partner, in spite of whatever people say about “it’s not what’s on the outside that matters…” Again, it is what it is.

Did I mention that excess weight and poor fitness levels can obstruct what may have been a healthy and happy sex life for two people in love? Listen, I didn’t make the rules…But I do know by recent studies I’ve read (and by my own experience) the better you eat and the more you move the higher the sex drive in both men and women.💏*cue the music…boom chika wow wow*. So, don’t let lack of discipline mess up a good thing or prevent you from spicing things up a little bit. Here’s an idea…start a wellness journey together!

For a simple to follow plan that will inspire you to work out more, eat better and attract more love in your life, click here.

Here’s to a healthy and happier you.

Sources:

How to boost your libido: 10 natural methods (medicalnewstoday.com)

How To Increase Libido: 7 Ways To Boost Sex Drive – Forbes Health

How Exercise Can Improve Your Sex Drive (healthgrades.com)

Tips to improve your diet in 2024

For many people, the coming New Year will involve resolutions to get on a diet and lose weight. While slimming down is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, it is often easier said than done. Making the switch from the calorie and fat laden temptations that lure us during the six week long holiday fest can be quite difficult. If you’re planning to start your new year off with a pledge to lose weight, keep these tips in mind to help you ease into your resolution the healthy way.

Cutting everything out cold turkey is one of the most common techniques for approaching a diet; however, doing so may well spell disaster for a good intentioned diet. Instead of putting yourself on such a restrictive diet right after the holidays, consider options that will allow you to ease into a healthy eating regimen. This will increase your chances of sticking with your diet resolution and achieving success. 

Start by opting for foods that are grilled, roasted, baked or broiled instead of fried. This one technique will allow you to cut out a large amount of calories as well as fat. If you don’t care for the somewhat blander taste of grilled or roasted meats, don’t be afraid to add a little zing with some low-fat or fat-free sauces. Herbs and spices can also go a long way toward livening up grilled and roasted foods. 

Most people do not eat nearly as much fruits and vegetables as they should. Besides the fact that fruits and veggies are rich in healthy vitamins, minerals and fiber; they are also a good way to fill up without loading up with calories and fat. Look for ways where you can introduce fruits and vegetables into your eating regimen. Vegetable soups make a great dinner or lunch solution on a cold wintry day. Salads are easy and quick to pack for lunch with a low-cal dressing. Top it with some grilled chicken and you’ve got a quick dinner solution as well. 

After indulging in holiday sweets, cutting out the treats may be one of the most difficult aspects of starting a new diet. Increase your chances of sticking with it by substituting fresh fruit for calorie rich treats. Stock up on plenty of apples, oranges, berries and whatever other type of fresh fruit strikes your fancy. This is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your diet. 

Finally, DRINK MORE WATER! Your diet and your body will respond much better if you opt for plain water. The more water you drink, the more efficiently your body flushes out toxins; and in the end, it can help you to lose more weight faster. 

By easing your way into your new diet instead of torturing yourself with an overly restrictive or fad diet, you’ll find that you’re more likely to stick with your resolution and by next New Year’s Eve will be ready to show off your slim new shape.

Finding A Diet That Works in 2024

Searching for a new diet that works? If you’re a habitual dieter, wouldn’t it be nice to stop changing diets? Is there a diet that actually works?

Everyone has a habit or a vice. Some people smoke. Some people bite their fingernails. Some people can’t resist having a piece of chocolate before bedtime, and others snore when they sleep. Others are habitual dieters, always looking for a new diet that promises astonishing results.

How many new diet plans have you tried? Some people can tick off a list of new diets that they have tried. They yo-yo back and forth. Atkins, weight watchers, the grapefruit diet, the soup diet, the salad diet, the low-fat diet… some people can’t even count every new diet they have tried.

Often, each new diet is punctuated by a day of binge eating. Sure, you lost weight on that latest low-carbohydrate new diet, but now you’re craving a baked potato, french fries, and a big piece of garlic bread. Wouldn’t it be great to find a new diet that allows you to eat all the foods you want while still losing weight?

The bottom line is that the best option isn’t actually a new diet. It’s a concept that has been around for ages, but people fail to overlook it with so many new diet choices on the market. If you talk to most doctors, however, they will agree that fad dieting is not the smartest choice to lose weight.

However bombarded we may be with new diet choices; there is one fact that can’t be ignored. We lose weight when we limit our caloric intake. This isn’t about grapefruit, carbohydrates, fat-free products, or even following a strict new diet plan. It’s about eating in moderation. You don’t have to go hungry, but you need to use willpower to make sure you don’t overeat. Limiting your calories means shedding those unwanted pounds.

7 Steps to Losing Weight While Keeping Your Skin Firm

Assuming you don't have an excessive amount of loose skin already it is possible to lose weight and keep your skin firm in the process. The idea is to keep your body well hydrated day in and day out. NEVER EVER let yourself become dehydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and NEVER EVER totally eliminate your carbohydrate intake. From my experience, most people who have lost weight too fast by eliminating their carbohydrates ended up with a lot of excess skin afterwards. The whole idea is to lose weight to get healthier and of course to look better with your clothes ON and with your clothes OFF.

Here are some tips:

1. Follow a well-rounded balanced diet.

 

2. Follow a full body exercise routine alternating with a split routine every 4 weeks. For example, full body routine 4 weeks, split routine 4 weeks, full body routine 4 weeks, and so on. 

3. Assuming you don't have stomach ulcers and you are not on blood thinners you should also take ONE TEASPOON of cold arctic cod liver oil ONCE PER DAY with your evening meal. 

4. Take 1000-1500mg of lecithin per day. Lecithin has been known to increase the elasticity of the skin. 

5. Anything you can do to increase circulation will also help. Skin brushing techniques are very good. Do a search on the internet for skin brushing to get all the info you need. Deep massages are also good. 

6. Most importantly if you are more than 75 pounds overweight DO NOT try to lose weight too fast. The more you weigh the easier it will be to lose weight so ease into it slowly so you only lose about 3 pounds per week. Doing this will prevent the sagging skin. If you lose weight too fast you will end up with loose skin 90% of the time. 

7. Some people have done weekly body wraps with great success, but it can get messy. You can do this as an option but it's really not necessary. As an option, you can also take a supplement called collagen. 

As I stated above, one key to increasing the elasticity of your skin is to keep your body well hydrated. Yes, drinking water will do this. The average person needs at least ½ an ounce of water per pound of body weight. Possibly more depending on the type of exercise you do on a daily basis. The reason why so many people end up with loose skin after losing weight is because they go on low carbohydrate diets that will in turn dehydrate the body. If you lose weight and are dehydrated in the process you will see the weight go down but unfortunately most of the weight being lost is nothing more than water weight. If you are losing 2-3 pounds per week you are doing great. If you are losing 4-6 pounds you are pushing the limit. Any more than 6 pounds per week and you are sure to end up with loose skin after losing the weight because chances are you are restricting too many carbohydrates from your diet. Cutting out refined flours/breads and sugars will yield the best results. 

Also, instead of getting on the scale every week to measure your progress, go more by how your clothes are fitting. I always tell my clients to try on the tightest pair of pants they have and then follow my program for 4 weeks and then try them on again. After 4 weeks those tight-fitting pants will be a thing of the past.

Follow all the above and you will see amazing results.

6 Tips to Eating The Right Way

When you think about achieving a healthy weight, what do you think of first? Which aspects of getting to a healthy weight are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge. 

Once you begin to move beyond the basic “eat well, move more” concept, you begin to realize that there's more to getting to a healthy weight than you may have first thought.  

It probably comes to you as naturally as breathing—the art of eating.  However, you might never have been taught to eat well.  This is critically important because, unless you learn to eat well, you may never master the art of living a healthy lifestyle.  In our society, certain inappropriate eating habits have become routine.  By attacking these habits, you can increase the likelihood that you will actually achieve a healthy weight.

To begin with, it is important that you learn to eat slowly.  At first, this might be quite a challenge.  We have been conditioned to live in a fast-food world.  We rush meals in order to have time to run to soccer practice, to a piano recital, or to school and work.  We think that rushing saves us time—but such a routine can easily backfire, leaving us with unwanted pounds.  Studies have shown that at least 10 minutes is required before the brain receives the message that the stomach is full.  This means that you could be eating long after you are actually satiated.  Your meal—whether it’s in the morning, afternoon, or evening—should last at least ten minutes.  Train yourself to lengthen your meal by engaging in conversation, resting your fork between courses, chewing slowly, and drinking plenty of water between courses.  You should also wait at least ten minutes after your main meal before deciding if you need dessert.  Within that period of time, you may discover that you weren’t really hungry after all.

Another trick is to place serving dishes on the counter and leave them there.  As a result, you’ll actually have to get up out of your seat in order to get more food.  You may decide that it’s not worth the bother.  Or you may find that you discover that you need no more food between courses.  Also, do not eat directly from an ice cream carton, tortilla chip bag, or cracker box.  Otherwise, you could find yourself easily overeating.

You should always eat at the table.  This prevents you from trying to engage in multitasking, such as surfing the ‘Net, watching television, or flipping through magazines while you eat.  At the table, you’ll be forced to concentrate on how much food you are putting into your mouth.  If you eat anywhere else, you may lose track of how much food you’re consuming.

Abandon the idea that you must clean your plate.  It is simply not true.  Research has shown that more than half of adults insist on cleaning their plates, even when they are already full.  This means that you are overeating simply out of politeness.  Such a habit only serves to add unwanted pounds.  Instead of cleaning your plate, try eating only that portion of food that makes you feel full.  You’ll be healthier and happier that way.

Do not keep food in plain view during the day.  If the cookie jar is open or the pretzel bag is out on the table, you’ll have a tremendous urge to eat, even if you are not hungry.  After a meal, put your food away in the refrigerator, inside your cupboard, or in the Lazy Susan.  This way, you’ll actually have to do some work to get at food before you consume it.

If you happen to overeat, don’t spend a great deal of time sulking.  Accept your mistake and move on.  If you’ve veered off course, take corrective action and forget about it.  Otherwise, you could find yourself eating out of frustration, or going off your plan entirely.  It’s better to sabotage a single meal than a lifetime’s worth of meals.  

You may be self-conscious at first as you attempt to change your eating habits.  Realize that your bad habits did not start overnight, so it will take some time to correct them.  While it may seem an arduous task initially, it is well worth the effort.  You’ll quickly find that your new eating habits have helped you to lose unwanted weight.  Granted, such techniques as hiding your food and eating more slowly will not in themselves cause you to achieve a healthy weight, but they will help you to curb your overeating over the long run.  And you’ll be a better person for it.  

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

4 Tips to Simplify Achieving a Healthy Weight

These four tips include suggestions in each of the four elements you need to work on in order to achieve your health, fitness, wellness and weight loss goals: (eating right, exercise, support and accountability).

1. Good Eating Tip

Next time you order pizza for yourself, or your kids ask for half the cheese. You’ll barely notice any taste loss. But what you will lose is tons of calories and a whole lot of grams of saturated fats. Pizza doesn't have to be left off the weekly menu anymore.

 

2. Making Exercise Safe and Fun

In order to lose weight, you have to become more active. Most people do anything to avoid moving their bodies. And society is an accomplice. You can pick up food, a prescription, your clothes and your kid without leaving your car. Aim to walk 30 minutes a day, even if you have to break it up into 10–15-minute chunks. Not only will you burn 200-300 calories, but you can also walk with your family and increase your quality time as well. Move family time away from the TV and onto the street.

 

3. Maintaining Your Support System

If you’re the type of person who feels guilty about things, great news. You can use that emotion to help you lose weight. Here’s how. Exercise with a partner. But before you start making a pact that you will not let the other person down and you will pick them up should they start losing interest. It’s much easier to let yourself down then another person. You won’t do it, because you’ll feel guilty if you do.

 

4. Accountability Tools

A food diary is a great way to keep track of what you are eating and when. Keep track of what you consume on an hourly basis throughout the day. If you do this for 2 weeks you will see exactly where those extra calories (and thereby those extra pounds) are coming from. Also, don’t forget to keep track of what you’re drinking.

For THE total solution to your overall wellness made simple, START HERE!

Losing Weight, Gain Health

Many people have thought about losing weight over the years, but often seem to fall short of an actual attempt to do it. The reason why so many people think about it so much is because deep down, they know that having that extra poundage is not at all good for them. The problem is, just knowing that being overweight is bad is not enough to really push many people to do something about it. Much like wanting to quit smoking, knowing it is bad for you doesn't induce people to quit doing it. However, if you were to find some really good reasons to quit smoking, like your doctor told you if you don’t quit, you will lose a lung next year, that might make you act and just do it.

Well, losing weight is just like quitting smoking, the better reasons you have to do it, the more likely you are to act on it and make it happen. If you have something driving your motivation aside from just knowing it is bad for you, you are also more likely to maintain your weight loss goal once you reach it.

First and foremost, losing weight means getting healthier. When you lose those extra pounds, you greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and joint stress, all conditions associated with being overweight. When you reduce these risks, it means you can have a much better chance of being around to see your children grow up and being around to enjoy your grandchildren. That alone is reason enough to get that weight down.

Another reason you might want to consider losing weight is that you will feel better. As you begin to lose some of those extra pounds, you will start to notice your energy levels increasing. Being overweight by 20 pounds is like putting a 20-pound sack of potatoes on your shoulders all day. Extra body fat is nothing more than an extra burden to carry around with you every day, so the extra weight drains your energy. For this reason, overweight people tend to be less active, and this promotes more fat to collect up on them. As this continues, they become even less active and so this becomes a vicious cycle leading to obesity. 

As a nice little side benefit, losing weight will make you look better, and who doesn’t want to look better? Each and every one of us has a vision of what we want to look like. Most people are not completely satisfied with the way they look. They will always find something they don’t like about themselves and wish they could change and for people who are overweight; this can be a great motivator to lose weight. A recent study concluded that as early as age 5, girls who had higher body weights had lower self-esteem than girls with normal body weight.

When a person loses weight, what are almost always the responses of other people who know that person? You hear things like; you look good; you’ve lost weight, haven’t you? And think about how you would feel when you’ve lost enough weight to be able to fit into that dress or that pair of pants you wore back in high school. Now keep in mind, looking better is a great reason to lose weight but it should not be the only one.

When you have at least a few good, valid reasons to want to lose weight, it will be a lot easier to motivate yourself to get started and stay with it. Let’s face it, your health, wellbeing and self-esteem are very good reasons to get rid of those extra pounds and keep them off for good.

For THE total solution to your healthy weight goals made simple, START HERE!

Consider Making Sushi Your Best Friend When Losing Weight

If you're not making sushi at home, you're missing out on a delicious and extremely diet-friendly meal. It's easy to make, fast, nutritious, and the raw fish you may be afraid of is completely optional.

First, let's have a brief overview of sushi for those who've never had it or those who have tried it but want to know more.

Sushi is the catch-all name for a wide variety of Japanese dishes. The word sushi actually refers to rice with rice vinegar added. Since this is a very basic and lightly flavored food, it is the many ingredients added to it that really define what dish you are eating. The raw fish you have heard of is sashimi - an ingredient of many types of sushi - but you can create sushi with virtually any ingredient that goes with rice.

In America, by far the most common type of sushi is Maki-sushi, or rice wrapped in seaweed. The seaweed is called nori and forms the green skin you can see around sushi pieces. For this reason, maki-sushi are called nori rolls on many menus. Also popular is Nigiri-sushi, small bars of rice topped with wasabi and sashimi. 

It's easy to include sushi into a healthy diet. Think of the ingredients: rice, vegetables, and fish. Not exactly a heart-attack in the making, just the opposite in fact. As long as you don't go overboard on the rice it is extremely low calorie in addition to being low fat. Where we chomp pork rinds and potato chips, the Japanese have sushi. Care to guess which country has a longer average life span?

Let's learn how to make a California roll, easily the most popular nori roll (and my personal favorite) in America today. You will need the following items, all of which should be easy to find in your supermarket's Asian foods section or at your local Asian market:

Bamboo rolling mat

Sushi rice (short or medium grain)

Nori (squares of roasted seaweed)

Salt

Sugar

Rice vinegar

Imitation crab meat

Avocado

Cucumber

Wasabi

Soy sauce

Directions

Prepare the rice according to the directions on the package. You will need about 3/4 cup cooked rice for each sushi roll, and most people will be full after eating 1 or 2 rolls. 

In a small pan, place a tablespoon of vinegar and 1/3 tbsp of sugar and salt for each 3/4 cup of rice you are cooking. Heat the resulting mixture briefly and stir until the sugar dissolves. When the rice is almost done cooking, begin cutting your vegetables. Peel a cucumber and cut it into long thin strips, about a 1/4" around. Same for the avocado. If you bought powdered wasabi prepare it also (just mix in tiny amounts of water until you get a thick paste).

Once the rice is done, remove it from heat and slowly fold in the vinegar mixture. Then lay the rice out on a sheet of foil or a baking sheet and allow it to cool (traditionally this is done by fanning the rice while slowly stirring it). The rice should be slightly damp and sticky, but not wet and mushy. Getting the rice right is the most difficult part of making sushi, but a little practice will teach you what works.

Once the vinegared rice has cooled off, you are ready to put it all together. Lay your bamboo rolling mat in front of you horizontally (the bamboo sticks should run left-right). Take a sheet of nori and lay it on the rolling mat. Spread a layer of rice on the nori, covering about 3/4 of it. The part of the nori not covered in rice will hold the roll closed (think of the glue strip on an envelope or the gum on a cigarette paper). 

Place a strip of avocado and a strip of cucumber on the rice and top it with crab meat. Now wet your fingers with cold water and dampen the part of the nori you left uncovered. Carefully roll the sushi using the mat, starting with the rice side and rolling it up (don't roll the mat into it, silly). If this sounds complicated, don't worry. It is as simple as rolling up a sleeping bag or a beach towel, and it will be obvious to you once you actually have the ingredients in front of you.

Take the resulting roll and cut it into bite sized slices, usually 6 per roll. If you are having trouble cutting the roll without damaging it, try dipping your knife into water between each cut. Lay the pieces flat and they will look like little colorful discs. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce on the side.

If you feel brave and want to try sashimi, here are a few safety tips. First of all, understand that millions of people eat raw fish every day without getting sick. However, most of them live right next to the sea where fresh fish is abundant. For many land-locked Americans this isn't the case. Fish that is prepared for shipping to a grocery store in Boise is not handled in the same way as that bound for a San Francisco sushi bar. Look for fish that is specially labeled as sushi-grade. Avoid freshwater fish, with the notable exception of Salmon, which spends much of its life at sea. When buying whole fish, make sure the gills are bright red and not slimy, the eyes should be transparent and not cloudy, and there should be no fishy odor.

Take up a healthy and nutritious sushi addiction today. It may take you a while to get the rice and the rolling right, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to whip out several nori rolls in minutes.

Lose Weight Quickly With This Simple Method

There are a lot of people in the world who are trying to find ways to lose weight quickly. In this article I write about a simple method that worked for me.

I have always had an ongoing battle with my own weight, however a few years ago I managed to come up with a plan to lose those excess pounds.

I have always liked the wrong types of food and drinks (especially during pregnancy) and as a result have mostly been on the large side. I have to be very careful what I eat as I seem to gain weight very easily. In my life I have tried many weight loss programs or diets, however I have always looked for a way of losing weight without having to resort to starving myself or by having to do huge amounts of exercise.

I am not sure if you are like me, but I have always been annoyed and frustrated with people who seem to be able to eat seemingly huge amounts of food, without getting fat. I am sure I eat half as much as these people but am still twice their size, it is not fair! That was until a couple of years ago.

I decided I needed to find my own weight loss program. I had to be realistic, I was aware that I was limited in the amount of exercise I could do and that I liked all of the wrong types of food. I loved the taste of fast food but more importantly, due to my limited mobility, it was incredibly difficult to prepare meals at home. One of my biggest problems though was that I liked snack food, such as peanuts, chocolate and chips. 

I knew that most people would advise me to stop eating all of these fatty type foods, especially pizza and chips. They would also, no doubt, advise me to join a gym and to go jogging every morning. Get real! Those gyms are full of thin, judgmental people, and jogging was out of the question!

I decided that what I would do is to basically eat a healthy breakfast, which would be a superfood smoothie. I would have a moderate lunch, such as a sandwich with a piece of fruit or some veggies or a salad and keep my evening meal light. The most difficult to build discipline around would be the fact that I would no longer be snacking at night. The snacks had to go! I am not trying to say that this was easy to do, however I had a need and was determined to lose weight and gain my strength back.

For exercise I decided to focus on strength training at home. And no ladies…weight training does not bulk you up. In fact, it is THE ideal exercise routine, especially those of us of a certain age.  It is amazing how much weight you can lose by working with weights. You can turn your body into a fat burning machine and rev your metabolism to phenomenal levels the likes of which you cannot get by cardio training alone. As someone who cannot do much cardio (yet) and relied on diet and strength training as part of my plan to lose weight and gain strength but still lost 10lbs in 4 weeks is a testament to how powerful strength training is to your overall weight loss goals.

These things are helping me to lose weight, gain strength and return to the ME I once was and beyond!

Eat right, feel amazing

One of the most important things to do when you are trying to get in shape is paying attention to your diet. This may surprise you, but this does not take any extra time from your schedule, and you will feel much healthier when you eat the right foods in the right quantity.

One of the best ways to change your diet is to change to an organic one. It is good to increase the fiber in your diet, which will clean out your colon of all negative weight loss inhibitors. This means that instead of eating refined or processed foods, you should eat whole grain foods like brown rice and whole wheat bread. This has more fiber and less bad fats such as trans-fat and cholesterol. 

You should also increase your input of protein, minerals and vitamins. To do this it is good to eat more fruits and vegetables and substitute red meat for fish and chicken. These meats have less calories and fat and still provide more protein. 

One of the most important parts of changing your diet is to completely eliminate junk food. This will include candy, chips, popcorn, ice cream, milk shakes and soda. (but if have a legendary sweet tooth like mine, keep reading. I’ll share some swaps that taste just as delicious but are good for you).You can substitute fruits and vegetable snacks instead. Instead of sodas you can drink water or dilute juice with water for flavor. You will find this makes a huge difference in your sugar and fat intake. 

You will feel healthier and have more energy when you change your diet. At first you may feel a little different with the extra fiber and complete change in food but this will soon pass and your body will work better and more efficiently. You will have more energy and feel like an entirely new, better person.

Keeping fit does not just depend on exercises, diet also plays an important part in improving your body composition. Remember that looking after your health and staying fit is an investment in yourself and something you should not neglect or you will find that you will regret poor health habits later. Diet is one part of staying fit that does not take any extra time and you will reap the benefits throughout your life once you get into a good habit. With these few points you can make huge strides towards staying fit and healthy and being able to do the things you want to do.

As promised, I got the hook up for healthy dessert recipes that help you stay on track and gives you a little flexibility in your routine. 

What is an Acidic Vs Alkaline Diet?

Our body’s internal system needs a PH of just above 7.0; our immunologic, enzymatic and repair mechanisms all function at their best in this alkaline range.

If our body becomes over acidic, i.e. under a PH of 7, you may start to experience a combination of these symptoms; 

Low energy, fatigue

Nasal congestion

Hives

Muscle Pain

Weak nails, dry skin, dry hair

Frequent colds, flu and infection

Headaches

If you have these symptoms and eat foods which create acid in the body, you may need to balance it with an alkaline diet.

What foods cause acid in the body?

There is a whole list of foods that cause the body to be over-acidic: dairy and dairy substitutes, animal meat, most grains, chickpeas, condiments, aspartame, prunes, chocolate, peanuts, alcohol and quite a few other types of foods. 

How can you balance your PH?

To balance your PH, the remedy is simple and logical; eat more alkaline causing foods.

To name but a few of these foods, there is; watermelon, lime, mango, most vegetables, vegetable juices, almonds, sprouts, avocados and green tea. 

When your body becomes more alkaline, the changes that will take place are truly amazing! It will seem magical, but it’s all perfectly normal. You will feel how we all have the right to feel, we just don’t know it.

Benefits include:

Rapid weight loss

Increased energy

The need for less sleep

Improved skin and hair condition

Better mental attitude

Are these benefits worth pursuing? I think so! Try it for yourself and feel better in just a few days. Fortunately, it is not hard to slowly alkalize your body. Take it one day at a time, add more and more green food to your diet, reduce the number of cups of coffee you have every day, and you’ll soon reap the benefits.