Wednesday, December 26, 2007

The Holiday season is full of love and joy with family and friends. Of course, it also seems to be an endless cycle of eating and drinking at dinner parties, office get-togethers, and family reunions. Now that this little era is done with, we ladies are left with not only gifts galore and precious memories, but just a little bit of weight gain: the Holiday Pounds.
We’ve heard them all and probably tried them all: Atkins with their low carbs and high protein diet; the South Beach Diet and the Beverly Hills Diet, yeah like we could really look like them; Jenny Craig has counseling and monitored food intake; and the Raw Foods Diet? I can’t even fathom how many fad diets are out there and the claims those diet pills promise. So when looking at it all, it really comes down to what you eat and how much exercise you are willing to do.
A balanced healthy diet is a start. A healthy diet will help increase your energy level and metabolism, as well as keep your weight down. We don’t mean depriving yourself of food nor counting calories, honestly do we really stick to that plan? However there are certain basics to know about the kinds of food you can have. When looking at the nutrition labels, know which fats are for you and those that you must shun off.
Bad Fat
Saturated and Trans fat are lipids to avoid. Saturated fats are very unhealthy because it stimulates the production of LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) and therefore increases blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil in a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats. Try to avoid commercially packaged foods and vegetable shortenings, some margarine, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils.
Good Fat
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats have been known to increase the HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) and high doses can be found in nut, canola and olive oils. Seafood like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy safflower, and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats.
Omega-3 fatty acids belong to this group. Omega-3 fatty acids make blood platelets less likely to clot, thus decreasing risk of artery blockage and heart attacks. Fish such as salmon, albacore, tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring and rainbow trout are high in Omega-3s.
Putting It All Together With Common Sense
The body’s basic needs are vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. All these essentials are found in the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and should be used as a reference to planning a healthy meal. The secret to successful dieting is eating in moderation not in elimination.
Exercising can be a little tricky, especially with so many programs out there. The hardest part is to actually find one and stick to it or not! No really, maybe switch it up and try a variety of work-out sessions. Who says you have to be loyal. Try Pilates, yoga, swimming, jogging, aerobic dancing, boxing or maybe strength training, the whole point is to stay active. Do not push yourself though; start off slow and increase your routine every other week. Besides, you have all winter to get into shape. Before you know it, you’ll be sitting pool side with your sexy and healthy new bod.
For the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, go to www.MyPyramid.gov and healthy eating, go to www.WHFood.com
For exercise routines and advice, go to www.FitnessMagazine.com, www.FreeTrainers.com, or www.JustMove.org


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