The benefits of eating healthy!

Carrying on with the healthy eating regime, there are of course a number of key factors in your life as to why you should eat healthily - weight control is the obvious one, but what about for combating illness, infection and disease, and then what about the benefits on your physical well being - skin, hair, eyes condition, and finally to give you the fuel to do all the things that make up your day . . . including keeping up with your exercise regime. In the below read, sourced through 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8860883) and written by Josef Bichler (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josef_Bichler) there is some further advice on the reasons why.


Giving your body the right type of food is paramount to your overall health. Healthy eating is not about sticking to strict nutrition facts or depriving yourself totally from the food you love. Rather, it is about feeling mentally and physically great and having good energy levels, all of which be achieved by learning nutrition basics and making better food choices. The benefits of eating healthy by making some changes are exceptional. Apart from maintaining health and functioning organs in your body, healthy eating provides a wide array of benefits.

Less Illness and More Health!
As the saying goes: You are what you eat, and you become what you eat, whatever we eat reflects on our body. Unhealthy processed and fast foods affect the normal functioning of our body systems and can lead to obesity and illness. Eating healthy provides all the required nutrients for the body which help in proper functioning of our body organs. By improving body functions you are enhancing your immune system, which further helps in protecting against many chronic illnesses. Staying active and energetic is part of a good diet which is the key to a healthy body. Eating a well balanced diet provides good nutrition and energy to continue a healthy function of the body, and for supporting healthy growth and development. When the energy requirements of the body are right, you stay active and energetic throughout the day.

Weight Control Is Best Through Your Diet
It is no secret that exercise and a healthy diet are the keys to losing weight and maintaining it. Exercise and continuing with the wrong food will not bring your weight down, although exercise has many other health benefits and is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Recent study has shown that half an hour of exercise will improve the brains "Plasticity". Plasticity in the brain is important for learning, memory, and motor skill conditions. This also strengthens connections between other cells and as well different brain cells. Weight loss is all about making the right food choices which will help you in losing weight and calories. Optimal body weight keeps you fit and healthy, and prevents you from many obesity related diseases. Some exercise with the right diet, less carbohydrates, processed food, and smaller portions on your plate will immediately bring your weight down.

Look Good and Feel Good
In today's lifestyle, where people are overtly conscious of the appearance, excessive weight will affect the good looks. Hence, weight control is one of the most important benefits of eating a healthy diet. Overeating and eating junk food can not only pack on kilos, it also disturbs your sleeping patterns. On the other hand just the opposite will happen; healthy food reduces stress and helps getting a good night's sleep. A restful sleep keeps your mind as well as body active ti face the next day with a better attitude. The first and most important step to make smarter food choices is to educate yourself about what your body needs. Reading the food nutritional labels and ingredients of all the food you eat, knowing about the nutritional content of the food product can help you decide whether a food or beverage fits in your eating plan. You can compare different food products and get to understand and knowing which one is good for your health and which is not!

All about this is knowing what to do. Education has become an arguable effective way to gain knowledge and being able to take control of your health. Your chances of success in your health will increase dramatically by following a lesson plan and getting the right information.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

What does being fit really teach us?

So, we are well on the way! Over recent weeks we have looked at kick-starting your fitness goals, diet and healthy eating coupled with exercise and fitness and your mental and emotional approach - individually, in groups or with a PT, and what you need to do to sustain your efforts. Looking at 'ezinearticles' I came across this article which might help put your efforts in to some perspective and help to spur you on, if and when the doubts start to creep in to your mind. It's a good read, and will take five minutes or so of your time. Sourced at http://EzineArticles.com/8747921 and written by Art Forrosuelo (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Art_Forrosuelo)


We make choices in life. Each one of us is unique in our own ways. As individuals, our minds are in control of everything - those that we do, those that we want to do and those that we want to have. Our eagerness and determination to work hard in achieving the things that we think we can't do or the things that we think we can't have will determine our future.

Physical fitness as described in Wikipedia, is a general state of health and well-being or specifically the ability to perform aspects of sports or occupations. Physical fitness is generally achieved through correct nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest. It is a set of attributes or characteristics that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity. Physical fitness means being healthy and free from illness and the ability to be involved in physical activities, such as running, jumping, swimming, weight lifting, etc. Since our first few years in school, we have been introduced to physical fitness and sports. Some of us discovered our talents and became athletes. Others would always try their best to excel in sports even if they believe that they don't have the said talent. They are those people who believe in the saying, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." Now, let's talk about those who are neither athletes nor enthusiasts. They are these type of people:

1. An average guy who wants to look better, have bigger arms, broader shoulders, thicker chest and finely carved abs. 
2. A person who thinks he or she is fat and aims to have a smaller waistline or a flat tummy. 
3. A skinny guy who wants to build more muscle. 
4. A man or a woman who wants to become stronger and feel better. 
5. An elderly who is fighting a disease and was advised by the doctor to start exercising. The main goal is to look better. Next is to feel better, stronger and healthier.

In my own opinion, physical fitness is a complex state. It is a definition of how a person lives his or her life. It is an enigmatic evidence of feeling great from inside out. It is a result of discipline, hard work, humility, curiosity, and perseverance.

These characteristics, for me, are the main ingredients in becoming successful in your fitness goals.

DISCIPLINE
Not eating your favorite comfort food or not drinking your favorite soda, getting yourself tired three, four or five times a week, spending your time running outside instead of just lying in bed - these are not a good idea to many. When you have discipline, you know that you have to do what you don't want to.

HARD WORK
Focusing on your goal, looking forward to achieving your desired body or physical ability and pushing yourself hard are not really hard to do at all. Always tell yourself to strive more for better results. Hard work pays off at the end of the day.

HUMILITY
Always keep in mind that you don't need to be better than someone else. There will always be that person who looks better than you or is stronger than you. Sometimes you will be that person too. There is no competition with anyone but yourself. Bragging about what you have will get you nowhere.

CURIOSITY
There are a lot of fitness experts and magazines online nowadays. Social media is one of the best ways to get advice and tips from. You only need to take the time to read those advice and tips and try applying them. Having a friend who is experienced in physical fitness will also be a bonus. But also limit yourself to hearsay.

PERSEVERANCE
There will be times that you get frustrated, unmotivated, hopeless and unprogressive. Don't just quit right away. Remember the first day of your workout until the next weeks, months and years that you feel a lot stronger than ever before. Never think of giving up and put to waste what you have already started. You will notice the changes in your body as you take pictures every now and then, either monthly or bimonthly, or anytime you want to take note of your progress.

As you take the journey to achieving your goals and having the physique that you always wanted, you will eventually learn and practice the qualities mentioned above. You will also get used to eating healthier foods and limit or exclude those unhealthy ones in your everyday meal. You will start to add and love more protein, green and leafy vegetables, healthy fats and fiber to your diet. But remember, there is no perfect diet, a very good advice or an excellent trainer to help you with your goal if your mind is not set to work with keen interest. In addition, you'll be more successful if you keep an open mind and be teachable all the time.

Although there will be times that you feel like your expectations are not met, you will feel like there are no changes in your body as how you want it to be. You'll be in the stage of reaching the so-called plateau and you notice that there is no progress anymore, you're not getting any bigger, leaner or stronger. Your only competition here is yourself. Every time you look in the mirror, you will see that person in front of you. You would always want to look better than that one there. Every time you feel like quitting, every time you feel tired and losing the drive, just think of what you will achieve when you keep going. You need to decide where you want to be. Are you contented with what you just have? Would you just accept the fact that you can't achieve something new for yourself? Or would you want to experience the triumph of conquering your limitations? As the great Arnold Schwarzenegger said, 'make your mind work for you, not against you'. You just have to be patient, continue doing what you have started, keep an open mind because everyday is a learning process, enjoy yourself until the day you realize that you have already reached your goal. By then, you will know exactly what I'm talking about right now.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Eat your way to fitness!

I was reading through this article by Jocelyn Knorr titled 'Feed Your Body What It Needs : Nutrition Tips' and it resonated with me in light of my article from yesterday on the fundamentals of your exercise programme. So, have a read of what Jocelyn is advocating here in terms of your diet - it makes sense. You can learn more via this link :

http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/feed-your-body-what-it-needs-nutrition-tips-7103666.html

A focus on positive nutrition should be the goal of everyone. When you know what to do, you can plan the most nutritious meals possible. Just use the advice in the article below, and you should be nourishing your body with good nutrition in no time.

Whenever you get that growling sensation in your tummy, have a healthy choice on hand. Look at portion sizes for your usual, and then compare that to the healthy alternative. This is a chance for you to fill up for less. Keep snack size portions on hand so you can't use the "it's easier to get the other" excuse. Pack your own snacks for the flight. Food at airports and on planes can be quite expensive and selection can be limited. To save money and ensure you have healthy food that you enjoy, bring your own. This also can be a lifesaver if you end up in one of the stuck-for-hours-on-the-runway nightmare scenarios.

Nutrition is something you should study if you are striving for good health and/or weight loss. A holistic approach points out that nutrition provides the building blocks for a healthy body: leave out some of those "building blocks" and you will not have sound health. Therefore it is important to search diligently through writings on nutrition and put your knowledge into practice.

When possible, include more foods in your diet that are high in omega 3. Omega 3 is one of the good fats that has many benefits. It can help reduce pain and swelling in an injury. It is a great source of protection against cardiovascular disease and strokes. It also has some benefits in treating attention deficit disorders.

Eat oatmeal for breakfast. Foods that contain oats or a lot of grain can be very filling. Try eating foods like oatmeal for breakfast in the morning. This will make you fill fuller for a longer amount of time than a typical breakfast. You will be more likely to make it from breakfast to lunch without picking up a snack.

One important way to live healthier is to eat different type of animal protein in order to get all of your nine essential amino acids. Some examples include meat, eggs, and milk. These have all nine of these amino acids. Unfortunately, vegetable sources of protein are lacking in these essential amino acids. Therefore, you must stick with animal sources.

Eat until you are satisfied, not until you are full. Most people eat because food tastes good, not because their body needs more nutrients. Pay attention to your body's signals. Put down your fork between bites and assess how you are feeling. Stop when you feel satisfied. You should not feel any hunger, but you should also not feel stuffed or uncomfortable.

You want to gain the greatest nutritional value from your food. Fresh vegetables are high on your list. What a loss if you throw away these nutrients through overcooking! When you immerse vegetables in water, much of the nutrients are leached out as they cook and are thrown away in the water. Avoid this by using a steamer and cooking vegetables lightly.

Making spaghetti sauce for your family is easy and with a few extra ingredients it can be more nutritious. The next time you make spaghetti sauce, try adding minced carrots or stirring in pureed baby-food carrots. These ingredients will enhance the flavor. Your family will never notice the extra veggies, but will benefit from the extra nutrition.

Have a slushie when you workout. It's vital to remain hydrated during a workout, but especially on a hot day. On those days, don't feel guilty about drinking a cool drink, even if it is a slushie, if you are exercising. Many runners who are otherwise healthy, have been known to pass out on very hot days because they fail to stay hydrated. Don't let that happen to you.

Good nutrition is necessary for a healthy body and mind. By learning about what foods are right for your nutritional needs, you will arm yourself with the power to fuel your body for the lifestyle that you lead. Use the tips given in this article and you'll be living healthier than you ever have before.

Some useful insights here about a healthy, balanced, nutritious and still wholesome diet plan that if followed will help set you up on the right course for your weight loss objectives. Start planning, make improvements from today onwards and eat your self fit, healthier and more energised.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-