The Healthy Diet

For a healthy diet you need to eat a wide variety of foods in moderate-sized portions that give your body the nutrients and energy it needs. You also need to limit foods in your diet that can be harmful to your body.

The Foods to Limit

Some foods contain very little nutritional value or have ingredients that can cause disease. Eating healthy doesn't mean giving up all sweets, salt, and snacks. It means eating such foods in moderation. The foods and food ingredients you need to limit include fat, cholesterol, sodium, alcohol, and sugar.

Eating foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat can cause atherosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels from buildup of fatty deposits). This is critical for everyone but especially important if you have a family history of high cholesterol levels or diabetes. Atherosclerosis can lead to heart disease and strokes. Cholesterol is a substance found in animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy products, and baked goods made with eggs and milk. Vegetables do not contain cholesterol.

Of the various types of fats, saturated fats are the least healthy. They tend to increase the level of cholesterol in your blood. In fact, the amount of saturated fat in food is at least as important as the amount of cholesterol. Foods labeled "No Cholesterol" sometimes contain high saturated fat. Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature. Foods that contain saturated fat include butter, cheese, margarine, shortening, tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil, and the fats in meat and poultry skin.

To reduce the saturated fat in your diet, limit the amount of butter and margarine you eat. Drink nonfat or low-fat milk. Choose lean cuts of meat and take the skin off poultry before you eat it. If you use cooking oil, avoid tropical oils such as palm or coconut oil as well as peanut oil. Better oils to use are sunflower, canola, soy, or olive oil.

Sodium, one of the ingredients in table salt, can contribute to high blood pressure if it is eaten in excess. Sodium is found in many foods, not just in table salt. Fast foods usually contain high amounts of sodium. An average healthy person should have no more than 2400 mg (milligrams) of sodium a day and no less than 500 mg a day. Read the labels on food packaging to check how much sodium is in the food. The following chart shows some examples:

    Approximate    Food   mg of Sodium          
---------------------------------------
 Big Mac or Whopper          1000
 Bread (2 slices)            200 to 600
 Cheese, cheddar (1.5 oz)    300      
Fruit (1)                   2 to 5          
Milk (1 cup)                120          
1 teaspoon of salt          2100          
---------------------------------------

On food labels, "low sodium" means each serving contains less than 140 mg of sodium. "Moderate sodium" is 140 to 400 mg per serving. "High sodium" is more than 400 mg of sodium per serving.

Excess alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain, liver disease, brain damage, and other disorders. Women should have no more than one drink a day. Men should not have more than two drinks a day. A drink equals about 5 ounces of wine, one can of beer, or one ounce of distilled spirits.

Sugar and foods that contain a lot of sugar supply a large number of calories but very little nutrition. Sugar also causes tooth decay.

The Foods You Need

A healthy diet depends on eating a variety of foods. If you eat a variety of foods you are more likely to get all the necessary nutrients. Your diet should contain the following nutrients:

• Proteins

  Proteins form the basic structure of body tissue and organs. The body uses proteins for growth and repair of cells. Proteins are found in eggs, milk, cheese, tofu, nuts, meat, fish, poultry, dried beans, split peas, and lentils. About 15% of your daily calories should come from protein.

• Carbohydrates

  Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. Carbohydrates are found in potatoes, bread, cereals, grains, pasta, milk, yogurt, vegetables, and fruit. They should make up at least half of your daily calories.

• Fats

  Fats provide energy and are used for growth and repair of tissues. They are found in olives, nuts, cheese, meat, fish, poultry, butter, oils, avocado, and mayonnaise. Saturated fats are less healthy than polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fats are found mostly in butter, margarine, meat, cheese, poultry with skin, tropical oils, and whole-milk dairy products. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, canola oil, and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats are found in fish and some vegetable oils.

  Fats should contribute no more than 30% of your daily calories. Only 10% of the fat you eat should be saturated fat. There are nine calories in a gram of fat. So, to calculate the maximum grams of fat you should eat each day, use these formulas:

  1. Multiply the maximum number of calories you should eat in a day by 0.30 (30%) to calculate the maximum number of calories you should get from fat.

     Number of calories a day x 0.30 = Number of calories from fat in a day

  2. Divide the daily number of calories from fat (the answer from the calculation above) by 9 to find the maximum number of grams of fat you should eat each day.

     Number of calories from fat / 9 = Number of fat grams a day

     For example, if you need 1800 calories per day, no more than 30% of those calories should come from fat: 1800 x 0.30 = 540 calories from fat. Divide 540 by 9 to find out the maximum number of grams of fat you should consume each day: 540/9 = 60 grams of fat.

• Fiber

  Fiber is found in plants and is not digested by the body. It provides what is considered "bulk," which is used by the large intestine to help remove waste through bowel movements. Lack of fiber in your diet can worsen intestinal problems, such as constipation. Fruit, vegetables, bran, whole grains, and cereals are good sources of fiber. It is recommended that you get 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. A diet high in fiber may help reduce your cholesterol levels.

• Vitamins and Minerals

  Vitamins are important nutrients that help to regulate metabolism and help the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, and bones function properly. The major vitamins are A, B, C, D, E, K, B-12, and seven B complex vitamins. Minerals are necessary in very small amounts for the body to function properly. For example, calcium is necessary for healthy teeth and bones, and zinc and magnesium are needed to control cell metabolism. Iron is important for healthy blood and many chemical reactions in your body. Vitamins and minerals are found in many foods, especially milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, fish, meat, and poultry. They are also added to milk and cereal.

• Water

  Water is necessary to replace the fluid your body loses every day when you breathe, go to the bathroom, and sweat. You should drink six to eight glasses of water or other liquids (including soups and other beverages) every day.

You can use the following chart as a guideline for choosing the types and amounts of foods you eat in a day. Remember that carbohydrates (grains, fruits, vegetables) should make up at least half of your daily calories and variety is important.

 Number of      Examples of       Food Group        servings      serving size    
-------------------------------------------------------     
Meat, poultry,     2 to 3     2 to 3 oz of lean meat, fish, dried 1 egg, 1/2 cup cooked beans, eggs beans      
Grains            6 to 11     1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup pasta or rice,  1 oz of cereal      
Fruits             2 to 4     1 fruit, 3/4 cup fruit  juice      
Vegetables         3 to 5     1/2 cup nonleafy vegetable, 1 cup leafy vegetable      
Milk, cheese,      2 to 3     1 cup milk or yogurt, yogurt  1 to 2 oz cheese    
-------------------------------------------------------

Meat versus Vegetarian Diet

Meat, including poultry and fish, is a very nutrient-rich food. Meat is one of the best sources of iron and protein. Most people get much more protein than they need, however. You should limit the amount of meat you eat, but you don't have to eliminate meat altogether. Choose lean cuts of meat and try to use the meat as a side dish rather than a main course. You can include meat in a casserole or stew, using the meat as a flavoring for the main dish without overeating the meat portion.

It is possible to have a healthy diet without eating meat. Vegetarians do have to be careful to make sure they get enough iron and protein, however.

Guidelines for Eating Healthfully

For best nutrition, choose foods containing high-fiber, complex carbohydrates and monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats instead of refined, low-fiber carbohydrates and saturated fats.

Learn more about nutrition and healthy living. Read the ingredients on all packaged and canned foods you buy. Some contain more fat, sodium, sugar, and preservatives than you expect.

In addition:

• Bake or broil food instead of frying it.
• Don't eat more than four egg yolks a week. Egg whites are healthy, but egg yolks are not.
• Have a green leafy salad at least once a day. (Leaf lettuces and spinach are much more nutritious than iceberg lettuce.) Use oily dressings sparingly on the salads or try nonfat dressings.
• Eat fresh foods instead of canned foods.
• Eat more whole-grain products.
• Cook vegetables only slightly or eat them raw.
• Limit the amount of red meat you eat; eat more fish.
• Remove the skin from poultry before eating it.
• Limit fat, cholesterol, sugar, alcohol, salt, and caffeine in your diet.
• Avoid pre-prepared foods as much as possible.
• Limit dining at fast food restaurants. If you do dine there, leave off the bacon, cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and fatty salad dressings. Order broiled instead of fried items.

Most Stop Attending Gym After a Few Months from Sign Up

Unfortunately most people who sign up for gym membership stop attending after a few months having become disheartened when the firmer body they had been hoping for fails to materialize.

However most people don't get the results they want because they don't do the right kind of exercise or put enough effort into the workout.

Experts agree that 30 minutes of cumulative exercise a day, such as walking or gardening, will help you from becoming obese and reduce the risk of heart disease. But if you want to slim and strengthen your body shape, however, you have to be prepared to sweat a bit.

Aerobic exercise, such as rowing, jogging or swimming, pushes up the heart rate, and is the best way to burn calories. The main muscle you're interested in exercising is the heart and your heart rate during your workout relates directly to the number of calories you are burning.

Great looking abdominal and pectoral muscles, abs and pecs, aren't worth much if your heart isn't strong. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising three to five times a week for 20 to 60 minutes, at 60 to 90 per cent of your body’s maximum capacity.

Aerobic exercise improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system and how the body uses oxygen. Over time, your metabolic rate will be boosted and you'll start to see changes in your body shape.

An American study has proved that exercise alone aids weight loss in middle-age men. A report showed that the metabolic rate of middle-aged men who strength-trained three days a week for 12 weeks rose by 15 per cent, and they shed an average 4 pounds of fat without dieting.

The first step for absolute beginners is to get a clean bill of health. See your doctor and check your not putting yourself at risk by attending a gym.

Finding the time is a drawback for many people, but there’s ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Don't forget that the mandatory 30 minutes a day can be split up so your exercise requirements can be smoothly fitted into your working day.

Aspartame: The Bitter Truth About a Sweetener

Watch out if you are using a sugar substitute! Chances are that it may contain Aspartame, an artificial sweetener that is used worldwide by diabetics as well as by weight watchers. It is a no-caloric sweetener and is 200 times as sweet as sugar. Aspartame is a technical name for the brand names, Equal, Nutrasweet and Spoonful. Believe it or not, aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance that is added to foods. It accounts for over 75 per cent of adverse reaction to food additives as per the US Food and Drug Administration.

The documented symptoms caused by aspartame include: headache/migraines, nausea, dizziness, muscle spasms, numbness, weight gain, depression, rashes, fatigue, irritability, vision problems, hearing problems, heart palpitations, breathing problems, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, memory loss and joint pains.

Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. The three chemicals individually contribute in making aspartame a chemical poison.

Aspartic acid

Aspartic acid is an amino acid. It basically has a neurological effect, that is it affects the brain. Intake of aspartic acid raises the concentration of neurotransmitters aspartate and glutamate. An excess of aspartate and glutamate results in killing of brain cells. A large number of cells are killed before any clinical symptoms appear. The symptoms include headaches, nausea, and abdominal pains, sleep problems, vision problems and asthmatic attacks.

Phenylalanine

Phenylalanine is an amino acid found in the brain. Ingesting aspartame leads to high levels of phenylalanine in the brain. The excess of this amino acid leads to emotional disorders such as depression.

Methanol

Methanol is a deadly poison. In the normal process methanol is gradually absorbed at a slow pace but when free methanol is ingested the absorption process is speeded up. Methanol poisoning results in gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, chills, blurring of vision and blindness.

What is Aspartame found in?

Instant breakfasts, breath mints, sugar free chewing gums, coffee beverages, frozen desserts, juice beverages, soft drinks, tea beverages, instant tea and coffee and all low calorie foods. Though aspartame results in the above-mentioned symptoms, its effects are still being investigated. In fact, it is still widely used. Aspartame can be used in small quantities. However, using it to make low calorie dishes or as a substitute for sugar should be strictly avoided.

There is an enormous population of people suffering from symptoms contributed by aspartame, without being aware of it. Often you attribute things other than aspartame for these symptoms. You tend to forget that you have been stuffing your system with this sweetener that is slowly but steadily poisoning you. Hopefully, this article would have increased your awareness level, since aspartame-linked diseases are not reported on the front page like an airplane crash.

Does Swimming Help lose Weight?

If you want to get fit and don't know how try swimming. There's hardly a better sport that can build your body, soothe your mind, regulate breathing and stimulate circulation better than swimming and that too without putting extra stress on the joints. It's an ideal exercise for just about everyone. You can achieve many things from cardiovascular fitness, flexibility to strengthening your muscles.

Effective stress buster
How do most executives de-stress after a long day's work? By taking a swim. Yes, swimming is a great way to unwind and let your tensions float away. It is believed that water has a positive and soothing effect on the human body since water makes up 60 per cent of our bodies. Ever tried floating in the pool? It is surely one of the great pleasures of life. The buoyancy and soothing qualities help your muscles relax and ease away the tensions.

Swim to lose weight
If you are specifically looking to lose weight through swimming it is a highly debatable issue. According to some studies, swimming is not a good activity if you want to burn calories while others hold that swimming can help in losing weight. Many researchers believe that swimming can actually make you fat! This school argues that swimming may actually slow down fat loss in some people because of the natural and innate survival mechanism found in the human body. According to them since fat helps in floating and saves from drowning, it is difficult to lose fat in water.

Further, that layer of fat provides protection against hypothermia in cold water. There are other theories too, which do not support swimming as a good weight loss exercise. According to these theories, swimming does not provide the same calorie-burning effect as land-based aerobics because calorie burning is a complex mechanism that can get affected by many factors like your weight, the intensity and speed of your motion, and the resistance created by moving your body through space and against gravity. These factors change considerably in water and thus hamper the weight loss process.

The other side of the picture is that swimming can actually help in weight reduction. Regular swimmers develop long lean muscles that are incredible fat-burning machines and further toned muscles produce an overall slimming effect. This school also believes that swimming, like all aerobics, contribute to weight loss and has a calorie-burning potential of 350-420 calories per hour.

Thus the debate continues. However what is irrefutable is the fact that swimming is a complete fitness activity that treats the mind, body and soul. So for all you water babies, dive now!

Pedaling For Fitness

Cycling is fun but it's a good way to get fit also. A good cardiovascular workout, riding a bike helps you burn more calories. However the best part no doubt is the total convenience that cycling offers: you can do it anytime, anywhere, on any surface and whatever speed you like.

Your workout

Cycling is a good calorie burning exercise. In fact if you incorporate cycling into your daily routine, you can actually lose all that extra mass in very little time. Besides, cycling is an excellent exercise for your lower body as it strengthens almost all the muscles and shapes your thighs and calves in particular. Regular cycling can help protect from many heart complications. It is a perfect aerobic exercise as it is good for the lungs and enhances the breathing and respiratory systems. What's more the benefits of fitness are all available to the biker whether on a simple street or a hilly road. Even the speed can be adjusted from very slow to moderate to brisk.

Cycling's Three Basics

You cam max your cycling by basically three ways Increase endurance by riding for long distances, increase flexibility and speed by riding fast, and increase power by pulling heavy loads or pulling up and down the hill.

Endurance: If endurance is what you are looking for then ride as far as you can. Easy pedaling on flat roads is the best way to enhance endurance. However the trick lies in increasing the distance slowly every day. Just select some tree or lamp-post and keep going to the next one and the one after that day by day. This way you will keep increasing the distance without overburdening your legs.

Speed: You can increase your speed as well. Cycling offers a good opportunity for interval training (in which you work out at maximum effort for a set period of time, then minimize the effort and then repeat the same procedure for a specific number of times), which is basically an aerobics concept but works well in cycling also. While you can increase your speed by hard pedaling for a few seconds (20-30 seconds at first and then gradually increase), slow down for the next few and then stop pedaling. Repeat this pattern for 4-5 times and you have the perfect exercise. This will not only make you suppler but also keep injuries at bay. If you continue this alternate pattern of pedaling and resting for an hour you will actually get good interval training in the end. What will be even better is if you manage to increase the speed limit for each pedaling phase you do to extract more out of the schedule.

Power: Building power is all about building muscles. To build muscles you can simply pull heavy loads or use lower gears. Even riding on a hilly stretch of road will give you a challenging uphill track to ride on.

Follow these three basic principles of increasing strength, endurance and flexibility and you will be able to extract the most from your cycling routine. And always remember to keep your eyes on the road and be aware of the surroundings just as if you were driving a car.

Wheightloss: Glycemic Index

Have you ever wondered why you have different reactions to different foods? Your blood sugar starts rising after you have consumed carrots but it remains normal after you have eaten pulses. The blood sugar is raised to variable extent by different carbohydrates. Therefore before deciding on what to eat it is very important to know the effect of various foods on the blood sugar levels.

What is Glycemic Index?

You need to be aware of which foods enter the blood stream rapidly and which foods enter at a slower pace. The reason is that the faster the carbohydrates enter the blood stream; the more blood sugar is raised. The Glycemic index is a precise measure of this. It tells you how a given food affects blood sugar. The Glycemic index is the extent of rise in blood sugar in response to a food in comparison with the response to the equivalent amount of glucose.

Diabetics need to stabilize blood sugar. As a result of this, insulin is released at a steady rate in to the blood. This helps further to control the blood sugar rise. In a diabetic condition sugar needs to be absorbed more slowly and in a steady manner in the blood stream. Eating the foods that enter the blood stream at a slower pace compared to foods that enter blood stream rapidly can do this. This is the role of the Glycemic index as it measures how fast a food enters the blood stream.

Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index

The concept of the Glycemic index is only about the foods rich in carbohydrates. Foods rich in fats or protein do not cause a rise in your blood sugar. You still think that being a diabetic you should take precaution to avoid table sugar but the Glycemic index shows that even some of the complex carbohydrates like baked potato should be avoided as they can be worse. Commonly consumed channa dal is another surprise. This dal has an extremely low Glycemic index. Scientists have measured the Glycemic index of about 300 carbohydrate foods. The key to control your blood sugar is to eat those foods with high Glycemic index in controlled amounts.

However, the Glycemic index should not be the only criterion to decide what to eat. It is a measure of quality and not quantity. Factors such as variety, cooking and processing may affect a food's Glycemic index. This is particularly so for foods like banana, rice and potatoes. Research has shown that the Glycemic index of a raw banana is lower than that of ripe banana.

So the next time you eat some starchy food, remember to use the Glycemic Index.

Low GI foods	Medium GI foods	High GI foods
Pearled barley-25	Sponge cake-46	Doughnuts-76
Low fat yogurt-14	Cheese pizza-60	Waffles-76
Skimmed milk-32	Orange cordial-68	Rice pasta-92
Full fat milk-27	White bread -71	Baked potato-85
Cherries-22	Wheat biscuit-70	Dates-103
Soyabeans-18	Puffed wheat-74	Glucose-96
Lentils-25	Rice-58	Pumpkin-75
Kidneybeans-19	Millet-71
Grapefruit-25	Ice-cream-71
Apple-38	Banana-54
Plum-39	Mango-56
Peanuts-15	Watermelon-72
Peas-22	Sweet potato-54
Channa dal-8	Semolina-62
Split moong dal-38	Honey-58

Top 10 Dieting Myths

All of us have tried losing weight at some point or the other. And the most commonly used method to shed those sticky pounds is dieting. Many believe that simply by starving or eating less, avoiding sugars or oily food is the key to a slimmer self. However, that is not entirely true. In fact, dieting and dieters have given rise to a number of myths. If you too believe in some dieting myths, here is your chance to clear them up.

Myth No 1: Dieting means stop eating all favorite foods
Fact: Dieting means reducing your total food intake. However, this can be accompanied by increased intake of high fibre foods such as plain salads so that you never remain hungry.

Myth No 2: While dieting, never eat in between meals
Fact: You should in fact have smaller main meals and go in for low calorie munches such as cucumbers, carrots, clear soups etc as fillers in between. This way you will be able to control your intake at the main meals and hence eat less.

Myth No 3: Carbohydrates such as bread make you fat
Fact: Carbohydrates are the foundation to any diet. A look at the food pyramid clearly shows that the carbohydrates stand right at the base of the pyramid. The recommended allowance for carbohydrates varies between six to eleven servings per day. So it is the quantity that matters. It is not the carbohydrates but the accompaniments with the carbohydrates that make you fat.

Myth No 4: All salads are diet foods
Fact: It is true that plain green salads without any added ingredients is good for dieters as it is rich in fibre, which is important in controlling weight. However, this is not true for all salads. Salads with high fat salad dressings in fact add to the weight due to the high fat content.

Myth No 5: Any amount of fat free food can be taken freely
Fact: Fat free foods does not imply calorie free. All foods do have some calorie content. So if you continue indulging on fat free foods, the calories will keep getting accumulated. Hence you do not lose weight.

Myth No 6: Eat the maximum at dinnertime
Fact: It should be the opposite. You should be eating the least at dinnertime. This is because your body is not able to completely utilise the meal eaten during dinner. Hence you should try and eat the maximum before the evening and only go in for small meals at night.

Myth No 7: Indulge in grilled foods when eating out
Fact: Restaurants can add any amount of fat and other ingredients to sell their products. So if you eat a plate of grilled vegetables you might be mistaken. It just might be loaded with fat to make it tasty and look appealing. So, check before indulging.

Myth No 8: Fat is the only thing that matters
Fact: No food is calorie free. So along with fat, calories also have to be taken into account. It is a fact that the calories from all foods keep getting accumulated. The only thing to remember is that fat gives more calories compared to other foods and that is why its intake should be reduced.

Myth No 9: Brown sugar is better than white sugar
Fact: There is no difference between the two types of sugars in terms of nutrition. Both add on to the calories and are best avoided or restricted while on a diet.

Myth No 10: Skipping meals help in losing weight
Fact: There is a gap of about 10 hours between dinner and breakfast the next morning. During this phase your body has been on a fast and needs fuel. If you don't eat in the morning, you cover up for it in the next meal and hence eat more.

If you know of any dieting myths which are not mentioned here, why don't you share it with us? Remember you will lose weight only if you diet the healthy way.