Stop Drinking Soda: It is full of caffeine, sugar, and phosphoric acid which is a chemical that adds a tangy or sour flavor by breaking down starches into sugar. We should consume as little sugar as possible, especially refined sugar. Also in soda: high fructose corn syrup. It’s included because it is a way cheaper form of sweetener than anything else. Adding high fructose corn syrup to foods provides little nutrition and lots of calories. According to numerous household cleaning websites, soda can clean your toilet, eliminate rust from a car bumper and remove grease from clothing. Also, dropping soda from your diet will reduce the amount of food converted to fat.
Stop eating fast-food: Fast food is very expensive for starters… Packed with artery-clogging, heart-attack-causing amounts of calories, fat and sodium, many fast food items are essentially death traps in little cardboard boxes. While most fast food chains have added “healthy” or “light” items to their menus over the past couple of years, an opposite trend can also be observed: Many of them are also producing new menu choices with a record high amount of calories, fat and sodium. These companies defend the availability of these unhealthy items by saying they “meet an important demand.” Don’t get sucked in. You’ll be putting yourself at risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and many more unsightly diseases, many of which can kill you.
Limit sugary foods: Refined Sugar is bad for you because it raises the insulin level in your blood. Raised blood insulin levels depress the immune system. If your immune system is depressed then your ability to fight disease is weakened. Raised blood insulin levels can cause weight gain. Insulin promotes the storage of fat; so, when you eat foods high in refined sugar, you increase fat storage. Obviously, the result is rapid weight gain. Refined Sugar contains no vitamins or minerals so in order for sugar to be metabolized it must draw on the body’s reserve of vitamins and minerals. When these reserves are depleted, metabolization of cholesterol and fatty acid is impeded, contributing to higher blood serum triglycerides, cholesterol, promoting obesity due to higher fatty acid storage around organs.
Drop carbohydrates at dinnertime: Carbs are easily burned off during the day, but at night, they sit in your stomach and will more likely be converted to fat as you sleep. Carbs include pasta, potatoes, rice and bread.
Sleep more: Avoid eating for at least two hours before sleeping. This ensures that your body’s energy can be used for healing and rejuvenation instead of for digestion. If you do want to eat something before bed, a piece of fruit is a good choice. Fruit is cleansing and is quickly digested. If you have difficulty getting to sleep, there are a number of factors to consider that can help you to get a good night’s rest. First of all make sure that you are getting sufficient exercise during the day. A 30-minute walk either before or after dinner is especially helpful for ensuring deep sleep. Avoid caffeine in all forms. While caffeine late in the evening is particularly disruptive for sleep, even a morning cup of coffee can cause nighttime sleep disturbances for some people. Avoid stressful mental activity in the hours right before bed, and spend time relaxing with a good book, enjoyable conversation, soothing music, or meditation instead. Make sure that your sleeping environment is peaceful and quiet. If you can’t escape noisy neighbors or traffic sounds, invest in a sound machine that created soothing background “white noise” that masks disturbing sounds.
Natural remedies for restful sleep include soothing baths and herbal teas. Try a warm bath just before bed with 2 cups of Epsom salts and 10 drops of lavender essential oil diluted in the bathwater. Epsom salts are rich in magnesium, which helps to relax the muscles and the nervous system, and lavender has soothing effects on the body and the mind. A cup of chamomile or passionflower tea also promotes relaxation. Brew a strong tea by pouring boiling water over 2 teaspoons of dried herb and steeping in a covered pot for 15 minutes. Strain, and add honey or lemon if desired. For serious insomnia, check with your local herbal store or naturopath about taking valerian, kava kava, or any of the many other herbal remedies that exist.
Practicing calming breathing and deep relaxation exercises can also help to promote restful sleep by quieting the body and mind. Cultivate the habit of taking a few minutes to purify your body and your mind with your breath when you first get into bed. Simply focus on your breathing, taking 3 deep, relaxing cleansing breaths, and then mentally scan your body for any areas of tension. When you find a pocket of tension, gently breathe into that area, imagining the tension leaving your body with your exhalation. You’ll most likely fall asleep in the middle of this deeply relaxing exercise, which is just fine! Waking up in a pleasant way is just as important as getting a good night’s sleep. Leave your shades or curtains open so that the early morning light will signal your body that it’s time to rise. In our fast paced life, sleep is a very underestimated asset. Good sleep makes you more focussed. It also helps the body recover and then get to work on itself. It takes about 7-8 hours for the body to recover, then after that it only starts to build and focus on what needs improvement. You can’t really get any better if you don’t sleep properly. Why do you think that babies sleep so much?
Include physically activity in your routine: Exercise improves your mood. Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Exercise combats chronic diseases. Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries. Regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. Exercise helps you manage your weight. This one’s a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don’t even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy. Exercise promotes better sleep. A good night’s sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And, you guessed it, exercise is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you — but if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.
Increase protein intake: To lose weight or get leaner, you will need to raise the amount of protein intake. It’s a very simple ratio: more protein than carbs in a day, and you get leaner.
When you look better you feel better. When you feel better you look better and if you are looking and feeling good, chances are that it will show! People like people who look good. Your body and the image you portray is the representation of YOU to the rest of the world!. A healthier body and attitude will also increase your confidence and therefor increase your chances of success in whatever you’re trying to achieve.
Good luck!
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