This year, before you even begin to think about starting a new diet or joining a health club let me suggest three simple ideas that will last all year.
- Commit yourself to the true definition of "diet." The word "diet" is Greek and literally means "manner of living." This refers to your overall eating patterns, not what you do for a day, a few weeks, or a couple of months. It does not include restricted calories, it does not exclude nature's food, and it does not include sipping meal replacement concoctions through a straw! Eat, eat well, and no more short term diet traps!
- Move your body every day. This does not mean work out every day. In fact, if you are not a regular exerciser right now, you will not become one January 1. The very first step to becoming more active and burning calories is just to move your body more throughout the day.
For example, walk to your mailbox instead of pulling up to it in the car. Stand and walk around while you talk on the telephone instead of sitting. Don't wait for the closest parking space at the grocery store, park a little farther and take a walk. These are simple ideas and they will make a difference. The more you move, the more calories you expend. Once you begin to feel the benefits of moving your body, increase your activity and slowly progress to a more formal exercise program.
- Throw out your scale! This is a big one, I know. What does a scale really tell us? The answer is nothing. Weight can (and will) fluctuate from morning to night, before and after a meal or a workout, day to day, and throughout the month (especially in women). The scale tells us nothing of any importance! If you're overweight you know it. The scale doesn't have to confirm what you already know.
A better alternative to the scale is to keep a pair of pants that fits you right now and try them on each month. Notice I said, "month," not day, not week. If they start feeling loose around the waist, hips or thighs, you're losing weight.
The most important piece of advice: take it one small step at a time. Unfortunately, people have a tendency to change too much too soon, only to burn out. A lifetime of habits cannot be changed all at once. Be patient, be realistic and be happy. If at any time you feel deprived, burned out or frustrated, acknowledge it is an indicator that you are attempting too much at once.
This year, instead of resolutions, start your New Year by making simple changes in your habits relating to food and movement. This will do more for your long term goals than any "miracle diet" or "revolutionary exercise program" that is geared toward short term compliance. If you would like help getting started, please call us at the Omni. We're here to make 2008 the start to the rest of your life!
No problem with Alpha Lipoic Acid. It partners with many B vitamins in your diet and helps unlock energy from proteins, fats and carbohydrates. This was discovered from many studies of those suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. It was found that this same combination affects the immune system and feeling good in a very positive way.
Alpha Lipoic Acid has been suggested to help in physical endurance and memory enhancement. It has been known to protect billions of neurotransmitters that are traveling around the brain and also throughout the body. The true benefit in the end is that there have been reports of Alpha Lipoic Acid supplementation helping to slow aging, support vision, and promote clear, vibrant skin.
It has been found that Resveratrol, another antioxidant, may be able to help protect you this season against the flu and lessen the panic over the need to get a flu shot. In this study, researchers saw that Resveratrol "strongly inhibited" the replication of the flu virus in cell cultures, even if Resveratrol was taken within a short period of time after the virus was ingested.
Also, Resveratrol may have the ability to help healthy cells in the body to live longer. Researchers found that Resveratrol increased the activity of a certain protein that repairs our DNA and therefore increases the longevity of each individual cell. When this happens the cells are healthier and continue to divide, they live longer and become stronger and this helps to reduce aging of the body.
A review of Resveratrol found that it helps to inhibit cancer prevention through a number of mechanisms:
- Blocking the activity of an enzyme that promotes inflammation in the body.
- Increasing the activity of an anti- tumor protein.
- Stopping dysfunctional cells at a certain stage in their life cycle before they become cancer cells.
Resveratrol has exhibited a number of different ways to help prevent cancer and that should justify an intake of Resveratrol for a healthier you.
Grapes contain the largest amount of Resveratrol, with one liter of red wine containing 1.5-3 mg of this powerful antioxidant. It is very easy to take it in supplement form, thus getting an adequate supply into the body. Even so, the fruit of the vine may very well promote healthy anti-aging.
Stop in today for a healthy tomorrow at one of our Health Hutt locations!