Live it don't DIEt

DIEt...

OKAY.......really? come on..
does anyone really want to be on a diet? The word diet alone says it all DIE t... the negative connotation associated with the first three letters is enough to scare off the masses. South Beach, Atkins, Low-fat, no-fat, Slim-fast, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem... I could go on forever. The truth is, these diets are marketed to the population to aid in a Quick Fix weight loss. It is no secret that everyone is looking to shed a few pounds but the deprivation and yo-yo habits are a recipe for failure.
I am not saying that one or more of these diets wont work for you, but if you are looking for a guaranteed way to keep your immune system in tip top shape AND if you are looking to keep the weight off forever.. here are some BASICS you need to know and follow!


#1 Calories IN vs. Calories OUT:
There are 3,500 calories in 1 pound of body fat. This is imperative to understand because we all consume calories to live. The problem is, sometimes we consume more calories than we need.


First and foremost a calorie: is a measurement of the amount of heat it takes to increase the temperature of a specific measurement of water..... Basically, in our bodies calories are pure energy. We need a certain amount of calories to function throughout the day and for our bodies to thrive. What we don't need is extra calories.


Extra calories= extra energy. The extra energy gets STORED.  Some of the energy will store in our muscles but most get stored in FAT CELLS.  Fat cells can shrink but they NEVER DISAPPEAR. Our fat cells get larger and larger until they inevitably split due to over capacity. 1 large Fat cell split into 2 smaller fat cells. Those 2 new cells grow and grow and they eventually turn into four smaller fat cells and so on and so on. Do you see where this is going?

(Large fat cell splitting into 2 )

The more you eat, the more you store and expand fat cell population in your body. When we lose weight, these fat cells shrink but never disappear. This is a great explanation as to why people lose weight and gain it back twice as quick when they stop eating right. 

#2 Whole Grains: Click for more info

#3 Lean Protein: Click for more info

#4 Healthy Fats: Click for more info

#5 Exercise: The more you move, the more energy (calories) you use. Walk, hop, skip, MOVE. The more you exercise the better your chances are of losing and/ or maintaining your weight!!

#6 Water: Our bodies are 80% water. So it would make sense to HYDRATE! The rule of thumb is to drink (in ounces) about 1/2 of your body weight in water.
***A 150lb woman will need 75 ounces/ day of water. (8 ounces=1 cup) so about 10 cups/ day.
When we are hydrated, we are less hungry and our hormone levels are regulated easier.
***Water too boring for ya? 
Try seltzer with a splash of fruit juice, herbal tea, or add a little lemon to your H20!

#7 Vitamins: Click for more info

#8 Socialize: When we are around people who make us feel good, we in turn are happy and release "feel good" hormones that actually combat the fat inducing hormones. Hang out with friends, family, or even pets to increase mood and happiness. 

#9 Exotoxins: When we eat processed foods (chemicals, pesticides, artificial dyes, flavors), when we smoke, drink excessively, or work in polluted environments, we are putting ourselves at risk for OXIDATION. These pollutants are harmful to our skin, internal organs, and can even deter weight loss and cause weight gain. The cleaner and purer our bodies, the easier it is to be healthy and happy. If you are having trouble quitting a bad habit, you may need to seek professional help, or slowly reduce your "vice." Instead of 10 cigarettes a day, try 5 a day... then 2 a day... and so on. Moderation is key. It is usually never the poison, rather the DOSE that will do you in...

#10 Confidence: If you tell yourself you are fat, you will forever be fat in your mind. Look in the mirror and instead of reprimanding yourself for having "hips," praise yourself for your better qualities. It is extremely important to be proud of yourself in any small way. Even after you lose weight, we have bad days. It is how you deal with these stresses in your life that get you through. Go ahead, compliment yourself! You look great today!

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? LEAVE A COMMENT OR EMAIL ME PRIVATELY @ NUTRISHMISH@GMAIL.COM

STAY WELL

XO

Wash, Rinse, Repeat!

You know that funky taste your veggies have? You may actually love your veggies but you don't realize it because of the overbearing taste of the pesticides put on by commercial farmers.

Wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly! Pesticides are proven to cause certain types of cancer and ADHD.

How do you avoid these scary statistics?  

Buy organic when possible. I know Organic is more pricey than commercially farmed fruits and vegetables, but buying these Organic foods WILL increase your quality of life. 

 We justify buying a new car or even a new shirt... yet we avoid a head of organic lettuce because it is $.50 or $1.00 more than the chemical covered brand....?!

When you purchase food, you are essentially placing a vote. The food industry is the largest industry in the United States and the industry listens to Y-O-U!

Remember supply and demand? That method is still in effect. SO-when you buy more natural and organic items, your local food market understands that through inventory and responds by buying more of those items. IN TURN, the healthy companies need to produce more of the nutritious food and they get paid to do so. So, the more people that purchase great, healthy, all-natural, nutritious foods, the more the supply goes up and the less these items will cost. I repeat....YOU are placing a vote every time you buy food. Are you voting for a future of affordable healthy foods and a great life or do you vote for a future full of chronic illness and expensive hospital bills? YOU DECIDE.

GOOD NEWS!!!!
NOT ALL FRUITS AND VEGGIES NEED TO BE PURCHASED ORGANICALLY.

PESTICIDES ARE LARGELY ON THE OUTSIDE OF FOODS. Therefore, foods with an outer peel aren't always necessary to purchase organically (ie. bananas, oranges, mangoes).  Below is a list of foods with varying pesticide levels. What to eat... What to steer clear of...

Fruit & Vegetable 

BEST TO WORST PESTICIDE levels 

(*purchase the last items CERTIFIED ORGANIC for better health*)

Rank	Fruit or Veggie
1 (Best)	Onions
2	Avocado
3	Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4	Pineapples
5	Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6	Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7	Asparagus
8	Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9	Cabbage
10	Eggplant
11	Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12	Watermelon
13	Grapefruit
14	Sweet Potatoes
15	Honeydew Melon
16	Plums (Domestic)
17	Cranberries
18	Winter Squash
19	Broccoli
20	Bananas
21	Tomatoes
22	Cauliflower
23	Cucumbers (Domestic)
24	Cantaloupe (Imported)
25	Grapes (Domestic)
26	Oranges
27	Red Raspberries
28	Hot Peppers
29	Green Beans (Imported)
30	Cucumbers (Imported)
31	Summer Squash
32	Plums (Imported)
33	Pears
34	Green Beans (Domestic)
35	Carrots
36	Blueberries (Imported)
37	Lettuce
38	Grapes (Imported)
39	Potatoes
40	Cherries
41	Kale / Collard Greens
42	Spinach
43	Sweet Bell Peppers
44	Nectarines
45	Blueberries (Domestic)
46	Apples
47	Strawberries
48	Peaches
49 (Worst)	Celery

(Stats provided by http://www.foodnews.org/ )

*****(not so) FUN FACT***** "Celery ranks worst when it comes to pesticide contamination. 95% of celery tested contained pesticides, and 85% contained multiple pesticides. A single celery had 13 different chemicals on it, while 67 different pesticides were used on the entire group of celery."

Learn more about Pesticides

Stay Well 

XO