Most people don’t get enough physical activity. Here are some
reasons why they should:

* Lack of physical activity and not eating the right foods, taken
together, are the second greatest inherent cause of death in the United States.
(Smoking is the number one cause.)

* Physical exercise can help people feel right and enjoy life
more.

* Regular exercise can halt or put off some diseases like cancer,
heart disease, or diabetes. It can also perk up your mood can be a direct
result along with helping depression.

* Being active can help people stay independent and able to keep
doing things like getting around or dressing themselves as they get older.

There are four types of physical activities you need to do to have
the right assortment of physical activities.

1. Get at least 30 minutes of activity that makes you breath
harder on most or all days of the week. That’s called “endurance
activity,- because it builds your energy or “staying power.- You don’t
have to be active for 30 minutes all at once. Ten minutes of endurance activity
at a time is fine. Just make sure those 10-minute sessions add up to a total of
30 minutes most days.

How hard do you need to exercise? The right level of effort is
described this way: If you can talk while exercising without any trouble at
all, you’re not working hard enough. If you can’t talk at all, it’s way too
hard.

2. Keep using your muscles. When muscles aren’t used, they waste
away at any age. How important is it to have “enough- muscle? Very!
Muscles step-up your metabolism, allowing you to burn off more calories during
the day when your body is at rest. Using your muscles may also make your bones
stronger, too.

3. Do things to help your balance. Every now and then walk
heel-to-toe. When you walk this way, the toes of the foot in back should almost
touch the heel of the foot in front.

4. Stretch. Stretching can help keep you flexible and will be able
to move more freely. Stretch when your muscles have warmed up. Never stretch so
far that it hurts.

So, make physical activity a part of your everyday life. Find
things you enjoy. Go for brisk walks. Ride a bike. Dance. Work around the house
and in the yard, take care of your garden, climb the stairs, or rake your
leaves. Regular day to day chores around the house can keep you moving and active.

The consensus amoung health and nutrition experts favors the inclusion of low glycemic, (gluten free if necessary) whole grains in the diet along with plenty of fruits and vegetables. It almost seems that an organic vegetarian diet has made sense all along while being criticized in the past.

Quinoa fits into a niche of foods called “superfoods” or “supergrains” because it has so much nutrition packed into it’s normal serving size compared to many other choices.

For better health ideally we should eat the best possible foods that have the most nutrition for the amount of calories they carry. Research has shown and continues to show that the major health problems related to heart, cancer, and diabetes can either be prevented or improved with a healthier diet.

The release of books such as “In Defense of Food”by MIchael Pollan brings home the importance of re-evaluating our whole approach to food and how it has been the cause of so much confusion and potential/actual health issues in the American diet.

The Quinoa Diet™ is all about including quinoa into many (not necessarily all) of your normal meals, whether salads, stews, soups, or as a breakfast cereal.

Unlike many diets out there that are very detailed and strict with types of foods, etc. , The Quinoa Diet™ approach acknowledges that  variety and personal lifestyle are more important than any strict formulas. We support you to create your own diet around quinoa recipes and others that include  whole foods.

As always recommended, you should consult with your doctor before starting any major changes in your diet or lifestyle that might affect your health.

I have had many issues with my own weight and have tried many different weight loss programs and diets. I have lost weight but then after only a short period of time, I would put all of the weight back on again.

A few years ago, I decided to try to reduce the amount I weighed yet again, but was determined that this time the fat would stay off. I had read many books on the subject of fitness and dieting and decided to follow some of the advice which I had learnt.

I wrote down all of the reasons I was trying to lose the excess fat. This is very important as it would be a constant reminder of what I am attempting to achieve and also about why I am attempting to achieve it. It would give me a huge motivation to stick to my weight loss plan. I would advise anybody who is also looking to lose weight to write a similar list as it proved to be very beneficial to me.

On my list I wrote about how I wanted to look and feel stronger and fitter. This I believed would help my self-confidence and self-esteem which were always fairly low. I had had enough of feeling ashamed of my weight and fat belly. I wanted to walk down the street feeling proud and assured.

I wanted to lose weight to avoid all the health problems that being obese can cause, as people become older. I am not sure about you but I rarely see a fat person who is in their seventies or eighties. I am hoping to live until a ripe old age and enjoy my retirement.

Next on my list was about the clothes I wear. Basically I am not able to buy the clothes I really want to as they do not really suit a person of my build. I often look at other people and am impressed with their clothes but then realise that they are a lot of thinner than I am. The clothes may look impressive on them but would not look the same if I wore them.

I also wanted to lose weight in order for me to look more attractive to members of the opposite sex. Being overweight I am sure has a bearing as to why I have not exactly been a stud in my life, well it is my excuse anyway.

The last reason on my list was about my general level of fitness. I love playing football and was a regular in the school football team. That was years ago, when ever I had played recently before writing this list, I had been out of breath after only about fifteen minutes. This was quite a shock for me and made playing the game far less fun and enjoyable. I wrote about how I would love to regain my fitness so that I could participate in this and other sports.

Once I had written my list, I would then read it on regular occasions and it would help me to keep motivated. I am not saying it was an easy road, however I eventually managed to obtain a weight that I was happy with. I am pleased to let you know that I have also been successful in keeping the weight off this time around.

In conclusion, if you are thinking about or hoping to lose some weight, I would recommend you to write a list of reasons why you are doing it. Keep these ideas in mind and if you start to be tempted by that fatty food, quickly read your list to remind you why you should ignore your temptations. Good luck.

What is a healthy weight loss program?. Many of the programs on the market can bear fruit if you are motivated enough to decrease the number of calories consumed and increase the number of calories burned. So what would be a healthy weight loss program?

A (My) diet should (Is) be as follows:

It should contain the recommended daily vitamin, minerals and protein and a small number of calories.

A good healthy lifestyle weight loss program should NOT have the following:

1)    A goal weight in mind

2)    A dress or pant size you wish to fit into

3)    A date (wedding, birthday, etc.)

4)    To impress someone

5)    Deep fried foods (None!)

6)    Fast foods (okay, limited fast foods)

7)    Soda (Sorry, I’m pretty strict there)

A good healthy lifestyle weight loss program SHOULD have the following:

1)    Balanced: Fruit, vegetables, Turkey, Fish & Chicken

2)    Occasional pork & red meat

3)    Common sense foods, organic whenever possible

4)    3 meals per day – 2 snacks

5)    Plenty of hydration (Water, Gatorade, etc)

With 2/3 of the American population over weight, there are a lot of people looking for healthy weight loss programs. There are good ones but many are fads and do not work long term. The biggest determining factor is you and your mind set. The programs are a good guide to keep you on track to a healthy weight loss. If you pay close attention, most all of them require an exercise routine to run in tandem with your weight loss program. This is for good reason.

Save your money and do not invest in even the good programs. Honestly, just be smart about what you put in your mouth, do it all in moderation, follow it with a common sense, slow process of exercise and before you know it, you will attain your goal (I don’t like that word because that signifies an end – Let’s just say “target”). Your body will tell you where your comfortable weight is.

It truly needs to be a lifestyle change. It seems impossible at first because you think you will miss all that delicious comfort food, but if you can stick with it, you won’t miss it a bit! Additionally, once you have adapted the new lifestyle, an occasional Pizza, or indulgence of some sort will be absolutely guilt free, I promise you that!

There are also a plethora of terrible weight loss programs in the world as well. Many are based on old information that no longer applies, others promote unhealthy practices such as pharmaceuticals in the place of supplements. This is bad for 2 reasons. The first is that some diet pills are bad for you. The second is that supplements get a bad reputation. The focus here though is that you have to be cautious when choosing a weight loss program. Many times the ones that seem most desirable are the least healthy. If it were as simple as a pill, then everyone would be slim and trim.

Stay focused and determined, you mind is your biggest obstacle, not your weight!

To your absolute success,

Rob

Experts have discovered that walking 10,000 steps a day can help you drop those unwanted pounds faster than just about any other method of weight loss. Walking will also help you keep the weight off for a longer period of time because it builds your muscles while keeping your heart at a fat-burning rate.

Because it can seem to be a daunting task to walk 10,000 steps, it is important that you develop a strategy for meeting your daily quota. Here are three simple methods to help you reach your goals without losing focus:

Use a Pedometer
Using a pedometer can help you easily keep track of the distance you have covered throughout your day as well as the number of steps that you have taken. A pedometer is a small box-shaped calculator that you can clip to your belt or pants pocket in the same way you would wear a beeper.

When placed firmly near the hip, the pedometer accurately registers each step that you take. For individuals wishing to meet their new daily quota of 10,000 steps, the pedometer is the easiest, more carefree method to reach the goal.

When shopping for a pedometer, make sure that you select a model that has both distance and well as individual step readings. You will begin to learn how many steps go into one mile. You will also be surprised by how many steps you can add to your daily count by changing small habits, such as choosing the stairs over the elevator or walking to your colleague’s desk rather than sending an email.

Walking is also a great starting point to increasing your workout regimen. This is how I started, it went from walking a mile, to walking two blocks, running two blocks. That was 5 years ago and now I am training for my second marathon. I’m certainly not suggesting that’s the path you should go, but walking alone can lean to many more great things