Monday, October 14, 2013

The 5 Stages of a Healthy Diet

The 5 Stages of a Healthy Diet

















Have you ever noticed that what works for some people when they make a change in their life may not work for you? Most people move through five stages of readiness as they change behaviors. Yes, there are actually stages of change, based on something called the "transtheoretical model." If you identify what stage of change you are in and plan appropriately based on that stage, you're more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle overtime.

Stage #1: Pre-Contemplation


















Pre-contemplation is the stage at which there is no intention to change behavior in the foreseeable future. Many individuals in this stage are unaware of their problems. You may not be ready for a change or you may have tried to change your lifestyle in the past, but have not succeeded.
If this is you, now is the time to consider the pros and cons of changing your lifestyle. Write them down and start to evaluate what is keeping you from making a change in your life. Do you see some barriers to change in your list? If you do and you want to make a change, start to think of some ways to overcome your barriers.

Stage #2: Contemplation

















Contemplation is the stage in which people are aware that a problem exists and are seriously thinking about overcoming it, but have not yet made a commitment to take action. If you're in this stage, start to find the time in your schedule to plan your meals or plan your behavior change.
  • Write down what you're eating in a journal to get an objective picture of what's going on.
  • Start slow, get specific, and reward yourself. For example, this week you're going to drink one diet soda per day versus the three in your previous habits. Set small, attainable goals with the bigger picture of where you want to end up in the back of your mind, but not too far back.

Stage #3: Preparation


















Preparation is a stage that combines intention and behavioral criteria. Individuals in this stage are intending to take action in the next month and have unsuccessfully taken action in the past year. If this is you, start to think about the following steps that will provide you with the tools you need to develop the best plan of action to achieve your goals:
  • Develop Support. Let people know what you are doing and surround yourself with motivating images, people and environments.
  • Find time. Take time out of your day and your week to plan your meals. Pick a day or two of the week where you grocery shop, cook, and prepare your meal plan for the week.
  • Make change a priority. You're ready to stop making excuses and really start doing. Make a real effort to follow through with your commitment.
  • Keep a journal. Monitor your success by writing down what you're eating a few days a week or every day of the week. Write down how you feel, how hungry you are, as well any other emotions you're feeling at your meal times.
  • Remember the big picture. There'll be times when you are not completely following through with your plan of action. This is OK. Plan for it. Try to follow through with your plan 80 percent of the time and allow yourself treats or rewards 20 percent of the time. This will create a real sense of balance in your life. When you feel like you are not making progress, remember how far you have come from the moment in time when you were just beginning to think about a change. Just one step in a positive direction is one step closer to your goal.

Stage #4: Action


















Action is the stage in which individuals modify their behavior, experiences, or environment in order to overcome their problems. Action involves the most overt behavioral changes and requires considerable commitment of time and energy. If this is you, you have been working on your change for a while. You have changed your environment, are planning your meals, and are a healthier version of your old self.
Make sure to support yourself through thoughts and actions by continuing to think positively about your change and continuing to maintain a healthy environment (good food at home, in the office, in the car, etc.) and behaviors (meal planning, making the healthiest choices possible, and creating a sense of balance).

Stage #5: Maintenance


















In this stage, review your new long-term goals, break them down into smaller pieces, and plan for any setbacks that may come along the way. Remember, if you fall off the wagon, just hop right back on at your next meal.
  • Maintenance is the stage in which people work to prevent relapse and consolidate the gains attained during action.
  • Here you are. You've done it.
  • Don't set yourself up for disaster by abandoning the tools you got here.
  • Continue to rely on your support system.
  • Identify any threats to your long-term success and strategize different ways to combat them.
  • Keep your balance by allowing yourself the foods you love.
  • Maintain your self-confidence when there are situations where you find it difficult to eat healthy.
  • Finally, mentor others through a change. Use what you have learned to help someone else improve his or her life. Then use their success to continue to motivate you.

Determination

"BELIEVE that your determination is far stronger than any obstacles that adversity will give you on any day."
Dodinsky 


Consistent

The sooner you commit to being consistent the sooner you'll see results. Make a plan, set a schedule and commit to it.

Find a way

"If it is important enough to you, you will find a way. If it is not, you will find an excuse." 
Author Unknown

Desire

“The more clear and definite you make your picture then and the more you dwell upon it, bringing out all its delightful details, the stronger your desire will be, and the stronger your desire, the easier it will be to hold your mind fixed upon the picture of what you want. "
Wallace D. Wattles


The will to try

"The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible."

Richard M. DeVos

Meaning of life

"For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer"
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Shed fat

Shed fat with the help of this easy-to-follow diet;















If you're looking to shed a few pounds and carve out a washboard stomach then the easy-to-follow plan detailed here is exactly what you need to get on the fast track to success.
The plan includes five easy-to-follow diet strategies that will help you shed those extra pounds in no time at all.

1.) Eat more frequently throughout the day. 













Ideally, you want to eat four to six meals every day. This can include your three main meals plus two or three snacks. By eating more frequently you increase your metabolic rate and burn more calories throughout the day.

2.) Try to have a good source of protein at every meal or snack.











Eating protein has a greater thermogenic (calorie-burning) effect than eating carbohydrates or fat.
Therefore, by eating more protein you can give your metabolic rate a significant boost. Some good sources of protein include chicken breast, beef, salmon, cottage cheese, yogurt, and whey protein powder.

3.) Eat vegetables with at least three of your meals each day. 
















Veggies are not calorie dense, but do contain a lot of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Veggies will fill you up and help stop you from overindulging on the "bad" foods.

4.) Have some 'healthy' essential fats with each meal. 















Yes, I'm recommending you eat fat to burn fat. It's true — certain fats can actually help enhance fat loss.
More specifically it's polyunsaturated (which are essential fatty acids) and monounsaturated fats that have a host of health benefits and can also support fat loss.
Some excellent sources of polyunsaturated fats include fish, flexseeds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. Almonds, pecans, olive oil, and avocados are great sources of monounsaturated fats.

5.) Drink lots of water! 













Just like food, water can also have a thermogenic (calorie-burning) effect on the body.
Drinking cold water has actually been shown to significantly increase metabolism. Simply put, a more hydrated body is more metabolically active.
The sample diet plan outlined here is based on the five strategies I've just explained. This plan is designed for a 180-pound person. So, if necessary,

slightly increase or decrease the portion sizes relative to your current body weight.


The secret of health

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." 
Buddha

Three things matters

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it’d be easy; they just promised it’d be worth it.”

Unknown

Happiest

"Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest." 
Sri Chinmoy

Down Swing

“When you are on a down swing, do not feel bad. Know the swing will change and things will get better.There are good times coming.”


Two ways to live your life

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." 
Einstein

Purpose of Life

·         Don't go through life, grow through life.