Blue? Take a Walk

Just 30 minutes of walking can lift a depressed mood as much as bad-for-you indulgences like caffeine or binge eating can.

Tips to Help You Eat Better

When you look at recent trends in American eating habits its easy to see why so many people in the U. S. are overweight and obese today. We Americans currently consume 23% more sugar than we did in 1970, and on average, the foods we ate had 24% more total fat in 2000 than in 1970. And, we eat meals away from home roughly twice as much as we used to. Here are some practical suggestions to help you improve the way you eat.

When eating at home, eat all your meals only at the dining room or kitchen table. Eating while driving, watching TV, or talking on the phone can compound bad eating habits. Simply push your plate away when you are no longer hungry. Don't feel that you have to eat every bit of food on your plate. And, don’t keep eating until you feel completely full.

Eat only when you are truly hungry, not because you are bored, stressed, or tired.

Always go grocery shopping on a full stomach. To an empty stomach everything in the store looks tempting and will be much harder to resist.

Cut out sugar based sodas. Try drinking diet sodas, water, or a glass of skim milkFor people who don't want to give up the sweet taste, sugar blended drinks that contain a combination of sugar and artificial sweeteners are an option. Use an artificial sweetener instead of sugar whenever you can. Find out which sweetener works best for you.

Five Ways To Beat Stress and Improve Your Weight Loss

We’ve all heard that “Stress Kills,” but did you know high stress levels could also hinder your weight loss? Here are some tips that will help you lead a healthier lifestyle and at the same time give your body the chance to function optimally.

• Regular exercise helps lower your stress and at the same time increases your endorphins, the chemical your body produces to help you just plain feel good. If you suffer from tight neck and shoulder muscles when you're stressed, then a light exercise plan as simple as walking 30 minutes a day will help loosen up those muscles and eliminate the tightness you feel.
• Get plenty of sleep. Your body needs at least seven to eight hours a night. Sometimes stress and overwork make us lose sleep or shorten our sleep cycles when, in fact, a good night’s sleep is critical to keeping your stress levels down. Studies have shown that sleep-deprived people have higher stress levels. Once you accept the limits of time, you will sleep better at night.
• Drink plenty of water, the equivalent of eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Water helps to keep your body functioning properly by ridding it of toxins.
• Limit consumption of alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and sugar. Though you may sometimes want to reach for these substances in stressful times, studies have shown that they cause the stress response to become heightened. When you feel stressed, go for a walk, stretch or just think positive thoughts.
• Take timeouts for yourself. Get in the habit of taking five to 15 minutes out of your day to be alone and reconnect with your inner self. Take a few minutes to pray, meditate, or concentrate on positive thoughts. Studies show that people who do these things are able to dispel stress and increase their level of happy hormones.

Make these stress-busters a part of your life, and you'll be surprised how quickly you become immune to common stressors. You'll also probably notice that you're more effective in your work, more loving in your relationships, and happier in your skin!