10 Tips on How to Eat Healthy and Keep Exercising

Just the word "diet" alone makes most people cringe. You can't diet forever; you will eventually have to go off your diet. If we can change the way we eat and exercise, we will have more success in keeping the weight off. When you hear the word "diet" what words come to mind? You may think that it means starving yourself; so you can fit into a size 2 dress or size 5 jeans. You know, that pair of jeans that you've been hiding in the back of your closet hoping that you'll fit into them some day. They are a cruel reminder of what once was and they torment you every time you see them. You might find yourself saying, "Oh Lord, why is my soul so down cast" and you may hear, "for one does not live by bread alone".

All kidding aside, the word "Diet" has become a dirty four letter word. Most of us would agree that when we diet we feel deprived and some of us even get cranky. There are all kinds of diets. If you going to diet, you must include an exercise program in order to keep the weight off. If you don't, you'll only loose the "water weight" and eventually it will all be gained back. It becomes a constant yo-yo process. Your frustration builds and you end up throwing the lean cuisine dinners out and pigging out on chocolate cake. Then defeat and depression set in and you are back on the merry go round once again.

A friend of mine once asked me have I always eaten healthy. I had to stop and think about that, my reply was, I've never been a real junk food attic. I've also never had the desire to sit down and eat a whole chocolate cake. I grew up with the idea that eating at McDonalds or Burger King was a treat not an everyday occurrence. My family ate three square meals a day. My mother taught me at an early age how to cook. We got plenty of exercise and we never really thought about dieting.

We have a world today that expects everything fast and convenient. We want our food fast, our coffee hot and a quick fix to all our health issues. We are looking to band-aid the problem with national healthcare and prescription drugs. If we really want to do something about our weight gain then we need to become more disciplined. We can start with prevention which will encourage healthier lifestyles. If you really don't understand what healthy choices are, then you will be lead astray by the commercial food market.

#1 What does a healthy lifestyle look like?

If you decide you want to live healthier then you have to know what a healthier lifestyle looks like? We all have to eat for our bodies to function properly. If we fail to understand what is healthy then we will end up spending a lot of money with no results. We'll have a lot of empty promises but in the end we will not obtain anything but frustration. Just because a product calls something light or fat free doesn't necessarily make it a healthy choice.

#2 Realize that food and exercise go hand and hand

If you are going to have a healthier lifestyle then you must change your food habits, and include an exercise plan. Many plans promise you results without any exercise. It sounds good, but does it really work? Most of those plans that make that promise will give you quick results, but will cost you in the end. You will lose weight but it will be mostly water. If you are not careful, you could end up gaining it all back. You can't stay on a diet forever, but you can change how and what you eat and continue to make wise choices.

#3 Understand what the basic food plan is and how it works

If you can understand the basic plan of a diabetic, you will understand how to eat healthier. The whole idea is to eat several smaller meals more frequently. If you are eating smaller meals more often, then you will be less hungry. You must understand the serving sizes and how they affect your body. Once you understand what a serving size is for each food group you will be able to make smart choices and gain healthy results.

#4 Try to avoid anything artificial or man-made

However, one of the biggest mistakes that I see in the diabetic food plan is the use of artificial sweeteners. I looked at the studies done on artificial sweeteners and they can end up causing you serious health problems. In fact, artificial sweeteners will increase your sugar cravings. A good alternative is Stevia. Stevia comes from a plant and is an all natural sweetener. Whatever is artificial isn't real and your body will have a hard time digesting it. Many products such as soda and other packaged sweets are now changing from artificial sweeteners to Stevia. Stay away from or at least cut back on anything that is artificial or manmade. Butter is better than margarine and used sparingly it becomes a better choice.

#5 Stop the cravings by eating balanced meals

Protein is key factor in making your diet work. Protein keeps you full and also helps your body produce a healthy muscle structure. There are many healthy choices for your protein source. Nuts in raw form are a wonderful source of protein. Lean fish, eggs, cheese and even some fruits are also good sources of protein. Protein Shakes mixed with fruit also are a good choice. Purchase a protein powder with whey in it that contains little or no sugar. There are many to choose from and they make excellent shakes. After a workout try a homemade shake. I use a ½ scoop of whey protein mix, 1 cup of frozen fruit, 1 ½ cups of milk and a couple of drops of plain or flavored Stevia. Throw it all in a blender and you have a healthy shake. The shake includes enough protein and carbs and will give you a ton of energy. It is an easy snack to digest after a workout.

# 6 Choose an exercise plan that you can stick with and enjoy

You must have some sort of exercise in your life. It doesn't have to be difficult and you don't even have to join a gym or health club. You must be disciplined if you decide to work out at home. If you bought a treadmill and ended up using it to hang clothes on then you would be better off joining a health club. There are some people that prefer a health clubs over working out at home for many reasons. However, if you can discipline yourself to work out at home then you can save money. You will also have the benefit of having control over your environment.

#7 Combine cardio and weight lifting for better results

It's good to incorporate a program that includes cardio and weight lifting. You need the cardio to get your heart rate up so that you can burn the calories. You need the weight lifting so that you can keep your muscles toned and in shape. You can purchase a set of dumbbells or you can use bags of dried beans in different weights. You can even use water bottles, filled with water. You don't have to aim for big bulky muscles, just toned and in shape. You have to learn to interchange your cardio work out and your weight lifting. A good plan that includes exercise and eating healthy is Bill Phillips "Body For Life" plan.

Choose a cardio work out that you enjoy doing. If you enjoy working out on a treadmill or Stairmaster then go for it. If you don't enjoy rock climbing, then perhaps a brisk walk in a park or around your neighborhood will work for you. If you choose something you like , then you will be more determined to stick with it. The buddy system works well and will keep you motivated. If you are disciplined then you may not need someone to workout with you.

# 8 Start out slow and realize that results will not happen over night

It takes 30 days to break a bad habit and 30 days make a new habit. If you make exercise and eating healthy part of your routine your energy level will increase and you will look healthier and be happier. It is always best to start out slow and work your way up. If you don't exercise or haven't in quite some time, then you'll need to start slow. Walking is a good place to start. You can increase your speed and your distance as your body get used to exercising. The important thing is that you stick with it.

Weight lifting does not have to be difficult or time consuming. If you understand the basic muscle groups you can design your own routine. Muscles will tear and then repair when they are worked out. Remember to only work one part of the body at a time, giving ample rest to repair the muscles. Interchange the upper body and the lower body workouts. Don't ever work out both parts of the body in the same day. There are many good books which can teach you about weight lifting and will give you a basic plan to follow.

#9 The ultimate goal is a healthier lifestyle incorporated into your daily routine

Make your work outs part of your schedule. If you are a morning person then working out early may be more convenient. If you know that you will be dragging you butt at the end of the day, don't plan your work out then. When picking places to eat out, look for places with good healthy choices. Some restaurants will allow you to substitute for better healthier choices. If money is an issue, then brown bag it. I'd had to laugh at one fast food restaurant that was serving salads. They had the right idea but the salad dressing that they served with the salad had a whopping 21g of fat...ouch! Learn to read the labels and know what you are eating.

#10 Allow yourself a treat once a week and you will be less tempted to cheat

This will take discipline. However, sometimes just setting aside one day a week for a treat can keep the cravings under control. If you do end up cheating, don't beat yourself up. Be patient with yourself and pick yourself up by the boot straps and continue to make better choices. If you are determined you can make eating healthy and exercise a daily part of your life.

The best tip that I can offer you is to incorporate your prayer life with your diet and fitness program. God wants us to have healthy bodies so that we can continue on with the good fight of faith. Matt 7: 17-18 says Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Proverbs 3:7-8 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.