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Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Guidelines

February 23, 2015

Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Guidelines: Little by little Weight gain

Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Guidelines

Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Guidelines are very important when followed to the letter as they are very informative on healthy feeding habits and exercise.

The primary reason why we get time off away from our busy schedule is to relax and rest in comfort and fun. The common time that majority has for holiday season is towards the end of the year escalating to the first two weeks of the New Year. I want to believe that by now you are done with the hang overs of the last year’s holiday and probably you have started saving for the same this year. All these efforts are meant to make you happy refreshed and ready to get back to your normal daily assignments. However, as much as we look forward to holiday parties and dinners, many people are getting concerned about enjoying it too much for fear of packing on pounds in the whole process. It is this concern that we want to deliberate on in line with the healthy holiday food and diet guidelines. Take for instance one of the world largest economy America. It is estimated that its individual citizens consumes on average 4500 calories and 229 grams fat from eating a traditional thanksgiving dinner. Take note that, this doesn’t include breakfast, lunch, dinner or late-night snacking on leftovers. If this is the quantity they consume, what does it communicate to you? It means on average the Americans gain up to 2 pounds during each holiday season. If this is allowed to continue for years then those extra pounds definitely will become permanent baggage. Year after year, those pounds can add up, and contribute to overweight or obesity later in life. Doctor Akoury says that the health complications associated with being overweight or obese are not friendly at all. She goes on to say that we may not all gain weight during the holidays but the one common denominator is that, we all tend to eat and drink a lot and engaging in very little or no exercise at all. Healthy eating and exercise then gets to the back seat. The motivation of this is coined on the fact that no one wants to be on a strict diet during the holidays after all it is time to let loose. Yes I agree that we want to enjoy the abundance of traditional favorite foods. The question I through back to you is how can you enjoy the holidays responsibly without gaining weight? Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center argue that it is not so hard, with good and proper planning. Doctor Dalal Akoury who is the CEO and founder of this facility shares with us some very important healthy holiday food and diet guidelines as follows: Smart shopping for Healthy Holidays – Consult with the experts with a view of purposing to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, whole grains, and low fat dairy products in your holiday menu plan. Also ensure that careful consideration is taken when adding calories rich contents in your menu. Go slowly at the Party – Not all that passes before you should finds its way to your mouth. Majority appetizers tend to be loaded with calories. Make it easier on your guests by offering light and satisfying appetizers which can only be found at the healthy holiday food and diet guidelines produced by doctor Akoury. Harness the Diet Power of Produce – Add more simple vegetable and fruit dishes to your menu instead of heavy dishes with sauces. For example, green bean almandine with a squeeze of lemon is healthier than traditional green bean casserole. Simple peas or corn are healthier than creamed peas or corn. Go Frozen in winter – Go for fresh fruits and vegetables especially during their season nonetheless you can also opt for fresh frozen fruits and vegetables which are very economical and can be more nutritious because they are picked at their peak ripeness and frozen immediately. Honor Special Requests – As you plan your holiday menu always consult for a healthy holiday food and diet guidelines. Even though you may not succeed in pleasing your entire guest, it is important that you ask if guests have any food preferences or intolerances. This way you can include a wide variety of healthy foods. Then, your guests can pick and choose, filling their plate with a satisfying meal no matter their food issue. Shave Calories with Simple Swaps – Create healthier versions of your holiday favorites by shaving calories wherever you can. Simple swaps of lower-fat ingredients are easy ways to save calories and no one will even notice the difference. Use chicken stock, fat-free yogurt, light cream cheese, and low-fat milk in place of high-fat ingredients. Substitute non-fat yogurt or applesauce for oil in baked goods. Roast or Grill for Rich Flavor with Fewer Calories – Roasting or grilling meat, seafood, vegetables, and potatoes, is a simple, low-calorie cooking style that brings out the natural sweetness and flavor in foods. Roasted sweet potatoes with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and a spritz of butter spray are delicious substitutes for the traditional calorie-laden casserole. Serve Healthier Desserts – For dessert, try chocolate-dipped strawberries for a colorful and delicious finale. If you want to offer pie, choose the healthier pumpkin pie. Make it with non-fat evaporated milk. Top it with fat-free whipped topping. Spritz Your Drinks – Eggnog and other holiday beverages can add a huge number of calories. It is important that you consider adding beverages such as diet soda, sparkling water, or a low-calorie punch. Remember that alcohol releases inhibitions and can increase hunger. Therefore where possible don’t serve alcoholic drinks.

Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Guidelines: Plan and audit carefully to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Because we know that there is going to be lots of eating and drinking during the holiday, it is therefore very important that you work towards trimming your calories and making sure that you fit in fitness everyday so you can enjoy a controlled feast without the guilt. Even in doing all these it is still worth noting that the holidays are marked with many luring traditions, however the real meaning is about spending time with family and friends. Finally never go for any feast on an empty stomach. This will be a motivating factor for you to eat without control which can be very discouraging on weight loss. This healthy holiday food and diet guidelines will not be useful if you don’t put them into practice. I appreciate that it may not be easy, but the consequences of not following can be very fatal. If you’re in anyway experiencing any difficulties in whatever nature, you can seek for help by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Akoury for more one on one professional advice.

Healthy Holiday Food and Diet Guidelines: Little by little Weight gain

 

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Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight

February 18, 2015

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight: Which One Will Help You Lose Weight Faster?

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight. this should not confuse you, they are both very beneficial in weight loss

In your desire to lose weight, there is no doubt that you will meet these two weight loss components. Diet and exercise, and at some point of time you will be wondering between the two which one may work well for you. This is a genuine concern not just for you right now but to many people struggling with weight related complications. Therefore as we get into the discussion, I want to pose the same to you that “is it diet or exercise for weight in your case?” I believe that by asking that question your mind is moving in all direction trying to find the best answers whether it is the exercise or diet. But even as you battle with weight and all it accompaniments, these two words will continue to be here with us every day in our quest to lose weight and stay healthy.

It can be very frustrating to commit to an exercise schedule or diet plan working very hard to get in shape and when you evaluate your effort on the scale you discover that you haven’t done much and your weight is still intact or you have only managed negligible ounces. You then take your frustration to the mirror and in that influence of disappointment you brand yourself a failure and relapse immediately by ordering for a piece of pizza. This discouragement brings me back to the question is it diet or exercise for overweight? What exactly should you put your focus on in order to meet your goals? The answer to this riddle is both simple and complicated as we will find out in the discussion following.

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight: Listen to the professional’s opinion?

Doctor Dalal Akoury a re-known weight lose expert and also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center states that it  is all about cutting down on calories. And in fact this is the most effective way of losing weight all over. Therefore the key is to eat and drink less calories than you burn. Take for instance 3,500 units of calories equals approximately one pound of fat. If you were to cut down calories by 500 daily from your diet you will succeed in shedding off a pound of fat in a week much faster as oppose to trying to burn it off by engaging in physical activities. While appreciating the effect of cutting calories through healthy eating, doctor Akoury says that exercise is still very important in maintaining weight loss. As a matter of fact those who succeed in losing weight gradually with a calorie controlled diet be able to maintain their weight better be getting regular exercise. However when dieting is done in crash without exercise, the result may be increase in weight gain especially when the diet is stopped.

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight: Recognize where the difficulty is and find solutions

If you and your family are overweight, then you need to give it a different approach. The best approach would be a collective one where you sit in a round table to discuss and come up with a common working solution for all the group members. This should be an incentive for you especially if you and your partner have a family history of diabetes. This will give you an opportunity to talk about the effects of diabetes and educate yourself and your family about the risks of being overweight pointing out how being overweight can affect social activities, confidence, and energy. You can also highlight the benefits of eating healthier. Make a list of consequences of good eating verses bad eating.

Sugar and processed foods are probably two of the biggest obstructions in the effort to maintain a healthy weight. If you want to get in shape you’ve got to quit incapacitating yourself with the consumption of these two. It would be good if you cut out as much sugar and processed foods as you possibly can. If you can get your family on board (with your sales pitch at the family meeting), you can clean out your pantry and throw away the junk food that is making you unhealthy. The truth is the human body responds better to unprocessed foods that are low in fat, salt and sugar. It may be difficult but it will pay high health dividends in better health and greater happiness.

It is easier (and more permanent) if you do it gradually. If the family gathers around the TV to watch Sunday football with chips, sodas and greasy hamburgers, start by substituting leaner hamburgers, or substituting soda sweetened with stevia. Gradually work your way toward whole grain hamburger buns, chips that aren’t fried and adding a veggie tray to the whole spread.

Remember that in doing all these, not all the time will things go as planned and therefore you should expect some relapse. When this happens you may be tempted to give up but I want to encourage you not to. Such relapses are normal and are bound to happen. The only thing you need to do is to keep the spirit of losing weight. The focus should not change therefore keep trying to do a little better overall than you have done in the past year.

A final key to a healthy diet is portion size. Even though unprocessed foods tend to be lower calorie, they do still have calories. You will need to re-educate yourself about what a real serving size is. It is an excellent idea to buy a food scale and measure out your food at least until you get a good feel of how many calories are in the portions you are eating.

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight: But what about exercise

Getting regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It keeps your metabolism going as you seek to cut out the calories from your diet. It may be quicker to cut calories to lose weight, but if you are continually cutting calories without keeping your metabolism ramped up the calories you do eat will be with you for a longer duration.

A regular cardio workout helps to strengthen heart muscles, reduces the risk of heart attack, increase lung capacity, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and can help control diabetes. Another surprising result will be that you will sleep better.

Some other important benefits of exercise is that it will help you stay on your diet by reducing stress that might cause you to eat things you shouldn’t, it acts as a reminder of the connection between what you eat and how you feel, the increase of oxygenated blood to the brain helps you think more clearly, and exercise releases endorphins. Therefore if you’re still wondering whether it is diet or exercise for overweight, they schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today for further and more professional one on one evaluations and training.

Is it Diet or Exercise for Overweight: Which One Will Help You Lose Weight Faster?

 

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Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays

December 1, 2014

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays – Staying Calm and on Track

Stress and weight gain

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays can cause you a lot of harm in your effort of fighting overweight. Stick to the healthy side of life even during holidays.

Dear friends it is my pleasure sharing with you these valuable pieces of information about your health and more so those that are related to overweight. If you have been with us on the link you must have come across several articles torching on overweight and obesity. These are health conditions which are life threatening if not avoided or put into control. We are going to be discussing in this article the topic stress and weight gain during the holidays. As a matter of fact we are approaching that season when everyone will be tuned to marry making during the Christmas festivities. This article therefore comes at an opportune time for you and your loved ones. Therefore I want to welcome you and request you to keep reading and have useful tips to help you prepare for the holiday season a head.

When we talk about holiday weight gain, you maybe think about the varieties of delicious foods lie in wait for you everywhere you turn. Holiday parties, family dinners, office luncheons, 20 dozen Christmas cookies cooling on your kitchen counters literally there is no scarcity of temptation during the holidays to indulge in over eating. However, there is another major stake holder to holiday weight gain which is not necessarily food and unhealthy lifestyle. The holiday season comes with different packages it is known for being one of the most stressful seasons of the year. Stress is never friendly to human health because it is one of the major causes of the formation of fat belly in both male and female. The fat belly is often as a result of certain chemical known as cortisol. It may not matter whether your feeding habits are emphatically pure throughout the holiday season; letting stress get to you may still cause you to gain some weight which is not very healthy.

From experience we know that managing stress may not be very easy for many and that is why at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Dalal Akoury’s care we focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. We bring to your attention that any stress and weight gain especially during the holidays can be avoided. I encourage you not to dye in silence because help is only a phone call away. Pick that phone now and schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today for professional direction. As you consider making that valuable call the following are some of the easy steps you can adopt to help you avoid stress and weight gain during the holidays  .

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays – Keep Your Mind Peaceful

Consistent meditation is a brilliant way to discharge stress from your system. This can be done in the simplest way without any form of complications. Just by positioning yourself in a sitting position with your eyes closed and breathing systematically slowly can bring a big difference in your stress level. Remember that even 2minutes of meditation can knock off stress out. Therefore if you can dedicate 10 full minutes twice a day to simple meditation, you’ll notice a huge reduction in stress.  You’ll not only feel calmer but also you’ll be able to think more clearly. In other words your memory will improve, you’ll have more energy, and you’ll feel more balanced emotionally. The result is stress and weight gain during holidays is eliminated.

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays – Discharge Bodily Tension

  • When you’re stressed out, do you ever feel like all of your muscles are threaded too tight?
  • Your shoulders feel like they’re wrapped up around your ears
  • Your lower back feels like it might snap if you bend forward
  • Your legs might be restless
  • Arms feel achy
  • Stomach churning

When all this happens in your body, tension displays up in your body, you can’t help but feel uncomfortable. Daily exercise does wonders in releasing bodily tension and you don’t have to spend a lot of time doing it to enjoy great results. Even marching in place for 10 minutes followed by a gentle stretching routine can instantly make you feel more relaxed. For instance if you enjoy walking and the weather is nice, take an invigorating walk after dinner each evening.  When you go shopping at the mall, take 10 minutes to stroll briskly around and focus on how festive everything looks. This way you’ll be inspiring a positive mood while releasing tension from your body at the same time.

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays – Create Time for Yourself

Doctor Akoury will tell you that having sometime for yourself is very healthy. You have this life only once and what you do with it today determines how well you will live it tomorrow. It doesn’t matter how busy or tight your schedule is. You need peace of mind to need those deadlines. So devote some time and relax doing things you like most. Taking an hour or more in a relaxed state of mind will make you freshen up and you’ll quickly realize that the things you have to do don’t seem so stressful anymore.

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays – The Art of Detachment

Sometimes what you need to be free is all dependent on you. There are certain things you may want to shed off if you have to defeat stress and weight gain during the holidays. For instance, if your holiday season is usually packed with irritating and stressful scenes and events, you may want to devote a little bit of practice to the art of detachment. Being able to step back psychologically and enthusiastically from upsetting people and circumstances is a worthy practice to accommodate not just because you want to be free from stress and weight gain during holiday’s seasons but for the rest of your life. Detachment means declining to become emotionally capitalized in the situation at hand. If you can calmly keep your emotions in check rather than getting angry, defensive, or aggressive, you will avoid taking on too much stress.

Finally it is helpful if you are able to avoid taking things personally. Stay in control of your emotions and you’ll feel like you have greater control over your life in general. Doctor Akoury will always be there for you in all the steps you take in managing your stress and weight gain during the holiday. You can now schedule that appointment with her today.

Stress and Weight Gain during the Holidays – Staying Calm and on Track

 

 

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Staying on diet over the holidays for a better shape

November 24, 2014

Staying on diet over the holidays for a better shape – Tips of keeping great shape over the holidays (Part Two)

Staying on diet over the holidays

Staying on diet over the holidays for a better shape depend greatly on being discipline and remaining focus to the worthy course.

After along and tiresome working season from January to December year in year out, it will be fair that one get some free time to rest and shed off the tedious work season. During this period of letting lose and having fun in the particular attention needs to be taken so that we do not shed off stress and add more weight in the process. It is therefore very important to note that whether you’re trying to lose weight, or just keeping to your existing weight, the holiday season can present a particular challenge. Therefore staying on diet over the holidays is very important because with all of the appealing, tempting and calorific foods being served a round it can prove a challenge to keep eating healthily while away with friends.

In view of these fighting weight without proper planning on staying on diet over the holidays may be very frustrating if you don’t get good professional guidance. That is why talking to the experts moment before you embark on this vacation would be paramount. For this reason Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical facility (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform people’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. This is the place to be for all your weight lose concerns. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. Therefore as we go through this second part of the series “Staying on diet over the holidays for a better shape,” it will be necessary that you schedule for an appointment with this great weight loss professional. In the meantime sticking to the following guidelines will help in staying on diet during the holiday season.

Consistency in eating schedule

The secret of staying on diet over the holidays for a lean body weight is being consistent to the course. Without this discipline you’re likely to lose the energy to progress effectively, and before you know it, you will be making one step forward and several backwards. It is easy to lose truck on your daily feeding schedule during the holidays by veering off your meal frequency. It is therefore very important to appreciate that it is much easier keeping to an already developed eating plan however if you lose the drive and vigor, getting back on track will be an uphill task.

One terrible mistake people often do when on holidays is skipping certain meals especially when there is a major schedule dinner. They often do this to create space for that dinner, dear reader this is very wrong and unhealthy. You will only succeed in inviting binge eating which is likely to ruin any progress you’ve made. Keep the consistency of staying on diet over the holidays. You can do this by just considering all the holiday dinners as one of your normal meals.

Portion sizes

The motivation should always be “staying on diet over the holiday period. Remember that to stay focus to the rule of energy balance “to lose body fat, you must consume fewer calories than you burn up each day.” The law of energy balance has two major components as follows:

  • A caloric surplus gets stored as fat even with healthy food.
  • Small amounts of any food including junk food will not get stored as fat if you stay in a calorie deficit.

There’s no reason to deprive yourself of things you enjoy. Just make sure you don’t overdo. As long as you enjoy your favorite foods in reasonableness, and you keep working out, it won’t end up around your waistline.

Focus on your own standards and expectations

Keep your standards high, but don’t expect other people’s standards to be as high as yours. Remember that most people have already planned in advance to fail at fitness over the holidays. You’re different because you’ve decided to stay strong. Therefore never let any negative influence drag you down. For instance when you have set certain standards of drinking like taking only two bottles of beer, say a polite No up on reaching this when your friends induces you to drink more. Instead turn to water or nonalcoholic or caloric dinks.

Make the best choices possible in every situation.

It is interesting how the unhealthiest foods are dressed during holiday’s dinners. You must have noticed tables dressed with dips, chips, liquor, candies name them and on that very table there will also be a collection of some healthy foods like cauliflower, carrot sticks, celery and many others. Remember that in everywhere you go you will always have a choice and ensure that you only make the good ones. In your option of choices, there will be good, better and best always go for the best.

In making choices remember that you’re staying on diet over the holiday and so chances are that there will be something healthy on the menu at every holiday gathering. Therefore only go for the healthy portions. Remember that, lean proteins and fibrous carbs the best for getting lean, so fill up on the turkey breast, try to get a vegetable in there, and go easy on the desserts.

Drink alcohol in moderation

If you enjoy having a few drinks on special occasions, then go ahead and have a drink or two. But if you’re serious about your fitness goals, then drink infrequently and in moderation. Alcohol puts fat oxidation on hold while providing a large amount of calories. When there’s alcohol in your bloodstream, you’re not in fat burning mode.

Alcohol and muscles just don’t mix. The impact goes beyond added body fat; your energy levels and workouts can be affected for days after a night of heavy drinking. A glass of wine may have health benefits, but there’s never any reason or excuse for binge drinking or getting drunk. So go ahead and toast to the New Year, but know let your NO be NO and YES be YES.

Finally having gone through the two article series, you must have realized that there’s no reason why your exercise and nutrition program should spoil your holidays, and at the same time you have no reason to let your holidays spoil your exercise and nutrition program with the guidelines given in these article and constant consultation with doctor Dalal Akoury for professional input, staying on diet over the holiday will not be stressful.

Staying on diet over the holidays for a better shape – Tips of keeping great shape over the holidays (Part Two)

 

 

 

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