InsulinWritten by Aimee Deak
Insulin has two critical roles in body that we cannot live without, yet it can be root of many health problems, including diabetes. Insulin carries sugar (glucose), fat and protein into your cells where they are used for energy and repair of your cells. When you eat, a certain amount of food will be converted into glucose and enter bloodstream. As sugar levels rise, body senses it and pancreas secretes insulin to lower sugar. This is insulin’s second main function.If you eat too much of any food, especially carbohydrates (starch and sugar) levels of glucose in blood rise to very high levels. In turn this triggers a large release of insulin from pancreas. Your cells will take what they need and then insulin will begin process of converting excess glucose, fat and protein into fat and then put it all away in your fat cells. By combining foods right way for your body, you will maintain optimum levels of insulin throughout day. The best way to control insulin and fight sugar cravings is to eat protein snacks when you are hungry or when you have severe “sweet” cravings. Also, try to limit yourself to three carbohydrate-containing meals per day and try to eat vegetables with most meals and snacks. A particularly good snack is non-fat cottage cheese and salsa. The only vegetables to avoid in evening are corn, yellow or orange squash, peas, beets and carrots. They have high simple carbohydrate (sugar) content. Good natural sources of protein for meals or snacks are: Chicken breastTurkey FishLean Pork Lean Steak7% or less Ground Beef Egg whitesEgg Beaters TofuNon-fat cottage cheese Non-fat cheeseNon-fat cream cheese Non-fat sour creamFat-free Ham or Canadian bacon
| | Fitness ResolutionsWritten by Aimee Deak
The holidays are now officially over and it’s time to get back on track! January 1st is day we all get to start over. A time to make changes in our lives that we’ve wanted to make but got sidetracked along way. So, you've had your fill of tempting treats. The holidays are always exciting and indulgent. Now that they're over, hopefully you'll never want to look at another piece of pumpkin pie or vat of mashed potatoes. Starting a healthy eating program will be a pleasure instead of a chore.Maybe emotionally, you're ready for a change. For most Americans, New Year's is a time of new beginning and emotional rebirth. You may feel desire to alter your way of life or spend more time focusing on yourself. There's no better time to improve your health. Also, there's plenty of time to prepare for next holiday season. You've got a whole year to adapt to a healthy lifestyle. The next time holidays hit, you'll be better prepared to enjoy yourself without overindulging. Approximately 90 percent of Americans make at least one New Year's resolution each year. Unfortunately, no matter how well intentioned they are, most people fail to keep their resolutions. Here are a few ways you can ensure your success: 1. SET OBTAINABLE GOALS. It's reasonable to lose 10 percent of your starting weight within 3 months. The goal of EVERY BODY LOSES plan is to help you learn how to make healthy eating choices that you can carry with you for life. Rather than focusing on losing as much weight as you can as quickly as you can, realize that, if you follow plan correctly, this could be last program you’ll ever need.
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