HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Healthy Ways to Lose Weight

Debunking Myths On Exercise And Weight Loss

Weight Control

Exercise is a critical component in any effective weight-control regimen. Unfortunately, some people have misconceptions about weight and exercise. Here are some of the more common popular fallacies.

Myth: Exercise increases your appetite.

Fact: Appetite is actually more manageable after exercise. Furthermore, any slight increase in food intake from physical exercise is more than offset by calories expended by the exercise.

Myth: In order for exercise to be worthwhile, you must work out every day.

Fact: Three times a week for around 20 minutes each time will burn off a significant number of calories. (Of course, if you exercise longer-say, 45 minutes to an hour–you’ll bum even more calories.)

Myth: Exercise must be extremely vigorous to achieve weight loss.

Fact: Moderate exercise like walking, if done on a regular basis, can be effective. Daily 30-minute walks can burn up to 15 pounds a year.

Myth: Only aerobic exercise burns calories.

Fact: Aerobic exercise (cycling, walking, swimming, etc.), speed up your metabolism for 4 to 8 hours after you stop exercising, so calories will be burned when you exercise and after you finish working out. Nonaerobic exercise like weight lifting, burns calories when you exercise and adds lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than fat. Both types of exercise are important components of fitness.

Myth: The more you sweat, the faster you lose weight.

Fact: There is no benefit to excessive sweating. It can even be dangerous. So don’t overdress for exercise, and don’t wear “sauna suits.”

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Painless Ways To Eat Less Without Starving

Weight Control

It’s not always what you eat that determines whether or not you lose weight. Sometimes, small changes in the way you eat can help eliminate those extra pounds. Try these suggestions.

* Eat smaller amounts of food more often, and eat at least half of your intake earlier in the day (to increase your metabolism). You’ll burn off more calories that way. (Eat no more than six times a day-including snacks-however.)

* Use small plates, so portions look larger.

* Put less food on your fork or spoon, and take smaller bites. Chew slowly, and pause between mouthfuls.

* Wait 10 minutes before snacking. (The urge might pass.) Don’t prepare snacks for other people.

* If you feel like binge eating, put on tight clothes-it will discourage you.

* Choose more high-fiber and high-water foods like celery, watermelon, and plain popcorn. (You get more to eat without eating very many calories.)

* Mentally imagine yourself thinner–it’ll keep you going.

* Keep low-calorie snacks easily available.

* Never skip breakfast.

* Don’t eat anything after dinner.

* Brush your teeth after every meal. (You’ll be less inclined to continue nibbling.)

* Eat only if you feel relaxed to avoid “nervous munching.”

* Take the light bulb out of your refrigerator–it will cut down on “search-and-consume” forays.

* Drink lots of water every day, to suppress appetite.

* Never starve yourself all day in order to eat a special dinner. (You’ll be more likely to overeat.)

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Portion Control

Weight Control

Size matters.

Compared to years past, people are eating larger portions. The super-sizing of foods is one reason people’s waistlines and body weights are super-sizing , too.

20 years ago:

1.5 ounce muffin

210 calories

Today:

4 ounce muffin

500 Calories

Get the facts

One portion of a food or beverage is often more than one standard serving. Get standard serving sizes fromwww.choosemyplate.gov. Just because soda comes in a 20-ounce size doesn’t mean it counts as one serving. (It’s actually 2½ servings.) Read the Nutrition Facts section on food labels. It lists serving size, number of servings, calories per serving, and other nutrition-related information.

Eating in verses eating out

It is easier to control portions when you eat at home, but you can stay on course when you eat out if you share a meal and avoid special value meals that offer larger portions for just a few cents more. Wherever you eat a meal, take your time. Your brain needs about 20 minutes to get a signal from your stomach that you are full.

Use simple measuring tools for serving sizes:

1 cup = 2 hands cupped or 1 clenched fist

½ cup = Computer mouse or 1 hand cupped

2-3 oz. = Deck of cards

1 oz. = Size of 1 domino

1 Tbsp. = Volume of 1 thumb

1 teaspoon = 1 die or tip of 1 thumb

Action Step

Eat meals at regular intervals to avoid the urge to snack. Buy single-serving snacks or make them on your own. Avoid distractions, such as TV when you eat.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Rethink Your Drink

Weight Control

Avoid liquids that fill you up and out.

That grande (16 oz.) peppermint chocolate mocha you grabbed before work might have perked you up, but it added 400 calories to your diet. With another 250 calories from the 20 oz. cola you drank with lunch, and the 300 calories from the two 12 oz. beers that helped you unwind after work, it’s no wonder you’re having trouble maintaining or losing weight. Your drinks alone account for about 1,000 calories of what should be a 1,500 (women) or 2,000 (men) calorie daily diet.

Sweet tea guzzlers, don’t smirk. One 32 oz. drink from McDonald’s contains 280 calories. And a Long Island iced tea packs a whopping 532 calories in one 16 oz. bottle.

Did You Know?

Having two 12-ounce regular sodas a day could add 30 pounds of weight in a year. Having water instead of these sodas can help you shed 30 pounds a year!

Healthy Drinking Tips

* Drink coffee black with a small amount of nonfat milk or unsweetened soy milk.

* Give your water some flavor with a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange. Or, add a fresh strawberry or slice of cucumber or melon. Herbs such as ginger, cinnamon, or mint can also add flavor.

* Opt for caffeine-free herbal teas.

* Get the added benefit of antioxidants with fresh or low-sodium canned vegetable juices.

* Make homemade smoothies using fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, protein powder, and soy or rice milk.

* Mix one part fruit juice to three parts water or sparkling water.

* Drink wine in moderation. It has about 125 calories per 4-5 ounces.

* If beer is your alcohol of choice, try “lite” beer, but check out the calories per serving. Some light beers have almost as many calories as regular beer. Limit beer to one or two per day.

* Nix the cocktails with high-calorie mixers, such as soda, juice, and cream.

* Save the sports drinks for high intensity workouts as they have about 100 calories per 8 oz. serving. Lower the calories by mixing 4 oz. of water with 4 oz. of the sports drink.

Do diet drinks make a difference?

Ideally, diet soft drinks help keep calories down, but research shows that people who drink diet sodas tend to be heavier than those who pass on carbonated drinks altogether. Why? Diet drinkers give themselves permission to eat more food.

Action Step

Every day, drink plenty of water and other refreshing low-calorie beverages, such as unsweetened iced tea with lemon.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Step-By-Step

Weight Control

Walk off extra weight and improve health problems.

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking also has many health benefits. It can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of or manage type 2 diabetes, control weight, improve mood, and increase fitness.

Take ten steps in the right direction:

1. Talk with your doctor about a routine that is safe for your level of fitness.

2. Have the right gear. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Choose shoes with proper arch support, a firm heel, and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Wear reflective gear when it’s dark so motorists can see you.

3. Maintain good form. Maintain good posture to help you avoid backaches, muscle pain, and injuries.

4. Pull in your stomach muscles to set your pelvis in neutral, a position you will appreciate during longer walks.

5. Keep your chin parallel to the ground and your eyes focused 12 to 20 feet ahead to reduce strain on your neck and shoulders.

6. The impact of your first step should be from heel to toe, in a gently rolling motion. Push off with the back leg, toes leading the way to the ground slightly in front of your torso.

7. Use your arms. With each forward step, swing the opposite arm behind you. Point the arm toward the ground.

8. Start slow to build stamina. When you feel confident, add 5 minutes, then another 5, and so on.

9. Set walking goals, such as weight loss, reduced stress, or better overall health.

10. Reap the rewards. You will feel better and look better.

Tips

* Warm Up: Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles.

* Stretch: Gently stretch your muscles, including calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

* Cool Down: To reduce stress on your heart and muscles, end each walk slowly.

Action Step

On busy days when you can’t find time to walk 30 minutes all at once, take three 10-minute walks when you can fit them in.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Diet Changes: Simple And Doable

HEALTHY EATING

If you try a complete diet overhaul at once, you may get overwhelmed. You can make it easier by not doing too much at once. Focus on one or two things you want to change and stick with those.

Keep comfort foods, but tweak them

Many people think they must give up all their favorite foods to be healthy. But if you have comfort foods you enjoy, this can cause even more stress. Here’s how to keep them while eating healthy:

*Eat them less often.Aim to eat your comfort food once a week, rather than every day. Come up with healthier options to replace the comfort food.

*Take a smaller portion.Put a smaller portion on your plate and eat it slowly. Enjoy the smell and taste of each bite, truly savoring it.

*Modify the recipe.Switch out high fat and high calorie ingredients in your recipes. Use low-fat or fat-free dairy products instead of whole milk and cream. Use vegetable noodles instead of white pasta. All those little changes add up.

Keep it simple

If you’re already under stress, following an extreme diet plan could backfire. It could cause more stress, which could lead to frustration and more stress.

Instead, celebrate one or two small victories each day. Write down when you snacked on fresh carrots instead of potato chips. Or you had a glass of water instead of soda. Whatever you did to make your diet a little bit better is a step in the right direction.

Looking at the positive things you have accomplished may be the boost you need during times of stress. When you have slip-ups or bad days, don’t view it as a “failure.” It doesn’t mean all your healthy eating plans are over. Instead, forgive the mistake and look forward to a better and healthier day tomorrow.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Whittle Your Waist

Weight Control

Hidden belly fat poses silent health threats.

When your waistline gets bigger, you need to buy larger pants and belts. Too large of a waist can also increase your risk for many diseases. These include some types of cancers, type-2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. It’s not the fat under the skin that you can pinch that triggers these problems. It’s the fat you cannot see that is around body organs deep inside your abdomen. This is called visceral fat. It is absorbed into the bloodstream easily making it more likely to clog arteries to the heart.

What is a healthy waist measurement?

Whether you are overweight or not, you may have too much abdominal fat. To find out, place a measuring tape at the top of your hipbone. Then bring it all the way around, level with your naval. Keep the tape parallel to the floor. Make sure it’s not too tight. You have too much fat in your abdomen if your waist measures:

* 35 inches or more if you are a woman

* 40 or more inches if you are a man

Three steps to whittle your waist:

1. Exercise −You can do a thousand sit-ups a day and still have visceral fat. To trim both the fat you can pinch and hidden fat, do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. If you can’t fit in one 30 minute workout, break it down to three 10-minute sessions.

2. Diet − No diet targets visceral fat alone. But, when you lose weight overall, you lose abdominal fat.

3. Sleep – Get six to seven hours per night.

Action Step

Increase foods with soluble fiber. These include lentils, kidney and other beans, oat bran, oatmeal, and the fleshy parts of apples and carrots.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Digging Into Detox Diets

HEALTHY EATING

The word “detox” is a popular term in diets today. Many detox diets and plans promise to help your body flush out toxins and get you healthier.

Some detox diets follow extreme guidelines like:

* Fasting (not eating) for long periods

* Drinking only special detox drinks or juices

* Using supplements or products that claim to detox your body

* Using laxatives, enemas or other products to empty the colon

Safety concerns

Many detox plans haven’t been proven to be safe. Supplements and extreme diets can cause health problems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action against detox products that are dangerous or contain illegal ingredients.

Don’t assume that a “natural” detox plan is safe. It may be risky because:

* Drinking large quantities of juice can be dangerous for people with kidney disease.

* Drinking juices that are “raw” or unpasteurized can cause serious illnesses from bacteria.

* People with diabetes often need to eat a healthy diet and need to eat at regular times. Fasting or drinking juice instead of meals can cause dangerous blood sugar levels.

* Using too many laxatives can cause dehydration, severe diarrhea and an imbalance in minerals and vitamins.

* Fasting for long periods can cause headaches, dehydration and fainting.

Your body’s own detox

The human body is already designed to get rid of toxins. Most of this is done by the liver, which processes and removes chemicals, toxins and other unwanted things.

Supporting your liver is a healthy and safe way to “detox” without extreme or dangerous diets. You can support your liver by:

* Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains

* Working toward a healthy weight if you’re overweight

* Avoiding or limiting processed foods

* Drinking plenty of water

* Avoiding or limiting alcoholic drinks

* Getting exercise regularly

* Following directions on medicines and take medicines as your doctor prescribes

* Getting vaccines for hepatitis A and B, which are diseases that affect the liver

Not all diets are safe. Before you start any detox or diet plan, ask your doctor.

Sources: American Liver Foundation, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Mindful Eating Can Boost Your Health

HEALTHY EATING

If you want to eat healthier without a strict diet, try mindful eating. Mindful eating is a way to fully focus on your food as you eat. When you eat mindfully, you may:

* Eat less

* Avoid eating when you’re bored or stressed

* Stop when you feel full

When you practice mindful eating, you eat more slowly. You’ll enjoy your food more without overeating.

How to do it

You don’t need any special equipment or classes to practice mindful eating. Take these steps at your next meal:

*Avoid distractions:Make your meals an event. Don’t eat while driving, working, watching TV or doing other activities.

*Ask yourself how you feel:Are you actually hungry? Or are you thirsty, bored, stressed or lonely?

*Leave some space:If you’re used to filling your plate, leave about a quarter of your plate empty for now. You can always go back for seconds if you are still truly hungry.

*Chew slowly:Take small bites. Put your fork, spoon and knife down between every bite.

*Enjoy:Experience the smell, taste and texture of your food with each bite.

*Watch the time:Wait at least 20 minutes before you get another helping. By then, your stomach may realize it’s full.

*Know when to stop:When you’re full, stop eating. You don’t need to clean your plate.

Sources: American Heart Association, Veterans Health Administration

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Mood & Food: The Close Link

HEALTHY EATING

You may already know that your diet can change how you feel mentally. If you’ve ever been really hungry, you may notice that you start to feel upset or angry. And, some high-calorie junk foods are called “comfort foods” for a reason. They make you feel better mentally, but only for a little while.

The link between the mind and what a person eats is complex. That’s why it can be so hard to make good choices when you have a bad day or feel depressed. But there are ways to fight this habit and start to make better choices, even when your mood is down or you feel stressed.

Why we want comfort food

Stress can make you want to eat unhealthy foods. This is your body’s way of trying to get fuel when it thinks you are in trouble. Although this is normal, you have the power to overcome it.

Take a moment to think about a food you are craving. Then think about your current emotions. If you’re feeling sad, angry or stressed, this could be why you want that pizza or ice cream.

If you eat the food, you may feel good for a few minutes. But unhealthy foods with lots of fat and sugar can actually increase the risk of depression or anxiety. This creates an unhealthy cycle that will continue as you eat those comfort foods.

The cycle of mood & food

If you use food to cope with stress or depression for too long, your body will get used to it. Then, when you do try to make a healthy choice, your body and mind may be confused. This could lead to an even stronger craving for those comfort foods. This cycle makes it very hard to make changes to your diet.

You can win!

You’re not stuck in this cycle. Eating fruits and vegetables can make you feel happy. When you’re happy, you’re more likely to reach for healthy foods again. This can start a positive cycle!

Source: American Heart Association

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026