What You Really Need to Know About Food Labels
If you’ve ever tried reading a food label, chances are it’s tough to get through all of the different amounts, crazy names and percentages. However, there is an easy way to read those labels to get exactly the information that you need to know in a lot less time. By targeting those labels you’ll know right off the bat if it’s something that will be beneficial for your diet, or might sabotage it.
The calorie count is probably the first thing that you should look at, since it is the most important. You’ll need to keep track of how many calories you’re eating every day to stay under your required amount. If the calories are too high, see if there is something you can replace that will keep you under your limit. Just remember to write everything down so that you can keep track.
The second most important piece of information on the label is the amount of fat contained in it. Most Americans eat more than 60 grams of fat a day, and that is usually considered to be too much. While on a diet, it’s a good idea to keep your fat grams to around 30 per day. Log this information and if the fat content seems too high, find an alternative.
Next up is sodium, and this is an area that many people don’t pay enough attention to. The average requirement for daily sodium intake is around 2400 mg. Unfortunately, most people eat way more than that. Always look at the sodium content to make sure that you’re staying under your required amount. The foods to look out for in this area are ramen noodles, canned soups and vegetables as well as prepackaged lunch meat. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure as well as water retention.
You’ll also want to look at the amount of carbs in a serving. Once again, most of eat far too many carbs. Think of carbs as sugar - one teaspoon of sugar usually equals about 4 carbs. That means one can of soda can have more than 8 teaspoons of sugar in it. If that seems like a lot (it is) this will give you a better appreciation of how much sugar you are really eating.
The last thing to look at on a label are the ingredients. One common ingredient contained in canned foods is monosodium glutamate. Many people believe that this is responsible for excess weight gain and if you are sensitive to it, you can end up with a migraine headache. While the studies are still out about the harm that monosodium glutamate or MSG as it is commonly known, it is best to avoid it. Yeast extract and autolyzed yeast also contain MSG, so watch out for those names as well.
Reading labels doesn’t have to be hard. With this system, you can tell with a simple glimpse whether or not you should be eating that food. With practice, you’ll be zipping along.
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I am at Risk, Are You? Know the Facts on Heart Attacks
I have a lot of reasons for wanting to lose weight. Right up at the top of the list is be with my family. To be there to watch my children grow up. To spend quality time with my wife. To enjoy all of the great things that come with this wonderful life.
I was reading about heart attacks online and found a great resource. St Jude Medical, Inside Cardiac Arrest. They provide information about the risk factors, warning signs, and treatment of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. It also had a couple of videos explaining cardiac arrest and the anatomy of the heart (http://www.insidecardiacarrest.com/video_suddencardiacarrest.aspx and http://www.insidecardiacarrest.com/video_humanheart.aspx.
Given both my current weight (360 at last Friday’s weight in) and my body shape (I carry a lot of my fat in the mid section aka belly fat), I am at risk of sudden cardiac arrest aka a heart attack.
Did you know that sudden cardiac arrest kills 325,000 people a year - or nearly 900 per day? Usually without warning and if you don’t get help in the 1st 4 to 6 minutes it can be fatal.
So, enough of the morbid talk… My apologizes for those with a weak disposition. Having learned more about heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest I am convinced more now that ever that it is time for me to lose the weight and get into shape for the rest of my life.
Hoping you are have a great day… I plan on swimming and maybe playing some volleyball (although it is supposed to be 100 degrees today so maybe I will just swim.)
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4 Heart Healthy Exercises
If you want to get on the road to a healthy and full life, you need to focus not only on losing weight, but also doing exercises that are going to benefit your most powerful organ, your heart. It may be tough at first, but it’s important that you don’t get discouraged. Start out slow and keep your goals in mind. Whether you need to reduce your cholesterol or lower your blood pressure, combining these tips with a healthy diet can get your body and your heart back in shape. Just make sure to hydrate!
Run
Let’s get started with the first exercise that is probably the best for your heart. Running combines all of the essential ingredients into one exercise. You’re getting your heart rate up, you’re using all of your muscles and you’re building endurance. The problem is, if you’re pretty out of shape, running can be very difficulty. For those with knee problems or joint issues, running may not be an option. However, there are low impact ways that you can still get the benefits of running without hurting yourself.
Walk
Start out by walking for ten minutes at a slow pace. After this period of time elapses, walk fast for five minutes. Go back to walking slow for ten and this time, when you’re done, jog for five minutes. This is the easiest way to start burning calories and just about anyone can do it. After the five minutes of jogging are done, go back to walking slowly for ten minutes. Repeat until about an hour has gone by. You’ll have gotten your heart rate up and you’ll have burned plenty of calories. You can gradually start increasing the amounts of running time as you get stronger.
Aerobic Workout
Next, aerobic exercise is also well suited for keeping your heart healthy. Again, you’re probably going to need to start off slowly. It may be a bit difficult at first, but you can gradually increase your workout times to around 30 to 45 minutes a day. That’s your target goal, but if you think you can do more, go for it! By reaching your target heart rate every day, you’ll be not only helping your heart, but you’ll also be improving your metabolism.
Swim
If neither of these sound like something you want to try, or you have joint problems, the next best thing to do is to try aerobic swim classes. Your joints won’t have the stress and you’ll still be working that heart muscle. You can usually find a water aerobics class at most gyms or even at your local YMCA. If you can’t find one, just go to your indoor pool at the gym and try some exercises on your own. It’s a lot easier to get started in water and you’ll be able to build up your strength a lot quicker.
Your heart is the most vital organ you have and you need to treat it right. The good news is, even after a lifetime of abusing it, getting started on an exercise plan right now can help you undo that damage and provide you with some great benefits as well.
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