Cooking At Home Will Help Reduce Your Sugar Cravings, Your Food Bill, And Your Waist

ByGretchen Jack

I think that lots of people are turning to cooking at home rather than dining out or home deliveries. The reasons vary, but healthier foods at a lower cost seems to be the biggest reason why. Plus, when you are trying to control the amount of sugar you are consuming or want to lose some pounds, cooking at home can make a huge difference in your results.

Know Your Ingredients

When you are cooking at home, you know what's going into your food. Even if you don't crunch numbers, you can control the sodium, sugar, and caloric content when you cook your own food. Restaurant food often has all kinds of additives in it, not to mention astronomical amounts of sodium. And what is becoming even more worrisome, is where the food is coming from. I recently saw a canned vegetable from China. Ugh! We hear about their pollution problems all the time on TV. And what about Vietnam? Ever watch the Amazing Race show and see their filthy rivers?

And when you cook at home, you won't be fooled by clever names or labels that restaurants use to name a dish. For example: calling a dish "multi-grain" which makes it sound healthy, but could mean they just added a few sprinkles of various grains to a white-flour recipe. You don't know. And not know is the problem.

Its Not As Time Consuming As You Think

Not really when you factor everything in. All it takes, is a little planning. I know many people are daunted by the prospect of cooking at home because of the time. But think about it - the time it takes to get everyone into the car, drive to a restaurant, park, wait for a person to take your order, and then wait for your order is significant.

Most meals take from 30 to 60 minutes to prepare, and clean-up maybe 30 minutes. And you can share these tasks with other family members which decreases the total hours spent. Cooking and cleaning up can be family time, too. Or as I often do, I cook one night for three days worth of food. I advocate this all the time. It really works for me. Even draws me home to eat rather than tempted by greasy mall food.

Plan

Once you've recognized that eating out isn't necessarily a time saver, you can begin to plan your at-home meals to save even more time. When you plan, you can fit your home-cooked meal into your everyday life. Mapping out a weekly menu complete with estimated cooking times is a great way to take control of your home cooking efforts. If you're just "winging it" every night, it can get exhausting.

Healthier

There have been studies that show eating at home is healthier in many ways. Such as families tending to be closer if they eat together. I would think that parents learn more about their children's day in a relaxed atmosphere. Think about it. Would you be more apt to talk about how Johnnie bullied you after gym class when your belly is full and you are relaxed and in a safe environment. And isn't that a win- win?

There could be a lot of residual benefits from cooking at home. Why not try it for a month as a personal challenge and see what benefits you will get. You may even be interested in my eating plan, CiderBeneFIT where all the menu's and recipes are done for you for a month.

If you are ready to start your journey towards better health, I invite you to visit my blog: http://conquersugarcravings.com. Join me and others in the battle against sugar and weight and how we find healthy ways to cook and keep the weight off.

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Health and Fitness: Weight-Loss
Gretchen Jack

Email Address:SubscribeWeight Loss Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesCan Food Prevent Disease? Even Cancers? Rules And Tips To Make It WorkFast Food Risks And Overcoming Your AddictionBecoming Supermarket SavvyTweaking Your Daily Diet to Become More HealthyBeginning on the Road to Healthy EatingEat Well and Lose WeightWeight Loss TipsTen Most Frequently Asked Questions About Weight LossEating to Live! How I Lost Over 140 Pounds All NaturallyThe Solution To Childhood Obesity - A Vegan DietRecent ArticlesShould I Weigh Myself? Three Tips For SuccessHow To Lose Weight Fast - Why Should You Exercise Less But With More IntensityDon't Diet, Change Your LifestyleHow to Get Rid of Muffin Top FatThe GERD Diet: Food and LifestyleWhat If You Can't Lose Weight? Try The FollowingSimple Steps to Get Rid of Your Excessive-Weight ProblemsSimple Ways to Transform the Belly Bulge Into Fine AbsCost Of Vegan Diet - May Be Worth It No Matter What The CostWhy You Can't Lose Weight: Is It "A Perfect Storm" or "The Diet Matrix"?Submitted On January 31, 2012. Viewed 4 times. Word count: 585.

Important Disclaimer: Articles provided are for general information purposes only and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychological, tax, accounting, legal, investment, or any other professional advice. EzineArticles.com expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed by any of our members or anywhere else within the site. Lastly, EzineArticles.com does not endorse any article. Use at your own risk.

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Jack, Gretchen".".31 Jan. 2012EzineArticles.com.3 Feb. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Jack, G. (2012, January 31). . Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Cooking-­At-­Home-­Will-­Help-­Reduce-­Your-­Sugar-­Cravings,-­Your-­Food-­Bill,-­And-­Your-­Waist&id=6852194Chicago Style Citation:
Jack, Gretchen "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Cooking-­At-­Home-­Will-­Help-­Reduce-­Your-­Sugar-­Cravings,-­Your-­Food-­Bill,-­And-­Your-­Waist&id=6852194EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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Why Your Waist Exercise Routine Will Fail You, Part II

ByNick Benzer

In Part I we covered mixing up your waist exercise routine and keeping it brief and intense. In Part II we'll discover the final two methods you'll need to transform your waist exercises into a finely tuned ab-sculpting system.

Make it a Game

Waist exercise routines and workouts as a rule fail more often than not basically because they eventually become dull. Let's face it: we have enough incredibly mundane things that we've got to do each day. Who really wants to add yet another?

Don't. Instead, make a game out of your waist exercise routine. That's right, a game.

Design each workout so that is either timed or scored. Routines with a set number of rounds and/or repetitions can be timed. Routines where the number of rounds are counted (often called "AMRAPs", or "as many rounds as possible") should be scored as well: the number of rounds completed is your score.

Get hold of a small note pad or create a file on your computer or mobile phone and keep track of your waist exercise routines, the date, and your score. Every month or two every time you revisit a routine, look back through your notes to see how you performed on that routine and make defeating your earlier score your objective. Kick your own butt.

If you want to up the competitive stakes, involve a couple of friends to do the same routines that you're doing and share your scores with each other.

Track Your Progress

If we don't get feedback on what we're undertaking, we're less willing to carry on doing it. Use this to your advantage to construct an effective waist exercise program.

Following your waist exercise routine scores is one method of getting feedback, but let's supply a much more. Each week take the following body measurements:

• body weight

• bodyfat percentage

• waist

• hips

• upper arm, right

• upper arm, left

• upper thigh, right

• upper thigh, left

The easiest way to estimate bodyfat percentage is with a bodyfat or body composition scale, available online or at most department or specialty stores. I use a Taylor 5593 and it does the job nicely.

Bodyfat scales measure your body's resistance to a tiny electric current and convert this into an estimated bodyfat percentage. They're not quite as accurate as more costly choices like DEXA or ultrasound and thus won't produce a "true value" of your bodyfat percentage. However, they're precise enough to provide you with feedback on your progress. Your true bodyfat may well be a little higher or lower than the scale's reading of 15.1%, but knowing that you've said goodbye to a percentage point since last week can be incredibly inspiring.

To get precise readings from week to week, make sure to use the scale at the same time of day for each measurement. Impedance scales are also affected by hydration levels, so also try to keep the same level of hydration for every measurement. Keep it simple: upon getting out of bed each morning, drink 2-3 glasses of water, do your morning shower, schedule, etc, then step on the scale. Your readings should be relatively precise from week-to-week.

To get the other measurements, employ a soft fabric tape measure to record the circumference of your waistline, hips, arms, and thighs. Write your numbers down in your weekly journal.

If you take your weekly measurements on a regular basis you'll learn that you're considerably more inclined to keep to your diet as well as your waist exercise routine.

These four tactics - Mixing it Up, Short and Intense, Make it a Game, and Track Your Progress - used jointly and systematically will guarantee that your waist exercises transform you into a creature to behold.

Now get cracking. It's time for you to get sexy.

For more ab-sculpting waist exercises and hot tips on creating a slimmer, sexier you, check out E-Waist Exercises.

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Health and Fitness: Weight-Loss
Nick Benzer

Email Address:SubscribeWeight Loss Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesPilates Abdominal Exercises to Burn Belly Fat and Get Toned Tight AbsRecent ArticlesShould I Weigh Myself? Three Tips For SuccessHow To Lose Weight Fast - Why Should You Exercise Less But With More IntensityDon't Diet, Change Your LifestyleHow to Get Rid of Muffin Top FatThe GERD Diet: Food and LifestyleWhat If You Can't Lose Weight? Try The FollowingSimple Steps to Get Rid of Your Excessive-Weight ProblemsSimple Ways to Transform the Belly Bulge Into Fine AbsCost Of Vegan Diet - May Be Worth It No Matter What The CostWhy You Can't Lose Weight: Is It "A Perfect Storm" or "The Diet Matrix"?Submitted On January 13, 2012. Viewed 6 times. Word count: 629.

Important Disclaimer: Articles provided are for general information purposes only and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychological, tax, accounting, legal, investment, or any other professional advice. EzineArticles.com expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed by any of our members or anywhere else within the site. Lastly, EzineArticles.com does not endorse any article. Use at your own risk.

MLA Style Citation:
Benzer, Nick".".13 Jan. 2012EzineArticles.com.3 Feb. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Benzer, N. (2012, January 13). . Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-­Your-­Waist-­Exercise-­Routine-­Will-­Fail-­You,-­Part-­II&id=6776363Chicago Style Citation:
Benzer, Nick "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-­Your-­Waist-­Exercise-­Routine-­Will-­Fail-­You,-­Part-­II&id=6776363EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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Tips To Whittle Your Waist Away

ByLorraine Maita

Still struggling with your New Year's resolution to lose weight? Snowed or iced in and can't get to the gym? I will share with you tips that require little effort. These are taken from an article I wrote for Silk Purse Women and apply to men as well.

1. Fill Up on Fiber- Fiber makes you feel full and slows the absorption of sugar into the blood, which prevents wide swings in blood sugar that contributes to cravings and overeating. Taking a fiber supplement before you eat will help to fill your stomach sooner so you eat less at this meal and you feel less hungry at the next meal.

2. Feel Full with Fluid- Drink 8-12 ounces of water before you start your lunch or dinner. Water will help to make you feel full sooner.

3. Savvy Snacking- Eat a small, healthy snack 30-60 minutes before a meal so you won't be ravenously hungry and overeat.

4. Slowly Savor - Chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly to start the digestive process sooner and to release the nutrients that signal your brain to stop eating. It takes a several minutes for the digestive process to start and for you to feel full and satisfied.

5. Prepare Your Portions - Put the amount of food you think you need on your plate at the start of the meal. Protein portion is the size of your palm. A serving of non starchy vegetables such as broccoli, or asparagus is about a half cup, leafy greens are a cup. Fats are a condiment such as a piece of cheese the size of your thumb, or a tablespoon of oil or enough nuts to fit into the center of the cupped palm of your hand.

6. Eat for Your Size and Activity Level- A six-foot, muscle-bound man who performs physical labor needs more food than a petite, 5 foot woman sitting at a computer all day. If you are training for a marathon you will need far more calories than if you do a yoga class a few days a week. Adjust your intake accordingly.

7. Eat Every 4 Hours- Eating and digesting burns calories and eating every 4 hours keeps your metabolism up and your blood sugar level.

8. White Out- White foods such as sugar, potatoes, white bread, white rice, alcohol and other processed foods raise your blood sugar quickly and insulin rises accordingly. Insulin stores fat and the higher the elevation, the more resistance you develop. Insulin resistance can give rise to metabolic syndrome characterized by lipid disorders such as high triglycerides, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

9. Watch Wine - Drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages may have some health benefits, however it adds significantly to calories and raises blood sugar quickly. A serving of wine is 5 oz, however most bars and restaurants serve larger portions so one glass may actually be 2. The same is true for other alcoholic beverages.

10. Trick Your Treats- Many people use food as a reward or a treat. Trick yourself and indulge in a non caloric treat such as playing sports, going for a massage, a walk or exercise class, or buying something to fit your new waistline.

If you are still struggling, try a doctor supervised weight loss program that takes into account your unique metabolic needs and watch your waist waste away!

Lorraine Maita, MD is a recognized and award winning physician and author transforming people's lives through preventive and anti aging medicine. She is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Anti Aging and Regenerative Medicine and Board Certified in Internal Medicine and has over 18 years experience in Preventive Health and Wellness, Internal, Occupational and Travel Medicine and Executive Health.

Dr. Maita served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Prudential Financial, Medical Director on The Pfizer Health Leadership Team and Medical Director of North America for Johnson & Johnson Global Health Service and was an attending physician at St.Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital, Emergency Department and Executive Health Examiners in New York City. She is a consultant for companies wanting to develop or enhance their employee and occupational health and wellness programs and has a private practice in Short Hills, NJ.

Pick up Dr. Maita's 7 Best Tips to live younger and healthier at http://www.vibranceforlife.com

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Health and Fitness: Weight-Loss
Lorraine Maita

Email Address:SubscribeWeight Loss Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesHealthy Eating Plans Promote Weight LossHealthy Eating for Maximum Weight LossDiscover The Simple Rule For A Healthy Meal Plan For Weight Loss And A Much Better LifestyleHealthy Eating and Successful Fat LossHealthy Eating to Lose WeightThe Truth About Fat Burners and Healthy Alternatives to Fast Weight LossHealthy Way of Christian Weight LossEating Salads For Weight LossA Healthy Daily Diet for Weight LossTeenagers Healthy Diet - Help to Weight Loss For Teenage Girls and BoysRecent ArticlesShould I Weigh Myself? Three Tips For SuccessHow To Lose Weight Fast - Why Should You Exercise Less But With More IntensityDon't Diet, Change Your LifestyleHow to Get Rid of Muffin Top FatThe GERD Diet: Food and LifestyleWhat If You Can't Lose Weight? Try The FollowingSimple Steps to Get Rid of Your Excessive-Weight ProblemsSimple Ways to Transform the Belly Bulge Into Fine AbsCost Of Vegan Diet - May Be Worth It No Matter What The CostWhy You Can't Lose Weight: Is It "A Perfect Storm" or "The Diet Matrix"?Submitted On January 18, 2012. Viewed 5 times. Word count: 569.

Important Disclaimer: Articles provided are for general information purposes only and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychological, tax, accounting, legal, investment, or any other professional advice. EzineArticles.com expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed by any of our members or anywhere else within the site. Lastly, EzineArticles.com does not endorse any article. Use at your own risk.

MLA Style Citation:
Maita, Lorraine".".18 Jan. 2012EzineArticles.com.3 Feb. 2012 .APA Style Citation:
Maita, L. (2012, January 18). . Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-­To-­Whittle-­Your-­Waist-­Away&id=6825305Chicago Style Citation:
Maita, Lorraine "." EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-­To-­Whittle-­Your-­Waist-­Away&id=6825305EzineArticles.com© 2012 EzineArticles.com
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