Blog for Monday, March 28, 2016

Good evening, everybody! Hope you had a terrific Easter weekend, and got to spend some time with loved ones. My only complaint was it went by too quickly! There's some interesting health and nutrition news on the web today, and we'll be looking at several lists. The first list  of the day features the "Fattest Cities in America" as compiled by Wallethub. The bad news? The vast majority of the fattest cities are located in the Southeast. The worse news? Tennessee has 4 metro areas in the top 14, with Memphis at 1, Chattanooga at 6, Knoxville at 12, and Nashville at 14. That disappoints me. But the worst news of all? Our nation as a whole is dead last on a global obesity scale. Ugh. I think the First Lady's "Let's Move" campaign might ought to broaden its scope considerably. So, that said, here's another list which offers 11 tips for sticking to healthy eating habits regardless of where you are. Many of them are similar tips to some we've featured on the blog in the past, such as limiting carbs and calories, eating healthy snacks, eating nuts, eating plenty of vegetables, etc. The very first tip is one that probably gets overlooked by many people: stay hydrated. There's plenty of benefits to keeping properly hydrated, and it can also help you feel fuller longer. And if those 11 tips weren't enough, here's 14 more tips for maintaining a healthy diet. Whereas the first list was more specific about what types of foods you should eat, this list is more about mindset and mindfulness. There was 1 breakfast tip in each list, though they were a bit different. The first list recommended eating a breakfast that's high in fiber, while the second recommended eating a breakfast high in protein. Accomplishing both? Even better. The first 2 tips on this 2nd list seem pretty crucial for success:1. Start with Realistic Expectations, 2. Think about what really motivates you. If you really want to lose weight, or just feel healthier, you need to have realistic goals, and know why you're doing it. If you don't have a reason, what's going to keep you going? Dieting seems to be something that has an extremely high failure rate. Some of the other tips seem spot-on, as well, such as keeping unhealthy foods out of your home, keeping healthy snacks on your person, not taking an "all-or-nothing" approach, and having a plan for eating out. The last tip I'll mention is #6. Change diet and exercise at the same time. I've always heard and practiced that you shouldn't change too many things all at once, but according to a "study of 200 people, the group that began eating a healthy diet and exercising at the same time found it easier to maintain these behaviors than those who started with either diet or exercise alone and then added the other later". I guess changing both behaviors might make you feel more fully committed to your new healthier lifestyle, apparently it does for most people. So, that's plenty of advice for all of us to follow so we can try to move further down the "fattest cities" list. Hope some of it can help you to be healthy, my friends.