ZUMBA CLASSES

I am still teaching. If you or anyone you know is interested in attending my classes, please feel free to contact me by either replying to this post OR emailing me. I will give you further details.

THANKS!

DON'T BREAK THE BUDGET!

6 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

By Nina Sutton

• Posts

By Nina Sutton | Shine Food – 

You don't have to break the bank to eat healthy. With a little bit of planning and creativity, you can buy the freshest foods and create the healthiest meals -- all while saving money.

Woman buying meat

Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper, says registered dietician Meghan Martorana. "Wholesale stores such as Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club are great for buying in bulk."

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Latham Thomas, healthy lifestyle expert and chef, agrees: "Whether you buy from a health food store, supermarket or food co-op, buying from the bulk bins is a great way to stretch your dollar. Many stores have bulk sections where they store whole grains, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, dried fruits and spices." Stocking up on bulk foods also saves on packaging (good for the environment!) and gives you control over how much you purchase and how often to restock.

Eat Less Sugar To Look Younger

Choose seasonal produce

"Fresh fruits and vegetables can be costly," says Martorana. Choose fresh produce when it's in season -- it'll be cheaper and more nutritious, and it will taste better, too. "For example, purchase strawberries in the summer months and butternut squash in the fall and winter months," continues Martorana.

"You can talk farmers down on their prices," adds Thomas. "If you end up with more produce than you need, you can always freeze, can, pickle or share it."

Lemons Are One of the Best Foods for Weight Loss

Make it once, use it twice (or more!)

"When you make a meal," says Martorana, "double the recipe to make extra and freeze it." Or use it later in the week as leftovers or as ingredients in other recipes.

"Freeze leftover veggies to toss into your next soup, pasta or marinara sauce," recommends Holly Clegg of The Healthy Cooking Blog. "And if you don't want the same meal twice, take leftover chicken and turn it into another meal with a quick chicken lasagna or chicken tortilla soup." Even leftover steak can take center stage, continues Clegg, in a Chinese beef stir-fry or as a pizza topping!

The Most Popular Fruits

Don't shop on an empty stomach

Make a grocery list and stick to it. Shopping on an empty stomach can lead to buying less-healthy, easy-to-make foods that will satisfy your immediate hunger. "Try resisting temptation by eating a snack or meal prior to shopping," suggests Martorana.

4 Tips for Ordering From an Online Cake Service

Buy cheaper meat to slow cook

Use less-expensive cuts of meat for slow-cooked meals such as casseroles or stews. Add extra vegetables and beans to make the meals stretch with more servings, says Martorana.

"Low-priced cuts of meat like chuck and sirloin contain more marbling," adds Colette Heimowitz, vice president of nutrition and education for Atkins. "This makes them flavorful, tender and juicy -- best for slow cooking soups, roasts and braises."

"Healthy Diet - A Guide to Weight Loss "


Eat vegetarian at least once a week
Eating one meatless meal a week saves money and encourages more vegetable proteins and grains like beans and brown rice, says Sarah Ludmer, senior nutritionist for Del Monte.

"Vegetarian proteins such as beans, tofu, eggs and cheese can be far less expensive than meat," explains Martarano. "Try beans in a pasta and vegetable dish, add tofu to a stir-fry, use eggs in a baked frittata or try low-fat cheese and fat-free refried beans in tacos."

Many stores that sell healthier/local foods don't take coupons. The prices of the healthier options are already higher. How do you stay on a budget while still eating healthy?

SKINNY SECRETS

10 Habits of Skinny People

By Sarah B. Weir, Yahoo! blogger | Healthy Living – Tue, Apr 3, 2012 5:00 PM EDT

Simple strategies for healthy weight loss. Has your pattern of weight loss started to resemble the ups and downs of a yo-yo? Shedding pounds and keeping them off comes down to more than jumping on the latest diet bandwagon. In fact, as many as 80% of dieters who reach their goal weight through dieting end up regaining as many or more pounds within two years. Overall lifestyle choices have a greater impact on maintaining a slim figure for the long haul than cutting calories, and science has identified many habits that skinny people have in common.






1. Daily weigh-in


Many diet plans say only step on the scale once a week, but researchers at the University of Minnesota found that once a day is more effective for preventing long term weight gain.




2. Don't skip breakfast


Your mother was right and the statistics are significant. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, people who skip breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to be obese.




3. Drink water


Researchers at Virginia Tech discovered that people who drank two glasses of water before eating a meal ate less and lost over 30% more body fat over a twelve-week period than those who didn't drink water. Water is crucial for the metabolic process. It's also a calorie-free substitute for the empty calories in soft drinks. Just swapping a serving of water for one large glass of juice or soda can add up more than a thirteen-pound weight loss over the course of a year.




4. Eat whole grains


Break out the brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain bread. According to the America Journal of Clinical Nutrition, middle-aged women who consumed the most whole grains were significantly thinner and healthier in general than those who consumed the least



Check out the rest of the article HERE!
Are you a person who has never had to worry about your weight? What habits have kept you on the thin side? I religiously practice drinking lots of water, not skipping breakfast, getting 8 hours rest, and moving at work at least every couple hours. How about you? 

BIGGEST LOSER COMPETITION

Michelle Obama on 'Biggest Loser' to fight obesity

• US First Lady Michelle Obama, pictured …

US First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on Tuesday night's episode of "The Biggest Loser" to promote her campaign against obesity -- and has hosted the US diet reality show's first White House workout.

The six competitors still vying for the title of "Biggest Loser" -- the one who loses the most weight -- got the shock of their lives when they were invited to Washington by the wife of US President Barack Obama.

After having makeovers for the occasion, the six contestants met Obama and were reunited with loved ones -- prompting floods of tears of joy.

"Congratulations, you have shown to millions of Americans that each of us can make positive changes in our lives," Obama said in a video message to contestants.

"It's overwhelming for me," said 43-year-old competitor Mark.

The scenes of Obama working out with contestants at the White House are due to air next Tuesday, according to NBC, which broadcasts the program.

DIET BUSTING FOODS - AVOID THESE!!!

This link will dispel some of the diet food myths that many of us buy into and then wonder why we can't lose weight. Check it out for yourself and see if you have ever thought these foods were actually good for you. It just goes to show that food made at home is almost always better than eating out due to the sneaky calories, fat and sodium that are added in takeout/restaurant foods. Happy dieting!!! 

PINK SLIME GROUND BEEF

GOT BEEF

I hope this does gross you out! It is very informative. We all need to know the facts about our food. Enjoy!  :-)

MARCH 24TH CLASS

I'm teaching again at Premier Fitness in Englewood on Tuesday, March 24, 2012. Class starts at 6:30 p.m. I'm bringing new dance moves. Be there or be square!

STUDY: TOO MUCH RED MEAT MAY SHORTEN LIFESPAN

Lets be honest. Most of is like and regularly consume some form of red meat. I like a little bacon or sausage for breakfast every now and then, pepperoni on my pizza, or ham/salami sandwiches for lunch. But have you ever thought about the long term helath effects of eating too much red meat? How much is too much? according to a new study, you should try to have less than two servings per week if possible. Check out the full article here: EAT LESS RED MEAT FOR LONGER LIFE!!!

What forms of red meat do you eat most often? How could you make the necessary changes to swap out red meat?

DRINK YOUR TAP WATER

If you are not convinced that drinking tap water is best for you, check out a nice article HERE. It dispels many of the myths about bottled water, such as that it is healthier than tap water. Save your money and your time and just drink the water you actually pay for to come to your house every day. If there is an unpleasant taste, odor, or color, that doesn't necessarily have health implications. It could be iron (rust) in the water which doesn't harm your health. Try using a filter or purifier so that the water is more aesthetically pleasing to your tastes.Side point: When was the last time you ever heard of someone dying or being hospitalized because they drank iron. Isn't iron in cereal and other foods? Isn't it actually good for human consumption? The main point here is to not overpay for something that you already pay for. We all need to wacth our pennies more closely and also our health. Tap water in America is almost always better than drinking bottled water. It is better for your wallet, better for your health, better for the environment, etc. Read the research above!
  

IT'S ON TONIGHT

I am subbing tonight at Premier Fitness. Come out and enjoy some hot new dance moves and some banging choreography! I promise you will SWEAT!

GROCERY STORE SECRETS!!!

Are you a savvy grocery store shopper? Get some tips for how to shop better and eat healthier.

Check out more video on grocery store shopping here.

HOW TO EAT LESS

By Deborah Dunham

January 19th, 2012

Trick Yourself Into Eating Less

New research shows that your bowl size and color matter.

Shutterstock

If your New Year’s resolution includes dropping a few pounds, you might be delighted to learn that you can actually trick yourself into doing so.

Remember the Delboeuf illusion theory (think, optical illusion) from 5th grade science class? Way back then we learned that the size of a circle appears smaller when surrounded by a much larger one. Meanwhile, the size of that same circle appears bigger when surrounded by an only slightly larger one. Apparently, the same holds true with our dinnerware.

GALLERY: Outsmart Your Eating Instincts

In a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, researchers (Koert van Ittersum, Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology and Brian Wansink, Ph.D. of Cornell University) asked 225 people to pour a specified amount of tomato soup into different sized bowls. Consistent with what we learned in science class, participants poured less into the smaller bowls and more into the larger ones.

Why? Because a serving size can look larger than it actually is depending on your choice of dinnerware. On smaller plates, we tend to serve ourselves less food, and thus, eat less. On bigger plates, however, we tend to serve more. In fact, participants dished out up to 31 percent more soup.

Given the fact that the average size of dinner plates has increased by almost 23 percent since 1900 and obesity rates have more than doubled in the last 30 years, the correlation makes sense, right?

But if you think you can get around this optical illusion by simply reminding yourself to take less food, the researchers say you can’t. Follow-up studies showed that the "bowl bias" is nearly impossible to eliminate, no matter how much education or awareness we have

See the full article  HERE

What tips and tricks do you use to try to eat less?

20 BEST FOODS

The 20 Best Foods in Your Grocery Store

By Susy Sedano

Viewing 1 of 21

   

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Your local grocery store is packed with thousands of options, some of them good for you, others…not so much, despite what their labels might claim. To cut through the noise and help you get your shopping done faster, here’s a list of the 20 best foods you can buy – foods that are proven to help fight fat, build muscle, and prevent disease. Build your diet around these options, and you’ll take a big step towards living a healthier

Check out the full article here - 20 BEST FOODS TO BUY

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/554277-the-20-best-foods-in-your-grocery-store/#ixzz1mIHfsDpH

10 Surprising Facts about Calories

By Lisa Collier Cool
Jan 30, 2012

 

The latest scientific word is that it doesn’t matter which diet you choose: What counts is calories and if you eat too many of them—in whatever form—you’ll gain weight.
If that notion sounds a bit old-fashioned or runs counter to your latest weight-loss strategy, think again. A study published on Jan. 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows what happens when you consume too many calories. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center randomly assigned 25 healthy young men and women an extra 1,000 calories a day on a low-protein diet, a high-protein diet or a normal-protein diet for eight weeks.
The volunteers all gained about the same amount of body fat, regardless of which eating plan they followed. The moral of the story? If you’re trying to slim down, remember that calories still count.
Learn about the 7 dieting myths that may be dangerous to your health.
Here are 10 surprising facts about calories:

1. Why We’re Getting Fat

The average American eats 300 more calories daily than in 1985. Added sweeteners provide 23 percent of the extra calories; added fats provide another 24 percent.
Eating 300 extra calories a day for a year will pile on about 31 pounds. (Math hint: you have to eat 3,500 extra calories to gain one pound.) What’s more, one-third of Americans are getting nearly half of their daily calories from junk food, according the USDA.

2. Exercise Machines Lie about Calories

Don’t count on your treadmill to tell you how many calories you’re burning. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that, on average, exercise machines overestimate calories burned by 19 percent. The errors ranged from seven percent on a stationary bike to 42 percent on an elliptical machine.
For a more accurate count, experts suggest entering a slightly lower weight. You can also get a rough estimate of how many calories you’re burning per mile of running by multiplying your weight by 0.75. Multiply your weight by 0.53 for an estimate of calories burned per mile of walking.
Find out which diet plans work, and which you need to avoid.

3. Foods with Negative Calories

The idea here is that your body burns more calories in digesting certain foods, like celery, than the foods provide. Sorry. It’s just not so.

4. Fidget Away 350 Calories a Day

Lore from the famous fidgeting study has made the rounds since 2005 when a Mayo Clinic researcher showed that lean people burn 350 more calories daily than overweight people. That’s true, but twiddling your thumbs won’t do it.
The research actually showed that those lean people move more—they pace, they take the stairs, they spend two more hours a day on their feet than the not-so-lean. Try that and you may find yourself a lot lighter next year.

5. Low-Fat Doesn’t Mean Low-Cal

Feeling virtuous because you’re buying low-fat versions of your food favorites? Here’s an eye-opener: two tablespoons of reduced-fat peanut butter gives you 187 calories. The same amount of regular has 191 calories. Half a cup of fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt contains 100 calories, compared to 104 for the same amount of regular.

6. Most of Us Are Clueless about Calories

According to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation, only 11 percent of Americans can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume daily for someone their age, height, weight and amount of physical activity.
Not you? Take this Pop Quiz: (1) How many calories are in two slices of pizza? (2) How many in a basket of chips at a Mexican restaurant? (Answers: 1) 1,000; 2) 550.)

7. Muffins v. Donuts

Which has more calories? That depends to some extent on the size of the muffin and the embellishments on the donut, but on average, the donut is likelier to be lower in calories, even if its fat content may not be desirable.

8. Serving Sizes Can Be Deceptive

It’s easy to be fooled by food labels, since some snack foods may look like a portion for one person, but list a calorie count based on three servings. That means you’re getting triple the calories you expected from eating the entire portion.
For foods like potato or corn chips, a serving size may be as little as one ounce, and few of us have the willpower to stop after such a small portion.

9. Kissing Burns 2 Calories Per Minute

So says Bryant Stamford, PhD, professor and director of the health promotion center at the University of Louisville.
For a more intense calorie blaster, lock lips in unusual positions, such as a yoga “plank pose,” or alternate smooches with pushups as your partner lies on the ground.

10. Sex Burns Even More Calories

A hot time between the sheets can torch 144 calories per half an hour—or more—and the longer lovemaking lasts, the greater the calorie burn.
Take these small steps to achieve long-term weight loss.
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Get the information you need to improve your health and wellness on Healthline.com.

GOT BEEF???

Before you watch this video, please know that it is not for those with weak stomachs. Some parts of it are very graphic. But it is a good indication of what is being done to our food without our knowledge. Knowledge is power. How will you use it?

Five Ways to Drink More Water

By sportyafros.com

We have all heard it, 60% of the body is composed of water. But isn’t it hard to drink the recommended 64ounces of water a day? I can’t lie, I struggle with it but I’m working on it. So here are a few tips on how to drink more water.


Carry it with you!- It seems soda, coffee and energy drinks are all around. If you always keep a bottle water on you then you can sip it  throughout the day. Try putting water in one of these cute bottles.

Tea-This is a quick way to drink water without the added calories. Try having hot tea in the morning and cold tea during lunch. With a variety of flavors such as Ginger and lemon berry, you’ll never get  tired of drinking tea!
Random Note: Did you know there is Ayurvedic tea?! WHITE AYURVEDIC CHAI TEA. Ayurvedic items are everywhere!

Sparking Water- Get all the benefits of being calorie free but satisfies your fizz craving. Here are a few brands of sparking waters I like: San Pellegrino, Perrier, Trader’s Joe and Wholefoods. I love adding zest to sparking water with a little lemon and lime juice.

Frozen Fruit – Instead of flavoring your water with lemon, try new adding fruits and veggies such as: limes, raspberries, orange, cucumber or coconut. Take it a further step  by adding few frozen pieces of fruit into your water, tea or sparking water. It will make your plain jane glass of water look pretty and its really refreshing.

Eat It! -Fruits and vegetables contain large quantities of water in proportion to their weight. When these foods are eaten, the water can be absorbed by the body. Here are a few suggestions:  watermelon, broccoli, cabbage, grapefruit, tomatoes and cucumbers. All of these fruits are at least 90% water.

http://sportyafros.com/nutrition/five-ways-to-drink-more-water/

How do you plan to drink more water?

DITCH THE SODA POP!!!

3 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Soda

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
Jan 24, 2012

Health Experts Main

Eat This, Not That

by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding

America has a drinking problem. No, not booze. I'm talking about soft drinks. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, the average American guzzles 44.7 gallons of the sweet stuff every year. Not sure what 44.7 gallons looks like? It's about what you'd need to fill a small kiddie pool.
But the truth is, you don't need me to tell you that soda isn't healthy. We all know that America’s drink of choice contributes to our country's ever-expanding obesity problem. But, as Rodale.com writer Leah Zerbe discovered, love handles are just the beginning. Read on for her report on three shocking soda facts that will have you saying “Just water, please” from now on.

Shocking Soda Fact #1: Soda fattens up your organs

A recent Danish study revealed that drinking non-diet soda leads to dramatic increases in dangerous hard-to-detect fats. Researchers asked participants to drink either regular soda, milk containing the same amount of calories as regular soda, diet cola, or water every day for six months. The results? Total fat mass remained the same across all beverage-consuming groups, but regular-soda drinkers experienced dramatic increases in harmful hidden fats, including liver fat and skeletal fat. The regular-soda group also experienced an 11 percent increase in cholesterol compared to the other groups! And don’t think switching to diet varieties will save you from harm: Artificial sweeteners and food dyes have been linked to brain cell damage and hyperactivity, and research has shown that people who drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing diabetes.
Read out about the 7 biggest food label lies.
FIX IT WITH FOOD: The average American drinks 450 calories a day. By switching to water as your go-to beverage, you'll make room in your diet for these 40 Foods with Superpowers—foods that, even in moderation, can strengthen your heart, fortify your bones, and boost your metabolism so you can lose weight more quickly.

Shocking Soda Fact #2: Soda contains flame retardants

Some popular soda brands, including Mountain Dew, use brominated vegetable oil—a toxic flame retardant—to keep the artificial flavoring from separating from the rest of the liquid. This hazardous ingredient—sometimes listed as BVO on soda and sports drinks—can cause bromide poisoning symptoms like skin lesions and memory loss, as well as nerve disorders. If that’s not a good enough reason not to “Do the Dew,” I don’t know what is. (We reveal more insidious ingredients hiding onsupermarket shelves in the 15 Scariest Food Additives).
Are you addicted to diet soda? Find out now!
DRINK DISASTERS: Soda isn’t the only dubious drink you have to watch out for. Many bottled beverages pack enough sugar and calories to foil your get-fit plans in one fell sip. Protect yourself by avoiding the 11 Worst Beverages in the Supermarket!

Shocking Soda Fact #3: Drinking soda makes you a lab rat

Many American soda brands are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a heart-harming man-made compound derived mainly from genetically engineered corn. The problem? Genetically engineered ingredients have only been in our food chain since the 1990s, and we don't know their long-term health impacts because the corporations that developed the crops never had to test them for long-term safety. Case in point: Some recent findings suggest that genetically engineered crops are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility!
Ready to switch to water for good? Thought so. Here's a foolproof way to Cure Your Soda Addiction!

ARE YOU ADDICTED TO SODA? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FAVORITE BEVERAGES? I DRINK BETWEEN 6 - 9 GLASSES (8OZ) OF WATER PER DAY, SOMETIMES MORE WHEN I WORK OUT OR IT'S HOT OUTSIDE. MY OTHER FAVORITE BEVERAGES ARE TEA AND LEMONADE. I LONG AGO STOPPED DRINKING SODA AND KOOLAID.

Hilarious!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OL7XZ-bfVo&feature=player_embedded

FITNESS

7 Fitness Myths, Busted

By Lisa Collier Cool
Jan 18, 2012

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Health Experts Main

Day in Health

by Lisa Collier Cool

Recent Posts

• Is Genetically Modified Food Dangerous?

• Surprising Causes of Restless Sleep

• Weird Ways Running Affects Your Body

More Articles »

Related Topics

• Sports Injuries

Health Topics »

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get fit in 2012? The fitness resolution is a perennial on the top 10 list of the annual promises we make to ourselves, just after the all-time winner “lose weight”).
If you haven’t moved many muscles since high school gym class, you might not be up to speed on fitness myths, a stubborn bunch that just won’t die. A dose of reality right about now might strengthen your resolve.
Here’s a rundown on the seven top evergreen exercise myths that you’ll probably hear but can safely ignore:
Build a home gym for under $150

No Pain, No Gain

Maybe this one took on a life of its own because it rhymes and is so easy to remember. Forget it. If an exercise causes pain, you’re either doing it wrong (a session or two with a personal trainer can set you straight) or you’ve already managed to hurt yourself.
Be sure to separate pain from muscle soreness, which comes on after you tax a lax muscle and will wear off in a few days. Actual pain can mean that you’ve exhausted a muscle or torn a ligament. If what you’re doing really hurts, stop.
Figure out what to eat and when to eat

Stretching Before Exercise

The idea here is that stretching before and after you exercise can prevent injury while you’re working out and muscle soreness afterward.
While stretching does promote flexibility (something you should strive for as an element of overall fitness), a study published in British Medical Journal found no scientific evidence to back up the notion that stretching before a workout reduces injuries or that stretching before and after can prevent muscle soreness.

Exercise Speeds Metabolism for Hours

While partly true--your metabolism does amp up during exercise and for a few hours afterward--the truth can be a big disappointment: the number of calories you can expect lose thanks to the afterburn is negligible, only 20 extra ones for the whole day according to one study.
But (and this is a really big “but”) you may be able to set your metabolism on high for hours after your workout if you can exercise intensely enough to reach the top of your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can take in during exercise) and continue at that high level for 45 minutes. A tough prescription, but if you can manage that, a recent study found that you could burn as many as 190 extra calories in the hours after exercise.
Use these 10 creative tips to burn calories

Crunches Lead to Sixpack Abs

Sure they will as long as you also get rid of any belly fat that obscures your abdominal muscles. While crunches strengthen muscles, they won’t burn off the fat in your belly.
To flaunt your newly crunched abs you’ve got to trim the fat via diet, cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. And, of course, for crunches to work, you’ve got to learn to do them right.

Running on a Treadmill is Easier on the Knees

Sorry, but it is the running itself that stresses the knees, not the surface you’re pounding.
To ease the impact on your knees, experts advise varying your aerobic activities: mix running with riding a stationary bike or using the elliptical machine at the gym.
Learn about the weird ways running affects your body

Ice Eases Muscle Pain 

Applying ice to a sore muscle can numb it so it feels better, but a new review of evidence from 36 earlier studies concluded that icing doesn’t help heal muscle tears and can actually reduce muscle strength and power temporarily. This makes it a poor strategy for football players and other athletes who are itching to return to the action immediately after icing.
The researchers suggested that it is okay to ice sore muscles provided you don’t go right back to exercising. And they noted that more study is needed to learn more about the effects of icing, but this will be tough to accomplish since, for comparison purposes, there’s no placebo that feels like ice.

Using Exercise Machines is Safer

If you know what you’re doing, using machines at the gym can help you get the most out of your workout. But first the machines have to be correctly adjusted for your height and weight by a savvy coach or trainer. Otherwise, you’re as vulnerable to injury and as you would be if you were doing the same type of exercise with free weights or without any devices.
Nor is an expensive gym membership essential to get in shape, since jogging gives you a great cardio workout, while investing a pair of dumbbells to use at home helps with strength training.
Check out the top fitness trends for 2012

SURPRISINGLY HEALTHY PACKAGED FOODS

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/10-surprisingly-healthy-packaged-foods-145700013.html

This list didn't include raisins, hummus, and nuts. Do you buy prepackaged foods?

4 Bad Habits that Are Making You Sick

By Reader's Digest Magazine

What happens when you don't sleep enough, skip breakfast, don't exercise, or hold grudges? Find out how these behaviors are harming your health.

What happens when I only sleep five hours?

The inside story: No one knows for sure why sleep is necessary, but there's no doubt that getting too little throws a wrench into your body's works. For example, studies show that a sleep debt lowers levels of the hormone leptin, which helps keep your appetite under control. Implication: Sleep too little, and there's a good chance you'll be soon overeating. Sleep deprivation also boosts levels of stress hormones, which prompt your body to send more glucose into your bloodstream. Too little sleep also makes your body less sensitive to insulin.

But that's just the beginning. Research shows that sleeping too little shuts down production of certain chemicals in the immune system that defend your body against germs. Shortchange yourself on shut-eye and you may want to have a box of tissues and cough medicine handy: A 2009 study found that people who sleep less than seven hours a night are up to three times more likely to develop a cold.

Other studies show that even modest sleep deprivation - cutting back from your usual eight hours a night to six hours, for instance - can turn up levels of chronic inflammation, which increases the risk for many conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, and osteoporosis.

PLUS: 8 Things That Are Making You Fat

Then, there are the immediate effects. When the alarm clock blares you out of a deep sleep, you're apt to start the day in a sour mood. As the day passes, you're also likely to feel dull witted and foggy. Some neurologists believe that one purpose of sleep is to give your brain a chance to build and strengthen the wiring between neurons. Studies show that well-rested people learn new information faster and have sharper memories. Short sleep reduces your reaction time, too, making you at risk for car accidents and other mishaps.

BOTTOM LINE: While some people can get by on relatively little sleep, most of us need seven to eight hours a night. Experts say one sign that you're getting adequate sleep is that you can wake up on time every day without using an alarm clock.

What happens when I skip breakfast?

The inside story: When you wake up after a long night's rest, your body has gone as much as 12 hours without a meal. That means one thing: You need fuel. More precisely, it means there's probably a shortage of glucose in your bloodstream. If you don't eat breakfast and head out the door with low blood sugar, one organ in particular won't be operating at full speed: your brain, which requires a steady flow of blood sugar to run effectively. And even a mild case of low blood sugar can leave you queasy and jittery. You may also feel less sharp-witted. Studies of school children have shown repeatedly that kids who eat breakfast have better memories and learn more than their classmates who don't.

What's more, blowing off breakfast is a set-up for pigging out later on. "Breakfast is important for keeping your appetite under control the rest of the day," says endocrinologist Suma Dronavalli, MD, of the University of Chicago Medical Center. In other words, skip breakfast and by noontime your groaning stomach will convince you to skip the salad and order a Dagwood-size sandwich, instead. Most people more than compensate for the calories they miss at breakfast by overeating at lunch and dinner - especially foods high in saturated fat, the kind that plugs arteries.

PLUS: Lose Weight Around the Clock

Meanwhile, breakfast skippers are also more likely to snack on junk food between meals. One study found that women who usually nixed breakfast were able to take off four pounds - simply by adding a nutritious meal in the morning. Eat breakfast regularly and you'll not only lose weight, but your blood sugar should shape up, too.

BOTTOM LINE: More than three quarters of people who lose weight and keep it off eat breakfast. Sitting down for the morning meal may also make you up to 50 percent less likely to develop insulin resistance, the problem that causes type 2 diabetes.

What happens when I spend the day sitting around?

The inside story: Remember that old saying "the devil finds work for idle hands"? Spending a lazy day on the sofa may not seem evil to you, but your body finds plenty of ways to make trouble with the sugar, or glucose idling in your bloodstream. Taking a walk or getting any other type of physical activity forces muscle cells to soak up glucose, which it uses to produce energy. On a day when you don't give your muscles enough work to do, glucose goes unused. Over time, a sit-around lifestyle encourages two major problems:

* Your body converts some unused sugar to fat. Build up too much and your butt, thighs, and belly will expand. The latter flab depository is the most worrisome; research shows that fat cells around the waistline produce chemicals that cause insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation, which promotes heart disease and other conditions.

* Having lots of glucose lingering in the blood increases levels of dangerous compounds called AGEs that damage nerves and blood cells. That's why high blood sugar causes diabetes complications such as blindness and kidney disease.

Getting up off the sofa and heading out the door for a walk can help you to avoid these fates, of course. Exercise is a reliable fat burner and research shows that physical activity lowers levels of AGEs, too - among many other benefits.

BOTTOM LINE: Sitting around all day may help you get caught up on your favorite cable shows, but it is also a set-up for bad blood sugar, weight gain, and all the problems they can cause.

PLUS: 13 Ways to Have More Energy at Work

What happens when I spend the day really angry?

The inside story: There's nothing wrong with getting angry - it's perfectly natural and healthy to get ticked off now and then. Staying angry is another matter altogether: It's terrible for you. Apart from wrecking your mood and alienating others, fuming all day can make it much harder to manage diabetes. Anger is a form of emotional stress, which causes your body to release adrenaline and other related hormones. One effect of these "stress" hormones is to raise blood sugar. Also, stress may make you indulge in bad habits, such as eating junk food, which can make matters worse.

There's more. Letting your anger boil all day can damage your heart. Do you get irked and annoyed now and then, but you're able to shrug it off? No big deal. But scientists now know that clinging to anger raises blood pressure. While that's not a big surprise, a recent Yale study found that people who tend to let their anger stew also have high levels of a substance called endothelin, which is known to trigger heart attacks by causing plaques in the arteries (clumps of fat, cholesterol, and other gunk) to burst open and form blood clots. Other research has found that intense, sustained anger can actually cause an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, which can stop your ticker from ticking - permanently.

BOTTOM LINE: Day-long anger can be toxic, so find a way to let it go. Write down your rage in a journal. If a friend or family member made you mad, tell 'em. Or just go outside and scream - whatever helps you blow off steam.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/4-bad-habits-making-sick-151800574.html



Wow! This is a great article and adds more fuel to my desire to LET IT GO!!! Your anger is not more important than your health! Have you noticed holding grudges has affected your health? Weigh in!

ALL NATURAL MEATS & OTHER GOODIES

On Friday, January 13th, I went to Landes meats. I have always believed that eating all natural foods would be out of my budget. I am a very strict budget type of person. So I just stuck with regular grocery store meats and tried to get certain organic things, like maybe strawberries. Well, I decided to try Landes Meats. It is local, all natural, antibiotic/hormone free real foods without the crazy prices. I purchased a loaf of freshly baked whole wheat bread, a package of swiss cheese, 1 pound of ground chuck, 1/2 pound of bacon, 1 center cut porkchop, 10 chicken wings, 1/4 pound or so of sliced turkey meat. None of these foods were highly processed and best of all, they are LOCAL. From everything I've read, it's better to eat things that take less time to get from the farm to your home because it decreases the chances of contamination. Also, the less preservatives it will need to have if any. So I purchased all these things for a grand total of $23.40. I don't think I could have done better than that. Happy eating!

Do you purchase any foods local? Do you eat organic? Have you tried a farmers market or other store such as Landes?

 http://www.landesfreshmeats.com/

WHAT TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/best-worst-fast-food-meal-choices-173500043.html

The Best and Worst Fast Food Meal Choices

By Glamour Magazine

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By Glamour Magazine | Jumpstart 2012 – Wed, Jan 11, 2012 7:28 PM EST

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Courtesy of McDonald's

Jenna Williams, Glamour

When you're in a rush, it can be hard to judge the nutritional value of your favorite value meal. Read our tips for making your fast-food choices both fast and healthy.

McDonald's: Bad and Better Food Choices
We know it's tough to resist the lure of the golden arches, but DO pay attention to portion size when ordering from McDonald's.

Breakfast
BAD Deluxe Breakfast, with a large biscuit and no syrup or margarine (1,150 calories, 60 grams of fat)
BETTER Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, made with a regular-size biscuit (430 calories, 24 grams of fat)

Burger
BAD Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese (740 calories, 42 grams of fat)
BETTER Cheeseburger (300 calories, 12 grams of fat)
*Leave off the cheese and you'll save 50 calories and 3 grams of fat!

Salad
BAD Premium Southwest Salad With Crispy Chicken (430 calories, 20 grams of fat)
BETTER Premium Caesar Salad With Grilled Chicken (220 calories, 6 grams of fat)
*Totals are without dressing. Remember, Caesar dressing is very high in fat and calories.

Related: 12 Secret Signs He's Into You

Courtesy of Burger King

Burger King: Bad and Better Food Choices
When ordering a burger (and, hey, it is Burger King), DON'T double (or triple!) up on patties. One extra piles on extra calories.

Burger
BAD Triple Whopper Sandwich With Cheese (1,250 calories, 84 grams of fat)
BETTER Hamburger (290 calories, 12 grams of fat)

Side
BAD Large Salted French Fries (580 calories, 28 grams of fat)
BETTER BK Fresh Apple Fries With Caramel Sauce (70 calories, 0.5 grams of fat)

Courtesy of Wendy's

Wendy's: Bad and Better Food Choices
DO eliminate unnecessary calories in your salad without sacrificing taste by avoiding words like creamy or crispy. And always opt for grilled (not fried) chicken.

Salad
BAD Chicken BLT Salad (470 calories, 27 grams of fat)
BETTER Mandarin Chicken Salad (180 calories, 2 grams of fat)
*Totals do not include dressing.

Sandwich
BAD Triple With Cheese (960 calories, 60 grams of fat)
BETTER Jr. Hamburger (220 calories, 8 grams of fat)

Conde Nast Digital Studio

Five Guys: Bad and Better Food Choices
DON'T be fooled by names. At this patty palace, the "little burger" is anything but small. Cut calories by topping your burger with mustard or hot sauce instead of mayo and cheese.

Burger
BAD Bacon Cheeseburger (920 calories, 62 grams of fat)
BETTER Little Hamburger (480 calories, 26 grams of fat)

Condiment
BAD Mayonnaise (100 calories, 11 grams of fat-in 14 grams)
BETTER Mustard or hot sauce (0 calories, 0 grams of fat)

Courtesy of Jack in the Box

Jack in the Box: Bad and Better Food Choices
We usually recommend skipping dessert if you're gorging on fast food, but if you're going to give in to your sweet tooth, DO skip the milk shake.

Dessert
BAD Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Shake (1,454.5 calories, 75.1 grams of fat)
BETTER Chocolate Overload Cake (300 calories, 7 grams of fat)

Burger
BAD Sirloin Bacon & Cheese Burger (1,136.8 calories, 74.9 grams of fat)
BETTER Hamburger (281 .1 calories, 11.7 grams of fat)

Entrée
BAD Large Fish & Chips (1,153.2 calories, 72.6 grams of fat)
BETTER Chicken Fajita Pita Made With Whole Grain (306.8 calories, 9.4 grams of fat)

Courtesy of Blimpie's

Blimpie: Bad and Better Food Choices
We usually recommend skipping dessert if you're gorging on fast food, but if you're going to give in to your sweet tooth, DO skip the milk shake.

Dessert
BAD Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Shake (1,454.5 calories, 75.1 grams of fat)
BETTER Chocolate Overload Cake (300 calories, 7 grams of fat)

Burger
BAD Sirloin Bacon & Cheese Burger (1,136.8 calories, 74.9 grams of fat)
BETTER Hamburger (281 .1 calories, 11.7 grams of fat)

Entrée
BAD Large Fish & Chips (1,153.2 calories, 72.6 grams of fat)
BETTER Chicken Fajita Pita Made With Whole Grain (306.8 calories, 9.4 grams of fat)

Related: The Top 10 Ways to Wake Up Prettier

Courtesy of Subway

Subway: Bad and Better Food Choices
DO choose lean turkey meat. It's lower in fat than most other meats and has a subtle enough flavor to be paired with just about any topping.

Sandwich
BAD 6-inch Double Meatball Marinara With Cheese (860 calories, 42 grams of fat)
BETTER Jared Sandwich: 6-inch Turkey Breast (280 calories, 4.5 grams of fat)

Salad
BAD Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki (210 calories, 3 grams of fat)
BETTER Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast With Fat-Free Italian Dressing (175 calories, 2.5 grams of fat)

Courtesy of Arby's

Arby's: Bad and Better Food Choices
Whether it's paired with a burger or sprinkled on a potato, DO watch out for calorie-laden bacon.

Sandwich
BAD Roast Turkey, Ranch & Bacon (818 calories, 38 grams of fat)
BETTER Ham & Swiss Melt (268 calories, 5 grams of fat)

Side
BAD Large Mozzarella Sticks (426 calories, 28 grams of fat)
BETTER 4-piece Southwest Eggrolls (225 calories, 7 grams of fat)
*Totals are without dipping sauces. The Chile Lime sauce that comes with the eggrolls adds 190 calories and 19 grams of fat. Yikes!