When people ask a question like why is eating healthy important, they are likely looking for more than a textbook answer. Many times when we dance between trying to be healthy and slipping back into unhealthy habits, we look for justification. We play games with our minds and hope maybe we will discover that we don’t have to eat healthy or maybe we will find a recent scientific study stating that pizza is the new superfood.

Newsflash: it’s not going to happen. Eating healthy is important for weight management, disease prevention, and long life. In order to look good and feel good, we have to give our bodies the right fuel. So, why is eating healthy important?

It’s important for all of the reasons you have ever learned it is. You have to eat healthy to grow big and strong! You have to eat healthy to fight off disease and infection. You have got to give your body good fuel if you expect good performance from it. Eating healthy is important if you want to fit in your clothes, look good in a bathing suit, and simply feel comfortable in your own skin.

If someone were to ask me “why is eating healthy important?” my first reaction would be to wonder what their true motivations were. You don’t need to be a doctor to realize that eating healthy feels better. You don’t have to be a fitness whiz to know that it is important for a multitude of reasons and if you are searching the web for “why is eating healthy important?” just know that your mother was right and please eat your vegetables.

Everyone wants to be fit. Everyone wants to be healthy. Getting there is the hard part. For many of us, healthy eating is where the challenge lies. Working out may come easy but reigning in those eating habits is another story. In an effort to master healthy eating, we may try low carb, high carb, carb cycling, high protein, low fat, or any other combination that promises to be the “answer” to our weight and eating struggles.

When it really comes down to it, these plans may provide success to some, but for many they are just another route to the same result. We try something that could deliver healthy results but we are set up by the restrictive nature of the diet. Healthy eating requires going back to basics and finding what specifically works for you.

Everyone is different and so is every body. We all process foods slightly differently. For some, carbohydrates cause immediate weight gain or sluggishness. For others, a diet low in carbohydrates feels like a diet without any energy source. The fact is, no diet is the perfect diet for everyone. Healthy eating involves figuring out what works for you and your body.

So, how do you know what healthy eating habits work for you? Well, it’s a little bit of trial and error. However, that doesn’t mean go buy a chocolate cake and see how it makes you feel: You Know That’s Unhealthy! Adults know the difference between healthy foods and unhealthy foods. Don’t eat the unhealthy ones! Does this mean you will never have a Big Mac again? No, it means you will regulate your eating and have a Big Mac, when you feel like your body can handle the extra calories and a little treat.

Stick to healthy eating, the foods you know to be good for you. Adjusting your protein, carbs, and fat to an optimal level for you will take practice. As you learn more about your body through working out and eating, how your body feels after certain meals or days will become more apparent and you will be better able to decide what foods are the right ones for your healthy eating plan.

For me, it’s diet. I can manage what I eat, but finding the “umph” to workout is another story. I have found tricks and methods to make fitness work for me and know that others have to do the same thing. Weight loss workouts must have short term payoffs to entice me. Lately, realizing the stress reducing effects of daily exercise has been a tremendous motivator.

For others, it’s the food that poses a problem. These people may be lifelong athletes, always finding time for a workout and never dealing with that lack of motivation. For them, weight loss workouts are no sweat. It’s the food regulation that is difficult for these folks.

Regardless of your challenge in staying fit, you must find ways to cope with it. Recognizing your weaknesses and dealing with them will help you keep your health a priority for life. Weight loss workouts and diet are essential components to overall health and happiness.

Wiatt is a notable author and nutrition consultant. She developed the P90X diet plan with the P90X participator in mind. She knew that anyone doing the P90X program must be dedicated to their health and their results. She came up with a great eating program that will get you on the right track, developing better eating habits and also seriously improving the results you see from the P90X program.

Many people are tempted to skip the P90X diet plan and just do the fitness aspect. Be warned: your results with only the exercise portion of P90X will be far less extreme than if you include the P90X diet plan. This plan was made to give you results and do so in a sensible program that nourishes your body and won’t leave you hungry.

The P90X diet plan is a 3 phase program. Phase one is the “Fat Shredder” phase where you include lots of protein, necessary in muscle repair and strengthening, and you will definitely need some muscle repair after the first several weeks of your P90X workouts.

This is also where you will relearn good eating habits and destroy unhealthy ones!

The second phase is the “Energy Booster” phase, this is where carbohydrates are increased slightly and fat intake is low. This phase is designed to give you extra fuel for the fire. It is a more sustainable eating plan and can be used as long as you like.

Phase 3 is the “Endurance Maximizer” phase, an athletic diet, heavy on the carbs. Athletes burn through calories at a greater rate than non-athletes. When you started this program you may not have been able to call yourself an athlete, but after several weeks on the P90X diet plan and workouts, you have earned that status and the new eating style that goes with it.

Overall, the P90X diet plan is a sensible and well rounded nutritional approach. Your body needs food for fuel and giving it the right kinds of food is vital when looking for big results. This plan will allow your body to process food efficiently for energy and allow you to utilize the nutrients necessary for muscle growth, weight loss, and overall health.

Diet shakes should include a good variety of vitamins and minerals to ensure that they are providing you with quality ingredients worth replacing a meal over.

 
One only need to look at the nutritional label of Beachbody meal replacement shakes to get a good idea of what a high quality diet shake should bring to the table. Rich in vitamins and minerals and a good supplement for any healthy diet, Beachbody meal replacement shakes are a great way to get something on your stomach quickly that won’t jeopardize your training and weight loss efforts.

Beachbody meal replacement shakes are a good example of weight loss shakes gone right. By using a meal replacement shake as one part of a healthy, well rounded diet, you can lose weight without resorting to measures that aren’t maintainable over the long run.

How Much Fiber is Enough?

It is recommended that adults get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories ingested. This means that if you are on a 2,000 calorie a day diet, you should be getting at least 28 grams of fiber. High fiber foods paired with an optional fiber supplement can easily get you to this attainable goal.

Try making some of these high fiber changes in your diet:

• Change your white rice for brown rice
• Add a side salad to your lunch or dinner
• Munch on popcorn instead of potato chips
• Switch your white bread for a whole wheat or even a “double fiber” variety
• Increase your daily fruits and vegetable intake
• Only eat cereals with 5 or more grams of fiber per serving

Doctors recommend you increase your fiber intake gradually for obvious reasons. If you have a hard time fitting all those high fiber foods into your diet, add as much as you can and pair those foods with a fiber supplement.

Check out these tips for staying on top of your healthy regimen, even through your lunch break:

1. Don’t let lunch catch you off guard. Schedule your lunch so that you aren’t famished by the time it rolls around. If you include and mid-morning snack you will be less likely to overeat at lunch time and better equipped to make healthy lunch choices.

2. Pack your lunch the night before. Plan ahead by preparing and packing your lunch before bed. This way there’s no “I didn’t have time” excuse in the morning. Have it ready to go waiting in the frig and write yourself a note if needed so that you don’t forget it in your rush out the door.

3. If in doubt, overpack. You don’t want to be hungry at work. Not only will it affect your brain power, but it will also send you running to the ever-dreaded vending machine with little thought of consequences. Pack snacks like fruits and raw veggies to snack on throughout the day.

4. If you decide to have lunch with your coworkers at a restaurant, don’t see it as an opportunity to fudge your diet. See it as an challenge to use what you have learned about proper nutrition. Servers are there to make your dining experience enjoyable and typically welcome additional requests and questions about the food.

Being healthy is an all day everyday thing.

You can’t leave your healthy lifestyle at home; you must take it with you to work as well. Informing your coworkers about your health “kick” will also help you be accountable to your fitness and health goals and may even inspire some. Post-it notes around your cubicle to remind yourself of your dedication can also help. The key is to do whatever is necessary to keep meals and snacks healthy when you are away from home. The new, healthy you needs to stay in charge no matter where you are or what time of day it is.

Frozen meals are tempting to those of us strapped for time. They are quickly heated and require very little clean up. However, this convenience comes with a price. The good tasting frozen foods are often loaded with calories, making the term “healthy convenience food” somewhat of an oxymoron. Next time you are shopping for a week’s worth of dinners, make sure you are selecting varieties with acceptable calorie and fat levels.

If your favorite convenience food has a nutrition label that is less than desirable, try adding some vegetables to it and saving half for tomorrow. Your fattening frozen macaroni and cheese is only half as bad when you load it up with broccoli and eat the rest tomorrow. How about adding mushrooms and chicken breasts to the frozen food staple fettucini alfredo? By cutting the portion in half and then bulking it up with simply prepared healthy vegetables and lean protein, you can keep the convenience while cutting the harm in half! If the store isn’t willing to give you a proper healthy convenience food, you can make your own.

Convenient doesn’t have to mean a whole days worth of calories. Simply being conscious of your time-saving choices can make all the differences. Adjusting the meals with simple add ins or a side salad can bulk it up, allowing you to only eat a portion of what is intended, turning a typical frozen meal into a healthy convenience food.

• Chicken (Breast meat, shredded or cubed)
• Grapes (Green or red seedless, sliced in halves)
• Apple (Cubed. Any variety will do, add your favorite)
• Walnuts (Chopped. You can substitute pecans or any other nut of your choice)
• Light mayonnaise (Use sparingly, to taste)

Add all ingredients in bowl and combine. Simple enough!

This chicken salad is great alone or served on a whole grain pita. You can also serve on a bed of mixed greens or a slice of good whole grain bread.

Chicken salad is a great source of protein. Adding the fruit and nuts not only increases the nutritional value but also makes this an interesting and fun take on the traditional chicken salad. Served with iced tea and lemon, this is a great lunch time treat for one or to share with guests.

While these good fats are far better for you then saturated fats, they contain the same amount of calories, 9 per gram. Compare this with 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates or protein. This simply means that your fat intake still needs to be moderated regardless of what types of fat you are eating. Just because it’s a good fat, doesn’t mean you should switch to a diet of avocados and olives!

Educating yourself about the things you put inside your body makes you a more health conscious person. When you are aware of the effects of certain foods on your body you are more likely to make healthy choices that encourage a longer life and even weight loss. Remember this: 1) not all fats are bad, and 2) good fats have a positive impact on your heart and overall health.

 
So, How Many Calories Are There in Beer and Alcohol?

Beer (12 oz.)                       140-200 calories
Light Beer (12 oz.)               100 calories
Chardonnay (4 oz.)              90 calories
White Zinfandel (4 oz.)         80 calories
Merlot (4 oz.)                       95 calories
Cabernet Sauvignon (4 oz.)  90 calories
Margarita                             550 calories
Pina Colada                         425-600 calories
Mojito                                 160 calories
Bloody Mary                         90 calories
Rum and Coke                     240 calories

Just like grilled chicken breasts are the dieters alternative to fried chicken thighs, there are a multitude of lower calorie drinks for those of us wanting to keep our bodies functioning on high. When you ask the question “how many calories are there in beer and alcohol?” you most likely do not expect such varying results.

Mixed drinks in particular vary the most. For instance, an average vodka-diet tonic or gin and diet tonic has about 100 calories while a white Russian contains 320 calories. The trick in choosing the right drink for your diet is mixing the alcohol with lower calorie ingredients. Rather than cranberry juice with your vodka, try a diet cranberry juice. Diet tonic will save you 100 calories over regular tonic. These small adjustments in your regular drinks will have you allowing yourself a treat without sacrificing your long term health goals.

By asking “how many calories are there in beer and alcohol?”, and knowing the answer in advance, you can go into your TGIF get-together armed with a plan to enjoy yourself and stick with your weight loss goals.

Fruit makes an excellent quick breakfast. When you are not accustomed to eating breakfast, something is better than nothing and an apple and handful of almonds will give your body some of the fuel it has been missing.

Another good breakfast alternative is eggs. We don’t all have time to cook in the morning but if you boil several eggs ahead of time and keep them in your frig, you have an already prepared portable high-protein breakfast ready to go.

Cooking a big pot of oatmeal to keep in the refrigerator is another great timesaver. You can take a serving out in the morning, pop it in the microwave and have a healthy hot high-fiber bowl ready in minutes. Top the oatmeal with fruit and cinnamon to liven it up a bit.

If you avoid breakfast because you don’t enjoy typical breakfast foods, don’t feel like you have to eat what everyone else does for breakfast. A cold turkey wrap, grilled cheese on whole grain bread, or fruit salad can all be substituted for finicky taste buds.

For some, breakfast is an automatic habit. For others, it takes work to eat something first thing in the morning. In the interest of your health and weight loss goals, however, it is worth the work. Adding this additional small meal to your day will keep your metabolism running more consistently and potentially help you drop those unwanted pounds.

Second, don’t be afraid to be picky. Some people are reluctant to order things “on the side”, or make changes that aren’t on the menu when they are eating out on a diet. Customizing your meal will not only ensure that you are eating something that is better for you, but also make it more pleasurable. Just because you are eating healthy meals, doesn’t mean they can’t taste great. Typically servers are more than happy to do what they can for their patrons.

Third, have a good time. If you decide you deserve to split a dessert- go ahead and enjoy it! Small treats make healthy living possible. It’s when you completely deny yourself that you think of “cheating”. If you allow yourself occasional small treats (without guilt) you are more likely to stick with your eating plan.

When you are truly dedicated to changing your eating habits and unhealthy ways, making choices that line up with this new found dedication are easy. Be prepared and be confident that you can make eating out on a diet a good experience.