Health and Nutrition That Is AboveNBeyond

For years, I never really paid to much attention to the nutrition labels on any products out there.  Truth is, I should have taken them more seriously like I do now. Nutrition labels are an important tool in one’s weight loss efforts.  They contain vital information that can help in determining not only if a product is good for you, but also how much of something you should eat for a given portion.

When it comes to weight loss, the most important information to keep an eye on is Calories, Fat, Dietary Fiber as well as Sugars.  If you are following the Weight Watchers plan utilizing their point system then the first 3 mentioned above are most important.  You can click on the image at the right and it will take you to Diabetes America website for more information on reading nutrition labels.

It doesn’t matter where you are health wise, making use of a nutrition label is important for everyone.  It helps one connect the dots to better health.

Without using a nutrition label,you are eating or drinking blindly.

There are times you may need to know specific information about what is in a given product.  Without a nutrition label, it would be hard to find this information.  This goes beyond the simple ingredients that each product has.  What if you are counting carbs or watching how much sodium is in a specific item?  You need nutrition labels to assist you in making the right choices.  What if you were allergic to a specific ingredient in something you were going to buy?  If you were not able to see for yourself what was listed on a nutrition label, you’d be taking a risk, thus gambling with your health as to the outcome from consuming that product.

See also – related posts on nutrition labels

In the previous article, I touched on ideas to help you cut the budget to get the weight off. By focusing on those suggestions, you can create your own momentum to loosing weight. It is not written that you need to spend lots of money to loose lots of weight. Though, weight loss companies don’t what you to realize that. Again, Yes, I used Herbalife and loved it and am thankful that I found it. But, when money matters, there are weighs to win the battle of the bulge. You can’t let money be the dictator when it comes to your health. Here are more suggestions:

1. Yogurt – Yoplait is worth about 2 Weight Watchers points, I just love the White Chocolate Strawberry. Yeah, and I never used to like Yogurt too!
2. Progresso soups – Some have the point value right on the can.
3. Zero Calorie Products – While you do have to understand that zero calories doesn’t guarantee that it’s healthy, it does help with your efforts on weight loss, thus not taking in calories.
4. Recipe Changes – Change your recipes using applesauce in place of some oils or butters. You may have to experiment with this to taste.
5. Recipe ideas – There are a variety of books available with weight loss recipes that are quite tasty. Check out Borders, Amazon and other stores.

Sometimes you have to change your menu and way of eating to get the job done. If there is something in your life that you are not controlling, be careful, it may be controlling you. Food that is or what is making you eat more than you need? If you really want to loose weight, you’ll start making the right choices to get there and realizing that it will take time.

Ok, you’ve started a path to a new lifestyle, but, you see advertisements on TV and the newspapers, for those miracle pills that say they will help you shed that weight. Well, be careful, while some do actually work, there is no such thing as a “workout” pill in a bottle. You can’t depend on pills alone to achieving your goals. You’d be waiting a very long time to get to where you want to go by doing this. And even then, you may not get there. The best thing you can start doing is to change your habits. Here is a list of some changes you can start with:
1. Portion Control
2. Exercise (running, weight lifting, walking, jump rope etc)
3. Low fat recipes
4. Start reading and understanding nutrition labels
5. Weigh yourself once a week in the morning
6. Never reward yourself with food
7. Join an online community for support and encouragement
8. Team up with a friend
9. Don’t sweat the bad day and get back at it the next day
10. Cut the candy (soda included)
These are just some things you can start doing to keep you on the road to your goals. Every day will not be an easy day, but, consistency will be the key. It’s never to late to change your habits.

You see them all the time. Additives listed on the nutrition label on every product. They can range from sugars, salt, caffeine, oils and the list goes on. While each additive (ingredient) effects the product in some way, the effect can go beyond the product as well. We’ve all done it, we all go blindly and pick up something we like to consume each day or week. But, are we realizing what we are putting into our mouth each day?

Some impulses are automatic when grabbing something you want. One time I went to get a drink and I caught myself and thought “Why am I getting a drink, I’m not thirsty!” How does this example fit with this subject? It’s the same thing, we all grab for things we want out of habit not even realizing what each item’s additives or ingredients may contain. Whether it’s a soda, chips, or even salad dressing, we can all be impulsive to the things we want. We all can unknowingly add to the calories we take in on a daily basis. Isn’t it time to get smarter and not fatter?
Oh, and what about those people who never seem to get fatter? Size isn’t always the issue either! In their case, ask yourself this question – What’s going on inside? Never judge a book by it’s cover. Though, they may look good on the outside, who knows what’s going on inside! Consider that the next time you see someone who looks good!
This is why good Cellular Nutrition is important. We ALL need it!