The Healthiest Foods for Weight Loss – Key to Longevity

Technology has made life way too easy. Nowadays, there is a remote for the remote. Luckily, a healthy lifestyle is not dictated my any type of remote control. As a result, remotes are off limit in the zone. Adding nutritious fruits and vegetables along with more activity to your life is a win-win effort. Adding the healthiest foods for weight loss is a super important part of the process.

The Healthiest Foods for Weight Loss

For starters, instead of using the remote, get up to turn your TV channel. Next, get rid of your television remote, garage door opener, electric blender, snow blower, and power lawn mower. Be ready to adapt to a healthier way of life, shop wiser, weave in the healthiest foods for weight loss. This is the surefire way to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

The Key to a Healthy Lifestyle

Make a list of all the physical activities you enjoy. Rather than joining a fitness club make your lifestyle active. Ride a bicycle instead of driving. Walk to the store. At work, take a stroll around the block instead of a coffee break. Build activity into your routine and lifestyle. Do what you enjoy. Forget the gym if you don’t like it. Don’t overindulge in unhealthy foods and don’t force yourself to do things you dislike.

Walking is Cool

Did you know walking is one of the greatest physical activities? It is one of the activities that all successful centenarians do on a daily basis. It’s free, easier on the joints than running. It is always accessible, and it invites company. Another thing about walking is that if you walk briskly, it has the same cardiovascular benefits as running. After a hard day, a walk can relieve stress. Furthermore, it can aid in digestion after a meal.

Organize a Walking Team

Walking is more enjoyable with your favorite friends. Nothing is more fun to do than grab a few friends and start a walking group. Just make sure you have a good walking shoe for a firm, comfie foundation.

This is a good way to combine exercise and socializing. Establish who to include in this group. In addition, make sure everyone has the same physical ability to keep up.

Plant a Garden

Planting a garden can be a lot of fun. At the same time, it is a good way to get your workout. When you are gardening, you are using every muscle group in your body/ Trust me, I was in a garden club for ten years. It may take time for your muscles to acclimate to the physical activity, but overtime you will become a pro.

Working in a garden requires frequent, low-intensity, full-range-of-motion activity. For example, you dig to plant, bend to weed and carry to harvest. It is an amazing experience.

Use Smaller Plates

One way to make your transition to a healthier lifestyle is by using smaller plates. By downsizing, you are automatically reducing your food intake. In fact, studies show that eating from smaller plates results in weight loss. Another important thing to do you are just starting out is buy smaller bowls and food containers.

Make Food Look Bigger

One study found that people who ate a quarter-pound hamburger made to look like a half-pounder with lettuce, tomato and onions felt equally full after eating. Also, students who drank a smoothie whipped to twice the volume with the same calories ate less for lunch. Thirty minutes later, they reported feeling fuller.

Eat at a Slower Pace

Eating faster results in eating more. On the other hand, slowing down allows time to sense and react to cues telling us we are no longer hungry.

Focus on Food

Distraction is a surefire way to consume more calories. For example, if you are eating while watching TV or while emailing a friend you are setting yourself up for dietary failure. Otherwise, just eat without distraction. At the end of the day, you’ll eat more slowly, consume less, and savor your food.

Avoid Eating on the Run

Many of us are guilty of eating while we are in the car, standing in front of the fridge or eating on the run. This is a no-no. This means we are not aware of what we are eating or how fast we are eating. Therefore, it is imperative to make an effort to sit down when eating. This will enable us to appreciate the tastes and textures of the food. It also helps you to eat more slowly and feel more nourished when we’re through.

Never Hurts to Scale Up

One study found that women who weighed themselves daily lost an average of 12 pounds. On the flip side, women who never weighed gained an average of 5 pounds. In other words, at the end of two years, women who weighed themselves every day were on average about 17 pounds lighter than the women who never weighed themselves. Therefore, shunning the scale did not result in weight loss.

Eat Early

In the Blue Zone community, the biggest meal of the day is eaten during the first half of the day. For instance, Okinawans, Nicoyans, and Sardinians eat their biggest meal at midday. On the other hand, Adventists consume many of their calories from breakfast.

Hearty Breakfast Eliminates Cravings

That said, all the residents eat their smallest meal of the day in the late afternoon or early evening. Furthermore, Adventists firmly believe in a hearty Blue Zone breakfast. They also believe that a breakfast that includes whole grains, fruits, milk, nut butter eliminates the cravings for sugary or fatty foods.

Avoid Meat and Processed Foods

Most centenarians of the 5 Blue Zones never had the opportunity to develop the habit of eating processed foods, sugary drinks and salty snacks. For much of their lives they avoided meat except for special occasions. In addition, here are some of their other best practices to consider:

• They eat four to six vegetable servings per day
• Limit their intake of meat to twice a week. (Serving size of a deck of card)
• They showcase a big bowl of fruit for everyone.
• Beans are a main staple
• Residents eat a hand full of nuts everyday

Glass of wine at 5

• The Sardinians drink 2 glasses of Cannonau red wine every day,
• “Happy Hour” includes a glass of wine, nuts as the appetizer, and the gathering of friends or time with a spouse.
• A serving or two of wine per day, keeps the doctor away. Drinking wine in moderation has many health benefits.

Finding Your Purpose

You can find your purpose in life if you look for it. First, find something that sparks your interest. Then share your interest with family and friends. Next, take a close look at your lifestyle. Are you living your best life? Are you giving your body the nourishment it needs? If not, why not change to a healthy life diet? Have you been struggling with weight issues? If so, why not consider a lifestyle make over?

Final Thoughts

Do you want the most out of life while make the least effort? Why not transition to a better lifestyle. So many people have changed the trajectory of life by changing their health habits. You can too. However, it won’t happen overnight. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Follow me through the next few articles. It may change your life and change the way you handle your health and wellness.

Thank you for joining on my journey into the land of the Blue Zone. Pack your bags as we head out to discover the fountain of youth.   

Rachele, Founder and CEO

My website: mybluegenes.com

My e-mail: rachele@mybluegenes.com