Monday, October 1, 2012

FALL INTO GOOD EATING HABITS ...

Happy October 1st everyone!

With the a crisp chill in the air, Fall has arrived to the northern states. Golden, russet, and burnt orange are ablaze!

What better time than now to get into eating healthy and creating a fitness program. VERY soon the temps will drop and the holiday goodies will DESCEND upon us like locusts ...

With WAY too many temptations to ignore, we will pick a little here and a litter there and before we know it TEN POUNDS! Don't let this happen to you ...

My special guest and blogger friend, L. Diane Wolfe is visiting me here today with some great tips on how to eat healthy anytime. Start now and avoid the pitfalls later! LOL.

I know I learned a few good tips from reading her post and so will you. Please welcome, L. Diane everyone. You will be pleased to meet her, if you don't know her already.


Healthy Eating


Eating healthy isn’t just a challenge for writers. It’s a challenge for everyone. It’s easier to grab fast food, a packaged/frozen/canned meal, or store-bought snacks. Unfortunately, most contain a high amount of calories and fat. Food companies have conducted tests and know that the most appealing flavors are sweet and fatty. That’s why everything that’s bad for you tastes so good.

Healthy eating means making smart choices. Moderation is key. So is eating a variety of foods. It has to be a complete lifestyle change. This is why diets fail. Cutting back for a month just means that when we go back to eating normal, we’ll put the weight on again. And extreme diets such as the protein diet do more damage than good. The changes we make in the way we eat need to be permanent and healthy.

Not only will eating better help with weight control, it will eliminate potential health problems. Most debilitating diseases such as diabetes and heart problems can be avoided by eating right. A healthy diet can prevent you from getting sick, too. I’m a vegan (no animal products at all) for many reasons, including my health, but even I have to watch what I eat.

Often it’s the small things that make the biggest difference. We don’t have to change everything - just start changing a couple things each week. Even just skipping one can of soda every day saves 150 calories. One of the most effective things we can do is to consume a lot more water, as our hunger is usually a sign of thirst instead. Adding exercise not only makes us healthier, but it accelerates weight loss. And healthy eating reduces our chances of getting sick.

Below is a list of healthy alternatives:

Regular milk - lowfat milk (not skim - too high in protein) or light soy milk

Sugar - Splenda

Ice cream - fruit smoothies (made with fruit, ice water, Splenda, and ice cubes)

Cheese - low fat cheese, soy cheese (just as fatty but soy is very good for your health,) or just cut back the serving size.

Potato chips - baked chips, lowfat chips, or Pretzels

Pizza out - make your own and control both fat and contents

Ground beef - ground chicken or turkey or soy beef crumbles (Boca brand is very low in fat)

Dressings - go for light, such as Ken’s Light Caesar. (Fat free is tasteless.)

Condiments - BBQ sauce has a lot of sugar and calories, but mustard has virtually none

Butter - Smart Balance Light Spread or a butter spray

Bread - look for light varieties (Carbs are NOT your enemy! Breads just pack a lot of calories.)

Pancake syrup - look for sugar free. Tastes just as good and only 25% of the calories.

Snacks - look for lighter, baked crackers. Eat fruit and veggies. (Watch the olives and avocados though - lots of fat.)

Dark sodas - switch to water, flavored water, or clear diets such as Diet Cherry 7UP. (Something in dark sodas, even diet sodas, prevents weight loss. And they are nothing but empty calories. Even a beer or glass of wine contains some nutritional value!)

With all meals and snacks - watch your portions! Most people consume double portions without even realizing it.

Does eating healthy make a difference? I live in the South, home of deep fried everything. Yet because I choose to eat healthy, I’m only 120 pounds and a size 2. And I almost never get sick. Not bad for a woman in her mid-forties, huh?

Now, what are you waiting for?


L. Diane Wolfe
Professional Speaker & Author

Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the NSA and a motivational speaker. “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK! The Keys to Leadership & Goal-Setting”, ties all of her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together into one complete, enthusiastic package. She also conducts seminars on book publishing and promoting, and assists writers through her author services. Her YA series, The Circle of Friends, features morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. Wolfe travels extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, and contributes to several other sites and newsletters.



Thanks for joining us today L. Diane. It has been a great pleasure having you visit my blog! 

My special guest next month will be our greatest pal, Alex J. Cavanaugh. He will enlighten us on how he stays in shape between ALL the INSANE time he spends blogging. How does he do it? Does anyone know?LOL.

Yes, everyone this health and fitness feature will be bi monthly. In two weeks I will be posting a few tips of my own, so mark it on your calendar. The first and third Monday of every month.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. If any of you have some great health or fitness tips and would like to be a guest blogger PLEASE feel free to contact me. This is a feature I feel needs to be posted often. We all need reminders to get of our butts and MOVE as well as eat right.

Have a great day everyone. See you on Wednesday for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers Support group. Thursday a SURPRISE  ... and on Friday for another fun prompt for Romantic Friday Writers. A very exciting week at In Time ... this week. I hope to see you all.

43 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice guest post and tips from L.Diane. This is the season for plenty of Vitamin C. Hope you are taking your vitamins :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

Great series Michael and great tips L.Diane. This is an important topic. I've noticed the pounds adding up since I started writing and then blogging. This summer I've been really watching what I eat, exercising more, and standing when I work on the computer more rather than sitting. And it's working.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thank you again, Michael.

Stina said...

Great post, L. Diane. Because I've noticed a lot of writers in my local RWA chapter are struggling with their weight, I told my co-program chair that we should bring in a personal training to show exercises everyone can do to increase muscle mass, which ultimately will burn extra calories. She and our vice president loved the idea, especially if it helps prevents writing injuries that we're prone to.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Moderation is important!
And I have a clone exercise for me. Saves time.

S.P. Bowers said...

Love this series. And your right. Now is the time to start healthy habits for the holidays. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Jennifer Shirk said...

This is especially important to think about for writers. I definitely have a lot of writer friends in my chapter as well who have gained weight from not being as active.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I love these sensible ideas, Diane! Especially just making simple substitutions that add up to a healthier diet.

Jemi Fraser said...

We rarely eat anything from a package any more. My kids have become super healthy eaters which makes me very happy!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Siv, I've taken natural vitamins for years, another reason I rarely get sick.

Now is the time to plan. And it only takes changing a few things to eliminate several hundred calories a day.

Jo said...

A 40 yr old size 2. I hate you Diane. I don't know I was ever a size 2. Very good tips, except most of those things I don't consume anyway. In Canada we have an excellent butter substitute in Bécel. When in the States we eat Brummel and Brown yoghurt spread.

Bish Denham said...

Excellent tips. All practical and doable.

Karen Lange said...

Great tips, and they're all doable without seeming overwhelming. Have been making more small changes lately to create a better lifestyle. Thanks, Diane, for sharing your wisdom. Thanks also, Michael, for hosting!

Samantha May said...

Great post! I definitely feel better knowing I've made a lot of those changes already. A lot of people assume that just exercising will do the trick. They don't seem to realize that food plays a HUGE part in weight loss.

Thanks for the reminders!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Jo, don't hate me because I'm thin!

Samantha, that's right! Exercise alone will NOT cut it.

Summer Ross said...

Terrific post- thanks for Hosting Diane Michael!
I love fall colors- they are always beautiful.
Eating healthy is one thing I've been changing all summer. I almost always have a salad for lunch anymore and I've cut most fast food out of my diet completely.

Have a terrific Monday!

Johanna Garth said...

Great post Diane. I almost never get sick either. Wonder if it's healthy eating. I always wrote it off to stubborness and refusal. :)

~Sia McKye~ said...

DIANE--GOOD ARTICLE. Regardless or our eating system, good food choices are important for good health. I keep fruit and veggies for snacking and drink copious amounts of water--at least 40 ozs a day. With me, I've got allergies so I have to be very careful in food choices anytime. I'm not a size 2--prolly not since I was 11, lol! Seriously, what you eat has such an impact on your body and health.

Thanks for sharing all this!

D.G. Hudson said...

I agree Diane, that our body will pay us back for the treatment we give it now. I've had to cut our beef altogether.

I believe diet is a large part of why some are more susceptible to disease than others.

Very nice series, Michael. Will be back to see Alex's post as well.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Great point about portion size. So many of us eat too much even when we eat healthy. And beware 'fat-free' things as often they add more sugar to help the taste.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Summer, I can't remember the last time I had fast food.

Johanna, I think there is a big connection.

Sia, I may not have allergies, but being a vegan makes me choose foods wisely.

Susan, yes they do! Fat free Fig Newtons have 5 calories more than the regular Newtons because they add more sugar.

LD Masterson said...

Hmmm. I'm not sure I was a size two when I was two.

Absolutely agree with what you said, Diane, but it's sure hard to put it into practice. Especially know that I'm retired and spend all day at home with my buddy the fridge.

M Pax said...

I started by making permanent changes I could live with. Gradually what that meant changed a lot.

LTM said...

Great tips here! And you said it all, Michael, when you said winter's coming and then we'll be stuck. I'm trying to fit in as many runs as I can before it's too cold to go out.

Hope you're doing great! ((LB hugs)) <3

Denise Covey said...

Hi Michael. Hi L Diane. Love this post. It's Spring in Oz and a lovely time to exercise. Gets too hot to do too much running in our summer.
So many bloggie deadlines coming up! Thanks for the RFW shout out Michael. I'm scurrying around trying to write my birthday piece.
Now I'm off to Coffee Club for a delicious brekkie, high protein of course.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

LD, I know what you mean by being home with the fridge.

M Pax, that's the best way to do it.

Laura S. said...

I workout six days a week doing something different each day. Exercise is so good for the brain, too! The only thing I'd add about this list is to be cautious about low fat, fat-free and sugar-free. Other bad ingredients are added to those things so that they still taste good. Read labels and get informed! There's a lot more to being healthy than just weight.

Maryannwrites said...

Thanks for the reminder to be more conscious of eating healthy and for the suggestions. I do get a real bad case of the munchies when I am on a writing roll, so I do try to mix the healthy snacks, carrots and fruit, with pretzels and light crackers. I also get up from my computer several times a day and go for a walk-about my property. Not the same as an Aussie walk-about, because I do come back in after about 15 minutes. (smile)

Unknown said...

So much info on healthy eating and all very simple and important. I will try by skipping that soda.

Thanks for introducing your friend :D

DEZMOND said...

I usually eat more during summer than Autumn and Winter, since I'm a winter type and need less energy to survive cold than heat :)
Being a vegetarian I live of grazing grass and nibbling carrots like a little bunny :)
Kicking out all white flour out of the diet and replacing it with whole grain is the first thing everybody should do.

Anonymous said...

Great tips, Diane! I just got a dehydrator, so veggie chips will be a great alternative to potato chips. Not exercising is my biggest downfall.

Jack said...

Thank you for the tips. Eating healthy is very important for me because of health issues and knowing things to avoid is always a big help!

Allons-y!

Ciara said...

I just put on some weight and didn't know why. I went to the doctor, and without weighing me, she asks if I put on weight. I'm like, funny you should mention that I did. Yep, that's a side effect to the medication I gave you. I'm like, what? Really? Why don't these things come with warning labels.
Great advice. I tend to do all of this with my family. It is important to teach your kids to make healthy choices. BTW - I'm off that medicine. :)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Laura, yes - they tend to add extra stuff to give the food flavor.

Ghazala, skipping that soda is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Dezmond, whole grain is much better. Are you vegan or just vegetarian?

Susanne, wish I had one!

Ciara, evil medicine. And training your kids to eat healthy will benefit them in the long run.

Morgan said...

I hope to stay 120 and size 2 in my mid forties!

AWESOME.

Diane, you're GORGEOUS. And I love all of your thoughts. I agree that the more food we make ourselves, the more we can control how much fat/sugar is involved. And I think the whole "small things make the biggest difference" idea is SO spot on!

Fabulous post. Thanks, Michael, for having Diane here! :D

Southpaw said...

I tried Splenda once and it made it so sick. - No one told me it was sweeter than sugar and to only use a small portion. Whoops!

Portion control is big and so is eating slow. Often times we get busy and cram that food in to get it over with and we end up over eating.

Anonymous said...

Very helpful advice! I'm trying hard to break 32 years of bad habits, but it's hard when I'm surrounded by junk food fiends. So far I've been able to make a couple minor changes - light mayo, lowfat butter/spread, whole grains - and I hope to make a few more soon.

Great post. Thanks, L. Diane!

David P. King said...

This is going to help my new diet a lot. Thanks for this excellent post! :)

nutschell said...

Loved these health tips! I mostly eat home cooked meals, but keeping this list in mind will help when I do go out for dinner :)

Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Morgan, thank you.

Southpaw, my husband and I used to be able to eat a plate of spaghetti in less than five minutes. Monday night is still spaghetti night, but we eat less of it and chew slower.

Insomniac, it's the small changes that make a big difference.

Nutschell, eating out is where I am most challenged, but it's more because I am a vegan than anything else.

Susan Oloier said...

Such a great reminder, Michael and L. Diane. Eating well is also a key to cancer prevention.
LOL about Alex's clone comment!

dolorah said...

I'm bad about the fast food when my Bug is away. I hate to cook, and usually won't just for me. But fruits and vegies don't usually require cooking, lol.

BTW; there is no substitute for Ruffles. End of discussion :)

......dhole

Gwen Gardner said...

Great list! I've made a lot of changes in my diet. Everything I eat is low fat - you get used to it and don't really notice the difference after a while:)