common sense is horse sense

Read The Ingredient Label Before You Buy It

2008-07-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

Eating healthy and losing weight are very different goals. These endeavors don't necessarily go hand in hand, as some folks assume. However, most of the people I talk to have concluded that losing weight, in and of itself, is healthy. Yes, of course there are health benefits as a result of shedding a few pounds, but the risks to a person's well being by not maintaining a balanced diet (at least somewhat balanced) are significant over the long term.

I want to share my thoughts on eating healthier via reading and being guided by what's listed in the product ingredient labels. This label reading routine is quickly becoming common place among concerned shoppers.

Of course, no one wants to deprive themselves of the foods they love. But, if we could learn how to change our cravings and actually develop a taste for foods that are better for us, wouldn't that be great?

There are a few basic principles to eating healthy, in addition to cutting down on the fat and sweets. Eat as many whole foods as possible and know what you're eating! When we eat more natural foods, those with fewer artificial ingredients and additives, we will actually change what we crave to eat. Unfortunately, it's shocking to see the abundance of, basically, junk food stacked on the shelves, isle after isle in the super market chain grocery stores. What the food industry has done to make money is wrong.

It is more important then ever to read the ingredients on the label. This is the only way you'll know what you're eating. Checking out the sugar, fat and calorie content from the nutrition facts chart is not enough. Last week the makers of Pringle potato chips, in order to avoid some taxes, admitted that Pringles are more non-potato then potato. That's scary if you ask me. Most of the food manufacturers are getting away with making and selling garbage. We keep eating the stuff because all the processed sugars and salts are addictive to our taste buds. Then our defenseless stomachs have to deal with the junk.

Try scanning the health food section of the stores you shop at or better yet, check out a health food store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. See what looks good. Don't be afraid to experiment. Most of the wholesome products probably have far fewer and more comprehensible ingredients than you're used to seeing. Hopefully, refined sugar and corn syrup are replaced with cane juice. The flour should specify whole wheat or other whole grains. The salt should be sea salt. Unfortunately, many of the large chain markets have a limited selection of natural foods. Pointing this out to the management and requesting that they stock more of a variety is an excellent idea.

The best rule of thumb is to find labels that list ingredients which are easy to understand, and fewer is usually better. I can assure you that the less chemical sounding ingredients there are in the food you eat, the better you'll feel afterward. Before you know it, you'll find yourself searching for the more natural food products. The excessively sweet and salty items with artificial ingredients will lose there appeal to you.

Please remember to be smart, and read those ingredient labels. You're sure to live a longer healthier life. This is more 'common horse sense'!

Dieting, From A Practical Perspective

2008-07-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Common sense is not common at all. In fact, each one of us has our own version of what common sense is and this is based on our own past experience with just about anything and everything.

For example, practically speaking, we each, most likely, have our own ideas of what works and what doesn't work when it comes to losing weight. I can remember one of my sisters telling me each Monday morning, "Now, this week I'm definitely going to start my diet". I can't remember her ever really being on any type of a diet or losing any weight for that matter.

The trick is to find a few areas where you know for sure that you can muster the strength to cut back some of your calorie intake. Now, speaking for myself, there are at least a couple of consumption vises that I refuse to sacrifice, at any cost, such as my morning coffee/malt concoction. Without it, I doubt that I could drag myself out of bed. On the other hand, I don't have any problem passing up the sodas and french fries.

When I think back on my 'junk food' days and how I developed the ability to strip away the garbage bit by bit, I recall my addiction to breakfast cereals loaded with sugar! This habit was rather easy to phase out once I cleared the hurdle of actually reading the labels and selecting brands that contained less sugar and therefore fewer calories. Not exactly rocket science but it's the habits we get ourselves into that are so hard to break.

Within a couple of months I discovered that I actually preferred the ability to discern the tasty flavors of oats, rice, whole wheat, etc. This was a milestone for me. And, not only did I enjoy the natural full flavors of unprocessed grains, I still had energy in my engine at 11:30 am.

Of course this breakfast idea is only the beginning. There are hundreds of ways to modify our meal routines, even slightly, which is certain to shed calories and pounds.

More about my common sense eating habits later.

My Very First Blog To The World

2008-07-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

This is my very first ever blog to the world!

I think that I would like to be of some sort of help to you bloggers out there. Perhaps a little advise on life. I'm still contemplating just who might benefit from my ideas on how to live a happier life. We only get one chance at this, you know. I can hardly wait to share my thoughts with you...

However, first of all, I need to clean these filthy keyboard keys. This is my husbands computer and the keys he uses the most are framed with this black grimy looking stuff. Plus, there are

hairs stuck between the keys here and there. Can you imagine? Something like 10 million little bugs.

Okay...well, I don't want to start off on a negative note here. You should know that we are happily married.

However, it's quite late now so I'll sign off and share some good suggestions tomorrow!!