Hints for a Vegetarian Thanksgiving Day

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving Day at your home and are expecting vegetarian guests this year, don’t fret about preparing one large meat-eating meal, and a different separate vegetarian meal. Most vegetarians don't require a ‘meat equivalent’ at Thanksgiving. Yes, traditionally Thanksgiving Day has largely been about the food. But more significantly it’s about loved ones, togetherness, happiness and serenity. And if this is your 1st Thanksgiving Day after transitioning to a vegetarian life-style, try a few of these ideas to incorporate healthy food preparation into your meal that your vegetarian guests, and you as host, will be grateful for this Thanksgiving: 

 

Ø  Bake a little stuffing outside of the turkey. 

Ø  Make a little portion of vegetarian gravy. 

Ø  Keep cooking utensils separate to forestall "cross-contamination" between meat foods and vegetarian foods. 

Ø  When recipes are adaptable, utilize substitutions like vegetarian broth, soy margarine (the preparations without whey are suitable for vegans), soya milk, and kosher marshmallows which are made without gelatin. 

Ø  Utilize vegetable oils rather than animal fats for frying, and veggie shortening like Crisco for pie crust. 

Ø  Read ingredients lists cautiously on pre-packed foods, being aware of terms like gelatin, whey, and "natural flavors" that may be animal-derived. 

Ø  Fix plenty of veggie and fruit side dishes, but leave them plain. 

Ø  Provide plenty of breads, beverages, fresh fruits, and non-gelatin desserts, which are appropriate without modification for most vegetarians. 

Ø  Invite your vegetarian guest to cook a “Tofurky” or vegetarian ‘turkey equivalent’ entrée to share with you the rest of your guests, or if you’re hosting Thanksgiving Day, fix a small one. Your meat-eating guests may just be curious enough to wish to try it! 

Ø  Ask your vegetarian guest for assistance, tips, or recipes that would complement their vegetarian choice. You might find that your guest offers to help out in the kitchen or bring a dish from home. Please don't take a dish from home as an insult to your cooking; take it as a want to share traditions at Thanksgiving Day. Even meat-eating homes put up benefit from a healthy, nutrient-dense vegetarian recipe idea any time of the year! 

Ø  First and foremost - make gobs of new, delicious (not overly cooked) veggies that are perfectly in season like squashes, sweet potatoes, and green beans, and so forth.

 

Vegetarians and Heart Conditions

No matter what your reasons for consuming a more vegetarian diet, there’s no refusing the obvious health benefits that are gained from the elimination of red meat from your diet. On the average, vegetarians have lower levels of the blood fats, cholesterol and triglycerides than meat eaters of like age and social status have. Elevated levels of blood fats are affiliated with an increased risk of heart conditions. 

 

Lacto-ovo vegetarians, those who consume eggs and dairy products, which contain cholesterol-raising saturated fats and cholesterol, have greater cholesterol levels than do vegans, as those who refrain from all animal foods are called. But even amid lacto-ovo vegetarians, cholesterol levels are typically lower than they are amid meat eaters.

 

Investigators have discovered that older men who eat meat 6 or more times a week are twice as likely to die of cardiopathy as those who abstain from meat. Among middle-aged men, meat eaters were 4 times more likely to suffer a disastrous heart attack, according to the study. 

 

As for women, who are partly saved by their hormones and generally develop heart disease later in life than men do, the risk of fatal cardiopathy has been discovered to be lower only among the older vegetarians. In a 1982 study of more than ten thousand vegetarians and meat eaters, British investigators found that the more meat consumed, the better the risk of suffering a heart attack. 

 

Though doing away with meat from the diet is likely to reduce your consumption of heart-damaging fats and cholesterol, replacing large amounts of high-fat dairy products and cholesterol-rich eggs may nullify the advantage. To glean the heart-saving Advantages of vegetarianism, consumption of such foods as hard cheese, cream cheese, ice cream and eggs ought to be moderate. And the introduction of more veggies, fruits and raw foods will decidedly enhance the Advantages of refraining from eating meat.

 

Weight Loss Surgery

If you've been watching your weight go up and you are concerned about the rising pounds, you might be wondering whether weight loss surgery truly works. Is it possible to forestall future weight gain by using a long-familiar weight loss surgical operation?

 

Nowadays, weight loss surgeries are gradually gaining recognition when it comes to slimming down. A lot of health authorities contend that individuals who are excessively overweight or have slower metabolism would commonly require some surgical procedures.

 

Health authorities contend that weight loss surgery is a “major surgery.” Among the most common reasons why individuals would like to slim down is to enhance their physical attributes. But it shouldn't be the underlying motivation that they undergo weight loss surgery. 

 

Moreover, it's crucial to gather further info about weight loss surgery by consulting an experienced and knowledgeable bariatric surgeon or even simply an expert family physician who knows the ins and outs of weight loss surgery.

 

As with the other weight loss management plans, there are many factors to consider before the patient ought to decide to undergo weight loss surgery. 

 

Therefore, the actual weight that will be lost is reliant on the weight before surgery, surgical procedure, patient’s age, capacity to exercise, total health condition of the patient, dogged determination to maintain the necessary follow-up nurture, and the exuberance to succeed with the help of their loved ones, friends, and their colleagues.

 

If you've just put on a few extra pounds and wish to avoid gaining more, these weight loss surgeries for better health might seem convincing. But, in addition to being convinced, you might also have to take some action to ensure that your weight doesn't creep upward.

 

Consequently, it may be concluded that losing weight isn't simply a question of deciding to be strong-minded and determined or upbeat and positive. Life-style changes are where it is at for long-run success with your weight peculiarly after weight loss surgery.

 

Herbal Curatives for Sinus Infection

Who knew that taking particular herbs may help remedy sinus infection? Trust it or not, many civilizations have been utilizing it for a long time. We only got caught up with the western philosophy of how we set about medical science. The best thing about utilizing herbs is that there are no acknowledged side effects compared to established drugs and here are a few you are able to take. 

 

1st is Eucalyptus. It’s a fragrant herb that's nice to smell and is acknowledged to soothe throats. What makes this herb so unparalleled is that it has antiseptic attributes that may help reduce swollen tissues like your nasal passageways. You are able to purchase the leaf and mix this with hot water and drink it. If it's too warm, inhale the steam. You might also take it by mouth as this is likewise available in lozenge form. 

 

Following is Echinacea which is an herb that may kill particular viruses in the respiratory system. It's also useable in capsule form and you are able to increase the dosage when required then reduce when matters get better. Individuals who are allergic to ragweed shouldn't try this herb. 

 

Most individuals recognize ginger as an herb that battles headaches. Since it has anti-inflammatory attributes, it may likewise be used to treat sinus infections. This is likewise available in capsule form and before taking it, you're counseled to read the directions. 

 

Goldenseal is a different herb that you are able to utilize to address sinus infection. Studies have demonstrated it betters overall congestion so it betters your overall health. What is even more beneficial is that it has antimicrobial properties that may decimate bacteria. The herb also bears compounds similar to steroids which bring down inflammation. 

 

Peppermint smells really good and it may calm the mucus membranes. Like the others, you are able to mix this in warm water and inhale it and swallow it as tea. 

 

Lemon balm is frequently used to battle bad breath. But did you also know that it may battle sinus infections as it's helpful in driving back bacteria and viruses? You simply have to purchase the leaves and then mix in hot water for about 10 minutes. After straining, you are able to pour a cup and drink as you wish. 

 

Then there's licorice. You don’t mix in the leaves of this herb to relieve sinus infection but instead utilize its root. There are 2 forms of licorice products around so you are able to also opt for the capsule variation which likewise boosts your immune system.

 

There are additional herbs you are able to utilize to fight a sinus infection apart from the ones mentioned. In fact, many of these herbs may be mixed together.

 

Color Groups for Weight Loss

If you need to drop and few kilos and don’t know where to get started, stop counting calories and start counting colors. When it comes to losing weight, make sure your plate is piled high with a range of colorful fruit and vegetables. You’ll naturally create more balance and health-filled menus. Why? Color not only brightens your mood – but also your diet. Load your plate with fruit and veggies like a box of crayons in colors such as red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, white and green and you’ll also be filling up on power packed phytonutrients. 

 

Phytonutrients are naturally occurring chemicals which combat disease, including cancer. Go easy on the beige and brown foods such as pasta and starchy carbs. When there are too many of these drab colors on your plate, weight gain is almost certain. That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories.... but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colors and flavors on your plate. According to Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of “What Color Is Your Diet” the key to designing your colorful diet is to choose from a range of different color groups: 

 

Blue/purple fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting photochemical such as anthocyanins and phenolics. Choose from a range including blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, plums, and raisins. These assist in memory function. Green group includes broccoli; Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and bok choi. These foods stimulate the genes in your liver to turn on the production of enzymes that break down the cancer-causing chemicals in the body. The yellow/green group includes green peas, avocado and honeydew. These promote eye health. 

 

The yellow/orange group includes carrots, mangoes, apricots, rock melon and pumpkin. These contain arytenoids (beta carotene is one), fierce antioxidants that help prevent cancer and assist to lower heart-attack risk. The white group includes bananas, white peaches, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and are helpful to maintain heart health. The red group includes tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon all of which contain lycopene. Lycopene is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. The red/purple group includes grapes, grape juice, prunes, cranberries, strawberries and red apples. These foods contain anthocyanins which have a beneficial effect on heart disease by inhibiting blood clot formation.

 

Diet Myths and Facts

Myth: You’ll be OK with a high protein/low carb diet

 

Fact: This type of diet aims to secure most of the daily required number of calories from protein foods, like meat, dairy products and eggs, with a very small part taken from foods containing a lot of carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes and fruits). The biggest problem with this diet is that many common and popular foods are forbidden, which makes it easy for the user to get bored or frustrated. When boredom and frustration kick in, quitting time is never far away. Another problem is the lack of nutrients that are usually brought by carbohydrate foods, while allowing the user to eat bacon and cheese that raise cholesterol levels. The bottom line is that high protein/low carb diets result in fast weight loss in some users, but it’s not just fat that goes away. People also lose some of their lean muscle mass and a lot of water as the kidneys work harder to rid the body of excess waste from protein and fat. The added stress to your kidneys is not healthy at all and, in the long run, will lead to dehydration, headaches, feelings of nausea and dizziness. Before engaging in a long-term diet, you would do well to discuss it with your physician. And if you are really keen on dieting, try a balanced diet first, because it will help you lose weight without hurting your system.

 

Myth: Low-fat or no fat food is always a good choice.

 

Fact: The only low fat foods that are also low in calories are fruits. The rest of the huge low-fat or non-fat group are not a safe choice if you are dieting. These products may have added sugar, starch or flour to make them taste better, which means extra calories that do not belong into your diet. So make sure you check the list of ingredients on packages whenever you decide to buy low-fat.

 

Myth: Switching to vegetarian food will help you lose weight and stay healthy.

 

Fact: I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but no food plan will work for you unless you take charge of your eating and make sure that everything that goes past your lips is the right kind of food. The key here is to be absolutely sure that the vegetarian diet will give your body all the nutrients and calories it needs. Eating heaps of foods that do nothing for you from the nutritional point of view, outside maybe of filling your stomach, can bring you a lot of trouble in the future. Since plants tend to have a lower concentration of nutrients than meat, you will have to eat more food than before to make up for this difference. Not to mention that a strictly vegetarian diet will not get you enough vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium and zinc. These substances are taken mostly from dairy products and eggs in a regular diet, but true vegetarians can’t touch those. You’ll have to rely on the few and uncommon vegetables that can provide these substances.

 

Myth: Dairy products cause heart problems and make you fat.

 

Fact: Well, thanks to modern medicine everybody knows that eating a lot of dairy products is a surefire path to high blood pressure and stroke, although a large group of people from France refuse to die despite the large quantities of cheese and wine they consume. Dairy products are the main source of calcium that keeps your bones strong and healthy. It is absolutely essential for children and can be way overlooked by adults. Dairy products also contain vitamin D, which is crucial to maintaining the normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in your bloodstream. If you don’t want to gain weight from dairy products, then choose low-fat or non-fat brands. There are enough of those around. If you are lactose-intolerant, drink soy or rice milk. It does not taste exactly the same as true milk, but it’s still good and nutritious. Butter and margarine are the only dairy products you should worry about. They do contain big levels of fat. Still, if you can’t do without them, at least eat butter. Margarine is an over-processed fat that is not particularly good for you. Butter may be a bit fatter, but it definitely is the healthier of these two.

 

Weight Loss Tips

To lose one pound of body weight in a week, an individual must eat about 500 fewer calories than he or she burns up each day. Here are 18 ways to lose weight without going on a diet.

 

1.  Besides drinking orange juice at breakfast, eat a whole orange. You will save about 45 calories.

 

2.  Prepare your breakfast omelets with 4 egg whites plus 1/4 cup egg substitute. Supplement regular bacon with Canadian bacon to save eve a lot of calories

 

3.  Change from whole milk to nonfat or low-fat milk. Use honey instead of sugar in your morning coffee or latte.

 

4.  At lunch, use mustard instead of mayonnaise on your sandwich to save 100 calories (per tablespoon). Eliminate the cheese and save 100 more calories.

 

5.  Rather than a Big Mac and large fries, try a plain hamburger and a small french fry and save a whopping 590 calories!

 

6.  Don't eat potato chips at snack time. Have an apple instead for less calories plus the added benefit is a lot of fiber.

 

7.  Replace diet cola or iced tea for your usual soda. You'll save 150-200 calories per drink.

 

8.  Eat every two to three hours with smaller portions. Do not skip breakfast! Eating small, frequent meals keeps blood glucose levels stable and minimizes the urge to overeat.

 

9.  Eat more intelligent snacks like dried fruits and nuts, fresh fruits, cut up veggies or yogurt.

 

10. Replace whole grain foods for white bread, rice and cereals. You’ll not only cut fat and calories, but whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer by increasing the fiber that your body needs.

 

11. Sauté meat, chicken and vegetables in broth instead of butter. And speaking of butter: replace it with nonfat sour cream on baked potatoes.

 

12. Rather than Caesar salad, substitute a dinner salad with nonfat salad dressing.

 

13. Do you love pasta? Have spaghetti with marinara sauce rather than fettuccini with Alfredo sauce. You will save at the least 500 calories.

 

14. If you're getting out with friends, watch your alcoholic beverage intake. Rather than using Coke or Seven-Up with your drinks, choose tonic water or seltzer.

 

15. Restaurants are notorious for their huge serving sizes. Eat only half of your dinner and save the rest for lunch tomorrow. Or simply share the meal with a friend.

 

16. Get moving. Walk to the store instead of driving. Walking is the best exercise you can do to lose weight.

 

17. Get more walking time by replacing coffee breaks with exercise breaks. Also use half of your lunch break to take a brisk walk with a co-worker.

 

18. Swim, swim, swim. By swimming for just an hour you can burn 500 calories. You'll also end up with a firmer, more toned body.

 

Taking Care of Your Teeth

The basic design of personal dental care is to preclude cavities from shaping in the teeth. In order for you to forestall cavities and sustain a healthy set of teeth, you have to take away plaque, a sheer layer of bacteria that sticks on the top of your teeth.

 

A few effective ways to forestall plaque from organizing is to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at the least once a day. Brushing your teeth will help energize your gums and successively keep them healthy and less susceptible to gum diseases.

 

Toothpastes are commonly made of detergents, abradants and foaming agents. The basic active ingredient in toothpaste is fluoride. Fluoride is the element of the toothpaste that's responsible for forestalling cavities from forming. When picking out what toothpaste to purchase, make certain that it has an expectant amount of fluoride to keep your mouth cavity-free. Written reports state that 1 out of 10 people have a disposition to amass tartar quickly. What is tartar? It's really plaque that has hard to remove and damaging as it's already in toughened form.

 

There are anti-tartar toothpastes and gargles available in the market today which may help keep tartar away. A different good tip for preventing the formation of tartar is brushing the teeth located close to the salivary glands.

 

For people that appear to have teeth which are sensitive to pressure, cold and heat, there are toothpastes especially made for tender teeth. All the same, a visit to the dentist might be most advantageous so that the dentist may assess whether the sensitivity of the teeth might lead to a grievous problem like nerve inflammation or serious cavity.

 

While brushing is considered to be the most crucial part in the personal dental care routine, it doesn’t really have the ability to get rid of the plaque and food specks between the teeth, below the gum line or inside braces. Floss is the weapon to do away with the teeth and mouth “pests”. Flossing may be done at least once a day.

 

On the whole, maintaining your very own personal dental care routine may be simple, as long as you've enough willingness and purpose to accomplish a great set of pearly whites.

 

If you're among the many individuals who don’t truly provide much attention to your teeth, don’t wait till you experience atrocious dental-related issues like toothache, bad breath (halitosis) or hemorrhaging gums.

 

Beware of Diet Fads When Trying to Shed Pounds

It might be actresses such as Suzanne Sommers and Jane Fonda, or models such as Christie Brinkley or Kathy Ireland. It seems that a number of celebrities today offer their own weight loss programs. The programs are appealing because we see these various svelte celebrities and we want to have bodies just like them. The celebrities are also highly likable, so we have a predisposition to be accepting of their products.

 

However, did you ever stop to think whether these celebrities have any nutritional training? Do they have medical training? Is the information that they offer nutritionally sound? Or is it just a good sales pitch?

 

Nutrition experts Annette B. Natow and Jo-Ann Heslin, authors of the book Get Skinny the Smart Way, say that consumers should be leery of celebrity-inspired diet books. They point out that such books are often based upon nutritional fiction and that, while the diets outlined in these books may result in short-term weight loss, they can be far from healthy in the long run. Therefore, you might consider passing up the celebrity diet books and opting for those written by nutritional experts instead.

 

But celebrities aren’t the only ones preaching fad diets. For instance, there’s the so-called grapefruit diet which recommends consuming a grapefruit prior to each meal. Another fad is the cabbage soup diet, which requires you to consume all the cabbage soup you can handle. Other fads call for eating all the eggs you can…consuming only raw foods…or fasting every other day. Such diets are not only based on nutritional misinformation—they can also be dangerous. 

 

For instance, let’s take a closer look at the cabbage soup diet. No major health organization has endorsed it. Moreover, the American Heart Association disapproves of it, noting that it can actually harm you. Promoters of this diet say that you can lose as much as 15 pounds a week by following it—what they don’t say is that most of that weight is water weight. Once you begin eating normally again, you will see your weight rise once more. Some of the side-effects of the cabbage soup diet include a feeling of weakness, stomach pains, and diarrhea. 

 

Yet another questionable diet approach is what’s known as food combining. Such a diet assumes that you are overweight because you are not eating the right combination of food. The requirements of such a diet can seem quite arbitrary. For instance, you might be told that you can eat a banana only in the morning. This is rubbish, since your stomach can deal with a variety of different foods at one time. The idea behind such a diet is to eat food with fewer calories, but there are other methods you can use to accomplish the same goals.

 

Some companies even claim that you can shed pounds while you dream. They say that, if you use their product right before bedtime, you will lose weight. In actuality, no company can make such a claim with any degree of credibility. It is impossible to burn a large number of calories while snoozing. In other cases, you may be tempted to try to lose weight by consuming special milkshakes or candy bars. In essence, these products are just milk and candy with certain vitamins and minerals added. However, one rarely feels satisfied after consuming these products. As a result, you may find yourself actually consuming additional calories during the rest of the day. While you might be able to theoretically lose weight in the short-term, you’ll find it difficult to maintain the weight loss over the long haul.

 

The fact of the matter is that there is a great deal of money that can be made through the sale and marketing of diet products. As long as America has a large contingent of overweight people, companies will try to make a profit off of overeating. It is up to you to be savvy enough to recognize a diet fad when you see it and opt for a different approach to losing weight. You’ll find that there are really no short-cuts to weight loss. Any successful diet program takes time, patience, and determination, along with a willingness to change your eating patterns.   

 

Emotional Eating: A Prime Ingredient for Obesity

Sandra found her weight ballooning 60 pounds after her separation from her husband. While part of the weight gain was apparently tied to the medication she was taking, the rest appeared to be the result of what can be described as emotional eating. In recent years, greater attention has been focused on the problem of emotional eating for both women and men. In fact, some experts have gone so far as to claim that most weight gain can be blamed on emotional eating. According to Women Today magazine, it has been estimated that as much as 75 percent of overeating is attributed to the emotions. 

 

For a number of people, overeating stems from anxiety. For instance, if you find yourself consuming an entire bag of potato chips, it’s possible that anxiety is the cause. While many people realize that alcohol and illegal drugs are not an antidote to anxiety, they may not understand that indulging in comfort food in order to combat anxiety can be dangerous as well.

 

In other cases, overeating may be the result of depression. If you feel tired, hopeless, and have lost interest in your normal activities, you may be suffering from a depressive episode. In order to deal with these uncomfortable feelings, people may turn to food in an effort to cheer up. The problem is that the food can lead to weight gain, which can lead to further depression.

 

At times, overeating may be a symptom of boredom. An individual may figure that he or she has nothing better to do than overeat. This can be particularly true when one is watching television or surfing the Internet. Rather than trying to determine a cause for the boredom, an individual may just try to “fix” it by indulging in high-fat, high-calorie food.

 

How do you know if you are an emotional eater? Ask yourself some key questions: Do I tend to eat when I’m worried? Scared? Sad? Do I find that eating lifts my spirits? Am I spending more time eating than engaging in other activities I enjoy? Do my binges come after I’ve suffered disappointment? Am I turning to food in order to deal with the death of a loved one…a divorce…or the defeat of my favorite team? If the answers to any of these questions is “yes,” you may be overeating purely for emotional reasons.

 

After you’ve identified yourself as an emotional eater, you’ll need to take steps to correct your behavior. Perhaps the most effective technique is diversion. In other words, if you find yourself reaching for the cookie jar, find another activity to engage in. The answer could be taking a walk, kickboxing, or dancing. Or it could be something less physically demanding, such as needlepoint or crochet. The idea is to get your hands…and perhaps the rest of your body…moving. In time, you might find the urge to overeat subsides as you become involved with other activities.

 

Another effective step you can take is to identify the triggers for your emotional eating. Do you tend to binge in mid-morning, mid-afternoon, or right before bedtime? Are you snacking while watching television, while at the computer, or when you’re sitting in your favorite chair? By asking yourself these questions, you can identify the time of day when you overeat, as well as the location for your binging. With this information, you can learn to re-direct your behavior to less fattening pursuits. 

 

Yet another helpful technique is to develop a support network to help you combat overeating. The members of your support team could include your spouse, children, parents, friends, or other over-eaters. You may even consider joining a support group which specializes in helping those who engage in binge eating. If you feel the need to overeat, contact a member of your support team. Talking through your emotions could provide you with the emotional release you need, making overeating unnecessary.

 

If your anxiety or depression persists, consider seeing a psychotherapist. He or she can help you develop more effective coping mechanisms. If you find it difficult to talk to friends or family about your overeating, a psychotherapist can provide you with the talk therapy you need to overcome your problem.

  

Mind Over Matter: Key Strategies for Weight Loss Success

Katie, a 33-year-old mother of two, has been on her share of diets over the years. From Weight Watchers to the Zone to Sugar Busters, she feels as if she has tried them all. While she has had moderate success in losing weight from time to time, she has never found a long-term weight loss solution. Her weight is a point of contention in her marriage; her husband—who also happens to be obese—wishes she were thin, but says he loves her anyway. The two have been separated a number of times, and even filed for divorce once. The stress has caused Katie to begin binge eating again. 

 

There is hope for Katie and others like her who feel as if they’re trapped on the diet carousel. The key to long-term weight loss success may not be the body, but the mind. Research indicates that those who have a positive outlook on life are more likely to lose weight—and stay thin. But how can you have a positive outlook when you’ve been burned so many times before? Is it possible to “will your way” to losing weight?

 

One technique that has been proven effective in sports training is something called visualization. For instance, a baseball player might visualize his bat connecting with a ball, leading to a homerun. A soccer player might visualize kicking the winning goal in a soccer match. And a golfer might visualize sinking the winning putt in the Masters Tournament.

 

The same technique can be used by dieters. Visualize yourself as thin. Picture yourself in that dress that is now two sizes too small. Imagine stepping onto the scale and being pleased with the result. Visualize yourself saying “no” to that piece of chocolate cake or that plate of Fettucini Alfredo. These mind exercises can help to spur you onto weight loss.

 

When people learn they are suffering from cancer, they are encouraged to imagine their cancer cells being destroyed by healthy cells. You can follow the same technique in order to lose weight. That means imagining your fat cells being destroyed by thin cells. Through such a method, you can “think your way” to a healthy weight. 

 

In addition, it is critically important that you maintain a positive attitude. Be forgiving of yourself. If you veer off your diet plan, simply get back on course with your next meal. Don’t spend precious time “beating yourself up” over your failures. Instead, celebrate your successes—in a non-fattening way. For instance, when you reach a milestone—say you’ve lost ten pounds—reward yourself with a trip to an art museum or to your favorite coffee shop (but skip the cream and sugar). Marking milestones will give you a sense of accomplishment, a sense that you are triumphing over food.

 

Another helpful technique can be prayer or meditation. Some support groups even offer Bible-based weight loss programs that use scripture verses to help inspire. Taking stock of your life and handing your weight loss problems over to a higher power can be cathartic and may give you a sense of peace about your weight difficulties. It has been said that a clear head leads to a healthy body. Try praying or meditating ten minutes at the start of your day. Chances are you will feel refreshed and ready to tackle the weight challenges that come your way.

 

Yet another technique you might consider is role-playing. Grab your spouse or a friend and ask him or her to act out a situation in which you might be tempted to overeat. You’ll be forced to come up with strategies to fight temptation. This rehearsal could prove to be quite helpful when a real life diet dilemma comes your way. If role-playing works for job interviews, it should be beneficial for your weight as well. 

 

Mind over matter is not just a clever saying. It can actually be the solution to your weight loss problems. By using your brain power, you can develop the techniques needed to make healthy food choices. When your mind and your body are both healthy, you have the best of both worlds.