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3 Healthy Weight Loss Tips for Women

December 17, 2015 by

It can be difficult to lose weight on your own, but with some dedication and a few smart tips from the professionals, your weight loss goals are completely attainable. Here are three healthy ways for women to lose weight. (Be sure to ask for doctor for advice, too!)

  1. Never skip a meal. Many people skip meals while dieting in order to cut calories (or because they went overboard with a previous meal), but this is one of the worst things you can do in the long run. Not only does skipping meals make you feel hungry and even faint or dizzy, it also slows your metabolism and can even cause you to overeat at your next meal. Shoot for five small, balanced meals per day.
  2. Be realistic about your weekly weight loss. While it is possible to drop a lot of weight all at once, you’re much more likely to gain the weight back if you follow this plan. Instead, aim to lose 2 to 2.5 pounds per week, which is the amount that most doctors consider healthiest for the average woman.
  3. Plan short, intense blocks of exercise each day. It’s not always easy to work out every day, but studies show that shorter, more intense bursts of regular exercise are more conducive to weight loss than working out for longer periods only a few times per week.

Our 75 Best Tips for Losing Weight [Woman’s Day]
Women's Health [WebMD]
6 Weight Loss Tips to Steal From French Women [Shape]

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Determine Your Risk for Heart Attack with This Online Tool from the NIH

February 19, 2015 by

A heart attack is a particularly frightening condition that affects both men and women, but there are a number of factors that make certain people more likely to have one. If you’re worried that you might be at risk for having a life-threatening heart condition, this helpful risk assessment tool from the NIH will help you pinpoint your risk factors.

The tool determines a person’s risk of having a heart attack in the next 10 years by asking a few simple lifestyle questions. It is designed for adults aged 20 and older. Things like age and gender are easy to answer, but other questions may be a bit trickier. Most of us don’t know our total cholesterol or systolic blood pressure off the top of our heads, but this guide makes it easy to figure them out. Click on the link to a question you don’t understand, and the guide explains how to determine these important numbers.

Once you receive your results, you can begin to take charge of your health!

Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating Your 10-Year Risk of Having a Heart Attack [National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute]

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Two Surprising Sources of High Fructose Corn Syrup

October 16, 2014 by

High fructose corn syrup is a main ingredient in many packaged or processed foods, a fact that's caused quite an intense debate among many nutritionists and other food authorities. While some think that it isn’t so bad for you, others argue that high fructose corn syrup is one of the major causes of our nation’s rise in obesity. If you want to avoid the controversial ingredient, here are two surprising products that you should steer clear of at the grocery store.

  1. Juices. Though fruit juices may seem healthy, many of the store-bought brands are actually fruit juice cocktails rather than 100% fruit juice. If a juice is more of a cocktail juice, there’s almost a definite chance that it contains high fructose corn syrup. A simple way to avoid these types of juices is by looking for types that aren't made from concentrate, or you can also check the ingredients list to look for the sneaky syrup yourself.
  2. Cereals. Even supposedly healthy breakfast cereals often contain high fructose corn syrup. Don’t believe that just because a cereal also contains whole grains or wheat it’s necessarily healthy; in fact, those types often need the syrup to make them taste more flavorful. Always check the ingredient label before you purchase your next box, or get to know a few brands that don’t use high fructose corn syrup in any of their products.

Corn Syrup in Unexpected Foods [HuffPost Healthy Living]
Surprising Products that Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup [Divine Caroline]
(Not So) Sweet: Surprising Foods Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup [Babble]
6 Popular Foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup [FitDay]

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Interesting Trivia from Outdated USDA Food Guides

January 22, 2014 by

Over the years, the USDA has compiled a large number of informational food guides to advise people on everything from counting calories to managing diabetes. While some of the advice remains with us today, other tips have been superseded by new discoveries and better nutrition knowledge.

Here are some interesting tips from past USDA food guides:

  • In the 1940s, food portion sizes were measured using a yardstick rather than the cups or ounces that we use today.
  • In the 1960s, the USDA recommended that people eat the same amount of grains as they did fruits and vegetables. Today, we know that we should limit the amount of grains we consume, in favor of eating more fruits and veggies.
  • Many of the USDA’s food guide tips developed in the 1980s are still in use today, such as limiting sodium intake, drinking alcohol in moderation and avoiding saturated fat and cholesterol.

Too see more past food guides from the USDA, click here.

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