Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
vendredi 13 février 2015
Resisting peer pressure
In a perfect world, family and friends would do nothing but encourage you during your 12 weeks.
In reality, it’s not always like that.
You may have had a friend tell you,
“just one more drink won’t hurt” or a
partner say, “forget the gym tonight,
let’s go out for dinner”or a parent who
urges you to have another slice of their
homemade cake.
It’s probably well-meaning. But that
doesn’t help when it comes to sticking
to your daily calorie allowance. Here
are seven ways to resist peer pressure:• Get home support. Tell your family how much you value their support. The more involved they feel, the more sensitive they’re likely to be.
• Ask those around you not to offer you your favourite treats so you don’t give in to temptation.
• Plan evenings out in advance to adjust your calorie intake during the day so you don’t go over your daily allowance.
• Avoid “rounds” at the pub. They can force you to keep up with your friends’ drinking. Sit them out and buy your own drinks.
• If you’re eating out, decide beforehand what you’ll eat. Many restaurants display menus online.
• Learn to say no. It’s not unfriendly to refuse unwanted food or drink offered by loved ones. Be polite but firm.
• Celebrate your success. When you hit a target, let everyone know so they see how much it means to you.
Diet-friendly socialising
Here are some ways to spend time with friends to take your mind off food:
• A country walk
• The cinema (take your own popcorn!)
• Bowling
• A bike ride and (low-calorie) picnic
• Roller-skating
• A game of Frisbee or football on the park
• A day at a spa
Weight loss tips for parents
Cooking for children can derail your diet so try these tips:
• Plan family meals ahead of time. If necessary, include a child-friendly option alongside your own healthy meal
• Don’t ‘supersize’ your children’s meals. That way, there’ll be fewer leftovers to graze on. Good portion control can benefit the whole family
mercredi 11 février 2015
Weight loss pitfalls
Are you struggling to lose weight? Find out what could be tripping you up. Here are some of the most common weight loss traps and some quick fixes.
Skipping breakfast can lead to unplanned and unhealthy mid-morning snacking or bingeing at lunchtime.
Fix: go for breakfasts containing fibre, such as wholegrain bread or porridge.
Skipping meals
Skipping any meal is a bad idea. It may reduce your calorie intake for a brief period, but you’ll be much hungrier later on and more likely to overeat.
Fix: eat regularly and don’t starve from one meal to the next. Have some healthier snacks handy just in case.
Losing track of your calories
A cafe latte, a handful of crisps, a piece of chocolate, a biscuit ... mindless munching can easily sabotage an otherwise well-planned diet.
Fix: make a note of every bite to stay within your calorie allowance.
Unhealthy snacking
High-calorie snacks will do your waistline no favours, but healthier snacks can help you control hunger and keep your energy levels up.
Fix: choose snacks with fibre such as fruit, veg and wholegrain food.
Lapping up low-fat ‘Low-fat’ or ‘fat-free’ doesn’t always mean low calorie.
Fix: always check food labels for fat, sugar and calorie content.
Drinking too many calories
Some fancy coffees, sweet fizzy drinks, smoothies and alcoholic drinks can pack a calorie punch.
Fix: go for water (still or sparkling) with a slice of lemon, tea or coffee with reduced-fat milk, or herbal tea.
Weighing yourself too often Your weight can fluctuate from day to day, so weighing yourself daily may not give a true picture of your weight loss.
Fix: weigh yourself once a week and use other goals to measure progress.
Setting unrealistic goals
Thinking you’ll lose half a stone (3kg) in your first week is probably setting yourself up for failure. A realistic goal is vital to successful dieting.
Fix: smaller goals are the building blocks to weight loss success.
Gaining weight from exercising
Take care not to cancel out the calories you’ve burned during exercise by eating more afterwards or you might end up putting on weight.
Fix: for a low calorie post-workout snack, choose a 100kcal snack from Week 4.
Oversized portions
This is a common reason why people struggle to lose weight.
Fix: use smaller plates and stop eating before you feel full.
Take the Week 6
MoT test It’s time to take stock of your progress and highlight any problems. Are you: Carefully recording all calories? ¨ Weighing food when cooking? ¨ Watching your drinking? ¨ Reading food and drink labels? ¨ Exercising 150 minutes a week? ¨ Getting your 5 A Day? ¨ Having breakfast every day? ¨ If you didn't tick all the boxes then think about why and find a fix.
Non-food rewards
Tried and tested non-food rewards to help you celebrate your progress: • new music • new pair of jeans • new running shoes • trip to the movies • a DVD box set • a day at a health spa • a cooking class • a day off work For more ideas, read Non-food rewards for losing weight at nhs.uk/rewards
mercredi 4 février 2015
Losing weight Getting started - Week 6
Congratulations! You’ve reached the halfway stage of this guide.
There may have been bumps in the road but you’ve shown the determination to
continue the journey. By sticking with
it over the weeks, you’ve shown a real
desire to change.
We’re rooting for you. You can do it.
Use this midway point to review
your routine to make sure there’s
nothing holding you back from losing
weight.
Your actions for Week 6
• Tell family and friends how you’re
doing – you might even inspire them to
join you
• Plan a non-food reward for when you
get to 12 weeks. See what others chose
on the next page
lundi 2 février 2015
Think before you drink
It’s not just alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks from lattes to colas can also lead your calorie count to creep up.
What you drink should not be
overlooked when trying to lose weight.
Drinking too many sugar-sweetened
drinks can contribute to weight gain.
So what are the common offenders and
where could you be going wrong?
Coffee:
Getting a caffeine fix could give you
193kcal or more in one hit if you opt for
cappuccino or mocha. Switch to black
or white coffee instead.
Fruit juice and smoothies:
You might feel virtuous guzzling
these but watch out. A small glass of
cranberry or apple juice racks up nearly
100kcal and a small 250ml yoghurt-based smoothie can be about 136kcal.
Go for fruit-only smoothies instead.
Although fruit juice counts towards
your 5 A Day, you may find eating
pieces of fruit more filling.
Fizzy drinks:
Lemonade or cola is not only bad for
our teeth but it can provide 140kcal in
just one can. Switch to diet versions
and think of it as a one-off treat.
Experimenting with some interesting
flavour combinations can help make it
feel less like you’re depriving yourself
so you’ll stick with it – research shows
that our tastebuds can be retrained
over time to enjoy far less sugar in
drinks (or no sugar at all).
Liquid calories
Per 250ml serving:
Cola drink: 105kcal
Mocha: 193kcal
Cappuccino: 110kcal
Chocolate milkshake: 195kcal
Smoothie: 136kcal
Pure orange juice: 122.5kcal
Pomegranate juice: 170kcal
Pure apple juice: 117kcal
Caffeinated energy drink: 112.5kcal
Note that 150ml of pure
unsweetened fruit juice can
provide one of your 5 A Day.
Minty lemonade recipe
Make a refreshing, lower-calorie
alternative to sugary canned drinks:
• large handful fresh mint leaves
• juice of 6 lemons and zest of 3
• 3 tbsp sugar
• sparkling mineral water
1. Tear the mint leaves to release
the flavour
2. Add the mint to a jug with the
juice, zest and sugar
3. Top up with sparkling water
4. Chill in the fridge
Serves 4 at 46kcals per serving
vendredi 30 janvier 2015
Weight loss:Calories in alcohol
Did you know a standard glass of wine contains as many calories as a small chocolate and a pint of lager has as many calories as a packet of crisps?
The problem is, most of us just don’t
think of alcohol as being calorific.
So, while we might go easy on the
single cream when eating desserts, we
wouldn’t think twice about knocking
back a couple of pints. In fact, the
calorie content of two pints is similar to
that of a full glass of single cream.
With this in mind, it’s easy to
understand how excess alcohol intake
can easily contribute to gaining weight.
Two large glasses of white wine,
totalling 360kcal, will provide a woman
with nearly a fifth of her daily calorie
allowance.
A beer-drinker knocking back just five
pints a week would add a whopping
44,200kcal over a year, equivalent to
221 doughnuts.
Alcohol contains lots of calories –
seven calories a gram in fact, almost as
many as a gram of fat. And, of course,
additional calories can be present in
added mixer drinks.
Many drinkers add to their liquid
calorie count by having snacks, such
as crisps, nuts or pork scratchings, with
their tipple, not to mention a hangover-induced fry-up the morning after, which
can add an extra 450kcal.
Tips to avoid weight gain
• Stick to your daily recommended
units. Men shouldn’t regularly drink
more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day.
Women should not regularly drink more
than 2-3 units a day. As a guide, a pint
of lager and a 250ml glass of wine both
contain 3 units of alcohol.
• Alternate an alcoholic drink with a
diet soft drink or water – this will help
to prevent you becoming dehydrated.
• Choose drinks with a lower ABV
(alcohol by volume) instead of your
usual tipple. There’s an increasing range
of lower alcohol choices available and
most also have fewer calories.
• Don’t drink on an empty stomach,
as this can lead to snacking. If you do
snack while drinking, avoid high-calorie
snacks such as crisps, pork scratchings
chips. Try lighter options such as
pretzels, plain popcorn or oven-baked
crisps.
• Drinking in rounds can mean you end
up drinking more than you intended.
Opt out and drink at your own pace.
• Try cutting down with a friend,
as you’ll be more likely to stick to it
with moral support.
• Eat a healthier dinner before you start
drinking. Order or cook before you start
drinking so you’re not tempted to go
for the less healthy options.
• Avoid ‘binge drinking’. Drinking a
large amount of alcohol over a short
period of time may be significantly
worse for your health than frequently
drinking small quantities.
How calorific is your tipple?
• A pint of 5% strength beer = a packet of McCoys salted crisps
(170kcal)
• A standard glass (175ml) of 12%
wine = one Cadbury Heroes
miniature bar (126kcal)
• A double measure (50ml) of
17.5% fortified wine = one Asda
bourbon biscuit (65kcal)
• A glass (50ml) of (17%) cream
liqueur = a Milky Way bar (118kcal)
• A standard bottle (330ml) of
5% alcopop = three Lees teacakes
(237kcal)
Drink swaps
• SWAP a pina colada FOR a mojito
and save 326kcal
• SWAP a pint of lager FOR lager
shandy and save 100kcal
• SWAP double rum & coke FOR
single vodka, lime & soda and save
107kcal
• SWAP a large glass of white wine
FOR a white wine spritzer with
soda and save 35kcal
mercredi 28 janvier 2015
Losing weight Getting started - Week 5
You’ve made it to Week 5! You’re on a roll!
So far we’ve focused on food, but most of
what we drink also contains calories so it’s
a good idea to make sure you’re keeping
a close eye on those liquid calories.
If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve not
been losing weight even after sticking to
a strict eating regime, now’s the time to
see if that regular latte, flavoured water
or evening tipple is sabotaging your best
efforts to lose weight.
Your actions
for Week 5
• Track your drinking with our apps and
tools at nhs.uk/alcohol
• If you’re a cappuccino or latte drinker,
try switching to a black or white coffee
• Try skimmed milk instead of semi-skimmed milk for a week
• Stick to your calorie limit – 1,400kcal
for women and 1,900kcal for men
• You should be doing 150 minutes
of activity by now. If not, get some
inspiration at nhs.uk/fitness
Did you know?
The key to weight loss success is not
changes to your diet and activity levels
you can live with.
If your changes are too drastic, it will
feel like a struggle. If you fall off the
wagon, you may return to old habits
and regain weight.
Articles
