Saturday, November 19, 2011

Ways to Get Your Mind Off Food Cravings

Cravings for food can strike you at any time and they can have disastrous results especially if you are trying to lose weight and have gone on a diet. When you see those pizza commercials on television or see your best friend sitting across from you munching down on a giant piece of cheesecake, it's easy to become focused on just how much you want that treat for yourself. The good news is that no matter how much you want that food, there are things that you can use to help you overcome it and forget about the temptations that are unhealthy for your body.

One of the first steps that many people take when going on a diet is to lower their calorie intake and sometimes they end up unintentionally lowering their fluid intake as well. A good portion of hydration for your body comes from the foods that you eat and when you eat less food, it can make you hungrier because thirst can be equally intense as being hungry. Thirst can disguise itself as a craving or hunger.

It can prove to be a very difficult task to distinguish between true hunger and thirst. Intense cravings for food can often be subdued by drinking a glass of juice or an electrolyte sports drink. These drinks will not only make you feel full and lessen your food craving, they will also quench your thirst which will help you keep your cravings under control.

If you are watching your favorite television show in the comfort of your own home and the craving hits you for a salty greasy bag of potato chips and you cannot get your mind off of it, choose something else that will be healthier for your body. Try keeping a small bag of baked chips on hand when you get these cravings because they have less salt and calories or try a bag of pretzels or nuts as they are also great alternatives.

When the craving hits you for something sweet, try an apple or some other kind of fruit instead of having a slice of apple pie. There are many low-calorie options that are available that you can have as alternatives to things such as cake and cookies. Fresh fruit is a great substitute for something sweet.

Make sure that you do not cut your favorite foods completely out of your diet. It is important to keep your diet filled with healthy and nutritious foods, but it is entirely okay to indulge in your favorite foods as long as you do in moderation. It makes dieting a lot more difficult when you completely deny yourself the opportunity to eat your favorite foods.

There is no problem with you having a slice of pizza once in a while or having a cookie or two as long as you do it in moderation and that will also help you to keep your cravings in check.

If you are having a tough struggle to control your food temptations, sometimes it can be useful to get away from the source. You might want to try taking a walk around the block because that can often clear your mind and refresh your muscles and stop you from thinking about those cookies in the cupboard or the cake in the fridge.

Hopefully by applying these tips to your life, you will be on your way to a much healthier lifestyle for you and your family.

I hope that you enjoyed this article and if you would like some great information on eating healthy, please visit my web site where you will find some great free tips to help you live a long and healthy life.

I am a 54 year old retired mill worker from Northern Maine. I am happily married with 3 wonderful boys. My main interests are my family and God. I own a eating healthy web site with great tips and information that is designed to help you live a healthier and longer life.

www.eatinghealthyhub.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brent_Cullen

Fuel Your Body Right With Paleo Meals

People are always looking for ways to improve their diets. They might want to lose weight so they will look better, but they also might have health concerns.

Improving their diet is one of the best ways to make positive health changes and make a significant lifestyle difference.

There are numerous different diets people can choose from, but some are more effective than others. If you are looking for a way to add whole, natural foods to your diet to improve your health, you might want to try this diet. The diet features meals filled with foods that have been eaten since the paleolithic era. These meals include eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean meats, and seafood.

In addition to health improvements and weight loss benefits, the Paleo diet also offers simple meal options. The easier food is to prepare, the quicker you can prepare meals. If you love to cook, you can still make sophisticated gourmet meals on this plan. If your concern is preparing food quickly for your busy family, that is an option, as well. Many of the meals even freeze well and can be defrosted at a later time and enjoyed with little effort.

Menus include whole, healthy foods like flax seeds, walnuts, fish that is high in Omega 3 acids like salmon, scallops and shrimp, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Basically, if it exists in nature, you are able to eat it. It focuses on keeping people healthy and providing foods that are high in vitamins and minerals. The diet is not a fad diet requiring dieters to count calories and restrict foods. Paleo meals are filled with quality foods and most people on the diet are not hungry. The difference is it lacks the saturated fat, preservatives, additives, and high sugar foods found in the Standard American Diet.

This diet offers the variety many people need to stick to a healthy eating plan. You are able to enjoy ethnic foods, foods that are sufficiently spiced, and meals that include protein, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins and nutrients. Your appetite is satisfied and you feel energetic and healthy. The cravings for the foods you once had are gone because you are nourishing your body.

There are plenty of resources for those who want to enjoy Paleo meals. Cookbooks offer advice on preparing meals, choosing the healthiest options, and feeding your family affordably. Many times the toughest part of committing to a new lifestyle is understanding what to do. You might want to eat healthier, but without a little guidance, you feel overwhelmed. There are plenty of people who shop for a supple of Paleo foods, but know nothing about how to prepare them. Using a cookbook is a great way to help you navigate the unfamiliar territory of a new eating plan.

If you are struggling for a way to lose weight or you have been diagnosed with a disease or condition that is affected by your diet, you might feel confused and frustrated. Eliminating processed foods and chemicals is a great place to start. You might need to exercise or make additional changes, but your body will be healthier just eating whole, natural foods.

Renne Gilbert is a Paleo diet consultant. For more information on Paleo meals, visit http://ww.paleodietblueprint.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Renee_Gilbert

Monday, November 7, 2011

How Do Gyms And Health Clubs Work?

The title may sound like a foolish question, but a little more thought starts to trigger all sorts of concerns in your mind about the possibilities regarding the running of a health club facility. There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes of running such club. But, you'll find some essentials that occur with each one.

A business Plan

First of all, it's quite important to remember that although a 'sport health club' seems like the place where you go to so that you can exercise and relax, it is still very much a company at its center. In order to be a successful company you need a business plan. The business plan for a fitness club consists of several aspects that define the way the company will operate, but mainly outlines the fact that a health club offers a service to its customers, of which they pay for the service on a month-to-month foundation. These monthly fees finance the business and help predict future financial success.

A Franchise Or A Chain?

Once a business plan has been established for the up and coming gyms, the next thing is to determine whether the business will create facilities for itself to run, or whether the health club brand and business plan will be sold-out as an element of a franchise. This is a main decision that must be decided in the beginning as it's going to significantly impact such business.

A franchise is helpful for a start-up health center that wants to expand its brand as quickly as possible, with the least expensive capital investment necessary. The investment will come from franchisees, who wish to buy-in to the business, and they will also bear the health center's branding and adopt its business plan.

A health club chain is a likely approach for companies or large groups of investors wishing to start a fitness club business. They're the only owners of the business and reap all the profits while putting of all the investments required.

Marketing And Advertising

The marketing budget for a brand new fitness center chain or franchise should be large enough to finance considerable initial marketing campaigns. Promotions are run to attract new customers to come and sign up for the club, with the possibility of lower membership fees so that you can undercut your competitors and consequently ignite interest in the fitness center being created.

The competition for health club facilities is on the rise so you want to make sure your ad campaign is imaginative.

Available Services

The services that fitness clubs offer should be hospitable in their very nature. Customer service is at the forefront of any business that handles, and provides services directly to, the customer. Whether or not you are a start-up health club or one seeking to retain customers you need to bear this in mind.

There are many diverse types of services that a fitness center can offer its subscribers. Things such as weight rooms, spa areas complete with saunas and massage therapy, gym facilities, and even a cafe with health food. The purpose is to make such a business a one stop health and fitness center.

With a facility this size offering this many services to its customers it's understandable that you are going to need a big staff. You'll need everything from fitness trainers to workers to man the front desk. As a result, staff expenses are one of the biggest long run costs for the business.

At CoolGymsHealthClubs.com you will find more articles about sport health club, like what to expect from gyms in NYC if you are leaving in New York. We talk also about health club equipment, franchises, etc. If you are a health club owner, we can show you how to get more members. It's all good, have a look gyms health clubs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Lissaint