Part II - Extending Your Lifespan through Healthy Eating and Weight Loss

Health Habits to Improve Lifespan

Part II - Extending Your Lifespan through Healthy Eating and Weight Loss

Most of us realize that being overweight can cause or contribute to all kinds of health problems. Therefore, losing unwanted pounds to ensure a healthy weight for your body type/frame is very important. To lose weight, we need to increase our daily calorie expenditure through exercise or decrease our daily calorie intake through diet. Most of us realize this -- to lose weight, you must eat less and/or exercise more; however, the challenge for the average person is to figure out how to make this as simple and painless as possible.

Weight loss experts recommend losing no more than two to three pounds per week. This means a reduction in calories of approximately 1,000 calories per day. That probably sounds like a lot, but let's look at some simple measures that will help you achieve your weight loss goal:

1. Exercise: No matter what type of weight loss plan you choose, it is necessary to include exercise as a component. Why? Because exercise not only burns calories -- it builds muscle. And muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue.

Exercise professionals generally recommend a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week of aerobic exercise (walking, etc.) exercise to maintain heart health. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise every day will burn about 300 calories. If you all do about 2 days of strength training (also recommended), this will average a calorie deficit of about 300 calories a day. And that does not take into consideration the fact that aerobic exercise increases metabolic rate overall, which will help you to burn more calories.

In addition, health professionals also recommend adding fiber to your diet. The use of fiber-rich foods are a must to help you lose weight. Below is a list of the best fiber-rich foods to help you in your weight loss efforts:

1. Bran 3. Peas 7. Potato

2. Berries 4. Nuts/Seeds 8. Fruit

3. Beans 5. Squash

In addition, adding fiber via fiber bars, fiber supplements, and other fiber products can help you feel fuller though you are actually eating substantially less calories.

Most people realize that fiber is helpful for regularity and digestive health, but could fiber also be one of the keys to extending your lifespan? According to a report that was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, fiber may actually contribute to one having a healthier, longer life. The report found that a diet rich in fiber, particularly from whole grains, may reduce or prevent incidences of infections, respiratory disease, heart disease, and colon cancer.

American dietary guidelines recommend to consume at least 25-35 grams of fiber per day or approximately 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed. However, surveys reveal that most people consume 12-15 grams of fiber per day or less. So, inclusion of high-quality fiber products in one’s diet could greatly contribute toward the goal of expanding your lifespan. It has been found that inclusion of fiber in the diet also aids the body in eliminating toxins and waste products from the body. Detoxifiers are great aids to assist in doing this. Fiber also has a favorable effect on cholesterol and blood sugar levels and is helpful for overall cardiovascular health.

Therefore, one of the smartest moves you can make is to add a high-quality, natural fiber supplement to your daily diet. High-quality fiber supplement products made from all-natural ingredients such as flax seed, chia, or acacia can be taken daily and can provide vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and even healthy fats like omega 3 in addition to the fiber. So while research studies are plentiful and ongoing, we can be sure from what we now know, that fiber-rich foods and supplements should be included in your diet to help one to achieve the goal of extending your lifespan through healthy eating and weight loss.


2. Try to reduce some of the high-calorie foods you eat. Remember that fat has twice the calories as protein or carbohydrates. (There are countless high protein diet plans, fat blockers, and carb/carbohydrate blockers on the market that can assist you in achieving this goal.) Sugary foods, foods made from white flour, and foods high in fat have far too many calories and little nutritional value.

3. Eat more salads, fresh fruits, and low-sodium soups. Due to its high water content, these foods can also make you feel fuller without adding too many additional calories. You feel fuller faster which helps you to avoid eating other high-calorie foods.

These are few suggestions that anyone can follow simply and painlessly. So give them a try. You may be pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be to live a healthier life today while entending your lifespan. Make healthy choices today and live longer tomorrow!