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Saturday, 24 September 2011

Fruits Nutrition Facts

Fruits and vegetables are not only delicious but healthy as well. They contain essential vitamins and minerals that are an important part of a balanced daily diet. Fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants from fruits and vegetables protect against life threatening diseases like cancer, heart diseases, stroke and diabetes. But, remember, no one food will contain all these essential nutrients. That is why it is very important to include a variety of both vegetables and fruits in your daily diet!

Today, we are going to have a look at our fruits and see what they offer in terms of nutrition facts and benefits for our health and diet,


Apples
Apples are a perfect addition to your weight-loss plan for a number of reasons. Apples are low in calories and fat, low in sodium, and contain vitamins and minerals as well as fibre. These can all help you lose weight in different ways. The fibre helps you feel full longer because it expands in your stomach so it takes less food to satisfy your hunger. Low-sodium will help prevent excess water weight or retention. And, the vitamins benefit you by increasing health and vitality.


 
Orange
Orange contains high amount of Vitamin C, which helps in absorbing calcium into the body and maintaining the health of teeth and bones. It is also a good source of dietary Fibre. The nutritional value of orange makes it good for indigestion, constipation, bowel disorders and dental care.



Kiwi
Kiwis contain more Vitamin C than organges. They also contain high amounts of dietary fibre which makes it good for controlling blood sugar, colon and cardiovascular problems. Kiwi is made up of 83% of water and hence contains about 61 calories per 100g only.



Grape
Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes may help to lower the risk of developing blood clots and also reduces high blood pressure. Grapes are very effective in overcoming constipation as well. They are considered as a laxative food, as they contain organic acid, sugar and cellulose.

 Banana
Bananas are an excellent source of Vitamin B. Banana contains about 90 to 93 calories per 100g. Bananas are ideal for people looking to lose or maintain weight through sound nutrition. Bananas offer an amazing fat-free package of natural energy, minerals, vitamins and fibre. Researchers also state that eating bananas regularly may play a stronger role in the control of high blood pressure than restricting salt.



Avocado
Avocadoes stuff a tremendous amount of nutrients into a small package. They are loaded with dietary fibre, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Potassium (60% more than Bananas!), Magnesium and Folate. One thing to note though is that avocadoes are a somewhat fatty fruit and was once regarded as 'dieter's nightmare'. However, recent scientific research [Source] has discovered that avocadoes are actually loaded with "good" monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These types of fat, while still relatively high in calories, actually help lower cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Thursday, 22 September 2011

Government initiatives to help you make a plan and stick to it

There have been many government initiatives in Australia over the years encouraging people to lose weight and remain active. The 'Life be in it' initiative that was prevalent in the 1970's was one of the first and has helped many people get advice and help with combating our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Although funding for this particular initiative stopped in the early 1980's the life be in it website is still active and can be found here. Since then the Australian government has continued providing assistance and advice for those wishing to become and stay more fit.

The current initiative is advertised on TV, radio and the Internet and is called 'Swap it, Dont stop it!' The website which can be found here provides information on how you can reduce your caloric intake and increase your physical activity without having to give up the things you enjoy. It is a good idea as most people assume losing weight involves a massive change in eating habits and lifestyle. This initiative helps take a more measured approach and shows that you can still succeed in your weight loss goals without changing your entire lifestyle.


The best thing about this initiative is that mobile devices can now be used to assist you with your goals. The website provides a link to an iPhone application that allows you track your progress. There is also a facebook page that you can subscribe to allowing you to follow updates and even contact other like minded users. So get out there, and Swap it, Dont stop it!

Simple exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home

Most people really don't have the time to go to the gym or are willing to pay those ridiculous gym fees just to burn off a few kilos of stubborn fat. Lucky for our readers this post will show you a few great ways to work out at home and work out as efficiently as you would at the gym!

Walking
Walking really is underestimated as an exercise. If the weather is nice outside you can go for a walk around your local park and even if the weather doesn't agree with you you could always stroll around your house, maybe even carry heavy items while walking or even walk up and down a flight of stairs. This will help to tone your legs and give you a nice aerobic workout.

Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks is also an underestimated exercise but give it a go now for at least a minute and I guarantee you'll start to feel a sweat coming on. Jumping jacks is a really fun exercise that is a great cardio workout. It works well as a warm up to more strenuous exercises.

Dancing
What better way to lose weight than dancing? You'll be having fun while also burning off a great amount of calories and toning up your body. Dancing really has great health benefits and even if you aren't much of a dancer there would be no reason to feel embarrassed in the comfort of your own home behind the closed curtains.


Wednesday, 21 September 2011

Tips for your Diet Plan

Starting out a diet for the first time can be quite hard, but if you are planning to stroll down the beach with that new body you have been wanting all Summer we have some great tips for you.

There have been many fake diet plans, pre packed foods and recipes out there that are misleading consumers to purchase their products. Our blog is to fulfill the requirements with successful weightloss tips that will stabilise your weight.

When we eat our sugar levels rise low Glycemic Index (GI) increase blood sugar levels. Ensuring that you eat foods with low GI means you are in control of your sugar levels and feeling full for a long period of time.

Low GI foods help reduce your cravings

Diet approach- Some low or mid GI foods may be saturated with fat, be sure to know what you are eating and how much saturated fat is in the food before you place it in your mouth

Eat fruits such as oranges, pears, mangoes, peaches and most vegetables. Keep hydrated and drink plenty of water daily to detox your body.

•Exclude foods such as MacDonalds, donuts, french fries, white bread, cornflakes

If you can start to follow these first few tips for this diet plan look no longer at those unwanted love handles. Will keep you updated with the next diet tips shortly. Bye for now

Tuesday, 20 September 2011

Why nutrition is important for a healthy diet?

What is the healthiest way to lose weight? That sounds like the million dollar question. Perhaps, a nutritious balanced diet plus regular exercise might be the answer, although many people who are on their diet plan seem overly obsessed with counting their calorie intake that they end up with a diet that is lacking important nutritional elements.

Remember, we are talking about a healthy diet plan. Do not forget that losing weight should not compromise your body's health. So, the first step you should take when trying to lose weight is to know thoroughly about the nutritional content your foods contain.

Here's the first tip. Whenever possible, eat whole, fresh and unprocessed foods. It seems many folks think that eating a can of vegetable soup or drinking fruit juices is as nutritious as downing a plateful of veggies. This is one of the most common nutrition misconceptions. Take fruit juice for instance. They may be healthier than coke, but they are also concentrated sources of sugar that won't give you anywhere near the same level of nutrients you get from whole fruits.

Monday, 19 September 2011

Layout and the future of our blog

Welcome to our blog. Our aim with this blog is to provide relevant information on how to lose weight and keep that weight off.

The future of our blog will hope to keep readers updated on how to stabilize their weight over a period of time. We will look to achieve a blog that keeps the reader calm and relaxed while reading with an easy and simple layout without too many obstructive features such as an overload of images or video. The blog will feature easy to use tabs which the reader can use to navigate to different sections of the blog relevant to their wants.

As for our layout,

we have decided on how we want our blog to be laid out and the storyboard below gives an overview look of our blog. As for the color theme, we have chosen light blue as it will give relaxed and pleasant experience to our readers.