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To eat a banana or not – that is the question. Fruit on a diet can be an enigma. On one hand dieters hear

“fruit is a great diet choice!”

Then it is announced:

“Too much fruit can make you gain weight!”

Which is true? Actually, both are true. It all depends on the fruit; raspberries, cranberries and blackberries are excellent; grapes, bananas and cherries not so much.

That statement is not meant to put down those tasty and nutritious grapes and bananas and cherries. Rather it is a warning that not all fruits are created equal.

Most fruit contains large amount of natural sugars that converts into fat (a handful of grapes is fine; a grape binge is not). There are some fruits (especially in the berry family) that can even help burn fat.

Although loaded with vitamins and antioxidant, fresh fruit has contains calories and carbohydrates. A dieter must consider the nutritional benefits of fruit versus the caloric negative side.

Consider the following Fruit Facts

• Most fruits have a low glycemic load.
• Fruits provide fiber to your diet, which will slow digestion and make you feel fuller.
• Fruits like blueberries are source of antioxidants, which can help lower your blood pressure, fight off oxidative stress, and in some cases work at the DNA level to aid in weight loss.
• Fruit is high in the simple sugar fructose. Your liver processes fructose. If the liver has sufficient energy, that fructose can be turned into fat.
• Fruits helps blood circulation and boost immune system. Fruit can improve digestion.
• A fruit diet is a good detoxification medium.
• Eaten properly, fruits may ensure weight loss without causing any harm to the body.

 A caveat: No fruit is bad, it’s the quantity consumed that can backfire on a dieter.

Best fruits: Raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries and blue berries, grapefruits

Good fruits: Peach, nectarine, cantaloupe, apple, and papaya and the melons (watermelon, musk melon, honey dew, cantaloupe)

Fruits to eat in moderation: Banana, plum, pear, kiwifruit, pineapple, mango, grape, and fig are all high in carbohydrates.  Dried fruits like raisins, dates, and prunes.

Unexpected fruits: Avocados and tomatoes

Sugar Levels in Fruits

•  Low in Sugar: Rhubarb, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Strawberries, All Melons, and Papaya, Peaches, Nectarines, Apples, Guavas, Apricots, Grapefruit
•  High in Sugar: Plums, Oranges, Kiwifruit, Pears and Pineapple
•  Very High in Sugar: Tangerines, Cherries, Grapes, Pomegranates, Mangos, Bananas and Dried Fruit

 To eat a banana or not – that is the question. The answer: Yes! But a few blueberries might be better for a dieter.

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I have found a list of 99 ways of how to get more exercise. These tips range from stuff to do at home and around the neighborhood to things to do around the city with your family and neighbors.

How to get more exercise Getting started…

1. Schedule a regular time throughout the week for physical activity.

2. Take turns selecting an activity for the family to do as a group each week

3. Start a log of daily fitness activities for each family member.

4. Adapt all activities to suit those with special needs and preferences.

5. Help everyone to find something active that makes them feel successful.

How to get more exercise – Tips for the Home

6. Designate indoor and outdoor play areas where rolling, climbing, jumping, and tumbling are allowed.

7. Buy toys or equipment that promote physical activity.

8. Select fitness-oriented gifts with the recipient’s skills and interests in mind.

9. Limit time spent watching television programs, videotapes, and playing computer games.

10. Use physical activity rather than food as a reward (e.g. family goes in-line skating).

11. Include grandparents, other relatives, and friends whenever possible.

12. Emphasize the importance of having fun and learning; avoid a push “to win”.

13. Get off the couch and change the channel manually — or better yet, turn it off!

14. Spend as much time outdoors as possible.

How to get more exercise – Tips for the Kitchen

There are lots of opportunities on how to get more exercise in your own kitchen

15. “Pack your own” nutritious snacks and meals for family outings.

16. Keep fresh fruit and vegetables washed, cut-up, chilled and readily available for post-exercise snacking.

17. Have attractive containers of water available during and after workouts.

18. Take the family grocery shopping so everyone can learn to read the nutrition labels (find the cereal that offers the most fiber per serving; find the tastiest non-fat cheese).

How to get more exercise – Tips for School

19. Talk to the physical education teacher about your child’s physical education program and how you can provide support.

20. Encourage your school board to make physical education a priority.

21. Volunteer to help with physical activity events at your child’s school.

22. Join a marching band for excellent exercise.

23. Encourage your school physical education teacher to coordinate family evening and weekend activities in the gymnasium or in the school yard.

How to get more exercise – Tips for Work

How to get more exercise excuses can be put to rest with all the chances that you have even during work.

24. Stop every hour or two to walk and stretch.

25. Devote a portion of your lunch break to physical activity (e.g., walking).

26. Collect data on dollars spent and days of work lost due to illness related to over and/or sedentary lifestyles:

• diabetes
• hypertension
• cardiovascular disease
• stroke
• breast cancer
• and others

Encourage your employer to install facilities and provide incentives to support physical activity.

27. Walk to a co-worker’s desk rather than using the intercom.

28. Make plans with a co-worker to go to a gym or participate in a sport on a weekly basis.

How to get more exercise Tips for Anywhere

29. Pack a lunch for work if it’s hard to find restaurants and delis that offer whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

30. Always use the stairs.

31. Carry items – such as book bags, groceries, and picnic baskets to build strength.

32. Walk, jog, or skip instead of driving (to and from school, grocery store, library, park, etc.).

33. Make chores YOUR chance to be active.

34. Get off the bus a few stops early and walk.

35. Park the car AS FAR AWAY from the entrance as possible.

How to get more exercise – The Great Outdoors

36. Discover what free and low-cost physical activity areas are near your home (park, bike trail, hiking trail, tennis court, swimming pool, etc.).

37. Rake leaves…then jump in them!

38. Shovel snow…build a snow sculpture; make snow angels; build a snow house.

39. Dig and plant in the garden…help everyone plant their own vegetables, fruits and flowers.

40. Chop and stack wood…end with a campfire and sing-a-long.

41. Take a long walk or jog on the beach.

42. Cross country ski around town and into the woods.

43. Use a compass to map out a course – then set out on a walk, jog, or bike hike.

44. Canoe or raft for an entire afternoon.

45. Ice skate for a great winter workout.

46. Skiing always gives the family a lift.

47. Jump into water sports – enjoy water walking and aerobics.

48. Play mixed-age water volleyball.

49. Visit outdoor education centers.

50. Take a nature hike.

51. Go up, up and away with a kite flying day.

52. Go to a driving range or enjoy a game of miniature golf.

53. Go camping where you can pitch a tent, gather firewood, fish, bike, and walk.

54. Visit farms throughout the year where you can pick your own strawberries, peaches, and apples.

55. Plan cycling trips on safe trails by calling your local bike shop or bike club.

how to get more exercise – YES, in your own backyard!

56. Run, jog, and walk in a family treasure hunt.

57. Toss around as many different-shaped ballls/objects as you can find.

58. Juggle with the entire family.

59. Play “Hit and Go” croquet – hit the ball and run to it – across the whole yard.

60. Count hula hoop rotations.

61. Jump rope – practice rhythms, rhymes and tricks.

62. Play a “hot potato” game of Frisbee.

63. Play an action-packed game of badminton…serve from where the birdie drops.

64. Jump on Pogo stick and count bounces.

65. Build stilts and walk on them to create laughter and exercise.

66. Ride on a skate board (with knee, wrist and elbow pads and helmets).

67. Play hopscotch and organize a family tournament.

68. Run and dodge in a “Tag and You’re It” game.

69. Play traditional and modified backyard sports: basketball, softball, volleyball, and tetherball.

70. Practice on in-line skates (with knee and elbow pads and helmets) – go further and get faster each day.

71. Take the family pet for a walk or jog.

72. Wash the car…enjoy an active game with the hose.

How to get more exercise for the neighborhood, community and beyond…

73. Create your own Olympic events at a family reunion or neighborhood block party.

74. Organize a family swim outing – be sure to swim with a buddy in supervised areas.

75. Enjoy a weekend afternoon of physical activities at a local community center.

76. Enter and walk in holiday parades, ethnic festivals, and charity fund raisers.

77. Walk or bike to a nearby playground – challenge family members to try their skills swinging, crossing a horizontal ladder.

78. Take a historical (or architectural) walk or cycling tour.

79. Plan a “block fitness festival” including relay races.

80. Adopt a highway, park, or beach, and keep it clean.

81. Participate in a “volksmarch.” It’s German for a “people’s walk,” is social in nature, and usually 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

82. Help organize mall walks – especially in bad weather.

83. Help organize your building, development, or community to exercise on preset routes at preset times so you can keep each other company.

84. Enter a “Fun Run” or a “Bike-a-Thon.”

85. Encourage local religious and civic organizations to allow halls to be used for indoor family activities.

How to get more exercise – Take advantage of facilities in your neighborhood

86. Join the YMCA/YWCA or a health club.

87. Organize a party at an indoor ice or roller skating rink.

88. Bowl to your heart’s content.

89. Participate in a mixed-age martial arts class.

How to get more exercise – On rainy days or when stormy weather keeps you indoors

Don’t Be Stuck – Liven Up!… Music Makes It Easy!

90. Create a family video of exercise routines.

91. Invite friends and neighbors over for some country western line dancing.

92. Invent a new dance and name it after your family.

93. Host a dance fever contest.

94. Share dances from each generation in your family.

95. Throw an ethnic/multi-cultural dance party.

How to get more exercise – Take advantage of what you’ve got around the house

96. Use a bench or steps for step-aerobic workout.

97. Play “Twister” or other indoor active games.

98. Encourage everyone to “act out” a story as you read it.

99. Build an obstacle course in the basement or garage on a rainy day.

So now you have a big bad list. There are no excuses left and now it is time for you to work at how to get more exercise into your busy day.

Tags for this article

yhs-fh_lsonsw, exercise, how to do more excersise, ways to get physical list, ways to get in exercise throughout the day, tips to get more exercise throughout the day

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Most diet plans recommend limiting carbohydrates. To understand why diets suggest not eating carbs, you must first understand what a carbohydrate is.

Dictionary wise: A carbohydrate is any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose.

Diet world wise: Carbohydrates tend to be the good stuff that we all love to eat but can lead to weight gain.

Good versus Bad Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can be either simple (bad) or complex (good) based on their chemical makeup and what your body does with them.  Most carbohydrates occur naturally in plant-based foods. Unfortunately, manufacturers add carbohydrates to processed foods in the form of starch or sugar.

Simple carbohydrates are basic sugars with little value for your body. The higher in sugar and lower in fiber, the worse the carbohydrate. Simple carbohydrates that should be limited in a diet include: white rice, fruits, breads, sweets, pastas and starchy vegetables

Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains and legumes, contain longer chains of sugar molecules that take more time for the body to break down and use, giving the dieter a more even amount of energy. Eating carbs that are high fiber, whole grain and nutrient dense can improve the health profile of some low-carb diet programs.

A low-carb diet focuses on proteins, including meat, poultry, fish and eggs, and some non-starchy vegetables. Some low-carb diet plans allow certain fruits, vegetables and whole grains

Risks

Some diets restrict carbohydrate intake so much that they can result in nutritional deficiencies or insufficient fiber. Drastically cutting carbs can result in headaches, dizziness, weakness, fatigue and constipation.

Carbs are everywhere

Carbohydrates are found in a wide array of foods (some healthy, some not so much). Foods high in carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet. Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity. But carbohydrate quality is important; some types of carbohydrate-rich foods are better than others:

• The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.
• Unhealthier carbohydrates include white bread, pastries, sodas, and other highly processed or refined foods. These can contribute to weight gain (or loss), diabetes and heart disease.

 

Carb Loading Foods

Adding healthy carbohydrates to your diet:

1. For breakfast, select whole grains, such as hot cereal, like steel cut or old fashioned oats (not instant oatmeal), or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list and is low in sugar.

2. For lunch: Opt for grain breads. The first ingredient should be whole wheat, whole rye, or some other whole grain.

3. Try a whole grain in a salad, such as brown rice or quinoa.

4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice.

5. Rather than fill up on potatoes – which promote weight gain – choose beans for an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates. Beans and other legumes such as chickpeas also provide a healthy dose of protein.

So, you can now see that all carbs aren’t created equal.  Make a plan to add the healthy ones to your diet this week.

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