HealthforAverageJaneandjoe

I'm just going to say this right now: Don't Skip Breakfast! Skipping breakfast is like saying, "I'm not really serious in changing my health." If that's you, then anything I write won't help you at all. Whatever plan you develop in changing to a healthy life style must ultimately YOUR plan. You have to own it, mold it, tweak it. You must accept responsibility for it. However, don't skip breakfast. Remember, you have to eat to do stuff, including a workout. (For that matter, don't skip lunch and dinner, either). What should you eat for breakfast? For me, breakfast is when I consume much of my carbs, fiber, and whole grains for the day. My initial protein intake of the day comes at breakfast. Calcium and vitamin D are part of this as well. A couple of eggs for breakfast is a good choice, just don't overdo eggs. Add some whole grain toast to it. Certain cereals can be used. Concerning cereal...cereal can be a decent part of breakfast.

Think of this process as building a new you. If you build a house, you know you're going to take measurements.  After your visit to your health care provider, find out what your daily caloric intake should be. Find out what your nutritional needs are (such as protein intake, fiber, carbs, and vitamins and minerals). Remember, calories are not bad. You need calories to live. Our life is a process of taking in calories and burning them. It's what's in those calories that's important. You really want your calories to give you as much of your nutritional needs as possible minus all the things not so good for you such as sugar, sodium, and fat. (Okay, I know there's been some new findings about fat, but I'll save that for another post). For instance, a bowl of oatmeal may have the same calories as a bag of French fries. However, the oatmeal is far more nourishing than the fries (Okay, I know you're doing a Homer Simpson right now. "Mm,

"Just don't eat so damn much!" That quote came from my grandfather. Assuming you've got medical check-ups and professional advice, let me tell you the number one aspect to your fitness goals-- how and what you eat!   No! No! No! Sorry hot dog dude! You are a sometimes food. I'm not saying you must give up indulging once in awhile. I still eat hot dogs, but just not all the time. Most of the time I'm eating oatmeal for breakfast, Greek yogurt for lunch (along with a sandwich), and a well-proportioned dinner.  Why do I emphasize the food aspect? It's the hardest part. I don't know the science on this, but I have a hunch we humans can consume more calories in five minutes than we could lose in one hour of exercise. So in upcoming posts, I'll give more of my thoughts and my own examples of how I deal with this aspect of fitness.  No, I won't just leave you with the advice my grandfather had given. Just know this, you won't have

Wait!  Before you get started... My biggest mistake before I started my journey toward a healthy lifestyle was not getting any kind of physical or consulting with anyone. It's in my nature to do things myself. I read information in book form and online sources. I went to WebMD to calculate my BMI which is based on weight and height. Unfortunately, I missed a step. I didn't know anything else about my condition. I knew my blood pressure was normal, but it was moving towards the high zone. I didn't know the condition of my heart. Because I was 39 at the time, I didn't think my heart was a problem. The good news is that my heart did not give out. However, when I first started an exercise routine, I needed to get my heart in condition. Yes, I felt pain in my arms and legs from my muscles which is to be expected. However, until my heart and lungs began to get stronger, I had little endurance. This could have been disastrous. Had my heart been in worse shape I coul

For my first post I want to welcome those who wish to follow my personal experience into a healthy lifestyle. Let me emphasize the healthy part. There's a difference between athletic and healthy. I'm healthy, but not necessarily athletic. What I want for myself and for all of America (if not the world) is to help you enjoy your life and stay as active as possible. This blog will not mean you will never suffer from health issues such as cancer, diabetes, or even heart disease. Following a healthy lifestyle may not necessarily increase your lifespan, but hopefully it will allow you to enjoy whatever time you do have.  I hope to number one curb obesity and being overweight. My advice is for people who have relatively normal abilities in terms of mobility. It's intended for adults, not that kids couldn't benefit. But, kids have an added dimension of a still growing and changing body. Adults change, too, but not quite like kids. Much information is based on current sci