Resolve Not to Diet This SUMMER...
Approaching weight loss as a change in your lifestyle is sustainable and healthy. Here's a plan that will help you lose weight this year ... without dieting.
Many people make New Year's resolutions to lose weight. However, while the resolution is a great first step toward creating positive change, holding ourselves to it is even more important.
Launching into the new year with great enthusiasm and lofty goals may cause us to expect too much change too quickly. And when we don't see results soon enough, we get frustrated, which can undermine our efforts.
So one of the best things you can do is to resolve not to diet in 2010. Dieting isn't sustainable and, as a result, we become frustrated—or, even worse, we lose weight in the short term but don't keep it off.
Approaching weight loss as a change in your lifestyle is more sustainable and healthier than dieting. Make small changes, week by week, to be successful in your plan to lose weight in 2010.
DAY 1: THE RIGHT MINDSET
Stop thinking "diet" and start thinking "lifestyle." The word "diet" is negative and implies deprivation, starvation, and hunger. Focus on the positives of a new lifestyle: "I'm going to feel great. I'm going to look great. I'm going to be healthier."
Thinking "I am" instead of "I have to" will inspire you to be healthy.
WEEK 1: LAY THE FOUNDATION
Prepare yourself for a new way of eating and living. At this time, you want be sure you are covering the basics.
Drink lots of water Divide your weight by two to get the number of ounces you should drink in a day.
Eat breakfast If you aren't already eating breakfast, start. It should be balanced with carbohydrates and proteins, and low in fat.
Eat five to six times a day Frequent small meals will boost your metabolism and prevent hunger.Educate yourself Learn about the basics of nutrition. Also, take some time to understand how to read nutrition labels.
Take a multivitamin Think of it as an insurance policy that will help you get all the important vitamins and minerals you need every day.
WEEK 2: DETOX
When your diet includes unhealthy foods your digestive system functions less efficiently and has to work overtime to eliminate toxins and waste.
The more bad foods you eat, the more you crave them. Retrain your brain and stomach by eliminating them from your diet. Go through your kitchen cabinets and throw away foods that are obviously bad for you. Eliminate or cut back on the following foods:
Once you have eliminated excess toxins and chemicals from your body, you are ready to start fresh and eat the foods that your body really needs to function properly.
Healthy Starchy Carbohydrates If you like bread, pasta, and cereals, start eating those made with whole grains. (Look for the Whole Grain Council emblem.) Starchy foods made with whole grains offer a lot of healthful benefits and are lower in sugar than their refined counterparts.
Eat Your Fibrous Veggies Vegetables are vital to a healthy diet. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals and provide you with much-needed fiber. Also, they fill you up, so that you to eat less of the bad stuff. Start your lunch and dinner off with a salad, but be careful to not overdo the fatty dressings, cheese, or nuts.
Healthy Fats Focus on eating healthy fats, including monounsaturated fats and Omega-3s. However, use them sparingly, as they are high in calories.
Take a multivitamin Think of it as an insurance policy that will help you get all the important vitamins and minerals you need every day.
WEEK 2: DETOX
When your diet includes unhealthy foods your digestive system functions less efficiently and has to work overtime to eliminate toxins and waste.
The more bad foods you eat, the more you crave them. Retrain your brain and stomach by eliminating them from your diet. Go through your kitchen cabinets and throw away foods that are obviously bad for you. Eliminate or cut back on the following foods:
- Refined sugars
- Saturated fats
- Alcohol
- Fried foods
- Processed foods
- Caffeine
Once you have eliminated excess toxins and chemicals from your body, you are ready to start fresh and eat the foods that your body really needs to function properly.
Healthy Starchy Carbohydrates If you like bread, pasta, and cereals, start eating those made with whole grains. (Look for the Whole Grain Council emblem.) Starchy foods made with whole grains offer a lot of healthful benefits and are lower in sugar than their refined counterparts.
Eat Your Fibrous Veggies Vegetables are vital to a healthy diet. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals and provide you with much-needed fiber. Also, they fill you up, so that you to eat less of the bad stuff. Start your lunch and dinner off with a salad, but be careful to not overdo the fatty dressings, cheese, or nuts.
Healthy Fats Focus on eating healthy fats, including monounsaturated fats and Omega-3s. However, use them sparingly, as they are high in calories.
Low-fat Dairy If you consume dairy, avoid products that are whole fat. Instead, consume nonfat or 1 percent options.
Lean Protein Protein is essential to a healthy diet. Focus on those that are lean: white-meat poultry, fish, beans, low-fat dairy, and egg whites. Try to avoid red meat, or at least eat it no more than once a week.
WEEK 4 AND BEYOND: COMPLETE THE PICTUREAt this point, you know what you should and shouldn't eat. You've broken bad habits and started healthier ones. Now it is time to commit to these changes for good. That is the most important part of starting a new and healthier lifestyle!
The sun is responsible for 80 percent of the effects of aging. And before the age of 18, 70 percent of the aging process has started. So, you must start early with practicing safe sun. The key is to wear sunscreen to protect against the silent killer—UVA. UVA rays are invisible and painless. You may have noticed an UVA index rating on your local news. Pay attention to these ratings as you don't have a warning signal to let you know that you have had too much exposure to UVA.
To make sure that you have both UVA and UVB protection, you need more than an SPF of 15. Also, read the active ingredient label to make sure that aging-blocking elements such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or anything in the avobenzone family are included.
Understanding sunscreen will be easier by next summer, as The Food and Drug Administration will use stars to rate sunscreens. A zero rating means no protection, while four stars is the highest level. So, be sure to start looking for the stars!
Another tip: Use a 20 percent concentration of topical Vitamin C under your sunscreen daily to protect skin cells from UV damage, reduce the appearance of brown spots, and strengthen the skin's immune defense.
3 Simple Homemade Face Masques
To help you deal with dull, dehydrated skin caused by the season's colder weather, we asked Golden Path Alchemy, a holistic skincare company in Southern California, to share three super-simple facial masques you can make at home.
Masque for Mature Skin: Cleanse & Exfoliate
Thanks to their antioxidants, vitamins, and humectant properties, figs make powerful cleansers. Their tiny oil-rich seeds gently exfoliate while active enzymes peel off dead skin. For anti-aging power add olive oil, which stimulates cell regeneration and prevents and treats sun damage.
Ingredients
* 2–3 smashed or pureed figs * 1 tbsp. olive oil
Directions
Combine ingredients, rub mixture onto face to exfoliate, and leave on for 5–10 minutes.
Face Masque for Sensitive Skin: Repair & Protect
Oats are rich in beta glucan, a soluble fiber that stimulates the repair of skin cells, reduces wrinkles, and protects against damage from ultra-violet light. Raw honey soothes skin with moisturizing amino acids and increases elasticity with mild alpha hydroxy acids. The addition of royal jelly boosts cell regeneration.
Ingredients
- * 1 tbsp. ground oats or oat flour
- * 1 tbsp. raw honey
- * 1/2 tsp. royal jelly
Directions
Stir ingredients until creamy, apply mixture to face, and leave on for 20 minutes.
Face Masque for Problem Skin: Tighten & Brighten
Ripe with enzymes and vitamin A, peaches help tighten pores. Cucumbers, meanwhile, nourish connective tissue and rejuvenate the skin thanks to their abundance of silica. Plus, their ascorbic and caffeic acids prevent water retention, making them popular for reducing puffiness.
Ingredients
* 1/2 peach * 1/2 cucumber
Directions
Puree ingredients in a blender until smooth, apply mixture to face, and leave on for 20 minutes.
What Does it Mean to Have Sensitive Skin?
I have been told that I have sensitive skin. What does that mean? What type of products should I use?
Most people who say they have sensitive skin actually have chemically reactive skin. That means their skin has a negative reaction to the artificial fragrances, dyes, and preservatives (such as parabens) used in most products. People with chemically reactive skin should steer clear of those ingredients as well as alcohol and benzyl peroxide, which can be drying.
Better options are products with a high concentration of active ingredients because effective formulators tend to avoid an abundance of emulsifiers and fillers that neutralize the active level of ingredients. The key active ingredients for healthy skin include antioxidants, proteins, minerals, and essential elements that not only nourish and treat the skin but also protect it.
When Do I Need to Start Using Anti-Aging Products?
I'm in my early twenties—do I need to start using wrinkle creams and age-defying products?
It's never too early to start caring for your skin! At the onset of puberty (9–11 years old for girls, 13 for boys), skin cell production and turnover begins to slow down. This slowed turnover, combined with active hormones, can cause skincare issues—including acne—for teens.
The teen years are a great time to start a daily regimen of antibacterial cleansing and daily sunscreen use. Ideally, you should begin using quality skincare products before you see signs of wrinkles and aging. For women, depending on their lifestyle (smoking, sun exposure, family history, etc.), that means beginning preventive measures in their late teens to early twenties. A good basic routine should incorporate cleansing, resurfacing, treating, and protecting the skin.
Because the sun is one of the leading contributors to aging, everyone, regardless of age, should practice sun safety each and every day, rain or shine. Use a sunscreen that gives you full-spectrum protection. For the best results, choose one with an SPF of 15 or greater as well as UVA-blocking elements such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or anything in the avobenzone family.
What can I do to treat fine lines around my mouth?
How to Treat Adult Acne?
If you suffer from adult acne, you're in good company: Nearly 50 percent of women do. So how to deal with it?
The key to treating fine lines and deep wrinkles around the lips is prevention! While smoking is an obvious "no no," women often forget that drinking from water bottles with a sports-top, or from any bottle that requires a sucking motion (and puckering of the lips), can cause lines to form or deepen in that area. Be sure to take the cap off when drinking from sports bottles or, better yet, switch to a reusable stainless steel bottle with a large rim.
Eliminating the causes of the lines is the first step—the second step is to incorporate treatment creams or serums that contain enzymes, vitamin A, AHAs, or glycolic acid to smooth out the lines. A good eye serum or eye cream can also be used and is generally appropriate for that area.
Massaging daily around the mouth and the upper lip is also helpful. Start at the bottom of your mouth, using both your ring fingers in an upward motion. Massage to the corners of your mouth, then across the top until your fingers meet at center of upper lip. Then massage up around the nose towards the corner of your eyes. Repeat 6 - 12 times.
A weekly cream-based mask, to plump up the skin and keep it hydrated, is another great way to keep those lines at bay.
How to Treat Adult Acne?
To gently slough off dead cells, she recommends products with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), as well as those with natural antibacterial agents like orange peel extract and tea tree oil.
And because mature skin requires ample hydration, don't skip the moisturizer. Use creams with ingredients that boost the skin's ability to retain water (hyaluronic acid is a good choice) instead of those with pore-clogging mineral oils, and your skin will be spotless in no time.
How do I treat Rosacea?
Rosacea, sensitive skin, and inflammatory acne are all skin conditions that require gentle care.
Very few people have true rosacea, but many people have inflamed skin due to environmental factors, harsh products, and stress. It is common for people of Northern European origin to be prone to what is often labeled rosacea—the skin is dry, red, and easily irritated. Typically these people will have a fair, pink complexion.
Acne rosacea is a condition that affects the whole face and is associated with seborrhea (excessive oiliness). Pustules typically appear on the nose, cheeks, and chin giving an overall red, flushed appearance.
Rosacea and acne rosacea are both aggravated by fluctuating temperature, sun exposure, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages. While there is no real cure for rosacea, it can be managed through your daily skin care routine.
Whether you have a mild or more aggressive form of rosacea, it is important to eliminate any products that could cause irritation to the skin—this includes makeup. Switch to a mineral based foundation that is as pure as possible. Only use products that are soothing and calming to the skin, and avoid any exfoliants except for a gentle peeling gommage when you are not experiencing a flare-up.
Use a sulfate-free cleansing cream or milk containing anti-inflammatory ingredients such as German chamomile, rose, or lavender. Follow with a calming, hydrating, floral mist and a light serum that contains skin-soothing essential oils of carrot seed, rose, or German chamomile. For a richer moisturizer, look for oat beta glucan (derived from oatmeal), calendula, burdock root, and sea algae extracts as well as anti-oxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E.
Always remember to wear sun block before going out; zinc oxide serves as a protective layer for the skin against the environment. If stress is the culprit, taking a daily blend of anxiety-reducing flower essences, such as Rescue Remedy, can be helpful.
Should I Try Microdermabrasion?
What is microdermabrasion and how can it benefit my skin?
The act of exfoliating the skin is excellent for facial rejuvenation, and microdermabrasion, which removes the uppermost layer of dead skin, can add a little extra boost!
Microdermabrasion machine consists of a wand that vacuums and exfoliates the skin at the same time. It is considered a mechanical exfoliator and can be used on almost all skin types, except for hypersensitive skin. Unlike chemical peels, which can cause hypo-pigmentation on certain skin colors, any ethnicity can benefit from receiving microdermabrasion treatments.
Usually done in a series of 6 to10 treatments, microdermabrasion significantly improves the tone and texture of the skin, while reducing deep lines, brown spots, and enlarged pores. Having it done every other week in a series of treatments allows for a deeper exfoliation of the skin. I recommend doing a series in the fall to boost the radiance of the skin and repair any sun damage caused by too much summer exposure. Monthly microdermabrasion facials are also a great option for general anti-aging purposes.
Additionally, people with acne will benefit from regular treatments in combination with extractions to control breakouts and prevent acne-related scarring.
If you opt for a microdermabrasion treatment, be sure to wear sunscreen afterwards, preferably a physical broad-spectrum sun block that contains zinc oxide to protect your skin from further damage.
The Truth About Soap
Is washing your face with a bar of soap bad for your skin? We've got the answers.
For years, women relied on simple bars of soap to wash their faces, but with the arrival of liquid, foam, and cream cleansers came the idea that bars dry the skin and clog pores.
It turns out that some soaps got a bum rap. "In general, they're not bad," says Jennifer Reichel, M.D., director of Pacific Dermatology & Cosmetic Center in Seattle. "Some bar soaps can be very gentle and moisturizing and do not necessarily trap oils and chemicals."
The soaps that deserve the negative attention are those that contain synthetic detergents or surfactants (like alkyl benzene sulfonate). "Synthetic detergents can be drying, which makes them a poor choice for many skin types,"says Angela L. Bowman Wales, president and CEO of Lillian Skincare, a manufacturer of organic skincare products.
But liquid cleansers can cause problems as well, according to Julia Hunter, M.D., founder of Skin Fitness Plus, a cosmetic spa in Los Angeles. Detergents (often sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate), preservatives (such as parabens), and antimicrobials (triclosan, for example) can cause inflammation and disrupt hormones. Instead, opt for soap with coconut oil, shea butter, glycerin, or olive oil. Although these emollients are often thought to cause breakouts, there is generally not enough in soaps to have such an effect. "Personally, I would choose emollients over inflammatory chemicals," says Hunter.
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