To help you maintain that healthy lifestyle below is the top ten things you should be doing to keep yourself healthy and happy.

1) When trying to keep to a healthy lifestyle the first thing you need to consider is your diet. A good balanced diet is essential in maintaining a healthy body. Simple changes to make would be avoiding too much red meat, high fat foods and high calorie foods instead substituting this with high fibre low fat food, mixed with a regular intake of fruit and vegetables. Fibre is great for digestion whilst fruit and vegetables will help keep vitamin and mineral levels up.

2) make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. One of the risks of not drinking enough water is the onset of kidney stones. If you know anybody who has had kidney stones, you’ll know this is to be avoided! Drinking plenty of water will keep you hydrated which in the long run will help you cleanse your body of impurities? You will start to feel more alert and less tired you may notice your skin improves with a new radiance.

3) Consider taking vitamin and mineral supplements, especially at the beginning of your new healthy schedule. Some of the more important ones specific to women are Calcium and Iron. Calcium is essential for women of all ages but especially menopausal women to ensure good bone strength and minimize problems from onset of Osteoporosis. Iron supplements are especially important for menstruating women and women who suffer heavier blood loss during that time of the month.

4) If you smoke, GIVE UP!! Yes, I know that is much easier said than done but any reduction in the amount that you smoke will be beneficial. If you find the idea of giving up a step too far why not try cutting down? A great way to cut down is to try and extend the time between your cigarettes. If you can maintain this, you will gradually start to smoke less without feeling the withdrawals as much.

5) Try and introduce a regular exercise into your daily routine. There are simple ways to get exercise without really trying. You could try walking home from work if it’s not too far, don’t take the elevator all the time try using the stairs. Everyone wins! Yoga is also a great way to stay toned and supple. This can be done in the home with a minimal investment in equipment. There is lots of free info. On the internet related to yoga.

6) Try and avoid sources of stress. Stressful situations whether at home or at work can leave you with excess amounts of adrenaline and other ‘fight or flight’ by-products. These can affect heart muscle, upset sleep patterns causing insomnia and much more. Exercise can help to burn off some of these stress by-products but any high stress situations should be avoided.

7) a lot of women are a sucker for a good suntan but there are hidden dangers. Recent research has indicated that over exposure to sunlight and sun tanning beds could increase your chances of skin cancer by up to 30%. A lot of the damage is done in younger life and may not show for years. Simple ways to avoid danger would be to use high factor sun creams, don’t lie out in direct sunlight, consider using a tanning cream and avoid those nasty UV rays altogether.

8) make sure you attend regular smear tests and ensure you visit your Gynaecologist on a regular basis. A lot of women’s problems’ can be detected in the early stages and treated accordingly. Cervical cancer, chlamydia and Warts are just a few of them. Avoiding your Gynaecologist is akin to playing Russian roulette!!

9) make sure you practice safe sex. STD’s can be easily transmitted and even a long term partner could be harboring some unknown stowaways. Sexually transmitted diseases can lie dormant for years. Until you are 100% sure you and you’re partner are free from STD’s practicing safe sex is the best way to stay healthy.

10) An often overlooked area of personal health is dental hygiene. Not looking after your oral hygiene may result in gum disease, tooth loss, halitosis to name but a few. Keep regular appointments with your dental hygienist and make sure you floss regularly to keep a beautiful bright smile.

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Increasing your metabolism is fairly simple if you keep some simple points in mind. Think of it as stoking a fire and keeping that fire lit throughout the day. You don’t want to just throw on a pile of logs and forget about it.

Strive for a slow, consistent burn with periodic bigger fires. As you know, as you get older, your metabolism will naturally decrease but that just means you need to work a little smarter.

So, let’s get to it!

1. Build muscle – Muscle burns up a lot more calories than fat! This doesn’t mean you need to join a gym and start throwing around heavy weights with the big boys. In fact, think of building muscle as getting lean not bulking up.

The point is to use resistance. Get creative. You can use your own body weight by doing pushups, situps, some form of pullup. A trick I stumbled upon when traveling without a car was carrying equally weighted grocery bags in each arm and swinging them gently while walking back and forth from the store to the place I was staying.

15 minutes every few days will definitely fuel that furnace. I took this a step further and started using the grocery bags or other household items (frozen chicken or veggies, running shoes, lamps (that’s kinda fun and funny if someone catches you!) to do bicep curls, overhead presses for shoulders, squats and lunges. You get the idea. Carrying around children and doing house and yard work are also great!

2. Eat smaller portions and more often. You have to eat to lose weight. The key is in eating the right things and in the right portions. You’ve most likely heard this numerous times but are you putting it into practice?

And how much of a portion is enough? Keep it simple and shoot for 5-6 meals/snacks a day and for portion, take your fist and use it as a guide for your protein and carbohydrates (try to stick to fruits and veggies here and avoid simple carbs).

You also need a bit of healthy fat in this mix so use your thumb as a guide. This may not sound like much but you will be amazed that if you eat correctly, it will fill you up – and besides you get to eat again in a few hours!

3. Get up and Move! – Cardio, Walk, Bike, Run, Take the Stairs. Keep your body moving throughout the day. You will not only burn calories as you do so but your furnace will keep burning after your workout as well.

If you sit at a desk or computer, make a point to get up and move around at least every hour. This can be as simple as standing up and doing a few sets of 25 jumping jacks.

Ok, I just tested it myself and wow! Feels great. Blood is flowing, I’m typing faster, and it took me less than 2 minutes. Fantastic.

Keep these simple tips in mind and in practice to increase your metabolism and you will not only notice a difference in your body but you will find you have more energy and a positive attitude and outlook and enjoy the process of getting fit for life!

Have fun & may you keep that fire burning!

Join Kass at http://www.balanceact.com to receive your FREE Top 10 Tips to Fitness For Life and get more training and fitness tips. To reach Kass directly for nutrition and fitness consulting in Waialua, North Shore, Hawaii, please call 415-350-7500.

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It is no secret that obesity is a huge problem in America and that includes children as well as adults. One of the biggest defenses against this killer is knowledge. The experts say that an obese person will live 20 years less than a person that has a healthy weight. So, knowing the most common causes of obesity is going to help you eliminate it in children.

Genetics does play a part in being overweight. It is not uncommon to see obese adults with overweight children, but the reason for this can also be that both parties are living the same lifestyle. Overweight children should be checked by a physician to ensure that there is not a medical reason that they are overweight and then they can begin to make healthy changes in their lifestyle.

Environment is partially to blame for children being overweight. Most schools do not serve the most nutritious meals and many of them have cut back on physical education requirements. Although this is beginning to change, the process is slow. Packing your child a nutritious lunch at least 3 days a week will go a long way in eliminating the foods that lead to obesity. You can also have a big impact the amount of exercise that child.

Diet is a big factor in being overweight. We eat fast food much more than we used to and it is no secret that many of these foods are loaded with fat and calories. Fast food may be convenient, but unless you make healthy choices you are setting yourself up to gain weight if you eat at a fast food restaurant very often. There are now many convenience foods available that are healthy and they cost no more than a fast food meal.

Lack of physical activity is a huge contributing factor to our children being overweight. In recent years, children have spent more time in front of the screen (TV, computer, video games). They do not spend the time playing outside, riding bikes or any number of other physical activities that used to be enjoyed by children. The best way to fight this is to plan fun activities that you can enjoy with your kids.

In 95% of all childhood obesity cases, changing the way we live will change the weight and the health of our children. Small changes can go a long way in improving the health of a child. If you have an overweight child or relative, make it a priority to make the necessary changes to help them live a healthier life.

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There is no shortage of ways to exercise and workout your body to keep it healthy. The experts tell you that a variety of aerobic exercise, strength exercises and stretching exercises will give you the most benefit. And if you are trying to lose weight, it is important that you vary the exercises in each of the categories. Your body tends to become used to a patterned routine and does not want to shed the pounds as quickly.

Water aerobics is one of my favorite types of exercise. The class I take actually offers aerobic, strength and stretching exercises in the same class. More and more classes are starting to go this route. They will give you a complete workout all in the same hour. Water aerobics benefits the beginner, as well as the well toned person that exercises regularly. You can vary the intensity by increasing the amount of resistance you create with the equipment that you are using when you workout.

I have taken these classes off and on for a number of years, but the big difference now is the water aerobics equipment that has become available to enhance your workout. One of my favorite items is the “noodles” that many children play with in the pool. These can be used as flotation devices or they can be tied into knots and dragged through the water for resistance. This piece of water aerobics equipment is used regularly in the class I take.

They also make weights for strength training, kick boards for leg workouts and belts that can keep you afloat during deep water aerobics workouts. These classes are popular because they are well suited for any age or body type. People that are morbidly obese normally begin their exercise program in the water because it is easy on the joints. The same can be said for older participants or individuals with arthritis. I find these classes to be populated by a large variety of people, but it is more common to see the over 40 crowd in these classes.

One of the best exercises is water walking. I know individuals who have lost over 100 pounds and water walking is where they started. This exercise will burn calories and is very therapeutic. If you are looking to add variety to your fitness routine, you should consider a workout in the water. This a great beginning and it also works well for seniors looking for a workout that is fun.

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Do you have a spring weight loss plan? It is no secret that spring and summer are the easiest times to lose weight and the reasons are obvious. In the winter, when it is cold and things look dead outside, it is difficult to get motivated to exercise. Then there are the holidays and in this country a big part of a holiday is high calorie foods.

So, the summer is the best time to develop healthy habits and make changes to your lifestyle. After you have been following your new lifestyle for a few months, it will be easier to make healthy choices during difficult times, such as; the holidays and parties.

The summer is great for weight loss. It is hard not to want to get out and go for a walk or a bike ride. Swimming is another great exercise that is something that requires summer weather. The park system in this country is great for many activities that will help lose weight or just enjoy the beauty of nature. Your summer weight loss plan should include 3 things; a food plan, an exercise plan and plan for getting to the root of why you gained weight.

In today’s market, you can have a weight loss plan that can meet all your needs. If you need something strict and structured, that is available. If you need choices and portability, there is no shortage of food plans that offer these options. There are also sources that can help you customize a healthy diet that will meet any special needs you may have.

Exercise is the same way. There are options available to meet every need and desire. There is no shortage of health clubs in this country and if you are a home body there are also low cost options that can help you exercise in your home. There are a number of good exercise tapes. Exercise bands and the stability ball are some of the newer exercise options available today. Here again, you have a lot of choices. Choose something you enjoy. You are more likely to follow through with the plan.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, you should also think about a plan for getting to the root of the weight gain. There are a lot of people that medicate themselves with food and it will be hard to lose the weight and keep it off, if you do not work on getting to the root of why you eat. If you use these 3 simple concepts for getting healthy, there is no reason you should not notice changes in your health within a short amount of time.

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You have to eat frequent, balanced meals to lose weight and be fit for life. There’s just no way around it. If you’re not shouting out “Yay! That’s fantastic!”, please take a minute to do so and then read on.

Starving yourself may produce results in the short term but your body will soon adjust to the lower calorie intake and anything you consume above that will immediately trigger the body mind to hang onto it for dear life!

Furthermore, it takes a severe toll on your organs and can very detrimental long term. I’ve personally experienced these dramatic ups and downs and I’m here to tell you, it’s not necessary nor it is worth it. It’s bad drama and very unhealthy for your body and your mind.

Besides, life and fitness and nutrition are not about punishing or restricting yourself. They are about finding balance and figuring out a system that works for you. So without getting too technical or obsessive, accept that you have to eat to to lose weight and stay in shape. Hopefully, that is exciting news!

The key is in eating the right things and in the right portions. You’ve most likely heard this numerous times but are you putting it into practice? And how much of a portion is enough? And what do I eat?

OK, let’s take each factor one at a time. I’ll keep it simple.

1. Shoot for 5-6 meals/snacks a day: That means you will be eating every 2.5 hours or so. Hang in there with me until factor 3. It’s not as overwhelming or complicated as it may seem. That’s why I added snacks.

It helps me from thinking I have to prepare this elaborate “meal” every few hours. Good heavens. That would be nutty. After all, there are other things that one must get done every day!

2. OK, next is Portion Size: The simplest visual I’ve come up with that is quite effective and accurate is to take your fist and use it as a guide for your protein and carbohydrates portions.

You also need a bit of healthy fat in this mix so use your thumb as a guide. This may not sound like much but you will be amazed that if you eat correctly, it will fill you up – and besides you get to eat again in a few hours!

3. And finally, What are you going to Eat! This is a general and overall guide. We will get into more details down the road and in some of the more customized programs.

However, if you use this as your foundation for your 5-6 “snacks”, you will be well on your way to health and fitness for life.

Carbohydrates: Stick to fruits and vegetables. Stay away from anything processed or make that portion very small relative to the rest of your carbs.

Proteins: Fish, Chicken, Lean Meats, Eggs. I am not a vegetarian but completely respect that decision. There are some great sources for protein so don’t let this stop you!

Fats: Avocado, Olive Oil, Nuts. (Keep in mind that if your protein source is high in fat i.e. salmon, you do not need to add an extra thumb of fat!)

That’s it! Each of these areas can be broken down even further and get much more specific and technical but for now, just start to be aware and shoot for building that foundation with the 3 key factors.

This is a huge step so be proud of taking it and enjoy the process. And please let me know how it goes! It would be great to have you share your story and inspire others.

Here’s to you!

Visit Kass at http://www.balanceact.com to receive your FREE Top 10 Tips to Fitness For Life and more training and nutrition tips. If you would like to reach Kass directly in Waialua, North Shore, Hawaii, for a fitness, nutrition, or lifestyle consultation, please give her a call at 415-350-7500.

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