The Leaf | Healthy Weight Loss Blog

According to the American Journal of Geriatrics Psychiatry, loneliness affects 25 percent to 60 percent of older Americans and puts millions of Americans age 50 and older at risk of poor health from prolonged loneliness. In the spirit of the holiday season, we hope you’ll join us in a little friendly conversation with older adults who may feel isolated or alone for the holidays. The sound of your voice and a moment of your time can make someone’s outlook a lot brighter. At Nutrisystem®, we love finding ways to help others enjoy happier, healthier lives. On behalf of our Tivity Health® family, Nutrisystem’s parent company, we wish you all the joy of a happy, healthy holiday season. The post Bring a Little Light to the Holidays appeared first on The Leaf . source https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/a-little-light/

Winter, with its holiday hoopla and abundance of comfort food, can make staying on the slim-down straight-and-narrow a bit of a challenge, to say the least. ‘Tis the season for temptation, right? But the dropping temps don’t have to mean an expanding waistline―especially if you commit to a program like Nutrisystem, which takes the work out of weight loss. Winterize your weight loss plan with these nine simple tips: 1. Eat Your Veggies We know, we know, you’ve heard this one a thousand times. You already know that piling on the produce is associated with a whole slew of health benefits. But here’s something new: If you don’t like munching on veggies solo, you can sneak them into your favorite dishes for an added nutrient boost and to cut calories. In a study out of Penn State University, researchers provided subjects with two nearly identical entrees, one of which included “hidden” pureed vegetables. The participants who ate the hidden veggie version ended up eating fewer calories...

There’s nothing more relatable than a holiday binge: During the holidays, everyone has an occasion—OK, maybe a few occasions—where they go overboard on an eating binge. Sound like you? Don’t beat yourself up about it. Even if your festive feast makes you feel like you’ve gained 10 pounds, it’s not too late. Stressing about “going overboard” a single time can actually make things worse. In a 2014 study, scientists found that women who were stressed burned 104 fewer calories in the seven hours after a meal than those who were feeling stress-free, says The Ohio State University. But if you’re binging throughout the holiday “season: instead of on one or two special occasions, the results can really add up. Research published in Nutrition & Metabolism shows that Americans gain an average of one to two pounds during the holiday season, with most of the weight gained being fat. And trying to lose weight during the season can backfire for some: In a study, published in the Journal of O...

‘Tis the season of parties and feasts—and daily temptations to abandon your healthy eating plan. You deserve to celebrate and indulge in the pleasures of the holiday. You’ve been eating well and have stayed focused on your weight loss goals. But you don’t have to let go of all the progress you’ve made to enjoy the season. Avoid these common mistakes so that you can have all the fun with none of the regret. 10 Ways to Prepare for a Healthy and Happy Holiday Season Read More Here are five holiday hiccups that could sabotage your weight loss goals: 1. Don’t go holiday hungry. You might think that skipping meals before a party will “save” you calories. But when you are ravenously hungry and standing in front of a buffet table of high calorie goodies, you’ll find it hard to resist piling it on. Eat your regular Nutrisystem meals and snacks on party days and then load up your plate with (unlimited!) non-starchy vegetables . Indulge in just a few bites of the treats you love the ...

To stay warm during the freezing season, you’ll need a coat, boots, hat, scarf and maybe even long underwear. To stay healthy, you’ll need a nutritional game plan. The right vitamins and nutrients not only help you resist the bacteria and viruses that cause colds and flu, but they also help ease symptoms of—or shorten the duration of—your winter illnesses. These are the five nutrients your body needs more of in winter: 1. Vitamin D Nonfat, fortified milk is a protein-packed way to get vitamin D, so you don’t miss out on the nutrients your body needs. Why you need it this season: It’s in very short supply. Unless you live close to the equator, you’ll be hard-pressed to get enough vitamin D this winter. While consuming lots of liver, egg yolks, cheese, fatty fish or vitamin D-fortified foods is an option, most will be deprived of the greatest source of vitamin D—the sun. The sun’s Ultraviolet-B rays produce vitamin D right in your skin but, as you can imagine, in winter, the sun’s...

We have all experienced food cravings at one time or another. Whether you love salty foods or if it’s sugary sweets that get your mouth watering, it can be hard to pass up your favorites. Oftentimes, food cravings feel out of our control and that can be frustrating when you’re trying to stick to a healthy diet. But what if you could train your brain to crave healthy foods? Research seems to indicate that you can do exactly that. According to Medical News Today, food cravings stem from the same brain region that manages memory, pleasure and reward. This can make food an emotional experience for some people. For instance, if you received a food treat from a parent, teacher or other authority figure as a reward (or a means to cheer you up—perhaps after a doctor’s visit), then an emotional link might be created. Over time, this can undoubtedly contribute to the food cravings that we experience. Even as adults, we often reward ourselves with food. These actions create lifelong habits tha...

Do you find yourself still full of energy even as the clock nears a “bedtime hour?” Or, conversely, are you tired at night but wake up ready-to-go in the morning? While many do consider themselves “in between,” or find that it changes at different points in their lives, a lot of people tend to identify as being either more of an “early bird” or more of a “night owl.” And the fact is, there’s more to it than just personal preference. There is actual science behind why some people feel their best in the morning—and some at night. 5 Ways Sleep Deprivation Is Affecting Your Weight Read More Here’s what research says about early birds versus night owls: It’s in Your Genes Like so many factors related to the way our bodies operate, the answer just may be written in our DNA. A study of nearly 90,000 people who had their genomes sequenced was able to identify 15 specific loci that were significantly associated with being a morning person. According to the National Human Genome Resea...