How Many Carbs Do We Need?

 According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, about half your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. So that’s quite a lot. But, there’s more to it than how many carbs you need — some sources of carbohydrates are better for you than others. What the mean by “carbs” is vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, and whole grains.

First, what are carbs? Carbohydrates are mostly found in plants where they provide energy and structure. Sugars, starches, and fibers fall into this category.

And although animals need and consume carbohydrates, you won’t find any carbs in meat, fish or poultry. But you will find carbs in milk and dairy products because they contain lactose, which is also a type of sugar.

This is a good article that was first published by WebMD, but though dairy is a good source of carbs I substitute dairy with a plant based milk like Almond milk or Oat milk, there are several others on the market they may even be better for you then dairy.  

How Many Carbs Do You Need?

Your carbohydrate need can be based on your caloric intake. If you know how many calories you need each day, you can figure out how many grams of carbs you need:

Start by determining your daily calorie need and divide that number in half. That’s how many calories should come from carbohydrates.
Each gram of carbohydrate has four calories. Divide the number you got from the first step by four.
The final number is equal to the amount of carbohydrates in grams you need each day.
For example, a person who eats approximately 2,000 calories per day should take in about 250 grams of carbohydrates (2,000 divided by 2 = 1,000 and 1,000 divided by 4 = 250).

I think that way is too complicated, it's easier to count the carbs by calories, in the example above if you need 2000 calories a day, 1000 calories should come from carbs. This next tips is important. If you eat food in cans or boxes your calorie count will add up fast and you will have to eat less food. This also holds true for restaurant food. If you stick to whole foods, all natural foods, you will be able to eat more food per day and still stick to the 1000 calorie count of your carbs.

Tracking Your Carbohydrate Intake

Find the carbohydrate grams on the Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods. You’ll find calorie information there too, but be sure to double-check the serving size and number of servings per package.
Use the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference to calculate carbohydrate amounts for fresh foods. It’s a large database that’s regularly updated.
Keep a food diary to track your information. You can print out your own pages and keep them in a notebook.
Join Calorie Count to track calories, carbohydrates, and all the other nutrients, plus you’ll find suggestions for a healthy diet. They also have a great smart-phone app so you can track your calories when you’re away from your computer.

Which Carbs are Best

This illustration make it easy to choose the best carbs.

Carbohydrates include complex carbohydrates, like starches, and simple sugars such as white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and honey. As far as plant-based carbs go, choose 100-percent whole grains, and fruits and vegetables for most of your carbohydrates. The standard tip is to ‘make half of your grains whole.’ That way, as long as you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, you’ll add a substantial amount of fiber to your diet.

Of course, you don’t want to consume carbs only. You need protein and fat, just not as much. Balance your carbohydrate choices with protein sources such as lean meat, poultry, eggs, or fish, and some healthy fat such as olive oil, avocado or nuts, and seeds. Protein combined with high-fiber carbs helps keep you feel full between meals. The protein that is recommended by most professionals is seafood and poultry. The fat in these two food groups won’t contain any animal fats.

Watch Out for Sugars

The worst carbohydrates sources may be sugary foods, including things made with sugar, honey, corn syrup or maple syrup. These foods usually have too many calories and little or no nutritional value. Remember, you can't go over the 1000 calories a day so choose wisely. The trick to losing weight is to get the most nutrients possible from every calorie. My calorie intake is 1500 per day. 2000 calories may be too much for you and you won't lose weight. Try 2000 at first and after one month you judge for yourself, you might have to reduce your calories. Not everyone needs the same amount of calories.

Avoid sugary snacks, pastries, sugar-sweetened soft drinks, candy, and cookies. Watch out for heavily processed foods that often contain added sugars, even those that don’t taste sweet. A good rule-of-thumb is “don’t drink your calories”.

Follow me on Twitter or X @ray0369

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want to Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

If you really want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want to Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

For Those Losing Weight, Why Is Your Pulse Important

 

What Is Your Pulse? And why is the important?

I understand you just want to lose weight and you don’t care about the “How and Why”. But if you have been wondering why your having so much trouble losing weight, then maybe you need to read this. 

Your pulse is your heart rate, or the number of times your heart beats in one minute. Heart rates vary from person to person. Your pulse is lower when you are at rest and increases when you exercise (because more oxygen-rich blood is needed by the body during exercise). 

Knowing how to take your pulse can help you evaluate your exercise program. If you are taking heart medications, recording your pulse on a daily basis and reporting the results to your doctor can help your provider determine if the drugs are working properly. And it also helps you know if your exercise is really doing any good. 

How Do I Take My Pulse?

1. Place the tips of your index (second finger) and third finger on the palm side of your other wrist, below the base of the thumb. Or, place the tips of your index and second finger on your lower neck, on either side of your windpipe.

2. Press lightly with your fingers until you feel the blood pulsing beneath your fingers. You may need to move your fingers around slightly up or down until you feel the pulsing.

3. Look at a watch or clock with a second hand.

4. Count the beats you feel for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate (pulse) per minute.

Check your pulse: (beats in 10 seconds) x 6 = (your pulse)

What Is a Normal Pulse?

A normal resting heart rate is generally considered to be 60-100 beats per minute. The exact number will vary among individuals. Children tend to have higher resting heart rates than adults. Now, and I’m talking about adults, not children, If your at-rest heart rate is over 85 beats a minute and you have no heart problems, your probably overweight or in poor physical condition. If your not someone who regularly exercises then exercise will help you, but you need to be careful. You want to know your maximum heart rate and you need to monitor that so your not exceeding it. 

What Is Maximum Heart Rate?

The maximum heart rate is, on average, the highest your pulse rate can get based on your age. To calculate your predicted maximum heart rate, use this formula:

220 - Your Age = Predicted Maximum Heart Rate

Example: a 40-year-old's predicted maximum heart rate is 180.

Read carefully this next section because the formula above does work, but if your under a doctor’s care and taking prescription drugs then ask your doctor what your maximum heart rate is and then depending on your age, your target heart rate would be 60% - 80% of the maximum. 

Your actual maximum heart rate can be determined by a graded exercise test. Please note that some medications and medical conditions may affect your maximum heart rate. If you are taking drugs or have a medical condition (such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes), always ask your doctor if your maximum heart rate (and target heart rate) should be adjusted.

What Is Target Heart Rate?

You gain the most benefits and lessen the risks when you exercise in your ''target heart rate zone.'' Usually this is when your exercise heart rate (pulse) is 60%-80% of your maximum heart rate. In some cases, your doctor may decrease your target heart rate zone to begin with 50%.

Be careful not to exceed your target heart rate. This increases both cardiovascular and orthopedic risk and does not add any extra benefit. Instead, slow down until your heart rate gets into the proper range. 

The reason all of this is important is because, and this is a simple example, You want to start exercising so you start walking everyday. But after a few weeks you don’t think the exercise is doing any good. That’s when you should be monitoring your pulse. For example, if your target heart rate is 140 beats a minute and you walk 30 minutes a day, then for 20 minutes your heart rate should be at 140 beats a minutes. The first 5 minutes you start slowly building up and the last 5 minutes slowly cooling down. If you do this properly it’s good for your heart and it works to speed up your metabolism. I know what your thinking, for beginners keeping track of your pulse is very difficult. But they make fitness trackers that help you with that. It straps on your arm and tells you your heart rate. Some do much more, they can tell time, keep track of your steps and even how many calories you burn during your work out or during the day.

If your not monitoring your heart rate your can do damage to your heart, or if your going to slow you might not be doing yourself any good. 

To sum this up, You should have a resting heart rate at 70 or below and when you exercise depending on your age and health your heart rate can be twice your resting heart rate. When you have a higher resting rate you need to talk with your doctor and he will advise you how high your heart rate should be during exercise. It will vary with age and weight.

The reason for this post is that some beginners with exercise can't seem to make any progress and give up. That can be because you need to exercise for about 20 minutes at max heart rate in order to boost your metabolism. But you can't rush into that max heart rate, you have to warm up for about 5 minutes, gradually increasing to your max rate. Then later do a post-workout slowing bringing the rate back down.

It can be very dangerous for beginners to stress the heart muscle.

Follow me on X, the former twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my lastest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

More Protein, Less Body Fat

 Americans seem to be very interested in protein these days. According to market research by Statista, more than 2 in 5 Americans drink protein shakes daily. But are protein shakes as beneficial as they're made out to be? Can they help you achieve your weight-loss goals? While protein is an essential macronutrient that plays a critical role in muscle growth, bone health, immune support and blood sugar control, it's also crucial for maintaining a healthy weight.

The Role of Protein in Weight Management

Protein offers several benefits that can help support your weight-loss goals. High-protein foods are highly satiating, meaning they help keep you full and satisfied for longer time periods, reducing the likelihood of overeating or excess snacking. Additionally, research shows protein can help preserve and build lean muscle mass.

During weight loss, it's common to lose both fat and muscle. However, according to a 2019 study published in Nutrients, getting enough protein may help minimize muscle loss and preserve muscle mass. This is because muscle mass is metabolically active and burns more calories than fat mass—even at rest.

"The thermic effect of food (TEF) refers to the energy expenditure required to digest, absorb and process nutrients from food," says Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian with Balance One Supplements. "Protein has a higher TEF than carbohydrates and fats, meaning it requires more energy to metabolize. This increased energy expenditure contributes to the overall calorie burn and can support weight-management efforts."

I have a protein shake every morning, My doctor told me to pick a power that is plant-based. The power I use is a blend of Pea protein and Quinoa protein. The shake is 180 calories plus the calories I get in one banana and the coconut milk I add, the total calories is about 300. Besides the 30 gm of protein I also get potassium, some sodium, iron, and calcium. It's a well blanced breakfast that's quick and easy to make and you can take it with you.

I eat my main meal in the middle of the day around 1pm. I try and get 60 gm a day of protein so if I'm short grams I make another shake in the late afternoon. 

For inbetween snacks I carry fruit, like an apple or pear. I try and pick a fruit that's not messy. I don't eat excess calories like desserts (cakes, cookies, pie or ice cream) Except for hard cheese and Greek yogurt, I don't eat dairy and I have reduced my gluten intake. Also, I stopped drinking calories. This diet has reduced my calorie intake to less than 1500 calories a day and still gives me all my nutrients.

Follow me on X, the former twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my lastest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Summary of My Posts on Living Longer

 I have posted more than once about the fact that science doesn't know how long humans could live under the right conditions. If you can watch the series on Netflix running now called Living to 100. I took the info for my posts from the series. It's about the Blue Zones around the world where a high percentage of people are living over 100. It's a great series and if your interested I can recommend that documentary. 

In North American our average life span is just under 80. Actually it's 77 years for men and 81 years for women. Those numbers are pretty good compared to other countries. That's not a very good average overall. My grandparents were born in the 1880s and lived longer than that. We seem to be going in the wrong direction. Life expectances should be much long considing the wonders of modern medicine. What is the problem?

A big part of the problem is the cost of healthcare. Most seniors are living at poverty level. Because of medical conditions that most seniors have, most are not able to work any longer. And some can't efford to drive either. 

Our healthcare is great in this country if your able to pay for the insurance. Not everyone is. Medicare by it self isn't enought coverage. You can still be stuck with a big bill if all you have is Medicare. Medicaid can be okay if you don't have any serious problems and only need minimum care. Medicare Advantage may be okay if you done have a lot of health problems. 

Living a long life is about staying healthy. If you see the Netflix series you will realize what it takes to be healthy. Those people in the Blue Zones were somewhere between 100 and 109 years old and nobody was in a wheelchair or used a walker. These were healthy, fit people who were still enjoying life. 

Follow me on X, the former twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my lastest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

To Live Longer Get Regular Exams

 Get Health Screenings and Tests

Maintaining your health is vital to ensuring your optimal life expectancy. This means seeing your healthcare provider at least once yearly for a comprehensive physical exam and evaluation.

If you have one or more chronic medical conditions, you may need to see our provider more often or see other specialists to ensure your medications are working and the treatment goals are being met.

In addition, you need to get your recommended vaccines, including annual ones like the flu and COVID shots and scheduled ones like the shingles and meningococcal vaccines.

Routine screenings are needed based on your age and sex. This may include mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap smears, and STI screenings.

By preventing diseases or treating them during the early stages, you will be better assured of uninterrupted good health over the long term.

Check-ups should always include blood tests, EKG, and possibly a chest x-ray depending on your condition. Your doctor knows best what you need. As our bodies age, changes will occur quicker than normal, so see your doctor as often as necessary. Sometimes a simple cough can develop into a serious lung condition if not treated. 

If you're serious about living longer, listen to your doctor and make changes in your diet. 

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Avoiding Risks Can Lengthen Your Lifespan

Your life expectancy can be protected by making sure you don't take any unnecessary risks.

For young people, the biggest causes of death aren't diseases or age-related problems. The most common causes are accidents, injuries, and violence.

As you get older, there are certain risk behaviors that also correspond to a significant loss of life years.

According to a 2021 study in the journal Aging, these include:

Prolonged sitting: Loss of 2-4 years

High blood pressure: Loss of 4-5 years

Being chronically underweight: Loss of 4-8 years

Smoking: Loss of 5-7 years

Alcohol abuse: Loss of 5-7 years

Physical inactivity: Loss of 5-7 years

Type 2 diabetes: Loss of 7-10 years

By having several co-occurring risk factors, you compound the risk. For example, inactive people with diabetes and obesity have anywhere from an 8- to 13-year loss of life.

 How Lifestyle and Habits Affect Biological Aging

Other things that can put you at risk without knowing it:

The slowing decay of your body is the number one risk

Your body is like a machine in some respects. Diet and some form of exercise is necessary to keep your body functions working properly. You don't have to get a gym membership to stay fit. I remember my grandparents very well. They spend their days working around the house in the kitchen, and in the garden from sun up to sundown. Very seldom saw a doctor, and lived a long life into their 80s. For people born in the 1880s that was a long life. 

The point is that they spent their lives on their feet keeping up the house, cooking, and cleaning.  Television was for Sundays. Even my parents lived a healthier lifestyle until they retired. After that, they fell into the same trap that we do today. Eat out at least once a day and watch TV when they are home. So why would they change their lives at that age?

 The 1980s were much like today except for the internet and cell phones. We still live in the same houses, go to the same schools, and shop in the same supermarkets and malls. Yes, everything has been modernized over the years and a few things have been added, but if you just woke up after sleeping for 35 years, the older parts of the cities and states haven't changed much. But for my parents who grew up before WWll, the world was a much different place in the 1980s. They tried to live a more modern life by taking advantage of modern conveniences. They liked eating fast food. They started buying TV dinners. These were things they never did when they were working. The problem was that they weren't taking care of themselves and their health started to decline.

They had increased their risk without realizing it just by changing their lifestyle. We all have done something similar ourselves. If you move or even change jobs you might have changed your lifestyle without noticing it, and increased your risk without realizing it. We can all get into a trap at work and lose track of our personal lives. 

Your lifestyle has to come first.  You work so you can live better. You don't live to work. The newest generation of workers has figured that out. And maybe that is why they are demanding a better work life.

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Avoid sitting down for long lengths of time

 Turn off Your TV

By cutting back on television watching, you may also improve your health and increase your life expectancy.

Here are ​a few reasons why:

Watching TV excessively makes you inactive and more likely to gain weight.

Sitting for prolonged hours can lead to chronic back and neck pain.

TV can be stressful, mainly if you are a news junkie.

TV prevents quality social interaction and can contribute to anxiety and depression.

All of these things can have a negative impact on your health as well as your longevity.

Can TV Shorten Your Life?

According to the ongoing Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study, people who spend an average of six hours per day watching TV can expect to live 4.8 years less than those who watch no TV.

On average, every single hour of TV viewed after age 25 reduces the viewer's life expectancy by 21.8 minutes.

It is a fact that sitting for more than 30 minutes will put your body in hibernation mode. That's when your body will slow down the calorie-burning functions and prepare the body for sleep. If you're not sleeping well, not getting 7 or 8 hours every night, you might be spending too much time sitting after dinner. You passed the point of sleep, that's when the body is ready to fall asleep, and you are forcing yourself to stay awake to finish what you're watching or reading.  

I can remember the late 1940s and the 1950s when I lived at home. My mother's parents, my parents, and my brother and I lived in a farmhouse on a small farm. I can remember those times as some of the best times of my childhood. My father had a job in the city. The rest of us worked at the farm. My brother and I were too small to really do any work, but we were learning how to weed the garden and pick fruit from the apple trees. 

The point is that my mother and grandparents worked all day. We had a chicken farm and at the high point, we had about 400 chickens. My grandparents were constantly working, sitting only to eat meals and read for a while after dinner. After we moved back to the city, nothing really changed. There was always work to do, no one sat down except for meals and a short time after dinner to read a book or the paper.

Saturday morning was kid's television, all the cartoon shows came on. Sunday was a time for family television. Usually to watch baseball or football. In the evening the adults would watch a variety show like Ed Sullivan. There were only 2 channels until 1955, after 1955 there were 4 channels. I never watched TV except for sports on the weekends. It wasn't until the 1980s when I began to watch some of the evening shows. Watching TV is a type of mindless activity and should only be done for short periods of time. 

The secret to longevity is to stay active and challenge your mind when you're working. You might not realize it, but having a second job isn't really a bad thing. It keeps you off the couch and out of the kitchen. It can keep you engaged with others and that keeps you in a better mode.

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.