We live in an age of technology and office work, which means sitting in front of a computer and working out only our fingers. The lack of physical activity and the stress we face on a daily basis usually leads to unwanted weight. It's better to prevent than to treat the weight gains that can lead to severe heart diseases and an inaesthetic look, which lowers our self esteem. Ageing also has a great impact on the outside and inside of the body, and so, the best way to maintain it, is by providing the right resources of energy. Being healthy is a better way to looking good than buying expensive clothes and putting on a ton of make-up and other cosmetic products.
+ eggs; low fat diary; beans; oatmeal; olive oil; oranges; whole grains; strawberries; cinnamon; tangerines; ginger; grapefruit; bananas; apricots; almonds; watermelon; fish (salmon, tuna); apples; chicken; hot chili peppers; turkey; kiwi; lentils; spinach; olives; dark chocolate.
Also there is a list of things that should never be combined if you want to maintain your body slim and healthy:
- milk should always be drank alone..and preferably it should be skimmed milk;
- meat should never be eaten with bread, diary products, fruits or other fats...but with green vegetables;
- bread with butter;
- pasta with ham and any diary products;
- cheese with bread...in this case the amount of calcium absorbed by the body goes down;
- potatoes with bread...the golden rule of NEVER;
- in fruit salads, sweet fruits should never be combined with sour fruits...that's why I never liked it so much, people usually put banana and pineapple with orange and kiwi;
- no fruits immediately after a meal
It's important to drink between 1.5l and 2.5l of liquids/day...water, green tea and home made juices. They help rebuild cells and clean unwanted elements from your body. Also exercising is a key factor, the best way to keep in shape is of course running, but if there is no time for going to the gym or jogging, a long walk can also be a good option.
Now, traveling thought me that we are different...we have different routines, different national dishes and different eating schedules. We should enjoy the way we are and not try to change just to stick to the rules. The foods mentioned above should not become an ONLY in our diets, but an EXTRA, they can be used as the 4-6 snacks every person should eat/day. It's important not to skip meals, so these food options could also be an "on the go" meal. We should always make time for breakfast, waking up 15 minutes earlier is not such a pain, and try not to eat for dinner the amount of calories that should have been eaten through out the day. Starvation is not the answer, don't forget that humans are like animals, and when the human body is starving it thinks that it will never get food again and starts building resources, fat resources.
Ah yes...reduce alcohol and tobacco and sleep 8 hours/night (not more not less).
My favorite websites with info about ab and glute exercises:
http://www.lose-fat-belly.com/
http://exercise.about.com/od/butthipsthighs/tp/butt.htm