Top ways to cut calories and increase longevity

(NaturalNews) With obesity increasing at an alarming rate, nearly everyone wants to find ways to cut calories. Not only will cutting calories help maintain a more healthy weight, but doing so can significantly increase the longevity that a person experiences.

Use moderation with nuts
Nuts have a great deal of health benefits that make them attractive as a snack as well as an addition to any meal. Due to their crunchy goodness, they are a particularly satisfying snack that can quickly get out of hand. One handful of nuts can easily garner an individual an extra 175 to 200 calories, depending on the variety. It is easy to get carried away when eating them, and a bowl can add up to about 500 calories. A better bet for portion control instead of eating them from a bowl is to portion out the nuts by the handful, and choose nuts that must be shelled. This will help reduce the amount of time that is actually spent snacking.

Watch when dressing a salad
Of course, a salad made with fresh greens is a healthy meal option. The greens provide all sorts of antioxidants that boost immunity and plenty of fiber to help the stomach feel fuller longer. Some of the benefits are negated, however, if high-fat additions are made. Instead of adding butter-topped croutons, lots of extra cheese and fat-laden dressings, it is best to stick with options that are not as calorie-heavy. Instead, choose to season salads with olive oil and flavorful balsamic vinegar or lemon juice with lots of fresh herbs.

Add fun to exercise time
There is no doubt about it: It is easy to get into a boring routine when it comes to exercising. Such exercise is a top priority, however, when it comes to boosting the metabolism. In turn, this boost in metabolism makes it easier for the body to keep the weight off. Add some favorite tunes to an MP3 player while running or working out on the weight machines to make exercise less boring.

Take up swimming
There are few exercises that involve almost every muscle group in the body while still delivering a low-impact workout. Swimming is an exercise that can be done year-round, especially with heated pools or bodies of water with a consistently relatively warm temperature. In addition to burning about 250 calories for every 25 minutes spent swimming, muscles become stronger and endurance builds. These lead to a healthier and stronger person overall.

If swimming is not possible due to the weather, invest in a stationary bike or take a spin around the neighborhood. Riding a bike gives almost as good of a workout as swimming and allows an individual to get some vitamin D in the process.

By making just a few small changes in diet and lifestyle, it is possible to see enormous dividends in calories lost and an increase in longevity.

Sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

http://health.yahoo.net

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Sofiya has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments,health insurance, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.