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The heart wants what the heart wants – and despite the mixed signals you might be getting, that’s not actually another piece of cake. The research is in – losing that excess weight is one of the best ways to be good to your heart. Think about it; for every extra pound, your heart has to work a little bit harder to keep nutrient-rich blood flowing. Add to that the other possible benefits of better nutrition and getting in shape: balanced blood sugar, healthy cholesterol levels , and higher antioxidant intake to help fight free radicals. It all stacks up in favour of a healthier heart.
From fibre to antioxidants, plants are full of all sorts of nutrients that promote both healthy weight loss and heart health. They also lack the things that can weight heavy on waistlines and hearts alike: saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar. More space on your plate for fruits, veggies, and legumes means less space for high fat, high sugar processed foods.
Calories In
It’s impossible to reduce good nutrition to a simple numbers game, but when the numbers are on your side, it’ll show on the scale. Watching your calories is an important factor in healthy weight loss. Now, that doesn’t mean deprivation – just balancing what you eat with what you burn, which brings us to our next point.
Exercise
Not only is exercise one of the top factors in shedding weight, it’s one of the best things you can do for your heart. If you’re in good shape, your heart will be, too. Even a light walk every day will do your heart a world of good. Studies show that walking supports cardiovascular health and the benefits grow with the amount and intensity of the exercise.
Catch Some Z’s
Lack of sleep makes us more susceptible to stress. Stress can be a direct line to food cravings that will sabotage your weight loss goals. When it comes to optimal health – be it heart, weight, or anything else – hitting the pillow is as important as hitting the gym.
Be good to your heart, and your heart will be good to you. Like us on Facebook and Twitter for more tips and recipes to help you lose weight and be your healthiest self. We’d love to hear from you – how has losing weight benefitted your health?