We are excited about our newsletter. The articles are designed to help you and your family have a healthy lifestyle.

This month we are discussing How To Measure Your Weight and Fruits To Be Eaten During Summer !

We have also included a great recipe for Spinach and Shrimp Salad

You know, it's important to measure your weight-loss progress. However, did you know that your success can be measured on a number of levels? You can have successful results even without weight loss!

Are you adopting new healthy habits? Are you getting to look better? Are your medical problems, injury, and other long-term health risks decreasing? Are you improving the quality of your life? The factors above, with or without weight loss, are the most important measures of success.

You can also measure your short and medium-term changes regularly during the process. These include obvious changes in health- related behavior patterns such as:

• a decreased reliance on medications,
• increased ability to perform physical activity,
• a reduced intake of fat and/or carbohydrates,
• and the increased intake of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals in your diet.

If you've started making slight changes in how your food is cooked or prepared, or if you're reading labels at the grocery store and are discovering new tastes and textures, you're making great improvements towards a healthier lifestyle. When you feel good about yourself and acknowledge the changes you're making along the way, you're more likely to keep moving forward on your path.

Also, there are a number of physical indicators of progress, including:

• the waist circumference,
• waist to hip ratio,
• hydrostatic weighing,
• electrical impedance,
• skin fold calipers.

Please refer to a certified personal trainer in your area that can help you to make the measurements if you need assistance.

KEY POINT: Whatever method you decide to use to measure your physical progress, never use the scale as the only indicator. Your weight does not reflect how healthy you are or the progress you've made.

When you step on the scale, your weight reflects the combined total of both your lean body weight (muscle, bone, organs, fluids) and body fat weight. Two people with identical body weights do not have the same body composition. They could, indeed, have entirely different body types. For example, a 170- pound man might have 60 pounds of body fat and 110 pounds of lean body mass. A healthier, more muscular man might only have 25 pounds of body fat and 145 pounds of lean body mass. Even though these two individuals weigh the same, one is in much better shape than the other.

When you use the scale to measure your progress, it doesn't give you information about the body composition (fat vs. muscle) changes that are actually occurring. The scale may show that you've lost seven pounds, but it can't tell you that half of the weight was muscle and water, not fat. Similarly, you may be discouraged when you haven't lost any weight on your weight-loss program, even though you have actually lost pounds of fat and replaced them with pounds of firm, fat-burning muscle.

KEY POINT: When you develop healthier eating and physical activity habits, it will most likely result in a loss of body fat even though the scale may indicate that you weigh the same. Learn to pay more attention to improvements in how you feel, in your self-esteem, and in your physical appearance.

Don't forget to notice and acknowledge your improvements in energy, performance, self-esteem, and the many other benefits you'll gain from this healthier lifestyle: improvements in health risk factors and medical conditions, improved quality of life and psychological functioning, healthier eating, and more enjoyable physical activity.

Apricots - Apricots are rich in potassium, magnesium supplying stamina. They contain vitamin C, iron and beta carotene. They are fairly firm with bright orange color. To be had when ripe. Unripe fruit can be stored for up to 2 days or so at room temperature before eating. Keeping them in the fridge will make them last a bit longer. Rinse and wash apricots before eating.

Strawberries - Buy sweet smelling strawberries that are red in color without any white or green spots. Strawberries are full of vitamin C, potassium, sodium and iron as well as being low in calories. Strawberries can be frozen up to twelve months whole or sliced, with or without sugar. Do not remove the stem of fruit while storing it in the fridge. Before eating, rinse gently under cold running water.

Raspberries - Good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and fiber, raspberries are the most fragile of all the berries. So they have to be plucked gently. Buy firm dry raspberries avoiding soft ones. They are high perishable and should be refrigerated if not eaten immediately. Gently rinse the raspberries under cold running water and dry them on paper towels before serving.

Watermelons - Mostly water so they are low in calories. Excellent source of vitamin C, potassium and high in pectin. To know whether if the fruit is sweet, thump it with the knuckles and if you hear a hollow sound, then the fruit is going to taste sweet. Watermelon has dark green skin and bright red coloured flesh. Uncut fruit should be stored in a cool place, while cut watermelon should always be tightly wrapped, refrigerated and used within a day or so.

Cherries - Dark cherries = high in nutritional value. Packed with enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Buy heavy firm cherries with bright color and fresh stem. They last for two days or so. Chilling not only preserves them, but also makes them more flavorful. Simply rinse cherries in cool water and drain on paper towel until they are ready to be eaten.

Pineapples - Storehouse of minerals, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, calcium and iron. They have loads of vitamin C and are an excellent source of bromelain, an enzyme that helps digestion. The best fruit to be eaten is the one with strong sweet aroma. The color of the fruit skin should be dark golden color; leaves should be fresh and green with no brown or yellow tips. They ripen at room temperature. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate it.

Peaches - They are a rich source of beta-carotene and potassium and contain moderate amounts of vitamin C. Buy bright colored, firm peach with smooth skin and sweet aroma. They can ripen at room temperature. It is ideal to refrigerate the ripe ones and eat it within 5 days.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com
About the Author
Kevin Pederson manages websites on nutrition, diet and health such as http://www.diethealthclub.com. Nutritious diet ensures well being, helps to maintain a healthy BMI and reduces the risk of several debilitating diseases like cancer, cardiovascular ailments, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:
Calories: 205
Protein: 27 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Carbohydrates: 12 grams