11 Mart 2008 Salı

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3 Mart 2008 Pazartesi

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10 Şubat 2008 Pazar

Super Food

Goji berries are also known as Wolfberries. Some people even mis-spell it as "gogi berries". It is a sweet-taste, dark-red coloured dried fruit, and mainly comes from north-western area of China. It has been grown and consumed in China for a few thousand years. Many published studies discussed medicinal benefits of goji berries, including its antioxidant properties, its potential roles against cardiovascular, inflammatory, and vision-related diseases, its neuro-protective properties, its roles as anticancer and immunomodulatory agent. Research have found that goji contains many nutrients including 11 essential elements, 22 trace dietary minerals, 18 amino acids, 6 essential vitamins, 8 polysaccharides, and 6 monosaccharidesm.

The roasted cacao nibs are made from the process whereby the cacao seeds are roasted in large, rotating ovens, at temperatures of about 210-290F. Roasting lasts from half an hour up to two hours. The heat brings out more flavor and aroma, and it dries and darkens the seeds. Then the seeds are cracked and winnowed, that is, their outer shells are cracked and blown away, leaving the crushed and broken pieces of cacao seeds - "cacao nibs". At this point, we have something edible and really chocolatey. Cacao nibs contains Magnesium, Sulphur, and Anti-oxidant, Monoamine Oxidase Enzyme Inhibitors, Phenylethylamine, and Anandamide. These substances can help us having healthy heart, relieving us from stressful mood, and much more. So recent years cacao nibs are becoming a popular healthy food.

Maca root can be used as vegetable or medicinal herb. Biologically maca root is rich in sugar and protein. It contains 60% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 8.5% dietary fiber, and 2.2% fats. Additionally it has uridine, malic acid, benzoyl derivative, and glucosinolates etc. Dried maca powder is rich in alkaloidal, minerals, and nutrients such as essential minerals (selenium, calcium, magnesium, and iron), fatty acids including linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acids, and 19 amino acids, as well as polysaccharides.

Spirulina is rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. It contains Lysine, Cysteine, Methionine, Phenylalanine and Threonine, whic are important amino acids that can only be acquired by human beings through food. Spirulina is also a very rich source of Vitamin B-12. It has much higher iron content than Spinach. It contains much higher amounts of Beta-Carotene than carrots.

Wheatgrass also contains 20 amino acids, several hundred different enzymes not found in other foods, as many as 90 out of 102 possible minerals, vitamins and other important nutrients. It is a great supplement for people on diet, for sports people, and for people who want to maintain a healthy immune system. It should mention that nowadays many people like to buy wheatgrass powderto make juice by themselves.

On the other hand any people like to buy flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is a great source for Omega 3. Omega 3 has super polyunsaturated Essential Fatty Acid, which has many benefits in our daily lives. It is known as an Essential Fatty Acid because these oils are vital for normal body functions such as renewal of cells balancing hormones, repairing muscles and tissue as well as many other essential processes in the body. Omega 3 is referred to as essential as it must be ingested in food directly as the body cannot synthesise it from other foods not containing Omega 3. If our bodies are short of Omega 3 and EFA, we could have dry flaky skin, weight increase, poor concentration or attention deficiency, lack of energy, continually getting colds or infections, Arthritic type pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increase in allergies. Flax oil can be added to low fat yoghurt or taken with you favourite fruit juice.

Chlorella is a single-cell green algae which is part of Chlorophyta family. It is spherical in shape, about 2 to 10 ?m in diameter. Chlorella contains a fibrous and indigestible outer shell and inner nutrients. The dried Chlorella contains about 45% protein, 20% fat, 20% carbohydrate, 5% fiber, and 10% minerals and vitamins. Therefore many people believe it is an attractive food source because it is high in protein and other essential nutrients. More importantly many of its health benefits have been discovered by researchers around the world.

9 Şubat 2008 Cumartesi

LTC Insurance & Health Savings Account

Due to recent advancements in the insurance industry, LTC Insurance (long term care insurance) has added many features. Over the last several years LTC insurance hasn't had a lot of features. LTC insurance has not been cheap; with nursing home care costs rising at alarming rates. In addition to the LTC insurance there have been many changes throughout the health insurance industry. One relatively new health insurance product, the Health Savings Account has grew with popularity. Health Savings Accounts allow self-employed individuals to buy coverage with a saving option. This savings option allows the health savings account holder to essentially invest any unused premiums. This can be particularly useful for the individual that isn't a chronic health system user. All unused portions of the health savings account go towards retirement. Both LTC Insurance and health insurance has had their share of critics. For many individuals that pay into these forms of insurance never actually utilize the coverage. Health Savings Accounts and LTC insurance have now answered these objections. Because of these advancements the health insurance industry is becoming more widely accepted. Offering more health insurance for those whom need it most. More individuals are now insured, with less drag on the health care system. The Money Alert is a popular insurance related site featuring insurance-related topics. Their most recent LLC comparison table has become a popular spot to compare an LLC Vs S corporations. You may also want to visit their site to see how your small business can benefit from forming an LLC> Tags: LTC Insurance, Health Savings Account, LLC

29 Ocak 2008 Salı

Understanding Fats And Carbohydrates And Their Role In A Healthy Diet

In recent times it would give the impression that fats and carbohydrates have both gotten a bad rap. First it was fat that was the culprit in all dietary ills, and low fat diets were all the rage. Then the two switched places, with carbohydrates being the bad guys and fat reigning supreme.

Both fats and carbohydrates play an important role in nutrition, and both are vital to a healthy diet. It would be impossible and unwise to remove all fat from the diet, since fat is important for the production of energy, and for carrying valuable fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, throughout the body. In addition, fat plays a very important role in regulating various bodily functions.

Even though some fat is essential to a healthy body, too much fat can be harmful. Excessive levels of dietary fats have been implicated in heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol levels and even some cancers. Most nutritionists suggest limiting daily fat intake to less than 20% of calories, although taking that level lower than 10% is not recommended.

The type and amount of fat in the diet makes all the difference. A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol has been associated with a variety of ills, including heart disease, stroke and other related diseases. In addition, many long-term chronic problems, such as obesity, are associated with high levels of dietary fats.

Food labels do make the complex process of choosing the right fats somewhat easier. For instance, trans fats will be listed on the ingredient list of foods that include them. In general, trans fats are found mainly in processed foods. When limiting your daily intake of fat and cholesterol, it is good to have an understanding of nutritional labels. This government mandated labels could be a huge help to those who take the time to read and be aware of them.

Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet as well, and carbs are necessary for providing energy and many vital nutrients. Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables, in grains and in milk and dairy products. It is important to choose carbohydrates carefully, however, since not all are equally healthy.

Keeping saturated fats and trans fats to a minimum is important to a healthy diet. Trans fats, which are solid at room temperature, are most often found in highly processed foods like cookies, cakes and other baked goods. In addition, trans fats are often found in fried foods and in salty snacks like potato chips. While these foods are fine in moderation, it is best to avoid large quantities of such snacks.

As with many products, less is often more when it comes to choosing foods rich in carbohydrates. For example, less refined whole grain bread is generally more nutritious than white bread, which has gone through a greater amount of refining. That is because the refining process tends to decrease nutrient content over time.

Of course, there are some elements in the diet that should be limited. Two of these elements are sugar and salt. Most Americans consume too much salt and sugar, and this has led to epidemics of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other ills. Limiting sugar and salt, while choosing good fats and unrefined carbohydrates, is a great way to make the most of the nutritional value of the foods you eat.

There's a lot to understand about Fats and carbohydrates. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

Atkins Diet Bad For The Heart

Critics of the Atkins diet have always questioned it's health validity. When Dr Atkins was called before a Senate committee headed by George McGovern, he was forced to admit that pregnant women following his low carb diet would suffer fetal damage to their unborn babies.

Studies since have found that long term, Atkins dieters do not lose weight more quickly, or keep it off more, over a twelve month period as compared to people following other diets. The initial weight loss is mostly fluid, not fat as is often claimed.

And whilst the high levels of protein and fats, and extremely low level of carbohydrates, appeals to some people's tastes, for most, it's unappetizing and doesn't produce a feeling of well being. As such, it becomes difficult to follow for long periods. Yet it is sold as a 'way of life', rather than a diet.

Most seriously, questions raised by Atkins's death, and the state of his heart health as revealed in the medical report after his death, seemed to give credibility to his critics.

Officially, Atkins died as a result of slipping on an icy pavement near his office. But his medical report revealed that he had a history of heart attacks, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. His wife explained the heart problems as a result of a virus they both contracted in Turkey.

Whether or not this is true, other evidence has since emerged that indicates Atkins diet is not good for the heart after all.

One recent study at Oxford University followed 19 people over a two week period. When they followed a diet high in fat and low in carbs, it was found that the energy stored in their heart was reduced by an average of 16%. In some people, this reduction was as high as 30%. On top of this, whilst they were on this diet, these people's hearts were unable to relax as easily. These changes reverted back to normal two weeks after they went back to a normal diet.

Jody Goran's experience was much worse. A 50 year old, he tried the Atkins diet and lost weight. He stayed on it for two years, but in October, 2003 he started having chest pains. He went to the doctor straight away, and they found that one of his main arteries was 99% blocked. He was not far away from having a fatal heart attack, and had to have surgery straight away.

Yet, 6 months before he'd started the Atkins diet, his check up revealed a very healthy heart. He had clean, unblocked arteries, and a 96% chance that he would NOT have a heart attack within the next 5 years. After following the Atkins diet for 2 years, not only was one of his main arteries blocked 99%, but his cholesterol had risen from 146 to 215. Just after the angioplasty, his cholesterol levels fell back to 209. But it wasn't until he discontinued the diet completely that his cholesterol levels returned to 146.

According to a report in The Weekend Australian Magazine, Atkins even acknowledged that in as many as 30% of dieters, higher levels of the 'bad' cholesterol can cause potentially serious heart problems. The same article does state that in others, the 'bad' cholesterol levels will lower, but 30% is a significant number. And there are other, healthier ways to lower cholesterol.

Overall, the questions and potentially serious side effects, quite apart from the bad breath and constipation, make this a highly questionable long term approach to weight control.

Prostate Diet - In The Name Of Soy

Researchers from Canada have found that having a diet of red meat, organ meats, soft drink and bottled water increased the risk of getting prostate cancer. They compared the diets of 80 men with prostate cancer, and 334 healthy men, and the diet just described more than doubled the risk of developing prostate cancer.

So what prostate diet can reduce the risk of prostate cancer? Swedish researchers examined the diet of 1499 men with prostate cancer and 1130 men who were healthy, and they published their findings in the Cancer Causes and Control journal. They found that eating foods rich in phytoestrogens decreased the risk of prostate cancer.

Phytoestrogens are plant molecules that have a weak estrogenic effect. They are made converted in the intestines from plant precursors by bacteria as they digest food. They are taken up by the same parts of the body that process the hormone estrogen.

Interestingly, one of the treatments for prostate cancer by doctors involves using estrogens to reduce the level of testosterone in men with advanced prostate cancer. It does this indirectly, through its effect on the hypothalamus, as less luteinizing hormone releasing hormone is produced by the hypothalamus. This means not as much luteinizing hormone is released by the body, which suppresses the production of testosterone.

High doses of estrogens for men can lead to cardiovascular complications. But phytoestrogens obtained from diet, in less quantities than a drug, and with a milder effect to start with, should not pose a problem. And researchers don't yet know what exactly causes phytoestrogens to have such a protective effect, whether it is similar to that of the estrogen treatment for advanced prostate cancers. And they don't know which phytoestrogens are the most active.

So what phytoestrogen foods could you include in a diet for a healthy prostate? Soy beans and nuts are a good source. Soy and nuts contain a type of phytoestrogen called isoflavones, whilst berries and seeds contain lignans. Foods could include peanuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and berries.

The only possible concerns with soy is that a study in mice found that male mice that had a type of heart disease that people also have, suffered heart failure when fed a soy based diet. Whether this extrapolates to the human population is yet to be established. But it may be wise for those me who have this particular genetic heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, to be cautious about soy products in their diet.

But for other men, soy products could be good news. A meta analysis, which is a study of related studies, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that diets high in soy lowered men's risk of prostate cancer by 30%.

Another important mineral to consider for men is zinc. Zinc is used by men's bodies to make some of the male hormones, and for general prostate health. A deficiency in zinc can lead to problems with the testicles, the prostate, and the health of the sperm. Foods that are great sources of zinc include seeds like pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower; nuts like almonds, brazil, cashews and walnuts; and foods like lettuce, oats and onions. Raw onion is particularly suggested by Paul Bedson, a natural therapist. He also suggests vegetable juice made of equal parts of beetroot, carrot, and cucumber in cases where the prostate gland is enlarged. Cranberry juice, a cup drunk three times a day, is also recommended in this case.

3 Reasons Why the Mediterranean Diet is Good for Men

One of the primary concerns of a growing number of men the world over is finding a diet and exercise plan that will assist in ensuring that they are in optimal health. In recent years, a significant number of men have found themselves attracted to the Mediterranean diet. These men have come to learn that the Mediterranean is a solid choice for assisting them in developing a comprehensive regimen for health living.

There are a number of reasons why the Mediterranean diet is proving itself to be good for men of all ages.

1. The Mediterranean Diet Reduces the Risks of Some Serious Diseases.

Over the course of the past thirty years, a number of research studies have been conducted pertaining to the Mediterranean diet regimen. These studies have produced results that demonstrate that the Mediterranean diet can prove effective in reducing the incidence of a number of serious diseases and ailments in men.

The diseases in men that the Mediterranean diet appears to help prevent include:

  • cancer
  • heart and cardiovascular disease
  • hypertension
  • gallstones
  • stroke
  • diabetes

2. The Mediterranean Diet is Effective in Helping Men Reach and Keep an Ideal Weight.

Many men are confronting problems related with being overweight and obesity. Indeed, in some countries, obesity is becoming the number one health concern amongst men of all ages.

Because the Mediterranean diet includes the consumption of generous portions of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, the diet can be very effective in assisting a man in bringing his weight down do a healthy, ideal level.

In addition to assisting men in fighting obesity and bringing their weight down to a healthy level, the Mediterranean diet is effective in aiding men to maintain a healthy weight over time. While it is one thing for a person to be able to lose weight, it is a completely different challenge for a man to be able to keep weight off over the long term. The Mediterranean diet has proven itself time and again as being a solid dietary program through which a person can maintain a healthy weight.

3. The Mediterranean Diet - Adding Years to a Man's Life.

Throughout history, the males who have populated the region in and around the Mediterranean Sea have been found to live lives longer than their counterparts in other parts of the world. In time, experts in the field of nutrition were able to demonstrate that men in the Mediterranean region lived longer because of their diets.

Scientists and other researchers have been able to demonstrate that there are positive, cumulative effects associated with the Mediterranean diet. In other words, by utilizing and following the Mediterranean diet over time, a man's life (in many instances) will be extended. In addition to having the chance to live a longer life because of dietary decisions, a man's life will be healthier and more robust because of his adherence to the Mediterranean diet scheme.

Conclusion.

Over the course of generations, the Mediterranean diet has proven itself an effective means of:

  • preventing serious diseases
  • maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle
  • prolonging life (in a healthy fashion)

As a result, when it comes to a stable, reliable and effective diet program, more and more men the world over are finding themselves turning to and relying upon the Mediterranean diet in the 21st century.

A One Day Diet Let You Diet Every Other Day

And on the days you're not dieting, you eat the same food and in the same amount as you did before you started the diet. With this one day diet you're losing weight fast and easy, actually as much as 20 plus pounds a month.

Here is what you do:

On diet days

You eat nutritional supplements which contain the vitamins, minerals and salt you need for a day. These supplements are available in pill, powder, liquid or bar form.

In addition, you can eat as much as you want of all kinds of raw fruit. Drink water.

On food days

You must eat what you ate before you started dieting in the same amount. This mean you can and shall eat nothing but your favourite foods and drinks. It is important that you take in as many calories as your body was used to getting before you started.

Motivation is easy

It is much easier to stay motivated when you can take a break from your weight loss program every other day. As the weeks pass you will see that you lose more and more excess pounds, and this will get you even more motivated to stay on this program until you have reached your goal.

If you combine it with some light exercising or just taking a 30 minute brisk walk on your diet days, you will burn even more fat that day.

Sustain your new weight

You might say that this seems too good to be true, but it is true. However, be aware that after you have reached you weight loss goal, you must eat less food than you did before so that you not regain the weight lost. The reason for this, is that your body doesn't need as much energy (in calories) to move that extra weight around. If you start to gain weight again, you can simply start dieting again.

Don't lose too much

It is recommended that you not lose too much weight too fast. If you lose more than 7- 9 pounds a week, just put in 2 or 3 food days in between the diet days, instead of just one. Try out this diet; it might be the way of losing weight you have searched for but not found until now.

Have You Ever Considered To Try a Diet Patch?

What is a diet patch actually? It is a weight loss medicine which utilizes a naturally-based system to modify the appetite feeling of the brain. Products, like Dietrine, Le Patch and Zyapex will lower your body's urge to overeat as well as allowing a normal indulgence of food to take place.

We can see a trend all over the western world that people that want to lose weight are using these slimming patches. Is it just another weight loss mania that doesn't work in a sustainable way, or is it a device that can really help overweight people?

The answer is that these diet patches have significantly proven to aid in weight loss relatively quickly. However, the expectation many dieters of to these patches, are that they alone shall give a significant and sustainable weight loss by itself, and that their effort should be nothing but adhering the slimming patch to their skin and remain doing what they already have done too much of; eat and not exercise. Though these diets patches can represent an important part of a weight loss plan, this is not the way they are supposed to be used. To achieve a healthy and sustainable weight loss for overweight people, fast weight loss is not recommended at all. Loosing 1 to 3 pounds in weight per week is the safest, healthiest and most sustainable way to shed weight. Diet patches are meant to aid you in losing weight. You can use the patch as often as you want and when your food cravings or your access to food is especially high. Situations like holidays and vacations, parties, when you are stressful are well fit for using diet patches. Used this way you can expect to lose 2 to 6 pound weight loss in just a few weeks.

How do you use this patch? Actually it's very easy; You just peel off the back of the patch, place it somewere on your body, and after a while you'll notice that you crave less food throughout the day.

Where can you find diet patches? You can perform a search online for "diet patches+reviews". Then you'll get a list of the most searched websites that offer diet patches as well as a review of the various brands. It is important to know that the internet is a huge market place and there will always be some less than reputable actors there with a sole purpose of earning money. Stay away from those and keep to recommended sites and products with a great reputation.

If you want to take advantage of the many benefits of weighing less and looking great, diet patches can help you a lot when used the right way.

Diets and Slimming

Its time to talk about diets. This but in America today there are many people who are overweight and, many of us need to think very seriously about a diet. I don’t like diets and I bet most of you don’t like them as well, but it’s a fact of life that many people in the US need to think about how to improve their well being. To help do this, one of the best ways is to diet. I didn’t want to get straight to the point but I think I need to. So here goes, Diet, Diet & Diet.

I’ve said it now so those of you who are not interested in reading about a diet can go and look at pictures of really fatty foods which are loaded with calories. Go out and eat loads for a week and then you’ll need to come back and read this page again because you too will need to diet.

Why do our bodies not like us? I find that anything I look at these days expands my waistline. I haven’t thought about eating it yet, I’ve just been looking at it and I find I need to go out and buy a new pair of trousers. What’s more it’s getting worse. As I get older I find that the small bag of donuts I just ate makes me so heavy I have to jog from Seattle to Chicago just to get rid of the excess calories.

It’s not that bad really but a lot of what I eat these days does seem to stay with me so I’ve decided to change my life style and start to diet. But where do I start. The problem is my body doesn’t need too many calories to keep it going. Now that I’m older I am not as active so I need less, but my brain wants to tell me to enjoy myself and eat what I want. It says, "Go on, treat yourself, you deserve it".

Well I don’t, what I do deserve is a slim, trim body but the only way is to eat less than my body needs. I can eat more but I then need to step up my exercise regime to compensate. The problem is that I’ve read somewhere that running a marathon consumes just 2600 calories. I could eat 2600 calories in just one meal. I don’t believe the 2600 calories marathon but it’s got me worried. So its diet time, but where do I start.

I could just decide to starve myself and cut out most of my daily intake of food but we all know that is not a sensible thing to do. What we need is a sensible diet regime which will help us to loose the calories and stay trim and slim. The trouble with diets is that they are so hard to keep to and usually they only work on a temporary basis. Ok, you’re on the diet and you loose weight. Great, you can forget the diet now and go back to normal and that’s the problem, you do go back to normal and so does your waistline.

It’s working with me because I have tied my diet to a sensible fitness lifestyle. I jog, do aerobics and lift weights as well and the lower intake of calories and making my body burn more calories is making the diet work for me. It’s not just the diet though and you need to remember this. Link your diet to an exercise program and you will see the benefits of a diet. You will also be a lot fitter if you link the diet to fitness training or exercise. Remember though to keep a check on the calories. Good luck.

If You Don't Track Your Die You Are Wasting Your Time

Frankly, I’m puzzled whenever I hear this from somebody who’s frustrated with their lack of gains:

Me: So what are you eating? How many calories per day and how many do you need?

Them: I don’t know. I just eat.

Huh?

Yes, it’s true. People don’t track their diets, don’t calculate their calories and just guess at what they need. They have no idea where they are going, very little facts on how to get there and yet are frustrated and mad when 6 weeks later they don’t see the results.

Imagine, for a moment, that’s it’s 6-months from today. And you’ve made no progress. Wouldn’t you be frustrated? ! I sure would.

But here’s the deal, there’s a real simple method to make sure you don’t end up like so many people you’ll hear about. Please don’t be the person who just "eats" or does whatever without a plan. If you aren’t tracking your diet you are wasting your time!

Let me explain…

In order for your body to change, you must do something different. Let’s suppose that you want to burn as much fat as possible. What’s the first thing you should do now that you have a long-term goal in mind?

Here’s a h-i-n-t!

Make a plan!

A quick plan for losing fat:

1. Determine how many calories a day you need based on your situation.

2. Track your daily food intake, yes you should count calories.

Bodybuilding manuals go into great detail about how to calculate your caloric intake, giving formulas and such.

Anyway, a typical conversation might go like this:

"Excuse me? My wife made spaghetti bolognaise yesterday, I can't be asked to weigh my meals in order to count the calories, can I? (What would she think about me (not to mention what I would think about myself ?)

I tried to go to fitday. com and calculate the calories, but it totally eluded me how many grams they were and looking for pasta and meat in different categories is a hassle anyway, so the site was no use for me with that.

Good heavens, there must be a way to go without the calorie counting, mustn't it?"

Despite what you may have heard…

Tracking your diet (counting calories) is important and I'll tell you why and how you can get around the whole calorie counting ordeal.

You see, in order to lose fat or gain muscle you need to know what you are eating in order to do such.

Let's say you need 3000 calories a day to maintain your current weight at your current activity levels.

Now you decide you want to lose fat.

Training more and more, more cardio, longer sessions will just tire you out. You can bump up the cardio and do certain fat loss tips and techniques but overall keep in mind:

Where do I burn the fat:

80% of fat loss comes from diet and 20% from cardio.

As you can see, the area you want to manipulate is the diet.

Back to the example.

You decide to lose the fat. You know you need 3000 a day to maintain. You do some calorie calculations and find that you want to be aggressive and cut your calories by 20%. It's aggressive but it's just enough to get fast results without making your body go into a 'starvation mode' and hold onto everything it's got.

Except you don't want to count calories.

That's sort of like saying...

I want to start in New York and get to California but I don't want a map or directions. I just want to drive West.

It just won't work. You might zig zag here and there. Maybe one week you'll eat less and lose a pound. The next on vacation you'll overdo it and gain 5 pounds. Who knows. You won't.

But do you have to count each calorie? And especially when you look at homemade items that have some many ingredients? What do you do?

While this isn't the most accurate method, I just basically get a good estimate by looking up the general food item, quantity I consumed and input that.

Over time, because I eat a lot of the same things for breakfast, I already know the calories and I don't need to track it anymore. I know via portions that a bowl of oats is such and such calories and how it adds into my total daily allowance.

I personally do not weight each piece of food. I will go to lunch, look at what I'm eating and know generally what portions of what I ate.

At the end of the day, I know roughly that I'm 20% below my maintenance for fat loss and 20% above for weight gain.

The problem that most people have is exactly what you describe.

They DO NOT want to track what they eat.

The bottom line is, if you don't know where you are, and where you are going, you really don't know how you'll get there and it's no wonder so many people are frustrated.

Look, you don't have to track every single piece of food you put into your mouth. And I know that when there's a home cooked meal, you aren't likely to know what's in it. But you can and should generally get an idea.

Eventually you can track your portions if you tend to eat a lot of the same things every day.

If you don’t track your diet, you are wasting your time.

The Mediterranean Diet - What Is It?

It has been found that people living in Mediterranean Countries such as Southern France, Spain and Italy live longer than people in other parts of the world. Why is this?

It’s what they eat and how the Mediterranean’s cook their food that makes all the difference.

From Mediterranean Country to Mediterranean Country, the way the food is cooked may differ so although the flavours are varied, the foods used are the same.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The diet is mainly foods that come from plants; grains, vegetables especially green leafy vegetables, fruits, beans legumes, nuts, and olive oil. So the foods that are common in the Mediterranean Countries are olives, grapes, wheat and what can be made from these foodstuffs. Added advantages of these foods are their nutritional value; they provide antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

The Mediterranean Diet can help people avoid what is called the ‘Diseases of Affluence. ’ These diseases are common in Westernised, industrialised nations and include Heart Disease, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and some Cancers.

Isn’t Olive Oil A Fat And Fats Are Bad For Us?

Yes olive oil is a fat, but it’s a good fat. The body needs good fat.

  • Good Fat is monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
  • Bad Fats are saturated fats.

FATS are found in Meat and Dairy Products and some Vegetable Oils.

The body needs a certain amount of fat to be sure everything is working properly. But there are two kinds of fat that we get from our food.

SATURATED FAT causes the fat to settle on the inside walls of the Arteries. The FAT in the Arteries is called Cholesterol. It’s the Cholesterol that makes the Blood Vessels narrow so the blood is unable to pass through properly. The heart then has to pump harder to allow the blood to pass round the body, the result can be the heart is weakened, so causing Heart Failure, High Blood Pressure and Strokes.

BAD FAT is called LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein).

If you can cut ALL the BAD FAT out of your diet, you will be doing yourself and your body a big favour.

But whatever you do, don’t mistakenly leave out the GOOD FAT from your diet. Because the UNSATURATED FAT has been found to actually liquefy the Cholesterol and pass it out of the body by natural means.

The GOOD FAT is called HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) this GOOD FAT can be found in Plants and Animal Products. Therefore if you eat more fruit and vegetables you will be on the right path to living a healthy lifestyle.

Ancel Keys aged 96 believes his long life is due to the Mediterranean Diet. As a young scientist 50 years ago, he found that people in countries where fresh fruits and vegetables are in abundance and olive oil flows freely, Southern Italy, Southern France, Greece and parts of North Africa and the Middle East, Heart Disease is rare.

Three Tips for Eating The Mediterranean Diet

  • Fill your plate with fresh fruit and vegetables they are low in calories and fats and full of much needed nutrients.
  • When buying bread go for flour made from whole grains.
  • For dessert choose fruits.

So besides preventing heart disease etc eating the Mediterranean Diet way; as an added bonus, you might even lose weight.

This Ruins Most Diets

Just a few weeks ago I received a message from a frustrated individual who was on a quest to lose some weight. Maybe you've asked yourself this very question but it always starts off with "I want to lose weight." Then it follows up with their calorie calculations (what they need a day) and ends with the situation where they are only eating minimal calories a day. At this point, they get confused as to why eating less and less doesn't speed up the weight loss.

Sample Question:

"Over the past few years, I have consumed minimal calories. I have come to learn that this is my problem, my body is in survival mode. I came up with my Base Metabolic Rate. My results come to 3170.45 for TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). I would assume I haven't been consuming more than 1000 calories a day, give or take.

Is it true that I can gradually work my way up to 2170-2670 calories, not change my workout, and have better results than at my current caloric intake? If this is the case, I'm not sure I understand why."

They cut and cut calories, see no changes, nearly starve and then give up entirely. This person asked what most people wonder but never have the courage to seek out the answer. Suppose...

If I could give you a more effective nutritional strategy that would "outperform" the approach you are currently using, would you be interested? If so, let's talk metabolism!

First, you are in a state of homeostasis. This is the body's automatic tendency to maintain a relatively constant internal environment. In your case, exercising more and cutting more calories will cause your body to adjust "survive" by making constant changes in order not to lose any more critical body fat or weight. As you said, you are in "survival mode." You are in homeostasis and nothing is going to change unless you understand metabolism. At this point, your body is not about to release any stored fats. It needs all it has to sustain life!

Second, metabolism is just a name for the many chemical process that happen every day that are necessary for the maintenance of life. The process of breaking down food into energy and building up of new cells and all that is our metabolism.

Consider this fact:

There are two phases of metabolism; anabolism and catabolism. Both occur simultaneously all the time but at different magnitudes. Let's keep this simple shall we?

  • Anabolism - The build up phase
  • Catabolism - The breakdown phase

If you are not eating enough to sustain your body's process and feeding it the required nutrients, you are mostly likely in a heighten state of catabolism. This means you'll build less muscle, your metabolism will be slower and changes will not be in your favor. A slow metabolism isn't what you want for your situation.

As an individual who wants to lose weight and make changes thru exercise and diet, you should be striving for a larger degree of anabolism.

Don't worry it's not complicated. All I'm saying is, 1000 calories a day in your case is well below your base metabolic rate, so low that your metabolism is slower then it could be and your in a state of catabolism where the changes you want to see (more muscle, less fat) aren't as likely to occur.

But what about this? "You must be in a calorie deficit to burn fat."

1000 calories is beyond a deficit. It's putting your body on empty. A deficit is like being 50 cents short each day and having to get the smaller sized coffee. But reserve to empty is having to borrow money from your friend or give the business an IOU.

Here's the secret: You need to eat more!

You see by eating more calories and more frequently you are going to raise your metabolism. By raise your metabolism you will change the state of homeostasis you are currently experiencing. By eating more and more frequently, you will be able to achieve a higher level of anabolism. When you are anabolic, you can build more muscle. By having more muscle, you'll raise your metabolism. By having a higher metabolism, you'll burn more fat. Burning more fat could end up in you losing the bad weight and building up some good weight. My strong hunch is...

"Is it true that I can gradually work my way up to 2170- 2670, not change my workout, and have better results than at my current caloric intake?"

Indeed this is true. Your body will have the fuel it needs for the workouts, it will be able to build up more often (anabolism) but you'll be in a slight calorie deficit meaning you are burning more calories then you are consuming but at a rate where your body feels it can let go of stored fat.

So it all adds up to this...

If you aren't consuming enough calories, your metabolism will slow down. The slower it gets, the less change you will see. While you want to be in a calorie deficit (defined as 10-20% below maintenance levels) you don't want to be in a starvation mode where your metabolism is so slow, you cannot lose a single pound (survival instinct).

By consuming the correct amount of calories per day, you will see faster gains, you'll lose fat and build more muscle.

This Ruins Most Diets

Just a few weeks ago I received a message from a frustrated individual who was on a quest to lose some weight. Maybe you've asked yourself this very question but it always starts off with "I want to lose weight." Then it follows up with their calorie calculations (what they need a day) and ends with the situation where they are only eating minimal calories a day. At this point, they get confused as to why eating less and less doesn't speed up the weight loss.

Sample Question:

"Over the past few years, I have consumed minimal calories. I have come to learn that this is my problem, my body is in survival mode. I came up with my Base Metabolic Rate. My results come to 3170.45 for TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). I would assume I haven't been consuming more than 1000 calories a day, give or take.

Is it true that I can gradually work my way up to 2170-2670 calories, not change my workout, and have better results than at my current caloric intake? If this is the case, I'm not sure I understand why."

They cut and cut calories, see no changes, nearly starve and then give up entirely. This person asked what most people wonder but never have the courage to seek out the answer. Suppose...

If I could give you a more effective nutritional strategy that would "outperform" the approach you are currently using, would you be interested? If so, let's talk metabolism!

First, you are in a state of homeostasis. This is the body's automatic tendency to maintain a relatively constant internal environment. In your case, exercising more and cutting more calories will cause your body to adjust "survive" by making constant changes in order not to lose any more critical body fat or weight. As you said, you are in "survival mode." You are in homeostasis and nothing is going to change unless you understand metabolism. At this point, your body is not about to release any stored fats. It needs all it has to sustain life!

Second, metabolism is just a name for the many chemical process that happen every day that are necessary for the maintenance of life. The process of breaking down food into energy and building up of new cells and all that is our metabolism.

Consider this fact:

There are two phases of metabolism; anabolism and catabolism. Both occur simultaneously all the time but at different magnitudes. Let's keep this simple shall we?

  • Anabolism - The build up phase
  • Catabolism - The breakdown phase

If you are not eating enough to sustain your body's process and feeding it the required nutrients, you are mostly likely in a heighten state of catabolism. This means you'll build less muscle, your metabolism will be slower and changes will not be in your favor. A slow metabolism isn't what you want for your situation.

As an individual who wants to lose weight and make changes thru exercise and diet, you should be striving for a larger degree of anabolism.

Don't worry it's not complicated. All I'm saying is, 1000 calories a day in your case is well below your base metabolic rate, so low that your metabolism is slower then it could be and your in a state of catabolism where the changes you want to see (more muscle, less fat) aren't as likely to occur.

But what about this? "You must be in a calorie deficit to burn fat."

1000 calories is beyond a deficit. It's putting your body on empty. A deficit is like being 50 cents short each day and having to get the smaller sized coffee. But reserve to empty is having to borrow money from your friend or give the business an IOU.

Here's the secret: You need to eat more!

You see by eating more calories and more frequently you are going to raise your metabolism. By raise your metabolism you will change the state of homeostasis you are currently experiencing. By eating more and more frequently, you will be able to achieve a higher level of anabolism. When you are anabolic, you can build more muscle. By having more muscle, you'll raise your metabolism. By having a higher metabolism, you'll burn more fat. Burning more fat could end up in you losing the bad weight and building up some good weight. My strong hunch is...

"Is it true that I can gradually work my way up to 2170- 2670, not change my workout, and have better results than at my current caloric intake?"

Indeed this is true. Your body will have the fuel it needs for the workouts, it will be able to build up more often (anabolism) but you'll be in a slight calorie deficit meaning you are burning more calories then you are consuming but at a rate where your body feels it can let go of stored fat.

So it all adds up to this...

If you aren't consuming enough calories, your metabolism will slow down. The slower it gets, the less change you will see. While you want to be in a calorie deficit (defined as 10-20% below maintenance levels) you don't want to be in a starvation mode where your metabolism is so slow, you cannot lose a single pound (survival instinct).

By consuming the correct amount of calories per day, you will see faster gains, you'll lose fat and build more muscle.

Small Changes in Your Diet Can Make a Big Difference

If you are one of the millions of people who ever tried to lose weight, then you know how hard it can seem to actually accomplish this goal. With countless numbers of diet plans out there promising fantastic weight loss results and all the hype about the thousands of "miracle" weight loss pills, powders and drinks, it's no wonder weight loss can seem to be quite the challenge.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to be able to start to slim down without having to completely change everything about the way you eat and/or relying on diet fads and gimmicks? Well, read on and you will see that by just making some small changes, you can make some big strides in your effort to lose weight.

As a rule, we all know that too much fat in the diet is one of the major culprits in causing overweight problems in people. While that means fat intake should be cut down, it does not mean it can't be replaced with some better choices that pack fewer calories. For example, take the mayo off the sandwich and replace it with mustard. You cut off 100 calories per serving, all from fat, and replace it with zero calories per serving with no fat at all. Use fat-free cheese instead of regular cheese. Again, you will be replacing 45 calories per slice at 40 calories from fat with 30 fat-free calories. The sandwich is still the same size, but you cut over 115 extra calories off of it.

EAT MORE BREAD

If you eat more bread, you are increasing your carbohydrates and eating less fat as well. In one study, a small increase of bread in the diet led to a 4% decrease of fat consumed. Depending on your overall calorie needs daily, this could mean you'll be eating more carbohydrates per day, but it is the reduction of fat and the overall reduction of calories that make you start to lose weight. The right balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the proper calorie range determine energy levels and whether you'll lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight.

EAT MORE VEGETABLES

These foods are great sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are also low in calories and high in fiber. These foods are filling, nutritious and great for people trying to lose weight. When your parents used to say "make sure you eat all of your vegetables" they were right.

EAT MORE FRUIT

Just like vegetables, fruit is high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Also, fruit is naturally sweet and can satisfy the need for bad sweets, like candy. Try to replace desserts and snacks such as cake and ice cream with fruit at least half of the time and it will make a huge difference.

EAT MORE FISH AND CHICKEN

Eating fish and chicken more often than red meat will reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Too much saturated fat in the diet has been shown to cause atherosclerosis (artery blockage) which leads to heart problems and eventual failure. Skinless chicken breast and most fish are very lean and only contain small amounts of fat, not enough to worry about. When you eat fish, besides lowering your fat intake, you also increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids which has been shown to promote a healthy heart. Fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids and you don't have to eat fish every day to get a good benefit from it.

USE CANOLA AND OLIVE OILS

These oils are good sources of monounsaturated fat which is the best kind of fat because this kind of fat increases the good cholesterol (HDL) in your body and lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Sometimes it may seem to be a long road to weight loss but the length of the road is not nearly as important as how smooth the road is. By making small, gradual changes to your eating habits, you will find your road can be smooth as well.

Dieting Mistakes to Avoid

Many people set out to lose weight with good intentions of sticking it out until they reach their goals. In fact, they intend to lose those unwanted extra pounds for good without ever seeing them again. So then, why is it that so many people lose weight only to gain it all back again? And why is it that so many people get frustrated and quit trying before they even lose any weight?

Of course dieting to lose weight takes some planning and some will power to stay with it, but a big part of the reason why so many people seem to be on a perpetual diet but never seem to lose weight often has less to do with their will to want to do it, and more to do with falling victim to some common mistakes dieters regularly make. Let's look at some of these mistakes and some solutions to them.

One big mistake that dieters make is assuming that certain foods can be eaten in high quantities such as fat-free foods. It needs to be understood that just because a food is fat-free doesn't mean it is calorie free. When you consume more calories than you use, you will gain, not lose, weight.

Many people who tried one of the many low-carb diets out there thought that they could eat as much as they wanted as long as the food they ate had low or no carbs. This way of thinking is wrong. It is still a matter of controlling the size of your portions that makes the difference. Keeping track of your overall calorie intake each day is imperative to a proper weight loss plan.

Another mistake that is made by dieters is expecting too much too soon. When you come to the conclusion that you want to lose 30 pounds, this is a realistic goal. When you decide that you want to lose those 30 pounds in one month, this is not a realistic goal. Maybe your 25th high school reunion is coming up and you want to be able to fit into that dress or suit you wore 25 years ago.

This is only possible if you take the time to allow yourself to properly attain that goal. Weight loss is best done at 1-2 pounds a week, not at 1-2 pounds a day, so set a small goal of say losing 5-7 pounds in a month, then set another similar goal and so on, until you reach your ultimate goal.

Not eating enough is yet another common mistake dieters make. The fact is, if you eat too little calories, your metabolism will slow down and you will go into what is known as "starvation mode". This promotes major fat conservation for survival purposes and any weight loss will therefore come from the breakdown of muscle tissue, not fat! For the average adult female, it is not recommended to consume below 1000 calories and the average adult male should not consume below 1200 calories unless under the direction of their doctor.

One of the biggest mistakes dieters make by far is not planning for how to keep their weight down once they lose it. Often, people make the mistake of going on a "miracle" diet that promises super weight loss and although these types of diets are very dangerous and I absolutely do not recommend them, some people actually do lose weight on them. The problem is, these types of diets are designed to end at some point (which is a good thing since you would probably make it into the obituaries with a prolonged stay on these diets). That means that you would likely resume your old habits when it's over thus accounting for the returning of all the weight you lost on the diet.

Of course getting some exercise is a key part in successful weight loss as well, but putting together a well thought out eating plan designed to stay with you for the rest of your life is the real key to taking that extra weight off and keeping it off for good. Be careful not to get caught making the mistakes mentioned here and you will have a much better chance at weight loss success.

Four Myths About Diet That You Should Pay No Attention To

Nowhere are there more fad diets, weight loss schemes and wild, completely unsubstantiated weight loss advice circulating than in the USA. With so much conflicting "information" out there, it's no wonder people don't know where to turn to lose weight properly and in a healthy way. The fact is many people assume they are eating healthy although it's closer to the truth that many of them don't even come close to eating a balanced, nutritious diet.

The reason for this is mostly due to the fact that they are guiding themselves with false information propagated by fad diets put out there by weight loss companies. Most of these diets are leading people to believe that cutting out certain nutrients is what it takes to properly lose weight. Nothing can be further from the truth. Here are four common myths which lead many dieters to take the wrong road to try to find their weight loss salvation.

MYTH # 1) YOU HAVE TO STARVE YOURSELF TO LOOSE WEIGHT

This is probably the most commonly heard and longest running myth about weight loss out there. The fact is, if you don't eat enough, your metabolism will slow down greatly making your body want to store fat thus making most of your initial weight loss come from water and muscle. This makes your body-fat percentage go up, meaning you are losing weight, but you are actually getting fatter!

The average woman should not eat less than 1000 calories per day and the average man should not eat less than 1200 calories per day unless under the direction of a physician. If you eat 5-6 smaller meals a day verses 3 bigger ones within a proper calorie range, you will never feel hungry and you will lose weight while staying healthy.

MYTH # 2) EAT NO FAT WHATSOEVER

This is another myth that has been around for a long time. It probably comes from the fact you do need to limit your fat intake to around 15% to 20% of your overall daily calorie intake. "If eating only a little is good, then eating none must be better", but the fact is, your body does need that 15% to 20% of fat in your diet because fat helps lubricate your joints, keeps your skin smooth and elastic, provides a source of energy, helps your nervous system to function properly and provides insulation from cold weather. Olive, flaxseed and fish oils are good sources of fats. Avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated (trans) fats.

MYTH # 3) YOU SHOULD NOT EAT FROM CERTAIN FOOD GROUPS

A lot of fad diets adhere to cutting out one food group or another. The Atkins diet, which sparked a whole host of copycat diets, placed an emphasis on eliminating carbohydrates for example. The fact is your body needs a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to function properly and so none of them should be eliminated from your diet. Water, vitamins, minerals and fiber are also needed and should be a part of your regular daily intake. The key is to try to keep the carbs, proteins and fats in the proper range at approximately 60% for carbs, 25% for proteins and 15% for fats.

MYTH # 4) TO GET ENOUGH PROTEIN, YOU HAVE TO EAT MEAT

While it is true that meat is a great source of protein, it is certainly not the only one. Meat can also be high in fat and sodium. Dairy products are usually high in fat, but now there are plenty of low-fat and fat-free dairy products to choose from and they do not compromise the protein value. Egg whites are also a prime source of protein. These are all sources of complete proteins. Various vegetables and legumes also contain proteins but these are all incomplete proteins and must be eaten in the right combinations to become complete. One example is combining beans with rice.

The best way to be sure you are getting a well balanced, nutrient rich diet is to eat more whole foods and less processed, pre-packaged foods and to avoid eating out as much as possible. Make eating out an occasional treat, but try to prepare most of your meals yourself and you will be on your way to living a healthier, leaner lifestyle.

Low Carb Diets: Just How Safe Are They?

Whether you're in a grocery store, a restaurant or just watching the commercials on TV during your favorite show, you are bombarded with ads and special menu's singing the praises of the virtues of the low carb diet. This low carb craze has virtually swept the western world and has dieters everywhere seeking out low carb this and low carb that with many reporting weight loss as a result!

This is great news right? Finally, an easy diet plan that makes you lose weight and you can eat lots of food as long as they have almost no carbs in them! But have we really struck gold, or have we simply struck fools gold? Is the idea of eating a low carb diet for weight loss really a good idea or are there any side affects that may come with these diets that adversely affect our health?

Consider this, many people want something for nothing and this way of thinking also applies to those looking to lose weight but unfortunately there is no miracle substitute to good sound nutritional practices. Our society is one that values "quick fixes" which is why the low carb diet plan is a perfect fit for this society's way of thinking. This is what makes it so appealing.

It is true that a large amount of weight will be lost as glycogen (stored carbohydrate) depletes in the muscles and liver, but this weight is from water, not fat loss which is not good for body composition or overall health. It is also true that the body will rely on free fatty acids for fuel when muscle glycogen is depleted, but the body will rely much more on amino acids (protein) from the breakdown of lean (muscle) tissue as well so while you may burn fat, you will also burn more muscle as well and remember, your heart is also a muscle! In addition to this, those on a carb-restricted diet have lower energy levels and shorter time to fatigue during physical activity which means any activity will likely be in shorter durations.

The fact is you need carbohydrates for your brain, heart, and muscles as well as other vital organs. The main fuel of the brain and central nervous system is glucose, which is obtained most easily from carbohydrates. If carbohydrates remain unavailable for several days the body tries to conserve protein by producing an alternate fuel source known as ketones from the partial burning of fatty acids. As this breakdown continues, these ketones build in the blood causing a condition known as ketosis. Initial weight loss is not from fat but from water from the kidneys trying to rid the body of excess ketones.

Low carb diets make the blood more acidic, causing potentially serious and unwanted side effects like headaches, bad breath, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. Also when carbohydrate stores are depleted in the body, the rate at which fat is metabolized is reduced meaning that carbohydrates are necessary for the ability to metabolize fat effectively. And keep this in mind, carbohydrates do not make you fat, calories in general make you fat so the most effective weight loss plan is simply to adjust your calorie intake to be in the right range for your own individual needs with the proper balance of nutrients. The fact is, just because you seem to notice a loss of overall body weight in the initial stages of a low carb diet doesn't mean it is a good solid safe means of going about embarking on a weight loss venture. There is no substitute and there will never be a good substitute to a good sound nutritional plan coupled with a moderate exercise plan and making that plan a lifetime venture.

Ten Things To Look For To Spot A Fad Diet

Fad diets are everywhere. They come and they go. some simply run their course then disappear forever, while some pop up, go away for a while, then sort of show up again a year or two later and continue to repeat this cycle. the fact is, there are a lot of good, sound ways to lose weight and keep it off for good, but finding these ways to a more fit and trim body means you'll need to be able to spot the "fads" out there that simply do not work long term and can be dangerous to your health in the long run. Here are some tell tale things to look for to help you see your way past the fake and phony gimmicks that are out there and remember, if it sounds too good to be true...

1) A MAGICAL PILL, DRINK, POWDER OR FOOD IS USED:

The weight loss industry is a $30 billion dollar per Year Empire. These companies are making massive amounts of money marketing new "breakthrough" potions that make lots of false claims. They know how desperate many overweight people are to lose weight and so they know how easy it is to target this market. the FDA has very little jurisdiction over these kinds of products since the weight loss companies claim that their products are "natural" or "herbal", and only when these products cause health problems or even deaths like in the recent case of ephedrine, the FDA will step in.

2) DIFFERENT FOOD COMBINATIONS SUPPOSIDLY MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT:

There is no scientific evidence to support any claims that certain food combinations will induce weight loss. Simply consuming fewer calories than you burn each day with a good balance of nutrients will lead to healthy weight loss.

3) THE PLAN WORKS "WITHOUT EXERCISE":

While most people would like to be able to take the easy way out, a little exercise goes a long way in any weight loss effort. Sure you can lose weight without exercise, but if you want to lose mostly fat and not muscle and water, and look healthy and good once you've achieved your weight loss goal, you need at least 30 minutes per day, 4-5 days per week of light to moderate exercise like walking, swimming and even a little weight training.

4) IT PROMISES MORE THAN ONE OR TWO POUNDS OF WEIGHT LOSS PER WEEK:

In order for any well balanced weight loss plan to be both affective and healthy, you should not strive to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week. A plan that proposes that you will lose 30 pounds in 30 days is not a good, sound, healthy plan. One pound of fat equals about 2500 calories. This means that if a person were to burn up 400-500 more calories per day with, say, a small reduction in food and a little exercise, they would lose around one to one and a half pounds of fat per week. This is a healthy and ideal way to lose weight.

5) YOU SEE THE WORDS "FAT BURNER", "FAT TRAPPER" OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES:

Run like the wind from these types of products. Most of these products have side effects that would make the most desperate of dieters cringe. All I can say here is, if your really considering any of these types of products, do your homework and read everything you can about them first, or take my advice and avoid them like the plague.

6) IT SAYS IT WILL "BOOST YOUR METABOLISM":

Most of these products are little more than caffeine products. A pill, powder or drink cannot speed up your metabolism. There is no logic behind this at all! These products are usually diuretics that serve only to speed up you heart rates in turn making your organs work faster thus flushing water out of your body. The temporary feeling of being thinner will be short lived, and you will only end up fatter in the long run.

7) ONE TYPE OF FOOD IS CONSUMED TO EXCESS:

Most of you have heard of the cabbage soup diet. Remember the grapefruit diet? How many people do you know who have tried one of these diets, lost weight, and kept it off? Probably none! I personally know people who have tried these diets, swore by them with complete assurance they would work (against my advice, mind you) and failed badly. Only a few even lost any weight at all, sung the praises of the plan, only to end up fatter in 6 months than when they began the diet. These types of weight loss programs are meant to be discontinued after a certain time meaning that when you go back to your normal routine, you can expect to get a high rate of "return" back for your investment.

8) ITS A LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET:

The long and short of it here is that you need carbohydrates in your diet, particularly if you are trying to lose weight. Removing most of the carbs from your diet means that more fat (at 9 calories per gram) will replace those carbs (at 4 calories per gram) not to mention the wide variety of health issues associated with a high fat intake. Also, excess protein will not help because your body can only use so much protein within a certain period of time. All of the extra protein will just store as fat. Carbs are also your body's main source of energy, and you need that energy to get you through your exercise routines that you should be doing anyway.

9) DRINKING WATER IS NOT MENTIONED:

Water is absolutely essential for proper weight loss. If you're not being told to drink at least 8 glasses or two liters of water per day, you are not getting good advice. Water helps your body to mobilize and get rid of excess fat. It also helps your liver convert fat into energy, which in turn will help you to burn more calories.

10) THERE IS NO WARNING FOR PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS:

If a weight loss product or plan yields no warning for people with problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disorders and such, the product or plan should be looked at very suspect. The high fat content of a low carbohydrate diet can be very dangerous to a person with high cholesterol or high blood pressure and someone with diabetes should never tamper with their diets without consulting with their doctor. Any good, sound weight loss program will always be concerned first and foremost with the safety and well being of the people using them. If there are no warnings, then you can rest assured that your health and well being are not an issue that is important to the company that is selling their products to you.

While it can be very difficult to see past all the hype and advertising that gets in the way of the truth behind all of the "fad" diets on the market today with new ones coming all the time, at least now you have some basics to help guide you through the maze of falsehoods out there and lead you on your way to being able to find a weight loss program that truly will give you the long term weight loss results you have been searching for.

Why Most of Your Diets Always Fail

Over the years, there has been millions and millions of people who have tried countless numbers of different diets to try and lose weight. Equally so, there has been millions and millions of people who failed at these diets. If all of these diets are supposed to be designed to make you lose weight, then why do most of them fail to do that? Why is it that no matter what diet you try, it never seems to work? Perhaps the diet itself was no good. Maybe it was too expensive to stick with. It could be that there was no support. Possibly, it just seemed to take too long to lose weight.

The fact is, not one of those reasons is why most diets don't work. Surprised? Don't be. In reality, it all boils down to one simple yet complex reason. Yes, there is really only one thing that stands between you and your weight loss and that one thing is; your desire to eat was stronger than your desire to lose weight.

It may sound too simple and may be a little hard to swallow, the truth often is, but that, my friend, is the plain and simple truth. The only real reason diets fail is because people decide to let themselves go back to their former eating habits rather than making the changes necessary to lose the weight and keep it off and maintaining those changes.

Dieting is a long and oftentimes difficult journey that must be done step by step, little by little. There can be and often are all kinds of setbacks and pitfalls that can trap you, particularly during an endeavor that takes so much time and effort. Just one slip, one temptation given in to, and your whole struggle for weight loss can be sabotaged.

In order for any diet to be successful, it must have a strong foundation. With a strong foundation, it will be a bit easier to hold your ground when those little pitfalls come along to tempt you. There also must be a solid plan. Without a good, solid plan, you will just be grasping at straws and going in all different directions. You need a plan to help guide you in the right direction at all times. One thing that has helped many people who were successful with their diets was having the support of family members and friends. This can be a major asset that can help you stay with it.

Probably the most important thing to remember is, never starve yourself, make sure you make room to eat the foods you like from time to time and make a little time for some moderate exercise. Your diet does not have to fail, and with a little help from you, it can succeed and that means, you can succeed.

Cooking Versus Raw Diet

From a theoretical standpoint it is easy to reason to the conclusion that a raw diet-- grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts--should be the natural food of man. One can easily imagine how the first man to discover fire found comfort in basking in its warmth, and how natural it would be under these circumstances for him to also first warm any food that he might wish to eat.

Thus it is not at all difficult to find the origin of cooking, for, from warming to cooking a food is but a step. Although from a theoretical standpoint raw food seems to have been intended by nature as the best for all animal kind, human and otherwise, the fact that we have for many generations subsisted almost entirely on cooked food must be considered.

Cooking destroys the life cells in food--the cells which make and sustain life in man. Cook a seed thoroughly and see whether it will sprout when planted.

All live vegetation is capable of either reproducing its own kind or of furnishing life or vitality to other organized living things; take away its life and it can do neither.

All foods for men and animals must come from either animal or vegetable life. To give any comprehensive information of value in reference to cooking would require a book in itself. But, I would like to call attention to the usual inclination to cook every article of food until a large portion of its nourishing, life-giving qualities are actually disorganized and destroyed. Then, no element can be used as a food.

Excessive cooking, also, so softens the food that it is swallowed without chewing. A food should be cooked only so long as is necessary to bring out its richest flavor. It should never be allowed to assume the consistency of mush. Foods of this character are of little value to nourish the body; vital food in balance with cooked food, can lead to a life that is abundant in energy. So mix it up, enjoy your cooking and furthermore enjoy good health.

What The Greeks Know About Healthy Cuisine

Is there a painless way to lower cholesterol and lose weight? Can you eat your way there? Oh sure, you might say; but wait, consider the merits of the Mediterranean Diet. Virgin olive oil may be the perfect replacement for butter and margarine.

The Mediterranean Diet: What the Greeks Know about healthy cuisine

"If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want." -- Elbert Hubbard.

There are so many approaches to optimum wellness. Infomercials tell us about a variety of diet plans from pills and native plants to the benefits of liquid diets over conventional weight loss methods. What should you believe?

One of the clarion calls of caution is the old adage, "If it's too good to be true - it probably is."

The Mediterranean Diet relies solely on age old wisdom. Present research verification demonstrates that one man's daily meal is another man's trip to optimum wellness.

In Greece, certain symptoms of heart disease are among the lowest in the world. It would seem that the largest body of current scientific research indicates that a diet high in fruits and veggies along with routine consumption of whole grains, legumes, fish, low fat dairy products, olive oil and nuts provide long term and protective health benefits.

With the Mediterranean diet you will find that optimal health is even more important than the accompanying weight loss. What native Greek's have intuitively known for centuries has now been linked to scientific data that shows adherence to common Mediterranean diet practices may result in a reduction in heart disease, increased life expectancy and reduced risk of some cancers. The health benefits of olive oil have long been realized in Greece.

The term "Mediterranean Diet" truly is a generic term because the diet in Greece remains varied. You will find influences from North Africa and Italy in many Greek dishes, however the island of Crete has proven a veritable treasure trove of health research. Residents of Crete have one of the lowest heart disease risks in the world.

Interestingly, western culture is looking into the health benefits found in countries like Greece, but many of the younger population in Greece are seeking out western cuisine. The trend has proven somewhat antithetical to the wellness experienced by older Greeks. While parents are consuming melons, stuffed tomatoes, salads and yogurt, the younger Greek generation are consuming cookies, hamburgers, French fries, pizza and pop. The result is an increase in obesity among Greek's youth culture - researchers expect to see an accompanying rise in heart disease in the years to come.

With the Mediterranean diet, butter is replaced with the health benefits of olive oil, fast food lunches are replaced by a variety of fresh vegetables - snacks of chocolate and colas are replaced by fresh fruit and nuts.

Perhaps the reason you don't hear as much about the Mediterranean diet as you might other weight loss plans is that there is no special pill to buy, no special formula to drink and no 12-step meal plan to purchase.

The Mediterranean diet works because common sense prevails in eating choices and a rise in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) is an indicator they are doing something right. The health benefits of olive oil cannot be overstated and traditional Greek cooking utilizes garden fresh produce and extra virgin olive oil. In tandem, this common sense approach continues to see a lower incidence of heart disease and colon cancer along with an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in overall weight.

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet

A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for making people fat. Don't feel too badly though, you are not the only person who was sold on the idea that a high protein, low carb diet was the only way to lose weight.

Here is a simple way to demonstrate this fact. Think about the vegetarians you know, are there any overweight problems among them? The high protein diets rely on a lot of animal fats and proteins, but these vegetarians don't eat them. Startling indeed, isn't it?

Maybe you don't know any vegetarians. They certainly are hard to find, especially in the Midwest, where I live.

You may wonder about the science involved here. After all, many of those folks promoting the low carb diets are medical doctors, aren't they? Being a medical doctor doesn't mean that you don't ever make any mistakes. Besides, the same science that supports the low carb diet also supports the high carb diet. They didn't get it wrong, they just didn't consider the whole story.

That might sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. I'm going to explain why in just a moment. Fist, let me give you the science on this. You most likely are not a biochemist or a physiologist and neither am I. But I have studied the subjects a bit. Don't focus on the technical jargon in the next paragraph, just try to grasp the overall point. You don't need to be a scientist to use common sense and basic reasoning skills. Ready?

Consider this bit of biochemistry. Malonyl -CoA exists in high amounts when there is plenty of metabolic fuel present. Thus, carnitine acyltransferase is inhibited and this in turn prevents acyl-CoA from crossing into the cell’s mitochondria. Another enzyme is inhibited by the presence of NADH and Thiolase is also inhibited by the presence of Acetyl-COA. In short, when a lot of glucose is present, fatty acid metabolism is inhibited.

It is the last sentence that clues us in here. Basically, a cell will not convert fats into energy if there is glucose present. When the cell has carbs and sugar to work on, it will not convert the fat to energy, thus the fat gets stored.

This is why the low carb diets work, with little to zero carbohydrates and subsequently glucose to work on, the fat will be used for energy. This is exactly why the high carb diet works too. When no or little fat is present, it won't be stored as fat.

In addition to this, it is important to realize that it costs the body quite a bit of energy to take carbs and store them as fat. This alone is actually a positive. There really needs to be some form of fat present to make it easier.

This should help you understand that whatever your diet consists of, if you want to remain or get thin, you need to avoid mixing fats and carbs together. A fat consists of a fatty acid head and a carbohydrate tail. This means when you mix your fat and carbs together you are asking for trouble, assuming you care about weight, that is.

So now it should be clear why so many people in North America have a weight problem as the NIH was happy to point out a few weeks ago. Think about the typical American diet. It generally consists of lots of combinations of fat and carbs.

As Dr. Neal Barnard points out in his book, "Foods That Cause You To Lose Weight", It is fat that makes people fat.

Don't want to be a vegetarian? I don't blame you. Really, you don't have to be one. Just quit mixing your proteins/fats and carbohydrates together.

Don't overlook the obvious, there is ton of candy and desserts out there that are a mixture of fat and sugar. Meat and potatoes - perhaps this classic is a serious blunder in seperating proteins/fats and carbs. Armed with this knowledge, you can probably come up with dozens of examples of potentially fattening mixtures of food on your own.

This article is for information only. It is not intended to prescribe, treat or diagnose any health problem. Consult your physician before changing your diet or if you have or think you have a health condition.

Why Starvation Diets Don't Work!

It has become a familiar scenario: you start the day with black coffee; you lunch on carrots and celery sticks. You eat a mouse-size dinner. By the end of the week, you’ve barely lost a pound.

Does this sound familiar? Most people who begin a diet-fasting regimen regain their weight and more within a year. The reason is simple: a body in starvation mode will fight like mad to hang on to every fat cell. Your body thinks it is starving if you:

  1. skip meals
  2. eat junk food, that is, food rich in calories but is nutrient-deprived

What kind of message are you sending your metabolism if you skip a meal or two every day? Or if you insist on Big Macs and Fries?

The message is simply this: TIMES ARE TOUGH; YOU NEED TO BUCKLE IN THE FAT!

So how does your body respond? Your metabolism slows down; your body tries to save calories, not burn them off; muscle, rather than fat, gets burned off for energy; any food you eat (even black coffee) gets stored as fat in preparation for what your body thinks is THE LONG FAMINE.

Result: You gain weight; you are tired. Food and Fat have become a vicious circle. Add exercise and you stress the body even more by increasing caloric requirements without giving the body proper nutrients. Starvation and Exercise (eat less, exercise more) is just another Urban Legend for weight loss.

There is a way out of this circle, however. And it takes no more than a basic understanding of the "psychology" within the body’s metabolism. The body has a mind of its own, a mind that controls the thermostat of its metabolic functions. Starve the body and it turns the thermostat down so that no fat is burned and everything ingested becomes stored fat. Feed the body and it turns the thermostat up and happily burns fat as fuel and builds lean muscle tissue.

You’ve heard it before: your thoughts create your reality and nowhere is this more true than in the body. Feed it proper food 3 -5 times a day. Give it optimal cellular nutrition in the form of proteins, low-glycemic carbs, vitamins, mineral, botanicals, essential fats and water and your body will purr away like a well-tuned engine. Your body thrives on abundance.

Only through adequate cellular nutrition can exercise be a safe and effective means to building muscle and breaking down fat. Your goal should be as much lean muscle as possible and as little stored fat as possible.

This goal can be achieved by increasing your protein intake. Why? When you eat Protein, your body releases Glucagon which raises low blood sugar by converting protein and fat into glucose. When you eat Protein, your body burns fat; decreases cholesterol production; increases the release of Human Growth Hormone; makes kidneys release excess fluid; releases fat from fat cells for energy; turns dietary fats into ketones for energy.

In short, Glucagon shifts the metabolism into BURNING MODE.

Compare this scenario to that produced by Insulin, which is released when you eat Bad Carbohydrates. Insulin lowers elevated blood sugar; increases storage of fat; stimulates the liver’s synthesis of Cholesterol; decreases Growth Hormone release; increases appetite; makes kidneys retain excess fluid; shifts metabolism into STORAGE MODE.

What does this all mean to the contemporary dieter?

A sense of Abundance goes a long way. Feed your Body Lean! Feed it low Fat Protein, Good Carbohydrates like Whole Grains, 5-7 servings of Fruits and Vegetables and Essential Fats. Eat and Be Thin!

Top 10 Most Surprising Diet Busters

Beware of those so-called "health-conscious" food products you're buying - they may be disguised as low-calorie, but these culprits could put a dent in your diet goals. Just when you think you're getting a low-fat muffin, you're snacking on tons of extra calories. And the ones that seem to be obviously good for you, well, that isn't always the case!

Soups: certain soups can be packed full of calories and fat, especially favorites like New England clam chowder or cream of broccoli.

Sugar-Free Cookies: It's not uncommon for a fat-free or even sugar-free food to have nearly the same number of calories as its regular counterpart, and taste- wise, there's no comparison to the real deal.

Pork: Depending on the cut, the piece of pork in front of you can be comparable to low-fat, low-calorie chicken, or as high in fat as a hot dog. And adding sauces can de-lean it!

Coffee: Coffee drinks can be astronomically high in calories depending on the ingredients and size of the drink one selects.

Salads: Throw on a creamy dressing, cheese, croutons, and bacon bits, and your lunch is starting to look less healthy, more calorie packed, and detrimental to your diet.

Breakfast Bars: Some breakfast bars look healthy and even have healthy looking pictures on the box - look at the actual calories and extra sugars in its ingredients.

Dried Fruits and Granola: Granola sounds great, but it's very rich in fat, so you have to watch how much you eat.

Juice and Soda: You have a juice midmorning, and a soda midafternoon, and next thing you know, you've consumed an extra 400 calories in liquids - they add up.

Low-Fat/Low-Cal Foods: Low calorie does not mean no calorie.

Nuts: Nuts are high in fat so they are only healthy if you can eat just one serving.

Before your diet goes south, consider the effects of the above diet busters. And before you pat yourself on the back for eating soup and salad for lunch, make sure you read the label.

Dietary Fiber - A Bowl Of Cereal May Not Be Enough

Most people understand the importance of dietary fiber in their diet. Much has been said about its importance in heart health, diabetes, cancer prevention, and even weight control.

What is less well understood is how different types of fiber effect the body. Some provide fecal bulk, some are absorbed more quickly into the blood stream than others, and thus raise blood sugar levels more quickly, and yet others provide benefits to the heart.

Thus, despite the apparent simplicity, fiber is a complex topic. And whilst all types of fiber are important, if you are looking at preventing or managing specific conditions, its not enough to just look at the total dietary fiber as written on food packaging.

Dietary fiber is broadly classified into soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is fermented in the colon, and plays a role in slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. It also encourages the growth of the 'friendly' bacteria that help break down bile, and are involved in the creation of B vitamins like folic acid, niacin, and pyridoxine.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, acts a bit like an intestinal broom. It provides bulk to the stools, and makes sure they pass through easily and quickly. This is the type of fiber that keeps you 'regular', not insoluble fiber.

Insoluble fiber does provide a feeling of fullness, however. This makes it great for weight loss and controlling hunger. It also keeps blood sugar levels more stable, although research into the rate at which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream have found there to be some significant differences within the foods that make up the fiber group. Dietary fiber can thus be rated by its Glycemic Index, which effectively ranks fiber foods with each other on a relative scale.

The idea is to try and include more low gylcemic index foods. Foods with a high glycemic index cause blood sugar levels to spike, providing too much energy to the blood in the form of carbohydrates, which in turn sets off the body's sugar controlling hormone - insulin. You thus get a 'high' followed by a sudden drop. This in turn leads the body to want more carbohydrates to balance itself again, leading to cravings and overeating, as well as tiredness and moodiness.

Low glycemic index foods include lentils, chickpeas, baked beans, fruit loaf, salmon sushi, barley, milk, low fat custard, soy milk, yoghurt (not diet yoghurt), apples, strawberries, grapes, spaghetti, peas, carrots, fructose, strawberry jam, and chocolate milk.

Moderate glycemic index foods include pea soup, rye bread, porridge, muesli, ice cream, bananas, pineapple, kiwi fruit, new potatoes, beetroot, white sugar, honey, and mars bars.

High glycemic index foods include broad beans, bagels, white bread, brown rice, watermelon, udon noodles, desiree, pontiac and sebago potatoes, and glucose.

We need both soluble and insoluble fiber, however. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in a group of 6000 French men and women, those with the highest levels of soluble and insoluble fiber in their diet had a lower risk of being overweight, a lower risk of having blood pressure problems, cholesterol problems, and they had better levels of triacylglycerols and homocysteine. The last two are measure3 of heart health.

Fiber from cereals was linked to lower body fat, lower blood pressure, and lower levels of homocysteine. Those with a higher intake of vegetables, also a source of fiber, had lower blood pressure and lower homocysteine levels. Fiber from fresh fruit was associated with a lower waist to hip ratio (good news for dieters!), and lower blood pressure. And fiber from dried fruit, nuts, and seeds (like sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds) was also linked to a lower waist to hip ratio, lower body fat, and a better fasting glucose concentration. Fasting glucose relates to having a steady level of glucose between meals. If it dips too low, we crave things, often sweets.

Fiber has another interesting benefit. In people with type 2 diabetes, it has been found to lower the levels of 'bad' cholesterol, and increase the levels of 'good' cholesterol. It has already been established that fiber supplements will lower the levels of bad cholesterol in people, whether they have diabetes or not. But this new study found that fiber supplements also decreased the reabsorption of cholesterol from meals.

To get this benefit, it is important to time taking the fiber supplement in synch with meals. The study participants took a fiber supplement drink before mealtimes, and this ensured that the fiber was in the intestines when the meal was being eaten. The people in the study participated for 90 days and their average age was 59 years old.

Eat Healthy Without Meat

As concerns about healthy eating have grown, so has the interest in vegetarianism. Numerous nutrition experts recommend eating low on the food chain. In plain language this means eating more grains, vegetables and fruits, and fewer meats, cheeses and other animal based products.

There are various levels of vegetarianism, and each type has its own unique health benefits and some health challenges as well. Of course vegetarians, like meat eaters, must still make healthy food choices. Simply pigging out on French fries while avoiding the burger will not make you a healthy vegetarian.

Some people who consider themselves vegetarians still eat poultry and seafood, while others avoid all animal flesh, even fish and chicken. Most vegetarians still eat milk, dairy products and eggs. In nutritional circles these people are referred to as lacto-ovo vegetarians.

Vegans, on the other hand, avoid all animal products, including eggs, milk and dairy products, and even fabrics like silk, leather and wool. It is vegans who face the largest challenges and risks when trying to follow a healthy diet. Most vegetarian diets provide more than enough nutrition, as long as smart dietary choices are made.

The key to eating a healthy vegetarian diet is much the same as eating a healthy diet that includes meat. It all boils down to making smart food choices, understanding nutritional labels, and cooking your vegetables to maximize their nutritional value.

Choosing the foods that make up the bulk of a vegetarian diet is very important. For most vegetarians, vegetables, grains, lentils and soy products will make up the bulk of their diet, and these staples are included in many vegetarian recipes.

When cooking with soy, however, it is important to remember that tofu is relatively high in fat. The fat content of tofu dishes is often comparable to that of dishes that are made with lean cuts of meat. Those vegetarians following a low fat diet may want to limit the amount of tofu based products they eat.

The same caution applies to the nuts and seeds that can make up a large part of a vegetarian diet. Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of dietary protein, but they can be high in fat as well.

Many newly minted vegetarians worry that they will not be able to get enough protein and iron without eating meat, but for most vegetarians this is not a problem. Most diets today actually contain too much protein, and there are many non animal derived sources of protein for vegetarians to enjoy.

Proper cooking techniques are of course very important to any healthy diet. Avoiding high fat cooking methods is important, as is avoiding the use of high fat creams, butters and sauces. A vegetable stir fry cooked in healthy olive oil can be a great addition to any vegetarian menu. And a great fruit salad is both easy to make and delicious as a snack or a meal.

The only real area of concern when it comes to vegetarianism and health is the B-complex vitamins, particularly vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is almost exclusively derived from animal based sources, so vegans, who avoid all animal products, should take a high quality vitamin B12 or B-complex vitamin supplement. It is also important for vegans to discuss their diet and lifestyle with their family physicians. As vegetarianism becomes more widespread, the amount of information on the nutritional needs of these two groups continues to grow.

The bottom line is that vegetarians can enjoy a very healthy lifestyle. Making vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans the centerpiece of the diet is a smart move for many people, and a good low fat vegetarian diet can be a great way to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. As with a meat based diet, however, it is important for vegetarians to follow common sense eating guidelines and make smart choices when creating meat free meals.

Keys to a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is something everyone who cares about their health claims to want, but what is a healthy diet?

Developing healthy eating habits isn't as confusing, unappetizing, or restrictive as many people imagine. The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions. Healthy eating means getting all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are available out there to keep you as healthy as possible.

Secondly, fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds are foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These foods are the easiest to find fresh and natural and therefore should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The remainder of your nutrients could come from small amounts of grains, legumes, meats, dairy, and eggs, if you are not a vegetarian or vegan.

You should also try to maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure. Don't eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will become bloated, feel fatigued, toxic and gain weight. The more active you are the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.

Following these three basic steps doesn't mean that you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as you eat mostly fruits and vegetables, there is nothing wrong with an occasional treat. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such foods, and pay attention to how you feel and look afterwards.

You can also view healthy eating as an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying new or unusual foods that you don't normally eat. If you ask a naturopathic physician, a healthy diet doesn't have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing. Well chosen fruit alone, perfectly ripe and in season, can be nirvana. Try a ripe mango, banana, or cherries. The perfect gourmet salad with spinach, arugula, walnuts and cranberries with a sprinkle of gorgonzola cheese is heavenly. Try the grass-fed buffalo, the raw cheeses, the flour-less walnut, date and chocolate cake and have fun. Bon apetit!