Eat and lose weight

Who would not like to be able to keep slim, even lose excess weight, while eating favorite foods?

Ignore weight loss diet plans that set up too many restrictions about what food to eat. Focus on adding the food that can help to slim down. Adding the right foods can help you lose weight, how good is that!

Debunking the myth of eating less to lose weight

One of the biggest myths about losing weight is the idea that you need to eat less in order to shed pounds. New studies have shown that this is simply not the case. As a matter of fact, it's just the opposite. Let's take a look at why you need to eat if you want to lose weight.

The scientific benefits of breakfast

People who eat breakfast on a daily basis tend to lose weight easier. The National Weight Control Registry performed a study that showed people who eat breakfast have a better chance of maintaining a 30 pound, or more, weight loss for at least a year. Studies in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed similar results.

Another research group analyzed government data on over 4,000 adults and found those who ate a regular breakfast tended to take in fewer calories during the day and had a lower fat intake. They also noted that regular breakfast eaters were more likely to engage in routine exercise.

Eating breakfast also jump-starts your metabolism, says Elisabetta Politi, RD, MPH, nutrition manager for the Duke Diet and Fitness Center at Duke University Medical School. She states; "When you don't eat breakfast, you're actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you're not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight." In fact, sumo wrestlers don't eat until late in the day for the sole purpose of gaining weight. If you don't eat breakfast, you are actually following the sumo wrestler diet. Now, that is a scary thought.

Keep your metabolism going all day

With the right mechanisms in place, your body will naturally burn fat. But, what are the right mechanisms? That's your job; to find your body's balance between energy consumed and energy burned. Metabolism is the name of the game. When you eat healthy small meals, starting early in the morning, your metabolism is set in full swing, mobilizing and converting fat stores into energy.

When you eat breakfast along with regular snacks and small meals throughout the day, your body gets the nutrition it needs and goes to work, breaking down your food into energy. If you wait until you're starving before you eat anything, that gnawing feeling in your stomach is telling you something. Your body will start by robbing your muscle tissue of anything it needs first, like protein, then it will store fat because it thinks it's in famine mode. By eating early and often, not only are you protecting the muscle that supports your frame and allows you to walk, sit, and stand, but you are also keeping your metabolism going so it works all day to give you energy.

Simple weight loss tips to get you started

1. Eat slowly. It takes twenty minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full. Don't eat and run. You'll be looking for your next meal way before you need it.
2. Pick out foods you need to chew. Try apples, whole grain hearty breads, celery, and other raw vegetables. These foods will slow down your eating and satisfy your chewing instinct. Raw nuts are another option. Just be sure to monitor the serving sizes as you snack.
3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of cold water per day. This helps to feel full and as your body works to raise the temperature of the water, you are burning calories. Keep bottles of water filled in the refrigerator and sip, sip, sip.
4. Eating oranges is much more satisfying than just drinking the juice. Keep this thought when choosing other fruits and vegetables. Whole is usually better.
5. Have a healthy snack before you start cooking dinner. This will help with overeating while preparing the meal, and after. Munching on celery is the perfect way to keep you satisfied while cooking.
6. If you need a sweet treat, just remember that frozen yoghurt, angel food cake, and sherbet are all low fat. Low carb diets are low sugar diets, which often forbid fruit. In this case, one tiny piece of dark chocolate may be an option. This may leave you satisfied without all the sugar or carbs. You have to experiment to find the right treat for your sweet tooth that fits your diet.

The less you eat, the more your body protects itself and begins to go into starvation mode, holding on to more food, storing it as fat and robbing your muscles of nutrients. Make sure you eat a good breakfast to start your day right. Then, keep your metabolism working throughout the day with small meals and healthy snacks.

Stop starving yourself so your body can relax and start to lose that weight. Adding foods instead of subtracting foods? It's so crazy it might just work.

Successful weight loss starts with a meal plan

When following a strict weight loss regimen, it is important to plan out your food for the day so you don't spend all day thinking about food. Basically, if you have everything planned out, you don't have to keep thinking about what you are going to eat or how hungry you are. When you plan your meals correctly, the weight loss becomes much more likely to happen. Here are a few tips for meal planning for weight loss success.

Plan for breakfast

Breakfast is the meal that gets your metabolism running and, if done properly, can help you burn fat all day long. It is important to plan for breakfast because a rushed morning makes for poor food decisions. Planning for the morning is better done the night before. Now, this doesn't mean you need to pour your cereal and let it sit overnight, but you should have an idea of what you want to eat when you wake up.

A tip for planning for breakfast is to take everything out the night before, like your utensils, cereal, and anything else that can be left out, and consolidate your cold ingredients in one space in the refrigerator. This will help you to be more efficient in the morning when your eyes are not quite open yet. If protein in the morning is a must-have on your diet, try hard-boiling eggs the night before, peeling them, and storing them in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator. They are the perfect morning protein that even the sleepiest dieter can manage.

Set up the snacks

When we get hungry during the work day, those lunch room or cafeteria vending machines start calling our name, whispering sweet nothings. If you start a love affair with these vending machine vixens, you'll be sorry. While on a weight loss regimen, those giant boxes packed with unhealthy choices are your worst enemy. This is why it is so important to plan your snacks for the day. By bringing fruits and vegetables or other healthy options from home, you will be able to control your hunger and avoid the trips to the vending machines.

Great snacks for the workplace include an apple, plain popcorn, cut up veggies, cheese sticks, whole nuts, and yoghurt. Not only will you feel better about the choices you make throughout the day, you will be able to stick to your weight loss goals for the long term. Small healthy snacks should be planned out for the day so you and your diet stay on track, and away from the vending machines.

Plan for lunch and dinner

When you don't have a plan in place for your main meals, chances are you could end up foraging in the refrigerator and coming up with a bowl of leftover mashed potatoes as a main course. Or worse yet, calling for pizza or driving through the fast food place. This will turn into a dieting disaster, so it is important to think about your meals ahead of time. When your diet consists of lots of vegetables, fruits, protein, and whole grains, and all you have in the refrigerator is cold spaghetti noodles, you are putting your diet in jeopardy. Fill your refrigerator and pantry full of healthy choices and write out your meal plan for the week. If you fall off your diet routinely just because you didn't plan your meals, you may be sabotaging your diet. Make the commitment, then make the plan.

When you take the time to plan your meals and snacks, you have a better shot at keeping up with your weight loss goals. By planning your breakfast, being sure to pack appropriate snacks, and planning your lunch and dinner, you will be able to fend off the evil vending machines, fast food lines, and unsuccessful attempts at foraging for healthy foods. Remember, the food you eat should be a choice, and not just what is available on a whim. Plan for your meals and plan for a healthier you.

Fit a healthy diet into your lifestyle to make weight loss easier

Ask anyone who is starting a weight loss program and you'll hear a groan when the word "diet" comes into the conversation. Taking time out to pick a diet, plan your food, and actually follow the plan can be exhausting and frustrating. To avoid all this, many folks are tempted to skip all that and just shed those extra pounds by starving themselves for a couple weeks. However, all the experts agree that this quick starvation diet method just doesn't work. Losing weight is a process, and like it or not, it takes planning. Here are some tips to make your dieting more effective, healthier, and something that will fit your lifestyle.

Make eating simple

Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, measuring portion sizes, or performing college algebra just to eat your lunch, try thinking of your food in simple terms. Looking at your plate, focus on color variety, for instance. If you make sure you have a plate filled with different colors, your diet will naturally be healthier and more satisfying. If everything on your plate is white, your diet will suffer and your weight loss program will be jeopardized. Rather than measure ounces and calories, just choose portions that are about the size of your fist. Depending on your diet, you will want one or two fist size portions of protein, vegetables, fruit, dairy, and carbs. Put away the scale, the calorie counter, and the list of foods allowed. Keep it simple to stay on track without the frustration.

Don't make an off-limits list

Try not to think of certain foods as off-limits, rather cut your portion sizes in half or allow a favorite food less often. This allows you to keep the foods you like while still making healthier choices. When you ban certain food groups, it can backfire. You could end up craving those foods even more. Then when you give in to temptation, you feel like a failure and the downward spiral begins. If you over-do it, don't beat yourself up, just get up and make the next choice a healthy one. If you can't resist that chocolate chip cookie, just follow it up with a large glass of cold water or milk, and make sure dinner consists of super-healthy choices with extra servings of crunchy vegetables.

Eat socially

Whenever possible, eat with others. Eating in a group setting allows for healthy eating habits, such as eating slower and taking smaller bites. Mindless over-eating tends to happen in front of a computer or television. Eating in groups creates conversation, which means you'll be taking breaks between bites. This process over the coarse of a meal allows time to listen to your body, especially when it tells you it is full.

Take your time

When you do eat alone, remind yourself to slow down. Rushing through a meal is never a good idea. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you're full. Plate up your food in an attractive way. Sit at the table, not in front of the television. Choose foods that take some time to chew and chew that food slowly and savor the flavors. With each slow bite, you are allowing your stomach and brain to catch up so you begin to feel full faster. Now your brain has a chance to tell you to stop eating when you no longer feel hungry.

Eat breakfast

We've all heard that a good day starts with a good breakfast. This is true for several reasons. The term breakfast does actually mean to break your fast. During your sleeping hours, your body went into hibernation mode. Think of a bear in a den during the winter. A bear's metabolism slows down and their body stores fat for the long winter nap. Your body is doing something similar each and every night; slowing down and storing fat. In the morning, your body is told that it can stop storing fat when you give it some nutrition in the way of some healthy food. Your breakfast jump-starts your metabolism by telling your body that it's time to burn some fat for energy. Skipping breakfast keeps your body in hibernation mode. It still thinks it has to store fat away for later. It just makes sense to have an egg, a glass of milk, some yogurt, a handful of nuts, a bowl of oatmeal, or a muffin to wake up your metabolism.

Eat several smaller meals and snacks

We have also heard about having 3 square meals a day. Unlike the breakfast anthem we just discussed, this one isn't considered a wise move anymore, especially when it comes to weight loss. Rather than eating three large meals a day, having several smaller meals and interspersing healthy snacks throughout the day keeps your body's metabolism on a steady course which keeps the blood sugar levels on an even keel. Starting with breakfast, then midday snack, then a light lunch, then another snack, then dinner, then another snack; you get the picture. Choose the schedule that works best with your day and just be sure to not allow yourself to get really hungry during the day. That hungry feeling is a sign that your body is scared it won't get fed and it's gone into fat-storing mode.

To set yourself up for success rather than failure, think about your healthy diet in these smaller, more manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Your diet is about more than the food on your plate; it is also about how you think about food and how your body reacts. With just a few changes in your eating habits, you could be on your way to that ideal weight.

Simple ways to choose foods with a discerning eye for weight loss

If you ask ten people what the hardest part of losing weight is, nine of them will say shopping for food. When you are dieting and trying to slim down, the most daunting place you can go is your local supermarket. There is just so much food and you can't get in and out without passing by your favorite sweet treat or deli counter. Having a weight loss discerning eye for food is invaluable. Find how.

Shopping for groceries when you are trying to lose weight takes a bit of practice, but once you've learned the basics, you'll be able to sail right past those cookie samples without even a glance. Here are a few tips to get you in and out without a hitch.

Shop the Perimeters

A good rule of thumb when shopping your local grocery store is to hug the outer lanes of the store to find the healthiest foods. Typically, grocery stores line the perimeter of the store with the produce cases, the dairy case, and the fresh meats and fish. The inside aisles hold the majority of the prepackaged foods that you want to avoid. This is generally speaking, of course, but give it a try at your grocery store and see if it works that way for you.

Shop for Color

As you push your cart along the outer walls of the store, look for the bright and vibrant-color foods. We have learned in our nutrition classes that foods with rich, bright, or dark colors generally have more nutrients than those with a pale color. For instance, strawberries and eggplants have a higher nutrient-density than potatoes or onions. Even though potatoes and onions are perfectly fine and offer nutrition, to get the most bang out of your dieting buck, go for the bright colors. You can apply this to proteins in many instances, as well. You know a deep red salmon fillet is going to be more nutrient-dense than a salmon fillet that has a light color.

Avoid Sugar by Any Name

You would be surprised at all the places sugar can hide in a grocery store. It is practically around every corner. Since sugar will rob you of your weight loss goals, it is important to turn into a detective in order to avoid it. Just for reference, here is a laundry list of aliases for sugar.

• Agave nectar
• Barley malt syrup
• Brown sugar
• Cane sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
• Dehydrated cane juice
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Maltose
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Powdered sugar
• Raw sugar
• Rice syrup
• Saccharose
• Sorghum or sorghum syrup
• Sucrose
• Syrup
• Treacle
• Turbinado sugar
• Xylose

Of course, not all sugar is created equal. Raw sugar may be a better choice than refined sugar. However, when it comes to weight loss, your body isn't going to know the difference. It's going to want to turn that sugar into fat. Learn your sugars and learn what levels are tolerable for your diet. Be aware also that most processed foods that are labeled "low fat" have added sugar to adjust the taste. Here again, you need to know what is better for you and know your tolerable limits. Labels are your friends - get used to reading them.

Whole grains versus refined grains

One of the easiest tips to remember when buying bread, pasta, flour, and any type of baking ingredients is to go for whole grains rather than refined grains. Eating whole grains add much needed fiber and nutrients to your healthy diet. Fiber helps speed digestion and metabolism both. Refined grains have all that goodness cleaned right out of them during the refining process. Eating whole wheat pastas and breads, and baking with whole grain products, will take some getting used to, but you can ease into it by using half refined and half whole grain to get started. It won't be long before you prefer the firmer texture and nuttier flavor of your favorite muffin recipe made with whole grains.

You don't have to carry a big list of foods allowed on a special diet along with you to the grocery store. You just have to shop smarter with these simple rules. It's easier to eat healthy when you have simple tricks to use when you're in the grocery store. If you fill your cart with foods from the perimeters, brightly colored foods, foods without added sugar, and whole grains, you are well on your way to eating a diet that will help you lose weight now and keep it off for a lifetime.

5 tricky foods to help you lose weight

When you think of losing weight, your first thought is naturally about the foods you will have to eliminate from your diet. But, how often do you think about the foods you need to add? Probably not very often. While some diet and weight loss programs talk about eating less, others emphasize adding foods to your diet. Not just any foods, however. There are several foods considered to have some real tricks for anyone trying to lose weight. Here are a few foods that are right at the top of the list.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal and oat bran are loaded with fiber and when eaten can expand to almost 30 times their volume. The combination of these two effects decreases your appetite by making you feel fuller longer. You can go for long periods of time without eating while keeping your energy levels high at the same time. In order to increase the effectiveness of your weight loss program, eat oatmeal about two hours before doing your workout. Steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and plain or natural oatmeal are your best options. Avoid the instant flavored oatmeal in packets as they contain lots of sugar and other additives, and they are much more processed, meaning the fiber content is decreased.

Raw fruits and vegetables

Your body burns, on average, 15% more calories when your meals contain mostly raw fruits and veggies than if you ate a meal with no fruits or vegetables. It just makes sense, then, in order to lose weight you want to eat meals consisting of mostly raw ingredients. Since these ingredients still have all of their nutrients, your body gets what it needs while you feel satisfied. Also, fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C, like lemons, oranges, and pineapple help your body to mobilize and flush out extra body fat.

Spices

For years, people have claimed that adding spices to your diet can help with weight loss. Recently, a professor at Oxford University, found that by eating just 3 grams of chili peppers in a meal can increase your fat-burning metabolism by 8% to 20%, for up to three hours after eating the peppers. Also, the addition of spicy mustard to your sandwich may burn an extra 45 to 75 calories over the same three hour time span. And, just by adding fresh ginger to your diet, you get a strong diuretic. Fresh ginger also increases growth hormone production, therefore increasing the amount of fat released from your body's fat stores for burning as fuel.

Apples

While eating raw fruits in general is typically considered a great way to lose weight, apples are especially important to single out. Apples contain pectin, which prevents your body from over-absorbing fat, as well as causing your body to release some of the stored fat. A study done in Brazil found that people who ate an apple before each meal lost 33% more weight than a group of people who didn't eat an apple. Pectin also acts as an appetite suppressant, so they are great snacks to tide you over between meals.

Fish

Not only are most fish loaded with tons of omega-3s, but fish like tuna, sardines, and salmon trigger the hormone leptin. Leptin is a fat-burning hormone that suppresses your appetite and determines whether you store the calories you eat as fat, or if you burn those calories for energy. The origin of the word is interesting, too. Leptin originated from the Greek word "leptos" which means slender. So, adding more leptin to your diet may just prove to be slenderizing for you.

Eating certain foods to lose weight is not a brand new theory. We've often heard about diet fads that include one or two foods that dominate the program. The idea of eating specific foods that have been scientifically studied is a much more recent development in the weight loss world. When you look at the reasons why certain foods actually help you burn fat and calories, it just makes sense to add those foods to your diet plan.

5 surprising foods to help you lose weight

It may surprise you to know you don't have to nibble on celery sticks or carrots to get that metabolism going to burn calories to lose weight. Many foods are thought to be fattening, when in fact they actually can help your body burn fat so you can slim down faster. There are good reasons to re-think some of the "forbidden" foods when deciding what foods to choose for your diet. Let's take a look at a few of these much aligned foods to set the record straight.

Almonds

Who would have thought that this small nut would have such a significant impact on weight loss? A Purdue University study showed that when compared to eating rice cakes, people who ate a handful of almonds felt fuller longer. Surprisingly, almonds are loaded with fat, but it's good fat. It's the kind of fat that your brain and body needs to function. Enjoy about 16 to 20 almonds every day to satisfy your hunger without overloading on calories.

Olive oil

A healthy intake of fats can help you lose weight. How? By controlling hunger. Fats make you feel full. Monounsaturated fats are a good choice because you will keep cholesterol under control while satisfying your cravings, and olive oil fits the bill. Eliminating fats from your diet to lose weight has been a dieting standard for many years, but certain fats are essential to a healthy diet. This concept is surprising to many long-term dieters. But, in these modern times, science has proven that oils, the right oil, provides nutrition that your body needs as well as weight loss benefits.

Peanut butter

Who would have guessed that a kid-friendly food could be diet friendly, too? Peanut butter is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. Just keep an eye on portion size because peanut butter can have a lot of fat and even sugar. Limit yourself to no more than two tablespoons a day and be sure to pick a natural peanut butter so you avoid the added sugars.

Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Another on the list of unexpected foods to help slim you down is a particular favorite of most foodies. This low-calorie, calcium-rich treat activates the body's fat-burning hormones, say University of Wisconsin researchers. This cheese also has a higher protein content compared to other dairy products. Consider adding this powerhouse of flavor to roasted vegetables for that little extra boost.

Animal fats

We've been told for so long that you have to eliminate animal fat from your diet to lose weight, that it's hard to wrap your head around this one, right? But, new research has proven that animal fat provides some nutritional value you need and may be a better choice than other forms of fat in some cases. Not only does fat in your food make you feel full, but certain animal fat may provide your body with some missing elements. Even the much dreaded lard has been making a dietary come back. Your body needs vitamin D to feel good and to function. Interestingly, foods that provide vitamin D, all of which are animal foods, tend to be high in cholesterol. What does this have to do with weight loss? If you are not getting enough vitamin D, you will not be active. Your bones and muscles are going to suffer, keeping you sedentary, which is a disaster when trying to lose weight. So, animal fats in moderation should be on your weight loss radar.

Through the years, there have been diet gurus who have pitched some pretty far-fetched ideas about weight loss. Usually, it comes down to moderation. Avoiding certain foods entirely, even the foods that "sound" fattening, may not be the best way to lose weight and keep it off. It's confusing, I know. But, give it some thought and decide for yourself which weight loss theories make sense to you.