Having a low carb diet food list can make sticking to your diet a lot easier since you know what you can and can’t eat on the diet plan. Low carb diets are not usually based on calories but are instead based on the number of carbohydrates that you are consuming. Foods that have a higher carbohydrate level are not allowed on the diet or only allowed in a very small moderation.

There are several different low carb diets that have been popular over the past years. Some of them include the Atkins diet, The South Beach diet, and the Sugar Busters diet. Each of one these diets will have different specific foods that can be eaten or should be avoided but most of them are pretty much the same when it comes down to the basics. You will find that some are stricter such as the Atkins diet when you compare it to the South Beach diet and fewer carbohydrates are allowed, especially in the beginning.

The low carb diet food list below will give you a good idea of the foods that you should be eating on a low carb diet if you want to lose weight.

Proteins

When following a low carb diet, proteins will make up a large portion of the foods that you can eat. This is because most pure proteins have very few carbs in them, making them perfect for this type of weight loss diet. With some of these proteins you should watch the sodium levels as some of them such as lunch meats and pork can have high salt levels, which should be avoided as well. Here are the main proteins to choose from on this diet.

Eggs
Chicken
Ground meats
Fish
Red meat – beef, lamb, and venison
Pork including ham, bacon and sausage
Shellfish
Cured meats that have no added sugar such as lunch meat or hot dogs
Tofu
Beans

Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables will also play a big role in your low carb diet. In fact vegetables will account for most of the carbs you do eat, but these are natural and healthy carbs that your body needs. Below are just some of the vegetables that are acceptable for a low carb diet food list.

Spinach
Lettuce
Cucumber
Peppers
Onion
Mushrooms
Eggplant
Celery
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Radish
Green beans

On certain low diets you may also be allowed to eat some starchier vegetables as well as some fruits that are low in carbohydrates. Most of the time you can add in these vegetables and fruits slowly after a beginning detox phase to gradually add more carbs to your diet.

Cabbage
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Brussels sprouts
Blueberries
Strawberries
Pumpkin
Cantaloupe

Fats, Dairy, and Other Foods

Unlike other diet plans, low carb diets actually encourage the consumption of some fatty foods to help you stay full longer as well as help your body absorb the carbs as energy and not store it as fat. When it comes to eating fatty foods, this is where many diets differ from low carb diets and often times they are criticized for allowing this much fat. There are some low carb diets, such as the South Beach diet that do restrict some fatty foods so you do need to look into this if you are following a certain type of low carb diet plan. Here are just some of the fats, dairy, and other foods that you can eat on this diet plan.

Butter
Mayonnaise
Hard cheeses
Soft cheeses
Sour cream
Olives
Salad dressings that are low in sugar
Heavy cream
Mustard
Ketchup – low sugar
Milk

This low carb diet food list is definitely not all encompassing as there are other foods that you may be able to eat as well depending on the specific diet plan you are following. This gives you a general idea of the foods that you can eat if you choose to follow a low carb diet for weight loss.

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The only way you can lose weight through dieting is by eating fewer calories, which means you’ll probably have to eat less than what you’re used to. So, it’s no surprise that people who are trying to lose weight often complain that they don’t feel full. An easy way to avoid this problem is by eating foods that will trick your body into feeling more full than it actually is. Here are four foods that are both healthy and filling:

Apples

Apples are fat free, low calorie and loaded with dietary fiber. Dietary fiber improves your digestion, reduces your cholesterol and makes you feel full. According to one study, women who ate three apples or pears each day instead of three oatmeal cookies lost more weight. Alan Aragon, the author of “Girth Control: The Science of Fat Loss & Muscle Gain,” says foods that are crunchy make a person feel more full than other foods.

Eggs

Eggs are the best source of protein according to the biological value (BV) chart, and protein is very filling. A study from the “International Journal of Obesity” found that people who ate two eggs for breakfast instead of a bagel lost more weight even though both foods have roughly the same amount of calories. The reason is because the people who ate eggs were more satisfied throughout the day.

Non-Starchy Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, and celery, are nutritious, fat free, low calorie, and fill you up… a lot. Just like apples, non-starchy vegetables are high in dietary fiber. It’s also virtually impossible to overeat them. Think about it this way: you could eat a whole bag of frozen vegetables and you still would only be eating about 200 to 300 calories, depending on the vegetable.

Almonds

Almonds are relatively low-calorie for a nut and they’re also high in protein and dietary fiber. One ounce of almonds contains roughly 160 calories, plus 6 g of protein and 3 g of fiber. They’re also crunchy like apples. So, the next time you’re looking for something to snack on, grab a handful of almonds.

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The popularity of low carb diets such as South Beach and Atkins means that low carb foods and beverages are commonly available in grocery stores and restaurants. Some of these diet foods fall flat and others balance taste and nutrition wonderfully. Beer is no exception and there are a number of low carb beers on the market. Although beer is not usually considered figure friendly, these versions contain fewer calories and carbs than traditional beer. Here are five popular low carb beers to sample as you search for the perfect beer to please your palate as you watch your waistline.

Amstel Light

A 12-ounce serving of Amstel Light has 95 calories and five grams of carbs.

Bud Select

With 99 calories and 3.1 grams of carbs, Bud Select is great choice for dieters.

Coors Light

A serving of Coors Light has 102 calories and 5 grams of carbs.

Corona Light

It is only fitting that the star of those beach commercials has a light variety. Corona Light has 109 calories and five grams of carbs.

Miller Lite

Miller Lite is a popular brand dieters and non-dieters alike. With only 3.2 grams of carbs, Miller Lite is a great choice for South Beach or Atkins dieters.

Smart Shopping Tips for Buying Low Carb Beer

Take a minute to read the labels and find diet-friendly beer. The label may say low carb, light or lite, but those terms are subjective. Actually read the nutrition label to see the calorie count and carb load per serving.

Keep in mind that low carb and light beers have a slightly different taste and consistency than traditional beers. Do not buy a case of beer if you have not already tried that variety.

A good way to try different brands is at parties or a friend’s house. You can also buy single servings when you are dining out.

Ask other dieters for their reviews and recommendations. They can give you the best advice and let you know where to buy a certain brand in your neighborhood.

Once you convert, stick to drinking a light beer. The subtle difference in taste will become glaringly obvious if you alternate between traditional and light or low carb beers.

Sticking to a low carb diet is easier than ever thanks to the mass availability of diet-friendly foods. Shop around and try different brands to find a great replacement for your regular brand.

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It’s hard for me to turn down a plate of Pad Thai, but with summer looming, gorging on Thai food can send my weight (and body fat) skyrocketing. Getting your fill of Thai food needn’t be an impossibility, however–by eating smart, Thai restaurants can be a great way to wind down your evening without overdoing your calorie count. Here’s how to make it work.

How to Diet at Thai Restaurants

Need to stay on your diet while eating out? Use these tips to keep your calorie count low:

1. To save calories, skip the appetizers. Most Thai appetizers can carry unnecessary calories and fat–extra if you order something crunchy, like fried egg rolls. It’s best to skip the appetizers here and focus your meal on the main course instead. If you’re absolutely stared for food, however, you can keep the calorie damage to a minimum by looking for appetizers that are rich in veggies but low on the fry factor–such as summer rolls or satay. Alternatively, you can opt for a broth-based soup, which can take the edge off your hunger without adding extra calories to your diet.
2. Avoid noodles. Most Thai restaurants serve a plentiful amount of noodle-based dishes, such as Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and Khao Soi. Unfortunately, most of these dishes tend to be higher in calories and carry extra fat. For slimmer pickings, look for dishes with meat and vegetables as the main constituent–such as Phat Kraphao, Phat Phak Ruam, or Kai Phat Khing. For soups, the same still holds true here. Skip the noodle-based soups and go for something lighter instead, such as Tom Yum soup.
3. If you love curry, ask for Gaeng Pah. Gaeng Pah is a spicy, nutritious curry filled with spices, vegetables, and your choice of meat. How it’s better: Unlike most Thai curries, which has a base of coconut milk, Gaeng Pah has a base of water, meaning it has fewer calories and fat, according to Men’s Health . Although it’s not as creamy, it’s still flavorful and filling–the extra spices help fill you up without the extra poundage!

Other Tips for Eating Out

If you plan to eat out at a Thai restaurant, then use common sense–obviously, eating fried meat or ordering a curry with a creamy coconut base probably won’t be friendly for your waistline. To avoid eating too many calories, focus on eating dishes plentiful in lean meat and vegetables while cutting out the higher calorie portions, such as rice and noodles.

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According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the recommended amount of potassium the average adult should eat every day is an incredible 4,700 mg. That’s equal to 11 bananas in a single day! Many experts say that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats will provide plenty of potassium on a daily basis, but I’m not so sure.

See, after using My Fitness Pal, a popular mobile phone app that tracks calories and nutrition, I discovered that, on average, I’m consuming less than one-fourth the amount of potassium I’m supposed to. I also realized that no single food has anywhere near the amount of potassium the USDA recommends, so the deficit can’t be fixed easily. Instead, the answer lies in eating more potassium-rich foods throughout the day. Through trial and error, I’ve learned some simple ways to do just that.

Here are three easy ways to get more potassium into your daily diet:

Drink more potassium throughout the day

One easy way to add more potassium to your diet is by drinking it. For example, drinking just one 8-ounce glass of orange juice every day adds 474 mg of potassium to your diet. That’s pretty good! Of course, orange juice is also high in calories and sugar, so look for brands that are lower in both. You can also try other fruit juices, such as apple, prune, cranberry or peach. Check the nutrition labels and choose only those juices that are higher in potassium and lower in calories and sugar.

Add a serving of fresh fruit to every meal

Instead of eating high-carbohydrate side dishes like French fries, potato chips or pasta salad, add a serving of high-potassium fruit to each meal. Try sliced bananas, cantaloupe, apples, or strawberries to start. Of course, making the switch from tasty carbs to fresh fruit isn’t easy, so take it slow. Begin by eating just a few bites of fruit with each meal, along with fewer bites of the carbs, and keep at it until you’ve fully switched over. You’re diet will be much healthier without the carbs, and the added fruit will give you an extra 100 to 200 mg or more of potassium.

Mix vegetable and protein servings together

Another easy way to add more potassium to your diet is by combining your vegetable and protein servings. Instead of eating, say, a grilled chicken breast with a side of steamed broccoli, try dicing the chicken into small chunks and mixing it together with the broccoli. The new combo will taste better and, thanks to the fiber-rich veggies, you’ll need less protein to feel as full. Even better, the added vegetables will boost your potassium intake by as much as 200 to 400 mg or more per meal.

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Do you reward yourself for losing weight? Did you know that building in a reward system can be motivating and can help you reach your weight loss goals? So, what kind of reward would be ideal for weight loss? It’s really up to you. Whatever floats your boat or pleases your fancy can be a reward on your way to your ultimate goal. You can reward yourself for every pound lost, every 5, 10, or 20 pounds lost, or any mini-goal you’ve set. If you have no idea what type of reward to set, here are several ideas that might work fine for you.

1. Reward your weight loss with a manicure or pedicure.
2. Reward your weight loss with a new book, music, or video game.
3. Reward your weight loss with a new workout video.
4. Reward your weight loss with a donation to your favorite charity.
5. Reward your weight loss with dinner at a restaurant that serves food on your plan.
6. Reward your weight loss with a new scented candle.
7. Reward your weight loss with $5 added to savings for each pound lost.
8. Reward your weight loss with a new garment or accessory for your wardrobe.
9. Reward your weight loss with a short vacation to the beach or mountains.
10. Reward your weight loss with a facial or new hairstyle.
11. Reward your weight loss by going to see a new movie or play.
12. Reward your weight loss with a total room makeover.
13. Reward your weight loss by visiting a day spa.
14. Reward your weight loss by attending a major sports activity.
15. Reward your weight loss with a visit to your favorite coffee spot.
16. Reward your weight loss by adopting a new family pet.
17. Reward your weight loss with a seasonal picnic at the park.
18. Reward your weight loss with a movie marathon.
19. Reward your weight loss with colorful new flowers for the garden.
20. Reward your weight loss with luxurious new bedding for your bed.

What could be more motivating than a reward that you’ve been looking forward to? Rewards for meeting your diet goals can make a great difference when it comes to motivation for staying on plan. Decide on some rewards to match those diet goals you’ve set. Select from these listed rewards or come up with your own. Reward yourself for achieving success, and motivate yourself for further success.

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If you’re dieting, either to get ready for a competition or just to shed a few pounds, then you need to know about these 12 common foods that are actually slowing down your progress. Although most of these are nutritious, they are not your best bets for ripping your midsection or shedding the maximal amount of body fat.

Pasta

While virtually a fat-free food, the 40 grams of carbs per cup can easily push your daily carb intake to a level that can prevent you from leaning out or losing weight. Try mixing a half cup of fiber rich vegetables with a half cup of whole grain pasta which helps keep the carb levels lower and allows you to feel fuller with the extra fiber that whole grains and vegetables provide.

White Rice

White rice is extremely refined and is rated as a high glycemic carbohydrate which fairly rapidly breaks down into glucose. High glycemic carbs stimulate the appetite, thus making you more hungry. Switch to brown or basmati rice which is a low glycemic carb and as with pasta, mix with high fiber vegetables to cut back on calories and fill you up more.

Bagels

A single small bagel yields approximetely 40 grams of carbs and a large one can yield up to 75 grams. Though bagels are low in fat, their high carb content is something to consider when you are trying to limit carbs. For alternatives, try rye bread and oatmeal bread which are both the lowest glycemic breads, which means they stay with you longer and don’t leave you feeling hungry.

Rice Cakes

While rice cakes are low in calories, they are very high on the glycemic index and do not fill you up or leave you feeling satisfied. They are like any other snack food and it can be hard to stop at just a few and it is very easy to eat the whole bag. Exercising restraint in the volume of food you eat is vital in losing weight. It is best to stay away from these empty calorie snacks and instead eat a snack that is in high fiber and low in calories that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

Cream of Wheat

Cream of wheat is fast digesting high glycemic carb and shoots in and out the stomach without triggering a feeling of fullness or satiety. Oats, oatmeal, oat bran and cream of rye cereal are much slower digesting alternatives that quell the appetite and provide more sustained energy due to their significantly higher fiber content.

Cold Cereal

Most cold cereals are terrible weight loss foods as they are easy to overeat and provide absolutely no appetite support. Even the high fiber, no sugar cold cereals can pack a lot of carbs per bowl. If you can stick to eating a controlled portion, you’ll do better with the high fiber hot cereal such as oatmeal, oat bran, and cream of rye.

Fruit juice

Unlike whole fruit, juices are devoid of fiber and take up little space in the stomach, which leaves you more hungry rather than satisfied. Fiber rich foods help keep the appetite under control, so opt for whole fruit instead of fruit juice. You’ll be less hungry while you benefit from a greater fiber, vitamin and mineral content.

Dried Fruit

While you can benefit from an ample amount of whole fruits providing important vitamins, minerals and fiber, dried fruit is simply to dense in carbs and sugar to aid in weight loss or leaning out. At about 65 grams carbs per half cup, dried fruit is very high in calories and can easily be overeaten. Stick to low carb whole fruits such as peaches, plums, strawberries, and cantaloupe.

Ground Turkey

Turkey breast is extremely low in fat and calories, but on the other hand, ground turkey meat is usually a mix of darker meat and turkey skin which boosts the fat content upward of 14 grams per 6 oz serving. Ask the butcher to ground up turkey breast meat for you instead of buying it off the meat shelf.

Ground Beef

Stay away from the ground beef you find in the grocery store because it’s much higher in fat than grinding your own select cuts. A single serving can yield as much as 26 grams of fat! Ask your butcher to grind up eye of round, round or flank steak as these are the cuts that are lowest in fat.

Deli Turkey Slices

Though low in fat, many deli-style breasts are filled with sugar and salt. Read labels, check ingredients and look for sliced turkey devoid of added sugar and low in sodium. As a rule of thumb, less expensive sliced turkey yields more sugar and salt than the pricey versions.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a sugar and has no nutritional value. It should be avoided at all costs when you are dieting. If you must consume, a small amount ( a small glass) of red wine daily is okay, but you must remember that it is calories and needs to be included in your daily calorie allowance.

Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals will keep your appetite under control and leave you feeling full and satisfied while consuming less calories. Stop sabotaging your weight loss diet and hard work in the gym and eliminate all unnecessary foods that only provide empty calories and no nutritional content. As your body becomes accustomed to a high fiber diet, you will no longer crave the high glycemic carbs and you will begin to lose weight by following a sensible weight loss diet and exercise program.

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While you are having those frustrating dates with Acne, you should remember the proper dos and dont’s of the anti-acne diet. Even you need to know some common misinterpreted facts that may cause more harm than good. For example, vitamin and mineral rich foods enhances acne than reducing it. So, a proper knowledge of diets would be effective in getting you a clear and acne free skin faster. However, it remains with you how to implement that.

1. A daily breakfast diet of two eggs with a glass of milk helps fighting acne.
2. Drinking coffee induces unwanted toxic substance inside body to cause acne. So, avoid it.
3. Items like cucumber, onion, carrot, mint, etc can be used to prepare salad and taken in diet.
4. A garlic rich diet helps body fight acne. Even you can use it in salads, too.
5. Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables like: apple, banana, pine apple, grapes, pomegranate, papaya, lettuce, peppers, spinach, broccoli, etc are the ultimate edible items against acne. They should be included in daily diets.
6. Carbohydrate and protein related foods helps fighting acne, while pretentious food abets it. So, take sufficient milk, beans, seeds, chicken, fish, beef, whole wheat, oats etc.
7. Take multivitamin pills, however as it balance off the low vitamin and mineral diet and not cause acne enhancing symptoms.
8. Not only raw fruits, but taking good amount of juices and shakes of apple, pomegranate, guava, and pine apple, etc helps.
9. Provide plenty of liquid to your body. Taking at least 8-12 glasses of water per day, helps to flush out toxins. Addition of fresh lemon juice to your water increases chance of warding off acne.
10. Greasy and sweet foods like sugar, chocolates, ice-cream, cookies, cakes, pies etc induces acne causing wastes inside body causing harm to skin.
11. Taking a paste of yogurt with 1 teaspoon honey at breakfast improves your skin condition.

Don’t waste your time Start eating anti-acne diet!

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In today’s hectic world, women face unique challenges when it comes to eating a healthy diet. Below are ten tips on how to achieve a balanced diet that reflects a woman’s special needs.

1. To protect their bones and reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis, women need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily (and post-menopausal women should get up to 1,500 milligrams). Therefore, women should be sure to incorporate healthy calcium-rich foods, like low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese into their diets every day.
2. Sufficient vitamin D and magnesium are critical in a balanced diet for women, since they are needed for the absorption of calcium. Vitamin D comes from the sun, but also can be provided by fortified foods like orange juice and milk. Magnesium is found in green vegetable, nuts, and legumes.
3. Women must be aware of heart health. There is an increasing recognition that heart disease is a significant health risk for women as well as men. As a result, women should be sure to eat a heart-healthy, balanced diet that is, among other things, low in saturated fats and high in fruits and vegetables.
4. Given their busy schedules and child care responsibilities, many women find themselves skipping meals and filling up, instead, on snacks. This pattern may be unavoidable, but replacing salty, high-fat foods with nutritional snacks like fruit or yogurt can contribute to a healthy, balanced diet for women.
5. When women embark on a diet to lose weight, they should diet smart so as to create the best opportunity for success near term and long term. Many studies show that a weight-loss diet that results in lasting weight control is one that incorporates new, healthy habits (and exercise) that can be maintained after the diet ends. That means emphasizing a reduced-calorie, balanced diet that includes a variety of healthy foods.
6. For women, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It can make all the difference in energy levels and productivity during the day and in weight control. It is easy to eat healthy at breakfast. Yogurt; low-sugar, whole-grain cereal or oatmeal with milk; orange juice; whole-wheat toast; and fruit all are easy and healthy breakfast foods.
7. Women who eat lunch at work should plan their lunch menus as thoughtfully as they do the menu for the evening meal. Bringing a salad with chicken or tuna, nuts, beans, or vegetables can be a healthy and satisfying alternative to eating out or getting takeout. Fruit and yogurt also are good choices.
8. Water is a great beverage option and a good replacement for soda (even diet soda) for women. It is filling, has no calories and is good for the skin and general health.
9. As much as possible, women’s balanced diets should incorporate fresh, rather than processed foods, including plenty of natural foods and fruits and vegetables. Food writer Michael Pollan’s rules like don’t buy processed foods with more than five ingredients or with ingredients you can’t pronounce (which probably are preservatives or chemicals) can be helpful guidelines.
10. A well-balanced diet doesn’t have to mean a flavorless diet with no indulgences. In fact, indulgence should have its place in a healthy diet. For example, chocolate and wine, in moderation, have been shown to have some important physical benefits, to say nothing of pleasure they bring us.

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Fiber seems to be the latest miracle diet food. A person can hardly open a magazine or newspaper without seeing an article singing the praises of the health benefits of fiber. It’s not just hype. Adding more fiber can be an effective tool for dieters. Fiber-filled foods take more time to break down and consequently they stay in the digestive tract longer.

Fiber comes in two types – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar. It is commonly found in beans and fruits. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It acts as a scrubber in your digestive tract. Insoluble fiber can be found in vegetables and whole grains.

Fiber can help you feel fuller for a longer period of time. However, many people equate fiber with endless salads or food that tastes like cardboard. This does not need to be the case. By following some of the tips listed below, you can increase the fiber in your diet effortlessly.

1. Switch to whole grain pasta. The average pasta made from refined white flour has very little in the way of fiber. In contrast, whole grain fiber has 5 or more grams per serving. Whole grain fiber does have a slightly different taste and texture. An alternative would be to start by using half regular pasta and half whole wheat. You can increase the ratio of whole wheat pasta as you become more accustomed to the taste.
2. Use whole grain pastry flour in your baking. Regular whole grain flour can add a bit of grittiness to baked goods. Whole grain pastry flour is more finely ground. Using it in your baking boosts fiber while being closer in texture to products made with refined flour. By substituting a cup of whole grain pastry flour for white flour, the fiber content of the recipe is boosted by 14 grams.
3. Sneak oats into your favorite meat loaf recipe. A cup of oats adds an additional four grams of fiber.
4. Bulk up your favorite convenience foods with extra veggies. We all have to rely on convenience foods, from time to time. The problem is processed foods are notoriously high in fat and low in fiber. You don’t have to feel so bad about serving them though if you boost the vegetable content. Chop up a couple cups and add them to your favorite convenience meals. The vegetables cook while the entr�e is cooking. Quick and easy.
5. Use finely-ground Fiber One cereal in the place of bread crumbs for faux fried foods. This saves calories too! Use it to make oven fried chicken, onion rings, and even cheese sticks. A mere cup of Fiber One cereal adds 14 grams of fiber. You can’t beat that!
6. Replace part of the fat in baked goods with fruit and vegetable purees. Pear, apples, and even pumpkin can replace part of the fat in your favorite recipes, as well as being an additional source of fiber. It is alright to experiment. The best recipes for replacement are darker and strongly flavored, like ones containing chocolate. Would you believe you can add beet puree to brownies without altering the taste? It’s true!
7. Use white varieties of whole grain bread. Even finicky children can’t tell the difference. This adds a couple of grams of fiber per sandwich.
8. Eat the peel. The peel of fruits and vegetables is where the majority of the fiber lies. So don’t throw it away, missing out on the 2 grams of fiber it provides. Instead of using instant potatoes, make the real thing. No need to peel them, just wash and quarter. Mash them with the skins still on for a fiber boost.
9. Eat the fruit rather than drinking the juice. The peel and pulp are where the majority of the fiber is located. Whole fruit is more filling than juice, so don’t cheat yourself.
10. Add beans to your entrees. For example, a cup of white beans adds a whopping 11 grams of fiber. For those of you that can’t stand the texture of beans, mash them up and add them to soups, spaghetti sauce. Mash a cup of cooked beans and add them to your favorite meatloaf recipe. The kids will never know!

The best sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. By adding a variety of these foods to your diet, you can successfully increase your fiber intake. Current dietary recommendations advise fiber intake of 25 to 35 grams daily. If you did not previously consume much fiber, it would be wise to increase your fiber over the course of a couple of weeks to allow your body time to adjust. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water.

Adding fiber to your diet can be effortless if you think outside the box. With a little creativity and sneakiness, a high fiber diet can become a reality.

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Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar business. As more and more Americans are “super-sizing” what they eat, they are also becoming “super-sized” themselves with “two-thirds of American adults now obese or overweight. The number of obese and overweight children has now climbed to 30 percent in 30 states.”

With these disturbing statistics, it’s no wonder that you may want to lose weight and lose weight fast. Even a 10% reduction in weight offers immediate health benefits such as decreased risk of certain cancers, lower blood pressure, and more energy.

So, how do you choose the correct way to lose weight? Is there a miracle diet? Diets abound and weight loss tips can be found everywhere. I provide my solution to healthy weight loss at the end of this article. First, look at the 10 worst ways you can try to lose weight. I write, “try” because these diets and ways to lose weight are not only dangerous, but also temporary.

Crash Diet (stop eating)

If you want to lose weight, why not stop eating for a while? Not only is this practice dangerous (can you say “malnutrition?”), but it often backfires. When you stop eating, your body goes into starvation mode, which slows your metabolism and the majority of the weight loss is water weight. When you resume eating, you’ll gain the weight back and with your body in starvation mode, you’ll have even more trouble losing weight because your body will cling to the calories believing your life is threatened.

Binge and Purge

While bulimia is more about distorted body image rather than a weight loss tool, some people who are not technically bulimic get eater’s remorse, especially when dieting and having a slip at a nice restaurant. Once back at home, they induce vomiting to correct their mistake. Bulimia-like behavior risks your health because it wears off the tooth enamel, leads to gastrointestinal problems, and can cause an irregular heartbeat leading to a possible heart attack.

The Christian Bale Diet

Bale dropped over 60 pounds for his role in The Machinist by eating just one can of tuna and an apple each day. Says Bale, “Everybody told me that I was risking my health the first time around, so doing it twice? I’m probably being an idiot.” (3)

Drunkorexia

This newly coined term describes the practice of starving all day to offset the calories in the alcohol consumed later, such as when a person wants to go clubbing. (4)

Orthorexia

Is an obsession with what is perceived as healthy food – eliminating fats and preservatives, for example. Focusing on healthy food sounds good, right? The trouble is people with this condition can dangerously deprive themselves of needed nutrients. For example, we all need a certain amount of fat in our diet to provide energy and to allow the absorption of certain vitamins, which are only soluble in fat. (4)

Laxatives

Using laxatives to purge your body of food wears out the bowel muscle, which may result in a permanent decrease in bowel function. Surely you don’t want to be constipated the rest of your life.

Exercising

Getting at least 30 minutes each day is beneficial for your health, but exercising for several hours each day to lose weight does not necessarily work. That much exercise makes you hungrier and you may end up consuming even more calories, or mistakenly believe you can reward yourself because you exercised. Furthermore,” a pound of muscle burns approximately six calories a day in a resting body, compared with the two calories that a pound of fat burns. Which means that after you work out hard enough to convert, say, 10 lb. of fat to muscle – a major achievement – you would be able to eat only an extra 40 calories per day, about the amount in a teaspoon of butter, before beginning to gain weight. Good luck with that.” (5)

Fad diets

Diets do not work for two main reasons: diets deprive you of certain foods or perhaps even groups of foods, such as Atkins, which cuts out carbs, and diets disappear. Once achieving their goal weight, most dieters return to their pre- weight loss eating habits and the pounds come right back.

Appetite Suppressants

You are essentially taking speed to lose weight. Risks include addiction to the substance you are taking, nervousness, insomnia, high blood pressure and more seriously, strokes and more serious heart problems.

Liposuction

If you can’t lose the fat, why not have it vacuumed out of your body at considerable expense? Liposuction is not for weight loss, it is for body sculpting on a body that is already at a healthy weight. As with any surgical procedure, there are risks of infection, risks to the cardiovascular system, and nerve damage.

Healthy, sustainable weight loss occurs at a rate of one to two pounds per week. When my weight creeps up a few pounds, I get myself back on track with proper portion control. Try these healthier ways to lose weight – it’s not dieting or calorie counting, just a sensible way to eat.

The post 10 of the Most Dangerous and Harmful Ways to Lose Weight Fast appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Being lazy makes weight loss hard. Though it usually involves a lack of action when you have the means to improve, laziness can come in many forms, whether it is a lack of motivation to exercise or a failure to make the effort to choose positive and healthy foods and activities.

I gained way too much weight for my little frame by making poor choices for my health, and when I had to take it off, I attacked the problem from as many angles as I could until I found what worked for me. When I did, I lost 33 percent of my body weight and felt healthier than I ever have in my life.

These easy weight loss tips are for generally healthy people seeking weight loss, not those in dire straits with their health. Also, some people are just big and beautiful and healthy that way, so make sure weight loss is actually a good idea. Before starting any weight loss plan, talk to your doctor, and don’t do anything dangerous unsupervised. This means exercising in pairs and keeping a spotter for any weight lifting you do and consulting a doctor before you do anything outside of your normal range of ability or comfort.

Don’t hurt yourself

This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but I was well on my way to healthy weight loss when I hit a big obstacle: injury from exercise. Injury from exercise can come from many sources. Injuries from exercise not only stop you in your exercise-bound tracks, but they can also be a deterrent and a bit of a disappointment that can send you spiraling back into an unhealthy state. I think I was down and out for a both a month when, in a burst of enthusiastic yoga, I broke my foot on a poorly placed living room exercise bike.

You can be injured if you lift too much weight, if you run more than your body can take, or if you simply whack yourself when you are not paying clear attention to your body and the exercise. You can also hurt yourself by eating too much, eating too little or eating foods that do not give you proper nutrition. When you cut calories, you also cut vitamins, so make sure you are getting the ones you need.

When exercising, wear the proper safety gear, and always be mindful of your limitations (the real ones, not the ones in your head) and err on the side of caution unless you are working with a professional fitness trainer who knows where to stop.

Save the big dinner plates for guests

One easy way to control portions is to make it impossible for you to heap more on your plate than you should eat. When I was losing weight, I ate only from saucers and bread plates; the small plates in your dinnerware set. It’s a lot harder to pile a ridiculous amount of food onto a tiny plate without spilling.

If you are short like me, you can put the big plates on the top shelves so you can easily access small plates whilst having to work to access the large ones. Second helpings are fine, but make sure you are eating because you are hungry and not just because the food is tasty.

If you don’t want it, don’t eat it

Does this surprise you as a tip? Take a moment to think about the things you may have been offered that you took just to be polite or because everyone else was doing it. Every morning doughnut, every sample at Costco and every piece of office birthday cake you eat has calories that add to your weight and affect your health. Learn to say “no” to these snacks. This includes snacking on the peppermint candies at the office receptionist’s desk.

A helpful way to think about this is to consider saving calories for what you really want. Because on this easy diet plan, you can have it, but you don’t get it all.

Eat what you really want, but only eat a little

Many millions of dollars have been spent to help sugar-addicted dieters get a taste for the sweet tooth without overdoing the calories. When I was losing weight, I didn’t touch any diet cookies like Snackwell’s or any Weight Watcher’s meals. I ate my favorite fast foods, pizzas and desserts and enjoyed fine decadent foods at restaurants. The trick is to eat just what you need to experience the food instead of eating it all, and to challenge yourself to experience it when you really want it.

How do you do this? By planning food celebrations. Instead of denying yourself that bag of potato chips, tell yourself that you will buy the potato chips at a particular time. The time should potentially be a long time away, like a month or whatever you can stand to do. This does not necessarily have to be a date; I buy myself potato chips when the price drops below a level I have set for myself. Then I buy one bag of chips, and I share it.

Food is a joyful experience, and denying that pleasure for good is impossible for a lot people. So order that decadent pie or volcano cake dessert at your favorite local restaurant, and ask the server for extra spoons so everyone at the table can enjoy while you savor every precious bite so you can make sure you remember everything about it.

Make no excuses and feel no guilt about what you ate. Then when you crave it, simply remember it in every glorious detail before giving in again. However, if you got a stomachache or felt unhealthy after eating a decadent food, remember that as well, because it gives you an important clue about what is good for your body.

Go lite when it matters

Many types of food these days have “Lite” or “Diet” versions that you can choose if you want to lower the calories or fat in your food. Some of these may be worse for you than the original, and they certainly don’t always taste good. Read the nutritional information if you plan to go low calorie. Some lighter foods have such negligible calorie differences that you are better off enjoying the full-calorie version than suffering over a paltry calorie savings.

Some lite foods even have more sugar to make them taste better after they lower the fat. But, as mentioned in #7, eat only what you really want. Having low calorie or light foods is not an excuse to pig out, and you may end up eating more calories than you would have if you just ate the one you really wanted. Here’s an easy tip: If the light version tastes good to you, go for it. If not, read about what makes it “light” to determine if the difference is enough to justify the taste sacrifice.

Do everything faster

Get things done and burn calories by just stepping it up a little. If you can get yourself a bit winded by doing physical tasks like housework just a little faster than you usually do, you will burn more calories and have the added bonus of getting your stuff done faster. If you are feeling particularly spry, throw a dictionary or two in your backpack and wear it around the house as you clean.

Good activities for this include cleaning the kitchen, making the bed, doing laundry and vacuuming the house. You can also choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator, and if you already take the stairs, you can decide to take them a little faster. Just don’t overdo it, and know that it doesn’t count as actual exercise. (Sorry.)

Nerd out when you exercise

Exercise is not the time for worrying about how you look or whether your thighs look dimply on the treadmill. When exercising, give it your all and even punch it up to try to look as dorky as possible so you have a good time. Wear a stupid hat or get the most ridiculous jogging suit you can find.

If what tickles you is video games, get a Wii and do the fitness exercises or simply hook up a Playstation while you pedal on your exercise bike. Make exercising “you time” by making it all about having fun while getting fit and you’ll find yourself doing it a lot more often.

Cook your own food.

When you eat out, you almost never know what kind of calorie content you are getting. A plate of spaghetti with meat sauce at the Olive Garden can run you upwards of 700 calories, while a plate of the home version only runs around 400 calories per serving. If you are a junkie for a certain type of food, whether it is pizza, cookies or creme brulee, making an at-home version can give you the satisfaction of a job well done while giving you the same food for lower calories. You may find you even prefer the healthy version. Bonus: you also burn calories while cooking it.

YOU are beautiful

Being fat seems to be somewhat of a litmus test for total jerks. It angers me that being fat in public can yield a host of humiliations from unkind strangers, and in extreme situations, getting fat can even expose who among your friends is true to you. If you learn to feel good about yourself when you are not at the weight you desire, you will feel good about yourself all the time.

Getting skinny is not going to make dumb people genuinely like you, but they may start faking it better. Realize that you are an amazing creature and celebrate that. Own what you are and do not deny it.

If you are fat and you are healthy and you feel good and you exercise, maybe you should not mess with success. If people around you are putting you down for your weight, hang out with other people who react to you more positively. If you do it for you, you do it for good. If someone’s putting you down, either confront them or get out of there. You deserve real love.

Losing weight so you will look good is losing weight for other people. Getting skinny so people will like you just makes it obvious that you are hanging around with a bunch of jerks. Most likely, losing weight will not fix your emotional, social or financial problems, but it can help you feel better if you are not at a personally healthy weight. Encourage yourself and surround yourself with people who support that frame of mind.

If you are one of those big beautiful folks and need some help feeling good about yourself, check out the fat-positive book Fat!SO? by Marilyn Wann.

There is no diet. There is no quit

Lots of people embark on an ambitious diet just to quit when it gets hard or doesn’t work out. This is not a diet that you can just quit. When you lose weight the lazy way, you lose it slow and healthy; that’s just the way it is. You are not on a diet; you are on a lifelong quest to enjoy a healthy life through good, mindful eating habits and joyful exercise. Yay!

When these tips begin to work for you, take the time to create your own tips that work for your life, because they may not necessarily be what worked for me. Challenge yourself to make positive changes until you are the best you can be.

Be fat positive. Weight loss is not for everyone; having more body fat than others may be healthy for some people and unhealthy for others. I got myself to my unhealthy weight with a consistent sedentary lifestyle and binge eating of delivery takeout, but some people are just big and beautiful. Is this you?

The post 10 Lazy Weight Loss Tips to Get Healthy and Lose Unwanted Fat appeared first on Health & Wellness.

The whole world is in an Obesity epidemic. It is said” you are what you eat and you are what you think”. Both are important in this context of weight loss. The truth about losing weight is about managing calorie intake and calorie expenditure.

The whole thing about losing weight is about managing calorie intake and calorie expenditure. According to fitness experts, to gain weight, one should take 16-21 calories per pound of body weight and to loose weight about one should take about 10-12 calories per pound. Therefore, the whole trick is to supply less calories so that body uses the stored fats for energy requirements, resulting in weight loss.

If we look at the foods we eat- carbohydrates, proteins and fats, the body spends only 5 calories to digest every 100 gm of carbs and fats but for every 100 g of protein, the body spends about 25 calories in digestion and this increases metabolism. That is why the body temperature is increased after a high protein diet. People starve to lose weight but ultimately to find that they have in fact gained weight.

So if we give more proteins and less of energy from carbs and fats that should workout the plan of weight loss successfully. Slightly modifying the food we eat makes a world of success in weight loss program by optimizing calorie intake and utilization with effective function of other factors like insulin.

Here are some foods that will enhance weight loss.

Oats

It is one cereal with a myriad of benefits particularly for weight loss. Oats is a low glycemic index cereal which provides calories for the body and rich content of fibers that regulate insulin release for optimal calorie burning. An excellent break fast stuff, keeps the individual energetic without frequent snacking. People eating oats remain satiated for longer period with excellent energy levels and mental performance. Oats because of its fiber content helps to lower blood sugar and LDL cholesterol. It contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, B vitamins and potassium, the nutrients required for calorie burning and a healthy nervous system function. It is a good source of selenium, the element that is an antioxidant, immuno-stimulator and thyroid function enhancer. The antioxidant aventramides found in oats reduces clogging of arteries and improves circulation better than vitamin C. Oats not only helps weight loss for women but also has a protective effect from breast cancer according to UK studies.

Avocado

This is one of nature’s nutritious fruits that offer excellent benefits in weight loss, obesity. It is a good source of energy and nutrients. Most of avocado’s energy release comes from oleic acid, a beneficial a mono-unsaturated fatty acid that increases insulin sensitivity, calorie burning and lowers blood sugar levels It contains nutrients such as vitamin K, dietary fiber, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, and low in carbs and proteins. Avocado improves nutrient absorption and lowers blood sugar when taken along with meals. Being a rich source of potassium avocado will improve heart, circulation, and energy release. It is a good source of antioxidant lutein, vitamin E and C.

Salmon

This is an excellent source of protein and marine omega-3 oils that promote weight loss and lean mass. With salmon, we get the additional benefits of heart healthy, omega-3 fatty acids besides high quality protein. Proteins stabilize blood sugar, keeps calorie burning high, the marine fat makes one feel satiated and going on for long time without a bout of hunger. Combine salmon with brown rice and vegetables, you cut calories the enjoyable way.

Brown rice

Brown rice is an excellent source of complex carbs. It is the rice with minimal polishing that retains all the vital nutrients like vitamin B1,B3, B6, Phosphorous, manganese, selenium and magnesium. Various studies have found that people who ate whole grains like brown rice weighed less than those who ate more refined grains. Rice is thermogenic and increases body metabolism, helps in fat burning. Brown rice is rich in fibers that improve insulin action and prevent sudden insulin spikes thereby improving weight loss. Brown rice is rich in selenium, the element that is vital for thyroid function and body metabolism with antioxidant protection. Brown rice is a rich source of magnesium that is a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes important for body’s use of glucose and insulin for energy production and fat loss.

Chicken

This is a good source of complete protein. Skinless chicken breast is a good source of protein, which is also low in fat. Being rich in proteins it burns calories and hence will increase the BMR and weight loss. Chicken offers a range of nutrients like iron, phosphorus, Magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, B12, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and thiamine, the vital ingredients that promote cellular energy production and lean mass development.

Water

No weight loss program can succeed without water. A person should take good amount of water; say minimum 3-4 liters. Water is vital for normal and healthy function of vital organs. When water is less, the body holds up water causing dehydration, thickening of blood, disturbed digestive and nervous function with poor nutrient absorption and compromised body functions. Always keep body adequately hydrated for excellent results in any weight loss program. Taking adequate water and hydrating your body will also maintain a healthy alkaline pH that promotes weight loss, improves cardiac and vital system function besides removing toxins from the body.

Lentils

These form an important component of weight loss program. Lentils are rich in proteins and carbohydrates with good content of fibers. They are also good sources of B vitamins, magnesium, iron, zinc copper etc. The proteins keep the fat loss going on and carbs provide energy. One serving of 100 g boiled lentils provide 199 calories, 17.5g carbohydrate 7.6g protein and 0.4g fat.

Whey

This should find an important place in weight loss program. This is the richest source of amino acids and other vital nutrients for healthy weight loss. Whey flushes the body with amino acids, promotes muscle anabolism, and when combined with egg whites, milk protein or other proteins forms a good component for weight loss. Whey reduces the stress hormone cortisol and has an anti-catabolic effect, increases insulin sensitivity promoting muscle development.

Nuts

Nuts are usually rich in proteins and fats. However, the fats in nuts are good fats that lowers insulin resistance and improve blood glucose and cholesterol. Nuts prevent one from becoming hungry between meals, and help to avoid snacks that tend to raise blood sugar and insulin resistance. Some useful ones are Peanuts, Walnuts, Almonds, Cashews, Pecans, and Brazil Nuts.

Cabbage & greens

Green vegetables should be made a prime component of the weight loss diet either as salads or cooked. They are good fillers with rich supply of Carotenes, folic acid, lutein, B vitamins, magnesium and other phytonutrients. Make this a part of your weight loss regimen and will you be amazed to see the results.

Green tea

This is an important item in weight loss. Green tea or tea is one of nature’s best source of polyphenols like the epigallocatechin gallate ( ECGC). This ingredient is an excellent themogenic, fat burner and antioxidant. Making Green tea or tea a part of the weight loss program is a sensible choice.

Fruits

Fresh fruits will help one to loose weight effectively, as they are high in natural fibers , natural antioxidants, vitamins and micronutrients that boost body metabolism and energy levels. The carbohydrates in fruits are complex and are digested slowly without raising blood sugar and are not being converted to fats. Fruits also contain pectin, inulins and fructooligosaccharides that help control blood sugar, increase insulin sensitivity and promote weight loss.

Yoghurt

This is one item that has important role in protecting the intestinal flora with many health benefits. It helps to promote digestion and assimilation, prevents flatulence and discomfort associated with high protein foods and fermentation. The FOS and inulins provide fullness and satiation, helps bind cholesterol, improves insulin action amplifying weight loss.

All weight loss programs should have a modified diet program to complement the exercise schedules. The foods should provide macro and micronutrients along with antioxidants and minerals to catalyze the fat burning program. The above foods are chosen to optimize weight loss results and health.

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Are there really foods that can fight fat? There are many foods that are low in calories and fill you up that are good to eat when dieting, but can a food actually fight fat? After some research, this writer came up with a list of claims of 10 foods that fight fat.

These are not just foods that fill you up to help you to eat less, the foods in this list have been determined to actually fight fat. This does not mean that by adding these foods, you can eat all the fat-laden foods you like. These foods can be beneficial in reducing fat when used in conjunction with a healthy diet.

Raw Nuts

Nuts contain healthy fats and oils. These can not only help you feel full longer, but alpha linolenic acid (an omega 3) found in almonds and omega 3s found in walnuts can help speed the metabolism of fat.

How to get more in your diet. When adding nuts to your diet, be sure they are raw and unsalted, and stick with a small serving. Although nuts have healthier fats, you still don’t want to eat too much.

Chilies and Other Hot Peppers

An ingredient in chili peppers called capsaicin, can actually raise your metabolism.

How to get more in your diet. Add chopped chilies to meats and dishes that use tomato sauce as a base for more spice. If you don’t like really hot food, try add some red pepper flakes for a milder option.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain phytochemicals that stimulate the production of carnitine. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center1, carnitine helps break down fat so your body can use it as energy. Cooking actually helps release the fat-burning properties of tomatoes.

How to get more in your diet. Add the benefit of tomatoes to your diet by eating more dishes with tomato sauce, or dice tomatoes to add to soups and meat dishes.

Foods that Fight Fat – Garlic and Onions

Both garlic and onion come from the same family, thus they are listed here together. Both contain phytochemicals that can break down fat so the body can use it as energy. Raw garlic is better than cooked, so if you must cook it, cook garlic lightly.

How to get more in your diet. Add chopped garlic or onions to any dish where you’d like more flavor. Be aware, though, that both garlic and onion have blood thinning properties, so follow your physician’s advice on their use if you have problems.

Soy

Soy is a healthy protein that contains choline. Choline can block the absorption of fat, and helps to break down fatty deposits already in the body.

How to get more in your diet. You can add soybeans to salads, or even mix tofu with meatloaf. A tastier alternative is to drink some soy milk. You can substitute soy milk on your cereal as well.

Low Fat Dairy Products

Eating dairy products, preferably those that are low in fat, can help burn fat. They even reduce fat-producing enzymes created in your body. According to WebMD2, calcium alone does not promote fat burning. It is the combination of the calcium, protein and minerals in dairy products that helps to burn fat.

How to get more in your diet. You should aim for 3 servings of low fat dairy in your diet daily. You can drink milk, or eat yogurt and cheeses. Opt for low-fat, no sugar added varieties when possible.

Berries

Berries, and other Vitamin C rich fruits, are not only helpful for antioxidant properties. According to a study by the University of Arizona at Mesa quoted in an article by Lucy Danziger3, eating foods rich in Vitamin C can increase fat-burning of your workouts by up to 30 percent.

How to get more in your diet. Berries are great to eat on their own, or you can make smoothies with one or a combination. You can also add a handful of berries to salads or make a berry soup. Berries are also good when added to many chicken dishes.

Oranges

Not only do oranges contain Vitamin C with benefits mentioned above, but they contain flavones which can prevent your body from accumulating fat.

How to get more in your diet. Oranges are good to eat on their own, or you can drink orange juice with the pulp. Oranges can also be cooked and added to chicken or seafood dishes.

Vinegar

It is believed that the acetic acid in vinegar can help break down fat and help flush it out of the body. Only a couple of spoons are needed for fat burning benefits. Be sure to drink extra water when adding vinegar to your diet.

How to get more in your diet. Use vinegar based salad dressings and marinades for an easy way to add vinegar to your diet.

Water

If you become dehydrated, it will slow your metabolism, which will keep your body from burning fat at a proper rate. Drinking enough water will prevent dehydration and help your body maintain a better metabolism.

The post 10 Fat Burning Foods and How to Add Them to Your Diet appeared first on Health & Wellness.

I love to eat Chinese food, or any Asian cuisine for that matter. We regularly cook it at in our own kitchen and go to Chinese buffets, sit-down restaurants and quick-serve Chinese restaurants when traveling. Eating Chinese food on a diet can be like a walk through a minefield but it is possible to choose diet-friendly options at a Chinese restaurant. There are a few general tips I follow when I get a craving for Chinese food:

1. Soups, such as egg-drop or hot and sour, are the best appetizers.
2. Steamed vegetable dumplings are a better choice than fried egg rolls.
3. Steamed brown rice is the best starch choice, but you should avoid fried rice and noodles.
4. Try to eat with chopsticks. No grades are given for technique and it generally leads to eating less.
5. Pay attention to portion sizes. Many full-service Chinese restaurants intend their meals to be shared.
6. Avoid anything deep-fried or breaded or covered with a thick, syrupy sauce.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask for half-sauce or the sauce on the side at a full-service Chinese restaurant.

There are several Chinese restaurants in my area, both national chains and independents. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, a full-service restaurant, and Panda Express can each be found in 38 states as well as international locations. I’ve eaten at both and have found their diet-friendly options to be delicious. According to a March 8, 2010, press release, P.F. Chang’s has expanded its gluten-free menu options to 28 items offering more diet-friendly choices to its patrons.

In my experience, most Chinese restaurants offer similar dishes. I’ve used the nutrition information for items available at P.F. Chang’s and Panda Express to give a sampling of 10 Diet-Friendly Chinese food options.

Hot & Sour Soup

With one serving weighing in at 90 calories, Hot & Sour Soup is a great choice when ordering Chinese food. Four to five grams of protein are a great boost.

Steamed Vegetable Dumplings

Ten grams of carbs and two grams of protein packed into a 65-calorie serving make this appetizer a great diet choice.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are a diet-friendly egg roll! No deep-frying leaves this appetizer with 153 calories, eight grams of protein and two grams of fiber.

Steamed Brown Rice

If your favorite restaurant doesn’t offer brown rice, don’t order a starch at all. A six-ounce serving contains 190 calories, 40 grams of carbs, four grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

Mixed Veggies

Vegetables are the best way to bulk up any Chinese meal. A serving contains only 70 calories but adds five grams of fiber and four grams of protein.

Spicy Green Beans

I love spicy, stir-fried green beans! A five-ounce serving includes three grams of protein and fiber and only adds 103 calories.

Broccoli Beef

Beef isn’t always bad for you when a serving provides 11 grams of protein in just 150 calories.

String Bean Chicken

This Chinese entrée contains only 190 calories with 12 grams of protein and three grams of fiber.

Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Seafood works well with Chinese cooking techniques. There’s a lot of flavor in 197 calories and 21 grams of protein.

Vegetarian Fried Rice

Some people just can’t visit a Chinese restaurant without fried rice. Choose a vegetarian option containing 215 calories and just three grams of fat.

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Whichever diet and weight loss program you choose, there are a few simple tips that you should follow to maximize your efforts. Burning fat can be very easy if you implement these tips with your existing weight loss plan.

More Meals, Smaller Portions

You’ve probably heard all your life to eat three square meals a day. This is the worst thing you can do when you’re attempting to lose weight! Most physicians believe that six small meals a day is the most effective way of helping your body maximize it’s metabolic efforts. The body can only metabolize a certain amount, and the rest is stored as fat. When you eat a large meal, a lot of it simply turns to fat. So, you can see that six small meals spaced evenly throughout the day can help you feel full while also helping your body metabolize more efficiently.

Water, the key to life

Many people consider this a ‘secret’ to losing weight, but in truth it’s simply common sense! However, most people fail to drink as much water as they should, instead they go straight for the sodas and sugar-laden drinks. This will absolutely destroy any effort you put into losing weight. Water is virtually calorie free and does so many positive things for your body! If you can’t stand to drink plain water, try some sugar-free Crystal Light, which makes plain water taste like your favorite sugar-filled beverage.

Get your protein

Protein-rich foods help your body burn fat more quickly, and boosts your metabolism. Protein also helps rebuild your muscles after a strenuous workout. Make sure you find sources of protein with little or no fat, as this can also defeat your efforts.

Cut calorie intake

Most people tend to drastically drop their calorie intake when they start a diet, but this can actually harm more than it helps. Your body can go into ‘hoard’ mode and lower your metabolism, making it even harder to lose weight. Make sure you lower your calorie intake gradually. This way, you’re more likely to lose weight in a healthy way which will help you keep it off.

Weightlifting can make a difference

With weight training, you can boost your metabolism even further. Weights add an element of resistance to your workout, which will help you burn fat more quickly. Using weights in your workout strengthens your body, improves your overall health.

Don’t workout too much

This may sound counterproductive, but many people try to have an intense workout followed by inactivity. Instead of doing this, exercise in short bursts throughout the day. This will keep your metabolism up, and prevent exhaustion. When you find some free time, do some light exercise to keep you going.

Don’t forget to treat yourself

If you stick to a diet very strictly and never allow yourself any indulgences, you will find it much harder to stay with it. Also, if you try to completely suppress your urge for a bite of chocolate, you’ll find yourself cheating and overindulging. Give yourself a reward for a job well done. If sweets are your thing, enjoy a small bite of candy in the evening.

Try a diet with a low glycemic index

The glycemic index (GI) describes a food’s effect on our blood sugar. Some meats, fruits, vegetables, grain, and dairy products have a low GI, which will help your body burn calories faster. A diet including foods with a low glycemic index will give you all the nutrition you need to follow through with your weight loss plan.

Variety is the answer

If you do the same exercises everyday, you’ll soon get bored with the whole routine and will find it much harder to stick to your plan. Spice it up! Try a variety of different workouts and you’ll find new exciting exercises as well as affecting more muscle groups! Apply this with your foods, too. Don’t eat the same foods everyday, instead try different healthy meals.

Alcohol is your enemy

Alcohol is high in sugar and carbs, and is absolutely full of empty calories. If you drink often, you’ll have a much harder time losing weight. Alcohol also lessens the body’s ability to burn fat, and your body will store much more of it.

With these tips, you should be on your way to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in no time! Good luck!

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Can you imagine eating something that helps you lose weight? The following foods are well known helping us lose weight. If you’ve reached a plateau and just can’t find a way to lose those last five pounds – or just need a way to start losing that first 100, try adding some of these foods to your day.

Water

Filling up with water can suppress hunger and the more water you drink, the less you retain. I’m not recommending eight 8-ounce servings, I’m talking about a gallon a day! Drink that water!

Green Tea

You can drink it hot or iced, flavored or unflavored, caffeinated or decaffeinated. You can get little packets to add to your water bottle or you can get it in capsule form. No matter how you take it, green tea works! Green tea helps your body use more fat for energy. It isn’t a miracle drug, but a little weight loss along with the anti-cancer and heart disease prevention properties of green tea sure can do wonders for a person’s health!

Soup

This is a no-brainer. Eight ounces of soup vs. eight ounces of lasagna. Both will fill you up but that soup is guaranteed to have far fewer calories than the lasagna. Whether you start your meal with two glasses of water or a bowl of soup, you get the same result. You’ll feel full quickly and take in a whole lot fewer calories.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit has been shown to reduce insulin levels. If you are one of the many in the world today who are insulin resistant and your body is overloaded with insulin, try having half a grapefruit before each meal (halving a grapefruit!). As with green tea, you may not notice a miracle but the combination of the grapefruit and a healthy, low fat, lower calorie diet just might net some results.

Apple

Apples have plenty of fiber and that is just plain good for you. Nobody has proven why but the scent of apples has been said to have an appetite suppressing quality.

Broccoli

Broccoli is loaded with fiber and bodybuilders love it for its estrogen fighting properties. Estrogen, while being a very important horman can just be a drag if we have too much of it. Estrogen helps us store fat for the next baby.

Low-Fat Yogurt

A low calorie diet with low fat dairy included seems to produce more weight loss than a low calorie diet without dairy. If you can’t have ice cream when you’re dieting, why not allow yourself some low fat yogurt as a treat?

Low-Fat Protein

Chicken breasts, turkey breasts, and lean cuts of beef and pork not only satisfy hunger but they can be readily used by your body to create more muscle or maintain the muscle you have. Muscle is a good thing in that it requires more calories per hour to maintain than fat (it burns fat) and it makes us look slimmer.

Oatmeal

Got fiber? Oatmeal will fill you up, stick to your ribs and give you body a much needed dose of fiber. Just stay away from the flavored instant oatmeal that is usually loaded with sugar. Buy the tub of Quaker Oats (it is much cheaper than packaged instant oatmeal) and try adding a fresh, chopped apple, some cinnamon and a bit of Splenda to it.

Jalapeno Peppers

Capsaicin is a chemical found in Jalapeno and cayenne peppers that causes the human body to release stress hormones and thereby boost metabolism. If a food makes you sweat, it is burning calories.

Incorporate any of these items into your daily nutrition plan and you’ll likely notice a difference in your weight loss efforts. After all, every little bit helps!

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For decades the grapefruit was a dieter’s choice, because of its quick weight loss plan that was for a short period. The grapefruit supposedly held a “magical” ingredient when eaten with protein it would cause fat burning which resulted in weight loss. However, one had to eat the unsweetened white grapefruit that is sour in taste. Besides the white grapefruit, there are the more popular and nutritionally-packed pink and red grapefruits of choice. These latter two are sweeter in taste. Grapefruits are tangy and sweet as well as being very juicy.

Another way to enjoy grapefruit is in juice form. An 8-ounce glass has at least 100% of Vitamin C. This important vitamin helps neutralize “free radicals” as part of the body’s natural oxidation process. That same 8-ounce glass is fat free with fewer calories than other 100% pure fruit juices. Florida produces 70% of the grapefruit grown in the U.S. It got its name, because the fruit grows in clusters like grapes. It was introduced to Florida in the 1820s from the West Indies. Now there’s a variety of outstanding grapefruit juices you can buy at your local supermarket that are grown in Florida. These come in white, pink, ruby red and star ruby red flavors.

Lakewood Juices – Pink Grapefruit, Pure

This is certified organic from the Florida Organic Growers and Consumers (QCS). These juices are pressed, pasteurized and bottled in Certified Organic Facilities. Pink Grapefruit has a distinct pigmentation that contains minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. Lakewood Juices in Florida has been around since 1935.

Ocean Spray – Ruby Red Grapefruit

I absolutely love this flavor of grapefruit juice. It is by far my favorite fruit juice. Ocean Spray has a co-op of citrus farmers in Florida that grow their grapefruits. This grapefruit juice is 100% with no added sugars. It’s nice to know it is so refreshing and healthy. It truly is delicious. In 1976 is when Ocean Spray began the co-op with citrus growers in the Indian River region. 1991 saw the introduction of their Ruby Red Grapefruit juice. This product is one of the company’s most popular when it was introduced.

Tropicana – White and Ruby Red Grapefruits

These non-refrigerated 8-ounce bottles are ideal to take on the go or for your lunch box. After they’ve been opened, refrigeration is then necessary. You can choose between the unsweetened white grapefruit or the Ruby Red juice flavors. Tropicana has been making outstanding citrus juices from Florida groves for more than 60 years.

Noble Juice – Star Ruby Red Grapefruit

From the groves in Winter Haven, Florida come their organically grown grapefruits. Their juice is made from 100% organic fruit. It is also 100% pure juice with no added sugar or water. Noble’s organic grapefruit packs more nutrition than any other fruit. In 2004 is when the organic juice line was formed.

Simply Grapefruit – Grapefruit

Here is a harmonious blend of grapefruit varieties made from 100% grapefruit, not from concentrate. The Simply Orange Juice Company is headquartered in Apopka, Florida since 2001. You most likely have seen their TV commercial featuring the soothing voice of Donald Sutherland.

Whether you want organic or natural grapefruit juice it is available in all three types of white, pink and red. Oftentimes grapefruit is overlooked from its highly popular member of the citrus family, oranges. You can see the many benefits that drinking grapefruit juice brings. It has more vitamins, fat free with fewer calories and very delicious. Thankfully it’s no longer just for dieting anymore.

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By eating any or a combination of these tasty foods to your diet you can increase your fiber intake without the use of dietary supplements.

What is Fiber?

There are two kinds of fiber, and both should be included in your diet. One type of fiber is soluble fiber, found in carrots, squash, apples, beans, barley and oats.

The other type of fiber is insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is found in bananas, lentils, nuts, seeds, strawberries and green beans.

Why is Fiber Important?

Eating fiber daily can contribute to overall health. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation.”

How Much Fiber Should You Have Each Day?

The recommendation for women under age 50 is 25 grams. For men in the same age group, 38 grams. For women 50 and over the recommendation is 21 grams, and 30 for men. (Institute of Medicine)

Are you getting enough? Because according to USA Today, “studies show average adults consume about 15 grams of fiber a day”

So how can you change that and increase your fiber intake without having to swallow some grainy orange powdery concoction? Add more fiber-rich foods to everyday meals.

11 Foods to Increase Your Fiber Without Dietary Supplements

Apples

Apples are a plentiful, relatively inexpensive food. Apples can be eaten plain and whole, or sliced up an used in fruit salad or a Waldorf Salad. Apples also bake well, and can make a fiber-rich dessert when sprinkle with oats. Apples can also be paired with chicken or pork in basked dishes. One whole apple when eaten with the peel in tact can have 3.7 grams of fiber.

Beets

When you eat from a salad bar, go for the beets. If you enjoy the earthy sweet flavor of beets, keep a couple of cans on hand. They make for a different and satisfying snack. One cup of cooked canned beats contains three grams of fiber, no fat, a mere 49 calories, and a healthy dose of iron (16% PDA for a 2,000 calorie diet).

Blueberries

Raw and fresh blueberries can be tossed onto cereal, a slice of cantaloupe, or a fruit salad. They can also be enjoyed just as they were grown, au naturel. One cup of fresh blueberries have a surprising four grams of fiber. Blueberries also provide Vitamin C, and are fat-free.

Carrots

Carrots are an easy staple to toss into soup, stir fry, stews, slow-cooked meals, and can accompany roasting meats. They can also be eaten raw in salads, or as a snack. One whole raw carrot (not a baby carrot) has four grams of sugar, no fat, 52 calories, and 430% DVA of Vitamin A.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts when eaten in moderation are a good way to snack and feel full, and add fiber to your diet. The best way to add nuts to your diet for fiber is to find unsalted, natural nuts, sometimes sold in bulk, or packaged at the local grocery store. Almonds can be tossed onto salads, or roasted and tossed into rice or pasta. Or eat them as a snack. One ounce of almonds has three grams of fiber, 167 calories and 15 grams of fat.

One ounce of sunflower seeds (159 calories, 13 grams of fat) contains five grams of dietary fiber.

Lentils

Lentils are an easy add to the diet when they are thrown into a stew or soup. One cup of lentils has 16 grams of fiber, plus 18 grams of protein and 37% of the DVA of iron.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the king of breakfast in the fiber department. Forget the the English Muffins, the donuts (sorry Krispy Kreme), and the toaster pastries. One packet of plain oatmeal has three grams of fiber. Add some apple, strawberries an blueberries and you have a nutritious, vitamin-rich and fiber-happy breakfast.

Pears

Raw pears can be eaten as a snack. Or bake a pear with some oats. A pear can also find its way into Jell-o or other gelatin-based dessert. Pears are delicious in a fruit or green salad. One whole pear has five grams of dietary fiber.

Rice

It’s time to trade in the white rice for brown rice, at least every other time you eat rice. One cup of cooked medium grain brown rice has four grams of fiber, compared to one gram of fiber in the same amount and grain size of white rice.

Strawberries

Fresh strawberries can be eaten whole or sliced, added to blender drinks, to a fruit salad, to cereal, to top a whole wheat bagel (without the cream cheese), or they can be added to a regular green leaf salad. One half cup of sliced fresh strawberries will only add 49 calories to your daily caloric intake. It will also add three grams of fiber.

Whole Grain Breads

Trade in the white breads for whole grain breads. One slice of whole grain bread contains three or more grams of fiber.

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