WHAT TO EAT
May/090
If you are trying to lose weight, choose food based on their weight-to-calorie ratio. You want to eat food that weighs a lot but has few calories and avoid food that is light in weight but hefty in calories.
Fruits and vegetables are the big winners in the heavy weight-low calorie department, according to Tufts University. They weigh a lot because of their fiber and water content and yet do not have many calories. For example, one cup of cantaloupe or ‘melon’ weighs 5.5 ounces but only has 56 calories. A cup of cooked spinach weighs six ounces but only has 42 calories.
Now, compare that to six cups of buttered popcorn that only weighs three ounces and contains 420 calories or, even worse, one ounce of potato chips that has 152 calories (if you ate four ounces, you would be inviting 608 calories to feel at home in your fat cells). That’s what I call “small but terrible”.
According to the New Zealand University study, food that is light in weight but high in calories is probably the worse kind of food to eat if you are trying to lose weight. It’s sort of like ‘double jeopardy’ - you are still hungry but you have already eaten many calories.
Choose lower-fat choices of the same weight food. There can be a world of difference between the caloric consumption of two people eating the same weight and type of food. How is this possible? Easy, if you consider the way the food is cooked or prepared.
By Jon Rutledge
START COOKING
May/090
One of the most important aspects of a diet is knowing what you put into your body. Apart from calories, you have to know the about the age of the ingredients you use, types of preservatives and chemicals that are also in food and the cleanliness of the kitchen. The only way to make certain that all of these are up to your standards is to cook your own meals. Your goal for this week is to start cooking your own food. If you’ve never cooked on a regular basis then this can be the most challenging step of this plan. Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore. You should try to have fun with it and enjoy all the new foods that you’ll soon be eating. If you have no idea where to start, check your local bookstore for cookbooks. There are also plenty of sites on the internet that teach you how to cook and provide free recipes. You won’t make culinary masterpieces overnight, but in time you and your family will begin to enjoy your creations. You don’t need to cook every night. You should make enough so that you’ll have leftovers. This will give you a chance to take a break from cooking since it can be time consuming. This week, start by cooking at least twice. Next week try for three times and keep going up one day until you have home made food everyday of the week. With time it’ll seem natural, like brushing your teeth or cleaning your room. Keep in mind that cooking doesn’t have to mean a huge meal with trimmings. It can be as easy as rice, sandwiches and salads.
by straighthealth.com
PORTION SIZES
May/090
This might be a good time to talk about portion sizes. As a general rule of thumb, you should never eat a serving that is larger than your clenched fist. The good news about this is that you’ll be able to eat enough to get full without overdoing it.
Cravings might be the worst part about weight loss. Let’s say you love chocolate chip cookies like I do. If you’re craving a chocolate chip cookie, denying that craving will only make it stronger.
Instead of not having the cookie, go ahead, just don’t overdo it. Simply have one instead of three. You can indulge in your favorite foods as long as you keep it within reason.
Most experts agree that the traditional three square meals a day shouldn’t be part of a healthy diet. In fact, you should eat more meals every day. Doesn’t that sound like great news?!
The idea here is that you overeat when you are overly hungry. To combat that hunger, you should eat more meals with smaller portions rather than fewer meals with larger portions.
For women, it is recommended you eat five meals a day and for men, you should eat six. Try to make these meals a minimum of 2 hours apart to insure you don’t get too hungry.
The benefits will reveal themselves. By doing this, you are accomplishing the following benefits:
• Faster metabolic rate
• Higher energy
• Less storage of body fat due to the smaller portions
• Reduced hunger and cravings
• Steadier blood sugar and insulin levels
• More calories available for muscle growth
• Better absorption and utilization of the nutrients in your food
But you need to make sure you eat the right kinds of foods.
By Jon Rutledge
OMEGA 3 OIL
May/090
Omega 3 oil is becoming a recommended part of one’s diet. It can provide
for certain nutrients that one needs in order to help with their body keeping
a balanced lifestyle. Knowing why Omega 3 oil is important as well as
knowing where to find the substance will help you in determining how much
and if you would like to include this in your diet.
Omega 3 is known as an essential fatty acid. This type of fatty acid provides
your body with several different levels of functioning. Without these types
of fatty acids in our system, our body will be unable to maintain balance.
We can not produce this type of fatty acid without having substances and
nutrients moving into our body.
Omega 3 oils are essential for the functioning of several different areas of
your body. They can help your nervous system function at a higher level,
including better brain functioning and lowering stress levels. They are also
known to help with maintaining regular cholesterol levels. It is also known
to help with better skin and hair. Omega 3 oil also provides for support with
your bones and joints. By having Omega 3 oil as part of your daily meal, or
as a supplement, it can help with the nutrition levels of your body.
Omega 3 oil is best known to be in fish. Having fish once or twice a week
will help in maintaining the right level of this fatty acid in your body.
However, you can also find Omega 3 oil in the form of flax oil that you can
use for cooking. Nuts, especially walnuts, also usually provide a good
amount of Omega 3 oil in your system.
by Sandra Kim Leong
Good vs Bad Carbs
May/090
This week you’ll concentrate on improving your intake of carbohydrates. Like fats and proteins, carbohydrates can be broken down into two groups, simply; good and bad. Good (complex) carbs are those that come from whole grains, fruit and vegetables. These are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are digested slowly and because of this will leave you feeling full for a longer period of time. This will help you eat less throughout the day while also giving you less ups and downs in terms of energy (sugar rushes). Bad (simple) carbs are those that come from candy, soda and refined (white) flour. These are associated with little or no vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are digested quickly and leaving you hungry and wanting more food. Loading your diet up with these calories will leave you with a burst of energy that will quickly leave you tired. Your goal this week will be to maximize your intake of whole grains, fruit and vegetables while drastically cutting your consumption of candy, soda, refined flour and anything else high in sugar and low in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Change from white to 100% whole wheat breads and get at least 5 servings of fruit/vegetables a day. Most fruit and vegetables are very low in calories and very high in nutrients. Because of this, fruit and vegetables can be a free food. You can eat as much as you want without worrying about the calorie intake from them. Be careful about certain fruits and vegetables as some do contain a lot of calories (avocados, olives, coconuts).
by straighthealth.com