What IS a Healthy Diet?

There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.
If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family's diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health.

Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease
, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly.

EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight
, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

*FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)
*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.

*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.

*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.

*FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.

1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)

2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)

These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.

3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.

Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing.

Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.

Following a healthy diet is a necessary step for the improved health of you and your family. It is not difficult to make the simple changes necessary to change an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. The advantages, better health, longer life, and more energy, far outweigh any inconveniences you may experience.

Biggest Loser' Diet

What It Is

You, too, can be The Biggest Loser by following a diet and fitness program similar to that used by contestants on the NBC TV show of the same name. There are no televised temptations of cheesy pasta or gooey brownies for home dieters, no diet pills or personal trainers -- just a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.

This is a low-calorie diet based on the Biggest Loser pyramid of 4-3-2-1 (four servings of fruits and veggies; three of lean protein; two of whole grains; and one "extra"), along with good old-fashioned exercise. Eat a diet based largely on fruits, vegetables and lean protein, add a heavy dose of physical activity and you will lose weight, lower cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and become stronger and more energized.

Tufts University obesity clinician and researcher Michael Dansinger, MD, developed the weight loss program accompanied by dietitian and chef Cheryl Forberg, RD, and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, working with writer Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, PhD.

Over the course of the 12-week program, you can expect to eat small, frequent meals containing plenty of fiber and protein, for fullness without too many calories.

"We emphasize the quality of the calories so you can meet your nutritional needs [and] enjoy more natural, healthy whole foods and lean proteins that will help you deal with hunger before it happens," says Forberg.

And you won't be eating any "appetite stimulating" white foods like bread, pasta, or potatoes. Keeping daily food logs, watching portion sizes, and drinking 48-64 ounces of water each day round out the basic plan.

You can also count on daily workouts, starting at 30 minutes and increasing to an hour. The book contains a detailed cardio and strength-training program that increases in intensity for a "fat-busting boost." You'll also find plenty of tips and inspiration from former contestants throughout the book.

Dieting Tips

* f you are going to a restaurant, decide ahead of time what you will be eating. Stick to it.

* Exercise – If you want to stay healthy and make weight loss permanent you just cant do without exercise. Along with cutting down on the fat you eat exercising regularly may be your best ally in improving your all around health and bringing your weight loss under control.

* Water is essential to all bodily functions and has no calories. It is the perfect drink for dieters. You need eight 8 oz. glasses of water daily.

* Be happy: you're OK! Resisting all those tempting foods is NOT going to kill you.

* Let someone else be the walking garbage disposal: you are no longer responsible for eating up the leftovers after a meal.
* Success is when you can look beyond food...and look down and see your feet.

* Each day you stay on your weight-loss diet brings you closer to your weight goal.

* The purpose of getting together with people is to enjoy their company...not eating.

* Chart or graph your weight loss and serving selections.

* Take small servings - avoid gorging yourself.

* Consuming most calories in one big meal is the worst way to diet. Eat 4 or 5 small meals rather than in one all-out feeding frenzy.

* If your schedule only permits you to eat one major meal in a day, eat it in the morning to midday hours rather than afternoon/evening hours.

* Repeat: "I'm learning a way to live, not just a way to diet."

* Limit your time in the grocery store. The longer you stay, the more you will buy.

* Never starve yourself, especially before going out to eat (or you will binge). Never skip meals, you must have some kind of nourishment regularly or your body's starvation defences will kick in, lower your metabolism, and store fat.

* Be patient - it took years to gain weight; it takes time to lose weight.

* "Nibble" food and "linger" over drinks. Do the "Push Away From The Table Exercise."

* Chew your food completely: digestion begins in the mouth. Avoid "washing" half-chewed food down.

* Lose weight with a supportive friend or in a support group.

* Emphasize your weight loss triumphs and work towards making them more frequent

* Find a weight loss "buddy," club, or support group. This will help you stay with your weight loss program.
*

Use mustard on your sandwiches instead of mayonnaise. Mustard has no fat & very little calories while Mayo, is loaded with fat. If you just don’t like the taste of mustard, find a low-fat alternative, but avoid mayonnaise at all costs.

* Weigh yourself each week. Don't be worried about small daily changes in your weight. You shouldn't lose more than 1 - 2 pounds a week. There may be weeks when you don't lose weight. This is normal. Stay on your diet to lose weight.

* Bake, roast, or broil your food instead of frying. Remove all fat from meats and skin from poultry before cooking.

* Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will help flush out your body while also suppressing your appetite

* If you haven't done so already, switch to diet soft drinks. An average 12 Oz can of regular soda contains around 120 calories, while the diet version usually has one or zero. If you drink 3 cans a day, you'll be saving 360 calories right there. Now multiply that by 7 days a week, 30 days a month and 365 days a year... You'll be saving a lot of calories!

* Limit alcohol. Alcoholic drinks have many calories & little else.

* Schedule your exercise time just as you plan your other activities of the day. Treat this time as an important appointment you don’t want to miss

* Write your weight goal & post it where you'll see it everyday.

* You are responsible for what you do & what you eat.

* Eat to live, not live to eat. Overeating can KILL you!

* Don't give it up if you don't want to, just reduce your intake.

Healthy Eating: Tips for a Healthy Diet

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible – all which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and incorporating them in a way that works for you.

Choose the types of foods that improve your health and avoid the types of foods that raise your risk for such illnesses as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Expand your range of healthy choices to include a variety of delicious foods. Learn to use guidelines and tips for creating and maintaining a satisfying, healthy diet.

Weight Loss Tips

* Did you know that simply changing the temperature of the water you drink can speed up your metabolism and burn more calories? Drink hot water!

* Did you know that foods like bran cereal are more dense and will make you more full because your body cannot digest fiber?

* Did you know that certain foods like rice work very well with liquids to expand in your stomach making you more satisfied?

* Did you know that if you cut 3 tablespoons of butter per day from your diet you could drop 1 pound every 12 days just for not eating butter? Let's hope you don't actually eat 3 tablespoons of butter every day though!!!!

More Weight Loss Tips
Fat Loss versus Muscle Loss


* To lose body fat you must eat fewer calories than your body burns off, so EAT LESS -- but you must NOT starve yourself, otherwise you will lose more muscle than fat!

* Start eating 5-6 meals per day (space them out to about one every 3 hours). You are eating more often, but not necessarily more.

* Increase your protein intake. Without protein your body cannot build new muscle. Protein also helps to increase your metabolism - which burns calories.

* Increase you water intake. A good formula for this is to multiply your bodyweight by .66 to get the required number of ounces per day

Diet Tricks

* Tape a picture of your skinny self to the refrigerator for inspiration. Remind yourself what you can look like.

* Tape a picture of your fat self to the refrigerator for motivation. Remind yourself what you don’t want to look like.

* Limit head-on visions. Do a “Miss America,” and stand at an angle that presents a three-quarter body profile.

* Don’t keep up with the Joneses. Take one bite of food for every two your dining companion takes.

* “Boost” your sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, sprouts, cucumber slices, bell peppers, and other fresh veggies. Along with the bigger crunch, you’ll get a bigger sandwich with few additional calories and no extra fat.

* Take a shower or bath when a food craving strikes. It will relax you, and keep your whole body occupied and out of trouble (i.e., the kitchen) until the craving fades.

* Phone a talkative friend when a food craving strikes. Call from a corded phone outside the kitchen, and stay on until the craving fades.

* Brush your teeth, floss, gargle, or chew a stick of gum immediately after your meal to stop yourself from eating more.


* Stand near fatter people. They make you look thinner.

* To add length to round faces, part hair on the side, in a silky straight down do, or in an upsweep. Keep bangs on the wispy side, if you wear them, to avoid a face-broadening horizontal line.


* Smash your trash. When you throw food away, thoroughly bury it under more trash so there will be absolutely no question of changing your mind. No need to explain.

* Computer-enhance a photo of yourself to see how great you’ll look when you’re slim. Never mind liposuction: Today’s computer technology lets you delete double chins and narrow your waistline with the touch of a keystroke. Print out a copy and keep it in your purse.

* Chew sugarless gum while you prepare meals. It’ll keep you from tasting (eating) that extra serving’s worth.

* Cross your legs at your ankles. Your thighs and calves will look slimmer.

* Drink a tall glass of water before every meal. It’s a healthy way to quench your hunger.

* Get a tan. A tan helps you look thinner

* Work for your snacks. Before you eat a high-calorie snack, clean the bathroom or vacuum the house. Don’t eat until the faucets and sink are gleaming.

* Have your teeth cleaned professionally and whitened. You won’t want to sully that gorgeous mouth with “bad” food.

* Give yourself a manicure when a craving strikes, applying extra layers of slow-drying nail polish. It will keep your hands occupied and out of trouble until the craving fades.