A Healthy Diet Plan is the Best and Easiest Way to Lose Weight

Over the last ten years the diet and fitness industry has experience exorbitant growth. Due to rise in diabetes and obesity, millions of people begin diet programs every single day. However, insufficient planning, overwhelming food cravings, and the availability of fast foods have made it extremely difficult for even the very best diet plans to work.

Unfortunately, most diet plans cannot be sustained. The meal choices and calorie allowances are often too few and they are difficult to factor into the busy schedules of most people. Additionally, some of the diet plans are very drastic and can cause fatigue, dizziness, mood swings, and headaches. You can avoid all these pitfalls by sticking to a healthy diet plan and making some changes to your eating behaviors.

Breakfast - Does your breakfast often consist of a large cup of coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other as you rush to work? If so, you're definitely not alone.




Many on-the-go people have a tendency to skip breakfast. This is not a good idea because this is setting the precedence for the whole day. By the time lunchtime rolls around, you will be famished and fatigued. To save time, prepare a healthy breakfast before you go to bed at night. Include things like sugar-free muesli, low-fat yogurt, and sliced fruit.

Another idea for a healthy breakfast is an egg on a toasted English muffin. This protein packed meal comes in under 300 calories if you don't add cheese or processed meat. If you find yourself with just ten extra minutes, you can make an egg white omelet filled with vegetables. If you top this off with salsa you will be adding extra antioxidants to the meal. Avoid eating cereal for breakfast. Its much better to get fiber with foods like broccoli, spinach, peas, legumes, and whole grains.

Lunch and Snacks - Many people start feeling the urge to visit the vending machine down the hall either midmorning or in the middle of the afternoon. Most items is a vending machine are full of preservatives and refined sugar. These empty calories should be avoided.

Instead eat slice of low fat cheese and a grapefruit for about the same calories as 1/3 of a package of crackers or chips. Make sure you have snacks in your desk or in your car. Nuts travel well, but should not have added honey or salt and should be eaten only in moderation. Two tablespoons of cashews contain 200 calories; the same calorie count as two apples.

Nearly every dieter enters a danger zone at lunch time. The majority of lunch options include high sodium deli meat that's sure to cause bloating. Many salads and sandwiches have about the same calorie count as a hamburger. Good choices include lean meat sandwiches on whole grain bread. Skip the mayonnaise and use avocado, hummus or mustard instead.

Choose salad dressings that are made with extra virgin olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Eat plenty of vegetables and low fat meats. Try cooking chicken breasts at the beginning of the week to use for sandwiches and salads throughout the week.

Dinner - You will be at risk of binging when you enjoy those after work cocktails. Either refrain from drinking altogether or eat a small meal before you go out to avoid binging. Be careful with cocktails because one mixed drink can have up to 400 calories. Before you go home in the evening, have a good idea of what you will eat for dinner. If you plan ahead, you will be less likely to stop at the grocery store when you're tired and hungry.

Stock up on a variety of herbs and spices. Use spices like parsley, saffron, chili powder, onion powder, pepper, garlic, and curry to tailor every meal to fit your individual tastes. Give yourself permission to enjoy what you've been missing on just one day of the weekend, but return to your healthy diet the very next day. Sticking to a healthy eating plan is a little easier when you know you can splurge a little bit over the weekend.

For many people, holidays cause some anxiety. Don't beat yourself up if you've "blown it" after a day of rather generous servings. Just return to your normal, healthy eating habits the very next day. Be sure to exercise in moderation. Too much exercise will leave you hungry and can result in muscle strain. Strive to maintain realistic goals. By keeping your eating schedule easy, you will be much more likely to reach your goals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ricardo_D_Argence/33861

10 Super Foods to Help You Quickly Build Muscle and Lose Weight

In order to build muscle and lose weight you need a variety of veggies, carbs, fruits, proteins, and healthy fats. In order to quickly build muscle and lose weight you need 10 super foods.

1. Whole Eggs - Eggs are one of the cheapest super foods offering you an excellent source of protein. The cholesterol that we hear so much about isn't a problem. If you have cholesterol problems lower your body fat not the eggs you consume.

2. Flax Seeds - Here's an excellent source of fiber, omega 3, and protein. Grind the flax seeds and sprinkle on your berries or yogurt. Don't use flax oil as it's unstable and has no fiber benefits.




3. Quinoa - In South America Quinoa is considered the king of grains. The fiber and protein in Quinoa is higher than that in oats and rice, plus its gluten free.

4. Mixed Nuts - Nuts are packed with mono and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, proteins, Vitamin e, potassium, zinc, and magnesium. Nuts are dense in calories so if you are skinny and looking to put on a few pounds these will do it.

5. Wild Salmon - Omega 3 fatty acids are found in salmon, as well as providing 20 grams of protein per 100 gram serving.

6. Fish Oil - Taking fish oil can reduce inflammation in the body, increase testosterone levels, and lower body fat. Take 900mg per day. It's hard to get this level eating fish.

7. Berries - Fresh berries are a powerful antioxidant keeping you healthy and helping you to improve your weight loss.

8. Green Tea - Another strong antioxidant and a powerful natural diuretic. It can speed up fat loss, improve blood sugar, and prevent cancer.

9. Water - Something as simple water is considered a super food and vital to your weight loss program, muscle development, and health. You should drink at least 8 glasses a day.

10. Tomatoes - High in lycopene they are an excellent cancer preventer and a benefit in your strength training. You can't eat too many tomatoes!

These 10 super foods combined with an overall healthy diet, a cardiac workout, and some strength training and in no time you'll be pounds lighter. Super foods can help you to quickly build muscles and lose weight. Being overweight is hazardous to your health and to your self-esteem. Why not set your goals and get motivated? You'll be feeling better about your weight in no time at all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dan_Sumner/21295

1200 Calorie Diet Plan Could Help You Lose Weight Substantially

Looking for an easy to follow 1200 calorie diet program that is going to help you slim down considerably? If you stick to the recommendations I am planning to offer you in this article, you would be able to accomplish it. This diet plan is risk-free and designed to make it easier for you to shed weight and more importantly, maintain it for a longer period time. This isn't a diet program that is going to result in a position where you regain the body weight you lost whenever you quit following it. It is rather a permanent diet plan that could not only help you shed the unwanted weight in a reasonably short period of time but also let you maintain it.

To begin with, consume several modest meals all day long. I understand this might seem a bit atypical but actually it is not since you are boosting your metabolic rate by consuming more servings all through the day. The important thing here is to consume several smallish meals during the entire day, and not 2 - 3 huge meals like a lot of us to normally do.

Secondly, try eating well balanced meals like fruits and vegetables, lean meats as well as whole grain foods. An excellent way for you to begin the day is with a serving of oatmeal which is rich in fiber and fat-free. It would be sufficient to curb your appetite. You can mix things up a bit in so that you don't get bored eating the same food everyday. Possibly you may substitute the oatmeal with some cereals and other well balanced meals from time to time.




Next, ensure that the breakfast you take is ample and is one of the larger meals that you take during the day. This boosts the rate of metabolism right at the beginning of the day and retains it - as a result you have much more vigor for the entire day.

Last but not the least, drink a lot of water. Try to drink at least 8 - 10 glasses (8 oz. glass) of water every day. Often your system misinterprets thirst as hunger and as a result you end up eating more food than you need. Well, it might seem insane but it has been confirmed scientific studies.

The basic idea here is not to let your daily diet go beyond 1200 calories. If you are planning to try out a diet plan but yet to get started with one, you are going to notice a decrease in body weight in a couple of weeks time provided you follow the low-calorie diet plan I mentioned above. However, if weight reduction is your main objective, you need to perform regular physical exercises to melt away the fat and burn the extra calories that you intake.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andre_Roebuck/714260

500 Calories Diet - Why the 500 Calories Diet is No Good For You

There are good diets and then there are bad diets. The 500 calories diet is another one of those fad diets that has gained popularity over time, but at the end of the day, what damage is a diet like this having on your body?

A normal low calorie diet is one which caters for 1200 calories per day. 500 calories is less than half that so you can only imagine what sort of an impact that level of calories would have on your body. The whole idea of embarking on a low calorie diet of 1200 calories a day would be to lose weight and lose weight quickly. To reduce this even further to 500 calories a day is fraught with danger and if you were contemplating doing this, you should first visit your doctor or dietician to get a clearance for this step. It would be extremely dangerous to do this without supervision.

The problem with fad diets like this is that they interfere with your metabolism meaning that your body will slow down to conserve energy. This means that you will feel lethargic and have less energy than normal as your body dives into starvation mode. The real problem begins once you go back to your normal diet. For most people they see the weight loss return and probably more for good measure.




What are the alternatives for losing weight and keeping it off? First, you need to have a look at your overall lifestyle - are you skipping meals, are you eating lots of take-aways, are you doing enough exercise? Think about these questions before you do anything and determine what needs to change in your life. One of the basic mistakes that most people make is that they over eat and under exercise. You need to find a proper balance between the two. There are plenty of really good weight loss/lifestyle programs out there and you need to find one which suits you.

The issue of weight should be a lifestyle one and not one based on fads because you need to lose weight, like tomorrow. It's all about looking after your body, eating a proper well balanced diet (no skipping meals) and daily exercise. Your weight should be looked as part of your investment for the future. Look after your body today and you will encounter less medical problems tomorrow. Forget about a fad like 500 calories diet and the like and start looking after your body today by making sensible lifestyle changes.

Did you know that fad diets are not sustainable for permanent weight loss nor are they solutions for sustainable good health.

To lose weight and keep it off, a sensible well balanced diet and an appropriate exercise programme is the way to go.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Marty_Barton/300609