Can I Lose Weight With Quinoa?

Although not a 'diet food', it is possible to maintain and even lose weight with quinoa by incorporating it into your diet in a variety of ways. Quinoa, now recognized as a 21st century 'super food' has exceptional nutritional benefits. There are many reasons to incorporate it into your meals.

This ancient seed food, native to South America, is a slow-release carbohydrate, keeping blood sugar levels more constant and energy levels stable. This alone makes it a great ingredient in weight loss diets. Also, most people find quinoa quite filling and substantial, so they eat smaller portions.

The quinoa seed is high in minerals and vitamins such as potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and B vitamins, niacin and thiamine. It is gluten free and non-allergenic. One of the only plant foods to contain all the essential amino acids, it a good protein source, with healthy omega-3 fat content.

Cooked quinoa pairs well with both fruits and vegetables. By pairing it with these essential and healthy foods, you will be able to create a totally complementary meal - carbohydrates, fiber, fat and protein. It can be used in cold salads, hot casseroles or pilafs, or even as a breakfast cereal, topped with fresh fruit.

Quinoa is not a 'fast food' but it is quite fast to prepare. It takes less than 15 minutes to cook, so the temptation to just microwave some prepared (and often high-calorie) dish can be avoided. The added benefit, of course, is it has much greater nutritional value, and you feel full longer.

Cooked quinoa can be kept refrigerated for up to 5 days. Keep some ready to use as a base for casseroles and salads instead of rice or pasta. Add it to vegetable soups or stews as a thickener, or even use it as a breakfast porridge.

You should also be aware of a further benefit of adding quinoa to your diet. It is essential to have a healthy balance between acid and alkaline foods. Since quinoa has an alkalinizing effect in our body, it helps keep our blood pH slightly alkaline, which is optimum for health and avoiding disease.

Quinoa, in summary, is a slow release food, helping you maintain even energy. It can be used in a variety of ways. It is easy and fast to prepare. It is a wholesome and highly nutritious food. It can help balance our body pH. For all these reasons, it is possible to maintain and even lose weight with quinoa as a part of our diet.

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What Calories Gain Weight? Eat These 5 Healthy High Calorie Foods and Gain Healthy Weight Fast

The people that usually have a hard time gaining weight are hard gainers, but the truth is, most people that find it hard to gain the weight they're looking for are not eating enough high calorie foods. When you start including foods high in calories into your diet you will begin to gain the weight your looking for, simple as that.

When your changing your diet to gain weight you must make sure your not including just any calories in your diet. You have to increase your calorie intake in a healthy manner and make sure the foods your eating have some kind of nutritional value as well. So what are some healthy foods high in calories that can help you gain weight quickly? Take a look below at 5 foods high in calories but healthy at the same time.

Bananas: Bananas contain a lot of useful minerals and vitamins which make them a very healthy and nutritious food item. Bananas not only have the benefit of being healthy but they also pack a lot of calories as well. One medium banana will provide you with about 115 calories.

Nuts: Nuts are high in calories and fat but they also have other healthy ingredients such as healthy monounsaturates. This makes them a healthy but calorie high snack you can use in between meals to keep your body gaining the most weight possible.

Peanut Butter: Peanut butter contains a lot of monounsaturated fats which is good for you, and one teaspoon contains about 62 calories. Now imagine when you spread peanut butter over a slice of wheat bread, this will give your weight gaining calories a good boost.

Pasta: A typical serving of pasta will provide you with around 800 to 1,000 calories. This makes pasta and other carbohydrates great for gaining weight. Other healthy carbohydrates you should consider including in your diet are whole grains, cereals, beans, potatoes, and rice.

Breakfast Cereal: Each morning you should develop the habit of eating at least 1 serving of cereal for breakfast. 1 serving of your favorite cereal can give you a 185 calorie boost for the day.

Eating the right foods is one thing, but you also need to make sure you involve yourself in a regular workout routine to achieve a bigger toned body, not a flabby and chubby one. Even if your a hard gainer, with the right healthy high calorie foods along with the proper workouts you will have no trouble at all to gain weight.

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Lose weight the Healthy way: Week Two of the Fat Smash Diet The Foundation

Yay I lost 2.9 pounds in nine days! Follow me: datgirl25makeuponabudget.blogspot.com and twitter.com/datgirl25 Week Two: Same rules apply 4-5 meals a day 1. eat as many fruits and veggies 2. dont skip meals 3. continue a physical activity 4. stay away from FRIED, SUGAR, and unnessary calories! Foods Allowed: Same list as in Week One plus; MEATS (3-4 oz) Chicken, baked, no skin Turkey, baked, no skin Ground beef, extra lean sirloin, broiled Sirloin Steak, Broiled Lamb, Broiled SEAFOOD: halibut, tuna, salmon, snapper, striped bass etc: 3oz (NOT FRIED) 4 large shrimp 3oz mussels 6-12 oysters 3 clams EGGS: 4 egg whites or 1 whole egg(scambled, boiled, or poached) MILK & CHEESE: 2 1/2 cups low fat, skim, or soy milk 2oz cheese (about 2 slices) 1/2 cup cottage cheese per day CEREALS: 1cup a day for hot cereal and 1/2 cup of cold cereal corn flakes, cheerios, oatmeal, farina, total, bran flakes, life, rice crispies, puffed rice, puffed wheat, wheaties, special k, and chex SWEETNERS: 4 tsp of gradulated sugar (or sugar substitute) 1tbsp of honey SPICES & HERBS: 2 tsp salt pepper as you like FLAVORINGS: 2tbsp of fat free dressing 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp of fat free mayo 2 pats (2teaspoons) of butter DRINKS: 1 10oz cup of coffee and 3 cups herbal tea and 5 cups of club soda or 2 cans of diet soda and 1 cup of ice tea-sweetened only w/. 2 packets of sugar substitute or EXERCISE: increase your exercise plan by 5-10percent lemonade made w/. real lemons and 2 packets of ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSzZHbKJ9WA&hl=en

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YouTips4U - Healthy Diet Breakfast Weight Loss Tips

To purchase a YouTips4U Custom Designed T-Shirt, please click here: cgi.ebay.com For more helpful tips, or if you have any questions, please visit www.youtips4u.blogspot.com Hi, in the video I discuss how to add important fiber and the importance of a good breakfast. I show you what I have for breakfast that stays with me for hours. A good breakfast really sets the tone for an energized day and helps you lose weight by reducing the need to overeat later in the day. I hope you'll find this video helpful and that it will motivate you to make breakfast a priority. I welcome your comments and don't forget to subscribe because I have lots more helpful tips to come!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CCQgQfMA50&hl=en

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Fight the Top 5 Weight Loss Challenges

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The experts at Mayo clinic, in their new book, The Mayo Clinic Diet, have identified the main obstacles facing the average person and ways to overcome them.

Challenge 1: I never cook, or I don't find the time to cook

Find recipes that are fast, easy, and nutritious from many of the free diet recipe websites and cooking books. Check out different techniques and styles of cooking such as barbecue, stir-fry, salads, and microwaving, which are quick and easy. Save the hassle by getting pre-frozen packs of green salads, vegetables or pre-packed lean meats. Make extra when you do cook, so you can take advantage of leftovers the next day. If you are really feeling uninspired, eating out or getting takeout is all right once in a while. Just remember to choose healthy items and practice good portion control.

Challenge 2: I never eat vegetables or fruits

Don't like vegetables or fruit? No problem! If chomping on a big bowl of fruit salad doesn't appeal to you, you can boost your daily intake of fruits and vegetables from your soups, casseroles, stews and stir-fries. Or you can add some variety into your fruit and vegetable diets by eating fresh fruit pieces in your cereal and low-fat yogurt. If you are tired of the familiar apples, grapes, and oranges, be sure to try exotic fruits like mangoes, kiwis, and papayas next time!

Challenge 3: I don't feel hungry in the morning so no breakfast

Ever, heard of the story, eat like a king in the morning, like the average man in the afternoon and like a beggar in the night. So, always try to eat something in the morning, because you need your energy in the morning to go through the day. Try, a little something in the morning hours, like breakfast cereal, shakes and non-fat milk, or handy foods that you can grab and go, such as bananas, apples, or low-fat yogurt in single-serving containers. Always, get some milk in the morning, so that it fuels your body with some protein and carbohydrate. Or if you are not a big breakfast boy of traditional morning breakfasts, why not try a sandwich?

Challenge 4: I munch away into the wee hours

Stop this bad habit of eating during late night hours and curb your desires. Make sure you eat 3 times a day properly so you don't get hungry at night, simply don't keep unhealthy snack food around the house, and stay busy in the hours before bedtime to prevent you from wandering to the pantry. If you find the urge to eat, eat fruits, vegetable sticks or pop corn without butter instead.

Challenge 5: I eat a lot while watching TV or in the cinema

Stop this habit of eating in front of the TV, you're munching away mindlessly without looking at your plate and therefore, might over-stuff yourself. And always drink some beverages or soup before a meal so that you don't overeat in front of the TV. Try some alternatives such as drinking water or chewing sugarless gum, if you want to munch on something while watching TV. If you really have to snack, munch on something low in calories such as fruits, vegetables, popcorn (no butter), or rice crackers.

Conclusion

With proper planning and mindful about what you eat or drink, you too can make great food choices and be a pro dietitian. Avoiding little bad habits can go a long way in achieving your goals.

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How Can a Teenager Lose Weight Fast?

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I sympathize with every teenager who has been having sleepless night finding answers to how can a teenager lose weight fast. The truth is that a teenager can lose weight fast once the issue of a healthy eating habit and some self-discipline is added to the weight loss program.

Most of us are used to eating starches, fats, and refined sugars which forms a major part of our diet. Our breakfast cereals, cookies, cakes, pies, chips and bread all contain starch; which has the biggest impact on our weight gain.

A teenager who wants to lose weight fast should go on a simple juice fast. You will experience a weight loss as high as 4 pounds every day, and if you can continue the fast the average weight loss will be 1 pound each day. The juice fast is design to detoxify your system of all toxins and aid the speedy weight loss that you desire.

I have asked several teenagers who are preparing for beauty pageants or modeling roles to try this simple fast and they have reportedly achieved their desired weight loss within a very short time.

The key to any successful weight loss is fewer calories intake and more physical activity and exercise. A simple diet high in raw food provides you with fewer, low-density calories, and higher-fiber, more-filling foods. This is the secret to losing weight fast.

Eating more high-fiber foods will surely help you to lose weight fast. High-fiber food is found mainly in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes and is also effective in preventing constipation as well as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. So, it is wise you start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal.

Do not be deceived. Artificial sweeteners will make you put on weight. So avoid them.

How can a teenager lose weight fast? You must discipline yourself to stick to eating fat burning foods and stick to a weight loss program that is suitable for you. It may surprise you to know that eating cottage cheese instead of your regular meals can make you lose weight very fast.

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The Weight Loss Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast

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The saying suggests 'Eat breakfast like a Queen, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper' and it is correct! According to clinical trials by the American Dietetic Association opening your day with a calorie controlled breakfast can have a detrimental affect on your capacity to lose weight.

Yet despite all these statistics point to the contrary, over 30% of individuals still think that missing breakfast can help them to reach their weight loss goals, when the sad reality is: bypassing breakfast can influence weight gain!

A 1994 study for example revealed that children who don't eat breakfast are twice as likely to become obese in later life than children who regularly ingest breakfast...

Is there an alternative?

Forget the pressures to eat less food and discover why including a hearty breakfast into your eating habits, can in fact aid you to benefit from:

Improved energy - a good breakfast can efficiently boost your metabolic rate (after your night time 'fast') and create the momentum of your calorie burn for the remainder of the day. Without a constant supply of glucose, your body cannot work properly leaving you feeling tired, grumpy and fidgety.

Improved cholesterol levels - according to research by the University of Nottingham has revealed, missing breakfast can trigger increased LDL levels due to silly dietary decisions for the entire day. Yet, eat a hearty breakfast enriched in fibre including oatmeal, strawberries and citrus fruits i.e. apples and you can efficiently decrease your cholesterol levels and keep them under wraps.

Bolstered excess weight loss -a study by the National Weight Control Registry has divulged that over 80% of individuals who get rid of 30 pounds or more eat breakfast day

Better work behaviour - decide to eat breakfast first thing in the morning and you can benefit from better concentration, more controlled memory retention and improved problem-solving capabilities

Of course, all of these health improvements only really applies if you can skip the temptation of ingesting croissants, fatty meats and meals that include high sugar, saturates and calories...

To achieve healthy weight loss you eat a good, hearty breakfast cereal where you can easily include bananas, apples, mango, low fat yoghurt, low fat milk and oatmeal into your breakfast - basically all you could need to improve your metabolic rate.

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How to Lose Weight For Kids

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If your kids are overweight, then I got a couple tips for you to help them melt that fat off. These tips are very simple to implement -- watch your kids lose 10 pounds in a couple weeks if you follow the tips in this article. So without further ado, here's how to do it ...

1. Feed your kids oats instead of cereal. Commercial cereal is filled with sugar. Not good for your kids all at, because the sugar will make them fat. What you want to do is replace breakfast cereal with oat meals.

Buy whole wheat oats, cook it up and put some fruits and honey into it. Your kids will love it, and they will actually lose weight from eating it everyday (because oats contains fiber, which gets rid of toxic in your body). Also don't have orange or apple juice for breakfast -- tap water is good enough.

2. Walk your kids daily. What you want to do is set aside 30-40 minutes everyday and walk your kids to the park. Let them run around and jump up and down. Consider this good, quality family time. Do this 5 times a week. Have no time? Easy. Just skip watching TV.

(While you're at the park, you can do some exercise yourself if you wish. Do some squats, push ups, pull ups and jumping jacks. Run around for 10 minutes. It may seem simple but you will knock off some fat around your belly if you do this on a consistent basis)

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Weight Watchers- What's for Breakfast??!!

* i am in no way affiliated with the companies mentioned in this video * all products mentioned in this video were purchased by me for my personal use * i am in no way being compensated for mentioning these products =)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfnRQpRqKE&hl=en

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Skipping Meals Is Not A Smart Way To Lose Weight

The average person living in America today has a weight problem. There are many reasons why people become overweight, but I believe the main causes of weight problems are related to bad eating habits and too much volume. Too much of anything but water, will make you fat. Too many people eat what they want to eat when they feel like it. They don't take in consideration their food intake, whether their meal balances with their previous meal. Others just don't eat and skip meals believing that it can help them with their weight loss.

Skipping meals will never help you lose weight. Actually, it can help you gain weight since it causes your metabolism to slow down and encourages the storage of calories as fat. It lowers your blood sugar therefore causes sudden hunger pangs, food cravings and you end up bingeing.

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and studies show that a nutritious breakfast improves physical and mental performance. Skipping breakfast is no shortcut to a slimmer you and it's likely to shortchange your body on essential nutrients. After an all-night fast, your glucose level is low and a good breakfast will replenish your supply of your blood sugar and keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

You wouldn't run your car around town with the gas gauge on empty and expect to get anywhere, so you can't run your body without a little breakfast. The fact is you can't eat too big a breakfast and you shouldn't skip breakfast.

A hearty American Style breakfast consisting of 2 eggs, 3 ounces of ham, bacon or sausage, 1 cup of milk, and 2 slices of toast with butter and a spoonful of jam is considered a "too big breakfast". This type of breakfast would meet the entire days protein needs and you could very well manage eating all that amount of calories in a whole day.

A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods, like low-fat protein, fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. For example, fresh fruit with wholegrain breakfast cereal and low-fat milk or toast with tomato and cheese and a glass of low-fat milk.

Breakfast should contain protein. It helps stimulate alertness and keeps mid-morning hunger away, which is common after having a doughnut and a coffee. Ideally, your breakfast should contain a third of your day's protein needs. A person at an ideal weight of 120 pounds would need about 43 grams of protein a day.

If you want to add protein to your breakfast, for most of us, the first food that comes to mind is eggs. Eggs are an ideal source of protein but also contain a significant amount of cholesterol. You can find other kind of protein in other foods such as; low fat cottage cheese, peanut butter, smoked salmon, turkey, cheese wedge, milk, low fat yogourt or you might just want to add nuts to your cereal.

Another important part of breakfast is juice or fresh fruit that contains Vitamin C. Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, guavas, melons, papayas, etc. Homemade fresh juice is the best choice, but if you're not up to making your own, the fresh from concentrate juice would be your best buy.

You should also include carbohydrates into your breakfast menu. Carbohydrates, important for your energy needs, can be found in foods such as whole grain breads or cereals, bran and oatmeal muffin. Try to limit the fat and sugars you put on your cereals, bread or muffin. When buying cereal, read the label and look for a cereal that contains at least 3 or more grams of protein per 1 ounce serving.

A beverage after all this can aid in digesting your foods and will give you a feeling of satisfaction. America's favorite breakfast drink is, of course, coffee. Breakfast wouldn't be the same without it. If you can't go without a coffee, have your juice first then your breakfast and drink your coffee last. That way there will be a little food in the stomach to absorb the acid and maybe you'll be too full to finish the whole cup.

The most popular cold beverage besides juice is milk and if you are serious about reducing your fat intake, switch to low-fat or skim milk. Do it gradually, by combining both, using a bit more low-fat and adding a bit of whole milk.

If you're not a breakfast eater, start slowly by incorporating a glass of juice or eating a piece of fruit in the morning. Then gradually build up to a balanced meal by adding foods from the different food groups.

If you need to lose weight, the best way to achieve is by eating the right foods for your body at regular intervals. Food portions have grown so learn to recognize and control food portions.(check out the USDA Food Guide Pyramid for the recommended serving size) If you want a healthy body, a slim body, you need to eat a proper balance of foods. Every meal is important and eating smaller meals and snacks can help your metabolism going throughout the day, allowing you to burn more calories. It will give you more energy and in return you will feel much better.

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Tips to Help You Lose Weight

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In this article I will outline a few tips that will help you lose weight. Now these tips are a little less known. In other words, they are not just your typical "diet and excersise" tips but are a little more "advanced".

Tip #1: Make small goals

Say that you want to lose 50 pounds in one year. Now I want you to tell me which option sounds better.

Option A

Its new years and you want to lose 50 pounds, So you say that your new years resolution is "I want to lose 50 pounds this year".

Option B

Its new years and you want to lose 50 pounds, so you say " I want to lose 1 pound a week this year."

If you chose option B than you are correct. You are much more likely to stay on track if you make small goals and take it one step, or one pound at a time.

Tip #2: Keep a food log

You should always, always, keep a food log. If you can't keep track of what you're eating, how are you supposed to change it so you can lose weight? Here is what I want you to do. If you cannot remember what you ate at the end of the day, keep a notepad with you and write down everything that you eat. If you can remember do it at the end of the day. Now go to a website like calorieking.com and calculate how many calories you ate that day. If you have more than about 2000 you are overeating.

Tip #3: Its not only a calories game

Many people think that if they are eating the right amount of calories a day than they are fine. These people are wrong. It matters what kind of calories you are eating. Many people eat 2000 calories of sugary, processed and fatty foods and wonder why they are not losing weight. You need to be eating the right things. So instead of having a 500 calorie bowl of cereal for breakfast, it is much better for you to have 500 calories worth of eggs and toast.

These tips will help you in your weight loss. Remember weight loss takes 2 things, nutrition and exercise. You will not get far if you try to do one without the other.

Thanks for reading.

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Sure, You Can Lose the Weight But Can You Keep it Off?

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Chances are you have tried several diets in the past. Maybe you did not like the low calorie food because of the taste. Or, the diet made you feel deprived and constantly hungry. I am going to show you how to lose weight and keep it off by continuing to eat the foods that you love.

Quit blaming yourself for past diet failures. It was not your fault. Diets are not a one size fits all. What works for one person may not work for someone else.

We are going to start off slow and easy. Making sure you understand the steps in the diet and slowly changing your current eating habits.

Day one, simply add a low carb protein to each meal and snack. Low carb protein includes almost all meat, fish, fowl and some dairy. Cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, egg whites, milk, cream, half and half, sour cream and tofu comprise the dairy and non-meat alternatives.

Day ones sample menu, let us say you normally have cereal for breakfast, add a scrambled egg. A sample of you normal lunch might be chicken noodle soup, roll and butter and maybe a cookie. To that meal, add something like tuna salad. For dinner, instead of just garlic bread, spaghetti with sauce, meatballs, a drink, fruit, add 1 or 2 more meatballs.

Now for day two. Now that you are comfortable with guideline one, it is time to add vegetables and/or a salad to dinner and snacks. OK keep following the sample listed above; just add a side salad or something like that to lunch and dinner.

Day three breakfast, small bowl of cereal, with scrambled eggs and coffee with milk or creamer. For lunch, you would remove the chicken noodle soup but keep everything else. For dinner, choose between the garlic bread or spaghetti with sauce. The late night snack would be chicken drumettes, celery and cucumber, small amount of potatoes chips and small chocolate bar.

For day four, 2 scrambled eggs with coffee and milk then cereal. For lunch you would eat a salad, chicken, then roll and then cookie. The dinner time menu would be salad, Shrimp Dijon appetizer, 3 or 4 meatballs, green vegetable then garlic bread or spaghetti with sauce, your drink and then fruit. Late night snack stays the same.

For day five breakfast, lunch and dinner have no changes from day four. To the late night snack, add New Orleans crustless quiche.

Day six brings more change. No change in breakfast but, but for lunch, drop the roll and cookie and add tuna stuffed mushrooms. There is no change for dinner or the snack.

Day 7 brings more minor changes. At breakfast, add sausage to your meal. The other meals and snacks do not change.

This is just a sample menu. You do not have to eat the same food every day. I just wanted to give you an idea of how to start the diet.

To keep following the diet, follow all the guidelines and you will see the weight loss. On average, you will lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week which is considered healthy. You are also less likely to gain the weight back if you lose it slowly.

After following the guidelines for about 3 weeks, start adding exercise a little at a time. Do whatever is comfortable for you, even if it is something as simple as an evening walk.

I have been following this diet for 2 months and have managed to lose almost 20 pounds. I do not feel deprived or hungry. Do not forget to drink plenty of water.

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How to Lose Weight Naturally & Stress Free

It can be a real headache losing weight. There is so much information out there that will tell you just about everything. However, you can't read everything. You probably have a limited amount of time and need to know what will work. Below I've compiled a list of weight loss methods and techniques. All natural and headache free. You'll be able to lose weight in no time; just use the information and follow it through.

Are you the type to have a little snack before bed? Or maybe you get up in the middle of the night for a "midnight snack". Well, that is extremely unhealthy. The night hours are for resting and rejuvenation. If you're snacking away, your body is going to store the nutrients and vitamins instead of burning them. In basic terms: You will get fatter.

Stop eating during the night and if you have a sudden craving. Try drinking some water with lemon. This will tingle your taste buds and keep your full through the night. Warning: you'll have to use the bathroom ASAP once you've awaken.

Now that you've made it to morning have some breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. How many times have you heard that line? Teachers, grandparents, parents, they have all probably said this to you. Well, it's a true fact. If you go with out breakfast, you'll feel sluggish and slow. You'll be focused on lunch time and not on your task at hand. Always eat breakfast. Breakfast can be cereal, toast, a bagel, you get the idea.

Your meals should be small, but filling and healthy. Eating 6 meals a day should be your goal. Now these 6 meals aren't large meals, but they're not small ones either. They're enough to fill you up and keep you going. Eating meals through out the day will keep your energized and have your metabolism running at full speed.

Start exercising on a daily basis. They don't have to be hard exercises, but they should make you feel a burn. However, the more you sweat the more weight you'll lose. The exercises are all up to you. Recommend ones are the basics: sit-ups, pushups, and the regular, but quite effective crunches.

You now have all the information you need to start losing weight naturally and headache free. You can get started right away or you can come up with a solid weekly plan. Its totally up to you. Good luck on your weight loss journey.

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Weight Loss - 7 Calorie Cutting Strategies

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If you are determined to lose weight or even cut a few pounds of those hips then, reducing the number of calories you eat needs to be your priority. Follow these rules below and you should see those calories dropping off in no time:

1) Eat smaller portions: We tend to eat far too much when sitting down for a meal. In the West we tend to use larger plates which, gives us a good reason to fill them up with more food than we can eat. As a general guide, you should eat no more than will fill your two hands cupped together. This is easier to achieve by using smaller plates, about 7 to 9 inches in diameter should do.

2) Read the labels: A lot of processed food contains many additives and fat that can increase your calorie intake. Even the low fat options can still be high in calories because of their high sugar content. For example, the average box of breakfast cereal contains 250 calories.

3) Chew your food: Your hunger is controlled by your brain, not your stomach as most people think. When you start eating you have about 20 minutes for the brain to register that your stomach is full. Rather than gulping down your food, eat slowly and chew your food at least 20 to 30 times. By taking your time you will eat less and still feel you have eaten well.

4) Cut down on dairy products: These are the staple of the western diet because they taste good and are very versatile. However, they make us fat. If you cannot eliminate milk, cheese, yogurt from your diet then switch to the low fat options. Be careful, the low fat options make up for their lack of fat by including lots of sugar to improve the taste and texture. Remember, more sugar means more calories.

5) Throw away the frying pan: How we cook our food is just as important as what food we eat. Cooking meats in high fat oil will definitely increase your calories. It is better to grill, boil or even better, steam your food.

6) Eat naturally: Increase your intake of fresh organic vegetables. These foods bulk up your stomach leaving very little real estate for the much heavier high fat stuff. Also, vegetables take longer to chew meaning you will eat less. See strategy 3.

7) Cut down on the booze: Believe it or not alcohol contains calories and too much of it can pile on the pounds. The higher the alcohol means more calories for example, depending on the proof the average beer contains between 100 to 150 calories. Wine and spirits will have more calories because of their higher proof.

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Best Breakfast Cereals For Healthy Weight Loss

Eating breakfast helps you lose weight. But not just any breakfast. A healthy, high fiber breakfast with plenty of fruit and whole grains is best. Choosing the best breakfast cereal can jump start your weight loss and provide the whole grain component of your healthy breakfast.

One side note before we get to the list of best cereals. What you put on your cereal is crucial too. You will get the fastest weight loss and most profound health benefits by following a no meat, no dairy, no eggs diet. Plant foods only. I recommend pouring soy milk or rice milk on your cereal. Read labels and choose one with little or no sugar, and organic if possible.

There are thousands of breakfast cereals. All the featured cereals below are high in fiber, have no hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup, and are low in fat. Here are the best choices for healthy weight loss:

Oatmeal - Choose plain oatmeal and add your own toppings. For the best of the best, opt for organic oatmeal. Supercharge your oatmeal with sliced bananas, blueberries, cinnamon, strawberries, nuts, and a little stevia for sweetness.

Kashi Nuggets - A blend of seven whole grains, malted barley, and sesame. This cereal is really crunchy and satisfying. It's also very low in sugar with only 3 grams per serving. Jazz it up with your favorite berries. It can even be heated in the microwave on cold mornings.

Barbara's Shredded Oats - Main ingredients are whole grain oats and whole wheat. A little high in sugar at 12 grams per serving, but a nice treat once in a while.

Cascadian Farm Multi-grain Squares - Like Wheat Chex, only better because they're organic and contain no preservatives or other chemicals. Low in sugar at 4 grams per serving and they taste great.

Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola - Flaxseed is the only plant source of Omega-3's, clinically proven to help prevent heart disease. This granola's main ingredients are a mixture of organic whole grains including oats, wheat, and brown rice. Unlike most granolas, it's not high in fat.

Nature's Path Organic Multigrain Flakes - Very low fat and low sugar. Crunchy and satisfying, holds up well with the soy or rice milk.

What about more commonly available cereals from the big names like Kellogg, Quaker, and Post? Some of them are tolerable, but all have something to avoid like trans-fats, too much sugar, chemical preservatives, or not enough whole grains. If you can't find the brands featured above, at least read labels carefully and choose the highest amounts of fiber, lowest fat, and lowest sugar varieties. You can always order on-line if necessary.

What about added vitamins? A total gimmick! Adding poor quality vitamins to breakfast cereal has no nutritional value. You body only absorbs vitamins and minerals in their naturally occurring states from pure food sources like vegetables and fruit. Don't fall for this advertising baloney. Follow a whole foods, plant-based diet including a variety of fruits and vegetables each day and you will get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Ice Cream Maker