Small Steps - Big Changes - Lasting Results

It's not necessary to make dramatic changes to your diet to lose weight. Start with small things and continually change your eating habits to reach your goals. Make a decision this week to leave off fried foods, eat another serving of fruit each day, or start using whole wheat bread. Small steps - big changes - lasting results.

Grapes For Your Health

Grapes are good for us. They are easily packed in a lunch box or left in a bowl for a quick snack. Red grapes contain resveratrol, which is believed to help reduce cholesterol and protect the heart. Grapes also contain potassium and are beneficial for cleansing and detoxing the system. The compounds in grapes also help protect against cancer.

Beans - What Your Body Needs

One of the best sources of protein is beans. Try dried pinto or lima beans cooked with an artificial ham flavoring (made by Goya). One-half cup of beans contains as much protein as three ounces of broiled steak. Plus you get much more fiber and feel fuller, longer.

Fat Free - Maybe, High Calories - Probably

Low fat and fat free does not help you lose weight. People have been on a low fat/fat free kick for years and we continue to gain weight. The reason - many times the fat is replaced by sugar to enhance the taste. Michael Pollen of Food 101 says, "There are now 99 percent fat-free yogurts that have more calories than full-fat yogurt because of sugar,"

Eat Good Things

Concentrate on all the good things you can eat to keep your weight in check, not the things you shouldn't eat. Fresh fruits in season are a great snack and addition to your meals. Cut up some fresh grapes, bananas, and an apple and mix a few sunflower seeds in a bowl. Add a touch of low-cal mayo for a delicious, easy to make fruit salad.

25% of Too Fat To Serve

The reason why so many young people are unqualified to serve in the Military: A fourth of adults in this age group — at least 9 million young men and women — are too heavy, according to military entry standards,

See the entire article and report:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-04-20-overweightrecruits20_ST_N.htm

Go For The Whole Wheat

Everyone loves a good biscuit. But nothing can be more detrimental to our health than white flour and lard. Those two things can lead us to an early grave. In processing white flour the only good parts of the wheat (bran and germ) are removed. Then it's bleached with a toxic chemical. Go for whole wheat instead.

Eat Clean - Avoid Added Sugar

TUESDAY, April 20 (HealthDay News) -- The added sugars in prepared and processed foods are threatening Americans' cardiovascular health, lowering levels of protective HDL cholesterol, raising levels of potentially dangerous triglcerides and possibly making people fatter, a new study finds.

See the complete article by following the link below?

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=638213

Herb Garden

You can start your own fresh herb garden right outside your kitchen door. A sunny spot, a large flowerpot, some potting soil and seedlings of basil and oregano and a few seeds of cilantro make a pretty and fragrant combination. Keep it close to the kitchen so you can water it and cut off what you need with your kitchen sheers.

What's For Breakfast?

According to the nutrition label of a popular breakfast cereal for kids, a cup and a half serving contains the equivalent of 5 teaspoons of sugar and 400 mg of sodium. Processed, sweet cereal is quick and easy but in 10 minutes or less you could scramble an egg, toast a piece of whole wheat bread and fix hot oatmeal. Add some fruit and they have a healthy breakfast that will stick with them until lunch.

Diet and Exercise

There's a saying that you can't out exercise a bad diet. While exercise is important to your overall health and key ingredient in keeping your weight in check, a healthy diet is the key to an effective weight loss strategy. An hour of moderately intense exercise may burn 450 calories, the same amount of calories you get from one large order of fast food fries!

Protein Builds Muscle

Your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbs or fat. Eating a protein rich meal makes you feel full longer. You build muscle with protein. Muscle helps burn fat. You can get lean protein from chicken, turkey, fish, and nuts. A typical 8 oz steak gives you more protein than your body can use PLUS you get all that extra artery-clogging saturated fat as well.

Plan and Be Healthy

You don't need to deprive yourself of food, count calories, or avoid certain food groups. You can make healthy food choices to reduce body fat, lose weight and improve your overall health. Clean eating does require a bit more time in the kitchen planning and cooking meals, but the small investment in time pays huge dividends for you and your family in the future.

Make Good Food Choices

Clean eating is all about healthy food choices. Choose the fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat. Stay away from overly processed, refined and fast foods. Choose to eat clean and eat lean and you will enjoy a longer, healthier life. And you may lose a few pounds along the way.

Fruits and Nuts

Fruits and nuts are good for our digestive system. Even though they contain sugars, these are quickly turned into energy. If you are trying to lose weight you should avoid dried fruits such as raisins, prunes, etc and even fruit juices. By removing the water the sugars become concentrated and by juicing the fruit you lose the fiber. Eating fresh, whole fruit is a perfect, natural way to limit your calorie intake and keep your body functioning properly

Fresh Salsa

South Florida tomatoes have recovered from the terrible winter and are now back in the markets. Dice some fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, red and green bell peppers, and add chopped fresh cilantro and garlic for your own fresh salsa. Add a little hot sauce to taste.

A Carrot A Day

The way you look, your physical appearance, is a direct result of what you eat. You can change your appearance by changing your eating habits. Eating carrots can improve the appearance of the skin, hair and nails. Your new style can bring a smile.

Vote for better food choices

You can vote with your forks and you get 3 votes a day. By buying fresh and unprocessed along with avoiding fast food you can change the way your family eats. America is the richest country in the world yet we are number 42 behind many others in life span expectancy.

No Calorie Counting

Stop counting those calories! Enjoy eating. If you eat clean and eat lean you don't need to count. Be sure you eat fresh, unprocessed, and lean and the calorie count will take care of itself.

Soft Drinks and Weight Gain

If you haven't figured this out yet, soda and carbonated soft drinks have absolutely no value. Lots of sugar or sugar substitutes with ZERO nutrition. Some have no calories but your body stores those sweeteners as fat, so you gain weight. Try fruit sweetened green tea instead. Green tea quenches your thirst and has medicinal qualities.

How Much For A Dollar?

Eating clean may cost you more in the short run, but better health, well being and self-esteem will be the dividends paid over the long haul. You can buy over 1200 calories of processed food for a dollar, but the same dollar only buys you about 250 calories in the produce aisle.

No Chips FOR YOU!

Overheard on the beach Sunday; a 280 lbs, relatively young lady while choking down a BIG bag of chips, "I've got to get my ass back in the gym next week". I'm no fitness guru but even I know she needs to do more than get her you-know-what (and the rest of her 280lbs) back in the gym. She could lose 20 lbs by getting rid of those 1lb bags of chips.

Say No to Fast Food

You can train a child to eat the right things and establish a pattern that will keep them healthier throughout their lives. Don't give in to fast food because it's convenient. Make a sandwich with whole wheat bread and lean chicken or turkey breast. Keep sunflower seeds, nuts, and fruits handy for munching. Parents need to provide nutritional direction, not give in because you don't have the time to be healthy.

Forget Canned, Boxed and Frozen!

Processed food is going to be the death of this generation. We should try cooking with fresh ingredients for a change. Forget the canned, boxed and frozen. Go to the produce market and bring home some fresh veggies and whip up a stir-fry or serve over whole-wheat pasta. Extend you life and that of your children and grandchildren with a little extra effort.

Snack Defense

Is your snack cabinet full of Twinkies, potato chips and cookies? Try putting washed grapes, plums and baby carrots in a bowl on the counter for snacks, along with bananas and apples. Improves your digestive system and provides much needed fiber. Don't be on a "diet", change the diet you're on!

Eat Clean - Lose Weight

I see all these people wanting to lose weight and they have a diet cola in one hand and a bag of chips in the other. And others struggling with some "diet" they read about on the internet. Why are you making this so difficult? No diet is ever going to work long term. Simply cut out the fried foods, refined sugar and flour, processed and fast food. You do not have to go hungry, just fix your eating habits.(your diet) I'm no nutritionist, but it's just common sense.