Recipe: Pomegranate & Cantaloupe Salsa

The Fat Resistance Diet emphasizes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially in Phase 1. This delicious salsa makes a wonderfully flavorful topping for grilled fish or chicken, and is packed with healthy vitamins and fats, along with lots of flavor! Give this one a try to add some zest to your meals.

Pomegranate Seed Cantaloupe Salsa

Ingredients:

1 lime, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup diced cantaloupe
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• In a glass bowl, add all the ingredients and lightly toss.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Lightly toss again before serving.
• Serve as a dip with whole-wheat tortilla chips or as a relish with grilled fish or chicken, depending on your diet.

For more information and recipes, check out The Fat Resistance Diet: Unlock the Secret of the Hormone Leptin to: Eliminate Cravings, Supercharge Your Metabolism, Fight Inflammation, Lose Weight & Reprogram Your Body to Stay Thin, by Dr. Leo Galland.

In this book, you'll find cutting-edge research showing that losing weight is not about carbs, calories, fat, or even willpower.  Weight loss is all about a hormone called leptin and how it functions in your body. Leptin curbs your appetite, jump-starts your metabolism, and when working properly makes you literally fat resistant. If your body no longer responds to leptin, it may be impossible for you to slim down. This diet reprograms your body to start melting away the pounds. Using a combination of anti-inflammatory and hormone-balancing foods, the 3 phase regimen claims a quick weight loss, then an easy to maintain steady reduction as you enjoy over 100 delicious recipes designed to transform your body into a lean, fat-fighting machine.

Successful Weight Loss Always Starts With A Meal Plan

Welcome to the New Year! This is the time of year when we all start making those resolutions - usually to eat healthier and get more exercise. Unfortunately, our resolutions tend to fall by the wayside far too soon, especially when we don't have a good plan to follow.

If you're trying to get rid of that holiday weight, and create a slimmer and trimmer you in 2016, it's important to start with a plan that is easy to stick to. Basically, if you have everything planned out, you don't have to keep thinking about what you are going to eat or how hungry you are.  When you plan your meals correctly, the weight loss becomes much more likely to happen.  Here are a few tips for meal planning for weight loss success.

Plan for Breakfast

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Breakfast is the meal that gets your metabolism running and, if done properly, can help you burn fat all day long. It is important to plan for breakfast because a rushed morning makes for poor food decisions. Planning for the morning is better done the night before. Now, this doesn't mean you need to pour your cereal and let it sit overnight, but you should have a good idea of what you want to eat when you wake up.

A tip for planning for breakfast is to take everything out the night before, like your utensils, cereal, and anything else that can be left out, and consolidate your cold ingredients in one space in the refrigerator. This will help you to be more efficient in the morning when your eyes are not quite open yet. If protein in the morning is a must-have on your diet, try hard-boiling eggs the night before, peeling them, and storing them in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator.  They are the perfect morning protein that even the sleepiest dieter can manage.

Set Up the Snacks

When we get hungry during the work day, those lunch room or cafeteria vending machines start calling our name, whispering sweet nothings. If you start a love affair with these vending machine vixens, you'll be sorry. While on a weight loss regimen, those giant boxes packed with unhealthy choices are your worst enemy. This is why it is so important to plan your snacks for the day. By bringing fruits and vegetables or other healthy options from home, you will be able to control your hunger and avoid the trips to the vending machines.

Great snacks for the workplace include an apple, popcorn, cut up veggies, cheese sticks, whole nuts, and yogurt. Not only will you feel better about the choices you make throughout the day, you will be able to stick to your weight loss goals for the long term. Small healthy snacks should be planned out for the day so you and your diet stay on track, and away from the vending machines.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plan for Lunch and Dinner

When you don't have a plan in place for your main meals, chances are you could end up foraging in the refrigerator and coming up with a bowl of leftover mashed potatoes as a main course. Or worse yet, calling for pizza or driving through the fast food place. This will turn into a dieting disaster, so it is important to think about your meals ahead of time. When your diet consists of lots of vegetables, fruits, protein, and whole grains, and all you have in the refrigerator is cold spaghetti noodles, you are putting your diet in jeopardy. Fill your refrigerator and pantry full of healthy choices and write out your meal plan for the week.  If you fall off your diet routinely just because you didn't plan your meals, you may be sabotaging your diet.  Make the commitment, then make the plan.

When you take the time to plan your meals and snacks, you have a better shot at keeping up with your weight loss goals. By planning your breakfast, being sure to pack appropriate snacks, and planning your lunch and dinner, you will be able to fend off the evil vending machines, fast food lines, and unsuccessful attempts at foraging for healthy foods. Remember, the food you eat should be a choice, and not just what is available on a whim. Plan for your meals and plan for a healthier you this year!

The Theory Behind The Low Carb Diet: A Quick Study

Our society has become overrun with fast food restaurants, microwave dinners, and unhealthy eating habits.  It’s no wonder obesity and other health issues have become a scary reality for many people.  All this bad news has us looking for the perfect diet to live a healthier lifestyle and lose that excess weight. 

There is a ton of information surrounding any type of diet, but it seems the low carb diet has more than its fair share of confusion.  When it comes right down to it for any diet program, we just want to know if it works.  But, knowing HOW a diet works will help us decide if it's the right diet for our needs. 

Example of a low-carb meal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why has there been so much hype behind the low carb diet?  When we hear the term 'low carb diet' we may think 'Atkins' or 'South Beach.'  But even low carb diets differ.  Many of us have moved away from the old  low-fat, calorie-counting diets of the 80's and embraced these newer low carb diets, and I might say with great weight loss success.  But, will a low carb diet work long-term?  And, is it truly healthy and safe?  To answer these questions, we need more information.  Let's take a look at a few basic theories of the low carb diet:

1. Carbohydrates are a source of fuel, producing energy for our bodies to run on.  When we reduce the amount of carbs we take in on a daily basis, it is believed that the body will start burning fat as the main source of energy instead.

We are required to eliminate 'bad carbs' from our diet when following a low carb diet.  All foods with added sugars and empty calories are no longer permitted.  It makes sense that we are going to lose some weight due to just these simple changes in our eating habits. 

2. Proteins and fats tend to make us feel fuller for a longer period of time.  Thus, we should be able to avoid overeating and snacking between meals because we feel satisfied and do not crave more food.

3. A low carb plan is easier to stick to than some other diets out there.  A dieter is going to track carbs rather than fat intake and calories.  Foods that are higher in fat and calories are often okay as long as the total carbs remain low.  For this reason, we can still enjoy some of our favorite foods on this diet without feeling like we are cheating.

The low carb diet idea has been around for several years, and there has been much debate on whether the long-term effects are good or bad.   If you do any type of research, you will find success stories, but also concerns about heart and kidney problems, nutritional imbalance, and a multitude of other issues.  Before beginning any diet, take the necessary steps to become familiar with all aspects of it.  Consult your doctor and see if this plan fits your particular situation.

Remember to use common sense when dieting.  This may seem so simple, but many people who have weight or health issues can get excited about finally finding the right diet.  Then they go overboard and remove many necessary nutrients from their diet in hopes of losing weight.  No matter how many debates, studies, or theories arise from research, the key is to know your own body and determine what is right for your own health and fitness.  And remember to consult your health care professional before beginning any diet program.

Does A Gluten-Free Diet Help With Weight Loss?

If you've been anywhere near a television, magazine, or blog lately, you have probably heard about celebrities who are on a 'gluten-free' diet to lose weight. You may even know someone who has "cut out the gluten" to lose weight. Perhaps you have even seen some positive results.

Going on a gluten-free diet CAN help you lose weight and may even give you a boost in your energy levels. Does that mean we should all run out and stock up on all those great gluten-free products at the grocery store? Not necessarily. Let's look at some simple facts and misconceptions about the gluten-free diet.

Celiac Disease Explained

4 gluten sources. Top: High-gluten wheat flour. Right: European spelt. Bottom: Barley. Left: Rolled rye flakes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The gluten-free diet, eating a diet devoid of gluten, is very helpful for those who are either diagnosed with celiac disease or are gluten sensitive or intolerant. To know where you fit on that scale, you would need a blood test. Celiac disease is diagnosed with a blood test; gluten sensitivity can not be diagnosed with a blood test.  However, a person can determine if they are sensitive to gluten by documenting how they feel after eating food with gluten and eating food without gluten.

If you are diagnosed with celiac disease, it means that gluten (the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley products) inflames the small intestine, destroying the finger-like protrusions (the villi) which transport nutrients from the food in the small intestine into the bloodstream. When the villi are destroyed, the body can not absorb the nutrients it needs, causing malnourishment which results in many health concerns.

Someone diagnosed with celiac disease should not eat any foods containing any gluten in any form. This is for health reasons, and not for weight loss.

Weight Loss Explained

A person who has celiac disease may be thin, especially in the early stages. Weight loss may occur in people with celiac disease as a result of nutrients not being absorbed properly.

Aside from people with celiac disease, you may see other people lose weight who are on a gluten-free diet. There are a number of reasons for this weight loss which may have little to do with whether or not gluten is in or out of their diet. Let me explain.

When someone says they have cut gluten out of their diet to lose weight, they may actually be saying they have eliminated bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, and all those 'gluteny' foods. An elimination of processed foods - and especially those high in simple carbohydrates - will help facilitate weight loss. If you replace your bagel for breakfast with fresh fruit to eliminate gluten, you are simply eating a healthier diet which could result in weight loss.

Reading labels when on a gluten-free diet can become almost fanatical. Being aware of all the added sugars, fats, and carbs will help you make smarter, healthier choices. Depending on what foods are eliminated, and what they are replaced with, a person who is eating a gluten-free diet may make better food choices because they are better  informed.

Weight Gain Explained

When the gluten-free diet is used as a weight loss tool, there may also be weight gain as an unpleasant consequence. There are a few reasons this may occur.

Eliminating grains from your diet (wheat, barley, rye, etc.) can mean a drastic cut back in fiber. You need dietary fiber in your diet to prevent constipation. If your body is not working right, your metabolism will slow and you will begin to gain weight instead of lose weight. You can help correct this by remembering that not all grains are forbidden on a gluten-free diet. Be sure to include plenty of safe fiber (brown rice, quinoa, whole oats, fresh vegetables and fruit, etc.) in your diet to maintain a healthy dose of dietary fiber in your digestive tract.

A choice of savoury and sweet gluten free crepes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Adding prepackaged gluten-free specialty foods is not the answer to the weight gain dilemma, either. Refined gluten-free flour is still refined flour; no fiber and little nutrition. Many of these packaged foods are less filling because they lack fiber, and they are loaded with sugar and fat to make up for the missing flavor.

Another odd side-effect of gluten-free eating to lose weight is people may become unaware of how much they're eating. We see many people eating gigantic portions of gluten-free foods because, after all, it's good for you. Well, not necessarily. Special gluten-free bread, pasta, and crackers are oftentimes very high in carbohydrates with very little fiber to offset the carb count. Calories may be very high, as well. So, if you're thinking "gluten-free equals healthier" you need to think again and read the labels. A big plate of gluten-free spaghetti is still a big plate of carbs!

Energy Boost Explained

It is true that some people get a nice little energy boost when they eliminate gluten from their diet. That may be in part to the elimination of carbohydrate-loaded foods like pasta and bread. When we overload on carbs and don't work it off with exercise, we get sluggish.

Replacing carb-loaded foods with fresh fruits and vegetables will help you feel lighter and more energetic. However, as mentioned, if you start replacing wheat bread and pasta with specialty gluten-free versions of the same foods, the high carb count in those foods, combined with the less than impressive fiber count, will eventually slow you down again.

In Conclusion

If you want to lose weight and enjoy an energy boost, you may get results with a gluten-free diet.  However, you have to do the work, read the labels, and be very aware of portion control.  You also have to remember that processed foods, gluten-free or not, are still processed foods. The flour used is refined, nutrients are removed, and the calories, carbs, sugars, and fat should always be questioned. For best results, cook your own meals from scratch at home.

Remember, too, that if you are eliminating a food group from your diet, you must consult with your doctor or health professional to determine what nutrients you will need to be watching. If your diet typically included whole grain wheat bread, cereal, or pasta, then you need to have another source of the nutrients and fiber those foods provided.

The gluten-free diet is intended for people who have celiac disease. If you feel you exhibit some of the symptoms, please see your doctor and ask for the blood test needed for diagnosis. If you simply feel better when you don't eat wheat, barley, or rye products, then by all means don't eat them. You may still want to consult with your doctor if this is the case.

If you want to lose weight and feel more energetic, you can try eliminating gluten from your diet and see how you feel. Just remember that to experiment with a gluten-free diet for weight loss is a process that needs to be carefully observed. Always check with your doctor first, then proceed slowly and wisely. Replace gluten-containing foods with fresh, healthy, natural alternatives, and you may indeed see a positive difference in your health as well as your weight.

Achieving Weight Loss Success With Late Night Snacking

Many of us believe that in order to lose weight, we have to cut out all of the late night snacks.  This is true, to a point.  But eating food after a certain time of night doesn't automatically cause weight gain.  In fact, there are some reasons why adding a late night snack to your diet may be beneficial to your overall weight loss plan.  Let's explore the world of weight loss and the midnight munchies.

Calorie Consumption Truth

When we think about late night snacking, we have to understand a simple truth.  Whether you follow a diet where you actually count the calories you eat all day, or you just try to eat foods with fewer calories, the fact is you have to 'count calories.'   The idea is quite simple.  If we need 2,000 calories per day, and we consume most of those calories during the day, we have very little room to add calories at night.  If we consume fewer of those calories during the day, we will have room in our calorie count to eat a snack at night.  Yes, you can ingest your calories any time you like - morning, noon, or night - and it won't make a difference in your weight loss program.  But, as you'll see, there is something to be said for spreading those calories out over the day, and night.

The Need to Snack

The first thing you need to do is decide what sort of late-night snacker you are.  Do you eat because you're hungry?  Do you eat because you're bored?  Do you eat sweet foods?  Do you eat salty foods?  Narrowing down some of the whys-and-whats will make a difference when you are trying to figure out how to lose weight and enjoy your bedtime snacks.  Once you know why you snack at night, you can adjust your snacking to help you stay on track with your diet, or even improve it.  Satisfy your need to snack by planning for healthier choices that fit your taste buds and your diet.  This way you won't keep searching for the solution to your hunger and end up devouring more calories than you needed to.

Stop the Starvation Trigger

The surprising news is, some late night snacking can actually help you lose weight.  If you sit down for dinner at 6 o'clock at night, for instance, and you turn in at 11 o'clock, you have a long stretch where your body is getting the signal that it's not going to get any more food.  Many experts believe that a light snack about an hour before bed signals your body that it's okay to continue to burn calories because there's no danger of starvation.  The key is to make sure the calories you eat for your late night snack are still within your range of total calories recommended for the day, and not beyond.

Smooth Out the Blood Sugar

Every time we eat, our blood sugar rises, then falls.  As this occurs, a healthy body adjusts and uses the nutrients for energy, etc.  The goal is to keep the peaks and valleys smoothed out by eating many smaller healthy meals throughout the day.  If you're eating three meals a day, with no snacks in between, your blood sugar levels are bouncing high and crashing hard.  Sharply spiking and quickly falling blood sugar levels will cause the dieter to grab for the chocolate cake or cookies, which continues the cycle.

Your midnight snack can actually work for you rather than against you in your weight loss plan.  Consider the late-night snack your 'sixth meal' of the day to help turn off the starvation trigger and smooth out your blood sugar.  This can be a valuable tool if you plan nutritious snacks that fit within your total caloric intake.  Remember, your body only needs a certain amount of calories to function.  What time of day you consume those calories doesn't matter much in the overall weight loss scheme.  Preparing for the inevitable midnight munchies attack is definitely part of a smart weight loss program.

Get Keen On Quiona For Health And Weight Loss

You may know by now that I love quinoa! Many people think of quinoa as a grain like wheat or barley,  but, originally from the heart of South America, quinoa is not a grain - it is a seed. If sprouted and grown, quinoa would resemble plants in the spinach family – dark leafy greens. This ancient food has tons of health benefits that have been passed down from generation to generation; like a plant family heirloom of delicious nutrition.

Chenopodium quinoa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Quinoa is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, which leaves you feeling satisfied, not deprived, making it the perfect diet food. The reason is due to the nutrient dense package. Picture a nutrition powerhouse packed into a tiny seed.  Because of this, quinoa is becoming popular as a grain alternative and weight loss food. Let's take a look at why quinoa seems to have been specifically designed for people who want to eat healthier and simpler at the same time.

Nutrition

Just like spinach, quinoa seeds are rich in all the essential amino acids, making it a complex protein.  You'll also find quinoa to be a good source of magnesium and calcium. Quinoa is also high in iron and vitamin B 12 which are essential for energy production and weight loss. The family of B vitamins control your body's ability to synthesize nutrients efficiently, meaning if you lack vitamin B you will actually work against your body's own natural weight loss mechanisms.

Satisfying

If you have ever tried to lose weight conventionally, you quickly understand how empty you feel most of the day. This feeling of never being satisfied is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome when you are trying to lose weight. If you know what I am talking about, then quinoa just may be the answer to your dilemma. Protein and dietary fiber are known to help the body feel full and satisfied. Quinoa is rich in both, helping the dieter feel full while still maintaining weight loss goals.

Quinoa is not a grass, but its seeds have been eaten for 6000 years. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Low Glycemic Index Value

Quinoa is low on the glycemic index which means quinoa doesn't cause a sharp jump in blood sugar. Your blood sugar levels control cravings. What does that mean?  It means that when you eat a food high on the glycemic index, your blood sugars are elevated quickly, and then crash.  Then your body sends messages to your brain to eat more sugar and carbohydrates to bring your blood sugar back up again. Eating foods on the low glycemic index (slow and steady blood sugar) means instead of craving bread and candy, you can go about your day eating normally - which helps prevent adult-onset diabetes, as well as other related health conditions.  Again, slow and steady blood sugar levels are important for so many reasons.  And quinoa fits the bill.

Low Calorie

Quinoa is also low in calories. One serving of cooked quinoa contains about 170 calories, which may seem like a lot, but one serving of quinoa is also an impressive amount of food. You could eat three servings of quinoa and still have fewer calories than one serving of pasta. This is a great thing if you are on a diet because you don't have to worry about over-eating your quinoa and blowing your entire day's worth of calories on one meal.

If you have not tried quinoa yet, and are trying to stick with your weight loss goals, then this may be the perfect food to add to your diet. Because of the high amounts of protein and fiber, as well as the low glycemic index and low calories, you will feel full while reaching your healthy weight loss goals.

Low-Carb Cooking Goes Mainstream

These days, around the world people are paying more attention to their bodies and their health than perhaps at any other time in history. One method that has shown great success in helping people quickly drop those unwanted pounds is through low carb cooking and dieting. This method of weight loss seems to have taken the world by storm, promising quick results for the simple (or not so simple) lifestyle change of eliminating carbohydrates from our diets - or at least drastically reducing our intake.

Eating low carb is delicious! (Photo credit: daBinsi)

The notion sounds simple on one hand, and is appealing to not only women hoping to drop those vanity pounds, but also men who welcome the idea of eating all the steaks they can handle throughout the year. Low-carb cooking is becoming a way of life for many families as a result.

If you are interested in dropping those unwanted pounds and keeping them off, this is a method that without a doubt gets results. The problem is that you must stick to the diet in order for the results to remain consistent even after you've met your weight loss goals. This means that, as with any effective eating plan, you are not really embarking on a diet so much as a complete overhaul in the way you eat.

But one of the great things about low carb cooking is that it is so widely popular. This means that you will have no trouble finding resources, tips, tricks, advice, and even amazing substitutes for those things you often miss most when engaging in the low carb lifestyle. Popular stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes are great places to go for specific foods that are low-carb in nature and designed to meet the chocolate or bread needs of those who feel more than slightly deprived by the restrictions of a low carb lifestyle. Many mainstream grocery stores are also beginning to see the value of catering to this 'high end' market of consumers and are offering a wider variety of low carb foods to consumers.

You can find recipes that are low in carbs by the mouthful at your local libraries and bookstores around the world. You can also find many resources on the Internet to help assist and encourage you in your low carb lifestyle incorporation - we post a lot of articles and recipes here along those lines, so be sure to check this blog regularly. In addition to the cookbooks, recipes, and encouragement, you also need to weed out the fact from the fiction when it comes to low carb cooking. The best way to do this is to go straight to the source. If you are going to incorporate this lifestyle altering diet into your way of life, you want to make sure that you are following it to the letter and not some fad version that may not be as effective.

When it comes to low carb cooking you have the perfect excuse to use your grill well and use your grill often. In fact, I highly recommend a George Foreman grill (or some similar knock off) for your home for those days when grilling outside simply isn't an option. Most importantly, remember to keep your goal in mind. If you aren't making progress, check what you are doing and adjust your cooking and eating accordingly. And remember to check back here often for low-carb recipes and suggestions!

Helpful Low-Carb Cooking Resources:
   

Exploring The Pros And Cons Of A Low-Carb Diet

These days it seems we have an unlimited supply of information at our fingertips, whether at the library, bookstore, or the internet.  It's easy to find research on diet plans.  The hard part comes as we sift through all the pros and cons of the diet in question. 

Avoiding information overload can be difficult when trying to decide if the good actually outweighs the bad.  The key is to understanding the difference so you can choose the best diet plan to promote a healthy lifestyle.  Let's take a look at some of the information on low-carb diets so you can make an appropriate decision for yourself:

THE PROS:

Simple carbs. (Photo credit: Newbirth35)

Weight Loss - The reason a majority of people begin dieting is to lose weight.  Low carb diets focus on eliminating the "bad" (or simple) carbs which include white bread, potatoes, pastries, soda, and candy.  These foods have either added sugars, starch, or empty calories.  These bad carbs are not easily burned off so they quickly turn into fat in the body.  Eliminating the bad carbs from your diet and replacing them with good carbs and lean proteins will typically result in weight loss.

Health Benefits - Replacing bad carbs with good carbs in your diet helps regulate spikes in blood sugar which in turn may lower blood pressure and promote heart and circulatory system health.  For those who have diabetes, this is a critical part of a healthy eating plan.  Eating low carb may also help promote low cholesterol levels.  Many diets that help you shed those pesky pounds will also help improve your cardiovascular health.

Mindset Shift - With any diet, we set a goal to start eating better and living a healthier lifestyle.  But, when other diets may fail because they're all about limits, the low carb diet is more about simply choosing healthier foods.  After all, we all know sugar and empty calories are bad for you.  The low carb diet plan goes beyond limits and focuses on selecting good foods you can enjoy.  Counting calories, weighing your food, and looking at a plate of lettuce for dinner just doesn't work long-term for most people.  Having a wide variety of good carbs, proteins, and yes, fats, is the way you will experience the proper mindset for a healthy lifestyle.

THE CONS:

 (Photo credit: fantasyhealthball)

Eating Too Many Fats - With a low carb diet, bad carbs are replaced with good carbs, and lots of protein is permitted.  But, along with the protein often comes fat.  And not only the fat that comes with meat, poultry, or fish, but other sources, as well.  You'll find cheeses, mayonnaise, and even cream on the list of healthy foods on some low carb diets.  Nuts and oils, along with whole eggs are also included.  Depending on your individual needs, this fat may be undesirable.  Foods high in fat, even the 'good fat', are high in calories, and those looking to lose weight usually need to reduce calorie intake - not increase it.  Even within the low carb diet world, opinions differ greatly as to how much fats are allowed.

Health Problems - Wait.  Didn’t I just say there are health benefits to this diet?  Yes, I did.  But, with any diet there are going to be risks.  Following a diet to the letter is difficult, and people can make mistakes or get overly ambitious with the diet plan.  For instance, if you cut out too many carbs, you may experience headaches, fatigue, and other health problems.  (The trick is to reduce your intake of simple carbs - not to eliminate carbs altogether.) Eating the fat allowed in a low carb diet may increase calorie intake.  Fruits are not allowed in the first phases of some low carb diets, causing some dieters to miss out on certain nutrients if they are not replacing them with vegetables.  Red meat is a great source of protein in a low carb diet but is another concern for fat, especially if you are choosing unhealthy conventionally grown meats raised on grains instead of grass.  In some people with digestive problems, eating great amounts of vegetables along with dairy products, both acceptable foods on a low carb diet, may cause flareups.

Just like any diet, eating low carb has good points and bad points.  It’s imperative to talk to your doctor and do your research to decide what sort of diet fits your lifestyle and your health needs.  Every diet needs to be approached in a common sense way.  It's most important to focus on mindset, discipline, and changing your bad eating habits for the long term if you really want to succeed. Part of that is finding good, healthy foods that you enjoy eating. Check back here later this week for some tasty low-carb recipes to get you started!

Review of Two Healthy Diet Books for Weight Loss

Today we're discussing a couple of different books that can really help make a difference in your weight loss efforts. I strongly believe that most of today's "conventional wisdom" regarding weight loss is COMPLETELY wrong! If eating "low fat" foods were the answer, we'd all be skinny as can be since our country has increasingly replaced the natural fats in our food with sugar and other additives over the past 20 years or so. Obviously, this is not the case, and over a number of years of research and study, I have come to realize that this is because we are eating all the wrong foods (sugar, grain, artificially processed oils, etc.) - instead of the whole, natural, healthy foods that God created us to eat.

This week we share a few different tips for helping lose weight in a way that is natural and healthy, and incorporates whole, real foods - that you can actually enjoy eating! Today's post offers reviews of two different books that have proven quite helpful for many in losing weight and regaining a healthy body.

The Slow Down Diet: Eating for Pleasure, Energy, and Weight Loss
By Marc David

This is a revolutionary approach to dieting which explains how "relaxed eating" stimulates metabolic function, and how stress hormones encourage weight gain.  You'll learn how fully enjoying each meal in a slow, relaxed way is the optimal way to a healthy, trim body. When we eat fast, on the run, we are under stress, creating digestive upset, wreaking havoc on our metabolism. Many of us come to the end of a day feeling undernourished, uninspired, and overweight. This is a new way to understand our relationship to food, focusing on the pleasure of eating to transform and improve metabolism, lose weight, and enjoy better health.  



The Fat Fallacy: The French Diet Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss
By Dr. Will Clower

"Fat is not the enemy!" If that's the truth, why is it that croissants, brioche, and Brie are considered to American thinking to be “forbidden” foods for weight loss. Yet these foods are the regular staples of the French diet, a country with an obesity rate of less than 8% and fewer cases of stroke and heart disease than America. It’s clear that America’s obsession with low-fat and fat-free foods has ultimately failed. In this revolutionary work, Dr. Clower explains how highly processed “fake foods” are the real culprit in weight gain, and why it’s not just what you eat but how you eat that makes a difference in weight loss and maintenance. This plan cuts through the high-protein, low-fat, low-carb debate. This is a way of life, a way to enjoy food like never before, while being healthier and trimmer.  

Find These Books On Amazon:
 

Healthy Diet Tips to Make Weight Loss Easier

Ask anyone who is starting a weight loss program and you'll hear a groan when the word “diet” comes into the conversation.  Taking time out to pick a diet, plan your food, and actually follow the plan can be exhausting and frustrating.  To avoid all this, many folks are tempted to skip all that and just shed those extra pounds by starving themselves for a couple weeks. However, all the experts agree that this quick starvation diet method just doesn't work.  Losing weight is a process, and like it or not, it takes planning. Here are some tips to make your dieting more effective, healthier, and something that will fit your lifestyle - and even become a natural part of it.

Make Eating Simple

Healthy European Diet - Look At All the Colors.... (Photo credit: epSos.de)

Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, measuring portion sizes, or performing college algebra just to eat your lunch, try thinking of your food in simple terms. Looking at your plate, focus on color variety, for instance. If you make sure you have a plate filled with different colors, your diet will naturally be healthier and more satisfying. If everything on your plate is white or brown, your diet will suffer and your weight loss program will be jeopardized.  Rather than measure ounces and calories, just choose portions that are about the size of your fist.  Depending on your diet, you will want one or two “fist” size portions of protein, vegetables, fruit, dairy, and carbs.  Put away the scale, the calorie counter, and the list of foods allowed.  Keep it simple to stay on track without the frustration.

Don't Make an Off-Limits List

Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits,” rather cut your portion sizes in half or allow a favorite food less often. This allows you to keep the foods you like while still making healthier choices. When you ban certain food groups, it can backfire.  You could end up craving those foods even more. Then when you give in to temptation, you feel like a failure and the downward spiral begins. If you over-do it, don't beat yourself up, just get up and make the next choice a healthy one.  If you can't resist that chocolate chip cookie, just follow it up with a large glass of cold water or milk, and make sure dinner consists of super-healthy choices with extra servings of crunchy vegetables.

Eat Socially

Whenever possible, eat with others. Eating in a group setting allows for healthy eating habits, such as eating slower and taking smaller bites.  Mindless over-eating tends to happen in front of a computer or television. Eating in groups creates conversation, which means you'll be taking breaks between bites.  This process over the course of a meal allows time to listen to your body, especially when it tells you it is full.

A restaurant placard, Santorini, Greece (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Take Your Time

When you do eat alone, remind yourself to slow down.  Rushing through a meal is never a good idea. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you're full. Plate up your food in an attractive way. Sit at the table, not in front of the television. Choose foods that take some time to chew and chew that food slowly and savor the flavors. With each slow bite, you are allowing your stomach and brain to catch up so you begin to feel full faster. Now your brain has a chance to tell you to stop eating when you no longer feel hungry. You'll also get to enjoy your food more!

Eat Breakfast

We've all heard that a good day starts with a good breakfast.  This is true for several reasons. The term “breakfast” does actually mean to “break” your “fast.”  During your sleeping hours, your body went into hibernation mode.  Think of a bear in a den during the winter.  A bear's metabolism slows down and their body stores fat for the long winter nap.  Your body is doing something similar each and every night; slowing down and storing fat.  In the morning, your body is “told” that it can stop storing fat when you give it some nutrition in the way of some healthy food.  Your breakfast jump-starts your metabolism by telling your body that it's time to burn some fat for energy.  Skipping breakfast keeps your body in hibernation mode.  It still thinks it has to store fat away for later.  It just makes sense to have some fruit, an egg, a glass of milk, some yogurt, a handful of nuts, a bowl of oatmeal, or a small muffin to wake up your metabolism.

Eat Several Smaller Meals and Snacks

We have also heard it's good to have “3 square meals” a day.  Unlike the breakfast anthem we just discussed, this one isn't considered a wise move anymore, especially when it comes to weight loss.  Rather than eating three large meals a day, having several smaller meals and interspersing healthy snacks throughout the day keeps your body's metabolism on a steady course which keeps blood sugar levels on an even keel.  Starting with breakfast, then midday snack, then a light lunch, then another snack, then dinner, then another snack; you get the picture.  Choose the schedule that works best with your day and just be sure to not allow yourself to get really hungry during the day.  That hungry feeling is a sign that your body is scared it won't get fed and it's gone into fat-storing mode.

To set yourself up for success rather than failure, think about your healthy diet in these smaller, more  manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Your diet is about more than the food on your plate;  it is also about how you think about food and how your body reacts.  With just a few changes in your eating habits, you could be on your way to that ideal weight.

The Basics of Low Carb Diet Lingo

In order to understand today's diet talk, you have to understand the phrase low-carb.  Even though these types of diets have been around for a long, long time, there seems to be a new interest of late.  It could be due to new books coming out, or possibly revised editions of popular diet books from years past.  Whatever the reason, low carb, slow carb, or low glycemic diets are getting a lot of attention.  Let's take a look at the basics of what a low carb diet looks like, and familiarize ourselves with some of the related terms.

Low Carb v. Slow Carb

Raw vegetables and dips (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even though the most popular diets include one or the other term, you can use them interchangeably, to some degree.  Even the lowest of low-carb diet phases includes some carbs in the form of vegetables, typically.  As a matter of fact, a certain portion of carbs must come from vegetables, with no exception. No respectable weight-loss program can truly support an absolutely carb-free diet.  Carbohydrates are essential for a healthy body, even during weight-loss.

Slow-carb is just another way of saying that you need to ingest carbs that are slow burning, such as vegetables, and even some fruit.  Fast burning carbs would include processed breads and pastas, for instance.  These are the carbs that give a quick sugar boost, then drop just as quickly.

Not all carbs, even slow burning carbs, are created equal.  Some low or slow carb diets recommend staying away from some vegetables they consider high in sugar, such as corn or peas, especially during the first phases. The same is true for dried beans and other protein rich foods that also are considered higher in carbs.

When comparing lists of acceptable foods on any low carb diet, you'll see differences.  You'll also see differences in what levels of carbs are going to result in weight loss, and where those carbs should come from.  In some diets, even slow burning carbs like dried beans are forbidden in the first phases.  In other diets, all carbs, as long as they are slow burning carbs, are just fine.

This is not simple, but it is all a matter of opinion, personal preference, and what works for you.  If you've been on a diet that includes such slow burning carbs as brown rice, black beans, and quinoa, and haven't seen any results, this diet may not be for you.  Individuals process carbs differently.  Simply following a diet according to a low-glycemic index (the amount of carbs in a food) may not be what you need to lose weight, or it may be, but it's a good way to start understanding how your body processes carbohydrates.

The Protein Process

Years ago, people were going on all sorts of vegetable and fruit only diets. Then there were the whole grain diets.  None of those diets are part of our common vernacular today, but the diets that are high in protein and low in fast-burning carbs are.  Protein is essential for building muscle, which burns fat, and keeps us strong.  Protein is a building block, just like other nutrients we know to be essential. 

No matter which diet you follow today, if it includes a balanced approach to good sources of protein and carbohydrates, it is most likely a respectable weight-loss program.  Human beings cannot live on protein alone, nor does any proper diet developed by a health professional suggest otherwise. There was, actually, a myth around high protein, low carb diets for years.  Nowhere in the mainstream market of dieting did a protein-only method for weight-loss exist.  Even one of the most popular diets for decades that suggested adding more servings of proteins at every meal, actually formed the basis of their diet on ingesting more vegetables than protein. People could get seriously ill, even fatally ill, by eating only protein, and this approach was never approved or suggested by any mainstream diet.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Eating a diet that's rich in protein is not difficult for the most part.  Protein from many sources, including dairy products, eggs, cheese, meat, poultry, and seafood is suggested in most low-carb diets. Because most proteins are also low carb, or no carb, it makes sense to eat a lot of these foods when on a low-carb diet.  And because it's more difficult to over-indulge in protein, it's a safe bet that you will practice portion control more easily.  It's rare to see a person eat a whole roasted chicken, but a huge plate of pasta can disappear quite easily at one sitting. The diet systems may vary in exactly how much and which sources you should get the majority of your protein, but most well-respected diets include a good portion of protein each day, balanced with a variety of healthy carbs.

The Fat Fact

This seems to be where the division lies in many low-carb diets.  Some diet plans say simply that you can't get “fat from fat.”  Other diet plans are so concerned with fat intake that they allow more carbohydrates if it means avoiding fat, as is the case with most 'lite' foods.  If you check the labels, you'll often find that “low fat,” “reduced fat,” and “light or lite” means added sugars to tweak the flavor. 

The reason is simple; fat is flavor.  That's why some mainstream low-carb diets recommend eating regular, full fat foods, such as regular mayonnaise, sour cream, and even whole milk or heavy cream.  While other low-carb diets have fats restricted by eating only fat-reduced dairy, dressings, etc.

The debate over fat is not easily settled.  Fat is essential to your body's health, and particularly to your brain.  Fat gives food flavor.  Fat also makes you feel full.  Without fat in your diet, your body will suffer.  However, it's also important to remember that it's the type of fat you eat that matters.  Fat that naturally occurs in nuts and avocados, for instance, are considered by most diets as essential elements.  Added fats for cooking and serving foods, such as olive oil, are often included in healthy fats, but not in all stages of all diets.  It all depends on which diet you're following.  Clear as mud, right?

So what is the truth?  Should you eat whole grains and black beans on a low carb diet or stick to celery and broccoli?  How much protein is enough protein?  Should you eat eggs fried in olive oil or poached in water?  Are fats good or bad for you? 

The fact is, the answer is different for different people.  Some people respond very well to a high protein diet with added fat, while others simply don't.  Some people lose weight eating a diet that's rich in whole grains, while other people gain weight.  The best thing anyone can do is get all the information, then use your own common sense to decide what works for you.  Keep a journal as you add and subtract foods from your diet, then do what works best for you. I know that may not be the clear-cut answer you were looking for, but the truth is, every body simply functions slightly differently, and there really isn't one "magic pill" for everyone when it comes to health & nutrition, or even weight-loss.

The Dukan Diet - Eating to Lose Weight

So, you want to lose weight but not give up the foods you love? What if there were a way to do that? Let me introduce you to the Dukan Diet. If there was ever a diet to claim “eat as much as you like,” it would be the Dukan diet.

Protein. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Founded by French nutritionist, Pierre Dukan, the Dukan diet combines 68 forms of animal protein and 32 vegetables, giving you the 'green light' for 100 foods. This gives you a diet based on what the human species evolved on, and keeps us feeling happier and healthier. Let's take a closer look at the Dukan diet and whether it might be the right one for you.

4 Phases

The Dukan diet uses four different phases. By walking through these four phases, you can shed weight quickly and then make lifestyle changes so you don't gain the weight back. Here are what the phases look like:

1. The Attack Phase – This phase is brief, lasting only a couple weeks with immediate results. In the attack phase, you are allowed to eat from a choice of 68 high-protein foods which the body digests quickly and effectively.  Vegetables and other carbs are very limited during this time.  This phase is not meant to be long term, but is considered a 'kick start' to your metabolism.


2. The Cruise Phase – Once you have attacked your weight loss goal, it is time to put the pound-shedding on autopilot. This phase allows you to begin incorporating 32 vegetables into your diet. The days alternate between your Pure Proteins (PP phases), which you were given in the attack phase, and Proteins accompanied with recommended Vegetables (PV phases). This phase allows you to continue to shed weight on a consistent basis.


3. The Consolidation Phase – This phase lasts 5 days per pound lost in the cruise phase. For example, if you lost 6 pounds during the cruise phase, then you would be in this phase for 30 days. During this phase, the body prepares for the return to a balanced diet. In this phase you have monitored freedom which helps you overcome the willpower issue when establishing a freshly conquered and yet vulnerable ideal weight.

Fresh vegetables. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4. The Stabilization Phase – This is the phase you live in for the rest of your life. During the first three phases, you learned how to eat healthy and have taught your body the right way to keep a healthy pattern. In addition to the simple rules for stabilization, there are three non-negotiable rules:

1. Consume 3 tablespoons of oat bran per day.
2. Choose to take the stairs whenever possible.
3. Have a pure-protein Thursday, i.e. Attack Phase menu.

Why All those Oats?  The first obvious question has to do with the 3 tablespoons of oat bran you must eat every day. The oat bran swells 20 to 30 times its volume when inside the stomach, making you feel satisfied. It also “confiscates” calories within the small intestine and takes them down into your bowels. The amount of calories lost by consuming the oat bran is not relevant to immediate weight loss, but they do add up over time as this process is repeated.

What are the Cons to this Diet?  As with all low-carb, high-protein diets, the program warns that dieters may suffer from some disturbing side effects, such as bad breath, constipation, dry mouth, and fatigue as your body gets used to its new way of life. One of the best ways to help with all of these conditions is to drink plenty of water, take a good multivitamin, and get between six and eight hours of sleep a night. And, of course, exercise daily.  A 20 minute walk each day will help digest your food and burn calories.  But, be aware that vigorous exercise requires carbohydrates, so during the Attack Phase, you will need to limit your exercise to a moderate degree.

If you are looking for a diet that will get the pounds off quickly, then moves you into a lifetime of healthy weight management, the Dukan diet may be the right diet for you.  You get to eat lots of good food while your body learns how to metabolize it properly.  And isn't that what the real purpose of a diet is all about?

See Resources Here to Learn More About the Dukan Diet:
   

5 Important Foods For Weight Loss

When you think of losing weight, your first thought is probably about the foods you will have to eliminate from your diet.  But, how often do you think about the foods you need to add?  Probably not very often. While some diet and weight loss programs talk about eating less, others emphasize adding foods to your diet.  Not just any foods, however.  There are several foods considered to have some real benefits for anyone trying to lose weight. Here are a few foods that are right at the top of the list.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Oatmeal and oat bran are loaded with fiber and when eaten can expand to almost 30 times their volume. The combination of these two effects decreases your appetite by making you feel fuller longer.  You can go for long periods of time without eating while keeping your energy levels high at the same time. In order to increase the effectiveness of your weight loss program, eat oatmeal about two hours before doing your workout. Steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and plain or natural oatmeal are your best options. Avoid the instant flavored oatmeal in packets as they contain lots of sugar and other additives, and they are much more processed, meaning the fiber content is decreased.

Raw Fruits and Vegetables

Your body burns, on average, 15% more calories when your meals contain mostly raw fruits and veggies than if you ate a meal with no fruits or vegetables.  It just makes sense, then, in order to lose weight you want to eat meals consisting of mostly raw ingredients. Since these ingredients still have all of their nutrients, your body gets what it needs while you feel satisfied.  Also, fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C, like lemons, oranges, and pineapple help your body to mobilize and flush out extra body fat.

Spices

For years, people have claimed that adding spices to your diet can help with weight loss. Recently, a professor at Oxford University, found that by eating just 3 grams of chili peppers in a meal can increase your fat-burning metabolism by 8% to 20%, for up to three hours after eating the peppers. Also, the addition of spicy mustard to your sandwich may burn an extra 45 to 75 calories over the same three hour time span. And, just by adding fresh ginger to your diet, you get a strong diuretic. Fresh ginger also increases growth hormone production, therefore increasing the amount of fat released from your body's fat stores for burning as fuel.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Apples

While eating raw fruits in general is typically considered a great way to lose weight, apples are especially important to single out. Apples contain pectin, which prevents your body from over-absorbing fat, as well as causing your body to release some of the stored fat. A study done in Brazil found that people who ate an apple before each meal lost 33% more weight than a group of people who didn't eat an apple. Pectin also acts as an appetite suppressant, so they are great snacks to tide you over between meals.

Fish

Not only are most fish loaded with tons of omega-3s, but fish like tuna, sardines, and salmon trigger the hormone leptin. Leptin is a fat-burning hormone that suppresses your appetite and determines whether you store the calories you eat as fat, or if you burn those calories for energy. The origin of the word is interesting, too.  Leptin originated from the Greek word “leptos” which means “slender.”  So, adding more leptin to your diet may just prove to be slenderizing for you.

Eating certain foods to lose weight is not a brand new theory.  We've often heard about diet fads that include one or two foods that dominate the program.  The idea of eating specific foods that have been scientifically studied is a much more recent development in the weight loss world.  When you look at the reasons why certain foods actually help you burn fat and calories, it just makes sense to add those foods to your diet plan.

Why Low Carb Is Better Than No Carb

In today’s world, people will try all kinds of diet fads in an effort to lose weight. Everyone has a different opinion about what works, and truth be told, depending on your body type and metabolism, different things can work differently for different people. However, it troubles me when I see people going to extremes - in either direction - which just aren't healthy. That's why, while I do advocate lower-carb diets - our society as a whole eats WAY too many highly processed, high-carb foods - I would also steer clear of a diet where carbohydrates are cut out in their entirety. A healthy eating plan should include fats, carbohydrates, and protein. To follow a diet without any of these essentials would be to endanger your health.

America's carbohydrate addiction (Photo credit: Newbirth35)

Carbohydrates are the most plentiful of all nutrients. Carbohydrates (or "carbs" for short) can be found in most foods that we eat. Carbohydrates are made of simple and complex sugars that are metabolized by the body for energy OR stored as fat when no more energy is needed. (Yes, many people for some reason cling to the outdated idea that FAT is stored in the body as fat, when in fact, CARBS are much more likely to be making you fat.) Examples of simple carbohydrates include sugar, white flour, and many processed foods such as pastas, breads, and other grains. Complex carbohydrates are include vegetables, whole grains including all their natural fiber, and some fruits. Eating less of the simple and more of the complex types may be a good way for some people to lose weight.

Diets that advocate no carbohydrates force the body to obtain all of its energy from protein and fats. When protein from food is no longer available to meet the body’s energy needs, the body begins siphoning it from the muscle tissue of the body. In essence, the body begins eating itself for fuel. No one wants that! The body needs glucose (sugar) to function. Interestingly enough, the glucose needed by the brain must come from carbohydrates and not protein sources.

Now, carbohydrates have been classified by their glycemic index (GI) number. This method of rating carbohydrates helps people make wiser choices about what they include in their diets. Foods with high GI’s (greater than fifty) cause the body to store fat (simple carbs). Foods with a low GI number (less than fifty); cause the body to burn fat (complex carbs).

Several foods containing complex carbohydrates. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On a diet that features low GI carbohydrates, the insulin level in the body is maintained at a steady level. These carbohydrates are processed at a slower rate by the body. The other hormone, glucagon, can work to burn the sugars for energy in the cells. You don’t feel hungry all the time when the insulin hormone level in the body has no major fluctuations. When you expend energy during physical activity, the body starts releasing fat stores to use for energy metabolism. Low carbohydrate diets provide the body with energy without going into crisis mode.

Eat the right carbohydrates. Choose fresh vegetables and fruits. Whole grain or seven grain breads and pastas are preferred to those made with white flour. Beans and nuts are good for a low carbohydrate diet. If you must have potatoes, try sweet potatoes. The GI number is lower and they are great with a dab of real  butter - the fat in the butter actually helps your body process the vitamins and nutrients in the sweet potatoes.

Don’t try to cut out all of your carbohydrates. Reducing them can be a great help for many people trying to lose weight - and can offer other health benefits if you lower your consumption of processed foods, but choosing the right types is more important than how much you consume.

Keep an eye on this blog, as we do share low-carb recipes here fairly frequently - and we'll have a couple for you later this week!

5 Surprising Foods That Can Help You Lose Weight

If you're trying to get ready to fit into that bikini, it may surprise you to know that you don't have to give up all your favorite foods and nibble on celery sticks and carrots all day to get your metabolism going.  Many foods are thought to be fattening, when in fact they actually can help your body burn fat so you can slim down faster.  There are good reasons to re-think some of the “forbidden” foods when deciding what foods to choose for your diet.  Let's take a look at a few of these much-maligned foods to set the record straight.

Almonds

Shelled almonds (Prunus dulcis) Italiano: Mandorle sgusciate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who would have thought that this small nut would have such a significant impact on weight loss? A Purdue University study showed that when compared to eating rice cakes, people who ate a handful of almonds felt fuller longer. Surprisingly, almonds are loaded with fat, but it's good fat. It's the kind of fat that your brain and body needs to function. Enjoy about 16 to 20 almonds every day to satisfy your hunger without overloading on calories. Raw almonds contain the most health benefits (and I also find them the tastiest). 

Olive Oil

A healthy intake of fats can help you lose weight. How? By controlling hunger. Fats make you feel full, and stay full longer. Monounsaturated fats are a good choice because you will keep cholesterol under control while satisfying your cravings, and olive oil fits the bill. Eliminating fats from your diet to lose weight has been a dieting standard for many years, but certain fats are essential to a healthy diet.  This concept is surprising to many long-term dieters.  But, in these modern times, science has proven that oils, if they're the right oils, provides nutrition that your body needs as well as weight loss benefits. (Which goes right along with our philosophy of eating whole, natural foods.)

Peanut Butter

Who would have guessed that a kid-friendly food could be diet friendly, too? Peanut butter is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. Just keep an eye on portion size because peanut butter can have a lot of fat and even sugar.  Limit yourself to no more than two tablespoons a day and be sure to pick an all-natural peanut butter so you avoid the added sugars. Real peanut butter - the kind that's good for you - contains only two ingredients: peanuts, and salt. (Unsalted varieties are also available.)

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the true "parmesan" (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Parmigiano- Reggiano Cheese

Another on the list of unexpected foods to help slim you down is a particular favorite of most foodies. This low-calorie, calcium-rich treat activates the body's fat-burning hormones, say University of Wisconsin researchers. This cheese also has a higher protein content compared to other dairy products. Consider adding this powerhouse of flavor to roasted vegetables for that little extra boost - you'll be doing something good for your body and your taste buds at the same time!

Animal Fats

What?? We've been told for so long that you have to eliminate animal fat from your diet to lose weight, that it's hard to wrap your head around this one, right?  But, new research has proven that animal fat provides some nutritional value you need and may be a better choice than other forms of fat in some cases.  (Yes, I put that in bold type because it is such a shift in mindset for many people!) Not only does fat in your food make you feel full, but certain animal fats may provide your body with some missing elements.  Even the much dreaded lard has been making a dietary come back.  Your body needs vitamin D to feel good and to function properly.  Interestingly, foods that provide vitamin D, all of which are animal foods, tend to be high in cholesterol.  What does this have to do with weight loss?  If you are not getting enough vitamin D, you will not be as active.  You will have less energy, and your bones and muscles are also going to suffer, keeping you sedentary, which is a disaster when trying to lose weight.  So, animal fats in moderation should be on your weight loss radar.

Through the years, there have been diet gurus who have pitched some pretty far-fetched ideas about weight loss.  Usually, it comes down to moderation.  Avoiding certain foods entirely, even the foods that “sound” fattening, may not be the best way to lose weight and keep it off.  It's confusing, I know.  But, give it some thought and decide for yourself which weight loss theories make sense to you. I think when you really start delving into this for yourself, and looking at the research, as well as using common sense, you'll start to clearly see that whole, natural foods are almost always good for you, in the proper balance, no matter what they are. Just stay away from processed foods, including sugar and white flour, and you'll be surprised how much better you feel, and how quickly you can slim down.

For more interesting research and recipes related to this topic, see these books: