Beauty may be only skin deep, but skin is
deeper than you think: it is marvelously sensitive to goings-on inside the body
and is quick to break out in a rash of protest when it disapproves.
Usually they reflect some disorder of
nourishment (in other than specific disease
processes) that affects the general health.
One of the first signs of vitamin shortage
is unhealthy changes in the skin. Often both the causes and symptoms are vague
and obscure. Persons who go on regulated diets for other reasons than beauty
are frequently surprised to observe that blemished skins become soft and clear
on balanced food intake.
Not only the skin but the external layers
of organs such as the eye become hard and dry in absence o£ Vitamin A. In fact,
the eye can dry up so completely that blindness results. If you remain dry-eyed
at a grand weepy movie, it may not be a sign of emotional inertia but simply an
indication that the tear ducts are becoming dammed up from lack of Vitamin A.
Absence of perspiration may mean that the sweat glands are becoming plugged.
Vitamin C deficiency can also cause papular
eruptions of the skin, as well as patchy areas of vaguely darkened color.
Among the B vitamins, riboflavin and
nicotinic acid are most commonly associated with skin disorders. The disease of
pellagra, involving the skin, is caused by a dietary lack of nicotinic acid. In
early cases the skin looks as if it were severely sunburned; it is burning,
tender, and dark in color. Later the skin becomes thick and scaly and
pigmentation deepens. Riboflavin (Vitamin G) deficiencies show up in painful
fissures of the skin at the corners of the mouth.
Nuts
If you are your own cook you can probably
persuade yourself to follow your own advice with a minimum of ill-feeling. If
someone else does your cooking, however, you may have to speak softly but carry
a big stick.
Valuable for protein and Vitamin B1 nuts
are also rich in fats and rank as concentrated, high-calorie foods. Best to
forget about them if you want to reduce, for a couple Brazil nuts equal about
five servings of boiled cabbage.
Fruit Juices
Fruit juices in general are excellent
sources of Vitamin C; tomato juice has the additional advantage of being a good
source of Vitamin A as well. Carbonated drinks (except a few rare ones that may
contain slight amounts of fruit pulp) are made from soda water and heavy
syrups, contributing no vitamins, nothing but carbohydrate calories. A typical
12-ounce bottle of soda pop contains the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar.
Using Your Cook Book
You have probably been struck by the fact
that reducing diets look ample enough to satisfy a generous appetite. So they
are. But the foods must all be prepared in the simplest way possible
The trouble with a good cook (aside from
the quality immortalized by Saki in his remark: "She was a good cook, as
cooks go, and as cooks go, she went") is her deep-grained habit of
cozening the customer's appetite with three-decker confections, pastries that
melt in your mouth, and rich sauces à la Escoffier. Hunger and appetite are two
different things. You can be hungry and have no appetite, as after a four-day
fast. And you can have an appetite when you aren't hungry, as when you're
tempted by an extra serving of shortcake.
So, as diplomatically as may be, you lay
down the law:
Foods may be boiled, broiled, roasted or
baked, but not fried.
Butter, fat and cream are to be used in
cooking only in extremely limited amounts—better yet, not at all.
What butter is permitted is to be served
soft; it spreads more easily and goes farther.
As far as possible, eliminate sugar in
preparing foods. Saccharin may be substituted as a beverage sweetener in
moderate amounts.
Serve some raw foods every day, usually as
salads, but allow no mayonnaise or fancy dressings. Vinegar, which has no food
value, is permitted, or lemon juice, valuable for Vitamin C. Not all
digestions, however, can tolerate large amounts of raw foods, so be temperate.
If desired, a mineral oil dressing of
negligible calorie value may be prepared according to this approximate formula:
I cup mineral oil, ½ cup vinegar, 1 egg (can be omitted), condiments: teaspoon
of salt, teaspoon of mustard, pepper, teaspoon of paprika, garlic if desired.
The disadvantage of mineral oil dressing in
the light of recent findings—that it prevents absorption of much Vitamin A in
the carotene form in which it occurs in plant foods—has already been commented
on. If you use mineral oil dressing, it is advisable to take a Vitamin A
concentrate.
You can cut down your calorie consumption
substantially merely by making your cook hew to these lines.
If you live in America, you know that all food must be labeled. The only food that doesn't have to be is, food that is in individual packages inside of a box or container. Even with that, the container that they come in have to be labeled. Do you buy your food according to these labels? That makes you feel smart, like a good consumer. What if I told you that those labels are nothing more than hog shit? Well, you would probably get angry at me. For the most part that is true. Like most things in life, people want to deceive you. Let's be
honest, they want your money. They will do whatever they have to do to get it.
Why not lie? Is the new formula a break through? Chances are it isn't. Chances are it is just a slight diversion from the old one. Why do they tell you it is?
Because that will make you buy it. It really is that simple.
Is the product new and improved? Well, the packaging might be. If it is new and improved, wouldn't that make it a whole different product? If not, then listen to this. If the product is new and improved, then what were they selling you before? Were they selling you some shit that was worthless? If they were selling you the best quality item before, how could they make it better?
What does patented formula mean? It means nothing. Nothing that should concern any of us. It just means that whatever is in the stuff, is patented. That shouldn't be too alarming. I mean, do you really think that Coke isn't patented?
What are labels good for? You might be thinking that all of this negative stuff means that they aren't good for nothing. That isn't true. What you have to determine is, what is hype and what is real. They are going to try to do everything they can to sell you the product. Even if you don't need it. That is what some may call hype. On the other hand, actual info on the food is what you are after. You just want the facts, just the facts. On the back of the label, should tell you all that you need to know. Just turn the container around and have a look see.
What kind of information should you find back there? You should see what the ingredients are. It should say in fairly simple terms what is in the product. If it has loads of big words that you don't know what they are, I would move on to another product and see what it says. It should tell you what the serving size is. It should also tell you how many servings are in the container. This is important when you are shopping on a budget. You should always pay attention to how many servings are in the container. Compare the price per serving with other brands of the same item. If you do this often, you can save yourself a lot of money.
Also the label should tell you the info on the food. How much fat, vitamins, minerals, cabs and so forth that is in the food. That is important if you are on a diet. You need to know what you are putting in your body. If at any time you feel that you don't have enough info on the product, you can always check to see if they have a web site. If they do, there might be some info on it. If they don't, check to see if there is a number that you can call. If there is a number, chances are there will be someone there who can answer your question.
Though they do label how much fat, they don't tell you what kind of fat is in it. This can cause some problems if you are on a strict diet. Like I said before, you can try giving them a call for the info that you are looking for.
Of course some foods won't have labels. Like foods found at the farmers market or stuff that is sold at a bake sale. You can always ask the person at the bake sale what they put in the food item. If they say it is a secret recipe, tell them it is a secret where your wallet is and walk away from them. There is no reason why they at least can't tell you what is in the things. The farmers market really isn't that big of a worry. I mean, you know what is in an onion.
You might ask what type of chemicals they use on their farm. They should have no problems telling you this.
To summarize about food labels. Don't believe the hype. The front of the label is where they try to sell the product to you. Instead, pay close attention the portion of the label that gives you the nutrition information.
You can only use these articles with MensNiche.com products or legal action will be taken
honest, they want your money. They will do whatever they have to do to get it.
Why not lie? Is the new formula a break through? Chances are it isn't. Chances are it is just a slight diversion from the old one. Why do they tell you it is?
Because that will make you buy it. It really is that simple.
Is the product new and improved? Well, the packaging might be. If it is new and improved, wouldn't that make it a whole different product? If not, then listen to this. If the product is new and improved, then what were they selling you before? Were they selling you some shit that was worthless? If they were selling you the best quality item before, how could they make it better?
What does patented formula mean? It means nothing. Nothing that should concern any of us. It just means that whatever is in the stuff, is patented. That shouldn't be too alarming. I mean, do you really think that Coke isn't patented?
What are labels good for? You might be thinking that all of this negative stuff means that they aren't good for nothing. That isn't true. What you have to determine is, what is hype and what is real. They are going to try to do everything they can to sell you the product. Even if you don't need it. That is what some may call hype. On the other hand, actual info on the food is what you are after. You just want the facts, just the facts. On the back of the label, should tell you all that you need to know. Just turn the container around and have a look see.
What kind of information should you find back there? You should see what the ingredients are. It should say in fairly simple terms what is in the product. If it has loads of big words that you don't know what they are, I would move on to another product and see what it says. It should tell you what the serving size is. It should also tell you how many servings are in the container. This is important when you are shopping on a budget. You should always pay attention to how many servings are in the container. Compare the price per serving with other brands of the same item. If you do this often, you can save yourself a lot of money.
Also the label should tell you the info on the food. How much fat, vitamins, minerals, cabs and so forth that is in the food. That is important if you are on a diet. You need to know what you are putting in your body. If at any time you feel that you don't have enough info on the product, you can always check to see if they have a web site. If they do, there might be some info on it. If they don't, check to see if there is a number that you can call. If there is a number, chances are there will be someone there who can answer your question.
Though they do label how much fat, they don't tell you what kind of fat is in it. This can cause some problems if you are on a strict diet. Like I said before, you can try giving them a call for the info that you are looking for.
Of course some foods won't have labels. Like foods found at the farmers market or stuff that is sold at a bake sale. You can always ask the person at the bake sale what they put in the food item. If they say it is a secret recipe, tell them it is a secret where your wallet is and walk away from them. There is no reason why they at least can't tell you what is in the things. The farmers market really isn't that big of a worry. I mean, you know what is in an onion.
You might ask what type of chemicals they use on their farm. They should have no problems telling you this.
To summarize about food labels. Don't believe the hype. The front of the label is where they try to sell the product to you. Instead, pay close attention the portion of the label that gives you the nutrition information.
You can only use these articles with MensNiche.com products or legal action will be taken
It might be hard for some people to believe, but snacking is actually good for us. Doctors tend to recommend that we snack during the day. Snacking gives us that boost of energy that we need. The problem is, most people snack with the wrong types of food. They will snack with potato chips or with candy. While that is okay from time to time, I wouldn't make a big habit out of it. I would like to think that the best approach to the bad things is this. Eat them one day of the week. Have the chips on Saturday while you are watching the game. You will enjoy them more during the game than you would at your desk. So, what should you eat for a snack? Don't run to the burger joints or to the vending machine at work. Neither of those places have what you are looking for. First I would suggest that you take a look at what your over all diet is. More importantly, how much coffee you are drinking. If you are drinking too much coffee, I would
suggest that you cut back and start to eat more fruit.
I would never suggest to you that you eat the energy bars that they sell in the health food store. I think if you are snacking during work or at home, you don't need such a thing. Maybe if you are hitting the gym, but if you are hitting the keyboard at work, there is no need for them. All you are doing is wasting your money. This is what I do. I cut up a variety of veggies and put them in plastic sandwich bags. I might cut up celery, bell pepper, carrots, and so forth.
Anything that you will eat is okay to put in your snack pouches. That is what I call them, my snack pouches. I also keep a salt shaker in my desk. I find that I am more likely to eat the veggies if I put a little salt on them. Try it, you will be amazed at how good they taste.
I try to keep some whole fruit on hand. What I mean by whole fruit is... Things such as peaches and apples. I don't keep any canned fruit at work. Sometimes I will get those fruit cups and put those in my desk. If you do that, make sure that you get the ones without the sugar added. By nature I am a tight wad. So I don't buy the fruit cups very often. I find that I can make the same thing for much less money. What I will do is make my own fruit cocktail.
Here is how I do it.
I take a few peaches and slice them. I take a handful of grapes and put them in.
I don't chop them up, but I do wash them. Then I cut up a few pears and throw them in. Then I peal and slice some banana. I might throw in some kiwi or some apples. You can add whatever you like. I didn't give exact measurements because you should put how ever much in as you like. Don't like bananas? Don't put any in yours!
If you have ever eaten the stuff in the stores, you know that there is a little fluid in the can. Some times this is heavy syrup. Basically that is water and sugar. I am sure we all have seen this before. I find that when I eat my own fruit cocktail I miss that liquid. What I do instead is, I add some orange juice to my fruit cocktail. This gives me the wetness that I crave without having to add a bunch of calories by adding sugar. Try it, you will be amazed.
Yogurt can also be a great snack to get you through the day. Try to get the low fat variety. Make sure not to get the ones with the fruit on the bottom.
Sometimes they add sugar and that is calories you don't need. Get plain yogurt or get the vanilla kind. You can throw in what ever fruit that you like. I like strawberries in mine. I would suggest that you think about getting a food dehydrator. You can use these for all kinds of things. The nice thing is, you can dry fruit in them. I love to take a bunch of dried fruit and throw it into my desk. It won't spoil for a long time. Your coworkers will make sure that it isn't around long enough to spoil. They will keep asking you for some every time they see you.
Another little treat that I like to do is bring some whole wheat crackers along with me. Make sure you get the ones that aren't loaded with fat. Some of the snack crackers are. I drink a little orange juice with my whole wheat crackers.
That is one of my favorite snacks.
Snacking is a bad thing. I recommend that all of you snack. Make sure though, that when you snack, you are eating healthy. You will notice the difference in no time.
suggest that you cut back and start to eat more fruit.
I would never suggest to you that you eat the energy bars that they sell in the health food store. I think if you are snacking during work or at home, you don't need such a thing. Maybe if you are hitting the gym, but if you are hitting the keyboard at work, there is no need for them. All you are doing is wasting your money. This is what I do. I cut up a variety of veggies and put them in plastic sandwich bags. I might cut up celery, bell pepper, carrots, and so forth.
Anything that you will eat is okay to put in your snack pouches. That is what I call them, my snack pouches. I also keep a salt shaker in my desk. I find that I am more likely to eat the veggies if I put a little salt on them. Try it, you will be amazed at how good they taste.
I try to keep some whole fruit on hand. What I mean by whole fruit is... Things such as peaches and apples. I don't keep any canned fruit at work. Sometimes I will get those fruit cups and put those in my desk. If you do that, make sure that you get the ones without the sugar added. By nature I am a tight wad. So I don't buy the fruit cups very often. I find that I can make the same thing for much less money. What I will do is make my own fruit cocktail.
Here is how I do it.
I take a few peaches and slice them. I take a handful of grapes and put them in.
I don't chop them up, but I do wash them. Then I cut up a few pears and throw them in. Then I peal and slice some banana. I might throw in some kiwi or some apples. You can add whatever you like. I didn't give exact measurements because you should put how ever much in as you like. Don't like bananas? Don't put any in yours!
If you have ever eaten the stuff in the stores, you know that there is a little fluid in the can. Some times this is heavy syrup. Basically that is water and sugar. I am sure we all have seen this before. I find that when I eat my own fruit cocktail I miss that liquid. What I do instead is, I add some orange juice to my fruit cocktail. This gives me the wetness that I crave without having to add a bunch of calories by adding sugar. Try it, you will be amazed.
Yogurt can also be a great snack to get you through the day. Try to get the low fat variety. Make sure not to get the ones with the fruit on the bottom.
Sometimes they add sugar and that is calories you don't need. Get plain yogurt or get the vanilla kind. You can throw in what ever fruit that you like. I like strawberries in mine. I would suggest that you think about getting a food dehydrator. You can use these for all kinds of things. The nice thing is, you can dry fruit in them. I love to take a bunch of dried fruit and throw it into my desk. It won't spoil for a long time. Your coworkers will make sure that it isn't around long enough to spoil. They will keep asking you for some every time they see you.
Another little treat that I like to do is bring some whole wheat crackers along with me. Make sure you get the ones that aren't loaded with fat. Some of the snack crackers are. I drink a little orange juice with my whole wheat crackers.
That is one of my favorite snacks.
Snacking is a bad thing. I recommend that all of you snack. Make sure though, that when you snack, you are eating healthy. You will notice the difference in no time.
When it comes to myths, food and sex are the ones that have the most. I think this is because these are two things that we have to do in life. We have to have sex or we don't reproduce. We have to eat or we will die. There isn't much choice when it comes to food. Here we will discuss more of the food myths.
Bookmark this article, because you are bound to learn something new. Our food supply isn't as safe as it used to be. All you need to do is pick up a newspaper and see that for yourself. It seems that somewhere there is always someone getting sick from ecoli or some other food born illness. Are preservatives bad
for you? No, they aren't. If anything they are what keeps you from getting sick. If it weren't for these, many more people would get sick and die from the food they eat.
Bookmark this article, because you are bound to learn something new. Our food supply isn't as safe as it used to be. All you need to do is pick up a newspaper and see that for yourself. It seems that somewhere there is always someone getting sick from ecoli or some other food born illness. Are preservatives bad
for you? No, they aren't. If anything they are what keeps you from getting sick. If it weren't for these, many more people would get sick and die from the food they eat.
Can coffee cure a hang over?
No it can't. Caffeine can't cure a hang over. You get hung over because you are lacking water. The alcohol took a big chunk of the water from your system. Caffeine actually makes you urinate. So really it has the opposite effect.
Is it okay to eat fast?
The less that you chew your food, that means the more your stomach will have to work to digest your food. You have teeth with many different uses. Some are for cutting and some are for grinding. You should make the most out of them. This is why it is important that you take good care of your teeth.
Do beans cause gas?
Yes they do. They are high in fiber. A lot of things that are high in fiber actually cause gas. Also, things like corn and peppers also cause gas. Soaking beans before you cook them can take away some of the gas, but it won't take all of it.
Do carrots improve your eye sight?
No, they don't. Do however, make your eyes healthy. That may sound like it contradicts its self, but it doesn't. They don't improve your eyesight, but they do help you maintain your current ability to see.
Can swallowing gum cause stomach problems?
It can cause gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. If you are chewing gum that has sorbitol, that could be causing problems too. Oddly enough, this is also found in semen.
Do cherries relieve pain?
The answer is yes. People who eat at least 20 tart cherries a day have a reduction in pain from arthritis.
Does parsley take away bad breath?
Yes it does. So does other green leafy veggies that contain chlorophyll.
Does an apple a day keep the doctor away?
Yes it does. There are many good things about apples. They help reduce the risk of cancer. They also help lower cholesterol.
Who says that old sayings aren't true?
As will all things, take myths with a grain of salt. If you are curious about a myth, do some research on it. You will be surprised at how much information you will learn.
As will all things, take myths with a grain of salt. If you are curious about a myth, do some research on it. You will be surprised at how much information you will learn.
I don't know why we continue to spread myths, but I figure it has to do with lack of education. Myths still exist about diet. I have heard that in some parts of the world that certain meats have myths about them. For example people don't eat cats in Thailand because they think they contain poison. I'm not sure if I
would eat a cat, I haven't so far in my life. But, if I was hungry enough I probably would. To what extent do we allow ourselves to get caught up in things that aren't true? Well, for thousands of years we have done it day in and day out. Sometimes myths are based upon real facts that keep us healthy. If we can't explain why people get sick eating a certain thing, then a myth is a great way to prevent it. In this day and age of science there is no need for that. Unless you are in a third world country, they can figure out why you got sick from
something.
Let's talk about some of these myths. I think that some of them are funny. Eggs are bad for you. This is one that always gets under my skin. Sure they are bad for you if you eat a dozen per day. But if you eat them like you should, they are actually good for you. Eggs have been given a bad name for too long. I think we should all go out and have a three egg omlet today. I'll take mine with cheese please. Greasy snacks cause pimples. This has been said about chocolate as well. This is farthest from the truth. Pimples are caused by clogged pores not by what we eat. If you are rubbing the chips all over your face, you might have an argument there. But, I don't think that is the case.
A glass of wine a day will keep the doctor away. This is true to an extent. They have done research on people around the world. People who drink wine are healthier. Of course, some of that is based on diet as well. I mean, if you are eating a whole pig every day, no amount of wine is going to help you.
What is healthier butter or margarine? Some people will disagree with me here, but I think butter is. Butter is a fat that hasn't been over processed. I like to think that all of these processed foods that we are eating is actually bad for us. I don't see the reason why butter is any worse for you. Infact, they are almost the same in regards to fat content and calories. I'm not saying that you should consume large amounts of butter. I would say the same is true with margarine. The key thing to do is, use it in moderation.
Are frozen foods less good for you than fresh? By no means. Sure they might loose a little of their crunch in the freezing process. The important thing to do is make sure that you aren't eating veggies that have other things added to them. This happens all the time, they will add cheese or other stuff to them. A lot of times they will cost less than the fresh items. If you are on a budget, I would suggest that you compare the prices of frozen veggies to fresh ones. You might actually get to save some money.
Can Mountain Dew make a man impotent? Well, this one is laughable. But it is said that the food dye can cause problems in men. The USDA has said that this isn't true. I'm not sure what to believe really. I want to think that this isn't true. I don't have to worry because I don't drink the stuff. Does vitamin C cure a cold? No. We are made to believe that it does, but in fact it doesn't. There is no proof that it does.
Do carbs make you gain weight? Yes they do. They will put on the pounds just like any other food will. If not more so. The key thing is moderation. Don't eat a loaf of bread with your breakfast. Celery takes more calories to digest than is in the product. That is false. There is no food like this on earth. There are more calories in celery than you will burn by eating it. That is one of the biggest myths out there.
As always, there is a little truth to the myths, but not much. Sometimes we will see things that we know are wrong, but they do have a point to them. Sometimes the point is just to make you think.
Mini meals are a great way to loose weight. When we think of eating several smaller meals instead of the normal three, we automatically think that it will make us gain weight. Hold onto your hat, because you are about to learn something new. It is suggested that if you are trying to loose weight that you should eat six mini meals per day. Why is this? Well, it is quite simple. When we go on a diet, we tend to think we are depriving ourselves of something. We tend to think that we will be hungry and nervous all day long. This doesn't have to be the case. Let me tell you how. If you eat six meals per day, you will end up feeling more full. The reason why this works is, you are tricking your stomach. You are making it feel like there is always something being added. This is, because it is true.
How do you achieve these mini meals? At first glance, a mini meal seems like something that would tempt you to eat things that are bad for you. You need to avoid these urges as much as possible. When you are eating this many meals, the urges will be great. You will think that you can sneak in things because you are
eating so often.
What to do? First I would suggest that you buy some containers that you can put in your ice box. You know those plastic things that you normally would store food in. Why do you need to get these? These are a great way of making many small meals. All you have to do is put the amounts you want for a certain meal in them and keep them in the ice box. Everything is ready to go, all you need is a fork. How exactly should you do this? Well, you might find this to be very strange, but just listen to me. You don't have to have a huge budget or be a top notch chef.
What I would do is this. You should eat each meal twice per day. Have two breakfasts. Have two lunches. This is where it can get interesting. Eat different things for each meal. Did you have eggs for your first breakfast? Eat cereal for the second one. You must keep in mind that the amount of food you would eat for a normal meal is now cut in half.
Sandwiches are a great way to achieve this for lunch. You can eat half of a sandwich for your first lunch and the other half with your other lunch. You can also mix and match the sandwiches. Do you make your lunch the night before? Make two lunches the night before. Split the two sandwiches into four different
lunches. This way you will have two different sandwich halves each day. I love
doing this.
Does this mean that you also eat twice as many snacks? You need to get the idea out of your head that you are actually eating twice the amount of food. You really aren't. All you are doing is eating more often. You are doing that to avoid the hungry feeling that you tend to get when you diet. With that said, you eat your snacks the way you normally would. There is no need to cut them out of your diet. After all, you are eating the same amount of calories as you would if you were eating three meals per day.
The reason why this diet is so successful, is because you aren't going to jump for things you shouldn't eat. If you are having a hard time with your diet, you probably notice your new found love of carbs. They give you a shot of energy that you are craving. By eating six meals per day, you don't have that hungry feeling that you normally would have between meals. That is the reason why you aren't reaching for the carbs. As always, before starting a new diet contact your doctor. Tell him exactly what you plan on doing. You need to do this incase you have any health problems that maybe affected by this new diet change. It sounds crazy, but sometimes things will happen when you change diets.
All in all, this is just another approach to loosing weight. That is how you should look at it. If you see it as something that is anything more than that, you might put too much pressure on yourself.
How do you achieve these mini meals? At first glance, a mini meal seems like something that would tempt you to eat things that are bad for you. You need to avoid these urges as much as possible. When you are eating this many meals, the urges will be great. You will think that you can sneak in things because you are
eating so often.
What to do? First I would suggest that you buy some containers that you can put in your ice box. You know those plastic things that you normally would store food in. Why do you need to get these? These are a great way of making many small meals. All you have to do is put the amounts you want for a certain meal in them and keep them in the ice box. Everything is ready to go, all you need is a fork. How exactly should you do this? Well, you might find this to be very strange, but just listen to me. You don't have to have a huge budget or be a top notch chef.
What I would do is this. You should eat each meal twice per day. Have two breakfasts. Have two lunches. This is where it can get interesting. Eat different things for each meal. Did you have eggs for your first breakfast? Eat cereal for the second one. You must keep in mind that the amount of food you would eat for a normal meal is now cut in half.
Sandwiches are a great way to achieve this for lunch. You can eat half of a sandwich for your first lunch and the other half with your other lunch. You can also mix and match the sandwiches. Do you make your lunch the night before? Make two lunches the night before. Split the two sandwiches into four different
lunches. This way you will have two different sandwich halves each day. I love
doing this.
Does this mean that you also eat twice as many snacks? You need to get the idea out of your head that you are actually eating twice the amount of food. You really aren't. All you are doing is eating more often. You are doing that to avoid the hungry feeling that you tend to get when you diet. With that said, you eat your snacks the way you normally would. There is no need to cut them out of your diet. After all, you are eating the same amount of calories as you would if you were eating three meals per day.
The reason why this diet is so successful, is because you aren't going to jump for things you shouldn't eat. If you are having a hard time with your diet, you probably notice your new found love of carbs. They give you a shot of energy that you are craving. By eating six meals per day, you don't have that hungry feeling that you normally would have between meals. That is the reason why you aren't reaching for the carbs. As always, before starting a new diet contact your doctor. Tell him exactly what you plan on doing. You need to do this incase you have any health problems that maybe affected by this new diet change. It sounds crazy, but sometimes things will happen when you change diets.
All in all, this is just another approach to loosing weight. That is how you should look at it. If you see it as something that is anything more than that, you might put too much pressure on yourself.
If you are like me, you have enjoyed milkshakes since you were a kid. When I think of milkshakes, I think of summer time. Drinking something cool and refreshing to cool off on a hot day. As you know, protein is an important part of the diet. I like to make milkshakes that are not only refreshing, but good for me as well. These are easy to make and are a great way of not only getting the things your body needs, but a great snack. Here we will talk about a few of my favorite recipes. Take notes, I'm sure these will soon be your favorites as well. First off you will need a blender. You really can't make any of these without one. You can get one cheap and you will use it again and again. If you are serious about your health, I would suggest you get one right away. None of these are meant to replace your diet. You shouldn't start to drink these in place of meals. Not only will you end up feeling awful, you will end up with the shits. Yes, that is what happens if you eat these all the time.
I'm not going to go into exact measurements. I can't tell what you like and what you don't like. Do you love bananas? If so, just add some more. You don't need my permission. Take a few cups of milk. You can use skim if you like. I prefer whole milk, but that is what I grew up on. Put one banana, I scoop of protein powder, a drop or two of vanilla and some ice cream. You can use low fat ice cream. Blend this and enjoy.
I like the taste of the banana and the added punch of vanilla will be great. Don't add too much vanilla, that will make it taste awful. Here is another one of my favorites. If you are looking to add mass muscle, you
will love this one. Take some skim milk. Add a handful of strawberries and a banana. Add some protein powder. Now, add about four or five egg whites. Depending on how much weight you want to put on, add egg whites accordingly. I also add some ice cream, I don't add as much as I would for the first one. If I am trying to add mass muscle, I add more fruit than ice cream. I know that some people have different opinions about this, but this is how I like it.
I'm only going to tell you this once. So, make sure that you pay close attention. You are about to eat raw eggs. Yes, you can get sick eating raw eggs. But, if you handle them properly, you won't have to worry. Don't let the eggs sit out in the open for too long. Don't put them in front of the window and take a nap. You want to crack the eggs and drink your shake as soon as possible. If you keep the eggs cold and drink it right away, there isn't much of a chance of getting sick. Anything with raw eggs need to be kept cold!
Here is another one that is fairly easy.
I take one apple and dice it up before I put it in the blender. You don't have to chop it into mush, but just enough to make the job easier on the blender. Let the blender do most of the work. Put in a cup of blueberries. This might sound a little weird, but I also put a carrot in it. I do this to add some carbs to the
shake. I also add some skim milk.
This is might sound like the weird part, but hear me though. I don't add any ice cream to this one. What I do is, I put some ice cubes in it instead of ice cream. This won't make the shake as creamy, but it will still make it drinkable.
You can do this to avoid extra calories. I do this from time to time depending on how my diet is. There are also other things that you can add to your shakes that will make them taste better. Keep in mind that you can change any of these to suit your needs. We all feel like something different from time to time, don't worry about changing things slightly.
You can use any fruit that you like. There really isn't much of a problem with that. All fruit is good for you. I would suggest that you get what ever is in season. I would check to see if your area has a local farmers market. This is a place where you buy fruit and veggies straight from the farmer. You can't get much fresher than that. Also, you get to support farmers in your community and you get to know some of them. Have a favorite fruit? Find out which farmer grows the type you prefer. If you get to know them, over the years you might be able to get a discount or get a heads up when they are picked.
You can use veggies in your shakes. If you have a juicer, I would suggest that you juice them and add the juice. You can substitute some of the milk for the juice. You shouldn't juice something like garlic or onions, but celery and carrots are two good choices. There are a lot of veggies that are great in nutrition, that will go well with your shakes.
You can add things such as, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, honey, caffeine and so forth. You need to keep in mind if you are adding something sweet such as honey, that will be added calories. You might not want to do that depending on your workout plans. Stimulants are something that you should be careful with. You can
use them, but use caution. I would suggest that you ask your doctor before using any of these.
I'm not going to go into exact measurements. I can't tell what you like and what you don't like. Do you love bananas? If so, just add some more. You don't need my permission. Take a few cups of milk. You can use skim if you like. I prefer whole milk, but that is what I grew up on. Put one banana, I scoop of protein powder, a drop or two of vanilla and some ice cream. You can use low fat ice cream. Blend this and enjoy.
I like the taste of the banana and the added punch of vanilla will be great. Don't add too much vanilla, that will make it taste awful. Here is another one of my favorites. If you are looking to add mass muscle, you
will love this one. Take some skim milk. Add a handful of strawberries and a banana. Add some protein powder. Now, add about four or five egg whites. Depending on how much weight you want to put on, add egg whites accordingly. I also add some ice cream, I don't add as much as I would for the first one. If I am trying to add mass muscle, I add more fruit than ice cream. I know that some people have different opinions about this, but this is how I like it.
I'm only going to tell you this once. So, make sure that you pay close attention. You are about to eat raw eggs. Yes, you can get sick eating raw eggs. But, if you handle them properly, you won't have to worry. Don't let the eggs sit out in the open for too long. Don't put them in front of the window and take a nap. You want to crack the eggs and drink your shake as soon as possible. If you keep the eggs cold and drink it right away, there isn't much of a chance of getting sick. Anything with raw eggs need to be kept cold!
Here is another one that is fairly easy.
I take one apple and dice it up before I put it in the blender. You don't have to chop it into mush, but just enough to make the job easier on the blender. Let the blender do most of the work. Put in a cup of blueberries. This might sound a little weird, but I also put a carrot in it. I do this to add some carbs to the
shake. I also add some skim milk.
This is might sound like the weird part, but hear me though. I don't add any ice cream to this one. What I do is, I put some ice cubes in it instead of ice cream. This won't make the shake as creamy, but it will still make it drinkable.
You can do this to avoid extra calories. I do this from time to time depending on how my diet is. There are also other things that you can add to your shakes that will make them taste better. Keep in mind that you can change any of these to suit your needs. We all feel like something different from time to time, don't worry about changing things slightly.
You can use any fruit that you like. There really isn't much of a problem with that. All fruit is good for you. I would suggest that you get what ever is in season. I would check to see if your area has a local farmers market. This is a place where you buy fruit and veggies straight from the farmer. You can't get much fresher than that. Also, you get to support farmers in your community and you get to know some of them. Have a favorite fruit? Find out which farmer grows the type you prefer. If you get to know them, over the years you might be able to get a discount or get a heads up when they are picked.
You can use veggies in your shakes. If you have a juicer, I would suggest that you juice them and add the juice. You can substitute some of the milk for the juice. You shouldn't juice something like garlic or onions, but celery and carrots are two good choices. There are a lot of veggies that are great in nutrition, that will go well with your shakes.
You can add things such as, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, honey, caffeine and so forth. You need to keep in mind if you are adding something sweet such as honey, that will be added calories. You might not want to do that depending on your workout plans. Stimulants are something that you should be careful with. You can
use them, but use caution. I would suggest that you ask your doctor before using any of these.
No matter if it is while we are watching television or a quick bite to and from picking the kids up at school, we all love snacks. We can't get away from that fact. So why fight it? Our whole life we have been told that snacking is bad for us. It will ruin our apatite, it will make us fat, it will break us out in pimples. Some of it is true, while on the other hand, it is nothing more than fiction. Snacking performs a very important role in our lives. Some times we snack because we are bored. We eat because we are bored. That 600 pound man
didn't get that way because he was eating three square meals a day. He got that way because he was eating too much food. Our bodies tell us when we are hungry.
That doesn't mean that it that all the time we are hungry we need food. But, if you have a good diet it does. There is no reason to cut out snacking all together. Snacking is also a great way to avoid things that we do as a pick me up some days. For example, we can eat a piece of fruit instead of going for that cola to get a jolt of energy.
The key thing to do is, to know what to eat and what not to eat. Here we will give you some snacking ideas that will help you choose what is right. It doesn't require a genius to figure it out, but you might be surprised at some of the suggestions. This might sound a bit strange, but I would suggest to you that you get a food dehydrator. You can get one for next to nothing and they are easy to use. I know that learning how to use something new isn't always as easy as it sounds, but believe me, these things are a snap to use.
You can dry all kinds of things in your dehydrator. The key thing to remember is to cut things thin. The thinner the item is cut, the faster they will dry. Fruits are a great thing to dry. You can dry what ever is one sale at the super market that you can find. You can also dry canned items. I would suggest that you start out with a few easy things. Start out with strawberries. They are about as easy as you can get.
Not only are strawberries easy, but when they are dried, they carry a punch of sweetness that only sugar can match. The great thing is, these are sweet, but they don't have the calories of candy. You can also dry veggies as well. Are you like me, do you love the instant soup mixes they sell at the store? Well, I love them but hate all the added salt. If you dry your own veggies, you can make your own soup. What I love is, I can control how much salt I add.
Here is something that I love to do as a snack. I take a handful of banana chips, strawberry chips, and about two apple chips. I take them and put them in some low fat yogurt. That makes for a snack that is good for you and something that I love eating. It doesn't get any better than that. You can snack on the dried food just plain. Grab some fruit chips instead of potato chips or candy.
You really can't go wrong with dried fruits. They will last a very long time if you keep them in a baggie as well. You can also make fish jerky, turkey jerky and beef jerky. I love making jerky because it saves me so much money. I don't have to pay over ten dollars a pound for jerky. I can use what ever cut of meat that is on sale at the store. You can always go with the same boring veggie platter for a snack. I do love my veggies, but this can get a bit boring at times. That is why I love the dried fruits and veggies.
A great veggie plate can be made up of any type of veggies. I would suggest that you make yours out of what ever is in season. That will produce the best veggie plate that you can. Also try putting a little oil and vinegar dressing on them.
Don't use too much, but just enough to taste. Sprinkle salt to taste and also put some pepper or some pepper flakes on them. I love using pepper flakes because it gives the veggies a zing. You can also squeeze half a lemon over them for zing if you like.
You need to make sure that you aren't eating a healthy diet and snacking on foods that aren't good for you. I know tons of people who have a very good diet, but their problem is that they eat all kinds of junk when they snack. This doesn't serve any purpose at all. I'm sure you know people like this as well.
Actually, I feel like yelling at them and calling them a moron. If you must have some carbs, don't do anything stupid. Don't go running for the potato chips. Instead, eat some sliced potatoes and add some seasoning to them.
I like to use Cajun seasoning myself. I think that adds the kick that they are lacking since there isn't any fat.
Another great snack idea is the small fruit cups that they sell in the stores. Don't get the ones that are in heavy syrup. Heavy syrup is a nice way of saying loaded with sugar. Also some of the pudding cups aren't too bad either. They also have yogurt cups these days too. They are good, especially if you get the ones with the fruit on the bottom. There you have it. The next time you feel guilty because you ate the wrong snack food, come back and read this article again. This will help you curve those hunger cravings and allow you to snack without the guilt.
didn't get that way because he was eating three square meals a day. He got that way because he was eating too much food. Our bodies tell us when we are hungry.
That doesn't mean that it that all the time we are hungry we need food. But, if you have a good diet it does. There is no reason to cut out snacking all together. Snacking is also a great way to avoid things that we do as a pick me up some days. For example, we can eat a piece of fruit instead of going for that cola to get a jolt of energy.
The key thing to do is, to know what to eat and what not to eat. Here we will give you some snacking ideas that will help you choose what is right. It doesn't require a genius to figure it out, but you might be surprised at some of the suggestions. This might sound a bit strange, but I would suggest to you that you get a food dehydrator. You can get one for next to nothing and they are easy to use. I know that learning how to use something new isn't always as easy as it sounds, but believe me, these things are a snap to use.
You can dry all kinds of things in your dehydrator. The key thing to remember is to cut things thin. The thinner the item is cut, the faster they will dry. Fruits are a great thing to dry. You can dry what ever is one sale at the super market that you can find. You can also dry canned items. I would suggest that you start out with a few easy things. Start out with strawberries. They are about as easy as you can get.
Not only are strawberries easy, but when they are dried, they carry a punch of sweetness that only sugar can match. The great thing is, these are sweet, but they don't have the calories of candy. You can also dry veggies as well. Are you like me, do you love the instant soup mixes they sell at the store? Well, I love them but hate all the added salt. If you dry your own veggies, you can make your own soup. What I love is, I can control how much salt I add.
Here is something that I love to do as a snack. I take a handful of banana chips, strawberry chips, and about two apple chips. I take them and put them in some low fat yogurt. That makes for a snack that is good for you and something that I love eating. It doesn't get any better than that. You can snack on the dried food just plain. Grab some fruit chips instead of potato chips or candy.
You really can't go wrong with dried fruits. They will last a very long time if you keep them in a baggie as well. You can also make fish jerky, turkey jerky and beef jerky. I love making jerky because it saves me so much money. I don't have to pay over ten dollars a pound for jerky. I can use what ever cut of meat that is on sale at the store. You can always go with the same boring veggie platter for a snack. I do love my veggies, but this can get a bit boring at times. That is why I love the dried fruits and veggies.
A great veggie plate can be made up of any type of veggies. I would suggest that you make yours out of what ever is in season. That will produce the best veggie plate that you can. Also try putting a little oil and vinegar dressing on them.
Don't use too much, but just enough to taste. Sprinkle salt to taste and also put some pepper or some pepper flakes on them. I love using pepper flakes because it gives the veggies a zing. You can also squeeze half a lemon over them for zing if you like.
You need to make sure that you aren't eating a healthy diet and snacking on foods that aren't good for you. I know tons of people who have a very good diet, but their problem is that they eat all kinds of junk when they snack. This doesn't serve any purpose at all. I'm sure you know people like this as well.
Actually, I feel like yelling at them and calling them a moron. If you must have some carbs, don't do anything stupid. Don't go running for the potato chips. Instead, eat some sliced potatoes and add some seasoning to them.
I like to use Cajun seasoning myself. I think that adds the kick that they are lacking since there isn't any fat.
Another great snack idea is the small fruit cups that they sell in the stores. Don't get the ones that are in heavy syrup. Heavy syrup is a nice way of saying loaded with sugar. Also some of the pudding cups aren't too bad either. They also have yogurt cups these days too. They are good, especially if you get the ones with the fruit on the bottom. There you have it. The next time you feel guilty because you ate the wrong snack food, come back and read this article again. This will help you curve those hunger cravings and allow you to snack without the guilt.
We all know that what we eat can help us prevent certain illnesses. We see on television all the time about people who are ill because of their diet. Well, maybe we should say lack of a diet. These people tend to be at risk of disease because they don't have the right things to eat. When people think of health and prevention, I think some of them think about pills and their doctor. To some people, they think these are the only tools they have. That isn't true. In fact, there are more important tools for you to use.Our diet is important not just for our appearance. A good diet will decrease your chance of getting cancer and other diseases. I know that it is hard to believe that just what we eat can play such a big role, but it does.
Think of it like this. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. That is true. Your body needs many things to survive. Over the long term you realize that diet is more important than ever before. I probably just like you have known many people who have had cancer. Also, we see on television all the time famous people getting cancer. A lot of these people don't smoke. They don't do drugs, rarely drink alcohol.
Why are they getting cancer? I'm sure some of it has to do with genetics and some of it has to do with pollution. While up to 1/3 of it, is due to diet.
That's right, they get cancer because what they eat. Perhaps it could be said better by saying, what they don't eat. Let's talk about some of the foods you should eat to prevent cancer and other illness. This is an important article, so I would bookmark it and come back when you have any questions.
Apples. It was once said, an apple a day will keep the doctor away. This is true. These are loaded with vitamins A and C. They also help lower cholesterol and they lower your chance of getting cancer.
Broccoli. Just because a former president didn't eat his, doesn't mean you should avoid yours. Actually, this is one of my favorite veggies. One serving has 97% of your vitamin C for the day. Also, it is a good source of calcium.
Oranges. Not only do these babies taste good, but they are good for you as well. They do help in preventing colds and flues. They also help prevent many forms of cancer. They are one of my favorite fruits.
Onions. Half an onion a day will lower your cholesterol. Also, if you ever notice how you tear up when you cut an onion. They are good for people with asthma or other breathing problems. They open up the head so to speak. Also they fight cancer such as stomach cancer. You might not know it, but onions were once believed to be sent from god. They were believed to make people live longer and healthier. One thing you might not know is, onions reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Maybe there is some truth to all of that god stuff after all.
Carrots. Carrots have beta carotene which has been known for a long time to fight cancer. Remember when you were a kid and were told to eat your carrots or you will go blind? Well, that isn't true, but they are good for the eyes.
Salmon. Out of all the fatty fish, this one is best for you. It contains omega-3 fat, which is very good for your heart. People who eat salmon at least once per week are said to have a 50% lower chance of heart attack.
Beans. You know these little devils. I used to eat them the night before going to school so I could fart all day long. Not only are these good for prostate cancer, but they also are a good source of fiber.
Seaweed. No, I don't mean a joint that you smoke while at sea. I mean the stuff that comes from the ocean. This is loaded with iodine and other things. It has calcium, magnesium, and iron. This is very good for fighting cancer.
Lemons. All you have to do is go to the supermarket and see how many lemon flavored cold remedies there are to see the potential of this citrus fruit. Lemons are a great way to prevent a cold, the punch of vitamin C will keep you healthy. It is also good for sore throats.
Garlic. What doesn't this stuff do? Well, while it might not be a cure all like once believed. It does prevent almost everything under the sun. From heart disease to cancer, this is great stuff. I suggest that you study up on garlic so that you understand all of the good things it does. It would take an article the length of a book to go into great detail.
There you have it. Though I'm sure you are some what surprised, I'm sure that you will be able to absorb all the info in this article. If you can't, just bookmark it and read where you left off.
Think of it like this. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. That is true. Your body needs many things to survive. Over the long term you realize that diet is more important than ever before. I probably just like you have known many people who have had cancer. Also, we see on television all the time famous people getting cancer. A lot of these people don't smoke. They don't do drugs, rarely drink alcohol.
Why are they getting cancer? I'm sure some of it has to do with genetics and some of it has to do with pollution. While up to 1/3 of it, is due to diet.
That's right, they get cancer because what they eat. Perhaps it could be said better by saying, what they don't eat. Let's talk about some of the foods you should eat to prevent cancer and other illness. This is an important article, so I would bookmark it and come back when you have any questions.
Apples. It was once said, an apple a day will keep the doctor away. This is true. These are loaded with vitamins A and C. They also help lower cholesterol and they lower your chance of getting cancer.
Broccoli. Just because a former president didn't eat his, doesn't mean you should avoid yours. Actually, this is one of my favorite veggies. One serving has 97% of your vitamin C for the day. Also, it is a good source of calcium.
Oranges. Not only do these babies taste good, but they are good for you as well. They do help in preventing colds and flues. They also help prevent many forms of cancer. They are one of my favorite fruits.
Onions. Half an onion a day will lower your cholesterol. Also, if you ever notice how you tear up when you cut an onion. They are good for people with asthma or other breathing problems. They open up the head so to speak. Also they fight cancer such as stomach cancer. You might not know it, but onions were once believed to be sent from god. They were believed to make people live longer and healthier. One thing you might not know is, onions reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Maybe there is some truth to all of that god stuff after all.
Carrots. Carrots have beta carotene which has been known for a long time to fight cancer. Remember when you were a kid and were told to eat your carrots or you will go blind? Well, that isn't true, but they are good for the eyes.
Salmon. Out of all the fatty fish, this one is best for you. It contains omega-3 fat, which is very good for your heart. People who eat salmon at least once per week are said to have a 50% lower chance of heart attack.
Beans. You know these little devils. I used to eat them the night before going to school so I could fart all day long. Not only are these good for prostate cancer, but they also are a good source of fiber.
Seaweed. No, I don't mean a joint that you smoke while at sea. I mean the stuff that comes from the ocean. This is loaded with iodine and other things. It has calcium, magnesium, and iron. This is very good for fighting cancer.
Lemons. All you have to do is go to the supermarket and see how many lemon flavored cold remedies there are to see the potential of this citrus fruit. Lemons are a great way to prevent a cold, the punch of vitamin C will keep you healthy. It is also good for sore throats.
Garlic. What doesn't this stuff do? Well, while it might not be a cure all like once believed. It does prevent almost everything under the sun. From heart disease to cancer, this is great stuff. I suggest that you study up on garlic so that you understand all of the good things it does. It would take an article the length of a book to go into great detail.
There you have it. Though I'm sure you are some what surprised, I'm sure that you will be able to absorb all the info in this article. If you can't, just bookmark it and read where you left off.
We have heard it once we have heard it a thousand time. 'Eat your veggies'. Most of us heard this more than anything during our childhood. All you could think of as a child was when you get older you will never eat another one again. Who needs those things anyway? I hate to break the news to you, but fruits and veggies are a very important part of our diets. You can't live without them. Oh you can, but you will either gain weight or feel like shit in the long run. Go a week without eating any, you will see what I mean. I guess the problem is, we tend to over cook veggies. We cook them to the point that they are either mush or they don't have the taste they once had. This is the worst thing that you can do to them. When you over cook a veggie, you rob of it of everything that makes it good for you. This is very foolish and a waste of money. A person should eat 5-10 servings of veggies per day. I know you have had that pounded into your head while you were at school. It sucks to learn they were actually telling the truth doesn't it?
Before you get all bent out of shape, lets talk about how big a serving really is. A medium sized fruit or veggie is one serving. A medium sized apple, carrot or banana is one serving. 5-10 of those doesn't sound too hard does it?
There are easy ways of getting the amount of veggies that you need. One is by preparing them the night before. Before you go to bed, peel and slice anything that you would want to eat the next day. This won't take much time. You might want to invest in a peeler. They don't cost very much. You can buy them at any
shop that sells cookware. Also your grocery store might have one. If you can't find it, ask one of the stock boys. They will know if they carry them. One easy way to consume more fruits and veggies is to cut them up and put them in small sandwich baggies. Cut up a variety of things and store them in the small bags.
You might cut up an apple, some carrots and some celery. Keep these on hand at work. When you have a coffee break, eat these instead of rushing over to the vending machine to get a bag of snack chips. Keep a salt shaker in your desk or in your locker at work. A little salt will bring out the natural flavor of the veggie and make them more appealing. Think of these as snacks to go. You can keep them on hand if you are going to take a long trip.
You can keep them at work, in the ice box for when you get the munchies, or if you want a late night snack. Soups are a great way to get a serving of veggies.
You need to watch though, some of the canned soups will have a lot of salt in them. That is the downfall of buying soups that are already prepared. If you can make your own soup, that is great. Also you will cut out any unneeded fat.
A small salad is also one serving of veggies. When you go out to eat, order a salad. Make sure that you don't load it up with bad salad dressing. Go for a oil and vinegar. If you are at a place that you can put on how much oil and vinegar you want, that is even better. Just put enough oil on your salad to counter act the acidity of the vinegar.
You need to make sure that you are getting as many fresh fruits and veggies as possible. When they are raw, they are the best for your body. Some times during the canning or freezing process, they might cook them slightly. Eat a can of raw green beans straight from the can. Compare that to a raw green bean, you will
see what I mean.
I would suggest to you that you eat as many raw veggies as possible. If you must cook them, blanch them slightly. Just cook them long enough so that they starchy feeling of a raw veggie is gone. Certainly don't cook them until they are limp and colorless. That robs them from anything that is worth eating. You are eating these to be healthy, that is a choice you make. Cooking them to the point that they are worthless might be an easier way to force yourself to eat them, but your efforts are being wasted.
Here are some ways to increase your fruit and veggie consumption. For breakfast put some fruit in with your cereal. This is great, I love doing this. This gives your cereal a sweet zing without adding a bunch of sugar. Also you can drink a glass of juice along with your breakfast. Juice is a great way of 'eating' your fruit. Make sure to get juice with the pulp in it, it is also good fiber. Lunch. Eat salads. Make sure not to load them with bad dressing. Have veggie sticks along with your meal, this will also fill you up. For desert you can have a piece of fruit. This is a better desert than having a ice cream or something you will regret.
For dinner I would suggest that you try vegetarian pizza or meals based around veggies. Why not eat some fish and a plate full of greens and corn? You can mix and match things how ever you like it.
The key thing to understand is, you need to make fruits and veggies fun. If you keep it bland, you won't want to eat them. So, get a cook book or a favorite cooking site and learn how to eat your fruits and veggies. You will notice a big difference in how you feel.
Before you get all bent out of shape, lets talk about how big a serving really is. A medium sized fruit or veggie is one serving. A medium sized apple, carrot or banana is one serving. 5-10 of those doesn't sound too hard does it?
There are easy ways of getting the amount of veggies that you need. One is by preparing them the night before. Before you go to bed, peel and slice anything that you would want to eat the next day. This won't take much time. You might want to invest in a peeler. They don't cost very much. You can buy them at any
shop that sells cookware. Also your grocery store might have one. If you can't find it, ask one of the stock boys. They will know if they carry them. One easy way to consume more fruits and veggies is to cut them up and put them in small sandwich baggies. Cut up a variety of things and store them in the small bags.
You might cut up an apple, some carrots and some celery. Keep these on hand at work. When you have a coffee break, eat these instead of rushing over to the vending machine to get a bag of snack chips. Keep a salt shaker in your desk or in your locker at work. A little salt will bring out the natural flavor of the veggie and make them more appealing. Think of these as snacks to go. You can keep them on hand if you are going to take a long trip.
You can keep them at work, in the ice box for when you get the munchies, or if you want a late night snack. Soups are a great way to get a serving of veggies.
You need to watch though, some of the canned soups will have a lot of salt in them. That is the downfall of buying soups that are already prepared. If you can make your own soup, that is great. Also you will cut out any unneeded fat.
A small salad is also one serving of veggies. When you go out to eat, order a salad. Make sure that you don't load it up with bad salad dressing. Go for a oil and vinegar. If you are at a place that you can put on how much oil and vinegar you want, that is even better. Just put enough oil on your salad to counter act the acidity of the vinegar.
You need to make sure that you are getting as many fresh fruits and veggies as possible. When they are raw, they are the best for your body. Some times during the canning or freezing process, they might cook them slightly. Eat a can of raw green beans straight from the can. Compare that to a raw green bean, you will
see what I mean.
I would suggest to you that you eat as many raw veggies as possible. If you must cook them, blanch them slightly. Just cook them long enough so that they starchy feeling of a raw veggie is gone. Certainly don't cook them until they are limp and colorless. That robs them from anything that is worth eating. You are eating these to be healthy, that is a choice you make. Cooking them to the point that they are worthless might be an easier way to force yourself to eat them, but your efforts are being wasted.
Here are some ways to increase your fruit and veggie consumption. For breakfast put some fruit in with your cereal. This is great, I love doing this. This gives your cereal a sweet zing without adding a bunch of sugar. Also you can drink a glass of juice along with your breakfast. Juice is a great way of 'eating' your fruit. Make sure to get juice with the pulp in it, it is also good fiber. Lunch. Eat salads. Make sure not to load them with bad dressing. Have veggie sticks along with your meal, this will also fill you up. For desert you can have a piece of fruit. This is a better desert than having a ice cream or something you will regret.
For dinner I would suggest that you try vegetarian pizza or meals based around veggies. Why not eat some fish and a plate full of greens and corn? You can mix and match things how ever you like it.
The key thing to understand is, you need to make fruits and veggies fun. If you keep it bland, you won't want to eat them. So, get a cook book or a favorite cooking site and learn how to eat your fruits and veggies. You will notice a big difference in how you feel.
If you live in America, you know that all food must be labeled. The only food that doesn't have to be is, food that is in individual packages inside of a box or container. Even with that, the container that they come in have to be labeled. Do you buy your food according to these labels? That makes you feel smart, like a good consumer. What if I told you that those labels are nothing more than hog shit? Well, you would probably get angry at me. For the most part that is true. Like most things in life, people want to deceive you. Let's be
honest, they want your money. They will do whatever they have to do to get it.
Why not lie? Is the new formula a break through? Chances are it isn't. Chances are it is just a slight diversion from the old one. Why do they tell you it is? Because that will make you buy it. It really is that simple.
Is the product new and improved? Well, the packaging might be. If it is new and improved, wouldn't that make it a whole different product? If not, then listen to this. If the product is new and improved, then what were they selling you before? Were they selling you some shit that was worthless? If they were selling you the best quality item before, how could they make it better?
What does patented formula mean? It means nothing. Nothing that should concern any of us. It just means that whatever is in the stuff, is patented. That shouldn't be too alarming. I mean, do you really think that Coke isn't patented?
What are labels good for? You might be thinking that all of this negative stuff means that they aren't good for nothing. That isn't true. What you have to determine is, what is hype and what is real. They are going to try to do everything they can to sell you the product. Even if you don't need it. That is what some may call hype. On the other hand, actual info on the food is what you are after. You just want the facts, just the facts. On the back of the label, should tell you all that you need to know. Just turn the container around and have a look see.
What kind of information should you find back there? You should see what the ingredients are. It should say in fairly simple terms what is in the product. If it has loads of big words that you don't know what they are, I would move on to another product and see what it says. It should tell you what the serving size is. It should also tell you how many servings are in the container. This is important when you are shopping on a budget. You should always pay attention to how many servings are in the container. Compare the price per serving with other brands of the same item. If you do this often, you can save yourself a lot of
money.
Also the label should tell you the info on the food. How much fat, vitamins, minerals, cabs and so forth that is in the food. That is important if you are on a diet. You need to know what you are putting in your body. If at any time you feel that you don't have enough info on the product, you can always check to see if they have a web site. If they do, there might be some info on it. If they don't, check to see if there is a number that you can call. If there is a number, chances are there will be someone there who can answer your question.
Though they do label how much fat, they don't tell you what kind of fat is in it. This can cause some problems if you are on a strict diet. Like I said before, you can try giving them a call for the info that you are looking for.
Of course some foods won't have labels. Like foods found at the farmers market or stuff that is sold at a bake sale. You can always ask the person at the bake sale what they put in the food item. If they say it is a secret recipe, tell them it is a secret where your wallet is and walk away from them. There is no reason why they at least can't tell you what is in the things. The farmers market really isn't that big of a worry. I mean, you know what is in an onion.
You might ask what type of chemicals they use on their farm. They should have no problems telling you this.
To summarize about food labels. Don't believe the hype. The front of the label is where they try to sell the product to you. Instead, pay close attention the portion of the label that gives you the nutrition information.
honest, they want your money. They will do whatever they have to do to get it.
Why not lie? Is the new formula a break through? Chances are it isn't. Chances are it is just a slight diversion from the old one. Why do they tell you it is? Because that will make you buy it. It really is that simple.
Is the product new and improved? Well, the packaging might be. If it is new and improved, wouldn't that make it a whole different product? If not, then listen to this. If the product is new and improved, then what were they selling you before? Were they selling you some shit that was worthless? If they were selling you the best quality item before, how could they make it better?
What does patented formula mean? It means nothing. Nothing that should concern any of us. It just means that whatever is in the stuff, is patented. That shouldn't be too alarming. I mean, do you really think that Coke isn't patented?
What are labels good for? You might be thinking that all of this negative stuff means that they aren't good for nothing. That isn't true. What you have to determine is, what is hype and what is real. They are going to try to do everything they can to sell you the product. Even if you don't need it. That is what some may call hype. On the other hand, actual info on the food is what you are after. You just want the facts, just the facts. On the back of the label, should tell you all that you need to know. Just turn the container around and have a look see.
What kind of information should you find back there? You should see what the ingredients are. It should say in fairly simple terms what is in the product. If it has loads of big words that you don't know what they are, I would move on to another product and see what it says. It should tell you what the serving size is. It should also tell you how many servings are in the container. This is important when you are shopping on a budget. You should always pay attention to how many servings are in the container. Compare the price per serving with other brands of the same item. If you do this often, you can save yourself a lot of
money.
Also the label should tell you the info on the food. How much fat, vitamins, minerals, cabs and so forth that is in the food. That is important if you are on a diet. You need to know what you are putting in your body. If at any time you feel that you don't have enough info on the product, you can always check to see if they have a web site. If they do, there might be some info on it. If they don't, check to see if there is a number that you can call. If there is a number, chances are there will be someone there who can answer your question.
Though they do label how much fat, they don't tell you what kind of fat is in it. This can cause some problems if you are on a strict diet. Like I said before, you can try giving them a call for the info that you are looking for.
Of course some foods won't have labels. Like foods found at the farmers market or stuff that is sold at a bake sale. You can always ask the person at the bake sale what they put in the food item. If they say it is a secret recipe, tell them it is a secret where your wallet is and walk away from them. There is no reason why they at least can't tell you what is in the things. The farmers market really isn't that big of a worry. I mean, you know what is in an onion.
You might ask what type of chemicals they use on their farm. They should have no problems telling you this.
To summarize about food labels. Don't believe the hype. The front of the label is where they try to sell the product to you. Instead, pay close attention the portion of the label that gives you the nutrition information.
Everyone from time to time gets a craving for a certain type of food. Sometimes we just crave something to eat. No real reason, other than to eat. Sometimes this can be because you are bored, or because you seem something suggestive about food. How many times have you seen a television commercial advertising burgers and it made you want one? This is healthy. We all do it. Hell, I'd say that we probably do this several times per week. Did you know, that you can be addicted to food? I know that sounds a little weird, but it is true. How can you tell if you are a food addict? Sometimes it might not be as easy as you think.
There are many things that might come in your way of knowing if you are a food addict. You might be depressed or in an emotional downward spiral that will tarnish your ability to see what is going on. Over a period of time, you will be able to tell if you have an eating problem. If nothing else, you will see it in your waist line. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
What foods are addictive? Well, that is a hard answer. There is no hard answer on what is addictive. It is like saying what is more addictive, beer or whiskey. Though there are a few foods that are extremely addictive. Caffeine.
We all know that this is addictive. I'm sure if you are a coffee drinker, you know how you get the shakes in the morning if you don't have your coffee. Is coffee addiction bad for you? It depends on how much that you drink. If you are drinking a few cups a day, I don't think that it is harmful. If on the other hand you are drinking several pots per day, you have a problem. Even though it is addictive, you can control the amount that you consume. Unless you have a very addictive personality. If this is the case, I would suggest that you avoid coffee and other caffeine containing products all together.
Sugar.
This is addictive. We try not to think of it as being so, but it is. It is addictive because of the jolt of energy that it gives us. If you haven't had your daily truck load of sugar and you feel tired, worn out, cranky, you are
going through withdraw. Did you know that heroin addicts that are going through withdraw consume large amounts of sugar? It is said that sugar helps ward off the cravings of heroin. Sugar is one of those things that is hard to avoid. The best thing that you can do is avoid candy and other sweets. You will digest some sugar, but if you avoid those things, you will cut out a big portion of your sugar consumption. You should also avoid sodas. They are loaded with sugar.
Carbs.
This is one thing that people will get frustrated at me over. I do think that carbs are addictive. For the same reasons that sugar is addictive. The best thing that you can do is avoid eating too much bread and pasta. That is the best way to avoid getting addicted to carbs.
I'm not saying that if you are addicted to carbs you will be like a junky. What I am saying is, that you will become dependant on them. I think that many people are addicted to carbs and don't know it. It isn't something that we think about when it comes to addictions. What should you do if you are a food addict? If you can control it, you should do your best to do so. If you are the type that has a strong will, it shouldn't be too hard.
The problem is, most of us don't have a strong will when it comes to addictions. We are a race of addicted creatures. I'm beginning to think that most of us are addicted to something. No matter if it is coffee, cigarettes, booze and so forth. If you don't feel that you can control it, you need to go to your doctor.
You need to tell him what is going on. Don't be ashamed to talk to him about it. You should be more ashamed of yourself if you do nothing about it. After you talk to him you should look into finding a support group for people who have food addictions. Your doctor will probably point you to a therapist. The therapist will know of a support group you can attend. If you aren't to point that you can talk openly about such a thing in person, you can find support groups online. They are free to use, meaning they don't charge any money. You will begin to find out what treatment and other things are available. These are people who fight what you are going through every day.
There are many things that might come in your way of knowing if you are a food addict. You might be depressed or in an emotional downward spiral that will tarnish your ability to see what is going on. Over a period of time, you will be able to tell if you have an eating problem. If nothing else, you will see it in your waist line. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
What foods are addictive? Well, that is a hard answer. There is no hard answer on what is addictive. It is like saying what is more addictive, beer or whiskey. Though there are a few foods that are extremely addictive. Caffeine.
We all know that this is addictive. I'm sure if you are a coffee drinker, you know how you get the shakes in the morning if you don't have your coffee. Is coffee addiction bad for you? It depends on how much that you drink. If you are drinking a few cups a day, I don't think that it is harmful. If on the other hand you are drinking several pots per day, you have a problem. Even though it is addictive, you can control the amount that you consume. Unless you have a very addictive personality. If this is the case, I would suggest that you avoid coffee and other caffeine containing products all together.
Sugar.
This is addictive. We try not to think of it as being so, but it is. It is addictive because of the jolt of energy that it gives us. If you haven't had your daily truck load of sugar and you feel tired, worn out, cranky, you are
going through withdraw. Did you know that heroin addicts that are going through withdraw consume large amounts of sugar? It is said that sugar helps ward off the cravings of heroin. Sugar is one of those things that is hard to avoid. The best thing that you can do is avoid candy and other sweets. You will digest some sugar, but if you avoid those things, you will cut out a big portion of your sugar consumption. You should also avoid sodas. They are loaded with sugar.
Carbs.
This is one thing that people will get frustrated at me over. I do think that carbs are addictive. For the same reasons that sugar is addictive. The best thing that you can do is avoid eating too much bread and pasta. That is the best way to avoid getting addicted to carbs.
I'm not saying that if you are addicted to carbs you will be like a junky. What I am saying is, that you will become dependant on them. I think that many people are addicted to carbs and don't know it. It isn't something that we think about when it comes to addictions. What should you do if you are a food addict? If you can control it, you should do your best to do so. If you are the type that has a strong will, it shouldn't be too hard.
The problem is, most of us don't have a strong will when it comes to addictions. We are a race of addicted creatures. I'm beginning to think that most of us are addicted to something. No matter if it is coffee, cigarettes, booze and so forth. If you don't feel that you can control it, you need to go to your doctor.
You need to tell him what is going on. Don't be ashamed to talk to him about it. You should be more ashamed of yourself if you do nothing about it. After you talk to him you should look into finding a support group for people who have food addictions. Your doctor will probably point you to a therapist. The therapist will know of a support group you can attend. If you aren't to point that you can talk openly about such a thing in person, you can find support groups online. They are free to use, meaning they don't charge any money. You will begin to find out what treatment and other things are available. These are people who fight what you are going through every day.
Most of us are focused on fat. It is all that we hear about these days. Since the time we are kids we are told that fat is bad for us. Some people are more worried about calories than fat. To be honest you should be worried about both.
You need to make sure that your diet isn't full of junk food. You should be getting your calories from foods that are good for you. Who cares about not eating any fat, if all your calories come from sweets? I'm not sure how much I believe fat is the bad thing we make it out to be. I'm starting to believe that carbs are the real evil in the diet empire. I really do think this is why so many people are overweight in this world. Think about it like this. How many cultures in the world eat bread? Most of them eat some sort of bread.
Bread for some people is the focus of the meal. In the old days, women spent all day long making breads. This is also true with pasta in some regions of the world. A lot of places eat some sort of pasta with every meal. What about rice?
The same thing. The Irish and potatoes? The same thing. These are all carbs. Most people eat these every day of their lives. I think we are addicted to carbs. I know I am. I eat so much bread and other carbs that I don't know what I would do without them. That, adds a tire around the waste line. I'm not saying that carbs are worse than fat per se. I mean, fat has its problems too. You eat too much of it, you are getting yourself ready for a heart attack. I mean, your body can only handle so much of them. We have all seen young men get heart attacks at an early age. So, we know that fat is bad.
Not all fat is the same though. Some fat is worse than others. Let's talk about these different kinds of fat. We have items that are lower in saturated fat. These would include meats and cheeses. They don't have as much fat as the items we will be talking about next. On the other hand, you have items that are more saturated than meats and cheese. These tend to be anything deep fried. They will include, donuts, french fries, potato chips.
The second is what you need to stay away from. These are high in calories. They also will clog your arteries. I hate to say it, but the good stuff in life has its risks. I'm not saying that you shouldn't ever eat these items, but eat them in moderation. That is the key. Don't eat them every day, but once per week.
Don't go hog wild on a whole bag of chips. Instead, get a small bag that is enough for one or two servings. This way, you won't be tempted to eat the whole bag.
Oils such as olive oil are low in sat fats. You should use these when ever you can. Keep in mind though, you should only use a little of oil. Make sure to always use non stick cookware. This is a must and a great investment for your health. By using non stick cookware you won't have to use as much oil when cooking. If you get the good stuff, you might not have to use any at all. I think that you should watch your caloric intake as well as your fat. I would say that they should go hand in hand. I would pay close attention to how much carbs you are eating each day. I know that I sound like a broken record, but I do think people are too dependant on them. They are a good source of energy, but you will feel burnt out if you eat them too much. I think you know what I am talking about. You feel like you need a nap all the time.
There are also health risks involved with a diet high in fat. You are at higher risk of having sugar problems and heart disease. Plus a whole host of cancers that most people don't have a risk for. People who eat high fat diets also have skin problems. I think people who eat too much fat have very bad complexion.
Their skin almost looks like leather.
I hope that you don't finish reading this and think that you should cut out all of the fat in your diet. That isn't my intent. Instead, you should look at the big picture. You can eat some fat, just don't go licking a block of lard as a refreshing snack on a hot summer day.
You need to make sure that your diet isn't full of junk food. You should be getting your calories from foods that are good for you. Who cares about not eating any fat, if all your calories come from sweets? I'm not sure how much I believe fat is the bad thing we make it out to be. I'm starting to believe that carbs are the real evil in the diet empire. I really do think this is why so many people are overweight in this world. Think about it like this. How many cultures in the world eat bread? Most of them eat some sort of bread.
Bread for some people is the focus of the meal. In the old days, women spent all day long making breads. This is also true with pasta in some regions of the world. A lot of places eat some sort of pasta with every meal. What about rice?
The same thing. The Irish and potatoes? The same thing. These are all carbs. Most people eat these every day of their lives. I think we are addicted to carbs. I know I am. I eat so much bread and other carbs that I don't know what I would do without them. That, adds a tire around the waste line. I'm not saying that carbs are worse than fat per se. I mean, fat has its problems too. You eat too much of it, you are getting yourself ready for a heart attack. I mean, your body can only handle so much of them. We have all seen young men get heart attacks at an early age. So, we know that fat is bad.
Not all fat is the same though. Some fat is worse than others. Let's talk about these different kinds of fat. We have items that are lower in saturated fat. These would include meats and cheeses. They don't have as much fat as the items we will be talking about next. On the other hand, you have items that are more saturated than meats and cheese. These tend to be anything deep fried. They will include, donuts, french fries, potato chips.
The second is what you need to stay away from. These are high in calories. They also will clog your arteries. I hate to say it, but the good stuff in life has its risks. I'm not saying that you shouldn't ever eat these items, but eat them in moderation. That is the key. Don't eat them every day, but once per week.
Don't go hog wild on a whole bag of chips. Instead, get a small bag that is enough for one or two servings. This way, you won't be tempted to eat the whole bag.
Oils such as olive oil are low in sat fats. You should use these when ever you can. Keep in mind though, you should only use a little of oil. Make sure to always use non stick cookware. This is a must and a great investment for your health. By using non stick cookware you won't have to use as much oil when cooking. If you get the good stuff, you might not have to use any at all. I think that you should watch your caloric intake as well as your fat. I would say that they should go hand in hand. I would pay close attention to how much carbs you are eating each day. I know that I sound like a broken record, but I do think people are too dependant on them. They are a good source of energy, but you will feel burnt out if you eat them too much. I think you know what I am talking about. You feel like you need a nap all the time.
There are also health risks involved with a diet high in fat. You are at higher risk of having sugar problems and heart disease. Plus a whole host of cancers that most people don't have a risk for. People who eat high fat diets also have skin problems. I think people who eat too much fat have very bad complexion.
Their skin almost looks like leather.
I hope that you don't finish reading this and think that you should cut out all of the fat in your diet. That isn't my intent. Instead, you should look at the big picture. You can eat some fat, just don't go licking a block of lard as a refreshing snack on a hot summer day.
If you are a
working man, you know how important lunch is. You can't function without a good
lunch. A good lunch is the difference between feeling great during the
afternoon and feeling worn out. Many times we skip on lunch. We don't either
eat the right things, or don't eat at all. I know several people who don't eat
any lunch at all. Especially women, they think they can skip this meal
and not have to
worry about it. I'm the type of person who can't skip a meal.
Maybe one of
the reasons is that I can't turn down a good meal. Though, if I don't eat, I
can feel it. Nothing will make you feel like shit quicker than skipping a meal.
We all know what it feels like. What do you do? You don't have time to fix a
good lunch before you go to work. Or do you? Of course you do. If you are in a
relationship, you have more than enough time. One thing I would
suggest is that
you alternate fixing each others lunch. One day you fix both of your lunches,
while the next day have her fix both of them. This will give youtime to do the
other things that you need to do.
You can also
fix your lunch before you go to bed at night. By doing this, you don't have to
rush yourself. Which, will make your day that much better. I hate having to
rush in the morning. What kinds of things should you fix? Here we will go into
some simple things to fix.
Tuna and Bell
Pepper Pocket
3 (6-ounce)
cans drained, solid white tuna (in water) Ѕ cup chopped bell peppers
ј cup chopped
celery ј cup sliced onions 8-12 lettuce leaves (preferably green)
2 medium-size
sliced tomatoes (8-12 slices total) 3 tbsp. fat-free Italian
dressing 1
tbsp. dried oregano 1 tbsp. black pepper 4 (6-inch) pita breads
Combine tuna,
green peppers, celery and onions in a bowl. In another bowl,
combine
dressing, black pepper and oregano, pour it over the tuna mix and stir.
Refrigerate for
a few hours. When serving, put 2-3 tomato slices and 2-3 lettuce leaves in each
pita bread. Add tuna mix to pitas. There's enough for 4 servings.
I love this. I
don't think there is a better easier lunch item than this.
Black Bean
Salad Ѕ (8-ounce) can drained black beans 1 (15-ounce) can drained whole kernel
corn 4 chopped green onions Ѕ chopped green bell pepper 3 diced tomatoes Ѕ
avocado peeled, pitted and diced Ѕ (2-ounce) jar pimentos 2 tbsp. lemon juice 3
ounces fat-free Italian salad dressing ј tsp. garlic salt Combine Italian
dressing, black beans, green onions, corn, bell pepper, avocado,
pimento,
tomatoes, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add and toss pepper, salt and garlic.
Store in Tupperware and refrigerate. Offers up three delicious servings for
that big appetite of yours.
This is another
great one.
Smoked Chicken
Sandwich Ѕ (8-ounce) loaf sourdough bread ј tbsp. vinegar 2 tbsp. chopped
parsley 1/8 cup low-fat mayonnaise or fat-free salad dressing ј cup chopped
bell peppers (you can't go wrong with bell peppers) Ѕ small onion thinly sliced
Ѕ medium sized tomato sliced 8 (1-ounce) slices low-fat mozzarella cheese 2
cloves minced garlic 8 (1-ounce) slices lean chicken 1 tbsp. black pepper Slice
the loaf of bread horizontally. Remove some soft bread from inside each half.
Stir mayonnaise and vinegar together. Add parsley, bell peppers, black peppers,
and garlic to the mix. Let stand for 15 minutes. Layer the bottom of the loaf
with 4 slices of chicken and cheese, then layer with half of the onions and
half of the tomatoes. Spread half of the mayonnaise concoction and repeat the
entire process from the start with the remaining ingredients. Close the sandwich
with the second bread shell and chill until it's ready to serve. When serving,
cut loaf into 3 wedges (secure loaf with wooden sticks for a better cut). Makes
3 servings. There you have some easy lunch ideas. Try these, you are sure to
love them.
In today’s
world, almost everything is free… not that everything has no price. It just
seems that we have reached the era where we become more aware of our health
conditions. Thus, it seems to be the era of everything that is -free.
Try scanning
every available product in your local grocery and you will see what I mean. Your
bread is bromate-free; your yoghurt is fat-free; your cooking oil is cholesterol-free;
your canned soup is preservative-free; and the list goes on and on. Now you are
beginning to wonder about the next -free commodity that you would encounter.
This is not
exactly bad. In fact, health experts encourage us to be more sensitive about
the foods we eat and the nutrients that we get from them. However, not
everything that is –free is healthy. Our bodies need certain substances to be
able to function well.
Let us take a
look at cholesterol for instance. Very simply defined, cholesterol is a fatty substance
that occurs naturally in the blood, cell walls, and most body tissues.
Cholesterol is made by the liver, and it enters the body via foods rich in
saturated fat.
There are two
types of cholesterol; these are what they termed as the good and bad cholesterol.
Like the literary split personality of Jekyll and Hyde, it has a good side
because it is needed for certain important body functions. But for many people,
cholesterol also has an evil side. When present in excessive amounts, it can
injure blood vessels, cause heart attacks, and stroke.
Low Density
Lipoprotein (LDL) is the "bad" cholesterol. This is the form in which
cholesterol is carried into the blood and is the main cause of harmful fatty
buildup in arteries. The higher the LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, the
greater the heart disease risk.
On the other
hand, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good” cholesterol. This
"good" cholesterol carries blood cholesterol back to the liver, where
it can be eliminated. HDL helps prevent a cholesterol buildup in blood vessels.
Low HDL levels increase heart disease risk.
So before you
go into your cholesterol deprivation program, remember that cholesterol is
essential for human life. It builds and repairs cells, it is used to produce
sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, it is converted to bile acids to
help you digest food and it is found in large amounts in brain and nerve
tissue.
Breakfast is
the most important meal of the day. I'm sure that you heard that all the time
when you was a kid. But, it is true. Breakfast is one of those meals that
people today tend to skip. I really don't understand this. Maybe this is why
people are so uptight in the morning. They have the shakes from not eating. You
might have a busy lifestyle, but you need to make sure that you have time for
breakfast. Breakfast is one of those meals that you must eat. I don't think
there is any choice about it. I know that most people who do eat breakfast,
tend to be the type that run out of the house with a donut in their hand. This
really isn't a good idea. I don't know why people jump to the sugary breakfast
foods. I guess it is why people drink coffee. They need that bolt of energy to
wake them up. Or they think that maybe they can avoid eating a good meal by
eating something full of sugar. After all, they feel energetic after eating a
bunch of sugar.
Have you ever
noticed how hard it is to wake up at work? Have you noticed how during the day
you get tired? This is because you aren't getting the right foods for
breakfast. You don't realize how important this meal is. Every day you should
have a good meal for breakfast?
What are some
good things to eat for breakfast? First, let's start off with what you
shouldn't eat. Don't eat donuts. For the reasons we spoke above. Don't eat any
cereals that are loaded with sugar. This is nothing more than
empty calories.
They don't offer you anything. Not only that, but too much of this and you will
gain weight. Have you ever noticed how sluggish you feel before lunch? This is
because you are eating too much sugar!
Don't eat a ton
of fried foods. Don't eat a bunch of bacon, fried eggs, and some french toast.
The added fat will weigh you down.
Don't eat those
pasties that come in the boxes. These are loaded with sugar. They don't offer
you anything that is actually good for you. They rob you of all the things that
you should be eating. Don't load up on coffee. Don't think because coffee can
give you energy, that you can drink it instead of eating. Now, what you should
be eating.
Eat a cereal
that is low in sugar. Cereal with milk is a great breakfast. It is a good all
around meal. Try a new egg sandwich. People seem to love the egg sandwiches at
fast food restaurants. Why not make one at home? You can put some cheese or some
lean ham on yours. Use your imagination, these are fun to make.
Eggs are good
for breakfast. I'm not going to go through the whole mess about how they say
eggs are bad for you. Don't buy it. Eat them, but eat them in moderation.
Pancakes. These
can be great from time to time. Try to get yourself one of those griddles that
you don't need to add fat too. If you get one of those, you will be able to eat
these more often. To cut down on calories. Instead of using butter and syrup,
put fresh fruit on yours. I love eating mine with fresh fruit on top of them.
Juice is great
for breakfast. Get that pick me up that you need without the caffeine of
morning coffee. You don't have to worry about getting the shakes if you drink
too much juice. Though, you might get the shits, but not the shakes.
Old fashioned
toast. This is still a great thing to eat. Just don't load it up with too much
butter or other things.
Oatmeal. I know
that most of you probably hated oatmeal when you were a kid.But, this is some
great stuff. Add some milk and a bit of sugar and you have a breakfast that
will stick to your ribs.
Fruit salad can
be great for breakfast. I love things that taste refreshing that don't take all
day long to make. Throw your favorite fruits together and call it a meal! There
you go. A good breakfast isn't as hard as you might think that it is. All you
have to do is stay away from the drive through window and you will be fine.
Also, don't eat those pasties in a box. They are nothing but junk food.
