Weight Loss - The ABC's of Sensible Dieting

Fresh Water with Lemon

Water is Key!
Drink water, water, water, water, water, water, water, water every day. The human body is a combination of blood, muscles, tendons, bones, organs and lots of water. Dehydration can make you ill and make you gain weight. Water, which is preferably not tap water but filtered, hydrates your body and flushes out impurities. Coffee does not count as your daily water intake nor does caffeinated teas, colas, hot chocolate, etc. Just because a beverage contains water does not mean it will hydrate your body.

Keep a Food Journal:

A food plan that is extremely complicated and restrictive is one you will probably not be able to follow for very long. A plan that has all prepackaged foods works but you must take the time to learn how to prepare these foods for yourself. Counting calories and carbs is possible but time consuming and tiresome over time. Keeping a food journal is a good idea whether you decide to count calories and carbs or not. You will probably be amazed at the amount of foods you eat during the course of the day that you did not realize which added up to way too much. Unconscious eating is probably the main cause for your excess weight.

Keep your home 'safe'!
This means, don't buy goodies or foods that have little to no nutritional value. If you have foods handy that satisfy your craving rather than your need for nutrition you will have weak moments and end up eating junk. When buying foods keep in mind that whole grains reduce your risk for diseases, fill you up quicker and make the full feeling last longer plus they add vitamins like A and E to your daily intake plus providing antioxidants. Whole grain or brown breads, wheat or brown rice, sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes all make a huge difference.

The best way to eat is three small and balanced nutritious meals plus two healthy snacks to keep your metabolism even. Starting your day with a high-fiber, nutritious breakfast will keep you full longer. If your day is too busy to eat on schedule you can eat a few almonds or other nuts. This is a nutritious snack which is filled with fiber that will keep you from feeling hungry while you run errands.

Eat Nutritious Foods FIRST
Concentrate on eating foods that have high volume and low calories like soup and salad, raw vegetables, green vegetables, fruits and keep drinking water. Stay away from canned anything if possible. Processed and packaged foods have little food value. Fresh fruits and vegetables that are not overcooked is always your best choice. Grains, seeds, nuts and high water content foods will keep your body functioning well and you will not be experiencing hunger pains and cravings.

Legume is your friend and will supply your need for protein instead of ingesting a lot of red meats that are hard for your body to assimilate. No added sugar and no added salt is always your best choice. Try to vary your intake of foods but do not overeat. Keeping your portion sizes smaller will automatically keep your calorie intake lower. Try using a smaller dinner plate to control your portion sizes.

Keep Your Body Moving
To lose weight you will need to get your body moving. Exercise does wonders for speeding up weight loss efforts and giving you more energy during the day. Whatever eating plan you decide is best for you, combine it with a sensible exercise plan and you will have good results. It is not a good idea to be extreme with either your eating or your exercise. Consistency and a balanced diet is the key to successful weight loss. Slow and easy wins the race.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Superfood Cookbook Take healthy eating to a whole new level. With the declining popularity of fad diets, many people are turning to sensible, moderate eating habits that include foods that go beyond basic nutrition. Inside, readers will find recipes for the super fruits and vegetables, protein, and spices and flavors. * One of the superfoods, blueberries, have been ranked No. 1 in antioxidant activity compared with 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables * Wild Oats, a chain of health food stores, is promoting 20 different superfoods, from berries to seeds and yogurt.

Eating Behavior and Obesity Obesity is one of the most pressing health issues affecting our country. This unique volume is the first to apply behavioral economics-the integration of psychological and economic knowledge-to the study of eating behavior. The text demonstrates how this discipline can be used to understand why it so difficult for individuals to control their eating habits, and helps readers use this knowledge to create and improve public health nutrition programs and policies.  The text examines dietary choices and obesity through a multidisciplinary lens of biological, psychological, and social factors, and draws from the disciplines of behavioral economics, nutrition, public health, and health promotion. Based on the premise that humans are hardwired to make judgment errors and need a "nudge" to make decisions in their best interests, the book argues that increasing consumer well-being requires changing an individual's personal environment.  This book describes the power of irrational forces that compete with sensible judgment in regard to food choices, and provides strategies for improving decisions and health habits . Highly accessible, the text will be of interest to students, professors, and practitioners in nutrition-related health programs, as well as to public health policy makers. .  Key Features:  Assesses the social determinants that affect nutrition choices, including food availability, nutrition education, income, culture, and other key factors Demonstrates how flawed decisions and self-control difficulties can affect eating behavior Provides a valuable framework for improving public health through understanding and changing the way individuals make food decisions Explains the link between obesity rates and economics of food choice (fast food, food marketing, and social factors) Provides strategies and tools to help people improve their decision-making and health habits