Studies have shown that people who wake up every morning and eat breakfast weigh less than those who consistently start their day without proper fuel for their bodies. If you want to lose weight quickly, then you must get into a proper routine. Wake up, start the day with a glass of water, and then eat a nutritious breakfast before heading out the door.

But how can you lose weight quickly if you start to eat breakfast? You have probably been told time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your parents and your school teachers were all telling you the truth. It is!

The word breakfast means break the fast. When you sleep, you are fasting for a period of anywhere from seven to ten hours. Once you wake, you need to give your body the necessary fuel. Think of it in comparison to a car. It won’t run without gas, right?

Your body is the same way. You need to feed it and by so doing, you can lose weight quickly. Not only will this allow you to maintain a stable healthy weight, but eating breakfast also allows the body to feel full and it promotes proper metabolic function. All of this is crucial to starting the day off right as it lends itself to giving you the energy and brain power you need to accomplish what you need to do in the run of a busy day.

Another important point in relation to weight is that individuals who eat breakfast consistently are much less likely to overeat throughout the day, eat late at night or to snack on unhealthy foods unnecessarily.

What makes a nutritious breakfast is the next question. In order to remember what to eat, you need to think eat 1-2-3 energy. You require one serving of protein, two servings of fruit, and three servings of grain. Excellent choices of protein include eggs, low fat milk, peanut butter, yogurt and cheese.

Fruit ensures that you start the day with the vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates that you need. Fruit also helps to stave off dehydration and it prevents constipation from setting in. Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast food for those looking to lose weight. Oatmeal is a bulk dense food that slows down the digestive process, thereby making it possible for a person to feel fuller for a longer span of time. Oatmeal is also excellent for soaking up cholesterol in the blood stream.

Fiber is also important as a means of losing weight quickly. Fiber should be an important part of breakfast. Fiber keeps the digestive system running smoothly and helps the bowels to do their job. Choose high fiber cereal and whole grain breads. It is also best to choose fresh fruit over fruit juice. If fresh fruit is pricey, buy frozen fruit. Steer clear of canned fruit as these are loaded with sugar. Wheat germ and flax meal can be sprinkled over cereal, oatmeal or yogurt for an extra helping of fiber.

An excellent choice for breakfast would be to eat two slices of whole grain bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter and a glass of orange juice. On a day that you are in a rush, health can still be a priority. Choose a bowl of high fiber cereal or oatmeal, a banana and a glass of skim or one percent milk.

You need to look at your eating habits carefully. If breakfast is not important to you, then it is time to readjust your priorities, so you can lose weight quickly.

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Rooibos Tea – The Healthy Drink
Nettie Mae

Rooibos, or Red Bush Tea as it is also known, is not a true tea but an herb which is indigenous to the Cederburg area of South Africa. Due to its widely publicized health benefits it has grown into a billion dollar export industry since the mid twentieth century.

The tea has no caffeine and only half the tannin of ordinary tea. Apart from being refreshing to drink, in place of ordinary tea and coffee, it has the advantage of containing minerals and powerful antioxidants. Having no oxalic acid it also does not irritate the kidneys.

Japanese scientists, doing studies in the 1960’s, discovered Rooibos contains a powerful antioxidant similar to SOD which is thought to retard aging and quercetin (Q10) which is believed to have potent anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, Rooibos is also found to contain aspalathin which counteracts the atherosclerotic processes that result in heart disease. For these reasons, the Japanese promote it as an Anti-Aging Tea and import large quantities of the tea.

Research done in France found that hair lotion containing Rooibos promoted faster hair growth with improvement in the hair condition and caused no allergic reactions.

In South Africa research found that the polyphenol content in Rooibos is similar to green tea. Polyphenols help protect the body from damage by free radicals.

Rooibos has been found to be helpful with general health problems. It relieves digestive problems, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and constipation. Having a calming effect it helps with irritability, insomnia and depression.

Both pre-natal and breast feeding Mothers can use it to supplement their intake of manganese, calcium and fluoride by drinking Rooibos therefore promote strong teeth and healthy bones in their babies. Rooibos, when applied at every diaper change, can relieve diaper rash and, when drank by the baby, relieves colic.

Preparation of Rooibos is the same as ordinary tea. First warm the tea pot with boiling water and then place one teaspoon of tea or tea bag per cup required in the pot. Pour over boiling water and let infuse for a few minutes. The longer it is left before drinking the more antioxidants the tea will contain. Can be served plain, with hot or cold milk or lemon. It can be lightly sweetened with honey or sugar or just left without any sweetening. Rooibos also makes a wonderful ice tea.

In South Africa Rooibos Tea is often used in day to day cooking as not only does it add important minerals and antioxidants to the diet and help digestion, it also enhances the flavors of the cooking. Just replace the water in a recipe with the tea.

Next time you are in your health shop or in a department store stocking specialty teas, why not pick up a packet and try it out?
About the Author

Sick and tired of being Sick and Tired, Nettie Mae quit her 3rd shift factory job. To see what keeps her going, visit http://www.frutavida4u.com/nettiemae/.

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The Induction phase of the Atkins diet is one of the most important stepping-stones to successful weight loss. In addition to the list of acceptable foods, there are a few rules that are important to follow during this period of the diet.

During Induction, you need to eat three regular-sized meals per day or four to five smaller meals. If you find yourself jittery and hungry between meals, try breaking down your meals into smaller portions and eat more frequently. In order to stave off carbohydrate cravings, youll need to constantly keep your body running on the proteins and vegetables on the plan. Never skip meals and never go more than six waking hours without eating.

You can eat freely from the list of acceptable foods. Do not restrict your fats and proteins. Eat as much of them as you like. Remember, the Atkins diet is not a calorie-restricted diet. The only thing you need to worry about is your level of carbohydrate grams. Make sure to count your carbohydrate grams when you eat vegetables, cheese and beverages with Splenda. At least 12-15 grams of your allowed carbohydrates should be from your vegetable list. While it may be tempting to eat them all in cheese, vegetables are important to your digestive system (especially while on this diet).

Avoid all fruit, bread, pasta, grains and starchy vegetables (like cauliflower or squash) during this initial period. These foods will be slowly introduced throughout the course of the pre-maintenance phase. Although beans are high in protein, they also include carbohydrates and should be avoided during this phase. If you feel that you must have some grain products, you should limit yourself to high fiber low-carbohydrate products. However, this may slow down your weight loss process.

Anything that isnt on the acceptable food list is forbidden during the Induction phase. Dont be tempted to just have one bite. Your one bite may turn into two, and then before you know it youll end up ruining your diet.

Remember to adjust the quantity of acceptable foods to suit your appetite. At the beginning of the Induction phase, you may find yourself eating much, much more than you will toward the end of the phase. As your body breaks its addiction to sugar and carbohydrates, you will be less hungry throughout the day. When this starts to happen, make sure to eat only what you need. Eat until you are satisfied and not overly stuffed.

Always read the labels of packaged products, even if they claim they are carb free. You may find that some products have hidden carbohydrates. The law allows manufacturers to round off to zero if a product has fewer than .5 grams of carbohydrates. Look at the list of ingredients for manufactured products to determine if there are hidden carbs. Youll also need to watch out for hidden carbohydrates when you eat out. There are small carbohydrate amounts in gravies, sauces and salad dressings. The best bet is to eat your meat without sauce and eat your salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.

Remember to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water, in addition to anything else you might drink. This will keep your body hydrated and help you avoid constipation. Youll also be able to flush out the by-products created by fat burning.

Keep all of these guidelines in mind when you start the induction phase and youll be setting yourself up for long-term success with the Atkins diet.

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The Atkins diet is very popular, but it also comes with a lot of criticism. Health experts, doctors and diet specialists come from all different opinions when it comes to the Atkins diet and other low carb diets. Some believe that it is dangerous, some say that it is a healthy method to lose weight and others say that it works on a short-term basis.

However, there are also thousands of individuals who have found success with the Atkins diet. They can speak from personal experience and know that the diet works and it is an effective means of keeping weight off. There are thousands of testimonials that tout the benefits of the low carb way of living.

There are many typical criticisms of the Atkins diet. One of the first is that the diet it too high in fat. The butter, oil and fatty meats that are used in the Atkins diet are a far cry from the low-fat diet fad that recently swept the nation. For many people, the low fat mindset has prevailed and they cannot fathom eating real butter or cream with their meals. It seems like too much fat at first glance. However, those that pay close attention to Dr. Atkins guidelines and follow the program closely know that the diet focuses on good fats. Extra virgin olive oil and other helpful fats are emphasized. The proper use of these oils is important to brain function and mood management.

Another popular Atkins criticism is that it focuses too much on food and not enough on exercise. This is an unfair claim because the Atkins books clearly spell out a need for exercise. There is a lot of attention paid to food choices because they are an integral part of the program, and they are different foods than what people are normally used to eating. However, this does not mean that exercise is not an integral part of the Atkins program. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise regimens are encouraged, and both will greatly increase your weight loss efforts.

Many Atkins critics feel that the diet is hard too keep up in the long term. Critics in this category will admit that Atkins is effective in short-term weight loss efforts, but point out that the lifestyle is hard to maintain over time. However, people who have had long term success with Atkins claim it is one of the easiest diets to follow for significant periods of time. The Atkins plan has rich food that is forbidden on other programs, and it has appetite-suppressing effects. When you combine this with the quick weight loss, a motivating factor for many people, Atkins is easy to stick to long term.

The side effects of Atkins, like constipation and bad breath, have also been a topic that Atkins critics are quick to point out. However, these side effects are not as common as critics make them out to be. If they do occur, the side effects normal only last through the first phase of the diet. Additionally, drinking additional water will normally take care of both problems rather quickly.

There are pros and cons to many diets. If you dont particularly enjoy preparing and eating meat, then Atkins is probably not for you. But if you are considering Atkins, make sure to look beyond the common criticisms for the truth about the diet.

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