It’s kind of funny, in a sad sort of way, that the number of ineffective, short-lived fad diets continues to grow. And they grow despite the fact that they don’t work, at least not as a long-term solution to losing weight. So, what are you supposed to do if you want to lose weight? Eat better.

Yep. That’s it. Eat better.

Okay, seriously, it wouldn’t be much if that’s all I said. I believe we all know, deep down, that we need to eat better if we stand a chance of shedding those extra pounds. Don’t worry, this is going to be as common sense as it is easy to follow. No fad diet nonsense, just what works.

Food is nothing more than fuel for the body. It contains the vitamins, minerals and calories we need to survive. We only get in trouble when we eat too many calories without burning them off. Some foods are better than others, but nothing is forbidden. Here’s how you can use food to put the odds of weight loss in your favor.

Start the day with something to get the internal furnace started. That means eating breakfast. There is no reason to skip breakfast. It takes virtually no time at all to grab a piece of whole-wheat toast and spread some peanut butter on it, then wash it down with a glass of orange juice. Or boil up some eggs for the upcoming week. Then have an egg, a banana and a granola bar. Even a ready made breakfast shake is better than nothing. The trick is to get your body use to burning calories for the day.

Now that you have your metabolism fired up, you need to keep it going by snacking. A light snack every two hours is all it takes. A small handful of nuts, some carrot sticks with non-fat yogurt, or a protein bar, are good choices. Regular snacking will prevent you from experience mid-afternoon burn out, too.

So, now it’s lunchtime and you’re feeling great! You’re eating food you like and you’re not hungry. Let’s keep going with turkey breast on whole-grain bread, romaine lettuce, tomato and a smear of mustard. Add a veggie-rich salad and a small glass of juice or skim milk and you’re all set.

Don’t forget your two-hour snack break.

For supper try some baked salmon brushed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Include some fresh veggies of your choice (bake them with the salmon if you like), and a cup of homemade soup. Yummy!

Remember to eat your next snack.

As you can see, this is all reasonable, simple eating. Food is there to keep you going, and it needs to be tasty, too. Remember, nothing is off limits. If you must have some ice cream, just keep the portion under control. Make it a habit to increase the better foods, and eat less of the not-so-good ones and you lose weight fast. Faster than you may have thought possible.

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Fruit for Breakfast The Secret to a Healthy Life
Robb Ksiazek

Do you want more energy? How about more of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that your body craves? Try eating fruit for breakfast! Fresh fruit apples, grapefruit, strawberries, cherries, oranges, kiwi, melon, and grapes all count. In fact, any fruit works and there are so many to choose from. Eating fruit for breakfast will get you on the road to having a healthier body right away without having to pump a lot of iron at the gym or take sketchy supplements.

Why diet on fruit for breakfast you ask? Well, to make it simple, fruit in its raw form is exactly what your body needs for energy. It is easy to digest and the sugar from fruit (glucose) is in the form that your body can easily turn into energy. Instead of your body putting a lot of energy towards digestion and turning the food into a useable form of fuel, it is already in an easily digestible form. The energy goes straight to you. Eating nothing but fruit until lunchtime however much you want, is a sure fire way to lose weight and become more healthy, almost immediately.

How about a glass of juice is that the same as eating an orange? Not really and here is why. Most juice that you purchase at the grocery store is pasteurized. This means that it is heated to a high temperature to kill any bacteria and make the shelf life longer. During this process of heating, many of the wonderful enzymes in the juice are destroyed. Not to mention that many juices are filled with preservatives and sweeteners and are made from concentrates not the same as eating a fresh orange to your stomach or body! Youre better off with the real thing!

Try making a smoothie here is a recipe that I find very refreshing.

• 5 to 6 fresh strawberries
• 1/3 fresh cantaloupe
• 1/2 cup of fresh pineapple
• 1 fresh kiwi (peeled)
• About 1 cup of orange juice not from concentrate

Blend all ingredients until smooth and then enjoy! Making these delicious treats are a healthy way to start the day, improve your health, and lose weight!

If youre not sure about eating fruit for breakfast try it and see how wonderful you feel. If you arent convinced, eat a normal breakfast eggs, pancakes, or a bowl of cereal and see how you feel after eating fruit for a week. It will probably shock you with how tired and lethargic this food makes you feel in the mornings. So, get your metabolism started the right way in the morning enjoy a bowl of fresh fruit and start to feel better the old-fashioned way! Bon Appetite!

About the Author

Robb Ksiazek is a successful author and publisher for the informative Body-Mass-Index-4U.com. He believes in simple solutions in the quest for a fulfilled life through mind, body, and soul.

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James just had a blood test as part of the annual physical examination. This person exercised moderately and loved to eat but this was all about to change when the results came in.

The results showed that the LDL commonly known as bad cholesterol was much higher than the good cholesterol. The doctor said if some changes are not done, this individual will soon suffer from high blood pressure, a heart attack or a stroke.

Being a father of 2 children, this person had to take the situation very seriously to be able to continue providing the needs for the family.

Since James was working out twice a week, the doctor advised the individual to do it more often. This means working out four times a week and engaging in other activities to help lower the cholesterol.

There is no point in exercising more often if the intake of food does not change. The doctor told James to make some changes in the diet because nothing will happen if the food being burned is just resupplied into the body.

The doctor referred James to a dietitian. The two had a long talk about the food that was bad and this should be cut down. These should be replaced with those that are much healthier so the level of bad cholesterol can be lowered.

The plan on paper looked very simple. James will have to eat food that is low in fat and no longer that rich in carbohydrates. During breakfast, this person can eat the yellow portion of the egg but not the white one.

Instead of having coffee in the morning, this should be changed with unsweetened tea. There are times that James likes to eat cereals with the kids but the milk this individual will consume is not the regular one but is non-fat.

During lunchtime, something heaver can be eaten. Chicken can only be consumed without the skin. The portion of steak should be reduced and mixed with a lot of vegetables and side dishes.

It will take some time to adjust to the new regimen and people like James who are new to this will feel hungry in the late afternoon. Having some carrot sticks or an apple is much better than having a donut that has a lot of sugar.

Instead of having a cola with the snack, this has to be changed with either water or fruit juice and not the artificial one but made of real fruits.

The program continues on to dinner, which can be fish or pasta with some sidings. The person will be sleeping for the next 6 to 8 hours after the meal so there is no need to fill it up.

Drinking a glass of red wine is safe. This is better than drinking beer, which is something James had to give up.

James to follow the plan even when dining out in a party or eating in a restaurant. There is no day offs for someone who is at risk of heart disease or high blood pressure and this wasnt only for himself but also for the family.

The next checkup with the doctor showed significant results. The LDL was much lower than the HDL, which was good for someone at that age. The diet program chosen by James is just one of many out there in the market. It takes some time to find the right program to be able to lower the cholesterol and be healthy again.

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