When all is said and done there is still only one way to lose weight. You have to burn off more calories than you take in. Exercise is an important part of that equation, but we are going to take a look at some foods that can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

As a general rule weight loss foods are those that make you feel fuller without adding all kinds of empty calories. Adding these foods to your diet on a regular basis will help you to lose weight faster. Here are some of the top contenders.

Beans are at the top of list for several reasons. They come in many varieties, meaning they’re versatile and you don’t have to get bored eating them every day. They are low in fat, but very satisfying. They are packed with protein. And they contain plenty of fiber, which not only adds to how full you feel, but also reduces your risk for several diseases. The only thing you have to watch out for are re fried beans that have extra fat added, and canned beans that are too high in sodium. But you’ll be doing yourself a tasty favor by eating any variety of dried beans.

Whole grains. There’s one change you can make in your diet that’s very easy: stop eating refined grains. The “refining” process gets rid of most of the good stuff, making them so void of nutrition that they actually have to re-add nutrients to make the process complete. All of that so our bread and rice can be pure white. To be blunt, it’s ridiculous. Start eating whole grains to get the full nutrition nature put there in the first place.

Olive oil (or any other oil high in monounsaturated fat). Surprised? Yes, it still has many calories as any other kind of fat (9 calories per gram) but fat adds to the feeling of fullness. It also adds a nice flavor to many different foods. Besides olive oil is one of the healthiest fats that you can. So, while it may seem to be a lot of calories up front, the amount of calories you eat later will actually go down because it’s so satisfying.

Oatmeal is another one of the best weight loss foods out there. A few years ago it got some good press for being able to reduce cholesterol. It’s true, it is. But did you know that it has about the same amount of soluble and insoluble fiber? Again, it makes you feel fuller and is good for your overall health. Plus, it’s low in calories. Most people think of oatmeal as a breakfast food, but it has a flavor that works well with many different foods. Therefore, it can be incorporated into any number of dishes throughout the day.

There are many more weight loss foods, no question about it. But the four mentioned above will give you a great start on losing weight. Keep trying to reduce the bad foods, and increase the good ones and your waistline and health will be the better for it.

Tags: Amount Of Calories, Breakfast Food, Calories Foods, Canned Beans, Different Foods, Diseases, Eating Whole Grains, Empty Calories, Fats, Fried Beans, Good Stuff, Healthy Diet, Losing Weight, Nutrients, Oatmeal, oil;, olive oil;, Protein, Refined Grains, Refining Process, several diseases, Sodium, Top Contenders, Weight Loss Foods, Weight Loss Goals —

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.

Tags: Burning Calories, Calories, Carrot Sticks, Fad Diet, Fad Diets, food;, Granola Bar, Healthy Diet, Lettuce Tomato, Light Snack, Long Term Solution, Losing Weight, Lunchtime, Mid Afternoon, olive oil;, Orange Juice, Protein Bar, Romaine Lettuce, Turkey Breast, Vitamins And Minerals, Vitamins Minerals, Wheat Toast, Whole Grain Bread, Whole Wheat, Yogurt —

Looking and feeling good is what everyone wants. Exercising and eating right are the only ways to achieve this. People need food in order to have energy to do certain things. One way to lose weight and still maintain a healthy lifestyle is by only eating foods that are low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated ones that is being done by the Mediterranean diet.

This is called the Mediterranean diet because the eating plan comes from those who live along the Mediterranean Sea. This was first discovered after the end of the Second World War by an American doctor but never became popular until the 1990s.

The reason why many people in these countries are healthy and are able to live for more than a hundred years is because of the large amounts of olive oil consumed in each meal. Another contributing factor is also in the red wine, which also has antioxidants properties.

The difference of the Mediterranean Diet compared to others out there is that the person does not have to give up anything but simply make some wise food choices. This means avoiding eating processed foods or those form tinned cans and getting those that are fresh.

The Mediterranean Diet involves eating food in large, moderate and small quantities. The person should eat a lot of food such as beans, bread, cereals, fruits, grains and nuts since these contain minerals, nutrients and vitamins that are good for the body.

On a moderate level, the individual can have cheese, milk and yogurt since this will prevent the consumption of other things that are high in saturated fats.

The type of products that should be consumed lightly is animal meat such as fish, pork, chicken and eggs, which can be done a few times in a month.

The Mediterranean diet teaches the individual to eat right. In order to live healthy like these people who live by the sea, it is best to engage in some form of physical activity to be able to burn those extra calories.

A few simple examples could be brisk walking, jogging and running. Those who want to exercise in a group could try a team sport such as basketball or by joining a class at the local gym.

Who wants to live forever? Perhaps that will be a question to ask those who have reached a hundred. This may not have been the plan but it has happened especially to those who are living along the Mediterranean Sea.

Tags: American Doctor, Animal Meat, Antioxidants, Cereals, Cheese Milk, Chicken And Eggs, energy;, food;, Healthy Diet, Healthy Lifestyle, Hundred Years, Losing Weight, Mediterranean, Mediterranean Diet, Mediterranean Sea, Moderate Level, olive oil;, Physical Activity, Processed Foods, Red Wine, Saturated Fats, Second World War, Small Quantities, Wise Food Choices, Yogurt —

The body needs cholesterol in order to build cell walls, digest dietary fats, produce hormones, and other important processes. Unfortunately, too much can give anyone high blood pressure and heart disease.

This means the individual has to be careful about the kind of food being taken in that has this chemical. One way will be to reduce eating items that are high in saturated fat such as those found in dairy products, poultry, egg yolks and red meat.

Another will be avoiding the kind of food being offered in fast food joints. The ingredients and oil used in the cooking have also been known to contain high levels of cholesterol that are not safe for the body.

The ideal way to maintain a low cholesterol diet is to eat products that are fat free like those made in dairy products. The person should also consume lean meat, fish, skinless poultry and whole grain foods.

The individual should also not forget to get some vitamins and nutrients from fresh fruits and green vegetables. These are better when combined with large quantities of monostaturates and olive oil.

The way to cook these products is also important. Instead of frying, the best way to reduce the cholesterol is to grill or roast the meat, boil or steam those vegetables or fish. The cooking time will surely be much slower than before so another way will be to use the microwave.

If ever the person needs to use cooking oil, it is best to use low fat oils that are available at the supermarket.

Another thing the individual should avoid is consuming products such as beer, wine and soda. It is okay to have a drink on occasion but living a healthier lifestyle will be achieved by only taking water and fresh juice from fruits.

A low cholesterol diet should also be combined with some form of exercise. This can be as simple as going for a morning stroll, jogging or running. The person can also hit the water if there is a pool nearby but if not, there is surely a gym so one can sweat it out.

The one in control of the persons well being is no other than that individual. This means it is matter of choice what food or drinks to buy in the grocery which is also the same when ordering a meal in the restaurant.

Tags: Beer Wine, Cell Walls, chemical;, Cooking Oil, dairy products;, Dietary Fats, Egg Yolks, Food Joints, food;, Fresh Fruits, Fresh Juice, Green Vegetables, Healthy Diet, heart disease;, high blood pressure;, High Cholesterol, Lean Meat, Low Cholesterol Diet, microwave;, Morning Stroll, oil;, olive oil;, Red Meat, Reduce Cholesterol, Whole Grain Foods —