Think about it, have you ever seen a fat vegetarian? Probably not. In fact, for most of us, vegetarian is almost synonymous with lean and healthy, isn’t it? And when you start any diet, what’s the first thing the experts tell you? Generally it’s to increase the amounts of vegetables you’re eating and to eat limited amounts of meat, especially high-fat red meat and pork.

And what happens when you resume your old eating habits? Generally the weight will come right back on. Even the greatest will-power can’t overcome the unhealthy effects of eating high-fat meat.

When you eat a diet that’s higher in dietary fiber, that’s primarily if not totally vegetarian, you’re naturally healthier. You’re feeding your body and getting it the nutrition it needs to run efficiently. You have more energy and stamina; you wake up more easily and more refreshed. It’s easier to exercise, because you’re not so weighed down by digesting the high fat and excessive protein that comes from eating a carnivorous diet.

Many diets fail because we think of them as depriving ourselves of food we love. The trick is to change that thinking. There are so many compelling reasons to eliminate meat from our diet, so why not forget about losing weight? Focus instead on eating healthier, or eating in a way that’s in balance with the earth, and that doesn’t need to subsist on the suffering of animals. You’ll probably find you’ll start to lose weight without even thinking about it!

And when you do lose weight, so many other health risks can fall by the wayside as well. You’ll find your blood pressure falls into a healthier range and your risk for Type II diabetes can decrease. You’ll look better and feel better and probably never go back to your old ways of eating!

Tags: Atkins, Blood Pressure, Carnivorous Diet, diabetes;, Dietary Fiber, Diets, Earth, Eating Habits, Fruits And Vegetables, Health Risks, Healthy Diet, Lose Weight, Losing Weight, Many Compelling Reasons, Nutrition, Protein, Red Meat, Risk, Stamina, Suffering, Type Ii Diabetes, Vegetables, Wayside —

There are so many different diets out there that it’s nearly impossible to figure out which ones not only live up to their claims, but which ones would qualify as healthy eating plans. A big thing to look for is moderation. That’s because the more wild fad diets tell you to eat as much of one food as like (cabbage soup, anyone?), avoid whole groups of foods (stay away from those carbs!), or both. Therefore, a good rule of thumb for finding a good diet is to see how moderate it is; not only in the foods you can eat, but also the quantity of the food you eat.

While the idea of gorging yourself on cheeseburgers, pizza and bacon may sound like the perfect diet. Low-carb eating plans aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Sure, you may enjoy eating all of those foods, but the novelty will wear off sooner than you think. Not only that, but you will also crave carbohydrates like never before. Imagine not having ice cream, bread, certain vegetables or pasta. You might lose some weight at first, but once you can’t control your cravings, you will gain it all back (and probably more).

Even assuming you could lose weight, and keep it off by being on a diet high in protein and fat, you still need to question the long-term effects on your health. Researchers are still learning about how the food we eat impacts our health, but one thing most of them agree with is that too much saturated fat isn’t good or you. So it stands to reason that a diet that lets you eat all the saturated fat shouldn’t be counted along with other healthy eating plans.

If you stand back from it and look at it objectively, it should be easy to see that such a diet couldn’t possibly be healthy…even if you lose weight. But that’s why so many diets make amazing claims. It gets you excited about the possibilities and then your brain shuts off its ability to reason. This is not your fault! These people are professionals at convincing people to try new diets. But once you learn some of the basics and know what to really look for, you don’t have to worry about falling for the hype ever again.

As mentioned earlier, it’s all about moderation. You should, of course, eat healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and good fats. The closer foods are to their natural source, the better. But you can also enjoy the occasional treat. There is no need for you to give up your favorite foods, as long as you don’t overdo it. You can also find some very good recipes that will reduce the calories in your favorite foods. Either way, healthy eating plans don’t have to be complicated. Find a few you would like to try, then see how well they work for you.

Tags: Atkins, Bacon, Basi, Brain, Cabbage Soup, Calories, Carbs, Cravings, Diet Plans, Eating Habits, Fad Diets, Fruits And Vegetables, Health Researchers, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating, Losing Weight, Low Carb, Moderation, Pasta, Pizza, Possibilities, Protein, Rule Of Thumb, Stress, Vegetables —

When the holidays arrive, many people forget all about their diets and healthy eating. Weight gains of 7 – 10 pounds are common between Halloween and Christmas. To make the holidays easier, these tips will help you with healthy eating through the season and not gaining weight.

Most traditional foods can be made low fat. Turkey is very lean without the skin, and gravy can be made without any fat. Potatoes that are served without butter can be very healthy. The beloved pumpkin pie is nutritious, although it can be made into a fatty dessert with the adding of whipped cream.

Even though the holidays are in, don’t forget about the exercise. Keeping weight off during the holiday season is burning off the extra calories. You should plan a walk after meals, park farther from stores when you shop, and take a few walks around the mall before you begin shopping.

During holiday parties and at family dinners, feel free to sample foods although you shouldn’t splurge. Decide on what you plan to eat in advance, then stick to your plan. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, low fat dressings, and slices of lean meats. Before you go to a party, eat a small snack to help curb your appetite.

If at all possible, avoid alcohol. Having too many drinks can cripple your will power, and also add excess calories to your diet. In the place of alcohol, drink water with lemon. Water can help to limit your appetite and keep you from binging. Also make sure to avoid eggnog, as each glass can have up to 300 calories.

Be flexible with your healthy eating, as one bad meal won’t ruin your diet. Try to balance your calories over a few days and don’t just look at one meal or day.

Tags: Alcohol Drink, Appetite, Calories, Dessert, Diets, Dressings, Drink Water, Eating Habits, Excess Calories, Family Dinners, Fruits And Vegetables, Gaining Weight, Gravy, Healthy Diet, Holiday Parties, Holiday Season, Lean Meats, Lemon Water, Losing Weight, Potatoes, Pumpkin Pie, Snack, Splurge, Vegetables, Whipped Cream —

There are a lot of diets that have come and gone over the year, but there are always a few that work well enough to stick around for a while. One such diet is the South Beach Diet. This is an eating plan that is broken down into various stages. This type of plan works well for a lot of people for various reasons. Perhaps you are wondering about the South Beach Diet Phase 1. The general idea of the diet is to start out with some basic foods, and then add more and more foods in each successive phase.

This strategy works very well for a good number of people. They are not only able to lose weight early on, but they are able to keep it off. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of the South Beach Diet, with a focus on the first phase.

Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet has a lot of benefits. One of the best things about it is that it retrains how your body handles food. It works by fooling you into craving healthy foods, while losing your cravings for less healthy foods. Phase 1 does a very good job at not only changing what you eat, but how you think of food. There must surely be a catch, right? Yes, but only that you have to follow the diet for it to work. But that can be said of just about any diet.

Another benefit of Phase 1 is that it is relatively easy for most people to transition into it from their current diet. The main reason for this is that the South Beach Diet Phase 1 contains a lot of foods that a lot of people like to eat. This way they don’t feel deprived as they are starting a new diet. And if you can start on a positive note, there is a much better chance that you will be able to stick with the diet for the long term.

So what kind of foods can you eat? Well, how about cheese, vegetables, chicken, nuts, beef, turkey, fish and eggs for starters? Another aspect of the diet is to eat garden salads using nothing but olive oil for the dressing. It is also recommended that you have three meals per day. Generally speaking, most sweets are eliminated, but not completely. Just follow what the diet says and you will do fine.

What really counts, though, is that you will be retraining your body to stop craving unhealthy foods. This is a big difference when compared to other diets that only make you feel deprived by cutting out your favorite foods. But what if you stopped having those cravings and would start craving (yes, craving) foods that are better for you nutritionally and help you to lose weight? That would be awesome! That’s one of the biggest benefits of the South Beach Diet Phase 1…and that is only the beginning!

Tags: Better Chance, Cheese, Cravings, Diet Phase 1, Diets, Eating Habits, Eggs, Fruits And Vegetables, Garden Salads, General Idea, Good Job, Healthy Diet, Healthy Foods, Losing Weight, New Diet, Nuts, olive oil;, Phase Phase, South Beach Diet, South Beach Diet Phase, South Beach Diet Phase 1, Starters, Sweets, Vegetables —