Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without Sugar

September 29th, 2011

Most diet reviews that you’ll read may suggest that you eat healthier foods, but not necessarily “sugar-free”. See, sometimes, sugar-free foods are worse than eating something that is naturally sweet. So, which sweetener alternatives should you use? Here’s a list of substitutes to satisfy your sweet tooth:

KETCHUP. If you use this condiment excessively, it is advised that you go with the organic or homemade version. However, if you’re not a fan of ketchups, it’s okay to stick with the regular one. Sugar-free ketchups doesn’t really taste good, in the end, you may use more of it thatn you’ve imagined. This is not a good thing, because it will definitely add up to your calorie count.

CANDY. Everyone who’s on the go and needs that sugar rush to keep them energized would go grab some candies. However, it isn’t best to eat the sugar-free ones, you can always go with the real thing, but then again in moderation. What you can do is to get ones that are in snack sizes. A piece of candy is enough to satisfy your craving.

JAM / JELLY. Here’s the trick: If you’re into these stuff but you’re counting your calories too, go with the fruit ones, and slash off the regular jams or jellies. If you’re trying to lose weight or if you have diabetes, sugar-free foods will be good, but fruit based is much better.

JUICE & TEAS. If you include these drinks in your healthy food and diet, it is best advised to get unsweetened ones over sugar free. Though, dietitians would recommend that we drink water and squeeze some fresh orange, lemon or lime in it to add flavor.

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Boost Your Metabolism

September 26th, 2011

Many people are already losing pounds by eating foods that are healthy, but of course consuming this in amounts that are enough for your body. Thanks to a number of healthy living and weight loss reviews available, we can easily know which foods should we eat daily and the ones that should be eaten in moderation. However, do we know which should be included in our daily meals to rev up our metabolism? Here are some:

GRAPEFRUIT

According to a study, this fruit contains an antioxidant called naringerin. These antioxidant helps in making your body use insulin efficiently. It equalizes your blood sugar, and improves your calorie burn.

GREEN TEA

A compound called epigallocathechin is found in green teas. These compound is responsible for stimulating your body’s nervous system without pulpitating. Regular exercise and drinking green tea is the best formula for burning more calories. Here’s another thing: Did you know that drinking 3 cups a day of green tea will burn as much as 80 calories? Yes, so you should try including this in your daily meals,too.

TUNA

A good amount of omega-3 fatty acids are found in tunas. These fatty acids help in increasing the production of leptin—a hormone that increases the feeling of being full. This hormone also helps in boosting your metabolism. Other sources of these fatty acids are mackerel, sardines, herring and salmon.

HOT PEPPERS

Not only can  peppers add spice to your foods, but it can also burn calories. Peppers such as habaneros, Jalapenos, and cayennes contains a chemical called capsaicin which is responsible for burning calories. Also, according to a study, a meal that has these peppers can increase your metabolism by up to 25 percent.

ROLLED OATS

Primarily, oats help you satisfy yourself from hunger. However, eating grains use more energy, and as a result, it burns more calories from your body just by eating it. A good diet tip that you’ll hear (or read) all over the place is to include oats in your diet. Other than the nutrients it brings, this may also be one of the reasons why it is highly-advised to eat this.

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Failed Diet Programs

September 22nd, 2011

In most health reviews, you’d find yourself reading how to lose those excess fats. Most of the diet tips that you’ll get are eating the right foods and of course, you have to sweat it off by doing exercise. Generally, women nowadays are the ones who are eager in losing weight. However, did you know that more than eating healthy foods and having a quick jog on a treadmill, a psychological aspect is a must in weight loss too?

This is why most people fail in their diet programs—lack of the psychological aspect in eating and weight loss. See, most people, particularly women can’t hide their joy and pride when they are near their desired weight. Most people feel proud when they hit their target weight. However, if you don’t have the correct mind set or psychological factor, you may not meet your desired result. There’s no definite psychological factor for weight loss, because these differs with each individual. Though there are psychologists who are willing to help you out if you need to set these psychological factors.

Some of the things that contribute in diet failure may include:

EMOTIONAL DISTRACTION. Sometimes your emotions get in the way. Personal problems such as finances, work stress and marital problems are just some of the distractions that hinders you from losing weight. Some studies show that exercise is a good way to de-stress.

HONESTY. A NEED to lose weight and having the MOTIVATION to work on it are two different things. You should really be ready for such changes in your life, because if not you’ll end up doing the whole losing-the-excess-pounds all over again.

Maybe looking at past success and failures in your life will help in your weight loss too. Make it a motivation on gaining healthy living—and don’t get stuck on a negative mindset such as “I am and always will be a failed dieter.” Push yourself, and you’ll achieve desirable results in no time.

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Food Cravings

September 21st, 2011

Even with a lot of weight loss reviews available for us to follow, when you crave for something, the whole program gets ruined. Many are struggling in stopping their food cravings because they know the effect of it on their program. So, how can you overcome your cravings? Here are some useful tips:

One of the best things in conquering your cravings is to avoid whatever thing that triggers your cravings. Most often than not, cravings start when you see something on the way to some place, say going home from work. One good tip is to take a different route to work. However, the most useful advice is to help yourself not to stop at any store which offers the food that you’re craving for.

Give yourself some satisfaction. Yes, you would need to eat healthy everyday, but it is also best advised that you eat foods which give you less of the nutrition. Though you have to remember to eat in moderation. Once or twice a week of eating your favorite fast-food burger would be fine.

Caffeine is very helpful when you can’t focus on your work since they say that it’ll keep you awake. Most people though, abuse this and drinks quite a number of cups of coffee every day. Caffeine isn’t bad though, but excessive intake may not be good. Drink coffee (2 cups maximum) and pair it with energy boosting snacks such as almonds.

Yes, there are a lot of diet tips out there—you’ll read it or even hear it from people, and you may consider this as one of them. This will come in handy, even for those who aren’t weight-watchers.

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Simple Things To Live By

September 20th, 2011

There are many healthy reviews out there that would tell you what to eat and what not to eat or even what to do and what not to do. To avoid the clutter of information, here are four (4) important things to keep in mind in planning your weight loss program:

REMOVE THE JUNK. We seldom notice how much junk foods we eat in one day. A helpful tip is to let go of these types of food and replace it with green vegetables that are rich in folate. If your folate count is low, this is a sign that your diet needs some adjustments. This nutrient is also important for normal functioning of your brain and body. According to a study, a deficiency in folate can lead to diseases such as stroke, alzheimer’s, depression and heart disease. Spinach, broccoli, endive, collard greens, and asparagus are just some of the foods that are good sources of folate.

HIDDEN SWEETNESS. Any kind of food contains sugar. A lot of people are hooked on it, which makes it harder to reduce sugar intake. However, according to a study, it is better that you eat sweets in moderation and avoid foods with hidden sugar. A good tip is to let go of products that has any type of sugar among the first four listed ingredients in its label.

STOP BEING IN A HURRY. While we are always in time constraint, eating too fast is one of the reasons why people gain pounds. According to  a study, it is best to eat slowly, with a few minutes interval because the time that your nerves send an “I’m full” message to your brain takes about 10-15 minutes.

STAY SAFE. Admit it—not everything that sold in the market today are safe. With thousands of news about dangerous products to be bought, such as tainted peanut products, salmonella outbreak in tomatoes among many, you don’t know what is safe to eat anymore. To make sure that you’re buying products which are safe to include in your healthy food and diet list, get it from a local farmer. In this way, you’ll know that the fruits, vegetable, meat and a lot more are safe and fresh.

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Eat Green.

September 19th, 2011

In most weight loss reviews that you’ll encounter, you may have read how much vegetables has an impact in losing pounds. Eating greens will contribute to the desired nutrients that your body needs. For people who includes sports to their lifestyle, vegetables are their go-to food since it is  packed with fiber, minerals, vitamins  and phytochemicals to prevent your from diseases.

Here are some of the vitamins and minerals that you get from eating vegetables:

FIBER

Fiber is important to everyone. It is much known to help increase good digestion. Eating your greens will give you at least 2 to 5 grams of fiber per serving. Vegetables also has a good mix of fibers that help lower your cholesterol and helps in good digestion. Another type of fiber which is wtaer-soluble, helps in decreasing your appetite.

POTASSIUM AND CALCIUM

These minerals are common in green vegetables. These are two minerals that are known to fight the risk of having high blood pressure. Though green veggies has potassium and calcium, these minerals can deplete if you bring this to a boil. A good tip is to microwave or steam green veggies only.

CAROTENES

According to a study, spinach and collard greens are high in antioxidant carotenes which are known to prevent plenty age-related diseases. A serving of green veggies approximately contains 2 to 20 milligrams of carotenes. Ideally, intake of 5 milligrams of carotenes everyday will be fine.

FOLIC ACID

It is important that pregnant women take a daily dose of folic acid to prevent certain birth defects. On the other hand, this B vitamin also helps in preventing you from the risk of certain heart disease.

These are only some of the vitamins and minerals that can be found in green vegetables. It is common that a good diet tip is to always eat your greens, since it is packed with essential nutrients taht your body needs.

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Why Eat Fish?

September 16th, 2011

With a lot of weight loss reviews that you have read, you may have noticed how much it would encourage us to eat fish rather than pork or meat. However, do you know why it is best advised to eat more fish? Well, it is because it’s relatively high in omega-3. Omega-3s are good for your body and for your health, and here’s why:

Omega-3s are often called good fats, which are usually found in seafood and flaxseed products. Sometimes, it can also be found in some oils and nuts. These fats are also usually called “essential” because our body cannot produce these kinds of fats—the only way to get them, into our bodies is by eating foods that are rich on this fats. A good amount of intake of these fats will be able to lower our risk in certain diseases such as:

HEART DISEASE: Studies show that regular intake of fish will lower the risk of heart disease. This is so, because omega-3s lower blood fat levels and increase the levels of good cholesterol. Omega-3s also makes your blood thin, which also reduces your chances of having blood clots.

CANCER: Studies show that people who have sufficient intake of omega-3s can lower your cancer risk. As a result of the study, scientists have theorized that these essential fats can stop cancer-causing agents from entering your body cells.

ARTHRITIS: Omega-3s is known to be responsible to curb inflammation. In line with this, these fats show that it can cure arthritis. Consuming 2-3 grams of omega-3 fats everyday will help in reducing joint tenderness and swelling.

These are just some of the diseases that can be cured, or rather prevented if you include fish in your list of healthy food and diet. However, some people are allergic to seafoods. If you’re one of those people, make and still want to get a daily dose of omega-3s, you can have substitutes, like some oils and nuts that contains the good fats.

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Feeling Bloated?

September 15th, 2011

A lot of people regularly feels bloated when they eat. Most often than not, we feel that when we’re bloated, we ate too much. This maybe true, but the topmost reason on why you feel bloated is if you eat fatty and salty foods. Here are a list of some foods that you can include in your healthy food and diet. Indulging on these kinds of foods wouldn’t make you feel guilty and of course—bloated.

GARLIC

This kind of spice helps in decreasing the levels of fat in your liver. This is very vital in your body, because the main responsibility of the liver is to produce biochemicals that will be helpful for your digestion. A good digestion means that you’ll lower your risk of getting bloated.

GRAPEFRUIT

A hydration-boosting fruit, grapefruit consists of nearly 90 percent water. Eating this kind of fruit is also a good diet tip, because it will not only lower the risk of dehydration, but will definitely help in losing excess pounds since it’s high in fat-burning enzymes.

PINEAPPLE

This fruit consists of 85 percent water. This also contains an enzyme that helps in breaking down proteins, which is called bromelain. This enzyme also helps in eliminating some stomach problems and also promotes good digestion

BLUEBERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES

These berries are known for having a high-fiber content. Eating fiborous foods will help in cleaning your system. Dreid apricots and dried plums are also high in fiber, so you couls also try eating these kinds of foods too.

YOGURT

Promoting good bacteria in your stomach will absolutely help in your digestion. Yogurt is mainly knoown for that , and is also high in water content.

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Boost Your Immune System

September 13th, 2011

Your immune system isn’t only going to be strong if you have anti-viral shots,  but you can boost this system by including some foods and drinks in your healthy food and diet.

GREEN TEA

Drinking green tea will protect your cells from being weak and prevents potential harm from foreign substances. Green tea is abundant in EGCG, and it is one of the most powerful antioxidants that is found in plants. This compound is responsible for protecting your cells.

OYSTERS

When you eat at least 3 ounces of oysters, you’ll get roughly  700 percent of zinc that is required in your Daily Value. Zinc plays an important role to the T cells. This white blood cells are responsible for adjusting your body’s responses to specific pathogens. There are also studies that show that poor zinc intake will retain the immune-fighting response in your body that fights agains flu viruses and colds.

ONION

This vegetable is high in quercetin, an antioxidant that is famous for its antiviral properties. Studies show that a good amount of quercetin dose everyday can help in reducing viral infections. For athletes, studies show that having a good intake of quercetin for them can also help them decrease chances of inflammatory response due to heavy exercise.

TURMERIC

The Chinese use this spice as a medicine. Having a dose of Curcumin, the antioxidant that can be found in turmeric, can help your immune cells recuperate quickly after you get sick. Turmeric is well-known to be used in Indian cuisine. This spice is responsible for the golden color of curries.

KEFIR

According to a study, if you’re an athlete, say runner, a good diet tip is to take a daily dose of probiotic drink such as kefir, you’ll most probably have an decrease in GI ailments. Kefir can defend your intestinal tract against foreign substances and pathogens. Not only is it a healthy option, but it’ll cost you less too—you can even make one at home.

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Ways To Decrease Your Daily Calories

September 12th, 2011

Counting your calorie intake everyday is one of the things that you should do if you want to lose pounds. Did you know that if you cut down on your calories for at least 100  per day, you’d be able to lose at least 10 pounds every year?

If you want to lose pounds by decreasing the number of calories that you eat everyday, here are some ways to do so.

LET GO OF THE CARBS. Cutting down on carbs is one of the best ways to lose weight. Just like in any other weight loss reviews, the best advise to lose distinct amount of pounds is to cut down on carb intake. For example, if you choose eating bagels in the morning, why not try to eat bialy? You’ll cut down on 170 calories in the morning alone.

GO FRESH. More than having a much higher sugar content than of fresh fruits, dried fruits has less percentage of water than the fresh ones. As a result, dried fruits has much more calories than fresh ones. For example, if you eat half cup of raisins and try to eat half a cup of grapes instead, you’ll save 165 calories a day.

ADD PROTEIN. If you try to add protein-full foods in the morning, say eggs for example, you may not need to eat midmorning snack. This in turn, will make you save 150 calories per day. A good suggestion is to eat omelets made with 3 eggwhites because it’ll save you up to 182 calories.

SIMPLE IS BEST. We all know how much everyone loves coffeee—with the added flavourings and syrups, one can’t get enough of just one cup. However, it is best that you have a non-fat caffe than caramel macchiatos. Having a simple non-fat caffee will definitely save you almost 150 calories.

For you to achieve desirable results, include this in your daily weight loss program. Who knows, maybe if you try cutting down on foods which are high in calories plus a good excercise, you’ll be able to lose more pounds that you could’ve ever imagined.

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