Friday, July 10, 2009

5-4-3-2-1 DIET PLAN !


Each of three meals per day should consist of:

5 bites of protein.
4 bites of vegetables.
3 bites of carbs, preferably whole grains.
2 bites of sweets.
1 minute between bites.


Add:

One mid-morning snack,
one mid-afternoon snack (yogurt or other dairy, fruit, nuts),
a multivitamin, and
8 glasses of water each day.


Rules for this diet plan:

If you do not want dessert, you can eat two additional bites of protein, vegetables, or carbs.
If your menu items are not separated, eat 14 total bites. For example, a pasta dish would not be separated.
One subtle way to help count bites is to move a piece of food off to the side of your plate for each bite you eat.
Bites should be “normal”-sized and chewed well.
Eat “mindfully.” Don’t be distracted. Savor each bite.
Limit diet soda to one per day.
Prepare foods in a healthy manner. Limit fats to two teaspoons of heart-healthy oils each day.
Include a minimum of 30 minutes each day of exercise.
Choose denser foods to stay full longer.

Source : easy-weightloss-tips

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Cinnamon for Weight Loss



Role of Cinnamon in Weight Loss

Intake of cinnamon in the form of powder or sticks can be useful in controlling cholesterol levels in the body. While it lowers the amount of bad cholesterol, it leaves the good cholesterol at the same level. Cinnamon also regulates blood sugar levels and helps in the fight against obesity and insulin resistance. Cinnamon is very useful for patients suffering from diabetes, as it helps them in using less insulin.

Honey and Cinnamon Recipe for Weight Loss

Take one spoonful of honey, one spoonful of cinnamon powder and mix them in a cup of warm water. This concoction should be consumed every morning on an empty stomach. Although the actual mechanism of how this recipe helps in losing weight naturally is not clearly known, people have reported to have benefited from regular consumption of this mixture.

Besides helping in weight loss, honey and cinnamon have other health benefits like fighting heart diseases, improving digestion, purifying blood and improving blood circulation. All these health factors and obesity are interrelated. Hence, not only do honey and cinnamon help in weight loss, but they also ensure an overall well being of an individual.

Source : Buzzle

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

How to Break Bad Eating Habits - II



If You’re a Mindless Muncher

The fallout :

Television makes people particularly prone to spaced-out eating. In fact, "folks who eat while watching the tube take in 20 to 60 percent more than if they are focused on their food," according to Brian Wansink, a professor of marketing at Cornell University and the author of Mindless Eating.

The fix :

Figure out which situations trigger mindless eating for you, then consciously make an effort to eat only when you’re fully engaged. If you need a few snacks, set limits on what you’ll eat. Dole out a single serving before you sit down on the couch, or delay your snack until you can pay attention. Minimize damage by dipping into low-cal foods, such as cut vegetables, air-popped popcorn, rice crackers, and whole-grain cereal.

Source : RealSimple

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Honey for Weight Loss


Of the various natural products and spices, honey and cinnamon have been found to be useful in the process of weight loss.

Role of Honey in Weight Loss : It is true that honey is a type of sugar. However, while the dietary sugars have only carbohydrates, honey, a natural sweetener, has vitamins and minerals as well. When our body digests sugar, it uses the vitamins and minerals present in our tissues. Hence, in the process of digesting dietary sugar, a deficit of vitamins and minerals is created in our body. This deficit is not created when honey is digested, as besides being a rich source carbohydrates, honey also provides important vitamins and minerals to the body. Hence, the metabolism of fats and cholesterol remains unhindered when dietary sugars are replaced with honey. Honey also helps in digestion, and taking this natural sweetener after a heavy meal helps in avoiding any problems that may arise due to overeating.

Honey Recipes for Weight Loss
Honey and Warm Water : Drinking a cup of warm water with one spoon of honey in it every morning is believed to help in weight loss. Fat remains stored as an unused source of energy in our tissues. Honey is believed to mobilize this stored fat that is burnt up to provide energy for our daily activities. This results in gradual loss of weight.

Honey and Lemon : One spoon of honey with a few drops of lemon, mixed with warm water is another recipe made from honey that is believed to reduce one's weight. Although the results are slow, regular consumption of this mixture is believed to aid in weight loss.

Source : Buzzle

Monday, July 06, 2009

How to Break Bad Eating Habits - I




If You’re a Serious Snacker

The fallout : You may end up overeating. A healthy snack or two between meals is fine. Snacks can keep blood sugar steady as well as allow you to rack up more servings of fruits and vegetables. “It’s when you snack in place of eating real meals that you’re more likely to lose track of how much you’re eating,” Of course, what you eat matters, too. Typical snack foods (chips, cookies, pretzels) aren’t that nutritious or satisfying, so it’s easy to overdo them.



The fix : To keep your energy up and hunger at bay, allow yourself two snacks a day of 100 to 300 calories each. “Rather than a cookie or a candy bar, opt for something that feels like real food―half of a small sandwich, whole-grain crackers with cheese, a handful of nuts, baby carrots with hummus, or yogurt sprinkled with cereal”.

Source : RealSimple