Fitness Tip: Eat More Food

Fitness Tip: Eat More Food - How many times have you starved yourself into either not losing weight or even gaining the weight back from your latest diet plan. Most diets and most people make a huge mistake and cut so many calories out of their meal plans that they put their bodies into what we call protection or starvation mode. Yes, your body is defending against you starving it. It is a natural occurrence in all people, and it can be the biggest nutrition mistake you can make.

Remember to EAT, but make sure that you are doing the following healthy meal plan tips.
a. Reduce caloric intake no more than 500 calories from your maintenance levels.
b. Eat more early and less later - Breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day.
c. Eat 5-6 small meals daily
d. Eat every 3 hours
e. Do not eat at least 3 hours before bedtime
f. Balance is the key - Not too much protein, fat or carbs
g. Eat high quality lean proteins - Fish, lean Poultry and very lean Red Meats
h. Eat high quality Carbs - 100% Whole Grains, high in fiber
i. Drink plenty of Water - Green Tea and Low or No calorie fluids
j. Keep Sugar to a minimum - Use Splenda or Stevia as a sugar alternative
k. Keep sodium in check - No extra salt added to your meal plan
l. Eat foods from the most natural state possible - Processed foods tend to have lots of preservatives, sugar, salt, fat, and those things that make you gain weight.

Skinny Dip: Cantaloupe Chutney

Food for Thought: Serve this tasty chutney as a dip or as a topping for whole grains, steamed veggies, chicken, fish or tofu.

• 4 cups diced cantaloupe (about 1 melon)
• 1⁄3 cup golden raisins
• 1⁄3 cup minced red onion
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Place pan over medium-high heat and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes, until cantaloupe breaks down. Cool to room temperature, then drain (but reserve the liquid to use as a marinade for another dish). (Makes 10 servings).

Per serving: Each 1⁄4-cup serving contains: 62 calories; 0 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 16 g carbohydrates; < 1 g protein; 0 g dietary

How small amounts of certain foods can reduce cholesterol

Plant sterols occur naturally in a host of foods—primarily soybean oil, nuts, seeds, legumes and some fruits and vegetables. Because plant sterols are chemically similar to cholesterol, the human body tends to absorb them and pass cholesterol out of the body as waste. The net result is that consuming foods rich in plant sterols can reduce the body’s blood cholesterol levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows food companies to declare the heart benefits of plant sterols on product packaging.

What are plant sterols? - Plant sterols are compounds found naturally in everyday foods like vegetables oils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. They have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol. U.S. diets containing these foods provide 140–400 milligrams of plant sterols per day.

How effective are plant sterols at lowering LDL cholesterol? - Numerous studies have concluded that consuming at least 2 g of plant sterols a day is associated with an average 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol.

How do plant sterols lower cholesterol? - Because plant sterols have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol, they block the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.

Fitness Tip: Whole Grain Goodness

Fitness Tip: Whole Grain Goodness - 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat products are the way to go when it comes to eating high quality wheat derived carbs. They are loaded with more fiber, reducing you risk for heart disease, cancer, and other health related diseases. Focus on Oats, Barley, Bulgur, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Millet, Buckwheat, and Ground Flaxseed.

Flush It Out

Fitness Tip: Flush It Out - Water does the body good when it comes to good health. Water helps flush out toxins and other unwanted things lingering in your body. Water also replenishes fluids that help lubricate the internal body, while keeping you hydrated, lowering your desire to eat, and also helps keep your skin looking smooth and young. I know it's hard to drink lots of water, but find bottled water you enjoy the taste of or filter your tap water and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. You should be drinking at least 64 oz per day up to 128 oz to keep your body hydrated and working properly.

Do You Eat Too Much? Break This And Other Bad Food Habits

Nutritionists would call a three-margarita meal a no-no. We call it the highlight of our week. Lots of so-called food faux pas—eating until you're good and stuffed, skipping breakfast to save time—are things we need to do once in a while to survive. Sure, unhealthy eating habits can cause everything from weight gain to sluggishness, as Charla K. Schultz, RD, a dietitian at the Women's Health Clinic at the Mayo Clinic, helpfully points out. The good news is that with minimal effort, you can make up for most not-so-good food decisions. Put these damage-control strategies to work and start gaining healthy food habits.

Bad Food Habit: You Blow Off Breakfast
The thought of food at the crack of dawn makes you queasy. But your brain (which runs on glucose) and body need a little something in the morning.

Don't Over Indulge

Fitness Tip: Don't Over Indulge - Life is about balance, and when you do anything in excess, your body pays the price. So when it comes to drinking alcohol, you need to be wise about your decision making process. Think of the effects of too much alcohol in your current and future fitness and health.

• Can Damage your liver
• Shuts your metabolism so you can't burn food energy
• Impairs your decision making process - especially with healthy food decisions
• Adds tons of liquid NO quality Calories to your daily diet: Sugar & Fat

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