Too many. And that is the problem with most people - too much diets and lots of weight ups and downs. Every time we lose weight while dieting we are not losing FAT.

Because our body prefer to use glycogen which is easier to find and so we tend to lose lean tissues like muscles while the fat rests there making us fatter every time we go through another diet.

There is only one way to achieve long-lasting results:

Never let your weight go up again after losing it.

How can this be done? Well, the safest and most durable solution is to change some of your life and food habits. Relearning how to eat it is a long process and requires lots of determination but in the end it will make you feel like a new person.

First you must know that fasting is bad for your health and in the medium long run it will only make your situation worst.

To work properly our body needs energy, nutrients, micronutrients, water, fibers, etc. and it needs all of this since the minute we wakeup in the morning.

If we choose our foods right it will be easier to make the right combinations on each meal of the day. The good combinations allow us to eat enough quantities and loose weight at the same time avoiding cravings later on.

It is not just what we eat or the amounts of food that matter, it is also how we eat. So try to chew properly and without hurry. You will have a better digestion and your body will be able to warn you when you already ate enough food. This way it is easy to avoid overeating.

Our metabolism or the energy we spend everyday defines what we should eat. That is why physical activity is so important to help us maintain our ideal weight. Every time we spend more energy with physical activity our body gets used to it and will spend more calories even when we are not exercising.

Very important: The next food plans will make you lose weight but to achieve fat reduction you will need to also change some other life habits like being more active and make some kind of physical

activity on a daily basis.

Do not believe in wonder miracles, there are no easy ways.

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We must remember that after wake up we do not have what our body needs to function properly during the next hours. That is why breakfast it is so important - to fulfill all of our body`s needs.

Every time you skip breakfast you are compromising your performance throughout the entire day and even worst you will have food cravings later on.

Everything we eat at breakfast it is going to be consumed during the day but what we eat in the end of the day will not. And everything our body does not burns it is going to be stored as fat.

First of all it should have some source of energy like cereals or bread. It should also have lots of vitamins, minerals and fibers which we can find on most fruits.

Remember that this meal it is the most important one of the day and you do not want to skip it.

Breakfast examples:

• High-fiber cereals with yogurt plus fruit like kiwi or pineapple, everything mixed in a bowl.
• Natural fruit juice and two slices of brown bread with low-fat cheese or chicken ham.

The best way to lose weight without starving is to make lots of smaller meals and avoid long periods without eating.

Remember that we never should be more than 3 hours without eating something.

This allows our body to get to the next big meal more balanced and without the need to eat too much.

It is also a great way to improve our metabolism and allows our body to burn more calories.

Small meal examples:

• Three all grain crackers
  
• Some fruit or fruit juice
  
• One yogurt

It is recommended to make at least one small meal between breakfast and lunch. This way we will not experience hungry before lunch which will help us choosing the best foods and the right quantities.

Because of today`s busy life it is usual for people to skip lunch and compensate that by eating more at dinner.

This is bad because after lunch we are still going to spend enough energy which will not happen after dinner in most cases.

Every time we miss lunch we will sense several symptoms during the afternoon: headaches, food urges and much more hungry before the next meals.

Lunch examples:

• Any kind of fish or white meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit, etc.) with salads or steamed vegetables plus two boiled potatoes or two tablespoons of brown rice
• Red meat just with salads or steamed vegetables

Importante note: Never fry your food! And always remember to keep sauces out of your dish.

This time I would say two small meals between lunch and dinner it is the best choice.

Choosing the right foods for this snacks are very important as they will keep our body stable and satisfied until the last meal of the day.

More small meal examples:

• Three all grain crackers
  
• One apple
  
• One yogurt

Note: it is possible to combine the apple or the yogurt with one or two all grain crackers. Example: First snack - One apple with one or two all grain crackers; Second snack - One yogurt with one or two all grain crackers.

That is right, dinner should be the last meal of the day and also the lighter one.

We must remember that in the end of the day our metabolism decreases very much which make almost impossible for us to burn large quantities of calories after dinner.

As I stated before: everything our body does not burns it is going to be stored as fat deposits.

Dinner examples:

• Soup made with a variety of vegetables plus two all grain crackers
• Light salad with a boiled egg or fish
  

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You can find other alternative meal plans at Nutrition by Natalie.

Natalie Butler is the beautiful lady from the two videos above and she has completed her graduate dietetic internship through Marywood University and graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor of science in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics.

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• Do not to skip meals and make at least 6 meals every day;

• Avoid eating precooked meals or fast foods;

• Eat slowly and chew the foods properly;

• Do not try to fast or eat excessively small amounts of food;

• Try not to overeat;

• Never stay longer than 3 hours without eating;

• Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water everyday;

• Avoid drinking during meals.

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If you have any doubt or you need some advise please refer to it on the comment box below or through the Contact funride link.