Healthy Living - Lose Weight and become Healthier at the same time

Too many... and that must be the problem with most people - too many reducing diets only lead to a constant "up and down" weight changes.

Most of the times we lose weight we are not losing enough fat comparing with the total weight loss. The reason is perhaps because our body uses muscular and hepatic glycogen, as they`re more efficiently used as energy sources (which are more accessible to be used than fat, in most cases), so we tend to lose more lean tissues like muscles and body water. And while this happens the fat rests in our body making us fatter and fatter every time we go through another "so-call-diet" (going for a bigger fat percentage).

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?

The safest and long-lasting solution is to "hear" your body, and change some of your life and food habits... and as soon as you realize what your body really needs, you`ll change for good!

Relearning how to eat can be a long process and requires lots of determination, but in the end it will make you feel like a "new" person which you almost already had forgotten. ;)

This hub provides weight loss information and is intended only to assist healthy adult individuals in their personal weight loss attempts.

The information on this hub is not necessarily apropriate for minors, pregnant women or individuals with any type of health condition who need to lose weight.

Such individuals are specifically warned to personally seek professional medical advice prior to initiating any form of weight loss program. You should always look for the advice of a physician before starting any weight loss program but it`s also very important to find what foods really makes you feel good inside your entire body (not just in your mind).

Ricardo Nunes finished his Nutrition and Food Science postgraduate degree from ISCS Egas Moniz in the end of 2002.

Since then he has been working with several health clinics helping his patients and clients to achieve their goals and most importantly their well-being.

First you must know that fasting may end up being bad for your health and it will only turn your situation worst. There`re some exceptions, like spiritual healing methods where one may find its inner nutritional needs after experience some short period fastings.
Personally, I would say that it must be an individual decision... it shouldn`t be something you do just because some other one told you to!

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

If we choose our foods right, then it will be easier to make the right combinations for every meal of the day. Good food combinations allow us to eat enough quantities of every nutrient, without having to go on supplements, and lose weight at the same time. This way we may avoid all those cravings later on.

That`s why you must seriously reduce your animal products` intake, seriously. Specially those produced from unhealthy/unhappy animals (Dairy, meat, cheese, wursts, etc.).

It`s not just what we eat, or even the amounts of food we eat that matters, is also the way we eat. So remember it and 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 quantities.

This way you`ll avoid overeating as being your natural way!

Our metabolism or the energy we spend everyday defines what we should eat. That is why any physical activity is so important to help us maintain our ideal weight and good health.

Every time we spend more energy with physical activity our body gets used to it and this will make it spend more calories even when we are not exercising.

Very important: The next food plans will probably make you lose weight, but to achieve fat reduction you will also need to change some other life habits, like being more active and make some kind of physical activity regularly.
Remember that you must find activities that make you feel good and happy about it.

Do not believe in wonder miracles, there are no "easiest way".
You must really find the changes needed in your life!

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We must all remember that after waking up our body will need proper nutrition, just to function properly during the next few hours of the day (best performance).

That is why breakfast is so important - to fulfill all the body`s needs after fasting all night.

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

Everything we eat at breakfast is going to be consumed during the day, but on the other hand what we eat in the end of the day will most certainly not be completely spent. And everything our body does not consumes ends up stored as fat deposits where we wouldn`t like it.

First of all breakfast should have some source of energy provided by starches (complex carbohydrates like corn, potatoes, wheat, rice, etc.). The best starchy foods most frequently used for breakfast are cereals, tortillas or bread.

The first meal of the day should also have lots of vitamins, minerals and fibers, all of them which we can be found on most fruits (and other vegs). The energy provided by fruits is also going to help our brain, and the entire body, to function more efficiently.

Remember this meal is the most important one of the day, and you do not want to skip it, do you?! Don`t skip yourself from the beginning... your body really needs your presence as soon as you wakeup and start your activities.

Breakfast examples:

• High-fiber cereals (avoid those with chocolate or added fruits) with orange juice plus chopped fruits like kiwi, strawberries, mango, pineapple (or others), mixing everything in a bowl.
• Natural fruit juice plus enough brown bread with some fruit jam (of-course you can also use low-fat cheese or lean ham sometimes but, as you may already know, this won`t really help you).

A good way to lose weight without starving is to try and make enough smaller meals avoiding long periods along the day without eating.

Avoid more than 3 hours between meals!

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

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

Small meal examples:

• All grain cookies;
  
• Some fruit or fruit juice;
  
• Some cereals or toasted bread.

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 when choosing the best foods, and adjusting the right quantities to our needs at that time.

Because of today`s busy life, it is usual for people to skip lunch, and try to compensate that by eating more at dinner time. Which is bad for you because after lunch we`re still spending enough energy, something that won`t happen after dinner in most cases (except if you save your energies for later activities, like dancing or else).

Every time we miss lunch we`ll experience several symptoms during the afternoon: headaches, food urges and, much more hungry before the next meal.

Lunch examples:

• Potatoes (preferably sweet potatoes), soybean, brown rice or any other kind of starchy food, serve with legumes and salad or vegetables.
  
• Small amounts (or none, if you see fit) of fish or white meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit, etc.) with legumes and salad or steamed vegetables.

Important note:
Never fry your food! It may also fry other parts of you, like your mood or even your brain...
And always remember to keep fatty sauces out of your dish. Use instead some herbs or natural lemon juice, food will taste much better after you try!

This time, I would say two small meals between lunch and dinner might be a good choice.

Choosing the right foods for this small meals can be very important, as they will keep your body stable and satisfied, until the last meal of the day arrives.

More small meal examples:

• Three all grain crackers or a piece of bread
  
• One apple or any other fruit available to you
  

Note: you can always choose to diversify the foods you get.

Examples:

First snack - Some fruit with one or two cookies (low sugar and low fat biscuits are preferable);

Second snack - An apple, or two all grain crackers.

Dinner tends to 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 time.

As I stated before: everything our body doesn`t consume, it ends up stored as fat deposits inside your body.

Dinner examples:

• Vegetable soup, made with a good variety of vegetables and legumes.
• Light salad or vegetables with some fruit or edible nuts.

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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 below 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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Your Body is Your Best Doctor... use it wisely!

• Avoid skipping meals, and try to make enough meals every day
  (don`t forget that there are still some who struggle to get their first one every day);

• Avoid eating precooked meals or fast foods
  (you probably already knew this one too);

• Eat slowly and chew the food properly
  (that`s why fast food is also called junk food... it never reach it`s true destiny);

• Do not try to fast or eat excessively small amounts of food
  (unless that`s your own choice to do it, be careful thou... there`re experiences one shouldn`t have to go through);

• Try not to overeat.;

• Never stay longer than 3 hours without eating
  (if you already know that it`s going to happen, remember to organize your meals in advance);

• Avoid drinking during meals.

• Drink enough water along the day in between meals;

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If you have any doubt or you still need some advise, please refer to it on the comment box below. Thank you!