Quick and nutritious weight loss foods to get you trim in a hurry

Every year, the holidays provide so many tempting foods that nearly everyone gains at least a few pounds. This leads many of us to make the list New Year's resolution that I will lose x number of pounds. Now, the question is, it’s past the New Year, how is your plan working?

One problem with losing weight is that there are so many diets and weight loss programs out there. Another problem is that one program may work for one person and not for another. This can be due partly because of an individual's metabolism or sometimes can be simply that the food choices of the particular weight loss plan doesn’t match the dieter’s taste. In some cases, people find the seemingly tiny portions of food unsatisfying and, as a result, are not able to stay with the program.

You can build your own diet program around weight loss foods that you like. So what constitutes weight loss food? Simply put, foods that are high in fiber, are loaded with antioxidants and are low in fat and refined sugars. You also want foods that don’t seem like prison faire but will get you to your goal in a hurry.

Most people understand that packing your plate with fruits and veggies will not only fill you up, but are extremely low in calories. The problem is that many people are put off by this because they think that they must consume two fruits or veggies at each and every meal, not to mention their morning and afternoon snacks, in order to meet their quota.

The good news is that is that dieting doesn’t have to be a fruit and veggie eating chore. For example a nutritious breakfast that meets the requirements might be banana bread. To make it healthy and suitable for your diet, try substituting a cup of applesauce for a portion of the liquid called for in the recipe and use a sugar substitute. Or you could blend a fruit smoothie, incorporating your three favorite fruits along with a little now fat yogurt or milk. Eat an apple and a couple of slices of whole grain toast. Practice eating slowly, when you do the fiber content of produce will help you feel full.

For a mid-morning snack you might try a one cup serving of a mixed fruit salad, a small bowl of fresh or frozen strawberries with a dressing of non-dairy topping or a whole banana. This will satisfy your hunger until lunch.

Remember, to stay on track the best thing to do is to bring lunch. You might try a chef's salad drizzled with a low fat dressing, or a 4 ounce piece of lean meat with a side of mixed vegetables.

For your afternoon snack, a few celery sticks mixed in some spinach dip can hit the spot and keep your tummy in the right spot until dinner.

For dinner fish is an excellent choice. So is a skinless chicken breast or a lean pork chop. You don’t have to avoid beef as long as it is a small portion of a lean cut. Serve a dinner salad on the side. To flavor it up try dressing your meat with a salsa, applesauce, or baked sliced apples sprinkled lightly with cinnamon.

The thing about weight loss foods is that they are everywhere. Once you start eating this way you may find that you can't even eat all your food because you are too full! When you add up all the calories you'll be astonished at how few you’ve actually taken in. Not only that, fiber rich foods burn more calories in digestion than most other types of food, making them real weight loss foods.

If you want to spice up you meals even more here's a really hot tip. Get a book on seasonings and marinades. Use herbal salt substitutes that spark the flavor like salt, without the salty side effects.

Oh, one last thing that goes with your New Year’s eating habits, you need to exercise. If you exercise just 30 minutes a day, 4-5 days each week, you'll be rewarded with quick weight loss, increased vigor and good health that lasts a lifetime! Start today and make the rest of your life the healthiest you can!

If you would like help in losing weight and getting fit I have a FREE Fitness e-Course which can help you lose weight and keep it off.

Seven healthy things to do to lose weight

Many of us eat too much over the holidays but now that they are over you may want to fit into that size 6 dress again or get your pant size back down to a 34. You know it will take some work but you don’t have a plan. No worries because I’m going to give you seven ways to help you lose weight.

I’ve used these methods myself to lose nearly 30 pounds. I’m confidant that if you will consistently integrate all of these methods into your lifestyle, beginning today, you will lose weight. You may find that these habits are difficult to follow at first because you are not used to them. New habits always take about 30 days to install permanently in your subconscious, but if you persist they will work. These seven healthy ways to lose weight may even become a new way of living for you that will continue to pay you healthy dividends for the rest of your life.

1. I used to eat three large meals a day. That’s how we’re taught, right? I’ve found that eating five or six small meals a day is much healthier and helps burn calories more efficiently. You will discover that you won’t experience hunger pangs because your stomach is never really empty. Also your stomach will shrink because you are not putting as much food in it. You will find yourself eating less while feeling better because your blood sugar stays stable. Just make sure the food you are eating is healthy.

2. Drink water! In addition to drinking water throughout the day, while preparing your food, or about a half hour to 45 minutes before you eat, drink a glass of water. If you don’t like the “taste’ of water dress it up with a little slice of lemon or lime, but drink it! The water will give your stomach a sensation of fullness and will also flush toxins out of your body. Another benefit of drinking water regularly is that it will give you glowing skin and enhancing your overall appearance.

3. Eat slowly and chew your food completely. This one was hard for me. When I was a kid eating quickly meant that I could get back to doing whatever it was I was doing before I had to come in and eat. When I was aboard ship in the Navy I had to eat quickly so that the other people who were waiting to eat could have my seat in the mess decks. It's commonly known that people who eat slowly usually eat less as well. These people tend to live longer than those who gobble down large quantities of food.

Eating slowly and chewing your food completely does two things for your stomach. The first is that it allows your stomach time to let you know when it is full. This way you don’t get that stuffed feeling that often accompanies wolfing down a meal. The second benefit to your stomach is that the process of chewing your food completely allows your saliva to send signals to your stomach telling it what you ate so it can prepare the right chemicals to digest your food. Both of these processes help you lose weight while eating less.

4. Keep your portion size small. While this may seem to be a no-brainer, many people who are “losing weight” try to fool themselves into believing that a 16 ounce steak won't hurt anything. Instead of eating such large portions, savor every bite of a smaller 4 or 6 ounce portion while following rules 1 through 3. I think you will be amazed at how satisfying that small portion can be.

5. Put lots of fiber in your diet. The best fiber you can eat to lose weight is insoluble fiber. This is plant fiber that your digestive system cannot process. Fruits and vegetables are full of this type of fiber. This means that you can have a huge plate of veggies for a meal. This type of fiber takes many more calories to burn than other types of foods.

Many health professionals believe that insoluble fiber acts as a cleanser of the digestive tract and helps to remove waste from your body more easily. Eating lots of fruits and veggies is one of the most healthful and least painful ways to lose weight quickly. You can eat them raw or steamed and you can spice them up with a number of seasonings to make them something you actually want to eat.

6. Stay away from fatty meats and fried foods. This means you’ll need to give up fried chicken and fish. You’ll also need to give up whole milk products, potato chips and pork rinds. You need to give up fattier cuts of beef but you don’t have to give up beef as long as it is a lean cut and broiled. You can also eat broiled or baked fish, skinned chicken and lean pork cuts that suit your taste.

7. My last tip is one that I use regularly to stay healthy and fit while keeping the weight off. When used in conjunction of healthy eating it is one of the best ways to lose weight fast. It is simply to exercise daily. I know you’ve heard it before and you may wish it wasn’t true, but it's essential to your long term health and weight loss regimen. Find an exercise program that suits you and just do it!

So if you’re really serious about getting healthy (and if you read this far I believe that you are) then follow these simple steps. They will provide you the benefit of losing weight today and the benefit of living a long healthy life. Don’t wait, start today!

If you want more information on how to lose weight and be fit for life I have a FREE e-Course

Using online forums to help you quit smoking

People who have successfully quit smoking will tell you that it's not an easy task. Almost everyone who eventfully quits has failed several times before they finally succeeded. There is never a convenient time to quit and for some people the littlest thing can set them off. You can't afford to lose your job because you are edgy as a result of quitting and explode at your boss. Your spouse probably won’t understand biting their head over nothing and the ensuing fight will only result in you lighting up. You don’t want to take a two week vacation to quit, do you?

Let's face it. To quit you are going to need all the help you can get. Family members, especially if they are lifelong non-smokers, may not be very helpful. On the other hand, the quit smoking forums are filled with sympathetic people who know just what you're going through. These people who have broken their habit can be especially helpful in your quest to quit. Best of all, these quit smoking forums are filled with individuals from all over the world, at all hours of the day and night. So, if you find yourself jumping out of your skin over your desire to take a little puff and unable to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, you can get online and find one of your quit smoking forum buddies to chat with to help you get you through the challenging moments.

To gain maximum benefit from the quit smoking forums, you'll want to first locate one in which you feel comfortable, ahead of your upcoming quit smoking date. Let the other members know of your upcoming goal to quit date. You'll find these people to be highly supportive. Some have already quit, but stick around the forum as a success story. The quit smoking forum members often have some ingenious tricks and tips to help you out that you might never think of on your own.

Your most difficult obstacles to quitting will occur in the first few days. This is when your body is flushing the nicotine and other chemicals out of your body. It can be all you can do to stop thinking about smoking. You are experiencing withdrawal from a substance you've had in your body for maybe many years. Other unpleasant symptoms sometime include sweating, sometimes profusely and at the most inopportune time. Many people experience a hair trigger temper as their body rids itself of toxins. Insomnia and irrationality can also pose a considerable problem.

While the majority of the nicotine and other nasty chemicals contained in cigarettes are flushed from your system in the first 72 hours, your next obstacle is overcoming the psychological desires. Many smokers have triggers which cause them to automatically light up. For example, some people always have a cigarette with their morning coffee. Others, when thinking through a problem, light up to enhance their concentration. This process can be quite a bit more manageable if you join a quit smoking forum.

According to Narcanon, many former heroin addicts claim that quitting smoking is more difficult than kicking heroin! Research has shown that this is probably due to the fact that cigarettes are legal and readily available, 24 hours a day at the corner convenience store.

If you want to quit smoking for good, do yourself a favor and check out the many online quit smoking forums. Good luck!

If you would like some information to help you quit smoking I have a FREE Preparing to Quit Smoking e-course

What’s the right exercise program to lose weight?

I regularly tell people that a key part of your weight loss program needs to include exercise. I often get, “I know, I just don’t like to exercise.” Well exercise doesn’t have to be drudgery. You should choose the type of exercise that you like to do. Most people won’t stick to a program that they hate so if what you hate includes anything with a membership fee or special equipment my suggestion is to find something else. Find some type of exercise that you like to do!

Before we go on let me make the required disclaimer that if you haven’t exercised in a while it’s best to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Now that’s out of the way, we all know that very few people are going to keep doing a type of exercise they don’t like. Think about it. If you don't like jogging, you are going to find every reason in the world not to get up at 6 AM and go running, from “I’m too tired” to “my cat’s sick, I can’t leave her alone.” Now if you’re having a challenge finding something you like to do, choose something you hate the least. For most people this is walking.

The thing about walking is that it’s great exercise and it's a great way to lose weight. It suits any level of fitness. As long as you don’t have specific knee or back problems that prohibit it, anyone can start a walking program at any time and you can calibrate the intensity and duration of your walk so it’s just right for you. Walking is also a great social exercise. If you look around a little it’s usually very easy to find a training partner to chat with while you exercise. Walking with a partner will make you more accountable for your exercise and will also make the time go by faster.

No matter what exercise you choose, you should start at a low level of intensity and build it up over a period of weeks. This is absolutely essential to the longevity of your exercise program. If you start off too hard, you could end up with an injury which will require time off to recover.

If you haven’t exercised in a long time and find that walking is difficult, start off by walking for 10 minutes each day. Then, make a plan to either increase it by 5 minutes every 1 to 2 weeks. To make things more interesting, try walking a different course every few days. This is a great way to discover new neighborhoods or parks in your area. You can also recruit a different friend to walk with you on various days of the week. This can be a great way to stay in touch!

If walking isn't your thing or you want something with a little more intensity you may want to try a fitness center. Most have a variety of equipment and normally have trainers on hand to answer your questions about using them.

When you choose a fitness center, make sure that they give good service. Most will give you a trial period. Take advantage of it to check out the service and the equipment. A rule of thumb for joining any gym is that if they aren't willing to treat you well before you join, then they certainly won't after you join. Check out the equipment and see if it is well taken care of. If the machines move smoothly without a lot of creaking and squeaking they are most likely well maintained. If they squeak a lot or make noise, then chances are they aren't being taken care of.

If you still aren't sure what you should do, you could always try golf or tennis. Both are good social activities and you can even meet new friends. Tennis is great for fitness although it isn't for someone who is just starting out. If you haven't exercised for a while, then golf may be the best activity for you. Just remember to walk the course as much as you can because after all it is suppose to be exercise.

If you want to lose weight and get fit I have a FREE Weight Loss and Fitness Course

Quit Smoking and Save Money

Although the most important, health isn’t the only factor in why people should quit smoking. Cigarette smoking is expensive! The cost of smoking has a direct impact on a smoker’s way of life. It adds up and can really subtract from the amount of money they can contribute to the living expenses of their household.

Smoking is a very expensive habit. It’s worse when you smoke more than one pack per day. Most smokers start out smoking relatively few cigarettes per day, but as they become more accustom to smoking, the number of cigarettes they need to use each day to feel the same type of mood enhancement increases, as does the cost of their habit. This can continue to spiral upward until they make the decision to quit smoking.

Let’s do some math. Right now, let’s calculate the money you spend on cigarettes. How many packs per day do you smoke? If it’s a quarter pack write down .25, a half pack write down .5, a whole pack 1 etc. To calculate your weekly cost simply multiply the number of packs per day by 7. After you have that number, multiply it by your cost per pack.

Here’s an example: You smoke a pack a day. You spend $4.48 per pack.

1 pack x 7 days = 7 packs/week
7 packs/week x $4.48 = $31.36 week

So if you smoke seven packs per week to figure out how much you spend per year just multiply that number by 52. So for our example this is how it would look:

$31.36 week x 52 weeks/year = $1,630.72 year

If you took this out 10 years (not including interest) this would equal $16,307.20. Now let me ask you an obvious question, wouldn’t you rather quit smoking and do something extravagant with $16,307.20 in ten years than have the health complications you’ll get from your smoking habit? I know the answer is yes because you’re still reading this. And this is just for one pack a day. If you smoke two packs, simply double that number to $32,614.40. You can buy a really nice car for that!

If you were to quit smoking a pack a day today and put only the money you’re using toward cigarettes into a 401(k) that earns you a safe 9% interest, then you’d have a quarter of a million dollars within the next 30 years.

If you don’t quit smoking, then you’ll also end up paying other costs associated with your habit. For instance, smokers have heftier dental bills because smoking will cause your teeth and gums to decay. Smokers have to have their clothes dry cleaned more, just to get the stains and odors out.

Life insurance costs more if you smoke. So does health insurance. This is because health care providers are very aware of the impact smoking has on the health economy of our nation and are making smokers pay for that increase.

Do you need to sell your car? If you’ve been smoking in it, you won’t get as much for your trade-in as you would if you had quit smoking. Plus, recent studies have shown that smokers earn less and in today’s workplace and they are at risk of becoming unemployable as more and more companies assume a no-smoking policy.

These costs don’t even factor in the healthcare costs associated with smoking, the costs of heart disease, lung cancer, cancer of the mouth and larynx, emphysema and the rest of those smoking related diseases. When you consider these costs, the cost is even greater.

Here’s the bottom line. Quit smoking for your health, but also quit smoking to reduce your financial waste. Put the money you save to use toward your lifelong dreams.

Quit Smoking by Facing Your Psychological Addiction

Although the addiction is not, as some advertisements would have you believe, “as great as heroin”, nicotine is addictive. And, when you’ve been addicted to nicotine, the mere thought of trying to quit smoking can be extremely intimidating. People that withdraw from tobacco sometimes go through grumpiness and irritation. At times these can seem to be severe to the person going through the withdrawal. But what I’ve seen in my clients is that breaking the psychological addiction to the habit of smoking is actually harder than dealing with the physical withdrawal symptoms.

If you’re planning to quit smoking you’ve got to put together a mental plan of attack to face those psychological withdrawal symptoms. This can often be even more important than anything else you do since smoking is an emotional and social habit. By the way, it is also a habit of motion, as you move the cancer causing stick to your mouth over and over many times per day.

There are many ways to get psychological help for your addiction. They need to be done in conjunction with the physical removal of nicotine, not just before or after you’ve quit smoking.

One simple method is phone counseling The American Cancer Society offers this service through “Quitline”. Phone counseling puts you in touch with a trained counselor that can help you put together your quit smoking plans and give you advice as you move through the quitting process.

Since these counselors are familiar with the process you are going through they can help you to avoid some of the common traps and pitfalls that usually cause someone who has quit smoking to return to the nasty habit. Phone counseling is a convenient way to reach out for support because it’s available at all times and from anywhere you have a phone connection.

If you have a strong community of friends and family they can be very helpful when you quit smoking. In fact, many people who want to quit smoking don’t need to do anything more than to let their family and friends know they are trying to quit. This can be especially helpful if there’s someone you know who has already quit smoking. Not only will they understand what you’re going through, they’ll also be able to guide you through the process.

Some people prefer to quit in a group. If this is you it’s good to know that there are plenty of programs organized specifically for people who want to quit smoking. Many people find that the support of a group can be very beneficial in giving you the extra support you need in order to break the smoking habit once and for all.

If you feel like your addiction is strong, then try to find a frequent meeting that lasts at least half an hour. Try to find those with lots of experience. Some organizations will be intense, and others more flexible. My belief is that the more intense it is, the higher your chance of success to quit smoking.

You may discover that you prefer individual counseling over group meetings, but either way, counseling helps people quit smoking more than those who try to go it alone. Many people find that a hypnotherapist that is qualified in helping people quit smoking is one of the easiest methods to break the psychological addiction.

No matter what you choose to do, make a choice to quit the habit of smoking for good. It’ll be the best thing you’ve done for your health all year! If you'd like soe help to quit smoking I have a FREE Quit Smoking e-course.

Wishing you only success!

Want to get fit? Drink water.

You’ve heard it before drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Why? It’s because your body and the body of every other human body on earth is made up of over 75% of water.

We all know we cannot live without water. The fact is, you can survive for weeks without any food but just three days without water and you die. But nowadays water has many people have replaced water with soft drinks and other sweetened refreshments. When you’re swigging down one of these sugary substitutes keep in mind that water is healthier and helps to detoxify your body without going though one of those rituals to rid yourself of impurities. It is also absolute necessary if you want better health and longevity.

Now although eight glasses is the standard intake, your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature. Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis. When you drink water on a regular basis you replenish your body’s fluids while keeping it well hydrated and functioning just the way it should be.

I know that when I don’t drink enough water I get tired and sometimes a little bit grumpy. I also get a stiff neck.

The problem is that most of us wait until we are thirsty before we decide to drink water. This is a very unreliable gauge of your water needs. By the time you feel thirsty you have already lost two or more cups of your body's water supply. If you stay thirsty you will have depleted even more. Therefore, the best thing to do is to drink water regularly instead of waiting until you are thirsty.

Now may people think, well I’m drinking coffee or tea, isn’t that enough? No! It is very important that you don't substitute beverages with caffeinated drinks for water. The same goes for alcohol. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages act as diuretics and can actually cause you to lose more water through increased urination. Although you may think you are getting water through these beverages, the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you take it in.

When you exercise you to replace the water you lose due to perspiration. A good rule of thumb is that for each pound you lose due to exercise, drink 2 cups of water. We even lose water when we sleep. If you continue drinking water up to the time you go to bed you can wake up with your body feeling fine and functioning as it should be.

We all know that we need to drink more water when we’re sick. A cold or the flu can dehydrate your body quite quickly. To counteract this drink more water when you’re sick.

There are many mixed opinions as to whether purified water will actually provide you a benefit. I would recommend that you explore this yourself so you can determine the water that suits you best.

Keep a container or bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. Teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don't hydrate your or replenish the nutrients your body needs.

Make drinking water daily a habit. It’ll improve your physical and mental fitness.

If you would like more information on fitness I have a FREE Fitness e-course.