Often we fall short of the mark and do not reach our desired weight loss. We reflect and analyze the foods we did or didn’t consume and take note of our increased activity level only to be discouraged to resume our attempts again. Heredity, set point theory, sex hormones, stress hormones are perhaps our explanations of failed attempts at a healthy nutrition diet.
While there are many causative factors that play a role in nutrition diets, most are synergistic and individual. By this, I mean you cannot look at just one factor in weight loss reduction. As Berry Sears, author of The Zone, Sears states, “diets are like a religion, everyone thinks they have the right one”. We can look at scientific studies and use the data and facts we know as true to facilitate our efforts. For example, studies show that the best time to exercise is when insulin is lowest and glucagon is at it highest. In most cases, this is within one hour of waking. “This will set the bodies fat burning thermostat in motion for the day… actually 200% more efficient during exercise at this time”. Another fact is that fat “preferably mono unsaturated fats such as avocado, coconut, olive oil, etc.”, combined with a carbohydrate will slow the rate at which glucose will rise in the blood stream and also will produce satiety so that no hunger ensues.
I could go on and on with the facts. But I’d rather discuss something so elementary but essential that missing this could be detrimental in ones noble attempt to loose weight and have a healthy nutrition diet.
You may be doing everything right except dismissing the one factor that inhibits the needle on the scale to go to the left or zipper the top of the pants, because the tape measure won’t budge. Are you following all the rules, but have “selective exceptions”?
Let’s take for instance, a “trigger food”. Everyone has a different one. In general, women prefer the taste of sweet foods, while men prefer salty and fatty foods. Therefore, many women may find chocolate candy their trigger food. Men may find potato chips their “trigger food”.
A trigger food is in my definition, a consumable substance, that, when eaten in small quantities by most individuals will not produce a substantial deficient in there nutritional quest for weight loss. However in some individuals, if there is a continued desire to reach for more quantities of this nutrient whether it’s a fat, carbohydrate, protein or combination thereof it will detour the individual in many and actually cause the opposite desired result weight gain and adversely effect their nutrition diet.
In simplest terms, some people have one food they simply can not have “a little of”. Who can eat only 10 M & M’s and stop? Some people find this satisfying. But there are people who find this to be there trigger food which will then cause them to cascade in to a downward spiral on dipping compulsively into the M& M bags. Oops and 3 pounds of M & M’s are gone! Forget about the 1 hour 5 / day a week walks or the good nutrition the past few days. Because now, all the M & M addict can think about is M & M’s, period. “A special rule” and exception to the diet “M & M’s will be forgiven!” You can replace M & M’s with anything besides ice cream, nachos, french fries, etc. There goes your healthy nutrition diet.
Can you see how one “trigger point food” will throw out all attempts at loosing body fat? Never mind the health benefits that aren’t attained.
My advice to you is that you must develop a personal mantra, “I am only ____ pounds or inches away from my goal if I eliminate the habit of eating or drinking ____. It’s that simple “I am keeping my self from my goal by keeping this in my life.”
Next I suggest you do not taste it at all. It seemed easier to completely abstain from the substance, period, remove it from the refrigerator, selves, get it out of the house! If your thoughts become aware of not having it, train your mind to redirect its thoughts and do something pro active and productive such as go for a walk, read a book that you’ve wanted to read, play with your animals or children, make a phone call, etc. You will find in ten minutes you will have resisted the urge and have become pleased with your resolve to stay on the path to a healthy nutrition diet.
While the concept of “trigger food” is simplistic, it is often underestimated in playing the role of the saboteur of body fat/weight loss. It is often unidentified because either one is in denial of eating such large quantities. We must bring our awareness to the forefront and honestly identify this personal enemy so we can develop a strategy to ensure the pursuit for our quest for a healthy nutrition diet.
Disclaimer: Not everyone has this problem. However, a large majority of people who fail at there attempts often overlook there “trigger factor” and attribute there attempts to something “more complicated”. Keep it simple…just try this. Stay away from the trigger food for one week, keep up all the other efforts toward your goal, and see if it’s that simple. If this is your obstacle, you will have no problem omitting this food item from your diet as your confidence increases as you loose weight and have the optimum nutrition diet.
1. Eat Carbs!
- With all the bad publicity that carbohydrates get, I am amazed when I hear people say they don’t eat carbs. I ask them if they have eaten any fruits or vegetables and they say yes. Most people don’t realize that fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are especially healthy for you and keep your body fit. No, don’t overload your plate with strawberries, bananas, mangoes and grapes. You could eat a kiwi or papaya after breakfast or lunch and grapes or mango after dinner. Write it down in your schedule: eat some carbohydrates and be proud of yourself. Just stay away from the “bad” ones, like cakes and cookies.
- Don’t skip your meals! It doesn’t matter if it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, always have your meals and don’t skip them. Your body gets used to the meals and you should follow along. You should eat 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 meals, Two of the meals can be a snack mid morning and mid afternoon. Good snacks would be an apple or nuts.
- Say no to junk. Avoid eating your regular junk food which naturally consists of: potato chips, sugary food, coca-cola (fizzy drink), etc. Try eating a bowl of salad instead, or eating prawns instead of crisps. Eat a carrot or piece of celery instead. And for heavens sake, drink water instead of coke! Water and milk help keep you fit. Carbonated drinks leach calcium from the bones and cause osteoporosis, so stay away from them.
- Visit your Nutritionist. Always useful. He can snap his fingers, get some tablets for you and even make you a food schedule to eat and drink. Follow it very carefully. A good nutritionist can analyze your diet and make some good recommendations.
- Wherever you go, have a snack with you e.i. a pack of peanuts. They are very useful and can be carried around long journeys. Or maybe eat a banana on the way out. No, it won’t look lame. It will be helping you with your body and with your fitness. Don’t avoid this step.
- Visit our website at http://www.SOSFormula.com for Tips on Getting Thin!
There are many misconceptions about eating and health. One of the most common assumptions is the emphasis on the quantity of food people eat. Although, this may be a valid consideration, it is more important to be concerned about the quality of foods that we consume. The body has a homeostatic, or balancing mechanism that will affect hunger and satiety centers of the brain if nourished properly. When eating the appropriate foods, the body’s innate intelligence will tell you to stop eating when it has the correct nutrients. The following is a list of general guidelines one can follow to obtain a good foundation.
The foods we ingest eventually affect every cell in our body. You truly are what you eat. When shopping, don’t put anything in your basket that wasn’t around 10,000 years ago! i.e. fruits, grains, vegetables and seeds. As a general rule, only buy items that are on the periphery of the store. These are your basic foods groups. Foods that are eye level are foods that the manufacturer wants you to buy, not necessarily good for you. The same thing goes for your children; foods at their eye level are usually of poor nutritional value. Stick to the basics. Buy foods that are fresh. Try to omit junk foods or food that is highly processed.
Read the labels. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably shouldn’t buy it. Foods that say hydrogenated should be avoided. They compete for sites in the brain where good fats are used and may cause neurodegenerative diseases. Buy foods that are full of nutrients. Vegetables and Fruits, preferably organically grown, are the best choice. Stay away from vegetable and fruits that have been sprayed with pesticides or grown in soils that have all the minerals taken out. A good place to obtain these is a good health food store or the natural food section of your grocery store. I prefer to steam or sautee my vegetables and then add some spices, this assures that the vitamin and minerals don’t get affected like the other cooking methods. Whole grain cereals, breads and crackers, eggs and poultry, and cold-water fish are foods that one should consume on a daily basis.
For snacking, I would recommend raw nuts and seeds, yogurt and other natural dairy products.
Eliminate most foods that are white. White bread and flour, sugar and all foods made with them. These foods are full of “empty calories”. Cakes, cookies, pastries, crackers, pies, doughnuts, hamburger buns have virtually no nutritional value. These foods can actually rob your body of essential nutrients. Replace these foods with brown or basmati rice, whole grain breads or bean sprout breads, whole grain pasta and whole grain cereals. Avoid “enriched” flour some whole grain labels read, as it may actually be white flour.
Use natural sweeteners such as honey or concentrated fruit juices. Avoid synthetic sweeteners and sugar.
It is important to obtain good sources of proteins, which are the building blocks for all the enzymes, hormones, antibodies and neurotransmitters in the body. Some good sources are eggs, nuts and seeds, cold-water fish, beans, peanuts, lentils, sunflower seeds, shellfish and some cheeses (cheddar, Swiss).
Eat natural fats, such as clarified butter instead of margarine. Nuts are also a good source of fats, like almonds. Olive oil may be used on salads, but avoid heating it as it becomes rancid at high temperature. Try to stick to oils that are liquid at room temperature as a rule. There are some excellent new studies on Virgin Coconut Oil recently. It has been shown to help you loose weight. It is healthy for you and it tastes great! I like to add a spoonful to my shakes. It brings a nice flavor to it. Healthy shakes are a good snack either mid morning or mid afternoon, especially for those with hypoglycemia.
We should learn from our European friends that our meals should take place in a calm surrounding and it is an event that should be enjoyed and savored. Take the time to chew your food thoroughly and take breaks throughout your meal. Our society is becoming more fast paced and meals are “gobbled” down.
If you stick with these basic concepts you will be on the right track towards good nutrition.
Learn how to cut down on those calories at http://www.sosformula.com
One of the best ways to reclaim and maintain health, and even take years off your appearance is to develop a healthy eating plan. If you follow these five steps you will be well on your way to achieving optimum health.
- Decrease inflammation in the body by eating certain foods that are anti- inflammatory and avoiding foods that are pro inflammatory to the body. Inflammation is heat, swelling or pain. Pain and inflammation can make us age prematurely, and has been associated with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, depression, mental decline, and other conditions.
Inflammation can take many forms. It can manifest itself in digestive disorders, such as gas, bloating, heartburn and irritable bowel. Sources of inflammation in American’s lives include stress, obesity, smoking, drugs and sedentary lifestyles.
One of the main triggers for inflammation is eating unhealthy food, which include sugars, red meat, artificial ingredients, gluten, trans fats and alcohol. Packaged and processed foods, especially those that have hormones, antibiotics and preservatives, also contribute to inflammation.
Foods that have an anti inflammatory effect on the body include vegetables, lean protein sources, green drinks, beans, and raw foods. It is important to consume cold water fish on a regular basis and if this is impossible to do then take Omega 3 fish oils.
- Consume enough fiber. When I tell my patients to consume more fiber, the typical response is that they want to decrease whole grains as they are trying to loose weight. I tell patients to eat green vegetable in place of whole grains. Whole grains are crucial to developing a healthy eating plan. Most people don’t realize that green leafy vegetables contain more fiber than whole grains. For example, two pieces of whole wheat bread contain approximately 140 calories, and 4 grams of fiber. In contrast, two cups of broccoli contain only 87 calories, but more than 9 grams of fiber. 5 cups of romaine lettuce provide 80 calories and 5 grams, of fiber.
Many diseases are associated with the lack of fiber. Diets low in fiber may underlie or cause constipation, appendicitis, hemorrhoids, deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, diverticulitus, hiatal hernia, and gastro esophageal reflux. Fiber also helps prevent colon cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
- Eat your vegetables. Not only do green vegetables contain high levels of fiber,but they also contain a substance called phytochemicals which are known to have numerous disease fighting benefits. The most well known phytochemicals are bioflavonoid and caritinoids. Phytochemical are present in fruits and vegetables and are very beneficial in preventing cancer.
- Take enzymes / probiotics. A lack of enzymes makes it more difficult for you to absorb your vitamins and minerals from our food. It is one of the best ways to ensure proper digestion and decreases food sensitivities and food disorders, such as indigestion.
One secret to beautiful skin, hair and nails is optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. Enzymes can help repair and rejuvenate the skin from the inside out while they help restore beautiful vitality and energy.
Most people will benefit from probiotic supplements such as acidophilus to improve nutrient absorption and boost immune health as well. Probiotics are known as “friendly bacteria” and help restore and maintain a healthy bacterial balance in the colon and intestines, reducing the likelihood of developing leaky gut syndrome.
5. Avoid sugar and processed foods. Sugar has been well documented to cause a variety of conditions including diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. Soda and candy consumption is at an all time high and is one of the most serious detriments to a healthy eating plan. Snack food and processed foods contain hydrogenated oils and trans fats they are contained in french fries and processed snack cakes. Trans fats are added to foods so it will increase the shelf life of the product, in reality, it is decreasing your shelf life.
If you follow these 5 steps to a healthy eating plan, you will be well on your way to healing your body naturally and preventing disease for the future. Most life changing health practices can take place at home, naturally, without a tremendous amount of expense and expertise. All it takes is a firm commitment and realistic expectations.
As you sit in the hospital waiting room, waiting for the baby to be born, you think back to the day when you had your first child. Now, here you are, looking forward to your first great-grand child. It’s amazing how time flies by, and looking back can leave you feeling old! But just because you’ve got several decades behind you doesn’t mean you have to feel old. Here’s how to stay young in mind and spirit.
- Keep age in perspective. Never think of age as being anything but just a number. There are some things in life we have no control over, such as when we were born. Age is no more than a circumstantial detail, like the color of your eyes, or the names of your parents; it does not define who you are. There are other things that do–those things we do have control over, such as how we think and what we do.
Live and enjoy each day. There is always something positive or something to look forward to each day. Enjoy the sun shining on your plants, or movies you are going to see. Look forward to reading a good book, or meeting with friends for lunch. If you feel lonely, go to the library. It is a great place to meet and talk to people who have a similar interest. Surround yourself with people, even if you might never see them again. You can do this at a supermarket, or even a department store or coffee shop.
- Don’t waste your time thinking that you’re too old to do this or that. As long as you have your health, you can do just about anything you find an interest in doing. If you have never used a computer, buy one! Learn how to use it. If you find it interesting enough, learn how they work and how to fix problems or to program them! You will find you have brought the whole world into your room, and maybe some knowledge that will save you from spending money and make you feel younger. Just learn new things that you haven’t learned before, don’t worry if it’s too “young,” nothing is.
Take care of your body. Take vitamins and eat healthy. Exercise at either a gym or at home. Dance to the music on a CD, as moving your body is great exercise. Get a full physical and visit your dentist at least once a year.
- Don’t look back. Don’t worry about what happened in the past. Live just for today. The one thing that no one can change is the past. What has been is over and done with. The future has not yet come, so all we have is today. So enjoy today, let the past go, and plan for the future.
- Keep your mind alert. Do crossword puzzles, learn a new language, or take up a hobby you were always too busy for. Exercise an Open mind. Become a volunteer editor on a website like wikiHow or Wikipedia. By volunteering time to a wiki you will meet other contributors online and keep your writing ability sharp, while helping others receive free knowledge.
Keep up with the news. By doing this, you always will be able to converse with most people. Be up to date on what is new in politics, fashion, and/or in computers. Learn about the new methods of treatments and the new health treatments available so you can advise your family members, who might need the information.
- Find ways to interact. Even with no close friends or family around, there are many opportunities to talk to new people. Strike up a conversation with people you meet in the supermarket. Greet people you pass on the street, and ask them how they’re doing. You’ll be surprised at how refreshed offering a kind word to a stranger will make you feel.
- Be optimistic. Try to avoid thinking negative thoughts as it will get you no place except sadness. For example, trying to figure out why a mate died and left you alone will only bring tears to your eyes. Instead, remember all the wonderful years you shared, and how you both brought such wonderful children into this world. Go out with a smile on your face, and enjoy the rest of your life as best as you can. There may even be a new mate on the horizon. You never know!
- Do something different every day. The local newspapers usually have a weekly schedule of activities. Find one that you would enjoy and go for it! Perhaps the museum or a flower show might tickle your fancy this week.
- Join a group, club, or volunteer at a library or senior center. Take dancing lessons. Ballroom dancing is back, and just think of how great you would feel dancing the Cha Cha once again, as you did in your youth. Go to bingo night at your local community center. Meet with like-minded people, and help those less fortunate than yourself. Most of all, have fun doing it.
- Continue to do things you used to do – biking, camping, swimming, dancing, or canoeing. You can still do them!
- The difference between a spry “oldster” and a non-spry “oldster” is phenomenal. Stay flexible and sprightly by walking 20 minutes a day and re-think that elevator. Stairs are a wonderful thing. So is yoga class. Achieve Better Health, visit our diet blog at http://www.sosformula.com
im making a poster on kids eating healthier and getting more exercise and an overall better lifestyle, what would be a good solgan for my poster?
food + fun = fit
Okay, its silly, but simple. the fun is the exercise.
Or Good Green Food + Staying Fit = Energy for fun.
The green being veggies.
Veggies + Running = Good Health For Fun
I give up. Good luck 
I’m not just talking about salads. I want to know if there are any real, wholesome, healthy entrées out there in the fast food world.
You can eat healthy at Noodles and Company if you have them in your area.
any specific advice or personal experience?
Don’t smoke, your plate of food should be colorful, you should eat fiber, wheat bread instead of white, get cardiovascular exercise 5 times a week (which will reduce stress and tension plus keep a healthy weight), drink water, and laugh! Most people who have an intimate relationship with God has a higher rate of happiness. God Bless!
I am 12 years old and after school im starving, but im trying to eat healthy now a days. Can some pleaseeee help me!!
Thanks in advanced =]
fruit and crackers. also some dairy product always fills me up. cheese or yogurt or something
I’ve been dieting and exercising lately and I had peanut butter on crackers, now i feel guilty. I hear that peanut butter is a healthy food but how can this be when there is so much fat in it?
No, actualyy people use peanut butter to help gain weight and muscle. I would avoid any nuts, pastas, and breads.
