Foods to Eat That Keep You Feeling Full…Not Fat.

Proteins, healthy fats, and fiber will get you everywhere. But what happens when you find yourself  leaving the table after a meal only to be sneaking off to the pantry or refrigerator an hour or so later…The key is to stay far away from those foods that will sock the weight on your thighs and make you feel uncomfortable in your jeans. This is old school but how about counting calories? Remember to stick within 1200-2000 per day. You've got good foods and bad foods...So what foods are OK to eat?

How about eggs? Did you know that they are only 70 calories and pack a good punch of protein (6 grams to be exact.)

Soup. Yes soup. Why and what kind of soup? The kind that contains a lot of water, because it will make you feel fuller and you will be less inclined to grab for anything else to munch on.

Eat healthy fats. Fish, plant based oils and nuts. Avocados. Yes these bad boys are great to snack on. Why? Their monounsaturated fats help slow the rate in which your stomach empties plus they are loaded with folate, potassium, and lots of vitamin E. Stay clear of the trans fats though.

Low fat greek yogurt; a container of 6 ounces contains 17 grams of protein and that is awesome!
Apples..yes my grandmother used to say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away…these delightful red or green treats are only 80 calories but high in water content and 4 grams of fiber too.

Nuts; walnuts, almonds and pistachios contain contain fiber, protein and fat so keep it at about an ounce  or two per portion.

What foods do you really want to stay away from? Some people say carbs. I say yes and no. Eat good carbs. This means food with wholegrain.

Cereal; Thus meaning…anything that looks too fruity or fun is bad for you. (aka; fruit loops, lucky charms, captain crunch, etc.) Please…stick with the healthy stuff.

Cookie, crackers and croissants. These are certainly some of our favorites but these are forms of bread and breads are a big no-no!

Alcoholic beverages spike your appetite. Oh you better believe that your getting more than cheap drinks and half off appetizers at happy hour…and your ass, thighs and tummy will soon be paying for this one, so lay off the booze.

Certain diet foods can actually make you want more. What do I mean by this? Well, so many of us try  diet meals and what do we end up doing? We add salt, butter, and God only knows what else to make it taste better. Some times the truth is that they are not as good because they don't have enough fruits or veggies to stick to your ribs.

So, a little bit of non-professional advice? How about this; next time before you go and stick food in your mouth and then whine that you need to lose weight…think about what you just said, and work on some preventative maintenance with your body so that you eat foods that fill you up not fill you out.

Guilty Pleasures...

Step away from the chocolates...Watching what we eat has been a way of life for as long as I can remember...What to eat, when to eat, how many calories, how much fat...how much sodium...how much is too much? There so many things to take into account...but tell me please, how do you concentrate on these things when your body is telling you that it is HUNGRY? Everyone has experienced the occasional self-indulgent binge; it’s part of life. Is giving in to your cravings causing you to gain unwanted weight and/or preventing you from losing the weight you want to shed? This happens to me all the time. The harder you try to watch what you eat and be careful, the more difficult it is to see the pounds come off. This article will examine the nature of cravings and empower you with knowledge and tools that have an adverse effect sabotaging  on your weight.

Although our human compulsion to eat is at first purely instinctive, many of the signals we use to identify hunger we learn and develop over time, based on the influences of our circumstances and the other people around us. Some purely are just bad habits. Unlike how it was for our ancient, forest-dwelling ancestors, in modern civilization we have access to food around the clock, every day. Put that together with these misleading signals of ours and we find it dreadfully easy to succumb to the desire to eat, even though our body doesn’t require any additional calories or nutrients at that time. We eat because we think we are hungry, and in turn, we gain weight. For women, our hormones are up and down and our appetites can go nuts! For many women their menstrual cycle causes cravings. I can go from sweets to salt in a matter of minutes, whereas any other time of the month I would not think of mixing the two.

In many regards, there is very little that distinguishes compulsive overeating from other forms of substance abuse, and from addictive behavior in general. As with substance abuse and generally addictive behavior, stress, boredom, disappointment, anxiety, loneliness, insecurity, depression, and other negative emotional states all crave relief in some way. Beyond drugs and alcohol, one of the other ways many people have found to assuage those ill feeling and find the relief they crave is through the comfort of certain foods, or even simply through the comfort provided by very the act of eating.

The ruthlessness of this response to stress is that, usually, giving in to the craving results in the person feeling worse, not better, heaping guilt and shame atop whatever negative feelings they were already experiencing to begin with. As with all known forms of addictive behavior, there may often be a “trigger”, or an event that provokes the craving. Listen to your cravings closely, and not only because, in part, many times those cravings will be displaced desires for some form of mental or emotional fulfillment. Listen to them also in part because every once in a while, a craving is an honest-to-goodness cue from your body that a particular nutrient is lacking at that moment and sorely needed. When you have a craving that you may consider absurd (in other words, for something other than fats and sugars), consider that your body may be telling you that it needs some nutrient which that food contains. 

Remove temptations. That's right...get rid of those things that tease your taste buds. Go through your refrigerator and food pantry. Get rid of the cakes, ice cream, cookies, etc. When you go food shopping, make a conscious effort not to buy sweets. A good habit to get into is to take a walk instead of eating dessert. If, after 10 minutes, you still want sweets, gargle with an antiseptic mouth wash or brush your teeth. The aftertaste doesn't mix well with sweets and you'll probably lose your craving quickly. 

Increase your protein intake. Often our bodies will exhibit cravings for sweets when what they really need is more protein.

• Eat more protein and fat, both of which make you feel full and satisfied.
• Have small, frequent meals to help keep your blood sugar level stable and eliminate your body's need for a quick sugar fix. Avoid skipping meals (especially breakfast).
• Take a daily multivitamin. Some nutrients help keep blood sugar stable, so ensure you get those by supplementing your diet appropriately.
• Feed your body fruits and veggies...carrot sticks, celery, cut up an apple, make a salad.
• Eat yogurt and granola bars

 Replace sweets and sugar with healthy fruits. The sugars in fruits are digested differently than the empty calories of white sugar that are in most candy and processed foods. The fiber in fruit also slows the absorption of the sugars so you don't get as high a sugar rush (and as low a crash).

 Read labels. You might be very surprised to learn how much sugar there is in a lot of the foods that you eat. Being aware of sugar content can help you avoid high-sugar foods and kick the addiction.

Stay away from the naughty foods...and lose the guilty look, instead substitute the bad foods, you know, those guilty pleasures with healthy foods, fruits and veggies!

 It's not easy to change your appetite...so take it slow! Some advice...

• Don't set targets that you know you can't achieve. Take the process slowly and you'll see the results gradually - don't expect a quick fix.
• Consult your doctor before starting a drastic diet change - even though it's for the better, your body needs to have a thorough check-over before you start!
• Don't become obsessed with your weight
• If you give into your craving don't give up - just keep persevering and eventually you will control your cravings!

www.simplydeliciouslingerie.com

The Culprits of High Cholesterol

What if I told you that tap water and homogenized milk may be two of the biggest culprits in skyrocketing rates of high cholesterol? Is this a real shocker to you? It shouldn't be,..not with all of the harmful pesticides that we put into our environment these days...,Cholesterol is actually being produced by our own bodies all of the time as a natural mechanism to combat oxidation when our bodies are diseased. Therefore, if we are not well, our cholesterol levels are likely to be higher regardless of what we eat that contains cholesterol. Having too low of a cholesterol level is just as bad as having too high. So, what can you do? Avoiding eggs and other foods that naturally contain cholesterol may not be the best solution, nor taking cholesterol-lowering drugs with their plethora of harmful side effects. 
 
 For example; eggs are actually extremely healthy in moderation, being that they contain nutrients present at the beginning of life. Fatty meats are often harmful simply because fats store toxins, and animals not raised naturally have often been injected with antibiotics, hormones, steroids, and graze on grounds containing pesticides and fertilizer residue. 


Two of the most harmful, and most common, everyday products we are ingesting that contribute to high cholesterol, and thus plaque in the arteries, are homogenized milk and chemically-treated tap water.

The explanation is far more complicated than I will cover here, but basically homogenizing milk involves the breaking down of fat particles to such a small size that the milk looks nice and smooth with no chunks of cream, but these smaller fat particles can permeate the intestines and end up in your blood stream. On the other hand, fresh unhomogenized milk from the farm, assuming the cows have not been exposed to chemicals, with its cream floating to the top, is natural and not a harmful form of fat. The larger fat molecules pass through the digestive system and nutrients are properly absorbed without fat entering the bloodstream.

 This cream, of course, can also be skimmed off the top of the milk and used for other purposes.
Studies have shown that many of the chemicals present in tap water that were added to kill bacteria, such as chlorine, often react with and oxidize cholesterol already in the body, forming a gummy substance (plaque) that actually sticks to, and clogs, the arteries. And there are many more dangerous side effects of drinking chemically-treated water.

So you ask yourself...what can you do about it? If you want to lower your cholesterol, which is not an easy task once your body is not functioning properly regardless how much cholesterol you eliminate in your diet, first eliminate homogenized milk and stop drinking and cooking with tap water whenever possible. If you can't always get unhomogenized milk, such as from a health store or organic farm, then fat-free regular organic milk is the next best choice so you're not getting chemicals nor as much cholesterol. If you can afford it, put a good filter in your bathtub or shower and/or install a whole-house distillation system, as even bathing in chemically treated water is harmful because it absorbs through your pores, and chemicals in the steam are inhaled.

And don't think you can turn to bottled waters -- sometimes bottled waters are no better, as they can contain runoff from groundwater containing pesticides and fertilizers that are not removed and do not have to be reported. If the bottle says it has been purified by both reverse osmosis and carbon/charcoal treatments, it may be less contaminated. The healthiest water available today for purchase is probably distilled water, which most closely mimics the sun's natural way of purifying water.
The best way to bind and pull cholesterol out of your body naturally and avoid chemicals is by eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables (preferably organic and chemical-free) that haven't been processed or "enriched" by synthetic means such as bleached white breads, white rice, white pasta, etc.

Since your body has been overoxidizing, antioxidants may help speed recovery, and hence indirectly lower cholesterol. There are natural and safe cholesterol-lowering supplements available at health stores, including plant-based polycosinol, but always check to make sure there are no supplement, herb, or drug interactions if you are, or plan to continue, taking medications concurrently. Never stop medications abruptly. And lastly, since much of our soil has been depleted of minerals from chemicals, and most processed foods lack sufficient vitamins, most people should always take a potent natural vitamin and mineral supplement to help speed healing and to maintain their health.

What is Cholesterol?

Do You Want a Flat Belly?

Every woman wants a body that is fit and appealing...the problem at hand is some of us get lazy. We say we'll start our diet 'tomorrow' and tomorrow becomes next month. What I have learned is that no one can make you firm up and lose the inches and pounds...you have to want to do it yourself. "Be true to YOU!" Allow me to share my story with you; For years and years I had a flat stomach...then one day, there was a belly. Mine was for health issues having experienced a form of melanoma cancer on my abdomen and after surgeries at my waist line to remove cancerous tumors over the years, and having been tugged at and pulled at, muscle and nerve damage occurred. Hey, shit happens and we have to suck it up and deal with it. 

After years of never having to worry, I found myself doing exercises for this to firm it up. What I learned was that you can have a flatter belly. It just takes hard work and time. Rome wasn't built over night as my grandmother used to say, therefore unless you pay thousands of dollars for a tummy tuck, it isn't going to go away soon. Let's say we try this the old fashion way first huh? Let's say you try some ole fashion exercise and healthier eating first!

You can have the lean, flat stomach you've always wanted! Make these nutrition, exercise, and posture tips part of your daily life and you'll blast away your belly fat.

Eating for a Flat Stomach:

1. Maintain a healthy body weight. If you're already above your ideal weight, you'll need to burn more calories than you consume to lose those excess pounds. It's great to tone your stomach muscles, but they'll remain hidden until you shed any fat that covers them.

2. Get plenty of fiber. A diet high in fiber will help prevent bloating. Whole wheat and other grains also help you feel fuller faster, and most vegetables are low in calories.

3. Cut down on sodium. Many people eat twice as much sodium as health experts recommend. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure as well as bloating. The biggest culprit is processed food, so read those nutrition labels and prepare your own dishes from fresh ingredients. Drinking plenty of water also helps to lower your sodium levels.

4. Eat smaller meals. If lavish dinners make your belly bulge, try switching to smaller and more frequent meals. Eat 5 to 6 times a day every 3-4 hours. You'll be less likely to get hungry and overindulge.

5. See your doctor. If you're losing weight but failing to see any change in your waistline, talk with your doctor. There are tests that can detect if you have food allergies. You may need to avoid certain foods or take enzyme drops or tablets for lactose intolerance.

Exercising for a Tighter Tummy:

1. Understand the myth of spot reduction. Your body gains weight all over and loses it the same way. Forget about the miracle gadgets advertised on television that promise instant results. Save your money and devote your energy to more sensible eating and regular exercise.

2. Do aerobics daily. Aerobic exercise is the best way to burn more calories. Take a daily walk or run. Go swimming or skating. Aim for about 30 minutes of activity a day. Supplement that with lifestyle changes like using the stairs instead of the elevator.

3. Strengthen your upper body muscles. Building strong muscles in your shoulders, chest, and back will improve your posture and keep your abdomen from sticking out. Do some weight training or Pilates a few times each week.

4. Tone your stomach muscles. Spot exercises are effective in combination with aerobics and strength training. Crunches and leg lifts tighten and tone your stomach muscles.

5. Have fun. Make your exercise routine enjoyable so you'll want to stick with it. Design a variety of activities. Reward yourself when you make progress towards a slimmer waistline.

Improving Your Posture:

1. Tuck your tummy in. Imagine that you're pressing your navel back against your spine. Even if it feels a little awkward at first, it will quickly become a habit with regular practice. The results are fast. Your abdomen will look flatter. You'll breathe more deeply and feel more energetic. Even your clothes will look better.

2. Pull your shoulders back. Letting your shoulders drop back and relax helps to raise your chest up. This way, all of your core muscles support your weight instead of making just your abdomen carry the load.

3. Keep your body in alignment. Whether sitting or standing, try to position your ears, shoulders and hips in one vertical line. Balance your weight evenly over the balls and heels of your feet while walking or standing. Switch positions occasionally when sitting or standing for a long time.

A flat stomach can work wonders on your health and appearance. Eat right, exercise, and stand up straight. You'll love your new look!!! 

www.simplydeliciouslingerie.com