The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Bloating is a common but annoying symptom with many causes.  You could be retaining fluids, especially right before that time of the month or have excess gas because of something you ate, or you could be constipated. Luckily, there are just as many ways to solve bloating as there are causes. Try one of these tricks to help.

Potassium-Rich Foods:  This mineral helps to regulate the fluid balance in your body, and keeps you from bloating. High-potassium foods include bananas,cantaloupe, mangoes, spinach, tomatoes, and nuts. Asparagus is also a potassium rich food but also contains an amino acid called asparagine, which acts as a diuretic to flush excess liquid out of your body.

Keep Your Mouth Shut:  Beware of habits that cause you to swallow excess air, like chewing gum, drinking through a straw, smoking, and talking while you eat.

Limit Carbohydrates:  Starches like bread and pasta may cause you to retain water. Avoid eating carbohydrates before bedtime to keep from waking up puffy.

Stop drinking soda pop: The bubbles in carbonated drinks will make your belly bloat. Drink plain water.

Limit Sugar Substitutes: Some people have difficulty digesting artificial sweeteners, especially sorbitol, which is in many sugar-free candies and gums. This makes gum doubly bloat inducing and may cause gas and diarrhea. If you suspect you’re one of them, choose real sugar instead.

Prep for PMS: If you tend to swell up before or during your period, be sure you’re getting enough calcium (1,200 mg a day) and magnesium (200 to 400 mg daily) in your diet. These nutrients have been found to help relieve PMS symptoms such as bloating. You can also take Midol, which contains two mild diuretics.

Apply Pressure: To help remove gas, try massaging your abdomen in the direction of your GI tract: Press your fingers near your right hip; slide up toward the ribs, across and down near your colon in a circular motion. Sounds weird but it works!

Nibble on Parsley: Add fresh, chopped parsley to your meals as this is a natural diuretic.

Take a Probiotic: These “good bacteria”, found in supplements and in cultured milk products such as yogurt, can keep you regular and bloat free. Women with irritable bowel syndrome, characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea who took a probiotic strain B. infantis for four weeks noticed less bloating. Check labels for this strain (which can be found in the supplement Align), or find a similar strain in DANONE Activia yogurt.

Get Moving: Fight constipation by walking for at least 15 to 20 minutes each day to keep food moving through your digestive tract. Working up a sweat also releases fluids.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

By using Food Guides you can be one step closer to finding your own healthy lifestyle.

Food guides are basic nutritional education tools that are designed to help people make food choices that are healthy, and will prevent a number of diet-related diseases. They represent sophisticated dietary analysis, and merge national nutrition goals, data from food consumption surveys, and issues of food supply and production.  It organizes foods into categories or food groups that are similar in nutrient content. A food guide provides recommendations on what food groups to choose from and the number of servings of food from each group in order to get a nutritionally adequate and wholesome diet.

Although I talk about the CANADIAN FOOD GUIDE, there are food guides available from other countries as well, but the reality is people are people and I love the way the New Canada food guide is laid out and is the most up to date.

Canada’s first food guide, was introduced in July 1942. This guide acknowledged wartime food rationing, while trying to prevent nutritional deficiencies and to improve the health of Canadians. Since 1942, the food guide has been updated many times and it has adopted new names, new looks, and new messages, yet has never wavered from its original purpose of guiding food selection and promoting nutritional health.

The last major revision to Canada’s Food Guide came out in 1992 — long before there were concerns about Trans fats, omega-3 fatty acids and growing rates of obesity. There was a need to update the food guide based on a study that was released, which collected information from over 130,000 people aged 12 and older.

The results from this survey were not good.

The survey found that between 1994 and 2001, the number of obese Canadians aged 20 to 64 grew by 24 per cent to almost 2.8 million. Increases in obesity rates were greatest among men and women aged between 45 and 54, who accounted for a quarter of all obese adults in Canada. The same results were also found in other parts of North America. Among children, nine per cent were considered obese.Another 20 per cent were considered overweight.

The survey also found that children and adolescents who reported eating fruits and vegetables five or more times a day were substantially less likely to be overweight or obese than those who consumed them less frequently. Forty-one per cent of children and adolescents reported they ate at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Two years after that study was released, Health Canada announced that the Food Guide would receive a makeover to address changes in eating patterns, food supply and diets, as well as advances in nutritional science.  And the result of this overhaul is the NEW Canadian food guide.

It is becoming increasingly complex for people to understand what is healthy eating, so what the food Guide tries to do is define healthy eating. It contains information that is more targeted to specific groups — children, teens, women, men and the elderly. And, for the first time, serving sizes for preschoolers are included as well.

Also for the first time, adults over 50 are being advised to take a vitamin D supplement every day, to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.  But guides are just guides and are not and should not be considered gospel. Case in point, new research into vitamin D makes the sunshine vitamin an even brighter light in cancer prevention. Two studies have found that increasing daily intake of vitamin D could prevent the development of breast cancer by as much as half and that of colorectal cancer by nearly two thirds.

Based on these findings, researchers recommend taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, on top of spending between 10 and 15 minutes in the sun each day, weather permitting.
If you look at Canada’s revised Food Guide it recommends only 400 IU daily but there is really no downside to taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D.

Currently in North America the average person gets less than 200 IU of vitamin D a day. Therefore supplements are the only way to take in the studies recommended amounts especially where people must cover up during the cold winter months.

The guide doesn’t just say which foods are good and which are bad; it says how much food is enough and how much is too much.

The guide now recommends that you eat foods with little or no added salt, though it’s not clear whether a low-salt diet provides added benefits for healthy people. It also recommends that people strive to get their fruit and vegetable servings from fresh fruits and vegetables instead of juice, as much as possible. It also recommends that you include some fats and oils in your diet, with the focus on unsaturated fats such as olive and canola oils. The guide also recommends that you limit as much as possible the consumption of trans fats.

The guide contains more specific information on what constitutes a serving. An apple, for instance, equals one Vegetable and Fruits Food Guide serving. If you’re having a stir-fry for dinner, one cup of mixed broccoli, carrot and sweet red pepper would give you two Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide servings, and 75 grams of chicken (or game meats such as deer, moose, caribou or elk) would constitute a Meat and Alternatives serving.

One cup of milk or fortified soy beverage makes one Food Guide serving. If you’re between age nine and 18, you’ll need three to four servings every day to make up your Food Guide requirements.

Food guides are not a weight-loss tool or a diet system, but if you combine its use with physical activity, it may help you to reach your fitness goal.  It is important for everyone – young and old – to balance healthy eating and daily physical exercise. The key to reducing your risk of Type 2 diabetes is to move more and eat less.

The new food guide incorporates the best and the most current information that nutritional science has to offer. The overhauled guide advises you to focus on vegetables, fruits and whole grains and to limit foods that are high in calories, fat, sugar and salt.

The food guide also contains clear instructions to help users determine healthy portion sizes. It also advices you to:

• Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable every day
• Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice
• Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day
• Drink fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk
• Eat beans, lentils and tofu often
• Eat at least two food guide servings of fish every week
• Satisfy your thirst with water
• Adults should get 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day and children 90 minutes

Most of what you eat these days in North America has little if any connection to your local environment. By one estimate, food consumed travels an average of 1,300 miles from point of production through processing to point of consumption.  Today, no region is self-sufficient in food production, and consumers have come to depend upon many imported products that can be produced only in climates and soils outside their regions.

Despite population growth the number of farms and total land area in farming has declined steadily since the turn of the century.

Most farms are now highly specialized, many producing only one or two commodities. Early in the century, most farms had diversified operations, and there were many more farms producing any given crop. For example, in 1910, over 85% of all New York farms grew potatoes and 79% grew vegetables. In 1992, fewer than 2% of New York farms grew potatoes and only 9% sold vegetables. Not only are fewer farms producing any given crop, but overall production of crops that are grown has declined. Similar trends can also be found in food processing.

The disappearance of local agriculture has severed the once strong links between farmers and consumers who at one time essentially were neighbors. Commodities grown anywhere in the world are now brought year-round by refrigeration and rapid transport to consumers anywhere in the world who can afford them.

Nearly half the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed domestically are produced in California.  Often, food products are imported into states where they also are locally produced.  For example, less than 4 % of all the apples produced in New York State go to the New York City fresh and processed apple market, which is now primarily served by other states and countries. Consumers participate more and more in the global food system and allow the local food system to decline.

You may wonder what this has to do with food guides but it does because sometimes when you buy fruits or vegetables in your local store, they have often traveled long distances to get there and the nutritional benefit you may think you are receiving has declined compared to what you could have gotten from your local farmers field.   Your goal should be to promote a diet that supports local agriculture and to minimize, not add to, the costs involved to maintain your food supply. While total self-sufficiency may not be a socially, economically or ecologically possible, it is perhaps useful to explore the best “mix” of global, regional and local foods when deciding what next to eat.

I know you want to get in shape and look great. Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. You will learn how to select and combine your diet with exercise, so that you can be the best you can be.

The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Did you know that you would have to walk 45 minutes to burn off the calories of eating just ONE Jelly Doughnut or 60 minutes after eating 6 chicken nuggets?  To find out how long you need to exercise in order to burn off the calories in a variety of foods, click the link below to display the chart.
All exercise times are approximate and based on 150-pound woman.  If you weigh more you’ll lose more weight if you exercise the defined time or if you if you weigh less, you’ll need to increase your time to lose the calories of the food you just eat.  All times are in minutes unless otherwise noted.

Hamburgers/Chicken

Exercise	Cheeseburger and Fries	Large Hamburger and Fries	Fish and Chips	Chicken and Fries	3 Pancakes with butter & syrup
Aerobics Active	88	114	74	102	67
Golf With Trolley	224	290	188	260	171
Dancing Energetic	102	132	85	118	78
Jogging 5mph	81	105	68	95	62
Swimming Steadily	81	105	68	95	62
Walking 3mph	136	176	114	158	104

 

Fast Food

Exercise	Pizza 12″ Cheese	Pizza 12″ Pepperoni	1 Fried Sausage	Regular hot dog	6 Chicken Nuggets
Aerobics Active	117	143	13	31	39
Golf With Trolley	297	363	33	79	99
Dancing Energetic	135	165	15	36	45
Jogging 5mph	108	132	12	28	36
Swimming Steadily	108	132	12	28	36
Walking 3mph	180	220	20	48	60

 

Fast Food Extras

Exercise	Large Fries	8 Onion Rings	Hash Browns Half cup	Garlic Bread 1 Slice	Ranch Dressing 1 packet
Aerobics Active	47	23	19.5	14	30
Golf With Trolley	119	58	49	36	76
Dancing Energetic	54	26	22	16	35
Jogging 5mph	43	21	18	13	27
Swimming Steadily	43	21	18	13	27
Walking 3mph	72	35	30	22	46

 

Mexican Fast Food

Exercise	1 Large Taco	1 Chimichanga	1Enchilada	1 Tostada	2 Burrito
Aerobics Active	71	58	42	29	66
Golf With Trolley	181	147	107	74	168
Dancing Energetic	82	67	49	34	76
Jogging 5mph	66	53	39	27	61
Swimming Steadily	66	53	39	27	61
Walking 3mph	110	89	65	45	102

Fast Food Desserts

Exercise	Apple Pie	1 Brownie	Hot Fudge Sundae	Strawberry Shake	Ice-cream Cone Large
Aerobics Active	34	32	38	47	44
Golf With Trolley	86	81	96	119	112
Dancing Energetic	39	37	43	54	51
Jogging 5mph	31	29	35	43	41
Swimming Steadily	31	29	35	43	41
Walking 3mph	52	49	58	72	68

 

Doughnuts & Muffins

Exercise	Doughnut Plain	Doughnut Choc	Doughnut Jelly	Muffin blueberry 1.5oz	Muffin bran 1.5oz
Aerobics Active	21	23	29	25	16
Golf With Trolley	54	59	74	64	41
Dancing Energetic	25	27	34	29	19
Jogging 5mph	20	21	27	23	15
Swimming Steadily	20	21	27	23	15
Walking 3mph	33	36	45	39	25

 

Snack Breads

Exercise	3.5″ Bagel	Danish, apple	Croissant, plain	Pretzel Nuggets 4oz	Breadstick x 1
Aerobics Active	25	34	40	62	5
Golf With Trolley	64	87	102	158	13
Dancing Energetic	29	40	46	72	6
Jogging 5mph	23	32	37	57	5
Swimming Steadily	23	32	37	57	5
Walking 3mph	39	53	62	96	8

 

Alcohol

Exercise	Beer 12 fl oz	Cider 12 fl oz	Scotch x1	Red wine, glass	Port, glass
Aerobics Active	19	21	15	12	24
Golf With Trolley	48	51	38	31	61
Dancing Energetic	21	23	17	14	28
Jogging 5mph	17	18	14	11	22
Swimming Steadily	17	18	14	11	22
Walking 3mph	31	33	23	19	37

 

Soft Drinks

Exercise	Cream Soda	Orange Juice	Tonic/Quinine	>Diet soda	Lemonade
Aerobics Active	12	11	9	39 seconds	11
Golf With Trolley	31	29	23	2	26
Dancing Energetic	14	13	10	45 seconds	12
Jogging 5mph	11	11	8	36 seconds	9.5
Swimming Steadily	11	11	8	36 seconds	9.5
Walking 3mph	19	18	14	1	16

 

Beef (3 oz.)

Exercise	T-Bone Steak	Ground Beef</td>	Corned Beef	Rib Roast	Round Top lean
Aerobics Active	36	29	41	43	20
Golf With Trolley	91	74	104	109	51
Dancing Energetic	41	34	47	49	23
Jogging 5mph	33	27	38	39	18
Swimming Steadily	33	27	38	39	18
Walking 3mph	55	45	63	66	31

 

Fish (3 oz.)

Exercise	>Cod	Fish Fingers	Tuna Bluefin	Whitebait, fried	Oysters no shell
Aerobics Active	11	19.5	27	51	7
Golf With Trolley	29	49	69	130	18
Dancing Energetic	13	22	31	59	8
Jogging 5mph	11	18	25	47	6.5
Swimming Steadily	11	18	25	47	6.5
Walking 3mph	18	30	42	79	11

 

Cheese (1 oz.)

Exercise	Cheddar	Cottage	Mozzarella	Parmesan	Ricotta
Aerobics Active	14	2.5	10	14	7
Golf With Trolley	36	6.5	26	36	18
Dancing Energetic	16	3	12	16	8
Jogging 5mph	13	2	9.5	13	6.5
Swimming Steadily	13	2	9.5	13	6.5
Walking 3mph	22	4	16	22	11

 

Vegetables

Exercise	Carrot 4oz	Potato 4oz	Spinach cup	Potato salad cup	Squash cup
Aerobics Active	2.5	10	1.25	47	13
Golf With Trolley	7	26	3	108	33
Dancing Energetic	3	12	1.5	54	15
Jogging 5mph	2.5	9.5	1.25	43	12
Swimming Steadily	2.5	9.5	1.25	43	12
Walking 3mph	4	16	2	72	20

 

Fruit

Exercise	Banana medium	Orange Medium	Strawberries 4oz	Raisins 4oz	Apple Medium
Aerobics Active	10	6.5	3	32	8
Golf With Trolley	26	16.5	8.5	81	20
Dancing Energetic	12	7.5	4	37	9
Jogging 5mph	9.5	6	3	29	7
Swimming Steadily	9.5	6	3	29	7
Walking 3mph	16	10	5	49	12

 

Mayo and Add-ons

Exercise	Vegetable Oil 1 tbsp	Mayo 1 tbsp	Sour Cream 1 tbsp	Soy Sauce 1 tbsp	Butter 1 pat
Aerobics Active	15.5	14	3	45 seconds	4.5
Golf With Trolley	39	36	8	2	12
Dancing Energetic	18	16	4	1	5
Jogging 5mph	14	13	3	42 seconds	4
Swimming Steadily	14	13	3	42 seconds	4
Walking 3mph	24	22	5	1	7

 

Salad Dressings (2 tbsp.)

Exercise	French	Thousand Island	Ranch	Blue Cheese	Fat Free
Aerobics Active	24	23	20	19.5	39 seconds
Golf With Trolley	61	59	53	49	1.6
Dancing Energetic	28	27	24	22	45 seconds
Jogging 5mph	22	21	19	18	36 seconds
Swimming Steadily	22	21	19	18	36 seconds
Walking 3mph	37	36	32	30	1

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

You have all heard the saying ‘you are what you eat.” Well along these same thoughts ‘you are also what you do!” Now if you are what you do, then your desire and drive to get in shape and better health, is not the result of a single act, but the result of habits. Not adding butter to your bread for just one day is not good enough! You must make the healthy lifestyle changes that will be come part of your daily routine.

The following tips are, proven and have been used by people who have been successful in their weight loss goals. You may have already heard of some of these tips but they are worth repeating because they work. You don’t have to do every tip all at once. Set yourself up on a schedule and try to implement one or two tips a week. Soon your new tips will be habit and part of your new improved lifestyle.

1. Add just one fruit or vegetable serving daily. When you get comfortable with that, continue to add an extra serving per day until you reach 8 to 10 servings per day.

2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.

3. Never super size your food portions

4. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, put it on a plate and sit down and enjoy. Enjoy all of your senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.

5. Start your day off by eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.

6. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner.

7. When dining out, eat only half and take the remainder home. A typical restaurant entree has 1,000 to 2,000 calories and that’s not even counting the bread, appetizers, beverages and dessert.

8. When dining out and you want desert, order only one and share it.

9. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate, a desert bowl instead of soup bowl and a juice glass instead of water tumbler.

10. See what you eat. Put your food on a plate or in a bowl instead of eating out of the jar or bag.

11. Eat the low-cal items on your plate first. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you’ll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.

12. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you’ll lose 5 lb in a year.

13. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass of fruit juice a day.

14. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.

15. Keep a food journal. It really works.

16. Eat until you are eight-tenths full.

17. Use mustard instead of mayo.

18. Eat more soup. But choose non-creamy soups, which are filling and lower in calories.

19. Cut back on or eliminate high calorie drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. If you drink a 20-oz of soft drink every day, switch to the diet version or eliminate them completely and from just this one change you could lose up to 25 lb in a year.

20. Take your lunch to work.

21. Sit when you eat.

22. Dilute juice with water.

23. Have mostly veggies for lunch.

24. Eat at home.

25. Limit alcohol to weekends.

26. Have a V8 or tomato juice instead of a Diet soft drink for your afternoon drink.

27. If vegetables are boring for you to eat, try dribbling maple syrup over carrots or sprinkling chopped nuts on green beans.

28. Mix three different kinds of beans with some diet Italian dressing. Eat this three-bean salad all week.

29.Enjoy Vegetable soup because it does count as a vegetable.

30. Don’t forget the sweet potato.

31. Use baby spinach as lettuce in sandwiches, heated in soups, wilted in hot pasta, and added to salads.

32. If time is an issue, spend the extra few dollars to buy vegetables that are already washed and cut up.

33. If you really hate vegetables and love fruit, eat plenty of them. They are just as healthy (especially colorful ones such as oranges, mangoes, and melons).

34. Keep seven bags of your favorite frozen vegetables on hand. Mix any combination, microwave, and top with your favorite low-fat dressing. Enjoy 3 to 4 cups a day. Makes a great quick dinner.

35. The best portion of high-calorie foods is the smallest one. The best portion of vegetables is the largest one.

36. Your cravings will disappear after 10 minutes if you turn your attention elsewhere.

37. We all know the health risks of being overweight, so when you need to find some added motivation to stick to your plan think about wanting to be around to see not only your children grow up but there kids too. So pass on the sugar snacks for kids’ sake.

38. It’s not just a one-day, one-week, one-month obligation you are a work in progress, and will experience success and failure. Stick to it!!

39. It’s more stressful to be fat than to stop overeating.

40. Do not Skip meals. Many healthy eaters diet by day and binge by night. You are only fooling yourself.

41. Be careful of snacking. You can easily munch 600 calories of pretzels or chips without realizing it.

42. Watch your serving size. A serving of pasta is 1 cup, but some people routinely eat 4 cups and think that they are just eating one.

43. Avoid the super size bagels. Some have a calorie content of 400 to 500 calories per bagel.

44. Read the Serving Size on the Nutrition Facts panel on most food product.

45. Nuts are healthy but high with calories. Use nuts as a garnish instead of a snack.

46. All energy bars and fruit smoothies are not low in calories. Start to read and compare serving sizes and calorie content.

47. A smoothie made with fat-free milk, frozen fruit, and wheat germ (or protein powder) can be a great meal replacement. (I’m a big fan of using pineapple juice to replace the milk from time to time)

48. If it’s a fast food burger you crave, order the smallest fast-food burger (with mustard and ketchup, NO mayo) and drink water. You can add an apple or baby carrots to complete your meal.

49. Go back in time. Remember you lunch time meals when you were a kid? A peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread with a glass of 1 percent milk and an apple.

50. Precooked chicken strips with micro waved frozen broccoli topped with Parmesan cheese is also a quick and easy meal.

51. There are a lot of healthy frozen entrees available these days that make mealtime quick and easy. Choose one low in calories and enjoy with a salad and a glass of 1 percent milk.

52. I still love scrambled eggs in a nonstick pan (I use only egg whites). Pop some asparagus in the microwave and add whole-wheat toast and presto your eating in no time. If your cholesterol levels are normal, you can have seven eggs a week with the yolk, so if you mix egg whites with a whole egg that’s cool too.

53. A bag of frozen vegetables heated in the microwave, topped with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts.

54. Pre-bagged salad topped with canned tuna, grape tomatoes, shredded reduced-fat cheese, and low-cal Italian dressing.

55. Keep lean sandwich fixings on hand like whole wheat bread, sliced turkey, reduced-fat cheese, tomatoes, mustard and horseradish.

56. Heat up a can of good soup. Or better yet, make your own soup and freeze serving sizes to have later.

57. Cereal, fruit, and fat-free milk makes a good meal anytime.

58. Try a veggie sandwich.

59. Precut fruit for a salad and add yogurt.

60. Don’t tell yourself, “It’s okay, it’s the holidays.” That opens the door to 6 weeks of splurging and added pounds with every party, cookie and drink.

61. Remember, EAT before you meet. Have a small meal before you go to any party like a hardboiled Egg, Apple, and a thirst quencher (water, seltzer, diet soda, tea) which will help you cut down on your alcohol consumption.

62. As obvious as it sounds, don’t stand near the food at parties. By doing this you’ll find you eat less.

63. At a buffet? Eating a little of everything guarantees you will eat more calories than you need. A good strategy would be to decide on three or four choices, only one of which is high in calories. Eat your high calorie choice last and you’ll find that you eat less.

64. For the duration of the holidays, wear your snuggest clothes that don’t allow much room for expansion. Wearing sweats is out until January.

65. After your company leaves, give away your leftover food to neighbors, doormen, delivery people, or take it to work the next day.

66. Walk around the mall three times before you start shopping.

67. Make exercise a nonnegotiable priority. You may lose weight while on some diets but long-term weight loss is accomplished and maintained by a balance of diet and exercise.

68. Dance to music with your family in your home and be active with your kids. It’s one of the easiest ways to involve the whole family in exercise.

69. If you have a sweet tooth and you just have to indulge, that’s all right. Have a lean salad for lunch or dinner, and save your main calories for a full dessert. Just don’t do this every day.

70. After going a few days without sweets, you will be able to avoid binging.

71. If you think you need a very sweet treat every night, try to strike a balance between healthy choices. Compromise with low-fat ice cream and fruit, or sometimes just fruit with a topping of whipped cream.

72. Try 2 weeks without sweets. It’s amazing how your cravings vanish.

73. Eat more fruit. If you get enough fruit in your diet chances are your won’t have a raging sweet tooth.

74. Eat your sweets, but limit them to about 150 calories per day for your favorite sweet. That amounts to about an ounce of chocolate, half a modest slice of cake, or 1/2 cup of regular ice cream.

75. Try these smart little sweets: sugar-free hot cocoa, frozen red grapes, fudgsicles, sugar-free gum, Nutri-Grain chocolate fudge twists, Tootsie Rolls, and hard candy.

76. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you miss one of these meals, there is a high chance that you will struggle with nighttime eating and binging.

77. Eat your evening meal in the kitchen or dining room sitting down at your table.

78. Drink cold unsweetened raspberry tea. It tastes great and keeps your mouth busy and you won’t binge eat while watching your favorite show.

79. Change your nighttime schedule. It will take effort, but it will pay off. You need something that will occupy your mind and hands. Maybe find a hobby.

80. If you’re eating at night due to emotions, you need to focus on getting in touch with what’s going on and taking care of yourself in a way that really works. Find a nonfood method of coping with your stress like exercise and you don’t have to go to a gym, you can simply go for a walk.

81. Put a sign on the kitchen and refrigerator doors: Closed after Dinner.

82. Brush your teeth right after dinner to remind yourself that you are finished eating for the night. (And brush before you go to bed and needless to say, after every meal)

83. Eat without engaging in any other simultaneous activity. No reading, watching TV, or sitting at your computer. You can easily lose track of how much you are eating and how long it takes you.

84. Eating late at night won’t cause weight gain. It’s how many calories, not when you eat them that counts.

85. Fat-free isn’t always your best bet and doesn’t mean low in calories. Research has found that none of the lycopene or alpha- or beta-carotene that fight cancer and heart disease is absorbed from salads with fat-free dressing. Only slightly more is absorbed with reduced-fat dressing. The most is absorbed with full-fat dressing. But remember to use your dressing in moderate amounts and have it on the side.

86. Skipping breakfast will leave you tired and by midmorning you will be craving and making bad food choices. To fill up try this sweet, fruity breakfast. In a blender, process 1-cup nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt, 1 1/3 cup frozen strawberries (no added sugar), 1 peeled kiwi, and 1 peeled banana. Pulse until mixture is milkshake consistency. Makes one 2-cup serving; 348 calories and 1.5 fat grams.

87. If you’re famished by 4 p.m. and have no alternative but an office vending machine, reach for the nuts or drink water. Sometimes when you feel hungry what you are actually feeling is dehydrated.

88. Next time you’re feeling wiped out in late afternoon, forget the cup of coffee and reach for a cup of yogurt instead. The combination of protein, carbohydrate, and fat in an 8-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt will give you a sense of fullness and well-being that coffee can’t match, as well as some vital nutrients. If you haven’t eaten in 3 to 4 hours, your blood glucose levels are probably dropping, so eating a small amount of nutrient-rich food will give your brain and your body a boost.

89. Making just a few changes to your kitchen shelves can get you a lot closer to your weight loss goals. Here’s what to do. If you use corn and peanut oil, replace it with olive oil. Same goes for breads change to whole wheat. Trade in those fatty cold cuts like salami and bologna and replace them with canned tuna, sliced turkey breast, and lean roast beef. Change from drinking whole milk to fat-free milk or low-fat soy milk. This is hard for a lot of people so try transitioning down to 2 percent and then 1 percent before you go fat-free.

90. Nothing’s less appetizing than a refrigerator full of mushy vegetables. Frozen vegetables store much better, plus they may have greater nutritional value than fresh. Food suppliers typically freeze vegetables just a few hours after harvest, locking in their nutrients. Fresh vegetables, on the other hand, often spend days in the back of a truck before they reach your supermarket.

91. There has been a lot of press about the trans-fat content in your peanut butter. In a test done on Skippy, JIF, Peter Pan, and a supermarket brand, the levels of trans fats per 2-tablespoon serving were far lower than 0.5 gram. This is low enough that under proposed laws, the brands can legally claim zero trans fats on the label. They also contained only 1 gram more sugar than natural brands, not a significant difference.

92. Overeating is not the result of exercise. Vigorous exercise won’t stimulate you to overeat. It’s just the opposite. Exercise at any level helps curb your appetite immediately following your workout.

93. When you’re exercising, you shouldn’t wait to feel thirsty before you take a drink. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. To avoid this you should drink at least 16 ounces of water, sports drink, or juice two hours before you exercise. Then drink 8 ounces an hour before and another 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. Finish with at least 16 ounces after you’re done exercising.

94. Listen to an audio book while you walk. It’ll keep you going longer and looking forward to your next walk and the next chapter! Check your local library for a great selection. Look for a whodunit. You might walk so far you’ll need to take a cab home!

95. Think yoga’s too serene to burn calories? Think again. You can burn 250 to 350 calories during an hour-long class (that’s as much as you’d burn from an hour of walking)! Plus, you’ll improve muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.

96. Drinking too few can hamper your weight loss efforts. That’s because dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent, or about 45 fewer calories burned a day, which in a year could mean weighing 5 pounds more. The key to water isn’t how much you drink, it’s how frequently you drink it. Small amounts sipped often work better than 8 ounces gulped down at once.

97. If you find it difficult to do it yourself, find A registered dietitian who maybe able to help you find healthy ways to manage your weight with food.
98. The best place to drop pounds may be a social group or club. Weight loss programs based on group support are so successful because there’s a built-in community component that people can feel comfortable with.

99. Here’s a reason to keep calm all the times. If you have high blood pressure and heart rate caused by stress you are at a risk of eating twice as many fatty snacks as your calmer counterparts.

100. Sitting at your computer may help you slim down. Searching and receiving weekly e-mail tips and advise helps to lose weight as you are more likely to implement some of the tips and tricks.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

MEAT & POULTRY		FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Cod (fillet)	7	Potatoes	1
Shrimp (boiled)	10	Sweet potatoes	1
Shrimp (fried)	46	French fries	47
Crab	14	Raisins	1
Halibut	19	Grapefruit	3
Salmon (baked)	39	Carrots	4
Turkey (white meat, no skin)	18	Orange Juice	4
Chicken (white meat, no skin)	19	Bananas	5
Chicken (dark meat, no skin)	40	Apples	6
Liver	27	Celery	8
Round steak	25	Broccoli	11
Filet mignon	43	Lettuce	13
T-bone steak (lean)	44	Tomatoes	14
Ground beef (10% fat)	57	Peanuts	76
Ham	42	Olives (green)	91
Pork chop (lean)	49	OILS & SPREADS
Pork sausage	76	Honey, sugar, maple syrups	0
Bacon	77	Jellies and jams	0
Frankfurters	81	Salsa	0
BREADS & CEREALS		Ketchup	3
White rice	1	Barbecue sauce	22
Brown rice	7	French dressing (low-fat)	39
Corn tortilla	8	Spaghetti sauce (meatless)	39
Corn flakes	9	Mustard	53
Peas	2	Peanut butter	76
Corn	11	French dressing (regular)	86
Bagels	8	Sour cream	88
Whole wheat bread	10	Mayonnaise (regular)	98
White bread	11	Vegetable oils, margarine, butter	100
Pancakes	29	SNACK FOODS & DESSERTS
Macaroni & cheese	46	Jello	0
EGGS & DAIRY		Frozen yogurt (low-fat)	12
Eggs whites	0	Orange sherbet	13
Eggs (scrambled)	66	Ice cream (16%)	61
Milk (skim)	5	Popcorn (no oil or butter)	12
Milk (1%)	23	Microwave popcorn (“lite”)	34
Milk (2%)	35	Popcorn (with oil or butter)	44
Milk (whole)	51	Fig bars	14
Half & half	79	Saltine crackers	25
Cream	89	Tortilla chips	28
Cottage cheese (low-fat)	19	Granola bar	35
Cottage cheese (regular)	39	Apple pie	39
Yogurt (low-fat)	22	Chocolate chip cookies	40
Swiss cheese	66	Doughnuts (plain)	43
American cheese	74	Chocolate bar	56
Cheddar cheese	75	Brownies	58
Cream cheese	90	Potato chips	61