When you’re trying to lose weight in a healthy way every one tells you that you need regular exercise and a well balanced meal. Unfortunately most of us have either forgotten or never known what exactly constitutes a healthy meal.

{Healthy meals are more than just salad and vegetables.}

Does a healthy meal mean eating lots of salad? Does it mean eliminating sugar from your diet? Does it mean getting more fruits and vegetables, even if it is tempura style carrots? Keep reading to find out how to put together a healthy meal for weight loss success!

Realistic Planning

Learning how to put together a healthy meal means keeping your goals realistic. While it is true that you need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight, thinking that you can count every single calorie if you haven’t been able to do so thus far, is unlikely. So rather than planning a healthy meal based on calories, make sure you’re keeping your calorie count low by increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

For example, rather than trying to count calories follow the United States Department of Agriculture’s recommendation making half of your plate fruits and/or vegetables. This way you can be sure you’re eating enough fruits and vegetables, which provide you with many of the necessary nutrients you need for a healthy body and successful weight loss.

Make incremental changes to your diet to make sure they stick. Too many changes at once can be overwhelming and send you right back to the unhealthy food choices you’re trying to change.

Likes & Dislikes

If you’re a person who swears there isn’t one single fruit or vegetable you like, then you’ll have to get over it and find a few that you can eat. For the rest of us however it’s important to know what foods you like and what foods you don’t. Make an effort to add more of the fruits and vegetables you like to your shopping cart so they make it in your meals each week.

If you love pasta and think it’d be difficult to do without it, simply make the switch to whole wheat pasta and whole grains in general. It’ll fill you up faster than refined grains and provide you with plenty of nutrients.

Learn different ways of cooking the foods you like to avoid healthy meal boredom.

{There are tons of vegetables out there, find a few you enjoy.}

Forcing yourself to eat foods you don’t like won’t really help you lose weight, unless of course all the foods you like are junk foods that are full of calories and no nutrients. This also goes back to realistic planning; by knowing what you will eat and won’t you can make smarter healthy choices when you put together healthy meals.

Proteins

Proteins tend to cause most of us the most trouble when putting together a healthy meal because we automatically default to meat as our main source of protein. In fact most of us are getting more protein than we need in our diets because we eat more meat than our bodies need and forget to account for other sources of proteins from dairy foods as well as nuts and beans.

Think about this fact the next time you make a meal of steak and beans!

According to the Institute of Medicine adult males should consume about 56 grams of protein each day and adult females should take in 46 grams per day. Of course this number may vary depending on health factors that include physical activity and pregnancy, but these are recommended daily allowances so if you currently take in 70 to 80 grams of protein, you should reduce that amount.

To put together a healthy meal for weight loss you should include more lean proteins in your diet, which means beef that is at least 85% lean and chicken without skin. Fish is the ultimate lean protein, so a healthy meal should have at least 8 ounces of fish each week as possible depending on your location.

Other sources of protein include; bison, chickpeas, kidney beans, almonds and cashews.

Grains

Make your meals healthier by switching from refined grains to whole grains. This is a great way to make sure you’re getting enough fiber in your diet, an essential nutrient for weight loss. While the USDA recommends that half of your grain intake be from whole grains, you should substitute whole grains whenever you can.

If you think you may not be getting enough fiber, add a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.

Dairy

When it comes to dairy products, the best decision you can make when putting together a healthy meal is to choose low fat and fat free dairy products. Rather than eliminating cheese and milk from your diet, reduce your intake and when you do eat it, make sure you’re choosing low fat or fat free cheese, milk and frozen yogurt.

Serving Size

Serving size is the icing on a healthy cake, so to speak. Once you know how to make healthier food choices as we discussed above, the next step is to make sure you don’t eat too much of even these healthy foods. The point of choosing healthier foods is that they (generally) have a lower calorie count and provide you with much needed nutrients; this is accomplished by eating the right serving size.

{This is what a healthy meal should look like; not spilling off your plate.}

Purchasing a kitchen scale is probably the best way to measure out your servings until you can judge by looking at a size of fish for example, to make sure it’s a 3-ounce serving.

According to the National Institutes of Health, your serving sizes should be:

• 3 oz. for meat, fish and poultry products.
• 1 cup of cereal.
• 1.5 oz. for cheese
• ½ cup of ice cream
• ½ cup of rice, potatoes or pasta, cooked.

The more you learn about what the proper serving size should be, the more equipped you will be to identify large servings and avoid eating the entire portion. Get started putting together your healthy meals with these quick dinner recipes, all under 400 calories per serving!

If you continue to struggle eating healthy, read our review of Brad Pilon’s Eat Stop Eat. His intermittent fasting plan can help reduce your appetite so putting together healthy meals is easier for you and your weight loss progress!

Burning belly fat and getting killer abs requires more than hundreds of crunches. In fact many with the abs they’ve dreamed of say that killer abs are created in the kitchen. That’s where abs diet recipes come in handy.

[Your first instinct is to say these 2 spend all day in the gym,
but they spend a good deal of the day in the kitchen too!]

The key to flat abs that you can be proud to show off is a diet that energizes you for more physical activity, curbs hunger and helps burn calories. Keep reading to find out abs diet recipes that will do that and much more!

Abs Diet Foods

Knowing how to whip up a few abs diet recipes means knowing which foods and food groups will help you accomplish your abdominal goals. Whole grain foods like whole wheat pasta and brown rice will satisfy you to prevent overeating. Low fat dairy products will increase the amount of calories you burn, and lean proteins will help keep your belly trimmed and toned so you can go shirtless or wear that little black dress you’ve been eyeing!

Abs Diet Breakfast Recipe – Siesta Omelet

Ingredients:

2 egg whites, whisked
1/3 cup black beans
1/3 cup corn
2 scallions, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Fat-free cooking spray

Directions: In a coated small skillet, add scallions, corn and black beans. Cook until warm, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. In another coated skillet, add egg whites, swirling around to cover bottom of skillet. Cook until omelet is set, about 2 minutes. Add corn mixture inside omelette and top with diced tomatoes.

Makes one breakfast omelette.

Smoothies should be included in all abs diet recipes because they give you a healthy dose of fruit, which you need for killer abs. Smoothies are also a great opportunity to get acquainted with low fat dairy foods like Greek yogurt and fat free milk. Getting good abs means abs diets recipes that you can make after a long day at work.

[Choose your favorite fruit (or veggie) and blend away for amazing abs!]

Abs Diet Recipe – Smoothie Snack

Ingredients:

½ cup  mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1 banana
¼ cup nonfat Green yogurt
½ orange, juiced
1/3 cup crushed ice

Directions: Combine ingredients in a blender and run until smooth.

Recipe makes 1 smoothie.

Eating for awesome abs doesn’t mean that you have to forget about your favorite dishes; it just means you need to give them a healthy makeover. When it comes to a dish like tacos choose a lean protein like chicken breast to keep fat content low without sacrificing much-needed protein.

Another trick when it comes to a dish like tacos that can prevent overeating is to add bell peppers to fill them out so you don’t need to pile up on cheese and sour cream. Finally, tortillas matter. Choose small whole wheat or corn tortillas to lower calorie count without sacrificing your midsection.

Abs Diet Recipe – Peppery Tacos

Ingredients:

3 ounces chicken breast
Juice of 1 lime, plus 2 lime wedges for serving
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic cloves, crushed
3 teaspoons olive oil
½ onion, sliced
1 cup bell peppers, red, yellow, and orange, thinly sliced
¼ cup corn
2 small corn tortillas, steamed
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbsp. sliced pickled jalapenos (optional)

Directions: Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic and lime. Broil chicken until done, about 6 minutes. Slice thinly, against the grain. In a skillet, heat oil. Add onion and peppers and cook about 5 minutes before adding corn. Cook another 5 minutes until peppers are slightly charred. Assemble tacos topping with salsa and jalapenos.

If your goal is killer abs then you must become acquainted with foods that should be in any abs diet recipe. If healthy food has always been your Achilles heel, then read our Diet Solution Program review so you can avoid common supermarket mistakes that keep your abs hidden!

Very few breakfast pastries are more delicious—not to mention high in calories—than muffins. Whether topped with sugar, oats or nuts, starting your day with a muffin isn’t an ideal way to lose weight.

{You can have (most of) these with a few strategic changes!}

But if you love muffins, and who doesn’t, then you’re in need of healthy muffin recipes that help rather than harm your weight loss efforts. Keep reading for tips for making healthy muffin recipes you and your body can enjoy!

Size Matters

You’ve heard this time and again, but very few things are as important as portion size when you’re eating for weight loss. Muffins aren’t inherently bad for you; eating a muffin the size of your head is when the real weight loss problems begin.

Making healthy muffin recipes means making difficult choices like 6 jumbo muffins, 12 large muffins or 18 mini-muffins. Your first instinct may be the large muffins, but even a large muffin is 200 calories per serving, which would be fine if 1 four ounce muffin wasn’t 2 servings!

Make the most of your healthy muffin recipes by keeping them mini-size!

Choose Your Flour Wisely

When you make the decision to make healthy muffin recipes at home, the type of flour you use will also help determine how healthy the recipe truly is. For a healthy muffin recipe that will satisfy your hunger without overindulgence, choose whole wheat flour; it’s whole grain and packed with fiber so you’re less likely to eat to 3 or 4 muffins at a time!

Other types of flour you can use for healthy muffin recipes include rye, almond and buckwheat flour. While some of these flours may increase the calorie count of your healthy muffin recipes slightly, they also increase your fiber and protein intake, which spells weight loss success.

Sweeten Your Muffins

One of the most problematic aspects of creating healthy muffin recipes is finding a way to make them taste like muffins without adding hundreds of calories in sugar. Healthy muffin recipes get creative with sweeteners by using something other than granulated white sugar.

Brown sugar and honey are both lower in calories than traditional white sugar, while keeping your healthy muffin recipes sweet and delicious! A great way of adding sugar and moisture to your healthy muffin recipes without boosting calorie count is to use pureed or crushed fruit. Crushed pineapples work well to sweeten muffins without changing the flavor profile. Sweetened applesauce is also another creative way to sweeten your recipe in a healthy way.

{Yes, there are things other than sugar and Splenda to sweeten your muffins!}

Sweeten Your Muffins – Part II

Counting calories for fat loss means you need to be creative when executing healthy muffin recipes. Whether you’re trying to lighten up an existing recipe or creating a new one, look to herbs and spices to enhance flavor without enhancing calories.

Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice are just 3 spices that come to mind when you want a sweet but healthy muffin recipe without all the sugar.

If sweet muffins aren’t your thing, consider using low-calorie flavor enhancers like olive oil, rosemary or thyme. Black pepper and garlic also pack lots of flavor without a lot of additional calories added to each bite. Citrus zest (orange, lemon or lime) adds tons of flavor and healthy oils without lots of calories.

Top With Care

The point of making fat-busting healthy muffin recipes is to keep the calories low and satisfy your hunger while providing you with some nutrients. To do this, we need to keep the muffin toppings to a minimum.

While it is nice to have muffins topped with sugar, honey glaze, dehydrated fruit and a myriad nuts, these toppings serve but one purpose; increasing the number of calories in your muffin. Choose one topping or mix-in for your healthy muffin recipes, like raisins or almonds, to make sure your recipe is as healthy as it can be.

Getting creative with your healthy muffin recipes will keep you excited and motivated about losing weight, without having full-blown cheat days. Get more information on how to break your bad eating habits and ways to avoid nutrition mistakes by reading our review of Isobel De Los Rios’ The Diet Solution Program.

Losing weight takes time, it takes patience and most of all it requires a willingness to try things new to your world. Whether its eating sushi or simply trying a new vegetable you’ve previously considered ‘yucky’, getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to facilitate fat loss.

{Just because you don’t like broccoli doesn’t mean there aren’t other greens you can enjoy.}

When your goal is weight loss you should be looking for foods with lots of protein and fiber and enough carbohydrates to keep you energized throughout a long work day. Keep reading for some of the best diet foods for fat loss!

Tilapia

When you’re looking for one of the best diet foods that’s low in calories and high in protein, tilapia has just 145 calories per serving and nearly 30 grams of protein! Since we know our bodies require more energy to process proteins, we also know that protein helps burn more calories! Another reason tilapia made the list of best diet foods for fat loss is that it has no carbs so you’re free to choose a healthy carb of your choice for a healthy and well-balanced meal.

In addition to being loaded with protein, you can find other nutrients in tilapia including calcium and 429mg of potassium per four ounce serving! That’s tons of nutrients—many of which that aid in fat loss—and very few calories which also aids in fat loss.

Add tilapia to your diet: add 1 to 2 cups of your favorite vegetable for a low calorie meal that’ll leave you feeling good about your diet.

Cereal

Cereal is a great diet food for fat loss, and not just because many cereals are high in fiber. The fiber content is obviously one of the things that makes it an awesome diet food for fat loss, because fiber makes you feel more satisfied without consuming as much food.

But what really makes cereal one of the best diet foods for fat loss is that its low calorie count makes it a great late night snack! Eat a bowl of cereal with a bit of milk instead of potato chips or brownies with ice cream, and your hunger will be satisfied in just a few calories. Cereal like Cheerios provides you with a satisfying snack that won’t pack on the pounds at bedtime.

Add cereal to your diet: add 1/3 cup of milk for breakfast, or snack on 1 cup of cereal in lieu of a late night snack. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for a semi-sweet treat.

Collard Greens

Long associated with Southern cuisine and its indulgent dishes, collard greens are actually quite a good diet food to help you lose weight! On their own, collard greens have tons of nutrients that aren’t just good for weight loss, they are good for your health!

{Get maximum benefit by combining tilapia and collard greens in one meal! Hot sauce optional.}

Loaded with Vitamin A (522% of daily value), D (189%) and calcium (57%) eating a cup of collard greens can yield positive results when you next step on the scale. The beta-carotene in collard greens helps fight weight-related illnesses that include cancer and heart disease, which is another reason it’s considered one of the best diet foods to help you lose weight.

With just 94 calories per 10-ounce serving, you get loads of nutrients and satisfaction without a lot of calories. Add collard greens when you need to create a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Add collard greens to your diet: add 1 cup of frozen collard greens to an omelette or lasagna so you can get used to the flavor.

Garlic

Although garlic isn’t something you just sit down and snack on, it does provide those of in in need of weight loss with a great way to season dishes without a lot of calories. Whether you chop up a few cloves for soup or grate some on top of your salad so you don’t go crazy with salad dressing, garlic is one of the best foods to help you lose weight because it saves you from yourself!

Garlic has a little bit of all the important weight loss nutrients—fiber, protein and carbohydrates—in just a few calories so you get lots of flavor without a lot of salt, cholesterol and fat. In addition to all of this, garlic improves your immune system!

Add garlic to your diet: Grate or mince garlic into eggs before scrambling, add to salads to season instead of salt, or smash a few and add it to your favorite 1 pot wonder!

Learning how to lose weight requires you to get acquainted with the best diet foods. These foods will make the difficult task of losing weight much easier, which increases your chances of success. Get your food issues resolved for weight loss success by reading our Eat Stop Eat review.

The secret is out: food can be your best weight loss ally. Whether you need to burn fat, relax or simply energize your body, food can help. The more you know about food, the more you can use it to fight the battle of the bulge!

{When you need an energy boost fast, consider these weight loss foods for energy!}

There are plenty of good weight loss foods out there and some of them also help boost your energy levels. Keep reading for good weight loss foods that boost your energy.

Why Energy Foods?

Energy is essential to every day life. It’s how we cook a meal, send an e-mail or smile at a cutie at the bar. To keep energized throughout these busy days, we need weight loss foods that also act as energy boosters. Good weight loss foods that give you energy help keep you productive all day long, while also giving you enough extra energy for some physical activity after a long day.

Energy is necessary and food is our energy; this is the #1 reason severe calorie restrictions make for very difficult—and interesting—diets.

Nuts

There are 3 awesome things that you must commit to memory about nuts.

• The protein and fat helps satisfy hunger
• Nuts help boost the libido (yes, that libido!)
• Nuts give you energy!

Nuts are packed with tons of good stuff like calcium, fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc just to name a few. Practically a multi-vitamin unto themselves, nuts are good weight loss foods that will boost your energy levels without boosting calorie and fat count.

The good fats in nuts help make you feel good and the protein makes you feel satisfied and gives you energy that won’t cause sluggishness later in the day like too much caffeine or sugar. Eat a few handfuls of raw nuts each day for more energy and tons of nutrients.

Almonds rank highest, but pick your favorite and nosh away.

Salmon

Seriously, is there anything salmon isn’t good for? As a great source of protein, salmon is already a food weight loss food, but add in its energy boosting components and there’s absolutely no reason whatsoever to keep salmon off your dinner table.

{Combining weight loss foods for energy like salmon & grapefruit is an easy energy boost.}

The best thing about salmon is that you can eat it in a variety of ways. Grab a filet and grill it, have an  Alaskan Roll or simply enjoy smoked salmon and eggs for breakfast. With so many ways to boost your energy levels, salmon is a super weight loss food for more energy.

Grapefruit

It’s no secret that grapefruit is a good weight loss food for energy, mostly because women all over the world break them out to signify to the world, I’m on a diet! But there’s a reason to their grapefruit madness as it turns out. Grapefruits are good weight loss foods because of the fiber pectin and its status as fat burning food.

Grapefruits are good weight loss foods because they give you energy and digesting them requires you to use more calories than a grapefruit has…and that is why calorie deficits work for weight loss!

Whole Grain Bagels

When you need a boost to get you going in the morning, reach for a whole grain bagel instead of a white bread bagel. Whole grain bagels are good weight loss foods because they are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which help weight loss because they take more energy to break down.

Spread your whole wheat bagel with fruit preserves to make sure you observe a conservative calorie count each day.

Apricots

When you need a sweet snack without the energy crash, reach for a cute little apricot. Apricots give you energy, and unlike candy they also give you nutrients. Apricots are good weight loss foods because they have fiber in them, making them a great weight loss food for energy. Apricots contain lycopene and vitamin B, long thought as an aphrodisiac in addition to an energy booster…actually now it makes sense why it’s an aphrodisiac!

Carrots

Carrots are good weight loss foods because their bright orange color helps ward off several types of cancer. But carrots are also great energy boosters because they are digested quickly into your bloodstream giving you an instant burst of energy!

Carrots, in my opinion, are one of the best weight loss foods that give you energy because you can throw a dozen or so in a bag and snack on them as you need energy throughout the day. Get a bag of baby carrots and you’ve got cute little energy boosters to last all day.

Successful weight loss requires you to think carefully about the food you put in your shopping cart and your plate. Healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables are great for weight loss, but they also help boost your energy, fight cancers and fight germs.

Get more information on how good weight loss foods can work for you by reading our Diet Solution Program review.

Food delivery is amazing. You get to sit at home—in front of the computer—in your pajamas with hair all a-mess and have a delicious (if not nutritious) meal delivered right to your front door. The problem is that very little of the food delivered to your front door are good for you.

{This logo is becoming well trusted among successful dieters.}

Imagine if healthy, well-balanced meals were dropped at your doorstep each week. Well that’s the guarantee made by eDiets. Keep reading to find out if eDiets really works for weight loss.

About eDiets Meal Delivery

Put simply, eDiets meal delivery program is a home meal delivery program to help aid your weight loss efforts. All you have to do is choose a menu with foods you like and eDiets will send chef prepared meals to your front door. eDiets meals are packed in coolers so your meals are delivered fresh to your door!

The reason eDiets meal delivery has been so successful and gotten such glowing reviews is because you don’t have to count calories for yourself. eDiets does most of the hard work for you and all you have to do is what you enjoy most—eating!

eDiets Meal Delivery Plans

Many people have a difficult time determining which eDiets meal delivery plan is for them. There are 2 eDiets meal delivery plans; 5 day and 7-day delivery.

Whatever your weight loss goals are, eDiets can help. If you’re just beginning a weight loss regimen, eDiets 7-da7 meal delivery plan is perfect for you. This plan comes with 28 meals, allowing you to choose from hundreds of meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. eDiets customers may also choose between a snack or dessert each day for 28 meals each week.

The 7-day meal delivery plan from eDiets will provide you with real life examples of eating well-balanced meals so that eventually you can do it on your own.

Those of you who are certain you can’t live on a totally restricted diet, consider eDiets 5-day meal delivery plan. This meal delivery comes with 20 meals that include breakfast, lunch and dinner along with dessert or a daily snack. This plan allows you to practice making healthy food choices on the weekends to see how you’ll react to eating healthy without the help of eDiets.

Choosing eDiets Meal Plans

The thing that most surprised us as we conducted this eDiets meal delivery review was the huge selection of meals. The eDiets meal delivery plan lets customers choose from more than 100 meals and desserts designed to help you lose weight without losing any flavor!

{As you can see, eDiets offers lots of variety to make lose weight easier than ever!}

Here are just a few samples plates we found in our eDiets meal delivery review:

• Jamaican jerk pork with quinoa pilaf, black beans and vegetables
• Beef Shitake salad w/white rice
• Roasted cod with summer squash & Spanish rice
• Snacks like cinnamon sugar cookies and dark chocolate bars

As you can see the eDiets meal delivery plan has lots of choices so you never get bored of eating for weight loss. eDiets promises that the food in their meals is fresh, healthy and without trans fats.

eDiets Support

In addition to conveniently delivering healthy meals to your front door each week, eDiets meal delivery plans offer a range of support options. The eDiets community provides customers with 24/7 program support from experts and other dieters just like you.

If you need a more effective workout routine or help customizing your eDiets meal plan, the expert Support Boards are there to help. You can blog about your experience with eDiets meal delivery plan, post photos to document your weight loss or chat with other users to help each other stay motivated throughout the weight loss process.

eDiets Cost

How you feel about the cost of eDiets meal delivery plan will depend on how much you currently spend on food. That will be the determining factor for many in need of fast fat loss.

The 7-day eDiets meal delivery plan will cost you $161.60, which does include the cost of shipping. That comes to less than $6 for each meal, snack or dessert you eat daily, which is far less than you’ll pay at a restaurant for a decent meal, although more than you’d pay by cooking at home!

The 5 day eDiets meal delivery plan will cost you just $131.70, which comes to about $6.50 per meal. eDiets cost, while it may seem high, is actually quite reasonable for what you get. Your grocery bill may be higher than this, but it comes with cookies, brownies and Doritos which your diet doesn’t need.

eDiets Meal Delivery Review – The Good

• Reasonably priced for a week of meals
• Pay as you go is super convenient
• A free day of food!
• Great community support
• Food delivered to your door…need we say more
• Recyclable food containers

eDiets Meal Delivery Review – The Bad

• Microwave is the only option for re-heating
• Egg substitutes are not tasty
• Does the hard work for you instead of teaching you
• Reheating option takes away from taste of meals

eDiets Meal Delivery Review Verdict

While I do have problems with weight loss programs that do all the work for you, it appears that eDiets meal delivery program rises above its competitors. With fresh food made by professional chefs, eDiets offers greater taste and quality than competitors like Weight Watchers and NutriSystem.

The meal plans are fairly reasonable in price, although eDiets provides no information about where the food comes from or the calorie count of dishes. The provided meals from eDiets along with their recommended servings of fresh fruits & vegetables will average about 1,200 calories each day.

There are certain things about eDiets that make us worry as well. First, 1,200 is good for weight loss but a calorie count that low will make it difficult to get the energy you need to lead a more active life. The other glaring problem with eDiets is that they do EVERYTHING for you; choose ingredients, cook the meals, and count the calories.

How will you ever learn the basics of weight loss if someone always does the work for you? Many people have found success with eDiets meal delivery plan and you probably will too, but you’ll have to do the research on your own to find out why these meals are ideal for weight loss.

TFLA eDiets Meal Delivery Review Verdict: Worth a try if you can afford it. Weight loss very likely.

A great way to learn more about eating healthy is to take a break from food and see what you really need and what you simply want is to read our Eat Stop Eat review. Learn to control food cravings and addiction!

If you think skipping breakfast is the answer to your weight loss worries, think again. While it is true that you must create a calorie deficit to lose weight, you don’t have to create that deficit by eliminating breakfast from your day.

{As long as you skip breakfast, you’ll never see the number you want.}

Plenty of studies have shown that those who eat breakfast experience more significant weight loss than those who do not. So instead of rushing out the door with just a cup of coffee in hand, keep reading for easy breakfast ideas for weight loss!

Bran Muffins

So maybe you don’t find bran muffins delicious at all, but maybe that’s because the gas station near your house doesn’t make the best bran muffins! Bran muffins are packed with weight loss helpers like fiber—a medium oat bran muffin has 21% of your daily allowance of fiber—and protein. Bran muffins also aid weight loss because you get tons of nutrients you need including calcium and almost 600mg of potassium!

Bran muffins are easy to make for breakfast and you can still eat it during the commute to work…if you choose. Cut down on sugar by adding raisins or cranberries to your muffins. What’s most enticing about bran muffins for weight loss is that most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen: wheat bran, vegetable oil, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, raisins and brown sugar.

Just remember the more sugary ingredients you add into your bran muffin mixture, the higher the calories will be.

Fruit & Muesli

When you’re looking for an easy breakfast idea for weight loss that’s also tasty, look no further than muesli and fruit. Made with raw whole grains–which kicks fat’s ass–fruit and nuts, muesli is a satisfying breakfast that won’t make you spit it out!

Mixing fruit and muesli for breakfast will give you plenty of energy to begin a busy day without sugar highs that result in cravings and headaches. So how does muesli and fruit help with weight loss? Simple, oats and nuts like almonds make you feel full and suppress your appetite so you don’t eat when you aren’t hungry! An easy breakfast idea like this one is ideal for weight loss because it’s easy to make and great even on the go.

TIP: Choose muesli that’s sugar and salt free for best results.

Smoked Salmon & Eggs

Most of you probably don’t consider salmon a breakfast food, but the truth is that smoked salmon has a light and refreshing flavor that goes remarkably well with the world’s favorite breakfast food—eggs. You know that salmon has many health benefits, especially protein and fatty acids, so why not add a few slices to your morning?

{Don’t let your preconceived notions prevent you from enjoying this easy breakfast idea!}

Smoked salmon can be expensive, but you don’t need to add a whole filet to your egg and toast. What’s great about smoked salmon is that a little goes a long way in flavor and satiety. Rather than bacon and fried eggs on a huge bagel, try smoked salmon with any egg you like. Sprinkle capers on top for additional flavor if you like.

TIP: Ask your deli worker for smoked salmon trimmings if you’re on a budget. They taste just as good and cost half the price!

Avocado & Tomato on Toast

When eaten in moderation, avocados are a healthy and delicious addition to any meal. Although avocado and tomato are non-traditional breakfast foods, together they make an easy breakfast idea for weight loss. One medium tomato has just 22 calories, while ½ cup of sliced avocado has 117 calories. Throw in 2 slices of whole grain toast and you have a healthy breakfast for just 339 calories!

The whole grains, fiber and protein are all awesome foods that make losing weight seem not so hard. And this breakfast idea is certainly easy; all you have to do is mash ½ cup of avocado, top with sliced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. If you need a little more flavor, try fresh or dry herbs; they add lots of flavor for very few calories.

So you see coming up with easy breakfast ideas to help you lose weight is totally possible. We all love those fatty breakfasts like pancakes & waffles, eggs & bacon and all those other breakfast combos that can total more than 700 calories for one plate! Unfortunately however, those foods will only make your weight loss efforts more difficult.

Make your life easier by giving these easy breakfast ideas a try. The goal is to stay energized so you can lead a more active life. Get more information on healthy foods by reading our Diet Solution Program review.

Losing weight can be easy, but eating for weight loss…that’s a little harder. It’s especially difficult for ladies, busy and under extreme pressure to look beautiful, to find quick and easy weight loss foods.

{Life often gets incredibly busy, your body shouldn’t pay the price.}

Finding healthy weight loss foods doesn’t take a Sherpa and a map; it just requires a little bit of knowledge, and that’s where TFLA comes in! Keep reading to find out which weight loss foods for women will make it in your fridge this week.

Turkey

Often when we think of healthy lean protein weight loss foods, boneless skinless chicken breast has always ruled the world. Until today that is, because turkey has fewer calories—by weight—than any other animal protein. Turkey is a quick and easy weight loss food for women because it preserves muscle mass while you lose weight and it keeps your metabolism working properly.

What’s more is that any good weight loss food for women must satisfy your appetite, and turkey—being a protein—is more satiating than its fat-filled and carb-filled counterparts.

Weight Loss Food Idea: Turkey & Avocado sandwich with arugula & tomatoes.

Cereal

Cereal is one of the best weight loss foods because breakfast is hugely important for weight loss, but also because breakfast cereal has fewer calories that come from fat than other breakfast foods like pancakes & bacon or hash browns and eggs.

Cereal is filled with fiber, and most important for the busy woman on the go…it takes no time to make and eat. Choose fiber-rich whole grain cereals that are low in fat, because are the best weight loss breakfast foods. Add a piece of fruit or a glass of juice for a complete breakfast that won’t make you feel groggy and hungry hours before lunch!

Tip: Add low-fat yogurt and fruit to your cereal for a quick & easy granola!

Popcorn

Before your eyes light up with excitement let us be clear, when we talk about popcorn as a weight loss food for women, we mean air or stove popped popcorn. This doesn’t include greasy movie theater popcorn or super salty microwave popcorn that can send your calorie count soaring if you’re not careful.

Instead of these high calorie options, healthy weight loss foods should allow you a reasonable portion with an acceptable calorie count. This is why we’ve placed popcorn on the list of good weight loss foods; oil popped popcorn is just 55 calories per 1 cup, while 1 cup of air popped popcorn has just 31 calories! That’s much lower than other types of popcorn.

Besides, air and oil popped popcorn are easy and healthy ways to snack without piling on the calories!

Tip: Use flavored oil instead of salt for a truly effective weight loss food!

Hummus

Hummus is a healthy weight loss food that doesn’t feel like a weight loss food. This tasty dip can be used in a variety of ways including as a sandwich spread, dip, appetizer or as a meal component. Made from chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), tahini paste and other ingredients, hummus is an amazing weight loss food for women because it’s high in fiber and protein…which is part of a successful weight loss equation.

{Hummus is the perfect snack or sandwich topper to eat while you shed the pounds!}

The fiber in hummus makes it satisfying with just a medium portion size and the protein helps you burn baby burn the fat! The key with hummus is to keep your portions medium and limit your dipping pitas, instead opt for baby carrots or celery.

Easy Hummus Recipe:

1 can chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp. roasted red pepper
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp. tahini paste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. smoked paprika
olive oil as needed to thin

Directions: Toss ingredients in food processor and let it run until smooth.

Sushi

Sure sushi is slightly higher in carbs than some other weight loss foods, but sushi is also lower in fat than many weight loss foods for women. Nutrients like sodium in sushi can certainly send your calorie count through the roof, but half an Alaskan roll is just 278 calories and 52% of your daily value of protein!

The lean proteins found in a wide variety of sushi rolls make this a very healthy weight loss food for anyone looking to creatively eat for weight loss. A half roll isn’t as fun as a full one, but eating sushi is moderation can be a healthy choice that allows some pretty tasty snack foods once in awhile.

Find out how you can begin living a healthy lifestyle like Rob and Kalen did by reading our Fat Burning Furnace review!
Often when we think of healthy lean protein weight loss foods, boneless skinless chicken breast has always ruled the world. Until today that is, because turkey has fewer calories—by weight—than any other animal protein. Turkey is a quick and easy weight loss food for women because it preserves muscle mass while you lose weight and it keeps your metabolism working properly.

What’s more is that any good weight loss food for women must satisfy your appetite, and turkey—being a protein—is more satiating than its fat-filled and carb-filled counterparts.

Weight Loss Food Idea: Turkey & Avocado sandwich with arugula & tomatoes.

Cereal

Cereal is one of the best weight loss foods because breakfast is hugely important for weight loss, but also because breakfast cereal has fewer calories that come from fat than other breakfast foods like pancakes & bacon or hash browns and eggs.

Cereal is filled with fiber, and most important for the busy woman on the go…it takes no time to make and eat. Choose fiber-rich whole grain cereals that are low in fat, because are the best weight loss breakfast foods. Add a piece of fruit or a glass of juice for a complete breakfast that won’t make you feel groggy and hungry hours before lunch!

Tip: Add low-fat yogurt and fruit to your cereal for a quick & easy granola!

Popcorn

Before your eyes light up with excitement let us be clear, when we talk about popcorn as a weight loss food for women, we mean air or stove popped popcorn. This doesn’t include greasy movie theater popcorn or super salty microwave popcorn that can send your calorie count soaring if you’re not careful.

Instead of these high calorie options, healthy weight loss foods should allow you a reasonable portion with an acceptable calorie count. This is why we’ve placed popcorn on the list of good weight loss foods; oil popped popcorn is just 55 calories per 1 cup, while 1 cup of air popped popcorn has just 31 calories! That’s much lower than other types of popcorn.

Besides, air and oil popped popcorn are easy and healthy ways to snack without piling on the calories!

Tip: Use flavored oil instead of salt for a truly effective weight loss food!

Hummus

Hummus is a healthy weight loss food that doesn’t feel like a weight loss food. This tasty dip can be used in a variety of ways including as a sandwich spread, dip, appetizer or as a meal component. Made from chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), tahini paste and other ingredients, hummus is an amazing weight loss food for women because it’s high in fiber and protein…which is part of a successful weight loss equation.

{Hummus is the perfect snack or sandwich topper to eat while you shed the pounds!}

The fiber in hummus makes it satisfying with just a medium portion size and the protein helps you burn baby burn the fat! The key with hummus is to keep your portions medium and limit your dipping pitas, instead opt for baby carrots or celery.

Easy Hummus Recipe:

1 can chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp. roasted red pepper
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp. tahini paste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. smoked paprika
olive oil as needed to thin

Directions: Toss ingredients in food processor and let it run until smooth.

Sushi

Sure sushi is slightly higher in carbs than some other weight loss foods, but sushi is also lower in fat than many weight loss foods for women. Nutrients like sodium in sushi can certainly send your calorie count through the roof, but half an Alaskan roll is just 278 calories and 52% of your daily value of protein!

The lean proteins found in a wide variety of sushi rolls make this a very healthy weight loss food for anyone looking to creatively eat for weight loss. A half roll isn’t as fun as a full one, but eating sushi is moderation can be a healthy choice that allows some pretty tasty snack foods once in awhile.

Find out how you can begin living a healthy lifestyle like Rob and Kalen did by reading our Fat Burning Furnace review!

When it comes to weight loss, many yo-yo dieters keep trying the same old methods and expecting different results. Isn’t that the very definition of insanity?

{Weight Watchers (allegedly) helped Jennifer Hudson shed the fat…can it help you?}

Well the good news is that Weight Watchers has done something very few weight loss programs have done—change their methods to keep up with weight loss science! Keep reading TLFA’s Weight Watchers review to find out if the new Weight Watchers is for you!

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™

The old Weight Watchers program focused on points through calorie counting, with a penalty handed out for fats. In 2010 however, Weight Watchers began a new weight loss points system that takes into account important dietary factors that include a diet rich in fiber and protein. Weight Watchers new and improved PointsPlus™ allows you to eat virtually unlimited fruits and vegetables as they have a point value of 0!

This new PointsPlus™ system by Weight Watchers is based on what has been learned in the last few years about losing weight and keeping it off.

How Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ Works?

Although Weight Watchers does have a new points system to help dieters shed unwanted pounds, the basics of how it works are still the same. You will receive a PointsPlus™ target from Weight Watchers, which lets you know how much food/how many points you are allowed for the day. These points are intended to make sure you lose weight without feeling hungry.

The new PointsPlus™ system by Weight Watchers gives food ‘points’ based on its protein, carbs, fat and fiber count. While researching our Weight Watchers review, we also found that there is an option for ‘Power Foods,’ which are defined as foods that make your body work harder to burn them while also giving you greater nutrition each day. These power foods include whole grains, lean proteins, low fat dairy products and of course…fruits & vegetables.

What’s Good About Weight Watchers PointsPlus™

What’s encouraging about Weight Watchers new point system is that it puts the power of food choices in the hands of the dieter, rather than a pre-determined amount. Instead of just eating whatever you want within a specific amount of points, the PointsPlus™ system gives greater value to proteins and fiber and less value to fat and other foods that your body can break down without much effort.

{This little logo lets you know you’re on the new weight loss program…the one that works!}

Weight Watchers also places greater emphasis on fruits and vegetables by giving them a zero value, so dieters feel encouraged to eat more produce without worrying about points. Now that dieters actually have to think about healthy food choices, Weight Watchers is showing that they really do care about weight loss and maintenance.

What’s Bad About Weight Watchers PointsPlus™

It’s difficult to say that the new and improved version of Weight Watchers weight loss program is bad, however if were things that concerned TFLA it’d be the prepared meals by Weight Watchers. These meals and food items are a great way to help dieters learn more about what foods they can and cannot eat. Unfortunately they are also a great excuse to not really change your eating habits, because someone else is doing all the work for you!

The other double-edged sword with the new points plan is that all fruits and vegetables are treated equally, which means the calories in watermelon count as much as the calories in an avocado, which has nearly 200 calories more! For a person with a certain body type–short people for example–an extra 200 calories every day or even a few days each week can put you much farther away from your weight loss goal than you think. What Weight Watchers fails to take into account is that some  fruits and vegetables have high calorie counts and should not be eaten in excess.

Because Weight Watchers is a weight loss program they do remind you that a calorie deficit is required for weight loss and an active lifestyle is promoted. However they do not explicitly encourage exercise, which we believe is a key component to successful and ongoing weight loss.

Support

One area in which Weight Watchers has always excelled is providing support for its members. Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ system allows you the same support as before; online for privacy or in person for a shared weight loss experience.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ Verdict

The new version of Weight Watchers point system is an effective way to experience successful weight loss. By using an improved method of assigning point values to foods, Weight Watchers has given customers a chance to learn how to lose weight rather than simply following orders.

Encouraging dieters to eat more fruits and vegetables is always great advice, and it is much easier to do when they have no points! Unfortunately the point value of fruits and vegetables will likely lead many to experience weight gain or stagnation. A new method with tons of recipes to follow, a point guide for when you dine out and an iPhone application makes using Weight Watchers easier than ever. Use Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ as a stepping stone to independent weight loss and you’ll learn much of what you need for successful weight loss.

A healthy diet and an active lifestyle are keys to weight loss and Weight Watchers PointsPlus™ system can help.

If you’re still skeptical of Weight Watchers, read our Eat Stop Eat review for other methods of breaking your food addiction and losing weight, not to mention KEEPING IT OFF!

There’s a magic button somewhere on your body designed to boost your metabolism. Here’s how you can press it.

Speeding up your metabolism may not be as hard as you think. A few easy steps can get you on the path to successful weight loss without extreme dieting, crazy pills or suffering hunger. Before we can understand the simple steps you’ll follow to boost your metabolic rate, let’s see exactly what we’re trying to affect.

What is metabolism?

While you’re performing mundane activities like sleeping, breathing or eating your body is converting the food you’ve eaten into energy. The rate at which your body performs this task is called basal metabolic rate.

What affects your metabolic rate?

Muscle: An increase in muscle mass also increases your metabolic rate.The more muscle you build, the more weight you’ll lose — and the easier it’ll be to keep it off.

Age: As people age, often they’ll say that weight is harder to lose and kids in their 20’s better “enjoy their time being thin because metabolism slows down with age”. This doesn’t have to be you at 30, 40 or even 50.

Exercise: Exercising to maintain and increase muscle is one of the two ways to help boost your metabolic rate. By increasing the ratio of muscle to fat you’re increasing your metabolic rate. As a 30 year old man or woman, your focus is building muscle. As a 50, 60 or 70 year old it may be maintaining the muscle you have, depending on your health conditions.

Foods: Establishing the importance of exercise is crucial, but what you eat is just as important. The food you eat is converted into energy and some foods contain more value for your body. Nutrient dense foods are what you’ll want to focus on consuming.

Health professionals and nutritionists all praise the value of nutrient dense foods. Researchers at Penn State advise that you pay attention to the nutritional content of what you eat:

Choose foods that are rich in micronutrients when compared to their total caloric content. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals.

Nutrient dense foods can boost your metabolism by keeping you full and supplying your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to stay healthy. Below are 10 cheap, easy and nutrient dense foods that you can add to your diet to boost your metabolism.

Top 10 Metabolism Boosting Foods

1. Whole Wheat Spaghetti. Mamma Italia had it right all along, she just forgot the fiber! One serving size of 140 grams packs 7g of protein and 25% DV of fiber.
   
2. Fiber One Brownies. When you need dessert, why not have a brownie? A 90 calorie brownie with 20% of your daily value of fiber is a win-win. Currently, you can purchase these at bulk stores like Costco – you’ll want them in bulk.
3. Eggs. It takes more effort in the morning than throwing cereal in a bowl, but setting your alarm 15 minutes early to scramble some eggs may just keep you from overeating mid day.
   
4. Chili Peppers. Capsaicin, an ingredient which produces heat in the body, speeds up the metabolic process for a short time. If you have too much, a glass of milk will put out the fire in your mouth.
   
5. Pine Nuts. These tasty nuts release hormones that send “full” signals to the brain. It’s easy to find a place for a handful of nuts like salads and sandwiches.
   
6. Cold Water. Fight fat by drinking cold water. If you’re hungry after you’ve eaten, you may be mistaking your body’s craving for water as hunger. Try drinking a glass of water before a meal to feel full without the extra food.
   
7. Cheese. “Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown,” says Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
   
8. Greek yogurt. What’s special about being Greek? This yogurt has twice as much protein as regular yogurt — that keeps you feeling satisfied for longer since it takes more time to digest.
   
9. Cinnamon. Researchers at the USDA have found that cinnamon extracts provide additional support to metabolize sugar. Just a teaspoon will do the trick!
   
10. Kale. This veggie is loaded with vitamins A, K and beta carotene. It’s #1 on Eat Right America’s nutrition density list with a perfect score of 1,000. That makes it about 14 times more nutrition dense than an apple and 144 times as nutrition dense as french fries.

Forcing yourself to cut out all sugary foods is unrealistic. Make a list of the unhealthy foods you eat and search for a healthier version. If you like granola bars, purchase a better alternative – like a Clif Bar with more vitamins and fiber. If you like brownies after a meal, try substituting a 90 calorie Fiber One brownie for dessert.

Who needs a magic button when it’s so easy to eat great-tasting foods that boost your metabolism?

Food, Fitness, Life celebrates healthy living and a balanced lifestyle – connect with us on Twitter and Facebook!

It’s no secret to anyone not living under a rock that the key to weight loss is eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and regular exercise. Despite this widespread knowledge, plenty of people consume low or zero calorie foods under the mistaken belief these foods will help create the much-needed calorie deficit.

{Eating fresh foods with full nutrients are the only healthy foods to eat for weight loss.}

The truth is there are low calorie foods and there are healthy foods, and only very, very infrequently do these 2 groups overlap. So, keep reading to find out what healthy foods to eat for weight loss.

Food Goals

The only way finding healthy foods to eat will work is if you take more responsibility for your diet. Don’t just head to your local supermarket and pile whatever looks good into your basket. That’s a recipe for a shopping cart loaded with crap that has little nutritional value.

Plan what meals you’d like to eat for the next 5 days (including healthy snacks) and buy only that and nothing else. This will help cut down on unnecessary snacking; if it’s not there you can’t snack on it! You may think this way will be more restrictive, but when you plan your meals you’ll eat more well-balanced meals instead of partial meals that leave you hungry soon after mealtime.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal may not be sexy and it’s certainly not the prettiest food on the planet, but what it is….is satisfying. That’s right oatmeal leaves you feeling more satisfied after you eat it than just about any other food. Many people consider oatmeal one of the healthy foods to eat for weight loss because oatmeal digests slowly and therefore has a minimal impact on blood sugar levels.

Besides rolled oatmeal or steel-cut oatmeal has loads of fiber because they haven’t been processed too much. Another reason oatmeal is one of the best healthy foods to eat is because choice varieties can have as much as 5 grams of fiber per serving!

Tip: Use oatmeal rather than breadcrumbs for meatloaf and meatball recipes.

Salmon

Salmon is the ‘big dawg’ of healthy foods to eat for weight loss because it’s lean and heart healthy; two factors crucial to successful weight loss and healthy living. Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in abundance in fish like salmon, improves sensitivity to insulin so you build muscle and burn belly fat more effectively.

Choose fresh wild-caught or organically farmed salmon for a truly healthy food to eat. Some farmed salmon has color added and other hormones and chemicals that your body won’t appreciate.

Sweet Potatoes

It’s no secret that I love sweet potatoes, but that’s because they are packed with nutrients that keep the fat far, far away. Sweet potatoes are considered by many one of the best healthy foods to eat for weight loss because they have carotenoids, fiber, potassium and Vitamin C. Sweet potatoes are healthy foods to eat because they prevent heart disease and muscle cramps and decrease stress levels, which are 3 factors that may negatively impact your weight loss efforts.

Sweet potatoe fries recipe here!

Unsweetened Yogurt

You’re probably already thinking ‘yuck’, but unsweetened yogurt is a healthy food to eat for weight loss because it’s the perfect way to enjoy fruit or granola. Instead of buying sweetened yogurt packed with sugary fruit preserves, mix fresh fruit with unsweetened yogurt for a healthy snack that’s not loaded with sugar.

{Healthy doesn’t always mean bad. Healthy foods to eat can be delicious with a little creativity!}

Too much sugar makes it difficult to maintain energy throughout the day, which will make it close to impossible for you to get a regular workout each day.

Butternut Squash

Squash often gets a bad reputation for lacking taste, but that’s from people that don’t know what to do with it. Packed with vitamins A & C and fiber, butternut squash is a healthy food to eat for weight loss because the fiber leaves you feeling satisfied after you eat. Never underestimate the importance of satiety to weight loss. The more satisfied you feel after a meal, the less likely you are to indulge in unhealthy snacks soon after, which is crucial to successful weight loss.

Homemade Food

So homemade food isn’t a ‘food’ per se, but homemade food tops any list of healthy foods to eat for weight loss because cooking for yourself eliminates unnecessary calories. Many fast food items have been preserved with salt or other ingredients that add unneeded calories to your plate. By creating homemade dishes you get to decide the quality of ingredients and what you put in the meal.

Homemade food is healthiest food to eat for weight loss because you can choose healthier alternative ingredients like whole wheat buns rather than processed wheat. You can also choose a lower-calorie cooking method like baking fries instead of deep-frying them.

Watermelon

Watermelon should be a go-to fruit for most people, but especially for those of us needing to shed a few extra pounds. Besides containing a ton of water (92% to be exact), which is also crucial for healthy weight loss, watermelon is packed with vitamins and nutrients that aid in weight loss. Watermelon is considered a healthy food to eat for weight loss because it’s a sweet snack that isn’t high in calories. Two cups of watermelon can be a satisfying treat that only costs you 92 calories!

When it comes to healthy foods to eat for weight loss, these 7 foods should be integrated into your diet. A diet filled with fresh produce, fiber and lean proteins is a diet that will help you lose weight, and more importantly keep it off.

Get more information on shopping smarter and making healthier food choices by reading our review of The Diet Solution Program.

When we think of Ryan Reynolds we often think of the goofball from Van Wilder or The Proposal, but one thing Reynolds is dead serious about is his workout routine.

Preparing to shoot his upcoming film, Green Lantern, Ryan Reynolds workout routine included a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises. To maintain endurance for his workout routine after a long day of shooting, Reynolds modified his diet to accommodate his schedule. Since you are but a mere mortal, you can modify Ryan Reynolds’ workout routine to get your body in superhero shape!

[Ryan Reynolds workout routine proves that there is a time for play and a time for exercise!]

Ryan Reynolds Workout Routine—The Basics

The first thing everyone wants to know—other than how to get his killer abs—is how frequently he works to get his body so fit. To prepare to fight bad guys as Green Lantern Reynolds worked out just about every day for 90 minutes. Whether or not you choose to completely mimic Ryan Reynolds workout routine, sticking to your routine is the best way to get buff.

Reynolds trainer Bobby Strom has bragged that while training for Green Lantern, Ryan Reynolds daily workout routine was never repeated. His body never got used to a routine so his muscles were always working at 100%. Before you balk and how much time it’d take to come up with different workout routines every day, keep reading. This is about Ryan Reynolds’ entire workout routine…not just the basics!

Alternating Muscles

While everyone has an opinion about working muscles in isolation, Ryan Reynolds workout routine did precisely this. Strom has been quoted as saying that working opposing muscles each day gave Reynolds a full body workout each week. That’s refreshing since most guys try to get a full body workout each day! I guess discretion is the better part of valor!

In a previous article about Ryan Reynolds workout we showed a workout similar to his Green Lantern workout. What we’ve since learned is that isolating muscles was just the start of getting in excellent physical shape.

Focus Focus Focus

The key to Ryan Reynolds workout routine was dedicating the majority of each day to one muscle, like the core or legs, and then give minimal focus to an opposing muscle group. Let’s say 70% of Monday’s workout is dedicated to working the abs, the remaining workout routine would include light dumbbell work on the arms.

With Monday dedicated to abs, Ryan Reynolds workout routine on Tuesday would focus heavily on upper body work—no abs—and some light lower body or core work. By creating Ryan Reynolds workout routine this way, Strom let each muscle group relax and focused on another muscle group altogether.

[Looking like a superhero meant a tailored workout routine so Reynolds could move like one too!]

The key to this type of workout routine however is that you workout regularly. If you exercise sporadically you’ll always be starting from the beginning with exhausted muscles.

Ryan Reynolds Workout Routine—Fighting Fatigue

Just because he looks like a superhero and plays one in his upcoming film doesn’t mean that Reynolds is superhuman. He gets tired just like the rest of us…well I’m sure it takes him a lot longer to get pooped but otherwise he’s just like you and me.

Whether it was because his muscles were fatigued or his shooting schedule was hectic, Ryan Reynolds workout routine required him to find a way to exercise. That’s when he sought out activities like yoga or Pilates to stretch the muscles and work the core without tiring out him or his muscles.

Some days Ryan Reynolds workout routine would consist of long rounds of stretching—very thorough stretching to prevent  muscles cramps.

Fight Boredom

We already know Ryan Reynolds never did the same workout routine twice, which is something we really advocate here at TFLA. Even celebrities are more likely to keep up with their workouts if they keep them interesting. Reynolds workout included kickboxing, because superheroes must be able to kick ass…or else what are all those muscles for?!?

[Fighting workout boredom like Reynolds means getting creative and running a marathon...or two!]

Ryan Reynolds Workout Routine—Keepin’ it Real

One thing that Reynolds’ trainer Strom did was make sure everyone involved had realistic expectations. To get ready for Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds already had a killer body to work with so taking him to the next level was well within the possible. For the rest of us however, following a regimen like Ryan Reynolds workout routine means also keepin’ it real about how closely we’ll get to looking like Green Lantern.

By following Ryan Reynolds workout routine or a similar routine you can get your body in very good shape. If you improve your diet to accommodate your workout needs you will greatly increase your chances of looking that good. What’s important though is that following the Ryan Reynolds workout routine and eating a well-balanced diet will give you the best body you can have…and that’s pretty amazing too!

Need a little extra help around the middle? Read our review of The Truth About Six Pack Abs and see how you can improve your abdominal and core workouts!

You already know that a regular exercise regimen that includes both cardio exercises and resistance training is the best way to lose weight. The problem is that you just can’t motivate yourself to do it, right?

[Eating tons of hot dogs may be fun and it may be tasty, but one thing it isn't is burning fat!]

Well if I told you that regular exercise, combined with eating foods that burn fat would help you achieve healthy weight loss results, would that motivate you? Then keep reading to find out which foods burn fat for weight loss.

Foods BURN Fat, Really?

Really it’s true. As someone often described as a skeptic, I too lifted my eyebrows in suspicion when I heard this.

Foods that burn fat do so by increasing your metabolism. Adding these foods to your diet will help fat loss because of the energy required to digest them. For example digesting fat requires less energy than protein, which is why we here at TFLA are constantly encouraging you to eat a diet with lean proteins and lots of fiber.

Make your own protein shakes HERE!

What Are These “Magical” Foods?

If you’ve tried tons of fad diets in the past with little (or zero) success, foods that burn fat probably do seem a little magical. There’s no magic involved I promise!

The reason we see these foods as “magical” or fraudulent is because we’ve become too addicted to processed, pre-packaged, deep-fried, sugar-coated, partially hydrogenated…crap, to put it honestly. But you know those foods that come straight up from the ground, occasionally covered in dirt? Well those are the healthy parts of the food pyramid that HELP with fat loss.

EGGS

Eggs have a lot of cholesterol, which is my biggest beef with them. But 1 egg contains more than 6 grams of protein that your body will burn easier than other fattier breakfast options.

If you’re concerned about cholesterol–and you should be–2 egg whites contain the same amount of protein as 1 whole egg while giving you half the calories!

BEANS

Beans, beans are good for the heart, the more you eat…the more fat you burn! Bet you didn’t think that’s where I was going?

That’s because we only remember one thing about beans, but another important thing about some members of the bean family is that they are a great source of protein and fiber. I personally love beans as an alternative to meat a few days each week.

[These tasty edamame beans are the perfect fat burning snack. Warm or cold you can pop'em like chips without the salty fingers!]

Beans like Kidney, Navy, Lima, and Edamame are high in protein and fiber, as long as you stay away from baked beans or worse, refried beans. These options have lots of fat and sugar on top of the goodness, which really just spells extra work for you at the gym.

Just to give you an idea, 1 cup of boiled kidney beans has 11 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein with just 1 gram of sugar. If you’re still worried about smelly side effects, just make sure to cook your beans thoroughly to avoid embarassment.

OATMEAL

When it comes to a quick breakfast food that burns fat, very few items compete with oatmeal. Oatmeal not only helps burn fat, but the soluble fiber in oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol too.

Get the most fat burning power out of your oatmeal by:

• Using honey or fruit rather than sugar to sweeten.
• Get old-fashioned oats instead of instant, the difference in cook time is a few minutes.
• AVOID flavored oatmeal.

Another reason oatmeal is awesome for weight loss? It stays in your belly much longer than fatty breakfast foods, which means you won’t be making a beeline for the doughnut shop before 10am!

ALMONDS

When you want a snack that isn’t junk food, reach for almonds. Almonds make you feel full so you’re less likely to eat when you aren’t hungry. On top of that, just 1 ounce of almonds contains 4 grams of protein and 4% of your daily value of fiber.

That’s a snack that fills you up and helps you shed unwanted fat.

WHOLE GRAINS

Carbs are good, despite what you’ve heard recently. Aside from being good, carbs are also an excellent source of energy, which you’ll need to get regular exercise. The reason carbs have such a bad reputation is because of their evil step-sister processed carbs.

White breads, pastas, bagels, and rice are stripped of most of their nutritional value and most of the wheat, so you have to eat more to feel full. Whole grains however have not been processed to within an inch of their life, and thus retain much of what’s good for you.

[Grains that lack this earthy brown color are not whole and thus, not foods that burn fat. Period.]

Don’t let “wheat” labels fool you either, because they’re just as bad. If it doesn’t indicate that the food is made from “whole grains” then it isn’t and it’s not one of the awesome foods that burn fat.

BERRIES

Berries are probably one of my favorite fruits. They make great smoothies and smaller berries like blueberries and raspberries can be popped one at a time…just like candy! And raspberries are packed with fiber–just 1 cup has 8 grams!

Berries also have lots of pectin, which basically bullies the fat into releasing fat cells. That spells great news for the fat-ridden parts of our bodies.

SALMON

There are plenty of reasons to eat salmon aside from it being a food that burns fat. It has tons of protein (39g per 1/2 filet), and most important the Omega-3 helps boost your metabolism so you burn more fat.

GREEN TEA

It shouldn’t surprise anyone who has ever tried a weight loss pill that green tea helps burn fat. Studies have shown that a green tea regimen will help reduce fat by preventing the fat from growing and getting absorbed into the belly.

This doesn’t mean to go crazy with green tea products to burn fat, it just means add a few cups of green tea to your day to HELP your weight loss efforts.

None of these foods of drink alone will help you reach your fat loss goals. Of course regular diet and exercise are required as well, but adding these foods to your diet will give your weight loss a nudge in the right direction.

Read our Fat Burning Furnace review to find out what you’re doing that could be hurting your fat loss efforts.

Smoothies have become all the rage among health-conscious urbanites the world over. Smoothies are healthy, delicious, and easy to make; all you need are a few smoothie basics and you’ll be whipping up immune-boosting smoothie recipes for your loved ones in no time!

[If this is the ONLY easy smoothie recipe you know, keep reading for more health conscious smoothie recipes.]

A proper smoothie only has a few ingredients so you can mix & match your favorite fruit and vegetable combos for some tasty drinkable snacks that won’t cost you another 30 minutes in the gym! If you stick with fresh fruits and vegetables in your easy smoothie recipes, your job gets much easier.

Simple Breakfast Smoothie (144.5 calories per serving. Recipe serves 2.)

Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1 cup chopped cantaloupe
1 cup seeded watermelon, chopped
1/4 cup orange juice (calories based on freshly squeezed OJ)
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender and run until you have a smooth & creamy smoothy. If the smoothie is too thick, slowly add more orange juice until you get the consistency you want.

[Creating easy smoothie recipes is a 2-step process. 1-choose your fruit or veggies. 2-blend and enjoy!]

Vitamin C Smoothie (148 calories per serving. Recipe yields 3 servings)

Ingredients
4 oranges, juiced & zested
1 lime, juiced
1 cup strawberries, chopped
2 ripe bananas, chopped

Directions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add more juice if smoothie is too thick.

These are just two examples of easy smoothie recipes. You can have a wide variety easy smoothie recipes at your disposal, just grab your favorite fruit combination and toss them into the blender with a healthy dose of REAL fruit juice. These easy smoothie recipes are a great snack replacement, and the natural sugar in the fruit should curb even the most irresistible sugar cravings!

Get the most nutrition (and fewest calories) out of your homemade easy smoothie recipes by following these guidelines;

• Use real fruit juice or fruit to sweeten any smoothie recipe.
• Check out the frozen food section for out of season fruits.
• For weight loss, use skim or low fat milks & yogurts.
• Chop fruits and vegetables for smoother smoothies!
• Make easy smoothie recipes for vegetarians by switching to soy milk!
• Avoid cubes when using ice, opt for smaller shapes for ease with blending.

Tropical Smoothie (140 calories per serving. Recipe makes 2 servings.)

Ingredients
1 chopped banana
1/3 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1/2 cup chopped guava
1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup papaya chopped

Directions: Blend all ingredients until smoothie becomes slushy-like. Keep blending for a smoother texture. If more juice is needed add orange juice or juice from the pineapples.

[A great way to find easy smoothie recipes? Hit up farmer's markets or ethnic food stores for specialty fruits or vegetables.]

Fresh Lunch Smoothie (44 calories per serving. Recipe serves 2.)

Ingredients
1/2 cup cucumbers, chopped
1 cup tomato juice (no salt added)
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup ice
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce

Directions: Cut the vegetables into small pieces, add to blender and run for about 30 seconds. Add ice, tomato juice, and worcestershire sauce and blend 1 minute or until drink is sufficiently smooth.

See? The perfect easy smoothie recipe doesn’t have to include only fruit. Smoothies are an easy and tasty way to make sure your body gets the vitamins and nutrients it needs, especially if you’re one of those people who can’t find any fruit to enjoy. The next time you have an attack of the munchies hit up the vegetable crisper or the oft-forgotten fruit bowl and whip up a smoothie.

Successful weight loss requires that you find a way to create the oh-so-important calorie deficit, and our easy smoothie recipes are a great way to achieve that. You can grab a smoothie instead of trying to eat on the go and succumbing to problems like indigestion and acid reflux.

I knew that blender was good for making something other than strawberry margaritas!

Read our review of The Truth About Six Pack Abs and find out if smoothies are just what you need to have the mid-section you’ve always dreamed about!

When it comes to losing weight, intelligent dieters know that success means a healthy low-calorie diet and regular exercises. However when a diet plan comes along that makes a smart argument, it’s difficult to ignore. I found that to be (mostly) true with the Paleo Diet.

[Are these svelte frames from a Paleo diet or the paleo exercise regimen of hunting & gathering?]

The Paleo Diet is a diet plan that follows the same nutritional diet that our ancestors ate during the paleolithic period. Keep reading to find out if the Paleo Diet is just another fad or if it really works for weight loss.

The Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet focuses on foods that contribute to good health, and cautions dieters to stay away from foods that contain nutrients which cause or contribute to weight gain. The main purpose of the Paleo Diet meal plan is to reduce fat and decrease the risk of contracting weight-related illnesses that include diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and many others.

The Paleo diet is very simple, consisting only of foods that were available prior to widespread agriculture. Below is a list of foods you are allowed to eat on the Paleo Diet:
Lean meats
Offal
Fresh Fruits
Fresh Vegetables
Shellfish
Fish
Roots
Tree Nuts

Like any diet, the Paleo Diet comes with a list of prohibited foods as well. The foods you may not eat on the Paleo Diet includes foods that were unavailable to paleolithic humans. Those foods include:
Salt
Refined Sugars
Grains
Processed foods
Dairy
Saturated & Trans fats
High glycemic carbs (refined grains mostly)

[If you run out of ideas, you can purchase a Paleo Diet cookbook for $20. It has 150 recipes.]

What’s Good About The Paleo Diet?

What’s good about the Paleo Diet is that it focuses on weight loss from a health standpoint. Although the main goal of the Paleo diet is to help lose weight, there is an undeniable focus on reducing risks of obesity related diseases, which is always a positive thing. The best thing about the Paleo diet eating plan is that avoiding processed foods is encouraged. Processed foods are often made from saturated and trans fats, as well as high-glycemic carbohydrates like glucose and fructose.

The meal plans provided in the Paleo Diet allow the dieter to take more control of their meals, and that’s always good for weight loss. When you have to look for ingredients and cook your own meals, you feel more invested in your weight loss and tend to take it more seriously. This, in my opinion, is probably one of the most positive aspects of the Paleo Diet meal plan.

What’s Bad About The Paleo Diet?

There are 2 main issues I have with the Paleo Diet. First I have to question the wisdom of completely eliminating grain products and legumes from a diet. Grains, especially whole grains are packed with nutrients like fiber and iron that the body needs. Furthermore, new evidence suggests that our paleolithic ancestors did eat grains.

The other fault I see with the Paleo Diet is that it does not give exercise a proper focus. Thinking back on the lives of hunters and gatherers, it seems odd that exercise isn’t credited more with the svelte frame and overall health of our ancestors. Exercise is mentioned only as an afterthought, and that is not something TFLA endorses.

[Rock climbing is a great paleo-esque exercise that'll give you a full body workout!]

Successful weight loss requires a calorie deficit, which most of us create through eating less AND exercising. Trying to simply eat less to lose weight, is possible, but not advised.

A sedentary lifestyle (being a couch potato) is responsible for many of the diseases associated with obesity, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and death. With this information available, how can the Paleo Diet produce effective weight loss without exercise?

Does The Paleo Diet Help Weight Loss?

Yes and no. A meal plan based on the Paleo Diet will very likely lead to weight loss, as long as you stick with the allowed foods. However you can eat lean proteins and fresh produce as much as you want, but if the body isn’t getting enough exercise weight loss won’t be significant. Creating a calorie deficit is key to weight loss, which the Paleo Diet does endorse. Unfortunately it is virtually impossible to create a calorie deficit through eating alone AND have successful weight loss.

No diet or lifestyle change is complete unless it includes an exercise regimen that will help you tone and get healthy. A healthier diet is necessary for many things, but successful weight loss requires proper diet and exercise.

The Paleo Diet aids weight loss because the major focus of the meals plans is lean proteins along with fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods don’t have a high fat or calorie content so they are a great way to start creating a calorie deficit, especially if your current diet is filled with processed foods. This first step get the weight loss ball rolling, but it will stop shortly if you don’t add regular exercise.

Paleo Diet Verdict

Since there is still some scientific debate about whether or not human genetics have “adapted” to a paleolithic diet, the jury is still out on the long-term effectiveness of the Paleo Diet. However since TFLA does endorse a diet filled with lean proteins and fresh fruits & vegetables, a meal plan similar to the Paleo diet plan is recommended.

If you’re just starting your weight loss regimen, the Paleo Diet is a good reference of the types of food you should be eating. We think you should also be eating whole grains and legumes in moderation as well as getting regular physical activity. Other good bits from the Paleo Diet includes avoiding processed foods, salt, saturated & trans fats, and refined sugars.

Find a less restrictive way to break your food addiction by reading our review of Eat Stop Eat.

Just when you thought you’d seen, heard, and tried every diet on the market, out comes another product claiming to be “the strongest female fat burner” in the history of the world. With that kind of claim, who honestly wouldn’t be interested? As a natural born skeptic, it is my duty to raise an eyebrow at any product claiming to provide my weight-challenged friends with a quick fix. Let’s see if SlimQuick Extreme can back up those wild claims!

[Like Gizmo, SlimQuick extreme seems harmless...unless you're the rare overweight person not at risk of getting an obesity-related illness (or if you occasionally bathe your pets)!]

Keep reading to find out what we uncovered in our SlimQuick Extreme review.

What is SlimQuick Extreme?

SlimQuick Extreme, manufactured by SlimQuick Labs, is is a fat burning program that includes liquid gel pills, and a booklet full of exercise & training tips, as well as a sample diet.

What does SlimQuick Extreme Do?

SlimQuick Extreme claims that its pills are “engineered to attack” a woman’s fat. Put simply the main ingredients in SlimQuick Extreme–Sesamin, Tuber Fleeceflower, Pu-erh Tea & Loranthus–prevent fat from being stored in the body, and “encourages” the body to use its stored fat. The other main ingredient is hoodia gordonii, which acts as an appetite suppressant.

SlimQuick Extreme is supposed to help you burn fat by giving you more energy so you can exercise longer, and suppressing your appetite so you don’t overeat.

What is the SlimQuick Extreme Program?

The SlimQuick Extreme regimen consists of taking 2 servings (3 pills per serving!) of liquid gel pills. The first 3-pill serving is taken with 8 oz. of water before breakfast, which you need to eat if you have a chance at successful weight loss. Great breakfast ideas here! The second serving is taken 6 hours after the first dosage. You have to take SlimQuick Extreme with water on an empty stomach.

[SlimQuick Extreme is just under $40 per bottle...but how long will you have to take it?]

The SlimQuick Extreme pill box comes with a booklet that includes a sample diet, advice on exercise & nutrition, and an 8-week weight training program designed especially for women.

Does SlimQuick Extreme Work?

The makers of SlimQuick Extreme contend that their product has been proven to burn more than 5 times the calories burned during workouts. They also claim that the ingredients in SlimQuick Extreme are proven to increase the metabolism and reduce body fat by as much as 10%. The ingredient focuxanthin has been “shown in research” to reduce body weight by nearly 15%, so they say.

These claims are all made on the SlimQuick Extreme website, however they provide no information to back up these claims. The only proof that SlimQuick Extreme is effective for weight loss, is anecdotal evidence provided by “users” of SlimQuick Extreme. Shockingly enough, all of the reviews have a rating of excellent of very good. So we can’t say for sure that SlimQuick Extreme doesn’t work, but it contains many of the same ingredients as other diet products we don’t endorse.

[This ingredient list could be on the side of any other fat burning wonder pill on the market.]

Are There Any Side Effects To SlimQuick Extreme?

The makers of SlimQuick Extreme don’t come right out and say there are side effects to their product, however they strongly suggest you stop taking their product and talk with your doctor if any of the following symptoms occur: dizziness, tremors, nervousness, insomnia, headache or palpitations.

In addition to those side effects of SlimQuick, you should be “healthy overweight” just to take SlimQuick. This product is not recommended by the makers for pregnant women or women who are nursing, which makes sense. If however you have a risk of the following conditions OR are being treated for one or more of the following SlimQuick Labs says you should stay away from SlimQuick Extreme:

• High Blood Pressure
• Seizure Disorder
• Liver, Thyroid, or Psychiatric disease
• Diabetes
• Anemia
• Nervousness/Anxiety
• Depression
• Cardiac Arrythmias
• Stroke
• Difficulty Urinating (because of prostate enlargement)
• Pheochromacytoma

Should You Take SlimQuick Extreme?

Probably not, and definitely not if you have (or could have) any of the above-mentioned health issues. Rather than rely on pills to help you lose weight, consider cardio, strength training exercises, a healthy diet, and a calorie deficit. Armed with these tools, that fat is powerless against you.

The right way to lose weight is a proper diet and exercise. Read our review of The Truth About Six Pack Abs and get the truth from the mouth of a nutrition specialist!

If you’re like me, you can’t get enough carbs. Potatoes, pasta, and bread; you name it and I probably love it. What I don’t love is what consuming too many carbohydrates does to your body. And while I’m not a fan of diets that advocate eliminating all carbs from your daily diet, I do understand the need once in awhile to enjoy a few days of carb-free eating.

[No carb lunch recipes are simple: chicken breast with mustard vinaigrette and you're ready to nourish your body!]

No carb recipes are supposed to help with fat loss because it helps burn fat instead of the sugars found in carbohydrates. That is true, but not realistic unless you eat handfuls of bread and pasta by the pound on a regular basis. You shouldn’t go crazy eating bad carbs with every meal, but you should know that carbohydrates are found in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and even oatmeal.

Before we begin however, it’s important to understand that living without carbs is unrealistic and unhealthy. Complex carbohydrates are healthy and you should focus on eliminating simple carbs like white sugar and processed foods. A no carb diet may result in decreased energy, which makes it difficult to perform everyday functions. On a positive side note, a diet low in carbohydrates will also help treat diabetes, chronic fatigue and even epilepsy.r

**Ask your doctor if a no carb diet is for you before you begin.**

Chicken Salad w/Mustard Vinaigrette

1 chicken breast
1 cup arugula
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cucumber, sliced
salt & pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 bay leaf

Directions: Add garlic and bay leaf to medium pot of water and bring to a boil. Trim excess fat from chicken and place in water until done, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes or until you can touch with hands. When chicken cooks, run a fork against the grain and shred the chicken. Meanwhile, add vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper to bowl and whisk until blended. Add arugula, cucumbers, chicken and mix well. Enjoy!

Egg White Scramble

2 egg whites
1/2 cup spinach
pepper
1 slice gruyere cheese, chopped
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. olive oil

[Scramble it up or make an omelet, just keep the carbs low. Tomatoes optional!]

Directions: Add pepper and garlic to egg whites and mix. In skillet over medium heat add egg whites and garlic mixture to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Add in spinach and cook until slightly wilted, 1 minute. Add cheese and cook until done, 1 minute. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and enjoy!

Rosemary Halibut with Fried Eggs

1 tbsp. rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs
pepper to taste
4 oz. Halibut
1 tsp. thyme, chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub halibut with oil, rosemary, pepper, and thyme. Place on baking sheet and cook until done, 7-10 minutes. In skillet over medium-high heat add 2 eggs and sprinkle with pepper. Cook until sunny-side eggs reach desired doneness.

Flank Steak w/Zucchini Gratin

1 lb. Flank Steak
1 lb. Zucchini, thick sliced
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp. black Pepper
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. Rosemary, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Directions: Heat broiler on high. Rub steak with olive oil, black & cayenne peppers and rosemary on both sides. Broil about 5 minutes on each side or until it reaches desired doneness. Boil zucchini for 2 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile grease pie plate and arrange zucchini in a circle, slightly overlapping them. Season with pepper, melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, then at 475 for 10 additional minutes.

[Maximize no carb recipes with things you don't get to always enjoy...like cheese!]

Dijon Chicken Vegetables

1 chicken breast, halved
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 oz. Romano cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups chopped asparagus
1 tbsp. unsalted butter

{Dijon chicken adds a nice kick for a mild flavored meal with out a lot of carbs!}

Directions:  Combine mustard, salt & pepper, red pepper flakes and cheese into medium bowl. Toss chicken with mixture in bowl until coated. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until done. Melt butter over medium-high heat and add chopped asparagus. Cook 8 minutes or until tender.

Looking for a tasty way to wash down these delicious no carb meals? Consider water as an alternative to soda, fake juices and other drinks packed with sugar and carbs. Not only is water a no carb beverage, but it helps with digestion, hydration, and overall appearance. Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day, but 10 would be ideal.

While these are no carb recipes, it is crucial that you understand that even no carb recipes have a few carbohydrates in them. Any carbs in the meals above have less than 1% of your daily value of carbs, but these are common no carb foods.

Many fruits and vegetables have carbohydrates so before you consider a no carb diet, ask yourself if its more important to eliminate carbs altogether or experience effective weight loss. However if you’d like to spend a week or so eating no carb recipes just to help you get used to eating smaller portions, I support that. Just remember that low or no carb diets are just as effective as a diet that includes carbohydrates in terms of weight loss. A 2006 study did conclude that ketogenic low carb diets have more adverse effects to the metabolism and emotional state that diets that don’t restrict carb intake.

Losing weight intelligently means knowing your options. Find out about more weight loss options by reading our review of Turbulence Training. Learn how to eat carbs and burn them effectively for weight loss.

Your mom has said it to you a million times–at least that’s how it feels–but it turns out she was finally right about something; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Smile through gritted teeth, or just be glad she taught you because without the all-important first meal of the day, you’ll be half as productive as your pancake-noshing counterparts.

[No matter how hectic, a healthy breakfast sets the tone for your entire day!]

I understand your hesitancy, believe me. When it comes to breakfast, my feeling used to be, there are no healthy breakfast foods. While it is true that there are tons of fatty, carb-filled breakfast foods, there are quite a few healthy and easy breakfast meals.

Breakfast Salad

I know it sounds weird, but trust me its a tasty and light way to get your day started. Besides, even the busiest of beavers has time to make a salad!

4 1-ounce slices Canadian bacon
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. stone ground mustard
4 eggs, hard-boiled & chopped
8 oz. baby spinach
3 tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin is best)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions: Cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes, turning once. Remove from skillet and cut into strips. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard until well blended. Place spinach on top of vinaigrette and toss until greens are evenly coated. Top with tomatoes and bacon and enjoy!

This recipes creates 4 servings of 260 calories each and 14 grams of protein. If you want to cut more salt, eliminate the Canadian bacon, but what’s life without a little bacon?

Guess what? This is also a great brunch recipe for those of you that love to sleep in on the weekends!

Easy Breakfast Scramble

1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1 tbsp. dill, fresh (taste more like dill than the dried stuff)
Salt & pepper
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions: Cook onion in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the diced tomato and cook another minute or 2. Place onion and tomato mixture in a bowl and set aside. Beat together eggs and whites, add in salt and pepper as needed. Cook egg mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the eggs are just about set and no longer runny. Drain any additional liquids from the onion and tomato bowl and stir into egg mixture. Toss with dill and get your day off to a great start.

Makes 4 servings, 118 calories per serving. Add an apple or banana and a cup of orange juice for a well-rounded breakfast that won’t leave you wanting more.

Sweet Potato Hash

1 red onion, cubed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. thyme, chopped
1/3 cup Black Forest Ham, diced
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions: Heat oil over medium-high heat and cook onion about 3-4 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally. Lower heat to medium and add in sweet potatoes. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes reach desired tenderness, then stir in ham, garlic and thyme and cook until warmed through.

[Satisfy your potato craving while you stock up on nutrients with a tasty sweet potato hash!]

This breakfast recipe makes 4 servings, 131 calories per serving. Add a scrambled egg or fruit salad to this to prevent those late-morning sugar cravings!

Fancy Breakfast Oatmeal

1 cup low-fat or soy milk
1/4 cherry jam
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 tsp. salt
3.5 cups water
2 cups, old-fashioned oatmeal
1 tsp. vanilla extract (no imitation, the real stuff makes all the difference!)

Directions: Add dried cherries and oats to boiling, salted water and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, stirring until the oats are tender, about 5 minutes for old-fashioned oatmeal. Remove the pot from heat and stir in vanilla and jam. Pour 1/4 milk over each bowl prior to serving.

[Oatmeal lovers rejoice! Healthy breakfast means adding your favorite fruit, cinnamon or honey for a tasty and low-cal way to start the day!]

This recipe makes 4 servings, 280 calories and 4 grams of fiber per serving.  Take this recipe further by experimenting with other dried fruits and jams.

Healthy breakfast options means you don’t have to starve yourself all morning, subsisting on miniature zero-calorie snacks until lunchtime. Get up early enough to allow yourself 15 minutes to make a healthy yet easy breakfast that your body can appreciate.

Everyone agrees that breakfast is very important to energy level and performance throughout the day. Without breakfast, I’ll bet you’re more likely to make bad food decisions and skip your daily exercise routine. Both of those things will very likely lead to weight gain rather than fat loss, so I’d say the decision is yours…

[This lumberjack-sized breakfast looks good, but I'm gettin' sleepy just looking at it! And salivating just a little.]

Scared of the calories adding breakfast to the mix might add? Read our review of Eat Stop Eat to stop those food fears and learn how to eat breakfast without the guilt!

Its best to keep an open mind when making healthy food choices, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. Plenty of dieters blame those extra pounds on the fact that vegetables are “yucky”, or any variation of “I just don’t like vegetables”.

Sometimes being open-minded about food leads to good things, other times…not so much!

That’s just, well unbelievable to be quite honest. There are tons of delicious healthy foods out there, and with very little effort you can start eating a few of the best diet foods that you currently go without.

Avocados

They are packed with fat and go great with tortilla chips, so why have you been avoiding the avocado? In addition to having loads of nutrients and being effective in reducing cholesterol, eating avocados for weight loss will make sure you get at least 25 essential nutrients that your body needs.

Besides being a good source of fiber avocados are high in fat and should be eaten in moderation. Check out our recipe for authentic guacamole for weight loss and enjoy this healthy food. Make this one of the best diet foods you are eating by kicking that mayonnaise habit and using guacamole on that turkey sandwich!

Berries

Berries, in my opinion, are the hands down best diet food that I bet you aren’t eating, and if you are I’ll bet you aren’t eating them often enough! How do I love berries, let me count the ways;

1. Berries are crazy healthy and filled with a ton of antioxidants that fight disease.
2. Sweet and tasty without a lot of fructose…and they don’t need sugar!
3. Berries are a great snack when you’re craving something sweet.
4. Hello blueberry, raspberry, and/or blackberry cobbler!
5. Nothing says “good morning” like a healthy strawberry smoothie!

With so many berries to choose from, you have no reason not to check out these healthy diet foods!

Apples

Besides being pretty good at keeping the doctor away, apples are a great midday snack. The pectin in apples make you feel full quicker so you don’t overeat. You know why fruit like apples are awesome, low in bad fat and low in calories with a high water content.

Eat an apple before you go out to dinner so you don’t pig out, or have one before you hit the gym to help boost your energy. Apples consistently top the list as one of the best foods for weight loss because of their many health benefits. Do yourself a favor and put apples on the list!

Arugula

Not all salads are created equal, at least not when it comes to weight loss and nutrition. Arugula is a beautiful, green leafy salad that packs a heavier punch than it’s cheaper iceberg counterpart. With arugula you get more calcium, more iron, more vitamins A, C, and K than you get with iceberg.

Talk about arugula for weight loss! With just 2 calories per 1/2 cup, this is a vegetable you can enjoy by itself or with a few other veggies and a light vinaigrette! When you need to cut calories but still feel satisfied, make a salad with arugula and prepare to be amazed.

Cabbage/ Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage is the brie of the best diet foods you aren’t eating. Just because it doesn’t smell all that great, people avoid it and miss out on a great way to lose a few pounds. Cabbage and its teeny tiny cousin, brussels sprouts are filled with vitamin C, potassium (bye bye cramps!), and fiber (hello, digestion!).

So, why should you brave the smell? How worth it will it be to learn to love cabbage? Let’s just put it this way, cabbage has the fewest calories and least amount of fat of any other vegetable! With just 16 calories per 1/2 cup, I think we could all seriously learn to love cabbage. Besides, there are so many varieties of cabbage that you can skip the cabbage soup diet and enjoy St. Patrick’s Day the right way!

Brussels sprouts help any diet with only 38 calories per cup! This is one of the best diet foods you MUST learn to love!

Enjoy green or red cabbage, or give brussels sprouts a try. Bok choy and napa cabbage add a nice Asian flair to your meals. Most important, all are great foods for weight loss!

Losing weight and eating good foods are not mutually exclusive activities. With a little bit of creativity you can find ways to enjoy the things you love (bacon), get the nutrients your body needs, and lose weight while you eat.

Be creative in how you incorporate some of the best diet foods on earth into your diet, and you’ll discover exciting ways to fall in love with food all over again!

Brussels sprout hash for two:
2 cups brussels sprouts, halved
1 shallot, slices
2 slices thick-cut bacon (optional)
2 red potatoes, rough cut
salt & pepper as you like it

Directions: Cook bacon on high sides skillet until done. Transfer to plate and cook onion, brussels sprouts, and potatoes in bacon fat until done, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Find out if these healthy diet foods will help you get the six pack you’ve always wanted by reading our review of The Truth About Six Pack Abs. You’ll learn something new and maybe lose a few extra pounds???

Much has been said about so-called zero calorie foods, most of it good some of it bad, but hardly any of it is true.

{Do you want the truth about zero calorie foods? Can you HANDLE the truth?!?}

The notion behind these zero calorie foods is that you can eat as much of them as you want and still lose weight because, shockingly, they have no calories. Think of this as the Santa Claus myth; as much as you’d like to believe a jolly fat fellow shimmies down your chimney to leave a load of most wanted items under your tree, you can’t do it and still feel sane. And if you can, well you really shouldn’t.

TRUTH #1: Zero calorie doesn’t mean supernatural.

Zero calorie foods are not tricking your body to skinniness. All these natural foods are doing is making your belly feel full, while providing you with fewer calories than say, a beer or a bacon cheeseburger. This means that you should enjoy (really enjoy) these foods, but make sure to count calories you get from less healthier foods. Don’t ignore the other things you’ll need to do to get fit and healthy, you know like exercise.

TRUTH #2: No calorie foods are surprisingly healthy!

Foods with (virtually) no calories are an asset to any person that’s interested in dropping a few pounds and living a little longer, but they aren’t some magic food that’ll rid you of those pesky extra pounds. Tasty vegetables like cucumbers, onion and cabbage are zero calorie foods that are packed full of vitamins and nutrients.

Before you reach for fruit-flavored candy, consider this zero calorie snack. It’ll do the job without blowing your calories for the whole day!

These foods are essential exactly because of those nutrients, not because of their lack of calories. Consume them freely, but understand that this isn’t magic, it’s science.

TRUTH #3: Water is a necessity…and has zero calories!

This is going to be a shocker for you soda pop junkies, wine aficionados, and fake juice fanatics. Toss out those calorie laden drinks and opt for a tall cold glass of zero calorie…WATER! Water, which happens to be my favorite non-alcoholic beverage, has no calories and it is essential for pretty much all living creatures, including humans. Live in a place with undrinkable water? Consider the essential nutrients like calcium in mineral water, and grab a bottle instead of your favorite carbonated drink.

The calories from white wine and other alcoholic or sugary drinks can quickly add up to as many calories as you need to consume in a day. You want to start on a path to a healthy lifestyle? Lose the sugary drinks and consume less booze, they are responsible for most of the extra calories (and fat) that caused you to gain weight.

TRUTH #4: All zero calorie foods are not created equal.

Some of your favorite but not so healthy foods have been recreated with a zero calorie moniker, tricking you into thinking they are now “healthy”. Diet pop is at the top of the list of zero calorie items that you should still avoid because its lack of calories stems from its lack of non-chemical ingredients. The same is true of zero calorie gum, and other junk food touting itself as “zero calorie”.

Sure its calorie free, but how’d you to add like aspartame, sucralose, and caramel coloring instead?

Zero Calorie Snacks Worth Eating

Berry Salad: blueberries, cranberries, raspberries & strawberries. Mix & enjoy!

After lunch snack: cucumber, tomato, and sliced onions with salt & pepper.

Other zero calorie foods packed with nutrients, not useless calories:

Melons: cantaloupe, honey dew melons, watermelons

Tropical: pineapple, papaya, mango

Salads: endive, garden cress, lettuce, spinach & green cabbage

Adding zero calorie foods to your current healthy eating regimen can only lead to good things. With a regular dose of cardio and resistance training in addition to more zero calorie foods, you’ll start to notice a noticeable difference. You’ll have more energy without fatty and sugary foods that make you feel sluggish minutes after a meal.

Most important of all, when you get a craving you just can’t shake reach for an orange or apple instead of air-puffed cheesiness that leave your fingers an unnatural shade of orange. Your belly, bum, and thighs will be ever so grateful…and so will you when bathing suit season rolls around!

Want to take your physical fitness to the next level? Check out our review of Mike Geary’s The Truth About Six Pack Abs program to find out how you can feel good hitting the beach without that baggy old “Frankie says RELAX” t-shirt that you should’ve retired years ago.