If I asked you to make a list of your favorite foods, how many healthy foods would make the cut? For so many people the answer is ‘none’ and that is part of the obstacle known as healthy weight loss. If you can’t find something to love about a succulent strawberry or peach or any redeeming qualities in broccoli or salmon then how can you expect to have a healthy diet with weight loss in mind?

{Herbs & spices add flavor and nutrients without adding calories or salt.}

The easy answer is that you can’t possibly. The good news however is that once you actually begin to add healthy weight loss foods to your diet, you’ll find that there is so much to love about them beyond how they help you transform your body to the body of your dreams!

Keep reading to find out which healthy weight loss foods you should add to your diet today!

Fresh Foods

One of the reasons that so many of us avoid healthy foods for weight loss is that fresh foods, especially fruits and vegetables don’t taste as good when they originate at a big production farm. If you find many of your fruits and vegetables tasteless and dry, consider making the trip to a local farm in your area or find a Farmer’s Market. This will give you access to healthy weight loss foods that you might actually want to eat.

Don’t just take my word for it though, find one of these fresh food venues and you’ll be able to taste the difference for yourself. If something as small as visiting your local farmer can help you add more healthy weight loss foods to your diet, it’s worth the effort, isn’t it?

Dark Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients that can help your body keep up healthy weight loss. But in addition to the vitamins and minerals abundant in leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens, these healthy weight loss foods are amazing fat burners thanks to the healthy serving of fiber in them.

To experience healthy weight loss you can do much more than chop these dark leafy greens up into a salad. Take any combination of these healthy foods like Swiss chard and mustard greens, and lightly sauté with onions and garlic. Or simmer in liquid for a few minutes for a tasty southern treat. Making sure to add healthy weight loss foods like dark leafy greens to your diet can help you burn more fat and eat fewer calories.

Herbs & Spices

An area where most of us run into trouble with our healthy weight loss is flavoring our meals. For most of us salt, too much salt, and black pepper make up the staple of our spice rack and that can lead to water retention, weight gain and high blood pressure among other things. Instead of adding salt to add flavor to your food, consider using more herbs and spices. It doesn’t matter if you use fresh or dried herbs, but there are dozens of options that can enhance the taste of any dish.

What’s more is that herbs like oregano, basil and parsley are packed with vitamins and minerals that help with healthy weight loss. Experiment with different herbs and spices until you become well versed in how to use them. Start with these popular herbs & spices for healthy weight loss:

• Basil
• Paprika
• Tarragon
• Cayenne pepper
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Nutmeg

Buckwheat Pasta

If you love pasta and can’t imagine life without it but you want to fully commit to healthy weight loss, then consider adding buckwheat pasta to your diet. Buckwheat is a high fiber food so you get the fat burning potential, but what you might not know is that unlike its brethren, buckwheat pasta actually has protein in it so you really have a fat burner in this tasty pasta alternative.

{Lose weight and get your pasta fix with buckwheat!}

What’s more is that because buckwheat pasta has fiber and protein, it is a very satiating meal to help you avoid overeating, according to the British Journal of Nutrition. What makes buckwheat pasta a healthy weight loss food is that in one healthy serving your appetite will be satisfied without going back for seconds or thirds. Toss buckwheat pasta was a delicious vegetable Bolognese and you’ll have a nutritious and satisfying meal to achieve healthy weight loss!

Berries

Berries are the perfect healthy weight loss snack because they have plenty of fiber and very few calories which means you can enjoy a delicious sweet snack and lose weight. The moment we stop thinking of snacks in terms of high calorie, salty or sugary foods is the moment we can really begin to know what healthy weight loss feels like.

Berries can include blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or blackberries; these are the most common and widely available types of berries to add to your diet. The water content found in berries and fruit in general can also lead to healthy weight loss because water is another essential element of healthy weight loss.

Enjoy ½ cup to 1 cup of berries for a snack throughout your day and enjoy your weight loss.

Avocado

It doesn’t have to be Cinco de Mayo for you to enjoy avocado nutrition facts! Instead of staying away from this healthy weight loss food because of the fat content, you should pick up a few for exactly that reason. The fat in avocado is monounsaturated fat, which is a heart healthy fat that increases feelings of satiety after a meal, which again will help you feel full on fewer calories.

This doesn’t mean that you should just start noshing away on an avocado, but it does mean that you can begin to add this healthy weight loss food to your diet in creative ways other than guacamole that include:

• Creamy avocado spread for sandwiches
• Diced avocado in fruit salad
• Avocado, tomato and red onion salad or sandwich

Try to use small portions of avocado to reap the health benefits because this healthy weight loss food does have quite a few calories. Simply learn to love avocados in moderation.

Sardines

Before you roll your eyes and stick out your tongue, it’s time to take a grown up approach to sardines. Sure you may have heard some awful things about them, but if you’ve ever had an authentic Caesar’s salad then you know just how delicious these high protein fish can be. Sardines are a healthy weight loss food because they are high in protein—22 grams per can to be exact—and they are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids, which your body uses to maintain lean muscle.

The protein in sardines means that your appetite will be satisfied for much longer, which will help you reduce the amount of calories you consume per meal and therefore per day.

There are plenty of ways to add sardines to your diet in addition to Caesar’s salad; use sardines in recipes that call for anchovies, or simply blend sardines with basil, tomatoes and red onions and spread on a piece of whole wheat bread. Experiment with this healthy weight loss food and you’ll wonder how you ever got through life without them.

Healthy weight loss can be achieved by adding any or all of these foods to your diet. However getting rid of other unhealthy foods can be slightly more difficult. Get rid of your cravings for these unhealthy foods by learning about intermittent fasting. Read our review of Eat Stop Eat to learn more.

When it comes to weight loss, we all try to lose weight according to someone else’s plans. Sure, they are the so-called experts but only you know where your weight loss strengths and weaknesses lie, right? So while you should listen to them when they say you should eat less and exercise more, there are times when you have to insert your own rules.

{A well balanced diet will help you reach your weight loss goal.}

This doesn’t mean that you can decide to eat brownies and pop everyday, as long as you don’t exceed 1,600 calories however. What it means is that you have to factor in your past problems with weight loss, if they exist, and figure out how to overcome them.

Keep reading to find out how to create your own weight loss program.

Don’t Forget The Basics 

Before you create your own weight loss program you must have a keen grasp of the basics of successful weight loss. Those basics include, creating a calorie deficit so that you can actually lose weight. Create your diet so that you can eliminate an average of 500 calories per day from your diet through a combination of reducing calories and physical activity. A 2009 study published by The Endocrine Society reveals that exercise is the best method for weight loss.

Without the calorie deficit you are just creating a program, not a weight loss program. The point is to find a way to incorporate the basics into your life without making huge sweeping changes that will only be short-lived.

The other weight loss basic you mustn’t forget is a well balanced diet. For most of us, this is where the difficulty with weight loss programs occurs. You need a diet that includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables—the more the better—along with low fat dairy, lean proteins and whole grains. It is up to you to find a way to use these components to create delicious meals that you want to eat.

Keep One Thing

As you go through your kitchen cabinets ridding them of all the things you love from candies to cookies to soda and chips, take a step back and find one thing that you want to keep. If you can’t live without pop, find a healthy way to keep it in your diet without drinking your weight in Pepsi every single day.

It is important to your weight loss program that you don’t feel as though you’re being punished. After all when you were bad as a kid, you went to bed without dessert and we don’t want a repeat of that. Because it is important to eliminate some things from your diet, it is equally important that you find one thing that you can keep.

Make a decision about what one thing you want to keep as part of your weight loss program, just be careful that you don’t over indulge. The one thing you decide to keep must still be consumed in limited portions so you can reach your weight loss goals.

Experiment

One of the biggest obstacles I hear from dieters is how bland salad tastes or how all the good foods are “gross”. While I find that unbelievable personally, it is important that you learn to love healthy foods or find a way to make them loveable without sacrificing the nutritional value.

If you don’t like boiled broccoli or potatoes, grab some olive oil, salt and grated garlic and roast them in the oven. The flavor will be transformed without adding calories and fat and you’ll get plenty of low calorie vegetables that taste delicious! Experiment with different cooking methods, as well as herbs & spices to give your new diet a flavor you enjoy.

{Adding different spices can transform any dish.}

Experiment with your physical activity as well. Don’t just hop on a treadmill or elliptical in front of the television, although that is a great way to catch up on primetime TV without just sitting around! Don’t just go through the same boring weight lifting program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Instead find different ways to get physically active to curb your boredom.

Go hiking or rock climbing if you’re feeling adventurous, or travel to a local farm and burn some calories by picking your own fruits and vegetables. When you create your own weight loss program you have to find a way to keep it fresh that you can stick with it even when you don’t want to.

Challenge Yourself

When you find that the weight isn’t coming off as quickly as it did during the early days of your weight loss program, find ways to challenge yourself. Make small bets with yourself and reward yourself accordingly to keep it challenging. Add more time to your cardio routine, say 15 minutes, and when you achieve that reward yourself with something you want but found a dozen reasons not to get it or do it for yourself.

It’s important that you don’t use food to reward yourself, but its okay to burn 300 additional calories so you can have a glass of wine with dinner. But look for other ways to reward yourself; a new book, a pair of expensive jeans or shoes or even a long weekend away.

Recruit A Pal

When you set about creating your own weight loss program, keep in mind a buddy you might want or need to recruit when times get tough. When you need a little kick in the pants to keep up your weight loss plan, ask your buddy for help. For me, when I just can’t find the motivation I recruit my bodybuilder friend who gives me such a grueling workout that it’s weeks before I lose motivation again.

{Choose a workout buddy who will make you work harder!}

Find someone who is going to push you, not someone who is going to allow you to cheat on your exercise regimen.

Substitutions Are Your Friend

Eating healthy should be a top priority when you create your own weight loss program, because healthy eating is going to help you reduce your calories without starving yourself. One of the best ways to adopt a healthy eating plan is to find healthy substitutions so you can still create some of your favorite meals.

If nothing whets your appetite like a juicy hamburger, then use ground turkey or chicken for a low calorie version. If you have crazy carb cravings, use whole wheat pasta or brown rice instead of refined white pasta or rice to satisfy your appetite in fewer calories. Most importantly find different herbs and spices to season your food instead of salt. Salt can have a seriously negative impact on your weight loss efforts, so when you create your own weight loss program be sure to include herbs & spices on your grocery list.

If you need help getting started on your weight loss program, use intermittent fasting to help you cut calories. Find out more about intermittent fasting for weight loss when you read our in-depth review of Eat Stop Eat.

The good news about trying to lose weight is that there is a plethora of diets promising to help you reach your goal weight. You can choose from diets that require you to eat a certain color of foods, eliminating certain food groups or eating others in abundance and even eating baby food.

{You don’t have to give up meat to embrace a raw food diet!}

The question is do these diets really help and if so, how? Today we’ll explore the raw food diet for weight loss, not to be confused with the Paleo diet. Keep reading for more information on the raw food diet.

Why A Raw Food Diet?

Before asking ‘what is a raw food diet’ you should ask “why raw food”. The thought process behind a raw food diet is that to keep your body in optimal food you should eat foods in their natural state. Keep in mind though, that a raw food diet is not a weight loss program in the traditional sense; it is just a healthier way of life that can help you lose excess weight.

Those who prescribe to a raw food diet contend that cooking food removes essential enzymes that our bodies need to not only digest food but also to absorb vital nutrients. In fact a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2006 found that eating salads and other raw vegetables had a positive correlation to higher than average micronutrient levels. So there’s no doubt that raw foods like fruits and vegetables give you more nutrients when consumed uncooked.

So how does this lead to weight loss? Well raw foodists say that prolonged nutrient deficiency caused by cooking and overcooking food can lead to a variety of health problems including a compromised immune system and weight gain.

What’s In The Raw Food Diet?

This is what most people who take up a raw food diet for weight loss want to know; what foods can you eat on the raw food diet?

The easiest foods in the raw food diet to get used to are the raw fruits and vegetables as they are the easiest to safely consume raw. In fact most fruits and many vegetables taste delicious raw and since most of us don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables in our diet the raw food diet can help you get more nutrients from fruits and vegetables.

Although many vegans live on a raw food diet, you can still be a carnivore and a raw foodist. The key to enjoying meat on the raw food diet is to make sure the meat is fresh and of excellent quality. If you choose the raw food diet for weight loss you may want to start with prepared versions before you make these dishes yourself.

Want to eat meat and enjoy a raw food diet for weight loss? Try these foods:

• Sushi
• Sashimi
• Carpaccio
• Ceviche
• Tartare

The most difficult food to find on a raw food diet for weight loss is dairy foods because finding them raw can require a bit of hunting. Most dairy foods are processed, not raw, and finding raw cheese and milk made from non-processed milk can be difficult. Mega marts may carry these but you will likely have to go to specialty or gourmet shops to find raw dairy products.

Before you get disgusted or grossed out and stop reading, it’s important to know that a raw food diet for weight loss doesn’t have to be completely raw. Some raw foodists eat cooked food for variety, but the foods are not cooked in the traditional sense of the word.

Raw Food Diet – Health Benefits

When it comes to health benefits of a raw food diet, none is more dominant than the amount of nutrients absorbed. According to a 2005 article in The Journal of Nutrition, a long term raw food diet is associated with lowering bad cholesterol, a necessary task for anyone in need of weight loss. This study also highlighted the major drawback for a vegetarian raw food diet; a deficiency in the vitamin B12.

{Gazpacho is a raw food diet meal that’s easy to make and full of vegetables!}

How To Eat On Raw Food Diet

Choosing a raw food diet for weight loss doesn’t mean chomping on raw carrots and celery all day long. There are some creative ways that you can get your vitamins and nutrients without cooking or fully cooking your food. Juicing is one of the easiest and most popular ways to enjoy fruits and vegetables on a raw food diet. Simply toss fruit and/or vegetables in a blender or food processor, strain and enjoy!

Raw foods like nuts and beans may need to be soaked overnight to soften them. This will make the beans easier to eat and digest.

Things You’ll Need

To make life easier for you if you decide to go on a raw food diet for weight loss there are a few kitchen items you will need. The good news is that these ingredients are kitchen staples so most of you won’t have to go out and buy news items.

You’ll need a blender or food processor to make raw foods like smoothies, and dips like hummus and pesto. A food thermometer is also quite handy for raw foodists because you can cook some foods but the internal temperature should be no higher than 118° F. When you want something slightly warmer than ice cold, break out the kitchen thermometer!

Raw Food Diet & Weight Loss

So can the raw food diet work for weight loss? The easy answer is yes because most of the foods that are diet destructors are highly processed foods like cookies, chips, cupcakes, pizza and fast food. These foods are simply not allowed on a raw food diet, making it easy to stay away from them. The only pitfall is that you will very likely go back to these foods once in awhile because you feel deprived.

However speaking strictly on what the raw food diet is, weight loss is quite likely because you’re eating more of the foods that are part of a healthy eating plan anyway. However if the idea of eating raw meat doesn’t appeal to you, you must find a way to get those nutrients found in animal food products such as iron and omega-3 fatty acids to avoid nutrient deficiencies.

Make going on a raw food diet for weight loss easier by giving your belly a break from overcooked food. Read our review of Eat Stop Eat to find out how!

When we think of health issues like high blood pressure we instantly imagine middle aged and elderly people struggling to keep these numbers under control. Unfortunately blood pressure does not discriminate based on age, but rather lifestyle.

{Check your blood pressure regularly to make sure its within normal range.}

Despite common wisdom, there are things that you can (and should) do to reduce your blood pressure. Your overall health as well as your ability to lose weight relies on a healthy blood pressure, so keep reading to find out what you can do to reduce blood pressure.

About High Blood Pressure

The best way to understand high blood pressure is that it’s the force of blood against the artery walls. The good news is that everyone’s blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day, but according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a sustained elevated blood pressure leads to high blood pressure which doctors refer to as hypertension.

Having prolonged high blood pressure can lead to a host of health issues including heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. These serious health conditions make it vital to monitor blood pressure so you can maintain a healthy blood pressure.

So, what should your blood pressure be?

Blood pressure levels are split into 3 categories; normal, prehypertension and hypertension. The normal level is just as it sounds, you are not in danger of becoming hypertensive. Prehypertension levels means that you may be at risk of getting high blood pressure and you should begin to monitor your diet and lifestyle with the help of a physician. Hypertension means you have high blood pressure and need to work to control and reduce those numbers.

Knowing these numbers can help you take the steps you need to take to reduce your blood pressure and maintain normal blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury or mm Hg. If you don’t have a blood pressure cuff, make a stop at your local pharmacy to gauge where you are on the blood pressure scale:

Now let’s talk about what you can do to reduce high numbers and maintain normal numbers.

Reduce Sodium, Increase Spice

One of the first things you can do to reduce your blood pressure today is to find other ways to season your food other than salt. In fact reducing your overall sodium intake can help you reduce blood pressure. According to the Mayo Clinic a small decrease in your sodium intake can reduce your blood pressure by as much as 8mm Hg. In fact they recommend reducing your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams each day, but of course less is always better.

Older people (51 and older) as well as black people and those with high blood pressure already should limit their sodium intake to 1,500mg or less each day and find other ways to season food for flavor.

{Experiment with herbs & spices to help reduce blood pressure.}

Add herbs and spices to your diet to give them flavor instead of salt. Many herbs & spices like ginger, basil and rosemary have 0mg of sodium. Purchasing these herbs fresh will add tons of flavor without adding calories or sodium.

Get Active

Becoming more physically active is another way you can help reduce blood pressure. According to the Mayo Clinic 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity can reduce blood pressure by up to 9 mm Hg. Even if your blood pressure is in the prehypertension stage, increased levels of physical activity can help reduce it to normal.

It’s important to make time for physical activity, even if its small steps like taking the stairs or an evening walk. Lift light weights while you watch television to make sure you’re getting strength training and cardio activities. Living a more physically active life can help you reduce your blood pressure as well as your weight, which is another way to reduce high blood pressure.

Booze It Down

As much as you may enjoy a night of drinking with your pals, limiting your alcohol intake can help you reduce blood pressure as well provide you with many health benefits. Moderate alcohol consumption (2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women—can actually help reduce your blood pressure by up to 4 mm Hg.

Enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail is fine, but binge drinking or simply drinking to excess will increase your blood pressure and very likely lead you to other unhealthy behaviors that can contribute to an increase in blood pressure. In addition to monitoring your alcohol intake, make sure your alcoholic drink of choice is the right serving size or you could be drinking more than you think you are.

Start A Healthy Eating Plan

Adopting a healthier diet will help you lose excess weight, which experts agree will reduce blood pressure. A good place to start is to fill your diet with healthy foods like low fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.

There is actually a healthy eating plan, known as DASH—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—that emphasizes a healthy diet like that mentioned above with limited saturated fat and cholesterol intake.

{This is how the DASH diet pyramid suggests eating to reduce blood pressure.}

Creating a healthy eating plan means paying attention to food labels to count calories, sodium content, fat content and cholesterol. A healthy eating plan will help regulate blood pressure and weight for a healthier you!

Stress Less

Stress is never good. Stress makes us lose focus, obsess over small things and stress makes us seek stress relief in unhealthy ways like cigarettes, alcohol and saturated fat products! Most of all, stress can temporarily increase your blood pressure and prolong stress can cause a prolonged increase in blood pressure.

It’s easy to simply say ‘stress less’ but the truth is that you have to pinpoint stressors and find healthy ways to deal with them. The key is to figure out the best way for you to deal with stress so that it doesn’t stick with you, increasing your blood pressure.

If you prefer calm methods of de-stressing consider yoga, meditation or even therapy. If however you need a more aggressive method of dealing with the stressors in your life consider running, kickboxing or even martial arts. Both methods can help you reduce the stress in your life to regulate blood pressure.

These 5 tips to reduce blood pressure will help keep your heart healthy as well as your body.

If you find it hard to cut back on salty foods and high sodium products consider intermittent fasting as a way to help. Read our Eat Stop Eat review to see if intermittent fasting can help you eat to reduce blood pressure.

When we talk about weight loss, we often talk in terms of calories consumed, calories burned and ways to burn said calories. Yet we often forget about the first step in the process of eating healthy; grocery shopping for weight loss!

{If you’re not careful at the market you’ll have tons of high calorie items you don’t need or want!}

Buying the right foods and planning healthy recipes is how you consume fewer calories, so keep reading for 6 tips that will help you avoid tried & true grocery store gimmicks.

Plan Meals

Planning meals ahead of time may seem like a headache, but by choosing what you want before you’re “dying of starvation” will force you to eat healthier meals. Planning meals while you’re thinking about weight loss is much easier than planning meals while staring into an aisle packed with chips, cookies and soda.

Grab a sheet of paper and plan what you’d like to eat for the next 7-10 days. Be as specific or as generic (fish & veg) as you choose…for now.

{Let the pros help you create healthy meals for weight loss!}

If you aren’t much of a cook, consult cookbooks, cooking shows or online recipes for healthy meals.

Always Be Prepared

Once you have your preliminary menu for the week, shopping for weight loss becomes much easier. Take your menu and make a shopping list that includes all the items you’ll need to make each meal for the week. A comprehensive list will help avoid unnecessary trips back to the store, which can lead to unintended purchases.

By having a list and vowing to stick to that list you will only purchase items that you need, rather than sugary, high calorie foods you can do without.

If you take the mindset that you knew exactly what you wanted and needed when you made the list, there’s no reason to deviate from it once bombarded with special sales and colorful displays.

See What’s On Sale

You know that huge stack of papers you get each week that you use to line your dog’s kennel? Well those are sales papers intended to let interested shoppers know what items are on sale, which makes shopping for weight loss easier and less costly.

Use these papers to help you find inexpensive but in season fruits, vegetables and seafood. These are weight loss essentials; fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, and checking out those sales papers will help you make your menu as well as your shopping list.

With this much preparation how could you possibly end up with a shopping cart full of sugar, salt and fat?

Update Pantry

A crucial part of shopping for weight loss is a comprehensive shopping list, which can only be accomplished by taking stock of what items you need, that you don’t have. Keeping your pantry updated can also help avoid those after-work trips to the grocery store.

After a stressful day at the office you’re more likely to reach for comfort foods like cookies, ice cream and other foods that didn’t make it on your shopping list for a reason. That stress can make it difficult to ignore the urge to indulge.

Take a peek inside your pantry, spice rack and refrigerator to make sure you have cooking staples like olive oil, pepper, salt or pasta.

Fresh Herbs

When you start shopping for weight loss don’t be afraid to spend some time in the fresh herbs section. Fresh herbs are flavorful and aromatic, and they add a lot of flavor to dishes without adding a lot of calories.

Consider items like fresh parsley, basil and oregano; these are commonly used herbs that you will very likely use before they go bad. Dry herbs work well too, but fresh herbs are cheap so you can test them out from one week to the next.

Fresh or Frozen Produce?

When people write asking me how to shop for weight loss, the number one question is fresh or frozen fruits & vegetables.

The honest and true answer is either. If you’re confident that you will eat fresh produce without letting most of it get tossed in the trash because it went bad, then go for fresh fruits and vegetables. They taste delicious and fresh fruits and vegetables make it easier to grab something healthy on the run.

Frozen fruits and vegetables however have been picked at the height of ripeness (so they say) so you get maximum nutrients. But you can’t eat frozen peaches in the car when you oversleep!

Keep in mind that in the age of the Farmer’s Market you may be able to get fresh and ripe produce weekly. Choose fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, and let the salty canned goods stay where they belong…on the shelf!

Shopping for weight loss lets you take control of your weight loss progress and it lets you decide when you want to cheat. If you know that next Friday is your best bud’s birthday, then you can plan lighter low calorie meals that will let you indulge Friday night without guilt.

And that my friends, is true weight loss freedom.

Still having trouble keeping those large sleeves of cookies out of your shopping cart? See how a few days without that junk can transform how you look at food by reading our Eat Stop Eat diet review.

One of the most common pieces of diet advice is to “limit your salt intake,” leading many dieters out there to believe that salt makes you fat. Since so many of you have been writing in asking, does salt make you fat, we’ve decided to explore the facts behind this myth.

{Don’t let what you don’t know about salt affect your fat loss.}

Although sodium is an essential part of a healthy diet, this does not mean that loading up on salt is good for weight loss. Keep reading to find out if salt makes you fat and what you can to do eat less salt.

Salt vs. Sodium – Is There A Difference?

Yes, while salt and sodium are in the same family, there is a small difference. Sodium on its own is an element, while sodium chloride is more commonly known as table salt. When we measure the sodium in a particular food, we are measuring the amount of salt in our food.

How Much Salt Do I Need?

If you’ve ever wondered does salt makes you fat, you’ve probably also wondered how much salt is a healthy amount for your diet. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommend that most of us eat no more than 1 teaspoon (2,300 mg) of salt, while “at risk” populations should eat less, 2/3 teaspoons (1,500 mg) of salt each day.

At risk populations that should consume a lower than recommended sodium content include individuals over 51 years old, African-Americans and those who suffer from chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Whether or not you fall into the at risk category, chances are you need to eat less salt.

Sources of Sodium

The most obvious source of sodium in our diets is table salt, which we use to season food during and after the cooking process. Many people have asked, if it has zero calories, why does salt make you fat.

The truth is that salt, on its own does not make you fat. However much of our salt intake comes in the form of processed, prepackaged food that has additional salt added for freshness as well as flavor. Some examples include; pasta, cheese, bacon, deli meat and canned goods.

Your best bet is to consume salt from natural resources like vegetables, meat, shellfish and dairy. Naturally occurring salt tends to be at more acceptable levels for weight loss.

So…Does Salt Make You Fat?

No, salt does not make you fat; too much salt can make you fat. So the next time you eat a stack of French fries, ask the cook to “hold the salt”!

The main reason so many people believe that salt makes you fat is that it makes you retain water, which has an annoying tendency to show up as weight gain when you step onto the scale. A high salt diet, which judging by the guidelines above we are all on, will cause more (temporary) water retention.

{This all-time favorite combination can help you retain lots of water!}

It is important to note that this type of weight gain is only temporary, and an adequate amount of water will return your normal electrolyte levels. This has the effect of keeping you balanced, hydrated and flushing out excess water.

Reduce Salt Intake

If you’re concerned that your salt content is stalling weight gain, consider some of these tips to reduce your salt intake to an acceptable lever;

• Add fresh or dried herbs to season food such as basil, rosemary, thyme, lemongrass, parsley, cilantro or oregano.
• Use citrus juice and zest for additional flavor.
• Spices like cayenne pepper are low in sodium (1mg per teaspoon) and pack quite a flavorful punch. Includes garlic, paprika, nutmeg and curry powder just to name a few.
• Homemade broth/stock can reduce sodium intake by more than 400 mg, or 20%.

If you add salt during and after cooking a meal, your salt intake could be getting too high to be safe. After reading our Eat Stop Eat review you may want to try intermittent fasting to get you back to a healthy level of salt.

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.

At TFLA we strongly believe that weight loss requires you to take control of your daily meals, which usually means cooking your own meals. Cooking for weight loss requires that you know how many calories are in key food ingredients like scallions.

Often referred to as green onions, scallions are a key ingredient in Asian dishes like stir-fry. Scallions may be eaten raw or cooked, as they add layers of flavor to mild dishes like salads and soups. Keep reading to find out if this little bulb can help you shed the pounds.

Major Nutrients Found in Scallions

Using scallions is a good idea for those cooking for weight loss because they have almost no fat to speak of, no cholesterol and very little sodium. This is the kind of ingredient that adds plenty of taste to your favorite dishes without piling on the calories.

With 2 grams of fiber for every 5 scallions, you’re getting plenty of fiber per servings. Scallions also have limited sugar but enough nutrients to make it worth a taste. When you’re looking for a way to add taste to a dish, consider creative low-calorie options like scallions.

Storing/Selecting

Choose scallions that are a bright green color with strong stems that don’t bend. If any parts of the scallions are soft, soggy or bent choose another bunch of scallions. The bottoms of the scallions, the bulb, should be white in color. If it is yellow or brown, select another bunch.

Storing scallions can be tricky. Dry scallions with paper towels and wrap with a dry paper towel and place in airtight container like a plastic bag or container. This will keep the scallions fresh for up to a week. Store scallions in the vegetable crisper.

Eat It With:

Scallions work great as an ingredient in many different dishes from tacos to casseroles to salad. For some dishes you’ll find the white part of the scallions work best, while the green stems work best for stronger flavors.

Cooked or uncooked, scallions are a universal ingredient that you should integrate into your diet.

Burn Off Scallions

To burn off the calories in 5 scallions, you would need to do:

• 2 minutes of swimming
• 5 minutes of shooting baskets (basketball)
• 8 minutes of Tai Chi

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.

Garlic isn’t just for vampires and spaghetti sauce; it is an important part of just about any diet. In addition to having very few calories, garlic adds tons of flavor to any dish without overloading on calories and fat.

Besides its culinary uses, garlic can help boost your immune system, not to mention help reduce instances of cancer and hypertension. Keep reading to find out how to make the most of calories in garlic.

Major Nutrients Found in Garlic

When looking at garlic nutrition facts you’re probably wondering why you avoided garlic for so long. With not enough salt, cholesterol or sodium to mention, you can see why garlic is such a staple in international cuisines from Asia, Africa and even the Middle East.

Although garlic doesn’t have much in the way of protein, there is plenty of calcium and potassium found in 3 little cloves of garlic. With nutrition facts like these, garlic is an ideal flavor enhancer.

Storing/Selecting

When selecting garlic, choose fresh bulbs of garlic over the peeled and jarred variety. The fresher the garlic is, the more intense the flavor and nutrients. Be sure to choose garlic bulbs that are big and firm with the paper in tact. Avoid soft garlic paper that’s peeling and cloves exposed to the air.

Store garlic someplace that is dry and warm to keep it in the best possible shape. Any unpeeled cloves or bulbs will keep for weeks in the proper climate. Opened garlic cloves should be refrigerated and used as quickly as possible. After a few days, an unpeeled garlic clove with begin to brown as they age.

Eat It With:

Garlic can be eaten with everything, literally. Crack a clove of garlic in half and rub it on bread for a tasty garlic bread. Mince or grate garlic and add it to pasta sauce, soup, vegetable dishes, marinades and meats. Garlic can be added to salads, raw, grilled or roasted. When you purchase fresh garlic, there are no limits to how you can use it.

Burn Off Garlic

To burn off the calories in garlic, you would need to do:

• 4 minutes of walking
• 7 minutes of Billiards
• 4 minutes of skydiving

Few foods bring as much comfort and smiles to people as soup. Soup made you well when you were sick as a kid, and today it warms you when the days are cold. But did you know that low fat soup recipes can also help you shed excess weight?

[Low fat soup is the perfect way to end a day that starts like this!]

Creating low fat soup recipes for weight loss will channel those feelings of warmth and comfort, while also leaving your tummy pretty satisfied for not very many calories. Keep reading to create your own low fat soup recipes for weight loss!

Broth

The key to keeping the fat content low in your soup is the broth. Store bought broth–whether chicken, beef or vegetable—is often packed with salt and fat. Even low sodium versions of broth have as much as 850mg of sodium per cup, which doesn’t really count as ‘low sodium’.

Creating low fat soup recipes for weight loss means finding ways to make your own low fat soup broth. Bone-in chicken works well to create low fat soup recipes because it gives you all the flavor of the chicken without the calories. Even a pot with vegetables and herbs—sometimes called aromatics—and water will create a tasty low fat soup broth. A low fat broth is a major component in a low fat soup recipe.

Creating low fat soup recipes begins with homemade broth which has practically no calories, which is a great way to start any soup!

Vegetables

Low fat soup recipes for weight loss should contain an abundance of vegetables. One of the reasons soup is so great for weight loss is that it’s an easy way to work tons of vegetables like peas, carrots and green beans into your diet. Create low fat soup recipes by adding enough vegetables so you get 1 to 2 servings of vegetables per bowl of low fat soup.

{There are so many low fat soup recipes…take your pick & experiment!}

Coming up with low fat soup recipes also allows you an easy way to try new vegetables. Whether you use a bag of frozen vegetables or try your hand at creating a low fat soup recipe with fresh ingredients, a healthy serving of vegetables is essential. Low fat vegetable soup recipes leave you feeling very satisfied after just one bowl and very little calories.

Herbs & Spices

Creating low fat soup recipes requires you to get acquainted with the herbs & spices section of your produce aisle. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil are packed with flavor and add almost no calories to your soup. When you need flavorful low fat soup recipes for weight loss, you need fresh or dried herbs and spices.

Spices like cayenne and paprika also provide heat and flavor to low fat soup recipes without adding much in terms of calories, fat and sodium. Herbs and spices provide you with an easy and cheap way to make low fat soup recipes that taste good.

Cold Soups

An easy way to create low fat soup recipes in summer is to try your hand at cold soup. Whether it’s chilled soup with melon and cucumber or a cold tomato-based gazpacho, cold low fat soup recipes are a great way to keep the calories low in summer.

The key to keeping cold soups low in fat is to keep an eye on the ingredients. When you need dairy to make your cold soup perfect, choose low or zero fat ingredients like Greek yogurt.

Cool Cucumber Soup
Serving size: 5    Calories per serving: 50 Fat per serving: 0.1 grams

Ingredients
2 cucumbers, peeled & chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼ cup mint, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions: Add cucumber and onions to blender and run until blended. Add mint, yogurt and parsley to blender and mix until well blended. If necessary thin with coconut milk or nonfat milk. Chill for 1 hour and serve in small bowls.

As you can see, creating low fat soup recipes for weight loss requires a little bit of effort on your part. Pay attention to nutrition labels so you know what’s in your food, and make your soup is as fresh as possible to reduce additional calories and fat from additives and preservatives.

Find out more about creating low fat soup recipes for weight loss by reading our review of The Diet Solution Program by Isobel De Los Rios.

As a child and a teenager nothing gave me more satisfaction than McDonald’s French fries. They were warm, perfectly salted potato goodness that I literally could not get enough of. Me, and much of the civilized world as it turns out. McDonald’s French fries have become slightly healthier since my childhood and the world still seems to love them.

So we’ve decided to take a look at the actual nutrition facts of McDonald’s French fries so you know what’s true and what’s not.

Let’s look at McDonald’s French fries nutrition facts.

Major Nutrients Found in McDonald’s French Fries

Even after the makeover McDonald’s French fries are still unfriendly to those of us trying to lose weight and keep it off. A medium fry has 380 calories and that’s without the burger and soda! The fats in McDonald’s French fries should give you pause, at least enough to eat the fries without a sandwich so you can keep the weight off.

McDonald’s French fries are still potatoes however, so you’ll get plenty of fiber with a medium size order of fries. With nearly 300mg of sodium in McDonald’s French fries, you should ask them to “hold the salt” if you really must have them.   

Storing/Selecting

Nothing could be easier than selecting McDonald’s French fries, mostly because they give you whatever they want! But if you are concerned about the amount of salt heaped onto your McDonald’s French fries, you should ask them give you fries without salt. By salting your own fries, you can determine how much sodium you take in.  

Storing McDonald’s French fries can be tricky. There was a time I used to think cold McDonald’s French fries was a good idea, but the truth is that these bad boys don’t reheat too well. Spray water on them and microwave them until warm or toss them in the oven until warm.   

Eat Them With:

McDonald’s French fries should be eaten with a low-calorie side dish like a side salad, mostly due to its high calorie count. Although it does taste good with a wide variety of foods, you should be thinking about ways to eat things like McDonald’s French fries while also creating a calorie deficit for weight loss.   

Burn Off McDonald’s French Fries

To burn off the calories in a medium order of McDonald’s French fries, you would need to do:

• 58 minutes of cycling
• 90 minutes of bowling
• 47 minutes of high impact aerobics

Eating for weight loss is easier than you think if you’re willing to put forth a little effort. If your idea of dealing with weight loss is to ignore food and it hope it becomes less problematic, then healthy eating might be slightly more difficult. Approaching food head on is the best way to eat for weight loss.

[Ignoring your problems with food won't make them go away.]

Coming up with healthy meals is usually the most difficult and time-consuming part of weight loss. Use our healthy dinner ideas and that part will become a whole lot easier!

Healthy Dinner Idea #1—Lighten It Up

Creating a healthy dinner doesn’t always mean you have to stop eating all those dishes you love so much. By replacing a few high fat or high calorie ingredients, you can still enjoy your favorite dishes without feeling guilty or killing yourself at the gym.

Lightening up your dish is a healthy dinner idea that you’re likely to stick with because you don’t feel deprived. Take those steak tacos you love so much and make them chicken or fish tacos instead and you’ve created a healthy dinner idea that lets you eat the foods you like while you lose weight.

Doing it this way makes weight loss feel more like a lifestyle change and less like a punishment for putting on a few pounds.

Healthy Dinner Idea #2—Go International

When I first began my own lifestyle change it took a few months before I was completely out of healthy dinner ideas. I went back to the old but reliable baked protein and steamed vegetables dinner for about 2 weeks and then I discovered a simple way to keep my healthy meals interesting. By adding a few teaspoons of curry powder to my chicken and vegetables and cooking them together, I was able to make those boring combinations full of unique flavors without piling on the calories.

[Turn that mundane chicken & veggies into an international meal worthy of weight loss!]

Take those boring healthy dinner ideas you have and add an international flavor that will please your palate. Make that boring but healthy chicken burger, an exciting chicken fajita burger packed with onions and peppers instead of cheese and mayo.

Healthy Dinner Idea #3—Herbs & Spices

Salt isn’t the only way to add flavor to a dish, contrary to what your grandma may tell you! You know that incredibly green section of the produce aisle? Well that is where you can add tons of flavor to healthy dinner ideas without adding junk that someone trying to lose weight doesn’t need.

Let’s talking Italian food for a moment. The reason tomato/pasta sauce tastes soooooo good is because of herbs like oregano, thyme, marjoram and parsley. For relatively few calories, these herbs can really add flavor to healthy dinner ideas that sometime lack flavor. Eating healthy doesn’t mean tasteless food, it means looking to something more than salt, seasoning salt or garlic salt to season your dishes.

Another great thing about herbs and spices for healthy dinner ideas? Experimenting with herbs and spices will allow you to create tons of tasty healthy dinner ideas with an international flair (see No. 2)!

Healthy Dinner Idea #4—Salads Are Your Friend

Some reckless dieters out there (you know who you are) have given salads a bad name by nibbling on lettuce and nothing else, then complaining about starvation. Salad is a great way to lose weight, but it isn’t the only way. Salad is a healthy dinner idea that will allow you to indulge on a few of the things you love.

Personally I use salads as healthy dinner ideas when I really want something I probably shouldn’t, like garlic bread. A salad with a grilled chicken breast half and maybe some tomatoes, olives and cucumbers allows me to enjoy a nice slice of garlic bread on the side and satisfy a bad carb craving without being gluttonous. Feel like having steak and blue cheese for dinner? Put it on a bed of lettuce to reduce the calories and bon appetit!

[Savory steak with a delicious sauce tastes just as good on romaine or arugula, and it greatly reduces calories!]

Healthy dinner ideas don’t require you to be Rachael Ray in the kitchen. Simply think about all those fatty, high calorie and sugary foods that you used to eat with reckless abandon (aaaah, the good ol’ days) and find ways to make them healthy.

Now that you have tools to make eating for weight loss easier and more enjoyable, read our the Diet Solution Program review to get more information on making healthy food choices and shopping for weight loss!

Fad diets do one thing really well. They come up with insane justifications for why doing this crazy thing to your body will help you lose weight. Sometimes these arguments are quite compelling and other times they are just plain laughable. We all want to lose weight and become a fitter version of ourselves, but how we accomplish that has a great deal to do with whether or not the weight comes back.

[Beyonce famously used Master Cleanse Diet to shed weight for her role in DreamGirls...]

Read what we found out about the Master Cleanse Diet before you choose yet another diet offering false hope.

What IS Master Cleanse Diet?

The Master Cleanse Diet has claimed to be many things, but at its core it is a detox and weight loss program. Put simply this “liquid diet” is supposed to cleanse the body by removing toxins from food, drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea and other hot beverages. By cleansing these toxins from your body, the Master Cleanse diet claims this will also fight food cravings.

What’s IN The Master Cleanse Diet?

Probably one of the easiest fad diet concoctions to create is the Master Cleanse Diet cocktail, which consists of 10 ounces of water combined with fresh lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne peppers. Sounds easy enough right? But exactly how can this seemingly insignificant amount of “subsistence” help you cleanse toxins and shed weight?

[Look very closely...these are your weight loss tools if you choose the Master Cleanse Diet. Pampers? Yep, those are necessary too!]

The answer to that is even simpler. By eating nothing but the so-called Master Cleanse Diet elixir, you will create a huge calorie deficit which will inevitably lead to weight loss. However, what happens when you start eating again and those “cravings” are no longer being cleansed?

How Master Cleanse Works

On the Master Cleanse Diet, dieters may drink 6 to 8 glasses of the cocktail each day. If you get a craving of some sort the diet allows a Salt Water Flush that consists of 2 teaspoons of salt and a quart of water or herbal tea with laxatives. Although the Master Cleanse Diet lasts for up to 2 weeks at a time, you are not allowed any solid foods while cleansing.

After the 14 day Master Cleanse Diet is over, food intake can resume again. Master Cleanse proponents suggest easing back into eating with foods like soup and fresh fruits & vegetables. Serious stomach issues can occur for dieters who go back to solid foods that are already difficult to digest like beef.

What’s Good About Master Cleanse Diet?

If anything can said to be “good” about this diet it is that it is super simple to follow. You can’t eat anything and you can only drink a specific set of beverages so following the Master Cleanse Diet would be fairly easy for any adult of average intelligence.

The Master Cleanse Diet is cheap too, which in the age of over-priced diet products is a sigh of relief. Finally, what’s good about the Master Cleanse Diet is that it will create the necessary calorie deficit for weight loss.

What’s Bad About Master Cleanse Diet?

The list of Master Cleanse Diet negatives is slightly longer however. What’s bad about this diet is that by virtually starving yourself, chances are your weight loss will mostly be water weight and muscle…not the fat that you’ve been targeting for months. Losing fat requires a balanced diet and regular exercise, and simply drinking the weight loss Kool-Aid will shed pounds…just not how you wanted.

[Beyonce is still hot but the Master Cleanse Diet didn't help her keep it off, either!]

The most glaring problem with the Master Cleanse Diet is that our bodies already have this cool detoxifying machine, it’s called the liver. Between the hard work your liver does and regular bowel movements your body already rids itself of most harmful waste. Add in a few days of regular exercise and sweating will help remove toxins if your body truly needs it. The point is there are options like saunas and steam rooms for a quick detox.

Another weight loss problem associated with the Master Cleanse Diet is the hunger and fatigue you will certainly experience. Your body won’t get enough calories and nutrients on this diet to make it through the work day, much less a rigorous workout.

Master Cleanse Diet—Yay or Nay?

TFLA says ‘Nay’ to the Master Cleanse Diet because it requires a severe reduction in calories for a long period of time and requires no physical activity. These two factors are not necessary for successful weight loss.

The best thing you can do for your weight loss is to reduce calories where you can and get more exercise. If you really need help fighting food cravings eating lemon juice, syrup and cayenne pepper won’t help.

Getting a head start on weight loss can feel like an impossible task, but Brad Pilon’s Eat Stop Eat has information that makes it seem a little less impossible. Read our Eat Stop Eat review and find out how to really break your addiction to food…in less than 2 weeks!

Losing weight requires 2 things; a well balanced diet and regular exercise. It’s just that simple…sort of. The problem is most of us do one of these things well and one, let’s just say ‘not so well’.

[These food items are quick dinner ideas, but they also contribute to the famous 'Freshman 15'!]

If you’re one of the few who have trouble coming up with healthy and quick dinner ideas to make losing weight a little easier.

Quick Dinner Idea #1–Roasted Veggies

Say what you will about vegetarians, believe me I have, but roasted vegetables are a ‘go to’ quick dinner idea. It’s a dinner idea that requires very little creativity, although a little creativity will go a long way for your weight loss!

Roasted veggies are one of my favorite quick dinner ideas because vegetables pack a lot of satisfaction for the calories. And the right combination of vegetables are full of flavor, and more importantly quick!

Below is my quick dinner idea for roasted vegetables but as long as you cut vegetables uniformly the temperature and time should remain pretty similar.

Ingredients
2 cups Sweet Potato, chopped
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 cups, Brussels Sprouts, quartered
1 medium head of Cauliflower
salt & pepper
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425. Chop all vegetables about the same size and combine on a baking dish. Toss olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic with veggies and spread evenly. Bake 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Recipe serves 2, 280 calories per serving.

Quick Dinner Idea #2–Lean Protein & Steamed Vegetables

Steaming vegetables is the best way to get maximum nutrients, while retaining the bright beautiful color of vegetables. Steaming vegetables is also a quick method of preparation. Add a nice lean peice of meat to your favorite vegetable medley and you’re good to go in 30 minutes or less!

Ingredients
2-4oz. peices of Salmon
salt & pepper
2 cups Asparagus
2 carrots
1 lemon, juiced & zested
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Season both sides of salmon with salt, pepper, lemon zest, oregano and basil. Rub it in and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Chop carrots and asparagus uniformly and place them in a steamer basket or colander. Place basket in boiling water for 5-8 minutes, until vegetables are tender. When vegetables are done, toss with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

[Grab your favorite lean protein (chicken breast in photo) and a cup of steamed veggies and you've got a quick dinner idea that's super healthy too!]

This recipe makes 2 servings, 293 calories per serving.

Quick Dinner Idea #3–Sauce-less Rotini

Pasta is often the meal of choice for dieters with busy lives because it tastes so good and cooks so quickly. Unfortunately a huge bowl of pasta with a gallon of bland sauce isn’t a good idea for weight loss.

When you want pasta, enjoy it by eating it the right way. Tomato and cream aren’t the only choices for pasta, pesto makes a great addition to any type of pasta and it takes about 2 minutes to make! Takes less time to buy, of course!

Ingredients
Pesto, recipe HERE
4 oz. whole grain Rotini

Directions: Cook pasta as directions instruct. Follow pesto recipe. When pasta has been drained, toss with pesto and serve.

[You have your pasta and eat it too, as long as you don't drown it in tomato or cream sauce!]

Sauce-less Rotini makes 2 servings,367 calories per serving.

Tip: Toss with lemon to make pesto saucier!

Coming up with quick dinner ideas for weight loss is simple. Just follow these 3 tips and you’ll have enough quick dinner ideas for your own weight loss cookbook!

1. Keep it simple. When fast is your goal, simple is your friend.
2. Use your herbs and spices, lots of flavor in a little bit of time.
3. Baking is healthy and less-time consuming. Pop it in the oven, set the timer and come back when it beeps.

Now that you’re armed with a few quick dinner ideas, increase your level of physical activity by reading our Turbulence Training review.

Sometimes you get hungry you need to eat…like NOW. The problem is that practically all the things that are ready-to-eat are none too friendly to a well-balanced diet.

[If this is where you're getting dinner, you need healthy meal recipes for your kitchen!]

The good news is that a delicious meal doesn’t have to take a long time at all. Whether you do prep work the night before or choose simple & fresh ingredients, healthy meal recipes are quicker than you think.

We’ve got 4 healthy recipes for all types of eaters…keep reading.

Healthy Meal Recipe for MEAT LOVERS: Steak w/ Tomato & Basil Salad

(Serves 4, 299 calories per serving)

If meat is your thing and you swear you’ll die without use this healthy meal recipes trick: add a light side dish. Steak or pork is plenty filling without adding a carb, so try a light vegetable salad like the healthy recipe below and don’t give up everything you enjoy eating.

Ingredients
4-4oz.steaks-tenderloin (800calories)
6 Roma tomatoes, shopped (108c)
2 bunches of Basil, chopped (3c)
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar (6c)
salt & pepper as needed
2 tbsp. olive oil (238c)
3 tbsp. worcestershire sauce (39c)

Directions: Place the steaks on a large plate and season with salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce on both sides. Poke with fork to allow seasoning to penetrate. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, when skillet is hot add steaks and cook 4-8 minutes on each side. Meanwhile in a salad bowl mix red wine vinegar, (a little) salt & pepper, and olive oil until blended. Toss in basil and tomatoes until coated.

Tip: Tasty steak sauce has 15 calories per tablespoon so use sparingly!

Vegetarian’s Dream: Ginger Roasted Vegetable Medley

(Serves 4, 118 calories per serving)

My vegetarian friends load up on carbs instead of making a nice casserole or medley from a mix of vegetables. Healthy meal recipes like this veggie medley allow you to experiment with herbs & spices like nutmeg and ginger for additional flavor. This way you can taste the dish instead of the salt.

Ingredients
2 Carrots (100c)
2 Parsnips (white, looks like a carrot) (100c)
1/2 head Cauliflower, chopped (72c)
2 cups Butternut Squash (126c)
1 tsp. nutmeg (11c)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated finely (6c)
1 tbsp. maple syrup (52)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper (5)

Directions: Preheat oven to 425. After vegetables have been peeled and chopped, place them in a large bowl and add salt & pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and syrup. Toss until well coated and transfer to large baking dish. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and golden.

[Grab your favorite seasonal veggies from the produce aisle and make a light casserole packed with nutrients...not calories.]

Quick & Easy Healthy Meal: Bacon-Herb Quinoa

(4 servings, 218 calories per serving)

Quinoa is tasty to be sure, but what’s even better is that it’s gluten-free and has 4 grams of protein in every ounce of quinoa! That’s why quinoa is a go-to grain when meat isn’t an option for my healthy meal recipes. Quinoa is also a great healthy meal recipe replacement for rice.

Ingredients
2 thick-slices of bacon, chopped)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup Quinoa
2 tbsp. sage
2 tbsp. chives, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. vegetable oil

Directions: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat add oil. When oil warms, add bacon and cook 2-3 minutes. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the quinoa, sage, and stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to low heat until juices have been absorbed, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. Fluff quinoa with fork and sprinkle chives on top before serving.

[Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean quinoa isn't a key ingredient for healthy meal recipes.]

Carb-a-holic’s Healthy Meal:Tomato & Garlic Scampi

(4 servings, 136 calories per serving)

Getting your carb fix doesn’t have to cost you hours of cardio if you just follow a few simple rules. A healthy meal recipe that contains pasta should have exact portion sizes to avoid the temptation of overeating. Eating pasta doesn’t mean loading up on sauce either. This healthy recipe contains mostly vegetables, which is a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy pasta.

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat spaghetti
1 bunch of scallions
5 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. pimento
1 tsp. olive oil
3 anchovies
1 tsp. each salt & pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions: Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, and add anchovies. Stir constantly until anchovies dissolve into the oil, about 4 minutes. Add in scallions and pimento and season with salt & pepper, cook for an additional 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add garlic and tomatoes, cook for 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss with pasta.

TIP: Parmesan or parmigiano reggiano are delicious on all types of pasta, just remember that 1 tablespoon is 20 calories so make sure those spoons don’t add up!

Now that you’re armed with a few healthy meal recipes to keep your weight loss journey going, find out how you can get your heart pumping in just 45 minutes by reading our review of Turbulence Training.

A healthy, well-balanced diet is a necessary component in the weight loss equation, yet millions of us reach for the closest edible object. Forget that it’s been freeze-dried, dehydrated and rehydrated, deep fried and slathered in fat, as long as it’s simple, right?

[Plenty of things are simple. Few of them are good for you.]

That attitude is partially to blame for most weight problems. Just because something is 99 cents or is easy to get, doesn’t make it simple. Simple dinner recipes should be healthy, properly portioned, and tasty.

Intrigued? Keep reading to find out more!

Simple Dinner Recipe You Don’t Have To Watch:
Chicken Meatloaf & Roasted Sweet Potatoes
(4 servings, 302 calories per serving)

Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup red pepper diced
1 egg
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 tbsp. rosemary, chopped finely
salt & pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, onion, peppers, egg, panko and salt & pepper in a large bowl. In large baking dish, shape mixture into a loaf and spread with barbecue sauce. Bake meat loaf for about an hour, or until internal temperature reads 165. In a separate baking dish place sweet potatoes evenly on the bottom. Toss potatoes with salt, pepper and rosemary and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender!

Simple Dinner Recipe With Simple Ingredients:
Herbed Halibut & Steamed Vegetables
(4 servings, 235 calories per serving)

Ingredients
4-4oz. halibut steaks
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1-16 oz. bag frozen vegetables

[Learn to love herbs & spices to cut down on salt and you'll have tons of simple yet tasty dinner recipes!]

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place halibut on a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Rub lemon zest and dill evenly on both sides of halibut and cook 15-30 minutes in the oven until desired doneness is reached. Prepare a large pot with 2-4 inches of water in it, along with a colander. Place vegetables in colander and cover pot. Steam 15 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

This is the perfect meal for those of you desperately looking for ways to create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.

Those of us practicing a healthy lifestyle for weight loss can’t deny those inconvenient cravings for food that doesn’t help with weight loss. When that happens we have 2 choices: succumb to the craving or find a creative solution to it. Succumbing to cravings once in a while won’t kill your weight loss program, but it’s never just ‘once in awhile,’ is it?

[Successful weight loss means making difficult decisions--eat this and work like hell to burn it off or make it yourself...]

My fast food kryptonite is Chipotle and I absolutely love it. What I don’t love is the 660 calories that come along with my beloved burrito bol, so I’ve come up with a creative solution to my Chipotle problem. Make it a simple dinner recipe that you are guaranteed not to hate! By eliminating the rice, cheese, and sour cream you turn it into a super delicious meal that won’t require you to starve for the rest of the day!

Simple Dinner Recipe For When You Really Want Fast Food:
Vegetable Burrito Plate
(4 servings, 337 calories per serving)

Ingredients
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 chicken breasts, chopped
2 cups salsa
1 avocado, sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 package burrito seasoning
salt & pepper

Directions: Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken to the skillet and cook 8 minutes or until done. Add burrito seasoning and water and follow instructions. Heat corn and beans until heated through. Assemble burrito plate as follows: lettuce, beans, corn, chicken & onions, salsa, avocado. Enjoy!

Next time you’re at a loss for simple dinner recipes, ask yourself what’s your goal. Do you want a simple dinner that you walk away from until its done or do you want a meal with very few ingredients? Do you need a fast food fix or do you just want a simple meal that’s tasty and stays within your calorie deficit? These questions will help you create and cook simple dinner recipes for any night of the week.

One of the hardest parts about eating for weight loss is sorting out the truth from the myths. Read our review of The Diet Solution Program for a deeper look into what’s preventing your weight loss.

If you’ve opted out of the tea for weight loss craze because of its strong bitter taste, you may be able to hop on the bandwagon with white tea. The English always seem to be drinking tea, and now its time for the rest of us to find out why!

[Sometimes hoppin' on the bandwagon isn't such a good thing. Whether you want to calm down or slim down, white tea can help.]

White tea has many health and weight loss benefits, keep reading to find out if this little leaf can give your weight loss a little nudge.

What’s So Special About White Tea?

Much has been written about tea, but most of that is about the benefits of oolong tea or how green tea can expedite weight loss. White tea is often forgotten about in a world addicted to caffeine, but one of the best things about white tea is that it has less caffeine than it’s black and green counterparts. This small amount of caffeine is great for those of you who need to lose more than 20 pounds, because caffeine increases blood pressure and heart rate, something overweight individuals are already at risk of getting.

Another thing that makes white tea so special? It’s sweet and delicate, unlike my personal favorite Earl Grey, so it’s appealing to even the persnickety-est of drinkers!

White Tea Benefits

Since all teas are derived from the same source, the differences occur in how they’re processed. Some of the benefits of white tea come from the fact that it is the least processed of all teas, a fact that gives it THREE TIMES the antioxidants of other teas! This is good news for everyone, but particularly if you need to lose weight because the antioxidants in white tea help cleanse the body of crap, boost the immune system (take that cancer!) and help you look younger! Dropping a few pounds is also an effective way to turn back the clock.

Here’s what you need to know about white tea benefits for weight loss. Drinking white tea increases the rate at which your metabolism is working, which increased the rate at which you burn calories and we all know how important calories are to weight loss! The reason white tea can do this is because it’s literally packed with antioxidants. The high level of antioxidants in white tea have also been linked to a reduction in bad cholesterol, which we’ll all have to worry about eventually.

[Adding white tea to your diet can help improve weight loss and other health-related issues.]

Any person who is overweight could be at risk for high blood pressure, and one benefit of drinking white tea is that it thins the blood to improve how your arteries function. This means that a regular diet of white tea (2 or more glasses a day) could help decrease your blood pressure, or maintain it if it’s not yet difficult to manage. White tea isn’t a replacement for blood pressure medication (but it’ll sure help!) so talk to your doctor about how white tea’s benefits may help regulate your blood pressure.

What kind of real benefits could white tea possibly have without playing to our vanity? Other white tea benefits include the tiny amounts of fluoride that keep your teeth and gums looking good, the antioxidants help fight bad breath, tooth decay and help keep your skin looking tight and young.

Enjoying White Tea

The benefits of drinking white tea makes it an ideal way to take a break from a hectic day. Many people say that the best white tea benefit is the calming effect it has on drinkers, but I think there’s another reason people find it so soothing. Making time for yourself, even at the busiest of times, is essential to successful weight loss. When we feel overly stressed out, we reach for things that comfort us regardless of their consequences.

[Enjoy the benefits of white tea in the decadent way of the English...your body will be grateful!]

Next time your coworkers hit the elevator for a cigarette break, grab a mug and your favorite white tea to de-stress. Sit down and simply enjoy the white tea. Don’t worry about what healthy dinner you’ll whip up, or what your boss will say if he sees you relaxing, just sip your tea and relaaaaaax.

Obviously white tea benefits for weight loss are meant to occur in tandem with a balanced diet and regular exercise for maximum effectiveness. Like life, weight loss cannot occur in a vacuum!

Find other ways to burn more calories by reading our review of Turbulence Training–it’s harder than a cup of tea and easier than any fad diet you’ve ever tried.

Cavewoman: Dinner ready.
Caveman: What havin’?
Cavewoman: Caught water animals, gathered berries and fungus.
Caveman: Water animal again? (grumbles and storms out of cave.)
Cavewoman: (shrugs) More for me.

[There have always been consequences to criticizing the chef...just ask our ancestors!]

After reading about the Paleo diet I wondered if our pre-agricultural ancestors ever bored of their food options, and this is what I imagined common dinner conversation was like during the paleolithic era after reading about another, the Primal diet.

Keep reading to find out of the Primal Diet actually helps weight loss.

Primal Diet Basics

The primal diet is an eating program based on the book “The Primal Blueprint,” written by Mark Sisson. The primal diet promotes eating only foods that were available to our ancestors prior to the neolithic era. The basic premise behind the primal diet is that a ‘hunter and gatherer’ diet has nourished humans for much of their evolution, during most of which humans were not overweight and suffering from a myriad of health problems.

Right off the bat, there’s a serious problem with this logic, considering the body composition in the neolithic area was much more likely a result of HOW MUCH food they had available and living a very active (see: hunting, surviving) lifestyle and not food selection.

But I digress…

Primal Diet Foods

One of the most important aspects to any diet program are the foods promoted for consumption, and the primal diet promotes mostly whole foods that have not be processed. Foods that primal dieters may consume include proteins like pork, poultry, bison, beef, wild game, fish and shellfish. Vegetables are pretty much allowed in unlimited portions, particularly if they have been grown organically. Fruits are allowed in the primal diet, but only a moderate consumption is recommended and only for those fruits with the best nutritional value like berries.

[The primal diet promise: very few carbs and plenty of protein will work for weight loss...this time!]

Other proteins allowed by the primal diet includes eggs (obviously they weren’t concerned about cholesterol!) and most nuts like almonds, cashews and pecans, but peanuts are prohibited because they aren’t “tree nuts” as prescribed by the primal diet. Seeds like sunflower and pumpkin may be consumed as well, but not if they have been roasted in any oil other than those found within the seed.

Prohibited Foods

The primal diet does not allow consumption of any vegetable oils, grains, beans, sugars or processed foods of any kind. These foods have all come after the paleolithic age, when humans began experimenting with agriculture and animal husbandry.

Primal dieters argue that while grains and legumes may have nutritional value, they also contribute to other health problems like autoimmune diseases. Carbs are not completely forbidden, but on a primal diet should be reduced greatly and only derived from fruits and vegetables.

What’s Good About the Primal Diet

The primal diet is good because it encourages a greater consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are packed with vitamins and nutrients and water. Decreasing how many carbohydrates you consume is a good idea for anyone trying to lose weight, as is getting carbs from healthier food sources. A diet consisting of lean proteins and vegetables is a good start to any weight loss plan.

Concerned about carbs? No-carb recipes found here!

Another aspect of the primal diet that’s good is the focus on free range and organic products. It is a good idea to eat organic whenever it’s possible, but especially with meat products. Industrial agriculture has lead to an increased amount of hormones, antibiotics and chemicals in meat, which could also be responsible for the health problems that primal diet proponents warn about.

What’s Bad About the Primal Diet

Although the Primal Diet does not overtly advocate eating raw meat to aid weight loss, it is mentioned as an optional part of the diet. Because there is only anecdotal evidence that eating a raw meat diet is beneficial, or that it aids with weight loss, we advise against it. Many illnesses can be contracted by eating undercooked or raw meat, so if you’re considering this as part of your primal diet follow the instructions suggested by Mark Sisson here.

[The primal diet promises "boundless energy" with minimal carb intake...do you buy it?]

The other problem I have with the primal diet is that there is not a heavy focus on using regular exercise for weight loss. This is most odd when you consider that a great portion of our paleolithic ancestors’ healthfulness comes from the fact that most days were spent hunting and gathering supplies for survival. Mark Sisson does recommend increased physical activity and even a few paleo-inspired exercises, but maintains that most weight loss occurs due to diet.

Primal Diet for Weight Loss?

The primal diet will work for weight loss, if you are under your calorie consumption for the day, just like with any diet. But restricting your diet to more boring, more expensive foods could wreak havoc on the rest of the life, setting you up for the yo-yo effect.

By decreasing your intake of carbohydrates and focusing more on lean proteins and vegetables, you will very likely create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss. However without regular exercise your weight loss will be a very long process with mediocre results.

It’s not a bad idea to eat more organic foods or to reduce the amount of carbs you consume. However if you cannot afford organic foods then a diet filled with pork and beef probably isn’t a good idea as these meats often have the most chemicals in them.

If you’re struggling with weight loss you can take a few pointers from the primal diet, however adopting the primal diet for everyday use is not recommended as we already have plenty of low-carb diets out there.

If the idea of another low carb diet makes you want to stop eating altogether, read our review of Eat Stop Eat and turn that fast into a healthy way to shed a few pounds!

It’s 2:30 in the afternoon and you had a great lunch packed with vegetables, lean proteins and you even topped it off with a dessert of berry salad. But that was almost 2 hours ago and now your stomach won’t stop yelling at you to “feed me”…what to do? Well when hunger strikes and you feel powerless to ignore it…DON’T. Rather than starving yourself, pack a late afternoon snack using no carb foods.

[Grabbing whatever food is close by when hunger strikes is why this guy weighs about 4,000 pounds!]

Keep reading to find the perfect no carb foods for snack time!

While a no carb diet isn’t something we here at TFLA recommend, snacks are a great time to indulge in no carb foods. Since snacks are, by definition, something that occurs between meals, we can assume you received an appropriate amount of carbs during those meals. When you need a snack to get you through the rest of the day, don’t pile up on carbs again.

WATER

Water, water, water. It’s all any health guru or wannabe guru can talk about, and for good reason. While these professional dieters may not know everything, they do have it right when it comes to the clear stuff. Water is a necessary part of ANY healthy diet. Water keeps you hydrated, which helps keeps your muscles in proper working condition. Water helps with digestion also, so remember that after a day of indulging in junk.

Most important of all, water is the number one no carb food. Ok, water is a no carb drink officially, but when hunger pangs arise it may as well be food. When you feel hungry shortly after eating, try drinking a glass of water to satisfy that hunger instead of making a beeline straight for the calorie-laden way to satisfy your tummy.

MEATS

Although non-processed meats are considered no carb foods, I don’t think spareribs or top sirloin is an appropriate snack. However if you are looking for some quite delicious and awfully healthy no carb recipes, click HERE! If you do choose to eat just meat for a snack, it should be grilled or baked to reduce the fat content.

[Reconsider before you hit your favorite Roach Coach because processed meats like hot dogs may be no carb foods, but they load up on calories & sodium!]

Although you may be tempted to break out a can of beans to snack on, you should resist that urge. While beans and legumes have plenty of nutritional value, they also have plenty of carbs. This doesn’t mean that lentils or chickpeas shouldn’t make their way into your diet, it just means beans are not considered no carb foods.

Nuts are the forgotten cousin in the meat family. Everyone remembers lamb and beans and beef, but poor nuts always go unmentioned even though there are a few that could satisfy your hunger with practically no carbs! Every 2 tablespoons of almonds, coconuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, or pecans contains less than 2 grams of carbohydrates. Considering nuts are packed with proteins, 2 tablespoons should be plenty to trick your belly out of over-indulging.

VEGETABLES

When it comes to no carb foods to snack on, it doesn’t get better or more plentiful than the produce section. Sure, some vegetables are incredibly starchy with high carb counts, but there are enough non-starchy veggies to get you through the day without a carb overload.

Next time you start daydreaming about salty potato chips (a 1/2 cup of non-fried potatoes has 14g of carbs!), reach for something you can eat like chips such as squash, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers or celery. If you stopped caring about potato chips a long time ago (good job, by the way), you can choose to munch on leafy greens like bok choy, cabbage or spinach, which have less than 1g of carbohydrates per 1/2 cup serving.

If you’re sick of traditional salads like many people, it’s time to get creative. Mix your veggies to create a trail mix  of vegetables. Mix and match your favorite no carb foods to create healthy snacks that help you stick to your weight loss plan.

[Broccoli and gruyere cheese are both no carb foods, but how well can this dish aid your weight loss, really?]

CHEESE

There are a few no carb foods in the cheese section, but what they lack in carbohydrates they make up for in calories. For example you can eat up to a cup of shredded Gruyere cheese and consume no carbs whatsoever, but you will have consumed 446 calories on a snack! Does that sound like the path to a slimmer you?

Other cheeses that are considered no carb foods include cheddar, muenster (no carbs, 103 calories per slice), fontina (no carbs, 109 calories per slice), and monterey (no carbs, 104 calories per slice). Unless a simple slice of cheese is going to satisfy your hunger until the next meal, cheese is the perfect example of no carb foods to avoid during snack time.

FRUITS

When it comes to healthy snacks, fruit usually tops the list. They’re sweet, tasty, and provide lots of nutrients your body needs. Unfortunately when we talk of no carb foods, there’s very little to say about fruit. Fruits with less than 2 grams of carbohydrates per 1/4 cup include coconuts, and cranberries, and one stalk of rhubarb has just 2 grams of carbs.

Finding no carb foods to snack on between meals can be difficult, but not impossible. Simply find a few no carb foods you actually like from the sections above, and pack them with your lunch for those late afternoon cravings. By being prepared to fight hunger when it arises, you’re more likely to use the right tools to fight them.

Get more information on eating for weight loss by reading our review of The Diet Solution Program.