How Long Will You Live?

Or is the question, "How Long can I stay Healthy?" This is a post I found on the HealthDay site.

Children of long-lived parents are less likely than others to die from heart disease in their 70s, new British research suggests. "We found that for each parent that lived beyond 70 years of age, the participants had a 20 percent lower chance of dying from heart disease." Specifically, the children of longer-lived parents had lower rates of vascular disease, heart failure, stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the study found. The findings aren't an excuse to turn into a binge-eating couch potato if your mother and father reached their 80s or 90s. Nor are they a sign that those whose parents died early should just give up. On the contrary, your decisions about your health can reverse trends toward the illnesses highlighted in the study, Pilling said.

"Though people with longer-lived parents are more likely to live longer themselves, there are lots of ways for those with shorter-lived parents to improve their health. People can really take their health into their own hands," he noted.

Indeed, the correlation between the lifespans of parents and children is actually fairly weak, said Kaare Christensen, a professor of epidemiology with the University of Southern Denmark. As a result, he said, "there is a lot of room for improvement." 

It's known that parents who live a long time are more likely to have kids who live a long time, but Pilling and his colleagues wanted to learn more about this connection -- such as why some people develop heart conditions in their 60s and others don't.

The link between long-lived parents and heart-healthier offspring held even after the researchers adjusted their statistics for factors such as education, age, weight and physical activity. According to the study, some researchers have made similar connections in the past, but they looked at smaller groups of people. 

How might genetics explain the lower risk of heart disease in kids of longer-lived parents? Your genetic inheritance from your parents seems to affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels, tobacco addiction, drug and alcohol dependence, and levels of obesity in the participants, Pilling said.

"These are all factors that affect the risk of heart disease," he said.  "If you have a parent who died young, it is always good if it can be determined why he or she died very early and whether there is an inheritable disease for which there are treatments," Christensen said. But in general, he said, people whose parents died very early are "not generally doomed." That's because of the "low correlation"   between the lifespans of parents and their kids.

I believe that your children inherit your genes in whatever condition their in at the time of conception. I believe your genes will change during your life, depending on your condition. So if your overweight at the time of conception your child may also have that same gene. Of course, if both parents are overweight at the time of conception the child will have a much greater chance that he will suffer from the same obesity gene.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. The book only costs $1.99. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ibooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

"Moving On" from Dieting to a Healthy Way of Eating

You've heard it before: "You have to make your new way of eating part of your life." "It can't be a 'diet,' or you'll go off it." "The reason people regain weight is that they go back to their old way of eating."

All true. But much easier said than done! How can you transition from a "diet" to a "way of eating?" Here are five tips to help you on this path.

1) Find the Right Amount of Carbohydrate for You

The idea of carb reduction is that eventually, you will figure out what carb level keeps you at your best—high energy, low hunger, lowest sustainable weight, and stable blood glucose.

Ideally, the amount of carbohydrate you eat will be low enough not to be flirting with the side effects of high-carb eating too often, but this is different for every person.

Once you find your carb level and experience how good you feel when eating the correct amount of carbohydrate for your body (and how you don't feel so good when you are eating too much carbohydrate), you will be on the path to seeing low carb eating as "the way you eat" rather than a "diet."

2) Make It About Health

If you were allergic to wheat, you would learn to get along without it. In restaurants, you would get used to ignoring the bread basket, asking for no croutons, not ordering pasta, etc. Sure, it would be hard at first, but eventually, it would just be "the way you eat." You would know that this is just the way your body is. There are many medical conditions that force people to adjust their way of eating—permanently.

Some people are more likely to be on the road to diabetes if you aren't already there. If you have insulin resistance, you could have blood glucose that isn't stable, that jumps around, causing you to feel less than your best.

There is no doubt that this is a bummer. It is no fun to find out that your body needs extra attention to be at its best.

But look around. This is true for many if not most people, and as we age, it definitely becomes "most."

The positive side is that once you accept that your body has "special needs," you can do something about it—something that costs very little money, doesn't involve surgery or medication, and has no painful procedures involved.

3) De-Carb Your Comfort Foods

If eating low carb seems austere to you, it's time to go about finding low-carb, healthy substitutes for at least some of your favorite foods.

4) Find a Few Simple Rules to Follow

Simple rules can speed our way to developing a new eating identity. Here are some ideas for low-carb food rules, or make your own.

5) Learn Simple Cooking Techniques

If your idea of cooking is "slaving in front of a stove," let's change that right now. So many delicious, healthy meals can be made in minutes if you have a few easy-to-learn cooking skills. Any chef will tell you that simple is often best. Learn how to make one food you really like, and get good at it.

Then, add another, and another. Amaze your friends! Cooking can actually be a relaxing, creative activity if you get into the mood.

6) Banish the Terms 'Cheating' and 'Falling Off the Wagon'

This may be the most important of all. When low carb becomes "just the way you eat," any particular high carb food which you may choose to eat from time to time is still within the context of a low carb way of eating. For example, most of the time, I eat delicious low carb foods. I use vegetables instead of pasta. I bake with nut flours and flax seed meal. I focus on protein and vegetables in my meals, whether at home or out. But when I go out for sushi with a group of friends, I'll have some, and I'm not going to pick all the rice out of the rolls (it's easy enough to lift the fish off the rice with nigiri, though). If my husband and I go out for a special meal and there's creme brulee on the menu, I'll have some if I'm not too full. Does this mean I'm "off the wagon" or "cheating"? No! Low carb is still, after all these years, "just the way I eat." But there has to be room for flexibility in any diet. Life takes us in many directions, and food is an important part of life.

Of course, it's possible to get too flexible—then, we will find ourselves with carb cravings, weight gain, or "carb hangovers." When this happens, there's no need for hysterics, self-blame, or criticism. We've just wandered off exploring a side path, and we need to wander right back!. But that needn't be a struggle— after all, we now know what way of eating is best for us, and there are lots of people to help us get over the inevitable bumps in the road.

Look for my Ebook offer, “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, on all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ibooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

Is Your Workout Working?

Swimming Success: Try a Pool Workout

From WebMD

Swimming is a spectacular cardio workout that builds endurance, flexibility, and strength. Water provides constant resistance -- about 12% to 14% more than you get on land -- so your muscles get a major workout. It also keeps you cool, so you can exercise longer without getting tired or overheated. Buoyancy means no pounding or jarring.

Most strokes target multiple muscles at once. Kicking fires up your legs. “Even the push off the wall is a strengthening exercise. It works the lower legs really well,” says competitive swimmer and certified trainer Kim Evans. Want a stronger core? Focus on the breaststroke or butterfly. Looking for upper body strength? Try freestyle or the backstroke.

To score big gains, try to swim at least twice a week and follow these tips from Evans:

Think turtle, not hare. Swimming is hard, especially in the beginning. “Going slow is fine,” Evans says. It’s better to nail down your form before bumping up your speed or distance.

Try to swim one length of the pool (with good form). Then work up to two, three, and so on, Evans says. “When you can do about 200 meters or eight lengths without stopping, then you can move on to different speeds.”

Try work-rest intervals. Swim for a few minutes or a few laps, then rest and repeat. Shoot for a total workout of 45 to 60 minutes or 1,500 to 2,000 meters.

Perfect your form. The better your form, the easier it is to swim. The happy result: You’ll last longer.

Try to relax your body. If you tighten up, you’ll sink too low in the water. Keep your hips up near the surface. Streamline your stroke and be efficient in the water. Focus on lengthening each stroke. Reach out and grab the water, then pull it past you.

For freestyle and the backstroke, rotate your body as you stretch out your arm. For the breaststroke and butterfly, use a fluid motion and engage your core.

Get the right gear. Here are some accessories you might find handy for your swim workout:

Essentials

Goggles They protect your eyes and make seeing underwater easier. They don’t have to be expensive. Just be sure they fit snugly and don’t leak.

Swimsuit Save the bikini or swim trunks for the beach. When swimming for fitness, wear a suit that’s comfortable and designed for swimming.

Extras

Kickboard Try a kickboard to stay afloat as you focus on your legs or your breathing.

Pull buoy Place a pull buoy between your legs to stay afloat while targeting your upper body.

Fins Wearing fins can help you perfect the flick at the end of your kick and work your legs harder.

Losing body fat should be your goal. Read up on weight loss and losing body fat. It doesn’t cost money to lose weight. The internet is full of free information.

But the quickest way and cheapest way is to buy an ebook online and get everything you need in one short read. I have two ebooks on Amazon:

How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight

Getting To A Healthy Weight

Check out one of them, I think you can find all the info you need and plenty of tips on how I lost my body fat. 

Look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find these e-books. These books give you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my books at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com,

 iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Achieving Fitness

Being in good physical condition is the most important thing you can do for yourself. It will keep you healthier, more alert, it will keep your mind quicker and you’ll be more productive.

What you eat is more important to your health than anything else. It has to be a combination of all types of food. You need fruits and vegetables, whole grains and some meat. The mistake we make today is believing all the advertising we see every day. Why do you think manufacturers spend millions on advertising cereals and snack food? The answer is money. They can't make any money sell whole foods like apples, beans or oats. They concoct something they call a snack or a cereal, they advertise it and you buy it because it sounds sexy. It may be a healthy snack or breakfast cereal but it's nothing but a manufactured wheat flour combination with lots of sugar.

Food: In a world with endless protein bars and gluten-free potato chips, I personally find that the best snacks are simple, whole foods. One favorite of mine is an apple. This snack doesn't have any protein, and that's ok. If you're staying properly hydrated, an apple is a snack that can easily take the edge off your hunger. In fact, apples are rich in antioxidants, and dietary fiber. I like green apples the most.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is an old Welsh proverb that most of us are familiar with, but what makes this fruit so special? As one of the most cultivated and consumed fruits in the world, apples are continuously being praised as a "miracle food".

In fact, apples were ranked first in Medical News Today's featured article about the top 10 healthy foods.

Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fiber.

The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

Workout:  I decided 3-weeks ago to spend 10-20 minutes every morning stretching and doing light exercise. I've already experienced exceptional results. Consider adding a mobility routine at the beginning, or end of your day (or both)!. I assure you if you do it for one week, you will see benefits.

A quote that is always timely: "Our patience will achieve more than our force."

-Edmund Burke

A few years ago, I would have scoffed at this quote, but now I understand its wisdom. While persistence and perspiration are critical to achieving your potential, patience is a virtue that reigns supreme. Pushing harder may not help you reach your goals any faster. In fact, it may significantly lengthen the amount of time necessary to achieve the goal you desire. Patience helps shift your mindset away from focusing on brute force to planning.

To achieve fitness, you have to "live a healthy lifestyle". It won't be something you can do in a few weeks and then return to your old life. When you live a healthy lifestyle of eating only whole foods and doing regular exercise you will become fit over time. Depending on your condition you can see results in just a few weeks, but it might take much long to achieve your goals and once you make the commitment to  change your life and get healthy you can't go back. This is a permanent change and those that made the change will tell you that was the best decision they ever made.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. The book only costs $1.99. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

Will Lots of Red Meat Put You in an Early Grave?

If you turn to red meat as your main source of protein, you could be shortening your life, a new study suggests. Why you might ask. It's because all red meat will also contain animal fat. That's why science tells us to only eat lean meat. Animal fat is saturated fat and while your body can process some saturated fat, it can only process a small amount. 12 to 15 grams at one meal, that's about 1/2 ounce.

People who get more of their protein from plant sources have an overall lower risk of dying early than those who consume a lot of animal protein, the researchers said.

However, not all animal proteins carry the same level of risk, said lead researcher Dr. Mingyang Song. 

"We found protein from red meat, particularly processed red meat, is strongly associated with mortality," he said. "The protein from fish or chicken is not really associated with mortality."

The study findings make a case for including more plant protein in your daily diet:

• For every 3 percent increase in plant protein in their daily diet, participants experienced a 10 percent lower risk of death from all causes and a 12 percent lower risk of heart-related death, the investigators found.
• Participants experienced a 2 percent increased risk of death from all causes and an 8 percent increased risk of heart-related death for every 10 percent increase of animal protein in their total daily calories.
• Swapping 3 percent of calories from animal protein with plant protein lowered overall risk of premature death, based on the type of animal protein being substituted.
• The risk of early death dropped 34 percent if people ate less processed red meat, 12 percent for less unprocessed red meat, and 19 percent for fewer eggs, the findings showed. Processed red meats include items like bacon, sausage and deli meats, Song said.

Processed meats contain loads of sodium and nitrates, which have been linked to heart disease and cancer should be avoided. Fatty cuts of meat, particularly red meat, also contain loads of saturated fat, cholesterol, and extra calories, said White, a spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Be careful buying any meat. White meat turkey and chicken, along with seafood is much healthier.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. The book only costs $1.99. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ibooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

The Military Diet, It Might Not be What You Think

The Promise

The plan claims that you may lose up to 10 pounds in a week if you follow it. It’s a very strict, low-calorie diet with some foods that seem healthy and others that don’t. There are set foods to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but that’s it. There are no snacks, and there’s no wiggle room about food choices based on your tastes.

The diet itself only lasts for 3 days. After that, switch to a normal, healthy diet for at least 4 days. If you’d like to lose more weight, you can repeat the program as often as you’d like, as long as you take 4-day breaks every time after you do it.

Never follow the diet longer than 3 days in a row.

What You Can Eat and What You Can’t

Every morsel you’ll eat on this diet has been chosen for you ahead of time. You’ll need to follow the plan completely to get the best results.

It doesn’t include superfoods like salmon, almonds, or quinoa. Instead, you’ll find normal choices, like canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and cheddar cheese. Some meals have breads, but they aren’t the healthy whole grains you’d expect. At least one meal includes saltine crackers.

There’s a 3-day menu to follow, with a total of nine different meals. For example:

One breakfast menu requires you to eat:

• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1 slice toast
• 2 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 cup coffee or tea (no cream or sugar)

One Lunch menu includes

•  1 slice of toast
•  1 can of tuna
•  1 apple
• 1 cup of coffee or tea (no creamers or sugar)

One dinner menu includes:

• Two hot dogs without buns
• 1 cup of broccoli
• 1/2 cup of carrots
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream

You can drink water and black coffee or tea, but no soda, milk, juice, or alcohol. Stick to the menu as much as you can. You’re allowed to switch out some foods if you have food allergies or other dietary needs. But only make swaps that the diet approves. For example, you can have sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter or a tofu dog instead of a hot dog. But don’t switch the grapefruit to an orange or the vanilla ice cream to a scoop of mint chip or cookie dough.

So what do you do on the other days, well they have suggestions for that too.

Pick and choose from these menu items for a 4 day off meal plan for the Military Diet. Choose one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner and two snacks for an approximate 1500 calorie per day diet plan.

Breakfast

(Choose ONE of the following per day):

Yogurt Parfait: 1 cup of plain yogurt layered with 1 cup mixed berries, 1/4 cup granola and 1 tablespoon of sliced almonds.

Cheerful morning: 1 cup milk, 1 sliced banana and 1 cup cheerios. You can also eat 1 orange.

Egg on toast: 1 egg scrambled in 1 teaspoon butter on a slice of whole grain toast with tomato slices and 1/4 avocado sliced.

Bagel and lox: 1/2 whole-wheat bagel topped with 1 tablespoon cream cheese and 1 oz smoked salmon. Add thin tomato, cucumber and red onion slices.

Cinnamon Oatmeal: 1/3 cup rolled oats cooked with 2/3 cup milk and 1/2 cup chopped apple. Top with 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts & cinnamon.

Walnut Waffles and Berries: 2 whole grain waffles topped with 1/4 cup strawberries and 1/4 blueberries and 7 walnuts.

Florentine Egg and English Muffin: scramble 2 eggs and 1 cup fresh spinach and eat on top of a whole wheat toasted English muffin.

Pear and Almond-Butter Toast: one slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1 tablespoon almond butter and 1 pear sliced.

Tomato-Basil Ricotta Toast: one slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1/3 cup ricotta cheese, 4 slices of tomato and fresh basil leaves.

Banana & Honey Smoothie: Blend (in a blender) 1 cup plain soy milk, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons oatmeal and 1 tablespoon of flax seeds.

Cheesy Omelet: 2 egg omelette with cheddar cheese.

Protein Power: 2 lean sausages, 1 soft boiled egg and a kiwi fruit

Lunch

(Choose ONE of the following per day)

Tuna Pita: Mix 1/2 can of tuna with 1/4 cup white beans, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of  lemon juice. Serve in a 4-inch whole-wheat pita with 2 leaves lettuce. Eat 1 cup of grapes on the side.

Protein Salad: Toss 2 cups lettuce, 1 cup chopped raw vegetables, 1 hard-boiled egg, 2 teaspoons of raisins and 2 teaspoons of almonds. Top with 2 teaspoons of balsamic dressing.

Mediterranean Plate: 1 piece of whole wheat pita bread stuffed with 1-ounce feta cheese, 1 cup of tomatoes, 6 olives, 1/4 cup hummus and 1 cup raw spinach drizzled with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Veggie Lunch: 1 cup of lentil soup with 1 slice of toasted whole wheat bread topped with 1 teaspoon pesto, 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella and 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Vegetarian Quesadilla: 1 whole-wheat tortilla stuffed with 1/3 cup shredded Cheddar, 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 cup each sliced peppers & mushrooms, sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil. Serve with 1/4 avocado, sliced.

Tuna Walnut Greens: Toss 2 cups of spring greens, 3 ounces of tuna, 3 tablespoons of walnuts, and 1 cup of grape tomatoes cut in half. Top with 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Turkey, Pear, and Swiss Sandwich: 2 slices of whole grain bread with 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 5 slices of turkey, 1 pear sliced, and 1 slice of Swiss cheese.

Black-Bean Wrap: Wrap 3/4 cup of black beans, 1/4 avocado, 1 cup of romaine lettuce, 2 tablespoons of salsa inside 2 whole wheat tortillas.

Chicken Salad Pita: Mix together 1 cup diced and cooked chicken, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1 stalk of chopped celery and 1 cup of salad greens. Stuff inside a whole wheat pita.

Dinner

(Choose ONE of the following per day)

BBQ Black Bean Burger and Slaw: 1 black bean burger cooked with 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce, served on a whole wheat bun. You can eat the slaw in the burger or on the side. Mix 1.5 cups of shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Shrimp and Zucchini Pasta: Cook 2 ounces frozen or fresh shrimp with 1 clove of garlic, 1 cup chopped zucchini, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Serve one cup of whole wheat pasta noodles of your choice.

Hot Peanut Chicken Wraps: Saute 2/3 cup of sliced chicken, 1/4 cup scallions, 2 tablespoons of peanuts, 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1 cup of shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix in cooking spray. Wrap all this in 2 whole wheat tortillas.

Sushi: 1 cup miso soup, 1 Tuna roll and a small seaweed salad.

Pepper Cilantro Fajitas: Cook 1 cup bell peppers (red, green or orange), 1/2 small onion and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup refried beans on 2 whole wheat tortillas. Top with sauteed vegetables and cilantro.

Black Bean and Zucchini Quesadilla: Saute 1 cup chopped zucchini, 1/2 cup black beans, 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon of cumin. Place mixture on 2 whole wheat tortillas, sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar. Fold in half and cook in a pan until the cheddar melts. Top with 2 teaspoons of salsa.

Tortilla and Cheese Chili: 1.5 cups of warm vegetarian chili topped with 2 tablespoons of chopped scallions, 8 broken tortilla chips, 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar. Eat with a side salad: 2 cups mixed greens and 1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing.

Florentine Goat Cheese Flatbread: Saute 4 ounces of chicken, 3 cups of baby spinach, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and 1 garlic clove. Put all this on a piece of whole grain flatbread, topped with 1 ounce goat cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or so.

Shrimp Fried Brown Rice: Saute 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 garlic clove and 1 tablespoon grated ginger. Then add 3 ounces of precooked shrimp and 2 cups of bok choy. Saute another few minutes.

Cheese and Artichoke Pizza with side salad: Top a whole grain flatbread with 3 tablespoons spaghetti sauce, 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella and bake for about 10 minutes. The side salad is 3 cups mixed greens, 2 tablespoons pine nuts and 2 tablespoons of Italian salad dressing.

Stuffed Chili and Cheese Potato: Top a baked potato with 1/2 cup of turkey or vegetarian chili, 1 cup cooked broccoli and 1/4 cup shredded cheddar.

Italian Sausage Pasta: Saute 1 sliced Italian sausage, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup chopped onions and 1/2 cup chopped zucchini. Add in 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce to warm and serve over 3/4 cup of whole wheat pasta topped with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese.

Cajun Chicken With Rice: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried Cajun seasoning on 4 ounces of chicken breast. Bake or grill. Saute 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 bell pepper, in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a few sprinkles of Tabasco sauce. Add 3/4 cup of precooked brown rice. Serve the chicken on top of the rice.

Snacks

(Choose TWO of the following per day)

Fruit-and-nut bar

1 cup snap peas with 1/4 cup hummus

1 cup of cantaloupe with 1/2 cottage cheese

1 cup carrot sticks with 3 tablespoons of hummus

1 apple and 22 pistachios

12-oz latte and 1 clementine or mandarin orange

10 tortilla chips with 1/4 cup guacamole

1 banana with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

2 Crispy rye crackers with 2 tablespoons of cream cheese

1 cup plain yogurt with 1 cup mixed berries

1/2 ounce raisins and 2 tablespoons soy nuts
 
14 almonds and an apple

1/2 cup sorbet 

1-ounce chocolate-covered almonds

100-calorie mini bag popcorn

1-ounce string cheese and 4 whole-grain crackers

3 cups air popped popcorn, nothing added

I'm not crazy about the 3-day diet, I think it would encourage bingeing but the suggestions for the other four days look pretty good. If you could stick to that plan 24/7, I think you could lose some fat.You still have to stick to 1500 calories a day, but all your food choices look good.

If you real want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. The book only costs $1.99. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ibooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

The New Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers

The Promise

Pasta, steak, cheese, ice cream... You can eat what you want on Weight Watchers. While the popular weight-loss plan has been revamped, the basic principle of eating what you love remains -- though the program steers you toward healthier foods with its points system.

In its new program, called Beyond the Scale, fitness also takes a bigger role. You'll be encouraged to move more every day.

Weight Watchers isn’t so much a diet as a lifestyle change program. It can help you learn how to eat healthier and get more physical activity, so you lose the weight for good.

You can follow the plan online on your own. You'll track your food choices and exercise, chart progress, and find recipes and workouts. There’s a coaching option if you prefer one-on-one consultations by phone, email, and text. Or you can go to in-person group meetings, where you’ll weigh in.

A Consumer Reports survey found that people who went to meetings were more satisfied with the program and lost more weight than people who used only the online tools.

What You Can Eat and What You Can't

No food is forbidden when you follow this plan, which doesn’t make you buy any prepackaged meals.

Weight Watchers assigns different foods a SmartPoints value, which replaces its long-standing PointsPlus plan. The concept is the same, though. Nutritious foods that fill you up have fewer points than junk with empty calories. But the eating plan now factors sugar, fat, and protein into its points calculations to steer you toward fruits, veggies, and lean protein, and away from stuff that's high in sugar and saturated fat.

You’ll have a SmartPoints target that's set up based on your body and goals. As long as you stay within your daily target, you can spend those SmartPoints, however, you’d like, even on alcohol or dessert.

But healthier, lower-calorie foods cost fewer points.

Look for my Ebook offer, “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, on all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com,  or Gardner Books in the U.K.