Diet Plans, How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords' promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar For Weight Loss

By Joy Manning

WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

I like this article, I take this myself and I have no more trouble with acid reflux. What this doctor is talking about is unfiltered apple cider vinegar. And this stuff is concentrated. It's on the same shelf at the grocery store but it costs a lot more. If you surf the internet you'll find there's one brand that stands out and it's an organic product and even if you find another, remember you want the unfiltered stuff that's cloudy in the bottle and try to buy the organic. I use one tablespoon in a 12 once glass of bottled water. I drink it first think in the morning before I brush my teeth. Like lemon juice this will hurt the enamel on your teeth. It will also damage your kitchen counters, be careful. If you want, talk to your doctored I wouldn't give this to kids. All vinegar is an alkaline and the idea is to neutralize over active stomach acid. Your body does that already but some people make too much stomach acid so the vinegar help to tone it down a little. It's important you dilute this a lot because you can burn your throat.

I saw a similar post on DoctorOz.com about Apple Cider Vinegar and it's many uses. The reason it can work for weight loss is that many people have been eating processed foods for some time and now their gut bacteria is out of balance. Acid Reflux is one of the signs that the bacteria in your stomach is out of balance.

Why is that important? You aren't digesting your food. Most of your food is being stored in fat cells because your digestive system depends on the bacteria in your stomach to dissolve your foods so your liver can process the food.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Weight Loss

Have you heard that apple cider vinegar will help you lose weight?

The only study to test the idea in people was done in Japan. In the study, 175 obese but healthy people took either vinegar or water daily for 12 weeks. Their diets were similar. They kept food journals. At the end of the study, those who used vinegar had lost slightly more weight. On average, the vinegar group lost 1-2 pounds over the 3-month period.

The researchers suggest that vinegar may turn on certain genes involved in breaking down fats.

The effect is probably very subtle, says Chicago dietitian Debbie Davis, RD. “It may have some benefits in terms of weight loss and weight management, but it is definitely not a quick fix."

If you want to lose weight, you’ll still need to exercise and practice portion control.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Blood Sugar

While apple cider vinegar probably won’t make you skinny, it does appear to help with diabetes and blood sugar control.

Carol Johnston, PhD, directs Arizona State University’s nutrition program. She has been studying apple cider vinegar for more than 10 years and believes its effects on blood sugar are similar to certain medications.

“Apple cider vinegar’s anti-glycemic effect is very well documented,” Johnston says.

She explains that the vinegar blocks some of the digestion of starch. “It doesn’t block the starch 100%, but it definitely prevents at least some of that starch from being digested and raising your blood sugar,” Johnston says.

Not every expert feels as confident about apple cider vinegar’s power.

"Trying to use vinegar to treat diabetes is like trying to bail out a flooded basement with a teaspoon," says Michael Dansinger, MD, director of Tufts University’s diabetes lifestyle coaching program.

He advises patients to focus instead on their overall diets -- a strategy backed by a lot more research, he says.

If you have gastroparesis, a common problem with diabetes that slows stomach emptying, be careful. Early research shows apple cider vinegar may make this problem worse.

"I’m concerned that drinking vinegar, even diluted in water, increases acid in your system, which puts a strain on your kidneys and bones,” Dansinger says.

If you have diabetes and want to try apple cider vinegar, let your doctor know, and keep an eye on your blood sugar levels.

Johnston stresses that if you are on medication for diabetes, you shouldn’t stop taking it and substitute vinegar. If you're thinking about using it to help manage your blood sugar, talk to your doctor first.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Digestion

If you drink apple cider vinegar with a starchy meal, then the starches you don't digest will feed the good bacteria in your gut, Johnston says.

Davis recommends using unfiltered apple cider vinegar, “the cloudy kind, where you can see a blob in the bottle.”

That blob is known as “the mother,” and it’s full of probiotics and other beneficial bacteria. “This kind of vinegar can support immune function and, for some people, even help with constipation,” Davis says.

I suggest you read up on "unfiltered apple cider vinegar" on the internet.

Tips on Taking Apple Cider Vinegar

Don't drink it straight. It’s so acidic that it could harm your tooth enamel and your esophagus.

Don't use a lot. “Dilute 1 to 2 tablespoons in a big glass of water, and sip it along with your meals one or two times a day,” Johnston says.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Don't Be Afraid Of Carbs

This post is from the HungryGirl website. It explains why you don't have to be afraid of carbs.

Carbs can be downright confusing: Some sources claim that eating carbs can hinder weight loss and cause weight gain; others say carbs are a diet essential. I’m Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien, and I’m here to clarify the truth about carbs.

There are rumors out there that eating carbs can be detrimental to your diet. Low-carb diets have gone through periods of being super popular for weight loss. But here’s the deal:

Reality: Carbs Don’t Make You Gain Weight; Excess Calories Do

Carbs don't cause instant weight gain, but starchy carbs do have a tendency to be calorie-dense. And if you eat too many calories, you’ll probably put on weight, whether those calories are from carbs or another nutrient. Sure, it’s a problem if your diet consists only of carbs, but it’s also problematic if you’re skipping them completely. Carbohydrates play an important role in your diet; they provide energy to your body. The name of the game is balance: The USDA recommends that 45 to 65 percent of an adult’s daily calorie intake comes from carbs, with the remainder of calories coming from a mixture of protein and fat.

When it Comes to Carbs, There Are a Few Things to Keep in Mind

1. Not all carbs are created equal.

Certain carbs are better for your health than others. It’s important to limit refined carbs, which are prevalent in foods like processed white bread and cakes.

The process of refinement means the whole grains have been extracted, removing much of the fiber and nutritional value and leaving you with sugary carbs and empty calories.

A better way to fill your daily carb quota is with complex carbs, which are found in whole foods like oats, whole grains, beans, green veggies, and potatoes.

Complex carbs are low in sugar and tend to be high in fiber. And fiber takes longer to digest than other carbs, so it keeps you satisfied and feeling full for a long time.

That’s definitely true for me — if I snack on something like an apple, I’m much less likely to reach for a candy bar later in the day. The way your body works is that it burns calories to create engery. The calories are a mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. But it doesn't burn those calories in equal amounts from each group. About 50% or calories burned every day are from carbs you eat. About 30% from fats you eat and about 20% from the protein you eat. The way we add fat is because we eat more than the body can use at the time. The body works in what you can call "real time". It doesn't process all the food you eat. It only processes what it needs at the time and stores the rest. You have to use the calories first or soon after you eat and than depending on your active level at the time, that's the amount of calories you will burn.

2. Even complex carbs can be calorie-dense, so watch your servings.

Always read nutritional labels, and practice portion control. One of my favorite ways to enjoy calorie-dense carbs in moderation is to bulk up the serving size with low-calorie foods like veggies: You get the health benefits of the carbs, plus a big portion and a low calorie count!

Green-leafy vegetables are carbs too and they are important to everyones diet. Complex carbs are the ones you want and the man-made carbs are the ones to avoid.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. 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.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Build A Walking Routine For Fitness

Set Goals to Build Your Walking Habit

By Wendy Bumgardner

This author with VeryWell has the right idea. If you want to lose fat and stay healthy, you want to start living like an athlete. Eat like your in training, spend more time walking and standing and less time sitting. Live an athletic lifestyle and you will lose fat and regain energy that you lost years ago.

Walking Towards Your Goals — It is time to commit yourself to better health, fitness, and a body you love. To make this a reality, we have tools you can use to help you build and keep your walking habit.

There are four facets to setting up a new habit for a lifetime.

First, set clear and realistic goals.
Second, keep yourself on a schedule so that the habit sticks.
Third, monitor your progress and reward yourself for success.
Fourth, keep it interesting.

How to Set Great Fitness Goals

The essentials of a good fitness goal are:

Realistic: The goal should be challenging, but realistically achievable. Don't set you sights too low, but also don't set yourself up for failure.
Measurable: Your goal should be stated in a way that can be measured. How many miles a week? How many pounds or inches to lose? What 10K distance time? Finishing a marathon by what date?
Dated: Set dates by which you will attain the goal and intermediate goals along the way.
Written down: Your goal should be made concrete so you can review it.
Track your progress: Keep your goal in sight and see what steps you are making towards attaining it.
Celebrate success: Along the way when you reach new milestones, it is time to celebrate. And when you achieve your overall goals, don't hold back - reward yourself.

Setting Realistic and Measurable Goals

You will have to know how fit you are now and what is possible.

For weight loss, do not set a goal of losing more than 1-2 pounds a week or 5-10 pounds a month, and plan for plateaus along the way. For increasing speed and distance, plan for increasing no more than 10-15% a week in order to prevent injury and allow muscles to repair and build.

Dating Your Goals

One of the best ways to set a date in concrete is to apply it to a major walking event.

If you want to be able to walk a certain distance or have a speed goal, find an upcoming walking event and register for it. Not only will this make the goal concrete, it will also reward you for attaining it, especially if you register for an event at a great destination you've been wanting to visit.

Writing Down Your Goals

You can note your goal on your paper or online calendar. On a paper calendar, this can be a simple note on the date. With an online calendar, set an automatic repeating reminder so you will be prompted to record your progress towards your goal.
Your fitness tracker may have goal setting built into its app or online dashboard, such as with Fitbit. Take advantage of this function and use it to set and track your goals.
You may prefer to use a goal-setting app, which will guide you so you create a good goal and then will be a single place to track your progress.

Track Your Progress

You can use the methods just listed to track your progress. We also have printable daily, weekly and monthly logs you can use for tracking your walking, fitness, and weight loss activities.

The whole secret to getting thin and staying thin is to lose your fat.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

How Often Should I Eat To Lose Weight?

The Starvation Mode Myth May Cause You to Eat Too Often

By Malia Frey

Breakfast with pancakes and hot chocolate — Anjelika Gretskaia/ Getty Images

If you read headlines about weight loss, you've probably noticed that many popular diets include periods of fasting. But others encourage you to eat all the time to avoid "starvation mode." This leaves many dieters wondering 'how often should I eat to lose weight?'

If you feel like you're not eating and not losing weight, it's best to avoid the headlines and turn to experts. Dr. Joel Fuhrman is the author of Eat to Live and The End of Dieting.

His beliefs about how often you should eat to lose weight are consistent with what researchers and scientists have known about metabolism for years. And what most dieters get wrong.

How Often Should You Eat? The Starvation Mode Myth

If you eat frequently to avoid starvation mode, you might not like the news you're about to read. Many dieters misunderstand the concept of eating frequency, and it may cause your weight loss plan to fail.

When dieters talk about starvation mode, they are usually referring to the effect that infrequent eating can have on your metabolism. The commonly held belief is that if you don't eat every three hours or if you skip a meal, like breakfast, your metabolism immediately slows to preserve energy and prepare for starvation. As a result, weight loss grinds to a halt and weight gain can occur.

Some science-savvy dieters might also confuse starvation mode with what researchers call "adaptive thermogenesis." Scientific studies have confirmed that people who have successfully lost weight have a slower metabolism than their same-weight counterparts who have never dieted.

These people often (reasonably) complain that they are gaining weight but eating less.

Researchers believe that the slower metabolism is an adaptation to eating fewer calories over an extended period of time. Adaptive thermogenesis makes it harder for people who have lost weight to maintain a healthy weight.

So why is the distinction between starvation mode and adaptive thermogenesis so important? Because even though the concept of adaptive thermogenesis has been validated in clinical studies, researchers don't necessarily blame infrequent eating or skipped meals (starvation mode) for the slower metabolism. So dieters shouldn't necessarily use the evidence-based concept of adaptive thermogenesis to justify eating more often.

Can You Gain Weight Without Eating?

So can you gain weight without eating all the time? Dr. Fuhrman explains that eating less can have an effect on your metabolism, but not in the way that we think. In fact, he thinks that the idea of starvation mode is "ridiculous."

"Caloric restriction can have an effect on metabolic rate but on the rate at which you lose weight, not on whether or not you lose weight," he says. Fuhrman says emphatically that dieters will not gain weight by restricting calories. "If starvation mode was a real thing," he says, "then anorexics would be fat."

In short, Fuhrman says that dieters should never try to eat more to avoid starvation mode. Snacking frequently or increasing the number of meals you eat during the day doesn't work if you want to lose weight.

"When people increase the number of eating occasions during the day, they increase body weight."

How Often Should I Eat to Lose Weight?

So what really matters if you want to lose weight? Fuhrman believes that the quality of your diet—not eating frequency—makes the difference. In The End of Dieting he offers a scientific explanation for why we want to eat all the time.

He explains that what feels like hunger is often just our body's natural response to withdrawal from junk food. "People get uncomfortable, that's all it is." He says that weight loss happens when we increase the amount of healthy food we consume, not the frequency of eating episodes.

So should you worry about starvation mode? Nope. Starvation mode doesn't make you fat. Eating less does have an impact on your metabolism, but that is a natural and expected part of the weight loss process and it shouldn't derail your attempts to eat a healthy, calorie-restricted diet. If you eat too often to avoid starvation mode, your weight loss plan is headed for trouble.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

What Is The Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods eaten by people living in the Mediterranean region, especially Greece. It's loaded with healthy foods and research findings suggest following this diet may help reduce some of the risk factors for heart disease.

According to the Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, the Mediterranean diet was introduced in 1993 by Oldways, Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization.

The diet includes:

Olives and olive oil
Whole grains, mostly in bread and cereal rather than pasta
Very little red meat
Fish and seafood
Some cheese, but less milk
Lots of vegetables and fruit
Plenty of legumes and nuts
A little red wine

The Mediterranean diet is high in fiber and antioxidants from vegetables, legumes and nuts, far greater than the typical Western diet, and low in saturated fat. Very little red meat is eaten in this region, and milk consumption is limited as well, except for some cheese and yogurt.

Oldways designed a Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid to help you see which foods are best.

The base of the pyramid is made up of foods like whole grain bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes and rice. Fruits, legumes, nuts, and vegetables make up another large share of your daily diet, along with smaller amounts of cheese, yogurt, and olive oil. Poultry, fish, and eggs are eaten weekly, and red meats are eaten about once per month.

Oldways also suggests you drink six glasses of water every day, along with moderate consumption of red wine for some people. The Mediterranean Pyramid even allows for one sweet treat every week.

How to Follow the Mediterranean Diet

Replace the fat you use now with olive oil. You probably don't want to add more calories to you diet so use olive oil in place of butter, margarine and other salad dressing oils.

Olive oil is good for cooking too.

Eat lots of vegetables. This idea just can't be stressed enough. Every healthy diet includes lots of vegetables. Many people in the Mediterranean eat a pound of vegetables every day. Green and colorful vegetables are low in calories and high in antioxidants. Prepare Greek vegetarian dishes several times each week.

Enjoy a little starch. Choose whole grains more often because they're higher in fiber. Potatoes and polenta, which is made from cornmeal, are also commonly used as starches in the Mediterranean.

Eat poultry and fish. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your heart and your brain. Plus, fish is low in total fat and calories. Poultry and eggs are also acceptable protein sources. Bake or broil your fish or chicken, don't deep fry it. Breaded and deep fried foods don't fit this diet at all.

Limit red meat consumption. Red meat has a lot of saturated fat that's not good for your heart, so there isn't much room for steaks and hamburgers in this diet (only about one meal per month).

Instead of a greasy burger from a burger joint, make a ground turkey burger on a whole grain bun instead. Add lettuce, a slice of avocado and tomato, and you won't miss the red meat.

Discover legumes and nuts. Legumes have lots of fiber, protein, and nutrients and can be used in the main dish. Choose fava beans and other dry beans. Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews make a delicious and healthy snack.

Enjoy fresh fruits as dessert. Avoid sugary pastries, cakes, and cookies. Fruit is lower in calories and high in fiber and nutrients.

Yogurt and cheese are sources of calcium. Choose some low-fat yogurt and cheese every day. You could make a yogurt dressing or try a healthy salad with tomatoes and feta cheese. Keep it light.

Drink water and wine. The Mediterranean Pyramid includes six glasses of water every day and a glass or two of red wine. Water is good for everybody, but don't drink red wine if you're pregnant, underage or if drinking alcohol puts you or others at risk.

Switching from a typical western diet to a Mediterranean diet seems difficult if you're not used to olive oil, fish and some of the vegetables and seasonings often associated with this region. But it's quite delicious. After a couple months on this diet you will feel healthier and have more energy. You may over-eat at first but after the first week, you'll notice that you won't be eating as much. Stick to this diet and don't cheat, you'll become a healthier person with more energy and considerable happier.

You'll have to follow the same simple rules to lose weight. Eat several small meals, one about every three hours. Don't drink calories, except for that glass of red wine. And don't eat anything the last 4 hours before bed.

You can tweet me with questions at #ray0369

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than 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.

There are two e-books. “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 below and search the title to find my e-book. 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.

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. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Clean Eating

Some of us don't even know what that means, to sum it up: Clean eating means choosing real food. We know what healthy food looks like (or at least have some idea), so why is it challenging to eat healthy on a regular basis? Between a busy career, school, a significant other and kids—life happens, and suddenly our good intention to be healthier falls to the wayside. "Eating clean" is not a diet. Most of us don't have to diet to lose our body fat and actually dieting doesn't usually help lose fat.
Eating clean means to buy food as close to the natural state as possible. Buy your meat fresh from a butcher and not packaged or frozen. When you buy fish, buy fresh seafood. Buying produce the same way, don't buy produce that's packaged. The natural state of food is the way it comes right off the tree or plant or the way fish comes straight from the boat. The idea is the more human do to your food the less nutrition it will have and in general, the more you pay.

Deep down we still want to develop sustainable, clean eating habits because we know our diet, or the culmination of foods we consistently choose over time, impacts the duration and quality of our life. The leading causes of death—heart disease, cancer and stroke—in the U.S. are nutritionally related, and the rest of the developed world is not lagging far behind. Our health, weight, energy level, mood and even sleep are influenced by diet.

When it comes to food, nutrition and which diet really works best, there’s not much that all of us agree on. And with good reason! Nutrition is not one-size-fits-all, largely because our bodies all function a little bit differently. While a lower-carbohydrate diet may work exceptionally well for one individual trying to lose weight, it may not work for the next. On the other end of the spectrum, carb-loading may help one athlete more than others.

But when it comes to achieving good health, and yes, even weight loss, there’s one common ingredient among all diets that have stood the test of time (such as lower-carbohydrate, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean and the newer Paleo diets). They all borrow on some or all of these clean eating strategies:

Eat minimally processed foods, or foods made from minimally processed ingredients.
Eat mostly plants and plant-based foods.
Eat animals and animal products that eat mostly plants.

No standard definition for “healthy” food actually exists, just like there’s no cookie-cutter definition for what it means to be healthy, but it shouldn’t stop us from defining what that means to us. “Real food” has no official definition but embodies what a general healthy eating pattern could look like without using airy terms like “balanced,” “honest” and “genuine” to describe it (because who really knows what they mean?).

Real food is simple.

It hasn’t gone through a ton of processing to get from the ground to your plate. Here’s what that looks like: fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, seafood, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans are all real food. Natural sweeteners, coffee, chocolate and wine count, too—just enjoy them in moderation!

Real food is not processed food.

Another way to think of it is this: Real food is not processed food. According to Dr. Robert Lustig, MD, founder of the Institute for Responsible Nutrition, processed food meets these seven criteria:

Remember some of the simplest foods are processed like Peanut Butter.

mass-produced
consistent batch to batch
consistent country to country
specialized ingredients from specialized companies
nearly all macronutrients are pre frozen (which means that the fiber is usually removed)
emulsified (fat and water don’t separate)
long shelf or freezer life

At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Wait a minute, processed foods don’t sound so bad!” True; processed foods can be one of the safest foods on the planet in terms of germs, and that’s great for the short-term. Eating processed foods now and then won’t kill you, but you should really focus on eating mostly real foods if you’re concerned about your long-term health.

Eat “healthier” without thinking about it. It’s useful to think of food as nutrients (macro- and micronutrients) so we can better understand our body. When it comes to healthy eating, it’s more useful to think of food simply as food. Choosing “real” foods lets you eat healthier from a nutrient perspective without thinking too much about nutrients.

Get the most nutrients out of the foods you’re eating. Processing foods usually removes or destroys valuable nutrients. The two exceptions are fortified foods (think: orange juice with added vitamin D) and preserved foods (think: canned and frozen). Choosing mostly real foods helps you maximize the nutrients you get from the foods you eat.

Live a longer, healthier life. “You are what you eat” is a simple mantra capturing the impact that diet quality has on your quality of life. Eating mostly real foods will decrease your chances of getting a debilitating chronic disease like heart disease, stroke, diabetes or cancer. After all, the goal of being physically healthy is to live a long life whilst avoiding these pitfalls.

Home-cooking is at the heart of healthy eating, especially if it involves real food. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Save and organize your favorite recipes. Gather recipes from your favorite cookbooks, food bloggers or the internet at large. Rotate through the recipes as you plan your weekly or monthly meal calendar. If you’re not the planning type, having these recipes on hand will help inspire your cooking adventures.

Choose recipes that use healthy cooking techniques. Delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated; if you’re a beginner cook, choose recipes with 10 ingredients or less. To make your home-cooking even healthier, be mindful about how much sugar, sodium and cooking oil you’re adding to your foods. Here’s a list of common additions you should use mindfully to keep your home-cooked meal healthy:

ADDED SUGAR	ADDED SODIUM	ADDED FAT
- Granulated sugar - Brown sugar -Honey - Maple syrup - Agave syrup	- Salt - Baking powder - Baking soda - Condiments (hot sauce, mustard, barbecue sauce)	- Canola oil - Olive oil - Vegetable oil - Peanut oil

Keep honing your cooking skills! No one is born an amazing cook, so if you fail at your cooking ploys, remember to learn from them. If you’re a beginner, do a web search to learn more on how to plan and prep your meals: meal planning, meal prep

Stocking up on real foods is a good first step, especially if you plan to eat more of it. Check out these pointers to help you shop real at the grocery store:

Skim the perimeter of the grocery store. It’s where real food lives. We suggest you prioritize the following aisles: fresh produce, whole grains and breads, milk and dairy, meat and seafood. After you’ve loaded your cart, you can proceed to the center aisle for other necessities, just be sure to keep your eye on ingredient lists. Less is more!

Go to the store with a grocery list. Grocery-shopping with a list is your plan for success, because you’ll know exactly what to grab and be less inclined to buy processed convenience food. Ideally, your list should reflect the recipes you intend to prep for the week.

Pick up some handy, real food snacks that require minimal prepping and no recipes. Here are some ideas for you:

NO PREP SNACKS	MINIMAL PREP SNACKS
- Fresh fruit - Unsweetened dried fruit - Roasted nuts - Dark chocolate - Trail mix - Popcorn - Mozzarella sticks - Baby carrots - Cherry tomatoes - Whole-grain crackers - Yogurt	- Celery sticks - Bell pepper sticks - Hard-boiled eggs

Think outside the grocery store! If you live near a local farmer’s market, go check it out! Farmer’s markets are a good place for you to buy and support local produce, sometimes at a fraction of what you’d pay in a brand-name grocery store.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog