Healthy Weight Loss and Eating Out - How Can I Combine Them?

So you're on a healthy weight loss diet. That's good but what about your social life? How can you go out with your friends to your favorite restaurants and fast food places if you are on a diet?

There's no need to stop eating out with your friends if you are on a weight loss regimen. Eating out can be healthy as long as you either choose healthy food items or control the portions of what you eat.

If you know where you will be going beforehand, check the restaurant's online menu. They probably have healthy food such as salads, soups, lean meat or vegetable dishes. Look for food that is steamed, boiled, baked, broiled, grilled, broiled or poached. Stay away from fried food or fatty food that is smothered in cream, cheese, butter or gravies and sauces.

Drink water with your meal and not soda. A large glass of soda can contain as much as 450 calories and that would take a big bite out of your daily calorie limit.

Extras can add many unwanted calories. Bread with butter, side servings of French fries, creamy toppings and other superfluous food elements can be ignored.

In many places you can order off-menu or in other words request special dishes that are healthier than their regular menu dishes. When ordering your meal, don't be scared to ask if the dish can be slightly altered. For example, you ask for the chicken to be served skinless or the sauce to be served in a separate pot. Some restaurants also offer diet-friendly versions of their dishes if you ask for it.

There's also no need to order many courses. You might be satisfied with just the main course or perhaps the soup and salad only.

Now about some fishes that are popular. Fried chicken is generally better to avoid than order. This is true for most food that is fried. Surprisingly, steak can be fine if it is lean grilled meat. A delicious lean steak and salad, without any fattening side dishes such as chips or fries can be as little as 500 calories.

However, the dieter who is concerned with a healthy weight loss plan must take care to eat only small portions. Even a lean grilled steak can bee too much if it's a huge piece as big as a baby's head.

Pasta is not bad provided it does not come with creamy sauces. Go for tomato sauces with your pasta.

Vegetables are a good choice but they often come with fattening sauces or dressings. Chose balsamic vinegar rather than salad dressing.

Desserts can be your Waterloo if you cannot resist those sweet cakes and pies. Try to go for fruit salads or sorbets. If you cannot help but yield to temptation, go ahead and eat some of those sweet desserts but at least don't eat a large portion.

It cannot be emphasized too much that portion control is important. Learn what a proper portion size is and stick to it.

A good tip is to eat properly during the day before you go out for dinner. If you starve yourself to "save up" calories, you might arrive at the restaurant too famished too care about your diet.

Regarding binge eating, stay away from buffets entirely! Those are far too tempting because they have such a wide array of dishes to choose from. Even the strongest-willed person who has stuck to their weight loss plan can get overwhelmed by a good buffet. Since buffets are also expensive, there is the additional enticement of eating more to get the most out of your money.

Lastly, look around and explore more restaurant options. Remember that a healthy weight loss plan is forever, so change your dining habits so that you patronize good restaurants that offer healthy food.

Less Sleeping Leads To Extra Weight

The Columbia University and the Hospital of St. Luke-Roosevelt scientists published the results of the study, according to which there is a link between sleep duration and obesity.

Contrary to the public opinion, doctors have found that people who sleep less, are more exposed to the risk of gaining extra weight. Scientists watched a long time after a group of 18,000 patients and found: for those who sleep at night less than 4 hours, the risk of obesity is higher by 74% than for those who sleeps 7-9 hours. For those who sleep 5 hours - the risk of extra kilograms rises by 50% and for 6 hours sleepers - by 23%.

Most doctors give a simple explanation to this paradox: if people do not sleep at night, they eat, and there is usually little moving. Here is the general portrait of this less sleeping patients: a young man, sitting all night in front of the TV or the computer, with a few handy bottles of beer ( "cola", coffee, etc.), some snacks and a lot of sandwiches. Doctors recommend to abstain from eating after 6-7 PM, go early to bed and early in the morning to get up, nor to avoid moderate physical exercises throughout the day.

The blood hormones study revealed the fact that a small length of sleep caused a significant increase in leptina (the hormone responsible for feelings of satiety and reducing hunger), and, on the contrary, even more significantly reducing grelina (hormone which reinforces the sense of hunger). This makes the little sleeping people at night to feel hunger and insatiable desire to eat something rich in carbohydrates (pies, cakes, cookies, etc.), with all its attendant consequences.

Thus, the increase in duration of sleep can be seen as a means to combat obesity, not forgetting, of course, the leading role of regular physical exercises, and proper healthy nutrition.

Lose Weight the Vegetarian Way

By Scott Meyers
Do you need to lose weight? Even if you are only slightly overweight, and need to find a way to lose a couple of pounds, you may be frustrated with the options you have tried so far. Diet pills are designed for those who are severely overweight, and the side effects may not be worth the results. Other diets such as the low carbohydrate diet or the low fat diet may not help much either. It can be very difficult to eliminate fats or carbohydrates because they are found in so many kinds of food.

Perhaps a better way to lose those pounds is the vegetarian diet. It is not designed to promote weight loss, but if you use it correctly, it could be the answer to a thinner, healthier you.

Protein: The Hidden Fat

While consuming fat can certainly add the pounds, there are other sources of weight gain as well. Surprisingly, protein is one of them. If you are eating too much protein for your body to convert into muscle, your body will turn that protein into fat.

The main source for protein in most people's diets is meat. By converting to a vegetarian diet, you will be eliminating a major source of protein and therefore fat from your diet. It is not wise to cut out protein from your diet entirely: if you don't provide your system with any protein at all, your metabolism will slow and you will find yourself storing more fat.

A better idea is to change your protein source. Beans in combination with whole grains provide an excellent source of protein. As long as you keep your portions small you will be offering your body just the right materials without eating too much of a good thing. By eliminating meat, you will also be getting rid of a major fat source. Beans do not contain fat, but are instead a purer source for protein.

Adding Up the Good Stuff

On a vegetarian diet, you will be encouraged to eat more plant foods instead of meat. Fruits, vegetables and nuts all are great things to eat to boost your metabolism and to increase your weight loss capabilities. The sugars in fruits are more complex than processed sugars and are less likely to be stored as fat.

Vegetables are great sources for vitamins that your body needs to work efficiently. Plant foods are also good sources of fiber which aids in healthy digestion. All of these factors add up to give you the weight loss results that you are seeking.

A vegetarian diet is not about eating less. It's about eating right. By giving your body a break from the meats that you normally eat, you will be increasing your chances for weight loss. Eliminating meat means a reduction in protein intake as well as fat intake. In combination with eating a healthy vegetarian diet, you should also reduce your intake of other sugary and fatty foods. Replace vending machine snacks with fruits, vegetables and pretzels. By making good choices on a vegetarian diet, you will finally have the healthy body that want to have.

Source http://ar.ticul.us

South Beach Diet Information and Recipes

It is a widely held belief that the key to weight loss is finding the right diet information which means the proper diet to suit their needs. While this is correct in a sense, it is misleading as well. The key to successful dieting is to maintain a healthy and balanced diet plan without having to actually diet. The South Beach diet was proposed by Dr. Arthur Agatston in the mid nineteen nineties as a healthy alternative to the many diet fads in existence at the time. The South Beach diet is not the proverbial diet plan. This diet is actually a sensible and healthy diet plan designed to teach the person using it to eat healthy foods and to learn how to eat properly.

There are many recipes available within the South Beach Diet to aid in healthy weight loss. Unlike traditional the typical diet information we get, the idea of actual dieting by starvation or counting calories or other fads or trends that ignore the primary health concerns of the dieter are not used with the South Beach Diet. The diet includes healthy meal planning and means for controlling the intake of foods including carbohydrates and calories by the dieter so that while they are not actually dieting in the more traditional sense of the word trying to lose weight. The concept is that people will eat healthier foods and in that way do not have the problems with diet failure or the prospect of constantly losing and gaining weight which is not healthy.

The recipes for the South Beach diet include healthy alternatives without being boring. Your diet information sources should include recipes for snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner all focusing on the health needs of the person seeking the diet weight loss. The South Beach diet is one of the most effective tools for weight loss and the rich diet information recipes will allow the person trying to lose weight the ability to eat all they want and stay healthy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Boyd_Adams

Practical Tips For Healthy Weight Loss

Ever wish there was an easy-to-follow practical primer to tell you all the things you should and shouldn't do to help you lose weight? I'm not talking about food choices here - there are 'tons' of eating plans available. I'm referring to a simple list that you can follow in your everyday life to make it easier to stick to your diet. Here are a few tips that I've found works wonders to help avoid temptation and keep me on track.

Shopping Tips

1. Shop the outside grocery aisles.

Supermarkets are designed with the four basic food groups around the perimeter of the store. If you stick to the outside aisles, you'll find produce, bakery, dairy and meat - exactly what you should be buying. Avoid going up and down the aisles where processed 'convenience' foods lurk to tempt you from your good intentions.

2. Never ever shop hungry.

It's an old tip, but it works every time. When you're hungry, everything looks good - especially quick, empty calories. Make it a point to shop on a full stomach and you'll find yourself saving both money and calories.

3. Buy fresh, whole and organic whenever you can. Processing depletes vital nutrients and adds calories. If you have a choice, buy fresh vegetables and fruits and whole grain products. Skip the highly processed snack foods(twinkies and chips etc.)and 'convenience' dinners.

Setting Goals

1. Break your goals down if you have to. The thought of losing 100 pounds can be daunting. Instead, make it your goal to lose 10 pounds this month, or to get through the week without cheating on your diet. "Inch by inch life's a cinch; yard by yard it's hard."

2. Set reasonable, attainable goals for yourself. Remember that a healthy, sustainable weight loss is about 1-2 pounds per week. Setting the goal to lose 30 pounds by next month is setting yourself up for failure. Don't be taken in by the infomercials and false advertisements! Everyone is different! Being content with your progress will help you attain your goals. Discontentment leads to eating binges. Remember, you didn't gain the weight overnight nor will you lose it overnight.

3. Reward yourself! There's nothing more motivating than promising yourself a special treat when you reach a goal - but don't keep rewards just for big milestones. Make a list of positive reinforcers that you can dip into whenever you avoid temptation or need a little boost. I always make Saturday by treat day. I stick to my diet goals all week then on Saturday I reward myself with a treat. Plus, it just makes it easier to get through the week knowing that on Saturday I can have that banana split.

Measuring and Weighing

1. Measure your progress by dress size or pants size instead of pounds. Use a tape measure instead of the bathroom scales. Why? One of the by-products of eating healthy and exercising daily is converting fat to muscle. Muscle is denser, and weighs more than fat - but you're still getting smaller, and your clothing will tell you the truth.

2. Measure your day in steps - steps walked, that is. Counting the steps you walk each day and aiming to increase them to 10,000 steps daily is a great way to add exercise to your diet. By walking 10,000 steps a day, you can burn as many calories as you do when you do any of the following:

- Swim for 90 minutes
- Ride a bike for 70 minutes
- Play 10 holes of golf (without the cart)
- Walk 50 blocks
- Play soccer for 90 minutes
- Work for two hours in your garden

How do you fit in 10,000 steps? You can count every step you take during the day - clip on a pedometer first thing in the morning and take it off last thing at night. (Hint: Invest in a pedometer!)

3. Measure your food for the first month. Our concept of portion size has been greatly distorted by restaurants, magazine ads and our own eating habits. Invest a month in learning what a real portion looks like - weigh or measure everything. Stay away from buffets until you have reached your goals or for a special treat.

Attitude

1. Treat yourself well! Losing weight is something you're doing because you love yourself. Remember to reinforce yourself regularly for your hard work. You can do it! "If one man (or woman) can do it, another can!" (Anthony Hopkins in "The Edge")

2. Focus on your health, not your weight. Eat healthy, exercise sensibly, and focus on how you will feel when you reach your goal. See yourself the way you want to be, but be realistic.

3. If you slip, forgive yourself and start again. After all, just one banana split never made anyone fat. Every day is a new day, and every day brings you closer to the new you.

By: Bob Janeway

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Try This Healthy Eating Diet Plan

How many times have you decided the time had come to loose a few pounds but everything you tried left you frustrated and feeling deprived. Have you ever considered a healthy eating diet plan?

If you aren’t familiar with a health eating diet plan you might be surprised at just how simple the concept is and you’ll be wondering why more aren’t using it to lose those extra pounds.

The healthy eating diet plan starts by recognizing that weight will only be lost when the number of calories burned exceeds the number of calories eaten. It also recognizes that if you drop your calorie intake too quickly your body will go into what’s called starvation mode storing fat for that rainy day.

The healthy eating diet plan goes one further stating that you can eat anything you want as long as you don’t exceed your calorie count for the day and in fact you need to reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories but no more. While at the same time increasing your calorie burn by 500 calories. That means you are going to have a 1000 calorie difference which is going to be noticeable on the diet scale.

The healthy eating diet plan also looks at the type of foods you are eating. Of course although it says you can eat anything you want it expect that you will not fill your diet with foods high in saturated fats but rather will mix your meals up with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables but it gives you the flexibility to mix it up how you like it without being restricted to certain foods.

So what would a healthy eating diet plan look like? Well it might look something like this:

Breakfast

• 1 cup Cheerios
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries
• 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk
• 1/2 whole-grain English muffin, toasted, topped with 1 teaspoon light margarine
• Coffee if desired

Mid-morning snack
• 4 pieces dried apricot
• 1 cup tea with lemon

Lunch
• Sandwich: one 6-inch whole-wheat pita, spread with 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise and stuffed with 2 ounces deli-style roast beef, 1-ounce slice of reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, 3 tomato slices and lettuce
• 4 baby carrots
• 1 banana,

Afternoon snack
• 5 ounces fat-free yogurt
• 3 vanilla wafers

Dinner
• 3 ounces grilled or broiled salmon brushed with 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed before cooking
• 2/3 cup brown rice
• 3/4 cup sliced asparagus spears steamed
• Salad: 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves topped with 1 tangerine, peeled and sectioned; 1 tablespoon chopped almonds; drizzled with 1 tablespoon sesame seed vinaigrette salad dressing
• Water or other no-cal beverage

Of course this is just an example of a healthy eating diet plan for a day. There are so many options that you will never be bored and remember you can eat which ever foods you want as long as you don’t exceed your daily calorie intake. So if you love fish eat as much as you want or perhaps you hate asparagus but love baby carrots then don’t eat asparagus but do eat all the baby carrots you want.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roger_Michaelson