Alien asked:


No food alone could ever cause us to lose weight, there is no such thing as the best single weight loss food. We all understand that weight loss is the result of the energy consumed from all various foods within the diet, and that a diet’s total energy must be lower than the energy used by the body. Some foods make it really difficult to lose weight. They create their own self-sustaining cravings (“Betcha can’t eat just one!”) and play havoc with your blood sugar and, ultimately, your waistline. But other foods do just the opposite.

Statistical data from 2003 to 2006 indicate that obesity rates had risen in 31 of the 50 American states. The data came from surveys conducted by different local health departments on the height and weight of people from different states. Another result of the survey pointed out a close relationship between obesity and heart disease among the respondents. Due to the serious health implications of the study, state funding had been allocated to educate people about the dangers of being obese and overweight. The government-sponsored weight loss programs also focused on simple information campaigns about good eating habits.

People were provided flyers and other reading materials that contained information on how to make proper food choices. This strategy made sense since there are types of food that can actually curb one’s appetite and stop your sugar cravings. These food groups also boost metabolism which helps consume stored fat in the body which, in the process, leads to weight loss. Shown below are some of the “good food” that should be part of a weight watchers eating plan:

1. Beans – Beans contain cholecystokinin, a digestive harmone that acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Beans also keep blood sugar on an even keel and helps stave off hunger longer. High-fiber bean varieties can even lower cholesterol levels.

2. Salad – Eating salad is highly recommended by the American Dietetic Association because the vegetable-based meal is rich in vitamins c and e, lycopene, folic acid, and carontenoids. However, it is best to cut down on the dressing when eating salad. Some salad dressings can actually be high in calories.

3. Eggs – Eaten in moderate amounts, eggs are good for the health since these contain protein that helps prevent spikes in blood sugar. Weight watchers are often advised to eat only egg whites.

4. Green Tea – This type of tea is an antioxidant and helps stimulate metabolism which, in turn, burns fat. Green tea is rich in antioxidants called catechins.

5. Soup – Having a little chicken soup is good for the body because it helps decrease hunger. Chicken soup is considered a folk remedy for colds and flu.

6. High-fiber Cereals – Cereals which are high in fiber help improve digestion and are good for reducing hunger pangs.

7. Tofu – If you eat tofu, you tend to eat less food. Tofu is considered as an appetite-quashing protein.

8. Desserts: You have to try and keep your sweet tooth under absolute control and avoid desserts.

9. Olive Oil – Cooking food in olive oil is healthy because it contains mono-unsaturated fat which is widely accepted as a product that helps prevent cardiovascular disease.

10. Pears – This fruit is a good source of fiber and fructose which does not cause spikes in blood-sugar levels.

11. Nuts – Research released by Purdue University showed that adding about 500 calories of peanuts to their regular diet helped them eat less food that could cause weight gain.

12. Watermelon – Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it’s hot outside?

“Half of the watermelon comes from water. …It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet,” says Moores.

To keep your cool and cut your time in the kitchen, start with prepared produce, such as cut-up fruit and washed greens. Add rotisserie chicken, prepared soups, and pre-threaded kabobs when you need something a bit heartier. Pre-prepped foods may cost a little extra, but they save time in the kitchen.

Alien asked:


Fish oil is recommended for a healthy diet because it contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation throughout the body

Here are some great benefits of fish oil:

Some experts believe that taking fish oil (in any form) can help regulate cholesterol in the body,[attribution needed] because fish oil has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The regulation occurs through effects of the EPA and DHA constituents on Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR?). Besides cholesterol regulation, benefits include anti-inflammatory properties and positive effects on body composition. However, the preferred source of Omega 3 should be from the fish’s body, not the liver.

Fish oils are fascinating nutrients. Almost every aspect of our health, physical and mental, is related to the types of fatty acids that make up our cells and tissue, including vision. And it appears that most of us are not ingesting the right kind of fatty acids, the ones found in fish and fish oils. I have discovered that fish oils supplements help eyesight. I have also discovered a combination of herbs and nutrients that improve eyesight within hours. See below. Fish oils are also beneficial for mental health and sexuality.

1. Fish oil prevents heart attack – Dr Alexander Leaf and colleagues at Harvard Medical School found that eating oily fish like salmon or tuna at least twice a week could prevent a heart attack.

2. Fish oil protects against heart disease and stroke – Researchers at Southampton University found that omega-3 fish oil stops the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries, protecting against heart disease and stroke.

3. Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer. And finally, omega 3 fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us that omega 3s accomplish this in three ways. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells.

4. Fish oil prevents mothers from giving birth to very small babies – The University of Bristol research team found that a mother-to-be who eats fish during the later stages of pregnancy is less likely to have a very small baby.

5. Stopping the buildup of fatty deposits (triglycerides) in the arteries.

6. Fish oil helps with prostate cancer – The Paterson Institute researchers found that a diet rich in a fat found in oily fish and some seeds may protect men with prostate cancer from developing a more aggressive form.

7. Fish oil reduces the growth of breast cancer – Researchers from Indiana University found that when mixing compounds from omega-3 fatty acids with the anaesthetic propofol, together they appeared to reduce the growth of breast cancer cells.

8. Fish oil reduces inflammation – The researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that a diet high in oily fish like salmon and mackerel may help improve inflammatory conditions such as arthritis; the oily fish diet worked best when combined with low aspirin doses.

9. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what’s known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.

10. Fish oils may be helpful to people with lupus since fish oils have anti-inflammatory properties.

11. Fish oil betters brain and visual development in children – Bristol University researchers found that a mother-to-be who eats oily fish is more likely to have children with better brain and vision developments.

12. Fish oil has also been used to treat conditions such as depression, eczema, IBD, macular degeneration and arthritis. Fish oil benefits the heart significantly, as well as the rest of the body.

How much fish oil should adults take?

A good dose for adults is roughly ~6 grams of salmon oil per day with food.

Should everyone take fish oil?

Generally yes. In a minority of cases some individuals feel strange on fish oil and do better on other oil types.

Although you can get the benefits of fish oil from eating cold water fish such as salmon or cod, there is always the danger of mercury contamination as well as other toxins. This is why pregnant women and young children are advised against eating fish.

The other issue is that you cannot be sure that the fish you are eating contains enough EPA and/or DHA to ensure the maximum fish oil benefits. It is always possible that the concentration of these important nutrients is reduced during the manufacturing/handling processes.

Terry Edwards asked:


There are several keys to experiencing weight loss success with any diet program, but one of the biggest is avoiding those nasty food cravings. Here are some tips to help you in this all important area.

There is certainly no shortage of diet and weight loss programs that will help you lose weight, but 99% of them make it difficult, if not impossible to stay on for any length of time. This is mainly due to the fact that they leave you feeling even hungrier after eating and even worse, leave you with food cravings throughout the day.

One of the main problems with food cravings is that when you succumb to them you will always eat far too much of whatever you were craving. For example, I can remember one time I was craving Pringles potato chips. What happened? You guessed it, I ate the entire can! And you know how destructive that can be on any weight loss plan.

Why do we get cravings? Believe it or not, most always it’s because we need water. Our body requires 6 ingredients to run right; protein, fat, minerals, carbs and water. So, when your body isn’t getting enough of one of these ingredients, it causes a craving for it. Think of when you were really thirsty the last time. You wanted a drink of water in the worst way. It’s the same way for all 6 of these food ingredients.

How does this apply to weight loss plans and diets? Well, when a particular diet program completely eliminates a food group, it leads to you getting cravings. Your body rebels so to speak and you begin feeling miserable. Shortly after that, most everyone ends their diet.

How can you prevent food cravings? As you can probably tell by now, the only way to get rid of cravings is by eating foods from all six groups. With that said though, the key to weight loss success is eating the “good” foods from these six groups and not the junk foods.

A good diet plan will include these “good” foods in all food categories. When you find this type of weight loss program, you’ll most likely begin to see success, and more importantly, eliminate the cravings.

Roger Leblanc asked:


In our zeal to lose weight we often lose sight of the more significant issue of good health.

Certainly it is good for our health to lose unwanted fat, and of course we all want to look good in front of the mirror. But it is vitally important to remember that good health is the number one concern and looking good in your jeans is a distant second. I emphasize this because I am continually put off by the number of diet plans or weight solutions that either do not encourage overall health or are actually detrimental to your health to begin with.

So called diet pills, which include the “natural” herbs such as hoodia, are effective in decreasing your appetite. But these pills imply a “quick fix” solution that does not encourage a healthy diet or stress the importance of proper exercise. Also dangerous are plans where you essentially starve yourself of proper nutrition or the outright fraudulent suggestion that you can burn pounds of fat with just ten minutes of exercise a day. Keep in mind the old adage: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Not that every plan is equally bad. In fact some are fairly good, such as weight watchers and Jenny Craig. My only reservation against these is that they seem to neglect the value of exercise in overall health.

Remember; weight loss is an important part of a good health program, but it cannot be the entire program. A good and healthy weight loss program ought to fit well within an overall program of health and fitness. This takes both a healthy diet and regular exercise. Any plan that appears to go counter to this is to be absolutely avoided. Don’t believe me? Ask your doctor at your next yearly checkup.

Ruddy Setiadi Gunawan asked:


Diet is a tough challenge for many people. I will give you some useful tips for your diet. These tips are good to read but extremely useful if you really practice these tips in your real life.

Let’s start with foods.

So what’s your problem with foods? You should think about foods based on their calories and energy. I will give you a list of 15 foods that is good for your health.

Mineral water, fruit, carrots, eggs, peanut butter, yogurt, lemons, mayo, mustard, cheese, canned veggies and fruits, milk, spices and herbs, cereal, butter. Let’s start from mineral water.

Everyone needs mineral water. Many people loved soda but you should try to love mineral water. Always have some cold water on hand. Beside water, what you will always need is a low fat milk on hand. Remember, low fat milk. And don’t forget to replace your unhealthy snacks (example: chocolate, potato chips) with fruits.. Whenever you are hungry and tempted to eat snacks, you should eat fruits.

Carrots. You will need carrots. Good for snacking and also good for your health. Aboutpeanut butter, peanut butter is good because of its protein. Fortunately, you should not worry about the fat. And why you need eggs? Protein. That’s why. Everyone loves eggs.

Yogurt also good for you. You can make tons of drinks out of this. Eat it often. And If you loved seafood, you should need lemons. Also, a cold glass of lemonade is great after a days work. Don’t forget butter. Butter is a must for baked goods.

And if you loved chicken salad or sandwiches, you should think about mayo. You do need to use some if you make chicken salad. Mayo tastes good for me but don’t use this stuff every day. And you can use mustard for sandwiches.

Hey do you love cheese? I loved it and you certainly need cheese but do not ever eat too much cheese. You can get fat. The next good food is vegetables and fruits in can. When in a pinch, canned is better than none at all. You should always have some canned vegetables and fruits on hand. When you are hungry and looking for fresh foods, canned vegetables and fruits can be a good alternative.

How about spices and herbs? You will always need them. Go to a place where you can buy them in bulk.

And now the last food. I think many people loved cereal for their breakfast. Cereal is healthy and effective, if you don’t have much time before go working, cereal is your best alternative.

Now you know what is 15 good foods and drinks for your health. Now you should need to know 10 things if you want to get a healthy lifestyle.

1. Do not ever lose touch with reality, whatever you do. It is important for you to always know the reality in front of you.

2. Stay away from “super diet”. Do not ever rush into diet that is too strict for you.

3. Always eat when you hungry. I strongly suggest you to always eat in breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Do not skip.

4. Control your emotions. Don’t let emotions control you. Many people when they are frustrated or angry, they eat lots of food. You should not allow foods to come between you and your problem.

5. If you have any questions, ask professionals or your family. Do not hesitate. You are not alone in this world.

6. Don’t cut down too many calories when you eat or your body will start storing anything to replace calories needed by your body.

7. You should not check your weight everyday. Sometimes you will become depressed.

Everybody is eager to see the confirmation of his or her efforts in the shape of lost pounds, but you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuations of your weight will soon have you depressed and ready to quit dieting. And this is something you want to avoid.

8. Gym is good for your health and muscle build but do not go to the gym every day. Your body needs time to heal and expand the muscle mass after each training session.

9. Eat your favourite foods but do not too often. Diets are not prisons. Sometimes you need to eat your own favourite foods, but do not eat too much.

10. You will need willpower. Without “willpower” you will never succeed in your diet plans. But use your logic as well, don’t push yourself too hard.

Sheri O. Zampelli, M.S., CCH asked:


Over 95% of people who use restrictive dieting to lose weight, gain it all back within one year. Restrictive dieting alone will never solve your weight problem. In fact, many studies show that dieting actually causes weight problems because it forces you to focus most of your energy on food and your weight. Dieting fosters diet mentality which causes us to call some foods “good” and others “bad”. If you’re dieting your feelings about yourself are often dictated by your food choices.

Here are some common statements you might hear people make when they’re on a diet:

“I was really good today, all I had was rice cakes and a protein shake.”

“Wow! That cheesecake is so good I felt like licking my plate.”

“I wish I could be good like you, look at how bad I’m being.”

Notice how the word “good” is used for the diet food and the high fat food interchangeably. Notice also how dieter’s judge themselves based on the food they put in their mouths. Our words and beliefs have power over our feelings and

our actions. If we do something we think is “bad”, we will likely begin to feel bad and even make choices to prove how bad we are. This is called a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, one of the keys to stress-free slimness is to stop judging ourselves based on food choices. Another key is to change our definition of “good” so that it’s consistent and self-affirming. There is no food that’s universally “good” or “bad”. We all have different tastes and we can eat a variety of foods in moderation without gaining weight. However, it is true that some foods contain more nutritional value than others and therefore are good for our bodies. Some foods give our bodies more of what we need. If you must call food “good”, reserve the label for food that’s: high quality, enjoyable and beneficial to your body’s health.

As a dieter, you are in a quandary when you label “good” food: boring. I’ve seen long-time dieter’s roll their eyes at people who are healthy or “good”. They say things like “I’m not good like her” or snicker at the prospect of eating “good” as if it’s somehow uncool or dreary. We must change our mindset if we hope to have long term health and weight maintenance.

If you’re like many dieters you have assimilated numerous low-fat, low-calorie foods into your diet and you call yourself “good” for eating them. Yet these foods are not good in any way. They don’t taste good, they usually aren’t good for you and they don’t necessarily make you feel good after you’ve eaten them. In fact, many dieters will admit that certain diet foods cause a myriad of symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, headaches and constipation to name a few. I think we can all agree: these side effects are not “good”. So, to help you reframe the concept of “good” food and “bad” food, I’m going to leave you with a mental image you can carry with you so that you are eating more “good” foods and feeling better. If you keep it up, you will probably lose weight too.

Imagine that “good” food is the kind of food that makes your body say “hooray!!” Imagine the food goes down the “conveyor belt” of your throat, to your stomach. When it arrives; your organs, cells and glands all say, “WOW check out all the new nutrients we just got in! There’s tons of good stuff here. Yipee!!” On the flip side, when you eat pre-processed, preservative and chemical-laden foods, your body says, “Oh no, not again. How does she expect me to exist on this? There’s almost nothing I can use here. The whole thing is waste! I’m going to have to spend all my energy processing this worthless food…for what?”

I hope this mental image will stick with you the next time you’re making a food decision whether it’s at the grocery store, a restaurant or a party. Be good to yourself. You deserve it and your body deserves it.