How to Obtain the Best Diet Nutrition

Diets are all about cutting food out of our diets, but a “diet” doesn’t have to mean eliminating the good and healthy foods.  Throughout my years, all too many of my friends (and myself included) have gone down an unhealthy path of losing weight, which usually consisted of us limiting our food intake to an extreme and unsustainable degree – which of course resulted in a complete relapse and even more weight being added on to our bodies.

While you’re cutting out certain foods from your daily snacks and meals, it’s important to remember what nutrients your body actually needs in order to function and stay healthy on a day to day basis.  When dieting, here are some key tips for you so you can be sure that you are still nourishing your body appropriately while shedding the weight:

Multivitamins are your Best Friend
Multivitamins or nutritional supplements are a “must” for every single dieter out there.  No matter what you may be lacking in a day, that multivitamin is going to ensure that your body is receiving the vitamins and minerals it needs.  These nutritional supplements have so few calories that there is no reason to NOT take one.  Be sure to treat your body right and take your vitamins every single day (even if you’re not dieting).

Figure Out How Many Calories you Need
How many calories you need may be very different from how many calories I need in a day.  There are several free calorie counters online that you can use, or you can put your head (or calculator) to work and figure it out yourself.  Once you have the amount of calories you “need” on a daily basis figured out, cut 500 calories from that amount.  That is your ideal “weight loss” daily caloric intake.  At a rate of 500 calories less each day, you should lose 1 pound per week.

Keep a Diet Diary
It’s important for you to make note of your previous meal and how many calories you consumed.  Drinks and tiny snacks also should be included in the diet diary (for instance, if you had a cup of coffee this morning, check how many calories coffee has and add it in – no matter how miniscule the caloric amount may be!).  Some even take bi-weekly photos of themselves to help track their weight loss and to celebrate their success.

Water is your New Best Friend
All drinks that you had before that weren’t water need to be replaced by water.  Soda, alcoholic drinks, milk and fruit all have calories – but water doesn’t.  If you find yourself growing bored of drinking water day in, day out you can try changing it up with the following:

- Buy some sparkling water if you miss the fizz of your soda
- Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice to your glass
- Sweeten up the water with Stevia or honey
- Try vitamin water

Watch Your Portion Size
Go to any restaurant these days and you could almost be certain that the plate sizes ten years ago just weren’t quite as large.  Many fast food restaurants have also increased the sizes of their products, by either making the soda cup larger or adding more patties to a burger.  When you’re preparing a meal, look at the plate you’re using.  As a general rule, vegetables and/or fruits should take up one half of the plate. The other half is available for your main course and any other side dish.  When eating meat, poultry and fish, cut or serve the portion in such a way so that the portion is about the size of the palm of your hand (approximately 4 oz.).  As a general guideline, you can be sure that you are getting the necessary fats and proteins as well as vitamins with each and every meal.

Go for Foods with the Biggest Nutrient Punch
Cucumbers may not have a whole lot to them, but kale certainly has a lot to offer.  When planning out your new diet, aim to include foods that are loaded with nutrients that your body needs rather than foods with little substance (and probably little calories).  Start with researching vegetables and what each veggie has to offer; you’d be surprised how some vegetables are rich in proteins and calcium!

As with any diet plan, it is always a good idea to discuss your weight loss and nutrition goals with your doctor or a professional dietician so that you know that you are on the right track and will do no harm to your body.

When I decided to go on a “low carb” diet (also referred to as a ketogenic diet), a number of my friends on other more “traditional” diet plans went into a panic.  After about 30 seconds into their lecture, I realized that their concern was more a result of not knowing what a low carbohydrate diet was than anything else.  If you are thinking about going on a low carb diet and aren’t quite sure how to start, or what the diet entails, you’ve come to the right place to learn more and decide if it’s for you.

What is a Carbohydrate?
Carbohydrates are in most of the foods that we eat.  Carbs consist of different sugars and starches, and break down into glucose (aka sugar).  Glucose is one of the three main sources we derive our energy from so we can get out of bed each morning and be productive.

A short list of foods that are high in carbohydrates are:

Cereals, grains and breads: Bagels, white and whole wheat bread, rice, pasta
Fruits: Dates, berries, apples oranges, watermelons, raisins
Vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots
Beans: White beans, black eye peas, chickpeas, refried beans
Sugar:  White table sugar, candies, any foods with corn syrup, fruit juices

Why would we want to limit our Carb Intake for Weight Loss?
When you eat any sort of carbohydrate, your body releases something called “insulin” into your bloodstream.  Insulin’s role is to tell the cells in our body to nab the sugars from the blood as quickly as possibly, and to then tell the fat cells to not release any fat to burn off since our bodies acknowledge that they will be getting their energy from the sugar we have now ingested.  If there is not enough sugar in our blood stream for energy use, our bodies will then turn to our fat cells and “instruct” our fat cells to release fat to be used as energy instead.

While carbohydrates are certainly necessary for us to function, most Western countries consume so many carbs in a day that often our fat cells never get a chance to release our body’s fat for energy use (thus not allowing us to lose weight).  If you chose to eat a low carb diet, the amount of carbohydrates in our bodies are limited (thus limiting the amount of insulin telling our bodies to burn sugar rather than fat) and so our fat cells are then able to release fat into our bloodstream so fat can be burned and used as fuel.

How do Low Carb Diets Work?
Most of us in North America eat upwards to 300 grams of carbohydrates a day, which means we have a whole lot of insulin coursing through our bodies, telling our fat cells to hold on to that fat we wish to release.  Eating so many carbs makes it almost impossible for most to actually lose any weight and can even cause one to gain MORE weight!

Our bodies get their energy from three sources:  carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.  Low carb diets focus on limiting your carbohydrate intake between 20 to 60 grams a day, while increasing the amount of protein and fats you eat.  This means eating more meat, soy products and vegetables that are low in carbohydrates (such as kale, spinach, broccoli and peppers) and cutting out the crackers, pasta, most fruits and anything made with refined sugars.

What should I know before starting a Low Carb Diet?
As with any diet, there are a number of issues you should be aware of to help decide if this type of diet is right for you.  The first concern is:

Depletion of Glycogen: Glycogen is the stored form of glucose/sugar.  Eating less carbs means less glycogen in your muscles and liver, which will cause water loss/dehydration (which is why many low carb dieters see a drastic drop in weight during the first two weeks).  It is also argued that the lack of glycogen leaves one feeling sluggish and fatigued, and that it can actually lead to muscle loss.  This in turn causes our skin to sag and become dull.

Decreased Basal Metabolic rate:  Metabolism is all about our muscles, so the less muscle and muscle tone you have, the slower our metabolism actually is.  This means that you could be burning fewer calories in a day than one who is not on a low carb diet.

Cuts out the Good Carbs:  Many of these low carbohydrate diets do recommend cutting out both the bad carbs (cookies, cakes, baked items, soda) and the good carbs (whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes).  Cutting out these natural and nutritious foods may leave our bodies completely nutritionally depleted, which leaves us open to illness and infection.

As with any diet, it’s important to recognize that consistency is key.  Failure to practice a diet meticulously will either lessen the positive results, or render no results whatsoever.  Before starting any diet plan, however, it’s always a good idea to visit your health practitioner for more information on the diet you are choosing to use and how it may affect your body specifically.

Best of luck on your weight loss journey!

When it comes to weight loss, there seems to be tons of weight loss advice where ever you turn.  Every friend, neighbor and stranger has about ten tips that they can give you on any given day.  But if we all know so much about weight loss and how it should be accomplished, why are so many of us still struggling with the pounds?

Taking any sort of “tip” or piece of information needs to be gently incorporated into our lives.  Many of us are not mentally prepared to make our weight loss goals sustainable and realistic.  Here’s how you can start today:

Be Positive
Some days you’ll feel defeated and beaten down.   Some days that scale won’t budge or a pound or two may have snuck back on.  You need to stay positive and resolute that yes, you can and you WILL lose the weight that is on your body.  Other people have done it, and it’s not all because they took some miracle drug, had liposuction or their tummy stapled.  It is because they believed in themselves.

Change your Lifestyle (Gradually)
Either you or someone you know has purchased a pricey gym membership in haste, only to completely abandon that treadmill and weightlifting machine within that very month.  It’s great to feel inspired, but if you weren’t one who was even remotely interested in joining a gym before, what makes you think that you will suddenly have the drive to get up and go every single day for the next “x” amount of years?  If you don’t even take a 30 minute walk on a daily basis, start from there.  Get into a routine.  Once your mind begins to adjust to this new behavior you’ve thrown at it, you’ll have an easier time moving on to bicycling, swimming, Pilates, yoga – and perhaps even that gym membership if you still want it.

The foods we eat of course have a great impact on our lives as well.  Begin by changing one meal a day, or by actually eating breakfast if you are one of the many who skips this vital meal each morning.  If you find yourself going for cookies, crackers, chips and sweets when you snack, start there.  Grab different nuts, trail mixes, veggies and dip, hummus and pita bread, fruits – the options are endless!  Once you adjust to that change, start changing what you eat for lunch from high processed and fatty foods to whole, natural foods (such as a whole grain pita with 4 oz. of chicken and vegetables).  From there, branch out to changing breakfast and dinner as well.

TIP: Look into taking natural supplements that may help you with weight loss, such as Omega 3-fatty acid supplements or vitamin B12.  Discuss with your doctor how these supplements can help you achieve your weight loss and health goals.

Read Food Labels
As much of a yawn fest reading food labels may be, it is very important that you know what you’re eating.  Foods with tons of sugars, dyes, corn syrup, and words you cannot pronounce should be avoided as much as necessary.  Think that cereal you’ve been eating every morning is good for you?  Think again.  You’d be surprised how much junk is actually packed into a “whole grain” cereal these days.

Take Before and After Photos
Apart from measuring yourself and using a scale, there’s perhaps no better way to keep a person driven to shed the pounds than to take before and after pictures.  When you decide to begin your weight loss journey, get down to your underwear and take a full body picture of yourself (grumble and complain now, but you’ll be grateful that you did!).  If possible, try to take a front, back and side shot. You don’t need to post the pictures of yourself up any where visible; place them in a scrap book or journal so you can follow your weight loss journey.

Focus on Yourself – Not Others
Comparing yourself to your buddy is not a very wise move.  Each of us has a different body which also means we lose weight differently: some take longer while others take shorter; some lose the weight in their thighs while others shed the “love handles” first.  Take into account that men tend to lose weight far more easily and faster than women due to the difference in our physiological make up as well.  So husbands, don’t judge your wife if she isn’t burning as much fat as you; and ladies, don’t compare yourself to your partner’s success.  Weight loss is all about YOU and YOUR achievements.

When ever you do decide to embark on your weight loss success story, be sure to let the people around you know that you’re serious about it (and realistic – don’t expect to burn more than 1 pound a week!).  If you ever falter, your friends and family will be sure to keep you in check and they will be your personal cheerleading squad.

Oh and there are the vegetables you spent forever chopping stay sitting on their dinner plate, growing cold.  Is this effort all for naught?

It is possible to get your children eating the right foods, but it will take some creativity and ingenuity on your part.  These are my favorite ways to get children eating healthier without any begging, pleading or bribing:

Multivitamins and Supplements
Getting a child to take a pill can be rather difficult (if not impossible), but many of the multivitamins and dietary supplements out there these days are things that children naturally gravitate towards.  Ice pops, “candy” gummies, and soda-like drinks – you name it, and there’s probably a children’s multivitamin form of it.  Your child will need little to no encouragement to try these supplements, even if you do tell them it’s nutritious.

Smoothies
Any weathered parent will tell you that smoothies are a sure-fire way to get your children eating right.  In any given smoothie, you can squeeze any where from 2 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in there with your child being none the wiser.

All you need to make a smoothie is a blender and a couple of ingredients!  Here are some quick and easy smoothie recipes to try with your kids:

For the yogurt lovers:  Grab a pint of yogurt, some ice cubes, a quarter of a pint of fruit juice and 7 ounces of each of the following fruits for a delicious yogurt smoothie:

• Banana and Mango
• Peach and Raspberry
• Blueberry and Strawberry
• Pomegranate and Pear

For milk-based smoothies, the same general rules apply:  Take half a pint of milk, a handful of ice cube, and then throw about 7 ounces of each of the following fruits into your blender for a delicious kid-friendly smoothie:

• Banana and Strawberry
• Peach and Apricot
• Blueberry and Raspberry
• Nectarine and Pear

For those who want to try adding some vegetable content to those fruit smoothies, start off slowly with these easily disguised vegetable smoothie recipes:

• Carrot juice, mangoes and apple
• Apple juice, cucumber and melon
• Apple juice, avocado and a spritz of lime

You can use the vegetable smoothie recipes for milk or yogurt based recipe.

Make Meals and Snacks Together
There’s no better way to get your child involved and taking responsibility for his or her own health than having them make the food that they eat!  Invest in a couple of good child cook books that focus on nutritious meals and snacks that kids love and work on those as a family.  One lunch I particularly like making with my kids are homemade pizza bagels.  All you need is:

• Whole wheat bagels (cut in half)
• Tomato sauce
• Mozzarella cheese (or another kind if you feel adventurous)
• Kid friendly and nutritious toppings (such as green peppers, onions, tomatoes, chicken, beef)
• Oregano, basil and pepper for seasoning

Preheat your oven to 325*F.  While waiting, take the bagel and spread tomato sauce on each half.  Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over each half, and then add your (or your child’s) favorite topping.  Place each bagel half on a baking sheet, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes (take them out once the cheese is bubbling!).  Allow the bagels to cool for a minute and then enjoy!

Make Good Health Fun
The worst thing a parent can do is make “eating healthy” seem like “eating boring”.  By trying out different recipes with your kids and explaining the health benefits, discussing good fats versus bad fats, and getting them outside and playing around are all great ways of promoting good health as a parent.

Some Things to Consider with your Child and Their Diet
It is important for parents to acknowledge that a child’s diet may need to differ from their own.  For instance, a child under 2 should only drink whole milk.  Children under 5 should not drink skim milk.  The younger the child, the more healthy fats a child requires in his or her diet.

Younger children also require a whole lot less fiber than children over 6 years of age. 

The most important thing when it comes to your child’s diet is to focus on the four food groups: breads & cereals, fruits & veggies, milk & dairy, and meat, fish & alternatives.  When ever possible, avoid refined sugars (like cookies, cake and sweets) and processed foods (such as fast foods).

If you have any further questions or concerns about your child’s diet, be sure to speak to a dietician or your health care practitioner for more information.

Admit it: you’ve checked out the amount of calories you’re adding to your body when you put that cracker in your mouth.  Maybe you did the same when you ate that personal sized yogurt.  Or when you decided to indulge in that chocolate bar after lunch.  We’re all checking out the calories that we’re putting into our bodies for SOME foods, but we’re not keeping track of it all (yes, that cup of coffee with cream and sugar certainly has some calories that need to be accounted for!).  Ask most how many calories they consume on a daily basis and they’ll either give you a figure that’s completely off-base or they’ll admit they have no idea.

How many Calories Should I Eat in a Day?
A calorie is a word used to describe a unit of energy.  The amount of calories that one should consume in a day varies on a number of factors: height, activity level, age, and weight loss goals (if any).  For the average person, a 1500 calorie diet is sufficient to keep us energized and mentally alert without packing on the pounds.  If you exercise regularly, you may need more calories than this to keep your body going throughout the day and to fight fatigue.  Similarly, if you spend your days sitting on the couch or laying in bed, you can get away with less than 1500 calories a day while still being functional.

If I need 1500 Calories, Why switch to a 1200 Calorie Diet?
A 1500 calorie diet is fine for those who are satisfied with their current weight, but for anyone looking to shed some pounds, consider taking on a 1200 calorie diet.  Initially, taking on the 1200 calorie diet may seem like a lot less food and you may think you’re going to starve.  Here’s the good news: you won’t starve and you will always be feeling full and satisfied as long as you follow these tips:

- Eat several small meals and snacks each day.  Eating up to 6 small meals a day will not only keep you full, but it will also keep your metabolism revved up and running.
- When you eat, eat slowly.  Eating slowly allows our stomach to effectively communicate to our brain when it’s full, whereas eating too quickly doesn’t get that message through until after we’ve overstuffed ourselves.
- Drink a lot of water.  Water will help fill you up AND it has zero calories.  Bonus!
- Keep your diet simple, yet varied.  You don’t need to eat lean chicken and a salad for every meal.  Change it up!
- Be sure to take a multivitamin or nutritional supplement every day.  You need to make sure that you are getting the nutrients your body needs to be in tip top shape.
How do I Plan to eat a 1200 Calorie Diet?
First and foremost, before starting a diet plan of this kind be sure to check in with your health care practitioner and/or dietician.  He or she will be a wealth of resources when it comes to dieting, calories and nutrition.

Next, it is important that you do actually PLAN your diet.  Write down ingredients for meals, plan out snacks, and be sure to purchase items you need only once a week when you do the grocery shopping.  Forgetting even one thing from a recipe may land a tempted person at the fast food drive-thru window.

Both the library and the Internet have tons of resources on ideal 1200 calorie diets that will keep you interested and motivated.

Below is an example of a typical 1200 calorie diet day:

Breakfast:
- 1 large hardboiled egg (90 calories)
- 2 rashers of lean bacon (200 calories)
- 2 slices of whole wheat toast with a thin spread of butter (200 calories)
- 1 large slice of melon (47 calories)

Lunch:
- Cream of mushroom soup (96 calories)
- 1 large mixed salad (80 calories)
- 1 slice of bread with thin spread of butter (108 calories)

Snack:
- 1 personal low fat yogurt (60 calories)
- 1 piece of fruit (40-50 calories)

Dinner:
- Pasta salad (200-300 calories)
- 50g of tin can tuna (50 calories)

Many stores also sell frozen pre-made low-calorie dishes that you can purchase if you feel like having a lazy “cooking” day.

When attempting to lose weight, you certainly want to stay away from any foods with refined sugars and corn syrup (say good bye to your pop, table sugar and sweets!), any foods with transfats, any foods that will make a brown paper bag turn see-through (fatty, greasy foods) and most alcoholic beverages.

Remember, any sort of change to one’s diet will be met with challenges and temptations.  To help keep on track, write down every piece of food you consume in a day to help you keep motivated and on track.  Best wishes to you and your weight loss!