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Clean Eating – A Delicious Way to Eat Healthy!

When someone tells you that they eat clean, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?  If you are like most people you are probably imagining a diet that is boring, loaded with carrots, celery sticks and dried out grilled chicken.  In truth, this diet certainly would be considered clean, but clean eating doesn’t have to be boring!

Although you will want to consume foods as close as possible to their natural state, these foods can and should be prepared in a way that is delicious.    Just yesterday I enjoyed some low fat French fries that I made of baked sweet potatoes drizzled in a smoked jalapeno cream.  I can ensure you that in no way did I feel deprived!  With a little practice just about anyone can learn to prepare wholesome foods in a way that is delicious.

If the idea of eating clean is new to you, there are a couple of things you will want to keep in mind.  First, you will want to have three meals each day as well as two or three snacks.  Eating frequently has been shown to increase your metabolism and even more importantly it can help keep your blood sugar levels stable.  This means you will be much less likely to overeat later on in the day.  Each meal should consist of complex carbohydrates as well as protein foods from lean sources.  You should also include at least six servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Although you will only be eating healthy foods, understanding portion size is key.  There is no need to count calories but portions should be approximately the size of your palm for protein and carbohydrates.  The approximate portion size for fruits and vegetables is what you could fit in two palms.

Steer clear of processed and refined foods as well as those that are high in saturated fats or those that contain trans fats.  Rather, focus on getting healthy Essential Fatty Acids in your diet.

With a little planning, a clean diet that is also delicious is possible!

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Four Tips To Healthy Restaurant Meals

Eating out has become a part of every American household’s life. It is that one occasion where Mom gets to forgo cooking and the family gets together over delectable meals whether to celebrate special occasions or simply to just unwind and relax. But with the recent statistics on American obesity coupled with the revelations on the exceedingly high amount of calories found in most restaurant meals, many point to one as the cause of the other.

The problem is that avoiding the cafes, fine dining restaurants, and fast food joints all at the same time seems to be quite inconceivable for some, especially with the increased temptations of the many Italian, French, American and Asian restaurants proliferating in our cities today. The good news is that there are effective ways by which you can enjoy your usual dining outs while still staying true to a healthy and nutritious meal.

Screen the Restaurant’s Menu

Before your dinner date with the family, experts advise taking the time out to pull up your restaurant’s menu online. Doing this will allow you to sort out the healthy meals from the not so good ones and the internet is also a good way to conduct a calorie count to check on your chosen dishes. Plus it makes ordering much easier and you can easily check on whether you can use your O’Charley’s coupons to save on extra money.

Order a Meal to Your Specifications

If you feel that the menu items falls short on healthy choices then feel free to specify on how you would want a particular meal to be prepared. You can always ask to have your meat grilled, steamed or broiled instead of fried and you can opt to exchange your greasy fries for vegetable side dishes instead.

Ask Questions

Asking questions at a fine dining restaurant does not mean to say that you are ignorant, on the contrary it simply means that you are smart enough to familiarize yourself with their menu. In fact, many weight loss blogs emphasize the importance of asking about the ingredients in your dishes and how they are cooked. You will be surprised to know that even your healthy salad can be packed with calories you don’t even realize.

Get your H2O Fill

Instead of ordering wine, soda or juices that are all sugar enriched, why not gulp down on healthy and all natural water. If you find it too boring, then ask your waiter to add in a fresh squeeze of lemon or lime to invigorate your H20.

Living healthy is a matter of choice and once you’ve chosen this path, sticking to it is all about being conscious of what goes inside your body.

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Choosing Healthy Foods to Lose Weight

To succeed in losing weight we must be willing to learn a new lifestyle and change our old ones.  Habits are formed throughout our lives that are difficult to overcome. Many believe that choosing healthy foods to eat to lose weight is all they have to do. Often when we are young we do not have a weight problem, but many times as the years go by – the pounds go on. To be successful in losing weight it is important to make a decision to substitute the unhealthy for the healthy and it is just as important to know the difference between the two.

We have a tendency to eat the same foods regularly. Over and over we will often choose the same foods because these are the foods we prefer. First, it is wise to determine discover how many calories are in the foods we eat regularly. Then it is important to find ways of getting the same taste with less calories. Salads are one of the best weight loss foods available. However, if the salad is loaded with mayonnaise laced dressing or other dressing containing huge amounts of fat, the benefit of eating a salad to help maintain or lose weight is lost. There are many salad toppings available the do not contain nearly as much fat and yet taste wonderful. Search for new things that taste good and are low fat and then concentrate on changing a lifetime of eating habits.

As important as protein is to our daily diet there is no reason to stop eating it just because we have never taken the time to choose meats with less fat. Skinless chicken and turkey, leaner red meat, and one percent milk in place of whole milk will reduce caloric intake tremendously. Also, we do not necessarily have to eat meat to get the daily requirement of protein in our diet. Healthy substitutions include eggs and various legumes. After you acquire a taste for them, not only will you lose weight, you will not want to go back to the unhealthier way of eating.

Most fruits and vegetables are loaded with fiber, high in volume, packed with nutrients and are practically fat free. If you have certain fruits or vegetables you prefer to eat, fill up on them. You can stop hunger signals and curb appetite with these healthy foods you will eat less of the fat containing foods. Choose all the fruits and vegetables you can eat when you are dieting.

There are many factors which contribute to success in losing weight. Choosing healthy foods to lose weight is very important but it is only part of the process. Learning how to eat and establishing an exercise program will intensify your diet plan. Many believe that choosing healthy foods to lose weight is all it will take but remaining determined to change old traditions will be as important as anything you can do.

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The Modern Trend of Becoming Fit and Healthy

Fitness and healthy eating today is primarily being emphasized by young adults. Today’s generation is now more health conscious because of what obesity and stagnant lifestyles can do to people, and they are aware of the implications of not being conscious about what people eat and what the lack of exercise can do to the human body.

Public Reaction to the Truth about the Dangers of Unhealthy Food and Lifestyles

Being fit and healthy has also become popular because of the media and celebrities that are promoting healthy lifestyles and better living. The media are now concerned with the health of the community because of the sudden releases of documentaries that exposed the hazards of eating foods from fast food restaurants, and also the preparation and production of these particular foods.

And with the current generation learning the truth about the foods that they eat and also the realities of the sudden surge of obesity around the world, they are now more conscious about their health and the food that they consume.

The sudden popularity of getting healthy and fit has made certain companies, especially fast food companies, to revise their menus and offer consumers healthier alternatives rather than eating greasy foods.

And with the government’s sudden interest in being fit and productive they have decided to take action and try to promote eating of healthier foods in school cafeterias.

How to Turn Your Life Around with Healthier Habits

The best way to start being healthy in your family is by teaching and letting kids know the benefits of being healthy. Starting with the younger generation, they can drastically stop morbid obesity and start living a healthy life as they grow old.

To improve your diet, reduce processed foods in your diet, and increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, lentils and lean meats like chicken.

To improve your health, begin a routine of both strength and cardio training workouts to keep your heart healthy, your muscles strong, and burn fat, all at the same time.

With this sudden change in the way people perceive health and fitness, we can enjoy a healthier way of life and live longer. Just by promoting health and wellness in our own lives and helping others can drastically eradicate morbid obesity and lower the rates of deaths due to obesity.