The Color Wheel of Vitamins and Minerals

Eating a Variety of Color:

I've read many articles over the years, saved some, although unfortunately, I can't recall all of the sources. I even studied nutrition and food in my nursing courses, but my greatest education came from my mother and being raised off her garden! I can thank her for my basic knowledge of herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

Peas, A good crunch, fresh, right out of the garden, you can pop them into your mouth!

Recently I have had a few conversations with girlfriends who are trying to lose weight and with a colleague who is also a foodie chef and it got me to thinking that is was time for a blog designed to share the good fortune of wonderful food! 

Eating the Color Spectrum for Good Nutrition

It is no secret that eating a variety of colors in your diet will give you a better range of vitamins and minerals, so perhaps sometimes we just need a reminder to mix it up! Keep in mind Noah's rainbow in the sky, the next time you head to the grocery store and pick up a variety of color! If you usually just grab banana's, try instead some plums and oranges for your sweet tooth. If you're hooked on corn, give broccoli a try tonight!

Image is Mediterranean food.

 Image: There is more than one way to make a taco.

Another strategy is to try new types of food, like Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or Asian; Today, you can find that the Internet is full of recipes to try! Unlike the fast food variety of Chinese food, instead of relying on unhealthy fat for flavor, expose yourself to flavor in the form of savory herbs, various peppers or spices, and a glorious rainbow of vegetables!

The Color Wheel of Vitamins and Minerals: 

·         Red. In fruits and vegetables, red is vitamin A (beta carotene) and vitamin C. Typically, red produce are also high in manganese and fiber. Choose red bell peppers, tomatoes, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, rhubarb, pomegranates, and beets. Red apples also contain quercetin, a compound that seems to fight colds, the flu, and allergies. Tomatoes, watermelon, and red grapefruit are loaded with lycopene, a compound that appears to have cancer-fighting properties.

·         Orange. Just a shade away from red, orange in fruits and vegetables signifies a similar vitamin and mineral profile. You’ll get vitamins C, A, and B6, potassium, and fiber in choices such as butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, oranges, pumpkins, orange peppers, nectarines, and peaches.

·         Yellow. Banana is probably the first yellow fruit that comes to mind. It delivers potassium and fiber. It is the most calorie dense fruit you will find, which means it will also keep you full longer. Potassium and fiber, vitamin A, and magnesium you will find in other yellow produce, such as spaghetti squash, summer squash, and yellow bell peppers.

·         Green. Dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients, and because they are low calorie, they are considered "free food" in most diets. This means pile them on your plate! Dark leafy greens provide a staggering number of vitamins and minerals, compared to ice berg lettuce, that is more like consuming water. The dark leafy green group is spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, field greens for lettuce salads, broccoli and asparagus. Because of their rich lutein content, which aids eyesight, and foliate, which supports cell reproduction, they are well worth eating. So green it up! The calories only show their ugly head if you add salad dressing or butter on them. Try instead, a mixture of minced garlic, black pepper, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and a touch of olive oil. --And Instead of adding butter to cooked greens, try steaming them in chicken broth.

Play with your food!

·         Blue. Think blue, and you’re most likely picturing a bowl of blueberries, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. They are also loaded with fiber and make an incredibly versatile addition to your diet. Rather than eat plain pancakes, try making a whole-grain pancake and add blueberries to the batter! --And then add several raw ones on top, adding more yum to your cooked breakfast! Eat them by the handful, sprinkle them on cereal, or add them to salads for a sweet, different and delicious taste!

·         Purple. This group includes vegetables like red onions and eggplant, and fruits such as blackberries, Concord grapes, currants, and plums. Purple indicates the presence of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect blood vessels and preserve healthy skin. You can also find vitamin A and flavonoids in purple vegetables like radicchio, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, and purple carrots. If you garden, try some of these "Easter Egg" colors; an added benefit: Kids may be more inclined to eat them!

      










White. White may not be much of a color, but white vegetables, such as cauliflower, rutabagas, and parsnips, still shine with vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, K, and foliate, and they contain fiber. Don’t forget onions and garlic, which have a compound called allicin that seems to protect the heart and blood vessels from damage. Although, unlike the folk-lore they do nothing to keep the imaginary vampires away. ;-)

If your fruit and vegetable basket has been limited to peas and grapes, exploring the rainbow of choices available at your local farmers’ market or the produce section of your grocery store, will reward you with a bounty of vitamins and minerals as well as delicious meals! Bon appetit!

Barley, healthy grains, vegetables; Vegetarian meatless main dish ideas coming up

I was asked by a friend for information regarding grains, particularly Barley, and of vegetarian vegetable ideas for cooking meals.

• I did a previous blog on what the many choices of the best grains and what their nutrition values are. Reading that blog is a great place to start; then hit the back button and come back here ;-), or read this one first and then check it out: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/food-facts-with-best-grains-to-include.html

Salads at summertime are always a great idea:

Grilled vegetables are amazing on an Arugula Lettuce salad bed. Arugula is a peppery lettuce that is my favorite lettuce. ;-)

First, why choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and Grain Products?

Grain products and many vegetables and fruits are emphasized especially for their complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates are: whole-grain breads, cereals, pastas, rices like brown, and legumes like beans or lentils, and starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas, Lima beans or corn. Great sources of fiber come from: the whole-grain products, legumes, fruits with their skins, edible seeds like sunflowers, nuts, vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, raw onions in salads, pumpkin, spinach, turnip greens, Kale's (any green leafy veggie), Brussels sprouts, parsnips, beets, okra, and broccoli. Dietary fiber is important for healthy bowel functioning and can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids.

As far as losing weight issues, high fiber food means you will stay full longer, as the body takes longer to digest the complex carbohydrates, keeping your blood sugar steady and hunger at bay. The opposite occurs whenever we consume simple carbs, like white bread products or simple sugars like donuts. The blood sugar drops as soon as these are quickly digested, leaving us craving and hungry. This is when we get upset with ourselves because it seems our judgment power of what to eat is no longer with us. Unrefined complex starches products are unlike the white flour products, they are not over-processed on their pathway into the grocery stores, to the point of taking all that is good out of them, they contain fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially zinc, vitamin B6, and folacin. Clients have avoided complex carbohydrates with the misconception that they are fattening. Owing their low fat content, they are also low in kilocalories. Studies that were done --beginning in 1989, showed that a diet high in complex carbohydrates were more slimming than a diet of comparable kilocalories high in fat or simple sugars (the body breaks down simple carbs into simple sugars). Foods containing complex carbs are usually being eaten with added fats or sugars. For example, sugar is usually added to cereal, and butter to bread or potatoes.

Another reason to eat well:

Additionally, foods rich in vitamins A and C may help lower the risk for cancers, again studies have shown this for some time now. Cruciferous vegetables help reduce cancer susceptibility. Good sources of vitamin A and C and cruciferous vegetables are: Acorn Squash, Apples, Apricots, Avocados (good fat too), Bananas, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Collar Greens, Grapefruit, Lettuce, Kale, Kiwi Fruit, Kohlrabi, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches Prunes, Spinach, Strawberries, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes.

Barley:
I own many nutrition books from my dietary planning nurse days, so I looked it up. In regard to nutrition, barley sits right in the middle of the recommended grains; it’s minerals worth mentioning are Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, and a bit, 13.5mcg, of Selenium (which is an important one for any with low thyroid issues). The vitamins it holds the most of are: Choline and Niacin. Barley holds 3.5g’s of protein per serving of 1 Cup. It holds 303mg’s of Omega 6 fatty acid, and 33mg of Omega 3 fatty acid, which is great. Calorie and Carb count are 193 calories, from which 175 calories are from good carb, 12.6 are from protein, and 5.8 are from good fat. Total carb is 44.3g with 6g of Fiber. Sugar is a low .4g and its glycemic load is 19. For obvious reasons, I’d also try some of the other grains mentioned in the Food Facts on Best Grains: (http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/food-facts-with-best-grains-to-include.html ). J

Diet Ideas and Meal Planning in regard to Protein: I imagine if you are going off of meat for protein, your protein levels will level off very quickly; leaving you to eat a healthy vegetarian diet that considers its protein when planning meals. Otherwise, you will find yourself deficit in this important fuel. Even if you’re too high with protein in the urine now, after a month of very low protein intake, look into high protein grains, beans, nuts, tofu, milk and etc.;0) If you’re just cutting out red meat (which is what I usually do), then your protein count will be fine with the much healthier fish, chicken, turkey and fish options. Lol, yes, I mentioned fish twice, because ideally, we will eat it three times a week for those precious Omega’s. ;-)

Favorite Veggie recipes: Basically, grilled anything on the grill -with a bit of olive oil- and salt to taste is amazingly tasty and healthy: Eggplant, asparagus, fennel, zucchini/ green squashes, or red peppers to just name a few. I love to add the sweet fruit of cherry tomatoes to that list; combining several together can be a meal if you place it on a bed of grain like Amaranth or Farro. Or just grill a lemon and lime with the vegetables, cut in half for squeezing onto the grilled yummies. Serve with a Greek yogurt dip, or make a Greek dip --even better! 

Veggie Meals Coming Up:

 I will be taking photos coming up of the vegetarian meals that I like to make. Once my Spring-Summer garden is in full bloom (and it has begun nicely this year), I do a lot of cooking out of it. I have so much fun this time of yr! It will not be any trouble to just snap a few images as I make the dishes. –And, sharing even makes the cooking more fun. ;-)

I love to cook with produce straight out of the garden!

In the meantime:

• Good tips on natural foods that make you feel better:

http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/03/15-foods-to-mellowout-or-to-boost-your.html

• One of my fav recipes using Quinoa (one of the higher protein grains):

http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/blood-orange-kumquat-quinoa-salad-w.html

So, stay tuned in for the upcoming vegetarian meals;-)

15 Foods to MellowOut or to Boost your Mood! Herbs, Food tackle Stress. Mother Nature's Organic, Natural Cures out of your kitchen; Gardening, Diet.

15 Foods to MellowOut or to Boost your Mood!

We all have been there, pressure at work, sadness that you cannot shake, or stressors that put you over the edge. While some may need to ask their doctor about antidepressants, or anti-anxiety medications, others may simply benefit from Mother Nature’s natural cures. You have nothing to lose, give her a shot. Mom Nature can decrease stress hormones and soothe your sleep-deprived body, here are remedies that you can find with food and herbs.

Lavender (disclaimer, pic from Corbis)

I grow many herbs and vegetables in my back yard, but you can find any of these organic remedies in your grocery stores.  I grow lavender and Chamomile in my flower pots on my deck, so that they are within a quick reach. Lavender aids stress-related sleep disorders, treating mild insomnia; it is an aromatherapy to help your mind turn itself off. Have you ever gone to bed, tossing and turning all night, thinking up solutions, To-Do lists, and of your kid’s schedules? Native to the Mediterranean basin, Lavender can come in dried flowers and in essential oils like you find in potpourri, body lotions, teas and candles. I love the calming scent of candles, but what works for me is to make up a tea with a mixture of dried Lavender and Chamomile.

Chamomile

Some nights it’s our minds we cannot turn off, other nights, it’s our bodies. Chamomile can help the latter. Research shows that in animals, chamomile suppresses muscle spasms, which in effect, calms the body. Chamomile is native to Europe and Asia, but in the United States you can easily find it in tea, located in any grocery store. Note anyone who is allergic to hay or ragweed may not be able to take Chamomile.

St. John’s Wort (disclaimer: Alamy photo)I found out about the effects of this perennial herb through my experiences as a pharmaceutical representative. One of my drugs was Evista, an anti-osteoporosis drug for women. Many of the women complained of symptoms that were of a PMS nature; St. John’s Wort was the usual recommendation. St. John’s Wort is credited for improving mood and increases interest in activities in mildly depressed patients. However, check with your doctor in regards to interactions with any medications you may be taking before using it.

Passionflower

(Disclaimer: photo from Getty Images)

Yes, a flower can take you off that edge mentioned before. It is a creeping vine that is native to southern United States; you can grow it in your backyard! Vines are so easy to grow; they take off fast, and are tolerant of most things. This pretty little flower has more than looks on its side, it is used to treat nervous stress and anxiety in Britain; it was an approved over-the-counter sedative and sleep aid until 1978—drugs advanced and took the place of herbal treatments. You can find this flower in the form of an herbal supplement, or in teas.

Valerian Root

(Disclaimer: photo found from Alamy)

Valerian root has a sedative-like effect on humans. Often used in a medicinal tea infusion and tincture, this root can be found in approximately 60 different forms, including tablets, tea, juices, and drops. Just be sure to discuss it with your doctor before using in regards to possible negative reactions with food or medications. This root is cultivated in Europe, Japan, and in the United States; its history goes back into ancient Greece (It was documented by Hippocrates).

Green Tea

Improvement in mood is the result of an amino acid in green tea, theanine, which isn't present in any of the other caffeinated beverages.. Theanine is said to have a tranquilizing effect in the brain, which results from the production of alpha brain waves that induce a state of relaxation. Additionally, theanine alters the levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Here is a link to a recent study with it's results:  

http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Tea-As-a-Mood-Booster---How-Green-Tea-Positively-Affects-Depression&id=3465821. 

Another benefit found in green tea is Catechins, which are antioxidants; catechins are known to take down the risk of diseases such as heart, diabetes, and Alzheimer's.  It is good for the blood (lowers cholesterol), brain, heart, and weight loss. So have a hot cup of tea and enjoy.

Okay, those are the herbs that I frequently use, now for the food. More and more doctors are looking at diet as a means to treat many illnesses, as well as prevent them. When I wrote nursing care plans for my patients, the first thing that I looked at was improving their diet. Food does affect so many things!

Sweet Potatoes

(Disclaimer: Getty Image)

The next time you have the urge to eat away your anxiety, keep in mind, we reach for comfort food like macaroni and cheese because you are craving what a carbohydrate can bring you, Serotonin, a mood stabilizer. Sweet potatoes work as a power stress-busting food because of their sweet flavor and high concentration of carbohydrates- two common stress-related cravings. To boot, sweet potatoes are high in fiber, so that you digest this complex carbohydrate in a slow and steady manner, besides keeping you full longer, fiber also keeps you physically-and emotionally-satisfied longer.

Whole Grains

Now that we have mentioned fiber, need a happiness boost? Try snacking on a healthy portion of complex carbohydrates, triggering the release of serotonin, known to be the feel good hormone; allowing you to feel calm, relaxed and happy. The ideal carbs include whole grains, cereals, oats, quinoa, brown rice, legumes, peas, beans, and lentils. Food labeling and advertising can be tricky, because food can be claimed as “whole grain” with so little of the good stuff in it. Check the label and look at the fiber content, it if says 2… you do the math, if it says, 6-12… this is a good whole grain product.

Spinach Salad

Are you feeling sluggish, can’t concentrate, or are just having trouble keeping your eyes open? Perhaps climbing back into bed isn’t an option, skip the late-afternoon coffee, which will keep you wired, -- have a spinach salad instead. Homocysteine is associated with damage to blood vessels, in addition to interfering with the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients into the brain. A decreased blood flow will leave you feeling sluggish or slow to process or recall information. Oxygen is carried in the blood, if you are low, you will feel tired. Folic acid, or folate, helps your body to process and lower homocysteine levels. Eating food rich in folate, like all green leafy vegetables, as well as potatoes, beans, peas, and mushrooms will give you that needed boost!

Salmon Burger

Anxious, worrying about all of daily life’s hurdles? If anxiety and worries are consuming your day, consider heading out to lunch with a friend. A conversation with a friend will lift your spirits and so will your meal, if you order salmon. Salmon is one of the riches sources of Omega-3, fatty acids, a nutrient that will help tame your anxiety. Omega-3 is the strongest in cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel. Extensive research has been done on the effects of Omega-3, giving results to support its prevention, and treatment of clinical depression. There is also evidence that it helps to reduce anger and irritability. Thank you Salmon! Oh, and if you’re not making this sandwich at home, ask for a whole- grain bun. ;-)

Egg Salad Sandwich

PMS, that fun visitor, or you just have the symptoms that are PMS-like, most people go to comfort food like macaroni and cheese, ice cream, or potato chips. Consider an egg-salad sandwich instead and here is why, an egg salad sandwich is the perfect combo of carbohydrate and tryptophan! Tryptophans as well as carbohydrates both enhance the release of serotonin. Avoid high-sugar, high fat carbohydrates, like sweets or chips; these choices will leave you feeling sluggish and grumpy after your blood sugar takes a spike, only to then quickly drop. Opt for wholegrain bread; pair it with Tryptophan and protein rich eggs to get the mood improvement effect of serotonin. Sunflower seeds or turkey also are high in tryptophan.

Low-fat Milk

Need a happiness boost? Vitamin D deficiency in your diet may have something to do with the source of your sadness. This nutrient has many different roles in the body, one of which is to help in the production of serotonin. We have discussed how serotonin can help you feel calm, relaxed and happy. If you are low on vitamin D, you may be affecting your body’s ability to stabilize your mood and reduce feelings of depression. To increase your vitamin D intake, look into fortified low-fat or skim milk, fortified cereals (Kashi is great), or mushrooms. Calcium and vitamin D supplements are a good idea too, especially for women nearing an osteoporosis age. -- Note, some people have seasonal depression for the same reason-- they need vitamin D (the sun provides D as well).

Peanut Butter

(Disclaimer: from Getty Images)

Feeling irritable, cranky or unfocused from lack of sleep? Both of these symptoms point to your body needing fuel. Peanut Butter or peanuts are high in vitamin B6, which helps regulate the blood sugar and stabilize mood. If you choose a natural peanut butter you can avoid the excess sugar, which could negate the positive effects of the B6. If you spread the peanut butter on a hard to break down, slow digesting, carbohydrate, such as whole-grain toast, you will stay satisfied longer.

Apple w Peanut Butter

Again, a great fuel option, your body is cranky because it needs fuel. Just be sure to refuel the right way: with foods that don’t leave you with a blood sugar crash an hour later, setting the crankiness cycle in motion all over again. To blast irritability, eat combination foods at each meal and snack. Combination foods contain a carbohydrate in combination with protein. Carbohydrates are a great source of energy that quickly burns out. Adding some protein will slow the digestion process, causing your sugar and energy levels to remain stable for a longer amount of time. The apple is your healthy complex carbohydrate and the peanut butter is a healthy protein-fat. Combining these powerhouse foods tastes delicious and gives you energy that lasts for hours!

Dark Chocolate

Leaving the best for last, dark chocolate (milk chocolate does not have the same effects); I want to explain why this cocoa treat seems to make us feel better whenever we are in need. If the stress of the day is building, what can calm you down fast? Find that chocolate bar that you have hiding in your desk drawer. Dark chocolate reduces the stress hormones that are swarming in your body. In fact, studies show, just eating a smidge of dark chocolate (1.4 oz.) has the power to lower the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine’s in the body, reducing your anxiety and giving you that needed pat on the back. Plus, the pure joy of eating your favorite treat --let us not leave that out, it may trigger the release of endorphins in your brain, which offers an immediate happiness boost. That is two hormone helpers in one sweet treat!

6 Myths, Mistakes & Lies to Losing Weight: Diet, How to really lose weight, Healthy eating can be for you.

6 Myths, Mistakes & Lies to Losing Weight and How To really Drop the Pounds & Keep It Off!

#1: Crash Diet

A fast weight loss promised sounds good. Who wouldn’t want to drop a large number in a short amount of time? Take a pill to keep your appetite at bay, sounds like a good temporary fix. One might think okay, I will lose the unwanted pounds and then eat regular after I am done. This may seem to work when you’re in your twenties and you are of a thin build in general,  because in youth, one has a quicker metabolism and recovery rate than those in their thirties and older.

The problem with this myth is trifold: Our bodies are made amazingly well; it is equipped for survival. The problem with crash diets is the body and mind cannot tell the difference between famine and an attempt to lose weight. So, the automatic response is to hold on to the fat cells at all cost, slowing the metabolism down to survive and then even burning lean tissue before it will allow the fat to go. The metabolism adjusts to the caloric intake you provide it. I call this the starvation mode, a mechanism that we would benefit from if we were in a disaster of some kind, but not something you desire to kick in while you are trying to lose weight.

Fact and how to Fix:

Instead of slowing the metabolism, speed it up by eating more food. More food means healthier food, the right kind of food. I’m not talking about Twinkies here. Eat a variety of foods from every food group. And, don’t deprive yourself from a small portion size of something that you really want. A tiny slice is better than feeling deprived, which leads to the willpower crumbling and then devouring the whole pie.  Instead of taking away all your calories, take down your calories 100 a day. A gradual change like this will not kick in the “Starvation Mode” because the body does not recognize the slow decrease. And a 100 calorie decrease is a small step, not an overwhelming large task; it is something you can easily do. I find a food diary is the best and easiest way to keep track. It is just like writing down every dime of money spent; allowing us to recognize where we spend our money; the same goes for tracking what we eat. Count every calorie, get know yourself and then how to feed your body with what it really needs.

#2: After Crash or an Adkins Diet, return to Normal Diet:

After a fast weight loss that is mostly water weight, the body is in a deprived state. It has hung onto its fat cells, although in their shrunken state you may have an illusion that they are not there. The body is dehydrated and still in starvation mode. Depending on how long the starvation continued, lean tissue may also be gone. Have you ever noticed a thin person with no muscle tone? This is the result. An additional problem is now that the weight seems to be off, who wouldn’t think they can simply return to a normal diet? Sounds reasonable, right?

The problem with this myth is that the body is hungry for food. As soon as it receives food, the fat cells plump back up and the lean tissue that was burned to stay alive is gone. This is why I am not a fan of the Atkins diet, once the person returns to carbohydrates, the body acts like a sponge, and hungry for the fuel, it sucks it right up like a starving animal would. Carbohydrates in moderation are a fuel for a person. Cutting back on them is fine, cutting them out altogether can cause problems.

Fact and Fix:

Stay on a healthy normal diet, do not deprive the body. Keep it hydrated, feed it with a balanced meal plan that has smaller portion sizes. Plan ahead so that one food group does not monopolize your eating pattern. Some people can find themselves only eating carbohydrates because the body will crave them whenever it is deprived. The need for instant fuel can be fixed by not allowing yourself to get hungry.

#3: Don’t Snack! Just eat Meals:

Thinking of snacks as vending machine type of junk food, snacks have been given a bad rap. Nutritious snacks on the other hand can be a key to keeping you not hungry. Not hungry means no bingeing or no bad food choices. Not to mention the effects on blood sugar and insulin levels in your body.  Whenever the hunger dude taps your shoulder, throw it a handful of something healthy, (which has been preplanned, and prepared) into your mouth. Make it easy on yourself to not get hungry.

Fact and Fix:

Each week, when you buy groceries, plan out what you want to have for snacks. Each day, before setting out, pack several healthy snacks in snack size baggies or Tupperware to keep in your purse or car. An insulated tote, lunch pail or cooler work well too. Try cut up veggies and fruits, like carrots, radishes, and apples. Nuts are a great quick fix too. I even have carried boiled egg whites with me. If snacks are at your fingertips and easy to eat, you will not find yourself looking into the eyes of a Snickers bar; and the portion size problem of eating the entire bag of Doritos is taken care of because you have prepared each bag with the amount needed to simply satisfy the bodies need.

#4: Skip Breakfast

A quick and easy way to shave off extra calories in your day can be had by just skipping this meal, right? It sounds good, especially if you are not a fan of eating in the morning. Studies have proved that 78 percent of people who had dropped at least 30 pounds, kept it off by eating breakfast verses those that did not have a morning meal. Additionally, other studies showed that having a healthy breakfast (like eggs) verses the equilant calories in bagels, ate 100-400 less calories in their lunch. Again, skipping breakfast tricks the body into storing fat, rather than metabolize it. The reverse occurs when an early meal is consumed, the body thinks, “I’m getting feed, I can release these cells and burn them, because I can depend on food coming in.” "The metabolizing" kicks in earlier than if you waited to wake your body up until lunch. Studies also show that you’re more likely to consume more calories in a day, if breakfast is skipped.

Fact and Fix:

Eating within an hour of waking up boosts your metabolism like an alarm clock, “time to start burning calories!” Whole grain food gives you an added plus, because the way it is digested. A complex carbohydrate takes longer to digest than a simple one will. The difference is keeping you full longer, verses white flour, simple carbohydrate that is digested quickly into simple sugars. This increases your insulin levels to handle them, which once these calories are used up, the process then gives you that drop in blood sugar, making you weak, hungry and ready to devour. To satisfy and keep your body full, go for things like oatmeal (grain) with nuts (protein), and raisins (natural sugar). The mix of protein and fiber is ideal to hold off hunger; try peanut butter on a wholegrain cracker, poached eggs or a veggie omelet with whole-grain toast, or a low-fat dairy like string cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese with a fruit, like berries. If you are in too much of a hurry to do any of these, make a protein shake for the road with real fruit (frozen is good), protein powder, flaxseed oil, and I like to throw into the mix a fresh herb, like mint; this literally takes maybe 3 minutes to make. I also have found myself driving down the road eating handfuls out of a wholegrain Kasha cereal box and drinking a Dan Active. Just make sure you eat something healthy in the AM hours.

(Disclaimer: Photo found on fotosearch.com)

#5: Don’t need to Drink Water:

It is a funny thing that the body’s response to thirst is the same as to hunger. We cannot tell the difference between when we are simply thirsty or hungry because the hormones in the intestines that tell us we are hungry are very similar. Most of us reach for food, when we are only thirsty. The next time you are hungry, reach for a long drink of water and you may find that you don’t need to eat. Because water is essential in burning calories, those who drink eight glasses of eight ounces of water a day, burn more calories than those who consume less.

Fact and Fix:

To keep us hydrated, and to keep the metabolism hydrated and ready for action, try drinking water before every meal and snack. This works on several layers, obviously it will keep you hydrated, and aid in the deciphering of hunger verses the water need, but it will also aid you in eating 75 percent less calories in your meal, making a 44 percent increase in your weight loss. A tip to make the task of drinking so much water easier is to increase your water jug size. This concept works on a plate of food as well. Let me explain, if you go from drinking 8 glasses of water a day to 3 or 4 large jugs, it seems like the task at hand is not so large. On the reverse for eating, a smaller plate will look full with a smaller portion size, verses a large, mostly empty plate.

#6: Drinking Extra Calories is the same as Eating them:

Occasionally we find ourselves eating too much at a meal, and the body’s response is to eat less at the next one because we are basically full. It makes since to think the extra calories found in a drink would add up too, right? Our bodies don’t seem to register liquid calories the way it does with the food ones. Cocktails with calories in syrup, or large jumbo cokes consumed will not bring about you eating less at the next meal to “make up” for the extra calories consumed. It will actually do the opposite, because the sugar increase will increase your insulin level, making you need more food when your blood sugar bottoms out. There is also the effect of a willpower decreasing with the effect of alcohol that comes to mind, as well. You know, "that chocolate would sure be good with this port," comes into the picture; Suddenly that piece of cake sounds like a great idea, tonight, "I’m having fun, right?"

Fact and Fix:

Instead of the regular coke with syrup, go for a diet drink. Or leave off the whipped cream and syrups out of your coffee, switching to sweetener, skim milk or black coffee. I even add cocoa powder to my coffee sometimes. Dark chocolate in moderation is good for us; it is the fat in milk chocolate or syrups that we want to avoid. Herbal teas with lemon are wonderful cold or hot. Ask for club soda with 100 percent fruit juice for a cocktail, giving you fizz without the calories. A glass of red wine is good for you, if you only have the one glass; however, on many diet plans, the calories are considered to count as one fat. White wine does not have the same heart healthy benefits that are found in red. And mixed drinks are a usually a drink to stay away from.