LIFE HACKS TO LOSE WEIGHT

LIFE HACKS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST

1. EAT SMALL MEALS, MORE OFTEN

It’s seems counter-intuitive, that eating more often would help you lose weight, but it’s true for two reasons. First, if you’re eating smaller meals more often, you won’t be hungry, which means you won’t be as tempted to binge on less-than-healthy foods or to stuff yourself at your next meal. Second, eating more often keeps your metabolism chugging away in high gear, which means your body will burn more calories more efficiently, even when you’re at rest.

2. DITCH THE DIET SODA

People who drink diet soda are actually more likely to GAIN weight, than dieters who don’t drink soda at all. Diet soda is marketed as a smart choice for dieters, but it’s been proven to sabotage your diet, which makes you diet longer, which means you buy more diet soda… it’s a vicious circle! That’s why this tip is the top of my list of weight loss hacks. Avoid diet soda as much as you avoid regular soda, and you’re much more likely to lose weight.

3. FILL UP ON FIBER

This is what makes the “no carb” diets so ridiculous: fiber is a carb, and fiber is also a dieter’s best friend. That’s why this weight loss hack is kind of a secret. But getting your recommended fill-up of fiber (about 25 grams per day) will help you lose weight, because it will keep you feeling fuller, longer, and it will keep your digestive system working properly. No carbs… ha! That’s so silly!

4. COLOR YOUR MEAL

Here’s a good rule of thumb: the more colorful your meal, the healthier it probably is. A colorful meal is healthy, since it’s probably loaded with rainbow-hues of fruits and veggies, from bold red tomatoes to deep purple eggplants and leafy greens in between.

5. SWAP YOUR PLATES

If you have a tendency to overeat, try this simple but effective weight loss hack: eat off smaller plates. I’m serious! This will trick your brain and tummy into thinking your portions are bigger, even if they’re actually smaller than the ones you’ve eaten on your larger plates.

6. TAKE YOUR TIME

Did you know it takes your body about ten minutes to register the fact that you’re full? That’s why you ought to eat slowly, savoring each bite, putting your fork down between bites while you chew. Eating slowly and taking small breaks between bites gives your brain time to realize your body is full.

7. KEEP HYDRATED

One of the most common symptoms of dehydration is… hunger! So often, when you’re feeling peckish, you might actually be thirsty, not hungry. So before you grab a snack (even a healthy snack!), try sipping a little water first, to see if that satisfies you. Keeping well-hydrated can help with weight loss, too, by keeping your digestive system functioning properly.

8. ADD A WORkout

A girl can’t lose weight by dieting alone. Well, she COULD, but then she’d be the skinniest flabby girl ever, and who wants that? Adding a workout plan to your healthy diet plan will help you lose weight faster, and keep it off. Don’t be the skinny flabby girl; be the toned, fit girl!

13 Simple Food Swaps That Could Change Your Life

This list makes it almost too easy for you to get healthier!

Whole grains for white, quality for quantity, just one smart swap can pave the way to a healthier and happier life. So we decided to go all out and provide 13 "this for that's." Now there are no excuses when it comes to making healthier food choices!

1. Cook instead of eating out. Even if you try to eat healthy at a restaurant, that pesky bread bowl or sneaky salad may pack more calories than you planned for. Trust your inner Top Chef skills, and turn on the (skillet) heat. Cooking at home will more likely result in a healthier meal, not to mention a happier wallet.

2. Eat whole fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. A glass of O.J. contains very little of the pulp or skin from an orange—and none of the fiber content. Skip the glass, and go with the whole piece of fruit to reap the full nutritional benefits of this sweet, healthy snack (and save some calories while you’re at it).

3. Pan-fry food instead of deep-frying it. Obvious news flash: Deep-fried food is unhealthy. Keep things crispy by pan-frying lean protein or veggies in the skillet with some cooking oil. We promise it'll be just as tasty!

4. Buy local produce instead of supermarket veggies. Take a trip to the farmer's market instead of Walmart's produce aisle. According to the USDA, locally produced fruits and veggies that are in-season may be more nutritious. And it supports local farmers, too!

5. Choose brown rice over white. White rice is stripped of many essential nutrients (like fiber).

6. Pack a lunch instead of eating out. Bonus: That vending machine will look far less appetizing after you eat the meal you pack.

7. Eat at least three times a day instead of skipping meals. When you don't make the time to squeeze in a midday meal, you end up feeling tired and grouchy—and you set yourself up for overeating later.

8. Chew slowly instead of quickly. What's the rush? Studies show people who eat faster consume more calories.

9. Eat at the table instead of in front of the TV. Dining in front of the television can lead to serious overeating.

10. Eat breakfast instead of sleeping in. It may be temping to hit the snooze button more than once in the morning, but allow some time for breakfast—it may help jumpstart your metabolism and wake you up before you head to work.

11. Order black coffee instead of a latte. If that caffeine fix is calling, order a simple black coffee. A soy-mocha-extra-shot-frappuccino extravaganza isn't worth the calories (or cash).

12. Use a medium plate instead of a large one. Smaller plates (about eight to 10 inches in diameter) can save you more than 20 percent of the calories you'd eat in a larger-plate-sized serving.

13. Nap instead of sipping on an energy drink. Energy drinks can pack as much sugar as six doughnuts, while catnaps are always calorie-free.

27 FOOD ITEMS TO A FLAT TUMMY!

EAT RIGHTLY: The Key to Healthiness

EAT RIGHTLY: The Key to Healthiness

Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can help you follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you eat.

1.    Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods.

   You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.

2.   Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

   Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.

3.   Maintain a healthy weight. 

   The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.

4.   Eat moderate portions.

   If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.

5.   Eat regular meals. 

   Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.

6.   Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. 

   Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.
Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.

7.    Balance your food choices over time.

   Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.

8.   Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.

9.   Make changes gradually.  

   Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.

10.  Remember, foods are not good or bad.  

   Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.