Lose Weight Recipes - Healthy But Taste Great

Are there recipes out there to help you lose weight?  A secret recipe, perhaps?  There are combination's of food that will assist you in losing weight.  Make your own recipe book, "My Weight Loss Recipes".

There are many ways to lose weight.  But is there a right or wrong way?  I believe it depends on each individual's body chemistry.  What works for you may not necessarily work for the person next to you.

If you are counting calories, you want to focus on foods that are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.  Fresh fruit and vegetables don't have all the unneeded bi-products.

Protein is an essential part of your diet.  Try to choose low fat protein.  Such as chicken breast without the skin, low fat yogurt, egg whites.  Protein is the building blocks of cells.  Let's face it you want to build your muscle not break it down to be replaced by fat.

Here is a yummy recipe that is one of my favorites.  This recipe can be used as a balanced meal or snack consisting of protein, milk product, fruit and grain.  Greek Yogurt Parfait:  Layer the following:  1 cup Greek fat free yogurt, one cup of strawberries (or berry of your choosing), 2/3 cup low fat granola.  Absolutely delicious and filling!

How about a chicken club sandwich for lunch?  Lightly toast 2 slices of whole grain bread (think, fiber).  Slice a piece of grilled chicken or turkey breast (no skin, too much fat).  You can use light or fat free mayo, a dab of mustard.  Top with lettuce, ripe tomato, pickles on the side.  There you have it: low cal, fat; high protein, fiber.

Now, what's for dinner?  I thought you would never ask.  Marinade a pack of chicken breast (no skin) overnight (I prefer lemon-pepper). Make a mixture of cooked chopped broccoli, cream of celery.  Tenderize the chicken breast till it is as big as your hand.  Place a spoonful of broccoli mixture in the center, fold all sides, secure with toothpick.  Sprinkle Pepperidge Farm Stuffing on top, lightly sprinkle fat free cheese as well.  Place in oven 350 degrees for approximately 30-45 minutes.

There are so many different recipes out there to try to help you lose weight.  Or you can simply take your favorite recipes and put a healthy twist to it.  Making right food choices and turning that into a life style change is key to long term success.

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How To Lose Your Belly Fat

You may be wondering how you are going to lose your belly fat.   One of the surest ways to have a smaller belly is to diet and exercise.  That's right good old fashion hard work.   And consistency is the key.

Think about it, if you want to direct your daily life and your life in the future, you must take control of your consistent actions.  It's what we do consistently that shapes our lives.  Have you ever heard that saying "Daily decisions determine destiny"?  It's so true.

Have you dieted more times than you care to count?  Or spent a fortune on exercise equipment, only to let it collect dust.  If so, you are not alone.   Familiar with yo-yo dieting or are you convinced there is a quick fix?  No, unfortunately not.

Making daily healthy lifestyle changes is key.  It is better to lose weight slowly.  Or start exercise regimens you can build upon rather than putting yourself through major deprivation that you know you want be able to sustain for a lifetime.

To lose belly fat or any fat cut back on calories and fat grams.  Calorie intake needs to be less than calories burned.   It is very easy to over eat.  Most people are unaware of what a true serving size is.  Be sure to look at the nutritional labels.  And keep a food diary.

One way to cut back on calories is to cut out sodas.  Can't live without soda?  Try to switch to diet soda at least.  But plain fact is your body needs water.  Drink at least 64 oz of water a day.  Your body needs this for hydration and to flush out toxins.

Not a morning person?  Find it hard to make yourself eat breakfast?  A cup of coffee will do?  It is a fact that those who start their day with a low fat high protein breakfast, their metabolism burns faster.  That's what you want, a faster metabolism.

Help your body work for you.  Give it the right fuel it needs.  And that is low fat, high protein foods.  Your body will thank you.  It is true that high protein foods create more of a sense of satiety than other foods.

Let's not forget the exercise.  Are you really out of shape at this point?  Not quite sure how you are going to be able to start an exercise regimen, much less stick to it?  Well, you got to start somewhere.  Get moving, even if it is 10 minutes here or there.  It is a start.

Walking is always a safe way to get started.  Going to buy groceries?  Park at the end of the lot instead of circling around and around trying to find a spot close to the front.  Those extra steps are a starter.  Use the stairs instead of the elevator.  Climbing stairs is an excellent cardio workout.

Once you get a good cardio workout established.  Try adding some weight lifting to your regimen.  This will help you tighten up.  Whereas the cardio will help raise your metabolism and burn fat.  

This whole process is a journey, its’ a long winding road that can go all the way to the top.  That way when you look down at where you came from; you can sit back and smile

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Weight Loss Plans For Teens That Will Work

If you're a teenager looking for weight loss plans for teens, then you're no doubt in a very difficult moment of your life.  The trick for success in losing weight is to understand and accept that whatever plan you decide is for you, then your success will not happen over night.  So it's important to be realistic and not set yourself up for a frustrating fall.

Your first step before you jump on any weight loss plans for teens is to make sure that you have the basics down and you've tried them to the best of your abilities.  That means taking regular and adequate exercise for your ability and fitness levels – increasing in frequency and level as your fitness improves.  It also means cutting out fast foods and junk foods and eating a diet heavy in fresh fruits and vegetables and fiber.  Also, make sure that any between meal snacking is avoided, because this is a surefire way to pile on the pounds and ruin all your good work.  Drinking at least a liter and a half of water per day is also the basics of weight loss and should be actively encouraged.  If you have tried these basics and you're still struggling to lose weight, then one of the weight loss plans for teens might just be for you.

Whichever plan you opt for there are certain points that you should make sure the plan either includes or doesn't include.  Often people say avoid fad diets because any weight loss that is achieved will reappear once the user goes back to their every day eating plans.  As much as this is true, often times people cannot agree on what is considered a fad diet.  So you will no doubt get contradictions about which group a particularly popular diet falls into.

Pretty much though, it is a matter of using your common sense and judging for yourself whether a diet program is for you.  For instance judge the kind of foods that a program is asking you to eat, if those foods are overly restrictive, then you might want to look further at the program and see if it is for you.

Some weight loss plans never include the taking of regular exercise, which for anyone, whether they are looking to lose weight or not, is important.  For a growing teen regular exercise is crucial, so if there is no reference to taking exercise, again ask yourself if this program would really suit you and your needs.

Weight loss plans for teens are always a good idea because finding a successful program will not only help to lose the weight, but it will also foster confidence and a high self-esteem in a growing and maturing teen.

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Reach Your Weight Loss Goal By Eating Foods That Speed Up Your Metabolism

Were you aware that there are certain foods that can speed up your metabolism helping you to burn fat and lose weight faster?  I know it sounds a little too good to be true doesn't it?  But it actually is true, there are some foods that light your fat burning furnace and put your metabolism to work.  If you can add these foods into your diet then you will be on your way to reaching your weight loss goal.

Before I tell you what these superfoods are, first I want to mention exercise.  I know if you are overweight and have no energy you really don't feel like exercising, but exercise will speed up your metabolism.  When trying to lose weight you should always include some exercise in your daily routine, even if it is just a 15 to 20 minute walk.  When you begin exercising and start increasing your muscle mass you will find your metabolism will work better.

The other factor, besides the superfoods that you are waiting to hear about, that affects your metabolic rate is how often you eat.  With many diets you will reduce the number of calories that you eat and some diets you feel like you are just starving.  The problem with diets that reduce food to almost nothing, is that your body realizes that you are eating less and adjusts your metabolism accordingly.  So when you are eating less every day, then your metabolism will slow down and soon you will find it hard to lose anymore weight, even though you are still eating less.  As long as you are eating the right foods then you can eat the required amount to keep your metabolism working fast.

Ok, I wont keep you in suspense any longer, let's get down to business and tell you what types of foods will speed up your metabolism.

1. Fish - fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines are great for your overall health as they are a fantastic source of Omega-3 fatty acids and they are also great for boosting your metabolism.  When you eat these fish the level of the hormone leptin will drop.  Studies have shown that when leptin levels are low you lose more weight.  If you don't like fish then there is also the option of taking fish oil supplements to give you a similar effect.

2. Hot Spices - hot and spicy peppers like cayenne and jalapeno contain a substance called capsaicin and this is what gives them their heat.  This substance also speeds up your metabolism and your body will continue to burn fat at a fast rate for up to three hours after eating these spices.  So if you can bare hot foods, then they can certainly help to get your metabolism moving fast.

3. Whole grains - whole grains digest slowly and they help to keep insulin levels low.  The higher your insulin levels are the more your body stores fat, so by keeping your insulin levels low your metabolism will work fast and you will store less fat.

4. Protein - foods that are high in protein like eggs, chicken, fish, beans and lean meats, are great for your metabolism.  Not only does protein speed up your metabolism but it also produces a hormone that is a natural appetite suppressant so you wont feel as hungry and wont be inclined to eat as much.

As you can see, dieting isn't all about reducing the amount of calories that you eat but it's more about eating the right types of food.  If you eat these foods that can help speed up your metabolism and offer other health benefits too, then you will soon be heading toward that goal weight you are aiming for.

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