15 Foods to Help You Lose Weight

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/nutrition/foods-help-lose-jan07#slide-1

Thirty billion a year — that's about how much Americans spend on slim-down products, many of which don't even work. A better way to get real weight-loss results? Go grocery shopping. New research points to more than a dozen foods, from beans to beef, that can help you fight hunger, kick your candy addiction, boost your metabolism — and ultimately shed pounds. And some of these superfoods deliver health bonuses too.

By Denise Foley

1. Eggs

Skip the bagel this morning. Eggs, which are full of protein, will help you feel fuller longer — a lot longer. A multicenter study of 30 overweight or obese women found that those who ate two scrambled eggs (with two slices of toast and a reduced-calorie fruit spread) consumed less for the next 36 hours than women who had a bagel breakfast of equal calories. Other research has shown that protein may also prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings.

2. Beans

You've probably never heard of cholecystokinin, but it's one of your best weight-loss pals. This digestive hormone is a natural appetite suppressant. So how do you get more cholecystokinin? One way, report researchers at the University of California at Davis, is by eating beans: A study of eight men found that their levels of the hormone (which may work by keeping food in your stomach longer) were twice as high after a meal containing beans than after a low-fiber meal containing rice and dry milk. There's also some evidence that beans keep blood sugar on an even keel, so you can stave off hunger longer. Heart-health bonus: High-fiber beans can lower your cholesterol.

3. Salad

Do you tend to stuff yourself at meals? Control that calorie intake by starting with a large salad (but hold the creamy dressing). In a study of 42 women at Penn State University, those who ate a big, low-cal salad consumed 12 percent less pasta afterward — even though they were offered as much as they wanted. The secret, say researchers, is the sheer volume of a salad, which makes you feel too full to pig out. Health bonus: A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate one salad a day with dressing had higher levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and carotenoids — all disease fighters — than those who didn't add salad to their daily menu.

4. Green Tea

The slimming ingredient isn't caffeine. Antioxidants called catechins are what help speed metabolism and fat burning. In a recent Japanese study, 35 men who drank a bottle of oolong tea mixed with green tea catechins lost weight, boosted their metabolism, and had a significant drop in their body mass index. Health bonus: The participants also lowered their (bad) LDL cholesterol.

5. Pears

They're now recognized as having more fiber, thanks to a corrected calculation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At six grams (formerly four grams) per medium-size pear, they're great at filling you up. Apples come in second, with about three grams per medium-size fruit. Both contain pectin fiber, which decreases blood-sugar levels, helping you avoid between-meal snacking. This may explain why, in a Brazilian study that lasted 12 weeks, overweight women who ate three small pears or apples a day lost more weight than women on the same diet who ate three oat cookies daily instead of the fruit.

6. Soup

A cup of chicken soup is as appetite blunting as a piece of chicken: That was the finding of a Purdue University study with 18 women and 13 men. Why? Researchers speculate that even the simplest soup satisfies hunger because your brain perceives it as filling.

7. Lean Beef

It's what's for dinner — or should be, if you're trying to shed pounds. The amino acid leucine, which is abundant in proteins like meat and fish as well as in dairy products, can help you pare down while maintaining calorie-burning muscle. That's what it did for 24 overweight middle-aged women in a study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Eating anywhere from nine to 10 ounces of beef a day on a roughly 1,700-calorie diet helped the women lose more weight, more fat, and less muscle mass than a control group consuming the same number of calories, but less protein. The beef eaters also had fewer hunger pangs.

8. Olive Oil

Fight off middle-age pounds with extra virgin olive oil. A monounsaturated fat, it'll help you burn calories. In an Australian study, 12 postmenopausal women (ages 57 to 73) were given a breakfast cereal dressed either with a mixture of cream and skim milk or half an ounce of olive oil and skim milk. The women who ate the oil-laced muesli boosted their metabolism. Don't want to add olive oil to your oatmeal? That's OK — it works just as well in salad dressings, as a bread dip, or for sautéing.

9. Grapefruit

It's back! A 2006 study of 91 obese people conducted at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found that eating half a grapefruit before each meal or drinking a serving of the juice three times a day helped people drop more than three pounds over 12 weeks. The fruit's phytochemicals reduce insulin levels, a process that may force your body to convert calories into energy rather than flab.

10. Cinnamon

Sprinkle it on microwave oatmeal or whole-grain toast to help cure those mid-afternoon sugar slumps. Research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that a little cinnamon can help control post-meal insulin spikes, which make you feel hungry. Health bonus: One USDA study showed that just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered the blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

11. Vinegar

It's a great filler-upper. In a Swedish study, researchers found that people who ate bread dipped in vinegar felt fuller than those who had their slices plain. The probable reason: Acetic acid in the vinegar may slow the passage of food from the stomach into the small intestine, so your tummy stays full longer. Vinegar can also short-circuit the swift blood-sugar rise that occurs after you eat refined carbs such as white bread, cookies, and crackers.

12. Tofu

It seems too light to be filling, but a study at Louisiana State University showed that tofu does the job. Researchers tested it against chicken as a pre-meal appetizer for 42 overweight women — and the participants who had tofu ate less food during the meal. The secret: Tofu is an appetite-quashing protein.

13. Nuts

Yes, they are fattening: A handful of peanuts is about 165 calories. But research shows that people who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't. A study from Purdue University found that when a group of 15 normal-weight people added about 500 calories worth of peanuts to their regular diet, they consumed less at subsequent meals. The participants also revved up their resting metabolism by 11 percent, which means they burned more calories even when relaxing. Health bonus: Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. And researchers at Loma Linda University recently found that eating 10 to 20 whole pecans daily can reduce heart disease risks.

14. High-Fiber Cereal

Studies show that you can curb your appetite by eating a bowl for breakfast. But how well does it really work? Researchers at the VA Medical Center and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis tested the theory against the ultimate diet challenge: the buffet table. They gave 14 volunteers one of five cereals before sending them out to the smorgasbord. Those who'd had the highest-fiber cereal ate less than those who didn't have as much fiber in the morning. Try General Mills Fiber One (14 grams per serving) or Kellogg's All Bran With Extra Fiber (13 grams per serving).

15. Hot Red Pepper

Eating a bowl of spicy chili regularly can help you lose weight. In a Japanese study, 13 women who ate breakfast foods with red pepper (think southwestern omelet) ate less than they normally did at lunch. The magic ingredient may be capsaicin, which helps suppress appetite.

Are You Sitting Yourself to Death?

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/05/02/are-you-sitting-yourself-to-death

Even if you exercise, sitting for long stretches isn’t good. What desk jockeys can do

By Chai Woodham

May 2, 2012
Do you exercise every day—pounding the pavement, breaking a sweat, raising your heart rate—all in the name of good health? Well, recent studies suggest that when it comes to your risk of premature death, all that physical activity may not matter as much as you think.

Prolonged periods of inactivity—best described as sitting a lot—is unhealthy. Deadly, even. In a survey of some 220,000 adults, those who sat for more than eight hours a day had a 15 percent greater risk of dying within three years than those who sat for fewer than four hours a day, found a March study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. This risk still held true for those who spent part of their day exercising. The results were worse for those who sat for 11 hours or more a day. They had a 40 percent greater risk of early death compared to those who sat for under four hours. It should be noted, researchers say, that the study didn't prove that sitting caused this risk. It could very well be that people who tend to sit longer are less healthy or have a condition that makes it difficult to walk or stand. Further studies to clarify the relationship between sitting and mortality are needed.

Previous studies, though, have discovered similar results. In 2010, the American Cancer Society released a report in the American Journal of Epidemiology stating that men who sat for six hours or more a day in their leisure time had an overall death rate that was nearly 20 percent higher than men who sat for three hours or less in the 14-year follow-up period. Women who sat for more than six hours a day had a death rate that was almost 40 percent higher. And again, dedicated exercise had no neutralizing effect.

"The human being is designed to move," says James Levine, an endocrinologist and researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "You need to move your body. If you stop your body, idle it—which sitting is—it crumbles on every level." What can result is an increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression, and possibly Alzheimer's disease, says Levine. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine even observed that women who spent four to seven hours a day sitting showed early symptoms of type 2 diabetes. How can this be, especially for those fitness-minded folks who make an effort to feel the burn?

Imagine if you will, says Levine, a person who works an eight-hour day and goes to the gym three days a week. She wakes up, gets in the car, goes to the office, and sits at her desk all day. Her blood sugar— when sustained at high levels, can lead to multiple health problems like diabetes, strokes, and nerve damage— and her triglycerides—a fat in the blood, which, at elevated levels, can affect heart health— are riding high the whole day due to inactivity. Then she goes to the gym, and for the first time that day, her blood sugar and triglycerides are suppressed.

Now imagine the person who never goes to the gym, but is active for about 15 minutes out of every hour during the day. That person drives down her blood sugar and triglyceride levels over and over and over again. "And that repeated activity throughout the day has a bigger total effect on blood sugar and triglycerides than that one episode at the gym." In the long run, Levine explains, "those sustained pulses of low-grade activity are going to have more of an impact on metabolic parameters than a three-times-a-week visit to the gym." However, Levine says, it should be emphasized that going to the gym certainly can't hurt.

So what does this mean for the typical desk jockey? Studies show that the average American sits for about eight hours a day. "Sitting is like a disease," says Edward Phillips, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "The goal is to avoid prolonged sitting and to add any kind of physical activity to your day." Any movement you can do, even something as simple as tapping your feet, is a start, says Phillips. With that in mind, these suggestions can help if you're strapped to a desk for hours on end:

Simply stand. "In terms of calorie burn, standing can help," says Levine. Whether at a meeting or talking on the phone, just stand. "If you can get a person standing, they're more likely to be up and moving."

If you have to sit, then why does it have to be on a chair? Use a therapy ball and one that's properly sized so that the hips and knees are at 90 degrees. "Just by trying to maintain stability on a therapy ball," says Phillips, "you're working your core muscles, [the muscles in your abdomen, hips, back, and pelvis], which tend to be weak."

Forget the elevator and take the stairs. Walking up the stairs can burn as many calories in a 30-minute period as can cycling at 12 to 14 miles per hour. Just don't do it all at one time. Spread it out throughout the day. Go to the bathroom on another floor or fax that document from a different department.

Keep it moving. Conduct your meetings on the go by walking and talking. Forget modern technology like E-mail and instant messaging and do it the old-fashioned way: Visit your colleague to deliver your message. Take a trip or two to the water cooler. Pace back and forth while you're on the phone. Take your lunch outside, preferably somewhere several blocks away.

Bring fitness equipment to the office. Dumbbells and resistance bands offer discrete ways to get in some exercise. "Do two-arm bicep curls while staring at your computer screen," says Tom Seabourne, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quick Total Body Workouts. "Then bring heavier weights to the office as you get stronger."

Get a treadmill desk if you're able. "You're walking while you're typing or talking on the phone, and you don't have to break a sweat," says Phillips. Levine's research—he created the treadmill desk—shows that a person can burn 100 extra calories every hour while walking less than one mile per hour.
To live longer, you don't have to log extra time at the gym, though again, it can be a beneficial component to your overall routine. "Lifestyle exercises [like these] don't take time out of your schedule," says Phillips. "You just have to be mindful and plan ways to stay active."
And remember when your mother always reprimanded you for not sitting still? Well, we're here to tell you to fidget and feel great.

Other Food Options

 TWC "Lean in 13"

The "lean in 13" eating plan is designed to reprogram your body to burn fat more efficiently. It should be followed by introduction of a healthy eating program, such as weight watchers, the game on! diet, abs diet, etc.

*YOU ARE ALLOWED ONE CHEAT MEAL PER WEEKEND*
Days 1-3 = BURN DAYS / Day 4 = REFUEL / Days 5-7 = BURN DAYS / Day 8 = REFUEL
Days 9-11 = BURN Days / Day 12 = REFUEL / Day 13 = BURN DAY

Burn Day consists of:
Breakfast: Healthy Meal (Protein/Carb/Fat)
Snack: Protein/Fat (ex. Nuts/Meat)
Lunch: Protein + Vegetables
Snack: Protein/Fat (ex. Nuts/Meat)
Dinner: Protein + Vegetables

ReFuel Day consists of:
Breakfast: Healthy Meal (Protein/Carb/Fat)
Snack: Protein/Fat + Fruit
Lunch: Healthy Meal (Protein/Carb/Fat)
Snack: Protein/Fat + Fruit
Dinner: Healthy Meal (Protein/Carb/Fat)

*It is important that your protein/carb/fat ratio be balanced in your "healthy meals". Remember that 1g. fat has 9 calories and that there is 4 calories in 1g. protein and 1g. carbohydrate. Calculate the total number of calories for your meals and make sure that 45% of your calories come from carbohydrates, 15-20% from fat, and 35-40% from protein. This does take time at first, but you will begin to get a sense for what is properly balanced and it becomes much easier....plus, it is only 2 weeks (and you pretty much only have to do it on re-fuel days)!!


NON – STARCHY VEGETABLES ARE A FREE FOOD, EAT THEM AT ANY MEAL

• Be prepared with the foods for the plan by grocery shopping and having the food ready to grab.  The eating plan is easy to follow if you take your foods everyday.
• Check: Did you accidentally let the first half of your day slip by and forget to eat your mid morning snack and following meals? Meal replacement shakes are ok, such as Muscle Milk Light, Lean Body or Syntha 6.  Purchase these at HEB or Smoothie King.
• Check: Are you drinking half of your bodyweight in fluid oz?  Dehydration can give you a false sense of hunger.

“Lean in 13” will reprogram your body to burn body fat, rather than muscle for energy.  Once your body gets in this mode it will continue well beyond the 13 days as you continue to nourish your body with high quality nutrition.



Sample Meal Plans:
Breakfast options
1) Meal Replacement Shake with water, ice. Fruit is optional  
2) Medium bowl of regular oatmeal with skim milk, 1/4 cup of fruit and raisins 4-5 chopped almonds
3)  Whole grain wheat bread with whole fruit with 3-5 egg whites, 8-10oz Green tea, ginseng tea (optional)    
4) Low Fat, no sugar added yogurt with almonds or nuts and fruit.

Lunch:
1) Meal Replacement Shake.
2) 6oz. Turkey burger, 1 slice of mozzarella lowfat cheese, sliced onion and avocado, small side salad.
3) Grilled chicken salad-6 oz. Grilled chicken, bed of fresh spinach or mixed greens, avocado, lowfat shredded cheese, fruit, olive oil for dressing

Dinner:
1) White Fish with herbs and lime, side of broccoli, 10-12 oz. of green tea.
2) 6 oz. of roasted chicken breast, steamed vegetables, side of carrots and zucchini, water or green tea. 
3) Chicken, Side of salad with vegetables.

Sources of lean protein that you should eat are: Fish: flounder, halibut, mackerel, wild salmon, sardines, calamari, cod, tuna, and mahi mahi, shellfish: clams, lobster, oysters, and crab. Poultry: skinless chicken, extra-lean ground turkey and turkey breast. Meats: flank steak, lean ground beef, lean ham, venison, lean pork loin, and filet mignon.. Dairy: eggbeater, egg substitute, egg whites, skim milk (recommend soy), low-fat cheese and fat-free cottage cheese. Others: tofu and nuts.

Sources of good carbs are: Fruits: apples, cantaloupe, grapefruit, red grapes, kiwifruit, strawberries, watermelon, pomegranates, blueberries, mangoes, plums, raspberries, and papaya. Vegetables: romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cucumber, beets, yams, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, cauliflower, mushrooms, soybeans, carrots, onions, and celery. Others: Breads include whole wheat, rye, sourdough, and pumpernickel. Old fashioned oatmeal or bran cereals are a great way to start the day. Brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas, whole wheat pasta, and most legumes are excellent choices for carbohydrates.

Sources of good fats: Avocadoes, fish, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, nuts, cashews, macadamias, pecans, soy nuts, canola oil, Fish oil capsules, flaxseed oil, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray, extra virgin olive oil, and Enova oil. 

10 Day Cleanse

 this cleanse is designed to flush toxins out of your body and rid you of those unhealthy cravings! it can be followed by introducing a healthy eating plan (game on! diet, weight watchers, abs diet, etc.) or followed by the "lean in 13" eating plan.

What you CAN'T have:

No Caffeine (coffee, energy drinks, Excedrin)

-You may have SPARK (Advocare) as an energy drink or green tea (just one )

No Artificial sweeteners (splenda, sweet n low, equal)

No Processed Foods (bread, snack bars, cereals, instant oatmeals)

No Dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese)

No red meat

No seasonings - you may use natural herbs such as basil, rosemary, etc (anything you could grow yourself)

NO ALCOHOL (C'mon folks, it's only 10 days!)

What you CAN have:

You may have Sweet Potatoes (try mashed-delicious; no butter!), Whole Oats (cooked), Brown Rice,Black Beans (natural-no sodium), corn (natural)

-Do not eat these at night

You may have Chicken, Fish & Eggs (preferably egg whites)

You may have 100% Natural Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter

You may have Olive Oil, Avocado, Nuts (Raw Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts)

-limit yourself to 1/4c of nuts or 2Tbsp of nut butter per day

What you MUST have:

You must have 10 servings of Fruit AND 10 servings of vegetables per day

-A serving is 1/2 cup raw,1 cup cooked (no fruit after 5pm!)

You must drink at least 1/2 of your bodyweight in fluid oz each day (if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink AT LEAST 100oz of water per day)

"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it"' -Sidney Howard

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN:

Breakfast

Veggie Omelet (make w/egg whites and veggies)

1/2 cup cooked oatmeal w/berries

Snack

1/4 cup almonds

Apple and 1 cup of carrots

Lunch

6-8 oz grilled chicken breast

1 mashed sweet potato

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 serving asparagus

Snack

1/4 cup cashews

Banana and celery

Dinner

6-8 oz Salmon

3 grilled bell peppers (yellow, red, orange)

1 grilled sliced zucchini

1 grilled sliced yellow squash

Water Intake

Water Intake Calculator

F.Y.B. Foods

Flatten Your Tummy Foods

Carbohydrates: Eat a fist sized portion from the carbs or fruits list with every meal.                                                           

Protein: Eat a palm sized portion with every meal.                                                                                                       

Fats: Eat a thumb-sized portion with every meal.

Vegetables: Add at least two fist-sized portions to at least two meals each day,  You may eat unlimited green (asterisked) with all of your meals.                                                       

Fruits: Eat a fist sized portion from the carbs or fruits list with every meal.                                                                                                                               

Sweetners: Use sweetners very sparingly.

Carbs!

Amaranth

Barley

Beans:

Adzuki

Black

Black-eyed

Broad

Butter

Fava

Garbonzo (Chick Peas)

Kidney

Lentils

Lima

Mung

Navy

Pinto

Soy

White

Bran (Whole Grain)

Bread (Whole Grain)

Buckwheat (Whole Grain)

Bulgar (Whole Grain)

Corn

Crackers (Whole Grain)

Leek

Milk

Milk - Soy

Millet (Whole Grain)

Oatmeal (Whole Grain)

Palm Hearts

Parsnips

Pasta (Whole Grain)

Peas

Potato (Baked)

Potato (Sweet)

Pumpkin

Quinoa (Whole Grain)

Rice (Brown)

Rice (Wild)

Rye (Whole Grain)

Taro

Tortilla (Whole Grain)

Yams

Yoghurt (Fat-Free)

Proteins!
Dairy                                    (Low Fat or Fat Free)		Steak - Flank
		Steak - Top Round
Cheese:		Steak - Top Sirloin
American		Turkey Bacon
Cheedar		Turkey Breast
Cottage		Turkey, Ground
Cream Cheese		Venison
Feta		Wild Game Meat
Mozzarella
Quark		Seafood
Ricotta		Crab
Swiss		Lobster
		Mussels
Egg Whites		Octopus
Greek Yogurt		Oysters
		Scallops
Fish		Shrimp
Anchovie		Squid
Catfish
Cod		Vegetarian (Low Fat)
Flounder		Seitan
Hake		Soy Foods
Halibut		Tempeh
Mackerel		Tofu
Mahi Mahi		Veggie Burgers
Perch
Salmon
Sardine
Snapper
Sole
Swordfish
Tilapia
Trout
Tuna
Meat (Lean Only)
Beef, Ground
Buffalo
Chicken Breast
Duck
Kangaroo
Lamb
Pork Tenderloin
Steak - Eye of Round

Fats!
Avocado
Egg Yolk (one)
Olives
Nut Butters:
Almond Butter
Cashew Butter
Peanut Butter
Sesame Butter
Sunflower Butter
Nuts (Dried/Raw):
Acorns
Almonds
Beechnuts
Brazilnuts
Butternuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Hickorynuts
Macadamias
Peanuts
Pecans
Pine Nuts
Pistachio Nuts
Walnuts
Seeds (Dried):
Flax
Pumpkin/Squash
Safflower
Oils:
Fish Oils
Flaxseed Oil
Nut Oils
Oil Spray (Pam)
Olive Oils
Udo's Oil
Vegetable Oils

Veggies!

Alfalfa*

Artichoke

Asparagus*

Bamboo Shoot

Beans (Green)

Beetroot

Broccoli*

Brussel Sprouts*

Cabbage*

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery*

Chard (Swiss)*

Chinese Cabbage

Collards*

Cress

Cucumber*

Eggplant

Endive*

Fennel*

Gourd

Kale*

Lettuce*

Mushroom

Okra*

Onion

Peas (Snow)

Peppers

Pumpkin

Radish

Seaweed (Kelp)*

Spinach*

Squash (Summer)

Squash (Winter)

Tomatillo

Turnip

Watercress*

Zucchini*

Fruits
Apple		Tamarillo
Apricot		Tangerine
Banana		Tomato
Blackberry		Watermelon
Blueberry
Boysenberry
Cherimoya
Cherry
Clementine
Cranberry
Currant
Date
Durlan
Fig
Gooseberry
Grape
Grapefruit
Guava
Huckleberry
Jack Fruit
Kumquat
Lemon
Lime
Loquat
Lychee
Mandarin
mango
Mulberry
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Peach
Persimmon
Pineapple
Plantain
Plum
Pomegranate
Ouince
Rambutan
Raspberry
Rhubarb
Starfruit
Strawberry

Sweetners!

Agave Nectar

Honey

Pure Maple Syrup