26 Tips for Healthy Eating for Great Nutrition and for Losing Weight and Maintaining

Eating healthy is just a great thing to do for your body, mind, heart and soul. When we fill our bodies with good nutrition every meal of the day we have more energy, clarity and are doing a great thing for our bodies. A little planning and time you too can create satisfying meals that are nutritious and delicious. We hope you enjoy our tips.

1. Super foods: Green protein shake packed with delicious and nutritious vegetables and fruits. Get 1-3 servings of fruits and vegetables out-of-the-way first thing in the morning. Start with a delicious tasting high in protein meal replacement shake. We have found a great online health food store. The protein shake we use is packed with 15 Grams of Protein and additional Vitamins & Minerals. Add 8 oz. of 1% or 2% milk to a blender, 1-2 tablespoons of ground flax seed, 1 packet of your favorite flavor protein shake, and blend. To the mixture add 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen spinach (a great source of iron), fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, a banana, a tomato, 1/2 of cucumber and blend. This delicious tasting shake goes down so smooth and is oh so good for your body! Enjoy

2. Low-Fat Alternatives: If you are looking for healthy low-fat alternatives try this, use vegetables such as zucchini or capsicum (red, yellow, green peppers) stuffed with flavored fillings to include but not limited to cooked ground turkey, minced white meat, chicken, fish, add fresh herbs, tomato, etc. Bake in the oven until bubbling, top with fresh toasted bread crumbs broil until the top browns slightly. Don't turn your back on the broiler!

3. Skip the Mayonnaise: Low-fat yogurt mixed with Dijon Mustard makes a delicious alternative to mayonnaise. It's creamy tangy texture makes a fantastic replacement for high fat mayonnaise

4. Fresh Organic Foods: Take time out to learn about nutrition, which foods are good for you. Get creative with healthy recipes. Eating a rainbow of fresh organic foods from the garden is a great way to start. Make it a point to try fruits and vegetables that you've never had before. Eat them fresh and of course in season. Let the flavors burst on your tongue and discover how delicious each one is.

5. Wake Up Your Metabolism: Eating little and often can increase your metabolism. Don't skip meals. Eat something within the first hour of waking to get your metabolism going. Breakfast - literally means "breaking the fast", your body has been asleep. Leaving out meals to cut calories actually works against you because your body's metabolism will slow down to compensate in order to conserve energy - your body does this when there is a limited intake of fuel.

6. Pump Up the Iron: To put extra iron in your diet, add some fresh parsley, spinach, palm hearts or Swiss Chard to your regular meals, work them into your morning protein shakes, or salad.

7. Delicious Salad Right from Your Garden: Grow your own greens and herbs in pots and create your own delicious salads. For crunch add chopped celery, cucumber, shaved red beets, sliced fennel, sunflower seeds and fresh blueberries or raspberries. Dress the salad with a homemade mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1-2 tablespoon, Dijon Mustard, 1-2 tablespons of orange marmalade, lite salt mixture, black pepper to taste. Blend in food processor. If you like it creamier, add fat-free Yogurt.

8. Exercise Before Dinner: Our bodies begin to slow down in the day. The best time to work out is about 8 hours after waking up. Take 30 minutes of exercise before you have dinner to increase your metabolism and you will find that you burn fat for up to 2 hours after your work out is over. This is great when used as part of your weight loss diet plan.

9. Reduce Salt and Sugar Intake: When cook your family's favorite meal, be sure to leave out as much salt, at and sugar as possible. Look for healthy alternatives, such as using low-fat yogurt instead of cream, leaning out the oil, best to use olive oil, grape seed oil or cooking spray when you stir fry, or fry and replace salt with other herbs and spices to taste. Cook from scratch, not out of a box. Check with your doctor about how much salt you should be taking. Personally we have eliminated table salt replacing with lite salt mixture found in the spice isle. It contains 50% less sodium than regular salt. This lite salt mixture is a salt and potassium chloride blend with iodide and free-flowing agent. Should not be used by persons on a sodium or potassium restricted diet unless approved by a physician. Great source of potassium.

10. Consult Your Physician: Whatever you do it is always a good idea to consult your doctor before you start any weight loss program. It is important that you confirm that there is not a medical problem that is stopping you from losing weight.

11. Chew Your food: Savor each bite, put your fork down between bites and enjoy the taste sensations. Never rush a meal. The longer you take to eat, the faster your stomach can tell your brain that you are full... it takes time for this communication to take place! You will reduce your appetite over time.

12. Eat Little and Often: - have healthy snacks - it is better to eat several times instead of only one or two meals a day.

13. Reduce the Oils: If you must use oil, use olive oil or grape seed oil for stir fries, try using vegetable or chicken stock, instead to cut down on the fat. A little oil goes a long way.

14. Don't Supersize: Before you supersize that cola beverage, or even consider drinking one, did you know that one 2-liter bottle of Cola contains approximately 53 teaspoons of sugar??? Ask yourself, would you really sit at the table and eat 53 teaspoonfuls of sugar?

15. Eat the Skin: Did you know that most of the good ingredients in fruit and vegetables is just under the skin? Don't peel - scrape; and if possible, don't remove the skins at all.

16. A Natural Diuretic: This little known trick is also good for the skin and is a great natural diuretic! Try a squeeze of lemon in a cup of warm water before you have breakfast - it really kick starts your metabolism in the morning. It also helps to prevent constipation and it's real good for your skin. Enjoy fresh squeezed lemon in your water throughout the day.

17. Try Other Types of Protein Sources: Tofu and soya are excellent alternative sources of protein. Many vegetables yield good amounts of protein such as in Lima beans and lentils - add them to your soups and casseroles.

18. Buddy Up to Stay Motivated: Join a club or buddy up with someone when you are making healthier choices in your diet and exercising. It's great to have someone else to help keep you motivated to stay with your weight loss program. Even if you're only checking in with one another on the phone, help keep each other motivated. If you have a spouse and kids, engage them in the fun and the exciting taste treats.

19. Say No to Snacks Before Bed: The metabolism slows down in the evening. Don't eat anything if it is less than 3 hours before you go to bed.

20. Stuck for Time?: Don't go for junk food - instead go for pasta or a quick salad. They only take a few minutes to prepare. Create your own Chinese take-out or make your own homemade pizza from dough purchased from your local Italian restaurant. You can control the salt, oils and of course add your own healthy vegetables and lean meats.

21. Ignite Your Metabolism: Chile has been said to be a metabolic enhancer. Adding chili to recipes can help turn your body into a fat burning furnace.

22. Use More Egg Whites: Did you know that most of the egg fat is in the yolk? Make omelet's without the yolks, or at least reduce the number of whole eggs and really reduce your fat intake. Add fresh vegetables, a great way to add more vegetables to your healthy diet.

23. Create Low-Fat Recipes: Growing fresh herbs is fun, easy and so rewarding. Adding fresh herbs and spices to your recipes and finding alternatives to white flour, baking soda, baking powder and soy sauce in your cook book recipes. Fun to experiment. Take a basic recipe and create your own.

24. Love this Trick: - you can remove fat from baking trays by dropping ice cubes into them naturally the fat sticks to the ice-cube.

25. Hot H2O: Drink a cup of hot water in the morning and not cold water. Hot water first thing will help speed up your calorie consumption. Go ahead and squeeze in some lemon to taste for the added benefit.

26. Eat Before You Shop: Grocery shopping, always eat before you go! Make a plan of healthy recipes and meals your plan to consume in the week. Make your grocery list and stick to it. This will help aid you in preparing your diet and get the healthy foods to further promote your weight loss plan or healthy eating habits. Walk away from the tempting sweets and salty snacks! We have found an online healthy store with a huge variety of assorted healthy snacks that include a proper balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

These are just some of the things you can do, with ease, to help you get into the habit of eating healthily and lose weight quickly.

Tips for healthy Living: Ten Super Foods Bursting with Vitamins, Minerals and Nutrients for Healthy Living

Cheri Lucking is the author of:

Top Tips for Healthy Living: The Key to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Wellness

Quick thought provoking healthy tips and advice for everyday life!

To Great Healthy Living! http://toptipsforhealthyliving.com/

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