| When trying to lose weight, your intake of calories | | | | Fruit! Your body does need some sugar to function |
| should be less than the calories you expend in a day. | | | | correctly, so instead of the processed sugars found in |
| While daily calorie requirements vary according to your | | | | donuts and soda, get your sugar from grapefruit and |
| age, height and weight, and your activity level, a good | | | | apples and blueberries. Apples are high fiber and low in |
| guideline is approximately 2,200 calories per day for | | | | calories. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants. Pink |
| women and 2,900 for men. How can you reduce your | | | | grapefruit is low in calories and high in both vitamin C |
| caloric intake to compliment your daily activities and | | | | and potassium. |
| achieve your weight-loss and health goals? | | | | Fresh-caught fish such as salmon is low in calories yet |
| It is well known that processed foods are filled with | | | | high in protein and Omega 3 fatty acids, essential to |
| sugars and that, in addition to providing you with an | | | | your health. Other good sources of Omega 3 fatty |
| abundance of fat and calories, they are also addictive, | | | | acids are sardines, which are also low enough on the |
| tempting your body to crave them in ever larger | | | | food chain to not be susceptible to contaminants like |
| portions. That explains why it can be so difficult to | | | | mercury. |
| resist the occasional 'fry fix'. Combine that with the | | | | Grass-fed beef or bison contains high protein which |
| fact that many such foods contain zero nutritional | | | | boosts metabolism and also has the added benefit of |
| value and it is no wonder that obesity is at epidemic | | | | making you feel full longer. |
| proportions. What are some of the worst possible | | | | Green tea tastes great and also speeds up fat |
| foods you can eat if your goal is weight-loss, and, | | | | oxidation, regulates blood sugar and aids in stress relief. |
| alternatively, what should you be eating and why? | | | | In addition, it contains lots of helpful antioxidants. |
| What Foods Are Best Avoided? | | | | Pumpkin isn't commonly served unless it's in a pie on |
| French Fries and potato chips are some of the worst | | | | the holiday table, but it is a great source of dietary fiber |
| offenders. Yes, they contain fat and calories (540 | | | | that is also low in calories (pies aside) and has been |
| calories and 26 grams of fat in one large order from | | | | studied for its positive role in weight management. |
| McDonald's) but they are also deep-fried, which poses | | | | Chile peppers, in addition to being highly flavorful, are |
| additional hazards to your diet and potentially to your | | | | also healthy. They strengthen blood flow, reduce |
| health. The process of deep-frying in general requires | | | | inflammation and are a good source of vitamins and |
| very high temperatures which destroys nutrients in | | | | magnesium. |
| foods, including fatty acids which your body needs. | | | | Almonds are high in protein and also filling, making them |
| Deep frying also produces acrylamides, especially in | | | | a healthy snack food. |
| starchy foods like potatoes, which have been shown | | | | Lentils are high in protein and soluble fiber, and have |
| in studies to be highly carcinogenic to rats. FDA tests | | | | been linked to the prevention of abdominal fat build-up. |
| are underway and at this time there are no specific | | | | For a balanced diet, add whole grain breads and |
| health warnings to the public about this chemical | | | | vegetables like spinach, which is low in calories and |
| compound, other than the general advice to reduce | | | | high in nutritional value, with plenty of vitamins and |
| intake of fried and fatty foods. | | | | antioxidants. |
| Donuts usually top the list of a dieter's worst nightmare. | | | | Junk Food Junkies Challenge |
| 1 Krispy Kreme original glazed contains 200 calories | | | | If you are serious about losing weight but one of the |
| and 12 grams of fat. They contain huge amounts of | | | | millions of junk-food junkies in the world, start small. Cut |
| sugar and calories and some contain the dreaded | | | | back on the chips and the fries and substitute healthier |
| trans fat. With little to no redeeming nutritional value, | | | | snacks such as fruit or nuts. Gradually cut out the |
| donuts are a good food to avoid in your quest for a | | | | worst offenders and your body will start to feel |
| healthier, trimmer body. | | | | healthier as you not only lose weight but start feeding it |
| Soda contains lots of calories - about 150 calories in a | | | | with essential vitamins and nutrients necessary to live |
| can of Coke - and sugar or artificial sweeteners. Fruit | | | | healthy and prevent disease. Eventually the goal is to |
| juices with sweeteners added are also not on the list | | | | cut out the processed sugars and addictive junk food. |
| of healthy diet foods - check the juice labels! | | | | Your body will thank you! |
| Bacon and Sausage are very high in both calories and | | | | Cutting out bacon and sausage and French fries might |
| fat, with 1 strip of bacon containing about 40 calories | | | | not be the most original diet advice ever written, but |
| and 3.5 grams of fat. They also contain nitrates which, | | | | the worst diet offenders continue to be the worst diet |
| in addition to being carcinogenic, have also been linked | | | | offenders. Check back next week for our follow-up |
| to pulmonary disorders when consumed in large | | | | article about less well-known offenders that might |
| quantities. | | | | surprise you! |
| What Should You Be Eating? | | | | |