| You've heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. | | | | doing. |
| Cut thefat! Cut the carbs! Cut the calories! Eat a | | | | Eat a balanced NATURAL-FOODS diet. By natural |
| balanced diet! Buthow can you cut though all of the | | | | foods, we mean thefoods that would have been |
| confusion, and eat a dietthat's balanced and healthy? | | | | eaten by your hunter-gathererancestors: - lots of |
| Here's the advice from nutritional science: | | | | whole vegetable foods for vitamins andfiber; moderate |
| Cut the JUNK fats: Most people do not need an ultra | | | | to small portions of meats, fish, seafood, andother |
| low fatdiet. But most of us could improve our diet by | | | | animal and protein foods, grilled, stewed or baked; |
| cutting out thejunk fats. Basically, these are the | | | | andsmall portions of fresh whole fruit in season. This is |
| processed fats:hydrogenated fats, polyunsaturated oils | | | | the dieton which the human race evolved, and the diet |
| that have been heated,and fats that are combined | | | | which, for the vastmajority of people, makes for |
| with junk carbs. Processed fats arethe fats most likely | | | | optimum health |
| to put on flab and clog your arteries. | | | | So the next time you're about to order a meal with |
| Cut the JUNK carbs. Most people do not need an ultra | | | | fries andsugary soda, think about how it could be |
| low carbdiet. But unfortunately, so many people who | | | | improved. Replace thefries with a salad, and the soda |
| go on a low fat dietcontinue to eat highly processed | | | | with mineral water, and you'vealready made significant |
| foods - they switch fromprocessed high-fat to | | | | progress towards a more healthy,balanced meal. |
| processed low-fat. And when foodmanufacturers | | | | And at home, look for recipes that use whole, fresh |
| create low fat foods, they tend to replace the fatwith | | | | foods, with aminimum of processing. Make sure your |
| junk carbs, that tend to pile on the pounds. | | | | meals include naturalunprocessed foods, with lots of |
| Basically,junk carbs are low-fiber carbs. Like sugar, | | | | healthy vegetables, both cooked,and raw in salads. |
| fructose (and allthe other *oses), flour, cornstarch, fruit | | | | Avoid processed fats and processed low-fiberfoods. |
| juice. Yes, fruitjuice is a junk carb too! - After all, how | | | | A sample menu: |
| much fiber is there infruit juice? - Virtually none - its yet | | | | - grilled fish with steamed green beans, and peppers |
| another junk carb. Youshould eat the whole fruit | | | | - large mixed salad, dressed with small amounts of |
| instead, with its fiber intact. | | | | olive oil andvinegar or lemon juice |
| Cut the JUNK calories. Most people do not need an | | | | - fresh fruit platter |
| ultra lowcalorie diet. But just think what your diet would | | | | Yes - A healthy, balanced diet can be that simple! |
| be like if youdropped the processed fats and the | | | | The information contained in this article is for |
| low-fiber carbs. You'd beeating mainly natural proteins, | | | | educational purposesonly and is not intended to |
| with lots of vegetables pluswhole fruits - and the odds | | | | medically diagnose, treat or cure anydisease. Consult a |
| are that you would be eating farfewer calories as well. | | | | health care practitioner before beginning anyhealth |
| That's the kind of calorie cutting mostof us should be | | | | care program. |