Archive for July, 2009

Diet for Idiots

Ready to attend my quick diet for idiots 101 class? Well then start reading. These are some common sense things that some people just don’t think about.  Dieting isn’t hard, but it is actually hard to think about.  It’s hard to think you are giving up foods and drinks you love, but it will be even harder to realize exactly how you eat those foods.

You love ice cream, especially on a hot summer day.  Doesn’t that sound good right about now?  Go ahead, have some.  Really, you can have ice cream on a diet.  The only thing you have to do is not eat the whole container in one sitting.  Kind of hard, isn’t it?  Sometimes it is really hard to stop.  When you get that ice cream out, don’t bring the whole thing with you, get a bowl, a spoon, and put some of the ice cream into a bowl.  Not a giant bowl either.  Yes, I know what you are thinking, I’ve been there myself.  Get a small bowl, put a couple of spoonfuls of ice cream in there, then put the ice cream container away.  That’s the hard part, putting it away and not going back.

What I am talking about here is moderation.  We can eat anything we want while dieting.  The problem most of us have is how much of it we eat.  How often have you eaten a whole pizza by yourself?  Bag of chips?  Box of cookies?  The whole of anything?  I’ve done it, and it is really hard to stop.

One way that works, but is a little pricey, is get prepackaged foods.  Single serving sizes.  Have you looked at those?  They don’t seem like a lot compared to what you normally eat, but really that is all you are supposed to be eating.  It gets expensive to buy these, and the amount of packaging they use for these is tremendous, but if that is how it will work best for you, do it!

Here is my diet for idiots way way that is cheaper, but takes more time, and can actually even be harder in some ways is package it yourself.  Buy in bulk, or normal sizes, but when you get home, open it up and read the serving size.  After you have figured out how much is a normal serving, take that much of the food, and put it in a baggy, small container, whatever you have that will keep it separate.  The hard part about doing this is that you are the one measuring the proper proportion, and it certainly doesn’t look right.  Why not add a little bit extra, make it look better?  Not a good idea, you really need to use the accurate measurements to keep your diet on track.  Try to get someone to do it for you if you are really having a tough time.

Grab one of these smaller portions and have your meal or snack.  You will get used to the smaller sizes, and your stomach and body will thank you for it. I hope you enjoyed my mini diet for idiots class.

Walking to Lose Weight

Walking is a great way to lose weight.  You don’t need any specific knowledge, or any equipment.  You already have everything you need. You can start walking to lose weight today.

I’m sure you already have comfortable shoes.  You don’t have to go and get special walking shoes, unless you want to, of course.  Some people like to listen to music or books while they walk, so you might need a CD player, iPod, MP3 player, or something similar.

If you haven’t done any walking for a while, well, other than the normal day to day stuff, start small.  Don’t go too far from home at first, don’t take the long trails at the park just yet, etc.  Go out and walk around the block.  Don’t try to run yet, walk at a comfortable pace.  Find your limitations first.

After you are comfortable, and walking is easier, you can take longer walks around the neighborhood. Go to a park, take the long trail you have been wanting to see.  Make sure you increase your speed while you are increasing distance.  Even better go to a national park and take the scenic route.  Never go farther than you are comfortable with.  Yes, push yourself, but if you can’t get back to your home or car, then you’ve gone too far. You want to be walking to lose weight, not beat yourself silly.

If you don’t enjoy walking, there are some things you can do to take your mind off the fact that you are actually walking.  Different people find different things enjoyable while walking.  Some like to just look at nature, these people should walk in parks, or anywhere outdoors.  Some people enjoy people watching, go to the mall and walk, walk around neighborhoods.  Some people need more stimulation while walking.  Listen to music, make sure it is upbeat so you don’t walk too slow.  Listen to books on tape/CD.  Fiction, non-fiction, self-help books, everything is available in sound now. Start walking with a friend or group of friends.

So the bottom line is, find what works for you.  Start slow, gradually increase your speed and distance over time.  Keep yourself occupied so you don’t even realize you are walking to lose weight. Before you know it you will be dropping pounds and losing inches.

Diet for Diabetics

Dieting for diabetics isn’t really that hard.  Diabetics can eat the same things that everyone else can eat, just different proportions.  Carbohydrates have a huge influence on insulin levels, and need to be watched carefully.

Choose a wide variety of foods for your meals.  Fill your plate with color to be sure to have plenty of fruits, vegetables, and proteins.

Protein is important, so be sure to have different types so you don’t get bored with the same old foods.  Have nuts, dairy, and grains to get good protein in your diet.

When choosing carbohydrates, try to select high fiber ones.  These are much easier for your body to process, and they don’t have as much impact on your insulin level.

Count your calories.  I know, it is a royal pain to do this, but it is necessary to be sure you aren’t getting too many, or too few.  Never, ever eat less than 1,000 calories a day.  Try not to even go that low. You should be getting, at a bare minimum, 1,200 calories every day.  Going lower will put your body into starvation mode, and it will hoard the fat you are trying to lose.  Try to stick between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day.

Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t ever have sweets again, it just means you need to be choosier about which ones you have.  Angel food cake is delicious and much better for you than white cake.  Way less calories, too.

We all have to make choices in our lives, and eating healthy to lose weight and manage diabetes is a great decision.  Watch your calories, drink plenty of water, choose healthier food options, exercise, and speak to a nutritionist and your doctor.  For further information about proper diet for diabetics, visit the following pages.

Fun With GF/LG Food
Delicious Diabetic Recipes

Lose Weight in 3 Days

Do you need to lose weight fast?  Need to fit into that special outfit?  Just need something to show you that beginning weight loss is actually possible?  Try the 3 Day Diet.  Follow this menu exactly for 3 days, then regularly for 4 or 5 days, then come back to this menu.  Do it as long as you like.

Day 1.  For breakfast have black coffee or tea with 1 or 2  packets Sweet n Low or Equal, 1/2 grapefruit & 1 piece of toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter.  Lunch is 1/2 cup tuna, 1 piece toast and black coffee or tea with 1 or 2 packets Sweet n Low or Equal.  For dinner have 3 ounces of any lean meat or chicken, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup carrots, 1 apple, 1 cup regular vanilla ice cream.

Day 2.  Breakfast consists of  black coffee or tea with 1 or 2  packets Sweet n Low or Equal, 1 egg, 1/2 banana, and 1 piece toast.  For lunch have 1 cup cottage cheese or tuna, and 7 saltine crackers.  Dinner is 2 beef franks, 1 cup broccoli or cabbage, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream.

Day 3.  Breakfast is  black coffee or tea with 1 or 2  packets Sweet n Low or Equal, 5 regular saltine crackers, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, 1 apple.  Lunch consists of  black coffee or tea with 1 or 2  packets Sweet n Low or Equal, 1 boiled egg, 1 piece toast.  For dinner have 1 cup tuna, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup cauliflower, 1 cup melon, 1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream.

Go back to eating normal foods.  If you are using this to jump start permanent weight loss, make sure you are eating between 1,000 and 1,500 calories every day.  Any less will make your body think it is being starved, and any more will take longer to lose weight.

Make extra sure you are drinking plenty of water every day, besides being good for you it helps you to feel full.  Exercise if you can during the 3 Day Diet, but if you feel dizzy, quit immediately.  Be sure to do some type of exercise even if it is just walking while eating normally, so you don’t get back into the lazy habit that made you have to lose the weight in the first place.

If you feel you need to keep doing the 3 Day Diet, have 4 or 5 days of normal eating between the 3 days of dieting.  Your body can’t survive on this alone forever. Now you know how to lose weight in 3 days.

How to Loose Weight Quickly

Losing weight is not easy, and never quick.  There are some things you can do for quick weight loss, but don’t expect to keep it off for long without working hard at it.  If you have a reunion, wedding, vacation, etc, these tips will help you get rid of weight fast for the event. But don’t be surprised if you gain it all back as quick as you lost it.

Try a body wrap.  There are 2 types of body wraps, one for inches, and one for fat.  The one to help you lose inches takes the water weight away.  As soon as you start drinking normally, it starts to come back.  The one for fat loss can work better for the long term.  It pulls the toxins out of your body, and if you are ready to start a normal weight loss program, it will work very well with that.

The Cabbage Soup Diet is full of foods that are high fiber and low calorie.  The point of this is that the foods take more calories to eat than are actually in them.  Definitely not a long term weight loss plan.

Fasting will also help you lose weight quickly.  This is an extremely dangerous way to lose weight quick so be careful and consult your doctor first to see if you are in good enough health first.  Don’t try a water fast the first time you do it, go with juices, and only go for a day or 2.  Don’t drink coffee or tea, have no stimulants, and don’t exercise.  I really don’t recommend this approach.

Water pills will also help with quick weight loss.  Be warned! Taking these pills makes you pee constantly.  You will be losing only water weight, and as soon as you stop taking the pills, you will regain the weight.

These how to lose weight quickly tips only give you short term results. So please also consider healthier ways to lose weight and keep it off.

If you really want to loose weight quickly, take a look at the following web site pages for additional information, tips and tricks.

Lillie’s Souper Weight Loss Secrets
Lose 10lbs In Just 4 Days – Fast Weight Loss Diet Plan
50 Of The Best Quick Weight Loss Diets