You know you have to eat healthy to stay fit and fend off things live high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, but there is so much information out there about what to eat and what to stay away from, I thought I would share some thoughts and some recipes for a healthy lifestyle, without sacrificing anything (well, almost anything). First of all, you really can't miss any meals if you plan on giving your body the proper fuel to get you through the day. Without it, your body will hold onto fat and your metabolism will come to a screeching halt. Having said that, instead of eating three large meals a day, try eating three smaller meals, with at least two snacks (healthy ones, not Snickers bars) in between. Always start off with a healthy breakfast and try to incorporate low-fat smarts, while not sacrificing anything like complex carbohydrates. High protein diets (yes, you do need protein) will melt the fat away initially (you will lose a lot of water initially), but staying on this type of diet long-term is not a good idea. Also, some diets will ask you to eliminate certain foods altogether because they have too much sugar in them. Of course, cut down and/or eliminate anything with refined sugars, like cookies, cakes, pies, candy bars, etc., but to eliminate certain fruits and vegetables because they may have too much sugar is not really a good idea and, it's sometimes hard to either eat out, either in a restaurant or in someone's home, trying to remember what you can and cannot eat. Eat as much whole foods as possible. These are found in the perimeter aisles of the supermarket, while the inside aisles contain more processed foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs (yes you can have eggs every once in a while with the yolk, but certainly egg whites are fine), lowfat milk or soy or rice milk, lowfat yogart and cheese (you need your calcium) as well as animal protein (preferably from fish, chicken or turkey) and/or soy protein are important for a well-rounded diet. High fiber cereals (oatmeal is really the best) and breads (no white flour) are really important as well. Minimize diet sodas and replace them with either green tea or just bottled water. For breakfast think about having non-fat or lowfat yogurt mixed with low-fat granola and some fresh strawberries. For a snack, spreading some natural peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla and wrapping it around a cut ut banana. For dinner you can stir fry a cut up chicken cutlet in a little olive oil and season with some low-fat soy sauce and a little orange juice. You can toss in some fresh stir-fried veggies and some sesame seeds and serve over brown rice. Those are just a few suggestions. I'll share more with you in another post. Finally, no one should ever feel deprived. Deprivation surely will lead to binging and that may lead to failure. If you want something sweet, then have something sweet, only share it with a friend.
