If you want to lose weight the healthy way, look for foods that are packed with nutrients, are low in saturated fats and sodium and keep you feeling full longer. To help you get started, I chose 5 super foods that taste great, are nutrient rich and help you maintain satiety so that you stay feeling fuller longer without having to consume additional calories.

Beans
Blast the fat away when you fill your tummy with beans. They’ll keep you feeling full, and are high in resistant starch, which means that half the calories you consume from eating beans cannot be absorbed. They also create the fatty acid butyrate, known for its fat burning properties. Studies show that butyrate improves mitochondrial function in your cells, leading to a decrease in fat. Beans will also help lower sugar levels to control or ward off diabetes. If gas is a problem when you eat beans just remember that the more beans you eat, the faster your body will build up the good bacteria you need to digest them. If you still have difficulties, consult your physician for the best way to keep the gas from developing but still allows you to enjoy these healthy benefits.

Pine Nuts
So tasty and delicious, pine nuts add flavor to salads, fish, vegetables and meats. But did you know that pine nuts can help suppress hunger? A mere ounce to 2 ounces of pine nuts each day can help you reduce your food intake by up to 36% without making you feel hungry. Pine nuts contain pinolenic acid, a naturally occurring fat that stimulates cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), both powerful hormones that alert the brain that the stomach is full. These small nuts also contain the highest protein content of any nut, making them one of the super foods that provide double benefits while helping you lose weight.

Vinegar
If you eat lots of salads, you know that the dressing you choose make make all the difference between a calorie conscious salad and a full on fatty salad. One choice is to drizzle your salad or greens with virgin olive oil and vinegar. Not only is vinegar low in calories and contains no fat, it also slows the absorption of carbohydrates and prevents sudden surges in your blood sugar. Vinegar also slows the passage of food through your stomach, making you feel fuller longer.

Cinnamon
I use this delicious spice on sweet potatoes, toast, oatmeal and even stews. Cinnamon slows the passage of food through your stomach, making you feel fuller longer. It also lowers your blood sugar levels by stimulating glucose metabolism. We like to sprinkle some in our hot chocolate for a sweet spicy touch that warms the heart, body and soul.

Apples
Dining out can be a challenge when you are trying to lose weight. To keep calories in check, I eat an apple before going out. Apples are the perfect choice for a pre-dinner snack. Chase it with a glass of water and both will keep you feeling satisfied without feeling full. You’ll be able to enjoy your meal but you won’t be tempted to devour the bread in the basket before your dinner arrives. That’s because the pectin in apples is a soluble fiber that allows you to feel satiated and keeps your blood sugar regulated. Apple pectin prevents spikes in blood sugar that lead to increased fat storage, too. Apples are a great choice for snacks, breakfast, and desserts.

According to Webster’s Dictionary the word diet is derived from the Greek word diaita, meaning way of life. So, to say you’re on a diet is false, for your diet is a way of life. It is the way you live. Changing the way you eat should not be a temporary or faddish fling. Making changes in your diet means making changes for life.

Let your healthy eating become your lifestyle. Fitness4Her is a permanent plan that you can live by without counting calories and depriving yourself. You will learn to eat when you are hungry. Make healthy choices every 3 hours and use portion control. This will become your way of life. Don’t think of yourself having a weight problem or an eating problem. Think of the world of food as a field that you can master. It’s not as difficult as you think. You can do this. Make up your mind first and the body will follow.

Make Healthy eating your lifestyle. Journaling is the best way to start until it becomes so familiar its second nature. I still like to journal daily, along with my positive affirmations. I find it to a source of motivation. No excuses when it’s written on paper. It really holds you accountable. It’s a must for the first 3 months of your new lifestyle.

The Fitness4Her Principles to a Healthy Lifestyle

1. Eat often, but in small portions.
2. Don’t skip meals.
3. Don’t forget to eat lots of fiber with each meal.
4. Eat your protein, but get from lean sources.
5. Within reason eat fresh fruits and vegetables with each meal.
6. Reduce intake of refined carbohydrates. The white stuff
7. Reduce unhealthy saturated fat. No more fast or fried foods.
8. Reduce salt
9. Avoid alcohol
10. Drink plenty of water.

Remember to always plan ahead to your next meal and try to keep a healthy snack on hand. This way you will be less likely to skip a meal or leave yourself open to calorie laden temptations. Prep your pantry. Diets are much more successful if you have all the things you need at your fingertips.  The better the pantry, the better the result.

You may have heard that protein is needed for a healthy body and should be included in our daily diet. There have been many fad diets that emphasize a high protein diet to lose weight. However, Fitness4Her advocates a balanced diet of foods rich in vitamins and minerals. This is the best way to lose weight and to keep it off permanently. So what is the power of protein? Read on to find out why protein is important to our health today and in the future.

Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. An important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood, protein is a powerful nutrient that is necessary for a healthy body.

Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a “macronutrient,” meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. Vitamins and minerals, which are needed in only small quantities, are called “micronutrients.” But unlike fat and carbohydrates, the body does not store protein, and therefore has no reservoir to draw on when it needs a new supply.

When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive juices in your stomach and intestine go to work. They break down the protein in food into basic units, called amino acids. The amino acids then can be reused to make the proteins your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.

These amino acids can join together to make thousands of different proteins. Scientists have found many different amino acids in protein, but 22 of them are very important to human health.

Of those 22 amino acids, your body can make 13 of them without you ever thinking about it. Your body can’t make the other nine amino acids, but you can get them by eating protein-rich foods. These are called essential amino acids because it’s essential that you get them from the foods you eat.

So if protein is so wonderful, why not eat it all day long? The truth is, we need less total protein that you might think. But we could all benefit from getting more protein from better food sources that are lower in fat.

How Much Protein Do You Need?
We’ve all heard the myth that extra protein builds more muscle. In fact, the only way to build muscle is through exercise. Bodies need a modest amount of protein to function well. Extra protein doesn’t give you extra strength. Everyone who eats an eight-ounce steak typically served in restaurants is getting more protein that their bodies need. Plus they’re getting a hefty amount of artery-clogging saturated fat as well.

We need protein at every meal, but the amount of protein that we need is considerably less than we actually consume regularly. But how much protein do you need each day? Though sources are conflicting at times, most studies indicate about 4% of your daily caloric intake.

The Dangers of High-Protein Diets
Many people who have jumped on the high-protein/low-carb bandwagon think that they can pack away as much protein as they like. But I urge caution. When people eat lots of protein but few carbohydrates, their metabolisms change into a state called ketosis. Ketosis means the body converts from burning carbs for fuel to burning its own fat. When fat is broken down, small bits of carbon called ketones are released into the bloodstream as energy sources. Ketosis, which also occurs in diabetes, tends to suppress appetite, causing people to eat less, and it also increases the body’s elimination of fluids through urine, resulting in a loss of water weight.

High-protein diets may trade short-term benefits for long-term health consequences. Among the risks: The body produces ammonia when it breaks down protein. No one knows the long-term risks of higher levels of ammonia in the body.

Carbohydrate foods shunned by some people on low-carb diets include fruits and vegetables, which are the best sources for vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — nutrients that help prevent disease. On the other hand, animal foods that are high in protein are usually also high in saturated fats, which increase the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

The American Heart Association warns: “Reducing consumption of [carbs] usually means other, higher-fat foods are eaten instead. This raises cholesterol levels even more and increases cardiovascular risk.” The AHA also notes that by concentrating on protein sources and skipping carbs, dieters may be getting too much salt, and not enough calcium, potassium, or magnesium, which are typically found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Good Choices of Protein
The type of protein you eat can attribute to successful weight loss and your overall health. As often as possible choose alternatives to meat when considering protein choices. Below are some healthy choices of foods that are rich in protein and good for you, too.

• Fish: Fish offers heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and, in general, less fat than meat.
• Poultry: You can eliminate most of the saturated fat by removing the skin.
• Eggs: A great source of protein, the white part has a considerable amount of protein, but none of the cholesterol.
• Tofu: A soy based food product, rich in protein.
• Beans: Beans contain more protein than any other vegetable protein. Plus, they’re loaded with fiber that helps you feel full for hours.
• Nuts: One ounce of almonds gives you 6 grams of protein, nearly as much protein as one ounce of broiled ribeye steak.
• Whole grains: A slice of whole wheat bread gives you 3 grams of protein, plus valuable fiber.
• Plant based foods: Avocado is a great example of a non-meat source of protein.

Now that you are familiar with the health benefits of protein, you’ll want to choose foods that are protein rich but lower in fat and calories. Armed with the facts we have examined, it should be easy to choose your protein wisely.

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Many women find themselves going to the grocery store with full intentions of buying healthy foods, only to come home with bags of cookies, potato chips, butter, fats and cheese? It can be difficult to change the way that you shop for your weekly foods to match you healthy diet plans.

Especially if this is the first time that you have filled your pantry with healthy foods, you may need a course in Grocery Shopping 101 in order to beat back the temptations that food manufacturers have strategically placed in your path. {+}

Before leaving home, make a grocery list. But before you make a grocery list, make the upcoming week’s meal plan. Developing your meal plan doesn’t have to be difficult, but consider some of the foods that are already in your cupboard to make things easier and less expensive. Once you’ve got your meals planned out for the week, inventory the ingredients that you will need for each dish and notate the ones that you will need to purchase. After you have established what you need, make the grocery list, and list the food in order of the grocery store layout. This way you won’t go haphazardly down aisles that you don’t need to search.

Try to avoid the aisles with cookies and processed foods, such as sugary cereals. Many of these aisles are in the center of the grocery store, with the fresh items at each end of the store. Look for whole grains near the rice and pasta. Read labels to look for 100% whole-wheat to be sure you are getting whole grain products. Take some time to find the healthier foods rather than going straight for your old reliables.

Fresh vegetables and fruits should make up the largest part of your grocery list. I recommend that you eat at least seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Choose seasonal produce and get a variety, especially if you are feeding a family.

Proteins and meats should consist of mostly fish, poultry and lean meats. Eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes should be part of your list.

Beverages should be kept simple. Water, low-fat milk, juices and herbal teas are all good choices. If you opt for soft drinks, choose diet sodas and soft drinks to avoid extra sugar.

Choose low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese. Try soymilk or rice-milk for tasty alternatives to whole milk. Don’t forget, many fruits and vegetables are good sources of calcium like avocadoes for instance.

Take caution when buying dressings, cooking oils and condiments. They can be sneaky sources of refined sugars and high in fat and calories. Read labels to choose dressings made with healthy oils such as olive oil and canola oil.

Frozen vegetables are convenient and nutritious. If you are cooking for one, there are many single-serving frozen entrees that cook up in minutes. These make it easy to have a variety of vegetables, without having to throw any of it away. If you do have more than you can consume, consider saving your left over veggies to add to a soup for another meal.

Canned foods and foods in jars are very convenient. Make sure the soups and veggies that you choose are low in sodium. Avoid high-fat gravy and sauces like spaghetti and ravioli dishes.

Peanut butter sandwiches can be very healthy. Look for homemade peanut butter without added sugar.

Low-fat meats such as turkey slices, chicken or lean roast beef are better choices for sandwiches than processed lunchmeat.

Learn to Read the Food Labels
Every box of processed food includes a food label. Other foods include them too, but all processed foods are required to list the ingredients and the percentage of nutrition as compared to the RDA (Recommended Daily Requirement).

Looking at the food label above, you’ll notice the nutrition facts. Each serving size is described,
as one serving and the box contains six servings. There are 100 calories in each serving. Calories from fat are 30 calories, which is less than a third of the total calories in each serving.

Next we get the skinny on the fat content. Three grams of total fat with 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 1 gram of monounsaturated fat. This represents 8% of the recommended daily value. According to the food label, there are no trans fat and no cholesterol in this snack.

There is 120 mg of sodium in each serving, which makes up 5% of the daily requirements. Likewise the total carbohydrates are 16 grams, making it 5% of the daily requirements. 6 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein is included in each serving.

There are no significant traces of Vitamins A or C but each snack offers 4% of the daily-recommended amounts of iron.

According to this label, the Percent of Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on the amount of calories you consume in a day.

Quick Tips For Every Day Shopping
• Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry.
• Always eat a meal or light snack before heading to the store.
• Keep a cold bottle of water in your car, so you won’t be tempted to opt for a high calorie drink when you are thirsty.
• Bring a pen and check off everything on your grocery list.
• Forego the candy aisle and buy some scented candles or new kitchen gadget instead.
• Park your car further out in the parking lot, for more exercise coming in and going out.
• Don’t eat in your car. Not only will this keep your car much cleaner, it will keep you from mindlessly eating while driving down the road. We have a tendency to forget about the calories, sugar and fat that we consume when driving.
• If you will be out and about all day, bring a small cooler and stock it with fruit cups, fresh fruit, water and juice. This will give you plenty of healthy snacks and you won’t be tempted to stop at the fast food hangout.

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