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Prunes
Prunes

Sweet with a deep taste and a sticky chewy texture, prunes are not only fun to eat but they are also highly nutritious. As with other dried fruits, they are available year round.

Prunes are actually the dried version of European plums and recently had its name officially changed to dried plum.

(...)

Normalizing Blood Sugar Levels and Helping with Weight Loss

Prunes' soluble fiber helps normalize blood sugar levels by slowing the rate at which food leaves the stomach and by delaying the absorption of glucose (the form in which sugar is transported in the blood) following a meal. Soluble fiber also increases insulin sensitivity and can therefore play a helpful role in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. And, prunes' soluble fiber promotes a sense of satisfied fullness after a meal by slowing the rate at which food leaves the stomach, so prunes can also help prevent overeating and weight gain.

via whfoods.org

posted 20 Jun 2007, 07:00

How much water do you need?
Functions of water in the body

Nearly all of the major systems in your body depend on water.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

A couple of approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.

Quote:

* Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.
* Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3.0 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Even apart from the above approaches, it is generally the case that if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce between one and two liters of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.

via © Mayo Clinic

posted 19 Jun 2007, 06:17

10 Diet Hacks to Keep You Slim & Trim (2/2)
10 Diet Hacks to Keep You Slim & Trim

6. Eat 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 big meals. Keith Klein, World-renowned nutritionist and author of “Get Lean” is quoted as saying,

Quote:

“If you haven’t figured it out yet, let me spell it out for
you: depending on your goal, it is either five or six meals
a day or forget about reaching your potential!”

Yes, it may seem strange to eat 5-6 meals a day when you’re trying to lose weight, but this is the secret to getting to the next level in your fitness goals.

Eating 5-6 small meals per day is the key to a fast metabolism. Every time you eat a meal, your body’s metabolism starts up a new spin cycle caused by the thermic effect of food.

In fact, a portion of the calories you consume are burned through the simple act of digestion. This thermic effect can range from 3% to 30%. Lean protein causes a thermic effect of up to 30%. This means you burn 30% of the calories you eat from chicken breast, fish, and egg whites. Vegetables have a thermic effect of around 20%. However, fats and refined carbohydrates have a very low thermic effect of only 3%. This is one of the reasons it’s so easy to gain weight when you are eating lots of carbohydrates and sugars.

When you’re eating 5-6 smaller meals that are centered around high protein, fibrous vegetables, your body will burn through the calories.

A higher metabolism creates a fat-burning machine. The longer you practice this meal plan, the more muscle you’ll develop. The more muscle you develop, the faster your metabolism will become. It’s a win-win situation.

Unfortunately, it’s something that way too few people are taking advantage of. Most people try to starve themselves and in the process they kill their metabolism. In doing that, they also kill their fat-burning potential.

Five or six small meals a day accelerates your body’s natural rate of calorie burning.

Best of all, frequent meals also prevents binges and controls cravings. When you’re eating every three hours, your body stays satisfied and your energy levels stay high.

7. Don’t avoid all fat. Yes, I know it might sound like a strange suggestion when trying to lose weight, but it’s true. Our bodies need certain types of fats just to survive.

They’re called essential fatty acids. You may have heard of them. They go by the name of Omegas 3, 6, and 9 and they are essential to a healthy diet.

8. Add some variety to your meals. The key to success is having options. Keep your mouth happy with a variety of different meal choices.

9. Get your Fiber. The inclusion of fiber into a well-balanced meal slows the digestion of the carbohydrates. This results in long-lasting energy instead of the short bursts
of energy offered by simple carbohydrates.

10. Slow Down… If you are looking to lose a few pounds, then simply slow down. There are so many Americans who rush through their meals. When you rush through your meal, your body doesn’t have time to send your brain the signal that you’re full, which results in overeating. Take time to enjoy your food.

via Lifehack

posted 19 Jun 2007, 05:01

10 Diet Hacks to Keep You Slim & Trim (1/2)
10 Diet Hacks to Keep You Slim & Trim

1. Just say no to fruit juice. Juice is fruit with the fiber removed. Not to mention, most of them are packed with sugar. Opt for the real thing instead.

2. Stick to water. All of those sugary soft drinks are simply adding excess calories to your diet and to your waistline. Start drinking only water and a bit of tea and you could start seeing changes in your body very quickly. This is especially true if your a soft drink junkie.

3. Create a new good habit each day. Eating often becomes a habit rather than a way to nourish ourselves. To get out of bad eating habits, it’s easier to change one habit per day. I have recently started doing this and have found it to be extremely effective.
On the first day I gave up honey on my oatmeal and on the second day I converted all of my snacks to fruits and vegetables.

4. Change your lifestyle. A diet is simply a way of eating. It’s a long-term commitment not a one-time event. Create permanent lifestyle changes. Good habits are the key to success when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.

5. Get plenty of sleep. Your sleep time is an essential component to losing weight. Researchers have found evidence to show that better sleep habits are instrumental to the success of any weight loss plan.

via Lifehack

posted 19 Jun 2007, 04:59

10 Diet Hacks to Keep You Slim & Trim
10 Diet Hacks to Keep You Slim & Trim

1. Just say no to fruit juice. Juice is fruit with the fiber removed. Not to mention, most of them are packed with sugar. Opt for the real thing instead.

2. Stick to water. All of those sugary soft drinks are simply adding excess calories to your diet and to your waistline. Start drinking only water and a bit of tea and you could start seeing changes in your body very quickly. This is especially true if your a soft drink junkie.

3. Create a new good habit each day. Eating often becomes a habit rather than a way to nourish ourselves. To get out of bad eating habits, it’s easier to change one habit per day. I have recently started doing this and have found it to be extremely effective.
On the first day I gave up honey on my oatmeal and on the second day I converted all of my snacks to fruits and vegetables.

4. Change your lifestyle. A diet is simply a way of eating. It’s a long-term commitment not a one-time event. Create permanent lifestyle changes. Good habits are the key to success when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.

5. Get plenty of sleep. Your sleep time is an essential component to losing weight. Researchers have found evidence to show that better sleep habits are instrumental to the success of any weight loss plan.

6. Eat 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 big meals. Keith Klein, World-renowned nutritionist and author of “Get Lean” is quoted as saying,

Quote:

“If you haven’t figured it out yet, let me spell it out for
you: depending on your goal, it is either five or six meals
a day or forget about reaching your potential!”

Yes, it may seem strange to eat 5-6 meals a day when you’re trying to lose weight, but this is the secret to getting to the next level in your fitness goals.

Eating 5-6 small meals per day is the key to a fast metabolism. Every time you eat a meal, your body’s metabolism starts up a new spin cycle caused by the thermic effect of food.

In fact, a portion of the calories you consume are burned through the simple act of digestion. This thermic effect can range from 3% to 30%. Lean protein causes a thermic effect of up to 30%. This means you burn 30% of the calories you eat from chicken breast, fish, and egg whites. Vegetables have a thermic effect of around 20%. However, fats and refined carbohydrates have a very low thermic effect of only 3%. This is one of the reasons it’s so easy to gain weight when you are eating lots of carbohydrates and sugars.

When you’re eating 5-6 smaller meals that are centered around high protein, fibrous vegetables, your body will burn through the calories.

A higher metabolism creates a fat-burning machine. The longer you practice this meal plan, the more muscle you’ll develop. The more muscle you develop, the faster your metabolism will become. It’s a win-win situation.

Unfortunately, it’s something that way too few people are taking advantage of. Most people try to starve themselves and in the process they kill their metabolism. In doing that, they also kill their fat-burning potential.

Five or six small meals a day accelerates your body’s natural rate of calorie burning.

Best of all, frequent meals also prevents binges and controls cravings. When you’re eating every three hours, your body stays satisfied and your energy levels stay high.

7. Don’t avoid all fat. Yes, I know it might sound like a strange suggestion when trying to lose weight, but it’s true. Our bodies need certain types of fats just to survive.

They’re called essential fatty acids. You may have heard of them. They go by the name of Omegas 3, 6, and 9 and they are essential to a healthy diet.

8. Add some variety to your meals. The key to success is having options. Keep your mouth happy with a variety of different meal choices.

9. Get your Fiber. The inclusion of fiber into a well-balanced meal slows the digestion of the carbohydrates. This results in long-lasting energy instead of the short bursts
of energy offered by simple carbohydrates.

10. Slow Down… If you are looking to lose a few pounds, then simply slow down. There are so many Americans who rush through their meals. When you rush through your meal, your body doesn’t have time to send your brain the signal that you’re full, which results in overeating. Take time to enjoy your food.

via Lifehack

posted 18 Jun 2007, 10:49

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