Negative Calorie Foods

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Negative Calorie Foods are those that require more calories to digest than what they contain.

Negative Calorie Foods

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Anyone wishing  to lose weight should try them. It makes perfect sense that every dieter should take advantage of what nature offers you.

Negative calorie foods are very common.

Vegetables such as Broccoli, Asparagus, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Celery, Zucchini, Cauliflower, Carrots and  Tomatoes.

Fruits like Apricots, Apples, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Papaya, Melons and Oranges.

These foods, in order to be digested will burn stored body fat.

Some of these veggies actually burn 90% stored fat and only 10% from eating them. Therefore the end result is natural, healthy weight loss.

Celery is especially good because it uses 90% of the calories required to digest it from your fat stores.

Using them as snacks is actually the best way. To avoid malnutrition, however, eat them together with other healthy proteins, carbohydrates and fiber.

Also remember that to lose weight exercising regularly is a must.

A 20 minute walk done regularly should be enough to maintain tone and cardio vascular health.

Since it takes more energy to consume them than the calories they contain, combining negative calorie foods with a healthy exercise routine will really work.

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Gut Health and the Importance of Whole Foods

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Gut Health depends largely on the kind of foods a person consumes.


Gut Health and the Importance of Wholefoods

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In Ayurvedic medicine it is believed that numerous health issues in the body can be traced back to the digestive system. Therefore, many of today’s natural health practitioners often agree with this.

Sensitivities we have to certain foods – such as gluten, dairy and sugar – can cause an inflammatory response in the gut. Over time this can increase gut permeability.

Therefore, the build-up of intestinal parasites produces toxins which, together with proteins from these inflammatory causing foods, can then enter the nervous system through the gut. This is the connection between our diets and many of the health issues we may experience.

Added to this the high level of chemicals found in today’s factory produced foods, and chemically sprayed fruit and vegetables. Consequently, it is easy to understand the clinical research linking food choices to auto-immune conditions and neurological disorders.

Our friends at AboutLife in Australia are big fans of wholefoods and natural alternatives to these foods. Hence, when you shop with us it’s easier for you to maintain a balanced diet whilst keeping your body, and mind, healthy and vital.

By regularly choosing foods which do not cause an inflammatory response, and preferably alkalinise the body you are protecting your gut health. You are also creating the best environment for your body to fight carcinogens and illnesses.

In our modern day lives we are continually exposed to a variety of chemicals and toxins, plus foods which are detrimental to our health. Therefore, by limiting exposure to these in our food and lifestyle choices we can improve our health for life.

At Weight Loss and Wellness, we offer information and guidance on How to achieve your best results.

Whole foods will definitely improve your gut health, Try it!

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Eat Organic on a Budget – Helpful Tips

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Eat organic on a budget, find out how – It is easier than you think.

How to Eat Organic on a Budget

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Many of us know the reasons why we should eat organic but we don’t always know how to do this on a budget. At AboutLife (Sydney’s premier organic supermarket) one of their primary goals is to provide healthy, nutritious and organic food at reasonable prices so anybody, on any budget, can choose to preserve their health and the health of the environment whilst supporting their local farming community.

The first way to do this is by eating your fruit and vegetables seasonally. This is often better for us as the nutrients are more accessible plus it tastes better when eaten within the seasons too. They source all their produce from local, chemical free and organic farms and because of this you won’t always find absolutely everything you might find in the big supermarkets – tomatoes in July anyone?

If you do need to be selective though on which fruit and vegetables are best bought organic check out the dirty dozen and clean fifteen, below are the dirty dozen and these record the highest level of pesticide residue so are best bought organic.

 

The dirty dozen:
Apples
Pears
Peaches
Nectarines
Grapes
Strawberries/Blueberries
Cherries
Capsicum
Celery
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

Learning how to eat organic on a budget may require doing research, find out what products are locally grown, then look for seasonal specials.

Make sure that the products offered are certified organic or at least pesticide free.

Check that all pantry staples, meats, dairy products,drinks and vegetables are locally sourced from natural ingredients, only then you can be sure you are getting the best for your health.

Learning how to eat organic on a budget is easier than it appears to be.

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Carbohydrate Alternatives for Dieters

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Carbohydrate Alternatives are readily available in Cauliflower.

Carbohydrate Alternatives for DietersCauli Faux Carbs
Many of us are watching carbohydrate intake to manage our weight. Most of us would like to include more vegetables in our diets, hence, a great way to do this is to replace many carbs with cauliflower.

This simple white vegetable is packed with great nutrition. It is high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, packed with vitamins and fiber plus is known to increase blood flow. So with a bit of cunning in the kitchen you can recreate the texture of other carbohydrate based foods with this versatile vegetable.

Faux Rice
Take cauliflower florets, pulse these in a food processor until it looks like “rice”. Saute in a pan with a tbsp. or two of coconut oil and a small diced onion, season to taste.

You can add a variety of seasonings to this plate, herbs or spices, and tailor to your meal.

You can even serve it raw, chopped with an onion and dipped in coconut oil, let it soak for a few minutes – amazing!

Faux Pizza Base
Take 700g of cauliflower florets and pulse in the food processor until you get a fine texture. Pop this in a bowl and microwave for 5 minutes, without covering, or steam in a steamer.

Cool for 10 minutes then empty in a nut bag or a clean tea towel and squeeze out every last drop of moisture. Place it back in the cleaned bowl and add 4 tbsp. of almond meal and 2 eggs.

You can use your hands to combine then turn onto a piece of baking parchment and roll into a circular shape. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, add whatever toppings you feel like and cook further as required then voila – faux pizza, whole food style!

Cauliflower, when combined with other vegetables, will supplement most of your weight loss needs.

Cauliflower offers valuable carbohydrate alternatives for dieters.

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Gut Health and the Importance of Wholefoods
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Raw Food Diet and Weight Loss

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Raw Food Diet and Weight Loss

Can a raw food diet help you with weight loss? Definitely! Raw food diets do cause weight loss and people who are on them can eat a vast amount of food. While you might be depriving your body of cooked food, you are not going to be depriving your body of food volume.

Raw Food Diet and Weight Loss

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There are some great benefits of a raw food diet. Weight loss is just one of them. Other benefits could include elimination of many health issues, reduction in chronic pain, an increase in memory, clarity, and feeling of overall well being, improved sleep, healthier complexion, reduction in bad breath, improved digestive function, reduction in recurring yeast infections, getting your body to a healthier and more alkaline (instead of acidic) state, and the list goes on. Without fighting toxins on a constant basis, this could have great results for your body’s organs.

As you shed weight and increase the feelings of wellness, you’ll be doing great things from a digestive and a detoxification standpoint. A great side effect of detoxification, after you’ve gotten over the hump of withdrawals of junk food, is the fact that you’ll stop craving that junk. Junk food cravings and ingestion accounts for a vast amount of weight gain. Eating the wrong foods leads to craving the wrong foods. Detoxification through a raw food diet could break that vicious cycle.

Raw food diets can help you break the cycle of emotional eating and feed your body instead of feelings and find other ways to satiate stress (such as with exercise, which will also contribute to your achieving your goals for weight, wellness, and fitness).

Caution – Get Enough Calories on a Raw Food Weight Loss Diet

When using a raw food diet for weight loss, it’s important that you get enough calories for your body to survive. A good way to do this is to track those calories. Once you start to get an idea of the caloric value of various foods, it will be easier to do. A good combination of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes is important.

Raw Food Diet

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Here are some other things you’ll want to eat on a raw food diet weight loss regimen:

  • Green drinks and / or smoothies. These can be chock full of nutrients. Many are designed to supplement a raw food diet.
  • Nuts, avocados, and other raw MUFA (mono unsaturated fats) foods. These are especially helpful in targeting abdominal fat.
  • Greens. Man cannot live on iceberg lettuce alone. Experiment with green combinations
  • Fruit. Fruit will satisfy cravings and help you get full. Experiment with new fruits and exotic ones, too.
  • Veggies and other plant based foods like edible flowers and edible mushrooms.
  • In most diets you’ll be reminded to drink water. But the great thing about raw foods is that many have a high water content than cooked foods. Drink to quench your thirst but don’t stress, because if you’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and you’re eliminating well (with plenty of clear urine), you’re getting hydration.
  • Fish. Sushi enthusiasts often don’t mind the transition to raw food. You do need to be careful about mercury levels and safe food handling, though.

If trying a raw food diet for weight loss, do a lot of reading and researching so that you can get the best results possible. If you’re looking for some raw food recipes, check out our article: Raw Food Diet Recipes!

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Adding Low Calorie Foods To Your Diet

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Adding Low Calorie Foods To Your Diet

Adding low calorie foods regularly to your  meals will make a notable difference.

Do you know how many calories you’re consuming every day? Those who track their caloric intake and make efforts to eat more low calorie foods have a greater chance of reaching their weight loss goals and of maintaining their weight once they reach those goals. It’s not all about portion control and exercise. It’s also about calorie control.

Adding low calorie foods to your diet can help you fill up and lower your chances of eating the wrong things as well as can make it easier for you to stay within your desired calorie range.

Read the Label

Before you eat something, read the label to see if it is a low calorie food. Look closely at the serving size as well as at the calorie count. Before long, you’ll get to know when you are adding low calorie foods.

Adding Low Calorie Foods To Your DietLook for Alternatives

Do you love sour cream on your potato? Why not try light or fat free? The same goes for other condiments and for anything you eat that has an alternative. These lower calorie foods will add up to lower calories overall for you. Measure your portions as well so you don’t make the mistake of using extra just because you’re opting for the lower calorie option.

Your Plate

Portion your plate with vegetables as half the plate. Vegetables are low calorie foods so you can eat more of them to fill your body, increase your nutrient intake, and reduce the calorie count of your meal overall. Hence, choose a lean piece of protein and a small fist-sized portion of carbs. Most people make their vegetables the smallest portion on the plate but increasing them is a great way to lose weight.

Water Intake

Are you looking for low calorie beverage options so you don’t wind up consuming several hundred calories a day in liquid? Better choose water, it has zero fat, zero carbs and zero calories. It will help your overall health and help you reach your weight loss goals.

Eat Low Calorie Snack Foods

It’s not realistic to cut out snacks altogether. Therefore, snacking on the right foods can actually help you reach your health and weight loss goals. Not all low calorie foods taste like health food. Here are some low calorie snack food suggestions to help keep you full between meals without sabotaging your weight loss or nutrition goals.

  • Baby carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and grape tomatoes. Dip in low fat dressing.
  • Fruits. If you like, make a low fat dip by mixing some orange juice with a little bit of fat free sour cream and fat free vanilla pudding.
  • Berries
  • Rice cakes. There are some flavoured options that make a great potato chip substitute.
  • Laughing Cow or cottage cheese.
  • Jell-O
  • Frozen grapes
  • Air-popped popcorn

Tip: Try to keep snacks to under 200 calories.

Adding Low Calorie Foods To Your daily diet will show results in no time.

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Vegetarian Diet Weight Loss – Tips For Dieters

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Vegetarian diet weight loss tips well worth knowing about.

 Vegetarian Diet Weight Loss Tips

A lot of new vegetarians look to dieting and weight loss plans for help. It’s not difficult for a new vegetarian to gain weight and many blame a carb overload on gaining weight. Learning to be a vegetarian that eats the right mix of foods can take time and during the transition, you may well gain some weight. A vegetarian diet weight loss program will probably make some specific recommendations to you, such as:Vegetarian Diet Weight Loss

  • Counting calories
  • Reducing fat
  • Getting more lean protein
  • Adding exercise in to your diet

Counting Calories

Counting calories can make you more aware of what you are eating. On a diet, if you strive to reduce your daily caloric intake by about 500 calories, you can expect to lose about 2-3 kgs a month from diet alone. Adding in exercise can help you lose even more weight but we’ll get to exercise later on.

In terms of dieting, striving to eat under 2,000 calories can help. Anywhere from 1200-1800 calories might be a suggestion for your weight loss depending on your current weight, gender, and activity level. (Note: Most people do need more than 1200 calories a day to function well.)

Reducing Fat

Beyond looking at how many calories you eat every day, have a look at which ones come from fat. If you’re like many vegetarians, you get a lot of your protein from dairy. Opt for low fat dairy choices wherever possible. Switch to 1% or skim milk and low fat cheese. Reduce your condiments wherever possible as well. Your sauces and dressings could be adding a large percentage of calories to your meals.

Getting More Lean Protein

Other great vegetarian diet weight loss tips include making sure you’re getting enough protein. Opt for lean sources of protein, which isn’t difficult to do as a vegetarian. Your weight loss diet plan may benefit from reducing carbohydrates , especially refined carbs. Experiment with some new vegetarian protein sources so you can find extra sources that make it easier for you to reduce your carbs.

Adding Exercise to Your Diet

There’s no doubt about it.. exercise will help you lose weight. It will also help you reduce loose skin after weight loss. As a vegetarian, weight loss diets aren’t as easy as you’re not able to follow many diet recipe suggestions. Consider looking for great sources of vegetarian diet recipes so that you can experiment and eat new low fat things without sacrificing variety and flavor.

We believe these Vegetarian Diet Weight Loss Tips are well worth trying.

Related Posts:
Nutritious Vegetarian Diet Plan Tips
Vegan Weight Loss Tips

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Defining Nutrition is Not Always Easy to Do

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Defining Nutrition is more difficult than it appears to be.

Defining Nutrition is Not Always Easy to Do

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To get all the nutrition you need on a daily basis. Are you really making the effort, though? A great exercise is to track your food intake for a week.

First of all, do this and see how your outcome stacks up against suggestions for nutrition.

You might be (unpleasantly) surprised at the outcome, however you could take it as a great opportunity to make positive changes.

Consequently, measure your diet against the suggested food pyramid, how well are you doing? Defining nutrition for most resides in the outcome.

How do you look? How do you feel? Are you happy with your weight?

Most of all if you know that you need a combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to be able to function, then it becomes much easier.

Your needs include:

  • Vitamins: A, B, C, K, and others.
  • Minerals: iron, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, and others.
  • Protein, fats, fiber…

Tracking your nutrition for a week with your typical diet can demonstrate where you are lacking in terms of meeting the definition of nutrition.

Almost everyone has a handful of go-to meals that they repeatedly eat out of habit, out of culture, and out of desire. Once you look at a typical week, it could reveal several things:

  • Deficiencies in specific vitamins and minerals.
  • Excess amounts of a particular area, such as a really high fat ratio.
  • Low ratios, such as low protein, but very high carbohydrates.

How do you track if you’re meeting the definition of nutrition? There are many free calorie counting products (Fitday, MyFitnessPal, and others) These can help you track your calories, your exercise (for calories burned), and your nutrition levels.

Defining Nutrition

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Probably you will determine that you aren’t getting enough vitamin K, you can look up foods rich in vitamin K and adjust your diet. Incidentally, a lot of people find that this is an area they have difficulty in meeting these requirements. Broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, celery, okra, seaweed, and some beans can help in this area.

If you can see that you’ve got a problem meeting the daily requirements for calcium. Regardless of whether you don’t consume enough dairy, or because you’re lactose intolerant.

Probably you could make a concerted effort to increase your calcium intake and / or take a supplement. (Supplements can be very effective but it’s always advisable to do your best to get your nutrition through food wherever possible).

Defining nutrition and keeping it in mind with meal planning is wise and can help you get more variety into your diet.

Therefore, the added benefit of working hard at doing this is that it will result in your starting to weed out the less than healthy items that dominate your diet today.

Most of all, it will ultimately positively improve your wellness levels and could result in weight loss as well.

Finally, defining nutrition becomes very important if you are to succeed at loosing weight. Do it now!

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Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss

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Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss are easy to find

Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss


Weight loss is, by and large, about math. But if you can’t exactly follow a cookie cutter approach because your life varies on a day to day basis. When it comes to food, you need to be sure you’ve got a variety of healthy recipes for weight loss so you don’t become bored and increase chances of falling off the dieting band wagon.

Finding healthy recipes for weight loss requires a bit of effort and planning. Here are some practical tips for finding healthy weight loss recipes and for keeping your menu as interesting and as fulfilling as possible:

Finding Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss

  • See a nutritionist.. A nutritionist or weight loss clinic will provide you with plenty of meal suggestions and some will give you specific recipes.
  • Buy cookbooks that focus on weight loss.. There are great options for books that will help you. You can find books locally and find cooking e-books online.Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss
  • Use the internet.. This is typically the most available and easiest-to-use option. When you look online for recipes, you’ll find a number of options. You’ll find sites dedicated to decadence and indulgence, yes, but you’ll also find many sources of low cal, low fat, high protein, high satiety, high flavour foods. Consider joining mailing lists for sites that offer healthy recipes for weight loss. You might even find mobile phone apps that you can use for recipes and ingredients lists while shopping in the grocery store.

Weight Loss Doesn’t Happen Overnight

Patience and perseverance are two of the key ingredients for success with weight loss. As you find recipes to try and keep the variety level high you’ll find that it’s easier to think of your diet as a new lifestyle rather than being something that denies you pleasure in life. Experiment with new ingredients and cooking techniques and try shopping for seasonal and local items as well to save costs and get flavorful choices.

Here are some additional tips for your search for healthy recipes for weight loss:

  • Try take-out recipes. If you feel like fried chicken, for instance, look for a lower calorie option that uses breading but that bakes the chicken. You can find recipes for take-out style meals that you can cook at home, too. Check out our low calorie chicken recipes.Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss
  • Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables but look for great veggie recipes so that it doesn’t feel boring. You can’t eat steamed veggies every day of the week without feeling like it’s deprivation.
  • Trade healthy weight loss recipes with a friend. If you diet with a buddy, there is a greater chance of reaching your goals.

Related Posts: Low Fat Soup Recipes, Eating Healthy To Lose Weight, Healthy Lunch Ideas for Weight Loss, Low Calorie Desserts For Weight Loss, Quick and Healthy Recipes for Dinner, 3 Low Fat Soup Recipes That Taste Great

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Detox Recipes that Help Cleanse your Body

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Detox Recipes

Detox Recipes

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Looking for detox recipes to help you detoxify and cleanse your body? A detox period isn’t necessarily easy to endure but it is said, by many, to offer great potential for improved health and wellness as well as weight loss.

Here are some signs you might want to do a detox:

  • You know you don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables.
  • You’ve been constipated lately.
  • You’re feeling run down and sluggish and / or you frequently catch cold and flu.
  • Your hair and skin are looking dull and lifeless.
  • You’ve recently recovered from an illness.
  • You’re just back from a holiday with plenty of indulgence in food and drink.
  • You’re interested in losing weight and want to overcome cravings.

Some detox programs suggest that you refrain from eating specific foods during a detox period. Others encourage specific foods and drinks to aid the body in cleansing.

Here are a few suggestions for detoxification help:

Master Cleanse

Detox RecipesThe Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemonade Diet or the Beyonce Knowles diet involves fasting, laxatives, and a recipe for a master cleanse detox drink recipe. This detox diet is said to have the benefit of not only detoxification but weight loss as well.

Here’s the detox drink recipe:

  • Half an organic lemon
  • 1/8 cup of organic maple syrup
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Glass of purified water (hot or cold. Your choice)

Sacred Heart Soup Detox Recipes

The Sacred heart detox diet involves a specific menu over a 7 day period. A summary is:

First day: soup and fruit. Second day: vegetables and soup, plus one baked potato. Third day: fruit, veggies, and sacred heart detox soup. Fourth day: milk, bananas, detox soup. Day 5: Meat, tomatoes, and soup. Sixth day: Meat, vegetables, and soup. Seventh Day: Veggies, soup, and brown rice.

*Specific fruits and vegetables are allowed on these days.

Detox Recipes for the soup vary but here’s the standard one:

Two cans of diced tomatoes, some scallions, beef or chicken broth (noodle broth is okay) a bunch of carrots, some celery, and some coloured peppers. Some detox recipes call for cabbage and call this the Cabbage Soup Diet. Gently boil (or use a crock pot) until vegetables are tender.

Other Great Detox Recipes Include..

  • Fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies. If you’re doing a fruit and veggie only detox, there are great recipes that can help you feel full while detoxing.
  • Here’s an example of a detox recipe for a veggie juice: 1 Cucumber, 4 stalks celery, handful of spinach, a few lettuce leaves, some alfalfa and some parsley. Add 3 carrots if you wish.
  • Consider a raw only detox diet. The enzymes in raw foods can do wonders for your body. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, certain legumes…
  • There are also detox recipes that help you detoxify specific systems. Drinking dandelion tea, for instance, could help you do a liver cleanse.

There are a variety of detox recipes available to help you reach your goals. If doing a detoxification, it’s important to realize that some types of detoxification result in flu-like symptoms as your body rids itself of toxins. If doing a detox, research the methods you’re considering, be sure to stay well-hydrated, and make sure you rest.

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