10 Healthy Snack Ideas for Nighttime Snacking

by Weight Loss - November 25, 2011

Healthy Snack Ideas That Will Keep Cravings Away

To begin with, do you struggle with staying on track for weight loss and healthy eating goals at nighttime?. If so we can conclude that this is the most dangerous time of day from an eating perspective. Therefore there is a need to snack at night in a sensible way.

Here are 10 healthy snack ideas that can help you feel good about your choice and some will still feel like you’re getting a “treat”.

1. Trail Mix

Trail Mix, Fruit and Dip, Smoothies, Popcorn and Frozen Berries Trail mix can be a high satiety snack and is one of the popular healthy snack ideas. Be careful as it can be high calorie, too, if you’re not careful. Making homemade trail mix can help you choose the right combination and in the right quantities while giving you control over sugar content.

This type of snack is great for people who like to “pick” at a snack. Measure portions out so you don’t find that you’ve consumed 800 calories while watching your favourite TV show.

2. Fruit and Dip

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A variety of fruit on a platter can be appetizing to the eyes and great from a nutritional standpoint. Fruit can be filling and it’s satisfying. Choose low fat dips (if using dip at all), such as a yogurt dip.

3. Fudge Pops

A fudge popsicle can be a satisfying sweet tooth cure for the chocoholic and it’s only about 100 calories a pop. It’s not the healthiest of healthy snack ideas but it’s a great option over a chocolate bar or bowl of chocolate ice cream.

4. Frozen Yogurt with Fruit

Fro-yo is a one of the great healthy snack ideas when it comes to substitutions for ice cream. But do watch portion control and be aware that some frozen yogurt has a pretty high sugar content. Consider adding a handful of berries to up the fibre and nutritional content and help you feel satisfied with a reasonable portion.

5. Veggies and Dip

Raw veggies can help you cure the craving for crunch. A bowl of radishes with a bit of sea salt is a much better choice than a bag of chips, of course. A plate of peppers, carrots cucumbers, broccoli, and cauliflower with a low cal dip (don’t overdo the dip!) could be a great TV snack for the whole family.

6. Popcorn

Popcorn gives you the option for a large volume of food without a lot of calories. Do be careful however, about overdoing it with cheese or buttered popcorn as it can be calorie-laden and full of fat. You can buy 100-calorie bags, for instance.

7. 100 Calorie Packs

100 calorie snack packs have pros and cons. They don’t get you eating the right food as these are often cookies or other naughty snacks but do offer a limited portion of something that can be indulgent. Use them sparingly.

8. Smoothies

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Because fruit smoothies are a filling and deliciously healthy way to cure a nighttime sweet tooth! Therefore you can mix your choice of fruit, skim milk with a banana and you’ve got a great healthy snack for weight loss. You can also add probiotic yogurt or green powder for a nutritional punch, too.

9. Cereal and Cereal Bars

Cereal is a healthy snack idea that’s low cal and high nutrition. Opt for choices with high fibre content to really satisfy.

10. Frozen Berries

A bowl of frozen grapes, berries, or cherries can help the sweet tooth for movie night.

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Healthy snack ideas should encompass flavour and health in order to help you feel satisfied.

A few of the above ideas weren’t the healthiest snack options but the occasional indulgence will feel like a “cheat” but won’t have the same impact as some of the common nighttime snacks.

Tip: Ignore the commercials! If you can skip through them you’re less likely to see something tempting that causes you to reach for an unhealthy snack.

In conclusion, use these Healthy Snack Ideas to add variety to your diet and loose weight.

3 Low Fat Soup Recipes That Taste Great

by Weight Loss - November 23, 2011

Low Fat Soup Recipes That Taste Great

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Soup is good for nutritional and dietary needs. It’s also a very budget-friendly food as you can make a large pot for a low cost and freeze a batch for another day. When cooking, don’t settle for commercial soups all the time, because they’re often high in sodium,preservatives and low on flavor.

By making your own low fat soups you will fill up with a low amount of calories and that is very nutritious.

Here are a few low fat soup recipes for you to try:

Vegetarian Chili Soup

This recipe serves about 4-5 people.

This is a combo of a soup and a stew. It’s low cal and high in flavour and fibre so will help you stay full longer.

Low Fat Soup Recipes Use 1 can each of:

diced tomatoes
tomato soup
baked beans
kidney beans
1 small diced onion
1 diced bell pepper (any colour or use several varieties)
Sliced mushrooms

1. Brown all vegetables and then mix all ingredients.
2. Then add salt, pepper, garlic, and chili powder to taste.
3. Cook over medium heat until peppers are tender.

Low Fat Macaroni Vegetable Soup Recipe

This recipe will make about 4 bowls of yummy low fat soup.

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Low fat soup recipes include just about any veggie you like, because most vegetables are low calorie and high in nutrition.

Here’s a pasta vegetable soup you will love:

1 envelope of Lipton chicken noodle soup
4 cups of water
1 can of diced tomatoes
7 or 8 sliced baby carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 handful of macaroni (whole wheat if possible)

Method: Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer soup for about 30 minutes or until macaroni and carrots are tender.

Lower Fat Cream Soup Recipes

Creamy soups are delicious but aren’t exactly figure friendly, are they? You can substitute skim milk for the cream to begin with. Then trim the butter, and add chicken broth for extra flavour in just about any cream soup recipe. Finally how about some low fat soup recipes for Cream of Broccoli? Here’s one:

Low Fat Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup

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This recipe will give you about 2-3 bowls.

1. To start boil or steam a head’s worth of broccoli flowerets (or broccolini) until it’s tender. Reserve a cup of the steaming or boiling broccoli water.

2. Follow by mixing a tablespoon of flour into a tablespoon of melted butter in a saucepan. Make a roux by slowly adding about 1 cup of skim milk.

3. Then add some soup stock (chicken bouillon. The condensed jelly type if possible – about 1 tablespoon).

4. Add broccoli and a tablespoon of light cream cheese and then about 1-2 tablespoons of light Parmesan cheese.

5. Add reserved broccoli water, and slowly add another cup of milk.

6. Finally simmer 20-30 minutes to melt all the cheese and blend flavours. Add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste.

Overall, soup is a low fat food. When you make it homemade, you control the salt and fat content. It’s budget friendly, figure friendly, crockpot friendly, and freezer friendly, too. Why not experiment with some low fat soup recipes today!

Tips for Sticking to a Healthy Eating Plan

by Weight Loss - November 18, 2011

Healthy Eating Plan – How to Succeed in Losing Weight

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Whether you want to lose weight or just improve your health, a healthy eating plan is important. It doesn’t have to deprive you of flavour or comfort but it needs to be sensible. Read on for some advice for setting up a healthy eating plan that you’ll be able to stick to.

Strive for Variety

The best way to stick to a healthy eating plan is to make it enjoyable. If you eat steamed vegetables and broiled chicken for dinner every night, you’re going to have trouble sticking to your eating plan. Vary your protein sources, find ways to mix up your veggie intake, and you will have a better chance of being able to stick to it. There are a lot of healthy eating options. Look for variety in terms of food and ways to prepare the food.

Planning is Paramount

One of the surest ways to the drive thru is being hungry without a plan for what to eat. A key to a healthy eating plan is to actually plan in advance. Sit down weekly and put a healthy eating plan menu together and then shop. Go shopping with a list in hand and stick to the list.

Know what you’re eating for dinner, lunch, breakfast and snacks every day until you’re planning for the next food shopping trip. Plan what you’re going to buy BEFORE you shop.

Eliminating Temptation

Temptation happens when unhealthy foods are within your reach. Don’t buy them. Don’t go to places that will provide a lot of temptation until you’re sure you’re over your junk food cravings. Some find that this takes a while and for others it happens fairly quickly.

Know your weaknesses and make sure that you remind yourself that you have goals of healthy eating for good reasons. Whether it’s for your weight loss goals, to tackle cholesterol problems, because of blood sugar reasons, or you’re embarking on a healthier eating plan for another reason, temptation will be there. And if you do fall off the healthy food wagon, just get back on. If you’re eating healthfully the vast majority of the time, it’s okay to have a treat once in a while. The good news is that once you’ve eliminated some bad habits, it gets easier and the cravings diminish.

Change your Bad Habits

If you always eat dessert after a meal or you always snack in front of the TV at night, these may be hard habits to break. Start off small with better choices and with portion control. Eat a snack sized bag of potato chips for 100 calories instead of opening a large family sized bag. Transition to a bag of apples or grapes. Choose alternatives instead of deprivation and it’ll be easier to do.

While you’re adjusting to your new, healthy eating plan:

Find something else to do at night other than watching TV. Change your shopping habits, change your bad habits, and plan ahead with variety in mind and you could dramatically improve your health and, if it’s your goal, your waistline as well.

Quick, Healthy Recipes for Dinner

by Weight Loss - November 2, 2011

Quick, Healthy Recipes for Dinner

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You need quick, healthy recipes for dinner especially if you’re busy. One of the keys to successful weight loss is dinner. Dinner time is the meal that typically contains the most calories of all your meals and it will set the stage for your appetite for the rest of the evening as well. Satiety and the right nutrition combo at dinner will help you curb your overall calorie intake and decrease snack cravings.

Dinner time can be a hectic time for families. And that’s one of the reasons so many people make the wrong choices. Here are some ideas for quick and healthy recipes for dinner, making your life easier, making your belly full, and helping you lose weight.

Use Your Crockpot

Quick, Healthy Recipes Find healthy recipes for dinner that utilise the crockpot with 8 hour recipes. This can be a great timesaver as you can assemble everything the night before and pop the crockpot or crockpot liner in the fridge. In the morning just pop it on and when you arrive home after a hard day, you can have a healthy meal that’s ready for you and that doesn’t result in a sink full of dirty pots and pans.

Look for low fat and high nutrient content. Soups, stews, and casseroles that can be made in the crockpot can be great.

Make Once – Eat Twice Meals

Make healthy recipes for dinner such as hearty chili with lots of beans and peppers, stews, soups, and sauces that can stretch out over several meals. You can freeze batches for another day and make it easier to eat healthy despite being busy. This is also budget friendly, too.

Healthy Convenience Foods

Not all convenience foods are junk food. Quick healthy recipes for dinner can include things that are easier to prepare. Grocery stores make great healthy recipes for dinner that you can take home and heat and eat. Pre-made salads, pre-chopped vegetables, and lower fat convenience foods can be great time saving options too.

Plan Ahead

The best way to stay to a healthy eating plan is to decide at the start of the week what your next half a dozen healthy recipes for dinner will be. Plan the week out ahead of time so that you won’t be tempted to go off your plan. You can find a number of healthy recipe cookbooks and websites that will send you ideas for healthy recipes for dinner as well.

Tip: Know the nutrient content of your food. Most healthy recipes will list nutrient and calorie content. This will help you with putting together a healthy diet plan effectively, complete with the right portions.

Finally, choose a variety of Quick, Healthy Recipes for Dinner and you will keep your family trim and fit.

Diet and Nutrition – The Importance Of Combining Both

by Weight Loss - October 28, 2011

Diet and nutrition need to go hand in hand for optimum weight loss results.

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Far too many people go on restrictive crash diets that result in temporary results, at best and negative results for their health, at worst. Read on for information to help you execute a diet and nutrition plan that will improve your chances of success..

Thin is nice but healthy and thin is even better.

Make Calories Count

Diet and Nutrition Some people simply try, on their diet, to eat the fewest number of calories possible, believing that weight loss is only a matter of simple math. Calorie intake does have an impact on your diet and math does factor in but the wrong approach won’t do you any favours. Not only is this not a great idea, it could be counterproductive.

If you don’t supply what your body needs you feel lousy. And in addition, your body will go into hoard mode and your metabolism will slow way down. This won’t result in quick weight loss and if you fall off the low calorie ‘wagon’ your body will retain more calories than ever, believing it needs to hold those calories due to the recent shortage of food it has received.

Nutrients

Beyond getting an adequate number of calories, your body needs an adequate amount of nutrition. The right mix of nutrition will help you endure lower caloric intake and provide you with energy and willpower. Look for the best bang for your buck with calories and choose diet foods that encompass a lot of nutritive value.

When it comes to diet and nutrition, the key to diet success is to go on a diet that encompasses nutrition and satiety as well. This can help you achieve short term and longer term goals. You need the right blend of nutrients that satisfies you. This will help you achieve your goals for your diet and nutrition, will satiate your body and reduce cravings for unhealthy food naturally.

Variety

In terms of diet and nutrition, variety should be a factor as well. If you go on a grapefruit diet, for instance, not only is this less than ideal from a nutritional perspective. But the lack of variety will hurt you. By leaving a nutritional deficit and without willpower. A diet that encompasses nutrition and healthy variety is easier to stay the course with.

Diet and Nutrition Tip – Consider Calorie Shifting

In addition to a diet with nutrition and variety, try shifting calories. Some days you could have a higher calorie count than others, particularly after following a low calorie diet. This can keep your metabolism working hard.

Never sacrifice nutrition in a diet. You’ll find a variety of low calorie high nutrition weight loss foods if you take the time to look for them and plan for your meals.

Healthy Diet Plan – A Formula for Success

by Weight Loss - October 25, 2011

Healthy Diet Plan Components that will produce great results

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If you are wanting to lose weight, some adjustments to your eating will make a big difference. Here are some components that you’ll want to make sure are part of your healthy diet plan..

Breakfast

Healthy Diet Plan Breakfast eaters weigh less than non breakfast eaters. Hence, It is vital that you eat breakfast if you want to lose weight. Not only will this help you boost your metabolism but you’ll eat less overall throughout the day. Opt for wholesome and filling breakfast foods.

It may take time for you to get accustomed to eating in the morning. Start small and add to your meal. You might start off with a piece of fruit or a yogurt. In addition, try to add some protein and complex carbs as well.

High Satiety Foods

Foods that fill you up are a good part of a healthy diet plan. High fibre foods are a great aspect of your healthy diet plan as they will fill you up, aid in elimination and reduce in-between meal cravings. Some healthy high satiety foods include: popcorn, beans, oatmeal, hearty vegetable soup, and many fruits.

Fruits and Vegetables

The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the healthier you’ll be. And in terms of fruit, it will help with cravings as it’s nature’s dessert.

Snacks

Also healthy snacks are an important part of a healthy diet plan. Therefore, the right snacks are important. They’ll keep your hunger at bay, help you control your portions, and they will help you boost your metabolism.

Water

A healthy diet plan should involve plenty of hydration. It’ll facilitate weight loss, toxin release and regulate your appetite.

Since a healthy diet plan needs to feed your nutrient needs, it should also quench your thirst for flavour, too. Because if it doesn’t, you won’t feel well and you won’t be able to stick to that healthy diet plan. It’s not easy to eat everything your body needs, day in and day out, but if you can come close. As a result, you’ll be healthier and have a healthy body mass index.

Strive for:

As few junk foods and sugary foods as possible. Think nutrient value!
2-3 servings of lean protein per day.
2+ servings of dairy. Opt for low fat and healthy dairy foods.
About 5 portions of bread and cereals a day. This might sound like a lot but one slice of bread is one serving. Hence, one small portion (about the size of your fist) of pasta is a serving, and complex carbs are best.
5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Opt for a colourful variety.

In conclusion, it is not always easy to switch over to a healthy diet plan. As a result, real effort is needed.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Weight Loss

by Weight Loss - October 19, 2011

Healthy Lunch Ideas that help you lose weight.

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Are you trying to lose weight and find lunch to be a difficult thing to do healthfully? If this is the case, here are some healthy lunch ideas and associated tips to help you with both the health and dieting aspects of lunchtime..

Avoid the food court. Avoid the food court and avoid the temptation. Consider going out for lunch occasionally for the social and reward aspect of it but pick your lunch locale carefully and plan ahead so you don’t do impulse buying.

Plan ahead. When you do your grocery shopping, factor lunch in as well as dinner. This is especially helpful if you’re not accustomed to packing your own lunch for work. Pack things you’ll enjoy, so you aren’t tempted to ditch the brown bag for the local drive-thru.

Subscribe to healthy recipe idea websites. They will send you out notifications of recipes to give you plenty of healthy lunch ideas.

Make extra dinner and pack it for lunch. Did you enjoy your last night’s dinner? Bring some for lunch. Just watch your portion control.

Meat and salad. Lean meats and a big and colourful salad makes a great lunch. Grilled chicken, for instance, goes great in a salad. Ditch the high fat salad dressings. Consider a spritzer and something oil based instead of cream based. Throw some beans into that salad to help you feel fuller and for a healthy fibre boost.

Add healthy treats to your lunch. Make your lunch an enjoyable experience by adding a guilt free treat. Fruit cups, low fat pudding cups, popcorn, a piece of dark chocolate, and other healthy treat will help you feel satiated and less deprived.

Tip: If you’re eating lunch at your desk at work, consider going for a walk after lunch. Not only will this help with your weight loss goals but it will get you away from your desk for a little while, which is proven as a productivity booster.

A Workweek’s Worth of Healthy Lunch Ideas

Here are some healthy lunch ideas to get you through the next work week:

Monday: Grilled chicken with a colourful chef salad and low fat Italian salad dressing. Additionally, add an apple with a spoonful of peanut butter for dipping for a treat.

Tuesday: Tuna in a pita pocket with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and just a bit of mayo. And for your treat, have 2 cups of air popped popcorn.

Wednesday: A small (6 inch) submarine sandwich on whole wheat bread with a cup of vegetable soup. For your treat, have a chocolate pudding cup.

Thursday: Bowl of chili and a size salad. And for your treat, have a fruit salad.

Friday: Go out for lunch today. You’ve been good all week, right? Opt to go for a lunch restaurant that provides nutritional info so you can make an educated decision about your healthy lunch.

Since healthy lunch ideas are everywhere. Variety is a good way to stay motivated. A good breakfast, lunch, and dinner will satiate you and help you reach your weight loss goals. Finally, don’t forget to integrate some healthy snacks in, too. This will help you fight off cravings and keep you full so you don’t overeat at your next meal.

Nutrition for Kids – Helpful Tips to Improve Your Child’s Diet

by Weight Loss - October 12, 2011

Nutrition for kids, is paramount in the topic of overweight kids. Hence, by changing some nutrition habits in your household, you can help your child lose weight without attaching the stigma of a diet. If weight loss isn’t an issue but you just want to embrace wellness in your household, these tips will apply as well.

Embrace a Healthier Lifestyle

Instead of putting a child on a diet, consider making positive lifestyle changes for the whole family. In terms of nutrition for kids, the following tips will help you do this in a way that benefits the whole family, especially any overweight children in your family.

Nutrition for Kids – Tips to Transition the Menu and the Lifestyle

Stop going to fast food restaurants. Very often, the fast food meals for kids are bereft of nutrition and are so filled with high fructose corn syrup and other potentially harmful ingredients that they sabotage your efforts. There are also debates about whether or not many of these foods can also affect a child’s behaviour, too. The sooner you eliminate this sort of food from your family’s diet, the better.

Skip the candies and cookies. If your child continually begs for these types of snacks at home, it’s hard to resist them if the items are in the house. Not only should you stop buying them but you should take this as an opportunity to clean out your pantry. Talk to grandparents and caregivers to make sure everyone is on board with your kid’s nutrition plan.

Involve your kids in cooking. This can get them more involved in eating nutritious foods. You can make nutrition for kids a fun thing, as well. There are nutritious kid cooking classes, too. Therefore, by involving your kids in their menu planning, you’ve got a greater chance of them eating and embracing the healthier food choices.

Expect tantrums. If your child is accustomed to getting a lot of junk food and you suddenly stop the supply, you’ll probably get resistance. Stay the course. Within a few days your child will get accustomed to eating healthy snacks.

Offer fun nutritious snacks. If your child likes chips and dip, try some fruit and healthy fruit dip. If your child loves ice cream sundaes, try yogurt with fruit and nuts. Make a fruit smoothie instead of offering soda pop or a sugar-laden milkshake.

Make exercise fun. Sign your kids up for a new sport, take up a family exercise, such as an after-dinner walk or bicycling as a family. If your child enjoys gaming, try purchasing one of the gamercise systems (like Wii, Kinect, or PlayStation Move).

Therefore, making nutrition for kids a priority in your house will benefit the entire family.

And will help set the stage for good eating habits that will last a lifetime

Rapid Weight Loss Diets – Are They Safe?

by Weight Loss - October 5, 2011

Rapid Weight Loss Diets work when done properly, Try Them!

Detox Diets for Weight Loss – Useful Tips

by Weight Loss - September 27, 2011

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Are you considering doing detox diets for weight loss? If you are, you can benefit both from detoxification and from weight loss as well. You might also find that you will enjoy various other positive side effects as an added bonus. Here’s some handy information on utilizing detox diets for weight loss..

Detox

Are you in need of detoxification? The 21st century diet isn’t the healthiest for the vast majority of people. That’s why such a vast percentage of the population is overweight and even morbidly obese. Detox diets for weight loss can do more than help you lose weight fast, they can help you remove impurities from your body. And those who detoxify often find a great reduction in junk food cravings as well.

Weight Loss

By eliminating certain foods from your diet, you can lose a substantial amount of weight. Many detox diets involve an elimination of specific foods from your diet as well as an elimination of toxins from your body. The weight loss that occurs can be minor or could be substantial.

Of course, you won’t benefit for long from your detox diet if you resume old habits straight away. Detox diets for weight loss are good but they’re also excellent as springboards to healthier eating.

Benefits of Eliminating the Bad Stuff

Many people report quite a few positive side effects after a detox. For most, there is a short period of flu like symptoms as your body rids itself of the toxins. But then you may start seeing other benefits such as: reduced junk food cravings, a clearer complexion, better breath, a flatter stomach, improved digestive function, and even improved sleep and energy levels.

You really don’t realise just how much bad foods truly weigh you down in terms of your weight and in terms of how you feel overall.

Choose Detox Diets Wisely

Not all detox diets for weight loss are equal. You’ll find a plethora of options and products that promise to help you detox and lose weight. Make sure you research whatever you’re considering so that you’ll know if it’s dangerous or controversial and so you’ll know what sort of results and side effects (if any) to expect.

When detoxifying your body, you’ll probably experience cravings at first and again, you might have flu like symptoms or headaches for a little bit as your body detoxifies but as you complete the detox process, you’ll see a positive difference in how you look, how you feel, and in the number on the bathroom scale, too.