If money is not an issue and you have available space in your home you can invest in a universal type of exercise equipment.  Examples of these would be a Bowflex, Soloflex, or similar type apparatus in which you can train your entire body with one machine.  Another option is to purchase a set of dumbbells at a local department store and use them to target each muscle group.  And last but not least, you can always substitute dumbbells by using cans of food or by filling up empty milk gallon containers with water or sand.  Use these as you would dumbbells and you can effectively train each muscle group.  Furniture also comes in handy as an apparatus.  Use a chair or a bench, even a bed as place to lean or lay on while using dumbbells or a dumbbell substitute.

For cardiovascular training, you can run in place, do jumping jacks, or go for a walk outside.  You can also purchase an aerobic video or DVD that you can do at home.  Again, if money is not an issue and you have available space, consider purchasing a stationary bicycle or treadmill.  These provide an excellent way to get your aerobic exercise done.

To get the maximum benefits, a good exercise program should include both muscle building and fat burning.  That means doing some muscle building exercises and at least twenty minutes of cardiovascular exercise.  If you have limited time, you do not have to do both on the same day.  For example, you can do your strength training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and do your cardiovascular training on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays OR Sundays.  Whether you are strength training or cardiovascular training it should only take thirty minutes of your time.

It is important to remember to stretch before, during, and after exercise.  These need not be complicated movements but just enough to keep your muscles flexible.  Keep your exercise program simple and uncomplicated and you will be more apt to stick with it.

And don’t forget that housecleaning, gardening, mowing the lawn, and many more household chores all burn calories.  The trick is to keep moving and move at a good pace.  As soon as you raise your heart rate, you are burning fat!  So get started today, get moving, get exercising and in no time you will look and feel great.

If dieting seems easy at first and slowly becomes more and more difficult, you may have reached the “dieting doldrums”. Learn how to stay on your weight loss track and avoid the common dieting pitfalls.

Each year millions of Americans begin some sort of weight loss program in an attempt to lose weight. While some may prove to be successful, a mere 20% will be able to maintain their loss. And to make matters worse, some will have regained all the weight they’ve lost plus additional weight leaving them fatter.

Losing weight is a tough battle in and of itself but keeping it off is even tougher. Here are 7 tips and tricks to combat the known pitfalls that can sabatoge your weight loss goal and help you successfully lose the weight and keep it off.

1) Scrap Your Scale: If you must weigh yourself, limit it to once a month or once a week if necessary. There may be meals that contain more salt than others and you may be carrying more water weight that day. Your body may be in a neutral mode and not be showing a loss that day. Whatever the case may be, weighing yourself every day can wreak havoc with your mind. You may become so depressed and angry that you immediately run to the kitchen and start consuming the first thing you get your hands on and it will almost always be the seven-layer chocolate cake you’ve hidden in the freezer for a special occasion. I’ve had clients who have weighed themselves every day, one girl weighed herself every hour! While that may be an obsessive person with a borderline eating disorder, we all need to be careful not to obsess about the numbers on the scale. Add to the fact that if you’re weight training as part of a weight loss program, muscle weighs more than fat and so the scale may be deceiving you.

2) Progress Past a Plateau: If you’ve reached a plateau and you find that you’ve stopped losing weight after weeks of dieting, don’t get discouraged and give up, you may just need a change in your routine. I like to refer to this as “shock training”. If you’re just dieting and not exercising, add some form of aerobic and/or weight training to your regime. If you have been exercising try changing your exercise routine, add more aerobic training or change the type of aerobic training you are currently doing. You may also need to make a change in what you’re eating. The idea is to shock your body by doing something out of your normal routine and then it will get back on the weight loss track.

3) Don’t Bail for a Binge: It may be a bad day, it may be a temporary loss of control, maybe it’s a special occasion, whatever the case may be, if you’ve gone off track don’t just give up for the rest of the day just because you’ve eaten something you shouldn’t have. You can still do a lot more damage during the remaining hours of the day if you continue eating whatever you want. A temporary slip is not going to sabatoge your entire dieting goal so don’t beat yourself up over it just get back on track the minute it’s over.

4) Help for Hunger Pains: When you’re between meals and you feel the urge to snack, try drinking an entire glass of water. It may sound funny but often times our bodies are just thirsty when we feel we are hungry. If you still feel hungry after drinking the water, choose your snacks wisely. Go for something with a lot of fiber, that way you’ll feel fuller faster. I always keep a bag of baby carrots or carrot chips in the refrigerator. They’re already washed, cut, and ready to eat. They’re even easy to grab a handful and take with you. Other vegetables and fruits work just as well, just wash and cut them up and have them ready to grab when you need a snack.

5) Seek Support: It isn’t always feasible to put the whole family on a diet and unless you live alone, the other people in the house may not want to live on carrot sticks and rice cakes. By all means try to enlist their help. Let them know you’re beginning a new weight loss regime and meals from now on will be healthier. The more people that know your goal, the more that can assist you. When it comes to snacks, try to only buy what your family likes and you could pass up.

6) Purge the Pantry: Before beginning a new healthy eating plan it’s important to get out with the old and make room for the new. If it’s not in the house, chances are you won’t eat it. Just be sure to fill it with wise food choices so you’ll always have healthy things to eat when you’re hungry.

7) Solicit the Chef: When eating out at a restaurant, don’t assume that everything on the menu is healthy for you. Ask about ingredients and preparation. If nothing presented seems healthy enough, ask if something on the menu could be prepared without the sauce or steamed instead of fried, etc.

These are just a few tips and tricks but there are many more. Find what works for you and stick with it. Once you lose the weight, do whatever you have to do to stay focused and determined to keep it off. Try not to make excuses for why you are not succeeding in your weight loss endeavors. Evaluate your daily life and routine and find out where your weak areas are so you can make changes. Even a situation like carrying excess weight from a pregnancy or pregnancies can be helped. Whatever your situation, learn how to make the proper changes to improve your body, mind, and health.

So how do you continue to challenge your muscles? You must revamp your routine every so often, as your body will become accustom to a daily routine of exercise. The first step would be to increase your weight resistance as your muscles become less challenged with the current weight you’re using. Depending on the exercise you are performing, increase your weights in 5 pound increments. Some exercises, however, will not allow for a 5 pound increase. An example of this would be most shoulder exercises like side lateral raises. You may only be able to increase the weight when performing this exercise by 1 pound increments. If you don’t have access to dumbbells or there are no dumbbells increasing by 1 pound you can try performing your shoulder exercises using a shoulder machine or cable crossovers.

The second step would be to change the actual routine. For example, if you’re doing chest and triceps on Monday, legs on Wednesday, and back and biceps on Friday try doing chest and biceps on Monday, hamstrings on one Wednesday and quads on the following Wednesday, and back and triceps on Friday.

The third step would be to change the exact exercises you are currently performing. For example, if you’re doing barbell bench presses for chest try doing flat dumbbell presses and incline dumbbell presses. It sounds like the same exercise but you would be surprised at how your body will respond to such a slight change as a barbell and a dumbbell. If you’re working out in a gym and you usually use free weights, try utilizing the machines even if you use machines one week and back to free weights the following week. Try alternating this way for a couple of months.

Last, but not least, there is one step that may be the hardest step of all for a true work-out enthusiast - take a week off. For some of us it’s easier said than done but I can tell you that your body will thank you. Every now and then it’s important to give your body ultimate rest. Try to occupy yourself in some other way and convince your mind that you are doing something to help your physique by taking a week off. When you return to the gym or to whatever exercise routine you have, you will feel the results instantly. You will return refreshed and renewed.

An exercise plateau is inevitable but it doesn’t mean you have to stay there. Follow these easy steps to get your exercise routine back on track and giving you the type of results you once saw.

You’ve only got one heart, if it stops beating you no longer live. Protecting your heart could be the single best thing you can do for your body. Every year approximately one half million people die from heart disease and more than a million people suffer heart attacks in America alone. High levels of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks.

How can high levels of cholesterol cause heart disease leading to a heart attack? According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of cholesterol is a white crystalline substance, found in animal tissues and various foods, that is normally synthesized by the liver and is important as a constituent of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones. Its level in the bloodstream can influence the pathogenesis of certain conditions, such as the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease. To put it in more simple terms, cholesterol is a soft fatty substance found in the blood and cells that is necessary for normal bodily functions. However, too much cholesterol in the blood causes a build up of a hard substance called plaque that narrows the walls of the arteries. If a blockage occurs in an artery carrying blood to the heart, the blockage can cause a heart attack. If a blockage occurs in an artery carrying blood to the brain, a stroke could occur.

If you have high cholesterol, you may not exhibit any symptoms. For this reason it is very important to have your cholesterol checked on a regular basis. Because high cholesterol is treatable, it is important to learn what your cholesterol levels are and what the numbers mean. It is a simple blood test that your doctor can perform. It should also be noted that anyone can have high cholesterol; young, old, persons at risk for heart disease and those without risk.

There are some risk factors for high cholesterol that cannot be controlled. These are age, gender, and family history.

Age: Men 45 years of age and older and women 55 years of age and older are at risk for high cholesterol.

Gender: A women’s LDL cholesterol level (this is the bad cholesterol) goes up after reaching menopause along with her risk of heart disease.

Family History: If your father or brother was affected by heart disease before the age of 55 you are at risk. If your mother or sister was affected by heart disease before the age of 65 you also are at increased risk.

There are also a number of other factors that could put you at high risk: Having high blood pressure, a low HDL cholesterol level, smoking cigarettes, a family history of early heart disease, and men who are over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55.

What can be done about high cholesterol or maintaining a healthy level of cholesterol?

Weight: Being overweight is a major risk factor for heart disease. Losing weight is an effective way to lower “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol.

Diet: Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol consumed from foods will help lower blood cholesterol levels. Learn how to read the food labels of foods you are consuming. Aim for low cholesterol amounts in food but it is also important to avoid foods that have high saturated fat amounts.

Physical Activity and/or Exercise: Being physically active and exercising regularly will help lower “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol. It will also help you to lose weight. Strive to do some sort of physical activity in a 30 minute duration almost, if not, every day.

While high cholesterol for many seems to be a way of life there are many things you can do to control it and prevent it from reaching unsafe levels. It is important to know what’s going on inside your body and in this way you can better take control of it. Education is very important. Get your blood tested, find out if you’re at risk, and take the necessary steps to keep your cholesterol in check.

At any rate, the guy was bench pressing, I believe there was 255 on the bar and he wasn’t exactly “small” by any definition. I immediately ask if he would like a lift-off to which he gives no response because he still has his headphones in his ears and he can’t hear a word I’m saying. I make no effort to aid in a lift-off and he proceeds to crank out a good 8 reps. By the 9th rep, he needs my help. He is able to get it off his chest but fails midway through the motion. I am there to help him push it through to the top of the rep. Then he does something that drives me mad, he proceeds to utter the words, “One more!” I immediately think to myself, are you crazy, you couldn’t get the last rep by yourself and there’s no way you’re going to be able to get another, besides, I just trained biceps yesterday. As quickly as the thought exits my mind, he proceeds to drop the bar to attempt another rep. As predictable as rain, he barely gets it off his chest and then comes to a complete stop. I quickly grab the bar but I refuse to lift it off of him, I make him work for it and work hard. He grunts, he groans, he squirms, and pushes with all his might and half of mine, to complete the rep. Red-faced and sweat pouring down his head he gets up, gives me a half of a smile, and a nod of gratitude. I walk away wondering if he’ll be hard pressed to ask for my spot again.

At the other end of the spectrum lies my recent experience in my quest for a bench press spot. Not recognizing any of the usual members I occasionally acknowledge with a nod and a smile, I look around for someone I think I can trust to not get myself injured. I spot a guy with some decent size who is working out nearby and is executing his particular exercise with perfect form. I think to myself, he’s got some weight training knowledge, he’s not new to the gym, and he doesn’t look like an ax murderer, so I’ll go over and ask for a spot.

I patiently wait until he has finished his set and I ask him if I could trouble him for a spot. He agrees and follows me to the bench. I tell him straight up that I do not need a lift off and because this is my max weight, I’m good for about 2 to 3 reps (so he knows what to expect). I take the bar off, proceed to touch it to my chest, and then he picks up the bar with both hands and continues to execute the next few repetitions for me. It felt as though I had about two pounds on the bar, it was flying in the air with no effort whatsoever. I could have easily done 100 reps, probably double that, with the way he was spotting me. I get up thinking, oh well, so much for chest day! And there will be no wonder if I’ll ever ask him for a spot again.

I guess there are people that just don’t know how to spot, maybe they don’t know the “rules” of spotting, or that rules of spotting even exist. Which brings me to the reason for writing this article in the first place. Here are some things to keep in mind the next time you ask or are asked for a spot:

You Need to Ask for a Spot:

~First try to decipher if the person is involved in a super set or a drop set, if they are you may be interfering with their work out. And obviously, wait until they’re done with their set before speaking to them.

~Make sure the person is capable of lifting the weight off of you, should you reach failure.

~Convey as much information as possible beforehand so the person spotting you is not surprised by your actions (tell them how many reps you expect to get, you’ll only need a little help on the last one, you’ve never tried this weight before, etc.)

~I like training with music but when someone is spotting you, turn it down or shut it off just for that set, your spotter may say things to help you reach your goal. Your spotter may also know that you have another one (rep) in you and push you to do more.

~Try not to ask the same person all the time for a spot unless of course that person is your training partner. It can be quite bothersome if the same person keeps interrupting your training day after day. You may find that people see you and dodge the other way or don’t make eye contact with you because they’re afraid you’ll ask them yet again for a spot.

~And lastly, a little gratitude never hurt. Saying please and thank you will show that you have respect for the sport of weight training.

You Are Asked for a Spot:

~Regarding the issue of music again, if you have headphones on definitely remove them and/or shut your music. If the person you are spotting tells you, “One more,” or “Help”, those are words you will need to hear.

~If the person is not forthcoming, ask what exactly they need a spot with, like a lift-off or if they want you to touch them or the weight/bar.

~This one may seem silly to some but if you are sweating profusely, please wipe yourself somewhat first. There’s nothing worse than lying on a bench, holding up enough weight to collapse a small house, looking up to see your spotter’s face hanging over the bar and suddenly you see a drop of his/her sweat coming at you a thousand miles an hour and there’s not a thing you can do about it.

~Make sure you keep your eyes on the person you are spotting at all times. This is not the time to catch up on the latest news with your buddy as the guy you are spotting squats 500 pounds through the floor!

~Be verbal. If you think the person has another rep or two in them, tell them so. I don’t mean screaming it so the whole gym turns to look but a simple, “Come on,” “One more”, “Let’s go”, and my all time favorite, “Be the bar!” Just kidding on that last one.

~And lastly, but most importantly, do not, I repeat, do not do the weight for them. A spotter’s job is simply to make sure the person does not cause them self injury. You only need to help them through failure, to keep the weight moving with minimal effort on your part. Sometimes this means simply placing a finger on the bar so they know you are there without actually doing the rep for them.

The next time you are in need of a spot or you are asked for a spot try remembering a few of these factors. I can guarantee you that your set and their set will be a lot more successful.

Stretch before, during, and after exercising
Stretching before exercising is beneficial in that it helps in warming up the muscles and joints to be used. There is, however, one word of caution; you should never stretch a cold muscle. Cold muscles are short and tight, if we stretch them in that state we run the risk of immediate injury. For example, if you’re going to stretch your arms, you could begin with some arm circles. If you’re going to stretch your legs you could run in place or jump on a stationary bicycle for 5 minutes. The idea is just to get some blood and oxygen to that area of the muscle that is to be stretched.

Stretching during exercise is beneficial because it helps to lengthen the muscle. This is important because it will give us a full range of motion which is needed if we want to receive maximum results from training a specific muscle. This in turn will enhance the muscle’s ability to perform. The better a muscle is able to perform the stronger it will be. Stretching helps you become more flexible, as you increase your flexibility you will improve your posture and balance.

Stretching after exercise is beneficial also because it helps reduce the amount of toxins and lactic acid built up in the muscle. This in turn will help prevent or reduce the amount of soreness to the muscle trained. By stretching after exercise you can help keep the muscles and tendons loose and flexible as they have a tendency to tighten when cool. Stretching after exercise is also a good way to relax the entire body and mind.

I hear all too often that there’s no time to stretch, there’s no mat available, or they just don’t know exactly how to stretch. Stretching does not have to be an elaborate and time consuming function. A few simple stretches for the muscles you will be training is all that’s needed. Stretching before, during, and after exercise is important but there is never a wrong time to stretch. Try some stretching before bedtime to help you relax and prepare your muscles for sleep. Keep these stretching basics in mind the next time you prepare to exercise or any time of the day:

Stretching basics:
~Never stretch cold, do a warm-up exercise before stretching
~Stretch and hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds but no more than 60 seconds
~Never bounce a stretch, keep your movements smooth and controlled
~Do not over stretch, you should feel a slight pull and tightness but never pain
~Stretch one muscle group at a time before beginning another one
~Remember to breath while stretching
~Place your hand above or below the joint but never on the joint of the muscle you are stretching
~Learn proper stretching movements from a personal trainer, a book of stretches, or an instructional video

Below is a list of examples of the BV levels for some protein sources:

110-159 - Whey protein - isolates
104 - Whey protein - concentrate (lactalbumin)
100 - whole egg
91 - cow milk
88 - egg white
83 - fish
80 - beef
79 - chicken
77 - casein
74 - soy
59 - rice
54 - wheat
49 - beans

So how much protein does your body really need? Some experts suggest dividing your body weight in half and eating that amount of grams of protein in a day. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you would need 100 grams of protein a day. Some experts will say that is too much protein while yet another group will tell you, you need more. If you’re involved in a serious weight training program, you will need more protein than the average person. Competitive bodybuilders generally consume one gram of protein per one pound of body weight. There are also many competitive bodybuilders who consume double and even triple that amount! You need to evaluate your muscle building goals and adjust your protein intake accordingly. Too much protein is not advantageous as it will add undue stress to your kidneys and is a waste of calories.

If you have trouble ingesting enough protein for your body through food, try using protein powders as a supplement. Keep in mind that they are just that, supplements. They are not to take the place of food, just to supplement or add to your existing diet. Try a high quality whey isolate base powder, one with high protein, low carbohydrates, and low in fat and calories. Avoid those that are meal replacements because they tend to be higher in fat and calories and look for those without artificial ingredients. If you need to gain weight, by all means go for the weight gainers with lots of added calories. Weight gainer powders should be used in addition to high quality meals. Other protein sources should come from low fat food sources such as lean meats, eggs, fish, and vegetables.

Whether you’re a competitive bodybuilder, an avid exerciser, or just maintaining a good quality health plan, start with concentrating on your protein intake. Your muscles and cells will benefit and you will find the results you’ve been looking for.

People always ask me what the best workout routine is. The truth is, there is no best routine. A good routine is one in which works for you, that you can stick to, and that helps you reach your goals.

In building a good routine you must first decide how much time you can reasonably devote to your program per week. Some people cannot function unless they go to the gym every day and others may only be able to get in a workout once a week. If you’re like most people, you fall somewhere in between. I’ll start with a 7-day-a-week program and work down to 1. The more days per week you can train, the less you’ll train a particular body part. This is more suitable for building muscle mass. Your body parts should be sore enough that they need a week to repair, so train them hard. If toning is your goal then you’ll need less intensity so you can train that body part again. You should never train the same body part two days in a row. Your muscles need at least one day to rest and repair. The exception to this rule is the abdominal muscles, which can be trained every day but personally I’ve always gotten more success giving them a rest too.

A routine for 7 days a week: If you can devote 7 days to the gym you can successfully train your whole body and get in sufficient cardiovascular training. Since you have 7 days, I would prefer to train one major body part a week but be sure and train it hard.

For muscle mass and bulk try this routine:

Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Back and abdominal’s
Wednesday: Quads and calves
Thursday: Shoulders, rear deltoids, and abdominal’s
Friday: Biceps and triceps
Saturday: Hamstrings and calves
Sunday: Cardio and abdominals

If you’re not looking to really bulk up, do the above routine but use lighter weights and higher repetitions. Or you could try this 7-day-a-week routine:

For toning:

Monday: Chest, triceps, and shoulders
Tuesday: Back, biceps, rear deltoids, and abdominal’s
Wednesday: Quads, hamstrings, and calves
Thursday: Chest, triceps, and shoulders
Friday: Back, biceps, rear deltoids, and abdominal’s
Saturday: Quads, hamstrings, and calves
Sunday: Cardio and abdominals

A routine for 6 days a week: As with the above routine, a 6-day-a-week routine can target your entire body using one major body part per day. Use the above routines omitting Sunday.

A routine for 5 days a week: The less days you have, you will have to double up on muscle parts to train your whole body. A 5-day-a-week routine might look like this:
For muscle mass and bulk:

Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Back and abdominal’s
Wednesday: Legs (quads, hamstrings, and calves)
Thursday: Shoulders, rear deltoids, and abdominal’s
Friday: Biceps and triceps

For toning:

Monday: Chest, back, biceps, and triceps
Tuesday: Cardio and abdominal’s
Wednesday: Legs and shoulders
Thursday: Cardio and abdominals
Friday: Chest, back, biceps, and triceps

A routine for 4 days a week:

For muscle mass and bulk:

Monday: Chest and abdominals
Tuesday: Back, shoulders, rear deltoids
Thursday: Legs (quads, hamstrings, and calves)
Friday: Biceps, triceps, and abdominals

For toning:

Monday: Chest, back, biceps, and triceps
Tuesday: Legs and shoulders
Thursday: Cardio and abdominal’s
Friday: Chest, back, biceps, and triceps

A routine for 3 days a week:

For muscle mass and bulk:

Monday: Chest, triceps, and abdominal’s
Wednesday: Legs and shoulders
Friday: Back, biceps, rear deltoids

For toning:

Monday: Chest, back, biceps, triceps, and abdominals
Wednesday: Legs, shoulders, and cardio
Friday: Chest, back, biceps, triceps, and abdominals

A routine for 2 days a week and 1 day a week: If you only have 1 or 2 days a week to work out I would suggest making the most of it. It will be a little more difficult to put on size and mass in too few days but it’s still exercise and something is always better than nothing. For 1 and 2 days a week, train your entire body on the day or days. You could also alternate weeks. For example the first week train your upper body and the second week train your lower body. The third week train your upper body again and the fourth week train your lower body again. You get the idea.

The above examples are just that, examples. There are many, many ways to successfully perform a program. Use the above examples as a guide, if the days in the examples do not match yours you can adjust them to what days you have available, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that does matter is that you NOT train the same body part two days in a row. You need at least one day rest for that body part before you train it again. If you need a little more fat burning in your routine, try taking little or no rest in between sets. This will raise your heart rate and put you in a more “cardio-zone”. Remember too that it is important to stretch before, during, and after exercising. It doesn’t have to be a long and difficult stretching routine, just get your muscles warmed up and stay warm.

So decide how many days you can devote to exercise and try one of the above routines. If you’re already working out and looking for a change, try one of these routines, it may be just the change your body was looking for.

So what should you eat? Eating clean means eating foods in their purest form. Fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken and turkey breast, and whole grains to name just a few. I’m confident when I say that our bodies were not created to live off all the junk food we put in it. And by junk food I mean food that has been overly processed and full of preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. These just take over our bodies and build up toxins making it harder to function, not to mention lose weight. The problem is, these foods usually taste really good. But that doesn’t mean you can’t de-program your taste buds and develop a longing for the basics. To me there is nothing like a bowl of fresh vegetables that have been slightly steamed and seasoned with nothing, I mean absolutely nothing. You can really taste the full flavors when there is an absence of butter, salt, sauces, etc. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, it wasn’t always appealing to me either. It takes time for your body and pallet to adjust to a healthy menu, you just have to give it the sufficient time. To give you an example, if you’re a heavy salt user and you begin to use less and less until finally you can live without salt on your food and after some time passes you have something with some salt on it, it will seem extremely salty.

How do you begin? There are two ways to attack this, you could go “cold turkey” and just do it or start slowly and make changes over time. Going cold turkey is better for those who do not like to be tempted by certain foods, sometimes just having a taste can do more damage than good. Those who prefer a slow and gradual start might have more willpower to resist food temptations and overeating. Personally, going cold turkey has always been much more successful for me.

If you’re going to start slowly, begin to gradually add healthier foods to your menu on a daily basis. Each week try to increase the portion of healthier foods and decrease the foods you normally eat that are not so healthy. Start incorporating more fruits and vegetables at every meal and start snacking on them between meals.

To start cold turkey, clean out the refrigerator and pantry so that you always have good and healthy choices on hand and get rid of all the unhealthy foods. Your first trip to the supermarket may be a long one but in time you’ll know what to eat and what not to eat without having to read every label. Be sure to have a substitute for your snacks. If you have a sweet tooth and you get rid of all your candy, make sure you stock up on plenty of fruit. There is sugar in fruit but it’s fructose and not the same as the sugar used in candy and other treats. Your body is much more familiar with fructose and is able to metabolize it much easier. Fruit is also naturally low in calories and packed with fiber and vitamins.

Handling the occasional “cheat”. If there’s something you just can’t live without be it a special snack, a certain meal, or a few drinks don’t despair. Remember, this is an eating lifestyle, a plan for real-life situations and a plan you can follow the rest of your life. Save your “cheat” for a special day of the week or a special occasion. If you get right back on track your goal will not be sabotaged. The trick is not to let your “cheat” take over the rest of the day or the rest of the week. Also, as an example, if your cheat food is ice cream, consider a lower fat or fat free version of your favorite flavor. Learn how to make your favorite snacks and cheats more healthy, lower in fat and calories. You’ll still be getting your special treat but your waist line will be thankful of the change. If you find that you cannot live without your daily fix of chocolate or some other daily indulgence, consider eating a very small portion of this food. Sometimes a few Tootsie Rolls or two Hershey’s Kisses is enough to keep a chocoholic at bay.

Eating clean at restaurants. More and more restaurants are getting on the healthy eating bandwagon. If you don’t see anything healthy, low fat, and low calorie on the menu don’t be afraid to ask your server if something can be prepared for you. They may already have chicken on the menu but instead of it being fried or drowned in butter or sauce, ask to have it prepared grilled or roasted without the sauce. Ask for vegetables to be prepared without the butter. Fish and seafood are both good choices but they tend to be prepared with a lot of butter. You can ask to have the butter left out of the dish and remember to tell them not to even put it on the plate, this way you won’t be tempted to dip!

Eating healthy in a social situation. If you’ve been invited to someone’s home for a meal, you might ask if you can bring your own. I must add that this should be done in the most tactful way. Explain to your host that you’re trying to follow a special eating plan and you know their meals are always prepared so deliciously but you would like to stay on track. Your host may even offer to make something for you. If you want to take them up on this, keep it simple. Explain you would be happy with just a salad or if they’re going to prepare a certain meat or vegetable, maybe yours could be kept aside and prepared in a different way. If it’s easier to bring your own, be sure to bring enough for everyone so that you can offer a taste of your dish. Keep it simple, a salad tossed with vegetables and sliced chicken breast is a perfect healthy and easy dish. You could also eat whatever they’re eating and bring a nice healthy fruit salad for dessert. While your dinner meal may serve to be your “cheat”, you’ll be staying on track with something sweet and low calorie for dessert. In a similar way, when hosting your own dinner party be sure to serve at least one healthy meal low in fat and calories for yourself and your guests to eat. The same would go for dessert, serve at least one dessert low in fat and calories so you won’t be tempted to eat something rich and fattening.

In conclusion, eating “clean” isn’t very complicated. It will adapt to most every day situations and lifestyles. It will be easy to stick to, once you’ve adapted a taste for it. Knowing that you’re eating healthier should be a good motivation, besides the fact that you will lose weight, if that’s your goal. For healthy eating suggestions on what to eat at meals, please see the article “A Menu of Clean Healthy Foods”.

Breakfast

There’s nothing like starting the day with a fresh cup of hot coffee. And while it does contain caffeine, studies indicate that in moderation coffee will do you no harm, unless of course you have a medical condition that prevents you otherwise. If caffeine is an issue for you, try decaffeinated coffee or tea but look for the ones that are decaffeinated naturally, they use a natural process instead of a chemical one.

Eggs are also a good choice but try using one yolk to two whites, this will cut down on the amount of fat and cholesterol ingested but you’ll still get the nutritional benefits of the yolk. Try them plain, scrambled, or add vegetables to create a fiber-packed omelet.

Fruit is an excellent way to start the day, it will boost your metabolism and kick start your intestinal system. Stick with fresh fruit: citrus, melons, berries, apples, pears, etc. For added calcium and protein, add a dollop of fat free yogurt to your fresh fruit. Add a banana and some ice and you have an instant smoothie that’s filling, nutritious, and delicious but won’t leave you feeling sluggish.

Most cold cereals are overly processed and high in sugar. A good alternative is oatmeal but be sure to choose whole oats, not the instant kind. The instant oatmeal on the market is full of sugar and artificial flavors plus, because it’s instant it’s overly processed and already broken down so your body doesn’t have to work to digest it. The absolute best choice when choosing oatmeal is a steel-cut variety, it has the least amount of processing and your body will work to digest it. Personally, this is my favorite variety because of its chewy texture. Try using this oatmeal as a base for homemade granola, eat it plain or sprinkle some on yogurt.

Stay away from white toast or toast made with processed flour. There is a small section at the end of the bread isle or in the deli section that contains a type of “grain” bread. It is very dense, dark, and you can see the grains in it. There are a few different varieties of this grain bread and different stores will carry a different selection. It’s usually in a clear plastic wrapping and usually square shaped or loaf shaped. Be cautious about breads labeled “wheat, multi-grain, oatmeal,” etc. Often times these breads are made with white flour or processed wheat flour. You’ll notice too that the list of ingredients goes on and on with added fat, sugar, and preservatives.

Lunch

Any of the breakfast items can also be used at lunch but here are a few other ideas. Low fat or fat free cottage cheese with fruit. For those of you who cannot stand cottage cheese, try getting the low salt variety. I never cared for cottage cheese until I tried the low salt one. It’s not supposed to have a lot of flavor so if you don’t like bland foods, try adding fresh fruit to it. You’re better off adding your own fruit to it rather than buying it with the fruit already in it, it’s often full of sugar and artificial ingredients.

Soup is a good choice but you’ll have to make it yourself unless you can find a low sodium, all natural selection. Look for one with plenty of beans and vegetables and avoid those with added noodles made from white flour. If you can make it yourself and you want to add a starch try barley, buckwheat, or amaranth instead of pasta or rice.

For those who long for the PB and J days of their youth, I have a solution. In your local health food store you will find nut butters. These are all natural and come in cashew, almond, and peanut. Use one of these along with some “all-fruit” preserves spread on grain bread and you’ll have a very tasty but extremely healthy sandwich. The nut butters should be used sparingly because of their high fat content but their nutritional values are excellent.

A salad with fresh vegetables is very filling and satisfying. I’ve tried the fat free dressings on the market but I am not satisfied with them. They often lack in taste and are loaded with sugar and preservatives. Now I use a store brand honey mustard and dilute it with water, it’s delicious and gives just enough sweetness without being overbearing. You could also make your own dressing with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and some spices like garlic and onion powder.

A word about lunch meats and cold cuts. I would avoid these at all costs due to their high sodium and high nitrate contents. If you like a sliced meat sandwich, roast your own turkey breast or chicken breast and slice it. You may also find ready made chicken or turkey breast in the deli section, just be sure it’s fresh and there are no additives in it. Use these on grain bread with spicy mustard and don’t forget the lettuce and tomato! If you can find an all natural flat bread this will work too, you can make a tasty wrap.

Dinner

Again, any of the above items can be eaten at dinner also. Never be afraid to eat breakfast for dinner and lunch for breakfast. You body will reap the benefits of a healthy meal no matter what time of the day it’s consumed. Some more ideas would include chicken vegetable salad. You can find an all natural can of white meat chicken at the local supermarket that is 98% fat free and packed with protein and vitamins. Rinse the chicken before using it and put over a healthy bowl of lettuce, using a variety of vegetables. Prepare your own dressing using the suggestion above or some other healthy alternative of your choice. You can also do this dish with tuna fish, freshly roasted chicken or turkey breast, and grilled salmon.

As far as meat is concerned, I would stick to organic meat if you have access to it. These are from animals that are not injected with hormones and usually fed some special grain diet. Look for meats labeled “organic,” “antibiotic-free,” “grass-fed,” “hormone-free,” and “free-range” when possible. Concentrate on using only the white meat from chicken and turkey and always remove the skin before eating. There are also other lean meats such as pork, venison, and ostrich. If you like red meat I would again suggest an organic version and choose a cut of beef that is very lean with the words round or loin in their name. Choose lean meats with less than 3 grams of fat per 1 ounce serving. Be sure and trim all visible pieces of fat before cooking and use a low fat cooking method like grilling, broiling, or roasting. Having said all that, I would still limit my intake of red meat to no more than twice a week.

Fish is also a good choice. Choose white flesh fish and salmon. Fish is packed with vitamins and minerals and loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. There is, however, a word of caution. The FDA recommends that pregnant, women who want to become pregnant, and young children should avoid shark, tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, and tilefish and shouldn’t have any other kind of fish for more than two meals a week. This all due to the levels of mercury present in fish. Light tuna is lower in mercury and is not part of the recommendation. As with meat, fish should be prepared using a low fat cooking method. Avoid butter and heavy sauces and try using light seasonings and lemon.

Snacks

Man cannot live on meals alone, there must be room for snacks. I cannot stress enough the importance of fruit. No, it’s not chocolate cake but it’s sweet, juicy, satisfying, and loaded with vitamins and minerals. For a delicious frozen treat on a hot summer day, take red seedless grapes, pull each grape from the stem, and wash thoroughly. Put the loose, washed grapes in a zip-lock bag and put in the freezer. They’re a good treat because they take longer to eat because they’re frozen and satisfyingly sweet. Because of the high water content, melons are very filling and they’re sweet and nutritious. Do not get hung up on the sugar content of various fruits and melons. Their water content far outweighs their sugar content and the natural sugar, called fructose, is more easily digestible and processed by the body than table sugar.

You can also take 100% fruit juice and freeze into pops. Use all natural store bought juice or homemade.

Keep fresh vegetables cut, washed, and ready to eat in the refrigerator. In between meals they’re easy to grab and snack on. They’re even easy for an on-the-go snack. I use baby carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, and edamame beans (soybeans).

You can also find organic, unsweetened applesauce right in your supermarket. This is another easy and tasty snack.

To fight your chocolate cravings try using 100% cocoa that is unsweetened. Use it to make hot chocolate and be sure to add some sort of sweetener. There is diet hot chocolate on the market that is only about 20 or 25 calories per serving but it may not be “all natural”. On occasion you can indulge in a piece of dark chocolate. Try to find one with a high percentage of cocoa. Dark chocolate is chock full of powerful antioxidants.

One of my favorite snacks is pumpkin. Take a can of 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) and add vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Add some sweetener (while the jury is still out on sucralose, it’s a better choice than aspartame). You can either warm it or chill it, either way it’s a delicious fiber packed and vitamin filled snack.

I spoke earlier of cottage cheese. While fruit is a good way to sweeten it for a snack you can also try this: Take low salt cottage cheese and mix in vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sweetener, chill and serve.

Low fat and fat free frozen yogurt is good. Just be mindful that there’s a lot of added sugar and this will make it higher in calories. You may be able to find a sugar free variety.

Nuts and seeds are good to snack on, they’re full of vitamins, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. Try to consume them raw because oil is often added when roasted and it is thought that the oil becomes rancid when roasted. The raw variety is a much healthier choice and easier on the digestive system. Try them as a snack or even sprinkled in a salad. Just be sure and limit your intake, nuts and seeds are very calorie dense. Try limiting your nut and seed intake to just 1 to 2 ounces per day.

Yogurt is a good snack and comes with plenty of health benefits. Yogurt contains a multitude of good bacteria which can help boost your immune system, it’s high in calcium, can aid in the healing of intestinal disorders, fight yeast infections, help lower cholesterol, and is a good source of protein. Try using an organic brand with nothing artificial and naturally sweetened.

Microwave popcorn is also a good choice. Choose the 94% (or better) fat free version. There is 0 grams of trans fat per serving and only 260 calories for the entire bag. It’s loaded with fiber so it’s actually a healthy snack. Look for brands that are naturally flavored as opposed to artificially flavored.

The above mentioned examples are just a few. There are many, many more and the best way to add variety to your menu is by experimenting. Read the labels and try new and different foods. Try preparing them differently and most importantly, have an open mind. It takes time for your body to adjust to new foods, especially healthy ones but don’t give up and in time you will prefer to eat a healthy choice over something filled with sugars, fats, and preservatives. Your body will appreciate the change because you’ll feel better inside and your body will look better on the outside.