Red grapes: popping a few red grapes into your mouth for quick snack will give you the full benefits of resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant which can help lower your blood pressure and greatly reduce your risks of any heart-related diseases. Resveratrol was discovered over 70 years ago by a Japanese scientist who extracted it from the Veratrum album plant. The weight loss and fitness industry went crazy a few years ago when studies showed the numerous benefits of this amazing substance (which is found naturally in red grapes!).

Green tea: a very rich source of catechins which are antioxidants that can greatly lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. A study by the American Society of Nutrition conducted on 100 men with close BMIs showed that the 50 participants who drank a green tea extract which contained 650 mg of catechins lost more weight then the other fifty who drank the tea with only 30 catechins. You can also get the same benefits of green tea by purchasing capsules of the antioxidants found in the tea.

Soy: this powerful food has many positive effects such as the ability to lower LDL levels (bad cholesterol), prevent heart disease, and improving your metabolism. A study by the University of Illinois showed that Genistein, the powerful antioxidant found in soy, promotes fat loss if taken regularly. This isoflavone (Genistein) does a very job at sweeping up free radicals in your body which could otherwise cause cancer, diabetes, or other major diseases.

Broccoli & cabbage: these two foods contain very high levels of of the compound Indole-3-carbinol, an antioxidant which increases your metabolism by breaking down estrogen in your body.

Berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and yes, even the acai berry all have very strong anti-oxidant properties which makes them one of the healthiest and most beneficial fruits out there. Proanthocyanidin, the antioxidant present in all berries, has been shown to have positive effects on cardiovascular health, weight loss, and the metabolic processes. This substance has also been shown to lower blood pressure and prevent heart cancer and diseases.

Those were some of the best and tastiest antioxidant foods which can greatly improve your health, be sure to include one if not all of them into your daily diet to reap their benefits as soon as possible! You can also make your own juices at home from some of the fruits above, just don’t buy any processed, sugar-filled drinks from the supermarket because those will do you more harm than good!

The second popular dieting myth is that one can lose weight by eating a specific food for the entire day. Things like the grapefruit diet or cabbage soup diet are two examples of diets based on this myth. The reality is that getting all your calories from a single food is very dangerous since you don’t give your body the necessary nutrients it needs.

Probably one of the most widespread dieting myth is that you shouldn’t eat before going to sleep because your body is most prone to store fat at that time. There isn’t a single piece of evidence to support that theory. As long as you aren’t going over your daily calorie maintenance limit then it doesn’t matter if you eat before you sleep or as soon as you wake up.

Probably the most illogical myth is the one that says you shouldn’t eat anything between the 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). That doesn’t make sense because if you’re hungry and still have to wait to eat the main meal then you will pig out and eat even more than you really need. Eating healthy snacks between meals is completely alright, just as long as you adhere to the “healthy” part.

The last myth is that you should avoid dairy products at all costs because they’re so fattening. Do not follow this advice! You must include dairy products in your daily diet if you want to give your body the nutrients it needs! But make sure you choose the low fat versions of any dairy products you may buy.

Another myth which really discourages people from dieting is that you are never allowed to sneak in something tasty every once in a while. You can have a piece of chocolate cake every now and then just as long as you don’t overdo it. Many fitness and weight loss experts even recommend “cheat” days, days which you allow yourself to eat anything you want! This “shocks” your body and tells it to increase its metabolism which makes you lose weight even faster!

There are many more dieting myths circulating the Internet which could be very dangerous to your health if you follow them. The important thing for you to remember is that a healthy diet is one which includes the 3 main sources of proteins and gives your body exactly the amount of calories it needs.

Remember the calories in vs. calories out principle mentioned at the beginning of this series? Did it mention one tiny part about where those calories came from? No. That’s because where you get your calories doesn’t matter as long as you’re not exceeding your daily calorie limit. Dieting really means adding balance to your nutrition, not starving yourself and eating carrot sticks all day. You can eat as many times as you want a day just as long as you follow the calories in vs. calories out formula.

Now although you can lose weight simply by going on a diet (read: adding balance to your nutrition), remember that the ultimate goal isn’t just weight loss but a health body as well. That’s why you shouldn’t get all your calories from the same place. Sure you could eat pizza all day as long as you stay beneath your calorie limit, but is that healthy for your body? Not a chance! That’s why you need to add variety to where you’re getting your calories from.

The three main sources of calories are: fats, carbohydrates, and protein. This is another source of confusion for people who want to lose weight. What percentage of their daily calorie limit should come from each source of nutrients? An entire book could be written on the subject of fat loss nutrition and there would still be unanswered questions and information left to write about. You don’t need to waste your time reading studies and research to get the exact decimal amount of protein you need per day, all you need is a general outline which gives you basic pointers and tips on how much of which types of food you need to eat per day.

As long as you’re getting your calories from a mix of the three sources of calories mentioned above, then you should be alright. Don’t fall victim to the disease of paralysis analysis and over analyze things, just do it.

Sometimes you will reach a point where you stop losing weight, to learn how to overcome this plateau move on to the next step.

You might have come across some foods that are listed as “fat burning foods” or the “best calorie burning foods”. These lists exist because some foods increase the metabolism rate while some foods reduce the metabolism rate. While the best calorie burning foods listed below will increase your metabolism rate, you have to use them with common sense and in good balance.

Also, you will benefit if you used these foods as substitutes where you eat them instead of other items. Some people try to add these foods to their existing diet in an effort to increase metabolism rate which will not really work. Substitute them with unhealthy food or junk food that you might be consuming.

List of best calorie burning foods

• Beverages – Green tea, black tea and coffee are all known to increase calorie burning. One should however be careful about the caffeine intake as too much caffeine is not really good. Also, try to avoid sugar while taking these drinks. Use a natural sweetener like honey that is low in calories. Artificial sweeteners are also best avoided as they are diuretics that are not good for the body. Another tip is to keep the drink simple. Adding things like whipped cream and other sweeteners can offset the calorie burning effect.
• Fruits – Fruits have been known to increase the fat burning process of the body. This is because they are rich in enzymes and acids that promote fat loss. Try to eat fruits on an empty stomach. They should generally be avoided after meals. There is a very long list of fruits that will serve the purpose. Apples, oranges, lime, grape, papaya, strawberries, mango, peach, blueberries are some of them. Again, don’t add sugar or cream to fruits. Just have them as it is.
• Vegetables – Vegetables have more fiber in them which is slow to digest. The result is that your hunger will be contained. Vegetables are also rich in vitamins that will aid the body in many ways. Chili, beans, garlic, onion, pepper, broccoli, celery, zucchini are all good vegetables to have. Just about any vegetable is good to go on this list.
• Meat – Lean meats will increase the calorie burning effect in the body. Lean meats such as salmon, shrimp, chicken, lobster, tuna, crab, turkey breast are all great. These are ideal for the meat lovers who should try to stay away from meats that are high in saturated fats. The meats listed above have unsaturated fat which is good for the body. They are also a great source of protein that is essential for muscle building.
• Other foods – There are other odds and ends when it comes to food items that increase the calorie burning effect. Some of them are egg whites, nuts, yogurt, brown rice, low fat milk, olive oil and so on.

In general, try to eat 4-5 smaller meals in a day rather than eating two or three large meals. Smaller meals with foods listed in the article above will go a long way in providing you with a great diet that is geared towards fat loss.

A lot of people make one big mistake with their diets by skipping breakfast. They think that they are cutting down on some extra calories by skipping this meal. This is in fact a disastrous mistake that will probably have the opposite effect when it comes to your weight loss goals.

Skipping breakfast will make the body starve by the time lunch time comes around. The result will be that you will binge and eat heavily to compensate for the starvation. Your body will then start to store fat as too much food is consumed. Also, if you regularly skip breakfast, your body will begin to store fat after dinner as well because it knows that the next meal is going to take a while to arrive.

Thus, breakfast is a very important meal and you should not skip it. You should also make some wise choices when selecting your breakfast foods for weight loss. Here are some ideas that you can use to introduce a healthy breakfast in your diet. Most of the ideas below are easy to cook up and you can change things around during the week to have a different breakfast every day.

Some breakfast foods for weight loss

• Good cereal, low fat milk and fruits like strawberries are a great breakfast. Cut up the fruit of your choice and add them to your cereal. Avoid sugary cereals and choose something that is high in fiber. Try not to add sugar to your cereal as it will ruin the breakfast. This is also one of the easiest breakfasts to make. It will probably take you just a couple of minutes.
• Wheat toast with a fruit spread and yogurt – Go with non fat yogurt and throw in some blueberries or other fruit of your choice to make your yogurt yummy. Toast with some mixed fruit spread will make a delicious breakfast along with the yogurt. This is also quite easy to prepare.
• Bagel, cream cheese and yogurt again – This is somewhat similar to the above mentioned meal but you can substitute toast for a yummy wheat bagel and cream cheese. Just make sure that the yogurt you pick up is low fat or no fat.
• Scrambled egg and fruit salad with milk – This is a great natural breakfast. Scramble a couple of eggs and flush it down with some low fat milk. Make a fruit salad with a couple of fruits that you like. Do not add sugar to the fruit salad. This is a great breakfast that is full of essential nutrients.
• Store bought items – If you are really busy, you can still have a pretty good breakfast by making a quick stop at even a gas station. Pick up a power bar and a pint of skim milk to have an easy and convenient breakfast on the go.

As you can see from the article above, there are many different breakfast foods for weight loss. You just have to make sure that you stick to a healthy breakfast diet. The most important thing is that you should never skip breakfast again.

This is just like an independent exercise of going to gym of walking for long hours. He further points out that those people who are slim do not put one weight despite being overfed with thousands of additional calories due to the fact that they unconsciously increase their neat. He is a stern believer of increasing the NEAT through moving about, doing simple tasks by self, taking stairs rather than the elevator, parking car as far away as possible from the office and so on. According to him, this is theory completely answers why do some people never get fat.

Genes tries to elaborate why do some people never get fat despite eating what they want to. Why do some people never get fat no matter what and how much they eat while others try to cut on their favorite dishes and yes struggle be slim and smart?

Dr. Jane Wardle, an expert in these matters, believes that this is due to the genetic makeup that influences the appetite. For thin people, this seems effortless as they don’t even want to eat. They by no way have expert power or stronger self-control as compared to other people. It’s just that their brain has little control over what they eat.

When skinny people start to eat more, there metabolism responds by increasing its rate to keep them thin. Dr Ethan Sims fed the thin prisoners up to ten thousand calories a day who were in the Vermont Jail to try to fatten them. But to his surprise, regardless of how much they ate, they remained to be relatively thin and few of them who did manage to gain weight, lost it in just a few weeks.

Dr. Rudy Libel, an authority in human health, explains the fact that some people just do not seem to gain weight no matter how much they eat can be just like a thermostat with different people having different set points. When it goes below that set point, the body of the person begins to do things that force it to recover the body weight that it has lost.

Another obesity specialist, Dr. Carel le Roux says that studies and researches have proved that there is a tendency of laying down muscles rather that body fat which is determined genetically when someone over-eats.

All of the above points focus on the genetic factors of the question, why do some people never get fat? These are beyond anyone’s control as genetic factor is something that cannot be altered. However, this does not explain the rise in obesity over the past decade as the gene pool does not tend to change that quickly. All this points to the fact that the environment plays a big role!

Firstly and most importantly drink as many glasses of water that you can drink. Water is a gift to us by God, it has no calories in it you can have it the entire day and you will not gain a pound. Have at least six to seven glasses of water each day. Starting from when you get up in the morning. Before eating anything have a glass full of water next you can have your cup of tea or coffee along with usual breakfast that you take. Before taking any meal take a glass of water. Water will fill your stomach so you will not feel the need of filling your stomach with all the food lying in front of you. During the meal have another glass of water but in gulps. It will again fill your stomach with water not making you fill the tummy with other food items.

Do not quit eating but try to include more fruits in your diet. If you are fond of drinking fruit juices try replacing them with fresh fruits. The reason being, fruit juices have artificial flavors and excessive amount of sweeteners in it which is harmful to the body. Also, when you eat fruit you take in the fiber present in the food which is very good for your body. Have fruits that has water in them like watermelon and oranges. They will not make you gain weight in any way.

Our body works best when it is used to a schedule. If you keep on changing your eating habits daily your body will have a tough time managing with it. Fix your timings for meals. The timings should be according to your convenience and feasibility. The maximum you can stretch your eating hours is by half an hour but anything more than that or after that will disturb your stomach to an extent that you might loose your hunger or feel stuffed or maybe even so hungry that you fill yourself more than what your body requires.

Eat only when you feel you are feeling hungry. Many of us have the habbit of eating food whenever we see it. Such people take parties or gatherings as an excuse to fill their stomachs. Just remember that if you diet the whole week but on Sunday you eat at a party, your whole weeks diet will go down the drains. We are not asking you to completely say no to the host offering you food but you can just take a little bit of it so no body gets a chance to question your manners.

When you start losing weight too fast with the help of several harmful weight loss techniques, you compromise your immune system and in turn, your body rebels and puts up defenses. This leaves you all more vulnerable to diseases.

Hence, losing weight in this way is not safe. Many people simply fast and refuse to eat at all for the purpose of losing weight while other take the help of dietary pills which are also not safe. Many diet pills contain caffeine and ephedrines in them which can lead to a rise in your heart rate and may make you feel irritated and stressed out. Many of these are not even approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There are also several diet pills that contain an ingredient known as PPA (Phenylpropanolamine). This drug increases the chances of having a stroke and has harmful side effects like increase in blood pressure, fatigue, seizures, kidney and heart damage and irregular heart rhythm. Even the FDA is trying to take it off the market so beware as using these pills is one of the most dangerous ways to lose weight.

You should also be aware of the fact that losing weight rapidly can cause gastrointestinal problems and severe diarrhea that can lead to the dehydration of the body together with other complications. The reason for having these complications is because the diet simply does not contain enough fiber. When you limit the amount of caloric intake, you slow down your rate of metabolism and hence the amount of weight that you lose would start to decrease.

Losing weight fast can be extremely dangerous and care must be taken when choosing a weight loss program. A weight loss program that shows slow but significant progress will always result in a more permanent loss of weight rather in comparison to dangerous ways to lose weight. The best you can do is to eat healthy, and consume all sorts of food groups and this is something you can simply not go wrong with. It is extremely important to eat healthy, not just while you are trying to put off some weight, but also after that. You will feel better and eventually will start looking better while your immune system would be much stronger and be able to fight diseases.