There are many steps that can be taken to help improve one's diet.   The most important aspect of your diet is what you eat, not how much you eat.  Just make better food choices.  It is possible to eat all the nutritious and great tasting foods you want while maintaining good physique. Only fat makes you fat, not food. Aside from your diet, exercise is a very important and necessary aspect of one's diet and lifestyle.  Supplements are a very important part of your diet and exercise program.  Bottom line, diet and lifestyle are the key to living a long and healthy life.

Did you know people in American are one of the fattest groups of people in the world?  Americans eat lots of food because it is cheap and plentiful.  It is always important to remember that it's not how much you eat, rather it is what you eat.  You need to dramatically reduce the amount of fat in your diet.  There is almost twice as many calories in fat in comparison to the amount of calories in protein and carbohydrates.  There are 9 calories in a gram of fat whereas there are only 5 calories in a gram of protein or carbohydrates.  A good example of this concept can be borrowed from Asia.  They don't have obesity problems like the people in the United States even though they eat more food. How can this be?  They don't eat many calories.  They have a diet rich in grains, vegetables, beans and fruit.  Their calories come from vegetables and not animals.  They are also a more physical group of people.  They work hard!  There was a study, done at Cornell University in New York, in the American J. Clinical Nutrition (v. 46, 1987).  Women between the ages of 22 and 41 were put on three different fat calorie diets. All participants were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. Some were on a 15-20% fat calorie diet, some on a 30-35% fat calorie diet and others were on a 45-50% fat calorie diet.  Those on the 15-20% fat calorie diet consumed only 2087 calories, those who were on the 30-35% consumed 2352 calories, and those on the 40-50% consumed 2714 calories.  The higher fat eaters consumed 30% more calories!  In 2 weeks the women on the low fat diet lost 0.40 kilograms, while those on the high fat diet gained 0.32 kilograms.  This further proves, good food choices are very beneficial to one's diet!

There are also other things that can be done that will help improve your diet.  For starters, decrease the  amount of meat that you eat, particularly red meat.  If you feel you must eat meat try eating seafood instead.  Fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, herring and sardines are a great substitute.  Eat more whole grains.  Whole grains are good for you!  Use only whole grains such as 100% whole grain bread and 100% whole wheat pasta.  Include in your diet a good portion of beans and legumes!  Eat lots of green and yellow vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, asparagus, cucumbers lettuce and more.  Vegetables are a great source of nutrition and they are low in calories.  Remove, or limit, diary products from your diet.  There are many types of milk substitutes now such as soy milk that are really good for you.  Heavily limit your consumption of poultry and eggs.  If you choose to eat poultry, a good way to fix it is to stir fry it with some vegetables. This is an excellent way to eat lots of green and yellow vegetables.  There are many different sauces and seasonings that can be used to have a variety of different stir-fries that are healthy.  Do not eat desserts and sugar, including artificial sweeteners, as they too are sugar products!      

Making better food choices is the key.  You can still eat delicious, tasty meals if you eat whole natural foods.  Using cookbooks can give insight into many different recipes and food styles that are great for your health.  International cookbooks will give you great insights on different cuisines such as the Asian cuisines.  The Asians are known for low fat cooking that still has lots of different flavors and lots of varieties.  Another good thing way to spice up your diet is by making soup!  Soup can be made easily, in a variety of ways as well.  It has been said, Americans eat twice the amount of calories and protein needed, eight times the amount of needed fat, and 160 pounds of sugar a year.  The American diet is made up of red meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, milk, white bread, white paste, white rice, white flour, chemicals, coffee, alcohol and lots of junk food!  Did you know that women only need about 1,200 calories a day and men only need about 1,800?  The human body only needs approximately 15% protein and 5% fat calories to maintain ideal health.  It is not necessary to eat 3 meals a day.  Eating just 2 meals is sufficient.  By removing 1 meal a day you will actually simplify your lifestyle, leaving more time and energy for all the many other things you do in a given day.

The ideal diet would consist of 50% whole grains and beans, 30% vegetables, 10% seafood, and 10% salads and fruits.  If you choose to eat breakfast eat a small breakfast.  Try having whole grain toast with honey or apple butter.  There is no reason to use butter.  Stop wasting your money eating out for lunch and take your lunch to work instead.  There are many different lunch options you can prepare for yourself. You don't have to live off of sandwiches at lunchtime.  Supper should be the main meal of the day, so enjoy it!  Want an example of what a low fat calorie supper would be?  Well, start out with brown rice or whole wheat pasta.  Have some cooked dried beans with herbs.  Enjoy a 6 ounce portion of your favorite seafood, green or yellow fresh vegetable stir fried with spices for flavor, some whole grain bread, and a salad topped with non-fat or low fat dressing. Finish your meal with some fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit for desert.  This would be an excellent low fat calorie supper that you can eat as much as you would like!

Aside from what you eat there are other important aspects of your lifestyle to focus on.  Regular exercise is very important!  Everyone should exercise at least three times a week, for thirty minutes each session.  Not only does exercise burn calories, it makes you feel good!  Exercising and building your muscles will also help to increase your metabolism.  It even helps with lowering your stress levels.  Exercise, exercise, exercise, it cannot be stressed enough!  Also, take your vitamins, and supplements!  If you are under the age of forty the Supplements Package for everyone Under the Age of 40 is a good place to start.  It includes: Most Complete Minerals, Most Complete Vitamins, Beta Glucan, Flax Oil, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Acidophilus and FOS.  It has everything you need if you are under the age of 40!  If you are over the age of 40 there are 20 proven supplements you need: Beta Glucan, Beta-sitosterol, Lipoic acid, Glucosamine, All your Minerals, All Your Vitamins, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Beta Carotene, Flax Oil, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Phosphatidyl Serine, CoQ10, NAC, Acidophilus, Soy isoflavones, FOS, Glutamine, Quercitin, and DIM.  It's also import to test and balance your basic hormone levels.  Ultimately, the keys to a long healthier life are good diet, regular exercise, and the use of supplements.

July 2009, Volume 1,1 copyrighted