Showing posts with label the diet solution program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the diet solution program. Show all posts

No Mayo DSP Coleslaw

(makes 8 servings)

1 medium tomato, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 (16 ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix
1/4 cup lime juice

Place the tomato in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the coleslaw mix and lime juice. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving.

For More Great Recipes Check Out The Diet Solution Program.

Organic Mayo

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
¾ cup oil *
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbs lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Set up your electric beater or blender. Place the egg yolk and salt and add the mustard, lemon juice and blend on pulse. Keep the blender running as you add oil drizzling very slowly. This will take a few minutes. Don’t rush the process. The oil may begin to separate from the egg. When all the oil has been added, add more salt and lemon juice. Refrigerate for up to five days. Stir before serving.

* Notes on oils
Extra Virgin Olive Oil can be used, however, walnut oil makes gives it a more buttery taste.

Hazelnut oil gives this a nutty flavor.

Truffle oil works great and gives it a more earthy flavor but also makes for a more pricey mayo.

Check Out The Diet Solution Program.

What To Look For In A Multi-Vitamin

When looking for a high quality multi-vitamin, here are a few points I want you to consider:


1. Is it made from whole foods? Many brands have this written right on the label while some others may take a little bit more research. A good, reputable supplement company should provide not only their ingredients list right on their website, but also a good description of what the source of those vitamins and minerals is.

2. Where are you buying your supplements? Chances are if you’re just picking up any old vitamins and the local grocery store, the employees are definitely not qualified to answer your questions or give you any information on the product. Seek out a local health food store or specialty store that carries health foods and vitamins and chances are the employees will be much more knowledgeable about their products. If this is not possible for you, seek out a company that you can reach via the internet who will answer any of your questions.

3. Read the ingredients list. This is no different than what you do with the food you are eating. If a particular supplement contains “Red No 40″ chances are it’s not exactly the most natural product and not the best quality. Also watch out for hidden sugars (anything ending with -ose like sucrose), soy and hydrogenated oils (Yes! Some multis actually have hydrogenated oils in them).

4. What kind of company is manufacturing the product? I know this may sound like a lot of work and research but lucky for me and you, the power of the internet has made this much easier. Did you know that one very, very popular multivitamin company that is sold in almost every supermarket and pharmacy also owns Sponge Bob Square Pants? Now does that sound like a company that is passionate about their nutrition products? And I easily found this out right on their website.

I highly suggest you do just a little bit of homework before making any multi-vitamin purchase. If you currently are using a product that you know fits the above requirements and you trust, please let me know. I love to hear about and continue to research new products.

As for my own research, the only recommendation I make to my clients and my readers (and my dear old hubbie) is Prograde Nutrition’s Multi Vitamin products, VGF 25+. Not only do they use only the highest quality ingredients in each product but their only focus is nutrition…and nothing else.

They also were more than willing to send me all the information I asked them for (ingredients, ingredient sources and their own research) when I contacted them. Actually, the CEO got back to me personally… I’m not sure if I would have gotten such a response from some of these other “big name” companies.

Prograde’s VGF 25+ also contains whole food ingredients like Kale, Parsley and Spinach. Since pigs may fly sooner than I would ever get my husband to eat kale or spinach, this was a great added benefit for him (and maybe for you too.)

Learn More From Isabel De Los Rios In The Diet Solution Program.

A little bit of Exercise Motivation

The Diet Solution Program
Many people know how important exercise is as an integral part of their weight loss and health plan but still have a difficult time fitting it into their busy lives.

One possible reason could be that, yes, exercise can be challenging when you first begin your program or you just give yourself the excuse "I just don't have the time."

What I have figured out for myself and for hundreds of my clients that no matter which exercise program they choose, it must be something they enjoy. Especially when it comes to the setting and location.

For me, I have converted the 2nd bedroom of my house into my "home gym".

NO, home gym does not mean I have the most expensive, high tech equipment. To be honest, the only items that make up my home gym are: an exercise ball, 2 adjustable weights, an exercise mat, and an old Spinning bike that I bought used from a local YMCA. That's it! Nothing expensive or high tech about it.

Many times in the past I have joined gyms and told myself I was going to go. But like many other gym members, I never go! Now, I do really enjoy exercising so why wouldn't I actually use my gym membership?

I figured out that I really love my exercise room. It's my private time to myself and I don't have to worry about who else needs the equipment or who's lurking around the gym. I get an hour to myself and it's a great way to start my day.

I asked myself if this could possibly be what's stopping many people from exercising. “Is this most people's problem? Do they not like where they work out so they just don't want to go?” So it's really not the actual workout but the environment that they're in.

Now maybe for you the situation is just the opposite. You don't like working out in your home and you would much rather get out and be motivated by other healthy people. Whatever the case may be, choose something you enjoy! You will never make a lifestyle change to include exercise on a consistent basis if you don't enjoy it. Who wants to do something that feels like torture? Not me. I love my morning exercise time and if it felt like torture, I just wouldn't do it.

My question to you is: What do you have to do to make your workout time enjoyable? Or (heaven forbid) something you actually look forward to? Join an adult sports league? Start your own exercise group? Join a new gym? Set up a home gym? Find a workout partner? The choices are endless.

Try many different options and figure out which activity you would enjoy best and I assure you, exercise never has to be a drag.

Get started on a new healthy nutrition and exercise plan right now with the meal plans and exercise programs in The Diet Solution Program.

Are Calories Good or Bad?

The Diet Solution Program
Q. Is calorie a bad word?

A. No, it's not bad—just misunderstood! Most people who use the word calorie simply don't know what it means. Also, in my experience, most people to go pale at the mere mention of the word. Based on those facts alone, I would eliminate calorie from the English vocabulary if I could.

Q. Why is calorie such a misunderstood word?

A. The American public has been told, time and time again, that people who consume more calories than their bodies burn will gain weight. As I explain in The Diet Solution: Start Eating and Start Living, this statement is only partially true. All calories are not created equal; calories consumed from healthy foods and unhealthy foods are quite different.

Q. What exactly is a calorie, then?

A. According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition), a calorie is “a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body.” In plain English, a calorie is a unit of energy released from the food you eat to power the body.

Q. How are calories “burned”?

A. The body needs energy from food—calories—to perform many functions, the most obvious of which are physical activity and exercise. However, the body also requires energy to function at the most basic level: to breathe, digest food, and maintain organs and systems.

Q. How many calories should I eat each day?

A. The short answer is “enough.” The calories you consume must provide enough energy for your body to perform all necessary functions and activities—and bring about optimum health. The long answer is that the number of calories needed varies from person to person and depends on weight, foods consumed, sleep, stress and activity levels, age, and a long list of other factors that affect metabolism. In The Diet Solution: Start Eating and Start Living, I provide a calorie equation to help you estimate, according to these factors, how many calories you should consume to lose weight or maintain weight. It also includes charts to help you choose the right sources of those calories to support your efforts.

Q. Is it possible to eat too few calories?

A. Believe it or not, yes! The most serious problem with low-calorie diets is that although they may bring about weight loss, they also can cause serious health problems. One common side effect of low-calorie diets is muscle breakdown, which can occur when the body doesn't consume enough calories from protein. Especially vulnerable is the heart, a muscular organ. If a person does not consume an adequate amount of calories each day, the heart muscle begins to break down, possibly leading to serious cardiac conditions (e.g., cardiac atrophy).

Q. What are the consequences of following low-calorie diets off and on over time?

A. Low-calorie diets typically do not supply enough energy to keep organs and systems healthy. In effect, they can lead to malnourishment. For clients who have repeatedly followed such diets, I recommend high-calorie meal plans that will provide their organs with adequate fuel to repair themselves and regain healthy function. Most of my clients are surprised, at first, to see how much food they can consume on a healthy weight-loss diet—not to mention the high level of health that they can achieve.

Q. Hey, wait—didn't you say that you don't like the word calorie? Then why does the Diet Solution Program suggest calculating calorie requirements?

A. In the Diet Solution Program, calorie calculation is simply a means to an end. You use the ideal number of calories that results from the equation to determine the correct number of servings of each food type for each meal. That's it—from that point on, you can forget about counting calories!

Q. If I don't count calories, then how will I control my eating habits?

A. Use the Allowable Servings Guide in The Diet Solution: Start Eating and Start Living to plan meals. However, over time, you will learn how to meet your body's nutritional needs without referring to the servings guide. Humans are born with the ability to “know” when the body has received enough nourishment and when it needs more. My professional experience indicates that, unfortunately, most yo-yo dieters and other people who have battled weight problems don't know how to “listen” to the body's cues in response to the foods and portions they consume. The good news is that this ability can be (re)learned.

Q. What do you mean by “listen” to my body?

A. The Diet Solution Program is a lifestyle shift that teaches you how to determine the best foods and portions for your metabolic type. Even after just days on the plan, you will learn to pay attention to how you feel after eating. For many people, this experience of “listening” to the body will be new. However, by letting your body be your guide, you will learn how to eat your way to optimum health.

Q. Can I really expect to maintain a healthy weight without counting calories or referring to servings guides or other charts?

A. Yes! It's how I live my life now, and you, too, can learn to recognize when your body is adequately nourished. After many years of dieting, I reawakened my body's innate ability to tell me when I've had enough food and when I need more by following the same plan I present in the Diet Solution Program. Every day is different; some days I require more food and others less, depending on my levels of exercise, stress, and even hormones. But I don't need to count calories to know whether I've had enough; my body tells me, and I know how to listen. Whatever you do, don't be lured into the trap of forever counting calories, because that approach is not sustainable—or healthy—in the long term.

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The Truth About Cholesterol

The Diet Solution Program
I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the cholesterol levels themselves or the cholesterol containing foods that are the culprits in heart disease, it is those foods and any other thing that causes inflammation in your body that is the major cause of heart disease (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).

What is cholesterol and why do we need it?

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's an important part of a healthy body because it's used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol also aids in the manufacture of bile (which helps digest fats), and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. It is the major precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D and of the various steroid hormones (which include cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and the sex hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and derivatives ).

How could something so good be so bad?

Cholesterol has been wrongly accused because upon inspection of the arteries of someone at risk for a heart attack, levels of cholesterol and plaque build up are very high. Cholesterol is actually being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage. It will only lodge itself onto the artery and cause plaque if the artery has become damaged. Inflammation in the artery is what causes this damage. In fact, it is now known that the coronary disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be caused mostly from chronic inflammation.

To blame cholesterol for heart attacks would be the equivalent of blaming increased police security in a high crime area. It was not the police that caused the crime, they were just placed there in response to the crimes.

A more important question to ask ourselves, is how do we decrease the amount of inflammation in our bodies so that cholesterol will not bind to our arteries?

We must decrease all of those things that we do that cause inflammation and increase things that decrease inflammation. First and foremost we must stay away from foods that cause inflammation in our bodies. Any food that causes a fast rise in blood insulin levels will quickly cause inflammation in the body. These foods are sugar, white breads, most dairy products and almost all packaged and processed foods. What does this leave you with? Fresh, wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean animal proteins, nuts, and lots and lots of water. Also, taking in lots of omega-3 rich foods will dramatically decrease inflammation in the body (salmon, organic eggs, walnuts and sardines).

What about your cholesterol medication?

Some may be thinking, it is just easier to take a pill and not have to change what I am eating. But you may want to think twice considering the side effects of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs). The most common side effects reported are fatigued, headaches, nausea and the most common of them all, severe muscular pains and muscular degeneration. If you remember that cholesterol is essential for the formation of cell membranes, taking a drug that is drastically lowering cholesterol may be causing membrane damage in neural and muscle tissue. Most people on statins complain of neck, back or leg pain.

Millions of Americans are now on cholesterol lowering drugs, but the number of people suffering from heart attacks and heart disease is only increasing. Let's take a personal responsibility for our health and truly get to the root of the problem. Managing your diet and staying away from those foods that are causing an inflammatory response in your body is your first step to decreasing your chance of heart disease and heart attacks.

Get Started on Your Own Weight Loss and Health Goals right away with these Simple and Effective Healthy Meal Plans .

How to reduce your risk for Heart Disease the Natural Way

The Diet Solution Program
Are you one of the millions of people that is suffering from heart disease or even worse? Have already experienced a heart attack.

These days it's difficult not to meet someone who is either suffering from heart disease, has had a heart attack or has been told they are at risk for heart disease. It's just about as common as meeting someone with brown hair. Unfortunately, the media and even many well-meaning doctors are completely misinformed on how to tackle this growing epidemic. It's the number one killer in the US and plaguing many other countries as well.

What are we to do?

The best plan of attack is to combat the risk factors the best we can.

Use the following 5 tips to get you started on a heart healthy plan:

1. Drop the smokes. Yes, smoking has been shown to be one of the biggest risk factors in heart disease, mainly because of all the toxic chemicals added to cigarettes (not that I'm recommending tobacco or anything.)

2. Walk, walk, walk. If finding time for a structured exercise program is just too much of a challenge right now, just start by walking. I have known many people who have strengthened their heart and reversed severe conditions by getting outside and walking. If you can, find a scenic route. There's nothing more calming than the outdoors. (I highly recommend whistling and singing while you walk. It makes for happy thoughts.)

3. Calm down. By this I mean, don't stress about the stuff you don't have to. This is actually a very funny statement coming from me who used to stress about everything! Deadlines, laundry, work, family… you name it, I stressed about. Not until I realized that this would kill me no matter how healthy my food was did I drop the stress and pick up the laughter. Right now as I write this newsletter, I've got more things that need to get done today than are humanly possible. My reaction “Haha..better put my Superwoman shirt on”

4. Do not and I repeat, do not go on a low-fat diet. Your heart condition may get worse in your attempts. Drop the bad fats (like hydrogenated oil and the nasty oil in French fries and donuts) and start eating more healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil, salmon, walnuts and whole organic eggs.

5. Do not be afraid to eat saturated fat. If read “The Truth About Saturated Fat” in The Diet Solution Program you know that eating saturated fats is not what is causing people to get heart disease. It is processed foods, sugars and an overabundance of refined carbohydrates that is making this country so sick. The whole saturated fats topic gets me so fired up, I even made a video to further inform you – check it out here:

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How To Eat Healthy When Dinning In A Restaurant

The Diet Solution Program
Healthy restaurant eating is possible and can be much easier than you think. If your schedule has your traveling a lot or opting for take out often, use the ideas below to stick to your healthy meal plans while still enjoying your meal out.

Here is my plan of attack whenver I am on vacation, traveling for business or just in a situation that has me ordering out more than I am able to cook.

I do what I call “damage control”: Do the best I can, with what I've got and have an awesome time on my trip!

Prepare my “emergency kit”. I will pack and take with me: walnuts, almonds, almond butter, organic turkey and beef jerky, apples and pears. None of these need refrigeration so they will keep well wherever you are. If I'm in a situation where there is no protein handy (like when it's time for a snack), I've got my nuts and jerky to tie me over. If you don't have something handy, you just may find yourself grabbing pretzels and potato chips (or whatever other horrid food people eat while away).

Breakfast

There is always a protein on the menu, no matter what. Omelets, or smoked salmon are my favorite choices but I've even gone to places that now carry turkey bacon and turkey sausage on the menu. Stay away from the heavy and deadly pancakes and waffles. This is a blood sugar disaster waiting to happen. Eating a sugar loaded breakfast like this will only set you up for hunger and cravings the rest of the day. And, just may ruin an otherwise great day.

Lunch and Dinner
I have said this before. Most of us know what is healthy on the menu but we still continue to order the crappy stuff. Yes, I do believe in a treat and a cheat meal once or twice a week, but definitely not every night of your vacation. Some people eat and choose items off the menu like they are being sent to starvation camp when they get home. This is not an “all or nothing” deal. You've committed to eating healthy for a lifetime. Don't worry. The food will always be there whether you eat it all at once or space it out over a lifetime.

Ok, back to my point. First, items on the menu that you know are drenched in heavy sauces are an instant No-No. Fettuccine Alfredo? Come on now. Are you serious? Can you get the steak, veggies and salad instead and be just as happy? Or, the Chicken Cacciatore with a side of broccoli rabe? (Yes, we're at an Italian restaurant). Often times, our taste buds are really just as happy with a healthier choice. No, this is not deprivation. This is choosing to feel good, be healthy and eat good food at the same time. Comprende?

Desserts

I love desserts too and I will definitely get myself a yummy piece of apple pie or chocolaty treat while I am away. But if the piece of dessert is bigger than the size of my head, I will not eat the whole thing. There is no need. My taste buds are just as happy with a few bites (and my body is happier too). Remember, we're not going to starvation camp after this. Trust me, there is enough apple pie, chocolate or (insert your favorite dessert here) to have a small amount at a time for the rest of your life.

The Trolls

The who? Yes, you know who the trolls are. Those people who tell you to “just eat what you want”, or “don't torture yourself”. These people always seem to come out of hiding when dining with you at a restaurant. (They are also present at parties and family functions. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid). Don't let anybody else tell you that taking care of yourself and feeling great is a bad thing. I don't mean to talk bad about your family and friends, but chances are they are not too thrilled with their current weight and health and really just upset that you actually started to eat healthy and take control of your life.

Remember, there is no need to avoid restaurants and vacations (but please do avoid fast food joints). You just need to focus on the healthier options and have a great time!

Get started on your own Healthy Meal Plans right away.

The Truth About Organic Foods

The Diet Solution Program
Many people are unaware of what organic food really is. It seems that everywhere we go now, someone is promoting something that is "organic". Are these foods worth your time and money?

It almost seems like some people are afraid of organic food. Could this be possible? Are people afraid that eating one morsel of organic food is going to somehow instantly initiate them into the organic food cult where you're only allowed to wear sandals made from tree bark and deodorant is prohibited?

I swear I have had people say to me “Well, you can't be that organic because you wear make-up and you don't smell.”

What? That's not what organic means at all! All it means is that the food or the product has been grown the way mother nature intended: without the use of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. In other words, naturally!

Are some people afraid of the price? Organic does not automatically mean “break the bank”. Many times when I compare the price of the organic food versus the conventional food, they are only a few cents different. In the case of the bag of organic carrots I bought today for my lunch, they were the exact same price as the conventional ones. Imagine that!

It will help you understand exactly why organic food is all the rave these days and what you can do to make organic living easy, simple and not so scary!

Get started on your own fat loss and health goals right away with these Simple and Easy Healthy Meal Plans .

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3 Simple, Healthy Meal Plans You Can Start Right Now

Is it possible to put together a simple and healthy meal plan? One that is not going to be complicated and hard to follow? Yes. It is possible and I will show you how. The healthy meal plans below will help you achieve your health goals while simultaneously shedding fat off your body. You can find all the meal plans in The Diet Solution Program.

Here are 3 healthy meal plans you can get started on right now.

Breakfast

Protein should be included in every meal throughout the day and breakfast is no exception. Make sure to include organic eggs, cottage cheese, raw nut butter or smoked fish as one component of your healthy breakfast. Carbohydrates should also be included in the form of oatmeal, sprouted grain bread, fruit and/or vegetables.

3 great sample breakfasts are:

Oatmeal with almond butter, topped with fresh berries and a bit of Stevia to sweeten.

2 hard boiled eggs, 1 slice sprouted grain toast and ½ grapefruit

Smoked salmon over sliced tomato and 1 green apple

Lunch

The same rules apply as breakfast. An easy way to ensure that you always have a healthy protein available for lunch is to pack leftovers from dinner the night before. Leftover hamburger, chicken legs or wild fish are all great to include in a salad or over vegetables.

3 great sample lunches are:

Baked Tilapia over sautéed spinach, green salad with chick peas (oil and vinegar as dressing) followed by ½ cup of pineapple.

Leftover chicken legs with ½ sweet potato and broccoli.

Lean hamburger over portabella mushroom and brown rice. Cooked vegetables or a green salad. 1 orange.

Dinner

You can really be creative with dinner. Look for recipes that are quick and easy and modify them with your own healthy ingredients as needed. Again, always remember to include protein and carbohydrates.

3 great sample dinners are:

Mexican salad: Ground beef over shredded lettuce and tomato, guacamole and brown rice.
Grilled Salmon over asparagus, green salad (oil and vinegar as dressing) followed by a fresh fruit salad.
Buffalo meat balls over rice pasta with sautéed broccoli.

Snacks

You never want to let your body get too hungry. Hunger often leads to binge eating of unhealthy food and
makes sticking to a healthy eating regimen much more difficult. It’s important to keep snacks handy so
you never experience hunger or a blood sugar low without having a healthy option nearby.

3 great snacks are:

2 Tbsp almond butter on ½ apple

Trail mix made up of walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit (no sugar added)

Cottage cheese and pineapple

Incorporate just a few of these meals into your daily eating regimen and you will see an incredible difference in your weight loss results. Following simple and healthy meal plans like these is the first step in achieving your health and fitness goals.

Is Butter A Good Fat or Bad Fat?

Ok let me prepare you by telling you your going to be shocked. Butter, which happens to be a favorite of mine is a good fat. Yes it is TRUE. Cross my heart and hope to die stick a needle in my eye. Butter is going to help you lose weight.


Many people think butter is unhealthy which is a common misconception. People think heart disease is caused by saturated fat’s and butter. The truth is sugar is causing this heart disease epidemic. Processed, packaged foods and over consumption of refined oils that are causing the heart disease. Go ahead and add high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure to this ever growing list.

Isabel goes into much greater detail about this in The Diet Solution Program but here are a few things to take into consideration.

1. Did you know that during the 60 year period from 1910-1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83% to 62%?

2. During this same time butter consumption plummeted from 18 pounds per person each year to 4 pounds per person each year.

3. During the past 80 years, the consumption of dietary cholesterol intake has increased only one percent.

So where is the problem? Why all the heart disease?

1. During the same period, the average intake of dietary vegetable oils (margarine, shortening, and refined oils) increased by about 400%.

2. During the same period, the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased by about 60%

Those are the facts, but there’s never better proof than the results I see with my clients and my readers. When people finally stop eating margarine, refined oils, “fake” butters, sugar and processed foods, their health sky rockets! (and by sky rockets I mean, gets better, greatly improves, elevates to whole new levels). Not to mention all the body fat they lose off their body (now isn’t that just an awful side effect?)

It’s important to mention that the butter I use is organic and grass fed. It has this beautiful deep yellow color and is not white like most conventional butters. It has gone through minimal processing and has no added growth hormones and antibiotics.

Coconut Oil CAN Help You Lose Fat

Ok now coconut oil is one of my favorite products to use. Coconut oil has been shown to increase your metabolism and assist in the burning of unwanted fat. It’s a wonder food that has been around for centuries. it’s a great addition to any fat burning meal plan. Most people have a hard time believing that coconut oil is not “dangerous” or “fattening”.

We’ve been led to believe that fat, especially saturated fat causes our health problems, and weight gain. This is only half true. Hydrogenated oils and vegetable oils are bad for you. They contribute to weight gain and heart disease. The good fats are coconut oil, butter, and olive oil. Think about how healthy people were in late 1800’s and the very early 1900’s heart disease was almost unheard of then.

Want to find about the real truth behind other foods? Click Here to check out The Diet Solution Program

Magic Foods For Optimal Health

If there was a magic food that would cure everything (weight gain, heart disease, aging, your annoying boss) would you eat it? Of course you would!
Unfortunately, I can’t say I have found that one magic food yet (as soon as I do, I promise to let you in on it). The good news is there are several foods you can eat that give you some extra bang for your buck. By this, I mean, not only are they tasty and healthy additions to your meal plans, they also provide a chock full of antioxidants to your body.

What exactly are antioxidants?

Antioxidants have been all the rage for quite some time now, but many people don’t know exactly what they are. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen (in almost everything we do each day), they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. (Exercise is a good example of a healthy activity that naturally produces free radicals.) Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and help prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, and cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage.

You can see how it’s important for us to get these “free radical scavengers” into our bodies each day, especially if we have made exercise a part of our daily routine.

What foods contain antioxidants?

Lucky for you and me, the list of foods containing antioxidants is pretty extensive: vegetables, fruits, most nuts, fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic are just a few examples of some great, healthy foods that will get you your daily scavengers (and all foods that are part of your Diet Solution Meal Plans). Just go to the recipe section.

There are some foods that are particularly high and famous for their free radical destroying abilities. Here are three of my favorites.

Acai Berries

Acai is a fruit that grows on the Acai Palm Trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. The Acai berry is small in size (smaller than a grape) and is dark purple in color. Although Acai may be small in size, it is jam packed with antioxidants and amino acids, and is thought to be one of the most nutritional fruits of the Amazon basin. Acai has 10 Times the antioxidant power of red grapes and twice that of blueberries.

With that being said, I am not going to tell you that this fruit is the cure all for everything that ails you (like many internet sites trying to sell their Acai berry supplements and going a bit overboard with their claims). The Acai berry is a wonderful antioxidant and it is a great addition to your healthy meal plan, but not a magic potion that will cause the weight loss many make it out to be.

Pomegranate
The pomegranate is a popular exotic fruit whose origins are from the Middle East and Asia. It is also known as the granada, grenade, and the Chinese apple. Aside from its rich flavor and the number of ways to eat and drink it, studies have shown that pomegranate contains more antioxidants than green tea, cranberries and even red wine.

Pomegranates have also been shown to promote healthy blood pressure levels and low cholesterol. Pomegranates may be especially helpful for men as studies have concluded that it may help prevent prostate cancer and growth.

Green Tea

Green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and white tea all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. All teas from the camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. Whether it’s green or black, tea has about 8 to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables (although the types of antioxidants are a bit different).

You can see how including a cup or 2 of tea can be a great way to get a mega dose of antioxidants into your day. However, just as people have taken information about the good ‘ol Acai berry too far, they have done the same with green tea. Yes, it is a wonderful addition to any diet, but it is not the miracle drink many people make it out to be. Studies have shown that it may have some metabolism increasing effects and assist the body in fat burning but drinking jugs and jugs of it all day is not going to guarantee long term weight loss. One to two cups is more than enough to receive its benefits. We also want to remember that tea does contain caffeine and some people need to be careful with their daily caffeine intake.

How can you incorporate these great foods into your daily meal plan?

1. Start your day with one cup of green tea. I say the morning, so the caffeine does not affect your sleep that night. You can sweeten your tea with Stevia, Xylitol, Agave Syrup, or a small amount of raw honey.

2. Eat a pomegranate as your fruit of choice with breakfast, lunch or snack or drink 2-4 ounces of pomegranate juice. I suggest mixing your 2-4 ounces with water and sip alongside one of your meals.

3. If getting in antioxidant rich foods each day is a challenge for you, you can supplement with an antioxidant supplement. Prograde, one if the very very few supplement companies I trust, has a powerful antioxidant supplement I highly recommend. It contains a high-octane extract blend of coffeeberry, pomegranate, green tea, acai berry, wolfberry and Biovin grape. You can read more about it here:

For more information check out The Diet Solution Program

The Best Fat Burning Pills That Do Not Exist!

Before I found The Diet Solution Program I was struggling to lose weight. Then do you know what happen? I got desperate to see results. I fell into one of those “quick fix” traps like everyone else. I resorted to dangerous fat burning pill and every extreme diet at my disposal.

I did all of this in my efforts to loss weight. I just didn’t want to be fat anymore. I had gained 80 pounds in 15 months after I decided to start working from home. I went from a nice 150 to 230 in just 15 months I couldn’t believe it. Now I am finally losing it with The Diet Solution Program.

When I was taking those fat burning pills I had no idea how dangerous they were. I think most of us know better these days. You would think that something that is sold in a store is safe to use, but that is not always the case. So here is the problem we face. We want to see results and we want to see them NOW. Not only do most of us lack patience in our lives but sometimes when we don’t see the results instantly we give up.

This is something I’m trying to work on in all areas of my life. Now what I have to say is if your looking for a quick fix to weight loss it isn’t those fat burners. I’m sure we could go on and on about the dangers associated with these fat burners. Like potential damage to the heart, heart attacks, strokes, hormone disruption, permanent damage to your metabolism. You cant tell me you aren’t well aware of how dangerous these pills can be.

We know people die from taking these pills. For better options for losing weight you should check out The Diet Solution Program. It’s the program I’ve been using on my journey to loss weight and I am so please with it especially since I need to loss weight in a short amount of time. Don’t you want a quicker safer option to losing weight?

Four Strategies That Anybody Can Implement Safely For Accelerated Fat Loss Results

These are some of the tips that i have picked up since i've been using The Diet Solution Program.

1. Eliminate Wheat and Dairy for 2 weeks or more. I know, I know…this should be the Isabel theme song. I know she reminds us of this all the time, but the truth is, it works! Most wheat and dairy products will cause an inflammatory response in your body (without you even realizing they are the cause) and make it really difficult, sometimes impossible to see fat even budge off your body. Wheat products include most breads, cereals, crackers, and pastas. Dairy includes milk products and cheeses. Eggs are ok and in many cases and butter is ok as well and will not stop the fat burning process.


2. Eliminate all grains for 2 weeks or more. Holy smokes..now Isabel is getting a bit carried away here. Look I’m just telling you what works. And if you have to get into a bikini in a few weeks, your high school reunion is right around the corner (and your ex-boyfriend will be there!), or you just want the pounds to come off faster, I highly suggest going “grain free” until you reach your desired weight. NO, I’m not saying grains are unhealthy. I’m just saying sometimes fat loss will be more accelerated without them. Grains include rice, oatmeal, millet, quinoa and spelt. All healthy, yes, but a few weeks without them will help your body shed fat faster.

3. Add lemon to your water. Lemon is a wonderful detoxifier to the liver. And since the liver is your “fat burning” organ, we want it always working at optimum. Keep your liver squeeky clean, by not only eliminating processed foods and toxic substances from your eating plan but also by giving it a good cleaning with some fresh lemon. You can also add some cayenne pepper to your drink as well and that will help to get your bowels moving (if the food is not finding its way out, weight loss will be much slower).

4. Eat your fruit servings before 4pm. Again, another wonderful food group that I am in no way saying is “bad” but you may see increased fat loss results by eating your fruit with breakfast, mid morning snack and lunch and then sticking to veggies for your mid afternoon snack and dinner. Raw carrots and peppers are great with almond butter in the afternoon and a piece of steak or salmon over sautéed greens and a side salad is a great dinner. You will then still get in your fruit servings for the day but will have had them much earlier in the day.

There are many tactics and strategies that you can try before resorting to something dangerous like taking fat burning supplements that will work when you stick to them. Take action on the above 4 steps and walk onto the beach or into that high school reunion feeling and looking great. And if you’re lucky, your EX he’ll be wondering why he ever let you get away. For more information check out The Diet Solution Program.