Is there really a diet out there that can have one lose 18 lbs. In 21 days … naturally? Well, take just 60 seconds out of your day to discover an extra diet diet that will get you accelerated weight loss easily, quickly, naturally, and PERMANENTLY!

First thing first. Why do so many diets fail to work? You see, majority of those diets out today are "fad diets" (celebrity, low or no carb, fat, calories, etc.). Those types of systems will cause only one thing to happen … a REDUCTION in your metabolism. Consequently, a reduced metabolism is the culprit of the annoying "yo-yo weight loss effect", and will also cause your body to go into fat STORING mode!

The # 1 method to lose 18 lbs. In as little as 21 days is to make sure you get your body in fat BURNING mode (more powerful metabolism). The only online diet plan I've found that will get your body in this mode of constantly burning pounds of fat on AUTOPILOT is the calorie shifting diet plan.

The calorie shifting diet will not only cause extreme weight loss and fat loss easily, once you lose those pounds, it all stays off permanently. That's because this diet is based around EATING to lose weight … not STARVING, and eating ALL types of foods (even your favorite foods) … not RESTRICTING!

You know, I ended up going from having a 44 inch waist and weighing 300 pounds all the way down to around 250 pounds and a 40 inch waist …. in 8 weeks! Now you would think that losing all that weight will be the thing that made me so excited, but it actually was the fact that once I lost all those pounds … it stayed off PERMANENTLY. That's because this is an all natural diet plan designed to SKYROCKET your metabolism to it's maximum peak.

Raisins are prepared with the process of drying the different types of grapes either in the sun or in driers. During the process of drying with both means, it turns into golden, green, or black in color. The nutritional value it preserves while drying are considered as the boon for many diseases. Generally sweet and juicy in taste, the dry fruit is a healthier alternative for the sugar rich candies for the people with sweet tongue. It is a storehouse of all the vital nutrients and has most health benefits to keep you fit and fine. Consuming raisins on the daily basis helps you to maintain good weight, aids in constipation, gives you younger looking skin, reduce acidity, treats infections, and are good for the eyes. High in potassium, Iron, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin K, etc. it provides amazing benefits to the hair, body, and skin.

Raisins For Skin –

• The super food has the potent nutrients to repair the skin damages while guarding the cells from inside and keep the damage at the bay. Packed with the antioxidants, it prevents free radicals from the cell damage and enhances the elasticity of the skin.
• It is the best at delaying the signs of aging and erases the fine lines, wrinkles, and marks of blemishes. The antioxidants also boost up the speed of repairing the cell damage prevent the skin from sagging.

Raisins For Hair –

• The tiny gems are loaded with the vital nutrients to give your hair a good health and provide extra nourishment. The handful of raisins is full of iron and gives you healthy looking strands while maintaining the natural color of the hair.
• The enough amount of vitamin C in the raisins strengthens the blood vessels and prevents the formation of dandruff on the scalp through reducing the itchiness to a great extent.

Raisins For Fighting With Diseases –

• The sweet and sticky dry fruit improves the overall oral hygiene of a person while reversing the cavities and prevents the tooth from decaying. It has one of the five phytochemicals that is known for inhibiting the growth of oral bacteria in mouth.
• Digestive aid is another benefit of raisins as the highly fibrous fruit helps to keep the things moving through the intestinal tract while reducing constipation and bathroom issues like diarrhea. The dry fruit is high in calories but also have high amount of fiber to give you amazing surprises of raisins.

If you need to enhance the flavour of food using artificial chemicals rather than herbs and spices, there is something seriously wrong about that and it begs to wonder why you would want to put such things into their bodies.

Of course, there are more than five harmful substances that are found in foods but I wanted to concentrate on these five because they are the most common.

In no particular order, my top five are:

HYDROGENATED OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS

Out of all the substances, for me personally, this must be the worse. This is not to say that some (additives)) are better than others, but there really is no need for this in food, there really isn’t.

The process of hydrogenation is to heat up liquid oil to high temperatures so it becomes a solid fat. Manufacturers claim this enhances the taste and ‘mouth feel’ of the foods they produce as well as extend shelf life. This very process changes the chemical structure of the oil and turns it into a ‘trans fat’.

I recall reading a newspaper article a while back where a university professor said that there are no health benefits to hydrogenated oils. In fact, he could not even measure how dangerous they would be to the human body so we are better off avoiding them all together.

Indeed, hydrogenated oils have no health benefits whatsoever. It is no better than eating plastic. Your body cannot process plastic so how it is supposed to process hybridized oil is anyone’s guess.

A few years ago, one high street chain made the decision to omit hydrogenated oils from all their own brand label foods. I was very pleased when I heard this and I wish other supermarkets would follow suit.

The main foods to look out for are: burgers, pizzas, fast foods, powdered soup and sauce mixes, cakes, pastries, desserts, cookies, some breakfast cereals, crisps (chips), chips (fries), non-dairy alternatives (cream etc.) and many non organic processed ready meals.

Fast food joints that sell fried food are best avoided because you have no idea how often they change their oil. The more the oil is re-heated and re-used, the more oxidised it gets – basically, more and more free radicals are created. Free radicals is like rust in the body and if you do not consume anti-oxidants (found in fresh whole foods particularly fruits and vegetables) you could be setting yourself up for some serious health problems in the future.

WHITE SUGAR

What surprises me about white sugar is that it is found in foods you would not expect it to be in. I have lost count the amount of times I have been shopping, picked up a product, looked and the label only to find sugar as one of the ingredients.

A few years back, one of my favourite snacks was oatcakes. When out shopping, I wanted to buy my usual pack of oatcakes but they were out of stock, so I looked at the supermarkets own label alternative. I could not believe it when I saw sugar as the third (or forth) ingredient. I thought why? Why was it necessary to add sugar to a product when it clearly was not needed? Answer? It is a cheap bulking agent and adds to the taste (supposedly). This is why supermarkets can boast about their produce being cheaper – they add cheaper ingredients and less of the real stuff.

Most mornings, I see kids going to school gorging themselves on sweets (candy), chocolate, cans of fizzy pop, and packets of crisps. What happened to a decent breakfast? These kids must be a nightmare by the time they get to school.

Consuming high amounts of sugar in any form not only depletes minerals in the body (especially) calcium but also causes blood sugar problems. When too much sugar is consumed, calcium is extracted from the skeletal bones to buffer the acidic effects of too much sugar circulating in the blood. This can lead to thinning of the bones, thus leading to osteoporosis.

Blood sugar problems are not the same as diabetes, but if it is not regulated, this is exactly what it can lead to. Constant blood sugar disruptions can cause a number of symptoms including sleepiness, lethargy, tiredness and cravings for sugary products.

White refined sugar can be found in just about every processed food you can think of, even in savoury products such as tinned (and/ or fresh) soups, processed sausages and pies, pizzas, burgers, bread and slimming products! Now you know why you have trouble managing your weight.

Now the market is crowed with decent alternatives such as agave and yacon, you can still get your sweet fix minus the side effects. You can also use fresh and dried fruit as sweeteners for making desserts and in baking.

WHITE REFINED FLOUR

One thing I will never understand is why manufactures spend money stripping all the nutrients away from whole grains, turning it into a pure white substance with no nutrients then fortifying their foods with inorganic vitamins and minerals. It’s baffling!

White flour, like white sugar is found in a countless array of foods – again all processed. I’ve lost count of the number of times clients have come to me and say they are trying to cut out wheat because they are having a hard time digesting it. This really does not surprise me considering it is found in just about everything you can think of, even salads, salad dressings and roast potatoes!

White wheat flour has become a staple in the Western world and people will consume it several times per day without even realising. They may think they have a varied diet but if you break it down into a list of ingredients, the main items on the list will be white flour, white sugar, fat and salt.

Like white sugar, white flour will deplete our body of nutrients. Why? Because it contains no nutrients your body then has to draw on its own reserves and if those reserves are in short supply, you are heading for trouble.

Your body need nutrients to function at an optimal level. If these nutrients are not there that is when we start having health problems. Over time these (health problems) become more chronic especially if we continue to eat the same suboptimal foods. You wouldn’t put diesel in your car if it takes unleaded petrol would you? Of course not! Your car would splutter to a halt in a very short period of time. But that is what you are doing to your body when you consume white flour products. The only difference is that your body will start showing signs of ill health.

Another thing you will notice about white flour is how sticky it is. Now just imagine that sticking to your insides, because that is what happens. Gluten is the substance responsible for this and the first three letters says it all – GLU add an E and we have glue!

Just imagine, for breakfast you kick start the day with toasted glue, add a good spread of hydrogenated fat and perhaps some sugar (jam)…hummm, nice! That will keep you fighting fit and performing at your peak won’t it?

There are plenty of alternatives out there so there it is possible to avoid foods that contain white refined flour. The best whole grains to go for are those that are stoned ground e.g. wholemeal, spelt, rye and kamut. Further, you can replace whole grains with non gluten alternatives such as millet, coconut, potato, rice and hemp flour. With whole grains, the nutrients stay intact. Alternatively, you can sprout most of these grains and eat them as they are or homogenise them, mix with herbs and spices and turn them into delicious nutrient dense crackers.

FIZZY DRINKS

I have never been a big fan of fizzy drinks. My mum never bought any home when she went shopping so this translated over to me when I moved away and started doing my own shopping. Before I knew any better, the only time I consumed fizzy drinks was when I went out for a meal (I didn’t drink alcohol much) or some other special occasion, so it was no big deal to stop drinking it all together when I started studying nutrition.

Fizzy drinks are not only high in sugar (everyone knows that) but they are also high in phosphorus. Phosphorus is a substance that is very good at leaching calcium from bones because calcium is required to maintain the blood pH homeostasis. Phosphorus is also highly acidic and upsets the balance with potassium. This along with a high intake of dairy is what probably contributes to the highest levels of osteoporosis in the Western World.

Fizzy drinks again are empty calories. They contribute nothing to your health except extra calories. No wonder the rates of childhood obesity are reaching epidemic levels. Further, more and more children are being diagnosed with type two diabetes. Up until a few years ago, this was an adult onset health issue – not any more.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS & OTHER ARTIFICIAL ADDITIVES

Let’s make this really simple – the word artificial says it all. If it isn’t natural, why put it in your body?

A 1970s study showed that aspartame caused brain tumours in rats and life long consumption increases the risk of cancer. Aspartame has also been shown as having a direct effect on brain chemistry. It can pass through the blood brain barrier and cause all sort of problems and has even been linked to food cravings. So if you are on a diet and consume ‘low fat’ foods that contain aspartame but you have cravings all the time, this perhaps could be the reason why.

Food colourings, emulsifiers, flavourings, thickeners and preservatives – what benefit do any of these have to your health? The only reason so many foods contain these unnecessary chemicals is for preservation, to extend shelf life and enhance taste but this can be easily done with herbs and spices. Most people ignore what they cannot understand and buy it anyway. Also, many may not question the extra additives in the food they buy because either they are unaware or if they are aware, they don’t care. If someone doesn’t care, it tells me they don’t think much of themselves…they don’t think they are worth it and that’s a shame.

If a substance is not from the earth, then it is man made and if it is man made, then it has no place in the food we eat.

The upshot of all this is that these substances do not contribute anything to your health because they are devoid of nutrients.

I am hoping for a world that eventually rejects what food manufacturers are producing and go back to how we used to live many years ago – producing our own food and relying on each other for support and resources.

When this will happen (if ever) is anyone’s guess, but I would like to think it will one day.

When it comes to the foods you eat on a regular basis, there is no question you have your fair share of options. Walk into any grocery store and you will see a number of choices, all that look tantalizing to your taste buds. But as you put groceries into your cart, one thing you will want to be sure you are doing is opting for whole foods as often as possible.

Practicing the “single or one ingredient” rule or eating foods containing a single component is your best bet for optimal nutritional success. Why do this? Why not indulge in some of the more complex foods you enjoy?

Here are four great reasons…

1. Single Ingredient Foods Are Nutrient Dense. First, when you eat a food containing one component, you can rest assured you are getting a nutrient dense food. The more processed food is, the more it has been broken down from its original state, meaning the fewer nutrients it will contain.

Remember eating healthily is about more than just counting calories and the grams of macronutrients you consume. It is about taking in a vast array of micronutrients as well, meaning your vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

2. Single Ingredient Foods Rank Higher In Satiety. The next reason to opt for foods containing one component is they rank high on the satiety scale. These foods will satisfy your hunger head-on thanks to the high fiber content they usually contain.

While not all foods will be high in fiber: food such as a chicken breast for example; any foods carbohydrate based and single ingredient, usually will have more fiber in them.

3. Single Ingredient Foods Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels. Thanks to the fact these foods containing one component have more fiber, or else are a rich source of protein and dietary fats; this also means they will control your blood sugar levels better as well.

Controlling your blood sugar is important for those who are suffering from Type 2 diabetes or those people simply trying to prevent developing this form of diabetes. Likewise, if keeping your weight in check is a goal of yours, single ingredient foods can help with that as well.

4. Single Ingredient Foods Don’t Contain Artificial Ingredients. Finally, when you eat unprocessed foods made up of just one component this also means you will not take in a large dose of artificial sweeteners or other unhealthy ingredients. Instead, you get what Mother Nature put into those foods and what was naturally intended for your body to consume.

Food that does not contain artificial ingredients is a far better way to nourish your body and keep you feeling healthy.

Think twice before putting processed food in the shopping cart. As much as you can, put only single ingredient foods in your cart and use those to cook your meals from. Your body will thank you.

Here is the wonderful idea to melt away belly fat in 3 weeks time. Spend a few minutes time here to gain fantastic tips to lose fat. Since we are talking about the natural method of weight loss, you will not turn towards diet pills to shed fat.

Tip 1 – Metabolism rate should be at higher level for instant fat loss

Your body should have good metabolism rate to melt away belly fat in 3 weeks. You can hit this target only if your life style is full of nature. Yes, you should first free your body from chemicals and other diet pills that reduces metabolism rate. Replace this place with natural foods such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, fibrous foods and healthy fats. Vegetables, fruits, egg whites, omega fatty acids, cod liver oil, nuts, almonds, dhal are some of the natural food products that can be utilized to boost metabolism. Water should be provided in plenty for quick action of digestive system. So, when you boost metabolism through natural food products, your weight loss will be permanent and consistent.

Tip 2 – Reject all the faded foods

Faded foods or the celebrity foods should be completely avoided as they squash the metabolism rate. Each and every part of your body starts working slowly, which results in accumulation of fat. The digestion power is very less when your body is fed with faded diets. These faded foods include your fancy foods such as pizzas (contains unhealthy fats), quick bites etc.

Tip 3 – Frequent eating and calorie shifting diet

Calorie shifting diet holds the key to melt away belly fat in 3 weeks. Along with this shifting technique, you need to stick to the frequently eating habit. That is, unlike in other weight loss methods, you are not going to starve for food. Four to five time meals is compulsory for peaking up the metabolism. You can increase or decrease the calorie level in your meal and aim at higher level of metabolism.

So, along with proper nutrition, if you can do the combination of shifting technique and eating technique effectively, you will be at the winning track to melt away belly fat in 3 weeks.

The Glycemic index is a very useful indicator of foods that are healthier for our body. Low Glycemic Vegetables & Fruits can do wonders for any diet program whether it is aimed at weight loss or detoxification.

These foods especially fruits and vegetables are very fibrous, and require a long time to digest, thereby ensuring a steady supply of glucose to the blood supply rather than sudden spurts in the blood sugar levels. A List of Food Sources with the Lowest Glycemic Value is provided here so that you can truly benefit from this list:

Low Glycemic Vegetables:

All vegetables that are high in fiber have a low Glycemic index. They are not digested quickly, due to high fiber content, and are healthier compared to foods with a high G.I.

o Zucchini

o Pumpkin

o Water gourd

o Watercress

o Broccoli

o Turnips

o Radish

o Carrots

o Spinach

o Bell peppers

o Lettuce

o Cabbage

o Parsley

o Cauliflower

o Cucumber

o Mushrooms

o Yellow summer squash

o Avocados

o Brussels sprouts

Low Glycemic Fruits:

o Watermelons

o Musk melons

o Green coconut

o Tomatoes

o Berries

o Guavas

o Pears

o Apples

o Oranges

o figs

o Lime

o lemon

o Pineapples

o Kiwi.

Other foods such as whole grains, nuts, and lean meats are also useful in achieving a low Glycemic index count for your diet. This will also ensure a good supply of nutrients and fiber to your body, both if which are necessary for keeping fit healthy and energetic. Fruits and vegetables are also very rich in anti oxidants which will ensure that your body’s immune system runs better and wear and tear is repaired regularly. It is a healthy way to beat the odds of a high carb, high Glycemic index diet.

Do you agree that it is much more difficult to initiate a healthy eating plan than to start on a certain weight loss diet? Many people today seem a little confused about healthy eating and dieting. With so many dieting fads going around lately, it looks a bit difficult to distinguish what is right and what is wrong when it comes to eating habits. Fad diets can perhaps give you the desired result in less time than practicing a healthy eating regime. That is the main reason why it is call a fad diet. No one in this world can go on living with eating just one type of food. You may loose the weight that you want, but you will definitely be malnourished.

Start your own new health style through eating today. However, before that you should establish for yourself a new mindset towards dieting and eating overall. Dieting is more of a short-term event where it is rather momentary. Meanwhile going on a healthy eating plan will sets you up for the long-term result. Therefore, instead of saying you are dieting, will it be better to say that you are trying to eat healthy?

It shall begin with the most fundamental element, which is getting to know the healthy eating pyramid. The food pyramid has always been part of learning while we were in school when we were young. Nevertheless, unfortunately not many adults take it seriously anymore. The food pyramid shows all kinds of food. That is primarily because healthy eating is eating multiple types of food with the correct proportion. It also shows which type of food you should eat the most, moderately or the least of in order to get a good balance of nutrients. This way of eating is much easier to keep up with rather than any strict diets.

A healthy eating plan has many benefits. Healthy eating should enable you to increase your energy level more than usual. If you are practicing it accordingly, you can actually feel changes within your body. Besides, a good and healthy eating habit can also help you in losing weight and maintain the proper body weight for your body. Putting hereditary factor aside, naturally you should be able to reduce the risk of many common health problems if you are eating everything good and healthy.

Furthermore, a healthy eating plan also has the capability to improve an individual ability to cope with stress. There are foods that can reduce stress and there are also that makes it even worse. Foods that have high fat and carbohydrate contents are most likely the one that worsen the stress level of a person. After all, these are only a few of the benefits that one can get through healthy eating. There are a whole lot more once you get to learn more about it. The topic is rather endless. However, whatever they may be, there are actually only a few basic guidelines for a healthy body; that is to learn more, eat healthy, exercise regularly and keep a positive mind at all time.

If you are like many people, you have neglected your well-being for longer than you would like to admit. Usually, it is only when one realizes they have not been fair to their health they decide to change. Is it your moment? It may be time to change a few things in your life, particularly by adopting new habits and eliminating the ones causing you harm. Notably, this likely includes your diet and physical activity patterns, because these are the two most important factors in determining your health and well-being.

That said, let’s focus on nutrition. There is a good chance your diet could use some changes, and that is putting it mildly. It is imperative you look after your diet and nutrition because this is the source of most health problems affecting adults today. Complications develop in the absence of healthy eating…

• Type 2 diabetes,
• obesity, and
• cardiovascular disease

are some examples. Do not underestimate the issues brought on by these conditions – do not be like most people by making this common mistake.

On the other hand, you will be able to reap the rewards. There is so much to gain with a balanced diet in practice and an acute awareness of human nutrition. Seriously: a longer life ultimately more fulfilling is undeniably a benefit of healthy eating.

But before anything happens, you must temper your expectations. There is no telling where your health will stand tomorrow. We are all vulnerable to misfortune, and sometimes there is only so much we can do. However, it is sad millions of people are afflicted with crippling conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes. These are diseases that can be prevented and treated almost entirely through individual action: with healthy eating as the primary tool.

Do not leave your circumstances up to chance. The statistics don’t lie – Type 2 diabetes and several other serious related health problems are incredibly dangerous and guaranteed to hinder your quality of life. It is a likely time for you to pay attention to nutrition and adopt a healthy diet. Even if it is overdue, the changes you make today will make a positive difference come tomorrow.

There is no shortage of information available on how to eat healthily and how to construct a diet suitable for you and your goals. But you have to care enough to educate yourself. You must be aware of the complications you would likely be at risk of developing otherwise. Time spent on learning the concepts and nuances of nutrition and applying what you have learned is not wasted. It is spent on your health which is without a doubt the best investment you could ever make.

The Atkins, a well renowned diet has come with numerous condemns. Doctors, health and diet specialists have given different views on this particular aspect. Some believe that is a very hazardous diet and others firmly say, it is a very healthy mode to lose excess weight and some pronounce that it helps out on an interim basis.

There are thousands of folks who found a great success with the use of this diet. They can talk out from their personal experience and they know the working of the diet and say it is an effectual way of reducing weight. There are testimonials which advertise the advantage of this low carb living style.

There are numerous criticisms on the Atkins diet. The major one is that this diet is very high on fats. The use of butter, fatty meats and oil are much far off from the low fat diet style that very recently influenced the country. Many people have still not understood the idea behind eating butter and oil with their food, where they want to lose weight. They fathom as to much fat in their first look. However they strictly listen to the advice given by Dr. Atkins and pursue the program as they know it concentrates on good diet fad. Other helpful facts and the use of virgin oil are emphasized. The appropriate use of this oil is necessary for brain function and management.

The other most important criticism is that this diet concentrates significantly on food and very little exercise. The food choices absolutely differ from the usual diet of the people. This does not give rise to the statement” exercise does not form an essential part in this program”. Both the Aerobic and anaerobic exercises are given much importance and also, they help in losing weight drastically.

Many of the critics feel that this diet would not work for a long period. They do agree that this diet is incredibly effective on short term basis but difficult to maintain over a period time. There are people who pursue on as long term basis and claim it as one of the uncomplicated diets that can be followed. This Atkins program considers the use of rich food that is proscribed in others and has appetite-repressing effects.

When combined with the swift weight loss which is an encouraging factor for many, it is easy to put on with it for a long period.

The use of Atkins has also some consequences such as bad breath, constipation and these are pin pointed quickly. These side effects are not common as they critics express. They do occur, but only in the first segment of the diet. Drinking excess of water will generally ensure that the effects are cured immediately.

None of the diets are free from pros and cons. If you don’t intend to prepare or use much of meat then this diet is not the one suggested for you. If you are very concerned on using the Atkins diet then you must be ready to look beyond the general criticisms to infer veracity of the diet.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to lose weight without feeling frustrated because you’re stuck on a rigid meal plan? A meal plan that doesn’t allow you to eat certain foods or go out for meals with friends and family? A meal plan that leaves you envious of your co-workers enjoy pizza Fridays! There really is a way to lose weight while still eating everything you love and it’s called flexible dieting or IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros).

The Science Of Weight Loss

You will have people argue that calories don’t matter but in reality they do for weight loss. When it comes to weight loss it’s calories in vs. calories out – that is the science. For example: let’s say you’re a small female who wants to lose weight and you calculate your calories for weight loss to be 1500. You can now eat 1500 calories of poptarts per day or you can eat 1500 calories of chicken, rice and broccoli per day or you can eat 1500 calories of beans and tofu per day, the end result is the same, you will lose weight. Now this example isn’t discussing overall health and energy so when it comes to being healthy as well that is where the type of foods you choose to eat play a role. But in terms of losing weight, your food selection actually doesn’t matter.

Flexible Approach

This flexible approach allows you to eat essentially whatever you would like as long as you stay within your daily macronutrient budget. Your macronutrients are your proteins, carbohydrates and fats – these will total up to your daily calorie intake. One gram of protein = 4 calories, one gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories and 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. Flexible dieters will use apps such as MyFitnessPal or MyMacros+ to keep track of their food intake, along with using measuring cups and kitchen scales for the best accuracy. Using this flexible approach you can now eat those cookies or chips, or have a donut at the office, or go out to a restaurant or eat with your family and still lose weight! While strict meal plans work for some, they are not maintainable in the long-term, they don’t teach people how to eat on their own and they have been known to cause eating disorders. Those who “fall off” of these strict meal plans because they had one little treat usually feel guilty and throw in the towel – they either go all out and eat everything they can or give up completely until perhaps the next Monday rolls around. So why not incorporate a bit of chocolate or a few cookies in the day and make the whole process easier and more enjoyable? It’s accountability with flexibility. Think about the 80/20 rule for your nutrition. Whole foods should make up 80% of your diet and treats can make up 20% of your diet. This will keep you sane and you’ll be more likely to stick to your weight loss plan without losing your sanity and social life.

One Quick Note: Fat Loss vs Weight Loss

Now, I don’t want to confuse weight loss with fat loss because these are two different things. Sticking to a calorie target will ensure weight loss (muscle, water and fat), but if we want to make sure we are losing mostly fat then we need to have a balance of our daily macronutrients. An increase of protein at roughly 0.8-1.1 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day is a good starting point. Eating adequate amounts of protein will spare muscle loss when you’re dieting and the body will use more fat as fuel instead of breaking down muscle tissue. A few examples of great protein sources are your lean meats, eggs, fish, protein powders, tempeh and lentils. There are several more but I will save that for another article.

What To Do At Restaurants

With the flexible approach there are a few things you can do:

* plan ahead by having a look at the restaurant’s nutrition information and eat according to your targets

* if there is no nutrition information available stay flexible by using your best estimations or find something similar in your app

* occasionally you can interchange carbs and fat (total calories) while keeping the protein the same. For example: if you didn’t have much fat allowed for the rest of the day but decided on a higher fat meal then keep carbs lower as long as you stay under your total calorie target

* structure your day to include more protein and vegetables because your “meal out” will most likely be higher in carbs and fat

* consider intermittent fasting (more advanced approach) to allow for more calories to be eaten later in the day

* just enjoy the meal in moderation and get back to your plan the next day

There you have it, it IS possible to lose weight (really we should focus on fat loss though) and keep your sanity and social life. Stay accountable with your nutrition but have some fun, live life, be happy and remain flexible in your approach.