Eating Healthy To Lose Weight - 3 Things to Consider

Any weight loss plan has two primary elements: Nutrition and Exercise...nothing new right?  Not really, but we are learning more and more on what foods actually promote weight loss and even speed up the process.  Here are the three main things that any weight loss plan must include:

Lean Proteins are a must for any serious weight loss plan. Proteins are the building block of our bodies and are a necessary element to not only build muscle (which burn calories faster), but also 'stoke' our metabolism to burn more evenly and at a higher rate. Proteins are more stable foods that keep our bodies burning calories and 'teach' our metabolisms to burn at a higher calorie level than normal. These types of food are 'lean' as they a have low fat calorie count. Examples include chicken, lean fish (salmon, etc.) and even some protein dense vegetable based foods like tofu (soy). These foods also give your body consistent fuel to build muscle mass, which again, is a key element of burning more calories per day (our ultimate goal!)

Your Mom probably told you to eat your vegetables when you were a child, and for good reason. They are a staple of any sensible nutrition plan. Vegetables, especially green vegetables (broccoli, dark colored lettuce, asparagus, etc.), are vitamin packed and are typically low in calories, but they also promote weight loss in a way that most people aren't of: they promote a more alkaline ph level in your body. When your body is overly acidic (heartburn means you are VERY acidic) it will hold on to fat as a 'buffer' to protect your cells from damage. Thus, even people who exercise very regularly but eat high acid foods may have trouble losing that last 10 to 15 pounds because their body needs that 'buffer' against all the acid in their system. Another lesser known fact about green vegetables is that they are actually a great source of protein. For example, broccoli is about 65% protein content, which helps 'stoke' our metabolism and gives our muscles fuel to grow.

As much as people want to try and find a plan that will give them six pack abs without sit-ups, it's just not going to happen. The case for exercise is overwhelming is accepted as a factual part of any weight loss plan. Exercise does a bunch of amazingly good things for our body. First, it makes you feel good by releasing natural endorphins into your body...which just makes you feel good, and thus, makes you more likely to actually follow through with any diet plan as you feel more optimistic and willing to stick to your plan to achieve your goal. Exercise is an obvious benefit in that it helps burn calories...and in a big way. Exercise done in the morning is proven to have a long lasting affect throughout your day; giving your body a signal to burn more calories at your 'base rate', which means losing pounds faster. And lastly, exercise builds muscle, and muscle burns calories two to three times faster than fat or static body parts - you can literally think of muscles as little calorie burning stoves...the bigger your 'stoves', the more calories they can burn...and that means shedding more pounds faster.

Losing weight can be a very rewarding goal that can have positive lifelong implications. The problem most people have is that they don't do a comprehensive approach that yields the best results...and when they get discouraged, they give up and go back to their old ways. A good plan will give you lots of recipes that include lean proteins and green vegetables, and also will give you a sensible exercise plan that you can start small and get momentum on over time. After all, nothing in life comes easy...but it can come quicker if you follow these guidelines!

Update: Found a Great Post on Eating Healthy To Lose Weight at http://4step-weightloss.com/m1/eating-healthy-to-lose-weight/