Diet High in Fiber Associated with Decreased Disease

Posted by the NCSF on April 25th, 2011

Diet High in Fiber Associated with Decreased Disease

 

According to Northwestern School of Medicine high fiber content in the diet may be even more important than once thought. Certainly the association between fiber content in the diet and reduced risk for cardio-metabolic disease and some cancers speaks to its importance. In the new study presented at the American Heart Association’s - Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Conference, authors demonstrated that fiber intake was associated with lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease. The study found that for adults between the ages of 20 and 59 years old those with the highest fiber intake had a significantly lower estimated lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (America’s top killer) compared to those with the lowest fiber intake. According to Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, MD, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, it has been know that “high-fiber diets can help people lose weight, lower cholesterol and improve hypertension. The results of this study make sense because weight, cholesterol, and hypertension are major determinants of your long term risk for cardiovascular disease.” According to the American Heart Association, a high fiber diet is one that is made up of at least 25 grams of fiber per day. A caveat to the recommendation is the fiber should be from naturally occurring whole food sources like those found in fruits and vegetables, not from supplements, processed fiber bars, and drink mixtures. The lead author Hongyan Ning, MD examined the data provided from a recent NHANES providing a sample of 11,000 adults. To determine lifetime risk for CVD, Ning included diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol, smoking status, and history of diabetes in his analysis. Interestingly, it was the younger populations that demonstrated the greatest effects from the high fiber diet as those individuals over 60 did not experience the same reduction in risk as those between 20 and 59. “It’s possible that the beneficial effect of dietary fiber may require a long period of time to achieve, and older adults may have developed significant risk for heart disease before starting a high fiber diet” said Ning. This certainly suggests the sooner one starts a healthy lifestyle the greater the impact on lifetime health. (Northwestern University News Center, March 2011)

It is well known that daily exercise is important for preventing cardiovascular disease and recent studies further support the need for routine exercise in children and adolescents. The term exercise though is fairly encompassing and therefore the type of exercise is necessary to consider based on the desired outcomes. New research published in the American Journal of Human Biology demonstrated that if reduced risk for heart disease is the primary emphasis of the training, high intensity exercise seems to be more beneficial than traditional steady state endurance training. Lead author Duncan Buchan from the University of West Scotland stated that "cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality throughout the world and its risk factors have their origins in childhood. Our research examines the effects of brief, intense exercise when compared to traditional endurance exercise on the markers of CVD in young people." Researchers recruited forty-seven boys and ten girls and randomly divided them into either a moderate or high intensity exercise group. Both groups performed exercise three times per week for seven weeks. The high intensity exercise group engaged in a series of 20 meter sprints over 30 seconds. In contrast, the moderate intensity group performed a steady pace for a period of 20 minutes. Total volume completed by the respective groups over the seven weeks equaled 420 minutes of exercise for the moderate intensity group while the high intensity group trained for a total of 63 minutes. The estimated energy expenditure for the high intensity group was 907.2 kcal compared to 4,410 kcal for the moderate intensity group. When analyzed for CVD risk factors both groups demonstrated significant improvements. Researchers were quick to cite that the moderate intensity group spent more time (6x more) exercising compared to the high intensity group who also demonstrated significant improvements in CVD risk factors but in only 15% of the total exercise time of the moderate group. These findings demonstrate that brief, intense exercise is a time efficient means for improving CVD risk factors in adolescents. Although limited to relatively small samples, the findings demonstrate significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, body composition and insulin resistance in healthy adolescent youth after a 7 week intervention of different exercise intensities. According to Buchan, this study is the first “to demonstrate the effects of a novel interval training program on both traditional and novel CVD risk factors in adolescents,” and added “larger scale and extended interventions must be undertaken so that the long term impact and effects of intermittent training programs on unfavorable metabolic profiles may be investigated further." (American Journal of Human Biology, 2011)

Article Source: http://www.ncsf.org/NewsArticles/0-132/DietHighinFiberAssociatedwithDecreasedDisease.aspx

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TIPS ON EATING FRUIT

This was a very informative article on fruit that my father emailed to me this week. The email stated that the tips are from Dr. Oz. Very good information so please read on.

We all think eating fruit means just buying fruit, cutting it up and popping it into our mouths. It's not that easy. It's important to know how and when to eat fruit.

What's the correct way to eat fruit?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUIT AFTER A MEAL! FRUIT SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTYSTOMACH.


Eating fruit like that plays a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.

Let's say you eat two slices of bread, then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it's prevented from doing so.


In the meantime, the whole meal rots and ferments, and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach, and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.


Eat your fruit on an empty stomach, or before your meal! You've heard people complain: Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc. This will not happen if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas. Hence, you bloat!



There's no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruit becomes alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruit, you have the Secret of Beauty, Longevity, Health, Energy, Happiness and normal weight.


When you need to drink fruit juice drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT the concentrated juice from the cans. Don't drink juice that has been heated. Don't eat cooked fruit; you don't get the nutrients at all. You get only the taste. Cooking destroys all of the vitamins.


Eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit-fast to cleanse your body. Eat fruit and drink fruit juice for just 3 days, and you will be surprised when your friends say how radiant you look!


KIWI: Tiny but mighty, and a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange!

AN APPLE a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

EATING 2 - 4 ORANGES a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent and dissolve kidney stones, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. Also a key source of lycopene, the cancer-fighting oxidant. Also found in watermelon: Vitamin C and Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, good for your eyes.

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!

Can you believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this applies to you. It's nice to have a cold drink after a meal, however, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you've just consumed, which slows digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Top 5 Super Foods - picked by Dietitians

I found this great article on healthcastle.com. Their list of super foods. But please note my earlier postings about 7 foods that you should not eat because HUGE difference between farmed salmon and fresh salmon. Cross reference that article with this one in reference to the salmon.

Walnuts Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Nuts in general are also high in plant sterols and omega 3 fatty acids. Walnuts, in particular, have significantly higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids as compared to other nuts. In March 2004, the FDA endorsed the health benefits of walnuts by approving its heart health claim. For more details, read Health Benefits of Walnuts Flax Seed Derived from the plant source, flax seed offers a vegetarian alternative to provide omega 3 fatty acid. Flax seed has been shown in many studies to offer heart-healthy benefits. In addition, flax seed also contain other beneficial ingredients such as fiber and lignan, a type of antioxidant phytoestrogen. Research revealed that lignan in flax seed shows promising results in fighting disease, particularly cancer. Studies show that lignan possesses anti-cancer properties. Results were most promising in breast cancer prevention. For more details, read Flaxseed vs. Flaxseed Oil Pomegranate Pomegranate has quickly become one of the most talked about super foods in the past two years. Pomegranate fruits contain polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins, which are all beneficial antioxidants. On the other hand, pomegranate juice contains high levels of antioxidants - higher than most other fruit juices, red wine or tea. Preliminary evidence suggested that drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol. It was further suggested that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice a day for one year reduced blood pressure (particularly systolic pressure) and slowed down low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) oxidation. Many studies so far were small, thus more research is needed to fully evaluate the possible health benefits of pomegranate. Pomegranate juice is generally safe to drink. Most studies have administered a daily helping of 1.5 ounces (45 milliliters) of pomegranate juice with no significant side effects. For more details, read Pomegranate Juice helps fight Heart Disease among Diabetics Salmon Salmon is a perfect food to substitute meats. It is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. With more than a decade of solid supporting scientific evidence, no wonder salmon stays on the top five super food list! In 2002, the American Heart Association recommended eating at least two servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as salmon. With increasing public concerns over farmed salmon, choose wild salmon. Most canned salmon are wild. For more details, read Eating Salmon helps lower your blood cholesterol Dark Greens Dark green vegetables such as kale, chard, collard greens, bok choy, broccoli, asparagus, green beans etc are packed with vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and phytonutrients. They are very filling, high in fiber and low in calories, making them perfect foods to keep your heart healthy and your waistline slim. The new diet recommendation made by the American Heart Association recommends eating at least 4 servings of vegetables a day from a variety source.

Other Super Foods that almost made the list:

Whole Grains
Green Tea
Chocolate
Yogurt/Probiotics
Tomato

Article Source: http://www.healthcastle.com/super_foods.shtml

America's Fittest Cities

The American College of Sports Medicine Fitness Rankings

The American College of Sports Medicine ACSM recently released their fitness rankings for major metropololitan areas. Listed here are the top 10 cities see the article source at the bottom for ACSM's website for the full list. Baltimore made it in the top 20 and NYC was right behind Baltimore ranked at no. 21. Philly was ranked at no. 26. The rankings are based on obesity rates and activity levels of residences and accessiblity of things such as parks, recreational faclilities, and farmers markets to mention a few.


America's 10 Fittest Cities

The American College of Sports Medicine's annual fitness index ranks the 50 largest metropolitan areas on a 100-point scale that combines 30 fitness indicators, including acres of park land, death rate from cardiovascular disease, the number of primary care physicians per capita and the percentage of residents who bicycle or walk to work. Other important indicators include the obesity rate and the exercise rate, defined as the percentage of the population that reports having exercised in the last 30 days. The Wellpoint Foundation, a nonprofit arm of the insurer WellPoint, sponsors the list. Here are this year's 10 fittest cities.

No. 1: Washington, D.C.
Score: 73.5
Obesity Rate: 22.6%
Exercise Rate: 80.1%
America's fittest city is Washington D.C. It scores high on almost every measure of fitness, whether it's bicycling commuters, farmers' markets or recreation centers.

No. 2: Boston, Mass.
Score: 72.6
Obesity Rate: 19.9%
Exercise Rate: 78.6%
Boston's relatively affluent population avoids cigarettes and stays trim. The state also mandates that all its residents have health insurance.

No. 3: Minneapolis, Minn.
Score: 71.7
Obesity Rate: 23.9%
Exercise Rate: 84.3%
A penchant for exercise offsets slightly above-average obesity rates in the Twin Cities.

No. 4: Seattle, Wash.
Score: 70.5
Obesity Rate: 22.8%
Exercise Rate: 81.9%
The Pacific Northwest either produces or attracts healthy citizens. Seattle scores high by providing physical education classes for kids and tennis courts for adults.

No. 5: Portland, Ore.
Score: 70.4
Obesity Rate: 23.9%
Exercise Rate: 82.3%
Portland is dotted with dog parks, doctors' offices and "no smoking" signs--which add up to impressive health stats.

No. 6: Denver, Colo.
Score: 69.9
Obesity Rate: 19.3%
Exercise Rate: 83%
The Mile High City has low rates of disability and heart disease.

No. 7: Sacramento, Calif.
Score: 65.8
Obesity Rate: 21.4%
Exercise Rate: 82.3%
With a high percentage of people reporting they walk or bike to work, Sacramento exercises more than its western peer San Francisco.

No. 8: San Francisco, Calif.
Score: 64.7
Obesity Rate: 18.4%
Exercise Rate: 81.5%
Low poverty rates in the Bay Area go hand in hand with lower rates of diabetes, smoking and obesity.

No. 9: Hartford, Conn.
Score: 64.4
Obesity Rate: 21.1%
Exercise Rate: 77.2%

Hartford denizens enjoy a disproportionate number of farmers' markets, baseball diamonds and golf courses--and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

No. 10: Austin, Texas
Overall score: 63.9
Obesity Rate: 22.5%
Exercise Rate: 78.4%
Austin has a high number of parks and pools per capita--and low rates of asthma and heart disease.

Article Source:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/21/fittest-cities-washington-lifestyle-health-exercise-obesity-fit_slide.html

http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=ACSM_News_Releases&CONTENTID=14704&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm

7 foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips

This was a great article posted on www.prevention.com and later posted on MSN Health about foods that we should not eat. It may be quite an eye opener for some.


7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips

Is your food loaded with toxins and chemicals? Here, simple swaps to protect yourself

By Anne Underwood

1. Canned Tomatoes

Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A, gives us the scoop:

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."
The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.
Budget tip: If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. But more money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.
The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.
Budget tip: Cuts on the bone are cheaper because processors charge extra for deboning. You can also buy direct from a local farmer, which can be as cheap as $5 per pound. To find a farmer near you, searcheatwild.com.

3. Microwave Popcorn

Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, gives us the scoop:
The problem:  chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.
The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.
Budget tip: Popping your own popcorn is dirt cheap.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher ofPrevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."
The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.
Budget tip: Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds.

5. Farmed Salmon

David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.
The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.
Budget tip: Canned salmon, almost exclusively from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

Rick North, project director of the Campaign for SafeFood at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."
The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.
Budget tip: Try Wal-Mart's Great Value label, which does not use rBGH.

7. Conventional Apples

Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods, gives us the scoop:
The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.
The solution: Buy organic apples.
Budget tip: If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise. "I would rather see the trade-off being that I don't buy that expensive electronic gadget," he says. "Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet for a family."

Article Source: http://www.prevention.com/7foodsthatshouldnever/list/7.shtml

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Unhealthiest Juices in America

I saw this post today on Yahoo Health by Men's Health magazine about unhealthy juices. Personally, my stance on juice is to omit it completely from ones diet. It's loaded with sugar and in some cases 16 oz. is almost the calorie equivalent of a small meal. My opinion do yourself and your waistline a favor and stay away. But if you do, get the 'Not from concentrate' kind that you usually can find at someplace like Trader Joe's. I use their 100% pure cranberry juice to make cran-water(check one of my earlier posts). The article, referencing the book 'Drink This Not That', goes on to rank the following as the worst juices:
Tropicana Grape Juice Beverage
SoBe Elixir Cranberry Grapefruit
Arizona Kiwi Strawberry
Minute Maid Lemonade
Welch’s Mountain Berry
Ocean Spray Cran-Apple


You can read the entire article at the following link:

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/53268/unhealthiest-juices-in-america/

HCG

I just saw this website of one of my Twitter contacts that was interesting:
http://www.hcgkey.com/index.html

Now keep in mind that I am not an advocate of no exercise but the product on this site good be used with helping you reach your fitness goals. Or I can see it for someone who has been instructed to lose weight prior to starting a rigorous exercise program. In order to maintain a proper healthy lifestyle one should always balance diet and exercise and use supplement when needed.

LIFEWAVE

One of my fitness peers recommended these two websites. Check them out when you have the chance Lifewave is definitely something to look at:


www.lifewave.com/ranel
www.freeusadrugplan.com/u702

Healthy Eating and Exercise

Healthy Eating and Exercise
By C.M.N. Shakoor

Eating:
1. Eliminate ALL sugar drinks, alcohol, coffee, juice, sweet tea, fitness waters (i.e. gatorade, powerade, etc), ALL. Instead drink the following:

• Skim milk (or Lactaid). That saying "Milk, it does the body good", this IS NOT JUST A BS AD CAMPAIGN. It is very very true.
• Water 64-96oz per day (I cannot stress the importance of this enough)
• Cran-water 16 oz per day(Mix 8 oz of 100% PURE Unsweetened Cranberry juice to 56 oz of water-***NOT cocktail juice such as Oceanspray this is LOADED with sugar***)
• Good ole plain water.
• Occasionally (water with one of those Cystal Lite fiber supplements)

***NOTE Absolutely NO SODA. Or alcohol.

2. Eliminate ALL candy, junk-food, chips, cookies, fast-food, and fried food. BUT, allow yourself to cheat within moderation. Let's face it we are all human. We just have to be sensible and practice control. Here is an example of some  substitutes that satisfied can be used to satisfy sweet cravings:

• PowerBars (The ones high in protein & fiber. These are good especially on workout days)
• Fig Newtons Fat-Free(Heck even my son likes these)
• Quakes (The puff rice snacks that come in different flavors)
• Oatmeal (you'd be surprise how this knocks out my cravings)
• Yogurt (Lite or fat-free) or Greek Yogurt with fresh or frozen berries
• All- natural peanut butter (occasionally on whole grain saltines)

3. Incorporate high fiber fruits and veggies into your diet. There is no secret to the health benefits of fresh fruits & veggies why people don't adhere to this thought process is beyond me. I have eaten an orange, banana, & an apple almost every day for five days a week. I have not had a cold or been sick in more than 2 years. That alone tells me the positive impact that fruit has. I eat plenty of the following:

• Oranges (your body uses more calories to digest oranges & grapefruit than the actual calories in the fruit because of the pulp)
• Bananas
• Blueberries (considered on of the world's top wonder foods I buy the frozen kind from Trader Joe's much cheaper)
• Strawberries (very high in fiber)
• Raspberries (very high in fiber)
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Melon
• Green Beans
• Apples

4. Meats. I eat meat just extreme moderation. No, I won't eat a hulking portion of steak at once. Way too much and far surpasses the recommend single serving. Chicken should always grilled, baked or roasted. Invest in a George Foreman grill or similiar product to prepare meats. And eat baked or broiled fish at least once a week. Tuna and Salmon are great over spring mixed salad with a lite vingarette dressing.

5. Like I said we are ALL human. If you eat fast food try eating it without the french fries (ARGUABLY THE ABSOLUTE WORST POSSIBLE FOOD YOU CAN EAT)...But they do taste good. If you still crave them try a bake potatoe instead. I know Wendy's use to offer bakes potatoes. Or if that will not do then just share fries and eat just a few for the taste but NEVER order a full serving of french fries.

6. Drink either 8oz of skim milk or eat low-fat yogurt at least 20 minutes before you take in a meal. This does 2 things 1) curbs appetite 2) prevent some fat from being absorb by the body (HINT: this is the concept behind ALLY which I hear is excellent)

7. Look into the supplement called Chia Seed. This is one of the most highly rated under used supplements in the world here is a link to read up on it. If you don't use Chia Seed you can also consider Flaxseed or Flaxseed Oil:
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/chia.html

8. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF. When people tell me this I could just ring their necks. Starving the body has the OPPOSITE effect of your weight loss goals. Not time to eat, no problem there are still ways to prevent depriving your body of nourishment. I personally keep slim fast shakes or GNC's meal replacement shake powder around for convenience when I don't have time to eat. Depriving the body of nutrients is BAD BAD BAD as this sends the body into starvation mode which in turns slows your metabolism, therefore causing the body to store fat instead of using it to burn calories. So if my day is crazy then yes i will pop a shake to get my meal.

Exercise:
20 minutes of cardio is ok for those just starting out to get the body used to taking in oxygen at a high rate. But in order to initiate substantial weight loss cardio has to be stepped and changed often. I strongly recommend 30 to 60 minutes of cardio 4 to 5 days per week and changing it up during those session. (ie 10-20 minutes treadmill, 10-20 minutes elliptical, 10-20 bike)

My personal favorite cardio machines at the gym are the stairmaster and the ellipitical. If you use the treadmill try working with light dumbells while walking. (FULL BODY WORKOUT WILL BURN MASSIVE CALORIES)

Try and combine exercises and resistance training in a complete circuit (without stopping or minimal rest). AND ALWAYS finish up with at least 10 minutes of low impact cardio.
*** personal favorite exercises: push-ups, pull-ups, squat thrusts, lunges  w/dumbells, squats or dead-lifts w/dumbells, crunches on the core ball, & dumbells on the core ball. This is an example of a circuit I would do:

• 20 push-ups
• 10 pull-ups
• 10 squat thrusts
• 40 crunches
• 10 squats

(No rest in between this completes one circuits and is know as 'muscle confusion' and tricks the body into burning more calories because it has to adjust everytime you change the exercise)

Also, I would invest in one of those stability core training balls (or piliates ball as it is sometimes called). There are a wide range of excerises that can be done with this and an inexpensive set of dumbells.

Goal Setting:
Set your goals in intervals. Focus on small attainable targets. Reach that goal.  Then set a new one. Before you know it you will be like wow look how far I've come. One of the major reasons people new to fitness give up too soon is because the do not set attainable goals for themselves.