It's National Nutrition Month!

It's National Nutrition Month! If you've given up on your New Year's Resolution to be healthier and eat right, it's never too late to give it another try. Don't know what to do? We've got you covered.

1. Figure out what energy your body needs. Use this tool, Free Dieting, where you can get recommendations designed specifically for you. This tool calculates your personalized daily calorie needs, recommended range for total fats, and provides you with your body mass index (BMI). Write down or print the info, and keep it handy so you remember. 
   
2. Manage your limits. Now that you know your personal limits for calories, fats and cholesterol, you have a better idea of how to use the numbers on the Nutrition Facts panel. For example, if you only need 1800 calories, then the Baby Back Ribs with 734 calories per serving (a big chunk of what you should have) don't look so tempting because that is 40% of your daily calorie allowance. Remember to watch the serving size, too.
   
   Think of it like your checking account--don't spend more than you earn, and don't eat more than you burn in one day. It's a good rule of thumb for both. 
   
3. Shake the sodium habit. The AHA recommends that everyone consume less than 1500 mg of sodium per day. Low-sodium foods have 140 mg or less per serving. Keep that in mind to guide your choices.
   
4. Fill up on fruits and vegetables. The AHA recommends 4.5 servings per day of each based on a 2000 calorie diet. A serving is 1 cup of leafy greens or 1/2 cup of frozen, raw or cut up vegetables, or 1 medium fruit. If you have a serving at breakfast, lunch and dinner, then at your morning and afternoon snacks, you'll have exceeded the recommendation. You'll be on the road to getting the nutrients you need to fight disease, feel good, and improve your health. 
   
5. Balance calories by increasing your activity level. You don't have to go to the gym. Do something you enjoy, and you'll be more likely to stick with it. Take a brisk walk with your favorite music or podcast, play tag with your kids, or grab a pal and try walking together.

Gearing Up for Heart Health

It's been a while since my last post. I've been terribly busy getting things done this new year. Now it's closing in on February. The month of Love. The month of Heart Health. I'll be doing some research and sharing some health facts and advice during the month of February. I feel it is super important to share the facts, stories and help raise awareness in hopes of saving as many lives as possible. 

I have a family history of heart disease. I have friends who've had experience with heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. You can help prevent heart disease by making healthy choices and managing any medical conditions you may have.

Between clean eating, healthy living, sharing statistics and posting about fund raisers as well as sharing stories of people who live with Heart Disease or have had a loved one die because of Heart Disease -- I think that would be the best way to use this blog. Don't you?

For more information on how you can learn more about Heart Disease and Stroke, how to prevent it and maybe how to help others in need, go to American Heart Association

Is Sugar Toxic?

Doesn't this picture portray what happens in your head when you think about sugar?! If you're like me, you get excited and happy thinking about dessert or something sweet. This picture just makes sugar looks so delicious. But this is a LIE! Don't believe it for one second that sugar will make you feel better because honestly it is like a drug to your body. There is research that proves your brain responds to sugar like it does a drug! How scary is that? The problem is that the more we eat, the less we feel the reward so we just eat MORE and MORE!

Sweet and toxic: Is sugar really 'poison'?

Here are some practical ways you can reduce sugar from your diet:

•  Use fruit as a sweetener. Substitute some of the sugar and liquids in a recipe with ripe bananas, apple sauce, pineapple, or other fruit puree. Dried fruits like dates, raisins and figs add wonderful sweetness to foods.
• Try Stevia. This herb, originally from South America, is extremely sweet by nature but without any calories or sugar-like effects on the body, and you can use as little as a couple drops to sweeten a mug of tea or a few teaspoons in a dessert. It does have a somewhat bitter aftertaste, depending on the type you use. Unrefined foods are always best, and you can buy Stevia as a simple dried powder.
•   Use raw honey. Although it is still a sweetener and can be overused like anything, raw honey is full of nutrients, enzymes, and actually has many healing properties. It is lower glycemically than sugar, and many people who react to sugar strongly can eat honey without issue.
• Cut back on the sugar in your recipes. Start to cut back just a bit, perhaps 1/5 or 1/6 the amount, then 1/4, 1/3, even 1/2. See at which point you really start to notice a difference. Over time, you will likely find that you enjoy the less-sweetened version!
• Be purposeful about cutting meals out of your regular routine that include sugar. If you usually eat a lot of pancakes with syrup, or muffins, or even things like sweetened baked beans, cut those meals out and replace them with something more protein or veggie based instead.
• Try other more complex flavors instead of just going with something sweet. Add fresh or frozen fruit, nuts, coconut, etc. to your oatmeal instead of just honey or brown sugar. Play around with various fresh fruits to add more natural sweetness to smoothies. Use nut butters instead of jam on toast or a sprinkle of cinnamon instead of butter on your sweet potato.
• Brush your teeth right after eating a meal, so that you won't be tempted to eat something sugary and have to go and brush your teeth again.

Do You Think Eating Clean is Expensive?

Eating healthy can be expensive if you are not catching sales or buying in bulk. Shopping at specialty stores is even more expensive because prices are typically much higher than a regular supermarket. Even if you do tend to spend a little more for your healthy food, isn't it worth it because it is for your health? I say yes! 

There are ways to save money on your clean eating foods as long as you avoid the pitfalls that can occur with switching to a healthy diet.

Clip Coupons: 
Time consuming maybe, but well worth it to save you money on the foods you eat all the time. Try to stay away from the processed foods in the isles, but you can find money saving coupons for healthier options. You just need to know where to look and what to look for.

Shop Your Cupboards:
Make a list of the supplies and ingredients you already have in your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Make a menu plan around those items and then buy only what you need fresh.

Buy Foods in Bulk:
Eating clean usually involves eating the same types of food on a regular basis. Lean meats, vegetables, fruit, whole grains and more are usually the types of foods that you will find yourself eating over and over. Since this may be the case for you, you can save more money buy shopping at bulk food stores like Costco.

Don't Buy Organic:
Unless you prefer organic foods, you don't necessarily have to purchase them. Foods which are labeled organic tend to cost a little more than their regular versions. If you're on a budget, cutting out organic foods may save you some cash.

Better yet; Grow your own organic foods! Healthy & Cheap.

Eat The Same Meals Regularly:
Most clean eating meals tend to be simple but you can keep it even simpler by rotating the same meals week after week. This can be boring for some but if you don't mind eating the same meals several times a week, then you can save money because you are not having to buy extra ingredients for more complex recipes.

Those are just a few tips to save money on your clean eating shopping list.

Drinking Shakeology Every Day - What are the benefits?

A common question many people ask is if Shakeology is safe to drink every day? The reason it usually comes up is because many people use the shake for helping with weight loss. As a meal replacement, it has helped many people shed excess weight. I am one of them. I managed to lose 5 pounds by replacing one meal a day and eating my remaining meals as usual (healthy of course.)

Once you are done using it as a meal replacement for weight loss, you may wonder if you can still drink it daily. I say absolutely yes. I drink Shakeology every day for various reasons. My primary reason is overall total nutrition. One shake a day and I KNOW I've gotten all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients my body needs in the day. 

Another reason is because it helps to control my sweet tooth cravings. Before I began drinking it on a daily basis, I had a problem with eating sugary snacks. I'm talking about cake, cookies, candy & ice cream. Even if I didn't have those types of sugary snacks in stock at home, I'd go out of my way to get them. Now my sweet cravings are nothing near what they used to be.

The same goes for other food and beverages. I don't drink soda anymore because I don't crave it like I used to. I also don't have fast-food cravings as bad as I used to. I can't remember the last time I ate at McDonald's and I truly have no desire to.

Also, my energy levels are optimum since starting Shakeology every day! No more afternoon slumps. No more lagging or feeling run down.

I think it's also worth mentioning, too, that my husband drinks it every day as well. He's lost weight, inches and has felt healthier and more energetic since starting Shakeology. And our 12 year old son drinks it every morning for his breakfast and says he feels so much better at school for his first 3 classes. He's not starving like he would be after just eating a bowl of cereal or having toast before school. He says he can keep his focus longer and by lunch time he doesn't feel so grumpy or hungry. As a mom, I know he's getting all the nutrients his body needs in one small glass every morning. It's healthy for him, that makes me happy!

Other Shakeology Benefits

• Lose weight
• Reduce cravings
• Increase energy and stamina
• Promote healthy digestion and regularity
• Lower cholesterol¹

¹In a 90-day study, participants replaced one meal per day with Shakeology, ate a balanced diet, and exercised moderately three times per week. Total cholesterol was reduced on average by 30% and LDL cholesterol reduced on average by 38%. [source: Team Beachbody]

Try a Bag for 30 Days

Why not take a test-drive of Shakeology for 30-days risk-free? When you order from Team Beachbody, you get the bottom-of-the-bag guarantee. That means you can use an entire 30-day supply and return it for a refund within 30 days (less shipping and handling) - even if the bag is completely empty. It's worth a try, especially if you want to try the newest Tropical Strawberry flavor. People are loving it!

Click here to visit the official Team Beachbody online store.

Guest Blogger: Leroy Templeton

Guest Blogger: Leroy Templeton is a recent college graduate and health nut. He's passionate about educating people on how healthy eating can help fight certain forms of cancer. He wrote a very compelling article. Please read and enjoy. Let's Limit Cancer Through Diet

Family Health & Wellness: Thinking Outside the Lunch Box

To ensure that your child has ample fuel to power through those long classes, make sure they are eating a wide variety of foods from the major food groups. Use the Food Guide Pyramid as a guide to make sure you're covering all the bases. Here are some tips on making lunchtime nutritious: 

1. Choose whole wheat bread instead of white. Whole grains are loaded with nutrients and fiber, while their refined counterparts are lacking. To make sure your bread is whole wheat, check the label. The first ingredient should be whole wheat, not just wheat flour. If your child is used to the refined version, try switching to a hybrid variety first, which contains some whole grains mixed with refined flour. 

2. Don't skip fruits and vegetables. Many kids are partial to fruits, but vegetables are important too. Include peanut butter or ranch dressing as a dip for carrots, celery, or cherry tomatoes. Add finely minced kale and zucchini to soups or stews, where it may sneak past your detective. For fruit, fresh is best. If you must use canned (it may be time-saving and cheaper), make sure it is preserved in fruit juice, not syrup. 

3. Include protein for sustained energy. Besides lean meats, good protein sources include nuts, cheese, and beans. Some easy-to-pack examples include cheese cubes, almond butter (like peanut butter, but made with almonds instead), trail mix, hummus, and soy "deli" slices (found in the natural foods section of your local grocery). 

4. Add calcium. Include milk money or pack calcium-enriched orange juice, soymilk, or rice milk. 

5. Avoid soda and other sweetened drinks. Water and 100% fruit juices are better choices.

Age-Proof Your Health

Defy the years by eating well. Add health-boosting foods to your daily routine to outrun Father Time.
Your diet can affect how quickly you age. Pile on the processed foods and you increase free-radical activity, which damages cells and accelerates conditions related to aging. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and you lengthen the life of your cells, which means you live longer too!

You can't stop the march of time, and experts used to say you couldn't slow the effects of aging, either. But new research shows that you have more control over wrinkles, forgetfulness and frailty than originally thought. The secret lies in keeping you cells free of stress. To stave off the signs of aging, consider making simple lifestyle changes.

Take charge of your health. Keep moving. Gain flexibility, build muscle and improve balance to prevent memory loss, stay strong and prevent falls.

Research reveals that physical activity can be a boon to the body and brain. The risk of dementia is lower in older people who exercise three or more times per week. Weight-bearing exercises, like walking, also can boost your balance, making you less likely to fall.

Think you, feel young. Your attitude about life can affect whether you die prematurely or live to a ripe old age. Fill your days with laughter, gratitude, friends and forgiveness. Not only will you be around for years, you'll be happier, too!

Cutting Edge Prevention

While scientists are working on finding one, there is no cure for diabetes. Treatment involves medicines, diet and exercise to control blood sugar and prevent symptoms and problems. However, there are very simple and basic things you can do to reduce your risk.

Research studies have found that moderate weight loss and exercise can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes among adults at high-risk. Find out more the risk factors for type 2 diabetes and what you can do to prevent or delay the disease.

How does body weight affect the likelihood of developing diabetes? Being overweight or obese is a leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin properly, and can also cause high blood pressure. Studies show that moderate exercise of about 30 minutes or more, 5 or more days a week can delay or possibly prevent type 2 diabetes.

What can I do? If you are overweight or obese and you have discussed options with your doctor, begin with starting an exercise and diet program.

1. Begin an exercise program. Get at least 30 minutes a day. If you are new to exercise, talk to your doctor and begin slow. Walking is a great way to exercise and cheap too! Adding strength training 2-3 days a week for 20 minutes will add muscle which will make you stronger and help burn fat.

If you would like to know more about fitness and exercise programs feel free to email me here at fit-nutmama@live.com. I can help you start an exercise program that fits your needs and limitations.

 2. Simple changes in what you eat will help reduce your risk.

Nutrition: 

1. Eat Leafy Greens. Having on and a half extra servings of vegetables like spinach and kale each day reduces type 2 diabetes risk 14%.
2. Go Nut. Consuming 2 ounces of tree nuts daily may help improve blood-sugar control and lower bad cholesterol.
3. Trim the Fat. In a study, People at risk for diabetes were placed on a low-fat diet. After eight weeks, their bodies produced more insulin.
4. Eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and lean meats is essential to managing diabetes.
5. Herbal Support. There are some herbs that help control blood sugar levels, as well as support digestion and cardiovascular health. Talk with your doctor about these herbs. For a list of herbs including Cinnamon (reduces insulin resistance, helping to regulate blood sugar) go here Herbal Support - Diabetes

For even more information click here Diabetes and Nutrition. And for a complete guide to all information about diabetes please go to the ADA (American Diabetes Association) here.

No More Portion Distortion: Breads, Grains, and Pasta

Knowing portion sizes is just as important as knowing how many portions to eat. The list below includes the number of portions that are recommended daily for most adults and children, and matches standard SINGLE portion sizes with an easy way to visualize its real size. 

Breads, Grains, and Pasta

A Single Serving	Is About the Size Of...
1-ounce slice of whole wheat bread	Index card
1/2 bagel	Can of tuna
1/2 cup of rice, cereal, or pasta	Small Walkman
1-ounce muffin	Cupcake wrapper
1 small roll	Yo-yo
4-inch pancake	CD
2-ounce piece of Italian bread	Bar of soap

Recommended Daily Servings: 
Kids ages 6-12: 6-9 servings
Teen girls: 6-9 servings
Teen boys: 9-11 servings
Adults: 6-11 servings

Eat More, Lose Weight - Really?

I've had a few people come to me and ask me "How many calories should I be eating?", "I'm frustrated that the scale isn't budging. What am I doing wrong?" So I did some research and read some articles. This is what I found; maybe it will help you.

You work out practically every day and you’re feeling good because you've lost some weight. Until a week or so passes and you can’t get the scale to budge. It’s like an invisible wrench has been thrown into the works. Now what?

You start second-guessing everything you’re doing:

• Maybe I’m eating too much?
• Should I work out harder?
• Do I have to live on parsley and hot water?

So you restrategize. You slash calories and step up the intensity of your workouts. Unfortunately, after another week, you’re still not losing. Now you want to give up altogether. But before you throw in the towel, ask yourself this: Am I eating enough?

Contrary to popular belief, sometimes you have to eat more to lose weight. While that may sound counter intuitive, it often does the trick. Here’s why:

1. Metabolism is the key to weight loss. If you don’t eat enough, or often enough, your metabolism slows to a crawl and weight loss becomes more difficult, especially when you’re exercising. That’s why skipping meals isn’t a good idea if the goal is to shed pounds.

Tip: Always eat breakfast to kick-start metabolism and try eating mini-meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism fired up.

2. To keep your metabolism up, you MUST eat. Conventional wisdom dictates that when you first start dieting, the less you eat, the better. While it’s true that you often should eat less, eating too little can backfire over time. As your body composition changes, your body will think it’s starving, which can make it hold on to fat. (The process actually has to do with excessive release of a hormone called cortisol, but you don’t need to know the details, so we’ll just call it fat.) To avoid this, most experts agree that over time, you should never eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day for women, 1,500 for men. If your daily diet consists of fewer calories than that, consider eating more.

Tip: Keep a food diary to track calories. (I stress this ALL the time with people. Track your food!)

3. You need more calories when you work out. If you’re exercising while following a low-calorie eating plan, you’ll need to take into account the calories you’re burning. That’s because it’s now easier to enter starvation mode. Let’s say you’re burning 400 calories and only eating 1,200 to 1,300 calories per day. This means you’re really only taking in 800 to 900 calories per day before you begin to calculate how your body composition is changing. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does, so as your body changes, you need to eat more to keep the weight loss coming.

Tip: Drink an after-workout recovery drink like P90X Results and Recovery Formula. After hard workouts, its calories are utilized so quickly by your body, some people refer to them as “free calories.” They aren’t, but they will ensure your muscles, hence, your metabolism will recover quickly.

And remember this: Figuring out to what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat isn't easy. That’s why people often refer to losing weight as a journey. It takes a few different paths to get there. Sometimes you have to adjust your ratio of protein, fat, and carbs to start losing again. Or adjust your calorie level, which can include eating more to lose weight.

Tip: Use the Team Beachbody Meal Planner. It can make figuring out your calories much, much easier. You can personalize an eating plan that takes your workouts into consideration.

Finally, if you’re still on the fence about needing to eat more to lose weight. You might be thinking, “How come I know some really skinny people who barely eat?”

The answer is this: You can eventually lose weight by not eating. It’s called starving. Reduce calories enough and your body will start breaking down its muscle tissue, and this will result in weight loss. However, it makes your body increase its emergency hormonal responses, which also causes your body to be stressed and hang onto fat, making it very easy to gain the weight back again.

So I hope you take this thought away with you today: The idea is to keep your metabolism revving and running. This will help you get healthy and stay strong. Eat the right amount of food to help your body continuously burn calories, and you’re more likely to shed those unwanted pounds.

3 Steps to Weight Management – Lose Weight

Everybody should eat healthy foods, how much we eat and what type of food varies from person to person. Additionally, food sensitivities and genetics are factors as well. With this in mind, what works for one person, may not necessarily work for you. The same thing applies to our daily activity level, daily fitness routines, and the type of work we do. For example, a sedentary person at work or at home, will requires a different level of nutrition then someone who leads an active lifestyle or a daily fitness lifestyle. In other words, not all 38 year old men, 6’3, 175 lbs can consume 3000 calories per day and get away with it. You have to look beyond that, and determine what kind of lifestyle they live, in order to determine what kind of nutrition plan and number of calories you should be eating. This is a 3 step process.Let’s look at various lifestyles, then dig into the 3 steps to weight management.

A Sedentary Lifestyle

If you prefer sitting on the couch watching television opposed to an active lifestyle, youmust consume fewer calories than an active person would in order to maintain a healthy weight. That is unless you are overweight. If you are overweight, then you would need to consume fewer calories than maintenance to lose excess weight first. Once you are at a healthy weight, maintenance calories would work just fine. I’ll get into that in a moment.

An Active Lifestyle

If you’re an active person who’s always on the go, you probably get a lot accomplished every day. And you probably use more calories than someone who spends a lot of time on the couch clutching a remote. You are burning more calories, which means you can consume more calories.

A Fit, Active Lifestyle

A fitness nutrition diet is for people who work hard hard through challenging exercise. They routinely work out, either at home or at the gym. Maybe you’ve seen them running in your neighborhood or at the local pool, looking lean and fit in a swimsuit. They may be weightlifters, fitness pros, or people (perhaps people like you!) who do P90X.

Almost every day, P90Xers and other fit individuals burn lots and lots of calories. Even on days when they don’t work out, they burn more calories than most people because of they carry around more lean muscle. That’s why most of them eat more food than the average person. They have to! Muscle burns more calories than fat, and they need more calories to maintain that new muscle.

People on a fitness diet have to fuel their bodies all day long to keep the machine at peak performance. Some supplement their diets with a workout recovery drink, whey protein shakes, or Shakeology. They consume fewer refined (empty) carbohydrates than most, instead opting for more complex carbs and lean protein. Complex carbs provides more energy and protein helps muscles repair themselves and grow stronger after a workout. If you’re doing P90X or any other challenging fitness program, be sure you give your body the fuel it needs through fitness nutrition.

3 Steps to Weight Management

The basic rule of thumb is “calories in and calories out”. If you want to lose weight, you need to consume LESS food (calories) than you what you burn in a day. If you want to stay the same and maintain your weight, you need to consume the SAME amount of calories that you burn in a day. Finally, if you want to gain weight, you need to consume MORE calories than you burn. Make sense? Now let’s fire up the calculator and get to work!

Step 1:

Determine your BMR (Basal Metabolism Rate). Basal metabolic rate is the total amount of calories required by the body to perform its day-to-day involuntary functions such as functioning of the heart, lungs, liver, kidney, brain, etc. Here’s the formula, one for women, and one for men.

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) – ( 4.7 x age in years )

Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) – ( 6.8 x age in year )

Step 2:

Now you factor in your activity level, which gives you your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). To determine your TDEE, multiply your BMR (that you calculated above) by the appropriate activity factor below:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) :

BMR x 1.2 = TDEE

If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) :

BMR x 1.375 = TDEE

If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) :

BMR x 1.55 = TDEE

If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) :

BMR x 1.725 = TDEE

If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) :

BMR x 1.9 = TDEE

Step3.

Now you have a place to start, your TDEE is your “maintenance” calories. If you maintain this level, you should maintain your weight, neither gain weight or lose weight. But what if your goals are to lose weight or gain weight?

To lose weight, a person should be consuming calories that are less than the calculated TDEE. This reduced intake of daily calories is known as the calorie deficit. Simply take your number above, and reduce it by approximately 500 calories. In order to avoid any adverse effects on musculature, the calorie deficit should not go below 1500 calories a day for men and 1200 calories a day for women. My personal preference is to use a calorie deficit of 500 calories.

To gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn. One pound of body weight is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, so eating an extra 500 calories per day will cause you to gain one pound a week, and should keep you from gaining too much additional bodyfat in the process. Gaining too much, too fast can cause more fat gain than desired.

Conclusion

I’m not a nutritionist or dietitian, and do not claim to be. But using these basic principles is a great way to get started in achieving your fitness goals. As you start towards your weight management goals, time and patience will win the race. Be consistent, eat clean, watch your portions, and you will succeed! You’ve taken your first 3 steps, now you just have to put it all to work! I did it, and you can to! If I can help, I’m happy to try.

FATS

A.) We always talk about how we want to lose weight. But that's not really what we mean. When we talk about losing weight, we're really talking about losing fat, getting rid of the spare tire, turning the keg into a six-pack. It's about more than getting ready for swimsuit season or squeezing back into your "skinny" jeans, though. More importantly, it's about having a healthy amount of body fat so we don't put ourselves at risk for so many diseases. After all, our bodies need some fat. Fat is responsible for regulating our body temperature. It insulates our vital organs. It stores energy our bodies draw on to function. Not to mention everyone wants a few strategically placed curves, and you can't get them with just bone and muscle. So what exactly is a healthy amount of body fat?

B.) You might think that to lose weight, you need to cut the fat out of your meals. After all, fat is higher in calories than protein and carbs, and low-fat diets have been popular since the Senate Nutrition Committee first recommended them in the late 1970s. But research shows that a moderate-fat diet (with about 35 percent of calories consumed coming from fat) will help you drop pounds permanently, feel full longer, and avoid bingeing. The trick is to eat the right kind of fat to increase satisfaction and boost weight loss. Here's why it's important to eat fat—and we offer five of the best fat sources to add to your diet.

C.) Fat is an important element in weight loss for several reasons:
Fat helps your body control blood sugar and insulin spikes after eating carbohydrates. Better sugar metabolism means less fat storage.

Fat slows down digestion and aids nutrient absorption. You'll stay fuller longer and get more health benefits from the food you eat.

Essential fatty acids (like omega-3s) may boost your metabolic rate and increase fat burning.
Fat tastes good. It also provides a "mouthfeel" that is satisfying, which can help you be happy with less food.

Eating more fat may also help you stick to your diet longer. In a study conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, participants got either 20 percent of their calories from fat or 35 percent of their calories from fat. After 6 months, both groups had lost weight. But after 18 months, only 20 percent of the people in the low-fat group were still following the diet, compared with 54 percent of the people in the moderate-fat group. Likewise, the subjects in the moderate-fat group had maintained their weight loss, while the low-fat group participants had gained most of the weight back.

If you reach for a box of low-fat or fat-free crackers or cookies when you want to lose weight, you may actually be sabotaging your diet. Manufacturers frequently replace fat with sugar in packaged food items to make them taste better. You think you're making a good decision by eating fat-free products, but the excess sugar and refined flour can lead to fatigue, cravings, mood swings, and weight gain caused by the overproduction of insulin, the fat-storage hormone. As a snack, a sliced apple with some peanut butter or a salad with oil and vinegar dressing would be a better weight loss choice. The complex carbs and healthy fats will maintain your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and keep you satisfied longer.

D.) What kind of fat should you eat?
To get lean, you need to eat the right kind of fat. Avoid saturated and trans fats (which are found in red meat, full-fat dairy products, and many packaged foods), and instead choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Here are some of the best sources of fat to help you reach your weight goal.

a.) Fish. Fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines contains beneficial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Most experts agree that eating two servings of fatty fish per week is safe for people who are worried about mercury or other toxins. (Pregnant women should consult with their doctors about consuming fish.) If you don't like fish, a quality supplement like Beachbody® Core Omega-3™ will give you the benefits without the fishy taste.

b.) Olive oil. Heart-healthy oils like olive, canola, and peanut oil are excellent sources of fat for dieters. They have also been shown to lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Use them sparingly when sautéing, or drizzle them over your favorite salad vegetables with a little vinegar and some herbs to maximize the absorption of nutrients. Moderation is important: You really only need about a teaspoon of oil to get all its benefits. Using more will add significant calories.

c.) Avocados. Eat a spinach and carrot salad with a little avocado, and you'll not only get a dose of good fat, but you'll also absorb more phytonutrients like lutein and beta-carotene. Scientists at Ohio State University in Columbus found that more antioxidants were absorbed when people ate a salad containing avocados than when they ate a salad without this tasty fruit. One-quarter of an avocado will add flavor while only adding about 75 calories.

d.) Nuts. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts are powerhouses of good nutrition—full of antioxidants, minerals, and monounsaturated fat. The Nurses Health Study, where more than 86,000 nurses were followed for 14 years, found that those who ate nuts regularly (about an ounce per day) tended to weigh less than those who didn't. The protein, fat, and fiber make nuts more filling, which helps dieters stay on track. Plus there's a psychological bonus to eating nuts: Because they're rich and satisfying, you probably won't feel like you're on a diet.

e.) Flaxseeds. Packing the triple wallop of fat, protein, and fiber, flaxseeds are a delicious and healthful addition to any diet. You can grind them up and add them to oatmeal, yogurt, salads, or vegetables, or pretty much anywhere you want a nutty crunch. They're a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, making them a good choice for vegetarians or the aforementioned non-fish-loving folks. Ground flaxseeds also have 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon, which helps slow digestion and keep your blood sugar stable.