Eat Great and Lose Weight Fast

Trying to lose weight and eat healthier? You don’t need a bunch of expensive foods or to spend hundreds of dollars at a weight loss clinic. Big changes in both your waist line and your health can easily be yours just by applying the “Rule of 5’s” to your meal plan.

The Rule of 5’s

The “Rule of 5″s” states that there should be 5 different colors on your plate at every meal. White and brown don’t count.  A “Rule of 5’s” dinner might include broccoli (green), roasted summer squash and zucchini (yellow and dark green), and pork chops with mango salsa (orange and yellow). A lunch might be a pita with avocado (yellow-green), spouts (bright green) and cream cheese and a fruit salad of kiwi (a different color of green), orange and grapefruit (yellow or ruby red) segments.

By adding all of these bright colors to your plate, you are filling up on fiber and nutrient rich but not calorie dense foods, as well loading up on anti-oxidants. You’ll lose weight without feeling hungry, you’ll be eating wonderful foods and your skin will glow from all of the healthy vitamins you are eating.

Try “The Rule of 5’s” tonight!

Foods that Boost Metabolism

Trying to drop a few pounds? Try these nutritious foods for a slimmer you.

Your body works hard to digest the food you eat and just knowing which foods to feed it can help it work a little bit harder, burning even more calories.

Your body digests carbohydrates easily and eating too many starchy foods can result in stored fat and tighter jeans. But when you eat protein and fat, your body has to work nearly 30% harder to digest them, resulting in more calories burned and a metabolism that’s running on high for the next 2-3 hours.

Your best bet is to indulge in foods that are high in both protein and fiber. This combination gives your body what it needs to perform well and keeps your metabolism high. Have a handful of nuts as a snack and try rice and beans or lentils for supper.

Also, when you eat matters. Try to consume most of your calories before 5:00 pm. Eating the majority of your calories while you are active and your metabolism is running at its peak will burn far more calories than food eaten right before bedtime, which is mostly stored as fat.

Cashews, anyone?

Boost Your Metabolism to Speed Weight Loss

Want to give your metabolism a boost? Have a snack.

Researchers at Georgia State University have found that eating three small snacks during the day keeps your metabolism running in high gear, maximizing your fat burning potential.

How does it work?

Waiting too long between meals actually slows your metabolism down as your body tries to conserve calories, so eating more often keeps your metabolism humming along at top speed. Snacking also helps you to eat less at each meal, resulting in fewer calories consumed and less body fat.

What kinds of snacks are best?

Look for high protein snacks like part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks and hard boiled eggs. Your body works 25% harder to digest protein than carbs or fat, which also helps to keep you lean. Spicy foods are good, too. Studies have shown that eating spicy foods can give your metabolism an extra boost of energy for at least 30 minutes. So go ahead, have a snack and don’t forget the hot sauce!