Start With Soup to Really Drop the Pounds

Got Soup? Starting your meals with a bowl of broth-based coup can really help you drop the pounds.

*Soup is nutrient rich, but light on calories. So the calories you are consuming go a long way.

*Soup takes a long time to eat. It takes approximately 20 minutes for food to reach your stomach and let your brain know that you are full, so eating slowly helps you to not overeat.

*The water in broth based soups fills you up. But the water in soup has an advantage over the glass by your bedside. Because it is combined with vegetables, rice or noodles, it stays in your stomach longer and is digested slowly, boosting your metabolism and keeping you feeling full longer.

So start with soup whenever you can. It can help you become a weight loss superstar.

Snack on Peanut Butter to Give Your Metabolism a Lift

Want a great snack that can boost your metabolism, help you lose weight, eradicate hunger and keep you full until dinnertime? Try peanut butter.

Peanut Butter is high in the good fats and protein that will chase away those hunger pangs while working to burn extra calories and melt stomach fat by giving your metabolism a lift.

All peanut butters are not created equal. Some peanut butters contain extra oils and added sugars. Your best peanut butter bet is freshly ground butter from the natural food store. You can even grind your own peanut butter at home in your food processor. Not a peanut butter fan? Try making your own nut butters out of almonds or cashews for a delicious change of pace.

To get the most benefits from your snack, try dipping apple slices into a tablespoon or two of nut butter. This fiber-filled snack will keep you fill you up without filling you out.

Ready to Lose Weight? Take A Deep Breath

What is the easiest thing you can do to boost your metabolism, burn more calories and lose weight? Breathe deeply.

Taking time to stop and take a deep breath can do wonders for your waist line and your state of mind. Deep breathing cleans toxins out of your system, increases your circulation, calms your mind and helps you focus. Breathing deeply is also an aerobic activity that actually burns calories.

Typically, we tend to take shallow breaths, using just the top part of our lungs. This creates a back-up of carbon dioxide and slows metabolism. But spending just 10 minutes a day focusing on deep breathing brings more oxygen into your system, making you more alert and speeding your metabolism.

To get the most out of your breath, sit or stand up straight and put your hand on your stomach. As you breathe in deeply, your shoulders should be still, but your hand should move as your diaphragm fills your lungs. Now you are using your lungs to capacity, taking in oxygen and burning calories with every breath.

Try This Easy Way to Lose Weight

Did you know that when you eat off a large plate, you tend to eat more? It all goes back to when we were kids and we were told to clean our plates. When we are dishing up dinner, we tend to fill the plate. A smaller plate holds less food and you will eat less.

Try using a salad plate for all of your meals. When the food is gone, it’s a visual clue that you are done eating, and your brain tells your stomach that’s its time to stop.  Studies have shown that people who eat off of smaller plates typically eat 20% less than those who use the larger dinner plates. This simple change could result in 20% less you!