Weight Loss For Dummies

Mindset/Goal Setting

 

Before starting on any form of exercise, one of the first things you should do is consider your mindset. You need motivation to get you to exercise, a goal. It might be simply trying to lose a certain
amount of weight or trying to get into a particular item of clothing you think you’ll look good in.

And once you set your initial goal, you’ll need to keep setting them to keep yourself motivated, so you don’t stagnate. In order to grow and better yourself, you need to keep setting goals as you grow.

When you create a goal, it’s not always necessary to keep it realistic, as long as it motivates you. If you are going to be realistic, you’re automatically putting a barrier up and saying that you won’t be
able to do something. But, if you don’t hit your targets, you’ll be motivated to keep working towards them.

Break Yourself in Gently

When you start out with your exercise, you should break yourself in gently to make it manageable. If you throw yourself into exercising a lot, very quickly, not only do you risk doing yourself an injury, you might overwhelm yourself and become disillusioned.

By breaking yourself in gently, you are making your fitness goals more achievable by building up to them over periods of time.

To use an example, if you wanted to run a marathon, you wouldn’t leave the house one day and run 26 miles. You’d start running smaller distances, such as 2 or 5 miles, and then build up to the point
where you could run 15 to 20 and then push on to run 26 miles.

Get Someone to Join You

 

Working out on your own can become a lot easier and fun when you have someone, a friend or family member, who is with you. Not only do you then become accountable to someone who will motivate you to push yourself when you feel like giving up, but also you can make it a competition between the 2 of you and this will push you to keep up the exercise plan.

Calories

 

When you start on an exercise plan, you need to make sure that the amount of calories that you are consuming is fewer than the ones you are burning off. It is not going to help you if you do all the
exercise but then binge on junk foods and put the weight back on.

Get Enough Sleep

 

This is an often-overlooked part of beginning exercise. 8 hours is the recommended sleeping time. Sleeping is your rest, your time off. The times when you are resting your body are just as important as when you are training your body because you are giving the body time to recover and be able to do the exercise you have planned.

Water

You’ve heard it a thousand times, but you need to be drinking enough water. Enough water means about 2 litres a day. It’ll help you lose weight by flushing out the toxins in your body and help your
digestive system while keeping you hydrated enough to do the exercise that you need to be doing.

Running

 

If you don’t do any exercise at the moment, a good start would be to go walking. Going for a daily walk is better than being sat around at home doing nothing, but you should quickly pick it up if you are serious about losing weight, by breaking into running. Obviously, if you feel fit enough to go straight into the running, you’ll be all the netter for it.

Running is an ideal exercise as it is a natural movement for the body and thereare very few side effects. Try running distances and timing yourself so that you get a sense of progress and make a note

of this progress. You will find it extremely motivating to keep trying to beat your time, as you get fitter, or increase the distance of your run.

Start by running or walking once a week, to get into the routine of it. Progress as you feel able to so that you’re not risking burning yourself out but you are challenging yourself.

I always go running with my iPod, and listen to loud, heavy music, that motivates me. If your shoulders start to ache, it’ll be because your hunching them up as your run, if you loosen them

up and roll them backwards, you’ll feel better. If you get a bottle with a handle, if you want to take water with you, I find them more comfortable to hold than the ones with the handles.

I often find it fun to run during rush hour as well and on a route with lots of traffic lights. I find it motivating to be chasing the cars that have to stop so often because of the traffic lights and the

volume of traffic on the roads. Don’t let rain put you off running, it can be very refreshing to run along with the rain coming down on you, it cools you off as you heat up from the running.

Swimming 

 

Swimming can actually be better for you than running. The main reason being that, as you are in water, there is no impact on the joints that there is with running, you are just pushing yourself through the water and not impacting any surfaces.

Again, start small and build up. Aim for doing a certain number of lengths and, as you get fitter, either aim to do the lengths quicker or do more of them and always have a target in mind for when you reach the target you previously set.

It might be worth getting earplugs, if you are going to start swimming seriously, toreduce the risk of getting an ear infection.

Try going once a week to get your body used to the exercise and then build up as you get fitter, if you throw yourself into it, you may end up injuring or tiring yourself out really quickly and then you
will be put off from doing it again.

You’ll have to time your swimming sessions to the timetable of the pool that you use, I don’t know about elsewhere, but in the UK, schools and swimming lessons are carried out in the pool at certain times of the day. So, if you turned up to swim at that time, you would be unable to.

If you have never done any swimming before, whatsoever, it may be worth your while signing up to some beginner swimming lessons. This will take away the risk of not swimming properly when
you go and you’ll get some useful tips that you can use in the future. Also, it will give you confidence when you go swimming, that you’re not going to be embarrassed by getting into the pool and
not knowing what you are doing, or getting in other peoples’ way.

Joining The Gym

 

This is a great decision to make if you are going to lose weight. Once you get over the nerves of going for the first time, and you get into the swing of it, you’ll get the bug to keep going. I love

going to the gym, it’s the buzz of leaving, knowing you’ve bettered yourself as well as the knowing that you can transfer the confidence you gain by going to other areas of your life.

For example, you may not know right now, that you can do x amount of sit-ups in one go but, once you work towards and achieve that goal, you’ll then gain confidence and wonder what else you
are capable of that you have been putting off.

Joining the gym, you will obviously pay a monthly fee, so it doesn’t have that on the other activities you can do for exercise, but it’s very worth it. You have all the equipment you need in one place,
you can get instruction on how to do certain exercises and you can get general advice on how to keep going with your diet and exercise plan to lose weight.

At the gym, you can speak to a personal trainer and set out a schedule for your workouts and what you will do in them, you can get advice on your diet and you can set yourself targets to hit and then
keep yourself motivated to achieve those targets. If you have a schedule that includes going to the gym, you will be more likely to stick to it, because it is part of your routine, than to just go when
you feel like it.

If you go to the gym first thing in the morning, it’ll leave you feeling good and ready to take on whatever the rest of the day has in store. And you can become more productive with your day, as you
get fitter; you will become less reliant on sleep and be able to do more when other people will be tiring. You’ll still need sleep, just not as much!

At the gym, you’ll be able to do exercises like running, cycling and rowing without having to go far. Having these simulated will mean you are not put off by rain or cold weather and you can keep track of statistics while you run such as how far you have run, how long you have actually been running for and how many calories you have burnt off.

Make sure that, when you go to the gym, your workouts are broken down into parts; a warm-up, stretching, the main workout and then the warm down.

Doing a warm up, you will be preparing the body for more intense exercise. This is very important because the body will need time to adapt and prepare itself for strenuous exercise to prevent injury. The same goes for stretching, the muscles need to be loosened up so that they are prepared for exercise, instead of being cold and tight.

You need to warm up before stretching so that you get a better stretch out of the muscles than stretching them cold. You should stretch the entire body, even if you are just working on one particular part of the body. This is because you will get the entire body ready for
workout and you may end up using muscles for particular exercises and then using muscles you didn’t realise were being used.

For example, every exercise ends up working the core of your body so, if you strengthen that part of your body, you will find you get stronger overall. If you don’t believe me, try exercising an
individual muscle in the body and you will feel the tension in your core as well as the individual muscle.

And, of course, if your gym has a spa area with a sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi, this is an added bonus for the end of your workout. Not only because it is relaxing, but also because the sauna
and the steam room are good for your skin when used regularly.

Dieting

 

Before you begin to diet, you need to consider your weight loss goals. Weight and measuring your waist, hips, thighs and arms and then setting a goal for how what you want to lose from those

measurements is a good start. You might want to lose inches of your waist and then weight over your whole body, in general.

Once you’ve worked out what you want to achieve in terms of your weight loss, you should have a look at what sort of foods you have in the kitchen at home. You need to make sure that you have a
balance of foods from all the food groups: grains, fruit and vegetables, dairy, meat and protein and fats, oils and sweets.

Talk to your doctor before you go on any diet plan, get professional advice, they’ll be able to help you and give you more ideas and information about how you can lose weight the healthy way.
This is particularly vital if you have any health issues like asthma, for example, the doctor will be able to advise you with ways to lose weight that won’t be scuppered by any health issues you
already have and won’t trigger any of them either.

Health experts used to say that the average person needs 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, but it’s probably more like 8 or 9. This may seem like a lot, but if you have a glass of juice with your breakfast and a piece of fruit, 2 or 3 portions of vegetables with your main meal of the day and then 1 or 2 odd pieces of fruit as snacks over the course of the day, then you will have had 7 portions already. It’s really not that difficult, when you break it down in that way.

Take responsibility and stop making excuses. The sooner you take responsibility for your diet and exercise habits, the sooner you’ll be able to actually do something about them. If you are going to “start tomorrow”, you can be sure that something else will stop you from going ahead tomorrow. You must break this pattern by taking responsibility for how you have become unfit or unhealthy. Losers make excuses, winners make it happen

Whilst this short report can’t give you specific tips on dieting because I don’t know what you want to achieve by going on a diet, these tips will help to build a basis from which to start from.

Stop procrastinating. Whenever I find myself procrastinating over something, I try to do 5 minutes of whatever it is. This helps because, once you get involved in whatever you’re doing, you realise how little an amount of time 5 minutes is and you get into what you’re doing. For example, going for a quick run is better than not going for a run but then when you’re out, you might feel better about running and then want to do more anyway.

I’m not saying you should get geared up for a 5 minute run, by doing a small amount of anything, relatively speaking, will encourage you to do more.

Easy fasting for weight loss Tips

Getting a Better Idea of What Fasting Really Is

The concept of fasting is quite simple. Fasting means you don’t eat for a
while. Although it may sound a bit contrarian, it is, without a doubt, a very
safe and very sound health practice. In fact, it’s good for your mind, body,
and soul.
You may have heard that not eating is a bad idea, because it will slow your
metabolism and cause you to gain weight. Well, you’ve heard wrong. Fasting
is not only good for you, but also perhaps the healthiest thing you can ever
do for yourself.
Fasting works because it’s a hardship. It’s short-term deprivation, to be exact.
And, to that end, any diet that touts itself as superior because it isn’t deprivation-
based is not superior at all, but far inferior, to be sure. Any diet that says
you can “eat whatever you want so long as you . . . ” or “eat as much as you
want so long as you . . . ” is immediately a pile of fatuous nonsense and is to
be straightaway ignored.

Identifying the positive effects of fasting

Fasting can help you feel and look better. In addition, here are a few of the
positive effects fasting can have on your body.

✓ Burns fat: When fasting, the body naturally taps into stored body fat
for energy, a process that is severely inhibited when eating frequently
throughout the day. Studies have shown that fasting dramatically
increases lipolysis, which is the fancy term for fat burning.
✓ Boosts energy: Fasting is slightly stimulatory, because it increases your
natural adrenal response. In plain English, it means that while you’re
fasting, you can expect your productivity to increase and concentration
to improve.
✓ Fights disease: Fasting naturally boosts immunity and allows your body
to naturally detoxify itself. While fasting, your body purges unhealthy,
damaged, and polluted cells — as well as spurs the growth of new
healthy cells.
✓ Delays aging: Eating has an aging effect on the body, which happens
primarily through insulin, which is your body’s primary nutrient transport
and blood-sugar regulating hormone. When you eat, your pancreas
secretes insulin. And the problem with eating too much or too frequently
is that insulin speeds up biological aging process. Fasting delays aging
by suppressing insulin levels.
✓ Enhances exercise: Fasting and exercise potentiate each other, meaning
they increase each other’s positive effects. Exercising in a fasted state
can help you to burn more fat, increase vitality, and build muscle more
efficiently.

The benefits of fasting are huge, whereas there really isn’t a reason why
you shouldn’t fast on a regular basis. In fact, fasting is also the world’s most
ancient healing mechanism. All animals, except human beings, fast instinctively
when sick or wounded.

Examining how it works

The human body can be either in a fasted state or a fed state; it can’t be
in between. Therefore, if the fed state is yang, then the fasting state is yin.
Fasting provides balance — by adding in more yin to counterweigh all that
yang. Fasting basically works in three ways:

✓ It optimizes your hormonal makeup. When in a fasted state, hormones
that are particularly beneficial are permitted free reign, including glucagon,
which is the yin to insulin’s yang. Glucagon, like insulin, is secreted
by the pancreas in order to regulate blood sugar. But rather than shutting
nutrients into cells, glucagon pulls nutrients out of cells, including fatty
acids, which has earned glucagon the reputation of being something

of a fat-burning hormone. However, glucagon can only prevail in a fasted
state.
✓ It surges natural growth hormone. Insulin, the hormone secreted
during the fed state, heavily suppresses natural growth hormone.
Meaning, the more frequently you eat, the less natural growth hormone
your body produces. Natural growth hormone is the closest thing
humans have to a fountain of youth. It burns fat, builds muscle, and
works to keep the body biologically young and resilient.
✓ It permits the body to cleanse itself. When in a fasted state, the body
disperses its natural house cleaners, which consist primarily of microphages
(think of these as cells that attack and destroy harmful invaders)
and white blood cells that pull toxins out of cells, engulf them, and dispose
of them. When constantly fed, this natural detoxification process
is hampered. Frequently feeding functions as a one-way escape valve,
permitting toxins into the body, but not letting them back out. Not until
you enter a fasted state can you flip that valve and allow toxins to pour

Understanding the best way to go about it

You may be surprised to hear that you can go about fasting in several different
ways. Some of them include longer fasting periods (up to 24 hours at a
time), whereas others include short fasting periods (12 to 16 hours). Some
methods include strict fasts (nothing but water) and others include controlled
fasts (limited caloric intake).

✓ Intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting is when you fast for 24 to 36
hours (typically once or twice a week). This method is a simple way to
introduce fasting into your life because you only need to take a break
from eating for a day. This works exceptionally well to reduce overall
calorie intake without having to worry about making many other
changes on your nonfasting days. 

✓ 5:2 Diet: The 5:2 Diet, also known as the Fast Diet, is the gentlest introduction
to fasting, because it simply requires that for two days out of the
week you only eat two meals (500-calorie meals if you’re a woman and
600-calorie meals if you’re a man). This method is perhaps the best way
for most people to get acclimated with fasting, before perusing some

of the more intensive efforts. 

✓ Micro-fasting: Micro-fasting is a daily fasting regimen. Think of it as the
no breakfast diet. This idea flies in the face of conventional wisdom, but
for good reasons . Micro-fasting has you fasting for 16 hours each day, compressing 

the time you eat into an eight-hour window. Micro-fasting is both easy to implement and
enormously beneficial. Head to Chapter 6 for how to incorporate microfasting
into your diet.
✓ The Warrior Diet: The Warrior Diet, made popular by the book of the
same title, is similar to micro-fasting in the sense that it condenses the
time you’re allowed to eat into a small window (about four hours), but
different in a few other regards. The fasting period is less strict, and
more of a controlled fast, where you’re encouraged to consume certain
live/raw foods throughout the earlier parts of the day followed by
a fairly intense overeating phase later in the day. The Warrior Diet is
unconventional, effective, and satisfying.

How to lose 5 pounds in 5 days quickly - In natural way WORKOUTS - part 4

As a reminder, you’ll do one exercise each day, for about 5 minutes, following a brief warmup. The
program is adaptable to every level of fitness, from Beginner to Advanced, and is designed to allow
you make modifications and add variety as you build your strength and endurance in a number of
ways.Over 7 days, you’ll work every major muscle group. On Day 8, repeat this sequence of exercises. Continue to perform one exercise daily for a total of 6 weeks, moving from Beginner (if necessary) to Intermediate and finally Advanced. If you have not yet moved to Advanced after 6 weeks

DAY 1
REVERSE LUNGE

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: Quads, hamstrings, and butt (glutes)
FYI: There are many variations of lunges. I like a reverse lunge as an introductory lunge
because it’s simple and reduces strain on the knees.

HOW TO DO IT:

Start by standing upright, feet shoulder-width apart, and take a large controlled step
backward with your right leg. Lower your hips so that your front thigh is parallel to the floor
and your left knee is directly over your ankle. Keep your right knee bent at a 90-degree
angle and pointing toward the floor. Keep your back straight and look straight ahead.
When your right knee is almost (but not actually) touching the floor, contract your left thigh
to return your right leg back to starting position. Repeat with left leg. That’s one rep.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.

DAY 2
SUPERMAN

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: Lower back (spinal erectors) and butt (glutes) and some
hamstring FYI: Superman helps create a long, flat midsection by strengthening the lower
back.

HOW TO DO IT:

Lie with your face down on the floor and your arms and legs fully extended so that your
body looks like the letter X from above.
From this position, lift your arms/chest and thighs toward the ceiling as though you were
flying, and then lower them down to the beginning position. Do not hold the pose; just keep
going up and down without resting on the floor.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.

DAY 3
LYING DUMBBELL TRICEPS EXTENSION

 

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: Triceps
FYI: Your triceps are the muscles that run along the back of your upper arm. Most people
overexercise their biceps and underexercise their triceps.

HOW TO DO IT:

Lying on your back, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extended toward the
ceiling, your palms facing each other. Hinging at your elbows, lower the dumbbells until they
are next to your ears. (Don’t let them touch the floor.)
Then extend toward the ceiling, returning to starting position.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps with another 1-minute rest
between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.

DAY 4
STIFF-LEG DUMBBELL DEADLIFT

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: Hamstrings, glutes
FYI: This is a great exercise for working your hamstrings and butt.

HOW TO DO IT:

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, with a dumbbell in each hand in front of
you, palms facing in toward the front of your thighs.
Inhale and, while hinging at the hips but keeping your back arched, push your butt backward
and slide the dumbbells down the front of your thighs. Push your hips back as far as you
can, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
When you can no longer push your hips any farther back, inhale while sliding your hips
forward, back to standing. Repeat.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.

DAY 5
STANDING DUMBBELL CURL PRESS

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: Biceps and shoulders
FYI: This is a compound movement and combines a biceps curl with a shoulder press,
efficiently targeting two areas at once.

HOW TO DO IT:

Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing toward your body.
Slowly curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders, and then continue to press them up
toward the ceiling.
Do the same in reverse as you lower the dumbbells down to starting position.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps with another 1-minute rest between sets.

DAY 6
SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: Upper back (rhomboid and lower trapezius), rear
shoulders, and biceps FYI: This exercise is great for your upper-body posture. Imagine that
you’re starting a lawn mower as you pull back. Use only one dumbbell at a time.

HOW TO DO IT:

Start in a lunge position with your left knee forward and your right leg extended all the way
back. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand with your arm extended down. Place your left
forearm across your left thigh for support, and pull the dumbbell back with your right arm in
a slow, controlled movement. Make sure to “drag” your elbow along your ribs and across
your body on the way up.
Return to starting position.
Repeat with right knee forward and the left leg extended all the way back, holding the
dumbbell in your left hand.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps on each side. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps per side with another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps on each side. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps on each side with another 1-minute rest between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps on each side. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps on each side with another 1-minute rest between sets.

DAY 7
STANDING DUMBBELL SIDE BEND

MUSCLE GROUPS WORKED: External and internal obliques (a.k.a. “love handles”) FYI:
These movements will not only tone your sides but also help carve the inguinal (the sexy
lines that go from your hip to your groin).

HOW TO DO IT:
 

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your left hand.
Gently tilt your upper body to the right as you stretch your left “love handles.” Return to
starting position, and repeat.
Then reverse direction as you slide the dumbbell down your left thigh and stretch out your
right side.
 

BEGINNER: Complete 10 reps on either side. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 10 reps on either side with
another 1-minute rest between sets.
INTERMEDIATE: Complete 20 reps on either side. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 20 reps on either side with
another 1-minute rest between sets.
ADVANCED: Complete 30 reps on either side. Rest 1 minute. Then repeat 2 more sets of 30 reps on either side with
another 1-minute rest between sets.

Top 5 best healthy snack recipes for weight loss

1. LITE FRENCH TOAST

LITE FRENCH TOAST

You can buy separated egg whites in the dairy department. If you don’t have a toaster
oven, simply broil the toast in a tray placed on an oven rack on the lowest level. Watch
carefully so the toast doesn’t burn.

INGREDIENTS

8 egg whites (or 1 cup egg whites)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray

3 slices high-fiber bread
Whisk together the egg whites and cinnamon in a bowl.
Coat the tray of the toaster oven with cooking spray.
Place the bread on the toaster tray, cover with the egg white mixture, and toast until the
bread is crunchy and the egg whites are set.
NUTRITION INFO: 186 calories, 19 grams protein, 27 grams carbs, 5 grams fiber, 0
grams fat

2. BELL PEPPER AND TURKEY ROLL-UPS

BELL PEPPER AND TURKEY ROLL-UPS

You can make these roll-ups ahead of time, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

INGREDIENTS

2 slices deli-style turkey breast

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
½ cup sliced red bell pepper Place the turkey slices on a cutting board and spread mustard
on them. Lay the red bell pepper slices on top.
Roll tightly and secure each with a toothpick.
NUTRITION INFO: 134 calories, 26 grams protein, 3 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 2 grams
fat

3. RED LENTIL PUREE

RED LENTIL PUREE

This hearty dip will keep for up to a week refrigerated. Serve warm or at room
temperature.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup red lentils, washed and picked over 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried Salt and black pepper
Celery stalks, for dipping In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the lentils
and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes,
until the lentils have softened. Drain the lentils.
In a food processor, combine the lentils, lemon juice, and thyme. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Process until smooth.
Serve with celery stalks.
NUTRITION INFO: 190 calories, 15 grams protein, 31 grams carbs, 8 grams fiber, 2
grams fat

4. SKINNY GUACAMOLE 

SKINNY GUACAMOLE

Substitute cooked, shelled edamame for the peas if you wish. Hass avocados are the dark
green or black ones with a bumpy skin, unlike the smooth-skinned bright green type. Seed
the chile pepper if you prefer less heat.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed 1 medium Hass avocado, peeled 2 tablespoons lime
juice

1 medium tomato
¼ red or sweet onion
1 jalapeño or serrano chile pepper 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

8 Finn Crisp crackers
Place the peas, avocado, lime juice, tomato, onion, chile, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper in
a blender and pulse until smooth.
Serve with the crackers.
NUTRITION INFO: 167 calories, 4 grams protein, 27 grams carbs, 6 grams fiber, 6 grams
fat

5. CHOCOLATE-AVOCADO MOUSSE WITH RASPBERRIES

 

CHOCOLATE-AVOCADO MOUSSE WITH RASPBERRIES

This mousse gets its decadent creaminess from a surprising source—avocado—for a

perfect spin on a classic dish. Use the best-quality cocoa powder you can find. It will make

a difference in the taste. Coconut sugar is available in natural foods stores. If raspberries

aren’t in season, garnish with mint sprigs if you wish.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1 very ripe Hass avocado, peeled

peeled
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt or sea salt
2½ tablespoons unsweetened plain almond milk or skim milk Fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir
the chocolate until it’s melted and smooth, being careful not to scorch it.
Place the melted chocolate, avocado, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, vanilla, salt, and
almond milk in a blender or food processor. Blend on the lowest setting until the mixture is
smooth and creamy, stopping a few times to scrape the sides of the container.
Spoon the mixture into four small crack-resistant dishes (Pyrex or ice cream glasses) and
refrigerate for at least 1½ hours.
Garnish with raspberries just before serving.
NUTRITION INFO: 140 calories, 2 grams protein, 16 grams carbs, 5 grams fiber, 9 grams
fat

Top 5 best soups for weight loss

Top 5 best soups for weight loss

1. GREEN SPLIT PEA SOUP

You can substitute yellow split peas for green ones. The soup will be just as tasty but will
be a golden yellow color. If you have an immersion blender, skip Step 3 and puree the soup
in the pot.

INGREDIENTS

½ teaspoon olive oil
6 ounces turkey bacon, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped
Salt and black pepper
1¼ cups green split peas, washed and picked over 1 teaspoon fresh mint or ½ teaspoon dried

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 slices high-fiber bread, toasted and cut into triangles Warm the oil in a medium saucepan
over medium-low heat. Add the turkey bacon, carrots, onion, and celery; season with salt
and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the split peas, mint, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer and cook
for 40 minutes, stirring often and adding up to 1 cup of water to maintain a soupy
consistency.
Using a mug or ladle, remove about half of the soup. Puree it in a blender and return it to
the pot. Warm it through, adding more broth if the soup seems too thick. Adjust the
seasonings if necessary.
Serve with the toast triangles.
NUTRITION INFO: 390 calories, 28 grams protein, 51 grams carbs, 7 grams fiber, 7
grams fat

2. MANHATTAN-STYLE CHICKEN-CORN CHOWDER

Depending on the season and your locale, fresh clams can be hard to come by, so chicken
makes a great replacement in this satisfying chowder. You can also use chunks of salmon
fillet.

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray
2 slices turkey bacon, diced (optional) 4 cups diced unpeeled potatoes (any kind) 1 cup
chopped onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste
1¼ cups canned diced tomatoes

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
9 ounces skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces 1½ cups corn kernels, frozen or
canned 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried Salt and black pepper
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Mist it with cooking spray. Add the bacon, if using, and
cook until crisp. Remove and set aside.
Add the potatoes, onions, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown,
about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables. Stir in the diced
tomatoes, including the juice, and the broth. Bring to a boil.
Stir in the chicken, corn, and tarragon. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the
broth has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into four bowls and garnish with the bacon, if
desired.
NUTRITION INFO: 360 calories, 27 grams protein, 51 grams carbs, 7 grams fiber, 7
grams fat

3. TURKEY, BARLEY, AND CHARD SOUP

This soup is extremely versatile. Instead of chard, use spinach or kale. Or use leftover
cooked chicken or turkey and/or leftover cooked vegetables. To really speed things up,
substitute leftover brown rice or quinoa for the pearl barley and eliminate the final
simmering.

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion
8 ounces turkey breast, diced Salt and black pepper 2 cups chopped carrots 1 cup
chopped celery
4 cups chopped Swiss chard

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup pearl barley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
or 1 teaspoon dried Place a soup pot over medium-high heat; add the oil and heat. Add the
onion and turkey and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the
turkey is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and sauté until soft.
Stir in the chard and cook until it wilts.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the barley, parsley, and thyme.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the barley is tender, at least 45 minutes,
adding water, if necessary.
Ladle into four bowls and serve.
NUTRITION INFO: 392 calories, 29 grams protein, 57 grams carbs, 12 grams fiber, 8
grams fat

4. MEDITERRANEAN LEMON-CHICKEN SOUP

Leeks, lemon, dill, and spinach star in this vibrant chicken soup. Although it may seem like a
lot of spinach, it cooks down. Use a rotisserie chicken or cooked, shredded chicken from
the deli section. Use frozen leeks if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS

 

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small leek, very thinly sliced and rinsed clean ½ stalk celery, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic,minced

1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1 can (13¾ ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth ½ cup shredded white-meat chicken 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 3 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leek and celery and
cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for 1
minute, stirring occasionally. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 2
minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the chicken and chickpeas and cook for 2 minutes, until
warmed through. Just before serving, stir in the spinach and lemon juice. Top each serving
with dill.
NUTRITION INFO: 325 calories, 26 grams protein, 36 grams carbs, 8 grams fiber, 9
grams fat

5. CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND KALE SOUP 

 

I call this a pantry soup. If you have frozen chopped kale in the freezer, you just might

already have everything on hand you need to make it. More good news: It can be ready in

about 20 minutes! For a thicker soup, use a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans

against the side of the pot while cooking.

 

INGREDIENTS 

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ small onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, with juice 1 cup stemmed and
chopped kale leaves Salt and black pepper
1 can (13¾ ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth ½ cup water
1 can (15 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and
cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices and
cook for 2 minutes.
Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until the
kale wilts.
Pour in the broth and the water, raise the heat, and bring it to a simmer. Add the beans.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed.
Ladle into two bowls and garnish with the cheese.
NUTRITION INFO: 317 calories, 21 grams protein, 42 grams carbs, 10 grams fiber, 8
grams fat