Fun Facts

The key to weight loss is metabolism.

To begin a successful weight loss program, you have to understand how food is utilized in the body. When you eat something, the body burns it as fuel, sheds it as waste or stores it as fat. This process is controlled by your metabolism - a key component in weight loss. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body converts food into energy. The faster your metabolism, the faster the food you eat will be converted into energy and the less will be stored as fat. Increasing your metabolic rate can be achieved through your diet by eating combinations of proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables at regular intervals. In fact, it is recommended that you eat often, every 3 hours or so. There are both good and bad types of proteins and carbohydrates so you need to be careful what you eat. Following are recommendations on types of proteins and carbohydrates that work well in weight loss programs and others that you should avoid.

Proteins

Proteins are utilized by the body as fuel and keep the muscles, organs and hair healthy. Protein should be consumed at every meal in order to help maintain lean muscle which will in turn burn fat. Proteins also help keep carbohydrates from spiking insulin levels and slowing your metabolism.

Beneficial Proteins The following are the leanest protein sources and will give you the best weight loss results:
Chicken Breast	Turkey Breast	Lean Ground Turkey	Egg Whites
Crab	Scallops	Shrimp	Lobster
Halibut	Mahi Mahi	Shark	Red Snapper
Eye of Round	Sirloin Steak	Extra Lean Ground Beef	Tuna

Bad Proteins The following proteins are extremely high in fat and should be avoided while trying to lose weight. Once weight loss goals have been achieved, these foods can be reintroduced into the diet sparingly.
Cheese	Yogurt	Milk and Other Dairy Products	Organ Meats

Carbohydrates

In recent years, carbohydrates have gained a bad reputation when it comes to weight loss. However, not all carbohydrates are 'bad'. Complex carbohydrates are converted into sugar more slowly than simple carbohydrates so they don't have the tendency to spike insulin levels in the blood which can slow or stop weight loss.

Good Carbohydrates The best carbohydrates to consume while trying to lose weight are:
Potato	Yam	Sweet Potato	Brown Rice
Oatmeal	Barley	Rice Noodles	Jicama
Parsnips and Turnips	Squash	Strawberries	Honeydew
Mixed Berries	Bananas	Plums	Apricots
Peaches	Apples	Papaya	Fresh Pineapple
Pears	Grapefruit

Bad Carbohydrates Avoid the following carbohydrates/fruits:
Bagels	Muffins	Pancakes	Waffles
Cereal	Granola	Breads	Flour Tortillas
Raisins	Dates	Prunes	Cherries

WHAT TO DRINK

An important component of weight loss is what you drink. Sodas, juices and other beverages have a lot of sugar in them which will spike insulin levels and halt weight loss. The best thing to drink is water which is vital for maintaining your health. When your body metabolizes fat, the byproducts are flushed from your body in the water you drink. Water also works to keep your metabolism working at an optimal level. You should drink as much as 100 ounces of water each day - try to always have a water bottle handy throughout the day.

Best Beverage

Water

Good Beverages There is no substitute for pure water, but some of the better alternatives are:
Tea	Coffee (black)	Herb Tea

*please keep in mind that you should not sweeten these beverages with sugar. Artificial sweeteners are okay in moderation.
** watch out for hidden sodium which can cause the body to retain water and halt weight loss. Read nutritional labels carefully as many diet drinks and sparkling waters can be loaded with sodium.

Beverages to Avoid
Soda	Fruit Juice	Alcohol/Beer	Sports Drinks
Fruit Drinks	Milk and Other Dairy Beverages