Weight Watchers Points Per Day Formula

The Weight Watchers program concentrates on a balanced diet with low fat and high fiber foods, moderate but regular exercise and personal counseling. The Weight Watchers food points and point system is the simplest form of understanding this weight loss program. The original Weight Watchers points formula is under strict regulations of the patent law of United States, which is somewhat like:

p = c/50 + f/12 – min {r,4}/5

wherein, p stands for points, f stands for fats, c stands for calories, r stands for the dietary fibers and min {r, 4} stands for the smaller number between dietary fibers or ‘4′. In short, first 4 grams of dietary fibers are included in this formula. This formula is for counting the Weight Watchers points list of various food items that we consume on a regular basis.

How Many Weight Watchers Points Per Day to Lose Weight?

Let me tell you that, Weight Watchers points are customized for each individual and these points differ as per your weight, height, age, gender and lifestyle. For instance average weight watchers points per day for women are 2 and for nursing women they are 12 points. While minimum weight watchers points per day for men are 8. However, these number are then added into the points that are distributed for the other factors like age, height, weight and lifestyle of that individual. Here is the points distribution of the same.

Age

17 to 26: 4 points
27 to 37: 3 points
38 to 47: 2 points
48 to 58: 1 points
Over 58: 0 points
Height
Under 5 feet 1 inch: 0 points
5 feet 1 inch to 5 feet 10 inch: 1 points
Over 5 feet 10 inch: 2 points
Lifestyle
Sedentary: 0 points
Occasionally sedentary: 2 points
Walking most of the times: 4 points
Physically hard working: 6 points
Weight
150 to 174 lbs: 20 – 25 points
175 to 199 lbs: 22 – 27 points
200 to 224 lbs: 24 – 29 points
225 to 249 lbs: 26 – 31 points
250 to 274 lbs: 28 – 33 points
275 to 299 lbs: 29 – 34 points
300 to 324 lbs: 30 – 35 points
325 to 349 lbs: 31 – 36 points
Over 350 lbs: 32 – 37 points
Well, one needs to personally calculate the average Weight Watchers points per day for himself, according to the above mentioned factors. No doubt, the values are ought to be different for each individual. The sum of all these factors that you come up with, is actually the number of Weight Watchers points that you are allowed to consume per day, for losing weight.

Lastly, every weight loss diet has its own negative and positive points and pros and cons of Weight Watchers program cannot be neglected either. According to many, the program is not concerned with the amount of calorie intake as well as exercise, which are the basics of losing weight. As a result, even with a strong positive side, Weight Watchers points per day intake is still a matter of debate.

Are you looking for ways to burn away belly fat fast and also ensure that you do so consistently and permanently? Okay my friend, read on for 3 awesome tips that got me the body of my dreams very fast and easy:Skipping breakfast is just about the worst thing you can do to sabotage your weight-loss plan. Skipping breakfast often leads to you overeating at lunch or dinner, rationalizing the extra calories away by thinking it all evens out. However, large meals hamper the metabolic process, meaning it is harder for your body to break down a larger meal because your making up for breakfast.One of the worst things you could possibly consume is high fructose corn syrup, a chemically engineered sugar substitute that U.S. soft drink makers began using in the early 1980s. The problem stems from your body’s inability to process it like it would sugar, which leads to considerable weight gain and bloating. Beans and legumes are one of those tricky types of food that one thinks is good for them, but they are in fact not. Beans and legumes are usually difficult for your body to process and are often negative calorie food .The trick to losing weight and keeping it off is to make your body efficient, and your body needs good food to do that. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves. The problem comes when your body senses this and goes into shutdown mode, meaning it holds on to fat stores because it senses famine.

The trick to losing weight and keeping it off is to make your body efficient, and your body needs good food to do that. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves. The problem comes when your body senses this and goes into shutdown mode, meaning it holds on to fat stores because it senses famine. Eat healthy and regularly to burn fat and lose weight. Incorporating fresh (not canned) hot peppers into a meal will help suppress your appetite and keep you full long after you’re done eating. Studies show that it doesn’t really matter what type of pepper you eat, so just about any chili pepper will work.Eat several small meals at four to six hour intervals, rather than two or three large meals per day. It can be a tough thing to get used to at first, but if you live a particularly sedentary lifestyle and are not very active, you do not need to overload your body’s metabolism with food in two or three large doses.

Try to avoid the middle area of the grocery store, namely the aisles, as much as possible throughout your trip. That is where most of the processed food is kept and that is what we don’t want in our homes. Stock up on products from the perimeter of the store, where fruits, vegetables, fresh meats and seafood are kept. What worse, is that many San Diego Weight Loss Programs, Centers, and Clinics use dangerous tactics to get people in losing weight. Numerous weight loss programs prescribe pre-packaged foods, fat burners, nutritional shots and the like. And to top off, they demand an arm along with a leg to get a solution that does not work. I hope you can refrain from going to these kind of Weight Loss Programs. What worse, is that many San Diego Personal Trainer Programs, Centers, and Clinics use dangerous tactics to get men and women to lose weight. Numerous weight loss programs prescribe pre-packaged foods, weight loss supplements, vitamin and mineral shots etc ..

Step 1: Instructions. Read and carefully follow any fabric care instructions that come with or are listed on your bikini wear. You don’t want to ruin it and use something that’s going to make the color fade or stain even more. Determine if you are going to hand wash or machine wash your bikini wear. Take in consideration the fabric, texture and ornaments, if any, that may be affected. Of course, hand washing delicates is the safest way of handling such items, although if you are confident that your fabric can withstand a washing machine, then going that way may be plausible.

Step 2: Stain Removers. Treat stains as soon as possible. Newer stains are easier to remove than older ones. Always test stain removers on an inside seam or hidden part of the garment for color fast issues. Never put chemical dry-cleaning solvents into the washer.

Don’t mix different stain removal products together. Some mixtures such as ammonia and bleach can discolor your swimwear. Always launder the washable items after using a stain remover to eliminate the residue of the product. Have patience, some stains take longer time to remove and multiple applications. Along with stain removers are pre-stain removers and they come in either liquid, stick or spray formula. Pay close attention to the type of fabric and read the instructions on the individual product for finding out which will work best for you.

Step 3: Water Temperature. Always use the safest water temperature for your fabric unless you have tested it and it bleeds. In that case, either use lukewarm water or cold water. Make sure the water is clean and sometimes you can add a pre-soaking agent to the water that you are going to hand wash your fabric in to aid cleaning. Refer to the Party Stains List below to select the proper water temperature with regard to a specific stain you would like to remove.

Step 4. Detergents. There are all purpose detergents that come in either liquid or powder form. Some are heavy-duty and some are fabric sensitive and/or hypoallergenic. It’s up to you to determine which is better fitted for you and your fabric. Again, pay attention to the fabric and ornaments on it. You want a detergent that will liquefy quickly enough so your bikini doesn’t have to sit a long time in the solution. Here are some tips on removing specific stains when choosing your detergent and water temperature.

Alcohol Stains: Launder with detergent in hottest water safest for the fabric. Do not use soap (bar, flake or detergents containing natural soap) since soap can make the stain permanent. Soak stains for 30 minutes in 1 teaspoonful of presoak product. If all the sugars are not removed, a brown stain will appear when the fabric is heated in the dryer or is ironed, as the sugar has caramelized.

Chocolate Stains: Treat the stain with a pre-wash spray or product containing enzymes. After pre-treating, then rub with a heavy-duty liquid detergent and launder. If the stain remains, then re-launder with bleach that is safe for the fabric.

Coffee & Tea Stains: Saturate the stain with a pre-treatment stain remover. Rub it with a heavy-duty liquid detergent then launder in hottest water safe for the fabric.

Blood Stains: Flush cold water through the stain and scrape off crusted material. Soak for about 15 minutes in a mixture of lukewarm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid hand washing detergent and 1 tablespoon ammonia. Rub gently to loosen the stain and then launder. If the stain is not completely removed, wet the stain with hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia and leave on for no longer than 15 minutes.

Rinse with cool water.

Lipstick or Juice Stains (AKA: Dye Stains): Sponge area with dry-cleaning solvent. Rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent then launder. If needed, use an all-fabric bleach.

Step 4: Drying. If you’re the old fashioned type, then nothing works better than hanging something out to dry in the natural breeze. Although if you have no time for that, then using a cool to warm temperature when drying out your special fabric will be sufficient enough to keep it looking nice and new. Be wary of any kind of trinkets or beads that could easily be caught and torn from your swimwear.

Remember, your bikini wear will take care of you as long as you take care of it. Taking out a few moments after a day of swimming or sunbathing to properly wash and dry out your micro bikini will surely keep your most valuable piece of clothing in the best possible condition. Just remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and with regard to swimwear, it’s worth a ton of cure.

You can achieve permanent and lasting weight loss with our simplified guide to weightloss.

For most people, losing weight can be a lifelong struggle. There are many reasons for this. Sometimes people must take medication for another ailment or disease which causes an increase in hunger. Or the medication may affect the person’s metabolism, slowing it down. These reasons can cause weight loss. Other people suffer from psychological problems with food that can make weight loss impossible without counseling. These people turn to food for comfort or to fill an emotional void. In this case, eating is just a substitute for something else. Food can never fill this void so the person continues to eat in the hopes of filling this unfulfilled void. Both of these situations can lead to weight gain and even to obesity.

However, there are a few simple things you can do to help with your weight loss. The first is not to diet. That is right, do not diet! A diet is simply a short-term process which is meant for a rapid weight loss. However, this can not be sustained and after the diet is over, the person usually gains back all of their weight and more! Instead of diet, you must approach weight loss as a lifestyle change. A lifestyle change implies that this is a long-term process that takes time to implement but will have last effects. I have two friends who illustrate both points. The first, we’ll call “Lily.” Lily went to L.A. Weight Loss and paid her fees for the 12 week program. She stuck to her diet and she lose 21 pounds! Great! However, after she finished her three-week program, she did not return. Slowly, the pounds came back and today, Lily is fatter than she was before she went on her diet. Contrast that with our next example. “Doug” was addicted to soda. He’d have one or two with lunch, one for an afternoon “pick-me-up”, and one or two with dinner. (You’ll need a big calculator to add up all of those “empty” calories!) So, to start living a healthier life, Doug decided on a lifestyle change. He stopped drinking soda. He instead drinks unsweetened teas and water. After six months, Doug has lost (and maintained his weight loss) 50 pounds. Plus, he claims to have more energy than ever before!

If your weigh gain is due to medical reasons such as medications that increase hunger or reduce metabolism, then talk to your doctor about it. There are hundreds of new drugs that come to market every year and there may be an alternative that doesn’t have this unwanted side-effect. Or perhaps, your doctor could adjust the dose of your medication to help reduce these cravings for food or reduction in metabolism.

So, as you can see, weight loss requires an entirely new mindset. If you require medication, talk to your doctor about changing or reducing your medication. If you need to eliminate certain foods from your diet, pick one and start there. Just remember, the longest journey starts with a single step. Weight loss, and permanent weight loss<img src="http://www.articlesfactory.com/pic/x.gif" alt="Free Reprint Articles" border="0", is definitely a journey worth taking.

Article Tags:
Losing Weight, Single Step, Weight Loss, Lifestyle Change

In Portugal, it is also called fatias douradas or rabanadas, which is usually made during Christmas thus, enjoying this dessert or snack. French toast can be considered to be a healthy snack for kids as it contains egg and milk which is good for health. It can also be a favorite tea time snack for the egg lovers. So note down these french toast recipes and try making them to get a delicious breakfast egg recipe.

How to make French Toast from Scratch:
Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup milk
8 slices of sandwich bread
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Salt as per taste
Method:In a mixing bowl and add the eggs, milk, sugar and salt and beat it well with a hand beater until a smooth batter is formed.
Heat the griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Grease the griddle with margarine or butter. You can test the griddle by sprinkling few drops of water on it. If bubbles form on the griddle, it means the griddle is well heated.
Now dip the bread into the egg mixture and put it on the griddle for few minutes until the bread is golden brown. Cook both the sides in this fashion.
Your kids will jump on the breakfast table once it is removed from the griddle and served immediately. This will also guide you towards answering, how to make french toast recipe for 2 people.

How to make French Toast without Milk:
Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 slices of white bread
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Salt as per taste
Powdered sugar(optional)
1/2 tablespoon butterMethod:In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Mix well until all the ingredients are well blended and a smooth batter is formed.
Heat a non-stick pan and spread some butter on it.
Soak the bread slices in the egg mixture properly. See to it that all the sides are well soaked. Now place the slices on the pan.
Flip the toast when the bread is golden brown at the bottom. Repeat this for the other side. If you like, you can add powdered sugar or the syrup to get a sweeter taste.
A Christmas time favorite Portuguese dessert, french toast recipe is ready to be served.

How to make French Toast without Vanilla:
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic grated
Chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
Salt as per taste
Method:Take a mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, pepper, onion, garlic and salt. Mix well until all the ingredients are well blended.
Heat a non-stick pan and spread some oil on it.
Once the pan is well heated, place the slices on it and flip the french toast when the bread is golden brown at the bottom. Repeat this for the other side.
A spicy Indian french toast recipe is ready to be served.

For those who love cooking and experimenting on new recipes, can try out various modifications with this egg and bread combination recipe. This delicious french toast tastes well when topped with cheese, jam, peanut butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, yogurt, tomato ketchup or beans when sugar is not used. In place of sugar, you can also pour honey or chocolate sauce to add flavor to your mouth watering french toast recipe. If you’re looking for quick or alternative recipes to prepare for breakfast, you can also try the following, which also involves a breakfast without eggs.

Read more on:
Quick Breakfast RecipesBreakfast Recipes Without Eggs
I hope this article has answered your query on how to make french toast recipe. So now, try it out, and don’t forget to invite me!

One cause many diet programs fail for many people is that they support a remedy for losing weight, short term, but after some time into the program, people are left out with out clear objectives. A continuing program should embrace long term diet plans. Low fat low calorie recipes that help you preserve and improve on the success you achieved during the initial stage are important to most diets. Low fat low calorie recipes need to be a main concern for long term resolution to a good diet plan.

An individual that eats low fat low calorie recipes may be superior positioned to controlling their weight than others that go back to eating habitual meals. The explanation for this may be that regular meals may be too high in sugars and fats that are also lower in nutritional values. In many cases, these foods do not have the nutritional value that is needed for a well balance meal. On the other hand, low fat low calorie recipes are usually more concern with proper nutrition while keeping the fats and calories in check.

When you vary to a low fat low calorie plan, not only are you making a resolution to stay away from unhealthy eating lifestyle, you are deciding to receive care of yourself for now and for your future.

Low fat low calorie recipes allows you to work out a large puzzle many people confront in todays fast pace life we live in. With all the responsibilities we need to deal with, it becomes very difficult to keep track of what we eat. That is why many of us launch a diet plan with good intentions, and later on, we find it tricky to stick to the it. Having low fat low calorie recipes that we can eat when we need to, may answer this dilemma. Low fat low calorie recipes that you can buy already prepared for you are even superior if you do not have the time to do it yourself religiously.

If you do opt to organize low fat low calorie recipes for yourself, assure you can commit the time to it. Another approach is to cook low fat low calorie recipes ahead of time so that you have meals ready on the days you do not have time. Having low fat low calorie recipes to eat always is super critical to stay true to the diet plan.

If you go with ready made choices, there are many low fat low calorie recipes that will work for you. The enhanced choices should consist of a variation of low fat low calorie recipes that provide a extensive selection of foods. Low fat low calorie recipes do not need to be tiresome. A good plan is loaded with fruits, vegetables and meat products that are loaded with nutrition. It is also crucial that the low fat low calorie recipes you decide to get are fresh and packed safely for you. Your own cooking or ready made deliveries will work, but stick to it.

One additional thing related to this matter. If you are considering a diet plan to lose weight, don’t fail to remember that a good quality workout can increase the effect of your diet. It is a physical as well as a Psychological boost. When you exercise and balance your diet, you will be aware of your body working before you even observe the outcome. But in the long run, you should see your fat areas going away more rapidly that diet alone.

Like a Los Angeles Personal Trainer Professional, I have helped hundreds of Los Angeles residents lose weight quick, tone up, to get in stunning shape. And also to inform you the majority of, it is often rather easy. After you will understand that sensational formula for you to get people within perfect shape, it’s not difficult.

During the last several years, I modified my Los Angeles Personal Trainer Program, which features one of the best fat-crushing and even muscle firming exercises. My Los Angeles Personal fitness trainer Program is widely known for the fat-melting capabilities. And also I am aware could possibly aid you lose those undesired pounds and have straight into colossal shape, swiftly.

Among the best exercises used in my Los Angeles Personal fitness trainer Program will be the squat. Squats are an excellent exercise. They work your body plus they are the sole greatest leg building exercises these days. Not only legs, but squats also build up your glutes, your core, and your back. So, you definitely need to incorporate squats in to your very own fitness trainer program. And also I’m having a debate about free squats, not machine squats. Machines help make things too easy. That’s why most of the people like them.

My second favored Los Angeles Personal Trainer workouts are the dead lift. Dead lifts, mimic the squat, work your whole body. This is a terrific power movement too. The trick to doing dead lifts, is you have to often be a maximum for reps between 4 and also 6. Doing more reps than which can be worthless.

The third best Los Angeles Personal Trainer workout is the Bench Press. As anyone already is aware of which bench press work stomach muscle tissue. Bench presses ideal compound movement, working not only tummy, but in addition shoulders, in addition to triceps.

My fourth popular Los Angeles Personal fitness trainer exercise is the Dumbbell Rows. Dumbbell Rows work your back muscles, passing on thickness in addition to density. An advantage of dumbbell rows is that you may obtain a full stretch in addition to press with the dumbbells in contrast to barbell rows. That is a really difficult exercise, but worth your time and effort. Everyone looks wonderful having a effectively shaped, wide taper. Additionally, any rows, whether or not they are available as cable rows, dumbbell rows or barbell rows, work your bicep muscle tissue. Look at killing two birds with one stone.

Another incredible Los Angeles Personal fitness trainer exercise are walking lunges. This is the excellent leg, hamstring, and even glute exercise that will really push you and find you within incredible shape. I love this exercise. It’s very challenging, but it’ll have your legs looking magnificent quickly.

My last favourite Los Angeles Personal fitness trainer your life the Shoulder Press. Shoulder Presses are fantastic exercises to generate your shoulder muscle tissues in addition to triceps. You’ve three heads to your shoulders. You have got your anterior or front deltoids, you have also your medial or side deltoids, and you’ve got your rear deltoids. Every single one of muscular tissues must be worked so that you can achieve balance. Plus the shoulder press, either barbell or dumbbell, offer you a phenomenal results in a short period of time.

Remember, these are my top Los Angeles Personal fitness trainer exercises that if used correctly, may have you dropping fat plus firming up your system as soon as possible.

Verbose?
Am not.

You are.

So yesterday we momentarily shifted our focus from the (strictly) head and heart stuff to the body stuff and today we’ll continue the discussion and take a look at the food thing. I know there is much confusion, debate and disagreement about optimal nutrition, so it is always my goal to keep it simple, practical and do-able!
It is my belief that many experts make a simple process (eating well) much harder than it needs to be… and being as I’m kinda simple, I thought we’d keep the discussion that way.
(Simple).

Most of the following is taken from my book ‘Food for Thought’.

Enjoy.

At the start of many diet books the author will make some amazing but predictable claims as to why his or her ‘nutritional model’ is the long-awaited answer to the global obesity problem and why that particular book is remarkably different to any of its predecessors. In the business world this is called having a USP; a Unique Selling Proposition. They want us to believe that their book, in a sea of similar books, is the book we can’t do without. Unless the book’s message and philosophy is different to the other four billion books on offer (has a USP), why would we want to read it? So very early in the piece they will do their best to establish the WOW factor and to impress us with jargon, tech-terms, university studies, research from NASA, their version of weight-loss truth and some amazing testimonies from people who have lost the equivalent of a Hyundai in body-weight in seven weeks.

Invariably, the claims are based on ‘breakthrough’ scientific research by a bloke with four PhD’s and messy hair, and in an attempt to impress (or confuse) us readers they’ll throw in terms like deoxyribonucleic acid, thermogenic, glycemic load, cellular nutrition and independent double-blind study.
Aaaah, the good old double-blind study; where would we be without those?

With books like the CSIRO Diet, the Atkins Diet, the Low GI Diet, the Health Revolution Diet, Protein Power, the Pritikin Diet, the Ultimate Weight Solution, Dieting for Dummies, the South Beach Diet, the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet, The Fat Fallacy, The Zone, Mastering the Zone, Son of the Zone (I made that one up) already selling in the squillions, it might be reasonable to suggest that another diet book ain’t gunna turn the SS Obesity around any time soon.

In fact I’m sure if I went into the lab, put on my white coat (ok, it’s beige) and gave it a good shot, I could find a definite correlation between the increase in the number of diet books on the market and the rising levels of obesity. I know a little about science and I reckon if I try hard enough to interpret the data to suit my hypothesis, I could scientifically conclude that diet books are quite possibly the cause of global obesity. Think about it; we’ve never had more diet books, yet we’ve never been fatter. Maybe I’m on to something? Surely there’s a relationship there?

Ok, I’m talking rubbish, but you get my point.

What if losing weight ain’t that complex?

While I acknowledge that losing weight isn’t always a piece of cake (literally or metaphorically), I also know that it isn’t as difficult as many people make it out to be. After all, if losing weight was simple and straight forward (energy in verses energy out, for example) then maybe we wouldn’t need all those diet books would we?

Mmmm.

Fortunately for you this post is not another tedious diet book, there will be no ridiculous claims, no further reference to double-blind studies and I don’t know many big scientific words, so you shouldn’t get confused.

RULE 1: Eat less.
Aaaah c’mon Harper…. give us something better than that! Thought you were a scientist? Sorry to disappoint you but as long as the biggest problem is overeating (which it is) then the number one solution will always be to eat less. As frustrating, obvious and simple as it may be to reduce our calorie intake… WE STILL DON’T DO IT!
Surely it can’t be so simple, can it?

The single biggest dietary mistake made by most of us is… over-eating.

We confuse what we want, with what our body actually needs (as discussed in the National Geographic Diet post).
It’s estimated that many of us consume thirty to forty percent more food than we need every day. The net result of all that over-eating is fat adults, fat kids and the fastest growing obesity rate in history.

People are almost disappointed with the simplicity of this rule (because they think there must be more to it) but the truth is, if the only thing overweight people did was consistently reduce their calorie intake by up to half, all diet books would be redundant because we’d have virtually zero obesity. So while the experts are debating the high-carb, low-carb, no-carb thing, smart people are simply reducing calories and losing weight! Perhaps a little 1985, but it works. If you’re not sure where to start, reduce the size of your meals by twenty percent and see how you go.

RULE 2: Don’t drink your calories.
While many drinks are cheap, practical, convenient and taste ace… a lot of them are also high in sugar, fat and calories and low in nutritional value. They are also big contributors towards the obesity problem. Some people consistently drink more calories (crap calories) than they eat.
And don’t be fooled by some of the ‘healthier’ options; fruit juices, smoothies, cappuccinos, hot chocolates and protein shakes can be loaded with calories and often contain more sugar than soft drinks (sodas). Some smoothies contain more calories than we might have in a typical lunch or dinner… and people drink these in between meals because they are a healthy option. If you are determined to drink smoothies, use only skim milk, throw in some ice, use fresh fruit (not juice), don’t add ice cream, don’t sweeten it (except with fruit), don’t drink two litres of it… and call it what it is; a meal.
And then of course there’s alcohol….

RULE 3: Eat five to six small meals per day (all about the same size).
Most Aussies are ‘three square meals a day’ people. Research tells us (I hate that expression, but it’s true) that our bodies actually function better on more frequent smaller meals, rather than less frequent, bigger meals. Our body isn’t built to run on a sporadic mix of whopping meals, tiny meals and ‘normal-size’ meals. When we eat small, similar-sized meals more often we are less likely to get fat, more likely to keep our blood sugar levels in a healthier range, more likely to keep our metabolism elevated, less likely to overload our digestive system, less likely to have cravings (and do stupid things), less likely to have energy peaks and troughs and more likely to stay mentally sharp. To my knowledge there is no scientific evidence that indicates that a mix of bigger and smaller meals is optimum for a human body, yet that’s how most of us eat; four corn flakes for breakfast and a deep-fried buffalo for lunch… followed by an afternoon nap.
By the way, a meal doesn’t have to be as big as a caravan and served up on a plate to qualify as a meal. A meal might be an apple and a yoghurt or a hundred grams of chicken (not a kilo) and a salad. If you want a rough guide as to how much food is ideal at each meal, look at the size of your fist and that is about the volume of food you can aim for (if you exercise a lot you may want to increase it by fifty percent). Of course the fist thing is not a scientific standard but it can give you a starting point (I know right now you’re wishing you had bigger hands).

RULE 4: Read nutritional information labels and know exactly what you’re putting in your mouth.
Don’t believe what’s written in big words on the front… that’s called advertising, not information. Look for the little box on the back with all the numbers in it and discover what you’re really eating. Recently one of my clients told me she had discovered low-fat peanut butter. She was excited to inform me that it was twenty-five percent less fat than normal (that’s what the label on the front told her). When she read the nutritional information box she discovered that her low-fat peanut butter was about forty percent fat… so instead of being extremely high in fat (like normal peanut butter), it was ‘only’ very high in fat. Rather than going for the atrocious option, she simply went for the terrible one. Nutella is a spread which is marketed towards kids and is advertised as being low Glycemic Index. They’re not lying; it is low G.I. What they don’t advertise is that it’s also high in fat, high in sugar and high in calories… just what our fat kids need.

Also be aware that many low-fat products are loaded with sugar to compensate for the lack of fat and flavour. Don’t assume that low-fat foods won’t make you fat. You might be interested (or depressed) to learn that some brands of barbeque sauce are over fifty percent sugar… sorry for ruining your summer barbeque fun.
A few years ago one of my clients informed me that she had decided to substitute her evening meal for a low-fat meal replacement shake. Being the sceptical, boring and predictable type that I am, I asked her to bring me an empty sachet so that I could investigate exactly what was in her little weight-loss miracle. With sixteen different vitamins and minerals, less than one percent fat and the personal endorsement of an Olympian, how could she go wrong?
If only it wasn’t fifty seven percent sugar (no, that’s not a misprint) perhaps she might have lost some weight.
Beware the weight-loss sachet.

RULE 5: Avoid (most) cereals.
What? Isn’t cereal meant to be the healthy breakfast? These days the term ‘healthy cereal’ is almost an oxymoron. Most cereals are sugary, processed, expensive crap but if you really want to go down that road then opt for the ones with the shorter ingredient lists. Usually the longer the ingredient list (for any food product, not just cereal), the worse the product is for you. That will leave you with options like oats (my daily breakfast), unprocessed bran, weet-bix (or similar), some natural mueslis and a few others. Read the nutritional information on the pack carefully and choose wisely. If it has more than ten grams of sugar per hundred, avoid it.

RULE 6: Don’t eat within four hours of bedtime.
This is one of those rules that might not sit well with the ‘nutritional gurus’ but… I don’t really care. They can have their own set of rules! While it’s not always possible, practical or appropriate for everyone to stop eating four hours before bedtime (shift workers, diabetics, kids), for many of us this is a great rule for a few reasons: 1.People sleep better because their digestive system isn’t working overtime while they try and sleep. 2. They won’t indulge in senseless late-night, pantry-raiding type eating. 3. They might actually wake up hungry (a good thing) and 4. They won’t overload their body with calories when they are moving in to their least active phase of the day (and a time when they won’t be burning a great deal of calories). Bottom line: for many people their biggest weight-loss challenge is controlling their night-time eating… Follow this rule and you’ll have no problems.
(I didn’t say it was easy; I just said it works).

RULE 7: Keep a food diary.
It’s amazing what a difference a food diary can make.
The simple process of recording our food intake can be one which greatly increases our chances of achieving fantastic results. My experience is that people who keep an accurate food diary are more likely to lose weight, more likely to create new habits, more likely to get into reality and stay there (as opposed to the food fibbers and the delusional I-hardly-eat-anything people), more likely to stay focused and more likely to create ‘forever’ change.
Yes, it may seem childish to have to record everything and no, it might not always be convenient for you, but I’ve used diaries with everyone from obese kids, to doctors, to elite athletes… and they work. You’ll learn a bit about yourself, you’ll gain some self control and you’ll lose weight. So don’t be precious or too important… and start that diary.

RULE 8: Clean out your pantry and fridge. Remove the temptations.
I know and you know how amazing your will power is…but why don’t you get rid of those temptations anyway! Removing the junk from your pantry and fridge is always cathartic and ain’t gonna hurt your weight loss endeavours any. Instead of having the chocolates, the biscuits and those special treats for when the… er, visitors drop over, why don’t you do your visitors a favour and replace those unhealthier treats with some healthier options.

* Tomorrow we’ll wrap up the worlds longest post and finish the food rules.
Er, suggestions.

We all eat too from time to time, in most cases, no problem. Who cares if you go a little overboard when it’s Christmas and you want to leave your hair? You can put on a few pounds, but more often you cut back on junk food and do some more exercise so that you are your normal size. But it is when you seem unable to stop overeating; you might have trouble controlling your weight. If overeating becomes a habit, it is almost inevitable that you consume more calories than you burn, then put on weight.

You must break this habit of eating. It is not difficult if you have recently been caught in a trap of eating too much because you still have some memories of this kind of regime should eat and how much food is appropriate for you. You are very aware of how little exercise you do and how you can change this by getting up to go for a walk or jog around the block tomorrow.

You may have started to overeat due to a special event or because something happened to make you feel depressed. However, at least not have reached the stage where you do not know what your diet and exercise are the requirements. In fact, it is much harder to break the habit of overeating when you eat excessive amounts of food whenever you remember. While you know you eat too much, you just do not know how much to eat.

There are many online calculators that can help you determine approximately what your needs are calories and calorie content of different foods so you can develop a diet plan that helps you manage your food more efficiently. If you know what you eat at meals and when the intent to eat, it’s easier to avoid snacks too, as you say when you can and can not eat.

It is worthwhile to eat regularly, so you do not so hungry that you frenzy on junk food while you should also consider portion sizes to serve you. If you serve meals on smaller plates, you will not able to put food on them so that you can help prevent overeating. On those occasions when you’re tempted to overeat or you actually give in to temptation, you can always do a little exercise to distract yourself or burn calories.

It can take some time to break the habit of eating too much, but it can be done as long as you are willing to change your habits and have patience and determination to stick to a diet plan.