Easy summer snacks aren’t just for kids. Summer is a time when we want to take advantage of the nice weather so we’re on the go even more than normal. So finding healthy snacks that are easy to carry while on the go is the goal for diet success.Whether you find yourself running kids to baseball practice or you’re heading out to a water park or some other summer-related event or occasion, it’s a good idea to tuck some easy summer snacks in your bag to have on hand when hunger strikes. Let’s face it, the unexpected happens!.Part of the battle to lose weight is to find ways to deal with the unexpected. With a busy summer schedule, it’s not unusual to get caught up in what’s going on. Vacations are another summer event that can derail our best intentions when it comes to eating a healthy diet. While there are many easy summer snacks, the easiest to carry while on the run are fruits. They come with their own “wrapper” and don’t need to be refrigerated or eaten with a utensil. A wide assortment of fruits come into season during the summer months giving you variety so you won’t get bored. Choices include:BerriesPeachesPearsApricotsNectarinesPlumsSliced melonsWhile fruit works for calorie restricted diets, easy summer snacks that work for a low carb diet include things like string cheese and jerkey. Another possibility is nuts like almonds. You can eat an ounce (about 24 nuts) for just to 2 grams of carbohydrates.Snacks are part of many healthy eating plans. The key is to remember that a snack does not equal a meal, it should be a light between-meal food eaten when you’re hungry.

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People fast for different reasons, but today I want to talk about different types of fasting for health.

What comes to mind when you hear the word fasting? I think about eating no food. This approach is called a complete fast. The only thing you take in is water.

Partial Fast

A more common way to approach fasting for health is a partial fast. This means giving up certain kinds of food or giving up one or two meals a day. This could mean giving up sugar or limiting meals for a pre-determined amount of time.

Daniel Fast

Fasting has been part of various religious cultures, and some of these fasts such as the Daniel Fast are now used by people as a means to weight loss and better health. This fast is based on the biblical account of a man named Daniel. When carried away to Babylon, as a captive being trained for the King’s service, he refused the king’s food and asked for vegetables only. The guard worried the change in diet would not be healthy and as a result he would get in trouble. Daniel talked him into a trial period and ate only vegetables and water for that time. While Daniel didn’t consider this a fast but a matter of conscience, today it is embraced as a healthy fast by people seeking better health and a closer walk with God.

Juice Fast

Of the different types of fasting for health, one of the most popular is the juice fast. This form of fasting has a variety of approaches. The premise behind this fast is that fresh juices provide necessary nutrition and energy while detoxifying the body. A juice fast can be followed for one day, two days, seven days…I’ve known people to do it for an entire month.

Fasting can be beneficial, but before you follow a fast talk with your doctor.

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Are you so sick of the yo-yo weight game that you’re ready to try anything? Maybe even buy a “How to Lose Weight by Hypnosis” DVD? The fact is that hypnosis does work for some people, but will it work for you?

Hypnosis is a controversial approach to weight loss in some circles because it deals with the subconscious. However, this is the same reason hypnosis is an attractive alternative for some people when it comes to losing weight. They try and try to drop those unwanted pounds but can’t quite find the will power to remain consistent.

Hypnosis is said to help overcome unconscious obstacles or re-educate the unconscious. For those who embrace hypnosis as an option, it is considered a “natural” way to lose weight because it doesn’t require the use of drugs.

If this sounds like it might be the answer you’re looking for, you’ll want to find a hypnotherapist, but before you do, I have to say that MayoClinic.com sites studies that have evaluated the results of weight loss hypnosis. The conclusions are “positive but modest.” That means that even hypnosis is not a magic pill…or non-pill. Average weight loss is around six pounds.

If you are unsure whether or not it might be worth a try, you can learn a little more about what to expect, by buying a hypnotherapy DVD and start there.

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As long as we’re losing weight it’s easy to stay motivated, but learning how to stick to your diet and how to get over a plateau when dieting takes a little more discipline.

Watching the numbers on the scale drop along with pounds is enough to make the sacrifice worth it, but what happens when the needle on the scale doesn’t budge? How do you keep going?

Learning how to get over a plateau when dieting is a challenge, but don’t give up! You may have to trick your body into burning extra fat again. Here are a couple of ways to help push past that plateau:Calorie Shifting

If you are following a calorie restricted diet and stopped losing weight, it may be because your body has kicked into survival mode. It may think there’s is a food shortage. To help get your metabolism moving again try calorie shifting by changing the amount of calories eaten each day. For example, you may eat 1200 calories one day and 1900 calories another. Following this type of routine will keep your body guessing as to how many calories to expect.

Change Up Your Exercise

I have been walking since the first of the year, and my weight had stagnated for two months. I moved on to the Wii Fit during the hot summer weather and found I’m working more muscles while doing low-intensity cario exercise and then moving on to higher intensity options.

Change How Often You Eat

Along with how much you eat, try changing how often you eat. I had followed the No S Diet for months and it helped me realize I don’t need to snack during the day. However, after about three months I stopped losing! I’ve gone back to having a snack here and there, but I’m limiting myself to healthy options. Eating small amounts throughout the day can actually help boost your metabolism.

If you’re stuck, try stepping out of your diet rut. It might just do the trick.

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People can lose weight quickly when fasting, but what good does it do unless they know how to fast for permanent weight loss?

People who drop unwanted weight quickly by fasting come to the day when the fast ends. It’s what you do next that will make a difference in whether or not the weight comes back on or stays off. While fasting, we give our digestive systems time off. This is one of the reasons people who fast feel more energetic.

Another benefit to fasting is that it helps people realize they can do without food. This can be a catalyst to a real lifestyle change and can translate to permanent weight loss, if you can carry the lessons and habits you learned through fasting into a new healthier lifestyle. For example, give up snacking between meals. This can be considered mini-fasting.

When I interviewed Peter Glickman regarding the Master Cleanse Diet, he explained the importance of eating healthy once the fast ends and part of this is to not go back to overeating.There are different ways to apply fasting principles to life after you’ve lost your weight.

Some people fast one day a month, others fast one day a week, or fast between meals. To learn how to fast for permanent weight loss is to learn how to carry the lessons learned from fasting into your everyday life and eat less.

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Like so many things associated with weight loss, I’ve heard good and bad things when it comes to hypnosis as a way to lose weight. Is hypnosis for weight loss bad for you?

When it comes to hypnosis and weight loss, the actual term that is used is hypnotherapy. You see a therapist…a hypnotherapist to be exact. Hypnosis is the tool used to help modify your behavior in relation to diet. But is hypnosis for weight loss bad for you in some way? Like so many things related to weight loss, there are two camps on this issue too:

Pros for Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss

-Hypnotherapy for weight loss does not involve habit-forming drugs
-Hypnotherapy has no serious side-effects
-Hypnotherapy is not expensive
-Hypnosis has been used as a self-improvement tool for years

Cons for Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss

-Hypnotherapy puts you at risk of being exploited by the hypnotist
-Hypnosis puts you under the control of the hypnotist which can be dangerous
-Within the religious world some religions believe hypnosis opens a person to demonic influences.

As you can see, the answer as to whether or not weight loss hypnosis is bad for you might be rather subjective. If you plan to try hypnotherapy for weight loss, be wise in your selection of a hypnotherapist. If you have no idea where to start, there are several organizations that certify hypnotherapists. You can contact the American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists and they can put you in touch with someone in your area.

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Note: As a hypnotherapist myself, I will tell you that unless you are undergoing EXTREME mindwashing, a hynpotherapist can not make you do anything that you would not “normally” do. And even with mindwashing I doubt you could be compelled to do anything that goes against your own moral judgment.

One key, of course, is to choose someone you trust, who will not manipulate you for their own reasons. But that’s always a smart thing. Remember, that just as you can easily come out of trance if there is anything that requires your attention, you can not be compelled to do anything that is against your own best interests.

If you’re considering fasting for health, it doesn’t have to be days or weeks at a time. You may be surprised at the number of benefits that fasting for a day can bring!You don’t have to fast for weeks or months to derive healthful benefits. Consider the benefits of fasting for a day:

A one day fast is easier for a beginner and effective for the novice faster.Fasting for even one day gives your body time to rest, repair and cleanse.

-Improves circulation
-Gives you more energy
-Weight loss
-Improves elimination

People use the one day fast in a variety of ways. Some fast one day a week while others may fast for a day twice a week or even every other day for a specified amount of time. For the most part, this type of fasting means taking in no food and drinking only water or fresh juices.

While a one day fast is a healthy approach for most people, fasting should not be done by people who are pregnant, children, or people on medication. It is always best to talk with your doctor before fasting, even if it is only one day a week.

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Snacking is a pitfall for many, and learning how to not eat in the evening when dieting is one of the hardest. But it can be done!

Evening and late night snacking is a habit. We don’t tend to eat at these times because we’re hungry, but for other reasons.

For example, snacking while watching TV to unwind is a popular trend, and we do it almost unconsciously. How many times have you reached for more popcorn and realized the bowl is empty!

Here are a few tips for how to not eat in the evening when dieting:
-Make sure you eat enough during the day.
-Eat small meals spread out at regular intervals.
-Follow this by eating a satisfying dinner.
-Prepare foods that satisfy helps diminish the desire to eat later in the day.

If you struggle with a sweetooth, allow yourself a low calorie dessert after dinner. In the summer, I enjoy a fudgesicle for 90 calories. It’s cold, refreshing and chocolate. Quite a difference from ½ cup serving of Ben and Jerry’s original chocolate at 260 calories! And who only eats ½ cup? Check low calorie options in the freezer section!

When the urge to snack in the evening hits, get up and set the timer for 10 minutes and have a glass of water or herbal tea while you wait. Often the urge disappears.

While you wait ask yourself these questions:
-Is five minutes of snacking worth adding 200-500 more calories to your day?
-Is blowing your diet now worth it after all your hard work?

Are you really hungry? Stop and listen to your stomach. Could it be you are bored or upset?Are TV food commercials triggering desires to eat? (If so don’t watch them!)

If you stick with your goal, you’ll reap the reward of feeling good about yourself, along with the benefit of gradual weight loss. You can do it! One day…or evening at a time.

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When it comes to diet, is low carb better than calorie counting? That’s a good question and you may be surprised by the answer.I have successfully lost weight by counting calories numerous times. The fact that I have to use the word numerous tells you something. When I stop counting, I gain the weight back. So I tried a low carb diet so I didn’t have so much counting and tracking. I lost about five pounds and then I was stuck and starting to feel like I had the makings of indigestion by the end of each day.For those who follow my blog you know that I went to the No S Diet. That worked, but then for April and May my weight stayed the same which means I was eating too much when I did eat. Which brings me back to wanting to still lose about 20 pounds more and asking the question: is low carb better than calorie counting? Which way should I go?Then I found this study which tested four different diet approaches. All of them included healthy fats, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. The more than 800 dieters who participated were encouraged to cut 750 calories from their diet each day, and to exercise 90 minutes a week. For accountability, they were expected to track what they ate in an online food diary and meet with a nutritional counselor weekly.What did the study show?This study showed that no one diet was better than any other. People lost about the same weight across the board but it was based on reduced calories. Their conclusion was that weight loss was the result of limiting the intake of calories (even if you do that by reducing carbs) and burning more calories with exercise. The bottom line is–eat less.

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The advantage of choosing chicken for your diet is that it can work for low cal and low carb meals.If you’re looking for recipe ideas to help you lose weight, consider low cal and low carb chicken meals. Yesterday I talked about how reducing your intake of food will help you lose weight. The benefits of choosing chicken for your menu plan are that it is a:Very good source of proteinIt is a good source niacinGood source of B6It is low calorie and low carbChoosing low cal and low carb chicken is the perfect choice for couples on a diet, even if one of you is counting carbs and the other counting calories. The variety of culinary possibilities offers plenty of options whether you’re entertaining guests or want a quick meal. One of my current favorites quick chicken meals is to dice up half a chicken breast and one summer squash. (Spray the pan with cooking spray.) Cook chicken, add squash and one half cup of cold brown rice until heated. Add salt and pepper to taste and a little Braggs Amino and you have a tasty quick dish that’s done in 10 minutes for less than 250 calories, or leave out the rice and double your portion of chicken for just 5 grams of carbohydrate.

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