's motd Friday July 20, 2012

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MEAL PLAN

Friday, 20 July 2012

It's another one of the most FAQs I receive. ,

how do I plan healthy meals for myself?

Well, it's a good question and, if your goal is to

lose weight and get healthier, meal-planning is

something you really need to focus on, everyday.

And today, I want to give you a few tips on how to

plan those healthy meals for yourself.

Watch your calorie consumption.

1)Watch your calorie consumption. Remember,

for every pound you lose, you'll need to cut 3,500

calories from your meal plan. If you reduce your

caloric intake by 500 calories a day, in one week,

(seven days), you can lose a whole pound. That would

work out to about 25-30 pounds in a year and that's a

great healthy

rate at

which to lose weight.

2)Choose foods that are low in salt/sodium.

That's where reading food labels comes in. The

average adult needs about 1,500 mg of sodium per day,

which equals barely one teaspoon. With the amount of

processed foods we eat, the average American consumes 2-3 times

that much and

that's not good! Too much salt can lead to everything

from high blood pressure to heart issues.

3)Choose low-fat dairy products like fat-free

cheeses, skim milk or 1% milk to reduce the amount of

fat you consume from this food group.

Cut way back on foods high in solid fats,

added sugar and salt.

4)Cut way back on foods high in solid fats, added

sugar and salt. Processed foods are the real

villains in this category and you know what they are.

I'm talking foods like cookies, snack chips, frozen

pizzas and most luncheon meats for instance. So

please read your labels and don't bring those

processed foods home from the supermarket with you.

5)Choose whole-grain products as

often as you can. Most of the grains you consume

should be whole-grains. They're loaded

with fiber, vitamins and minerals.

6)Make your plates burst with color! By that, I

mean be sure your plate is filled with plenty of

colorful fruits and vegetables. Those deep-hued

fruits and veggies are highest in cancer-fighting

anti-oxidants and fill you up without adding lots of

calories to your food plan.

Planning healthy meals does not have to be

costly.

So there are some healthy tips for you. Planning

healthy meals does not have to be costly and can

actually be fun. By the way, spend a little extra

quality time in your grocer's produce section because

that's where you'll find your healthiest food

choices. And try to buy your produce in season

because that's when they cost less.

Okay, got you plan in hand? Good!

Because those healthy meal plans will become an

important part of planning...the new, healthier

YOU!

Love,