Dieting Made Easy

Harvard School of Public Health has done studies and come out with the foods that will make you gain weight and those which will help you lose weight. Here are the sad but true facts to which I have added some tips.

Potato Chips unfortunately, made the top of the list of foods that will make you gain weight. It was the one food which now and then I would crunch on while working on my PC. However, have faith. I discovered that I could get by much better by cutting up a cucumber and sprinkling it with lemon juice and a bit of salt. This is great snacking food. You can cut up tomatoes and a lot of other raw veggies this way and you won’t miss those chips.

My favorites made the number two slot – potatoes. Well, I can’t live without having a potato now and then. So I allow myself to have potatoes at least twice a week. Small portions and one of my favorite ways is a boiled potato topped with a bit of cottage cheese.

Next, we come to sugar-sweetened beverages. You know all that delicious soda that will add on the pounds. Well, I discovered that I can live without it. I drink natural tea without sugar and add some lemon. I also discovered that a glass of milk now and then is not bad and I love to drink water with lemon.

Unprocessed red meat is next. There are lots of people who have given up eating meat and I respect their decision. However, I am in the group that needs meat now and then. One of the best ways to get rid of the craving for too much meat is to have ground beef which can also be used in many different kinds of casseroles with healthy ingredients like vegetables.

I have my own category here that can help you keep to a diet. We mostly eat chicken in all shapes and sizes. A great deal of chicken fillet and prepared quickly stir-fried with vegetables and rice.

When it comes to processed meats – you know hot dogs and different kinds of sausages and cold cuts. Well if you are like me don’t despair. I have discovered that a hot dog now and then won’t add any extra pounds. However, I do mean rarely. I decided that if I could at least taste a hot dog about two times a month I will have satisfied my craving. There are times when I don’t even miss them so that doesn’t even mean every month. The best thing is that you can also choose to have fat-free, turkey, or chicken hot dogs too. Just keep in mind that too much unprocessed and processed meats will cause weight gain.

Now there is one thing which I must have occasionally and that is bacon. To satisfy your hunger for bacon I prefer to chop it up in pieces and then fry it up.  Then I can add it to different kinds of foods and sauces. In this way, I don’t have too much and I have satisfied my craving for bacon.  

Now for the good news. The foods which help you to lose weight are vegetables, whole grains, fruit, nuts, and yogurt.

I love all kinds of vegetables so I either have them raw or steamed. I add tomatoes to rice or some pasta. Love all the green leafy vegetables and steamed cauliflower. So remember these you can eat as much as you want. I am a great fan of beans and there are times I will just eat beans and nothing else.

When it comes to grains we eat a lot of black bread and rye bread. I make my own pita and tortillas. We love oatmeal and barley. You can make a wonderful mix of different kinds of vegetables like carrots, onions, garlic, zucchini, and other combinations. To them add bouillon cubes chicken or beef and a handful or more of barley and when it is all tender and ready you have a wonderful and delicious veggie stew. In other words, combine and create and enjoy.

Fruit is great to eat. There is a lot of variety with the most popular being apples and bananas. You can eat yogurt with fruit pieces like strawberries and peaches.

So be good to your body and you can survive losing weight without feeling that you have denied yourself anything.