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 By: Lisa Sutton
Just the word diet is a turnoff. Many people, especially women, have issues around food. Some of us are overeaters, some under eaters; some have disorders called anorexia or bulimia. All of these are in fact eating disorders and caused by emotional stress. What can we do about it? We start educating ourselves for one thing. Information is crucial for success in any area. It is no different when it comes to nutrition. Most women want to shed a few pounds - You must burn more calories than you consume to lose weight, and the exercise portion of this program is just as important as the nutritional part. Refer back to: What Women Want Part I, for the workout.
Protein consumption is a key element in a successful weight loss program. One gram per pound of body weight is what most experts recommend. Try to break that number up into five small meals consumed every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
There are many different protein sources to choose from. You can eat chicken breast (boneless and skinless), turkey, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, protein powders and bars.
Carbohydrates are important too. They are necessary to fuel your workouts and recover from them. Just make sure you consume the complex carbohydrates in the early part of the day, preferably before 2 pm. Make sure you consume the fibrous carbohydrates during the afternoon and early evening. Complex carbohydrates include brown rice, sweet potatoes, pasta, breads and oats. Fibrous carbohydrates are your vegetables and grains. Include different color vegetables in your diet.
  Click Image To Enlarge. Include Different Colors.
Fats are another energy source that is critical to a healthy diet. They are good for the skin, hair and overall metabolism.
Among healthy fats are olive oil, flaxseed oil, natural peanut butter, nuts and seeds. There is an example of a meal plan below. You can use the substitution list provided in this article to make your own daily meal plans.
Be good to yourself and remember to treat yourself at least once a week to something you really enjoy. Don't over indulge; keep your portions in moderation. This will help you stick to the diet the rest of the week. This endeavor will take some discipline on your part, but the payoff is well worth the sacrifices you make. It's really about better choices most of the time. Isn't that what life is about? Forum Threads:
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