Fat Quarter

Fat Quarter

Slim Down Low Fat Recipes - Lose Weight the Hard Way or the “easy” Way

Do people who are looking to lose weight need help while doing so? This can have but two answers, yes and no. To decipher who would need guidance and who doesn`t, would depend on the individual themselves. Some people have the ability, and quickly pick up on how to choose and follow a sensible diet plan, whereas others find it difficult to without assistance. These particular dieters need company for encouragement, and to help strengthen their weaknesses which may hamper their chance of losing excess weight; without aid these people struggle with being consistent with their diet, and effortlessly find they cannot control the temptation to give in, or give up.

Weight loss is a major issue around the world because of the dangers to one`s health that obesity can cause. Let us face it, while you are grossly overweight, you are never going to be able to sit comfortable on a plane, look good in a bikini or win a marathon. Aside from these pointers it is all about health and inner vital organs like the heart. Obesity can cause heart failure. Keeping your weight down and your body healthy will have you see a new change of life. Things like running for a bus and being able to "catch it," walking up the stairs without puffing and panting, or playing with the "grandkids," or sadly in some cases the "kids." Mom and dad if you are obese then if not for yourself think of the children and lose weight.

Are you familiar with phrases like?

Spare Tire

Love Handles

Muffin Top

Pot Belly

If you are then something tells me you may be looking to lose belly fat. The above references are not very flattering but neither is a podgy or flabby tummy. For some there may be no real issue concerning true obesity only that of a sagging belly or other fatty body parts. To lose weight, not only do you need a diet that works or a brain that thinks logically, but more importantly believing in yourself that you can get your weight down,

Below is a couple of slim plan weight loss recipes for those who can go it alone unaided, however for the people that can`t and see dieting as a problem, then you can join other happy dieters following the weightloss4idiots weight loss program. Each recipe has been carefully chosen to help you lose weight and make your diet a success in shedding the pounds. Eating healthily isn't complicated once you know the basics. The balance of good health will help you plan for a healthy diet. Not many people who look to lose weight know what healthy eating means - and is there any wonder why with so much contradiction over particular diets. People under medical supervision and with special dietary requirements, and maybe taking specific prescriptive drugs should never attempt to diet or take up exercise without consulting their doctor first.

If you are trying to eat more healthily in order to slim down then you'll need to pay attention to calories intake. It is not difficult to diet as some people think. Dieting is about following the guidelines and doing as suggested by the experts involved with your chosen weight loss plan to lose weight. The hardest part about the whole concept of dieting is, once you have achieved your ideal weight, is to keep it that way.

Some useful advice to help keep the weight off

There are certain sweetened juices and sugary beverages that can add unwanted calories, so avoid and drink diet pop, or better still water to quench your thirst. Sometimes the body craves food because it is dehydrated and drinking water is the best solution to remedy this.

Eat small healthy snacks; this stops your body from crashing because of low sugar throughout the day. Take in fiber - fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer (whole grain toast instead of white) and it will stop you from snacking on junk food.

If possible, keep healthy foods (fruits, healthy dishes) in visible places such as your kitchen sides, coffee table or at eye level on other household surfaces, this makes you more likely to nibble on healthier foods. Keep bad foods out of sight. The amount you eat in one portion is vitally important, when eating; use your dinner plate as a guide for specific food groups. Half of the plate should host fruit and vegetables, one quarter for grains/carbs, and the final quarter for meats. Plan your meals ahead of schedule eating times. This gives you the opportunity to consider different nutritional foods for your meals. An unorganized menu will have you eat foods as a matter of convenience to fill that gap.

An easy way of getting a few portions of vegetables into your daily diet is to make a tasty and filling soup. Leftover homemade soups can be put in a flask to make a quick, easy, low cal lunch for school, work or o take way a hunger pang.

Leek and Potato Soup

Potatoes make a great base for broths since they boil down and thicken. Chopped leeks with a sprinkling of herbs and seasoning added to spuds will result in a flavorsome soup.

Ingredients

1 tsp Olive Oil

1 Small Diced Onion

450g Chopped Leeks

450g Cubed Potatoes

500ml Semi Skimmed Milk

500ml Water

1 tsp Herbs

Method

Heat oil and lightly fry onion leeks and potatoes together for 3 minutes

Add milk and all water, along with herbs and seasoning

Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Sieve vegetables, retaining any juices

Liquidize vegetables, and then mix in vegetable juice

Reheat, season and serve

Everyone loves to eat curry and the good thing is the dieters can too, only one that is low in fat.

Chicken curry recipe, how hot is up to your own personal taste.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Oil

10g Butter

3 Cloves Crushed Garlic

1 Medium Onion

2 tbsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Ground Coriander

½ tsp dried mint

570g Chicken fillet cut into chunks

200 ml water

Method

Heat oil and butter together in a wok. Add garlic and onion and fry for about 5 minutes until onion a light golden brown. Mix in the garam masala, coriander and mint. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water, stir, and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened.

No matter how tasty a meal is after it has been cooked or prepared, many of us are still inclined to spice our meals up with sauces and relishes. Although these can add that extra zest, they can be threatening and upset the apple cart so as to speak in your attempt to lose weight. Let us say you have made every effort to make a healthy green salad, only to smother it in mayonnaise or salad cream. If you find the urge to strong to resist eating an undressed salad, then use low fat sauces.

Some guidelines below

Tesco Reduced Calorie Mayonnaise

Just like the real stuff Tesco mayonnaise has excellent texture and flavor.

Per 100g

Calories 326kcal

Carbs 9.8g

Fat 31.5g

Sodium 0.9g

Protein 0.8g

Fibre 0.0g

Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise

Although Weight Watchers mayonnaise dressing is mouth watering creamy and mild, it is not exceptionally incredible, however it lists highly among the lowest of different mayonnaises for calories and fat.

Per 100g

Calories 299kcal

Carbs 6.7g

Fat 29.8g

Sodium 0.9g

Protein 0.7g

Fibre Trace

Sensible Fruit and Veg Portions

1. apple, banana, pear or orange

2. 2 plums, Satsuma`s or kiwi fruit

3. 1/2 a grapefruit or avocado

4. large slice of melon/pineapple

5. 3 tablespoons of vegetables, beans or pulses

6. 3 tablespoons of stewed fruit

7. 1 tablespoon of raisins/sultanas

8. 3 dried apricots

9. cupful of grapes or cherries

10. (150ml) glass of pure fruit

Remember, an easy diet is one you like and because of this, it will work.

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About the Author

The diet that works & You will love

If saturated fat is the real cause of Coronary Artery Disease, why is it that almost three quarters of the fat?

...in clogged arteries is unsaturated? This was printed in the Lancet from a study done in 1994.

And in the 1900's when people ate a great deal of saturated fat, heart disease was pretty rare. Not nearly what it is today.

There was a myth that the fat found in arteries that clogged them was from saturated fats because they looked like saturated fats but there was no scientific proof - it just seemed logical. Unfortunately, it's just not true & research has found that it is refined CARBS that create the VLDL cholesterol that clogs arteries. ooooops So the past 35 years when low saturated fats were suggested for heart health & after heart disease became an epidemic, they finally got around to testing this theory that dramatically changed public health policies. I don't expect an apology but isn't it about damn time to *change* the policy. Both cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for growth in babies & children, especially the development of the brain. Still, the American Heart Association recommends a low-cholesterol, lowfat diet for children & adults. Until the government officially changes it's policy - doctors & nutritionists that recommend anything else can be sued for malpractice even though recommending a low fat, high carb diet *is* malpractice.

The link between saturated fats and heart health was based on faulty science & has been disproven. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease, or any other chronic disease of civilization. Through their direct effects on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes.

Transfats are man made chemically altered hydrogenated oils (usually polyunsaturated oils). This converts a fairly benign oil into a toxin that should be banned from our food supply. Transfats were created to replace saturated fats in our food supply but should not be confused with saturated fats.

Plaque build up in the arteries are more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque, glycation - the precursors to a heart attack and heart disease.

study from the Oxford group examining the postprandial (after-eating) effects of a low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diet. (Roberts R et al, 2008)

Postprandial lipoproteins, you'd think, would be plentiful after ingesting a large quantity of fat, since fat must be absorbed via chylomicrons into the bloodstream. But it's carbohydrates that figure most prominently in determining the pattern and magnitude of postprandial triglycerides and lipoproteins. Much of this effect develops by way of de novo lipogenesis, the generation of new lipoproteins like VLDL after carbohydrate ingestion.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/after-eating-effects-carbohydrates-vs.html

SEVEN REASONS TO EAT MORE SATURATED FAT -

1) Improved cardiovascular risk factors

Saturated fat in the diet reduces the levels of lipoprotein (a) abbreviated Lp(a)—that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. The only dietary means of lowering Lp(a) is eating saturated fat. Eating fats raises the level of HDL, the so-called good cholesterol.

2) Stronger bones

Saturated fat is required for calcium to be incorporated into bone - According to expert in human health, Mary Enig, Ph.D., as much as 50 percent of the fats in the diet should be saturated fats.

3) Improved liver health
Studies show that saturated fat encourages the liver cells to dump fat content. Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from the toxic insults of alcohol & medications and even to reverse the damage.

4) Healthy lungs

For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant & potentially causes breathing difficulties, collapse of the airspaces & respiratory distress.

5) Healthy brain

Your brain is mainly made of fat & cholesterol. most of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. The brain needs saturated fats to function optimally.

6) Proper nerve signaling

Certain saturated fats, found in butter, lard, coconut oil, & palm oil, function directly as signaling messengers that influence the metabolism. Without the correct signals to tell the organs & glands what to do, the job gets done improperly.

7) Strong immune system

Saturated fats found in butter & coconut oil (myristic acid & lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in the white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize & destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, & fungi. Myristic & lauric acid have potent germ-killing ability. We need dietary replenishment of them to keep the immune system vigilant against the development of cancerous cells & infectious invaders.

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