Helpful Tips to Eating Well while Losing Weight

Learning to identify and choose the right foods that are actually good for us is better than choosing the different foods that would supposedly help us lose weight. Indeed, perspective! Changing your perspective about losing weight can be very helpful especially if you want to lighten up. If “losing weight” gives you negative connotation, then why not change it in a positive way—into “getting healthy”?

Ten Helpful Tips

• Eat for pleasure and good health, not for weight loss.

• Start the day with oats and you won’t be hungry for hours.

• Eat more fish, chicken, vegetables and salads, and less red meat, pork, pasta, pastry and potatoes.

• Use a plastic squeezy bottle for olive oil and sauces—it helps you use less. 

• Use yoghurt instead of cream.

• Snack on fruit and nuts instead of chocolate and crisps.

• Steam instead of grill, grill instead of roast, roast instead of fry, shallow-fry instead of deep-fry. 

• Eat carbohydrates like pasta and potatoes for lunch instead of in the evening.

• Drink better, drink less, and drink only with the evening meal.

• If you really want something, enjoy it without guilt, and then lighten up the next day.

Reference: Jill Dupleix, Lighten Up, Ten Tips for Eating Well without Having to Diet, p. 109 Reader’s Digest August 2008

The Benefits of Honey

Honey—the gift from nature, has abundant benefits that many people are not yet aware of. It has some miraculous antiseptic and skin healing properties, various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, weight loss and healing effects, and has a great natural anti-aging skin care and hair care treatments. 

Honey, the natural sweetener, is a good source of carbohydrate which is cholesterol-free, fat-free, and sodium-free.

Honey—Antiseptic and Skin Healing Properties

Honey contains antimicrobial agents that kill several types of bacteria in and around wounds. It has natural healing agent containing enzyme called glucose oxidase, which produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic, when combined with water. It also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. It heals wounds, eases swell, and grows tissue back. Medical journals cite more than 600 cases in which honey was used to treat wounds. Honey has a magnificent ability to attract water, which makes it great for re-hydrating dry skin that can also be used to ease the pain caused by sun burn and speed the healing process. A lot more research is being done on using honey for burn victims.

Honey—Natural Anti-aging Skin and Hair Care Treatments

Honey has also a great natural moisturizing effect for dry and parched skin. A humectant, it has an amazing ability to attract and preserve moisture, and restore the moisture level in the skin without making it oily. Honey provides a calming effect without irritating the skin and helps replenish necessary skin moisture. It became one of the most popular anti aging skin care ingredients in many commercial moisturizing products like creams, cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, and shower gels. It is also suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products because it has gentle effect on the skin.

Health Benefits of Honey

Vitamins include:

• Vitamin A (carotenes)

• Vitamin B1 (thiamin)

• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

• Vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid)

• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

• Vitamin H (biotin)

• Vitamin P1 (rutin)

Minerals include:

• Calcium

• Copper

• Iodine 

• Iron

• Magnesium

• Manganese

• Phosphate

• Potassium 

• Sulfur

• Zinc

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are substances that help the body reduce the effects of cellular damage and chronic diseases. One unique antioxidant only found in honey is called "pinocembrin". The concentration of antioxidants varies with the floral sources of honey. Most often, the darker the honey, the more antioxidants are there compared to lighter honey.

Honey—Weight Loss and Healing Effects

• Honey is monosaccharide, the simplest form of sugar that cannot be further broken down

• It does not cause irritation to our digestive system as it passes directly from small intestine into the bloodstream 

• It does not ferment in our stomach to cause any danger of bacterial invasion 

• It is the most ideal fuel for burning body fat stores during sleep having 1:1 ratio of fructose and glucose 

• It reduces fatty accumulations in our cardiovascular system 

• It is safer and more effective remedy for children’s coughs than over-the-counter medicines, according to researchers

References:

Health Benefits of Honey, Phillip Carter, http://www.aces.edu/urban/metronews/vol8no2/HealthHoney.html

Honey Nutrition Facts, http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-nutrition.html

11 Most Unbelievable Honey Benefits That Many People Don’t Know, http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-benefits.html

Precious Anti Aging Skin Care Tips with Honey, http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/anti-aging-skin-care.html

Weight Loss (Reducing) Diet Food Selection Guide

Foods Allowed for a Healthy Weight Loss (Reducing) Diet

Carbohydrate-rich Foods

• Unrefined cereals 

• Unpolished rice 

• Whole wheat bread

• Corn 

• Root crops

Note: Eat within the allowed number of exchanges

Protein-rich Foods

For Vegetarians

• Preferably legumes, nuts, grains

For Non-Vegetarians

• Fish, poultry, veal

Vegetables

• All, preferably leafy and watery vegetables like sweet potato (camote) tops, swamp cabbage (kangkong), spinach, cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, radish, horse radish (malunggay) leaves, Chinese cabbage (pechay), mustard, chayote, green papaya, sponge gourd (patola), bamboo shoots, tomatoes, parsley, broccoli, lettuce, bottle gourd (upo).

Fruits

• All, within the allowance

Beverages

• Unsweetened juices

• Low fat milk

Desserts

• Fresh fruits for desserts

Fat-rich Foods

• Vegetable oil just enough for frying and sautéing

Foods NOT Allowed

Carbohydrate-rich Foods

• Sweet baked products 

• Sweetened cereals 

• Sweetened root crops 

• Excess of allowance

Protein-rich Foods

• Pork and fatty meats

Fruits and vegetables

• None

Beverages

• Soft drinks 

• Chocolate drinks 

• Milk shakes 

• Alcoholic beverages

• Sweetened juices 

• Coffee, tea

Desserts

• Cakes 

• Pies 

• Ice cream 

• Candies, chocolates 

• Icing 

• Sweetened desserts 

• Sweet preserves 

• Canned fruits 

• Native cakes

Fat-rich Foods

• Animal fats 

• Lard, butter 

• Animal skin 

• French fries 

• Fried chips 

• Animal skin cracker (chicharon)

Note: For more Tips on Healthy Weight Loss (Reducing) Diet See Weight Loss (Reducing) Diet and Tips

 

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.140 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

Low Fat Diet Food Selection Guide

Foods Allowed for a Healthy Low-Fat Diet

Protein-rich Foods

For Vegetarians

• Legumes, grains, nuts, cooked with little or without fat
• Hard-boiled egg
• Skim or nonfat milk

Note: Use whole or evaporated cow's milk in moderation


For Non-Vegetarians

• Fish without skin and fat, cooked with little or no oil

Carbohydrate-rich Foods

• All, except restricted foods

Vegetables

• All, cooked with little or without fat

Fruits

• All, except avocado

Fat-rich Foods

• Vegetable oil in allowed amounts only (just enough for once-in-a-while frying and sautéing

Soups

• Clear, fat free low-fat soup

Beverages

• Fruit juices

• Soymilk, nonfat or skim milk

Desserts/Sweets

• Gelatin

• Fruit juices

• Dietary sherbet

• Angel cake, sponge cake, pudding made of skim milk instead of fresh or whole milk

Foods NOT Allowed

Protein-rich Foods

• Meat and poultry with visible fat

• Meat and poultry skin

• Egg (fried, omelet)

• Cream cheese

• Carabao’s milk, condensed milk

Carbohydrate-rich Foods

• Rich bread with added fat

Vegetables

• Buttered or creamed

• Salads with rich dressings

Fruits

• Avocado

• Salads with rich dressings

Fat-rich Foods

• Mayonnaise, butter, oil, margarine, cream

• Bacon, animal skin cracker (chicharon)

• Fried chips, French fries

• Other fried foods

Soups

• Cream soup

• Bone marrow preparation (bulalo)

Beverages

• Coffee, caffeinated, alcoholic beverages, wine

• Soda beverages as soft drinks

• Whole milk, full cream milk

• Milk shakes, chocolate drinks, malted milk

Desserts/Sweets/Salad

• Rich cakes

• Pies, pastries, cookies

• Butter and cream icings

• Doughnuts, deep-fried pastries

• Candied custard (yema), eggyolk/milk custard (leche flan)

• Dessert with coconut milk

• Salads with mayonnaise and cream

Note: For more Tips on Healthy Low Fat Diet See Low Fat Diet

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.123 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

Low-Cholesterol Diet Food Selection Guide

Foods Allowed for a Healthy Low-Cholesterol Diet

Protein-rich Foods


For Vegetarians

• All plant protein such as grains, legumes, nuts, gluten, vegemeat and other vegetarian products
• Egg whites 
• Cottage cheese
• Skim or nonfat milk

For Non-Vegetarians

• Fish cooked without internal organs 

Carbohydrate-rich Foods

• All rice, cereal, noodles, pasta like spaghetti and macaroni prepared without butter 

• Flour or pastry made in vegetable oil or shortening

Fruits

• All, preferably raw and when possible with seeds, skin and membrane

Vegetables

• All, leafy and watery, and those preferably fresh

Fat-rich Foods

• Vegetable oil only in moderation 

• Avocado

• Coconut meat 

• Nuts

Beverages

• All fresh fruits or commercial juices 

• Shakes using skim milk or low fat milk 

• Soymilk

Others

• Baked products using vegetable shortening, skim milk and without eggs

(For the Amount of Cholesterol Content in Foods See Cholesterol in Foods)

Foods NOT Allowed

Protein-rich Foods

• Pork, luncheon meat, cold cuts, hotdogs, meat sausage, bacon, meat loaf 

• Commercial ground beef, hamburger, corned beef 

• Shellfish including shrimp, prawn, lobster, scallop, clam, crab 

• Internal organs like heart, liver, kidney, brain, sweetbreads, fish roe or eggs including caviar 

• Meat with visible fat and or skin 

• Egg yolk 

• Hard cheese 

• Whole milk, fresh milk, cream, ice cream

Carbohydrate-rich Foods

• None

Fruits and Vegetables

• None

Fat-rich Foods

• Animal fat, lard, vegetable lard, butter, hydrogenated margarine and shortenings 

• Pork, suet (hard fat surrounding the kidneys and loins of cattle and sheep, used in cooking), bacon, meat drippings, gravies, and cream sauces

Beverages

• Alcoholic beverages, beer, liquor, wine 

• Tea, coffee 

• Cola drinks 

• Milk shakes

Others

• Chocolates, cookies

• Rich cakes, commercial cakes, pudding, eggyolk/milk custard (leche flan), pies

Note: For more Tips on Healthy Low-Cholesterol Diet See Low-Cholesterol Diet

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.119 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

The Suggested Meal Pattern (Questions and Answers)

The suggested meal pattern must be based on good nutrition principles of variety, regularity of mealtime, and adequacy. The pattern must provide for an easy-to-follow guide and, at the same time, flexibility for a wide array of food choices.

Which should be your biggest meal?

Breakfast should be the heaviest meal and supper the lightest. This is because most of your activities are concentrated early in the day, and you need more energy in the morning. Taking a heavy (not overloaded) breakfast will help you eat less during supper. This is the first step to weight control.

How often should you eat?

There should be at least a 5-hour interval between meals for digestion efficiency. A regular meal will be digested in 4 to 5 hours depending on its composition (kinds and amount of food). This makes the 3-regular-meal pattern practical.

If your digestive system is to continue working for the rest of your life, it deserves breaktimes! Having at least a 5-hour break in between meals automatically discharges snacking! This way, you do not overburden your digestive system.

It would be very easy for you to wait until the next mealtime if you eat enough food. The variety of food groups represented every meal is better than just eating one kind of food in a meal. Following your dietitian’s advice or, in its absence, the Food Pyramid allowances, you can be confident that you neither overeat nor undereat.

How late should you take your supper?

Early breakfast means early supper. It is highly recommended that you take your day’s last meal at least 3 hours before bedtime. This will ensure you of a more restful sleep and better weight control.

What about fruits every meal?

Fruits and vegetables must not be together in one meal. You digest these foods better and easier if they are not eaten together. Remember that you want to lighten your digestive system’s work. So, fruits are scheduled during breakfast and supper; and vegetables, during lunch. Thus, your fruit and vegetable requirements will be met by the end of the day.

Have you forgotten anything?

By the way, you should not forget your water needs. Water is both a nutrient and a food. Unfortunately, it is often not given due attention. About 6 to 8 (at least) glasses of plain, clean water is generally enough. It would be best for you to take juices and other healthful drinks in addition to the daily recommended water intake.

You drink almost 2 glasses of water every meal…

It is best to drink water at least 30 minutes before mealtime or at least one and a half hours after mealtime. If you drink plenty of water or any other fluid during mealtime, the perfectly proportioned enzymes and juices will be diluted and digestion may be less than efficient. This again will make the work of your digestive system heavier. If ever you need to drink during mealtime, do it by sips rather than gulps.

Your own schedule of meal pattern…

You may be engaged in a work with night duties or evening shifts. You may have an emergency overtime. You may be used to eating just twice a day. Hence, the heavy-breakfast-light-supper pattern may not be suited for you.

The general rule is for you to eat the heaviest meal before working hours and the lightest meal before sleeping. If you eat two times a day, both meals should be heavy. Be sure that the second meal is taken at least 3 hours before bedtime.

What counts as one serving?

To make wise and healthy food choices, you have to identify which foods are included in the different pyramid groups. It is clear where most foods belong. Combination foods may include foods in more than one pyramid group. Say for example, a serving of spaghetti with tomato sauce and cheese can be included in the rice/bread group, the vegetable group and also meat group. But what counts as one serving?

The term one serving is very relative. A serving at a certain restaurant may be bigger or smaller compared to a serving at another eating place. Portion control may vary from server to server. Fortunately, research has made standardized serving sizes possible.

The food items are grouped according to the major nutrients that they contribute to the diet and in their 1 standardized serving sizes. A serving portion is called an exchange. Each food item can be exchanged with any other item within the same food group/list provided the serving size is followed. This makes much more room for flexibility and variety in meals.

A serving portion of the following can be considered an exchange if it provides:

1)      Vegetables (about 16 kilocalories)

2)      Fruits (about 40 kilocalories)

3)      Milk (about 80 [nonfat] or 170 [whole] kilocalories)

4)      Rice/bread (about100 kilocalories)

5)      Meat (about 68 kilocalories)

6)      Fat (about 45 kilocalories)

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.224-227 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

Balanced Diet

What is a balanced diet? A balanced diet is a food preparation which provides complete nutrients as well as supplies carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber in their normal proportions. It is the basis for all diet modifications.


This dietary management is also prescribed to person with Dental Caries, Vomiting, Glomerulonephritis, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid, Simple goiter, Vitamin A Deficiency.

Some Tips for a Healthy Diet

• Eat 3 meals a day instead of frequent ones or eating between meals.

• Establish a regular eating habit.

• Eat a heavy breakfast, a moderate lunch, and a light supper.

• Eat food of the right kind, at the right time and interval, in the right amount, and in the right condition of mind (eating in a relaxed atmosphere is ideal).

• Have at least a 5-hour interval between meals for digestion to be efficient. Last meal of the day should be taken at least 3 hours before sleeping.

• Eat more fresh fruits instead of rich desserts.

• Eat at least one serving of green leafy vegetables a day.

• Eat more unrefined, unprocessed foods.

• Avoid tea, coffee, alcoholic and carbonated beverages (soft drinks).

• Drink at least 6 (or 8) glasses of water a day between meals. (See The Importance of Water.)

• Include a variety of foods each meal.

• Take time to enjoy your food. Do not hurry.

Note: For List of Foods which are Allowed and Not Allowed for a Healthy Balanced Diet See Balanced Diet Food Selection Guide

The Food Pyramid

The food pyramid shows five major food groups and the proportions they have to contribute if your diet is to be balanced. Although the number of exchanges recommended varies from group to group, no single food group is more important than any other. There is emphasis on the nutrient differences of fruits and vegetables and the importance of eating foods from each food group.

How to Balance Your Diet

The correct and specific number of daily servings for you depends on how many calories you need to maintain your optimum or ideal body weight. For example, if you are inactive and not quite tall, choose the smaller number of exchanges for each food group. If you are very active or quite tall, choose the large number of exchanges in each group.

Each person’s body is different and consequently body needs for food vary from person to person. However you may need more or less calories (food energy) depending on your age, sex, size, activity level and medical condition.

Only your physician can tell exactly what your medical condition is and what diet you actually need. Consult your nutritionist-dietitian for a dietary plan just for you.

Indeed, good nutrition or good health is always known to be very important in order to avoid various diseases. Thus, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves healthy for our own benefits.

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.78 and p.222-223 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

Weight Loss Diet and Tips

There are various ways to help you lose weight and to stay healthy. Like any other goals, the key to succeed is to possess the right qualities.

Weight loss or reducing diet follows the principles of eating a variety of foods with essential nutrients but with the goal of effecting weight loss. The diet is low in calories, low in fat but high in complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Weight loss should be gradual to minimize the tendency to get sick. The extent of acceptable calorie restriction is determined by your physician or nutritionist-dietitian. This dietary management is good for Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, Overweight and Obesity.

Weight Loss Tips

• Consult a licensed nutritionist-dietitian before trying to reduce your weight. He (or she) knows when you need to reduce, how much weight you need to lose, how you should lose extra weight and what your specific nutrients are.

• Choose low-calorie foods. Avoid sweets, cakes (especially those with icing), ice cream, sweet desserts, candies, pies, and chocolates.

• Eat less fat. Avoid pork, fatty meat, skin (chicken and the like). See Low Fat Diet and Low-Cholesterol Diet.

• Reduce salty foods and other similar foods. See Low-Salt Diet.

• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day between meals See The Importance of Water.

• Avoid tea, coffee, and alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are high-calorie beverages.

• Avoid milk shakes, chocolate drinks, soft drinks, sweetened juices.

• Increase fiber intake. This will make you feel full without gaining too much calories since fiber is bulky. It is also the weight controller’s best friend. Eat more leafy vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. See High-Fiber Diet.

• Choose legumes, fish, poultry, and veal which contain less fat and cholesterol than pork and beef.

• Cook foods plainly. Avoid butter or fattening sauces.

• Eat regularly. Never skip any meal especially breakfast.

• Avoid in-between meals. Drink water instead.

• Eat good breakfast and lunch but have a light supper. If you plan to skip meal, choose supper instead of breakfast.

• Exercise regularly.

• Keep a record of your weight. Weight loss about 1 to 2 pounds a week is safe and considered reasonable.

• Determine to lose weight!

Furthermore, it takes positive thinking, discipline, persistence, and patience if you really want to achieve positive results especially in losing weight. If you have all these qualities, then it is never impossible to lose weight and stay healthy as well!

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.137-138 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

Know What You are Drinking! (The Importance of Water)

Many folks watching their diets in order to lose weight overlook what they are drinking. This is a fairly common oversight because weight loss diets focus primarily on solid food. The by-product of this oversight is a disregard for the considerable calories found in the beverages people drink. 

Soft Drinks give you More Calories!

If one were to consume a typical 12-ounce can of soda or bottle of soft drink (not the sugar-free variety, of course) every single day for a year, it would mean ingesting a total of almost 44,000 calories over the same period. Translation: he or she would have to burn off the equivalent of 12 extra pounds in the course of that year. Thus, you may really want to think twice about supersizing it—because that is exactly what will happen to you—you'll go big!


If soft drinks are your first beverage choice and you can't seem to shake the habit, at least switch to diet soft drinks—it can make a difference. Nowadays, they are blended to taste just like the sweetened variety. 

Pre-sweetened Juices and Iced Teas 

The sweetened variety of juices is very common, very popular, and very available. And they are much more calorie-laden than their unsweetened counterparts. Iced teas, on the other hand, is always a favorite all year long. But stay away from the pre-sweetened teas!


Make sure you select 100 percent fruit juice and not "juice" drinks that are artificially sweetened. Try diluting fruit juice with sparkling water for a bubbling and naturally filling effect. 

Sports Drinks

Increasingly popular sports drinks can be split into three major types.  

• Isotonic sports drinks contain proportions of water and other nutrients similar to the human body's, and typically are six to eight percent sugar.
• Hypertonic sports drinks contain a lesser proportion of water and greater proportion of sugar than what's found in the body.  
• Hypotonic sports drinks, on the other hand, contain greater proportion of water and a lesser proportion of sugar than the human body's.

Most sports drinks are moderately hypertonic, having between 13 and 19 grams of sugar per eight-ounce serving. So as much as possible, avoid sports drinks unless anticipating vigorous activity. They contain sugar which, if not dispelled in the form of expended energy, will translate into additional calorie intake. 

The Importance of Water 

For any weight loss program or regimen, it's no-brainer that the beverage of choice is water.  

• Water is fat-free, sugar-free, and carbohydrate-free and therefore calorie-free. 
• It also acts as a natural appetite suppressant (because it is filling), increases our body's fat burning ability and helps our body function at optimal level.
• Water helps to regulate body temperature, lubricate our joints, and maintain healthy skin.
• Water is essential for proper digestion, for transporting nutrients, and for removing waste from our body. 

And if one were to drink the recommended 8-12 glasses of water a day, the space in our digestive tracks and stomach—not to mention our over-appetites—would be compromised.


If you aren't natural water drinker and "need" to have flavored fluids, try adding a twist of lime or lemon to your water for extra zing. And keep a pitcher of "water with a twist" in your refrigerator. Cutting up and squeezing fresh fruit into water can add enough flavor to become an incentive to drink more water. 


So, make sure to think before you drink especially when you are on a diet or if you want to lose weight. (For more tips on weight loss, see Weight Loss Diet and Tips.)

Reference: Healthy Lifestyle & Living enrich Volume 2 Issue 9 April 2009. “Think Before You Drink” p. 22-24. Retrieved 18 February 2011.