Food For Your Mood

When hunger strikes, we take desperate measures to satisfy it. Sometimes this means making poor diet choices due to lack of time, lack of options or just extreme cravings we cannot deny. But a little bit of time and planning can save you from returning to your old ways and put you back on the path of trim and slim!

Perhaps your morning schedule does not allow time for breakfast. You run out of the house without a bite to eat and by midmorning, you’re feeling it. Your energy levels start to drop, your mood isn’t as cheery, and you find it hard to focus on the task at hand thanks to an unstoppable grumbling. You pace in front of the company’s vending machines, debating which has less calories two Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or 30 Peanut M&Ms. If this sounds familiar, you need a new game plan. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier to make time for a quick breakfast. A whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and half a grapefruit will keep you going until lunch time. If you need something quicker, try a cereal that’s high in fiber with nuts and fruits and nonfat milk. And if you’re really on the run, grab a breakfast bar to keep your mood and energy levels in check.

If you have breakfast but still feel the hunger pangs by midmorning, it may be liquids you’re craving. Some people mistake the feeling of being thirty for hunger so instead of settling for a sugar coated doughnut, try a cup of tea or simply some H2O. Before you know if the hunger will diminish and you will feel more focused again.

Do your energy levels drop in the afternoon? The end of the day is near and you may want a snack for an extra boost of energy but sugary foods and caffeine will only provide you with a brief and unhealthy boost. Instead, try a protein/ carbohydrate combination snack like light string cheese with apple slices and whole wheat crackers to keep you going until dinner.

When stressed, many dieters return to their old ways and look for relief in their favorite high carb comfort food. Foods with high carbohydrate levels boost serotonin which can have a calming effect, but remember that not all carbohydrates are created equal. Forget the sugary doughnut and instead choose more complex carbohydrates such as whole grain products, carrots with a light ranch dressing, crunchy pea pods, or bean dip and whole grain pita crisps.

With these tips, you can begin to start eating healthier, no matter what your mood is!

What is your smart snack method? Please share any additional smart diet secrets you may have with our readers!

Foods For Face- The Secret to a Better Complexion is in Your Diet!

People say “It’s what’s on the inside that counts,” and they couldn’t be more right. When it comes to your health, what you see on the outside is a reflection of what’s on the inside. So, if you want more radiant skin, start with this nutrition advice and start seeing beautifully glowing skin in just a couple of weeks!

It is widely known that avocados contain essential oils and vitamins that nourish your skin, inside and out. But you may not have known that Niacin, a vitamin abundant in avocados, is responsible for soothing irritated red and blotchy skin. Niacin also acts as an anti-inflammatory so if you want to avoid the puffy face look, incorporate an avocado into your daily diet. It can be as easy as substituting a banana with an avocado in your morning smoothie. Add yogurt, frozen berries, and half an avocado in your blender and you are on your way to a stunning complexion!

Do you have dry, flaky skin? The solution may lie in mangoes! Mangoes have 80% of your daily requirements for vitamin A, which helps to maintain and repair skin cells. A deficiency of vitamin A may be the reason behind your dry complexion. Vitamin A also serves as an antioxidant, fighting free radical damage that can prematurely age the skin.

If dry skin persists, increase your intake of water. Water is the most important ingredient for healthy skin. Drinking eight glasses of water a day will prevent dry skin, and wash away waste products and other harmful chemicals from cells. Without water, these toxins build up, and make skin look dull and unhealthy. Check out the Water Diet for more details on hydrating your body from the inside out!

Know anymore diet secrets for achieving a flawless complexion? Please share with our readers by posting below!

Eat Your Breakfast!

Many dieters skip breakfast as a way to cut calories, but by mid-day the lack of food takes a toll on the body and snacking and binge eating replace those calories and then some.

Breakfast is a crucial part of a successful diet. Of course what you have for breakfast matters too. Fatty breakfasts such as sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich at your local drive through will fill you up in the morning but by lunch time you are likely to feel hungrier than if you had not eaten at all. Try a more healthy mix of protein, carbohydrate, and fiber to slow digestion and stomach emptying. A combination of these will make you feel full for longer. For example, a whole-wheat bagel with low-fat peanut butter is a better option than a white bagel with jelly. The protein, carbohydrate, and fiber mix in the whole-wheat bagel will outlasts the carbohydrate load of the latter bagel, even if the calories are similar.

Government-funded studies support the theory that people who eat breakfast eat less throughout the day and therefore are more successful in their diet endeavors. Researchers explain that out of their 2,000 subjects, regular cereal eaters had fewer weight problems. In fact, those who ate cereal occasionally had a 13% higher risk of being overweight compared to the regular cereal eaters. If you like cereal and want to take part of the cereal diet trend to fight off unwanted weight, try the Special K Diet! Once you’ve seen the weight loss with this diet, you’ll want to change your eating habits for life and stick with your new, healthy routine!

It’s clear: starting your day with breakfast sets you on the path to success every single day. Eating a healthy breakfast helps avoid distraction, helps avoid hunger pains and thus overeating, and enhances your attentiveness and performance throughout the day. Breakfast should be high in fiber and protein, moderate in fat, and adequate in carbohydrate. Skipping that first meal could be the biggest mistake of your day!

If you have any advice or diet success stories- we'd love to hear them!