WonderSlim Chocolate Mini Crisps

Good things come in small packages. When you need a little something to hold you over until mealtime, reach for a packet of these chocolate flavored Mini Crisps.

These tiny, chocolate-coated soy protein crisps are a perfect protein diet snack for satisfying your hunger and chocolate cravings! Satisfy your hunger with chocolate coated soy protein morsels found in each grab-and-go single serving packet of Chocolate Mini Crisps.

This delicious chocolate-crunch combo hits the spot with 12 grams of protein, 11 grams of which are soy, 11 grams of available carbs and only 120 calories. These are a great protein diet snack in the car, at the movies, sprinkled on a shake or pudding, anytime you're on the go. It's truly like eating little cocoa puffs!.

Light and Healthy Zone Diet Snacks

You are either in the zone or you aren't. You might hate the perfect balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the beginning. After all, we hate doing things right. Don't we?

But you have to understand that every Zone diet meal is broken down into 2 or three blocks per meal. One block amounts to a specific food group. So, in order to have the right balance, you need to keep it in pairs.

For example, if you are having an extra block of a particular group, you might just have to pair it up with the right amount of protein. If these are the meals that we are talking about, then what about the zone diet snacks? These are extremely small one block meals. For example, ¼ cup of cottage cheese or 6 peanuts.

Ready to eat - Zone Diet Snacks

If you think that putting up such a small and effective snack is difficult, then zone diet has an answer to that as well.

* It has created small ready to eat snack bars that have the right amount of nutrients as well. These are called Zone perfect bars and come in several different flavors.

* There are others as well like Strawberry Yogurt, Apple Cinnamon crunch etc.

If it sounds mouthwatering, then it tastes like that as well. While keeping stringent rules on the nutrients in the bar, equal attention is also given to the taste.

Is A Low-carb, High Protein Diet Really Effective For Weight Loss?

From what I have seen (upwards of six cases I have been able to observe among friends, family and co-workers) it will be safe to answer the question heading this article with a simple No! Not only is a diet high in protein NOT the best at all for weight loss, according to many naturopaths, such a diet may even be detrimental to ones overall health.

Because of its complexity, excessive protein along with fatty foods are the most difficult foods to digest and tend to leave one tired all the time. Moreover the common putrefaction of protein while being digested creates many acids in the body and has been known to lay the foundation for cancer.

This is not to say that proteins and fats must be avoided, quite the contrary, what should be the goal in consuming these foods should be taking in exactly what the body needs and no more. The Max Planck institute has proven that, considering that the body recycles most of its protein for its own needs, 25g of protein a day is more than enough.

According to T.C. Fry, a well known Naturopath and pioneer in drugless healing, there are several cultures such as the Caribbeans, who subsist on a Manioc-based (root-vegetable) diet and get about 12 g of protein a day. Quite similarly, an aboriginal tribe living in the Mountains of Hagen was discovered to live on about 80-90% of their diet being Sweet Potatoes, the rest mostly leafy veggies, bananas and the like.

While I lived in Nigeria for 17 plus years, most people hardly ever even consumed milk or cheese (they were too expensive) and families strictly rationed the consumption of animal flesh to about the size of medium size lemon per person every other day. All these groups of people, with their root vegetable diets are obviously in great health, accomplishing great physical work.

Moreover, Mother’s milk, which for a time is a baby’s perfect food, has about 1-2 % protein content. (Only fruits and veggies resemble it in their composition) Any reasonable person will be able to deduce that a growing baby needs more protein than a full-grown adult, yet human babies, just like with our distant cousins: the Apes in the wild, do just fine on breast milk and on the subject of apes who share about 98% of our DNA, do you know the Gorilla, the strongest primate, has been known to bench press upwards of about 4000 pounds! What does this creature live on? According to Dr. George Schaller and Dian Fossey, two great primatologists, this powerful relative lives on mostly fruits and leaves.

Now, considering all the factors above, when it comes to the right diet for weight loss, I would recommend a Mucus-less or Mucus-poor (raw and cooked fruits and veggies) over any other mere fad in the quest of attaining fitness and health. Of course, if the consumption of animal flesh must be continued, I would also advise that it be done at a minimal quantity and only one kind of animal flesh every so often.

Keep The Healthy Snacks Lose The Guilt

Snacking performs a very important role in our lives. Some times we snack because we are bored. We eat because we are bored. There is no reason to cut out snacking all together. Snacking is also a great way to avoid things that we do as a pick me up some days - a kind of motivation. For example, we can eat a piece of fruit instead of that cola to get some energy.

The key thing to do is, to know what to eat and what not to eat. Here we will give you some snacking ideas that will help you choose what's better. It doesn't require a genius to figure it out, but you might be surprised at some of the suggestions. This might sound a bit strange, but I would suggest that you get a food dehydrator. You can get one for next to nothing and they are easy to use. I know that learning how to use something new isn't always as easy as it sounds, but believe me, these things are a snap to use.

You can dry all kinds of things in your dehydrator. The key is to cut fruits and veggies thin. The thinner it's cut, the faster they will dry. Fruits are a great thing to dry. You can dry whatever is in season that you can find. You can also dry canned items. I would suggest that you start out with a few easy things. Start out with strawberries that are easy to dry.

Not only are strawberries easy, but when they are dried, they carry a punch of sweetness that only sugar can match. The great thing is, these are sweet, but they don't have the calories of candy. You can also dry veggies as well. Are you like me, do you love the instant soup mixes they sell at the store? Well, I love them but hate all the added salt. If you dry your own veggies, you can make your own soup and you can control how much salt you add.

Here is something you might like to do as a snack. Take a handful of banana chips, strawberry chips, and about two apple chips. I take them and put them in some low fat yogurt. That makes for a snack that is good for you and you could grow to love it. You can eat the dried food plain as well. Just eat some fruit chips instead of potato chips or candy. You really can't go wrong with dried fruits. They will last a very long time if you keep them in an airtight bag or box as well.

Fish jerky, turkey jerky and beef jerky are easy to make. Making jerky will also save money so you wont have to pay over ten dollars a pound for jerky. Use what ever cut of meat that is on sale at the store for beef jerky. And you can always eat a veggie platter for a snack. Veggies are always good, but some people get bored with them. So mix dried fruits and veggies to break the boredom.

A great veggie plate can be made up of any type of veggies. Suggestion; make yours with what ever is in season. Also try putting a little oil and vinegar dressing on them. Not too much, but just enough to taste. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze half a lemon over them for an extra zing. Make sure to keep a healthy diet and try not to snack on foods that aren't good for you. I know tons of people who have a very good diet, but their problem is that they eat all kinds of junk when they snack. This doesn't serve any purpose at all.

If you must have carbs, don't do anything stupid. Don't go running for the potato chips. Instead, eat some sliced potatoes and add some seasoning to them. The next time you feel guilty because you ate the wrong snack food, come back and read this article again. This will help you curb those hunger cravings and allow you to
snack without the guilt.

Weight Loss Diets

Studies in recent years about obesity and overweight tendencies in human beings have shown that people who are obese and over-weight are consuming food, which is more than their actual energy requirements.

One needs to have a balanced caloric intake in order to balance the energy proportion in his/her body. People who are very eagerly trying for weight loss need to make wiser choices while consuming food and be more active. Weight loss cannot be achieved without calorie control.

Here are few weight loss diet tips for you:

• You can adopt for yourself the weight loss diet of calorie control intake by consuming measures of food that have low calories such as most of the vegetables, fruits or fresh vegetable soups.

• You would also need to reduce your intake of alcohol, added sugars and fatty foods. You need not stop eating food with calories all together.

• You can pick fat-free or low fat products, whole grains, fruits and vegetables to ensure that your body is not deprived of the vital nutrients in your zeal for a weight loss diet. An ideal weight loss diet would be one that would have an item from each food group such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and other nutrients that have lesser amount of calories.

You need to strictly reduce your sodium, cholesterol, saturated fats and trans fats intake to achieve a healthy weight loss. Diet control is always the first and best option for weight loss. The weight loss diet, which you should follow, should include fat, carbohydrates and protein, each containing 25-30% calories, 45-65% calories and 10-35% calories respectively.

All those weight loss diets, which have very low or very high amount of fat; carbohydrates or proteins, are not advisable.

Protein: Your Plate Is The Key To A Healthier You

Protein, an important nutrient and fuel for the body, also aids in weight loss, according to researchers who have found a link between protein and hunger. French scientists from Lyon University found a potential new target for the treatment of eating disorders. "It is well known that protein feeding decreases hunger sensation and subsequent food intake in animals and humans," said Protein not only provides satiety, but aids in maintaining lean muscle mass while losing unwanted fat.

Another recent study demonstrated the beneficial impact of protein. People following lower-carbohydrate/higher-protein diets lost more weight than those on a low-fat/low-cholesterol/low-calorie diet over a six-month period, although differences in weight loss after one year were similar for both diets. Improvements in some risk factors for coronary heart disease were seen in the low-carbohydrate/higher-protein diet group, including greater decreases in triglycerides and greater increases in HDL cholesterol (also referred to as good cholesterol) levels.

Including lean meat and poultry in your diet can be healthy as well as convenient. "Certain cuts or parts of beef, chicken, pork and turkey are all packed with protein, low in fat and saturated fat, and have an excellent nutrient profile," notes nutrition expert Michelle Tuttle, R.D. Look for lower-fat meat and poultry choices such as:

• Lean beef cuts such as round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.

• Lean pork such as pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.

• Extra-lean ground beef. The label should say at least "90% lean." You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.

• Ground white meat turkey (99% fat free).

• Skinless poultry-chicken or turkey-or take off the skin before eating. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets or turkey tenderloins are the leanest poultry choices.

• Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.

Low-carb High Protein Diets

Now what can you eat? Well, the good news is that you can eat all meats, fish, poultry and seafood, except prepared meats like bacon and honey baked ham, which are high in sugar. Skip the bread and have meat and salad, or meat in your salad. Eggs are very low-carb friendly, but be sure to skip the mayonnaise or salad dressing unless it is low-carb type mayonnaise or dressing. Any type of vegetable is fine, but be sure to realize that when making that salad that tomatoes are actually a fruit, and you want to limit your consumption of them at least during the weight loss phase. Choose brown rice as your starch replacement, as it is low in carbohydrates comparatively to potatoes, bread or white rice. Cheese is good in limited amounts, as this is a high-protein, low-carb food. Butter and cream can be used, but should be consumed in limited amounts. One complex carbohydrate that is good is fiber, as it does not break down into simple sugar, and helps the body with elimination. Further, fiber fills you up quickly without adding significant calories, so hunger pangs are fought off successfully.

Finally, make sure you are drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day minimum in addition to any other liquid you may consume. Dehydration often masquerades as hunger and causes overeating. Of course, again exercise is a necessary and vital part of your diet plan, which we will cover in the next section on
exercise.

Once you lose the weight that you set out to lose, the weight loss phase of your diet is over. Of course keep in mind that you are making lifestyle changes, not going on fad or binge diets. This means that you will not go back to your old eating habits. Instead you will introduce certain foods back into your diet in moderation. For example, you may add a couple of strips of bacon once a week to your meal plan. You can enjoy small portions of deserts of any kind, simply in moderation. It is best to avoid soft drinks all together, or opt for the low-carb type permanently. If you do introduce any other carbohydrate-laden foods, be sure to do so only at one meal, and in small portions. Reducing carbohydrates will become a lifestyle to you when following this plan, one is very likely to boost your overall energy level and help you keep the weight off.

Healthy food for a healthy life

A more complete list in order to overcome fatigue and feel best was made the items to avoid are the following: high fat dairy foods, white sugar and white flour, fried foods, preservatives, junk food and salt, red meat, coffee and caffeinated teas, colas, soda pop and carbonated beverages, liquid with your meals, alcoholic beverages, all forms of tobacco, prolonged periods of direct sun exposure and Nutra Sweet and saccharine. Carbonated beverages leak phosphorus from the bones and the aspartame in sodas because it cause memory loss. It is well known that caffeine is a diuretic which means that the body need additional water to replace the lost water. Caffeine also makes people lose calcium in their urine.

Stress is present on adrenal glands and liver. Most patients may have adrenal malfunction due to chronic stress and inadequate nutrition. Caffeine and carbonated drinks are forbidden.

When FM appears the adrenalin released from the adrenal gland which penalizes the body and cause acute symptoms. Sometimes the body may deplete its vitamins and minerals especially the B vitamins by burning too much sugar. Is well known that adrenalin is responsible for some panic attacks. It is possible that the body will suffer when the patient consume over-processed foods, sugar, caffeine, pork, junk food, highly processed starches, additives and preservatives and highly acid foods.

Fried foods and salt are considered as aggravations of pain. Drinks including soda, bottled, juices, coffee, alcohol and others are also bad for the body. Many fribos are chocoholics. For example chocolate is high in fat and caffeine. Even the dietary chocolate is unhealthy for the body because has no added sugar. In many cases the sugar is replaced with manitol and the fat caloric contained still remains high. In this case a low fat diet is recommended so chocolate should be ingested or should be eaten in moderation. Some foods have been found to cause fatigue.

In certain individuals some foods aggravate arthritis. The arthritic diet is the one that remains alkaline. Highly acid foods like citric, tomato, potato, egg plant, peppers, red meat, cow milk products, brawn and white wheat flour products, sugar containing foods, coffee, chocolate seem to trigger more muscle pain. Foods affect each individual fibro differently. Some fibrous have severe food allergies for dairy, wheat, corn, nightshade family plants, while others do not. The patients should discover their own food sensitivity by eliminating foods that trigger pain. A food diary can help.

Food allergies may undetermined the nutrient uptake. It has been found that: 60 % of fibro patients of normal weight crave carbohydrates, and 75 % of obese fibros crave carbohydrates. This cravings are not limited to FM suffers and because of this they can't be considered a unique characteristic of individuals suffering from FM. There are fibrous that have a low carbohydrate intolerance or reactive hypoglycemia that appears after eating carbohydrates. Because of this the following occur: metabolizing carbohydrates, inability to lose weight, fatigue, carbohydrate craving and worsening symptoms.

The insulin production is stimulated by carbohydrates. An increase uptake of sugar into muscle and liver can cause excess insulin. They can be considered as fatty acids in fat cells. Because of biochemical changes in fibros it makes sense to try a low carb, high protein diet. The cravings may decrease by using a protein diet, which may also help in losing weight and help with hypoglicemia. Patients are advised to watch carb's like bread, potatoes and refined sugars. There are many fad protein diets like: Sugar busters, Zone, Adkins and other low carb diets. Some fibros do not tolerate a protein diet as well as others.

Fat and protein unable fibros to reach their optimum way with maximum health by a ratio of carbohydrate. The Zone diet admits that low carb intolerance and hypoglicemia can be controlled by this diet. It is well known that the Zone diet "works" because of the reduction in total caloric intake with little or nothing to do with the release of insulin. The cells must receive nourishment and eliminate wastes. When the patient eats healthful foods he may find that he crave sugar, fat, starch and processed foods. This is due to a physiological change in the bodies chemistry. The patient should also try not to indulge in sugar, fat and processed foods.

These cravings will become fewer as time goes on. Unfortunately people with FM need to pay a special attention to what they eat. Raw food are necessary into this diet, for example a patient should try to eat a piece of raw fruit or vegetable for breakfast and a raw vegetable or salad for lunch. The enzymes contained by raw foods can assist in the digestion of foods. The antioxidants and photochemical help boost the immune system. Fresh carrot juice helps a lot the lifestyle of a patient. In many cases cancer was healed by eating raw foods and drinking carrot juice. The carrot juice may be used to prevent chronic disease. Vegetables, fruits, omega 3 fish oil contains anti-inflammatory properties.

Eating well does not imply starvation. Some gradual changes on the preferred foods may help. The fatigue can be reduce by eating well. A balance should be kept by reevaluating the overall eating habits and by trying to make the diet more nutritious. Vegetables and foods have a protective effect against many chronic disease including heart disease and cancer which are considered as killer in U.S. The pain response among fibros can be reduced by phytochemicals.

Choose healthy snacks

Select foods that can satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Choose a wide variety of these foods to ensure that you get all the necessary nutrients and to make your snacks more interesting. Here are some of your best snack picks:

Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy that has some staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads.

Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small number of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.

Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Nuts and seeds contain mostly monounsaturated fat, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.

Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus a variety of other vitamins and minerals. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have a lot of added sugar, so consider "light" yogurt if you want to limit your calorie intake.

Though snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if not eaten in moderation. For example, a single serving of almonds (about 23 kernels or a handful) contains 164 calories. But if you eat handful after handful until it totals a cup of almonds, the calorie count jumps to 800-plus calories.

How To Plan Your Diet?

We have plans for everything these days. That is how we can fit 100 different things into each day. While to an extent this seems a bit over doing it, some things do need to be planned. I don't know why we don't plan our diets. I mean, we plan everything else. Some people even plan on when they will have sex. Hence, the birth of hump day. Why not spend a few minutes and plan out what you will eat? If you are reading this, you have the time so. So sit back and follow these seven easy steps. It is really that simple....

1. Mini meals are great

They tell people with certain disease that they should eat several small meals each day. They say that a person should eat something every two hours. Well, that isn't too impossible to do. I would suggest that you start out every four hours. Keep it like you normally would any of your other meals. Make sure you have your protein and your fiber. Have some veggies and some fruit to balance everything out. Don't make your mini meal a bucket of fried chicken. I know that since it is a mini meal, the temptation doesn't seem as great. I mean, if you only slip up in a mini meal, who is watching?

These are a great way to avoid hunger and improper snacking throughout the day. Just make your mini meals up and eat them every time that you have planned. If you plan on eating every two hours, every two hours it is. It doesn't take a road map to figure this out.

2. Don't go over board

This is easier said than done. You need to have a specific amount that you are trying to reduce. If you are trying to reduce your meals by 10%, then you should stick to that. I'm not suggesting that you break out the calculator and count up every meal that you have. If you have been on a diet for very long, you already have a good idea how many calories things have. Don't eat with your eyes, eat with your mind. That will help you cut down on the amount of food that you eat.

3. Eat good tasting food

From time to time let yourself go. Eat something that you know you shouldn't. If you get it out of your system, it will be easier to maintain your diet. If on the other hand you don't allow yourself to eat things you shouldn't from time to time, all you will do is hurt yourself in the long run. You are going to nibble each day on those things instead of just eating them occasionally.

4. Eat your calories, don't drink them

Don't fill up on sodas and other drinks. You can get all your calories for one day in these if you do it too much. A few sodas here. A few cups of hot chocolate there. A few beers here. You get the point. That will put on the pounds easily.

5. Exercise

You need to do this to keep fit. Not only will it keep you fit, but it will keep you mentally sharp as well. That can go a long way in helping you stick to a diet. If you are depressed, chances are you will end up eating fatty foods that will make you fat. When you consume all of that fat, it will make you more depressed. It is a bad cycle to start.

6. Make your meals last

Chew your damn food son! I bet you heard that one as a kid. Well, it is true. Don't swallow your food. Instead, eat it slowly and enjoy the taste of it. If you do this, it will make you feel like you have actually ate something. If you swallow it down, you won't get the same benefit. You will continue to feel a void.

7. Discover your food triggers

We all have these. When was the last time you went grocery shopping and you looked at a bag of cookies and realized that you had to have them? I do this sort of thing all the time. You need to understand what foods trigger your response system. If you can do this, you can avoid situations that will make you eat things that you shouldn't eat.

Well, that wasn't so bad was it? There is no need to flip out when it comes to a diet plan. It is simple and easy. Just like anything in life, you should have a plan before you begin to do whatever it is that you are doing. The same is true with your diet.