What Would You Do For a Klondike Bar?

Unfortunately, the words "diet" and "cheating" go hand in hand. When you say, "I'm on a DIET", it usually means you are depriving yourself of something. Diets do not work; they are restrictive and can become exceedingly frustrating, leading you to "cheat". The more you restrict calories and the tempting treats you love, the more likely you are to binge eat. This is counterproductive in a fat loss program and will prevent you from becoming lean.

I'm sure you know the scenario; you embark on a weight loss plan (a.k.a. A Very Low Calorie Diet) fully confident and filled with motivation and willpower. You go out to eat and turn down the dessert you desperately want and then have to sit at the table and watch EVERYONE else gobble down their brownie ala- mode or a slice of Death by Chocolate cake. As the days of deprivation go on you suddenly find yourself thinking about food more and more. You dream about the pint of ice cream that's calling your name. You begin to bargain with yourself, promising to do extra cardio or to fast in exchange for a cheat day.

This, of course, never comes to pass and you find yourself "starting over" on your DIET once a week. Worse yet, you have made no progress and have slowed your metabolism to a grinding halt by eat too few calories. The best way to lose weight is to adopt a balanced meal plan you can stick to for life! This means you can still enjoy the so-called "forbidden foods" you love, only less often and in moderation. If you consistently eat "clean" and "balanced" your desire for the "bad stuff" will eventually disappear.

If you have SEVERE difficulty resisting sugar and constantly have a high sugar craving, this may indicate that your diet is substantially low in "beneficial" fat and it is likely that you have an intestinal flora imbalance. Beneficial fats regulate mood, taste and fulfillment hormones that help you feel satisfied and reduce cravings. An intestinal flora imbalance means certain "shut off" nutrients that reduce the need for sugars are not fully synthesized into your blood stream. Combined, both of these problems cause you to hold onto fat and create cravings for simple sugars.

The solution is to incorporate beneficial fats. Try drizzling 1 to 2 tbsp. of raw safflower, canola, olive or flax oil on your high fiber based vegetables and proteins. Either sauté, grill or make a soup with vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, spinach and mushrooms to name a few. Use any of the oils previously mentioned except flax oil. Flax oil is NOT for cooking.

Chewing your proteins more fully may combat the intestinal flora imbalance. Instead of trying to digest large pieces, chew more fully to give your protein sources greater surface area. Your protein sources for optimum fat loss are eggs, egg whites, white fish (like cod, halibut, and orange roughy), chicken or turkey breast.

Whatever you do, DON'T give up! DO whatever it takes to "clean up" your eating plan and banish your food demons.

My fat loss and fitness plan "Every Body Loses" will give you the tools you need to begin a healthy weight loss program. The style of eating and exercising outlined in my book is one that you can follow for life without feeling deprived. If you're serious about losing fat and getting fit go to www.aim4nutrition.com and get started TODAY!

Good Luck and Be Well,

Aimee Deak

Personal Trainer & Nutrition Analyst

AIM 4 NUTRITION www.aim4nutrition.com

RELATED ARTICLES The Ins and Outs of Proper Nutrition Secretly we all want just a few things in life, none the least of which is to live a life that is healthy and energetic. One way to accomplish this is to eat a well balanced diet that fuels the body to take on life's challenges. What Really Happens To The Food You Eat After we have eaten a meal -- and often we do this in a hurry, without much chewing, under a lot of stress, or in the presence of negative emotions -- we give no thought to what becomes of our food once it has been swallowed.We have been led to assume that anything put in the mouth automatically gets digested flawlessly, is efficiently absorbed into the body where it nourishes our cells, with the waste products being eliminated completely by the large intestine. The Magic in Food: LOVE Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? The simplest magical ritual that you can do is to cut open a fruit or vegetable and eat it while thinking of your magical intention. Below is a compilation of common foods and their metaphysical associations. Understanding Amino Acids and their Importance in Diet The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well known to nutritional scientists, and widely understood by the general population. Indeed, every bodily system is directly or indirectly supported by protein. Male Infertility and Glutathione Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?It is a well-known fact that sperm counts have dropped by half in the last 50 years, and that modern men have 20 percent less semen volume than their fathers (BMJ, 1992, volume 305).A recent report from researchers in Aberdeen presented preliminary data that suggests the sperm concentration of the men seen in their clinic had declined by 29% over the past 14 years. Stay Healty, Eat more Fish and Seafood There are a lot of very good reasons to eat fish and seafood. Fish is a source of high quality protein, and is low in fat and cholesterol. Introduction To Cocaine Addiction Coke, more commonly known as cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant which instantly affects the brain after introducing it to the body. The effects of this drug are extremely pleasurable and give a false sense of euphria. The Best Way to Consume Vitamin C Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is that right? Probably yes because orange is rich with this nutrient. Vitamin C is a very essential nutrient for human body because its play a great role as a powerful antioxidant. Combat High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol with Soybeans You may have heard of the "Portfolio Diet" wherein it has been clinically accepted that increasing the intake of soy based foods can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol as much as some statin drugs.Well, now it seems that soybeans have another health-giving quality: they also reduce blood pressure. Surrender To The Spell Of The Pyramid Food in general has the distinction of being probably the first thing we all think about in the mornings before our feet hit the floor. The main reason for this is we cannot survive without it. Minimum Health or Maximum Health? That is the Question! Picture yourself in one of the following scenarios.You're cruising along in your new car by the ocean or in the mountains near the ski lodge, or just a leisurely drive through a beautiful forest or in the country. Food We Take Determines Our Character When you take your food next time, take care of the food what you are taking. Because the food you take determines your character. The Portfolio Diet: The Solution to Heart Disease What if there was a combination of foods that were as effective at lowering LDL cholesterol as prescription drugs? Would it be worth adding some new foods to what you eat each day to avoid medication?This is what the latest in a series of research studies Dr. Jenkins from the University of Toronto shows. Juicing - A Beginners Guide You can spot a juicer a mile off at the supermarket or greengrocer. Apart from the huge number of carrots and apples they are loading into their trolley, they also have that slightly smug, see-how-healthy-I-am look about them. Why Fad Diets Don't Work Fad diets have been around for more than 50 years and no matter how many come and go, we are always intrigued and excited by the next one feeling almost sure this will be the one to work. And they do work. Got Soy? Milk, Snuff, and Soy Beans Milk is highly underrated. Experts say, America finds itself in a calcium crisis today because consumers aren't drinking enough milk. Face Check Up Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them all? Here is your handy-dandy checklist for a healthy you. Discover how your face reveals your health. What A 6-Month Old Can Teach Us About Our Eating Habits Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old niece Rianna in Las Vegas. She has just started eating "real" baby food beyond the formula in her bottle, and I got a kick out of feeding her one of her meals of squash. Confessions of a Personal Fitness Trainer Last year I had a number of clients who started stubbornly on the Atkins diet despite my warnings. Immediately I saw almost profound results in their weight loss. The Cost Of Being Sick And One Possible Alternative: Glyconutrition A lot of people I've talked with about health supplements usually are coming from about the same place - you know: "been there, done that." People are tired of hearing about the latest and greatest and - for the most part - figure that all supplements are pretty much the same.