Ironically, one of the biggest weight-loss mistakes we make is not eating enough. Although it may seem not possible, we need to eat in order to shed pounds permanently. When we seriously restrict calories, our metabolism slows down to reserve energy - it is our body way to protect itself from starvation. The more calories we cut, the lower our Resting Metabolic Rate (the minimum energy required to maintain the body's life function at rest) drops. While we may lose weight at first, most of it is from water loss and the deterioration of muscle tissue, not from less fat. As soon as we return to our regular eating habits, we are apt to gain back the weight we lost and possibly more, because we are not longer burning calories as efficiently. Our bodies need food to function properly. In our efforts to lose weight we often ignore this important fact. So let's think of our body as a car, without fuel the car will not run. If we use the wrong type of fuel we will do serious damage to the car's engine. The same is true for the human body. If we do not eat right, we will not have the nutrients and the energy we need to stay healthy and active.

By making smart food choices, we can fuel our body, stay lean and trim, and look and feel our best. When we eat well it shows. Good health radiates outward through glowing skin and shiny hair.

Try to eliminate simple sugars and simple carbohydrates from your diet, here are some suggestions on how to do it:

Read the labels. If the label lists sugar, sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, white or "wheat" flour, they contain simple carbohydrates. If these ingredients are at the top of the list, they may contain mostly simple carbohydrates, and little else. They should be avoided.

Look for foods that have not been highly processed or refined. Choose a piece of fruit instead of fruit juice, which is very high in naturally occurring simple sugars. Choose whole grain breads instead of white bread. Choose whole grain oatmeal instead of packaged cold cereals.

To help you keep your energy level up eat 5 to 6 small meals a day and do not skip breakfast.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it should be rich in complex carbohydrates to give you the energy you will need, especially in the morning. Oat meal and whole grain cereals low in sugar and free of artificial sweeteners mixed with fresh fruit and low fat milk are good choices for your breakfast.

Also remember to eat lean protein like white turkey meat, white chicken meat, and fish most of the time. Eat red meat only once or twice a week. Do not be afraid to try some vegetarian options in regard to protein, like beans, legumes, and tofu. Try to use olive oil, especially in the raw form, when cooking, and always try to bake, boil, steam, and grill your food.

Try to eat a raw and a cooked vegetable at lunch and dinner with a lean protein and complex carbs.

Start out eating the same amount of food at every meal and adjust as needed. Remember it is best to eat more complex carbs at breakfast and at the meal prior to your workout, and more calories and protein at the meal after your workout. 

When cutting calories, first cut back on fat, sugars and simple carbohydrates, and then start cutting your complex carbohydrates and protein

The closer you get to nature, the closer you get to health.

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