You could read the book, “You on a diet” by Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Tosca Reno’s “The Eat Clean Diet” Book is great. The author herself lost a lot of weight, and she shares what she found to work the best for her, the book also includes 30 recipes. I really enjoy this book.

Hi it should not be a diet! it should be a life style change,as it is for life, a diet is when you lose your 10,20 or so on then you start back eating normal again.So I say take 1 day at a time, small servings,don’t cut anything out just small serving.
I have started to change my eating habits and I’m doing it ONE day at a time , and I have started feeling better inside and out , and my ATTITUTE is better with me as well. DON’t look at the big number set a little goal and liitle steps. You will like it.
barbaraanne62

Less than a year ago I weighed 228 pounds (I am 4’11″) and lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. One flight of stairs would completely wind me. I was told by my doctor that being morbidly obese (hated being called that) was going to kill me at a very young age. I was so ticked off when the doctor harped on me because he, himself was at least 50 pounds overweight. I don’t know why, but for some reason what he said hit me hard. It wasn’t like I wasn’t aware of the health risks of being overweight, but a light went off in my head.

I made a decision on April 2nd that I would change my life forever. I decided to quit eating refined sugar and start exercising. The eating part is completely mental. Buy only what you are allowed to have and don’t keep anything else in your house. I did this and my family hated me. They didn’t want to cut out refined sugar, but they didn’t have a choice because I was determined not to buy it ever again…and I haven’t.

The hardest part for me was making the time for exercise. I started with just taking a walk around the block. That winded me. Each day I would try to beat my time to get back to the house a little faster. Then after I mastered that I added more streets to my route.

I needed to take off some of the weight before I could do anything more than walking. Once I lost about 20 pounds I was able to start doing other exercises. I purchased some light dumb bells and used them along with walking and sit ups.

Here I am almost a year later and I have shed 80 pounds and run 6 miles a day. More importantly though, I have added years to my life and the lives of my family members because I have changed our eating habits. I have 3 growing boys and a husband who is 6’4″. Every one of them gave up refined sugar. I know this will make a huge difference for the future health of my family.

What really got me through was doing this for my family instead of myself. I honestly didn’t love myself enough to do it for me. When I made it a goal to improve the lives of the people I love it gave me the will power to stick it through.

I won’t lie and tell you it has been easy, but I will say it was much easier than I ever thought it would be. It isn’t a diet though. I have to live this way for the rest of my life. There aren’t any cheat meals or cheat days. It is a life without refined sugar…period.

Make a commitment and take the first step. You CAN do it!

Here are some basic guidelines to follow if you want to burn fat:
1. DIET
Eat 4-6 small meals per day that consists of the right portions of good protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Avoid high glycemic “bad” carbs as much as possible.
Sample Meal:
BREAKFAST
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese & 1/2 cup pineapples =or= 2 hardboiled eggwhites with 1 apple or grapes.
MID-MORNING SNACKS:
2-3 slices of turkey or chicken (whitemeat) & 2 slices of swiss cheese
LUNCH:
1 grilled chicken breast, or salmon fillet on a salad with lots of fresh veggies, =or= 2 cups steamed =or= stirfry green veggies =or= a salad with tuna (fresh or canned) or chicken on it with any olive oil vinegratte dressing.
MID-AFTERNOON SNACK:
1 Low fat Yogurt (any flavor)
DINNER:
6 OZ GRILLED CHICKEN OR FISH OR LEAN PORK LOIN USE NO SALT ADDED SEASONINGS OR MARINATED ONLY…..with 1 small plain baked potato =or= 1/2 cup brown rice

Drink lots of water…..YOU CAN HAVE ONE CHEAT MEAL A WEEK….EAT WHATEVER YOU LIKE……REMEMBER THERE IS NO SHORT CUT OF LOSING WEIGHT……EXERCISE 2-3 TIMES A WEEK IS A MUST…NO EXCEPTION.

AGAIN: ONE CHEAT MEAL A WEEK!!!!

REASON: This will help to keep you from getting too hungry, will reduce your overall calories, and will keep your blood sugar regulated.
2. EXERCISE
Do interval training instead of long “same speed” cardio routines
Add lean muscle mass by doing total body strength training sessions 2-3 times per week. Do not just use the strength training machines at the gym.
REASON: To burn calories and increase your metabolism.Good luck and remember that persistence pays off

Congratulations HealthyHotMama! That was wonderful to read and the perfect advice.

Salads and anything fresh…Fresh fruits and raw veggies….Usually fresh food costs less than processed stuff anyway….Good Luck!!!!

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Exercise is another important key to this puzzle however you can exercise until you are blue in the face but you need to be eating the proper foods also. Eating healthy foods will improve your health in so many ways. Always try to include foods from the four food groups every day. The more you can avoid foods such as pies, biscuits, cakes, candy, chips and other high fat high sugar combos the better off you will be. Each day you should try to drink at least eight glasses of water. The best healthy eating advice I have gotten is that you should never go on a ……………… and less saturated fat and salt.

Thanks for your help and consideration.its been awhile but I think I am ready for a change. That change is now..Thanks