…Merchandise Evaluation:Metabolic Nutrition Tri-Pep BCAA…

There are so many supplements out on the market today.  What are certain supplements used for? What is a good brand of supplements to use? All great questions for those who are new to living a healthy lifestyle.  The best answer that I can tell you is to DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!  So many health and fitness bloggers have their own products that they like to use.  And certain products will work differently for me than it will for you.  Yes it may take time (and money) but the key is to do your own investigating and try products that you think will be beneficial to your fitness success.

Today i will share my experience with Metabolic Nutrition’s BCAA’s.  Thanks to BestPriceNutrition.com they sent me these great samples to try to share with you guys today.

TriPep

What are BCAA’s?

BCAA’s = Brand Chain Amino Acids.  During strenuous workouts your body can get depleted of these BCAA’s so you can ingest them via a supplement for to help replenish the stores that are being lost in your body.  BCAA’s are a very vital component to your muscles.  Do you HAVE to take BCAA’s…NO but you really do not have to take any type of supplements.  Some people like to take them to help improve their overall workout experience and to help maximize the results that come from strenuous workouts.  For more details and an in-depth description about BCAA’s check out THIS article.

Overall Comments:

This was a GREAT product.  I have taken several different brands of BCAA’s and this is by far one of my favorite.  It mixes very well with water and the flavor is full and delicious! The flavors i got to try was watermelon and lemon and they both were amazing! My favorite by far was watermelon.

Quality & Taste

The quality of this product seems to be very well.  Metabolic Nutrition offers a great line of products.  There has not been a product from that company that i have not enjoyed yet.  It taste great, mixes very well, and seemed to be very satisfying.  You can find this product on BestPriceNutrition.com for about $40.00.  This price is about average with other good quality BCAA brands.  You can sometimes find them for cheaper but you can expect to pay around $30-$40 for a good quality product.  Yes it is slightly expensive, but you are definitely paying for the quality when purchasing these types of products.

Ranking Scale: (on a scale from 1-5)

Price: 3.0

Overall Quality: 4.0

Quality for Price: 4.0

Overall Taste: 5.0

Overall Ranking: 4.00

**NOTE: Please make sure to note my product review disclaimer that can be found HERE***

Overall this is a great product and I would recommend it to anyone who asks about it. It is very hard to trust a brand and quality until you try it!  My friends and I will usually find a new product and split the product (to also help split the cost).  50% of the time one of us will not like it and the other person will.  You can sell your portion of the product to the friend that enjoys it and you are really not out a whole lot of money or trouble. It is wise to find your own ways to find great products for you to add to your diet. But if you are looking for a great product I highly recommend this one.

…So you thought this was healthy!?…

Today, I would like to go over the foods that you THOUGHT were healthy food options….when in reality they are not!

There are so many gimmicks and advertisements that try to get you to think that some food products are healthy food options for you to choose from.   But, in reality they are not a healthy option for you at all!

Here are some foods that may have been tricking you:

1. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter:

The one good quality about peanuts…it contains monounsaturated fats which are indeed good for you. BUT…most regular peanut butter you find on the shelf is made of the exact same sugar that can be found in the fattening and high sugar cake frosting! When they slap on the “Reduced Fat” label to peanut butter they have to add even MORE of that kind of sugar to help supplement the fat that was taken out of the original recipe.

SOLUTION: Purchase organic peanut butter OR almond OR any other kind of nut butter (which is a lot thicker and does indeed look different from the other stuff.  It will also have an oil layer which is OK! That is suppose to be there! You will just have to stir up your peanut butter when you do decide to use it if you see that the peanut butter and oil has separated.  Also, this may be a little more expensive BUT it is by far the healthier option!)

2.Fruit Juices

Example…have you ever had freshly squeezed Orange Juice? If you have you know that it is NOT as sweet as the store bought stuff.  It does have a sweetness to it but it is also a little more tart and tangy.  Some store bought juices usually have a TON of sugar added to them.  These kind of juices also can have preservatives or thick sugar syrup added to them to create its color and consistency.

SOLUTION: Try to get juices that are all natural.  Look at the food label to see exactly what is in the product.  The best option is always to make your own or to just drink water…But if you do choose juices try to find the one that has the less sugar that is added.

3. Fat-Free or Reduced Fat Salad Dressing

Hmmm…to be honest there is not much good in this stuff at all! Like with the peanut butter, when they try to make the product less in fat they throw more sugar in!  oh…not to mention they may sprinkle in some artificial sweeteners, colors, or other flavors to try to make it taste better.

SOLUTION: Stick to the salad dressing made with vinegar or olive oils.  There are TONS of recipes for home made salad dressings that are healthier options than what you can buy at the store and sometimes it also may be cheaper to make your own!

4. Yogurt cups (with granola, chocolate pieces, or fruit on the bottom)

Yogurt is on the “Healthy foods list”.  So is fruit…BUT only if the fruit is fresh fruit!

The yogurt that contains all those sweet options have twice as much sugar as the plain yogurt.  This in the end makes yogurt NOT a healthy option for a snack anymore.

SOLUTION: Try to get plain yogurt and add your own fruit to them.  You can also add NATURAL sweeteners to your yogurt like a spoon of honey or naturally sweet fruits.  You can also consider eating the “Light” versions of your favorite yogurt brand.  BUT it is still healthier to get the plain stuff and add your own things.

5. Diet Carbonated Beverages

I can not think of one good healthy quality about diet carbonated drinks.  The Diet version of the original drink is packed with artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, and other artificial flavors to help make the diet version taste somewhat like the original version.   I am sure all of you have heard about the science projects of little kids dissolving metal objects by soaking it in a carbonated drink…or how you can get rid of battery acid by pouring a carbonated beverage onto the batter to dissolve the residue.  I don’t know about you…but I would not like to regularly consume something that can dissolve or break down metal objects.

SOLUTION: Do not drink them.  Stick to water or fresh fruit juices.  You have to also be careful of sports drinks because some of those contain a lot of sugar as well.

These are just a few items that people have asked how healthy they actually are when they are used regularly in their diet.  It is OK to consume some bad things but not regularly! To achieve your desired health and fitness goals you must be mindful of the things you are consuming on a regular basis and try to choose the healthiest options.

 

…Do you know what is on YOUR food Labels?…

There are so many products on the shelves at your local grocery store that want you to think or believe that is it the best healthy option for you when you are doing your usual grocery shopping.  In fact, some of the “Low Fat” options can be more UNHEALTHY for you than the regular options!

The key to picking out the right foods is reading the label and knowing what is in the food you are eating.

The 100% fool-proof way to consume healthy, non processed, no sugar added or artificially enhanced foods is to stick with your fresh produce and fresh meats.  Eating fresh foods will allow you to get the most nutrients you can out of the food you consume.  But, being realistic, you will also buy other things when you go to the supermarket.

The first thing you should look at…The Nutritional Facts on the side of the package/box/food item:

This label will tell you all that you need to know about the food that you want to purchase.  Yes, you want to have food low in sugar, sodium, fat, and cholesterol!

You also want to take a look at the ingredient list

What is the ingredient list? as defined by the FDA:

The ingredient list on a food label is the listing of each ingredient in descending order of predominance.  Listing ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight means that the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is listed las

Source: http://www.fda.gov/food/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidancedocuments/foodlabelingnutrition/foodlabelingguide/ucm064880.htm

This means that the first things listed on the ingredient list of the label have a higher presence in that product compared to the last item on the label.

Word of advice…if you can not pronounce what is in that product, that is a good sign that it is not as healthy as you thought it was.

The healthy food options will have ingredient list that you can read and understand.  They should consist of products such as: whole wheat, nuts, fruits, vegetables, or other healthy foods that you can read and recognize.  You want to be aware of the bad oils, over processed ingredients, and high sugar or salt content that may be in some products you like to eat.

Eating healthy is not rocket science, but it can be tricky and confusing.  You just have to start reading the fine print and figuring out what are the best food options to have in your diet.

Like I stated before, the best options are to stick with your fresh meats, fruits, veggies, beans, and etc.  The fresher it is the healthier it is for you!

So, start looking at the labels on the foods you already have in your cabinet! And remember, if you do decide to do some spring cleaning in your food pantry DO NOT throw the food away (unless it is expired or not good anymore).  There are tons of food pantries and charities you can donate your unwanted food!

Stay focused…stay fit! Dig deep and do work in the gym!

…Fun Fitness Facts! Part 2…

If you missed Fun Fitness Facts Part 1 click HERE to see what was talked about in the previous post.

When learning more about health and fitness, I think it is a great ideas to also learn some fun facts about health and fitness related ideas.  It makes health and fitness a lot more fun, and it is a great conversation started when you talk to other people about health and fitness ideas.

  • Aerobic exercise is one of the best preventative medicines available and one of the cheapest.
  • If you are not a regular exerciser, by the time you are 65 you may experience as much as an 80% decrease in your muscle strength
  • Walking at a brisk pace (a 15-minute mile or 4 mph) burns almost as many calories as jogging for the same distance.
  • Dancing is a terrific and fun form of exercise that can improve cardiovascular fitness just like any other more formal type of exercise.  SO do not be afraid to try those Zumba classes you keep hearing about!
  • Regular exercise can reduce the signs and symptoms of PMS.
  • “Your stomach is about the size of both of your hands held out in front of you cupped together like a bowl. It’s your body’s fuel tank. It is the right size for your body. In a car, if you overfill your gas tank, it will spill out on the ground, wasting the gas. In your body, the fuel doesn’t spill out. The body saves it as FAT!” Make sure you’re not over-filling your tank.
  • Did you know that it only takes 100 too many calories each day to gain 10 pounds in a year?
  • Did you know that it only takes a deficit of 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week?
  • It’s impossible to “turn fat into muscle” but you can gain muscle and lose fat.
  • Standing up straight burns more calories than slouching – just one more reason for good posture. Stand up straight. Good posture burns more calories than slouching
  • We shed 40 pounds of skin in a lifetime.
  • Only about 22 percent of American adults engage in regular, sustained physical activity for at least 30 minutes five times a week, and only 15 percent exercise both regularly and vigorously.

…MORE Healthy Snack Ideas…

Ever wonder down the grocery store isles wracking your brain on what kind of new and healthy snacks you can buy to add to your diet? Well I have decided to share a list of items that are sure to satisfy your appetite without packing on  to many calories, or without hurting your pocket-book!

You may be trying to get back in the groove of work and things may be busy and hectic.  But that should never be an excuse to NOT sneak in some healthy snacks during your every day routine.  Just think, if you substitute a few of these items for you usually snack of chips or a candy bar just image how many calories you will be cutting per week! And in the long run, it will help you shed those extra unwanted calories!

Don’t forget, you would like to make your snacks no more than around 300 calories.  You don’t want to use most of your calorie intake on your snacks! A snack is supposed to be a filler to help you in between meals when you feel that you are hungry.

Here are some more great healthy snack ideas that are easy, quick, and not expensive! Thanks to SixSistersStuff.com for sharing some of these amazing ideas for this list of snacks that you can grab on the go!

1. Frozen Grapes (or any type of your frozen fruit! Suggested serving size is 1 – 1.5 cups)

2. String Cheese (preferably the low-fat sting cheese)

3. Banana (Also try a  Frozen Banana.  Make sure to peel it first, stick in the freezer overnight it’s like a popsicle!)

4. Low-fat Yogurt (there are several options…Yoplait…Greek Yogurt…and Dannon even has some yummy options)

5. Sugar-free or fat-free pudding

6. Apple slices dipped in Peanut Butter (or spread peanut butter on top of apple slice and top with pecans or another favorite nut. Organic peanut butter is a little more expensive but it is usually the better option)

7. bag of popcorn (not the movie extra butter popcorn.  Try the popcorn with little to no salt and butter.  Try using spices to add the extra flavor to your popcorn for a healthier option)

8. Applesauce

9. Raw veggies with hummus or any other type of low-calorie veggie dip

10. Almonds (or any other type of nuts.  Suggested serving size is 1 cup)

11. Skinny S’more (two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate)

12. Smoked Beef Jerky (about 1 oz- look for the  low-sodium! options)

13. Chocolate Milk (try to get the 2% option if available!)

14. Hard Boiled Egg (suggester to have one…maybe 2 if you are having a big craving between meals!)

15. Sunflower Seeds (suggested serving size about 1 cup)

16. Cottage Cheese (suggested serving size 1 cup…also try to add fruit on top or sprinkle some nuts on top for added flavor)

17. Sliced Cantaloupe

18. Raisins (suggested serving size about 1 cup)

19. Pita Bread and Hummus (suggested a few slices of pita bread with about 1/4 cup of hummus to equal about 275 calories)

20. Rice Cakes (try also having these with a banana and about 1-2 table spoons of peanut butter for added flavor to equal about 220  calories

21. Jello (try not to add the whip cream and other high sugar extras on top of it. Try it with nuts or fresh fruit for a healthier option)

22. Dried Fruits

23. Frozen Yoplait Whips Yogurt (these seriously taste like ice cream when they are frozen!)

 24. Pistachios (suggested serving size is about 1 oz which is about 149 calories)

25. Clementines (the “Cuties” you may find at the grocery store)

26. Fruit Smoothie (make sure to make the smoothie with low-calorie options…not ice cream or whip cream…or any type of cream. Stick to 100% fruit juices and real/frozen fruit. Try adding in yogurt into the smoothie to add flavor and thickness)

27. Handful of olives

28. Pickles

29. Handful of blueberries with 2 tablespoons fat-free Cool-Whip

30. Ants on a Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)

31. 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.

32. Peanut Butter and 1 whole  Banana on whole wheat bread

33. Trail Mix (make your own! Throw in dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, low-sugar cereals, and even the occasional piece of candy for something sweet.)

34. Plain Yogurt with fresh berries (with 8 oz of regular plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of fresh fruit or veggies to make a 180 calorie snack)

35. Tuna on 1 slice of whole wheat bread ( you can have 4 oz of plain tuna on 1 slice of break to equal about 250 calories. Add condiments sparingly to help keep the calorie intake down!)

The Key to reaching your health and fitness goals is having the right diet! YES what you eat really matters!  If you are not eating the right things it will be hard for you to get the maximum results and it may take you longer to reach your goals.  The key is to stay consistent with your physical activity and healthy eating and with time you will start to see progress!

…More Portion Control…

When it comes to health and fitness related topics, the two topics that I am passionate about are

  • food/drink portion controls
  • adequate exercise routine

The two things listed above are some of the most important when looking at creating health and fitness goals and they are usually the two things that are either overlooked or not properly applied to health and fitness plans.

Portion control is important because without it, you will not see the results that you are looking for!  A frequent questions that is also asked when talking about portion control is “I do not know if I ate enough”…”I do not know if I ate the suggested portion sizes”…”I do not know if I am eating as frequently as I should be”.

When it comes to eating the right portion sizes you just have to learn what is the right size and what is the wrong size.  When it comes to knowing how often to eat there is no magic answer for that.  That is something you will have to figure out. Everyone’s body is different.  One important fact…DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF!  If you are hungry between meals have a small, nutritional, low-calorie snack!  My go to snack is yogurt and a handful of nuts…If I am between snacks and I get a craving I always go to something like popcorn or Greek yogurt.  These types of snacks will leave me satisfied  and allow me to make it to my next meal.  This is just something you will have to learn with your own body.  Learn what will leave you feeling satisfied for longer periods of time.

The goal is to plan ahead. You want to make sure that you have snacks and meals available for you at home, at work, in your gym bag, or anywhere close by so you are not tempted to “grab something quick” from the local fast food establishment.

You can check at the following links for some great healthy low-calorie snacks:

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2011/10/18/the-perfect-snack/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/01/17/more-healthy-snack-ideas/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/02/more-healthy-snacks-part-3/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/23/more-healthy-snacks-part-4/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/03/07/100-calorie-snacks/

 

More Portion Control Tips:

  • Split up food into bags or Tupperware.  This will allow you to pre-measure your food and have it ready when you need it.  It can save you time and allow you to grab something if you are in a hurry!
  • This can be a great thing to do for the family! Put family members names, dates, or even times on the bags/containers so children will know what is OK for them to grab then they are in the kitchen!

2013-09-18 11.39.01

Portion control is also about eating the right things for you. Yes it is OK to have a piece of chocolate or your favorite ice cream…but only ONCE IN A WHILE! Achieving your health and fitness goals requires you to understand what you are putting in your body and what your body needs.  Once you start to eat better, combine that with a great workout routine and you are on your way to achieving your goals!

…Portion Sizes…

When it comes to starting a new health and fitness routine PORTION SIZES are SO SO SO SO important.  You have to be able to know what is the right amount to have with each meal so you are not over eating.  Over eating will cancel out the hard workout you have that day! The key to losing those unwanted calories is working off MORE calories than you are consuming.

DO NOT starve yourself! Find healthy LOW CALORIE snacks you can have during the day to help you stop those hunger feelings and to get you to your next meal.

Here is a guide i found online…hope that it is helpful with helping you decide you portion sizes when preparing you meals

 

The goal to reaching your fitness goals is to set some goals, stick to them, stay focused, and work hard! Hard work will pay off! Passing on that key lime pie you like to have for dessert and having a bowl of fruit will help you to obtain those health and fitness goals you set for yourself.  It is OK to treat your some sometimes but not ALL the time.  Be mindful of the things you are putting in your body.

You have to make sure that you are eating enough AND also eating the right things throughout the day.  Yes you can consume less calories BUT if all of those calories come from poor quality foods it will not allow you to  reach your health and fitness goals as quickly as you would like.

…Fun Fitness Facts! Part 1…

Well since the start of this blog, I have been telling all the important things about fitness.

Today I wanted to change things up a bit and talk about the things that are insightful and fun about fitness!

  • The human body has more than 650 muscles.
  • If you had every single muscle in your body work together at the same time, you could lift about 50,000 pounds.
  • Each muscle fiber is thinner than a hair and can support up to 1,000 times its own weight.
  • By the time you have reached old age, you will have walked approximately 70,000 miles
  • Consistent exercise teaches your body how to be an efficient fat-burner, rather than a fat-storer.
  • If you are not a regular exerciser, by the time you are 65 you may experience as much as an 80% decrease in your muscle strength.
  • There are 206 bones in the human body.  One fourth of them are in your feet.
  • Underwater swimming is the only time you should hold your breathe while exercising.
  • It takes only about 23 seconds for blood to circulate throughout your entire body.
  • A person breathes 7 quarts of air every minute.
  • Your heart is the strongest muscle of your body and beats about 100,000 times in one day, in an average adult.
  • Placed end to end, the blood vessels in your body would stretch almost three times around the equator.
  • If you can’t carry on a conversation while you’re exercising, you may be training too hard.
  • Studies have shown your life expectancy might increase by up to two hours for every hour you walk.

There are so many hidden benefits to adopting a fitness routine and maintaining until old age!  It is so important to try to remain active.  It will have a great effect on your health today and 20 years from now! Not to mention it will allow you to feel and look great!

 

…Give Up Fast Food?…

Over 4 years ago I made a pledge to myself to give up ALL fast food.

This means no McDonald’s, No Burger King, No Taco Bell, No Sonic….No place that was a “fast food” chain.  And to this day that had been one of my best choices.  I did it for several reasons…

1) To save money! After calculating how much I spent each month on fast food that was DOUBLE my budget for my grocery bill!  I learned to plan out my meals, make a menu, and stick to my monthly budget and it has helped me save HUNDREDS of dollars each year.

2)To eat healthier.  I am not saying that fast food places do not have healthy options for you.  Now they have done a great job at having alternative to offer families instead of the usual menu items.  Like offering fruit instead of fries.  Or having milk or juice instead of carbonated beverages.  They have done a great job over the years to add some healthier options to their menus.  But, for me, I felt that the variety of things that the grocery store was better and most cost-effective for me than going to grab something at my local fast food place.

3) To help me learn what I need to eat and to be more mindful of the things that I put in my body.  Since then I have gotten leaner and gotten better results physically.  Not having the luxury of just driving up someplace and getting food has made me actually think about what I want and what I need to eat on a daily basis.  I have adopted a much healthier eating habit not to mention I have saved money!

 

There are tons of articles and studies on how “healthy” some of the items fast food places sale to you.  And yes most of them are true.  Hence why it is better to take your own pledge to limit or cut out fast food from your diet.

You do not have to quit cold turkey! And like I said before, they do have some healthier options on the menu. But make sure that the healthy option is not tainted with double ranch dressing or with other things that will help diminish its healthy intentions.  You have to learn what is on the menu, how much of it you can have, and what to add/take away to keep that healthy meal within the “healthy meal” range.

One of the most important things about starting on a new health journey is know what is the right and wrong things to eat.  And the things in the image above are the WRONG things to consume on a regular basis.  I am not going to lie to you and say that I do not enjoy a nice burger.  But I enjoy that burger every once in a while.  You have to learn what you need on a regular basis and what you can have in moderation.

Each fast food restaurant should have a “Nutritional Facts” guide posted in their store or on their website (and to be honest most regular restaurants are starting to have them as well).  It would be smart to look at them before you go to get your food so you can have in mind what are the best things and the worst things they have on their menus.

It is wise to NOT super size/enlarge your meals when asked.  Also, limit the kind of condiments that you use on your meal. Even though Buffets are good for your pocket-book it is best to stay away from them! This is just a sure way for you to overeat, or eat several plate full of items that should be eaten in moderation. If you do go to a buffet try not to go up for seconds.  Try to know what is a good portion size and make sure to get those portion sizes when you go up for your first entrée. And if you are still hungry, drink some water and wait a bit until you make your second trip.  Sometimes it takes a little bit for your brain to realize that you are full so waiting will allow your food/drink to settle and for you to realize if you are truly full or not.

There are some more great tips in THIS article that will help you when making your fast food decisions.

Hope that this was a great tip to get your guys through the weekend! Happy Friday! And do not forget…ANY DAY is a GREAT DAY to start being healthy!

…When is enough food enough?…

When you go out to eat at almost ANY restaurant, the plate of food that you order is almost ALWAYS more than the suggested serving size.  As a culture we are all wanting to get the best and the most we can out of our money.  But is that necessarily the healthiest thing for you?

One of the things you can do to help you start learning what is enough is learning what the correct portion sizes are! You can look at my post HERE to get a sense of what is the correct portion size for most meals.

Learning what your body NEEDS and not what you want (or what you are craving) is a hard thing to do!  Some people crave food because food can be a comfort for them.  Emotional eating is one of the top listed reasons as to why most people gain the unwanted weight that they do.  To get over this, it helps to plan out your meals, try to have a variety of items when you do eat meals and snacks, and learn your biological food clock.  This “clock” is the indication of when you should eat food to nourish and replenish the body.  Not just because it is 3:00 and you want a candy bar.

Example…here is my biological food clock…

I usually get up around 7AM. When I wake up in the morning I usually eat within 1 hour of waking up.  If not, my stomach will be sure to let me know.

I always have a mid morning snack around 10 AM. This snack is a SMALL snack (which is about 300 calories).  It is only a filler until lunch time which is around 12:30.

After lunch I usually have a mid afternoon snack around 3.  This is an important snack for me because I usually work out around 5 so this snack usually has a few more calories to help me through the day and to help me through my workout.

After my work out I usually have dinner.  Depending on how heavy or light my lunch was will depend on how heavy or light my dinner is.  When I refer to how “heavy or light” it is I am speaking of if I have a meal with a lot of meat and starches for one meal I will try to refrain from having those things again with the next meal.

 

Learning your clock will take some time and you will have to learn what it feels like to eat until you are satisfied.  If you feel full or over embellished with your meal you have eaten more than you should have.

Another thing to be mindful of is what your body is telling you…not necessarily how full or empty your plate it.

Example:

If I have prepared a meal with correct portion sizes and I get done, I usually have something to drink to make sure that I am satisfied.  If I still have an unsatisfying feeling I will add a few more veggies or something not so “heavy” to my plate.  I am NOT a big fan or advocate of starving yourself if you have reached your daily calorie intake.  But if you do consume those extra calories you have to be mindful to eat healthy things that will not make you regret eating the extra food.

It is also suggested that if you start to get on a regular eating schedule it will be easier for you to know how to handle your cravings and how to consume your meal portions correctly.  Also, DRINK WATER!! It may be a form of cheating…but it has also been found that if you consume water regularly through your meal it will help you to realize that your stomach is full and to help limit the probability that you will overeat during your meal.

Here is an important tip for those who go out to eat regularly…when you order your meal, as soon as it comes to the table split the meal in HALF! Only eat HALF of your meal.  If it is hard for you to stick with that ask your waiter for a to go box before you start to eat and put half of the meal in the to go box so you do not have to see it on your plate.  This will not only help you stick to your portion sizes but it will also help you to have another meal for the next day!

Hope that some of these tips helped you to get a better understanding what kind of eating habits you have.  It is about eating food that will satisfy and nourish your body.  Consuming excessive amounts of food helps to account for gained weight.  Embarking on your own health and fitness journey will take a lot of work until you get use to your body and what you need!