By Anna O.

One of my greatest satisfactions is having the opportunity to motivate others on their resolution to lose weight by eating healthy not starving or following strict diet regimes. Losing weight can be a joyful experience. You can eat your favorite meals as long as you combine quality ingredients and avoid junk food.

Although each body responds differently based on their lifestyle activity, I suggest eating every 3 hours to boost your metabolism, plus having your 3 cups of green tea and your 8 glasses of water to flush toxins and keep your body hydrated. In addition to your 3 times a week cardio exercises and twice a week weigtlifting for toning and avoid excessive stretch marks for losing weight.

For instance, you can have 2 main meals and the other snacks. However, if you run out of time or don’t have time for a balanced meal, you can always have a protein shake, a protein bar, or a meal replacement. For a successful weight loss program, never skip meals, mainly breakfast because you will slow down your metabolism and ability to burn fat during the day. I strongly suggest you consult with your physician to select your individual weight loss program.

Do you know why many weight loss diets fail and only about 5% dieters succeed with their weight loss plan? Simply, they fail because it is hard to stick to a rigid diet to the point of almost starving! Sounds familiar? I know it does. I have been there. Good news is that you can still lose weight by eating healthier! Yes, you can lose weight with those rigid diets, but what is your goal? To lose weight permanently or continue with the yo-yo diet cycle?

Make sure you take at least 30 minutes to complete your lunch/meals. It takes about 20 minutes of chewing for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full. Simply, your stomach, mouth, and brain are all connected. If eating fast, then you eat more calories than you really need without really feeling satisfied. Hey, that is the beauty of eating healthy and learning how your metabolism works and use it as your best way to lose weight. Just awesome!

A helpful weight loss tip is not to force your body to eat a complete meal when you feel full. Believe me, it is a heavenly experience to enjoy regular meals while still losing weight. Plus, it is also a joy being able to stop eating once your “friendly stomach” tells you: “Hey, no more, I am full.” Just awesome!

I usually have pasta for lunch to have enough time to burn those carbs and use it as body fuel during the day. I try to combine my meals and make sure I have my protein choice for breakfast and for dinner, as well as having my carbs to burn during the day and keep my body in fat burning mode. Whenever I run out of time, I make sure to have handy my Protein Shake or a Meal Replacement.

Another helpful weight loss tips: Increase your metabolism by as much as 40%! Add hot and spicy foods such as hot peppers of all varieties. Research shows these foods increase your metabolism. Make sure you drink lots of water too to flush toxins! How about salad with peppers, or spicy lentils! Enjoy your burning fat mode!

For example, let me share with you some of my favorite meals. By any means, you can try them and modify some of the ingredients too, according to your taste. Just make sure, you make a toast for me too! Well, how about making a mutual toast for your successful weight loss program and my maintenance weight loss too!

This is a healthy Mediterranean meal from Italy, a traditional Italian Pasta: Spaghetti al sugo di pomodoro con piselli e basilico (Spaghetti with tomatoe sauce, green peas, and fresh basil)

This is one of my favorite meals. Yes, you better believe it, I made it.. ummmmmmmm so fresh! As Lucy Ricardo would say, “and it’s so tasty too!” ha ha.

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This is a great protein/carb combination. A Peruvian dish called “Papas Huancaina.” Basically, it is boiled potatoes with a spicy peanut sauce garnish with hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, olives, cheese, and tomatoes.

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Preferrably, for dinner, I try to have more protein to let my muscles recover while sleeping. This will be a typical dinner. Garbanzo with feta cheese, yogurt, salad. I like to add the fresh Mediterranean taste of Greece with a good Feta cheese.

However, if you really crave for starchy carbs for dinner. You can have brown rice, or a small portion of pasta to satisfy your craving. For protein, I added hard-boiled eggs and non-fat yogurt.

(Sometimes I eat half of it or the whole… )

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This is one of my favorite Italian pasta “Farfalla” the butterfly or bow type. For a balanced meal, I added yogurt for my protein with anise seed on top to help digestion and avoid bloated feelings or gas. Live culture bacteria found in yogurt help you fight bloated feeling and aid your digestive system. For fiber, I mixed a green salad with 1/4 cup peanuts(these are vegetable protein and good monounsaturated fat). Naturally, in the traditional Mediterranean diet, you can have your favorite glass of red wine (Chianti for me, please) as your best friend to help your digestion. However, if you do not drink, you can have your herbal tea, water. Avoid having regular soft drinks, they are about 150 empty calories with no nutritional value plus cause bloated feeling. A good way to end this lunch-lose weight relationship, is to have the classical espresso to keep you awake.

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How about a light snack?
Tomatoes with basil and Mozzarella (I added some pasta). You can prepare the classical Caprese Salad by putting a Mozzarella slice on top of the tomatoe and a basil leave.

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If feeling full for dinner or even for a light lunch, how about this variation?

How about this delicious meal? A small portion of “Pasta, aglio, e pepperoncino, (garlic, extra virgin oil, and pepperoncino)” Fresh red tomatoes, steamed broccoli, cottage cheese, grilled chicken with spinach (if vegetarian, you can replace it with GRILLED TOFU). For dessert, you can have fresh oranges, and the unforgettable GREEN TEA to speed up your metabolism naturally.

Just before I forget, let me give you another weight loss tip to lose pounds faster: Increase your intake of fiber rich foods; you can avoid constipation and bloated feeling. Fiber will help you feel full faster, flush toxins, and help all the food you eat pass through your digestive system more easily. Ex. leafy vegetables, celery, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, turnips, beans, corn. Fruits: apples, pears, peaches, nuts, blueberries.

My best reward will be if you tell me, “Ok, Anna, if you were able to lose 80 pounds from 230 pounds and keeping the weight off for over 3 years while eating healthy, so can I. Anna, I am ready to make and KEEP my commitment to lose weight for myself, not to please others, but for my own health, break with the yo-yo cycle, learn to choose healthy food and exercise more.”

You see, you can lose weight by eating healthy. You can enjoy your meals based on your schedule. The benefits of a healthy Mediterranean diet are that you can prepare many declicious and quick meals with fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, dairy products, grains, and continue to lose weight without following extreme weight loss diets. Simply, you need to eat to pounds and boost your metabolism.

Hey, if you are ready to lose weight and keeping the weight off once and for all by learning how to eat healthy, combining exercises, drinking your 6-8 glasses of water daily, and having your nutritional supplementes when needed. Then, let me tell you that I am here for you. Your commitment is also my commitment, “Official! Overweight? Hellooooo NO MORE!” Awesome, We can do it!

Your Weight Loss Friend,

Anna O.
Overweight No more

You can also visit my weight loss blog for more tips  http://howyoucanloseweightnow.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna O., Overweight No More, shows you the weight loss tips she used to lose 80 pounds from 230 pounds and keeping the weight off for over 3 years. She reveals not only how YOU can lose weight, but also how YOU can keep it off while eating regular meals not strict weight loss diets. Start YOUR Weight Loss Program today and lose pounds. I am ready to help YOU lose weight, are you ready?
http://www.officialoverweightnomore.com

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