Counting calories is creepy and wrong. There. I’ve said it. Well, someone had to. All that fiddly obsessing about the precise calorific value of what you choose to put in your mouth; weird and uptight.

But you’re overweight, and want to do something about it. You know there’s a problem, because you can’t shift the fat. You’ve tried dieting and it just makes you miserable and washed out. You’ve tried working out, but that just leaves you tired and cranky. What is the solution?

Apply a little common sense to the snack issue. You should try to eat five meals a day, to make sure your blood sugar level stays on an even keel and you don’t have hunger pangs. A good pattern would go like this:

1.Breakfast. 2.Mid morning snack. 3.Lunch. 4.Mid afternoon snack. 5.Dinner 6.Supper

I know, that’s six meals a day. Hey, I got hungry. Let’s get into what those snacks might be. Obviously, you had a good breakfast, so you don’t need a lot to eat come mid-morning. (You did have a good breakfast, didn’t you? Best meal of the day.) All you need is something to tide you over until lunch, so you don’t slump into a starving heap before then. You’ve got a ten minute break. What do you eat now?

Do you head for the nearest vending machine and buy chocolate? How about a bag of potato chips? There’s nothing really wrong with either choice – I love chocolate – but you’re trying to lose weight. Shoveling in fat and sugar won’t help you do that. So plan ahead and make your own snacks. You can’t rely on vending machines for healthy choices.

A sandwich is an obvious possibility. Wholemeal bread – any bread, as long as it’s not made from white flour – with some low fat protein and healthy fat and salad. The protein might be chicken breast, or cottage cheese, ham, or tinned fish like tuna or sardines. The salad might be lettuce and tomato, onion, celery; whatever you prefer. The healthy fat could be a thin scrape of butter or a drizzle of olive oil. The important thing is that you get some healthy food into you. The protein kills your hunger pangs. The carbohydrates in the bread keep you fueled up and active. The fat gives your body vital ingredients it needs to maintain good health. Read the rest of this entry…

Whole grains are finally starting to get the attention they deserve as a healthy choice for both flavor and good nutrition. In addition to fiber, whole grains are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and proteins such as iron and it may be easier than you think to incorporate them into your diet.

Some of the most popular whole grains include barley, which is mild in flavor and ideal for thickening soups and stews, and there are two types that are most often eaten; pearled and hulled. Bulgur wheat is often used as a meat substitute in vegetarian soups and chili as it offers a similar texture but with a lot more fiber and a mere fraction of the fat.

Whole grains can be used to create so many different and delicious foods for every meal of the day including things like soups, salads, casseroles, and baked goods. In addition, did you know you can even make tasty treats like pizzas from whole grains?

Whole wheat flour is coarse in texture and is rich in proteins and vitamins. Whole wheat flour also contains more dietary fiber than its white counterpart making it the best choice for a filling, nutritious dish.

Greek Pizza Muffins Recipe

What You Need

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup low fat milk
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Kalamata olives, chopped

How to Make It

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat before adding the onions and bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and tender while stirring often. Transfer the onions and peppers to a large bowl and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes.

Coat the inside of a miniature muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine that whole wheat flour with the all purpose flour and add in the baking powder, chopped oregano, sugar, garlic powder, and the salt and pepper.

Stir the milk, crumbled feta cheese, the beaten egg, tomato, and the chopped onions into the bowl with the onion and pepper mixture.

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients then add in the wet ingredients. Stir everything until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the mini muffin tin until they are about two thirds of the way full.

Bake the muffins for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the Greek pizza muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before turning upside down onto a wire rack where they should cool for another 2 to 3 minutes before being served.

Makes 24 for serving 6 to 8 Read the rest of this entry…

Most diets you come across claiming to help you lose weight, fight fatigue and lower your blood pH will inevitably have you removing food from your diet. This is what people typically think of when starting a new diet and to be honest, it’s what scares most people away. We hate not being able to eat the foods we love! Well, I’m sick of doing things the hard way and you should be too.

This approach has you adding things to your diet instead of taking away and will leave you healthier than ever. By utilizing green drink recipes, we can easily do this. Adding a healthy green smoothie or drink to your diet will have a profound impact on how you structure your meals. This is how it works:

• Add a green drink or smoothie to at least one meal a day (breakfast is probably the best choice).
• Drink it before you eat the rest of your meal. Read the rest of this entry…