POWER FOODS

Nutrition can be very daunting for anyone embarking on a weight loss journey.  It is important to keep in mind that it is not active or prejudice, and you can't spank it into submission.   When trying to lose weight, the list of foods will seem a bit dull for a time if you are accustomed to preparing family style meals and having regular snacks whenever you feel the urge.

Depending on your personality, it is best to work within your temperament.  If you are an all or nothing person, then by all means, jump right in.  If you have "feelings" about every little change in your life, then start with a couple of changes a week.  An unhealthy habit needs to be driven out by a new habit.

We could never go over every detail of nutrition in one sitting, some tools to have in the box will help when some guidelines come along.  If you are an auditory learner, you will glean much from the beginning chapters of these books, as they explain a few things about nutrition.  If you are kinesthetic, you will go straight for the pictures of food and pick what looks yummy!  Either way, you can't go wrong in a book that is geared towards achieving weight loss goals.

Here are 2 titles to get you started:

Power Foods:150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients
The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook

Another stumbled upon source if you are a planner, is www.Allrecipes.com.  It is pretty comprehensive as it gives nutrition information and I would recommend becoming a supporting member, as the search engine becomes a very handy tool.  You can search for recipes by calorie, fat, sodium etc. and customize your menus to your plan.

If you are looking for a guideline, for weight loss, stay in the 1200-1500 calorie range.  Adjust until you see pounds come down.  Put away the dinner plates and get out the dessert plates, because the portions need to be small.  Stock up on some of the following pantry staples:

Chicken breast
Fish
Ground chicken and turkey
Low sodium deli meats
Low Fat dairy - milk, sour cream, cream cheese, string cheese, cheese slices (use dairy sparingly)
Fruit
Vegetables
Organic Chicken Broth and low sodium soups
raw almonds and walnuts
Oil & Vinegar or low fat dressings
Experiment with different oils such as walnut and grape seed
Try a high quality balsamic vinegar (Whole Foods, Central market, Williams-Sonoma)
Tuna
Organic canned chicken
Natural Peanut Butter
Whole grains - Whole grain bread, whole wheat or buckwheat pasta, quinoa, brown, colored rice (not white), oatmeal
egg whites

Food is fuel, so eat sparingly, but often, every 2-3 hours! STAY AWAY FROM PREPACKAGED DIET FOOD!  They are loaded with empty calories.  You are better off eating a full fat/calorie item recipe from allrecipes.com and eat a smaller portion. And of course, join a fitness program like Boot Camp Academy 101!!!