Healthy Meals - Pros and Cons

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, will
help me in my fight to drop pounds.
Skipping meals can actually contribute to packing on more
pounds! This is not want you want at all! When you go
without eating a meal, your level of metabolism drops and
you become very hungry as a result of not eating. When you
eat again you will be inclined to eat too much. You will also
not meet the daily calorie requirement that is essential for
your good health (refer back to myth number one).
Breakfast is the worst meal of the day to skip. Your body
has fasted for many hours and upon rising it needs to be
refueled. Just as a car cannot run without gas, your body
cannot run without necessary fuel. Fuel for the body comes
from the foods we eat.

People who eat a healthy breakfast are less likely to overeat
later in the day. It is easier to lose weight, and to maintain a
healthy weight if you start every day with a healthy
breakfast.
The fuel that we need for our bodies to function properly
comes from glucose. Glucose is a simple form of sugar that
provides the body's primary source of fuel. The brain and
the central nervous system require glucose to do any type of
activity. If you do not give your body the glucose it requires
through the foods you consume then it will be forced to use
stored carbohydrates as an alternative fuel source.
What makes for a healthy breakfast?

To start your day off right, aim for one serving of protein
(which can be found in eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and
peanut butter), two servings of fruit (which helps to give you
the recommended daily requirement of vitamins and
minerals and helps to prevent constipation) and three
servings of grain.
Oatmeal is a bulk dense food that is excellent for people who
are trying to lose weight. Oatmeal slows down the digestive
process and makes it possible for an individual to feel
satiated for a longer span of time. It is also important that
you get plenty of fiber at breakfast time as fiber helps keep
the digestive process running smoothly.
A nutritious breakfast does not have to be complicated to be
healthy. One suggestion that is simple and nutritious is two
slices of whole grain bread with a tablespoon of peanut
butter and a glass of orange juice. Another excellent meal
for breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal or a high fiber cereal, a
banana and a glass of low fat or skim milk.
Dairy products should be taken out of my
diet completely.

Dairy products are a necessary part of every person's diet
and should never be eliminated completely, even if you are
trying to lose weight. Instead of eliminating this important
food group choose low fat and non-fat kinds of dairy
products. This is especially the case for women who require
the calcium that is found in rich supply in dairy products.
Research has now revealed the fact that getting enough
calcium through the foods you eat and the beverages you
consume can actually encourage the shedding of pounds.
Drink up!