Since mini skirts and shorts are around the corner, it makes sense that we’d start to think more about what we’re eating, what we should be eating and what we’re eating way too much of (hello, cupcakes). To help us jump start our spring slim down, The “Today Show” nutrition expert, Joy Bauer, came by to give us her top 7 spring diet tips.

1. Ditch liquid calories. Between coffee drinks that masquerade as ice cream sundaes, sodas full of high fructose corn syrup and super sugary fruit juices, you may be consuming thousands more calories than you realize. Joy’s suggestion: stick with water but make it more interesting by tossing in slices of cucumber, lemon or oranges.

2. Turn off the TV and head outdoors. This one may sound obvious, but it’s important advice. Yes, “Glee” is starting again (thank God). Yes, “Dancing with the Stars” is heating up. But if you’re like me, while you’re stuck to the couch you’re not only NOT burning calories, you’re consuming them. I’ll settle in to watch a show and suddenly I’ve eaten a whole bag of pretzels without even tasting it!

3. Start dinner with a vegetable first course. Joy suggests starting with a salad or a non-creamy, broth-based vegetable soup because the fiber and water content will expand in your belly and as a result you’ll be less likely to overeat when you get to the main meal.

4. Love your grill. One of the great things about grilling is that it makes a cook out of anyone. There’s nothing easier than throwing fish and veggies on the fire. You don’t have to add anything and they end up with flavor.

5. Strike starchy carbs a few nights a week. Sometimes I think, “Well, if it’s whole grain it’s ok…” but Joy suggests, even just a few nights a week, skip the starchy carbs (pasta, bread, grains) altogether. You’ll be forced (in a good way) to load up on lean protein and vegetables instead.

6. Close the kitchen after dinner. To stop yourself from going back for more—especially as the days get longer and the time between dinner and bedtime extends— put closure on your meal by drinking some herbal tea or brushing and flossing your teeth!

7. Eliminate the extras. A few M&Ms here, a few crackers there. . . it can all add up— again, without you even realizing it. If you can cut out the “in between” eating, it will pay off.

For more healthy eating ideas, check out Joy’s new book “Slim & Scrumptious,” which I am in love with. My favorite: her crispy kale and crispy Parmesan chicken. Easy and delicious.

Do you have any diet tips for spring that we should know about? Let us know by posting a comment below or emailing us at thethread@yahoo.com

First of all, you need to understand, that your body needs a proper Balanced Nutrition Diet, with a proper daily amount of: vitamins, proteins, minerals and carbohydrates.

Get into a habit of eating exactly 3 Meals a day.

1. Eat breakfast within one hour of rising.
Breakfast provides at least 30 percent of the total energy and nutrition needed to sustain the human body during the whole day. And therefore it is very important to have a proper breakfast and not to skip it.

2. Have a healthy low-fat lunch snack.
Have a healthy snack in your lunch time, low fat yogurt for example, to keep your energy running.

3. Have your dinner three hours before your bedtime.
Have a Proper dinner three hours before your bedtime; never go to bed on a full stomach.

Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. 2 liters of water a day would help your body to burn calories more effectively and to get rid of toxins.

Exercising is a KEY.
By exercising, your body gets an advantage of many physiological benefits such as:

* Weight Control by elevating your metabolism so that you burn more calories daily.
* The Boost in your energy level
* Strengthening of your heart and lungs
* Improvement in your self-image and self-confidence.

So, don’t forget to exercise at least 10 minutes a day.

Try to avoid using fats. Try to keep the fat level in your cooking as low as possible.

Make Calcium your friend. Include as much calcium as you can in your daily diet by eating:

* Oranges
* Broccoli
* Soybeans
* Tofu
* Sunflower Seeds
* Papaya

And other sources of calcium. Calcium is a crucial element for bone metabolism. Calcium deficiency is very common. The “Average” American diet does not even come close to meeting the normal calcium requirements:

425 mg. a day for Men
450 mg. a day for Women

So, to sum it up:
1. Have exactly 3 meals a day
2. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day
3. Exercise at least 10 minutes a day
4. Avoid fats
5. Make calcium your friend

By following these 5 simple rules, you will be losing weight in no time.
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Healthy Diet Foods List

One of the biggest problems people seem to have about being on a weight loss diet is the selection of foods they are going to be allowed to eat. Not to mention, the selection of foods they are no longer going to be allowed to eat. With certain unbalanced diets (for example, low carb) this may be true.

With The Lose Weight Diet, it is false.

The big fear some people have is that they would get tired and/or bored of eating the same healthy diet foods over and over again. Some people may even go as far as to say it’s impossible to consistently eat the same few healthy foods every single day for a long period of time without either falling off the diet or just going insane. Well, first of all, that’s not quite true.

For the most part, I eat the same foods at the same times of the same days every single week/month/year and have been doing so for years now. I realize how crazy that may sound to some people, but to me there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s very convenient and simple. Plus, I really like the foods I eat. I am perfectly happy with these foods. After all, that’s why I made them a part of my diet in the first place.

I am certainly not telling anyone to eat like this, and you certainly don’t have to. I’m just saying some people just don’t need that much variety in their diet.

If you happen to be like this too, great.

However, if you are the type of person who DOES want variety in your weight loss diet because you WOULD get tired of eating the same foods over and over again, then this list is for you.

I have separated the foods into 3 categories:
- good sources of protein
- good sources of carbs
- good sources of fat

Keep in mind though, the key to The Lose Weight Diet (or any weight loss diet for that matter) is total calories consumed. As you learned earlier, weight loss happens when you are in a calorie deficit, meaning you are taking in less calories than your maintenance level and are therefore burning more calories than you consume.

So, while the foods on this list would all make great additions to your diet (for both weight loss and all around health), you need to make sure you stay within your calorie range. Also try to stay close to the guidelines suggested regarding how much protein, carbs and fat your diet should consist of.

With all of that being said, here’s a list of acceptable and healthy diet foods:

Good Sources Of Protein

Chicken (without skin)
Turkey (without skin)
Lean cuts of beef
Lean cuts of pork
Lean cuts of lamb
Lean cuts of veal
Eggs
Egg whites
Tuna fish
Salmon
Shrimp
Lobster
Flounder
Sardines
Snapper
Swordfish
Trout
Crab
Clams
Scallops
Milk (2% or skim)
Cottage cheese (low fat/non fat)
Yogurt (low fat/non fat)
Tofu
Black beans
Garbanzo beans (aka chick peas)
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Miso
Soybeans
Peanuts
Almonds
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Pecans
Pistachio nuts
Natural peanut butter
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Protein powder, protein shakes and protein bars

Good Sources Of Carbs

Brown Rice
100% whole wheat bread
100% whole wheat bagels
100% whole wheat pita bread
Whole wheat/whole grain pasta
Sweet potatoes
Yams
Oatmeal
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Bran cereals
Garbanzo beans (aka chick peas)
Kidney beans
Black beans
Lentils
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Lima Beans

Fruits And Vegetables

Good Sources Of Fat

Salmon
Mackerel
Herring
Anchovies
Sardines
Scallops
Halibut
Fish oil supplements
Peanuts
Almonds
Walnuts
Cashews
Natural peanut butter
Olive oil (extra-virgin)
Flax seeds
Flax seed oil
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds

In closing, again be sure to include SlimTrim as part of your daily food plan. Click here to learn more (now available for $19.99)

There are three primary areas that you need to focus on if you want to lose bodyfat. They are all equally important and include weight training, cardiovascular exercise and proper nutrition.Without these three things in proper balance you cannot achieve adequate loss of bodyfat. Let’s break these down:

1. Weight training: Weight training will help you build lean muscle mass as well as improve your metabolism so you can alter your body into a fat burning system. Adding weight training to your fat loss regimen pushes your body to continue to burn calories (thus fat) long after your workouts are over. A fitness professional is highly recommended in order to develop a workout program that will meet your needs.
2. Cardiovascular exercise: Cardiovascular exercises are essential in promoting maximal weight loss as well as turning your system into a bodyfat burning machine.Without this you are only cheating yourself. Research has revealed that combining cardiovascular exercise with weight training causes your body to burn calories more quickly and for longer periods of time than if you only complete one form of exercise. You really must strive for 30 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least 5 days a week. A number of experts recommend that you complete cardio in the morning when you initially wake up. Your body will burn fat since there is no food in your system at that time. If you can’t do cardio in the morning then certainly work it in at an additional time during the day.

3. Nutrition: This aspect is fundamental if you want to know tips to lose bodyfat. You ought to strive to eat a high protein diet (1 gram of protein per 1 pound of bodyweight) per day. A high protein diet has several benefits. It allows you to burn additional fat, reduces water retention, makes you less hungry and raises your metabolism. Foods high in protein include: Beef, chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs. You also need to minimize the amount of “bad” carbs which include foods made with white flour or processed flour). Stick with foods made with wheat or whole grain products but focus more on fibrous carbs such as vegetables for your carb intake. Most importantly, avoid foods high in saturated fat. These include butter, processed foods, junk (fast) foods, cooking oils, etc. These are limited lists.

Practicing these tips to lose body fat are essential if you want to lose weight, bodyfat and gain a lean, muscular appearance. Check your progress weekly by weighing yourself or taking bodyfat measurements. Set a goal to lose 1/2 a pound to a pound per week. As long as you are achieving this keep doing what you’re doing. If you stop losing weight then it’s time to increase your cardio, reduce the amount you are eating or both.

The secret to losing bodyfat in the long term in persistence. You are making lifestyle changes with this strategy. If you stick with it you can attain a healthier lifestyle and improved body image. It may take several weeks or months but the results are worth it. You can decide to do nothing and stay as you are or you can apply these strategies and start your path to a lean, muscular body.

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