Basics for Losing Weight Safely
by Ken Grace

1. Don't Skip Meals - Try to eat lots of small highly nutritious meals each day.

2. Drink lots of water - Don't let your body become dehydrated.  Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water minimum.

3. Exercise Moderately on a Daily Basis. At least 1/2 hour but finish feeling like you could have kept going.

4. Try to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible "Try to avoid processed foods". Avoid processed white flour, sugar, high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils as much as possible.

5. Eat Low Glycemic foods whenever possible. Look at the Glycemic Index and learn which foods score lower on the Glycemic Index scale.

6. Make sure you get the proper amount of Essential Fats - Omega 3 Oil daily.

7. Don't eat after 8 PM. If you eat properly throughout the day you should not be starving at night.

8. Take a multi-vitamin/ multi-mineral with breakfast or dinner daily.

Try to Do the Following:

Eat a piece of fruit with every meal and snack
In the morning upon waking drink a large glass of water, eat breakfast (low glycemic cereal or eggs) and eat a piece of fruit.  Take 1 tablespoon of organic flaxseed oil for every 100 pounds of bodyweight or grind 1/4 cup of flaxseed and sprinkle on cereal. Drink a glass of non fat milk or 1% fat milk - If you are not lactose intolerant. Take a multi-vitamin/Multi-mineral. 

Morning Snack - at around 10 AM - Eat a light snack (piece of fruit and some whole grain bakery good or small low fat protein source)

Lunch - Eat a piece of fruit, at least one serving of vegetables (two is better), a turkey or chicken sandwich that is low in saturated fat but contains protein. Drink a glass of non fat milk or 1% fat milk if you are not lactose intolerant.

Afternoon Snack - Around 3 PM - Eat a piece of fruit, drink water, and a low fat protein source.

Dinner - At least two servings of vegetables, a low fat protein source like fish, chicken, turkey or low fat beef and a piece of fruit.  Again try to eat a carbohydrate that is low on the glycemic index and a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral .

Snack - Before 8 PM - piece of fruit, a serving of vegetables, tablespoon of organic flaxseed oil or ground flaxseed.

The goal is to eat lots of small nutritious meals instead of one or two large meals!

At some point during the day - AM, Lunch or After work get in at least 1/2 hour of moderate exercise.  This exercise could be walking, jogging, weight training, biking or swimming.  Alternating activities daily helps to keep the program exciting and fun. Try to include some form of resistance training or weight training in your program at least twice a week (Again keep the total time to 1/2 hour or 40 minutes). The key is to be consistent and to move daily! Finish every exercise session feeling like you could have done more. Here is a link to the American Heart Association to a free 12 week exercise program.