A goal is defined as a, “written, specific, personally meaningful, and challenging statement of intent, which has a measurable outcome and a completion date”.  Your goals must give a distinct target or end-point to work towards that must also be easy to measure and specific.  Without these you’ll never know if you have achieved the goal.  You can’t just say lose weight or gain energy.

Make the target very clear and specific.  Sit down for 15 minutes and work through 3 short-term and three long-term goals’ minimum, but don’t be afraid to do more.   You must also be honest and realistic with a self-evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can set appropriate and challenging goals.

Also, you must be honest with your process as you move towards a goal.  If the goal is too hard or too easy, you can adjust it.  If it is easily accomplished, reset for a higher standard.  It is okay to adjust the goal based on your feedback and learning.  By having a deadline or time-line for your goal, you are able to examine your progress and re-visit the feasibility of the goal.

COMMIT your goals to paper

1. REVIEW YOUR GOALS on a regular basis.  Make your list of goals accessible, so that you can review it regularly.  Frequent reminders will help keep you on track.
2. BE SPECIFIC set the goal to exactly what you want to achieve.
3. BE REALISTIC begin by setting small, attainable goals in order that they will propel you into future success.  For example, set a simple goal that you will avoid excess food at a party this weekend.  Set another goal as simple as having a great workout tomorrow.
4. FOCUS ON THE SHORT-TERM GOALS as short-term changes in behavior will help you reach long-term goals.  Set small goals to get the ball rolling, and success will breed success.
5. AS YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL return to your list and update the entire set of goals.
   At this time, I want you to pledge your full commitment to the program.  To be successful, you must dedicate yourself to the following goals:

List 3 short-term goals:
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________

List 3 long-term goals:
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________

Also plan your turbulence training workouts so that you get it done in less than 45 minutes.  Your body’s metabolism will be so revved up that you will still be burning tons of fat and calories all day long.  Once you understand that everything you do each day takes you either closer to or farther from your goals, then and only then will you be on the fast track to success.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5667408

Disregard them, and you may well be taking a big gamble with your mental and emotional well-being.

Instead of bringing misfortune, however, the 13 habits promise a life of vigor and vivacity. There are, of course, no guarantees, but many of the practices mentioned here have been published in scientific journals. Disregard them, and you may well be taking a big gamble with your mental and emotional well-being.

Healthy Habit No. 1: Eat Breakfast Every Morning

Breakfast eaters are champions of good health. Research shows people who have a morning meal tend to take in more vitamins and minerals, and less fat and cholesterol. The result is often a leaner body, lower cholesterol count, and less chance of overeating.

“That one act [of eating breakfast] seems to make a difference in people’s overall weight,” says Melinda Johnson, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). She says breakfast can hold off hunger pangs until lunchtime and make high-calorie vending machine options less enticing.

Not only that, researchers at the 2003 American Heart Association conference reported that breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be obese and get diabetes compared with nonbreakfast eaters.

Another study in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition showed that people who consumed breakfast cereal every day reported feeling better both physically and mentally than those who rarely ate cereal in the morning.

For kids, breakfast appears to enhance alertness, attention, and performance on standardized achievement tests, reports the ADA.

To get the full benefits of breakfast, the Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with carbohydrates, protein, and a small amount of fat. They say that because no single food gives you all of the nutrients you need, eating a variety of foods is essential to good health.

Yet, even with so much scientific support that breakfast does the body good; many people still make excuses not to eat in the morning. They include not having enough time and not feeling hungry. For these people, Johnson suggests tailoring breakfast to the day.

“When I’m getting ready in the morning, I don’t really want to take the time to eat breakfast because that would mean sacrificing sleep,” says Johnson. “So I bring my breakfast with me, and I know I have an hour when I’m reading emails in the office when I can eat it. By that time, I’m hungry because I’ve been up for almost a couple of hours.”

Healthy Habit No. 2: Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet

The AHA recommends a serving of fish two times per week.

Besides being a good source of protein and a food relatively low in the bad type of dietary fat called saturated fat, fish has omega-3 fatty acids — which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Healthy Habit No. 2: Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet continued…

Fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon, are rich in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Foods such as tofu, soybeans, canola, walnuts, flaxseed, and their oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which convert to omega-3 in the body. Even though the benefits of ALA are controversial, the AHA still recommends foods containing it as part of a healthy diet.

In addition to their heart-health benefits, there is some evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may also soothe an overactive immune system, says Johnson. Even though this benefit is still being studied, she says there appears to be a link between getting more omega-3s in your diet and reducing allergies, asthma, eczema, and autoimmune disorders.

Healthy Habit No. 3: Get Enough Sleep

“Your body has to have enough time to rest,” says Michael Fleming, MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Otherwise, he says you may find yourself feeling cranky and tired.

This may sound like common sense, but according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), more than two-thirds of older adults suffer from sleep problems and many American adults don’t get the minimum amount of shuteye needed to stay alert.

Sleep is vital to good health and to mental and emotional well-being. The NSF reports that people who don’t get enough slumber are more likely than others to develop psychiatric problems and to use health care services. Plus, sleep deprivation can negatively affect memory, learning, and logical reasoning.

Not enough ZZZs can also be hazardous. More than one-half of adult drivers — some 100 million people — say they have driven drowsy in the past year, according to NSF polls. About one out of five of these drivers — 32 million people — say they’ve fallen asleep while driving.

Each year drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 car crashes, 1,500 deaths, and tens of thousands of injuries, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NSF recommends taking a 15 to 20 minute nap. Because it takes about 30 minutes for the caffeine to work, taking a nap while you wait for the caffeine to kick in can help restore alertness.

To avoid the pitfalls of insufficient sleep, make sure to get at least seven to 10 hours of slumber each night. Kids need more sleep, depending on their age.

Healthy Habit No. 4: Make Social Connections

Volunteer. Go to church. Join a club. Whatever you do, do it with people. Communal activities are good for your physical and mental health, according to a study published in the March/April 2004 issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior.

It makes sense, says C. David Jenkins, PhD, author of Building Better Health: A Handbook of Behavioral Change. He says social ties have many benefits, including:

• Providing information. You may think for instance your frequent nosebleeds, coughing, and sneezing episodes are trivial, but when a close friend or relative hears of it, he or she may encourage you to go to a doctor. If the symptoms turn out to be a serious condition, the social tie could have saved your life.
• Instrumental help. Friends and family can provide physical support in time of need. They may help with cooking, cleaning, running errands, doing grocery shopping, and driving to the doctor’s office.
• Emotional support. Sharing a problem with a trusted person can help alleviate an internal burden. “It’s a load off your chest,” says Jenkins.
• Offering a sense of belonging. This feeling not only helps reinforce a person’s identity, it also assists in preventing and overcoming depression and anxiety.

Community ties also help improve mental functioning, says Fleming. Group activities can help keep the mind active and maintain desirable levels of serotonin — the brain chemical associated with mood. “Lack of social interaction will [decrease] serotonin levels,” says Fleming.

Healthy Habit No. 5: Exercise for Better Health

We already know that physical activity has a bounty of benefits, which makes it so puzzling why so many people just don’t do it. According to the CDC, more than 60% of Americans do not get regular exercise.

In case you needed an incentive, here is a review of the advantages of exercise, per the National Cancer Institute:

• Helps control weight
• Maintains healthy bones, muscles, and joints
• Reduces risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes
• Promotes psychological well-being
• Reduces risk of death from heart disease
• Reduces risk of premature death

Studies have also shown a link between exercise and a reduced risk of certain cancers.

Besides its long-term effects, moving your body has immediate benefits, says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. The short-term results of exercise include helping people to think and move better, manage stress, improve mood, and get an energy boost.

The excuses that people often give to not exercise are the precise reasons to exercise, says Bryant. People who say they are too tired or don’t have time to workout don’t realize that exercise gives people more energy and allows them to be more productive with the rest of their time.

Healthy Habit No. 6: Practice Good Dental Hygiene

Flossing your teeth every day could add 6.4 years to your life, according to Michael Roizen, MD, author of RealAge. In his book, Roizen lists flossing as one of the most important daily activities — along with exercise and quitting smoking — that could extend life span.

Roizen’s calculation may raise some eyebrows, but the idea that oral health is connected to overall health isn’t far-fetched.

The mouth, after all, is an integral part of the body. “Teeth have a blood supply, and that blood supply comes from the heart,” says Richard Price, DMD, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association (ADA).

Researchers suspect that the bacteria that produce dental plaque enter the bloodstream. They say these bacteria are somehow associated with the inflammation that occurs with plaque that blocks blood vessels and causes heart disease.

Other researchers have found links between oral bacteria and stroke, diabetes, and the birth of preterm babies and those that have low birth weight.

In addition to preventing disease, flossing and brushing can help keep your pearly whites intact for more than just cosmetic reasons. Teeth help you chew food, speak properly, and smile — which, according to Price, can help you keep your dignity.

Healthy Habit No. 7: Take Up a Hobby

Look up the word “hobby” in the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, and you will find the definition as “a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.”

Since they are relaxing activities, hobbies are usually enjoyable. Some people find joy in craftwork, bird watching, sports, going to flea markets, walking in the park, or playing cards.

The joy may help people live healthier and recover better from illness. For one thing, taking part in hobbies can burn calories, more so than just sitting in front of the TV.

In a study of people who had undergone surgery, Jenkins found that people who were involved in hobbies before their operation had better recovery six months later, compared with people who did not have hobbies.

The participants with hobbies tended to have more drive and interest in things and other people, says Jenkins. “It was a more active orientation to life.”

Healthy Habit No. 8: Protect Your Skin

Our skin starts to age as soon as we are born and, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the best way to protect it and look younger is to stay out of the sun.

The sun has harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause wrinkles, dryness, and age spots. Overexposure can cause sunburn, skin texture changes, dilated blood vessels, and skin cancers.

Avoiding the sun, however, is not always ideal or practical. To reduce the risk of skin damage, the AAD offers the following tips:

• Always wear sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
• Don a hat with a brim and wear other protective clothing.
• Don’t deliberately sunbathe.
• Try to avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Healthy Habit No. 9: Snack the Healthy Way

The ADA recommends five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day as part of a healthy diet. These plant foods can do many things to boost good health, including:

• Reduce the risk of some cancers
• Beat the signs of aging
• Improve memory
• Promote heart health
• Enhance the immune system

One way to incorporate fruits and veggies into your diet is to have them as snacks. “If you can do one thing [to improve your health], concentrate on getting fruits and veggies,” says Johnson. “They are low in calories and high in nutrients.”

She says baby carrots and cut-up produce make tasty, convenient munchies. Other healthful snacks include low-fat yogurt and nuts (in moderation).

The best time to snack is when you are hungry between meals, says Johnson. But beware: Cravings could easily be mistaken for hunger cues, especially for people who are dieting.

Healthy Habit No. 10: Drink Water and Eat Dairy

Water and milk are essential fluids for good health, but they can also help with shedding pounds.

Healthy Habit No. 10: Drink Water and Eat Dairy continued…

The body needs water to keep properly hydrated and individuals vary widely in how much water they need. Joints need it to stay in motion, and vital organs such as the heart, brain, kidney, and liver need it to work properly.

If you don’t get enough water, the body goes into emergency mode, and clings to every single water molecule it can find, reports the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center. The stored molecules appear as extra weight. The weight is only released once the body gets enough water.

The calcium in dairy, on the other hand, is known to be important for strong bones and teeth. Studies have also shown it can help prevent high blood pressure, kidney stones, heart disease, and colon cancer.

In the weight loss arena, three 8-ounce glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk appear to encourage body fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, according to the ADA. The dairy consumption must be part of a balanced reduced-calorie meal plan.

Healthy Habit No. 11: Drink Tea

“Decaffeinated tea is better,” says Fleming, noting that the caffeinated variety can be dehydrating, and sugary drinks can lead to weight gain.

There is some evidence that tea may help in improving memory, and preventing cavities, cancer, and heart disease. Fleming says, though, that the overall research is still inconclusive.

“There may well be some beneficial effects of tea, particularly the potential antioxidant effect, but we don’t have great data on that right now that is that specific.”

However, there’s no doubt that a cool iced tea can be a refreshing treat during hot days. Try flavoring your tea with juices, fruits, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and other condiments.

Healthy Habit No. 12: Take a Daily Walk

We already mentioned the merits of exercise in habit No. 5. Now, here’s a tip on how to incorporate physical activity into your daily life: WALK.

We’re not talking about taking the time out of your busy schedule to work out — that’s important, too — but infusing life- and limb-saving movement into your waking hours.

“Just move. Pace during phone calls, while you’re brushing your teeth, while watching your son’s soccer game,” says Bryant, noting that every 20 steps a person takes is 1 calorie burned.

An eight-year study of 13,000 people also showed that people who walked 30 minutes daily had a significantly reduced chance of premature death compared with those who rarely exercised, reports the American Council on Exercise.

And there are plenty of opportunities to move those legs:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk to the store.
• Window shop at the mall.
• Leave your desk and visit your co-worker instead of sending him an email.
• Walk and talk with friends instead of meeting for a meal.

Healthy Habit No. 13: Plan

There is, perhaps, no better word in the English language to better illustrate how you can incorporate healthy habits into your everyday life.

“A little planning goes a long way,” says Johnson. “Eating healthy never happens by accident.”

For the most part, neither do good fitness, skin protection, healthy teeth, weight loss, and social ties. Many of these habits take effort that need to be scheduled into busy lives.

To eat healthy, for example, it would help to set aside time to draft a menu, make a grocery list, go to the store, prepare meals, and pack breakfast and lunch.

View Article Sources

Published June 14, 2004.
Medically reviewed Jan. 24, 2006.

SOURCES: Melinda Johnson, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. Michael Fleming, MD, president, American Academy of Family Physicians. C. David Jenkins, PhD, author, Building Better Health: A Handbook of Behavioral Change. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist, American Council on Exercise. Richard Price, DMD, consumer advisor, American Dental Association. American Heart Association web site. Mayo Clinic web site. American Dietetic Association web site. National Sleep Foundation web site. National Cancer Institute web site. American Academy of Periodontology web site. ABCNews.com: “Help or Hype: Consumer Products for Periodontal Care.” American Dental Association web site. 21st Century Dental web site. HarperCollins.com: “Michael F. Roizen.” WebMD Medical News: “Social Connections Build Healthier Lives.” American Academy of Dermatology web site. National Institute on Aging, AgePage: “Skin Care and Aging.” 5 A Day web site. American Council on Exercise web site. American Heart Association: “Why Should I Be Physically Active?” University of Minnesota Water Resources Center: “Water Will Help You Lose Weight!”

By Dulce Zamora
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Reviewed on December 14, 2007

© 2004 WebMD, Inc. All rights Reserved.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs watermelon, cubed
• 3 large tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced fresh basil
• 1/4 cup diced fresh mint

How to Make It
1.) Place watermelon and tomatoes in a bowl.

2.) Crumble feta over the top.

3.) Drizzle with olive oil.

4.) Season with salt and pepper.

5.) Toss gently and top with basil and mint.

Nutritional Breakdown
Per serving
Calories: 347
Protein: 9 g
Carbs: 59 g
Fat: 12 g
Fiber: 3 g
Serves 6

Created by Andrew Swallow, author of Mixt Salads: A Chef’s Bold Creations

One of the simplest and most important things you can do to clean up your diet and improve your health is start making your own salad dressing. When I look at the ingredient lists of most salad dressing, I see a host of problem ingredients.

Commercial salad dressings are often loaded with sugar including high fructose corn syrup which greatly increases insulin levels in the blood leading to insulin resistance and diabetes.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is sometimes present which is a known neurotoxin causing problems such hyperactivity, poor attention, difficulty concentrating, and headaches. MSG has also been shown to increase weight gain in an animal study.

Commercial salad dressings are usually made from refined vegetable oils such as soy and cottonseed oil. Even the ones that advertise being made with olive oil usually have a little olive oil and a lot of the refined oils. These refined vegetable oils become rancid in the extraction process and cause free radical damage throughout the body; this leads to faster aging, a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Besides being good for you instead of harmful to your health, your homemade salad dressing will cost about the same as commercial ones.

Making salad dressings is quick, easy, and tastes delicious. You can be creative with them adding different herbs and spices for different flavors.

Recipe: Makes 1 cup salad dressing.

Get the best ingredients you can—organic is ideal.

¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup vinegar (balsamic, wine, or apple cider) or to taste
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon prepared mustard (Dijon style is best)
1 tablespoon flax oil (adds omega-3 fats)

Mix the vinegar, salt, and mustard into a bowl.
Add the oils slowly while whipping with a whisk or fork. This will emulsify the dressing to keep it from separating (or you can just shake the dressing up each time you use it). Serve it into a jar or an old salad dressing bottle. Use as much or as little as you like. It is good for you.

Options:

Add a dash of herbs and spices to the dressing. This can be done anytime in the process. I almost never add the same exact spices twice; this is where you can be creative. Avoid using commercial spice mixes; these typically contain MSG. If you use fresh herbs, be sure to keep the dressing the fridge.

• For a slightly spicy dressing, add black pepper and thyme (dried or fresh).
• For a cooler dressing, add mint and tarragon.
• For a good all-around dressing, I like to add rosemary, thyme, basal, and fennel.
• You can add a little honey or maple syrup if you want a sweeter taste. I recommend trying it without sweeteners first.

Benefits:

• A balanced omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio helps build cell membranes that are more sensitive to insulin. This decreases insulin resistance helping to prevent diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis among other things.
• Vinegar is very helpful in stimulating your digestive system to digest your food more efficiently. Some people with heart burn have improvements with the simple addition of a little vinegar at the beginning of their meals.
• The herbs mentioned above have various qualities depending on the herb. Many of the ones mentioned are wonderful digestive aids calming indigestion and/or curbing the formation of gas. I love the fact that our culinary spices are also digestive aids.

It’s true. You really are what you eat. And that’s why some days you end up feeling more like a cream-filled Twinkie than the lean cut of beef you aspire to.

But you probably already know that. That’s why, like all of us, you’re most likely trying to clean up your act and start eating healthy. But the truth is, that’s just not enough. Because if you’re gorging yourself on apples, bananas, and salads made with iceberg lettuce, you may be eating healthy-but you’re not eating smart.

In order to build the body you want-the thunderous arms and the rock-hard abs, the lightning-quick brain and the unquenchable libido-you need to make every bite of food you put in your mouth count. That means building your diet around the most potent, nutrient-dense, disease-fighting, muscle-growing foods around.

But where do you start? And what foods are the absolute fittest? To find out, we decided to put some of the nation’s top nutritionists to the test. First, we polled 40 of the country’s most respected food experts-registered dietitians, college nutrition professors, and authors-asking them each: What are the 10 most important foods every guy should include in his diet for maximum fitness? Then, as the results rolled in, we ranked our experts’ recommendations. The more often foods appeared in the survey results, and the higher those foods’ position on the list, the more overall points they were awarded.

Which foods made the list? How much of each should you eat on a weekly basis? How much fitter can your diet get? Read on to find out.

20) Turkey Breast

72 calories per 3-oz serving

Eat 3 servings per week

Buy it skinless and you get seven grams of muscle-building protein per ounce. Turkey is high in B vitamins, zinc (a known booster of sperm production), and the cancer fighter selenium. “It’s also got a ton of amino acids, and there are little or no saturated fats,” says Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., a nutritionist in Reading, Mass. “Plus, it’s one of the most versatile cuts of meat around, so you can easily eat it throughout the week and never have the same thing twice.”

19) Olive Oil

119 calories per tbsp

Eat 2 tbsp per day

Olive oil is rich in good monounsaturated fat, making it an ideal food for heart health. In fact, studies show that replacing two tablespoons of saturated fat (found in butter and lard) with monounsaturated fat may reduce the risk of heart disease. But that’s not the only reason to eat it. A study in the journal Nature reports that olive oil also has potent anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it can help reduce pain and swelling just like a dose of ibuprofen. In addition to cooking with olive oil and using it as a dressing for your salad, you can get even more in your diet by mixing a tablespoon or two into your daily protein shake.

18) Quinoa

318 calories per half cup

Eat 2-3 servings per week

Chances are you may not be familiar with this exotic whole grain grown in the Andes mountains. But you should be. It has a light, mild flavor-making it ideal for guys who hate other whole grains. Even better, it’s higher in protein than any other grain around, and packs a hefty dose of heart-healthy. unsaturated fats. “Quinoa is also a great source of fiber and B vitamins,” says Christopher Mohr, Ph.D., R.D. a professor of nutrition at the University of Louisville.

17) Black Beans

227 calories per cup

Eat 2 servings per week

Tiny as they are, beans can help you feel energized and fuller longer than almost anything else you can eat. The reason is twofold: They’re incredibly high in fiber, which swells in your stomach and promotes a feeling of fullness. And, they’re stuffed with a highly complex form of carbohydrate that can take your body a long while to convert into energy. Like meat, they’re also packed with protein. But unlike meat, they’ve got no saturated fats. “Beans of all types are always high on most nutritionists’ lists,” says Chicago-based nutritionist Jennifer R. Bathgate, R.D. So why’d our experts pick the black variety? Easy. Ounce for ounce, they have more fiber per serving than any other member of the legume family.

16) Green Tea

2 calories per cup

drink 1-3 cups per day

From cancer prevention to weight loss to potentially slowing the development of Alzheimer’s, green tea has been shown to help fight almost every major medical ill. “Hot or cold, there’s almost nothing better you can drink,” says Mohr. Not the teabagging type? Try buying a liquid extract. Drop a bit in water and voila! Instant tea.

15) Eggs

74 calories per large egg

eat 3-7 eggs per week

“An egg a day is A-OK,” says Ward. Here’s why: Eggs contain a heavy-hitting 4 grams of pure muscle-building amino acids inside every shell, in addition to boasting some of the highest naturally available doses around of a vitamin called choline, which is thought to help enhance memory. “They’re the gold standard in terms of providing all the right nutrients for muscle growth,” says Ward.

14) Milk

118 calories per cup

get 3 servings of dairy per day

You know milk does a body good, but you may not know that skipping dairy makes your body angry, sort of. When you’re not getting enough, your body releases hormones that cause your cells to retain calcium-and fat, says Michael Zemel, Ph.D., director of The Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee. Calories still count, so you should drink your milk by the glass rather than the gallon. But just make sure you get some. “There are components in dairy that help turn on your body’s fat-burning system and slow down the storage of fat,” says Zemel. And although other forms of supplements are great, this is one case in which the real thing works the best.

13) Water

0 calories

Drink 8 8-oz glasses per day

You know you need to be drinking more water, and for good reason. Water flushes toxins from your system, regulates body temp, acts as an insulator for joints, prevents kidney stones, and supplies the body with a raft of crucial minerals, says Marietta Amatangelo, R.D., of Germantown, Md. “Without water, none of the other super-foods would matter.”

Although water helps in every way, it may be at its most powerful when it comes to weight loss. Drinking a glass or two of water a half hour or so before mealtime, for example, can help take the edge off your hunger.

Getting in all that water each day seem like a drag? Try making a half gallon of sugar-free lemonade you can sip throughout the day, or buy a pack of calorie-free flavorings to add to your water bottle at work.

12) Sweet Potatoes

100 calories per med. potato

Eat 1 per week

A four-ounce sweet potato holds more than 100% of our daily supply of beta carotene, a hefty dose of iron, and a plentiful shot of vitamins C and E. Together, these nutrients work together to protect your body against cellular damage of all types, especially in athletes who compete in extreme environments (such as altitude, heat, cold, or pollution). They’re also one of the best foods for muscle recovery after a tough workout, says California sports nutritionist Kim Mueller, R.D.

And there are more ways to eat them than just baked, boiled, or topped with marshmallows. Try stirring cooked, diced sweet potato into chili or your favorite potato-salad recipe. You can also grate them into hamburgers or meatloaf, or use them to make your own oven-baked fries.

11) Soy

300 calories per cup

Eat 2 servings per week

If tough Navy SEALs eat soybeans, you can, too. Dietitian Wendy Jo Peterson, of Virginia Beach, who’s married to a SEAL, serves him and his Navy buddies edamame. “They think they don’t like it until I make them try it, and afterward, I tell them it’s soybeans.” Peterson calls soy a “perfect food.” It has the protein of meat, the fiber of a whole grain, and the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals of the best vegetables and fruits. If you don’t like tofu and soy milk-there are easy ways to boost your soy intake. Soy nuts and the soy protein used in some protein shakes and bars not only taste great but are very guy-friendly.

10) Beef

163 calories per 3-oz serving

Eat 3-4 servings per week

It’s not only high in muscle-building amino acids, it’s also a powerhouse of iron and zinc, which aid circulatory health. In fact, beef is so nutrient-dense that a three-ounce serving supplies more than 10% of your recommended daily intake of a number of nutrients, including protein, B6 and B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, and riboflavin. Worried about the fat? Don’t. According to USDA data, today’s beef is up to 20% leaner than it was a decade ago. In fact, 19 cuts of beef meet government guidelines as being a lean meat. To keep the meat you’re buying lean as well as tender and flavorful, opt for cuts with the words round or top in the name-things like eye round roast, top round, or top sirloin steak.

9) Whole-Wheat Bread

140 calories per 2 slices

Eat 6 slices per week

White flour doesn’t just rob you of fiber and protein, it also digests incredibly quickly in the body, giving you a rapid spike of energy-but one that comes crashing down just as fast. Over time, those spikes in insulin production wear on the body, damaging cells and promoting excess storage of fat. So why would you ever eat white bread?

“Even if you’re cutting carbs, there’s still a place for complex whole grains in your diet,” says Mohr. “They leave you feeling fuller longer, and they provide the longest possible supply of sustained energy.” Just watch out when you’re buying something that claims to be whole grain. It may only look brown because it’s colored with molasses. Rather than buying based on color, check the ingredient list. The only true whole-grain products are those that contain 100% whole wheat or whole grain listed as the first ingredient on the packaging.

Almonds

82 calories per 1/2-oz serving

Eat 3 servings per week

High in protein, fiber, and vitamin E, almonds are great for your heart, digestive system, and skin. Although they’re also loaded with healthy unsaturated fats, some guys avoid them because they’re so calorie-dense. But that’s a mistake. Gary Fraser, Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Loma Linda University in California, studied folks who added two ounces of almonds to their diet on a regular basis. Turns out they had no significant weight change. “Since nuts are such a hard food, it appears that a significant amount of their calories are never absorbed into the body,” he says.

To work more almonds into your diet, try keeping a bag of dry-roasted or lightly seasoned almonds in your desk drawer at work-and snack on a handful rather than hitting the vending machine. You can also blend almond butter into smoothies, or use it in place of peanut butter to make an, uh, AB&J sandwich.

7) Yogurt

154 calories per cup

Get 3 servings of dairy per day

Yogurt has all the benefits of milk, plus active cultures that boost the number of germ-fighting bacteria along your intestinal walls, says Mueller. Why does that matter? It helps keep you from getting sick. Studies show that people who eat yogurt most often are less likely to catch a cold than people who rarely eat the stuff. Like milk, yogurt contains calcium that not only boosts fat-burning but also helps you feel satiated, making it an ideal food for weight loss. “Try to buy yogurt that is less than a week old to ensure you’re getting the most benefit from the active cultures,” she says. (The later the product’s expiration date, the newer it is.) One word of caution: Most yogurt is packed with added sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

6) Spinach

7 calories per cup

Eat 2-3 servings per week

What do button-down dietitians have in common with brawl-happy cartoon sailors? They all love their spinach! And for good reason. One serving of these leafy greens is loaded with fiber, calcium, and virtually your entire day’s recommended dosage of beta carotene, a nutrient vital for immune-system health, good vision, but not-as far as we know-huge wrist flexors.

If you can’t stand spinach plain, Katherine Tallmadge, R.D., author of Diet Simple, suggests dropping it into burritos, pasta dishes and canned soup.

5) Broccoli

31 calories per cup

Eat 2-3 half-cup servings per week

This fleshy green should be at the top of your list when it comes to vegetables. It’s rich with a healthy supply of iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamin C, meaning it’s good for the circulatory system, bones, and fighting colds. “As far as vegetables go, this is the one I try hardest to get more guys to eat,” says Niki Kubiak, R.D., a private practice nutritionist in Omaha, Neb. Brocco-phobic? Try it on the sly: Slip it into stir-fries, onto pizza, or use raw chunks as a vehicle for your favorite dip.

4) Tomatoes

83 calories per cup

Eat 4 servings per week

Yes, it’s true that tomatoes used to be called “love apples” and have a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac. But that lore has nothing to do with why we picked the tomato as the best food for sexual health. Rather, tomatoes win their place on our chart-and their relatively high ranking overall-because of a single nutrient: lycopene.

This powerful antioxidant, which comes from the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, may actually help fight off a number of diseases and ailments-most important for men, prostate cancer. Numerous studies show that men who have the most tomatoes and tomato-based products in their diet are less likely to develop prostate problems than men who rarely eat the stuff. And the good news for guys on the run: Tomatoes are also that rare food that’s more nutritious when cooked than when eaten raw. “Lycopene becomes more bio-available to the body after it’s been heated,” says nutritionist David Ricketts, a prostate-cancer sufferer who used his disease as the motivation for writing the cookbook Eat to Beat Prostate Cancer. “You can start off the day with a glass of tomato juice and have a tomato-based sauce a couple of times a week. However you can work it in, you’re pretty much on the way.”

3) Oatmeal

148 calories per half cup

Eat 3-4 servings per week

When it comes to eating breakfast in the morning, there’s nothing better than a bowl of oatmeal to spike your energy levels and provide you with an hours-long supply of fuel. Oatmeal is also filled with stress-fighting and immunity-boosting zinc.

If that weren’t enough to convince you to pop a bowl in the microwave, keep in mind that oatmeal can also help promote weight loss and lower your risk of heart disease. Oatmeal is filled with high levels of soluble fiber that protect your heart and arteries by trapping and expelling cholesterol, dropping levels by up to 30 points or more in some cases, says Kubiak.

The best oatmeal may not be the most convenient, however. Those flavored, single-serving packs that litter grocery-store aisles are often filled with added sugar-and therefore excess calories. Instead, stick with the big tub of instant oatmeal and add your own fruit and calorie-free sweeteners, if you need them.

2) Blueberries

41 calories per half cup

Eat 1-2 cups per week

Of all the fruit you can eat, blueberries may be the absolute best. Whether you’re getting them raw, tossed into cereal, mixed in fruit salad or a smoothie, blueberries pack more fiber, vitamins, and minerals per ounce than any other fruit in the produce aisle. Chief among those nutrients are free-radical-fighting antioxidants. Free radicals, which increase in number as you get older, travel around your body damaging cells, promoting disease, and triggering signs of premature aging. And blueberries harness the firepower to knock them out of service.

Need another reason to eat them? How about your memory? Those same antioxidants that fight disease are also effective in helping keep connections between cells in your brain and nervous system healthy, ensuring clearer, quicker thinking and the best memory possible.

1) Salmon

121 calories per 3-oz serving

Eat 3-4 servings per week

Salmon tops our list for a number of reasons, but the biggest has got to be because its so densely stuffed with omega-3′s. These fatty acids are thought to slow memory loss as you age and boost heart health by regulating heart rhythms and keeping arteries and veins supple and free of blockages. While saturated fats lead to obesity, the polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish appear to correct and prevent obesity, according to a study published in Clinical Science.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Salmon is also an excellent source of protein. A three-ounce cooked serving contains 20 grams-making it ideal for building muscle and trimming fat. Besides helping stimulate your metabolism three to four times more than carbs or fat, protein is the absolute best food for helping fill you up, so you take in fewer calories and burn more. And that’s what being a fit food is all about.

by Joe Gould

Men’s Health

1. Frozen mixed vegetables

Add these low-calorie, fill-you-up, vitamin-rich gems to stews, soups, or pasta. Or serve them on the side, tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Canned wild salmon

Scramble it with eggs, use in place of tuna for a healthy sandwich, or top a salad with a few forkfuls for added protein and a boost of omega-3s.

3. Brown rice

Serve this filling, high-fiber grain as a side dish, add it to a salad, mix it with veggies, or even warm it up with a little cinnamon and milk for breakfast. Heads-up: It takes about 45 minutes to cook, so make a big batch.

4. Frozen edamame

Boil it for snacking, toss some into a stir-fry, or mix it with rice for added nutritional punch. Edamame is high in protein, fiber, B vitamins, folate, and vitamin K.

5. Sweet potatoes

Put them in casseroles, slice them for roasting, mash them, or use them in quick breads. These versatile veggies are loaded with fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamin A.

By Brett Hill
From Health magazine