Naturally Slim Secrets

Another way to slim is to stop eating when you're full. Sounds simple, but many of us still have a "clean our plate" mentality that results in overeating. Curb the urge by taking frequent breaks while you eat. When you're full, stop. And while you're at it, why not use smaller plates and bowls? People eat less when they use 7 inch plates, as opposed to the 11 inch ones that are commonly used today. Food won't cure the blues. Naturally slim people don't usually turn to food when they're feeling emotional. Steal their secret by taking a moment to recognize why you're snacking. If you're not truly hungry, back away from the chips!

Eating an appetizer course can help you eat less in the long run. Studies show that starting a meal with a light soup or salad can cut caloric intake by 25 percent. Since these foods fill you up quickly, you'll actually consume less. Thin people are aware of what they're eating, even during holidays and other celebrations. To follow their example, have a plan of action. You may decide to eat a piece of fruit prior to leaving the house, limit your beverage intake, or only eat appetizers containing fruits or veggies. Perhaps the best secret of the slim is that they don't deprive themselves. By allowing yourself the occasional indulgence, you'll feel satiated, meaning that you won't binge on junk later! A. Craving dessert? Enjoy berry sorbet, or split that chocolate cake with a friend. B. Want to nibble at the bread basket? Go ahead, but keep it to one piece.

Though Beyonce admits that she broke the rules and also ate vegetables during her 14-day detox, the Master Cleanse is traditionally a liquid diet of water, lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Followers drink from six to 12 glasses of the concoction each day for 10 days, combined with a glass of salt water in the morning and a laxative tea in the evening. All solid food is off limits. The diet was originally intended to treat ulcers and detoxify the body, but more recently followers are drawn to the Lemonade Diet for its promise of maximum weight loss in minimum time. So does the plan actually work? Technically yes, if your goal is simply to see a lower number on the scale. The diet is only 600 to 1200 calories per day -- or about 100 calories per glass. Remember, for weight maintenance, the average male requires 1900-2500 calories per day and the average female requires 1600 -2000 calories per day. To lose weight men should aim for 1600-1900 calories per day and females should aim for 1200-1500 calories per day. No one should dip below 1200 calories per day for weight loss without professional supervision, which is one reason why the Master Cleanse may be dangerous.

While you may not feel super sexy when you're spitting out watermelon seeds, this juicy fruit is rich in an amino acid called citrulline. Texas A&M researchers say citrulline relaxes blood vessels throughout the body in the same way that Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction do. Cucumbers and cantaloupe also contain citrulline, but have far less than watermelon. Avocadoes are rich in B6 and research shows that vitamin B6 is one of the nutrients necessary to maintain normal testosterone levels.

Today's movie industry is more concerned with 3-d films and posh stadium seating and less concerned with dangerous trans fats and high calorie counts. The typical bag of popcorn has ballooned from about 5 or 6 cups to more like 20 cups. Today's average "medium popcorn" with butter has 1,170 calories and 90 grams of fat. Wash that down with a medium coke, and you'll add roughly an additional 385 calories and 100 grams of sugar. You'd have to eat three quarter-pounders with cheese to match that total calorie count and 33 glazed munchkins from Dunkin Donuts to rival the surge of sugar. Popcorn and soda aren't the only problem. Most theatres also offer greasy nachos with more than 900 calories and boxes of candy big enough to feed a family of four. For many moviegoers, the indulgent snacks are just a part of the experience.

The simplest way to determine if you're obese is to calculate your body-mass index, or BMI. To check your BMI, you'll need to know your height in inches, and your weight in pounds. Multiply your weight in pounds by seven-hundred and three. Then, take your height in inches and square it. Divide the first figure by the second. The resulting number is your BMI. What does that number mean? Usually, the higher your BMI, the higher your percentage of body fat. If your BMI is less than 18.5, you're considered underweight. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal, while one between 25 and 29.9 equates to being overweight. If you have a BMI of 30 or higher, you're considered to be obese.

The 3-phase program claims to help you lose weight and feel your best by boosting weight-loss hormones with the 3 R's of hormone power: Remove, Restore and Rebalance. Here's how each phase breaks down: The first step in Michael's Master Your Metabolism program is to eliminate what she calls "antinutrients" from your diet. According to Michaels, antinutrients are foods that contain hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners, preservatives and colors. According to Michaels, these foods slow down your metabolism. The second phase works to restore "fat-burning hormone foods" to your diet. Michaels categorizes these foods into 10 "power nutrient" groups including: legumes or peas and beans, alliums like onions and leeks, berries, meat and eggs, colorful fruits and vegetables, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, organic low-fat dairy, and whole grains. The plan stresses all meats, dairy and eggs and most fruits and vegetables are ORGANIC. The 3rd and final phase of the Master Your Metabolism plan -- the rebalancing phase -- focuses on the timing, quantity and combinations of foods for maximum metabolic benefit. In simpler terms that means following these 6 rules: eat breakfast every morning, eat something every 4 hours, eat until you're full, don't eat after 9 p.m., avoid carbohydrates at night, and combine protein, fat and carbohydrates in every meal and snack.

When you need to concentrate, research shows that eggs and other foods that contain "choline" are your best bet. Choline is a nutrient that helps transfer messages between nerves in your brain - in other words, it keeps you sharp. One large hard-boiled egg has about 113 mgs of choline - that's 20 percent of the daily-recommended intake for men and 25 percent for women. Pair it with a cup of almonds -- and you'll add 52 more milligrams to your total choline intake.

the overarching theme of this vegan diet is to choose KIND over "NASTY" foods, which are defined as meat, dairy, white sugar and processed foods. Once you have a grasp on kind versus nasty foods, it's time to move on to part 2 of the plan. Part 2 of The Kind Diet outlines 3 paths to becoming a vegan: Flirts, Vegans and Superheros. According to Silverstone, flirting is the first step to begin exploring a plant-based diet. The flirting process lasts a few weeks and includes eating at local vegetarian restaurants, shopping at the nearest health food store, buying organic brown rice and unrefined sea salt, taking a yoga class and finally going 4 weeks without beef, chicken or pork. When you're finished flirting, you move on to the vegan phase. To begin the vegan plan, Silverstone suggests getting rid of any meat or dairy products in your home and focusing on building your meals using one quarter grains, one quarter protein and one half vegetables, but insists that having one serving of protein a day is enough. The third and final phase, Superheroes, is more restrictive than even Alicia Silverstone can follow every day. Superheroes avoid all processed foods, phase out soy milk and limit fruit, herbs, spices, nuts, nightshade vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant and "strong" sweeteners like maple syrup and salt.

There are a few things you can do to make movie night, more diet friendly. First, it's a lot easier to order smart at a restaurant than it is at the theater. So if your plans include dinner and a movie, eat dinner first! Since it takes 20 minutes for your brain to signal fullness to your stomach - by the time you hit the movie you will be feeling full and be less tempted to order a large snack. Second, always order "small." these days, there's a good chance that even "small" sizes are big enough to share, but you're still much less likely to overeat when you order a smaller size. There's even a study to prove it. When Cornell University researchers gave moviegoers different-sized popcorn buckets, those with large buckets ate nearly twice as much as those with medium buckets. But just wait, it gets worse. In some of the buckets, the scientists replaced fresh popcorn with 2-week-old kernels, and people with the large buckets still munched so absentmindedly that they put away 34 percent more stale popcorn than those with smaller servings. The scientists say this happens because it's too much effort to pay attention to both the movie and to how much you're eating. It makes sense if you think about it: who among us hasn't kept eating what's in front of them until there's nothing left. Which bring us to the last strategy for health-conscious movie fans: skip the previews. It may be up to 25 minutes before your movie actually starts, and the less time you spend waiting in a dark theater, the less time you have for mindless snacking.

A new study published in the Journal of The American Dietetic Association found that drinking alcohol releases a hormone in the brain that prompts cravings for fatty foods. So even if a grilled chicken salad is on the menu, you'll still be more likely to dive into a basket of fries. Of course, you don't have to sit at home every night to avoid gaining weight, and you don't have to commit to a life of vodka sodas or white wine spritzer. If your coworkers invite you to grab a beer after work, you can almost always order a bottle with less than 100 calories. MGD 64--Beck's Premier Light-- Amstel Light--- Miller Lite and Budweiser Select all make the cut. But if you prefer a little more flavor, Guinness Draught is your best bet with just 126 calories and 10 grams of carbohydrates. When it comes to wine, most glasses have about 120 calories, but only red wine has an antioxidant called resveratrol that may help you live longer and prevent cancer and heart disease. To get the most reservatol possible, order a glass of pinot noir. Mixed drinks have potential for diet disaster. The worst example is a Long Island Ice Tea. With five different liquors, a huge shot of high-fructose corn syrup from the sweet-and-sour mix, and Coke -- one glass can actually have more calories than a slice of cheesecake. In terms of calories alone, your best bets are a mojito, a vodka soda, or a glass of champagne. But in terms of overall health, there's nothing better than a bloody mary.

For an early morning departure, you may not have a lot of options. But since even the smallest airports have a coffee shop, remember these general rules: Nutritionally speaking, nothing beats a regular cup of coffee or unsweetened tea. But if your regular caffeine fix is a little fancier, stick with skim milk, sugar-free syrups and no whip cream. Ordering your latte with sugar-free syrup and no whip cream knocks off about 37 grams of sugar. That's more sugar than you'd find in three glazed cinnamon donuts from crispy cream. Speaking of doughnuts, along with bagels and muffins, they may be appealing for their portability, but that's not a good enough reason to settle for their processed carbohydrates and lack of nutrients. You almost always have the option of high-fiber oatmeal or a sensible breakfast sandwich. Look for one with protein - think eggs or ham - so you'll stay full during your flight. And always choose an English muffin as the outer shell. Most bagels have about 300 calories and 60 grams of carbohydrates.