What mother of young children isn’t in a hurry? Driving around town, preparing lunches, changing diapers, shopping and trying to exercise. Whether you work outside or inside of the home, chances are you’re looking for shortcuts when it comes to meals and snacks. Here are a few ideas to get your efficient juices flowing and lose weight in the process.

Quick Lunch Ideas:

Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with celery sticks

Tuna melt with sliced tomatoes on whole wheat bread

Bowl of tomato soup with a whole grain roll

Ready made salad and chicken breast strips

Whole wheat English muffin melt with tomato and cheese

Chicken salad stuffed in a hollowed-out green pepper

Vegetable quesadillas

Quick Snack Ideas:

Yogurt topped with granola and fruit

Bran muffin with apple slices

Brown rice cake topped with ricotta cheese, cinnamon and thinly sliced apple

Bell peppers and hummus

Light popcorn

Cottage cheese topped with peaches or strawberries

Celery with peanut butter or dressing

When you want to snack, you’ll reach for the food that’s easiest to eat. So wash and prepare your vegetables before you need them. At the next snack attack, you’ll be ready with cut celery sticks, snap peas, baby carrots or bell pepper strips. The same thing goes for fruit. A whole cantaloupe or watermelon remains uneaten, day after day. But once it’s sliced and ready to go, voila, it’s a delicious and easy snack. Slice up an apple and have it as a snack two hours after breakfast. Have a slice every few minutes to keep your desire for munchies at bay until lunchtime.

Yes, eating healthy involves more preparation than reaching for a bag of chips. But the payoff is well worth the effort. Your health will improve, you’ll lose weight, and your kids will have a great example of healthy eating. And remember, great choices don’t have to take an hour to prepare.

Today’s Action Step: What are some healthy snack and meal choices you will make today?

Arlene Pellicane
http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/quick-snack-and-meal-ideas-healthy-eats-for-moms-on-the-run-304364.html

What mother of young children isn’t in a hurry? Driving around town, preparing lunches, changing diapers, shopping and trying to exercise. Whether you work outside or inside of the home, chances are you’re looking for shortcuts when it comes to meals and snacks. Here are a few ideas to get your efficient juices flowing and lose weight in the process.

Quick Lunch Ideas:

Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with celery sticks

Tuna melt with sliced tomatoes on whole wheat bread

Bowl of tomato soup with a whole grain roll

Ready made salad and chicken breast strips

Whole wheat English muffin melt with tomato and cheese

Chicken salad stuffed in a hollowed-out green pepper

Vegetable quesadillas

Quick Snack Ideas:

Yogurt topped with granola and fruit

Bran muffin with apple slices

Brown rice cake topped with ricotta cheese, cinnamon and thinly sliced apple

Bell peppers and hummus

Light popcorn

Cottage cheese topped with peaches or strawberries

Celery with peanut butter or dressing

When you want to snack, you’ll reach for the food that’s easiest to eat. So wash and prepare your vegetables before you need them. At the next snack attack, you’ll be ready with cut celery sticks, snap peas, baby carrots or bell pepper strips. The same thing goes for fruit. A whole cantaloupe or watermelon remains uneaten, day after day. But once it’s sliced and ready to go, voila, it’s a delicious and easy snack. Slice up an apple and have it as a snack two hours after breakfast. Have a slice every few minutes to keep your desire for munchies at bay until lunchtime.

Yes, eating healthy involves more preparation than reaching for a bag of chips. But the payoff is well worth the effort. Your health will improve, you’ll lose weight, and your kids will have a great example of healthy eating. And remember, great choices don’t have to take an hour to prepare.

Today’s Action Step: What are some healthy snack and meal choices you will make today?

Arlene Pellicane
http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/quick-snack-and-meal-ideas-healthy-eats-for-moms-on-the-run-304364.html

The good news is that you don’t have to starve yourself to lose weight healthy and fast. Anyway unhealthy diets that deprive you of eating nutritious meals could be harmful for your long-term health. And in fact consuming more frequently can actually help you drop those additional pounds.

Start off of your day with a hearty breakfast. This is the most powerful meal of the day. Upon arising in the morning your body is craving for fuel. It needs to get some food to get your metabolism revved back up. If you miss the first meal of the day you’ll lack the energy needed for burning those extra calories throughout the day.

Follow your breakfast meal with a lunch and light dinner. And eat healthy snacks in between meals and not empty calories or junk food. By eating less at meals along with snacks rather then three huge meals your body will burn the calories better and won’t store as much unnecessary fats. And it keeps your metabolism charged up and running efficiently all day long.

Consume plenty of water. Water acts like an appetite suppressant and will help you to stave off those food cravings. It also helps to metabolize the fats in your body. To help you to lose weight healthy and fast be sure to stay well hydrated.

Eat plenty of fiber rich foods. The average person eats no where near the daily recommended amount (25 grams). Fiber not only will make you feel fuller, but also has good health benefits. The body doesn’t digest fiber so it just passes through the body taking potentially harmful substances along with it.

Consume more of the good fats while cutting back on the bad fats. Avoid eating saturated fat and trans fatty acid products because they have been associated with health problems. Keep in mind that it’s not a good idea to cut back fats from your diet completely, the body requires fats to work properly. Try substituting monosaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids (found in cold fish) instead, it’s been proven to have better health benefits.

To lose weight healthy and fast be sure to get enough protein. Your body absorbs protein less rapidly than carbohydrates and will satisfy your hunger cravings longer. It will also help to keep your blood sugar level more consistent, thus minimizing sugar cravings and energy loss. Lean meats, poultry and fish are good sources.

Eat the right kind of carbohydrates. High glycemic carbs tend to cause larger spikes in blood sugar, thus causing a rebound effect - high energy followed by low energy or the need to eat something sugary again. Low glycemic carbs tend to keep your blood sugar more consistent - beans, whole grains, fruit (not fruit juice), vegetables, etc.

Perform aerobic exercises. It not only will burn off calories making you thinner, but it also keeps your heart healthy. Aerobic exercises includes walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, aerobic machines, etc. Try to do an aerobic activity at least 25 minutes or more, four to five times a week. To lose weight healthy and fast you must exercise consistently.

Adam Clark
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/diet-healthy-and-quick-519439.html