Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the perfect way to start your day because it contains a high level of soluble fiber. This means your body will stay full longer and have more energy. It’s important to opt for quick cook oats rather than instant, but regular oats are even more preferable. You can also add ingredients that will help boost your workout performance, such as walnuts.

Smoothies/Energy Drinks

Homemade smoothies and energy drinks are a great pre-workout or post-workout snack. Smoothies made with fat-free yogurt and fruit not only boost energy levels, before and after workouts, but the vitamin C from the fruit can also help tired, achy muscles. You can also opt for homemade juices made from a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Whole Wheat Pasta and Lean Protein Dishes

Forget what the Atkins Diet followers tell you – whole grains and other healthy carbs are necessary for fueling your body. If you want the energy to keep doing workouts, consider having meals made with whole grain pasta, lean protein and sauteed vegetables. Opt for lean protein high in B-vitamins to increase your metabolism and energy.

Barley

Barley is a wonder food which contains 13 grams of fiber per cup. It’s also packed with protein and can be used in a variety of meals throughout your entire day. Barley can even be made into water for a before or after workout drink.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another food that can be used throughout your day to add a nutritional punch to your diet. Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients including beta-carotene, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes can be used in bran muffins, salads or even as a low-calorie snack in the form of baked chips.

Remember, if you put junk into your body, you will get junk out. This junk comes in the form of a lack of energy and poor workout performance. If you want the best results from your workout, you need to feed your body properly.

About the Author: Novella Matteo loves cooking and truly believes in the benefits of intermittent fasting. She takes her time in the kitchen and works to prepare the most energy efficient foods possible.

Realizing the importance of maintaining a proper diet is essential for your pup’s optimal health. Just as there are health risks associated with humans being overweight, the same holds true for our four-legged friend. Studies show that being overweight can reduce the life expectancy of dogs by two years. There are other serious risks associated with weight gain, like diabetes and hypertension that should be considered.

Even if your pup is already overweight, it is not too late. You’re the one that is in control. Most times, a dog becomes overweight for one reason; he is ingesting more calories than he is burning. To help your pup lose weight you need to reduce the number of calories he eats and increase his physical activity to burn them.

It’s not always as easy as it sounds though. Your dog has become accustomed to his current eating habits. Whether he is a grazer, eating all day long, or a beggar, asking for snacks from you – it needs to end now. You may have to endure some serious whining and maybe a bit of barking, but it’s essential you stick to the diet plan if you are going to give your dog the gift of a healthier, longer life. If your dog’s attitude becomes unbearable, you may want to consider getting a dark bark collar, to help with the retraining his eating habits. Much like a child, if you give into their demands, they will only keep up their tantrums in order to get more.

Now that you know what you must do, there are some healthy snacks that you can try offering your dog to help adjust to this sudden change to his diet. Take note that any one thing in excess is not good – especially if your dog is not exercising enough. Your dog must burn more calories than he is ingesting.

Healthy Snack Alternatives for Your Dog

If your dog is used to eating all day long, or getting delicious treats like ice cream, these snacks may be a shock to his system and spirit, but given time he will warm up to the idea, especially if he really is hungry.

Carrots: Offer your dog the delicious, sweet and crisp vegetable. Your pup will enjoy the crispness of this good-for-you food. Plus, it will offer benefits with its vitamin-packed goodness. Offer baby carrots or cut up regular size carrots.

Canned Dog Food: Canned dog food typically is more nutritious than its dry counterpart. There are less ingredients and less fat. Most importantly, this food is high in protein which is very important for your dog’s nutrition needs. However give your dog just a little bit as a treat – not an entire can.

New Chew Toys: While this is not exactly a snack, the intense chewing on new toys can help distract your dogs desire to snack and is the best option in helping your dog reduce his caloric intake.

Dogs really do not even need to eat every day to maintain their health, but depending on what your dog is used to eating, that could be a stretch. Take your time, pace yourself, keep track of the adjustments and your pooch’s weight will be under control in no time.

Practicing veterinarian Susan Wright often writes articles on the proper care of domestic pets. Susan is the staff expert for dog bark collar

I happened on this success story earlier where a man who had been married for almost 18 years, and for the 5 or 6 years of that marriage, he’d gained a considerable amount of weight.

At just over 6 feet tall and 280 pounds, he took a long look in  the mirror and didn’t like much of what he saw.

Three years later, he is looking back on his own weight loss journey and is sharing it here.

Christmas is a time for eating rather more than our share of several fatty foods. Whether it’s chocolates in your stocking or sausages wrapped in bacon to accompany your eighth of a gigantic turkey covered in gravy, it would be virtually criminal not to indulge. But you pay for it in the end, and as useful as that tire around your waste doubtlessly is in the winter months (if you happen to be a hibernating mammal), you’ll probably start feeling a little guilty about your dietary habits before you’ve finished polishing off a kilogram of Cadbury’s in-front of this year’s twelfth showing of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.

Prevention

Of course, the best preventative would be to not indulge in the first place, but that’s not very fun. Nevertheless, be wary of the following:

• Alcohol is something we could all probably have a little less of, but be aware that there are many calories in the typical pint. Also, if you’re drinking you’re less likely to pay attention to what you’ve been eating anyway!
• Don’t assume that skipping meals to make room for one big Christmas meal is useful: it often isn’t (especially as you’ll probably end up eating even more thanks to feeling exceptionally hungry!)
• With that in mind, try to keep to standard meal times and a meal schedule. Have Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
• Drink plenty of Water! Dehydration is never good for you, but thirst can be easily translated into hunger by the overwhelmed Christmas gut.
• Avoid forming bad habits for the rest of the year – treat yourself only with those things that are available at Christmas (mince pies, for instance).

Exercising

The degree to which each individual exercises varies wildly, so my attempt to offer a one-size fits all solution will fall slightly flat: some of you just want to watch the waistline, others want to maintain a more intensive routine in a difficult period of time. The guide caters more to the former, but there are plenty of things we can all learn about Christmas exercise:

• Due to the availability of time and the fact that you’ll simply be more up for it, exercise is best undertaken in the morning. Go out for a run or hit the gym in the morning to get out of people’s hair.
• If time isn’t available in the morning, always make a point of exercising at least once a day.
• The types of exercises that are easy to fit in vary at this time of year: walks, runs or a nice bike ride aren’t just easy to start doing, they’re also something you can do when errands need to be achieved to keep Christmas running smoothly.
• A short (3-5 minute) routine of squats, jacks, jump rope, lunges, crunches and press ups every day should counter a sensibly indulgent holiday diet.
• One of the best things about the Christmas period is that you can do some collaborative exercise with people you usually wouldn’t get to spend quality time with. If you’re a workout fiend and you have a cousin who likes to do the same, suggest a punishing workout whilst you catch up!
• Better still, get everyone involved in some light exercise after major meals. By going after each meal, you body is less likely to store the fat.
• Kids are great recruits at Christmas time for exercise. They’re full of excitement and unspent energy, so get them to use it up by taking a trip to the park.
• If it’s a White Christmas, go outside. There are precious few opportunities to enjoy such an event!

Steph Wood is a copywriter and blogger writing content for JTX Fitness Exercise Equipment, a UK based company who have treadmills for sale alongside other machines.

Take a look at The Prehistoric Diet and give this diet a try – complete with Prehistoric Diet Recipes