Getting to see clothes tighten around your form is both depressing and infuriating, so you find yourself moving too and fro between dilemma and desperation. You spend money on every solution that you come across and soon you find yourself back to the square one, with a wallet much flatter than the former fat one. But to those with a sustaining spree, one more last time is not just a song and shifting over to a raw food diet have brought better than average results.

However, everything has its own set of pros and cons and so does even a raw food diet; if your digestive system can tolerate the shift, you are in for better days (read: shape) ahead.

As we all know it, heating up food to anything above 116o F ruins the nutritional value, destroys the crucial enzymes and also makes them less prone towards assimilation. Thus, if you cannot at all withstand the idea, cook them to no more than 25% – which is to say – you must reduce the time to 1/4th. Or, in a more simplified manner, if you boil cabbage for 10 minutes, reduce that to 2 minutes and 30 seconds. This is a great plan for those who prefer to become vegetarians. For anemic people, for pregnant ladies and for children – Raw food diet is a strict no-no. However, if you are an earnest meat eater, you need to acquire the taste for rare-done delicacies.

But raw food diet, despite its benefits to supply the body with more energy, being zero on preservatives or synthetic items and its capacity to reduce weight and eliminate the risks of certain diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc.) due to a high percentage of folic acid, magnesium, fiber and phytochemicals, falls short when it comes to the availability of certain beneficial ingredients like Celtic sea salt, date sugar, Rejuvelac, carob powder, sprouted flour or young coconut milk; besides, a raw food diet also requires a lot of time and commitment. The unavailability of the aforementioned may also cause certain nutritional deficiencies that are found in the spices that are used in cooked food, resulting in an increased risk for osteoporosis and lowered bone mass. Thus, you must also rely on certain food supplements if you are planning shifting to an entirely raw food diet.

Now the thing is, there is no point in going over the same topic twice; what shall prove better is providing substantial info on how you must eat to make your weight stand still at a healthy level. Once you do that, you’ll find out how improper eating habits helped you to earn that flab that you finally managed to cut down.

All these years, you heard that junk food aids in weight gain. True, but things go out of control only when you cross the boundaries recklessly. Even poisons save life in controlled dosages, so it’s not true that fast food or rich, middle-eastern dishes shall bloat you up with every scoop. What you must know is the quantity you take; in a more scientific term, the calorie intake.

It’s the ratio between the calorie intake and your BMR (basal metabolic rate; the rate at which heat is produced by an individual in a resting state) that determines on whether you are to grow obese or not. A high BMR compares to a rich burn engine that seldom leaves any gas in the tank; in the case of organisms, it makes the body devoid of reserved fat. Fat, being the body tissue that is formed from the excess food that the body can’t utilize, doesn’t get a chance to build-up if the BMR is high; conversely, those with a lower BMR accumulate fat easily. Add to this improper (read binge) eating habits and the equation solves itself.

Hence, it’s important that you select foods that deliver more nutritional benefits than the salt-, sugar- or butter-laden foods with sumptuous quantities of preservatives, pesticides and other chemicals. Pleasing your palate is one thing and pleasing your system is another; you cannot affect the body fat progression if you stick to choice number one.

Thus, to start off, cut down gradually on your saturated fat consumption but not on the essential fatty acids (any of a class of aliphatic mono-carboxylic acids that form part of a lipid molecule and can be derived from fat by hydrolysis). The same goes for the polyunsaturated fatty acid types. The rest to face the harsh measure are:

i. Anything made with palm oils and hydrogenated oils.
ii. Ice creams.
iii. Luncheon meats.
iv. Any deep-fried product.

To set the balance right, give your body a supportive weight loss nutrition from leafy, green vegetables, nuts, seeds and serials. Soy, tofu, grains and fishes with moderate oil and low levels of mercury are also recommended and so with fruits. Correct your improper eating habits over a period of 4-6 weeks with whatever that has been mentioned; you shall start feeling the results sooner than you might have expected.

Why energy foods? So that you do not topple over while crossing the street while on a diet program. Also, because you don’t have the time to sit and enjoy a wholesome lunch. That proves good nutrition has changed meaning in today’s world; the goodness of food now depends upon how fast it is available rather than how much nutrient it comprises. Yet there are them who ask: “If there’s no nutrient, how come it turns people fat?” Is that why you have reduced your food intake to half, thinking you shall turn slimmer? At best, you shall dry-up in a most unhealthy way. Nutrients do not turn you fat; it’s the saturated fats and complex carbohydrates that do, which are by no way even close to nutrients. If you cut down on everything, the body shall lose its balance. Your alleged concept of energy food won’t come to any aid. They just fill you fast; they are great as you do not start surviving on them.

Okay, let’s clear the basics first: Anything edible yet uncooked are Energy foods. That takes us back to the cavemen, a time prior to the discovery of fire. However, all these thousands years of practice has made us to feel icky about raw meat or fish (personal preferences are exceptions), but, if not fully, then we may gain back at least half of that former habit. For our own good.

While we don’t have any problems having raw most of the fruits and the vegetables and to a certain extent, cereals, the problem arises with animal sources of protein. Even eggs; apart from the strong odor, there may stay present the salmonella, an enterobacteria (i.e. occurs normally or pathogenically in intestines of humans and other animals) causing typhoid fever and food poisoning.

So you need to learn marinating and steaming. The steam shall help kill the bacteria and viruses while leaving the food almost intact; the marinating agents shall soften and add taste to the food. Agents like alcohol kill bacteria while it evaporates with heat, leaving only a harmless residue (if any) behind. Regarding the proportions, there are many informative articles present all over the ‘Net.

Amazonian mysteries seem to have no bounds; from the nation of all-female warriors mentioned in the classical Greek mythos till the varied range of species neither Darwin’s gradualism could define properly nor Gould’s punctuated equilibrium, yet another is the Acai berry that still finds science dumbfounded and has generated more dilemma than man’s landing on the moon. And keeping at par with the mysteries, the darker the Acai berries, the better they are, in terms of the nutrients present.

From healthy fatty and amino acids to carbohydrates and anti-oxidants, the fruit is also high in fibers and accelerates the metabolism process while enhancing digestive powers and cleansing the colon. So the only speck of doubt that remains is whether it is at all possible to shift over to an Acai berry diet at once without facing any trouble.

As per the old sayings, even too good is not that good, which implies that moderation is the key. A system habituated to animal sources of nutrients might be in for a big surprise if shifted completely to a plant source; while it’s not an one size fits all theory, but examples are galore that speak of upset stomachs, nausea and digestive disorders. Though that’s where it stops at, it’s better to introduce your system to the Acai berry diet gradually. The juice of the Acai berry is the best way to get started, either pure or blended with that of other fruits and vegetables; that way you ensure you do not miss out on any of the vital stuff your body requires. Of course, getting hold of the entire berries are better, but that’s difficult. Add to it an extremely short lifespan of the Acai berries (24 hours after being picked) – and the problem doubles.

The next best choice is the pill form and then, the powders; these trigger a better assimilation of the nutrients. And the best part is, you do not need to shun away your regular eating habits; just replace 50% of it with the Acai berry diet and see the results showing up faster than you thought they would be.

That we need a well-balanced diet structure to make our psychosomatic systems function flawlessly is an old piece of news; the current focus of the world is discovering what lies beyond the clichéd domain of good supply of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, high-fiber foods, vitamins and minerals. The current search is on how to put the combinations to practice, for at last, we have understood that supplying our systems merely with all things nice is not the ultimate solution; it’s all about how well the body can utilize them. That is to say, we are now searching for a total life enhancement through food, for we have understood that nutritional labels just reflect relative figures.

This is where the age-old conflict between want and need shows up. True, very few among us are capable of denying the call of the cream-filled pastries, but before you even drool, put your head before your heart. What purpose is it going to fulfill apart from imparting some momentary (ok, all right; it’s lingering) pleasure? If you think that’s a reason enough, then please stop reading at this point; you are simply wasting your time. However, those who are unaware of the facts and are willing to learn for that positive change to initiate, cutting out on that pastry is going to provide you with a lot of self-confidence and shall teach you the difference between need and want. It shall also free you from that guilty conscious that sets in every time after you break the rule.

Instead, serve yourself with equal portions of fresh fruits and veggies in between the major meals (ideally, one must have three meals a day accompanied by plenty of water, in equal proportions as well); they shall drive away the hunger pangs despite saving you from the feeling of being weighed down while supplying you with vitamins, minerals and lots of fiber. That way, you shall also be strengthening your immune system and boost phagocytosis (From Wikipedia: Process involved in the acquisition of nutrients for some cells, and in the immune system it is a major mechanism used to remove pathogens and cell debris. Bacteria, dead tissue cells, and minute, useless mineral particles are all examples of objects that may be phagocytosed) for a better existence; with the help of the fiber, you shall keep on feeling pleasantly full, without the cravings appearing. All in all, your energy levels shall stay steady.

Regarding protein intake, bacons are delicious but what you need is a lean source of protein. So fishes and shellfishes, lean red meat, poultry and eggs or pulses are on the cards; dairy products are okay once in a while but overeating such stuff as butter and cheese are nothing but overloading your system on fats. On top of that, if you can maintain your intakes of refined sugar, it shall be a great help towards preserving your natural energy balance and keep headaches and mood swings at bay.

Just when you know your body is going in the wrong direction of being overweighed and obese, it is time to give up all the unhealthy habits and actions and get on a proper, youthful and hearty schedule. You will need to sacrifice all the junk food you love the most, the caffeine you can’t live without and the carbs and fats you have to involve every time in your meals. It will be better off for you in order to shed off all the extra fat deposition and calories. But what are some healthy weight loss foods that will help you accompanying that aim? Here is a brief description on some healthy weight loss foods that will help you in losing those pounds, keeping you heal and hearted at the same time.

Fruits
If you are looking for the best options for the weight loss, consider fruits. You need to have an ample and variety of these in your diet if you want to lose a considerable amount of weight from your body. Fresh and raw fruits are always better weight loss foods due to the fact that they are compact with all the nutrients you can think of. You can also go with any of the dried fruits or fresh fruit juices or extracts for the purpose.

Fruits are enriched with fibers and minerals which are efficient for losing fat quantities. Fibers create a sense of fullness in your stomach because these digest slowly and eventually. To get an optimum amount, eat fresh fruits available rather than drinking the juices.

Vegetables
Vegetables are one of the best weight loss foods which you can think of. They contain an enormous amount of dietary fiber that reduces your food cravings, appetite and fat consumption. Optimum amount of fiber in the diet keeps the individual active and healthy. Besides helping in weight loss, vegetables are also rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. They help you by preventing your body against constipation, cancers and hemorrhoids.

Oats and cereals
Oats and all kinds of cereals are high in fiber content. They contain the highest soluble fiber than other foods or grains. Whole grains are considered to be useful and effectual among all. They provide the body with an ultimate and constructive amount of energy to create activeness, fullness and firmness.

Fish
Fish is another healthy weight loss food. A few of the kinds particularly the salmons are among the vital fat burning foods. These are low in calories and fats. Instead, they are enriched with proteins and minerals.