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Five Low-Carb Substitutes for Your Favorite Foods

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Meeting your health goals, be it to lose weight or eat healthier foods (or both!), feels nearly impossible for some, while for others the process appears effortless. The truth is, anyone can conquer their health goals, including weight loss, with the help of an effective weight loss meal plan and the right fitness routine.  In recent years, low-carb diet phasing has shown success for many people, but as you go down that path, you might start missing your favorite carb-filled foods: buns, bread, pasta, potatoes, and more. The good news is you can have variations of these foods with a low-carb twist if you know what to use. Here are five low-carb substitutes to try: Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti is an all-time favorite comfort food for many. It’s filling, tasty, and versatile. The thing is, this crab-loaded dish doesn’t fit in a low-carbohydrate diet. Luckily, nature invented a vegetable version of pasta in spaghetti squash that is just as fork-twistingly fun to ...

Butter in Your Coffee? Why You Should Add Fat to Your Java

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Butter coffee is one of the hottest trends in the keto, intermittent fasting, and low-crab diet worlds. Once just made at home in a blender, its popularity has boomed into local coffee chains across the country. Not familiar with butter coffee? Well, it’s just as it sounds, emulsified butter—or another healthy fat like coconut milk or oil—in a cup of joe. While it might seem weird at first, the health and dietary benefits speak for themselves. Here are a few reasons to give it a try. Stay Full for Longer If busy mornings keep you from eating breakfast or you’re following an intermittent fasting weight loss regimen, then butter coffee is perfect for you. Many people find fasting until lunch a struggle as they fight off hunger pains and cravings, however, a dose of healthy fat in the morning bridges that gap and eases stomach discomfort. Butter and other healthy fats are more calorie-dense than protein or carbohydrates. Your body breaks fats down slowly, aiding in sat...

How to Form (and Keep) Healthy Habits in 2019

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At the start of every new year, millions of people across the country create lists of resolutions. Much of the time, these lists include health goals like “lose X amount of weight this year,” or “go to the gym X times a week.” As you probably know, many of these goals are a lot easier said than done. However, at the beginning of the year with the calendar switching over, it’s easy to hold onto the “new year, new me” mindset. But what happens when you fast-forward a couple of months? The goals that once seemed conquerable now feel like mountains too steep to climb. What does it take to get up those mountains? Well, it all comes down to your habits—and more importantly—sticking to those habits. Particularly the healthy ones. Let’s go over a few tips to help you achieve your health goals and reach the summits you’re facing in 2019. Stay Away From Crash Diets It seems that every few weeks a new diet trend takes over. One week, carbs are bad, and the next, it’s fats. On...

5 Intermittent Fasting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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You’ve likely heard a lot about intermittent fasting and the range of associated health benefits, including weight loss, gastrointestinal improvements, stress management, restful sleep, and more mindful eating. While intermittent fasting weight loss programs have a plethora of data demonstrating their effectiveness, it’s important to be aware of certain habits that can undermine your results. Follow this guide to avoid these five common intermittent fasting mistakes. Choosing the Wrong Plan There are a variety of intermittent fasting and weight loss meal plan options on the market today, and it’s important to find a schedule that works for you and your lifestyle. There are programs that alternate between one day of fasting and one day of eating, methods that involve fasting for 16 hours, options that allow for one meal a day, and many others. Whichever you prefer, it’s important to pick one that you can stick with. For example, if you have a demanding job, a pack...

Tips for Combatting Holiday Weight Gain with Intermittent Fasting

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The November and December holidays are some of the happiest times of the year. Whether it’s the first snowfall, holiday parties, or the anticipation of a new year just around the corner, the holidays are full of festive vibes. If there’s one potential downside of the holidays, though, it is likely the abundance of holiday treats. Savory appetizers, sweet baked goods, and alcoholic drinks are seemingly everywhere. But there is some good news for those already worried about the added holiday pounds. Contrary to the popular belief that the average American gains approximately 5 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, researchers have found that the actual weight gain is closer to one pound. In a study of 195 adults over a 6- to 8-week period, researchers found that the average weight increase was actually 0.8 pounds.  The real problem when it comes to holiday weight gain is not so much the extra slice of pie at dinner, it’s more that we tend not to lose ...

Popular Diets and Practices in the Shifting Weight Loss World

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Some interesting shifts are occurring in the weight loss world, thanks in part to what some call “dieter fatigue” and a movement toward more positive body image and perceptions. Marketdata LLC reports that the number of active dieters has decreased by approximately 10% since 2015, lowering the number of dieters to 97 million people in the U.S. Unlike diet trends of the past, Americans are eschewing traditional, low-calorie frozen meals and turning to more natural, less processed foods. However, meal replacement plans such as shakes and nutrition bars remain popular.   The report concludes, “Today's dieters are focused on 'clean eating', convenience, and results. They want simple plans and an affordable price, with no side effects, and peer support platforms.”   These sentiments have aided in the popularity of several diets and practices (as well as a promising weight loss meal plan ) that focus less on caloric deficits and more on healthy ingredients,...