We all know how important protein is to any diet, whether you are trying to achieve a healthy weight loss or not. Certain fad diets tell people its OK to go out and eat as much greasy bacon as you want, as long as you stay away from those killer carbohydrates. As you probably have already figured out, this type of diet does not work. The main reason is that the source of protein comes from animal fats, and eating too much of it will take its toll on your health. Be very thankful that we have soy in our world. It is the healthy alternative to animal protein for many many reasons. The incorporation of even just a small amount of soy protein into the diet every day is beneficial in the prevention of all kinds of diseases. What does that have to do with losing weight? Everything! The key to healthy weight loss is proper nutrition. Once your body is healthy on a daily basis, it can perform miracles. Living a healthy lifestyle means choosing soy over bacon when you want to give your body protein fuel. When you feed your body the right way, you will get the results you want. Soy contains more protein than milk without the saturated fat or cholesterol. Soya beans are the only beans to be considered a complete protein because they contain all eight essential amino acids. Soy protein contains high levels of a substance called Tyrosine, which helps to maintain our alertness and mental energy without the need for excess calories. Soy is a low-glycemic index food which helps regulate blood-sugar and insulin fluctuations. This helps you to feel more satisfied and less hungry until your next meal, which is beneficial for weight management and control. Some studies even indicate that soy may stimulate the metabolism! How cool is that! Soy also helps reduce the amount of fat that is stored in your body by converting fewer calories into fat from the food that you consume. Soy protein can also control insulin levels therefore reducing the frequency of sugar cravings. Since your body will feel more satisfied and less hungry, this will also reduce the overindulgent eating. Soy also enhances energy levels and building muscle mass in a healthy way. Muscles burn energy during daily activities and exercise. Increased muscle mass burns more calories. Since soy increases the speed at which the fat cells burn the fat stored in the body, it once again affects your metabolism. Exercise is not mandatory for a healthy weight loss, but even the smallest workout every day can accelerate your weight loss efforts. I had chronic asthma all of my life and could not exercise…until I began drinking soy-based protein shake meal replacements. I lost 70 pounds in 4 months and have kept it off for over 15 years now. The best part is that because of the benefits of soy, I can now exercise every day without any breathing problems. I was also able to get rid of all my prescription medications on top of it. Do I have to drink a soy-based shake every day? No, I do not have to. If I want to go back to being overweight with breathing problems, I suppose I could stop using soy. But why would I ever want to do that? As I stated before, the key to a healthy weight loss and maintaining an ideal weight is the willingness to lead a healthy lifestyle. You can not lose weight and expect to go back to old bad eating habits without suffering the consequences. A great advantage to living a healthy lifestyle is that you do not need to give up the foods you love. You can sill eat them, just not as often. You must replace some of those foods with healthier alternatives. The road to a healthy weight loss is littered with all kinds of snack wrappers, like soy nuts, protein bars and fruit. (OK, fruit usually doesn’t need a wrapper, but you get my point. Since fad diets, unbalanced diets, diet pills, diet supplements, weight loss surgery and other short term weight loss methods are the cheaters way to lose weight, why bother? Cheaters never prosper and there is no substitute for proper nutrition. Take advantage of the many benefits soy can give to you and you will soon find yourself living the kind of life you deserve. Bill Winch is a Personal Wellness Coach whose mission is teaching and coaching others who are struggling with getting healthy, losing weight safely and keeping it off for good. He is also a Certified Business Growth Specialist, former High School and College Business Educator and Counselor, and mentors from his home office in Rochester, NY. If you are interested in receiving his Free Report “9 Weight Loss Myths Exposed” visit his website by clicking on FREE REPORT or by calling him directly at (585) 271-3767 for a free wellness consultation.Free Wordpress Plugins

Anyone struggling to lose weight may be focusing all of their energy on the wrong thing…food! It is equally important to make sure you are drinking liquids that accelerate healthy weight loss. Staying hydrated is essential for your body. What you drink can effect your mood and focus not to mention your health. If you pick the right drinks, you will benefit from the nutrients, antioxidants and proteins that will help with a healthy weight loss. Americans in general are problem drinkers. We crave high-sugar, high-calorie drinks like sodas and smoothies. Over 20 percent of American’s calorie intake comes from drinks such as soda pop, fruit punches, and the oh-so trendy Starbuck lattes. We are becoming obese because of all these extra calories we do not need. The next time you feel thirsty and have trouble determining whether or not a drink is healthy, refer to the list below. Healthy Weight Loss Drink #1: Water Water is a crucial part of healthy weight loss success. Forget flavored energy drinks and expensive bottled water. Remember the free stuff that comes out of your kitchen sink? We all grew up on this stuff and no one became unhealthy because of it, yet for some reason we flock to the store to buy it in a bottle just because a television commerical tells us to. If you think your tap water is full of impurities, buy a Brita water purifying pitcher or some type of water filter. The main point here is that pure water is healthier than any kind of diet soda or energy drink you can pay for. Drink up to 8 glasses a day and you will notice an acceleration in your weight loss. Healthy Weight Loss Drink #2: Pomegranate Juice Drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol and blood pressure while slowing down LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) oxidation. Because they contain beneficial antioxidants, they rid your body of harmful free radicals that can slow down any weight loss program. The healthier your body is, the better it can perform. Pomegranate juice is safe to drink, but just like anything else you should not over-indulge. Most studies have shown that a daily helping of 1.5 oz. of pomegranate juice is the most beneficial. Anti-oxidants are found in bright colored fruits like red grapes. Unlike pomegranate juice, be careful when drinking grape juice. Manufacturers tend to add a lot of sugar into fruit juices so they seem healthy, but they really are not. Healthy Weight Loss Drink #3: Green Tea Green tea is one of the drinks I use on a daily basis that contributes to helping me keep an ideal weight after losing 70 pounds 15 years ago. Just like pomegranite juice, it is full of powerful antioxidants that give your body the very best fuel a drink can possibly give. Depending on the manufacturer, green tea comes in all kinds of flavors. One cup of green tea every morning gives me enough energy to last all day long. It is a natural energy, unlike the sugar rush you get from fitness drinks and coffee, so you never feel let down as the day goes on. Energy is obviously important for weight loss because the more you move around, the more calories you will burn. Healthy Weight Loss Drink #4: Soy-Based Protein Shakes Along with green tea, soy-based protein shakes are responsible for my weight loss and weight maintenance. Imagine getting 2,000 calories worth of nutrition in a 200 calorie smoothie. Your body gets what it needs without the excess baggage that comes with eating tons of food. It is the closest thing to a magic weight loss potion that you will find. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, this drink acts as a meal replacement. Obese people who need to lose over 100 pounds should obviously replace each meal with a shake, and those maintaining weight should replace at least one. I would never let a day go by without one of these powerful drinks. Why would I? I have been at my ideal weight and medication free ever since I introduced them into my diet. The bottom line here is that you must pay attention to what you drink as much as what you eat if you are trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Start by replacing what you are now drinking with any or all of the suggestions above. Living a healthy lifestyle is the key to reaching your healthy weight loss goals. That requires the mindset of person willing to make small changes on a daily basis. You are what you eat…and drink! Bill Winch is a Personal Wellness Coach whose mission is teaching and coaching others who are struggling with getting healthy, losing weight safely and keeping it off for good. He is also a Certified Business Growth Specialist, former High School and College Business Educator and Counselor, and mentors from his home office in Rochester, NY. If you are interested in receiving his Free Report “9 Weight Loss Myths Exposed” visit his website by clicking on FREE REPORT or by calling him directly at (585) 271-3767 for a free wellness consultation.rhinestones