2. Fat is Your Friend

OK, so not all fats are your friends. Trans Fats, like those in margarine and processed foods are horrible for you. Saturated fats should generally be consumed in moderation and many vegetable fats (soy oil, corn oil, and most other vegetable oils) are of questionable nutritional status. But avoiding fat entirely is a good way to leave yourself exhausted and listless, not to mention overweight. If you don’t eat fat, your body freaks out and starts storing all the fat it can. Fat is a great source of steady energy. It is critical to feeling full, and fat is actually a major component of your brain cells. A lack of healthy fats leads to an unhealthy brain, with less mental energy, and poorer mood. The best fats are olive oil and fish fats. In fact, many health practitioners now prescribe fish oil to treat fatigue and even depression. Coconut oil is an underused oil. It is a saturated fat, but has some wonderful antimicrobial properties and helps maintain a healthy digestion. A little saturated animal fat (found in abundance in butter, full fat dairy products, and many cuts of beef, pork, and lamb) and the fat from eggs can be part of a healthy diet too. Moderation is the key! Add fat to your breakfast (butter  is a great choice, organic if possible) to keep your energy levels up through to lunch time.

3. Its Not Just What you Eat, or When you Eat, its When you Eat What

It might sound a little complicated, but it really isn’t. We’ve already talked about the importance of eating quality carbs and fats. Getting enough protein (protein comes from meats, fish, eggs, dairy, and beans) is also important. But almost as important as what you eat is when you eat. Other parts of this site stress the importance of eating 3 to 5 meals per day. But the composition of those meals should change based on the time of the day. In general, if you’re trying to lose weight, look  to get your carbs in the morning and possibly at lunch depending on yoru metabolism (more below). Carbs are great for energy, but the carb calories that we don't burn up quickly get stored as fat. Eating carbs in the moring and early afternoon helps ensure that you have plenty of energy available to make it through the day. By the time you're ready to go to sleep, you'll have burned up all of these carbs, so you won't end up storing them as fat at night. Whole oats, quinoa, and other whole grain hot cereals (any hot cereal that comes as a fine powder is overly processed - find a cereal with intact grains) are a great way to start the morning.

Lunch should be your biggest meal of the day. Whether you have a mostly carb-based lunch (brown rice and veggie stir fry) or a protein based lunch (fish or meat) should be determined by your individual metabolism. Sign up for your free ReEvolution Fitness Action Plan, which will help you determine your metabolic needs and figure out the right kind of diet for your body.
 
For dinner, it’s generally a good idea to eat light and emphasize protein and healthy fat. Steamed veggies with oil or butter, plus a small serving of meat or fish is always a good bet.