Over 95% of people who use restrictive dieting to lose weight, gain it all back within one year. Restrictive dieting alone will never solve your weight problem. In fact, many studies show that dieting actually causes weight problems because it forces you to focus most of your energy on food and your weight. Dieting fosters diet mentality which causes us to call some foods “good” and others “bad”. If you’re dieting your feelings about yourself are often dictated by your food choices.

Here are some common statements you might hear people make when they’re on a diet:

“I was really good today, all I had was rice cakes and a protein shake.”

“Wow! That cheesecake is so good I felt like licking my plate.”

“I wish I could be good like you, look at how bad I’m being.”

Notice how the word “good” is used for the diet food and the high fat food interchangeably. Notice also how dieter’s judge themselves based on the food they put in their mouths. Our words and beliefs have power over our feelings and our actions. If we do something we think is “bad”, we will likely begin to feel bad and even make choices to prove how bad we are. This is called a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, one of the keys to stress-free slimness is to stop judging ourselves based on food choices. Another key is to change our definition of “good” so that it’s consistent and self-affirming. There is no food that’s universally “good” or “bad”. We all have different tastes and we can eat a variety of foods in moderation without gaining weight. However, it is true that some foods contain more nutritional value than others and therefore are good for our bodies. Some foods give our bodies more of what we need. If you must call food “good”, reserve the label for food that’s: high quality, enjoyable and beneficial to your body’s health.

As a dieter, you are in a quandary when you label “good” food: boring. I’ve seen long-time dieter’s roll their eyes at people who are healthy or “good”. They say things like “I’m not good like her” or snicker at the prospect of eating “good” as if it’s somehow uncool or dreary. We must change our mindset if we hope to have long term health and weight maintenance.

If you’re like many dieters you have assimilated numerous low-fat, low-calorie foods into your diet and you call yourself “good” for eating them. Yet these foods are not good in any way. They don’t taste good, they usually aren’t good for you and they don’t necessarily make you feel good after you’ve eaten them. In fact, many dieters will admit that certain diet foods cause a myriad of symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, headaches and constipation to name a few. I think we can all agree: these side effects are not “good”. So, to help you reframe the concept of “good” food and “bad” food, I’m going to leave you with a mental image you can carry with you so that you are eating more “good” foods and feeling better. If you keep it up, you will probably lose weight too.

Imagine that “good” food is the kind of food that makes your body say “hooray!!” Imagine the food goes down the “conveyor belt” of your throat, to your stomach. When it arrives; your organs, cells and glands all say, “WOW check out all the new nutrients we just got in! There’s tons of good stuff here. Yipee!!” On the flip side, when you eat pre-processed, preservative and chemical-laden foods, your body says, “Oh no, not again. How does she expect me to exist on this? There’s almost nothing I can use here. The whole thing is waste! I’m going to have to spend all my energy processing this worthless food…for what?”

I hope this mental image will stick with you the next time you’re making a food decision whether it’s at the grocery store, a restaurant or a party. Be good to yourself. You deserve it and your body deserves it.

Many of us dream of having an aquarium filled with beautiful fish. Did you recently take the jump and make the purchase? If so, you are likely to have many questions. One of those questions likely focuses on aquarium fish food. Continue reading on for helpful tips that can ensure your fish are well cared for, as well as how to get the best value for your money.

There are many different types of fish food available for sale. Take a walk through your local fish or pet store and you will be surprised with the selection. Wait until you shop online, your options seem endless. Which fish food should you choose? You want to get the best value for your money, but don’t automatically think lowest price. You want to have a highly rated and recommended fish food, one that stays fresh longer, and one that provides your fish with added benefits. Depending on the contents of your aquariums, this may include frozen fish food, flake food, pellet food, and freeze-dried fish food.

Frozen and freeze-dried fish foods have the best nutritional value. Flake style fish food is often a mixture of different foods. This makes it difficult to monitor and estimate the value your fish are getting. Generally speaking, frozen fish food is best, but freeze-dried comes in a close second. You will see that frozen fish food has higher costs. This is generally due to the added nutritional benefits, long shelf life, and the resealable freezer safe package. Luckily, you can feed your aquarium fish a mixture, also keeping the costs down.

Flake style fish food is the most common food fed to aquarium fish. Your first thought may be to opt for the cheapest package available. Know however, that flake fish food comes in many different formats too. Look at your options. You can purchase vegetable flakes, those with added protein, and more. Although the nutritional value of flake fish food is not as high as frozen, keep it in mind. The proper nutrients can increase the energy of your fish and highlight their beautiful colors.

Pellet fish food is not as popular among new fish owners, but it is available. This type of fish food is ideal for carnivores. This is due the shape. In the water, it looks more like live food than fish food with flakes. You should find your fish going to the food quicker and eating a healthier diet. Pellet food is available for sale in different sizes. When making your choice, consider the size of your fish.

Know your fish’s needs. If you are a new aquarium owner, you may have done little research in terms of fish food. Now is the time to get started. As previously stated, flake fish food is the most common food feed to aquarium fish. It is cheaper and easy to find, but should not be the only food your fish eats. As mentioned above, you can mix it up between flake, freeze-dried, and frozen fish food. For marine fish, flake food is best used as a supplement, not their main source of diet.

Always consider use when buying fish food, especially flakes. Frozen, pellet, and freeze-dried food will stay better longer. You may run into a problem with open flake fish food. Your fish’s food will lose the little nutritional value it does have. There is also the risk of bacteria and mold growth. When buying flake fish food, only buy what you can use in a reasonable amount of time. Stocking up and bulk purchases can save you money at first, but not if must discard contaminated food later.

It is easy to overfeed your fish. The best approach is to divide up the feedings. Two small feedings a day is usually better for aquariums fish than one large feeding. If there is noticeable food left over in the acquarium after a few minutes, you have likely overfeed your fish. Other telltale signs include cloudy water and mold growths in the tank. These are both signs of leftover fish food.

In short, buying fish food for your aquarium fish is an important purchase. You have many choices and it may seem impossible to make the right one. Most important, know your fish’s needs. Fresh water and salt water fish not only require different aquarium setups, but different nutrients too.

Do you have a fish filled acquarium in your home or office? If this was a new purchase, you may have many questions. One of the most common questions asked by new fish owners concerns food. Your first impulse may be to head to your local pet store and purchase the cheapest food available. Yes, this will do, but there is a much better option. That is buying frozen fish food from a trusted online retailer. Wait! Frozen fish food? As a new acquarium owner, you may have never heard of frozen fish food. You may also wonder what the benefits are and how to buy it.

Frozen fish food has many benefits. The greatest benefits it the nutritional value retained. These important nutrients are often lost through the entire process of making and packaging dry fish food. The added nutrients from frozen fish food can increase the energy and color of your fish. Not only do your acquarium fish reap the benefits, but you do too. You will get pride and joy from seeing your fish in their prime, full of energy and color.

You now know the benefits of feeding your acquarium fish frozen food, but how can you buy it? What factors should you consider?

Your acquarium contents. Frozen fish food is available for a wide range of fish; however, you will usually find an emphasis on marine and corals. As previously stated, it is recommended that you buy frozen fish food online, as you are presented with more choices and better prices. You should also get detailed descriptions. However, when in doubt, place a call to the customer service department. They can help ensure you choose the frozen food best for your acquarium fish.

Your acquarium fish size and food size. Since frozen, this fish food usually comes in cubes. For example, a coral food mix may come in 100G cubes, 200G cubes, or 1LB cubes. It is best to opt for the right size. When buying, consider the size of your fish. If not given a choice, frozen fish food cubes can be thawed and cut into smaller sizes.

The online retailer that you make your purchase through. As previously stated, buying frozen fish food online has its benefits. You get a better product selection and prices because there are many retailers to choose from. For your benefit and the benefit of your fish, make your choice wisely. Since you may have questions, ensure there is a customer service phone number or email available. Then, consider price.

Your shipping options. Although it is best to buy frozen fish food online, you must proceed with caution. To keep your food safe and to retain all nutrients, proper shipping is a must. Since the product is frozen, it cannot be shipped like traditional mail. A quality retailer will generally use two-day shipping with FedEx or UPS. Your purchase should be shipped in a Styrofoam cooler and with ice packs.

Your shipping costs. Shipping costs vary greatly online. If you are not careful, it can significantly increase the cost of your purchase. With frozen fish food, you are presented with a unique opportunity. You continue to freeze at home, meaning there is no rush to use the food before it goes bad or starts to produce mold. To save both time and money, opt for an online fish supplier that has flat rate shipping. You pay the same shipping costs regardless of quantity. Stock-up and get a better rate.

You now know how to buy frozen fish food and get the best value for your money, but what about when that food arrives? If this is your first time feeding your acquarium fish frozen food, carefully read the instructions on the package. Although you may find a variance, you should:

Begin thawing your frozen fish cubes twenty to thirty minutes before feeding time. Using hot water to hurry the thawing process is not advised. A constant stream of hot water decreases the freshness and nutritional value. Remember, the nutritional value was one of the benefits of frozen fish food, so don’t wash it away.

Only thaw what you need. Frozen fish food should not be refrozen. This reduces the nutritional value and does pose health risks. Luckily, most fish foods that are frozen come in resealable plastic bags. Grab what you need for the next feeding, set that cube aside to thaw, reseal the package, and put in your freezer immediately.

You have probably heard a lot of people talking about the health benefits that come with eating raw organic foods. You may have wondered what implications come with a diet of organic foods. A table full of raw beef and oysters does not appeal to most people, but there is more to it than that. An organic foods diet means that you are required to eat the food in its natural unprocessed state. Organic foods may already be included in your diet, if you eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

The processing and cooking of the foods strip them of a lot of vital nutrients. A lot of people say that cooking vegetables leaches out the vitamins and it can also destroy the important enzymes that they contain. Packaged foods available in every grocery store, that have been processed in some way to help you benefit from an easy package meal, have a very low nutritional value and they are not very good for your body because they are hard to metabolize.

Earth gives us natural foods. If you consume them as such, in their raw state, it becomes a lot easier for the body to process them. Raw foods are packed with vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Everything you do costs energy. The energy levels of your body are given by enzymes. These things are not the most popular topics of discussion, but they are very important for your body. Think about how tired you feel after serving a big meal of cooked foods. This happens because you use your body enzymes to process these foods instead of using them for other activities of your daily life. By consuming raw organic foods that contain their own enzymes helpful for digestion, you preserve your energy for doing the things you like, instead of wasting that energy for digesting food you just ate.

People that follow a raw food diet consume up to 75% of raw foods. This includes fruits, vegetables, nuts and other foods in their natural form. Preparing raw foods involves several processes. One of these is juicing. Many people turn the fruits and vegetables into juices. Just by drinking fresh juice in the morning you can benefit from a health boost. Another way of preparing raw foods is by using a dehydrator. The moisture is taken out of the fruits and vegetables so they are good for long time storage. The dehydrator uses hot air to remove the moisture from the foods, but the temperatures it operates under has to be below 1160 F, so that all the enzymes in the food are stored and not destroyed.

Organic cheese can also be a part of a raw food diet. The process used for obtaining organic cheese does not involve temperatures higher than 1160 F, so it fits in the category of raw foods. The government keeps the organic farms under strict supervision, so you don’t have to worry about quality or scams if you purchase products from them. The cows from which the milk is harvested for the organic cheese cannot be treated with any antibiotics or other medicine in case of illnesses. In case they must be treated, they are removed from that farm. This guarantees that the organic cheese or other foods you purchase from that farm are 100% organic.

The amount of raw foods included in your diet should be around 75% (ar at least 50%), but you should not start eating immediately this amount of raw foods. Instead you should increase the quantities gradually. As a precautionary note, if you plan to have any major changes in your diet, you should consult your doctor. Even though raw foods are the base for a healthier life, some of them may conflict with certain medication, so this is the best thing you should do in order to avoid unpleasant situations. Due to the detoxifying effect raw foods have, some people may experience mild headaches and nausea, but only temporary.

Today, many people are beginning to see the benefits of raw foods and because of this they are beginning to include more raw foods in their dinners than ever before. The definition of raw foods is of course foods that are uncooked and in their natural state. We have spent so many years frying, barbequing and baking our foods we have not even realized all the flavors and nutrition we cook away. More and more studies and reports are beginning to reach the public stating just how unhealthy it is to cook your vegetables and fruits. This is the number one way to lose the vitamins and nutrients you want to obtain through your diet.

There are two different categories of raw foods, suncooked and uncooked. Suncooked is referring to the fruits and that are ripened by the sun and uncooked refers to the vegetables which should be eaten in their natural state. Each of these has high nutritional value that includes vitamins, minerals and powerful antioxidants. During the summer months of the year are quite obviously the best time to get your raw fruits and vegetables because they are in season. The problem with vegetables and fruits which have been stored and processed for long period of time (during the winter months) is they lose a great deal of their nutritional value. Your option during this time of the year is to consume frozen fruits and vegetables.

Professional naturopathies today are stating that raw foods may be especially beneficial for children. As you can imagine it is vital for children of any age to receive the nutrients and vitamins they need through their diet and raw foods is the number one way to do this. Some of the benefits they will receive include:

Increased energy levels

The ability to maintain body weight

Regular and properly functioning digestive system

Greater ability to focusReduces the chance of different degenerative diseases in the future

Less frequent and intense colds

Experts recommend that the standard ratio for this type of diet is 75% raw foods and 25% cooked foods. This is a healthy way to obtain the meats required for a healthy diet and still make sure you are getting all you can from the raw foods. Now that you have a better understanding of what raw foods can do for you, it is time to discuss the benefits of organically produced fruits and vegetables.

If you are going to make a conscious effort to care for your own health and the health of your children than why not take it one step further? This means that thanks to the creation of organic fertilizers, you can now purchase these same raw fruits and vegetables without having to worry about the impact and long term effects of pesticides. This has been a long time running concern and today you can avoid it. In any grocery store you shop at you can find an organic section. Although the prices are a bit higher it is well worth the investment.

When children consume large amounts of pesticides and chemically based fertilizers through their foods they become at a higher risk for many different diseases and conditions. This is because these unwanted toxins build up in the body, especially the digestive tract and colon and cause blockages. These blockages can weaken your immune system and the only way to cleanse these toxins is through healthy eating.

One very important factor of raw foods that is destroyed through the cooking process is enzymes. Enzymes are essential for proper digestion and the ability to combat free radicals that may enter the body through the foods we eat and the air we breathe. When these enzymes are killed by the heat (55 degrees or warmer) your body can no longer absorb the foods you consume. The absolute best source of enzymes is through raw and natural foods in order to replenish your supply after eating cooked foods.

When you are cooking for your children it is important to think about what you are putting into their bodies. When you have the chance to fill them with nutrients and vitamins through their everyday meals you should take it. Our health is not something that should be taken for granted. If children spend their entire life eating healthy then they are bound continue down this healthy path as they get older.