YOU: on a Diet ( 03/01/08 - 05/31/08 )

[jezzie]

Beneficial Bugs

Yogurt fortified with healthy bacteria may help you ward off certain illnesses.

In a recent study, researchers gave workers a daily dose of either Lactobacillus reuteri, a type of beneficial bacteria, or a placebo for 80 days.

Only about 10 percent of workers who took L. reuteri came down with a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection that caused them to miss work; more than 26 percent of the workers who took the placebo fell ill.

Beneficial bacteria inhabit your intestines, preventing infection by harmful bacteria and aiding in digestion. Antibiotic use or bouts of diarrhea or vomiting can disrupt the balance of intestinal bacteria, leaving you more vulnerable to illnesses.

Lactobacillus reuteri, a type of beneficial bacteria, may help prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing in the gastrointestinal tract and enhance the function of immune cells that combat viral infections.

Not all kinds of yogurt contain L. reuteri. Read yogurt labels carefully.

RealAge Benefit: Protecting your immune system can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

[PrairieMystic]

Hi Jezzie

I'm just checking in

[jezzie]

... So good to see you.


Bubbles May Mean Bad Teeth

Yellow stains aside, brewed coffee or tea may not be the worst thing you could swish past your pearly whites.

Other drinks tested in a recent study produced much more wear and tear on tooth enamel, especially bubbly soft drinks. But here's the surprise: It didn't matter if the sodas were diet or not.

Erosion Explosion

When your tooth enamel starts to erode, you've got major problems on your hands. And certain foods like sweets and sodas may hasten this process.

All carbonated drinks in a recent study had some impact on tooth enamel (with the one possible exception being root beer -- its impact on tooth enamel was slight). Citrus-flavored sodas hit teeth hardest, but colas caused problems, too.

And it didn't matter if the drinks were diet or full-sugar.

It's the Acids

Contrary to what you might think, it's not only the sugars in bubbly beverages that erode tooth enamel. It's also the acids.

The total acid content and acid type -- look for names like phosphoric, citric, malic, and tartaric -- in a beverage affect how strong the attack is on your choppers. Rinsing after sipping a soda may hasten the acids out of your mouth.

Read up on foods that are good for your teeth, like cheese, nuts, and more.

RealAge Benefit: Flossing and brushing your teeth daily can make your RealAge as much as 6.4 years younger. Learn three ways flossing makes you younger.

[jezzie]

Go Easy on Your Pearly Whites

Are you an overachiever when it comes to toothbrushing?

Brushing too long or too hard can damage both tooth enamel and gums -- and it isn't any better at removing plaque than gentler, shorter bouts. The best advice: Brush for 2-3 minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush, using short, gentle strokes.

Be sure to brush along the gum line, and give your tongue a quick once-over, too, for fresh breath.

If you're not sure of your toothbrushing technique, ask your dentist or dental hygienist for pointers at your next visit. The classic approach is to divide your mouth into four sections -- upper left and right, lower left and right -- and spend about 30 seconds on the teeth in each area, then lightly brush along the gum line and over the tongue.

No sense of time? Suspect you're overdoing it? Try an electric toothbrush. Many now have built-in timers, and some also come with sensors that automatically turn the brush off when too much pressure is applied.

RealAge Benefit: Flossing and brushing your teeth daily can make your RealAge as much as 6.4 years younger.

[jezzie]

Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart
Find out how flossing could save more than your smile.
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, July 2004

By the time we reach adulthood, most of us know that the consequences of not flossing are pretty tough on our teeth. Daily flossing is a vital part of dental care and promotes healthy teeth and gums. Sounds easy enough.

But what if you knew that this simple daily ritual not only protects your mouth, but also may protect your heart and arteries? Suddenly, that little white string becomes more like a lifeline.

A blow to your smile

When we don't floss regularly, our teeth can really suffer. A soft, sticky, bacterial film begins to accumulate on neglected teeth, especially below the gum line. Eventually the acids in these soft, sticky plaques begin to destroy the outer enamel of teeth. Gums may become irritated and bleed. Breath may start to smell bad.

And after a while, these soft, sticky plaques will harden into crusty yellow or brown deposits—called tartar—and make it even easier for more plaque to stick and accumulate on teeth. Eventually, dental diseases that lead to tooth loss can take hold, resulting in a failing smile and possibly even diminished eating function or speech impairment.

Men under age fifty with advanced periodontal disease were found to be 2.6 times more likely to die prematurely and 3 times more likely to die of heart disease compared to men with healthy teeth and gums.

As if all of this were not reason enough to floss, now research suggests that regular flossing may have health impacts beyond your mouth. Here are three ways flossing may protect your health:

1. Flossing may protect your heart

True, lack of flossing can lead to gingivitis and periodontal diseases, but the consequences of poor dental health may reach beyond your mouth and to your heart. Research has shown a distinct connection between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease.

In one emergency room study, patients who came to the ER with chest pain were found to have a higher rate of recurring gum infections. Researchers are not sure what is behind the connection, but the worrisome data makes the simple task of flossing a no-brainer for optimal health.

[jezzie]

2. Flossing may protect your arteries

Flossing and clogged arteries also may be related. Research has revealed that the same bacteria in tooth plaque also are found in the deadly fat deposits that obstruct arteries. Inflammation is a crucial link in the causal chain that leads to plaque and arterial obstruction.

Researchers speculate that bacteria from the mouth may enter the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation and artery clogging.

3. Flossing may reduce your risk of diabetes and its complications

If you already have certain health concerns, flossing may help protect
you from any further health complications.

For example, periodontal disease appears to make insulin resistance worse. When cells require more insulin to take up blood sugar from the blood stream, blood insulin and eventually blood sugar levels will rise.

Increases in blood insulin and blood sugar levels both have undesirable effects, the best known being the development of type 2 diabetes.

Flossing regularly can make your RealAge as much as 6.4 years younger.

To the extent that good oral hygiene reduces plaque, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and the accompanying inflammatory processes, proper oral hygiene may in turn improve insulin sensitivity of liver and muscle cells and reduce blood sugar levels and the need for insulin.

Let the string lead the way

More and more research is pointing to ties between oral health and overall health. Even when taking into consideration other bad health habits such as smoking or excessive drinking, studies have still shown a strong link between periodontal disease and other diseases.

Short of a visit to the dentist, no other single personal oral healthcare habit alone has the same ability to remove plaque between teeth and below your gum line.

Avoid relying exclusively on waterpiks for dental hygiene. The current technology is not as effective as traditional brushing and flossing.
Being aware of the connection between poor oral health and disease gives you one more opportunity to achieve premium wellness.

The next time you floss, use these tips to get the most out of that little white string:

* Be sure to slide the floss under your gum line and also to gently curl it around each tooth as you floss.
* Floss gently, but don't quit because your gums bleed. Eventually they will become stronger and bleed less with regular flossing.
* Use fresh floss for each tooth juncture.
* If you find it difficult to manipulate floss with your fingers, purchase dental floss picks or holders that anchor sections of floss for you in a small, U-shaped plastic device. RA

[jezzie]

Don’t Diet! Here’s Why . . .

If you've tried every calorie-restricting diet out there but still can't keep the weight off, there's a reason: Diets don't work.

Over time, the majority of dieters regain any weight they may have lost, according to researchers who pored over a slew of diet studies recently. So instead of counting calories . . .

Eat for Good Health

The concept that you can permanently shrink yourself by temporarily eating less is mostly bunk -- for most of us. In fact, the health benefits of short-term weight loss still need to be closely examined.

Instead, your goal should be to eat nutritious foods that make you younger -- and make that a lifelong habit. The good news? Your waist may shrink as a fringe benefit.

Getting Started

Kick-start your lifelong healthy-eating habits with these tips:

* Focus on your waist, not your weight.
* Eat three main meals, plus snacks, so you're never hungry.
* Don't buy anything with more than 4 grams of saturated fat or 4 grams of any sugar (especially high-fructose corn syrup) per serving.
* Strive for a rainbow of colors in your meals. Here's how to do that.
* Eat a little healthy fat -- like a handful of walnuts -- about 20 minutes before a meal. It will take the edge off, so you won't be tempted to overeat.
* Eat a fiber-rich breakfast every day.
* Walk every day for 30 minutes.

Get more tried-and-true waist-management strategies from RealAge experts Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD.
RealAge Benefit: Developing a RealAge Plan can make your RealAge as much as 29 years younger.

References Published on 04/01/2008.
Medicare's search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer. Mann, T., Tomiyama, A. J., Westling, E., Lew, A. M., Samuels, B., Chatman, J., American Psychologist 2007 Apr;62(3):220-233.

[jezzie]

RealAge Rates the Best Breakfasts
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, July 2004

It's true: breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

A nutritious, well-balanced morning meal not only sustains your energy levels better than endless cups of coffee, but it also can help:

• Boost weight loss efforts. Research shows that breakfast eaters are more successful at losing weight and maintaining that weight loss compared to breakfast skippers.
• Sharpen your mind. People who consume a high-fiber breakfast stay more alert than those who start their day with a high-fat meal, according to research.
• Protect your cardiovascular system. A study revealed that people who consumed whole-grain cereals rather than refined cereals had a lower risk of heart disease.
• Strengthen your immune system. The right breakfast choices help you start your day with immune-boosting vitamins and minerals.

Skipping breakfast can make your RealAge as much as 3 years older.

[jezzie]

What's on your menu?

Eating anything you want for breakfast won't bring you the health benefits outlined above. You'll need to focus on certain kinds of foods. Answer the question below to see if your breakfast choices are making you younger.

Which menu contains the items that are most similar to your typical morning meal choices?

Please make a selection

Menu 1
Oatmeal or cold cereal with milk
High-fiber breakfast bar
Fresh fruit
Low-fat yogurt
Whole-grain toast with peanut butter
Coffee or tea, without cream
Juice

Menu 2
Whole eggs, any style
Breakfast meat, such as bacon or sausage
Pancakes with butter and/or syrup
White toast with butter and/or jam
Coffee or tea with cream
Soda or sweetened fruit drink

Menu 3
Bagel with cream cheese
Whole-grain toast with butter and/or jam
Donut or pastry
Fruit-filled cereal bar
Coffee or tea with sugar and non-fat milk

[jezzie]

If menu 1 most closely matches your typical morning meal, you are making sound breakfast choices. Way to go! Read on for ways to make your morning meal choices even better.

Choose your cereal wisely. Whether your cereal is hot or cold, you'll always want to check the fiber, fat, and sugar content per serving. For example, many kinds of instant oatmeal tend to be heavily processed, leaving it lower in fiber than unprocessed, whole oats. Choose cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

Inspect breakfast bar labels the same way you would inspect cereal labels, noting fat, fiber, and sugar content. Many cereal, granola, and breakfast bars tend to skimp on fiber and instead bulk up on sugar. Your goal should be to get a total of at least 6 grams of fiber at breakfast. If your favorite cereal is low on fiber, add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to it.

Another quick breakfast trick: always keep raisins and nuts on hand. Raisins can be tossed into cereals whenever your fresh fruit supplies are low, or they can be added to cereal in addition to fresh fruit for extra flavor.

And nuts aren't only for snacking. They make a great addition to healthy breakfasts by adding unsaturated fat—the good kind of fat—to your meal. A little bit of healthy fat in a meal can help you feel fuller for longer, and also can help your body better absorb nutrients from the rest of your meal.

When shopping for fruit juice, make sure it's pure. Fruit-flavored juice drinks, cocktails, and blends often contain loads of added sugar and hardly any actual fruit juice.

[jezzie]

If menu 2 most closely matches your typical morning meal, some of your breakfast choices may be high in aging fats or sugars and low in nutrition. However, you can easily transform your choices into age-reducing meals.

Cutting back on heavy, fat-filled breakfasts will protect your body from harmful inflammatory processes that can lead to premature aging.

Your first step: lower the fat content of traditional egg breakfasts by replacing some of the whole eggs in your meal with egg whites instead. Or you can switch to low-fat egg substitute. Go easy on the cheese and breakfast meats, which tend to be high in saturated fat and/or sodium. Instead, supplement your meal with fresh fruit.

If you can't give up your breakfast meats, opt for leaner ones, such as ham. You also can substitute high-fat bacon and sausage with lighter chicken or turkey sausage, or experiment with vegetarian sausage or bacon. There are several good choices on the market, but check the label for fat and sodium content, which could still be high in some brands.

If pancakes are your morning tradition, add several tablespoons of bran to the batter to boost the fiber content. Also, top your hotcakes with fresh fruit purees instead of syrup and butter. You can even add a dollop of low-fat whipped cream.

A few other easy, age-reducing switches to make: replace the cream in your coffee with skim milk, choose pure fruit juice over soda or sweetened drinks, and switch from white toast to whole-grain toast. Your goal is to get a total of at least 6 grams of fiber at breakfast.

[jezzie]

If menu 3 most closely matches your typical morning meal, you are starting down the right road when it comes to making sound breakfast choices; however, you may need to make a few minor modifications to maximize your health benefits.

One way to max out the nutrition of your morning meal is to be sure to choose only whole-grain breads or bagels. You can tell it's whole-grain by reading the ingredients list—the first ingredient should be a whole grain, such as whole wheat, bran, or oats.

Get creative and healthier with your bagel topping choices by replacing cream cheese, butter, and/or jam with peanut butter (typically free of trans fats) and a sliced banana; sliced tomatoes and avocadoes; or hummus.

If you can't live without cream cheese on your bagel, choose whipped cream cheese, which contains fewer calories than solid cream cheese. Also, try low-fat or light versions, as well as dairy-free cream cheese substitutes.

Skip the donut or pastry—their high glycemic indexes mean your body digests them quickly and your energy levels could crash well before lunch as a result. If your cereal bar is low in fiber and high in sugar, you may need another option there, as well. Instead, grab a toasted whole-wheat English muffin topped with a whole-fruit spread.

If your breakfast isn't keeping you satisfied until lunch, you may need to emphasize more low-glycemic index (GI) foods, which can help keep you feeling full longer. Low-GI foods include whole-grain (and high-fiber) cereals such as bran, oatmeal, and muesli, and high-fiber fruits, such as berries and apples. Filling up on these

Take your breakfast with you!

No time for breakfast? If you're pressed for time in the morning, stocking your fridge with portable, ready-to-eat portions—fruit and veggies in sandwich bags, hard-boiled eggs, and low-fat or non-fat yogurt cups—allows you to grab something quick and easy... and nutritious. RA

RealAge Benefit: Eating breakfast can make your RealAge as much as 1.1 years younger.
satisfying foods at breakfast can help prevent over-snacking during the day, which helps reduce your overall daily calorie intake.

[jezzie]

Increasing Vegetables

# Learn to properly steam vegetables.
# Decrease the meat and increase the vegetables called for in stews and casseroles.
# Add grated carrots, zucchini or cabbage to chili and meatloaf.
# Offer washed and trimmed carrot and celery sticks for snacking.
# Add finely grated carrots, pumpkin, or zucchini to baked breads and cakes.

Increasing Whole Grains

# Substitute whole-wheat flour for bleached white flour when you bake.
# Top casseroles with wheat germ or whole-wheat bread crumbs.
# Serve bran-based cereals, or those made from shredded wheat.
# Serve imaginative whole-grain side dishes (bulgur, kasha, etc.) instead of egg noodles.
# Offer crackers and corn chips containing whole grains.

Reducing Fat

# Cook with less fat by using non-stick skillets.
# Blot all fried meats on paper towels.
# Add a spoon of water or broth as needed instead of more fat when sautéing onions and vegetables.
# Substitute low-fat yogurt for mayonnaise.
# Substitute ground turkey for ground beef.

Reducing Salt

# Substitute lemon juice or herbs for salt when cooking pasta or grains.
# Avoid cooking with soy or Worcestershire sauce.
# Substitute garlic or onion powder for garlic or onion salt.
# Avoid using products that contain monosodium glutamate.
# Use unsalted or low-salt vegetable broths and products.

Reducing Sugar

# Choose canned fruits packed in water instead of heavy syrup.
# Use only fresh-frozen fruit without added sugar if fresh is unavailable.
# Cut the sugar called for in most recipes by one-third to one-half.
# Sweeten waffles and quick breads with cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla or almond extracts.
# Add pureed banana to baked goods and reduce the sugar.

[jezzie]

Eat the Good Fat First

Choosing the right appetizers may help you eat less
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, September 2004

If you're trying to watch your weight, you don't have to entirely avoid that bread basket and dish of olive oil before your meal. Noshing on whole-grain bread dipped in olive oil may actually help you eat less overall.

Consuming a small amount of healthy unsaturated fat, such as olive oil, before a meal slows the rate at which the stomach empties, which means:

* You'll digest your food more slowly, so you'll eat less but still feel full.
* Your blood sugar won't hit a high peak after you eat, but will remain at a lower, stable level.
* Your body will more easily absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K, as well as fat-soluble nutrients such as lycopene and lutein.

It doesn't take much: Just 70 calories worth will do the trick. This translates into half a tablespoon of olive oil, 6 walnuts, 12 almonds, or 20 peanuts.

Rather than snacking on potato and tortilla chips that are typically high in trans fats and saturated fats, try preparing some healthy-fat appetizers. There are delicious ways to incorporate a bit of good fat at the start of your meal:

RealAge Benefit: Enjoying healthy fat first in each meal can make your RealAge as much as 1.8 years younger.

[jezzie]

Great News About a Tiny Green Pasta Garnish

More proof that good things come in small packages: The tiny pickled plant buds known as capers could do big things for your body.

That's because capers -- used for centuries in Mediterranean fare to add zing to fish, salads, and pasta -- may have their own special heart-disease-busting and cancer-thwarting powers.

Two Great Capers

Extracts from capers, even in small amounts, did two surprising things in a recent study. First, they limited toxic and gene-mutating by-products of meat digestion. Great news, because those by-products can spell trouble for your heart.

Second, the caper extracts improved the bioavailability of vitamin E. Also great news, because vitamin E helps put a damper on certain cancer-causing processes.

Cooking Ideas

Capers contain a bundle of antioxidants, including a bit of vitamin C and vitamin E. Just don't go overboard if you're sensitive to salt, because capers also pack quite a sodium wallop.

RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

[jezzie]

Lentil Tapenade

Try spreading this tangy tapende on crostini or pipe into cherry tomatoes (after slicing off the stem ends and seeding them). For a great sandwich, fill a lettuce-lined pita pocket with tapenade and sliced hard-cooked eggs.

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
* 2 teaspoons black olive paste, or finely chopped black olives
* 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
* 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and coarsely chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* ground pepper, to taste
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Combine lentils and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until very tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Drain the lentils and garlic and transfer to a food processor. Add olive paste (or olives), capers, anchovies (or anchovy paste), lemon juice and oil; puree until smooth. Season with pepper. Scrape into a bowl and stir in rosemary.

[jezzie]

Pasta, Tuna and Roasted Pepper Salad
The secret to this delicious pasta salad is a creamy low-fat dressing made with bottled roasted red peppers.
If you have cooked chicken on hand, you can substitute it for the tuna.

Ingredients

* 1 6-ounce can chunk light tuna in water, drained
* 1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, rinsed and sliced (2/3 cup), divided
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion or scallions
* 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, coarsely chopped if large
* 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 8 ounces whole-wheat penne or rigatoni, (2 cups)

Directions

1. Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil.
2. Combine tuna, 1/3 cup red peppers, onion (or scallions) and capers in a large bowl.
3. Combine yogurt, basil, oil, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and the remaining 1/3 cup red peppers in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
4. Cook pasta until just tender, 10 to 14 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add to the tuna mixture along with the red pepper sauce; toss to coat.

[jezzie]

Halibut With Lemon and Caper Sauce

If using fish steaks, chill them in the freezer for 1/2 to 1 hour so they will be easy to slice. Fillets of sole, orange roughy, ocean perch or catfish are delicious cooked this way but do not need to be sliced before cooking.

Ingredients

* 1/2 lemon, or more to taste
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1 pound halibut fillet (about 1 1/2 inches thick), cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices
* 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 clove clove garlic, minced
* 1/3 cup fish stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1 tablespoon capers (optional)
* 2 teaspoons butter
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. With a sharp knife, remove skin and white pith from lemon and discard. Cut the segments of the fruit away from their surrounding membranes into a bowl (discard seeds). Strain and reserve juice. Chop fruit coarsely.
2. Combine flour and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge fish lightly in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish until the outside is golden brown and the interior is opaque, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plates or a platter and keep warm.
3. Add garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for several seconds. Add fish stock or broth and bring to a boil, stirring. Add lemon and juice, capers (if using) and butter, swirling the pan until the butter has melted. Spoon the sauce over the fish. Sprinkle with parsley and grind more pepper over top.

[DeeBloom]

Do you all have a challenge on the board, I just started YOAD this week and would love to join a challenge/support group.

[jezzie]

Nice to meet you.

You could check the Challenge Forum ..... but I don't think there is a challenge group.
I think this is the only YOU thread here. People come and go ... but I'm the only daily
poster.

How do you like the plan so far? Do you have the book? If not I have the basic rules on Page One.

YOU: on a Diet ( 03/01/08 - 05/31/08 )

.

[jezzie]

•What Should You Eat?

As you choose from the five major food groups, focus on foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients.

Eating this way helps you get the necessary vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fats without getting more calories than you need to maintain your weight.

And eating this way can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger!

After you've kicked out nutritional felons like simple sugars and trans fats, stock your fridge, freezer, and pantry with these items: Fruits and veggies: Aim for four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables daily. A serving fits in the palm of your hand.

High-fiber fruits and veggies: like broccoli, apples, and raspberries will help satisfy your hunger longer than low-fiber produce. Are you getting enough fruits and veggies?

Whole grains: Whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, and pasta are high in fiber and B vitamins. They slow digestion and help keep blood-sugar levels steady.
How many years younger could you be if you ate 25 grams of fiber -- instead of just 12 -- per day?

Low-fat or nonfat dairy: Yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk provide calcium for strong bones.

Lean meats: If you eat meat, choose skinless chicken and turkey for lean protein options. Fish is another wise choice because it's a great source of heart-healthy fats.

Nuts: Crunchy, satisfying, and full of healthful fats, an ounce of nuts per day makes the perfect snack for people managing their waists.

The best diet meets your nutritional needs and provides just enough calories to fuel your day. So if you're satisfied with your current weight, balance your daily calorie intake with your physical activity level.

If you're trying to shed a few pounds, making the kitchen switches outlined above is a great first step in getting more of the healthy-but-still-fills-you-up foods into your diet.

[jezzie]

•Restock Your Fridge

The first step to getting on the path to better eating is to take stock of your pantry!

Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen say there are five ingredients that should be banned from your diet forever.

The first ingredient to avoid is hydrogenated oil, which often masquerades as partially hydrogenated oil.
Dr. Roizen says we should also eliminate sugar and high fructose corn syrup from our foods.

"We eat 63 pounds of [high fructose corn syrup] a year, which puts 33 pounds on the typical American,"
he says.

Enriched flour is the fourth ingredient to avoid. "[Enriched] means they took all the good stuff out and put a little back," Dr. Roizen says. In 1960, Americans didn't use enriched flour, but today we consume 63 pounds a year, he says.

The fifth offenders are white foods —including bleached flour. The only white items you should have in your fridge are egg whites, cauliflower and fish, Dr. Roizen says.

Finished clearing your kitchen of bad fats, sugars, and carbs? Start shopping for the good-for-your-waist foods that make it easy (and automatic!) to eat right.

Include fire-extinguisher munchies -- good foods that will put out three-alarm starvation fires. Pick up ready-to-eat snacks for those times you're likely to reach for waist-killing chips or sweets.

Our list includes almonds, peanuts, or walnuts; bags of prechopped fruits and veggies; dried fruit (apricots, cranberries); and edamame (soybeans -- look for microwavable bags in the frozen-food section).

Plus, snacking on edama