MyPlate - Let the Internet help get you into shape...free

My grandfather used to say "if you want to lose weight, push away from the dinner table".  My parents taught me about "calories in/ calories out" and the nutritional value of carbs, proteins, and fats to create a well-balanced diet.  In fact, my Mom was a nutritionist and introduced all kinds of foreign meals to us as a kid.  Have you ever had 'beef heart meatloaf'?  It actually tastes worse than it sounds.

It is ironic that each generation is more informed about nutrition than the last but at the same time each generation is getting fatter especially here in the USA.  Calorie rich food today is more accessible today than ever before.  Yet, while most folks know what good nutritious food is and what is just empty calories, many of us still eat the junk.  Applying what you know to what you do is where it gets hard.  Getting into the mentality that food is fuel not pleasure is even harder.

One thing I have done to keep myself 'honest' about my diet is keep a food journal.  I challenge you to do the same for 1 WEEK and think the results my surprise you as they did me.  The tool I used is "My Plate" which you can sign-up for free at www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate.   Basically, you create a login, answer a few questions, and start entering foods you eat daily into the website.  There are millions of foods to choose from in the database which makes calorie counting easy.  It tracks your progress so you may achieve your goal.  After a few weeks of entries, I made some major changes to my diet and as a result I feel better and have lost some belly fat.  Give it a try!

The more I read about nutrition the less I think I know.  There's a ton of information out there to consume.  Low glycemic index foods are choices that I am into now and have seen some nice results there.  So, if you want to make some changes to your diet, create a journal and look into some new food choices and educate yourself the best you can.  You may be surprised by the results you see in the mirror, on the scale, and how you feel which is the most important thing of all.