Taking a bite into a delicious cool avocado straight from the fridge can help suppress your desiring appetite and for this reason it can result to weight loss, so the answer to the main heading you’ve been dying to know is YES!

What Studies Suggest :

1. Avocados are excellent for controlling belly fat.
2. Boost a sensation of fullness and satisfaction in your stomach
3. Helps you lose weight

Many are still hesitate to try out an avocados because of its high-fat reputation, but avocados are filled with vitamins, nutrients, potassium and also fiber. So you can eat this green delight everyday and it’ll still  be good for you!

Did you know : An avocado consists of 180 calories and 17g fat. It’s important to keep a watchful eye on how many of these you eat. Although one avocado is healthy, adding numerous avocados into a soup or eating them with high fat souses may not be so good.

Experimenting With Your Avocado

• One of my personal favorite dishes is a half chopped avocado with egg. You can fry the egg or scramble it, completely up to your own personal taste bud preferences. Sometimes if you scoop the avocado out first then mash it back in, it is easier to eat.
• Eat the avocado plain or with dips (low fat dips remember)
• Another way is to mash and season the avocado then spread it onto whole-grain toast or crackers,

The possibilities are really endless, send us pictures of what you do with your avocado!

Summer is the season for cooking fresh and fabulous feasts. Three summer all-stars are tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Delicious and versatile, this trio is also incredibly healthy.

1 .Tomatoes

• Although commonly regarded and categorized as a vegetable, the tomato is really a fruit, a very healthful one. Tomatoes are known for being exceptionally high in lycopene, a carotenoid that has antioxidant properties and may help prevent cancer and heart disease. Eating tomatoes with fat increases your body’s ability to absorb the lycopene.
• Tomatoes are also a rich source of vitamin C, folate, riboflavin, and chromium, each with its own extensive list of health benefits.
• For the tastiest tomatoes, grow them yourself or buy them from a farmers market or road-side produce stand. That ensures that your tomatoes are fresh from the vine and healthier, too.

2. Cucumbers

• Boasting a unique and refreshing flavor, cucumbers make a cooling snack for hot summer days. They’re also a good source of water, fiber, and nutrients like vitamin C.
• The real nutritional benefits come from the skin, which contains minerals like silica, potassium and magnesium.
• Silica is an essential component of healthy connective tissue important for your skin, bones and joints.
• Besides providing vitamins and minerals to your body when you eat them, cucumbers can also supply nutrients directly to your skin when applied externally.

Applying cucumber slices over the eyelids can help relieve swollen eyes and other minor skin irritations.

3. Bell Peppers

• Available in practically all shades of the rainbow, bell peppers all start off green, then ripen to their eventual shades of red, yellow, orange, and even purple.
• When they ripen, they become sweeter, especially if allowed to ripen on the vine in the sunlight. They are excellent sources of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta carotene and also contain good amounts of Vitamin B6.
• Select peppers that are firm and smooth, have fresh-looking stems and no wrinkles on their skin.
• Store them in the crisper of your refrigerator, where they will keep for a week.

A high-quality breakfast can start your day off right providing you with lasting energy to fuel your day, curb your cravings and help lower your risk for some chronic conditions.

Worst Breakfast 1: No Breakfast at All

In the largest sample of successful dieters, 78 percent reported eating breakfast every day.  What’s more, a Harvard study reported that men who skipped breakfast were 27 percent more likely to develop heart disease and that female breakfast skippers had a 28 percent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Eating breakfast may also give you more energy: One study found that breakfast eaters burned 400 more calories during a day through increased daily activity.

Worst Breakfast 2: Smoothies

Smoothies have a health halo, but unless you make it yourself, your smoothie may have more calories than a Big Mac and fries. Even grocery-store smoothies can have a natural sugar content similar to soda. And, despite the flavor, they’re usually just dressed-up apple juice.

Top Picks: Enjoy DIY smoothies with a base of Greek yogurt, frozen fruit (no added sugars) and milk.

Worst Breakfast 3: Juices or Juicing

Despite being lower in calories than smoothies and rich in myriad vitamins and antioxidants, juices aren’t the best way to start your day because most lack filling fiber and often pack in more natural sugar than a cola. Liquid sources of natural sugars cause a more rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin levels, compared with eating solid foods of similar nutritional value.

Top Picks: Stop juicing and start eating! Opt for breakfasts with whole fruit and lean proteins like a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh berries or sliced banana.

Worst Breakfast 4: Waffles, Pancakes, Bagels and Muffins

Waffles, pancakes, bagels and muffins are common breakfast choices, but they are rich in one thing you don’t want to start your day with: refined flour. They also lack filling fiber or protein. In fact, one study of dieters found those who ate a egg-based breakfast lost 65 percent more weight and lost more belly fat.

Top Picks: If you’re craving carbohydrates, make a pancake, waffle or mini muffin using whole grain flour as a side dish to your eggs.

Worst Breakfast 5: Egg Sandwiches

One of the most popular breakfast choices is a classic egg sandwich a fried egg, ham and cheese on a toasted bagel or English muffin. Breakfast sandwiches have about 300 to 400 calories, but most have up to four times as much low-quality carbs as protein. Because they generally are made with one egg, they fall short of the recommended 25 to 30 grams of protein needed for increased satiety and muscle protein synthesis.

Top Picks: Make your own sandwich using two eggs and one slice of lean bacon served in a whole-grain English muffin, bread or tortilla. When eating out always ask for your egg sandwich on a skinnier English muffin and check to see if the option of a breakfast “bowl” is available.

Worst Breakfast 6: Specialty Coffee Drinks

More than one third of coffee drinkers enjoy specialty coffee drinks every day. But many of these beverages have more than 300 calories and can pack in more sugar than a bowl of Froot Loops, making them more like liquid candy. A sugary start to your day may lead to increased hunger and cravings for sweets once the blood sugar levels plummet.

Top Picks: Opt for cappuccino or lattes and downsize to a small (12 ounce). Skip the added whipped cream and syrups. And if you like almond or soy milk, ask if it’s unsweetened.

Worst Breakfast 7: “Whole Grain” or “High Fiber” Cold Cereals

Don’t let claims like “made with whole grains” or “high fiber” fool you. Research from Harvard published in Public Health Nutrition suggests whole-grain claims may indicate that the food is rich in sugar, sodium and higher in calories. The best bets they suggest are grains with one gram of fiber for every 10 grams of carbs.

Top Picks: Some of the healthiest options : Post Shredded Wheat Original, with 40 grams of carb and six grams of fiber, and Quaker Old Fashioned oats, with 27 grams of carbs and four grams fiber.

Worst Breakfast 8: Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is heralded as a super food because it contains twice the protein and about half the natural sugars of regular yogurt if it’s made using the traditional straining process. A plain Greek yogurt has about one gram of natural milk sugar per ounce, or eight grams (two teaspoons) per cup. But some flavored varieties have three to four times that.

Top Picks: Opt for low-sugar, protein-packed plain Greek yogurt and flavor with fresh or dried fruit.

In reality, the reason you may have gained weight probably has more to do with what you are eating and how much you are eating rather than the time of day you are eating. Eating the right protein at night can help you build muscle while you sleep. Eating low-glycemic carbs at night can help control your blood sugar the next day and even help you regulate your appetite.

Some are not-so-guilty pleasures, some are great snacks to have after a light dinner and others make fantastic post-workout snacks.

1. Coconut-Mango Cream

Here is a simple dessert that uses frozen mango and coconut milk to make a dish your friends will rave about. To make it vegan, opt for a vegan protein powder like hemp, brown rice or pea.

• CALORIES: 171

2. No-Bake Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

These simple-to-make no-bake cookies contain the great flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate, along with a little hint of sweetness from honey. The addition of oats adds a punch of fiber and plant protein that makes them very satisfying.

Tip: To cut down on calories, you can make 16 half-size cookies instead.

• CALORIES: 238

3. Dark Chocolate

There is a big nutritional difference between your average convenience-store chocolate candy and cacao-rich dark chocolate. The dark chocolate lacks the high added sugar content of traditional chocolate and instead provides you an antioxidant punch that has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, fight inflammation and improve your mood.

4. Slushy

Here’s a better, no-added-sugar version that contains branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which can help decrease muscle soreness and stimulate muscle growth. Watch out for brain freeze!

• CALORIES: 36

5. Pistachios

Pistachios in the shell are an excellent nighttime snack because the shelling process requires some work, consequently slowing down how fast you can eat them. The slower you eat, the less you will consume. The combination of getting to eat more and having to eat them slower makes pistachios one of the best options. In addition, nuts come with a unique nutritional package because they contain fiber, biotin, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, unsaturated fats and plant sterols, all of which makes them highly nutritious as well as satisfying.

6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is arguably one of the best flavors in existence. This simple snack combines those two great flavors along with a creamy texture from cottage cheese. In addition, it provides a high dose of casein protein. Casein is the slower-digesting milk protein and has been shown to boost recovery while you sleep when taken later at night.

• CALORIES: 313

7. Raspberry Greek Yogurt

With this simple recipe for frozen Greek yogurt pops, you can do much better; it’s a nutritional treat with minimal prep. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt’s nutritionally superior sibling, with typically double the protein and half the carbs per serving. To make frozen Greek yogurt pops, mash three-quarters of a cup of raspberries in two cups of 2% plain Greek yogurt. Portion this mixture into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for several hours until completely frozen.

8. Pumpkin Seeds

One serving of pumpkin seeds contains almost 50 percent of your recommended intake of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is used in more than 300 reactions in your body. One key area that magnesium addresses is relaxation. Magnesium is a relaxant, and high-magnesium snacks are ideal for helping you unwind at night. And the slight saltiness of roasted pumpkin seeds curbs your salty-snack craving that is usually quelled with potato chips.

9. Warm Milk and Honey

Warm milk has long been used as a sleep aid, making it a good late-night snack choice if you have trouble dozing off at night.  Adding honey to your warm milk will slightly boost the sugar content of your snack. This extra sugar is easily digested and can stimulate hormones that drive the formation of serotonin, making your warm milk assist in your sleep efforts from a psychological and physiological perspective.

10. Frozen Blueberries

The cold sweetness of frozen blueberries is very refreshing at the end of the day. Frozen blueberries are packed with just as many high-powered antioxidants as their fresh counterparts because they are flash frozen at peak ripeness. Blueberries are one of the best foods that you can eat for your health. If your diet can afford the extra calories, adding two tablespoons of cream ups the richness and sweetness of the treat.

11. Almonds

In addition, people who ate almonds experienced greater improvements in their total cholesterol and triglycerides, two key cardiovascular disease risk factors. Almonds are also another food that is high in magnesium. One ounce of almonds can be snacked on raw, roasted or seasoned with your favorite spice like curry or chili powder.

12. Kale Chips

Kale chips give you that great salty crunch without the extra fat and calories you’d get with regular potato chips. Kale chips also provide vitamins K, A and C and the cancer-fighting phytochemicals called carotenoids. Kale chips taste best when they are freshly baked.

The prep time is so minimal that you can easily whip up a batch while you are making dinner to enjoy them later in the evening.

• CALORIES: 63

Chocotastic

Juicy Orange, Pineapple, delicious chocolates and a yummy Banana, with Yogurt and Ice!

Surprise! Although you hear the word chocolate in this recipe, the only chocolate used here is over 80% cocoa. The most important aspect is it’s also organic and fair trade. The incredible amount of goodness found in the combination of fresh banana, orange, pineapple and live yogurt more than squash any negative effect the chocolate may have, and if it’s the only way the little munchkins will consume fruit then it’s all for the greater good.

What you will need:

• 1 Orange (peeled)
• 1 inch thick slice of a medium Pineapple
• 4 pieces organic Chocolate (use fair trade, above 80% cocoa solids)
• 1/2 Banana ( fair trade if possible)
• 3 tablespoons low-fat live yogurt
• ICE

Begin by juicing the orange and pineapple. Grate chocolate into the blender and add banana, yogurt, juice and ice.

Blend until completely smooth.

• What’s in it: Vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, folic acid, phosphorus, zinc, beta – carotene, fibre, amino acids, natural sugars and anti-oxidants.

Live yogurt helps replenish the friendly bacteria in the gut., helping to prevent any overgrowth of yeast. Calcium then helps neutralize an acidic system and is good for the bones and teeth of course. The juice contains nature’s natural balance of sodium and potassium, one of the key factors to good health, and even the dark chocolate contains some anti-oxidants. This is an extremely balanced smoothie that tastes naughty but is still extremely good for your kids.

The Dreaded After Birth Belly

So you thought your tummy would be back to normal by your 6-week postpartum check-up, but instead you have unwanted loose skin and belly flab. Desperately seeking to get your tummy back in shape and get rid of the loose skin where your tummy used to be?

1. Lose weight slowly

If you’re seeking that slimmer belly, you’ll need to lose body fat first. Although losing that extra baby weight can make you feel very anxious and at times be overwhelming, it is very important to do it the healthy way. Losing weight quickly will only add to the problem of loose skin. If you lose weight quickly you will lose both fat and muscle. Importantly, muscle helps your stomach to keep its shape. Your skin needs time to adjust to its new shape when you lose weight. If you loose it too quickly, you may just end up with even more loose skin. Allow your skin time to regain its elasticity.

Tips: Aim for losing around 1-2 lbs. per week.

2. Cardio

It is almost impossible to only burn fat from just one area of your body that you’re unhappy about. When you burn fat, you must burn it all over. If you want to get your tummy back in shape, doing cardiovascular exercise is the way forward.

Tips: Aim for doing some type of cardio for at least 30 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week.

3. Protein

If you want to build muscle, protein is the thing to eat. Not only is it good for muscle growth, but it also contains important nutrients that help your skin, such as collagen. How much protein you need depends on your weight as well as how much physical activity and strength training you do during the day/week. Most women need around 50 grams of protein a day. However, if you are more active you may need a lot more protein.

4. Lotion and massage

It is important for you to lotion your skin that contains collagen, as well as vitamins E, A, C, and K to help firm up your loose skin. Massaging the lotion in will improve blood flow to the area, which helps your skin to appear firmer.

Tips: Try massaging lotion to any loose skin once or twice a day.

5. Strength train

Strength training will help improve your overall muscle tone and will give you more lean muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Moreover, strength training will improve your body composition e.g. the percentage of lean muscle to body fat. Improving your body composition will reduce fat not just along your waist, but also all over your body.

6. Exfoliate

If you want an easy way to tighten loose skin, you must start to exfoliate. Get an exfoliating scrub and scrub your belly with it each time your in the shower. Exfoliating helps to improve circulation and regenerate new, healthier, more elastic skin.

7. Water

Water will help hydrate your skin, making it more elastic. In the long run it will help your body to burn calories more effectively. On top of that, it will help reduce water retention in your belly area, which may make the appearance of loose skin less noticeable. If you haven’t been drinking your H₂0, here’s a good reason to start.

Something to Consider: Planks!!!

Many women try to get their tummy back in shape by doing crunches. Crunches are fine, but they may not be enough to get that loose skin to tighten up again. Planks are an isometric exercise. When you do them, you suck in your tummy and hold it tight. This process of sucking in and tightening will do wonders for your belly. Start by doing 2 or 3 planks and holding them for 15 seconds. Work up to doing 30 second and 1-minute planks. Here’s how to do a plank.

Detox

Evidently we all know the body does indeed clean itself naturally, however, it can only do this when given the chance to do so. Yes many people, particularly in the medical world, often dismiss the notion that we ever need to detox with the reasoning that the body detoxes all the time naturally, regardless of what we do.

Although this is very true, the best way to describe the situation is that if you always pollute the environment in which your cells bathe, then there will constantly be a degree of toxicity in our systems. Therefore, it is worthwhile to give your organs and digestive system an adequate recommended rest from the burden of all the processed foods we consume.

Tips: Keep Detox Simple, because all you really need is a juicer/blender, a flask, the appropriate fruit and veggies of your choice and, of course, the right attitude!

1. Prevent chronic disease.
   Environmental toxins are responsible for many cancers, neurological diseases, heart disease and strokes. Our bodies do have a built-in detox function to deal with these dangers, but those systems are constantly overloaded! Detoxing assists and improves what our bodies are trying to do naturally.
2. Remove toxins from the body.
   Long-term exposure to toxins (environmental pollutants, cancer-causing chemicals, preservatives, pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial waste) affects our metabolism, behavior, immune system, and leads to disease. They are stored in tissues and cells throughout the body, including the brain, often for years.
3. Lose weight.
   I’m sure you were all waiting for this one, toxins affect the body’s natural ability to burn fat, leading to weight gain. Diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure are directly linked to weight issues. Detoxing rids the body of toxins stored in fat cells and increases metabolism.
4. Enhance immune system function.
   A compromised immune system makes us vulnerable to colds and flus, affecting our quality of life and productivity. Regular detoxing helps strengthen immune system functioning and fights off infection.
5. Increasing energy.
   Making you mentally, physically, and emotionally more energized after detoxing. People tend to sleep better and need less of it.
6. Slow premature aging.
   Detoxing rids the body of free radicals and heavy metals partially responsible for aging. Detoxing helps to increase nutrient absorption, including antioxidants and vitamins that help fight oxidative stress.
7. Improve quality of life.
   Very simply our bodies don’t function very well when they’re loaded with toxins. We may have joint pain, headaches, digestive disorders, sleep problems, and lack of energy.
8. Mental and emotional clarity.
   When the body’s systems are aligned, a shift also occurs with our mental and emotional states. We can deal with more when we’re clear and grounded. We can make better decisions, analyze accurately, and see things differently.
9. Improve skin quality.
   Diet and environmental toxins undeniably affect skin. Detoxing improves acne, and strengthens hair and nails, and gives us a natural, healthy glow.
10. Restore balance to our body’s systems.
    Our digestive, nervous, and hormonal systems were designed to work together to achieve optimum health. When we overload them with toxins and unhealthy foods, these systems don’t work as well as they should and we get sick.
    Detoxing brings balance back and helps our systems function properly again.

 Tropical Special

Freshly extracted Orange, Apple and Kiwi Juice, blended with Banana and Ice

Sadly very few know exactly the quantity of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that nature provides in every fruit on Earth. Just imagine how fresh the live ingredients planted into the smoothie you yourself have taken the time to make compared to the one you quickly hand your kid(s) in a carton from the fridge. So why not give it a go, make a smoothie for your little munchkins and you will not only be giving them a delicious drink they’ll love, but also a great deal of what they need to grow both mentally and physically.

What you will need:

•  1 Juicy Orange (peeled)
• 1 Apple
• 1/4 Banana
• 1 Kiwi Fruit
• ICE

Begin by juicing the orange, apple and kiwi. Ensure you peel the kiwi fruit as it can often have a harsh taste. Place the banana in the blender, along with the juice and ice.

Blend until completely smooth.

• What’s in it: Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and E, beta – carotene, fibre, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, boron, ellagic acid, amino acids and natural sugars.

The scrumptious kiwi fruit is rich in beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, this vitamin is essential for the development and growth of cells and helps maintain healthy skin and eyes. Apples contain vitamin B1 which assists in the blood formation and the production of hydrochloric acid needed for proper digestion. Last but not least the fibre is there to keep kids moving!

A little tip or two: If you’ve mastered keeping your young delights interested with different fruits and smoothies be sure to engage a teenager too. A possible trick is to mention how good they are to ‘help keep a good healthy weight’ and ‘are great for clear skin’. I’m more than certain after a while they’ll be making their own smoothies without you needing to push them.