Weight loss hints and tips

In planning a meal plan, the most important step is to make efforts to lower your intake of fat, salt and refined carbohydrates.

Some reduced carb diet pointers:
* Replace sugar with a low carb substitute such as splenda. Most recipes that require sugar can be modified to make use of a sugar replacement like splenda. It doesn't weigh the same so you will have to do a bit of trial and error and it may not work for everything, but it gives very good results for the most part.

* Make low carb breadcrumbs for breaded foods. Whilst you may be able to buy reduced carbohydrate breadcrumbs, you can make them at home by simply using low carb bread. All you have to do is simply toast the reduced carb bread in your oven on a baking tray. Once it is well toasted, whizz it in your food processor or blender. Keep in a tupperware container.

Lycopene superfoods
(includes watermelon, red bell peppers and rosehip)

The chemical lypcopene is a non-synthetic coloring agent and part of the same family of phytochemicals as carotene. This chemical is the reason for the deep red color of many fruit, vegetables and pulses.

Intrestingly, unlike many other healthy agents, lycopene is not damaged during the cooking process, but is actually strengthened by going through the cooking process.

. Lycoprene's key value is that it is an antioxidant and is believed to help to lower the probabilty of cancer.

This useful phytochemical is the most effective quencher of singlet oxygen, which is correlated with aging of the skin. It is also thought by nutritionalists to slow down the development of atherosclerosis.