From Yahoo! News/Johns Hopkins: You already know to eat at least five servings each of fruits and vegetables. But does it matter how these goodies make it to your plate?

Fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the produce aisle are usually best, as long as you’re eating them soon after picking. Sometimes though, it’s not always possible to purchase produce when it’s fresh off the farm.

Seasonal changes will also affect which type of produce we purchase, since fresh fruits and vegetables often are quite expensive. If you can’t afford to purchase all your fruits and vegetables fresh, try canned and frozen.

Frozen produce is nutritionally comparable to fresh but canned produce does lose some vitamins and minerals during the heating process. However, the canned versions of at least three vegetables are actually higher in healthful phytochemicals than their fresh versions: Corn, carrots, and tomatoes all benefit from the canning process.

Another benefit of frozen and canned produce: They have a longer shelf life, so you can keep them on hand for quick additions to meals.

If you do purchase more canned or frozen produce, make sure the label says they contain no added salt and sugars. (Remember “heavy syrup”?)

Bottom line: It’s more important to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day than it is to worry about how they made it to your plate.

I've seen many diet 'experts' recommend using a diet journal so you can write down everything you consume. A diet journal is one thing that we do not recommend. If you're diet is that bad that you don't know what you're eating; or you find yourself struggling with your weight – let's say 50 pounds or more, then you may just need an easier diet and meal plan like Medifast. While this isn't a one-size fits all solution, Medifast does offer the ability for you to have some guidelines when it comes to your calorie count and balance of macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) – all of which most people find a bit too difficult keeping track of. Medifast is also an easier plan than trying to journal everything you consume and then look it over to determine what needs to be changed. Although the intent is a good one – trying to get you more aware of your own diet and exactly what you're eating; as well as trying to make the nutritionist or dietician more aware of what you're eating so they can properly advise you of what not to eat – has a couple of good reasons you may want to reconsider using a diet journal.

First, if historians, archeologists, or aliens for that matter, were to find a journal that contained all the things you've consumed in your diet, they'd think you must have been part of some scientific experiment. Not that you're going to journal for the rest of your life, but let's just consider what you're being reduced to if you have to journal to know what you're eating.  It's understandable that you may be surprised by just how much you're consuming if you journal. Let's just assume that's the case, otherwise you wouldn't be overweight! Second, it's not that hard to assess your diet and know what you need to cut out – at least 99% of the time. In our experience, most people have one or two things that they consume on a regular basis that is/are responsible for most of their excess weight.

MedifastGet medifast for weight loss, health, a healthy diet, and a diet plan. Medifast is a product that helps you lose weight. There are benefits to using Medifast in your diet, and can be used for weight loss. Phase 1 – 5 & 1 Program for Weight Loss 5 Medifast Meals per Day Over 50 meals to choose from – shakes, bars, drinks, oatmeals, chili, soups, pudding and more. 1 "Lean and Green" Meal per Day Lean Meat: 7 ounces of chicken, turkey of fish, or 5 ounces of lean beef, pork or lamb. Grill, bake or poach meats using non-stick spray. Salt, pepper, herbs and spices may be added if desired. You may also use 1 – 2 teaspoons of condiments such as ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce. Salad or Vegetables: Either 2 cups of salad greens (any kind) and up to ½ cups raw vegetables, or up to 1 ½ cups cooked vegetables.
Medifast Coupon CodesYou may also use 1 – 2 tablespoons of Media low-fat or non-fat dressing.Phase 2 – BeSlim™ Philosophy of Lifelong Weight Control Once you have reached your healthy weight, your Health Advisor will help transition you to the BeSlim™ philosophy of lifelong weight control. The BeSlim™ philosophy is a part of the Take Shape for Life program that incorporates key behaviors mastered by those who lost significant amounts of weight and kept their weight off for years. These key behaviors include: Breakfast (eating Breakfast every day) – High quality fuel, such as our delicious Medifast oatmeal, cappuccino, or chai latte, is essential to start your day the right way. Exercise – Continued exercise increases metabolism, provides strength, flexibility, and mental clarity.
Medifast NutritionSupport – Your Health Advisor is here to help you reach and maintain your goals, providing the coaching, tools, education, and caring support you will need along the way. Low-fat meals 5-6 times a day – Eating frequently, controlling portion and total calories, especially those from fat, are critical for success. Individual Plan – Create an individual plan to help you achieve an optimal healthy lifestyle and build the skills and strategies you need to cope with modern life. Monitor your weight – Weigh yourself on a regular basis to maintain optimal weight. Catch it before it becomes a challenge! Join the BeSlim™ Club today and set your life in motion! Introducing the New BeSlim Club & Rewards Program! Optimal Health is its own reward, but how about earning a bonus or two along the way? You’re on a journey to Optimal Health. You’ve made a commitment to lose weight and keep it off! You’ve earned the right to celebrate your success! The new Take Shape For Life BeSlim Club & Rewards Program is your ticket there. The BeSlim Club & Rewards Program is Take Shape For Life's progressive savings program, offering clients and Health Coaches an easy way to obtain their Medifast Meals at a savings, with exciting rewards you can earn along the way! The longer you are member of the BeSlim™ Club, the more significant your savings are and the more rewards points you’ll earn. When you join the Take Shape For Life BeSlim Club & Rewards Program, you: Enjoy your favorite Medifast Meals all month long, with orders conveniently shipped right to your door Save on your meal purchases and enjoy increased savings the longer you’re on the program Earn points towards exclusive rewards that promote healthy living Receive coupons for special savings. Enrich your life as you achieve Optimal Health Available to all, the BeSlim™ Club is a great way for individuals learning and practicing the BeSlim™ philosophy. Every time you order, you earn points towards healthful rewards. Here’s how: There’s no minimum purchase required. Redeem your reward points* for exclusive Take Shape For Life merchandise, including: Apparel, Exercise Equipment, Spa Trips, And more! Join the BeSlim Club today! Simplify Your Life — — Receive automatic monthly shipments of your favorite Medifast Meals; Save Your Money — Enjoy savings that increase the longer you are a club member; Earn Just Rewards— Select from an array of rewards that promote healthy living and a healthy lifestyle.

Medifast Coupon Codes

You don't need to be advised to cut down on certain foods. Most likely they are going to be foods and/or beverages that need to be eliminated from your diet. This can't be, pardun the pun, sugar-coated! You only need to find one thing for starters that you consume regularly and begin by replacing it with something healthy – like a piece of fruit, a salad, or similar. If you need to be questioned about certain foods, that's different. Here's some to eliminate for starters if these are a part of your diet: soft drinks (any), fast foods (most), pastries.  Start there, it's that simple. Here's one take on how using a diet journal may be helpful, if you'd like to go that route –

Health News; Cleveland.com. The first step to improving your diet is learning what to change. A food journal will help you do this. You probably don't even realize when you take a handful of peanuts from the snack jar. Most people don't realize how many calories they add by eating chips or a cookie throughout the day. Many parents don't realize how much extra food they consume when they finish the food their children didn't eat.

A food journal is all about awareness. The more information you track, the better equipped you will be to make changes. The most simple form of a food journal is to record everything you eat or drink for a few days to get an idea of what you are eating. Write down everything, even chewing gum, hard candies, soft drinks or juice.

This information is very surprising to most people. When you realize what you are eating, you will know where to cut back or change your diet. Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables, protein, or calcium? The food journal will help you decide if you are eating a nutritionally balanced diet. read more…

Bottom line: Start with a simple step when it comes to your diet – one reason we recommend Medifast. Because too many people struggle to manage their food choices. You don't need to write a history book about what you're eating. A better idea: write a journal about your life; about what you are doing and why it's fun or why it may not be; about your emotions and joys. People who like to journal their lives tend to be more goal oriented and forward thinking. You may really find out who you are, what you stand for, and where you'd like to go…rather than just what you're eating (boring!). Find some bigger goal in your life that requires you to be fit and you will…be fit, that is!

If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here – Medifast – to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Medifast diet program (located at ) controls portions and calories so you don't have to. Avoid calorie counting, diet pills, and confusing point systems with this simple, convenient 5 & 1 Plan. The plan is clinically proven to burn fat and help your body lose weight quickly, up to twenty pounds in a single month. The plan keeps you eating every two to three hours to help ensure that you don't get hungry between meals.

The 5 & 1 plan allows you to eat six meals a day. For five of your meals, choose from over 50 delicious Medifast options, including scrumptious shakes, satisfying soups, oatmeal, bars, pudding, drinks, snacks (crackers, soy chips, etc.), and scrambled eggs. These great-tasting, nutritious meals are low in calories and allow you to create a healthy gap between the calories you take in and the calories you burn so that you'll lose weight quickly and safely. The meals can be used interchangeably for your convenience. In addition to the five Medifast meals, you'll prepare a Lean & Green meal, which balances 5-7 ounces of lean protein (fish, poultry, pork, lamb, etc.) with a salad or vegetables. This weight loss program also provides a list of foods that can be used to replace the meat portion of the meal if you are a vegetarian.

This weight loss program is not a fad diet that abandons you after the initial stage. Once you reach your goal weight, you'll begin a Transition phase in which you can reintroduce foods you eliminated in the early stage of the diet, such as fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and higher-carbohydrate vegetables. Then, you'll move onto a Maintenance phase, in which you'll discover how to sustain your weight loss for life through activity and healthy diet. Medifast.com also provides an Exercise Guide to equip you for a healthy lifestyle essential for the maintenance of weight loss.

This company offers program packages for women, men, and diabetics. Studies have shown that people with Type II diabetes lose twice as much weight on this diet plan than they do following the ADA's recommended food guidelines. Medifast's program for diabetics may also make it possible for you to reduce your diabetes medication. In addition to providing a meal plan and healthful foods, Medifast1.com offers members weight loss tools and a supportive, online community. You can share your recopies and success stories on the message boards, find a physician, calculate your body mass index, or monitor your daily activities using downloadable PDF files. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here – Medifast – to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The problem with most diet and meal plans? They either aren't the foods you like or they aren't the foods you want to prepare. Medifast is an example of how you can find foods you like (some you may not, it's a matter of pallette), and find that they are easy to prepare. However, with many diets, people get into consuming unhealthy foods, and you might not even be aware of it. Here's an overview of the foods that are doing some of the most damage in most American diets. The three whites – sugar, salt, and flour – should be avoided, along with many tens of thousands of other things. If you focus on what you should eat and drink (water?), it makes a healthy diet a whole lot easier. Here's more from Fox —

SEATTLE – Right now, one in three Americans is overweight, but a new study says that all Americans will be overweight in 40 years. Billions of dollars are spent each year on diet foods. But some choices are better than others.

"There's never going to be one particular food that's marketed to help you lose weight that's going to do it," said Dr. Ann Kulze, nutrition and wellness expert. Low-calorie frozen meals are usually a good choice, but not always. "Avoid the great white hazards, these refined carbs, white flour, white rice, white potatoes, sugar," Kulze said.

Another diet food loser is the liquid lunch. "Liquid calories simply do not suppress the human appetite to the same degree of solid food calories," Kulze said. Low-carb foods? Proceed with caution.

MedifastGet medifast for weight loss, health, a healthy diet, and a diet plan. Medifast is a product that helps you lose weight. There are benefits to using Medifast in your diet, and can be used for weight loss. Phase 1 – 5 & 1 Program for Weight Loss 5 Medifast Meals per Day Over 50 meals to choose from – shakes, bars, drinks, oatmeals, chili, soups, pudding and more. 1 "Lean and Green" Meal per Day Lean Meat: 7 ounces of chicken, turkey of fish, or 5 ounces of lean beef, pork or lamb. Grill, bake or poach meats using non-stick spray. Salt, pepper, herbs and spices may be added if desired. You may also use 1 – 2 teaspoons of condiments such as ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce. Salad or Vegetables: Either 2 cups of salad greens (any kind) and up to ½ cups raw vegetables, or up to 1 ½ cups cooked vegetables.
Medifast Coupon CodesYou may also use 1 – 2 tablespoons of Media low-fat or non-fat dressing.Phase 2 – BeSlim™ Philosophy of Lifelong Weight Control Once you have reached your healthy weight, your Health Advisor will help transition you to the BeSlim™ philosophy of lifelong weight control. The BeSlim™ philosophy is a part of the Take Shape for Life program that incorporates key behaviors mastered by those who lost significant amounts of weight and kept their weight off for years. These key behaviors include: Breakfast (eating Breakfast every day) – High quality fuel, such as our delicious Medifast oatmeal, cappuccino, or chai latte, is essential to start your day the right way.

"Just because something is labeled low-carb does not mean it's going to be low in calories or even healthy for you," Kulze said. Fat-free foods have also lost steam. "The only fat-free food I recommend to anyone — people that want to lose weight or people that are healthy weight — is fat-free milk," she said. read more…

Bottom line: You can take the guess work out of your diet if you just start by focusing on the obvious. That is, fruits and vegetables are to be consumed more than you do now – since, according to statistics (or estimates), the average American consumes less than half of what they need per day. Second, just don't drink anything with sugar in it. Period. That will eliminate a lot of calories, unhealthy ones if you consider that most have high-fructose corn syrup as their main source of sugar. And, if you need a SIMPLE diet plan where you don't have to guess about what foods and when, then try Medifast. It's not everything, but it's a great start to a healthy and fit figure. Those things will get more than 75% of the way to your weight loss goal (if you have one!). recommends you focus on healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle, and let your body's weight take care of itself…which it will!

Exercise – Continued exercise increases metabolism, provides strength, flexibility, and mental clarity.

Medifast NutritionSupport – Your Health Advisor is here to help you reach and maintain your goals, providing the coaching, tools, education, and caring support you will need along the way. Low-fat meals 5-6 times a day – Eating frequently, controlling portion and total calories, especially those from fat, are critical for success. Individual Plan – Create an individual plan to help you achieve an optimal healthy lifestyle and build the skills and strategies you need to cope with modern life. Monitor your weight – Weigh yourself on a regular basis to maintain optimal weight. Catch it before it becomes a challenge! Join the BeSlim™ Club today and set your life in motion! Introducing the New BeSlim Club & Rewards Program! Optimal Health is its own reward, but how about earning a bonus or two along the way? You’re on a journey to Optimal Health. You’ve made a commitment to lose weight and keep it off! You’ve earned the right to celebrate your success! The new Take Shape For Life BeSlim Club & Rewards Program is your ticket there. The BeSlim Club & Rewards Program is Take Shape For Life's progressive savings program, offering clients and Health Coaches an easy way to obtain their Medifast Meals at a savings, with exciting rewards you can earn along the way! The longer you are member of the BeSlim™ Club, the more significant your savings are and the more rewards points you’ll earn. When you join the Take Shape For Life BeSlim Club & Rewards Program, you: Enjoy your favorite Medifast Meals all month long, with orders conveniently shipped right to your door Save on your meal purchases and enjoy increased savings the longer you’re on the program Earn points towards exclusive rewards that promote healthy living Receive coupons for special savings. Enrich your life as you achieve Optimal Health Available to all, the BeSlim™ Club is a great way for individuals learning and practicing the BeSlim™ philosophy. Every time you order, you earn points towards healthful rewards. Here’s how: There’s no minimum purchase required. Redeem your reward points* for exclusive Take Shape For Life merchandise, including: Apparel, Exercise Equipment, Spa Trips, And more! Join the BeSlim Club today! Simplify Your Life — — Receive automatic monthly shipments of your favorite Medifast Meals; Save Your Money — Enjoy savings that increase the longer you are a club member; Earn Just Rewards— Select from an array of rewards that promote healthy living and a healthy lifestyle.

Medifast Coupon Codes

If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here – Medifast – to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.