A great meal substitute when you simply don’t have time is a smoothie made with fat-free milk, frozen fruit, and wheat germ.

A quick and nutritious meal can be simple. Try a peanut butter sandwich made with whole wheat bread. Along with that have an apple and a glass of 1% milk.

How about some eggwhites with sauteed chives and peppers and a couple slices of multi grain toast, put them together for a sandwich .

A bag of frozen veggies topped with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and some chopped nuts.

Salads are easy to make and are very healthy . Just mix a bag of salad greens together with a can of tuna or chicken breast, maybe a tomato and some fat free dressing and you have a delicious meal in a snap . Have some pre cooked chicken on hand for just such an occasion .

How about a sandwich, they’re quick, easy and satisfying . Make sure to have some whole wheat or multi grain bread on hand, your favorite low fat deli meat, and some fat free cheese, mustard is a great low calorie addition .

Remember that cereal with low fat milk and fruit is a great meal no matter what time of the day it may be!

There are also many different ready to eat meal replacement alternatives on the market you can buy and have on standby. For example, yo can keep a meal replacement bar in your purse or gym bag, that’s a great healthy meal when you’re on the go and running out of time.

If you’re like me and you don’t always have time to cook, you’ll really enjoy these healthy meal ideas .

Have you ever felt that all the information you keep getting about nutrition is just too overwhelming, and you don’t know who to listen to?

Fact is, and I promise, we all know what to eat, deep down!

The other day I had a consult with an elite soccer player, and one of the topics we discussed was nutrition.

Now this guy was very knowledgeable, yet still his food log was all over the place. I am not saying
it to critize him in any way, I’m just finding a common thread between him and the rest of the population on this planet.

He knew a lot about nutrition and what to eat. Some of the things we discussed were new to him, but a lot of it was just repetition.

So, what’s the problem?

Well, as I said, he knew what to eat, but he didn’t follow it in reality. You see, it’s easy to know
what to eat, but a whole different thing to actually apply it to your daily life.

Because seriously, we all know that soda, chips, snacks, and junk food are bad for us, yet we still consume it, and we consume it a lot!

You do know that fruit and vegetables are good for you, yet a very few of us eat the amount we should.

You do know that chicken breast, eggs, beans, fish, and lean meat sources are great sources of protein, yet you tend to eat lots of processed food such as chicken bits, fried chicken, sausages, etc.

You do know that avocados, fatty fish, olive oil, natural nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and cashew are great fat sources, yet you tend to eat lots margarine, fatty dressings, chips, etc.

Honestly, it’s time to apply what you know in terms of healthy food vs. unhealthy food. Always base your nutrition around whole food sources that can be found in it’s natural form, such as fruits and veggies, eggs, nuts, chicken, and so on.

Things you can buy in packages and micro-wave food, throw it in the garbage!

Alright, so stop blaming the media and the community.

It doesn’t matter if you were to listen to the most experienced and knowledgeable nutritionist in the whole world, IF you don’t apply what he is telling you to do!

You do know what to eat, you do know what is good for you and what isn’t. Change your habits and start taking control over your life!

Jonas Forsberg is the author of Burn Fat At Home, a home workout program that helps people lose ugly belly fat and build sexy muscles in only 15 min per day. He updates the official Burn Fat At Home blog daily at http://BurnFatAtHome.com/blog

Whether you are a newcomer to weight loss or a seasoned pro, there is always something to learn when you go back to the basics. Many people think that losing weight is this daunting task that takes a lot of time in the gym, or the reduction in calories or even worse eating nothing but cottage cheese and carrots.

All of that is the furthest thing from the truth. What it takes is knowing what to eat, when to eat it, and how much of it you should eat. You see there really are power foods out there and when combined together in a meal they help increase your bodies metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns fat) and make you healthier.

Let’s start with what you should be eating. It goes without saying that eating cupcakes, cookies, pies, and other high fat no nutrient content foods are bad for you. Now that does not mean you can’t have one on occasion, but you can overdo it quickly. There are three food groups you need to acquaint yourself with. They are proteins, carbohydrates and green vegetables. If you can remember these three then you will be well on your way.

In each of these three food groups you want to pick out quality sources. For example, your proteins should consist of lean meats, chicken breast, fish, egg whites and/or egg substitutes. Your carbohydrate sources should be multi-grain breads and cereals, brown rice and potatoes. The last group, green vegetables, is an easy one. Your vegetable sources should be green. Good examples would be spinach, broccoli, asparagus and salads.

Knowing what the right foods to eat are will lead you a long way to your weight loss goals; however we are not done yet. There is more information you need. Simply knowing them is not enough. You need to know how much of each you should eat and how often.

To make it simple and eliminate the need for weighing your food, counting your calories and so on you can remember this simple rule of thumb when it comes to portion size. Each food group portion should be the same size as your clenched fist. So if you were to go ahead and make a fist that is the size of food portion you should put on your plate for each food group for each meal.

One final step is to know how often to eat. The idea is that when you are eating healthy you want your body to get a continuous supply of this food but not overeat. Therefore the best method is to eat many smaller meals throughout the day. You should be eating one meal every two and a half to three hours for a total of six meals each and every day. This keeps that metabolic rate running at high levels and gives your body the nutrients it needs to run at a healthy level.

Are you looking to lose 5, 10, or 15 pounds? It doesn’t matter. With the information above you are equipped with the knowledge you need to lose as much or as little weight as you so desire. Just remember that before you start any type of fitness or nutrition program you should always get a complete physical from your primary care physician.

About the Author:
Mr. Tucker is a regular contributor on Bukisa, an online community for writers where writers can submit their articles. You can also follow him on Twitter.