What to eat to lose weight is a question most dieters ask at some point. It is so easy to get confused given the amount of miss-information available.

In order to lose weight you need to consume fewer calories than you are using. The best solution is to combine an exercise program with a diet as dieting alone will not have the same results.

Some people especially men seem to think that if you exercise enough, you can eat what you like, but this is an urban myth. Unless you are careful you could end up with heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses as well as having a weight problem. Yes! Exercise can make you hungry but that is not an excuse to chow down on fast food and snacks.

So what is the answer to the question what to eat to lose weight? You should eat something from all the food groups every day but in proper proportions. The food groups are as follows:

1) Fruit and Vegetables

2) Carbohydrates or starches

3) Protein

4) Dairy products

5) Foods containing fats and sugars.

Most of your food should come from the first group. Fruit and vegetables are great for people trying to lose weight as they help to fill you up without adding on loads of calories. They are also great for your skin, your hair and your general wellbeing. You need to try and vary the quantity; colour and type that you eat as eating carrots every day will soon become rather boring.

If you do not like raw vegetables try making homemade soup. If you make the soup from scratch and use spices and herbs instead of salt, you can make a very filling meal with very few calories. You should try and start your lunch and dinner with either a soup or salad as you will end up slimmer.

You need carbohydrates in order to get vital B vitamins and nutrients. Switch from white products such as bread, pasta and rice to the wholegrain or wholemeal varieties. Aim to eat your carb allocation as close to morning as possible so that you get a chance to consume the glucose released by these foods. Glucose converts to fat if it is not used up.

Proteins provide essential amino acids so are vital to your diet. You do not need a lot of protein and the best sources are lean meat, fish and sprouting beans. Eating a dinner made of protein and vegetables will help you to lose weight. In fact never eating protein and starches in the same meal will have a huge impact on the number of pounds you lose.

Dairy products are a great source of calcium and thus should never be fully excluded unless you have an allergy. The final group is the “bad” foods. While you shouldn’t consume much of these products, a little now and again will help to stop you feeling deprived. This may help you to stick to the diet a little longer. You now have the answer to the question of what to eat to lose weight.

How can I lose weight in a day or two was the question I asked my diet guru last week. While he explained that it is not really possible to lose many pounds in 48 hours, you can fool other people into thinking you have lost excess weight.

We can become bloated either due to fluid retention or gas. Fluid retention may be as a result of your period being due or you have overindulged in salty foods. Gas can be caused by a number of factors but almost always causes your stomach to become distended thus making you appear fatter than you actually are.

To beat bloating try drinking two glasses of hot water the night before your special day. Combine this with a gentle laxative to help deal with any constipation. It would be better for you to have tried taking laxatives prior to this event as some people can overdose really easily and spend all of their time in the loo. Not the ideal scenario when the result you were aiming for was thin and sophisticated.

On the morning of the day you need to look really thin, have some more hot water and another gentle laxative. Laxatives are not a long term answer to weight loss and you need to be careful as they can become addictive. But if you are suffering from constipation and bloating, an odd one now and again will not cause any harm. If you suffer a lot from constipation or other bowel problems you should see your doctor to rule out any illnesses.

Be realistic when asking how can I lose weight in a day or two. Cutting out alcohol and fizzy drinks will help as will reducing your wheat intake but nothing is going to make you drop 10 pounds. Instead try fooling your friends into thinking you have lost weight.

Go to your local store and invest in some Spanx. Celebrities are known to wear this fantastic underwear at red carpet events as they can hold in virtually any tummy or other offending body part. The best thing is that you do not need a celebrity’s bank account to fund the purchase.

Make sure you pick an outfit that flatters the figure you have and not the one you wish you had. Ask a trusted friend for their honest opinion. We often end up looking fatter than we are as we wear the wrong clothes.

Stand up straight and pull in your stomach. Practice doing this and you will look slimmer. When you go out on the special occasion skip the pre-dinner nibbles and the bread. Eat something that is easy to digest and skip dessert unless it is a sorbet. Finish your meal with mint tea to aid the digestion process and you should be able to avoid any bloating.

How can I lose weight in a day or two is not an easy question to answer but you may have some new ideas now!

It is almost impossible to answer the question what percentage of your body weight is muscle as it depends on each individual. In a healthy woman, whose body is in correct proportions, muscle and other lean tissues account for between 10% and 15% of her total body weight.

Some people refuse to exercise as they believe that muscle weighs more than fat. But muscle burns more calories so people who try to lose weight by dieting alone are generally less successful than those that follow a combination of a healthy diet and exercise.

Walking is a great weight loss exercise. It burns fat, as it is aerobic, but as it is also weight bearing, it helps to build lean tissue and maintain healthy bones. A brisk walk is a low impact exercise which means you are at less risk of injury and probably best of all; it doesn’t cost a penny.

A leisurely stroll won’t burn the pounds though. You need to go for a brisk walk building up a slight sweat as you exercise.

If you start sweating excessively you are putting your body under too much pressure so slow down. It would also be a good idea to speak to your medical practitioner to ensure there are no underlying health problems that need to be taken into consideration.

Ask your family to buy you a pedometer so you can measure your steps. It is suggested that we all walk at least 10,000 steps a day, about five miles, but those that need to lose weight may wish to walk more.

People think that in order for exercise to work, you need to be down in the gym working out like Mr T. This is not the case at all. In fact gentle exercise works best to start with, as you are more likely to keep the new fitness regime going. You won’t see immediate results and the sooner you realise that you are in this for the long haul the easier your weight loss program will be.

you know it doesn’t really matter what percentage of your body weight is muscle, if overall you are in great shape, weigh the correct amount for your age, height, build and get sufficient exercise. What matters more is that you are happy and enjoying your life.

Muscle doesn’t turn into fat when you stop exercising. Some people believe this myth but it is completely false. Muscle cannot turn into fat and vice versa. What tends to happen is that you can lose muscle tone and definition; if you cease to work out. You may also put on weight if you do not reduce your calorie intake as you burn more calories when exercising. So if an illness or injury prevents you from being as active as usual, just cut your calorie intake slightly and you should be fine.

So stop wondering what percentage of your body weight is muscle and get out there and find ways of improving your overall lifestyle.