Factor #3: Quality and Purity of Calories (MY DIVA DIET: Five Factors)

Factor #3: Quality and Purity of Calories
You should always monitor the quality and purity of your calories. This is crucial—not only for fat loss, but more importantly for health—“you are what you eat!”

Factor #3: The quality and purity of calories are determined.

• They must be lean (containing little or no fat, especially bad fat).
• They must be healthy (conducive to health).
• They must be clean (free from foreign or extraneous matter).
• They must be pure (free from contamination).
• They must be alive and/or fresh (recently harvested, with no decay, not preserved or processed, and not overcooked)
• Animal protein should be from animals that are raised, treated, and fed properly as well as killed humanely.

“Take the plunge and choose foods in their natural states that are fresh, organic, and humainly treated animals. You will not only reap the rewards of better health & fitness, but you will also help our environment and discourage mass production of animals for food (and reduce cruelty to animals)!”

This topic is too large to cover in a blog...so here is an EXCERT from MY DIVA DIET: A Woman's Last Diet Book. The following is a quick reference guide on Factor #3 factor and the relevant areas of dieting for better health and low body fat. This will help those of you who want to learn about specific areas.

Factor #3: Quality and Purity of Calories
14. Junk food (fast food, pizza, ice cream, potato chips, cookies, candy, donuts, etc.)
15. Total daily fat intake (grams)
16. Total daily sugar intake (grams)
17. Sugar substitutes intake (aspartame, saccharine, Splenda and other artificially made sweeteners)
18. Total daily sodium intake (milligrams)
19. Quality protein intake
20. Quality carbohydrate intake
21. Quality fat intake
22. Total daily dairy intake
23. Clean calories (reading labels/things to look for)

• Preservatives and additives
• Flavoring agents, coloring agents, sweeteners (artificial and natural), emulsifiers, texturizers, stabilizers, etc.
• Chemicals and other fake foods
• Hidden fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils and other unneeded and unhealthy fats)
• Hidden sugars (maltodextrin, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, etc.)
• Hidden sodium (salt, MSG, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate, ferrous sulfate, etc.)
• Hidden flour (white flour, baking powder, starch, dextrin, etc.)

24. Purity of calories

• Natural foods vs. processed
• Fresh foods vs. man-manipulated
• Organic vs. non-organic
• Cruelty-Free animal meat

25. White flour intake (bread, cereals, crackers, noodles, pasta, pastries, tortillas, etc.)
26. Total daily fiber intake (grams)
27. Food, sports, energy and protein bars
28. Sauces, salad dressing, dips and condiment intake
29. Cooking and seasoning (fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices)
30. Supplement intake (vitamins, minerals and others)

MY DIVA DIET: The Five Factors Affecting Body Fat and Health

Factor #1: Liquid Consumption (MY DIVA DIET: Five Factors)

MY DIVA DIET is based on some of the root causes of high body fat and poor health, these are called The Five Factors Affecting Body Fat and Health. I will take the next 5 blogs to dig a little deeper into these "Five Factors".

Today's focus will be...

Factor #1: Liquid Consumption
Too many poor liquid choices add unnecessary and empty calories to the American diet, and an inadequate water intake leaves women dehydrated, unhealthy, and unhappy.

In a nutshell here are some areas you can fix when it come to your liquid consumption that will truly shed those unwanted pounds and give you more energy, vitality, and better health.

PHASE ONE

Factor #1: Liquid Consumption

Water

• Liquids should be limited to water and teas with no sugar. Try to drink approximately six to ten cups of water throughout the day (or more, depending on your body weight, exercise level, current diet, caffeine and alcohol consumption, and any medications you may be taking).

Coffee and other caffeinated drinks

• Coffee is fine, but do not drink high-fat, high-sugar coffee drinks. Add some low-fat dairy, soy, or rice milk, and/or a splash of agave nectar or honey in your coffee if you need the flavor.
• Be leery of so called “energy” drinks. They have far too much caffeine and most of them are full of sugar and other unneeded ingredients.

Tea

• Green, red, and black teas are great tea choices.
• Herbal teas are good choices too.

Sodas and other drinks

• Avoid sodas, powdered drinks, juice boxes, fruit drinks, or sports drinks—they are full of sugar.
• Stay clear of drinks labeled as “diet”. They contain artificial sweeteners and are not a good idea.

Juices (fruit and vegetable): fresh vs. concentrated

• Juices should be kept to a minimum, and only use fresh-squeezed.

Meal replacement drinks

• Meal replacement drinks like protein shakes, smoothies, and green drinks can be used as substitutes for any meal.
• Ensure the quality of products you use or make them yourself.

Alcohol

• Do not consume alcohol for faster results in Phase One.
• During the Diva Maintenance Phase you can have alcohol in moderation.

PHASE TWO:
Factor #1: Liquid Consumption

• Plenty of water—forever!
• Liquid intake should be the same as in Phase One. An occasional deviation may be okay from time to time—just don’t get into the habit of choosing poor-quality liquids.
• Alcohol in moderation is okay—create boundaries!

Next blog will cover
Factor #2: Quantity and Distribution of Calories

If you want the complete information about these Five Factors, you can find it in MY DIVA DIET: A Woman's Diet Book.