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cheese are another good source of protein. Of course, you probably know that calcium-rich foods keep your bones strong and prevent osteoporosis, but they may also help you slim down—that is, if you choose the lowest-fat versions. Research reveals that people who get the recommended daily allowance (one thousand milligrams for those under the age of fifty and twelve hundred milligrams for those over fifty) lose more weight than people who get less calcium. Unfortunately, about 75 percent of American women don’t meet this requirement, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Though there are calcium-rich options for every meal of the day, breakfast is a great time to fill your diet with calcium: In addition to dairy foods, you can enjoy fortified breakfast cereals and juices.
    Your Daily Dozen Proteins
    DAILY DOZEN SERVING SIZE: 3–4 ounces of meat, fish, or chicken; 1 cup of dairy; ½ cup of beans/barley/lentils, etc.
    PLANT SOURCES OF PROTEIN
almond butter
barley
beans
chickpeas
hummus
lentils
natural peanut butter
nuts
peas
quinoa
soybeans
tofu
    FISH AND LEAN MEAT
chicken
duck
eggs
halibut
lamb
lean ground beef, turkey, or pork
mahi mahi (dorado)
pork
salmon
shellfish
steak
tilapia
tuna (fresh or canned in water)
turkey
veal
    LOW-FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS
cheese
cottage cheese
cream cheese
skim milk
sour cream
yogurt
    Healthy Grains
    Whole grains are a diet essential because they help fill you up thanks to all the fiber they contain. Fiber works by turning on the “burn fat” signal in your body and acting as a multitasking marvel that fills you up, so you don’t fill out! Very simply, fiber takes up a lot of room in your stomach—think of it like a dry sponge that has been soaked in water—meaning fewer hunger pangs! It also lowers insulin levels. The hormone insulin is the blood glucose cleanup crew. When blood glucose rises after eating a high-carbohydrate meal, insulin rushes in, scooping up this glucose and depositing it in cells for use as energy. But if you can’t use it for immediate energy, it gets stored as fat. Thus you want to keep those glucose levels as stable as possible; fiber helps you do just that. In two different studies, fiber-champion cereals—oatmeal and bran—squared off against cornflakes, which are virtually fiber-free. After eating the high-fiber cereals, people were able to make it to lunch without feeling hungry. Those who started with cornflakes listened to their stomachs growl. Go fiber! This is why you’ll love the healthy grains I combined in the 4 Minute Grains cereal that you’ll have for breakfast a few days.
    It’s important to know that there are actually two types of fiber. Soluble fiber is found in oats, barley, apples, pears, edamame and other soy products, dried beans and peas, and fruits. This type of fiber may reduce your risk of heart disease by mopping up artery-clogging cholesterol, and help prevent diabetes by regulating your glucose levels. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, whole wheat products, and most vegetables. This type of fiber may alleviate constipation by helping wastes move through your system faster.
    Your Daily Dozen Healthy Grains
    DAILY DOZEN SERVING SIZE: 1 slice of bread, pita, tortilla, English muffin; ½–1 cup of cooked grains or pasta, cereal, or beans
    GRAINS
barley
brown rice
buckwheat
bulgur
cereals made from healthy whole grain (such as Wheatina)
couscous
millet
oatmeal
popcorn
quinoa
wild rice
    HEALTHY BREADS, ETC.
crackers
pasta
pita
rye and pumpernickel bread
spelt bread
sprout bread
tortillas
whole-grain English muffins
whole-grain waffles
whole wheat bread
 
A Dozen Tips from Denise: Simple Tips for Filling Your Life with Fiber
F iber is super important for slimming down and sticking with your healthy eating goals. It’s also pretty easy to add more fiber to your life. You’ll be amazed how a few simple substitutions can help increase how much fiber you get in your diet and how full you feel. Try these tips and you’ll feel