Stage 3 is food choices.

Food choices basically means to choose and eat foods that are natural and healthy for you, while avoiding unhealthy fatty, sugary and salty foods.

What is better for you homemade scallop potatoes or scalloped potatoes from a box? Homemade because the stuff from the box is processed in a factory, dried (which removes nutrients), and has preservatives in it. Homemade scalloped potatoes aren't processed in a factory and do not contain preservatives.

There are several reasons why food choices are important. Making the right food choices can help in weight loss, reduction in cancer and other related issues.

Natural foods (fruits and veggies) are the excellent food choices. Why?... Natural foods have more natural nutrients than man made foods. The more natural foods you eat, as a rule, the more healthier you should be. Your metabolism should rise and you will burn more efficiently because natural foods break down (metabolize) faster and easier than man made foods.

A good way to make food choices is to say to yourself.. "does this food item make it harder or easier to reach my diet goals? ... of course don't lie to yourself or the rule is no good.. :)

What is better for you, an apple from a can or a fresh apple? A fresh apple of course. The processing of the canned apple removes nutrients.

Also, a baked apple is better than an apple pie. A piece of apple pie can have about 480 calories, which include fat in the crust and a good amount of sugar but a baked apple can be about 90 calories without the fat and sugar added.

A good trick to making better food choices is to read the nutritional panels. Look at the nutritional info and also look at the ingredient list. Know what's in your foods.



Here are some good tips to follow when making good food choices...

- choose water over soft drinks.
- choose foods that give you the most nutritients. A chemical additive is not a nutrient. :D
- choose foods that you make from scratch.
- choose foods that take less processing. The more processing the less nutrients the product may contain.
- the more natural the food, the healthier it will probably be... there are exceptions to this rule.
- choose whole grains and enriched food products.
- choose a naturally low fat foods.
- choose foods containing less salt.
- choose foods that contain less chemicals in them.
- choose foods with ingredient lists that contain ingredients you can understand.
- choose from a wide variety of foods.
- avoid adding "sauces" (gravy, butter, ect) to your food.
- avoid white... white bread, white pasta, white rice, ect. Choose whole wheat pasta, breads and rice's.
- if you buy some canned fruit, get the fruit with no added sugar (in natural juices).
- in most cases, fresh fruit/veggies will contain the most nutrients, then frozen, then canned.

Another easy tip to remember when choosing food — baked is better than fried. For example, one-half of a chicken breast that is breaded and fried has more than 200 calories and 8 grams of fat. Chicken breast (roasted) and remove the skin and you save about 70 calories and 5 grams of fat.