The New Sexy Diet : Lose Weight with Fun and Look Younger

The New Sexy Diet : Lose Weight with Fun and Look Younger

Wouldn't it be great if weight loss was fun? Most people consider dieting a chore. But according to registered dietitian and nutrition expert Elizabeth Somer, it doesn't have to be. Somer, the author of several books, including Food & Mood, has developed a new, sexy diet designed to help you look younger and feel more passionate.

In Eat Your Way to Sexy, Somer provides a step-by-step guide to becoming a happier, healthier, sexier version of yourself.

What inspired you to develop a diet to cultivate sexiness?

 My niche is reporting on current research. Back in the 1990s researchers started reporting a link between diet and mood; linking things like fatigue, memory and depression to the foods that we eat. At that time, I wrote Food & Mood. This book is a sassier version of that one. Eat Your Way to Sexy is a little more naughty and a lot more fun. It's about not only improving your mood, but also about adding gusto and increasing your confidence.

What makes this diet sexier than other diets?

 Sexy is all about circuitry and circulation. It's about having oxygen-rich blood and clean vessels and having a fine tuned brain that sends sexy messages throughout the body. That sexy circulation is entirely based on the foods that you eat. In Eat Your Way to Sexy you learn to eat the right foods to get your blood pumping. You feel more energetic, more passionate and sexier.

What foods are most important on this diet?

 Good eating is really about eating style more than any one specific food. I have two basic rules about healthy eating and lifestyle:

1. Aim for a diet where 75% of the time you eat foods that are authentic, and unprocessed. These are foods without a label; plain foods, like lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Then 25% of the time you fill in with less healthy processed foods.

2. You've got to move. Exercise is essential to living a sexy life.

What are the first steps someone can take to become more sexy through diet and lifestyle?

 There are three habits that anyone can use to get started.

 Clean out your kitchen. Get rid of all the junk food. Throw away the Pop Tarts, the chips and all of the processed food. Then restock your refrigerator and pantry with foods from the Eat Your Way to Sexy grocery shopping list. This will help to 'fuel your sexy.'

In addition, bring healthy sexy foods with you so that you are not tempted to eat fast foods or processed foods from vending machines. Pack healthy snacks and take them with you on the road.

Double your intake of colorful fruits and vegetables. That means that you eat at least two servings at every meal and at least one at every snack. And be honest about what you are really eating. If you make this simple change, you'd be surprised at the results! I've had clients lose up to 30 pounds by making this one simple change.

Start taking an omega-3, DHA supplement. Most people don't eat the two servings of fish per week that are needed to get enough of this important fatty acid. So you want to be sure to take at least 220 milligrams of DHA. Some researchers have even suggested that up to 900 milligrams might be even better. And if you are a vegetarian, there is now a supplement called Ovega-3 DHA + EPA. It's perfect for people who cannot consume fish oil.

In the book, you provide a lot of helpful advice to help readers look younger. Is this a good diet for people who are in their 20s and 30s, who might not be worried about aging?

Aging actually starts in our teens, much earlier than most people think. So the sooner you start eating well, the better. But on the flip side, it's also never too late to start. Good eating and exercise habits can prevent, and in some cases reverse, the signs of aging, no matter when you start.

What about a woman with a family? Can this sexy diet be adapted so that the whole family can eat the same foods?

Of course! It's important that we, as parents, model good behavior for our kids. We can't expect kids to eat carrots if we are eating potato chips. Eat Your Way to Sexy is really about eating healthy foods. It can be tweaked and adjusted to meet the family's needs.

For example, if the kids like macaroni and cheese, but you are trying to increase your intake of whole grains, then use ½ of the pasta that the kids are used to and ½ whole-wheat pasta. That way, everyone benefits from eating better.

Can you Eat Your Way to Sexy on a budget?

You can save money on this diet! If you think about it and weigh all of the costs, fast food is more expensive than healthy food. Having said that, there are still other ways to save money when you shop for healthy foods.

Buy in bulk, rather than individually packaged foods

Lean on lentils

Stock up on healthy foods when they are on sale

Split bulk items with friends

Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season