Diet By the Clock (And boost your metabolism!)

The following is an excerpt from Sound Mind, Sound Body by David Kirsch, Rodale © 2002. Used with permission.

You have a 6:00 P.M. workout and it's 5:00 P.M. You're so hungry that even a New York City street vendor's choices look like gourmet food. What to eat? a) candy bar b) apple or c) protein shake? If you chose (a), then we have a lot of work ahead of us. Although (c) might not seem like a bad choice, (b) is definitely the more correct between the two.

At 7:00 P.M., however, after your workout, the protein shake would win out over the apple. You see, the best food choice changes depending on the circumstances and the time of day. The following 24-hour schedule of Sound Eating will help you better understand what to eat -- and when to eat it.

6:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.

Eat breakfast. It's a cliché, but it's true. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Don't skip it. Make your breakfast high in protein, as this will help get you through the morning hunger-free. Good choices include eggs, turkey sausage, and yogurt. If you're the type of person who needs some carbohydrate, try some fresh fruit or oatmeal (minus the sugar, raisins, and cream.)

10:30 A.M.

If you're starving, have a low-carbohydrate snack such as a little yogurt. If you're not hungry mid-morning, skip the snack.

Noon to 2:00 P.M.

Eat lunch. Make this a balanced meal that includes a protein source such as chicken or fish and a carbohydrate such as a salad. A little bit of healthy fat from nuts or olive oil is fine.

4:30 P.M.

Have some carbohydrates such as a side of steamed broccoli or spinach or an apple.

5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Eat dinner. Make your dinner a balanced meal with a protein and a carbohydrate with a little bit of fat. For example, have sesame-encrusted salmon with a side of asparagus.

9:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.

This is the RED ZONE. Eating during this time tends to be mood-related, not hunger-related. Try to get in control of what's driving you to the cupboard, fridge, or freezer. If you need to eat something, make it high in protein. When I'm craving food late at night, I have a teaspoon of all-natural peanut butter. It stops the cravings every time.

Your eating choices should be slightly different depending on your body type.

Pick your type:

Apple

Pear

Round

Stick

Fit

If you're an apple, pear, or round type and are trying to lose weight, you should never eat in the RED ZONE. Try to make your food choices as pure as possible, especially the carbohydrate choices, and try not to snack during the morning.

If you're a stick trying to gain weight, protein shakes are a must. You need to eat a lot of food, probably more than you feel comfortable eating. Three square meals are a must, as well as two or three snacks. Have a protein shake after your workout, and another just before bedtime. You're the only body type that's allowed to eat in the RED ZONE. Take an amino acid supplement as well as some Korean ginseng to boost your appetite.

If you're the fit type, you'll find that you'll see more definition if you cut out starchy carbs and slightly increase your protein intake.

5 Foods to Add to Your Diet

by Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S.

So many diet programs are about what you can't have, but what about focusing on things you can add to your diet? What a concept! More food instead of less?

Well, of course there's a catch.

Just adding more of these foods to a bad diet won't cause a drastic overnight weight loss. But adding them -- even to a bad diet -- will improve your health in some significant ways. And the good news is that if you begin to replace some of the foods that keep you fat with the foods on this list, you may well begin to see benefits not only in the health department but on the scale as well.

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Blueberries. High in fiber, low in sugar and calories, and delicious right out of the box. (I don't even mind if you add a spoonful of fresh cream, especially if the combination replaces a desert). Some studies suggest that regular consumption of blueberries protects the memory.

Oatmeal. Use the regular, slow-cooking kind instead of the sweetened, overprocessed "instant" variety. Oatmeal is the second-best source of the essential fatty acid GLA in the world. It contains fiber and protein as well.

Cabbage. This lowly vegetable may elicit bad memories for many people, but it's time to get past that and try it again. Cabbage contains a cancer-fighting phytochemical called indole-3-carbinole. One cup of cooked cabbage delivers about 100 mg of this powerful ingredient, not to mention fiber, other beneficial phytochemicals and vitamin C.

Kale. This green leafy vegetable is loaded with antioxidants. It's particularly delicious with lemon, garlic (another amazing food) and butter.

Sardines. Sardines are like a health food store in a can. They're cheap, they're widely available, they're convenient, and you can take them with you anywhere. And sardines are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. All that and a superb source of protein and calcium (if you eat the bones).