Most people get too much sodium in their diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 2,300 mg of sodium or less per day. This is equal to 1 teaspoon. Other recommendations call for 1,500 mg or less per day for certain high risk groups. 10 Sneaky High Sodium Foods • Condiments – marinades, barbeque sauce, catsup, etc. are typically high in sodium. Limit the amount you use or look for low-sodium versions. Mrs. Dash makes a great marinade that can even double as a salad dressing. • Salad dressing – read labels and choose dressings with the lowest amount of sodium. Better yet,...

I just finished Week 5 of my Low-Carb diet and my scale tells me I am down another 3 pounds for a grand total of 24 pounds lost to date! Folks, I am so loving this plan. The food is amazing... the weight loss is extraordinary... and my willpower and motivation remain turbocharged! I am averaging just under 5 pounds lost per week! The experts will tell you that 1-2 pounds a week is the best rate, however keep in mind I did drop 10 pounds my first week. I am confident that by the time I reach my overall goal of...

A British nobleman may get credit for inventing the sandwich, but crafty Americans certainly took this handheld meal to the next level. The sandwich holds a special place in our hearts here at Diet-to-Go. Over the years we've concocted many handy meals from sandwich staples like bread, meat, cheese and veggies. Our five favorite sandwiches are: Chicken Philly Sub: This yummy sub is a DTG original! Slather your toasted sub roll with our homemade honey mustard mayo and top with the warmed chicken, peppers and onions, and cheese. But be sure to tuck in a napkin or to eat over...

Need to speed up your weight loss to meet an impossible deadline? You can choose "the 4 F’s of Fast Weight Loss." This choice is for someone who wants quick, dramatic results for a special occasion. The four Fs in the Four-F Plan stand for the four elements that Dr. Paul Rivas lists for his patients when they want to speed up weight loss in the short term. Dr. Rivas, who has specialized in obesity for over a decade and has successfully treated more than 15,000 patients, is the author of The Cheater’s Diet. 1. Frequent Small Meals. Eat small amounts of food...

The joy continues. I weighed in this morning FOUR POUNDS LIGHTER than last week and 21 POUNDS LIGHTER than when I started my Diet-to-Go low carb plan four weeks ago! I am down to 235 -- that's just 4.6 pounds away from reaching my first min-goal of 10% body weight. I started at an all-time high of 256 and vowed to reach 10% down; 10% of 256 is 25.6 pounds. My week five food arrived like clockwork yesterday and I am ready to dig in and stay the course. I love this food. The Spicy Ham & Egg Sofrito I had for breakfast...

It sounds so appealing -- undo the damage from years of bad eating by going on a detox regimen that will clean you out and help you drop a nice chunk of weight while it works its magic. According to a Forbes.com feature, "Body cleansing and detoxifying formulas have been around at least since the 19th century, when European spas promoted the idea of ridding the body of disease-causing poisons. The master cleanse was popularized in the 1970s with the publication of the book The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs. However, spas and citrus elixirs cannot rid the body of toxins." So...

The fear of swine flu is spreading like wildfire. Knowledge is your most powerful weapon, which is why I went straight to the government-run Centers for Disease Control website for the latest on the epidemic that has so far felled 40 Americans. You too can get the latest news about swine flu at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu So what are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people? The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated...

In the three weeks I have been following the Diet-to-Go Carb30 meal delivery plan, I have dined like a king and watched my weight slide from an all-time high of 256 to today's much more palatable 239 -- that's a super 17 lb. loss in just 21 days!!! My original goal is 10% of my body weight; that 25.6 lbs. is now well within reach. After I hit that goal I will set a new goal of another 10% of my body weight. Smaller goals make a diet less daunting. Not once have I felt hungry or deprived on this plan. The...

Even though I am happily deep into Week 3 of my Diet-to-Go Low-Carb plan, I must confess there are times when I suddenly find myself dwelling on a favorite junk food or fast food. I wouldn't be admitting this if I hadn't come across an article featuring former FDA Commissioner David Kessler. According to Kessler's research, my brain -- like his brain and probably your brain -- has been hijacked by food! I imagine tiny Somali pirates in a dinghy pulling up alongside my unarmed brain... holding my mind hostage at gunpoint... and demanding that I give in and gobble a Big...

A few years ago we scrambled to upgrade our Traditional Low Fat menu with some really delicious, hot breakfasts. These egg-themed entrees have been wildly popular ever since. While some customers choose to savor their special breakfasts with their morning paper on the weekends, others cart them to the office where they eat well while making everyone else jealous of their scrumptiously healthy morning meal. Whipped up from honest-to-goodness real eggs, these fluffy and flavorful egg dishes go from fridge to breakfast plate in just two minutes! Easter season has passed, but there's no reason not to go hopping down the bunny trail...

What you eat has a lot to do with your risk for cancer. According to a report underwritten by the American Institute for Cancer Research, as many as 4-in-10 cancers are directly linked to dietary choices. That report – Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective – opened my eyes and led me to search out the foods that fight the formation of cancer and other scary diseases. Here are 5 good cancer-fighting foods; find a way to fit them into your regular diet. 1. Tomatoes have long been known to provide many health benefits. They are also thought to...

While doing my morning calisthenics -- surfing the 'Net -- I stumbled upon yet more bad news about the fast foods that have a love-hate hold on us. "Drive-through foods may be convenient and easy on the wallet, but they’re loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, carbohydrates, and sodium. Translation: They’re no bargain when it comes to your health. But jam-packed schedules and a dismal economy make the occasional drive-through meal a part of life," notes the feature I found on MSN.com. We KNOW fast food is not a great idea while dieting (or anytime for that matter) but when our...

If you heard a loud whoop of excitement last Thursday morning, it was coming from just north of Boston where I was standing on the scale and celebrating a 10-pound weight loss... after just ONE WEEK on the Diet-to-Go Carb30 meal plan! Yes, I am the editor here at Diet-to-Go. But I am also a big fan of the food and programs offered by this company. In fact, I was a client long before I started working for Diet-to-Go. So, here I am deep into week two. Be sure to follow me as I go from a lifetime high weight of 256...

Researchers may have found a new weapon in the war on weight -- brown fat. While brown fat sounds like something most dieters would work hard to shed, the substance actually works to help our bodies burn calories rather than store them. Some experts are equating brown fat to "baby fat." And while it's cute and accepted on a pudgy little child it may actually be a desired addition for adults. I'll leave the science to the scientists, but the bottom line, according to the Washington Post, seems to be "the only safe way to activate brown fat is to stay chilly, right...

As Mr. Bad Food, I've sampled a lot of really bad foods. I'm not talking bad as in taste. No, I'm talking about bad as in bad for you... foods that cram more fat and calories into a single serving than you or I should have in a full day. I blame my dalliances with despicable dishes on RESEARCH. What's your excuse? At a time when two in three Americans are overweight or obese, ignorance is no longer bliss. And thanks to stiffer labeling laws, there is no reason to pig out without knowing the mess you are getting your stomach into! Men's...

So you woke this morning craving an Egg McMuffin, but your diet side of your brain says NO WAY! Go ahead... treat yourself to an egg and cheese delight. But when you finish your fast food breakfast be sure to grab a mop and pail – you’re about to commence Spring Cleaning, Mr. Bad Food Style! You can eat Egg McMuffins and other scrumptious, but diet-unfriendly foods if you balance them out with a bout of calorie-burning activities like mopping, dusting, washing and yard work! Your house-mopping session can burn off 300 calories -- the calories you gobbled through that...