At the end of the year, I reflect on the most common questions I get asked during lectures. I actually do keep track and I find the questions fascinating. Curious as to what they are? Here you go…

Am I drinking enough water?

The standard advice: eight – eight ounce glasses per day (the equivalent of ½ gallon) and common sense. If you’re very active or feel thirsty, drink more. Look in the toilet: the clearer your urine (less yellow) the better your hydration. If you take vitamins, remember, timing will affect that yellow color.

How often should I poop?

There’s one we can all relate to. Dr Oz says you should be pooping at least every other day (ideally once a day). If you’re not going that often, eat more fiber. On average we’re only eating about 15 grams per day. Women should be consuming 25 grams and men 38 grams.

Up your fiber intake with these delicious foods:

• One cup of raspberries contains eight grams of fiber. They’re the #1 high-fiber fruit.

• One pear (with skin) has 5.5 grams.
• One artichoke contains over 10 grams. It’s the #1 high-fiber veggie.

How can I lose 2 to 3 pounds in a week?

Cut back on your evening meal. The biggest problem I see with all of these advertised weight loss programs is that they like you to eat lightly during the day and then have a “sensible” dinner. I don’t know about you, but if I’m hungry, all thoughts about a sensible dinner fly out the window.

Here is my Weight Loss soup recipe (My husband’s favorite)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of refried beans
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed to remove excess sodium
• 1 container of salsa, 12 ounces
• Low Sodium Chicken broth, 32 ounces
• Chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• Onion, chopped, about 1 cup
• Yellow & red bell peppers, chopped, about 1 cup
• Jalapeño peppers, finely diced (optional), 1 small pepper
• Sliced avocado
• Juice of one lime
• Chopped cilantro
• Baked Chips (Pop Chips: salt and pepper flavor work well here)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, add 1 Tbs. of olive oil. Add the onions and peppers and sauté until soft. Transfer the cooked onions and peppers to a bowl. Add 1 Tbs. of oil to the sauce pan and cook chicken until cooked through, about 5-7 min. add the cooked onions and peppers back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat. Add the chicken broth, beans, salsa and jalapeños (the jalapeños are optional). Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the lime juice (approximately 2 Tbs.) and stir until well mixed. If the  soup is too thick add water.

Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro (I like a lot of cilantro so I use about ¼ cup per bowl) and 1 Tbs. of sliced avocado. I then crumble a handful of popchips on top to add crunch to the soup.

Be warned: My husband calls this Weight Loss Soup because it’s very filling and full of fiber. If you’re not used to eating much fiber, I would recommend only using 1 can of refried beans.

Studies have shown that hot soup (or any hot liquid) before a meal can dramatically reduce your appetite. I have discovered that if I make my meal hot liquid (soup) that I eat less and I don’t snack much after dinner.