Gaining weight requires eating more calories than your body needs each day, so the extra energy helps you add bulk to your frame. But if you're already very active and trying to gain weight, it can be hard to get all the calories you need from solid food without feeling too full.

To lose weight, you must create a negative calorie balance by eating fewer calories than your body burns each day. If you're eating less than usual and aren't losing weight, you probably haven't cut enough calories from your diet.

Two of the major sources of calories in the American diet are starch and sugar. Starches in the form of bread, pizza and pasta rank second, fifth and seventh on the list of the top 10 ways that Americans consume calories, according to registered dietitian Suzanne Boos.

Fruits provide a variety of nutrients including vitamins A, C, K and the B-complex vitamins. These vitamins play several essential roles in the body and are vital for proper function. Health conditions may arise primarily due to deficiencies in one or more nutrients.

Kiwi fruit provide fiber and vitamins C and K. They're also low in calories and energy density, making them a nutritious fruit choice for people trying to lose weight. Kiwi fruit don't actually burn fat, but they can help fill you up without a lot of calories, which may make it easier for you to lose weight.

Pasta dishes are a meal staple for many people, and some choose to enjoy creamy, cheese-laden fettuccine Alfredo. The pasta used for this dish, fettuccine, is similar to spaghetti, but this noodle is flat and thin instead of round and thin.

Hang around bodybuilders long enough and you'll hear all sorts of different advice on what dieting methods are optimal. One aspect that seems to split the training community down the middle is eating before bed.

Whether it's to help you get going first thing in the morning, a pick-me-up during midafternoon or an energy booster before your gym session, a cup of steaming java easily becomes part of your daily routine.

If you eat nothing but six boiled eggs a day, you’ll lose weight, but you'll also put your health at risk. This is truly a fad diet; one that's so low in calories it doesn't provide enough energy to meet your body's basic needs, so it's not recommended.

By the time your child is 14 months old, he'll be able to eat most of the foods that the rest of the family eats.

Nearly one-third of American adults have high blood pressure, and one-third have high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both of these conditions are risk factors for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Probiotics are "good" bacteria that live in your gut and aid in digestion. The World Health Organization says probiotics are "live microorganisms, which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host."