Are you hooked on junk food? I know I have been – and still have to be careful with what I put in my mouth so I don’t go down that rabbit hole again!
Wow! Junk food days. I used to have so many of them – savory junk, sweet junk. It didn’t matter to me. My life revolved around all types of junk food. I was so ignorant of how unhealthy it all was and what harm I was doing to my body. Oh! If only I’d known then what I know now. I could probably saved myself lots of trips to the doctors office, and lots of years trying to get to and stay at my ideal weight. I was so unhappy with myself but try as I might, even if I lost the weight, it was not a permanent thing and I was soon back to the same old large dress sizes.
I really tried every diet out there hoping that would finally be the one. I just found myself getting more and more miserable. I hated looking in the mirror and hated seeing that big stomach staring back at me all the time. For me, the majority of my weight went right onto my stomach. The more I felt like that, the more junk food I would find myself eating – just to help me feel better.
I am so thankful for the knowledge I have gained and the many things I learned while I was in college at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Eating differently has revolutionized my life. I am no longer a yo-yo dieter, trying pills, potions and quick fixes. I am a healthy weight and I stay that way… and I would love to help you live that type of life too…experience the energy and vitality I do. I feel better now than I did 20 years ago!
If you are trying to eat healthily, there are a few things you either will realize, or already have. First, it is no longer about low fat and low carbs – this simplistic equation just won’t cut it. Nutrition is every bit a science, so it is important that you understand it first. It is crucial that you let go of false beliefs, stop trusting the myths, and quit counting calories. Sound revolutionary? Well, for maybe it is for you. We have it so ingrained in us that it’s all about counting the calories! I am living proof that it is not.
The second thing is that it is not about eating certain things and avoiding eating others; it is about a lifestyle change. When you decide to eat clean and remove things that do not help get you where you want to be, you make a pledge to yourself that you will do things that will help in the long-term and make you feel good inside, instead of giving you short-term highs and lows.
To effect change that is long-lasting, you do not need to turn your whole life around. It is the small things that matter. The Annals of Behavioral Medicine published a research study that found that participants who made one small but permanent change in their dietary routine or physical activity lost double the amount of belly fat, four times the weight, and two and a half inches off their waistline compared to those who followed outdated guidelines of calorie control and increased physical activity during a four-month period. However, as with any change in limitations, hiccups in a new clean eating routine are inevitable. If you feel like you are suffering from a bad food day, here is how you can get right back on track.
Reset to the Good Days
You want to maintain a balanced diet that includes leafy greens – loads of them – healthy protein such as fish, and bright, colorful vegetables. To make an easy reset, keep your weekdays full of clean and healthy food, with around a half an hour each day of physical activity; keep a cheat day on or around the weekend.
Remember that plant-based protein is your friend and the best way to lose weight is to eat a high-protein diet that is low in refined carbohydrates. If you want to stay satiated for the day, remember that low-glycemic foods ensure you have enough energy for the day without having to binge on power snacks.
Aim for a diet of more fish, fewer animal products, loads of greens, and colorful vegetables.
Here’s a simple formula: keep weekdays clean, get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, and save indulging for the weekends (more on that later).
Remember portion sizes, too. What you eat and how much you eat of it can make all the difference. Update your shopping list to include healthy foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, oily fish like salmon, and dairy.
Portion according to your plate. Start by dividing it in half and filling it up with fruits and vegetables. Fill the other half with one-quarter healthy protein and the other quarter with complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and quinoa or root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, and parsnips. Make sure the quarters form the size of your fist.
Remember that it is okay to fall off the “clean eating wagon” once in a while; it’s only human. For days like those, you must prepare in advance. Go all out on Mondays, for example, with the healthy eating. Stick strictly to your “diet’s” rules and regulations so that if later in the week, you have a weak moment and give into it, you have already taken compensatory measures to remedy the situation.
That’s what I love about the way I educate my clients….it’s not about deprivation, starvation, going without, or pills and potions. Following this type of lifestyle change makes it so much easier to follow. Knowing there’s room for some of the things you love is a great motivator. I am totally hooked on this lifestyle (in case you hadn’t guessed by now)! I love not counting calories but still being able to eat the foods I love. I’m sure my body thanks me too for taking better care of it.
What about you? What is your eating routine all about? Do you eat some good, clean foods that keep you satiated and make you feel energetic and recharged all day long? If not, I’d love to help you. Schedule your free energy breakthrough session with me. >>CLICK HERE<<