Lately I have seen so many ads or books or posts claiming to have the super secret way to weightloss! Some boast you can eat what you want if you take a pill. Others claim it’s all about when you eat. And still others are very strict about consumption of carbs or sugar. Here’s the reality – you are what you eat. You can not exercise your way out of a bad diet – for some it may seem that way but it will catch up with them!
Our bodies don’t know what to do when we eat processed, synthetic foods or overload on sugars or fatty foods. We have to work harder to break all of this down and yet we are not getting the good nutrients we do need from this kind of food. As a result we can feel sluggish, irritable, or have digestive issues. We may need to reach for caffeine for a pick me up to ward off a sugar crash.
While I like to think I eat pretty healthy, there’s always room for improvement. I do have a sweet tooth and lately it had been getting the better of me. I rationalized that if my meals were healthy and full of lean meats, veggies and fruit – I could get away with some candy here and there. Upon the encouragement of a friend I decided to take just a week to drop the candy habit and really eat clean. Clean eating if you aren’t familiar with the term is about eating only natural foods – nothing processed, nothing chemical and no artificial flavors, sweeteners or colors. What a difference a week can make. My belly was flatter than ever (can you say inflammation gone?), my energy was good and without even trying the scale was down 4 lbs. Mind you I was not calorie counting, depriving myself or cutting portions at all. This little experiment further emphasized for me – garbage in garbage out. And you know what – next time I think about grabbing a couple chocolates I am going to remember the affect it has on me.
There is a saying “Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels”. I would modify that and say, “Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.”
The real super secret weightloss diet – eat healthy, natural foods and drink water. But please don’t consider this a diet- how you eat should be a habit not a quick fix. It’s a lifestyle not a temporary solution.
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