D-I-E-T is a 4 letter word!

If you REALLY want to LOSE WEIGHT, GET IN SHAPE, BURN FAT, and be able to keep it off while still being happy and enjoying food, you CANNOT go on a diet.  You MUST learn how to eat properly.  The influx of processed foods into OUR society are detrimental to maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.  The majority of Americans are addicted to them and have no idea just how terrible these foods ACTUALLY are.  Processed foods are mostly devoid of nutritional value and contain many harmful elements.  They are the main reason SO many Americans are over-weight, out of shape, and basically unhealthy.

TO LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST, you have to treat your body like it DESERVES high quality nutritious food!  After all, you wouldn’t put diesel fuel in a Ferrari, would you?  YOU HAVE TO LOVE YOURSELF- from the inside out and it ALL starts with nutrition!  We really must strive to get back to eating the way nature intended us to by thinking “ eat as NATURAL as possible.”  Natural foods are wholesome, healthy, and FULL of vitamins and minerals that are essential to living a healthy life without injury and illness!  Our bodies were built and meant to MOVE and to perform best with the best fuel sources!

Changing EVERYTHING about the way you eat, all at once, is difficult if not impossible.  So start with the rules, and go little by little.  Unhealthy habits that we have had since childhood are HARD to break, but so worth it in the end!  It takes 28 days to make or break a habit… GET STARTED TODAY… your LIFE, not just your figure, depends on it!

We’ll start with the basics- THE SKINNY ON HOW TO EAT HEALTHY!  Step by step, we’ll learn about The Skinny on Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats– along with approved list for sources of all three!

“THE SKINNY” on HOW TO EAT FOR HEALTH & FITNESS-

The 5 MUSTs of Eating Healthy

 

1.  BREAK-FAST: Eat w/in 30 mins of waking. No exceptions.

In order to get your metabolism revved up your body ready to go, you MUST break the fast that occurs while you are asleep.  Failing to do so results in your body perceiving a threat of starvation.  Because your body ‘s over-all goal is self-preservation, regardless of how much “extra” you may be carrying around, your body WILL NOT burn fat for fuel if the body “thinks” you are starving (which happens when you don’t eat w/in 30 minutes of waking up).  By following this very important rule, you send the signal to your body that allows the body to perform all functions optimally; therefore, getting the fat burning processes underway for the rest of the day!

2.  TIMING: Eat every 3 hours thereafter- All Day; Every day.  No exceptions.

PLAN AHEAD & pack your cooler or snack sack (as I like to call mine!)  Use the food tracker to plan out your day accordingly and pack all of you meals and mid-meals you will need while you’re not home.  Note the times that you need to eat in order to adhere to this rule and stick to it!  By satisfying this rule, you allow your metabolism to continue to burn at the highest possible level.  Think of your metabolism and body as a fat burning fire.  You must fuel the fire every 3 hours to keep it going.  If you do not, you signal your body to go into starvation/ self-preservation mode thereby shutting down the fat burning process.

3.  BALANCE: Every time you eat, lean protein and good carbs and healthy fat.

The goal is stabilized blood sugar and satiation- FEELING FULL AND SATISFIED!  Once you have those, you will not have cravings.  You also will have a more stable and pleasant mood, have more energy, be less irritable, and be more in control of the nutritional choices that you make over the course of the day.  Lacking any of the 3 essentials disrupts balance and leads to hunger and dissatisfaction, which causes poor food decisions!

4.  WATER: Drink the proper amount of water for YOUR body every day over the course of the day.

Be a hydrated person every day!! Determine how much water your individual body needs in a day and work towards consuming that total amount over the course of the entire day.  To figure out how much you need: Consume ½ the number of pounds you weigh in ounces daily.   For example, a 150 pound person needs 75 ounces of water over the course of the day.  Remember that: 1.  The amount you consume during exercise does not count towards your daily intake total and if you have any caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, you must add an equivalent amount of water to your daily total to make up for those beverages.  For example, if the person who needs 75 ounces of water daily happens to drink 10 ounces of coffee every day, she really requires 85 ounces of water, not 75.

5.  RECOVERY: Have a recovery “snack” or shake w/in 30 mins of finishing exercise.

This snack does not affect the rest of your timing for your meals and mid-meals.  Make sure lots of protein, is included and that your recovery meal is balanced!!!  Try adding some fruit to your protein shake!

Notes:  The recovery phase is the ONLY time any fast burning carbohydrates should be consumed, and even then, not in excess.  Milk is a GREAT choice to include in your post workout recovery snack because it contains a slow digesting protein that your body can use after the workout, along with sugar that will help your body restore glycogen levels.

IMPORTANT NOTES

* Limit starchy carbohydrates in the evening

* Pay attention to portion size- calories in vs. calories out are CRUCIAL to losing weight.  You must burn more than you consume!!

* Whenever possible, eat fruits and veggies raw and with skin

* NO SODA or fruit juices.  The ONLY beverages you should drink are WATER, MILK, COFFEE (no sugar), TEA (no sugar).

**  If you must drink alcohol, do so wisely and limit the sugar and calorie intake as much as possible.  Think vodka & club soda!