Many of you have probably read my food journal, and seen the way I eat for a week. To make things more specific, and to look beyond just a week of eating, I thought I’d write my “food rules” so you can see how I stay healthy, fit, and full of energy!
1. It has to be realistic – no diets! I’ve done it many times before, and I will never do it again – diet. Yuck. Diets suck, and they never work in the long run. Instead, I eat for health, energy, and nutritional balance, while also still enjoying drinks and a cheat meal throughout my week. Anything too strict drives me up the wall, and in the past has made me put on weight once I’m done the “diet plan”. Through education, as well as trial and error, I’ve learned what works best for me and my clients. This is a lifestyle – not a diet. So you need to find out what works for you, without being restrictive. Slow and steady wins the race, so you’re not going to lose weight overnight. Get over it. In the long run, you’ll be exactly where you want to be, and the process will be more pleasant than any diet plan. Being realistic and having some patience is key here.
2. You must eat! Eating every 3-4 hours is essential if you want to increase your metabolism, have a balanced blood sugar level, and lose weight. Nothing makes me cringe more than a girl saying “I haven’t eaten all day “. It’s not cool; it’s nothing to brag about; and it doesn’t work in the long run. You DO have time to eat, and you WILL become more hungry if you continue to stick to this plan. Not being hungry isn’t an excuse good enough for me. You can train your body to be hungry. Being hungry for the right foods is a sign of a fast metabolism – and the faster the metabolism, the better. Another important reason to eat often is to stabilize your blood sugar levels. If your blood sugar levels are out of whack from not eating often enough, when you do eat, your body will want to hang onto everything you eat and store it as fat for survival. This is why overweight people can eat barely anything and keep the weight on. Their body is surviving and saving the little food they’re eating, because it doesn’t know when the next “famine” is. Yes you may be eating fewer calories, and initially you could lose a couple pounds as a result, but it will catch up with you, you’ll have a harder time losing weight, and you’ll never get the tight and lean body you want. This can change if you amp up that metabolism and eat throughout your day. Be consistent.
3. Pack and plan your lunches and snacks for the day. I take 1.5-2 hours each week to plan a couple meals that I can alternate for lunches and dinners throughout my week. Its well worth the time, and your body will show results for the small effort. If you can sit on your ass and watch 1 hour or more of TV per night, you can surely find the time to do this. These meals, along with some easy to do snacks like Greek yogurt with berries/ honey, brown rice cakes or apples with natural peanut butter, cottage cheese with pineapple, and raw veggies with hummus are all simple. No excuses. Make this happen to ensure you can eat healthy throughout your day, and week.
4. Limit your gluten. You may notice on my food journal that I eat Ezekiel bread products. This is because I notice that when I limit my gluten consumption, as well as my clients, there’s a noticeable difference in the speed of weight loss, as well as a difference with having less food cravings, bloating, water retention and gas. All worth it! Hello. I don’t have celiac disease, so it is not imperative that I avoid gluten at all costs. That being said, I do believe that most people have a gluten sensitivity, which makes it toxic to our bodies, and almost impossible to lose those last 10 pounds. Ezekiel products have a small amount in it, so it’s more about the way it is processed that makes it much easier for our bodies to understand and digest compared to whole wheat, whole grain, rye, and other “healthy breads”. This means that if you have celiac, you cannot eat this product. For me, choosing to eat Ezekiel, along with other gluten-free or low-gluten products like brown rice pastas, spelt cakes, gluten free crackers like nut thins, and millet/spelt cereals have made the world of difference for me. It may for you too! All you can do is give it a try.
Showing you the difference between liking and loving your body,
ashley dale roy
