Eating Is Not A Four Letter Word!

Eat! It's Good For You!

There seems to be a misconception that you should boycott eating if you want to loose weight. And if you have to eat make sure it has no taste, you're still hungry afterwards, and your energy level doesn't increase too much. That's the perfect diet! But, if that still doesn't work, couple it with a pill that promises to magically make fat vanish without a trace and has high reviews from it maker yet no scientific proof. Now that's the perfect diet! Right?

Believe it or not this is all a myth. The diet pills and strange diets do not work. I'll say it again, They Don't Work! Time and time again it's been proven that they don't work, that's scientific proof you can trust. The tried and true healthy lifestyle of a clean diet and exercise on most days of the week is the only true way to loose weight and keep it off. Period.

I know it's hard work to loose weight especially when having to combat years of bad information and a household that doesn't go along with the new found knowledge easily; children and spouses can make the transition even more difficult. Despite all the hardships at the beginning and journey gets easier and the results are always worth it.

Don't be afraid of eating! Food is necessary for your body to run as effectively as it can to burn calories at a maximum level. The lack of food sends the body into starvation mode and it holds onto every calorie it can storing those calories as fat. The body is preparing to sustain itself without food for a long period of time and therefore keeps the calories in reserve to use as energy later on. It's waiting for it's next energy (food) supply to be given. The next time it is given food those calories are burnt up slowly because the metabolism has slowed down and it still hasn't burnt any additional calories from the meal before, resulting in weight gain and a lack of energy. If the cycle continues so will the weight gain and the lack of energy.

The moral of the story is to eat. Food is a source of energy for the body that it uses to burn calories and boost the metabolism. A boosted metabolism causes the body to run at it highest level of proficiency. Food is what helps maintains your metabolism's level. As defined by the American Heritage Science Dictionary, basal metabolism rate is the rate at which energy is used by an organism at complete rest. The slower that rate is the slower it's going to burn calories, or use energy, and the faster that rate is the faster it's going to burn calories.

So, how do you manage your metabolism so it works to your benefit? Give your body clean, whole foods as close to the natural source as possible. Eat a healthy breakfast, mid morning snack, and healthy lunch, an afternoon snack or two, a healthy dinner, and an evening snack if necessary. Eat all day, never get hungry, and be prepared with a snack in case you do begin to feel hungry. Don't be fooled though, thirst can feel just like hunger pains so drink a glass of water before having a snack and if you're still hungry then eat something. Notice all those meals but also notice that they are not huge portioned meals, not fast food meals, and not sugary snacks. They are natural, whole food, healthy meals and snacks, the types of food the body works best with.

Breakfast if vital! I can't stress this enough. Without breakfast the body is in starvation mode from the time you have dinner the night before until you eat lunch the next day. Now we know what happens when the body goes into starvation mode so keep it out of that mode with breakfast.

Whole grain cereal, a natural granola bar, fruit and yogurt and a piece of toast with jam on it are all great breakfast choices.

A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit, a natural granola bar, or toast with natural peanut butter are great snack choices.

Chicken with veggies, a chicken salad with dressing on the side, or a sandwich (on whole grain bread, lean meat and cheese, minimum light mayonnaise, and veggies) are great lunch ideas.

Fish with veggies, a lean cut of steak and veggies, baked or grilled chicken and a sweet potato are great dinner ideas.

So go out into the world and don't be afraid to eat, instead think of food as an energy source that will help your body work as efficiently as it can. Keep that metabolism revved up and working to your benefit, not against you. Take control of your diet and don't give up. Keep trying and work really hard at clearing your mind of negative thinking about yourself and about food. You can do this!! Believe in yourself!

Stay tuned to my blog for more helpful tips and information about diet and exercise to arm yourself with all the best tools to set yourself up for success.