Losing weight... let's cut the crap.

Honestly, who out there has made it through the day without seeing or hearing anything about weight or weight loss?

It pains me to see that's we've reached a state where it's cheeper to eat crap than it is to eat healthy, that most of our day is spend at desks in front of a computer screen, and that no matter where you look, someone is always telling you that your body is not right, that it needs to be better.

I struggled with unhealthy body image for most of my teenage life. And people were telling me nothing but crap about how to lose it. "Nothing but baby food" - "Absolutely no carbs!" - "Diet sodas!" - "Fat free alternatives!". As an easily influenced teenager, I believed at all that (though, thank goodness,  I never tried one of those diets) and much more. But I believed one other thing as well: that I was worthless if I didn't fit the perfect idea of a woman. I tried diets over and over again until I came to a conclusion that changed my life and the way I eat:
Don't diet to get the magazine body. Eat healthy to be healthy.

So I stopped "Dieting" (I still see it as "Die eating" or death on a plate) and decided to change the way I ate for the rest of my life. I created a list of rules for myself through a scientific approach to food.
Imagine this: you're going on a trip and you're packing a suitcase. You can only bring one suitcase on the trip. You want to fill it with things you need, specifically for that trip. You can add a fun toy in there as well - but if you stuff your entire suitcase with useless items, you won't get very far. Fill your body with things you need, not things that taste great but don't do anything!

Here are the rules I set for myself, and thanks to them, I've already lost 40 pounds, and feel so much healthier. My skin looks great. I haven't had a pimple in months. I've got more energy and a better outlook on life. And... my boobs look fabulous.

1. Fat isn't the problem - sugar is. Most of us are addicted to it, even without knowing it. This addiction leads to us losing any urge to eat right. I decided to cut sugars (refined sugars) our of my diet entirely. Now I tend to crave carrots rather than cake! I've also been able to stay energetic for longer periods of time, seeing as how sugar used to give me short bursts, and then leave me feeling weak.
2. Drink nothing but water and tea. None of those fancy juices, and certainly not soda. They're loaded in sugar your body does not want or need. This goes the same for flavored milk: that can have MORE sugar than sodas! Drink, drink, drink water constantly. You'll stop retaining it, and you'll feel more alert. Water is incredible.
3. "Diet" sodas are in some cases WORSE than normal sodas. They are stocked full of aspartame, a chemical you really don't want to have in your body. It may be an artificial sweetener, but it's still a sweetener! In Europe, "Diet" sodas are called "light" sodas - you can't diet on diet soda. please don't.
4. "Fat Free" foods tend to be worse for you - because, to keep it appealing without any natural fats to add flavor, these foods are filled with - you guessed it! - sugar. Just eat the right proportions of the normal food, and you'll be better off.
5. Portion control. Don't over eat! Ladies, You only need about a deck of cards worth of meat for a meal, you only need a fistful of carbs! At restaurants, you get at least three times that. Leave the table before you feel full, it's healthier than stuffing your stomach.
6. Try not to eat past 8 pm. This will help you digest better as you sleep.
7. NO SNACKING! Whatsoever! Fell hungry, but not at a meal time? drink a glass of water. We tend to confuse boredom with hunger. 
8. Stay away from processed foods. Good advice from Jamie Oliver: "If you don't recognize and ingredient, just don't eat it!" (looks at the labeling, stay away from long worded chemicals. You don't want to poison your body).
9. Look at the color of your food. Try to get a nice mix. Stay away from browns, fried foods barely have any nutritional value. A tomato with your lettuce, cubes of cheese, croutons, and chicken in the right proportions with a bit of vinaigrette is lovely and light.
10. Don't skip meals. Your body works better with regularity.

A last word on sugar: dessert is nice, but not a necessity. When you were a kid, your parents promised something sweet to end your meal, a bit of an incentive. But now you can eat on your own - don't eat dessert with every meal. Please. A square of dark chocolate is good for your iron needs, but a piece of cake or pie? It's a great food once and a while, but not at the end of every meal.

Try to stop using food as a reward. Food should be food, not a prize. 

I'm trying to add more exercise to my daily life, but it's tough. I use a fun technique when I'm working: I have a playlist of a 100 random songs, 20 or which are dance songs. When they come on, whatever I'm doing must be put down, and I have to rock out to the music playing. It keeps me sitting for hours on an end!

Anyway, I promise you this will make you feel fantastic. If you want to do any cleanses, talk to your doctor - don't trust everything you find on the internet. This way of eating is logical and works for me, I hope it can help you!

Bon Courage,

Sarah