4 Easy Steps to a Healthier You

Making the choice to eat healthier is not about eliminating all your favorite foods and deprivation but, about adding in better choices on a daily basis.  Starting with small changes in your nutrition is the easiest and least intimidating way to do it.

1.  Add in whole grains or sprouts!  White flour has been treated and bleached removing all the nutrients found in flour leaving a bleached out, flavorless, high carb, low fiber mess.  Many manufactures then add back in missing nutrients and label it enriched.  They also add sugar to make it taste better.  Remember a simple rule if something has been removed then something must be added back in to take its place. Throw out that white bread and white pasta and replace with something that actually has nutritional value! There are so many great options now.  Look for breads that are whole grain, have a fiber content of 5 or more.  An even better option is a sprouted grain bread like Ezekeil.  Same with pasta.  Look for whole grain or he new rice pastas available. 

2. Choose better beverages! Yes I am from the Mid-West where we call that bubbly stuff in a can pop. Did you know that just  can have up to 35 grams of sugar! That's the same as a Krispy Kreme Chocolate glazed donuts. Even the diet versions will wreak havoc on your body.  Processed artificial sugars are poison in our bodies. There have been several studies that have linked artificial sugars to vertigo, cancer and weight gain.  Instead choose sparking water, fruit flavored water or coconut water.

3. Add muscles! Instead of cutting out calories think of burning them.  We need food, food is the fuel in our tank, but more calories than we need will cause our bodies to store the excess for later.  In order to get rid of the excess it is much easier to add a little more activity then to cut out calories going in.  The best way to do this is to add weight training to your routine.  A pound of muscle burns 6.5 calories per hour.  A pound of fat burns only 1.2 calories per hour.  Not only that but a pound of muscle takes up less room than fat so it is a win win. 

4. Add a detox to your routine! We all need a good cleansing every once in a while even a healthy person.  Even when we change our eating habits we may meet some resistance with our bodies. A highly acidic body can be resistant to fat loss and cause fatigue as well as depressions.  Jump starting your program with a 30-90 day nutritional cleanse can make a complete difference in your body.  When your body is in an alkaline (neutral)  state, it burns fat more efficiently, you have more energy and you feel better emotionally.