You’ll find a few crash diet blogs here in the Weight Loss section but by no means does that mean that crash diets are the only way to lose weight. Sure, you lose it fast, but we all know it comes back when our old eating habits do. If you’re going to use any of these fasting type programs like the Cabbage Soup Diet or the Maple Syrup Diet, please use the time you are on them (usually 3-10 days) to start focusing on how you should be living a healthy lifestyle afterwards. Hopefully this blog will give you a few healthy things to think about while you’re chugging salt water or eating another vegetable puree.
“Eating clean” is a term used often by bodybuilders and fitness competitors. What it means is eating foods as close to their natural state with as little processing as possible. (No, I don’t mean raw meat!) We’re talking about grilled, lean meats instead of fried or processed meats; Fresh vegetables and fruits instead of canned fruits in syrup and sweetened juices; baked potatoes and old fashioned oatmeal instead of French fries and Fruit Loops. Clean foods are dense in nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and use as little fat as possible in their preparation.
So what does eating clean have to do with you? I’ll tell you.
Fasting simply for quick weight loss only goes so far. If you do it too much, your metabolism will get thrown completely out of whack and you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering why you can’t lose an ounce. If you are using a fast to cleanse your system and start fresh with a new lifestyle, it can be an amazingly productive thing. A fast can cleanse your system and give you the opportunity to break your addictions, not to mention allow you to remove the hunger factor from your daily life. This means that after your fast, you body will be clean and your head will be on straight and not bending to the will of a creamy, mocha-cocochino.
But now you’re thinking “I want to lose weight now! Eating clean takes too much time to lose weight and I’ll lose my motivation.”
OK, I can relate to that. Try that Maple Syrup Diet or the Cabbage Soup Diet – or whatever diet or fast floats your boat. But don’t let that be all!
Use the time you spend on that diet or fast to clean out your fridge or cupboards, stock up on clean foods, collect healthy, tasty recipes and plan a new lifestyle that includes healthy eating habits and exercise. The weight you lose on your fast can help jumpstart your motivation to continue to lose weight and keep it off the healthy way.
Let’s not forget how slipping into your skinny jeans can be a serious motivator for not gaining back weight lost!