Diet never work - let's flip the script

This week we will dive into something that could be a sensitive subject. In the end, you will see how simple changes in time produce huge results.

Let's dive in.

Body weight is a challenge for everyone! Whether you need to lose or add weight, people struggle with it daily. We have all tried fad diets and they either work and we quickly gain the weight back, or we never see any results. Sometimes it's a mental issue and other times, the diet isn't the right one for your body type. I encourage you to try something new and you won't have to join any club. IT'S FREE!! Instead of putting ourselves on a starvation diet, let's change our lifestyle. And before you say I've tried that already and that doesn't work either! Please read what I have to say first, then decide whether this is a good step.

Let's talk about the two evils that give us sooo much joy but are our most significant obstacles to weight loss; Carbs and Sugar! Eating too many carbs or things with sugar produces insulin which produces energy. Too much and your body will store it as fat. Fat slows you down, adding weight to the body and eventually health issues. So we need to flip the script. Change our bodies to work for us and not against us. Most food, whether healthy or not, have carbs and sugar, so we can't avoid them. But some foods have extreme amounts of carbs and sugar. Those are the ones we need to try to avoid and only eat periodically instead of on a daily basis.

High Carbs High sugar

Pasta Candy

Bread Icecream

Pretzels Doughnuts

Potato chips Soda

French Fries Sugary Cereals

Rice Canned Fruits

Process Foods Process Foods

Low Carbs Low Sugar

Eggs Fresh Fruits

Chicken/turkey Greek Yogurt

Beef Hummus

Seafood Plain coffee/tea

Avocados Fresh Veggies

Green Veggies Beans (not canned)

Mushrooms

Almonds/Walnut/peanut

Cheese

Olive/Coconut/Avocado Oil

Whole grains/Oats

Best rule: Eat God-made foods, not man-made. Processed things are made to last a long time, whereas fresh is made to be eaten quickly.

Before you say it's too expensive. I want to ask you two questions. How often do you go out to eat? Have you looked at the cost of junk food here lately? Stop giving yourself excuses not to change and be willing to try. Later I will show you how to stay within your budget and still eat healthily.

Fresh is always the best way to go, but it's not the easiest or most convenient. So here are a few tricks to help you stay on track.

• Frozen fruits and veggies are a great way to keep your food longer. You can buy them prebagged or bag them yourself.

• Spice it up. - use spices to add flavor to your meals

• Peanut butter/Hummus - great dips for veggies

• Protein - not only good for you but will fill you up quicker

• Drink water before each meal. When you drink water, there are two perks.

• Fill you up quicker

• Absorbs the food and your body will break it down more quicker

Remember, you're not on a diet but looking for meals that fit your new lifestyle. Pinterest is great for meal ideas. Search low-carb foods, 30 min healthy meals, weight watcher meals, and keto meals.

Breakfast suggestions: stay around 300-400 calories

Eggs, bacon, fruit, oatmeal, avocado, rice cake with peanut butter, smoothies, yogurt

Lunch suggestions: stay around 300-500 calories

Lo-carb Wraps, Veggies with hummus or peanut butter, ham and cheese roll-ups, sandwiches (use low carb/ whole wheat bread), salads, nuts

Breakfast and lunches: Your mornings are probably crazy, so look for easy on-the-go meals.

Dinners suggestions: stay around 500-700 calories

Dinners can be as easy or as complex as you like. Use your small appliances, like an air fryer and crockpot, to make cooking easier and quicker for you.

Testimony from my friend Dionne

I started this journey in June 2021 after being told that I had reached pre-diabetic numbers by my doctor, Diabetes runs in my family and I wanted to try to ward it off if I could. I changed my diet, eating more protein, drinking more water, and being physically active, walking 2 miles daily. I started slow and gradually got faster. My goal is 8,000-10,000 steps per day. I have since added strength training 5-6 times per week. I lost 80 lbs over a year (May 2022) and then started maintenance. I have maintained the 80lb weight loss since that time.

My husband started this journey n November 2021 after seeing me lose 50 lbs. He too started walking in February 2022 after losing 25 lbs. He has since changed to incline.

My friend, Dionne, realized that her health would soon be at risk if she didn't change her life. These simple changes changed that outcome and she looks and feels fantastic! They have two young kids and can do more with them now that they have more energy.

Tips on saving money at the store.

• Look at the ads for the week and base your meals on that.

• Getting your fruits and veggies at the whole food store. They are fresher than other stores and usually cheaper because they hope you will buy more things at their store.

• Aldi's has a great selection of low-carb foods and their prices are the cheapest.

• Buy on sale - if you see an item like meat on sale, buy more of it so you stock up when it's not on sale.

• Know where to buy. Check your local stores and see who has the best deals on their food. Sometimes it's the smaller stores with the better deals.

Next week we will plug in exercise. Remember, we are changing the way we eat so we can continue to stay healthy.

You can do this!