Losing weight is hard.  I would say it is one of the toughest things I chose to put myself through.  But you already know this, and like me, you probably wish there was a quick, painless fix, like a pill, or a state of mind, a particular exercise or piece of equipment that would make the weight just fly off, and stay off. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. Losing weight takes a strong desire, a healthy amount of determination, and the ability to sacrifice.  You may not have all of these starting out-you may just have a strong desire, or the desire of someone else, like your doctor or a loved one. That’s ok. It will help you take the first steps toward a healthier lifestyle.

It doesn’t matter why you want to make changes, the fact is, you are doing it and I want to help by giving you a very basic list of simple (not easy, just not complicated) habits you can incorporate into your lifestyle. If all you do is follow these guidelines for cleaner eating and food plan success, you will FEEL and see results.

I really wanted to turn this helpful list into and acrostic-and it would have worked, too!  However, I decided to give it a rest and just tell it to you straight. This list is adapted from Dari Alexander’s “Quick and Clean Diet Book” and the “South Beach Diet book by Dr. Arthur Agatston. You can find them on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/DariAlexanderOfficialPage and https://www.facebook.com/SouthBeachDiet

The Basics Principles of Healthy Food Choices for a Healthy Lifestyle Include:

• Eat foods that are as close as possible to their natural state.  Eating fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains rather than processed is always better.  Frozen choices are the next best. In their natural state, foods contain more nutrients and they move more slowly through your digestive tract, giving the body more time to absorb the nutrients.
• Feed your body often, about every 3-4 hours. This will keep your ‘fuel’ levels balanced and will eliminate spikes-which typically lead to unhealthy choices.
• Good fuel choices include lean protein, complex carbohydrates and friendly fats.  A simple way to remember these:

o   protein comes from animals, think meat and eggs. Lean protein helps you feel full longer.

o   Carbs come from plants, think wheat/flour and fruits and vegetables. Complex carbs are fruits and vegetables, whereas simple carbs are the sugary treats that turn to glucose and then fat. Complex carbs digest more slowly, giving your body a chance to use the nutrients.

o   Friendly fats like olive oil and avocados are not only necessary for bodily functions, they add flavor to food!

• Avoid heavily processed foods-if it’s from a box, it’s probably not a good choice. There maybe a few acceptable choices, so read labels.  Keep an eye on the list of ingredients, the fewer the better. If you can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t need it. Also, look at fat, carb and sugar contents.  Fats should be few and ‘good’ fats, which are the monounsaturated fats that remain liquids at room temperature. When it comes to sugar, it should amount to less than 20% of the total amount of carbs.
• No need to count calories if you make the calories count.  Consider your choices and make the choice that affords your body more benefits.  As mentioned above, read labels and the nutrition descriptions of recipes.  Remember that fats have more than twice the calories (9 cal./gram) than proteins and carbs (4 cal./gram)
• Drink lots of water. Yep, your mom always told you and now YourBff is repeating it!  Drinking water has more benefits than I can list, but here are a few: your body needs it to function properly; it’s good for your skin; it can help make you feel more full so you won’t overeat; it helps flush toxins (from our foods and environment) from our bodies.

Bravo to you for wanting to learn how to make better choices for a healthier lifestyle.  It is a difficult task, I know, but making even a few of the adjustments listed above will make a huge difference in how you feel.  I am always just a click away if you need help or encouragement-leave a comment below or contact me via email at suzy@ImYourBff.com or follow me on Facebook @ YourBestFitnessFriend!

Make good choices and be well!

YourBff