Attention! DON'T DIET!

Yes, please and thank you. Here's a tip of the day to boost your metabolism.

I'd love to boost my metabolism, get that fat burning and get fit fast! Right?

DON'T DIET *gasp* don't diet?!

• Well yes, not eating will help you lost weight, but you'll lose everything else too! Muscle, weight, and strength. You'll be unbelievably weak. That isn't a fun place to be in. and plus, your body isn't going to look or feel healthy. AND, you get visceral fat . or the dreaded... *drum roll please* ABDOMINAL FAT! yuck. 
• Don't take the literal meaning for diet  = not eating. Moderation, it's all about moderation...not moderation of fast food now, moderation of healthy, organic, vegetables, proteins etc. 

CUT BACK

So, how many of you may think about dipping those carrots, or celery sticks into some yummy ranch or blue cheese dressing? A nice way to dress up those bland orange sticks huh?

Well, I know that sometimes I do get tired of eating plain tasting carrots and like a dip every now and then. Those vegetables are good right, add that into your daily servings of veggies. But keep in mind that if you dip and eat, you're getting a heap of fat, salt and the terrifying -- calories.

Certain foods you eat make you crave those sugars, fats and salts. Of course the more sugar you consume, the more addicted you will get, and it'll be harder to say no when making a menu selection.

Relief is here, it's possible to stop those crazy menu decisions. You just need to know what you're looking for.

Dopamine is triggered in your brain when eating foods high in fat, sugar and salts, according to Prevention.com 

1.) Ask what some of the ingredients are
2.) if you see sugar substitutes, don't get excited, it's just as bad as regular sugar, if not worse.
3.) If you're grocery shopping, read the nutrition labels. It'll help put your mind in perspective after you see what makes up the food you wanted to put in your body later.

Give it a try, start to detox your body of those chemicals and bad things in it. Decrease your sugar intake and you'll feel more energetic.

Wheat isn't wheat?!

I just read an interesting article about how the wheat we eat now makes us fat, and how it's not even wheat.

Why? It's mainly because of the crossbreeding of wheats now. It's all different from the ancient wheat eaten back in biblical days, even not long ago when our grandparents were growing up. So many foods are messed with now, and not many things are naturally grown anymore. GMO enhanced foods are different from this wheat process, they have their own problems.

Wheat was usually a four-foot tall plant, now it's stumpy and only two-feet tall, according to rodale.com.
What they do is cross non-wheat grasses with wheat to make new genes, weird right? They use high doses of x-rays to induce mutations.

So, some of these chemicals that are used are known to explode when mishandled, that freaks me out a bit. Pesticides, toxic chemicals keep crops alive.

The article also states that the crossbreeding creates  changes in amino acids and gluten proteins, which is what contributes to celiac disease.

Be careful what you buy when you look at wheat products.

Make measurable goals

It's after the holidays and we all may be just getting out of that holiday stupor. Feeling a little sluggish and getting back into that weekly or daily workout routine is harder.

Feeling that in-shape self you were before the grand holidays my be buried somewhere in there.

Well, let's see here, it's still there! Instead of setting a goal of, "I want to be in better shape by summer" set something more measurable. what I'm trying to say is to start with a short-term goal to help get you to the "I want to be in better shape by summer."

1.) Make your goal specific - "I want to run two miles in 20 minutes by March 5" - that's a 10 minute mile, totally do-able. You can do it.

2.) Make a plan of how you'll achieve this goal - "Go to the gym three to four times a week and run on the treadmill."

3.) Look outside the box - if you want to be able to run two miles in 20 minutes, look at what may be slowing you down. Time? Diet? Too many commitments? Narrow down your focus and find out where you can squeeze in some time.

4.) Write it down - write down your goal and post it somewhere visible. keep checking back on your status and motivating yourself in whichever ways you can!

Just be positive, it can be difficult at times, but keep your head up high.