A Bit of Advice

Clients have taken note of the weight that I have lost over these past few months.  FYI, I was 99lbs when I was 22.  In fact I have been small my whole life accept for a small belly that had developed over the years.  A few years ago I was 118lbs and I was miserable because it was all in my belly and for no apparent reason. I was uncomfortable and felt sick at times after eating.

I am now 48 and I  have been stable at 105 lbs for almost a year now.  I of course was not trying to lose weight but had to alter my diet because I discovered that I had an allergy to gluten on top of my lactose intolerance.  Once I focused on eating fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein, the weight started to come off.  I was carrying a bit of extra weight around my abdominal area that would not go away no matter how hard I tried. I exercise quite a bit obviously so once I corrected my eating habits, the belly became flat.

I am not suggesting that everyone needs to stop eating wheat and gluten but when I even suggest that people take bread, muffins, granola bars and cookies out of their diet for a few weeks, people FREAK out.  What this is telling me is that this 'grab and go' society is totally dependent on quick fixes for energy and pleasure. We are no longer looking at food as energy. We eat for comfort 9 times out of 10.

So for all of you folks out there who are telling me that you are so frustrated with your belly weight, I am telling you to try taking those treats out of your diet for a few weeks to a month. Replace those desserts with fruits and vegetables. In fact, try to triple the amount of actual veg that you are eating.  I will tell you that if you actually ate the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, you would have no time to reach for the snacks that are filling you up with sugar and empty calories and packing on the pounds.

The next comment that I hear is, "I hate the taste of vegetables."  This is most likely the case because your taste buds have become so used to having sugar on them that you cannot enjoy actual food.

I am not a nurtitionist. I am simply a frustrated trainer who wants her clients to reach their weight loss goals. Stop simply tapping your belly and telling me that you have tried everything! Unless you have actually tried eliminating inflammatory foods from your diet, your body may be suffering on the inside, trying to fight inflammation due to an allergy or intolerance. All of the crunches in the world will not help you.

You will only know once you stop eating these types of food.  This happened to me by accident because I had an outward reaction, a skin rash, that told me I was experiencing an allergic reaction. The problem is, in most cases, the reaction is internal and for the most part we just live with gas, bloating and discomfort because we have been taught that bread cannot possibly be bad for us. Wouldn't you like to know if this might be the case for you also?

Funny thing is, half of my clients say that they would rather be overweight than give up bread. They really do not want to know...

Wow...

Sermon over..

See you soon.
Beth