Nutrition 101

Are you stuck in a weight loss rut of carefully planning your meals, counting every calorie you consume, spending an entire weekend cooking healthy meals for the following week, finding time to exercise and always feeling overwhelmed with trying to lose those last few pounds? All these weight loss strategies work, however they can be very time consuming. Wouldn’t it be great if you could have more mental clarity, more energy, better health, and most importantly to quickly melt the fat out of your body with a few easy adjustments? What if I told you that you can achieve all these amazing results without killing yourself at the gym!

With most diets, you are forced to not only dramatically change your whole eating lifestyle but also start a rigorous exercise routine. This is a key reason why most diets fail; it is just too many changes for your body and mind to handle.  Not only do you feel hungry most of the time, but also those workouts usually leave you feeling tired, sore and starving. There’s no wonder over 90% of dieters fail to get the results that they are looking for!

belly-2473_640What to Eat and What Not to Eat For Optimal Health and Fat Loss

Real food doesn’t come in a box, have a shelf life, or have a long list of ingredients you can’t pronounce. If you are on a diet that is mainly sourced from pre-packaged foods then you need to change your eating habits.

Consistently dieting and not fueling properly can sabotage your weight loss progression. Start eating the right foods in the right amounts and you’ll realize the best way past a sluggish metabolism is to ignite it with clean, healthy and close to nature foods.  Start thinking of food as your fuel and be sure to feed your engine well.  Fill up on fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and healthy fats.

To be successful at melting fat fast, you need to learn what your healthy food options are and how to shop for them. Below is a list of what to eat and what to avoid while on the 5-Day Melt Fat Fast plan.  As well lists of foods to eat and where to find them.

Lets start by eliminating all of the toxic processed foods, grains, sugars and oils.

donut-522444_640Refined Carbohydrates

The entire family of cereal grains should be avoided. This includes refined grains, whole grains, wheat, rice, corn, oats, barley, bread, pasta, muffins, bagels, cereal and baked goods. Put an emphasis on avoiding white flour and rice as they contain refined carbohydrates.

Sugars

Any type of white sugar, candy, cake, cookies, pastries, chocolate bars, high fructose corn syrup, soda, juices and special coffee drinks. If it’s made in a bakery or a factory or a restaurant and it’s sweet and packaged, avoid it!

Vegetable Oils and Trans Fats

Avoid vegetable oils and trans fats including; corn oil, soybean oil, canola, sunflower, safflower, margarine, and shortening, anything with “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients list.

Dairy Products

Eliminate airy products such as butter, yogurt, skim milk, whole milk, cream, cheese, ice cream and dairy creamer.

Junk Food & Fast Food

Avoid all other junk foods such as; chips, crackers and other convenience foods. As well, avoid fast food restaurants such as; Taco Bell, Mc Donald’s, KFC, etc… Simply do not eat these foods, as they are extremely high in calories and low in nutrition. You will find that you will still be hungry and that your cravings increase as your body is not getting the nutrients that it needs.

Eat meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds that our body naturally thrives on.

Meat (Proteins)

Protein takes priority. Your body needs protein for two main reasons. First, it helps you to feel full for longer periods of time. This is crucial to your success because the hungrier you get the more tempted you are to eat something unhealthy.

The second area that protein helps in is your body’s ability to burn stored fat cells. The instant you put something into your mouth, your body starts the work of breaking that item down. But when it comes to protein, your body is not able to break it down that easily. So instead it will go to work breaking down your stored fat cells. In other words, when you are eating enough protein throughout the day, your body is consistently breaking down those stored fat cells.

Choose grass-fed, preferably organic products and avoid meats that contain additives, preservatives and hormones. Chicken, turkey, lamb, wild fish, beef, game and pork are the best protein options. Chicken eggs, quail eggs and any other type of eggs are also permitted.seafood-617164_640

Fish and Seafood (Proteins)

Include fish and seafood such as; salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, crab, shrimp, oysters, mussels, clams. Preferably select wild-caught fish as often as possible, though farmed shellfish are usually raised exactly like wild shellfish and are good.

Vegetables (Carbohydrates)

Vegetables are highly encouraged. However, the consumption of starchy vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes and potatoes should be limited to your more active days especially if you are initially trying to lose weight.  If you don’t have difficulty losing weight and do not feel sluggish after eating sweet potatoes then they can be consumed post workout as a “recovery fuel”.

Fruits (Carbohydrates)fruits

Fruits such as berries, apples and oranges are perfectly fine for the diet but you should consume them in moderation. Equally important, don’t consume fruits in their dried version e.g. dried apricots or their dried products. Again, fruits such as grapes and bananas should be limited as they contain a lot of sugar.

Seeds and Nuts (Healthy Fats)

All nuts and seeds are allowed. However, for optimal health and weight loss you should limit your consumption. I always keep a small bag of mixed unsalted nuts in my purse for an emergency food supply, but I do not recommend nuts as your only source for healthy fats. Instead, include more avocado, olive oil and coconut products for your main sources of fats.

avocadosOils (Healthy Fats)

Unprocessed oils such as coconut oil, walnut oil, and olive oil and are highly recommended. Fish oil supplements are also encouraged. However, processed vegetable and hydrogenated oils such as corn oil, canola, oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil are heavily discouraged. These oils are high in linoleic acid, which is a omega-6 fatty acid that turns rancid and causes inflammation. Our mass consumption of these oils is a primary factor in our increased incidence of diseases like heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. So avoid these oils and select from the healthy fats in the food guide.

 

Waterwater

Does drinking water really help you to lose weight? The answer is YES! Drinking water helps boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste and acts as an appetite suppressant. As well, drinking more water helps to prevent your body from retaining water, leading you to shed those extra pounds of water weight. So what can you do to make sure you’re drinking the recommended eight-to-10 8-ounce glasses per day to keep yourself hydrated and encourage weight loss? Replace high calorie drinks such as sodas, juices and specialty coffees with water, drink in between meals and listen to your body, if you are thirsty then it is a sign that you are not drinking enough.

Alcohol

Life is all about enjoyment and balance and sometimes alcohol can be a part of creating memorable moments.  I do not recommend making alcohol a part of your daily routine, however if you do decide to enjoy the occasional social drink I would recommend the following guidelines. Stick to drinks that are not mixed with high sugar juices, mixers and sodas. I would recommend a glass of wine, tequila or vodka mixed with soda water and fresh lime.  To maximize weight loss and health benefits, keep alcohol consumption to a minimum or eliminate for 21 days.

Melt fat fast with my 6 Week Feel Healthy Fit & Fabulous Transformation Program I will help you transform your body, burn body fat, build strength, decrease cravings, improve your nutrition and completely change your health & fitness so you FEEL FABULOUS! Learn More…

Share on Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter

related posts

about the author

Picture of Karen Gallagher

Karen Gallagher

As a fitness expert and Holistic Nutritionist, Karen brings a unique blend of experience gained working in the health industry for over 20 years. Her holistic coaching offers an individualized process to help you move forward in life and to end the diet/binge cycle for good. She provides coaching tools and assists with strategies to promote self-discovery and the exploration of different perspectives to help inspire you to reach your health and wellness goals. She has had great success with her clients by taking a holistic approach to health. Karen believes every individual requires support, knowledge and compassion to achieve great health and wellness.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

download my 28 day streNgth challenge

About Karen Gallagher

Karen is a Holistic Lifestyle & Fitness Expert on a mission to cut through the over-complicated B.S. around food, health and well-being so that busy women, can learn how to transform their bodies and nourish their souls so they can feel strong, fit and confident.

From the Blog

Get my 7 Day Fat Loss Kickstart Guide

I respect your privacy and will never share your information.