3 Ways to Trim Inches Off Your Waist
Many of us become motivated to shed some unwanted pounds a few months before the start of warm weather season, or at the thought of an upcoming wedding or class reunion. Rather than embark on a structured, short term diet, why not adopt three slimming, lifestyle principles which are easy enough to “wear” right on through the year?
1- Eat, Don’t Drink, Your Fruit
In the Garden of Eden there were no juice bars! Fruit was created to be eaten whole—flesh (fiber) and juice together. This practice keeps the sugar levels in our blood stable and protects us against insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity. So, skip the juice and bite into whole fruit instead.
2- Cut Down on The White Stuff
As Americans, we are addicted to the white stuff—bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, rice. The Lord created grains, like fruit, to be eaten in their entirety, which means the outer bran must accompany the soft, white internal pulp that we have grown so fond of. By eating sparingly of “colorless” foodstuffs you will again reap the benefit of stable blood sugar, slower digestion, and less need to store away those calories as fat.
3- Sleep More
Seventy-five percent of Americans are under slept and a whopping 2/3 of adults are overweight or obese. Here’s the connection: Sleeping less than seven hours each night creates a hormonal imbalance in the brain which acts to stimulate your appetite throughout the day and suppress the “I’m full/satisfied” feeling that you should be experiencing after eating an adequately-sized portion. While the act of sleep may not burn many calories, adequate sleep can save you from consuming too many calories throughout the day.
Need further convincing? Recently, one of my patients dropped three clothing sizes in three months’ time just by eliminating one glass of grape juice each day and switching the bread on her afternoon sandwich from rye to a sprouted, whole grain variety!