Tis the season for New Years Resolutions, goal setting and starting the year with better habits. The gyms are packed, and many people are doing some kind of clean eating regime. Some people love this, and others are very skeptical of these so called “gimmicks” as they never seem to last.
I am personally not one for New Years Resolutions as most of them are short lived. I am however, a strong promoter of goal setting (short term and long term) and also of resetting after a period of indulgence.
We Are Programmed To Be Addicted
We are biologically programmed to be addicted to fat, sugar and salt. I can even see it in our habits at home. We are all banging the cupboards for something sweet after a meal and the increased intake of sweet and carbs though the day are leaving us feeling like we need to snack before we go to bed at night. I am always about moderation, so I have enjoyed wine and Christmas cookies but now it is time to reign in the boot straps and get back to a normal routine.
Since we are programmed to gain weight and crave these indulgent foods, it is going to be challenging at time point to use “will power”. To leave all of the leftover Christmas food in the house in hopes that you will save it for a special occasion or only have it occasionally is setting you up for failure. It is time for a fresh start and that means either giving the food away, or burying it in the bottom of the freezer.
It also means that you are going to feel better, and get rid of those cravings if you completely get rid of all trigger foods for a period of time.
Just How Much Weight Do You Gain Over The Holidays?
While many weight loss programs and products will promote that you need to lose the 5-10lbs that has been gained over the holidays, research shows that this number is very inflated. On average people usually only put on 1lb over the Christmas season but the scary part is that this 1lb usually never comes off. That means that Christmas is part of the reason for the increase in weight long term. With reasonable eating, and alkalizing your body after a period of high sugar and fat foods you will not only lose this weight but will also get your body recharged for the year to come.
I challenge all of your to take the plunge and follow our 10 Days to a Vibrant You Program!
Step 1 – Goal Setting
Research shows that we are more likely to attain something if you set goals. It is important to set both long term and short terms goals. The goal doesn’t just have to be about body fat, it could be energy, stress reduction, sleep, etc.
I will use the example of body fat reduction today.
Short term: I will lose 1lb of body fat per week
Long term: I will lose 30lbs of body fat by December 31, 2015
Step 2 – Cut Out the Junk
For 10 days – remove:
- Sugar – all forms, honey, maple syrup, agave, artificial sweeteners
- All Grains – this includes all breads, pastas, crackers, cookies, bagels, wraps etc. This is hard for some people but you will feel great without them. You can still keep in ½ cup of sweet potatoe per day if you wish
- Alcohol
- Fried Foods – French fries
- Caffeine
- Red Meat – including pork and corn fed beef (grass fed beef 1x/week is okay)
For 10 days focus on:
- Drinking enough water until your urine is clear
- Eating lots of greens, try making a green smoothie (adding a handful of greens like kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, swiss chard, beet greens to a blender with a handful of fruit and some coconut water or water)
- Eat protein with each meal
- Have 2-3 high protein snacks between meals like
- Nuts and seeds
- Hard boiled eggs
- Apple and nut butter
- Greek yogurt
- Veggies and hummus
- Move – try to aim for 20min 3-4 times per week
- Go to bed between 10-11
- Drink green tea
Step 3 – Spark up the Program
Research is showing us that the way to great health is reducing inflammation and supporting the bacteria in our gut. Did you know that they are now doing fecal transplants to support weight loss? Yes you heard that right!
In obese patients with stubborn weight loss, they are taking the stool from a healthy individual and transplanting it into an obese patient, and it will spark weight loss. Now I am not encouraging everyone with sluggish weight loss to get a stool transplant, but I am suggesting that we need to focus on our gut.
Our guts take a beating over Christmas from the increased toxic food, alcohol and stress so there is never a better time to focus on our microbiome!
Step 4 – Support Yourself With Supplements
2 products that will get you well on your way to your Vibrant Body are
1) Opti GHI from xymogen
https://www.xymogen.com/products/product-detail.aspx?pid=155
2) And a probiotic.
Both of these products have been shown with a healthy diet to help support the gut balance, and reduce inflammation.
From a symptom standpoint this process will help to reduce gas, bloating and irregular bowel movements and also some of the other inflammatory markers like joint pain and stiffness that can happen over the holidays.
We are putting both of these products $5 off this month to help support your on your health journey.
Simply use Opti GHI as your protein for a shake in the morning.
Sample 10 Day Vibrant You Program Diet Guide
Breakfast
- Shake
- OptiGHI 2 scoops
- ½ cup fruit
- 1 tbsp of coconut oil or nut butter
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 handful of greens like kale or spinach
- Or 2-3 Egg Omelette
Snack
- Handful of nuts and seeds and an apple
Lunch
- Salad with protein (chicken, eggs, lamb, turkey, fish or grass fed beef)
- Add 8-10 olives, ¼ avocado and vinaigrette dressing
Mid-afternoon Snack
- Handful of nuts
- Or veggies and hummus
- Or simply bar
Dinner
- 4-6 oz of protein
- 2-3 cups of veggies
- And add a fat like coconut oil or olive oil
Evening Snack
- Veggies and hummus
- Or apple and nut butter
- Or even a couple of pieces of dark chocolate
Stay The Course
The first 3-5 days of this program will be challenging. Depending on how much you indulged you may experience headaches, fatigue, brain fog or body aches as your body recalibrates. After 3-5 days you should be feeling great, energized and ready to attack the New Year.
You can do ANYTHING for 10 days…and you deserve to start the New Year feeling Vibrant!