OK – so while the title of this article might sound like an infomercial for a scam supplement, it is actually based in reality!
Eat less sugar and more veggies!
A number of years ago, I went through a lifestyle change that helped me lose a ton of weight (x pounds!), without eating less food or even exercising more.
How? I did it by simply changing what I ate, not the amount I ate!
Over the course of a few months, I switched to a plant-based diet and the weight began to drop off, while my energy and health status soared.
Want to know exactly how I achieved it? Read on to find out...
Reduced My Sugar Intake
Most of us have a strong sugar habit without even realising it. Manufacturers put sugar in many everyday items such as bread, breakfast cereals, even soups and sauces. These items probably give us our recommended daily amount before we purchase our sweet treats!
Why is this a problem? Not only is sugar linked to a host of diseases, it also encourages weight gain by turning to fat inside the body. I slowly reduced the sugar in my diet by purchasing chocolate in smaller amounts (kid sized bars are great!), and am now happy to say I am pretty much sugar free (while weighing substantially less!).
Increased The Fibre In My Meals
Part of the switch to a plant-based diet involved eating more wholegrains (think oats, wholewheat products, and quinoa), all of which again help to regulate sugar in the body. Not only that, but they also contain significant levels of fibre, which are massively important for our overall health.
High-fibre foods help to avoid diabetes and lower cholesterol levels. In addition, they encourage weight reduction. Researchers have shown that eating just 19g of fibre per day results in weight loss without making any other changes!
I Ate More Leafy Greens
To replace the fatty foods and meat in my diet, I had to add more vegetables to each meal. At first, I thought this would be a chore, but soon found it was anything but – the more I learnt about vegetarian cooking and recipes, the better my food tasted. I can now safely say that the meals I produce are tastier and more nutritious than ever before!
Spinach, kale, cabbage, and herbs like oregano are regular features in the stews, salads, and pastas that I make, and the evidence linking these vegetables to weight loss is also strong. An added bonus is their protection against chronic disease.
Swapped Fruit Juice With Green Juice
Fruit juice is a tricky one. Drank in moderation it is fine (full of antioxidants and healthy nutrients), the downside is that the high levels of natural sugar they contain can be problematic if consumed often.
As stated above, sugar is linked to weight gain, so how could I avoid this? I decided to try green juices instead...
These contain fruit and vegetables, with the ratio even or tipped in vegetables favour. This dramatically reduces the amount of sugar, while increasing the health benefits.
Simply put them all in a blender and add water to taste.
Interested? Here is a super-easy tasty recipe to get you started!
• handful of spinach
• 1 apple
• half a cucumber
• peeled lemon
• blend together and add water
Dominica Roszko runs a marketing company, and a company that promotes clean living and eating called Vegerasta (www.vegerasta.com). She started paying more attention to her stress levels in 2011, after her and her then boyfriend (now husband) decided on a lifestyle change. In theory, they were living the perfect life - working, socialising, but internally, they felt overweight, sick and in pain. Dominica started eating healthy, and looking after herself, and she found that her productivity levels improved massively. She became a vegan, and experienced a total life transformation.
Tagged in Vegetarian