In the western world, people often have a hard time maintaining a healthy weight throughout their lifetime; convenience meals and handy foods are often packed with preservatives, salt and sugar. It is a learned behavior, passed on from parents to their children, to consume these items without being aware of their caloric intake. Often genetics are a factor, but an underlying predisposition can be overturned by changing daily habits.
Before starting a new way of eating, one must be sure that there are no underlying health factors that may prevent success. Issues with thyroid balance, hormones or blood sugar, even pregnancy can create complications. Increasing muscle and reducing fat stores in the body can definitely help these conditions, but severely altering the diet at this time can be dangerous if one does not confer with a medical professional first.
A seven day meal plan can enable you to make better choices in the future. Healthy eating is a lifestyle, and diets always set people up for failure. One week of limited calorie intake can greatly boost your metabolism and flush out impurities from preservative rich foods. It is hard to gauge the impact of pre-packaged foods and fast foods on the body, but beginning a fresh food nutritional plan can greatly increase the success of and weight loss program.
A juice cleanse is another option to jump start a slow metabolism. It is a bit of a commitment but well worth the effort. By flushing toxins out of the body with water, with fruit and vegetable juices, the internal workings of the organs and intestinal tract can greatly benefit. This method does make sense, to give the digestive system a rest while replenishing vitamins and minerals. If one week of pure juice and water is out of reach, it is very beneficial to create a plan based on what is convenient for the individual. Studies have shown that experiencing hunger can spark new cell growth in the brain, even improve memory and prevent genetic conditions like dementia and alzheimer’s disease (as shown in the work of British journalist and physician Michael Mosley). Eating healthfully for four days in the week, then juice fasting three days of the week, can significantly impact weight loss and metabolism.
Below are two plans to give one a good start on healthy weight loss. These methods are simple to follow and can condition a person to make better choices throughout the day. Weight loss and maintaining that healthy weight doesn’t have to be torturous. The first plan discussed will never leave the subject hungry, which is a popular choice. The second uses intermittent fasting as a tool without leaving the subject feeling deprived.
One Week of Healthy Eating
Often favored by many, a seven day plan for healthy balanced eating can result in up to a seven pound loss by the last day. It is also minimally risky, but like all dietary changes, one must check with their general doctor first. One is able to consume as much food as they like but the selection is limited. People have experienced not only weight loss but improved sleeping patterns and the appearance of their skin.
Beginning with a grocery list, one can find all the necessary items at their local grocery. If one is in an area where fresh produce is available from local farmers, that is a great improvement. Plan for two full days of eating fruits and 100% fruit juices, and two full days of eating vegetables (more than half should be leafy greens). The first three days are definitely the hardest as far as will power is concerned. Also purchase two bunches of bananas and a gallon of whole milk, as well as 36 ounces of lean meats (or four 3 ounce portions over three days).
Once the refrigerator is stocked, begin the first day with your fruit (excluding bananas) and 100% fruit juices. Using frozen fruits is fine, but do check the ingredients list. Be sure that there is no sugar added. The sugars in the fruits will sustain the body as far as energy levels are concerned. The subject can still consume coffee, tea and even the occasional alcoholic drink; but at a minimum of one per day. One must be sure to consume enough to keep full, including at least eight glasses of water. A zero calorie sport drink at the end of the day will be beneficial, to keep up electrolytes and salt necessary to the body.
The second day will be devoted to vegetables. Besides the obvious salad elements (romaine lettuce, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes) the subject can consume vegetable juices and soups. Using a simple recipe, a butternut squash soup is a filling and healthful option. No need to skin the squash, just cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. rub the cut side with a teaspoon of olive oil and roast for an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cooled, easily peel the skin off and cube. If one has a blender that would be ideal, with the addition of alkalized water or coconut water, until the consistency is to the individual’s liking. One can also do this over a gas burner, in a steel pot. Heat until the squash breaks down enough to soften with a fork, or a handheld mixer. With the intake of acidic vegetables like tomatoes, do drink plenty of water to balance the acid. If not the subject can experience an upset stomach.
The third day is again devoted to fruit consumption, but without the addition of fruit juices. By the fourth day one can have bananas and milk, and nothing else. One can consume up to eight bananas and four glasses of whole fat milk. In addition do drink the daily recommended amount of water. After the fourth day, the next three days are devoted to basic healthy meals; four small meals a day consisting of 3 ounces of lean meats and leafy greens like spinach and kale. A drizzle of olive oil is allowed.
By the end of the week, some subjects can lose up to ten pounds. This is the result of replenishing the body’s need for raw foods, and flushing the body of impurities left behind from ingesting preserved foods. Whole raw foods carry with them the biggest nutritional benefit. Fruits and vegetables in their natural state are the best way to deliver vitamins to the body. It is unknown what the primary element is, but consuming the whole food brings bigger vitamin benefits than taking a supplement alone.
One Week of Intermittent Fasting
Fasting is a proven way to boost the body’s metabolism and increase brain function. Civilizations that fast periodically have shown to be more productive than those that do not. This is mostly due to religious practices, as shown in the Middle East and Europe, where Muslim and Catholic faiths dictate periodic fasts as rituals leading up to high holidays. In daily life as well; Asian, Middle Eastern and European households do not see hunger as a bad thing, as most do in the Western culture. American families are more prone to snacking between meals, while many French and Spanish families keep this to a minimum.
A fine way to begin is to eat as one usually would, but choose one day of the week where a single low calorie meal is consumed along with water throughout the day. It does not matter when that meal is eaten, but most chose to eat in the middle of the day at a traditional lunch time. An ideal low calorie meal would be comprised of three ounces of a lean meat or two egg whites with raw fruit or steamed vegetables and a small serving of whole grain like barley or quinoa. Alkalized water is recommended but one or two cups of coffee or green tea can help with the hunger pains. The next week aim for two full days of fasting. The week after that try for three days of fasting in the same fashion.
Studies have shown that subjects who incorporated fasting days into their week, over a six month period, greatly decreased their blood pressure and their risk of heart disease and other conditions. Body fat stores were decreased, and blood sugar was maintained at a healthy level, making for better management over time for those at risk for diabetes.
Pros and Cons
Intermittent fasting has its benefits; one can eat as they normally would with periodic breaks from that norm. Healthy eating over the course of one week is a great way to start a new plan for long term weight loss, but the upfront cost of food and the commitment can be a challenge for some. It is best to understand oneself and chose a plan that one can stick to. Obviously a diet will not work if the food is not appetizing or the plan is too complicated to remember.
Overall, it is best to create a plan for long term health and fitness. Over the course of six months to a year is realistic if one is setting a weight loss goal of twenty pounds or more. Incorporating low impact exercises like walking and weight lifting will help increase muscle mass while decreasing fat deposits. Making small changes leading up to a complete dietary change can be more beneficial; for example, intermittent fasting for one month leading up to a seven day diet of raw foods will greatly increase the success of the subject regarding weight loss. Planning meals with a partner is also ideal, when people do things as a group with the people they share a dwelling with (like a family or a couple) they are more likely to stick with said changes and succeed.
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