Set yourself up for success


You become overweight not because of the fat you consume, but because of the fat you absorb. You absorb fat because you eat grains and sugar.



The decision to eliminate sugar and starch in your diet is the biggie. It will most likely take you a while to get your mind around the idea. Anybody can do it, but it takes some mental prep.

Tell yourself that this is a way of eating that will not leave you hungry.

There are different ways to do this. Some people go cold turkey and never stray from the rules. We know of others who stick to the rules for six days, and give themselves a grain treat on the seventh day. Decide which method will work best for you.

Then, set yourself some goals. Start by challenging yourself to stick it out for two weeks.

You might want to document your results and the way you feel in a journal.  You might not.

You need to be aware that the first five days or so will likely be the hardest, but from then onwards your body will get used to it. It's not exactly that you'll be hungry, but you may find yourself craving something from the forbidden list.  This is your body reacting to your grain and sugar addiction.

The way to overcome this is to get yourself a snack from the list of foods that are allowed. Don't worry about calories.  Grab a handful of nuts if that helps. Drink a cup of tea. Go for a walk. After about 20 minutes, you'll feel better. Tell yourself that this will pass. It will.

After two weeks, you'll notice it's easier than you thought possible. You'll also be feeling really good. After six weeks or so, you'll notice that any arthritis aches and pains will be diminished. What a bonus!

If you've been doing this for a while, let us know: is this how it worked for you?

Kitchen Prep

Eliminating sugar and starch from your diet is a lot cheaper than buying into a commercial weight loss plan because you don't have to pay for anything other than the food you will be eating. There are no monthly or weekly fees.

But you need to be organized. Here are a couple of things that will help:

  • Ideally, get your family to join you. If several people in the same household decide to do it together, you'll be able to support each other.
  • If they won't join you, ask them to support you.
  • Take a look at what is in your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer. Eliminate the temptations that are not allowed: crackers, pasta, rice, frozen meals, jams, cereals, sugar, syrup, etc. Look at the labels: anything with more than 5 ingredients in it is most likely not allowed.  Check for added sugar, high fructose corn syrup or other sugar products.  If you can't throw them out or donate them to somebody who wants them, you could lock them up somewhere so you can resist them when temptation comes calling.
  • Stock up on foods that you can eat: almonds, mixed nuts (unsalted, no peanuts), carrots, celery, plain low-fat yoghurt, frozen berries, herbal teas, unsweetened almond milk, feta cheese, lettuce, and quality protein sources such as eggs, fish, tofu and/or meat (stay away from luncheon meats and sausages).  As a rule of thumb, it's easiest if you go down to the most basic of ingredients and prepare everything from scratch. 
The Bulk Barn is a good source for nuts. Having a vegetable garden in the growing season is helpful for making quick salads, but in the winter you will have to use different strategies.

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