Meal Prep Sunday - Knock Out the Sugar
“Eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce added sweeteners, and cut back on alcohol and snacking to clean up a diet instead of using a detox or cleanse, dietitians said. Registered dietitian nutritionist Patricia Bannan recommended increasing gut health by eating prunes, pulses and pears instead of trying to remove toxins.”- NBC News (6/22)
Everyone nowadays seems to be looking for the latest and greatest “quick-fix” solution or weight loss. I can’t even count the number of times I have heard the phrase “what worked for me before was…”. Not to be rude, but clearly it did not “work” for you if we are having this conversation now!! Not that lessons learned from previous dietary experiences are not helpful- they most certainly are. My point here is that the focus should not be on a short-term solution to help you simply reach your goals. Rather, emphasis should be placed on a shift in lifestyle choices + daily habits that allow you to not only reach your goals in the short-term but stay maintaining this progress in the long-term.
As with many other aspects of life: if it seems to good to be true, it probably is. The recommended rate of sustainable weight loss is just 1-2 pounds per week (on average). While this may not sound like much, it certainly adds up faster than you might think. I know plenty of people who would be thrilled with losing 52 pounds in a year. You know what that breaks down to? A rate of just 1 pound lost per week! I don’t know about you, but I think it’s a much better scenario to lose 52 pounds SLOWLY in 1 year, and keep that weight off for the rest of your life, than to follow a crash diet for a couple months to lose 52 pounds QUICKLY but then gain more than 52 pounds back once you return to your prior eating habits.
I say all this to convey the message that our sights should not be set on the “big things”, such as using a detox or finding the next caffeine pill. Rather, our goals should be built around the seemingly “little things”. Eating more fresh produce, reducing added sweeteners, and incorporating more nutritious snack foods are some great examples of small changes that can go along way. Notice the underlining of the words “more”, “reducing”, and “more nutritious” here. I frequently remind my clients to “strive for progress, not perfection”. It is far more beneficial to make gradual changes that will stick, than to quit things cold turkey and end up relapsing. I am stopping here before I continue on this rant. 😊 Love to you all!
