In September of this year I was informed by a health care professional that I had high blood pressure. To me this was a sure sign that I needed to make some changes in my life. The first of which was to lose weight. I wasn’t crazy about the idea of going on a fad diet, instead I wanted to do make some lifestyle changes that would last a lifetime. This blog entry is about the changes I made in my life that resulted in me losing 15 lbs in about 2 months. Not only did I lose the initial weight, but I also did not gain any weight over the holidays, even though I did not watch what I ate.
Anyway, I recommend speaking to your doctor before you engage in any of the activities to make sure that they are the right choices for you, as this program is also not for pregnant or nursing mothers. Here is how I started living a healthier lifestyle in the 4th quarter of 2008.
First you will need a few things.
#1 a Cell phone that allows you to set reoccurring reminders, preferably one that you can sync with your Outlook if you are on the computer all day at work.
#2 a Magic Bullet Blender.
#3 a Detox system. I used Dr Natura’s 3 month Toxinout and Colonix system available online at DrNatura.com
#4 healthy groceries consisting of the following: frozen or fresh fruit, vanilla soy milk, fresh OJ (I prefer not from concentrate), 1 55 count variety box of flavored Quaker Oatmeal (from BJ’s), organic non-fat milk, soups (I like Wolfgang Puck), salads, or low-fat frozen entrees.
#5 I also recommend perhaps disposing of any “temptations” you may have laying around the house for those late night munchies.
The first step to this process is to set cell phone reminders when it’s time to participate in the system, and then supplementing that with a few basic healthy food choices. At no point was I hungry or craving food. My goal is to instill good healthy habits that I don’t even have to think about for the long term. I don’t always follow the program on the weekends, however I do recommend that you begin it on a Saturday, as you may find yourself spending some quality time in the bathroom during the first 24-48 hours of the detox.
This is my regimine during the week:
When I wake up in the morning, first thing I do in the kitchen is I drink a glass of water, and I take the Dr Natura Paranil (Liver and Colon Purifying Complex) pills. These pills are not consistently taken out throughout the process, you would have to refer to the Dr. Natura instructions for the complete schedule.
After I make breakfast for my son, I make a delicous fiber smoothie drink in my Magic bullet blender:
1 cup of frozen mixed fruit (available at Publix for about $7.99, lasts about 2 weeks)
microwave it for 1 minute to partially defrost, fill the rest of the magic bullet with:
2/3’s vanilla soy milk
1/2 banana
and the rest OJ
I add the fiber to this smoothie, and it is delicious. This takes about 2 minutes to make, and it makes enough for both myself and my husband. This drink starts my metabolism, and it keeps me full for at least an hour.
When I get to work, I dock and turn on my laptop. I then grab a packet of flavored oatmeal, and some decaffeinated tea (I’m sure some people would insist on coffee). I make a packet of oatmeal with fat free milk. Then I get working.
At 11:45 my phone reminder tells me to take the Dr Natural Toxinout Pills (Heavy metal/Toxin removal and liver detox support). At 12 I go to the gym and do 25 minutes of cardio and some Nautilous machines. However the first 3 weeks of this program I did not work out at all and I still lost the most weight.
Sometimes on my way back to work I grab a salad, or I keep soups at my desk. I also have healthy microwave dinners in the freezer at work (I recommend Healthy Choice or Amy’s). After I eat I take my DetoxiGreen pills to replenish Antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that may have been removed with the detox system.
When I get home, I make a sensible low-carb dinner. There are a few things that I try to completely avoid: sodas, pastas, white rice, white breads, and potatoes. Instead I use Flatout low-carb wraps, brown or wild rice, flatbreads (BJ’s has awesome artisian flatbreads that i make pizzas with), and sweet potatoes. Pieces of meat should be kept to smaller than the palm of the hand. I also use low-fat sour cream, and yogurt for sauces. Greek yogurt is awesome, you can mix it with 1/4 packet of powdered ranch dressing and it has a ton of uses. The goal at dinner is to think low-carb, a little carbs, and a little fat is ok.
I also started to keep a record of recipies that I’ve made that are easy, delicious and healthy. Sometimes when I get home I’m too brain-dead to come up with an original meal, so it helps to have a record of things that I know have been a success to use as a resource.
At night, I wrap up my detox system by taking my Dr Natura Pro-biotic, this replenishes your bodies good bacteria which research also links to body metabolism. Before bed there is a drink called Kleratea, which I think is very tasty, but I’m not always the best about remembering to make it.
I hope sharing my experiences with choosing a healthier lifestyle can be an inspiration to what ever path you decide if you are making resoultions for 2009 and beyond.