HEALTHY DATA

Bad Foods:

Deep down we already know what bad foods are.  Remember they are not your friends.  They make you unhealthy, miserable, lethargic and fat.  Bad foods can send you to an early grave.

As much as two thirds of the average persons diet consists of saturated fat, sugar and refined flours.  The calories in sugar are called ‘”empty” calories because they provide no nutrients.  They are often hidden in processed foods and snacks and YES, even in so called ‘”low fat” meals found on food shop counters.

Many people do not understand how difficult it is for a drug addict to break an addiction (i.e. cigarettes, alcohol and hard drugs).  To understand this addiction try and remove all sugar from your diet.  When you find yourself craving your favourite sweet foods… Welcome to the world of the addict.  If you can break the sugar addiction, you are well on your way to freedom and healthy living.  It is the opinion of many leading longevity doctors and nutritionists that we have become sugar addicts and once having weaned ourselves off sugar, we should never go back to even tasting it.

As if you didn’t know already, here is a list of foods to avoid:

• All alcohol
• Bacon
• Bread (except dark wheat free rye bread)
• Bagels
• Processed meats e.g. burgers, sandwich slices, salami, sausages
• Margarine
• Cream cheese
• Sweets (including marshmallows, boiled sweets, wine gums and jelly tots)
• Cakes
• Chocolate (less than 85% cocoa)
• Cookies
• Sugar filled cereals
• Corn starch
• Corn syrup
• Croissants
• Dried fruit
• Doughnuts
• Fruit juice
• All fried foods
• Flour
• Hard cheese (except feta, parmesan and romana)
• Heavy creams
• Syrup
• Hot dogs
• Ice cream
• Jams and jellies
• Molasses
• Muffins
• Noodles
• Pancakes
• Pastry
• Pies
• Pizza
• Pasta (White)
• Pudding
• White rice
• Sherbet
• Sodas (including diet)
• Scones
• ALL sugar
• Taco’s
• Waffles
• All fast foods (except the healthy ones)
• Microwave meals
• Crisps

I think you get the idea. 

Here are a few tips when planning to eat healthily:

1. Cut your calories before you even count them.
   You don’t have to be Einstein to know that a snickers bar contains more calories than a freshly prepared fruit salad.
2. Go for high bulk foods.
   Foods that contain lots of water and fibre like a fresh sprout salad with avocado and squeezed lemon juice are a better choice than a calorie dense fast food burger.
3. Choose foods that give you sustained energy back.
   A handful of seeds and fresh fruit will give your body energy without the sugar crash that a chocolate and soda will.  Also your body can identify and utilise the fresh fruit and seeds much better.
4. Portion control.
   Make sure you do not overeat at each meal.  You should be hungry within the next two to three hours.
5. Plan ahead.
   Prepare your meals a day in advance so that you don’t get caught out in a situation where the only choice is bad food. If you are invited to a meal that you know will be unhealthy, eat something before hand or bring your own food.  (If your host cares about you they will understand.)
6. Drink 12 240ml glasses of water per day.
   Water keeps your body hydrated and is a natural detox. Drinking water often prevents your kidneys from holding onto the water that they have. This prevents water weight and retention. Try drinking cold water as your body uses energy to raise the temperature of the water to the body’s core temperature.  This means burning extra calories.
7. Be positive.
   Look in the mirror each day and tell yourself that you are getting slimmer and healthier with every meal.  Be good to yourself and only give your body the very best so that it can give you its very best.  Take on each new second with a healthy view of life and a winning attitude.