MISSBHAY

Let’s face it. You probably spent the last two months pigging out, stressing out, drinking your faces off, eating crap, and staying up late.. And yes, it was probably worth every second. I know, I know.. the holidays are like a free for all.. Not a care in the world… Eat! Eat! You hear time and time again! Calories don’t count during the holidays..right?!.. Dinner after dinner.. Brunches..lunches..Chips and dip..Veggie trays and then the dainties..oh don’t even get me started on these little bites of heaven!..Tables and tables full of dainties.. And it’s all fun and games..until January 2 hits, and reality comes slapping you in the face when you have to return to work, and this of course means wearing actual clothing.. getting out of your sweat pants, and going out into the real world.. Until, wait.. what is happening?! Suddenly those pants that fit you perfectly just one short month ago..now, they are feeling a tad snug! Did they shrink in the dryer?! (That’s always my first thought! 😉 ) Nope.. you just ate your face off and now your body is paying the price. So.. because lots of people are in the same boat, I thought I would share my tips for detoxing, and replenishing your body post the holiday season! I apologize now if this get’s lengthy..

WATER
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!! I know you hear this one all the time, and you’re angry that this is the first tip I give you. WAH! WAH!! It’s the truth. I will say it over and over again. Drink WATER. Not coffee, not water mixed with some sort of flavory dyed sugar powder, not a fountain drink/soda/pop, not a “well it came in a glass container, so it’s probably good for me” drink.. (and yes, someone once said that to me!). WATER. H20. W-A-T-E-R. Pure and simple. If you’re body is not staying hydrated, you are not functioning to your fullest potential. Get in the habit of drinking water. And drink it a lot.  When you wake up. While you’re working. Shopping. Riding in the car. Waiting for the bus. While you’re watching TV. Even when you don’t feel thirsty! Not only will drinking water help to flush away toxins, it will also aid your digestive system. Lots of times when you find yourself mindlessly snacking, or eating but not feeling satisfied, it’s because your body is thirsty for water and not food. Next time you feel like you want a snack, drink a full glass of water first. Do you wonder why your head is pounding? Sometimes (I know not all, but some) headaches are caused from the amount of toxins you have built up in your body that need to be flushed away! Next time you feel like you’re getting a headache, drink a glass of water or two before you pop a couple pills!

How will any of this help with shedding those sugar pounds?.. Well without water, the body is not able to metabolize fat. What does that mean in plain English? You retain water, and you gain weight. And how do we rid ourselves of fluid retention? By drinking water, people! Do you see where I am going with this?! It’s all linked back to drinking lots of QUALITY water. I once read that if they could sell water as a prescription, and an aid for healing, they would. And you know what, I believe it!

SLEEP
I bet now that the holidays are over you are exhausted. It was go-go-go and now you feel like you ran into a brick wall! People need permission to sleep these days. So here is yours; Go to bed. Stay in there for 8 hours. And don’t leave it until 8 hours is over. Your body needs sleep. Regeneration and healing of the body happens while you sleep! And don’t even start with the, I can run off 4-6 hours of sleep! I don’t need 8.. No. You mean you are surviving off 4 hours of sleep a night. I promise if you actually let your body “catch up” and you make sure you are well rested, you will enjoy your life so much more. And with all that water you are drinking now 😉 nothing will be able to stop you!

EXERCISE
And not just for the first week of the new year! Even if it’s only 30 minutes a day, even if it’s only 15 min a day!.. MOVE. YOUR. BODY. Stop being lazy little bums and take the stairs, carry your groceries, dance around your house naked if you want! If you want to get all that crap building up inside of you out, you gotta get moving! Sweating is good. Plain. And. Simple. Besides, exercise does wonders for stress levels & your mental health. After the stress of shopping during the holiday season, every one needs a little TLC in that department! Create a little workout for you and your friends, and motivate each other!  Having a workout buddy always helps!

DON’T CHA PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH.. NU, UH!
Duh! Besides all those sugary holiday snacks, and goodies?! Anything that starts with Fast, Fried, or Processed. IS OUT! Don’t eat it. Just don’t. It’s not rocket science here people! If it’s in a box, or a can.. it’s out. If you want to detox your body of toxins, you will benefit from cutting out salt, sugar, flour, and anything white.
I know you are dying for a list of foods that I would tell you to try to avoid besides the basic “Fast, Fried, and Processed” so.. here goes;
Butter, cakes, chocolate, chow mein noodles, corned beef, cream, yellow cheese, whole milk, toaster pastries, lard, ice cream, poultry skin, muffin mix, chips, mayonnaise, deli meat, packaged potatoes, smoked meats, imitation dairy products, cookies, crab, packaged food in general, most things that come out of the aisles section of the grocery store, bacon, whipped cream, bologna, sugary cereal, cocoa, caffeine, cream cheese, duck, goose, gravy, hot dogs and hamburgers, margarine, spare ribs .. okay seriously this list could go on forever, and I am going to assume you get the idea. When in doubt, think of the saying “The whiter the bread, the sooner you’re dead!”

LET’S AIM FOR THIS INSTEAD!
You’re ideal diet will be natural, seasonal, rotational, balanced, moderate, and well-combined. It’s a good idea to start your day with some water with the juice of half a lemon mixed in, or some ginger! Fresh fruits and vegetables (frozen is your next best choice) are at the top of the list. Alongside would be nuts and seeds, whole grains, light proteins, and lots of greens! Smoothies, soups, and juices are a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into one drink, and they are good if you will be on the go! Always try to keep a small Ziploc with some seeds and almonds in your car if you are the kind of person who spends their day working from their car! “Because I was busy” is not an excuse for not having proper nutrition.

• Here are some Food Combining guidelines as per “Staying Healthy with Nutrition” – Elson M. Haas, MD with Buck Levin, PhD, RD
               1. Fruits are eaten by themselves or with other fruits.
               2. Proteins and starches are not eaten together.
               3. Combine protein and vegetables or starches and vegetables.
               4. Do not eat more than one protein per meal.

Over the next few weeks I will be posting recipes that you can try at home that will be easy, low sodium, and low sugar and will help you get back to feeling like you again!