Your body changes in unexpected ways as you get older. You find yourself with new crinkles, curves, and your body responds to food and exercise in new and interesting ways (your body fights with itself to digest foods that-previously-it didn't seem to have a problem with...like, what is going on?? digest that cheese or we are going to have some serious problems...!!)
Nearing 30, I am currently going through this and it has been a bit of a shock. While I have promised myself to workout harder and sweat it off even when my body says 'no,' I also recently decided to detox my diet. While I have never been a big white bread, sugar, canned/boxed food person, I also had not been sleeping for a few months and had not felt my best. Not wanting to take a pill to fix my problem, I decided to try changing pieces of my life in order to find peaceful sleep again.
I started with coffee, my main caffeine source. I started drinking all decaf - even before my 530a workout when my body feels like it would do better if it were attached to strings and someone was acting as my puppet master...I drank the decaf. Next was artificial sweeteners (only water now!) and minimal sugar intake (even eliminating those candy bar minis...sugar will always be sugar, people!). Also outlawed: alcohol, most processed foods, canned beans and vegetables, and most meat (although I have not eaten 4-legged animals since I was 11).
Last, I decided to eat fresh, organic foods as often as possible. After reading Jillian Michael's book, Master Your Metabolism (http://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Metabolism-Naturally-Balancing/dp/0307450732/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265587396&sr=8-5) and also seeing Oprah's show Grocery Shopping 101 (http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Food-101-with-Michael-Pollan) and having read multiple health and wellness books on organic, raw, fresh foods I decided it was time to detox my own cooking as well.
The hormones, toxins, and preservatives that contaminate our food can cause hormonal imbalances that make us FAT! I am not sure about you, but I work hard, exercise hard, and want to ensure that all cylinders are firing for me (not against me). The environment has become like the boyfriend that taunts you, eating whatever he wants, as you put on a few extra while you eat with him.
In the past 3 weeks of my detox, I have slept better - getting 7 to 9 hours of sound sleep every night without interruption, lost 6 pounds (hello jeans from college :) welcome home...), and have felt amazing...my skin, hair, body all glow. It is like a consistent after-sex glow without the man (not that a man wouldn't be nice...but I haven't had much luck in that department recently). Additionally, I drink 2 L of water a day every day. I attack my liters like a task - drinking 200mL here..300 there. Eventually, the job gets done and my body is happier for it.
With all this in mind, I urge you to try reclaiming your life by changing how you eat and what you eat. To jump start your journey, I have a delicious recipe for Happy Salmon Salad:
Happy Salmon Salad
- ~3-4 oz salmon
- 2T low sodium soy sauce
- 1t fresh or jarred crushed ginger
- 1t crushed garlic
- 1/2 cup shelled, steamed edamame (whole foods or trader joes has great options for edmame)
- 2/3 cup steamed peas
- ginger dressing (Whole foods makes a great version of this fresh dressing...)
- pepper flakes or sriracha sauce to taste (Target has it and it is great for a little kick)
1. Marinate salmon in soy sauce with garlic and ginger in bowl or bag in fridge for at least 30 min, up to a few hours before baking. Meanwhile, set oven to 350 deg and let it heat up
2. While salmon is marinating, steam edamame and peas in bowl for ~5 min
3. Bake salmon for about 20 min in oven or until it flakes upon sticking a fork in it
4. Combine peas, edamame, and slamon with a touch of sriracha sauce and the dressing and ENJOY!
Health benefits:
- salmon: high in omega 3's, protein, and healthy fats - it has also been shown to help boost mood/happiness and help with satiety and it is chock full of protein...salmon is a perfect food in my book
- garlic and ginger - great antioxidant (cancer-fighting) spices
- edamame - high in fiber to help keep you full and protein which is great for boosting your metabolism and keeping you full
- peas - high in fiber to help keep you full (with a touch of sweetness)
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