Best Diet Secret EVER

Best Diet Secret EVER

Christmastime is such a fun time of year.   We have been full-on Holidays and now, I'm all talking "Diet" on y'all, sort of.  Seriously, you know I have been a huge, fitness lover and healthy living advocate throughout my blog.  In recent years, it has been no secret that I have struggled with my weight.  Well, today I wanted to share what is the Biggest "Diet" Secret EVER!  And I just happened upon it!  This is my story - a bit more in depth than just saying, I've lost weight this week. 

Background.
After all those years of relying on exercise and a moderate diet, in the Summer 2005,  my mother became rapidly ill, we suffered the loss of a child through miscarriage and Katrina hitting my hometown (where my Mom was in the hospital at the time) and quickly I found myself with a rapid weight gain.  I had never weighed that amount in my life.  I had never been more than 20 pounds over weight (that's enough, right!) which happened my freshman year of college.  I have battled it on and off these past years always thinking, just eat less, exercise more.  Then, I had good success with Weight Watchers Points Plus and their Meetings.  However, with Weight Watchers, I always felt "Bound to the Calculator" at the dinner table.  And I also suffered from an "on and off" mentality of my healthy eating.  

My Change - Secret. 
This year in January, my brother challenged us "Just try to illuminate High Fructose Corn Syrup" (now referred to as HFCS).  At that point, we thought, "we can do that!" And we did!  It was so easy and liberating to literally throw out all of those items that were primarily HFCS!  The scales began to be removed from our eyes - the American Diet was chock full of HFCS.  Even educated folks like us who love a healthy and active lifestyle, were sadly unaware.  We were shocked that HFCS was the number one or two ingredient in many items!  If you don't know, the first ingredient listed, is the largest quantity item in the product....  

I had focused so much of my 'diet boundaries' on fat, protein, carbs, calories - all good things to pay attention to for sure.  However, I didn't look at that LONG ingredient list of stuff that IS NOT FOOD!  Or, all of the Corn and Corn Syrup filling up our foods.  Ugh.  

Then, after hearing all the health benefits of the Gluten-Free Diet (further referred to as GF), I got over the weird sound of it and researched what the diet entails.  My eyes were opened again to the processed, filler, non-food.  Over-night, I decided to embrace the Gluten-Free "GF" Diet!  Reading Wheat Belly, got my attention.  Even after a full term Twin pregnancy, I had never struggled like this with 'middle weight' or wheat belly, etc. :) 

So, I chose the first day of Gluten Free eating and so the journey began.  Like Homeschooling has been for us, we are not pioneering it and there have been many who have gone before us.  The GF diet is really pretty main-stream.  It is up to you to chose it and see if it is a good fit for your body and what you struggle with personally.  

It took a little planning, yet, overall, it really was an easy transition.  I was truly willing to give it a try and make it happen because I had a hunch there was something to the success of this diet.  I knew it was more than just a "Hollywood diet trend."  For me, it has been. 

Over the past six months, I can say I am totally free of Cravings!  Praise the Lord.  Seriously y'all.  I have heard so many tips, tricks, and things that make no sense for me like a HFCS free and Gluten Free diet have been for me.  

Immediately, the first week, I noticed changes in my face.  I kept weighing in each week at Weight Watchers because I think I was afraid to trust myself in this new area with which I had come to struggle.  So come November, I decided that since I was not using WW any more, I was only using their scale each Monday, I decided to cancel my membership and continue weighing myself at home and continue my HFCS Free and Gluten Free diet at home with moderate exercise as I had since June.  And guess what, I continued to lose weight. I didn't need a crutch.  I do still say WW works well and focuses on "Good Health Guidelines" which include, moderate eating, exercise, drinking water and taking vitamins. I love refocusing on WHAT I am eating and on eating real foods.  

Resources. 
This Fall as I was experiencing much success without additives and fillers in our foods, I discovered 100 Days of Real Food right here in NC!  She made so much sense to me, eat real foods. And only eat foods with 5 Ingredients if you use a "packaged food."  Like tortilla chips, corn, safflower oil and salt.  Done. It became easy and a real fun game like "Survivor" or something. I even saw my competitive side come out after viewing "Food Inc." and reading Michael Pollen's "Food Rules."  I was determined to disregard the food 'industry' and what they call food.  It is so worth it to feel better.  

As I heard a TedEx Talk by Robyn O'Brien on "Real Food," there is no coincidence between the food industry - genetically modifying foods and adding fillers and gluten and corn to every.thing and so much more - and the disease (diabetes, heart and more) and obesity epidemics in America today.  

At any rate, I began to share my success and simple secret with others. I was shocked and saddened that more people had not shared these simple and healthy secrets.  A couple of people asked me 'what about chocolate?'  'What are you eliminating?" And the truth, I only eliminate non0foods and fillers and chemicals!  Isn't that freeing! It is indeed and I feel so much better.  I have NO cravings. I still love a little sweet bite. So I go for my Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds.  These are my little success ingredient - seriously, I love the taste and the almonds are so good for your heart. And the dark chocolate is praised for healthful benefits. So it's a Win Win! 

Fortunately, I LOVE water!  So I still drink lots of water and I do adore my Iced Coffee.  Thanks to my dear husband, I drink Iced Coffee, Milk and a teaspoon of honey or raw sugar.  Done!  

Right now, I am exercising 3 to 4 times a week.  I feel great and I would like to get back to a 5 to 6 day a week schedule for working out because we love it.  Though I am so excited to be consistently shaping up and losing weight living a regular lifestyle with a few successful parameters. 

If you have questions, please let me know and also, please share any tips or 'secrets' you have! All the best.  Hope this helps. I am happy to share as I go along and all the best to you on your journey to health and wellness.

Warmly,
Carolina Mama