Lose the Weight-Back to Basics III

Making the choice to eat organic simply means that you are choosing a healthier alternative to most of what you already eat every day.There is no need to be concerned about missing out on the foods that you enjoy and if you are trying to lose weight, the good news is you don't need to starve yourself! An organic diet is not a fad diet but more of a lifestyle change and it is the healthiest possible way to lose weight, maintain your figure and feel great every day. A diet free of processed foods, pesticides and toxic chemicals will allow your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals it needs and rid of the waste that it does not.

You will notice a dramatic change for the better in every way when you switch to organic food. You will be absolutely amazed at how great you will look and feel once you are giving your body and mind the nourishment they need. Fingernails become stronger, hair shinier, skin clearer and your body will look and be healthier. You will be able to focus better, sleep deeper, wake up rested in the morning, and have less cravings and less aches and pains. Your immune system will strengthen; your mood will be more calm and consistent, you will have more energy and will be happier, not only because your's feeding your brain, but also because you are proud of yourself!

I could go on forever about the benefits of eating organic but for those of you who are tired of fad diets and fluctuating weight loss and weight gain, Ill focus on some great tips on shedding those extra pounds and keeping them off. Follow these guidelines and there’s no way that you will not lose weight!Your body will know when enough is enough and you will stop losing weight and maintain your healthy figure.

#1 Go Organic

As I mentioned, the most important thing you can do to lose weight is to eat organic foods. I mean eat only organic foods, including the food that you always thought was healthy anyway like fruits and vegetables.

Non-organic fruits and vegetables contain pesticides. You might say that these chemicals don't make you sick, at least not immediately. What pesticides can do is build up in your system like any other chemical and block the release of bodily waste. This waste collects in problem areas like your waistline, hips and thighs. You'll know what I mean if you’ve ever gone on a diet and ate salads every day yet saw little or no progress in your weight loss but you were constantly hungry. Organic food is chemical-free whole food that makes you full and satisfied. You will most likely eat at least one quarter less than what you normally eat because you will get fuller faster and have fewer cravings.

#2 Stop Counting Calories!

Most people think this is ridiculous, but if you just give it a try you will see that it works. Stop counting carbohydrates, calories and fat content! Monitoring your intake so meticulously is not necessary and this concept is promoted all the time so companies can sell their diet food. Every time I tell people this they think that I'm insulting their intelligence because it is what they were always taught and they have seen it work. You do not need to monitor the content of your food like you did before. Don't get me wrong everything in moderation still applies when having a well- balanced diet. I'm simply stating that you can free yourself of this obsession because you will lose weight just by eating healthier.

People might lose weight on the Atkins diet and ultimately end up malnourished because they’ve limited themselves on everything but meat. You might lose the weight but your face might not look that great. Many people who are malnourished break out in acne and get dark circles under their eyes and dry or oily skin. That's not counting the toll it takes on the rest of your body. Some foods and drinks that are very high in fat content are also the healthiest and will not inhibit your body's ability to lose weight as long as they are organic and consumed in moderation. A great example is fresh, local and certified organic raw milk. Check out my article titled Raw Milk Vs.Store Bought Milk to read the benefits of drinking organic milk that has not been pasteurized and homogenized.

#3Cook

Think back on all the old movies and TV shows you watched when you were a kid and how your grandparents and great-grandparents used to look during the 60's and earlier. Even the people who were heavy-set back then did not have the cellulite that many of us do today, nor did they have obvious trouble areas like overly large bottoms or huge hips and love handles. Most of the heavier people back then were not lumpy, but their weight was evenly dispersed and they still looked healthier than most thin people do today. Men did not have over-developed breasts and it was not common to see people with bodies as skinny and malnourished as, say, the Olsen twins.

Why? They didn't have the processed food that we have today and they cooked their breakfast and dinners and packed their lunches! They weren't consuming growth hormones therefore children and men were not forming breasts and bodies were not packed with misshaped pockets of stubborn fat and toxins. Today, there are people who choose to zip by the fast-food drive through four or even five times per week and others might even choose to starve themselves so they can get that ultimate cheeseburger at the end of the day. When we choose to eat fast food, we are constipating ourselves and becoming lethargic because this junk just sits and festers in our bodies until we make the choice to be proactive and get some nutrients in our system to finally clean it out. This may sound disgusting but it's better than showing you a picture of what builds up in your colon after a year of eating fast food.

Unless you decide to eat out at an organic restaurant, prepare your own meals. I have a busy schedule just like most people, so I make a prepackaged lunch and snacks at night for the next day. If I plan on waking up early to do this, it will never get done and I’ll end up buying something disgusting and feeling tired for the rest of the day!

#4 Tackle Cravings Head-On

Be proactive and anticipate the times that you crave junk food the most so you can have a healthier and more satisfying alternative ready to go. Don't be afraid to pack plenty of organic snacks! The typical time that I crave unhealthy snacks is in the middle of the work day and it’s very easy to shovel junk in your mouth while you’re working on the computer because you end up going on automatic and don’t even realize that you’ve eaten a whole bag of chips or 10 candy kisses.

Have a replacement for junk food and you will be more satisfied, awake, that much healthier, less likely to gorge later and, best of all, your craving will be satisfied and you will not be hungry. Don't omit snacking. You should eat something small every time you’re hungry. I weigh 120 lbs. and I eat many times per day. I do not have overly high metabolism and I eat all types of food in small portions. I'm not hungry, I have less cravings and I'm more focused. If I were trying to write this article right now on an empty stomach I guarantee you it would make much less sense.

#5 Exercise

I included this dreaded advice that very few of us want to hear about these days. Many of us are so busy that by the time we get home from work, feed the kids, give baths, clean, do laundry and so on, there is usually very little time and energy left to be spent exercising. The good news is that you do not necessarily need to exercise to lose weight if you want to switch to an organic lifestyle. The truth is, however, that you should make the time and do it anyway for the health benefits!

Don't look at exercise as something you have to do to lose weight (even though it does work). Eating organic food and exercising is great way to get rid of those nasty toxins twice as fast. You will get oxygen into your muscles and extract the toxins out. You will notice that because you are becoming healthier from your new way of eating that your muscles get toned much faster than they ever did before. Every great benefit you get from eating organic food is magnified when you combine it with an exercise regimen.

I hope this article has helped you become inspired by organic food and feel confident that you will lose weight without going hungry! You have a general idea of how you can make organic food work for you. Now you should read my next chapter titled Lose Weight Organically Stay Full about what organic products to buy that will help you lose weight in a jiffy. Believe me, this will be a piece of cake. Organic cake!

Tip: Check out Food Network with Dish Network for great recipes and turn them into organic masterpieces of your own or simply buy a cookbook if you do not have experience in creating your own delicious meals.