H ot dogs , hamburgers , French fries , pizza , soda , kool-aid , potato chips , milk shakes , ice cream , cakes , pies , and all foods such as these are friends of your palate , but enemies of your physique . And when the dastardly villains we commonly refer to as the mirror and the scale reveal the result of our consumption , thoughts of “ how did this happen ?” come to mind . In a state of panic we make bold proclamations of our commitment to changing from what we see to what we want to see or what we have seen ( many years ago ). There are two questions that must be honestly addressed before getting started : “ What am I willing to change ? How long will I commit to that change ?”
For all of us Change , the Big “ C ”, is uncomfortable and when we consider undertaking a behavioral change in our eating patterns , things really get debatable . Drastic overnight changes are often short lived and lead to long term failures . Keep in mind that the Roman Empire was not built in a day , and your body will not be transformed in a day either . Small and successive changes over time lead to lifestyle or behavioral adaptations with long-term implications . This concept is useful to all people , from the elite athletes ( Olympians and Professional Athletes ) to the “ Joe Blow / Janes ” ( the rest of us ). The following is a 12 week plan for success from Kevin O ’ Donnell and Loren Seagrave ( Founders of Speed Dynamics ). I know that you will see and feel notable differences in your life if you commit to the entire 12 weeks .
Weeks
1
Drink More Pure Water
Consume at least three 8-12 ounce glasses of pure water each day . We must provide our body with
enough of this vital resource to perform many essential tasks . Most city water plant attempts to remove the chlorine transforms into hypochlorite , a bleaching agent , within the body . Commercially available home filters can solve this problem .
2
Eat More Raw Fruit and Vegetables
The American Cancer Institute , the FDA and the
USDA encourage everyone to eat a minimum of 4-5 servings of raw fruits and vegetables each day . This gives our body increased complex carbohydrates and provides increased soluble and insoluble fiber , live plant enzymes and antioxidants . Eating canned or frozen products will not meet the “ raw ” criteria .
3
Eliminate Alcohol Consumption
When you force your body to ingest poison , your body will work overtime to expel it . Alcohol dehydrates the body and the body recognizes alcohol as a poison . This should be a big “ DUH ” for the redeemed and a week that can be omitted , cutting this process down to 11 weeks .
4
Eliminate Aspartame and Foods Prepared With It
Aspartame is a vasoconstrictor that compromises the blood flow to your brain . Once inside your body it cannot be easily expelled , so it is stored . Aspartame breaks down , when heated , to methanol and formaldehyde .
5
Eliminate Caffeine
Would you rev your car for hours at a time while never leaving your driveway ? Caffeine and other stimulants affect our nervous system in a similar fashion . Continual stimulation of the nervous system and the adrenal gland with caffeine will make them rev at a level that can , over time , cause them to be depleted of essential biochemicals and simply wear out . Keep in mind that the adrenal gland is the first line of defense in our immune system .
6
Reduced Salt Intake
In extremely rare exceptions , all the salt we will ever need is already in the food available to us . Salt functions as a vasoconstrictor , making it difficult for the body to pass nutrients to needy tissue .
7
Drastically Reduce Simple Sugars , Especially Sucrose
Refined table sugar contains sucrose and has a profound affect on the hormone insulin . Insulin is produced by the pancreas and when you consume sucrose the pancreas usually overreacts to the rise in blood sugar by producing too much insulin . This results in rebound hypoglycemia , or low blood sugar . Additionally , sugar can have a profound weakening effect on the body .
8
NUTRITION
Avoid Sources of Aluminum
There has been a link between intercellular aluminum in the tissues of the brain and the degenerating disease of Alzheimer ’ s . Some common sources are canned soft drinks , some antacids and food cooked in aluminum cookware .
9
Eliminate Sodas
Some sodas , especially colas , contain phosphoric acid , which requires the body to neutralize the acidity in order to restore balance . Unfortunately , skeletal calcium is the element used to return the blood ’ s acidity to an optional level . The leaching of calcium is a detriment to skeletal strength and can lead to stress fractures ( especially for athletes in training ).
10
Drastically Reduce or Eliminate Dairy Products
Many adults experience lactose intolerance . The lack of sufficient enzymes to break down the milk sugar lactose leads to this gastric discomfort .
11
Eliminate Preservatives and Artificial Coloring Agents
Food additives have been linked to compromised function of the brain and nervous system and many have been identified as carcinogens .
12
By Tommie Silas
Minimize the Intake of Meat
Meat provides a large contribution to the fat intake in our lives . In addition , steroids and antibiotics used in the breeding of cattle is regularly to the consumer in meat products .
Success with this plan can be reached by adding one step per week as you continue the previous week ’ s component . Remember the Roman Empire was not built in a day . But as you commit to a change in your eating behavior , you are committing to a change in your life . Your fitness begins at the table , not on the track .