There's no doubt about it- fresh, whole foods can make you feel GREAT!
But Why?
There are actually a few really good reasons why, when transitioning to a whole foods-based diet you feel amazing.
Though your body may go through some ups and downs along the way, did you know that sticking to the style eating program could do more than just help you lose a few pounds, but really help your body, your aging process and your overall health in the long run?
Fad diet's come and go, but the whole food-based diet is different. No, it's not groceries bought from the market that goes by the same name, it's a style of eating that focuses on nutritionally fabulous foods that are minimally processed and as "whole" to their original state as they can be. (Think an apple vs. apple sauce.)
By moving over to a whole foods-based diet, first and foremost you naturally eliminate a lot of sugar, flour, chemicals, and processed foods that your body is "used" to eating.
Combine this effect with the fact that you're probably also drinking a lot more water and moving your bowels much more regularly. It's no wonder then that you feel great! You're getting rid of a lot of garbage and introducing lots of new fresh vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to your body.
This just makes your body happy!
It really is amazing what good nutrition can do. You start to realize how much your body may have been missing some of those vitamins and minerals and how good you can actually FEEL when you give it what it needs.
But do you know what else is happening?
Chances are good your body is really happy because it's no longer in a state of chronic inflammation.
Inflammation as you probably know is the body's response to injury or infection. Like if you have a sprained ankle, it gets swollen. This is how the body repairs the damage. Once the injury has been healed, the inflammation goes away. It's that simple.
These kind of responses can happen anywhere in your body, including blood vessels and organs. And sometimes it doesn't go away. This is called chronic inflammation and over time, studies show it can actually damage your tissues, organs, and create all kinds of health problems. (For specifics on this, do a Google search.)
Researchers have been looking into the causes and effects of inflammation to see how it may be prevented. Studies have found, for example, the consuming too many calories and carrying excess fat, as seen in obesity, play in important role in chronic inflammation.
Studies have also shown that eating fewer calories while still maintaining great nutrition helps reduce inflammation. Even more importantly, they found that certain foods can have an anti-inflammatory effect as well!
While research is still ongoing, many of the results show that eating styles similar to the Mediterranean diet can really help reduce inflammation. Of course, I love this, because that's what Lean and Green is all about!
All of the fresh, whole foods, healthy carbs, fresh veggies and good fats are Lean and Green living in a nutshell. And it works!
Combining this style of eating with the calorie restriction and benefits of the Optavia Diet program, and you have a match made in Heaven for weight loss.
What's the key to keeping it off for good?
Once you hit your target goal, maintaining that Lean and Green lifestyle with great tasting recipes will help you keep the weight off forever. And hopefully, your inflammation along with it!
Happy cooking!
