Worldwide, the rate of overweight and obesity are rising to epic proportions, and, as a result, an obsession with weight loss has become a common trend. The healthiest way to lose weight is to cultivate a nutritious and balanced diet, implemented over an extended period of time. A healthy eating plan should also be practiced throughout life to maintain a desirable body weight.
Fad Diets
Nutritional cleansing does not mean fasting, nor does it require following an extreme fad diet that will eventually end. For instance, the popular Master Cleanse diet involves drinking only a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Nutritionists claim that the Master Cleanse drink supplies about 1,300 calories per day. For nutritional cleansing, there are more nutritious ways to consume 1,300 calories, while receiving an adequate supply of daily vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.
Eliminate Unhealthy Foods
According to the Detox Safely website, a cleansing diet starts with avoiding the most unhealthy food choices. Foods high in saturated or trans fat should be eliminated, including processed snacks, fried foods, and most animal meats. Limiting meat consumption will also help lower cholesterol intake and avoiding processed foods will reduce excess amounts of sodium in the diet. Added sugars should be removed from the diet by eliminating intake of candy, syrups and baked goods like cookies and cakes.
Include Healthy Foods
Cleansing, natural foods should be included at every meal. Emphasis should be placed on fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as increasing intake of whole grains. The ideal diet includes an array of different colors of fruits and vegetables. The more colorful the food on the plate, the more varied the nutrients received. Protein sources should include lean red meat, poultry without the skin, fish, beans, eggs, tofu, and nuts and seeds. Healthy fats should come from mainly mono- and polyunsaturated sources like olive oil and avocado.
Drink Right
Adequate fluid intake is also essential to a cleansing diet. Eliminate the consumption of soda, alcohol and sugary juices, even those made from fruit. Fresh-squeezed homemade fruit juice is preferable and water may be added to dilute the natural fruit sugars. Most important, drink plenty of water. It is recommended that the average person drink approximately eight glasses of water every day. Additionally, caffeine intake should be avoided on a cleansing diet, so try switching from coffee to herbal tea.
Portion Control
Finally, the Center for Disease Control recommends cleansing the diet of excess calories in order to lose weight. Eat only what is required daily for adequate energy, focus, and concentration. Fortunately, eating healthier foods also usually means eating more food because nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables are generally low in calories and fat. Weight loss occurs when, on average, more calories are expended than taken in over time. Increasing physical activity and burning extra calories through movement will further assist in cleansing the body and expedite healthy weight loss.
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