Zalud’s Blog got this great advice today from Dr. Leslie Van Romer.

 

Let's get right to the point. When you look in the mirror, are you happy with the reflection looking back at you? If you are, congratulations!

However, if you're like so many of us, you're stuck in those big girl (or big boy) pants and no matter how hard you've tried, you're unable to get rid of them - for good. You can't even figure out how you've allowed yourself to get stuck in those pants in the first place!

 

And it isn't like you haven't tried to lose weight. You've hopped aboard almost every up and down, merry-go-round diet known to mankind. You've counted, measured, starved, sacrificed, deprived, sneaked (like you can sneak from yourself), guilted, and ended up with the same results every

time: frustrated, feeling like a hopeless failure and after all that - still carrying around extra fat.

 

Stop beating yourself up! You may not be the only one to blame for your struggle with weight. And no it's not about nature vs. nurture. Regardless of your genes, the truth is you haven't had a fighting chance since birth.

Not that you're entirely off the hook - you're an adult now and ultimately, you are responsible for you. But give yourself a break. The deck is stacked against you - big time! After all, you were birthed from the loins of our culture, and our culture created monsters - food monsters.

 

Just like all of us food monsters, you were taught to love meat, milk, cheese, white breads, eggs, dried-up cereals, butter, oils, sodas, fast food, fried food, junk food, packaged food, processed food, and goodies of all kinds. Not only that, you want to eat what you want, when you want it, without regard to the big, fat consequences - overweight, out of shape, tired, achy, ripe for diseases, and terribly unhappy with how you look and feel.

 

Breaking the Chains, Building a New You

 

It's tough to break free from those foods you love so much, but let's face the facts. These foods are holding you hostage in a body you're tired of.

Bottom line: If you have the want and the will to get into those ever-so-cute, smaller pants - and stay there - the way may be easier than you think.

 

Open your mind, take a deep breath and be pleasantly surprised at these 10 doable, common-sense tips to get you back in those pants:

 

1. Ask yourself: "Which foods prevent cancer?"

Fresh fruits and vegetables, of course. They also prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, digestive disorders, and a plethora of other killer diseases and disabilities. They also give you the most nutrition for your calorie buck. In other words, fresh fruits and vegetables are your weight warriors and health heroes - not the meats, dairy products, breads, cereals, fats, oils, and sweets we were taught to fill up on. It makes perfect sense to wrap your day around fresh fruits and vegetables - starting right now - to untrap yourself from those layers.

 

2. Think addition, not subtraction for losing weight over the long haul of life.

Instead of focusing on what you "have to" give up, like you do with most diets, think about what you "get to" add to your day. Then fill up on those best-for-you foods first: Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains (like brown rice), legumes (black or kidney beans), and raw, unsalted nuts and seeds.

 

3. For breakfast, graze on enough fresh fruits all morning long to fill you up and keep you satisfied.

Yes, fruit can fill you up! The trick: You must eat enough of it. Do you think eating 10 fresh, whole fruits every morning would fill you up?

Absolutely! Have fun with this and see how many fruits it takes to fill your tummy and satisfy your hunger.

 

4. For lunch, fill up on a large, green-leafy salad with 10 different raw veggies.

Make sure this salad is large enough to fill you up. Hint: The small side-salads we were raised with and most restaurant salads aren't nearly big enough. Use oil-free, dairy-free dressing. Consider chopping the lettuce (not iceberg) and veggies finely. Dress with balsamic vinegar and juice from ½ lemon and toss thoroughly. A diced avocado will add a creamy texture.

Chase the salad with a couple of handfuls of raw, unsalted almonds or sunflower seeds.

 

Normally, you will get hungry a couple of hours after eating salad. When that happens, eat! Just make sure it's a healthy snack like fresh fruit.

 

For a change-up lunch, try veggie or bean soup or a veggie sandwich on sprouted-grain bread with avocado or hummus spread, instead of mayonnaise.

 

5. For dinner, fill up on the best-for-you foods first by eating in this

order:

First, a medium-size, green-leafy, 10-veggie salad.

Second, steamed vegetables of choice, like green beans, asparagus or broccoli.

Third, a more filling vegetable, such as potato (yes, you're free to eat potatoes again), yam or winter squash. Instead of butter or sour cream, top these with pureed avocado, tomato, onion, lemon, and herbs of choice, fresh salsa, or chopped, fresh tomatoes. This is very filling.

Last, if still hungry, eat a small portion of traditional calorie-dense, fat-laden, nutritionally-void dinner foods, such as meat, fish or pasta. At least you will eat less of these anti-weight loss foods.

 

6. Snack on fresh fruit, raw, unsalted nuts and veggies like baby carrots, grape tomatoes, celery, and sliced cucumbers.

Keep healthy snacks with you at all times - at home, at work, in the car, on a plane, and during vacations.

 

7. When hungry, eat!

No more starving or depriving. Just be sure to fill up on the best-for-you foods first.

 

8. Stop eating when your brain tells you that you're full and satisfied.

When filling up on fresh plant foods, your brain will tell you to stop eating before you get that over-full, stuffed feeling in your stomach. It takes time to tune into your brain's signals and stop eating when you're told. However, with time and patience, you will enjoy the new sensation of lightness in your stomach while feeling totally satisfied.

 

9. Clean out the bad-for-you foods from cupboards and refrigerator.

After completing your search and destroy mission, ban the bad guys from your house. Otherwise, they may leap into your mouth. Trust yourself, but please don't tempt yourself.

 

10. Wiggle! If you must.

This is the most important tip of all. When designing a new way of eating, build in flexibility from the get-go. That way the only slip up is to give up. No more guilt or feeling weak and undisciplined. Eighty percent of the time, when meals are routine with no company or special occasion, make the effort to fill up on the best-for-you foods first.

 

Twenty percent of the time, wiggle (if you must)! Eat whatever your heart desires and then get back on track. Caution: Don't wiggle more than 20 percent of the time. The less you wiggle, the quicker those pants will be yours!

 

Perhaps you haven't had a chance since birth. But the good news? You do now.

Take self-responsibility and reclaim your body and your life. Follow these 10 tips to shed the weight and step into your body-dream-come-true. Above all else, you deserve to feel good about you!

 

*Excerpted from Dr. Leslie Van Romer's forthcoming book, "Getting Into Your Pants - One Bite at a Time."

 

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a doctor of chiropractic, author, and expert in weight loss, diet and nutrition. She helps her clients with the prevention of diabetes, breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, fatigue, and premature aging. Her forthcoming book, "Getting Into Your Pants - One Bite at a Time," empowers readers to lose weight with doable food and lifestyle choices. She partners with Dr. Narinder Duggal, M.D. and pharmacist, to create "MD/DC Connect: The Med-Free Solution," which marries medical science with motivation. For more information, visit www.drleslievanromer.com or call 1-888-375-3754.