By Jack Firneno
Wire Staff Writer
If you’re looking to lose weight this year or create a more healthy lifestyle for yourself, planning out what’s on your plate is even more important that your time on the treadmill.
“You can’t spot-reduce from exercise,” explained Jim Wilk, certified nutrition counselor from North Wales and host of Holly Hill Health Hour radio show on WNPV 1440 AM. “The crunches and sit-ups make you strong, but the weight comes off from watching your diet and exercises that get your metabolism up so you can eat more because you’re burning it off.”
But, it takes more than just having a singular goal to successfully overhaul a bad diet. Instead, you need to be looking at the bigger picture if you want your health kick to stick.
“If someone comes to me strictly to lose weight, I probably wouldn’t take them on,” admitted Joy Small, a holistic nutritionist at Vishala Holistic Health Spa in Richboro. “But if they say they need to start feeling better or are tired of being tired, then I’ll see what we can do.”
Fortunately, however, you can make good habits just like bad ones. “Good follows good: We crave better foods when we eat vegetables and proteins,” said Dr. Bruce Lewandowski, whose chiropractic office in Trevose also specializes in weight loss and nutrition.
It’s not just enough to eat better: to make a real difference in your health through nutrition, you have to think about your lifestyle as a whole. That’s why people like Wilk, Small and Lewandowski focus on the habits and motivations behind a diet as much as the foods themselves.
Here are some of their common recommendations to people looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle through proper nutrition:
Start Fresh
If you’re planning to only put good foods into your body, start by getting the bad stuff out — especially after the end of the year, which often mean overeating and junk food.
“We tend to overindulge and probably eat things we know aren’t too healthy for social reasons,” said Wilk about the holiday season. After that’s died down, he explained, “It’s a good idea to do a little body detox.”
Wilk doesn’t recommend anything drastic- he often recommends simple formulas that incorporate herbs used traditionally as cleansers in many societies like dandelions, burdock or juniper berries, and some fiber or gentle laxative. “You don’t need to fast or adjust your lifestyle too much,” he explained. Most are gentle, and take 10 days to a month of drinking a formula in the morning or at night.
But, this simple procedure goes a long way toward cleaning out the blood, lymph system, kidneys, and fat cells that absorb the “thousands of chemicals” we’re introduced to every year.
“It’s like changing the filter on a car,” he said.
Focus on Fit, not Fat
Contrary to popular belief, said Wilk, cutting out fat, meat, or butter isn’t the first step toward a more nutritious diet.
“People have eaten that for generations, fresh and unadulterated,” he explained. “Its processed foods that kill people — trans fats and artificial sweeteners that make you heavier by tricking your body into thinking it hasn’t gotten anything.”
And, according to Lewandowski, the real culprits are sugar, which is dense in calories and brings other health problems, and carbohydrates — which the body often just converts into sugar during digestion.
“Sugar is by far the worst,” he warned.”The brain goes haywire when it enters the system, and we start to crave it more and more.” And while it isn’t as severe as kicking a nicotine or caffeine habit, there are some withdrawal effects associated with cutting sugar out of your diet.
But, the benefits far outweigh any temporary discomforts. “I’ve seen so many people cut out carbs and lose weight, but people still have this misconception that eating fat makes you fat — it’s just not true,” said Wilk. Instead, he suggested a diet that puts vegetables and protein as 80% of your diet.
Plan Ahead
Even the best laid plans to eat fresh, healthy foods can get sidetracked if you’re ready to eat but far from home, or too hungry (or busy) to prepare a good meal.
“Planning your meals is very important, and you can do it on any budget,” said Small.
It starts in the supermarket: stock up on nuts, dry fruit or even cheese if you’ll be on the road or prone to snack. For meals, focus on greens and protein-rich foods like chicken and eggs.
And, cook for more than one day at a time. “If you wait till you’re starving [to prepare a meal] you’re going to eat your way through the kitchen,” Small cautioned.
She recommends making extra portions, and using part of what you make for another meal later: “My big thing is having a large, mostly raw, salad in the middle of the day with some leftover steamed vegetables from the night before.”
Small acknowledges that it’s tough for people today to coordinate their meals, but suggests starting small and being conscious of what you’re eating.. “I focus on teaching people to make better choices,” she said. “It’s not all-or-nothing. Even one small step can make a huge difference.”
Want three easy ways to get started with a more healthy lifestyle? Find more tips from these local experts here.
