By Marie-Claire Hermans, Ravishing Raw Chef & Coach
One day when I was in New York, sitting behind the window of a Starbucks with a huge cup of Mint tea I thought: "Let me count ten people who are passing by and see how many are overweight." The number was devastating; 7. Seven! And I wish I could say they just had overweight. No, most of them were obese. That's a shock. It is also a shock that the wave has reached Europe and ... our children. Our children are exposed to the dangers of fast food, junk, lack of education about food. This is even more sad!
How can be millions of people be the victim of civilization? Well, we all know factor number one of overweight: bad, fat, processed foods. Too much. Too S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Factor number two: stress. Imbalanced hormone levels due to pressure you can't handle with emotional eating as side effect. Factor number three: fear. Yes, I came up with that last one myself. I will tell you why in a minute.
Another question is: "Why is it so hard to lose weight for so many people who have been "trying everything""? Maybe you didn't realize before so here it is: acidity! You can't lose weight as long as your body is acid.
If you are one of these people, getting desperate because you tried out every diet, you even stopped eating at some point and gained back your lost weight twice when you started eating "normal" again, then you will love what you are about to read. Stop dieting! Breaking the jojo- circle of going up and down is essential to get balanced.
Now the next step: alkalizing your body. If you have been eating mostly cooked foods for many years, if you are not eating raw yet, you are most probably acid. Being acid contributes to overweight because the body will hold more water to dilute the acids. Excess acids are stored in the fat tissue and cause weight gain and cellulitis.
It is very important to understand how your body works: only then you will understand why diets fail on long terms. The other tricky thing about fat cells is that they store toxins. So from the moment on you start dieting, the fat cells release the stored acids and toxins. With the common diets which are depleting you from nutrients, you are not removing those wastes. Diets make you feel ill, fatigued, they put your mood on a swing, your body has to draw minerals out of the bones to try to neutralize the acidity. Yes, you are now also a candidate for osteoporosis.
It can be so easy to lose overweight and balance your weight naturally without dieting. Eating raw does: fresh organic vegetables, fruits, superfoods, herbs are your life savers and fat melting solutions. Why?
1.Eating raw, unprocessed, organic greens alkalize your body
2.You cleanse your body naturally and remove the toxins and acid wastes causing overweight and illness
3.Chlorophyll heals ailments, detoxifies your cells and blood, rejuvenates them, creates new energy
4.You receive the important alive enzymes lipase and protease that break down the fats in food
5.Raw food delivers so many nutrients that the body needs less food to feel satisfied
6.Greens take away sweet cravings and you can break with emotional eating patterns
7.Eating raw changes your psychology as well, you become mentally and emotionally healthier
8.Raw food re-balances your body and gives you the weight that fits your bone structure
9.By adapting your SAD lifestyle to a RAW one, you can stop "thinking" about food constantly
10.Eating raw means that you can eat as much as you want without gaining excessive weight ever again
Why did I say "fear" is the third factor of holding on to fat? Because I notice how many people are afraid of changing their diet into a healthy lifestyle! They are afraid of "missing" something, they love their gourmet meals, they are afraid they won't be able to "enjoy" their food anymore because they think healthy equals bo-ring. This fear is not to be underestimated, confirmed through social pressure and yet it is so easy to overcome, simply by removing the preconceptions about eating healthy and raw. Once you tasted the richness of raw meals, felt the energy after eating a raw dish, experienced how wonderful it feels to be able to eat without guilt, you are on your way to opening a lifestyle in which you don't have to worry about gaining weight anymore. More importantly: you are on your way to health!
If you are trying to lose weight but still holding on to cooked foods, try to go raw for 3 days with my eBook "Raw For 3 Days" you received when you signed up for my A-Zine. I wrote it especially for you to try out raw food without any obstacles. All you need to do is take the shopping lists, shop, make the recipes from breakfast to dessert, have fun and enjoy them. Taste the difference. See the difference. Feel the difference!
"Marie-Claire Hermans, founder of "Ravishing Raw", author and raw food coach is committed to bringing people closer to a healthy and happy life. Sign up for her FREE Ravishing Raw FooDprint A-Zine every week and she will welcome you with her WELCOME GIFT "Raw for 3 Days"! eBook. If you are eager to start up your raw lifestyle, to feel better and look younger, launch around on her blog for tips, tricks, tools, recipes and articles at her websitewww.ravishingraw.com, http://blog.ravishingraw.be/ and http://blogravishingraw.com/"
Pictures- Marie-Claire Hermans
