I am hoping that you have read part one and implemented my suggestions. I hope that the benefits are coming your way. Summertime is still here and this is your opportunity to continue with the strategies that have helped my patients to finally get the weight off and keep it off, increase their fitness levels and say goodbye to many medications for high cholesterol, hypertension, and high blood glucose and or blood fat levels.

26. Get a tape measure and get serious. Measurements are not negotiable numbers. Your biceps, chest, waist, hips, thighs, and calves measurements should be recorded with the date. Three times a week commit to working those muscles. Every two weeks take a new measurement. If there is positive change happening continue adding either more weight or more repetitions. If there are not positive changes examine your sessions. Have you been doing them three times a week? Are you following recommended workouts from a professional? If yes to the above I suggest you seek out fitness pro and give yourself every opportunity to accomplish your goals.

27. Treat yourself to a walk through your own closet. Please donate all items that are bigger sizes than you are.

28. Take a picture of you now and if you have a picture of you when you were where you want to be put them next to each other and carry them with you.

29. Find a buddy who is also goal oriented and make a bet. Winning is a wonderful incentive to push yourself.

30. Be flexible. If the weather is too humid or threatening thunderstorms know how to get your workout in. indoor air-conditioned malls offer the alternative to outdoor exercise. You might be very surprised to see many people using the mall for exercise.

31. Go shopping. You have the opportunity to try on many different looks in privacy without spending any money.

32. Freeze the abundant less expensive fruits in serving size packages. Use these for smoothies and baking especially later on when the prices are higher. Peel and freeze bananas.

33. Use frozen fruits to make refreshing slushes using available summertime fruits like watermelon.

34. Use frozen strawberries and bananas dipped in chocolate for dessert.

35. Use the internet for recipes. There are wonderful healthy recipes to try using a grill.

36. Do you have a vision in your mind of your best look? Close your eyes and see yourself -what are your wearing? What colors? Where are you? In a favorite place? I hope you are smiling!

37. Take ten-be grateful for your being.

38. Must have a “go to” strategy- everyone experiences weak moments. If you can be aware of the negative messages you are getting and have a strategy to buy yourself ten minutes-this will divert that weak moment. Examples are taking a bath, calling a friend, writing a letter to yourself, organizing a drawer.

39. Be realistic in your goals. The worst feeling of disappointment comes when you have unrealistic expectations. 10% weight loss in 6 months is realistic if you have substantial weight to lose. Two pounds per week is the average weight that should not come back.

40. After losing the weight it is vital to success to keep that weight off for 6-8 weeks. At that time you can reassess if more weight needs to come off.

42. Advertise your plan to lose weight, increase fitness and/or get off medications. The more people in your circle that know the less likely you are to slip up.

44. Beaches and parks offer wonderful locations to explore and appreciate the views, sounds and smells around you.

45. Calculate your daily intake; using your phone app or computer or the many books available with charts and formulas to help you.

46. Please don’t listen to advice from non professionals.

47. Play games. Examples are designating money for every pound or inch or mile walked. Listing destinations upon completion of every short term goal. Spa date, round of golf, new article of clothing are all common incentives that work.

48. Breathe. Take a few deep breaths before going to bed. If feelings invade that are negative or make you anxious deep breathing might help.

49. Learn to ask for what you need. Is it a hug? A nap? Or maybe some space. Everyone needs to take care of themselves.

50. Celebrate every success and journal it for the future so you can always refer back to it for reinforcement.

The paleo diet is a regime that helps us eat the freshest, healthiest and nutrient-filled food there is. The paleo diet is based on a balanced diet. The typical Paleo recipes includes

meat of grass-fed cows,
Poultry, seafood, and meat,
Fresh and organic vegetables and fruits of all colors,
Complex carbohydrates coming from tubers and fruits such as sweet potato (potato / sweet potato), potato and banana
Healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocado, olive oil and animal fat.
Based not only on what our ancestors ate that suffered from fewer chronic diseases than we, despite having no access to modern medicine,

Many people see the list of foods removed from the paleo diet and remove them from the diet without adding new things. When they remove processed foods and cereals from their diets, often only meat, eggs, and bacon remain. But just as important as eliminated foods (processed foods, sugar, cereals and in some cases dairy and vegetables) are the foods we add to our diets.

A typical paleo diet recipes is half veggies (carrot, broccoli, zucchini, and spinach) and a quarter of protein (often meat or seafood) and a quarter of carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes. A “paleo recipes” diet can be balanced or not, depending on what you put on your plate – just like any other diet. It is essential to note that every person has different body needs.

In the paleo recipes diet, there is also an emphasis on the quality of the food consumed – we try to avoid genetically modified organisms, eat organic vegetables when possible and meat/poultry/seafood that was fed properly, without hormones or inadequate food for their species. We try to eat “all the animal products” because we know that there are essential nutrients and amino acids in the parts of the animal that we cannot find in the most common cuts. Eating “booze” such as liver, paws, cola, bone broth, and any other part of the animal helps to maintain a balanced diet.

The paleo diet recipes does not restrict the consumption of fat or cholesterol. Contrary to what we have been taught, fat does not make us fat (consumed in moderation). Fat is essential to assimilate some vitamins (A, D, E, and K) that are necessary for the functioning of our body. Without fat, those vitamins cannot enter our body to do their job. Every cell in our body needs fat to function.

An old article in Time Magazine admits that consumption of saturated fat has no proven link to increased risk of heart problems, and high consumption of sugar and carbohydrates did. In fact, our use of cholesterol in food has nominal influence on the level of cholesterol in our blood. There is no reason to be afraid of eating fat. A paleo diet recipes with enough protein and fat often helps people to lose weight because they are foods that make us feel satiated and as a consequence, we eat less. In fact, if your goal is to lose weight, a paleo diet can be the key to your progress.

Before there were packaged goods, processed foods, GMOs and an ongoing debate between organic or not, there was dirt, seeds, water and roaming animals. It may be hard to consider now, but the dawn of man produced hunters and gatherers and humans had to get their own food – not by heading to the supermarket.

There were no sprays to kill insects, no chemicals or genes added or modified. No extra-large tomatoes or vibrant yellow bananas. Food was simple. It was either found, picked or hunted. And although there weren’t doctors or research scientists to confirm the benefits of such eating, it seems that when it comes to dietary habits, eating like our ancestors has some merit.

Diets come and diets go, but one in particular seems to have staying power and for good reasons as well. It’s based on eating similar to that of prehistoric man and it’s being touted as one of the best way to eat. It’s called the Paleo diet.

What is the Paleo diet?
The Paleo diet was created by Loren Cordain, a now-famous author, speaker and professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, who specializes in disease and diet. The Paleo diet itself reflects food items and methods of eating similar to our Stone Age ancestors – that’s right, this diet is framed around eating like cavemen. Through scientific research and peer-reviewed studies, Cordain has uncovered many health benefits to eating the Stone Age way.

There are seven premise on which the Paleo diet guidelines are based:

High protein
Low carbohydrates and low glycemic index
High fiber
Moderate to high fat intake – monosaturated and polysaturated fats with omega-3s and 6s

High potassium, low sodium
Net dietary alkaline balances dietary acid – some foods produce acid (meat) and others are alkaline (fruits and vegetables). Eating a balance of both alkaline and acid foods can have positive health effects.

High intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant phytochemicals.