How to Lose 25 lbs. in 30 days

Approximately 70% of the Americans are overweight or obese. The annual revenue of the weight loss industry is 20 Billion. People are spending obscene amounts of money on diet books, diet drugs, personal trainers and surgery. The average person will make 3 or 4 attempts to lose weight per year. Most people fail because they are making it more complicated than it needs to be. Losing weight and having a lean body is very simple. You don’t have to take gimmicky diet pills, undergo risky surgery, starve yourself or spend hours in the gym.

Losing weight and having good health begins with your state of mind. You must truly desire to have optimal wellbeing. You have to relieve yourself from addictive toxic foods and replace them with healthy nutrient dense foods. I have come to learn that 90% of weight loss is about what you eat. You can spend hours exercising but if you continue to consume junk food all day you will never be healthy and slim. When it comes to good health, diet is king and exercise is queen. I only exercise 3 days a week. I do 30 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weight lifting.

Carrying extra weight implies that you are ill and your body is not functioning at its ultimate capacity. Your body is malnourished when you are overweight. You over eat and crave for more food because your body is not satisfied with the empty calories from processed junk food. You are what you eat. You would not put polluted fuel in your car and expect it to function well. Your body is also a machine that will only run properly when you provide it with healthy food.

Your desire to be healthy has to be stronger than the negative forces of chemical cravings, corporate advertising and cultural conformity that will undermine your health. Nothing can hold you back when you have a strong enough reason for wanting to be healthy. You only receive one body to live in, so taking care of it should be your highest priority in life. Your good health is your greatest wealth. Don’t take it for granted. Nothing in life really matters if you are not healthy enough or alive to enjoy it. What is your reason for wanting to be alive and have longevity? My motivation for weight loss and healthy living is simple. I want to stay active and have longevity to enjoy family, friends and travel. I also want to be healthy enough to accomplish many personal and financial goals.

Losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle will definitely help you reach your chief goals in life quicker. Proper nutrition gives your mind more clarity and your body more energy to perform at a high level. Maintaining a proper body weight will also help you prevent and sometimes reverse many physical ailments.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” Hippocrates

I can attest to ridding myself of many aches and ailments once I lost weight through proper nutrition. Having a smaller waistline contributes to better health and vitality. Shedding extra pounds will also reduce your chances of getting heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Heart failure can be prevented through nutritious eating habits. I followed a simple routine saturated with good nutrition and lost 25 pounds in a month. I weighed 200 pounds and dropped to 175. I instantly felt 10 years younger and more energetic. Everyone’s body is a little different, but if you follow my prescription below, you will definitely have similar success. You will not only lose weight but you will keep it off for good. Healthy eating will be way of life.

Forget the calorie counting. When you eat healthy, you can eat as much as you want without gaining weight. You will never over indulge with apples or broccoli as you would on cookies or pizza. Your body instinctively knows when to stop eating once it has had enough nutrient dense food. A person will overeat on junk food because it is void of nutrients and has empty calories. The cravings continue because our body’s nutritional needs can’t be satisfied by processed food. Processed junk food also has refined sugar and other additives which have addictive characteristics.

You want to eat natural food from the Earth. Ninety percent (90 %) of your diet should be fruits and vegetables. The only real living food is in the produce section of the grocery store. If food is processed and packaged then you basically want to stay away from it. Living foods provide us with all the fuel we need to keep our bodies healthy. Plants have enzymes that feed and regenerate your cells. Listed below is the food I consumed during my month of weight loss and the food I stayed away from.

Healthy food to eat

Coconuts, Bananas, Blueberries, Strawberries, Watermelon, Mangos, Lemons, Apples, Peaches, Plums, Grapes, Pineapple, Kale, Spinach, Garlic, Bell Peppers, Lettuce, Greens, Onions, Cucumber, Beans, Peas, Tomatoes, Redskin Potatoes, unsalted Peanuts, whole wheat pasta and Brown rice

You should consume your veggies in raw form as much as possible. Some of the vitamins and nutrients are lost when veggies are cooked over high heat. Nature has already cooked the plants for you. Consume  fruits and vegetables via juicing, blending, or salad. Occasionally I will lightly cook my vegetables for dinner. Never overcook veggies until they are lifeless and wilting. You want you veggies to maintain its crunchy texture as much as possible. My diet plan is similar to how the Japanese people from Okinawa eat. They typically live to be 110 years old. Their longevity is attributed to their diet which is rich in vegetables and small amounts of fish.

Unhealthy Food to stay away from

Processed packaged food (chips, candy bars, Frozen dinners, Bread, candy bars, etc.), White rice, White pasta, sugar, Coffee, Dairy products, Eggs, Fried food and all meat products. I recommend Fish such as wild caught Salmon if you absolutely have to include meat in your diet.

What about protein?

Many people worry that they will not get enough protein if they don’t consume a lot of meat. Nuts, beans, and green leafy vegetables have protein. You can still be strong and healthy from eating plant based protein. Olympic track runner Carl Lewis adopted a vegan diet in 1991 to prepare for the World championships in 1991 where he ran the best meet of his life. Hall of fame Quarterback Joe Namath was vegan. Professional baseball player and 6 time All Star Prince Fielder is a strict vegetarian. Many of the strongest animals such as elephants, rhinoceros, gorillas and bulls only eat plants.

The daily meal plan

Breakfast: Big bowl of fresh mixed fruit and a glass of fresh squeezed lemon juice. The bowl of fruit can be substituted with a large fruit smoothie.

Lunch: Green salad sprinkled with almonds. Remember not to add cheese, meat or a fatty salad dressing. I season my salad with pepper, turmeric powder and garlic powder. This salad can be replaced with a large green smoothie.

Snack: Fresh fruit such as coconuts, bananas, strawberries, grapefruit or an apples.

Dinner: Stir fried or steamed mixed vegetables accompanied with brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or redskin potatoes. Adding baked fish is optional. I may eat salmon on a rare occasion. My diet is currently 95% vegan.  Another great dinner options is homemade vegetable soup.

Snack: If I get hungry again I will eat some more fruit or one cup of peanuts.

Alcohol

I eliminated all consumption of Alcohol. Alcohol is dangerous to vital organs such as the liver, kidney and brain. It is a toxic drug. It is the most dangerous drug because it is socially acceptable in most societies. It contains empty calories and sugar. It is void of any vitamins and minerals. Alcohol used to increase my appetite and made me more inclined to desire unhealthy processed and fried food. It is difficult to lose and maintain a healthy weight when you consume alcohol on a normal basis. Two bottles of beer has the same amount of calories as a sirloin steak. 2 glasses of Gin has the caloric intake equal to a Donut. 1 glass of wine is equal to eating 4 chocolate chip cookies. This is why most drinkers have bulging bellies.

Water

Other than the fresh juice I make at home, water is all I drink. You should drink half your body weight in water. If you weigh 160 pounds then you should drink 80 ounces of water daily. The human body is made of 75% water. Proper hydration is everything when it comes to good health and weight loss. Water will increase your metabolism and make you feel fuller. When people psychologically feel hungry they usually need more water and not more food. Water cleanses your whole body. It will help you have more frequent bowel movements which is key to weight loss and overall health. I often add lemons to give water more antioxidant and cleansing power.

Never quit or get discouraged if you stumble in the beginning. Nothing worth achieving is easy up front. It will take a while to eliminate toxic junk food cravings and to fend off social pressure to eat poorly. After your body becomes accustomed to eating healthier food you will no longer desire to eat rubbish. Almond milk will taste better than cow milk. A banana will taste sweeter than ice cream. Coconut water will feel more refreshing than soda. An apple will taste better than a candy bar. Once your body is fully detoxified you will only enjoy eating natural, fresh and healthy food. Losing weight is not just about having a six pack and looking good at the beach. The core benefit is that you will live a longer, vigorous and healthier life.