How I Naturally Lost 40 Pounds in 4 Months

I was 24 years old, a new mom and classified as obese, weighing 55 pounds more than a healthy woman of my age and height. I knew that if I was going to experience the joys of motherhood without having to stop to catch my breath, something would have to be done. I tried Atkins, mail-order pills, OTC pills containing ephedra and other dangerous compounds. I even tried patches and bars containing secret ingredients guaranteed to deliver results. Nothing worked!
I did my research and talked with my doctor. For me, the program I developed and followed worked. Please share this information with your doctor and see if he doesn't support this program the way my doctor did. Since no two people are the same, your results will vary, but if you follow this program just as I did, you will lose weight. No gimmicks, no out-of-this-world promises, just a transition to healthier living.

Cut out or eliminate fatty meat products. I chose to cut out all meats except eggs and sea food for 4 months. After 4 months I added back in the chicken and turkey breast. If you decide to keep meat as part of your diet, rely on lean cuts of meat like chicken or turkey breast. If you decide to cut out meat all together as I did, you can substitute those items with soy versions that taste great! You can also increase your bean, nut and legume intake as long as it's a low-fat option. Peanut butter is very high in fat so it should not be a regular substitution. This works by drastically reducing your fat intake.

Supplement Your Diet With Vitamins & Minerals. I started taking several different supplements which offer weight loss benefits.
Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg - Aids in weight loss around the midsection.
Chromium Picolinate 200 mcg - Suppresses the appetite and converts food to energy.
Stress or Super B Complex With Vitamin C & Iron - Converts food to energy and suppresses the appetite.
Acidophilus - Promotes healthy digestion which is essential in weight loss.
Multivitamin - Boosts energy and keeps your body working properly.
St. John's Wart & Griffonia Seed - I took a complex called Luminex which also contains folate. Keeping your mood up will reduce the risk of emotional or stress eating.

Cut Calories and Fat Intake. A normal or healthy adult's daily caloric intake is 2,000 calories. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for everyone. The minimum number of calories you should consume daily is 1,200. I aimed for about 1,500 calories each day. That allowed me to indulge in a snack or 2 in addition to my meals. As for fat intake, try limiting your fat to 5 grams per meal/snack with no more than 20-25 grams per day.

Increase Fiber and Protein Intake. Women should be taking in 25 grams of fiber and men should bring in 38 grams. Fiber keeps you full for longer periods of time and aids in healthy digestion. It also reduces your risk of certain cancers. As a general rule, most healthy adults should consume 50 grams of protein daily. Protein aids in muscle retention and helps prevent muscle atrophy.

Get Physical. For me, simply walking 2 miles (or 45 minutes) five times per week was all I needed to jump start my weight loss and muscle gain. Walking is free and you already know how to do it, so it just makes the most sense. You'll hit a plateau in your weight loss with light walking alone. You will reach a point where exercise will be necessary to tone your new thin body. Your doctor can give you your best option or find activities that you've always been interested in such as martial arts or dance.

Eliminate added fats, sugars and salts. Your body converts food to sugar for energy. If that sugar goes unused, your body then converts it to fat and stores it away. So do yourself a favor and don't add unnecessary amounts of sugar to your diet. Artificial sweeteners are not the answer though. Try foods and beverages that are naturally sweet. You'll find that in time you will lose your taste for sweet foods all together. Make a promise to yourself not to butter that bread or those vegetables. When you're weaning yourself off of butter, try the spray butter alternatives. They taste great with less fat. Avoid mayo and creamy dressings as well. Salt promotes water retention and increases your risk for many health problems. Make the decision not to salt your foods. Let the natural flavors out and experiment with different spices.

Drink More Water. Everyone should get ½ of their body weight in oz. water. For a 150 lb. person, 75 oz. water is needed. I carry a 20 oz. bottle of water that I refill throughout the day. If you can drink 20 oz. before each meal, you'll not only curb your appetite, but keep yourself hydrated. Don't worry about trips to the bathroom, your body will adjust quickly. For flavor, try lemon, drink decaf tea or use flavor ad-ins. Tonic or seltzer water are also a pleasant twist to a mundane glass of water.

Go green! Your liver, kidneys and gallbladder are your body's filtration system. Artificial chemicals and pesticides collect in these organs and are often sent to fatty tissues, which is your liver's attempt to get the chemicals as far away from the organs as possible. If you suffer from a stagnant or toxic liver and kidneys, as I did, you will find that simply removing artificial products and pesticides from your body will allow your filtration systems to work at maximum potential, flushing out the fat containing these harmful things. You don't have to clean your pantry out now. Just make a decision that once these things are gone, you will replace them with healthier options. In a few months, you will find yourself eating 50-75% organic and you will have felt the amazing difference!Now that you know what will work, make a promise to yourself to get started! A healthier you is only 4 months away!