I should apologize for the broken link from Marni's newsletter. Here is the correct link if you are interested in her program.

In today's article "Why Starvation Diets Sabotage Weight Loss" talks about how starvation affects your diet.

Today's Check it out section showcases tips on how to lose weight, not only losing weight but the steps on how to get the body that you want. My Quick Tip for you is to sign up for the strategic steps on how to blast belly fat guide so you could be a step away from your dream weight!

I get a lot of emails from women concerned with their body weight and use that as a reason for NOT attracting men. Well, Andrea reminds us how depriving your body is creating a bigger problem. Being gentle with where you are at with your body weight and making better choices is what Andrea talks about. Read and enjoy!

Thanks,

Why "Starvation" Diets Sabotage
Weight Loss

By: Andrea Albright

Have you ever tried to starve yourself in order to lose weight?

Maybe you learned it from a magazine, a celebrity, or some other "dieter" that told you that was the fastest way to lose weight... "I just stopped eating so much food, and I got skinny" is what we hear all the time so it makes sense that it would work for you too, right?

But is it really that way?

Maybe you can relate to this... You start the day thinking, "I need to lose weight in time for (insert special event here), so I'm not going to eat at all today! You are CONVINCED that you can stop eating. You're on a willpower "high" because you're absolutely positive that you can do this. You skip breakfast, and think, "No problem at all". And then in the afternoon, you pump yourself up with some caffeine or pop a diet pill to suppress your appetite, and you get even more confident that you are really on the track to getting thin. But then in the early evening, your body and brain is starting to shut down, and your emotions are out of control, but still you're certain that you've got the willpower to make it through... Until you smell a whiff of that pizza place or that fast food restaurant that you pass by, and before you know it, you're stuffing your face and elbow deep in greasy, fattening food. You w ake up from the food coma, and think, "What happened?!" You were so in control and confident all day long, and you were doing so good... and now, you've destroyed it all, and all you're left with is a massive dose of indigestion, fat-storage, and GUILT. You swear to yourself, "Tomorrow, I'm gonna make up for this binge, and I'm not going to eat anything all day!"... And the cycle repeats.

Starvation diets have been around for decades, and you would think that we would've learned that it's just not REALITY to believe that you can live like this, but here's probably something you don't know...

Starvation diets make you fatter.

That's right, you actually gain MORE weight when you starve yourself.

Here's what happens... When you stop eating, your body thinks that the environment you are living in has just run out of food. And your body is prepared for this because this used to happen A LOT to your ancestors. There were droughts and famines, and long stretches of time where nothing grew in the area (this was long before farming or agriculture), so your body has a very sophisticated way to deal with this... Your body slows down your metabolism and prepares for the long drought or famine that is ahead. It slows down your metabolism by immediately getting rid of the most expensive cells - muscle. Muscle cells take a lot of ENERGY to keep them alive, and if you're not getting enough food, then those are the FIRST to go. So your body registers, "Food is gone! Gotta get rid of that muscle!", and it starts to do this immediately.

Your body thinks you're in starvation mode, and it also does a lot of amazing things to your brain and energy levels in order to keep you alive - mostly slowing you down, and pumping you full of "stress hormones" that are going to give you a temporary rush of energy, but they have long term, devastating effects on your metabolism and brain chemistry.

Starving yourself gets rid of muscle cells, which slows down your metabolism, and it also trains your body to store more FAT cells. Why? Because fat cells are your "storage cells" that are there to keep you alive when all the food has run out. So when you break your starvation diet or fast with a binge (which you ALWAYS do)... then your body is going to make sure that it has even MORE fat cells. Your body is preparing for the NEXT time that the food is going to run out, and you've already programmed your body to EXPECT that to happen (that's the next time you go and starve yourself).

Starvation Diets Are Insanity

You're setting yourself up for a vicious cycle of losing muscle, slowing down your metabolism, depleting your brain and energy levels, and training your body to store more fat. Isn't it great? And you thought starving yourself was sexy and only the really "strong" people can do it. But in reality, it doesn't work for long term weight loss.

People who are starving themselves don't have the energy to exercise or use their brain for learning or productivity, and if you've ever felt their bodies, you can feel that they have almost no muscle tone at all.

What is the best way to lose weight?

Feed your body natural, whole foods throughout the day, and never let your body go into "starvation mode".

When you eat a small, healthy meal every 2 or 3 hours throughout the day, you are telling your body, "There is food everywhere! I live in an abundant land that is healthy and thriving". This will tell your body to make MORE muscle, and use that energy for learning, exercising, and LIFE.

You'll feel ALIVE and vibrant throughout the day without the up and down crashes where you need a caffeine or sugar boost to pick you up. Plus, you'll be speeding UP your metabolism by training your body to USE the energy and hold onto the muscle that makes you leaner and tighter all over your body (muscle takes up less space than fat cells, so you get lean and tight all over). In other words, you'll STOP storing fat, and start feeling GREAT.

Plus, you'll be setting yourself with a lifestyle habit that you can live with. Once you get into the habit of eating every few hours, you will feel the energy and vitality pulsing through you, plus you will have the emotional energy to say "No" to sugary, fattening foods that are EVERYWHERE around you.

You Can Succeed At Your Weight Loss Goals

Set yourself up to succeed with longterm weight loss by using the natural, loving, and gentle approach to losing weight.

Drop the "starvation fad diets" that will only give you a temporary illusion of willpower and strength, but set you up for binge eating and fat storage.

This is how you create a healthy, radiant and happy body day after day, cell by cell, moment by moment. The war inside of you stops. You begin to love, nourish, and appreciate your body for all that it does for you everyday. And when you really get tuned into this amazing life energy, and the miracle that is pulsing through you with every breath... Your entire relationship with your body changes forever. And you never want to starve or torture it again.

Stop the insanity of starvation dieting.

Learn to LOVE and nourish your body with healthy foods, exercise, lots of water, deep breathing, and relaxation every day to keep you balanced, healthy, and full of energy! The fat cells will start to get smaller and smaller because your body realizes that the "hard times" are over. You're not starving anymore. You live in a land of abundance, and your body is nourished with love and nutrition every day and always. This is a much better way to lose weight, and a happier way to live.

Remember, that there is no such thing as a "quick fix" to losing weight (if there were, we would've all heard of it by now!)...

The only approach to long term weight loss is a loving, peaceful, and nourishing approach that feeds your body every day that you're alive.

You can do this!~ I believe in you.

Your Friend in Natural Weight Loss,

Love and Light,

Andrea

P.S.

Remember that the best way to lose weight is to speed UP your metabolism and treat your body with love and respect always! You deserve it.