After carrying and birthing a human baby the size of a watermelon, our waistlines can seem to rebel! I am not going to lie girls, genetics play a part here. But guess what? If you want your figure back, or BETTER than ever, you CAN have it, despite your genes! It’s less a matter of how your mom looks, and more of what YOU DO.
An interesting bonus is how much more ENERGY you will have, too! So start getting excited about the changes you would really like to make by practising good habits:
#1 THE BIGGEST TIP EVER
This is truly a gem. It is SIMPLE, but not necessarily EASY. It is practiced in some religions, and by Natural Hygienists. Recently, Scientists are proving this to be a bonafide ANTI-AGING strategy as well. Don’t we love that…? It is called SYSTEMATIC UNDEREATING. They have studied long-lived cultures from around the world, and among other factors like pure water, home grown food, a predominantly plant-based diet, positive thoughts, a strong social network, and a meaningful life, under-eating is a serious contender in not only staying youthful, but also in fighting the Battle of the Bulge.
Here are some ideas to try to ensure you stop eating BEFORE you are full:
*DRINK ENOUGH WATER DAILY
Everyone knows by now that often when we think we are hungry we are actually DEHYDRATED. Drink 2 glasses of water upon rising, then 1 glass every hour and a half. DO NOT wait until you are thirsty- by then it is too late- you are already dehydrated!
*CHEW, CHEW, CHEW
Tich Nat Han is a Buddhist Monk, author and Humanitarian who writes that just by chewing, you can de-stress, feel ecstatic, and make your food taste better. He says even a dry crust of bread tastes delicious when you masticate it thoroughly. And it takes 20 minutes for the brain to register that we have eaten; so eat slowly to avoid over-eating.
*EXERCISE- TODAY!
Just get OUTSIDE, for a nice walk or jog, and allow your natural endorphins to kick-in which make you feel a sense of well-being, and suppress appetite. Do some slenderizing side waist-bends, and twists while you are at it. Just MOVE that gorgeous Bod of yours!
#2 PRACTICE PROPER FOOD COMBINING 
This is truly what makes the difference between a bloated belly and a flat one. I have been coaching woman on their diets for years (first as a Colon Hydro Therapist, then as an Aesthetician) and this is the FIRST THING I make sure everyone knows. It is the EASIEST thing to do once you see the wisdom in it, and just decide to incorporate it. I have been doing it for 20 years, even longer than being RAW, and it always works so well:
- DO NOT MIX OUR CARBS WITH YOUR PROTEIN when you eat. If you have studied Nutrition for any length of time, you may have heard of this. It is as simple as eating the ‘burger without the bun’ the ‘spaghetti without the meatballs’ the ‘rice without the fish’ and so on. I know not everyone reading this is not 100% RAW or 100% VEGAN, so this is so important to be able to digest things and not bloat up due to the putrefaction of proteins mixed with the fermentation of starches.
When we are all RAW, this rule doesn’t seem to be as critical because there are fewer starches to worry about, and the protein sources are not so cumbersome on our digestion. Just another fabulous reason to GO RAW, NOW!
#3 EAT YOUR BIGGEST MEAL AT MID-DAY 
Whenever I go into schools and do Nutrition Talks with the kids and ask them ‘What is the most important meal of the day?’ everyone chimes ‘BREAKFAST.’
I tell them they are correct, but not for the reason they think. I ask them if they know what the word ‘breakfast’ means, and then explain it: ‘break the fast.’ There is an optimal and a less-than optimal way to do this for good health. People have been brain-washed that we are supposed to eat a big, substantial breakfast. But our natural bodily rhythms dictate something else. You see, between the hours of 4am and noon, our body is in a cycle of DETOXIFICATION, between noon and 8pm, ASSIMILATION, and between 8pm and 4am, REPAIR.
I ask the kids when is the sun at its highest point in the sky and they answer ‘Noon.’ I then tell them that is true, and it is a sign that when the sun is at its strongest, that our digestive fire is at its strongest too, and therefore, our most substantial meal should be at Lunch time. It makes sense NOT to CLOG our bodies in the morning. We are better off with lots of WATER-FOODS in the morning, like raw fresh fruit and greens, (nuts and seeds may be technically RAW, but they aren’t high water content, and therefore not optimal in the a.m.)
GREEN SMOOTHIES or Green veggie Juices are the perfect morning foods. This is what I give my children EVERY MORNING before school. This way I know they are getting perfect nutrition WITHOUT clogging up their systems. I do this for myself too. (If you need Green Smoothie ideas, be sure to check out the Green Smoothie blog!)
Then at lunch, it is substantial and may even contain some healthy cooked options like brown rice, quinoa, raw cheese or dehydrated foods–a mini-feast. Between 12 noon and 2 pm is the perfect time for this heavier meal. So breakfast is the most important meal in terms of starting our day of right, and lunch is our most substantial meal for optimom digestion and health.
Dinner can be lighter, and the rest of the day can be more about socializing, relaxing and enjoying than about food. If Lunch IS sufficient, with an after-school snack too, then a dinner of a big salad or soup with flax crackers, or a whole grain with steamed veggies or a dip with crudite, and perhaps a piece of raw pie for dessert is simple and works.
#4 GET YOUR MIND OFF OF FOOD 
There is so much more to life than food. The key is to have other things to look forward to, to nurture YOU. Make a list of at least 10 things you LOVE doing but ‘never find time for,’ and then pick one, and GO FOR IT! When would NOW be the right time…?
In the meantime, here is a sweet poem which always makes me smile, and I hope will make you smile too!
FOR BEAUTIFUL EYES,
Look for the good in people.
FOR LOVELY LIPS,
Speak words of kindness.
FOR ATTRACTIVE HIPS,
Share your food with the hungry.
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Remember to treat yourself that way.
Blissings,
Raw Mom Shannon
P.S.
For more information on how to feed your kids right, look for my new tips and recipes for Lunches coming very soon!
