We want to see results right now!  That’s the way we live in today’s world.  Information is at our fingertips, meals are available in minutes at the drive-thru and we can microwave anything to be ready in a jiff.  Long term goals tend to be a drag.  So what immediate results can you see from your exercise and healthy eating plan?

*More energy.  When you start eating a diet that minimizes junk food and emphasizes healthy low-glycemic foods, the first thing you will probably notice is an increase in energy.  When you have a higher quality fuel, your body will just run smoother!  Eating nuts instead of chips, fruit instead of dessert, and raw vegetables with Himalayan pink salt instead of high calorie/low nutrition snacks will give your body a welcome energy boost.

*Fewer digestive issues.  Because a low glycemic meal plan is high in fiber, and because your digestive system works best when you exercise, you will have fewer troubles in the bathroom department.

*Better sleep. After the first few days off sugar, you will probably start sleeping better.  The exercise will help you sleep better, too.

*Shrinking belly.  Watch your waistline. You probably will see it shrink even before the numbers on the scale start going down. That’s because most people are bloated because of sugar and iodized salt which are heavily laced into processed foods.  Stop eating the sugar and salt and the bloating will go away.  Belly fat will take longer to disappear, but the combination of better digestion and elimination, along with losing the sugar and salt bloat, will make you look trimmer right away.

Better things are on the horizon.  Obesity causes a variety of ills — like  acid reflux, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, polycystic ovary syndrome, gout, and urinary stress incontinence.  As you lose weight, any of those things will likely improve.  Losing fat takes time, though.  In the meantime, take note of the small changes and celebrate every step toward better health.

Eating to live and living for Christ,

Susan Jordan Brown