Simple strategies to help you loose the junk and whittle down your middle.

A diet rich in Mother Natures bounty will automatically aid in weight loss.

It used to be that we ate what grew from the land which was sold by the local farmer. But unfortunately if we look closely at what has happened over time, with the world kicking into fast gear and the population constantly looking for a quick fix, our food has become extremely complicated.   Our food has become highly processed, chemical laden and disguised to lead us to believe that we’re getting all of our nutrients in fake, compressed, bagged and boxed so called “food”.

It’s refreshing to see the trend taking a turn toward fresh, clean food and a growing interest toward supporting our local farmers by purchasing fresh local produce. 

Change doesn’t happen overnight but small steps in the right direction add up to leaps and bounds over time.  

Here are several strategies to adjust your diet and reap the benefits of clean eating in no time!

Give your pantry an overhaul!   

Slowly start purging the foods that are nutritionally “naked”.  Soda is first on the list!  It’s laden with sugar and chemicals and offers not one nutritional component.  Corn oil as well is highly processed.   Take note and replace refined breads and pastas and replace them with whole wheat, brown rice or multi grain varieties. 

Shop the perimeter of your grocery store

Shop the perimeter where the fresh food is and stay away from the middle of the store where food lives in a box for months. (Did you ever wonder why the food in the box doesn’t spoil? )

Stick with the food that spoils and you’ll be better in the long run!

Enjoy the best of your favorite foods

If you love a specific food group, treat yourself and purchase the best quality of that food group.

If you're an omnivore, buy grass fed meat and organic eggs.  If you're a vegetarian, purchase organic produce. Enjoy the freshest of the food you love best!

Read Labels

Can you pronounce all of the words listed under ingredients?  If you can’t then put it back!  That’s a sure fire way of knowing that the food in that box, can or jar is highly processed.  Do tomatoes, lettuce and carrots come with ingredients?  Hence, all natural. Strive to purchase products that have little or no ingredients. Eliminate hydrogenated oils from the foods you purchase along with high amounts of fat, sugar and sodium. 

Cook more nutritious meals at home

Enjoy creating healthy nutritious meals at home with fresh ingredients. Typically restaurants use processed foods to create their meals.   The more you cook, the more you’ll appreciate fresh ingredients and fresh food. Involve your family and enjoy the time spent in the kitchen together. 

Adjust your tastebuds

Ween yourself off of salty, sugary fatty foods and retrain your tastebuds to appreciate natural flavors of natural foods.  Mix equal parts of brown rice with white rice, white pasta with whole wheat. Slowly take out the sugar, salt and fat and add fresh herbs and/or low sodium broths.

Live the 80/20 Rule

80% on 20% off.   No area of life is perfect and clean eating is no different.  Aspiring to be 100% perfect is setting yourself up for failure!   Use the 20% buffer for vacations, socializing etc. 

Be mindful of the food you’re eating

Food is pleasure.  Be more mindful of where your food is coming from, how it’s cooked and served. In this day and age we’re eating on the run, in our cars, in front of televisions not taking the time to enjoy flavor and experience.  Be more mindful of the time spent eating a delicious meal, savor the flavors and enjoy the time spent with family and friends.  The more you slow down, the more you’ll appreciate the natural, clean effects of health food.

Born out of restlessness and the desire to experience more, my Fit Adventure Club has amounted to becoming more than I could ever imagine.

I’m a person of will.  Always looking for new experiences and people to drag with me. My quest was to take the exercise out of the gym and prove to people that one doesn’t have to be within the confines of a gym or a choreographed class to reap the benefits of exercise.  

I hesitate to admit that the Fit Adventure Club was also born out of shear loneliness. Entering into the “empty nest” phase of my life created a desire to reconnect with women, exchange, communicate and empower all while leading them through a fitness oriented adventure. 

What could be better than a group of empowered women working up a sweat while chatting and laughing about the latest trends?   No stress, no ties, just women getting together to enjoy the total experience.

It was natural for the “trainer” in me to develop a perfect strategy to raise heart rates and create the perfect “fitness” experience but as it turned out the experience took on a life of it’s own and proved to be magical and fulfilling.  

A magical connection between the women naturally happened and offered an opportunity for the women to either get to know one another and/or catch up on the latest news.  All while moving to keep their heart rate at a steady rate in order to reap the rewards of a “Fit Adventure”.

My Fit Adventure Club has just started and I’m ready to bring it up a notch, take the exercise out of the gym and show through example that fitness can be fun, fulfilling and exciting.  

There’s so many different adventures to experience without the hassle of joining, purchasing packages or committing.   I offer one Fit Adventure at a time, guided by the ladies, open to suggestions and willing to share the experience with a group of empowered women. 

Join in on the fun, be empowered and experience the Fit Adventure Club!  

All levels of fitness welcome!


Linda Juranich, CPT, CHC

Total Body Fitness