Design and photo by Rochelle Blank Zimmer

It is near mid January and whether you have made New Year's Resolutions, kept them or not, really doesn't matter, because YOU can at any point in time CHOOSE to behave differently. This is important with one's commitment to weight loss, or any transformation.

As I said in my last article the choice to lose weight is your opportunity to discover your optimal health. Your adventure into the greatest discovery of your life - a more vibrantly healthy YOU.

If you consider weight loss an adventure with fun and excitement instead of nagging numbers on a scale, then your success will be magnified.  Losing unnecessary weight is about your longevity here on earth, your energy and your commitment to living a healthy productive life.

When removing obstacles to anything, what you say to yourself is very important. Now is the time to be the best friend you can possibly be, not to someone else but to yourself. Now is the time to be lovingly and lavishly selfish. It is the time to make time for yourself, in other words - to make YOU a priority.

Food wise, some of the biggest obstacles to weight loss include highly refined foods, such as sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, processed flour products, packaged foods and snacks like chips and pretzels. These "foods" and I use that word loosely here, are jamming with excess and non nutritious calories. They are unhealthy choices and will cause your blood sugar levels to skyrocket up, thus stimulating craving more and more of these harmful, processed, yucky foods. This is what is called a vivacious cycle, and it will viciously try to steal your thunder.

Commercial foods that are labeled "Fat Free" or "Sugar Free" are common diet destroyers. Highbrows should raise upon reading this on labels. These "free" foods are usually loaded with artificial sweeteners and other chemicals that your body doesn't recognize or know how to process. Chances are, if it's "free" you'll be paying for it in weight gain and poor health.

Healthy whole real foods that is what your body needs. Nothing processed or enriched and everything free from chemicals, and pesticides for weight management, healthy bodies and minds and a toxic free environment. Period.

Approach your visits to the supermarket with new found vigor. Go directly to the health enhancing organic fruit and vegetable section. Notice their beauty, vivid colors and life. While all vegetables are low in calories, organic asparagus, broccoli, celery and daikon radishes have properties in them which are specifically linked to weight loss. Fruits - Grapefruits and lemons in particular are said to melt the pounds away while apples - (organic only) are great not only to keep the doc away but to help curb your appetite.

Whole grains and beans give your body much needed fiber. They also fill you up, leaving you less room to graze on something you may regret later. Brown rice, oats and quinoa are great simulators for weight management. Choose plant based proteins for energy and weight management. Try beans on your morning whole grain toast instead of meat or eggs.

Hot and spicy is a good indulgent. Cayenne, and the various pepper spices add heat, which add flavors and slows down how much we eat. Many spices work to rev up metabolisms and a working metabolism is a weight losing friend. Try cinnamon, turmeric, mustard seeds, cumin, and fennel to get a good metabolism boost.  Salt, overdosed and rampant in most standard American diets, causes water retention and bloating as a starter and serious health issues like strokes and heart disease to name a few.

By the way, butter is not a spice. So bye bye butter and dairy which only add adds excess calories and slews of health issues. Healthy fats like olive oil or grape-seed oil are both OK to use, but sparingly.

Sprinkle sprinkle, flax seeds curb hunger and promotes healthy digestion.

 For more info: Weight loss, Food Portions, Take time achieving weight loss, Your Natural Choice Website, Your Natural Choice Blog, Health Counseling,Newark Holistic Health Examiner