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It’s normal to exercise less this time of year.

Most will blame this on all of the holiday activities that they have to take care of.

The parties, the shopping, the baking, the wrapping…

While it’s true that there’s a lot to do, that’s not really why you aren’t working out. You’ve been just as busy in the past and you managed to keep your workouts consistent.

So what is it? Why did you skip your workout?

It’s because of stress.

The stress is real this time of year.

There are obligations and expectations coming at you from every angle, and somehow you are supposed to juggle it all with a smile on your face.

It’s a setup for mismanaged stress to wreak havoc on your healthy routine.

Mismanaged stress leads to overeating, overdrinking, headaches, weight gain, anxiety, fatigue and trouble sleeping. All of this overwhelm makes the idea of heading to the gym for a workout pretty unappealing, especially when the other option is to get another hour of sleep.

So the question for you, my friend, is how will you better manage your holiday stress?

Will you continue to allow stress to increase your calories and rob your workouts over the next couple of weeks? Will you be heavier and more exhausted as you ring in the new year?

Or will you combat stress in the most proactive, effective way?

By exercising.

A good workout gets your blood pumping and releases happy hormones.

A good workout makes you more likely to eat healthier.

A good workout makes your sleep deeper and more restful.

A good workout is the best way to feel a burst of natural energy.

I’m here to help you get the BEST workout possible! Call or email today and let’s get you on the schedule!

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…about your fitness goals?

Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean that your fitness goals no longer matter. In fact, if you lose sight of your fat loss goals entirely this month, you’ll have a seriously rude awakening come January 1st.

I have a better idea for you…let’s keep you focused on your fitness goals while still making room for some fun this holiday season. This means that you’ll need to learn how to indulge with control. While that may sound like an oxymoron, it IS possible to let loose and enjoy without throwing away the results that you’ve worked so hard for.

Here’s how to stay fit this holiday season:

Holiday Fitness Tip #1: It’s All About Moderation

Don’t try to deprive yourself of all the foods you love, this is unrealistic. Instead, be smart about what you choose to eat. Enjoy your very favorite flavors of the season, but in moderation. Trim calories where you can by only eating those rich foods that you really enjoy.

Also, be sure to limit the number of alcoholic beverages you drink. These drinks are typically filled with tons of sugary calories. Try alternating an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic drink like sparkling water.

Holiday Fitness Tip #2: Fiber is Your Friend

Here’s a simple tip that most people overlook when loading up their plates at holiday gatherings…fill up on fiber first. You see, if you are eating a plate that’s mostly fibrous vegetables and greens, leaving only a moderate amount of room for the dishes full of fats and carbs, then your net calorie intake for the meal will be dramatically lower than if you had eaten more of the carb and fat dishes.

While this tip is super effective during the holidays, it’s also a technique that you can carry with you throughout the rest of the year to stay lean while still indulging in what you love. The key is to eat less of the rich, fattening foods and more of the lower calorie, high fiber foods.

Holiday Fitness Tip #3: Exercise is a MUST

Many people let their workouts go to the wayside during the busy holiday weeks, however I am here to tell you how important it is that you keep your workouts a priority. I know it’s harder to get into the gym when it’s cold outside, and when you’re tired from getting ready for the holidays, but that act of lacing up your shoes, sweating, and getting the endorphins flowing makes a huge impact on your overall fitness.

Not only are you burning calories and stoking your metabolism, by exercising every single day you are keeping fitness at the forefront of your mind. It may sound like a small thing but getting into the gym forces you to remember your fitness goals and this small act will help you make better decisions throughout the rest of your day.

All of these small efforts add up, my friend, and you are able to do them all without sacrificing the fun or the flavors of the season. You can do this!

I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results—and maintaining those results throughout the holiday season and beyond. Call or email today to get started on my best available program.

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Want to drop some body fat? Today I have 7 simple and effective ways for you to shed that unwanted body fat. While fat loss can be quite frustrating, these 7 strategies are proven to help you slim down fast.

1. Drink a Gallon of Water

Water is always a crucial element for proper bodily functions, and even more so when fat loss is your goal. The conversion of fat into energy takes place in your liver, and this process requires that you be well hydrated.

Drinking a gallon of water over the course of your day is a wonderful goal to aim for. This goal is easily met when you get into the habit of sipping water throughout the day, coupled with drinking a full glass before meals, upon waking and before bed.

2. Cut out Alcohol

This fat loss tip is always met with groans, but despite its unpopularity it remains one of the most effective. The first reason that alcohol should be cut out in order to lose fat is that it’s filled with empty calories. These are simple sugars that taste great but add up quickly as stored fat in all the wrong places.

The second reason that alcohol should be cut out is that the simple energy that your body derives from the alcohol will be used as energy long before your fat stores are tapped, making it impossible to reduce body fat on days when alcohol is consumed. That should be incentive enough for you to put down your glass and reach for some water.

3. Do a Variety of Aerobics

Variety is key when it comes to the aerobics side of your routine. Getting in calorie-burning activities is crucial to quickly eliminating fat stores. We no longer believe that long cardio sessions are the holy grail of fat loss – but getting your body moving with calorie-burning activities is a wonderful way to intensify your fat loss results.

The great thing about aerobic activities is that these can and should be fun! Hiking, biking, swimming, surfing, jogging, brisk walking – any activity that requires you to move your body for a decent duration of time and break a nice sweat in the process.

4. Cut out Processed Junk

This is one of the easiest ways to quickly and effectively reduce body fat, and yet it is met with such resistance. Why? Why is it so difficult for us to give up our packaged, processed snacks and treats? This is one obstacle that prevents most people from achieving the body that they want.

The best tip for successfully getting processed junk food out of your life is to have wholesome alternatives on hand while removing the junk food from your home. If you are a late night snacker, then be prepared by having fresh fruit, sliced veggies, plain Greek yogurt or other wholesome snack replacements on hand. When your belly is full of wholesome snacks, it’s hard to care too much about the processed junk you missed out on. And soon you’ll learn to love how lean and energetic these healthier foods make you feel.

5. Lift Weights

You might consider this to be pretty obvious, but many people are still resistant to the idea that resistance training leads to fat loss. If you find yourself puzzled by the idea that lifting heavy things will reduce the layer of fat on your body, then allow me to explain.

The act of lifting weights causes those targeted muscles to stimulate new muscle tissue growth. Now this doesn’t mean that your muscles are going to get noticeably larger (relax, ladies!) but it does mean that your muscle tissue will become tighter and more toned. The increase in muscle translates to a higher metabolism, which means that your body will naturally burn fat faster and more efficiently.

6. Use HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training is a method that has been quite popular in the past decade – and for good reason. This advanced form of aerobics, when done correctly, is one of the most effective methods for burning fat.

HIIT is achieved by performing short, intense bursts of aerobic intervals between less intense bouts of aerobics. For example, 2 minutes of walking followed by a 30 second sprint, done for 20 minutes.

7. Work with a Fitness Professional

When your car needs new brakes, you take it to the mechanic. When you wake up with a fever and sore throat, you go to the doctor. When your hair gets too long, you go to get it cut. When you need to reduce body fat, you…try to do it all on your own? That makes no sense.

Look, we all have our expertise, and we rely on each other when in need. My expertise is fat loss. When people in our community need a new and improved body they come to me. I’m passionate about getting my clients results, and my programs have been proven effective.

Call or email me today to get started on a fat loss program that really works.

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You probably consider yourself to be a healthy person, but do you really have healthy food in your kitchen? You’d be surprised how many fattening foods you’re still buying and eating. Here are 7 foods you should lose from your kitchen immediately…

1. Breakfast Cereal

It’s delicious, it’s easy to prepare, and sometimes it even gives you enough energy to get to lunchtime. Unfortunately, breakfast cereal is often jam-packed with extra sugars that will do more to drag you down than build you up for your day. Prefer the flavorless kinds? Then be ready to be hungry soon, as they often don’t provide enough good calories to fill you up for long. Still hungry for a bowl of cereal? Consider this: they’re one of the most processed foods on the market.

2. Flavored Yogurt

Yes, flavored yogurt tastes much better than its plain peers, but going with a pre-flavored yogurt will instantly double the amount of sugar you consume. Fortunately, overcoming the flavorless thing can be done healthily. All you have to do is add chopped, fresh fruit of your choice and enjoy!

3. Frozen Entrees

It’s hard to believe how many people rely on frozen TV dinners on a regular basis. If you’re a frozen believer, it’s time to put your health before convenience. On top of frequently lacking all the vitamins and minerals you need for optimal health, frozen dinners often ooze with trans-fats and sodium. This means that while your palate may be pleased, your waist, arteries, and heart will not.

4. Diet Soda

One of the most dangerous items to ever be invented was diet soda. By trimming certain things from the ingredients list, soda manufacturers guaranteed a giant market share, consisting largely of people who are attempting to be health-conscious. Unfortunately, diet soda messes with your body’s ability to recognize and manage sugar properly. And while diet drinks may be calorie-free, those who drink them are at a much greater risk for weight gain than those who do not.

5. Popcorn

No, all popcorn is not to be avoided at all costs. But more than likely, a lot of the unpopped kernels in your kitchen should be ditched. Here’s a good way to determine if your popcorn is at war with your good health. Is it in a prepackaged bag that simply has to be tossed in the microwave to be cooked? Then stay away! Those prepackaged popcorn packages, whether lightly buttered, drowning in butter, or candied, offer no benefit. If you’re going to do popcorn, you’ll need to pop it the old-fashioned way, preferably via air popping.

6. “Skinny” Desserts

The word “skinny” is alluring. It’s what you want to achieve. However, these diet desserts are often filled with artificial ingredients and sugars that are keeping you stuck with your fat loss.

7. Granola Bars

Enjoyed by healthy hikers around the world, granola bars are the final unexpected bad choice in your kitchen. This one may have you scratching your head when you consider that your favorite kind is crammed with every fruit and nut you can imagine. But read the ingredient label and you’ll soon see that there is probably more sugar—make that high-fructose corn syrup—than goodness your body can use. Are you ready to ditch the unhealthy items from your kitchen in order to take your fitness to the next level? Would you like to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to lose weight in the coming months?

It’s my goal to see you achieve greatness. I believe that you’ve got what it takes.

It’s so simple. Call or email today to get started on a program that will improve your health and well being, and will get you amazing results.

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What’s the best way to eat for fat loss? Two popular eat-for-fat-loss strategies that you’ve probably heard of are Intermittent Fasting OR Six Small Meals.

Which strategy works best? And which should you follow? Let’s find out…

Intermittent Fasting: this eating strategy cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting. The content of your meals during eating periods is not a factor. Some cycle between eating and fasting each day, creating a small window for eating and fasting for at least 16 hours, while others cycle eating and fasting across several days, taking as much as 48 hours at a time to fast.

Pros: Humans have been fasting for thousands of years. Our bodies are well equipped to handle periods of fasting. Research shows that fasting produces benefits for disease prevention, metabolic health, weight loss and even life extension. Some find it less work to fast rather than to plan for several small meals. During eating periods you get to eat whatever you want.

Cons: Abstaining from nourishment for long periods of time can be challenging, especially when food is all around you. Socially it can be awkward to skip meals while your friends and family break bread together. Some find themselves overeating during eating cycles, and some find the ongoing absence of food to aggravate food obsession and to produce an unbalanced focus on food.

Six Small Meals: this eating strategy, of breaking the traditional 3 square meals into 6 smaller meals that are spaced 2-3 hours apart, has been used by body builders and fitness competitors for years. The content and size of each meal is an important factor of this eating plan. Meals early in the day contain lean protein, fiber-filled veggies and a small portion of complex carbs, while meals later in the day are smaller and do not contain any complex carbs. All meals are low in fat.

Pros: You never feel hungry. By fueling up every 2-3 hours you never get the feeling of deprivation that comes with fasting. Energy levels are steady and high due to the constant supply of wholesome calories. Fat loss results are steady, and, when done with an exercise plan, muscle is maintained.

Cons: You have to plan ahead. Every. Single. Day. Get used to carrying around a small cooler filled with containers of chicken, broccoli, brown rice and sweet potatoes. Each meal is small, so restraint is required. Unless you are including the occasional cheat meal, or cheat day, there is no room in this diet for empty calories or comfort foods.

Conclusion: The facts are out there to prove that both of these eat-for-fat-loss strategies work. There are photos of real, actual people who have subscribed to each of these methods and have gone from flabby to lean. Both methods irrefutably work.

But why? How can two methods that utilize opposing strategies both produce fat loss results? And which one is better? Let’s dive deeper into what makes these eating strategies work…

Meal Timing: When you eat is a factor with both of these eating plans. This means that subscribers to both plans are required to wait until the appointed time to eat. So mindless snacking, or grabbing a muffin just because it’s there, is out of the question. This reduces overall calories, which is key to weight loss, and explains why both plans produce results.

Meal Content: The Six-Small-Meals plan focuses on the content of each of your small meals in great detail. Your meals contain lean proteins, fiber-filled veggies, and limited complex carbs. This detailed control of calorie content is largely why this plan is a sure bet for fat loss, not just weight loss.

Intermittent Fasting does not consider the content of your meals during eating periods.

Meal Size: The Six-Small-Meals plan also focuses on the exact size of your meals, which makes sense since you are eating six times each day, and excess calories would quickly add up. Typically this is done by weight, so as you pack your meals for the day you’ll be using a food scale to ensure that you have exactly the right amount of lean protein and complex carbs. Veggies are often measured rather than weighed.

Intermittent Fasting does not consider the size of your meals during eating periods.

So What’s the BEST Eating Strategy for FAST Results? As we’ve discussed, both of the eating strategies above are capable of producing results. This is due to the fact that both plans result in a lowered caloric intake.

When it’s all said and done, weight loss comes from caloric balance.

Remember the junk food diet where the professor lost weight eating restricted calories of only vending machine food? As long as you are taking in fewer calories that you are burning, you will end up losing weight.

While both of the strategies above end up curbing your calories, only the Six-Small-Meals plan encourages wholesome calories that are ideal for burning fat and building muscle, which is why this is the plan most used by body builders and fitness competitors.

When it comes down to you choosing your own eating strategy it’s important to determine what will work best with your lifestyle. If carrying a cooler with you and making time to stop every 3 hours to eat a meal is simply not something you can see yourself doing, then Intermittent Fasting may produce better results for you. The key is to figure out a plan for restricting calories that you would realistically be motivated to stick with. And the more wholesome the content of those restricted calories, the better and quicker your results will come!

Want more guidance as you take your body from flab to fab? I’d love to help you! Give me a call or shoot me an email and let’s get you on track to shed some major fat before summer!

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What are you eating for your snacks and small meals? <== This is SUPER important!

If you’re eating the wrong thing every 2-3 hours then it’s easy to gain weight quickly, rather than the result that you want ==> which is to drop fat and clothes sizes.

Check out the following 3 ways to snack smarter, to keep you on track and burning fat all day long…

Snack smarter tip #1: quit sugar

Sugar is a huge problem! Snack on sugar and you WILL gain weight. So when it comes to snacks, this needs to be the number one nutrient that you check. Your frequent snacks should contain very little, or zero, added sugars.

WARNING: many ‘health’ foods have massive amounts of added sugars, which will destroy your results. Items like protein bars, jerky, dried fruit, green juice, and trail mix often have added sugars and preservatives that you need to watch out for and avoid.

Instead of added sugars, your snacks should be a nice blend of protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates.

Snack smarter tip #2: keep it portioned

What is the size of your snack? It’s got to be petite in order to stoke our metabolism without adding too many calories.

A sneaky thing about packaged foods is that often it gives the nutritional facts for 2 or even 2.5 servings on a package that you will likely polish off the entire package.

If the servings are more than just one then you’ll need to do some quick math. Calculate the total calories, sugar, carbs, fat and protein. Make sure that the numbers line up with your target nutrition sums.

Always be aware of how many servings you are eating in a single sitting. Do the math if you’re eating more than one serving – be honest with yourself!

Snack smarter tip #3: choose real

Sure, packaged snacks are convenient. But know that you will always see better results by eating whole foods found in nature, or snacks that you’ve made with real food ingredients. Even the healthiest packaged protein bar from the store is going to contain preservatives and additives that are completely avoided in homemade foods.

A handful of raw nuts, a piece of fruit with fresh nut butter, a hard boiled egg, a homemade fitness muffin, some chicken breast on veggies or chopped flank steak on a salad are all better options than any packaged snack.

When possible, stick with whole foods found in nature and snacks and meals that you make at home.

I’m here to help you transform your body (and your whole life!) through the power of fitness.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness plan that will give you the opportunity to do what’s hard now, to achieve the body that you really want.

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If you’re wanting to lose weight, don’t give up on your favorite pasta dishes! Instead, make these dishes lighter, healthier and just as delicious by using noodles made from vegetables, rather than traditional, heavy pasta.

If you’re new to cooking with veggie noodles, you’re in for a treat! It’s simple and satisfying to create comforting guilt-free pasta dinners, and I’m going to show you how…

Fat Burning Recipe #1: Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is the easiest of all the veggie noodles to prepare since the noodles are already formed in nature. Cut a spaghetti squash in half and you’ll find a mess of seeds and stings in the center of thick, firm, yellow flesh. The seeds and strings are discarded, and that thick, firm, yellow flesh is cooked until tender and scraped off the skin, into a neat pile of soft spaghetti-like noodles. Pretty cool, right?!

Make Spaghetti Squash Noodles:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

2. Rub the inside of each spaghetti squash half with coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.

3. Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce and meatballs. Enjoy!

Fat Burning Recipe #2: Zucchini

Zucchini is such a tender squash that it really doesn’t require cooking, and in fact cooking zucchini noodles quickly turns them to mush. I’ve found that pouring hot spaghetti sauce over a pile of zucchini noodles is all that it needs to heat it up without causing it to get mushy. You’ll need a spiral slicer –a little kitchen contraption that spirals zucchini through grating holes to create long, spaghetti-like noodles.

Make Zucchini Noodles:

1. Wash the zucchini and remove the green skin with a veggie peeler. Run the peeled zucchini through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles.

2. Top with warm spaghetti sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Fat Burning Recipe #3: Butternut Squash

While zucchini and spaghetti squash noodles are light and soft, noodles made from butternut squash are a bit heartier. Not only does this translate into a more filling meal, it also means that need to be cooked on their own, before applying the spaghetti sauce, in order to achieve a tender consistency.

Now there’s a little bit of technique involved with cutting your butternut squash in the best way to run it through a spiral slicer. I’ve found that the narrow part of the squash, that’s completely solid, is the piece that works really well with a spiral slicer. Slice off the skin and then simply run it through the slicer. The part of the squash that’s hollow in the middle is trickier to use with the spiral slicer, since those pieces are pretty thin. A quick option is to simply chop those pieces thinly and use that along with the long noodle strands.

Make Butternut Squash Noodles:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the narrow part of both squash off and peel off the skin. You should have 2 nice solid pieces of squash (no hollow section). Run this through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles.

2. Toss the noodles with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread over a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender.

3. Serve immediately with the spaghetti sauce of your choosing. Enjoy!

Fat Burning Recipe #4: Asparagus

Talk about truly guilt-free pasta – one made from asparagus spears! Rather than serve this one with traditional spaghetti sauce (although you could) I’ve included a dressing to toss the noodles with and I’d recommend serving it with meatballs for some added protein.

Make Asparagus Noodles:

1. Wash one bunch of asparagus spears. Resist the urge to chop off the tough stalks, these are your handles! Cut off the asparagus tips and save. Hold onto the tough stalks and use a vegetable peeler to peel long asparagus noodle strands into a large bowl. Mix in a Tablespoon of fresh dill.

2. In a small bowl combine 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey and a dash of sea salt and black pepper.

3. Heat a Tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the asparagus noodles. Sauté for 2 minutes then remove from heat. If you’d like, sauté the asparagus heads by throwing them in the pan after 1 minute. Toss with the dressing.

4. Serve the noodles warm and garnish with fresh dill. Enjoy!

Eating healthy, low carb meals like these are what it takes to have that lean, sexy body that you want.

But don’t forget that a fit body also requires a consistent, challenging exercise program.

Call or email me today and get you started on the fitness plan that’s custom designed for you. Let’s do this!

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If you’re not ready to bare it on all the beach yet, I have an extremely effective 2-step method for losing belly fat faster than ever that I’d like to share with you today…

Step One: This step requires zero extra effort on your part! In fact all you have to do is NOT do something that you’re currently doing! You stop consuming refined sugar, in all its forms. This means no sodas, no desserts, no packaged snacks, no candy, no mocha lattes, NO SUGAR AT ALL!

When you stop to evaluate your diet, it may be shocking to find out how much refined sugar has crept in. Nothing will contribute to fat gains as swiftly as consuming sugar, so it makes sense that cutting sugar out is the top must-do for shedding those unwanted pounds.

It’s not necessary, or beneficial, to starve yourself during this time of rapid fat loss – you should fill in your diet with lean meats, vegetables, nuts and seeds as you cut out the refined sugar. Keep your metabolism high by fueling up on high protein, high fiber, low carb, and zero sugar foods whenever hunger strikes.

Step Two: Here’s the step that does require some effort, but trust me when I say it’s worth it. Simply crank up the intensity of your workouts to a whole new level.

Most people take exercise on with the slow and steady mentality – moving, pushing and pulling as little as possible while still “getting the job done”. I’ve got some news for you…if you still have belly fat to lose then the job wasn’t getting done.

If you can comfortably hold a conversation, hardly break a sweat, or feel the same when it’s over as you did when it began, then you’re simply not pushing yourself hard enough while you exercise.

Increasing the intensity of your workouts requires focused intent. You must go into the session with the goal of pushing your body to the limit. Remember, it’s a contained timeframe that will be over shortly, so bear down and deal with the discomfort. With practice, you will learn to embrace the burn.

The safest and most effective way to crank up the intensity and effectiveness of your exercise time is to work with a qualified fitness professional, such as myself. I would love to hear from you!

Call or email me today and together we will get you started on your fastest fat loss ever now before summer vacation.

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Step #1: Clean the junk out.

Step one is simple: get rid of all the junk food that currently resides in your home, office and car. Go through with a big garbage bag and toss anything that remotely resembles junk food. Junk food is stuff that is high in empty calories and low in nutritional value.

Step #2: Stock Up on healthy food.

Go to the store and stock up on delicious, nutritious foods that will take the place of the junk food. Nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, hard boiled eggs, meatballs, and hearty salads or burrito bowls (like the recipe below) are great items to have on hand. You’ll eat less of these healthy snacks, since these aren’t empty calories, but rather nutrient-filled calories that fill and satisfy.

Step #3: HALT!

When the next craving strikes you, tell yourself to HALT! This word is actually a handy acronym. Ask yourself, “Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?” If you’re hungry then reach for one of the healthy snacks from step two. If you’re angry, then explore the issue and seek resolution. If you are lonely, then reach out to a friend, instead of reaching for junk food. And if you are tired then make the time to grab a nap or get to bed early to catch up on sleep.

Step #4: Stick With It

The first day that you go without junk food will be the hardest day. The second day will be a bit easier. The third day will be even easier than the second…and so on.

The fact is that your taste buds adjust to the foods that you exist on. When your diet is filled with junk foods then that is what your taste buds will crave, but as you shift to a diet that is filled with fresh, nutritious foods then your taste buds will forget all about that old junk food. Stick with it, one day at a time, and you will break free from the grip of junk food addiction.