For 30 days now, counting today, I have been trying out a new healthier eating habit to better the fitness of my belly dance body: 50% cut down on processed foods. Keep in mind, I am no dietician or food guru, but speaking as a normal woman who takes care of her body and mind, as the years continue to add on, I am paying more attention to my health habits now so I can prevent issues later.

It was funny, I had two photo-sessions in the past month and both times I was messaged about how I got in this slim shape and if my abs were Photoshopped (nope), so I thought why not answer it here, and this simple health tip might motivate others to better their body and how it functions.

The Skinny on Processed Foods

Opposed to my home country, and so many other places outside of the U.S. , America has really an obsession with fast food and processed foods. With so much pressure from work and being on the go, many a food item is pumped with crazy amounts of hormones, additives, preservatives, and many other scary things you probably do not want me to even mention when buying or purchasing food fast.

What happens is that over time, your body will build up with all of these toxins and slow down your metabolism, bowel functions, energy levels, and much more. Our body can only breakdown so much of these toxins and many linger for months even years in our bodies without being (ahem)…flushed out.

All those frozen dinners, “low sugar” foods that contain Sugar Alcohol which your body can’t break down easily, soda’s, and ready to go soups (no Ramen here!), and etc…they just do not compare to fresh ingredients.

So What Did You DO and What Were the Results?

Simple, I looked in my pantry and fridge, looked at what percentage of my food was green and healthy and contained ingredients I could actually pronounce lol and anything that was frozen, pre-packaged and filled with all the crazy ingredients and toxins, I reduced by 50%. Making the choice to eat more natural fruits/veggies, natural sugars, real cheese, and meat products that came from more animal friendly and Eco-friendly places caused quite  a nice change in the bod.

I went from being a relatively fit belly dancer who would feel bloated at times and always had a little tiny extra on the love handle side to being slim everywhere. No complaints now, and my abdominals show up better than ever in my photographs. That is my real body in photos, always has been, and even if at one point in time I had a little more water weight, I still would post it because it is who I am and I want my clients to know EXACTLY what to expect when they see me. Now I am super happy to post pictures, seeing the healthy state of my body and how the once problematic love handle area is gone and how my abdominals show up clearly in all photographs.

Think About It…

The less toxins and junk in your body, the less that can stick in those hard to work out areas, the better your bodies liver and organs can run, and hence the more energy and heightened quality of health. I do not diet, I eat rice and pasta and beef, and chocolate and my favorite sweets. The QUALITY of the food is what matters a lot more to me now, and how one balances all 6 meals matters. 

Tell me about your recipes or cool food items you have found that are fresh and tasty below! Would love to hear all about how other artists and belly dancers out there can get ideas for meals and snacks! Finding ways to improve your body and belly dance fitness lead to so many positive outcomes, so think about how you can improve it. P.S. Photo by A & I Studio.