Post-holiday diet? Try water

MANILA, Philippines - Weeks into 2013 and you feel yourself bloated to the max, your pants tightened a bit with your belt buckle positioned farther from the end. The culprit would undoubtedly be the almost never-ending 2012 holiday eating binges where you chugged down too much calories, carbohydrates, sugars and other fattening elements.

So you worry about the next big thing for the year — summer. And you have around three to four months to shed off the excess poundage and get on that whistle-bait figure once more. The solution? Go on a post-holiday diet.

Website www.sheknows.com suggests the following post-holiday diet food items:

• Chicken and egg: Skinless chicken breast part can do the trick, or even eggs. It is high in lean protein and relatively low in calories to help reduce bloat and negate one’s cravings for carbohydrate-rich food stuff.

• Yogurt: Just try plain yogurt. As suggested by www.sheknows.com, go for the Greek-style one due to its texture and nutrient density, or you can add your favorite fresh fruit. Yogurt’s probiotic elements, according to the site, puts the digestive tract back on track with its protein, carbs and fat to maintain blood sugar levels.

• Leafy greens: This is a sure-fire suggestion. Leafy green veggies, especially the dark ones like spinach or the local “pechay Tagalog” have lower calories and you can practically do anything with it. Sauté it, use for omelets for breakfast or as part of your favorite veggie salad or soup. Its fiber-rich content also helps stabilize blood sugar and makes you feel full longer.

• Whole grains: They contain fiber, plus vitamins and minerals. The website suggests consuming one serving of whole grains every meal and avoid white flour-based products. Whole wheat bread with an egg, dried fruit, and high-fiber pasta with salmon, herbs and olive oil can do the trick.

However, the website puts premium on another effective post-holiday diet component — water. That’s right, water. After too much food intake during the past two months, the body will crave for sufficient hydration, the website avers, to help aid digestion and flush out the high levels of sodium in the body. Around eight glasses a day (8 oz. glass) of water can help.

Plus the fact that water diet is cheaper and has no known side effects, says www.waterdiets.net, makes it a more practical and logical choice to help shun those excess pounds created by your holiday overindulgence.

But using water as a main diet component should not use just plain water. It should be Crystal Clear, which surpasses the standards of US-Grade Quality of water with its state-of-the-art reverse osmosis SLX systems that eliminate inorganic minerals and chemicals for it to be absolutely safe any time of the year.

And an interesting fact about the quality of Crystal Clear is that it is sodium-free. This is definitely good news for individuals who are looking after their intake of food and drinks to take care of their diet.

Crystal Clear is a leading brand of purified drinking water now found in many homes and even offices nationwide. It is owned by Solerex Water Technologies Inc., an all-Filipino corporation engaged in the sale, franchising and management of water refilling stations.

For more about Crystal Clear water and franchising opportunities, visit www.crystalclear.com.ph.