In our quest for radiant health and vitality, the way we approach our meals can be just as important as the foods we choose to eat. Eating light to heavy is a holistic approach to nourishment that aligns with our body’s natural digestive rhythms.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself: How often do you truly pay attention to the order in which you’re eating your foods throughout the day?
This method is not just about what we eat, but the order in which we consume our foods, starting with the lightest and progressing to the heaviest. Believe it or not, your eating pattern makes a huge difference when it comes to digestion!
How Does Eating Light to Heavy Work For Digestion?
This is one of the keys behind my Beauty Detox Program, and something many of us don’t even think about! The principle behind Eating Light to Heavy is rooted in the understanding that different foods require varying amounts of time and energy to digest. By beginning our day with easily digestible, nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, we pave the way for a smoother digestive journey. As the day unfolds, we can gradually introduce more complex, denser foods, such as proteins and starches, ensuring that our digestive system can efficiently process each meal without unnecessary delays or blockages.
So it’s not just about eating right, but eating in the right order!
This thoughtful approach to eating seeks to prevent the common pitfalls of indigestion, bloating, and the accumulation of toxins, which can arise when heavier foods impede the digestion of lighter ones. By honoring the natural order of digestion, Eating Light to Heavy promises not only improved digestive health but also enhanced energy levels, clearer skin, and all of the other amazing benefits you get from a healthy digestive system!
The Transformative Benefits of Light to Heavy Eating
The Light to Heavy eating philosophy is more than just an approach to a healthy diet; it’s a holistic strategy that harmonizes with your body’s natural processes and rhythms.
Natural Detoxification Extension: By starting your day with lighter foods, you seamlessly continue the detoxification process that occurs naturally during your sleep. This extended morning detox helps your body gently eliminate toxins, setting a clean and vibrant tone for the day.
Preventing Digestive Roadblocks: When lighter foods are eaten first, they move through your digestive system smoothly, without being held up by heavier, slower-digesting foods. This prevents the uncomfortable and health-detracting consequences of food stagnation, such as bloating and the buildup of waste and toxins, which can ultimately contribute to unwanted weight gain.
Aligning with Circadian Rhythms: Eating Light to Heavy supports your body’s circadian rhythms, the internal clock that regulates various biological processes. By eating in harmony with these natural cycles, you help optimize digestion, metabolism, and energy levels throughout the day.
Energy Conservation for Vitality: By allowing your body to digest foods more efficiently, the Light to Heavy approach ensures that less energy is expended on digestion. This saved energy can then be redirected towards supporting other vital functions, enhancing your overall health, vitality, and beauty.
The benefits are clear, but it still leaves some questions open to things we thought we knew. So, how does this approach fit into meal timing, especially when it comes to breakfast?
Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?
Many people believe that eating this way – having a light breakfast and your heaviest meal later in the day – flies in the face of conventional wisdom stating that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Research shows, however, that eating your heaviest meal at breakfast may actually be detrimental to your health.
A study published in the January 2011 Nutrition Journal debunked the commonly held belief that eating a big breakfast kept you satiated and allowed you to eat fewer calories throughout the remainder of the day. In fact, the study showed just the opposite. When subjects ate a larger breakfast, they didn’t eat less throughout the day. The calories from the big breakfast combined with the same amount of calories consumed throughout the day in other meals, as well. In other words, those who ate larger breakfasts consumed more calories throughout the day than those who ate smaller breakfasts. The study concluded that those seeking to lose weight could benefit from eating a lighter breakfast .
Another study in the British Journal of Nutrition had a similar result, suggesting that consuming more energy at breakfast inhibited fat oxidation throughout the day. Likewise, the high-energy breakfast group had higher levels of triglycerides, as well as lower levels of the “good” cholesterol, HDL.
Simply put, eating a heavier, more energetically dense breakfast actually hampered fat burning and contributed to poor blood lipid profiles.
A Light Way to Start the Day
While I don’t recommend skipping breakfast altogether, as you find in many of the now-popular intermittent fasting diets, I do recommend going light for breakfast. A breakfast full of heavy animal protein, like an egg white omelet, will rest like a brick in your stomach right at the beginning of the day. And then you’ll just eat whatever you usually eat for lunch (whether you had a GGS or an omelet) and so you’re just jamming more heavy foods into your body on a daily basis when you eat that heavy breakfast.
Most people eat way too much-concentrated protein anyway- which is not a good thing. It’s actually very acidic and aging. So let me say it again: that omelet isn’t doing you any favors!
Breakfast Idea: The Glowing Green Smoothie
That’s why the GGS makes the perfect morning meal. Chock full of whole fresh fruit and vegetables, the GGS provides you with essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, phytonutrients, and LOTS of fiber. It’s a great way to continue the cleansing your body started the night before with foods that help fight toxicity and provide high-quality nutrition.
Additionally, because the GGS is blended, your digestive system has an easier go of it. This means the GGS will move through your digestive system quickly and efficiently, giving you powerful nutrition without weighing you down. It also paves the way for you to eat heavier foods as the day progresses, with your most concentrated foods (proteins and grains) consumed at your evening meal when your body has the most time to digest them.
If you’ve never tried it before, spend a few days eating Light to Heavy to see a difference in how you feel. Your eating habits might usually involve a heavy breakfast, but have 16-24+ ounces of GGS and let your body acclimate. You may be surprised to find that, contrary to the belief that a big breakfast is “king”, you feel light, super energized, focused and vibrant, and can think more clearly.
Light Foods to Include for a Vibrant Morning
You don’t need to start every day with a smoothie! There are plenty of breakfast options that help your digestion from the start of the day. The right foods can make a significant difference in how you feel and function.
Here are some suggestions for light yet nourishing foods to include in your morning routine:
Vegetables: Begin your day with fresh, lightly cooked, or even raw vegetables. They are easy to digest, packed with essential nutrients, and support your body’s natural detoxification processes.
Fresh Fruit: Incorporating fresh fruit or fruit juice into your morning meal provides natural sugars for energy, along with fiber and vitamins to support digestive health and overall vitality.
Healthy Fats: Including healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and seeds in moderation can provide sustained energy and support nutrient absorption without weighing down your digestion.
Emphasizing a variety of whole foods in your morning meal ensures a balanced intake of nutrients, supporting your body’s needs and sets a positive tone for the rest of your day!
While the Light to Heavy philosophy encourages beginning with lighter fare, it’s equally important to be mindful that certain foods (both healthy and unhealthy foods) can disrupt your digestion, especially in the morning hours.
Heavy Foods to Avoid a Moody Morning
Processed Food: Often laden with additives, preservatives, and unhealthy fats, processed foods can be difficult to digest and may contribute to inflammation and a sluggish digestive system. Steering clear of these items in the morning sets a positive tone for your body’s natural detoxification processes.
Added Sugars: Foods high in added sugars can cause spikes in blood sugar levels, leading to energy crashes and cravings. Consuming these in the morning can disrupt your body’s natural rhythm and leave you feeling lethargic and unbalanced.
Refined Carbohydrates: Foods made from refined flour, such as white bread, pastries, and certain cereals, can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and may lack the fiber necessary for healthy digestion.
Dairy Foods: For some people, dairy products, especially those high in fat like certain cheeses and full-fat milk, can be difficult to digest and may cause discomfort or bloating, particularly if you’re lactose intolerant.
A Day in Balance: Navigating Light to Heavy Eating
Morning: Light and Energizing
I just listed this above, but the most important aspect of this concept is to start your day with foods that are easy on your digestive system! I start everyday with my Glowing Green Smoothie, but there are plenty of other delicious breakfast recipes you can test out! I recommend trying out my Banana Chia Seed Parfait or Coconut Quinoa Cereal (with coconut milk, of course!).
Midday: Satisfying and Nutrient-Rich
As your digestive fire grows stronger, introduce more substantial foods that are still easy to digest but provide more sustenance. I have some great plant-based, simple recipes that are perfect for lunch, like my Chickpea Delight Salad or Summer Caesar Salad
Afternoon: Balanced and Steady
For an afternoon snack, choose something that will sustain your energy levels without weighing you down.
Evening: Fulfilling and Comforting
In the evening, your body can handle heavier foods, so this is the time to incorporate more dense, grounding meals. Check out some of my favorite entrées if you’re looking for some fresh and healthy ideas! My Kale & Tomato Love Pasta recipe is a personal favorite of mine, but if you haven’t tried my Sprouted Hummus Vegan Wraps, then you’re missing out!
Enhancing Your Light to Heavy Journey with Solluna Probiotics
As you embark on the journey of Eating Light to Heavy, nurturing your digestive system becomes key. That’s why I use Solluna Feel Good Probiotics, designed to complement this philosophy by enhancing your gut health and overall vitality!
Solluna Probiotics are specially formulated to complement the Light to Heavy approach by fostering a balanced and thriving gut microbiome. Probiotics help create an environment in your gut where nutrients from your food are more readily absorbed, maximizing the benefits of your light-to-heavy meal plan!
The Power of Eating in the Right Order
Of course, embracing healthy foods and maintaining a balanced diet are fundamental pillars of a vibrant lifestyle, the true magic unfolds when we pay attention to the order in which we consume our meals. Eating light to heavy is more than just a dietary strategy; it’s a holistic approach that honors the natural rhythm of our digestive system.
By starting our day with lighter, easily digestible foods and gradually transitioning to heavier meals, we unlock the full potential of our body’s ability to process nutrients, eliminate toxins, and maintain optimal energy levels.
Give the light-to-heavy approach a shot, and you might just be amazed at how your body flourishes!
Kim – I have read your book and everything. I was wondering though, does the GGS go against the food combining principle in that there are both veggies and fruit together? Thanks!
I wondered the same thing, especially since fruit should be eaten on its own.
I think since they’re blended they’re so much easier to digest that it doesn’t really matter.
Fruit does mix with raw veggies, except for melons.
Since veggies are “neutral” they can be eaten with anything
Leafy greens go with all fruit but melons ;) So the glowing smoothy is awesome! Just don’t go adding the oils and seeds etc, that would make it incorrect combining…
Hey! I don’t have the book…waiting for a french version so I don’t know about the correct combinations…any idea for a GGS in a summer version? Maybe with berries or mango perhaps? Thanks!
I add ground flax seed to smoothie. Not sure if that is ok. From your comment I don’t think so?
I’m pretty sure her cheat sheet said veggies and fruits can be paired with the exception of melons…. :-)
Kimberly, I thought I was eating very healthy but my blood sugar went up to 102 last May. Bought a Vitamix and started every day with Glowing green smoothie -4 months later, my sugar level dropped to 75. I have to add that starting my day with a GGS has changed the way I feel all day. I also try to have my last big meal no later than 5.30pm when I am home. What a change and….I dropped 7 pounds in no time ……Thanks ! love your newsletter !
I do drink my green stuff every morning but that doesn’t fill me up so I usually have a bowl of oats or yoghurt that helps me through until my next meal around noon.If I get hungry in between I snack on friuts or nuts
You rock, great post! I have shared it with my network, I truly believe in this too. I love feeling light and energized during the day and not heavy and slow. Also, side note, I have been obsessed with amino acids, thanks for turning me onto it :) Can’t wait for your next post, you’re so full of facts! Sending you glowing green vibes!
I agree Claudine, feeling light and energized is pretty awesome! Makes me feel like a kid again. In fact I beleive that’s the only way we adults can feel like a kid again. GGS ROCKS!
Hi Kim,
I understand the concept behind eating light to heavy and I am trying to incorporate this into my daily routine. I enjoy a GGS every morning. Lunch will be an avo sandwich or something similar. I eat my dinner (around 6 pm) which consists of my only cooked meal of the day with small portion of meat and lots of veg. The problem I am having though is that I work until 10 or 11 pm each night and I get hungry again around that time. I have a fairly physical job so a cup of tea is not going to get me through til the next morning. What can I eat then?
Hi Eva,
Have you tried the Pure Protein Smoothie, Acai smoothie or Chia pudding? There are something you can prepare ahead of time and the chia seeds in any of these will help fill you up and suggest you have a little earlier say 8:30/9:00, so you aren’t having too soon before you go to bed.
Thank you Jade,
I will def give that a try! Just wondering though if that goes against the “no eating after a “heavy” meal”?
PS Jade,
I’m also trying to lose a little weight : )
Will those add much to my daily intake of calories?
This is great for people like me that have to watch what we eat. I hope the calorie’s is not going to go straight to my tuchas, though!
Excellent philosophy! I also instruct my clients to eat this way (learned it from your amazing book which I also recommend to my clients ;) )
It makes perfect sense even though it does go against everything we’ve learned. It takes time, work, and dedication to make the change but as you suggest just give it a go for a few days and you will FEEL the difference!
Peace, Love & Health xoxo
I have a few questions….first, do you have any tips for people that have jobs where they sit for the majority of the day? I find that on days that I have off I have lots of energy, but sitting all day really drains me. I always use my lunch break to take a 30 min walk, but thats all I’m really able to do. The beauty detox diet has helped but I still feel quiet tired from sitting and staring at a computer screen. My job does not allow me to be able to get up every 30-mins to an hour because it requires me to be on the phone for 7+ hours.
Also – I ALWAYS pack my lunch & dinner but I get out at 8pm and when I leave work I am STARVING! I feel like I’m doing something wrong. I normally pack two salads, some vegetable soup, and some quinoa with tomato sauce & nutritional yeast mixed in. I do switch it up, but its mostly a variation of that. Once I get home though I feel like I want to eat everything in sight! Any tips?
Pack more food! A lettuce or collard wrap or bananas or something else that’s portable that you can eat while driving if you need to would help.
Kim,
Thank you for all the inspiration your book & blog have given me, in the kitchen & in my life! When I picked up your book, I didn’t set it down for 2 days…which was when I finished reading it in its entirety! I can’t remember the last time I read something that fast. You speak my language! I’m a practicing colon hydrotherapist & a living foods lifestyle instructor so a) I love being able to recommend your book as a resource for clients who are just beginning to make lifestyle changes! b) greatly appreciate your mention of colon health in your book/articles.
In our house, we LOVE & LIVE by the GGS! ?? though…I like to add spirulina or Health Force Nutritionals-Vitamineral Green/Earth to mine sometimes. Curious on your thoughts for this combo b/c of the flax/chia in the VE mixed w/ the fruit in the GGS? & what are your thoughts for combining the VG/spirulina w/ the GGS?
I appreciate your insight. Keep up the amazing work & spreading the word on true beauty, healthy foods, healthy living & a whole-some life!
Much love,
Jen
I am Ali am also interested in this question. I grind flax seed and add to my smoothie. Was wondering if that is ok
I’m starting out with GGS tm! I’ve already incorporated some of your tips this week and already feel lighter. ;))
Hi Kim! love your posts! starting everyday with a GGS starting tomorrow! (i am incorporating it into a cleanse i am doing) can’t wait! keep the posts coming!
hi kim let me say i am super happy to read ur book its a amazing how this info really helps me every single day,my questionis. i was suffering from bulimia for 3 yrs,now its been 2 yrs i am good but i start gaining weight and now its really really bothers me. i see that nothing really works and i think its beacuse slow metabolism.now can i just drink ggs and ur signature smoothies.to loose weight fast .to have relief lit faster,.and how much caloris in one cup of ggs smoothies.thank you very much kim cant wait to read ur reply
hi kim is it ok to just drink signature smoothies as meal replacements.for just 2 weeks,i love ur book u are amazing thank you for everything
Hi Kimberly!
I’m just wondering where in the day I would fit in a serving of Chia seeds ? I usually just put them in a glass of water and drink it. Is there a special time of the day or so? Considering eating light to heavy and food pairing. Thank you! And also nuts and seeds, where do they fit in?
Hi everyone,
don’t really know where i can ask following question.
I’m from Belgium, so my question is: Does the book exists in Dutch?
I can read English but i think, i will understand it better in my own language.
Thanks,
Terry
Ik ben ook Belg en heb het boek op bol.com gekocht maar wel in het engels. Ik denk niet dat het in het ned bestaat.
Hi Kimberly,
Are there any healthy alternatives to the GGS in the morning? I have it almost every morning, but sometimes I crave some variation. Any suggestions?
Hi Kimberly. I have your book, I am following it, and have lost 10 lbs so far. I wanted to be clear on something. When I sit down to eat a meal containing veggies and chicken, am I supposed to eat all the veggies before eating the chicken? Does your food combination rule apply to how we eat food groups per meal, or the order combo of meals for the day?
Quick question…when I don’t have a GGS handy in the morning (I like to make a big batch on the weekends and portion into containers to last the week) I will make a smoothie of frozen berries and water. I often add organic brown rice protein powder to the smoothie. Is that something you think is okay? What about adding a little of the organic brown rice protein powder to the GGS when I have it in the afternoons? Thanks so much for your time.
The following time I read a weblog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much
as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to learn,
however I actually thought youd have one thing attention-grabbing to say.
All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix
if you werent too busy on the lookout for attention.
Hi Kimberly!
Someone already posted what I need to know to:
I’m just wondering where in the day I would fit in a serving of Chia seeds ? I usually just put them in a glass of water and drink it. Is there a special time of the day or so? Considering eating light to heavy and food pairing. Thank you!
And also nuts and seeds, where do they fit in? I have been eating an ounce of nuts around noon time, is that too early in the day? What about hemp seeds? When is best?
Reply ↓
Awesome!Great Talk very much interesting.Thank’s.
I want to share what occurred when I began making the Glowing Green Smoothie (and variations of it, according to what I had on hand…) for breakfast, in place of my usual GF cereals or egg breakfast.
I did not feel hungry for several hours! I have even gone til lunchtime, without feeling as though I needed to eat. Seeing as how I am not trying to lose weight, rather I need to gain it, I have started eating a mid-morning snack of nuts and whole fruit. This GGS stabilizes my blood sugar levels so well, that I do not find myself reaching for my dark chocolate or treats like caramel popcorn or other homemade sweets, later in the day.
In fact, my kids have also drastically reduced the amount of snacking throughout the day, by starting their morning with a smoothie. They actually CRAVE the smoothie and will have a second one later in the day!
Hi Kim, it was amazing article..Thank you for sharing this to us. Great Post!
This is article is a revelation! I had no idea on how the digestive system really worked and broke down food. Thank you for sharing