I don’t focus on the details. Like I said in my last post, I focus on simplifying my life. I choose simple, basic, and wholesome ingredients. I don’t go to a gym or use a trainer. I don’t obsess about what I eat, how much I eat, and I never feel guilty over food. That is not the point of living a healthy lifestyle. It is about moving past the details, and just choosing to listen to your body, your mind, and your heart.
If anything I say is overwhelming or stressful, it is not for you. Find a place to start that makes you excited. For example, find a great hike, and go with a friend. Or listen to a playlist that makes you happy about what you are doing in that moment. Focus on how you feel. Focus on the scenery. Focus on the view. Live the here and now. And I probably wouldn’t think about kale…
In today’s post, I would like to discuss 10 ways I choose a lifestyle of health:
- Do what makes you happy. First, aim to get excited about being healthy. If you don’t like something, you will dread it and grow to despise doing it. A great example is how I feel about the gym. I don’t like it. Period! I don’t like how it smells. I am not a fan of people staring at each other. I don’t love that I jump on one of many treadmills lined up along a wall, and how the super stinky guy or the girl with too much perfume always manages to pick the machine next to me. I also don’t like the way girls glare instead of encourage, and how the guys act like they are amazing enough to stare at themselves in the mirror. Get over yourself buddy! Also, it is so much work to get there. By the time I get my kids in the car, park, get into the locker room to change, I am already hungry and have lost all motivation. Exercise or good food choices may always be a hurdle, but if it is doable and maybe even a part of day you get excited about, then you will keep it up.
- Learn to love to sweat. The more you move, the more your body will learn to love it. Do it to feel good, not to change how you look. It sounds odd, but I know when my body needs to sweat. My chest feels tight, and I feel like my body desires more than the stress of the day. I am not thinking about how much I ate or how much cellulite has creeped onto my legs overnight. I am thinking about how good I feel when I take care of my mind, my body, and my heart. I feel stronger for it in so many ways. And I never think about how many calories I burned or whether I am going to look great in the new jeans I bought. I think about how I feel when I am done. Proud and accomplished. And probably more sane.
- Don’t think about size or weight…think about HEALTH. I never weigh myself. I don’t count calories or fat. I choose things that make my body feel good. I want to be strong. I want to have energy. I want to sleep well. So I move my body every day, and I think of food as nutrition and fuel.
- Read packages for nutrition content, and if you don’t understand it, your body won’t either. I love fat-filled foods…avocado, oils (coconut, avocado, olive), whole fat cheese, almond/peanut butter…it really is found in all meals of my day. I use it to enhance the flavors of my food and fill me up. I also salt almost everything with Pink Himalayan salt. It is nutrient dense and gives my body things it needs. Focus on quality foods and put things in your body that count. Often times, the less ingredients the better!
- Change your focus on meals. Food is a source of energy and a foundation to how your body functions. It should be enjoyed and considered, but not a center point. See food as a supply for what your body needs. The basis should be fruit and vegetables. It is essential for fiber and gut health. Let’s face it…pooping regularly is a great sign for how your body is functioning. But those essential foods should not be a stress. Find things you enjoy. You need your MIND to change, and your taste buds will follow.
- Stop focusing on how you look, and instead focus on how you feel. If you feel like crap…change something. Desire more for yourself because you deserve better. Your body is telling you something, and you are not listening.
- Never stuff yourself. Why would you? So you can feel terrible afterwards? Not worth it. Your body won’t use it, and it will probably all be poop later…because it’s crap!
- Watch out for blood sugar spikes. I really do eat very little sugar. I broke that habit, and it honestly changed my life. Sugar is addictive, and they have found people really do get a”high” off the feeling of eating it. I highly suggest removing as much of it from your diet as possible. It will not be easy, but once it is limited, you really will crave it less. Instead of feeling “high” when you consume it, you will feel like crap. It has no nutrition content, and makes your body have a strong reaction. Every time sugar is consumed, there is a spike in blood sugar, and insulin is released. If this occurs frequently, and your blood sugar takes the form of a roller coaster, your body will react negatively. With this, the risk for diabetes increases. Instant gratification can turn into a life-altering health condition in the future. And if you do feel like a cookie or piece of cake every so often, timing is important. Have a great meal and drink lots of water first. The spike will be less dramatic, and you may find a smaller amount will be more satisfying. If you do indulge, enjoy it! Having a treat is not to be followed by instant guilt or regret. It is a part of living and enjoying life.
- “Skinny.” Fat.” “Diet.” Words that are not in my vocabulary, and will not be spoken in our house. Period. Those words suck. “Strong and healthy” are the only words my girls will hear.
- Just LIVE. It doesn’t matter what you look like. If people around you think differently…get new friends! The only person you have to impress is yourself. If you were a good person today and felt loved…it was a good day. So live like it. Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.
Val