The glory of a race, the ultimate moment that is photographed for posterity and talked about by all of the spectators, is the final moment when a spent athlete strides across the finish line. Often, life is treated in a similar manner. Every second is an opportunity to train, to improve so that you can cross that finish line first. In many ways that sort of drive is admirable, but unfortunately in the area of health, it is counterproductive. There is no ideal, no peak moment. Health is a journey, not a destination.
While people have various reasons for striving for a healthier, stronger self, all of us are united by a single goal. We want to be happy, pain free, strong, and attractive. With that goal in mind, however, we need to realize that a punishing, restrictive lifestyle won't get us there. Because there is no there there. Every moment should be a victory, a celebration. Exercising should be enjoyable, and eating something that will make you feel better tomorrow should be acknowledged with a moment of pride. Every single thing that you do that moves you closer to health should be celebrated, because it means you can accomplish your goals unimpeded, you can play with your children without pain or fatigue, you can participate in activities with the pure, unfettered enjoyment that we enjoyed when we were children.
Somewhere along the way, though, "healthy living" got a negative rap. Exercise became an obligation, and eating healthy was a sacrifice. Ironically, though, exercising can be fun! You can dance, play sports, go for a hike in the beautiful woods, or plunge into an icy lake on a hot summer day to go for a swim. As children, those activities did not seem punishing. But at some point that changed. Eating a freshly picked apple as you sat in a sun-drenched yard became a nutritional obligation measured by its calories, fat content, and carbohydrate count. And yet eating foods that make your body flourish is not only enjoyable, but delicious.
I ask you to take a moment to reflect on why living a healthy, strong life seems like so much work. Are you choosing the wrong activities? Subsisting on a calorie-constricted, unappetizing fare? What activities did you love as a child? What natural, unprocessed foods do you enjoy? Go back to those. The rest will come, just give it a chance. And along the way, marvel at your increased energy and your decreased waistline. Celebrate reacquainting yourself with the healthy, beautiful person you were intended to be.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Exercise is a huge step toward losing weight and feeling great…BUT the fuel you feed your body is just as important! A good (if way overused, sorry!) analogy is to think of your body as a car. You give it good fuel, and it performs well. You give it poor quality fuel and…you call a tow truck. So here are a few guidelines to help you out. Enjoy!
A few do's and don'ts:
DO drink water. Dehydration causes all kinds of medical problems! If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated, so try to get into the habit of drinking throughout the day. You should be drinking a minimum of 2 litres per day. Coffee, tea, juice, milk, or any other non-water beverages don't count!
DO eat 4-5 small meals a day. When you eat regularly, your metabolism efficiently burns calories and your body is less inclined to store fat. Skipping a meal (especially breakfast) slows your metabolism way down, decreasing your ability to burn fat and making you feel tired.
DON'T diet. EVER! Extreme restrictions in calories or cutting food groups out of your diet will lose you a few pounds short term, but the weight your are losing is muscle, not fat. You lose this weight because your body is STARVING, and in the long run you will gain back all of the weight you have lost plus more. So all those books collecting dust on the shelf – Atkins Diet, Jenny Craig, etc – can go in the garbage!
DO eat fibre. A high fibre diet decreases your risk of cancer and heart disease, absorbs toxins from your body, and keeps you regular. Fruit, vegetables, and whole grains (like brown rice, quinoa, & bulgar), and raw seeds and nuts all have high fibre content.
DON'T stop for fast food whenever you get hungry. Once in a while, junk food is okay. You have to have a little fun, right? Just be aware of what's going into your mouth.
For example…
McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast: 1140 calories, 59g fat, 2250mg sodium
Burger King Whopper: 1250 calories, 84g fat, 1600mg sodium
Add fries, and that's another 600 calories, 33g fat, 990mg sodium
Add a milk shake, and you've added 960 calories, 32g fat, 720mg sodium
For a whopping total of: 2810 calories, 124g fat, and 3310mg sodium
To give a little perspective…
Active men should have 2000-2500 calories, 60g fat, and 1800mg sodium per day
Active women should have 1600-2000 calories, 50g fat, and 1800mg sodium per day
A few tips:
Plan out your menu for the week. That way you will always have healthy food available. If you're really busy, cook big batches of food on the weekend that you can put in the fridge and freezer for the week.- Avoid sugar. If there's one thing in your diet to avoid, it's sugar. Sugar weakens your immune system, causes diabetes, is linked to multiple forms of cancer, and causes food cravings, mood swings, and fatigue. Even worse than sugar, though, are sugar substitutes, like Splenda, Equal, and NutraSweet. So, if you just HAVE to have a pop, regular is better than diet.
- Avoid salt.Salt is the #1 cause of heart disease. It's worse than fat for your heart. A little bit of sea salt in your cooking is okay, but try to take regular iodized salt out of your diet. It's in everything, from canned foods to frozen dinners to baked goods. If you want some extra flavor, try spices.
- Learn to read labels. If you don't recognize some of the ingredients on the label, don't eat it!!!
- Include raw fruits and vegetables with every meal.Raw fruits and vegetables give you vitamins, minerals and fibre that cooked foods cannot.
- Skip meat a few times a week. Meat is hard work for your body to digest, so instead of resting and repairing, everything grinds to a halt until it's out of your system. Experiment with some beans or lentils for a few meals, your body will thank you! And if you're worried about the…um…adverse effects that beans have a reputation for, stop! Once your body adjusts to the increase in fibre, that's no longer a problem.
- Eat green vegetables. Greens are the most nutrient-dense foods available, so eat lots! This may evoke images of the same boring iceburg lettuce salad, but there's a huge variety of greens available, and they're delicious in salads, soups, stir-fries, and even in dips, so experiment! Some possibilities include spinach, kale, collard greens, bok choy, cabbage, and broccoli.
Sautéed Swiss Chard with Onions
1 ½ lbs Swiss chard (1 bunch)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (or 2-3 shallots), thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt & pepper
Cut stem & centre rib from chard, slice into 2" pieces. Stack leaves & roll lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1" strips. Heat oil & butter in heavy pot, then cook onion & garlic with ½ tsp sea salt & ¼ tsp pepper, about 8 minutes. Add chard stems, cook until tender, 4-6 minutes. Add greens, ½ tsp sea salt & ¼ tsp pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally until wilted, 4-6 minutes. Serves 3-4.
Food Myths…
Myth #1 –You've all heard the commercials: "Milk, it does the body good." Milk is supposed to be high in calcium and other nutrients. True, it is high in calcium, but it's a form of calcium that your body can't use and it in fact leaches calcium out of your bones, weakening them. In addition, the growth hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals in milk make it more harmful than helpful. So if you sit down with a glass of milk, think of it as a treat, kind of like ice cream.
Myth #2 -- Meat protein is necessary to be strong and healthy. Yes, animal products are high in protein. They are also difficult for your body to digest, so they sit around in your intestines for days causing bloating and constipation. In addition, consumption of significant amounts of meat tends to be linked to certain diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Most North Americans eat 5-6 times more protein than necessary, which is then stored as fat. So, like with everything else, practice moderation. Have a few meatless meals. And if you're worried about getting enough protein in your diet, remember that calorically, spinach derives more energy from protein than meat.
