In a world of diets, calorie counting, and media it’s no wonder most of us have issues with food. We have been forced to believe that being “healthy” means we need to vehemently watch everything we consume and hit the gym for hours a day. Can you see the stress cloud forming over your head? Stress and worry over food only begins a vicious cycle. You stress over trying to fit into a size 2 which then backfires because you end up eating a lot more due to the extra tension and stress you are putting on yourself. Sound familiar?
Growing up my friends and I were like most women who were overly conscious of our looks and often experimented with random and sometimes downright crazy diets. Sadly most women and probably men as well have been there. It’s not your fault. You have been lied to. Diets will never work, only long lasting lifestyle changes. To improve oneself you must start at the ground level. There are no quick fixes in life…ever.
In my most recent efforts to find true health and happiness around food I have found the secret. Balance can be achieved. Food is our medicine and we must use it as such. Here in lies my most recent discovers about metabolism, nutrition and the battle of the bulge that is taking over America.
1.) Learn How To Fire Up Your Metabolism: Your metabolism is the key to the treasure of fit and vibrant living. A balanced metabolism should be the goal in any weight loss endeavor. When the internal fire is burning correctly you’ll burn the calories you need to and process the food you eat properly. The body will assimilate the nutrients into your cells with ease, no longer over storing or discarding essentials to your fit and fabulous self. Each person is different and has genetic influences one way or another. The key is to learn what works for your body. Here are some must do metabolism pick me ups you can do today. One of my favorite tips is to graze all day. More to come on this subject as I am fascinated with stabilizing my own metabolism.
2.) Take Stress Out Of The Situation: Stress is so corrosive in our lives in general. It saps us of our true potential and ultimate happiness. The more we worry about food the less happy we are. Red flag! Food needs to be enjoyed. Eating slowly and actually tasting ones food, what I like to call mindful eating, reduces the stress and anxiousness around the dinner table. Meaning you’ll have that much less tension in your life! Though we can’t and in some cases don’t want to eliminate stress from our lives, less stress = happier people. And that’s all that really matters. Quality of life. Anne over at Woman’s World agrees.
3.) The Body Knows All: When you truly become aware of the body you realize how much it already knows. We are hardwired. It just takes awareness and education of the body to learn what works for you. There is no one size fits all when it comes to nutrition plans. How can you compare a genetically thin super model to one that starves herself to fit the role? One could eat anything she wanted and still stay pencil thin, while the other lives on coffee and cigarettes in order to live her “dream life.” Experiment with the metabolism boosters above and the whole food tips below and see what you can discover about your body.
4.) Eat Like Our Ancestors: When you dig through the pile of science on nutrition what pops out the other side is this… eat like our ancestors did…The human body has not evolved beyond our ancestors. Which means all the junk food and processed garbage we put into our system is not recognized as real food by the body. Real food is whole food that comes from the planet. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, animals, etc. Swallowing a Twinkie is like uploading a virus into your computer. The body doesn’t know what to do with it so it just stores it. And much like a computer virus, it sits quietly undetected until it starts reeking havoc later down the line. Not quite sure how to incorporate real food into your life? Here’s my omnivores guide. It all comes down to making choices.
These are broader ideas that I will dissect more thoroughly in Part 2, so stay tuned! What do you think? Have you found balance with food? What crazy diets have you tried in order to loose weight? We have all been there..so lets have a laugh. Please share any methods that have worked for you in the “battle” with food. We all want to learn from you.
This post was sponsored by Only In A Woman’s World.
P.S: I am currently reading and falling love with two books on this subject. I highly recommend you flip through their pages and soak in all the knowledge you can muster. Both books, Ultra-Metabolism
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great advice. I like your point about eating like our ancestors. Back in the day they only ate wheats, veggies, and meats.
Awesome advice. I rarely use the word diet because it seems to carry a negative connotation in most people’s minds.
Keep it sensible and natural. Eat primarily the food which God provided us with and exercise regularly.
Feel great about indulging with junk food once in a while; don’t beat yourself up over it and you’ll be fine.
Thanks for sharing your insight
Ryan
I really enjoyed this post. So many people focus on dieting — think of what a HUGE industry diet books/pills/etc. are! — and I think they would be a lot better off if they simply read this post. Balance is SO important in relation to almost everything in life.
I also love the tip of grazing all day. I have a drawer filled with healthy snacks at my desk and I try to eat a little bit all day long rather than big meals. I think it helps a lot in relation to losing weight. Another important fact is to keep the emotions out of eating. When you’re about to eat something, ask yourself, “Am I hungry or am I eating for another reason?” This really helps me decide when I need to eat.
Great post! Thank you for the tips!
this post was sponsored by frito lay?! are doritos and fritos a part of a healthy diet?
vlad crawl back to the vlad cave
I enjoyed this post, and as another woman who has struggled with self-image and food choices for years, I appreciate a lot of what you shared. The “eat like our ancestors” point is well made, as is the idea that our bodies know. Quite simply for me, I’ve been able to get quiet about certain foods and just “feel” if they’re low- or high-energy foods for me. Every body is different, so as you said, what works for one may not work for another.
Thanks for your efforts!
~ Megan
Thanks for the sweet comments everyone. Glad you all agree that we need balance!
@Vlad- yes this post was sponsored by A Woman’s World created by Frito Lay for woman. If you read anything I had to say above you’d see i don’t endorse processed food. But some of us bloggers want to get paid to do this as a living. I don’t appreciate negative comments that lack constructive criticism.
Great article, no easy path in life to obtain great results.
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