Most of us are unhealthy because of what we eat. How do I know this? Diseases like Diabetes Type 2, High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol are due to our bad eating habits. Healthy eating is not a habit for most of us. Some of us think we know what it means to eat healthy but do we?
What exactly is meant by a healthy eating? Healthy eating involves being conscious about food properties such as ingredients, micronutrients and macronutrients. It is also someone who is aware of what they’re eating, when they’re eating and why they’re eating. They have a good understanding of their relationship with food to their well being. Much like a car needs gasoline for fuel to keep it running and performing the task for which it was intended, our bodies need fuel to keep them up and running too. Unfortunately, we expect this to happen on french fries and hamburger. You will not get the best utilization of your body if you are not conscious about what you eat and how it affects your performance and mood in the long run.
There are all kinds of reasons the unconscious eater eats. Emotions tend to drive us, and we satisfy that emotional distress with whatever we might consider “comfort foods” like donuts and potato chips. Anxiety, boredom, anger, loneliness, sadness, and fear are just a few things that may drive us to the fridge or pantry hoping for relief for the emotional distress. We hope food can ease the pain, but it never does. In fact, post bingeing we add guilt to the emotion that causes us to binge making us feel worse.
But happiness also causes us to eat. We celebrate holidays, birthdays, birth and death with food. We enjoy food in good and bad times. And the selection of food is usually not the most nutritious.
Becoming a conscious eater simply means thinking about what you’re putting in your mouth, why and when and considering what exactly your body needs for fuel. Unconscious eating is not an easy habit to break, but it can be done, and not only will your body thank you for the improved nutrition it’s getting, but you’ll reap the benefits of increased strength, stamina and sense of well-being. This will take some effort on your part to exchange the bad for the good.
Start by incorporating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables into your daily diet. Make a commitment to do a food swap every week. Have brown rice instead of white rice. Or replace french fries with sweet potato fries. Explore the produce section in the grocery store and you will discover a variety of nutritionally dense food. Begin to educate yourself about the nutritional needs of your body and as you become a conscious nd healthy eater you will feel the difference physically and mentally.
Drink Up
Water makes up more than half of your body weight, and you need plenty of fluid to function. It recommended drinking at least 8 cups of water every day. I say to drink enough water until your urine is as clear as water.
Our bodies lose fluid every day through urine, feces, and sweat. In fact, we lose fluid with every breath we take as we exhale. We need to replace it regularly to maintain blood circulation which carries oxygen and nutrients to the trillions of cells in our bodies as well as carrying off waste. Proper digestion and maintenance of body temperature also rely on adequate fluid intake.
While you can certainly get fluids from many sources like milk, juices, coffee, tea, soda, and a number of other beverages, nothing can beat pure water’s health benefits. Perhaps most importantly it’s calorie, caffeine and sugar-free. If you’re a soda or coffee junkie, the very thought of drinking plain old water may leave a bad taste in your mouth. Try replacing at least one of your regular beverages with water each day and strive to increase it. Adding a splash of fruit juice to your water might make it more palatable and help you get in the habit of drinking more H2O on a daily basis.
Some people complain that drinking a lot of water send them to bathroom at the most inconvenient times. Its a pain in the neck that when you are driving and you want to urinate. I suggest to time your water intake when you know you will have easy access to the bathroom. In addition, stop drinking water a few hours prior to bedtime.
Your first few cups of water won’t send you to the bathroom frequently because you were probable dehydrated. However, as you drink more water and become hydrated you will be making frequent trips to the bathroom. Therefore, be prepared.
Hunger Triggers
It’s no secret that keeping your body limber and strong is important to good physical health and mental well being. There is a multitude of ways we can attain and maintain a good level of strength and stamina to meet our daily needs at any age. Our bodies were made to move, lift, push, pull and stretch and when we spend the majority of our days not performing in those ways we are bound to lose those abilities. Thus, the old adage, “use it or lose it”. We already have all that we need to strengthen and maintain our bodies without having to use any special equipment or a personal trainer.
However, many people complain that exercising can induce their hunger. This might be because your glucose decreased due to the utilization of carbohydrates during an intense workout session. If this happens to you take note . This way you can be prepared to eat right after working out.
It is recommended that you eat a healthy post workout snack within 30-60mins of your workout.
The snack should be a complex carbohydrate and protein. It’s best to have something available so that you are not tempted to binge. Smoothies are ideal choices because you can easily combine protein, carbohydrates and throw a cup or two greens in.
In conclusion, commit yourself today to implement one of the above then add another. Attempting change too much at once can backfire causing you to become discourage and give up. Let food be thy medicine and won’t have to take any pills.