If you spend any time on the internet, watching the news, or talking to a friend, there are so many people claiming that their newest diet is the best way to eat, lose weight, or feel great. It can be overwhelming, exhausting, and confusing. Can I eat gluten? Is red meat healthy? You eat meat, what?? Plants have oxalates and anti-nutrients, I am going carnivore.
Argh...enough already. Let's start with a few basics and unwrap some of the confusion.
Morning Sun....get some. Early morning sun is key for setting our circadian rhythm. This is the cadence in which every human body operates and it is set up in 24-hour cycles.
Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Sleep is the secret sauce to repair, rejuvenate, and rebuild our bodies. Sleep deprivation leads to blood sugar dysregulation = cravings.
Look through a lens of gratitude, life is happening for me, not to me. This is a mindset shifter. Stress is one of the biggest derailers of our health through choices, vitamin and mineral depletion, and overall impact.
Cook at home, yes whole food that is a single-name ingredient. Make green beans, sweet potatoes, chicken, rice, apples, berries, etc. Single-ingredient food is the lazy man's way of making dinner. Preparing green beans in a salted pot of water, requires a little butter, some pepper, and a squeeze of lemon or garlic to make it taste amazing.
Find ways to move throughout the day. You may not have time for a 30-minute walk before you head off to work, but you may have time for a 10-minute walk after lunch. An extra 2 laps around the baseball diamond while your kid is at practice. I call them movement snacks. We are not meant to sit all day. Period. Humans are designed to move, pick up heavy things, and occasionally sprint. The 7th grade science principle we all learned: mass in motion; stays in motion applies directly to our bodies.
These are simple ideas, easy to implement, and easy to start. Stack this new habit around one you already have. Here is an example: You have a morning cup of coffee- allow yourself to drink it outside. No sunglasses, just you and Mother Nature. Notice how your eyes react and how you feel overall. Take a few deep breaths and even think about a few things you are grateful for. Bam! You just implemented 2 goals in one executed effort. It took less than 5 minutes. Pick one and start creating a ripple effect in your life.
When we start prioritizing our body the mind will follow or vice versa. Our body is not broken apart into bits and pieces. We are not Mr. Potato Head and can swap out parts without alteration to the other pieces. What our mind thinks directly affects how our body reacts and feels, and the effort we give towards treating it well. Vice versa, when we treat our bodies well, our minds relax, are properly nourished, and enable our minds to focus.
It starts with the mindset and a conscious decision to prioritize you. The little wins add up over time and you can start small. You are worth the effort, and it takes more time to check Facebook than to try a few of these ideas!
Keep following as we discuss ways to prioritize your health, end the diet wars, and live life on your terms. I fully intend to enjoy the grandkids, keep up with my twenty-somethings in the gym, and enjoy every moment with a body that serves me.
You are meant to thrive!
Love,
Jess
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