5 Keys to a Lifelong Health and Fitness

You could scour the internet and the bookstores and come up with about as many diets as there are people on this planet. Nutritionist, scientist, bloggers, your next door neighbor, heck, even the government is always telling you what to eat and what not to eat. It’s enough to make any sane person crazy.

Everyone is different in the amounts of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. However, if it doesn’t run, swim, walk or come from the ground, stay away from it. Food in its most natural state is more nutrient dense. They will keep your body fueled and satisfied and will help you to burn fat, build muscle, and keep you overall healthy.

Focus on meats (organ meats, grass-fed/pasture beef/pork [if possible]), wild caught seafood and fish, free range eggs and poultry, wild game, nuts and seeds (unless you have a sensitivity to them), fruits(everyone is different with the amount of fruit they can tolerate), veggies, healthy fats, and natural sweeteners.

Eat the Right Kinds of Foods to Fuel Your Body

Avoiding processed foods and foods that hinder your health journey (even those foods considered healthy) is sometimes easier said than done and will take a level of commitment and discipline to your health. This can be a scary proposition for some people. The thought of never having pizza or cookies again can send many into a panic attack. It can be done, and you will be better in the long run.

What foods should you avoid?

This is not about following a “cookie cutter plan.” Your metabolism is as unique as your finger prints.  You have to listen to your body and figure out what works for you. This is a continuous journey and there will never be a time that “you arrive.” Instead you are continually evolving, learning, and growing.

Although I don’t always advocate counting calories, fat grams, carbohydrates, etc., if you are having trouble losing the last 5-10 pounds [make sure your diet is spot on and you have your stressors under control and you’re getting enough sleep] tracking your calories and macro-nutrients may just be the way to go.

Most plans will simply tell you to eat less and move more; if only it were that simple. Our bodies are complex and each one of us is an individual. Metabolism doesn’t work like a calculator. Imagine  your physiology as a see-saw that is constantly trying to seek balance. It bounces back and forth slowly and deliberately in a well-orchestrated attempt to keep homeostasis. The key is to find workouts that do not fight against your metabolism and derail your diet, but rather keep this balance and do not cause hunger, cravings, mood swings, and lack of energy. If you are feeling tired and constantly finding yourself hungry, having cravings and binging on foods after a workout, it’s time for a change. Spending lots of time on the treadmill [or other equipment], running or biking for miles and miles all in the attempt to lose weight may actually be backfiring on you.

 

These three S’s might be the most overlooked aspect of a health program. Your “diet” can be 100%, but if one or more of these is not in line, you may not be seeing results. So what makes each one so important?

                       1.  Sleep: Lack of sleep is a stress on the body and can increase cortisol, increase hunger (usually for high carbohydrate and sugar laden foods) and decrease insulin sensitivity. It’s a vicious cycle of increased hunger leading to increases in insulin leading to inflammation, which increases cortisol, and increased fat storage. The fat itself will stimulate the production of cortisol and the cycle starts again.

                   2. Stress: Stress is one of the most overlooked factors in weight loss. Our society praises the fast paced life where you get a lot done at a time. The motto is, “the busier you are the better.” But chronic stress, whether it is from too much on your to-do plate, financial strains, relationship strain, lack of sleep, etc., can put a devastating halt on your weight loss efforts. Stress increases your cortisol (and disrupts other hormones) and increases the chance for mindless and emotional eating. Stress also hinders digestion. When we are constantly in flight or fight mode or moving from one activity to another, the body shifts its energy from digestion to our heart and legs to prepare us to act accordingly to that stress.  Pounds pile on or refuse to let go.

                   3. Self-Worth: Do you believe that you desire to be healthy and fit? Be honest with yourself.  Maybe you see yourself as fat, ugly, or undeserving.  Have you labeled yourself a sugar-addict, a lazy person, or a junk food junkie? You probably know those thoughts are wrong and are lies, but if you continue to identify yourself with such labels, your behaviors will reflect the names you give yourself.  Maybe you have even started changing some of your behaviors to make your life more healthy and fit.  However, behaviors are not enough to bring about lasting change. You must change how you see yourself.