With so many diets out there, healthy living can become very complex. Should you eat clean? Maybe choose an eating window for the day? Eat only uncooked plants? Honestly, the answer depends on who you ask and when you ask. Nutrition in the 80s was definitely a different ball game than now.
Though I have participated in my fair share of dieting, I finally found a sustainable way to live and set myself free. I stopped chasing a physique and decided to just live fit. The following rules are how I stay healthy and still enjoy life.
Rules To Live By
- Drink Water Before Every Meal
Most people begin their day with coffee or some sugary drink. Then you may have a Coke or Diet Coke. Plus, Kombucha for gut health. Or lemon water to get digestion started. But forget that the goal is simple -drink more water. How? Try purchasing a 20 ounce or more water vessel, and drink a full container 30 minutes before every meal and snack. Following that simple rule will ensure you drink at least a liter of water every day, and possibly half your weight in ounces. - 30 Minutes A Day Keeps The Doctor Away
No matter your fitness breakdown, aim for at least 30 minutes of movement a day. That could mean one hour at the gym MWF and a short walk on the weekend. Or, that could also mean walking for 30 minutes every day after dinner. Regardless of how you complete 30 minutes a day, it is vital that you exert extra energy each week for cardiovascular health, bone density, and stress relief. - Eat More Fruit Veggies
I would go even further and say, eat the rainbow. The fiber found in vegetables will provide that full feeling, so you remain satiated between meals. Overeating can occur because the body isn’t processing a feeling of fullness and fiber helps to make that happen. I like to fill at least half of my plate with vegetables. Other ideas include a small piece of fruit or veggie snack before lunch or a little salad as an appetizer before dinner. However you eat those fruits and vegetables, don’t neglect the necessary vitamins and fiber these superfoods provide the brain and body.
- Skip the Ultra- Processed Food
Eating ultra-processed food leads to cravings for ultra-processed food. For most people, the additives and preservatives needed to make the most ultra-processed food shelf-stable in some way negatively affects the digestive system or triggers the need for sugar. When choosing processed food, the fewer ingredients the better. For example, Ice Cream should contain some combination of milk, eggs, and cane sugar. Then based on flavor, the addition of cocoa, vanilla bean, nuts, etc. However, oftentimes you find a natural flavor or some other artificial flavor. Pushing ice cream from processed food to ultra-processed food. If you do not recognize the ingredients on the label, what you are buying is more than likely ultra-processed. Avoid that. - Build muscle and stretch
With new diets surfacing every single day. Plus, Instagram reminds you exactly what the perfect physique appears to be every day. With people on Youtube sharing the “best” food combinations to avoid bloating and speed up weight loss. Healthy living can seem complicated. Once, I finally realized that the bodybuilder physique is not regular living, that the Instagram baddie has probably had some kind of cosmetic procedure, and the Youtuber sharing how they achieved abs in one week is restricting their eating at some extreme level. Everything became 10 times easier. Now, I’m building muscle to keep the body firm and encourage the metabolism to work and stretching to keep away aches and pains. Dassit. - Moderate your sweets
No restriction here, so I eat sweets. But skip the ultra-processed options to avoid sugar addiction. Moderate the frequency and amount of sweets you consume to avoid diabetes or other ailments. Sweets provide very little nutritional value, so they are not substitutes for healthy food. Remember to eat one serving, and enjoy a treat every now and again.
Going back to basics has given me a bit of mental fortitude, and has helped me refocus on what is best for my body. Giving up restrictions around food and fitness has made healthy living an easy routine part of my life. Planning what to eat is no longer a constant worry, and I find myself enjoying food again. Fitness can be simple, and for me, fitness provides a sense of accomplishment as well as stress relief.
Reminder: Health and fitness is a personal journey, and no one has the right answer but you. Listen to your body by paying attention to how it reacts and feels to the food and fitness you provide. Eat what you want, when you want. My best weightless tip is: focus on not overeating through portion control, get the heart rate up for at least 30 minutes a day, and leave the rest behind.
Yes! This post came at the right time. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, discouraged etc with all the information about eating, exercise, and such. Going back to the basics and listening to our own body removes the burden of being overwhelmed and not taking action. Thank you!
Author
Sis, I’m right there with you. It’s so easy to forget that keeping things simple works every time.