(updated April 5, 2022)
So here’s my philosophy: Yes, I care about how I look and staying fit & healthy. No, I don’t think that makes me superficial. And yes, it takes work.
Staying in shape involves a lot of discipline which admittedly can be hard when we’re busy, but it is of the utmost importance both because of our health, and because our self-esteem will effect EVERY part of our lives. I’m certainly not saying we need to have perfect bodies to feel okay about ourselves, but an unhealthy body can be dangerous for men and women alike, especially as we get older. And it’s not superficial to want to stay in shape; it’s very connected to our energy level and even our mood. If I go for too long without exercising, or if I eat too many unhealthy foods, I start feeling lethargic, slow, and unmotivated. Not a good combination!
I’ve never been a vegetarian, but here’s what I do: (and I’ll add the caveat that I’m not a doctor, a nutritionalist, or a specialist of any kind; this is what works for me)
-For exercise, I love yoga (I even made a DVD!) and aerobic activity like dancing, the treadmill, etc, and then for weight-bearing exercise (important for avoiding osteoporosis later in life), I do push-ups and some light weights. I try to vary my routine also – that way it doesn’t get boring, and it’s actually better for your body to keep changing it up. And here’s how I managed to do yoga even with a toddler!
For my diet, there are lots of things I pay attention to. It’s rare that I go on a “diet” per se, but in everyday life I have certain guidelines that keep me from having to “diet”:
-LOTS of water, NO soft drinks, and especially NO DIET SOFT DRINKS. They are the worst. They make you crave unhealthy food and I happen to believe that they mess up your metabolism. I hardly drink alcohol, and I don’t drink coffee. I even limit my juice, because that’s a lot of concentrated sugar. It’s much better to eat a piece of fruit than to drink juice!
-NOTHING artificial, no artificial sweeteners or colors. This is a HUGE rule of mine. Again, I believe this is why I can go for a week or two without exercising and not see any bad results. I stay away from what nature didn’t create. It just couldn’t be good for our bodies, no matter what the advertising companies tell us 🙂
-Plenty of rest, 8 hours a night. This one is very challenging when I’m busy – but when we rest is when we metabolize. If you don’t rest, you don’t metabolize correctly. And then it’s difficult to lose weight or stay in shape.
-I mostly avoid gluten, so instead of bread, I eat rice cakes made from brown rice. They make some thin ones that are pretty good! To make up for the calories I’m not getting from bread, I work in extra (healthy, vegetable-based) fats like avocados and almonds, and I also love canned mackerel (one of my favorite snacks/lunches!).
-For dinner, at least a few times a week, I eat brown rice, steamed veggies sprinkled with olive oil, and simple, baked chicken, seasoned with onion powder, salt & pepper. Add a little salt and olive oil to that rice & veggies, and it’s yummy!
-I stay away from salty, sugary, and greasy foods, and over-processed foods. I try not to use “energy bars” – most of those are essentially candy bars with some protein powder sprinkled inside. It’s just a marketing ploy- “here, eat something that has lots of protein but that tastes like a candy bar!” Guess why? With the sugar and the chocolate, it IS a candy bar- and basically just as bad for you.
So, read the ingredients. Simple foods are best- veggie sticks, whole grains, fresh fish and chicken (cooked at home), and healthy fats like you can get from avocados, almonds and other nuts.
The stores are packed with foods that are adding to the weight problem in this country. We all have to learn to “just say no!” 🙂
I also love this blog: happyhealthybelly.com; Jen’s a good friend and super fun to read. (She’s currently taking a break but her older blogs are there, and they are awesome).
I hope this was helpful. Good luck to you!